No such thing as too much wool

Wool ramblings, spinning, dyeing and knitting

Sunday, December 30, 2007

September

Well the boring cardi got finished. It’s King Cole merino 4 ply which I found a bit splitty

and as I suspected it was a smite too small for my mum, but she said she didn’t normally do cardis up anyway so it wasn’t a problem. The teddy bear for Niece Number One was also finished. Once I was used to the yarn it was easy enough to knit. The sewing up though reminded me why I don’t like making toys as I hate all those short seams. Boy did it look cute though, even my brother-in-law couldn’t hold himself back from being impressed. I forced Bex to practice her knitting before giving it to her.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

August

(well I wrote the post so I thought I may as well publish it…)

A finished pair of socks, if only I could find a photo. The yarn is Colinette’s Jitterbug in some green colourway, bought at Ippiken in Shropshire. It’s a really tightly spun merino which I probably knitted on smaller needles than I ought as I just automatically used my size 14s. I didn’t have any problem with knots like I understand some folk have.

I also knitted an incredibly dull cardigan for my mother. She asked for it for a cruise she’s going on in September so yes I felt guilty knitting other things instead of that but I reckoned on a lot of knitting time when travelling to and Newcastle. It is a pretty colour, but acres of stocking stitch on 3mm needles.

My sister and her girls came to stay (we did Cadbury world, what can I say?). The older girl (14) was given a Knit your Own Teddy kit for her last birthday. As she can’t actually kit and the kit involves eyelashy type yarn, I forced other wool into her hands and she practiced while I cast on the teddy. When her mother packed the teddy to take back home, girl says No - Auntie is going to knit that, so I acquired another project I am not very keen on.

While avoiding knitting the Boring Cardigan, I revisited my list of WIPs. I sensibly got out the Gotland Jumper Mark II and measured it against a jumper I like before ripping it back. It’s a top down raglan and needed some neck shaping and a smaller neck. I’ll be picking up stitches and knitting a hem in a different colour ala Elizabeth Zimmerman as the contrast with the grey will look good, and though it was a shearling the spun wool seemed soft, but when I tried it on it was rather itchy against my flesh. I will be wearing it with a t-short but there is no guarantee it will be a high-necked top to protect my oh so delicate skin. Merino has never been a problem but the Gotland is a little coarser. Just remembered the reason for looking at making something in handspun – it’s our Guild’s exhibition in November so I need something bigger than socks to show off. Last year was notable in that if it hadn’t been for us younger members, the display would have been ever so minimalist. A plain jumper is more achievable in that timescale than fair isle and I still haven’t decided what to do with the last two collections of naturally dyed skins I have.