It's been a long time coming

Remember RoseRedia Jones' excavation about a month ago? The main reason (apart from the pressing need to actually tidy it up) for that expedition was to find one of my most long-standing WIPS - the Shaped Lace Tee, which I started in January 2008 (!!). With summer looming, I decided it was time to get it off the sticks and off my WIP list.

Especially since all I needed to do was knit the pathetically small cap sleeves and then block and seam it!

Which I have now done, weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Details

Pattern: Shaped Lace Tee by Joan McGowan Michael, from Knitting Lingerie Style. I believe this is the same pattern as her Krista Tee, which is sold separately on her website. A really nice pattern in a wide range of sizes.

Yarn: Rowan Calmer in Khaki (sh 474), just a smidge over 4 balls (!!). I had 5 balls of this lovely yarn, and I really thought I'd be pushing it to make this pattern. I swatched (twice!), couldn't get gauge and so did the maths to work out I needed to make the next size up to get the right size for me. With hindsight, I wish I'd gone two sizes up, as I would have had enough yarn and it would have given me a bit more wiggle room.

This yarn really stretches! Great for anything fitted like this pattern, because you don't really need any shaping, the yarn does that work for you.

Sticks: 5mm KnitPicks Harmony Options

Time: January 2008 - 1 October 2010. And it even fits me!

Modifications: Vey little - I did a 3-needle bind-off for the shoulder seams and that's it. Although if I were to make this again, I would make the sleeve caps wider - they are riculously narrow. They do work, but I'd just give myself a bit more room up there. I'd also possibly do a ridge of garter stitch (or three) around the bottom, as I think it will curl (even more) with wear.

I really like the square neckline finished with a round of crochet, very flattering for my body shape. If only my bust was as perky and my hips as narrow as Dolores the Dummy, my stunt double ... lucky this yarn s-t-r-e-t-c-h-e-s (did I mention that already?)!

Get the good scissors out!

Get the good scissors out:

It's time to sssssssssttttttttttteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!


The tutorial at our monthly guild meeting this month was on steeking, lead by members M-H and Sandra. I've never done it, and quite frankly the thought of cutting my knitting scared the crap out of me! Cutting something that I'd spent hours and hours knitting - in fairisle - gaaaaaahhhhh!


I know others have done it - and I admired their bravery - but I never really thought I could do it.



Until now!

We all did our homework (knitting a tube in a fairly easy fairisle pattern), ready to learn how to reinforce the knitting before bringing out the good scissors. I was the only stupid person to use 4ply/fingering yarn - I don't know why I didn't use 8ply/DK, which would have made for a bigger tube and less knitting required. I suppose I always think of finer yarn when I think of fairisle (it would be too too hot to wear a double strand 8ply garment here) and I had this yarn left over from my endpaper mitts, so that's as far as my thinking went when choosing yarn!

Anyway, I had a bit of an experiment with my fairisle - reversed the colours for the middle section, and for the top section I reversed the yarn carried over the top (at bottom, I carried the brown over the green, at top I carried the green over brown) - I think the top looks better. Yarn dominance in action!

The tutorial was excellent! M-H and Sandra have come up with an alternate way to reinforce the steeked section using crochet - the method most commonly used has you crochet on either side of the area you will cut (the double width brown strip in the centre of my sample), while their method (the WestWard method!) has you crochet on either side of the entire steeked area, thus creating a kind of selvege edge and reducing bulk on the very edge. (The red stitches are the crocheted reinforcement).

I initially grumbled about this method, as I found it the way of crocheting very awkward, but once M-H showed me how to do it more easily, I saw the light! And soon I was going for the scissors and it only took a few seconds and my tube was now a flat piece of knitting! Weeeeeeeeeeee!

I thought I'd chosen a relatively sticky yarn, but I discovered after cutting that it was not really sticky at all! So I think if I was to use a non-Shetland yarn for fairisle, I'd either crochet right on the steek area, to ensure it can't unravel, or I'd use the WestWard method but also machine sew closer to the steek edge, for double security!

Thanks to M-H and Sandra, I now have the confidence to actually try this out on a full-size garment! Yay for Growth As A Knitter!

Keeping Track - September 2010

I was doing ok this month...until I was handed the chance to have a personal shopper, of sorts, at the Wollmeise shop in Germany, thanks to AuntyToots, who made a special trip there on her honeymoon. I've long admired the colourwork done by many talented knitters using Wollmeise, and in particular the undyed yarn paired with any of the vibrant coloured yarns - I don't know how often the undyed yarn comes up in the shop updates, so I took the opportunity so kindly offered and now am the proud owner of two undyedskeins of Wollmeise. Weeee! Thanks Helen!

