Reversible Box Tote

The sewing machine came out this week! I saw the most gorgeous knitting bag on instagram. It was made by Truly Myrtle (I don’t usually like podcasts but she’s very interesting to listen to). Here’s the link to her bag.

It’s a shape I haven’t tried before. The pattern for the tote is a free one from Very Shannon. - the Reversible Box Tote.

I bought some gorgeous fabric from The Little Fabric Store. It’s a sweet, little shop and worth a visit, if you’re near. Helen is very lovely and helpful. I got some new Cloud9 fabric and linen to line the bag.

I bought another Clover tape measure too. They are really nice quality. I’ve found with the cheaper retractable tape measures that the tape will stretch and warp with use. I’ve had one for over a year (with daily use) and it is still as straight as the day I bought it. So I bought another because well…you can never have enough tape measures!

You can see the tape measure in the picture below.

The fabric that I chose happened to be what I'd used as inspiration for a stitch pattern that I'd created.

I used some cheap fusible fleece that I had in my stash – so it’s not got as much form as I’d like. Next time, I’ll use better quality.

I love my new bag anyway and have been carrying it around with me!

I haven’t finished any knitting projects this week. The two I’ve been working on are an Artemisia jumper from the latest Rowan Magazine 57. I’m using the yarn from the pattern which is Rowan Softknit Cotton and amazingly I have spot-on gauge with the same size needles for the pattern, which makes a nice change. Though I have altered the pattern and the shaping to make it a few inches longer.

I bought Designer Knitting Magazine 2014/15 and there was an interesting article by Meg Swansen about different increases – including a few that I hadn’t done before. I’ve tried out one that she names kibosirb (knit into the back of stitch in row below) for this jumper and it’s quite a neat increase. Can you see it on the left hand side?

I started a selfish knitting project which is an Epistropheid by Kate Davies but this didn’t go particularly well the first time. I went up 2 needle sizes and hoped for the best, as I didn’t do a swatch (swatches are nearly as big as the hat so it’s sometimes easier to gamble). I did a couple of inches and it wasn’t looking hopeful – so I steamed blocked what I had and instead of 24 sts in 4 inches, I had 27. It was going to be way too small.

So I frogged it. The gauge was as loose as I wanted to go with this yarn, so instead of trying to meet gauge. I’ve added a repeat of the pattern instead. It’s looking ok so far. (I’m electing to forget about the fiasco of forgetting to change to the larger needle for the body of the hat). I fear that this is going to be one of the ill-fated projects, where nothing goes right!

Truesilk

The Torine scarf that I mentioned last week is finished. The yarn was Rowan Truesilk in the sleep colourway. Ravelry project page.

I love the colour of the yarn. The sheen of the yarn really brings out the colour beautifully – there’s almost a metallic tint to it. It is lovely to knit with as well. The only little hiccup is it’s very easy to catch and it is a chain construction so difficult to pull the snags back in.

It blocked very well. Though I think I spent half an hour threading the blocking wires down the garter stitch ridges but it was worth it. It makes a beautiful and fluid fabric - perfect for a scarf.

The central panel is knitting separately to the borders and then the borders are sewn on. Luckily, I like sewing.

The borders could have been worked at the same time as the body of the scarf but having the sewn seams gives the scarf some stability and helps with any rolling of the borders. Plus the borders are worked on a smaller needle and this does make for neater garter stitch than if it were worked on the same size needle as the scarf.

My weekend was spent working on a Ravi Junior by Carol Feller. Nearly finished but here’s a picture of the yoke in progress as I think it’s just lovely.

The construction is fun and interesting. I’m  really enjoying it.

Works in progress

I’ve got quite a few WIPs at the moment. This is partly due to several mystery knitalongs.

My birthday/Christmas present (and maybe next year’s too!) was a membership to Debbie Abrahams Mystery Blanket 2015. I want to share pictures of this but I don’t want to ruin any surprises for people. I’ve put photos of the finished squares on my Ravelry project page.

I’ll show you a few sneak peek photos though.

Here is the first batch of materials.

The 2nd lot of patterns have just come through and I spent Sunday morning being super organised. The materials for each square are wound off and in their own zip lock bags.

The other mystery knitalong is Ysolda’s Follow Your Arrow KAL 2. I did it last year and really loved the finished shawl. Can’t really show you but here’s the project page with pictures. This is the yarn I’m using. It’s Solo by sparkleduck.

The other project on the needles is a Torine scarf from the Rowan Truesilk book and I’m working it in Rowan Truesilk (colourway sleep). The yarn is just heaven.

There are a few other bits too including a Christmas present – being very organised!

I’ve just completed another Buzzy Bee outfit for a friend’s dog, though it’s more “Dennis the Menace”esque.

Fazed

I’ve made a start on my Fazed Tweed jumper but my attention span at the moment is very short. I keep on moving from project to project.

And it gets worse, more yarn… I do have a project in mind. With my pattern being in the latest Knitty, I had a good look at all the other lovely designs. Nachtfalter in particular – it has garter stitch for starters. This lovely colour of King Cole Baby Alpaca DK is going to be ideal – the colour is called meadow. So hopefully you’ll see a pair shortly.

Just One Ball

I love those quick in between projects that just use one ball.  A Good Yarn, Cleethorpes has in stock, the scrummy new Pure Wool Worsted by Rowan. I’d been eyeing the pattern Entrechat for a while and Pure Wool Worsted was a perfect fit. The recommended yardage meant that I could knit up to the 12-18 month size in just one ball. I ended up using just 73g, so I think I could have easily made the 2-3 year size in only one ball. So quite a bargain for just one ball.

The pattern itself was really simple but a slightly unusual construction. I made it in a day, so a proper weekend knit. Definitely a pattern that I'd consider making again, especially if I was in a rush for a present.

The yarn itself is just lovely. It has a lovely feel to it and the colour that I used, Breton had a heathered tone to it.

Another picture of before blocking -

and after blocking.

It makes a huge difference and the Pure Wool Worsted holds its shape perfectly. Even the ruffles at the bottom stay in position.

Here's my Ravelry Project Page.

Plumes

A friend of mine bought some Sirdar Escape Chunky and a pattern to go with it, but never got around to making it….so I’ve made it for her instead.

Unfortunately, the yarn is discontinued but it has lovely colour changes. The stripes work particularly well because the garment is worked side to side.

The only modification was to leave the bottom ribbing until the end and then work in the round (instead of flat). That way I could use up as much yarn as possible. It’s a lot longer than it should be but I made the executive decision to stop because it was going to end up being a foot long.

I started another project, too. Eeek… I was extremely tempted by seeing some very beautiful examples of cardigans in Bergere de France Plume. I’ve worked in it before and it’s beautifully soft handle. It’s a combination of wool, nylon and acrylic; and the finished fabric is soft, draping and fluffy.

I had a good look around for something to knit in it and came up with a Drops cardigan that would match up with the gauge. So a jumper’s worth of yarn came home with me from A Good Yarn.

I finished the back last night and it’s a very quick knit, so watch this space. 

The other temptation at the moment is Rowan’s Pure Wool Worsted which is in stock at the moment at A Good Yarn. I predict some of that coming home with me shortly.