I wish I had never bought the No Sheep For You book by Amy Singer. Not because I don’t like it – but because I’m having a difficulty getting to work with all the great patterns. And – the stash which I had successfully started to bust is now burgeoning again.

Plus: also I am loving working on a Samus-style cardigan (Knitty website) I’m now facing the dreaded SSS (second sleeve syndrome and just want to start something else.

So – I’m posting my WIP photo of the Samus to re-invigorate myself:

Yarn: Super 3 by Kerzner (discontinued) – purple is for the i-order border and is Newport Pima Cotton (mercerised)

And with all greatest intentions, my plan was first to knit the Bacardi pattern, calling for Super 10, in order to engage in some stash busting – it’s getting to the point otherwise where I could probably open a Super10 store:

….but then I went on-line and bought Rowan cotton for the following two projects:

What’s a girl to do? Good thing I’ve got this week off work… but the danger is that I will never go back! However, no work, no money for more yarn… such a dilemma.

And, on the upside, I just rescued a 3 drawer plastic “file cabinet” from my apartment disposal which will help to contain the stash…

… but on the downside, I still have two bags to sew together and line… (I HATE this part)…

😉

Some info about my recent geeky quest to finding a cheaper substitute for the Rowan Calmer called for in the Morrigan pattern (from No Sheep For You – highly recommended). I had come across Lana Grossa Elastico – like the Calmer, 50g = 160 m. The results from my tension sample tests are in…(pardon the stripes from my balcony railing – my camera works better in natural light). The tangerine colour is the Calmer, the yellow the Elastico. All samples were knitted on bamboo circular needles. The tension sample is taken from Chart R3 of the Morrigan pattern from No Sheep for You – meant to yield a 4″ swatch from 40 sts. and 44 rows.

1. Comparison
The two adjacent samples were knitted on 3.25mm as the pattern calls for. The smaller sample on the top was knitted on 3mm needles.

2. Calmer
This tension sample worked out just about right – 4″ x 4″ approx.

3. Elastico – 3.25mm

When knitted on the same size as the Calmer, this sample worked out to a touch over the right width (4.2″ approx) but quite a bit too long (at over 4.5″)…

4. Elastico – 3mm
… so I tried the Elastico again using the next size down of needles. I got lazy, though, and only finished 1/2 the sample (the row length is 22 rows instead of 44). Results still not 100% – width right this time at 4″ but length still too long (at 2.25″ approx for 1/2 the sample).

You may also notice that the Calmer has knitted more evenly than the Elastico. No doubt part of this is due to my own (lack of) skill :-). However, the difference in quality is quite pronounced in my samples. If anything, the Elastico sample closest to the appropriate tension is the most uneven.

So, for myself, I think I would have to stick with the Calmer. A surer cable knitter than myself might have some luck with the Elastico, though.

A note about the relative characteristics of the yarns: the Calmer was quite a bit “thicker” (read: fluffier) to the feel than the Elastico and also had quite a bit more stretch. I liked working with both equally but they were quite different.

Another note: I felt quite clever with myself by managing to knit part of these samples without using a cable needle! (I did the Calmer sample half and half, and can’t tell the difference between the two parts myself. For the technique, see the new book Cables Untangled by Melissa Leapman).

It’s been a while since I posted. Have been too busy knitting and being depressed with the lack of sun. Now the sun is back… !!!

1. Periwinkle Bag

I need to put in some lining yet…

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Specs:
yarn: Burley Spun – Brown Sheep, one skein
needle size: 10 mm
time to make: 2 hours approx

2. Samus-style cardigan (in progress)

Specs:

Yarn: Super 3 (discontinued) – Kerzner – aran weight mercerised cotton. I plan a border with lime-green Super 3
Inspiration: Samus pattern from knitty.com
Needle Size: 5 mm

3. Tension sample for Morrigan

This is my attempt to see if I can substitute yarns for the gorgeous Morrigan sweater in the new book No Sheep For You by Amy R. Singer. Designer = Jenna Wilson. More to the point, it’s my endeavour to see whether I actually have the guts to try the sweater. This is a sample based on chart R3. Not the colour I would go with… I just had this lying around, which is 1/2 the price of the yarn called for (Rowan Calmer). The tension sample (meant to be 6 inches) is about 1/3 inch too wide. Height was OK.

Specs:
Yarn: Lana Grossa Elastico
Needle Size: 3.25 mm.
Time Spent: er…. don’t ask… 2 hours.

… many months in the knitting (well, actually, only about 3 days in the knitting but spread out over a long time). The pattern is found at masondixonknitting.com.

This is a detail of the LOVELY yarn:

Specs:

Yarn: Fleece Artist Kid Silk 2 ply (70% kid, 30% silk) – most of two skeins (total weight approx. 450 g). Colour is called “blue rainbow”
Needle size: 4 mm (bamboo)
size: small

I loved working with this yarn – and the sweater will be luxurious to wear. For once, am hoping for cold weather tomorrow.

And – the sweater fits as though it were made for me!

😉

… well, almost. So here is my first spring project in progress: cheerful boxer shorts!!! (just started tonight)

Pattern from Greetings From the Knit Cafe by Suzan Mischer. Yarn = Lana Grossa Elastico Print (96% cotton, 4% nylon). Didn’t do a swatch (too lazy) so we’ll see how it goes…!

