tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-141808152024-03-16T18:51:46.852+00:00Needles of SteelMy addiction to anything crafty created with a pointy stick, a needle or a hook.....steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.comBlogger1991125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-61649598185822946112024-03-11T16:24:00.004+00:002024-03-12T16:25:30.564+00:00Going round in circles (Kegworth) 2024<p>It's always a highlight over December / January to get the invite for the annual CSM event in Kegworth - even more so this year, with our somewhat challenging Christmas. After not teaching last year, I realised that for me, I knit socks better alone, without the delicious distractions of pretty yarn, lovely people, interesting gadgets and plentiful workshops taking my attention elsewhere. But there's a place for just knitting socks if that's what you want to do, and plenty of people do just that! </p><p>Anyway, because the Cog had managed to "book" our car before me to go on a snowboarding trip that weekend, I had arranged a hire car. After discussion with P who was travelling with me, we decided to take her car and cancel the hire because I was still able to get a refund. Unfortunately, her car developed a minor fault the following day - one of those faults that go away if you wait ten minutes - but she thought we would be ok. So we duly set off from mine at 2pm, pleased at how we'd managed to fit everything in. Alas, her car went into "limp" mode before we'd even got to the M1, so she sensibly pulled over into a layby. We tried waiting and starting, locking ourselves in and starting, and even an on-off ignition thing that was supposed to reset the computer - then THREE lights were on, not just the engine light, and it wouldn't start at all. Hubby and relations were called; the cavalry duly arrived and of course the car started perfectly (though the engine light was still on). Hubby drove us back to theirs and a hire vehicle was booked. They couldn't get to us before 6pm, so P kindly rustled up a tea of pizza, salad and very nice ice-cream (salted caramel, ooh!). The "van" turned out to be a Ford Fiesta van, so basically my old diesel Fiesta with no back seats, slightly longer doors and whited-out windows. Tiny, but we managed to fit everything bar the trolley. It was dark by now, and as it's a car I'm very familiar with, I took the wheel and we were at our destination without further incident. I think P has been asking hubby to replace the car for some time, but as he's a classic car restorer I think he's rather reluctant! The delay meant we just had time for a drink and catch up with friends, and we missed both the rush hour and the noisy cabin-crew-in-training that use this hotel for aircraft dry runs, so win-win! My other friend C wasn't so lucky; they didn't leave until half 8, and a lorry tipped over on the M1, so they didn't get to the hotel until 11pm (we went to bed at half 10). It's only a 45 minute drive when things are good!</p><p>On Saturday I attended the "how to dismantle your machine" talk by Hilary first thing, which was fascinating - my machine is overdue a good clean. At 11am I demonstrated the circular/slip ribber cast on - lesson learned, use my smartphone in future for taking down email addresses, because I email my hand-outs as PDFs to save on printing, and there's always at least one person whose handwriting I can't read, so I got a few bounces later. After lunch, there was a short talk on the history of machine knitting by Matthew, and how to knit flip-top mittens with a gored thumb from Jo. Someone offered to buy the Dean and Bean, part way through that - I asked if she could give me a shout at the end of the talk before she left (only thirty minutes), but when I went to look for her, she was nowhere to be found! I thought it was a bit rude (especially as she'd knocked £150 off my asking price which was already £50 off from the $ price bought new, not to mention import duties), but clearly it wasn't meant to be!</p><p>On Sunday, I helped out in the "newbies" room for a bit, before reprising the circular/slip ribber cast on again. After lunch, Jo demonstrated simple fingerless mittens (with vertical or horizontal slits), and a lovely Swedish lady Lina demonstrated how she does colourwork. I managed to sell the D&B machine to a lovely lady who offered me more than the disappearing woman, so all's well that ends well. </p><p>The hotel isn't great - the beds are hard, the pillows flat, the walls so thin that at one point I could hear the ladies on one side talking whilst also listening to someone's tv on the other side. My kettle had a hairline crack, so I ended up with some damp tea bags in a bit of a puddle on Saturday night! But I don't go for the accomodation, I go for the event; the staff are lovely and I remember quite a few of them from previous years - one even patched me up when I caught my finger on something sharp. Yes, a bit of sock yarn was purchased, plus a few random gadgets. All in all, a great weekend and I learnt quite a lot, including that the heel I work is called the "suicide heel" by some! I guess I've just been lucky with it, in that case!</p><p><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53583638603/in/dateposted/" title="PXL_20240309_140136515"><img alt="PXL_20240309_140136515" height="500" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53583638603_9ac1836245.jpg" width="375" /></a></p><p><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></p>
<p>Very pretty 3d printed CSM</p>
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<p>Bill King popped up and brought a fascinating Harrison V bed</p>
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<p>It could only be a Bill King sock - knitted for a pantomime dame, no less!</p>
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<p>A very shiny Erlbacher!</p>
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<p>I didn't get the make of this 3d printed machine but it looks really cool!</p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/exhausted.gif" vspace="1" /> exhausted but inspired</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-80526382641562296632024-02-28T22:13:00.003+00:002024-02-28T22:18:25.797+00:00... can't they?<p>Well, I spoke too soon - the refund still hasn't shown up, but a letter informing them that legal action would be next got an email response within hours (almost as if they have a lawyer on standby - suspicious much?). I'll think on it a few days before I respond, seeing as they've dragged it out this long. Funny how their email hasn't worked since January (but in that period, they did manage to send some spam inviting me to buy a second device! As if!)</p>
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<p>Anyroad, enough of that - I made this vest / tanktop this weekend just gone. It was supposed to have had short sleeves - the yarn's some kind of brushed acrylic, with no label - but as soon as I'd done the front, back and one sleeve I could see there was not going to be enough yarn. So I frogged the one sleeve, and applied the neckbands. There was just enough yarn to replace sleeves with a bit of ribbing. Alas, had I foreseen this, I would probably have selected a set-in sleeve design instead - the ribbing sticks out a bit over the shoulders, and looks a little odd to me. Then again, I've never quite understood the point of tanktops, seeing as I rarely wear blouses I could wear a tanktop over (and anyway, I'm always a bit too warm, so warming the body is the last thing I need!). I'm quite happy with it despite all that, another one for the charity pile I think. I'm an anomaly, a machine knitter who doesn't wear or even keep much of her output. I ought to stick to socks and wristwarmers, because those I do wear, but I think I'd get bored only making them!</p>
