I do so knit!

Cast on 1st January.

First sock finished second of January (I had a stomach bug so was at home in front of the television alone for most of the day).

Mum admired the sock, tried it on and it fitted! So the socks will be hers.

Second sock cast on 3rd January, heel turned last night. The colours in the photo below are more accurate.

What's on your needles?

Quilting Adventures in Knitterland problem solved

As mentioned in my post yesterday, DD and I were having trouble finding a satisfactory layout for our blocks from the sampler quilt. The yellow dominated the blues - despite the fact that there are five times as many blue and purple blocks as yellow blocks.

 I stayed up late on Saturday trying to find a solution; drawing grids on scrap paper looking for the answer then trying the layouts with the actual blocks. At 2am, I called it quits and went to bed; I was cold and very tired (it had been a long day including the six hours at the quilting workshop, an hour and half's driving in each direction plus more quilting when we got home). 

First thing yesterday morning, I pulled those screaming yellow blocks out of the mix - the other twenty-five blue and purple blocks fell into place in less than five minutes (after a couple more hastily drawn plans on paper).



laid out on the floor because we have no design wall (yet)
ignore the navy sashing - it's still pinned on from Saturday

DD and I got some quilting time in the afternoon after our trip to the quilting exhibition (Wednesday's post) and have pieced two of the five rows of blocks together.

The two blocks second from the right look like the same fabrics in this photo
- they're not; the upper one has a strong geometic pattern in yellow; the horizontal sashing will separate the apparent tonal similarity

 DD thinks the resulting quilt might be a bit boring but I see it with a narrow inner border or binding in yellow so that will lift the whole quilt.

Just in case you think I've abandoned it, I knitted while watching the final episode of the current series of Midsomer Murders - the last episode for Sergeant Tom Barnaby (played by John Nettles).

And wouldn't you know it, the sock I was knitting was yellow!

knitting (and a little crochet)

After all, that's what this blog is supposed to be about, isn't it?

Warning: photo heavy post


There have been beanies

Moda Vera Cynthia Blue

Moda Vera Cynthia Forest

three in this colourway; the colours are much darker - rich plum and burgundy

Schoeller and Stahl Skyline Light (hand-dyed) - thanks Leonie

and scarves

two of these

dropped garter stitch

Turbulent Indigo scarf  (Rav link) in donated acrylic "mohair"

DD knitted this one!

Journey Scarf (Rav link) knitted in Moda Vera Cynthia grey

this one is currently on the needles - a sample for my entrelac workshop

and ladies' mitts (pattern modified from Cleckheaton's Handknits to Wrap and Adorn)

and blankets (afghans) approximately 70 inches by 40 inches (175cm by 100cm).

this one is in the finishing process (lots of ends to sew in)

this one is hibernating until I remember to buy a bigger hook

this one is currently on the needles 200 stitches, one row per colour

this one is my "sample" for the garter stitch entrelac workshop I am tutoring next month

 and one toddler's jumper (sweater) which was "homework" to practise Fair Isle technique

beanies: the ultimate travelling companions!Part 1

Well, socks are pretty good too. But... I'm not a fan of magic loop - ooh! ah! did I just write that? I knit socks on dpns so there's always the danger of losing one needle when I travel by public transport. Therefore sock knitting is usually confined to the car or the house.

Beanies, on the other hand, are lovely to knit on the train. They're quick, light and short so even with my briefcase/satchel on my lap I can still knit [socks, on the hand, get too long for this limited space]. Beanies also easily stretch around my 60cm Knitpicks Options once the band is knitted. And [I'll try to redeem myself here] I do use the magic loop for the band and to complete the top of the beanie! I have dpns in limited sizes [2.25, 3.25, 3.50 = US sizes 1, 3 and 4] but using Knitpicks Options means I have all the sizes of circular needles I'm ever likely to use.

So, having no doubt lost some readers along the way - those ardent supporters of circulars and magic looping - let me show you some of my beanie output for the three months of winter.

First there was the scrap yarn beanie that I knitted in the car on the way to mum's birthday surprise [after I finished seaming the sweater].


You may recognise these yarns as being left over from this sweater and this Tomten. WM's picture is more creative than mine [why didn't I think of that?] but you can't see the dark blue band.

Then, because I was tired of all that Baby Lustre I had been knitting [that extra shiny thread can make such a harsh difference], I knitted some beanies in oh-so-soft Tencel and acrylic.

And two of these count as textured knits [I didn't actually show any of my knitting in the final round up]! The first is in a pattern I know as Broken Rib. I have heard it called Moss Stitch Rib and Interrupted Rib too.


