Hex Update

After finally getting all my holiday knitting done, I've been able to get back to the Hex Coat. I have both fronts done and am starting on the back panel.

If you notice, I have modified the pattern a bit. I'm curvy and don't like boxy clothes so I've modified the sides a bit. I've also shortened the coat to be more of a jacket. Here's where I am now:

To keep track of the increases and the decreases on the hex boarder, I put a marker 10 stitches in and increase and decrease the required 5 stitches. It definitely helped me keep track. I also had two different colored markers so I could keep track of which side of the knit I was on. This was important because Moss Stitch wasn't easy for me to keep up with initially. Color coding the markers definitely helped. (Red on the right: do the opposite of what's on the needles. Blue on the right: match what's on the needles).

After looking at the photo of my knitting, it looks like I may need to redo the first panel (the left one) as I wasn't quite into the zen of keeping track of my rows. I have it down to a science now. I'll wait until after the back panel is done to determine which panel matches the back the best.

Since I've been working with this heathered gray, though, I'm getting a little tired with the color. I seriously want some color added to this, so I'm thinking about making the hex's in a self striping color. There was some beautiful stuff at a local yarn store that just may work out.

Oh, and I've been a little irritated with the Reynolds yarn company. Some of the balls towards the end of them have small pieces just laying on top of each other. This yarn lends itself very well to the spit splice, I just don't want to have to splice in every yard. (I exaggerate, but it was a bit rude to have to keep splicing pieces in).

Latest FO

Finished with the Kureyon Bubble Pullover! It was a really fun knit; I made a few modifications detailed on my blog

Knitting Mojo is BACK!

After all my whining and moaning about this scarf over the past few weeks I thought it's only fair that I showed you some pics of the finished object.

It's going to be on its way to the UK as soon as the Aussie Day long weekend's over! (After all the rush to get it finished I couldn't get to the Post Office today because of work commitments... sigh.)

And here are the project details if anyone's interested...

Project: Phylotaxis Scarf from Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan (obviously)
Yarn: 6 balls of Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed in Autumn
Needles: 5mm and 5.5mm
Started: Christmas Eve 06
Finished: 25th Jan, 07

Brief description: The scarf is knitted as a tube with an 80 stitch, 20 round pattern repeat. Sounds scary but after a few repeats it's obvious where the pattern's going and you can pretty much ditch the chart. (Although it's a good idea to check every few rows as mistakes are a pain to fix because the twist stitches are hard to undo and redo.)

Basically the pattern is formed using 'twist' stitches (same technique as in the Asymmetrical Cardigan) to create a lattice pattern that spirals up the scarf without any breaks. The continuous spiral is created by knitting an extra stitch (i.e. K81) in the even rounds so the pattern repeats (done in the odd rounds) shift and move diagonally up the scarf. It's pretty clever and what drew me to the pattern in the first place.

The Experience: I really enjoyed this at the start. The formation of the pattern is interesting to watch, and once you get the hang of the pattern, it's pretty mindless TV-friendly sort of a project.

However, because it's knitted in the round, it takes twice as long to get the length you want and I was bored by the time I was halfway through. Admittedly I do have the attention span of a gnat so this may not be a universal problem.

Also I used Addi Turbos which are great needles in general, but the tips were just too blunt for doing the twist stitches. I think this is going to my last project with these types of stitches for a while.

Bye Bye Scarf Of Death

Last night I finally finished the Scarf of Death.

After my last post, I completely lost steam on the Scarf and procrastinated for a few days without knitting a SINGLE stitch on it. Instead, I started knitting a pair of socks, which amazingly, made me SO HAPPY.

Of course it didn't help that it was 40+ degrees C in Sydney over the weekend and our air-conditioner gave up and died. The SoD is one heavy and WARM project so I couldn't really work on it. (Come to think of it, I don't even know if it gets cold enough in London, where the SoD is going, for it to be worn. Oh well, it's going regardless.)

Last night, I picked it up again and two eps of The West Wing later, realised I had actually made it past the required 60 inches. All I needed was the final 10 rounds of garter stitch. So off I went to finish it off in bed, while listening to Cast-On. (It was the episode hosted by Dave from Chub Creek WAY back from series 1 btw. And it was hilarious.)

Anyway when I finished I thought I needed to record this momentous occasion. (Yep, that's Jerms asleep in the background.) Clock says 1.35am.

Oh and that's when I decided to block the bloody thing.


