Knitting

A very Busy April

| Sonia Knits

I’ve been away the past 2 weekends doing fun things. Now I normally wouldn’t like to be away 2 weekends away in a row and bookended by work, but this is how April has shaped up.

My first weekend away was to attend the Majacraft Magic Camp! Majacraft is a New Zealand Spinning Wheel company, for those who are not aware. I headed off late one Friday to Lake Dewar a YMCA camp, somewhere between Bacchus Marsh and Ballan.

It was a beautiful setting with some wonderful teachers and attendees. Organised by Janet Day, I was really glad to have experienced Spinning Camp! There were 4 teachers/classes in total and I got to attend each class. It did make for a very busy weekend, but also thoroughly enjoyable. I haven’t been away on an organised ‘fibre’ retreat like this since attending TAFTA Geelong Fibre Forum retreats maybe 15+ years ago. Gosh, I wish they’d bring back some knitting or spinning classes to that retreat.

It was really interesting to meet Spinners from all over Australia at the meals breaks. Queensland spinners are super active and have several events/camps going on each year, really surprising with their climate. It was great to meet spinners who have great passion for the craft.

This past week and weekend I celebrated my birthday and headed off to Daylesford with my girlfriends who normally do a lot of quilting.

In between this getaway and our last getaway, some of my girlfriends have become addicted to sock knitting…

How lucky am I?! They also still quilt and sew… but not as much!

I’m also making great progress on my Pressed Flowers Pullover. I’m hoping to wrap this up by the end of April, but that doesn’t seem likely!

Paul Klee Sweater

| Sonia Knits

Yippee my Paul Klee Sweater by Midori Hirose is all finished! I’m very happy with how it has turned out. The yarn is from Kate Davies’ Advent calendar of 2023 which included all the colours from her Milarrochy Tweed yarns, plus all of her new colours released in the club. It was a very happy happenstance. Whilst you can choose to limit the number of colours used in the yoke, I decided to use 22 of the possible 24 colours from the Milarrochy Tweed range, and the additional charcoal colour for the body and sleeves.

I have been busily knitting on my March Sweater, Pressed Flowers by Amy Christophers. I’ve just divided for the body and sleeves. Originally I thought I would be knitting to the second size of instructions (the pattern has a crazy amount of ease), but I found that my row gauge (or my gauge overall) was smaller than expected, it’s hard to tell with mosaic knitting. But when I placed my yoke up against another yoke I’ve knitted, I could tell there was not going to be any ease, if I’d divided at that point. So I needed to knit another repeat of flowers before dividing for the body and sleeves. I think that was the correct decision, no one has time for sweaters that are too tight to wear.

My lovely basic stripey Christmas socks are also off the needles. The yarn is by my friend Danni from Halfbaked Hand dyed. Now that I don’t have any socks on the needles, I’m feeling a little lost.

I’m casting on for my April Sweater today… or maybe just a swatch, more on this month’s Cardigan… after I get back from a Spinning retreat next weekend. So much to do, so little time.

Mid-March update

| Sonia Knits

A couple of weekends ago, we attended our very first Lost Trades Festival in Bendigo. It was very unlike our usual Bendigo Sheep Show weekends in mid-July when the weather is super cold. At 38 degrees celsius, it just didn’t feel right, it just didn’t feel like Bendigo! Unfortunately for the organisers who did a terrific job, the crazy hot weather was against them. It meant that we spent about 2 hours at the show, before returning to the house we hired for the weekend to find relief under the air-conditioner. And I got to knit on my Pressed Flowers Pullover!

Last night, I finally cast-off on my Paul Klee Sweater (the January sweater cast-on), there will be modelled photos soon, once the ends are sewn in and it has had it’s bath, oh and the zit on my face has subsided…

For the final week of March, I’m going to focus on getting as much of my Pressed Flowers Pullover knit as possible. There’s a new cast-on scheduled for April, and I’m only 2 months behind 🙂

Another Month, another jumper cast-on

| Sonia Knits

We have begun the third month of the year, which means I’ve cast-on for yet another jumper! Both January and February jumpers are still incomplete, but I’m enjoying them both thoroughly.

I have reached the point in my painting bricks sweater (February), where I actually love it! I was having serious doubts about this one, up until this point. I’ve begun thinking about what I’ll wear it with, and what new additions to my wardrobe I’ll need to make this a super fun outfit.

