Knitting Inventory 2006

This is a picture of scarves I have either received or knitted this year. One of my resolutions last year was to knit fewer scarves- well I succeeded. I knitted eight in 2005 and seven in 2006. Hee hee. Mind you I did accomplish three shawls, and plenty more of them to come in the year ahead, all being well.
Another resolution was to knit more for other people, which I definitely achieved too.

Here's a list of my Finished Objects for 2006.
Like last year there are 18 of them.
And like last year, the colours are just for fun, not links. Unless otherwise stated, items are for me, me, me.

Cardigans
Sirdar Indigo zipper cardigan, Woman’s Weekly pattern, for Anja
Deep by Carol Meldrum, Rowan 39 in Rowan Summer Tweed
Old Hayfield pattern cardigan in Jaeger 4ply for Maggie’s Adam

Jumper
Garter Rib jumper from Classic Knits for Real Women, Rowan All Seasons Cotton

Shawls
Leaf Lace Shawl in Kid Classic, by Evelyn Clark at Fibertrends
Shetland Triangle in Lang Yarns Venezia, by Evelyn Clark, Wrap Style
Kiri in Orkney Angora, by Polly at All Tangled Up

Scarves
Multi-directional scarf in Art Yarns Royal Silk
Misty Garden from Scarf Style, in Fyberspates Silk Boucle, for Pam
Braided Mischief from Scarf Style in Debbie Bliss Maya, for Jonathan
Gedifra Scarf Net scarf in Da Masi
Ruffles from Scarf Style in Louisa Harding Angora, for Sarah
Funky Chunky side to side scarf in Wendy Fusion, for Kathryn
Froth Scarf in Rowan Kid Silk Haze and Kid Silk Spray, for Cynthia

Socks
Cable rib socks, adapted Lucy Neatby, Shoeller & Stahl
Jaywalkers by Grumperina at MagKnits, Regia Mini Ringel

Headgear
Denim headscarf with picot edging in Sirdar Indigo
Lace headscarf in Rowan 4ply cotton
Rambler Beanie in Sublime Aran
Fake Isle hat by Amy at Magknits, Noro Kureyon and Kilcarra Donegal Tweed
Half Dome in Jaeger Merino, Knitty, for Anna

Gloves
Fingerless Mitts in Rowan Kid Classic for Childline
Fingerless Mitts in Rowan Felted Tweed

Bag
Felted Gypsy Bag in Kid Classic, own recipe, for Jane

Home
Midwest Moonlight mat in Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere
Ballband table mats in Sirdar Indigo for Carol for Rowan exchange
Jug cover in Rowan 4ply cotton for Carol
Siesta lap blanket in Noro Kureyon

All in all I've had another great knitting year.
Thanks to all my visitors here at KEDkrafty.
Any knitting resolutions for 2007? Watch this space.

And - enjoy bringing in the New Year.

Happy Christmas!

Compliments of the Season

Hello again.
Sorry for editing this post, particularly as it already had a comment -Happy Christmas Carol! My "stained glass" picture may resurface again in a few days.
The thing is, I didn't think I'd have the chance again to post before Christmas, but I'm enjoying a relaxing night with my beloved and a 'net' of satsumas so I have the time to show you some of the decorations we put up tonight. This is our Willow Tree Nativity Scene which we bought with the wedding gift from my brother T and his lovely and very crafty wife C. I'm gonna get the camel and the stable too, when they are back in stock.
It is fair to say that I LOVE Christmas, but I don't subscribe to the idea that we must work up a fervour building up to the 25th.
For me, a wee bit of preparation doesn't go amiss, but the whole point is that it BEGINS with the celebration of the Nativity, which tradition has it we commemorate at this time of year. I feel so sorry for retail staff who are caught up in the commercial machine which means they are rushed off their feet and then perhaps get a day or a weekend off. Not much time to get a breather, never mind have time to celebrate and remember the point of Christmas.
This is the lovely candle I bought from Nora, a former work colleague who is now retired and does a bit of supply teaching when not doing handicrafts.
She made us some beautiful wedding candles, so I was delighted to buy her products again.
And yes, in case you're wondering, I do keep all the "holy" Christmas cards together ! My friends from work and I all tend to give Nativity cards. I do like the others too, I just put them on separate racks.






This is the tree which DH has trimmed with decorations he has picked up over the years- he thinks some may be forty or so years old. I'm starting to feel a bit more festive now and I wouldn't be surprised if those pressies multiply a bit over the next few days.
Enjoy. x K

Half Dome

Well, I couldn't see any problem myself about doing Half Dome from summer 2006 Knitty in the round, but I just wanted a little bit of affirmation because I don't have time for avoidable blunders at this time of year!
Thanks for your thoughts.
If any of you decide to do it in the round I would recommend doing ALL of the decreases one stitch in from the marker. The pattern factors in the loss of a half stitch or full stitch on each side of the seam when sewing up your backstitch or mattress stitch and places the first and last dec two stitches in.
An easy enjoyable knit in Jaeger 100% merino aran, which was a pleasant change after wasting loads of time and money on Friday and Saturday on some DB Alpaca Silk which tangled, frayed, knotted, shed and stained my support gloves with dye loss. It has been rewound into a million tiny balls now, so no way of taking it back. Just FYI I was trying out centre square from the new Knitty in the DB.
Oh well, now I have a nice smart, seam-free, natural fibre hat for my friend in plenty of time (ha ha) for Santa.Thank you! x K

Advice please...

