Yarn Along – Hurrah, an FO!

October 22, 2014October 19, 2014 | Sonia Knits

Welcome to another week of Yarn-Along! To find out what everyone else is reading and knitting this week go to Ginny’s blog.

This week I completed my sister’s baby blanket, phew, the baby can arrive now and I’ve told my sister as much! Hopefully, I’ll have a couple of weeks to bask in the glory of having completed the blanket well-ahead of time…

I was browsing at books on my lunch-break one day this week and came upon a Mollie Makes Crochet book. I was really taken with this book and the number of cute projects it contains for the cover price of less than $15, it was a no-brainer to grab it. It also provided some much needed inspiration for the baby blanket border. The granny square blanket design in it, had a fabulous stripy border. I ditched the idea of the single colour frame and improvised.

It’s also been a very good mail week…

I finally stumped up for the shipping and bought these 2 marvellous books (and their pdfs), I’m so excited to be able to knit a couple of these projects, next year could be a sweater knitting year, and maybe a blanket year… sprinkled with some socks.

The latest installment of David’s SCF club also arrived, that man is a magician.

I’ve been listening to Outlander once again this week, it got me through that crochet border! It’s fabulous and the reader makes it so enjoyable. It’s time for a new book on my Kindle though.

Have a great week!

Yarn Along – Breaking the rut

October 15, 2014 | Sonia Knits

I would hate to think that I was in a rut. After all, ‘Rut’ is such a strong word. But last Tuesday evening when I was casually looking at Instagram, I saw that Jules from Wollenflower had posted about her upcoming Natural Dyeing class at the hand makers factory on Saturday, and naturally I jumped for it! It felt great to have ‘plan’-ned to do something different and spontaneous (it was short notice).

I love taking classes. I can’t remember the last ‘live’ class I took, Craftsy doesn’t count (even though they are awesome, but they’re classes that don’t involve leaving the house). Well I thoroughly enjoyed the class and would recommend it to anyone who has a passing interest in Natural Dyeing. Gosh there’s so much to it! In a way the whole science behind it makes it incredibly interesting and magical, and how much more satisfying is it extracting colour from nature? As expected Jules is a brilliant teacher and very generous with her knowledge. I would love to have a crack at doing some natural dyeing at home, perhaps the Christmas break will allow time for that?

I’ve been working on my sister’s baby blanket with quiet abandon, all the squares are sewn together and all the ends have been sewn in. Only the 5 or 6 row treble stitch border remains. It’s amazing to see the transformation of the curled patches to squares, once the sides had been sewn together.

I did end up going for the mixed up layout of patches, rather than the rainbow variation I had them laid out as last week. It wasn’t a true rainbow, so I think that’s why it wasn’t working visually?

Last week I also plied up the singles that had been sitting on the bobbins for a couple of weeks. I’m pretty happy with the result despite beginning to really dislike the process of plying, I see an e-spinner in my future.

I’ve been listening to Outlander and getting into my ‘other’ book on my Kindle. I’m a little too embarrassed to admit what I’m reading now (read: it’s saucy and possibly the raunchiest novel I’ve ever read) so there you have it.

Go see what everyone else is knitting and reading this week as a part of Yarn Along on Ginny’s blog (bet it’s not as juicy as my novel: hint see last week’s entry).

Yarn Along – Polka progress

October 8, 2014October 7, 2014 | Sonia Knits

It’s yarn along day again! Go see what everyone else is reading and knitting this week by going to Ginny’s blog.

I’ve been listening along to Outlander again this week and truly enjoying it. I do need to make more time to listen if I’m ever going to reach the end of (even) the first book. I’ve also begun reading Alpha by Jasinda Wilder on my Kindle, which seems very interesting (read: saucy) and well-written.

I’ve been working on the polka dot crochet baby blanket for my sister’s second baby, it’s beginning to look like something now. I’m thinking of laying out the patches as pictured, in this some kind of rainbow configuration, the original design was done this way. What do you think? Or should I mix it up? My goal for this week is to complete all the squares and have them stitched together, then it will just be the wide border to come and a wash block, I can’t wait for that!

I had a little crisis this week. I was in fear I wouldn’t have enough yarn for the border, I probably need 2 balls for it. The last time I went to Yarn & co. I discovered they didn’t carry this colour anymore, and then upon heading to Clegs and Morris & Sons, there was none, zero, zilch left. I then discovered online that the Wool Baa had some in stock; and I made the only decision a crazed knitter could do. I went there on my lunch break. I needed to get the last balls of this colour in Melbourne in my hands pronto.

