just make up your mind already

The Royal Melbourne Show deadline for submissions is looming ever closer, and despite my firm intention of focusing and getting mine complete I seem to have made very little progress.

The fact that I have changed my idea for the socks entry not once but twice since then has most likely not aided this endeavour.

I read two very good blog posts about Show entries and judging criteria over at needle and spindle recently that made me rethink the Torrent socks as candidates for my entry in the sock category.  The openness of the lacework on this pattern is beautiful in my opinion, but I can see how that might be judged lower due to potential suitability for use as intended?  I will finish them for myself and am already so happy with the colour, yarn and pattern combination, but decided to quickly start an alternative for the Show.

Gladys is a free sock pattern that caught my eye and seemed like a good candidate.  The pattern replicates aran ganseys (practical) and looked easy to knit up during the daily commute (convenient!).  So I grabbed some of my stash of Lang Jawoll 75/25, which is a wonderful, sturdy sock yarn (suitable) and cast on.  

It was all going swimmingly - I was liking the gauge of this yarn on 2.25mm needles very much - until I started the gansey pattern.  Whilst I love the marled effect of the yarn and I'm not perturbed by it diffusing the patternwork a little, I started to worry again that it would be judged down for this?  I persevered for a bit longer but finally decided, no; it wasn't the best choice.   

So back I went to my collection of sock patterns, and I have finally settled on Denmark, from Nancy Bush's beautiful book 'Knitting on the Road'.  It's a lovely Viking-esqe cable pattern, with a single round of nupps just after the completion of the ribbing on the cuff.

  

The pattern calls for sportweight on 3.25mm, but looking at the stitch count I felt confident that I could use fingering weight with 2.5mm and still have them fit my foot well.  I'm using Patonyle, because you can't get more "Australian sock" than Patonyle, and so far I'm very happy.  I think I've finally settled, but now I need to hope I can get them completed by September 9th!

Update on the other items - the shawl edging is nearly at the halfway mark, but the tea cosy remains un-seamed and un-pompom-ed.  I obviously enjoy the stress of last-minute flurries...

WIP's everywhere

I've got a bevvy of half finished projects surrounding me at the moment, most with deadlines closing in and of course I'm sitting here browsing Ravelry.

Royal Melbourne Show entries are due early September and all three of my proposed entries are all well under way but all at that point of the project where I need to knuckle down if I'm to get them completed in time.

I'm onto the border of the Hansel hap, which should be a good thing but unfortunately it's now of a size that makes it difficult to knit on the train.  The border is knit on sideways which means short rows and lots of turning of the project.  I get myself tangled up on the couch, let alone on a peak hour train.  So it's confined to evening knitting time currently and there hasn't been much time for that sadly. 

The tea cosy just needs to be seamed and have a pompom made and attached.  It's probably the least of my worries but I am concerned about the pompom.  My yarn is limited and I don't have any room for error if it doesn't go right so I think I'm procrastinating.

Finally, the socks have reached the dangerous "second-sock-syndrome" zone.  I finished the first on Thursday but ignored my own cardinal rule about immediately casting on the second and now here it is Sunday and if I don't get my act together they won't be ready for tomorrow's train ride.

I am rather liking the pattern though.  It's Torrent, from Tin Can Knits and anyone who knows me can tell you how much I enjoy their patterns.  The yarn is from Fiberific!; it's the Sunflower base but there wasn't a colourway listed on the ball band.  I picked it up last year at Bendigo Sheep and Wool and it's a very lovely match with the pattern, don't you think?

I also cast on another Woolamai, this one in a chartreuse colourway.  You can read more about that over on the Whisky Bay Woollens journal, if you're interested.

I think I really need to get focused!

making plans

I’m currently finishing up my 2013 projects, putting to bed a year in knitting and spending some time both reflecting on the year that was, and beginning to make plans for the year ahead.

I've been thinking about how much I've enjoyed my little personal challenge of 24 projects in 12 months, and have decided to set some more such challenges for 2014.

