princessdeia

August 16th 2011
Filed under Project Spectrum 2011, Sweaters

I’ve been a little slack at updating about Project Spectrum, which is a little odd as the last two months have been my favourite colours, so obviously I had loads of yarn to work with and I did! For most of May, I have been working on my Not-So-Granny-Smith cardigan (I think the colour might be more teal than green).

I’ve re-worked the pattern to work the body all in one. Yes I know there is a lot of debate over seams versus seamless, but at the end of the day I hate seaming so I knitting the body all in one and am going to knit the sleeves on the round.

Speaking on seaming, I finally finished the knitted part of my Bed Runner, in the end I had 42 square which all needed to be sewn together, and I discovered not only do I hate seaming I am pretty slow at it!

As I was dealing with different thickness of yarn, the seaming of each square became a maths problem with a complex equation to workout how to neatly sew them together. All of this resulted in my managing to only sew a few together each night and it took me over a week to finish the seaming.

June 2nd 2011
Filed under General

One of the great things I have discovered about Project Spectrum in the past is re-examining your stash, well this year I have enjoyed I new discovery. Re-examining your WIPs, first I finally got around to finishing my red 2luvcrew sock and then I rediscovered my leftover sock yarn blanket. I started working on this blanket over 2 years ago.

Originally I started knitting the hexagons one at a time, sewing them together as I went, but I soon discovered it was a lot easier to leave the stitches live and Kitchener stitch them together or knit one long hexagon scarf. Before I started knitting more I figure I should sew up what I had, realizing I nearly had enough for half the blanket. Then I dug out all my red leftover sock yarn and added a few more hexagons.

May 9th 2011
Filed under Project Spectrum 2011

You may have noticed Project Spectrum is back – in fact it is invading most the social networking sites! Which is amazing an explosion of colour on Flickr, Ravelry, Tumblr, Pinterest and personal blogs! Now in the past during project spectrum, I have started out with full memento but my enthusiasm has faultier over time – usually when we come up to a colour I am not fond of (yellow or orange ). Going back to devoting a month per colour, I hope will keep my enthusiasm going.

The first month is RED! Now, I recently mentioned my love of all things red and even started a pinterest board devoted to the colour (do you thing deep down I know PS, would be back?) So I’m not going to re-express my love but instead show some of previous red projects.

1. 2luvcrew by Alice Yu, 2. Poppy’s Dress by Ysolda,
3. Scadenza by Yarnissima, 4. Heart & Sole by Ysolda.

I should point out I never got around to finishing the second 2luvcrew sock, so I guess that is my first PS project!

October 12th 2006
Filed under General, Project Spectrum

This amazing postcard arrived on my doorstep this morning, the envelope was correctly addressed, the correct stamp for airmail and the postmark is from the 19th August, but it still took nearly two months to get here – I am sure it has an amazing tale to tell. It was my final postcard from the Project Spectrum Postcard Swap, created by Jody and Javajem for August, the Neutral month.

I have been extremely busy at work over the last few weeks (hence the lack of updates), the top secret project we were working on over the summer is still on-going and hopefully, I can post some very exciting news soon!

To make matter worse, I am still working on my grey dress, and it is going very slowly 228 stitches per row. Last night, I was watching a movie and after 2 hours of knitting it didn’t seem to grow at all.

September 29th 2006
Filed under Finished Projects 2006, General, Project Spectrum

Yarn: Louisa Harding Kashmir Aran purple 10.
Pattern: Basketweave Stitch.
Needles: 6 mm.
Notes: The pattern is really simple so there is not a lot to say.
The yarn is amazing, it is a flat woven ribbon yarn (like Rowan’s Cotton Tape or Sirdar’s Duet), but instead of being cotton or nylon it is made up of merino wool, microfibre and cashmere, the result is an soft chunky yarn.

I think it will be lovely used with another yarn, I am thinking of using it instead of the chenille on the Cotton Jacket with Chenille edging, from Vintage Knits (yes I am planning on making yet another project from this book).

September 14th 2006
Filed under General, Project Spectrum, Sweaters

For the next week, Jason and I are dog-sitting for his parents. Late last night in a middle of an amazing thunder storm we loaded up the car and headed up to Stevenage.

In amongst the packing, are the final WIPs for me to finish from Project Spectrum. My Purple scarf from July, which I decided I hated the pattern this morning and frogged after taking this photo – I think I will do a simple basket weave instead.

Also the brown sweater with mohair stripes, from August, this is nearly ready and I only have to start the second sleeve.

