Miranda

I had a very long and busy weekend with very small amount of knitting done. I wish I have done more but there was simply no time.

However, I did manage to finish Miranda socks for my boyfriend, only to find out they were not for him. It is not that they came out too small; it is the whole shape of the leg part. My boyfriend’s cuffs are straight and not curvy as mine, so the leg part of the sock was waving like a flag on him. However, after a wash in a fairly hot water, they became a perfect fit for me (I have a large feet for a girl). So here it is in a colourway of Harry Potter’s scarf:

Pattern: Miranda from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush
Yarn: Jaeger Matchmaker DK 2.5 balls of discontinued colour pumpkin and 1 whole ball of brown
Needles: Addi DPN 2.5mm
Modifications:
the rib is 5 rows shorter
there are 5 extra rows of plain st st after the last pattern repeat of the foot before the decreases
the toe is wide instead of pointy, I don’t like pointy toes’ fit

It is a really Big Hat

It was really cold over here this week, so cold in fact that none of my hats could protect me. This was a call for some wardrobe update. Last Autumn I fell in love with the Marc Jacobs Mushroom hat and was on the quest of replicating it: I bought the yarn, the needles….. But then the inspiration had left me.

So, this week, all I had to do was to knit it, which I did.
I firstly opted for the original look and got it by making a shorter double hat but I looked absolutely awful in it, so ugly in fact, I made no pictures and quickly ripped it before anyone could see me.
With the second attempt I took my time: I knew what look I wanted to achieve, it was just the matter of actually doing it. Here it is: my own Mushroom hat.


Model: my own adaptation of Marc Jacobs’ Mushroom Hat
Yarn: 3 skew of Blue Sky Alpacas
Needles: Addi circulars 15mm and 20mm

Weirdly shaped

I have finally defeated the twisted devil and picked up Phildar Jacket. It is spring soon and I have been trying to knit it since summer. If I don’t pull myself together now, it will be virtually impossible later. I am very proud of myself I dare say as I finished both fronts! You may argue that they are not difficult, but to me they are: not only I have to knit in a reverse stockinet stitch (I find it extremely boring), but also the shape is so closely-fitting, I have to be very careful with constant row counting. For me it is 10 times more complicated than Demi.

Anyways, as soon as I finished 2 pieces I blocked them, I was just curious about the outcome as they rolled into tubes and I could not envisage the design. I also started the back immediately; 40 rows done by now, not much, but something.

The blocking itself was very complicated, I have spend no least then 53minutes on it!!!. This is because I could not do it right about 4 times, eventually I ended up blocking them wrong side up, it doesn’t make any difference but decreases and increases are much more visible.

I also washed and blocked Demi’ back, here it the picture of it (the best one out of probably 20 shots) wet but not blocked yet.

One sock down, one to go.

I haven’t posted this weekend because I didn’t have any new pictures to show and posts without pictures are rather boring.
2 days ago I finally finished the back of Demi, it took just over 2 balls of yarn and now I am slightly worried that 7 balls are not going to be enough, this is a new fear for me which started after my small disaster with Gedifra. I personally call it: the problem with difficult to obtain yarn. If I was knitting with something like RYC DK I would not have worried as popping into LYS could easily put an end to my misery but it just so happens that I fall in love with discontinued yarn.

I wish I could show you Demi’ back but it is awfully tricky to photograph. Instead, I would show you the first Miranda sock. I love it!!! The pumpkin colour is so pretty in real life. The sock is steaming hot from the needles and so without washing and blocking.


I am modelling it myself and it is slightly large for me as the pair intended for my boyfriend. The yarn is stretchy, so after the wash it will be suitable for European size 43-44. Fingers crossed ;)

Snow

It has been really cold over here recently, so cold in fact that it even snowed last night. I know for many parts of the world snow is nothing more than an every winter event (I am Russian, I should be used to it), but for England it is something rare and unusual.
Thank God, I don’t have to travel till Friday, when it had snowed last year trains stopped running.

