Knitting by Candle Light

I love knitting lace but over the last couple of years I've discovered that much as I like the idea of it, I don't enjoy using laceweight. I do love sock yarn though and there are so many beautiful yarns out there. I always think that it's a shame to hide them away in your shoes though. If you buy something that pretty, why not show it off?

So, this is a little something that I've been working on for a while and when the lovely ladies from my knitting group offered to test knit my latest pattern, who was I to say no? So with extra thanks to Christine for knitting and modeling the two versions pictured, I bring you my Candle Light Shawl.

I designed it to be made from one 100g skein of yarn, you know one of those pretty indie dyed ones that we all love (mine included!). Why hide it when you can wrap yourself up in it and show it off? It's quite a simple lace pattern to remember and so it's a great pattern even if you're just starting out knitting lace. Maybe I'm overdoing the enthusiasm a little but it's my pattern and I do rather like it, I hope you will too. If you want to knit it yourself you can buy the pattern for £2.50 through Ravelry. Here's a little link that should take you there, whether you're a rav user or not.

The pink version was knitted in the Natural Dye Studio Nino using 4mm needles and the pewter coloured one was made from Posh yarn Lei on 3.5mm. They're both beautiful but completely different in size. It always amazes me how much difference needle size can make to lace, personally I like to use 5mm with sock yarn as I like mine nice and open. It all comes down to personal preference though. Anyway, happy knitting :)

On the needles

So in between trying to get everything updated for the shop, getting ready for the start of the new term and dealing with "the family" and what could turn be an ongoing problem with my grand parents, sometimes I do actually knit.

I managed to get my parcel posted finally for the UK Swap and the best news is that Caroline seems to be quite pleased with it. I forgot to take a picture of the bits before I posted it but if you wander past her blog here, you can take a look.

Having been bought a set of Addi Lace needles (thanks again Machelle), I've also rediscovered my love for the Mystery Shawl. I fixed the mistake and it's now going swimmingly. Well, fudged the mistake would probably be a better description. Having unpicked it and redone the increase row twice already there was no way on this earth I was going to do it again. Two extra stitches? no problem! A couple of discreetly placed extra decreases later and I defy you to find the "corrections". I have also discovered though that while I can sit and knit lace in front of the tv, taking it along to SnB is one step too far. We gossip too much for me to concentrate! Also, (sorry I'm wittering on a bit tonight) you see that tucked under the shawl? I finally got my sticky mitts on a copy of A Gathering of Lace and I am so going to have to find the money and buy a copy - it's superb! I'm always a bit reluctant to just send away for books as I like to know I'm actually going to get some use out of them first. The local book shops will always order things in but they don't carry a stock of knitting books, Colchester is obviously considered just a bit too provincial and probably not trendy enough. So I now have another whole set of things to add to my to do list.

More often these days I spin or dream about spinning. My latest ram raid on the Essex library service netted me these and I've been devouring them ever since. I would dearly love to buy a wheel but I just can't justify it at the moment. Unfortunately there are too many other things that have had to take priority (grr, Clarkes shoes!) and there's also the possibility of a trip to Australia in the next few months. Just the small matter of cutting through the bureaucratic nightmare that is our education system to make it actually happen. So anyhow I've been investigating the possibility of actually making one myself. I think I need to do a bit of further investigation but it could happen. Maybe. That is if I can resist the lure of ebay and the chap who's selling reconditioned Louet's and I can get over the "I want it and I want it now" thing that I have going on at the moment.So while I wait for my newest parcel of fibre to arrive, here's some progress pictures. Singles number two and three from the spindle. I still haven't plied these yet as they are so completely different and I also got sidetracked by the rest of the undyed Corriedale that came with this. I was in the middle of sorting out the stuff for my swap parcel when I suddenly thought, I know why don't I dye it and spin it up. After having a bit of a panic that I'd felted it by accident (I was probably being a bit impatient about it drying) it actually turned out rather nicely. When my new fibre arrives I think I might try and repeat this colourway or something similar to it for myself.

Swaps again and goodies for me!

I mentioned that I got a parcel last week as part of the last AY Knitting Forum swap, well here's mine in all it's glory. (I did battle with the camera and won) Look, I got goodies! There's a beaker with sheep on it, some pencils with more sheep. A big fluffy pen, some nail varnish with spangles in and some of my favourite chocolate, mint Green and Blacks! It was all wrapped up beautifully and tucked into the bottom was a fabulously soft green lace scarf. I will have to try and get a better picture because it's really hard to capture the colour which is a very deep green/blue. Will have to check what yarn Ruth used as it's lovely and if I get over my phobia of lace weight, I might have to get some more.

