No doubt you've been wondering, how long does it take to wind up 500g of hemp. The answer is 3 hours and that means getting the husband to help out occasionally. Not too often, because that's how arguments start...
Over 2 evenings, I wound and wound, until I finally got a whopping great ball. It was so big that I could barely hold it up in one hand.
Then I started swatching. I usually don't swatch but the tension on cara was 45 stitches to 10cm and I was a bit worried about achieving that tension. Even on the smallest needles there was no hope. Then a lightbulb went off... nothing wrong with my tension, but a problem with the instructions. Good thing I cleared that up. Then, whoosh I was off. Be careful, there's also an error on the lace edging. The good ladies at the house of hemp will put up an errata shortly.
After a few days...
Dontcha just love the colour. It's going to be very lightweight. (Must wear industrial underwear with this to spare the blushes.)
This is going to take a while to finish. Tiny gauge, and I'm altering the pattern to make the body longer (honestly, you don't want to see my belly) and I'm adding sleeves too. For those of you that have asked, most of the patterns in Hemp Hugs have been written to fit a UK12, that's roughly a US8.
Posted by atu at July 12, 2005 10:46 PMVery pretty, and an ambitious knit!
Posted by: Mary Beth at July 15, 2005 08:43 PMthat is gorgeous! everything about it... pattern, color, yarn... gorgeous!!
Posted by: rebecca at July 15, 2005 02:14 AMWow Polly I love the colour. I'm sure you are exagerating about the industrial underwear. But please let us know where you go to buy it...
Sarah x
Posted by: Sarah at July 14, 2005 11:13 AMWell it's turning out lovely, don't you just love those lightbulbs! I had one go off last night and I squealled in delight, my husband though something bad had happened, but I was so excited.
Posted by: Rebekah at July 13, 2005 03:58 PMOoh Polly, are your bragging at your famous winding skills? And offering to do mine? lol! Mine's still sitting there looking glossy. It looks wonderful though, and I've heard it's great to wear in this hot weather.
Dawn
The colour is lovely and with such a big ball of wool you'll have no ends to sew in - sorted!
Posted by: Ali at July 13, 2005 01:30 PMIt looks like a ball of wall a giant would knit, saying 'fee fi fo fum". I always think that when I'm knitting Roving!
Posted by: Linda at July 13, 2005 10:04 AMI'm still giggling at industrial underwear! I was wondering about all those patterns, I think every single one is on the short side isn't it? Fine if you're stick thin and don't mind flaunting it, but I think most ladies would rather cover this little area.
Posted by: Tracy at July 13, 2005 09:58 AMwow... that is one ball of hemp!
I cant wait to see it as the start looks lovely :)
Posted by: stinkerbell at July 13, 2005 09:32 AMYou're faster than I am! Mine took 3 hours to make 3 large balls and then I gave up and will try again when I run out of yarn!
Did you wash your swatch? I just ask as I stuck mine in the machine and the gauge changed quite a bit and all the holes filled in, it's a lovely fabric now rather than an odd holey rough thing! I guess if you're using a proper HOH pattern though they've taken that into account!
Looks great so far!
Anna
Posted by: Anna at July 13, 2005 08:54 AMMmmmm - not looking forward to winding my skein up then! Lovely work.
Posted by: Jess at July 13, 2005 08:16 AMat least you won't have a million ends to weave in ...
i love that colour - absolutely gorgeous. glad to hear the correct tension was NOT 45 st!
Posted by: kris at July 13, 2005 08:15 AMLove the colour - did you sneeze when you wound it up? The hemp that I have makes me want to sneeze every time I look at it. Guess that goes away with washing. It does make for a dainty garment though, doesn't it?
Posted by: Anita at July 13, 2005 07:53 AMBeautiful! wow, that is a huge ball of yarn. Gorgeous color.
Posted by: eyeleen at July 13, 2005 02:50 AMI do love that color--and the pattern that is taking shape.
Posted by: Colleen at July 13, 2005 02:46 AMthat's a lot of yarn to wind by hand! are you not a fan of yarn winders? it does look beautiful all knit up.
Posted by: parikha at July 13, 2005 02:41 AMThat is just a wonderful color of yarn. What size needles did you end up using? It looks great.
Posted by: Diane at July 13, 2005 02:25 AMOh man, all that winding! I feel your pain, the sock yarn I've been dying with is 440 yards a skein and it gets pretty tangled...
It looks so beautiful though. What a great color for summer :)
Posted by: Dani at July 13, 2005 02:07 AMWow... that is really beautiful color and design!!! I can't wait to see it when you are done. So beautiful that I really want to touch it!!!
Posted by: Susan at July 13, 2005 12:27 AMThis certainly is not a portable project, I suppose? But huge ball is kind of cute!
Just one question, do you mind telling me where you got the hemp? Thanks.
That is gorgeous! Such a fantastic colour and I love the pattern. Well done on managing to wind such a huge ball without crippling your hands.
Posted by: Louise at July 12, 2005 10:55 PM