tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11917494533456920702024-03-19T04:40:33.728+00:00cut on the biasat 45˚ to the straight of grainmarykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-46577271991472150642013-04-24T22:06:00.001+00:002013-04-24T22:06:09.587+00:00Catch-up - Lundish, and the Perfect Manchester JumperBlogger! I never told you about my <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/biascut/scandinavian-sweater-with-textured-star-pattern-on-yoke">yellow jumper</a>. It is MARVELLOUS - I finished it around August, and it has been a delight to wear for this terribly, terribly long winter.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qtpEHH0WXP-qx2coeHowVuWytlbKtTNJlQlkFafBYL1B8Kf84KndBKumzynx5Vu_UM24ybn-EQaGej7gMz3_uqryZtlcDIWDSDa12nSRMW5tEMwMhPRZOySEGx8NVAW1CxU_wUptu3U/s1600/54691abeff5411e180ba22000a1e9f90_7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qtpEHH0WXP-qx2coeHowVuWytlbKtTNJlQlkFafBYL1B8Kf84KndBKumzynx5Vu_UM24ybn-EQaGej7gMz3_uqryZtlcDIWDSDa12nSRMW5tEMwMhPRZOySEGx8NVAW1CxU_wUptu3U/s320/54691abeff5411e180ba22000a1e9f90_7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The shape of the jumper is very simple, with no particularly exotic features - plain 2x2 ribbing around the cuffs, base and neckline, and a fitted yoke. There are a couple of shortrows across the bust, although, um, I realised I was wearing it back to front for the first two months (and probably am in in this picture), so they apparently don't make a huge difference to the fit.<br />
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But despite the simplicity of the construction, the colour work is beautiful, and these kind of rounded shoulders and necklines suit me extraordinarily well. And oh, Rowan 4ply, what a great yarn you are. I wear it with a simple layer underneath - usually a thin 3/4 sleeved tshirt or a body - and it's almost never too hot or too cold. <br />
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Unfortunately I only have phone photos of it to hand at the moment, but here you go:<br />
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MAD LOVE.<br />
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Currently I'm working on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/biascut/the-perfect-christmas-jumper">another tightly-knitted colourwork jumper in 4-ply</a>. This one is based on Susan Crawford's <a href="http://www.susancrawfordvintage.com/Perfect_Christmas_Jumper.html">Perfect Christmas Jumper</a>, but I'm working my own colourwork:<br />
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The yarn is Sublime Extra Fine Merino 4-ply, in Peeptoe (raspberry pink), Alabaster (cream/white) and (I think) Grosgrain (grey-green.) </div>
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I have finished and sewn together the front and back, so the colourwork part is done. It isn't quite like this - those gaps between the wellies are too big for colour work, so there are more wellies closer together, the umbrellas are a bit smaller, and I didn't do the lightning bolts or the sunshines. So it is in fact a perfect Manchester jumper, with Wellington boots, umbrellas, rain and clouds. I really love it! I've nearly finished one sleeve, so one more to do and then just arm seams and neckline to finish, and then I will put it away until autumn. I hope. Although given Manchester weather...</div>
marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-43720201691676119602012-08-05T11:11:00.001+00:002012-08-05T11:13:47.232+00:00LundishBlue Daisies is now finished, hoorah hooray! When I'd blocked it, I realised that it was about 4" longer than I intended it to be, so I took a chunk off the bottom and used it to knit a double-sided neckband, which worked beautifully and gives it a lovely structure. I then decided that it didn't need a button band, and have just put a single button at the neck instead and left the rest open. <br />
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It's perfect - light and warm and pretty and drapey - and I am having to resist the urge to wear it every day. Pictures soon!<br />
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So, my next trick is a colour-work yoke jumper, which is coming along nicely. In fact, I've reached the stage of yoke-knitting:<br />
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The yoke is my own design, based on traditional Fair-Isle patterns:<br />
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I have 400 stitches in the round with the arms and body joined, which gives me 20 repeats of a 20-stitch pattern. The pattern is 50 stitches deep, so over that fifty stitches I need to narrow from 400 stitches 200 stitches: each pattern repeat starts with 20 and narrows to 10 stitches. Next job, working out where my decreases are going to be!<br />
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I've called this Lundish because I started very roughly with the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/scandinavian-sweater-with-textured-star-pattern-on-yoke">Radio Times's Sarah Lund sweater</a>, although I've moved a very long way from that now. I'm excited about it, though! It should be ready perfectly in time for the weather to get colder.marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-12775880162350156802012-06-26T05:30:00.000+01:002012-06-26T05:30:02.867+01:00Blue daisiesI've been working on two things since I finished the Pink Ginger. The first is my Lundish jumper, a bottom-up Fair-Isle yoke jumper which was inspired by ... well, you can probably guess. It's on Ravelry <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/biascut/scandinavian-sweater-with-textured-star-pattern-on-yoke">here</a>. I knitted about 7" of it and then decided it was April and time to knit summer things.<br />
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So for the last couple of months, I've been working on a very light top-down raglan cardigan, made in Zitrone Filligran:<br />
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It's a skinny little top-down raglan with a very simple daisy lace patter. The idea was to make a very light little wool cardigan that could be stuffed into the corner of a bag and easily layered under light summer jackets, which is what I do with all my cardigans.<br />
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Tragically, that is 100% of the two skeins - well, I have about 2.5m left. This is a problem as it definitely needs a neckline knitted onto it, and probably a buttonband as well. The plan was to finish it off properly, with a double-layer neckline and buttonband for structure. Unfortunately … there is no more yarn. And I can’t think of anything that’ll go with that petrol blue. I mean, I can - obviously red, orange or bright yellow would be the natural choices, or else a slightly lighter grey-blue - but I wanted it to be a plain and neutral cardie that would go with anything. I’ll probably wear it with lots of colours.<br />
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Currently thoughts are to get a cream/natural yarn in a similar weight and use that for a neckline and buttonband, or to do get some <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=cluny+lace&hl=en&prmd=imvns&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=b5PoT6qrA-md0QW7-9HGAQ&ved=0CE0Q_AUoAQ&biw=1184&bih=895#hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=bobbin+lace+trim&oq=bobbin+lace+trim&aq=f&aqi=g-S1&aql=&gs_l=img.3..0i24.3319.4399.2.4545.5.2.0.3.3.0.47.88.2.2.0...0.0.ZJvYmJwFQ5s&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_cp.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=bf3ceedf65f91508&biw=1184&bih=895" style="color: #666666;">natural-coloured lace trim</a>, or to get some very light silk-scarf fabric in a similar dark blue, cut it into bias strips and use that to face the neckline and buttonbands. My concerns with each course of action are:
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Can I get natural lace weight yarn in the right weight? And if so, would I sew a solid neckline and buttonband or find a lace pattern? (Answer: yes, <a href="http://purlcityyarns.com/store/product/1207/Zitron-Filigran-Laceweight-Undyed/">Purl City Yarns has the exact same yarn in cream</a>. Hm.)</div>
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If I use manufactured lace, will be too heavy and change the hang and fit of the garment?</div>
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So <em>very</em> Jigsaw-circa-2008.</div>
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So I don’t know. Thoughts?marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com1Salford, UK53.488465 -2.298296953.450675 -2.3772609 53.526255 -2.2193329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-70401248325225835302012-06-25T17:23:00.003+01:002012-06-25T17:23:39.885+01:00Pink Ginger, finishedIt's been so long that Blogger's user interface has completely changed. Hmm...<br />
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Anyway, some finished objects! First of all, my Pink Ginger jumper. I am slightly alarmed at how precisely the finished jumper matches <a href="http://msbias.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/pink-and-ginger.html">the original MS Paint picture</a>!<br />
