Blogtoberfest Day 13: Cardigan Weather & a Public Service Announcement

I thought that by now, we'd be nearing the end of Cardigan Weather. I think most of us did, but the environment being what it is these days, such things are no longer anywhere near as predictable. I stopped knitting cardigans a couple of months ago because I figured there weren't too many serious cardigan days left (at least not by the time I got another one completed) and so moved onto Other Things.

But check out this sky.



Does this look like cardigan weather is coming to an end? No. Not on your life. Our days are, for the most part, incredibly bleak at the moment. I could have kept knitting cardigans out of light wool. Should have. Oh well.

A couple of weeks ago I started a cotton cardigan. I figure at the rate we're going, I'll get considerable wear out of this if I can get it done in reasonable time.

It's called Golden Vintage and it's an 8ply/DK weight cotton pattern that doesn't appear to have been around very long.



It's an elegant, simple pattern with some mock cabling around the base, as you can see in the above photo. And the cotton is a definite stash busting item. It was a parting gift from Shazmina Bendi before she moved to London a couple of years ago.

It's Bendigo Woollen Mills 8ply cotton in a colour called Gum Leaf. How very Australian.

It's making for some very nice mindless knitting when I need a break from the Black Myrtle Leaf shawl which progresses still.

* * *

I have a public service announcement to make. I recieved a message today from an old friend who now lives all the way over in Perth. She belongs to a band of knitters who are going to walk and knit for an excellent cause. I'll let Helen tell the story.

Members of the Western Australian Ravelry group are taking part in the Cancer Council WA’s Relay for Life on the weekend of 24/25 October at Joondalup Arena. We will be knitting as we walk to make blankets to be auctioned off at the event.

Part of our fundraising is a yarn raffle that is being conducted through the blog Casa Esmerelda, with fabulous yarn, fibre and knitting related prizes.

Details about the raffle and how to donate are at Casa Esmerelda.

***

I reckon a band of knitters who plan to walk and knit for a cause are absolutely worth our time and money. I definitely want to see photos from that. If you're keen to help, pop over to the site and see what you can do. Hint: there's Wollmeise among the prizes!

Bells

Tour de France Knit Along - Garter Yoke Cardigan

I made it. I finished my Tour de France Knit Along cardigan - yellow jersey - with twenty four hours to spare on the the deadline.

And here it is, taken bright and early, around 7:30am this morning before work. I had grand visions for a frosty morning for the photos, but wouldn't you know it, we got a clear, damp morning instead. C'est la vie.



This, pattern, the Garter Yoke Cardigan from Knit 1, was such a fun, such an easy cardigan. Best cardigan I've ever made, I think. Not perfect, but of the three cardigans (gasp!) I've made this winter, it's hands down my favourite.

And the Rowan Kid Classic? To die for. Yes, it's a little furry, but in a good way, not in a scratchy way. It's warm yet airy.

This whole cardigan used only a mere 6x50g balls. That's 300g and a bit extra, maybe about 100g more. That's unheard of for a cardigan in worsted weight! Just for the comparison, my February Lady Sweater used around 450g. All day, I felt the cardigan light as a breath. That mix of lambswool and kid mohair is gorgeous. Trust me.

In this photo of the cardigan drying yesterday, you can see the waist shaping the pattern uses.



I don't think I'll get the full value of the waist shaping, given I won't wear it done up. I tried but I feel not right when I do. I don't feeling that buttoned up, and prefer it partially open.

I am so happy with the colour. It's called Peat. In some lights, there are undertones of a red-purple shade shot through it, not so much variegated as just highlighted. In other lights, it's almost black, or almost brown. It can be a cardigan for all outfits, as far as I'm concerned.

The garter yoke neck opened up a little once it was washed and dry. I think, given I've done the larger size, this means the neck will probably annoy me a bit if it stretches more but over a t-shirt, it'll be ok.

I will make this again. And again. I'm already eyeing my stash for other candidates.

And the race? You know, those men on bikes? I didn't even see the end of it. I couldn't articulate anything about it in any realistic way. I would hear the voiceovers and sort of drift off, seeing only the scenery. Not the fault of the sport or the commentators. I'm sure it was fascinating. I just don't absorb that kind of commentary or detail.

But I do work well under pressure!

Bells

Knitta Please & the Chevron Lace Cardigan

Today being the penultimate day of the Knitta Please event at the National Gallery, as part of it's Soft Sculpture exhibition, Sean and I trundled off to check it out today.

Knitters from all over the place took part in this event, responding to the call for strips of knitted fabric (some crocheted fabric was also provided) so that the organisers could do this.



And this



I never quite got around to knitting a piece to contribute and today, I felt a bit sad about that. It would have been nice to be part of a scene like this but it was very enjoyable to look at the efforts of others - such colour and vibrancy!

