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April 30, 2005
Chocolate Soup
Della is finished. At first I thought the neck was going to be a little toooo scoopy. But the bias edging (see prev. post) gives you TWO opportunities to adjust your neck. Like sewing a bias edging on to a woven fabric garment, I sew my edging on in two passes: first, I use running stitch to sew one edge of the binding to the inside of the raw neck edge. Then, I use hem stitch to sew the other side of the binding to the outside of the raw neck edge. As you're sewing, you can slightly gather or stretch the neck, to get the perfect fit.
So if I sent you my chart, and you were worried about it being too low/wide, you probably needn't be.
Still, the neck was slightly low, just a little naked feeling, until she was blocked. Then just as I knew it would, the Calmer contracted a little, and now she fits like a glove.
Anything else? Oh yes, I skipped the even rows at the beginning of the sleeves, so they are 4 or 5 rows shorter.
Della, started 3 Apr 05 finished 30 Apr 05
Pattern: Nothin' but a T-shirt, for nona's KAL
Posted by Anna at 05:39 PM | Comments (12)
April 28, 2005
Isn't it lovely?
edit: for bias edging, use a smaller size needle than for the main body of knitting
Isn't it lovely to have a day off when everyone else has to be at work? I took today off for a meeting, had to see a man about a thing, but that was only an hour. And I took tomorrow off too because, well, I can. Work is pretty generous with holiday days. And Monday is a bank holiday too! No more work til next Tuesday! So took the opportunity to show you what's in process:
Clementine socks, started 22 Apr 05
Pattern: Go With the Flow socks, Interweave Knits summer 05
Luuuuvly. This is Jawoll Cotton which is in fact some kind of wool/cotton/synthetic blend, and it's got flecks of pomegranate pink and grapefruit yellow in it too. Tangy. I'm going to wear these with my brown suede cork wedge sandals. Listen, socks and sandals are the next big thing, trust me.
also...
This is the neck edging for my NBaT. It's a simple bias edge, which makes a change from the usual ribbing. Here's how:
Cast on 7 stitches
Row 1: Knit
Row 2: Purl into front and back of first stitch, P4, P2tog
Row 3: Knit
Repeat rows 2 and 3 until the strip is long enough to reach all round the neckline. I don't cast off til I've pinned the edging in place all the way round because otherwise I'm invariably wrong. It's then sewn in place, folded in half over the raw neck edge.
Which hopefully will be happening to mine over this extra-long weekend.
Oh and this: Neat eh?
Posted by Anna at 04:51 PM | Comments (10)
Two stoles, one vegan one not
Jnr didn't want to play any more
This is Jnr's freehand circle. Not bad. Imagine a black velvet cushion shaped like a curled up cat.
Posted by Anna at 04:40 PM | Comments (5)
April 27, 2005
title added later
Goodness thank you all SO MUCH for your positive and encouraging words about Sally! You have no idea how much good it has done my spirit to start, create and finish this project, and then have such generous feedback.
On Saturday, in a fit of enthusiasm (having just put the finishing touches to Sally), I went to my LYS and bought a bag of Debbie Bliss Cathay, which is going to be my next project. It's going to be a Sargeant Pepper jacket. No seriously. I already swatched, and cast on.
Posted by Anna at 02:00 PM | Comments (8)
April 25, 2005
Sally makes her debut
Sally pullover, started 28 Feb 05 finished 22 Apr 05
Pattern: My own, available here
This is a great feeling. I always get such a sense of accomplishment at a project, finished, and this one carries with it the added satisfaction that it was all my own work. This is my first garment that has been 'all my own work' and I'm thrilled with how it turned out. OK so I knit most of the body of it twice, and nearly came a cropper with the ruffles, but now I've got to the end to find all that work was entirely worthwhile.
So without further ado, I give you Sally!
Sally is knit in Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, in peach and white stripes with cream ruffles at the waist and arms.
Chain stitch at the sleeve reinforces the ruffle and prevents the sleeve 'splaying'. A bias trim at the neck turns into an i-cord fastening at the left shoulder.
Here she is on:
Ooh look at her go:
Posted by Anna at 08:45 AM | Comments (23)
Long awaited, much anticipated
Here's what I got in Canada:
Some of this is unallocated, so if you have any suggestions you know where to stick em (in the comments, of course).
Let me break it down for you.
The big red skein is Cascade 220 which I got in The Knit Cafe, along with two skeins of Shelridge Farm Soft Touch Ultra (the lighter of the two green handpainteds, on the right). How dumb, to get one skein of Cascade 220. What was I thinking? There really aren't that many patterns that require just ONE skein of anything, I dont even have enough to make The Buttonhole Bag.
The orange, pink and white are all Jawoll sock yarn. The orange is Jawoll cotton and is even as we speak in the process of being turned into 'Go With the Flow' socks from Summer IK. I am falling in love with them in the same way as I did my red and white footies.
The variegated blue cotton, is Lang Tissa, which became this. I've still got about 2.5 balls left, which is an inconvenient amount. This, and the Jawoll, came from Romni.
