Yet another scarf *groans*

I just wanted something light and Spring-y. I always feel like dressing up like Audrey Hepburn in Spring, so I thought I'd make something retro. The left-over mohair I had from an old project was prefect, though the colour wasn't what I imagined. But overall I'm very happy with it.

I'm quite proud of the shaped ends. It took 4 tries before I got them right. I'm gonna keep the notes for that one. It would have taken much less time to make if it weren't for that.

Love,
Audrey. xxx
P.S. Just kidding. I'm not really Audrey Hepburn.

Another 2 weeks passes

Hi all.

I've just been so busy the last few weeks... playing computer games, working, playing computer games, spending time with my bf, playing computer games... you get the point. I have done a little knitting though.

I've really been into knitting magazines lately, because they are the most up-to-date and non-dorky. After some thought, I subscribed to Creative Knitting magazine. It's Australian, so it has relevant ads, and it has mostly cool patterns. There is a shrug in the example copy that I really want to make. And I bought a copy of the latest Vogue Knitting which doesn't have the locality (localness??) of the other one, but the patterns are even cooler and more fashionable - imagine Vogue magazine, but with a how-to section. There's a few things I want to make from that one. But for serious possibilities, I have this list:
* ribbed shrug in Patons Zhivago from Creative Knitting
* chunky drop-stitch shrug from Vogue Knitting Holiday issue
* sweater-vest with plunging neckline from Vogue Knitting current issue
* tank top from Knitty Gritty (see below)
* a loopy or entrelac cushion cover (not quite as thrilling).

Yesterday I saw Knitty Gritty on the DIY Channel for the first time. (No, I haven't gone upmarket, my bf has it.) It was a special on teen knitters, and everyone knows that I find anyone under the age of 20 to be annoying to one degree or another, but it was still really good. There were instructions for a tank top and choker which were both easy yet interesting projects. And I had the superior feeling of knowing everything they were talking about, not like the stupid home renovating and antiquing shows they normally have on that channel. It's on every Saturday at 10am, so I might get to see it again one day.

I couldn't be bothered downloading any photos this week, so here's an example of a non-dorky project:

[Courtesy of Patons: http://www.patons.biz/publication_details.asp?SelID=89&ID=983&name=1235]

I just love Zhivago. I've only ever made a cushion cover out of it, and I'd really love to make a garment out of it one day soon. It's so soft and velvety. I'm coveting the pearly pastel pick colour as we speak. I want to knit with it so much! /end drool

Rummaging

I went through and sorted my projects and wools this week. It felt good. All so neat and tidy now. But I have gotten to the point were I have to shove the wool back into the cupboard to close it. No new wool! Especially from Ebay!!

I also discovered some old projects that I hard forgotten about in the back of my cupboard:

A headscarf! I didn't war this very often. It's a shame, cause it's pretty cool. Bummer that the 70's revival is over. I just put it back in my undies drawer.

Granny Squares! I really put a lot of work into this one, a long time ago. I was going to make it into a poncho, but I think I'll incorporate it into my sample rug if it ever gets that far.

A Cardigan! Well, an ex-cardigan. I decided to pull it apart and start over with a new pattern.

See?

I feel fairly confident that I can finish it within a reasonable amount of time. Next winter, say?

I have also started a retro neck scarf, cause I always feel kinda 50's in Spring. I sort of wanted to to make it in pink, but the purple (which was left over from some mittens) is a bit different, and I have vowed not to buy any more wool for the time being. Not even if it's on sale! *sighs*

I might have to muck around with this one a bit before I'm happy with it.

Finished!!!

Well, slap me down with a 5-dollar banana! Two projects finished in two days! Who would have thought?
I just felt a need to purge, so I decided to finish something. And the thing I chose was the Fair Aisle Sampler. My interest in it was just revived enough to get the bloody thing done.
Here is the completion process:

1. Finish knitting:

The moss stitch border got really annoying after a while. It was getting to the point of, "okay, if you do one more row, you get to have a cup of coffee". (And I was thinking of making a whole camisole in moss stitch! Sheesh!) But finally it was done.

2. Secure loose ends.

I figured I'd just glue them down at the back. But the craft glue didn't stick. I put more on, but it started to seep through to the front. I figured if I just cut them off neatly, it would be fine. It's not like I'll be carrying library books around in it or anything, after all.

3. Attach this (right) to this (left).

It was much easier than I thought! And it was actually quite fun. See the finished back:

4. Inspect for damage.

Because of all the colour changes and loose ends, cause I'm not a very good knitter, basically, it ended u with some holes in it after I stretched it over the frame? Oh, what to do, what to do? The perfect opportunity to go nuts with crocheted flowers and pompoms!

5. Cover damage; document results.

Taa daa! Finished! Don't worry, the white spots where the backing shows through aren't noticeable under normal light.
*has sudden pang of shame*
Oh, god, it's so kitschy and awful! Ah well, who cares? So am I! ;)

24-hour Constant Updates ... every 2 weeks.

So, I haven't been posting, but I have been knitting this time!

I finished the E-Scarf last night:

[The E-Scarf hanging around]

The 10mm needles and the amazing, variegated coloured wool I used were a great antidote to all the intricate, long-time projects I've been doing lately. But sadly, it is done. Soon it will be winging its way to its new home. Whenever it is the next time I see the Recipient, anyway.

I have also been working on the Babe Sweater the last few weeks:

[The Front]

I had a panic attack regarding this one last week. I only have until 28th October to finish it!! Arrgghh!

