More Bliss...

As promised, more pics* from the World of Bliss.



A view of the cardigan back, showing fab cabling detail. See the way all those bobbles are receeding into the background? I think they call that adding perspective or something in the art world. Anyway, they're lovely. (Eagle-eyed viewers will see that there's something in the basket at TIK on 1/2 price sale. A bargin. Get down there, I'll wait. You back yet? OK)

And that's my new cosy jacket that I'm wearing (from Dunnes Stores). I needed something to wear at work that doesn't look dipped in baby spit and domestic chaos crumpled. Smart innit? You can't knit your WHOLE wardrobe.




Here's the cardigan back with the left front piece draped artfully across it. Those cables are quite seductive. If they could, they'd wink at ye. 'Come up and knit me sometime'.....they say.

Even more eagle-eyed viewers will notice that I have ommitted the bobbles all the way up the front. This is because while they serve a purpose on the back, by creating a lovely vertical line and giving the back detail an almost Tudor-like feel...well. ..I ...actually ...hate ...bobbles. Seriously. Hate 'em.

Hate knitting 'em. After all it's the knitting equivalent of running on the spot. All that knitting and knitting and turning the piece around and around, and no progress.

At least on the back I won't have to look at 'em. I permitted them to remain on the front insofar as the cable detail requires them, but I wasn't about to let them creep all the way up towards my neckline-view. Nasty bobbly things! Go 'way! And they were just too much with the button band as well. Trust me.

So...what happened next? Well, I spent HOURS picking up stitches for the button bands. I dislike knitting button bands almost as much as bobbles. (Jeez, I sound like a very grumpy knitter, but I'd honestly rather knit a 3rd sleeve than a buttonband. Go on, admit it. You feel the same.) It took 3 or 4 attempts before the 129 stitches were picked up evenly on one side but mercifully the other side was quicker.

And remarkably, the bands look ok. No flaring to speak of.

Progress on the cardigan has been halted due to the gift knitting. 3 or 4 pairs of mittens and a lacey drawstring bag.

More pics, you've guessed it...

...later.

* These pics also courtesy of the Lovely Lisa of TIK.

.

Introducing the Jolly Green Giant

.
The Jolly Green Giant (JGG) is (or will be) a large, green aran sweater for my Dad. When I say it's green, I mean that it's really really really green. The greeniest green there is. And nothing subtle about it. Kermit the Frog is a tasteful green alongside it.

Put it this way, when I showed it to Lovely Lisa in TIK last week she actually took a step backwards. She said nothing, (so polite) but a strange look passed over her face.

See, it's like this...

Some time ago I promised to make my Dad an aran jumper (that's a sweater for you non-Europeans). Make no mistake, as a lifelong knitter he's more than capable of making his own jumper, and indeed he often has. And wonderful colourful creations they are too. I'll show you sometime.

This, however, is a labour of love for me and a small payback for the years of great knitting and Dad-ship he has given to me. As such, the yarn is entirely his own choice and I will knit it without dark glasses complaint*. Tho' I might stitch a message in the back 'My daughter knit me this sweater, but I chose the colour myself'.

Top left of picture is the scramble of yarn - it's a EuroBuster yarn, green of course.

Bottom left of picture is 8 inches or so of ribbing. After the ribbing I'm using a basic raglan pattern in a kind of waffle stitch/mistake rib with some cables and other do-dads to keep it interesting. Oh yes, and a Secret Surprise on the front. Not going to show that until it's finished.

Right of picture is a strip of sample rib stitches, starting with:

- Fisherman's Rib in 8mm (way too open),

- the same in 6mm (still not firm enough) and then

- a variation of a 3 stitch Mistake Rib, (think that's what it's called)

- followed by a 2 stitch Mistake Rib.

As you can see, the 3 stitch Mistake Rib was the winner. There's a heart there because there just is.

[Hah! Edited to add...looks like I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve! Ha hah hah! Sorry, I'm a bit sleep deprived. Everything is either terribly sad or hilarious.]

I've done about 8 more inches of the back, including some cables - more pics to come. It's pretty heavy already (especially since I've been knitting delicate little mittens for months) so I got some 6mm circulars (I love Addis) to replace the cumbersome No 6's in the photo. .

Big improvement.

.

It's still green tho'.

.

Editor: Not another word about the colour. From now on, it's all about the knitting, right?

.

DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMN DAMMIT!

There's no easy way to say this folks, so I'll just spit it out.

Or maybe I'll just spit!

I've always wondered how typos occur in published knitting patterns.
I mean, surely they're checked and proofread very carefully?

The answer is Human Error. Specifically, MY human error.

