Knitting News

The hat above is my attempt to use my Dr Who charts for something that actually fits on my head. This one is made from Knit Picks Elegance (Coal and Cornflower) and I’m chuffed. I’m going to write up the pattern and make it available since the first version of this hat was such a hit on Ravelry.

The Bamboo blend socks are coming along. I had to reknit the ankle a number of times to find a way to make the spiral pattern look like the one on the other sock but go the other way. You see? I’m a growed up knitter now: I stop and fix things I’m not happy with. Never thought I’d see the day…

The search for the perfect black sock continues. I’m knitting this in Knit Picks Essential on small (2.25 mm?) needles, to try to stop Husband from walking through the soles in three wears. It’s taking a lot longer than the thicker yarn and bigger needles, but maybe I won’t have to knit as many.

I’ve also finished a pair of glittens (mittens with an index finger) for G. He seems to love them and always asks for his “new gloves” when we go outside for any reason. Of course, I can’t find them this morning, so you’ll have to wait for pictures.

The Cyber Sweater

Here, as promised, pictures of the Cyber Sweater.

It turns out that I’m not as good at measuring, adjusting for size, or finishing off, as I hoped I was. But it’s wearable and cute and that’s all that matters when you slap it on an almost-two-year-old (if I’d taken out the binkie, washed his face and combed his hair I could have said “an adorable almost-two-year-old”, but…)

The Specs:

Knitted from Wool-Ease in black and grey on size 8s.
The bottom and sleeve cuffs are turned up like the bottom of these pants (which I will also finish one day).
Collar is garter stitch, and I put some buttons down the back to allow for the huge-headedness of children (this one in particular).
The Generic-Cybernetic-Lifeform is done in Berroco FX (silver/black) in duplicate stitch, because I had knitted the body so many times that I couldn’t face doing the intarsia again and then discovering that it STILL didn’t fit. It was my first attempt at duplicate stitch and, naturally, I didn’t consult any books or anything, so just don’t ask to see the back (at least for the first few rows).

It could do with being longer in the body and shorter in the arms, and I really should have picked up fewer stitches for the collar, but it was made with love. And I figure I’ll be a lot better at this stuff by the time the boys are old enough to care (or have friends who laugh at them).

CyberSweater

I’m very excited. I have finished G’s Cyberman Sweater. The pattern was helped along by the Stitches software (because I knitted a whole sweater for a pinhead and had to rip it out). The sleeves are way too long somehow, but I figure at this point we can roll them up.

Pictures and details tomorrow. (Guess what G will be wearing?)

Cedar McGee Hat

Cedar McGee Hat
Originally uploaded by jwordsmith.

Baby hats are a big favourite with me. Almost-instant gratification and little tracking required.

Doctor Hat

Doctor Hat
Originally uploaded by jwordsmith.

The new design that obsessed me for 24 hrs and then took a trip to the park with us today.

Those who know Who, will know..

Key Cover

Key Cover
Originally uploaded by jwordsmith.

Ha! I love having a useful hobby.

The handle came off my car key. It’s one of those big black keys with electronics in it and a key part that whips out like a switchblade. It also had a handle on one end that let me attach it to my key ring.

Then there was an incident with a small boy and my keychain hooked to my belt loops and…now the key has no handle.

I’ve been carrying it loose for a couple of weeks and it was driving me insane (always having to search every pocket of every garment, never knowing where it was when I was out…).

Surely, I thought, knitting could solve my dilemma.

So I picked up my #1 Addi circular needles and some lovely fine merino I’ve had since I came down with my latest bout of knitting (four years ago) and cast on eight stitches. Then I turned them around and picked up eight more from the bottom.

I knitted a couple of rounds of 2×2 rib, then decided it was going to be too small. Did I frog? I did not.

I added a couple of stitches in the purls at the each row (I was working with the magic loop method) and kept knitting.

When my key fitted inside with a bit spare to suck in the top, I cast off all but two stitches, made a little i-cord loop, knitted that back into the neck of the thing and tucked in my ends.

I’m pretty proud of myself.

I went to the grocery store tonight and was able to find my key, point it at the car to lock and unlock it and know that my key was hanging from my keyring where it was supposed to be.

I have to take it out to drive the car, of course, but that’s OK. I know where it is when I’m driving!

I reckon if the ribbing gets slack I’ll thread some elastic through the neck and still be able to use it.

Big lace shawls are lovely, but this? This was quick, utilitarian, and very, very satisfying.

And hopefully will stop me locking the 1 yr old in the car again. (A-hem.)

Trekking Cable Socks

Trekking Cable Socks
Originally uploaded by jwordsmith.

