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March 4th, 2008
06:09 pm - Nomadic projects
My mother is a quilter. But I'm a knitter. Why? Because quilting is a space hog (as ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) about_right put it). Also it's not portable. You got your sewing machine. Your ironing board. And quilts are massive. Knitting fits into your bag.
But even within knitting, there are projects that are more portable than others. Colourwork is bad for travel. Balls of wool everywhere! Getting tangled and knotted up! Jumpers (pullovers) and cardigans are too bulky to carry around. Lace gets snagged. Large gauge projects get completed too quickly.
So yeah, it's small projects with finer gauge. My three projects of choice for my 25-day trip to Indonesia:
1. A cable beanie using the reclaimed laceweight to fingering for me
2. Circle socks with Claudia Hand Painted Yarn for a friend
3. Jo Sharp's Cable & Rib Vest from Knit Issue 3 in See Jayne Knit's Chocolate Berry Truffle soft wool sportweight for me
Alas, all of them are new projects. But don't worry, they'll get completed. Here's a photo of the lovely planned vest. I will be shortening the length by 10 cm (30 cm until armhole shaping) since I'm only of hobbit height.
Current Location: Canberra, Australia
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February 26th, 2008
02:10 pm - An overdue vest
Okay. I finished this over a month ago, but was too damned slack take a photo of it. But here it is at last! Jo Sharp's v-neck vest from Knit Issue 1 with superwash sportweight from StringTheoryYarn:
It's the third time I've done this pattern, but the first time I have kept the vest for myself. More photos and details on Ravelry.
Current Location: Canberra, Australia
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February 21st, 2008
04:12 pm - Ravelry and a beanie FO
Oh dear. Within 24 hours of getting my Ravelry account, and I have already gone apeshit. *sigh*. I need a job. Something to take me away from yarn pr0n and knitting needles! Anything!
On other matters, this is the beanie that I knit for the freshly-married husband:
My brief was that I was to make a beanie that looked rustic and earthy. You know, something that would be worn by a self-respecting tofu-munching hippy. Nothing twee or pretty.
So I chose three fibres in my stash: a rust coloured merino, dark brown merino and undyed brown alpaca. I first hand-carded it to blend the fibres, then spun the yarn from big fluffy rolags in the 'woollen' (vs 'worsted') style. It took forever, and is quite a different experience from spinning from commercial sliver. It's worth it, though, and the yarn was distinctively different. Much more loft and a 'spongier' texture.
(edited version x-posted in to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif) weekend_whirls)
Current Location: Canberra, Australia
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February 5th, 2008
03:41 pm - 'oles in me mitts!
A friend of mine is a jeweller, and made me my wedding ring. We wanted to pay her for it, and she sweetly asked if she could have the payment in knitted goods! These are one of the items that I made in payment:
These are the Dashing fingerless mitts in Traveller Mali yarn.
But alas, I can't seem to get rid of the hole in the thumb when I pick up stitches! I tried a few times to rectify the situation, but regardless, the hole remained! Any ideas?
Current Location: Canberra, Australia
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February 1st, 2008
08:11 pm - What got done in January 2008
Alas, January was a slow month for knitting and spinning. I blame it on apartment hunting, moving and a general malaise. Perhaps February shall see more completed. Perhaps.
What got completed in January:
- Jo Sharp woman's vest in sportweight yarn from stringtheoryyarn
- A pair of Knitty's Dashing fingerless mitts in Traveller Mali yarn from The Sanguine Gryphon
- Spun one skein of soysilk yarn in DK weight
What's in the knitting and spinning baskets (carryover projects):
- Laceweight stole in a Japanese pattern (still a third of the way through)
- Socks in 'Indian Corn' colourway (still on the bloody second sock and dying of boredom)
- Jo Sharp man's vest in doubleknit yarn (almost completed the front)
- A rib scarf with remnant doubleknit yarn (almost there...). This was a fossilised project that I discovered in my storage unit
- Spinning more soysilk yarn in doubleknit weight
Current Location: Canberra, Australia
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January 31st, 2008
06:28 pm - Interchangeable needle lust
So I've been wanting a set of interchangeable circular needles for a while. Then alas, I foolishly bought the Denise Interchangeable Knitting Needles (pictured below) without consulting the knittersreview.com's review. A grave mistake.
When they arrived, I realised that the grey needles weren't metal, like I thought, but plastic. The cables were stiff and icky. Fortunately, my mother liked the look of them, and quickly commandeered them.
So now I'm looking for another set. And my eye is on the KnitPicks set. They come in hollow metal nickel-plated (kinda like Addi Turbo circulars) or laminated rainbow-coloured birch. Despite, the noisiness of the hollow metal, I think I prefer it. The only reservation I have about it, is the sharpness of the point. It's sharp!
( Rambling about dramas getting Knitpicks Options in Australia... )
So anyhow, after much browsing, I'm settling on PrestigeYarns.com who sell an 'entry kit' for $43 and then all parts separately. Total price of kit I want? AUD78.85. Sweet. Only problem is they won't reply to my email order. *tsk*.
