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!

Exploration Station

This weekend, I finally finished the Exploration Station shawl from Stephen West.  

This large, beautiful, textured shawl was his mysteryKAL for 2014 and although I didn't take part at the time, as soon as I saw all the finished project photos popping up on Ravelry and Instagram, I knew I had to make one.

I've mentioned before that this shawl was the impetus for The Summer of the Single Skein KAL I hosted over the 2014/2015 Summer (Southern Hemisphere).  I had been looking for a good vehicle for combining a few of my lovely single skeins and what better project than a big shawl?

Incorporating four colours, the pattern suggests 3 be fairly close in value and 1 a high contrast.  I chose Waikiwi in a natural stone colour, Colinette Jitterbug in "Oyster Blush" and a variegated skein of Top Draw Sock from Skein in "Fig".  My contrast was a deep plummy skein of Cascade Heritage that I'd been saving for something special for a long time.

The Waikiwi is a sock yarn from New Zealand that has merino, alpaca, possum and nylon in it's composition.  The combination of fibres gives a beautiful heather, especially in the lighter colours.  This heather perfectly stopped the cream from being too stark against the other colours in the mix.

The Jitterbug was probably the thickest of the four yarns, even though all are considered the same "weight" (fingering).  Because the shawl is worked on larger needles than normally used for this weight yarn, and incorporates a lot of textures, this slight difference wasn't terribly noticeable but I do feel the slight heaviness of the Jitterbug gives a good weight to the overall piece.

Out of the four skeins, the Cascade and the Skein were the closest match for softness and composition, and as luck would have it I think I have enough of both yarns left over to make a pair of two-tone socks.  There isn't much at all left of the Waikiwi, and a small amount only of the Jitterbug - perhaps enough for some contrast toes/heels, I'd say?

Stephen West is known for his love of squishy garter stitch, sweeping lines, and brioche (and goofy photoshoots!).  I really enjoyed the different textures on each section.  I can imagine it would have been pretty cool to work as a mystery KAL, actually.  My favourite was the brioche.  Although I ummed and ahhed about whether my designated yarns were the right combo, I'm glad I stuck to the combination as per pattern.  The effect is more subtle than some other versions, however I think in my shawl it works best.

All edges are finished with i-cord edgings which, again, I feel was a lovely detail finishing off the shawl.  It's the first of the WestKnits patterns I've knit, and it's also the largest shawl I've knit to date, with a wingspan of 1.4m.  I cant' wait to wrap myself up in it all snuggly and warm this winter.

I absolutely loved the construction of this shawl, and the attention to detail in the pattern from the designer.   At each step, there were clear and timely notations to reassure the knitter of the next section, and there were also stitch counts included at the break of each section - something I greatly appreciate in patterns, especially on this scale.  However, as good technically this pattern is, I think it's key strength lies in it's overall aesthetic and how well Stephen West has managed to bring all elements together.  

Mystery KAL's can be a bit of a risk, as the knitter takes a leap of faith with the designer as to the final outcome, and adding in the process of selecting colours without really knowing how they are going to fit together is another requirement of trust!  I think this pattern has hit all the right notes, on all accounts and judging by the fact there are over 2,000 projects on Ravelry alone; I'd say so do a lot of other people.  

I may be late to the WestKnits party, but I can say now I'm well and truly on-board!  Who else has knitted his designs?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on the experience. 

waning Summer

Oh my poor neglected blog!  I've been so wrapped up in other things that time has yet again slipped away and it's been weeks in-between visits.  A lot has been happening, so here's a quick recount...

I finished my Farmer McGregor's socks, and I love them so much.

I spoke a little about the yarn (WYS Signature) last post, and nothing's changed my opinon.  It's a great yarn to that has blocked exceptionally well, and I'll definitely be ordering more.

The pattern is the most delicious texture too.  I really love twisted stitch patterns, especially when they are all waffley like this one.

I taught a lovely Beginner's Knitting class at the Handmaker's Factory last weekend.  We had loads of fun working on some sweet little mug cosies and eating cupcakes!

