Piosa KAL Part 1 & 2

Part four of this fab KAL by East London Knit came out this week. While I am sure that many people are powering through this latest instalment. I am working my way through part two. As this is my first garment I am being extra careful not to make mistakes. Therefore I am working on it only when I am off. At least for the sections that require concentration.

So I am proudly showing you my first swatch. Actually not my first swatch but my first that was done specifically to measure my gauge. I am proud to say that my gauge is the same as the pattern recommendation. Proud because as a newbie it means I don’t need to worry about deciding whether to change needle size or change the size of the pattern I had decided to go with. Drug calculations no problem. This hurts my brain (probably because I’ve never had to do it). Anyway, I was saved this time and I love my little swatch. I even blocked it.

Part three was already out when I was waiting for a day off to watch the YouTube video on how to do German short rows. I have done short rows in the past but never German. Up until that point I had done the cord, picked up stitches and the first two rows. Once I was past the short rows I was able to do a few rows each night after work. I’m afraid I couldn’t stay awake long enough to do more than that. Since the above photo I have finished with the back down to the armholes and I’m about to put the stitches onto some scrap yarn before I make a start on the front. Feeling proud of myself so far.

I am currently knitting a pair of socks for myself in between. After that though I think I will get back to the scarf and shawl that I had been working on before Lockdown. Then when I have finished my cardigan I have plans for a jumper. Can’t wait but I really shouldn’t count my chickens just yet.

Today is a special day for my family and it seems apt that I should post about my knitting. Today is the fifth anniversary of having lost my mum to Pancreatic cancer. Most people who knew her know her for her love of red and her love of knitting. She was an avid knitter and could knit up jumpers in the space of a week. I think she would be proud of me for knitting my first cardigan as well as wondering what took me so long. The photo below was taken by my dad from their holiday in Portugal, a place she loved. Anyway, I plan to continue knitting and have a cheeky glass of her favourite red while watching one of her favourite films. Hope you are all safe.

WIP - August

It's about time that I shared the projects that I am working on just now (other than the blanket club of course). Unsurprisingly there is a theme in colour here. You might remember this shawl from months ago.  Well, I worked on it for a day or two and I loved it. Loved it so much I didn't track where I was. Of course when you take a break from something for as long as I did with this you are never going to remember where you are. So I picked it up again last week and started from the beginning. I love this pattern and I love how it's working out. I think soon I will be changing to circular needles. I hate using them but as this is only going to get bigger it needs to be done.

I am also working on these socks. I spotted them on pinterest months ago and I had to hunt it down on ravelry. Sadly it was part of a challenge and so wasn't available. Now that the challenge is completed the author put the pattern up for sale. It's called Far Into the Forest by Kirsten Hall. It's funny how this pattern was first used as it has certainly been a challenge to me. I've enjoyed it though.

I love the back too and I have now reached the heel. I've decided to put it on hold until I have some time off when I can truly concentrate on it. The heel is different from others I have done before so I need to take time with it.

I gave up on the mobius scarf because you couldn't see the pattern in the lace. So I started the Lucidity Shawl by Beata Jezek. I also found this on ravelry. I am loving how it is working out (spot the stitch marker by For the Love of Yarn). I have to be honest I haven't worked on this in a while either.

Maybe in September's update I will have an actual finish for you.

Giving Shetland a Go

This really should be titled 'In Which I Cannae See Green Cheese'. The Scot's out there will know what that means. Basically I saw something on instagram, wanted to join in and this is the result. There is a knit-along going on. It's a hap knit-along, or rather a hap-along. I saw quite a few people mentioning it on instagram (I follow a lot of yarny people it would seem) and I wanted a piece of the action. It is run by a lady who has a fab blog about using British based yarns. In keeping with that a hap is a Scottish word for something to wrap round and keep you warm. The only rule to joining in is that it had to have hap in the title or description.

I searched and searched and while I saw a few pattern liked I instantly fell in love with this pattern called Halligrath designed by Gudrun Johnston for Brooklyn Tweed (I have rave about Brooklyn Tweed many many times). While it is inspired by Shetland design (and most haps are of Shetland design) it does not mention the word. You have no idea how much I don't care. I instantly fell in love with the pattern. I even like it in that green which is not a colour I would ever choose.

Instead I decided to go with a Shetland yarn. I picked Jamieson and Smith. It's a yarn that I have used just once before. It was for a class on colour work. I thought it would have the right texture and the muted tones suited to it. I actually wanted more of a teal colour but as it wasn't available I picked this petrol blue instead.

This is the start of the chart and one repeat of the pattern. I have plenty of yarn to knit up the large size and then have some left over. You can see from the first image that I bought it in a cone rather than the 25g balls. Basically, the thought of all those loose ends is demoralising. The downside is that the cones are meant for machine knitting and so have an oily residue. However, the website stated that you could still use it for hand knitting so long as you wash it after. Since I am going to have to block the garment it's going to get washed anyway. Win win in my book and I will have plenty of yarn left over for some socks (yes, it's the equivalent of 4ply).

If you are interested in the hap-along you can find it on the organisers blog Knit British, which is also listed on my blogs page. Although I won't be joining in I still love seeing the photo's from others who are joining in and maybe I will join in another knit-along (hopefully after I have finished something).

Keeping with the blue I picked this up from my good friend of For the Love of Yarn. I fell in love with the colour as soon as she posted an image of it. It didn't matter that it was lace weight. I thought it would entice me back to lace knitting.

As I wanted to try something new I thought of a book I bought years ago, Arctic Lace by Donna Druchunas. I thought it was about time I knitted something from it. I thought the mobius scarf would be perfect!

Sadly I am not in love with how it is knitting up. I love the way the colours are striping but you can't see the pattern at all. I know pinning brings out the pattern with lace. Having stretched it out though I just can't see it. I think this pattern needs a slightly thicker yarn even though it calls for lace weight. I also have more yarn than I need for this scarf (a lot more) and I really don't want to waste it. I haven't totally decided but I am thinking I should start again with a new pattern.