I also took my Making Waves sock out for some photos, Saturday morning. This is the second pair of socks from the Six Sox Knit-along. The cabling on this pattern makes it much more slow going, eventhough, I am cabling without a cable needle.
The pattern really pulls in as well, and I had to frog my previous attempt back to the rib. The cuff is done on 72 stitches and I increased the leg to 80 stitches. I can't wait to finish them, because they do look really nice. I just wished that they were a faster knit. (and you do have to concentrate ever 4 rows, or you'll end up cabling the wrong way!)
After the first photo, I thought, what if I hung up this sock on the trellis... (That idea was quickly shelved when I noticed Sammy the spider crawling around. I admit to having a bug phobia.) So, I looked around and spied this flowing plant (don't ask me what it is, my husband has long since weeded out the tags that I put down to remind me what I have planted.)
Give me a little sun and I just go nuts.
After the photo session, I went to the post office to pick up a small parcel. What a wonderful surprise for me, because inside was this
More Noro Squares for the Afghan for Afghan project. I wonder if Kay's got Finland marked on her map. Thanks Monica for knitting such perfectly square Noro squares. They are beautiful!
And I also got this for my birthday, made by Monica's mom. Are they just gorgeous? I mean they even match the tiles in my kitchen.
Thanks for this wonderful surprise. When I mentioned that they were hand made, my husband groaned. (not because he doesn't like them, but because he knows that I would give him hell if he got them dirty. He does about 95% of the cooking. He knows that his you-know-what will be grass and I'll be the lawn mower, should he get them dirty!)
Funny, I work up one morning and summer was gone. Whilst most people in the UK think of the August bank holiday as the harbinger of autumn, for me, my birthday usually marks the end of summer. I've been waiting for some good weather to do my finished object photo-shoot because autumnis usually marked by frequent rain... and we have been having plenty of storms all across the country.
Seeing the sun out this morning, I prised myself out of bed and grabbed my knitting to go out and take a few photos. (after I had a wash, got dressed and had a cup of coffee, there are priorities, you know).
These little gems were based on a Debbie Bliss pattern from The Cotton Knits for All Seasons. I liked the shape of the foot, but thought that they would never stay on any baby's feet as the pattern was designed, so I extended the booties to have a ribbed cuff and added the twisted cord. Some glass beads were the finishing touch. I would had used pompoms, only my pompoms were horrible and fell apart. (don't ask).
It took me ages to balance these booties on the leaves of my hydrengeas. Here's another photo, the left bootie was just about to slip off.
Usuually, I take 2 or 3 photos to select the finished objects photos from. This time, I took about 10. The booties really are cute and I made them to go with the Mouton Gilet. I wished someone had warned me that baby booties are really fiddly to sew up. It took as long to assemble as it took to knit. I'm definitely rewritting this pattern to work in the round, because I just don't like the seams. I want to get into the knitting groove, not the sewing groove!
Which reminds me, that I had better post this out before the baby that it's intended for, gets too big to wear it.
I've been reworking a pattern recently from a ginornous gauge (10 stitches to an inch) to a more reasonable gauge (17 stitches to an inch) and while doing this, thought that I would apply the principals of re-gauging a sweater to engineering a neck-down baby sweater with minimum sewing. (My name is Polly and I detest spending time to sew in loose ends.)
Into the mix goes:
Techniques from Daydream and the Everyday cardigan
4 peloutes of Phil Flamme (vintage 2001, bought in Rennes during a visit to Bretagne for a friend's wedding)
1 circular needle size 3.5 mm and 1 circular needle size 3mm
1 tapestry needle
6 small buttons
1 small skein of reinforcing heel thread left over from this
Out comes :
This was all knit in one piece and by the time that I was finished, all I had to do was
(1) sew down the sleeves
(2) pick-up and work the button bands
(3) sew up the buttons. (using reinforcing sock yarn, hey, we never waste things at All Tangled Up).
There were literally, 14 loose ends to weave in.
