Knitting - September and October 2003   back to knitting blog

29-10-03

The tiniest amount of Stash Bashing has taken place - I have used ONE ball of the pink Big Wool to make a hat for Alison, my flatmate.  I'm quite proud.  It has a ribbed edge, and the rest is moss stitch, and we're both really pleased with it!  Alison will pose for pictures today I hope - we went out for a chemistry curry last night (to welcome all the new chemists) so we didn't have a chance.

I am now working my way up the leg of the first sock for mum.  They will never be finished in time as I've got too much work, but I'm sure it won't matter.  They'll only be a bit late I hope.  Having imposed a yarn ban on myself, I am now constantly thinking about all the yarns I want to try and things I want to make!  Maybe if I use up enough yarn I can get more on my birthday?  That's what Carolyn is doing, so I reckon I'm allowed to as well!  We'll see.....

24-10-03

It's been a few days, but there wasn't a lot to report - now there is!  I've finished the back of my jacket (really pleased with it so far), and started on mum's birthday socks.  I'm doing them toe-up, and so far I prefer it to top down.  I love the Regia jacquard as well, it's really fun to knit with.  I hope they get finished on time!  Now I've finished the back of the jacket I can devote myself to the socks for a while.

Also, I've decided that I want to use up my stash (which is small, but it will still take a while to do everything in it), and finish all the projects I've started before I am allowed to buy more yarn.  Whether this resolution will get carried out is doubtful!  But I want to try!  Basically I can't afford more yarn at the moment, so a clear-out is essential.

I've put up LOADS of pictures as well - you can see the jacket, Icy and mum's socks, and also all of my stash (I thought putting it up would motivate me to use it!). 

18-10-03

A weekend knitting update!  I have reached the armhole shaping on my Debbie Bliss jacket.  The yarn is absolutely gorgeous, it's incredibly soft!  I think it's looking quite good, but I'm going to wait until I've finished the back before I put a picture up.  I really like the cable pattern on it, I'm already looking forward to wearing this. 

And I also have a surprise finished project!  My friend/next door neighbour/fellow chemist Chris liked my Mini hat and wanted me to make him his own.  I bought the yarn on Friday and finished the hat that evening (it took about an hour), but it wasn't quite long enough to cover his ears so I went back to just before the top shaping and added 4 extra rows, and now it is a perfect fit!  It looks fab, and there are pictures over in finished projects.  Now I'm going to try and make some socks for my mum in time for her birthday (I have some Regia jacquard to make them with), and carry on with the jacket.  Have a nice weekend.

15-10-03

I have finally finished the ribbing on my jacket and got on to the cables, so I've added it to my current projects.

The jacket is the cabled hoodie jacket from the cover of Debbie Bliss 4, and I'm making it in cashmerino aran, in a really lovely deep purple.  For some reason my camera won't take an adequate picture of my progress, but since I've not really done much it doesn't matter!  Some of the cables look just like little plaits, I'm pleased with it!  It's nice to be knitting something a little more challenging after all the super quick really chunky things I've been doing lately.

12-10-03

No real knitting news to report - I've been busy with chemistry, and have only managed a few rows of the jacket.  But my next door neighbour Chris took some pictures of my mittens and wrist warmers, and they are over in finished projects.  I now only have 3 projects actually in progress, but loads all lined up and waiting for me to start on them.  And this is going to be the busiest year of my degree! 

08-10-03

Finally!  I have moved back to Oxford from my parents house, and now I have super fast internet!  I can actually do things with my page now, and get round to visiting everyone else's - yay!

I have been sort of unpacking, and one of the first things I did in my new room was to put my Colinette shade cards along my pin-board as a sort of border - look at them here - do you like them?

I have worn the wrist warmers every day since I finished them - it is SO cold in England at the moment!  I've finished the mittens as well.  They are gigantic, but really cute!  The wool is so thick that they need to be big.  I've also done a tiny bit on my Debbie Bliss jacket.  But I do mean a really tiny bit. That's about it.  I have some Chemistry tests coming up which means I feel guilty about doing any knitting when I should be revising.

Better get back to it I suppose!  Lots of photos next time I update....

25-09-03

Hello!  I'm back!  I hope everyone had a fantastic summer (I did!).

It's AGES since I've updated this page!  I've been back from my travels for a week, but first I was tired, and then the internet wasn't working, but finally here is my first update.

I'm going to tidy this page up soon and hopefully find the time to put lots of new things on - I'm going to put some holiday photos up for anyone who's interested and other things as well.

Here's all my knitting news - firstly, I wouldn't recommend using the Broad Street Mittens pattern from Knitty, I know the author says her hands are big, but judging by how the gloves were turning out she must have GIANT great big claws!  My tension was fine by the way - and that's another thing - the pattern recommends using Regia 6-ply, but the tension is way too tight for the yarn, if you do it like that it creates a really stiff fabric.  So I took the basic mitten idea and worked out how to do it to fit my hands - well actually I'm still working it out, it takes a lot of trial and error, but I'm almost there.  I have therefore not completed any of my holiday knitting projects, although I was away for 10 weeks.  SLACKER.  It was too hot to knit anyway.

Now I've got lots of Winter goodies on the go!  The new Rowan is ok (what does everyone else think?), I like looking at it lots, but there isn't much I actually want to make for me.  This is good really as I have lots of unfinished projects and yarn for other projects to use up.  Whilst I am in AWE of other people's stashes I don't really have room for my own, so it's about time it was used up.

I shall put pictures of all my projects up here very soon, but for now here is a list:

Mittens to match my Mini hat,

Cabled hoodie jacket from Debbie Bliss no.4, in purple,

A jumper in Kid-Silk haze,

The Funky jacket from the new Rowan,

All the holiday projects!  Still unfinished!

Wrist warmers in the new Chunky Print yarn (actually I finished these last night),

Still making Bonbon,

What do you think of all that - almost all my needles are in use!  I'm also making something which I think is quite exciting - I'm knitting with purple wire and lots of beads to make a bracelet - it's turning out very well, but I can't get a decent photo of it yet.

I am looking forward to going round everyone's pages to say hello!  I'll be back soon with lots of pictures, I hope you got to the end of this seemingly endless update!