So a couple buckets of wool wash and about 5 towels later... here it is on our dining table. Clock says 2.10am. I'm mad, I know. And on a work night too.

Hopefully by the time I get home tonight, it'll be dry and I can post it in the morning. I actually can't wait to send it overseas. I think it's affecting my knitting mojo.

Thanks for putting up with me again. Night guys.

Scarf of Death

Remember this post?

Well the Phylotaxis Scarf, better known as the Scarf of Death, is still not finished.


I was supposed to post it this week so it'll get to the UK in time for my friend's birthday on the 30th but it's not going to make it.

I do love the pattern and everything but people, if you're going to knit a scarf as a tube, THINK TWICE! This is like knitting two identical scarves, and for someone with a fairly short attention span, I just don't know what possessed me.

My knitting skills are also regressing (probably cos' I'm SO BORED after 50 inches of what started out as a really interesting pattern). I have been making exactly one mistake a day for about 2 weeks now, which means ripping and re-knitting, EVERY SINGLE DAY!

On a good day I'll find the mistake early and just have to undo a few stitches. On a bad day, I'll end up with an extra stitch about 5 inches down.

Normally I would correct every mistake because I won't be able to live with it otherwise but at one point I really couldn't work out where I'd picked up an extra stitch so I did a naughty and just K2tog. It's not even visible but I KNOW IT'S THERE and it'll haunt me for the rest of my life. At least this one is going overseas....

Phew. I'm glad I got that off my chest. Thanks guys, I feel better.

Hex Coat

I've re-started my Hex Coat attempt. Here's where I am - just starting out.

Bubble Pullover Done!

i finally finished the bubble pullover and my kitty likes it!

see pattern notes and more pictures on my blog

Asymmetrical Cardigan yarn suggestions?

Hi everyone,

I'm trying to find some alternatives to the yarn suggested in the book. Could y'all put on your thinking hats and send me a few suggestions? I'm a big gal and would need to knit the largest size if I use the intended gauge. However, if someone has some ideas for using slimmer yarn and can offer some assistance is working with the pattern I'd be in your debit!

Thanks,

Charity

littlebittyknits@yahoo.com

New Errata

Hi All ~ I just got an email from the Yahoo KN group with a second set of errata. It is 3 pages long (small font). I don't think I should post it all here, but hopefully it can be added to the errata section of this kal.

I'm back to my Asym Cardi, btw. I put it down for holiday knitting but it is at the top of the heap again, and I hope to finish it before spring (ha-ha).

Tree

Slowly but Shirley

I'm such a cheeseball. Sorry kids.

Well, I've been knitting the Reflection Aran pullover for my brother. It was supposed to be a Christmas gift, but he got a mini sweater instead. So I'm still chugging along on the sweater. In fact, just this evening I finished the second sleeve. Here is where I was a couple of days ago (sorry, it's not my best photographic moment, but the light here is kinda iffy):



Here you can see the back and one and three quarters of a sleeve. I'm knitting it in Knit Picks Swish Superwash in the color way Deep Ocean on size fours. Yup, that's right folks. Size FOURs. I guess I knit my cables really loosely. ANYWAY. You'll notice if you click on that link that the color way is so popular that they won't have any to sell until 1/19/07. This would be great...if I weren't already running out of yarn for the sweater. I've only got about four and a half skeins left, which is NO good since the back is a lot less intricate and took me about five skeins in and of itself. I'm thinking I will need to reorder, and while I decided that I don't care anymore about the dye lots matching (because he's a guy, he won't know!), it still means that I need to actually procure more of this yarn.

Sigh. The things I do for my brother. Oh, and the yarn is making three of my fingers on my right hand turn blue. I just hope the sweater doesn't make him look like Grover when it's done with him.

Still there, peoples?

Happy new year, knitalongers!

I started my 2nd Knitting Nature project over our Christmas break up in hot & humid Far North Queensland. Not the best knitting weather, trust me!

It's the Phylotaxis Scarf using Jo Sharp Silkroad DK Tweed in Autumn. This picture was taken outside our cabin at Palm Cove - you can just see a bit of the lush tropical trees outside.

The scarf is going to be a birthday/belated Christmas present for my best friend in London. I've got less than 2 weeks to finish it - think I'll make it? (Bearing in mind I do have a day job and a life!)

So far I'm about a fifth of the way there. Didn't really get much done while on holidays as we were having too much FUN!

Read about our Great Barrier Reef & Daintree adventure on my blog!