A finished piece of the Action & a new hobby?

Okay bad joke, but I'm like, so funny..

The first completed piece of Action, from Rowan Denim People.

It's interesting construction the front and back are both pieced from two pieces, with a seam that runs down the 1/3 mark or so (length ways).

So this is the right back piece.


And this is going to be a patchwork dolly blanket, to see if I like this patchwork/quilting thingo. I bought the fabric at last year's craft show in Perth (which was otherwise nearly a complete waste of time. I went for yarn. There was little of interest. But it does show I've been fiddling with this idea for rather a long time..)
If I enjoy it, I'll give myself permission to buy enough Amy Butler/Echino/Liberty etc. to make a throw for my room in the new place. Purples/blues and greens most likely. We'll see.

Yup, winter definitely on its way!

The dead giveaway? I'm wearing my first ever grown-up sized sweater.

This is my own special variant on Skully, from Debbie Stoller's Stitch and Bitch book.

It's knit in Jo Sharp Silkroad Ultra, which is which is warm, and squishy and pills like a bastard, making it no longer going-out wear. That, and its boxy unflattering shaping ;-)

In other news, its my birthday soon. And this means I get to "suggest" (read pick) my birthday pressie from my lovely Dad and step-mum. Now normally, there's plenty a thing I am coveting.

But. Yarn is obviously normally high on the list, but as I have not one, but two jumpers on the needles, and one/two pairs of socks.. I just don't want to risk getting the yarn for something in particular, getting to the end of my project list and then deciding I really want to knit something else entirely.

I am also vaguely fighting a desire to pick up a new hobby - quilting. Not so much of the country style stuff, more like Amy Butler's quilts, and Denyse Schmidt's quilts.. Contemporary modern stuff with beautiful fabrics a la Florence Broadhurst.

Current hold ups include: lack of time, needing to borrow Mum's sewing machine (at her house, no room in this tiny apartment) and money. Oh, and a nagging sense that I sucked at sewing clothing when younger. But then quilts are a) straight lines which I expect I can manage and b) maths, which I can do.

I've decided I'm nesting in a major way (not the baby-sense family, don't panic!) but in the I-want-a-proper-house sense. I haven't decided whether to ignore it or go with it yet. I'll let you know when I do ;-)

Oh, and action continues on Action (that denim gift-to-be-jumper). Nearly up to arm shaping on the first panel. I didn't bother photographing it, because its just a big blue square of knitted stuff. You can visualise that, right?

Making progress on the Action jumper - Rowan Denim People

38cm into the first of the two front pieces. I need to check the intended length on the recipient on the weekend, to work out how much it needs to be shorteneded by (length sense and my 18% shrinking versus the Rowan measurement of 20%.)

Good progress, I'm happy with that. The colour is Nashville - a darker shade than my Raspy.

My cool links of the day: Cut + Paste & Whip-up

www.cutxpaste.com

Lots of neat stuff. Which I found through this brilliant craft related feed:

whipup.net

New yarn arrives.. and a better photo of Diamond Stitch Top

The Nashville denim arrived.
And, a better photo of that Diamond Stitch Top (very slightly photoshopped - but only to hide the messy house that neither I nor the photographer didn't notice at the time).
Pretty cute, huh?

Raspy knitting.

Well, Knitting Camp (and several taped episodes of Heroes) makes for excellent knitting progress.

Below you can see that I'm up to the arm scythes on Raspy.


Unfortunately, while I knitted about 2 inches at Stitch and Bitch last night, it got ripped out this afternoon.

Why?The pattern calls for k2togtbl. Clearly, this is very untidy. It also does not match the k2togs on the other side. How dumb is that? Anyway, I've ripped it back to do the proper paired decreases.

I am also doing an awful lot of reading about the construction of round necked raglan sleeves. I have some ideas and plans so far, but it'll probably end up a try-it-and-see thing.

Warning: long, non-knitting related ramble/rant

Well, it's happened.

Not that I'd really noticed it was an issue before now, which shows how rarely I actually make use of their area, but...

I am now officially too old to shop in Miss Shop. I know, most of their stuff is crap.

But I used to be able to pick up reasonably priced casual clothes and some workwear from their Tokito brand.

Anyway I went there yesterday and realised it's just all too "trendy" (read short and in weird colours and far too teeny-bopper styles) for me.

Which leaves me with a significant issue.

At 32, it seems I have reached clothing no-mans-land. At least that I can afford.

I am too old for the Miss Shop/Sportsgirl/Portmans range. Styles don't flatter and I get annoyed at the cheap & nasty fabircs and styles so fashion NOW-RIGHT-THIS-INSTANT-GOING-TO-BE-UNWEARABLE-IN-A-WEEK! That I, with limited funds can't justify the relatively cheap costs. Younger clothing section in Target also meets here.

