winter is coming...

Autumn has arrived in Melbourne, and it has been a wee bit chillier. It's not quite cool enough for my winter coat (which is too small anyway), but thick, cozy sweaters are needed. Over the last week, I keep finding myself going through my sweater basket and coming away disappointed. On Friday, I wore my trusty University of Washington hoodie (purchased in 2000...) over a cardigan. A sweater over a sweater. My current cardigans and sweaters just don't cut the mustard for warmth! Several of them are 3/4 length sleeves, as well. Useless!

So I went digging in my knitting pile and pulled out a chunky sweater I started February 2014. I haven't worked on it in months, and was surprised to find that it was only a couple of inches of one sleeve from being finished! C'mon Karen, get 'er done!

So I should have a new chunky sweater to wear soon. But here are some other patterns I have my eye on.

Taking a Break, by Debbie Bliss

Naima, by ANKESTRiCK (pictured is lilalu's version)

Fallow, by Maria Magnusson in The Knitter

And while I'm at it, how about some of these:

Aisling, by Justyna Lorkowska

Drachenfels, by Melanie Berg (pictured is michamade's version)

Adventurer's Cowl, by Katherine Leek

Maybe if I wear them ALL together, THEN I'll be warm!!

fire in the night scarf

Another sunny day, another distillery photoshoot.

I finished the very soft, very long scarf for Hugh on Saturday night, wove in the ends Sunday morning, and then dragged him out of the apartment to pose for pictures in it!

There were several grumpy faces before he finally smiled. Then there were some more grumpy faces, lol! He's so cute when he tries to be grumpy!

Hugh has been begging me for a Doctor Who-length scarf for ages. I keep buying him really pretty, really expensive wool to make a scarf, and then the scarf ends up too short because I can't afford to buy much. Hugh bought me this wool in Seattle, when he was exploring Capitol Hill one day on his own. It turned out to be the perfect amount for a nice long scarf! It's three skeins of Cascade Yarns Baby Alpaca Chunky Paints, which I assume he spent a fairly significant amount of money on! It's soooo soft and wonderful.

I used the Cinder scarf pattern from Brooklyn Tweed (they have THE MOST BEAUTIFUL knitting patterns you will see ANYWHERE.) I modified the pattern, though, cutting the number of stitches in half because my wool was pretty chunky and it would have been a much wider and shorter scarf. This had the effect of making the cables much more subtle, just curvy bumps along the way, which I really love in the end. I think it was defos the right choice.

finished object: silky salmon hat

You know that GORGEOUS silky, soft, salmony wool that Becky sent me? I made it into a hat. It is now autumn down under, and the weather has been getting a bit cooler. I've been bundling up in the mornings (especially since I leave the house before 7am) and this hat has come in very handy.

 

So has my new Zara puffy vest (with hood and faux-fur collar!), which is my new most favorite possession!

Guess which talented looker made this sign for his work?

Selfies in the car (Hugh was begging me to stop):

Practicing my Blue Steel:

Work in progress: Stella jumper

I have been knitting a jumper (translation: sweater) lately. I fell in love with this sparkly wool when I first saw it months ago, but I didn't have the funds to buy it. (It's Patons Australia Stella.) I think it was $7-$8 a ball. Then it got discontinued and disappeared from our local craft store! But then I found a few left at a fabric store in the city, for half the original price, so I snatched up 8 balls.

I started to knit another Agnes sweater (from Quince&Co.), and I got most of the way done with it before I remembered that I'd seen a chunky knit lace sweater pattern in Knitsy that might be fun to try out. But that pattern was knit in flat pieces and I prefer to knit top-down in the round.

See, a bit boring.

There are lots of reasons why I prefer to knit top-down in the round: you can try on as you go, and knitting on circular needles puts less strain on your wrists; but mainly, I'm lazy and impatient. Knitting flat pieces means you have to seam everything together at the end, and I just like to be done once the knitting has finished! Let's call it efficiency instead if laziness.

Anyway, I started to knit this lace pattern in the round. It involves repeats of 8 stitches, and I arbitrarily decided when to start the repeats. When I got to the bit where you separate the sleeves from the body, I realised that my lace pattern would be a big old mess because I hadn't placed it correctly to finish one repeat and then start another. It was more like, "get halfway through the lace repeat then start the next repeat three stitches in."

So I pulled out some graph paper and started sketching, working backwards from the separation stage to the collar stage.

I made a few mistakes along the way.

