Archive for the “Finished Objects” Category

mittens.JPGNothing is growing in the winter garden. A single, brown creeper clings fitfully to the trellis and the picket fence waits patiently for its rambling vines to be renewed. As pale sunshine reflects on the snow and earth, the leafless shrubs remember warmer days and stretch themselves towards the springtime.

Size

Small[Large] (shown in small size); Finished measurements: 7[8]inches long, not including cuff; 8[8]inches around.

Requirements

Yarn: Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift (100% Shetland wool, 25g/105m): 1[2] balls MC #880 - coffee; 1[1] ball CC #130 - sky (please note, yarn requirements do not allow for a swatch).

Needles: 1 set 2.5mm and 1 set 3.0mm circular or double-pointed needles for your preferred method of knitting in the round, or size needed to obtain correct gauge.

Notions: smooth waste yarn, yarn needle, 2 stitch markers.

Gauge

8sts and 8rounds per inch on larger needles after blocking.

This pattern is sold as an electronic file delivered in PDF format. File size is 831kb, 5 pages. Upon payment, the file will be automatically delivered to your email inbox.

Price: US$4.95

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dscn2991.JPGThe flattering round neck and intricate cabled rib on Mabelle make her perfect for a night out when chilly winds are blowing. Dress down with jeans and a white tee-shirt underneath and she’s just plain Mabel, wear her anywhere! There is no complicated shaping in this pullover: the heavily cabled rib creates a figure-hugging waistline and careful adjustment in fitting will accentuate your curves perfectly.

Size: XS[S, M, L, 1X, 2X]

To fit bust : 30[33, 36, 39, 42, 45]inches

Requirements: Yarn: 8[8, 9, 10, 11, 12] balls Debbie Bliss Rialto DK (105m/50g) Needles: 4.0mm/80cm circular needle, 4.0mm/120-150cm circular needle (optional), 3.75mm/80cm circular needle, or sizes needed to obtain correct gauge; stitch markers, cable needle, spare circular needles.

Gauge: 22sts/30rows = 4 inches in stocking stitch on larger needles

Pattern Notes: Mabelle is knitted completely seamlessly from the bottom up, sleeves and body are united at the underarm and the yoke is knitted with raglan shaping. Short rows raise the shoulders and back of neck for a more comfortable fit. Detailed notes are included in the pattern for tailoring the fit of the garment and working the short-row shaping.

This pattern is sold as an electronic file delivered in PDF format. File size is 603kb, 4 pages. Upon payment, the file will be delivered automatically to your email inbox.

Price: US$6.95

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With thanks to Kai for the photography.

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I have a sneaking suspicion that the sun has swung around a bit. Lacking any outdoor space in this flat, the kitchen window sill has always been my favoured photography spot. The last month or so, however, it seems to be getting no light. None.

In a flat with no outdoors and now no handy sunny window sill it becomes insanely difficult to take decent photographs. This is SERIOUSLY annoying me. I don’t particularly want to have to cart everything down to the park every time I need a photo for an article or tutorial. Any brilliant suggestions?

In the absence of the tutorial I was hoping to put up today (no photos), and the Spin-a-Long which I was hoping to put up today (no photos), I leave you with …

Sockapalooza

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I haven’t modelled them as my pal has much bigger feet ;-)

Yarn: Trekking Pro Natura wool/bamboo; Pattern: based on one from Knitting Vintage Socks;

They are now on their way to Canada :-D hope she likes them!

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Gloriously lacy, with heel flap and toe pattern detail, these socks are definitely for display. No hiding them inside your shoes! The colour of this gorgeous hand-dyed yarn makes me think of creamy coffee, wear them next to your favourite beverage.

latte socks

Requirements: One skein Middle Earth Yarns sock yarn [420m/100g, 75%wool, 25% polyamide] colour: Cocoa Dream;1 set 2.5mm needles; stitch markers; cable needle.

Gauge: 9sts/inch in stocking stitch

Price: US$4.95

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I have a few bits and pieces to share with you - nothing that really amounts to a complete post, but they all add up to one I hope :-D

We spent Sunday in Bath with my Neil’s mum and her husband. The weather was perfect and we watched the sunset from the train windows at 10pm on our way home! A bit of a change from the constant rain.

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We went on a walking tour of the city, visited the Roman Baths and explored some of the parks and gardens. We ate twice ate Sally Lunn’s where the food was just awesome!

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Roman spinning artifacts

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I have another finished object:

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This is my own design, using handspun BFL from Fyberspates. The pattern will be a free download from Spindle and Wheel in the next issue - out this Sunday.

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Lindsey has nominated me for a ‘Rockin’ Girl Blogger’ award. I now officially rock! ;-) Thanks Lindsey!

I can’t remember who has not been nominated for this or not - and I know most of the people I’d like to pick are taken (like Bronte and Kay) So I’ll just make three nominations: Anne, Heather and Daisy who all regularly make me smile and feel inspired :-D You rock girls!

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Last but not least, it’s my mum’s birthday today - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MUM! :-D

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Oops! I forgot to post the winner of Spin-a-Long #2 - but don’t worry, I did remember to contact her and have posted off the parcel of goodies :-D

‘It’s all in the Wrist’ winner was Lucy!

And now that I have the galleries sorted you can go check out the pics she sent in, and everyone else’s as well.

‘Crinkle Cut’ pics, ‘It’s all in the Wrist’ pics

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I also have another FO to show you. This was secret knitting for a while, but they have been sent off to their new owner, proud mum-to-be Nic, so I can post a piccy now.

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Baby washcloths for Peanut, made from DB Pure Cotton. It was lovely to knit with and I’ll definitely be making another set next time I hear of a new baby on the way!

