Another Stitchnerd pattern, this is the Switchways cowl Half in linen stitch, half ijn a rslipped/ribbed stitch.
Aprart from my inability to keep track of slipped sttches, ti went fairly smoothly, another super easy but effective pattern from Stitchnerd.
I didn't quite make the Ravellenics, but it was cast on during the closing ceremony, and finished a by the end of the month.
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The yarn is, I think, Manos Maxima, but I can't be quite sure as I've lost the label again..
And indeed it was! This was one of my Ravellenic Games entries. Stitchnerd's TGV.
It started off in Easyknits DW Plump, a sportweight yarn. I had several goes, sorting out the needle size I wanted to use. All going well, and then disaster struck a few inches into the ribbing (the longest rows of course!). I restarted, this time in some bright Zauberball from stash.,
I started this on Wednesday evening and managed a few evenings knitting (very little time!) but did the bulk on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Odd how I can't knit a pair of socks this quickly, yet the yardage is the same!
It's a crescent shaped narrow (in depth) shawl, perfect for winding around your neck (which is how I wear my shawls).
Now the yarn is bright. I only have three balls of 4ply yarn with these long colour changes, and the other two were Noro yarns. I think I'd bought this (online) thinking it would be good for some double knit mittens, but have never gotten around to knitting them up yet. I'm pleased that I didn't as the yarn is a bit too variegated in colour for what I wanted in the mittens. In fact, when I'd finished the shawl, draped it around my neck, Mr.C. commented on how it made me look younger - like six! And yes, the colours are very suited to small children! Love the easy pattern, not so sure of the yarn colours!
It's TGV (High Speed Knitting), though mine is not going as swiftly as I'd planned. In fact, it might be a rush to finish this by Sunday's Closing Ceremony!
The yarn is Easyknit's DW Plump, in Honey, a heavy 4ply/sport weight yarn. The shawlette calls for one skein of sock yarn (though of course you can knit this in any weight and any yardage) so I thought that I'd use both skeins and knit a larger shawl.
Attempt #1: knitted on 3.75mm, but thought the garter stitch section could do with being a bit looser. Frogged.
Attempt #2: changed to 4mm needles. Knitted the garter section and was a few inches into the ribbing section when I spotted a little bit of uneven garter, where I'd picked up a dropped stitch and missed out a garter ridge. It wasn't too obvious on the WS, where there was an extra purl stitch, but quite glaring on the RS, with a knit stitch, so I tried to frog back a and rectify. Except it looked a bit shoddy and uneven! Frogged it all.
Attempt #3 (so far so good!). I'd seen some TGVs in self striping yarn - those yarns with looong stripes. And managed to hunt down the three balls in my stash! Noro Kureyon sock, Noro Silk Garden Lite and Zauberball. Zauberball on 3.75mm needles it is then.
I'm really pleased that this has happened. Although the Plump looked great, it's only after using a finer yarn that I realise I prefer the drapier look, and that if I'd chosen the Plump, I should have gone up to 4.5mm needles. So all's well. I think I can knit 400 odd yards in a weekend, can't I?
Phew! A few finished projects, at last!
First up is the dishcloth, the usual plain pattern, which I much prefer (to knit and use).
The challenge here was to knit the thing! I've been thinking about knitting it for months. The yarn is Anchor Magic, a gently striping cotton. OK, but my favourite yarn for dishcloths is Rowan's Handknit DK Cotton. I'm starting to regret using most of my stash up on a crochet blanket!
This little item qualifies for the green eventhome, and purple events eventskein and eventstash!
The second FO is the From Russia with Love Cowl, It's a simple mosaic pattern. I haven't blocked it (probably won't but will wash and lay flat this weekend, to even out the stitches). I haven't managed to get an outdoor shot either! But at least the purple doesn't look as pink as it does at home under tungsten lights! The colours are purple and a light lime, though the lime looks washed out in these shots.
The yarn is Biggan Wool dk, the last two balls in stash! I gave a lot to a friend who was crocheting blankets, and some to my niece. Glad I kept these two they're ideal for this pattern.
Another shot of the ciwl. It looks quite light, close up, but actually overall looks purple.
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This is entered in the green eventcowl, and purple eventstash and eventcolorwork!
Three clues knitted.
Clue one - option B
Prety regualr shape.
Then onto clue 2. Option B.
This has short rows in garter stitch. I keep checking and rechecking the pattern. All of the short rows are on one side, which makes me uneasy. I love symmetry! Hope this is correct...
Last night I finished clue 3, option B. There wasn't much difference in the patterns this week, both lace (though my scrunched up shawl isn't showing any lace!).
I took this photo before leaving for work. Curtains still closed, and the colours look so different. The grey has a touch of pink in it, but (on my monitor at least) it looks quite pale blue.
Just two more clues to go, I think!
My mitten nitting for NaKniMitMo is progressing. Not quickly, but I reckon that I'll be able to knit three pairs this month.
Still waiting for #1 pair to dry, the Myrten Mittens.
The first mitten for pair #2 is finished. I started the decreases three rows earlier, as I thought that they'd be too long. Not. I should have put the thumb stitches on a needle and tried them on properly! I think I'll leave them as is, as the edns are darned. in. Love the thumb!
Needless to say that they need a bit of blocking.
And I've started a third pair! These ones are a MKAL in the I Love Mittens ravelry group. I bought the pattern, but abandoned them on my first attempt. I've since looked at spoilers and restarted them this weekend. Just the cuffs done so far.
Finally, a non mitten project. This is another MKAL, this time a shawl. It's Ysolda's Follow your Arrow shawl. Each of the five clues has two options, so there's 32 variations.