Sadly, I still didn't get it quite right, but it's much better! The interruption in the pattern happens under the arms, so it shouldn't be very noticeable. I might try to write the pattern up for Ravelry, in which case I'll fix the mistake.

presents!!!

Look look look! Becky sent me presents! They are so wonderful and pretty!

This silk mohair blend is soooo gorgeous! The photo doesn't even do it justice. I know exactly what I'm going to make with it: the simple pleasures hat from Purl Bee. It's summer, but I don't see that as any reason to stop knitting winter items! I generally take so long to finish a project that it's the next season along anyway. Actually, usually it's a year and a season!

And the washi tape is perfect. It matches my journal! And there's so much of it! Becky has doubled my washi tape stash in one swoop. There are other exciting goodies too, like some color printed labels (are they from French Linen or something like that?) and some really sweet earrings. Thank you!!!!!!!

Trying on my hat on the train to work:

summery crop tank

You guys, I finished another project. I'm so proud of myself! Actually, I still need to block it, but it's otherwise done. I used a cotton yarn Jody sent me ages ago. (Was it last Christmas? Can't remember.) I had just the right amount. Again, it's a Girly Knits pattern, called Blossoming Beauty.

Here is a picture of it in progress.

Rather than get the blocking out of the way straight off, I just decided to put it on. And now I've been wearing it all day. haha! It's nice and HOT today, but the cotton isn't too warm, and the tank doesn't cover much anyway! haha!

(Ignore the Pillsbury Doughboy belly...)

It has a racer back. I took a selfie of that, too, but the angle made my shoulders look giant! I made Hugh take a picture of me earlier pretending to be a gangster. I had my overalls down and his gangsta Mariners cap on and I was making gang signs (so politically correct), but he deleted it immediately after showing it to me! I was totally gonna post it on here, even though my tummy looked even wider and pastier than above, but I guess he thought it was just too horrendous to share. I suppose you all owe him your gratitude.

(Also, can I just say that while I've been writing this post, my wonderful boyfriend has been making me a skirt?! How awesome is that? He is totally free-handing it, no pattern to speak of, and it has taken him about an hour and a half. What a peach!)

a finished project!

I made this bralette. That's right, I actually finished a project! I know, I'm amazed, too. I started it in July so it only took me six months to finish.

I absolutely love the colors in this wool! I might have to go back and buy more. And I love the pattern, too. It's from Girly Knits, the "Pretty Little Knickers" bralette pattern.

my knitting goals

While we were in Adelaide, I was thinking about that sweater, trying to figure out what to do with it and generally frustrated with my overall knitting uselessness. It doesn't help that Hugh laughs at me for never finishing anything and always ripping up mostly-finished projects.

And then I remembered what my original intentions were when I taught myself to knit: I never expected to be good at it. In fact, I knew I'd suck at it. The highest goal I set for myself was to one day be as good a knitter as Mrs. Weasley from the Harry Potter books. Her sleeves are always different lengths, the colors are hideous, nothing fits right.

I've totally reached that goal! I am at least as good a knitter as Mrs. Weasley. If I manage to make anything halfway wearable, I've surpassed my own expectations. So I have to give myself a break. If I hate everything I ever make, that's okay! I guess. Hm, if only I didn't spend so much money on the wool.

Well, anyway, I shouldn't get frustrated. I should just keep barreling ahead.

help!

I've been knitting this sweater for the past few weeks. I really love the pattern, but I'm realising this wool is all wrong for it. I got to the bottom if the sweater just before Christmas, tried it on, and decided I hate it.

The pattern is called Narragansett, by Thea Colman. Hers is really pretty!

We were in Adelaide for about two weeks over Christmas (such a good holiday!) I had planned on taking my knitting, but I was so frustrated with this almost-complete sweater that I put knitting out of my mind for two weeks. I can't seem to make anything that I actually like!

So what should I do with this?

The first problem is that it's a bit loose around the top, then goes tight over my rotund middle bit. (Too many McDonald's cheeseburgers.) What with those horizontal color stripes, it is NOT a flattering look! So do I forget about the pretty Narragansett pattern and try to knit a looser fitting sweater? The pattern doesn't really work with this wool anyway.

Do I turn it into a cardigan?

Do I make several hats, scarves, and cowls out of it (there are five balls of wool!)

Do I finish it and gift it to someone I don't like very much?

Or do I rip it up and donate the wool to the Salvation Army so I never have to think about it again?

