Wen's woolgathering

Moving house

2009-03-16T13:17:00.001+11:00

I've decided to move as there are some features in the new house that I like better:

New address

I hope to see you there.

Wen

Push my buttons

2009-03-15T11:21:00.003+11:00

I've just found out an easy way to add polls to the blog. So if you click on the heading or comments of any new posts (I haven't added any to the old posts) you can let me know with the click of the mouse what you think by clicking a button. Of course comments are always welcome.

Polls on the main page will vary every so often and are there for fun! Well my fun anyway.

I've also changed the comments method so those that were having problems with blogger should be ok now.

A day in the life....

2009-03-15T10:10:00.003+11:00

I've just been reading a few of these on other blogs. The idea is for the 14th of the month a rundown of your day. So here goes. Sorry no photos this time.

6:55am out of bed and get the boys up. Quick shower and breakfast for everybody and off to cricket for Rusty. He attends Wesley College so every saturday morning it is interschool sport. Yesterday they played Carey Baptist Grammar and he managed to score 2 runs.

After dropping him off Monster and I went and bought "Snotgobble and the Bogey Bully" by Michael Broad for Monster to read while I had my eyes tested. (Yes the story line is as Gross and you are thinking but he's a 7yo boy)

The eye test found that my distance glasses were fine, no change there but I now need reading glasses so I had to choose new frames with the help of a 7yo boy - fun. No I don't like bling on my glasses and no , the ones that look funny are not the best choice.

About 10:15 we left those shops and went to another centre about 15 minutes away. We walked in the door just as a very light shower started. 2 minutes later I got a call from the ex saying that Rusty's game had been washed out and could I pick him up.

We went back to the car in heavy rain and drove through flooded roads back to the school watching the outside temp drop from 25 to 18. Rusty was the last to be picked up, the coach had bundled all the boys into his car to wait for their parents as the buildings were too far to run in the rain.

Back to the shops for a new mouse and computer bag, a birthday present for a boy turning 8 and some lunch then home for an afternoon relaxing, doing some knitting while the boys played computer games. Thaw some food from the freezer for dinner and a Skype chat with Eno and Monkey who are in Hobart before bed.

Well that was my day, nothing out of the ordinary, well except for flash flooding, soaked kids and new glasses.

WIP update

2009-03-14T11:50:00.007+11:00

I have been working on the following this week:

Wave wrap - half done now. I like the way it is turning out, seems to be wider than the pattern suggested so may need blocking to get a narrower longer wrap. I keep making mistakes with the feather and fan but luckily they are easily fixed.

Shoulder shawl in Syrian pattern - still plodding along. After completing the first ball it looks like it will be too big if I use all 5 so I'm further along than I thought!

Garter stitch wrap - still on target after finishing the 3rd ball. Measurements still show a finished size of approx 51" square.

The mohair bolero is finished I am now working seriously on the Silk cap sleeved top. Almost up to the armholes. I need some new work clothes and this is one that will be good for work.

Now that it is getting colder it is time to put the summer things into hibernation and get cracking on things to keep me warm. This includes the mohair capelet, wide collared jacket and aubergine jumper. Unfortunately the aubergine jumper is in Melbourne so that one will move slowly for the next month or two.

2009-03-13T13:53:00.005+11:00

Thanks to Kate who posted that the new Knitty was up I now have 4 more things in my queue. Aeolian shawl, Decimal , Pioneer and Shipwreck.

What a surprise

2009-03-13T10:42:00.001+11:00

I got home last night and found that Eno had bought me a skein of undyed mohair. 260g of soft fluffy mohair to play with.

Now to work out what to make with it.

Instant gratification

2009-03-12T12:31:00.015+11:00

or enlarging the lace to reduce the repeats...

I like instant gratification. Using large needles may be like writing with a crayon but the speed you can turn out a shawl or scarf certainly makes up for it.

The cathedral windows shawl was designed to be knitted in lace weight and looks fabulous if you can be bothered doing it. Me? I made it with 8ply on 7mm needles.

Birch has 300+ stitches to be cast on in Kid silk haze. I reversed the pattern so I didn't have to cast on and knitted it in mohair twice as thick on 7mm needles.

I'm currently knitting feather and fan on 10mm - I started it on Monday and the stole is now 75cm long.

My purple parallelogram was a delicate little stitch I liked the look of so I knitted it up on 15mm needles.
I love the look of delicate lace but the time commitment is just not there so lace with elephantitis it is!

A cowl for Monkey

2009-03-11T09:12:00.001+11:00

004
Originally uploaded by wen1965

What do you do when your 2 year old keeps stealing your cowls to wear? You make him his own. This little cowl was done in 1 night in front of the TV.

Yarn: Naturally magic garden Buttons. less than 1 ball.
Dimensions: 40cm circumference, 18cm height
needles: Options 5.5mm

Cast on 72 stitches, knit to required height, cast off loosely.

Wearing what you make...

2009-03-10T09:16:00.001+11:00

The question seems to come up often: How many of your handknits can you wear at one time.

Well it depends on what you make but it is perfectly acceptable to wear multiple handknits at one time without thinking you look like Molly Weasley.

Really no one thinks 'oh how many designer items of clothing can I wear without looking silly' so why do we treat hand knitted items differently.

So in summer you may be wearing a skirt, top and light scarf or a dress and shrug. All of these things can be knitted, however I wouldn't wear a knitted dress and I wouldn't wear a knitted skirt no matter who made it or the designer labels in it.

