Winter knitting.

This winter I have managed to attempt and complete quite a few new and interesting projects!

Cable Comfort Throw

My first attempt at cables, and my first completed blanket. I loved working on this project. It was very quick and extremely easy to do. I knitted two cable sections at a time and stitched the three strips together as I went. I would quite possibly make another one of these, though I would probably make it a bit larger to cover more then just my lap and legs. 

Nutmeg 

My first ever attempt at knitting a garment. I had previously decided that I wasn't going to knit any garments, however, I suspect I have now caught the bug. Knit top down in the round with raglan sleeves, this jumper was super easy and quick to do (when I actually sat down to work on it). I'm very pleased with the result. A little baggy and a little long, it will certainly be my go-to at home doing nothing jumper. Once I had finished it, I knew I needed to try something else along these lines. 

Gemini 

Once again knit top down in the round, I'm super happy with this one. The yarn was a bit of a pain to work with and I doubt I will use it again, but I am very pleased with the outcome. It fits quite well and looks great! I know for sure I will be knitting a lot more garments after this. 

Sleeveheart

Not a different project as such, but I am still very happy with how this turned out. I did have some difficulties blocking it (picot edging is awful to try pin out evenly). I suspect that this shawl will got a lot of wear as it begins to warm up a little more and I will no longer need to take a jacket to work, but will need an extra easily removed layer for chilly mornings and evenings. 

Makai KAL

My first ever Knit-A-Long. Or rather, a Knit-Together. This project was quite a lot of fun to do (though by the time I got towards the end those rows were looong). The support given throughout the KAL by the designer, Mel of Singlehanded Knits, was amazing and I am super pleased with the end result. Mel herself is a wonderful person with some beautiful patterns and I will definitely be take part in any more KAL/KTogethers of hers if I could. I am also planning on knitting a few more of her other existing patterns over time which I am looking forward to.

At the moment I am partially in between projects, with a few I am working on, but am not super excited about, and some that I am excited about, but I am waiting on the yarn to be dyed and arrived for. However, I have recently expanded on my stash with some new yarns I haven't tried before and have some plans for future projects that I am looking forward to starting when the time is right. Hopefully I wont be waiting too much longer before I get my custom/dyed-to-order yarns and I can start the projects I am most excited about: The Old Man and the Sea and a Trilinear Shawl.

Busy knitter

It's about time I updated this blog, so I thought I might share some of my favourite completed projects of the last few months. 

Hitchhiker

I think this has been one of my favourite patterns I have done. Unfortunately after making it, I tried blocking it to soften the wool up and while it did soften, it also nearly doubled in size. I'm going to attempt to shrink it back again, once I get over my fear of ruining it even further. However I love the colours and will definitely make this pattern again. Simple, but beautiful. Knitted in Yarns of Italy Marasca in the Denim colourway.

Capucine 1

and 2

Knitted in Hayfield Chunky With Wool with bamboo buttons

It's such a quick, easy and adorable pattern to do, it's pretty hard to to make another one. However after completing 3 within a span of around a month and a half, I think I'll be taking a break from this pattern for the time being. The cream coloured one is my personal favourite.

Knitted in Sean Sheep Filo Grande

Honey Cowl

This was one of my train knitting projects. Knitted in Malabrigo Sock in the Candombe colourway, this is another of my personal favourites. The honeycomb pattern shows off the colours in the yarn beautifully and it's large around to wrap around my neck twice without being tight.

Montgomery Mitts

Hayfield Chunky With Wool

Knitted for a work colleague who will be retiring shortly, these gloves are my first attempt at knitting gloves in the round AND knitting the thumb. I love how they turned out and while there were a few mistakes, they aren't noticeable. My only issues with them was that the bind off is a bit tight, but I believe the intended recipient has narrower hands them me, so hopefully it wont be an issue. They were a little scratchy, but soaking them in lukewarm water softened them up immensely. 

and my latest and most favourite project I have completed is:

TGV

This is a wonderful knit. The designer has done an excellent job of making a pattern that is simple, adaptable and beautiful. It was mostly work travel knitting, and then I completed the last of it while I was on holiday last week. It's a beautiful knit, wraps comfortably around my neck several times. The yarn is Cascade Yarns Heritage Paints in the Green Opal colourway and looks stunning. I know this item is going to get a lot of wear this winter.


There have been a few other items I've knitted, mostly gloves and hats, but I feel that these are my best items from the last few months. At the moment I am also working on a Color Affection shawl, my first knitted jumper: Nutmeg, and a Cable Comfort Throw. I also have quite a few other projects planned, but am trying to finish a few more things before I start any other major projects. I certainly feel that I have come a long way in the last few months of knitting and am taking on a lot of new projects that I would have never considered doing a year ago. 

January knits

So during January I got two new knits done: My Capucine beanie, and an Age of Brass and Steam Kerchief.

