Sunday 29 September 2019

After September Socks & Yarndale

September Socks a very peaceful event. Everyone loved the lack of pressure. All the newbies made progress, some astonishing, from a non-working machine at the beginning of the weekend, to a pair of socks by the end. Matt and I both tried the Noughts & Crosses pattern. But involving 4 needles in crosses on a CSM, while JUST possible, was a tad too far, and we don't want to take this experiment any further! The lovely Jill gave me enough yarn to make 32 pairs of handwarmers for the museum shop The following weekend I went up to Yarndale by coach. What a long haul. Total of 7 hours spent in travelling compared with 6 hours actually there. But it was good. Met up with some very, very, old friends, who had stands. Bought enough yarn to make another 22 pairs of handwarmers, new needles with better points for finishing the socks, and some deep violet dye, as I can never seem to get enough purple. Purple always goes first in the shop. Planning to do some spot dyeing on skeins instead of messing about with sock blanks, as I found the dyeing of these less than satisfactory last time. Only things I bought for myself were Christmas cards and a Herdy mug. I wold have liked to have been inspired by a kit for something colourful, but it was not to be. Vastly impressed by bunting made from Fair Isle on one stand, and will now dig out all my old machine knitting samples and see what I can do.

Thursday 19 September 2019

September Socks

Designed as an "in-between" event, I am putting on another weekend for circular sock machine knitters at local hotel. 44 booked, 6 cancelled, so a bit quieter event than in March, which had demonstrations, workshops and competitions. By keeping expenses down to just ink and paper, I have done a little better than breakeven, and of course it all goes to the Framework Knitters Museum. I don't think the fun will be diluted though! Usual aches and pains getting things down from the attic today and wondering where I put certain items after last time. 8 bags with handles, one crate, the rolling cart for the Cymbal, and my overnight case. Amazing how it all goes in a Toyota Aygo with room to spare, when some week's I don't think I can get the weekly shopping in. New this time - a challenge on how to do my teacosies with flatweb on a CSM, and we'll be looking at selvages from Kathy's book. As a diversion, have downloaded a pattern for Danish mitten cuffs and had fun with translating it. In doing so I found a better way of crossing two elongated stitches, except they are now right over left instead of left over right. Pattern name is Kryds & bolle which a Google translate says is cross and bowl, BUT a plain Google search says is Noughts & Crosses or Tic tac toe. The first one makes best sense!

Thursday 5 September 2019

Cosying "up"

Much nicer! Nine pleats each side, and some held stitches for the top ruffle. Just need a few more stitches in that ruffle, and proper lace holes every 5 rows for the tie, then happy for it to go to Textile Emporium. Final weight 85 grams, so it is tempting to make one from a single yarn, thus creating another 15 grams of scrap, which is kinda defeating the object!