Moth holes and Christmas balls...

Having discovered I was a knitter, one of my colleagues asked me to help restore a jumper of him, with particular sentimental value. He told me it had very large moth holes. I assumed he was exaggerating a bit and that it would be easy enough to repair...


That's just a part of the holes...

Anyway, I set to, back patching behind the larger, wider holes as it was the only way I could reconnect the tatters. Unfortunately, I didn't have an exact colour match, and my trip to the local wool shops wasn't anymore successful. Whether by design or wear and tear, the colour was most definitely a faded version of itself. So I combined a grey DK with a royal blue 2 ply to get the closest match I could. My first successful attempt at combining colours to create a new one (I got the idea from the Tanya Alpert book). Unfortunately, one hole fell in the middle of a colour strip that I couldn't match with anything, so I had to re-knit an entire strip and sew it over two areas to hide this.

My colleague repeatedly insisted that he was not worried about the final outcome and, although I'm happier with it than I expected it to be, I'm still not sure this is a good enough patch job. But I'm going to show it to him tomorrow to see what he thinks...


This weekend, I have mostly been infusing my old, battered Christmas baubles with new life by knitting each of them a kitsch 'Christmas jumper' to use up some of my scrap yarn...

To do list: update blog...

It isn't that I haven't been knitting since July. It's purely that I haven't kept up with the blogging. Until there's an 'app for that', I probably won't either...

Still, while I'm here, a few items that have been made recently:

When my Nan recently fell ill, I decided to make her a scarf out of the remaining bright pink wool she'd given me (see jumper below) to cheer her up. And I used my newly-learned skill of double crochet! If I could just start to understand the crochet patterns I like, I might be able to use this skill for more than straight lines one day... I used a pattern for a ruffle scarf from Lion Brand, which came out rather well. So well, in fact, that my mum asked for one too, so I've made her exactly the same thing for her birthday.

My friend Sandy is having a birthday party at a pretty expensive restaurant in London, so I have to confess, what with the thought of all the money I'm going to have to spend and the fact that I'm not really sure what she might want as a gift, I decided to make her something. Sandy's a photographer, and one of her most popular photos is of a sea turtle, hence the obvious choice:


Mind you, he's so cute, I'm tempted to keep him... No surprises there...!!

I had a job finding an actual sea turtle pattern, but I eventually used this one and adapted the colouring.

I'm sitting on about six unfinished projects, which I won't bore you with, and I've finished the first side of my brother-in-law's Christmas scarf (well, it was supposed to be his birthday present in October, but it's still in need of a 'back' to cover up all the loose threads...). I will try and update again soon... :)

Finally, I can tick this off the To-Do list...!

Puce it all up

This one has taken absolutely ages. Admittedly, I had other more interesting events happening in the meantime, like chatting up Strange men and finishing college for the year. And also the fact that I could not make head nor tail - or rather sleeve nor neckline - of the god-awful knitting instructions. When I finally almost worked it out, it then took more than 30 minutes to do a RS-WS round. I've watched a lot of episodes of Waiting for God on YouTube of late - in fact, after 20 of these rounds, I'm now up to Series 5 (including 2 Christmas specials!)! But I suppose, in the end, at least there is an end to it:



And, on the plus side, it does fit. Although I do resent having to knit the larger size with considerably more stitches these days. I think I finally understand why the fashion industry really uses stick women for models - not because they look tall and elegant in anything, but because they use up far less material and are therefore quicker to dress!!

So, after just over two months, I've used up most of the pink wool my Nan gave me for my birthday. I visited her this week. She gave me some peach wool... I know. Try finding something you can knit in peach...

Monkey do...

I know I've been a bit skimpy with my updates lately. I could provide lots of excuses, but it doesn't matter. The knitting has been continuing, however. I've been trying to complete the bright pink jumper using the wool Nan got me for my birthday and the pattern from Brave New Knits, but I'm currently working on the sleeves and the pattern is suddenly becoming very complicated. I'm trying to decide whether to try and decipher what it's going on about, or to improvise... Yes it will probably end badly...


Meantime, Darwin Davey himself is complete, as is the skull he's meant to be holding. The thing is, he's so cute, I'm not sure I want to limit him to a lifetime of contemplating a poorly knitted skull whilst sitting atop a pile of knitted books. I think I can finally understand why people like dressing up monkeys! I'm extremely tempted to knit him the entire back catalogue of Doctor Who outfits... for starters... So, for now, I've cheated by only safety pinning the skull to his paw and by sitting him on my iPad with the iBooks application open... It's close enough! In the modern sense.