Thanks again Ruth :D

It's a mystery

Having not completed last year's mystery shawl you might think it's a bit strange that I've signed up for another. This time around it's the Goddess Knits shawl and it's going to be a bit of a challenge. It's a Pi shawl, so not only will it be my first attempt at a circular shawl, it means getting to grip with laceweight. I hate to be beaten by anything and it was hard to admit last year that I was never going to finish the swan lake stole. Largely I put it down to my dislike of the yarn (jojoland Harmony) once I started knitting it. Well, less the yarn and more the colour I was using, it was a bit insipid. So remembering that I had a skein of screaming red lane bogosesia stashed away I decided to give it another whirl. I did a swatch and settled on 3mm needles and here we are with Clue 1 completed. (I opted for Chart A for those in the know) You can see from the number of stitch markers, I wasn't brave enough to just knit.

Now I'm part way through Clue 2, I'm becoming a bit braver and have reduced the number a bit. However, I'm beginning to wonder whether I should have used a smaller sized needles after all? I know lace is supposed to have holes but I really have holes! Arrgh. I think maybe I'm just a little too far out of my comfort zone.

FO - Socks of Kindness

I have new socks! Fabulously bright and funky socks.The pattern: Socks of Kindness by Chawne
Yarn: Opal Neon (blue/pink/red) 4ply
Needles: 2.5mm BB DPNs

The verdict - I love them! The pattern has a very easy to remember repeat and copes well with the very bright yarn. It'd be a great introduction to lace socks for a beginner. The writer describes the pattern as a recipe and although she suggests you use a short row heel, I decided to knit a heel flap instead and it works fine.

FO - Forest Canopy No 3

Two finishes in one day, well almost. It's more a case of it's nice camera friendly weather today, a quick respite between this weeks gales and the rain that's forecast for the weekend. So here in all it's glory is the latest of my Forest Canopy shawls and once again, it's for someone else. sigh Modelled by the mighty midget in his usual cheeky style. This time around I'm using some 4ply out of my own dye pots in a rather nice shades of blue, purple and mauve. I do have virtually a whole skein of this left and as there's not going to be quite enough for another shawl, it'll probably end up as socks. I think I might have to repeat this colourway as it came out really well and I have some rather nice undyed merino 4ply lurking in my stash. Back to the shawl, after blocking it measures 56" x 25" (or in new money that's 142 x 64cm) which works out to thirteen pattern repeats plus the edging - two more repeats than the original pattern. Shame I have to give it away really, I'd better wrap it up quick before I change my mind.

FC Blocked and some socks

All blocked and ready to wear, well once the ends are darned in. The final dimensions came in at 1.7m x 76cm (or in old money 67" x 30"). It's pretty big and long enough to reach my fingertips with both arms outstretched. Fab!

Am already considering another one but I think perhaps, I should try another lace project first.

Oh and a close up.

My Tabi socks are coming on nicely too.
The first is finished and have now cast on for the second. I'm pretty pleased with them and using the stripey yarn like this, you definately don't need either the intarsia or the false button flap at the back.
Although the colours work together nicely, they wouldn't be my first choice if I was knitting them for me. I think my sis will be pretty pleased with them although mum commented again the other evening that she couldn't see the point of knitting them. I'm not entirely sure whether she means socks in general or just this particular pair!

Lorna's Baby Shawl

Here's the first pictures of the baby shawl I'm making for my friend. She's due in May so I have about another month to get it completed. I looked through all my baby patterns (I have lots of "vintage" pattern books) but I couldn't find one I liked and as I couldn't find one online either, I decided to make one up. I'm using Sirdar Baby Bonus 4ply in a lovely lemon yellow, it's very soft and snuggly and washing machine safe.

I keep seeing all these cute photos of babies posing on top of fabulous circular shawls - I don't remember DS ever being like that so what on earth makes me think that other people babies are like that, I don't know! Anyhow, I decided to make a round shawl with a sort of pinwheel effect in the centre. Once it's big enough the plan is to knit a lacy border around the edge. Simple enough you would think (and it is knitting up nicely if I say so myself) but I'm being hampered by the fact my needles are too short already and it only measures about 10" diameter atm!

Forest Canopy KAL

My Forest Canopy shawl finally complete and blocked. I've really enjoyed knitting up this pattern and I'm sure it won't be long before I do another. It's a really quick knit and the pattern is far simpler than I had originally thought - it's certainly very effective. I think I might use some of the yarn from my first dye batch to do a second.

Here's the pint sized model showing how charming he can be. Must be something about boys. Anyhow I think it actually fits him far better than me - even with the 3 extra pattern repeats. I've decided that I like my shawls to be big. Will just have to do another!

I have already got another lace project on the go. I forget who warned me that lace is addictive but they were certainly right! One of my old school friends is expecting so I've decided to knit her a baby shawl - it's lemon yellow, circular and I'm not using a pattern. I must be crazier than I thought - oh and my needles are not long enough already. Looks like I might be buying those Denises sooner rather than later although I have now discovered Knitpicks too. Pricey but far nicer looking - the Denises are definately ugly! It's a shame that there's not a home brand of these interchangeable needles as it's a bit of a pain having to get them shipped over.

Anyhow, back to the knitting and I must check up on the midget as it's all gone quiet.... I'm thinking I should probably be worried.