I really loved knitting the Brass and Steam. I used Patons Romance which was lovely to handle and knit with, and my first pair of cubic needles.

It was a relatively easy knit, though I did have a few false starts due to not paying enough attention to the pattern, however once I worked out what I was doing wrong, it was smooth knitting from there.

I did find however, that mine turned out smaller then the size given on the pattern, I found myself wondering if it may have been the cubic needles, though I haven't sat down to compare a gauge swatch between the 5mm cubics and the 5mm regular knit pro tips to be certain. As for the cubic tips themselves, they took a little bit of getting used to - the strangest part is feeling the two needles 'slip' together on the flat sides. Overall, I didn't really notice too much of a difference between the cubics and regulars - for my bank account's sake I will probably stick with the regulars, at least for now.

I would definitely make another Brass and Steam - though next time I might try some hand-dyed yarn instead - simply because I love the way hand-dyed is displayed in this pattern (from looking at other people's Brass and Steam projects on Ravelry).


I never did get my Block-A-Month block for January started, I found myself preferring to spend my knitting time working on some other projects I have started - a Hitchhiker shawl, and a Wingspan. Both of them are quite simple, but I am enjoying the process of knitting them both (one is for knitting on the train to-and-from work, the other is for knitting at home). Once these are completed I will write a bit more about them.

I have almost completed both of them (though my Hitchiker might need another week or two in train time).  My next projects on my list are some gifts - I am planning on making a Honey Cowl and potentially a Sockhead Hat for a friend and a Rikke for my Auntie. Not to mention numerous other projects which are all still vague considerations more then anything.

Project Two: Capucine beanie

My latest new project has been a Capucine beanie for my sister. It is the first beanie I have knitted and I really enjoyed knitting it. It's also the first "real" project where I have knitted in the round (I have knitted some small camera/ereader cosies in the round, but nothing major). On top of all this I also made tassels for the first time, which was easier then expected. The icing on the cake it is my first project made with my new Knit Pro cubic interchangeable needles.

This was such a quick and easy knit. I completed the whole thing in about 4-5 hours. I also really enjoyed the yarn I used - Patons Inca. The colours turned out beautifully, though the yarn disappeared very quickly. I used almost 2 balls of the yarn (including tassels) I guess I should have expected that, considering each ball is only about 65m each, but it was still a bit of a surprise for me. The yarn also feels quite nice - smooshy and reasonably soft.

I have a feeling I will be making a few more of these for people I know, just because I loved making it so much. 

My cubic needles are also quite nice to knit with. It seems that my stitches are more uniform and even. I will definitely be considering getting some tips in other sizes as well and trying them with other projects.

In other project news my Dichotomy shawl is on hold for the time being, I am a little unhappy with the way it is turning out so I am planning on taking a break from it and trying a different shawl pattern instead.

Project One: Dichotomy Shawl

My first new project for the year is Dichotomy. I've never attempted a "large" project like this before, and had previously never considered knitting a shawl. To knit this I am using Bendigo Woollen Mills 8 ply cotton in Sky and Honeydew and my 4mm Knit Pick interchangeable needles.

I am really enjoying this project, it's reasonably simple - though I have had to learn increasing by making stitches to the left and right, as well as short rows, which I have read about, but never attempted. I also had my first attempt at a provisional cast on, the less said about my many attempts at that, the better.

My only concern is that the pattern is a little vague in some places, which makes it a bit harder to follow for a newish knitter. I have already frogged it once to try a different interpretation of it, and while I am still not a hundred percent sure that I am doing it right, I decided to keep going and see how it turns out.

I feel that as long as I am enjoying the process, then that is what matters.

Stripe One is now complete, 3 more to go.

New Year, New Knits.

I started knitting just over 2 years ago. I learnt the basics and essentially left it at that, happy to knit away the hours in squares of knit and purl and other minor variations thereof.

I still consider myself a beginner in the knitting world, and while I have a steadily increasing pile of WIPs waiting patiently for my attention again, I find myself wanting to start new things. However, after getting frustrated at running out of "new" and interesting things to knit within my comfort zone, I've decided that its time to step out and try new, more complicated and detailed projects.
 
It's my aim for this year to attempt new knitting projects, patterns and styles. I plan to undertake this by starting a new type of knit (even if it's only a small one) a month.

Part of this project will be a block-a-month blanket. I hope to create a small blanket made up a squares which are each knitted in a different knitting style/pattern.

The other part of the project will be to start (and hopefully finish) new projects throughout the year, knitting things that I previously hadn't considered knitting, whether because they looked too hard, or wasn't sure if they would get used or because I had just completely overlooked them as a potential project. 


For all I know this could be quite the ambitious project, but I'm looking forward to it. I hope that keeping a record of what I am starting and how I am going will encourage me to stick to it for the entire year.

Wish me luck!