Spider's Web Evening Scarf...Gabes' work in progress

A work in progress...probably for my Mum for Xmas



Here is a close up of the picture from the book (Hip Knits)


You can see how they have threaded beads and sequins on the wool for the beginning and end. I tried a couple of times to knit the wool with beads on it but wasnt happy with the result so have decided to somehow thread them through at the end.

It is an interesting knit. One needle is 12mm and the other is 7mm so the loops are different sizes on each row. Despite such chunky needles the wool itself is very delicate and fine so it is taking a long time to grow and is quite difficult to handle. The wool is lovely and soft and although expensive for 25g the meterage seems to be very long so I only need one ball for the scarf.

After writing my to do list and realising just how much I need to do in the next couple of months it got me going on this. At least I have something started and am trying to knit a couple of rows each time I sit on the couch.

N (13months) has decided her new game is to touch Mum's wool and say "ooooooh" and then laugh as mum says "no". So not much knitting is getting down while she is awake now.....sigh

2 completed projects finally!!

Punk soaker in Ocean - i love it and it fits. Perfect in my books. LOL












Finally got some more mixed berry to finish this and its not going to last till next winter as its too short. Bugger it all. Never mind, it will end up with a good home shortly. I really must start ignoring pattern measurments and go by my own.

4th Soaker experimentation attempt for Karen

I have finish my 4th soaker!! But this one is quite different, I'm sick of the punk knitters patterns, it doesn't work for me at all, so I'm knitting with no pattern and using flat needles, which I feel its more easy for me to handle.
I think I have the wrong circular needles, so that could be one of the reasons that Punk knitters pattern is not working for me, another reason can be that I am retarded and have no craft skills at all.
I have cast-on 30 St for the front and a little bit more for the back part, then tried to used kitchener St for the crotch but didn't turn out so well, and I did sew the sides very tight.
It looks quite round and the back its very roomy, now I just need a newborn to wear it and model it for me!

Sharonnz' 3rd Blog Challenge

Compared to what I have spent in my mind, my actual purchases are quite modest...at the moment! As knitting takes over nappies (as Gus gets closer to toilet training) I'm sure this will change.
* Buying my Addi Turbos seemed extravagent at the time but oh so worth it...I plan to upgrade all my circulars eventually.
* Buying online soaker/longie patterns also seemed way out...but plans for subscribing to overseas knitting magazines will make this pale in comparison;-)
* Starting my knitting/crochet book collection has been an extravagent squeeze on the budget. I only have Vintage Knits & The Happy Hooker but Alterknits and Knitting Rules! will be winging their way home to me in a week!!
* My yarn stash is the epitome of restraint (currently!). The emergent concept of buying yarn without a project in mind has landed me with a wee bit of hemp yarn.

3rd BLOG CHALLENGE....Confession Time!!!!!!!!!

WHAT'S YOUR MOST EXTRAVAGENT KNITTING/WOOL PURCHASE???

Today I spend $25 on ONE 25g ball of wool! Yikes!

I so knew (see previous post) that the likelihood of the wool being pretty spendy was quite high but I wasnt expecting $25 for one small ball!! However I justified it like this....I only need one ball for the special scarf thats going to be for my Mum for Xmas and I've seen scarves in 'feathers' for about $20 so if I was to buy a scarf it works out about the same.So I'll just keep thinking that $25 for a scarf seems pretty reasonable! I just wont think about the fact that I only got 25g of wool LOL
Its Rowan Kidsilk Haze and to die for. Utterly gorgeous (you would hope so for that price eh!).

Soooooooooooooooooo confession time! What's your most extravagent wool/knitting related purchase?

Gabes TO DO List

Well I dont feel *quite* so bad now reading everyone elses TO DO's....

Heres mine:

The half completed.........
1 1/2 arms of a 2nd dolly. Gift for a pregnant friend. Have until Jan sometime to get her all finished.
1 arm and the back of a wrap cardy for little DD. Had to go get some wool which I've done but havent actually done anymore knitting on it. Luckily the pattern was size 1-3 so it should fit for next winter (luckily). It seems pretty roomy so sizing should be OK. Its in a hummingbird varigated 8ply, Lovely and soft

The havent started..............
Soaker for SS - size medium I think
Soaker for swapsies- size medium as well
Soaker for DD - was going to do a really detailed one with fairaisle and stuff for under summer skirts but can't see me getting to that now :(
NB size soakers for pregnant friends (getting New Mum to make me some fitteds to give to them so need to make 2x NB soakers)- again have until Jan to do them both

And I really really want to do a special scarf for my Mum for Xmas but need to see if I can find some Rowan Kidsilk - which no doubt will be some astronomical price for 25g

Gave up on the idea of knitting jumpers for nephews for Xmas long time ago

Just not feeling the knitting groove at the moment. Probably daylight saving that did it :( Hoping writing this all down will scare me into picking up some needles again!

