King Cole Striped T-Shirt

I managed to get my King Cole Striped T-Shirt finished before the end of the Summer!  I actually finished it soon after my last post about it, but I didn't have an opportunity to take photos until recently.  And, as you know, I don't like to post without pictures!

As you can see, it is rather a generous size and there really is no shaping at all, which is not the most flattering of style on me.  However, it is amazingly comfortable.  The yarn is soft and light and I would use King Cole Bamboo Cotton again without hesitation, especially as it had nice colours.  It is a gorgeous and luckily I have loads of the yarn sent to me left over.  I don't know how it happened, but I have 2.5 skeins of each colour lef.  I got sent the recommended yarn and I got the recommended gauge and the garment is the size specified in the schematics.  They are obviously generous in their yarn estimates at King Cole.

It was quite nice knitting a garment in pieces again.  I haven't done that in a while and it does seem to go more quickly.  I know that was because I was knitting a t-shirt, but psychologically it does feel quicker because it is broken down into pieces.  With this garment I made my usual mistake of using the size for my full bust, rather than making the size specified by my upper bust measurements and adding in short rows.  I thought I would get away with it because of it being a boxy shape, which to a certain extent I did, but when you look at the back you can see that it is far too wide. I was put off from doing short rows because of the stripes, but what I forgot was I could have gone down a size for the back and knit the larger size for the front and done a bit of jiggery with the arm holes and sleeves.

I really love the placket and collar on this tee.  It's the first time I've done a placket and I love the look of it. It's a flattering style for me, as it breaks up the expanse of my bust!  The collar is ribbed so it lays really nicely across the back of the neck.  The button band itself was easy enough to do, apart from the little tiny piece of sewing to anchor the two sides on top of each other and into the garment at the bottom of the placket.  I messed up the sewing and it was a nightmare to unpick it and try again.  It still pulls a bit, as you can see, but it's not as bad as the first attempt.  It's tricky to sew it in neatly in such a small space and such thick layers.  If anyone has any tips, I'd love to hear them, for future reference.

The buttons I got from Minerva Crafts to finish off the project were these.  I really like this style of neutral button and have used the same style on various children's projects because they are nice and smooth.  I think they were the right style to use for this garment too, as they fit in with the unfussy look of the t-shirt.

Overall, even though the t-shirt is too big, I really like it.  It won't stop me wearing it, even though it's not the most flattering of styles for me.  It feels too nice to stuff in the back of the drawer, and it will look good with jeans or leggings.  It will be perfect to wear when it stops being so lovely outside, just before it gets too cold! We have had such a lovely long Summer this year that it's still been too hot to wear a t-shirt with sleeves for any length of time!

I have raved before about how lovely the yarn is, so I won't go into that again, but the pattern itself was clearly written and I didn't have any problems following the directions.

I'd like to say thanks to Minerva Crafts for sending me the pattern, yarn and buttons to review.  They kindly didn't put any time constraints on me to get the pattern finished and they didn't put any pressure on me at all to give them (or their products) a favourable review.  A sick blogger couldn't ask for anything more!  If you are in the UK, go and check out their range, they are not just a yarn store, but supply materials for lots of other crafts, so you may find something you like!

Inbetween Big Projects

I don't feel like I have much to talk about at the moment.  I'm doing lots of little things.  After spending a week concentrating fully on the Minerva Crafts Tee, I've ground to a halt.  After sewing it up and weaving in the million ends that are the result of a striped tee, I realised my mistake.

I forgot to ask for buttons!  After checking my button jar and coming up empty I went to ebay, my favourite button finding venue and found some buttons I liked.  I went on to order them and realised that the ebay store was for Minerva Crafts!  I didn't realise they had an ebay presence.  I decided to email my contact at Minerva Crafts and very kindly offered to put the buttons I wanted in the post.  So, while I wait for my buttons to arrive I feel like I'm flitting from project to project.

I don't want to start anything big because the Crafting Library KAL is due to start in a couple of weeks, and when that starts I want to be able to concentrate on that, so I've been doing little things like making stitch markers.

