On the Needles

Mallard socks [Started 20th December]

This is another "birds" colourway in WYS Signature 4 Ply [75% Wool / 25% Nylon: 100g=400m] I bought (see below), which I bought at John Lewis in Kingston. This sock, along with the seemingly endless mending of sock heels, (essentially reknitting the heel and grafting it in) will see me through to the end of the year - and beyond.

Last of the Austermann Socks 2018 [Started 1st December: :Completed 9th December]

I have started on my final 2018 Austermann Step socks from the Love Knitting package.
Colour 88 Nautilus Maskulin "sea and shore" I think. [100g=420m : 75% wool/25% nylon with Aloe Vera and Jojoba oil].

Heirloom Shawl [Started 12th September: :Completed 26th November]

I don't always try out the free vintage patterns I put on line, trusting that they are properly written (and in some cases adding corrections to glaring errors if I see them). However I have had a number of queries about the Heirloom Shawl over the years, so I thought it was about time I made it, knitting from my own instructions. Our neighbours are expecting the proverbial bundle of joy in January which gives me a good opportunity along with plenty of time. I'm using King Cole Baby Comfort 3 ply [60% Acrylic / 40% Nylon: 100g=670yds/616m]

Soumak Wrap [Started 26th August: :Completed 23rd November]

This is a Lisa Richardson pattern published in Rowan 54. It was originally written for Rowan Fine Tweed yarn (a kind of 4ply weight, now discontinued), but has been reconstructed for the new Rowan 40 Iconic Hand-Knit Designs in Felted Tweed - which you may spot is a DK weight yarn, yet they use the same 3¼mm needles as for the original; I guess they figure it makes little difference for a wrap.
I am using up some solid DK colours that I already have in hand, but of course it does not emulate the lovely soft tweedy look of the "real thing".

Tasteful Self-Striping Socks [Started 21st August: :Completed 1st December]

This is the other more conventional Drops sock yarn that I bought at Fibre East: Fabel in colour 912 Soft Chocolate, [75% Wool / 25% Nylon: 5g=205m]. A less interesting colour than Bluetit perhaps, but the kind of neutral that chaps (sadly) tend to prefer.

Luxury Railway Socks [Started 16th August: :Completed 20th December]

I bought some Drops yarn at Fibre East - Nord, in colour 09, Deep Ocean, [45% Alpaca / 25% Wool / 30% Polyamide: 50g=170m/186yds], stated as 24sts to 10cm/4inches. However, this pattern uses 2mm needles: "Gentleman's Socks in Railway Stitch" (a kind of rib), which I last made in 2008 from Nancy Bush's book of Vintage Socks.
I took them with me to Edinburgh to knit on the train and then found I had only 3 needles with me - this made life very difficult - I managed the welt in 3 hours. However, while in Edinburgh I went to Kathy's Knits and bought some 2mm Zings in a lovely pink colour - perfect to work with fine dark yarn.

Bluetit Socks [Started 11th July: :Completed 15th August]

This is another "birds" colourway in WYS Signature 4 Ply [75% Wool / 25% Nylon: 100g=400m], which I bought at Woolfest along with a ball of the plain colour Berry for a different project. I've made the usual "man's" sock hoping it's not too bright in colour for a "man" to be happy with. (Actually, Terry is colour blind so it's really my sister it has to please.

Colourful Kit Bag [Started 25th May: :Completed 8th July]

This is my Pattern of the Month for July 2018. It's a delightfully amusing idea from 1944 for a bag made in crochet from oddments of yarn.
I used some of my more colourful left over chunky yarns, but then totally ignored the concept of "making do" by using thick leather for the base and detailing.

Austermann Socks 2018 No 3 [Started 11th April: :Completed 10th May]

Third pair from the Austermann Step package from Love Knitting.
Colour 18, Vulkan, [100g=420m : 75% wool/25% nylon with Aloe Vera and Jojoba oil].

Baa-ble Hat [Started 18th March: :Completed 23rd March, and 26th March]

This hat was the official hat pattern for Shetland Wool Week 2015. I am am making one hat in each colourway:
Jamieson’s of Shetland Heather Aran [100% wool: 50g=92m/100yds] in Autumn 998, Natural White 104, Black 101, Highland Mist 1390 and
Jamieson and Smith Worsted Aran [100% wool: 50g=61m/66yds] in Peat, Snaa White, Coll Black, Silver Grey.

Eliza [Started 25th February: :Completed 25th April and 21st May]

Eliza is a design from Quirky: Thrown Together Again by Kim Hargreaves which was current when I first planned to make it - Winter 2012. At that time, I bought the correct yarn (now discontinued) as a bargain pack from Black Sheep, and then the project remained in the queue. I am making it, as I originally planned, for Deborah (purple), but the design is of course not so highly fashionable as it was then - however, still not unacceptable now, I hope. The yarn is Rowan Alpaca Cotton [72% Alpaca/ 28% Cotton : 135m/147yds=50g], which has a lovely lofty texture when knitted, but somehow not as pleasing to knit as I had hoped - although the pattern is very easy.
I had yarn left so also knitted the slouchy hat from Ysolda Teague's original collection of Whimsical Little Knits.

