Spring Cowl

New pattern and details for a spring cowl can be found here.

Moving Day

I moved blog hosting today, you can now find me at Wordpress. Come and check me out and let me know what you think of the new site.

Solidarity

I just read this post by Annie Modesitt and then went and read this by Ysolda, they are calling on people like you and me to make the stand with them.

So, come on knitsibs (as Brenda Dayne likes to call us) take the stand with them. This is one situation where solidarity will be the catalyst of getting the changes made. These wonderful designers are providing us with beautiful items to knit/crochet and getting a pittance how can that be right or just? We can help them so, so easily we don't even have to get off our butts to do it.

If you've a subscription to a magazine that treats these people so poorly, then cancel it and let the magazine know why. If you buy one of these magazines from the news stand, stop and choose another like Interweave knits or Yarn Forward. lets put our money into the designers hand or into the coffers of magazines that give our designers a fair and decent price for all the hard work they put into a design.

We as knitters of the net have the power to make that change, we litrally have the power at our fingertips. Go to your favourite designers website and buy direct, check out Ravelry to find out other ways of buying that pattern you've been lusting after or online magazines like Twist Collective . Blog about it, tweet it, have it in your Facebook profile tell everyone and anyone you can.

Let your fingers do the talking and put your money where it most deserves to be, with the people who design the things you want to knit. The only way that this will work is if we all do our bit, designers and knitters alike.

I've only ever designed four things, I'm working my way to be a 'proper' designer and hopefully one day I will be. I would be so thrilled if a magazine like Vogue Knitting asked me to submit a design, I mean I'd be bouncing off the walls with excitement but with their current policy I'd have to turn them down. Not only would I be selling myself short, I'd also be a part of the problem that current designers are experiancing. I'm not sure I could live with that. Could you?

Simple Fitted V-neck Tee

I finished a tee (or short sleeved jumper) for myself last night, quite pleased with how it turned out. it's not see through that was the flash (grrr, crappy British weather!).

I used Forsell Touch of Silk DK and size 4.5mm circulars (no seems, yay), think I'll wear it for work today with a shirt underneath. I've made a pattern (in the side bar), so far it's only the one size but I'll be changing that ASAP (today). Have now added more sizes to the pattern it's now 30-52inch if you have any problems with the pattern please let me know.

It's Been A While...

Since I last made a post ( or at least it feels that way).Yesterday I finished another hat, Star Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson. Really quick and satisfying knit, although I did decide to use smaller needles as I didn't want it to be too big on my head.I used King Cole Fashion Aran in colour 162 Heather and 4.5mm & 5.5mm circular needles.

I've also been working on the Renee Leverington Winter Mystery Shawl 2008, I'm now on clue two. It's a bit slow going due to the beads (my first beaded project) but I'm enjoying the process and don't feel the need to rush it.
I also started another jumper (this one for me) using Ann Budd's book, I'm using the same mohair yarn I used for the Kiri shawl as I've shed loads of it :-) I've finished the body and have started on the first sleeve, it's not going to be overly fitted but will hopefully be flattering. I may even try to work in some interest around the yoke, but that will depend on if I can find anything that captures my interest.I've also been working on a pattern for a matching hat for the Twisted Seedling: Fingerless Mitts, hope to have the pattern ready by next week.

WOW!

What can I say? I finished one of the shawls I've on the go last night. Renee Leverington's Persephone (also known as MS10), wow! This shawl is beautiful but like all lace didn't reveal just how beautiful until it was blocked and WOW! I love it. Yes, yes I mucked up the blocking as I really didn't give myself enough time for it to dry before I needed to actually go to bed (the only place big enough to block it) but I can re-do it another time now I know it's true beauty.

Renee is a master of the lace shawl and I bow to her excellence, I've 2 more of her shawls OTN and another 2 in the queue, I can't wait to discover how beautiful they are.

I used 4mm needles and a silvery blue 4ply yarn called Soft Seasons, Soft Mix (wool/acrylic blend) that I'd bought from Ebay and stashed quite a while ago. The pattern isn't available on Renee's website just yet but will be soon, so be sure to bookmark her.