Of course, I would had finished this ages ago, if everyone hadn't reminded me frequently of, how big the intended recipient was. OK, I know, he was born a little late. He was very long at birth. With each email that I received, I ripped back and cast on a few more stitches. Since I was sort of designing on the fly, I hadn't taken into full consideration that each stitch that I added meant that I also had to knit the body longer and had to accomodate more buttons. So, that extra button that I usually buy to sew in as a spare, got used too. The cardigan is (in my opinion big enough for a 2 year old). I couldn't understand how this happened until I realized that I swatched with a 3mm and knitted with a 3.5mm.
So the yet unnamed baby boy is going to have to do some serious growing to fit into it.
Here are a few more pictures. I rather like this yarn. The colourful little bits not only add texture and interest, but also breaks up my uneven stitches.
See what I mean about being simple and easy? All stocking stitch. I might try doing this on an adult sweater, the only problem is, I better do my maths more carefully and mark my needles to avoid using the wrong ones.
Blog b-day drawing
... and the winner is Catherine M from Canada. Catherine is a newbie knitter, whose just returned home from the UK. Congrats! I'll be emailing you for your posting details.
Thanks for all your good wishes for ATU's 1st birthday!
Birthdays in Blogland
August 20th is a very popular birth date for knitting bloggers. I hadn't realised that so many of us share this day. So, here's me raising my glass to Cari, Greta and Lisa. Hope your day was special as mine. I was hoping that mine would go un-noticed, but it didn't. Greek told just about everyone that I knew at work that it was my birthday, so I was relentlessly wished a happy birthday from just about everyone that I knew. Of course, he also put them up to asking me how old I am... argh!
So the knitting news ...
Here's the beginning of the first of my Making Waves Socks as part of the Six Sox Knitalong, run by knit-along mom Susan. (and it was her birthday on the 21st!) It's the second sock in the knit-along. OK, I know, I'm going slowly, but it's August.
I'm working these on 72 stitches, using some Regia Shadow that was in my stash. This is a really funny colour, under some lighting it looks grey, under others, it takes on a hint of purple. I think I like it, but I'm not entirely sure, that the sock is going to be big enough. I think that it's about time for me to 'try them on'. The cabling pulls in a lot more that I thought that it would (yeah, I know, should have swatched first)
It's been too hot to work on bomber and there's way too much to do in the garden. However, we did get to harvest a few things, today.
Guess, what I'm having for dinner tomorrow? Have a lovely Sunday, everyone!
.... All Tangled Up was born. It's amazing how fast this year went by. I'm not going to post a rendition of how many postings I did (can you tell that I talk too much?) or how many comments there were (significantly boosted by the spammers, I might add), but rather I want to thank all of you that have visited and touched my life in your own special way.
I never set out to be a blogger as I knew that I could never knit like Wendy or write as entertainingly as Kristine. Instead, I set about in my own rather haphazard way. I have always kept a knitting journal with project details. Emma encouraged me to take the leap and Thos was the first Rowanette to *find* me. Although, I had advocated that people use services like Blogger or Typepad, as usual I always did thing my own way and got myself a host and installed Movabletype. It was a bit of a learning curve, but it was also great fun, and forced me to read up on all sorts of things that I would ordinarily never found the time to do.
Amazingly, even after being **discovered** by Geek and Jub, things did not all go downhill. They even managed to leak my site to less than 20 people. (Probably because they realised that I have very sharp pointy needles and I'm not afraid to use them.) My site led another University friend who I hadn't heard from to contact me (his girlfriend is a knitter and the ithacation lead him to be surfing the web when he should had been preparing lessons).
If you're thinking about blogging, stop dithering and just do it. There will be frustrating moments, but the rewards are there. I have also learned so much from other bloggers, who not only generously provide excellent advice, but also take the time to share a bit about their knitting and a bit about themselves.
So for my one year blog birthday... (go on, click on the link below, if you're not bored silly by my rhectoric..)
I offer you an opportunity to win this. My way of saying thank you for putting up with me. It's been looted from the esteemed Liberty, during the 2001 July sale. All you need to do to enter is, to send me an email with the subject, 'Happy blog birthday'. (Please, 1 mail per person)
There are 10 balls, in the pack, 500g, enough to knit most any designs, since the meterage is fantastic. Rowan's got some fabulous designs done in this like 'Sweet'. (I originally stashed the yarn for this design. The one that the chick is wearing.)