Today I wore my Chevron Lace Cardigan for the first time and Sean obligingly took a few photos while I examined the tall columns at the entrance to the gallery that had been dramatically adorned in knitting.



I was surprised by how impressive it was to stand beneath tall columns of knitting.



Here's the cardigan, which I'm loving, from the back.



And from the front.



I'm so happy with this cardigan, although it's been a bit touch and go. After finishing it several weeks ago, it grew to thigh length after blocking, so I ripped out the band, took about 3-4 inches at least off the bottom and reworked the band three times. For some reason, a simple crochet band took several goes to get right.

My only complaint is that the neck is quite tight. If I make this again, and I think I will, I'd make the neck a little wider. The reason I haven't attached any buttons or clasps to it is that it chokes my throat when I hold it closed. I think it works quite well without any kind of fastening, but I'd have liked to do it. I'm still playing with the notion of doing it up lower down but am as yet unsure.

Details as follows:

Pattern: Chevron Lace Cardigan by Milobo

Yarn: Bendigo Luxury 8ply in Oceanic 400g. This was my first time using this new, pure wool product by Bendigo Woollen Mills. I think it has easily become my favourite of theirs, with just one project. Soft, smooth, not very splitty, a delight to use. I'll be getting more.

Time: June 9 - July 4.

Hook: 5.5mm. I'm happy with the amount of openness I achieved with this size. It meant my gauge was slightly off but it only took minimal fudging at the point of dividing for the sleeves in order to get it right. I really didn't want it to be too airy.

I really love this cardigan. I think it'll get loads of wear over the remainder of winter. Next time, I might try capped sleeves, which I've seen others do to great effect.

Bells

Tour de France - Day Four

Apparently the Tour de France is well underway. I'd like to say it's been a great race so far and that I've hung on most, if not every moment I was able to watch but it's not true. Late at night when the race starts, I've been heading to bed, dosed up and trying to get better.

But I did discover yesterday you can watch highlights of the race on SBS at 6pm. I'll try and catch that, or hell, even record it!

Of course, I've been up front from the start about how this competition is for me, more about the knitting than the cycling. As long as I get to catch glimpses of the race and soak up the scenery, I'll be content. Maybe I'll have some late nights on the weekend.

There has been some quality knitting time though. How clever of me to pick something that was all about garter stitch for much of its beginning because frankly, that's all I feel like knitting! Here's what I've managed so far.



So very satisfying this yoke business. I'm very much enjoying the Rowan Kid Classic and I'm enjoying watching it grow. I'm also enjoying using an application on my iphone for row counting.

Yes, as RoseRed pointed out, you can always use a pen and paper but oh, pen and paper doesn't have that satisfying little click! And unlike traditional row counters, on which you can only count rows, this has an inbuilt counter for managing increase and decrease rows.

The application even has a bit of local flavour. Local knitter, Pransell, has a very talented partner who developed this iphone application. You can find it at Cordless Dog.

If you have an iphone, or an Ipod Touch, I really recommend this application. It's simple and neat and while you can get free ones, I think it's worth paying the minimal amount for the ability to count increase and decrease rows. It also allows you to have more than one project on the go at a time. I love it.

And lest anyone should think I've abandoned my Chevron Lace cardigan, fear not, it's still around. I had to modify it and reblock it. It's at the back window in the sun now, after I finished it some days ago.



I'll show it off when it's dry.

Bells

Lessons in Blocking Crochet

Remember the Chevron Lace Cardigan I posted about a week or so ago?

Back then it looked like this.



Mine, now that it's dry, is considerably longer. You would expect it to be longer now that it's finished, washed and blocked, wouldn't you? And it is. But it's too long. Or at least it was until about half an hour ago.

I'm not going to show you what it looks like now because it's sitting on my lap slightly unravelled. I finished it on the weekend (is the crochet equivalent of Off The Needles actually Off the Hook? If so, I like it!) and, very happy with the length, proceeded to soak and block it.

I watched it, as I laid it out on a towel, almost growing before my eyes, much like when Kylie blocked her Liesl last week. These lacy cardigans seem to take on a mind of their own once they hit the water. It's most disconcerting. You think you've got it all sorted; you get everything as right as it can possibly be and then the damn things go and expand on soaking.
It's not right.

Even Sean, who claims to have little to no views at all on what is right and wrong in the world of clothing declared it too, too long. We're talking below the butt too long which was not, as you can imagine, what was intended.

So right now, my lovely cardigan, is on my lap, ready for reworking. All I've done is unravel the band and 3 inches of the bottom. Oh the joy of top down garments! If this was worked from the bottom up, we'd be having a whole other conversation right now.

Was it the gauge? I don't think so. If anything my guage was slightly tighter than required. Was it the needle size? No, I went down a hook size. Was it the yarn (Bendigo Luxury)? I don't think so although I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has found it grows.

I think it was just that it's fairly open crochet. Lots of room for those holes to drag down.