So in summer I would wear a knitted top and dress up any outfit with a light scarf or shawl.

Winter? On a cold day I would normally wear jeans, socks, shirt, jumper, mitts, coat/wrap cowl/scarf. Out of these items the jeans would always come from a shop, in my case so would the socks (that's another story) all of the other items could be hand knits.

The key is not wearing all machine made and one key item, it is co-ordination. Do the colours go together? What about the textures? Does the whole look like an outfit or that you have raided your wardrobe for every warm thing you own.

Treat your handknits like all your other clothes. It is a matter of does this go with that, not how the item was made.

Shawl fetish?

2009-03-09T09:52:00.005+11:00

I was told recently I had a shawl fetish. I had never thought of it that way. I love knitting quick knits and the more pieces the longer it will take to finish so shawls really fit the bill.

Currently OTN I have 3; the Syrian shoulder shawl, a summer weight lace project, Garter stitch Wrap, a thick winter wrap and the Wave wrap, a light bright quick knit on 10mm needles.

I also enjoy wearing shawls, I heard one person describe it as 'wearing a hug', I prefer the thought of wearing a big woolly blanket. Easy to throw on, keeps me warm and I have one for all seasons.

There are so many ways to wear one too, just clipped at the shoulder and worn like a poncho, wrapped tightly around the neck like a scarf, tied at the front to give a deep v neck look...

They go with jeans suits and dresses. What is there not to like about shawls?

I am planning on knitting a lace weight fine lace shawl, I have some casmere merino lace weight ready for the right pattern when I find it.

Shawls above:
Gumleaf shawl (Yarn Magazine), Holly shawl (Jo Sharp), Clapotis (Knitty), modified Birch (Rowan).
My design in Ramie, Cathedral Windows (Yarn Magazine), modified Striped Wrap (Jo Sharp), garter stitch on 15mm needles.

Playing with texture

2009-03-07T21:53:00.005+11:00

As I mentioned earlier I went to Sunspun recently. They had a wrap made up in the shop and I bought the kit for it. I started it yesterday. I love the way it is coming together. 3 Colinette yarns all completely different textures but in the same colourway.

I'm knitting stripes of feather and fan, the mohair appears to be almost soft focus between the clear stripes of Giotto and Tagliatelli.

A+ for procrastination

2009-03-07T10:28:00.006+11:00

I did it! I did it! I did it! As my 2 year old would say.

I finally finished my Mohair bolero.

The pattern is the bolero version 2 (long sleeved) from Jo Sharp Knit 2. It was designed to be knitted with 8ply cotton but I thought it would look good in mohair. I got some 4ply mohair silk blend from Marta's yarns ( now the Threadroom). When I told the person serving that I would be knitting it on 4mm needles he thought that the needle size was too small for the yarn. It turned out beautifully, just what I wanted to wear over dresses. Certainly not too tight a knit for the beautiful, soft, light yarn.

I started this in October 2007, I had the body and bands finished by March 2008. A year to do the sleeves! I hate sleeves. I don't know why but I just hate knitting sleeves; hence the procrastination. I knitted a lot of things while this sat waiting to be finished. I misplaced the pattern a couple of times, ended up with the knitting in one city and the pattern in another. Everything that could prevent me finishing it seemed to happen. Maybe it has something to do with this being the last thing that Mum saw me knitting and she doesn't like black so she hated it. I promise I will wear it with colours.

Anyway it is done now with photos to prove it!

Yarn: Marta's yarns Brushed 4ply mohair silk

Needles: Harmony 4mm

Modifications: band is only 4cm wide.

Checking photos of FO's

2009-03-01T11:33:00.006+11:00

I've just spent half an hour going through the pictures of Boatneck Bluebell in Ravelry. (If you're not a member you can do this in Flickr or other photo sites)

I learnt the following that is not in the pattern:

Don't start the bands for the top of the waist shaping until you have tried it on and it comes below your bra band. The people with long bodies who followed the pattern ended up starting the waist shaping way to high and it looks wrong like a corset that sits to high.
Don't start the waist ribbing at your waist; the waist is supposed to be at the centre of the ribbing.
Finish the ribbed section around your hips but make sure your waist is in the middle of it.
The bands on the arm should be just above the elbow, again try it on and the bottom band on the ribbed section just below your elbow.
The flare at the bottom looks good longer rather than shorter. Don't finish without trying it on to check the proportions.

Overall try it on whenever you are changing patterns. That way you will know whether you are at the right spot.

Now to try and put all this knowledge into practice.

That's it for Feb

2009-02-28T19:20:00.003+11:00

Well February is over and what have I done?

Nothing. Well nothing I planned to do. The pattern for my mohair bolero was in Melbourne while the project was in Hobart so that didn't happen.

The summer tops are still progressing, nothing completed there either.

I finished the 3rd ball on the garter stitch wrap so that is still going to plan (finished by 31/12/2009)

I ripped out a jumper I started 12 months ago. It was a Jo Sharp pattern and very boxy. I hadn't got far with it; it was left in a box most of the year. It is now going to be boatneck bluebell from Fitted Knits although it is in a dark multicoloured merino, colourway is Aubergine and an 8ply. So I am modifying the pattern to fit.

The 3 skeins are all different shades as it is handdyed so I have to use all 3 all the way through.

The photo of the knitting was taken under flash; it isn't that bright in daylight.

As mentioned previously I did finish the bushland scarf and I made cowl with the leftovers.

