Needles of Steel

Belated stashdown update 4

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Tue, 22 May 2012 18:25:00 +0000

Yeah, the Mac has no hash key, and I can't remember the magic sequence to get it! And this should have been posted at the end of April! Double dammit!

I still seem to have 113 entries on Rav, despite buying a few more things last month. So no progress unfortunately, but then I haven't really been knitting much so it's hardly a surprise. Come to think of it, I did trade a skein of Colinette Lasso for a brooch this weekend, so the total is already one lower.

I did make a baby blanket on the Passap this weekend, which turned out ok apart from some dropped stitches (do NOT separate the beds under any circumstances! Whoops!) and a flatline near the end (if you turn too early the back bed pushers will flatline and wreck the pattern). It's still usable though and I'm sure baby won't care. Will post a photo soon.

Current mood: determined

Kenilworth festival

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Mon, 21 May 2012 18:23:00 +0000

Got an urgent email last week from one of the organisers of Kenilworth festival asking if anyone could help out in the arts and crafts tent as the person booked to come had cancelled. Posted messages on Ravelry and Yahoo and some wonderful people stepped up to help out. You guys rock! Thanks also to Emma of Naughty Monsters / Made in Coventry for the loan of the yarn and needles - check out her shop, she has some really cute stuff.

Yep, I am just about mad enough to sit in a marquee and freeze my behind off whilst teaching kids to knit - it was a most charming 10 degs C I think :) Took camera and forgot to take a single pic. Managed to sell a few scarves and dishcloths. Kenilworthstasher did a far better write up than I did, so I'm going to be a lazy bum and just link to it.

We promoted the Coventry Knit Wits, the Kenilworth Knit N Natter (Thurdays 10-noon at the Almanack in Kenilworth) and some crochet classes running in the sewing shop in Kenilworth. Not bad for smething flung together online in a few days :)

Swamped

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Wed, 16 May 2012 11:57:00 +0000

No let up in the chaos that is my life right now. Passap jacket done, need to redo bands as they are too flimsy. Other than that, it's all I can do to knit a few rows on a plain sock, let alone get online. Insomnia has returned. Oh joy! (not)

Hopefully things will quieten down in a week or two. Either that, or you'll see a steelbreeze running off towards the hills, pencils up nose, knickers on head, crying "Wubble!" and "beep!" a la Blackadder.

MKKI day, May 5th, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Sat, 12 May 2012 12:32:00 +0000

I promised to do a review of the MKKI day last weekend, so here it is. Apologies if I ramble somewhat, as mentioned before, work's been really busy, and the office move has meant extra chaos and stress - printers beeping all day because they keep jamming (because we couldn't locate the A4 paper to refill them), drilling, etc. I'm sure it'll all come together, but it's going to take a few weeks yet I think. Couple that with lots of quotes going on (which is GOOD news, of course!) and it makes for one frazzled steelbreeze with airhead brain. It will take me a week or two to top my sleep back up I think.

The original idea was formed as a result of two things - a meet up last year with various Ravellers, and also the idea of the workshop days that Manor House mk group organise. Bearing in mind that most knitting machine manufacturers are no longer in production, it's rather hard to see a live knitting machine in use (especially the Passap as it is not very portable). My favourite room at Metropolitan is the "museum" room, with all the vintage machines, and lots of the Ravellers have these machines. So, a vague idea formed that we would all meet up with our various machines and have a bit of a play on them. Of course, I would take all of my machines (which is almost in double figures - how did that happen?).

Getting a bit nearer to the event, I checked out the insurance aspects, and discovered that contents insurance only covers personal possessions outside the home if you damage them yourself. If someone else damages them, forget about it - you are not insured. Then of course there was the electrical aspect of some of the machines - PAT testing would be required. With all the red tape to wade through, I can see why people don't organise more events. If the Guild hadn't kindly offered to let us use their public liability insurance, the event would not have gone ahead at all, as it would have made a loss - I would have been happy to break even, of course. I had to draft up a disclaimer to cover the machine aspects, and I visually PAT tested the electrical items before they were plugged in (which is all you can do for 1980s electronics apparently).

