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STR

I have joined the club this year. I am not sure why actually: it was more of the spontaneous decision. I love knitting socks, and I love hand painted sock yarn, so I went with the flow.

So far it hasn’t been that smooth: the first packet got lost somewhere in the mail, but the nice and kind people send me a replacement, which I received this Saturday. Thank you the owners of the STR club, I gave up all my hope of seeing this lovely Monsoon yarn again.

Today my boyfriend called me from Cambridge and said that the second pack had arrived (I soooo want to see it, but in view of having exams, I will have to live in London until the 8th of May without any knitting).



This brings me to the point: I will have to blog about my recently bought yarn and the project I’ve started last weekend but haven’t yet show here for the next couple of weeks. Hope it will not be too boring.

Stay tune, I have big plans for my after exams rest ;)

‘Or the ripples from a pebble someone tosses in a stream…’

Model: Swallowtail Shawl from IK Fall 2006
Yarn: 1 skew of Handmaiden Sea Silk in colour Capri
Needles: Addi’s 40’ 4.5mm circulars
Modifications: none

Blocking gets easier with time

I have to say it does not feel as a torture anymore, with a good practice it is manageable. I finished, washed and blocked the Swallowtail Shawl. The end result pictures in 'real life' will be taken later

The end result is stunning (well in my view); it is perfect for the summer and will go with different outfits. I know the colour is not mine but as is the shawl. That is right the yarn and the project were chosen back in January to become a present for my mum (she is blonde and has blue eyes, so fingers crossed she will be glad to receive it). I am proud of myself as I have finished it beforehand not a month or two after the birthday. I will go to visit my family at the end of May for about 10 days (cannot wait) and will give it to her. I think I will also take some pictures of my damned Phildar jacket as well on my mum

Holidays

Came and went so fast, I don’t event feel like I had one at all. I had so many knitting plans to convey but had a food poisoning instead.

As soon as I’ve finished wristbands I’ve decided to stay true to my initial proposal and pick up Highgate again. Which I did only to see yet another mistake at row 13! I am crazy about mistakes; I just have to have none of them if I possibly can, so I’ve ripped the whole front and started afresh. I am now back to where I’ve started: row 120.



Then I thought I could start another socks and relax for a while, sure I did, only I’ve chosen the wrong kind of socks for it: Eunny Yang’s entrelac knee-highs from IK Spring 2007. 2 evenings spend knitting frenzy, 5-6 ripping, plus ~10 ripping of the toe cast on. I don’t enjoy the process yet; I am now up to heel on the right sock and no passion.

To cheer up I’ve started a shawl: Swallowtail from IK Fall 2006 in Handmaiden Sea silk. That is a fantastic and utterly rewarding knit!

Useful or useless

Cannot decide actually, so what do you think?


When I finished my first Monkey Sock I was left with quite a leftover of yarn and taking into account the colour of it, I was completely lost at the prospect of finding a project that would incorporate it (I don’t like to store leftovers)

My boyfriend took a look and proposed to knit wrist bands. At the time I must say the idea seemed too appealing to resist because I use them very-very often. Ok, here is an embarrassing fact about me: as soon as the temperature strikes 25C my face starts to sweat enormously, just like in a sauna. I don’t sweat anywhere else but the face. Nothing helps against it, I can’t use any make up during the summer time, and to make things worse there is no hope of growing out of it. It is hereditary, my father and grandmother are just the same.

To wipe my brow I tend to go through loads of tissue per day and 2-3 wrists, so you see: it is an essential item for me. The thing I have noticed over the years as that sport wristbands are not as tough as they should be: they do not survive for more then a month in my care and every day wash (Nike sometimes lasts longer).

Here is the ingeniousness of my boyfriend’ idea: the yarn is for socks, so it is the toughest one available and in theory should withstand the summer. We’ll see about it.

Ok, enough on the advantages of the knit, coming to the uselessness of it: it took a really long time to knit. They only look small but being done on 1.5mm, it took about an evening each and I grew sooooo tired after the first one. I was only able to complete them employing all the willpower I seem to posses. I could have done a large garment at the time ‘wasted’.

Now you see why I have this mix feeling toward my wristbands


Model: Wristbands by me (72st x80rows for XS wrists)
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in colourway ‘Happy Valley’ (about 0.5-0.75 of the ball for the three of them)
Needles: Pony 1.5mm(US 000)

Martha

It’s done! It’s done….and I am in love! This is my favourite knit so far: love the pattern, the fit, the yarn, the colour. Oh, how I love this ice cream with blackberry jam colour, so pretty, not lilac and not pink, just right in the middle.

I had to wear it today, so here are some pictures.



Model: Martha by Sara Hatton form Rowan Studio issue 2
Yarn: just slightly over 5 balls of Rowan Felted Tweed in colour Melody for Size L
Needles: Addi 3.00mm (US 2/3) and 3.75mm (US 5)
Modifications: none


I know that hat doesn’t match the outfit but my ear is hurting and I had to wear it

The secret 5th button

Almost there

I am desperate to finish at least something, the cold is almost gone and so what would be the point of my winter sweaters? I won’t be able even to take a picture in them.

So, I am on the quest to finish Martha, and then the mystery item, and then the Highgate (it has been collecting dust for far too long).

I was knitting in the train today on my way to Cambridge (was determined to finish the second sleeve). The elderly couple was sitting just opposite of me and the woman was ever so often glancing at my growing sleeve. When the train was approaching the platform the woman broke the silence and asked me where did I learn to knit THAT way? I know I don’t hold the needles in any known way because I am self-taught and I was already knitting for years before I realised something was wrong, but I figured it would be far to late to re-learn.

Anyway, the woman said she had been knitting for years and had never ever come across my method and she also said that my way is fast and very tension controlling. I am so pleased!!! Finally someone said something nice, not just a blank stair of annoyance as if I am not a knitter but a clown.

Martha is now washed and blocked

Candyfloss

Or mint candies for kids: that’s what ‘Happy Valley’ reminds me of.


Pattern: Monkey by Cooki A. from Knitty Winter 06
Yarn: 1.5 skews of Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock in colourway ‘Happy Valley’ (Note, I started each sock from the different skew to obtain similar pooling)
Needles: Addi’s DPN 2.5mm
Modifications: chose to do 6 pattern repeats for the leg and 6 for the foot