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Thursday, May 25, 2006

The problem with beautiful wool is...

Progress pictures become rapidly outdated. Every evening I have taken a picture of my growing Rogue sleeve but by the time the next morning has rolled round, it has grown another few inches and looks entirely different so I would claim that it's false advertising.

Rogue is a beautiful knit so far, despite the fact that I had to rip back the entirety of the first cable section (about 3-4 hours work!) when I made a mistake. After the long weekend, I shoul have a pair of sleeves and be ready to tackle the deliciously cabled mid section.

Maybe then you'll get a proper pictorial update.


Kelly [ 9:39 AM ]

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Clapped out but not beaten...

The clapotis is finished. Finito. Kapput. She's resting and blocking while my camera batteries charge but she'll be making her blog debut tomorrow.

This gives me full permission to release my new Cucumber Patch goodies from the post office and start cooing over them.


Mmm... it's the Rowanspun Aran for Rogue. You may have noticed it's not the delicate grey I anticipated but instead a pale tan. I like it thought and think it'll look lovely. I was going to start swatching tonight but realised I would need a little bit of FO quick fix pleasure before embarking on my first jumper. Watch this space.


I admit that I should have stopped there. My online shopping basket was full enough. A basement flat in Montpelier can only hold so much wool. But no. It didn't stop there.


Ok, so you may see 6 balls of alpaca-infused indulgent overspending. But I see some sky blue extra-long convertible cabled mittens for my sister (she'll be living on her own in chilly Oxford and might need them!) and two other equally gorgeous knitted items for friends and family this Christmas. And no rushing around Bristol spending stupid amounts of money that I don't have on presents people don't want!



Kelly [ 8:36 PM ]

Monday, May 15, 2006

The Clap WON'T beat me...

In fact, I have been kicking her ass this weekend. Nowhere in Central Bristol was able to furnish me with some 2.25mm needles to work on my Jaywalkers so I had to order some off Ebay - fortunately this seller is uber-speedy and I should be able to get to work on them by mid-week.

In the meantime, I turned my attentions to the clapotis. I have completed 10.5 of the 13 straight repeats, which means the end is nigh. I realised that the key thing slowing me down in this project was the stitch markers so I threw out the majority of them and just counted the stitches. I hope to give it away as a belated birthday gift over the May bank holiday weekend. And good riddance!

And I might have given in to the Cucumber Patch on Sunday afternoon. I blame Ysolda's gorgeous Rowan Polar knits for the extras in the order, on top of the Rowanspun Aran for Rogue. I am already thinking about Christmas knits - I want to show people have far I have moved on from the wonky chunky scarves I made last year!

And because I feel I have offered little with this update... check out Posh Yarn. Beautiful cashmere in delicious colours. Perfect gifts for lovely old Kelly. Buy now, send, send, send!








Kelly [ 12:25 PM ]

Friday, May 12, 2006

Losing my virginity...

In the sweater sense of course. There's no filth on my blog.

I've been knitting for six months now and can do most things... intarsia? Pah. Fair Isle? Not too bad. In the round, on DPNs, felt or add a whopping great cable? I'm there. Even k5tog doesn't make me cry anymore.

But I am yet to knit the obligatory My First Sweater. Most people like to start with the Big Sack or Skully from SnB or even a top down raglan for the more adventurous. Not Kelly. Oh no. Meet my new love:


Mmm... it's Rogue from Girl From Auntie. I know it one of the warmest days in Bristol so far this year but I figure If I get underway with this baby now I wil be snuggled in it by summer. Fibre-wise, I've been wanting an excuse to raid Cucumber Patch for some time now. They have some delicious Rowanspun Aran on sale at the moment that means I'll finish this sweater in 100% wool for under £30 - not too shabby. I think I favour Husk - a delicate flecked grey.

Jessimuhkaknits is making stunning progress on hers in the same wool and it motivates me to want to get on board.

The only obstacles? Money, the clap and a couple of pairs of socks!




Kelly [ 1:01 PM ]

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Ugh... searching...

As Bristol city center is yet to present me with any 2.25mm needles that I can procure in my lunch hour, my giant Jaywalker lives and I am back on the Clap. The long, laborious rows are bringing me no pleasure and I really wish that I could give up. But she's a big 'un and incredibly pretty. And I have used about 60p of the giant £2 cone she is being crafted from.

In other news, a sampler of Debbie Bliss's new book in the post this morning. It only has one pattern in it, a striped baby sweater, but I am incredibly tempted to knit it! I have some baby wool and nothing else on the go and I imagine it'd go rather speedily...

I lack babies to wear it though. The Boy says we can't have a baby just to give us someone to knit for. In fact, he hasn't listened to a single one of my suggestions since I decided we needed an elderly, deranged, partially continent cat...


Kelly [ 9:59 AM ]

Monday, May 08, 2006

What a difference 0.25mm make...

Sometimes I just don't have the right needles. Or choose to scan over the bit in the pattern that specifies them. Swatches? Pah, they're for losers.

Consequently I have one GIANT Jaywalker that I'll be frogging tonight. Luckily I love the pattern and will soon catch up again.

However, Mum's second pair of socks will not be ready by Friday. And I need to find some 2.25mm needles today.


Kelly [ 11:55 AM ]

Sunday, May 07, 2006


In praise of a quick finish...

I managed to knit up and felt this lovely little bag in a single evening. It was all very fluid - the wool arrived from The Natural Dye Studio on Wednesday morning, I cast on in the evening as I cooked dinner and by the time Lost Season 2 started on Channel 4 I was ferociously felting it in a bucket. I am pleased with the results - the handles are a little off but it is generally lovely.

I WOULD NOT recommend the wool for future felting projects - al those natural dyes are best preserved by handwashing and the colours did change remarkably. Althought not necessarily for the worse...

Mum's socks are practically finished.... but what's that on my toe? It's enough ribbing for a baby Jaywalker I suspect... I don't want to be the only knitting blogger without a pair!



Kelly [ 2:35 PM ]