Damn, Knit & Blast It

My blog posts have been a bit negative, whiney and full of knitterly woe lately – mainly when Big Wool is being discussed

High time I tell you about a project I really like

Remember the beret I made for my sister that Thug modelled?

This one…

I liked it very much and struggled to bring myself to give it away.

So. I promised myself I’d make myself one when I’d finished Ronnie.

The same colours would be boring so I stash dived and came up with this pile of Rowan 4ply Soft.

Like an idiot, I grabbed the yarn and started without giving any thought to how the colours would work together in the stripe pattern. That’s exactly what I did with Carol’s Beret and it turned out super – what could go wrong?

I didn’t like it…..

The lilac, although lovely was far to dominant and the bright fuchia pink got lost in the lilac. I also realised I had forgotten to change needle size after the rib! What’s happening to me – I’ve not done that for years??

It’s a quick, fun knit so It wasn’t a hard decision to start again – with the right needles and more careful thought as to where the colours went.

I got about 8 rows into the reverse stocking stitch part (on the train travelling to London) and the awful truth dawned on me. I had missed the increase row at the end of the ribbing!! I really am regressing as a knitter

My train was badly delayed so I had time for some remedial work – any other time I’d have been miffed with the trains.  I carefully picked up the row of stitches at the top of the rib and separated the stocking stitch part – the teenage girl in the seat opposite was fascinated!

What I discarded looks like some kinda sea creature…

At this point I gave myself the necessary metaphorical slap and started taking a little more care – I could hear my Mum nagging me to be more careful or I’ll spoil it.

This time I did it right. I like the way the stripes are coming out too. It still looks like a discarded piece of underwear on the needles though!

One of my friends prefers the stocking stitch side – it’s not for me though – I like the “mattress ticking” effect…

Sewing up and sewing the ends in is daunting – the trouble  with stripes is that there are quite a few ends to loose in the seam…

But I was very please with how neat I managed to get the seam in the end…

Can you see where it is?

I suppose you want to see the finish hat now?

Here’s one of the hat…

And one of me modelling (allong with my birch shawl that I still need to blog!

Three guesses how Ronnie, the Big Wool Sloppy Joe turned out…

Here’s a clue…

Yep, it’s bonfire time.

I finished the beast last week but have been so disapointed, I couldn’t bring myself to blog it

It is huge.

It’s probably too huge for my sister too. I fact – it’s too huge for Ben (who is 10 inches taller than me!)

Some projects are cursed from the start – I should have know n when to stop huh?And it doesn’t suit me. I think chunky loose big wool garments on a short, slim woman are a near impossible trick to pull of without looking like…well look at the photos – you’ll see!

Here it is in all it’s glory…

OK, That’s not the most flattering shot of the garment but I had to have some fun. Try this one…

The sleeves are the right length – mainly because I read to the end of the making up instructions and you turn the edge of the cuff under so the cable is right on the edge – like this…

The neck is all wrong too. In the picture in the pattern book, the neck is a generous almost cowl next…see?

I knitted a generously long strip (the neck is knit sideways like the sleeve cuff) and tried several times to sew it on. I had knit way too much – there simply wasn’t enough neckline to sew a drapey big collar onto

What you’re seeing is the best I could manage – a slightly floppy polo neck

I tried standing more normally – a couple of guy ropes and a girl guide troupe could camp out in there…

I’m sure someone reading this out there is now thinking, “try it with a belt!”

I did…

I looked unsettling like a Dr Who alien…in fact, I could be a Sontaran!

I did have one final try at making it look good in true “Rowan photography” style – You know how it goes, sit at a peculiar angle, scrunch up the garment so you can only see half of it…etc etc…

Surprisingly this came out looking quite wearable

But the photo lies. This is easily the worst thing I have made EVER!

Knitting my sister some quick and fun hats has kicked my knitting mojo back to life.

It also helped that I had to be in the West Country this week for work so was able to make a flying visit to Carol on the way home – she loves the hats and takes half and hour to choose which one to wear  before leaving the house

Time to decide on whether to have that Big Wool Bonfire that I talked about in “Bloody Big Wool“…

I decided that I’m going to take option 3 – knit a size larger but on the original needles.

