Wednesday WIP - 4

Well I don't know about where you are, but the weather here is horrible!
As a result my attempts to take a photo of my finished blue shades jumper did not go well. I am hoping to take better photos in a few days to upload.

In the meantime I have two projects I have been working on at the moment.
The first is my ripple blanket. The yarn and pattern were a birthday present from my sister and I started this a few weeks ago. It is soothing and relaxing to work on as it is a simple repeat pattern, which I'm sure you will agree is very effective. If you like the look of this, check out Attic24 who designed this and put the beautiful colours together.




My other project is a cable cowl which is a gift so I'm not going to say too much about this one at the moment. I am enjoying this as it is my first project in the round on circular needles. This is being stored in my project bag when I am not working on it. (The blanket is way too big for a bank, hence it's own basket at the moment)

What projects are you working on at the moment?

Rowan Martin Storey Knit A Long

My last post about this project was in May when I had completed about 8 squares for the blanket.
To recap if you would like more details please see my post here or if you would like to look at the other stunning projects please go to Ravelry here.

The official knit a long ended in July, but I knew that I would not be finished by then. Also as the wool was so expensive I wanted to make the most out of knitting it for as long as I could!


 
I finished mine a few weeks ago and absolutely love it. It is so warm and heavy; the wool looks beautiful and is soft on your skin. Me the cats and even my boyfriend have been snuggling on the sofa with it, now the weather is getting colder I finished it at the perfect time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this project, I only got a bit bored when I had about 5 squares to go and that was as I had left a few of the more difficult patterns until then.

48 sqaures in total

Crochet edging

As the patterns were released weekly and involved a new pattern each time I have really expanded my knitting knowledge. I have leant skills that I would never have tried if I was starting a jumper or similar large project. As each pattern was a small square, it was very satisfying to complete each one, and also when making a mistake, you did not lose a lot of work.

Having seen the other blankets on Ravelry there was a lovely thread in the Rowan group about 'signature squares' and some people posted very unique and personal squares. I decided to do this too and chose to write a small chart for it. I wanted to include my initials and the year and I based the square design on the principles of the week 2  (Nordic Star) version. I added in a cable owl as I wanted to learn how to make these and I thought it was cute!

Signature square

I blocked the squares as I went along in batches for 8 to 10, although a couple were blocked again. The only changes I would make would be to have more rows on the week 4 (Lace Kisses) design as this was so much shorter than the other squares.

As I learnt so much in this blanket I decided to finish it off by doing a crochet border, I used some great videos on YouTube to do this and I did a scallop edge. I think this finished off the blanket very well.

Back of edging

Front of edging

 
To join the squares I used mattress stitch on the vertical joins and slip stitch on the vertical.
Once the blanket was completed I was surprised by how much I had left over, it is just under half a ball of each colour. I will have to choose what to do with them now.

Detail of back stitching

Leftovers

Skills learnt
Lace stitches - yarn forward, knit two together, yarn over, make one.
Make a bobble
Cabling, with and without a cable needle
Reading a knitting chart
Mattress stitch
Slip stitch joining of seams
Crochet border

Supplies
Rowan Pure Wool Worsted 100g balls. Bought from Spins and Needles, Lincoln.
Knit Pro 4mm interchangeable needles, purchased same as above.
4mm crochet hook.

Rowan knit along

Hi,

I have been taking part in the Rowan knit along and although I was a bit unsure at first I am now thoroughly enjoying it.
Each week for 8 weeks a new square pattern is released, at the end you sew the squares together to create a (hopefully) beautiful blanket.
I thought it would be a good way to improve my knitting skills in a manageable way, without getting stuck on a larger project.
I am fell in love with the yarn when at my local shop and although it is more than I have spent on wool I can tell that it is worth it as it is so lovely to knit with and should last a long time. The yarn they have designed the blanket for is their pure wool worsted which comes in 50 different colours in balls of 100grams.

The colours were selected quite randomly, I knew that I could spend the next 3 months deciding and debating, so I didn't give myself the opportunity and walked into the shop, chose my first 6 colours in a few minutes. Later on I chose my last three colours.