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(OH GOSH I wish I was better at taking pictures of myself. I would love to be one of those bloggers who always posts beautiful pictures of what they've made and how they wear it, but I never know what to do with my face or arms. And I'm not a very good photographer either. Perhaps I will get better now we've got the fancy new camera!)<br />
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I finished this sometime around March, I think, although it’s taken me ages to get some photos of it. It hasn’t <em>quite</em> found its place in my wardrobe yet - it wasn’t quite warm enough for most of the winter, and I assumed it would be too warm for summer. But we’ve had such a rubbish summer that I’ve started wearing it a lot - it’s the perfect light jumper to pull on at weekends with cotton trousers and a vest top.<br />
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Lots of the astrakhan left - I keep thinking it would make a lovely soft toy for a small child, and then imagining the hell that complicated increases and decreases would be in bouclé…marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-55104221551487721252011-12-11T15:01:00.009+00:002011-12-11T15:29:15.056+00:00Not knitting, but -<div style="text-align: left;">We have been making things pretty, wallpapering our front room and putting up the Christmas tree. I've always been rubbish at taking indoor house pictures, but my partner's just got a fancy new camera that's made it a lot easier, so here you go, have some photos.</div><div><div><div><br /></div><div>Afore-mentioned partner:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYFhrnCV8EpAhCi5_Oz9zT_zIaMZaUEFYOF5rK4nD0OJ8cUrUGvP7ngqQdUcDG6qi0uGjL5HrJi5ok_6QbIDF4Ah2QOyUswjxwax06O6Xsl9g6hjCwgImw-H8-R2y9vScnSubzS1DE4Rk/s320/P1000376.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684886718494023858" /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yv9XOYAAPMM8rxm6lwNwLEkLe7rNC53oZAmwdPztS64niBSvkdKRejoQr-H81LzKNP7bCFSe2XNpyGFvKy3b7TEq_vKAUFyOXJyz8x-s3maoyDKDxV0_kjU4MHlr0rr8M7hdpTt2Ey4/s1600/P1000407.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yv9XOYAAPMM8rxm6lwNwLEkLe7rNC53oZAmwdPztS64niBSvkdKRejoQr-H81LzKNP7bCFSe2XNpyGFvKy3b7TEq_vKAUFyOXJyz8x-s3maoyDKDxV0_kjU4MHlr0rr8M7hdpTt2Ey4/s320/P1000407.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684887704893238098" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>This camera seems to take very vivid colours indoors, which suits our decorating style rather well. Here's our kitchen looking into the living room, and kitchen wallpaper and the NEW LIVING ROOM WALLPAPER:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yv9XOYAAPMM8rxm6lwNwLEkLe7rNC53oZAmwdPztS64niBSvkdKRejoQr-H81LzKNP7bCFSe2XNpyGFvKy3b7TEq_vKAUFyOXJyz8x-s3maoyDKDxV0_kjU4MHlr0rr8M7hdpTt2Ey4/s1600/P1000407.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></div></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yv9XOYAAPMM8rxm6lwNwLEkLe7rNC53oZAmwdPztS64niBSvkdKRejoQr-H81LzKNP7bCFSe2XNpyGFvKy3b7TEq_vKAUFyOXJyz8x-s3maoyDKDxV0_kjU4MHlr0rr8M7hdpTt2Ey4/s1600/P1000407.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvyLQpt5Oh7cpTZcGQY9ccDtjEQs54nd0wA3Wo5uLZwwCuTsib1ytBGEwdaDaqpHW28LczwFo3vDaCkpAJvnG4n1SVEOfnucoMLZZOpq8IYZqoMQFXQtbhjtvgObWEG_77d7T5fqah6w/s320/P1000396.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684889879023113074" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>And this is the living room, and the CHRISTMAS TREE:</div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yv9XOYAAPMM8rxm6lwNwLEkLe7rNC53oZAmwdPztS64niBSvkdKRejoQr-H81LzKNP7bCFSe2XNpyGFvKy3b7TEq_vKAUFyOXJyz8x-s3maoyDKDxV0_kjU4MHlr0rr8M7hdpTt2Ey4/s1600/P1000407.JPG" style="text-align: left; " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8LOGGzT0TjOPRQ1qQyFdSM9CKJVT1l2wRZm5m-N1IGp3phNrPRpHDG9Ja4TrwZI52dxqzgch_yUm0slJ9y2oXgwgtaj5p2i-hHJnJ1CQvqMOLpO1ZUoqLooqDFk0hIdPIdjRohAyzRaA/s320/P1000400.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684891057172498162" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yv9XOYAAPMM8rxm6lwNwLEkLe7rNC53oZAmwdPztS64niBSvkdKRejoQr-H81LzKNP7bCFSe2XNpyGFvKy3b7TEq_vKAUFyOXJyz8x-s3maoyDKDxV0_kjU4MHlr0rr8M7hdpTt2Ey4/s1600/P1000407.JPG" style="text-align: left; " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yv9XOYAAPMM8rxm6lwNwLEkLe7rNC53oZAmwdPztS64niBSvkdKRejoQr-H81LzKNP7bCFSe2XNpyGFvKy3b7TEq_vKAUFyOXJyz8x-s3maoyDKDxV0_kjU4MHlr0rr8M7hdpTt2Ey4/s1600/P1000407.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3ugQTNcSZtlndsnMMT0v-vXKEyT9z7l7fyJdODZlGFY0eC8zygD9G7L3mXaqntpVpQG26XPStrM7vedNRU1UX9a5b4gGmUZ6iwLYl-nN3-ZoX2DVp6qLr4R9QwYGJvR7vhufecjORwAY/s320/P1000426.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5684891958839760514" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></div></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yv9XOYAAPMM8rxm6lwNwLEkLe7rNC53oZAmwdPztS64niBSvkdKRejoQr-H81LzKNP7bCFSe2XNpyGFvKy3b7TEq_vKAUFyOXJyz8x-s3maoyDKDxV0_kjU4MHlr0rr8M7hdpTt2Ey4/s1600/P1000407.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a><div></div></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yv9XOYAAPMM8rxm6lwNwLEkLe7rNC53oZAmwdPztS64niBSvkdKRejoQr-H81LzKNP7bCFSe2XNpyGFvKy3b7TEq_vKAUFyOXJyz8x-s3maoyDKDxV0_kjU4MHlr0rr8M7hdpTt2Ey4/s1600/P1000407.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); "></div></a><div></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6yv9XOYAAPMM8rxm6lwNwLEkLe7rNC53oZAmwdPztS64niBSvkdKRejoQr-H81LzKNP7bCFSe2XNpyGFvKy3b7TEq_vKAUFyOXJyz8x-s3maoyDKDxV0_kjU4MHlr0rr8M7hdpTt2Ey4/s1600/P1000407.JPG" style="text-align: left; " onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"></a></div><div>Bit of a massive difference between daylight and electric light there: I was trying to get a less red one in the evening, but it seemed to do very red or very, very cold and blue, with no in-between, so there's something to play with. </div><div><br /></div><div>Velvet curtains from Ebay. as is the Sanderson wallpaper, the 50s teak cabinet, and the 50s mirror. We might be a bit obsessed, actually. Lime green shelves by me, sofa by M&S, armchair by the Sofa Workshop which seems to have gone bust. </div></div></div></div><div><br /></div><div>I LOVE our colour schemes. </div>marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-55412907112461545502011-10-21T15:58:00.004+00:002011-10-21T16:31:16.664+00:00Pink gingerAnd in new knitting news, my pink ginger jumper is coming along nice:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGGkkw5Q-QhxbBumnfH_QjE4M0f7UZq8YtuQCEV_ZXMzOLTrqTmroK-OnbrHxmiM6t5Xj8SE70at0aSSYQLSVUEH02rxcEv6tJckTrUj2fbtqqg5px2pYHvshF3g1Xr59Uud80lNOUsA/s1600/PA210105.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqGGkkw5Q-QhxbBumnfH_QjE4M0f7UZq8YtuQCEV_ZXMzOLTrqTmroK-OnbrHxmiM6t5Xj8SE70at0aSSYQLSVUEH02rxcEv6tJckTrUj2fbtqqg5px2pYHvshF3g1Xr59Uud80lNOUsA/s320/PA210105.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665976613627582130" border="0" /></a><br />Top-down raglan, so you're looking at the neckline and the increases for each shoulder-sleeve there. It's stocking-stitch, with a line of reverse-side in the centre of each set of increases (does that make sense? So it's [ ... k, k, inc 1, p, stitch marker, p, inc 1 the other way, k, k, k... ] at each set of increases.)<br /><br />The yarn is a lot nicer to use than I thought it would be. To begin with, I could not get the hang of knitting with bouclé and kept getting snarked up, but I let myself knit a little looser than usual (I'm using 3.75mm needles - so 0.75mm smaller than the recommended 4.5mm) and since then it's gone swimmingly. Unpicking is a pain in the hole, though - I wouldn't like to be doing anything more complicated than stocking stitch with it!<br /><br />One thing I haven't decided yet is which will be my right side - the usual stocking stitch side, or the reverse? I was originally thinking it would be the reverse, because the bouclé is so chaotic that it's actually smoother on the reverse side. But I quite like the way the chaotic bouclé fights with the order of the vertical stitches on the stocking-stitch side after all:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7azxS_h7-5vKOCg5zDrR5jlEU3DwZAf8K9d1QRhQ46FfbfQaNAeOKeo-pztm8n2a3UypDrssy1oX6DD3BDRL8ESVKUkqv9V4xNojRN2YOKbvq0kzaZCpbm7X6MwpJssWkD5fM6YgQVJk/s1600/PA210126.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7azxS_h7-5vKOCg5zDrR5jlEU3DwZAf8K9d1QRhQ46FfbfQaNAeOKeo-pztm8n2a3UypDrssy1oX6DD3BDRL8ESVKUkqv9V4xNojRN2YOKbvq0kzaZCpbm7X6MwpJssWkD5fM6YgQVJk/s320/PA210126.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665976662867327266" border="0" /></a><br />I have just switched to the second colour - as you can see - and this will probably take me to the point where I'll split for body and arms. This is the truest colour I was able to take:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47tNqKwri9M0KIBZjjuQ8smsuzVcNHhEPC6R2XP0g5_BbXr0mFUWoHL5fsiT4LhpuFaTXqGhCt0C0VDNeT4x9HucdOcsLaG9Fzv9bECX0a-C3vOxlRK7t81neW-MDx0tycPiHpfaWKQ0/s1600/PA210108.