princessdeia

Yarn: Sirdar Pure Cotton in Navy.
Pattern: Marco from Rowan 35 in a plain colour with added cables.
Needles: 3.25mm and 3.75mm.
Notes: Where do I start… the basic pattern is that of Marco done in just one colour.
To being with I thought the 2×2 rib looked to skinny so I changed it to 3×3.

I very quickly got bored of the stocking stitch, especially, as there is on shaping to the main part of the sweater, so when I began the front, I added some cables and a wide rib.

Things have been so busy around here at the moment – I would say in London, but I have been all over the ‘shires over the last few days. Needless to say, I never made it to Ally Pally this weekend, having read blog entries the exhibition, I am a little jealous, but there is always next year. Plus I am going to treat myself to some wool this week. I have yet to order the extra wool I need for Mini-sweater II, MCA Direct have some in stock so I will be placing an order today and having seen all the lovely socks being knitted as part of Socktober, and I think I will invest in some extra sock wool.

Knitting has been going slowly, but I have finally managed to finish off numerous projects that have been 95% complete, NLLALM is still waiting to be blocked. I just need to weave the ends into Branching Out and then block her – same with the Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf. I have also started yet another Xmas Scarf (number three), I am using the Fishtail Lace Scarf I found online, it is yet another simple pattern that works so well.

I am extremely unorganised this week and the only thing that has kept me sane as I travel is Silent Bob Speaks, the wonderful book I got from SP6. I have to say I am always so amazed when I get presents from Secret Pals, I have been so lucky in both rounds; my pals seem to get into my brain and no just what I want, but also go above and beyond the call of duty. It is the simple things but they seem to be the right simple things. I am a sucker for a wrapping paper, don’t know why but it shows thought I guess, when I got my finally present from Tracy, she had wrapped all the little presents in Simpson wrapping paper, which is so “me” I don’t know how she knew that I was a fan of the little yellow family but she did. All of my presents this round have been superbly wrapped – even the jiffy bags have matched. And yet again she is going beyond the call of duty, the Kevin Smith book has been on my Amazon Wishlist most this year, I love Smith, enjoy watching his films, collect all the comics he has written and recent am obsessed with this blog, whenever I am in the book shop, I end up buying yet another knitting book (knitting is my greatest obsession), so the book has started on my list, so when it arrived I was over the moon, but my SP didn’t just order the book straight from Amazon, no they went to View Askew and brought me a signed copy – I am so touched, this is now one of my favourite possessions.

I seem to have lost the cable to upload my photos on to the web And I have loads of photos to post. I have taken some photos with my camera phone but they do no justice.

Finally, I have a finished project, NLLALM is finished – it is just waiting to be blocked – all I can say is never again over 160 stitches for the back and front, took forever. Although I am pleased with the rest it just took way too long.

Now I am concentrating on the KSH scarves. I am half way though Branching Out, I have done 20 repeats of the pattern, but as I am using 3mm needles it is still really short (about 30 inches), I think I will need to do about 50 to get it too the length I want. But I have loads of wool left.

Over the weekend as a quick project, I cast on an Airy Scarf (from Last minute Gifts) in Kidsilk Spray, for this version I am using the pinkie colours, and it looks amazing, there are four tones of pink in there, from an almost lilac colour to a bright pink, and totally unintentionally the colour weaves through the scarf like a wave.

Once again, I am using smaller needles than the pattern asked for, and I cast on extra stitches to make it wider, after knitting for 4 hours (the blur above the pattern says that was how long the designed knitted for), the scarf is 24 inches, I always intended to make it a longer scarf, but now I think I might just knit until I run out of wool.

EDIT:After I posted this morning the postman delievered some goodies… a postcard all the way from Vegas (baby), and a lime green jiffy envolpe, also from Vegas. Inside was this amazing package, the wrapping paper was hand-made. I didn’t want to open it as I would ruin her lovely work. But inside was Weekend Knitting : 50 Unique Projects and Ideas , which I have been lusting after forever. I spend all this lunch time planning what I am going to make.

