Yarn Along......Magic Loop or DPN's

Do you remember these socks I cast on, back in February, my first self striping socks, I was very excited about knitting them but I kept looking at them and just wasn't happy with how they were looking. I usually used two circulars to knit socks but I decided to try Magic Loop for the first time.

As you can see with this close up, the start of each row, looks really untidy, I never had this problem using two circulars. I had a look on the web to see if there was a reason this was happening and by the looks of it a few people had the same problem. The common problem seemed to be pulling the yarn to tight and recommended holding the yarn a bit looser. I tried this but I still had the same problem.

While reading up on this problem a lot of knitters said that they preferred to knit with DPNs so I thought I'd give them a go. I had tried them before but always felt very awkward holding them. I prefer toe up socks so I used a circular needle to cast on using Judy's Magic Cast On and then changed to DPNs, once I finished the toe increases.

It took me a few rounds to get use to using DPNs but I soon got the hang of them and I'm much happier with how my self striping socks are looking. Look at the difference between the two socks side by side, once I've finished my sock on the DPNs, I will frog the other sock and knit that one on them too.

I'm knitting the collar of my Hana Hou and just have a few more rows before I can start seaming together, I absolutely love this pattern and can't wait to finish it.

I'm enjoying my stripy vanilla socks as they are easy to knit whilst out and about or watching TV but I do prefer something with more of a pattern, so this week, I cast on the Crocus Socks by Wendy D. Johnson. I'm using A Fine Fish 4ply sock yarn in Roller Disco, again I'm using Knit Pro Symfonie DPNs. I have just bought some Knit Pro Karbonz to try, I've heard quite good things about them, I'd be interested in what you think, if you've used them.

I haven't worked much on my Miss Winkle and have only knit a couple more loops, I'm over half way through the book I started last week and really enjoying it, it's a great chick lit to read before going to bed.

I've also cast on another new project, I asked Jodie to choice a few Rico Essential Cotton from The Homemakery to knit a striped garter stitch baby blanket, these are what she chose.

I couldn't decide which colour to cast on first, so I asked my Instagram friends to chose for me, the first person to comment chose the Lime Green, so that s what I went with. I'm going to go through the other comments and knitting the colours in order of what they chose, I'll show you my progress, next Wednesday. I know I'm going to enjoy knitting with these pretty Spring colours.

I'm linking to Ginny's Yarn Along and Tami's WIP Wednesday, check out what other knitters have on their needles.

Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your week.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along.........Miss Winkle.

 

Hi there, I'm back today with a new project!!!!!!! I did promise myself, I wouldn't cast on anything new until I'd finished one of my other WIP's....................but when I saw on Instagram, that Sarah from Crafts from the Cwtch, was starting a new Spring KAL on the 15th March and the pattern was Miss Winkle, I couldn't resist!!!!!!

The original pattern was knit in a variegated yarn, which looked really pretty and I had some A Stash Addict in Mermaids Hair. I'm never sure which patterns look good with a variegated yarn so this has been sitting in my stash for ages and thought it would look good for this shawl.

I've named it my Easter Shawl, as my blog friend, Stephanie, commented that the colours reminded her of Easter M&M's. The pattern is easy to memorise and is great to take with you when you're out and about, I knit what you can see, in the car over the weekend. I love the loopy edge and it only takes 100g of 4ply yarn, you just knit until you've run out of yarn.

I've finished the first sock of my First Time for Everthing and have casted on the second one, I will add the Afterthought Heel, when I've finished both socks. I've also tried a new to me bind off called Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off which gives a really good stretchy cuff.

I've also finished one of my Linden Mitts..........

and have cast on the second one, this pattern knits up really quick and I love the stripes. I think these will go towards my niece's Christmas present.

Last but not least, I've only got to pick up the stitches for the collar on my Aureus, so will be finished by Friday. This week I've started V is for Vengence by Sue Grafton, I use to read these series of books, years ago and read up to about M is for..... I stopped seeing them in book shops but saw this the other day so picked it up.

I'm linking to Ginny's Yarn Along and WIP Wednesday, thanks for stopping by and enjoy the week.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along.......Stripy Mitts and some Fairisle.

Hello, how was your weekend? I had a fab Saturday, I spent the day with friends having a mini spa day with afternoon tea. My friend, Di, had us all around her house and booked a beauty therapist to give us all a treatment. After our treatments we all relaxed and enjoyed afternoon tea and a glass of fizz. It was a wonderful, relaxing day with friends!!!!

In my last post, I told you about the Fairisle workshop that I attended, last Thursday, after it had finished, I went downstairs to John Lewis haberdashery department and picked up a few different colours of the Rowan Felted Tweed DK. I really enjoyed the process of Fairisle but felt as though it would be something that you need to practice, otherwise you could forget the different techniques, so over the weekend with my new yarn, I cast on a Fairisle scarf.