Sharonnz' Restrained To Do List

Haven't posted to a shared blog before so if I've done something wrong please fix it, Nova;-)

My To Do List (kept in check by energy and motivation levels which are running a little low):
- Finish Gus' Seaweed Picky Pants Shorts
- Decide on Secret Santa knitting
- Medium soaker for a swapsie (need to find funky yarn to make this project interesting)
- Newborn & large soaker for a swapsie (need to find funky yarn to make this project interesting too)
- Find yarn to crochet self a cardigan for next winter
- Find yarn to crochet self a handbag
- Decide on Debbie Bliss baby pattern to make something out of my Watermelon for my niece

I'll also show off one of my lovely new stitch markers that Jade/Jgirl made me:
(when I can figure out how to post pics here!)

Cabbettenz- To Do List...Or Should that be wish list?

My to do list....

On the Needles....
*Wrist warmers for Me....About 1/2 way....hand dyed pink and orange variegated
*About 5 pairs of Longies for Lliam- 3 are 1/2 knitted..
*Jumper for My Niece...Started.....Bust need to finish the sleeves.
*Cotton stripe vest for Lliam to wear this spring.....running a bit late....
*Cotton Wrap cardi for Me....on size 10 needles....should be a quick knit
*Hat and Booties for a fellow TNNer......
*Jumper for Me.....Been on Needles for 6 years.....really hate the yarn...only have the front to finish.

Yet to start....
-Hand dyed throw for in the car....Hence the Koolaid binge
-socks for DH- Boring Black, But thats what he wants.
-Hurricanes Supporters Beanie for DH, and Matching scarf.
-Socks/ Slipper for me. Thinking something Pink or Red....
-Newborn knitting for My sister, Just waiting to know if I should knit pink or blue?
-2 Soakers or shorties for Summer- Ocean and Seaweed Variegated.
-Scarf with hood for Mum
-Pink and Purple wool from the wool company.....to make longies and a matching cardi for Rosemary's 1st birthday...July 2007....
-Stripe jumper for Lliam...Colours- Rust, denim and forest green.

And a lot more wool then I have Projects for...LOL

wahoo! stage one complete!!

Yay for me!! lol... its only taken me two weeks & i've got the back of the cardi for alexis done!! considering it takes me 3+ weeks to do a medium soaker i reckon thats not too bad 8) the pattern is pretty cool, its got a moss stitch edge & garter stitch stripes through it... it looks like it'll be rather long & thin, which is great, i like the long cardi look.. i was inspired to do this after seeing one that m2m's eldest was wearing at a knittacino!

nova's very short to-do list! lol

- lol hopefully get my watermelon soaker finished (almost there!) might embroider something on it..?
- my cardi for alexis
- a bigger cardi for alexis cos i don't think the first will fit!
- a beanie for DP
- a new beanie for alexis, cos gabes' one is getting too small waaah...
- maybe a wrap cardi thingy for me if i can find a pattern i like??

:D

2nd Blog Challenge: To-Do List

Erm. Mine's a bit long. Just a bit. So I've broken it down.

Currently on the needles:
Moss-Stitch Baby Throw (yes, another onhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gife. different colours, for a gift for a friend who's due any day now)
Wavy as a gift for midwife
LTK Flirty Skirty


Stuff I've already got the yarn for:
Secret-Santa gift
Longies for over Christmas (in USA)
Booties (my own pattern, still being tweaked)
Afghan for my mother (making up pattern as I go along)
Dress from one of my Debbie Bliss books (JJJ, we can compare notes!)


Stuff I'm lusting to do but haven't bought yarn for:
Donkey-hoodie from one of my Debbie Bliss books (I think Baby Knits)
Hooded blanket from Debbie Bliss book
Throw blanket for my grandmother
Slippers and/or adult booties for me
Winter bed socks and/or slippers for DH

And, long down the line when I have both the money for a nice yarn for it, and have conquered my fear of cables: Rogue sweater

