3 posts tagged “project”

When I was at the Autumn Home Show last month I was tempted into buying some dyed and carded polwarth fibre from Sharon of Jumbuck Carding. There was only 85 grams left of the heathered sliver (top-left), so I nabbed that, and a quantity of a solid purple.

Heathered Purple Polwarth

I didn't have a plan for them when I purchased (no surprise, I'm sure), but got spinning pretty quickly, at first on my old Traveller (now gifted to Mum), and then on my new Joy.. Soon I had 170 grams of about a sport weight yarn (plying together a single of each sliver), ready to knit. But what to knit?!

Not a scarf, or a hat, or a fraction of a jersey. So, mittens or gloves it was. I did eventually settle on a fingerless glove pattern, but given that I had no real plan before, I saw no need to stick to it. As you've probably gathered from the title of this entry, I made mittens!

One Thumb

Right Mitten

Call me a heretic, but I didn't work them in the round, preferring to use straight needles, and then seam. I do dislike rangling dpns for fingers and thumbs.

Anyway, the mittens are nice and soft, and a pretty heathere colour! I'm very pleased with both my spinning, and my knittings. And that my fingers are warm!

Crochet Elephant

Well, he's not really a mammoth, he's an elephant. Or a miniature crochet interpretation of an elephant. He's fuzzy, though!

I haven't really crocheted anything other than blankets, scarves, or trims before, so I was a bit apprehensive about trying to follow a pattern (particulary as the US patterns use a different terminology to the English ones that I learned with). Still, a couple of imperfections aside, I'm really please with out he turned out.

The pattern is a free one from Lion Brand, and he's the Amigurumi Elephant (I'd link to the pattern, but you need to register - for free - to see it). If you're on Ravelry, you can check out the pattern (and other examples made) here. My project is right here.

The yarn I used is a merino/angora blend, from Naturally Yarns.

ready-to-rib

A friend (rightly) observed that my knitting reminds him that I'm clever, so I figure I'd better add some more evidence, lest he or anyone else forget just how darn clever I am! I've been working away on this project for a while now (probably not as long as it seems to me), but haven't really posted any great detail here because, well, it's basically a brown jumper, and that's not particularly exciting.

It's all documented over at Ravelry, for sure, but I realise that while there are thousands of people in there, a lot of people are still waiting for invites! Anyway, as I near completion (and have more to say than "I'm knitting a brown jumper"), I figure it's time to show it here.

Wendy's Somewhat Cowl is the first pattern I've purchased and downloaded; I've knit from free online patterns, and plenty of books, but never before had I handed over a few dollars for a PDF. I like to look at patterns before I buy them, so I was taking a risk with this, but I'm glad I spent the minimal amount for this (even if I did have to print it out at the library; one day I'll get ink for my printer). It's a pretty straight forward pattern, and I've enjoyed knitting it.

sleeve

This project is also my first top-down effort, my first short-sleeved knit, and the first garment I've come this close to finishing and actually still wanted (oh so many discarded garments, I usually avoid them to avoid that feeling)! ye, it's a lot of stocking stitch, but once you join to work in the round, it's all knit, and pretty darn easy to work at.

What do I like best about this project? Quite possibly absence of seaming. Even that fact that I have four inches of ribbing on the arms (I've just started the first short sleeve), and then 6 inches of ribbing around the large "cowl" neckline (to be folded and tacked down) doesn't dishearten me. No seams. It's not that I don't like seams, but I have terrbile seaming skills!

Coming a close second is the yarn I'm working with - it's a cashmere/merino blend from Naturally Yarns, and it's soft, and warm, and delightful to work with. Combined with the shaping at the waist, the drape of the yarn is just right, and I love the fit. I can't wait to wear it!

For those knitting at home, I'm working to the 34" bust size. That's a little bit smaller than my "high bust" measurement (up under arms), and about 4" smaller than I my actual bust. I decided though that I didn't want this to be baggy, and going up 4 inches in size to account for my boobs wasn't what I was after. The low/open neckline is allowing me to get away with working the smaller size without any additonal bust shaping/darts, and the only modification I've done is add one extra waist decrease (and the accompanying inch in length) and two extra increase after the the waist to account for my curves. Perfect! Sure, it was a bit of a hassle to try on (precariously watching two circular needles you pull it over your head), but it was definitey worth it - I'm getting the exactly what I want, so I'll have no excuses not to wear it!

Hrm, what else have I been knitting that I've not noted here? Well, I posted a picture of Maddy with my colour play scarf, which has had a lot of wear! I made slippers (and a matching tea cosy complete with pom pom), and I've just started knitting a jersey for my Mum. Yes, after years of knitting for me, Mum's finally going to get more than a pair of socks from me - now that I'm over my garment embargo, I'm happy to knit something just for her. :-) Otherwise, I've been queueing masses of Christmas decoration ideas - I might have to have a tree this year!