I'd seen a pattern called Leftover Cowl by Wendy D. Johnson, it's a large cowl using leftover sock yarn. I loved the Fairisle pattern but didn't want a large cowl so I decided to use the chart for a Fairisle Scarf, instead.

I'm knitting it in the round using magic loop, knitting Fairisle in the round is so much easier as you don't have to purl, I'm really caggy handed holding the two yarns and purling, so this is a good option for me. It's a 12 stitch repeat pattern but because I'm knitting it in the round, it's two sided you need to cast on multiples of 24. I cast on a total of 144 stitches which gives me a width of 27cm, each pattern uses two colours which I'm randomly choosing from my ten colours. I'm loving this project and find Fairisle very relaxing, this will be a long term project and I might even buy another couple of colours to add to my rainbow of colours.

I've finished the sleeves on my Aureus, I just need to set the sleeves into the armholes, knit the button band and I'll have a finished garment to show you, hopefully by next Friday.

I've also started another new project, I'm joining in with Jane Richmond's Linden Mitts KAL, this will be a fairly quick project as it only uses 50g of Knit Picks Felici or any other self striping yarn.

The pattern gives you the option of 4ply or sport weight yarn, I've had to go down to a 2.25mm needle as the 2.75mm knit up too big for me, I prefer a tighter fitting mitten. Even though the pattern was written especially for self-striping, I think it would work just as well with a variegated yarn. I love the Knit Picks Felici but it's hard to find in the UK, I managed to get this one ball from Great British Yarns but it looks like they aren't stocking it anymore.

This week, I've started reading The Diary of a Provincial Lady by E.M. Delafield, I can't tell you too much about it yet, as I've only just started it but it's a fictional diary about a 1930's lady and her family life. I like to collect classic books with limited edition covers and I love this one designed by Cath Kidston, isn't it pretty? Check out more knitting projects and reads over at Ginny's Yarn Along, also pop over to Tami's blog for more WIP's.

Thanks for stopping by, I really appreciate the time you take reading and leaving me such lovely comments.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along......two WIP's on the needles.

Good morning, I'm back today with this week's WIP's, I have got three WIP's on the go but have only worked on two this week.

The main one I've been knitting on is my Aureus cardigan using Rowan Felted Tweed DK, after soaking and blocking, this yarn really plumps and softens up, I really like it and will definitely buy it again.

I've finished the back, left and front side, blocked and joined them together. I'm now working on the sleeves. I really want this finished by the end of the month, as I've joined in with The Sock Bunny Sweater-A-Long, which ends on the 31st March.

I've decided to knit both sleeves at the same time, this is the first time I've attempted it and wasn't sure how it would work out. I'm using circular needles with a long cables and two balls of yarn, so far, so good, no mistakes and no tangles. It's probably no quicker by doing this but I don't know about you but once the first sleeve is finished, I just want the second one finished as I know I'm close to completing the garment.

The other WIP are my First Time for Everything, stripy socks using Twisted Limone, self striping yarn in Find the River.

I'm attempting an Afterthought Heel for the first time and have just knit the waste yarn, where the heel will go, I'm going to be very nervous when I come to undo it and put them back on my needles!!!!!

This week, I'm reading Unraveled by Maggie Sefton, a murder mystery set around a yarn shop, I think I might be a bit obsessed with all things yarny!!!!!! I'm linking up wth Ginny's Yarn Along and Tami's WIP Wednesday.

Tomorrow, I'm going to a Rowan Fairisle workshop, this is something I've wanted to learn properly for a while now. I had booked onto a different Fairisle workshop, last year but it was cancelled so when I saw Rowan was doing one, locally to me, I booked myself on it. I'll let you know how I get on, I will hopefully be knitting a Fairisle jumper before long.

Thank you for stopping by, have a good day.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Diamond Gansey Socks FO.....

Another quick Friday FO post, I only have one to show you and they are my Diamond Gansey Socks, I'm still on track with my goal of twelve pair of socks. If I can carry on finishing one pair a month, I will easily achieve it, maybe I could even finish two pairs.

Gansey is a traditional fishermans pattern used for fishermans sweaters, knitted to protect them from the elements. This pattern is a simple diamond pattern using knit and purl stitches, I used my regular, slip stitch heel.

I used Skein Queen Crush in variegated blue and greens. I like the foot to be fitted but like the leg to be quite loose so I can scrunch them down so I tend to cast on 64 or 66 stitches, the smaller size would fit but they feel too restricted.

I've managed to complete three projects, this month, my Halele'a, Zoe Fan Stitch Jacket and my Diamond Gansey Socks.

 

Check out other FO's this week over on Tami's blog. Have a great weekend and I'll be back soon.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along.....What's on my needles this week.

