SAL Wednesday 36/15: Scratching the Itch

Gendron Tarot

Well, I've been having a bit of a lull. That's what we'll call it, anyway, because it sounds so much more normal than admitting I'm jonesing for a fix since I hadn't knitted or crocheted from Friday until yesterday. It's just as well you couldn't see me, because I was having trouble concealing the itch:





So having tried a couple of stitch patterns and motifs in the King Cole Flash DK, I didn't like any of them - the colors were pooling in blotches that didn't suit the pattern - I gave up and found some random turquoise yarn (it might be Robin DK) and a pretty pattern which I thought I'd downsize for the back of a cushion cover ... this is what we have so far:

The pattern, yarn and my tension are combining to make me pay attention as if I'm not careful I'll have wavy or ruffley edges ... now if I could just work out how to do this in a rectangle rather than a square ...

SAL Wednesday 31/15: The Circle

Housewives Tarot

Yep, this is me today, armed and dangerous. 

Well, maybe a bit later when I'm dressed and have had another cup of tea. 

The kids are down at Nanny's, and we all know and quail from what that indicates on the wheel of my life and year - something akin to the Great Migration of Africa, but which in this case is confined to the inside of the house, has never been shown on Animal Planet or NatGeoWild, and has no David Attenborough narration: it is the Great Mucking Out.

I am hoping for less dust, no poop, and no crocodiles

I should have started yesterday, but I'd treated myself to finishing a shawl - I had only 1 row and the bind off to go, and thought maybe an hour would see me done. However, I'd neglected to consider the bajillion stitches, of which every other one had to be beaded ... and of course, blocking took more time than I'd anticipated too. However, I WASHED. ALL. THE. THINGS. Pillows, mattress toppers, blankeys, cushions, random clothes left out in the savannah open to fester (there will be more behind the beds and in the nooks and crannies, I'm sure). They are clean, dry and folded, and the house smells beautifully of clean laundry.

What's this got to do with a WIP ? Well, housework is always a WIP, more's the pity. But I thought if I finished the shawl, then there'd be nothing on the needles tempting me away from my Mission. And since the only other thing I have going is my travel knitting, I can resist:

And speaking of cycles .... this Fitzroy cardigan

thanks to the Mad Unravelling Skillz of my MIL, has been turned into this:

It was always too short, and never fitted right around the neck - it would gradually fall back, meaning I spent a lot of time hitching it back to where it ought to have been. And the buttons were not the best choice. So, now it's gone from a FO to a WIP-in-Waiting. It is lovely soft Rico Aran Cotton, and I'll probably use it to make something for Destructo Boy ...

SAL Wednesday 23/15: Green Bumps

Deviant Moon Tarot

No, I haven't been doing anything as exotic as learning to belly-dance. Just juggling all the kids' stuff plus home things plus niggly admin things that suck up way more time than they should. I wonder how on earth did I fit everything in when I was working outside the home ?  Of course, Titch was home everyday - the plus of agency work over tramping - so things didn't fall just to me to do. Rather than getting into a rant about the thankless unpaid drudgery that falls to my lot nowadays, instead let's show you the progress on the last of the 4 baby cardigans I'm making:

The pattern is Sirdar Snuggly DK 3946, but I am using 3 balls of Sirdar Tiny Tots in the colorway 987. imaginatively christened 'green': that color seems to be discontinued, but I am glad that 'Pooping Purple' was merely my eyes playing tricks on me. Although it's a blend of acrylic/polyester, it has somewhat of a cotton-y feel; I would prefer it plain without the slubs, I think - I think this was some of my sister's stash. 

Anyway, it was knitting up nice and quickly until having to DO things like take people to school, pick them up from Cubs, go to Parents' Evening (Mini Diva is perfect, apparently, except for Drama - I can't figure out how that can be when she is such an expert in it at home), go to cricket training, do the ironing, do to Share Day ... you get the idea. I thought I was supposed to regain my time as the kids grew older, but I'm not really seeing that yet.

This afternoon, I only have to vacuum, and then my time is my own for a couple of hours, so I'll just recommend that you pop over to Life&Yarn, while I get a move on so I can snatch some knitting time ...

