A Summer Singlet

This is another Katja , this time for Jasmine. Isn't she cute! I added a cable down the front, and a moss stitch panel down the back (to disguise the jog you get when you do a bit of garter stitch in the round). I also made the body first (with an eyelet row for a ribbon) and picked up the triangles later.

It's very soft and nice - Bamboozle, like the last one, but in blues and pale green/yellow. I finished it yesterday, and today was perfect weather for it.

Jasmine thinks she looks pretty good.

Here she is with a tshirt-suit under it. She'll be able to wear it all year!

I really should get on with the Vivian. I realized I made a slight cabling error. I've been cabling every 4th row, instead of row 4 and every 6th. Oops! I'm not going to frog, though, as knitting-hours are too valuable to waste (when you have littlies) for something so minor.

Olive bits

Hehehe. This project took me about 3 days, just doing an olive here or there in my spare time. I ended up doing 16, I think. It was lots of fun, and the Raveler who made them up was right... they are addictive!


This is a little present for my Mum and Dad for Christmas. Coz Olive 'em.

Used tapestry wool, and tried a few colors of "olive". Ended up liking a bit of a mix.

I got better as I went along. In fact, I could probably whip one up in my sleep, now, only I'd wake up to find a red olive stuffed with green. Ü

Green bits

I haven't posted for ages, because it seems somehow pointless to write anything in a knitting blog without pictures. But my progress on the Vivian is very slow. Some days I only get a row or two done Ü

I think I'm up to the 17th row now.




Anyway, I've taken a break these last few days to do the following:

1. Read! (Stupid addictive Twilight Series)

2. Hat lining. Sigh. My DH tells me that wool makes him itch, so rather than waste all the time put into his nice merino hat, I'm wasting more time knitting a lining in a super soft acrylic to somehow put on the inside. I'm doing about 20 rows of 2x3 rib (same as the hat) and trying to decide, as I knit, how I'm going to best attach it.

3. Another cotton Katja, this time for Jasmine. I should do my jumper first, but I want to make her this so she can wear it this Summer. Of course, it's Summer in Australia right now, so if I wait until the Vivian is finished, she'll be too cold, and before long, too big.

I started going backwards and forwards, but then I decided to join it, though it has to stretch a bit to fit on my 80cm circular. I added a cable down the front and a 7-wide column of moss stitch down the back, so that I can disguise the "jog" where you do a little garter stitch.

Well, one more week until Christmas, but only today left before my DH is on holidays, so I'm going to have to do a fair bit of his hat today!

I'm planning to start back on the Vivian in a few days. I even wrote myself out a bit of a schedule (which is setting myself up for failure, I guess, but I'm a ListMaker) to make sure I finish it by my birthday Ü

Hopefully it will fit! I must do more exercise!!

Katja

Here is the Katja I finished yesterday, while Zara's parents were over for tea. Zara is Byron's little friend (they've known each other since before they were born, pretty much, and are the same age.) So Zara is a lucky little honorary family member who gets a knitted Christmas present, when noone else in my family will Ü





Mainly because I saw the Bamboozle worsted bamboo/cotton, and had to buy it (it's very soft and pretty), and this looked fun to make...




I ended up buying one extra skein to finish it off, so I used about 2.2x 50g balls. I knitted a size 2 with 5.5mm needles instead of 4.5, so it's a little big for her (she's 18 months). But it's still cute and I love it! I added the ribbon eyelets, but forgot to buy a ribbon (that's present-wrapping curly 'paper' ribbon you can see), and right after this photo, I took it off and wrapped it for Christmas. (As the first grandchild on both sides, she's going to need all the presents she can get... LOL). I've already bought more Bamboozle to make one for Jasmine.



However...



I have stalled long enough, and am determined to cast on the Vivian today. I still have a few WIPs, but at least I am casting on! If I have time, that is. It's my MIL's 60th tomorrow (Happy Birthday, Cheryl!) and we're going out for lunch today. Anyway, I bought a 200g ball of nice soft Aussie merino from Bendigo Woolen Mills (online) and I'll order some more. It's cheap and nice!

Half a slow sock

Is it really the 29th!? Lucky I've given up on most of that Christmas list, or I'd be so stressed!