Anyways, because it is so cold I’ve got a chance to wear my River shawl together with the matching hat. I even bought a lovely felted broche to go with it.




On the knitting news: all of my knitting will have to wait till weekend as I have left it in Cam deliberately (it is a new term and I have to focus on it). However, on Sunday night I made further progress on Demi: it is 4 complete diamonds now. I find it quit a struggle to photograph it as the colour is so dark. Honestly, I am not sure I will make it justice when it will come to modelling for the FO post.

Tweed

I don’t know what is gotten into me but all I like recently is tweed. Maybe it is because I spend too much time in Cambridge?
I still have absolutely no progress on my Phildar jacket but I have casted on two new projects and both of them are tweed and discontinued tweed as well.
The first project is Highgate which is from 2003 Jaeger Pattern book and I saw it at sweetgeorgia in September, fell in love and started to look for the yarn. Back in October I managed to buy required quantity in the colourway I wanted (I am not much of the pink person). What can I say: LOVE it! This yarn is fabulous! I have knitted up to shoulders, spotted a mistake I have done 65 rows back and sadly had to frog.

Every time I do frog something I get angry with it and my interest in the thing wears off for some time, so I have started Demi. I am much more advanced now since taking this picture yesterday.

Initially, I was not planning on knitting it this year, I wanted to knit Beau for my boyfriend: ordered this discontinued yarn, and after I have paid, the seller on the internet shop said they run out of the colour and since it had been discontinued I could either get a refund or choose a different colour. I chose a different colour… everyone(ckeck out Ashley and Miss Elliphantom ) seems to be knitting it now, I just got the vibe...

Splash of colour

My interlock Gedifra sweater is done and it is so bright in our rainy-gloomy-miserable weather. I wanted to take some lovely and happy shots with it, to do some justice to the projects, try to give you the feel of it. But the end result is: fat-yellow-skin-looking-girl.
Just to let you know: in real life/light yellow colour doesn’t make me look like a HP B patient and I don’t look that big in it.





Pattern: Model 755 Gedifra Highlights 052
Yarn: Gedifra Fashion Trend Colour 150g in green and 450g in yellow
Needles: 6mm 40’ Addi circulars
Modifications: none

There was a mistake in the pattern yardage and I was left with one extra ball of green colour yarn and one yellow ball short (fortunately, my yarn problem was quickly resolved). And the extra green ball soon became a helmet hat.

Helmet Hat
Pattern: my own
Yarn: 1 ball of Gedifra Fashion Trend Colour in green
Needles: 6mm 40’ Addi circulars and 4mm Addi DPNs


P.S. Ava, the lovely item from previous post is a shawl, though it is more like a large scarf.

Stick a fork in me

The grant is done; I cannot even begin to express how please I am about it, 3 days of continuous writing or prelude research for the writing. Hopefully, next time I will do it with some ease if not to say enjoyment. At least that was the point of this exercise
In view of the above, I haven’t actually knitted a single row and I have been longing to finish my Gedifra sweater, so I am going to do it this week.

Anyway, that is not what I was to blog about. I actually wanted to show you the present my boyfriend's mum gave me this Christmas, I only got it this Monday.


Hand crocheted on Madagascar, remarkable if you understand how long it would have taken you to actually do it and then to weave all the ends. I know for certain I would never be able to do it, but then again I am not a crochet confident knitter. End weaving just kills the beauty of the modular knitting for me.

Grant Application

I think, I would have to change the name of my blog as there will be very little knitting soon. With holidays being over, I am back with studying.
I want to be a scientist, I want to conduct my own experiments, and hence I must know how to fill a grant application. I have never seen or done one in my life, and now I have been given an article on the subject I know absolutely nothing about, some guidelines, list of equipment and that is it. I know it is only a test (not an actual application) and it is for my own benefit in the long run, but I HATE IT!
It is massive, it is even longer than a student visa application, longer than most of the PhD applications (unless it is a German application form ;)) and worst of all is that I have absolutely no idea from which side to tackle it. I can’t believe that in real life one has to do it every 3 years or so.
There has been absolutely no knitting since the beginning of this year, sad isn’t it? Sigh.
It is Friday however, and I wanted to show you something pretty, so I will show you wonderful vintage buttons I have bought on etsy, it is not for anything particular, just impulsive-stashing.