But it's at times like this that the words of author Peter Carey flow through my mind. I'll paraphrase what he said when asked how he felt about rewriting drafts of his novels. Imagine, if you will, that he was a knitter, or croceter, and not an author.

"I figure we knitters do this stuff, we knit stuff and if we can knit stuff, we can knit plenty more. I quite enjoy throwing away good knitting."

Well it's not quite the same thing - I'm not throwing anything away, but I am undoing many, many stitches in order to get the cardigan right.

And that, in the end, is what really matters. Getting it right. A girl's got to be happy.

Finished garment photos to follow!

Bells

2009 Tour de France Knit Along

For some time now, I've been planning a special project for July. I'm not alone. Loads of others have been doing the same on Ravelry.

For the second year in a row, I'm participating in the Tour de France knit along. Anyone who knows me and my monstrous lack of interest in sport, and particular in actually watching yawn inducing sport, might well be surprised that I'd sign up for this, but the Tour de France is different. It's not sport in the usual way, I think. There's pretty scenery - and no I don't mean the cyclists - there are hours and hours of beautiful French scenery to watch. That's what got me in last year.

So to be honest, this event is really about the motivation get something substantial knitted up fast. Watching the race is really secondary. I'm not sure I even understand how it works. A bunch of obsessed guys ride their bikes around France. They wear different coloured jerseys. And it's hard. That's about all I understand.

But it's a great opportunity to really flex my speed knitting muscles and to focus on getting a single, decent sized project done in a very limited amount of time.

Last year I worked hard for three weeks and produced a cardigan for my sister, Adele. If you were reading then, you might remember it?



It was an achievement I was really proud of and I know Adele was thrilled with the end result but it was hard work, really hard, to get it done in that time.

This year I've been putting a lot of thought into what I wanted to do. I knew early on it would be something for me, most likely another cardigan, and it would be a piece that, although challenging in terms of size, would not just about kill me like last year's project did. For that reason, I scrapped early plans to knit a Tangled Yoke cardigan. I knew I had to be realistic. If I chose a fine gauge cardigan I'd struggle.

So I chose worsted weight yarn from my stash - Rowan Kid Classic in Peat.




And I matched it to the Garter Yoke Cardigan (Rav link).

I love the shape of it. I love the idea of it. Now that I've done a couple of top down cardigans, I'm in the zone. I'm good to go. I'm pretty confident that, dramas notwithstanding, I'll get it done on time.

By mid-late July, I'll have a brand new cardigan in luxurious Rowan Kid Classic. Happy happy joy joy.

Bring on July 4. I'm ready. Are you? Fancy joining in the fun? The Ravelry 2009 Tour de France knit along group is taking sign ups now. And you don't have to do a whole cardigan or garment. There are several categories, one to suit everyone!

Bells

Half Done Cardigan

Let it be said, up front, that I have had truly the most difficult of days. Not all of it was bad but not all of it was particularly good. Some not so great news, some crap stuff at work including packing to move to a new building (not just me - the whole floor is moving) and a general feeling at the end of the day of being very, very washed out.

But I got to come home early and sit in the peace and quiet of a silent house, with a bottle of Sav Blanc chilling in readiness for later on.

And I took some photos. Self portraits in the bathroom mirror of my half done Chevron Lace Cardigan. For some reason, I'm all about crochet this week. It's really hitting the spot, as evidenced by the fact I've reached the waist in next to no time.



I think it's very cute. I love the simplicity of it. I love that, to me, it doesn't look in any way like how you might expect a crochet cardigan to look. One of the reasons I took up knitting in 2003 was because it seemed to me then that there were not so many un-daggy crochet patterns around, in terms of garments. I found a few back then (and I must do a post about my very favourite crochet cardigan that I have worn to death for five years or more) but there weren't that many.

The internet has changed all that and I think there are many more great crochet garment designers around now. I for one can't wait to finish this one. It's (I'm so tempted to say knitting up, out of habit) crocheting up beautifully and the Bendigo Luxury is gorgeous to work with. Give me a few days, I think I might be there.

One last thing, for locals, Genevieve Jacobs from local ABC radio is looking to interview tomorrow any willing 'old school knitters' - anyone who was knitting in the 1970s and has stories to tell about vintage patterns. She just posted on Ravelry (as a big fan, I was thrilled to see the post!) and she asked that you call her directly on 6275 4561 where you can leave a message and she'll get back to you. I was knitting in the 70s but I was a slip of a girl and making things like holey scarves for my dad, so I don't think I qualify, but if you do, give her a call!

Bells

Because of Angela

I learned to crochet because I met a girl called Angela when I was eight.

It was 1980 and we lived in Tasmania. A new girl came to school, called Angela, and she was different. I remember thinking she was quiet and smart and seemed a bit 'proper'. Not posh or aloof, but she spoke and wrote well and played the violin. We quickly became friends.

