The poor Cats and other tales of beer and knitting...

Mmmm what more could a girl want really? Grand Final day, beer is in the glass, glass is possibly prophetic of things to come and there is much more lace knitting on the needles than there was before a train trip to Melbourne and someone else driving home.

Sadly the game didn't quite go to plan as far as the boys around here would like with Geelong coming second. They seem to have taken it okay though. Well as okay as you can when your team loses 2 games all season and one of those is the last one!

How did my day go? Well...


Yep it would seem that the glass was indeed able to tell the future.....

On the knitting front there has been some FOs and some WIPs. This is Rivolo, a delightful little lace scarf that I am knitting up in Live 2 Knit Judy (Moss colourway), a gorgeous 4ply cotton that is sadly discontinued. If you can get any of this DO IT! It is by far the best cotton I have ver worked with. The pattern is beautifully written and, as do most scarves, seems to chug along after a brief period of inactivity.


I have also been making some big sister presents for a little friend who is about to get a little baby in the family.

They still need ribbons and flowers but they are essentially done. I have decided that a nice cream grosgrain ribbon might be the go on these rather than i-cord mainly due to laziness on my behalf. They are both Seamless Kimono Jumpers, one in a size 2 (yes I am slowly resizing that pattern too) and one in dolly size! The dolly sized one is a complete guess and about half of a normal baby sized job. Both are knit in hand-dyed NZ 8ply from Susanne's House of Wool. It was a huge 200g cake of yarn! I still have enough left over to length the larger jumper for next year. I love the Susanne's yarns are always so generous of yardage and reasonably priced.

Well that is about all that has happened in these parts. The house needs to be cleaned (although I confess that Jason is working hard on that whilst I type) and I might head to the local market for a bit.

Felix's Cardigan

A little something that I constructed for a little foetus I know affectionately referred to as "Felix". This garment is completely seamless and knit in one piece. The garter stitch edgings are knit with the body of the garment so there is no picking up of bands and such after the event.

Materials and Notions.

100g 8 ply yarn

4 stitch markers

4mm 80cm circular

4mm DPNs

Waste yarn

Stitch holder

Darning needle

3 buttons

Gauge: 22sts / 10cm

Size: 0-3 months chest 41cm

Glossary

pm – place marker

kfb – knit front and back

slm – slip marker

yo – yarn over

The Top....

CO 40 stitches using the circular needle.

Row 1: kfb, pm, kfb, k8 , kfb, pm, kfb, k16 , kfb, pm, kfb, k8 , kfb, pm, kfb

You have now created the right front, right sleeve, back, left sleeve and left front between the markers.

Row 2: sl1, knit across

Row 3: kfb, kfb, slm, kfb, k10, kfb, slm, kfb, k20 , kfb, slm, kfb, k10 , kfb, slm, kfb, kfb

Row 4: sl1, knit across

Row 5: kfb, knit to stitch before next marker, kfb, slm , kfb, knit to stitch before next marker, kfb, slm, , kfb, knit to stitch before next marker, kfb, slm, , kfb, knit to stitch before next marker, kfb, slm, kfb, knit to last stitch, kfb.

Row 6: sl1, knit across.

Row 7: sl1, k3, kfb, knit to stitch before next marker, kfb, slm , kfb, knit to stitch before next marker, kfb, slm, , kfb, knit to stitch before next marker, kfb, slm, , kfb, knit to stitch before next marker, kfb, slm, kfb, knit to fifth last stitch, kfb, k4.

Row 8: sl1, k3, p to four stitches before end of row, k4

Continue repeating rows 7 and 8 until there are 46 stitches between the2nd and 3rd markers (across the back). At this stage there should be 28 stitches on both front panels.

Creating the Sleeves....

Row 1: sl1, k2tog, yo, k to first marker, place the sleeve stitches onto waste yarn knit back stitches, place the other sleeve stitches onto waste yarn, knit to last stitch.

Row 2: sl1, k3, p to four stitches before end of row, k4

If you are making this for a girl, and you are particular about such things, you will need to work the k2togs and the yo’s at the end of row 1 and the ends of rows 13 and 14 in the next section..

The Bottom...

Row 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11: knit all stitches

Row 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12: k4, purl to four stitches before end of row, k4

Row 13: sl1, k2tog, yo, k to end

Row 14: sl1, k3, p to four stitches before end of row, k4

During this section I find it useful to mark the garter stitch edgings with additional markers so I remember to knit them on the even rows.

Work these 14 rows (or part thereof) until body measures 20.5 cm from the centre back.

Work 6 rows of garter stitch and bind off.

Sleeves...

Evenly space the sleeve stitches on 3 DPNs or 2 circulars (whichever is your preference).