So the plan for March. Take the pattern back to Hobart and finally finish the bolero. Continue working on the other stuff and try to get at least 2 things finished.

Where is the time going...

2009-02-20T14:07:00.002+11:00

Not much to report really.

In the past couple of weeks I haven't done much knitting. A few rows on my sheer poncho (finished the shoulder shaping), garter stitch wrap (almost 3 balls down out of 20) and Tantric puzzle top (25% done). That's about it.

Stash additions: 1 ball of Jo Sharp Silk road Aran that I picked up half price.

Hopefully things will pick up again now that the fires are getting under control and I'm not so worried about friends family and my house.

Using up the scraps to keep warm

2009-02-12T15:00:00.001+11:00

No project uses an exact number of balls so there is always half a ball or less left over. I have started making small scarflets and smidges out of these leftovers. Smidges cowls and neckwarmers are great when wearing a coat they add warmth to the neck without adding the bulk of a scarf.

Triangular smidge.

Yarn: About 20g of 12 ply mohair.

Using an 8mm needle

Cast on 1
Kfb
K1 yo k1
k1 yo knit yo k1 on every row
cast off loosely.

Lace stripe cowl

Yarn:
About 10g of Touch yarns Alpine brushed mohair (A)
About 5g of Anny Blatt Fine Kid (B)

Needles: 8mm

Pattern:

Cast on 31 stitches with yarn A
*knit 4 rows
change to yarn B
knit 1 row
next 6 rows: k1 (yo k2tog) 15 times
knit one row
change to yarn A

repeat from * 4 times.

knit 4 row
cast off loosely.

Sew in all ends.
Sew cast on and cast off ends together.

These patterns can be adapted to any yarns; just have fun and play with shapes!

Another scarf done

2009-02-12T09:57:00.005+11:00

The bushland scarf is now finished.

I mentioned when I bought the wools for this that I had a scarf I never wore.

The photo to the right is the original scarf, it was too pale and too, well, yellow for me.

When combined with dark green 12ply mohair and and Anny Blatt Fine kid (colourway Foret) this is the result:

It is thick and squishy and the boys love it.

A week of worry

2009-02-12T07:58:00.002+11:00

Saturday dawned bright and sunny. The wind was high as I drove home from a friend's house where I had stayed on Friday night. Around lunchtime checking the CFA site for incident reports was not enough and we started streaming the local Government radio station to keep up with the news. This station suspends normal broadcasting to become emergency services radio whenever there is a high risk fire day.

We were away from the fires and they were moving South West, the closest fire was not that far away but not moving in our direction so it was ok.

We live in the hills outside Melbourne, it is a beautiful place to live. The risk of living in the bush doesn't come home to you until a day like saturday where walking out the front door was as hot as walking into a sauna. You are at the mercy of the elements, will the wind change? Will the fire then move towards you?

We left on Saturday just as the wind changed. As we drove into Melbourne the reports said that electricity had been cut in our area. As we drove the sky had a yellow tinge and the whole valley was covered with a thin veil of smoke. The wind had moved to the south and the temperature had dropped more than 10 degrees. This is the time when fighting fires is the most dangerous.

We were on our way to Tasmania for my work. We had to leave the house so the fight or flee choice was not ours to make.

The fires that are closest to our house are still burning. They are now moving North into the Yarra Valley. Friends in the next town 3km closer to the fire have noticed their neighbours leaving, everyone is worried and won't even go to the shops without the dogs just in case.

I'm glad to be safe in another state but at the same time I wonder whether it would be better to be home and know what is going on. In this case it is definitely a matter of no news is good news.

We are very lucky we are all safe and our area hasn't been hit, the worry certainly does take its toll though.

WIP update

2009-02-06T14:09:00.012+11:00

I have just updated Ravelry and decided it was time for another WIP update.

Lacy wool scarf

This is my "waiting scarf" it tends to live in the car and get picked up when I am waiting for anything. The wool is handspun and hand dyed 5ply. I got it from the Sustainable living market at Gembrook.

The pattern is from a Jo Sharp pattern for a wide cotton scarf , I reduced the width of it so I would get a good length.

I started this in November 2007 and I have completed about 2/3 of it. I haven't touched this for a while as it has spent most of last year at Tullamarine airport long term carpark.

Entrelac Scarf

This scarf is another that has been in progress for a long time. I bought the Rowan Tapestry to make Clapotis and ended up having twice as much as I needed. As this wool soy blend is self striping I have a striped shawl so I wanted something different with the rest. I love the way the entrelac works with self striping wool, each square is a slightly different colour to the one before.

Blueberry capelet

I had this 12ply Stokesay mohair in my stash for about a year before deciding what to do with it. I previously made the top down capelet from Wrap Style in Autumn colours and I really love it however I made the middle size and the finished garment is quite wide.

This time I decided to make the small size to get a closer fit. I didn't count on picking up the wrong needle however and accidently started this on a 7mm when I thought I was using an 8mm. After a few inches I measured my tension and found I was knitting at 14 st/10cm instead of 12 st/10cm that I thought I should be getting.
As a result I needed to add a couple more increases to get a good fit around the body. The result is a high close fitting neck and a capelet that fits nicely and will be very warm for the coming winter.

I have knitted 2 of the 4 balls I have for this capelet.

Don't walk into a wool shop unless you intend to buy...

2009-02-04T18:28:00.008+11:00

I went to a local wool shop today with the intention of getting a couple of knit picks cables. Nothing else. My resolve was strong. The knitpicks order hadn't come in so she didn't have what I wanted. I had a quick look around and walked out empty handed.