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47tNqKwri9M0KIBZjjuQ8smsuzVcNHhEPC6R2XP0g5_BbXr0mFUWoHL5fsiT4LhpuFaTXqGhCt0C0VDNeT4x9HucdOcsLaG9Fzv9bECX0a-C3vOxlRK7t81neW-MDx0tycPiHpfaWKQ0/s320/PA210108.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665976621276797058" border="0" /></a><br />I think my colleagues think I'm a bit mad for knitting something in pink and orange stripes, but what the hell, they think I'm a bit made for knitting full stop. Unexpected colour schemes have been a hobby for a long-time.<br /><br />Although this does mean that everything I've knitted for the past 12 months has been either pale pink or orange, culminating in ... a pale pink and orange striped garment. Hm. I might have gone as far as I can go with pale pink and orange. What should be next?marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-36870844286998495052011-10-21T15:22:00.011+00:002011-10-21T15:56:25.401+00:00buttons!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZmbdfC8srOZ0dG0BJhLDRwxwxfSNqt90upuHDeI6MmdYwI2kCBJrlNEswijcC1L2ljs7ZWbjdXrrv3_NmOhT211hYlIPnnks0SAoXmyapYSud3mAu_U5mMdyxqR-EWVa3djf91hExhU/s1600/PA210145.JPG"><br /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieP8SwdZ4LvEl6_pngFk-elCTDLK3L-zX3pLRiuzyMjOWpz6P4esMD2MJRZMq2IWmkT3HO1ZdKhjO3AAbiHlSCMFDuIGvkoEhGI0iePrq3unkM5d7HSPAknBTpFoFSTKr5ib8FXYURNuw/s1600/PA210134.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieP8SwdZ4LvEl6_pngFk-elCTDLK3L-zX3pLRiuzyMjOWpz6P4esMD2MJRZMq2IWmkT3HO1ZdKhjO3AAbiHlSCMFDuIGvkoEhGI0iePrq3unkM5d7HSPAknBTpFoFSTKr5ib8FXYURNuw/s320/PA210134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665970665612807026" border="0" /></a><br />The orange cardigan is finally finished! The making-up really dragged - I hate sewing button bands on - but I finally did it last weekend, and then sewed on four bright, shiny orange buttons. They are out of my mum's button bag, of buttons she collected before I was born, so they're proper, vintage 70s:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsKgdquLUJP6OKYUm97l4MUWFsa_q6r5trocjldUnmI-5pSL5BVz8LbUxMqIj2TU2_SyXL4PdE6u3tq3y43X_qIXW3xy7Kvx6Yl1ABQgd4eov9peu1jkIJWvKQgYaa5YnFb6YjuWvuMc/s1600/PA210140.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsKgdquLUJP6OKYUm97l4MUWFsa_q6r5trocjldUnmI-5pSL5BVz8LbUxMqIj2TU2_SyXL4PdE6u3tq3y43X_qIXW3xy7Kvx6Yl1ABQgd4eov9peu1jkIJWvKQgYaa5YnFb6YjuWvuMc/s320/PA210140.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665967548629401154" border="0" /></a>When my mum died last year, I inherited her box of spare buttons from the clothes she's bought over the last ten or fifteen years, but also her bag of buttons from she was sewing and knitting in the 70s and early 80s. And, since I was having a button round-up, my grandma decided it was time I had her button box. Many of these buttons are ones my grandma inherited from her mother, who was a tailor, meaning that some of them must be from the 30s and 20s or earlier. Very few of them are expensive or smart: there are a couple of beautiful big discs of mother-of-pearl, but the vast majority are made of cheap, old, brittle plastic. They have been snipped off coats and jackets and shirts and pyjamas and cardigans which have gone to holes: there is a purple cord-covered one that I recognise as being from the dressing gown my grandma had when I was tiny. We also used to be allowed to play with these buttons when we were little, and used them as play-money. Some of them still have stickers on saying, "50p" and "£9" and "£7" in my brother's round and elaborately careful writing. There are also lots of huge brown ones, and you only have to glance at to imagine the 1950s and 60s wool coats they came off. You'd need a wonderfully textured chunky tweed to offset thhose smooth brown semi-spherical buttons with the 4cm diameter.<br /><br />So, I am trying to find uses for as many of these buttons as possible, rather than buying more. Those bright shiny orange plastic ones suit my 1950s orange cardigan wonderfully, and I'm ever so pleased with it. Still not quite finished blocking, however, so no pics of me wearing it yet!<br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">* * *<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />I've used some of my grandma's buttons for my pink 50s cardigan. These are little pale pink plastic pearl buttons, which fit this cardigan beautifully:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuYnvAxI7f3CHk-CrWHprdbhPLO7vkjr9JDWCcGyN1B7v8Z0Xu5IXU3XsCFp5sEVnqjoTQ41Nlr_Xb50e_Fb0sHRxVxp-PFWMrJ8zdXSIHNdKswulODZBe8WjmQS5zZshEyZ_aqDFPW0/s1600/PA210147.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJuYnvAxI7f3CHk-CrWHprdbhPLO7vkjr9JDWCcGyN1B7v8Z0Xu5IXU3XsCFp5sEVnqjoTQ41Nlr_Xb50e_Fb0sHRxVxp-PFWMrJ8zdXSIHNdKswulODZBe8WjmQS5zZshEyZ_aqDFPW0/s320/PA210147.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665971545889941202" border="0" /></a>I am so, so pleased with this cardigan. It hasn't turned out how I expected - it's much smaller and more fitted in the <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7g91hThE9BBNjFjMjBkNzEtMTFlMi00OGVhLTgxZjItNTU4ODM2ODIxNDg0&authkey=CK6a09IP&hl=en&authkey=CK6a09IP">pattern</a> - although that may of course be the model's corset. However, my colours are <span style="font-style: italic;">much</span> nicer, and the slightly larger and looser shape has coincided with ... slightly oversized Fair-Isle cardigans having a major moment. Who saw that coming? So this cardigan - not really oversized, but just slightly relaxed - has suddenly rocketed to the top of my wardrobe crushes. <br /><br />I LOVE the Fair-Isle. And have I mentioned how lovely the Rowan 4-ply wool is? It's practically silken, and yet so warm. Blooming premium-brand yarns, being all worth-the-money and shit.<br /><br />More photos of the lovely pink cardigan:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYf86JEik1cCsiHWi2lkJiqZXG4C7FjO6EzCGvMEDvcS4hKglV79ubrGPlD4iD9z4-tNrtf1IFiuQabb_i_6yuAjBstxlikdVRfALZlO8Af7_7tCCB71bo1a1ifI08M5udUJCPD6aWns/s1600/PA210146.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYf86JEik1cCsiHWi2lkJiqZXG4C7FjO6EzCGvMEDvcS4hKglV79ubrGPlD4iD9z4-tNrtf1IFiuQabb_i_6yuAjBstxlikdVRfALZlO8Af7_7tCCB71bo1a1ifI08M5udUJCPD6aWns/s320/PA210146.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665973064206403554" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZmbdfC8srOZ0dG0BJhLDRwxwxfSNqt90upuHDeI6MmdYwI2kCBJrlNEswijcC1L2ljs7ZWbjdXrrv3_NmOhT211hYlIPnnks0SAoXmyapYSud3mAu_U5mMdyxqR-EWVa3djf91hExhU/s1600/PA210145.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0ZmbdfC8srOZ0dG0BJhLDRwxwxfSNqt90upuHDeI6MmdYwI2kCBJrlNEswijcC1L2ljs7ZWbjdXrrv3_NmOhT211hYlIPnnks0SAoXmyapYSud3mAu_U5mMdyxqR-EWVa3djf91hExhU/s320/PA210145.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665974376822545666" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9TqmVU2-Hcvz-NCbRj3zV4NjMdCs0R97M0P9NFBE1FHyQxFMQUQPzco26jcPANy1XmZmNk-zODncB4BBDHFtYclVItOKtiV3Fmvec3SfTrxaCqi9v1jbzPYUzmytYx-78MLWzJo-hN0/s1600/PA210144.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix9TqmVU2-Hcvz-NCbRj3zV4NjMdCs0R97M0P9NFBE1FHyQxFMQUQPzco26jcPANy1XmZmNk-zODncB4BBDHFtYclVItOKtiV3Fmvec3SfTrxaCqi9v1jbzPYUzmytYx-78MLWzJo-hN0/s320/PA210144.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665974383614593650" border="0" /></a></div></div>marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-24477175191416108692011-09-26T20:53:00.003+00:002011-10-21T15:58:30.430+00:00Pink and ginger<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6XcALQom72J21qObJyAvu2bHPIie7kEcqEkyOWaAYyzbNGVvcg132bKnT_DlVs3jtXZxAqvQMdfcIeVIEIMfjZJGvnH_oC624ManMvPgm8vjxdbyWFEfZDJEVxORhLvtRQWVEcPPC9U/s1600/pink+striped+jumper+2.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO6XcALQom72J21qObJyAvu2bHPIie7kEcqEkyOWaAYyzbNGVvcg132bKnT_DlVs3jtXZxAqvQMdfcIeVIEIMfjZJGvnH_oC624ManMvPgm8vjxdbyWFEfZDJEVxORhLvtRQWVEcPPC9U/s320/pink+striped+jumper+2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656779518786271874" border="0" /></a><br />Hurray! <a href="http://www.jannettesrareyarns.co.uk/">Janette's Rare Yarns</a> came up with 8 balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan in <a href="http://www.jannettesrareyarns.co.uk/debbie-bliss-cashmerino-astrakhan-knitting-yarn---4-shades-by-the-ball-17234-p.asp">Ginger</a>, to go with the light pink I've already got. Orange and pale pink will be beautiful, right?marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-84694149450394882472011-09-25T13:56:00.007+00:002011-09-25T14:37:56.737+00:00Stripey jumper<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR78T2E4hOus2L12aKdGN9FbyYvUY0FyecCs9eJHTi6bfXGIrp9c5UIsqtvtgaDNFfhO2qHJEv83K89Fa3_GdH6jNkFr7-8FVNoA2CJlw4l9lpVbm5Z3glYfPYCujb6vlh8iVml2_Gltc/s1600/pink+striped+jumper.JPG"><br /></a><br />And here are my plans for the rest of the year. First of all, I've just bought some Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran, to replace my lovely arm-warmers that I lost two years ago:<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGrmtwGe1eAhXaLL3WJqwuQtkoJfyb6auGS5DzBsPVJc0N5KviSYORDQqS-1CzmoaWXhOCDlYZJdXQ7m-Q5tgGxhUU3tb50YEPIgajPDh7VXBBDooa4x4lRMfb1jJugfoDVAes5LduRc/s1600/DSC04593.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGrmtwGe1eAhXaLL3WJqwuQtkoJfyb6auGS5DzBsPVJc0N5KviSYORDQqS-1CzmoaWXhOCDlYZJdXQ7m-Q5tgGxhUU3tb50YEPIgajPDh7VXBBDooa4x4lRMfb1jJugfoDVAes5LduRc/s320/DSC04593.