Sleeves

 

I've finished knitting one sleeve of my cardigan and started on the next. I was glad I'd done a swatch of the lace pattern so I was familiar with it by the time I had to start sliding stitches back and forth for the magic loop technique of knitting in the round. It turned out that knitting four together was easier than I anticipated, but knitting four together through the back of the loops, not so much. I'm using a fine crochet hook to hoik the yarn through the stitches and that works well. 

A Cardigan For Me

 

 I bought some yarn last week to knit myself a cardigan. The yarn is called Classic Wool, though it's 20% wool and 80% acrylic, which seems a bit of a cheek to me. But I've used it before and know it's a nice yarn to work with and wear. 

I bought the yarn without a specific pattern in mind. I had a look at some of my knitting books and did several swatches for patterns in The Country Diary Book of Knitting, by Annette Mitchell, but none of them made gauge. So I had a look at the patterns I'd saved on Pinterest and eventually settled on a Drops Design pattern, Early May. 

The body of the cardigan is plain stocking stitch while the sleeves are lacy. The chart for the lace baffled me a bit; what does 'knit 4 stitches twisted together' mean? So I worked a sample last night and I think it means to knit 4 together through the back of the loops. That's what I'm going to do anyway. The garment is knitted all in one from the bottom up. I've got to the armholes, now have to knit the sleeves separately and then join all together for the yoke. So there won't be any sewing up to do. 

Merry Christmas

 

Swap

 

I swapped the food net I made recently for two tea cosies. Well, I asked for a flowery one, which I got, but Kath kindly gave me a Christmas one too. So my teapot is now splendidly arrayed for the holiday season. 

I have run out of fabric for jewelry bags, which means I had time to do a test tat. Have a look at Le Blog de Frivole to see the evolution of Joelle's snowflake based on the picture of a real snowflake. 

Contrast

 

Both these keyrings use the same pattern, but the pattern doesn't show up well on the right hand one, because the background colour is too similar. I did suspect that the contrast wasn't good when I was threading the beads, but I still like the look of it, so I carried on regardless. 

Beaded crochet has been put aside again because Anne the silversmith needs yet more bags. Of course she needs them promptly, to catch the Christmas sales, so I'm getting on with sewing another 38.

New Computer

 We finally bit the bullet and bought a new computer. This morning I am reminded again of why I was reluctant to get a new computer. I will eventually get everything sorted and aligned, but in the meantime it feels as tedious as my very slow old computer. 

Luckily, I have things to do in the real world. I've been making some more beaded keyrings.

The blue one has a 6 bead circumference. I really like to use 5 beads for keyrings. While I was working on it, I realised that I could easily change the pattern to 5 circumference. I did that for the second one. Unfortunately, the colours I used don't contrast enough to show the pattern up well. I'll have to make another one. I've also been working on another pattern that has a faulty beading pattern. I've tried to correct it, but so far have been unsuccessful. 

I had to interrupt the beading to sew jewelry bags, after an urgent call from the silversmith. That means she's getting good Christmas sales, which is all to the good.

Another

 

I've given away all the food nets I made recently, so I thought I'd make another. I used Anne Bruvold's flowery triangle again in the centre, combined with Jane Eborall's SCMR butterfly. The beads around the edge are quite heavy, which helps keep the net in place over food, to keep flies and other nasties out. 

Silk

 

I bought this silk in Singapore in 2010! Every now and then I'd take it out of its packet and admire it. I felt guilty about not using it, but also wanted the right project for it. At last I've used it, or half of it anyway, to make a blouse to wear with the skirt shown in the previous post. 

I used the 'wrong' side of the silk as the right side of the garment, if that makes sense. The colour is closer to the maroon in the skirt, and I like the texture. The bright pink, smooth silk is on the inside. I didn't have buttons that would do the garment justice, so I used press studs. That saved me making buttonholes too, always a bit nerve wracking on a special fabric. Before starting, I reread an article 'How to sew with silk' on ageberry.com, that I'd saved on Pinterest. It was very useful for deciding things like stitch length and how to neaten the seams. 

According To Your Cloth

 

My sewing mentee gave me this fabric. He suggested I make a dress with it, but I thought that would be a bit overpowering and a skirt would be better. I thought a skirt cut on the cross would be good, so I bought a large piece of very expensive tracing paper to make a pattern. But when I came to fit the pattern to the fabric, it turned out that the fabric was much too narrow for that. So I made a straight skirt, using the full width of the fabric for the back and another for the front to make a very full skirt. Too full? I'm not sure. I'm still mulling that.

Two More

 

I've made two more beaded bracelets for the order. Here are all four of them together:

Back To Bracelets

 

I have an order for four bracelets in 'African' colours, so I'm working on that. Two done, two more to do. 

