Knitty World of Kate, cont’d

TA DA, I’ve finished it! Looks rather huge all spread out like that! (ok, so it is huge, I needed the largest size) It fits, looks ok on and I have a pair of trousers that it will go nicely with! Success!

I think more than all the knitting and the sewing up, I hate the blocking the most! This is supposed to curl a bit at the edges, but the bottom seems to curl more than necessary. I tried to steam it down, but it insists on flopping up, but maybe when its actually worn, the weight of it will keep it more reasonable!

I have to confess a true love of variegated yarns! Even way back in the stone age, when I used to knit with tree branches, I loved the one or two variegated yarns that were available! I don’t actually like proper fair isle knitted goods, but I love the self patterning yarn!

Right now, I’ve started a poncho using up the left over yarn from my daughter’s Christmas present! Don’t know how I ended up with so much left over, I substituted and went by yardage rather than the weight, but I still had 2 full 200 gram balls left and a few small balls. We could be talking fringed poncho here!

Then, after that, its the Harry Potter sweater…ordered the yarn, it should come in a day or two…then I have to figure out how to make a big J on it…they only give the chart for an H or R. I’ve already decided it will be done in duplicate stitch as I am not keen on intarsia, especially if I have to chart it myself!

And I still have a doll dress to finish…thin yarn on tiny needles! It could take longer than any of the bigger projects!

Well, better get clacking those needles!

Let It Snow! Well, just for a bit!

I'm dreaming of a white Valentine's!

Yes, we had snow! Not sure how long it will last, the temps are just above freezing and its soft powdery stuff, but enough has drifted into our back garden that we may not be able to get out the gate! It looks lovely now, will be grey slush later! They are forecasting more the end of the week, so this might just be cleared in time!

From the front

It doesn’t look so deep from the front, no drifting!

Well, that’s the weather report from the county Kent in England!

News from My Knitty World

Sorry I have been so remiss! Been knitting my fingers to the bone! I can now reveal what I made for my daughter for Christmas:

Made from James C. Brett Marble yarn

It turned out pretty good, and she liked it, or at least she said she did! LOL!

I find myself substituting yarn more often than not, seems knitting isn’t a necessity anymore, but a rich person’s hobby! I can buy most things ready made cheaper than if I make them…this is also true of sewing anymore! But I love to knit, and it gives me a feeling of accomplishment, so I keep doing it! Using substitute yarn, I usually cut the cost by 2/3s.

Currently, I’m making a tunic out of Stylecraft Life Chunky. Its a pattern from the Debbie Bliss Rialto Chunky book..I am making it for about a quarter of  the cost if I used the yarn called for.  It still feels nice and I’m sure it will be warm…and with a great part of Europe under a blanket of snow and our temps here in Southeast England hovering around 0, warm is good! I’ve got about 20 rows to go, its a yoked tunic, so working on the yoke, with all the bits of tunic gathered around me hanging off the needles! Keeps me warm, and what the knitting doesn’t cover, the cat asleep on my right thigh does!

I volunteered to work a shift at the Stitch and Hobbycraft show near me. That was different! Luckily, it was the first day, a Thurs. morning, so wasn’t too busy, glad I’m not there on the weekend! I had a look around, and actually left without buying anything! There are such things as miracles!

I wanted to let people know my favorite reasonably priced yarns that I use to substitute with! James C. Brett, Stylecraft and King Cole are all lovely British companies who provide reasonably priced yarn in most weights. They have never failed me yet! They all offer a variety of  fibres and colors. I have a partiality to the variegated yarns, especially the fair isle effect ones..guess because I just can’t be bothered to learn/do fair isle! I don’t actually care that much for the fair isle designs, but the sock yarns are especially nice for variety in the things I make for my dolls! 

I have a few other projects to go. I bought yarn for a cardi for myself about 2 years ago…a short sleeve aran design, been waiting for a quiet time when I can concentrate on all the patterns in the cardi! Also want to make a poncho and my daughter has ordered a Harry Potter sweater, with her initial! Just wish I knew the spell Mrs. Weasley uses to knit her sweaters!

I’ll try to blog more regularly! Take care!