All out of green

I can't ever remember making so many posts about the same project before, but then again, it is a bit of a magnum opus.
Well, the bad news is that I've run out of green at 16 rows. There should've been 20 rows at this stage. I guess these are the perils of stashing and making decisions on the hoof. I wouldn't have it any other way though!
The problem is that yes, I did leave more than half of the green yarn after the first big green section to take into account that the rows get bigger all the time, but I didn't leave *enough*.
No biggie - I have a plan! If anyone comments that the second green stripe looks thinner, I'll imply it's an optical illusion- maybe it looks thinner because it's longer? That should flummox 'em! If it was the difference between eight rows and twenty rows or whatever, I'd sweat it more but the difference between 20 and 16 rows will hopefully not be too offensive to the eye.
Also the tone and saturation of the green and blue are very similar, hopefully the eye won't read a big difference if those two are fuzzing together.
I'm not about to send to Shilasdair for more green and even if I did there would be colour variance because they use natural dyes, many of which are foraged locally. Who's to say 2009's pigment's like 2005's pigment.
One thing I have sent for right enough, is the pink cable you see peeking through in some of the shots. It's the 100cm supplementary needle for the Denise Interchangeable pink set. This baby's going to be about the size of a small village by the time it's blocked.
Don't panic if you think my ends are really scrappy, they're only tucked under out the wind for the time being.
Now, off to knit lots and lots of lovely blue.
Happy crafting. x K

Sunshine in a pot

Here's a look at the lovely Spring plant arrangement I was given as a present from my in-laws. Instant sunshine and smiles in a pot!
More crafty stuff soon, hopefully even later today. x K

Homecoming 2009

Thanks for the kind comments about the Fan Neckwarmer- if anything, it's getting nicer as the yarn gets used to be in the rib pattern and it's lovely and springy if you stretch it a bit.

Anyway, up until very recently all the Scotland Homecoming 2009 venture really meant to me was a cheesy advert on TV with Lulu and Sean Connery etc blue screened onto Scottish scenes, safely tucked away in LA or Marbella or whatever.

Well now it finally means something to me as I have treated myself to some Old Maiden Aunt yarn from the Homecoming range by my friend Tigerlilith.

I wasn't able to get through to her trunk show at K1 yarns Edinburgh so I selected some yummy things from her own online shop.

Suri Alpaca Merino Silk Laceweight in two shades: Fraoch (Heather) and Lon-dubh (Blackbird). I'm delighted with them and I mentally have them used up about a dozen times each for various lace shawls which are circling round my mind.

Aren't they luscious?!




The Lon-dubh looks largely grey in that sunny picture, but there's much more subtlety in the shade if you hold it in your hand. Grey>Black>Blue-black with a lovely sheen like the bird's feathers.

Acquiring these lovely wools was one of the reasons why I didn't go to the SECC show this year. x K

Very factual post

Here's the Fan Neckwarmer by Tania Marshall I made for one of my sisters. I bought the pattern for $5 from the Bonita Knitting Store.
It's a lovely pattern and an easy way to add a bit of colour to a plain coat, and being warm and smart at the same time.
I used nearly two hanks of Mirasol Hacho shade 302, Peacock Purple, bought from John Lewis in Glasgow last autumn.
The knitting is finished but the ends aren't sewn in yet, just tucked under, and it's not washed and blocked yet.
My sister's birthday was at the end of January so I've been wondering if I should just give it to her for her Easter? x K

Slow and steady

Firstly, thank-you for all your kind birthday greetings.

I had a lovely birthday overall and it was nice and restful compared to the work days before and after, so an oasis in the middle of two hectic weeks.

I received some beautiful cards and nice gifts and they are still trickling in, so maybe in a few days I can show you the crafty related ones.


So, slow and steady?

Yes, the Hap Shawl.



It's going to be beautiful and I'm going to love it, (repeat ad lib) but I'm getting into the hard work stage. The stage where every 450+ st row takes 5g of yarn and ages to finish. Weighing the oatmeal coloured yarn frequently in the hope that the Skye fairy has flown down and added a few grammes so I'll have enough for the edging, but it hasn't happened yet.

I never have been and I never will be a monogamous knitter, but even I know I have too much on the needles at the moment and thanks to our Crochet Special at Glasgow Knit and Stitch this Tuesday, on the hooks as well. I'm spreading myself too thinly and not really seeing massive progress on anything. I think I'll try and buckle down to the Hap Shawl this week and make discernable progress. (Even as I'm typing this Girasole is calling my name!!!)


