August 2004 Archives

Audrey

I do hope she fits when she is all sewn together.

I didn't make a start to the neck edging last night as I wanted to watch the closing ceremony of the Olympics and decided that some knitting which didn't require much concentration was needed. I have been staring at Jane for some time as she sits close by in her basket and thought I would see just how much of her was done as I could not recall.

Jane is from Rowan's book - A Yorkshire Fable which came out early September last year .

Jane

I had completed half the back and one and a half sleeves. Last night I finished the second sleeve and did 2/3 of the left front and began the armhole shaping of the back. Jane is knitted in Rowan Yorkshire Tweed and I had forgotten just how lovely and quick this yarn is to knit with. The downside could yet be to come being the button band and buttonhole band which requires picking up rather a few stitches.

The bulk of the jacket is done in the aran and I am using shade 417 tusk with the edging done in the 4 ply shades 267 Sheer and 264 barley.

Moving on to other projects Eva has done a fabulous job on Karis, a design from Rowan's magazine 36.

Karis

Doesn't it look gorgeous. The pattern calls for 3 balls of kid silk haze but Eva used Cherry Tree Merino Lace yarn (colourway: Martha's Vineyard) and Rowan Kid Silk Haze (shade 600 - Dewberry). I wonder if it would be easier than Birch? I need to study the pattern a little closer but I think one thing is for sure you don't have to cast on 299 stitches!

Poncho's are definitely in this autumn. I went in to town earlier today and had a wander round the shops and saw many a poncho!

I also went in to Waterstones and they had a copy of Debbie Bliss’s new book Junior Knits.

I don't very often buy pattern books for children but I couldn't resist this one.

The patterns are for children aged 3 to 10. I have 3 nephews Bradley who is 5 on Friday, Sam aged 10 and David who is 16.

So with Bradley being only 5 I thought there is still time for me to knit him something from this book and the sizing looks very generous so I think they would fit Sam as well. I can't find any pictures on line to show but there is a pattern Max for a great baseball-style jacket with a zip knitted in soft merino aran which looks tempting and the largest actual chest measurement is a 40 1/4 inch - do you think it would fit someone else?

I knitted an aran jumper for both David and Sam when they were younger and they wore them alot. Bradley inherited Sam's to wear for a couple of winters. Earlier this year I knitted bradley a jumper with Thomas the Tank Engine on the front - he loves it. One day I will get a photo of him in it!

I got carried away with finishing the sleeves of Audrey and forgot that I had to block before sewing up. I have just pinned out the sleeves to my board.

So whilst I wait on Audrey I shall finish off David's jumper - it is so close.....

Oh yes and there is the neck edging for Audrey to do.

Audrey now has a back, a front and 2 sleeves - hooray...

Tomorrow I shall begin sewing the pieces together and also cast on for the neck edging. I do need to study the pattern for the neck edging as it is a lace pattern and I haven't done much lace knitting.

I am very much looking forward to finishing Audrey and judging by the weather these last few days I shall be just in time to start wearing it.

Have a great Bank Holiday week-end and happy knitting.

Well I just couldn't resist having a go. This is a first for me and my patience isn't the best so I was expecting a few tangles but with the assistance of David we actually got quite a good little run going and many balls were wound.

Yarn Swift

Ball winder

The yarn for my Absolutely Fabulous Throw Kit has gone from this

to this

to this

A ball of Colinette - Skye

and yes the other 7 skeins were wound to balls aswell.

I have chosen to do the stripes throw and hope to start it in a few weeks time and since I will have plenty of knitting time I am doing lots of planning. Back in March I thought I was young enough to do the can can and clearly I wasn't - well there will be no more can canning for me as I have to have a minor operation on the knee shortly which will mean sitting still for best part of 2 weeks.

Happy Knitting

My yarn swift and ball winder have been selected. I have got one from Fibre Crafts.

Fibre Crafts are based near Guildford and looking at their website they have a good selection of craft accessories and books.

Will post pictures of it in action soon.

Whilst my job is very demanding one of the good things about it is that I get to be out and about a lot. Of late I have frequently found myself near to The Cotswolds but with no time to stop and wander. So on a sunny day at the week-end what better to do than to to take a leisurely drive to visit a Yarn shop.

As we approached the High Street of Burford it appeared very busy - would we find anywhere to park?

Burford High Street

Yes we did....