<p>There's never a dull moment here - we discovered we had some loose roof tiles a few weeks ago, and managed to get a roofer to take a look. We were informed that a lot of the honeycomb mesh was missing at the rear of the house (which explains why we were getting a starling nesting every year). The roof was duly fixed last week - tonight I went into the attic to get something and startled the bird, which is presumably now trapped. I left the rear bedroom windows open, barred all other exits and waited downstairs, hoping that it might be drawn by the light, but by this time it was dusk and the poor thing is still up there and terrified. I've left some water up there; hopefully we can try again tomorrow when daylight returns. Alas, I think there might be some damage to the roof felt in a few places, so I'll have to get pictures and possibly get the roofer back again. </p>
<p>I've got some fun things planned in March, so I am looking forward to that. More soon!</p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/depressed.gif" vspace="1" /> really rather fed up at the moment!</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-88346002135902932662024-02-18T17:51:00.002+00:002024-02-18T17:51:31.899+00:00Things can only get better...<p>TLDR 2 paragraphs: the car issues get resolved somewhat</p><p>I'm cautiously optimistic that the issues with the car are solved (financially, anyway; a full refund is pending). Still annoyed about the perception of how I was treated, as I had to resort to chasing them on the 'phone several times a week by the end. "I'll be in touch" seemed to be meaningless (I started to keep a communications log, mostly my calling them). They peed off more than three of my many hats - engineers (we do a good job, not a bodge, or we admit we are incapable and find someone who is), quality control (first install had zero), safety rep (first install electrically unsafe), and fire marshall (ditto). I think I will send a letter of complaint, because I'm still financially in deficit because of this, but I'm happy to write that off just to be shot of the whole matter really. I was poised to start legal proceedings tomorrow. It's rather handy to have a sister in law (retired teacher of law at secondary school level) who can turn a 4 page rant into bullet points, and then put the correct legal letter (just the facts, ma'am) at the front. But it will wait until I see the dosh. I might also cc trading standards, because this could have become a very serious matter. Let's hope they're wrong about my car still having battery issues - we'll find out soon enough I guess! Cannot test it at the mo because my cousin is repairing and calibrating our voltmeter which had blown fuses. </p><p>So my sleep is still pretty shot. Dropping asleep at 8pm in front of the telly, fighting it until 9pm, then going to bed and waking up at 2am? Programmes that make no sense because my consciousness is in and out? Rubbish! So exhausted today, I feel drunk and woozy (and I had one bottle of beer last night, so it's not a hangover). I suspect I'm on the brink of nervous exhaustion, and I'm noticing my varifocals more, hence the wooziness. It'll pass, I hope!</p>
<p>Anyway, actual craft content! The cardigan below is Drop's Red Berry Hill, except I didn't knit it in coloured stripes, nor use the right yarn (this is James C Brett marble chunky) - and I did add the cables. Possibly could have been a smidge longer (I have a long torso and short legs), and it doesn't quite fit around my bust so if I made it again I'd add a few rows, but overall I'm pretty happy with it. I'm wearing it right now, in fact. </p>
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<p>Plus the finished tunisian crochet cushion. Mum said she thought the sideways sheep looked like pacman?</p>
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<p>I just added press studs in the end, a zip probably would have been better but not something I felt up to tackling.</p><p>Today we've both just piddled about, I've been getting some minor tasks done. My favourite kind of day is a day with no plan. Yesterday I marched around town like a mad thing (my calves are screaming right now) getting provisions and library books, whilst the Cog watched the footie. We had planned to visit a distant relative, but he's poorly AND got COVID, so he postponed. I did get to catch up with C about planning a two day machine knitting seminar at her arts venue. Watch this space! I hope it comes off, because there's quite a bit of interest, but I mustn't say more until things are more firm. But of course I'm already making plans in my head. It's nice to have a fun thing to focus on, instead of the nightmare of the last nine weeks which pretty much erased any good feeling around Xmas. Spring is springing, and hopefully someone will be round next week to put in missing honeycomb mesh in the roof (the builders left it out 20 years ago, shocking!), because Ms Starling is back for year 3 of nest building already, and I need her to move elsewhere! </p><p>It's very nice to see lighter evenings and buds on everything. Hurray for spring, now I just need to slow down and breathe again! We've got some time off coming up too. Lots to look forward to!</p><p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/exhausted.gif" vspace="1" /> exhausted but vertical (only just)</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-53229104935751609452024-02-03T11:01:00.001+00:002024-02-03T11:01:31.148+00:00February witterings and a thought about Passap training videos...<p>Crikey, February already? Being flat out at work does at least make time fly. The socks I posted about last time have been adjusted - the too-long one has been partially tinked and handknit to match length-wise, and I've knit the first of another pair of tubular socks on the Dean & Bean CSM to prove to myself that I CAN knit a matching pair - wish me luck!</p><p>TLDR: car issues, health issues, work issues</p><p>The car issues seem to be gradually coming to a close - I have come to the conclusion that the immobiliser company don't know how to use email or landlines and don't even have a customer service department. Apparently my problems will get resolved, they just can't be bothered to keep me in the loop (they seem to be forgetting whose money it is). There's still finger-pointing going on. I have resolved to call them every Friday like clockwork until they get this sorted, the squeaky wheel getting the oil. Having friendly receptionists that get you down off the ceiling is all well and good, but if nothing ever actually happens then she's just decorative alas. On the plus side, I did get my car returned this week after a stupid accident where I forgot to apply the handbrake (well, it's electronic, so not visually obvious!) and the car decided to use a Tesla as a doorstop, which got me a cracked bumper (the Tesla got the worst of it). Whoops. Car is back, nice and shiny, AND the garage updated the software. Bit of an expensive way to get it valleted though, do not recommend! Very impressed with Privilege (insurance company), the repair was done quickly and the various companies involved have kept me well-informed throughout. The whole thing has been sorted within 10 days, I'm just waiting on the hire car company to pick up their vehicle. The immobiliser company could learn a thing or two from them! </p><p>The Cog very kindly bought a nasty cold back from Austria, and is still coughing very loudly ten days later. I am debating hiding his passport so he can't go away next month - first COVID, now this, whatever next, leprosy?! So far I seem to be fine, but I suspect the adrenalin caused by the stress of the previous paragraph is keeping my immune system and blood pressure on high alert. So sleep has been very, very scarce lately - woken up by constant coughing, and then seized with fury over the car issues. If I do dream at all, it's brief snatches of a nightmarish kind (the horror (!) of wearing muddy jeans I thought were clean, a nasty double-murder, that sort of thing). Not a combination I'd recommend. </p><p>Work has been flat out. Nov-Mar is probably our busiest time of the year, not helped by the loss of my good friend and colleague LB and the maternity leave of another colleague. We have a new member of staff in place finally but they are fully booked with "meetings" next week, so resource-wise we are still understaffed. Patience is a virtue I don't possess, and there are only 40 hours in a week, so... they get what I have time to do, and no more. It doesn't help that one particular engineer always seems to leave it 'til lunchtime Friday to ask for more work; he doesn't use the correct channels, and the planning is done early Friday so he's always too late. My braincells can't cope with much more than 40 hours, and anyway it's unpaid. </p><p>Now, onto actual crafting content!