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Dear Internet, I need yarn advice, plus here is a photo of a knitted elephant as an incentive.
November 30, 2006
Hello! Sorry to be so boring, but I've not really got anything to show. I've been studying and when I've been knitting, it's something I can't really show (I decided to knit up a new design to maybe submit somewhere), but I promise it is very stripy and I'm enjoying it!
Here's my yarn question:
I need a dk weight wool yarn, which isn't superwash or anything like that, just a regular wool, that comes in nice colours and is soft.
That doesn't sound hard does it, but apparently Rowan don't do one of those. They seem to do plenty of crazy yarns these days (like that new winter one which looks like fibre optic tubes up close), but not so many basics. I thought I'd be ok with the new pure wool dk but it's superwash apparently. I also checked out Debbie Bliss, and she has the lovely looking Merino DK. That says you can machine wash it, so does that mean it's superwash, or just that you can machine wash it on a certain setting? I need it to be able to felt, definitely. Does anyone know if Debbie Bliss Merino DK will do the job?
Thank you!
As a "reward" for your patience, look at this gorgeous elephant on the cover of the Guardian G2 today!
They had tons of green xmas presents, which got me very excited since I want ALL OF THEM, or at least to buy them for other people! There was a lot of stuff sewn or knitted from old things or scraps, and that's what this elephant is made from - little scraps of yarn. I think he's adoreable! OK well I seriously have to do some more study, if anyone can help with the wool situation I'd be very grateful :)
Posted by jen at 08:47 PM | Comments (16)
The view from Right Here
November 26, 2006
I'm going back to college tomorrow for 2 weeks of revision before the exams, so I've been too busy to get much knitting done. Also I was too lazy to get out of my comfortable position on the couch, so I took some photos without moving. On one side the knitting basket is well guarded:
Hello there Bronty! On my lap I'm still slaving away over the new edging for Coleen, oh my word the picot cast off is ENDLESS. I can only do a few inches before I feel cross and frustrated, and pick up something else!
Over on my other side is something green and mysterious, a book of tax tables (yuck), my favourite mug in the entire world, and Charlotte, which I was wrapped up in earlier before the heating came on.
Also, Adam and I tried a new chocolate recipe, from the Green & Blacks book OF COURSE. I hope you all have it on your christmas list? This time we made Javanese ginger squares, which are basically a glorified kind of fridge cake, and extremely tasty. It set in the fridge overnight, and I lifted it out of its tin this morning:
Then I cut it into squares while Adam watched like some kind of bird of prey and pounced on all the crumbs:
It made a lot:
They were pretty special and very festive with all the ginger etc. and also incredibly easy to make. I want to try something more unusual from the book next, there are a few chocolate and chilli recipes, they look very intriguing!
Posted by jen at 04:43 PM | Comments (5)
Fruity Finish
November 21, 2006
Ta-da! I actually sewed up Forest Fruits straight after the last post. It didn't take very long, even though I kept sewing bits together the wrong way round (because it's reverse st st and I'm used to normal st st)! I had a good search and I couldn't see any other Forest Fruits around on the internet, which kind of surprised me since they're cute and take literally no time at all to make! Adam took lots of photos for me, and these were the best - it's hard to get naturally lit photos in winter in a basement flat. Thanks anyway Adam!
Click for more photos! I liked knitting this wee shrug, it was quick, it's nice and warm and I like the silk tie. But that said it would feel good to finish something a bit more demanding! I will try my best, but have some exams coming up so don't expect anything too exciting. Bye for now!
Posted by jen at 07:57 PM | Comments (11)
Forest fruits and swirly shortbread - I'm hungry!
November 19, 2006
I have somehow already finished the knitting on Forest Fruits! That was quick...in fact I'd say about 3 hours. But I guess that's how it goes when it's only 5.5 sts to 10cm. Imagine only ever knitting things from yarn that was so chunky - all projects would be done in a few evenings, no matter how large, and it would all cost a fortune! It would be no fun at all - but once in a while, it's very satisfying (especially for a super slow knitter like myself).
I used smaller needles than in the pattern, because I always have to, and the first piece, a sleeve, was too small. I was going to buy some larger needles, but they are £5 for 15mm ones - an insane price when I'd probably never use them again. So I pinned out the sleeve to the right size, sprayed it with water and ironed it into submission! I never ever do things like this normally, but maybe I should because it looked much neater and flatter afterwards.... I'm a slacker!
Then I just knitted a bit looser for the other pieces and they came out fine. I'm kind of ashamed to be so haphazard, oh well. I know I should always swatch and block etc. but never do.
Here's a rubbish photo of all the pieces in a nice pile, waiting for my attention to sew them up!
I don't really want to sew them up - I know the seams will be all chunky and that's putting me off! But I'm sure it will be done in the next week (although saying things like that is a curse).
Also I made some very nice shortbread:
Closer.....
It's made by making plain and chocolate shortbread dough, rolling them out and putting one on top of the other, sprinkling chocolate all over, rolling it up into a log and slicing it. You can't really tell, but each piece is HUGE, I refuse to even consider the number of calories in each one. It's yet another ace recipe from the Green & Black's book! I'm very hungry now, I'm going to eat a piece!
Posted by jen at 04:21 PM | Comments (6)
Forest Fruits - a Kim Hargreaves kit!
November 16, 2006
This is my new Kim Hargreaves kit! All her accessories are on sale at the moment for christmas, but instead of buying one for a present for someone, I just bought one for myself, ha ha! It was about half price and I always thought the design was cute, so I went for it, even though I have too much on the needles at the moment. On that note I'm going to update my current projects and stash page (sidebar) straight after I do this post, it currently presents a hideous falsehood!