I've got a couple more workshops coming up, so if you're interested head over to Handmaker's website and take a peak.  There's workshops for Toe-up socks, Textured knitting, and Flattering Fit, just to name a few.

My little KAL - The Summer of the Single Skein - is winding up. As we draw close to Easter, the weather here has remained warm and pleasant but you can feel the change in the breeze and I'm definitely ready to start thinking about bigger projects and winter woollies.

My final project for the KAL is Exploration Station, a large shawl by Stephen West.  It was his mystery KAL for 2014, and watching all the progress photos pop up on Instagram, I knew I wanted to make one.  I missed the original KAL, but no big deal.  I actually preferred seeing how the pattern played out because I think colour choices were key to the success or fail of this shawl.  Having the information in advance, I chose this group.

from top left, clockwise: Skein Top Draw Sock "Fig"; Colinette Jitterbug "Oyster Blush"; Waikiwi "Stone"; Cascade Heritage " Plum"

The shawl combines sections of short-row garter wedges to start, then finishes with sections of different stitch patterns.  I've just finished the brioche section which combines Colour B (Skein "Fig") and Colour C (Waikiwi "Stone"), and I'm quite torn...the top photo is the right side, and the variegated Skein is sitting "on top" which is very subtle.  

You can see in the second photo that the solid Waikiwi is on top on the wrong side, and stands out quite a bit more.

I'm not sure whether to rip back and reverse the two?  I do like the obviousness of the cream columns, but I'm also thinking the subtlety of the variegated is nice too?  The next section is slipped stitches in the Waikiwi and Jitterbug , so there will be some dominant cream there - maybe it would be too much to have both?

Oh, I don't know!!  I can't make up my mind to save myself on this one.  What do you think? I tend to over-analyse these things, so any input is welcome!

Finally, I'm on holidays now until after Easter.  My girl and I are heading off to camp by the ocean for the next few days, and I can't tell you how much we need it.  

I'm looking forward to falling asleep to the sound of the waves, and smelling the salt air as I wake up each morning.  I'm also looking forward to just taking time out together.  We'll be switching off for the time away (the teenager thinks it's a travestity being inflicted upon her by a cruel and unloving mother, most definitely but there's nothing new!) so I will see you all when we get back - hopefully renewed and full of energy.

Shield Maiden

Invoking my inner shield maiden today, with my newly finished Vedbaek!

How I look in my new shawl:

How I feel:

hehehe...

This is a light and lofty shawl, but with substance and shield-like qualities.  Sarah from FiberTrek has mentioned she regards hers as protective, like a talisman, and I couldn't agree more.

I love the way the Shilasdair Luxury 4ply worked up in the garter stitch, and the colour is just beautiful.  In some lights; grey, sometimes purple, others nearly brown.  A chameleon, perfect for protection.

My only minor disappointment is that the "arrows" on the edging don't seem to pop on my version as much as on others I've seen.  This could be just a matter of reblocking though?

I really don't have a lot to say about this shawl except to say I love it!  I've mentioned before, but in case you've missed it - it's a well-written pattern, easily memorised so perfect for travelling, and something different from the lace shawls typically calling for this weight yarn.

If you have been contemplating knitting it, do it!

All about the accessories

After recent back to back adult sized garments, I've been ready for some quick and dirty projects with lots of instant gratification! Plus I've identified a bit of a hole in my accessories collection, namely hats and shawls/scarves.  And by hole, I mean I'm sick of all the ones I've knit previously and I'm ready for a refresh.  There's not seriously a lack of anything knitted in this house, trust me.

Sunspun have just started stocking Shilasdair yarns and I've been keen to try them. If you're not familiar with this yarn company, they are based in Skye, Scotland and produce a beautiful range of luxury-base yarns dyed with natural botanicals. 

I chose the 8ply weight, in the Fleece Cloud (natural) and Atlanic Blue (pale blue variegated) colour ways for this cutie-pie snowflake beanie, and the glorious Uig Sea-Green in the same weight for a Winterberry shawl.  

