Introducing Trousseau

Well, the Secret Project is finally finished and off to its destination. I'll be sure to let you know when it's available for viewing. Hopefully soon.

Lots of progress to be seen on the Howth Vest. It is delightful to knit and is growing pretty well, despite the fine-ish needles.

Of course with a mere 3 WIPS on the needles (or is it more?) I had the itch for something new.

Introducing Trousseau by Carol Feller. I'm in need of something very special to knit for a friend and this just took my breath away.




Some big decisions were to be made tho'.

Starting with which yarn? You won't be shocked to hear that I already have rather a wide choice of yarn to consider, but having seen this lovely Storm Cloud* in Drops Delight a while back, this was an easy decision to make.



Next question(s): Big Shawl? Little Shawl? Single stranded? Double stranded? Poached or fried? (OK, so the last one has more to do with the fish than the knitting, but the decision had to be made all the same.)

Swatching** quickly brought me to the perfect choice.

*Ravelry link, but you can still view the pattern without a login

**more on swatching in another post. I have things to say.

Secret Project

Some time ago I tortured teased you about a new pattern coming soon.

Well. S'like this.

It is. And it isn't.

It did get finished. But it isn't coming soon.

It just didn't work out as well as I had hoped. It's not terrible, but it's not great either. I'm not anywhere near a proper designer by any means, but I did want it to a) fit and b) be easy to knit and c) look good.

I think I nailed c) as far as the colour choices go, but a) not so much. And it was a bit overcomplicated to hit b).

So it's back to the drawing board. I've an idea of what needs to be changed, so I'm not despairing. But I'm not Wonder Woman either, so it will just take a little more time.

Of course if I'd kept my mouth shut then I wouldn't have to say anything about it. Lesson learned.

.

Just because...

...it looks like nothing's going on around here,


...sounds like nothing's going on around here,


...seems like nothing's going on around here,


...that doesn't mean that nothing's going on around here.

Just so you know.


Knitting has stalled on the Shepherd's Sock Secret Project due to a greater deadline of the Christening Coat. Photos to follow when I manage to get my laptop and the camera and the cables all in the same room at the same time.




Recently we went to Palma Mallorca for a long weekend. It's a great city. I love it. Lovely architecture, access to beaches, wonderful shop fronts, winding little streets, old pedestrian areas (er, the areas are old, not the pedestrians - tho' there are a few wise old ancients here and there around the place).

I love the Cathedral area, and the walk up to the train station, and the panoramic train to Soller in the north of the island, and Soller itself, which has all the great elements of Palma listed above (including old pedestrians) but on a smaller more accessible scale.

The panoramic train itself is reason enough to go. We took it on a wet day and stormy day, with thunder and lightening around us as we chugged throurgh the mountains. Great fun.




Little Monkey left her mark.

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Secret Project Success

So...the Secret Knitting Project is completed and has been presented to it's new owner. She was delighted I'm glad to say.

It was a relatively easy task to turn this....



...into this...




And, what is it exactly?

Er...it's a Gift Bag / Evening Bag I guess. I presented it with a little candle inside, but my friend wants to take it on the town as an evening bag...or would if it was lined that is. (Note to self, line the bag.)

Like I said, it's essentially a swatch of Snowdrop Lace with some eyelets at the top followed by a flared edge with a picot finish. This pic gives a better view of the makings of it, tho' it's a little dark I know. A curse on Knitting Pictures, they're tricky, eh?



I did make many some mistakes but left them in for (hah!) authenticity as a handmade gift. And so's not to offend the Gods.

In this pic you'll notice that some snowdrops are not so much drops as drips...the top one is 2 rows shorter than the lower one. Dunno how that happened. I didn't think the lace definition was great in this yarn, but come to think of it I didn't block it due to lack of time.




And yes, I could've should've knitted it in the round but I was in a hurry and couldn't figure out how to convert the stitch pattern into the round easily. Would have been nice to avoid the pesky seams.

Anyway, I make no great claims for it as a work of art but my friend LOVES it, and HER friends were impressed. Now there's a result for a knitter.

Here you can see how luminous and lovely the yarn is (Louisa Harding Grace Silk & Wool). Not all of that sheen is the darned camera flash.



I mentioned that I'd learned something on this project. What on earth possessed me to create a double flare (i.e. increased in every stitch in 2 rounds, 1 round apart) on the edge of something that was going to be gathered?

Daft.

Mind you, it does make for a nice little posey at the top, n'est ce pas?

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Secret Christmas Project: _________ for _____________

I've just started on a Secret Christmas Project.

A lovely __________ for _________. I'm kinda making it up as I go along, but when all is revealed you'll see it's basically a matter of picking a lace pattern and making a smallish swatch and then fiddling about with it crafting skillfully until it's done.

I'm using some Louisa Harding Grace Silk & Wool which I scored at the Knitting & Stitching Show from yes, no prizes for guessing these people.

It's not the right yarn for the project yarn really, but I didn't know that until I'd started. And in any case my friend _________ just fell upon it and rubbed it against her cheek sighing in an unsuitable way, so I can't go wrong. I could just give her the ball and she'd be happy.

After being disappointed in the initial lace patterns I picked (I usually go for leaf motifs, but they just didn't show up) I finally plumped for Snowdrop Lace. This lace pattern doesn't show particularly well either, it's a tad fuzzy, and it really needs a bit more definition. Plus I had to go up a needle size to get any drape at all.

However, it's more than adequate for this project so Knit On MacNic.

So...it looks like I actually learned something, about the yarn and about the lace. And that this yarn would be better reincarnated as an item of clothing. It's super soft yet silky shiney too. Hmmm. Scarf? Mittens? A glamorous top? A Tudora? Perhaps if I go back down the needle size I went up. (If you follow me).

Because I also got these while I was at it, so there'll be something in it for me after all. Yay, result.

Secret Project

So...the knitting.

I do have something to show actually. Here's part of a Secret Project which will have to remain so for a couple more weeks. All I'll say for now is that there's some Regia Sock Yarn.

And, no. That's not a sock.

I don't do socks - although I get that they're nice and neat and portable an' all. And contain nice possibilities for stitches and challenges in a small do-able project.

Pomatomus anyone? Queen of Cups? and best of all...Twisted Flowers, and didja see these beauties from the talented Knitting Neels?

Hmmm, I could be tempted yet. Maybe I could do socks after all. One question to you folks who sock-it-to-'em. I just couldn't bear the saggy ankles thing.

Do they stay up? No really, do they?