It doesn't take much to disrupt my sleep at the best of times, but worrying about the legal aspects, combined with work pressures and other events meant I pretty much gave up on sleep for the fortnight proceeding the event, only sleeping every other night or only getting a few hours. Still, it meant I lost 8 pounds in weight, and I got plenty of typing done. I rang Covknit in a blind panic, and she kindly offered to help out with the programme and the typing up. Couldn't have done it without her - lack of sleep meant my mind was driven to distraction, so clear thinking went out of the window. Turns out she used to organise events for a rotary club, so she was perfect, and logically thought of lots of things we should pack that I'd not even thought of. The venue wasn't as large as I remembered (thank goodness for measuring it up, and taking photos), and there was a large stack of easels in one corner that we needed to work around. This actually helped me decide which machines I must bring, and which would have to stay behind - and meant I could cancel the transit van I'd booked, because that would have come out of my own pocket, and being a bank holiday weekend would cost me more for the extra day.

So I took Friday off to load the cars and print up programmes and posters. As it turned out, had I gone into work I'd've only got an hour's work done anyway, as I had a dental appointment first thing (two fillings needed! Boo!) and the servers were going down at noon. I spent the day packing the cars and rationalising what I was taking, then making a trip to Sainsers for nibbles and supplies.

By 6am the next morning I was raring to go, and I unearthed the Cog with breakfast (works every time!). We were outside the venue and unlocking just after 8am - and HilaryGermany surprised us both by being there before us (she and hubby drove from Suffolk). I spent two hours unpacking and arranging things as everyone arrived. We had a sales table in the kitchen area with lots of magazines and other goodies.

rmbroo started off with a description of her vintage record machine, which is a glorified knitting loom that does garter stitch. Alas it doesn't work at the moment because one of the feet is damaged - they look like wedge-shaped door stops and control the tension of the machine. HilaryGermany demonstrated her Passap Duomatic, which I think could probably take a whole day in itself, they are such interesting machines. I demoed the circular sock machine, the Hague linker, and the Weavemaster. The latter didn't go to plan as I pulled the wrong lever and the warp came out. Yes, I had forgotten how ruddy fiddly it is - and it's not possible to set it up beforehand, because the machine isn't clamped down and would get damaged in transit, so it's not very portable. Kathy demonstrated her KISS knitting frames, which are very cleverly made modular knitting frames. Martync demonstrated seaming on the knitting machine and navajo plying using an electric spinning wheel. I got my garter carriage working and then tested three others - we couldn't get them working properly because we didn't have the right rails, but they appeared to function correctly so I see no reason why they shouldn't work on the correct machine. Cynthia gave us a short talk on tips and tricks she's picked up during her many years as a machine knitter. Bookishbee brought an MK70 which has a fascinating pulley device for tensioning yarn - no taking your eyeballs out with tension wires.

Of course, it was all over far too quickly. We were packed and ready to go by 5pm, and nipped around the corner for pizza. It was lots of fun, and I think most people enjoyed themselves. Not sure if I want to do it again just yet - I need to let the dust settle, and my brain/sleep to recover - but there's definitely some interest in another event like this. I think next time I would simplify it by having folks only bring one machine, and maybe bring a pot luck lunch.

Trying to set up a Weavemaster - this was before it went pear-shaped.

Demoing the Hague linker

Brother's toy machine - sooo pink, sooo cute!

Lots of knitting machines to play with.

HilaryGermany demonstrating the deco

The CSM in action

More photos here

Current mood: exhausted

Busy Lizzie

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Thu, 10 May 2012 07:07:00 +0000

The MKKI event went really, really well, despite my not sleeping well for the preceding fortnight. I will post a full write-up (and pics) here soon, when my feet touch the ground.

Work is super-busy at the moment, and the office move didn't go to plan (as in the removal firm did the least amount they thought they could get away with) so we were rather lucky to have desks on Tuesday morning, as the managers and staff had to assemble them. Let's not even mention the chairs! It's coming together gradually - I think it is unreasonable to expect 20 years of accumulated office stuff to be rehomed in a day.

So, not getting much chance to collect my thoughts or go online. Managed to knit two matching sleeves (sleeves 4 and 5? I have lost count!) for the dbj passap jacket this weekend. They both have errors (I casted on 66 sts instead of 56 sts) but at least they are consistant with each other! :) They need casting off and then the whole thing needs sewing up. I have started the second sock (the luminous cotton).

I am planning on going to Woolfest this year, if we can get three people plus camping gear in a Fiesta. We will have to think about that.