These are lovely little light stitch markers that glint when you slide them along your needle.  Then I couldn't resist using two beads that I've kept to one side for a long time.  I decided I was never going to make them into earrings, so I may as well use them as stitch markers and actually get to enjoy looking at them.

I have also been spending more time getting to grips with my Tibetan spindle.  I have been working my way through my Fibreholics package.  If you are in the UK and haven't heard of Fibreholics I shall let you in on the secret.  Fibreholics are a group of indie dyers in the UK who collectively put out a sample pack, every two months.  It costs a very reasonable sum and you can order either 100g or 200g of either yarn or fibre. The samples are usually around 20g or so, to give a good representation of the quality of either fibre or yarn. I decided that as I know so little about fibre dyers in the UK getting a fibre pack would be really useful to me.  I ordered the pack and got a good selection of different fibres from different dyers.

The samples are, from top to bottom, left to right;

Hilltop Cloud (this wasn't included in the Fibreholics Package, I got it with my last purchase)
Colourful Designs (which seems to be on hiatus)
Knitterscarlet
Mandacrafts
Porpoise Fur
Lime Green Jelly

With these samples I'm simply spinning them on my Tibetan to improve my technique, to try different fibres and different dyers.  I'm enjoying spinning for fun rather than to produce a yarn that will be used.  It makes me feel more free and less worried about making it perfect.  I still haven't tried plying on my spindle yet, I'm scared to try.  I will do it eventually, but at the moment I'm simply spinning singles and storing them on drinking straws!

I am doing some knitting.  I decided to visit my queue and cast on Pogona by Stephen West.  This pattern has been in my library and queue for some time.  I even had the yarn from stash waiting to go.  I pulled out my skein of Wollmeise Sockenwolle 80/20 Twin in the We're Different range.  I bought this from a destash for a reasonable sum (ie cost plus p&p), so I'm not quite sure of the colour.  I think it is Gruenfink. Essentially it is a gorgeous zingy apple green.  This is the first Wollmeise I've used and I can see why people rave about it so much.  The stitch definition is amazing and the colour is incredibly saturated (my favourite).

I had read, that because Wollmeise Sockenwolle is a larger skein than usual, the Pogona is a much bigger size when finished, as it is an easily adjustable pattern.

This semi-solid colourway is showing up a treat in this pattern and I'm enjoying knitting it, using my new stitch markers!  I think this will be a lovely scarf type shawl that will brighten up my dark grey Winter coat when it is finished.  I can't wait to see it done!

I'm quite enjoying being between big projects.  Whipping up some smaller things makes me feel like there is no pressure and I am getting lots accomplished.  To see other works in progress, click the button.

Single Minded Knitting

Over the last month I've had a bit of a scatter-gun approach to my knitting.  I've been doing lots of bits of things as they fit around my new obsession of spinning.  I have now cleared the decks a bit and I'm back to focusing on one item, my King Cole Bamboo Cotton T-Shirt.  I have managed to finish the back. (That stitch marker is to remind me to sew in some loose plies that got missed in a stitch. The one downside of this lovely yarn, is it's splitty nature.)

Yesterday I cast off the front too!

It looks a little low cut doesn't it!  That is where the placket will go, so I think it will be perfectly decent.

The longer I knit with this yarn the more I like it.  The yarn is so soft and drapes so elegantly I think it will be a very useful addition to my wardrobe.  Even though there is no shaping in the tee, it will look like it has, simply because of the finished knitted fabric.

I have finished the ribbing on the first sleeve and now that I am focusing on this one garment, almost exclusively, I hope I will manage to finish this soon.  I really want to wear this tee before Summer is over!

If you are inspired to try knitting with King Cole Bamboo Cotton, mine was supplied by Minerva Crafts to review.

As this is a work in progress, I shall link up to Tami's WIP Wednesday.  If you want to join in, click the button.

WIPs and Spinning

I haven't really done a WIP update in a while.  I think it has been all the excitement of starting a podcast and starting to spin.  Speaking of spinning, I have managed to finish plying my first Tour de Fleece 2013 project. I have got two 50g (ish) skeins of 2ply yarn.  They are currently drying, but here is the result, photographed just as they were finished.

