Happy New Year

Happy New Year everyone!
May 2008 bring all you wish for and more.

I have been trying to come up with some New Years Knitting Resolutions but not doing too well so far, so I will try and have some for the next post.

I have finished the Premiere Pullover! Hurrah! I got it done yesterday afternoon while watching Pirates of the Carribbean 3.

I'm pleased with the final result. It took me almost 3 months of knitting every so often, as I couldn't keep going with all the cabling all the time. My fingers hurt! I learned a lot from this project. Cabling without a cable needle, picot bind off and crochet! I doubt I will knit this again, but I suppose I should never say never.
A close up of the neck:

You can't really see the bobbles from the picot bind off, but man those suckers took forever to do! BO5, CO3, BO5 etc.
Anyway, I hope my friend likes it for her birthday!

In the meantime, I cast on for the Tangled Yoke Cardigan by Eunny Jang from IK Fall 07.

I'm knitting it in the 46" size, using Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in a yummy light brown. It doesn't look like much progress, but there's 247 stitches per row! That's a lot of stitches! Still, once I get past the garter rib and onto the stockinette this will be a great Stitch n Bitch meeting project, I can chat and knit without having to worry about counting.

That's all for now, I hope to have the Child's First Sock finished next time as I'm back in work and so back to car commute knitting.
Have a good one!

Peek A Boo!

I've finished the Peek A Boo Cloche Hat from Lace Style:

Yes, I'm in my pyjamas, so bite me, it was St. Stephens morning (the day after Christmas Day) and I wasn't getting dressed for anyone!

I'm thrilled with this project, it was great fun. Once I got around the change of direction to go back up the hat using the new color and the lace pattern. I just couldn't figure it out for some reason. I finished it after midnight on the night before Christmas Eve, just in time for Dad's big Christmas Eve mass.

By the way, my Dad's jumper looked fab on him! He was so thrilled with it and it fit perfectly! He got loads of compliments on it from choir members and he was very quick to point out that I had made it for him, so I was proud as punch. I will post pics of him modelling it next time. He loved the socks I gave him on Christmas day too, and Mam loved her wrap. All in all, the presents went down very well.

Speaking of presents, I got a bounty haul of knitting goodness from Santa!

Elizabeth Zimmermanns Knitters Almanac

Desiree Scales Knitting Pattern a Day Calendar 2008

Nora Gaughan's Knitting Nature (LOVE this book)

Joan McGowan-Michael's Knitting Lingerie Style (stunning pictures though a shame about the lack of upsizing in most of the patterns)

Alison Hansel's Charmed Knits

Judith Durant's 101 Designer One Skein Wonders

Phew! How am I ever going to pick something to knit from that huge haul? I'm sure I'll manage somehow lol. I have a feeling it'll be something from Knitting Nature, I confess to having been a lurker in the bookstore drooling over the pictures in it for quite a while. I'm particularly thrilled with Elizabeth Zimmermann's book, I've always wanted to see what the fuss was about. So far, I love her writing style, so informal and witty, plus the mittens for the May project look fab!

I'm nearly finished the first sleeve of the Premiere Pullover, thank goodness! I am determined to have this beast finished before Jan 2nd, as I am bringing my parents away to a hotel/spa for three nights and this project is not coming with me! I want something peaceful and restful, so maybe the Embossed Leaves Socks using my Lornas Laces Shepherd Sock or I might begin the Tangled Yoke cardigan using my scrummy Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool I got on vacation in Florida. That has lots of stockinette so I could knit away without having to worry about it...

Pre Christmas Update

It's the Friday before Christmas, I've just finished work until Jan 7th so I am a happy bunny!

Let's get to it...

Frankie Baby Sweater

It's finished! I am so glad to have this off my back. It turned out ok considering how much pain it caused me, but I will never knit it again, ever!

Here's a close up of the sleeve detail, I think it's passable. I hope my sister in law (and the new arrival) likes it!

Child's First Sock

This is the progress on the second sock so far. Not so much done, but it has been really cold here recently, so my fingers have been freezing in the car and I haven't been up to much.

I know, I must knit myself a pair of fingerless gloves, perhaps Fetching? That should increase my productivity!

These will probably enter hibernation now that I'm off work (did I say yay?) as they are my commute knitting.

Peek A Boo Cloche Hat

As the weather took a turn for the worse, I began thinking of wintry knits and I have wanted to knit this since I first got Lace Style. I bought the Reynolds Soft Sea Wool online from WEBS when I was in Florida. Yummy yarn. This has been difficult though, I seem to be picking patterns that must be beyond my skill level yet, as I get a bit stuck in places. On this project, the hard part was when you turn the hat to change colors for the outer lacy layer. I couldn't figure out how it worked! Super hubby to the rescue with his logical mathematical mind and I got going again. It took me 3 or 4 rips back to the beginning of the lace layer (spot the purple lifeline lol), but I think I have the hang of it now. I would love to have this done for Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, so fingers crossed!