And my other purchase this month was a single ball of Noro Silk garden sock yarn, which was bought for a project I'm very excited to be starting in October.

And even though prize yarn doesn't count, I can't not show off this lovely stuff - 8ply/DK Patonyle (it's more of a deep tealy/jade green than this picture shows)! Thanks Leonie!

On the outs I didn't do so well -socks take a long time to knit and don't use much yarn! Hopefully I'll do better on the outs next month!

In: 8 x 50g balls

Out: 1.5 x 50g balls

YTD: 35.5 x 50g balls - woops, my monthly average has gone up...almost 4 balls per month.

And for a change...

And for a change, here's another FO!

A while ago (November last year!), I was visiting with my buddy D, who, in a fit of optimism, had bought the yarn and pattern to crochet a scarf for her daughter. In a similarly inspired fit of optimism, I offered to do it for her, because we all know crochet is quick, and the scarf only used 2 balls of 8ply/DK weight yarn.

Yeah, you already know how that turned out, just by the date of this post! But now it's done, huzzah!

Details

Pattern: Aroma by Donna Yacino, published by Berroco. A crochet scarf using a pretty motif and bands of filet or basic shell crochet between the motifs.

The pattern is relatively easy, but has that annoying "at the same time" business which tripped me up more than once. It's also completely written, and could have benefitted by using charts. I also think it could have been written to avoid some of the cutting and rejoining of the yarn (and thus minimising the number of ends to be sewed in). And finally, if I was to make it again, I'd also make it symmetrical - ie work from both ends into the middle. That's a relatively minor quibble though.

Yarn: 2 x 50g balls of Berroco Latitude, a very interesting cotton/rayon yarn comprised of many plies of slightly variegated yarn all wrapped with a fine strand of a darker colour. It's a mite stiff to crochet with but I think will wear nicely. It is slightly difficult to sew the ends in however! I imagine if you were knitting with it, especially stocking stitch, you'd probably have to separate the plies to sew them in in a way that avoids bulk.

Hook: 4mm

Time: 2 December 2009 - 30 August 2010. But really, this is a project which could be completed in a few days - I finished one ball of yarn some time ago (probably January) then got sidetracked, until mid-August, when I finally got it out again, after a timely prompt from D!!

Note on pattern: Interestingly, the pattern specifies 3 balls of yarn are required. I had some left from the 2 balls I used (not enough for additional motifs though). And I made the pattern exactly as specified, getting a length of 136cm/53".

You can see from the pattern picture however that the filet/shell sections between the motifs are much longer than the pattern calls for (with a specified total length of 158cm/62"). Clearly that's where the extra yarn went! Bit of a fail though on the part of someone at Berroco! Good way to add length though, if you want to, without making extra motifs.

The Adventures of RoseRedia Jones

In which our intrepid archeologist, RoseRedia Jones, undertakes a dig in the region of KnittingBasket...

It was the Spring of 2010, when RoseRedia Jones decided it was time to explore KnittingBasket, in the corner of LoungeRoom, right beside Knitter'sChair. Armed with only a few rudimentary but useful tools (hands, camera), this is the sight that faced RoseRedia:

Taking a slow and methodical approach, RoseRedia cleared away the first layer of debris, consisting mainly of the most recent items belonging to the Knitter which she discovered were termed WIPS. Also the Notions Pouch, which appeared to see a great deal of use.

More WIPS were discovered on the next layer, these appeared not to have seen any action for some few months.

The next layer revealed even older WIPS, and Sock Blockers, which clearly had not been used for at least 4 months. Also apparent on this layer were partial used balls of yarn, clearly discarded in the Knitter's eagerness to move onto the next project.

RoseRedia also discovered next to KnittingBasket a separate box, which appeared to contain even older WIPS, many of which had not seen action for about a year. RoseRedia assumed this Knitter had a problem termed Startitis (and also, Messiness).

The lowest sub-stratum of the KnittingBasket revealed a hodgepodge of used and unused patterns, yarn labels, further partial balls of yarn, and various cords and knitting sticks.

RoseRedia felt a certain sense of achievement when she finally reached the bottom of KnittingBasket and WIPBox. She may have also had to confront her fear of spiders, even though of only the DaddyLongLegs variety, but fortunately, there was no evidence of her greatest fear, the moth.