However I wanted to get the cables before going to Tasmania on the weekend so we got in the car and drove down to Sunspun. They had what I wanted which was good. They also stock some of my favourite brands, Rowan, Colinette, Jo Sharp, Noro.

I was doing well, I only picked up one skein of Colinette Parisienne, but then Eno said 'Get 2 that way you can make a wrap thingy'. I then noticed a feather and fan wrap. The lady serving told me it was Colinette and it came as a kit with the pattern. In the meantime Eno had walked to the front of the shop and picked up a skein of sockwool he called me over to look at the colour. It was the same colourway as the shawl kit that I was looking at.

So the outcome of my trip to get 2 60cm cables:
2 knitpicks 60cm cables - Yay I got what I went for.
2 skeins of Parisienne in Jay - no pattern in mind as yet.
1 skein Giotto, 1 Mohair and 1 Taglietelli in October Afternoon with pattern.
1 pair of 10cm Options tips (to knit the wrap)

Simple stitch markers to make

2009-02-02T15:07:00.004+11:00

I have found that using a bit of wool as a stitch marker can be frustrating as it can get caught up in the stitches. I got some metal ones free with a magazine and I found these really good. I have 4 of these blue stars but with lots of WIPS and the majority either in the round or shawls I found I needed more.

Today I decided to see what I could make. I have a friend who had made some from jewellery supplies at Lincraft. I went to Art and Craft Riot to see what was available.

I got some 2"brass eye pins and some beads,

threaded the beads onto the pins

Bent the pin around a 7mm metal knitting needle (you can do this by hand no tools required).

and hey presto stitch markers.

These markers are useful for any needle up to a 6.5mm. When I need bigger ones I will just use a bigger knitting needle to bend the pin.

My inheritance from Gran

2009-02-01T15:25:00.005+11:00

Gran was born in 1857 and died in 1956. I recently received her crochet hooks from my father when he was cleaning things out. She had sizes 6 1/2 - 1. (Note: I don't know the accuracy of this site, it appears to be from the US and Gran's needles are from the UK but it gives you an idea of how small they are.

I love having these hooks, I doubt I will ever use them but worth keeping.
Notice the engraving in the handle in the photo on the left.

The thread in the corner of the photo below is Kid Silk Haze.

A different way of knitting in the round - only 2 needles!

2009-01-31T23:16:00.009+11:00

Last week I decided to make a phone sock - I am so sick of not being able to find my black phone in my black bag.

I wanted it to be easy to make and seam free. I did have to rip it out and remake it once as I wasn't sure of what I was doing initially.

Here is the final pattern. My phone is a very small Nokia Classic (no flip or slide opening)

Phone sock
Note: you will be making this up inside out.

Finished Size 4cm x 10.5cm
Yarn Cleckheaton 100% bamboo
tension: 28st to 10cm

Cast on 20 stitches
Every row: k1 sl1 keeping the yarn at the back at all times.

Repeat this row until sock is 10cm long ensuring the first stitch is knitted tightly on each row. Make sure you have completed an even number of rows.
Top band
Separate your stitches onto 2 dpns.
Starting with the back stitches:
Cast on 3 stitches.
K2 k2tog turn
P3
repeat these 2 rows until only 3 stitches remaining.
Cast off.

Sew in ends.

Another week gone

2009-01-30T10:13:00.009+11:00

This week has been a starting week. No finishing, just finding things I just have to have....

New project 1. As I mentioned earlier in the week I had an urge to cast on last weekend. On saturday I flipped through Victorian Lace Today to find a project. I decided to start the Shoulder Shawl in Syrian pattern.

A search through the stash and I decided on some 4ply Cleckheaton 100% bamboo.

New Project 2: Sunday night I had to fly to Hobart (again). After struggling to find my black phone in my black bag I noticed a woman who had her ipod in a machine knitted ipod sock. I realised that would solve my problem so I have also started a little phone sock using a new technique I believe is called double knitting. On every row you knit (or purl) one stitch then slip the next. This enables you to knit a pocket without using 4 needles. I don't have a photo yet but it won't be long until it is finished.

New Project 3: The weather here in Victorian is unbearably hot this week (44c/111F yesterday) so I was looking for patterns on Ravelry rather than knitting this morning until I came across the Tantric Puzzle top. I had to start this summer pattern straight away as it is an interesting construction and a simple quick knit that would suit most body shapes. Back to the stash for some Bendigo Harmony in a beautiful pale wisteria that I have had for about 6 years. This yarn is now discontinued but it was 30% wool, 70% cotton with a tiny bit of lycra.

I also managed a few inches of my Silk Cap sleeved top this week, I love knitting with silk but being cream I don't want to pick it up with the kids around or when my hands are likely to get sweaty.

I should have progress photos available next week to share.

