Calling all knitters and other woolly things.

[KittyFriday]

I love that octopus! My next knitting project will be another teddy bear for a friend who just let us know she's expecting. I use that blanket yarn for my bears too, it lets me halve the pattern and still get a good sized bear. It's also really soft and snuggly for kids.

I do like the look of knitting better than crocheting, but Tunisian crochet has a similar knitted look, so I like doing that.

I just know how to knit (and am very much a beginner) but want to learn to crochet and Tunisian crochet is the method I was going to try. Someone said it looks like knitting, but is faster. We shall see. I found a dog sweater pattern that is Tunisian crochet so I'm going to give it a try. My first thought looking at the pattern was, "oh, this looks easy enough if I just wanted to knit it instead...." but I'll remain stubborn and give the crochet a try first.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

A friend wore the most amazing Fair Isle top at knitting a couple of weeks ago and I thought I might have another go at it - I didn’t have any trouble with the beret I made but was apprehensive about doing a jumper because of the chance of catching my finge in the floats when wearing it. Didn’t find any patterns I really liked, but did see something about mosaic stitch (slipped stitches in contrast colours - no floats!) and found the Cider Mill Pullover. Expensive (of bloody course) but I really like the look of it. Not using the Rowan Felted Tweed, I’m using Fiddlesticks Superb 8 again. (No contest: I wanted to use the dark brown I looked at before, and more importantly it’s $6.18 for 250 metres vs $25 for 175 metres! )

Naturally I’ve had help …

 

[GranolaLouise]

really nice project! You are so lucky to have a knitting group where you are.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

really nice project! You are so lucky to have a knitting group where you are.

Thank you! Yes, I really appreciate having this group. I spend one day a week at the shop - morning is the group and afternoon more random, people come in for lessons but it’s still possible to chat a bit, and I get a lot of knitting done! The store owner’s lovely and her stock is SO much better than what Lincraft or Spotlight have.

 

[mani]

Thank you! Yes, I really appreciate having this group. I spend one day a week at the shop - morning is the group and afternoon more random, people come in for lessons but it’s still possible to chat a bit, and I get a lot of knitting done! The store owner’s lovely and her stock is SO much better than what Lincraft or Spotlight have.

I should find somewhere in Brisbane that does this. I might get over my 'sizing' phobia (I only make shawls, scarves etc.. I do exotic stitches but freak out about anything that has to 'fit'. ).

 

[catloverfromwayback]

I should find somewhere in Brisbane that does this. I might get over my 'sizing' phobia (I only make shawls, scarves etc.. I do exotic stitches but freak out about anything that has to 'fit'. ).

Best fit I’ve made in a while was my Daisy jumper - it’s rectangular! I just measured my hips, they’re wider than my bust. But finding somewhere you can get tips or tutorials in person is a great idea.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

I’m supposed to be knitting but there are distractions … (I have no idea what caught Fibsy’s attention then, Daisy wasn’t even moving).

 

[GranolaLouise]

I am siting here having breakfast and getting ready for the A/C guy to come and install my units. I had a miserable sleepless night because my cat yowled all night because of the intense 90 degree heat/32 celcsius) . There you are in fleecewear, blankets, throws and 2 living balls of fur ..I was born for the Tundra I guess.

 

[Furballsmom]

I had a miserable sleepless night because my cat yowled all night because of the intense 90 degree heat/32 celcsius)

Hopefully you don't have this happen again, but if so try setting up a big bowl of ice on the bathroom floor with a small fan blowing across it for your cat.

I've been watching videos of people doing different crochet patterns, and am goofing around with some of them on my own, nothing serious, just sort of lazy-ish fun

 

[catloverfromwayback]

I am siting here having breakfast and getting ready for the A/C guy to come and install my units. I had a miserable sleepless night because my cat yowled all night because of the intense 90 degree heat/32 celcsius) . There you are in fleecewear, blankets, throws and 2 living balls of fur ..I was born for the Tundra I guess.

It was that hot overnight? Hell, my sympathies, that’s horrible, I couldn’t handle overnight heat like that. It’s bad enough during the day! Hope your AC is up and running soon.

