Scorpio and Scarf…
I recently finished a knitted scarf and a cross-stitched Scorpio, both for a friend in the States. She’s since received (and is enjoying) them, so I thought I’d post the detail here. :-)
This is from a chart of a cute twist on the zodiac, namely Scorpio. I loved stitching this guy — only about 10 hours on 14ct aida. I later frayed the edges and mounted him onto a card:
To go with the card, I knitted a simple 4×4 rib scarf, in a gorgeous deep red colour. The yarn is Rowan’s Kid Classic (shade 825), which is 70% lambswool, 26% mohair, and 4% nylon. Did I ever mention how much I love knitting with mohair and mohair blends? This scarf was so great I wanted to keep it for myself in the end LOL … But no, to the States it went! :)
Here’s a close-up on the detail, for anyone interested. Again, you can click for larger if you like:
Finally, remember Hello Kitty? I made her into a sweet card for a different friend’s birthday. I recently found a back of blank, pearlescent cards in a variety of pastel shades, and whilst I don’t usually do pastel colours these cards make beautiful companions to some of my cross stitch finishes!
As to WIPs, well … Knitting wise, I’m working on some jumpers and wrist warmers, whilst in the world of cross stitch I’m participating in a mystery stitch-a-long (MSAL) via the LiveJournal Cross Stitch community… Pictures coming soon…
Tension, tension, tension!
Well, I finished the hat — and it’s too small. Now,part of me is okay with this — after all, the hat was just a quick projet to try while I got to know the yarn; I figured it would be more exciting than knitting a tension square. However, once I got into it, I really began to like its simplicity And once it was done, I found I really did like it.
And yet… It’s too small. I’ve since figured out the reason for this — ideally, the perfect tension for the yarn should be 9 stitches and 12 rows over 4″, whilst using 10mm needles. When I use this needle size, I come out too tight — and so, it would be best for me to up a needle size or two.
I ended up knitting a tension square after the hat. Blah. But it did knit up quickly and I was pleased to find that I can achieve the correct tension using 12mm needles. And so I’m now knitting a jumper — but afterwards, I may just go back and re-knit that hat. It was certainly quick enough. :) For now though, it’ll make a cute fashion accessory for one of the soft toys… Or maybe for one of the cats! LOL …
Here it be in all its glory. I really do love this colour — so frosty! You can click for larger should you wish:
I’ve not had this problem with other stuff, so it just goes to show how important knitting a tension square is before starting a project with a new yarn!
Sometimes I forget where my head is at…
Last night at my knitting circle I started a new WIP, having bought some of Sirdar’s new Big Softie yarn. Now, let me say that I love this yarn already — it really does live up to its name and it’s a joy to work with! I am thrilled — just can’t stop touching it… LOL :)
Anyway, the current WIP is a hat, in shade 335 (”Blancmange”) — which is really a lovely polar-ice blue. Gorgeous. The hat pattern is in four sizes — three child sizes, and one adult. I cast on the appropriate amount of stitches, knit away, and get to my decreases. Part-way along the first row of decreases, I realise that the number of stitches on my needles don’t match the pattern.
It takes a fews seconds to click — and by this point, my heart-sister Jo is laughing at me… Yup, you guessed it — I’d cast on for the smallest child size. Then I’d worked as per the adult decreases.
My reasoning is this: usually, I work the smallest size for a top (as that’s normally around a UK size 10). Because I’d seen the hat pattern as per any other pattern, I just did as normal… Except it’s not a pattern for a top, and so I have to work to the largest size in this case. I realised this and worked accordingly — but only when I reached the decreases. I didn’t realise this before I started. And so I’ve now ripped it all back and started again.
*headdesks*
One of these days, I swear someone will remind me to pick up my head on my way out… LOL
Sirdar Snuggly Snowflake DK
I am so not impressed with Sirdar Snuggly Snowflake DK. I cast on this morning (87 stitches, thumb-method) for a new project — a baby blanket for a friend who’s expecting — and promptly ran into problems.
For one thing, the yarn is so damned fluffy it’s impossible to see your stitches on the needles. For another, it tangles and knots whenever you drop stitches or have too long a yarn tail. But the most annoying thing I’ve encountered this morning is the inability to count using this yarn.
I cast on, and had 87 stitches. I knit the first row, and I got 88 stitches. I ripped it back — 87 stitches. I double-checked my stitch count, then knitted the first row again, taking care to count each stitch as I knit it. 86 stitches. W… T… F…?!
I ripped it all back, cast on again. 87 stitches. Knit the first row (again, counting as I went) - 87 stitches. Knit the second row, again counting — 86 stitches. Counted back, just to double-check. 87 stitches. Knit the third row. 88 stitches. Counted back — 91 stitches. Counted again. 87 stitches. Counted again — and promptly dropped it all off my needles.
When I came to sort the yarn so that I could start again (!), it all knotted and tangled and now I have a mass clump of the stuff, and no knitting to show for just over an hour’s worth of “relaxing” time with my crafts.
Hmmmph! :(
I can’t be the only one this happens to. Please tell me there’s more knitters out there that have this kind of problem with specific yarns?!
Another Finish: Helen’s Scarf
Another recent finish is this gorgeous short scarf I knitted for Andrew’s sister (and thus, my future sister-in-law), Helen. There is a story behind this, actually — back in early March, Helen and I went girlie shopping for the day, over in Buxton. Whilst shopping, I visited a yarn shop to pick up a few things and Helen liked a scarf that was knitted up and on display. Now, usually display models are usually just that — display models. They are rarely offered for sale.
Me being me, I made a mental note of the yarn and colour used, and after the shopping trip was over I hunted out some balls of Sirdar Reflection in shade number 8 (”Amber”). In the end, I found out that it had been discontinued so I could only locate three balls but that proved to be enough to knit up a short scarf for her as a surprise. :)
I presented this as a little gift to Helen and I’m happy to say that my instincts were correct — she loved it. What’s more, it looks great with her colouring and I’m pleased to have knitted this for her. Often the recipient’s reaction is enough to make it all worth it! :)