Up here for thinking

On Saturday, I attended a knitting workshop by Liz Gemmell, put on my my branch of the Knitters Guild of NSW. It was, I suppose, an introduction to designing your own knitwear - or adapting existing patterns, either in size or construction method or technique. Liz also told us a bit about her career as a knitwear designer and showed off some of her garments and other designs, including the most amazing knitted floor rug - knit in the round from the centre out, in traditional fair isle, into a square, using 12ply (bulky) wool and 4mm needles. Just amazing!

For homework, we were asked to knit a 25cm swatch - that's a big darn swatch, especially when you don't have as much time to knit as you used to, but it was worth it in this case. I decided to swatch for Olive, because I am so keen to knit and wear this! I used the Isager Strik Alpaca 2 yarn the pattern specifies (thanks Pru for destashing!!), which is a fingering weight 50/50 Alpaca/wool.

The newspaper is the pre-blocked size, the post-blocked swatch is underneath. I was surprised that the swatch didn't grow more in length on blocking, as alpaca usually will do that. I think I will reblock it, and hang it while damp - that will be a better measure of true gauge I think. I will not, however, shake and thwack it while dripping wet, as Liz advised. I just can't!

Liz suggests measuring gauge in 3 different spots on the swatch, and averaging. An interesting exercise, as my gauge did differ a little bit over the swatch (by 1 stitch or 1 row).

I've decided I'm going to alter the pattern a bit - I love the gathered neckline and striped garter edging, but I think the blouson style body will just make me look pregnant. I could just not decrease before the garter edge on the bottom, but as there is no shaping in the body, I think that will also look like a maternity top. So I'm planning on putting in waist shaping. I'm glad the pattern is knit all in one piece from the top down, as that will make it a lot easier for me to try on as I go, but I will also, as Liz taught, draw out the pattern in its entirety before knitting it, and ensure my gauge and measurements will all match up (that's the "up here for thinking" reference).

Yeah, maths. Not my favourite way to spend an afternoon, but it will be worth it I hope, to ensure the fit of this garment is what I want it to be. Because really, my hatred of frogging is far greater than my dislike of a few sums!

Journey's end

Over the last couple of months, I've been experiencing something a bit foreign to me. A few things, actually. Firstly, I've been off journeying in the otherworld of cardigan. I've shared with you my time in Sleeveland, Backville and East and West Frontdales. Since my last report, I've been to Seaming Heights and Collar Ridge too (can you believe it?!).

The other thing foreign to me is that I've been experiencing (relative) project monogamy. I have never, by any means, been a monogamous knitter. You just need to look at my WIP list in the sidebar to see that I can't resist having a bunch of projects on the sticks. And having so many WIPS is no barrier to starting something else new. But I've discovered that, with a baby in the house, if I'm going to get any projects finished, I pretty much just need to work on that one thing until it's done. And then start on the next one ... (although I do still have a couple of other projects at hand in case I need a portable project or, you know, I get bored, or whatever).

And guess what happens when you practice project monogamy? You get an FO! Who'da thunk it!!

Details

Pattern: Retrofit by Jesse Loesberg, from Knitty Fall 2008. A simple raglan cardigan, knit in pieces, with a zipper up the front. I know I could have avoided seaming by knitting this all in one piece, but when I started it a week before Connor arrived, I really wasn't up to converting the pattern, especially as I've never converted a pattern in this way before (although I reckon I could do it now if I was to knit another raglan cardigan!). I also don't mind knitting a garment in pieces, because even though in the end it's the same amount of knitting, it somehow seems to be quicker when you just work on a piece at a time - shorter rows and faster growth - not to mention more portable.

Yarn: Good old Cascade 220 - just under 6 x 100g skeins in Olive Heathers (9448), and about 50g in 9408 Cordovan (brown). Love lovely Cascade. Knits up quickly, wears well, looks great. And is very economical! I've said it before, but if I had to, I think I'd be quite happy to only knit with c220 forever!

Sticks: I used 4.5mm KnitPicks Harmony Options for the main parts, and 4mm for the cuffs, collar and turned hem on the body.

Time: 1 May 2010 - 6 August 2010 (well, I have to confess...I haven't sewn in the zipper yet...but I'm still counting this as an FO!!)

Modifications: The original pattern uses the contrast yarn for the sleeves and collar, and the turned hem. Husby wasn't so keen on this look, so I just used the contrast yarn on the sleeve cuff edges, the turned hem, and the edges of the collar - I like the original but I'm also very happy with the way this has turned out too. I also did a provisional cast on for the body pieces, so I could turn the hem as I knit, rather than seaming it at the end, as specified by the pattern.

