FOs: Two hats

Oh dear, blogging fell off the end of my to-do list this week! It has been a helluva week - travelling the length and breadth of the country on top of the usual thesis writing. All that travelling did mean I saw lots of lovely people though :)

Anyway, back to catching up on my FOs. I finished a couple of hats that were part of my knitting the queue 2013 plans. Actually, since I last blogged regularly, I started them too - though the yarn featured in an earlier post. It was going to become a hat, but we were fighting about the pattern. Fortunately, we found the ideal solution...

I am really happy with this project - it fits really well and the garter border is really snuggly, and covers my ears which is always a plus. It could probably be a bit more beret-style too, I just prefer my hats further back on my head.

Pattern: Mayrose by Woolly Wormhead, queen of hats [rav link]. Not the first WW pattern I've knitted, and like the others, well written, well laid out and easy to follow.
Yarn: Sublime Extra Fine Merino DK, from the sale bin at Wool for Ewe.

Now, Hat The Second:

A good, solid hat - possibly a little big on me so I might see if anyone would like it for Christmas.

Pattern: Cafe au Lait Tam by Kathryn C [rav link]. A well-written pattern, easy to pick up and quick to knit.
Yarn: King Cole Merino Blend DK in Petrol (Blue/Teal). Bought at baa ram ewe in Harrogate, just because the shop and staff were so lovely.

When Knitting (and life) Attack!

This post comes with a massive caveat that things round here have got a little too busy. I'm getting a little stressed as I watch all of the plates spinning, just waiting to drop one. Knitting has been used for stress relief in the past, notably towards the end of my Masters and just as I started my PhD. I will try to avoid this turning into The Blog Of A Crazy Lady but let's just say - you've been warned! It's probably better to not ask how I'm doing.

It has not been a great week knitting-wise either: my main story is definitely a When Knitting Attacks. I tried to knit a hat - a simple enough task in theory, but in practice not so much. I have had to frog it completely, twice. The yarn is some red Sublime Merino DK, which I love as it's more or less the same as what I knitted Lauriel with (less wool content, different colour). First, I had a go at the Rylands Cabled Hat [rav link] and didn't get past the brim as I got muddled at the transition. Then, I tried another pattern called Haywire [rav link] and got past the brim, but the hat was just turning out the wrong shape. The yarn went into the naughty corner, but might not have spent long enough there. I've started the Godric's Hollow Hat [rav link] but I fear it is a little on the large side; I've knitted for maybe an inch since the brim, and the brim is a bit slippy. I've not got far enough to check my gauge, but I think it's heading back to the naughty corner for a little cooling off time.

And an extra bit of bad news is that I've been meaning to design and knit a cosy for a teapot, bought for me by my other half. This week, I have totally failed to find this teapot anywhere :( not only am I sad because the teapot has sentimental value and I'm really worried it's been left somewhere in a housemove, I was really looking forward to having a go at designing, too.

Let's end with a positive! What I've mostly been knitting since I last wrote to you has been socks. These socks have been going like a dream, and like the oasis in the desert I have been devouring them. The lace pattern is a bit complicated for it to be 'brainless' knitting, but in all honesty that isn't what I need at the moment. When I knit, what I need is something that absorbs me enough that I don't think about all of the other things I'm supposed to be doing. These socks are doing just that, and they're flying off the needles!

Knit The Queue 2013

This month, I have technically only finished one project from Knitting the Queue. I did additionally make some grey socks for my Grandpa, but as they weren't in the plan I'm not sure if they count - equally, him getting ill wasn't in the plan either :(

On a brighter note, we are down to ten things in the queue! Woohoo! I'm glad to be at this landmark, even if it seems a bit insurmountable at this point (particularly given how many WIPs I have - more on that story later).

Four things I know exactly what they're going to be: the three in the photo are [l-r] Waterhouse mitts, Dunkerton Sweet socks, and Susie's Reading mitts. I also have the yarn and pattern ready to go for the Spoke jumper, but feel like I need something else off the needles first.

Three things I know what they're going to be ([l-r] gloves, hat and hat), but haven't totally settled on a pattern yet. I'm pretty sure the hats are going to be one Rylands Cabled Hat and one Cafe au Lait Tam, but don't know which way round yet - opinions welcome.