It breaks my heart that there's a significant typo in the pattern for Ms Pottern Mittens as published in Yarn Forward Magazine - in the text as provided by me in the 1st instance. I cannot BEAR to think of the poor knitters struggling witih incomprehensible instructions and cursing me and the horse I rode in on.

I've been that knitter. We've all been that knitter.

Basically the instructions for the thumb gusset places the gusset between the 1st and the 2nd dpns in every odd round and between the 2nd and 3rd dpns in even rounds. Can you IMAGINE the confusion? The instructions for K13 and K26 in the even rounds need to be transposed. There are some other typos too, but not as serious as this one.

Kerrie (who publishes the magazine) was very kind about it, which I really appreciate. It happens apparantly, but I feel TERRIBLE about it and apologise most deeply and sincerely to anyone effected.
Errata will be published on the magazine website and included with future copies of the magazine.

The magazine is lovely, by the way. Great production values, clear layout and some good articles etc. The photos of the mittens are terrific and I was sooooo proud of the pattern. It just kills me to think of the pain in store for the unsuspecting knitter. Arrrrgh!

If anyone has any questions on the pattern or any other issues, please email me at Nicknits AT gmail DOT com. I'll publish errata here shortly.

All I can do is fall on my needles and beg the mercy of the court.

.

Dyelot 54 Where Are You?

There's a hold-up in the Bronx,
Brooklyn's broken out in fights.

There's a traffic jam in Harlem,
That's backed up to Jackson Heights.

There's a scout troop short a child,
Khrushchev's due at Idlewild...

Car 54 where are you?

Well I'll explain for all you young things out there that 'Car 54 Where Are You?' was a tv programme broadcast in the early '60s and repeated by Radio Telefis Eireann later on.

I notice from the lyrics (via Google, I love Google) that Idlewild Airport had yet to be renamed after John F. Kennedy - so that dates it pre 1963 for sure. Not tellin' ya my status in 1963, but I wasn't watchin' telly, that's for sure.

As you can see from the pic they were a pair of goofballs cops, a bit like Laurel and Hardy - but funnier. I was knee-high to a grasshopper watching it but I do remember the theme song (above) and the canned laughter.

It belongs with Wanderly Wagon and The Magic Roundabout in my early TV memories. Oh yes, and Charles Mitchel reading the news.

And Hall's Pictorial Weekly!



Anyway...Dyelot 54 where are you?

Right here...!

Picture courtesy of Fairy Godmother Lisa at TIK. Thanks Lisa!

So our Fairytale had a happy ending after all! Thanks to the Fairy Godmothers of course.

Not a dry eye in the house I betcha.

More progress pics next post.

.

Voluntold

Voluntold! Hah! What a fabulous word!

While browsing Grumperina's blog I followed a link to this knit beauty. Isn't that jacket something else? It's Ram's Horn Jacket from Norah Gaughin's Knitting Nature. Must get a look at that book sometime.

And on top of that, right at the bottom the piece, the writer mentions in passing that she got a friend to model the jacket and took the photos herself, instead of modelling herself and trying to direct the photography at the same time, or modelling the jacket on a dress form. Very useful tip.

But the real gem of the piece? She V O L U N T O L D the friend that she would be the model. Isn't that a great word?

Any other new words you've found in the blogosphere?


.

The suspense....

...is killing me!

The Lovely Lisa (aka Fairy Godmother) of TIK has emailed to say that they have located some of the missing Dyelot 54!!! I believe they had to send knights into enchanted lands to fight dragons and witches, but they have returned triumphant!

Thanks Fairy Godmothers!













I can hardly believe it. In fact I won't actually believe that the dyelot is the very very very very same until I can get into TIK later this week and check. My first chance to do that will be Wednesday lunchtime.

Go on, admit it.

You're curious too, aintcha?

.

So where do you keep your Beach Knitting?

In your hat of course. * Seriously. In your hat. So portable. It fits nicely in your bag and while you're knitting you can pop the hat on your head. It's perfect.


And what was the beach knitting?

A perfectly portable pair of Ms Potter Mittens.

Two pairs actually. The darker pair (left of hat) is knitted in Rowan Tapestry colour Pot Pourri.

The lighter pair (right of hat) is knitted in Sublime Kid Mohair shade 025. It's a more subtle colour than appears here - a lovely dusky pearly greyish pink.

Since the Sublime yarn is a more glamorous option, (soft and mo'hairy - mo hairy - more hairy, geddit?) I decided to go for a longer length at the wrist, and a flare/ruffle effect. I included an eyelet row after the flare which eventually will get a ribbon - when I find the perfect shade. 1st stop in the ribbon hunt will be the Fabric Gallery in the Arcade in Bray.



Pretty innit?

And yes, knickers did come on holiday too, as well as knitting.

* Photos courtesy of my lovely friend and colleague Elena visiting From Madrid - Muchos Gracias Elena!

.