Small Things

This one is called The Craziest Lil' Coathanger in the World:

I had a lot of little bits of wool that I wanted to get rid of, and after such a
huge project as the Babe Sweater, I wanted to do something quick and easy - and crazy!
The ends will form fringes once its finished. I want to get rid of all my wire coathangers
and replace them all with cushy ones I have made myself. Mmmmm, comfy...

The project of a lifetime

I have finished the Babe Sweater. But it seems the pictures my flatmate took of it have been deleted, so I can't show you what it looks like. This distresses me and pisses me off enormously. (To be fair, I should have asked for the pictures straight away.) I have consoled myself however, by spending half an hour making an artist's impression of the sweater using Paint:

Voila. That's basketweave stitch on the yoke, and variegated pearly wool on the ribbing.

Here is also a picture I do have of the pieces of the sweater before I sewed them together:

(I have to admit the little arms are cute!)

The sweater is now on its merry way to the best baby in the world.

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.....