skein

Ormond

My fourth garment for IntSweMoDo2012

Pattern: Ormond

Started: April 9th

Finished: April 29th

Yarn: Jaeger Roma in a summery pink colour, 10 balls.

Needles: 3.75mm, 3.50mm

 

Mods:  As you can see, short sleeves!  I ran out of yarn and ended up doing above the elbwo short sleeves, casting on eight more stitches (as I was working on a fatter bit of arm).  

The pattern's waist shaping is produced by changing to smaller needles.  As I was already starting with a size smaller,  I didn't fancy dropping down to 3.50mm, then 3.25mm, so I stuck to dropping down to 3.50mm for the whole of the waist shaping.  To tell the truth I can't see much difference, and the pattern is a ribbed pattern anyway, which draws in. 

The body is worked in one piece up to the start of the armholes, then fronts and back are worked separately.  Sleeves are knitted in the round and set in.  Front borders are worked as you go.  NO BUTTONS!  This is meant to be an open cardigan, fine by me!


Overall a lovely knit.  I liked the patttern, despite frogging repeatedly to get maximum yarn usage.  The yarn was great to knit with too, such a shame it's discontinued.  

 

Roll on summer! 

 

Deco

At last, I've finished! 

My third garment for IntSweMoDo2012.

 Pattern: Deco

Started: March 4th

Finished: April 29th

Yarn: Elann Highland Sport, Aubergine (not purple, more brown). 8.34 skeins.

Needles: 2.75 and 3mm

 

This is worked bottom up in one piece to the armholes, back and fronts worked separately.  Sleeves are worked top down, picking up stitches and working short rows to shape the sleeve cap.  Wide front borders and a collar complete the knitting.

 

Mods: Added about 2" in length, though you wouldn't notice, as it's a snug fit and draws up in length!

Started Deco front pattern at the same stage as would be if I hadn't lengthened it.  

Knitted less rows for armhole shaping as my row tension was out.  This meant that I piked up less sts for the sleeve cap (in fact did the tiniest size!) and worked few short rows, but I liek a snug fit around this area, it certainly makes a change from baggy sleeve caps!  As the garment is snug anyway it would have looked a bit silly if I had roomy sleeve caps.

Knitted half an inch more Deco cuffs, due to snug fit. I can unravel if I need to.

Worked buttonholes instead of lining with ribbon and having press studs and fake buttons.

 

A detailed, enjoyable pattern.  My second Kate Davies pattern this year! 

Not much knitting done these past three evenings

This is it.

There's this danger time,when I am between projects, when I get sucked into ravelry and my stash.  I have spent the past three evenings trying to start a wip!

This is some variegated sock yarn, too variegated to show up patterns, and also no nylon (I gave up knitting socks without nylon several years ago, was fed up with them wearing out however tightly I knit).   It has been wound up and restarted several times.  I was convinced it was to be a pair of crocheted mitts, but after several attempts I have had to give up.  Small hook  + variegated yarn = impossible crochet.  

In the end I've gone for a very simple knitting pattern - koigu wristers.  It won't matter if there are splotches of colour! 

My plain sock is not frogged, just on hold.  I'm thinking of reusing the yarn as a pair of mitts.  I'll leave it alone this weekend and see how I feel about it next week. 

On my ravelry searches I've become a little obsessed with crocheted mitts.  I have no idea which is a good or bad crcohet pattern, so I've just been looking at popular ones which appeal to me.  I cast on (now what is the word in crochet?) my first pair last ngiht,b ut think they will be abandoned, not stretchy enough (it's wool cotton).  I stil have the bag of dk yarns out thoguh, might start another pair over our long weekend!

In the process of hunting for mitts, I've found some rather lovely shawls.  In the hope that this is a skill I can master I've ordered some cheap tunisian crochet hooks.   I have one in my stash, and that's a knitpro one with a long cable, so if I do take to it I can tunisian crochet a blanket!  I know it's been around for years, but the only crochet I did in the seventies were long sleeveless waistcoats make out of granny squares!

 

April Knitting and May knitting goals

Sometimes I have months where I think I've accomplished lots of knitting, but haven't ticked many of my monthly knitting goals.  This was such a month.  Only seven things on the list (one was only to blog!) but I've managed just three of the goals.   So, which ones are done?

 

April:

Blog:

1) Green socks.  Done! 

Finish:

2) Deco cardigan, my third for IntSweMoDo2012.  Nearly done!  I have finished all of the knitting, sewn in all of the ends (except a few, I always leave a few to do at the very end), and find buttons.  So I am thinking that this is a done thing rather than a fail thing.    

(not purple!!)

Start and finish:

3) Fourth pair of socks.  Done!  Lorna's Laces in Glenwood,  Not blogged yet. 

4) Fourth garment for IntSweMoDo2012.  Nearly done!  The knitting part is finsihed, just have to sew back neck down, set in sleeves and darn in ends,  No buttons required on this one!

5) Fourth hat. Done! 

