Little purls of wisdom....

Missing in action

2007-01-03T11:03:00.000+09:00

I had to go back to work. Sniff.

So this had left me with a little less time to commit to my favourite hobby and even less time to post about it. I have only returned to work 2 days a week and this all started in October but I feel guilty dumping Rowan of at Grandma's and it makes for a very long day for us. It takes 1.5 hours to get to work via Grandma's. Ugg.

I will be chucking my job in in April when I qualify for long service leave. I was close to resigning in October when my Maternity leave finished, but it seems stupid to throw away LSL money (about $10K) when I was so close. Anyway, I work isnt what it used to be for me...kind of a drag even though the break from Rowan is appreciated.

I havent stopped knitting entirely. I have knitted another pair of socks for my husband (I will be cross if he doesnt wear them) and started another pair for a friend which I am half way through. Next project is a bag of somesort.

Hope you are all well.

Dead and in heaven

2006-10-13T16:08:00.000+08:00

Oooo.. Look at my sockwar socks (forgive my hairy legs):

Gorgeous socks knitted by Karen at www.frogknits.com in beautiful artyarns.com yarn. They are soft and my feet are toasty warm. Thanks Karen, I am absolutely overjoyed!

And, if the socks weren't enough, look at my bonus gift:

The leftover yarn and some body lotions/sprays. There is a black sheep which I think is supposed to "baaa" but is rather silent right now. Could I be anymore spoilt? What a great day. I will be participating in future knitting exchanges - they make such lovely friendship rings. Feeling a little guilty I didnt send more treats to my sockwar target. The socks were for a 9yo girl so I sent some caramello Koalas and some aussie coins - a few special edition 20c, 50c & $1 coins. Just for something different.

Sockwars - nearly dead!

2006-10-11T19:04:00.000+08:00

I have made my sockwar socks and they will be in the mail tomorrow. I've set my own personal record for sock knitting - 5 days. The wool only arrived on Friday and they were ready and packed my lunch time today.

Sadly I am unlikely to have survived this round. My assassin posted her socks last week so they are due to arrive any day now. I am not too upset as it frees me up to knit my satchel after I finish the socks for my husband Matt. The socks I knitted for my US target Kathi are in Bendigo Woollen Mills 8ply Classic in "Raspberry". I was going to knit them in Bolero, but they are for Kathi's 9yo daughter and I thought pink was more her thing. The photo shows them much redder than they acutally are. Such simple socks to knit up!

In other news I finished the socks I was knitting a few weeks ago for my friend about to undergo her first IVF cycle. I didn't finish them both in time for her embryo transfer - so she could only wear the one. The amazing thing is she is now pregnant (lucky bitch) and of course is solely from the strength of the sock. I finished the other before starting the sockwar socks and will be borrowing them back in the new year when I head back to IVF for Rowan's sibling.

The bubble pattern is from Vogue Knitting Stitchonary Vol 1 and is an 16 row repeat:

Row 1-3: *K3, Sl3* repeat from *to*

Row 4-6: Knit all stiches

Row 7: *K4, C1, K5*repeat from *to*. C1 = Using left needle, pick up strands from the three slipped stiches in rows 1-3 and place on end of needle, Knit the next stitch behind the sl stiches (by digging under slipped stitch strands) and pull yarn out under the sl stitch strands. The effect is to pucker on the right side and create this diamond pattern on the wrong side. You'll see!

Row 8: Knit

Row 9-11: *Sl3, K3* repeat from *to*

Row 12-14: Knit

Row 15: *K1, C1, K5* repeat from *to*.

Row 16: Knit

Sockwars - the first blow!

2006-09-26T20:02:00.000+08:00

Sockwars was meant to start on the 8th of this month. I had been waiting for my dossier to turn up so I knew what yarn/needles/size I had to knit. However, as of yesterday - nada - so I sent a reminder email to yarnmonkey. Sadly she has had technical difficulties meaning not all dossiers were sent out and the first wave of attacks are already underway. Not that it really matters, but now I know who I have to kill and what i am going to kill them with! I am ordering some 8ply (DK) "Mystique" wool/mohair/alpaca wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills in Bolero which is fitting for a bloody fight. At the same time I am going to order myself som 12ply Rustic so I can knit this satchel. I am thinking Red Tweed in the rustic group.