Rowan DK Soft is 85% wool, 15% polyamide with 175 meters per ball. Recommended needle size in 3.75-4mm. So it's a light yarn, knitted on medium sized needles.
Good luck! All entries must be received by 17:00 BST on Sunday 22 August.
I had my doubts when I joined Secret Pal II. Secret things often end in tears, especially, if not everyone honours the spirit of the commitment. While the internet can do so much to bring people together, the reality is that sometimes, different personalities just don't gel. So, call me a cynic.
So, imagine my surprise yesterday, when I got home from work, ear aching (from an overly talkative London cabbie), tired (from a really long day at the office) and guilty (from snapping at my husband when he called me at 10pm to ask me when I was planning to come home). .. to find something from my secret pal. It really touched me, because my pal had spent time to read my archives (tedious, weren't they?) and to help me on my efforts to help Kay try and realise a Noro afghan for Afghans.
Thanks Secret Pal, you're the best. I can't tell you how much this means to me, because only a friend would go out of their way to help a friend... and how did you know that I had half a square waiting for another half to come along?
and because Monica and Lynette asks for more information for the secret pals ...
What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?
Lorna's Laces and Bearfoot for socks
All Seasons Cotton for children stuff
Noro for Mason-Dixon Knitting A4A squares
Zephyr for lace work
Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?
On the lace buzz this year. I find myself **theme** knitting every year.
What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?
Socks, shawls and sweaters. Although all my friends seem to be sprogging so it's lots of baby stuff recently
What are you knitting right now?
My active projects are
4ply raglan for my husband in beetroot Rowan 4 ply soft - 60%
Bomber from Rowan denim people in Nashville - 15%
Waving socks from Six Sox Knit-along - 5%
Regia socks for my father - 5%
Baby neck-down cardigan for friend's baby - 10%
about to cast on something for my god-daughter
What do you think about ponchos? (this is really a curiousity question for
us)
Yuck..yuck...yuck..yuck...yuck...
Do you prefer straight or circular needles?
circulars.. much more portable
How did you learn to knit?
I'm the only lever style knitter in a family of continental knitters. It was a combination of books and trial by error. I used to always tuck the needle under by right arm, but have been training myself on circulars so that I can knit on the train.
How old is your oldest UFO?
There are lots that are more than 5 years old, so let's not go there.. ok?
...wee willie whistle was finished. I was worried about it being big enough, but after a little blocking, I'm sure that it will be fine. I love ASC. It's a great yarn. Knits fast, even tension , soft to touch, lighter than 100% cotton (and doesn't feel like a nasty acrylic) and simply divine for children's stuff. Did I mention that it comes in a fantastic range of colours as well?
I really, really wanted to knit but I made myself sew instead. Sometimes, it's not about what you want to do, but what you should be doing... and I really wanted to finish this so that I can go back and work on this...
The husband has been dropping hints about his raglan. It's been a long time since I've touched this sweater and it's in 4 ply wool. Please let the rest of this weekend be cool... and please let my ISP not have anymore outages. It's amazing how not having internet access for the day, makes me twitchy!
It suddenly seems like so many other Rowanettes are working on Wee Willie Whistle. Kristine, you've started a trend! Gosh, it feels good to be part of the 'in' crowd.
After a sudden panic, is this thing going to be big enough to fit the intended recipient? Children do grow so quickly and it is easy to forget, how old they actually are... fortunately, it should fit. The recipient is tall for his age but size-wise is within his age group. Can I say phew? Although, I did check with the recipient's father, not mother, and men can be most reliable when it comes to sizing. (and they aren't the ones that do the shopping for the kid's clothing).
Anyway, Kristine has noted that there are some problems with the charts, so be careful. I, on the other hand didn't bother to read the pattern or chart too closely. (head hung in shame) I just took the basic measurements, cast-on and well... hi ho silver... and away we go.
If you count the edging on the pockets, you can tell, I've upsized the pattern slightly. Yes, I've sort of sized this for a tall 3yo by adding an inch and a half to the length and an inch to the width.
And the denim people knit-along?
