Have you any idea how hard it is to take a photo of 22 squares that are 12 and a half inches square? Its very hard I can tell you. When I get this beauty all blocked and joined together it may cause difficulties when I'm trying to take a good shot of it.
Difficult photos aside, I could knit these squares forever. They are so pleasingly squishy. The tight garter stitch gives real bounce to the knitted fabric, which means my plans for it as a picnic blanket are bound to work out fine.
Now on to my Mariposa Shawl, that I introduced you to a while ago.
This shawl is in a bit of a time out at the moment. It isn't the fault of the shawl, it is my fault for not using life lines. I did one more repeat of the pattern than I should have done and knew I wouldn't have enough yarn to finish the border. I decided to rip out the last repeat. I should have known better. As this is knitted lace, it is really hard to find the row I need.
I have just picked up the stitches I can and I have thrust it in a box, while I sulk about my own error of judgement. I will need a day of a clear head and good light to sort my mess out. In the mean time I cast on something else to divert me.
I have cast on an Austin Hoodie by Connie Chang Chinchio. I have coveted this hoodie since the first time I stumbled across it on Ravelry, which was apparently in September 2010!
It looks lovely on so many people, and it is exactly the sort of garment I would buy. To top it off, it is knit in a fingering (4ply) weight yarn. It is also knit at a loose gauge. This means the garment should be light weight and adaptable. As I spend a lot of time in my nice warm home, I don't wear big chunky sweaters very often, but I do wear light weight layering cardigans.
In April, I managed to pick up some cheap Debbie Bliss Rialto 4ply, which is a lovely merino yarn. It is unusual to see it for sale, so I grabbed it when I saw it, knowing that I would use it for this pattern. I am now finally getting round to making it.
After reading Little Red in The City by Ysolda Teague, I actually blocked my swatch and then hung it up for a few hours with clothes pegs attached, before measuring my gauge. I hope it works! I also decided to carefully check all the dimensions and measurements of myself compared to my pattern. I think the measurements are fine, but the proportions of where the increases are could be changed. The decreases on the hips and the waist will remain the same but when it comes to doing increases I will remove the increases on the darts at the back of the garment, and add them to the front to double the increases there. I hope this will help reduce the pulling out of shape that most of my garments suffer from. The bust measurement is fine, its just that most of that measurement is at the front rather than spread out evenly around my whole torso, unlike the pattern. I'll let you know how my adjustments go.
That is pretty much it for now. I told you there hadn't been much crafting. Hopefully I will begin to get my mojo back soon.