Here's a fun thing about knitting socks on two circulars... the ability to try on as you go.

Look, yellow!

Yellow cotton... hey... I hate knitting with cotton! How did cotton get into the basket when I only went in to get some 6mm and 5.5mm circulars?

Stupid soft cotton. I needed some yellow, because Someone is knitting yellow socks and I'm in a yellow mood. And then I thought, "get some green and make Byron a little Aussie Scarf". And then I saw this beautiful Bamboozle, with a swatch done. It's red and pink and orange in a way that makes me think of raspberries, and I immediately thought it would be fun to make Byron's friend, Zara, a little singlet top...

I picked "Katja" from Ravelry, though I think I'm going to need to buy a bit more.

When will I start my Viv?

Check out these keen little pre-knitters. Even Jasmine grabs my wool all the time. Yesterday she managed to grab it with her toes. Hehe!

P.S. You're such a bad influence on me, Tara, that when I saw "Twilight" in the shops tonight, I bought it immediately. I don't think I even read the back cover first!

Secret hat

I finally finished the secret Christmas hat, and it worked out really well. It's a simple rib but with a very neat shaping. I like it. It's pretty big on the boy (18 months old) but it fits me just fine. Of course, it's not for me.

The merino is the cheap stuff I got, locally made yarn that was not selling (it was grey) so the lovely people at Willabaa dyed it in blues and greens and made it half-price ($6 for 100g). The hat used about half of one skein, so I have 250g left Ü ...I plan to make some matching gloves.

Note that he's playing with the circulars that I finally stopped hogging.

It's about 5000 stitches, so if my dear hubby doesn't like it, he'd better not tell me so...

.

Also finished the Bainbridge scarf. Used some very cheap bulky yarn. 150g. Probably made it a bit long, but oh well. I like the broken rib pattern (1st row: k1, p1. 2nd row: knit). I ended up turning it inside out because the purl side was interesting. Bit itchy, though, and not tight enough around the neck. Live and learn.

Finished the dropstitch scarf. Here it is blocking on the bed. A good blocking gave it about 50% more length! It's nice and stretchable. It's now 155cm.

And I'm up to the heel flap in my first Broadripple sock. Knitting with two circulars is going well, except that they're cheap and the yarn keeps catching where the cable and needle join. But it looks good so far.

.

Finally, I bought a pattern off the internet, and I plan to make it for myself... for my birthday in April. Hopefully I'll make the deadline, because then I've got to do one for Byron in May and Jasmine in July (I have Weasleyish ambitions). Jasmine's getting a Bunnyhop, but I don't know what to make Byron yet. Still, I'm putting off casting on for the new project because once I start it I think my socks and gloves and little dress will be cast aside.

.

It's the Vivian! (Ok, I may have already done a swatch...)

.

This will be a bit of a challenge, and if that's not a challenge enough, I'm also challenging myself. I'm knitting a size smaller, because I plan to fit into it by then. Eeek...

.

Also, I don't have enough yarn for the 44" one. Ü

.

I have some worsted wool in a heathery green I like, but it was on sale (7 balls for $14). It's just Lion brand Wool ease Worsted, but that's what I'm using, and I can't seem to find more.

.

Anyway, I need to lose 3 bust inches, which should be doable with such a nice piece of incentive.

.

Dreams. Sigh.

I can't seem to sit still

I have been waiting and waiting to post, determined to have a finished object to put up, but alas! I can't seem to stick to one thing for twenty minutes together. It's getting ridiculous. So here are the current WIPs, between which I am happily swinging...

Ssh... this is the Christmas present I haven't let my dear hubby see me knit. It's a hat , and there will be fingerless gloves to go with it. It's currently a nice simple 3x2 rib, and I'm doing it on two circulars. He'll probably say it's too itchy (lol), but perhaps it will keep him a bit warmer in the shed next Winter.

This is the Make It Up as you Go dress. I started knitting a tube with cheap $1 balls of wool I bought, just for something mindless to knit while chatting to people (or waiting my turn in Carcasonne). I wrapped it around Nathan's bird stand, sprayed it with blue and aqua food dye (Byron's little fingers were itching so bad!) and then got it hopelessly tangled when I tried to roll it again Ü. Then I did a lighter one, and the other day, when it was nice and warm, I did a yellow/green, a yellow/green/orchid and a yellow/orchid. (Orchid is what the food dye box called it, and it sounds nicer than pink). Mum came along and helped me roll them back up, which was a great help!!

