Covid 19 Socks

The start of my plague socks

Like everyone else in the world, I am in lock-down. Not as harsh as other countries, at this stage it is mostly voluntary. Strongly advised to stay at home; and cafes, restaurants, gyms, any place where people congregate are closed. The borders are closed. People are still being selfish and incredibly irresponsible.

So time for a new knitting project. I am going to knit socks (using a lovely red Malabrigo -it’s called Cereza). I am going to put this on the leg

As you can see, I have started the swatch.

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Jane Austen Embroidery – Jennie Batchelor and Alison Larkin

Jane Austen Embroidery – Jennie Batchelor and Alison Arkin

This combines two of my favourite things – Jane Austen and Embroidery.

Jennie Batchelor writes about Jane Austen, textile history and The Lady’s Magazine. Alison Arkin designed the projects based on embroidery designs in The Lady’s Magazine.

It’s a beautiful book with lovely designs and illustrations. There are designs for all kinds of things; phone pouch, work bag, table cloth, cushion, clutch. My favourite is the design on an apron (I am not sure if I would ever make an apron, but I like the embroidery).

Work bag, Apron and Illustration

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Temperature Cross Stitch

Temperature Cross Stitch Progress

Not much progress on this – how do people find time to get everything done?

I have been recording the temperature everyday, so I just need to marshal my forces and get on with it.

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A New Hat

Yarn for a Roadside Beanie

I am going to make Miss A a hat – a roadside beanie. I bought the kit from Calico and Ivy.

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Filed under Knitting, Knitting - Colour work

Heart Socks Finished

Heart Socks

I finished the Heartgyle socks from Boost Your Knitting.

I am really pleased I had a go at knitting intarsia in the round – not a fan of the ‘seam’ you can see on the back (see below).

See the seam on the right?

My first heart was much better than my second heart. I think it was because I left all of the weaving in to the end on the first one, but did as I went with the second, which made my tension a bit crap.

I do like the different coloured cuff, heels and toes, so I will do that again. I am keen to try stranded colour work socks, but next up I am going to knit my own version of Helen Stewart’s Shell Cottage Socks (I will use the stitch pattern, but my own ‘recipe’).

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Temperature Cross Stitch

Working on January

The temperature cross stitch has started – not up to date yet, but it is easy going. I think one of the maximums (maxima?) is the wrong shade of yellow, but I am not unpicking, so let’s hope this doesn’t (in a hundred years) become a significant historical document.

I think I need to put a key on – otherwise the actual temperature data will be lost. Thoughts?

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Temperature Cross Stitch

I am going to do a Temperature cross stitch. I have been diligently recording the daily maxima and minima.

In the image above are the flosses I’m planning to use – cold at the top (anything below 0 – very unlikely in Perth) and hot at the bottom (above 44 – I hope that doesn’t happen or not very often).

Each day will be a 4 by 4 square with the upper left corner the minumum and the bottom right the maximum. Like this

I think I will have a black line between days and months, but I am not certain of that yet.

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Heart Socks

Heart Socks

I am keen to improve my knitting skills and colour work always looks so lovely. These socks are from the Boost Your Knitting book. I was intrigued by the idea of intarsia in the round.

It came together quite well – I am disappointed about the reverse side. Despite my best efforts there is a noticeable ‘join’. It is on the inside of your leg (when you are wearing the socks).

The issue of the join is that you are making one stitch out of two, so it is always going to have more yarn than a normal stitch and it just stands out.

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Halloween Cat Cross Stitch

Halloween Cat – from Satsuma Street

I seem to have my system working now – the ‘double decker’ hoop (so I can work two handed) from here, and the magnifying light (which I bought from an electronic hobby store).

This is coming together nicely – although I am very slow. It’s about the process though and not the final product.

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Lace Stars

Lace Star – design from Urban Threads

These stars appealed to me – decorations, present toppers, etc.

Stitching the Star

I found two layers of water soluble stabiliser worked best (hooped perpendicular to each other).

I used the same thread as both my top thread and my bobbin thread.

I have slowed my machine down to 500 spm. I am not sure if that is necessary, but everything just seems to work a lot better. At this speed it does take 70 minutes, but there are no colour changes.

Red Star

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