New Year, same life

I hope all had a nice time over holidays. It is just so sad it is so soon over and done with. I didn’t knit as much I would have wished for and spend most of the time in bed ill.

This is a strange thing: I am getting the cold every two weeks now and my immune system doesn’t have enough time for the simplest rehab. Awful… it all started this September as I had get another abscess on my toe (as if 3 operations last year wasn’t enough), last year I had been found to have an MRS infection which I got in the hospital over here in UK. I was treated with yet another extensive course of antibiotic cocktail. It sort of worked for the toe, but now I am so weak I have these continuous relapses of cold. I only hope it would pass soon.

Anyway, I was ok on the actual New Year Eve and went out with my boyfriend and friends. It was nice, not too outrageous, not a drinking-dancing night, just a nice conversation night.

I have been thinking about resolutions for some time now and decided to say a no to them, chances of me keeping them are just too faint because what could the resolutions of the knitter be? Yes, as usual: not too buy too much yarn and try to use the stash. I would love to do it, but not sure I am strong enough.

On the more cheerful news: I have received the ball of yarn needed to finish Gedifra sweater off. Thank you, a wonderful Lana, a woman in Germany whom I never met in my life, but who has such a generous heart.

Happy New Year!!!

All the best to all of you in the coming year. Hope all you knitting dreams will come true.

Cry Me A River!

My River shawl/stall is done! Finally after almost 3 months!!!
This is my first lace project and it surely wasn’t easy for me. To be entirely honest it felt almost as my first knit because I knitted 30 rows, spotted a mistake and then had to rip something like 10 rows and start all over again. It was a love-hate relationship and there were moments when I felt like Penelope and moments when I wanted to throw it away and never see the damn thing again.

And then it was the artistic torture of blocking it. Blocking like many other things in life needs perfection which comes with the experience, so there will be other lace projects next year ;)

Pattern: River from Rowan 38
Yarn: 2 balls of Rowan Kidsilk Spray in colour Medici
Needles: Addi 7mm 40’ circulars
Modifications: none

I call it skiing sweater

As there is no name for each of the VK models, I ll have to make one.
The sweater is finished, but not without some disappointment: the collar does not look like one on the actual pictured model unless you stay in her pose with someone adjusting it on your shoulders prior to shooting. Practical? Not, so how can I ever trust their pattern if it just doesn't look the part? I guess it is all my fault as I never actually knitted yolk style before, if I did I would have known that the actual picture was not the real life one. But would I knit it anyway? Yes, I think I would as it is still pretty.
So here it is: my version of the sweater with 2 modifications:
1. the sleeves are chimeric (mirror image) instead of being the same
2. the collar is 10cm longer then the original because unless you are staying in the modelled pose your neck is exposed and lets face it what is the use of the super warm sweater if it leaves the neck cold?
The first picture was taken yesterday with the original neck line, the rest are modified.

Pattern: model 16 VK Holidays 2006
Yarn: almost 5 skews of Cascade Magnum in colour Celery for size Medium
Materials: Susan Bates US 17 29' needles and 12.00mm Addi 40' circulars
Modifications: see above

Merry Christmas everyone

Just another update

I started to post a lot more regularly, probably because I am finally on my holidays. Hurray!!! I love it despite being ill and even despite awfully cold and foggy-misty weather that has been in Cam recently. When they sang ‘I am wishing for the White Christmas’, I don’t think they could have imagined this weather in their wildest dreams/nightmares. Well, it is white, scary Halloween’ white with fog and not with the snow. And it is bitterly cold and wet and just miserable. It is not the type of weather people like to experience particularly over the holidays. I am craving for sunshine…

But it is the 22nd of December and with Christmas rapidly approaching I have decided to give my flat a clean-over. Actually, in Russia it is one of this weird customs to clean the house prior the New Year celebrations. It is believed that if your house is clean at the time it would remain to be clean over the year. Probably centuries ago it had a slightly less direct meaning with people believing in evil creatures. They probably wanted those creatures to stay away from the house and so cleaned it as a ritual? I am not sure, but so used to this tradition, I just had to clean my flat, everything, even the walls in the kitchen, even the much hated banister and all the clothes in the closet. And I have done it in less than 3 hours, still astonished!!!

