WIP: Rambling Rose

Thank you for the help/comments left about my yarn winding problem. I have stuck some clay on my winder hoping it will airdry and make my thin wiry loopy thing stay up. I'm still waiting for it to dry, but fingers crossed!

I had hoped to finish Rambling Rose this weekend, but was sidetracked because my boyfriend came up for the weekend and we went off to see the fabulousssss Snow Patrol concert (Gosh, I love those irish boys!).

I did however manage to sneak in a little knitting and am pleased to say that rambling rose is .. well.. err.. rambling along (haha yes terrible wasn't it?). I have knitted up all the pieces, and am now doing the button bands, roses, and finishing.

I haven't really enjoyed the process of making Rambling Rose so far, in part because it hasn't been the most exciting knitting pattern, and in part because of the yarn. As I have eluded to previously, rambling rose is a whole lot of 1x1 ribbing (15cm worth to be precise), awhole lot of stockinette and a tiny bit of rambling and rosing.

(I couldn't find my pins, so am using scrapbooking pegs to mark my button placements. Cute huh?)

The only other issue I had is with the yarn. Admittedly, I decided to go for a 5ply yarn simply because I didn't like the colour choices that were available in the 4ply cotton at the time.. but I may be regretting it. The yarn itself is from Bendigo Woollen Mills, and I must admit, the crepe construction leaves me a bit wanting.

I don't enjoy knitting with the crepe yarn, and I dont actually think it knits up as nicely as plied yarn. BUt that might just be my imagination. I also wind yarn strangely on my fingers, and the crepe has a tendency to become un-creped, a problem that I don't usually have with plied yarn.

But.. what's done is done, so i'm going to have to forge ahead with the yarn and see how it goes at the end.. which is of course, oh so close!

Help with zee yarn ball winder!!

*sigh*. I am hoping that someone can help me. Awhile ago, I picked up a Royal Yarn Ball Winder off ebay. It came without instructions, boxes, any of that doo-da. In the months that i've had it, I was blinded by my love for "owning a yarn winder" so much that I neglected to notice that my balls were not coming out as cakes.

I've done some research and some people have been able to fix this problem by adjusting their tension and winding it less tight. Unfortunately for me, I just ended up with a GIGANTIC mess that overtook the space for 50gm balls I am able to make and then got all knotted up on the base.

So, I am hoping someone might be able to help me diagnose my problem?? Could it be because I don't currently use a swift ? Or is there something wrong with my yarn winder? I should note that the little skinny loopy thing (gee I'm technical aren't I) doesn't stay still. It bobs from side to side as I wind - could this be an issue?

I'm about to throw it all out and buy a brand new swift + winder set, but before I do that, maybe someone can help?? *Please*

Vintage bedjackets

I bought a little vintage bed jackets pattern book the other day, and I am adoring some of these little vintage numbers. I think they're *much* too pretty to wear to bed - i'd definitely wear them out (in the right colour and yarn of course!).





(maybe not the last one so much - i love capes, but there's something a bit strange about this one. Maybe shorter and I'd wear it. Long like that and i'll look a bit freakish I think)

Socks Part II

Maybe it's the fact that I'm on crutches at the moment and all I'm doing is concentrating on my feet. Maybe it's the fact that my trusty "first socks" were the only pair of really colourful socks that I had in my wardrobe, that were actually suitable for hobbling around in my office (except of course, that nice pair of Little Miss Naughty socks I have). Or maybe it's the fact that knitting two sweaters (one which is predominantly stockinette) on fingering weight yarn is neither fun nor fast.


But, I've had to start myself another sock. Yes, after the "first sock encounter" I had vowed never to knit a pair again. Done, ticked, moving on was my mantra. But, my fabulous Secret Pal 10 had bought me one more skein of sock yarn, so it was a perfect way to start something from my stash without needing to go to the LYS (not convenient when on crutches).

I've started them on Hot Socks Four Season Jacquard yarn, on 3.25mm dpns. I'm still refusing to be a "sock knitter" just because I never found it practical to put so much effort and time into something so basic and so available, so it'll be a project on the side ;)

Also, I've finished the body part of my Rambling Rose Cardi and only have two sleeves, and the finishing to do. I'm hoping we'll have an FO by next week ;) *woot*

Klumsy Klutz

I am what people often call a "klumsy klutz". I have a tendency to fall down when i'm just standing up straight, I have a tendency to fall both up and down the flight of stairs in my house.. I have a tendency to walk with my boyfriend and then stack it only to be "saved" because I was holding his hand.