One Done

 

I've finished one food cover, sewing beaded running stitch around the border and sewing on the tatted stars. I've done the beaded edging on the second one:

I hope to finish it today, but I have a long to-do list, from pickling onions and doing the washing to cutting gift tags for tomorrow's craft group meeting. I'll have to see how it goes. 

Still Tatting

 

I've been tatting, in between sewing jewelry bags (50 last week and 60 this week). I was looking through me tatting file recently and came across my scribbled version of Anne Bruvold's flowery triangle. Anne didn't write out the pattern, but gave permission for it to be copied. I've tatted it several times before. I thought it would work well on a food cover, combined with butterflies. I also tatted more stars, to make five altogether:

It's always interesting when you tat a motif a number of times to see how thread size affects the size of the motif. The yellow star measures 12cm across, whereas the pink one measures 9cm.

Seeing Stars

 

Manju Talekar developed muskaan's Endruck's leaf doodle into a star and muskaan has written and diagrammed the pattern.  You can find it on this blogpost.  It's a really good design that lies nicely flat. I thought I'd make several to put on a food net. I worked it in two rounds because I find it easier to sew in ends than to make a split chain! 

Cross Stitch

 

I've been doing a bit of cross stitch, to make a card for an upcoming family wedding. I took the motif from Donna Kooler's 555 Cross Stitch Motifs. I used metallic thread for the initials and date. It's quite difficult to work with, but looks good. 

The Disappearing Comment

 Yesterday, there were three comments on my A Simple Knit post, one from Lace-lovin' Librarian - Diane; one from picotsnkeys; and one from splocik. I duly ticked the boxes for them all to be published on the blog. But only two of them appeared. Blogger says that splocik's comment has been published and sent me an email to that effect, but the blog post doesn't show it. This morning there was a comment from muskaan, which was published, no problem. I'm a bit puzzled. I wouldn't like splocik to think I don't value the comment, I most certainly do! Thank you. I have no idea why it's not at the bottom of the post but, for the record, I did receive it and did try to publish it. Thanks to the other three for their comments too. 

A Simple Knit

 

I was asked to make a fitted top for a petite lady. I thought cotton would be better suited to the task than handspun wool, but couldn't find the right yarn. I bought some acrylic. I do like to work with natural fibres, but there's a time for all things and I thought the acrylic would be good for a trying a pattern out. I took some measurements, did some calculations and got knitting. I took the front along for a try out; we decided that the straps needed to be longer but otherwise it was fine. So I went ahead and knitted the back. It was a good project for knitting in the evenings, not too much attention required. 

This And That

 

I've been making this and that for Saturday's market table. More puppets to replace the ones I sold last month; beaded key rings to replace the ones I've sent to a gift shop. Our roof tiles are being replaced, so there's a lot of disruption, but keeping on with crafting probably helps keep me sane. 

Crosses

 I tatted two Jane's Bookmark Crosses, designed by Grace Tan, as gifts. I came to put the second one into an envelope and realised that I'd put an extra two rings on one arm. Fiddle de dee. It was too late to do anything about it, so I gave it to the recipient with a note that I will make her another one. I forgot to take pictures of either cross, so here's a picture of a Flamboyant tree in my garden that is looking splendid:

Another UFO Vanquished

 

At last I have finished the pullover that was given to me half done. The sleeves look rather short in the picture, but that's only because they're folded over.  I was tempted to just leave the abandoned sleeve, but I realised that would mean the project was still lurking, so I spent a couple of hours yesterday unravelling and untangling it. I ended up with a lot of small balls in the three colours:

One of the ladies at the retirement home I visit knits toys and I'm hoping that she will be able to make use of them. 

Plan B

 

Aha. My daughter told me another way of getting the photo on to the computer, so here we are, here's a picture of the food net I described yesterday. I do still need a new computer, but I have a bit of leeway. 

No Picture

 I have finished a food net with sunflowers and butterflies. I can't show a picture though, because my computer is misbehaving. Time to buy a new computer, I suppose. Sigh....

Evolution Of A Sunflower

 

I want to make a food cover with tatted sunflowers. I started with my own pattern, Sunflower In Maltese Tatting; there's a link to the pattern on the right of this blog page. I couldn't find Martha Ess's instructions for Maltese tatting, but my pattern is clear enough that I didn't need an update. It took me a few goes to get it right, but I did. I think my thread isn't ideal though. I don't like the way the picots tend to twist. Can anyone tell me how to avoid that? Letting the shuttle dangle didn't solve the problem.

I decided that I want a more substantial sunflower. I used the method for the centre of the Maltese flower, more or less, with the petals from the daisy I've been using for food covers.  I had to make a few changes, but it works, I think.

