Yay!! The new knitty is up!! I've just been looking through the patterns, and there's a few I'd like to make. I was going to post pictures, but there's actually quite a few, so I'll just post links. You all probably know what they look like by now anyway!
Coachella
Tangerine Twist
Sophie - but probably without the split in the neckline
Coupling
Breeze - probably a bit longer
Sweetpea
Wisp - I was just looking for a mohair scarf pattern to use up stash yarn - how did they know???
and I really like Prickly Girl but that would involve maths to size the pattern up to fit me. Maths is scary, but that top is so cute!!! Oh, the dilemma!
But before I get to all those, I'm making Rogue. I've got past knitting the pocket now, but I still have a bit to go before it's joined to the rest of the sweater. This pattern is lots of fun to make - it's knitting up really fast cos its Aran weight wool (it seems like all I've been using lately is 4 ply, so it's a welcome change). Also, I like how it's all completely spelled out in easy chunks, and I can tick them off as I do them. I like ticking things off, it makes me feel like I've accomplished something!
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Monday, 11 June 2007
Finished Blueberry
The blueberry sweater is finished!!!!
I really like it. I've been told it's a very girly choice for me, which I hadn't even realised, but that's right. When I saw the magazine at first, I didn't think I was going to make that particular pattern, but then months later I looked at it again, and immediately thought of some yarn I had in my stash. And so I made it. The charts in the magazine were quite wrong, with problems in the cables and in the shaping at the top - it said to cast off 6 stitches at the beginning and end of a row. Is that actually possible? I don't know of any way to do it, so I just spread it over 2 rows. I also made it a little longer than the pattern called for.
I had problems at the beginning with the sizing, but that was my fault, my inability to tell what size I actually am. This one had to be made a size bigger, THEN I started thinking it was going to be too big, but it's actually just right.
This took 3 and a half weeks to make. It would have been less time if I'd made the correct size in the first place and didn't have to rip an entire section of it. Also if I'd been monogamous and not run off to play with Rogue. It was supposed to be a stash-buster, to use up all of this type of yarn that I had - this is what is left:
Almost enough to make another one! I guess I'll be making a t-shirt or something with the rest, or putting it together with some black I've got in the same yarn. But for now, it's going back in the stash, till I work on Rogue - I'm back up to where I was before on that one, and it looks like it's the right size this time!
I really like it. I've been told it's a very girly choice for me, which I hadn't even realised, but that's right. When I saw the magazine at first, I didn't think I was going to make that particular pattern, but then months later I looked at it again, and immediately thought of some yarn I had in my stash. And so I made it. The charts in the magazine were quite wrong, with problems in the cables and in the shaping at the top - it said to cast off 6 stitches at the beginning and end of a row. Is that actually possible? I don't know of any way to do it, so I just spread it over 2 rows. I also made it a little longer than the pattern called for.
I had problems at the beginning with the sizing, but that was my fault, my inability to tell what size I actually am. This one had to be made a size bigger, THEN I started thinking it was going to be too big, but it's actually just right.
This took 3 and a half weeks to make. It would have been less time if I'd made the correct size in the first place and didn't have to rip an entire section of it. Also if I'd been monogamous and not run off to play with Rogue. It was supposed to be a stash-buster, to use up all of this type of yarn that I had - this is what is left:
Almost enough to make another one! I guess I'll be making a t-shirt or something with the rest, or putting it together with some black I've got in the same yarn. But for now, it's going back in the stash, till I work on Rogue - I'm back up to where I was before on that one, and it looks like it's the right size this time!
Friday, 8 June 2007
Stupid Me!
I just realised that I've been blathering on for ages about this sweater I'm knitting, and I haven't posted any pictures of what it's supposed to look like. D'oh! You can tell I'm new at this blogging thing, can't you? Anyway, here's a pic
The pattern info is on Jean Moss's site at http://www.jeanmoss.com/In_the_pink.html. You can order it there, but I got it from a magazine. Mine is navy blue, that's why I call it blueberry, instead of blackcurrant.
You can also see the nipple-tastic bobble in this picture that I've decided to leave out on the front!
I'm still working on the 'collar' (well, round the shoulder bit). It's to be 6.5 inches long so it folds over. I've managed to get to 4.75 inches, so not long to go now. Maybe it'll be finished by Sunday or Monday.