I am too young (and, I hope, personal style conscious) for Katies/Suzanne Grae/Jaquie E etc.
I look there, get disheartened and leave, feeling about a million years old.

I have a relatively fixed income, which means that clothes that I like and are appropriate, I can't always afford. Review brand, for example.

I can buy work clothes in Myer etc from Basque, but seem at a loss for affordable priced age-suitable clothing for casual at-home and casual going out. (I don't do a lot of dressy-going out these days).

While this is a somewhat revelation, reflection leads me to recall that I haven't been happy shopping for a long while. I'm left with this awful feeling, like it just shouldn't be this hard to care somewhat about how I look (It's not even like I am uber-image obsessed). [At this point my friends are no doubt falling about laughing at me, but yes, I do care how I look!]

So, thoughts? Do I give up and dress dowdy and dull? Do I overspend and wear my-life-inappropriate-but-beautiful clothing?

And, yes, there is knitting happening, and Kntting Camp was a blast. And I have photos. Which I will post once I clear the permission from the people in them.

One of the coolest Australian sites I've ever seen.

And I've barely scratched the surface of it!

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/electronicswatchbook/

(Yes, I have lots of other stuff to post, but it's late and hot and I need to (try to) sleep..)

New project? But you just..

Well, I finished the Diamond Stitch top, and so was knitting up a storm on Raspy.

I have thus far decided on one thing. I will knit it 6 rows shorter. I washed and dried my swatch in hot wash/hot drier to test the shrinkage. My shrinkage is about 17.6% - which is pretty much what the tests I have seen online found.

The pattern is written for 20% (I counted all the rows and checked.. obsessive? how so?). So I worked out I need to take out 6 rows to meet the same length - which is already a little long on me, but good for the style of jumper. I haven't done the calculations for the sleeves yet, but will in due course.

However.

I have now ordered some new Rowan Denim. Yes, really.

I had a gentle prod from my man about starting a gift project I promised a long.. well, really long time ago. Not for him, but a good friend. (Really, really good friend. Good enough to justify a whole jumper, despite not technically being related to me. I have rules about these things.)

Gift recipient and I'd even recently agreed on a pattern. So, (realising my darling man is right, dammit!) I bit the bullet, called the gift recipient-to-be and got his measurements and ordered the yarn.

I'm knitting the pattern on the left, Action from Rowan's Denim People, just like Raspy. Pretty much as shown on the left, but without the bleached stripes.

I actually really like the construction, I think the seam that runs vertically down the front and back is really visually interesting on what is otherwise a plain jumper.

And, since it's the same yarn/tension as Raspy I'll be able to use my new Addis.

Did I mention how much I am in love with my new Addis. I didn't own any before. I don't know how this travesty could happen. I like them so much I want to run out and buy one to replace every pair in my collection and a few spares just in case. Damn you lack of disposable income!

Oh, and the darling man has decided on his new beanie. (He likes beanies, looks yummy in them and I like knitting them. It's all good.)

This: Red Light Special, by the fabulously talented BrooklynTweed. But in Western Force colours. So black background, two colours of blue and a tiny bit of white.

Only downside is the pattern is written for Telemark, by Knitpicks at a gauge not replicated in other yarn. So buy I will be, via kind US based people. (sigh). I really wish the Knitpicks people would realise our money works there, too! (grumble, grumble).

Off for the long-weekend tomorrow. Hurrah! Knitting goodness!

Finished Object: Diamond Stitch Sweater, Vintage Knits, Sarah Dallas

All done.

This is the Diamond Stitch Sweater top, from Sarah Dallas' Vintage Knits book.

I knitted it in Panda Regal 4 ply, rather than the wool the pattern calls for. Hey, it's like 40C degrees here in summer.

Anyway, I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. I feel all 50's sweater girl. I feel like I need to be carrying a pile of school books, and have a boyfriend with a letter jacket for, I don't know hockey or something. My man just referred to it as a "Sandra Dee jumper". See what I mean?

It fits nicely, a tad on the short side, so that I couldn't wear it with low cut jeans if I didn't want to show a tiny bit of my tummy.

I think I'll wear it to work tomorrow, my Canberra big-boss is coming.

Silk dyeing with Rit (aka Dyeing Mk II)

So..

I heated the dye stock.







After checking my Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook, I soaked the silk yarn. For hours. Apparently, silk takes longer than wool to wet properly.






Then added the wet yarn.












Look! Purple yarn! It's not a semi-solid like I hoped from what I can tell, but that's OK.













It's definitely royal purple.

In other good news on the knitting related front, I am doing the collar for my diamond stitch sweater and have cast on and done about 8 rows of Raspy!!

KoolAid does NOT dye silk.

Guess how I know.
That was deep blue and dark grape prior to washing. Really.
On the plus side, while I DID run out of yarn, the nice Clementine picked up a new ball for me so the Diamond Stitch Sweater continues.