</p><p>The tunisian crochet sheep cushion got press-studs during a Zoom meeting, it's just awaiting its final photo shoot. I'm part-way through adding press-studs to a hot pink knit-weave cardigan I gained in an estate sale and didn't have the heart / will to frog. It's not even very well finished, but I will continue! I guess I should have just chucked it, but being acrylic I couldn't bear the thought of it going into the bin and outlasting all of humanity as pieces. Yeah, I don't have enough with my own unfinished projects, I get landed with others!</p><p>We had a fairly successful Zoom meeting this week where I gave everyone that attended a quick tour of the Passap E6000. I am thinking of creating some videos to share on Youtube, because there's not much info out there for the E6000 and the manual seems to be written for upgraders, not beginners. I wonder if there would be any interest? I've recently lost the video editing software on my works laptop - I suspect ICT thought it was dodgy (in a legal sense) and removed it without notice. As we are imminently upgrading to W11 in a few weeks (where one can no longer install software without permission) and I will be switching to Adobe Premiere, I will need a period of learning the new software methinks. I've learnt one needs to watermark videos, lest some unscrupulous soul claims it as their own work and charges for it. </p><p>The return of the longer days / increased daylight is helping me to get out of my crafting funk, albeit slowly. I have a few more "not quite finished, don't need much to complete" projects to get done and then I can let startitis kick in again. </p><p>Well, that turned into quite the epistle! Onwards and upwards, as they say!</p><p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/annoyed.gif" vspace="1" /> annoyed but determined</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-74086237505509152572024-01-16T18:45:00.001+00:002024-01-16T18:45:00.133+00:00Someone can't count... <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53468339464/in/dateposted/" title="PXL_20240114_211246883"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53468339464_b4b9fc303a.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="PXL_20240114_211246883"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Ugh!
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/annoyed.gif" align='absmiddle' vspace='1' border='0' alt='' /> annoyed </p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-49735245865573927252024-01-14T09:05:00.001+00:002024-01-14T09:05:02.709+00:00Grafting/Kitchener stitch from two DPNs<p>My instructions for grafting a seam from two DPNs: </p><p>Hold wrong sides together. The principle is that each stitch on the needles needs a catch st and a throw off stitch. Catch sts match the stitch they go into, throw sts are the reverse and then you throw/drop the stitch from the needle.</p><p>Working from right to left if you are right handed, sew through the front needle stitch knitwise and the back needle stitch purlwise. </p><p>Then, * sew through the front stitch purlwise and drop it from the needle. Sew through the next front stitch knitwise and then the back stitch knitwise and throw it off. Sew through the next back needle stitch purlwise. Repeat from * until all stitches are sewn off. </p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-53478688719454925522024-01-12T17:32:00.000+00:002024-01-12T17:32:00.150+00:00Dean and Bean play...<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53459469378/in/dateposted/" title="PXL_20240108_151611081"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53459469378_c9c43363cc.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="PXL_20240108_151611081"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p>First tube sock, dropped a stitch and had to repair it. The second went much better and is awaiting grafting.</p>
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<p>Ribber not quite aligned, have adjusted it since this shot!</p>
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<p>This clothes peg WAS damaged and is now in the bin. No, I don't know where the rest of it went!</p>
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<p>I have a cardigan front for a very small woman (this was done on the E6000)! Yay!</p>
steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-146299562633579032024-01-12T06:17:00.005+00:002024-01-12T06:19:31.457+00:00More car troubles / fun with CSMs<p>Happy New Year!</p><p>TDLR - ongoing car issues, skip to the next paragraph!</p><p>Well, the car saga continues. Further to my <a href="https://needlesofsteel.blogspot.com/2023/12/merry-crappy-christmas.html" target="_blank">post on the 27th</a>, it appears that the immobiliser we had installed on the car in the first week in December was a bit too good - it was like having a table lamp connected to the car all the time. No wonder the battery went flat - literally immobilising the car for everyone except the recovery company. I've seen the mess the "wiring" was in - badly done AND unsafe - so I'm only surprised our vehicle didn't set itself alight in a gust of wind! Now of course the immobiliser company are accusing the garage of staging the photos... It cost a smidge under £200 to test the car overnight, identify the fault, get the car made electrically safe. I've got more expense next week getting the immobiliser company to fix their bodge job (oh yes, there's also a tracker with a monthly subscription fee that no longer tracks) because I am insisting that it's done at my garage and then the garage does another battery drain test (not free!), because I can't trust the immobiliser company as far as I can throw them. Judging by the photo, even I could have wired it better, and that's after 2 week's apprentice training that I took in 1988. We have been using the garage since before 2009 and they've been going since 1907 (and I'd never even heard of the immobiliser company until November) so I think I know where the truth lies... Sorry for ranting on, but it's been very unsettling - the last thing I needed on top of the SAD - and it thoroughly spoilt our Christmas break, as it was hanging over us from the 23rd onwards. I'd post this in my <a href="https://steelbreeze23.livejournal.com/" target="_blank">personal blog</a>, but I haven't posted to that in so long I (a) can't remember the email address I used with it and (b) cannot access it anymore. Ugh. Fingers crossed the car issues will all be resolved by this time next week (no idea if I can get my extra money back alas). </p><p>Anyway, onto more fun things! You may recall I bought <a href="https://needlesofsteel.blogspot.com/2023/07/new-toys-and-gradual-progress.html" target="_blank">this CSM</a> on a whim last summer. Being a bit of an idiot, I went charging in, trying to use the smallest cylinder without even really getting to know the machine first. After a frantic few weekends of it taking up half of the dining table, I did manage to knit myself <a href="https://needlesofsteel.blogspot.com/2023/08/lumpy-toe.html" target="_blank">a pair of bed socks</a> in just plain stocking stitch on the 60 cylinder. Yes, I did knit a pair in the end, though the second sock ended up being finished in another completely different yarn just to get the thing off the machine. I had no joy with the ribber at the time and have destroyed more than ten ribber needles trying to get the circular or slip cast on (as is done in flat bed machine knitting) to work on the CSM. </p><p>Fast forward to this weekend, and I convinced the Cog to have a bit of a clear out. That's one good thing about January - the weather's rubbish and the bank accounts all look a little empty, so one finds things to do around the house. He managed to clear out one box of paperwork junk and I managed to get his "not working from home" desk cleared - it's at the other end of the tiny box room I use as my WFH office. So the Dean and Bean machine is now back up - the only downside is, if I get quiet at work I might be tempted to knit a sneaky sock in one of the more boring meetings.