One day, she brought to school something she was making. I don't know why, perhaps it was for show and tell, but when I asked her what the colourful, woolly thing was, she told me it was crochet and she showed me how she did it. I wanted to learn. I wanted to know what it was she was doing and soon after, she invited me over to her house for lessons.

Her house was different. We lived in Rosebery, a small mining town on the north west coast of Tasmania where the mine workers lived in standard, small identical homes. As a building, her small rectangle shaped house was the same as mine, but inside, it was a bit different.

No TV. No radio. Just a big table piled with books and art materials. Angela had three sisters. They were all busy doing their activities. One of them was practicing the cello. I'd never seen such a thing. Around the lounge room were other musical instruments. They seemed, to my eight year old eyes, a very clever, different sort of family.

Her mother taught me to crochet. I think I only had one, maybe two lessons because soon after, we moved away, back to the mainland, to the sunny south coast of New South Wales.

We took the ocean liner, The Empress of Australia, back to the mainland and once I got over the seasickness, I spent the overnight trip practicing my crochet. I knew the basic stitches but not much more.

By the time we arrived in Melbourne at my Great Aunty Win's house, and I showed her what I'd made, her severely cataract afflicted eyes saw at once I needed help and we spent the duration of our stay fine tuning my skills as a solid, beginning crocheter.

Twenty-nine years later (Oh God, I can't believe it's almost thirty years since I learned!) I still dabble in crochet once in a while. Knitting is my love these days but crochet remains a firm friend. So last night, I began to make something I've been eyeing off for quite a while.

The Chevron Lace Cardigan. In Bendigo Woollen Mills' lovely new wool, Luxury. Colour, Oceanic.



I'm told it's fast. Everyone on Ravelry who's made it says so. And my Crochet-Along buddy, George, is finding the same thing. Nice and easy.



It's virtually impossible for me to pick up a hook and not think back to the rainy, bleak days of life on Tasmania's west coast and my little friend Angela, with her over achieving sisters and her mother who taught me simple granny square construction. And Aunty Win, who could barely see but had the patience to help me get it right. I reckon she'd be happy to know that I'm still doing it, all these years later.

I look forward to having a new cardigan to wear in next to no time, if the stories people tell on Ravelry are true.

Bells

ps February Lady Sweater is blocked and will be posted over the weekend. Love her!

The June Long Weekend

Every year, on the Queens Birthday Long weekend in June, winter really kicks in. You can be almost certain that even though we're in a drought, it'll rain and this weekend the heavens did indeed provide. In spite of that, we attempted a walk today. We got probably 500m down the road and this icy, almost snow started to fall. Back home we trudged and there we stayed.

Mostly this weekend I devoted myself to finishing the February Lady Sweater. I did this with all the fervour of one who hopes to wear a new handknit to World Wide Knit in Public Day in Sydney next weekend. My mission, stated on Twitter this morning, was Do or Die. Today was it. Am happy to report there will be no dying tonight.



She is done. Here is a glimpse of how she looks, just the buttons, while she's blocking. Let me just say I am ecstatic about this cardigan. I was gleeful as I soaked her in the laundry basin. As soon as she's dry, I'll do a post.

I had a range of other photos to post but flickr is being utterly unbearable tonight. So the only three photos I've managed to upload will have to do. Amy, I did try (Amy today encouraged me, when I was feeling very, very uninspired about blogging, but wishing I could do it, to take some photos. I did and it was fun. Tomorrow I'll post them.)

On Saturday night, Sean and I were treated to a night of babysitting our thirteen week old niece, Alice. She arrived, on the blustery dark night, looking every bit the snow bunny.



It was great fun and she was a darling. Except for that whole hour she cried! Oh my how do people manage with that? Thankfully Sean has the patience of a saint for such things and he cuddled her and talked gently to her for a long time and eventually it worked. Just in time for our roast chicken dinner, I might add. I bet it's not always so neat and tidy, is it?

This is how she spent a fair whack of the evening after her bottle. Snuggled up on cushions on the lounge room floor.



So now that the February Lady Sweater is finished, of course, the big question is what next? I have WIPs to finish but several of those are good for bus knitting. Another cardigan must be started. I have thoughts. I'll be back with those in another post.

Bells

Cardigan weather

Today being the first day of June and, by some calendars, the first day of winter, I really hoped I'd be wearing a cardigan of my own making by now.

Yes, I have cardigans I've made in the past, some of them I even like, but I want one that I've made since last winter, one I've not yet broken in, so to speak. One that isn't for autumn days would also be nice.

I have such a cardigan but alas, it's not yet finished. I got a bit caught up with baby knitting and gift knitting throughout April and May and even with a week's leave behind me, it's not yet done.

My February Lady Sweater. Or cardigan. Dammit. I prefer cardigan. It's not a sweater. A sweater to me is a jumper worn by people in America (although Wikipedia says differently. Pfft. Who said Wikipedia was the last word on everything anyway?)