I've actually tried a bit of Continental on this (woohoo!) and it's awkward, but already just as quick as my "chucking". I will definitely practice more. Maybe I'll be able to knit as fast as Mintyfresh one day... or perhaps Telly's gran...

Jasmine in the Pinwheel. I basically tied a toggle button thingy (whatchamacallit) to one icord connection and put it through the other. It's at the level of the arm yarnovers, so it should work either way. At the moment she's 4 months old, so its Babyways. I think the hood looks odd, but still cute. Here's the back...

Don't you love those funny bald spots? hehe. You can't really tell it's circular like this, and the arms are practically doubled back to the armpit, but Jasmine makes it work. She's just that cute.

Here's what I thought I would finish for the blog. There's actually another local gal (so I discovered on Ravelry) who has made the Dropstitch Scarf with almost the exact shade of the same local yarn.

I love the bright colors (which are hard to see on this picture). It goes hot pink to orange and blue to green, with just about every other color popping in from time to time. I've only got this little bit left now, and I'm hoping that I can block it to a good length. It needs a good blocking to bring out the pattern, I think. The pattern is simple but fun. Basically, it's garter stitch, but on the 3rd row you do a bunch of yarnovers (one "oval" is k1, yo, k1, yox2, k1, yox3, k1, yox2, k1, yo, k1) and on the fourth row you drop them off as you go.

I've been using the little Heroes Dumpling bag as my Dropstitch knitting bag. The scarf has filled it as the ball diminished, and I can hang it over my right arm to pull the yarn from as I go. It's a great little thing. I sat in the shopping center on Friday, grinning at Jasmine in the pram, and doing some public knitting. Fun. Nobody seems to knit in public here.

Behold: a finished object!

No, not Pastel... the headband. LOL. I finished it today out of scraps of the Bunnyhop. It has stripes, two rows of each color (the light and dark) and it's all garter stitch. The interesting flowery bit is a loopy icord edge (as in the Pinwheel Sweater) and its purpose is to distract your attention from the glaring error of accidently doing four rows of dark somewhere there. Can't even do a strip of garter stitch any more! Distracting little kids!

"Australia" is coming out tomorrow! I'm going to have to wait a bit to see it, but I'm really looking forward to it. Hugh Jackman is a fantastic actor (and seems to be a down-to-earth, likeable bloke) and it's all about my favorite country Ü. Go And See It!

I'm starting to think I would like Canada second. They have lots of yarn. But we have Christmas in the Summer, which makes so much sense (short nights, long days, barbecue and beach weather, etc.). And nobody wants knitted stuff for Christmas. Not really. Not when it's 38 outside.

Byron is 18 months old today! He's such a gorgie Ü. Chats all day. Says about 400 different words. lol. He and Jasmine had their shots (for 18m and 4m) the other day (that was fun!) and Mummy bought them a stash of new books for being so good.

Finished Pinwheel

Finally finished the arm today, and sewed in all the ends! It still needs to be blocked, but otherwise it's DONE!

Baby version (with the sleeves rolled up). Not really much of a hood, but wearable.

I like it much better as a toddler jacket. Apparently it fits til they're about 4. I'm going to put a couple of toggle buttons on, I think.

Ü

I am not completely happy with the silly sleeve saga, but my dear hubby likes how it looks and has convinced me to leave it a while.

Besides, I can redo the sleeves any time I like in the future.

Basically, I looked at the yarn in the shop, decided it was the same, and bought it. Actually, I bought number 7 and number 8, which are quite different. One (which I used in the edge of the circle bit) has quite dark sections, and the second (which I changed to half way along the first sleeve) is more... er... muted? It didn't matter, though, as all the colors matched, and I thought, "Oh, well. I'll just get some more number 8 and do the other sleeve the same."

But it's apparently a very different dye lot!

You can see the difference in the first photo (of the back) that the dark stripes on the sleeve are much darker on the right sleeve than the left.