</p><p>I've learned quite a lot this week after just two sessions. </p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Don't assume because you can use a metal CSM that the same techniques will work on a 3d printed one - they may or may not! That probably goes for any knitting machine, not just a CSM.</li><li>The slip/circular cast on does NOT work on my CSM - as soon as the ribber needles are disengaged, the ribber dial starts to climb and ribber needles start to rotate 90 degrees in their slots, which is how they get munched (and I'm not even using much force). There is a small line printed on the ribber dial as to when the switch should be moved, but I've given up on it, it does not appear to be functional on my version of this machine. The design may have improved since this one, I don't know. </li><li>The ribber dial slots are a little loosey-goosey when compared to my Imperia - this might be down to the possible tolerances available in 3d printing, I do not know.</li><li>All that being said, the <a href="https://www.sockknittingmachines.com/juana/juana_selvage.pdf" target="_blank">Juana selvedge</a> works very well for ribbing - I knit three quarters of one round of ribbing over EON (Every Other Needle), and then loaded the ribber needles up and picked up the bar. Both rounds were done with the heel weight engaged</li><li>Trying to use a ravel cord between the cast on bonnet and the waste yarn / main yarn didn't go so well.</li><li>I pegged the yarns together and the peg is now toast. Whoops! I need to source some smaller weights methinks</li><li>I used the cast on bonnet and soft weight to get started, but as soon as it's long enough I release the soft weight and use my buckle and weight hanger from my Imperia - it's a lot easier to adjust the weight upwards.</li><li>Always check your ribber needle position before you start removing main cylinder needles, and expect to do a test run first. My first attempt ended in a needle chomping because the ribber and main needles clashed, even though they initially looked ok. Also, alignment with no knitting in place is one thing, but you do have to allow for the thickness of the knitting. I've tweaked my ribber stop out by one, hopefully that is better. </li><li>For heels and toes, the 1 up / 1 up (automatic wrap) decrease is just fine. For decreasing, I found 1 up / 2 down was the most successful. </li><li>Because both cylinder and ribber slots are a little looser than on my metal CSM, cranking with no yarn loaded must be done cautiously. If cylinder needles are empty and in hold, cranking should be done with extreme caution - when these needles are fully up, they rotate in their slots and can get jammed in the yarn carrier area.</li><li>Above all, crank the first bit of the sock slowly and check each stitch meticulously. The machine cannot be cranked as fast as a metal one anyway, being plastic. </li></ol><p></p><p>All that being said, so far it's the most successful of all the 3D printed machines I've seen. The reason I'm testing it now is because I'm due to take it to the annual event at Kegworth, and if it doesn't earn its place in my "stable" of equipment, I'm afraid it will be sold. </p><p>Pictures to follow in the next post - himself is moving around upstairs and will be demanding breakfast imminently!</p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/bitchy.gif" vspace="1" /> bitchy</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-37033549368894693282023-12-31T11:15:00.002+00:002024-01-05T11:35:35.737+00:00Completed Projects 2023<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/52745059980/in/photolist-2omkHRm-2ommxjd-2ommUMS-2ommUQh-2ommURe-2ommUTZ-2omPrgK-2omPrjA-2omPrp5-2omS64Z-2omS66x-2omTovJ-2omTozb-2omToGq-2omUdDi-2omUdDU-2omUdGj-2omUdHS-2omUdKA-2omUBBk-2omgLom-2omkHVe-2omkHXy-2ommUWu-2ommUZF-2omgYxS-2omkHNA-2omkVRt-2ommKgj-2ofwtRw-2ofxxqC-2omgLqv-2omjr3v-2ommV29" title="PXL_20230313_080342329"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52745059980_bffd7b525a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="PXL_20230313_080342329"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>The last three shots are things I made for various xmas presents. There were matching necklaces for some of them, but alas I didn't get everything photographed before it was wrapped!</p>
steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-14132422498887526262023-12-27T07:39:00.004+00:002024-01-05T11:14:48.599+00:00Merry (crappy) Christmas... Wow, time has gone by again. It's not that nothing is happening, it's just that nothing knitworthy is happening. We had a short break in Southampton and Arundel right after my last post, I may have to post-date a post about it. The Cog wasn't great throughout and is having investigations into his stomach problems. <div><br /></div><div>My work can get very busy in the last month of the year as customers look at their bank balances and decide to buy (or not) - and December is a busy month for me, with all the Christmas planning. I had hoped for a quiet 2.5 day week in week 51, clearing out my inbox etc, but had to do a major redesign on something we quoted a while back because the new building is 6m shorter and they were having a board meeting about it on the 22nd (who DOES that?!). I had to cram six week's design work into one day (well, I managed to move the big parts, but the spaghetti awaits me next year). To put the tin hat on the icing, there was a major IT issue on my last working morning. In the end I logged on at 7am the following morning and did twenty minutes unpaid. I hate stuff hanging over my head! Most of the CAD team were already on holiday, plus the sales engineer, but the senior engineer wanted to know if I was working week 52? He's recently widowed, I get it, but absolutely not! </div><div><div><br /></div><div>Yada, yada, it comes every year, alongside the disrupted sleep and anxiety that just make everything feel so much harder than it really is. For some reason I always feel like I should have started planning in November, whilst also wanting to keep December for Christmas alone (our lights will never go up in November, put it this way - and my first spotting was on bonfire night, November 5th!). <div><br /></div><div>I made some xmas jewellery sets for female family members, and I don't know if I photographed them or not and they've already been gifted or wrapped (more on that later). I also cast on a sideways cardigan in an aran-weight yarn, which knits up very quickly (so I have knitted about three quarters of it already). I added cables to it. I failed to get any machine knitting done, unless you count demonstrating a simple mitten pattern and making a pair at the Alex. </div><div><br /></div><div>Outside of all that, we traded in both of our beloved cars for a newish Ford Focus in November, and we've had a few issues with it. My first job today is to call the dealers and politely express my wrath in having had to call out the AA (recovery) twice in less than two months, for two seperate faults. The car's been nicknamed MP (Money Pit). Pity, it's a lovely drive, but I'm beginning to think it's a lemon.