Archive for July, 2008

Jul 30 2008

Air

Posted by Dee under General, Project Spectrum, Socks

I seemed to have missed the boat a little with this element for Project Spectrum, I did manage to cast on some grey and white socks over a month ago… I started off amazing well knitting the leg whilst out with the Westenders Knitters. However since then SSS has set in.

plainsock01

I took this photo a few weeks ago but never got around to posting it… Originally, this plant was meant to be for the window sill but slowly it has grown and now it is taking over our flat roof. The flowers are now turning into wonderful little chills – they are still very small but some are turning red.

Chili

Jul 21 2008

Core Stash

Posted by Dee under Stash Along

After seeing Yoel’s success on Stash Busting, it struck me that if I am seriously going to decrease my stash, I am going to have to break into my core stash… without a doubt my favourite yarn has to be my mirage sock yarn – I love the colour, the texture, everything about this yarn but it deserves to be something special… and so I cast on the Lace Ribbon Scarf.

lace ribbon

 Next, I had some Wexford Merino Silk, as I had one skein, I knew my choices would be limited. My first thought was a mini clapotis or one row scarf, but Yogicknitter suggested a Dream Swatch Head Wrap, which works really well with the silk, I actually have enough yarn to make a scarf rather than just the wrap.

dream swatch  

 

Jul 16 2008

Molly’s Headband

Posted by Dee under General, Stash Along

Headband

Headband
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock Solid in Chocolate
Pattern: Headband.
Needles: 3mm.
Notes: I lovely quick knit – I cast it in on the morning and was wearing it by the afternoon… as an after thought I blocked it over night and it completely opened up the lace, completely altering the look.

Modifications: I used smaller needles and finer yarn than suggested – to compensate for this I repeated the pattern for 14 inches.

Jul 07 2008

Mini Gift Bags

Posted by Dee under Finished Projects 2008, Swaps

Last year, I decided to take part in the Pay it Forward scheme… well six months on I finally got around to sending out my parcels and a few months after that I finally get around to blogging about it!

As part of the One Skein Swap a few years ago I was sent a mini knitted bag, to this day the mini bag sits in my knitting kit, I use it to store hand cream, lip balm and a nail file for all my girly knitting emergencies! The bag has a special place in my heart, it was the first hand knitted gift I ever received but is also serves as a reminder of all the wonderful friends I have made via the knitting world and their generosity. I wanted to spread this reminder…

Bags
… So for the Pay it Forward, I made these little bags… each one is based on a sock pattern!

The “Pomatomus” Bag is done on 96 stitches on 3.25mm needles. I began with the twisted rib for 15 rows (including an eyelet row for the i-cord), then I started on Chart A from the pattern for 3 repeats.
Finally, I repeated rows 1-12 omitting the YO (therefore decreasing a stitch each round), the result was an amazing swirling pattern on the base.  Until 8 stitches remain.
Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread tail through the remaining sts and pull tight.

The “Jaywalker” Bag, started on 104 stitches on 3.25mm, 10 rows in stocking stitch (again including an eyelet row).
Row 1: K1 M1 K6 S1 K2tog psso K6 M1 K1
Row 2: Knit
Repeat rows 1 and 2 35 times, then omit the M1s until 6 stitches remain.
Break yarn, leaving a long tail. Thread tail through the remaining sts and pull tight.

The “Monkey” Bag is made in a similar fashion to the Pomatomus bag (with 96 stitches).

Jul 02 2008

Viral

Posted by Dee under General

There seems to be a disease sweeping across Ravelry… it has become viral… knitters are admitting they follow the crowd! I am ashamed to admit of the top ten most popular projects on Ravelry I have made four of them (Clapotis is blocking as I type), I am planning on making another four… I guess this makes me a knitting follower.

Of course my next project had to be something viral – this beautiful pattern is just outside the top 20 (but I think it is slowly going to move up)… Introducing The Swallowtail Shawl!

swallowtail shawl

I am following Minty from Pepperknit modifications to increase the size of the shawl… so far I have completed 19 repeats of the budding lace chart and I think I add another 5 more repeats to make it even larger!