Talking about cleaning, one of the things I absolutely hate with all my heart is dish washing. I have done a lot of it in my short life that is why. I have done in the places where there was no hot water and in the places where it was no tab water at all and I had to bring it form the well and heat.
There is an ad I hear daily on the radio about Mortgages, they go around and ask people what they want to have in their future homes. Some people wish for specific bathroom tiles, some for the game room with the pool table and white chalk on the string to keep score (bachelor guys I guess), some go wild and want to have a door bell ringing with the ‘Final countdown’. My dreams are less outlandish: I want to have a dishwasher.

Now, back to knitting. I have abandoned the Blue Bell Jacket in favour of the bulky sweater and it is going rather well with both sleeves and ¼ of the body being done. I have to say it: Cascade Magnum yarn is fantastic! It is FANTASTIC. The texture and the diameter are pretty much like Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky I have used in the VK Beret, but it is luxurious to touch, so silky and smooth and shiny. I think I would have to find another chunky model so I could use it again. Yes, it is that good. My colour is celery and it looks like it has been hand died as is it not truly solid, has slight orange variation, beautiful!

Thoughts out loud.

This is the beginning of my holidays and a perfect time to actually knit something. I have spent the whole day yesterday knitting the back of the Blue Bell top (Model 15 of the latest VK).


The problem with it is that the largest size they offer is 12cm smaller for me at the chest. I took all my measurements and compared them with the one given. The Medium size given should have been OK for me up to the increases from the waist up. It should have been, but it wasn’t. They actually give measurements 2cm bigger then the actual knit is and with the stretching allowance, what they don’t tell is that this particular pattern is better left unstretched as it makes you look like a fat hunchback.


So, I ended up frogging 60 rows and would have to make up the pattern now. I hate doing it, coz it leaves me in the limbo up to the moment both fronts and the back a safely sewn together to make sure whether it has worked or not.
And now I don’t want to see the damn thing (I have a cold right now and so have a very short patience). Instead I am thinking of knitting this. What do you think?

A short Meme

Elizabeth, I have been tagged.

Year's End Knit-analysis

1. What is your absolute favourite project you've ever knit (one that fulfilled both process and product)?
I think this would have to be my lovely Hedera socks by Cookie. Since being finished they have already survived a couple of washes. Wear them at home and out.

2. Which of your handknits do you wear the most often?
Grey Gedifra sweater, it is just fabulous, I washed it endlessly and nothing affects the yarn. Sweater is classy, so it is a favourite for Uni and out occasions. In fact I probably wear it once a week.
The runner up contestants will be Gray Bolero form the same yarn the sweater is (maybe it is something with me and Gedifra Merino Delux or me and grey colour?) and the latest VK beret (it is freezing right now and this beret seems to be my warmest hat, plus it is wind resistant).

3. Which of your handknits are you most proud of?
The baby combo and my future Phildar jacket if I will ever finish it (I love the look of stockinet stitch, but absolutely hate working it).

4. What was your favorite gift to knit?
I have a big family, so my gifts turn out to be baby/toddlers/children clothes. This year I did make my niece happy (or her mother) with combo, jacket and yet another combo. I also did a present for my sis 5th birthday.

5. Which of your handknits are gathering dust your closet?
My first knitted sweater, I don’t like they way the neck line looks, maybe I will pull myself together and re-do it next year. I also don’t really wear Spencer gloves as I find them cold and uncomfortable.

6. Which of your handknits have you gotten rid of?
My summer’ attempt to crochet-Green bolero. I hate the thing, now I have a suitable model for the yarn. I also frogged several hats I didn’t bother showing here.