Here are some progress shots of the soft, lovely and quite likely massive, Hap-like shawl. x K

38, just like my 2nd-favourite bus*

Today I turn 38.
This is very weird to me because I think back to what people I know were doing when they were 38 and it all seemed very grown-up compared to how I feel now.
Appearances can be deceptive, and that can work both ways!

I've spent some of my birthday continuing to work on Fat Girasole. It's nice and I'm on to chart D now, and there are strong diagonal lines to help me keep track of where I am and where I should be. I've finished the leaf motifs and that's quite a satisfying feeling.

So here I am answering a meme passed onto me by my pal Dolly Dimple.
I've to tell you six quirky but boring things about me.

Here are the rules:
Link to the person who tagged you.
Mention the rules.
Tell six quirky yet boring, unspectacular details about yourself.
Tag six other bloggers by linking to them.
Go to each person's blog and leave a comment that let's them know they've been tagged.

So what six quirky but boring things can I think of:

1. I am not shy at all and would happily speak, read, sing etc in front of a large room of people, but I get all awkward when speaking to "official" people. This can be as simple as the gas company or the bank or whatever.

2. I have developed a fascination for cake stands and am intending to buy one with some of my M & S vouchers from DH. Tea Rose Cake Server

3. I can't stand domestic pets of any kind, but I check out the LOLcats several times a day. Yes really!

4. I love wind-up crayons (No, not like clockwork, like propelling pencils, only crayons)
and J regularly treats me to a few packets to use with the pupils. Wind up Crans

5. I am a keen composter and have both the Con 220 and the Komp 250. I recently discovered that although I pronounce "compost" to rhyme with "lost", my friends over the ocean pronounce it to rhyme with "post".

6. Last week J and I found an abandoned Andrex puppy toy out in the back court and we washed him, loved him, squeezed him and called him George. Here is This season's Andrex puppy

I'm not going to pass this on to six bloggers cause it's not my style, but if you'd like to give six quirky but unspectacular things about yourself, then consider yourself tagged. x K

*My favourite bus is the 255 but even with medical advances I don't think I'll live that long.

There is nothing like a lace shawl...

...and this nothing like a lace shawl, boom boom.

It's amazing how six extra plies of yarn can turn a frustratingly difficult but potentially gorgeous cobweb into a one million times easier but potentially nice throw.

Yes, I'm trying Girasole again, this time in RYC Baby Alpaca in colour Chiffon. (Santa gift from John Lewis January sale.)

I made more progress on this last night than I did in the previous week on the 2 ply blue version. It's nice enough, but it's most definitely a cosy lap blanket style now rather than an heirloom quality delicate lace shawl. This is ok, because not only am I now motoring ahead on the thick version, I'm also far more determined to make the lace version work, now I know where the bits go.

I know this is only DK weight, but compared to the other it feels like Super Bulky. I'm now onto chart C and have finished up my first ball, which is another reason why I'd like to do the laceweight one, with 1800 or something yards per skein!

Anyway, here is FAT GIRASOLE in progress. x K

Arrivederci Girasole

Major headaches with the beautiful Brooklyn Tweed pattern Girasole. His version is in 4 ply or Aran. My nightmares began when I tried to do it in laceweight. Not having any success in spite of dozens of attempts, rip backs, fudges and wasted yarn. Yarn good, pattern good. I can't get the combo to work though. Will revisit both yarn and pattern later, just not together. x K

Halfway to Paradise

Half-way through the stripe sequence on my Hap-like shawl.
I now repeat these stripes in mirror image all the while getting increasingly concerned about whether or not I'll have enough of the Oatmeal yarn for the sideways edging.
It's a strangely short leap from ecstasy to despair.
In the meantime I am still loving this beautiful variation on the Shetland Hap shawl and thinking it's going to be one of the loveliest, snuggliest things I've ever knitted.

ETA: I'm now up to 401 sts per row. x K

Happy with progress on the shawl

Here are some shots of a week's almost monogamous progress on my Hap-inspired shawl.

They come complete with marking threads and loose strands and everything.

I'm really enjoying making this and am pleased with the lovely fabric and stitch definition I'm getting from this beautiful simple yarn.

I've noticed that lots of the Hap shawls I've seen have a bright or dark section of colour scallops then in the middle there's a neutral or light section and then the bright or dark section repeats in mirror-image. I'm on the first bright section as you can see. The blue and green are very close in tone, but I'm loving the effect.

