Very Easy Poncho - breaking news !

Hi Everyone

Great news - I've finished the majority of the knitting for my Very Easy Poncho - read back yesterday for more detail on this.

                     

 I spent some time last night thinking about exactly how I would seam the long stocking stitch fabric to form the poncho. I did consider a few options, in the end I knitted the two ends together. I used the live stitches on my needle and knitted them into the cast on edge followed by a traditional stitch over cast off. The seam worked beautifully and it's a very neat finish (for me, the inside must look as good as the outside ! )

My next job was to start the icord edges. I've started with the bottom edge and read the suggested tutorial from the pattern (www.purlbee.com) before starting. I was quite confident that I understood how to make an icord edge (one of my recent shawl knits included and icord edge). The tutorial was a good reminder. I also looked up a great video (I used this with my previous icord experience) which explains how to create an attached icord edge - watch it here. I particularly like watching as well as reading about a technique. Often videos are the answer for me.

So far, my initial finishing is going well, there's a way to go but I'm back enjoying this project. I think, the long stocking stitch element got a little tedious and I lost a bit of enthusiasm but I've certainly enjoyed this last bit. 

My handspun yarn has knitted up better than expected and the garment is looking good so far.  Hopefully, I will have it finished in the next day or so. It's such a good feeling when a project goes well. I'm not exactly sure how the fit of the poncho will work. I need to develop the top shoulder part. I am hopeful final shaping will happen with blocking.

Thanks for calling in today. Have a great weekend - I'll be back next week.

Every picture tells a story !

Hi Everyone

I've an update today on the Very Easy Poncho knitting project today.

                        

This project has been going for quite a while. The story started here in late January with the spinning of some very special wool and was originally destined for another knitting project. A month later, at the end of March, I finally decided on the Very Easy Poncho as the knitting project (read more here). The pattern is as described a very easy knit BUT - there's loads of it. The knitting is stocking stitch - 62 ins to knit by 140 stitches on size 5mm needles. I've managed to get to just over 56 ins. - so not far to go ! When I've finished the main knit, I have an icord to develop to both the neck and the bottom of the poncho. 

My knitted fabric consists of my own spun yarn and some beautiful Indigo hand dyed yarn (by my lovely friend Lindsay aka The Boarder Tart). The two different yarns work well together. The resulting fabric has random stripes of each yarn, I just went with my instinct - on how the fabric looked at any given point - each stripe is a different size. The poncho is knitted across the body rather than top to bottom.

I'm so looking forward to finishing this project. I love the mix of the yarns and I especially love the almost tweed-like fabric produced from my own hand spun yarn - very satisfying. I'm also looking forward to wearing my poncho. The blog, of course, will be the first to show the finished article !!

Thanks for calling in today.

Sock Update

Hi Everyone

I'm sharing my latest sock knitting project today. My last post about these socks (Om Shanti by Alice Yu) mentioned I was looking forward to the heel, well - I've done the heel and it's just as good as the toe. I'm thrilled with the technique of knitting these socks. The short wrapped rows give a seamless shaped toe and heel and very neatly sit with the pattern of the sock.

                         

Sadly, I've run out of yarn for the sock and have the leg to finish. I've only knitted five rows of the leg so am just starting. This yarn had been destined for a plain striped sock so had others colours in my plan. However, once I'd started the green colour, I felt the pattern needed this single colour yarn to really show the contrasting stitch patterns. The yarn is Socks Yeah! by Coop Knits in the Perditot colour way. Another skein has been ordered so it should be here any day (managed to get the same batch too). This particular skein of yarn has already knitted another striped pair of socks for my husband, so was well used before I started these socks. I'm quite surprised how little yarn Ive used.

Once I learned the main stitch pattern, I could knit the six line repeat forever, it develops such a lovely rhythm to the knitting. Alice describes the stitch pattern as 'an Estonian 3-cross lace' stitch. The original pattern has quite a short leg - I'm thinking I may grow the leg a little. The bottom of the sock cuff has something called Kihnu Vits running around the sock, this is a braid using 2 strands of yarn worked with the purl stitch, carrying both strands at the front of the work. I'm not sure exactly how this will work ? but it sounds very exciting and way beyond my comfort zone ! 

I'll report on progress when my new yarn arrives.

Thanks for calling in today.

Making Workshop

Hi Everyone

We have an exciting Making Workshop  today - making Fibre Jewellery. You can read back here for more details about the project. 

                                   

Our Making Group will make a necklace and bracelet and can choose which design and construction method they prefer. The final design needs to be considered when developing the fibre ropes, so we will spend some time thinking about how the final piece will look and work as a piece of wearable jewellery. The fastening solution is key to understanding how the fibre ropes need to be made. Hopefully, all our Makers will be inspired to develop amazing pieces. The workshop will be a two part thing, this week we will design the jewellery and make the ropes; next time, we will add the findings and develop additional decoration such as beads or extra fibre.

I'm looking forward to seeing how our Makers approach this  project, they always come up with something new and exciting. I'm particularly looking forward to seeing the colour combinations and blending choices of the group. I'll take some photos and share tomorrow.

Thanks for calling in today.

New Knit

Hi Everyone

Just a short blog today about a new knit on my needles. I'm onto my next pair of socks. This time, the socks are for me.

                     

I'm loving the various stitches giving different textures throughout this  pattern, Om Shanti by Alice Yu. I'm using Socks Yeah ! yarn by Coop Knits in Perditot, this is the same yarn as my last pair of striped socks. Look back a week or so for details. The yarn is lovely to knit with very smooth and light. The knitted fabric is beautiful.

 My usual issues with concentration (minor lace like pattern) have caused me to make mistakes and there have been some ripping back going on ! However, the 'stitch wrapped toe' technique is wonderful, magic even ! - no holes or Kitchenor grafting to deal with - love this part of the pattern.

I'm looking forward to the heel - not sure what to expect ? I'll keep you informed of my progress.

It's Bank Holiday Monday here in the UK so I'm hoping for a leisurely day. The sun is shining too !

Thanks for calling in today.