There are also a few things in my queue that I'm definitely going to make, but don't have the yarrn yet:

1. the Bandana Cowl means I have to buy yarn, and don't know what brand/colour to go for. A trip to the yarn shop for a little contemplation is clearly needed ;)
2. the Star Tea Cosy is something I intend to design myself, in order to make it match my teapot. Needs a little research and time for the ideas to form properly. I know the colours so could probably go yarn shopping tomorrow, but otherwise I have no idea where I'm going with it!
3. the little knitted stars I plan on making for Christmas need me to finish with some white/cream yarn, from (1) the navy blue mittens I'm making for my OH, (2) the Waterhouse mitts above, (3) the star tea cosy.... alternatively, I might have some standard acrylic white DK in my stash somewhere, so I could just go digging. Though that would defeat the object a tad, of getting rid of scrappy little bits of yarn. 

That all seems fairly under control, right? And not at all impossible by New Year's Eve.....?

Green Socks, More Green Socks, and a Hat

Of course, as soon as I decide I am going to blog once a week even if i only say it to myself, I utterly fail.  Another gap in the blog caused by another slightly mad period of work and socialising. Ah, the difficult life of a PhD student.

Meanwhile, I have finished a few things; all patterns I loved and would heartily recommend - for me, they were the perfect balance of enough to keep me interested, but not so much I get frustrated. Mostly cracking on with my attempt to Knit The Queue this year - more on that story later!

First up, one of my hangover projects from last year: Mum's birthday socks, first mentioned in my blog post here and finished three weeks ago. The birthday happened so you can see them now

Pattern: Caretta Caretta, from Socktopus by Alice Yu. Good and well-written, and I love this book generally. A pretty classic top-down, flap-and-gusset heel, kitchener-stitch toe jobby, but with some pretty lacework on it.

Yarn: Rowan Cashsoft 4ply in Toxic (shade 459), from John Lewis in Aberdeen. Lovely and soft, with enough stitch definition to make it all worthwhile - though prone to occasional felted stretch of yarn (I have maybe 3 in the project, but only one was so long I did some cutting and Russian joining).

The second FO is the first thing from my knit the queue plans. I have forgotten how fabulous knitting hats is! Give me a short lace repeat and I'll hardly be able to put it down! After a load of socks, it was lovely to be knitting on something that bit bigger. This photo probably shows off the pattern best - it's a good slouchy shape (which you get from going up a needle size) with some good if sudden crown shaping. I think it's come out a bit big for me round the brim - I'd probably knit that portion on even smaller needles if I could have another go at it. But overall, a winning combination, don't you think?

(Apologies for the PJs - long day!)

Pattern: Pavone by Wooly Wormhead. Brilliantly designed and well-written, as always.
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino (DK), partly bought from the sale bin in Wool for Ewe, Aberdeen, and partly scrounged off my lovely (generous!) friend Naomi. The colour is a petrol blue - somewhere in between the two photos, but leaning towards the first.

And last but by no means least, I've finished another pair of socks! These I loved  - or  maybe it's fairer to say I got addicted to them! The pattern is very moreish, and I loved the yarn, a beautiful semi-solid that my camera struggles to capture. Also, I probably should have pulled my socks up before taking the photo.... oops!

Pattern: Hundred Acre Wood  from Socktopus by Alice Yu (again!). Yes I really do love this book....
Yarn: from The Yarn Yard, though actually bought from The Yarn Cake in Glasgow. I have a bit of a thing for this sock yarn, it is beautiful and sturdy.

The socks are toe-up and had an interesting twisted construction, out of which the leaves grow, which I liked. The heel is flap-and-gusset, which I have never done ona  toe-up. Generally, I loved it - except the not aligning the slip stitches on the back - it took about four goes on the first sock and two on the second as I clearly just like things lining up. I would not do that again in a hurry

I guess I have been kinda productive in my absence! I thought I'd show you my success first - there have been a few stumbling blocks lately. More on that story another time. 

FO: Snowbaby Blue

I do not knit for Christmas. It's a policy I have formed, knowing a) my tendency to bite off more than I can chew when choosing a pattern to knit as a gift and so it is late and b) the stress that some of my fellow knitters feel in the months leading up to Christmas ('I have 8 hats to knit in three weeks!', etc.). I do not need the stress of knitting so many gifts at the same time.

However, I do knit for birthdays and M (my other half)'s birthday falls in the week leading up to Christmas. Some months ago, I was browsing ravelry while he was pottering around, looking at the hat I was about to start knitting for myself. He looked over my shoulder and the conversation went something like this:

M: 'That's a lovely-looking hat'

Me: 'I thought so, I'm going to knit it for myself in purple. I'm really looking forward to trying this thing called Fair Isle, where you knit two colours on the same row. I was a resolution of mine to learn it this year, and it's September so I should really crack on with it.'