Well, Rowanette Patty G and Rowanette Karin has joined as well. I'll update the denim knit-along page over the weekend... and if you're done, don't forget to send along a picture. We'd all like to see the finished goods... (that means you Gill)
Seeing Kristine working on Wee Willie Whistle, reminded me that I too have stashed yarn for this project. Well, this project, amongst others.
Since it's always fun to cast-on for new things, I did just that. I'm doing mine in All Season's Cotton, with Slick for the background and Misty for the edging. It's the perfect project for a hot day, and a much better bet than turning blue with the Denim or working with wool.
The joys of working with Aran weight yarn. You get results in almost no time. Which is a good thing considering how boring it is to knit in grey yarn. I jokingly called these the *Amelia* colours. Of course, Amelia objected, and since she does own at least one non-neutral tee-shirt, I'm going to have eat my words.
Denim People Knit-along
Another scorcher today, but it's not too hot to knit. Actually, it's really never too hot to knit, although the heat does put me off of knitting with wool and denim. So, I'm afraid that there's still not much progress on my bomber. I'm certainly not keeping up with this 1 ball a week schedule, so those of you who have also fallen behind... don't worry. I know that Eva's completed the back (and probably most of the front by now). Anita is done. Marjorie has started but finding her needles really blue.
Did I mention that Melissa M's also joined us? She's going to work on Raspy. How's everyone else doing? Rowanette Gill... are you done already?
Baby stuff
Loads of my friends have had babies recently. It's really fabulous... and hard to believe how cute some of them are. I'm a little superstitious so I prefer not to knit for a baby before he/she is born. But if they arrive really close together, it's a bit of a race to get the gifts done. Baby things do finish quickly, even when you're working on 3mm needles.
I prefer to work most of the Debbie Bliss yarns, slightly tighter than the recommended gauge. The baby cashmerino is one of my favourites. The yarn is springy and really soft. Even on a tighter gauge, it only took 3 balls to make this jumper in the 9 month old size.
And for my Secret Pal ...
1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?
Sadly, I think I am a yarn snob. That doesn't mean that I hate acrylic. I love yarns like Rowan Calmer, All Season's Cotton, Phildar's Coton Microfibre, Debbie Bliss's Cashmerino and they all have acrylic in them. I also like kitchen cottons, but I'm one of those people that rather spend more (and economize in other ways) and have less of something nice than save a few pennies and have the second choice.
2. Do you spin? Crochet?
Nope, and I'm not allowed to have any other serious hobbies, that can accumulate any more stash of any kind.
3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)
I have sensitive skin, which means that I rarely wear wools next to my skin. I can't wear scratchy material. I detest smoke... and the smell of smoke. No matter how tired I am, if I go to the pub, when I get home, I have to take a shower and get rid of that smell.
4. How long have you been knitting?
I was taught by my grandmother when I was 7, basically to keep me out of trouble. (I was a really bratty child). I picked it up again when I was about 14 and knitted on and off. My university room mate was also a knitter, so I started again when I was in college. Then about 8 years ago, (when I actually had money top buy nice yarns)
5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?
No.
6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)
Tuberose. Joy by Jean Patou has been my favourite scent since I was 15 year old.
7. Do you have a sweet tooth?
No, not really... well except for the Dorset Apple Pie from Peter Jones, Tarte Normande and extra dark chocolate.
8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?
None other really.
9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if you want to make her a CD)
I like lots of different music. Anything from the 60's, 70's and 80's. I also like classical music, Handel , Pachebel and Mozart. Maria Callas sang like an angel. I love Abba but get teased a lot for admitting that one.
10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?
I love jewel tones. Burgundy, forest greens, sapphires. I also love black. I don't like fluorescenting shades... no orange, no yellow and no to most browns
11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?
I'm married and been so for 7 years. I've been thinking about adopting a cat but shudder at the responsibility. What if it like my wool more than it likes me?
12. What are your life dreams?
Hard to answer. I'll let you know, once I figure it out ;-)
It's actually been summery for the past few days... and I'm tired of it! Growing up in warm summer weather in NYC meant sunshine, humidity and air conditioning. So, even if it was really bad, you get a good night's sleep when the AC's working. In Europe, AC is not the norm. In fact, it's so not the norm that only commercial office building and modern hotels seem to offer it. Most restaurants, department stores, shops, and almost all homes and definitely all buses and trains are AC-less. The only metro line in Paris with AC is the newly installed Ligne 14. In London, you're supposed to keep a stiff upper lip while slowly melting onto the furniture.