7. If you've knit socks, what is your favorite pattern?
I didn’t knit that many yet. For now it is Hedera (you can read my praises for it before).

8. What would you like to make in 2007?
As usual, the list is endless, let just say that I would love to knit up as much of my stash as humanly possible.
I bought some fantastic lace yarn last month and Victorian Laces Book, so something interesting may turn out to be a birthday present for my granny (she is 70 next year)

9. What have you learned about your craft in 2006?
I re-learned sock knitting, no-needle-cabling and crocheting (still don’t like the last one).

10. What events/sites have you particularly enjoyed in the blogosphere in 2006?
I opened my own blog, that it is the main thing; joined several KAL on the Russian Knitting forum. For me it is a lot, but I wish I joined Knitting Olympics when it was on.

It is Party Time

With Christmas being only one week away, it is time for corporate Christmas parties!
This week has been really difficult, demanding and challenging for me as I had to finish all my courseworks. Thank God it is all over and done with!!!


So after such a hard time, last night’s party at my boyfriends firm was a blessing. Had fantastic time and met lots of cool and nice people.

And I have got my extra late and long waited for birthday present: beautiful knitting-needles bangles. Check this out!!!




Oh, on the actual knitting part: there has not been much I am afraid, hopefully next week will be more productive.

More socks

There are some kind knitters in this world after all; one woman from Germany has ordered the yarn for me. Fingers crossed I will get it.

Therefore, there is no Gedifra knitting for now, I also ran out of yarn for River (there is something definitely wrong with me) and have no willpower to knit Phildar jacket as it is in plain stockinet stitch.



So, what do I do then for now? I have started another pair of socks for my baby (he asked for it after seeing my Hedera!). This is a well known pattern of Miranda child socks from Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush, but I am substituting yarn, needle size, the rib length, and it will be in 2 colours, not to mention that it should fit a big guy’s foot. I have long had 3 balls of Jaeger Matchmaker DK in the colour that is no more available, it makes it 360m all together, so I will have to match it with a darker colour and stripe. Hopefully, it will look interesting and nice in the end.

A complete disaster!

AAA!!! I am stuck with my Gedifra Sweater. The yarn specified for the pattern is one ball less then needed. I am almost done, just one cuff needed and there is no yarn to knit if from.
Spend lots of time on the net yesterday searching for it but all in vain. It just disappeared form the net shops, and I only need one ball
Please, all the nice knitters who saw Gedifra Fashion Trend Color (in shade 4508) in shops ( I know it is common in Canada), please, please, please buy it for me (I will pay you for it and the shipment via PayPal). This is my last resort!

Bulky Beret

In October just Before Halloween I have received my copy of VK Holidays 2006 and the first model that struck me was this beret ( I am a hat addict remember), 2 weeks later I had the yarn, and now I can finally reveal it.


Pattern: Bulky Beret from VK Holidays 2006
Material: Blue Sky Alpacas Bulky Hand Dyes 2.5 skews in colour teal
Tools: DPN (Fiddlesticks) and 60cm circulars (Addi) 9mm needles
Modifications: none


I love it!!!! Absolutely wonderful: warm and cosy and holds its shape perfectly. It took me 3hrs to knit because I and big needles don’t go together much.

Hedera

The socks are finally finished, and time could not be more appropriate as it is the first winter day today. OK, maybe it is not that cold yet but I am one of these people who always feel slightly cold in the foot department.
So, these beautiful socks are just perfect for couch knitting.
Cookie thank you so much for designing something that pretty and easy to knit.


Pattern: Hedera from Knitty
Material: 2 balls of RCY 4-Ply in colour Monet
Needles: Addi aluminium 5DPN 2.5mm
Modifications: none, just adjusted repeats to fit my slightly different feet

I highly recommend this pattern for any knitter, won’t regret to have such a pretty pair of socks. Mine are in solid colour, but look how great they my look in multicolour on Parikha blog (I am almost jealous)