WIP Wednesday 21/15: Camel Baby

Witches' Tarot (Dugan)

I know, I know ! I was doing so well with the whole 6KCBW, I mean - 5 days out of 7 and that even included the photographic challenge ! ... Only to fall at the last hurdle ie. the weekend posts. But I just couldn't find the time, plus I didn't have any inspiration, which of course made it so much harder to find the time to sit there just to scratch my head.

But I have been knitting like a fiend. Or, it feels like it, anyway. I have started another baby cardigan (the 3rd out of a planned 4) with some Sirdar 4ply Country Style that I scored in a megasale at PurpleLindaCrafts for a mere £1 a ball ... add that to a pretty little vintage pattern that I found a while back, Robin 1139 for some yarn called Bri-Nylon (no, not sure what that is) and Wah-Lah, you have this:

See the decorative raglan edge ? So pretty ....

And the kids are out again, one at a sports camp, the other at her Bestie's (it's half-term) so I am going to use the opportunity to do a quick catch-up on the housework - even I am having trouble tolerating the carpet vs. fur ratio. However, you may go indulge in other people's lovely WIPs by popping over to Life & Yarn ...

SAL Wednesday 18/15 : A Close Shave

Fantastic Menagerie Tarot

Well I've been racketing along with Ruffles & Stripes while watching episodes of Miss.Fisher's Murder Mysteries starring the delectable Nathan Page  ... OK, not so much racketing as toddling then, until this:

See that little strand in the bottom right-hand corner ?

Yes, I'm up to my old tricks - running out again (remember this ?). 

A quick call - on the dot of closing time - to Franklins' Ipswich branch, who didn't have the 1503 Mink shade of King Cole Baby Comfort DK, resulted in a call to me from their Colchester branch to check the exact colorway required, which was then delivered to the Ipswich branch this morning so that I could collect it at lunchtime. This kind of excellent customer service is why B&M stores have to charge more than internet prices, and why we are happy to pay.

Anyway, because I now have more yarn, I must go use it as next week I will be too bust blogging in the 6th Annual Knit & Crochet Blog Week. You, however, can go browse through other people's WIPs via Life & Yarn ...

SAL Wednesday 17/15: Personal Growth

Housewives Tarot

 Ha ! Gotcha !

You should know better than to think I'd be writing some kind of New Agey type of self-development navel-awareness guff.

But I must definitely be turning into a grown-up, as I have managed to control myself and resist temptation for nearly a whole week ! Last Thursday, a package arrived - it had been delayed from the retailer, which didn't matter as that meant I had less time to actually discipline myself:

It sat there like this until yesterday afternoon, because I had promised myself I would finish the ruby baby cardigan before starting anything else. Yesterday morning I bought the final touch for the cardigan, 5 buttons - only to get home and find that the light had deceived me and they totally don't match the yarn. It would have been really unfair and unrealistic, let alone a waste of time, to expect me to sit twiddling my thumbs until after I've bought more buttons, wouldn't it ?

I'm glad we agree. I knew we were friends for a reason.

Ripping open the packaging revealed 6 balls of King Cole Baby Comfort DK, lovely soft quality acrylic with good stitch definition and machine-washable to boot - enough to start the 2 baby blankets I want to make; of course, I started with the one that isn't in my queue, the 'Ruffles & Stripes' baby blanket from the 'Best of Terry Kimbrough Baby Afghans' book; it uses US crochet terms, but that's easy once one has made the mental adjustment, and here is what it looks like so far:

Yeah, I know - classic neutral colors, perhaps not especially baby-like, but totally what the Mama will like.

Titch ? 

What about him ? 

Oh, right. In Aberdeen right now, which is almost suitable justice for his actions.

See what other beginnings have been made when you pop over to Life & Yarn ...

SAL Wednesday 13/15: At Last ...

Spiral Tarot

... something new on the needles ! But don't get too excited, it looks likely that it'll be on them for a while ...it's #3 in my Big Six Project. Using delicious Fyberspates Scrumptious Lace in the colorway 500 'Natural', I have started a shawl delightfully named 'Sirin Bird':

Can you see the beads glistening ? The pattern calls for 2688. Otherwise known technically as 'squillions'. Of size 8/0 beads, painstakingly applied individually with a 0.6mm crochet hook after the stitch has been worked.