Well the tram tracker lied, it took a lot longer to get there. I finally got to the store and I had the yarn in my sweaty little hands, success! But the clock was ticking and when there didn’t seem to be a tram in sight, I caught a taxi back to work, that’s how I roll or err… travel.

Taking stock of this project and packing away the left-overs of the colours I no longer required for this project, I found I had more of this yarn now than what I had to begin with, I don’t know what the moral of this story is, but it’s there somewhere.

Have a great week!

Yarn Along – Not one but two FOs!

October 1, 2014September 30, 2014 | Sonia Knits

So last week I promised to present some Finished Objects this week, easier said than done when you have a mountain of newly casted-on projects.

But being a Knitter, is about being a planner, an organiser and a strategiser! Taking a look at my Ravelry projects page (oh what joy it gives me to look at my WIPs all day long and I’m not joking), I took stock of all my projects and what stage everything was at.

Due to my Use It or Lose It strategy I have a number of WIPs on my page that are in actual fact not started, they’re there to remind me of my obligations to my ‘deep’ stash. I removed a UILI single skein project, because what harm would ‘returning’ a single skein of hand painted yarn to stash theoretically do? Not exactly an FO, but it was one less UFO.

Then, I cast-off my Honey Cowl and wore it for exactly one day before it got hot last week, and now I’m dreaming of a time when I can wear this for reals, please note I’m wearing a t-shirt in this picture. As expected my patience gave up before I ran out of yarn for this project, it was the never-ending cowl with a never-ending ball of alpaca yarn. I have exactly 50 grams left, I think it would be enough for mitts if I could be bothered.

Then, I turned my attentions to Ysolda’s Bronntanas Hat, the first ‘Knitworthy’ project i cast on a couple of weeks ago. It’s another small project, and I wasn’t going to let some twisted stitches get in my way of delivering on my promise. After beginning with a cable needle to cross the stitches, I switched to twisting the stitches and turning them over on the needles as I went. Success! This hat flew off my needles. Except, rightly or wrongly, I went from knitting the largest sized hat to the smallest, so my once slouchy hat is now snug… I still think the hat is adorable, and I’m contemplating whether this Knitworthy project will indeed reside in my gift box for the appropriate recipient (someone with a smaller head than mine). If I made it again for myself, I think I’d knit the medium size and hope for the best.

There it is, 2 FOs for you. All the while I’ve been working on my sisters crochet blanket, I think I’ve really outdone myself this time, it’s going to be hard to top with the next baby in the family. Oh the expectation, this is turning out just like Easters at home where my siblings and I decorated eggs, with improvements each year to design and techniques, who knows where this will end up? For the record I never got into egg craft/sculpting, that’s just crazy.

I’m still listening to Outlander (it’s the best) and reading ‘My Life in Stitches’ during some lunchtimes. I’m still to pick out my next serious kindle book to read, at this stage I’m considering Haruki Murakami’s new book. I think I’m ready.

You should go check out what everyone else is reading and crafting at Ginny’s blog this week.

Yarn Along – Slow progress

September 24, 2014September 23, 2014 | Sonia Knits

Welcome to another week of Yarn Along, you can see what everyone else is making and reading by heading over to Ginny’s blog here.

This week I wish my progress wasn’t so slow. Why am I not surprised?! That’s what happens when you’re working on more than one thing at a time.

I’m loving the Polka Dot rug that I’m making for my sister’s baby E.T.A. 7-10 weeks away, but probably just 7 weeks away. So far I’ve made a patch of each of the 13 coloured centres.

I think if I aim for 35 squares in total (5 x 7 grid) that would be sensible. There’s so much to do and so little time.

I’ve also been spinning, I have to keep up and perhaps try to get ahead of my fibre stash before my next Southern Cross Fibre club instalment arrives on my doorstep…

Ooops too late.

Well perhaps I can make some more spinning time this week… some how. I have to say David’s fibre is every bit delicious that his reputation suggests. I have not been disappointed with his colour choices for me.

I also popped along to Woolarium’s birthday celebration this weekend and picked up some Malabrigo for a future project. How could I resist?

I’m very passionate about the yarn stores we have in Melbourne, and I like to support them when I can. After all they run by people who are passionate about yarn and have taken the huge leap of faith that lovely knitters will patronise them. I love buying yarn, so I do what I can…

Don’t be fooled by the one skein pictured, I have way more for a jumper.

