Experimentalism!

A little while ago I was asked to make a scarf for somebody I know through the internet.  They want one that is in all black, which is murder on my poor old eyes.  I agreed to have  a go but had to think of some way to alleviate the problem of knitting with black yarn under artificial light.  In the end, I opted to experiment.  I’m delighted to report that the experiment is a complete success and the scarf is growing fast!  Basically, it couldn’t be simpler…  I’m using ordinary DK yarn but with 10mm needles!  The results are a delight.  It produces a light, soft, warm fabric that’s ideally suited to a scarf.  It’s also far less stressful on my eyes!

10mm Scarf WIP

The open texture gives a lace-like appearance.  I think this technique would be equally suited to tights, socks/stockings/tights, shawls, blankets and Afghans/throws.

A Return And A Celebration

I’m back after a lengthy absence because of ill health.  You’ve missed very little as I had very low energy levels.  I’m close to finishing a pair of Celandine Socks and I’m making progress on the stole/shawl featured in Simply Knitting, Issue 84, September 2011 (page 57).

The last 48 hours have been interesting, as our fourth grandchild decided that it was time to enter the world!  After a difficult labour of considerable length, Kayleigh-Anne finally arrived, by Caesarian, at 10:2 a.m. on 15th September, weighing a healthy 8lb 5oz.  She and Mum are well.

Kayleigh - Anne

 

Dad’s immensely happy after rhe worry and long, sleepless hours.

Catching Up

I’ve been having a bad time recently, ever since a routine blood test threw up an alarming result.  An INR target of 2.5 was returned at 17.6 instead!  So the hospital have been tinkering with my Warfarin dosage and taking frequent blood samples.  So much fun for a trypanophobe (needlephobe)!  As emergency treatment initially, I was given a large dose of Vitamin K (mercifully an oral solution).  That, of course, disrupted my system for days…  Life is so much fun!

I should have known better but I started making a pair of lace socks for Jenny, despite difficulties in concentrating.  Yesterday, the errors just became absurd so I frogged the first sock and started again.  Let’s hope I can get further…

Better news: on Monday, we picked up our new car    It’s a Kia cee’d SW and is our first diesel-fuelled car.

Finally, for now, I’ve signed up to the trial of Google +.  This is a new networking/sharing concept.  You have to be invited to join at the moment.  I’m hoping that some of my knitting and cross stitching friends will join me.

iPod and Socks…

Following being given an iPod touch for my birthday, the first thing I did was to make a knitted cosy for it:

iPod cosy

It’s based on the iphone case by Charlotte Nash.  I had to adjust the size some, and I added the flap, which is secured with a large bead.  A lightning fast project!

Today will see the completion of the first of the dayflower socks, which had reached this stage when I wrote this:

Dayflower socks WIP01

I love this pattern!

With regard to the iPod, I’m using the app KnitMinder by Quilt2Go to record my projects, and to provide a range of handy counters.  I tried the Lite version first and our eldest son bought me the full app as a surprise!  I’d love to know what JKnit is like to use but there isn’t an evaluation version and it’s rather pricey to take a risk on…

 

New projects at last!

Now that I’ve completed Jenny’s socks, I’m far more confident about sock knitting. That’s helped with the advent of my new iPod touch… I can now keep track of what I’m doing far more effectively. So, I’ve now started making a pair of lace socks for our younger son’s partner

Sock It To Me… The Sequel : Part 2

I’ve completed the first of the classic cable socks for Jenny:

Classic Cable Socks - WIP03

Just have to knit the second one now!

Stitch Switch

I’m feeling kind of proud of myself this morning.  While working on Jenny’s sock, I discovered that I’d made a mistake in the last round I’d knitted.  I had gained an accidental Yarn Over and also knitted what should have been purled!  The thought of tinking back over two and a half needles was really unappealing…  I wasn’t in the mood to go hunting around for guidance on fixing the problem, either, and I was briefly tempted to ignore the error.  However, I decided that there must be a way to fix it, if I thought about it carefully enough.  In a fit of daring, I decided to try to sort out the error!

First of all, I slipped the stitch onto a crochet hook.  I then used a cable needle to lift the loop of the stitch below (that wrapped round the legs of the knit stitch).  Drawing the stitch through the loop, I had the two parts separated.  I then managed to convert the knit stitch into a purl stitch and replace it back on the DPN I’d removed it from.  I felt a great deal of satisfaction in working out what had to be done for myself, without guidance 

Sock It To Me… The Sequel

I’m making progress on the classic cable socks for Jenny:

Classic Cable Socks – WIP02a

Classic Cable Socks – WIP02b

Since starting these socks, I’ve learnt something new.  Apparently, there’s a rule that the pattern instruction Sl 1 means Slip 1 stitch purlwise unless otherwise stated.  Having encountered patterns where this is stipulated and those where some other action is dictated, plus several where no guidance is given, I naturally assumed that you slip stitches in the manner of other stitches in the row – i.e. slip knitwise on a knit row or purlwise on a purl row.  When I reached the heel flap and turn heel, I followed that assumption.  Not having reference books or a computer handy at the time (we were out and about), I had no chance to investigate the undefined instruction.  I find it odd that the pattern includes the definitions:

ssk (slip, slip, knit) Slip next 2 sts as if to knit, one at a time, to right needle; insert left needle into fronts of these 2 sts and k them togther

and:

sl = slip

but the sl definition doesn’t simply add the word purlwise for clarity!  Why?  Why assume the reader knows the rule or can look it up?  It seems very odd to me…

Well, all my slipped stitches are done wrong, except the SSKs, but I’m not going to “fix” them!  I actually like the effect I’ve got, especially as it cushions the back of the heel.  What a pity, though, that the confusion arose because the pattern writer thought that one eight letter word was superfluous…

Sock It To Me…

Yes, I’ve finished my first ever pair of socks!

Sock WIP03

I’m delighted with the result.  And now I know how much more comfortable they are than bought socks, I’m going to be making more!  In fact, I’ve already started making a pair for Jenny – Lion Brand’s Classic Cable Socks.  A bigger challenge, using DPNs and a cable needle… but so far, so good.  I’m making them in Cygnet Yarns DK Shade 150, Heather, on 2.75mm DPNs (the smallest I’ve used so far).

Edit to add WIP photo:

Here’s a WIP photo of the Classic Cable Socks:

Classic Cable Socks - WIP01

Yarn #2 : Cygnet Double Knitting

A while back a friend gave me three 100g balls of yarn, all by Cygnet Yarns Limited.  This 100% acrylic yarn is wonderful to work with.  It knits up beautifully soft, unlike some acrylic yarns.  There are 39 listed colours, of which I have 133 Royal (“Royal Blue”, that is), 6869 Bright Lime and 2297 Chocolate.  The Royal and Bright Lime are both vivid colours.  The Royal I’m using for a pair of socks.  This is not an expensive yarn and yet it out performs some that are (relatively).  Cygnet sell direct from their web site, mostly in packs of 10 balls, as well as through retail outlets.

I can most definitely recommend this yarn!

I’m hoping to obtain some of their Kiddies Kaleidoscope DK as I think it will work very well in making yarn blossoms for embellishing other projects.  If it’s as good as the standard DK, it will be a great buy.