Completion
The Rossetti/Cecilia combo cardie is completed; all I have to do now is wash and block the main parts and then piece them together. And another fusion knit cardie pattern has been re-written, a tension swatch knitted, washed and blocked and the Bank Holiday weekend is just around the corner...
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Making Progress
Well my knitting certainly seems to have moved forward these past few weeks! Maybe it's because I'm not spending so much time surfing the 'net! I dusted off and oiled my mid-gauge knitting machine at the weekend and managed to complete the second sleeve and both front on my Rossetti/Cecilia combination cardigan; it's been sitting half made for several months so it's about time it was finished. The reason it went into hibernation is that I wasn't happy with the very shallow neck shaping of Rossetti and I wasn't overjoyed with the shallow borders either. However, a flash of inspiration found me combining two of Louisa Harding's designs to come up with a deeper neckline and garter stitch edges, both of which seem to have worked well. (I only have another front band and the neckband to do before the dreaded sewing up - yuck!
Here's what the cardigan looked like before with just the back and one sleeve knitted:
Well my knitting certainly seems to have moved forward these past few weeks! Maybe it's because I'm not spending so much time surfing the 'net! I dusted off and oiled my mid-gauge knitting machine at the weekend and managed to complete the second sleeve and both front on my Rossetti/Cecilia combination cardigan; it's been sitting half made for several months so it's about time it was finished. The reason it went into hibernation is that I wasn't happy with the very shallow neck shaping of Rossetti and I wasn't overjoyed with the shallow borders either. However, a flash of inspiration found me combining two of Louisa Harding's designs to come up with a deeper neckline and garter stitch edges, both of which seem to have worked well. (I only have another front band and the neckband to do before the dreaded sewing up - yuck!
Here's what the cardigan looked like before with just the back and one sleeve knitted:
Hopefully I'll have more to report on its progress this weekend!
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Spring is Finally Here!
I can tell when Spring has made an appearance, it's when the winter clothes are packed away in readiness for next Autumn, and the Spring and Summer clothes and shoes come out of hibernation. I've sorted out a large pile of clothes to recycle so there will be plenty of room in the wardrobe for any new ones that I buy!
Talking of new clothes, I've completed a fair few knitted things:
The first one is Liesl, that was my Easter knitting project. This was a really quick and easy knit, top down cardigan that took a bargainous three-and-a-half 100g balls of Sirdar Spree chunky to knit. I knitted it on a 7mm circular needle and used 7mm wooden DPNs for the sleeves. It only took about thirty minutes to sew the yarn ends in and stitch the buttons on to complete it once the knitting was done. I bought the Spree chunky from Kemps Woolshop a couple of years ago as it was being discontinued, so in total Liesl cost about £2.40 in yarn and I already had the buttons in stash. Bargain!!!
Another bargain is the Coffee Sorbet jacket that I finished sewing up this week too. I knitted this in the now discontinued Patons Sorbet chunky yarn that I bought again for the princely sum of 69p from Kemps Woolshop. I used 12 x 50g balls for this, making it £8.28 for the yarn and once again the wooden buttons were in my stash already.
Two cotton, handknitted cardigans for under £11? Completely bargainous, don't you think?
PS - if you're thinking of grabbing a bargain at Kemps Woolshop, here is the direct link: http://www.kempswoolshop.com/home.aspx
Save some yarn for me won't you?
I can tell when Spring has made an appearance, it's when the winter clothes are packed away in readiness for next Autumn, and the Spring and Summer clothes and shoes come out of hibernation. I've sorted out a large pile of clothes to recycle so there will be plenty of room in the wardrobe for any new ones that I buy!
Talking of new clothes, I've completed a fair few knitted things:
The first one is Liesl, that was my Easter knitting project. This was a really quick and easy knit, top down cardigan that took a bargainous three-and-a-half 100g balls of Sirdar Spree chunky to knit. I knitted it on a 7mm circular needle and used 7mm wooden DPNs for the sleeves. It only took about thirty minutes to sew the yarn ends in and stitch the buttons on to complete it once the knitting was done. I bought the Spree chunky from Kemps Woolshop a couple of years ago as it was being discontinued, so in total Liesl cost about £2.40 in yarn and I already had the buttons in stash. Bargain!!!
Liesl cardigan
Another bargain is the Coffee Sorbet jacket that I finished sewing up this week too. I knitted this in the now discontinued Patons Sorbet chunky yarn that I bought again for the princely sum of 69p from Kemps Woolshop. I used 12 x 50g balls for this, making it £8.28 for the yarn and once again the wooden buttons were in my stash already.
