FO: Nina Miklin wrap

This is in an alpaca mix and was finished in August but has been hanging around whilst I decided whether I wanted to handwash it. I didn't, and it washes fine at 30 deg C. Then I kept forgetting to photograph it. Wearing it today, it's toasty!

FO: Preeemie baby cardigan

Made from the leftover yarns from the Passap baby sets - two ends together - one is pink, yellow, white, orange and the other is blue, pink, white. The green colour is by magic!

Made at T6 on the SK840 knitting machine - the pattern called for mock ribs and hems, and asides from the main body, I replaced those with rib.

The Ally Pally swag in full...

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Originally uploaded by steel breeze

* Two skeins of sari silk
* 10 balls of Jojoland Rhythm (which seems to be identical to the Yarntree yarn I used for my Lizard Ridge jumper, a v neck jumper and two felted bags)
* a dichroic glass bracelet (also a pendant, not pictured)
* Christmas earrings and a brooch (a lucky dip prize from the dichroic glass stall)
* a ball of Lang Jawolle Magic, which looks similar to the Mochi mochi yarn but is superwash so should remain human-sock size for more than one wash
* a skein of Lang Mille Fiamme which is very beautiful
* two crystal heart drops, probably going to make these into pendants

Passap neckwarmer

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Originally uploaded by steel breeze

This is a better picture, taken in actual daylight, and no felines causing problems either! You can clearly see where the 1x1 rib is gradually converted to knit/knit, forming a V shape.

New toy - LK150

Picked up this from a fellow Raveller - wanted a midgauge for a while, but the only new metal bed currently available is very expensive (and that's not including the ribber, which of course I would have to have also). Whilst I might save up for that, this will tide me over in the meantime.

It does tuck, slip, plating, fairisle and there's an intarsia carriage. Any patterning is hand-selected (fairisle is done using slip and two passes per colour).

I'm pretty sure it's an LK150, although it's got "Option 4" written on it. It was a bargain and was in excellent condition (had to replace the row counter though). It's got pink and grey rollers and looks very girly, but seems man enough to knit all the DK I've tried in it so far.

Looks like the Bro convertible is now extraneous. Have to have a think and see if I can find it a deserving new home.

FO: Passap neckwarmer

Extraordinarily bad photograph - not only was it a bit dark in the bedroom, but with my other hand I was trying to keep the dratted cat out of the picture, who has been completely smitten with me since we got back from holiday. It's a neckwarmer - cast on at the neck edge in 1x1 rib, cast on for shoulders, and then gradually add in the empty needles, working from the outside edge towards the middle (so gradually become knit/knit or full needle rib). This is some kind of acrylic 4ply, a little thick for the stitch size I was using. I ran this up on Thursday night, when I had a spare hour.

Since I got back from Malta (yeah, still haven't uploaded the holiday pics), work's been very, very busy - so much so that, I haven't had the head-space to do much more than handknit when I get home. Couple that with the fact that the last few weeks nobody's really been keeping on top of the housework - Monday night is housework night, and for the last three weeks one or more of us has been on holiday - had to have a major declutter last night, and tackle a monstrous pile of ironing too. Still, have done an inventory of all my craft books and most of my mk patterns. Have filed a lot of stuff and have started a pile of stuff to put onto Ebay. I also did some swatches on Sunday, because the weather was miserable all day.

Since I got back I've been wondering what happened to the Galena top I was crocheting - forgot I popped it into a spare filing cabinet at work! :)

Aligning a Brother ribber

Alignment - this is a one-off process when putting a ribber with a new machine (although occasionally if I’ve been using thick yarn, the horizontal alignment can require re-tightening). I’ve had various Brothers and the ribber required re-alignment for each one! :)

Vertical

Pull some needles at the ends of the main bed fully forward, and have the ribber in the highest position
MINIMUM - you should be able to slide a piece of paper in the gap ‘twixt extended needles and ribber gate pegs
MAXIMUM - ditto, but the thickness of a CD

Adjust the vertical alignment at both ends by loosening the hex nut (sits between the back of the ribber bed and the rise-and-fall bracket) and then raising or lowering the little metal lever there. There should be a spanner with your ribber things. Re-tighten when done.

DON’T adjust this unless you have a decent sponge bar in, ie the main bed needles are flat against their bed, because if it’s a flat one it’s entirely possible to set the ribber too high and it won’t pass at all, ask me how I know!

Horizontal

There are two slotted screws in the bed of the ribber at the left hand end. Loosen them by one turn only. Set the ribber to P5 and tap at the end of the beds until the needles either side of 0 correspond exactly to those on the ribber. Don’t forget to re-tighten!