Still going on the socks. I have done one, just started the other so the sockwar socks will be waiting until next week.

Socks on the head

2006-09-18T16:06:00.000+08:00

I'm knitting another pair of socks. Its because I can't think of what else yet. I would like to knit a bag or a light weight cotton cardi but am sturggling to find a good, cheap cotton yarn in rich colours. I was all geared up to buy some cotton from Knitpicks in the US only to find they don't do interntaional shipping. I am not wild about the cotton colours at Bendigo Woollen Mills and can't affort Jo Sharp or Rowan right now. So if anyone can recommend a good 4 ply cotton brand with a wide range of colours in Australia I would love to hear from you!

These socks are going to be a gift for a friend thats about to do her first cycle of IVF. They are "transfer" socks in blue and pink colourways from Live 2 Knit. I know what she is going through as my son Rowan is the product of 3.5 years of IVF treatments and I concieved him wearing pink and blue Bonds socks. So I believe success is all about what socks are worn on embryo transfer day. Looking funky aren't they!

Falling leaves socks Part II

2006-09-11T09:56:00.000+08:00

I have finally finished MY socks. They are lovely and warm and I really love the colour. Annoyingly they are a little two thick to wear with my brogues, but who wants to cover up socks that look this good up? I have worn them out and about and have recieved a few compliments from freinds than knew I was knitting them. Now to start the next pair - thinking an easy pattern for a change.

And here is the pattern. Its been bastardised from Live 2 Knit peacock socks and a old Sirdar pattern. The lace pattern has been modified from a Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Vol 1 for falling leaves.

Falling Leaves Socks
You need:
Set of four 2.75mm double pointed needles
2 Skeins of Live 2 Knit Elisabeth in Maple

Cast on 64 stiches evenly over three needles. The Autumn Leaves pattern repeat is over 8 stiches:

kkomokkk
kkkkkkkk
kokmkokk
kkkkkkkk
okkmkkok
kkkkkkkk
okkkkkom
kkkkkkkk
kokkkokm
kkkkkkkk
kkokokkm
kkkkkkkk

k-knit stich
o - yo
m - slip 2 knitwise, k1, pssso

Knit in pattern for 18cm - or less depending on the desired length or if your foot length is longer than a size 8 (AU). I wouldn't go much longer unless you are using Opal sock wool or something as you see:

there wasnt much left of this yarn leftover.

Heel
Heel is in "Dimples" pattern from the Vogue Knitting Stichionary Vol 1, p41
Knit across N1, turn.
Purl N1 and enough stiches from N3 to collect 32 stiches in total for heel.
First row - *K1, S1; rep from *to end
Second row - Slip the slipped stiches, purl the purl stiches
Third row - Knit
Fourth row - purl

Repeat pattern 8 times- 32 rows for heel.
Next row - Knit
R1: P16, P2tog, P1, turn
R2: K3, SSK, K1 turn
R3: Purl with 1st of turn, P2tog, P1
R4: Knit to within 1st of turn, SSK, K1
Repeat R3 & 4 until you have worked all stiches.

Gusset and foot
Pick up 17 stiches along right side of heel flap. Knit in Autumn leaves pattern accross top of foot. Pick up another 17 stiches along left side of heel flap and knit half the stiches at the base of the heel. This becomes N3, top of foot, N2 and remainder N1.

Decrease Rounds

R1 - Knit stiches on N1 until last two stiches, K2tog. Knit in pattern across N2. N3 - SSk, knit to end.

R2 - knit all stiches.

Continue decreasing until 16 stiches remain on N1 & N3. 64 stitches in total Continue in pattern until foot measures desired length - ~15cm for a size 8 AU foot. NB Toe shaping is about 4cm

Toe shaping

1st round: N1 – Knit to last 3 stiches, K2tog, K1. N2 – K1, S1, K1, psso, knit to last 3 stiches, K2tog, K1. N3 - K1, S1, K1, psso, knit to end.

2nd round – Knit all stichesRepeat 1st and 2nd rounds until 16 stiches remain.

Graft stiches together.

