Some progress

Over the long Easter weekend, I made a bit of progress. All that's left to do on Ivy is finishing off a few threads and stitching up the remaining side seam. Yippee!

I started the first few rows of Dragone a while back, and to be honest it wasn't going awfully well. Now, this is a long-term project, but it was looking like it might take forever. The pattern is fairly straightforward - lots of different stitches but nothing I hadn't done before. Apart from the horizontal stitch, but I figured it out - or at least a version that works for me. But I was struggling to make progress.

It wasn't the yarn, it wasn't the pattern - so maybe it was the needles. I was using a pair of straight 3mm needles that I've had for years and planning to buy a new Addi circular for when the number of stitches got too large. And I had seen reviews of an exciting new development - the Addi Lace needle. Sadly, these don't seem to be available in Europe yet but they are to be had in the US. So I treated myself and ordered online.

It arrived on Friday, so I ripped my previous effort and started again. What a difference! It's much pointier than the previous needle, so much much easier to work multiple stitches, but not so pointy that it's hard to use. And it seems to have just the right degree of slippiness to grip. I think maybe the fact that I had made a previous attempt meant that I was already familiar with the pattern. So here's where I got to over the weekend. Utterly useless photo, but I am now just past the tip of his tail and going well. It's not a pattern I'd want to work on for hours at a time, but 10 or 20 rows at a time (in fairly good light) is fine.


And, at last! A Finished Object! I finally got the lining attached. I'm not wild about the cheapo plastic handles, and since the bag is cream I'd like to be able to wash it. So the handles are attached with tabs with press fasteners. I'll probably never change them, but I can if I want.

Incredible Shrinking Swatch

Yes, I was right to think my green/brown mystery yarn might shrink. But not quite in the way I expected. When the swatch dried I measured it again and it had gone from 23cm wide to 22.25 (reasonable) and from 18.25cm long to a stunted 15.75! I'm not sure whether the culprit is the green woolly strand or the brown loopy one, but either way I'll definitely need to make a few allowances with the measurements as I go.

Previously, I haven't done swatches as I've always been too impatient to get going with the pattern. But I'm beginning to see the light.

Ivy now has one sleeve sewn in and most of the dangling threads finished off. Left to do is positioning of the ties and then it'll be good to go. I'm really pleased with the way it turned out.


In other news, I started a version of Elfin Bride/Elfin Goth from the Domiknitrix website. I like the book, although I'm not so keen on most of the patterns. But this one cried out to be made.


Here's where I've got to so far. The pattern starts at the middle of the yoke and continues into the left sleeve. I'll probably stop fairly soon, as there is shaping from the elbow to increase into a bell sleeve and I'm not sure yet how the sleeve will sit. So I think I'll wait until near the end when I know whereabouts in the sleeves my elbows will be. Next step will be to pick up stitches from where I started and work in the opposite direction for the right sleeve.

What will it be?

Here's a swatch I made last night for a new project. The yarn is a 1kg cone I bought in the Avoca sale for €12. At that price, I really couldn't resist. It seems to be a mix of wool (the green) and something else (the brown). On the down side, it's not the nicest to work with as it's a bit rough and twists quite unpleasantly. But I do like the way it looks knit up. I used 6mm needles which seem about right. And I've even washed the swatch so I can see if it's likely to shrink.


Now all I have to do is decide what I want it to be. I was planning to make this Mobius scarf, as I thought it looked like a really interesting technique to learn. But this yarn is waaay too scratchy. So now I'm thinking maybe some kind of wrap cardigan. There seems no point in doing any kind of complicated pattern, as it would probably just disappear into the general tweediness. But maybe a simple lace stitch to add a bit of interest.


And here's a dishcloth I made to use up the remains of the cotton from my bag.

Knitting bag

So, my recent efforts. I'm finished the cable jacket, except for the zip. It wasn't all that easy to find a dark green 20" open-ended zip, but I got one at Carmel's Fabrics in Bray. And I'll put it in. Soon. Really soon.

Ivy is done, except for the last few inches of the second tie. Just waiting to be sewn up - no complications expected. Quite a bit of the silk yarn left over, so I'm looking for a nice pattern for a summer top - maybe with short sleeves. And maybe one-piece top-down, so I can do something creative with stripes if needed.

Tired of carrying my knitting around in a tatty old plastic bag, I decided to make a nice new knitting bag. It's based on the Fake-a-Gamo pattern. Instead of the two strands of DK, mine is made from Aran-weight cotton which came on a 500g cone from Springwools. The pattern is well written and fun to do. The only difficult part is having to knit 11 together, but it's ok after the first few. I left out the tassels and made the top almost straight. And it will be lined with a remnant of furnishing fabric. It's all done except to sew the lining to the bag and attach the handles.

Starting Dragone

I started it last night, so here's the first twenty rows. It's on 3mm needles and I had been a bit concerned about what sort of needles to use, but I thought I'd have a go with a set of metal straights I had at home. Not a good choice at all. I used to knit everything on straights, but then I needed to learn knitting in the round so I got some circulars. Now I use circulars all the time. I just find the balance better and they're so much more portable too. So I'll be going shopping at the weekend. I may also try bamboo, as this yarn is damn slippery.

I always like to try out new techniques and this is definitely a project to investigate the use of lifelines. Fixing mistakes stitch-by-stitch with such fine yarn is virtually impossible and dropping a stitch the stuff of nightmares. I did the first few rows several times, but there's no way I'm ripping the whole thing once I get past about an hour's work.

Ivy

Nearly finished this, and it's been fun. I'm recycling (again) some silk yarn I've had for many years. First, it was a sweater, then it became a cardigan but I didn't like in either version. This time, though, I'm pleased with it. It's more of a butterscotch colour than it looks in the pictures.


The pattern is fairly ok. As various others have found, it's not the easiest to follow as regards the front shaping at the sides and neck. So there was quite a bit of ripping there - my own fault for not really paying attention. The sleeve length given is very long - it's meant to be a bell-shape so a bit longer than normal, but I found it almost covered my hand completely. I've seen some people say they had problems setting in the sleeves but I think that's ok. I tacked in the first sleeve to check the length and it seemed to fit well.


I was dreading making the ties - miles and miles of 8-stitch k1 pi rib but I started last night and it was fine. Excellent mindless in-front-of-the-TV knitting, and here's the result

Debbie Bliss Cable Jacket

Nearly finished this one. Just need to finish off the hood, stitch it together and (eeek!) put in a zip. I've never done a zip before, so that will be interesting.



The pattern is from the Debbie Bliss Number Four book, and uses Cashmerino Aran, but I substituted Lang Merino+ 152 in colour 88, which is a fabulous deep teal. Also a lovely yarn to work with, really soft and springy. I haven't knitted with wool very much, but this could convert me. The cable pattern is slightly irregular, so a little bit of attention is required but I wouldn't describe it as complicated. I needed one more ball of yarn than suggested, but I did make it a few inches longer than the pattern said.