Hitchiker Finished
I finished the Hitchiker scarf/wrap. This pattern had a lovely rhythm to it. It was the perfect mindless knitting. I could sit on the couch watch TV and knit without concentration (it was all knit as well – well almost all knit!).
The yarn is a misti alpaca pima hand painted cotton and silk blend (in confetti) and the pattern is a ravelry download (which you can find here)
Filed under Knitting, Yarn Stash
The Amazing Thing About the Way it Goes – Stephanie Pearl-McPhee
I read this while on holidays and it is the perfect holiday read. I follow Ms Pearl-McPhee’s blog and I have read her other books, but this one was a departure from her normal style – not so much about the knitting.
Here’s the blurb …
From New York Times best-selling author and popular blogger Stephanie Pearl-McPhee comes a new spin and a hilarious look at life, parenting, and, well, pants.
The Amazing Thing About the Way It Goes takes on the amazing in the ordinary in this side-splitting series of short commentaries. Pearl-McPhee turns her trademark wit and perspective to everything from creative discipline to a way you would never think about fixing your email situation. This book looks at everyday problems, and honestly, it won’t do much to solve them, but at least you’ll be laughing.
This book is a series of essays written in her normal witty style, but more personal. In fact, I think she was very brave to publish some of these chapters – like the Dear Sydney chapter. There are chapters on joining a writers group, learning to ride a bike with clip-in shoes (I don’t think I am co-ordinated enough for that!), what to do when a skunk moves into the space under your porch (I’m glad we don’t have this problem in Australia), her dentist phobia and more. It is laugh out loud funny, but also made me pause and think about a few things – I wonder if the no-pants parenting will work in my house.
Let me just reiterate this book isn’t about knitting – I read some reviews on Amazon that were negative due to the lack of knitting.
Filed under Book Review
Rose Rib Socks Finished
I finished the second of my Rose Rib socks – it didn’t go so well as the first.
I am not sure what went wrong, but when I picked up stitches after turning the heel I picked up 10 on one side and 14 on the other – that can’t be good. I fudged a bit and it seemed to work out in the end.
Check out the Sock Patterns page for the pattern.
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting
Flying Geese
One more block of my Sampler Quilt – only another 7 to go.
Filed under Digitizing, Foundation Blocks, Machine Embroidery, Software
Rose Rib Second Sock
I’ve started on the second sock. I had real trouble with the cuff – started it at least three times. I don’t recall it being this tricky the first time round. I’m on to the leg, so I hope the rest will be a breeze.
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting
From this …
Hitch Hiker
To this …
Hitch Hiker
I’m going backwards! I dropped a stitch and it just got worse and worse – I just could not fix the hole. In the end I decided to start again!
One Finished Rose Rib Sock
Elizabeth Zimmerman told us to “Knit on with confidence and hope, through all crises” and that is what I have been trying to do – there has been some strange goings on with my oldest daughter, her friends and her friends’ mothers, but enough of that let us return to the knitting!
This is my Rose Rib sock. I wanted to do something different with this sock. It has no cuff, a band heel and a different toe (no kitchener stitch!). It has come together well and fits well – now for sock number two! (I have started it …)
Filed under Knitting, Sock Knitting
Courthouse Steps Block
I finished the four blocks that make one courthouse steps block. As I want this quilt finished, I’m trying to do a little often.
Filed under Digitizing, Foundation Blocks, Machine Embroidery, Quilting
Hitchhiker
I wanted something simple to knit that didn’t require much thought. Dovegreyreader wrote about this pattern and I thought that sounds like something I could do. So I popped over to Ravelry and purchased the pattern – it’s here. So far so good! The yarn I am using is my Misti Alpaca Pima Cotton and Silk Hand Paint (in the Confetti colourway)- I hope I have enough, but this is more about the process than the finished product.
Images from ‘Royal School of Needlework – Embroidery Techniques’
I really like textiles and embroidery. I like the look of embroidery and the stories behind the creation of embroidery, but I am too lazy/impatient to do hand embroidery. I do like machine embroidery – both free motion and the digitised version – what I would really like to do is create embroidery that looks like it has been done by hand using my embroidery machine. To this end, I have been trying to improve my digitising. I made this blackwork sampler and now I am trying to learn silk shading. I am discovering a few tips and tricks with my software (which is Embird) and like anything I just need to practise.
Filed under Digitizing, Inspiration, Machine Embroidery, Software