As soon as it s dry I shall show you how different it looks after a soak.  I also got this in the post yesterday:

Yes, my long anticipated supported spindle from IST Crafts arrived, along with an apology for the delay and a WPI gauge thrown in too.  I got the Purpleheart on Sycamore with Purpleheart shaft, without a brass tip, but with a bowl. As you can see, there is no fibre on my lovely new spindle yet.  That is because I am scared!  I don't know why, because I have some fairly robust fibre to practice on.  I have some Falkland fibre from World of Wool, that is undyed, which will be perfect.  I think it is because I have not found many videos on YouTube.  I think I will have to do some more searching.  I have bought Respect The Spindle, after deciding that it was so highly recommended that even if it didn't focus on supported spindles it would give me lots of valuable information.  I have only just started the book but it is really well written, clear and interesting, so I am reluctant to start spinning on the new spindle before reading more of the book.  I shall have to decide soon, otherwise I won't have anything to spin for Day 5 of the Tour!

So, moving on to my knitting!  If you have listened to my podcast you would have heard me talk about being approached by Minerva Crafts to do a product review.  I could pick a pattern that they sold on their website and make it using yarn they sold.  I eventually chose a King Cole pattern, because though I have knit with King Cole yarn, I've never knit one of their in house patterns.  The pattern I chose is King Cole 3324, which is for either a long sleeved sweat shirt type top, or a t-shirt with an open neck.  I decided I like the idea of making a nice simple t-shirt, especially as it has stripes!  I chose blue and white King Cole Bamboo Cotton yarn, as I've never used that yarn.  Having yarn as well as a pattern, that were new to me, felt the right thing to do if I was to give an unbiased review.  I didn't want to already know what the yarn or pattern would be like before starting.

I really am impressed with this yarn.  It is incredibly soft and drapey and is beautifully smooth to knit with.  I did a swatch and hung it to dry with clothes pegs attached along the bottom, as I was pretty sure this fibre would grow - and I was right.  The swatch before washing and hanging was no where near the gauge, but it was spot on afterwards.  The fabric is beautiful when knit up, even before blocking.

The style of t-shirt is very boxy and it relies on the drape of the fabric to give shape.  I think this will be an incredibly light and comfortable garment to own.  The t-shirt is knit bottom up and in pieces, which is pretty common for the patterns written by UK spinners, but in this case I think it is a good idea, as it will help anchor the very drapey fabric, so it doesn't stretch too far out of shape.

I have already knit up past the decreases for the armholes on the back and I'm really enjoying my stripey knitting.  At the decreases for the armholes I carried the yarn along the back of the cast off stitches in the same way as I learnt from here, whilst starting my Tribute Wrap (I really must pick that up again, I'm half way done!).  It was more tricky to use this techniquebecause the carried yarn wasn't cut, like in the tutorial, but I twisted the carried yarn one way for half the stitches and the other way for the other half.  It all untangled and I think it looks pretty neat.

I tried to take a full shot of the back, but my cat decided that as it was laid on the floor it must be for her.  It's unusual for her to take such an interest in my knitting, but I decided that I didn't want my knitting either being shredded or dropping off the needles due to her playing with it.

The other project I have started, and was mentioned in the podcast, was Henslowe.  It's a lovely simple shawl pattern that I learned about from Emily of the Watcha' Swatchin' Podcast.  I cast on immediately after seeing it, by using some Malabrigo Sock from stash, in Abril.

I already had this yarn caked, to play around with a pattern idea I had, that didn't work out, so it seemed a perfect match for this pattern.  I adore Malabrigo Sock.  It's a gorgeously soft and springy merino that is so wonderful to wear round your neck.  I can't imagine anyone wearing it on their feet, because I know the socks wouldn't last long with yarn this soft.