UFO No Longer

 

I cut this shirt out months ago but never got around to sewing it. Now, I'm trying to finish off projects that have been lurking. As an added incentive for finishing this one, Jack tore a shirt beyond repair last week, so does need another one. 

Sleeve Progress

 

Knitting goes much faster when you're working with one ball of yarn rather than 12. I've finished one sleeve, working mainly in the evenings. 

The yarn name is (mmm) interesting:

Take a quick look and you'd think it was angora. But look at the small print and it turns out to be 50% acrylic and 50% nylon. No rabbits have been anywhere near it. 

Buyer beware, I guess. 

That Sinking Feeling

 

I've almost finished knitting the first sleeve of the pullover I was asked to finish. I got the hang of colour changes and shaping, but I began to wonder if there's enough yarn for the second sleeve. Yesterday I got out my scale to help me decide. First I weighed the second needle - 16g. Then I weighed the sleeve and took off 16 - 138-16=122g. Then I measured the yarn that's left - 92g. While the method isn't terribly accurate, it's clear that there isn't enough yarn to knit the second sleeve. 

What to do, what to do? I could abandon the project; I could knit three-quarter length sleeves; or I could knit the sleeve all in white, as there's plenty of that. While option one is tempting, I'll probably go with three. Perhaps that's what the original knitter intended? I have no idea. 

Colourways

 

I thought I'd make some beaded crochet bracelets before Saturday's market. I've done two, using the same pattern in different colourways. It's interesting to see how the different colours give a really different look. I wonder which would be more popular?

Tatting Refresher

 

A few weeks ago, I saw a note on an local online group from someone looking for help with her tatting. I got in contact and on Saturday afternoon Suri arrived with her shuttles and some tatting she'd done a long time ago. She wants to tat a bookmark, but when she had a go, she realised that she'd lost the knack! With a bit of demonstration and a lecture about 'the flip' Suri got it right, tatted a few rings and chains and is on her way. I'm happy to give further help if she needs it, but I'm sure she's good to go.

I wanted to show Suri one of the patterns on my blog, but when I clicked on it, I got an error message. Oh dear. I've just investigated and it seems my account has been closed, perhaps because I haven't logged in recently. I've written to Keep and Share to ask them to reinstate it. 

A Knotty Problem

 

The person who knitted the back of the sweater I'm finishing was obviously concerned that new yarn was going to work loose. At each join they've tied a whole series of knots! Honestly, it's unnecessary and just makes a mess on the back. I had to undo all the knots before I could sew the ends in. I did sew all the ends in though and ended up with quite a  pile of orts:

I've started knitting a sleeve. With the colour changes and increases to shape the sleeve, it feels like that game where you have to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time.

Finished The Front

 I'm dawdling along on my knitting, partly because there's no deadline and partly because I'm not absolutely enthusiastic about finishing someone else's project. Nonetheless, I have finished the front of the pullover:

There are a lot of ends to thread in. 

I think I'll do them now, before I start knitting the sleeves, so the job is not overwhelming when I get all the knitting done. 

Project For Friday

 

 I was given a bunch of these lightweight, silver-coloured rings. I don't know what they were originally used for, but when I saw a picture of towel holders on Pinterest, I thought, aha, they could be used for that. I've used felt for the top part, so that we only need one layer and can cut a buttonhole without neatening it. I've decorated the towel with ribbon and a crochet flower. The members of the craft group at a retirement home are free to decorate their towels any way they please, but I'll crochet some flowers and take them along as an option. 

Busy With Bags

 

Anne, the silversmith, has ordered 50 bags this month, instead of the usual 30, so that will keep me busy for a while. 

In The Mood For Knitting

 Saturday's market wasn't a great success for me. I sold enough to pay for my table, but no more. I decided that if I couldn't sell, I'd better buy - I came home with a basket full of foodstuffs, from double  cream to pecan nuts. 

I'm in the mood to knit. I thought I might tackle the half finished pullover I was asked (a long time ago!) to complete.

First step was to untangle the yarns at the back of the work:

Then it took some time to work out what size was being knitted and where it was on the chart. I had to undo a few rows because there was a mistake, which wasn't altogether a bad thing because it helped me figure out where I'm at. I think I've got it now:

This is not a good take-along project, of course, so I might need to have something smaller on the go too. 

Ladybird

 

Or Ladybug. I've made a ladybird hooded towel for Saturday's morning market table.  She's not easy to photograph or display, but hopefully she will be eye catching. 

I wasn't sure if ladybird spots are symmetrical, so I looked it up and apparently they are. My ladybird duly has spots arranged symmetrically.