Liberty

The Most Beautiful Store in the World

On Monday I took a trip to Liberty of London, truly the most beautiful store in the world, with a friend who is a sometime knitter/crocheter. We were fairly restrained in the yarn sale, but below is a picture of my spoils - 6 skeins of Little Big Wool in Amethyst, and Rowan Studio 13 to knit something with it, and 3 balls of navy Regia Softy for socks. My friend went mad with the Regia Softy, and also bought some Little Big Wool
After lunch in the cafe, we spent hours touching all the beautiful clothes, lingerie, linen etc etc, dreaming of a life where we would only shop at this store...

Spoils!

Lace scarf

Vintage bed jacket

Jo sharp beret

Kaffe fasset ribbed handwarmers

One row handspun scarf

Update

I have been very remiss and really need to provide an update on WIPs (there are way, way too many!)
Currently OTK:
- Bridie (only a bit of the left front and one sleeve to do!)
- 1940s vest (nearly one side complete)
- Footlights cardigan, from the wonderful Popknits
- Socks in Regia "Hundertwasser" self patterning yarn, from the Vogue Basic Sock Pattern (but have left this pattern at work, so they won't be progressing until January 5th!)

Currently waiting to be sewn up (might happen today):
- Quick Knit Jacket from Jo Sharp Issue 3

Recently finished:
- Vintage bedjacket in DB silk
- Lace scarf from Simply Knitting November (xmas/birthday present)
- The Yarn Harlot's One Row Handspun scarf in some sparkly handspun from Australia
- Men's Rustic Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts (xmas present)
- Kaffe Fasset yarn Ribbed Handwarmers (my own pattern)
- Jo Sharp Beret in Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran, slightly felted to improve the fit

Thinking about casting on:
- Anise from Rowan Newshapes
- Cropped waistcoat from Rowan Studio 13

Lots of casting on means lots of FOs - at some point! Stay tuned for photos of all the above.

Bed jacket thus far

Strictly Vintage

Ok, so just having one thing on the needles didn't last too long (maybe a week...). But both Bridie and the I Knit London day fashion show have caused me to look again through my vintage knitting books, and to start two projects:

the 1940 vest, pictured in posts below, both original and my growing version, which I am knitting in Regia Bamboo Colour sock yarn, on 2.5 mm needles. It grows surprisingly fast for such a small guage, and looks and feels very, very pretty. The bamboo is supersoft and light, with a gentle lustre, and beautiful stitch definition.

from the same book and photos to follow, a bedjacket, which I am knitting in Debbie Bliss Pure Silk, in dk wieght on 4mm needles. The pattern is lovely, the silk is awful to work with. I don't think that's because its silk, but I think (unfortunately) the DB silk is not great quality, when compared with the sadly missed Jaeger silk, for example.

The original 1940 vest!

1940 vest

Just One Thing

A very rare occurance has happened to me - I have Just One Thing on the needles. It's Bridie (see a pic below if you scroll down) - and I have completed a sleeve, most of the back, and part of both fronts. I need more yarn, and fear the possible mismatching dye lots. Bridie is being knitted in RYC cashsoft dk in burgundy (bands only), and Jarol Heritage dk in coffee (body and sleeves). The Jarol Heritage is a budget yarn, but is beautfully soft and shimmery - I would definately use it again.

Bridie was worked on all Friday evening with a knitting friend, Sunday morning with Guilty Knitters, and Sunday evening on a train journey from Bournemouth to Bromley. I love feeling this focussed - but it won't last.

Inspiration

Along with the other Guilty Knitters, I attended the fantastic I Knit London day on Saturday 6th, and was lucky enough to hear the Yarn Harlot speak, despite never actually having been an avid reader of her blog. I enjoyed her talk very much, and went home and told my partner all about it, so we now have a joke whenever I zone out - "are you in Theta?"

There were other inspiring things at the day, and the highlights for me were the Stitch in Time fashion show (for which one Guilty Knitter - not me - had knitted an item!), the Black Hills stall, and just lots of ideas for interesting projects, which I have boiled down to 2:

- inspired by A Stitch in Time: a vintage bedjacket, for which I will be buying some 4 ply silk/cotton, and using a 1940s pattern book.

- an alpaca wrap, knitting hopefully to the Black Hills Riverina Shawl pattern out of some alpaca I bought when on honeymoon in Argentina 3 years ago...

Previously posted are pictures of all my summer holiday knitting, but I have a meeting to go to now so more on that another time.