Silky bliss

2009-01-29T12:55:00.004+11:00

For Christmas 2007 Rusty and Monster went to one of my local wool shops and bought me 7 skeins of Pure Silk by Debbie Bliss and the pattern book to go with it. I chose the pattern immediately and knitted up the first ball. I had a lot of things on the go so I put it away as it would be for ‘next summer’. Well next summer is here and it is not finished. (Mainly because it was in a box of WIPs in Melbourne and I was in Hobart most of the year). I have finally picked it up again and started knitting.
This yarn is heaven to knit with. It is smooth and well, silky, it glides beautifully through my fingers and along my Options needles. So what is the problem?
I picked up some bamboo knitting I am also doing; it feels coarse through my hands. This yarn has ruined cheap and cheerful yarns for me. Even my mohair wool scarf with Touch Mohair, Anny Blatt Fine Kid and handspun wool/mohair doesn’t have that same soft squishy quality anymore.
Is this a new addiction? Will I ever be able to go back to yarns I can afford? How will my budget cope? Did the boys realise how much they were spoiling me?
Of course being silk it will grow when washed the first time and some of the sheen will come off it; that is the nature of silk. Maybe I won’t love it so much then…

Casting on compulsion

2009-01-24T10:24:00.003+11:00

I currently have 12 projects on the go. So why do I feel the need to cast on? I want something different I want something new I want to try new things.

This has come about because last week I frogged one project and finished 2 others, Really if I think about it I have a WIP for all occasions:

Summer things:
Cap sleeved top, this has a lace and cable panel front and back and I'm knitting it in the round.
Sheer poncho - a good lace weight summer cover up that is simple stocking stitch.
Bolero - beautiful soft mohair/silk just one sleeve to finish

Winter things:
Wide collared jacket - a heavy winter jacket with a wide ribbed collar, this one is slightly flaired at the bottom and quite long.
Fluted ribs - a capelet knitted sideways using short rows for shaping.
Garter stitch wrap - 4 large garter stitch triangles sewn together to make a wrap that drapes beautifully.
Blueberry capelet - quick knit top down capelet in 12ply mohair on 7mm needles.
Classic jumper - knitting this in handyed 8ply, each of the 3 skeins was slightly different so knitting from all 3 skeins; 1 row of each.

Scarves
Entrlac scarf - I'm using self striping wool so each square ends up different to the previous one; fun to knit and watch the colours develop. Knitting the purl rows backward on this one so I don't have to turn the work every 8 stitches
Lace scarf - Simple lace pattern, pretty variegated 5ply.
Bushland scarf - Big needles, ribbed pattern multiple strands.

Other:
Log Cabin - modular knitting with strips in different colours knitted on to the edges of what has been done.

So I have knitting on needles from 3.5mm to 10mm, I have simple garter and stocking stitch, I have lace, cables, entrelac and short row shaping. I have wool, mohair, silk , I have lace weight through to bulky. I have things that don't need shaping and things that have extensive shaping. I have thing on the go that are to wear now and ones to wear in 6 months time.

I don't need to start anything new - but I really want to...

What a week!

2009-01-23T06:45:00.000+11:00

Well what has happened this week:

I found my needle gauges. 2 of my projects were on unexpected needle sizes both look good anyway. Proves that tension is more important than needle size and I can tell from the look of the knitting whether the tension is 'right' or not. Who needs a ruler?
Vixen was finished, named and worn. I have had some great feedback including the suggestion to create a beaded version. I have never worked with beads so that is something to consider.
I found this skein of beautiful hand dyed purple 4ply to stash for a shawl or lace cowl.
I did some more of the dreaded final sleeve of the mohair bolero. I will finish it, I will finish it, I will fin...
I completed a fair bit of a simple top down capelet in 12ply mohair. Found out that the needle I am using for this is a 7mm not an 8mm. No wonder the tension was tighter than I expected, I was wondering why I was getting a 7mm tension on an 8mm needle. Fits well and looks good.
Still plodding along on my garter stitch wrap.
Soleil: It is now finished and washed. I have had some great feedback on Ravelry on this top, both the colour and design so it was obviously a good choice for me.
I'm almost done with the shoulder increases on my sheer poncho; once they are complete then it is just an increase every 10 rows or so and miles and miles of stocking stitch.

I do tend to get a fair bit done when I'm all alone in Hobart...maybe I should get a life! Anyway going home tonight, I get to spend 3 whole days with the family before another 3 day work trip!

YAY Soleil is finished

2009-01-22T11:22:00.004+11:00

Soleil has been a collection of errors from the start.
· I was sure I picked up a 4mm circular needle; it was a 3.75mm.
· I forgot the last side increase
· I added an extra inch between the waist and the armhole.
· I knitted the first half of the front 4 rows short and had to undo the cast off and add more length.
So what was the final result of all these mistakes after all my planning to ensure this fitted?
My tension was spot on for the gauge of the pattern.
The length from waist to bust is correct.
The width of the garment is good, I like a tight fit especially with cotton as it tends to grow a bit as it gets older.
Don’t you love how forgiving a knitted fabric is?

Soleil
Yarn: Bendigo 8ply cotton – 1 200g hank (480m) I have nearly 50g left over.
Needles: 3.75mm Aero circular.
Measurements:
Waist 26”
Bust 34”
Length. 21”

named

2009-01-20T13:14:00.001+11:00

The summer cowl is now called VIXEN COLLAR.

Eno named it Vixen as he was imagining it worn without much else.

Summer cowl

2009-01-19T18:58:00.005+11:00

025
Originally uploaded by wen1965

The summer cowl is finished and as promised here is the pattern (well as much of a pattern as you are going to get).

Cast on 80 stitcheson a 4.5mm circular needle
Join into a round (pm)
knit 1 round
Purl 1 round
Round 3: (K5 yo) 16 times. (96 stitches)

All even rounds: (k2 tog tbl k2, k1fb,k1) 16 times
All odd rounds: knit.

until cowl measures approx 12 cm (5”)

on the next odd round, )k4 drop next stitch, pick up bar and knit it) 16 times.