This is in no way a jumper.



Can you imagine how many stupid photos I took in the bathroom mirror of me wearing it? Not one was decent so as I was about to give up in despair, I remember just a few days ago Kylie hung her half-done Liesl on a coat hanger. Bingo! One half-done February Lady Sweater Cardigan.

Now if I could just get it finished. I'm getting there but I can't help thinking that my eyelet increases are far higher up than anyone else's I've seen. Anyone who's made this got thoughts? In the pattern Pamela Wynne says to do at least three rows after the eyelet increases but there was no way mine was long enough by then so I kept going, which is also what she says to do without any real indication of even roughly how many rows this should be.

If I've done it wrong, it's gonna be a lot longer before I get to wear my first cardigan of the season. There's a photo here if you're inclined to have a look and see that it does appear to fit me, despite the odd placement of my increases.

In happier news, my Personal Yarn Detangler, Catherine, who kindly responded to my cry for help last week, returned my tangled purple yarn today, the yarn I need for a top secret and fairly urgent project. How's that for service? She also sent back some white yarn I've had sitting around in a mess since I first had a go at it last year, more months ago than I care to say. She even included Chuppa Chups stuffed inside the purple yarn.

Everyone needs a Personal Yarn Detangler. Mine is even a minor celeb, having been interviewed on ABC Radio over the weekend about knitting and knitting groups. So thank you Catherine. You got me out a jumble and I'm most appreciative.

Bells

Purple Tangle

As luck would have it, I awoke this morning sick. All that talk of getting on with plans came to a screeching halt with a definite bout of a sore throat and a cold. I'm not dying, but I don't feel great.

There's just one thing to say about this that's good. I will now rest. And knit. And go out little. Can't complain about that.

I was not, however, too sick to start the day with a bit of yarn buying. Before I'd even had a cup of tea, mind you. Ailsa over at Knitabulous has opened an eye-poppingly gorgeous etsy yarn shop. Her dyed sock yarns and lace weights are stunning and I've resisted for a little while, but the delirium of illness made me buy something in vivid purple today. Oops.

After a spot of reading in bed (Nancy Mitford's Love in a Cold Climate), I got reacquainted with my February Lady Sweater. If you've made this, you'll know that the yoke for this cardigan goes on forever. Much like the garter stitch edging on my brother's pi blanket (which is finished, I might add. Photos later in the week.)



Between the blanket edging and the cardigan yoke, I'm doing a lot of garter stitch at the moment. Almost an entire week of it.

The afternoon did not pan out so well. I've got a secret knit on the go, which I can't say anything about at all, but I can talk about the yarn. It's Fibreworks 4ply merino which I bought at the markets a couple of weeks ago. It's lovely but I think the people at Fibreworks need to take a bit more care with the way they skein up the wool. I was careful but I messed up the first one. Look.



The last time this happened, a kindly reader called Catherine stepped in and saved me. Today, in a rather forward step, I wrote and asked her if she was keen to help me out again. The crazy woman gave a resounding yes and promised to return it ASAP. It'll be in the mail tomorrow.

The second skein was also pretty messy at the points where it was joined but I was on high alert and managed to avoid another crisis.



After that, I got on promptly with starting the Top Secret project and knocked over a goodly amount of it. Maybe this being sick thing isn't so bad after all. Tomorrow, I head to the country for the day for an Austen-fest. I'm not too sick for that. After all, it's what I'd be doing if I was at home anyway!

Bells

Retraction

This ball of dark green Grignasco Tango used to be my Tangled Yoke cardigan. Or rather, the beginning of a Tangled Yoke cardigan.



Now she's just a wound up ball of wool, alpaca and viscose. I say 'just' but that's not quite true. She's quite a lovely ball of wool, alpaca and viscose and really I like her very much so it's nothing personal.

For now, she's simply retracting all earlier statements that she ever wanted to be a Tangled Yoke cardigan. In time, I'm sure everyone will forget.

And the reason for this retraction? A couple of friends kindly agreed with me last weekend that the yarn was too dark, too flecky to be something bearing a detailed but delicate cable. The cable would be lost. I heartily agreed and figured I'd found the reason why she'd sat in my workbag untouched for more than a week.

Quite simply, I just knew. Deep down. So now I'm moving on without so much as a backwards glance.

I have a new love.



February Lady Sweater in Cascade 220. Red, smooshy love, that's what I'm feeling. OK, so she's a viral knit. Half the knitting world has made one, in this yarn. Do I care? No. Not one bit. I think we're going to be very happy.

Bells

Tangled Up in Green

Never let it be said I don't live life to the full.



I threw caution to the wind and cast on my Tangled Yoke last night without doing a second gauge swatch!

And doesn't it look a tangled mess? 250 stitches on a long, curly Addi Turbo needle is likely to end up being a bit twisted.

