I have been working on DK (8 ply) weight socks. The yarn is from Yarns by the Bay (DK Muddy Waters – 100 grams, 85% SW Fine Merino and 15% Nylon).
The socks are knitting up quickly – I only need 40 stitches rather than the usual 64. Plus each round is ‘taller’ so I don’t need as many rounds.
It might turn out that they are too bulky for day to day wear, but it was worth experimenting.
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn Stash
I went to a workshop at Calico and Ivy on Mosaic knitting, run by Pru Raymond. It was a lovely afternoon.
I didn’t finish my washcloth in the class it took a couple of TV knitting sessions.
The yarn is Finch 10ply Cotton, my colours are Mulberry and Ballet. It makes a lovely, squishy fabric.
Filed under Colour Work, Knitting, Knitting - Colour work
I finished my version of the Duke Who Gives it All Up socks, which is part of the Golden Honey Sock club.
I used Elsie Gray’s Signature Hand Dyed Range – in colour Just Joey. I used my usual 2.25mm knit pro zing circulars.
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn Stash
Now that the blanket knitting marathon is over I am going to start a new project. I bought the kit for this shawl a few years ago (so long ago I can’t remember where I go it – I think it was from here and I have kit 1).
I wound them into balls a couple of days ago and now I am ready to start knitting.
Filed under Colour Work, Knitting, Knitting - Colour work, Yarn Stash
I finally finished Miss P’s blanket.
I have been working on this blanket (mostly monogamously) for 18 months. I am super keen to knit some socks!
The pattern is the Moderne Log Cabin from MDK (published in Mason Dixon knitting). I made a mistake, and then just continued adding rectangles until it reached the size I wanted. I used Classic 8ply yarn from Bendigo (superwash) in the following colours (you can see all of the colours in the top image)
Filed under Colour Work, Knitting, Yarn Stash
I am now working on the borders of the blanket – if it was a marathon I would be in the last two kilometres.
I am watching Stephanie Pearl Mcphee’s patreon and I used her tip for stopping the last cast off stitch being a bit dodgy.
I am so keen to get back to knitting socks! I bought 52 Weeks of Socks Volume 2 last week (I already have volume 1).
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting
I am still plodding along on Miss P’s blanket, but every now and then I need a bit of a change. I have started a new pair of socks – I have joined the Golden Honey Sock club, and this is my version of the Duke Who Gives it All Up socks. I think another pattern comes out in May so I need to get a move on.
I am using a yarn from Elsie Gray’s (my Albany souvenir yarn) and my usual 2.25 knitting needles.
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn Stash
I finished my Dunsborough Socks (so called because I put the yarn there while I was on a weekend holiday).
The yarn is Cowgirlblues Merino Twist in sock weight (100% wool), colourway Camel.
I used my standard 2.25 knit pro zings (I use a circular needle and do magic loop)
It’s top-down with a heel flap, gusset and round toe. The pattern on the leg and foot is from the Bijou Socks pattern.
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn Stash
I read about cashmere, merino, nylon sock yarn and so, of course, had to get some. I bought them from ZigoZago, a shop in country Victoria (the service was fabulous and my yarn arrived within days!).
The one on the top in the image is Dream in Colour Smooshy Cashmere in the sonoran magic colourway, the one at the bottom is tôt le matin sock in the Jane Doe colourway (it doesn’t have any cashmere, but I loved the colour and it was the same postage for one skein or two).
I am super keen to get started on these.
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting, Yarn Stash
I am not sure where I first heard about this book, Brenda Dayne may have mentioned it on her podcast. I found a copy on Abebooks and it slowly made it’s way to me (I wasn’t in any hurry).
Here’s the blurb …
In an era of global warming, war, escalating expenses, declining income, and drugs and violence in schools, many mothers feel they have little control over their families or their worlds. Nora Murphy eloquently demonstrates that many women do control one tiny thing: their next stitch.
While tracing the frustrations and joys of knitting a sweater for her son through the course of one cold, dark Minnesota winter, Murphy eloquently brings to life the traditions and cultures of women from many backgrounds, including Hmong, American Indian, Mexican, African, and Irish. Murphy’s personal stories — about her struggles to understand esoteric knitting patterns, her help from the shaman of the knit shop, and her challenges sticking with an often vexing project — will appeal to knitters as well as everyone else who has labored to create something from scratch.
We follow Nora as she knits her son a jumper and muses on the roles of knitting, textiles and craft in the lives of women. Ms Murphy’s writing style is conversational, you feel like you are sitting together knitting over a cup of tea.
If you like knitting, social history, women’s history, then you will enjoy this book. It is an easy read, with short chapters (I did a lot of ‘just one more chapter’).
Filed under Book Review, Knitting
