Knits

Well, I’m back home. My UK home. Not that I have a house back in the US, but you know what I mean.

It was nice to visit with my mom and sister over Thanksgiving and for my mom’s birthday. I even went and saw my dad down in Los Angeles which was quick, but nice. It was an odd sort of trip because I felt tired the entire time no matter how much sleep I got. It ended up that I didn’t do too much at all — no drive down the coast (or up), no real “sight seeing”, not even any clothing shopping like I had planned. I did a bit of knitting and bought (for me) quite a bit of yarn and knitting accessories. Despite not doing much, there’s actually a lot to show and say so I’ll split it up into a few posts.

First, the knitting. I showed you the two completely finished items in my last post — Clapotis for my sister, and Charade socks for me. I still have to write up the full details. I knit another Little Cables Hat for my friend who picked me up at the airport and drove me to my mom’s. I didn’t get to give it to her since she left very early the day after Thanksgiving so I’ll put it in the post (or actually will ask my mom/sister to do so since I left it behind). I also knit one of the Victorian Cabled Wristlets. I could’ve easily knitted both of them, but I’d only brought half a ball of yarn — the other half I had used to make a swatch to decide whether to purchase a sweater’s worth. Hopefully I can knock out the other one this weekend (if I can find the swatch). I love this wristlet — the yarn is sooooo nice and makes me sad I didn’t discover it before it was discontinued. I did buy a sweater’s worth though, heh.

 

I also started some house socks for my sister - there’s only toes to show so I’m not showing. I also started a pair of Marigold Socks for myself with my Piece of Beauty sock yarn in Sweet Grass. This yarn is so pretty. It’s the newer yarn that she’s dying and it knits up much nicer than the previous yarn. I liked the previous one, but felt like there was no elasticity in it (or I was pulling it all out) whereas this is just right. It also has this nice sheen that doesn’t seem to show until it’s knit up. They’re moving pretty swiftly. Another pair I wish I could’ve done two at once, but as I started them as a project to knit on the plane, I didn’t want to risk losing my cable needles.

 

Oh, and finally, a picture of my cardigan on me. You only get a picture of the back side of me since I rarely can take a nice picture — I always gotta pull faces or do a stupid pose.

 

I have lots of stash enhancement to detail, plus books and other related purchases. Plus some photos from the few times I did get out.

I also barely got online (my mom has my old computer which is just dead slow as is their connection) so I am trying to catch up on blog reading which isn’t easy since I was behind before I left! Hope you’re all well.

Well, I said I had a couple of toddler-sized things to knit. When I went off to spend the night in London for two nights I took a rather extraneous amount of knitting with me and as I stated, I did very little of it. I did cast on for the toddler-sized hat, but once again found that I generally have to start a hat on DPNs and them move to a circular before moving back to DPNs to do the decreases so I didn’t get past the cast-on for that. However, last night I re-cast-on and knit 2/3 of the hat before I had to head to bed. I finished it up this morning in no time. I’ve been sick with a cold since Thursday afternoon so couldn’t be fussed with pissing about with the camera to get more colour accurate photos. Read all the details on the Little Cable hat on it’s own special page.

I’ll probably make another for the other toddler that needs a hat, but I think I will use up the remaining yarn from the above for the ribbing doubled up with white and then double up the white for the rest of the hat. Maybe I’ll be able to knock that one out tonight too.

I finally completely finished that first sleeve of my cardigan and I love it. It’s probably a bit too fitted really, but I kinda love that since I’m past the days where I go out in baggy clothes. It will make it better for laying as the peanut butter of my layer sandwich — a fitted long-sleeved t-shirt inside and a coat on the outside. I’ve also finished the increases on the body and have maybe 2-4 more inches to go including the edge and the second sleeve. Because I briefly had amnesia with the first three balls of yarn, I’ll have a few ends to weave in, but for the rest of it I’ve done the sexy spit-splice. Despite knitting this sleeve three times, I’m really happy with it — it’s my first sleeve ever!

My friend, A, who is in Brussels doing her PhD sent me a belated birthday gift which included Belgian Chocolates (of course, and if she hadn’t she wouldn’t be my friend anymore haha) and a sachet with a lace kitty on it. If you didn’t know, Belgian lace is kinda famous. She also sent this other thing with some cute little apples embroidered on it. I didn’t know what it was at first and a co-worker said a shower cap.

 
Trigger disagrees. It’s really meant for a jam jar. I’ll have to take a picture of the cute little embroidered apples another day.