6 posts tagged “scarf”

Flowers

I absolutely need to save some cash (stop buying wool, maybe), and buy this book, Knitted Edgings & Trims by Lesley Stanfield. It's got some lovely trims, and edgings (you'd expect that with a little like that), but also some very pretty flowers. I've borrowed it twice from the library now, which usually means I'll use it again and again.

Above are a snowdrop, rosebud, and rose (with leaves), that I've knit (along with the blue scarf) for my scarf exchange pal, daisie, who was left in the lurch by her planned upstream pal. I'm being an angel (don't scoff, I'm lovely and you know it), and having some fun experimenting while I'm at it. :-)

Well, my part in the Ravelry Scarf Exchange is over now. The scarf I knit for my 'downstream' pal has been received and enjoyed, which makes me vary happy! And I received from my 'upsteam' pal has also arrived! I love the scarf that was knit for me (and happen to be wearing it right now); it's really lovely and something I would not have had the patience to knit for myself.

I had fun knitting for my pal, and even more fun making and gathering up various penguin related goodies to put in the parcel!

I'd defnitely chalk this up as a great experience - knitting for someone I've never met, and having something knit just for me (and not by my Mum), was awesome. :-) I don't think I'll sign up for the next exchange for this group, but I'll definitely consider doing so in the future. And in the meantime, I have two new pals whose knitting I can keep an eye on! The knitting world is pretty big, so getting to know a couple of people better is really nice. :-)

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!

Maddy & Scarf

I am upset that TVNZ have again taken Martha from our screens, but do take comfort in the good things in my own life. These, of course, include Maddy, and my newly finished scarf.

It's been a while since I updated, and I will blame work busy-ness, parental visits, the resealing of the footpath making my floor vibrate, lack of knitting progress, and laziness. Feel free to determine for yourself the ratio of laziness to other factors.

Anyway, since I last updated here there has not been a lot of knitting going. My red jersey is still sleeveless, an may stay that way as I'm revisiting the idea of a vest (and feeling lazy). I attended the Knit Out my my parents (my Dad and my sister mostly along for the lunch beforehand), and enjoyed it (and expressed interest in helping out next year). Mum had a good time, bumping into the president of the Creative Fibre organisation. At Knit Rangers the next afternoon she was helping both with crochet and knitting tips - she's good like that! :-)

I particularly enjoyed meeting Mel Clark at the Knit Out (and getting my book signed) and purchasing some lovely Koigu yarn from her.  Definitely looking forward to purchasing more from her range when she's all set (and her card is tucked away safely if I can't wait)! That's one of the three skeins in the top right there. I've not settled on a project for it yet, but that's hardly matters!

Red Ribs & Cables

A pair of brown merino/angora socks is half done, largely thanks to my neglecting to take any wool to enable me to work on my blanket at Knit Rangers last weekend. If you're lucky enough to be in Ravelry you can check out the not terribly exciting project here. As I've now worn a whole in the heel of my blue pair, I should hurry up and finish these so my toes will be toasty in bed again!

Also Ravelry related is the swatching that I've started for a scarf exchange that's going on. So far I've got the red rib and reversible cable idea (see left) going on, but I do have other ideas to play around with before I decide on what my pal will get.

Yesterday I wandered down to Wild & Woolly Yarns and picked up two balls of Noro Silk Garden (one skein is shown above), and some Sublime Merino/Cashmere/Silk in a complimentary blue with visions of a scarf for me. More projects to contemplate, and no knitting! When the wool shop owner remarks that you've spent a fortune, and are a "very good customer" you do have to wonder if maybe it's time to take it easy. ;-)

Now for more swatching!

I spent the evening planning my bus route, checking maps, plotting a mission out west (West Auckland, that is) to check out a couple of yarn shops. I woke early on my one day off, glad it was not raining, map in bag with knitting supplies and a book, and ventured over on the ferry to the city, and headed for the bus.

I was still nervous of getting on the wrong bus, and getting stuck in some unknown part of the sprawling city, so checked with the driver that he was heading where I was. Of course! Absolutely. Only, he really wasn't. I don't know if my questions were wrong, or if he was just a bit mental, but I did indeed end up in the wrong place.

After sitting down with my map, I figured out I was defintely so far off track that I couldn't walk to my original destination, or figure out my way there without the aid of the trusty public transport planner site online, and so crossed the road and caught the next bus back into the centre of the city.

So traumatised by these events, and my apparent failure to get from A to B unaided, I retreated to the one yarn shop I've located in the (cold, but still beating) heart of the city, Masco Wools in the Downtown Shopping Center (one of those monstrous Westfield deals). Spotting some Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino in RED, it was easy enough to decide that this was meant to be. There were a few other selections made (how could there not be), and order was restored to my unbalanced world as I hatched a not so evil plan for yummy red socks.

One of my purchases was a hank of JJ's Montage Collection Mohair in "Karamea", that is pictured up there. For now, it is a scarf in progress, but as I've unravelled it twice already, I'm not completely confident it will stay that way (at least in its current form).

And I'm sure that I'll get to those shops eventually - perhaps next weekend. I'm going to endeavour to head out West again next Sunday after work for a knitting meetup. Hopefully getting lost two weeks in row is something even I can't manage!