Current mood: busy

Guild competition entry - Lizard Ridge bag

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Sat, 05 May 2012 08:49:00 +0000

My first-ever competition entry - a bag in the Lizard Ridge pattern. Made with a cone of the much-lamented Peaches n cream yarn (before Spinrite bought it and allegedly reduced the quality and range of shades - haven't tried the "new" cotton myself). Two pieces cut from a broom handle for the handles - a tad on the thick side, but it will do.

MKKI day planning....

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Wed, 02 May 2012 19:27:00 +0000

Well, besides the packing I think the planning is pretty much done tonight. Kinda kicking myself because I should probably not have left it to the last two weeks, but never mind. Rather sleepy here - missed 3.5 nights sleep in the last fortnight.

Last day at my current office tomorrow - I shall be sad to say goodbye, I have been here almost 12 years (we are relocating, I'm not leaving). Flat out at work (which is good) but no extra time has been allocated for packing up the last of my desk which is a little worrying. Luckily I got ahead and did some of it last week.

Very sleepy and not sure I shall make it to 10pm at this rate! Looking forward to saturday, and especially the meal afterwards.

Current mood: exhausted

No sleep 'til Sunday...

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 18:49:00 +0000

Yes. I am still alive, never fear. Just got rather a lot going on at the moment - the office is in the process of moving, work is also very busy, and I'm finalising the details for the MKKI day with the help of the wonderful covknit who stepped up to help when I called her in a blind panic. The office move and the MKKI day are on the same weekend, of course. Typical.

Yes, folks, the insomnia and anxiety are back. Lost two nights sleep somewhere... perhaps they are under the couch?! I'll be fine, but it takes a while to get back on track when the body's been disrupted.

Haven't done much knitting lately, because I (a) haven't had time, (b) haven't felt like it and (c) I've tidied up and can't find the sock I was working on. Doh.

Normal service will be resumed next week.

Current mood: stressed

Recent oopses aka purchases

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:31:00 +0000

I defy anyone to resist those colours. It's going to become a cardigan.

Helping an online friend destash. It's Bramwell. What can I say?

Looks like I will be going to Wonderwool and Woolfest this year. Possibly FibreEast, also - let's hope I can stay upright this time. It's like my subconscious WANTS my yarn diet to fail.

Small steps

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 15:31:00 +0000

Black and white jacket:

Managed to get the back and two fronts sewn together (with no errors) last night. Have applied bands, they need casting off. Then will see if there's any way around knitting yet more sleeves.

It's a good job I've got plenty of this yarn I guess!

Coloured cotton socks:

Continuing gradually

Estonian spiral socks:

On a bit of a hiatus. Need good light to knit them. Been restarted two or three times now. Have lost one of my Knit Pro Harmony DPNs, too. Gah.

Cheaters never prosper

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 11:30:00 +0000

Seem familiar?

1. So, you find a pattern you want to make.
2. Spend 3 hours swatching, trying to match gauge
3. Fail to get stitch gauge (row gauge can always be compensated for)
4. Use the knitleader to draft the pattern
5. Knit an item based on your own gauge
6. Reach for the chocolate when it comes out a completely different size
7. Draft a pattern using Knitware; you'll modify it to incorporate the pattern details you liked
8. Take several attempts to cast on
9. Get a bit carried away knitting the rib, and have to frog back 6 rows
10. Get distracted knitting the body and accidentally start knitting the sleeve
11. Frog it back and start again.
12. Think about opening a bottle of wine
13. Knit two left fronts by accident and have to frog one of them
14. Knit the sleeve four times before you get two that match
15. Decide it's getting too late to start sewing up, so throw the pieces into a pile in the corner
16. Finally get around to sewing up, and spot a big mistake in one of the pattern pieces, meaning it must be re-knit
17. Eventually, finish the garment
18. Decide you don't like the way it sits, so it goes to the back of the wardrobe.
19. Reach for the vodka
20. Go to 1

And YOU said it was CHEATING! :)

Some finished objects

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 11:31:00 +0000

Reversible child's hat, done as a demo at Manor House the other week.

Bulb bag hand-knitted in local alpaca (Toft Alpaca) and felted. Had to buy more yarn to complete this, so the strap is a slightly different colour. I don't think it's obvious though.

Joke

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 07:29:00 +0000

Question: How many sleeves and body parts does it take to machine knit a jacket?
Answer: So far, three fronts and three sleeves. Watch this space. Grrr.