But progress is good - only the top front and collar to go..





And, since the Swatching Bully insisted.. I washed the Rowan Denim swatch. I like it even more now :) It's beautiful, soft and subtly flecked.

I can feel the home straight! Diamond Stitch Sweater.

YAY!

I am approximately 5 rows from the sleeve cap shaping on the two sleeves (both being done at the same time) for the Diamond Stitch Sweater from Vintage Knits.

Then I just have the top section (arm scythes up) of the front, and blocking and seaming. I can *smell* the finish.

I will say one thing about knitting in the round to the arm holes, it makes the other bits just breeze by!

I even stayed up late to try to get it done. I'm on my last ball, and trying to not get paranoid about not having enough yarn.

...

No, really. It'll be fine.

...

[hyperventilates a little]

I'll let you know, ok?

Got gauge! And Getting there.

Two good news fronts knit-wise. But don't mention the house ;)

Good news one.

Swatch of Rowan denim, (for Raspy) despite everyone online having gauge issues is....bang on. Hurrah! I now need to buy some 4ply circs in a 80cm size. I only have 40cm, and it just isn't going to cut it. Am trying to resist jumping right in because....

Good news two.

I have finished the back of the Diamond Stitch Sweater from Vintage Knits. Which, those of you paying attention would realise means I only have the two sleeves and the front from the arm scythes up and the collar to do. (Since I was knitting in the round to the arm scythes.)

I feel like, finally, I can see the end of the top. *Holds hand up* And I promise to try to remember not to whine this Monday Stitch and Bitch, on account of having whined I think every time I have taken it out there. While lupinbunny continues to knit on her slip stitch, 4ply Anatolia from Knitty. I am abashed.

Swatching for Rapsy-goodness

Guess what came?

Haven't quite finished swatching yet. Initial estimates put the tension about 21 st over 10cm, which is one more than the pattern calls for. But, given it has 6cm of ease, that might not be a problem. Will finish swatching before judgement and analysis ;-)

New Rowan Siting!

From the Rowan website:

Secret Garden
A very feminine collection inspired by an enchanted garden in full bloom.	more
Medinas and Minarets
A colourful collection epitomizing the pattern and spirit of Morocco.	more
Promenade
Inspired by the British seaside of the 1940's and 1950's - a lovely holiday collection with a hint of glamour.	more

We have progress on the diamond stitch top!

Hurrah!

I actually split the front and back to make the arm scythes. Also, after counting stitches, I am 5 stitches short each on the front and back?!? I have decided that since it is as discussed (moaned, says Clementine) it's in 4ply that it won't matter.

And there is no way on this green earth I am ripping back. At least the front and back match. Yay for knitting in the round. I also finished ball number two. Gotta love that 4ply meterage.

Ramblings... and a squee!

First all, I've just returned from my Monday night stitch n bitch. I have the coolest knitting group in the world!! Not for anything in particularly, but these ladies rock. It make my week to hang out with them. :)

Second, as Lime & Violet would say, I had a 'sqeeeee' today, when I listened to the lovely Heather Ordover on the CraftLit podcast, and she read my email (with my permission naturally) !!
(Episode 39 if you feel like looking it up) I'm feeling very flattered and clever, so that's my brush with celebrity for the decade ;)

Kudos to Heather for a fabulous, intelligent podcast (and that's all her obviously, not because she included me!)

And Kudos to the craftyaction girls. You rock!

Raspy web-links

Yes, I'm so keen on starting Raspy, I'm reading about it all over.

So, as a self-reference and collation of Raspy's online..

• Brooklyn Tweed's fabulous version (sans dropped stitches) that totally caught my eye..
• A knit-along's hints and tips.
• Denim yarn comparisons by the Knitting Wench
• Denim People knit-a-long
• Raspy photos: passionfruit
• Raspy photos: blumunchie
• Piece of Beauty: good hints for keeping edges neat for the dropped stitches
• Streets and YOs: more good modification hints

Of the various changes people have made those that I intend to follow include:

• work in the round
• do one of the alternate (tbl etc) ways of neatening the dropped stitch edges

The one I am seriously considering that I haven't seen is a v-neck rather than the boat neck. Jared at Brooklyn Tweed went for a crew (round) neck, that I will definitely do if not the v-neck. The one thing I don't like about the sweater is the front neckline, which seems to roll a lot and not be as suited for larger busty ladies..

oohhh I hope the book gets here soon!

oh and the diamond stitch top progresses... slowly... about another 4 cm until I split for the arm scythes.

I finally got around to updating the links...

Those of you who use a feed service such as bloglines will actually need to look at the site to see, but I've updated some of my links etc and added a new feature, thanks to a funky little web service called LibraryThing.

Enjoy!