knitting and scissors

A scary combination.

2 posts down is Angelica. If I'm ever going to wear her, the keyhole neckline has to go. But it's knit from the top down. What can I do? If I were sewing, it would be easy. I'd just cut, maybe make a new neckline facing. I could just tuck the end bits in as Katie does. Or I could do a scary cutting, sort of steeking but not really because steeks won't work thing.

This is what I thought of. Work out how I want the neckline to be and mark the stitches that would be the end of the row. (maybe borrow a technique from steeking and do a line of crochet). Cut and unravel rows up to (or near) the stitches I've marked. Neaten the resulting ends in such a way that they're going nowhere. Either turn under like a facing, or pick up and knit a new edging all round the neckline. What do you think? Worth trying or a recipe for tears and a sad pile of yarn?

fading from blue to purple

I've been passing this field every day since January and in that time it first got greener and greener and then more and more blue-ish purple. Close up, the flowers are more blue than purple, but each one is surrounded by greyish purple leaves and the effect over the whole field is a haze of purple. I thought it might be an appropriate way to shade from the blue of June to the purple of July.

Purple, ah purple. My favourite colour, not hard to guess, really, looking at the things I've done recently. So is there purple knitting in the near future? There's another purple and yellow sock to knit and I've just started a pink and purple thing that might be a birthday present. I think it's safe to say, I never stray far from the purple.

(Anyone know what the plant is, by the way?)

remember this?

angelica in progress, originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

Angelica still looks like this, more or less, although the neckline now has an i-cord trim and I've weaved in a few ends. The trouble is, I can't summon up the enthusiasm to finish it. The armholes are HUGE! This photo doesn't convey it, but they are. I knitted about half a sleeve, which took forever and didn't like it. The odd decreases at the top make the arm look weird. I'm not convinced the neckline's really me, nor the flippy bottom. Last night I came very close to just ripping the whole thing out. I haven't, I've just put it aside again. I don't know what to do with it. The thing I love is the yarn. It's so soft and strokable. It's also fine, so it takes ages to make any progress and dark, so it's hard to see details. I really wanted to make it into a beautiful, simple but stylish top that would make me feel elegant and luxurious, but this just isn't doing it. Should I rip or persevere?

second finished object of the week

somewhat cowl finished, originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

I finished this in the pub last night, which was great. I finished the second cuff, sewed in a couple of ends and it was done. I do love top-down raglans!

Started 28 April 2006, finished 27 June 2006

Pattern: Somewhat Cowl by Wendy Barnard, with various modifications

Yarn: 700g of Debbie Bliss Maya

Needles: 5mm and 4.5mm circulars

Modifications: different gauge, so followed directions for the smallest size, fiddled with the raglan increases so the armholes didn't end up huge, added short row shaping at the bust, did the waist shaping as decrease darts under the bust and then increase darts at the side. Long arms, with shaping. Collar is only one layer, rather than folded over. Sewn bind-off on neckling and cuffs.

Notes: I love it! I did the neckline before the arms so that I could just split the remaining yarn in half and make the arms as long as I could. I ended up with a small ball of yarn, maybe 20m. It's a beautiful colour and very warm. I did put it on in the pub garden last night when it started to get cool, but I don't think I'll be wearing it much until the autumn. Perhaps on holiday in Scotland this summer.

Monday morning FO

red and purple socks, originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

Actually finished last night, just after Dr Who. (This seems to be a common occurance. What am I going to do when it ends?) Note: You can see me knitting these socks in some of the punting photos.

Started, 4 May 2006, finished 25 June 2006.

Pattern: toe-up, 64 stitches, k3 p1 rib, flap heel, finished with 12 rows of k1p1 rib, sewn bind-off.

Yarn: Fyberspates in Valentine

Needles: 2.5mm Addi turbos

Notes: These just about fit me, but they're a little on the small side. I think I know someone else who might like them though.