Katniss's District 12 cowl

Did you notice the wool cowl/shrug thing that Katniss wears in the opening scene of Catching Fire? I know you did. Despite the fact that the film was only released a couple weeks ago in the US and UK, there are already several patterns for the cowl available on Ravelry, and you can buy one made-to-order from Etsy. Loads of people have made various versions for themselves. Lion Brand have released a knit pattern and a crochet pattern (for using their wool, of course).

The patterns in Ravelry are much less structured than the real thing. They have big, thick collars like the film version, but then just kind of hang down limply. Still, these versions all look significantly more like the film version than the Lion Brand version does. It looks nothing like what Katniss wears! I might have to experiment myself, but I really don't know anything about knit construction. I can't seem to stop thinking about it! (Not that it ever gets cold enough in Melbourne for two layers of outerwear!) It turns out, though, that the original was woven, not knit, so that's part of why the reproductions can't quite look the same. It was designed by Maria Dora.

These are the Lion Brand versions. They make me laugh. They must be trying to avoid lawsuits for copying Dora's original designs.

This might be the most exciting thing to happen to the sci-fi knitting community since Jayne's hat (Firefly) and Rose's wristwarmers (Doctor Who)!

Work in progress: frustrating scarf

Why do I continue to knit when I find it eternally frustrating??

I'm trying to knit Hugh a scarf. I love this wool so much, but I'm not loving trying to find an appropriate pattern for it. Hugh and I agreed that a simple (stockinette stitch) pattern would show off the wool best, but even after blocking the scarf on the left, it still curls up horribly (middle of the photo).

Plus, soaking it caused a significant change to the color, which is still pretty but no longer matches skein 2 (not shown). So I decided to try a 1x1rib, which makes it successfully lay flat, and I'm alternating skeins every two rows so there's no obvious color difference, but I just don't think the scarf on the right is as pretty, because the ribbing interrupts the natural flow of the color changes :-(

Am I just being too picky? Probably. But I want my man to love it!

Recycled yarn

I was in the mood yesterday to do some second-hand store trawling, but I've been to our local Salvo's (Salvation Army)  recently and there's never much there. So I caught a bus to the Salvo's in Brunswick East, which someone recommended.

First, I found a pair of daimty purple and black heels, in my size, which might be just the thing for Amy and Diana's wedding.

Then I found some melamine souvenir ring dishes from Malta. One in particular caught my eye and I figured I could use it on my dresser to hold all the random bits that inevitably collect there. It has a photo of a sunshiney scene with palm trees. That makes me happy.

Then I found a knit sweater that I thought was rather ugly, but which was made with a cool rose-and-metallic yarn that is just what I've been looking for! I've been seeing lots online about unpicking op shop sweaters to recycle the wool, so I've had my eye out lately. Patons has a great chunky wool with metallic bits called Stella that I quite like, but the balls are $7.99 each. While that's actually really cheap for yarn, it still means I'd have to pay about $60 for enough to make a sweater. But here was a sweater's worth of metallic yarn for $6.99! I couldn't pass that up.

This sweater was actually hand-knit by someone. It doesn't have manufacturer's tags or anything, and that hole on the front is an error, not a rip. It made me feel a little bad undoing it, but the maker (or recipient?) obviously wasn't very happy with it, and I am providing an opportunity for it to be reincarnated. Lots of love surely went into it, and it deserves to be pretty and appreciated.

I spent the evening unpicking it all, then I soaked my hanks in hot water with a bit of shampoo. I meant to only soak for a couple hours, but I forgot about it and left it for ages. Makes no difference, though. Now the hanks are drying in our dish drying rack ;-)

Smurf Pixie hat

I knit this thing. I used this pattern, which I really like and will probably try again with a more suitable wool. I think it looks a bit someone put a Smurf in the dryer. I used Noro Silk Mountain, which Hugh bought because he liked the colors (he has such good taste). I probably should have knit something for him with it, but instead, I offered it to Aparna. It's cold over in jolly old England these days, and I thought she could do with a blue pick-me-up. I did warn her that it looks like a Smurf but that just seemed to make her all the more keen!

 

Knitten: Wristies

I sent my mama some pink Murray River salt for Christmas. She likes salt. She salts pizza, apples, even potato chips. It seems there's a bit of a conspiracy at Lay's wherein they've only been salting one side of their chips. My mom licks each side to determine which is the salted side, then salts the other side.