Drops Hat

I finished a hat for my eldest daughter last night, she goes on her first ski holiday on Sunday so I'm hoping this will be warm and get some use.

It's a Drops design and can be found here.

I must admit I did not enjoy knitting this, that was a bit of a surprise as it's such a fun looking hat but for some reason I just couldn't get into it.

I used 8mm needles and some of the super bulky Zettl Maribel yarn I got from Lidl.

Twisted Seedling:Fingerless Mitts.

I've been wanting to tell you about these fingerless mitts for a few days now but wanted to wait untill I had the pattern hook up done. Hook up is now done and I can finally, finally share my glee.

I designed a pair of fingerless mitts and I love them. They're made from Sirdar Click Chunky and are doing a great job at keeping my hands warm. I used 4.5mmDPNs and they were finished the day I started them.

Although I originally designed them because I find other gloves/mitt patterns are large on me (even the smallest size) according to my sister-in-law they fit her great and her hands are quite a bit larger than mine.
It's probably not a great pattern, written or otherwise but it's my first and I love it (like a small child LOL). I've a free PDF available here, if you do make them I'd so love to see a picture if you wouldn't mind sharing.

To Pick or to Throw?

Nobody ever really taught me to knit, although I do vaugly remember my Nana knitting Aran jumpers. I remember being interested but not enough to actually ask her to show me what it was she was doing.

Why I eventually picked up the needles I'll never know but I'm so glad I did. Of course my first effort didn't work out so well, it was supposed to be a baby cardigan but resembled more of a doily in a triangle shape with the amount of stitches I dropped and then picked up. So it got shoved in a bag in the back of a cupboard in my first home and has never been seen since, think it got left when I moved.

Then in 2006 I saw a knitting magazine and thought 'what the heck, I'll give it another go'. I bought cheap acrylic and some needles and me and my purchases went home happy.

The magazine had a how to guide in the back and was a revelation, I didn't even realise that needles came in different shapes and sizes, let alone the multitude of yarn choices, I was entranced.

The internet is a marvellous thing, my next knitting efforts actually worked, anything I didn't understand and the magazine didn't show how to do, I looked it up on the net and had many a eureka moment.

My confidence and abilities grew as did my stash, my ability to talk to other knitters was non existent as nobody I knew knitted (by this time my Nana was no longer around) so my only source of knitting knowledge was my magazines and the internet.

Then towards the end of 2007 somebody on a wedding forum was gushing about a knitting website called 'Ravery'. I signed up not really thinking much of it, epecially as I had to wait for my invitation.

Mooching in my email one day, there it was my invitation to join Ravelry. When I first looked at it I thought, okay this is neat, I can list my projects, my yarn, my needles and I can even get a load of free patterns.

Then, then I stumbled across the groups and howly cow, my knitting world exploded. There were all these knitters, talking and sharing information. Some of them were actually doing the same project as me and we could discuss it, we could share our highs and our lows, we could share our successes 'look, look what I made isn't it great?' We could also share our not so greats, 'what did I do wrong?'.

My knitting world expanded, I realised I wasn't this lonely knitter, there was actually thousands of people who 'got' it, this urge to pick up yarn and needles or even hooks. Yup, I got the crochet bug as well. I can still remember how amazed and chuffed I was the first time I made a granny square.

In my perrifferal I remember reading about people who were pickers or throwers (huh? thought I) if you knit you knit...right?

Wrong, there are all sorts of ways to knit and everybody either does it the way they were taught or the way that feels right. I'm a thrower as I didn't even know there was any other way. But now I want to learn continental, why? Because I want to speed up my knitting and not be put off by ribbing.

I've seen many a design that I thought, 'eek, all that ribbing or stocking stitch' and so never cast on for the project. Circular needles have gotten rid of my avoidance of stocking stitch (so long as the project is worked in the round), now I hope learning to knit continental will get rid of my avoidance of ribbing/purling.

I've some links for those that also would like to join my jouney and learn Continental knitting:

http://www.knittinghelp.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuRLFl36tDY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9XImtoQmZ8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kybhNmLWHhA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVxnSpFJl6s
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNfG05FeLsE

Violet Green Socks

I finished another pair of socks yesterday, I used the yarn I dyed for the February DAL details can be found here.