I quickly knit up the centre garter stitch panel that is knit side to side with yarn overs at the beginning of each row, and then cast off the top long edge using a suspended bind off.  As it was a technique I've not used before I looked it up and found a great tutorial from Bella Knitting. (I already shared that link on my Facebook Page).  The technique is really easy and though Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off is stretchier I think that the suspended bind off will keep the edge from stretching out of shape when it is worn.

I have now picked up the yarn over stitches at the end of each row to start knitting the lace panel outwards along the curved edges of the garter panel.

The lace is pretty easy and I was able to do it at knit night without having to rip any out.  I am really enjoying this pattern and I can't seem to stop!

One more thing before I go, I mentioned on my podcast that I wanted to start a KAL/CAL towards the end of the Summer using patterns from your crafting library.  The idea being that everyone could choose the type of project they wanted to create, but they would be doing something that they forgot they wanted to do, when they bought either a book or a magazine.  I also thought it would be a great opportunity to knit from stash, as often those long owned patterns also have yarn bought for them to knit when you "have time" or when you are not distracted by the new and shiny!  I am tentatively proposing the start date of Saturday 31st August and running to Friday 1st October.

I'd love to know if anyone would want to join in with my Crafting Library KAL/CAL and if the dates would work.  I am not proposing to set any particular size restrictions on the projects so you could do a baby jacket or a blanket.  I would probably give (some small, probably from stash) prizes at the end of the KAL/CAL that would be drawn from anyone who posted a minimum of three photographic posts in the update thread on my boards.  I think, that way, people could join in, whatever the scale of the project and not feel annoyed that their blanket or huge sweater would take longer than the baby jacket or hat, knit by someone else.  I want people to work on the projects that interest them, not force them into knitting something that has to be completed by a deadline.

If you are interested in taking part, or have any thoughts on what I have suggested, then please go over to the Ravelry Board and join in the discussion on the thread.

And if all that wasn't enough food for thought, you can click on the button to find out what everyone else is working on!

I have PHOTOS!!!

Yes, you read correctly - I have actually taken some photos.  You must forgive me when I show you them, as I could not face modelling my knits as it is much more hard work using the timer and tripod than it is to use a coat hanger.  As these were not "ta dah" type photos, I was fairly sure you would forgive me ;-)

As this is the first blog in ages with photos, I am pleased that I am doing it on a Wednesday so I can hook up with the linky party on Tami's Amis & Other Creations.  By the way, have you seen her scrummy new yarn website, Candy Skein - NOM!  I wish I were richer!  To look at our other lovely friends' blogs, click on the button below, there are lots of great blogs that take part in this hook up, please check them out.

So back to my recent knitting.  The Recovery Sweater, has stalled of late, as I seem to be hypnotized by the Wrapigan.  However, before I stalled I got this far:

All I need to do is pick up the armholes and knit the cuffs.  Its a stupid place to stop, but I can't face the picking up of the correct number of stitches.  I could get it finished in an evening, but like I said before, I've been hypnotized.  Plus I'm not sure what to do with the neck line.  It is meant to be the same as the hem, which looks like this:

The hem sits nicely, and I think it might be because I knit more than half an inch, unlike the pattern instructions.  It also only has to hang straight down.  The top edge, however, falls downwards.  I think if it still happens after blocking, I will have to crochet the edge with a slightly smaller hook to help it pull towards the inside, instead of the outside.  I really must pull my finger out and get this top finished as the fabric is lovely.

Going on to the hypnotizing Wrapigan, I can't seem to stop knitting this hugely long rows.  They pull me ever onwards.  I have been listening to some audio books and this pattern seems to suit being read to as an accompaniment!  I have got a good long way through this garment.

I am alternating skeins every two rows to ensure there is no glaring change in dye, however you can see that the top part of the garment is slightly darker than the bottom half.  I suppose that this is the nature of the kettle dyed yarn, no two skeins will ever be same, and that is part of it's beauty.

I am really like how the fronts on this garment are shaped.  I did the neck shaping on the fly, increasing as I saw fit, simply mirroring on both sides.

I need to knit around another 3" to get the length right.  I keep trying the garment on to gauge length, and I want it to sit flush with a seat, at the back, when I am sitting down, to stop drafts!