I might have another FO to show you tomorrow. Somewhat Cowl is about 40 sleeve rows away from be done. I doubt I'm going to have finished all my projects by the end of the month, but I'll have made a good dent in the list.

knitting in style

knitting, punting, headless punter, originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

We went punting. Actually we went knitting and someone else did the punting. It was lovely, drifting past ducks, colleges and other punters. Having someone who knows what they're doing tends to mean you go a little faster and stay out of trouble. This bit of river, past the backs, tends to be full of tourists who've never been in a punt before who are struggling to keep it going straight.

This is the bit of the river next to King's College. In the front row, absorbed in their knitting are Alison and Anne. Behind them, Avril, Arthur and Marcelle and beyond them, Mary (who you can't see) and Diane. The other person you can't see is Emily, who was sitting next to me.

It was a lovely afternoon for punting and a good time was had by all. Thanks Mary for organising it! You can find other people's pictures here, here and here. More on my flickr photostream.

Ooh, and I won the draw and came home with a couple of skeins of Rowanspun tweed. Yummy!

not knitting, but I made it

Debs is ready for Kentwell, originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

This is my sister Debbie's Kentwell costume. I made it last night. (It's a Tudor re-enactment place. Schools go on trips, everyone has to dress up. I've never been to Kentwell, but both my sisters have and I seem to be family costumier).

The bodice took the longest. It's a man's jacket from a charity shop, with the arms and collar taken off and some remodelling. The skirt is a simple drawstring tube, the apron is a square on a long skinny rectangle and the hat is the corner of an old fitted sheet, gathered onto a headband. I didn't make the undershirt, Debs happened to find a shirt with a suitable lacing at the neckline. She also made the hanging pocket and cupstring. It's not exactly authentic (the breast pocket on the bodice gives away its origins) but it's good enough. And it's laced up properly. Apparently, crossed lacing means you're a woman of ill repute. And you wouldn't want that.

big sock little sock

big sock little sock, originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

Those unpaired socks I was talking about. Purple and red sock 2 is on the needles. I'm amused by how much bigger the jaywalker sock is. The red sock is 64 stitches, k3 p1 ribbing, so looks pretty small when relaxed and jaywalkers are notoriously unstretchy because the stitches are on the bias. (Incidentally, I once spent a whole bus journey planning an experiment to investigate the stretchiness of the knitted stitch, involving finding Young's Modulus for different sorts of stitch patterns in different directions. I've never got round to doing the experiment. I'd have to find a school lab to borrow equipment from and stuff, but wouldn't it be a fun experiment to do? Or is that just me?)

Sorry Cambridge knitters, I failed to make it to a meet-up yet again. Blame post-exam tiredness and the rain. And the choir rehearsal. Mostly the choir rehearsal. Anyone want to come and hear us?

blue for June

ferry boat blue, originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

I've got some socks to show you. Two socks, but not a pair. Shall I wait until they're paired or show you anyway? I can't actually show you them because I haven't taken any pictures of them.

I'm torn. There's a Cambridge knitalong tonight and I haven't been in ages, but I've also got an extra rehearsal before choir concerts this weekend. And I could do with the rehearsal. I might be showing up to knit for half an hour and then dashing off to the rehearsal.

blue knitting

Not done any yet, but here's a good excuse to knit in blue: Knit a River

"Help I Knit and WaterAid campaign for water and toilets for all by knitting a river. I Knit and WaterAid have joined forces to produce an innovative campaign tool to demand water and toilets for all."

Found via Kerrie.

WiP round-up

I have decided that this month, in preparation for moving across town (finally found somewhere to live yesterday. Not finalised yet, but looking good, hurrah!) I will aim to finish all my current knitting projects, with two exceptions. This is my current list.

Angelica: Oldest WiP. The body is done and the front opening. I tried the neckline treatment as written, decided I didn't like it and did an i-cord cast-off instead. She needs arms. This is a problem. The armholes are huge. I got 2/3 down one sleeve, decided it was far too large and ripped. The answer is probably some sort of short puff sleeve, although I'm not totally convinced that puff sleeves will match the slinkiness of the body. Any suggestions? I want to get her finished and I really don't want to frog until I've tried everything possible.