If I was to make it again, I would probably convert it to be seamless and knit from the top down, but you know, I am pretty proud of my seaming!!

Since it was a lovely sunny winter's day today, we walked up to the park today for the photo shoot - here's an action shot on the way home (you'll have to believe me about the sun, it was getting a bit later in the day by the time I took this photo).

And here's my boys in their knitwear:

(I have enough of the c220 leftover to make a matching version for the little guy, which I'll do for next year I think, much to husby's horror, heh heh!)

Keeping Track - July 2010

And so another month rolls around. It doesn't seem that long ago that I did the last Keeping Track post. I suppose that's what happens when you only do a few posts each month, rather than a post or two each week like I used to do!

It's been a big month for the stash ins and outs - but fortunately, despite bringing this:

and this:

and this:

in to the stash, I managed to actually come out ahead (or behind, depending on your perspective) this month, through gifting some yarn to others more deserving! And a bit of knitting on my own part too!

I couldn't resist the Isager when it came up for destash (thanks Pru!) - the right amount for me to make Olive, a pattern I've long loved and wanted to make (it will be next on the sticks after I've done with Retrofit and something else which I'll reveal later this month!). And when Ailsa did a red in her fiftyfifty, well, I couldn't resist. And the Yarntini is more of the self-striping club yarn, which really shouldn't count, should it! But it does, yes it does.

In: 12 x 50g balls

Out: 13.5 x 50g balls (woo-hoo!)

YTD: +25 x 50g balls - or an average of just over 4 balls per month! My average/month is getting better and better as the year goes on!

Almost there!

As you know, I've been on a journey in the World of Cardigan.

I started off in Sleeveland:

Then the miles of Backville:

And the twin villages of East and West Frontdale:

Now I have to make my way through Seaming Heights. My least favourite part of this adventure. But to top it off, I'll take a quick jaunt to Collar Ridge.

I've quite enjoyed this journey actually. It hasn't taken me as long as I thought it might, thanks to the worsted weight yarn and simple stocking stitch pattern with minimal shaping! A lot of people get bored with stocking stitch but I'm loving it right now. It is exactly the sort of knitting I can manage!

So I took a de-Tour

I mentioned in my last post that I had signed up for the Tour de France KAL again - I am loving watching the race every day - so much controversy this year! Huge crashes, broken collarbones and arms, headbutting, tyre-throwing, bitchslapping (ok, I made that up, but it was close enough!), fabulous scenery and of course absolutely epic bike-riding. They are simply amazing, those competitors.

Me, not so much. I took a detour from my adventures in the World of Cardigan - having finished my journey through East Frontdale, I decided I deserved a little holiday in Hatland. I spent a week in Hatland, a long time I know for a simple stocking stitch hat knit in the round with aran/10ply yarn. I used popular modifications to the pattern which are designed to make the brim a bit more flare-y than the original pattern (and whoops, I just realised I didn't change needles for the brim - I should have used a size larger for the brim - no wonder this turned out to be an EPIC FAIL!)

So yeah, my holiday in Hatland wasn't so much fun.

The questions, dear reader, are:

1. Should I see if blocking makes a difference?

2. Should I frog back and redo entirely?

3. Should I frog and just make a different pattern already?

4. Should I wear it with the brim turned up at the front (it doesn't look too bad that way I think)?

Right now, the hat is in the naughty corner and I'm sulking. And I've returned to the World of Cardigan and am about a third of the way through West Frontdale. At least that is going well (touch wood...)

Keeping Track - June 2010 - and a KAL...

Another month has rolled around, can you believe it??

I was doing well this month, managing to fit in some knitting and not purchasing any yarn (I didn't even go to the Stitches and Craft Fair in Sydney this year, although I thought long and hard about it and tried to work out how best to manage it with the little guy and transport etc). But then I had to go and be virtuous and walk the 30 minute up-and-down-small-hills walk up to the next suburb on Tuesday this week (yes, the suburb with the yarn store), and since I was there, well, it would be a crime not to call in just to see what they've got.
And this yarn just fell into the pram. Well, it's red, the pram is red, it was meant to be. It helped that it was on sale too...

Luckily they only had 4 balls. And I've managed to knit 4.5 balls this month so I come out ahead, weeeeeeeeeeeee!

In: 4x50g balls
Out: 4.5x50g balls
YTD: +26.5x50g balls - or a monthly average of about 4.5 x 50g balls - not bad at all! Heh!