I don't know how much yarn I'll have left to make sleeves, and I'm half inclined to leave the sleeves short.  Maybe I'll just knit both sleeves at the same time, until I run out of yarn.  I would like to put an i-cord cast off on all edges, and applied i-cord on the cast on edge and the wrap edges.  I think this will give a really nice finish and weight the wrap edges so they fall better.  If I run out of this yarn, I have a skein of Araucania Ranco Solid in a shade of dark grey that may work for the i-cord edgings, if necessary.

Before the lure of the Wrapigan got me, I was addicted to my new Ribbed Leg Socks.  The colour of this yarn is so happy and sunny, it cheered me up so much when I came out of hospital.  Plus you can't go wrong with miles of endless stocking stitch on teeny needles, when you want to lull your brain into submission.

The rib pattern is very simple, K2, P1 and repeat forever!  I really want to make these into knee high socks, which I haven't worn since I was a teenager.

I am getting to the point when I think I'm going to have to do some increases as the ribbing is getting a little tighter as works it's way up my calves.  Making increases in stitch counts will require decisions to be made and maths to be done, so I've sort of cast these socks aside for now.  Like I said, the Wrapigan is all encompassing at the moment, but I'm sure I'll get back to other knits shortly.

I haven't worked on any other knits at all, except these three, since my last update.  Hopefully as life gets a bit more back to normal and my social life resumes I will be doing more mindless knitting out and about, and I will have more brain power to use for making decisions when I'm at home alone.  I guess we shall see what happens, this time next week, won't we ;-)

Work in Progress Wednesday

This week I feel like I have made good progress on my projects.  My socks are coming on brilliantly.  I am on to the leg, which I started at home because it looked a bit tricky.  I was glad I did start it at home because it was a bit tricky to start off, but I think I have my head around it now.  I think it will be ok to take it out and about again.

Here is a close up so you can see how the stitch pattern works.

The pattern is created by wrapping six stitches twice, by sliding the stitches back and forth and moving the yarn round them.  Then the stitches are knit in the pattern.  It creates a kind of smocking effect.  I've never used this technique before but I like how it looks.  It is time consuming though, so it might take longer to do the leg than the foot.

The wrap I started last week has grown really quickly too.

I'm surprised how much progress I've made because I had to frog almost as much as I knit.  This is why I am now using life lines.  It is much easier to rip back to a life line than it is to unravel 4 or 5 rows stitch by stitch.  It annoys me how many mistakes I have been making as it is a really easy lace pattern, that I don't even need to look at the instructions for.  It is ingrained in my head, but if I get distracted it can go wrong really easily and throw the whole thing out.  I don't seem to notice the mistake for a few rows which is very annoying.  I am now checking each lace row after it is finished, as it saves time in the long run.

 
I think this garment will be sooooo wonderful when it is finished.  However this project has taken a bit of a back seat the last couple of days because I have become obsessed with the Heliotropic Pullover.

There is something so hypnotic about this stitch pattern.  I can't seem to stop myself.

This photo was taken yesterday I and I have done another 10-12 rows since then.  Soon I will be finished with this interesting pattern and will join up the arms and start the boring bit, which is when I will be forced to set it aside until I got into hospital.  I know that I am going to find it really hard to resist finishing the pullover, because I really love it and want to wear it NOW!

So those are the projects I have on the go at the moment.  I am enjoying all three a great deal.  I love it when that happens, that all the projects are at interesting stages, though it does make it difficult to chose which one to do.  The pullover seems to be winning my time at the moment. 

Just a quick reminder that you have a few more days to enter my competition, as it closes on Friday, 25th March at 0900 UK time.   Please go and check out this post and see if you want to enter in order to help the people of Japan.  You could win this little guy.

If you interested in reading about other people's work to get some inspiration or just to be nosy, click on the button below.

Ill Fitting Bamboo

After the success of my previous Summer knit, I thought I would have another go. I had managed to obtain some Rowan Bamboo Tape, from the wonderous Kemps. It was 69p a ball and I couldn't resist.