• If it fits, terrific!

• If it’s too big, my sister is eagerly poised to re home Ronnie for me (actually, I suspect she’s crossing a few limbs that it IS too big!)

• Too small? As I don’t know anyone smaller than me, we’re back to the Big Wool Bonfire.

The only saving grace about this project is that it is very quick. In just over a week I’ve done the back, front and one sleeve.

I’d like to say that Thug helped but I suspect he has been busy with  his own sideline, marketing himself at a rather nice clothing store. It’s amazing what you can have beautifully wrapped, boxed and delivered…

I am a little worried that the front (identical to the back) looks very like an apron!

The armholes are pretty much on my waist still.

I keep repeating the mantra, “It’s a sloppy joe – it’s supposed to be big. Raglan sleeves always look weird until it’s sewn up…”

The sleeve looks better…

…I’m impressed with the chunky cable cuff, knitted sideways. the edge of the strip is then picked up and the sleeve is knitted as normal.

I’m away in sunny Bristol for a few days again this week so I hope to have some quality time with my knitting in my hotel room to be able to finish Ronnie off.

I’ll let you know if it fits!

My sister has a hat need.

I have needles, an obscene amount of yarn and knit skills.

There’s only one way this can turn out

Given that my knitting has not been going well, I plumped for an easy option that I knew worked.

Do you remember the Accidental hat? (Snug from Rowan 42)

It’s this one…

I wear this all the time in winter and love it – warm, easy to wear, goes with everything and warm (I know I said warm twice – it deserves it!)

I knew I had some creamy coloured Rowan Cocoon in my stash…two evenings later I was looking for a model

My old bear, Basil, didn’t run away quickly enough but didn’t turn out to be much good at hat modeling…

So I had to step in – where’s Thug when I need him?

That wasn’t enough to meet the Hat Need.

I remembered a very old, 1970’s type bobblehat in an old Patons book…

This wonderfully useful book has been republished numerous times – my copy is the 1985 bicentenary edition! (and cost a princely 95p)

The pattern picture is hillarious…

…but it is a very good, basic hat that stays on. I love the neat decreases too.

I found 100g of Sublime Merino and whipped one up in a few evenings.

Then topped if with a huge bobble (that Carol can remove if she wants to) made of the Sublime, cream and deep purple Kidsilk Haze (Well, I have to use it up somehow!)

I was getting into my stride now and enjoying knitting for the first time in ages.

Then I found the perfect hat pattern – a French Beret in Louisa Harding’s “Hats Gloves Scarves” book.

I loved the striped option (there’s a plain, picot edge version too). It was knit in Rowan 4ply Soft – I kinda have a stash of oddments and balls from various sources

I chose 5 colours I think my sister will like and thoroughly enjoyed reverse stocking stitch stripes and the pattern in general.

I loved the contrast edging..

I loved the “target” in the middle

I loved the colours and textures together.

The only part I didn’t love was sewing up the seam accurately with mattress stitch(took some fiddle-faddle to get it lined up) and sewing in a thousand ends. I did carry the yarn up the side where possible but a few times it was at the wrong end.

I could have knit in the round but felt  the inevitable carried up unused colours and darned in ends would look messier than a careful mattress stitch seam with the ends lost in the seam.

I needed a model again…and Basil wasn’t very good (sorry Basil)…

Come here Thug….

Ben was very sheepish over Christmas (no wool related pun intended)…he was especially awkward when I was knitting…

Finally he found the courage to confess the problem…

…he’d lost his Iphone cosy I’d made for him – on the train – Grrrr!!!

If you remember, readers, he also lost a hat I’d lovingly made for him on the train too.

He whimpered and begged (rather appealingly) for me to knit him another Iphone cosy as he felt naked without it.