Somewhat Cowl: Rather less of a cowl, more of a long low scoopy neck. Body and neckline are finished, she needs arms. I'd like long arms, length will probably depend on how long the yarn lasts.

Forecast: Still looks like this. This is one thing I plan not to complete this month, in fact I want to get other things done so I can work on it.

Garter stitch shawl: This is a long-term stashbusting/using up scraps of yarn project, so I don't expect it to get finished anytime soon.

Purple and red socks: Toe-up ribbed socks. One sock done, one yet to be started. Awaiting a decision on whether they're for me or someone else.

Purple and yellow Jaywalkers aka psychedelic tiger socks: Started this weekend while revising (i.e. watching videos of As You Like It and Top Girls). I'll explain the name when they're done. Sock one is already past the heel and into decreasing the heel gussets. I know I had lots of problems with Jaywalkers the first time round and wasn't very enthusiastic about the completed pair, but actually, of all my handknit socks (4 pairs), they're the ones I wear most frequently. I think I've fixed my sizing issues, and somehow this pattern's perfect for variegated yarn when you want to make something that isn't plain stocking stitch or rib.

So that's four arms and 2 and a half socks to knit by the end of the month. Possible, I think.

Waiting in the wings to be started once I've cleared the decks: Arisaig in vintage Jaeger gaelicspun (swatched last week, got gauge, hooray!), Diamond fantasy shawl in HipKnits cashmere sock yarn, more Elfines, possibly for me, possibly for someone else, Hopscotch socks as designed by Pixeldiva in more HipKnits cashmere.

green bin and gone

This picture represents how good I've been at making things in this month's Project Spectrum colour, green. Er, rubbish. I'm surrounded by green things, plants, trees, bins, but no knitting. I did buy greenish sock yarn, not done anything with it yet. Next month is blue. I have one blue project waiting to be finished (Angelica, she needs arms. I knitted half an arm, it took ages, I didn't like it. The armholes are huge, I want close fitting arms, I can't think of a way of decreasing that won't look rubbish, so I think I'm going to do short sleeves and call it a day), another sort of blue project I might start (lace shawl in blue-grey cashmere sock yarn). Roll on July and purple. I can do purple.

ta da!

purple cotton cardigan, originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

(Apologies for the state of the bathroom mirror.)

I present, the Time Traveller cardigan. Started 6 May 2006 while watching Dr Who, finished 27 May 2006, just after Dr Who, worn to work for the first time today.

Pattern: made it up as I went along. I swatched, I measured, I knitted, I ripped, I guessed, I did maths. Jenna Wilson's Knitty articles (part 1, part 2, and especially part 3) on the maths of set-in sleeves were very useful. I ended up with a vaguely 1940s sleeve top, which wasn't quite what I was going for, but I decided to keep it and try to work out how to make my next sleeves better.

Yarn: Araucania Nature Cotton, about 650g.

Needles: 6mm straights and a 5mm crochet hook for the edging and button holes.

Notes: This was a very quick knit, even though I reknit some of the pieces several times. Nature Cotton is lovely stuff, very soft (although this does mean it sheds fluff everywhere and I expect it's going to pill). I used metal needles because they're the only 6mms I have, but I think that helped. As usual, I had to look up how to crochet and it took me several attempts to get it right, but I think I actually ended up with something that's almost an official crochet stitch, even if I can't remember if it's single or double. (I think it depends which side of the Atlantic you're on). The buttons came from the bead and button shop in the Real McCoy Arcade in Exeter.

If I knit this again, I'd add some bust shaping and improve the armscyes and sleeve cap shaping. I'm please with the result though, I have what I wanted, a v-neck cotton cardigan for summer and I've learnt a lot about making things fit in the process.

still knitting

Hello there. Sorry, no progress pictures today, but there has been knitting. Purple cotton cardigan is finished, but for the buttons. I'm hoping to buy buttons from the funky button shop in Exeter and finish it this weekend while visiting HP. Somewhat cowl body is finished, I'm doing the neckline next, and the arms last. I like how it fits so far, although curious to see what the collar does to it. Pre-collar, the neckline's so low it's unwearable in public.