Current Location: Canberra, Australia
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January 1st, 2008
09:29 am - The December 2007 report
What got completed in December:
- Cable beanie using sportweight handspun
- Handwoven scarf using laceweight 'autumn leaves' merino handspun
- Tudora ruff using commercially-spun aran yarn
- Tudora ruff using sportweight handspun
- 'Dashing' fingerless gloves using sportweight handspun
- Handwoven Richmond Tigers scarf in yellow and black
- Spun and plied 100g merino roving in 'Sea Greens' colourway by Fibreworks into fingering weight yarn
What's in the knitting basket (carryover projects):
- Jo Sharp woman's vest in sportweight yarn (only waiting for more yarn to finish neckband)
- Laceweight stole in a Japanese pattern (approximately a third of the way through)
- Socks in 'Indian Corn' colourway (onto second sock now)
- Jo Sharp man's vest in doubleknit yarn (only just starting!)
- Spinning some uber fugly soysilk yarn in doubleknit weight
Alas, I'm still waiting for the mega stash to return from Indonesia. The last I checked, it is still in Medan. In the meantime, I shall have to play with my mini stash that travelled with me. *whinge*.
Current Location: Canberra, Australia
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December 22nd, 2007
12:51 pm - Medieval Trekky top
Oh yeah, how much do I like this top from a back issue of Interweave Knits?
I hate to say this, but it's kind of like a cross between some Star Trek alien clothing and something funky one buys on Brunswick St (Melbourne). Though the magazine claims it has 'a hint of medieval intrigue'. Hmmm. And I hope I don't have to wear it with my head tilted like that all the time. Not ergonomic and that.
Anyhow, I have sent for a copy, and shall be knitting it in Fina sportweight alpaca yarn that I got from Elann.com. I bought a truckload of the stuff in natural, and shall be attempting to attack it with some Ashford acid dyes.
--
On other matters, I have finished my first Tudora ruff. Will shortly be balling up yarn for the next one in handspun. Shall knit it on the train back to Sydney tonight.
Current Location: Canberra, Australia
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12:07 am - Ruff!
In amongst getting married and stuff, I had forgotten to check Knitty.com for a while. Then lo and behold, the winter edition is out!
Some hours later, I'm three quarters of my way through a pattern. Tis called the Tudora ruff. It's a 'ruff', apparently. Though larimeloom on Etsy.com calls her weave and crochet version of the same a 'cowl scarflette'. I particularly like this one. What a bewdy!
Anyhow, one shall be ready as a Christmas present shortly. Then another one planned with some handspun.
Current Location: Canberra, Australia
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November 24th, 2007
08:18 am - Not a hobby, luv
Yesterday, whilst I was knitting a beanie at a party, a woman leaned over and asked me if knitting is my hobby. I paused. A hobby? No... I think it's more than that. It's a way of life. Heh.
Oh yeah, I bought the Indian Corn yarn. Toaf made me do it.
Current Location: Nias, Indonesia
Current Mood: ![[mood icon]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/mood/growf/smileys/smile.gif) chipper
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November 23rd, 2007
07:44 am - Jo Sharp vest
Jo Sharp is an Australian handknit designer from my home town of Perth. And there are some Jo Sharp patterns that I absolutely love.
This classic v-neck vest pattern is from Jo Sharp's Knit Volume 1. I have made two vests of these already -- one for my mother in burnt orange, and the other for my step-sister in green tea. The fit is great, and they look fantastic with a shirt underneath.
I have found that pretty much any sportweight yarn substitutes well in this pattern. But my favourite would have to be a sportweight wool called Devon from Elann. Currently, not so many colours are available from Elann, but SeeJayneKnitYarns has a stash of undyed Devon and custom dyes it on request. It only takes two skeins (USD42 total). And I've got enough of her Green Tea and ChocolateBerry Truffle colourways to make two more vests. Heh.
Current Location: Nias, Indonesia
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November 22nd, 2007
10:59 am - A late pair of socks
Last Christmas, I promised a friend a pair of socks. I gave him a ball of yarn, and promised to make them for him.
And yep, it's taken me 11 months to finish making it. I have the attention span of a gnat and was distracted by numerous other projects. But here is the end result modelled by Toaf:
And a close-up:
Current Location: Nias, Indonesia
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November 20th, 2007
09:13 am - A semi-solid obsession
I am developing an unhealthy obsession with 'semi-solid' yarns. Not quite solid colours, but not multicoloured either. You see, multicoloured yarns are too busy and too distracting for cables, lace or other patterned stitchwork. Yet, solid colours are often so... so... boring and flat!
So here's the photo of the first semi-solid yarn I bought earlier this year from The Sanguine Gryphon.
And then the second:
And then my favourite sportweight yarn in colourway called Green Tea by SeeJayneKnitYarns.
And recently, I have discovered the pure genius of StringTheoryYarn, who seems to have mastered the art of dyeing semi-solid yarn. But alas, I buy faster than I can knit. So back to knitting it is.
Current Location: Nias, Indonesia
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November 19th, 2007
09:55 am - Sari silk mould and soil noil beanie
It was a productive weekend. Though nothing compared to Heather's efforts!!!
I finished a pair of socks from the Favorite Socks book, as well as a simple shawl made of recycled sari silk. Socks are good (photos tomorrow), but the recycled sari silk shawl is spectacularly fugly. I'm not sure what happened, but it looked like the sari silk went mouldy in the Nias tropical humidity. I'm going to wash it, but don't am tempted to disown it...
The picture below is of a lace silk noil beanie I made for another nomadic knitter who is currently in Jamaica. Silk noil (also called raw silk or bourette silk) is vegetarian as they wait for the silkworm butterfly (or moth?) to emerge before using the silk. This is contrary to normal silk where they kill the worm. The result is a more textured and less shiny yarn. This yarn was hand-dyed by The Sanguine Gryphon.
Current Location: Nias, Indonesia
Current Mood: chipper
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