casting on Madragoa

A few months ago Mum was given a bag containing a half-finished project and the accompanying balls of yarn. 

It was of interest to me because the yarn felt really special. I've temporarily misplaced the other balls and can't check a label but it has a good percentage of real wool.

The natural first thought was to complete the project but there were some problems with that. Several patterns were present but we couldn't establish which was being used. There were some mistakes in the work, and it was obviously being made to a specific size which would be unlikely to fit either of us. 

So I decided to use the yarn to knit a similar cardy in a style and size to suit me. I'm not sure how far the unopened balls will go, whether I'll have to also unravel the unfinished work, or even whether there's enough yarn to finish what I've chosen, but I've started anyway! (I have chosen something very open and light, so I think the yarn should go a long way.)

The pattern I've chosen is Madragoa by Filipa Carneiro. By coincidence the pattern shows one in a very similar colour but the style is one that I'll want to wear. The construction isn't straightforward but this is a plus because it keeps it interesting.  You start with the lacework at the back of the collar with a provisional cast-on, work so far one way and hold the stitches, then work from the provisional cast-on the other way for the same distance before adding picked-up stitches along the side of what you've done. That's where I'm at, and you can see that I'm about to add the markers.

what to knit with the camel

Couldn't wait to spin some more of my camel/merino/silk mix but what to knit with it?

I made a sample, trying stocking stitch and a lace pattern - both looked good and felt very soft. it's lovely next to the skin, so I thought a scarf might be good. I picked Mini Mocha Jasmine Lace Scarf

It's always nice to find a stitch on a pattern that you haven't come across before. This time it was the picot cast on (and the picot bind off is waiting for me) which makes a lovely wavy edge.

Creature of habit

I'm finding myself waaaaay too busy to sit and knit for long, but I've snatched a couple of short late-night sessions (as my bleary eyes will attest) and have got as far as a toe and one pattern repeat.

I lurve the yarn, and very pleased with how neatly it's stitching up. You can see how it's starting to stripe in a soft way.

I'm a creature of habit - the pattern is my favourite lace sock pattern - Ginkgo socks - this is my third pair. I'm baffled by the provisional cast-on method in the pattern (or too lazy to study it) so I just used the figure of 8 cast on that I know and love.

These needles were my grandmother's and I like to think that she's watching proudly!

Christmas treat

Whoop! Look what's just arrived from p2tog - A little Christmas treat for myself: trekking sock yarn (75% superwash new wool, 25% nylon) Can't wait to get casting on. (Might be taking more 'coffee breaks' today than I really should)

I bought yarn

...for the first time in ages. The reason is for speed; it's a present for a newborn baby. Spinning the wool would be nice but I'd like to get the present sent off asap.

I love casting on and it's great to have an excuse to cast on yet another WIP.

The pattern is Baby Leaves Baby Hat by Heidi Sunday. I'm going to do the version with the brim and have some of that nice fluffly stuff for the brim.

I started out looking for something a bit quick and simple, but when I saw this lace pattern I I didn't hesitate. I thought I'd enjoy the extra challenge but have already had to rip back one round so far due to lack of concentration!

Sunset socks cast-on

As I was spinning the singles I was trying to imagine the finished yarn if navajo plied and if two-plied. Would two-plying mix the colours up too much?

Having decided to try a sample of both methods, I immedately loved the effect I got from two-plying and just carried on. (It's a really dull day today, and so even with flash the colours don't look as vibrant in these snaps as they do in real life.)



The plied yarn contains every permutation of these colours; blue with red, red with orange, orange with yellow, and so on. Sometimes contrasting colours lie together, sometimes complimentary and occasionally a colour matches up with itself giving a yard or two of strong blue, orange or black. It was really exciting, and I saw colour combinations that I wanted to develop in another project.

Spinning the yarn has taken many, many hours. More hours than it would have taken me on the wheel, but I enjoy using the drop spindle, particularly my Turkish spindle, and so used it for the singles and the plying.

I would usually make a skein and set the twist at this point, but it was well-balanced and I wasn't convinced it was absolutely necessary.

So I started knitting my Toe-Up Ginko Socks. I managed to allay my impatience long enough to bother to knit the swatch. Despite not being able to find a pair of 2.75mm dpns as called for in the pattern and using the smallest set I have (3.25mm), the swatch came out spot-on, which is a very rare occurrence. I'm taking that as a good omen! I'm using needles that were my grandmother's and so I hope she knows what I'm up to and is pleased.

I had found with Lolita Legs that the magic figure-of-8 cast-on worked so well that I'm using it here, rather than the short-row toe described in the pattern.

Some colour for Spring

Keen to see what the onion-skin wool looks like spun and knitted, I've spun a sample (drop spindle) and cast-on. Yet another WIP....

Earlier in the week I came across Christine's Swallowtail Shawl. I'm in awe of the design and the colour of her handspun. I thought I'd try a few rows. I'm very pleased - I think the design is perfect for this 'wheatfield' yarn (as I'll call it) and I'm enjoying knitting lace.

I didn't know I was going to knit lace when I spun the sample, and I think to carry on with this shawl, I need to spin much thinner.

I still love casting on...

It's a bit out of character for me to have only one project 'on the needles', so feeling slightly bored with the Shapely Tee, I've started the Lolita Legs. I love the idea of knitted fishnets. I spotted a fishnet pattern in the 'Stitch n Bitch Nation' book a while ago; didn't buy the book, wrote down the pattern and then lost it. Doh! However, this free pattern is much better. Looks perfect for that special leg man in your life.

I found this cashmerino in my local craft shop (soon to be moving to Moira Furnace, folks). It feels GORGEOUS - it's probably the most beautiful wool I've used so far. Perfect deep red colour too.

The pattern claims that they knit up super-fast. We'll see - that's not the case so far. This is my first go at figure-of-8 cast on, knitting 'in the round' and lace knitting, so there's a good chance that it'll hold my interest till they're done!! Now, how does the 'yarn over' stitch go again....?

[update]

Just a couple of hours in and I'm pleased with the progress!


I've discovered that it's very easy to drop stitches when using these double-pins. While I was working on the toe (plain st st) I had to rescue one dropped stitch - see the top photo, where it looks like I'm playing jack-straws - that was successful, but I've just managed to drop 3 - and with this lace pattern, there's no chance of picking them up or even going back a couple of rows. I've rescued one, but the others have kinda disappeared. My heart sinks at the thought of re-doing all of this, and it doesn't seem to be 'running' so I'm going to make a couple of stitches and keep my fingers crossed that it's not noticeable!

Holy Holy Holy

Lots and lots of holes and yes they are part of the pattern!

The wool I am using for this cardigan is Sidar Snuggly Baby Bamboo 80% Bamboo and 20% Wool. It is a lovely soft wool and is a real joy to knit with.

You might be wondering what happened to a princess tale, well it turned out more like a dragon's nightmare!

I wasn't happy with the end result so the wool sits neatly unravelled in my work bag ready to be made into something else.

Poor Ellie will have to wait now until I have finished Holly's cardie, but I have something special in mind for her using a different shade of baby bamboo.

I LOVE casting on!

This is the Sirdar luxury soft cotton DK in a beautiful ivory colour that I bought a couple of weeks ago (see Retail Therapy). I've changed my mind about what to make with it - this is the start of a Shapely Tee. The pattern for the Tee just tells you how to make the sleeves - you have to click through to the Shapely Tank to get the pattern for the body, which is (allegedly) "one of the most popular free patterns to be found on the internet". I'm about to learn how to shape using short rows. Exciting stuff!