 

[GranolaLouise]

Had a nice cool house with the AC installed yesterday. Aahhh!
Today it is 53 faren/10 cel... but I rather the cool.
I feel bad for those having Graduation parties and outdoor ceremonies because we had severe thunderstorms last night (some cities nearby had HAIL!) and everything is soaked.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Had a nice cool house with the AC installed yesterday. Aahhh!
Today it is 53 faren/10 cel... but I rather the cool.
I feel bad for those having Graduation parties and outdoor ceremonies because we had severe thunderstorms last night (some cities nearby had HAIL!) and everything is soaked.

Yay for aircon!

 

[GranolaLouise]

Yay for aircon!

This morning I have the heat on and kitty is on an electri pet heat mat wrapped like a loose burrito which she ordinarily despises and escapes from in a flash. Poor kitty !

 

[gilmargl]

Back to knitting? I've been spending a lot of time visiting elderly patients and knitting while they slept. I started many projects doing the easy, straight pieces, but hospitals and care-homes are not ideal when you need to measure, calculate, finish the second sock or sew up knitted articles.

But, I've just finished a child's pink jacket which my mother started knitting when she was 97! She died 4 years ago shortly before her 99th birthday. I saved the jacket from being thrown out with all the stuff she'd collected at her care-home. At the time, the only baby or young girl likely to grow into the jacket was my sister-in-law's first grandchild. When I suggested finishing it for her, I was greeted with "My granddaughter is not going to wear that!".

So I took the knitting bag back to Germany with me where it has not been touched until quite recently. I joined a knitting group, hoping to finally finish off all the things I'd started but never got around to the more complicated tasks of sewing up, and finishing off. I managed to finish 3 pairs of socks, a hat, 3 scarves and then I picked up my Mum's knitting. She'd perhaps completed 60 % but I had to undo some of her knitting as the pockets were not symmetrically placed and she'd managed to change the size she was knitting when she got to the sleeves. But, who knows, I probably won't even be able to knit, let alone follow a pattern if I get to be 98!

Well, it's done and certainly not perfect. I knit tighter than my mother did, and although the changeover in stocking stitch doesn't notice, her lacy bits are far frillier than mine! I am sending it to my niece in New Zealand. She has just had her first baby - a little girl. I hope that she will appreciate a handknitted article started by her grandmother and finished by her aunt. It will be a year or two before her daughter has grown into the jacket but, who knows, if I keep it here and die, someone may just throw it out!

The photo shows the bootees for the baby now and the jacket for when she grows into it. I may manage to quickly finish a stuffed cat (started a while back, but already 50 % complete) to add to the parcel for the new arrival.

If my niece reacts the same way as my sister-in-law did, at least I won't have to hear about it!

 

[GranolaLouise]

Absolutely gorgeous! I especially love the lace trim and the twists down the front! Perfect for welcoming a new little one!

 

[catloverfromwayback]

I have no idea how I missed your post, gilmargl - that’s beautiful work, both yours and your mother’s.

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Knitting help from Phoebe today, and complete lack of help from Daisy yesterday (sunbathing > supurrvision)

 

[mani]

I love the colours in your projects, completed and otherwise catloverfromwayback

 

[catloverfromwayback]

Thank you, mani !

 

[iPappy]

So, I've been doing some work in my "down time" (not much of it in the summer!) but I was really doing fine. I was casting on like I was born to do it, and practiced several times. I had a hard time catching onto a knit stitch but once I got it, it clicked. (To quote someone else who was attempting this, "You'll never know the joy I felt when I did my first stitch, or how loudly I screamed when it promptly fell off the needle. )
Now, today, I did a little practice swatch and somehow, the last two rows, when I was done, kind of went "sprong" and I was left with a small rectangular piece with a weird banana-shaped hunk of yarn on the bottom corner. I had used a long tail cast on method, so I left the tail, and created a really nice little hand held "cat wand". Good news is, the cats (and dog) love it!
I'm excited for when I have more down time this fall, I'm really enjoying it and the relaxation it gives me is VERY much enjoyed.