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656299741762795314" border="0" /></a>They were in Teal, but this time it's Navy. And, I've just realised, they were DK and the yarn I've just bought is Aran, so they will probably be a bit thicker and not quite as long. Hm.<br /><br />My second plan was for a jumper. I haven't knitted a jumper since <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/biascut/teal-jumper">the teal one which I finished in 2008</a>, because jumpers aren't generally my style so much. However, they are everywhere on the catwalks for this season, and I love the big-jumper-and-pencil-skirt thing that I've seen in a few magazines. So I had planned a big pink jumper:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRA__TPxYGiF96yGKwUdSdpDsQeNOh5buWvneUZjuT2EhUL2IdTGH720khewiFrS1BLapMkVeEKk6xcQe_ebzwNjXQDM5KJ6eExrLWA9MFjSNmf3O6yXJUg7LJlqgoCtVYAx_b-d4q0c/s1600/pink+jumper.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 294px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisRA__TPxYGiF96yGKwUdSdpDsQeNOh5buWvneUZjuT2EhUL2IdTGH720khewiFrS1BLapMkVeEKk6xcQe_ebzwNjXQDM5KJ6eExrLWA9MFjSNmf3O6yXJUg7LJlqgoCtVYAx_b-d4q0c/s320/pink+jumper.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656301385536789138" border="0" /></a>Top-down raglan (of course - I don't knit any other way if I can help it!), ribbed, straight-sided. But then I got 500g of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan on ebay:<br /><br /><a href="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzAwWDQwMA==/$%28KGrHqZ,%21h4E5dFlwZFvBOZQ%29YlPew%7E%7E60_1.JPG?set_id=8800005007"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MzAwWDQwMA==/$%28KGrHqZ,%21h4E5dFlwZFvBOZQ%29YlPew%7E%7E60_1.JPG?set_id=8800005007" alt="" border="0" /></a>I am not usually one for the crazy textured knits, but that's because they're usually polyester. This is gorgeous - a pain in the hole to knit with, I expect (I've only swatched so far), but incredibly soft and probably very, very warm. So I've moved away from the idea of ribbed, and also I think I like the idea of it being a bit more cropped and blousy. A bit more like:<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR78T2E4hOus2L12aKdGN9FbyYvUY0FyecCs9eJHTi6bfXGIrp9c5UIsqtvtgaDNFfhO2qHJEv83K89Fa3_GdH6jNkFr7-8FVNoA2CJlw4l9lpVbm5Z3glYfPYCujb6vlh8iVml2_Gltc/s1600/pink+striped+jumper.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 190px; height: 130px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR78T2E4hOus2L12aKdGN9FbyYvUY0FyecCs9eJHTi6bfXGIrp9c5UIsqtvtgaDNFfhO2qHJEv83K89Fa3_GdH6jNkFr7-8FVNoA2CJlw4l9lpVbm5Z3glYfPYCujb6vlh8iVml2_Gltc/s320/pink+striped+jumper.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656306237634493682" border="0" /></a><br />But this, of course, means I have to find some beige or orange Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Asktrakhan from somewhere, and it's been discontinued. Wish me luck...marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-78558906112486320912011-09-25T13:45:00.005+00:002011-09-25T13:56:11.159+00:00Orange cardiganAnd here is project 2 - another 4-ply vintage cardigan pattern from the same car-boot sale.<br /><br /><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7g91hThE9BBMzBiNjJlODQtZWI1Ny00NTExLThlYmQtZTNjYzg5ZDUzYWVj&hl=en_US">Link to scan of pattern</a>.<br /><br />It's been knitted <em>very</em> tightly on a 3.5mm needle, because I want it to be very light but hardwearing. As expected, I managed to finish the knitting very precisely at the end of summer - tsk! However, it’s wool and bamboo, so I’m still expecting to get some wear out of it over the autumn and winter.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7oj-4QL4DuBgslYhqCW_hnFDIR0PbjYf2wccD_-94nSpy0yFVQu43y_V7oRGkhTp5ZSneC3oiAi7s6hQTiZy5dI3Ek6SgqNtigNjkIwpscl3nqq_jpm2u3IwPE9WD4rc6Cg51PXC8eM/s1600/P9250078.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7oj-4QL4DuBgslYhqCW_hnFDIR0PbjYf2wccD_-94nSpy0yFVQu43y_V7oRGkhTp5ZSneC3oiAi7s6hQTiZy5dI3Ek6SgqNtigNjkIwpscl3nqq_jpm2u3IwPE9WD4rc6Cg51PXC8eM/s320/P9250078.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656293872971887906" border="0" /></a><br /><br />It's a fairly straight-forward construction - back, 2x front, 2x sleeves. Everything has now been finished and blocked:<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurwNP-P5vHbuw8sTCA5aBPGIC1VlufyULd5e9AnD9mfKdZVFTJfAh7XmQ5afup3U_eKettriofhYpN3FjVR70x4ArxvoH7yXyFyOIExPkG0yGrIYfXqlw3SS6CicSsnpK37BVus0_YVw/s1600/P7030261.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurwNP-P5vHbuw8sTCA5aBPGIC1VlufyULd5e9AnD9mfKdZVFTJfAh7XmQ5afup3U_eKettriofhYpN3FjVR70x4ArxvoH7yXyFyOIExPkG0yGrIYfXqlw3SS6CicSsnpK37BVus0_YVw/s320/P7030261.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656295104456159074" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl7oj-4QL4DuBgslYhqCW_hnFDIR0PbjYf2wccD_-94nSpy0yFVQu43y_V7oRGkhTp5ZSneC3oiAi7s6hQTiZy5dI3Ek6SgqNtigNjkIwpscl3nqq_jpm2u3IwPE9WD4rc6Cg51PXC8eM/s1600/P9250078.JPG"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhma_I9xdpUAACJiHDRrr4N3nEL6gx9MKNTfbO11UhxNHIkNE-giZtH9aWPWLVhlMZQD8mAeKenpw6lbTU8uQoO4heuYls3WaFXUd_xrzk16bV5o6dpYgZtcyf1QJIVoqktm1uqerJ3xUc/s1600/P9250074.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhma_I9xdpUAACJiHDRrr4N3nEL6gx9MKNTfbO11UhxNHIkNE-giZtH9aWPWLVhlMZQD8mAeKenpw6lbTU8uQoO4heuYls3WaFXUd_xrzk16bV5o6dpYgZtcyf1QJIVoqktm1uqerJ3xUc/s320/P9250074.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656293872084474514" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZn2kVWFNaIXR_v3iPpxg7tYLd6-8q0v2MiRR0w6ZbZ9Gb4cbKLBy-0JFBt-8RKxL-bTmxZ0XYUA-fWhswiC5R1yGGYtTiuW2STU4CJrpFJr5iqZb9iEOf__vzugoenBIdvMyfyv6Cuc/s1600/P9250072.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjZn2kVWFNaIXR_v3iPpxg7tYLd6-8q0v2MiRR0w6ZbZ9Gb4cbKLBy-0JFBt-8RKxL-bTmxZ0XYUA-fWhswiC5R1yGGYtTiuW2STU4CJrpFJr5iqZb9iEOf__vzugoenBIdvMyfyv6Cuc/s320/P9250072.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656293864865791906" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjurwNP-P5vHbuw8sTCA5aBPGIC1VlufyULd5e9AnD9mfKdZVFTJfAh7XmQ5afup3U_eKettriofhYpN3FjVR70x4ArxvoH7yXyFyOIExPkG0yGrIYfXqlw3SS6CicSsnpK37BVus0_YVw/s1600/P7030261.JPG"><br /></a>I modified the arms substantially, because I want them to have a slight puff in them, so instead of doing a straight decrease every 2 rows, I made them more curved. The yarn is also lovely - Sirdar Baby Bamboo, in a colour called Tigger! As I said, I've been knitting it very tightly, but it's stood up to that and hopefully will be good and long-lasting.<br /><br />Will probably start sewing it up tonight, so fingers crossed it fits!<div class="notes markdown"> </div>marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-47946636190344066612011-09-25T13:30:00.004+00:002011-09-25T13:44:29.040+00:00marybe, just maybe, I am backPerhaps it's time to resuscitate this blog? I have some exciting knitting coming to an end, anyway, and some exciting plans for the next few months. This is what's blocking upstairs:<br /><br /><p><a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B7g91hThE9BBNjFjMjBkNzEtMTFlMi00OGVhLTgxZjItNTU4ODM2ODIxNDg0&hl=en_US&authkey=CK6a09IP">Dolman-sleeved cardigan</a></p> - a 1950s pattern that I got at a car-boot sale in my parents' village. I <i>love</i> this cardigan - and my colourway is much nicer than the one in the picture!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4bH_xvoDaTKmKGPmw7-atb-8B1edAJw0gvXHQgs23ybonlcluwnLzIHSrj7dDPoM8uNvfG2oYXKKLB2CuVKzs9KkGapWrOutjPDrTEVQ2dKM_JGhnc6P4MXpKEqdIxX9XuZgjACA364/s1600/P9250099.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4bH_xvoDaTKmKGPmw7-atb-8B1edAJw0gvXHQgs23ybonlcluwnLzIHSrj7dDPoM8uNvfG2oYXKKLB2CuVKzs9KkGapWrOutjPDrTEVQ2dKM_JGhnc6P4MXpKEqdIxX9XuZgjACA364/s320/P9250099.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656289979875973074" border="0" /></a>I spent most of winter 2010/11 knitting it. It's an extraordinary shape - knitted from right wrist to left wrist in one piece, then picked up and Fair-Isle knitted around the neckline and front, then 4” of rib on the bottom, and then a separate button band made and sewn on. I finished the main body in February or so, blocked that, then sewed up the sides and completed the colourwork and the ribbing in in the winter, but put it away halfway through sewing the button band on because it was April and I obviously wasn't going to wear it in the summer, and have just got it out again and finished sewing it up. It's now having a second block.<br /><p>IF it fits, it’s totally Dior New Look, with a high neck and sloping shoulders. I really have no idea yet whether it not it will, though. And if it doesn't, well, it’s been a beautiful knit. The Rowan 4-ply is absolutely gorgeous - pure wool, but such good quality that it has a really silky finish. I’ve also learned a lot from doing the Fair Isle. I also have all the Fair-Isle colours left over, so I will probably try and make a tank top or gloves or something to use some of it up. </p><p>Really, really hope it fits and works!