Austermann Socks 2018 No 2 [Started 21st February: :Completed 10th March]

Second pair from the Austermann Step package from Love Knitting.
Colour 86 Heide Maskulin "heath" [100g=420m : 75% wool/25% nylon with Aloe Vera and Jojoba oil].

Matching Mittens (for Lyn) [Started 15th January: :Completed 20th January - 2nd pair 20th February]

More Hidden Gusset Mittens made from the left over yarn from my sister's Alison Ellen cardigan; these are the fingerless version with a tiny detail in one of the contrast colours. I seem to have plenty of yarn left, and tried making a two colour version, splitting the mittens into two colour blocks divided by the stitchwork; technically it worked well but stylistically it did not enhance the design at all, so in the end I made a second pair for Alison in the plain olive colour, (with fingers). The yarn is hand-dyed Laughing Hens undyed superwash merino [100% wool : 400m/437yds=100g].

Austermann Socks 2018 [Started 5th February: :Completed 16th February]

I have started on my 2018 Austermann Step package from Love Knitting.
Colour 87 Schiefer Maskulin "slate", which turns out to be a collection of mauve colours rather than grey [100g=420m : 75% wool/25% nylon with Aloe Vera and Jojoba oil].

Striped Socks [Started 14th January: :Completed 31st January]

I bought a shirt for George that was far to big and we passed it on to Terry, so I thought I would attempt some matching socks, using a vintage pattern from Patons; these were knitted with a pattern motif on 2 needles, but as I knit in the round, I thought I would make the pattern with Swiss darning. Not only was this more tedious than my initial attempt using intarsia and slipped stitches, it did not look very good, so here we have ended up with just a few restrained stripes. The yarn is mainly Phildar Partner Baby in colour 14 Lin, with stripes in vintage navy Sirdar Town and Country.

On the 8th day of Christmas [Started 1st January: :Completed 12th January]

This is my usual Christmas crafting project just after Christmas while I have spare time - although it's quite ambitious: a lovely set of mittens - purely for a decorative Christmas banner (which I am visualising across the mantleshelf if there is no fire!). It is "12 Days of Christmas Mini Mittens" designed by Kathy Lewinski. You can buy a user friendly version of the pattern from Ravelry.
I am using (truly) vintage Shetland yarn 3-4ply [100% wool] in a cream and black, with oddments of red for the berries.

Christmas Sparkle Mittens (for me) [Started 2nd December 2017: :Completed 3rd January]

Definitely my go-to mittens of the moment - Hidden Gusset Mittens. These are made from two tiny skeins of iKnit Ziggy Stardust [75% Superwash Merino/20% Nylon/5% Stellina : 20g = 80m] which I was given in a yarn swap at the iKnit Halloween party. There seems to be plenty of yarn to make the mittens with fingers, making the smallest size and making a shorter cuff (which I prefer).

Acrylic Blankets - pastel [Started 15th May 2015]

I have finally begun my striped Kaffe blankets project. I am working on the knitting machine and I have to say it has not begun well. I have already had to change the method in the same way as I did for the hand knitting - that is starting each diamond in the middle and decreasing to a point, as this is the only way I can get a neat edge. It is easier to effect this on the machine though, so I am steaming - very slowly - ahead... I plan to make all 4 colour schemes and think they will end up as charity blankets - but it's just something I want to do.

Snowflake cardigan [Started 29th December 2011]

This is another of the Fair-Isle designs from Debbie Bliss Magazine 7. I am using Amy Butler Organic Aran in colour Slate [50% cotton, 50% wool; 50g:90m/98yds] as it was on sale - and also as my intended victim is Rob who is slightly allergic to wool and I think the wool cotton blend might suit. I think both Rob and George were slightly dubious about the Sherpa hats - so maybe Rob needs a fashionable Fair Isle cardi as well as George.
So it's been a mere 7 years and this is being frogged. I don't like the pattern (and I'm not that keen on the wool - though I do plan to repurpose it).

Bella Blouse [Started 9th June 2011]

This is the Bella Blouse by Norah Gaughan from the Knitting Daily Pattern Library. I am using a few balls of Rowan Damask - a yarn I love but now discontinued - for the contrast and I found an ecru cotton blend (Patons Washed Haze) which tones with it quite well for the main shade. As my supply of Damask is limited I am omitting the contrast band at the bottom of the sweater.

Two [Started 22nd August 2010]

This is Two - not another cardigan! But it is, like Puzzle, from Queen of Hearts - in fact, the cover design. The yarn is Patons Misty [25g; 150m], 70% mohair, 30% polyamide. It knits to a double knitting tension of about 22sts to 4 inches, but I am knitting it much looser on 6mm needles. I chose this yarn also at Ally Pally in 2009; being a dress I thought it would take for ever but it seems to be knitting up very quickly so I have every expectation of finishing it soon...