The designer recommends 6 squares of each pattern, and that you should do 3 squares in each colour. Because I did not want to have lots and lots of colours, and I wanted it to look random, I have done each pattern in 6 different colours, therefore each pattern is not made in the same colour twice. This will result in each colour not being used for two squares. I am hoping to then put them together in a layout that will work with this design.
So far I have knitted 12 squares and I am working on the most recent pattern, which is clue 6 little doughnuts.

My only issue so far is that the pace is a bit fast for me, and I am struggling to keep up. I am aiming to get 4 of each pattern completed at the end of week 8, and then I will go back and do the last 2 of each pattern. I feel this will be a more manageable goal.

Here are some photos to enjoy.
You can also view my project page at Ravelry with more detailed notes.

http://www.ravelry.com/projects/kaod55crafts/pure-wool-worsted-mystery-afghan-kal
 

First six colours chosen

Clue one in process

Clue three completed.

 

Practise layout of squares to check how colours would work

Ten squares so far

My little helper

The squares drying and blocking

Finished squares

To see my next post with the finished blanket, please click here

Knitting project planning

I have been knitting another baby jumper at the moment, this will be a present for my work colleague who is due her first baby in June. I am pleased with this as I started it on knit night on 31st March and I have now completed the back, both fronts and one sleeve. I started the second sleeve at knit night last night. I am pleased at how quickly I have made progress on this and it has been helped by knitting on my lunch breaks at work. I do get some interesting comments from people though!

The reason for the focus on knitting recently is because I have had some problems with my sewing machine, I spoke to my cousin about it over Easter and decided to check it in to the sewing machine shop to be sorted out. They say it might take two weeks.

Therefore I have been knitting and making patchwork more at the moment. I have been using some cotton thread for my quilt which is better than the polyester I was using on holiday, and at the weekend I bought some gutterman hand quilting thread which I am keen to try out.

My sister saw my infinity scarf when I was at my parents for Easter and requested one in purple. So I bought some lovely king Cole 100 percent merino in a lavender colour. However last night I saw some Knitcol trends and thought it was so bright and colourful I am now considering making it in that. 

King Cole - merino

Knitcol trends

I  have also discovered the Rowan knit along and I am going to join this. I was looking at the new rowan wool in the shop at the weekend and heard about it then, having read more about it online I am thinking of buying a few balls this weekend to start it. They are releasing small square patterns every week for about 10weeks. I really like the idea of the small squares and think they will be great to do on my lunch breaks, I just need to think more about what colours, do I go for multicoloured or a colour theme?

So it is safe to say I have lots of things planned I need to make sure I carry on with them, and try not to read about any more things I want to start for a while!

Spring is in the air

Hello,
For a while I have been trying to get all of my half finished things completed. I did have a large box with all sorts of things in it which I have been sorting through. Getting the items finished feels good and most things did not need much time to complete them.

Today I wanted to show two finished knitted items. I have also updated my ravelry page with photos which I have been meaning to do for a long time.

Baby cardigan

Close up of buttons

I started this cardigan last August, and then stopped it for a few months when I got stuck on part of the pattern. I picked it up again just after Christmas and finished it at the end of January.
This was knitted on 4mm needles except for the button band which was on 3.4mm needles. I used 2 50gram balls of yarn in a white colour. I made the smallest size.
You can see the pattern here http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/provence-baby-cardigan
As you can see I did not do the leaf bits. This was a shame as this was what drew me to this design to begin with. However I tried them 5 times and could not work out how to do them, so I decided to make it a plain cardigan, because of the plainness I wanted to buy some cute buttons for it and then I found these teddy bear ones.

 

 

Infinity scarf

I started this scarf at the end of January as I wanted a scarf to wear while I was riding my bike, but I did not want the ends of the scarf to get in my way. I knitted this on 5 mm needles and I used some Wendy Mode DK in a pale blue. It used 3 50gram balls. I already had this yarn so it was a good way to get it used up and save money by not having to buy anything new.

I completed this last week, but I was away for 3 weeks and left it here so it would have been finished sooner. I am pleased that I have kept up with making this one, and barely put it down or got distracted! Probably because I really wanted to wear it.

 I found the pattern on ravelry and the link is here. http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/annie-11
My knitting is slowly improving, I would like to learn some more complicated techniques and I would love to learn how to knit fairisle designs, or how to do cabling  as I think they are beautiful. I have some lovely Rowan wool which I am trying to find a pattern for it is a rust red colour. I should try to get this started in the summer so it is ready to wear next winter.