My sister had a minor operation last week, so I spend the weekend looking after her, watching cheesy movies so of course it meant I had loads of time to knit… The problem at the moment is I have no attention span with projects, I seem to get bored with what I am knitting an want to start something new, it doesn’t help that I see my mini stash and think, I’d prefer to be knitting with HipKnit Silk rather than 4 ply cotton… and then I look longingly at my bag full of KSH.

I have finished one sleeve on NLLALM and am about two-third into the second sleeve, however boredom set in yesterday, so I finally cast on my HipKnit Silk “summer top” obviously here in London the sun has stopped shining when I decided to cast it on. However, I am hoping to wear it in the evenings or something.

Originally, I planned to make Arabella from Rowan 35, with a scalloped edge, but decided to do the whole thing in a chevron pattern and it looks amazing thee three tones in the wool added to the simple pattern works so well – I love this wool – I want to buy more… I know it will be perfect for a OSW or even a mini clapotis.

I am sad to say the progress of the Christmas KSH is going extremely slowly, I have been inspired by all you knitters in blogland. As Lolly pointed out KSH is the hip wool to be knitting with – I love her Cami & Cowl and I have seen several Butterfly’s out there that look amazing, I am not sure if I have the patience to knit a whole top in this wool, I am still not use to it

With my birthday coming up soon, I have been busy hunting around online for presents to add to my wishlists. As soon, as I saw iDog, I had to have him, and then I saw these, now I want a little iDog and knit him a little hat & scarf for the winter.

Starting today, I am aiming to complete a list of 10 things over the next 101 days – all designed to stop my putting off all the things I should be doing, and encouraging actually live my life, most of it is irrelevant to my knitting blog – however, I will trying to knit 10 scarves as Christmas presents and be regularly posting photos in the gallery (although I still haven’t got the batteries for my camera).

In knitting related news, I finished the sweater part of my mum’s twin set – both she and I are pleased with the finished result, it just needs blocking. The NLLALM sweater is slowly coming along – I keep getting distracted by other projects, currently it is my Harry Potter scarf. I am itching to start on my Branching Out as well :(. I am being to think this sweater will never be finished.

I haven’t been feeling really well – so haven’t been on the PC to update. All the time in bed has meant I have had loads of time to knit. The No-Longer-Looking-Anything-Like-Marco Sweater (NLLALM) is looking really good – I have done about 4 inches of the front now and the cables are looking amazing. i set the cables in three stitches of purl as the enhances the chunky 3×3 rib. Now I am thinking it looks more like a cabled version of Leo from Knitty – the other pattern I was thinking of knitting.

Yesterday, I went to Hobbycraft – I heard they had a limited range of Rowan and wanted to check it out – really I was hoping I could get some Kidsilk Spray or Kidsilk Night, as I think it will be prefect for some autumn projects I am planning. However, all they sold was Rowanspun 4 ply. I did however, get some Paton’s Fab (cheap acrylic) in Scarlet and Gold – perfect for a Prisoner of Azkaban version of the Gryffindor Scarf – I was hoping to sign up to the Another Weasley KAL – but I think I might be a little late.

My Spoilee for Secret Pal 5, has just gone on holiday for two weeks- so I had to send her final package now (hopefully she got it before she left). I have had so much fun with the experience - I had to sign up for SP6… I also love this button, as it reminds me it is almost Halloween - and my birthday.

I have been busy working and dog-sitting so not much knitting has been done.
I had been extremely bored of knitting stocking stitch over 160 stitches for the back of Marco, so have been putting off starting the front. Whilst Jason was watching the cricket yesterday, I was inspired by cable pattern on their slipovers . I prefered the Aussie sweaters - but Jason would not be impressed if I took inspiration from our rivals. Now I have decided to add a few cables to the front of the jumper – making it even less like Marco, but at least it will be more interesting.

I need to sort out my camera, and take some photos of my recent finished projects, my mini-sweater is complete it just needs to weave in the ends – I think I will need it this weekend so I should finish it soon. I still haven’t finished Wavy Gravy – although it is looking amazing – it is such a great pattern it looks a lot more complicated then it is. I have finished the Double Choc scarf, but I have given it to my sister already – so I need to get it back to photograph it.