My January sweater the Paul Klee sweater by Midori Hirose, is still needing the second sleeve, but with the long-weeknd here in Victoria, I’m hoping to find some time to finish it up. For those not in Victoria, the forecast for the next 3 days is going to be 37/38 degrees celsius. Which is terribly disappointing to me, I’m not sure how I’ll cope except to stay inside.

This is the yarn I’m using for my March cast-on, for the Pressed Flowers pullover by Amy Christophers. The Pressed Flowers series of patterns has been selected by my knitting group for our Bendigo Sheep Show sweater this year. I figured beginning it in March was probably wise, so that I didn’t leave it to the last minute and not finish it in time. The main coloured yarn is by Miss Click Clack, purchased a few years ago and it is absolutely gorgeous. The contrast gradient of colours is by My Creative Garage. I purchased the minis set at the Sheep Show last year, and I’ve added a couple extra minis from her advent 2 years ago, to ensure I have enough yardage.

I am enjoying knitting the pattern now that I’ve moved past the short rows, gosh they were a bit tricksy, I had to pay a lot of attention there. But I think it will be smooth sailing from here on in.

A Modern Coogi jumper

| Sonia Knits

When I began the ‘fun’ colour work part of my Painting Bricks sweater last week, I suddenly got ‘Coogi’ jumper vibes, and not in a good way. If you’re not familiar with Coogi take a look here.

Believe it or not, Coogi is still around but I don’t think they have any retail stores, at least not in Melbourne anyway. When I was young, I recall my mum taking me to Collins Place to kill some time before my orthodontist appointment in Spring St. There used to be a Coogi store in there, and I always wondered who would wear these crazily coloured and textured jumpers. My next experience of ‘Coogi’ was when I was at Uni. One of my friends was telling me how they had met someone who said they worked at ‘Gucci’, but as they began fawning over how great a job that would be; the person clarified they in fact worked at Coogi… quite amusing I thought.

The jokes on me though, because a) someone must still buying their clothes b) they still exist and command high prices c) I think the pink crop jumper and skirt (on their website) are quite cute!

We’ve been staying in Kyneton for a few days, and I was rather amazed by how my Painting Bricks sweater co-ordinated with the homewares of the house we were staying in (these rows were knit prior to our arrival), then I pulled out my Christmas socks, and they were also a perfect match; weird much?

We were celebrating our 21st Wedding Anniversary, and ate amazing food everyday of our holiday.

In between eating all of this fabulous food, I put a fair dent into my January Sweater, which now has just one sleeve to go.

Luckily it is now a short week, and it won’t be long before I get back to my knitting.

Pinch Punch 1st of the month

| Sonia Knits

I’m a little tardy in beginning my February Sweater, it’s so hard to squeeze in such exciting things during the work week. But I have now indeed cast on for my February Sweater which is to be Stephen West’s Painting Bricks Sweater.

I’m using the 8ply minis from my My Creative Garage advent calendar for the contrast colours, with the main colour dyed by my friend Danni of Halfbaked Hand-dyed. Since this cast-on photo, which shows the folded neckband, I have completed the short rows for the neck shaping and I’m now about the commence the exciting colour work part!

I’m still working on January’s sweater (The Paul Klee Sweater), finishing up the hem on the body (it is 8.5 inches long!) and with just the sleeves to go, I’m hoping to finish this up very soon, eek.

If I followed my own (regular) rules, I wouldn’t have dreamed of casting on for a new sweater project with one not finished. So with the new rules (!) I’ve set for myself this year, casting on a jumper a month (for at least 6 months, wouldn’t it be great if I did 12!), is so freeing and fun. February being a short month, perhaps a vest would have been a better choice!

I’ve also done a little spinning this month. This beautiful fibre by IxChel was purchased at the Coburb market last year. I only bought 100gms in total, so rather than plying each colour by itself, I’ve done a barber pole ply to make the most of the little yardage I have. It still might be a little cosy cowl.

In reading, I’ve finished listening to Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton. It was enjoyable to listen to, a great story with believable characters… gritty characters, scary characters. I liked how the book was based in Brisbane CBD, as I’ve been there a few times in the last couple of years, and I’ve wandered around some of the places mentioned, I haven’t come across Moon St though, does it even exist? I must open my eyes next time. I’m not sure I liked the ending, but I mostly don’t like how endings happen, all neat and tidy; so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

Back to knitting…

Back to Reality

| Sonia Knits

Last weekend, right before I returned to work for the new year, I did a Summer School class at the Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Vic. I haven’t been back to the guild since I completed my Spinning certificate early in 2023, so undertaking Janet Day’s Sensational Singles class was a super nice way to visit.