(k 4 k2tog) 16 times (80 stitches)
purl 1 row
knit 1 row
cast off.

Drop all stitches if they haven't unravelled already.
Sew in ends.

Final measurements:
Diameter base: 50cm
Diameter top: 48cm - I cast off a little too tightly.
Height 12cm.

This used about half a ball of Stella.

Textured cowl pattern.

2009-01-18T06:46:00.010+11:00

I was bored one day and decided I wanted a new cowl. I had a ball of Cleckheaton Studio Mohair to play with.

This is the pattern I came up with:

Tension: 20 st and 28 rows in stocking stitch on a 4.5 mm needle.
Tension is not vital however the cowl is designed to have a circumference of approx 50cm.

Cast on 99 stitches.
Join being careful not to twist and place marker for the end of round.
Edge: 3 rounds garter stitch. (knit 1 row, purl 1 row, knit 1 row)
Pattern: k3 k2 tog yo until desired length reached remembering to slip marker at the end of each row.
3 rows garter stitch
cast off loosely.

Note: the number of stitches in each round is not a multiple of the pattern, each row you will end up on a different stitch in the pattern when you slip the marker. Be careful to ensure the yo are on the correct side of the marker when slipping it. This is what gives the pattern it's diagonal appearance.

So what is a capelet anyway?

2009-01-17T22:28:00.006+11:00

Rant alert.

I was looking at patterns today and found a number of items described as capelets.
The flamingo capelet had long sleeves and a tie front, the Grand Plan Top-Down Capelet is either an elbow length poncho or cape. The Anthropologie inspired capelet has short sleeves and and a back and front more reminiscent of a mini cardigan.

Designers have the right to name their garments; however calling everything that only comes to the waist a capelet is misleading at the best and preventing people from finding their patterns at worst. When I do a search for a capelet I expect to see something like this:
Elbow length, no sleeves and open at the front. BTW the picture above is actually called Bloom and is described as a circular shawl.

If you say poncho people think pointy front and back so a curved poncho such as these is generally described as a capelet. That is understandable as the only difference between a capelet (ie mini cape) and these garments is that the front is not open so you can just pop them over your head.

Where it gets very confusing is where a capelet has sleeves. How can something that has sleeves be described as a mini cape? I don't know about you but I have never seen a cape with sleeves; that would be a coat!

So what should something like this be called? There are patterns called capelet shrug and mini cardigan that have this shape. In my opinion it has sleeves therefore it is not a capelet. It has a front so it is not a shrug (don't get me started on the term shrug; anything from a hug me tight to warm winter hip length jacket), it can't be done up so is it a cardigan? I always thought a bolero was shaped but maybe that is the closest we are going to get without confusion.

Then there is the Flamingo capelet mentioned above, it is well fitted and constructed with 2 fronts, 2 sleeves a back and ties. Isn't this a cardigan?

I will just have to include capelet in searches when I am looking for any sort of garment that is designed to cover the shoulders. A jumper/sweater hasn't come up in a capelet search yet but the way things are going it is only a matter of time!

The week in summary.

2009-01-16T13:23:00.004+11:00

So it is the end of another week. A week that has maximum daily temperatures varying from the mid teens to the mid thirties (celcius).

I managed a fair bit this week, a lot of what I have done has been mentioned in previous posts so here is a quick summary:

Warm weather cowl is 50% complete and going well.
Mohair bolero: I managed 2" on the final sleeve…I still hate knitting sleeves.
Sheer poncho: A couple of rows per day keeps this moving along.
Soleil: Another 3" to do on the upper back then the fronts to finish.
Garter stitch wrap: Still moving slowly, I have started the third ball so ahead of schedule given the plan is to finish this by 31^st Dec 2009.
Bushland scarf is about 20% done.
Log cabin: finished the last 2"red strip. Next 12 strips will each be 3" wide.

Not bad for a week's work, I didn't meet my plan mentioned at the start of the week but I'm happy with what I did.

The mathematician in me

2009-01-16T10:33:00.007+11:00

Recently there was a program on the ABC called the Story of 1. It was a history of mathematics from the first marks made to count items through to the realisation than there should be a number for nothing ie zero and the introduction of binary numbers used extensively in computing. There were some very interesting facts in the program such as while the Romans were using numbers to organise their armies into centuries. (100 men led by a Centurian) the Indians were using numbers to determine the area of land that they needed to sow to enable sufficient crops to be produced to meet their needs – I know which civilisation I would have preferred to be living in. Anyway how does all this relate to knitting?

How many stitches do I need to get the right size?

Do I have enough yarn to make it?

If I use all the yarn how big will it be?

If I change the gauge how will the final size change?

The reason the questions came to mind was that the garter stitch wrap I am making requires 3000 yds of yarn. It is a square shawl made from 4 identical right angle triangles. I have 2000 metres but I'm knitting it at a larger gauge. So how big will it be? Is it worth continuing? Of course if I had swatched, blocked the swatch and measured it I could have done this before starting. I have found however that I can't gauge the drape of a fabric in a 10cm square and the bigger the sample the more accurate the answer. (I was also taught from a very young age that swatching is a complete waste of time – Thanks Mum.)

I have knitted 2 balls (200m) and I have a right angle triangle that is 15" from the point to the centre of the opposite side.

This means I have an area knitted that is 15x15=225 square inches. So for 5 balls I will be able to make 225 x 5/2 = 562 sq in.

This will give me a triangle with a height of 23".

There are 4 triangles making a square in the design so the width and length of the finished wrap pre blocking will be 46".

