knitwise

Almost a Saint...

I have been boringly good! Almost a saint... In fact, it was more to do with the approaching holidays than real self-control... It was so good to be able to touch the wools and cottons and see the true colours. But as it was a flying visit (I'll organise a longer one next time) choices had to be made relatively quickly.  Like an idiot too, I didn't bring my list of to-do things and my mind went strangely blank in front of all those wonders... I went with my friend Kathleen who kept her head on (she had her list of patterns in her bag) and ended up spending twice as much as me...

So I came back with this :

The Summer Tweed in Rush is greener than on the picture and are destined for Chamomile from the Summer Tweed Collection.

I bought the 4ply Cotton to satisfy my curiosity. I love the feel of it and I wonder what it is like to knit with it. I have Pippa in mind for this from Rowan 37.

I didn't forget the Calmer. But, as I said earlier, I have the coming holidays to consider so I had to be wise... But I had a good look...

And I have a confession to make : I couldn't resist the temptation to cast on this Little number...

Well, I said I was ALMOST a saint...

Going shopping...

I have finally finished the back of Chicago, it seemed to go forever... And guess what... I was short of 6 beads!!! (which I had to thread on to be able to finish the last four rows).

Tomorrow there won't be much knitting if any as I am going to Southampton for a quick trip to John Lewis to raid their wool department. Hope I won't be disappointed... Here on our little island, we rely entirely on the Internet for nice wool and patterns as our LYS are not supplying Rowan, GGH, etc... So we make a big thing of a  trip to the Mainland. I hope I will have something to show you when I get back.

I will have to be back in time to pick up the children from school, get them changed and head for Ryde sea front where we intend to watch the 200 years celebrations of the battle of Trafalgar over the Solent. So tomorrow will be a very busy day.

Finally, I have gone through my craft and knitting books and decided it was time to be ruthless... in other words make room, so I can get more.  I have created a new  "clearance sale" photo album so you can see what I have to offer. All books details can be viewed on the Amazon website unless otherwise stated. I will add a few more later when I get some pictures organised and there will be some wool as well (not much).  Feel free to browse and contact me if you are interested.

Right, speak to you after my trip to John Lewis. Do they have shopping trolleys there, I wonder...

Dreaming...

Chicago's back is going nicely up and down. Up when everything is fine and I pay attention... down when I have to hunt for this missing yo or rearrange the bead that ended up by magic (it seems) in the wrong place... I am just past the armholes decreases which is not bad by my standards.

This morning, the postman brought me:

and                   

I know: more distractions which I didn't really need. But I can't help it. I knit while dreaming of what I could make next. Now don't laugh at me. From reading all your blogs out there, I know that I am not the only one...

As I said before I love Calmer so much that I want an excuse (any excuse) to use it again. And here are the strong candidates:

                                                         I must say my first choice is the Loll cardigan, especially after seeing  what lovely job Elizabeth made of hers.

Now, I have ordered the Summer Tweed Collection as so many of you have praised this yarn. But I am not as enthusiastic about the designs and the only possible contestant is  :

Unless I find a design I like better, this could end up in my to-do list...

But what am I doing dreaming when I should be knitting. Oh I wish I was an octopus... (mind you, with all those sleeves to do, maybe not!!!)

Monday post

Go and look at Diane 's blog to see a 21st century version of this print...

After a lot of thinking, I have decided to abandon Martha. As I was waiting the right time to thread more beads on the second ball of Calmer, I picked up Martha and knitted a couple of rows only to put it down again in boredom. It is not the pattern itself which is at fault but rather the yarn I had bought for it which is not the 4ply cotton. So the decision has been made and I will donate the yarn to my Mother-in-law who. I am sure, will find good use for it.

Chicago is growing beautifully. I have finished one sleeve and went straight to the back. The frill and ribs are done but I had to stop as a knot unexpectedly appeared from nowhere,  too tight to undo (Calmer splits if you mess with it) . I had to cut the yarn and now I have half the beads to thread on again! Knitting can be painful sometimes...

Teddy on the Catwalk

I was going to offer you a photo a la Tracy but the weather yesterday wasn't really suitable for the occasion. Branching out would have ended up wrapped up around the neighbour's dustbin or blown away across the surrounding gardens.

Looking around the house for inspiration, I found the perfect model. Teddy (or Nounours, as I used to call him) is as old as me. We had lost touch over the years, as you do, but when my parents passed away, I found it carefully wrapped in a cupboard. My brothers found theirs too (thanks Mum and Dad!). He's been with me ever since and I had to protect him from playful cats and greedy children's fingers  (He is old and a bit fragile).

I haven't mastered the digital camera and you will excuse the poor quality of the picture but here is a view of the beaded edge :

I crocheted a picot edge at both ends and have sewn the beads on each bump.