Coffee Sorbet jacket
Two cotton, handknitted cardigans for under £11? Completely bargainous, don't you think?
PS - if you're thinking of grabbing a bargain at Kemps Woolshop, here is the direct link: http://www.kempswoolshop.com/home.aspx
Save some yarn for me won't you?
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Happy Campers
Last weekend we picked up 'the big thing' that we've been thinking about for quite a while - a lovely new caravan! It's a Dethleffs Rally Nomad 640V. We parked in on our drive and we tentatively spent the last two nights sleeping in it. The boys were so excited on the first night that virtually no-one got any sleep - they went to sleep at 10.30pm and woke up with the birdsong at 5.30am! Consequently, everyone felt the effects yesterday and not surprisingly, we all had a good night's sleep last night.
This is the wonderful thing parked outside on the drive:
Last weekend we picked up 'the big thing' that we've been thinking about for quite a while - a lovely new caravan! It's a Dethleffs Rally Nomad 640V. We parked in on our drive and we tentatively spent the last two nights sleeping in it. The boys were so excited on the first night that virtually no-one got any sleep - they went to sleep at 10.30pm and woke up with the birdsong at 5.30am! Consequently, everyone felt the effects yesterday and not surprisingly, we all had a good night's sleep last night.
This is the wonderful thing parked outside on the drive:
and this is the view of the inside:
the kitchen area
the living area
the boys have fixed beds
After just two nights, I can honestly say that it's warm, cosy and very comfortable and there's lots of space and light. There is also plenty of storage space, a big fridge and a lovey shiny cooker and hob.
All we have to do now is decide where we're going on our summer hols and I have to knit a few camping cardies and caravanning socks for the Melody Mob!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 29, 2009
At Last!
I can show you the dishcloths I knitted for the dishcloth swap:
both knitted from the Wedding Washcloth pattern by Purl Bees. I knitted one in moss stitch in Wendy Supreme Cotton DK in Toasted Almond and the paler, stocking stitch one in cream Novita Tennessee cotton. Both are fabulous cottons for washcloths and/or dishcloths and I recommend them both.
And 'At Last!' we bought a rather large item yesterday. I'll tell you more about it next weekend *wink*
I can show you the dishcloths I knitted for the dishcloth swap:
both knitted from the Wedding Washcloth pattern by Purl Bees. I knitted one in moss stitch in Wendy Supreme Cotton DK in Toasted Almond and the paler, stocking stitch one in cream Novita Tennessee cotton. Both are fabulous cottons for washcloths and/or dishcloths and I recommend them both.
And 'At Last!' we bought a rather large item yesterday. I'll tell you more about it next weekend *wink*
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Cotton On to Good Stuff
Well as you know I popped into Cucumberpatch/K2tog last weekend... and this is what I came home with:
A garment's worth of each shade. I'm really happy with this purchase as I've been wanting the Leaf, Thistle and Poppy shades for ages. I also wanted six balls of a shade called Toasted Almond but there wasn't enough stock in the shop unfortunately and so I decided to buy a garment's worth of Twilleys Supreme Cotton DK, which is a lovely organic cotton with a more matte appearance. Unfortunately it's twice the price per 100g :-(
I was lucky in that I found the Toasted Almond online though, so bought it as I know I'll regret it if I don't!
It's a slightly mauvey,beigey colour in real life and difficult to describe. It will, however, knit up beautifully into a one colour version of Valentina from the new Rowan book The Lenpur Linen Collection that I can't wait to start. I want to finish Blaze first though!
Well as you know I popped into Cucumberpatch/K2tog last weekend... and this is what I came home with:
A garment's worth of each shade. I'm really happy with this purchase as I've been wanting the Leaf, Thistle and Poppy shades for ages. I also wanted six balls of a shade called Toasted Almond but there wasn't enough stock in the shop unfortunately and so I decided to buy a garment's worth of Twilleys Supreme Cotton DK, which is a lovely organic cotton with a more matte appearance. Unfortunately it's twice the price per 100g :-(
I was lucky in that I found the Toasted Almond online though, so bought it as I know I'll regret it if I don't!
It's a slightly mauvey,beigey colour in real life and difficult to describe. It will, however, knit up beautifully into a one colour version of Valentina from the new Rowan book The Lenpur Linen Collection that I can't wait to start. I want to finish Blaze first though!
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The Topic of Conversation
I popped into K2Tog in Wolstanton yesterday afternoon as I was up in Stoke-on-Trent visiting my parents for the day; I always try to pop into K2Tog when I'm there as it's usually the only physical yarn shop I get to visit. I was wearing my February Lady Sweater over a white top and with my jeans and I was slightly embarassed to find that everyone, including the ladies who worked in the shop, were interested in the pattern, yarn and how the garment was made :-?