I'm well over half-way in terms of finished size, but I'm only at about 30/35% completion of the actual knitting as each row gets bigger and then there's a sideways border.

Sorry to show you it against such a "busy" carpet, but there was no way on earth I could have gone out into the daylight to take the photos. I'd have been chasing my shawl-to-be over the Solway Firth!

Recently I've been making plenty of things from self-striping and space-dyed yarns, so the contrast of this simple yarn with such a lovely handle is a really pleasant change.

More progress shots next week?
Happy knitting, x K

Feeling "Happy"

I feel Hap-py, that is I feel in the mood to make something a little bit like a Hap shawl.
A Hap shawl with a twist, if you will.

Here's a link to see what a Hap shawl **should** look like.
Shetland Hap Shawls Then and Now
Quite interesting and I love their blocking frames.

Mine won't look like those because I only have so much yarn and I will not be doing the big square centre. I'll be doing a triangular main section, which hopefully won't look a million miles away from the proper patterns because the big squares are usually folded in two on the diagonal for wear.

I'm making mine in the Cashmere, Angora and Lambswool plant-dyed yarn I got from Shilasdair in 2005 during some island adventures. It has been living in the spare room waiting for a worthy project to be involved in. It feels absolutely marvelous, and I'm hoping it has the potential to become a lovely somewhat Hap-shawl. The clincher is that I have twice as much of the neutral oatmeal shade as any other colour, so it can be the main triangular section. It knits like a dream but two observations: it smells like plants and when you stand up you look as if you have been snuggling a giant bunny.



Here's a photo from a previous, less hi-res digital camera. x K

Thank-you Santa!!!

Thank-you Santa, I have spent wisely the John Lewis vouchers you left me!

Thank-you also Flavaknits Santa who gave me some lovely sock wool, just my colours, at our Glasgow Knit n Stitch party in December.

Photos can be clicked on for details and close-ups.

Bring on a fab year of knitting in 2009!

End-of-year Round-up 2008

So we find ourselves on the last day of 2008. Say it aloud, it's hard to believe.
Anyway, here is the traditional round-up of projects for 2008.
Colours are for fun and all are knitted unless stated.


Scarves
Manly Ribbed Scarf in Twilley's Freedom Spirit and Sirdar Peru, improvised, for Jonathan.
The Duke's Scarf in Rowan Felted Tweed, my interpretation of the Sanquhar Duke's pattern, for twelfthknit.
Touch of Tainted in Rowan Colourscape Chunky, based on Tainted by Sarah Hatton at Rowan, for Fiona.
Pink Ice in Hand-dyed alpaca, Ice Queen by Rosemary Hill, Knitty Winter 2007, for me.


Waistcoat singular
Stony Waistcoat in Jonelle Knitting Cotton DK, Lisa Richardson Rowan 43, for me.


Cardigan singular
Shades of Blue cardigan in Twilley's Freedom Spirit, Sirdar Jacket 8750, for me.

Headscarves
Adamas headscarf in Patons Cotton 4ply, Adamas shawl by Miriam Felton, for me.
Nautical headscarf in Patons Cotton 4ply, improvised, for me.
Crochet increasing headscarf in Adriafil Swing, improvised, for me.


Socks
Lacy Ankle Plain Foot socks in Opal Uni, Simply Lovely Lace Socks by Karen Baumer, for me.
Dark Galaxies in Regia Galaxy Color, Simple Sock Pattern by Sue Morgan, for Jonathan.
Candy Socks in Regia Bamboo, Dublin Bay Sock by Ryan Morissey, for me.
Pink Boot Socks in Regia Crazy Color 6ply, Prism by Jaya Srikrishnan, for me.
Navy Galaxies in Regia Galaxy Color, Simple Sock Pattern by Sue Morgan, for Jonathan.


Hats
Purple Gretel in Rowan Pure Wool Aran, Gretel by Ysolda Teague, for Deborah.
Tetris in Noro Kureyon, Tychus by Brooke T. Higgins in Knitty Summer 2005, for me.
Green Tychus in RYC Extra Fine Merino DK, Tychus by Brooke T. Higgins in Knitty Summer 2005, first up best dressed.
Snug Tychus in Noro Kureyon, Tychus by Brooke T. Higgins in Knitty Summer 2005, for Roddy.
Heathery in Noro Kureyon, Tychus by Brooke T. Higgins in Knitty Summer 2005, for Jonathan.