Speaking of Clapotis, Mother asked me to knit her one, so that's ongoing. It's in black, Jaeger Aqua, which is wonderfully sheeny but extremely BLACK, and it is such a severe colour to wear against the face. I hope she's not going through a Goth phase. Oh dear.
From Knitomatic, two skeins of Koigu (with which I think I'm going to make some socks just like Ashley's) and finally two unexciting to you but exciting to me balls of Cascade Fixation in black. These are either going to be mixed with the lovely blue/white/green Cascade that Lori my Sockapalooza pal sent me to make eyepopping stripes (stripes, again), or will be a pair of lacy footlets.
Oh and the red and white stripey monstrosity behind? that's the Hoser Hat.
Posted by Anna at 08:00 AM | Comments (2)
April 20, 2005
It's progress
Della, started 3 Apr 05
Pattern: Nothin' but a T-shirt
I love Calmer. So soft. So velvety. Even Mr Raitte, who almost never notices these things, commented that it was 'a lovely colour' (high praise). The back is finished and I'm up to the waist on the front. Thank you to the lovely nona for hosting the KAL, which was the spur I needed to turn this wishlist project into a reality. Motivation can be so hard to come by, don't you find.
If you haven't got as far as the waist yet (I know I'm not in the advance party), you might like to note this. On the instructions for the back and front the instructions read thusly:
'Decrease row: K2 K2tog, knit to last 4 stitches, SSK, K2.' (so far so good)
'Work 7 rows even. Repeat last 8 rows 3 more times. 68 (74, 78, 90, 96, 100) stitches. Work 24 rows even.'
Now by my reckoning, that makes a total of 31 even rows after the last decrease. However, when I finished the bust increases ('Work even until back measures 15.25 (in my case) inches, ending with a WS row'), I found I was already at 16.25 inches. Or, in other words, 7 rows over. So I ripped back as far as the waist, this time leaving just 24 rows before starting to increase. Lo and behold, this time it measured up just right.
Regular readers (*waves!* *thank you!*) who cast their minds back will remember that like Vicki and probably others too I am changing the neckline from the original. Of course a neckline includes the back neck as well as the front. Maybe you'll be interested to see how I worked out what to do.
The black lines are a chart of the original pattern. The red lines are my new neck. The scribbles tell me how many stitches I should have on my needles at given points. I've obviously widened the back neckline so that the shoulder seams match up, but I've lowered it a bit too, to 'balance' the scoop at the front. Also because I think it will be flattering.
Here's the back looking just like it's meant to:
If you are attempting feats of this nature yourself, it's imperative you find some knitters' graph paper: please don't try using the ordinary kind, I'm in no mood to mop up tears. Mine is courtesy of Brown Fox Fibers.
I've only worked up the chart for the size I'm making (36"), but I'm very happy to share if you would find it useful. Just leave a comment and I'll send you a pdf. Then at least if it all goes wrong, we can be wrong together.
Stay tuned for the next thrilling installment where I will reveal how I will finish this scoopy, loopy neck.
Posted by Anna at 01:45 PM | Comments (8)
April 19, 2005
Just an ordinary chair
Stacey asked if she could see the pink chair that the t-shirt swatch was draped artfully across.
Here it is:
Sorry about the blurriness: it was an extremely dark grey and gloomy morning. But you get the gist. I also like the way you can see the bald patches developing on the arms, where Mr Raitte's sweaty hands go.
Posted by Anna at 08:44 AM | Comments (1)
Flag of feet
Pirate socks, started 6 Apr 05 finished 18 Apr 05
Pattern: based on Magknits pom squad
They're cute, but they're not red and white.
Posted by Anna at 08:36 AM | Comments (8)
April 16, 2005
Why do fools fall in love?
Your plucky heroine today reveals a maverick 'fashion' sense.
I totally fell in love with these socks. I can't stop wearing them. I very badly need to knit myself another pair exactly the same (perhaps I could go as far as blue and white). I dont know exactly what it is that I like so much, except for the ankle cleavage. This is witness to a tendancy I have to develop crushes on items of clothing, where I can't conceive an outfit that doesn't include, indeed, revolve around, one piece.
I know I know, it's self-regarding nonsense, but when isn't it?
Another thing I love are these shoes. As you can see I've been loving them a long time (as Otis Redding might have sung). Despite the fact they look like potatoes, I still go on wearing them. 'But Amelia, isn't the name of this blog 'My Fashionable Life'? What do you take us for?' Well dears of course it's meant ironically, but I dont deny a lifelong fascination with the things people choose to wear. These shoes tell us that old is sometimes better, that pairs don't have to match. Of course you probably disagree.
Thats all. More yarn, less me, to follow.
Posted by Anna at 03:41 PM | Comments (5)
April 14, 2005
Jade road
First, thank you so much for all of your very kind messages about Mother. She seems completely well now; the shock of it to me was realising emotionally (as opposed to just realising it rationally) that She may not always cope as well as She seems to cope - and that one day She will rely on us children, instead of us relying on her.
So the scarf is complete, and going to its intended this evening.