They fit wonderfully, Violet Green's sock calculator pattern works like a charm and so fast to knit. I used 4ply sock yarn with 2.5mm DPNs made to fit a UK size 3 shoe. I'll have to ask Kevin if he can make me a sock blocker in that size.

Then of course because I had nothing to mindlessly knit whilst watching the TV I just had to cast on another pair of socks (can we say 'new obsession'?). This time I used the new yarn I dyed, the Limed Carnation (pink & green) and the same pattern.I hope to eventually have enough hand knit socks to last a fortnight :-) They're just so much nicer/better than shop bought.

February DAL (Dye-a-long)

They say patiance is a virtue, well I never claimed to be virtuous. There was mention of a DAL on Ravelry for February, the theme: Passionate Pink.

So, I ordered some dyes (Kool Aid and Procion MX) and a skein of yarn from DT Craft & Design. As usual their service is wonderful and my yarn and dyes arrived the next day.

Not being able to wait until February I had to have a play, well I've never used Procion MX before and dyeing is just too much fun not to mess around with it.

My base yarn is 75% Blue Faced Leicester/25% Nylon sock yarn and I used 2 sachets of Kool Aid Lemon-Lime and a quarter teaspoon of Procion MX dye powder in Brilliant Pink. I used the dip dye and microwave method.
I'm really pleased with how well the Procion MX dye worked, gave a good colour saturation throughout the skein.

Back to school Vest

My Back To School Vest is complete, I've even sewn in the ends.

I was really pleased with this pattern it was so simple to follow and quick to knit, there are a couple of printing errors in the book, they were easy to figure out though or you could check here.

This is the first time I've knit something slightly smaller and actually increased for my bust, it's worked really well. Rather than being swamped you can actually see my figure, although with just having got over Christmas this may not be a good thing LOL.Now I just need to finish my other sock, my goodness I'll have two finished projects in the same week...go me!

Pah!

Well (cough), remeber that resolution I was pratteling on about the other day? Yes, yes the one where I don't cast on anything new unless I finish 2 WIPs.

Well, err, I kind of broke it already. Okay, I didn't break it as much as I threw it on the ground and stomped all over it.

On Saturday (3rd January) I cast on for the Back To School U neck Vest by Stefanie Japel from Fitted Knits, I justified this by telling myself that I had just finished two jumpers and a pair of fingerless gloves.I'm using King Cole Fashion Aran in colour 162 Heather, that I got from Abakhan in Manchester and I'm using my Harmony options size 4.5mm and 3.75mm.

But then yesterday I decided I'd do a DAL (dye-a-long) that I found on Ravelry, the theme January Blues. I got out my one last undyed hank of BFL/Nylon sock yarn and set to dying.
I used 1 sachet of Grape kool Aid, 1 sachet of Black Cherry Kool Aid and half a bottle of Dr. Oetker blue food colouring. Rather than dip dying I decided I'd be clever and actually hand paint the yarn this time (yay, go me.) I finished it off in the microwave instead of the slow cooker to ensure the colours didn't bleed into each other.

Then I was so excited about how well it turned out I wanted to see how it knitted up, so I cast on a pair of socks, I'm using Violet Green's sock calculator pattern and size 2.5mmDPNsSo I haven't really broken my resolution as badly as it seems (or at least that's what I'm telling myself) and hopefully I'll have a lovely vest and pair of socks by next week.

Resolution, hmmm.

I've just been on the Selfish Knitters group on Ravelry and seen a discussion called 'Jan KAL: Resolution knitting'. You've got it, resolutions about your knitting.

A wonderful person said her resolution was to complete two WIPs before casting a new project on. Now I like that idea, I've so many WIPs at the moement I really must do something to spur me on.

So my resolution is to complete the required two, then I can indulge and cast on something new. Of course now that I've wrote that down I'm trying to find loop holes in the rule so that I can cast something (anything) on LOL.

But I'll endeavour to complete my two, starting today with my modified Paris. Wish me luck, I've a feeling I'm going to need it :-)