What was May's Project Spectrum colour again? Oh yes, green. Not much green knitting going on, but I am surrounded by green leaves. Here are leaves (and pigeons) as seen from my favourite town centre chain sandwich place.

this morning's post

This morning, I was late enough (or he was extra early) to still be at home when the postman came and he brought socks! Hooray! Here they are, beautiful Boysenberry Pie socks knitted by Judy of Dragonflyknits. Yay! They're beautiful! They're beautifully soft and just my colours. Thank you!

And that's not all. She also sent beautiful stitch markers, look. Pretty! As I was dancing round the kitchen and taking pictures of my feet (as you do) there was an item on the radio about online communities and how they affect people. This knitblogging thing is a little odd, perhaps, but it's fun thinking of all those socks flying around the world, all those connections that wouldn't have been made otherwise. Big round of applause for Alison for making it all possible!

oh look, another purple thing

In my defence, I'll be able to wear this one as soon as I finish it (assuming I do finish it.) I went to the HipKnits shop on Saturday which was interesting, especially when my car refused to start to take me home. (This was actually a good thing since it meant the AA came and looked at it and discovered the loose battery terminal which has been causing the car to refuse to start reliably for several weeks.) I bought this stuff - Araucania Nature Cotton - and following Dee's suggestion I'm using it make myself a summer cardigan. I swatched not long after I got home and knit about halfway up the back while watching Dr Who (Slightly bonkers episode, 18th century France, clockwork robots and a controversial snog) and How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (not a brilliant chick flick, but mildly amusing). I'm making it up as I go along and surprisingly, it's not a top-down raglan. (Gasp!) I've no idea whether I've got enough yarn for a long sleeved cardigan, I've got 7 skeins and the back looks like it's going to take at least 2. So I'm hoping 2 skeins for the back, one each for the fronts and a ball and half for each sleeve. It'll need buttons or something, so I might have to buy some more yarn to do a button band or a crochet edging. Anyway, it's fun making it up as you go along.

socks sent

The socks have arrived with my sockpal, Knitting Iris. I think she likes them! :-)

I like finishing things

Really I do. I just don't seem capable of finishing anything other than socks. Starting stuff though, I'm very good at. Like this. A Somewhat Cowl in Debbie Bliss Maya, which is a beautiful colour and will be too hot to wear for months. I love it though. The yarn is just thick enough to make progress at a satisfying rate and the colour is just subtly variable enough to give it depth and interest.
But I still haven't finished Angelica (she's got half an arm and may have for a long time yet. Knitting arms is boring. I need a long and dramatic film or several. Or a really long train journey) and Forecast hasn't got any further than this. And what I really need right now is a little, lightweight v-neck summer cardigan. Maybe like this once Ysolda puts the big sizes up. Or maybe I should just invent something. But I'd need to buy yarn. Or maybe I should finally get round to making Arisaig, which I've wanted to make ever since I saw it, but have been scared of the lace. But now I've knit lace, I can see it's not scary at all. So maybe I should do that. Or maybe I should write the essay that's due in a fortnight.

wave your feet in the air

cashmere socks in the air, originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

Especially if they're clothed in newly completed cashmere socks.

Pattern: make-it-up-as-you-go-along. Toe-up, 64 stitches. Zig-zags made with k2tog YO and YO ssk holes, short row heels, k1tbl p1 twisted ribbing, picot cast off (cast on 2, cast off 4).

Yarn: yummy cashmere sock yarn from Hipknits.

Needles: 2.5mm Addi turbos

Soft, colourful, fun.

stripy cashmere socks

stripy cashmere socks, originally uploaded by the pig wot flies.

Thanks for all the lovely comments about the Elfines. I posted them off this morning. They're going far far away.

This is what I've been working on lately. The yarn is Hipknits cashmere sock yarn. It's gorgeous! So soft and the colours are yummy. And, when I've had to rip it back, it seems to grip on to itself well, so it's dead easy to rip back and pick up stitches. This skein was a small one, about 65g, which is why these are ankle socks. Definitely worth splashing out for a full-sized skein I think.

Ooh and these are counting as my yellow/orange thing for Project Spectrum.