I must write up the pattern for these since they are the first socks I’ve made that I am unreservedly pleased with. They fit great (I like a short sock); I’ve finally learned what “pick up and knit” really means, which makes a huge difference to the quality of my work; and I even took time to fix mistakes.

(Look Ma, our little knitter’s growing up… )

I wasn’t keen on these flap heelps when seen in pictures (and in my first, fudged attempts at socks in chunky yarn) but in a real sock yarn the make for an incredibly comfortable and well-fitting sock.

And the colours and feel of Trekking XXL, don’t get me started. It is taking all my reserve not to order more right now. All hail the Yarn Harlot for showing the way.

Trekking XXL Handwarmers

Trekking XXL Handwarmers
Originally uploaded by jwordsmith.

As promised, a picture of my handwarmers. Tell me those people who dyed this aren’t artists.

I’m knitting mitt covers for them now, because I know I’m going to want to wear them past the coolth of autumn (which has yet to reach us).

I’m happy with them. Must write up the pattern properly.

Sock Wars and Trekking Mitts

OK, so the Cyberman Sweater is seriously in the frogpond. That’s what you get for winging the pattern for a style of sweater you’ve never knitted before. Not to worry. I broke out the Stitches software and have a pattern I think will work. At least I know my prototype was cute, if small. It should knit up not-too-slowly once I get going.

I’m very excited that yarn-monkey has posted the specifications for the Sock Wars bloodbath, that is due to start on September 22. The good news is that the pattern is in DK, which means it will knit up relatively quickly. That is also the bad news, since I’m sure there are knitters out there who do not have two small children and two grown men to look after at that point (no, I’m not a polygamist, but I will have my father-in-law staying) and who will also be able to knit socks quickly.

I ordered some “Bare” DK from KnitPicks and intend to break out the Kool-Aid and dye the yarn into something fabulous. I may get #1Son to help. Or I may not, since I have great plans for how I can figure out how much yarn goes into each round, and create great looping stripes of colour. (You know it’s all going to end up as a puddle of mud, but hey, even that will go well under business trousers).

After I had clicked the “BUY, BUY, YOU CRAZY FOOL” button, it did occur to me that I might never see the finished result, should I be killed in the first round, but I’m hoping that wherever the socks end up, they end up with someone with a sense of humour, a digital camera and a blog.

In other news, I broke out the Trekking XXL (which seemed only fitting coming up to today’s 40th anniversary of the first broadcast of Star Trek), that I bought at the Knit and Crochet Show back in July. It is absolutely gorgeous. Subtley gorgeous, but gorgeous nonetheless. I’m knitting some fingerless mitts (and maybe mitt covers). I had started them as socks, but I couldn’t bear to put this beautiful colour where I wouldn’t see it very much. Looking down at my hands will be like looking down into the tarn at the bottom of a ridge on a mountain I once climbed on a clear autumn day, back when I was free to date outdoor cats. It is deep and blue and watery and as natural a blue as I can imagine.

And what’s more it feels great in the hand.

I’ve been very impressed with KnitPicks, but I have to say theirs was the first sock yarn I ever used and it almost put me off for life. I think the fact that I was using needles too big (what did I know?) didn’t help but it felt like I was knitting with string. Trekking feels like I’m knitting with spun baby hair and sponges. Hmm, that didn’t sound as attractive as I meant it to.

Anyhoo, I’m off to add the mitts to the sidebar. Pictures tomorrow in the natural light, if I remember, because I’m not sullying this project with yellow artificial light.

Cyberman Continues

Ok, this is a sweater for an 18-month-old (mine) boy and features the Cyberman picture I created (below).

I did the front quite quickly. I’m kind of busking the measurements on the raglan sleeves and neckline, but I’m trying to remember to write down what I’ve done.

The back went really well. I worked the sleeve decreases and the back of the neck, cast off for the shoulders and then, yes THEN, I remembered about the size of toddler’s heads in relation to the rest of their bodies….

Actually I had remembered about it before I cast on, and intended to build in a button-up opening in the back, but I had knitted the back while doing something else and completely forgotten all my good intentions.

So I ripped back a few rows and tried again.

When I had finished the opening and cast off again I realised that it was still woefully too small and I was going to have to go back almost all the way to where I started the armhole decreases.

It’s a good thing it’s a small sweater and knitted in worsted.

But we’re back on track now. I’m knitting up one side of the back with a built-in button band. I still have no idea if it’ll really fit him, but I’m having fun.

The body is in black, the Cyberman is in Berroco Metallix FX silver/black and the sleeves will be in a grey that sort of matches (not quite) the silver. The collar will be, hmm, whatever I feel like when I get there. Probably black, given that it is to be worn by a small boy with a slovenly mother who forgets about bibs until it’s too late.