6) Fourth pair of fingerless mitts. Fail!  Not even cast on. 

7) Fourth Other.  Fail, Not even cast on!

So.  Two fails,  trhee successes and two nearly theres.   It meant tha thtis morning I had to rummage around in the stash to find some sock yarn so that I can start something for the commute.  Not enough time to sit down and see if tehr was a mitts pattern to cast on!

 

I feel quite pleased, getting Deco and Ormond nearly finished.  It means free needles for the next garment for IntSweMoDo2012/

 

I haven't managed to do all of my monthly knitting goals in 2012, and, frankly, i'm a bit bored of saying 'one hat, one pair of socks, one pair of mitts, one Other',  It'sm my fault, setting a challenge of knitting 12 knits for heads, body, hands, feet and Other.   I fancy a change, and think I shall concentrate on a few things from the same category for May.   I do need to keep up with the garments though!

May knitting goals:

Finish and blog:

1) Deco, my third garment for IntSweMoDo2012.  Just buttons!

2) Ormond, my fourth garment for IntSweMoDo2012.  Set in sleeves, sew down collar and ends. 

3) Lorna's Laces Glenwood socks.  No finishing required, apart from a bit of the old steam iron.

Start and finish:

4) My fifth garment for IntSweMoDo2012.  NO IDEA whaich one to do!  From stash though.  I want to knit something navy, but then my choice is either 4ply Jaeger Sienna Cotton, or dk Jaeger Albany.  If I want an aran weight, I have some pinkish Rowan Cotton Jeans, or possibly I could go green, lots of nice green cotton yarn!  Or yarn which I bought for a specific caridgan?  These decisions might have to wait until the weekend when I can do another stash rummage!

5) A hat. Nothing planned, but there are a few catching my eye on ravelry.  WoollyWormhead ahd a kal for May, looks lovely...

6) FINGERLESS MITTS!!  There is a kal on a ravelry group, and I am aiming to join, if I can find some worsted weight yarns in the stash.

7) More  mitts.  It's been af ew months since I last knitted any. Now is the time to knuckle down. :)

8)  Plain socks,  good commuter and carry-along knitting.  I have cast on (just) this morning, some Opan Surprise.  Probably for the gift box.

9) Can't quite make up my mind (but want to make it a 10 item list!) .  Maybe soem more mitts or wirsters.

Start:

9)  Wait for it ....   Crochet!  I have fancied doing some for  a few weeks.  I'm not an intuitive crocheter.  I can't seem to follow instructions, can't count the stitches, but every so often I fancy doing some.  I have a very loose idea to crochet a tablecloth for my bedside table,  I have lots of Rowan 4ply cotton in quite fresh colours, and found a pack of lemon 4ply cotton in the stash which I shall never use.  That's at least a day's worth of ravelry surfing!

I love a challenge!

Knitting going slowly

It's not going well! 

By today I thought I'd have completed the knitting of both cardigans, and most of my sock.  Instead I haven't even picked up the sock nor Ormond.  Just Deco.

 

Yesterday I knittd the button band.  Took a few attempts to pick up the correct number of stitches, because as usual I hadn't made notes, so couldn't remember the rate of pick up (which turned out to be a bit odd!).  These bands are wide too, 26 rows!

Once I'd done the button band I sorted out the exact sleeve length.  It's coming out a bit tight, so I needed extra length, and have added about half an inch to the cuff.  Should it stretch or I decrease, I can always unpick that last half an inch.

Next up, the neckband.  This is a slipped stitch 1x1 ribbing.  Lots of stitches.   By bedtime I had finished the  neckband, went to cast off - and realised I hadn't done a buttonhole! 

But the good news.  I picked it up this morning, and had a look at the buttonhole placement.  I had decided all those weeks ago to do the top buttonhole on the body, and leave the neckband as us.  Joy!  I cast off, darned in ends, gave it a pressing.  I just need buttons, its all done!

Here's the finished photo, and it's ot purple, that's the indoor lighting/mobile phone combination.

Now for Ormond!  Knit knit, knit.

 

Deco progress

I have returned to Deco.  I really want ot finish this in April.  And leaving it for a while means that I have had to try to remember what I had done with the first sleeve.  I tend not to make notes but put stitch markers at various important places.  That, and my memory usually works.

I'm up to the cuff of the second sleeve!  Hopefully will finsih this tonight.  I'm going to knit an extra half inch of cuff as the garment is, well, tight.  I'm hoping a good steaming will loosen it up a bit!  My tension was a bit too small, and I'm a bit fatter than I think I am!   

So, this weekend will be all about Deco and Ormond.  I reckon I can finsh both, though a finished post might have to wait until May.   I may not be able to fit in fingerless mitts, Other or that second sock!!

Here's an indoor gloomy mobile photo of Deco, so far.

A not very productive weekend of knitting

I was determined to finish the body of Ormond, and then see how much yarn I had left for the two 3/4 length sleeves.  

