Starting But Not Finishing

Hi all, I think I have now caught the dreaded "Uncompletion-itis" disease.

First symptom appeared about two weeks ago.

I finished the body of a facecloth I was knitting and decided that I wanted to do some lace edging for it.  So I dutifully researched the lace edging patterns on Ravelry and chose the Diamond Lace Edged one - so far so good.  I casted on and did 10 pattern repeats and now, I am b-o-r-e-d.... I really don't know why I do this (see previous blog), I'm really not good on lace edgings, I find them a bit of a chore. Here is the progress so far:




Then because I was flying to New York last week, I thought that besides the lace edging, I would need another plane project..so the Jewelled Cowl was chosen. The night before my flight, I took out my beautiful swift and wound the Malabrigo Lace yarn from my stash and threaded approximately 750 beads onto the yarn. (The pattern calls for 728 beads but I decided to do more, as a "just in case" measure).

Oh My Days!!!! Can I just advise you to learn from my experience - never, I repeat NEVER, thread the beads on for this project - do as the pattern tells you and put each bead in place with a crochet hook. I spent most of the flight (there and back) detangling the yarn and beads and have been doing so ever since - Nightmare!!!!



Here is the progress so far, suffice it to say I'm not really enamoured with this project, so not feeling the need to finish anytime soon:




Anyway, whilst in New York, I happened upon a local yarn shop and bought the most delightful Cascade Ultra Pima cotton in luscious green.

Now because I don't want to work on my lace edging anymore, am not liking my Jewelled Cowl (which by the way, I was looking do forward to making) and let's not start on my Lace Leaf Wrap (which is surely in deep hibernation and snoring away by now) - I casted on the pattern for the Grey Loop cowl, except mine is going to be called Green Loopy Loop. Haven't got very far but here it is:



I'm on holiday at the moment and whilst I'm now enjoying the start of my Green Loopy Loop, I'm eyeing up some cashmere lace yarn in my stash and thinking....mmmm maybe I should cast on for a shawlette.

Oh please send for the knitting doctor...please, I really need to finish something!!!

There are more people who suffer with this disease, I'm not sure how bad they've got it though. So you may want to check out Tami's Amis blog, if you want to research further!!

- Cheerio

Productivity

It seems that I have been on a month and a bit break but I can safely say, not an unproductive one. I've been busy, I've had a birthday in between, tinkering on my brand new swift and I've been finishing off some projects as follows:

Firstly, I made a Mizzle for myself, with Rowan RYC Cashsoft 4ply Aran yarn. I'm not going to show a photo of it, purely because I'm not sure that I like it.  For some reason it doesn't look right on me, so I may frog...I've left it for a while though in my little knitting box of FO's, just in case I change my mind - but it's not looking good (unless someone rescue's it!).

Secondly, I finished the following Noble Cowl, made for my friend who like me, loves throwing things around her neck:





I made this from some spare bamboo yarn in my stash and I must admit I love it and she does too. I wasn't too sure at first, messed up the pattern early on because I wasn't concentrating (as you do), so frogged and re-started.

Thirdly, I finished my Birthday Scarf (aptly named because I started it on my birthday...dah, dah).  It's correct name is the Chinook Scarf, by Ali Green. 

It is modelled by the lovely Jade (who I have bought out of retirement...well therapy, (she was suffering from the symptoms of neglect, although my daughter doesn't see it that way at all!).  Jade also had her hair cut and braided for the occasion, the ultimate professional, despite her ongoing troubles  :)



 

Love this scarf, love this yarn, its called Katia Tupa, in Navy Blue - 50% Merino Wool & 50% Silk - beautiful.  Not very warm (I think) but hey it makes a great accessory.  I think this is going to be a staple in my wardrobe.

I am still beavering away on my Lace Leaf Wrap, Lord knows when I will finish this one, it surely is a Work In Progress (in every sense)!!!

I've also started two new projects during my hiatus, which I will let you know about on WIP Wednesday.

So all in all, I have been an extremely productive lady...how about you??  What you been up to??

To see more productivity, check out these knitting professionals on Tami's Amis blog.

(Disclaimer (or something along those lines): I hope you all are Ravelers or you may have difficulty viewing some of the links!!)

- Cheerio

Winter White

Well another two projects are off the needles and into the hands of someone I am finding out to be quite knit-worthy. They were actually her Christmas presents but as she doesn't live in London, I had to wait for her to come down (which was good as I hadn't quite finished by Dec 25th....), so they have been re-classed as New Year presents and here they are:



The Canaletto Cowl and the Twistygoo hat. I used up my Sirdar Denim Sport Aran stash on these.