I really love the colourway, it's called Gale. After some humming and haaing about what to make with my bargain I was given the pattern book for the yarn, "The Bamboo Tape Collection" from Rowan. I was stuck for choices and even went back and bought some more yarn to make another of the patterns I liked. I finally settled on Haru (Ravelry Link) for this yarn though. As I am currently losing weight I made the next size down than the one I should have done. Apparently this wasn't enough.

As you can see, the 4lbs I lost during this knit have made the already generous ease of this garment, ridiculously huge.

The minimal shaping is practically non-existent on me. I know I have a large bust, but you don't expect your waist to totally disappear in a garment!

The top slid so far down at the front, every time I leaned forward, my underwear was exposed. To avoid this I have knitted a strap about an inch in depth, with the same number of stitches as the neckline. I have used seed stitch to try and keep the strap from stretching too much. I have attached the strap just behind my neck, which has created quite a low back. I quite like the look.

This garment is incredibly comfortable and cool but it really is far too big. I doubt I will wear it out in public much. I must remember that when I knit the next garment, in this yarn, to make it a size down.

I have now decided to wait until next Summer to knit any more garments for myself, as hopefully by then I will have stopped shrinking quite so quickly. I still like the pattern and the yarn, but this style really does nothing for me. I will wear it for the rest of this Summer and then probably I will rip it up and start again with something different. Next time I will make sure that the stitch counts will add up to my body shape!

Back to Knitting

I am so excited about showing you my new knit. I didn't share it with you while I was knitting it, because I wanted to do a big "ta-Dah!" when it was done. And I am now done! Actually I sewed in my last end of yarn on Saturday afternoon so I was able to wear it with my new skirt on Saturday night for my birthday dinner. It wasn't blocked but I was happy enough with it to wear it out. I have now blocked it, and oh what a difference it has made. I wish I had taken before and after photos but I didn't think it would change that much.

This knit uses Louisa Harding Jasmine in Plume, which I bought at a bargain price , in November. I have just checked and the offer is still on at Stash Yarns. They have some more yummy colours that I am really tempted to get after the success of this knit.

I used the Siesta pattern by Carol Feller as my base. It was published (for free) in the Summer 2009 issue of Knotions Magazine. The Ravelry pattern page is here, if you are interested. I used this pattern as a starting point as I had never knit a top down raglan sweater before and knew I needed some guidance. I chose this pattern because I wanted a v-neck tee and I really liked the cables round the neck and the i-cord edging.

I knew that I didn't want to use the pattern as written, as I believed the reverse stocking stitch panel over my tummy would just draw attention to my bulges, especially as when my tummy swells up on a bad pain day, I would just look even more pregnant than the swelling normally does. I decided to follow pumpkinknits suggestion and simply carry the central cable down the front.

I also made the sleeves slightly longer as I don't think short capped sleeves look great on me. I also needed to lengthen the yoke part before dividing for the sleeves as I needed to account for my larger bust. The pattern recommends making the top with negative ease (smaller than your body) so it become figure hugging. I didn't want it to be too snug because I felt it would look better skimming my curves, especially with the silk content. Once I started messing with the stitch counts I basically abandoned the pattern and worked out the increases and decreases for myself so that the tee followed my shape rather than a standard one.

I am so pleased with the way the finished product looks, especially now it has been blocked.

I love the i-cord edging as I think it really gives a nice crisp line. This style does not want to be pulled about by ribbing or moss stitch at the edges to stop curling. I think this tee will be worn to death this summer, which is why I am tempted to buy some more of this lovely yarn. The silk and cotton combination is so light and cool to wear, and it drapes beautifully. It skims my curves which hides any lumps but enhances my overall shape. I am very pleased with this make and will definitely be trying more raglan tops, because they suit me more than I imagined they would.

I can also report that this top was knit continential style again, and it really does speed up my completion rate. The knit fabric is also becoming more even, though it may be some time before it becomes as neat as my English style knitting is. I highly recommend giving this style of knitting a go if you feel you have hit a wall, speedwise, with English style knitting.