Good sturdy accessories, adept at keeping the bracing winds out, I feel.

I recently ordered a hard copy of "Journey", the collection by Jane Richmond and Shannon Cook.  This is a wonderful collection of patterns, including socks, a hat, a large shawl, some wristwarmers, a cardigan and a jumper. 

I've already made the socks (as a sample for the shop), and this week I quickly whipped out the wristwarmers, using some Bendigo Woollen Mills Rustic 12ply in a deep cobalt blue. They are toasty warm and I love the honeycomb stitch pattern.  There are also plans afoot for the shawl and beanie too, and when I'm ready to go back to jumpers, I've got some lovely, rich alpaca earmarked for the jumper.

It's been wonderful to have these little things flying off the needles, and the accessory drawers are once again full, a happy state of affairs indeed.  

It did get me to thinking though - what does one do with all their handknits that they no longer wear/want?  Some of mine are perfectly fine still; the lack of wardrobe rotation is more an indication of colours I no longer wear, or too many similar styles of that particular item at the time.  If you have any tips or bright ideas, leave me a comment and share! 

Until next time, stay warm x

If I was a flower growing wild and free all I'd want is you to be my sweet honey bee...

I seem to be getting rather theme orientated lately and this week's post is no exception, as will soon become apparent...bear with me.

First things first - there was a slight detour from the Year of Sweaters by Season project.

Instead of casting on my Spring sweater (a light and lacy little cropped cardigan in fingering weight alpaca), I decided to make a Beeline in some lovely fuzzy Creative Focus, and it has barely been off my back, so comfortable and warm that it is.  Warmth being the key word, given how freezing it's been in Melbourne this past week!

This was another great pattern from Heidi Kirrmaier, backing up after my Peasy.  Her attention to detail is spot on, not only in her pattern writing but also in her design aesthetic.  There's the lovely eyelet detail on the raglan increases that is also echoed in the bias line mirroring both sides of the front.  The neckline has just the right amount of scoop, and the slightly tapered body means it's roomy without looking oversized.   Very flattering and very wearable, on a number of body shapes.

Mostly I knit this to pattern, using the M2/42" size.  There's 5-10cm of intended positive ease, and I think that's the exact right amount in my finished piece.  I did add a bit of length to the body, about 5cm in total.  At the recommended length it was sitting right on a point of my waist that I know I don't like, from previous experience. It makes me feel like I've got to keep tugging at the hemline!  I also shortened the sleeves just a smidge, apparently I'm short-armed!

As for the yarn, I really did um and ahh on whether this was the right choice for the project.  There are mixed reports and reviews all over Ravelry and other forums, none really that flattering in honesty, but the colour (Golden Heather for those interested) was exactly what I wanted and I really wanted to try for myself; to make my own judgements.

I'm so glad I did!  Yes, this yarn sheds, and it has a splitty tendency; two of the main complaints against it.  It's a very loosely plied wool/alpaca blend, so neither of those statements are really that surprising.  I didn't find the splittiness as annoying as others, although I did need to pay attention.  A couple of times I had to drop down and fix a split stitch, but that wasn't a lot, or a huge inconvenience. The benefit of the yarn's blend is that there is a lovely halo of long fibres on the finished fabric, and that was part of my intent.  I wanted a slightly retro feel to this jumper, almost like the mohair jumpers of the 50's and 60's.

The other common complaint was that for an alpaca blend, this yarn was super-itchy.  I'm actually quite sensitive to wool-itch, and normally can't wear even blends next to my skin, but this jumper has surprised me in being one of the softest, non-itchy jumpers I've ever made.  I can comfortably wear it next to bare skin, even up around my neck, where I'm usually the most sensitive.  So go figure.  Whether it's the particular tension I've knitted to, I don't know.  But no issues with itch, from the Princess of Itch.  That's a win in my book.