Grr! I think I will rip them out one day. But not yet.

My other gripe with the pattern is that some of the ends (where the colors join) can be seen when you fold back the collar for the toddler version. I wish they had the color joins along the side or something... sigh. Next time.

Anyway, I am glad to be finished it, and only mildly annoyed at the sleeves because it's midnight and I'm tired. Why am I up?

.

Something finished

Ok, it was a quick knit, and it refuses to felt much (silly thing!) ...but it's fat and cute and I'm not minding the pink-green colors, now.

I love the creative little handle, how it can be two short or one long. Will have to make another one, maybe with a different brand of wool.

Also made this cheeky girl a little lace headband. Blocked it and everything. Was so cute! Put it on, and it stretched into pattern-oblivion. Should have just made it garter stitch!!

It's 135am. I must get off this silly thing!

Dumpling bag

The Cleckheaton Vintage Hues yarn I bought is a bit of a weird color mix. It's green and purple and yellow... I'm not sure I like it that much. But I decided to get some (especially on sale) to try felting with. So I'm making the Dumpling Bag from Interweave Knits (by She-knits). I've never done felting before, I'm using the wrong needles (don't have 9mm's so I'm using 6mm) and I don't know what weight of yarn I was supposed to use in the first place, but it's an experiment!


Anyway, it's simple so far (and I am entertained by how much it looks like a knitted bra at this stage!). I knit this much yesterday evening, and hope to finish it today, if the kids allow it. Then I'll see how small it gets in the wash!





It might end up being a bag for a little girl...


In any case, it's fun! I can see more of these in my future.

Oh, the pinwheel sweater has stalled. I accidentally got color 7 and 8 instead of two of the same. They're similar, but you can tell the difference on the sleeves, where one is half 8, and the other is all 7. I'm going to have to pull out a bit, and redo it after I get more number 8 on Friday. Grrr.

Converts

I'm on the second sleeve of the pinwheel sweater, which is zooming along nicely. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed knitting on this project, probably because it's worsted weight with 5.5mm needles. lol. The best thing is that I'm doing these stitches with two circulars, and it's going so well! No ladders at all! I know that some people will not think this a great achievement (and of course it's not!) but now I have a heap of dpn's I'm not sure I'll use again, and a bunch of sizes that I don't have two circulars for....

I might have converted.

I also bought a great deal of wool on Friday Night. Friday Night is where I go out and my dear hubby stays home with the kids. At the moment, Jasmine and I go out, because she won't drink out of a bottle for love or money, but that's fine. It's kind of nice Ü. Anyway, instead of sitting down with the knitting I brought, I wandered through the yarn sections of the shopping center, finding bargains. Sigh. I bought 10 balls of a creamy colored Zhivago, 6 balls of "starshine", 3 of "vintage hues" and one plain black Patonyle sock yarn. Incurable. Sigh. But I have plans to cast on about 60 things as soon as the Pinwheel sweater is finished, so I'm going to need it, really...

I went out for tea with friends the other night, and took a tiny circular with a tiny (bookmark) sock on it (because it fits into my nappybag). To my surprise, my friend Telly pulled out a pretty strip of variegated pink garter stitch, and started knitting along with me! She said she has plans to become as fast as her gran (who does continental, unlike us, so I'm not sure if it's possible) and make a blanket for her girl, Zara. Yay... another knitter!

Well, it's after 7am, and the kids are still asleep!! Don't think I have much free time left today... better do a little knitting Ü

Finally done Ü

Well, it was a relatively simple knit, but it turned out so cute! Of course, if you're being distracted by children, or trying to knit after 8pm when you're dead tired, the ruffle edge can be a bit tricky. The rest is just ribbing. The only change I made was to add an inch to the length of the body. I made the smallest pattern size, which is 6-9 months, I think, but I used DK and 4mm needles. Anyway, as you can see, it perfectly fits my nearly-4-month old baby, Jasmine, with a few more months' worth of room, so I'd say it's size 3-6 months.

I used Zhivago and blocked the pieces as per R A I N 's advice (thanks) and I was up until 1am sewing the bits together. But I started falling asleep, so I had to leave it with a mere 6 or 7 ends left to weave in. But, it's done!

