cria

fluff

Oh the joy. I bought lace. (online) I’ve never seen lace. When it arrived, i had to put my glasses on so that i could find it. (joking) I do love it… the colour reminds me of the blooms of Australia – the wattle, the many yellowey blooming trees, and it also reminds me of a fluffy new baby chicken.
First up, i handwound my lace skein. This took awhile, and i did complain. Second up, i assembled my new interchangable KnitPro bamboo needles (love them already). Third, i consulted my PATTERN. I am to cast on several hundred lace stitches and keep them from rolling and then join. No problem.
Problem. Oh my godfather. This stuff does like to roll. Imagine having several hundred little fluffy new yellow baby chicks , now imagine yourself lining them all up in a new row facing north. Well its just impossible.
Persisting onwards anyhow,, and hoping to myself several rows into it will get easier or sort itself out. Don’t you love it when things just sort themselves out? I’m a big believer in it –

{sooo… does anyone know an easy way to get rid of a twist (or two) once you’ve started? I’ll be your best friend…}

I’m reading some great novels.. last week i finished a short story book on South African tales by Doris Lessing. I also read Bite of the Mango, by Mariatu Kamara. Next up has been a series of tales of misfortune in the outback..which was quite reassuring me i do not want to go any further than i am now! My hubby is reading lots of book on ‘outback adventure’ and ‘4wheel driving’. His survival guide says an outback adventurer should firstly always expect and fear the worst. Check.

My Cria sweater now has one sleeve , a neckline, and three buttons ! It’s coming along…snail pace. Just in time for our 100degree weather.

I’ve waffled on enough i believe.. Linking up with ginny . See you there!

Pockets of joy

we’ve been on the move.. my cria and me. My little stash basket works great for carrying my knitting round! Did i ever show it to yoU? I just love how the garters and purls and (the last ball of ) the Malabrigo yarn peeks out at you. Alot of stitches go into making an adult sweater let me just say. As I make this I realize as the years roll on each time I wear this sweater I know I will think back to where I was when I knitted it :: here in the Kimberley.

I am now down the the pockets. Based on several other knitters experience with Malabrigo and the Cria’s they have finished – I cut my Body part shorter than the pattern instructions. I did the 37 rows, the increase, then the 27 rows, then another increase. 10 rows into the next and final 27 rows, I binded off for the pockets.

Under each arm is a faux pearl seam, marked by a single stitch marker. The pocket you see here is the left pocket, marked by a stitch marker at both ends. The other side is the same, except between my faux pearl underarm seam to the beginning of the pocket has a problem. One side counts 17 stitches, the other 22. This is rather significant, but luckily I am pretty happy go lucky and have not screamed or had a panic attack. I have no idea how this happened, but i’m sure nobody will be standing on their head with their rear end up in the air counting my pocket to side stitch. (Will you?)

Front look. See the little pockets? I’ve never done pockets…. cute ! 10 more rows and it’s finished!!! Boy am I excited .

This is the back. Based on my calculations , the sweater pockets should sit right at my hip bones. Perfect. (This is before blocking,, however. I hear Malabrigo grows quite a bit.) We shall see just how much ! Anyone with a Malabrigo blocking tip or experience to share?

a Knitting beast

Well,,  we’re as happy as can Bee, My little Cria and me !

I must say,, its coming along rather fast too. Mind you, I have done little else craftwise and I am perfectly content to pick up this knitting whenever I find a slot during the day or night. Hubby in there complaining his feet are sticking to the kitchen floor and something about mopping. Blah Blah. (Doesn’t he know I have more pressing issues??)

So around page 8 of this pattern ( on Yoke, continued) it says ‘repeat last 4 rows 5 more times. Well, I noticed of course after those 5 rows were finished that I had mistakingly repeated the last 2 rows 5 times more. Bah ! Stupid…so I then had a decision to make. This part was the gradual Make 1 on either side of the sleeve cuffs you see pictured above. So instead of mine increases being over 4 rows, they were over 2. So basically my sleeves were going to puff right out till next week. Decisions = Pull out 300 x 10 stitches (two days work).. or puff. I took the puff. I did the two first rows 5 times afterwards to make sure I had the same number of rows complete. All seems to be just fine.

I do like that this pattern is different, interesting, all done completely in the round with no seams or piecing. I love this Malabrigo yarn. I love knitting patterns that go from the top down, so you can try them on and see how the sizing is going.

When Hubby came home from school to whisk me away to the police department this arvo, (fingerprinting for immigration – don’t worry)… I was still wearing my little Cria as shown in the last pic. I sure am happy and It feels so great to finally make something knitted for ME !!

I don’t know why I haven’t before now. So It’s a bit of a sudden compulsion I must admit. The kids are saying make me this , i’d love a sweater mum, but I can’t even hear them. I am thinking already of what else I’m going to make for ME. Hmn. Will it be February Lady Sweater, Melia, Olive, Coraline ? I love them all. Hey, I’ve got some Dk wool – (stashed here) … and I would like to tweak one of the above patterns to suit this wool. Most say a heavier gauge wool, like a worsted. But I see several others have used a Dk, so to do this does one go up a needle size to get the right gauge? Is that how we do it? I like Dk, its easier to wear inside or under a coat without feeling like a penguin or getting too hot. I’d love your advice anyway. I need more experience on knit tweaking. Perhaps a bit of Elizabeth Zimmerman Reading would guide me in the right direction….

Have you a favorite knitted cardigan pattern you’ve done? I’ll add it to my list as well ! Happy Knitting all !!!