Mystical Stripe by Kaffe Fassett
Rowan Magazine 34
Kidsilk Haze & Rowanspun DK

It took me forever……….and I would certainly knit it differently if I ever knit it again. So, here’s some advice if you’re interested in taking on the mantle. I would definitely knit the body in one piece. I started knitting in the ends, which didn’t please me as it made each row end more bulky, especially with the DK wool, so there were thousands of ends to sew in but worth it in the long run. I should’ve made it longer and it could’ve done with some shaping in the back. Otherwise, it’s lovely to wear, light, soft and VERY stripey.

I ended up using 2 balls of KSH Smoke 605, so I think they misprinted the requirement for 2 balls of Rowanspun Thorn 748 and I had about half a metre left and still the buttonhole bands to knit. I knit that about 3 times in different colours…….because there was SO much yarn left over but decided on Thorn instead. The grey did work best on balance.

I did actually finish this the day before we flew to Australia, so apologies for the slackness in posting.

After a major hiatus all the major knitting is done on Mystical Stripe…….lots and lots of ends to sew in and then put together and knit the buttonhole band. That calls for Kid Silk Haze Smoke but I only had just enough to finish, so will choose another colour to knit that with because there is enough left over to make another complete cardigan. Think I’ll offer it to Mum and see if she wants to make herself one.

I had been knitting the ends in for a time but found that the right side didn’t look as tight or as neat as I would have liked, so I left them to sew in later. The right kind of thing when you want something to do but don’t have to think about what you’re doing! That’s a great option for me with a teething baby, who is a tad unpredictable. I had planned to have this completed over the Christmas break but we all fell ill and are still suffering. Whatever it is has taken a major stronghold.

Have a look at my progress over the past year, or lack of, by clicking the Mystical Stripe category in the right hand toolbar.

I loved making this. The border became a labour of love but I’m really glad I persevered with it because it looks fantastic. The little person receiving it will love it too. I think it will be really practical as a throw, but also if Mum wants to use it in the cot.

Alphabet Blanket Debbie Bliss
The Baby Knits Book
Rowan wool cotton 14 balls 929 Dream

ETA: It’s for my best friend’s babe (but she doesn’t know it yet!)

I know I will finish this eventually but it’s taking me forever. It took most of the weekend to finish one edge. The triangles look great but they’re rather fiddly to knit, especially when I’ve got to knit them on full length 2.75mm pins. I do have some 30cm 2.5mm Addis that I picked up at K&S in Brum……maybe I should try them and see how much of a difference they make to the size of the triangles. Perhaps it’s worth a go for my sanity!

Well, not strictly true. I’ve had these hanging around for a while and finally decided to simply string them onto embroidery floss and be done with it! Have worn them two days in a row already. They do a number of colour themes and they look Italian to me but not that I’ve checked, so if you get yourself down to a John Lewis Haberdashery, you’ll find them. Would love to say that I’d hand selected them from a beautiful bead shop…….but sadly not the case.

Am so overdue in finishing Mystical Stripe… Winter and Spring are over and it will be far to warm to wear this until Autumn. I know we all have WIPs and UFOs hanging around but this one is really annoying me. Am knitting both sleeves at once, so at least they’ll be done together! I did a bit yesterday and need to just have it out, so I’m looking at it and it can make me feel guilty!

I’m never content in making just one thing for a gift, especially for little people, so when I cast off the second sleeve on this cardi last night and saw how much yarn I had left over, I just had to make some little shoes. (That was a long sentence!) Am using the Debbie Bliss Fair Isle shoe pattern but have added a little yarn over motif instead and kept it plain. Must get that done tonight, so I can go in search of some pearly buttons tomorrow…..more anon.

The alphabet blanket has been cast aside for the time being but it was always a long-term project.

Kiri #2
Patons 100% DK cotton 100g
4.5 balls Kiwi 2703
4mm circs

A gift for Mum’s birthday, now received…………I had to post retrospectively because she checks the blog! :-)

And the last of our tulips. This is ‘Angelique’.

Debbie Bliss Alphabet Blanket

It is really hard to photograph this. The colour isn’t right - it’s more of a pale apricot (not right with or without flash) Anyway, lots of grumpiness later, here’s a close up and a wide shot. I’ve been wanting to make this for a long time and have used some Rowan wool cotton that was bought for a cardigan for me but I went off the idea, so a good excuse to use it up.

I started with a provisional cast-on, so it will be a much smoother transition to knitting the border on that bottom edge. If you ever make this check out her website for pattern errata! Check out these finished ones for inspiration here and here

There are a variety of colour themes floating around in blogland at the moment, Project Spectrum, Colour Week, Color-iffic Swap-o-rama and the Flickr group Catchy Colors has some great colour themed groups too. But I just find myself having periods of time where I’m obsessed, for want of a better word with a colour. It was red and now it’s green. Some of the things I’ve been making have been for gifts but now I’m getting so fond of it that it seems to be taking over every project!

I told you I’d started another one….the colour is a bit washed out. 10 pattern repeats down…..lots to go.

Well Kiri started like this………

got washed….. (look at the fluff on the pillowcase I washed it in)

and dyed with this………..

AND became this lovely citron vert. I had admired Anna’s version and was keen to replicate it.

Kiri
Sirdar Indigo pure cotton Denim DK 10 skeins
5mm circular needles
Finished size - 180cm wide x 88cm deep
Dyed with Dylon Citron Vert

Now, anyone else who bought the Sirdar Indigo cotton denim DK at Ally Pally last year be warned! I’d bought it with a view to dyeing it and according to the label it could take a 60 degree wash, so I went ahead and made my purchase. Not bad at £12.99 for 10 skeins. However, I was constantly defluffing myself after a session knitting with this yarn so, was a tad concerned when it came to the washing. I had considered hand washing but decided that it had to go in the machine anyway to take the dye! When it came out, as you can see there was an awful lot of fluff. I took Polly’s advice and hadn’t yet sewn in any of the ends but they ended up becoming very matted also after washing. After three washes it is still pilling like mad. I’ve used a razor and a clothes brush and it has improved slightly but I will persevere and wash a couple more times in some wool wash and see what happens. It looks fantastic at arm’s length but once you start looking too closely…..you see all the bits. Am not disappointed in the pattern in the slightest, no sooner had I dyed this, I cast on for another! More anon.