Le Weekend - c'est complit

This is a quick little project, using up some sock yarn that was received as a freebie for subscribing to a mag.

Has given me ideas about shawl construction/designing.

Modelled here by the long suffering one - bless him!

Really sensible

This was finished at knitting group last night and we were discussing how conservative/sensible this is for me. I could even wear it work work activities!

What can I say? Ann Budd is a knitting god - this is a top down set in sleeve pattern - lovin' it, lovin' it, lovin' it.

The yarn is the (now discontinued) Adriafil Fusione - 100% cotton 4 ply (I know! 4ply!). Nice to work with - let's hope it lasts well.

"Using some of the lovely yarn that I have"

Further to my last post, this is some of the lovely yarn that I've been using - much of it was bought in the USA, either by me on the last holiday (a few years ago) or by the long suffering one of a trip he made a couple of years ago. This jacket was actually finished at the end of last year, but I hadn't posted it.

There's some Cascade 220 in there, as well as some gorgeous Aslan Trends.

I've seen a number of circular jackets on ravelry and wanted to have a go. However, it is one of those things that really works better for those of more standard build. We, who are wider, need the circle to be down to our knees, if it's going to fit nicely in the middle.













This was made worse by my attempt to make a better fit at the sleeves and doing a couple of back and forth patial rounds to give the usual width at the underarm.

It's warm, it's cosy, it's striking.

And when you're putting it on, it's a bugger to find the sleeves!

Net yarn gain and why I'm not designing at the moment.

This has been a very busy year for me, in terms of the day job, which hasn't left much time for writing, knitting, weaving, crochet, piano playing, drumming and (not like I care) housework.

And so, with another year drawing to a close, I've only used a paltry 6,764 metres. As I was at the knit and stitch show in Harrogate last month, I think we can safely say that this year has been a net gain on the yarn front (my cupboards provide the necessary proof!).

It has also meant that I haven't been putting forward any design or submission ideas to magazines. I do have a design in Fashion Crochet (a book! An actual book!), I have been asked to do the odd thing or two and I'm still designing, but predominantly for myself.

And, in the laws of unintended consequences, this has had far more positives than I anticipated.

1) I can use the lovely yarn that I have. It's great doing commissions, as you get to play with yarn that you wouldn't otherwise buy, but while you're doing that your own stash sits there feeling lonesome. Not this year - some serious Noro has been used, as well as a selection of yarns that the long suffering one brought back from the States two years ago. That has felt very worthwhile.

2) I don't have to write everything down! Obviously, I have to make sure that sleeves match (if I want them to) etc, but I don't have to make a note of exactly how many rows I used in the neckband, as nobody's trying to replicate it.

3) No scaling of patterns. When I design, I try to make as large a size range as possible, which to me is often the hardest part of the pattern. Scaling it up and down so that it looks okay and fits properly on everything from a size 30" to a size 54" can be very difficult, particularly if there's a complex stitch involved. When it's just for me, it's just one size and if it wouldn't work for anything else, that's no biggie.

Don't get me wrong, I would like to submit more ideas in the future. The fantasy yarn shopping, the discipline of writing clear instructions and the rigour of the maths are all great and (I think) make me a better designer. But not right now. At least, not until the day job quietens down a bit.

Happy New Year!

You can't always tell....

I quite liked this yarn when I saw it on the shelf. Knowing me, it was the blue/turquoise combo that caught my eye.

As you can see, the blue was not quite so dominant when it was knitted up. Glad I didn't get enough for a sweater (like I ever do!)

Proved useful for hat pattern prototype, however, and the hat will be worn on dark mornings walking across the field with the dog.

There's nearly a ball of the yarn left (Adriafil Knitcol trend), so will probably use for fake-isle - there are samples on Rav and it's looking quite effective.

It was a shawl, after all.....

.... Well - more of a shawlette - the pattern is "198 yards of heaven", but I had a ball and a half to play with - so mine's more 330 yards of heaven.

Happy with the results - first ever shawl.

It's got me thinking about designing one?

What is it about Noro?

In many ways, I'm quite a conservative person. My dress sense is, largely, plain (jeans, plain coloured shirts), and I'm certainly not one for feminine florals.

Not that I don't like colour - I wear a lot of sombre shades for work, and so it is nice to get out the brights every now and again.

But there is something about long colour change yarn, that just makes me want to knit. I've got an awful lot of Kauni in the stash - a beautiful rainbow of yarn....that has a recommended needle size of 3mm, which is possibly why I've not made anything out of it.

About eighteen months ago, one of my local yarn shops was offering Noro Taiyo at half price. No more than 2 balls in each colourway, but I couldn't resist. After all - it's a long colour change yarn that you can knit up on 4.5mm needles!

But what to make? I have.....there's no other way to describe it....titted about for some time trying different ideas, before coming to the conclusion that with this particular yarn, knitted is better than crocheted.

So I decided to have a go at a side to side jacket. I've added a few darts for swing and swagger. It's in stocking stitch and the sleeves are also worked side to side.

The result? Bright, but not as brash as I feared. The long rows have meant that the stripes are narrow and so there aren't huge blocks of lime green to contend with.

I also had some Noro Cash Island, which I used to define the darts, as well as for the cuffs and collar. Short rows were used, as needed, for all shapings. This hasn't got the Noro bug out of my system, but I do feel as if I've burnt some serious stash! There's a skein and a half left of the Taiyo in my favourite colourway - I feel a shawl coming on.......