Hmmm …

… I’ve finished the Thermis cowl, but

it’s very loose and floppy and I don’t need to undo the buttons to slip it over my head.

Why is that?  Is it because I’ve used a cotton yarn instead of wool?  I would much rather use wool as it always knits up so beautifully, but I know I won’t wear it because of the itch factor.  I used the recommended size 4 mm needles, although admittedly I didn’t do a tension swatch, tsk, but decided to dive straight in and kit up the small/medium size.  The pattern calls for worsted weight which I assume is double knit weight, which this King Cole yarn is (I get easily confused over weights what that transfers into, ie DK etc).  The pattern is available on Ravelry here so you can see how it’s supposed to look.

After it’s first wear earlier today, it seems to have stretched wider across the top band of rib.  My knitting is usually tight rather than loose, but the rib seems to be very loose to me.  I’ve been using youtube tutorials from Very Pink Knits and found this film about  tension on the website which I hope will help.

I must say I really like the waffle pattern, I’m just disappointed with the outcome.  Can you help dear readers with this one?  Should I unravel and reknit on smaller needles, concentrating on tension whilst doing so, or should I undo the top band of rib and knit up on smaller needles in an attempt to bring the top edge in a little tighter.

On a brighter note, Daisy had a visit to the dog parlour last week and although it’s turned cold and snowy, she doesn’t seem to be too bothered about the loss of her shaggy outer coat.  This is where she spends a lot of her time, when not stretched out in front of the woodburner

snuggled up on her blue fleece blanket across the back of the sofa!  I just love how sweet and cute she looks against the blue.

I’m going to spend some time now on my needlepoint panel which is destined to become a cushion some day.

Jane & Daisy xx

It’s grown …

a bit since last night.

Back to the sofa to knit some more – get this one finished off today.

Jane & Daisy xx

Ringwood Gloves ….

 ….  finished …

… one pair of Ringwood Gloves.

They are not perfect.  Both glove thumbs have been unravelled 3 times each, and there has been much concentrating to keep the pattern lined up all the way up the gloves.  This if the first pair of gloves I’ve knitted in the round.  The last time I knitted gloves I was about 13 and remember knitting the front and back glove separately and sewing them together up the side seams and all around the fingers and thumb.  I’m pleased to have finished them and looking forward to wearing them for the first time.

Jane & Daisy xx

We’ve been away …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

… to the sea –  Abersoch on the Llyn Peninsular in North Wales.

We had some wet overcast days, and some very breezy days.

There were some beautiful sunny days too, with a calm mill pond sea.

Daisy desperately wanted to chase this seagull off, except she doesn’t like getting her paws wet!  She did try running after the waves as they receded, but had to turn tail and run back as the next wave came rushing towards her.

I think she really enjoyed her holiday, with long walks on the beach and lots of new doggy acquaintances.  In fact we all enjoyed it with lots of time to read and relax between walks.

There was some knitting done – I finished my first glove and cast on my second one (must be the angle of the photo, as it looks a rather strange glove) …

… and some granny square hooky business.

I even attempted a still life in acrylics.

I read Maeve Binchy’s Quentins which I enjoyed, and The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan which I could not put down.  A great story to read whilst staying by the sea.

Now we’re back well rested and ready to face the winter.

Jane & Daisy xx

Gloves and things …

 

 

The Solstice Painters first exhibition closed last Thursday,  I’ve since been to my first day at The Lantern Advanced Textile Group, and I’m starting art classes next Wednesday in Montgomery with a lady by the name of Rosie Read.  Next month, it’s back to June’s class,to study Still Life.  Daisy’s had a hair cut, Izzy is in even more pieces on my kitchen work surface while I attempt to prise off dried on oil.  Phew, what have I set myself up for I wonder?

On top of that I’m trying to knit Ringwood Gloves in the round and struggling with my first finger – well have you tried knitting 10 stitches in the round on 4 needles?  Fiddly or what?   I thought sock knitting was bad enough.

I was going to undo the first finger, as the Ringwood pattern has gone all to pot.

That was until I was taking photos and realised that the pattern in the base of the thumb has also gone to pot and I’ve made mistakes in the pattern of the main body of the glove, just to the left of the base of the thumb in the photo above.  This means I’ve got to undo the whole thing to the cuff.  Perhaps it would be better if I unravelled the whole thing and find an easier glove pattern to try, if there is such a thing as an easier pattern.    My version certainly looks nothing like these here  In fact after looking at these, I’m more determined to knit these gloves.  I’m off to start unravelling.  Wish me luck.

Jane & Daisy.

Knitting Torture

This scarf well and truly is torture!  I’ve been working on it for the last few nights and it’s no longer now than when I started.  It’s certainly no longer than when you last saw it a few months ago, and I’ve unravelled the whole thing several times since then.

I seem to take 1 step forward and 2 steps back.    I lost a stitch again last night, so undid a few rows until I got to where it had unravelled, picked it up, or so I thought, only to find I’m still 1 stitch short.  I think I can see where I’ve lost one of the yarn forward stitches, but as I don’t know how to reinstate it without unravelling several rows  I’m going for the unravelling and pick up all the stitches option – yuck.  I am determined to knit up this scarf however torturous!

I decided last night to do it today, but the light is so poor I’m going to leave it alone and work on something else tonight.  Maybe a new hat – I’ve got some chunky yarn and a pattern for a hat on circular needles.   I’ve never knitted anything circular – let’s hope it is easier than feather and fan in 4 ply bamboo yarn!

