This week’s clue, for Stephen West’s Mystery sock-along, was much shorter as it was just the heel flap and turn instructions. I completed this clue for both socks on Thursday night. Which was kind of nice after the intense knitting of the first clue.
The heel flap is made up of ‘wedges’ and after completing mine, I saw that a few people flipped the wedges on their second sock, I wish I’d thought of that!
So with all this ‘free’ knitting time until the next clue drops on Tuesday night (my time), I’ve knit a little on my Marlene sock. Which I’m starting to feel the love for again.
And then, I ripped the band-aid off on my Fragmentation cardigan surgery.
Before:
During:
I began by re-knitting the collar. As the cardigan is top-down to begin with, I had to cut the original collar off. I then picked up the stitches and knit in the opposite direction. I went down in needle size and I also knit a double collar before doing a 3 needle bind off on the inside. The smaller needle size and the structure of the bind-off has helped cinch it in quite a bit, and it sits really nicely now. Once it’s reblocked, the garter stitches around the collar should also settle down.
I’m now working on the ribbing at the bottom, after ripping out 36 body rows or 3 of the side colour tabs. I’m really excited about this now. Depending on how complex the next sock clue is, I hope to have this on the blocking mats next weekend. Oh, and I still need to get buttons.
Before I get into my happy diversion this week, I want to let you know what I’ve decided about my Fragmentation Cardigan. Thank you for your supportive comments!
I took the cardigan along to Knit Night last week, and tried it on in front of everyone. I had so many helpful suggestions. Including cinching in the neckline to stop it from ‘dragging’ so much, April even made some running stitches through the neckline to visualise this. What I found most helpful though was when I asked people to try the cardigan on. Out of the 5 people who tried it on, it looked absolutely perfect on about 3 of them. Despair! It was the right length on them and it looked great, much better than it currently looks on me. I was green with envy.
Instead of gifting my cardigan to one of these wonderful knitters, I’ve decided to go back and shorten the body to the right length, it might be a bit tricky, but it’s totally do-able. I may also shorten the sleeves, even though I like long sleeves (we’ll see). I’m going to re-knit the collar so that it is snugger. I might possibly make it a double (folded down and stitched) collar. I’m not sure if that would look weird with a single thickness buttonband? So that’s what I’m going to do. It might add 2 weeks to the making, but what is 2 more weeks or 3? Seeing it on my knitting mates, really made me want it more. Who knows, I might even consider going back and shortening my other oversized sweaters.
SPOILERS are coming!
On Monday night, I also got some opinions on my colour selection of minis for the sock along. I felt pretty happy with the choices I made on Monday night. Then came Thursday when I cast-on, and I changed my mind.
My original colour EAn old Knit Picks cord, literally snapped!
It’s a very graphic design, which I believe requires mostly solid colours. In Stephen West’s You Tube tutorial on the first clue, he suggests using your speckled or variagated yarn for colour E, which is the ‘droplet’ stitch section. I didn’t think that worked very well. I also didn’t like the contrast in my Latvian braid (and I knit it too tight). So I ripped back to the end of the cuff and switched some colour choices, and added in more colours. More is more afterall!
Here’s my Clue 1 finished. I had to scramble around to find another needle to start sock 2. I’m hoping to avoid second sock syndrome and have this done in time for Clue 2. It’s super fun so far.
‘Embracing my Pace’, the catchcry of Stephen West’s Mystery Knit-along this year, is something I’m most certainly working by. I mean, I’m not knitting slowly… but the first clue (of four) is a killer. At times I found myself wondering how cruel it was to set this as the very first clue. Some kind of twisted test of resilience set by Stephen. I think it will be interesting to see how many FO’s will be completed with this MKAL compared to his other recent years of the KAL.
Just as the fourth and final clue dropped on Thursday night, I was still finishing up my very first clue. Here is is pre-braiding:
Here it is after the weaving:
I’ve watched and seen all of the spoilers for the remaining clues as they’ve dropped. And I’m excited to do each bit from now on in. But now that I’m soooo far behind, it’s not really a knit-along for me anymore, it’s a WIP.
With Christmas coming along, I’m hoping to get at least the 2 pairs of socks I have on the needles for mum, finished in time. My knitting dance card is full for the remainder of the year.
The beautiful blooms on our tree, have been a joy to watch as they grow each day. Will it ever stop raining?
This morning on my walk (yes, a new routine I’m trying out), was a real treat. I left home at 7 in the morning (unheard of) and came across a bit of activity at my local park.
Pretty cool huh. Mind you, I don’t think they’re cool when they’re sailing past my house dangerously close.
It’s the long weekend, and I’m here for it. A bit of catching up on my spinning homework (as always), spending time with family, and maybe even a bit of knitting on clue two.