Jade road scarf, started 9 Apr 05 finished 12 Apr 05
Pattern: Branching Out scarf
I know, if I invested a little time, a little commitment, those lines of garter stitch at the edges might all line up straight. And perhaps the cast on edge might not dip like that. But I'm a 'good enough' girl, and after all this is going to be wrapped round someone's neck, not displayed in a glass cabinet. The colour isn't showing up that wonderfully in this picture, you can see it a bit better here.
I loved this pattern, and will probably knit another. I had three balls of cotton, and used about one and a half; the scarf is plenty long enough to wrap twice round the neck, and there's enough left to make one for me! It knitted up extremely quickly, and the short row length and pattern repeat gave it real impetus. Thank you Susan for this pattern, it was the perfect solution to the question posed by this birthday.
Posted by Anna at 08:08 AM | Comments (4)
April 09, 2005
A Scare
I've been stationary today apart from my fingers, just knitting, reading a bit. Apart from this morning, when I went to visit Mum. I needed to see with my own eyes that she was OK. She took a 'funny turn' yesterday, seemed to lose her memory for a while, confused, disoriented; immediate thought, 'minor stroke'. Luckily it seems it wasn't, but instead a symptom of stress. As my sister was telling me last night, I started crying. She's feeling fine now, but it sounds quite distressing.
So although I had intended to plant foxgloves and euphorbia in the garden today, I decided to sit and knit instead. I can zone out completely when I knit; meditation for people who can't sit still. It's warm and quiet and I am absorbed.
Della is coming along fine, having cast on on Wednesday. It'll soon be time to break out the graph paper and work out my neckline.
Sally is on the home straight, now detailing and finishing.
Also cast on Susan's Branching Out scarf, a birthday present for a friend, made from a Jaeger Sienna in a very pale green/blue, a picture of which you will surely find on a neighbouring post.
Spring is truly busting out all over. It seems to be a particularly beautiful one this year, in our green little pocket of London, although I suspect I think the same every year.
Posted by Anna at 07:10 PM | Comments (7)
April 07, 2005
Gorgeous
Corset pullover, courtesy of Laura.
Posted by Anna at 11:33 PM | Comments (1)
April 05, 2005
For knitalongs
I don't remember Rowan Calmer being so difficult to swatch with - before it was blocked, it was impossible to measure because however I touched or pulled the fabric it stayed. Every time I measured it I got different results. On 5mm needles I was WAY out, on 5.5mm needs still too few stitches and rows (although this varied), on 6mm needles the fabric was semi see-thru.
So I washed the swatch, roughly pulled it into shape, let it dry for 24 hours, and then carried it around in my handbag for the day (to emulate normal wear and tear, you see).
So the guage we have now is what we will be working with for this Alison's t-shirt: 19 sts and 26 sts to 4"
I know it's not exactly right, but I don't exactly fit the published sizes, so I'll knit the larger of the two sizes I'm between, and hopefully it will all turn out fine. Like Vicki, I'm going to be making mine with a scoop neck - but I'm going to keep the folded over hem on the body edge and sleeves, and probably use a bias edge on the neck.
Posted by Anna at 08:24 AM | Comments (8)
April 04, 2005
The waiting rooms
There seems to be much underway, waiting for things to happen to them. In addition to my nemesis Hilde, we also have Landgirl awaiting two sleeves, Pistachio awaiting three fingers and a thumb, and these chaps:
Sally is waiting in the dining room. She has a new neckline. I am in the throws of mental wrestling, trying to nail down the details of the finishing: the cuff, hem, and neck edges. It is extremely difficult for me to know when to say, 'Enough!'
Also waiting in the dining room are these two hanks of pale khaki aran (worsted) cotton - two arms of a sweater I knit for my husband when we were first married. I think he only wore it once, to be photographed in. I do forgive him though, it never really fit well. This is now longing to become something for summer.
The remainder, a front and back of a large men's size, are stuffed in the bookshelf, but quietly making their presence felt to me.
Another scarf is waiting in the living room, to go to a new, loving home
Another pair of footlets like these are waiting in the bedroom... because the red and white ones can't stay on my feet 7 days a week, despite my husband's assertion that handknit socks never need to be changed. The eagle-eyed among you, like Stacey will have spotted a theme amongst my projects: yes, we at Raitte Hall are extremely fond of stripes. They are classic yet can be modern, they are always chic, they can be outlandish or subdued, and are an easy way to add interest to a lot of stocking stitch. Stripes are A Good Thing.
The pile of extremely pretty Jaeger Sienna in a beautiful eau de nil will become a beautiful lacey summer scarf for a very dear friend. It will achieve this transformation before April 17th.
Posted by Anna at 08:23 AM | Comments (3)
April 03, 2005
Spring, sprung
edit: pics added
In case anyone had forgotten what spring is all about.
***WARNING... LEWD NATURE***
This rheum palmatum is right by my front door. AND MY GRANDMOTHER IS VISITING FOR TEA!
And here he is in close up.
Yeesh.
Ahh that's better. How very soothing.
Posted by Anna at 04:21 PM | Comments (5)
If
Apologies if lots of posts look like they have been updated but haven't really ... I noticed that several image links were broken and have just been through and fixed them. Normal service now resumed.
Posted by Anna at 04:19 PM