</div><div><br /></div><div>We had some nice celebrations for Christmas - work did a "bake off" buffet at work, and there was also a meal (we paid for ourselves) which I couldn't attend because I had holiday to use up and had made other plans. The Cog's eldest brother hosted the annual xmas eve meal, which was excellent, and we won at Junior Pictionary because I am so good at drawing and not at ALL bigheaded! :D</div><div><br /></div><div>Mum tested positive for COVID when she got home on Christmas day. In hindsight, she really ought to have tested herself before she came, and I saw her on the Thursday before too (when she was coughing) - neither of us joined the dots, alas - it's the time of year for coughs and colds. Plus she's had a cough for ages - to the point of having an ultrasound - and they can't find anything. The vaccine takes 1-2 weeks to take effect, so she must have somehow caught a different variant in the meantime. The Cog tested faintly positive, so he must have caught it in Norway. So, Boxing day plans went out of the window. It was going to be the first year since the pandemic where people on my side of the family would actually get their xmas presents at xmas, and everyone would be present, but my sister didn't want to take the risk (they've both had it several times and been poorly, and my niece has somehow never had it) and we didn't want to risk Greg's parents, who are quite frail. We got Greg's elder brother to drop off our gifts, and the trip to Coventry ended up being a short trip to pick up some COVID tests and a supermarket run to buy some actual food for us, as we had not planned to be eating at home. Our freezer had plenty of veggies but very little protein in it! </div><div><br /></div><div>So! Not the best end to 2023, and the saga isn't over yet. NYE plans are also up in the air. I can tell I'm anxious - it's like that feeling at the top of a helter skelter, except it's all the time, and over the silliest of things. My smartwatch keeps telling me my heart rate is too high when I am walking around the shops (it can do that, yet it can't tell me my daily calendar, just the Cog's! Ugh!). I always struggle in winter but this year seems darker for so many reasons, political and otherwise. Oh well, onwards and upwards!</div><div><br /></div><div>Here's hoping your holiday celebrations went better than mine, and let's pray for a peaceful 2024. <br /><p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/exhausted.gif" vspace="1" /> exhausted, annoyed, fed up </p></div></div></div>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-30166598683326149482023-11-22T19:42:00.009+00:002023-11-24T09:03:20.800+00:00Machine knitter interrupted<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53352896765/in/dateposted/" title="PXL_20231124_080418031"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53352896765_fd7ea99c2f.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="PXL_20231124_080418031"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<p>First, way past due - this was birthday sock yarn, and these are the socks it made!</p>
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<p>I really need to finish this - the knitting was done by a local lady who has since passed away, so far I've managed to add all the cuffs (in a slightly different colour pink) and sew it up, it just needs the front bands finishing. Because she did facings, it's slowing me up as to how to complete them.</p>
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<p>This looks much better on - the <a href="https://www.garnstudio.com/pattern.php?id=11337&cid=19" target="_blank">Green Grove tee</a>. Though on closer inspection, it looks like I left some of the patterning out. Oh well, never mind! Now, what to do with the leftover yarn?</p>
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<p>I made two pairs of these mittens on Sunday, but only managed to photograph this pair. Made from the <a href="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/knitpatterns/gsmitten01.html" target="_blank">Gerda Stitt pattern</a> that she kindly let me host in perpetuity before she died. </p>
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<p>Last, but by no means least, I have been distracted by the beading bug lately, when a friend gifted me her extensive bead stash. The bottom two are kits picked up at a recent craft fair - they will be either Spellbound Beads or Southampton Beads - and the top are beaded tassels I am making, after being inspired to make my own by some very expensive ones <a href="https://www.kettlewellcolours.co.uk/products/accessories/item/tassel-necklace" target="_blank">seen online</a>. Mine are interchangeable, too! There might be some xmas present making going on too, but I can't post about that just yet!</p>
<p>Not shown, the kitty cross stitch kit I really ought to finish! In other news, we traded our cars in for a newer car and already some little sh!t has tried to hack the electronics. I guess getting stranded at a garden centre wasn't the worst place to end up, but still, ugh! It cost me £99 to get the car reset, and if it happens again I think I will trade it in for something less attractive...</p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/enthralled.gif" vspace="1" /> enthralled </p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-10130365541917722082023-10-26T18:45:00.004+01:002023-10-27T08:53:16.386+01:00Yarn counts<p>This is on an old Inex card that's been on my desk for ages, I think I picked it up at a guild show:</p><p>2/30<span> <span> <span> </span><span> </span> </span> 1 strand<span> = 1 ply<br />2/16<span> <span> <span> </span><span> </span> </span> 1 strand<span> = 2 ply<br />2/12<span> <span> <span> </span><span> </span> </span> 1 strand<span> = 3 ply<br />2/24<span> <span> <span> </span><span> </span> </span> 2 strands<span> <span> </span>= 3 ply<br />2/10<span> <span> <span> </span><span> </span> </span> 1 strand<span> = fine 4 ply<br />2/20<span> <span> <span> </span> </span><span> </span> 2 strands<span> = fine 4 ply<br />2/30 or 2/32<span> 3 strands<span> = 4 ply<br />2/8<span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> 1 strand<span> = 4 ply<br />2/16<span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> 2 strands<span> = 4 ply<br />2/24<span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> 4 strands<span> = DK<br />2/12<span> <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span> 2 strands<span> = DK</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p>Just putting it out there in case it's any use to anyone! </p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-76344247728378650552023-10-23T19:28:00.001+01:002023-10-24T16:37:29.673+01:00Sorting out machines<p>On Saturday I spent an interesting afternoon helping my friend C sort out some of the stock she picked up when BSK closed. We managed to assemble two working KH230/KR230s and had another set with a non-working ribber. The ribber connector arm had a rather fancy contraption (later ditched on the KR260) that indicated your knitting direction and on the third ribber it was jammed solid, despite looking exactly like the working ones. It almost looked like the tilting thing used on the Passap. No idea why it needed that extra complication and hope she gets it working. We also sorted all of the other bits into type, so at least she'll have some chance of finding things when she wants to sell them. </p>