The second is a simple K1P1 rib. [Did I mention soft and warm?!]


And the third has a simple garter band and stocking stitch cap.


While I was showing DD the beanies, my SIL asked me what Tencel was made from and I wasn't sure I had the right answer. Upon researching, I was surprised to learn that Tencel is not a petro-chemical synthetic fibre: it's made from wood-pulp. Tencel is actually a registered trade name used by Lenzing Fibres for a yarn which is more accurately called lyocell [just as Nylon is Dupont's registered trade name for polyamide]. I bought this yarn for 99c a ball at a clearance sale at Spotlight many moons ago and can get nearly two beanies from one ball - you gotta admit, that's good value! I think I've already said that the yarn is amazingly soft and warm and the perfect antidote to lustrous acrylics.

Beanies are also good for using up odds and ends of yarn - this one has six different yarns in it!


And this one used up the last of the chocolate tencel/acrylic blend.


These last two plus the two "blue" versions below are July's output. All of them use up odds and ends.



Part 2 coming to this blog real soon!

Winter of Textured Knits KAL final round up Act 3and thank you

And now, the end is near...

First up today: Rose Red. The pattern is called, appropriately, Rose Red. Have I given too much away? Look here for the complete photo and several others of the same beautiful object. Again I wish I had the courage to wear one!


This is unusual; I think it suits Rose Red beautifully.


This is an adaptation of an old favourite that is currently doing the rounds on the Interknits. Oops, have I given it away?


Scroll down to see this most unusual take on an everyday item.


There are so many textures here I didn't know what to show you. Make sure you follow the link and see all Rose Red's photos.


Leaving my home city [Sydney] where Rose Red also lives [but way over on the other side of town] and travelling south, we come to the national capital, home of RR's good friend, Bells. On 2nd July, Bells showed us these:


Read here about Bells day out at The National Gallery and see her wearing this in public for the first time:


These pretties look warm:


This was finished in the Tour de France KAL with time to spare! Well done Bells - the yellow jersey is yours.


Bells said these were a boring knit but her hubby likes them a lot.


And for the special girl in Bells life lookie here:


And so we say farewell to Bells and travel further south to the state of Victoria to visit our final knitter - Susan [otherwise known as Catsmum]. This is appropriate as Susan was the last one to join the KAL but this in no way diminishes her wonderful work. Susan has recently had major surgery so we wish her all the best for a speedy recovery and better health than she has endured in the past.

This is a pattern she has knitted once or twice before.


Some team colours for the grandson:


A pretty item in lace for the DIL:


A similar item in gorgeous alpaca:


Then this gorgeous piece of "lace" that's been a long time coming:


And another baby item:



Thank you to everyone who participated in the KAL and those who followed along by reading what we were up to! It's been great fun even if the round-ups were time consuming. Will we do it again next year? Let's wait and see, shall we? I'll be a grandmum and a new aunty by winter next year!

Winter of Textured Knits KAL final round up Act 2

Hello from a dust-coated computer from the very bad seven-hour dust storm we had on Wednesday [I'm allergic to dust so it's better if I just let it lie]

Presenting for your viewing pleasure some more beautiful textures.

First up Paisley Womble. The colour here is gorgeous, the texture is a bonus!

A popular garment on the knitternet in another beautiful colour here.

And something for Paisley's mum here.

I've knitted several of these; this one is stunning!


Over in the USA, Deniasha has been travelling, buying, selling and podcasting but still had time for this. While you're checking the texture out, scroll down on the same post for the gorgeous lace Deniasha has done! Beautiful.

And on the left of the screen we can see something that Deniasha has designed which many of us love. The finished product is here.



Tinkingbell has been on holidays but the knitting has not been neglected. Scroll right to the bottom of this post [if you can resist stopping to look at all the beautiful holiday snaps], and you'll find these:


And finally, for today, the lovely Jan who helps me out by putting all her textured knitting in one post and sending me an email with the link! Thanks heaps, Jan, I really appreciated it. Here is the link I was sent in mid-July. First there are these little pretties [full picture here]


This is cute. Some little girl in Afghanistan will love it. And there is a companion on the same page.
There is also another photo but I wasn't able to crop it successfully so please go and check them all out here.

Then in August Jan made my life easy again by sending me this link. Let me tempt you: First a present for an orange-loving grandson. Unfortunately, my cropping has completely missed the orange stripe!


Two more textured knits:






I wish I was confident enough to wear one of these [below] - I love everything about this one, the colour and the texture!


See you soon for the final post!