Urgent Santa query-


Can anyone foresee any problem at all with me knitting this pattern in the round?

Any comments gratefully received.

Thank you my dears. x K

Robert the Bruce

If at first you don't succeed, try, try and try again.

This little swatch here looks like a six inch square of Noro Kureyon whizzed up in entrelac. Let me tell you that this represents a great victory of perseverance over challenge and adversity. I get it! I finally get entrelac after umpteen attempts! Quick, cast on some more before I lose it again. It's a fairly ham-fisted attempt, but let me enjoy my feelings of achievement for the moment. Aaaaaaah.

Gumersinda looks proud of her new entrelac blanket, although she says I should be more consistent with my slipped stitches.

Angora snuggles

A sneaky preview. Please don't say if you recognise this, as many of you will, particularly Glasgow Stitch 'n' Bitchers. A big curly wurly pile of Christmas softness. Please feel free to say if you love it. Wink wink. More revealing photos and write-up to follow, after Santy's been.

Like many blogsters, I'm a bit limited as to what I can show you at the moment, but I can show you this side to side scarf for a young relative of DH, who does not read this blog. I enjoyed making this, it was a pleasant quick knit, and I'm glad I was taken by the idea of the whimsical funky chunky crocheted flowers on the ends. Not everyone's cup of tea I'm sure, but good for a young teen. And yes, yarns snobs ;-) it IS a wool b*l*e*n*d, again because it's for a carefree young person. :-)

This is the shop-bought scarf which gave me the idea for the hand made side to side one. Mine is not a copy, but the general ideas and colours spring boarded off the one bought in Accesorize. Mine is knitted in Wendy Fusion in "Juniper Berries" with accents and details in RYC Soft Tweed in "Loganberry" and "Kingfisher".

Norovember - last gasp - Fake Isle hat

Not another hat?
I just made it.
I'm able to show you another finished item for Norovember just before the calendar flips over.
Blocking and human-modelled shots will just have to wait or I'll miss the deadline - we'll have to do with these shots posed over our Gleneagles Crystal Rose Bowl, which may I say, did an excellent job.
As if you didn't know this is the Fake Isle hat from Amy King, as seen over at MagKnits .

Since Rowan Tapestry came out I've been trying to concoct something like this, which takes advantage of the changing tones in the background colour to mimic those complex fair isle which require a gross of yarns of different colours. Well, in the meantime, this will do the trick, this is just the kind of effect I was looking for, and give my ideas a little longer to ferment. Even better, a friend admired it so much he has got himself a Christmas present. Two-and-a-half done, and counting.

The main shade is Noro Kureyon shade 154, left over from the Siesta blanket from earlier in the month, and the contrast is Kilcarra Donegal Tweed. Unfortunately I had a little less of that than I thought, so I had to omit the lovely "stained glass" section at the top. Next time.

If you scroll down you will see a few more photos, including a big stack of Kureyon to keep on working with long after Norovember has gone.

I must admit that the thing I have enjoyed most about the Norovember knitalong is that I have seen so many things knitted up in the different colourways, so I have a much better idea about the colour choices and gradations. Very informative. Now, where's the credit card?

Norovember Flickr Show

As seen from above. I didn't think I had enough of the Donegal Tweed to do the upper fair isle section of the hat, so I just did the decreases with the Kureyon and reintroduced the blue again at the end.

For the detail-obsessed -who knitters?- the inside view.

None-too-sharp detail shot.

Latest ebay purchase. Pack of 10 Noro Kureyon #159, c*o*u*l*d become a waistcoat.

Trip to Port Mary wearing a new hat.

Okay, first the historical bit-In May 1568, after sojourning at Dundrennan , Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots sailed from a natural harbour in the parish of Revwick, thereafter known as PORT MARY over to Cumbria to a landing bay which was known thereafter as MARYPORT. (Not too far from Woolfest, for the non-historically inclined.)
Now fast forward 438 years to when Kathleen and Jonathan went for a lovely, bracing walk there on one of the blusteriest days of the year.

I was nice and cosy however because I was wearing my lovely (IMHO) hat made from Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk Aran . (About as self-explanatory as Port Mary and Maryport.) It was made to the Rambler pattern, from the pattern support book for the yarn, and I used #17, Vintage Red, same as the book. It's the one where the girl is wearing a blue knotty cabled jumper and a cowboy hat. I got the yarn in a newish yarn shop in Dumfries with the weird and wonderful name of Drop in 4 a Yarn when I was down there for the October week. It has been a lovely yarn to work with.