What a lovely view from the top of the street and as you wander down on your right you will find

Burford Needlecraft

This shop is a little nest of many crafts including tapestry, cross-stitch, needlepoint and embroidery. Then downstairs there is a room filled with yarn, pattern books and single patterns. They stock Rowan, Jaeger, Noro and Colinette.

Needless to say I couldn't leave without purchasing something......

I treated myself to some Colinette Mohair in shade Sahara and Giotto in shade Cezanne to make a jumper for the winter.

Colinette Mohair - Sahara

The Colinette looked so attractive all hung up in its hanks - such beautiful colours. I hope one day to visit Colinette who are based in Llanfair Caereinion, Powy, Wales.

Rowanette, Jill Richards, visited early in the year and kindly purchased one of their Absolutely Fabulous Throw Kits for me. Jill was unsure of the colour scheme in my house but her choice was perfect - colourway Sedona.

Colinette Throw Kit

So what do I need now but a yarn swift and ball winder as I have rather a few skeins to wind.

Audrey is still in progress

Sleeve number 1

Sleeve number 2

So I shall soon be on to the lace neck which will be interesting. Meanwhile I am off to finish the second sleeve of Audrey.

Happy Knitting.

Well Audrey now has a back and front and good progress is being made on the first sleeve.

Here she is.....

I completed the second side over the course of the week-end and cast on the first sleeve yesterday whilst watching the diving at the olympics. The sleeve should be a quick knit as it is k2,p2 rib all the way with a little shaping but there is of course 2 of them!

Talking of sleeves - yes David's jumper now has 2. I think David is slowly beginning to believe that after all these years he will have a jumper hand-knitted by his wife.

Happy Knitting.

I have this evening finished sewing up Bel Air.

Bel Air

This is knitted in Rowan Cotton Braid and I used a shade called Picasso.

It is a little bit too warm to wear the jumper at present but I have tried it on and am pleased with the finished garment. I am sure when october arrives we will get plenty of cooler weather to wear many a jumper.

I have made a little more progress on Audrey this week and am almost up to the armholes of the front. Again it is too warm for this jumper as well but I will be well prepared when the cooler weather descends.

I received my Fall edition of Vogue Knitting this morning. I have had a brief glance through and there looks to be some lovely things among it.

I plan to spend a leisurely couple of hours tomorrow looking through this and also Rowan Book 36 which arrived last week-end. I am however restraining from starting anything from either of them as you all know there are "things" on the needles still.

I visited John Lewis in Reading today to see if they had any of the new yarns or books but came away disappointed - nothing to be seen.

I am off to have another go at the i-cord on Martini.

Happy Knitting.

I have been away for a weeks break. We travelled to York City on Monday and stayed there for 2 nights before driving to Scarborough on Thursday morning to stay there Thursday and Friday night.

I arrived home last night to a pile of post amongst which was a jiffy envelope containing "Spaced Out" which has been lined by Rowanette Liz Jenks. I absolutely love it to death even if I did knit it myself.

All buttoned and beaded

Spaced Out fits so snug under ones arm

The lining

Liz really has done a beautiful job of lining my bag and she even made me a little insert for the bottom so it holds its shape.

Something tells me this bag will be used alot and if anyone is thinking about knitting it I would say please do....

Whilst away I did not find all that much time to knit but I must have walked miles especailly whilst in York being a tourist.

There will be pictures to follow of me knitting in such places as

The Top of York Minster Tower

On a steam train from Scarborough to York - sadly it was not the Flying Scotsman as we had planned as it was poorly but I did get to see it in the workshop at The National Train Museum.

You will all recognise what I am knitting - yes it is David's jumper and I can confidently say this project is definitely on the downward stretch to completion so a photo may be appearing shortly of one completed "Green Jumper".

Audrey stayed at home so no progress to report on her I am afraid.

Before I went I did of course suss out any yarn stores in North Yorkshire where according to the Rowan website there were 3 in the area. I did visit Craft Basics in York but they only had a very limited supply of Rowan. I also visited Filey where there is a shop called Beachcomber who stock Rowan but I never managed to search them out. Bobbins in Whitby was a little north of where we were so I never got to visit.

There were a few other craft shops in York but they stocked mainly cross-stitch and tapestries.

I also arrived home to Rowan Book 36 which I have had a brief glance through and convinced myself I need not start anything new just yet.

Confession time - I am late starting my Denim People Knit Along. I only hope the ladies Polly and Eva will still let me join in.

I am off now to enjoy the sunshine and cook dinner on the barbecue.

Happy Knitting...