some FOs at last!

I have been knitting quite a bit, but given the nature of projects, i don’t have a lot to show for it!

My lettuce pullover is coming along nicely, though sadly it’s my out-and-about project and i’ve actually been REALLY busy when i’m out, so not so much knitting! Over the next few days i’ll do the neck and start on the sleeves and then it should get going again.

At home i’ve been working on more complicated things… namely my first Aeolian. It was my first large scale laceweight shawl. I bough the yarn in Downer’s Grove, Illinois – handmaiden lace silk. SO divine. I had been told when i bought it that the meterage was a lie, and that what was stated as 600m was at LEAST 900. The full Aeolian calls for around 1200 so i played it safe.

Now as it turns out i could probably have done the full shawl or at the very least done 9 stitch nupps instead of 7, but my finished object is still large and stunning!

good thing i’d just put all my clean clothes away!

mirror mirror

“beads and nupps, why not?”

Once the shawl was finished i felt i needed a bit more of a quick’n’dirty knit, so i pulled out the skein of handdyed BFL i had earmarked for a present for Nett and Greg’s soon-to-be daughter ‘Muffin’

My friends have had a lot of boys of late, so i’ve been getting my full girliness out with this little bub. I really wanted a bit of lace, something floaty and fun, so i took a cute little lace vest pattern and modified it into a dress…

blocking…

It just needs some buttons – i bought some at Liberty (oh yes, how i love liberty) but sadly they are really just too big, so will be looking for some teeny tiny ones soon. There is no way this is going to get to Adelaide before Muffin arrives (unless she’s stupidly late) so Nett and Greg have seen it on Skype and Muffin will get to witness the opening of the package!

The pattern is Louise and i simple added some more rounds of the centre panel while working moss stitch instead of stocking stitch. then i increased by a third (ie, after every second stitch) went up 2 needle sizes to create a nice drape on the skirt and did a Dory (just kept knitting). I finished off with 6 rounds of moss.

I have a decent amount left… hat? booties? sockies? or save it for another little bub?

A few weeks ago before i started my job I headed down to Stonehenge and Bath. It was totally brilliant and beautiful and I’ve just realised i’ve TOTALLY FORGOTTEN TO BLOG IT! so will do that over on Before i’m too old in a tick. BUT I mention it here because despite only having 3 hours in the city of bath, I managed to find a yarn store and purchase a BEEEAUUUTIFUL souvenir skein of yarn…

Dragon’s Blood
(actually it’s called Arequipa, but who’s checking)

Isn’t it stunning? It’s Rooster Angel Lace, handdyed in Cheshire. Laceweigh Silk and Alpaca in a beautiful red (the kind i can wear happily)

It’s around 800m, so i see another shawl on the horizon soon.

In other news, my mum has sent me a few bits and bobs from my existing stash so i don’t go crazy over here 🙂

And I’ve been going to the Loop knitting group on a thurs night – luckily my schedule at work means i should be able to go most weeks if only for an hour and a bit. It’s a lovely shop with lovely people  (but not as lovely as my Richmond girls of course. I miss you)

sOctober Disaster!!

So, I cheated a little on my pre-packaged self-imposed Sock a month thinger that i’ve been doing this year and swapped out a random pre-matched pattern and yarn (only 3 left) for my first wollmeise socks, beautiful colourwork Wallflowers (rav link here) in Stella Polaris and an undyed cashmere blend from Wired 4 Fibre.

My Hubris has been my downfall.

I never do tension for socks. I pretty much look at the needle in the pattern, the needle on the sock band and decide between (usually) a 2.25 or a 2.5. I’ve never had a problem (ok, my skews could probably afford to be on a 2.5, but honestly they’re never going to be easy for me to put on just because of my heel/bridge shape)

Until now.

So, i started, enjoying the complexity of the pattern, the softness of the cashmere, the colour of the wm and  my new way of tensioning. i’ve abandonned 2 handed – it looks cool but doesn’t really make me happy. I’m holding both yarns in my right hand as i normally do and using my forefingers to switch between the two. It’s a little bit quicker for me too and my floats are tight, but not too tight and very even.

I happily knit away on the recommended 2mms, working the heel – my first point of concern – the point at which i should have maybe at least tried the sock ON, especially given i’m looking at that heel and looking at my pointy heeled, high arched foot and thinking, hmmm – doing short rows (MAGIC!) and getting a whole nother repeat of the pattern done.

I am 1/2 an inch from starting the toe. so like maybe 6 more rounds… and i finally try it on.

and i CAN NOT GET IT OVER MY HEEL.

at all.

on either foot.

*facepalm*

I thought i would cry, but interestingly enough i didn’t I think shock set in instead. I calmly decided that yes i would frog and reknit, since the people i love enough in this world to give a colourwork sock to do not have tiny skinny feet, or low insteps. and also, I totally want to wear these in the UK next year what with their double layer warmth, cashmere and general prettiness

So I took the needles out and prepared to frog. Before i completely frogged i did a little tension measure, just to see.

Well, blow me down if i wasn’t getting 40 stitches (and this is after i’ve stretched the sock significantly trying to get it over my heel) instead of the 36 i’m meant to be getting.

WHOOOOOOPS!

So I ummed and ahhed about whether to try 2.25s or 2.5s, but the answer was given me by a weird spillage of needles in another room which meant when i went to grab my 2.25s there were only 2.5s to be had. I saw it as a sign and started knitting.

An episode of Law and Order UK and one of QI Uncut later and i have

And it fits 🙂 i’m getting the tension given when i smooth out the slight colourwork puckering (it’s the sort that will block out no trouble at all but just makes the unblocked thing look a bit bumpy) and while it is still a bit of a squish over the heel i did get it on.

Now though, I’m wondering what to do about this heel. I feel I should start it earlier and make it deeper? ie spread out the increases over more rows? thoughts? has anyone done this pattern?

So. my socks are back on track, but for anyone good at maths they will see that a sock i cast on on the 1st of october had not yet been finished and is now being reknitted and socks, in general, do like to come in pairs. This means that unless i completely abandon ALL other projects i’m working on at the moment (ha, like that’s going to happen, especially when one of them is Sylvi which is like, whe-hey instant results!) these will not be finished in time for november

The lovely K at Knitting Pretty suggested I make a pair of socks for lilah (which i amended to a pair of baby socks, since lilah does not like to wear socks and also has 4 feet) before oct is over to stay with my ‘socks each month’ challenge. I had been thinking of using some of my NEVER ENDING BALL Of Wanda (sknitches cinema sock club yarn used in the fish socks) to make some baby socks for ALL THE BABIES i know. So, my dear knitters? tell me, does this preserve my sock – a- month (and i have indeed completed a pair of socks every month this year – one was 4 days late, but otherwise on time) or is it just a token effort?

I also have to bear in mind that during November i will have to get cracking on a super special secret project for some very special people as i now have a date i intend to present them with this… well, present!

Please contribute your 2 cents (or dollars?) worth. would love advice and also, comments are nice!

Next post will have LOTS more pictures, of yarn and FOs, i promise!

 

ETA: I have been SO SO SO busy in recent weeks between travelling, getting new jobs, working old jobs and directing for the first time ever in a short play festival i’m also performing in. If you’re in melbourne come along to the Short and Sweet festival on Sat 5th Nov to see my directorial debut!