Nottingham "Just Knitting" show, April 15th 2012

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Sunday dawned, bright and cold, and we got there just after opening time. My friend C is in the foreground - the back of your head is now famous, ha!

Some more pics of the event - taken as we arrived, it got busier than this.

Looking left - Hague in far corner

F is waving to me - she's my neighbour in terms of machine knitting as she lives about half a mile away

Looking right - Anne Brown (Posh Frocks) is on the left

Looking towards the centre - Nick from Uppingham Yarns is already busy.

Riverside to left, Andeeknits in background. The Riverside bloke always looks really fed up, it's very off-putting.

Two jackets by Hazel Green - love these, hope the pattern is in the Guild newsletter soon

The fashion models on their last "parade"

Pretty sure that's Clair Crowston in the red. She had some sample garments for sale and I was sorely tempted, but I don't think she's my size, alas.

Uppingham Yarns and Metropolitan. Love Pat's turquoise cardigan - I want to have a go at that!

All in all, a very good show. I fell off the yarn wagon somewhat (James C Brett marble yarn has a deadly attraction, what can I say?). Also picked up an SC3 linker and an AG50 electronic intarsia carriage, this is a fabled device that is rarely seen online. Also picked up some rather nice buttons, and this time made a point of getting a decent amount that I might be able to use them.

Only down side to the day was that the fashion show commentary was unintelligible. More treble needed next year! It was just a jumble of sound alas.

W(h)ips and FOs

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

First, the FO:

Made on the decidedly low-tech convertible machine, with hems and simple cables. Doesn't fit anyone I know, ie me, but will fit someone I'm sure. Actually, I can get into it, but it looks ridiculous.

An unlabelled acrylic I found in the garden amongst last year's estate sale yarns. Must remember, knitting from the garage yarns does nothing to the old destash total. Whoops....

Then the WIP:

Sleeve

Close-up

This is the recalcitrant sleeve with the dropped stitches - there are more out of shot. I've got it on the machine in a vain attempt to identify the naughty needles, but I can't actually see anything wrong with the ones that seem to be dropping. Might just change them out anyway, I have a few spares.

Have knitted the remainder of the handle on the bulb bag. This was the point at which I realised I'd accidentally ordered the wrong colour - natural, not oatmeal - they are very close though so I shall leave as is. This after a dream the yarn company in question accidentally charged me £3000 - which would be a shock to my bank account 'cause it's never had THAT much money in it!! Awoke trying to figure out how much yarn I'd bought and how the heck it had become so expensive.

Going with two friends to Nottingham's Just Knitting show on Sunday, and meeting many more there. Looking forward to it, say hi if you spot me!

Planning on running an intarsia workshop and a fairisle workshop at Coventry Knit Wits. It's been a while since we ran any workshops.

Van now booked for the MKKI day. I shall be late in to work on the first day at our new offices as I shall have to drop the van back. I hope some schmuck doesn't decide to move my desk for me. Pretty sure the PC won't function in the carpark. Ha!

(Machine) knitting in the dark

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:33:00 +0000

I made use of the long weekend to start a jacket on the Passap. It is in a black and white double-bed jacquard pattern (1145 tech 180). Managed to knit the fronts and back with no problems (other that the tediousness of it - it's something daft like 528 rows long, with colour changes every two rows).

Took several false starts, but I managed to get a sleeve done too - increases every 10-11 rows for 330 rows. Dratted thing is now dropping stitches on the "good" side. Being a Passap, it's impossible to see what's happening until the work is off the machine (hence the title). I can't see anything wrong with the needles although two seem to have a very slight bend. Rather cross, as it's been perfectly behaved until now. I can probably repair the sleeve with the addition of a few stitches, but it is most annoying. The sleeve was knitted a day after the rest so it can't even be down to metal fatigue or overheating.

I finished off the DK jumper I started at Manor House last week. Dunno who I thought it was going to fit, but it's indecent on me. Another one for the charity bag, then. Not enough yarn to make it bigger, anyway.

My list of WIPs seems to be getting ever longer. Spring is always like this - a mad rash of startitis. I suspect there are a few entries on the right that are technically in hibernation. I don't have THAT much free time!

My car has decided to become a rain detector. When we had a lot of rain on Monday night, the alarm refused to shut off. I locked it the old-fashioned method, and that at least subdued it to a quiet beeping. I hope the battery is not on the way out, but to be fair it's 9 years old so it wouldn't be a surprise.

