Archive Entries for March 2008
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Sunday March 30, 2008
Alison: Caister Gansey - The Final Unveiling
Though I finished the sweater late in 2007, I wanted to wait to give it to my father in person.
They just arrived to visit us and so I was able to hand over the guernsey.
Here he is modelling the finished garment:
I did have a small concern that it might not fit well as the sizing was based on secret measurements taken by my mother. However, not only does it fit really well, but in the 5 days since he received it my father has not removed the guernsey which is very gratifying...almost gratifying enough for me to knit another...almost!
Posted by Alison at 4:05 PM. Category: Ganseys
Saturday March 22, 2008
Christina: Frogging
I messed up the fancy edging at the sides somehow; it wasn't very noticeable but I decided that (a) it's a quality item so worth getting as perfect as I can, and (b) knitting it is such fun that I don't mind having to do it all again... So I backed out about a dozen rows.
Posted by Christina at 10:58 PM. Category: River Rock Scarf
Wednesday March 19, 2008
Christina: The pattern emerges
Knitting with this silk and wool yarn is such a delight that I have knitted the lower edge and started the main pattern chart in record time.
The yarn is thinner than the recommended one, knitting 36sts and 46 rows to 4 inches on 13 (2¼mm) needles, and I have gone down two needle sizes to number 9 (3¾mm). I have not increased the number of stitches, so my scarf will not be as wide as the stated measurements - fashionably thin I hope...
Posted by Christina at 11:53 AM. Category: River Rock Scarf
Tuesday March 18, 2008
Christina: River Rock (Dawn) - thread the beads
Alison suggested we do this scarf as a Knitalong when I visited her last October. A bit less of a challenge than a guernsey! We chose our yarn and beads together at Hollis' shop Full Thread Ahead. We spent ages mooching about in the shop trying to decide from the fantastic range available - it's such a a great environment there that mooching itself is half the pleasure. I finally picked Dawn from Naturally Hand Knit Yarns of New Zealand - for its lovely feel - wool and silk - and its lovely petrol blue colour (there was also fabulous rich chestnut colour). Hollis' advised me to get smaller beads than those recommended in the pattern, to better suit the yarn.
To thread them I used a (fairly common I think) technique that I was shown in the beaded bag workshop in November 2006. I have illustrated it here with a large eyed needle and wool. First thread the needle, say left to right, as normal - note that you have already checked that the needle is small enough to go through your chosen beads! Then wind that end round and thread the needle again in the same direction, left to right. You have created a loop.
The loop is to thread your working yarn through (just seen above). You push your beads on to the needle, past the eye, onto the looped yarn...
and finally on to the working yarn.
I actually used a much finer needle, and dental floss to create my loop. The initial double threading of the needle can be the most difficult part - especially for very fine beads. So once you have threaded a needle in this way for beading, you may wish to leave it permanently threaded up for future use (!).
This technique made "thread 767 seed beads on your first ball of yarn " a complete breeze.
Posted by Christina at 2:26 PM. Category: River Rock Scarf