Baby cardi no 2

Baby cardi no 1

Bridie goes slow

De-cluttering

I finished two objects last night, without even really thinking about it or planning it - it just happened organically. Pictures will follow of the Undulating Rib socks and the Pear Tree merino cropped cardigan, both of which I'm very happy with. I hadn't had a lot to do on either; a few ends on the cardigan to weave in, the toe of the second sock to sort out. I did it whilst watching Andy Murray's amazing performance at Wimbledon.

Charmayne has asked for 3 baby cardignans and 2 hats for Joshua, so the first cardigan is ONK; a simple, plain cardigan (from an old Simply Knitting) in Debbie Bliss Cathay in a French Navy colourway I'd bought in a sale and had languising in the stash cupboard. Baby stuff knits up fast and this should be finished by the weekend (and maybe a hat too), after which I'll break from the baby stuff for a while to pick up Bridie; I have a few plans for her and the previews of the Dylan Thomas film "The Edge of Love" have made me long for 40s cardigans worn with tea dresses and boots...

Dragon fly wash cloth

Undulating rib sock no 1

Sock Addict

Well never let it be said I do not follow a trend (even though its taken me a long time to follow this one!) - I think I am officially addicted to sock knitting. I ripped the too-big sock mentioned in my previous post and now have 1 beautiful Undulating Rib sock, a perfect fit. And the second one has been started - but already my attention has begun to wane, and I am fantasising about knitting a Kaffe Fassett-style patchwork inspired cushion cover or two, using an old Rowan mag as a design template. I may sort out the colours for this project tomorrow. Expect an update soon!

Took my undulating rib half finished to sock to knitting group yesterday and my worst fears were confirmed - the experienced eyes there told me it was going to be too big to be a snug sock! I had wondered; as I cast on more stitches than called for because I'd gone down massively in needle size to get guage on the Regia.

So - I have two options: live with it, or rip. If I rip, these socks will sure come out slower than I hoped!

Onto other knitting news: the felted bag is fab! Its soft, comfy and fits everything, doesn't stretch out and I feel lovely wearing it. The straps I added to the FK boob tube have made it much more wearable, and Julia's scarf is ready for our outing to Sex and the City on Friday night.

And my Pear Tree Merino athropologie-inspired-capelet-inspired cropped cardigan is done to the underarms - now I'm going to add a lace pattern, BUT WHICH ONE?
Stay tuned, pics will follow.

Clematis

Bitten by the sock bug

I am feeling very, very virtuous as I finished FOUR projects while in France... So of course I had the urge to cast on yesterday - and subsequently one Undulating Rib Sock (from Interweave's Favourite Socks) in Regia 4 ply sock yarn is OTN. I am loving it, and even got up earlier than normal this morning to complete anothe half a pattern repeat. Now all I can think about is socks... that DB silk would make lovely silk stockings. That Jaeger Luxury Tweed lovely boot socks. You get my drift. Expect another sock update soon - I am seriously tempted by EZ's suggestion that a commuter could make 26 pairs of socks in a year. Could she be right? Should I attempt?

Felted bag

Cash Iroha socks

The Second Sock

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the second of any pair of socks begun will a) languish for many months as the knitter moves on to newer, more interesting and desired projects and b) that the second sock when begun will be neater and with tighter and altogether better tension than the first.
Dear readers, I am finishing the Cash Iroha slouch socks from Noro Designer Mini-Knits whilst on a few days holiday in Strasbourg. I am hoping to finish a few other projects too, so watch this space.

Nothing that I knit is working out at the moment. When I feel like this, I think maybe its time to stop knitting from patterns for a while. I'm terrible at following patterns, and I always adapt them - then things don't work out. At the moment the list of disasters is as follows:

Convertible Cardigan - keep missing things I'm supposed to do in the pattern. Don't want to do pockets as think it will be too bulky. Don't like the cable. Don't like the selvedge. Its going to be ripped!

Bridie - beautiful pattern but hubbie pointed out (correctly) last weekend that I never really wear those russet-y autumnal colours.

Also knitting a baby hat for yet another newborn in my circle of friends. Using a lovely yarn I won in a Simply Knitting competition - Regia Bamboo sock yarn. However, didn't use one of my usual patterns and the stitch count doesn't work out for this new-to-me pattern.

I used to think it was me (and often it most definately is), but also I've become much more cynical about patterns recently, through talking with other knitters. Sometimes, they're not well written. Sometimes they're wrong. Now I know why - designers are paid peanuts for patterns, and are usually under tight deadlines when producing them. But its annoying when you work on something, using expensive yarn, and it just won't work.