<p>I can't decide if my mood is excited or depressed - we're trading in both our cars for a newer one next weekend, and the Cog has now informed me that he may be moving to a job that requires him to be in the office three days a week. Facepalm. The cross stitch is continuing apace (though it is still aggravating) and I'm still fighting the urge to go to bed when it gets dark (around 6.30pm at the moment). Other than that, not much to report!</p><p>Oh and I keep seeing local people post pictures of fly agaric, the "famous" red and white mushroom, yet a walk through the local woods failed to reveal any. I will keep trying!</p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/depressed.gif" vspace="1" /> depressed </p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-23347546657694844662023-10-16T18:27:00.021+01:002023-10-18T14:01:54.519+01:00Old friends<p>Had a lovely catch up with some fellow machine knitters at the start of last week. It was suggest by Carol (ex-owner of Metropolitan Machine Knitting), there is a Premier Inn near Crewe which has a small mezzanine area that can be hired. We had a lovely buffet both days (waay too much food, but it was nice) and a lovely evening meal. Pam showed off her hat experiments, and six methods for knitting fairisle on an LK150 without the fairisle carriage. Everyone had garments to show off; I demonstrated the 3d printed CSM, and one hubby gave us a short demonstration of his leatherwork. All in all a very enjoyable few days, and a lot less hassle to organise than the Dream Week I bet! I was trying to organise something here but so far there have not been many takers, so it might be best to plan something for next year. </p>
<p>The cross stitch continues apace. Eleven, count them, shades of dark brown to beige/cream. Ugh. I keep telling myself it's interpretive as only 95% of the stitches are in the correct spots. </p>
<p>In other news, the boiler is making terrible screeching noises, thank goodness it is getting serviced on Friday. It's 22 years old so can't really complain, I just hope it's nothing too serious. </p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/apathetic.gif" align='absmiddle' vspace='1' border='0' alt='' /> apathetic</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-12625893237003275942023-10-02T20:28:00.002+01:002023-10-03T10:55:00.288+01:00Crochet and holidays
<p>Apologies - I didn't realise it had been so long since my last post! Well, I have been away a few times - that's my excuse, and I'm sticking to it! </p><p>First up was the annual Knitting and Crochet Guild AGM. Four guest speakers, two elective classes. I took corner to corner crochet (turns out I could already do it, but never mind!) and mosaic crochet, which was definitely quite challenging. It made a nice change not being a teacher for once. I picked up some stitch dictionaries. I need to cull my craft books, I have way too many!</p>
<p><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53230916316/in/dateposted/" title="PXL_20230925_065454340"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53230916316_80dc8002fe.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="PXL_20230925_065454340"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>This scarf was inspired by the C2C class.</p>
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<p>This scarf (upside down, sorry!) was one I started a while ago in arcade stitch.</p>
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<p>This is my sample of mosaic stitches - the bottom one is made by working into the back loop only, then dipping into the front loop with a treble. The top one you "pre-plan" a gap using a ch space and then work into that gap a few rows later. I figured out how to do C2C in the round on the train home from my second trip (more on that later). I had to wait until I was home to get access to a multi coloured biro. </p>
<p><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53231297484/in/dateposted/" title="PXL_20230923_082641193"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53231297484_6a6a2923b1.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="PXL_20230923_082641193"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Our second trip was a three night stay in Gent. We discovered a brewery (see menu below, I love that their logo contains lots of local symbols) that we missed last time, as well as a tiny bar that sold 150 flavours of jenever (gin). We were incredibly lucky with the weather and needed sun screen, not bad for mid September. It only rained a little on the last day, and both times we were safely in place under awnings at two of the many outside bars.</p>
<p><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53230045977/in/dateposted/" title="PXL_20230915_154246004"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53230045977_64fdb64d9a.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="PXL_20230915_154246004"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53230046427/in/photostream/" title="PXL_20230914_185547732.NIGHT"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53230046427_715a2570ee.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="PXL_20230914_185547732.NIGHT"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53231221683/in/photostream/" title="PXL_20230915_142353193"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53231221683_be916ff122.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="PXL_20230915_142353193"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>Getting back to the UK came with a bit of a bump - it was wet and grey when we got back. I'm trying to resist the urge to hibernate - the nights are markedly longer already. Winter is NOT my favourite season! I made a start on a final (quite complex) cross stitch kit given to me by a friend, but already I have gone wrong. The dratted thing is 97 stitches wide when it should be 96. It might go in the bin at this rate. Pah!</p>
<p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/working.gif" vspace="1" /> working </p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-52143986379178242502023-09-06T19:43:00.010+01:002023-09-07T10:19:53.389+01:00FO: some cross stitch items<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53170143566/in/dateposted/" title="PXL_20230905_181754029"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53170143566_332f7d4eab.jpg" width="478" height="500" alt="PXL_20230905_181754029"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Currently drip-drying in the bathroom and waiting on pressing and framing. Sorry for the rubbish angle - I added the counties to the Warwickshire one. Coventry hasn't been in Warwickshire for some time, it's a blob on the SE of the West Midlands, but never mind. I didn't come up with the kit! I am debating doing some sort of freestyle cross stitch with all the leftover cotton I have. Hmmm. A friend had started the animal one and I finished it off. Ran out of black, luckily I had some elsewhere!</p>
<p>Summer finally arrived on Sunday, it's sunshiney and humid here. I'm not complaining, it's lovely!</p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/hot.gif" align='absmiddle' vspace='1' border='0' alt='' /> hot</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-60297359816275217112023-08-31T21:55:00.008+01:002023-09-01T09:58:38.888+01:00Two-colour tuck<p>
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<p>Upside down Us on DAK mean tuck. This is stitchworld 299. It's a very nice fabric, with zero floats. I'd have got more done, but I spent half the evening wrangling with two CSMs and only managed one tube sock. Bah.</p>
steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-2686566623902524102023-08-29T21:07:00.001+01:002023-08-30T10:27:49.425+01:00COVID<p>Just when we all thought COVID was done and dusted... The Cog and I had a short break in Scarborough, and took in Whitby on the way home. Last time a visit led to the discovery of my mild epilepsy. This time we somehow managed to pick up COVID, though G just thought his was a cold (he started to come down with it as we drove home). I didn't think to test either of us until my SIL's annual garden party, which alas we both had to sit out at home. The curse of Whitby strikes again (although we might have potentially picked it up in a spa in Scarborough, the place was jam packed with kids). Symptoms were those of a head cold, plus aches and a stonking headache.</p>
<p>So long, last long weekend of the year! Saturday I was so ill all I could do was slump in front of the TV and watch reruns and doze. Sunday I managed a little handknitting and a bunch of Columbo episodes (I love that series - turns out some of them are as old as me, too!). Monday I did a little cross-stitch. Tuesday we'd planned to visit some local tourist landmarks, but I cancelled the day off and stayed home again. The only event that did go (somewhat) to plan was the monthly machineknitting zoom, where I demonstrated the YC6 colour changer. Some questions on Ravelry have explained to me how to make Designaknit do two colour slip/tuck, I might try it tonight.</p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/lethargic.gif" align='absmiddle' vspace='1' border='0' alt='' /> lethargic</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-17934289094303568172023-08-08T21:48:00.002+01:002023-08-09T14:47:53.630+01:00Lumpy toe<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/steelbreeze/53103878827/in/dateposted/" title="PXL_20230809_113908293"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/53103878827_ca3c007d5d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="PXL_20230809_113908293"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<p>Well, in my defence, a good friend turned up in the middle to pick up some books and MK equipment I'm getting rid of, and I kind of lost track with the toe of this sock. But it came out very well and I am quite pleased with it, my first sock on the Dean and Bean machine! I still need to loosen off the directional cam I think, I don't want to have to poke it on every pass because that's a bit irritating! There are two Russian joins in this sock because the yarn had already been used and cut, and alas I don't have more of this colour to make it a mate yet. The tension is a bit iffy because I was too lazy to rewind the yarn into a proper ball. Perhaps I could start a trend for odd socks though?</p><p>I've sold a few MK books on Facebook this week which is good. The garage is awash with coned yarn so himself is not best pleased! Nobody seems to want the Toyota needles which is a pity. I hate to take things down the tip but that is where they will go! </p><p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/working.gif" vspace="1" /> working </p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-73531780451892626272023-08-07T17:08:00.000+01:002023-08-07T17:08:00.139+01:00Festival of Quilts and the summer of rain<p>Well, I took Friday off and attended the Festival of Quilts. I think I preferred last year's layout, this year the quilts were displayed in various areas, mixed in with stalls, and in quite a maze. I didn't really want to spend £7 on a program ( I much prefer the one page freebie map and listing available at the Creative Craft show last month) so I probably missed seeing quite a lot of quilts because it was impossible to know if you'd seen everything. The good thing about this show is that the NEC does at least provide ample seating throughout - a bonus at lunchtime because the tiny cafes in halls 7-9 can't possibly accomodate everyone at once. Tired shoppers tend to go home early and make less purchases!</p><p>I resisted buying more fabric but did buy another cross stitch kit and some dichroic glass jewellery that caught my eye. </p><p>Saturday we had planned a leisurely day wandering around Coventry, followed by a night out and a hotel stay. So of course, it rained pretty much all day - we were ducking in and out of shops. Not really the relaxing day we had hoped for! Of course now we are back at work, the sun is out - it's still a cool 17 degrees though, not at all the sort of temperatures you'd expect in August. Sunday we made a trip to a fitness store to order a spin bike (alas they didn't have the one we wanted in stock) and then a short wander around Northampton itself. The town's a bit scruffy but the museum was very interesting, an exhibition about the shoe industry and some amazing Lego models. </p><p>Ordered some more wax stamps from an Etsy seller and not only has the wrong thing been sent, but the delivery driver (company begins with Y) dumped it at the wrong address and scarpered. If it wasn't for the local Facebook group I'd still be none the wiser! </p><p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/annoyed.gif" vspace="1" /> annoyed</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-11058174184923601002023-07-30T21:47:00.004+01:002023-08-02T11:57:28.855+01:00Playing with the new toy
<p>Well, after a disastrous first attempt, I managed to get two serviceable heels out of the new CSM. The first I followed the instructions, which were:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Short-rowing in, pull leading needle in hold (automatically wraps on next pass)</li><li>Short-rowing out, move trailing needle to WP, wrap leading held needle manually</li></ol><div>This resulted in the leading working needle occasionally dropping the stitch, though moving the yarn carrier a bit closer seemed to help. If you can get the first needle to knit then the yarn is in the right place for subsequent needles to pick it up. Wrapping the yarn manually tends to mean it rides up in the yarn carrier so I had to learn to "floss" each time. </div><div><br /></div><div>My second attempt went much better:</div><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Short-rowing in, pull leading needle in hold</li><li>Short-rowing out, place leading needle back into WP and hold the latch open</li></ol></div><p></p><p>This is my preferred method with the Imperia and it looks neater on the inside - the manual wrap creates a bit of a loop. I've established that the central "switch" cam tends to stick, thus causing jams when short-rowing. I will try and loosen it half a turn; having to poke it on every row is a bit annoying! Alas I have to get the cylinder out to access that part. </p>
<p>I had to smile after watching someone unboxing their version of this machine on Youtube. The expectation was the whole thing would arrive pre-assembled and working, I cannot imagine it surviving the postal service fully assembled. Having said that, I don't know what the website was like when the reviewer bought their machine - there are tons of videos on the website now, including a whole video course, so there's really no reason not to get it up and running fairly quickly. However, anyone expecting machine knitting to be "easy" is in for a short, sharp shock - it takes persistance and sheer bloody-mindedness to get anywhere with a machine. Just when you think you are in control, the machine throws you for a loop, too - no chance to get complacent! Something that swatches perfectly can still go wrong - I swear these machines KNOW when it's important, and decide not to co-operate!</p><p>Cross-stitch is my current addiction, though the machines haven't been forgotten. I'm part way through a child's alphabet at the moment. </p><p>I took delivery of a big destash of yarn and mk books last week, more are due to come this week. I will attempt to donate them to the KCG first and then try selling them online. Alas I suspect much may end up in recycling, there's very little interest in the publications these days. I seem to have gained an LC2 lace carriage (the machines have already been donated I understand) and a bunch of Toyota needles. </p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/amused.gif" vspace="1" /> amused </p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-48350101522699933682023-07-19T21:12:00.001+01:002024-01-12T12:16:45.004+00:00New toys and gradual progress<p>Well, when this came up for sale on Ravelry I managed to resist for a whole 24 hours:</p>
