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

God Bless Scotland and God Bless You!

Happy St. Andrew's Day to one and all!



Special greetings go to Scots, Russians, Greeks, Romanians, Sicilians (new one on me), fishermen and people called Andrew.

Tearful and disgusted to the core

A person loses their life so others can get cut-price goods.

Thanksgiving? Christmas? Don't make me laugh.

One of the reasons I'm so upset is because it could've happened just as easily here on Boxing Day as it did in the U.S. on Black Friday.


News Story

Hats Galore!

Hi, how have you been?

I've been fine and having fun knitting some hats.

First finished was Gretel by Ysolda Teague made from Rowan Pure Wool Aran.

This was a fairly challenging knit for me because I'm not an experienced cable knitter, but the
pattern was lovely and clear and held my hand every step of the way. It was good value for money at £3 for the download. I put in lifelines at strategic points because this one is being sent off to Santa and I knew I couldn't afford the time for a complete Frog Fest. If I were making this for myself I would go for the Slouchy rather than the Regular size but my friend does not have a large dome like me and wears her hair short.

The next one started as a swatch and was zooming up so quickly and beautifully it just turned into a hat. It is a variation on Tychus, a design by Brooke T. Higgins and published for free in Knitty Summer 2005. It's made from two ends of the same ball of Noro Kureyon. I had read on Ravelry that those with smaller heads may prefer to only do four wedges of short row shaping as opposed to the recommended five. I was fine with five because I do have a fairly big head, plus I had gone down in needle size to suit the Noro. Most of the pictures on Knitty show it with a brim rolled back- I'm not into that, but if you are, then be ever so neat when sewing up and weaving in your yarn ends. If I were to make it again, I'd cast on fewer stitches to take into account the lack of roll-back on the brim.

There are several more views of this on my my Ravelry page for this item

Last one is another Tychus, but this time made in RYC Extra Fine Merino. What a beautiful yarn! It flows through the fingers like liquid. This one was supposed to be a gift but by the time I goofed about with the pattern and added a wee stalk to the top it looked a bit too acornish for a man. I'll happily wear it parading the streets of Dumfries and Galloway, but it is a bit elfish, there's no getting away from it. (Just four wedges this time, but the short-rowed garter stitch is wonderfully stretchy.)

I should probably mention that I did a provisional cast on to start both hats with the intention of learning how to graft garter stitch. I must admit that this did not happen, I just did a three needle bind-off at the end and was very pleased with the results.

I've had loads of orders for these hats from friends and family. Some in jest, some in earnest. Be careful what you wish for!!! x K

Chunky Wool Hit; Chunky Wool Miss

After swooning over my friend Heather's Rowan Colourscape Chunky at a recent Sunday meet-up, I took the plunge and bought a couple of skeins for myself. Not cheap at £10.95 per skein, but lovely, lovely, lovely wool. I'm really happy with the texture, it is very even and consistent and has a nice "rolled" feel to it which tames it well. Happy to spend this on a Christmas present for someone who doesn't read this blog. Or if you do, just smile and act surprised. Pretty please!
This is the colourway "Northern Lights" and I'm knitting it into a scarf which has a lot in common with Sarah Hatton's Tainted Scarf. Ravelry link

The colours are pretty and it's knitting really nicely into the pattern. I'm just over half-way at the moment. Chunky Wool - Hit!!!

I've had some Naturwolle Handgesponnen in my stash for some time (Jan 2006). I decided I would work it into another pattern from the Colourscape Chunky Collection, a waistcoat called Valour- Ravelry link . Loving the pattern, loving the yarn, but unlike the Colourscape, this yarn runs thick and thin. Now I'm no expert, but I'd hazard that this is because it's handgesponnen. Anyway, the swatch looked gorge (yes I did swatch!) although I had to go down 1mm in needle size, but the garment is not knitting up well. You know that quirky characterful look you get in slubby yarn in garter stitch and stocking stitch? Well it just looks like you can't knit very well when done in k3 p1 rib. Yes, the pattern has you swatch in st st then work in rib.I've deliberated for a couple of days but I've known in my heart since Friday that it has to go. Froggy Mac Rip Rip.

Chunky Wool- Miss.

Must find another pattern for this lovely stuff. There's a nice short-sleeved cardigan in the pattern book which would work and I have enough yarn for. Very Noro-tastic. But if I'm cold enough for a bulky top I'm too cold for short sleeves. Short sleeved cardigans for me are for light cover-ups when it's just a little bit cool, not for winter warmers.

Anyway, the good news is that the Christmas gift is the one which is going well. I'm working to a bit of a schedule here. As for the Ingeborg Michels Handgesponnen, if it has languished in my stash for two years plus, it can wait a little longer for the ideal project . x K

Visit to New Lanark

The thundering River Clyde

Last weekend we had a lovely visit to New Lanark Heritage Site to soak up some local history and to do some wool shopping of course. It was one of those very cold, very crisp autumn days with blue skies and lovely light while it lasts. I love those types of days.