I absolutely love the Cowl, lovely and warm, this is how big it is:



The hat mmmm...ok. I had to frog it a couple of times and I messed up a bit on the decreases, (I really am Not An Expert Knitter) but its passable I guess and Jen loves it. She's already twittered about it and sent a picture. To be honest I tried it on and it really doesn't suit me (big head), so I guess that's why I wasn't enamoured as well.

I love the colour - I call it Winter White. Not the technical name of course, I think that is "Ivory" but the colour does remind me of snow in winter.

So what have you just finished and like/dislike or, not sure about?

For more finished projects, check out Tami's Amis blog.

Cheerio

Four.....

No not Golf - Finished Objects!

One, Two and Three were completed last week and this week makes Four...get it...four in two weeks wow!  I think that will be it for a while though....

Now if you remember from Teenage Fashion, I urgently needed to finish a hat before my son lost his swagger, and dear readers I have, here he is wearing it:

Pattern:  (Cabled Watch-cap by Kristen Orme)

I quite like this hat, was thinking about giving it to him!!  However, I'm chuffed to bits because he has worn it every day since it was made, (he didn't even want me to block it as it just had to be worn the next day, to school - crazy kid, (actually the mornings are quite cold now).  I have to admit though, there has been a few mornings of , "...mum have I got it on right??...". (sigh)   (You'll have to read Teenage Fashion to understand what I'm saying here, if you don't know what I mean).

Oh and guess what, after months of thinking I couldn't do it, I finally figured out Magic Loop and used it on this project - it was super easy.  I'm feeling more proficient everyday...So proud of myself!!

For more FO's please check out this link:

Cheerio

Plane Knitting

Well it's true, you can take knitting needles on a plane (as long as they are wooden/bamboo ones).  So the lady at the Stitch and Craft Show that sold me the 2.25mm bamboo circular needles - you're definitely correct and sorry for my slight cynicism on that!!

Any way just to take you on my journey to this point.

So I bought these needles as a test to see if I could get take them on board.  They were pretty cheap at £2.99, so I gathered if airport security confiscated them, it would be no great loss.  I planned on starting a new project (first ever socks) on the plane as well, so I wouldn't lose something I was already working on or, have to take the stitches off the needles, if they were confiscated.  (Thought about bringing a self addressed envelope as everyone said, but that is what it stayed as "a thought"!!)

So off I went - flight from London  to New York - went through Heathrow security with them in my hand luggage and no one batted an eyelid.  I didn't even try to hide them (I know what these security people are like, I've had them questioning me and searching through my baggage before because, I was carrying an umbrella - I think they thought it was a disguised gun!).  So sat down on the plane took out the needles and began to cast on.  I was a bit wary though because I thought, any minute now the air stewardess would swoop down on me and remove them forthwith but apart from a quick glance, to see what I was doing...nada.

So for the 6+ hour flight I knitted mostly on (through Movies - The Kings Speech and Megamind (good film - I've got kids) but occasionally off (lunch, snack and a quick dose).  Now I have to tell you that this was the first time that I  have ever knitted with bamboo needles, knitted in the round and also tried to do socks and I have to say that all three were a disaster.  I decided about an hour into the flight that I didn't like working with the bamboo needles, (didn't like the feel), the circular wire was also a bit too long and stretched the stitches and I had no idea what I was doing with the socks/pattern, so I frogged it, gave up working in the round and decided to restart just ribbing back and forth on the two needles.  Had done quite a bit when we reached New York but on arrival at the Hotel, I frogged it again (I really needed to work in the round or with 3 dpk). - ridiculous!!

We then had to do an internal flight from New York to Chicago and again carried the needles on in my hand luggage, sailed through security and took them out again on the plane (by this time, I decided to make a small childs beret in the round - so commenced ribbing - this felt better - more stitches - less stretch!)

And then, flight back to London from Chicago, again in hand luggage, through security and on to plane -  carried on knitting beret rim but not a lot, as it was an overnight flight and they turned off the lights!

Am home now and I am going to frog this project again - why, because I have no-one to give this beret to - too small and I really don't like the bamboo needles!!

Next time I get on a flight (soonish), I will have a proper project to work on and so can ignore the feel of the needles!!  I have to say though that it does make the hours fly by - now how about letting us blog on the plane too eh...???