In search of snugness

With winter approaching in approximately 3 months time, I am on the lookout for a great Coat/Cardigan pattern for those moments where maximum snuggliness is required. While I did manage to pick up two of the said cardigans on my recent trip to Melbourne, I'm also feeling the urge to buy upwards of 20 balls of yarn for the pleasure of knitting a long bulky sweater coat.
In my search, out came all my magazines and booklets.

Here's what I found. (PS. I haven't looked online yet, so if anyone has any fab ideas for a coat cardigan, please let me know :D I haven't settled on one yet!)

From Jo Sharp Knit.2: Obviously I wouldn't parade around in a bikini all day long ;)

From Phildar Tendances:

From DB Cashmerino:
From Interweave Knits:
From Vogue Knitting:

From Rowan Studio 8:

From Knit.1:

A Whole lot of Food in Melbourne, Australia

As I mentioned in my last few posts, I recently went to Melbourne for a few days to visit some friends who had done the whole "moving east" thing after uni. Besides Marv, the other boys were actually out of town, so it became a girls weekend of sorts.

Melbourne is famous for a few things - great shopping (that I did have on the first day, but not so much luck on Chapel or Bridge Road the days after), a great bar scene, and fabulous food.

(Apologies for the photo quality - I was limited to my bf's little Olympus P&S which I'm not familiar with)

On the first night, we went to a Korean bbq place in the CBD (didn grab any photos), then Max Brenner:

On Saturday, we went to Apte (A place to eat), a cafe given a perfect 20/20 score. While the service was a bit slow, the food was faultless.

Then there was Maedaya, a little japanese Sake Bar with great nibblies (almost like a Japanese tapas restaurant).

On Sunday, there was Hutong Dumplings Restaurant:

Followed by Koko Black for delicious dark chocolate goodies.

Was I satisfied? Definitely. Would I head back for more? Absolutely.

FO: Ruffled and Ruched Scarf

Two days after returning from Melbourne, I finally finished the Ruffled and Ruched Scarf. I had hoped that I would be able to finish this last week and be able to wear it in Melbourne, but alas that was not the case. But it turned out fine anyways, because Melbourne wasn't cold enough to wear a scarf (25 degrees on the weekend that I was there), and after my dramas at the airport (not being able to check in my luggage and having to downsize my melbourne wardrobe to a tiny handbag worth) it was probably a good thing..


Anyways, for some FO details:

Pattern: Ruffled and Ruched Scarf, by Pam Powers. Ravel it!

Yarn: Reclaimed Heirloom Merino Magic (DK weight) in red.
This is the third time I have used this yarn . The first was my illfated Jess Cardigan (too heavy to wear), then my first foray into the Lush and Lacy Cardigan (wrong weight yarn) and on its third attempt, it managed to become something. I used approximately 4 balls of yarn though I can't be accurate in saying how many yards that is because my balls were odd sized due to my "reclaiming" of yarn.

Needles 4.5mm


Comments and Mods
There are two versions of this pattern - one in DK weight, and one in a thicker weight. The scarf I made is based on the DK version and overall, the pattern is extremely easy (if not mundane) and took approximately 2 weeks for me to complete.

It all started when I learnt how to do a provisional cast on. A few botched attempts ensued, but after my third go, it was all smooth sailing from there . I made no purposeful mods to the patterns, but as I did not swatch for gauge (lazy i know, but it was a scarf so I didn't really care about fit) my scarf grew quite fat and so I did not do all the increases. In saying that, I was also surprised at how much yarn the scarf ate up - due to the garter stitch rows, and the increases/decreases throughout.

Kim Hargreaves : Patterns and New Book

I got a rather exciting email in my inbox the other day - one of my favourite knit designers has come out with a new book, and has made individual pattern buying possible on her website (without the need for a kit).

Rather than blabbing on about it, check it out for yourself :)
(HONESTLY, how can you say NO to this much loving?)

PS. I failed in my attempt to finish the ruched & ruffled red scarf. Knitting for 30 minutes while i'm on site rarely results in an FO. Oh well. No red scarf outfit for melbourne then . And thanks to all those who provided tips on wear to go for yarnie goodness in melbourne - i'll be heading off tonight :)

Ruffles, ruching, roses.. Bliss!

Continuing on from attempts to move away from black and grey winters and towards a colourful accessories filled season, I have cast on for Pam Powers' Ruffled and Ruched Scarf in Merino Magic red yarn ( a third reincarnation of this yarn who went through such projects as the Jess Cardigan to the first attempt at the Lush and Lacy Cardigan, and now as an accessory).

It was love at first sight for me and this scarf. Ruffles, ruching, roses, all wrapped around the neck - just perfect for the girly girl in me!