Another new thing I am doing is using Destructo Boy's new tablet (why new ? the clue is in his name - it fell out of its protective case onto the sidewalk and the screen shattered) to store and knit from the pattern, seeing as how we bought him a 10.1'' one when we thought we were buying him a 7'' one. They lied like a dog when they said size doesn't matter, believe me: bigger is bestest.

But as it's week 1 of the Easter Holidays, I must escort Destructo Boy and Pal to rollerskating (I know no fear; or rather, the route to A&E is a well-trodden path) while you sip your coffee and calmly look through what other people are up to over at Life & Yarn ...

SAL Wednesday 12/15: Repeating

Victorian Romantic Tarot

Well, you're going to ask me ''how are things going, show me the progress on that blimmin' cricket sweater'', aren't you ? After all, it is the only work in progress right now, any other stuff on any other needles is just gathering dust ... and you will think that like the person in the 4 of Swords there, I have done nothing but snooze since last we spoke.

Actually, that would have been nice. I do love my bed, my favorite piece of furniture, so comfy and snuggly and warm and spacious and ... what ? What digression ?

Oh OK. Here is a photo of the sleeves:

Yeah. I know. Looks pretty much the same as last week, doesn't it ? Even down to the running out of yarn thing.

But.

I ordered, received and have used up 2 additional balls. Each ball had a different amount of yarn, as you can see from the bit that is unused. And what is left ... plus the 1 ball remaining ... will it be enough to complete the sleeve caps and the neckline ?

This time I shall gamble, I shall not order any more of this yarn until I have used up every single inch of what I currently have left.

Place your bets, please, while you pop over to Life & Yarn to see what else is going on ....

SAL Wednesday 11/2015: Know When to Hold 'Em

Housewives Tarot

 I have been somewhat lacking in what the french call va-va-voom since finishing the Tru Wuv Shawl: I have been merely doing pootling knitting - lesiurely, straightforward, no complexities, 18 row pattern repeat ... Mini Diva's retro/vintage cricket sweater:

Front and back complete, no errors ... I decided to knit the sleeves TAAT (Two At A Time) as usual - it seems a bit of a drag, but not half so much as having to make one followed by the other:

Again - nice and straightforward, increases every 6 rows, no issues.

However.  

Let us zoom out a bit:

I have 3 more repeats to do, or another 8 1/2 inches before getting to the top of the sleeves, plus the border of the rather deep V-neck. And that is the last unused ball of yarn.

One of the problems with using retro/vintage/just plain old patterns is many of them don't list the yardage of the recommended yarn, and one can't find any information on it - this pattern was for Wendy Pure Wool 25g. and needed 16 balls/400g for the size I'm making (or Wendy Courtellon Double Knit 20g, using 23 balls). I had bought 10 balls(500g) of Drops Cotton Merino with a total of 1198m/1310yds and thought that would be enough.

My unwillingness to live the adventurous life on the raggedy edge increases weekly, if not daily, I'm sure. I've ordered another 2 balls.

Go see how other people don't run out over at Life and Yarn ...

SAL Wednesday 8: Cream's the Theme

Fantastic Menagerie Tarot

The kids spent half-term with my MIL and their aunties and uncles, and therefore the week for me passed too quickly in a blurry haze. No, not alcoholic in nature, but chemical. I spring-cleaned. And now I regret the waste of time, because within a 1/2 hour of their return, clothes and belongings were strewn everywhere, and a bombsite looked clean and tidy by comparison.

You'd think I would have found time to complete the Tru Hate Wuv shawl, but no. I have some 16 or so rows to go, which doesn't sound like much, but the current row is 660 stitches long ... yes, that's a calculation from the chart as there is no way I can be bothered to count that ... so it's taking a while.
 

For light relief, I started the cricket sweater of Mini Diva's choice; and am loving the Drops Cotton Merino - so soft ! So squooshy ! So inexpensive !