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<p>It's a Dean and Bean 3d printed CSM with four cylinders and matching ribbers...</p>
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<p>The less said about the mess I made when I tried to use the ribber, the better... Is it just me, or does the ribber arm look like the USS Enterprise? </p>
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<p>My other current addiction is finishing this. The two buildings at the bottom are delayed because I ran out of beige. I'm not sure which is more annoying, that it was my fault for not reading the graph properly, or that I'm paying £3 postage for a 99p skein of cotton. Still, at least I resisted buying more yarn! The universe must have realised I'm doing cross stitch because an old friend had a clear out and sent me three part finished ones. Though I do now have two sleeves and a back from the Passap. Slowly but surely the cardigan continues... </p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/amused.gif" vspace="1" /> amused</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-68331054967979932202023-07-10T19:45:00.013+01:002023-07-12T12:45:41.563+01:00Baby steps, and the struggles of a perfectionist<p>We had a short break in Bristol last weekend. It was ok, though the weather was decidedly blah. We ate well and visited the SS Great Britain, which was fascinating. Not sure I'd particularly visit again but it was a nice change. We walked a lot as our hotel was a good twenty minutes outside town.</p>
<p>Not much progress to report, but I did successfully knit a sleeve in English rib on the Passap. I managed to drop a few stitches when casting off, but they've been fixed with handknitting needles. Many thanks to jkisala on the Ravelry Passap group for giving me the pointers to understand the pattern. The other sleeve should go much quicker, and I've already knitted the back and a front once, so they should be ok.</p>
<p>Since picking up the cross stitch in Birmingham a few weeks back, it has been taking up a lot of my time. I find it quite soothing, except for when I go wrong and have to unpick bits. I've also made some progress on the second tunisian crochet sheep cushion cover, though it took two false starts to get the corners right on the last white section (so I ended up effectively going backwards last Wednesday when I worked on it). I didn't have that trouble with the first one so perhaps I managed to overthink it somehow.</p>
<p>In the meantime I've been enjoying using the fancy new pen, and feeling pretty meh about the Wing Sung 3013, which is a TWSBI copy. Not sure if it's the nib width, which appears to be extra fine, but the ink just doesn't seem to want to flow very smoothly. It may end up in the circular file, or on Ebay. A pity, I would not have wasted £10 on it if I'd known. The Platinum Plaisir is also a joy to use, and I'm dying to know if it really IS a ball bearing seal in the cartridge - though it seems fairly frugal with ink, so it might be a while before I can find out!</p>
<p>No more holiday for a while, and the Cog has instigated the diet again. Ugh. I wouldn't mind if I felt it was working, but after twelve months it's getting a little tiresome!</p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/working.gif" align='absmiddle' vspace='1' border='0' alt='' /> working </p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-59571005287374338332023-06-19T19:21:00.003+01:002023-06-20T14:24:48.224+01:00Update from yesterday's post<p>After some consultation on Ravelry, apparently I should have been increasing on both beds for the sleeve. Also I need to add or subtract a stitch to keep the end stitch on the knitting bed (in this case, the front bed). Well, I'm not sorry I frogged the back, as there were a few missed tucks, but that front was pretty good! Oh well! Just goes to show, even us so-called experts can mess things up! </p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/determined.gif" align='absmiddle' vspace='1' border='0' alt='' /> determined</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14180815.post-89649620690595843412023-06-19T18:39:00.001+01:002023-06-19T18:39:00.150+01:00More objects of desire, and machine knitting frustrations<p>Well, I bought two new lenses and already the 18-400mm has proved its worth - so much lighter to take hiking. However, I am now lusting over a 100mm macro lens. My 35mm lens (discontinued) is fine but you do have to get pretty close to things to get a decent shot. I've yet to figure out what to do with the 50mm. Perhaps that's the curse of photography - never got the right lens, always something to lust after! </p><p>It's probably down to my terrible note-keeping, but I finally decided to restart work on the half-fisherman's rib cardigan (supposedly an easy Passap Model Book pattern - ha!) only to discover the tension I'd written down was really struggling. Stitches were hopping off all over the place. First attempt at a sleeve had so many missed tucks it looked like the moths had been at it - even a homeless person wouldn't want it! A restart at a lower tension went better BUT the left hand end stitch refused to form on the tucking back bed - I don't know that there's an easy fix for that! I do wish the Passap E6000 manual went into more detail as to how these things are achieved! The manual has very little information on this! I wrote on the pattern I'd used ss6/6 but on Ravelry I've written down ss5/5 which, apart from that left needle, worked much better. In disgust I'm afraid I frogged the lot, apart from the pocket, which I cannot figure out how it was knit (I *think* it was started circular - it refused to reveal its secrets and I didn't feel like looking them up by that point). Reader, I cast on a hand knit shawl in disgust. It does make me think the Passap is more suited to straight pieces and yardage, but I will have a rummage through my Passap books and see if I can find a better method for knitting sleeves in a tucked rib. I'm sure it's going to come up again! Increasing shouldn't be so hard! </p><p>I recently offered to host Susan Guagliumi's free patterns, as she has recently taken her website down amid rising expenses. I can confirm that the garment patterns are now <a href="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/" target="_blank">available online</a> as PDFs with her kind permission. I didn't give her a specific page, but until the next round of updates they'll be the ones marked *NEW* in most cases. </p>
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<p>In other news, I finally finished the Pauline cardigan, with yarn to spare. I've yet to wear it of course, it is too hot to be wearing acrylic!</p><p>Mother Nature finally leaned on the "Summer" button here, we have had almost constant sunshine for the last few weeks, with the odd thunderstorm. Alas the ground is so dry it's almost as if the water is bouncing. I have been pretty lazy this year garden-wise and just pulled some weeds so far. We do seem to have a few bald spots that need occupying to keep the weeds in check if nothing else. </p>
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<p>The socks made with yarn I bought in Ghent. They were finished a few weeks ago, I think I put them away before I got around to taking their picture. </p>
<p><b>Current mood:</b> <img align="absmiddle" alt="" border="0" src="http://www.needlesofsteel.org.uk/mood/annoyed.gif" vspace="1" /> annoyed</p>steel breezehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18066511414876475930noreply@blogger.com0