As I write today, it’s Saturday and it’s pouring with rain. I’m so thankful I don’t need to go anywhere today, and it’s a good time to take stock.
Warning! This is going to be a photo heavy blog post!
I thought I might start here. These 2 photos represent all that I’ve been spinning for the last 11 months as part of the Spinning Certificate I’m undertaking at the Handweavers and Spinners Guild of Victoria. There is still some 3 classes of spinning to come, to add to this pile of yarn, then I’m somehow going to put it together into a folio of samples and notes. There’s also a major project to add to this body of work. Pretty impressive huh? Once I have all of this in a more presentable form, I’ll share with you some more of what is here. This is all handed in, in March 2023, so there may be a big update then.
In August, Damian and I went to Kyneton for about 10 days. It was a good opportunity to catch-up on some spinning (!) and to eat lots of delicious food, and to relax.
We also got down to Du Fermier in Trentham and shared a few laughs and good food with Annie Smithers.
Best table in the house at Du FermierDessert at Spaghetti BarDu Fermier deliciousnessMore Du Fermier deliciousness Creme Caramel at Du FermierSpaghetti Bar on Piper StMidnight Starling, Duck liver patéDuck at Du FermierThe start of a wedding blanket squareI did matched wines and was clearly a bit slow…Du Fermier, cheesy goodnessDamian found a Annie book, he later ordered onlineBest thing I’ve ever eaten, and it had anchovies in it, and olive tapenade, so, so goodWe sat next to the bookshelf and fireplace at Du Fermier, such a treat
In September, there was more spinning, making secret blanket squares for a friend’s wedding blanket, a visit to mum for her birthday (I visit her as often as I can now), I picked up my finished quilt from the long-arm quilter and I stayed in Hepburn for a long weekend with friends.
76th birthday socks for mumMum with her Magnolia Blooms, I should have worn my knitted dressWedding blanket squareWedding blanket squareWedding blanket squareMy quilt is finishedIt’s the best thing we’ve ever slept underWedding blanket constructionHepburn weekendHepburn birthdayHepburn weekendMore determined to finish my hexies than ever before! I need more quiltsHepburn weekend
In October, I went to the Royal Melbourne Show (the first time in years!) with my sister and niece and nephew. I also went to Brisbane with Damian and had another lovely time there.
Royal Melbourne ShowBrisbane View from the apartment
I begun the Stephen West Mystery KAL when I got home from Brisbane … and ‘I’m embracing my pace’. I think a lot of people are… not so many spoilers online this year, oh Stephen what have you done?!
My yarn for the MKALThe beginnings of the MKAL
Clue three has been released on Thursday night, and I’m still on the first clue, about half-way through… (more than what’s shown here)
Quilt show
Last weekend was a visit to mum’s and seeing her beautiful snowball blossoms, a trip to Murrumbeena for a friends’ quilt show. Our Weeping Cheals (Cherry) tree has begun to blossom this week.
This weekend I’ve got a catch-up at the guild tomorrow, I think we’re getting down to the business end of our course. So today will be spent working out what to take with me tomorrow, and hopefully knocking over more of clue one of this mystery shawl. And it continues to rain outside…
Welcome to another week of Yarn Along with Ginny, you can go see what everyone is up to this week by following the links on her blog.
I got a moment at the weekend (and some not too hot weather) to have a couple of photos taken with my finished sweater! As you know it was a ‘Use it or Lose it’ project, so there was a lot riding on it’s success.
I haven’t had the opportunity to wash the sweater yet, so I’m interested to see how much the Habu Silk Gima will soften up in the process. I’m not really fussed if it doesn’t, there’s something about the crunchy texture that appeals to me.
Despite it’s lacey ‘look’ the sweater is quite warm to wear. It is 100% silk, which i think deceives a lot of people into thinking it’s a ‘cool’ fibre because it hasn’t come off a sheep back. When in fact, in my experience it’s quite a cosy fibre to wear.
Having completed the knitting and sewing up, there was still a little yarn left on the cone. I was able to slide the leftover off to weigh (and slide it back onto the cone). Woe, there is still a third left. What-to-do-what-to-do. For now it goes back into the stash, I could perhaps make a little vest out of the left-over, or if any of my friends would like it for themselves, please let me know so that I can do this fine yarn some justice. I would love that, it would be exciting to see it reach it’s full potential as a ‘Use it or Lose it’ yarn.
I have been eyeing off my other UIOLI projects and am thinking about casting on another one very soon. At this rate there won’t be any ‘dregs’ in my stash by next year.
I’m so close to completing Kafka on the Shore, such disturbing weirdness, oh how will it end? Not well for some characters I’m tipping.
Sonia Knits 