Clue 1, option B, The colours aren't as contrasting as they seem to be in the photo.
Clue 2 is in my inbox, better get a move on!
At last! The weater held and we could go outside and take a few photos of this scarf. Though a bit too cold to hang around...
This was a Booknits KAL in December, a great way to relax before Christmas. I used the yarn specified, thought I'd treat myself. It's Fyberspates Faery Wings 4ply, a silk/kid mohair blend. The colour is MAGENTA and not hot pink as it looks in these photos! The yarn is surprisingly not at all itchy. Unlike Rowan's Kid Silk Haze, which I find irritates me, this feels lovely and soft against the skin.
The length is variable in the central section of the scarf. I chose to make mine long, and used the entire first skein. It's long.
I can wear it doubled
But I'm more likely to wear it wrapped around my neck
Though possibly TWICE around the neck, so that I can admire the lace and beadwork a bit better.
Because that's the best bit, the lovely lace and beads!
I suspect that there may be more Booknits knitting in my future.
Finally, photos of my December Mystery Shawl KAL. Better Together. I finished this on 15th December, but have only just managed to get outside and take some photos, with daylight, no rain and a little bit of wind! Really, it has been too dark, wet and windy on my days not at work!
Anyway here she is.
This was the first of four MKALs. The next one starts in February.
I used up some stashed anonymous wool, always a good thing.
It's a garter stitch shawl, easy knitting as long as you keep your eye out for the slipped stitches, with two options for the top part of the shawl, either garter/slipped or garter/travelling stitches. It's alwso bottom up, a huge pain when starting but I really LOVE decreasing as my motivation to a new project wains.
And you really can't notice the last two rows (before working in just one coour) is a different shade, can you? I ran out of the burgundy yarn, but found one very similar!
I've not been blogging much, as i feel like I haven't been knitting much, but I do have a little bit of knitting progress.
Socks for a Christmas present. Really dragged my knitting hands with these. No pattern or stripes to keep me motivated. I spent THREE evenings reknitting the toe. And it still looks scrappy. I have looser stitches near the sides, on the toe. Next time I shall do magic looping from the centre of the toe, my stitches at the ends of the needles are tidier in plain stocking stitch than with toe decreases one stitch in. Not my bestest knitting!
And two mysteries.
First up is the Better Together Mystery shawl. This is the first of four Mystery KALs throughout the year. All using two colours.
It's garter stitch, with a few slipped stitches and some travelling stitches. I found it quite difficult to just knit the travelling stitch, I think I usually knit these with a purl background and they're twisted! It's bottom up and I ran out of burgundy with two stripes to go! I found a nearly identical shade, just a little bit darker. I'm pleased that I didn't go for a strong contrast in the last two stripes! Spot the difference!
Next up is Boo Humbug!, a mystery scarf kal, I've rediscovered my love of knitting with beads, these are nice and big, and my first attempt with triangular beads. As I bought three differenet colours, I thnk I'l have to knit some other beaded knits soon!
I'm on the final clue, this was taken just before finishing for penultimate clue.
You can't really see the beads, but they are there, sparkling!
There is also lace
Now I'm not really a scarf knitting person, but I've really enjoyed this KAL. I couldn't quit keep up with the vast number of ravelry forum posts though :)
Currently I'm casting off, picot style, the first edge. LOVE the ruffled edge. I'm thinking that I may not block it out into points as I like the ruffle so much.
This will be my last post for the next week, so have a lovely Christmas, Hope everyone has lovely knitterly presents from Santa and lots of knitting time!
Another KAL! I joined the Booknits ravelry group a few weeks before this KAL was announceed, good timing! I've never knitted one of her patterns, but, judging by the forum posts, they seem very popular.
So I've dived in. I can't believe I have two MKALs going on when I ought to be knitting Christmas gifts!
I bought the actual yarn too, Fyberspates Faery Wings. I have lots of 4ply stash, mainly though in lone 100g skeins, and I needed two skeins for this KAL.
I had my doubts though.
1) One of the fibres is kid mohair. I tend to avoid mohair. I once made a kid silk haze wrap, lovely, but not great next to my skin!
2) The colour I chose was magenta. A bit worried it might be that bright girly pink.
Well, on both counts I'm pleased. The yarn has a large proportion of silk, which seems to eliminate the itchiness of the mohair. And the colour is not so pinky pink. In fact, when it arrived at work two people commmented on it being a nice colour.
The colour is slightly more blue than these photos show. What I think of as magenta!
I needed more beads of course. One of the stores mentioned in the group was Crystals and Ice in Cardiff. I know zilch about beads. I know I use size 6/0 for 4ply and dk, and size 8/0 for lace and 4 ply (at a push!) but size 5/0 triangular beads? I had to phone them up and ask them about their descriptions, like an idiot. The guy was so friendly, and even asked me if I was knitting a Boo-knits pattern, as they had had a lot of sales in these and size 6/0 beads (bet lots of calls too!).
I wanted sparkle rather than obvious,and he recommended rainbow beads. Of course I bought three lots, some pink, some silver lined and some rainbow. The pink ones go well but don't really stand out. The silver lined ones are pretty and silvery, but I like the rainbow best for this project. Clear, but sparkly.
Clue one is just knittin a 14 row pattern repeat, no lace or beads. Very monotonous and it took me forever. I started off with diffeent needles, couldn't work out if I wanted bamboo, metal, straights or circulars. Originally I went with the recommended needle sizes, and the fabric was fine, but I worried that it would be too wide once blocked, so I've gone down a few sizes. It's still wide, but a teeny bit 'tighter'.
I used the whole skein, did 18 repeats plus the ten rows stated.
Clue 2 was shorter, involved lace and beads, and hence was really interesting!