I made him grovel the appropriate amount then gave in graciously – I could use a quickie project to cheer up my knitting. Those of you who were thinking of any other type of “quickie” are very smutty indeed…

Again (this is the third one) we went to my Rowan 4ply soft stash and chose a colour – green this time – the last two were light grey and black – at least I’ve weaned him off the grey scale

It was such a quickie, I forgot to take photos of the work in progress but here’s the finished article and a mini pattern for you if you want one too.

Wanna see it modelled?

I’ve shaped the corners and grafted the bottom with Kitchener stitch because Ben appreciates a cute bottom

Pattern

Requirements

¼ ball Rowan 4ply soft (any 4ply or sock yarn will do – cotton isn’t recommended though)

2.25mm DPN Needles

Tension

Not really an issue!

Pattern

Cast on 36 stitches using long tail cast on and divide between needles.

Knit in K2, P2 rib until 13cm.

Arrange stitches across two needles, 18st on each  needle.

First decrease round

First needle – S1, K1, psso, patt 14 st, K2tog

Second needle – S1, K1, psso, patt 14 st, K2tog (32 st)

Next Round (no decrease)

First needle – K1, patt 14st K1.

Second needle – K1, patt 14st, K1. (32 st)

Second decrease round

First needle – S1, K1, psso, patt 12 st, K2tog

Second needle – S1, K1, psso, patt 12 st, K2tog (28 st)

Next Round (no decrease)

First needle – K14

Second needle – K14

Graft together using Kitchener stitch, darn in ends and enjoy!

I should know better.

I don’t have much luck with projects with mega chunky yarn.

So why, Oh why readers, when I was struggling to find my knitting mojo with Catrin, did I decide to splurge on 10 balls of Rowan Big wool to make this huge snuggle-fest of a jumper?

It’s Ronnie from the Kim Hargreaves book, Precious.

I suppose I thought it would be a quick, easy, rewarding project….

I cast on on 12mm needles as decreed by the pattern and knit for a whopping 42cm.

Hmmm …It didn’t look wide enough…

A check of my gauge and the learned opinions of my knitting buddies was that I was way too tight – the garment would end up around 8cm too small for me.

Bigger needles were needed. Unfortunately, the next size from 12mm is 15mm a huge jump. Why don’t they make 13mm needles?? Anybody know where I could get some?

I bravely cast on  and finished the back. My gauge was OK width wise but my stitches were too long…hmmm…that proved to be something of a problem with the raglan shaping which was written for a set number of row, not length.

As you can see the armholes would start somewhere around my hips!

The stitches seem too loose too – it was sagging quite a bit because it was so loose. This garment would be quite heavy and sag badly if left this loose.

A this point a Big Wool bonfire was being contemplated and my knitting mojo had packed it’s bags and emigrated 

I have 4 choices with this garment:

1. Abandon it and burn/reuse the expensive yarn on a different project
2. Continue in the vain hope it will all turn out OK (not bloody likely)
3. Start a third time on the original needle size but knit a bigger size to allow for my gauge issues with big wool (and possibly have to buy more yarn)
4. Continue in the original size and original needles, cross my fingers (which won’t help my gauge either) then block the hell out of it when it’s too small.

I’m tending towards option 3 – knit a bigger size. I liked the density of the fabric the original needles created way better than the too loose on 15mm.

I really, really need a successful, fun project to kick start my knitting mojo or I’m gonna need a new hobby

Next time I’m tempted to knit something on broom sticks – someone slap me – please!

The observant among you may have noticed I’ve not posted much of what I’ve been knitting recently-there’s a reason for that.  It’s not been going so well.

Thug and Mewsley have been having a tough time settling in to the new house and they haven’t been up to writing their usual contributions to the site or helping me with the knitting.

So. First the knitting update.

Before I moved…when I was hyper and frantic to, ‘just get on with it’,  I started Catrin, from Rowan Classic Heartland.  I chose a glorious choccie brown flecked Rowan Silky Tweed.

This pattern

From this book

Firstly, the choccie brown – I’m not sure the complicated cable pattern will be done justice with the dark colour and the flecks confusing it. My knitterly friend (whom I trust) said it’d be fine – I carried on.