</p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwVVaPb1uTyELDXfCPrJRuZ74vZmuaKLSjFG-a2Vqek0bWVagslezzMqm4U6KvJbtatMpP_IEwokmq3UtJ8tgVNLeSf-N7cYKgKZiKAkm3IyJ3Ntd9kOOIVQ4d0erFYu1AlX0ia6jBlU/s1600/P9250091.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimwVVaPb1uTyELDXfCPrJRuZ74vZmuaKLSjFG-a2Vqek0bWVagslezzMqm4U6KvJbtatMpP_IEwokmq3UtJ8tgVNLeSf-N7cYKgKZiKAkm3IyJ3Ntd9kOOIVQ4d0erFYu1AlX0ia6jBlU/s320/P9250091.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656292357333594130" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaMXEcU4o5ozQd6mzQtqGslUFGfF8vKkC4hitb5Q3EksBn8kRX2xvpwYYjTKL_V4qCt5oVpeYLr1atmfz7l03quKzP0KAgGOwbQ84o8VEB7netT8C5bcSWDW_Ezc9n3xdridzhHDzqWM/s1600/P9250100.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAaMXEcU4o5ozQd6mzQtqGslUFGfF8vKkC4hitb5Q3EksBn8kRX2xvpwYYjTKL_V4qCt5oVpeYLr1atmfz7l03quKzP0KAgGOwbQ84o8VEB7netT8C5bcSWDW_Ezc9n3xdridzhHDzqWM/s320/P9250100.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5656292364771465010" border="0" /></a></p>marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-3470637349278771042008-12-07T17:01:00.004+00:002008-12-07T18:04:32.253+00:00interknittentOh hello, internets! I'm sorry it's been so long. Since I last posted here, I've completed my PhD; been viva'd and graduated; worked as a medical secretary for eight months and then as a training officer for six months; civilised my <a href="http://glitzknitz.blogspot.com/">lady</a>; moved from Leeds to Manchester; and knitted four and a half cardigans, one jumper, two gloves, and a ... babydoll sort of thing. The only one I seem to have photos of is the last, and fittingly, it was the first completed. Here it is:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/081207interknittent/pink2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 460px; height: 614px;" src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/081207interknittent/pink2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/081207interknittent/pink1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 460px; height: 614px;" src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/081207interknittent/pink1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />It is silly and fripperaneous and I do adore it. I actually took these pictures just over a year ago (my hair doesn't look like that any more!), and I currently wear it at least once a week, over a dark blue or grey long-sleeved t-shirt and a slim fitting skirt or trousers. It's a madey-uppy top-down raglan. I based the puffed sleeves on the pattern for Zephyrstyle's Rusted Root, which <a href="http://glitzknitz.blogspot.com/2007/05/rusted-fox.html">my girlfriend</a> has. Then I added a stitch about 50% more stitches just below the bust, so it has this silly little babydoll shape to it. At the bottom there's a bit of texture created by alternating a row of garter stitch with a row of moss stitch and then another row of garter stitch. The yarn is a pure wool one from <a href="http://search.stores.ebay.co.uk/Kingcraig-Fabrics_kingcraig_W0QQsaselZ147352039QQsofpZ0">Kingcraig</a>, and it's fantastically warm: perfect for a short-sleeved top worn over long skinny sleeves. And the buttons are from Samuel Taylor's in Leeds, and just <span style="font-style: italic;">gorgeous</span>:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/081207interknittent/pinkbuttons.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 614px; height: 460px;" src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/081207interknittent/pinkbuttons.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'll try and have a modelling session soon and get pictures of a few of the others!marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-16823140620038759062007-09-15T12:47:00.000+00:002007-09-15T12:50:07.167+00:00place holderApologies, dear readers, if there are any of you still out there. I should have done this earlier, but summer happened rather fast. <br /><br />I am thirteen days off handing in my thesis, at which point a slightly more regular service will be resumed. See you in October!marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-32071025188444184862007-05-12T14:00:00.000+00:002007-05-12T14:24:57.629+00:00bothar raglanAs promised, the finished Raglan Road:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070512botharraglan/raglanroad.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070512botharraglan/raglanroad.JPG" border="1" height="370" width="275" /><br /><br /></a> <a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070512botharraglan/raglanroad2.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070512botharraglan/raglanroad2.JPG" border="1" height="283" width="249" /></a> <br /><br /><b>raglan road</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />That's my own pattern, knitted in Sirdar Indigo Pure Cotton Denim DK on 4mms. I had 500g, and I've one full ball and a few bits and pieces left. <br /><br />And I <I>love</I> it! It's easy and sexy and soft, the perfect long-sleeves for summer. As soon as it warms back up again, I'll wear it tied loosely over waistless dresses. And I'm going to take it with me in August when we go to Portugal to stay with my girlfriend's cousin: I'll shove it in my bag when I'm wearing sandals and a long patterned maxi-dress, and then pull it on an hour or so after sunset, as we sit out drinking local wine and listening to the crickets and talking rubbish. The indigo dye is also supposed to face and change as it gets washed, so the lace pattern will become more pronounced. <br /><br />Definitely a success!marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com253tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-62213928640654992602007-05-10T21:53:00.000+00:002007-05-10T22:55:15.662+00:00progress reportSo, Raglan Road is finished, and Josephina is begun. <br /><br />Raglan Road took longer than it really ought to have done, because I kept changing my mind about how to do it. First of all, because I wanted to seam as little as possible, I knitted a flat, single-piece body, and two sleeves in the round:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070510progress/block1.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070510progress/block1.JPG" border="1" height="273" width="276" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070510progress/armblock.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070510progress/armblock.JPG" border="1" height="341" width="256" /></a> <br /><br /><b>raglan road part one, blocking</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />But then I decided that I didn't even want to do that much seamer, ripped it back to the beginning of the raglan shaping - keeping twelve stitches from each sleeve and each side of the body live - and started knitting the yoke all in one:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070510progress/knitrag1.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070510progress/knitrag1.JPG" border="1" height="286" width="328" /></a> <br /><br /><b>raglan road reknit</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />Shortly after I took that photo, I realised that I'd actually got one arm slightly closer to the front than the other, so I ripped back down to the sleeve and body join again, and reknitted. This time it stuck! I finished the underarms by putting the 24 stitches from the body and the sleeve alternately and casting them off, and did a plain cast off around the back of the neck. And here she blocks:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070510progress/block2.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070510progress/block2.JPG" border="1" height="400" width="331" /></a> <br /><br /><b>raglan road, final blocking</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />And ooh, let's have a close up of that lace:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070510progress/laceup.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070510progress/laceup.JPG" border="1" height="277" width="341" /></a> <br /><br /></center><br /><br />I've also knitted a long i-cord and threaded it through the holes just above the end of the lace pattern, and it is actually totally perfect. Pictures of the garment being modelled will follow, when my glitzing girl comes back from Germany and takes them. <br /><br />All I need now is for the warm weather to come back. <br /><br /><center>***</center><br /><br />Meanwhile, I've made a start on Josephina:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070510progress/josephina1.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070510progress/josephina1.JPG" border="1" height="224" width="331" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070510progress/josephina2.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070510progress/josephina2.JPG" border="1" height="307" width="230" /></a> <br /><br /><b>josephina</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />And - well, what do you think? That's the "skirt" part, which will fall from just under the bust to the top of the hips, and has a short row every two rows, so it's double the width at the bottom that it is at the top. The mercerised cotton has <I>brilliant</i> stitch definition ... which is not actually a good thing, because it makes it extraordinarily difficult to get the ends of the short rows to blend in. I haven't decided whether the garter stitch side or the stocking stitch side is the right side yet, but it's a problem on either. There's always a gap or a knot, no matter how I do it or how much I fiddle with it.