I did let them in on the secret though, explaining how the garment is knitted top down and how the sleeve stitches are held on waste yarn before completing them on DPNs. I think there may be a few more FLSs in circulation after my visit! lol!
My dad looked ill though, he has his follow up visit at the hospital on Wednesday...
I popped into K2Tog in Wolstanton yesterday afternoon as I was up in Stoke-on-Trent visiting my parents for the day; I always try to pop into K2Tog when I'm there as it's usually the only physical yarn shop I get to visit. I was wearing my February Lady Sweater over a white top and with my jeans and I was slightly embarassed to find that everyone, including the ladies who worked in the shop, were interested in the pattern, yarn and how the garment was made :-?
I did let them in on the secret though, explaining how the garment is knitted top down and how the sleeve stitches are held on waste yarn before completing them on DPNs. I think there may be a few more FLSs in circulation after my visit! lol!
My dad looked ill though, he has his follow up visit at the hospital on Wednesday...
Monday, March 09, 2009
On to New Things
Spring is just around the corner, the evenings are getting lighter each day and the weather is warming up and so it seems the right time of year to look forward to the warmer summer months and to cast on for projects new.
Henrietta was completed but the result isn't good; the cardie is far too big and the neckline far, far too low and so it will be frogged and the remaining yarn used to knit another, more suitable cardie. It looks fine in the pic, but looks horrendous when it's on!
Never mind, we live and learn! As one door slams in your face another one is always guaranteed to swing open and with this in mind I cast on the stitches for a new Seaton cardigan in Spring Green, Zettl Colorado cotton:
I wore my Seaton cardie a lot last year and it's a design that I know fits well. I'm knitting it in one shade again like the previous Seaton and so far I like the way it's coming out.
"Socks? Socks?" I hear you cry. Yes, I have a pair on the needles as I need to replace my socks from this year. I seem to have worn my woolly socks loads this year and sadly had to chuck my pink Kim socks into the recycling bin after they developed holes in the toes. So here are the latest socks in tanny, rusty Opal Prisma that I think I got in swap of some description from Murdo. They will always remind me of her orange muppety fur anyway!
Spring is just around the corner, the evenings are getting lighter each day and the weather is warming up and so it seems the right time of year to look forward to the warmer summer months and to cast on for projects new.
Henrietta was completed but the result isn't good; the cardie is far too big and the neckline far, far too low and so it will be frogged and the remaining yarn used to knit another, more suitable cardie. It looks fine in the pic, but looks horrendous when it's on!
Never mind, we live and learn! As one door slams in your face another one is always guaranteed to swing open and with this in mind I cast on the stitches for a new Seaton cardigan in Spring Green, Zettl Colorado cotton:
I wore my Seaton cardie a lot last year and it's a design that I know fits well. I'm knitting it in one shade again like the previous Seaton and so far I like the way it's coming out.
"Socks? Socks?" I hear you cry. Yes, I have a pair on the needles as I need to replace my socks from this year. I seem to have worn my woolly socks loads this year and sadly had to chuck my pink Kim socks into the recycling bin after they developed holes in the toes. So here are the latest socks in tanny, rusty Opal Prisma that I think I got in swap of some description from Murdo. They will always remind me of her orange muppety fur anyway!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
More Good Karma
I received some fabulous karmic swaps this morning and I am still knocked out by people's generosity and kind hearts:
I received some fabulous Spring cotton mix sock yarn and some luvly Spring flavoured Regia sock yarn through the Neverending Sock Yarn Karma Swap, along with some dark choccie and some fabulous novelty buttons which I didn't expect and were therefore doubly fab!
And a lovely parcel arrived from Croatia.... in the packet, well packed with bubble wrap and in their own little personalised packet, were two sets of the most gorgeous stitch markers that have been lovingly hand-made and posted to ME! Again, in the packet was another unexpected surprise of some wonderfully aromatic teabags that I will save for when the house is quiet and I have half an hours' knitting time scheduled.
On a less positive note, there has been something playing on my mind of late that, I have to say, disappoints me somewhat. I cannot for the life of me understand why certain people continue to judge other people and their actions by their own low standards. Enough said. Karma will prevail I have no doubt of that.
I received some fabulous karmic swaps this morning and I am still knocked out by people's generosity and kind hearts:
I received some fabulous Spring cotton mix sock yarn and some luvly Spring flavoured Regia sock yarn through the Neverending Sock Yarn Karma Swap, along with some dark choccie and some fabulous novelty buttons which I didn't expect and were therefore doubly fab!
