Spin me a tale

Damn stupid sweater
Mutter, mutter, mutter.

As predicted, the sweater is not going as well as could be wished.

But one thing I love about this blog, is the challenge to not bore people to death with a sea of badly knitted blue, it’s quite a motivator. Not only to try and speed along with the knitting, but to also to take a bit of a break from the monotony, just so that I’ve got something else to blog about.

So today… Spinning!

My first “plyed” bobbin from my spinning wheel.
This is one yarn of the merino silk I was working on a while ago, and one strand of the pure alpaca I was complaining about.

I’m getting the knack with the alcapa. Because its quite a springy sort of fleece (at least compared to my smoooooooth marnio) it bunches really really quickly if you don’t have a decent spinning technique (which I don’t, yet), so I’ve spent a lot of time swearing and cursing and getting yarn full of lumps and bumps.
But I think I’ve got it (touch wood).

Don’t draft from the middle, draft from the edge. Go down one side, and up the other.
It’s probably not correct technique, but it seems to do the trick with this fleece at least.

The other thing i noticed was how much thicker my yarn is. When I first started spinning I was completely obsessed with socks (ok, I still am, but moving right along). So what I was trying to spinning was a sock weight yarn. this is really really hard, or at least for me it is. To try and get something that thin, and to try and, keep it even.

I’m a new spinner, so I’m quite ok with the fact that my resulting yarn could only be called ‘artistic’ if youd just polished off several bottles of good scotch. I’ll get better.

But what amused me was realizing, no that I have jersey patterns I want to knit, I’m starting to spin more of a dk worsted weight yarn.

Spinning is a wonderful journey of self-discovery.

However, I really do think I’m going to have to master crochet at the same time.
granny squares.
What else am i going to do with ‘samples’ of assorted, and badly spun yarn?
I’m quite taken with the idea of creating a blanket of granny squares that can ‘show off’ my growth as a spinner.

But that’s my break over, back to bad cable.

And so it begins

Well, I made it!
I’ve done the stocking stitch phase of the back…I’m now up to the dinky cable bits woohoo.

One row in and so far I’ve done a cable front when I should have been doing a cable back…but other than that I whizzed along my row, redoing the stitches as I repeat the same error (in time to catch it before going to far).

And then I get to the last 5 stitches.
And it’s not going to work.
I need to k4,c4b and k1

If you’re wondering what the grey weave is, its to help me count. Obviously I’m a moron who has no ability to count to 182, or I wouldn’t now have found myself 3 stitches short (so I weave a thread through at 10 stitch intervals and count them when I’m done).

Obviously I’m not going to undo all this, just no a blooming hope (I am so very, very, glad that I’m not a perfectionist…actually, right about now I should probably glad I’m unlikely of going on to develop some sort of knitting OCD).
But what I am debating is how far back along the row I need to unpick in order to add a few stitches without making it too obviously I’ve ballzed things up. Or can I just be really, really, lazy and just add the stitches at the point I’m at now.

Thinking the change in patter will discuise a multitude of my sinning.

Ah, the joys of knitting.
And we do these things for fun!
Madness.

Still plodding along

I’m very excited about this jersey…today I’ve got to 29cm!
Woohoo
Only 5 more to go and I’ll be on to the fun bit of constantly ripping back cable patterns (I am secure in the in knowledge there is no way I’m going to be able knit this pattern and have it look like this pattern at the end).

Because I’ve been taking this everywhere with me (I am so trendy right now) I find myself constantly measuring to see if we’re there yet (I swear the yarn has turned this car around more than once), to aid this obsession I got out the old permanent marker an measured out my 30cm & 4cm marks.

It’s very convenient being able to just wave the spare needle at the work and see how far far far away I am, so now I’m wondering why on earth they don’t manufacture needles with measurements?

However, as they say, there is no such thing as an original idea, I must go hunt out google and see who sells such a thing.

Row by row by row by row

You are kidding me!

This!
This is all I have?!

Yesterday I was at 16.5cm
Today I’ve managed to get to a staggering 20cm

I’ve been knitting for hours!

We went to dinner at a friends, so I got to sit and knit solidly for several hours while we chatted away.

Does knitting have some time distortion properties? Did I think I was knitting longer than I really was?
Could I bottle this effect and save it for my next deadline?

Worst thing…this is going to slow down dramatically at the patterning.
*shudder*

Another entry of the worst most boring blog tomorrow.

Row by row by row

Yeap.
Still knitting.

But the guilt of delivering blog posts day after day of nothing but row updates is making me knit faster.
Waiting for kettle to boil…I knit
Waiting for computer to load…I knit
Waiting for husband to get ready…I knit
Sitting on the phone…I knit
Playing fetch with the dog…I knit

And yet, this is what I have to show for it:

Because pictures don’t always share the pain, what you’re looking at is 16.5cm of stocking stitch.