Hi there, how are you all, today? I want to share with you, my new discovery. SELF STRIPING YARN!!!!!!!!! I see it so often on Instagram and Podcasts but it's always US yarn suppliers, which I would of bought some eventually but while I'm cutting back on buying yarn, I can't justify the shipping. Sometimes it costs as much for shipping as the yarn.

Anyway, I was happy just looking at everyone else's pretty yarn, then a couple of weeks ago, I googled "self striping yarn in the UK". A website popped up called Twisted Limone, it's an Etsy shop where she sells her hand-dyed, hand -wound yarns. She updates her shop every Saturday afternoon but you have to be quick as it sells out really quick.

I'm doing a plain Vanilla sock, using my normal 64 stitches to fit my foot and I'm going to do my first ever Afterthought heel, which was one of my knitting goals this year. The colour I'm using is Find the River and as you can see go from vibrant green and blue to a softer green and blue then the dark chocolate brown. I love it!!!! I've named them A First Time For Everything as these are my first self striping socks, my first Afterthought heel and the first time I've used Addi Sock Rockets which Tangled Yarn have just started selling.

When you hear knitters talk about self striping yarn, they say it's addictive and you constantly want to get to the next colour. Yep, they're right, it is, so much so, I eagerly waited for Saturday's update and I managed to get this ball of Sherbet Dip, don't those colours looks delicious? I know I said I was on a yarn diet but for something special I will break it and I've only got two balls of self striping in my stash!!!

The project I've been working on mostly this week is my Frangipani Shawl, I love everything about this pattern. It's quick to knit and even though it's a lace pattern, it's not complicated. I've knit 75% of the shawl! this week, I love that Helen, the designer of the shawl, has given you percentages of how much you've knit. As I said about the self striping socks, getting to the next colour, the shawls them same, I have to get to the next percentage. The last part of the shawl, will take longer to do as you end up with over 500 stitches, I would like to get it finished by the weekend as the next pattern from. Dream Big, is due out at the end of the month.

The only other thing on my needles are my Tuuli Mitts but I haven't got any further with them so look exactly the same as last week, I'm also still reading the Cornish House by Liz Fenwick.

I'm linking this post to Ginny's Yarn Along and Tami's WIP Wednesday.

Before I go I wanted to share this photo with you, my husband and I decided to go out for dinner on Saturday. We tried to get a table at The Crooked House, unfortunately they were fully booked. The building really is this crooked, it's feels very strange when you walk through the bar to restaurant, you can't walk in a straight line, luckily the restaurant is an extension and isn't crooked, so nothing slides off the table!!!!

We ended up at The Inn at Shipley, which is a recently refurbished restaurant, the decor is beautiful with open fires, so very cosy.

Thanks for stopping by.

xxxxDebxxxx

 

Yarn Along.......a cardigan for Olivia.

Hello, my friends, how is your week going? I'm back with my regular work in progress post and I've cast on the Zoe Fan Stitch Jacket by Vibe Ulrik Sondergaard. As I said last week my niece asked if I would knit her a blue jumper, I just couldn't say no to this sweet little girl. I know this yarn is more lilac but I've told her it's periwinkle blue and she's happy with that. When I saw her, yesterday, I told her I'd started her jumper and she gave me the biggest hug and said "thank you so much, Aunty Deb"!!!!! She was wearing the Manolin cardigan, I knit her last summer, she is so proud when she wears one of my knits and tells everyone that I "made" it for her, bless.

I'm on my second Diamond Gansey Sock, they are easy to pick up and put down, great if I'm watching TV, talking or taking to crafty get togethers.

I've finished my Halele'a so I'm now concentrating on the Aureus cardigan from the winter edition of Pom Pom Quarterly. I'm hoping to finish this by the end of March which is when Sock Bunny's Sweater Along finishes. I've finished the back and I'm now working on the right front, talking about Pom Pom as you can see on this photo, the latest edition landed through my letterbox, yesterday, as usual beautifully wrapped with a personal thank you message, it's those little touches.

Again, it didn't disappoint, with so many fabulous patterns plus many other interesting articles, this issue's recipe is Chocolate Bergamot Cookies, mmmmm, they look delicious. I'll be baking these sometime soon, I'll let you know how they turned out. I don't buy as many magazines as I used too as I wasn't making anything from them but this is worth every penny. I've knit two patterns from the last issue and sometime soon, I plan to cast on the Aroha by Rachel Coopey from this issue. I can't recommend this magazine enough, this little magazine won't be far away from me for a while yet. I'm linking this to Ginny's Yarn Along and WIP Wednesday over on Tami's blog.

What are you crafting and reading this week? Thanks for stopping by, I'll be back on Friday to show you my Halele'a.

xxxxDebxxxx