She sat back to carefully note the discoveries and treasures revealed by the dig:

Yarn: 7 partial balls, 2 full cones, 8 full balls

Project bags: 7 empty

Ziplock bags: 14 plus 3 which were damaged or dirty beyond repair

Patterns: 9 used, 1 in use, 2 unused

Computer cables: 3 with a known use, 2 with an unknown use or origin

1 double adapter

1 finished dishcloth just requiring ends to be sewn in

1 booklight, apparently used for knitting in the car in the dark

1 Knitter's Guild newsletter

WIPS: 14

1 Vogue Knitting Reference book

Many pairs of knitting needles and dpns

1 Samurai Sudoku puzzle book

1 2008 taxpack (!!)

RoseRedia carefully sorted and replaced all that was salvagable and required for use within KnittingBasket and WIPBox, in the hope that the Knitter would both appreciate these efforts and recommit to finishing some of those WIPS.

Tune in next time for an update on the Knitter's progress...

Bellybellybellyphant!

I realised a while ago I had failed to knit a red garment for Connor! I had to rectify this immediately (it certainly wasn't due to a lack of red yarn in the stash!). I wanted a quick and easy pattern and so searched Ravelry for seamless raglan type cardigans - and found this pattern and couldn't resist the elephants marching around the belly!

Details

Pattern: Bellyphant by Jennifer Little - a bottom up seamless raglan cardigan, available in 3 sizes. It actually has stripes all the way up the body and sleeves (above the elephants) but I decided to keep it plain, so I didn't have to fuss about matching the stripes on the sleeves to the body (not that it would have been too difficult, but I'm all about the easy-ness at the moment, pretty much). Also I had enough of the red yarn for the whole garment. As I was using 4ply/fingering yarn, rather than 5ply/sport, I made the 6-9 mo size, to try to ensure a 3-6 mo size outcome.

This was my first time working fair isle flat. It wasn't too bad, but I did only have to do it for 11 rows. I'm not sure I'd like to do it for a whole garment. Some of the floats were quite long (longer than for "traditional" fair isle) so I had to catch them as I was knitting.

Yarn: Patons Patonyle in red (from the Mill Shop, via MissFee - thanks!) - about 80g, and Patons Patonyle in grey (col 0068) - only about 5g. This is a staple sock yarn, sturdy and machine washable - and long used for baby garments in Australia too. And both from the stash! And the buttons from stash too! (I do have to sew another 2 buttons on, but I was desperate for Connor to wear this cardigan on Saturday when we were catching up with friends, and I only had time to sew on 4 buttons during our car ride there).

Sticks: 3.25mm KnitPicks Harmony Options - a good idea for this garment, because once you add the sleeves to the body, it helps to use a long cable and kind of magic loop the next few rounds, because the sleeve joining method is a bit tight - which the pattern very nicely warns you about. I also magic looped the sleeves, two at a time. Not my favourite method of working sleeves - it always seems to take longer when working two at once - but it does ensure the increases are in the same place and the sleeves are the same length!

Time: 28 July 2010 - 28 August 2010. Not bad! I really wanted to get this done so it would see Connor out through the end of winter and into spring. Because of course it won't fit him for that long. I can definitely see myself making it again for him next year.

Modifications: None really, except as noted, but if (when) I do make this again, I think I would do it top down rather than bottom up (unless anyone can tell me why that would be a bad idea?). I didn't really like the method for joining the sleeves to the body - using a three needle bindoff for 4 stitches, on each sleeve at the underarm. It leaves big holes on either side of the bind off, which you sew up using the yarn end, which is not a big deal, but it just seemed messy. Not to mention it was difficult to work the first few rounds after that, as the pattern warns. I also confused myself and I think I bound off an extra stitch or two on at least one of the sleeves, because my stitch count was off after attaching the sleeves. I just missed two of the raglan decreases to make up for it.

I'd also knit the sleeves first, thus avoiding having to the cut the yarn at the end of the body so I can use it to do the sleeves, then rejoin it. For a seamless project, I ended up having to weave in 14 ends!!

I am, however, inordinately pleased with how the neck ribbing matched up with the raglan decreases. I don't know if that's an outcome of the pattern writing or just pure luck!

Even though he sicked up on it about 20 minutes after I first put it on him (well, I hadn't blocked it before that first wear anyway, so lucky!), I think Connor approves (must have been the blocking that made the difference!)

Keeping Track - August 2010

Even though I do have an FO or two to show you as a result of my August efforts, I'm afraid more yarn came into the stash than out of it.