Also, I’m shocked at how little yarn was needed, which seems to be a trend for me this year (possibly due to knitting everything in alpaca blends?). This took exactly 5x 100g balls of Rowan Creative Focus and that's good value in any language, for a jumper of this style.

Overall, a very happy detour was my sweet Beeline, and very happy I decided to see for myself about the yarn.

There was another little project I finished this week - some Honey Badger socks.  Like the Beeline, I used some yarn that I've been wanting to try for a while - Ella Rae Laceweight merino.  Despite the name, this yarn is actually a fingering weight 100% merino, not a laceweight, lest you think I've lost my mind and forayed into knitting laceweight socks!

I've had this skein of hand-dyed in my stash for a few months, having originally purchased it with the intent of making a small shawl of some type, however I had begun to think it wasn't really a colour I'd wear as a shawl.  Being 100% merino, it's probably not the best choice for socks, but I have compared it to Jitterbug and it has a similar high twist so I'm thinking it may be alright?  I'll probably save these for house socks and keep them away from my boots though, just in case.

Upon knitting, this yarn is a bit softer than Jitterbug, but it does the same lovely crisp stitch definition, highlighted by this pattern which utilises a PSSO as part of the lace pattern.  Honey Badger is a free Ravelry download from Irish Girlie Knits, and is very well written for a freebie.  The lace pattern is very addictive so it goes rather quickly too.  These took me just two weeks of not very consistent knitting to complete.  

Aside from some inconsistent pooling between each sock (what's up with that?), I'm pretty happy with them.  Oh, I did a round toe, just to give it a go.  It's OK, kinda like crown shaping on a beanie.  Will let you know how it wears, but seems comfortable so far.

So there you go. This is the week of the Honey and the Bee.  Perfect for brightening the Winter's days and lending thoughts to warmer days ahead.

I think on that note I'll leave you with one of the sweetest songs around, nearly guaranteed to put a smile on your face, and referenced in the title of this post.  Enjoy x

slightly off topic...

I am easily distracted at the best of times, and I definitely like diversity in my knitting projects, and lately it's felt a bit like all-sweaters, all-the-time.

So despite needing to sew up my Peasy, and having a Ferris Wheel to finish...not to mention a Miette on the needles as well, I decided to take a slight detour this weekend and work on some instant-gratification projects.

Firstly, I whipped up not one but THREE of these wee little baby hats.  Knit in the round using aran yarn, they zoomed off the needles and into the blocking bath. I made all three in a 24-hour span.

The pattern is the Garter Ear Flap Hat, a freebie from The Purl Bee, and I used some Rowan Pure Wool Aran (pink) and Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (grey and teal).

Super cute!  I just need to add the tiny tassels to these and they are ready to go in the gift stash box.  I think I've even got enough leftover from each ball of yarn to make another two to three hats, probably with some colour blocking.  This pattern is definitely a win, in my books - free, quick, small yarn usage, and CUTE!  I think it's turned my baby-knitting mojo back on, for sure.

I also had a delivery of some Murano wool from Bendigo this week, that I bought because it was on special, and I wanted to make a blanket of some description.  I toyed with a mitred square pattern, and a knitted chevron, but in the end I decided to give crochet one more crack and try my hand at the Round Ripple Baby blanket.

And with all the stars miraculously aligning, I managed not to stuff it up!



This is a really simple pattern, and I found the instructions very clear and straightforward - perfect for those among us that perhaps struggle with crochet terminology, or reading stitches.  I usually always end up with extra chains, or not enough, and I'm never exactly clear about which is the "next stitch" the pattern asks me to slip stitch to!!

The yarn is great for this type of blanket too.  Self-striping in fairly long repeats; it makes impressive work out of something really rather simple.

As far as blankets go, this is also working up very fast.  In two evenings work, I have just finished the second 200g ball, using a 5mm hook.  I was debating whether to stop here, as it's probably big enough for a baby blanket, but I think I'll persevere and use up the third ball I ordered so the finished blankie is nice and snuggly.

shoes for scale...