I’m at that delicious stage of the planning process where every project on my list is exciting me, and I keep finding even more new and wonderful things to add! 

Firstly, I know in 2014 I want to work on pieces that form a collection, rather than a more random, individual project methodology.  Accessories and garments that come together to compliment both each other and my existing wardrobe pieces.

A Year in Sweaters by Season

I've loosely put together the idea of working in seasons.  The aim of this set is to pick 4 garments that relate in some way to the season they are to be finished by – be it in a design attribute, a gauge, a yarn…

Jan-Mar: Autumn 

Autumn

Peasy cardigan, using Rowan Felted Tweed DK in Seasalter.  Such a versatile pattern and yarn/colour – I have tons to wear this with, from dresses to skirts, to jeans and shorts.  Perfect transitional wear, in my opinion

Apr-Jun: Winter    
   

Winter

Miette cardigan, using Cascade 220 worsted in Yakima Heather to wear with a cute little mint coloured floral dress, tights and cowboy boots!  

Jul-Sep: Spring

Spring

Fieldwork cardigan, using Berroco Ultra Fine Alpaca in Redwood Mix.  This colour looks fabulous with a lavender top I have, and I can see it with cuffed jeans and Converse.

Oct-Dec: Summer           

Summer

Hexacomb cardigan, using Louisa Harding Ianthe in Raffia.  An oldie of a pattern, but still very relevant to my wardrobe, with its slightly vintage styling.  The ¾ sleeves and wool/cotton blend will make it a lovely little summer cardigan for sunfrocks and skirts.

Showtime

In this set, I’m putting a concentrated effort into making pieces for Show competitions in 2014, starting with the Red Hill Show in March, then Bendigo Sheep & Wool in July, and finishing with the Royal Melbourne Show in September.  They will hopefully also work back with the Seasonal pieces, so I'm thinking they will mainly be accessories and homewares.

At this stage, I’m still working out which pieces I want to enter in which show, but I do know that I definitely want to attempt a lace-weight baby shawl for the Royal Melbourne.  I want to make an heirloom piece for Lily, and I’ve found a couple of great shawl patterns (one is even named “Lily”!)

I know I am going to see things, new things, throughout the year that I am going to Have. To. Knit straight away, so I’m trying to leave enough leeway within my planning to accommodate this spontaneous aspect too.  As much as I do enjoy my little quests and challenges, I think I’ve established that it’ really important to me within my craft to have some freedom to just cast on and work away on a whim.  So I’m also setting the additonal goal of an accessory a month – free choice!  (Free choice, but I’m naturally I'm already making lists, hahaha!!)

Oh, and the Gingko Crescent shawl is finally cast on ;) 

I’m just about to start the lacework.

Royal Melbourne Show tea cosy swap

The entries for the Royal Melbourne Show's Great Tea Cosy Swap are due tonight, so I'm taking a drive after work into the Showgrounds to drop mine off.

I made the Love Tea Cosy from Rowan using some Bendigo Woollen Mills Classic 8ply in Silver.

I have made a very lacklustre attempt at effort for this entry, I'm a tad ashamed to say.  I thought the yarn/pattern combo would be more complimentary, but the reality is that 8ply just isn't thick enough for a tea cosy.  

On top, this pattern isn't lined so it is structurally is "floppy".   For the positive, it's a large cosy, and it used up the last of this wool out of my stash.  Plus it's another finished item for my 24in12 challenge.

That lace heart with bobbles was a b!tch to knit, though!  So much so, I only did it on one side.

Not my finest moment, in Show entry history...

ETA:  I dropped my entry off last night, and the volunteers manning the drop-off point could not have been more lovely!   Totally wasn't as daunting as I was imagining, and definitely gives me confidence to do a competition entry next year.  I think I'd worked myself up about my entry being judged, which was silly and couldn't have been further from the truth.   

While I was there, I asked how the "swap" part of this exhibition was going to work, and the steward told me all our tickets will be put in a hat, and they will draw them out and assign to a tea cosy - totally random.  I love this!  I'm super excited to see what tea cosy I end up with, too!!