My to-do-list

Well for someone who's only onto their 3rd knitting project, I have an awful lot on my to-do-list!
I'm currently working on some tinybird longies, they are a practise because I have amended the pattern. When I am happy with my amended pattern I plan to make (in no particular order):
- longies with a pawprint pattern on one leg & a cat pattern on the other leg, to have a go at intarsia. I've found the intarsia patterns & I have the wool waiting to go, and I did a practise paw-print swatch and it seems fairly easy...
- classic cream treliske merino longies (might make them to fit next winter, I'm a pretty slow knitter!)
- might as well make a treliske merino soaker as well. maybe with a pink intarsia star on the butt if I can be bothered.
- I have pink flannelette with a hello kitty pattern on it to make a fitted nappy, I thought I'd make a pink soaker with hello kitty on the butt to match; I already have the wool for that too. I'll use one of these patterns http://www.jessica-tromp.nl/hellokitty.htm
- I like the little dress in Debbie Bliss Baby Knits for Beginners, I think I will do that (but not in Debbie Bliss yarn at $13 a ball!)
- I also thought I'd try the little singlet pattern thats with the tinybirds soaker pattern. It looks easy, I might do that before the Debbie Bliss dress.

So thats just for starters. But as I am really not very fast at knitting (and some days I only have 10 minutes spare to knit!) this may take a while...

My to-do list...

Shorties for summer.
This soaker: http://www.dunmani.plus.com/knitting/patterns/soaker.html.
A skoaker for summer.
Longies for next winter.

Boring....

2nd Blog Challenge!

What is on your to-do list??!

(you can post a reply to this, but if you have a link please post it [using the chain pic in the composer] so we can check it out!!)

Moss Stitch Baby Throw - DONE!

I feel like it's the end of an era. The moss stitch blanket - started whilst still pregnant (!) with Zamara, has finally been finished, a mere 3 months after I started it. It's sooooo soft, 70% merino, 30% silk, 10 ply yarn.

Blog Challenge...

For my first post... :)

Tekapo Tartan soaker, my own pattern...

 

I think the legholes on this one are gonna be huge cos I've changed it a bit from the way I usually knit them...

Please ignore the bits of fluff on the carpet :) 

Yes, another pair!

Small longies in light blue Tekapo 8ply

Blog Challenge

I'd intended for my previous post to be for the Blog Challenge (i.e., what projects are you working on) but the more I thought about it the less it seemed fair, because that's what I was working on.

So, this has been on the needles for approximately two weeks now, during which time I think I've worked on it two days. It's a scarf (Wavy from Knitty) for my midwife, as I've never seen her without some form of scarf, done in Chocolate Utiku. A bit late, I know, but I figure I'll wrap it and she can call it Christmas if she wants ;-D The picture isn't the best because you can't see the pattern well, but you can in person.

And this is my newest project - a variation of the previous booties. I realised belatedly that the photo is taken of the wrong-side, and the picture really doesn't show the colour well (it's a beautiful sort of plum) but it's what I'm focusing my efforts into at the moment.


And there's still the blanket. Which hasn't progressed at all. Actually that's a lie - I started off last week determined to finishing it - in fact, made a LOT of progress on it - when I realised that I'd gotten quite off pattern and my moss stitch had become 1x1 ribbing and so I had to frog about two inches. Which was at least two days work and I because understandably discouraged. It's nothing I can't handle (and I have progressed a tiny bit since then) but it hasn't been the first thing I'm reaching to pick up to work on, either.

My latest project

These took surprisingly long to do, because whilst the first one knitted quite quickly, I had to either restart, or unpick, the second one SO many times! You'd think that it would work the other way around!

Generally I'm happy with them. I'm experimenting with the pattern because I have a couple ideas I want to try on booties but didn't really know the first thing about them before this. They're 3-6 month size and do fit Zamara now (2.5 mos), although she's got plenty of growing room :-)

Completed Audrey Doodlepants in Utiku Orchard

Thanks to Lisa for letting me borrow her 30cm circulars I have finished my first project on circulars. I dont know if circulars suit me as I found them quite fiddley, but I do love the way they create a pattern with varigated wool.

my scrumptious baby

I was watching some tv program last night and getting a bit bored so thought I'd have a go at knitting my baby a hat. I found this yummy wool on sale in the knitting shop in town so had to buy it but it wasn't really enough to do anything with! Anyway, I digress, there you have it, the hat that I knitted last night whilst watching cracker.....

Dolly-licious

I have never knitted anything not-clothing before so this was a new thing to try. I had this gorgeous book by Zoe Mellor Nursery Knits from the library and just couldnt resist this so cute knitted dolly.
It was very easy to do and quite quick. Each piece is only 30 sts by 40 odd rows, not to much shaping etc so it didnt take too long to be finished
I used cheap acrylic wool I got for $1/25g (Panda Disco) but this will mean easy to care for and the colours were so bright and funky.
I went to my Mums to stay for the school holidays so made her help me with the stuffing, which was a bit of PITA but worth the effort for such a cute end result.
I am even thinking of doing another one for a pregnant friend....CG suggested I make one for M too so maybe.....