In completely unrelated KAL news, it's almost Tour de France time again - huzzah! I'm following Cadel Evans again, and have signed up as a Domestique on Team BMC for the TdF KAL on Rav - hopefully it will be 3rd time lucky for me following Cadel, and this year he'll have a win! I'm kind of sad that I'm not going for the yellow jersey, but I just can't commit to a big project in such a short period of time! But I might go for a little green jersey sprint with this hat...we'll see!

Bye Bye Backville

On Sunday, I waved bye bye to Backville and quickly said hello to East Frontdale.

You'll have to believe me about Backville, because I don't have photographic evidence, but I can tell you there was a huge sigh of relief when I "tried it on" husby - the size was perfect!

But can't stay and chat, I have to go and turn this hem and continue on my journey through the land of Retrofit!

Join me on my travels

When we last met, I was still in Sleeveland, after hitting a minor speedbump just as I thought I was about to leave.

But I'm pleased to report I've now departed Sleeveland.

And have taken up residence in Backville.

With the vast expanse of stocking stitch desert, I'm not expecting to leave Backville any time soon. Although I am quite pleasantly surprised to be able to report that I've trekked over halfway (to the arm shaping anyway) of the Backville desert already, so maybe I'll find that Backville is a more enjoyable experience than I'd anticipated.

I do know that I'm not looking forward to Seaming Heights though.... But, let's face it, I mustn't get ahead of myself, I've still got East Frontdale and West Frontdale to visit yet!

I've been to Sleeveland too...

A week or two ago Bells posted about the experience of being in Sleeveland. And I can empathise, I've been to Sleeveland too.

The sleeves of husby's Retrofit. And yes, one sleeve is longer than the other...

The first sleeve was just a bit too long - so I finished the second one, and measured it on husby this morning, and it was much better - it's amazing how much difference a mere 6 rows can make to the length.

So now the first sleeve looks like this:

Yep, I'm still in Sleeveland. Hopefully not for too much longer...

As an aside, these sleeves are a nice measure of my available knitting time now - the first sleeve was knit the week before Connor was born - it took me 6 days all up. The second sleeve I started two weeks after Connor arrived - and it took me 13 days. But I also have to add that my mum has been here since Connor arrived too (and has been a huge help) - she's going home on Saturday - let's see how much knitting I get done from next week! That will be the real test!

Keeping Track - May 2010

I wasn't expecting to buy much yarn this month. Or to knit much either, to be honest. But I wasn't counting on this bag o'yarn coming up on the destash thread in the Australian Knitters group on Rav:

It's a yarn I loved knitting with the first time, and a colour I also love (which is impossible to photograph) - it's a reddish purple called Victoria - so I couldn't resist...

On the upside, I was pleased with the amount of knitting I achieved this month - even though I had a week and a half without any knitting at all, I've managed to fit in a few rows at least every other day - glad I picked a nice easy pattern for husby's zipper cardi, and a worsted weight yarn too - so much quicker, and progress is far more obvious, not to mention it's easy to pick up and put down without having to reacquaint myself with the pattern.

In: 10 x 50g balls

Out: 5 x 50g balls

YTD: +27 x 50g balls - or a monthly average of just over +5 balls per month.

Wonder how I'll do next month?

I never promised you a rose garden

Well, husby never did promise me a rose garden, but we got one (albeit a small one) when we bought our new house the year before last.

But it was in a sad state of affairs, our little circle of roses. Only one of the bushes really flowered (surprisingly profusely, given it hadn't really been well looked after) and a couple were close to, if not already, dead.

Until a month or so ago, when my mum suggested we replace the past-it roses with nice new ones. It seemed like a good idea at the time. So off to the nursery we headed, and bought 5 nice new bushes, each a different variety and colour (red, white, yellow, pink and yellow/pink) (there's a gap still for one more rose variety, which the nursery didn't have at the time). We pulled out the old dead bushes (leaving the tallest one, that still flowered well) and dug out the grass from the circle. And put a sandstone edging around the circle, using old stones that had been lying around the house. And put down weedmat and bark mulch. And a few small gardenias to act as groundcover below the roses. It was hard digging, especially with the fading light and approaching cold.

Of course, when I say "we", I mean husby and my mum, who worked darn hard to do all this (that chair in the "before" picture was my perch, supervising the workers!) I think we did a pretty good job!

A finished object!

So we've been home from hospital for a week today (OMG a week today! Hasn't that flown!) and I have actually managed to do a wee bit of knitting. Not much mind, only about 10 rows, but enough to finish my qiviuk scarf. Which I'm counting as a win!

