Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Happy Tuesday!

Why is it Happy Tuesday? Well, the Davebeast is off work this week and we're having fun just loafing around together. My broadband connection is up and running after the breakdown at the weekend. We saw a fab film yesterday - Beowulf. I managed to take some good (for me) pictures this morning.

This is the raglan sweater I have been working on. It's done in James C Brett Marble Chunky and is my first go at working a sweater in the round. I have been using Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns, which is Plug & Play for knitters.

I like the way the stripes have worked up, though it was a bit of an issue for me at first. I do like things to be symmetrical, you see, and the sleeves definitely don't match. I mucked around trying to find the same starting point for the second sleeve and eventually decided that I would lose too much yarn and hey! why not just go for it? The sleeves are thus totally different up the raglans.
This is my second attempt at joining all the pieces together and finishing off the top. I was unhappy with the decreasing the first time, and when I cast off, I flung the damn thing across the sofa. 'S not a good reaction to a nearly finished WIP, is it? So I frogged and re-did, this time without the pesky stitch markers (which I don't need) that had caused the problem in the first place. Now I'm pleased with raglans, and those lovely angled shoulder stripes.
I love decreasing, so raglans (like hats) are always going to be favourite projects for me.

This yummy redness is for my Vince Noir Glam Rock Ski Hat, or Tundra Hat, from The Mighty Boosh, (Series 1, Episode 4). There is an informal KAL in the Ravelry Boosh group I'm in. Donnac1968 and Knittyinpink have already done theirs.

I'm going to follow in Donna's footsteps a bit. I've bought the same yarn as she did - 100% wool chunky, made in Latvia (!) because I want a felted hat. Mine is going to have a touch of glam rock added by the use of a red lurex thread knitted along with the main yarn. I have already knitted a tension square (which went missing two minutes before I got out the camera) and four inches by four inches equals 15 stitches by 18 rows. As soon as I find that gorram thing it's getting tortured by being dunked in very hot and then very cold water and scrubbed violently. Once I've got the post-felting size I can start what pattern (if any) I'm going to use. I like the way the lurex looks in my sample and it will be interesting to see what felting does to it. I'm travelling to Belfast at the weekend, and a hat on thick circs in thick wool seems like an ideal coach/boat project.

I got some great acquisitions at the weekend but I shall post about them separately because otherwise there would be too many pictures for one poor post to sustain.

2 comments:

T said...

The jumper is gorgeous. I love those colours. James C Brett yarn is 10/10 I reckon.

Mmm, the red of that yarn is perfect. Donna's is great and I can't wait to see yours. Mine is finished apart from some edging but tbh it's a bit of a novelty product ;)

Decreasing is fabby!

Russell Brand's partner on his R2 show said that Beowulf was excellent because of the 3D working so well. Might have a little look at that.

dreamcatcher said...

The jumper looks great! Looove the idea of using the lurex as a carrylong for the hat, definitely glam :-D