Here's the yarn all cosy in its silver paper:
And this is the design, it's called a shrug but it's maybe almost a cropped cardi:
I got the same colours as the model is wearing here, I really liked the red and pink options, but decided this one would go better with my wardrobe.
I read through the pattern, and because it's knitted in Biggy Print (5.5 sts = 10cm!!) it should be very quick to make. I'll get started in between studying this weekend.
I did a lot of googling to see what Kim Hargreaves kits people had made, and it seems a lot of people wish she would sell patterns, not just kits....I personally LOVE her kits! I would like the patterns in a book if only so I could drool over them all, but her designs are so lovely that I want to make it exactly the same, so a kit is perfect. I'd only be buying the same yarn anyway so it's nice to get it prettily packaged in a box! Also they come really quickly and the customer service is grand.
Well expect to see progress on Forest Fruits soon! I'll be doing it inbetween several other things, some are secret, the other is the edging on Coleen.
Posted by jen at 07:26 PM | Comments (4)
Reinvention!
November 13, 2006
I went shopping at the weekend, and got some more yarn - but only a teensy bit! I don't know if you remember but last year I had a pattern in Magknits called Coleen, it was a little cardi. You can see the pattern here, it's not a great photo (I didn't get any very good ones!). I always liked it but some pooey people online were so mean about it (and me!) I was put off submitting any more designs until very recently. Well, anyway, I decided if I gave the cardi a face lift I could see it back in a favourable light (silly? Maybe...).
So I ripped out the copper lurex shimmer edgings (which I have to admit didn't work as well with the grey-green as I intended) and got a ball of Kidsilk Night in a beautiful purple to use instead. I've already done about 50% of the new edgings! I also got a pretty button, which is a large thin pinky shell one. Look how much nicer the dark purple looks with the grey-green:
And here's the yarn with the button:
I think it will look pretty and give the cardi a new look! Also I will have lots of spare Kidsilk Night, so I'll probably make a flower with it to sew on the front. I love knitted/crocheted flowers!
I have also for a very long time wanted to make some knitted cakes (little fairy cakes with sprinkles and cherries on top). I googled for knitted cakes today because I was sure some other people must have had the same idea, and sure enough they did! There were even some very similar to what I had in my head....well I guess there is only a limited way little cakeys can look!! But that means I won't be submitting the pattern anywhere when I've finished, I don't want to look like I'm stealing ideas. So I'll put them here for free. But enough of that - here's the yarn:
It's Rowan 4-ply Soft - somewhat extravagant for toys I guess, but the colours were perfect! The biscuity colour is for the bottoms of the cakes, the creamy white and bubblegum pink are 2 sorts of icing, and the other one is, of course, chocolate! Mmmmmmm. I'm going to use little beads for sprinkles, and buy glassy red beads for cherries. I'm very pleased to have this yarn, since I've wanted to make cakes for AGES. Well, I'm working away for the rest of the week, so I'll be back at the weekend, bye for now!
Posted by jen at 06:51 PM | Comments (10)
This and That
November 10, 2006
Thanks for the comments on the Tapestry cardigan! I liked all the thoughts about fruit and icing sugar and yummyness, so I decided to call it Victoria - like the cake rather than the plum! All full of cream and jam and covered in icing sugar.
This post has lots of little things, because I've been studying and don't have anything much to show, so here we go:
1. I want to write up the pattern for Tapestry/Victoria, but for lots of sizes. I have great trouble knowing how arm size varies with chest size! Do you guys know any websites which might help or even mind telling me what your arm measures at the top compared to your chest size - I'd be very grateful. If no one tells me and my googling doesn't yield info I'll be stuck doing it in smallish sizes and no one wants that. I just want to do it properly.
2. Our rhubarb and raspberry liquor is coming along very nicely! It now looks like this:
Remember what it looked like at first?! People have asked me for the recipe and I can't remember it exactly, plus I wouldn't write out a recipe from a book anyway, but you just put fruit and sugar and vodka/gin in a big bottle and shake it for the first week or so and then leave it for at least a couple of months. That's it! At first it just smelled like raspberries but after a week the rhubarb really started to come through.....mmmmm
3. We got a fabbo set of cake tins:
And then we made chocolate and brazil nut cookies to put in the little one!
4. I bought some things - this wee book:
It has some very nice stuff in. And also a Kim Hargreaves kit!! But more on that when it arrives. Check out her accessories sale though!
5. I am making some things kind of secretly, but here's a swatch:
I got my mitts on some Golden Hands magazines and they have some really cool stitch patterns in them!
OK that's all, bye for now!
Posted by jen at 12:50 PM | Comments (4)
Presenting my brand new Tapestry cardigan!
November 05, 2006
I bet you were all expecting me to stall for a few more weeks before finishing this cardigan! But hooray, here it is all finished up and photographed for your viewing pleasure!
This is my own design, which I know is not a very complicated design, but nevertheless it's all my own work and I'm proud. I want to try designing something more challenging one of these days, but for this project I didn't feel that the stripy yarn needed any swanky design features as it is swanky all by itself. Here it is:
Click on the photo to see/read more! I will say I'm really pleased with how the edgings turned out. I thought it would look cool to have the stripes going in the other direction on the edgings, and in my opinion it does look cool!
I have just called this cardigan Tapestry for now, but I'd really like to give it a proper name.... If you can think of a name that would suit it please let me know! I'm sure you can all do better than me!
Posted by jen at 07:33 PM | Comments (20)