On a happier note, I’ve finished the fur collar.  As you will recall, I unpicked this from a detachable coat collar I’d never used.

I stitched silk organza to both the silk lining and the fur.

Did lots of careful tacking together, and used the walking foot on the machine, and voila …

…. thread through a favourite scarf, or ribbon and

enjoy the soft warmth of a faux fur collar.

A long necklace which can be opened can also be worn with it.

Is this rethrifting do you think?  It’s certainly much more wearable like this than on a coat collar.

The very glamorous Maitai (link on right) sells a range of  collars in lovely luxuriant furs, and also shows lots of way to wear them with her beautiful Hermes scarf collection.

I’m going to purchase some faux fur when I next come across some, I think a silvery grey or a leopard spot would be nice,  and try the collar tutorial on Casey’s Elegant Musings blog, which I think will work well, worn over a cardi or dress.

I was going to pin and cut out my pencil skirt today, but as the light is almost non-existent that will also probably be left for a brighter day.  May as well go and take Daisy for a walk instead – we’ll both come back wet and muddy!

Sssshhhh don’t tell…

She’s busy doing something, so I thought I’d just sneak in and say helloooo while she’s not using this box thingy.  It is my blog after all, although you wouldn’t think so the way she hoggs it!

She’s finished this off.  A Tuck-in or Bow-knot Scarf.  I’ve put a link in the side bar in the Tutorial whatsy, so you can knit it up too.

Thing is she can’t wear it because she  says it makes her itch.  She thought it was baby soft alpaca, but turns out it’s got 4o% wool in it.  Well it is called Louisa Harding Thistle – what does she expect?  I think she’s going to knit it again in something with no wool in it.

Not that it feels at all itchy or thistley to me.

Trouble is I don’t have anywhere to tuck it into.

But that aside it looks rather fetching on me don’t you think?

He just snorted and said dog’s don’t need scarves, but we have had some more of the white stuff and it is rather cold out there, and I do spend a lot of my time here …..

… and she says I must feel the cold when I go out.

She was mumbling something about taking photos for “the” blog when she’d done her hair and got make up on and something suitable to wear it with.  Anyway, I’ve beaten her to it – what a load of nonsense, hair and makeup hmmff.  I don’t have to do any of that stuff, I always look beautiful and good to go.

And look what else she’s been up to in my name ……

… honestly, what is a Westie to do?  She gave some to our Christmas guests who all laughed when they saw the label.  They all said it tasted good with the turkey.  I can’t tell you anything about that as I didn’t get offered any.  Turkey was good though – wish it was Christmas every day!

Anyway, I’d best scarper before she catches me.  Don’t tell her you saw me doing this earlier in the white stuff.

Yes, that blur with muddy paws and tummy is me after our walk.  He’s right, who needs a scarf when you’re having this much fun.  It would just get in the way.

Woof xx

A Tale of Knitting Woe …

Recently, whilst hiding out somewhere in Europe without her sewing machine, the Selfish Seamstress has taken up her knitting needles and knitted up a knock-off Missoni scarf in a lovely green yarn.  She called it her Green with Envy scarf.   And I was green with envy, because it’s beautiful.  Her Selfishness then very kindly put the pattern on her website so that we mere mortals could have beautiful scarves.   I thought to myself, I can do that, I too can have a Missoni-like scarf wrapped around my person, to keep out the wild Welsh weather.

At the first opportunity I visited a wool shop (as they are called in these parts), and because I can’t bear the fiendish tickling and scratching of wool around my neck, and because I wanted something that resembled the yarn Her Selfishness was using to get a similar result I bought some Wendy Happy which is a bamboo and nylon mix.  Not being able to wear wool next to your neck really limits the yarns you can get with this type of ombre colouring.

Dear readers, Happy it is not!  The pattern is Fan and Feather lace, (which I read somewhere is an easy pattern for beginners to lace knitting NOT) and calls for lots of knitting 2 together and yarn overs.  Happy splits very easily, and so little split loops of stitches are easily picked up or left where they shouldn’t be (I’m sure there is a knitting technical term for this).

On top of that, the yarn overs are tricksy little devils.  They are there when you put them there, but when you do the return row, they have a knack of jumping off the needle when you’re not concentrating 150%, and once they jump off that needle, they are very, very hard to pick up again, especially if you don’t notice (in my case, count the number of stitches after each row) until you’ve knitted another row.

I have lost count of the number of times I have unravelled this and started again.  I usually get to about an inch and then I’ve lost a stitch (or two) somewhere.

I now only knit one 4 row pattern repeat at a time, and give it 150% concentration, with my reading glasses firmly perched on the end of my nose, so that I can keep my eye on those tricksy yarn overs, and make sure I don’t pick up or lose split loops of yarn on the knit 2 togethers.  The minute I get confident enough to go straight into a second pattern repeat it all goes horribly wrong!  I’m reduced to knitting one pattern repeat, putting it down and leaving it for a while.

My beloved has chuckled  several times as I’ve unravelled and helpfully suggested I knit up an easier pattern, but I don’t want to give up on this just yet.  So far I’ve managed to knit about 4 inches with only one funny little split loop where it shouldn’t be.  But if it goes wrong again, I think I shall  knit it up in garter stitch, as I couldn’t bear to start feather and fanning from scratch again after getting this far.

Hopefully I shall have it ready for next winter, as this is going to be a snail pace project, if I don’t get fed up with it, or end up ripping it off the needles and hurling it into a corner of the room that is!

Keep your fingers crossed for me (and maybe your toes too).