Falling leaves socks Part I

2006-09-02T22:43:00.000+08:00

Ugh, Rowan is sick. He has a cold - with cough, bit of a gummy eye and a runny nose. Matt is nagging me to take him to the doctors but I know its just a cold and he will fight it off. Matt gew up going to the Doctors every time he had a sniffle. I can count on one hand the number of times I went to the docs as a kid. I don't believe a doctor will be able to help him right now but if its gets alot worse, I will take him down. Poor little guy - when he coughs in his sleep he wakes up and cries. Poor Mummy has to settle him back down again!

Well on the knit front, here is the sock I have started knitting from Live 2 Knit's Elisabeth yarn in Maple:

Its a "falling leaves" pattern repeat modified from a lace pattern in Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Volume 1.

And I love the heel:

I think you will all agree this will be a pretty pair of socks. My first knitted pair just for me!

Offline

2006-08-29T10:41:00.000+08:00

How long does it take to change ISP these days? Two weeks - that how long I have been offline trying to get disconnected from one and hooked up to another. Most of the down time was Telstra stuffing about. I have gone from broadband to superfast broadband as these days people design webpages with huge graphics and the waiting for the site to be useful is just too long. Not as painful as dial-up mind you! My mother still dial-up and I can make a cup of tea and sandwich in the time it takes for yahoo.com to load. I find that once you have fast internet, you cannot go back - like driving a car with manual window winders after electronic windows. Sadly for my mother broadband isn't available in her area.

However there is a silver lining to being offline - I have managed to do quite a bit of knitting. I have finished my sisters' socks - all three pairs ready to go on their ski trip in October. I like this pair the most - the mock cables really stand out against the stripes and I really like the colour. They also fit my feet like a glove.

I have also started knitting some socks intended for me with the Live 2 Knit yarn I bought a few weeks ago. It really is beautiful yarn. I will publish some pictures in my next post.

And in case you thought I wasn't busy enough, I started my crochet course! The class goes for 4 weeks at 1.5 hours each Saturday. Only had 1 class so far - we learnt how to cast on a chain, get the tensioning right and do some double crochet. Unfortunately I don't think I am doing it quite right

Everything looks wrong to me although the photo makes it look better than it actually is! The stitches aren't lining up and I keep thinking there should be a discernible pattern. So I am loathe to keep practicing the same stitch until I see the instructor again. I believe we are learning doubles and triples next week so I hope I can pick it up ok. I am not sure I am going to take crochet up in a big way - knitting is so much more relaxing.

Like I need more wool...

2006-08-15T14:30:00.000+08:00

Oooooh. Look what arrived in the post today...

and...

My yarn from Live 2 Knit and 4 balls of Opal Sock Yarn from ebay. The opal yarn is for Christmas socks or something - gifts anyway. The Live 2 knit yarn is for myself, and myself only. I am going to give pomatomus or some lace pattern a go first off, and probably use the candy colour first - being a girl. Then I may consider knitting the greenish wool for my mother-in-law, but only if I really feel generous.

Love getting goodies in the mail.

In other news, and you won't believe this, guess what I was given by a complete stranger while walking my dogs and Rowan last Wednesday? A crochet baby blanket:

I was walking along a nearby cafe strip and this lady came up, "this is for your baby, I would like her to have it" and placed it on the pram. The she walked off, before I could say the baby was a "he" or thank her for this lovely gift. And it really is lovely, made from soft wool and very well made. Only criticism is that its not in my favorite football team colours, but Rowan doesn't care. He already loves pulling it over his head or making wrinkles in it. Do you think she sensed I was a fellow knitter?

Craft exhibition

2006-08-06T11:24:00.000+08:00

I went to a craft exhibition yesterday. I wasn't going to bother as these things tend to be a waste of money but my mother-in-law was going and it gave me a chance to get away from home. I took Rowan along which I knew was a risk but it would have given me an "out" if the fair was particularly boring.

As expected, the craft fair was a bit of a rip off - paid $13 for a whole lot of advertising. At least half the stalls were about scrap-booking which is not my thing. There were 3 wool stalls - one from a store I used to frequent called Crossways Wool & Fabrics based in Subiaco. I had a look over their wares and nothing has grabbed me like some of the wool available online these days. I did however sign up for a crochet course as I really want to know if a person can be BOTH a knitter and do crochet - not either or. It starts in a few weeks and I really am looking forward to it.

