WIP: DB patchwork jacket

Photo_043009_001
Originally uploaded by steel breeze

Another 35 rows to the shoulder decreases.

FO: Clarisse and some weaving pics

Clarisse, finished, since washed (to remove oil) and drying flat. It's softened up a treat


Scottish fibres DK bought at Wonderwool


Warping up the 24" Ashford Rigid Heddle loom. Warp is 4ply merino in black


Weaving in progress - weft is scottish fibres DK above


Close-up of weaving. Originally thought the warp might be too thin, but it's working out fine. Loom is good if a little basic - haven't managed to use it propped on the edge of a table, because I can't get far away enough from the dining table without rearranging everything. So it is a bit back-breaking. But kinda addictive.


Bleeding heart, going bonkers this year... just because it's all doom and gloom here, and I feel I need to cheer things up a bit!

As always, click for a biiger pic. I has a narrow blog! :)

Wonderwool photos

Because I am a bear of very little brain, I forgot to take any pictures on Sunday. However, Ambermoggie did. A far more comprehensive job than I would have managed!

Wales and shiny blue things

Spent a very nice day with FibreClaireUK at Wonderwool in Wales, yesterday. I have to admit, I didn't buy much - I was overwhelmed by the colours. Of course I don't spin, despite everyone trying to draw me to the "dark side", so although it was nice to stroke the batts, none of them made their way into my bag. I can use yarn at such a prodigious rate with a knitting machine, I'd never keep up supply with a spinning wheel. I am perfectly happy to let others do the spinning for me.

I bought one skein of DK weight from Scottish Fibres, a sheep keyring and a wooden ring shawl clasp. I think I probably spent more on food! Came over a bit odd and had to go outside - cataract was acting up, and the floor, being very slightly sloped (it is an agricultural building) perhaps didn't help. Had a belgian chocolate crepe and sat outside in the rain (misting) to eat it, and that restored me enough to go in for another wander. One amusing moment - I was polishing off a muffin, and standing near to a row of recycling bins. A beady-eyed teenage steward was watching me very carefully, to see where I put the wrapper. I got a curt nod for putting it in the right bin. Gee, thanks! I've been able to read longer than you've been alive, actually, darling! :)

Had a nice day, anyway - and completely forgot to take any pictures, despite taking the camera. Oh, and I picked up the Ashford rigid heddle loom I bought from Laalbear last month - she recognised me straight away (although, I did have a name badge on!). Going to warp it up this week hopefully and have a little play with it. The headache came back with a vengeance later, but a lie-down and an Anadin put paid to it.

So. The Cog is now working over in Gaydon again, which is the complete opposite direction from my office, so I can't drop him off on the way to work. Which wouldn't have been a problem, except that his car got written off in January. We decided to pop up to the dealers on Saturday, see what they had, "just to take a look".

I'd just given the Cog a lecture about how every time he changes his job, *I* end up out of pocket, (am paying £180-odd a month on the silver fiesta and that does not include the original deposit). I was insisting it was up to him to sort himself out because it was All. His. Fault.

So... we went through the figures. The garage had wisely bought a batch of new cars the week before the dollar adjustment came and upped the price of everything. But even the nearly-new ones were not cheap (and most were 5door, totally OTT for our needs).

And then.... I fell in love!

I will be picking up a second-hand (2003) Ka next weekend. Metallic blue, leather seats, a 1.6i sports model. It was a cheaper and safer option (the Cog is buying it outright) than going into more credit for another car.

And because I have been making payments towards the current car, the Cog is willing to transfer that money to the "new" car, and within two months I shall own it completely. Excellent stuff! I am paying his road tax for next year (because I've already saved up for it), because I shall get a year free.

Does happy dance. I've always wanted a blue car - the silver fiesta was bought in a hurry, during the summer shutdown, when ordering the colour I wanted would have entailed a six week wait we didn't have time for. And I've always rather fancied the Ka - it's like a concept car that actually made it into production.

Onto knitting news, I am about half-way between waist and neck of the DB patchwork aran. Got plenty knitting done in Holland last week. Hotel-ing alone does have some advantages :)

FO: Bookmark

Bookmark
Originally uploaded by steel breeze

Made this for my swap pal in NZ. It's from Trish's Crochet.

http://trishcrochet.50g.com/hearts.html

Sweating in a hotel room in Holland - laptop and room both warm!

Onwards a little

Managed to complete the Clarisse top - pictures when I get around to taking them. Got far less done than intended this weekend, because I had a bad lamb burger at a well-known Coventry pub and spent most of the weekend either in the bathroom or doubled-up on the sofa. Feeling better now (if a little light-headed), just in time to return Holland-wards tomorrow. Looks like I'm on my own at the hotel this week too, so might get a lot more knitting done I suppose. Not looking forward to meals alone, there's always Maccy D as a last resort I suppose.


Current mood: sick

Fighting myself...