Blocking should add 10% so I should end up with a square of almost 51" if I use all the wool I have.

The pattern is for a square that is 55" along each edge so I will end up with a wrap that is almost as big as the original pattern. As I am only 5'2" and slim this will be fine.

So I now know what the finished dimensions will be after completing 10% of the project and that it is worth continuing.

A spate of ‘sock clubs’

2009-01-15T12:12:00.002+11:00

All these personal sock clubs (Rose Red et al) have got me thinking. I'm not a sock knitter but I could get the kids to go into the stash box and decide what I'm going to use next. That will give me a surprise when the time comes. "Here Mum knit something with this. It could be a single ball of KSH or 20 balls of Harmony. I'd never know what I was getting, just that I had bought it so it must be something I wanted.

The week is half way through - what have I done?

2009-01-14T18:57:00.006+11:00

This week I am in Hobart by myself so plenty of knitting time; so how am I going compared to the plan published last weekend?

Mohair bolero: 2 rows - you can't knit mohair when it is hot and yes it can get hot in Hobart although not for long. (That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)

Soleil: Before leaving for Hobart I got up to the armholes and tried it on again. The modifications I had made were good. These were:

an extra inch in length between the waist and the armhole

added 4 stitch darts to either side.

left out the final side increase

Since arriving I have completed 2" of the back so this one at least is going well.

Silk Capped Sleeve top: Haven't touched it. Ivory silk is no good with sweaty fingers!

Other stuff:

Entrelac Scarf:
Another long term project that is picked up when I am going to be waiting somewhere or visiting friends. I managed 2 rows of squares in the last fortnight. (Currently on the 3rd ball of 5 Rowan Tapestry in Pot Pourri colourway). I am knitting this on Art Viva Tasmanian Oak needles, I have the 20 cm ones that are great for scarves. The timber is very smooth making these needles lovely to knit with.

Log Cabin: Completed another strip during the weekend. Next up 4 3" strips in denim blue .

Garter stitch wrap: Still plodding along. 2 balls down; 18 to go.

Recycled Sari silk scarf: Frogged. I decided I didn't like the way it was turning out. I have to determine the best way to use this recycled yarn that I got from Charly (Ixchelbunny) a couple of years ago. It just isn't co operating with anything I have tried to do with yet. One day I will come up with something for it. It is basically black, with streaks of silver red and purple...

Bushland Scarf: As predicted I got distracted. I found the third yarn to make my next purl scarf (see monday's entry). Of course I had to start this straight away to see how the colours worked together.

Drop stitch cowl: Tuesday was HOT. I didn't want anything that was sticky or would sit in my lap. I got a ball of 4ply bamboo and started designed a 'warm weather' cowl. The basis of the design was Clapotis however when knitting a cowl in the round you can't knit on the bias.

I worked out a way to get the bars running diagonally up the cowl. I will post the pattern when it is finished if it works.

As you can see I like working on different things at different times. Now if only I could get a few finished...

The comments people make....

2009-01-13T10:08:00.003+11:00

I was reminded on this bright sunny morning of a similar day in Hobart 12 months ago. I left the hotel wearing a summer dress, high heels and my Buena Vista Bolero, a Jean Moss design from a very popular edition of Rowan magazine. I was carrying my Notebook computer.

As I stopped at the lights to cross the road a lady approached me and said "What a beautiful top; did you buy it or have someone make it for you".

OK she did compliment me in one way but why couldn't I have made it myself? Don't people who carry computers knit? Or was it the high heels and makeup that marked me as a non-knitter?

I said I made it and she immediately said "Oh, I could make that" in a tone that said " oh it must be easy then". She then asked me about the pattern and wool to make it.

It worked!!

2009-01-12T22:52:00.006+11:00

Bushland scarf
Originally uploaded by wen1965

The colours are blending beautifully. Pale yellowy greens through to deep forest greens with the occasional flecks of orange.

Getting colours right

2009-01-12T01:03:00.030+11:00

I had a scarf I never wore - the colour was not right with my clothes. (Guess the odd one out no idea what I was thinking when I got that must have been tired!)

As I knew I would not wear it I frogged it and left it until I found something to do with it.

I decided on a Purl Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (pic at bottom of page). This is a design that is knitted with 3 different coloured yarns. I decided that with the recycled yarn as a base I could reknit the scarf darker by adding darker green mohair and make the yellow a lot more subtle in it. I would then wear it - or at least that is the plan.

I bought some bright green mohair when I saw some, to mix with it. It wasn't what I had been thinking of using but I thought it would work. Unfortunately when I put the 2 together it didn't.

The second yarn I bought was a dark green mohair that goes nicely with yellow/green wool and will have the desired effect of making the scarf much darker than the original.

I went out looking for a brownish fine mohair preferably not monochromatic. I found this one that met all the requirements, it is multicoloured and had a variety of greens with a bit of brown:

So will be my 'bush land' scarf with colours reminiscent of the bush. (I hope)

In the meantime I have some yummy green mohair (100g) to add to stash until I decide what to do with it.

The plan for the week ahead

2009-01-10T07:34:00.007+11:00

I'm off to Hobart tomorrow night so I have 5 days home alone every evening.

I have half a sleeve to finish on my mohair bolero so I would like to complete it.

But God I hate knitting sleeves!

I will take Soleil with me so that it can be completed.

I would like to do some more of my cap sleeved top too.
Now that the weather is warming up I need it.

A bit ambitious and I will probably get distracted with some small things but that is the aim.