I’m still listening to Outlander and avoiding watching the shows; I am loving it!

Hopefully I’ll have an FO next week, somehow.

Yarn Along – False starts and decisions

September 17, 2014September 16, 2014 | Sonia Knits

This week has been a bit rough, with so many new projects and each of them requiring consideration, I’ve cast-on and ripped 3 of the projects a number of times until it was right.

The Polka Dot baby blanket caused me the most concern. Before I even completed the first patch, I was ready to throw in the towel. I wasn’t reading the pattern properly, rounds 4 and 5 were a doozy. But I got there after 3 days, and then the second patch went so much faster. But that wasn’t before I attempted a granny square as an alternative to the polka dot patches. I asked Twitter ‘What should I do?’ The suggestion that I shouldn’t make something ‘too good’ to give away, spurred me on. I only want to give away things that I love, because if I don’t love it, then it’s not good enough.

I decided I loved the Polka Dot design most, unfortunately or fortunately it also meant I needed a few more colours to make it a success. A quick little lunchtime trip down to Yarn & Co. sorted this out for me. I have 13 centre colours now, I’ll make 3 of each and 4 of one colour to make 40 patches and a blanket similar in size to Willam’s after finishing it off with a large border. So much for using yarn stash yarn! I anticipate I’ll have enough left-over for another baby blanket, ha ha ha.

I’m still listening to Outlander (the first book) and enjoying that very much, as well as dipping in and out of Rachel Herron’s A life in Stitches.

To see what everyone else is crafting and reading this week, visit Ginny’s blog here. See you next week.

Yarn along – Cast-on-a-plooza

September 10, 2014September 7, 2014 | Sonia Knits

Here’s to another week of Yarn Along with Ginny and Friends. You can see Ginny’s blog here to catch-up on what everyone is knitting and reading this week.

It’s been an interesting week, with lots of new starts! I’m always pining to knit new things and this week I just didn’t say no. My projects page is about to explode with many new WIPs.

Ysolda Teague has launched a new knit along called ‘Knitworthy’, each fortnight releasing a new pattern to total 8. I gave in to peer pressure within 24 hours of finding out about it. The first pattern ‘Bronntanas’ which is a slouchy hat with an interesting honey-comb pattern looked pretty awesome to me, so how could I turn a blind eye? I’ve cast-on using my last instalment of Stranded in Oz yarn, to make this hat for myself; if the remaining patterns are half as good as the first, I think it will be $20 well spent. This is it below, the colour is not right, but you get the gist.

And I’ve cast-on some plain toe-up socks from the Stranded in Oz clubs latest instalment. It’s very pretty. It uses 2 strands of lace weight Alpacamer : 60% baby alpaca, 25% merino, 15% nylon. You can see the toe pictured.

And I’ve begun my sisters next baby blanket (not pictured). After ‘workshopping’ my baby blanket predicament, Deb was the-voice-of-reason and a good idea. Why not used the 4ply Patons wool I have and make the polka dot crochet blanket from that, requiring only to purchase the frame colour? In hindsight, an 8 ply cotton blanket is going to be heavier than a 4 ply wool one so what ever was I thinking? I’m pretty excited about this new incarnation of the baby blanket, I’m able to use what I have, and I’m doing a different pattern (with less ends!).

I’ve also been working on my Istanbul socks by Cookie A, which I’m totally loving (with so many projects on the needles it’s been hard to focus the admiration).

And this week I’ve downloaded and have begun listening to a new audiobook, drum roll please…

I’m listening to Outlander by Diana Gabaldon! I do feel that I’m the last person on earth to read this series. Now with the TV show beginning on Foxtel, I thought it was time to give it a go. I do intend to ‘listen’ to the book/s before watching the series. I think I’m ruined on Game of Thrones, but I’m still persisting with the audio books for now. I am enjoying the narration of Outlander and because I don’t know what’s going to happen (unlike GoT), there is a reason to listen to 32 hours for the first book alone.

Yarn Along – Hexagons and In the mail

September 3, 2014September 2, 2014 | Sonia Knits

Welcome to another week of Yarn Along with Ginny and Friends. Go and check out the blog here to see what everyone is knitting and reading this week.