...or rather, fighting my urge to knit "it'll do, fudge it" style. Finally past the garter stitch waistline on the back of the DB patchwork jacket. Going v slowly because (a) knitting needles still not allowed on flights - normally I'd sneak it through security and keep silent, but there's just too much invested in this garment to risk losing it - and (b) because after an hour net surfing/swimming etc and 90 minutes getting fed, and then other time spent in the hotel bar? Not much time left to knit, and certainly not enough brain power for knitting cables.

Previous evidence of poor judgement has all been rewound. Ha.

Clarisse update

I didn't manage to complete the tabard before this week's trip abroad with work. The instructions said to join the shoulder seams in such a way (wrong sides together) as to have the seam on the outside. Tried it and unpicked it - it looked terrible. Will finish it at the weekend I expect. Time was running out last night and I had to pack my suitcase. I need to seam both shoulders, sew up the neck (it's a cowl), add buttons and weave in the ends.

Stephanie, the tabard is supposed to be buttoned on each side with three buttons, making a fairly wide armhole. However, the instructions for placement are vague, and unfortunately they don't show in the photograph in the pattern. I decided I will just get six buttons and sew through them, as I don't plan on unbuttoning it anyway. That way I can get nice big buttons and not have to worry about whether they'll fit the buttonholes. It would be a pest to have to redo any buttonholes as I would also have to undo the shoulder seams.

Taking the DB patchwork aran to Holland - I made a mistake with it a few nights ago, so a few rows need to be frogged and the cables re-set, and then I'm away for 100-odd rows. Alas, no knitting needles on the flight; I daren't risk losing my "airline friendly" Denises.

WIP: Clarisse tabard (Karabee designs)

Clarisse tabard
Originally uploaded by steel breeze

This is the back of a machine-knitted tabard, in tuck stitch and slip stitch (purl side is right side). For all those hand-knitters who say knitting machines are great for creating acres of stocking stitch, I say, voila! :)

Took a few attempts to get right, once I realised I needed to invert the colours for the slip stitch "braids" - eventually programmed them onto a memory card, because it was a pain switching between two mylars, and anyway the pattern wasn't getting read 100%.

Need to add ribbing to sides of front, add two neck pieces, join the shoulder seams, and we're done. It's amazing how the promise of two 3-day spells away from home focuses the mind, huh?

In other news, I have a sore throat, but I am blonde again. Yay!

Correction and addendum

The poncho pattern is by Sue Castro (not Cawston) and I have a copy on order. Something to look forward to when I get back from Holland.

Can't stop starting...

Well, I started the tabard pattern last night. Had a bit of a game with the second tuck card, because I forgot to reverse the black-for-white. Yes, I know you can reverse the colours on the electronic machine, but it meant that the end needles kept tucking and weren't knitting off. I think I also found a mistake in one of the cards - as drawn, it's supposed to create a sideways mock-cable effect with big slip loops, but the punchcard is drawn in reverse. I used the EC1 to reverse the colours, but then have to make sure the end needles are fully forward to ensure they knit off properly. Luckily, it's only for 37 rows. It's a Karabee design, and the name escapes me right now (they all have girl's names).

I'm going on training in Holland on and off for the next five weeks - debating whether to take my new laptop - it would mean I have internet access and don't have to wait to jump on the hotel's internet PCs, which have to be fed with euro shrapnel and are sometimes hogged by businessmen. Hmm. Of course, what I'd really like to take, is a knitting machine, but I don't fancy the excess baggage charges nor want to risk damages. Meh. I can see I'm going to be doing a lot of hand-knitting and crochet in the next few weeks, and reading, for want of anything else to do. I think the hotel has a small gym, sauna and pool - I might try them this time around. Eating out for three nights a week does nothing for the waistline!

The Cog has Easter Monday and Tuesday off; I get Good Friday instead of Tuesday, so I am looking forward to a lazy day at home, pottering about. I might try and finish up his cardigan, before it gets too warm for him to be able to wear it!

Coming down with a sore throat, just in time for the long weekend. No fair!

New venue for the knit club last night worked out really well. We had tablecloths and flowers and good lighting! And no hassle from other patrons. I must call the supervisor and let her know it's all good.

Debbie Bliss Patchwork aran jacket chart

The chart is here, with the cable corrected in chart B that I messed up before.

| = knit, - = purl. Where the row is blank, it means knit the knits and purl the purls.

Strangely enough, chart C looks like an upward-pointing chevron, but when worked it is actually a downward-pointing one. The symbols are written as they are worked, not as they appear from the right side.

The original pattern is here, and there is errata here.

Nottingham MK Show

Sunday I picked up Sue and took her to the annual Nottingham MK Show. She was immediately transfixed by the raw silk and later succumbed! The fashion show was excellent, although some of the garments were in rather drab colours, and one garment was in fluorescent orange! Someone was sporting an excellent mock-cabled tabard that I really liked, so I picked up a kit. Jill B was wearing a lovely cowl-necked poncho but I couldn't find out where to get the pattern (it was by Sue Cawston whose surname I may have misspelt).