So when we get our 5-10 hot days of the year, London grinds to a halt. The tubes can be disrupted not only from fainting passengers but also from speed restrictions due to over-heated tracks. (For goodness akes, why won't people get up when they see someone looking peaky? Don;t they realise that they can avoid delays .... no one might notice if they fainted in their deat ;-)). Hot summer days in London can be pure misery! So what else to do but ... escape to the country.
Needless to say, the needles just haven't been clicking as much as they used to be. But it's neither due just to the hot weather...nor jaunts to the races
I did finish this recently.
These are the Raindrop Lace pattern from Fiber Trend using Lang Jawoll Cotton. I love FT patterns. They are very well written, stylish and fairly agnostic when it comes to yarn. I know that if I buy their patterns, I can easily knit out of my stash. I particularly liked this pattern, which was easy to memorise and a tad more interesting than a rib or stocking stitch. I love working texture for socks. If nothing else, it makes it easier to count the pattern repeats to get exactly the same length on the foot and the leg. The only changes that I made to the orginal pattern was to add a cuff and do 2 extra repeats. I prefer a cuff to just lauching into the pattern...and I alway work a very tight gauge on my socks (approx 9 sts/inch) I also used the reinforcing thread on the toes and the heel turning (not the flap, since I used a heel stitch there.)
I made them to fit me since I didn't have the recipient's foot to try them out on...and was concerned about fit Wishful thinking. .. they fit her just fine. The pattern was really subtle, which was the effect that I was aiming for, as I have never seen Amelia decked out in Lace. I tried to chose the most boring and conservative colour (since Amelia is not well known for deviating out of the neutrals). I might be wide off the mark but I'm going to guess that Amelia, likes lace but probably finds it a bit fussy to wear... but don't worry, we'll wear her down slowly but surely.
I was wondering, is it bad form to blog about something that you're making for someone else, if that someone might actually reads your blog? I know that it is bad form to sweat on something that you're making for someone else. :-).
Now, off to find me an ice-lolly... it's hot and it was a horrid commute tonight... thunderstorms and floods took out most of the services. It took me nearly 2 hours to get home.
And to answer a few questions
From Jo : how do you plan to assemble those Noro squares?
Not sure yet. I think backstitch would work best. I don't know hoe to crochet, but I'm likely to defer to anyone's recommendations since I am not good with sewing at all.
From Heather : how do you do the diagnoal sqaures
Rownaette Kristine J taught me on the Saturday that Stéphanie was in town. She had learned to do them from Emma .
Cast on 3 stitches. Knit 1 row.
All other rows: increase one stitch at the start of the row.
When you get to the right size you decrease 1 stitch at the start of every row.
You get a guarantee square.
One point to note is that it works well with garter and moss stitch. Don't bother with stocking, as it stretches on the biase.
Denim People Knit-along
I thought that I would share some photos to help motivate you along on the the Denim People Knit-along. Yes, I know, it hot, hot and you're tired of having blue hands, but the result is worth it. Honest.
Here's Champagne Bohemian - Anita in her freshly completed Picot.
Isn't it just fabulous? Makes me almost want to rip out what I've done and recast on in Picot. (I say almost because, it's not happening.. ) I'm going to finish bomber if it kills me.
And Rowanette Gill, is cruising along on Slouch, She's done the back, 2 sleeves and is 2 inches into the front!?!
I really ought to get a move on mine. Honest, there's been some progress since the last pictures (about 2 inches, you don't need proof do you? ).
And ... newly joining use along is Marta. She's be tackling Voyage.
Afghans for Afghans
Thanks to Rowanette Helen and Emma & Co - Emma for their Noro contributions. So far, I've got 10 Noro squares done and blocking. La Tricoteuse Bretonne - Stéphanie is also working on some of Rowanette Jill's contributions, so we are making good headways on a Noro Afghan.
Yes, it's true, some of these squares weren't very ambitious, so I helped them reach their true potential. Amazing how a little blocking can MAKE them 8 inches when off the needles they were merely 7 inches.