We pottered about the house this weekend, being miserable weather-wise. and himself decided we'd decorate the kitchen. All it needs now is a new roller blind. If I can resist the urge to cut the dratted thing 9cm too short this time (yes a second one is in my car) we'll have it finished Thursday.

A very knitty week

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 11:31:00 +0000

Well, with the exception of Monday I'm having a very knitty week.

Tuesday I had a day off and went to the Manor House club's MK workshop for the day.

Lower pic - my low tech machine is in the foreground.

I decided to go all low-tech for a change, and took my "new" Brother convertible. It's a free-for-all, play day type thing, so everyone worked on something different. I made an egg cosy (a test knit for a friend), a reversible hat for a child, and the front and back of a simple cabled jumper. Will have to get the machine out tomorrow (another day off, it's Good Friday) to knit the sleeves and finish off.

In the evening it was my monthy Passap club over in Dudley - I took a Passap swatch and coverted it into a jacket pattern. Hoping to start that tomorrow.

Wednesday night it was sock knitting at the Coventry Knit Wits. I got Mary and Wendy started on their first ever socks (I think - there were some dropping of stitches).

Tonight it's the bi-monthly MK meet at Manor House again. The talk tonight is "Hats (posh)". I have two samples to take, although I'm not sure I'd say they were posh.

Stashdown update #3

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 07:12:00 +0000

Tripped up somewhat at the NEC last weekend and bought 3 items, one of which is already run out (total not yet adjusted to reflect that as project is unfinished). Total currently standing at 113 - so only 13 to go to target (and it went down another one yesterday, but that will be in next month's total). We're cooking with gas!

Current mood: determined

Threading up a CSM

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:30:00 +0000

Posting this here so I might stand some chance of finding it in the future:

The take-up spring is not used on the CSM, except for making heels. Apparently the little latchy wire thing does that function.

More whoops and arghs

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 07:00:00 +0000

Ran out of yarn for the bulb bag last night, strap needs 70 rows and I ran out after 12. Almost fainted when I realised how much another ball of yarn is - £25. Thank goodness it's payday tomorrow! Argh!

Current mood: annoyed

Free pattern: All-in-one baby cardi in 4ply (v neck)

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:30:00 +0000

This is for a 24lb baby
Machine: 4.5mm standard gauge knitting machine
Gauge: 30.5s and 42.8r to 10cm

Cast on 182 stitches in 1x1 rib usign T4, and rib for 18 rows.
Transfer all stitches to main bed, RC000, T6. Knit 56 rows.
Set for partial knitting.

First front

Put centre 92 stitches and remaining stitches furthest from carriage into hold.
Dec 1 st on neck edge.
Dec 1st every 2 rows once, then dec 1 st every 3 rows 15 times (28 sts remain)
Knit to RC106 and scrap off rem sts to WY

Back

Pur centre 92 stitches into UWP and knit to RC106. Scrap off on waste yarn

Second front

Repeat as for first front, reversing shapings

Sleeve

Cast on 50 stitches and knit 12 rows in 1x1 rib at T4.
Transfer all stitches to main bed, RC000, T6.
Inc 1 st every 5 rows 5 times, then inc 1 st every 6 rows 6 times (72 stitches).
Knit to RC66, cast off loosely.

Join shoulder seams.

Bands (worked in two pieces)

Cast on 129* stitches at T4 and knit 9 rows of 1x1 rib.
With WS facing, rehang LH side for girls, RH side for boys. Knit 1 row loosely and cast off.

Repeat for other edge, working 4 buttonholes evenly on row 4.

*If this seems to be too many or too few stitches, hold work against machine and estimate correct number of needles.

Free pattern: All-in-one baby cardi in 4ply (round neck)

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:30:00 +0000

This is for a 24lb baby
Machine: 4.5mm standard gauge knitting machine
Gauge: 30.5s and 42.8r to 10cm

Cast on 182 stitches in 1x1 rib usign T4, and rib for 18 rows.
Transfer all stitches to main bed, RC000, T6. Knit 56 rows.
Set for partial knitting.

