Holiday FOs

The long Chinese New Year break is over and it's back to the grindstone at the office. The usual masses of emails blinking for attention and numerous meetings to catch up with.

JS left for his 3rd year at Monash Uni in Melbourne last night with more of Mum's 'every stitch with love' FOs. While knitting the Grey Alpaca jumper (previous blog) he mentioned he'd like a vest and a 3 in 1 scarf-ski mask-hat 'thing' he's seen cyclists wearing.

After much Googling I saw this Buff and with additional inspiration from the Magknits Malagaiter here's my version. I'm afraid I forgot to take a snapshot of the knitted tube :(

Pattern: Ideas from the Buff and Magknits Malagaiter

Notes: Mistake Rib (gives a good stretchy tube), thin 5 ply yarn makes its easier to fold for hat

Size (stretched) : 14" length by 10" wide (to fit face or head circumference)

Yarn: Bendigo Woollen Mills, 5 ply Classic 100% wool

Amount: about 360 m , Needles: 3.5mm

Pattern: Petrol from Knitty.com (modified with a 4 row K2P2 rib at bottom)

Yarn: Jaeger Extra Fine Merino Aran, Jet black

Amount:8.5 x 50g x 95yds

Size (finished) : chest 36" length 25"

Loose bed socks from DK scraps knitted toe-up.

Happy Chinese New Year!

I'll be away at the in-laws and later my hometown, Penang. Enjoy the holidays, eat as much as you like - the dieting can come later :). I hope to get much much knitting done.
In fact, I've downloaded all episodes of Agatha Christie radio shows to knit along with!!!

Grey Alpaca Jumper

I'm tired out with baking for the coming Chinese New Year or Spring Festival in 2 weeks. There's an additional 4 loaves this year and that makes 20! I could and should have started preparing weeks ago and not have to bake and then soak the next lot of dried fruit ingredients in brandy/rum for another batch every evening. Oh well, procrastination always win and its become a mad annual rush, I might as well make it a personal tradition!

On the knitting front...the grey alpaca jumper for JS is completed and there's a black Aran wool vest on the needles which I may be able to post as an FO next week.

Pattern: Book of sweater patterns ( Ann Budd)
Yarn: Bendigo Woollen Mills - 100% Alpaca , 8 ply , Grey
Amount: 2.6 x 200g x 400 yds
Size: chest 42" ( finished )
Needles: 3.25 mm & 4 mm

It was a very hot afternoon but JS was persuaded to put it on for a snapshot. He had actually said there's no need for more woollies this year but then DH had mentioned several times my handknits for JS were heavy-like an armour!!!. And so to prove hand knits are as good as store bought sweaters, I decided on the alpaca and this is a lofty 550 gms compared to his other 900 gms Cleckheaton DK jumpers! Except he has to remember no machine washing is allowed.

No more space

There really is no more space in the Stash cupboard, does it mean I can't buy yarn and for how long??? Would I be resolute enough not to?? Not visit my favourite online stores??? How does one handle the withdrawal symtoms???

Look what's cheered me up today, a knitting tote from this little shop I chanced upon this moning. The owner has a friend who makes curtains and cushions for some well known brands and makes bags out of the remnants.

..................... ....

Here's hoping I don't ever have to carry knitting into a hotel lobby with matching Lounge set covers as the bag!

First of the year

This is my first cast-on and only WIP (so far..) for the year and I'm enjoying this soooo soft alpaca yarn I haven't thought of moving on to the usual distraction I need when knitting a huge stockingnette jumper, I cannot bear to.
The stitches just fly off the needles so fast and ooh! the softness...you can see it can't you?

It's a plain jumper for JS and the alpaca yarn from Bendigo, possibly one of the cheapest alpaca for a 200gm ball of 400 yds. I haven't knitted with other alpacas so am not able to compare qualities but this is good enough for now.