For myself (as if Darwin Davey isn't for me!!? I mean clothes-wise...), in frustration at the number of times I was having to reread the Brave New Knits pattern, I moved on to a design of my own. Admittedly I'm using, for the basis, a pattern from Sensual Knits and it's my attempt to copy the top Eowyn wears in LotR: Return of the King, but giving it a modern twist. I've finished the back, and have just started the front. Complications will doubtless arise with the neck line, but I'm sure I'll work it out... eventually... I decided to do embroidery, rather than try and knit the pretty swirling patterns directly on to the top, as they turned out to be more complicated than my charting abilities could cope with...

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Monkey see...

Primate...

Monkey see, monkey do...

My dad's birthday has finally been and gone. I think he liked his gifts... Anyway, it's now time to return to my stuff. And, as usual, new projects have been taking precedent. I've started using the pink wool my Nan bought me for my birthday to knit a jumper from Brave New Knits. Most of the body is complete, but the sleeves are causing some difficulty, so I've put it down for a moment to return to an old idea...

In The Bag...

The gift bag is complete. Ignore the unplanned slant upwards to the left - it actually works quite well when being carried... ehem... I suspect the lining will actually fall to pieces in a very short time, as it's only old curtain lining, which was already fraying at the edges, but it should last at least for the birthday! I struggled initially on how to make the handle; I thought about using my new French knitter:

but the cord created was too thin, so it was going to take too long to get both the desired length and thickness. Then I considered using a square flower loom, but that made the knit too baggy. So down came the knitting machine again, and after much cursing and invoking of my late Nanna (cast-on and bind-off are still not happening!), I finished the handle by the end of NCIS!

So no more hand-creating things for my Dad's 60th! As soon as I've finished the final tie design (printed by an online company - I hope!) and the cake, and booked the table for dinner, it will all be over bar the partying... Yep, it's finally time to pick up all those old, abandoned projects... She says as she begins something completely new... Eek...!

Tied and Tested

The second tie is finished. I don't think it's as good as the first one, but at least it's complete. Tomorrow I finish the gift bag and then finally I can get back to knitting for me, me, ME!!!

<-- What I was trying to copy...

Loose your disillusion...

I had to put the knitting down for a bit, despite being on a tight schedule, as I was growing a little disillusioned with a particular project - namely the second tie for my dad's 60th (and distracted by my iPad). I had hoped to be really clever and make the whole thing on the knitting machine, until I realised I wasn't able to reduce rows yet - I haven't reached that far in my education. Over-enthusiasm getting the better of me, I still decided to knit the back half on the machine, as it's just a straight strip, and I hand knitted the front piece. The embroidery hasn't been working out though - trying to recreate the four Beatles in 'Help!' pose is not easy with 3ply wool. I'm also really struggling with the backing material, as the only suitable colour I had was black - from an old, damaged pair of trousers. It's thicker material than that used with the Yellow Sub tie, and is causing me a lot of grief... I'm in two minds whether to quit while I'm ahead and just try and buy an alternative, but as I've yet to settle the previously mentioned dispute with the other online vendor... It's all a bit exasperating!

On the slightly more plus side, the gift bag is coming along OK. I began the embroidery before taking a break:

and carried on working on it in the last couple of exam invigilation sessions, including yesterday morning, when I spent my birthday in a packed room full of miserably concentrating students! And today I finished it all off, to this:

Am now arguing with myself over whether or not to do a material lining or a knitted patch behind the embroidery...? Hopefully the handles will be machine knitted, and then I'm nearly there... Less than two weeks to go!

Knitting-related birthday presents were:

Two new books: Brave New Knits (dad) and New England Knits (mum); a French knitting dolly and some pale pink fluffy wool (sister); and some bright pink wool from my Nan! My mum seemed to think it was awful, but I think there are a couple of patterns I could knit with it - any wool is useable!!

A little success...

Lining the Yellow Submarine tie has really helped to flatten it out. I did try crocheting the edges, but that didn't help at all - stocking stitch just insists on curling! I took quite a bit of yesterday afternoon and most of this morning, but this tie is finally complete:


Even though my sewing job is a bit rubbish, I'm still pretty impressed with the final result! :) Now I'm trying to decide whether to try a slightly different pattern for the second tie I need to complete over the next couple of weeks...

My BIG success last night was a return to the very beginning of this blog. A return to my Nanna's knitting machine. (That's the Transatlantic Sessions on TV.)