In other news, I bought some more sock wool of ebay. Four ball sof Opal Prisma in various colours for $7 a ball. They was quite a few sockenwolle balls at the craft fair yesterday - all for $15 plus so I am very happy with the bargain. They will make good presents for christmas.

Here is a snap of a recently finished pair: (edited to add....bloody blogger refused to let me up load this image...stay tuned)

They are a rather loose pair of socks and the next pair I will cast on fewer stiches. Sadly this pair is going to "fall asleep" more than the pair I knitted previously. Bit to loose in the rib, and there wasnt enough of it!

I have started the next pair and now onto the heel. I love how the cables are coming out and also love the purple. After a K1P1 rib, I am using a P3, Cable3 (K into from of second stitch on left needle, then knit into back loop of first stich of left needle, slip both off together) repeat. The pattern has been bastardised from Katie's blog, which is a trimmer sock than the one I used for the red strippy socks. I hope to finish this pair in a few weeks so I can knit something for myself.

May the best knitter win!

2006-08-02T19:48:00.000+08:00

In an attempt to familiarise myself with the international sock community, plus I am getting rather addicted to the knitting socks, I am participating in Sockwars. It sounds like a lot of fun and an interesting way to exchange socks. Sadly for Rowan, I can get fiercely competitive at these sorts of things so there will be no fun in the park until my socks are finished.

Speaking of socks, I am now 2/3 way through knitting socks for my sister's hood holiday later this year. Its not going to be surprise for one, as I think my mother-in-law let it slip to sis-in-law when they were both over babysitting Rowan today.

Newborn beanie

2006-07-31T10:40:00.000+08:00

I am getting faster at knitting. I quickly knitted up a cute little newborn beanie last night. Again using scrap baby wool - 3ply Shepard - I now only have a tiny amount of the cream left. The pattern is very similar to this, except I cast on 80 stiches to make a smaller size. The beanie is for my husbands secretary who had a baby boy last Friday. I doubt she will ever use it as she isnt the type to trust homemade over store bought. Plus I know she has spent up big at Pumpkin Patch (very overpriced kids clothes shop). Its the thought that counts and I am quite happy for her to give it away.

The pattern in the middle is a fair isle peenie over 7 rows, 10 stitch repeat:

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Very simple. I also seem to have solved the ladder problem between the needles as the beanie is very neat.

Head in a spin

2006-07-28T09:09:00.000+08:00

Thankyou to all those ladies that commented on my last post. Its a wonderful to be welcome into such a unique community - its certainly lonely being the only knitter in my circle of friends.

I must say my head is in a spin over the sheer number of knitting sites there are. I have just bought a pile of wool from Live 2 Knit, and I don't even need it! Am I already an addict? Should I seek help or is it ok to have a sizeable stash. With the sheer number of knitting shops out there I doubt whether I will ever go to a retail shop again. Plus I love the cottage yarn industries out there - so many unique things.

Now I just have to finish a few things. I am nearly finished my sisters socks, then I have to knit another beanie. After that I am knitting some socks for MYSELF. Can't believe I haven't knitted something for myself this year.

Also, I would love a button/thumbnail/pretty picture things for myself. Anyone know how I get one?

Hannah's beanie

2006-07-26T12:03:00.000+08:00

Friends of ours had a baby girl on Monday - Hannah. We are off to see her tonight so I knitted her this little beanie modeled by Rowan's Easter duck. I am doing well using up left over baby wool - both Shepard 3ply and I have the tiniest amount of the pink left. The pattern is similar to this, except for grafting the stitches together at the crown I have continued knitting them (8 stitches) to make a stalk eight rows long. I have also placed her monogram and birthdate in fair isle around the middle, starting 8 cm from the cast on edge. Its ~HMK ~ 24-07-06. I used a letter sampler from a cross-stitch book as a guide, the are all 10 rows high. Unfortunately the letters are a little hard to make out as the white yarn has a bit of a shimmer and any light really clouds the letters. I have also just about eliminated the ladders between the needles which makes the whole thing look much better. If the new parents like it, I will knit another beanie for another friend (not very close, but I was going to send her something later) in a similar style. I am really enjoying fair isle knitting. I should have started it years ago!