First front

Put centre 92 stitches and remaining stitches furthest from carriage into hold.
Knit until RC84.
Scrap off 8 sts on neck to waste yarn.
Dec 1st every row for 9 rows (28 sts rem).
Knit to RC106 and scrap off rem sts to WY

Back

Pur centre 92 stitches into UWP and knit to RC106. Scrap off on waste yarn

Second front

Repeat as for first front, reversing shapings

Sleeve

Cast on 50 stitches and knit 12 rows in 1x1 rib at T4.
Transfer all stitches to main bed, RC000, T6.
Inc 1 st every 5 rows 5 times, then inc 1 st every 6 rows 6 times (72 stitches).
Knit to RC66, cast off loosely.

Join shoulder seams.

Neckband

Cast on 88 stitches at T4 and knit 10 rows of 1x1 rib.
With WS facing, rehang 8 stitches from front neck, 18 sts from neck edge, 36 sts from back etc. Knit 1 row loosely and cast off.

Bands

Cast on 91* stitches, work 9 rows at T4 in 1x1 rib. Hang left front for girls, right front for boys. Knit 1 row loosely and cast off.

Repeat for other edge, working 6 buttonholes evenly on row 4.

*If this seems to be too many or too few stitches, hold work against machine and estimate correct number of needles.

Free pattern: Crochet shopping bag

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 21:00:00 +0000

Using double worsted cotton yarn and a 5.5mm hook. I used Peaches n Cream, you could use Aran weight cotton. This pattern uses UK crochet terms, for dc US is sc, for tr US is dc.

Using foundation crochet, work a foundation row of 40 dcs (or to the desired width of bag)

Work a further 7 rows of dcs on these stitches (or to create desired base size of bag)

Next row: Ch1, work 1dc in right edge of last dc, and work dcs down left side of work. Work 40 dcs into foundation row and 8 dcs up right side of base. Work 40 dcs along top edge, join to first dc with ss. Do NOT work extra dcs in corners.

2nd round: ch 3, work 1tr into every dc, ss to first tr

3rd round: Repeat 2nd round again.

4th round: Ch 4, skip 1 tr, *1tr into next tr, ch1, skip next tr, rep from * to end, ss into first tr to join

5th round: ss to move into next ch space. Ch 4, skip 1 tr, *1tr into next tr, ch1, skip next tr, rep from * to end, ss into first tr to join

Repeat 5th round for desired length of bag. I worked 19 rounds of the 1ch, 1tr pattern

Next round: Ch3, *1tr into ch space, 1tr into tr, rep from * to end.

Next round: You may need to ss to correct position to start handle. I worked ss until approx. 15 trs short of the first side when bag is folded flat.

Ch3, work 1 tr into next 30 trs, using foundation crochet work 16 dc for handle, hooking first dc around last tr, skip 14 tr, 30 tr, 16 foundation dc as before, ss to first tr.

Next round: Work a row of tr into every stitch. Fasten off and weave in ends.

Whoops

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 07:24:00 +0000

DSCN0192
Originally uploaded by steel breeze

I defy anyone to walk past a bag of Noro on sale and not at least pick it up for a closer look...

Bits and bobs and blackouts

noreply@blogger.com (steel breeze) — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 11:30:00 +0000

First, some finished objects:

Cotton boucle top - this stuff is a nightmare to knit with, and I'm not sorry it's mostly finished up. Had to use the chunky. The blue version of this was one of the two jumpers in the Great Knitting Disaster of Christmas 2009.

First of the 2012 batch of charity tee tops - this has a silver lurex thread in it

Crocheted bag. Would have made it bigger, but ran out of yarn.

Can't take credit for most of these, this was the Manor House machine knitter's submission for cushions for the Olympiad.

If you've been wondering why the blog has been quiet, it was because I was on holiday in Bruges, drinking lots of Belgian beer. We had lovely spring-like weather all week. While there, we visited the big cemetery (Tyne Cot) in Paschendale

I realised that I never posted a picture of the actual CSM I ended up with:

I attended a CSM day on Saturday in Ruddington, so it was a good time to take some photos. More photos of the event here.

Yesterday I helped man the guild stand at Sewing for Pleasure at the NEC.

Yes, the birds are machine-knitted by a lady called Alison.

I may have broken my yarn fast not once but three times. I did buy a handbag and some new purses too.

I had planned a quiet evening in last night, supping Belgian beer, and conquering Mount Washmore. Alas, fate had other ideas, and contrived a black-out (and lots of digging of a hole outside the neighbours). We had black and blue burgers by candlelight, which was unexpectedly romantic, and then scrabbled for socks and went down the pub as it got dark. Good job too, as the power didn't come back on until half ten.