Well, okay, that is 2 months away, but the needles are so tiny and there are so many rows. I reached the 'decreasing for the armholes' bit today, and I can't tell you how excited I was! Yippee! 12 less stitches to plough my way across on every row! I might just make it after all...

Today I went to a wool shop in the CBD that's closing down, and I know why. There's something to be said for working with quality materials that are interesting textures and unique colours, but there's also something to be said for paying $60 for a frikkin' scarf that you frikkin' have to make yourself!!
So, needless to say, I didn't buy any wool there, but I did splash out on a few things:

I bought some Addi Turbo needles, which I've heard of, but never seen on sale before. They are very high quality, and made out of cool materials like stainless steel (shiny!) and transparent plastic with sparkles embedded in it. I got a pair of 12mm circular needles, and a set of 15mm double-pointed needles (I'm thinking a beanie with really big-arse stitches). I also got the Paton's Zhivago pattern book, cos I love Zhivago, it feels like velvet. I made my Cardigan Cushion out of it, and I was really pleased with how it turned out. It has some nice patterns for cardigans, jumpers, shrugs, etc.
I bought an old copy of Creative Knitting magazine, which has some vaguely interesting patterns in it. They made me pay full price. *pouts*

I also bought some shell buttons, which I may use to make a cardigan from Vogue Knitting one day.

Speaking of Vogue Knitting, it's really good! It was some funky, fashionable patterns that I could really make. A lot of ads, but you expect that. I logged on to their website to see how much it is to subscribe, but you had to email them, so I thought, stuff that, I'll just keep getting it from the library.

There are a lot of things I want to make at the moment, waaaaaay too many to be realistically possible, so I just have to be sensible and pick one or two. Now there's just the sewing, and the painting, and the t-shirt decorating, and the cooking things in my new slow cooker to get on with as well......

Hmmmm.....

Works in Progress

I make no apologies for not having knitted at all in the last 6 weeks! I was playing Civ! :P

I've started again this week though. I started making a scarf from some wool which I bought compulsively at Spotlight yesterday. It was sooo on sale! Half price! I make no apologies at all!

I call it the E-Scarf. I don't know why. I hope it will be pretty quick as I'm using massive needles. Which is a welcome relief after the annoying bloody tiny needles I have to use to make some of my other stuff!

Ages ago, I finished my purple Rectangular Doiley:

It's one of the most intricate things I've made, and I can't believe that I actually finished it! I'm so proud, I'm putting in a close-up:

So there!

About a month ago, I also started on something that I was really excited about... at first. I really got into doing Fair Isle knitting, which is coloured patterns and repeating pictures, like so:

I started collecting patterns, and planning a wall-hanging. I bought a set of picture frames and everything. I planned a sampler to fit the smallest frame, and got started excitedly. Here it is:

Well, it wasn't long before I realised that is was about two-thirds the width, and half the size it should have been! Needless to say, it was extremely disappointing. I added some more motifs to make it longer, and I can make it fit on the frame, but I got bored with it pretty quickly. It was fun to do at the time, but nyeh. Ennui.
So maybe I'll finish it one day.

Finished!

The Boy Beanie, AKA Man Hat, is finished! Hot off the press. I had a lot of problems with it though!

Let me detail for you:

I knitted it up to the decreases at the top, and then I started on them, and when I was half way through, I thought, I can do better than this! If I distribute the decreases more evenly, I'm sure it will look better. So I undid it back to the start of the green section (about 20 rows) and re-did it, and sewed it up, feeling pretty proud of myself. I ended up with this:

That pink arrow points towards the centre top of the beanie. See the huge bulgy bit behind it? Oh, woe! It happened because one of the sections stayed the same width and didn't decrease. There was no way to fix it. I heaved a huge sigh, ripped out the sewing, and pulled it apart back to the start of the green section again. Lesson No. 1: don't let your ego get the best of you, follow the pattern!

I started over again, following the pattern exactly. Now, the pattern is actually a hand-written copy that I copied out of a work colleague's knitting book a couple of years ago. (Footy Knits or something similear, if memory serves me correctly.) I knitted, I decreased, I sewed, just as the pattern instructed. I ended up with this: (again, the pink arrow points to the centre top of the beanie.)

Lesson No. 2: the pattern may not necessarily be right. Now, sure, the bulge isn't as big as last time, but it's STILL THERE! Bugger! I'm not pulling the f%$king damned thing apart again!! Especially considering the mean daytime temperature at the moment of 14oC and my poor boyfriend's poor cold ears! But I was so upset and discouraged that I wanted to do something really simple. So I started this coathanger cover with a wool that I'd been thinking about for a long time:

I couldn't decide whether stocking stitch or reverse stocking stitch would highlight the variegated wool better, so I decided to do a bit of both. It ended up coming out in this really cool springy effect. I think I might buy some foam padding and line the hanger with it this time. Some of my old hangers are very not-comfy. Rather harsh. More minimalist than down-home-country.

Ok, you are all probably wondering what happened to the beanie.

A week later when I finally got around to it, I decided to do a quick repair job on it and hope for the best. Here is a pic of the work in progress:

The arrows point to the line where I re-sewed it, folded it over, and am now sewing down the extra flap on the inside. I am using my knee to fill out the inside. I thought about just putting it on Anth's head, but I didn't know how he'd react to me saying, 'here, put this on your head' and then coming at him with a huge needle. I was quite proud of my fix job, and the upshot is:

Beanie finished!! And it fits!!!!!!!!! (isn't he cute? ;) )

And for the grand finale - there is a secret little message hidden inside the brim of the beanie:

I think it actually turned out quite well. Lucky for the boy!