What Would You Do?

8:45 PM 3 Comments

We don't have TV, but we do watch DVDs a bit and I like to knit when we do (stops me from chewing my nails!)  As we have to have it dark I can only knit things that don't need major counting or direction following.  Usually the easiest thing is to have a stocking stitch knit to do.  My latest project for movie knitting has been Olearia for one of the girls (who ever it fits!) in some pink BWM left over from a skirt I knit for my niece.  I knew I wouldn't have enough wool so ordered some more in the same colour, joined it in and carried on knitting...

As I only knit this in the dark and didn't look at it in the light until I was wondering if it was long enough to finish, I didn't notice that my new pink is a different dye lot:


As you can see, I've done a lot in the new colour.  I'm now deciding whether or not to rip it back to the garter stitch and join in the new colour there as it won't be that noticable.  Though in some lights you can hardly see it at all unless you look for it:


I'm such a perfectionist that it will probably annoy me too much if I just left it.  Oh, well, we're only halfway through the series of Alias so I'll have lots more movies nights to do it again!


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My Creative Space

6:32 PM , 8 Comments

I got a new toy in the post on Tuesday.  Well, really I can call it a tool rather than a toy.  It's a walking foot for my sewing machine.  I was reading this blog post the other day and was (easily) convinced to get myself one.  So after a quick search on Trade Me I found one that would suit my machine  and bought it!

I've been in the process of making nappies for my SILs and trying to sew the PUL and microfleece layers together has always been the most frustrating part to do as the microfleec always stretches.  So my new walking foot came at the perfect time.  It was sooooo much nicer to use!  I can see it being almost permanently fixed to the machine now...

Here's an action shot:


For more creative spaces check out Kirsty's blog.

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Yay! It's Done.

1:11 AM , 0 Comments

Check out my previous post.  It's the jersey design I've been working on.  I finally tidied the ends and had a good day to take some photos of it on.  MiddleMiss loves it and the other two want one for them also.

I'm working on my next design already and hope it'll be done in time for it to get use this winter (what winter?  It's not happening in too much of a hurry today!)  This one is for the girls only and will be available in mutiple sizes so I'll need testers for it when I'm ready and got the first one made up.  If you're interested in test knitting, keep your eyes open here and on Ravelry.

I have another two ideas banging at the door to be written and knit up also, I just wish I had more time!  Maybe I should get a house cleaner...

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Ash

11:53 PM , 12 Comments

I've finally sewn in the ends and it was a perfect overcast day for photos so it is finally ready to release. 
As my first pattern design, I present...

Ash

This is a seamless pullover knit in a chunky rib style with a centre cable. It is knit in the round, from the top down starting with the collar. Using a series of short rows, the V-neck is formed with the collar already incorporated.
Techniques required include being able to work directional increases both knit-wise and purl-wise (basic instructions are given in the abbreviations), cabling, picking up stitches, and directional decreases (basic instructions are given in the abbreviations). The short rows require careful following of the directions to ensure no gaps or holes are visible.


Don't forget to check out my other designs!

And for those that are on Ravelry, here's the pattern page.  Please link your projects as I'd love to see them!



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My Creative Space

7:29 PM , 3 Comments

A new design in the process.

I found out that notes written in pencil waste less pages than notes in pen - you can rub out pencil!  Don't know why I hadn't thought of it sooner?

If you want more crafty inspiration, check out Kirsty's blog here.


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Quick Knits

7:19 PM , , 0 Comments

Sometimes it's nice to take a break from larger knits and do a nice little project.  It gives you the satisfaction of a finished object quickly.

BigMiss had her 7th birthday last Wednesday and I had the great idea of making her some mitts to keep her hands warm on the walk to the school bus in the mornings - but only when I had a week left to get them done!


After a quick search on Ravelry I couldn't find too much that I liked so I took a basic idea of a cable rib pattern, used a glove pattern I had in a book to get a rough idea of stitch count and made it up.  I didn't want the gauntlet style like most mitts are, but individual finger holes are not that easy for kids to get on and off themselves so I compromised and made two "finger" holes that fit two fingers in each.  The outside 'hole' is sloped to follow the natural shape of the palm and not cover the little finger too much.

Please excuse the pink-ink fingers!