And the best thing is, now that I have got that instant-gratification out of my system, I feel like I'm ready to knuckle down to seaming and probably a bit of garment knitting. 

What's exciting your needles this extra long weekend?  I'm working at Sunspun tomorrow, then we are shut for Good Friday but will be open 10-5pm Easter Saturday, so pop in if you're in the area?   I had the pleasure of finally meeting missfee last week, after probably 7-8 years of "knowing" each other online (hope your yarn purchases are bringing you much happiness, lovely lady!).  I really enjoy meeting more of the people I regularly chat to but have never met in person, and I feel like Sunspun might just end up being the great facilitator...

Hope to see you one of these days soon xx

Girl Friday

It's finished!!

It even has buttons ;)

It fits perfectly, I could not be happier with this cardigan.  I've got loads of knitted garments stuffed in my cupboard that remain unworn due to varying issues (mostly regarding fit) but I think after my last two cardigans I can say I'm finally getting the hang of choosing patterns and sizes that are right for me - hurrah!

This is a great slightly longer-line cardigan, with the right balance of cosy and fitted elements in the design.  The big shawl collar snuggles around your neck  and the body of the cardigan has no waist shaping or hemline flare.  To compliment this, the sleeves are quite fitted which suits me to the ground, but I've noticed a few people mentioning they had to rip out the sleeves and re-knit at a larger size. 

Did I show you the perfect buttons?  

I love my button stash, it nearly never fails to come up with the goods.  These beauties are from a trip to Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show a few years ago.  Anyone who's been to the Show knows of the Button stall.  Trays and trays of beautiful buttons; some new, some old, some even older.  Over the years I've spent a decent amount of yarn cash at this stall, but I've never regretted it for a minute.

Specs and mods, for those interested:

• I used far less yarn than I projected - a total of 4.5 skeins of Cascade 220 Worsted in "Christmas Red".  I had 5 skeins and had initially wondered if I had enough?
• I got exact gauge, which nearly never happens, using this yarn and 5mm needles, 
• I removed the purl stitches from the lace, which gave a more streamlined appearance to the fabric in my opinion
• I made the size 37" even though that was 1" of negative ease based on my measurements, after reading project notes on Ravelry that said the lace was extremely stretchy
• I read a lot of project notes on Ravelry.  I've finally learned these are the knitters' version of the "measure twice, cut once" rule
• I'm a creature of habit when it comes to cast-on/cast off methods, but for the first time ever I used Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy bind-off.  At first it was a bit flared, but a bit of a steam and it's settled nicely.  I debated over Jeny's and this one, but in the end felt I'd forget which way to twist at some point and muck it up!  I will try the alternative on a second project, one with less stitches to cast off maybe?

The only thing I'd modify or suggest?

I think it needs pockets!

retro knitting

I feel a bit like it's all retro, all the time around here, but even more so than usual this week!

Firstly, my crochet couch granny blanket has gone from WIP to FO.

Using leftover wool, mainly Bendigo Rustic and Luxury, in shades of grey, blue and red, this has been a great project to work on in-between other projects.

I started with classic granny treble...clusters?  I'm not sure if that's what they are called if you don't pull them all together with the last chain?  My crochet friends will know, I have faith.  I got bored with those after a while, so switched to straight trebles for the border, finishing with a 5tr...shell?

I am not a natural crocheter, so I do like how you can "fudge" minor stitch errors.  And how you can just pretty well make it up as you go.

It's the perfect "couch" size, just right to ward off drafts, but not too warm as to be considered bulky.

Then my chevron scarf in Crazy Zauerball got some serious attention and it turning out so deliciously retro, I can't stop admiring it!

Red, green and yellow are not my favourite colour combo by any means usually, but there seems to be enough blending and colour surprises to keep it just off the edge of replecating traffic lights.

I'm anticipating I'm about halfway through the ball now - didn't weigh it at the start, but it doesn't really matter with this pattern.  To echo Dory, just keep knitting...