And a lovely parcel arrived from Croatia.... in the packet, well packed with bubble wrap and in their own little personalised packet, were two sets of the most gorgeous stitch markers that have been lovingly hand-made and posted to ME! Again, in the packet was another unexpected surprise of some wonderfully aromatic teabags that I will save for when the house is quiet and I have half an hours' knitting time scheduled.
On a less positive note, there has been something playing on my mind of late that, I have to say, disappoints me somewhat. I cannot for the life of me understand why certain people continue to judge other people and their actions by their own low standards. Enough said. Karma will prevail I have no doubt of that.
Friday, February 20, 2009
A Fun Fur, Fun Filled Scarf
Those who know me well will know that I don't have a lot of fun fur in my stash - I received this in a Karma swap recently and knitted two balls of it up into a soft and silky scarf for my mum:
I like it so much that I'll probably knit one for myself and STILL have yarn left over! lol! So thank you, Kath in Manchester for this swap yarn :-)
I used two 50g balls of Knitting Craft Knitting Yarn (exactly what it says on the label) on 6.5mm Brittany Birch needles and knitted until I only had enough yarn to cast off. It's not a hugely long scarf but I don't want my mother tripping over it, now do I? *smiles to self*
Those who know me well will know that I don't have a lot of fun fur in my stash - I received this in a Karma swap recently and knitted two balls of it up into a soft and silky scarf for my mum:
I like it so much that I'll probably knit one for myself and STILL have yarn left over! lol! So thank you, Kath in Manchester for this swap yarn :-)
I used two 50g balls of Knitting Craft Knitting Yarn (exactly what it says on the label) on 6.5mm Brittany Birch needles and knitted until I only had enough yarn to cast off. It's not a hugely long scarf but I don't want my mother tripping over it, now do I? *smiles to self*
Friday, February 06, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
Sparks Fly
off the sewing up needles and I've sewn up (don't faint Dreamcatcher and FatCat!! lol!!):
or rather darned the ends in of my February Lady Sweater. Knitted in Wendy Aran with Wool in a lovely, deep red shade called Venetian Red and fastened with horn buttons from my button stash. Took bang on 400g of yarn - I only had about 30cm left after the final cast off! Eeeep!
AND....
Ta Da!! The Sirdar hoodie from Simple Easy Knits booklet, design F. Adapted for the knitting machine and knitted really quickly. The downside being that it's taken .... err..... months to sew up... proving that you can't rush a good thing!
off the sewing up needles and I've sewn up (don't faint Dreamcatcher and FatCat!! lol!!):
or rather darned the ends in of my February Lady Sweater. Knitted in Wendy Aran with Wool in a lovely, deep red shade called Venetian Red and fastened with horn buttons from my button stash. Took bang on 400g of yarn - I only had about 30cm left after the final cast off! Eeeep!
AND....
Ta Da!! The Sirdar hoodie from Simple Easy Knits booklet, design F. Adapted for the knitting machine and knitted really quickly. The downside being that it's taken .... err..... months to sew up... proving that you can't rush a good thing!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Three of 24
Another hat no less:
And look what Jim brought for me this morning :))
Boring bits you need to know: knitted in Loweth Windermere aran that I 'found' whilst stash-diving for something else (heh heh!!) and knitted on 5mm Pony Rosewood needles. Pattern is Design H from Hayfield Favourite Aran Knits which Jim brought for me the other day if you remember. There are some stunning aran designs in this booklet and well worth getting your own Jim to deliver it for you ;)
Off to make a large coffee and browse Rowan 45...
Another hat no less:
And look what Jim brought for me this morning :))
Boring bits you need to know: knitted in Loweth Windermere aran that I 'found' whilst stash-diving for something else (heh heh!!) and knitted on 5mm Pony Rosewood needles. Pattern is Design H from Hayfield Favourite Aran Knits which Jim brought for me the other day if you remember. There are some stunning aran designs in this booklet and well worth getting your own Jim to deliver it for you ;)
Off to make a large coffee and browse Rowan 45...
Friday, January 16, 2009
The One Where Pepsi Adopts Sock Yarn
Our two little kittens are fast becoming adult cats. They might be sisters but they are so different in temperament; Cocoa is becoming quite chubby and really can't be bothered to do much if it involves jumping or running and she loves anything that resembles an elastic band. She has been known to steal elastic bands from shelves and steal those rubber charity wristband thingies to snuggle up to.
Pepsi on the other hand is far more active and can already jump our six foot fence from the garden (whereas Cocoa has rather cunningly dug herself an escape tunnel underneath the fence) and likes anything that makes a crinkly sound. Over Christmas she was spotted on more than one occasion making off with a crinkly-paper-wrapped sweetie in her mouth from the box of Quality Street on the coffee table and has taken rather a shine to one of Little Melody's soft toys, a little piglet called Pigsley.