The last time I visited the place was with an exchange trip of 45 French teenagers and their teachers. It's always the way, isn't it? You don't explore what's on your doorstep until you have visitors to show round. So, to rectify that (and did I mention the wool shopping?) we took a wee run over to have a good look round.

After refreshing our memories about Robert Owen and watching a man unblock a weir full of weeds, we jumped into the shop and browsed for a good while before plumping for 20 balls of Donegal Silk Tweed DK in shade Cobalt. Actually it might have been a canal lock he was unblocking, but it's always interesting to watch someone else work...

I am making Brier from Rowan 36 with the yarn. Normally now I'd link to the Rowan page and show you but the Rowan site is out of commission at the moment. Did I sound measured, composed and calm there? Did I fool you even for a minute?

I can give a Ravelry reference though for Rav members Brier on Ravelry .

And, of course, thank-you very much for all the kind comments about our TV appearance. Aww shucks!!! x K

STV's Five Thirty Show, best episode ever!

Got a spare four minutes?

If so, get on over to STV Five Thirty Show Monday 6th October part two and watch a wee segment on Glasgow Knit n Stitch meetup, sponsored by Stitching Time Hamilton!

It's on between 04:09 and 08:26, just after an item about e-books.

Don't we look swell!!! I'm just amazed that after about 1 hour 45 mins filming they distilled it down to four minutes plus, and even more amazed they didn't feature more of the knitted objects we brought. Anyway, not to panic, here's the link.

http://video.stv.tv/bc/catchup-TheFiveThirtyShowPart2-20081006-1743/

Some of what I'm saying doesn't make sense because of they way it has been edited, but some would say, no change there. Plus, I haven't been knitting for 9 months. SRSLY?

I think we all come over well, and even the panning shots round the room are nice.

And I didn't shout at the telly! x K

Autumn of Socks

Thanks for all the constructive comments about the virtual glasses try-on. I've left the comments open in case you still want to say something, hint hint family members by birth and marriage! It seems as if there is a short-list of favoured looks, and it was very nice and heartening to see that a few liked the ones which ressemble my current choice. Thank-you.

Ok, Autumn of Socks.

Autumn of Socks because yes, it's autumn, but also because I can feel my sock binge drawing to a close. The light is dimming on the sock-fest. The winds of change are blowing in. I will finish the ones on the needles, but they may be my last for some time.


I've finished the Dublin Bay socks in Regia Bamboo for myself (Ravved but not blogged) and some more Regia Galaxy socks to send to Santa for DH. They are in shades of blue this time and turned out nice and swirly, just like the black-grey ones. I can't remember if I said this before and I can't be bothered searching my archives, but apparently the secret is to cast on more than 60 sts if you want the swirls to form.




















And in other news, STV's Five Thirty Show came to the Tron Theatre the other night to our Glasgow Knit n Stitch get-together!
The segment will be broadcast sometime this week apparently, I'll let you know when it will be aired and give the link to the Playback feature on their web-site.
I'll be really interested to see how it's all edited down and how it all comes over.
There's a fair chance Yours Truly will have a speaking part because I demonstrated the basic knit stitch to the presenter.
I can tell you now I will cringe at my posture and will be shouting at the screen, "Sit up straight, Kathleen!!!!!" x K

Glasses glasses spectacles glasses

Just been trying out a marvelous feature on the Specsavers website.
You upload a head and shoulders shot of yourself, and identify the centre of your pupils, then the software crops it and lets you "try on" loads of different glasses.

http://www.specsavers.co.uk/try


Quiksilver 9 are about the closest to my current pair, but I feel like a change because I'm fed up of the "barely there" look.

Do you think I'm roughly on the right track with these samples? Honesty please. (Maybe not b-r-u-t-a-l honesty!)You can go anonymous if it will help you be candid ;-)

And yes, I did "try on" loads of different styles as well, including plenty I didn't think I'd like, just for comparison's sake.

Maybe you've never seen me in glasses before, ha ha! I usually wear contact lenses. x K

Socks on Rocks!

Here's a pair of boot-socks for me made in Regia Crazy Color 6 faedig, shade "Passion". Wheet whew! Who knew such passion could be found in thick socks?

The pattern is called Prism and is a slip-stitch pattern by Jaya Srikrishnan and is available as a free download on Ravelry or via this link over at Socknitters. The pattern is written for 4-ply so I had to do some adjustments and trial-and-error on that first leg.

One small modification: I continued slipping every third stitch on the heel flap although I didn't let the slipped stitches float, I purled them up the next row, whereas elsewhere on the pattern you stitch them up after three rows.

This was my first time knitting a sock on two circulars and it worked out pretty well apart from times when I wasn't paying close enough attention to which needle end I grabbed and ended up in contortions. I think next time I'm knitting a thicker sock I'll try the magic loop method. BTW I say thicker sock because I don't have any circs below, say 3mm.

