Knitting while watching Kristy Glass interview MDK
It’s raining – I am in bed, with my wheat pack, knitting and watching Kristy Glass interview Mason Dixon Knitting.
A New Project – Hitchhiker Beyond
Hitchhiker Beyond
I have started a new project. I love my hitchhiker and thought I would make another one using a green/blue yarn and then I came across Hitchhiker Beyond! It’s symmetrical!
It is an easy but amazingly effective pattern – made even better by Misti Alpaca sock yarn.
I have been watching The Collection
The Collection
Described as
A gripping family drama and entrepreneurial fable, set in a post-war Paris fashion house. It exposes the grit behind the glamour of a rising business, spearheaded by two clashing brothers.
It is beautiful and sinister and there are mysteries and secrets to be revealed.
Filed under Knitting, Television
Finished
Finished Arachnid Mitts
I learnt a bit on the second one – I put all of the stitches of the spider pattern on one needle, so I didn’t have to cable and swap needles – genius! This one progressed quickly because I was watching Halcyon – any excuse to watch a bit more – I haven’t finished yet.
The costumes and settings…
Halcyon Cast
are spectacular.
The pattern is Arachnid. The yarn is patonyle ombre in coral (I used two balls, but there is heaps left you could probably get by with one ball).
Filed under Knitting, Television
Arachnid
Second Spider Mitt
I am still working on these – I have made it to the second mitt.
This is my second attempt. I made it to the spider’s bum and then it all went pear-shaped and I thought given it is in the middle of the spider my dodgy extra yarn overs might be noticed. I attempted to save it, but it just got worse and worse – like being in quick sand. So I cut my loses undid the whole thing and started again – sometimes you need to know when it’s not possible to rescue something (bit like life really – the things knitting can teach you)
Filed under Knitting
Making Magazine – Dots
Making No 3 Dots
I kept hearing and seeing this magazine and decided I had to have one. If just for these socks …
Kanoko Socks by Mary Jane Mucklestone
As I have done her colourwork class on Craftsy, I think I could tackle these socks.
This magazine is beautiful and there are a lot of fabulous projects – sewing, embroidery, weaving, crochet and knitting – the photography is stunning, even the paper it is printed on is lovely.
To get it to Australia, however, it was $39 US ($51 AUD), which, let’s face it, is a lot for a magazine. If I subscribe, the price comes down to $43 AUD per issue, which, for me, is still too much. This is just about the tyranny of distance and although I completely understand the decision to make it print only I would love to be able to get a digital copy!
Filed under Magazines
Wonky House Project Bag
Wonky House Stitching
I bought this design from Urban Threads ages ago, but, like a lot of things, did nothing with it. On the weekend I decided to make another in the hoop zipper bag – it was a bit of a disaster because I forgot to open the system (and therefore it was forever shut!).
I then had a bit of an epiphany and thought ‘why don’t I do the embroidery and then make the thing using my normal sewing machine?’.
I wanted a new project bag for my knitting and decided a draw string bag would be ideal.
Martha Stewart has a great tutorial on making draw string bags – super easy and quick.
I have used linen for the bag, which makes for a nice finished product, but the fraying was extreme.
I stitched the embroidery by hooping a tear away stabiliser and floating the linen on top (picking the stabiliser out was a complete pain in the butt – there must be a better way). My machine has a basting function, which stitches the linen to the stabiliser and holds it in place for the embroidery.
Filed under Machine Embroidery, Sewing
Arachnid
My Arachnid Mitts
It was Miss P’s turn to select something to be knitted. I let her browse Ravelry and these were the ones she found – Arachnid by Karen Fournier.
So far this is a great pattern – very easy to follow. I am using double points, but magic loop might have been better (at one stage I had to cable across needles).
The yarn is Patons Patonyle Merino Ombre in Coral.
Filed under Knitting
Latest Embroidery Project – Blackwork!
New Blackwork Project
I have started a new project – not sure where this is going, but so far I like it.
I am using two strands DMC embroidery floss on Congress cloth. The stitch is from the RSN Blackwork book – small diamonds.
I plan to use different stitches and have a zig-zag pattern behind the triangles.
Filed under Blackwork, Canvas Work
Blank Canvas Complete
Blank Canvas being blocked
I finished knitting my Blank Canvas – I have mixed feelings. This yarn has been around for a long time (I tired to knit the February Fitted Pullover, but it had been in my stash for a long time before that) I wanted it gone. I felt weighted down by it and, as is so often the case, I didn’t like it anymore.
I enjoyed the knitting – coming to terms with LLI and RLI (Left lift increase and Right lift increase) and wrapless short rows.
The neckband was a disaster – the first time (for which I blame Luther) was too tight and I couldn’t get it over my head, the second version, which is the current version, is all loose and wobbly. There might be a third version, but my enthusiasm is waning and I am wondering if, even if it is perfect, will I wear it? And here is my fundamental conundrum – I have knit something in a colour and yarn weight that I would never choose to wear. This is a common problem – I get seduced by the colours in the yarn store (and fabric store and sometimes clothing store) and buy it only to realise later that I only wear colour in accessories – scarf (maybe socks at a pinch). My wardrobe is full of beautiful prints and colours that languish unworn.
Also, I don’t like 8ply – it seems a bit inelegant and chunky.
I think I wanted this to be quite a simple, structured garment and it is pink(!) and a bit too drapey. I have chosen the wrong yarn and/or the wrong pattern.
On the other hand, this is the first time I have knit a full sized jumper! So I feel that I have crossed some kind of personal rubicon – and as the Yarn Harlot says in Knitting Rules
Don’t expect too much of your first sweater. As a general rule, they get better, and each one can exist simply to teach you something.
Filed under Knitting
Blank Canvas
Blank Canvas Progress
I have reached the point where I join the sleeves to the body. I am concerned it is about here that things normally go pear-shaped. It is all of the shaping and the ‘doing this while at the same time doing that’. I am trying to stay calm, read all of the instructions (although the bit about wrapless short rows has me worried).
There are a lot of ends to weave in as well and I wonder if I should do a few of those now rather than saving them all for the end?
Filed under Knitting