August 2008 – Knitting Box

A photo finish

I’ve finished my Ravelympics Hoodie!

I meant to take progress photos as I go, but unfortunately that didn’t happen, best laid plans and all — either I was too busy doing the knitting itself or the lights not great for taking photos.

I didn’t use any patterns for this. I did consider several patterns that have the features that Annette wants (a hood and a pouch), but none of them is just the way I pictured it in my head. So I thought I’d be adventurous and just make it up as I go. Working without a pattern has its up and down sides, of course. The downside is that I don’t always know what to do next, or how long exactly to make each section (knitting this from the top-down helps in this regard, as it lets me “try it on” on Annette to check the sizing). At many points I wasn’t sure at all whether what I was planning to do was going to work. On the up side, it was strangely liberating, not having to worry about following a pattern or making sense of instructions. I get to just look at the knitting itself and work it out from there. Thank goodness it mostly worked out in the end.

My requirements for this hoodie were:

– a hood — Of course, it’s a hoodie! 🙂 I’ve made two projects with hoods in the past, and while I love them, one thing that kept bugging me was that the hood was too pointy for my liking (not the patterns’ fault, since in those two projects the hoods were my own devising as well). And I noticed that several of Annette’s store-bought hoodies have a different construction that makes the hoods more rounded. So I copied the construction and adapt it into knitting here, and I’m glad to see that it’s working 🙂

Hood detail

– a pouch — This was one of those things that I wasn’t sure how to do. And I’m still not completely happy with how the edges look. I’m hoping it will smooth out after blocking. Later: It did! Phew.

Hoodie finished!

– the finished size has to be bigger than Annette’s current jumpers, so she can use it until next year’s winter at the very least — Well a big tick here, she’s swimming in it! Hehe. But not too big to be worn right now.

So there it is. Some details:

Yarn: Yarn Bee ‘Seasoned Spice’ #006B, in ‘Salmon’ colourway, 7 balls.
Needles: 4mm circulars.
Ravelry link

She loves it. That’s always a winner in my books!

24 August 2008

One more

Pattern: Button me up by Laura Chau. I made the 40 inches version, but at a tighter gauge due to my yarn substitution.
Yarn: Malabrigo merino worsted in “Purple mystery”, 4 skeins.
Needles: 4.5mm circulars.

I did just a few modifications to this jumper. I decided not to have the deep ribbing, opting for only 1 inch depth for all the ribbings. I didn’t do the stripes either, as I was already using a semi-solid/semi-variegated yarn. I did alternate between two skeins every a couple of rows, to even out the differences between skeins.

I started on this sometime in mid-June, so not long after I finished my Tangled Yoke. I guess I was still on that “just finished a big project” high. I’ve worked out that sweaters (cardigans, jumpers) are my favourite things to knit. I love the comfort of my handknit socks, the simplicity of scarves, and even hats. But for me nothing beats the satisfaction of finishing a whole garment that I can wear. Plus, it’s a great stashbusting exercise. (I know lots of people are scared off by adult-sized garments because it’s such a big project. But, for non-knitters, I liken this to making a quilt — it’s big, lots of planning, lots of pieces, lots of steps, but in the end it’s worth it. Says she who is yet to make a quilt big enough to cover a bed… 🙂 But I will get there, I will, I will.)

I was going to make another jumper for myself as part of Ravelympics (deluding myself, perhaps, a whole jumper in 2 weeks?? in my defense, the jumper that I was considering is mostly stocking stitch, no ribbings, and is worked in one piece) but I think Annette needs a jumper more than I do (that kid is finally growing faaast!). She loves hoodies, so I’ll be making her one, with this yarn.

So that’s what I’ll be working on for the next two weeks. I start tonight, once the opening ceremony starts. Should be good!

8 August 2008

Don’t get used to this

I’ve been trying to stay away from the computer for the last few weeks. I thought I should do a bit more knitting or sewing, instead of just reading about them. That, and I have some things that I need to do that have deadlines (mostly self-imposed, but still they have to be finished.) I’m really terrible with limiting my Internet time, once I’m in front of it. You won’t believe how many times I had gone to the computer “only to check something” and next thing I know it’d been a few hours. Terrible I tell you! So the best solution seems to be to not turn the computer at all. Well, I didn’t go without the Internet completely (of course not!), but I seem to be getting better at resisting the urge to perch in front of the computer for hours on end. And it seems to be working somewhat. I managed to finish a few things! (Yes, several!)

You ready?

First was this pram/bassinet blanket for a friend’s little boy who made an appearance a few weeks ago. Very similar to the one I made before.

Then there was a cardigan for a little girl.

Pattern: Offset Wraplan. I added a crochet flower to one side of the collar (helped by this video tutorial on youtube).
Yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton in “Purr”, 2.5 balls
Needles: 3.5mm
Ravelry link

And another one for another friend’s little girl.

Pattern: Debbie Bliss’ Ribbed Baby Jacket from Special Knits, and I added a crochet flower brooch.
Yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton in “Purr”, 2.5 balls
Needles: 4.5mm
Ravelry link

Seems to be a theme here, doesn’t it! Babies seem to be popping left right and centre around here. And I was very behind with my gifts. I really must do something about this procrastination. I mean, I knew the babies were coming, so why does it always catch me by surprise??

Another FO, this time for me, just to break the baby theme. I started this scarf months ago (ahem, in March), and finally it’s done.

Pattern: So Called Scarf
Yarn: Moda Vera Harmony, 3.5 balls
Needles: 5mm
Ravelry link

And finally, a pencil case / pouch that I made as my contribution to a recent blogmeet lucky dip swap.

Pattern: Counterpane accessories pouch from Handknit Holidays
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Wool/Cotton, 1 ball
Needles: 3.25mm
Ravelry link
Modification: The pattern says to add just a layer of lining on the inside, but I was worried it would make the pouch too limp and floppy. So instead I sewed a fully lined pouch first with a heavy canvas as the exterior (picture here), and then attached the knitted pieces to the outside of that by hand-stitching it around the zipper. I’m glad I did, because the result turned out to be sturdy enough to hold its shape. I love, love, love the texture on this!

Well that turned out to be quite a productive month! I guess the cold, cold winter we’re having in Sydney at the moment kind of spurred me on with the knitting. I still have a few more projects in the works that I haven’t even blogged about yet, for another time then!

3 August 2008