Those of you who couldn't help smiling at the 'only WIP' boast I made above may want to know what happened to Forest Path huh? Well, I am officially announcing its 'demise' and will not talk about it henceforth! I've snipped off the yarn, packed it and hid it somewhere so I won't see it accidently unless I mount a search in future. OK, so I'm a coward, I can't bear to execute the first frogging tug, maybe I will bring it to the next meet-up and let someone have the pleasure of seeing me cringe....until then it will stay out of sight and hopefully forgotten....

Now, back to knitting my first WIP.... :)

Moonshadow Stole

Here it is, Moonshadow, which took less than a month (including waiting time for additional yarn to arrive). The pattern calls for beads at the edgings, mine's without since it's one of my 'office shawls' that are better left simple with no fussy attachements.

I wanted a thick and dense stole so have used a fingering weight yarn but am sure the design will turn out even more exqusite with a laceweight.

Have totally fallen in love with the easy pattern although it looks complicated when knitted. Am already planning to knit another one in a plain and darker colour laceweight.

The knitting is done lengthwise and at times it feels like the stole hasn't grown much, but then you get to admire it in full length with 2 circulars.

Pattern: Moonshadow stole-Sivia Harding (without beads)

Yarn: Fingering weight, Winemix colourway, 100% cashmere from Colourmart

Size: 21" x 72" (after blocking)

Amount: 1100 yds

Needles: 3.5 mm

Another view of the the side and bottom edgeing.

Landscape, Tundra, Layer Top & Moonshadow

Gosh!, I've never had so many FOs to post in a single blog entry so shall keep the chattering for next time.
The Moonshadow Stole was cast off this morning and is still wet on the blocking squares so just a sneek peek here. Will tell more about this amazingly easy Sivia Harding design later.

Landscape socks

Yarn: Knit Picks Landscape, 100% Merino, Mesa colourway

Amount: 2 skeins x 50g x 192 yds

Needles: 2mm

Tundra Jumper

Pattern: Adapted from various

Yarn: Katia Tundra, 50% wool 40% acrylic 10% viscose

Amount: 4.5 x 100gm x 197 yds

Needles: 4.5mm

Size: extra small ( 32") for YL

Layer Top

Pattern: Tequila Sunrise, Simply Knitting Issue 27 - Spring 2007

Yarn: Peony (Japanese 100% Acrylic)

Amount: 4.5 balls

Needles: 4mm

Size: extra small ( 30") for YL

Pattern notes: Knot Stitch (Row 1 - purl, Row 2 - knit one to back, purl 1) is super stretchy and would use it again to replace single ribbing. Collar, sleeves and base - stocking stitch for curling effect.

Christmas

Now, wouldn't any right thinking knitter have figured out, much much earlier, that 800 yds IS NEVER ever going to be EQUAL the 1000 yds recommended clearly in the pattern???? Is this silly optimism normal??? How long can a knitter be in denial I wonder?

I chose to ignore the many little voices trying to tell me yarn was vanishing at too fast a rate until reality finally sank through during a blissful state of knitting and dozing in the Eurostar somewhere between Paris and London, that there really, really won't be enough yarn for the next 2 repeats and top edge. It's just lucky for me that the seller has more!. Let's see if the colour lot matches...

rantings over... The WIP is Sivia Harding's Moonshadow lacy stole knitted lengthwise and I can't sing enough praises for it. It's such a clever design and easy knit. Am using fingering cashmere from Colourmart.

As usual, I'll be off work for the Christmas & New Year break and switching to my vacation job as a Couch Potatoe cum Knitter.

( cards from egreetings.com )

Memories..

I'll let the pictures do the talking...


Rowanspun FO in Switzerland....Noro Silk Garden jumper at the Rhine Falls


Family in my handknits enjoying pork knuckles at Black Forest

Lots of clogs...still no sign of a yarn shop so far....

Glass pyramid at the Lourve.....note the 'pile' between horse's legs

ONLY 10 minutes at Liberty in London and managed to grab these....did not look at or pet any yarn there..

Worked on Sivia Harding's Moon Shadow Stole during the trip.

On Vacation.....