Anyway, that has very little to do with this post. I grabbed a box to ship the salt in, but there were a few inches of extra space and I didn't want the salt to be knocking around in the mail. What to stuff it with? I had some extra chunky yarn left over in my stash, so decided to make some really quick (really, really quick) wristies for her. I imagine her wearing them at pool tournaments, cuz she's a stylin' lady.

Here I am attempting to model them. Not much luck with the camera.

 

And here's Mama with her gifts. 

Finished object: Red Gum Beret

I knit this beret a couple months ago with the "flowering red gum" wool I got from the Royal Adelaide Show. I'd wanted it to be quite slouchy and long, and the pattern (from the purl bee) I followed seemed to fit the bill. But when it was done, it really was just a beret. I was disappointed and shoved it in a drawer for two months.

Now that I go back to it, I just see it for what it is, not what I wanted it to be, and I like it much better. I'm still not sure if I'll wear it (I'd have to wait six months for it to be cold enough, anyway). So if anyone wants it, call dibs. As you can see, it looks fantastic on men as well as women!

(By the way, in my head, I'm pronouncing it the British way, "bare-ay." A sign I've been out of America too long.)

Finished object: Snowy Christmas Stocking

I finished my Christmas stocking. Generally, I'm pretty pleased with it. The heel and the toe are a bit odd, and floppy because the contrasting wool is a totally different weight and thickness to the main wool. Maybe someday, if I find a better wool, I'll replace them, but I think this stocking will serve me just fine for the upcoming holiday season!

Like snow covering a city...

Work in Progress: Chunky Socks

This is my favorite wool in the whole entire world. I'm pretty sure this color has long since been discontinued, but I would swim in pools of this wool if I could. It is the softest yarn I've ever touched. And it's my absolute favorite color.  I would knit every single project out of it if possible.

Sadly, I have not actually had any luck turning it into something. I first made it into a scarf, with an improvised (i.e. very simple and boring) lace pattern. I finished knitting it but didn't block it or weave in the ends for a year and a half. I moved it from one continent, to another, to yet another. And then I realised that I had never finished it because I didn't really like it.

So I undid the whole thing, and tried making socks. Several false starts only to abandon and undo them.

I tried making fingerless gloves. Three false starts, then I finally started getting somewhere with them. But the guage was much too tight, and so were the gloves. Undo.

Then I saw a pattern for long, chunky, cabled stockings in a book. They were beautiful. This yarn was born to make them.

Except I ran out of wool on the toe of the second sock. That was two months ago, and I'm still debating what to do. I'm leaning towards shortening both by a couple cable repeats and hoping for the best. Since it took me three days to figure out how to do the heel properly, and I'm not sure I remember how I did it in the end, I'm a bit wary of undoing it all. But this yarn deserves to be made into something beautiful.

Finished object: Summer breeze top

My Cap Sleeve Lattice Top is finished. It is rather wide and rather short.

Still, I think it works! I kind of want to make another one, and luckily, Jody asked me to make her one! I'll make it thinner (103 sts was way too many for a small) and extend it lower so your belly doesn't poke out. Then maybe I'll make a dress one for autumn...

Hugh and I got a bit silly during the photo shoot.

Work in progress: cap sleeve lattice top

I've been working on this lately. The below picture is from Purl Soho. Mine is not that far yet, and probably won't look that impeccable when complete.

Cap Sleeve Lattice Top, photo from the Purl bee

It's from Purl Soho's the Purl bee blog. I'm excited to wear it during spring and summer. It's already getting pretty warm and that breezy lattice top looks so inviting. The wool they recommend sounds really nice, but it's pricey, and though I know that it's almost always worth the extra money to use high quality wool, I think I was a bit too eager to get started on this baby. I found some cheap yarn from Spotlight and Lincraft, which I may regret, but we'll see. So far, so good!

Ravelry link here.

Work in Progress: Heather Heirloom Bag

Currently working on a new bag. I love big bags that hold all my crap, library books, plus any groceries I need to pick up on the way home. Sadly, I think I stopped these too early, and the bag might end up being rather smaller than desired. Still, I'm pleased with how it's going so far. I'm using my pretty blue-gray-green wool from the Handweavers and Spinners Guild. The finished product is means to have some crochet details, and here are some of my practice pieces.

Pattern: Heirloom bag by Martin Storey
Craft: knitting and crochet

I think I'll be working on this one for a while. It requires a fabric lining and a ribbon strap. This means sewing, and as I haven't yet learned to sew, the future of this bag remains unclear.