The move is complete so I can finally focus on other things. My curtent knitting projects are pretty basic but will try to post those this weekend. But I wanted to share what I just received today. It is a box full of old double pointed needles. I probably paid too much but I just found it interesting. I also ordered a knitting sheath to use with these. Socks are the one thing that I usually knit. Will start cleaning these up. May we all have more time to knit next year!
I have finally finished spinnimg Cloak and Dagger! This is spindle spun and got sidelined for almost two years. It’s nice stuff and I might do socks with it.
And I am still working on Icelandic number two. The sleeves are done. This is how far I’ve gotten on the body.
And finally I am getting the hang of nälbinding. This is just sort of mindless work. I would like to make mittens at some point.
I don’t think I ever posted a picture of this hat. Someone helping out pitched it into the wash and it felted a bit, before I’d had a chance to wear it. Here’s a link to the pattern and it’s free. The Inga Hat
The bottom rolls, which seems to happen every time I do a knit braid. I will change this, next time I knit it. Also, there are some long areas that I wove in the 2nd color, rather than just stranding. So the inside looks like this:
This is my hat to wear outside, as it’s very warm. I used leftover yarn for it. I still think it’s ome of the most elegant patterns I’ve seen and plan to knit another.
Looks like I need a nålbinding category. Just started playing with this yesterday.
It’s all very strange and I will try and post some helpful video links.
Back in the old days, there was a revolutionary knitting book. It was called Knitting Without Tears by Elizabeth Zimmerman. She gave you a percentage system, that you could use to design your own sweater, without needing a pattern. EZ’s work led to a lot of knitting innovation. We seem to have fallen back into buying patterns, letting someone else do the design work. I am putting together a tutorial on knitting an Icelandic Sweater, using the percentage system. I will be using Knitting in the Old Way by Priscilla Gibson-Robert for my work. She uses EZ’s percentage system, but also focuses on how to use that system for classic sweater design.
Also, I am linking to this set of tutorials online, from Knitting for Everyone:
She does use commercial patterns, but it is a good overview on how this sweater goes together. Also, she uses a really nice method of starting a 1×1 rib. There’s an additional video on her channel, if you need a clearer view of it.
The drawback to making your own patterns is that you have to figure out how much yarn you’ll need and a few sizing details along the way. I’m making mine bottom up, as she shows in the tutorials, so you can try the sleeves on as you go. You’ll have a good idea of gauge after making two sleeves! I love Icelandic yarns, so I just bought a bunch of it, online from Little Knits. I have enough for two sweaters, possibly three. If you need to get a better idea before you start, there is some reference material in PGR’s book on yardage and you can always check a pattern online to see what they used. There are graphs for a couple of yoke designs in the book, or you could graph a pattern that you’ve seen online. Trust me, you’ll get braver about modifying things as you go, once you’ve started working this way.
I’ve finished both sleeves, so will try to put the first part of the tutorial up soon. I would love to see more folks making their own designs and learning how easy it is to have a sweater that fits you well.
Nothing special. I’m working on socks. First is a completed pair I’ve been wearing. These are a wool/bamboo blend. If you use something like this, make a smaller size. They are stretchy. They have been okay in the hot weather. The yarn is called Bamboo.
Next up is my current pair. These are Trekking XXL, which is a good yarn. I buy sock yarn on sale at Little Knits.
I am working on a sweater out of sock yarn, Rebel, Rebel by Truly Myrtle. Lots of boring stockinette, so I just started working on it again. I’ve bought the yarn to make a DK weight Norwegian sweater. And I will be doing this the old fashioned way. I will make my own pattern. I am tired of sweaters that don’t fit me. And I am tired of looking at patterns. I have Knitting in the Old Way and a book that shows old Notwegian sweaters. Just waiting for cooler weather to get me motivated.
Still sorting out the problem with posting pictures. I’ll have to put in an update at some point, although I’ve just been knitting socks. But this is a rant about yarn quality. It feels like I’m getting a lot of poor quality yarn. By that I mean yarn that pills too much, wears out in odd spots or just generally doesn’t hold up. I don’t mind using that chainette yarn I bought when discounted, but I wore a hole in the sleeve in quick order, same with Rowan Felted Tweed. That’s not good when you knit a cardigan. And you never know what you’ll have problems with. I like the single ply West Yorkshire Spinner’s yarn that I used for a cardigan. It does pill a lot though. I really need to buy a lot less yarn.
And on a related note, I am purging my stash pretty heavily. I even threw out some almost finished handspun projects and a bunch of handspun yarn. I haven’t done anything with it in years. It is a very freeing thing to do, if you haven’t tried it. You have all these projects that you mentally plan for that yarn and it’s a weight when you never start them. Get rid of the yarn and they are gone. You’re free to work on something new. I will likely get rid of some of the yarn I bought, although the unused stuff will go to Goodwill. It’s just like purging my way through my knitting and spinning books. There are a lot of hard choices you have to make when you move. But I still intend to move my spinning wheels and treadles, if I can make enough room for them.
I’ve not had time to sort out the posting issues, but will try again this weekend. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas. It’s been a tough year.
I haven’t been working on a lot of things, but did finally take a few pictures of finished projects.
I finished PNW by Bonne Marie Burns. I love the collar on this sweater! This was done with West Yorkshire Spinners Roving yarn. It’s fairly soft but doesn’t pill. I used butternut buttons on this one.
The second is a Faroese style shawl out of Classic Elite’s Wildwood. This is a natural thick/thin yarn. I went a little crazy and ordered one of each of the colors. I happened to order two skeins of the darker blend, which allowed me to do a gradient. It’s a great shawl. I have enough of this yarn to do a sweater in the all brown color.
I’ve done two Flindras, same yarn, different colorways. I used West Yorkshire Spinners Illustrious, which is a wool/alpaca blend. It’s an odd shaped shawl, but I love the pattern. I need to reblock them.
And that’s really about it. I hope I can get something new started but haven’t really felt like knitting or spinning.