Midnight Mass is my Dad's big night as he's the choirmaster for our parish choir, and he pulls out all the stops for a fantastic carol service that's really special. I am going to give him his jumper early so he can wear it to church. That will make me feel really special if he wears it!

No progress on the Premiere Pullover sleeves. They are so not going to be done for Christmas, but like I said before my friend's birthday is Jan 9 so I think that will do nicely!

I may not blog before Christmas, so Merry Christmas everyone!

Jumper From Hell!

At long last, the progress post.

As I was saying before, I have been working on the jumper from hell for my sister in laws impending baby.

Here is the progress so far: the front, back and one of the sleeves...

It's from a Paton's pattern book and it's called Frankie. I couldn't find a link anywhere for it. It's hard to tell in the picture, but the pattern is like triangles on their sides, knit by using knit and purl stitches to display opposite effects. Sounds simple, I hear you say! And so it should be, but for some unkown reason the pattern is way off in its calculations. I spent a whole night trying to figure out how to do the V neck and keep the pattern correct. Even my husband (who's a whizz at maths) was drafted in and he couldn't decipher it. After much swearing and hair pulling I eventually got it figured out. Not fun. Especially when the baby is imminent, and I needed this finished!

Then I got to the sleeves. The sleeves. They could do with their own sound effect, to be honest, something ominous like in a Boris Karloff movie would be good. The pattern sucks for these sleeves. I just couldn't figure it out. I brought it along to my SnB on Tuesday and one of the ladies who is an expert knitter couldn't make sense of it. The numbers just didn't add up! So, I ended up having to rewrite the thing. GAH! I am not knitting long enough to be able to cope with this shizz... So, I present my version of the sleeve a bit more close up:

Not bad, no? I had to do some plain stockinette along the increases as I couldn't figure out how to work the increases into the pattern, but they shouldn't be visible as they're along the seams. Now I have it figured out, I should fly along with the second one, then knit up the v neck and voila!

I shall post finished pics next time.

In other news, I have completed the first Child's First Sock!:

Mmm yummy. A pattern I found very difficult to master, but it does look lovely. Again, it's hard to tell from the photos (I so want one of those Ebay tents), but the pattern is a lovely scalloped lace type pattern. I loved the heel on these; it uses K1SL1 on alternate rows which makes for a much thicker knit and so should be more hard wearing. I don't know about the toe, it's a bit pointed for me, I prefer a squarer toe but I will definitely incorporate this heel into future socks!

I finished the front of the Premiere Pullover:

The end is nearly in sight for this! I have the two sleeves left to do and I am praying that I don't have a sleeve fiasco like the baby sweater! I doubt this will be finished for Christmas, but it is my friend's birthday on January 9th, so I could always give it to her then instead....

If I don't knit something for myself soon I'm going to freak! I think I'll do the Koolhaas hat first as it's freezing here at the moment.

And so, that is all for the moment. Phew!

Latest Progress

Things have been moving along pretty slowly this week for some reason, I think life got in the way...

My latest progress:

The front of the Premiere Pullover:


I taught myself to cable without a cable needle the other day and it has revolutionsed this project for me. It's so much faster! I've got all of this done in the car on the way into and out of work this week.

My new project:
Childs First Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush


I'm using this yarn - Hand dyed by Yarn Addict Anni that I bought on Etsy. It's merino and the colors are really lovely.



I'm finding this pattern difficult. It takes all of my concentration so it's not a project for the car. I missed most of my tv programmes last night because I was concentrating so hard!

I must find an easier project for the tv, although if I do that, I'll probably never finish them!

New FO and other things

I have a new FO to present:

Garterlac Dishcloth

I decided to try a dishcloth and liked the idea of trying Entrelac at the same time. I enjoyed knitting this as I had to think all the time which was next, a triangle or a square? It took me about 4 attempts to get it right, but once I got going it was a quick project. I got this done last Sunday in between the ironing and roasting a chicken for dinner.

In other news, I decided I had to do something about the HUGE stash that was all over the spare bedroom, so off I went to Home Store & More. It's exactly the same as Bed Bath and Beyond (or Blood Bath & Beyond as my hubby calls it). I don't know why they changed the name of the store when they opened over here, but I digress.

I went looking for stash storage and lots of it.