The pattern info is on Jean Moss's site at http://www.jeanmoss.com/In_the_pink.html. You can order it there, but I got it from a magazine. Mine is navy blue, that's why I call it blueberry, instead of blackcurrant.
You can also see the nipple-tastic bobble in this picture that I've decided to leave out on the front!
I'm still working on the 'collar' (well, round the shoulder bit). It's to be 6.5 inches long so it folds over. I've managed to get to 4.75 inches, so not long to go now. Maybe it'll be finished by Sunday or Monday.
Thursday, 7 June 2007
Ug
Did I say it was only going to take a few hours to finish the blueberry sweater? I was wrong. Somehow, I forgot to take into account the fact that the collar uses smaller needles, so I'm getting about 13 rows to the inch, with about 250 stitches on each row. In uninterrupted K2,P2 rib.
This may take some time.
This may take some time.
Wednesday, 6 June 2007
Payback from the Knitting Gods
Oh knitting gods, I have been unfaithful! And I accept your smiting. The lesson is learned. One big project at a time, thou shalt not be adulterous. Please accept my humble offerings of yarn and bless this humble WIP.
I have been smited. I started Rogue before finishing Blueberry, got halfway up the kangaroo pocket, held the sweater up against me, and realised it was too big. Huge. Boatlike-like is not the word, more starship-like. There was no way I could ever wear it like that, I'd be swamped.
My fault, of course. I don't seem to know what size I am. It happens with just about every project, I either start it too small, or too big. Very rarely have I started a sweater, and picked the right size - in fact, right now I can't think of any that have been the right size first time off.
So I have decided this is payback for not finishing the blueberry sweater when I KNEW I should. It's been at the back of my mind bugging me for days. All that it needs is to be sewed together and a collar put on, how difficult can that be? I know that if I start it now, I can be finished by tonight. Yet I hang back, not wanting to sew up a few lousy inches. But, knitting gods, I heed your warning. See, a photo of Rogue in mid-rip:
And tomorrow I shall post a picture of a finished Blueberry sweater. Please accept my humble apologies, and believe I'll be a more monogamous knitter in future.
(P.S) I'm not really insane, honest!
I have been smited. I started Rogue before finishing Blueberry, got halfway up the kangaroo pocket, held the sweater up against me, and realised it was too big. Huge. Boatlike-like is not the word, more starship-like. There was no way I could ever wear it like that, I'd be swamped.
My fault, of course. I don't seem to know what size I am. It happens with just about every project, I either start it too small, or too big. Very rarely have I started a sweater, and picked the right size - in fact, right now I can't think of any that have been the right size first time off.
So I have decided this is payback for not finishing the blueberry sweater when I KNEW I should. It's been at the back of my mind bugging me for days. All that it needs is to be sewed together and a collar put on, how difficult can that be? I know that if I start it now, I can be finished by tonight. Yet I hang back, not wanting to sew up a few lousy inches. But, knitting gods, I heed your warning. See, a photo of Rogue in mid-rip:
And tomorrow I shall post a picture of a finished Blueberry sweater. Please accept my humble apologies, and believe I'll be a more monogamous knitter in future.
(P.S) I'm not really insane, honest!
Sunday, 3 June 2007
Fereshteh workshop
Finally, some dance to write about!
Yesterday I went to a workshop by Fereshteh (link over on the right). I was going to post about it yesterday, but by the time I got home I was knackered! The workshop was amazing, really good. She taught a choreography, and somehow managed to get through teaching a 7 minute song in 1 hour! Not so a noob like me could remember it so good, but I could follow along, without too much hassle. It helped I'd heard the song before. There were a lot of interesting moves and techniques - some of the new moves are going to take a bit of drilling before I'll get them. There was one move where my body just refused to put the proper leg in front, and to accent at the right time, but that was just because it was new. I learned a bit about dancing to the different rhythms - the music went from different rhythms like Khaleeji and Saeedi to Baladi, and we did an improv section to a Baladi piece, and she told us a bit about the moves that are good with that type of music. The workshop was very hard work - I was drenched in sweat by the end of it, but it was so much fun, and very useful. She's a really good dancer, I don't even have words to describe how good it is just to watch her perform.
So needless to say, today I've been lying about the house, my body recovering from the workout, and knitting. I've done the front, back and 1 sleeve of the blueberry/blackcurrant top. Just one sleeve and the neckline left to do!