Tonight: a break from knitting and some reading for the (knitting) soul by Elizabeth Zimmerman I think!

Bridie

Here is beautiful Bridie, so far. I started all in one piece, before realising that there was no way (or at least no way that I could think of) to incorporate the increases whilst keeping the lattice pattern intact. So I have split at the first increase, and am working up the back.

Gift knitting, own knitting

Lately all I have been doing with this blog is photojournaling. But I've not had much to say, as lots of my knitting since Christmas has felt routine or for gifts. Until I was suddenly inspired this week to start not one, but TWO new projects, both from the inspiring book Knit Knit:
Twinkle's Convertible Cardigan in Rowan Ribbon Twist, having had a nightmare trying to get gauge on everything else I tried with this yarn I realised when flicking through the book I am spot on for this lovely cardigan.

and

Anna Bell's beautiful Bridie (assymetric cardigan), in stash yarn - RYC cashsoft in burgundy for the welts and bands and some stashed camel coloured sirdar snuggly for the main - not luxurious but soft. I have become obssessed with knitting this cardigan and even happily skipped choir practice last night, mostly because I was tired, but partly because curling up on the sofa with Bridie and Season 4 of the West Wing just seemed so much better than braving the biting east wind and a cold church.

Photos of both will follow.

I can justify beginning two new projects of course - I have finished a number of things that had been languishing (see the many photos below), and I have made significant progress on the City and Guilds module (only one and a half samples left to do! And one more design activity!). On my lunch break now, my fingers are twitching to do another round on Bridie.

Baby hat with earflaps

To be sent to baby Joshua, after washing and blocking. It will keep his ears cosy in the coming Adelaide winter. Yarn: Patons Fairytale dk Colour 4 Me. Pattern: A conglomeration of internet research on earflap hats for babies, with the addition of Leaf Lace pattern from a stitch treasury borrowed from my local library.

Glen hat

After my husband left his coat at an event in Newcastle (with hat and gloves in the pockets) I whipped up this Glen Hat from Martin Storey's Classic Tweed for him in Wensleydale Sheep Shop dk 100% wool. Despite our cold spring its too warm for him - so I've been happily wearing it in the garden and at the allotment.

Coquette tube top

A quick, experiemental knit from Steph Japel's Fitted Knits. Will I wear it?? Well, I wore it to a friend's house for dinner last weekend - when this picture was taken. Maybe. Pattern: Coquette Lace Tube Top. Yarn: White is Debbie Bliss cashmerino aran, black is sirdar bonus wool rich. Ribbon - from Woolworths. This was a stash project.

Carie Cropped Cardigan

A stash project using Gedifra Byzanz bought at a weak moment during a visit to Liberty's haberdashery department. Fun, but its wearability is a little limited. Pattern: Carie Cropped from Fitted Knits. Yarn: Gedifra Byzanz.

Noro tee

Yet another stash project (why doesn't my stash seem to getting any smaller??). This one has been worn a lot. Pattern: Spilt neckline cap sleeved tee from Fitted Knits. Yarn: Noro Kureyon (won on ebay). Silver buttons: from C&H Fabrics, Canterbury.

Cash Iroha socks

A beautiful sock to slip on over thinner "work" socks in the evenings to ward off the draughts of our Victorian wood floors. Sadly, languishing in my workroom as I have the dreaded second sock syndrome.

Not very disciplined...

Below are photos of the finished, dyed clapotis which languished at the bottom of my knitting and yarn cupboard for about 2 years before being completed. But completed it is, and dyed Fuschia Pink thanks to Dylon (hand dye). Although after reading the article on natural yarns and dying in Rowan 43 I wish I'd tried a natural dye like beetroot, as the dye I poured down the drain is probably highly polluting. Its also been quite harsh on the fibre. But I love the clapotis (as I always knew I would) and have worn it every day this week, with my black coat.

A futher FO (baby mitts) to report - this is not one of my old ones, but instead a new and quick project for knitting group. These were seriously fast and pretty cute - done in some left over Regia dk sock yarn.

Out and about today I found myself in John Lewis Kingston. And so I have come home with a handy little Noro design accessories book and 2 balls of each Cash Iroha and Silk Mountain (both half price) to do, respectively, a pair of comfy bedsocks and a beret. I have already cast on for the socks. So, you can see, I have already broken my resolution to finish things, before starting anything new. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.

Baby mitts!

Detail

Clapotis fo and dyed!

Knuckling down and finishing things off!

