Solving A Puzzle

 

On Saturday, a friend of mine handed me an old, crocheted coat hanger cover and asked me if I knew how it was done. Mmm, no. I said I'd have a go at figuring it out. It was easy to see that the white part was done second, but how was the middle zig zag done? It took me a while to figure out that there's a central chain and then two sides of shells are worked down the chain separately, with a double crochet between each pair of shells. Single crochet in American terms.  Mine looks a bit more pointy than the original, but I think that can be corrected by working one chain between shells instead of two. I've sent Jenni notes about the method and I'm going back to knitting socks.

For Socks

 

I've been spinning for a sock order and dyed the wool this morning in the microwave. I didn't stir the dyepot because I didn't want to risk the wool felting, so I'm prepared for some unevenness. I added the skeins to the dyebath together so that the skeins would be 'evenly uneven'. I think it has worked, but I'll have to wait until the skeins are dry to be sure. 

Dawdled

 

I've dawdled rather, but have now finished the entrelac gloves. 

I did knit a pair of little bootees on Monday, but gave them away without taking a picture. 

Stashbuster Fingerless Gloves

 

I was looking through my pattern file the other day when I came across a pattern I'd photocopied from Interweave Knits magazine. The pattern is by Allyson Dykhuizen. I didn't have the name of the pattern, but I've just looked it up and it's 'Reservoir Mitts'. It can be found on Ravelry. I thought it would be a good way to use up the tiny bits of wool I have left over from making socks and gloves. It is. I've used Allyson's directions for the entrelac back of the hand, but made up the rest of the gloves. Allyson knitted the palm of the hand from side to side and her version has half fingers. I'm knitting the palm upwards, joining to the back as I go. 

I sold the Celtic knot gloves on Saturday and a few other things. I also have orders for three pairs of socks. I want to finish these gloves and a pair of boottees for a gift and then I'll start spinning for the orders. 

PS There were a lot of scribbled notes on the pattern, but I don't remember knitting them. I've just looked back on my blog and found them! I knitted them in 2014. As I'm doing now, I made up my own version of the palm.

Wool For Market

 

I've spun four skeins of wool, which I'll roll into balls before Saturday's market. I ummed and arred about dyeing them but eventually decided to leave them natural. 

Spragues Revisited

 

I'm running out of time to prepare for the market, so I didn't want to try a new glove pattern and risk it not working. I used this Spragues pattern by Galt House of Yarn that I used last year. This time round I know that 'spragues' is an old English term meaning alert or lively, thanks to Diane. 

Here's the whole batch of gloves together:

Another Pair

 

I've completed another pair of fingerless gloves for the market basket.  I can't see a name on the pattern I used. The variegated wool probably distracts from the lace and cable pattern a bit.