I don't think this hat is a million miles away from the look of Odessa , but it is just based on k3 p3 moving along to the left every right side row, and then some well-thought out decreases to keep the look on the crown.

Here are a few photos to keep you going. As usual, all photos can be enlarged by clicking.

A travelling knit 3 purl 3 pattern in a sumptuous yarn.

I love the swirly decreases, I look like one of those sea urchin things, which is always a good look, I feel.

More success with the kite here at Port Mary than I got last month at Sandgreen! 

Jonathan feeling the bracing air at Port Mary. 

Updating

Still beavering away, updating KEDkrafty Finished Objects , my other blog.

Going Live!

Thank you very much for the lovely comments about my Siesta throw, it certainly seems to have hit the spot.

Now, a while ago I took a notion to start up a blog which just showed my finished objects, with no in-progress shots, stash flashes, pictures of cookies, Scottish Tourism stuff etc. Just the gen on the finished items from January 2006 onwards.

So, KEDkrafty Finished Objects has been born!

It will hopefully be a breeze to maintain when I have cleared the backlog of recent finished objects, but for now I will have to gradually add things I have stored. I have done five posts, which I think is a reasonable time to get you on board, and I will try hard to work my way through all the things I have made this year, as well as giving occasional reference to things I made in my pre-blogging days.

Thank you so much for your kind comments about Siesta. x K

Siesta Throw

I've finished the I-cord edging so now I can show you my lap blanket, or Siesta Throw, as it shall henceforth be known. It had to have a Spanish name because it reminds me of a gaucho poncho (for want of a better picture) and I can see myself snuggling up on the couch with this having a nap, so SIESTA it is.





This is my (first?) contribution to Norovember and it took 4 balls of Noro Kureyon in shade #154 (the bright one), 4 balls of shade #159 (the subdued one) and part of a ball of Kilcarra Donegal Tweed. There are some colours in common between the two Kureyon shades, although one is far more acid than the other. For example, both shades have an identical green and an identical burgundy.
As you can see I did two rows from one ball, two rows from the other. I generally let the yarn do the talking but once or twice I stopped and started using the other end of one of the balls if the colours were continuing to be too close for too long.
I used the Kilcarra Donegal Tweed to make an applied I-cord edging. I shopped the stash for this one and it was ideal because it is very close in texture and spin to the Kureyon. You know the course/ rustic feel to the Kureyon? I got mine in Dublin in 2000, but I see you can get it on the net from Lavender Yarns in Ireland . The Noro was from getknitted (see sidebar).

It was one of those addictive things where you have to keep going even though it's way past your bedtime, just to see how the next two colours will behave with one another.
I originally got the idea for this when I fell in love with a pair of socks I saw over at roxyknits.








I've included this last picture because I have a funny, borderline ecstatic, look on my face as I rushed outside to catch a brief moment of natural sunlight in between the horizontal rain. Some of the other pictures we took gave you a better view of the colours in the throw, but this is the one which captured the bliss, the doo doo doo doo doo , I'm lovin' it!

Noro Kureyon teaser

Here are the ends I've been left with after sewing in the ends of my Noro Kureyon project. I think they look funny and I will try to felt them into little balls for the hell of it. Yes, India, I did weave in the ends as I went along, but I did have to do a bit of tidying and securing.
The project is a lap blanket and will count as my Norovember project.
One long edge of attached I-cord to go, then it goes in for a bath and I'll show you it.
Actually if it's fair weather this weekend I may feel compelled to show you it, bathed or not.







This picture is to highlight that the girls at my work said how well they thought my mitts went with my suit. I hadn't actually thought of that, it's purely coincidental, but now they come to mention it....


Also, I did notice that the shops have loads of fingerless mitts, wrist warmers and loooong fingerless gloves in them this winter so for once I may briefly be in fashion, you never know.

Autumn leaves

Hi, recently I was involved in the Charity Mitt Knit over at K1 Yarns. I had never really fancied making fingerless gloves until I made those Olive Kid Classic ones, which now belong to my pal Mhairi, the generous gal she is. While I was knitting them I started to fancy the notion so I've just finished a pair of my own. These were made in Rowan Felted Tweed in #142 Melody and #145 Phantom. Thanks to my other pal Karen for giving me the idea of putting bows on them as an embellishment. Here they are in their autumn leaf glory. I'm now in the mood to make a beret to go with them; that yarn has great yardage, but that might be pushing it a bit.


I had never seen myself making/using fingerless mitts. I had never seen myself making/ using lacy shawls. And I had certainly never seen myself making a knitted lap blanket. Well, this is all changing, as part of Norovember I am making myself a small blanket in Noro Kureyon #154 and #159. Doing very well with it too, on the last lap, 75.43 miles of applied I-cord. L-o-v-i-n-g i-t! (The blanket, not so much the I-cord.)



This is a massive orange and pecan cookie from Cookies Galore. Don't ask me why so massive, I thought I had diligently followed the instructions. Turned out very yummy as biscuits, but also great dessert wafer garnishes. Mmmm.