Finally, thank you for all the lovely comments on my finished items, after months of procrastinating, I am on a bit of a roll now and I intend to keep it up. I don’t think I will let my UFO’s get like that again.

September 6th 2006
Filed under Finished Projects 2006, General, Project Spectrum

Yarn: Texere’s Good Fortune Cotton in Wine (6) and Rowan’s Cotton Glace in Mystic (808).
Pattern: Made up.
Needles: 3.25 mm circulars and straights.
Notes: I started with 2.5 inches of 1×1 rib, then decreased stitches at each end and increased stitches to form an hour glass shape. I bound off the base of the neckline just after shaping the armholes, to create a deep round neck. The arms are simple cap sleeves with raglan decreases.

September 3rd 2006
Filed under General, Project Spectrum, Sweaters

I am having a very busy weekend in between a quick day trip to Le Touquet for a booze cruise/shopping trip, and a visit to Birmingham for a trade show, I have just got time to start my clean sweep for Project Spectrum.

Tools
My faithful Chibi – which holds all my needles.
A crochet hook.
A kilt pin brooch.
Various buttons.

To beginning, I am rewinding the calander to March and my Pink/Red projects. To complete, (from the bottom of the photo).

1. I have my Striped Sweater, which I cast on just in March and have slowly been knitting over the last few months.
2. Then, my Mum’s Twin Set cardigan which was started long before PS (last autumn), but I was planning on finishing it in March (I am awful I know).
3. Fast forward to June, when I was watching the World Cup and meant to be knitting a cardigan, this has been pushed to the bottom of my knitting bag, as I am so embarassed that I failed the challenge.
4. The Circular Shrug, I was unsure if this colour was more green or blue and unsure when I should be knitting it – so it was forgotten.
Also, am currently blocking my Stash Busting Bag and Cleo Clutch.

August 31st 2006
Filed under General, Project Spectrum

I can’t believe the six month of Project Spectrum are finally over, it has been a whirlwind of colour. Unlike a normal knit-along, this scheme spilled over into all accepts of crafting and even everyday life. You just have to look at the Flickr group to see how people were inspired by colour all over the place.

One of the add joys of this project has been the Postcard Swap over the last six months I have been introduced to six new bloggers, have been impressed with the cards they have send me which, has lead me to be embarrassed with the poor quality of cards I have sent them. At the moment, my final card is somewhere over the Atlantic, winging it’s way Jody at Java Jem probably waving hello as it passed the card she sent me.

September, has become left-over month for Project Spectrum a time to finish up projects from previous months, this is going to be great for me, really all I finished as part of the project was my pink capelet, the two tone pink socks and green surprise socks for my sister’s birthday.

As I didn’t really make anything in April – Yellow and Orange aren’t really my colours, so it was easy to finish my pink projects from March. I just managed to finish the socks in May –on the morning of my sister’s birthday.

My list of unfinished objects is a lot longer, in June, I tied in the World Cup KAL with PS, to make a blue cardigan – which is almost finished. From July, I have a half finished Purple scarf and finally, my Brown mohair sweater from this month.

I believe Lolly is thinking of repeating this Project next year, I would strongly recommend it to all crafters, it has made me more aware of colour, I see it everywhere, in nature, whilst crafting, and even in simple things like a cup or hotel room. If you still need convincing about this check out the Flickr group it has become a place for inspiration, seeing new techniques and to see new knitting patterns (I love seeing peoples FOs).

August 23rd 2006
Filed under General, Project Spectrum, Sweaters

As sun seems to have gone on holiday and the shops are full of autumn clothes , I have put together a list of things I have seen in shops, that I fancy knitting.

1. Even though, I never got around to making my crochet dress this summer, I am thinking about a chunky knitted dress.
2. A simple stripe cardigan (I’m not sure what colours I will make this in).
3. Deep V-neck lurex top.
4. a cable hoodie – although, I think I will make Central Park Hoodie.

I haven’t even been to Gap lately and I always love their winter knits – I will be busy.

As well as planning some knits, I have been busy knitting the mohair stripe sweater, I am knitting this with 4.5mm circular needles so it is knitting up very quickly after about a week, I have knitted over 12 inches of the body, and am about to start shaping the armholes.

I have almost finished my other Striped Sweater (that I started back in May), and I have discovered a problem with knitting stripes, weaving in the ends.

As much as I love knitting, I hate seaming, which is why I love knitting on the round – sewing with always come back to haunt me last night I spend several hours weaving in the ends and I am still no where near finished.