And now, here we are on the brink of Easter. My director booted us out at lunch time today and there were no complaints from the troops. Easter is here and for me, it's basically a four day weekend, nothing more. I love love love that there are not so many expectations about how Easter needs to be spent. We'll be doing a lot of hibernating, a little socialising and I'll be doing a lot of knitting.

I'll still be blogging daily if anyone's around and reading. I'm sure I'll find something to write about.

Bells

For the love of swatching

I am between cardigans. With Something Blue off the needles, I find myself in the lovely position of contemplating what to knit next in terms of garments. Socks are on the go, a shawl is obviously still going but I'm ready for a new garment.

So I swatched for gauge. Just as an aside, growing up with an English knitter mother, I spoke of tension squares. I guess we don't say that anymore, do we? Anyone? I love our American knitters and all that they've contributed, but we, outside the US, do seem to have adopted pretty much most of the US terminology, haven't we?

So I dug out a ball of Grignasco Tango, which is basically Rowan Felted Tweed rebranded, so I'm told. The make up is certainly identical. Wool, alpaca and rayon.



I'm not entirely smitten with the feel of it yet. Scratchy is how I'd describe it but then my other project at the moment is the silk Myrtle Leaf shawl. Anything is going to feel rough next to that stuff, right?



I'm learning more and more to love swatching. I don't see it as delaying the joy of casting on. Well, it is a delaying tactic in a way, but not for the obvious reason.

For me, starting a new big project is a bit scary and I'm happy to hover for a while in the joy of anticipation.

I'm a bit nervous about what I'm planning to do with this yarn. It feels like a reasonable committment, not in time so much but in effort. So I'm happy to put off starting just for a bit. Here's what I'm building up to.

Tangled Yoke by Eunny Jang.

I didn't get gauge first go. I'm one stitch short. Ordinarily I'd accept that, go down a needle size and get going but I think I'm suffering from performance anxiety, so maybe I'll swatch again, just to be sure.

Or maybe I won't. Maybe it's time to just jump right in?

Bells

Winner of the Stitch Markers

Sixty five is a nice number. Sixty five people were in the draw for a set of stitch markers which were made by the uber-talented Donyale of Moggy and Me.

I bought them from Yarns Online.



The winner gets to choose a set from the photo above and I'll send them on just as soon as I can get to the Post Office. That may not be until after Easter.

I did originally say that if a non-knitter won, I'd send something else instead but it turns out I don't have to because a winner came up. Number 15 out 65 comments was


CAROL OF PINS AND NEEDLES!

Have a look at the stitch markers, Carol. Drop me a line and let me know which ones appeal to you the most and they shall be yours!

Next week I'll have another draw for another set of stitch markers (or something else for non-knitters).

Thanks for everyone's comments. Everyone knows a contest is a great way to bring the lurkers out, but honestly, I love reading my comments. That's how I find new blogs to read, seeing who else is out there and figure out if what I'm writing is working or not. And who doesn't love the instant feedback?

I wore Something Blue to work yesterday. It dropped a bit in the wearing. I don't think it's ever going to be a perfect fit, but it was lovely and warm and I loved knowing what had gone into every stitch. Isn't that why we make things?

Bells

Something Blue

Well the better part of this weekend has been taken up by fixing up my Something Blue cardigan by reknitting the band (on 4mm needles, when the body was knit on 4.5mm). Was it worth it?

The jury is out. I *think* I like it but I'm still not 100% satisfied, now I've seen the photos.



See, it flares out at the bottom now. Instead of curling up, it flares. This is because in an attempt to avoid curling, I knitted extra stitches when I picked up for the band.

Now there are too many. In some photos, it flares right open, although there was a slight breeze.

When I stand still with no breeze and the band kept in place by my hands, it's ok.



From the back, you all made me see that it's not anything like I imagined. It's nice.



And you know what? It feels nice to wear. I love the feel of the Nico cotton. So warm and soft. It's a comfy piece to wear. I've learned a lot from it and may in fact make another one, probably in cotton that's not so springy. Or even wool.

Here's the other important thing. I didn't change the length of the plain part. I left it because I had a sneaking suspicion that it was the band that was at fault. When I'd been knitting it, I'd tried the top part on countless times and just knew the length was right. It was all the doing of the band that make it look like it was riding half way up my bust line.

As a first top down, it's a good project to have learned with. I'll make more in that style. The absence of seaming was wonderful.

But I'm glad to have it done and dusted now. Maybe I should add a second button? Maybe I should do the band again?

Maybe I'll just accept it for what it is and move on.

Bells

Velvet Days

I promised Knitting Content. I hoped for so much more than I can give. That said, those of you who invested heavily in your internet time and left the much appreciated, deeply considered comments on my Something Blue cardigan are about to receive a pay off.

Just not right now. Probably tomorrow.

We had some plans for today and they didn't come off. After Sean slept late, I'd pretty much set the tone for the day by starting to work on said cardigan with tea and DVDs of recorded British crime. Such an addiction.