After the success of Maryella, I think I will make a few more, I have invested in loads of seed beads, so far I have plans to make a simple black beads on white thread and also a gold beads on cream thread cuff, and to get some really shiny ribbon so this can be more of an evening cuff.

I have been so busy lately, I have not had time to update or knit
My major project is still Marco and I am still working my way through the back.

The Destiny Mohair I brought from Texere, that was meant to become a branching out scarf, is now the beginning of a Wavy Gravy scarf from SnB Nation. I do like this wool - it is am amazing colour and soft (for a mohair), however, there was no stitch defination in the pattern - hence why I decided to use a stocking stitch pattern.

Last night, I was busy reading on the UK Hand Knitters Boards about the campaign to boycott Benetton and Australian wool - I haven’t been able to watch the video yet (I have heard it is pretty bad), but it was an eye opener to this lil knitter.

All my orders from the weekend arrived this morning - I love post
So I have a nice stash enhancement – luckily all the wool is earmarked for projects.
My orders included:

• Good Fortune Cotton in Wine.
• Destiny Mohair in Petrol
• Hipknits Silk in Surf

The cotton is going to be turned into a twin set - I think the one from Vintage Knits. I brought the mohair for a scarf for me - I am planning on making scarves as Christmas presents - yes I am thinking that far ahead), I was going to use Rowan Kidsilk Haze, but thought I would try this out as an alternative. I adore the colour, the shade was petrol - but it’s a dark turquoise, and in a certain light a jade green.

I got so excited about the Hipknit Silk - I have seen so many other people in blogland use this wool and I was so eager to start knitting with it - I rolled into into balls by hand and what I read is true it does shred, It is really hard to see in this photo, but it is shades of sky blue, mint green and a pale turquoise I am pretty sure it will become an Arabella.

I have done about 12 inches of Marco - I wanted the jumper to look really chunky (even though it is in cotton), so I did the rib in 3 stitches of purl and knit.

I think I need a a session in front of the TV watching some cheesy show or a DVD, so I can just relax knit… oh it would be even more perfect, if I could convince Jason to bring home a bottle of wine.

Not much knitting was done this weekend :(,
Both my parents have requested I knit them something - Mum wanted the twin set from Vintage Knits and Dad wanted Marco from Rowan Magazine 35, but didn’t like the pattern - so it’s going to be plain.

On Saturday, I went shopping to John Lewis in Kingston on Saturday - hoping to get all the wool, however the trip was very unsuccessful, we couldn’t find the colour for that Mum wanted - and eventually we got a nice navy for Dad’s jumper. I also wanted to get some dark chocolate merino for my Mini Sweater - but no luck. I guess I am going to have to hunt around online - see if I can find aubergine cotton anywhere.

I did manage to get some lovely semi-precious beads and wire to make some more stitch markers - it seems I am making them as quickly as I am start new projects. I had to make some wider one to use on the mini sweater as I am using 6mm needles.

Also Melanie at Pink Lemon Twist has revealed a completed version on of her Mystery Stole, it looks amazing - I am thinking it will make am amazing baby blanket - but I don’t know anyone who is pregnant - I guess I will have to save it.

I noticed she has also started a Mystery Shawl Along - but I don’t think I have the time to knit this as well - but it might be interesting to keep an eye on.

All of a sudden I have loads of Summer Knit Projects.
After finishing my sisters Beaded Bolero, I have been asked by my Mum and Dad to knit them both something in Cotton - it’s a good job I love this wool.

My summer list is now…

• Florence from Rowan Magazine 35.
• Cotton Jumper for Dad, I’m thinking Marco also from Rowan Magazine 35 - but I’m not sure about the strips.
• Cotton Cardigan for Mum - I think this will be a simple crew neck - she just needs to pick a colour.
• I still would really love to make Alice, but I think it will be Christmas by the time I have finished all them.

I finally signed up for Secret Pal 5 - I guess I should keep updating my journal so my pal can find out what I like.