Right now, I'm at home in bed because I sprained my ankle really badly last night at netball. I had sprained my ankle before but it was never this sore or this swollen, or this debilitating. I had always been able to get up, hobble out of bed and get to work. But not this time. :( I can hardly move my ankle even when I'm sleeping without it hurting!!

So, i'm working from home today.

In knitting news, I am itching for a new project. Julia and Rambling Rose are still coming along, but knitting with fingering weight yarn is going uber slowly. There are no pretty 'progress' photos to show because progress on fingering weight is only 2 inches a day!! So.. looking at some of the other projects available, I have a keen eye for :

Juliet from ZephyrStyle:

Drops GarnStudio Sweater:

I was considering knitting both of them in Mystique Express 16ply which is currently on sale for $12.00 instead of $16.00 a ball!

Oh, and I'm not usually a sock knitter, but I absolutely adore these!!

Anyways, besides working from home today, I am off to hire my crutches. I don't want to be bed-bound for the next week or so, so crutches is a definite must for someone as active as me :) Have a great day :)

Rambling Rose Progress

I was looking over the past few posts and noticed that there wasn't actually anything on *my* knitting, only things on books and magazines and more drool worthy knits. So , just a little progress shot on Rambling Rose Cardigan by Martin Storey (Rowan #39).

I confess, I bought this particular Rowan magazine just for the Rambling Rose Cardigan. I figured the cost of buying the magazine just for one cardigan would even out if I made say... 3 of these cardigans. Afterall , this particular cardigan reminds me very much of one of my favourite designers, Alannah Hill - very whimsical, very girly, and very lovely.

Unfortunately, I don't think that justification is going to come (but we are still in early stages). I have completed the back, and am now about 1/3 through the front left where the roses will go. And I must admit, I hate bobbles. I think they will definitely add a touch to the cardigan, but actually making the bobbles is driving me insane - all those k,p,k,p,k into one stitch and then back again. It's not very fun :(

But anyways, above is a progress shot of where i'm at. The vine and edging is a bit knobbly, but i'm hoping when I attach the button band it'll fix itself. Anyways, not much else being knitted at the moment - these knits requiring small gauges are taking their sweet time.

Veronik Avery's New Book

Have you guys seen Veronik Avery's new book titled "Knitting Classic Style: 35 Modern Designs Inspired by Fashion Archives" ? It's got some fabulously classic knits which I am looking forward to knitting. A few of my favourites:

Anyways, my workplace did a "Speed Dating" team building night where we went out for a beautiful degustation meal and each time the meal changed, we had to swap seats. It was a great way to get to know the people in my office - people I don't usually work with, or have much to do with. The most daunting time was having to sit through 30 minutes with my CEO !!

But anyways, as part of the night, we had some prizes for "most humourist date" "ultimate date" "most intriguing date" and "most well mannered date".

I won the Most Well Mannered Date. To be honest, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. Sure, its good to be polite and well mannered, but is 'well mannered' also code word for "boring but polite.. has nothing to say.. too quiet but nice anyways" ? *thinks hard*

Anyways, besides the great company and great food, I did manage to win something to take home. My prize for being the most well mannered was a gift voucher to Borders, so I'm looking forward to stocking up on some new things! What to buy?

New jobs and new experiences

I don't really have any exciting knitting news, but I do have some news which is at least exciting for me! After about 2 months of lots of stress, I have been offered two new jobs plus a counteroffer/opportunity within my own organisation to take a transfer.

Company 1 offered me a Perth based role, with the opportunity to visit sites as required. The package was not so great, so I turned it down.

Company 2 offered my a Fly In / Fly Out role, with the opportunity to rotate sites if I don't like where I am. The package was FANTASTIC to say the least, and at this stage, the one I am likely to tick off on.

Company 3 (mine) offered to transfer me to the same town as my significant other, with the opportunity to fly back to Perth fully paid as often as required. Very tempting and the subject of some serious thought but I think company 2 might just pip the post.

I'm awfully excited because it will mean I will eventually get to work on site (some might go 'why on earth would you do that') , and it will also mean that with all offers, I have the opportunity to spend more time with my significant other. At this point in both our careers and lives, I think that's just what we need.

Anyways, the news is probably only very exciting to me, but I thought i'd share anyways.

On the knitting front, Rambling Rose is coming along nicely. I have finished the back and am starting the left front where the roses will be. The product so far however does not make for exciting photography - 15cm of 1x1 ribbing and all stockinette. So, when I have something more exciting, I'll put them up.