I came home with this:

A hanging shoe rack! I know, I know, you're mad I hear you say, but it hangs vertically therefore it is space saving and it has clear sides so I can see at a glance what I have in each "shoe shelf"! I think it's great. I got two of these but so far have only filled one. The overflow went into a pop up laundry bag as they are either big balls of yarn or in packets of 10 and I couldn't be bothered opening them up.

While there, I saw this and couldn't resist.

Isn't it lovely? Totally not me as it's very girly, but I saw it and thought what a nice project basket! So I snapped it up. I'm still on holiday spending spree mode as I haven't got my Visa bill yet. I think it will be here tomorrow. (I can hear the postman panting up the road drowning under the weight of it. He'll probably go off work sick with back pain afterwards.)

I'm dying to get my copy of Interweave Knits Winter. I subscribed a couple of months ago as the price was so cheap and after seeing what others have already done (Del) I'm chomping at the bit to get started.

So, another busy weekend! I've cast on for the front of the Premiere Pullover and am slogging away at the Lacy Stole for Mam as well.

Oh! I nearly forgot! I finished Dad's socks at the SnB last night too, so his Christmas knitting is all done! Yay me!

Progress Report

Hello,
A bit of progress to report. I've been a busy bee!

First up, progress on the Premiere Pullover:

Not a lot, as you can see. I'm almost finished the armhole shaping, about 2 more repeats of the cable pattern before the shoulder shaping. It's a slow knit, this one! I'm a bit worried about it actually, it looks a bit small to me. I'm knitting it in the 34" bust size (which I am far from lol) so maybe it's just because I'm not used to garments looking that small! I hope I haven't knit it too tightly.

Next up, Socks for Dad:

The first one is finished! Doesn't it look good? I love this Lana Grossa self striping yarn. My first knit on dpns. I must admit that I've started the second one on my trusty circular again using the magic loop. I'm just more comfortable with it. I found the toe decreases very difficult on the dpns. Needles everywhere!
But, I'm glad I know how to do it now, as I'll be casting on for my Monkey socks with the Araucania yarn I recently bought for my airplane knitting.

Lastly, Mam's Lacy Stole:

I'm sorry to report that I didn't get it finished in time for her birthday last Wednesday. I substituted with a bunch of flowers instead, I just didn't have the time. I knit on this almost constantly at home but to no avail. I have about 25 or 26" done which I suppose is not bad going! I have to get to 72". I think I'll give it to her for Christmas instead. I know she'll love it!


I hope to get another post in before my holidays (yarn travels) begin on Thursday, but if not, watch out LYS in the Orlando area, I'm coming!!!

WIP Progress

I've been busy knitting away, but it doesn't look like much...


Premiere Pullover:




I'm almost finished shaping the armholes on the back. This is a slow knit as it hurts my knuckles for some strange reason. Must be the acrylic, I'm not sure. I have to do a bit, swop for another project and then go back to it.


Socks For Dad:





I'm really proud of myself, my first pair of socks on dpns! It's going great at the moment, I'm almost finished the heel flap on the first one. They'll be nice extra for Dad's Christmas present along with the cable sweater.

I splurged the other day and ordered some hand dyed merino sock yarn from Etsy:




It was only $24 including postage. That's great when you take into account the dollar/euro situation so I couldn't help myself. I should have it tomorrow or Tuesday so I'll post pics when it arrives! I'm thinking a pair of Monkey socks for the plane journey??


I have a HUGE list that I might type up and post here of all of the yarns I am looking at buying when I head over in 3 weeks!! It's rather large so I think I may have to sacrifice one or two!

Progress Posts

Time for some progress updates.

My Retro Redux Shrug:

This is knitting up lovely and really quickly! I find the pattern repeat really easy to remember, and the yarn is lovely and soft. I don't think it will go with the top I bought, but it's still a lovely knit that I think would be really nice with a white top and a pair of jeans. I made the ribbing shorter at the cuff by about 1 1/2" as I am a bit nervous I won't have enough yarn to finish it.

My Premiere Pullover:

Another nice knit, but I find the first pattern row really difficult to remember for some strange reason. I keep going wrong on that row! I have kind of abandoned this in favour of the Shrug just because I want to get the shrug done before I go on holidays. But, at the rate the shrug is knitting up I should be back to this in no time.

Nothing really to post on the Summertime Tunic, I've only got about 3 rounds done since I had to rip it back due to it's huge size first time round.

The knitting club was great last night, about 10 turned up and there were some new faces too. It looks like this is going to bed down nicely and turn into a good group!

I also got rid of the evil yarn from hell last night. I gave it to one of the ladies in the group for free. I was so delighted to see it go I almost did a happy dance! I really detested that yarn.

P.S. Lumia (I hope I spelled this right) I have your book that you left behind last night. I'll bring it along for you next week.