knitwise

The secret knitter...

As a knitter,  I have several ambitions:

- I have tried to knit socks,  but I know now that this is not for me...

- I would like one day to be able to knit something that I have planned in my head first...  I have managed a bag so far,  but I would like to push the idea further and make a cardigan or jumper...

- I would love to knit with colours (i.e intarsia or fair-isle),  a task I haven't been able to achieve so far and I think I know the reason why I find it so hard:

I don't knit the "proper"  way!  I learnt to knit in my teens with a friend and I didn't really pay attention to the correct way you should hold your needles.  If you saw me knitting you probably would  be  a) appalled ,  b) rolling with laughter or  c) wondering what on earth I am trying to do...   This is the major reason why I NEVER knit in public.   I'd rather be a secret knitter than suffer all the looks,  smiles and sarcastic remarks!

Normally,  I don't really think holding your needles the "correct" way is terribly important as long as you achieve even stitches.  But it seems that in fair-isle knitting, my problem becomes a handicap.  So my aim, this year, is to try to improve my knitting technique in order to achieve something I would be proud to show...

This is the picture I was trying to load on my computer last time...  Since then,  I have finished the body and am on sleeve island...

Progress but no pictures...

I had taken a picture of the Valenciennes cardigan in progress to show you but,  for some oscure reason,  I cannot load it on my computer...   So you will have to believe my word when I say that I am very pleased so far...  I have passed the lace border and zig-zag pattern,  finished one front,  have about 20 rows left for the back  and 40 for the other front (the body being knitted in one piece).  Hoorah for bamboo needles and Kid Silk Haze!...

My shawl has been  completely neglected and pushed aside to make room for Valenciennes.  But I promise to come back to it before I start something else  (even for a few more rows...)

With Autumn coming,  I have decided to add to my yarn stash.  With a few projects in mind it is thus time to do a bit of web shopping soon...  I have yet to acquire the latest Rowan magazine,  but in the meantime,  I have ordered two new books for my shelves :

Hopefully, I should receive them tomorrow.  Autumn might be coming,   but  I still want to play with colours...

Take #2

Life after the Summer holidays is always a bit hectic here.  First there is "back to school" which seems to dominates everything else for a couple of weeks until things settle at last to a routine,  then the "start of the season" for football with new training times and matches to "occupy" our Sundays  and in the middle of it all "extra hours" at work to cover those who are now on holidays...  Never mind, peace will return eventually.

I have managed however to find a little time for knitting.  I am afraid I have only achieved a couple of rows on my shawl since I have been back!  But I have finally decided to have another go at trying to knit the Valenciennes Cardigan so brilliantly executed by Caro.  Kid Silk Haze doesn't like me,  but I refuse to be beaten.

This is the start of the lace border.  I am going to take my time to go over the hurdles that, I know by experience, await me.  First pick up the 158 stitches from the lace border (a nightmare for me),  then complete successfully the zig-zag pattern (I always get in a mess at this stage) and most importantly get over my fear of KSH (so we can be friends again).  The colour by the way is Majestic...  I am also using bamboo needles for the first time and it makes a huge difference.

Catching up...

I left all those beautiful colors behind on Friday to come back to a very grey sky, wind and rain...  The holidays are over and it is  back to school for the children on Tuesday.  So tomorrow will be a busy day with shoes and school supplies to buy.  Pretty soon,  the routine will start again and those jewel colours will fade in our memories...

No knitting was done for two whole weeks ! But now I am back,  I am itching to start again.  I am not very happy with my Jaeger cardigan and I have decided to frog it (wrong choice of wool probably). So I will carry on with my shawl and while I am knitting it,  I will think of what to cast on next...   and catch up with your news...