Hey, I’m halfway there.
At this rate, it will be done in time for next winter.
Just wish it wasn’t 3c last night.
I need more woolens in my life.

Row by row

So I’m 10cm in on my 36cm stocking stitch.
I’m afraid this is rapidly going to become THE most boring blog ever.
Yay, everyone should do something well right?

If course, this is what I’m knitting…

See all that fancy shmancy cable once I get past this stocking stitch? Yep, I foresee a blog not fit for small children coming up soon.

It’s gonna be great!

Trying to grow up

Ok, that title is a complete lie, I’m not really trying to grow up, but I have put my big girl needles on.

Ladies and gentlemen…I have started a jersey. A big person jersey.

Its the first jersey l’ve started to knit in over 15 years, and no, I’ve never finished a jersey (although I did once do the sleeves and back of one, so I’ve come close)

I’ve momentarily mislaid the pattern so picture of what it should look like once finished will come another day. At the moment I just need to do 18inches or so of stocking, so I can cope without out the pattern.

This using long needles after all the little projects I’ve done lately is doing my head it, damn things keep getting in the way.

I should possibly mention that what you see here is the result of three days. Although I did do two gauge swatches as well. (seems my gauge is rooted, so I’m going to stick with the pattern and try this blocking thing people talk about)

But there you have it folks.
I am attempting to graduate from socks.

This could become the worlds most boring blog, one picture of a knitted row at a time.

Wonder if that could ever become an Internet meme #OneRowADay

Love…knitting (hate pattern testing)

I’m still using up some on the wool left over from my Christmas socks (the divinely warm, but easily feltable, alpaca-wool-silk), and I wanted to try something from my new knitting book. Fingerless gloves seemed the perfect idea to try and keep my hands warm and still allow for typing and knitting, so away I went.

And I discovered how amazingly bad some books are.

I could not find where etratas might be hidden, so couldn’t verify the errors, but I’m pretty sure that when you k2tog you don’t normally end up with more stitches.
The pattern was just bizarre.
I’m not an experienced knitter, so I do try to follow the pattern as faithfully as I can, at least the first time, but the thing I regret the most about that attitude was following the really really crappy cast off for the fingers.
In hindsight it was probably supposed to be a standard seen bind off (think Kitchener stitch), but instructions were to just “pull through” each stitch.

I think I also need to grow my thumb by an extra inch to really get a “finger”less effect (rather than the current fingernail less effect.

Still…

Once I’ve got all those ends woven in they’ll be pretty darn warn.

Although I’m told my colour choices may get me beaten up if I wear them in public…I like to think its just jealousy talking.

Toddler Bricks

Well, let this be a lesson to you…when buying a new washing machine, avoid the new fangdangled one with no centre agitator and automated settings.

I put a movie on, and sat down and the skink to learn the fine art of hand felting.

I’m proud to say that i managed to mostly get one of the dissected bunny slippers felted to about the size it should be.
The other one is just going to have to weight for me to develope more muscle tone.
And I stopped with the ears when I realized I had two.

I really am going to have to rename this blog to something more “accurate”.
Rather than an interesting exploration of a capitalists conversion to a “hippy” lifestyle, it seems to have become a running commentary on ways I make a better capitalist than I ever will a hippy.
Maybe I need to watch more Green Acres episodes.

But yes, I have an earless bunny.
“knit two” didn’t quite translate into “for each foot” in my brain.

Still, first time felting was awfully good fun.

Unfortunately these things turn out to be as heavy as small bricks, and I’m pretty sure if I actually force any child to wear them i’ll be arrested by child welfare for unfair restraint of a child.

However, if anyone has a really actively toddler they’d like to have stay in one place for a while, let me know and I’ll pass on the pattern

KimoNO slippers

I got a bit bored with the socks.
Maybe my sock fetish is finally coming to an end?
Naaaah, I didn’t think so either.

But I am a bit ho-hum with things at the moment, so I thought I’d try something new.

These, in fact…

They’re the cutest little baby slippers in a “Kimono” style.

Sadly, there are two problems with these slippers.
The first, they’re crochet.
This is a problem because I can’t crochet beyond something resembling finger knitting.

Second, they’re an intermediate to advanced skill level.

Just the perfect challenge right?
*scoff*

My first issue is trying to work out how to find the right sized hook in my supply of yarny implements.
I guessed.
Next issue…ummm… Tension?huh? What’s that?

Third issue… You want me to what?

I was sort of going ok.

See…

Until row 6
Ch 1, 2 sc in front st, sc in each st across with 2 sc in last st, turn.

Yeah.

Ah ha. Yes. Hmmm.

Who’s stupid idea what it to make the first project a fancy teeny tiny baby bootie?

Sheeese.

So now I’m off to google, and YouTube, and see if modern technology can educate me, not just provide my a vehicle to complain about my lack of working grey matter.