Not to worry... since sock club yarn doesn't really count (much)

And gift/prize yarn, beautifully wrapped:

doesn't count at all:

Thanks so much Lyn!

I feel I should also make an exclusion rule for lovely organic cotton bought from a new yarn store (on the basis that supporting a new yarn store/cafe venture should give me a leave pass) but I guess that would really be pushing it! I'm going to make a stripey something for Connor out of this.

In: 6 x 50g balls

Out: 2 x 50g balls

YTD: 29 x 50g balls - 3.5 balls per month, woo hoo!

Spring has sprung!

The grass has riz, etc...

All week the weatherperson has told us today would be 25C (77F). The first day of Spring, 25C!

I was so excited, expecting to wake up this morning and see a lovely sunshiney day, and maybe only wear a t-shirt, for the first time since early May. But no, it's overcast. Not cold, but not the expected lovely sunny spring day (although as I'm writing this, the sun is poking through the cloud cover, so there is still hope!).

But we can look at some flowers at least...

First blooms on my little magnolia tree.

Violets spreading through my side garden bed (where I had originally planned, when we moved in, to have a vege patch...heh! I can't dig up the lovely violets, now can I?!)

White violets! Who'da thunk it! I did not even know there was such a thing until I spotted this one in my garden.

I also noticed yesterday that the leaves on my jacaranda are turning yellow - they'll be close to falling off, ready for it to burst into bloom later this spring. And so the cycle continues.

The Magic Sleeping Jacket

Six years ago, my friend H was pregnant with twins. Husby and I were in the UK for a holiday and we picked up a whole suite of baby clothes for the twins from Baby Gap. (Love Baby Gap, can't wait until we get one here!) All matching fabric but different pieces, because personally I think it's tooo much for twins to wear the exact same clothes, but sweet when they match but not, if that makes sense.

In a most appreciated touch, six years down the track, H presented me with these two jackets (plus a pair of trousers) remaining from the original suite:

The really cool thing about them is that they are reversible, with wild animal fabric on one side and plain contrast fabric on the other side. And like all baby clothes which are worn for such a short period of time, they look as good as new!

About a month or so ago, Connor started sleeping for 5 or 6 hours (one night, it was even 7 hours!) through the night, from his last feed at about 10.30-11pm. Weeeeeeeeeee! That night, in addition to his usual all-in-one jumpsuit, he was wearing one of these jackets. We decided, as you do, that the jacket simply must be responsible for this excellent sleep development, and so he has worn it every night since (thank goodness we've got two of them) ... I don't know what we'll do when he no longer fits into the Magic Sleeping Jackets!

Road Trip

Last weekend, we had to travel to my home town for the funeral of a much loved aunt (my mum's brother's wife) who died suddenly and unexpectedly. She was, as they say, a pillar of the community, in the way you can be in a small country town. We think around 500 people attended her funeral, which is pretty amazing given the population of the town is around 3500-4000 people.

While it was terribly sad, there were some upsides to the trip - we were able to see how Connor would handle a 6 hour drive (very well!), and more importantly, we were able to introduce him to all of his uncles and aunts on my side, as well as many of his great uncles and aunts, some of whom are in their late 80s and early 90s. And of course he charmed them all!

Another thing I always enjoy about travelling "home" (it'll always be "home" to me even though I'll never live there again) is the trip itself, driving the familiar roads, seeing what has changed and what hasn't. For example, the last time I went home, I'm pretty sure these wind turbines weren't a feature of the trip:

And there wasn't nearly this much water alongside the road (my home town is in a very dry area of country NSW):

But the fields of canola:

And the wattle in flower:

And the grain silos alongside the railway line which runs parallel to the road:

are all things I'm very familiar with, and look out for along the way.

And I thought you'd like to see some sheep too, of course! Not sure what type these are, ours is a wheat/sheep district, it's too dry for dairy. It's lambing season already, and I spotted many of the little dudes with their mothers along the way.

The other thing I love about a country town is the way people are supported in times of crisis. My aunt's family had casseroles and cakes and biscuits and slices coming out their ears, and even my mum had friends bringing her food because they knew she'd have all her family at home for the funeral. Have you ever seen a sponge cake this yellow?

That's what you get with fresh eggs straight out of the chooks! Amazing! While I don't think I'd want to live at home again (there are a lot of downsides to the small town), the community aspect is a huge positive they have to offer. Not to mention being able to walk everywhere!