<br /><br />I'm going to persevere with it - that's on 2.5mm Addi turbos, but it's knitting up faster than you'd expect - but I have a sneaky suspicion that this would actually work much better in a wool, or a wool blend. Perhaps I will end up re-making it as a winter top, not a summer one?marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-86340498133984423942007-04-21T12:20:00.000+00:002007-04-21T14:35:40.349+00:00josephinaNot much to report on the knitting front, friends - I have about six inches left of the second sleeve to do on <a href=http://msbias.blogspot.com/2007/04/raglan-road.html>raglan road</a>, and then it will just need blocking and sewing up. My thesis writing schedule is having a detrimental effect of my knitting, and no noticeable effect on my thesis. Oh well! Onwards and upwards.<br /><br />But in the midst of this soulless and lonely work, something bright and cheerful arrived on my doorstep: the yarn for <a href=http://msbias.blogspot.com/2007/04/raglan-road.html>josephina!</a> Such are my powers of indecision that I ended up buying both the <a href=http://www.texere.co.uk/shades.php?reference=152>Garden Flowers silk/cotton mix</a> and the <a href=http://www.texere.co.uk/shades.php?reference=149>Empress crochet cotton</a>, on the grounds that I am not, after all, the kind of girl who couldn't possibly find a use for 500g of randomly coloured summer yarn:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070421josephina/merccotton.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070421josephina/merccotton.JPG" border="1" height="230" width="307" /></a> <br /><br /><b>600g of Empress Crochet Cotton</b><br /><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070421josephina/gardenflowers1.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070421josephina/gardenflowers1.JPG" border="1" height="230" width="307" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070421josephina/gardenflowers2.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070421josephina/gardenflowers2.JPG" border="1" height="230" width="307" /></a> <br /><br /><b>375g of Garden Flowers, 70% Silk & 30% Cotton, on 25g spools</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />Eeeee! So pretty! And also, so utterly tiny: whichever one I use, I will have to double it, which is easy in the case of the Garden Flowers, as I have doubles of all the various colours, but harder in the case of Empress, which will need to be wound onto something else. I think I will look for yarn winders on Ebay. <br /><br />I am leaning towards Empress for Josephina, and some skinny little cardigan in Garden Flowers, but who can say? Swatches coming right up!marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-61585469139593832272007-04-12T21:49:00.000+00:002007-04-12T23:07:04.310+00:00raglan roadWandering around Ranelagh and Donnybrook the other evening, we noticed that there were places where the ground was starting to look dry: we've had over a week, I think, of sunny days, and spring is quite definitely in residence. Wool has been put away, and I am dreaming of cotton, linen, viscose and silk. Summer knitting!<br /><br />I've made a healthy start on the Sirdar Denim cardigan that I mentioned <a href="http://msbias.blogspot.com/2007/03/cold-enough.html">nearly a month ago</a>:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070412raglanroad/raglanroad1.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070412raglanroad/raglanroad1.JPG" border="1" height="338" width="337" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070412raglanroad/raglanroad2.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070412raglanroad/raglanroad2.JPG" border="1" height="307" width="409" /></a> <br /><br /><b>raglan road</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />The guiding principle of this knit seems to be to avoid seams as far as possible: I've knitted the body in a single piece, and have started one of the sleeves in the round, so the only thing I'll have to sew will be the raglan seams. The lace around the bottom is, er, "borrowed" from Knitty's <a href="http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/PATTsoleil.html">Soleil</a>, but on a 12 stitch repeat rather than a 10 stitch one. <br /><br />My gauge is all sorts of wonky: I originally knitted this yarn on 3.75mms, I think, and rather tightly. It's now on 4mm Addi Turbos and very loose, but not quite evenly so. I am hoping that blocking it will work the usual miracle, and I'll have a lovely drapey fabric. Fingers crossed!<br /><br />Meanwhile, I am looking for yarn for my next project, Josephina:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070412raglanroad/stripeytop1.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070412raglanroad/stripeytop1.JPG" border="1" height="346" width="339" /></a> <br /><br /><b>Josephina</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />Named because it will (if I can find the yarn) be a top of <i>many</i> colours. At least five, and possibly six or more. The top piece will made the same way as my doomed <a href="http://msbias.blogspot.com/2007/03/cold-enough.html">Cannibal's Sack Sweater Dress</a>, as a top-down raglan. The "skirt" part will be knitted horizontally using short-rows, so it really swings. I'm going to do it in reverse stocking stitch, using nothing bigger than DK, and possibly 4-ply or smaller. <br /><br />I'm looking for yarn on <a href="http://www.texere.co.uk/">Texera</a>, which has many some utternly fabulous yarns for wonderful prices. <i>But</i>. The brightest, most beautiful colours (<a href="http://www.texere.co.uk/shades.php?reference=213">Good Fortune</a>, <a href="http://www.texere.co.uk/shades.php?reference=212">Double Top</a>) come in 250g cones and cost £7.20 each, which would mean that I would only be able to do it in two colours. <a href="http://www.texere.co.uk/shades.php?reference=891">Kilnsey (DK)</a>, <a href="http://www.texere.co.uk/shades.php?reference=806">Monaco (Aran)</a> and <a href="http://www.texere.co.uk/shades.php?reference=420">Provence (DK)</a> are all cheaper, but the colours just aren't as brilliant. <br /><br />The best bet might be <a href="http://www.texere.co.uk/shades.php?reference=152">Garden Flower Silk</a> (70% silk, 30% cotton), but it's tiny, tiny yarn - 1000m to 100g, where DK is around 160m and 4-ply is 340m. On the other hand, if it comes in 25g spools, then I can hold two or even three strands together. Or there's <a href=http://www.texere.co.uk/index.php?yarn=&display=&showshades=149>Empress</a>, which is 3ply. What do do, what to do?marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-11822979041846281702007-04-03T16:54:00.000+00:002007-04-29T22:53:31.842+00:00tragedy!Those of you who follow my lovely <a href=http://glitzknitz.blogspot.com>glitzing girl's</a> journal will know that she is currently working in the North, and we are a sad bi-national household. This week and next, however, are her vacation, so she is down in Dublin for two whole weeks, and O, it's so great. Our living room on Saturday night was pretty much a perfect image of what our lives are like together:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070403tragedy/living1.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070403tragedy/living1.JPG" border="1" height="240" width="320" /></a> <br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070403tragedy/living2.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070403tragedy/living2.JPG" border="1" height="240" width="320" /></a> <br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070403tragedy/living3.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070403tragedy/living3.JPG" border="1" height="240" width="320" /></a> <br /><br /><b>living one, two, three</b></center><br /><br />That's us, look! Three lots of knitting (one on needles, one blocking, one semi-abandoned), a bottle of wine (empty), a packet of biscuits (empty), a vase of flowers (bought for me), two Macs (overused), many newspapers (mostly read), many mobiles (two UK, two Irish, two German if they happened to be around) and various bags and bits of outerwear. The flat is on the market at the moment, so it is all extremely superficial mess: in fact, as soon as I have posted I should tidy a bit. But that's our life together, right there. Isn't it brilliant?<br /><br />***<br /><br />The blocking on the gold sofa is the fairy knitting, which I haven't finished but decided on a (slightly drunken) whim to block anyway. Since last I posted, I have no new projects of which to boast, but the fairy knitting goes from strength to strength. I've finished shaping the armholes, and have only about four or five repeats of the pattern to do before I can shape the back of the neck and shoulders. However, the blocking has revealed a TRAGEDY:<br /><br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070403tragedy/fairyfrontback1.