The pattern is only on the cuff and top of each hand with a stocking stitch palm.  I'll write up the pattern sometime soonish and post on here if anyone's interested in making their own.  The ribbing makes them fit a good range of sizes - my 4yr old tried them on for me as I made them, and Kahli has heaps of room in them also.  These were made in Mist Me? sock wool by Vintage Purls.

And to join in with the KAL (knit-a-long) for Budding Designers Downunder, I made this Poppy beanie to match a Rainbow Dress I made for my niece.  But, unfortunately, it doesn't fit her and I ran out of wool so can't make it any bigger.  At least it looks cute!


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My Creative Space

8:25 PM , 6 Comments

A little bit of inspiration from me today...

That's the sort of thing that makes you want to finish knitting the winter woolies!  This was the hoar-frost this morning on the trampoline (and everything else too).  But the bird's don't seem to mind it too much.  Here's what we saw (and had to go back with the camera) on the way to the bus stop this morning:


A tree full of tuis.  We always go past a big gum tree and often see a tui or two, but today there would've seriously been more than 10, maybe 15 all fighting for the best nectar.  They have such a distinct sound and the girls recognise it real well now and know to look for one when they hear it.  I always think it's funny to see them in a gum tree, though!


Anyway, on the creative side, I got a lovely package in the post this week.

Picture courtesy of Little Country Wools

Some Malabrigo Worsted in Blue Surf colourway from Little Country Wools.  It's my first Malabrigo.  I've heard so much about this wool that I had to try it out.  This I plan to turn into a nice winter accessory of my own design.  Don't want to give away too much yet, but I'll be sharing the pattern when it's done.

For more creative spaces, check out Kirsty's blog at kootoyoo.

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Socks

2:17 AM , , 1 Comments

Just a quick update on what I've been knitting lately...

This is the other sock for my sister.  She was down for the weekend so I'd been working furiously to get it finished to take home with her.  She didn't have the first sock with her so I couldn't get a pair shot, but at least I got to see they fit her!

This is where I'm up to on my Theodora sock (not a very good photo as it was taken at night).  I'm past the heel and they're a nice fit - loose but not too loose.


The other thing I've been working on lately is a pair of mitts for BigMiss.  It's her birthday this Wednesday and I noticed the other day on the way to the bus stop that she was hiding her hands inside her jersey to keep warm.  I don't have any photos of them yet (one's finished and the other just needs the fingers done), but I'll try and get some modeled when she knows about them!

And I'm just about finished my pullover/jersey so I'll have the pattern up as soon as it's done and photo's taken (maybe this week if I'm not too busy with birthday party etc!)



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Spoilt

12:16 AM 1 Comments

Not me.  The dog.



J had to get some dog food from the supermarket last night so Ima would have something for dinner and he came back with a fancy new basket.  (Reckons it was cheap.)



I'm not too sure what was wrong with the nice mat he'd got for her only two months ago.  But the dog loves it anyway.  And so does LittleMiss.





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The Joys of Internet!

7:52 PM 0 Comments

I've had rather limited internet access for a while now.  Limited because the modem doesn't have a permanent home at the moment.  It requires being plugged in with the power cable reaching one way and the adsl cable reaching as far as it can the opposite way across the dinner table and then the ethernet plugged into the laptop.  This is because the phone jack is in the middle of the wall a million miles away from any power point.

But the other day I had the brilliant idea to try out the wireless modem that's been hanging around in my office at work for ages doing nothing.  That way I could connect it up to the phone jack in the bedroom, hide the modem out of sight under the bed and be on the net anywhere in the house.

I found out pretty quickly why the wireless modem had been hanging around not in use at work.  It is soooo slow, almost as bad as dial-up (though it's been a while since I had that so might not remember accurately).  Pictures take forever to appear or it just crashes.

So, I'm still having to try and do my internet catch-ups only when I have free time to set it up at home.  Or when the table isn't in use for meals or very important kid-crafty sessions.  Or I just have to get it all done at work (don't tell my boss).

Really I should just go back to the old set-up I had before I de-cluttered my lounge.  Except that Miss Z nicely broke the extension phone cable that was necessary.  So I have to buy a new one first.  Then I will be updating here a bit more often (hopefully).

I have a few knitting projects I've been working on to show too.  When I can get on the net next.


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