Here’s a progress shot – I’m up to the armholes on the back…

Secondly, this pattern is charted needs good eyesight, to see the chart and to see the knitting! This is a problem – I’m at “that age” where I’ve suddenly started need my glasses. And I need to have my glasses upgraded.

Even my close up is blurry!

On top of this slight hiccup, I managed to bust my favourite lamp in the move. The new living room has poor ceiling lights so I’m knitting in the dark. With out of date glasses – if I remember to put them on 

Can you understand yet why not much has happened???

I’ve now got a new lamp and bought some snazzy new stronger glasses

But in the mean time, while sorting out those little issue, I started another problematic project…but that’s for another post !

On to the kitty cats.
Several of you have enquired about the furry beasts and how they are doing “post move”…
On the day of the move, we had cleared one room completely and put all their favourite toys, blankets, cushions and food by a nice warm radiator for them. They also were treated to anti-anxiety drugs, on advice of the vet, as they are rather old and set in their ways (18 years old in April!!)

Mewsley was terrified and spaced out and hid in her “Migloo” like a good cat. (thats a fabric cat Igloo …. Mewsley + Igloo = Migloo) .

Thug went hyperactive and wrestled his way out of the bedroom (with much meowing) and tried to investigate what was going on. He chased several removal men around the flat. My heart went out to him – It’s the first time in a long time that I’ve seen him really frustrated with being blind and not being able to see what’s happening. Eventually he wore himself out and sprawled in the middle of the living room floor and went to sleep. Luckily my removal men were cat lovers and they tiptoed around him

In the new house…
Mewsley:
Mewsley was terrified. Mewsley crept into our bed, under the duvet and hid…for 2 days. At night she came out and slept on my pillow – or cuddled me in the bed. She hadn’t eaten so, worried, I bought food and water upstairs and put it just outside the bedroom door.

After a huge scoff and an hour’s sleep she was a new cat. Wanting cuddles, exploring, scampering up and down the stairs (that’s a novelty if you’ve been living in a flat).

She’s still happiest in the bedroom, but now it’s beside the radiator or on the bed. Downstairs is still rather scary….

Thug:

Thug was his usual brave, fearless self. He set about stomping around mapping every room. Unfortunately, his elderly, walnut sized, post brain tumour brain got a little confused by the scale of the change. He got lost and confused. I could see him trying to walk the same route he’s had in the flat. Heartbreaking

We’ve had a lot of sleepless nights with Thug too. There has been meowing. Lots of it. At 3am to 4am to 5am. And a bit more during the day.

I suddenly have sympathy for parents of teething toddlers!

First, he wanted to go out – I taught him the route through the utility room, out into the conservatory, out a second cat flap into the garden. Where he drinks some rainwater from a muddy puddle and comes back in again – I do change his water bowl daily but muddy rainwater is clearly superior.

Then he was meowy because he was lost and lonely, I taught him how to find us (half asleep) in bed.

Then he was cold overnight… again, he’s got the hang of cuddling up on the bed , usually around my feet (handy that – I get cold feet!)

Now we’re down to “I’ve just come in from the garden and I’m gonna meow-ow-ow to let everyone know I own this place” type meowing – 5 or 6 yowls then it stops – sometimes I can sleep through it!

I have been seriously sleep-deprived over the last month and was starting to have most uncharitable thoughts about my furry ginger companion.

He’s settling now and  has started to discover we have a big garden, and a pond, and fish – exploring is high on his agenda for the summer.

Right now he’s happy that his Mum is nearby on her computer and he’s found his basket, thoughtfully placed by the radiator next to his Mum’s desk so he’s available to for a 30 second head scratch at short notice.

Thug and Mewsley have promised they will help me sort Catrin out,…once they’ve had a little nap….

(Yes they are lounging on my denim blankie!)

“Wow” said Ben,

“Homebase have an offer of great big bales of wool. You’d like that wouldn’t you? Get your coat – that’s this weekend’s project!!”

Sightly confused at the prospect of Homebase selling yarn, but eager to to buy bales of wool for a project, I followed Ben eagerly…

Unfortunately, he had neglected to mention he meant “Earthwool“.