WIP update for the week

2009-01-09T12:54:00.010+11:00

Anyone who has seen my Ravelry account (Wen) will know I have many WIPs on the go at one time. I don't work on all of them each week but I hope to give you an update on some I have been working on during the week.

Also I currently have some WIPs in Hobart (where I am working) and others in Melbourne (where I live) so I don't have access to all of them all the time.

So on to this week:

1. Soleil. As mentioned previously this is a summer top required because my summer clothes in general don't fit :(

I am currently doing the bust shaping on the tank knitted in the round. It is going very quickly as it is easy to knit and is on 4mm needles. As they are the standard Aussie size I knit much faster on them and don't need to look at what I am doing very often.

Garter-stitch wrap: This is my long term project.

Ilove the edging on it. You slip the first stitch of each row purlwise through the back of the loop. This would be great for shawls etc where you need to pick up the edge stitches for a border. It leaves a nice clear chain of stitches; 1 for every 2 rows.

I have knitted up almost 2 balls of the 20 required to complete this wrap now. Being all garter stitch it is very easy as long as you don't forget the yo's in each row.

Current size is 70cm along the hypotenuese and 48cm along the other edges. The wrap is made by knitting 4 right angle triangles, using a 3 needle cast off along the edges to connect them and leaving one corner open. (If you can't picture it then you are in for a long wait to see it finished ;)

Log Cabin Blanket:
Another long term stashbuster project. I started this after being encouraged to take up quilting at my craft group (they didn't suceed). Every so often I pick it up and knit a few rows. I am using wools that I got at bargain prices from the Bendigo back room and Spotlight.

I love this technique: knt a square then cast off leaving the last stitch on the needle. Turn and pick up all the edge stitches and knit a rectangle. Keep doing the same thing until it is the size you want.

If you start with a rectangle your blanket will be rectangular, if you do a different number of rows on each strip you will have a more irregular pattern.

Well that is what I have been doing this week as well as planning new projects (as if I don't have enough) and sewing in the ends of some otherwise finished ones as my needles are in Hobart so I needed to buy some extras.

Sometimes it all just works

2009-01-08T17:41:00.011+11:00

Sunlight was streaming through the west window and landing on the sofa. I grabbed the projects and yarns that I needed good photos of. Amongst today's shots was this one:

A couple of weeks ago I managed this one with a flash:

Macro lens is fabulous for scarves!

I have a few shots that I like
taken over the last couple of years here.

A new love

2009-01-08T13:49:00.009+11:00

My latest obsession is cowls and neck warmers. I started knitting them last winter. They are quick easy and useful.

I'm now planning some lighter ones for Autumn, I have some 3ply wool that would be good for one, I would also like to make a couple in cotton.

The stacked cowl is one option I am contemplating for the 3 ply or maybe something in lace?

Soleil in pure cotton

2009-01-08T10:32:00.003+11:00

soleil lace 2
Originally uploaded by wen1965

My first garment for 2009 will be Soleil from Knitty Spring 05.

I'm making the smallest size ( 33"-35" bust) but I will need to add bust darts. This is the first top I have made with added bust shaping so no idea how it will work out. I'll let you know when I have done it.

The yarn is Bendigo 8ply cotton and I am finding it really nice to work with. Knitted up it is softer than I expected.

Hopefully I won't have to frog it to many times to get a good fit!

The first FO of 2009

2009-01-07T12:59:00.003+11:00

purl scarf 3
Originally uploaded by wen1965

Luckily for knitters we have, so far, had a cold summer. In the last fortnight I made The Purl Scarf using a 3 strands; 1 Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran, 1 Kidsilk Haze and 1 Cleckheaton Studio mohair. It was knitted on 10mm needles.

I love this scarf, it is thick and squishy.

My problem now is that Eno (DH) wants it. He is planning on stealing it so it looks like I need to make another one!

Hey at least he likes it!

Modifying photos

2009-01-07T09:56:00.002+11:00

red scarf 9
Originally uploaded by wen1965

I have just found a whole lot of great effects to use when editing photos of my knitting.

These are great for showing off the new garment if I'm not dressed for portraits ;)

I also love the ability to magnify a small portion of the photo.

Edited to add: I use Paint Shop pro. The magnifier is added through effects.

To change the background you need to select the area then add the desired effect.

Out with the old in with the new

2009-01-07T08:53:00.002+11:00

Last year turned out to be the year of the scarf! Smidges, cowls scarves wraps and a couple of jumpers thrown in. I now have what could be referred to as a scarf wardrobe - one for every occasion.

The plan this year is to knit some actual garments and finish the ones on the needles (and still do a few scarves).

OTN:
Jo Sharp cotton bolero in Marta's mohair.
Jo Sharp classic tweed jumper in JJs Montage wool
Debbie Bliss silk cap sleeved top
Jo Sharp wide collared vest - with sleeves.
Sheer poncho

I also have the following scarves to finish:
Entrelac scarf
sari silk scarf

The new:
on th 1st of January I started the Garter Stitch Wrap from scarf STYLE. This is a big project and I want to have it finished this year.

The pattern calls for 3000 yards of yarn. I have 20 balls of Bendigo Celtic so approx 2000 m.

This pattern is made as 4 identical triangles so it will be easier to adapt to a smaller size.

To allow for a softer drapier fabric I am using 5mm needles, this hopefully will allow for a larger size.

So on to 2009 the year of fitted knits and shaped garments after spending most of 2008 knitting rectangles.