The good sister

2006-07-24T16:06:00.000+08:00

I am a bloody good sister! I am in the process of knitting three pairs of socks for my sister, sister-in-law and cousin as gifts for their "Thelma & Louise" style holiday to New Zealand later this year. I have already completed one, the blue stripe and it has a rather complex rib that didn't really show up amongst the the stiping. The diamond pattern block was a 10 stich repeat. I cast on 70 stiches to start these socks, and did 12 rows of K1P1 rib. Then 18cm of the diamond pattern blocks before starting the heel. I ended up only having a tiny amount of yarn left over - these are socks for a big foot!

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ppkpkppkpk

pkpppkpkpk

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The other is rather simple mix of stockinette and reverse stockinette as the colours change. Much better pattern with this sort of wool.

Both are knitted in Opal "Prisma" on 3.25mm needles. I reallly like knitting with the Red Prisma, the Blue was so boarding school. The next one is a purple and I havent decided what pattern to use for the rib yet. I was thinking mock pleats. I picked up all three balls of prisma for $7 each from ebay. Bargain. Just as well really as I don't expect my cousin to appreaciate them.

Snowflake Fair Isle Baby Beanie

2006-07-24T15:23:00.000+08:00

This is the second beanie I have knitted for Rowan. It is my third attempt at fair isle knitting, the pattern is quite tedious but well worth it. Its a really beautiful beanie, but if I was to attempt this again I would knit the bottom of the beanie in double strand as the weight of the yarn in the snowflake pattern distorts the beanie and makes it sit wrong.

Again I used scrap baby yarn and i have just about run out of the purple. The cream is from a 200g ball of baby wool from Bendigo Woollen Mills. They are a great source of quality bulk yarn available by mail order if you live outside of Bendigo Victoria (Australia). The purple is this beautiful italian wool called Grignasco and is extrafine merino. Absolutly gorgeous wool but rather expensive - $11AU for 50g. I bought this in a range of colours and knitted a baby blanket for Rowan and some booties to give away as gifts.

As you can see, Rowan wasn't interested in modelling it for you. Its still a bit big for him as I knitted it to fit a 9 month old baby and he isn't quite there yet. I knitted the cuff in reverse stocking stitch to make a rolled effect. My tension is still a bit off in between the needles, but a vast improvement on my first beanie.

I will post the graph and pattern I used shortly.

South American Waves Baby Beanie

2006-07-24T10:23:00.000+08:00

This is one of the first beanies I knitted for Rowan. I used two balls of scrap Shepard 3ply baby wool and why knit straight bands as one ball is running out when you can use a South American Waves pattern? Its a multiple of 8 stitches in circular knitting using three needles and its an easy graph to follow:

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As you can see in the top photo there is a ladder where I hadn't got my tension quite right where the needles changed. Knitting this over four needles should reduce the stress on the end stitches.

Pattern:

Needles 3.25, size 3 (6) months

Cast on 88 (96) stitches

First twelve rounds: K2P2

change to 3.75mm needles.

Knit in stocking stitch until work measures 8cm from begining. Join contrasting yarn and work from above graph in fair isle for six rows.

Continuing in contrasting yarn, knit until work measures 11(12) cm from beginning.

Shape Crown:

1st round: *K2tog, K9(10), rep from * to end ...70 (88) stiches

2nd and foll alt rows: Knit

3rd round: *K2tog, K8(9), rep from * to end ...72 (80) stiches

5th round: *K2tog, K7(8), rep from * to end ...64 (72) stiches

Cont dec in this manner until 16 stiches remain

Next round: *K2tog, rep from * to end.. 8 stiches.

Graph stiches together and cast off.

Thanks to Rowan for modelling it for us.

Cast on..

2006-07-22T14:52:00.000+08:00

I am Kath and I have only started to get back into knitting in a big way when my son was born 8 months ago. I used to only knit for myself, usually a cardigan or two a year. Sadly I live in a reasonably warm place and there is only a few days a year that I could justify wearing them.

Since Rowan was born, I have been knitting things for him and socks for others. I have also knitted beanies for friends newborns. I don't really expect these gifts to be worn much as most of the mums I meet only like their babies to wear store-bought things. This doesnt bother me as I know they will one day really appreciate the thought and effort that I put into thier special gift.