And I am desperately trying to ignore the Eviller Twin, who seems to have got totally swept away by insanity and thinks that we should knit this:

Yes, you're right, it is a beautiful shawl. No, neither of us speak/read Japanese. Yes, it is charted. No, it doesn't use standard knitting symbols.

I have a taser if she comes too close. Purely self-preservation, you understand. I am already way too familiar with crazy myself, and need no 'help' that would disrupt the fine balance I struggle to maintain.

Go read what normal people are up to on StitchAlong Wednesday over at Yarn & Life ...

StitchAlong Wednesday 6: Grumping

Wizards Tarot

 
Today I am feeling as pugnacious and grumpy as this Queen looks - after a good day yesterday where I achieved everything on my long list of things to do, today I am on the huh and trudging through treacle and have nothing much to show for it.

Having completed the Lily Go MKAL, I tried to resume work on my 2nd attempt at Tru Wuv: I have finished the transition charts, and am starting the lace setup chart. Except that it doesn't work - I end up 2 stitches out. I am pretty sure this is some kind of obvious thing, like the 2 stitches that are actually and aren't technically part of the set of edge stitches; and I can't 'read' the knitting because I suck at that and plus it just looks like lots of holes rather than a pattern at the moment.

So rather than give in to the almost overwhelming and disproportional rage - come on, guys, it's only a blimmin' knitting pattern fer pete's sake, right ? - I shall turn to something else entirely ....




A couple of almost vintage patterns from roughly the same era ... I shall make one in time for the start of Mini Diva's cricket season:

And I shall be using some lovely squishy Drops Cotton Merino DK yarn:
 

 

However, Mini Diva tends towards the fashionable as opposed to the stylish, so I'm not sure that she will agree that a cricket sweater worn off-field with jeans is a classic look. 

You can leave me to mither and check out some nice things over at Yarn and Life ....

Stitch-Along Wednesday: False Start

Tarot of Durer

Well, here we are with the first WIP post of the New Year - Titch is back at work, the kids are back at school, the house is almost back to normal after the holidays, it's super-frosty and cold outside - must be time to knit, right ?

Well, almost.

I'm waiting for the Lily Go The Lightning Thief MKAL to begin - tomorrow. I shall do the Medium size, for which I am all wound up and have beads galore: 50g of size 6/0 and 50g of size 8/0 clear silver-lined seed beads, which I had for a very reasonable price from Nicola at Chromabeads on eBay, whose service is fast and friendly. Yes, I am afraid I have bought there far more than once now, and thought I should share my good fortune with you.

I know, you're wondering if I have enough. I was too, actually. But 50g of size 6/0 is about 450 beads when the pattern calls for 468, and 50g of size 8/0 is approx. 1400 beads when the pattern calls for 1242. Oh yeah, that's me, living life on the Raggedy Edge again.

At least I have plenty enough yarn - I have 724m of GorgeousKnits 4ply superwash in the colorway 'Mallard', otherwise known as a dark teal that Mini Diva loves. She's also a huge fan of the Percy Jackson books, having read them first on her NintendoDS a few years ago, so there are 2 obvious reasons why I'm doing this MKAL.

While I have been waiting, I thought I would start Tru Wuv (who doesn't love a Princess Bride reference ??)

 using a skein of Violet Green Hand-dyed Merino 2ply, which was undyed and so a nice shade of cream, along with a ton of beads. Here is what happened:

Yeah, looks like a major malfunction to me, too. What it actually is is the remnants of the first two sections after all the beads had been cut out. No, this isn't some super-insane form of steeking gone wrong, this is what happens when you try to tink back and you can't because the centred decreases (I chose to do S3K2P rather than K5tog) had sort of felted in this sticky yarn and were impossible to unstick, separate and generally return to a yarn status. I couldn't even unravel the plain stockinette part.

Swearing ? Oh yes, lots. And lots. 

And then some more.

So I've ordered some nice smooth alpaca and silk Drops Lace, and shall start over. But not immediately - you can imagine the pattern and I circling each other like boxers right after the bell to start the second round has been rung ....

Pop along to Life & Yarn to see what else is being stitched this Wednesday .....