The project didnt start off so well though.. I learnt for the first time the Provisional Cast On. It took me about three goes before I was confident that the two colour swirl of a mess at the start somewhat resembled those in the knitty.com photos... but since then, there haven't been any hiccups and I've completed the first section of the scarf. One more section and a rose to go!

I'm off to melbourne for a short four day trip to see some pals, and given that there can often be four seasons in one hour in melbourne, I'm hoping that the scarf will be ready because i have just the perfect little outfit for it. Ooh excitement.

Speaking of melbourne, I've been looking at yarn stores and wool related places I can visit on the Friday (my friends will be at work so I will have friday to myself). I've got a few on my list, but if anyone melbournians read this blog, please drop me a line and let me know . I'll be catching the train to get around, so preferably stores near the cbd or easily accessible :) Thanks

PS. Does anyone else really struggle with photographing RED? Any tips would be appreciated :)

Handsome Mittens

Some people think that where I live is the "desert". Some people think that I live in 40 degree (celcius) temperaure for 365 days of the year (plus one on a leap year).
These people are wrong.

Yes I live in the country, but i wouldnt call it the desert. It's definitely very red, but I believe that is because it is a resource rich area, rather than dry and arid. And they are certainly wrong about the 40 degree living. Yes, it does get extremely hot in summer (as does most of Western Australia I should say), but in winter, boy is it cold. The thermostat says it's about 11 degrees most days in the winter - and while for some people living in cold areas this might be reasonable, to me it is freezing.

So when winter rolls around, i love donning my scarves, my winter tights (fashionable or not), my beanies and my gloves and mittens. This year I have tried to escape my classic winter colours of grey and black (too drab), and decided to bust out some brightly coloured mittens with hopes of at least putting a smile on one's face..

Project Details:

Pattern: Handsome Mittens, featured in Interweave Knits winter 08 issue.

Yarn used: Half a ball each of Cleckheaton Country 8 ply (blue) and Heirloom Merino Magic (pink).

Needles : A set of 4 4.5mm dpns. The pattern calls for a set of 5, but i only had a set of 4 and wasn't going to go out and buy another set just for one needle. That said though, it would've been easier to make these if you had the extra needle (counting wise and fidgeting wise).

Comments and mods: The colour changing took me two goes to get it right. The first go I had a terrible line going up my mitten showing where the colours had been changed.. But something in my head kept saying "nah that's fine keep going" until I had almost finished my first mitten, and then of course, the painful feeling of frogging the whole thing and telling myself "i told you so" hehe.

The pattern itself is really easy to follow , and as mentioned above, if you have the extra needle, should be fairly straightforward. In general, I don't think i made any mods, and i think the whole thing went fairly smoothly.

Wedding bells

Sorry for not blogging in the last 11 days. It's been a crazy week and a half as my younger brother and his college sweetheart became man and wife. The bride was beautiful, and the groom glowing with happiness..



It was a beautiful ceremony and wedding reception, with both paying tribute to their respective parent who had passed away, and to the incredible journey that they have been through together.

All in all, a lovely day and one in which no knitting was done ;)

PS. My sister ended up wearing the cream jacquard floral dress cause she's smaller up top, and it fit her beautifully. Yay!

Casting on: Handsome Mittens

I adore mittens. There's something insanely cute about those little round pockets for hands.. something so cute about not being able to fully grasp anything properly. Perhaps it reminds me of little babies and their pouch mittens. Or perhaps it just brings up ideas of playing in snow.. Whatever it is, there's something uniquely youthful about them that gloves do not possess - something that just keeps me coming back.

When I flicked through my Interweave Winter issue, I immediately knew I wanted to cast on for the Handsome Mittens. I loved the striping pattern, the use of the reverse stockinette stitch, and the way that the model's mittens had contrasting thumb colours. Could it be - More cuteness than normal mittens!?

Here's me casting on and starting to knit...

Almost there

As I mentioned previously, the sweet Phildar tie up sweater is a mindless knit. Rounds and rounds of reverse stockinette stitch and little shaping made perfect tv knitting. But by golly, the finishing is taking awhile..

First there was the puffed sleeves..


Then there was the slit sleeve finished off with a loop buttonhole


Then there was the bottom band...

Then there was the TWO neckbands that form the tie..


Almost there.. almost there...

FO: Cream jacquard floral dress

So.. after my last post, i completely removed the sweetheart neckline from my cream dress and modded it so that there wasn't a huge gaping hole between my actual bust, and my imaginary dream sized bust ;) hehe

Unfortunately, in the process, i actually underestimated what i *did* in fact have, and ended up making the dress a little too small up top and effectively squishing and flattening my already small upper body ..

Oh well, i can't be bothered making amendments at the moment, so I present to you an FO:

FO: Cream Jacquard Floral Dress



Pattern: My own. It's basically a strapless dress, with a bubble/gathered full skirt.