Just look what I caught Miss Pepsi making off with this morning, holding it in her mouth like a kitten:
Our two little kittens are fast becoming adult cats. They might be sisters but they are so different in temperament; Cocoa is becoming quite chubby and really can't be bothered to do much if it involves jumping or running and she loves anything that resembles an elastic band. She has been known to steal elastic bands from shelves and steal those rubber charity wristband thingies to snuggle up to.
Pepsi on the other hand is far more active and can already jump our six foot fence from the garden (whereas Cocoa has rather cunningly dug herself an escape tunnel underneath the fence) and likes anything that makes a crinkly sound. Over Christmas she was spotted on more than one occasion making off with a crinkly-paper-wrapped sweetie in her mouth from the box of Quality Street on the coffee table and has taken rather a shine to one of Little Melody's soft toys, a little piglet called Pigsley.
Just look what I caught Miss Pepsi making off with this morning, holding it in her mouth like a kitten:
The leftover yarn from The Biker Beanie Hat which I'd finished just a few hours earlier and put everything on the desk ready to take a photo of:
Maybe Pigsley will be let off the hook now?
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
Saturday, January 10, 2009
As I Promised
I went off to take photos of my current projects and here they are:
I went off to take photos of my current projects and here they are:
A hat and fingeless mitts set for my friend's Christmas present. Mitts completed between Christmas and New Year but the hat is the first one of my 24 in 2009. Yay me!! The hat does need a ribbon threaded through the eyelet holes to finish it off though so I've got to get that :?
Mr Melody liked the hat for my friend so much that he wanted one for himself, but a bloke's version. Here's a biker beanie hat that is supposed to be worn under a cycling helmet. He wants to wear it under his safety helmet on site and I don't see the difference. So I cast on!
Almost finished, just a sleeve to go. The ubiquitous February Lady Sweater in Wendy aran.
And the rest! My cap sleeved, one button cardie in grey Pioneer DK, the start of Henrietta's second sleeve and the yarn and needles for Blaze. Half of Blaze is done but is currently in hibernation.
That completes the round-up of current WIPs Chez Melody. I'd like to finish Mr M's biker Beanie first as it's so cold at the moment. He hasn't been on site yet this New Year but he'll want it when he does! Swiftly followed by the FLS which I want to wear. Better get crackin' then eh?
Friday, January 09, 2009
Is it Really Two Weeks Since Christmas?
I guess it is! I hope you all had a Happy Chrsitmas and that 2009 is getting off to a good start.
2009 is supposed to be the Year of the Stashalong for me and I've devised a method to help me to control those yarn buying urges. I have printed off twelve yarn buying 'vouchers' and put them into my Yarn Bank. If I want to buy yarn I have to use one of the vouchers per 'lot', so one voucher per jumperful, scarf-ful, or whatever. Hopefully this will give me the flexibility of buying yarn without feeling guilty but having a control over what I buy. we can only try it and see!!
The new year has started with me at home and thinking about what I'd like to do in the future. Many of you know that I passed my PGCE in the summer and I started a teaching job in the local area. Sadly this didn't quite work out the way I'd planned and I ended up working silly hours and this began to take its toll on both me and my wonderful family. I decided that something had to change and so I resigned at the end of November. So - I'm looking for a new job!!
In the meantime though I have lots of knitting to catch up on!! I'm going off to take a photo of my WIPs right now so that we can judge progress throughout the year!! Back in a tick....
I guess it is! I hope you all had a Happy Chrsitmas and that 2009 is getting off to a good start.
2009 is supposed to be the Year of the Stashalong for me and I've devised a method to help me to control those yarn buying urges. I have printed off twelve yarn buying 'vouchers' and put them into my Yarn Bank. If I want to buy yarn I have to use one of the vouchers per 'lot', so one voucher per jumperful, scarf-ful, or whatever. Hopefully this will give me the flexibility of buying yarn without feeling guilty but having a control over what I buy. we can only try it and see!!
The new year has started with me at home and thinking about what I'd like to do in the future. Many of you know that I passed my PGCE in the summer and I started a teaching job in the local area. Sadly this didn't quite work out the way I'd planned and I ended up working silly hours and this began to take its toll on both me and my wonderful family. I decided that something had to change and so I resigned at the end of November. So - I'm looking for a new job!!
In the meantime though I have lots of knitting to catch up on!! I'm going off to take a photo of my WIPs right now so that we can judge progress throughout the year!! Back in a tick....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