Sorry about the blurry shot.

And here are a few rows of Chicago. The beads add sparkle to the wool. I do really enjoy knitting this even so I have to struggle with the increases (too much mathematical thinking for my liking).

Calmer is quite expensive to buy but it is lovely to knit with. I have fallen in love with it and I am definitely going to look for other projects calling for this yarn. Yummy! (In fact, I have just ordered the Calmer Collection brochure from Rowan...)

Branching out is finished, beaded, washed and neatly folded, waiting to go in  a box wrapped in tissue paper to be given to this special lady who looks after my children when I am working. Hope she will like it. No pictures yet as I am waiting for the camera to come back home with Mr Knitwise. So this week-end you will be able to see for yourselves.

I have started a new project that I have wanted to make for a long time. It involves beads (lots of them!) and I think it will be a long one (I am so slow...) so perhaps a few small projects will creep in from time to time.

It is Chicago from Rowan 37 again, same colours as in the magazine. I have started on a sleeve which I don't normally do but I wanted to know roughly how many beads I would need for the back ! The pattern is quite easy and Calmer is lovely to work with.

A picture of my work in progress will follow shortly with the photo of Branching out.

The weather has turned nasty again. Oh what a glorious summer we have this year! Tomorrow the children are doing a 6 miles sponsored walk for the school. I don't think I should worry about heatstroke, don't you?

Right, back to my needles...

Mystery Project out in the open

Here is at last my Mystery Project. The wrap cardi from Rebecca 29 but without eyelets. You might call it Plain Rebecca... It didn't take me that long to make and it was a pleasure to knit (yes, honestly...). I love the colour and the wool is so soft and light. If  I may say so, I am quite pleased with myself because a) for once I have finished something in a short time, b) it fits and c) I might even wear it a few times... Oh, and I nearly forgot : the children didn't say "What is it, Mum?" (surely that must be an improvement...)

I have done a few more rows of my Branching Out scarf and here is a preview :

I think this one will turn up to be a quick project too... I love those! (Makes me feel good)

I have got to work out how to arrange the beads afterwards but that will be the fun part of it.

I haven't forgotten Martha and she is growing slowly but nicely. I decided not to race anymore and to enjoy my small projects in between. It helps...

Ideas?

I should have chosen another name for this blog... what about "the misadventures of an absent- minded knitter"?

First, as I said earlier, my Mystery project is almost completed (just adding the finishing touch), but SCRRREAM, I have run out of wool. Quick e-mail to get knitted who are sending it to me straight away. So I should think a photo should appear this week-end.

Secondly, I had taken a picture of my new project, but my husband forgot to bring home the thingy I need to transfer photos to my computer. Bother!!! So I'll talk about it instead...

As I have just joined Rowan International, they have sent me 2 balls of Kidsilk Haze in Pearl. Not a very exciting colour for me but the other shades didn't appeal to me either so I decided to go neutral. I have started to knit this. Yes I am branching out too...

I am knitting this scarf for Sylvia, the lovely lady who looks after my children once or twice a week when I work. I think it would make a lovely Christmas present. I know it is much too early and I don't normally plan that far ahead, but why not for once be organized? Because the colour is a bit dull, I am thinking of adding something to add a bit of sparkle to it to make it a little more special. Maybe a few beads on the cast on and off edges... Maybe a picot edging at the end with mother of pearl beads... Any more ideas from you would be welcome!

Lana Grossa?

My Mystery project is near completion and I very much hope to reveal it before the week is over! Now, will it fit? That is the question...

Now that the half-term holidays are over, I might be able to progress with a little more speed.  Even so I would like to finish what I have started, I can't help dreaming over all those gorgeous patterns that keep coming my way.

Talking of which, I love what the Lana Grossa Summertime leaflet has got to offer but for those "in the Know", I have got a question. Where could I find the Lana Grossa magazines or leaflets with an English translation?

Do I need more pattern books now? Not really, but just in case, I like to be prepared... It doesn't hurt to dream a little...

The Hare and the Tortoise

My friend Kathleen (see First Post) phoned me tonight to tell me she has finished Martha's back. WHAT?...

THIS is becoming serious... I had done one back, two fronts and the neckband, only to spoil it with my iron... and start again. SHE plods along, marking every single row in her notebook, minding her own business (she doesn't read other people's blogs because she doesn't own a computer) and now she's in the LEAD!

Okay! My plan of attack is to press on with my Mystery project which is going very well at the moment, finish it, and use it as my excuse for being behind. Am I mean?... Of course I am,  and I enjoy it.

Having saying that, her Martha is lovely (so far...) and I hope to post a photo one day of both Ladies...