Yesterday I went to a workshop by Fereshteh (link over on the right). I was going to post about it yesterday, but by the time I got home I was knackered! The workshop was amazing, really good. She taught a choreography, and somehow managed to get through teaching a 7 minute song in 1 hour! Not so a noob like me could remember it so good, but I could follow along, without too much hassle. It helped I'd heard the song before. There were a lot of interesting moves and techniques - some of the new moves are going to take a bit of drilling before I'll get them. There was one move where my body just refused to put the proper leg in front, and to accent at the right time, but that was just because it was new. I learned a bit about dancing to the different rhythms - the music went from different rhythms like Khaleeji and Saeedi to Baladi, and we did an improv section to a Baladi piece, and she told us a bit about the moves that are good with that type of music. The workshop was very hard work - I was drenched in sweat by the end of it, but it was so much fun, and very useful. She's a really good dancer, I don't even have words to describe how good it is just to watch her perform.
So needless to say, today I've been lying about the house, my body recovering from the workout, and knitting. I've done the front, back and 1 sleeve of the blueberry/blackcurrant top. Just one sleeve and the neckline left to do!
Friday, 1 June 2007
More new stuff!
I got two parcels in the mail today:
The Sirdar Flash Peacock I ordered after finishing the orangey sweater (it doesn't really have a name other than that). I WAS going to make one exactly the same, but I'm thinking I might make this one a teeny bit looser, maybe with some cable ribbing? I don't know yet though, the yarn shows really well in ribbing, I'll have to swatch to see how it looks in cables. I tried all different kinds of stitch pattern with the orangey yarn, and it looked best in ribbing. Stocking stitch was a bit too plain for the colors, and anything with a knit/purl pattern just got lost in the variations.
I really like Sirdar Flash. Yes, it's acrylic (it must seem like I knit with nothing else, but I do, honest!), but it's really quite soft, I think, and just the perfect thing for an autumn sweater. I'm not a terribly big fan of wool, it seems quite scratchy sometimes, but I do love cotton, and just wish I had enough money to try the new bamboo yarns, or silk, or sari yarn - the list could go on forever. Oh, I want natural fibres! But while I'm trying to save money for them, acrylic will do. Except Sirdar Flash, which I actually like.
Speaking of cables, I seem to be a bit obsessed with them. The book in the photo up there is Arans and Celtics: The Best of "Knitter's Magazine". I've looked through it, and I love it. Not all the patterns, but most of them. I just wish I could knit three things at once, to get through all the projects I have lined up (all of which seem to have cables).
This blog seems to be mostly knitting so far, not much writing about dancing going on, but that will be remedied tomorrow. I'm going to a workshop by Fereshteh! Yay! Her site is on the bar on the right. She's really good, and I'm looking forward to the workshop.
The Sirdar Flash Peacock I ordered after finishing the orangey sweater (it doesn't really have a name other than that). I WAS going to make one exactly the same, but I'm thinking I might make this one a teeny bit looser, maybe with some cable ribbing? I don't know yet though, the yarn shows really well in ribbing, I'll have to swatch to see how it looks in cables. I tried all different kinds of stitch pattern with the orangey yarn, and it looked best in ribbing. Stocking stitch was a bit too plain for the colors, and anything with a knit/purl pattern just got lost in the variations.
I really like Sirdar Flash. Yes, it's acrylic (it must seem like I knit with nothing else, but I do, honest!), but it's really quite soft, I think, and just the perfect thing for an autumn sweater. I'm not a terribly big fan of wool, it seems quite scratchy sometimes, but I do love cotton, and just wish I had enough money to try the new bamboo yarns, or silk, or sari yarn - the list could go on forever. Oh, I want natural fibres! But while I'm trying to save money for them, acrylic will do. Except Sirdar Flash, which I actually like.
Speaking of cables, I seem to be a bit obsessed with them. The book in the photo up there is Arans and Celtics: The Best of "Knitter's Magazine". I've looked through it, and I love it. Not all the patterns, but most of them. I just wish I could knit three things at once, to get through all the projects I have lined up (all of which seem to have cables).
This blog seems to be mostly knitting so far, not much writing about dancing going on, but that will be remedied tomorrow. I'm going to a workshop by Fereshteh! Yay! Her site is on the bar on the right. She's really good, and I'm looking forward to the workshop.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)