I decided not to be too clever yet, just to try knitting something in blocks. I attempted the e-cast on with no success, although I'm going to retry that over this weekend, as I've had a few thoughts on how I might be able to get it to work. Casting off was also a total disaster - it might well be possible, but the needles are so tiny and thin, it's just too fiddly! So I used a piece of thin wire with a bead on the end, with no apparent and obvious usage, from the bag of stuff that came with the machine to thread off the knitting, transferred the stitches to my smallest set of needles, and cast off by hand. Still fiddly and time consuming, but a bit more successful. Casting on and off definitely need more practice.

BUT, on the plus side, unlike my past attempts which failed fairly quickly to reach any great lengths, yesterday (perhaps by invoking the help of my late Nanna?) I completed three pieces of knitting, which will eventually become a gift bag as part of my dad's presents:


Sewing up in front of the football today...

Tied up

Lots of distractions lately - Easter, Royal weddings, iPad apps, programming my dad's Advent Vega... Star Trek films on Film 4... So the knitting has been slower going. I've been working on parts of a design of my own, which doesn't really look like anything yet, so isn't worth showing. However, I do have one completed item.

It's less than a month until my dad's 60th, and I've been working hard to get his presents sorted - all on the theme of 'sixties'. So, even though he doesn't really wear them anymore, I've been trying to purchase six ties, and more specifically some from the Beatles tie range. This has turned out to be a nightmare! Everywhere claims to be selling Beatles ties, but when you order, you get:

• 'sorry, we don't have that one in stock, but we could send you an alternative?' or


• 'they should be with you in 28 days (?!?). Haven't got them yet? Oh dear, never mind, wait another two weeks and we'll chase up...' or


• 'yeah... we don't have any of those in stock...'!

It's ridiculous!! I'm currently stuck in a difficult situation with the second point above, and I have strong suspicions I may get nothing - no ties, no refund - from the company. Frustrated, I've given up waiting and decided to take matters into my own hands: literally.

Whilst watching Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan on Monday:


Whilst watching Star Trek: The Search for Spock last night:


And finally, over breakfast this morning:


Tonight I'm going to attempt to line it and try and flatten it out a bit, and then try another design. I don't know why I didn't just think of this in the first place...!

Knock Off Late...

I was up until 2am this morning, determined to finish the Holly Fulton knock-off dress which has taken over my life the past week or so! I can't believe how poorly I've been looking after my flat and myself - the hoover filter was half full of dust and muck when I used it this morning, and my eyebrows were spreading way beyond their usual boundaries!!

At about midnight, following a late double-bill of NCIS, I completed the back:

I had no idea the picture was blurry when I took it - everything was blurry by then! But I pushed on, and managed to edge the neck, armholes and hemline before eventually giving in to sleep. Then, somehow, I woke up at 6am and managed to get up and finish binding the edges:



I just have to complete the 'necklace'. I'm relieved the dress is done, but surprised at how short it is - it felt a lot longer as I was knitting! The length is appropriate to the original, but still... It felt looooooong...

That's an £85 dress made with 200g yellow and 50g charcoal acrylic wool, which cost me less than £3.50. Imperfections abound, but at least it's an 'original' knock-off... ;)

Time to take a tidy break...

Wool used: Forsell Shamal DK Autumn Gold and Forsell Shamal DK Charcoal

Knitting Book Reviews (in pictures): Knitting In Tuscany

I think I can understand why some people wrote negative reviews on Amazon for Knitting In Tuscany by Nicky Epstein. There's a lot of writing in this book which is more to do with travels in a foreign country than actual knitting, so if you're after a patterns book, this is bound to disappoint even if it does turn out the travel stuff is quite interesting. The pattern collection is also somewhat... eclectic. I think the most interesting item for me is the bride's dress - and that's unfortunately crochet! An interesting book... may be:

Knitting Book Reviews (in pictures): Boutique Knits

I was fairly convinced, from the front cover that Boutique Knits (20 must have accessories) by Laura Irwin would just be hats, scarves, gloves and bags. But although 'accessories' make up the majority of this book, there are also a couple of lovely tops and, unlike most accessories books, these really are gorgeous, boutique pieces. I love the look of the softly pleated sleeves (all it takes is a little, pretty piece of lace trim!), and the Whisky felted hat looks a lot of fun. I think the only down side is I'm really not sure about my felting skills - I'm not sure I trust my washing machine... Great for inspiration though (click pics for larger view):