Not some fabulous yarn but carbon neutral loft insulation made from recycled glass bottles.

I’ve never tried spinning but I suspect that even the most ardent spinner would have trouble making this into something knitable … might be a bit scratchier than pure lambswool…

So this is the “6 huge balls of  Wool” I ended up with…

So the weekend was spent insulating the loft and boarding an area so we can store  that “need it once in five years” kinda junk out of the way.

I won’t bore you with all the details but it did involve 2 drills, a jigsaw and a laser guided circular saw. Also a very attractive outfit for the job…

I’m the one on the left – I’ve never felt so desirable

So why did I go along with Ben’s “Woolly Deception”?

Because, I can’t move in my soon to be knit room – it’s full of non knitting junk…

This way I can get the junk  in the loft…

One step closer to my knitting paradise… 

The great house move has happened!

We’re in the new house and we’re in that manic mood swinging place where one minute the house is fabulous and the next we’re despairing and wailing, “what have we done?”

We bought from an old lady who clearly hadn’t been able to manage the house for some time. It’s filthy – years of filth and neglect and DIY left undone. Not to mention the spider colonies  in need of eviction!

It’s gradually getting there – Slowly  getting cleaner.  I’ve deployed some serious power tools to slash & burn the overgrown shrubs in the garden and I’m fixing the broken stuff one item at a time – although I can’t decide if my favourite so far was the bath sealant strip held in place with chewing gum (discovered when our showering seeped through the bathroom floor and flooded the hall way) or the toilet cistern -containing a nice blue bleach block- constantly overflowing through the wonderfully sited overflow pipe right over the front door! Come and visit and get a free blue rinse anyone??

I could write all night about the new house but this is a knitting blog so I’ll tell you how the important knitty stuff has faired with the move.

Firstly, you’ll notice I’ve not blogged – lack of internet and too damned busy -  I’m hoping you’ll understand!

The only knitting I’ve  done has been on a Sunday morning with the Guilty Knitters. I have been crazy busy but I felt I had to hang on to this one island of knitting in my week – Ben enjoyed getting some quality time with his Xbox360  too.

So not much to report on the knitting front

In a recent post, Dawn asked how I was moving my stash in “the great house move”.

For most of my readers , to you, that would mean picking up a basket or box or suitcase of yarn and adding it to the pile of boxes.

For me, dear readers, stash relocation became a major project.

First there were the knitting books to pack.  You’d think two boxes would do it?

Just a few books on that shelf…two boxes full maybe? ..

And my other shelf of books and leaflets in the cupboard…

And my near complete collection of rowan mags…

And the books I use a lot that are by the sofa…

I carefully labelled the boxes “knit books”…

That was a mistake – my removals men were a little flabbergasted,
“Just how many boxes of Knit Books do you have?”

Hmmm…There’s 6 boxes here

And another two in the bedroom!

Yep, 8 stuffed full boxes of knitting related books, booklets, leaflets and magazines.

Can you imaging the look on the removals men’s faces when they encountered my yarn stash?

When I packed my yarn stash up, I confess, I was shocked by the sheer volume of yarn. I bought from IKEA, some special “stash bags” like this…

They are called “Dimpa” and measure 65 x 22 x 65cm and are dust proof, damp resistant, polypropelene webbing. The zip opens across the top and halfway down each side too – making them good for stuffing big quilts in as well as yarn.

Very reasonable at £3.29!

Would you believe I filled 3 of these?

…and that was on top of my 4 usual “underbed storage boxes” and a big ikea cardboard box! Poor removals men

In case you’re wondering how I find my yarn – it’s all catalogued carefully on Ravelry along with it’s stashbag location. Each type of yarn is sealed in a freezer bag too (since my encounter with moths!)

Like this…

All that’s left now is to get my Guest bedroom/Knit room set up. It’ll have a sofa bed for the guests, giving me somewhere to sit and knit and read knit books. And some much nicer storage for my yarn.

Just the rest of the house to sort out first then I can get to the yarn room – What more motivation do I need?