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070403tragedy/fairyfrontback1.JPG" border="1" height="240" width="320" /></a> <br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070403tragedy/fairyfrontback2.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070403tragedy/fairyfrontback2.JPG" border="1" height="240" width="320" /></a> <br /><br /><b>fairy tragedy!</b><br /></center><br /><br />Somewhere over the past eight months that I've been knitting, I've <I>completely changed my gauge</i>: the back piece that I'm knitting at the moment is much, much looser than the front. The front piece (on the right), has been pinned out very taut and stretched, whilst the back (on the left) has been blocked very casually, just by smoothing the fabric out. And yet, it is still a good inch and a half taller than the front. Oh dear. Oh <I>dear</i>. The back is much nice fabric, but this means that I will have to knit the front all over again. The completion date goes back another six months. <br /><br /><I>Sigh.</i>marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-7439102512946668712007-03-19T19:37:00.000+00:002007-04-12T22:24:19.877+00:00cold enoughHullo Blogspot! Goodness, it's been a while, hasn't it? Sorry for the absence: I left my camera in London at the beginning of February, and have only just got it back. <br /><br />In the meantime, there's good news and bad news: 7000 words of my thesis and two job interviews - hurray! - but it hasn't left much time for knitting. All I have to show for myself is another four inches of fairy knitting: <br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070319coldenough/fairyknitting.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070319coldenough/fairyknitting.JPG" border="1" height="224" width="300" /></a> <a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070319coldenoughfairyknitting2.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070319coldenough/fairyknitting2.JPG" border="1" height="224" width="167" /></a> <br /></center><br /><br />Past the waist and onto the increases: another two inches and I'll be making the sleeves! Perhaps by autumn ... ?<br /><br />The only other thing I've worked on, the cannibal's sack sweater-dress, has come to a sad halt:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070319coldenough/cannibal1.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070319coldenough/cannibal1.JPG" border="1" height="300" width="163" /></a> <a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070319coldenough/cannibal3.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070319coldenough/cannibal3.JPG" border="1" height="300" width="224" /></a> <br /><br /><b>cannibal's sack sweater dress</b><br /><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070319coldenough/cannibal2.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070319coldenough/cannibal2.JPG" border="1" height="300" width="351" /></a> <a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070319coldenough/cannibal4.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070319coldenough/cannibal4.JPG" border="1" height="300" width="179" /></a> <br /><br /><b>front and back lace details</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />I still love the idea: the abbreviated raglan sleeves are great, the lace leaves are lovely, the colour matches my green eyeshadow and it's flattering from <I>certain</i> angles. But at that gauge, it's too bulky, and the yarn is too heathery and too busy: it needs to be so much sleeker. All the fashion mags are talking about this season's sack-shaped dresses, but my sack sweater-dress isn't going to see the light of day.<br /><br />So the poor yarn will be ripped again, perhaps destined for Knitty's <a href=http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter03/PATTfrenchmarket.html>French Market bag</a>. If I still fancy a sleeveless, non-sack sweater-dress by the autumn, I'll perhaps try something similar on 4mm needles. <br /><br />Right now, though, despite the fact that Ireland has chosen to celebrate St Patrick's Day with a new ice-age, my thoughts are turning to summer. My denim Sirdar is probably going to be something like this:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070319coldenough/sketch.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070319coldenough/sketch.JPG" border="1" height="300" width="224" /></a> </center><br /><br />A light, breezy summer cardigan for pulling over cotton dresses. It's based on one I've seen in Benetton, which actually has horizontally knitted sleeves, but I'm not going to bother with that. Lace around the bottom, stocking stitch everywhere else, raglan sleeves, a deep v-neck, and an i-cord drawstring at the waist. Roll on summer!marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-71230555846679051212007-01-30T20:58:00.000+00:002007-01-30T22:22:32.446+00:00on the roadThree things, just before I leave to drive my <a href=http://glitzknitz.blogspot.com/>lovely girl</a> up to Northern Ireland, dear friends: one complaint, one finished object, and one work in progress. <br /><br />First, just to get it over with, the complaint. I bought 500g of Sirdar Indigo Denim DK at the <a href=http://www.twistedthread.com/knittingandstitchingshow/index.asp>Knitting and Stitching Show</a> in November, for the much reduced price of €12.99. Score! I have knitted the front and back of a long tunic, but my tension is all wrong and I've gone off the idea anyway. (No doubt you'll hear when I've come up with a new plan: at the moment, I'm tentatively considering a pleated empire-line cardigan like <a href=http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=19551&storeId=12556&categoryId=60495&parent_category_rn=60490&productId=206110&langId=-1>this</a>.) But that is not my complaint, oh no. This is my complaint:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/sirdarsucks.JPG"><img src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/sirdarsucks.JPG" border="1" height="220" width="205" /></a> <br /><br /><b>sirdar, you suck</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />Why yes, that's ten large round pieces of polystyrene, one for each 50g of yarn. Why, Sirdar, why? Most yarn seems to get on perfectly well without it. It's not even one of those things which are dreadful for the environment but have a practical purpose: how can I squash my knitting in my handbag to do on the bus if the yarn comes on a piece of polystyrene the size of a can of baked beans?<br /><br />***<br /><br />Second, the finished object. The beret that I mentioned in my last post has been finished, and it is very cute and silly. Particularly silly, alas, is the very top:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/nippleberet2.JPG"><img src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/nippleberet2.JPG" border="1" height="299" width="224" /></a> <br /><br /><b>the reason they called it the ... nipple beret</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />Yes, that's right folks: I knitted a nipple. I meant it to have a little tuft of i-cord on top of it, but I changed needles too late and it came out rather more suggestive than I intended. Oh dear. <br /><br />Still, it won't stop me wearing the beret:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/nippleberet3.JPG"><img src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/nippleberet3.JPG" border="1" height="224" width="299" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/nippleberet1.JPG"><img src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/nippleberet1.JPG" border="1" height="300" width="226" /></a> <br /><br /><b>nipple beret</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />It's knitted with one 50g skein of the Natural Dye Studio's <a href=http://stores.ebay.co.uk/The-Natural-Dye-Studio_Alpaca-Merino_Alpaca-Merino-Sock_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZ820445QQftidZ2QQtZkm>alpaca/merino sock yarn</a>. It is a made-up garter rib, with decreases made up as I went along and occasional reference to <a href=http://knitandtonic.typepad.com/knitandtonic/2006/12/leslouch.html>le slouch</a>. As it's sold in pairs, I have another skein, with which I intend to make a skinny garter rib scarf. <br /><br />Lastly, my work in progress. As I mentioned, I am taking my lovely girl up to Northern Ireland tomorrow, and going to London on Saturday to see some friends. Instead of beginning my chunky cannibal's sweater dress, therefore, I'm reverting to my travel knitting for the next week or so. You know how Travel Scrabble is smaller than normal Scrabble, and Travel Connect 4 smaller than normal Connect 4? Well, my Travel Knitting is similarly diminutive:<br /><br /><center><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/tinyknitting.JPG"><img src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/tinyknitting.JPG" border="1" height="317" width="205" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/tinyknitting2.JPG"><img src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070130ontheroad/tinyknitting2.JPG" border="1" height="224" width="299" /></a> <br /><br /><b>diminutive knit</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />It is knitted in the finest yarn I've ever seen: I don't even know what it's called, but as far as I can work out, it's 1-ply. (Is that lace-weight, or is lace-weight usually 2-ply?) It's pure wool, Russian, and cost me £3.70 for 200g from Ebay. I started designing a fitted lace top to do whenever I ran out of other projects, using the lace patterns from <a href=http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns.htm>knitting-and.com</a> as a starting point. <br /><br />The first photo is a close up of the blocked fabric - isn't it gorgeous, though? In the second photo, from left to right, is the finished, blocked front piece, the ongoing back piece on the 2mm circular needles, a biro and a 10-cent piece for scale, and the first 100g ball, of which less than a quarter has been used. 200g was probably unnecessary: I think I'm going to get the whole thing out of that first 100g ball. Since July, I've knitted the front and five inches of the back. I anticipate finishing it some time before the end of 2007, but that might be ambitious - though you never know, I could probably knock two months off the total time by making the sleeves 3/4 instead of 7/8. Either way, I have plenty of time to find the perfect peach satin slip to wear under it. <br /><br />I bloody hope it fits.marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-12898279984303203132007-01-22T21:33:00.000+00:002007-03-19T21:06:41.941+00:00ghost of knitting futureThank you for the welcome, lovely people! I hope I live up to your expectations.<br /><br />Yesterday was the ghost of knitting past, today is the ghost of knitting future. You know that moment when you start sketching or swatching or even just telling someone about The Thing You Are Going To Make Next, and it starts to feel all real? I'm hoping that this post will have that effect.<br /><br /><b>Project 1:</b> cannibalising the lovely Felinity's <a href="http://felinity.blogspot.com/2006/10/but-does-it-make-me-bad-person.html">first ever sweater</a>, which has been ripped back, rinsed out and is currently drying in a gorgeous mass of just <i>slightly</i> curly bundles.<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070123knittingfuture/curly1.JPG"><img src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070123knittingfuture/curly1.JPG" border="1" height="230" width="307" /></a> <a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070123knittingfuture/curly2.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070123knittingfuture/curly2.JPG" border="1" height="230" width="307" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070123knittingfuture/curlydry.JPG"><img src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070123knittingfuture/curlydry.JPG" border="1" height="307" width="230" /></a><br /><br /><b>Cannibalised Big Sack Sweater -> Cannibal's Big Sack Sweater Dress</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />Plan: a top-down raglan with very short sleeves, lace panels on the front and back, side shaping, and just keep going. With luck (and some decorative yarnovers and big needles), I'll spin the yarn out far enough to make a little mini sweater dress. I can't afford the one I want in Urban Outfitters - and I'm not entirely certain that their morals are all they should be, either - so it's knitted or nothing.<br /><br />(I feel dreadful about ripping your very first project, Felinity, but I promise to love the sweater dress <i>very very much</i>. You do bind in your ends beautifully, though!)<br /><br /><b>Project 2:</b> May I recommend <a href="http://stores.ebay.co.uk/The-Natural-Dye-Studio">The Natural Dye Studio</a>, purveyors of absolutely gorgeous yarns (aw, baby's first plug.) I have a pair of alpaca/merino legwarmers in their "Ocean's Deep" colour scheme, a mermaidy purple and turquoise. They provide the silhouette of slouch boots without the expense, hoorah. I also made my brother a pair of socks in "China" for Christmas, and my mother was (ssh!) <i>supposed</i> to get a pair of lace socks in "Blossom", but I ran out of time. So, instead, she got some Elizabeth Arden 8-hour cream, and I am getting a beret:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070123knittingfuture/beret1.JPG"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070123knittingfuture/beret1.JPG" border="1" height="230" width="307" /></a><br /><br /><b>Blossoming beret, Natural Dye Studio's Luxury Merino Sock Yarn in Blossom, knitted on 3mms</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />It is another madey-uppy one, and I am distinctly unconvinced. The fabric, post-increases, is 6 stitches garter stitch per 2 stitches of rib, and O, I don't know. We might end up ripping, I'm afraid. Look how pretty the yarn is, though!<br /><br /><b>Project 3:</b> involves all sorts of exciting new things like dyeing. I have dyed fabric for sewing with great success, as everyone who's seen my lime-green linen jeans will tell you. (Mind you, there's also the silk crepe dress that I cut out and attempted to dye chocolate brown just before Christmas, still sitting in the corner in a sorry burgundy heap. But we don't need to talk about that.) I have 400g Hermit 100% Wool Shetland 4 Ply, also Ebayed. Alas, for it is muted blue, and I am no more a muted blue sort of person than I am a burgundy one. The plan is to turn it into skeins and stick one end in purple dye, and then, depending on how that works out, consider sticking the other end in some yellow dye. How can this <i>possibly</i> go wrong?<br /><br />If we survive all that, I'm thinking of a skinny top-down raglan, with narrow cables and 3/4-length sleeves. Possibly even picot edging. But let's not get ahead of ourselves.marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1191749453345692070.post-34476936775022007502007-01-22T20:05:00.000+00:002007-01-22T21:40:25.575+00:00ghost of knitting pastHello, and welcome. I'm Ms Bias, recalcitrant PhD student and narcissist. I've been sewing since I was about ten, when my mother and I made a rather lumpy skirt. There was also an ill-advised bikini top that my best friend and I started (but never finished) when we were eleven; a GCSE Textiles project that I never claimed and which is presumably still languishing somewhere in a cupboard in a comprehensive school in Nottinghamshire; and a pair of hand-sewn trousers and a skirt during a particularly time-rich and cash-poor summer in Saxony. In Autumn 1999 I suddenly got proper obsessed, and my collection of fabulous garments, shameful failures, Burda Mode magazines and gorgeous fabrics that I am <span style="font-style: italic;">definitely</span> going to use one day has got bigger and bigger ever since.<br /><br />My sewing machine has something like 3000km on it, having gone from York to Berlin to Dublin. Did you know you can post sewing machines? In search of a slightly more portable obsession, I picked up a pair of knitting needles, and, after a few false starts, started producing practically wearable garments:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070122knittingpast/cardigan1.jpg"><img src="http://flaneuse.de//msbias/070122knittingpast/cardigan1.jpg" border="1" height="284" width="214" /></a> <a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070122knittingpast/cardigan2.jpg"><img src="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070122knittingpast/cardigan2.jpg" border="1" height="284" width="214" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070122knittingpast/halter1.jpg"><img src="http://flaneuse.de/msbias/070122knittingpast/halter1.jpg" border="1" height="214" width="284" /></a><br /><br /><b>Madey-uppy cardigan and halterneck, half a cotton/linen slubby blend than I picked up at a Berlin flea market, €8 for 300g, and half <a href="http://www.ggh-garn.com/produkt_en.php?ID=36">ggh Scarlet</a>, 100% mercerized cotton.</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />Unhelpfully for any readers, the vast majority of things I sew or knit are made up. The one time I tried to make someone precisely according to the directions, in the exact same yarn, it came out completely different anyway:<br /><br /><center><br /><a href="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070122knittingpast/swingcardigan.jpg"><img src="http://www.flaneuse.de/msbias/070122knittingpast/swingcardigan.jpg" border="1" height="292" width="388" /></a><br /><br /><b><a href="http://www.debbieblissonline.com/books/tc/tc_7.htm">Ribbed Swing Jacket</a> from Debbie Bliss's Tweed Collection, made with approximately 350g of Aran Tweed</b><br /><br /></center><br /><br />My swatching kept coming out enormous, you see, so I eventually knitted it on 3.5mm and 4mm needles instead of 4.5mm and 5mm, and it came out somewhat abbreviated - though I have no idea <I>how</i> abbreviated as Debbie Bliss doesn't believe in schematics. So I ripped the rolled-up sleeves from the bottom to a more happenin' length, and it is wonderfully swingy and warm and vastly more on-trend than it was supposed to be, and I love it to bits. <br /><br />tomorrow: future plans!marykmachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09111248946430990894noreply@blogger.com4