2.2 balls of yarn left.  That's one and a bit for each sleeve.  Considering I used nearly eight balls for the body meant I really, really wouldn't have enough for two sleeves.

I tried.

One ball plus half of the remnants equals this:

nearly a 3/4 sleeve, just shy by about 2.5".  An over-the elbow sleeve.

Next attempt was an above the elbow sleeve, startig with eight more stitches, to allow for a wider part of my arm.

Going well, until I was a few inches from the top of the sleeve cap. 

Still not enough yarn!  

I counted the number of stitches short and thought that if I frogged back six rows on the sleeve I would have enough. 

Third attempt:

Success, I hope, if the last remaining ball has the same yardage.  

This Roma yarn has the same yardage as the pattern yarn, but I'm at least a ball short.  As I've not seen anyone complaining about this on ravelry, and I noticed what seems like variations in the amount I knitted with each ball, I suspect the yarn is the culprit.  It's a fsorly stretchy yarn and I AM SURE that they measured it when stretched out ;)

 

So, Ormond will not be as I expected, but, due to the summery colour of the yarn, it looks ok with short ssleeves.  I hope.  

I'm on a tight knitting schedule, should I wish to accomplish my goals this month.  In six evenings and two days I need to:

* knit Ormond's second sleeve, darn in ends, sew in sleeves and sew down neckband

* knit Deco's second sleeve, knit button border, knit collar, find and sew on buttons, darn in ends

* knit an entire sock (though it has a shortish leg and is plain)

* knit a pair of mitts

* knit something else under my category of Other

Rather a lot ot do in a short space of time!

 

Look what I won!

As a member of Sock Knitters Anonymous (SKA on ravelry) and as someone who posted cast on and cast off posts for one of the monthly challenges, I was eligible for  a prize.  And I won one!  (I never win anything). 

It arrived a week later, all the way from Maryland, courtesy of SheilaR (on ravelry).  I could choose a yarn from her Etsy shop, and chose a colour called Strawberry Fields,  guess I am going through a pink/red phase!  

 

Wool and stitch markers. how lovely! 

As for knitting, I've been working solely on Ormond, hoping that I won't run out of yarn. I have just over three balls of wool left, with two sleeves, a left front, half a right front and back neckband to knit.  I want all fingers collectively crosses, please!!

Orrmond progress

Yes I ought to be knitting on Deco but the warmer weather and summery colours appealled too much.  So Ormond went with me for a family visit this weekend.  Just Ormond and a apair of socks and I've just worked on Ormond  Great progress.  The body and borders are worked in one piece up to the armhole.  Sleeves are worked separately and joined.  I intend knitting the whole body plus back neck and then the sleeves, dividing the yarn up so that I don' run out. 

I won't run out!

From this on Friday evening:

to this just now (Monday afternoon)

The colour is Summer Berries more vibrant than in these mobile photos taken indoors.

Here's a close up of the pattern very pretty and very easy.

I still have knitting time left today, hopefully I'll get up to the armholes. Just 1.75" to go!

 

Knitting catch up

Phew!  I can't quite believe that I haven't posted all week, despite having four days off at Easter.

Easter =  four days off work knitting. Not quite.  I spent a day getting out the summer stuff, a day looking at patterns on ravelry, a day knitting a Deco sleeve and a day knitting (and reknitting)  Deco buttonhole border.   Plus a bit of swatching!

 

So, Deco.  It's not finished yet, but I now know I can knit a sleeve in  a day and the button band and collar in a day.  That's a weekend's worth of knitting.   I've also knitted the second sleeve cap, before I forget what I did!  Here's the progress photo.  IT IS NOT PURPLE!!

I haven't quite finsihed that first sleeve, am leavig it not cast off, in case I need to adjust the sleeve length.

And the next garment. 

I have had a bit of an obsession with a lace design for this one,  I remembered knitting a cardigan years ago and went on the hunt for the design.  It was a Mission Falls design, calle the Trudy Jacket.  I found the booklet!  It calls though, for an aran weight, and I fancied knitting with some dk weight.   Twist Collective to the rescue!  There was a design in Spring 11 which I liked, but not enough to buy it. Instead I bought several other designs.  A year later I want to knit it!  It's Ormonde.  
First swatch was some matured Debbie Bliss Cotton Cashmere.  

Really, really wanted to knit this yarn, but I coudln't manage to get tension.  Back to the drawing board.  

Next up was some discontinued Jaeger Roma, in Summer Berries. 

MUCH better.  I don't normally do this sort of colour but it  seemed very summery and just what I wanted to knit with at this time.

It's knitted in one piece up to the armholes, and so far so good.

The only dark cloud on the horizon is that it's discontinued - and from a quick look on ravelry and ebay isn't readily available, and I seem to be eating up the yarn!  This is the second ball, and I've just knitted four inches.  Here's hoping that the sleeves take no yarn at all, and the armhole depth is shallow!  

I'm going home to visit the family this weekend, and this is the knitting I'm taking.  Just this, and a sock.  Unheard of!