Notions: Thread, 30cm cream invisible zipper in the centre back.

Fabric: Some cream floral jacquard that I picked up on sale at Spotlight during their end of year sale. I got 2 metres, and i probably used up 1.7 of it. I have a small amount left which i might be able to make into a shoulder cape / small jacket of some sort.

Comments : I made this dress with the intention of wearing it to my brother's wedding. While i would still like to, im not sure how i feel with looking like a prepubescent teen with no chest.. I might be able to salvage the upper body to create more chest room.. but as is, it's a nice dress, but would've been nicer if it fit better!

We're going to the chapel....

No, not me. My brother is getting married in a few weeks, and I am stuck for something to wear. I know I know, people who know me in real life will know I have a tonne of dresses hanging beautifully in my wardrobe. But of course, I have nothing to wear...

A few months ago when I was visiting in Perth, I stopped by and stocked up at the local Spotlight store for fabrics that I wouldnt be able to get out here in Kal. On that shopping list was lots of printed cottons, a few rolls of jacquard (heavily discounted as it was "buy the rest of the roll and get xx percent off"), and some pretty silk.

(trying to get my craft room up and running)

One of my favourite fabrics that I purchased that day was a cream jacquard with printed flowers all over it. I managed to pick up 2 metres at a total cost of $18. Bargain or not?

Anyways, I always knew I wanted to make a pretty dress with it.. so I started to draft, and cut, and sew.. and eventually I ended up with this (the hem and the skirt tucks aren't sewn yet. Still playing around with it):


Personally, i think it's quite lovely. But I also overestimated my less than ample bosom. Because while it's lovely, the sweetheart/corset style top means that I am not going to be able to make simple alterations without unpicking most of it. DISASTER. But one i'm willing to tackle nonetheless..


But anyways, I have a question.. I realise that wearing WHITE to a wedding is boo boo... But how about cream (with flowers).. it's not a boo boo is it ? :)

FO: Icy Mint Vintage Cardigan

Project Details

Pattern: Golden Vintage Cardigan, by Thea Colman. Available here



Yarn: Bendigo Woollen Mills Cotton 8 ply, in Icy Mint (discontinued colour). The yarn itself was nice to knit with, but I hated the colour every step of the way. I'm not even sure why I purchased the colour in the first place, but it was sitting languishing in my stash so I decided I better knit something with it...


Needles 4.25mm , to get gauge. I noticed my little Clover needles were in between standard needle sizes, and thank goodness for that ;)

Comments
Very simple, easy to knit cardigan which produces a cute, classic result. While im not overly impressed with the colour of the cardigan, I would definitely reknit this in something more wearable (black, red, greys, whatever... just not icy mint).


Other mods which you might consider (and I would should I knit another) is to reinforce the button band with some cosgrain ribbon as it is fairly weak, and perhaps lengthen it.

Protecting yourself

My brother's fiance sent me an email forward yesterday and I just *had to share*.

Here are some ideas for you to protect your privacy and security when using your computer/laptop :

and the very best idea of all!!

Hair hair everywhere

As much as I love alpaca, I hate the way the fibres shed. It's all over me, my bf, and on the clothes. It's just like having an alpaca bleeping away in my living room ... :S


PS. I did say the Phildar Tie Sweater WIPs were going to be dull didn't I ? ;)

Plugging, plugging, plugging

Have you ever had a pattern that you found really boring and really difficult to continue with, yet you loved the finished pattern?

For me, it is turning out to be Kim Hargreave's Lisette Cardigan, knit in fingering weight / 4 ply which never seems to end. (Plus , it is the second time i'm giving this cardigan a go).


At the moment, there is one back piece, one sleeve, one front piece and a tad bit of another sleeve. I'm knitting all over the place with hopes that it will be more interesting this way (ha!). But anyways, a little bit a day, and hopefully it will end soon ...

Casting on : Phildar Sweetness

Flicking through an older Phildar magazine, I came across a sweater that I fell in love with as soon as I had bought the magazine. However, many magazines and pattern book purchases later, I soon came to neglect the previously loved sweater until recently.

The sweater itself is very simple, knit in reverse stockinette stitch the whole way, and finished off with a sweet tie up at the front. Not difficult knitting it seems. And it's also one of those sweaters that you can wear very easily, so coupled with the simple sweetness of it, I decided I just had to knit it right now.


I've cast on using Bendigo Alpaca , which is fairly different to the Phildar Frimas suggested, but the cotton i tried to swatc with was fairly ugly knit at the looser gauge. So, I'm trying alpaca as it is fairly drapey, and hopefully will give me a similar effect to the Phildar Frimas. Plus, i'm trying to use up stash yarn before purchasing more yarn.

I don't expect it to have very exciting WIP photos along the way, so we may stay quiet on this one for awhile ;)