I love it so much that I've already wrapped it and put it away. It's not for me, it's for Ruth, who's having a little girl in January. Hopefully it will fit her little miss just as it starts to get colder again (down here in Australia). Sob. I was a bit tempted to keep it for Jasmine.

Still, I have more Zhivago.... no. On with the pinwheel, Tam.

.........

oh, I kept finding cheap yarn yesterday! I bought about 20 more balls, I think. hehe. Maybe I'll make Jasmine a cream one for her first birthday. Ü

A bit more wool... what?

I am working on the stash... lol. But I found a local shop that sells just a bit of locally spun merino, and the green and blue was cheap. She said it was all grey, and not selling well, so they hand-dyed it in nice greens and blues and made it half-price! What sort of place makes grey merino pretty and then discounts it!?



Thanks, Willabaa.







Anyway, I've not updated much, and that's because I want to finish the Bunnyhop first. One sleeve to go! I still love it, and I wish I could keep it! But I do need to start on some Christmas knitting.

Some of the stash

Sick of my messy shelf of yarn, I tipped it all onto the bed to sort. Yikes!

Er, how did that happen? This is not even all of it... there are about 20 other balls in various project bags. My hubby came in and suggested that maybe I should knit some more things before buying more wool.

I think so.

I sorted it into wool, acrylic and mixes, and put them all in bags (because if mice found them they could build an apartment block). The shelf looks much neater.

Can't get motivated to knit for Christmas, because knitting for babies (and my own kids) is more fun. Maybe the list I made will work for Christmas 2009.

Mad Christmas rush

I got up early the other morning, since I'd just fed Jasmine and Byron has been waking up around 6am lately... but to my surprise I got 3 hours on the internet! I spent most of it browsing Ravelry and writing a list of Christmas presents to make for all the family.

Of course, I won't make many of them, especially since I can't seem to tear myself away from that soft zhivago. I've finished the back and started the front.

The only thing with the edging is that it requires concentration. So I can't do it while watching the bubs, and I can't do it while tired... that doesn't leave much time. I gave up on it tonight, after two rows, because I keep making frustrating mistakes.

Yesterday was Friday, and Friday is my night off every week. At the moment, Jasmine comes shopping with me, as she hates bottles with a passion! This time I took the pram (instead of the carrier), and she had a marvelous sleep, and then a feed (under a blanket!) while I sat in the food court in Central Square, reading my Interweave Knits magazine (and eating chocolate). Luxury, to have time off. Normally she's happy to come shopping, as long as I keep moving, so I leave my knitting home. But I do like that Interweave Knits magazine. Maybe I'll get a subscription, if I can.

Here's the progress on the Bunnyhop.

The back. I added about an inch to the length of the body, because the picture on Ravelry looks short. Hopefully it won't turn into a dress.

Can you block a project when your yarn is not wool? I don't know much about blocking. I'm guessing that if I soak it and pin it out, it won't do it any harm, anyway...

Casting on is fun!

I'm a bit of a project starter. Love buying wool and making plans. I made another mini circular... this time a 17cm 3.5mm one, and I'm knitting a broadripple sock on it. At least, I started.

Then I went shopping (Friday night is shopping night for Jasmine and I) and found some $2 balls of Zhivago in a pretty shade of... purple? I love zhivago. It's 50% acrylic, and I don't normally like acrylic, but it's also 50% tencel, and SO soft! I decided to use it for a Bunny hop pullover for my friends' new baby.

One of the great things about this project is that I get to use up a $1 ball of yarn I've been itching to use but haven't found a little project worthy of it. I had two balls, one in Rosewood and one in Mahogany. It just so happens that this yarn is the same fiber mix. The Rosewood is the same color as my zhivago, and the Mahogany is a shade darker... the perfect color and amount for the edges on my Bunnyhop.

It took me ages to do the ruffle edge, but I was so pleased with it when it was done. The first row is 185 stitches, and then it decreases down to 55. Now it's simple ribbing. I did about 15cm of ribbing yesterday, which is pretty good for me. Normally I can only do a row here and two rows there, and maybe 5 or 6 rows when the kids are in bed (before I fall asleep myself!)