And… who thinks I can accomplish this next project (my 2nd pair of socks) while watching the tube? 😉

Hi all:

Two new FOs…

1. a scarf I just finished based on the Moderne pattern (the left half of the pattern for the Moderne blanket in Mason-Dixon Knitting). I added some beads (which are knit in). This was fun and fast to make.

Finished size: 40″x12:, roughly
Yarn: curlilocks by fleece artist (raspberry, eggplant, plum)
Needle size: 6 mm
Knitting time: 5 hours approx.

I decided to use the same size needles for casting off as I wanted to see what would happen. Hence, the warp, which I rather like. If you want to avoid this, use 8 mm needles for casting off.

2. socks

My first pair!

Yarn: Fleece Artist sock merino
Pattern: on the ballband of the yarn
Needle size: 2.5 mm
Knitting time approx: 10 hours (for both socks)

And here’s another photo from my mother (man alive, was I ever generous! and overambitious, as this was my first needlepoint! and counted, to boot).

Note the grid pattern in the background. At the time, this was a rather ill-advised decision to mark the grid onto the canvas with a very dark marker. Now, I have learned to view it as a “design element” (although you may beg to differ).

My mother sent me these photos of sweaters I had knitted for her many years ago (in less selfish days when I actually knitted sweaters for other people! LOL) Most predate 1991 when I left home. They are all in cotton yarn as my mother is allergic to wool.

1. Flower vest

I do remember this one because it was murder to knit. The honeycomb pattern is not embroidered… can’t remember which pattern book it was from but it was a UK one.

2. Tree of Life

This is a sweater that I copied (literally) from one my former boss had bought in Ireland. I took the sweater and photocopied the front. I then knitted the tree. I wish I had a photo of the original sweater – just asked the old boss (with whom I still work) last week but she no longer has it. ;-( It is of more recent provenance than the others – early 2002.

3. Tree of Life 2

From another pattern book lost in the mists of my memory.

4. Sweatshirt

This one, I’m fairly certain, is from one of the Paton’s general sweater booklets.

5. Grapevine

Again, can’t remember where this is from. I didn’t design it.

but on the upside: a brand new sock! Now I only have to do the second one…

In the process, I managed to break a wooden dpn needle (sob). Luckily I have enough left to finish the second sock (unless of course I manage to snap the other one as well.

So – here is my memorial to the dearly departed needle:

Please note the trunk on the elephant, which is pointing downward. It was pointing upward before I arranged the needles on top. Honestly! (well, er… no – just have gone a bit insane over sock progress!)

Well, have gotten started on my first ever pair of socks – after all these years! To be honest, I have never really seen the point as how many people see socks, anyway? Howeever, I have been persuaded by the latest socks craze and the gorgeous sock yarns available to give it a stab.

This is after about an hour’s progress… (re. not counting the first aborted attempt where I managed to twist the stitches when joining them, leading to what perhaps I should market as a pattern for “moebius socks”. Grr.).

Yarn= Fleece Artist Basic Merino
Needles = 2.5 mm addi turbos. Also have Brittany dpns (wood)
Pattern = on the ballband (“Nova Sox”. Fleece Artist yarn is produced in Nova Scotia. “Nova Sox”… get it? heh heh heh).

In true type A fashion, I had initially decided to knit a very convoluted kneesock pattern found in this seasons “Interweave Knits”: entrelac argyle pattern. I then came to my senses and decided that this was *probably* not a beginner sock project – and moreover that attempting this pattern right now would likely lead to me flinging $40.00 worth of yarn and said addi turbos off the balcony into the ravine in complete disgust, never to be found again.

My thoughts so far:
– pattern is blissfully straightforward (so far, anyway, and minus the twist effect!)
– it is quicker work than I thought it would be
– however, not convinced that I like working with the small size of needles required (then again, this *is* blanket and bag queen here. For about 3 months I wasn’t using any needle size smaller than 8 mm).

And a note about spending on projects: DH last night asked what I was making. I told him and showed him the ballband, on which I had (rather foolishly) left the price tag. The following conversation ensued (after a short debate on whether one of the colours in the variegation was brown or purple – I won (brown):

– “Australian merino? that’s interesting”
– “Actually, it’s from Nova Scotia”
– “Where?” (DH having a past Nova Scotia connection)
– “I can’t remember – someplace that ends with a -ville. Sackville?”
– “No, I don’t think so…’ [adjourn for another debate on small Canadian towns ending in -ville”, which was aborted when DH saw the price tag…
– “$21.00?!?!?!?!?! The yarn MUST be fron Australia… [pause] now, why would you pay $21.00 to knit a pair of socks?”
– “Because the yarn is nice.”
– “But at the white sale at the Bay I get socks for 50 cents each [ASIDE: isn’t it funny that people always lie about what they spend on something – either way too much money, or way too cheap. So the inevitable debate ensued on whether socks at the Bay are ever 50 cents on sale… which segues into when was the last time one could buy socks for 50 cents anywhere, aside perhaps from what I like to call “truckload” sales at the flea markets. The debate was resolved when I came up with the irrefutable “socks don’t even cost 50 cents at the dollar store!”… until DH said:
– “But just think about how many pairs of socks you could buy for $21.00! [pause] Oh well, it’s your money and yours to do with.”
– “Well, think about it this way – it’s only 2 packs of smokes”.

This ended the conversation. Lucky I didn’t open my big mouth and yack about how much the addis cost!