Now I’m normally not a fan of singles yarn, but Janet has made me a bit of a convert… or at least I’m prepared to include spinning singles as an option for making yarn in the future. The class was over 2 days, which was a luxurious amount of time to take in all the knowledge that Janet so generously shares with her students. If you ever have an opportunity to take a class with Janet, I would highly recommend it. I’ve left the class feeling inspired and also with a new spinning project on the wheel.

As predicted, with my return to work this week, my knitting and crafting has slowed somewhat. But I have now completed the colourwork part of my yoke on my Paul Klee sweater. I’ve got a few more increase rows to go and then I’m almost at the part to divide for my sleeves/body. I’m looking forward to the plain part of the project, as it will make for easy TV knitting, whilst I still get to enjoy looking at the colours dancing around the yoke. I think I’m on track to finish this jumper in January, yippee!

Potato Chip Knitting

| Sonia Knits

I’ve begun my Paul Klee sweater by Midori Hirose this week, and the yoke is flying along, I’m obsessed. Just one more colour, just one more chip. (I don’t even like potato chips all that much)

Whilst I am working from the limitations of the 24 colour palette of Kate Davies, Milarrochy Tweed (compared to the hundreds of colours in the Jamieson & Smith range) I think I’m still achieving a lovely rainbow of colour, and there’s still 2–3 rows of colour to go.

Alas, my holiday is almost at it’s end. I am not able to work so intensely on the yoke over the next 2 days, as I’m off doing something fun, but hopefully I’ll be able to squeeze in the final 2.5 colour rows before I return to work on Tuesday.

My year of sweaters is off to a great start.

New Year, fresh slate

| Sonia Knits

Happy New Year! I love a fresh new year, planning and goal setting are my favourite things to do as a maker; and it makes perfect sense to do that on the first day of the year.

But before I go ahead, I wanted to share the completed hedgehog ornament with CA and you all. It’s even cuter with a face!

I also completed a small spinning project this week, embarrassingly it’s the first one since I completed my Certificate of Spinning early in 2023.

I am thrilled with it. The fibre is from a Southern Cross Fibre Club, it’s organic merino and the colour name is Tokyo. It is worsted spun, in a fractal spin, it’s come out to a light fingering weight yarn. Perhaps I’ll make a hat with it.

This sudden burst of crafting before the end of the year is due to time off from work. And with just one more week to go before I return to work, I am loving this productivity during staycation, when can I give up work?

In 2024, I hope to read more, be healthier, and to make more in general, but also more specifically I hope to knit more jumpers/sweaters this year. In 2023, my Amina sweater was the only jumper I completed; my wardrobe is crying out for new knits and I intend to fulfil my knitting dreams this year. I have a rough goal of casting on for a new sweater every month, want to join me for the ride?

Starting with the Paul Klee sweater by Midori Hirose. Whilst I thought had my colour sequence sorted, yesterday when I started colouring-in my planning sheet, I discovered I needed 11 rows / 22 colours for my size. I originally had mistakenly thought I only needed 9 rows / 18 colours, because I had just referred to the pattern photograph. Luckily, I was able to come up with the additional colours and sequence from the 24 ball Kate Davies advent calendar. Although I discovered, blue might be her favourite colour, and she is missing a light purple to complete the colour spectrum.

In 2024, I also hope to spin a lot more for pleasure, and to practise the craft, because let’s face it, I don’t want to forget everything I’ve just learned. Becoming a better spinner is not just about the education, I need to do it more often. So with that, I’d love to spin for a jumper, perhaps Andrea Mowry’s Weekender? I do have a lot of beautiful fibre in my stash, so purchasing some fibre for it is not necessary. I’m interested in doing a combo spin perhaps for it, Andrea’s been talking about this on her podcast. I have lots of 100gm lots of different coloured hand-dyed top, which would be fun to combine, or if I can hack it (the boredom), I also have beautifully prepared natural coloured Polwarth top from Tarndie in a jumpers worth of fibre, purchased eons ago.

That’s about all for now, I NEED to pick back up my Nimue crochet blanket, and swatch for Paul Klee. I also have a pile of socks to darn… the list goes on.