You probably won't recall (as it was over a year ago) but DrK picked up a teeny tiny ball of qiviuk yarn for me when she was in the UK - only 28g but a very nice 218yd/199m of laceweight softness. I decided on this scarf as the best way to use it, and now that it's done, I need some advice (which I'll get to shortly!)

Details

Pattern: Scroll lace stitch pattern - which is the same as that used in Anne Hanson's Alhambra scarf - but which can be found free on the internet (here, for example). I really like this pattern, although it is lace on both sides (with a p2tog tbl thrown in just for extra "fun"!).

Yarn: Windy Valley Muskox Qiviuk, colour 3005 burgundy - a reddish brown ball of softy soft softness. I managed to get just over a metre of scarf out of the 28g of yarn, which is a nice length for the mild winters we get here. And oh my, it is lush stuff. Have I mentioned how soft it is?

Sticks: 4mm bamboo straights - old school!

Time: 12 April 2009 - 19 May 2010 - I don't know why, but after leaving this for ages, I suddenly picked it up again a few weeks ago and worked on reasonably solidly. And if I hadn't gone into labour two Saturdays ago, it would have been done then! Not that I've needed to wear it in the last two weeks anyway!

My question is, do I block or not? I really like the textural look of the stitch pattern (both front and back) as is, but I do wonder if the already soft yarn will become even softer with a wash. And will it look nicer with the pattern blocked out too? I've pinned it out to give you an idea of how it would look:

Tell me dear blog friends, what do you think? Block or no?

Ambitious, much?

So this was the knitting I took with me to hospital last week:

All carefully thought out projects - nice easy stocking stitch or garter stitch, none requiring much concentration - from the top - husby's Retrofit cardi - one sleeve done, and plenty of yarn to start (and finish) the second sleeve; then at bottom right, a Baktus scarf, using the same yarn as my Happy socks; then bottom left Cascade Heritage sock yarn for simple stocking stitch socks.

And here's my progress while in hospital:

Yes, the observant - or even the most unobservant - amongst you will notice that it is in fact the same photo! I did not knit a stitch in my 4.5 days/5 nights in hospital. I thought about it once or twice, and I had at least one project beside me within arm's reach at all times, but I did none!

Yes, I probably was a bit ambitious. But I figured if I took none, I'd miss it.

****************************

Thanks so much to you all for the lovely comments (and emails and texts and gifts) on Connor's arrival - it was so lovely to read all of them from hospital, many during the night feeds (thank goodness for netbooks and mobile internet access etc).

Coming home was surreal - same familiar environment but everything so different! But we've settled in very well so far. On the plus side, he is an excellent sleeper and feeder (so far...touch wood!) and on the down side, he is also an excellent explosive poo-er and wee fountain (although at least I know his internal systems are working!) (and I've also become a lot quicker at getting a cloth over his bits while I grab a new nappy!).

A couple more gifts which gave me a giggle, not because they are funny, they are just lovely - but the giggle came because not only:

are they the same lovely garment, but they were also made by knitting blog friends both named Kylie!! (DrK's version on the left, KGirl's on the right!) Great minds! And so thoughtfully made in different sizes too! Thanks Kylies!

Welcome to the world, baby boy!

Introducing Connor James (sorry about the crappy webcam photo!), born 11.15pm Saturday 8 May 2010. Weighing in at 8lb6oz (yes, despite Australia using the most excellent metric system (tee hee), most people still refer to babies in pounds and ounces - but for those who don't, 3.81kg) and measuring 51.5cm, Connor arrived via c-section, because despite the contractions, he stubbornly refused to engage - living up to one of the "meanings" of his name - strong-willed! Wonder where he gets that from...

Socks!

After what seems like an age, I finally have another pair of finished socks! Although not Personal Sock Club socks, I'm afraid. I have seriously dropped the ball on that idea!

Details

Pattern: Generic stocking stitch toe up sock, using Judy's Magic Cast on and Wendy's toe up gusset heel flap instructions for the heel, and a sewn bind off (after earlier trying to be clever and failing with a tubular bind off - and you all know how that turned out!).

Yarn: Wendy Happy, a 75/25 bamboo/nylon sock yarn, in colour 2502 Gemini. I picked this up in Tasmania last year, to match these shoes:

Pretty happy with these!

Sticks: I knit these at a tighter gauge than usual, as I was a bit worried the bamboo might stretch - so 64 stitches on a 2.25mm KnitPicks 80cm circular (normally I'd do a 64 stitch sock on 2.5mm at least). And they fit great! Hope they'll hold up with washing and wearing.