Thanks for your kind comments on here and via email on my Simply Sausage lace socks in the last post. x K

Simply Lovely Lace Socks # Take Two

Ok, to quickly get you up to speed.

In 2006 I started a pair of Simply Lovely Lace Socks by Karen Baumer from Interweave Knits Spring 2006 in Opal Uni yarn.
I knitted two at once on lots of dpns until the cuff was as long as I wanted for ankle socks, then laid them to the one side for a-a-a-ages, having fallen out of love with socks again, and not having enjoyed knitting into the back of every knit stitch.

In summer 2007 I decided to give them a new lease of life and made them into fingerless gloves for myself, which actually involved quite a lot of knitting the lace pattern I hadn't enjoyed, and a lot of fudging and making it happen, but I was very happy with the results.

Now fast forward to summer 2008 when during a sock binge I realised that I hadn't actually ever worn my fingerless gloves for real, only in poses for blog posts/ Flickr.
So I fished them out, frogged the handy and thumby bit of the glove, rolled that crazy, tangly stuff and put it aside and did what I should've done in the first place, which was knit on the rest of the sock in stocking stitch. Dunno why that option didn't occur to me last year, maybe just because I was so out of the sock knitting mentality. Fortunately I had plenty of the Opal Uni left.

I am delighted with the results, and they will get much more wear out of these sockazitos than from a pair of opera gloves.

Here are a few photos for your perusal. Two things to look out for are 1) Look at all of the autumn leaves starting to hit the grass and 2) Look at my sausagey feet in the second-last photo. It was taken at a weird angle, but my feet and ankles are very sausagey in real life as well, I must confess.


Thank-you for the kind comments about last week's Dark Galaxy socks. x K

Something to "plank"

DH and I have decided to have a "recession proof" Christmas.

The upside of this is it is very liberating and lifts the obligation to buy a few extra not really wanted gifts just because the pile looks too small. One or two handmade or lovingly selected presents shared in our own home.
The downside is, well there isn't really a downside, there will be other years to splash out !
You never know, I may even accomplish some stash-busting.
I must find a place to store these Christmas socks now where I will remember where I put them. I don't need to find too inventive a hiding place because he has seen them and tried them on several times for the custom fit.
These are knitted in Regia Galaxy in Granit purchased from GetKnitted. Each sock used about 40g worth of yarn. I'm really pleased with them because they are a good balance of sober enough to wear but with a little visual interest to keep the knitter sane. The yarn feels lovely too.
The sock-binge continues and I should have some lady socks to show you soon. Happy Knitting x K

Beautiful yarn

Now, it's not much that gets me over to the Far East but I was pleased to make an exception to go over and check out a trunk show of beautiful hand-painted and hand-spun yarns made by my friend Tigerlilith .
She has a web presence as well as the fact that some qualities and colourways are available from K1 yarns .

I selected some 2-ply laceweight, seen here in blue, or Aegean to be precise. It feels divine, being made from baby alpaca, silk and cashmere. DH was pawing it for ages when I showed him.
Next to that is some superwash merino 4-ply sock-yarn in Violets, which is a perfect name to encompass all the shades of purple in this one.
Sitting on top is my little "Emergency yarn" loyalty key-ring gift, he he.



Next up we have some more of the Merino Superwash 4-ply, this time in the special K1 colourway- predominantly damson with bottle green in places. I've always liked this one when I've seen it online so I took the plunge when I saw how lovely it was in the flesh as it were.
The last Old Maiden Aunt offering is a bamboo-merino blend in Neptune. I am always magnetically pulled towards this type of colour combo and the hand of the yarn is just yummy.

I hadn't been to the Edinburgh branch of K1 Yarns before, so while I was there I took the chance to pick up some of the Noro Kureyon sock yarn I'd been hearing about too.

If you fancy getting your hands on some Old Maiden Aunt yarns, some of the remaining items from the trunk show have been loaded to the web shop as above, so go on over and feast your eyes! x K

Knitted gifts

more animals

From head to toes

No more head-gear for the time being, I'm in the throes of a sock binge!

Buying sock yarn, buying 2 point something needles by the dozen and hell yeah, even doing some actual sock knitting. I really do go in phases.

For moi some Dublin Bay socks by Ryan Morrissey at Mossy Cottage Knits (free download) made from Regia Bamboo Color in girly colours.

For DH some plain vanilla socks in Regia Galaxy in black and tones of grey. Not too boring though, cos you get some swirly galaxy things emerging as long as you cast on 60 or more stitches.

And some shopping from Stitching Time in Hamilton.

Jawoll Silk from Lang Yarns; Wool Craft Superwash Sock Yarn in blue-burgundy-green, Regia Design Line Kaffe Fassett; Wool Craft Superwash Sock Yarn in bluey-greeny. Fairly sedate colours so I can knit them for either of us, depending on who's being good.

Oh yes, and I've also bought the Galaxy yarn in three other colours. So far. x K