And that's more or less how the day went, with the occasional foray into the yard to hang washing out or examine the garden in its post-thunderstorm state.

I love days like today. Time slows down. We're coasting. It's beautiful.

So I worked on my Something Blue cardigan today and I'm mostly there. Those last rows of rib on a band do drag on somewhat, don't they? Over 200 stitches, back and forth. Bit of a yawn, but God I can't wait to wear this cardigan.



I really should explain my chosen path on this project since so many of you had theories. In a series of considered emails, RoseRed and I came up with the idea that maybe I should try fixing the band first, in the hope that it might only take a couple of hours. If that didn't fix it, then I'd move onto the other more complex methods suggested by the vastly experienced readers.

Those of you who argued for more length in the body will no doubt, this moment, be asking, 'What were you on when you made that decision?'

Well might you ask. But trust me. You'll see why. Hopefully.

It's always appealing to try the easy option first right? Needless to say, if it works, I'll be exploring it all in the final post on the subject and then, oh boy, I'm getting on with my first Rowan Felted Tweed cardigan. Seriously, that's all that's getting me through right now. That and the Riesling.

Finally, some food and garden stuff because, in this daily blogging gig, I think I'm going to rely on food a lot. I picked a bunch of rocket (or arugula to the Americans) and mint this afternoon, with a few stray beans from one of the plants that managed to survive summer. The rocket is going crazy.



I turned it into a grilled zucchini and feta salad and sent Sean out to buy lamb cutlets. With the aforementioned Riesling, we're quite happy here Chez Bellsnits this evening. Shortly Mythbusters will be over. I'll take off the enormous headphones I'm wearing right now and get on with the cardigan band.



Happy weekending everyone!

Bells

Ask and you shall receive

I'm very, very grateful for all the helpful comments on my Something Blue cardigan. I asked and lots of people delivered. Don't you love the internet?

There's an awful lot of information to consider and weigh up, particularly regarding the raglan shaping. That was something I hadn't picked up, that maybe the fit wasn't right there.

Interestingly, the designer herself, Wendy Bernard, had the following to say when I wrote to her via Ravelry and asked for her thoughts (thanks for the suggestion Cindy2Paw!)

Wendy writes:

Yeah, except for the front, it fits right. (note: Wendy didn't mention the raglan shaping. Interesting!)

I think that the back fits nicely.

I’m not sure if short rows will be the total solution. You could rip back and start your bottom ribbing at least 2 - 3 inches later.

As far as the “wave” at the bottom edging what you need to do is pick up sts at a greater rate at each of the bottom edges so that when you do your ribbing you’ll have more sts grouped there and it won’t want to pull in so much.

I used the Blue Sky Alpaca cotton, and that cotton isn’t is springy. I didn’t read about your yarn choice, but your substitution may be sproingy-er and could contribute to the bottom edge pulling in more than the cotton does.

Wendy, it seems, suggests a much easier solution than either going back to the raglan shaping or adding bust darts or other kinds of shaping. On the one hand, I'm quite grateful. Who doesn't like an easier option? Although, here, 'easier' is relative. I still have to undo all the sewn in ends, rip out the band, redo the short row shaping on the neck blah blah blah.

Oh and she's right about the springiness of the cotton too. My cotton choice was Lana Grossa Nico which has 3% polyester and does make for a very springy fabric. Must keep that in mind.

But you know, there's a lot to be said in favour of trying out some bust shaping. I know the clothing I have in my wardrobe which has bust shaping is just so much nicer to wear, and now might be as good a time as any to figure it out. PrincessPea wrote a fabulous tutorial on the subject which I remember noting at the time it appeared, figuring the time would come when I'd need it.

On the issue of the toggle-style button, I'm in two minds. I admit I chose it in a rush from Lincraft one lunch time last week, a place not known for its extensive range in buttons. I rather like brown and blue together but am not 100% wedded to the button. That said, an impulse purchase doesn't necessarily = bad. I still kinda like it but have another blue button I found which might work too. I also very much liked the idea of a brooch or shawl pin.

So many choices!

In short, I'm not going to rush this. I'll stew on the idea for a while and update on progress later on.

In the meantime, I got to practice some of that edging issue on a smaller blue item over the weekend. Will's vest, to be gifted at his birthday next Saturday, proved tricky. My skill at picking up stitches for bands is clearly lacking. When I'd done the bands, it was clear the arm holes and neck were all too small. It'd never fit. So I ripped, read a tutorial or two and did it again. All fixed! It'll be a much better fit now.



I'll discuss what I did when I do the vest write up.

Thanks again for the comments everyone. I plan to re-read them all again and again in the process of figuring out the solution.

Bells

Hey Blue, here is a song for you

I need honest opinions on this, ok? Something Blue just isn't right and I want to hear all the ways I need to fix it.

First, it should be longer, right?