M: 'You know, I kind of need a hat....'

[long pause]

Me: 'Would you like me to knit one for you?'

M: 'Yes please'

Me: 'In navy?'

M: 'Yes please'

Me: 'For your birthday?'

M: 'Of course'

A few weeks later, after looking at a lot of navy yarns, I even managed to persuade him to come to the yarn shop with me. And to pose for photos when I'd finished. He's a good sort really :)

Pattern: Snowbaby by Eskimimi

Yarn: Artesano Superwash Merino DK, 2 in Navy (6416) and 1 in cream (SFN10). Bought at K1 Yarns, Edinburgh [near the Grassmarket and Victoria St. i.e. very very central].

This does mean we have matching hats. Not intentionally. Don't we look supercool? [not!]

FO: Snowbaby

Just a quickie post today, to show you my lovely new hat. I have decided that waiting for decent light will mean waiting forever, so apologies about the photo quality.

Pattern: Snowbaby Hat by Eskimmimi (rav link)

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran in Purple (#13) and Off-White (#16). It should be knit in DK but I fell for that purple.

Bought at: Create Cafe, Ilkley, still probably my favourite yarn shop of all time.

Needles: 3.75mm 60cm KnitPro Interchangeables. Needed to go down to this size from the recommended 4mm to get guage.

After a false start where I measured my gauge but decided it would do [massive error => massive hat], this second attempt went much better. I heartily recommend it as a first project in Fair Isle, as there are no long strands on the back so no need to figure out the complexities of weaving vs. twisting, and of course only two colours - though I did manage to get myself in a twist! A clear and well-written pattern meant I could use my brainpower to learn the stranding, not deciphering.

I am mightily happy with the result: lovely and cosy, butt he fabric is still sufficiently flexible despite my mucking about with the yarn size. I am so happy with it that when OH asked if he might have one knitted for him, I didn't fret about how much knitting should get done before Christmas or get too cross about the lovely scarf I knitted him last year that he has LOST, and just said, 'as long as you take me to the yarn shop'. More on that story later...

Too Big, Too Small, Just Right.

Accidentally left it rather long between posts, oopsie. This is mainly because the knitting has been a bit up and down lately. Well, mainly down. I've had one hat too big...

one hat too small...

and one hat just right that I keep forgetting to photograph whenever I see the friend I gave it to. Though on the up side, Lauriel is progressing nicely (with help from Steph!) and I have some fabby stripey socks.

Ahhhh toasty toeses! Hoping for some good posts in the coming days, I have been doing a lot of stuff that isn't knitting and have a massive pile of nearly finished objects to crack on with. I will go and do that now, catch you soon!

What I've been doing lately... again.

It has been a while, hasn't it? I apologise. I've been under the weather. Had a ton of work to do. The ususal. A lot has happened, but sadly it is getting to that time of year when I have to be a bit careful and not tell you about any Christmas presents I'm making.

First up in things that have progressed is Lauriel. Look, she's almost there! Cardigan-shaped! Sleeves! Can actually try it on!

Sadly, the next thing is picking up for the button bands when there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth so I have been procrastinating that.

Next on the list is some gloves to match a hat (Woolly Wormhead's QL Slouch) from the remaining yarn. Since I loved knitting the hat and I generally love knitting mittlets, they knit up a treat.

Don't get too attached though. They're being frogged as I'm a) 1g short of yarn to do the second one and b) they're a little tight. Attempts to acquire more yarn have so far failed. A G&T tonight and they will be frogged, to wait for a day with more decisive-ness.

I also had a minor disaster with a sock (the fab self-striping ones photographed poorly here). Just turned the heel, popped it in my handbag to do on the bus and horror of horrors- one dpn has pulled out completely. The one with all the heel stitches on. So now I need to rescue that and crack on with it.

So, after having a few minor knitting disasters this week, I knitted a hat for this poor fellow over the weekend.

It is a very basic hat and I knit it in under 24 hours from stash yarn (from the Box of Yarn That Doesn't Exist i.e. is full of low-grade DK or odds & ends). Clearly I did something odd with the decrease rate but I like the result given that I made it up as I went along. And the recipient has been suitably grateful which makes the whole endeavor worthwhile.