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Two finished objects in one week! Not to mention one nearly finished which will almost certainly be off the needles by Thursday.

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New socks for me: Yarn is from Middle Earth Yarns; Pattern will be available as soon as I have a few more photos.

The other FO is a secret I’m afraid, I’ll publish a pic on July 9th (which just happens to be my mum’s birthday ;-))

It seems to be the way things work around here. I have a habit, when the urge is upon me, to start lots of things at the same time. This somehow (even taking into account vastly different completion times) leads to finishing lots of things within a short timeframe as well. Perhaps it’s all to do with the guilt of too many wip’s on the needles - I get finishing fever.

Of course, finishing things frees up space on the needles for new things to knit! Now what could I be doing with this …

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This is also from Middle Earth Yarns, Cairi’s new merino sport weight. Now that I’ve finally finished admiring it and having the occasional fondle ;-) I have wound it up, and will be swatching tonight.

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Yes, I do still knit. It’s just these days, I tend to knit at work and spin at home, and my camera lives at home … well you know how it goes.

So here’s some of what is currently on the needles…

The Looza sock: I’m using Trekking Bamboo, which is quite interesting to knit with - a bit hairy but softens up a lot. The pattern is from Knitting Vintage Socks but without the lacy cuff.

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New socks for me: Sorry, the photos are hopeless because it’s dingy weather here, but it’s coming along nicely trust me :-) The yarn is from Cairi’s Knitting Goodies on Etsy, I loooove her colours and am desperately resisting joining the sock club (not to mention the lace club) (my stash is full my stash is full my stash is full…)

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I am also steadily working away at the Purple Cable Extravaganza (close set cables every 4th round for 8″ - whose idea was that anyway?) but it’s at work so no pics today.

And a finished object!

The Seaside Socks which I forgot to photograph before sending them off. The pattern will be available soon from Angel Yarns. (please note arty seashell shaped sock with accompanying beach pebbles ;-))

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I have deadlines, and I do want to get to the shop today to hang out with the crowd, so I must go and treadle a bit more.

Ciao!

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It gives me great pleasure to share with you….

The Blue Sky Cardigan

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Begun: mid-October last year; Frogged completely and restarted: February; Finished: April 19th 2007.

The yarn is Blue Sky Alpaca Silk and is a dream to knit with and to wear. It stood up extremely well to repeated froggings and is showing no signs of fuzzing after several wears. I used just under seven skeins in the end but hadn’t anticipated it being quite so long at the back.

Why is it an epic? To begin with, this was my first full-sized garment ever, and my first design project reqiring shaping. I did mammoth calculations for my first design, which was much more shrug-like, and reworked the pattern many times. Partly making it up as I went along, partly planning ahead. However, work ground to a halt over Christmas after I’d finished knitting about 3 skeins worth.

I finally realised that there was no way I was going to finish this project because, deep down, I knew I was going to hate it once done. It brooded at the bottom of my knitting bag for a while until I finally did what I had to do, and wound the whole thing into neat balls.

I started again full of renewed inspiration with raglan style shaping and knew immediately that I’d made the right decision. The knitting was enjoyable, the small pattern meant there were constant changes to keep the interest going, and I survived the 720 stitch edging!

I long ago gave up on the idea of publishing the pattern: there were way too many alterations and fudged bits. But people have been encouraging, to say the least, so I may have a crack at it one day.

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Where do I begin…

The holidays were amazing, but I won’t go into details here as it is all over on the travel blog (or will be by this evening!). To summarise, we had lovely weather in Provence - completely abnormal temperatures of around 28 degrees for the first week! We went to the beach and Neil swam. I had some encouragement from him to follow French sunbathing traditions (ahem) but managed to resist ;-)

Italy can be summed up in two words: food and shoes :-D. I was very restrained and only bought four pairs.

Here is my favourite pair:

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Note the low heels which were readily available in Venice where everyone walks two million miles per day up and down steps! The food was awesome and I ate lots of cool stuff like squid with ink sauce (yum) Neil ate lots of spaghetti carbonara - at least 75% of his meals.

On the knitting front, I finished the Blue Sky cardigan just before we went away. It was an epic journey however, and deserves its own post later today. I also finished a pair of socks for a commission but managed to send them off before remembering to take a photo *blushes* so here is a clue:

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Since finishing the epic cardigan I allowed myself to start a new design which has been rattling around in my head for a while. I began it in Cathay but didn’t really enjoy the knitting - I have been forced to admit that I’m an animal fibre gal all the way. So I exchanged the Cathay for some purple Rialto and I’m lovin’ it! I have almost finished the first sleeve which means I must make a start on the body today. It is, however, the prospect of eight inches of close-set cables that is causing me to seek out alternative activities. Just think - if I were a size 0, how many less cables I’d have to knit!

On the writing front, I contacted the publishers this week having heard nothing back about the book propasal after four weeks. They protested innocence of having ever received anything from me… so I re-sent it, got confirmation from the secretary, and am now one month behind schedule. I have had good/bad news from Knitty - “Not this issue but maybe winter”. Which means I only have to wait another six months before I find out whether they like it (do you start to see a trend here). One of the bloggers I check in on regularly is a craft writer and often mentions (or writes at length on) the happy lot of writers in spending all their time waiting. I have decided that the solution is to put so many irons in the fire that I don’t have time to wonder about sleeping commissions.

Which brings me to the Fall Knitty submission date: June 15th (yes that one snuck up on me too - I must get a calendar). I’m thinking something small and quick …

This post is getting alarmingly long and I have travel stories to write and purple cables to wallow in. More later.

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