Quite apart from the fact that the band makes it ride up at the front, I just think it's too short. By about 2 inches. Here's the back view.



I really don't like the way the rib opens up and makes it look like it's really stretched across my hips. It does that, doesn't it? Or does it not look as bad as I think? If I do change that, one of the ways I might do it (thanks for the suggestion, RoseRed) is to make the lower half all stocking stitch, with perhaps a band of rib in the middle for shaping. Thoughts? Leave the rib or ditch it?

Also, I have a feeling I should continue the knit part down maybe by about an inch before I start the ribbing. Or not?



And what about that band? I see quite clearly that I'm going to have to redo it, but how do I avoid that most unattractive pulling/curling that it does there at the bottom? I cast off the band as loosely as I could but that doesn't appear to be the problem. Perhaps at the beginning of each long row, I should have slipped a stitch instead of doing my usual trick of giving the first stitch a little tug?

Also, I think the button hole really has to change. The pattern asks you to put it 3/4 of an inch from the body, then you go on and knit the band til it's 2 inches (or more in my case. i wanted it wider). So it's really got to be more in the middle.

It is also up too high. My sister is always impressing on me that single buttons need to sit beneath the bust, not on it and I think I messed up on this one.

The other thing that tells me the button placement is all wrong, is that the button is obviously putting a lot of strain on the hole.



Other than all of the above, I love this cardigan. The cotton is divinely soft. The colour is one I think really suits me. The concept appeals to me and dammit, I want to be able to wear it. I believe in wearing my hand knits. Those that I don't wear taunt me from the back of the wardrobe and I wish I had taken more care.

So, let me have it. I want to hear what's wrong and what needs to be fixed! All suggestions welcome.

I should add, because it's knit top down, adding to the length isn't too hard. I'll take off the band and rip back to the start of the rib, if I have to.

Bells

A few dot points

There just really hasn't been the scope/need/desire/material for blogging this week. I've got nothing I can show that hasn't been seen before, or else nothing that has been photographed in readiness for posting. Nothing. So, a few dot points is what I'm capable of for now.

• I will forewarn you all (apologies to those who've been reading me whining in emails or in person or on Facebook) that I think my Something Blue cardigan isn't much cop. I intend to post photos of the finished cardigan on the weekend when I can get photos but I'm really not sure it's me. Unflattering, is how i feel about it, but I'll let the readers help me decide.

• Some of you may not know, because we've been slack for quite some time, that RoseRed and I have a shared food blog. It's called Mouthfuls of Heaven and it's devoted to the work of British cook, Nigella Lawson. RoseRed's been baking and updating the blog. Her Boston Cream Pie looks wickedly wonderful.

• I fully intended to be a good girl this year and only buy yarn on the rarest occassions, and when it seemed like a considered and worthy purchase. For the most part, I've done that although I did buy more of that $2.50 Chinese cotton earlier this week. That can hardly be said to be overdoing it, now, can it?
  
  
• On that note, however, I did splurge considerably this week. A blogger many of us know and love, Kylie, is heading to England and Wales for work tomorrow and I've placed an order for some stuff that we either can't get here or which is a better price over there (despite the poor value of the Aussie dollar against the pound). Stay tuned. I'm a little bit excited. Have a safe trip, Kylie.
  
  
• I'm all about the gift knit at the moment. Young Will is turning 5 next week and I'm knitting him a vest which is flying off the needles. Adele turned thirty-something last week and I'm working on a little item for her to accompany her main gift (not knitted). And a friend at work is having, shall we say, intimate surgery next week and will need several weeks' recovery time. I'm going to be working on something for her over the next little while, too. The sooner that's finished the better because I want to give it to her early in the recovery process, not later.
  
  
• Now that the weather is cooling down, I've made a startling and wonderful discovery. This time last year, I owned one shawl. My brown forest canopy shawl. I'm wearing it right now and love it to pieces. It thrills me to no end to realise now that I have not one but four small triangular shawls to choose from every day and I fully intend to have more. Sean asked, 'how many shawls does a girl need?' Scoff. As many as she can knit I say. In all those different colours? Why not?
  
  
• Do you Tweet? If you do, I'm there too as Bellsg. Follow me if you want!
  
  
• One other thing, I believe some readers thought that in my recent post on the crochet doily I had completed said doily in one, sleepless night. Even Sean said it read that way. No no. Not at all. I was only awake for a few hours that night. It was completed a few days later at more sane waking hours.
  
  
• And finally, a bit of advance notice. In April, which is my blogiversary month, I've had this crazy idea that I'll attempt a repeat of last year's Blogtoberfest scheme - remember the month where lots of us posted daily? I thought it might be a fun way to celebrate my third year of blogging and to include random prizes for small items periodically. So keep an eye out for my month of celebratory (and, most likely, draining) daily blogging! With prizes! You have been warned!

Have a good weekend everyone.

Bells