I had only planned to get a tension mast stand from Hague, but alas the yarn's siren song called to me. We attended a short talk on felting by Hilda Haarhof which was fascinating - she doesn't waste anything, even her mistakes. I heard some people say it was quiet this year - I seem to remember we had a freak snowfall last year, so a few folks couldn't make it. Seemed about the same to me!

Got chatting to Mary H (who'd signed us in at Lee Mills yesterday) about CSMs - apparently hers chokes on Lana Grossa sock yarn. Something to remember - I shall probably stick to Regia-type yarns anyway.

After a few more yarn purchases I picked up a tilt stand - very handy to take to shows as I only have one spare MK table without putting another machine away - I didn't photograph it as it's disassembled and not very interesting. We found a place to sit, and I taught Sue to crochet. She picked it up really quickly; another new hobby I think! :) We went outside to the cafe, and had a cuppa, and I demonstrated tunisian (a bit tricky on a short crochet hook, but not impossible).


Lambswool for dyeing (Riverside spinning)

Multi-coloured wool... just because (Riverside spinning)

Multi-coloured something... ditto (Riverside spinning)

Hague tension mast stand. My second tension stand socket is too large, so I can't use it (the tension mast swings around in it). Also could be handy for the sock machine!

Lambswool - got it as part of the tabard kit

Lee Mills trip

On saturday, three fellow Knit-Wits (Claire, Julie, Jeanette) and I left Coventry at a ridiculously early hour and made our way to Lee Mills, where we were warmly greeted with coffee and lots of cake.

Claire got lost in the yarn mountain almost immediately; we all had great fun fondling the yarn, and not one of us came home without an addition or two to our stash. This year's theme was night-time - they had four shelves of beautiful crocheted bedspreads in white cotton (I want one, but they take too long to make!). There was a mannequin displaying a bedjacket, and another wearing only a hot water bottle, a cape and a smile! The show-and-tell included dainty crocheted bras - they would only have fitted Kate Moss types (what my mother called "pimple dimples") - but I don't think women were as well-endowed back then. Also some bloomers with crochet edging - "wide-awake Wednesdays" - as they were simply two legs attached only at the waistband. Great air-con for the underparts!

I was taken with this lot:


Robin Fascination - because I fancied Susy's :)


Something mohair-y


Zitron Trekking Hand-art. I just couldn't resist the colours. Clearly, I couldn't choose, either! :) Saving this for my CSM when it comes.

After the talk I tried out the square knitting needles, and NEARLY bought a pair (talked myself out of it) - they are really nice to use, which was quite surprising!

We made it to the pub for just gone 2pm, and sweet-talked the barman into making us some sandwiches. Alas, by the time we emerged it was too late to make it to Ruddington (Lee Mills is on the way to Barnsley so is a good 90 minutes from Nottingham) so we came straight home.

I came home to a new tv and complete chaos - "can you help me move the old (massive) one?" (no, bro can help, he has muscles!) "Ok then, can you put the dinner on?" (erm ok, but can I use the toilet first?!). Sheesh, only been driving for two hours! Men! :)

Aries birthday swap package arrives!

I picked up my birthday swap package this morning! I was a last-minute stand-in, poor old Acurt on Ravelry only got two days notice, and seeing as she is in New Zealand, there wasn't much hope she'd get me a package in time! But no problem - packages are nice whenever they arrive!

Firstly, the package was wrapped in paper with kiwis all over it! So cute!



Inside, there was a hand-made lavender sachet, two balls of NZ alpaca, two balls of baby merino, a skein of Acurt's own hand-spun and hand-dyed yarn, white chocolate and strawberry licquorice logs, two white chocolate eggs, some white choc mocha latte sachets, some merino lanolin hand cream, a dinky little pencil with a sheep on top, a sheep card, a postcard from her town and a book from Amazon (on the way). Also, a book of pictures from an exhibition Acurt was involved in with three friends. It was all beautifully wrapped and packed with carded fleece.



I love the package, thankyou very much! And those licquorice logs are in extreme danger of not even making it home from work! :)

I have booked Friday afternoon off, because I am out all weekend and won't have time to shop (at least, not for non-yarn related stuff), to get some things together for Acurt's package.

Some book purchases...

The Knitting and Crochet Guild keeps a library of craft books - they keep two copies for lending, and the rest they sell on. I picked these up last week.

Mary Thomas's book is great. I love the little cartoons, although they don't really have much to do with the text.

Been trying more obscure crochet techniques lately. This month's Interweave Crochet details a technique of creating two rows of double crochet (US single crochet) at once, and there's a double base chain in Mrs' Beetons book. I think I got them right, was doing them last night at the pub without the instructions!

David's released his Slip Stitch Crochet website - take a look! It's an interesting technique! Can't wait to read about cables!

Bit the bullet...

...and cast on for the back of the patchwork aran cardigan again, in the smaller size. The offending parts will be frogged soon to hide the evidence :)