Well - knitted up one ball of the ribbon twist and decided my tension was off (it was!). And many thanks to Smug Sheep who let me know that I'll need more RT than big wool to do Anise. Frogged, to do a tension swatch (I am a lazy knitter and rarely do) and rethink a bit. I haven't really got enough RT.

Anyway, this has given me an opportunty to return to my many, many unfinished projects as a new year, new clear out kind of thing. I have finished the vintage cotton clapotis! Am going to dye it Fuschia this weekend - pics pending. I am working on "Milla" from Rowan Newsletter Autumn 07 on the train (its just boring stocking stitch but is knitting up quickly). There is more...

After a Yarncrawl with the knitting group last week I have some lovely lovely Pear Tree 12 ply merino in sky blue which is going to become an Athropologie-style capelet (from Peony Knits - link to follow). I've done one of these in hand spun natural dyed yarn from Orkney for an Australian friend, can't wait to do one for myself. I'll ball the skeins on Saturday sometime and start it at knitting group on Sunday, I hope. That will be my knitting group project - a little bit of Aussie sunshine in bleak UK February!

I have finished listening to "Friends, Lovers, Chocolate"; McCall-Smith works well this way I think as he's sometimes just a little too light for actual reading; and am now reading "The Rose of Sebastopol" by Katharine McMahon. Although it seemed a bit predictable at first (and still does to some extent), I am much more caught up in the story now, and the central character has developed a bit and become more interesting. In fact, she's an interesting central character because she is the shy, mousy type - I get frustrated with female central characters always being the daring, tomboyish type.

More knitting and books soon,
Anita

Noro tee!

A rather dark picture (sorry it was early this morning!) of the finished Noro Tee. Hopefully will blog a better pic when I wear it at the weekend.

Noro Tee - grrrr!

Well, didn't quite finish the Noro tee last night. For some reason I'm finding the edging really fiddly - I've no idea why as there's virtually no sewing up, but I suppose I tried a few variations on edging before settling for rib, so its felt like I've been messing around with it for quite a while. Got quite exasperated with it last night, so had to put it aside for the sake of my mental health. I am very, very happy with the lovely silver buttons though - pics pending.

TONIGHT for the Noro tee! Working on Clapotis (version 1 in cotton) on the train, and listening to the delightful "Friends, Lovers, Chocolate" (by Alexander McCall Smith) on audiobook at the same time. Its great! I am a bit slow to take up trends sometimes admittedly but I have just discovered this audiobook thing (although discovered podcasts a while ago - unfortunately I don't have the technology to support mobile listening; but I do listen at work when I'm doing desk based tasks.)

Purchase alert!

Just went to C&H Fabrics to buy a silver button...and came out with 8 skeins of Ribbon Twist half price. "Anise" is calling me....

Knitting News

Well my knitting ADD continues. Currently there are far, far too many different projects going on:

2 Clapotis (see Knitty, Fall 04, for pattern). The one featured below was started 2 years (yes, 2 years!) ago in some thrifted vintage dk cotton (Patons Cotton On if anyone remembers it). It feels lovely, and drapes beautifully, but I stopped because I don't like the insipid colour. Then suddenly in this damp and dreary British January I got the urge to return to Clapotis. And I thought - why not dye it?? So I am planning either Peacock Blue or Flamingo Pink - expect a report soon as I am starting the decrease rows shortly. It will be full size. But last weekend madness gripped me when I was walking past my LYS and I dived in and bought 3 skeins of Mango Moon sari silk - and cast on another Clapotis! Which was much admired at knitting group. This one will be a smaller version, mostly because of the prohibitive cost of the sari silk.

Noro Fitted Cap Sleeved Tee - due to be finished today as I have been fiddling with the edging on my commute. Knitted in 4 skeins of Noro Kureyon with burgundy RYC cashsoft edges to a Fitted Knits pattern. I am very happy with how it seems to have turned out; a return to form as I had a few funny experiences with Fitted Knits sizing prior to xmas (to the benefit of a smaller friend of mine!). My lunchtime mission today - a silver clasp or button for the placket. Hopefully to be worn on a knitting group outing on Saturday.

1930s lingerie (causing much hilarity at home and at knitting group) - from the wonderful "sex and the knitty" edition; I am knitting this in red superwash 4 ply with some ancient scrap of grey Jaeger 4 ply silk as a trim.

Celtic (for my sister) lies ignored - I really must finish for her birthday in May!

Various other ignored projects gather dust.... This will be the year of finishing and destashing, I promise.

Clapotis

Out of hibernation!