Can't wait to see how it looks on my little model. I'll dress Jaz in it once for a photo, and then give it away.

Oh, and I finished my first pair of socks.

The cast on is a bit tight to get over my heel, but apart from that they are warm and cosy.

Mini Circulars

I spent a bit of time in the Shed today. Why? Because I was butchering a new Sullivans bamboo circular needle into two minis!

The original was a 3mm, 80cm circular needle. I cut the points off the wood (with scissors) and Nathan sharpened them for me. (Think he sandpapered them. I re-sandpapered the ends later, and it was quite easy.) The wood left was 5cm long. I found it hard to pull off the tube, so I cut it off one end with a sharp knife.

I measured my tube, cut it to length, and put the end back on. It was hard to squish on, but it went on eventually.

I found the cut-off points, and decided to try and whittle the ends so I could stick on the leftover tube. It didn't work so well, because I'm not much of a whittler. So, with a file in the vice, I filed the end down until the tube could be squished on.

My first was 20cm (about 8"), because I've heard of 8" circulars, and I figured it wasn't possible to knit with them much smaller.

The second was 25.5cm (about 10"). The joins aren't perfect, so I'll see how they go with knitting. I suspect my little one will work best, if I hold the original (good) end in my right hand.

If they work well, my future socks will be much easier!

Sock number 2 is down to the foot. So not long to go, and then I'll give the mini-circs a try!

My First Socks

I have gotten to the point in the pinwheel sweater where I have to do sleeves. But I know I'm going to leave (stupid) dpn ladders all the way down them!

Tara says you can use 2 circulars, which I tested, but it's tricky. I will practice again sometime, this time with actual instructions! lol. She challenged me to make socks on 2 circulars, saying she would, too.

Anyway, I was suddenly hit with a desire to practice dpn-ing with an 8ply pattern I'd found. To my surprise, I have had a great time going round with my (stupid) dpn's, and have done about 10cm so far.

I am making socks! I'm even going to try the scary-sounding heel!

Byron looked up at me today, and (being neglected) sighed, "knit, knit, knit..." It is not the first time. Poor boy. I put "The Wiggles" on for him, balanced Jasmine on my lap, and we were all happy.

Pinwheel

This is my latest project, a cute little circular sweater that apparently fits a baby from age 6 months to 4 years. I think it looks a bit funny with the "hood" for the baby size, but I like the bigger "collar" size. (You turn it upside down to go from one to the other). I spent all my cash on the 5 different needles and 8 balls of 10ply they thought I needed ($70) but it's been worth it.

At first the (stupid!!) thing took me 6 tries to get started. I was wrestling with 8 stitches on 4 long 5.5mm double pointed needles, trying not to get them twisted while knitting into the front and back... But finally I got going. Once my hands got used to the dpn's again (it seems to take 5 or 10 rounds) I was right, and once I got onto the circulars (after about 16 rounds) I was laughing.

The yarn is Patons Jet, and they didn't have many colors. But I'm liking the colors I picked. They're very Autumny together, and just a bit different than what I would have picked, had I more choice. I'm not the sort to mix orange, purple, cream, white, red and a caramel kind of brown. But they look ok. The final color is a variegated (sort of) yarn that cycles (on the 3 different plies independently) between the purple, red and orange, though it's hard to see in the photo.

The edging was fun, though it took about 3 days. The final round had 216 stitches (though I think it should have had more, but never mind that!) and was finished by incorporating a 3-wide icord. Each bump of icord was 6 rows, the 6th being knitted together with the next 3 stitches to be cast off. So the icord was about 1300 stitches. Not difficult, but fiddley, and mostly done with Jasmine on my knee. lol.

The two lines of "caramel" in the orange section will be pulled out to make 36 live stitches for the sleeves. Haven't worked out how I'm going to do them, yet. I still get ladders with dpn's and it would be a shame to ruin it like that. I'll probably have a go, though. I can always rip it out!

A pinwheel group on Ravelry gave me the ideas about the sleeves and the contrasting edge color.

And here's my little helper! hehe. He taps the needles together and says, "knit knit knit!" But he doesn't quite get the concept... he gets annoyed if I try and put wool in his way!