So, where are the beautiful jumpers and lacy shawls?
Where's all the colourwork supposed to take place in 2008?
We're hitting on the resolutions for 2009 methinks.


My own favourite finished item of 2008 was this, which took months to make, involved a learning curve and a lot of planning, and was for a dear friend.
Ravelry link















My most admired project has been this, which took one evening, was as easy as pie, and was for me. Ravelry link
Don't get me wrong, the Duke's scarf was admired, but this one really grew wings and took off.
It's so funny the way things work out, isn't it?


Enjoy your Hogmanay and here's to another great year of knitting in 2009.
Thank-you very much for visiting KEDkrafty this year. All the best, Kathleen xxxxx

Knitting Festival

see more puppies

Groovy man

A couple of months ago I took these screen shots of word clouds of KEDkrafty created on Wordle .

Now seems as good a time as any to show them as the year draws to a close.

Ok, must dash, suddenly have the urge to see what an up-to-date version of the word cloud would look like.

Keep enjoying the festives. x K

Happy Christmas

Happy Christmas everyone!

Very best wishes to you and yours.

Kathleen x

Some looks for Winter 2008-2009

First catch your sea-front.

In this case we have chosen Blackpool, you may prefer a sea-front closer to home.

Next model your Ice Queen from Knitty Winter 2007 made in Alpaca hand-dyed by a friend. (Alice or Clarkette, whichever you prefer.)

This is my "walk along the promenade" look.

"Going to visit Father-in-law".

"Shetland Wifie"

"Out to sea"

"Cozy toasty"



"Hair out of your face"

Festive Treats

A couple of Fridays ago I went to the Grand Opening of my knitting buddy Lilith's new dyeing and spinning studio.
Linky

I thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere of the Yule Night in the town of West Kilbride and I came away with some beautiful treats.

I don't have the yarn in front of me so I can't read the labels so I'll have to provide the information as per Ravelry.

Old Maiden Aunt

Hand-painted

Superfine Alpaca Silk DK

Colourway Espresso

280 yds

Old Maiden Aunt

Hand-painted

Superwash Merino 4 ply

Colourway Wisteria

400yds

Old Maiden Aunt Laceweight Merino 2 ply

Hand-painted

Colourway Black Coffee

1600 yds

If you fancy some Old Maiden Aunt yarns for yourself, you'll find a selection here

I also managed to score some Cascade 220 Paints from Eileen at http://www.happyhills.co.uk/

So, here you have my pre-Christmas crackers. x K

Warm neck, warm ears

I don't like things up tight around my neck. For example if you put me in a polo neck I'd be clutching at the fabric and panting like a rabid dog and making generally distressed noises within seconds.

Almost every top I wear has a V neck and at work I am usually seen in one of my thirteen 3/4 length sleeved V neck knitted jumpers from Evans. All different colours, but some more different than others.

But then again I don't like being cold on my early morning walks to the bus stop and I like to give my throat a wee bit of protection otherwise no speaking (I speak all day at work) or singing (if I refrain from singing for more than five mins, check for a pulse).

So, here's my pull-on pull-off cowl, made to Rosemary Hill's Ice Queen pattern in Knitty Winter 2007.

Nan of Stitching Time first recommended this pattern to me last year. Rowan Kidsilk Haze is the yarn called for, but I scored some lovely hand dyed Alpace from my knitting buddy Alice in a recent swap shop, and thought it would fit the bill. It's a lovely semi-solid yarn which was a delight to work with but a total nightmare to ball up. That all seems like ancient history now as I admire the finished object. I used some Jaeger beads left over from Swallowtail.

There are dozens of fudges in this, it seems that every time I took a photo I saw a new imperfection but it really is no big deal to me at all.

I would like to show you how it's a lovely cozy collar which reaches down into the top of your coat and makes your shoulders snug, while remaining nice and loose and comfy at the neck. Or pulled up over your head to keep the wind out of your ears. But outwith working hours there is just so little daylight at the moment. And this coming from someone who can finish at 3:30 some days. Hopefully I can show you some action shots in the near future.

In the meantime, thank-you Alice or Clarkette to give her her Ravelry name, for such lovely yarn. x K

Consumerist refuseniks

Hiya,
If you're interested in anti-consumerist and anti-consumption ideas, why not call in on my friend's new blog?

It's very new so he just has one design to showcase so far. He hopes it can be used on T-shirts, hoodies, mouse mats etc. in the fullness of time.

This link is for adult users.
Consumerist refuseniks

Enjoy! x K