With the right side facing, locate the centre bottom of the sleeve opening. Pick up two stitches from the left of the opening and continue knitting the round, picking up two additional stitches onto needle 3

Knit until sleeve measures 14.5 cm from underarm.

Work 6 rows of garter stitch and bind off.

Finishing...

Weave in ends. Sew on buttons.

This pattern is available in sizes up to 6 years for Au$5. To purchase click the button below.



This pattern is provided free for your own personal use. You may knit it for yourself, as a gift, a swap or for charity. This pattern is not intended for commercial use. Any intended commercial use requires permission in writing.

If you can't laugh at yourself who can you laugh at?

A silly little snap from the show I danced in last week. I take ballet and jazz at Curtain Call Performing Arts Studio. What a great place. Friendly and encouraging, Curtain Call is for all ages (even we ancient beings) and all abilities. Everyone gets a go at centre front and everyone gets to perform for family and friends.

And importantly, for a few hours I got to be a super hero (and an evil fairy, and a pirate, and a wedding guest, and a playing card).

FINALLY!

I have finally completed the resized version of my Seamless Baby Kimono pattern! You can now get this design in sizes from newborn to size 3.

To purchase for A$5 click the button below!

My Dad Rocks!!

He made these for me this week. Ply wood sock blockers complete with drying holes. Gotta love that man. :)

And the Children Busily Worked...

One of the few joys of teaching year 12 students (well apart from the fact that they are studious and fun and delightful and mature and fun) is that every 4 weeks or so they have to write what we call a SAC (school assessed coursework). They get to write one of these for anywhere between 2 and 5 periods of school time only and I have to watch them do it. So whilst they all diligently write their very last psychology SAC and I watch them, I can tell you about my latest pair of socks!


I call them Seedy Socks because they remind me of strawberries with their little seeds dotted throughout. I like the subtle texture that doesn't detract from the lovely Artyarns Merino. There is every possibility that I will get around to writing this pattern up as I do really like them.

It will have to wait until the school holidays though (roll on school holidays) and be done around marking the SACs that my angels are currently writing.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Done and worn!

Down the Garden Path

My first non-free pattern! It was a big decision to decide to offer a pattern for sale, but I felt that the time had come. There is an amount of time, effort and money that goes into getting a design to the written form and I felt that the time might have come for some compensation for that. I also saw it as a way to make some dollars for MND Victoria with half the purchase price going directly to them.

So without further ado - Down the Garden Path!

Take a wander down the garden path on a gorgeous summer’s day. Lift every leaf and look under every rock because you never know what you might find underneath. The garden is full of surprises this time of the year and so are these socks. Follow the bumpy, cobblestone path down your leg to see the surprise visitor underneath!

In the cool shade lurks a snail, happy and content out of the bright summer’s sun.

These shorter-than-normal socks are perfect for cooler days and breezy summer evenings. Choose from the three suggested yarns shown in the three sock shots! If you want them longer simply increase the number of pattern repeats.

SIZE
These fit an average woman’s foot.

MATERIALS
Araucania [75% Wool, 25% Polyamide; 376 yd/344 m per 100g skein]; color: Ranco; 1 skein
OR Jolly Jumbuck Achilles [100% Wool; 490yd/448m per 100g skein]; color: Chokolat; 1 skein OR Fleece Artist Merino Sock 2/6 [100% Merino Wool 382 yd/349m per 115g skein]; color: Earth; 1 skein 1 set(s) US #2/2.75mm double-point needles OR 4 ply sock yarn 350ish metres.
1 set of 2.75 mm dpns.
darning needle

GAUGE
30 sts/40 rows = 4" in stockinette stitch

Down the Garden Path is available for download for US$4.00. Just click the button to purchase now!

I Did It!

I bit the bullet, I vowed this was not going to beat me and I seamed that damn thing!


I need to grab some buttons (I am thinking wooden toggles) and then I am done. That may not stop me from wearing it tomorrow though!

I am glad that I decided to have a go at this. It may not be a super job but it is pretty good and I am pleased enough with it. See I can seam it would seem!

It's Official...

I suck at seaming. Maybe that is self-evident if you look at the number of seamless projects I have designed. I have finished the knitting for Eskimo Joe.

I have sewn in one sleeve and frankly it sucks. I will need to undo it and do it again (or get Mum to do it for me). It just seems that seams are beyond me. They never look neat and tidy like other people's seams. Of course I know that getting Mum to do it will not improve my seaming skills the slightest, but it is so nice that I really don't want to screw it up completely.

Yes okay, I will pull out the sleeve and try again - probably not till after the weekend (performances to do) - but I shall try. As they say, if at first you don't succeed, try again and THEN get your Mum to do it!