This week I did a bit of work on my crochet blanket project. Many of you wouldn’t know it as a project, as I had only made 6 hexagons in the first year… Oh but don’t worry, this won’t be like my patchwork hexagon quilt or my hexipuffs (what hexipuffs), this time will be different.

I’m making it out of Noro Taiyo, which is a chunky yarn. After a little design consultation from Deb, I’m planning on adding a ‘natural’ or neutral colour to the final round of the hexagons. There are some amazing looking projects on Ravelry that do this, and it gives the ‘full on’ colour of the Noro a bit of a break. My next problem is finding the perfect yarn for it. Can I use stash? Can I spin for it? Decisions, decisions…

It’s also been a good mail week this week. Due to the enabling of one Susan B Anderson, these arrived at my desk on Friday…

Although the blame can’t lay solely on Susan’s shoulders. I was sufficiently enabled by The Knitmore Girls, and Simply Socks Yarn co. #operationsockdrawer

Happiness is a self-striping sock yarn x 5.

With fixed flat-rate shipping, I needed to make it worth my while… I have a self-striping sock yarn fetish, didn’t you know?

Up next I’m reading Rachel Herron’s ‘A life in Stitches’. It’s a sure thing, knitting, short-stories about knitting, I know I’m going to enjoy it. Then after that, maybe something serious?

Yarn Along – Hooray! Week

August 27, 2014August 26, 2014 | Sonia Knits

Cough, splutter, cough… Welcome to another week of Yarn Along with Ginny and Friends. Go and check out the blog here to see what everyone is knitting and reading this week.

If you haven’t picked up on it already, I’ve had a dreadful cold this week. Well it actually began last week and then took a few days to take hold.

When I was well enough, I finally got down to finishing off my sleeves on the Hooray cardigan and now it’s all finished, hooray! I’d like to give special thanks to Louisa from the Richmond Knitters for suggesting that I knit the reverse stocking stitch sleeves, inside-out, so that I could just knit the sleeves rather than purling the whole way. Brilliant! I love my knitting group and the people in it. More often than not, I get excellent tips from these guys that I would not have come up with on my own.

These photos were taken when I was still a tad unwell, so please forgive the non-smiles and non-head shots, I find it hard to smile in photos at the best of times! My kind photographer said it was him, but I know it was me, and I asked ‘Do I really look like this, how can you be married to me?!’

I am very happy with the outcome. I did end up sewing up the last extra buttonhole I added, then to make it a little less obvious, I transferred that button to the other side of the band to cover said hole. I think the deception works.

My only reservation, and there’s always one; is the shaping around the cables at the bottom of the fronts. It doesn’t sit flat, and I wasn’t really sure why. I popped over to Ravelry to see a whole lot of other people encountered the same thing, so it’s not just me. I saw that one knitter dealt with it, by re-knitting and re-shaping somehow. I didn’t recognise or find this fault in other people’s projects, until I saw it in mine, then I could see it everywhere. I’m a touch disappointed, but not devastated. I still think it’s extremely wearable despite an odd lumpy part around the waist, the cables kind of disguise it. I would like to point out the lumpiness wasn’t visible until after the 8cm of knitted on band was complete. There was no way I was pulling out all my knitting for a slight glitch, that I have no hope of actually fixing anyway (let’s be honest). I haven’t blocked this garment yet, and if this, by some miracle fixes the problem, then I take it all back Veera and your record is intact.

My Hooray Cardigan has been my very first successful ‘Use It Or Lose It’ project. Of the 20 balls of Anny Blatt I had, I’ve used 15. I guess I’ll be losing the last 5 balls to a charity knitter, my job is done here.

I did finish reading Stephanie Pearl McPhee’s book, you know the one with the really long title. I didn’t mind it. I felt like I could relate to parts of it (not that you need to relate to a book to enjoy it, but it helps); funnily enough, one of the last chapters was about how she felt she looked in photos, compared to her ‘prettiness’ in real life, oh the irony. The departure from telling knitting tales, led to a number of parenting stories or stories about her family life. I guess most people are parents right?

I started reading a sample on my Kindle for Rachel Herron’s ‘Pack up the Moon’. I was at the second last page of the sample and was just about to dismiss it as my next read, when, all of a sudden, the author made geographical references to San Francisco, so I’m a little torn as to whether or not to give it a try. The author is a knitter after all, perhaps her character and newly re-acquainted given-up-for-adoption-daughter head down to Imaginknit for some bonding over a bit of yarn shopping? You never know right?