New Knitting Book

I can see a million new swatches on the horizon, well maybe not a million but lots.

My sister sent me a new book as a present.  "Book of Fair Isle knitting" by Alice Starmore.

I had mentioned that I wanted to learn how to do this method of knitting correctly and that it would be one of my goals for 2023.  I had knitted sweaters for my children with these patterns when they were children but I had just come up with my own methods, which I am sure wasn't right.  The jumpers looked quite good, but I know I didn't do it the right way and back then I didn't know of any books to look at, I knew nobody who could knit these patterns  and there wasn't any internet to Goggle it.

So I intend to start at page 1 and read every page and I will try to knit a swatch of every pattern.  There are a number of new techniques that I will have to master as well so I think that knitting swatches will be the way to go.  I'm looking forward to this new adventure and when I feel I am proficient enough I would like to knit this jacket.

Nothing like setting a high bar!

New Knitting

All the omens are looking good for starting this new piece.  Starting with the guage swatch.  The recommended needles worked perfectly.

This is Sarkle by Kate Davies.

It has such a pretty design around the neck.

I am not using the recommended wool, rather, some I bought from Bendigo Woollen Mills, hence my delight at the guage square working so well., sometimes that doesn't happen when you change the recommended wool.

There is no rush to get this finished and I intend to knit at night, when it is cooler, and listen to audio books from my Internet Archive site.  I'm staring with Fairy Tales.  Now, I know that sounds silly but I have found an audio book that has a whole lot of stories I have never heard before.

I listened to the first story whilst swatching, "Tom Tit Tot".  It is a Rapunsil type story but instead of a dwarf it has a small dark creature with a long tail.  I think that could be a medieval imp.  These originate from Germanic faith and stories ( Saxons?) and the imp was a small lesser demon.  These were not necessarily always evil.  Imps were often mischievous rather than evil or harmful.

I remember seeing this one in the Lincoln Cathedral you can read about him here.

MITTENS

I have finished my first pair of mittens made from a pattern I made myself.  They look terrible off the hand but fit like a glove on.  I feel so pleased with myself. 

 

So please in fact that I then went on line and had a look for patterns so I could work out how to improve them.  There are patterns everywhere out there in the ether.  This is a great basic pattern and comes in various sizes, (and it is free).

And I now realise that they are a great way to use up left over wool.  I wonder where I picked up the idea that gloves were better than mittens?  Somewhere in my childhood I suppose and I would love to learn how to knit gloves.  Especially those vintage ones that my great aunt knitted and won the glove knitting section of the Royal Easter Show in Sydney back in the 1950's.  But for know I will just feel pleased with myself and my current achievement.

Some old work

As I am spending so much time at my son's home I thought I would do some tidying up for them.  They are due to move into their new home in a few weeks time and have stuff everywhere.  Amongst this stuff was a quilt I made for him when he first left home.  I was into dying at the time and this was made from the samples that I had made.

Now this was over 20 years ago but the dyes still look good I'm pleased to say.  I knew I had put a label on the quilt with the date etc on it but...

Shows I need to sew the details on labels not just write them in fabric pen.

The next thing I found was an old knitted rug I made him.  The colours are really dated but the knitting is good.

I must say I was very chuffed to think that he had held onto these pieces for so long.

And while I was doing this Nugget gave me the  sweetest look.

Silly dog.

The all over club

To aid my learning of colour-work knitting I decided to join Kate Davies "All over club."

This club is about:

"Celebrating colour in our knitting. There will be weekly colour-work design releases, essays exploring colour in history, textiles and art, and blog posts from talented guest contributors well-known for their distinctive work. You’ll also gain an insider’s view of the creative process of working with colour, as we share charts, templates, palettes, and technical tips to help you create your own colour-work designs (or modify existing patterns)."  (Text from the Email.)

I have decided that I really want to learn how to knit colour work designs and this looks like a great way to get started on this.  I would also like to get a copy of the Philosopher's Wool Company video of how to knit 2 handed colour work.   Anne and Eugene were Canadian knitters and wool producers who made this  video.  Anne died in 2020 so I'm not sure how I will go about getting this.  I might find a pre-loved edition on-line?   Whilst looking for more information I see there are lots of videos about two handed colour work on You Tube. I might have to settle for that.

 

A wonderful discovery.

My sister, who is really into knitting, rang me to tell my about a You Tube podcast called "Fruity Knitting."   She was sure I would find it interesting.  This show started back in 2015 and she gave me a link to a current episode.  But, me being me, I went back to episode 1, because if it was any good I wanted to watch it in sequence, starting at episode 1.

She had watched several episodes of this show and noted the similarities to my early life and the life of Andrea the presenter, but didn't tell me this.   Andrea has lived a life as a classical musician before these pod-casts.  That was what I had planned for my life before I met my husband.  This might have been my life if I had kept on my original path.  It is rather strange to come to this realization.  A bit like that movie "Sliding Doors".  My sister, also didn't think I would go back to episode I, so she didn't tell me that Andrew would develop a fatal illness later on and die.  I had totally fallen for this lovely man and sat there and sobbed when I read this in the comments.  I thought about not watching it again, knowing what was coming in the future, but I have prepared myself for this now.  ( My friend Mary's 6 year old grand daughter has just been diagnosed with the same illness so she will walk this same path.)

This podcast has shown me knitting I haven't even imagined, starting with Alice Starmore. 

Where have I been not to know about this woman?  Her work is so beautiful and so revolutionary in many ways.  So, for Xmas and Birthday presents I have asked my family to give me money so that I can buy her Creative Course 1.  In this course your knit and embroider all of the hats below.  (I have one daughter, two grand daughters and three nieces one for each of them.)

This is going to be one of my major projects for 2023.

I don't think my life is going to be the same after finding this.

Frozen Planet 11

The weather has turned wet and cold here, just when I had changed over all my winter woollies.  Now which draw did I put those into?

Perfect weather for sitting knitting or watching TV but there is nothing on except football.  So, onto you tube.  Now, this isn't on yet but I am looking forward to it arriving.

Frozen Planet 11 and the music to accompany this clip is great.

 

I do love these videos when they come on TV.  A great excuse to sit and knit.

Knitting

After a month of searching for a pattern to knit a sweater for winter 2023 I have finally narrowed it down to two designs, both by Kate Davies.  I have a whole collection of her books but what I wanted wasn't in those.

I thought I had got "the one" but then she released another pattern that I like.  Now I have to decide which one I will knit.

I think that this is the No 1 contender.

But then she came up with this and I'm not sure.

I still have a month or so before I have to start but I think the first one would be less stressful as the pattern isn't so intense and I could put it down and still find my place.  But I do like that new pattern.

School Holidays

The island is full of holiday makers including my grand daughter Jasmine, who is staying with me for a couple of days.  She made pancakes for breakfast but hasn't learnt about cleaning up just yet.

She has finally got the hang of crochet and is busy making hats for her dolls one of which is my knitted izzie dolls.  She choose the colours of the wool and said "how long will it take?".

I sat up late and knitted it over night.

The look on her face made it well worth the effort.

I think I might try to knit elf ears on some dolls and I'm thinking hobbits as well. 

WIPW

I am working on quilting pieces to make project baskets.  There will be 5 baskets and each will feature a different quilting pattern.

These are really labour intensive and I started the process at my stitchie weekend up at Toowoomba.  I thought that I would achieve a lot more on these than I have.

Unreal expectations!

Still working on the dolls.  Have 12 sewn and stuffed and now need to add the faces and ears etc.  These are great little stress busters as I can knit them without thinking and then think when I have to do the finishing.

I'm not sure how to knit these ears.

And the pin cushions continue.