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occasional glimpses

• Twofer: knitting in progress

  22Apr
  Categories: knit Comments: 6

  

  I’ve realised I rarely show work in progress here: each project seems to be featured only once, either at the beginning or the end.

  Well, I’m still working on this, and still enjoying it.  I think it’d be a great pattern for a beginner, it’s only knit/plain/garter and decreases. But I think a beginner would need a friend to talk them through it, I agree it’s more like a recipe, it does require some  knowledge of knitting. And I read the decreases wrong, and had to go back: should’ve trusted that nagging feeling it wasn’t right.

  I’m trying to finish both hats together, a bit like a chef tries to plate everything up at the same time. That way the kids won’t argue about who’s first, who’s second …. I hope!

  Tags: beginner, child's, hat, knitting, simple, WIP

• Glad I’m not a cat: Curiosity #001

  13Apr
  Categories: knit Comments: 0

  Elly from green olives design recently wrote about Lands’ End and L.L. Bean. What got my interest was the shoulder seam on one of the knits she showed: it’s rotated to the back. (Above, courtesy Lands’ End). The arm joins the shoulder as usual.

  I’ve seen this before on commercial knits, but never really thought about it. What’s the purpose? Eliminating bulk? Just a style thing?

  Then I started thinking about hand knits: is there any technical reason why you can’t rotate the shoulder seam on a hand knit? I had a look through quite a few of pages on Ravelry (social site for hand knitters, with a huge user-created database of patterns). I couldn’t see any examples of this type of shoulder, although they may exist. I wonder why it’s not common?

  Tags: curiosity, handknit, knitting, knitwear, machine-made, rotated, seam, shoulder

• Guilt knitting

  06Apr
  Categories: knit Comments: 1

  

  I’ve been starting to think about writing down the knitting patterns buzzing ’round my head. I did once before.

  This means, for the first time ever, I’ve bought wool just for swatching. I feel irrational guilt about it. You see, after swatching, some wool turned out too thick, or the slubs didn’t look right, or the whole idea won’t work, at least not now, not easily, not ’till I think about it some more.

  I’m not a big stasher, I’ve 2.5 average-sized plastic boxes full of wool. (Ok, technically I should say “yarn”, but most of it’s actually wool). That’s my everything, all my half begun; abandoned; dreamt about but still untouched knit projects as an adult. I pretty much always have a plan for the wool I buy, even if that plan changes like, 5 or 6 times!

  So I’ve been feeling really guilty about my just for swatching wool. And hurrying madly to find a project for it. Yeah, I fully agree that’s irrational, but it’s how I feel.

  Mustaa villaa’s hat pattern is perfect for this situation, especially since it calls for 8ply/DK. If you’re Aussie you know that’s the most common weight here … by far. I’m really enjoying mixing the colours for the band, and looking forward to a guilt free knitting future. And to finally telling the kids, when I’m near the end: “Oh, yes, this one’s for you”.

  Tags: 8ply/DK, beginner, child's, hat, kids, knitting, pattern, swatches, wool

• Akris and the love of stocking stitch

  08Mar
  Categories: fashion, knit Comments: 0

  

  My blog posts? I think I need to do some freeing up, stretching and shaking out. Possibly focus on my breathing too. My posts are too tense, too thought out.

  Anyway. I remember a year or so ago discussion on Ravelry about “beastly” knits. Designers hating knit wear, making it look oversized, strangling, ugly. Since then, my eye has changed. My thinking too.

  For me, this is a celebration of the stocking stitch. Its right side and, cleverly, a view of the wrong side as a simple collar. It’s huge stocking stitch, magnified. So you really look at it again with fresh eyes. In striking colour that you can’t ignore.

  Oh, that giant cast on, and cast off! If you knit: how many times have you stared at those stitches, counting them? Now they’re plain for all to see, on the cuffs. And that slight sag, forming the peplum (restrained by a narrow belt, is it threaded through?)

  Too bulky? Look, if you live in a really cold climate, I’m sure most of your Winter clothes are rather bulky. Makes you look too fat? … or doll like?

  See, my eyes have changed.

  Image used for review: style.com

  Tags: Akris, Fall 2010, FW 2010/2011, knitwear design, stocking stitch

• The joy of craft classes

  18Feb
  Categories: Amigurumi, sewn Comments: 4

  I’ve taken a couple of craft classes recently: decided I’d learn something enjoyable before Uni holidays end and my mind fills up with real study. I did Beginners Crochet and Adult Sewing. Took my kid, M, along to a class for toddlers too, before her school starts. Love her swooshy painting, she had fun. Also in the photo, the double stitch crochet square I’ve finished in spare moments.

  It is lovely doing a class: being with other people excited to craft; discussing by pointing, touching and showing; hearing things you never thought to ask (machines can knit, but there are no machines that crochet, it’s always totally by hand). And it’s such a confidence boost to know most of my self-taught ways are actually the “proper” way!

  I’ll be back at my desk, in my usual creative space next week. But I must say I’ve enjoyed being out and about.

  Tags: class, crochet, learning, sewing