Time: Oh my...I just checked and I started these on 21 May last year!! I didn't realise it was quite that long!! That's what happens when you keep a project for commuting and rarely commute! I finished them on 10 April - so not quite a whole year...

One of these things is not quite like the other one!

I actually didn't intend to make the stripes match between the socks, but as it turns out, with the exception of the toes, they did! Totally on accident! I did the sock with the orange toe first - and there was a knot in the first grey section - obviously, the first bit reversed the colours. But I can still hardly believe that the second sock matched the first so well. I'd never have achieved that if I'd actually tried!

Cook from a Book challenge #6

I have a small confession to make - this is not actually from a book I own - I found the recipe in the paper a couple of weeks ago - it's an extract from a new book which is called Recipes My Mother Cooked.

I thought it sounded easy and yum. And I had a friend coming over for lunch, and I happened to have a couple of sheets of puff pastry in the freezer, so the ideal time to make it!

Egg and Bacon Pie:

(Check out the puffiness of that puff pastry!) It was delicious! I downsized the recipe - which uses 10 eggs (plus one for the pastry glue!), because I don't have a pie dish big enough to hold a 10 egg pie! But it was still plenty for 6 servings, which meant leftovers the next day! Woo hoo!

Very very easy to make as well. And could easily be tarted up with the addition of other ingredients too I think. Peas or corn, capsicum, maybe tomato, perhaps some grated cheese.

And can be eaten hot or cold. Very versatile!

Keeping Track - April 2010

Obviously last month (with NO incoming stash) was such a shock to the system that I had to make up for it this month. With this:

and this:

(although the latter, Fleece Artist Somoko, was the last shipment of a year long sock club, thanks to Knitting Inspirations!).

The Cascade220 is for a zipper cardi for husby - I have been promising him one for a while - and since the Webs sale is on (and still is - until the end of May!), I went for it. Except of course, now that he knows I've got the yarn, he wants the cardi immediately!

So I've even swatched. And am about to cast on the first piece. Lucky husby! (although I make no promises about when it will be finished!)

In: 18 x 50g balls

Out: 7.5 x 50g balls

YTD: +22 x 50g balls - giving a monthly average of 5.5 x 50g balls. So still not toooo bad!

Surprise!

No, not the arrival of Teddy! But rather, the completion of a Baby Surprise Jacket! I'm pretty sure Teddy has enough knitwear, but I couldn't resist making one of these anyway - just for the experience, if nothing else!

And I'm so glad I did!

Details

Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmerman - the most clever little pattern in the world! About a page of pithy instructions and a few pictures and diagrams, and that's it!

Most amusingly supplemented by a 16 page BSJ wiki on Ravelry! Which, I must admit, is very helpful (even if the length of it does make me giggle). I'm sure I would have gone wrong at least once, if not a few more times, without the wiki. So yay and a big thanks to all the contributors!

Yarn: Handspun by my buddy Donni (Moggy and Me) - featured previously on the blog here - about 370m/100g, in what I estimate is a light sport weight. Lovely stuff - do love knitting with handspun, and it worked out fabulously with this pattern.

Sticks: 3.75mm KnitPicks Harmony options

Time: 13 April - 30 April 2010 (although I did finish all the knitting in a week, I took my time seaming the shoulder/arm seams). And thanks to my mum for sewing on the buttons (I HATE sewing on buttons!). I had these buttons in my stash and I think they match perfectly!

Modifications: I wouldn't call this a modification exactly (it's hardly rocket science or a new idea), but I added a crochet edge around the neck, because the garter stitch edge was quite uneven. I also tossed up about putting all 5 buttonholes in (as many people only do the top 3) but I figured I'd put them in, and if I don't want to do them all up, then I won't! But at least I have the option.

The neck looks a bit small to me too, but I figure I can leave the top button undone too!

I really really enjoyed knitting this clever garment. From all the attention it gets on blogs and ravelry (over 11,300 projects!), I know that many people consider it a "must knit" for all knitters. And I agree!

And that got me thinking about what other patterns might be considered a "must knit" - I'd also include Kate Gilbert's Clapotis, and a top down raglan jumper pattern (but which one?) and probably also EZ's pi shawl (and no doubt at least one more of her patterns), maybe the Lady Eleanor entrelac shawl, definitely at least one pair of socks (probably two - toe up and top down) and definitely something fair isle and something cabled - I just can't decide on which patterns would be considered to be "the definitive" fair isle or cable pattern!

What would be in your top ten?