WIP Wednesday 150: Something Old, Something Blue

Tarot of the Cat People

So here we are again, and of my 3 main WIPs this week, I shall show you two, as the third is languishing somewhere and nothing has been added to it all all except dust.

I need to figure out how to put vintage patterns in my Queue; I found this one in a charity shop for like 20p or something. It's original price is 6d, which is before-my-time money, like groats and farthings; and it specifies the yarn to be used as 'Lee Target Courtelle 3oz'; the needles are size 11 and 12 old UK style.

I could find nothing about the yarn online, but fortunately the conversion charts available told me that a size 11 UK is 3mm (between a US 2 and 3), and size 12 is 2.75mm/US size 2. I am using a skinny 4ply yarn, King Cole Zig Zag in ruby. No, I don't see any zigzags in it either. But it is 50% wool/50% nylon and machine washable.                  

Of course, all we immediately recognize is that those are dang skinny needles. Therefore they must be for dang skinny yarn. The other thing we know is that skinny string on skinny needles, if used to make a solid (as opposed to a lacy) fabric, takes foreeeeevvvveeeer.

But - this is a baby cardigan for the Nephew (Aug.2013 Edition) and baby cardigans are small and quick, which ought to balance out the midget size needles and yarn. In addition, many vintage patterns like this one have what I think is ingenious construction - fronts and back are knitted all in one piece until you get to the arms; and even then, things remain straightforward. This we love, as we hate seaming.

And using Cygnet DK in pale blue, and white, I am nearing completion on the crocheted baby blanket, Heirloom Lace Baby Afghan by Terry Kimbrough (which is part of my KTQ2013 yaaay me). I still have issues with gauge - stitch gauge is spot on, but row gauges is miles away from what it should be; which has entailed some fudging creativity doing the border to make the maths work. If 2 + 2 might = 5ish sort of maths, anyway.

I whisper it quietly as a traitorous mouse, but there is slight possibility that crochet is faster than knitting; certainly, when you rip it out several times to re-do it, it doesn't seem to entail the same frustrated heartache. But ssshhh, that may be just a noob's perception.

Pop over to Tami's Amis to see the progress being made by others this week ....