17 Colours

Seventeen colours!

I've finished the first colour repeat. Four more to go!

I figure that five repeats will give me about 180 - 190 cm in length.

I have several other 'nearly finished' projects banking back. All requiring sewing up and finishing. My least favorite part of making anything. I think because I don't rate my needlework skills very highly, so I'm usually fairly tense when I pick up a sewing needle. Generally not a good start to enjoying a task.

Never-the-less, I've finally finished the renovations of this simple Debbie Bliss jumper, which uses four strands of Marta's Yarn 2ply merino.

I knitted the jumper last year for Mr S. I made the 6mth size, but it never really fitted him properly. Too wide, arms too long. So he wore it once or twice only.

Now that it's getting colder, I'm looking at what jumpers Mr S has for this winter. I tried this jumper on him and width wise it is perfect, as is arm length. But it was ridiculously short. So I went to Marta's and bought a complementary colour way. I've knitted an extension. About 10cm. And tacked it on to bottom. It looks (I hope) like he is wearing layers.

This is a slightly better representation of the colour, although still not great. The actual colours are far richer. Never mind!

And my swap partner (SueChicago) has received her package. Yah!

Pretty in Pink

Well, I'm on to my twelfth colour. I think it's looking ok this time around.

But nothing is ever straight forward. I've now got a tension problem. The first six colours were done during summer, when my hands were hot and the wool didn't slide smoothly. So the tension is tighter. Now that it's cold, well the yarn's flowing freely and the tension is looser. Mmmmm.

Progress on other projects is steady:

• Mr S' red cardi has a sleeve and collar to do - and then it's finished!
• Leo Lion is sewn up, I need to to the finishing touches - embroider the face, sew on a tail and ears - and then it's finished too!

I've started a new winter hat for Mr S. It's from Zoe Mellor's "The Bid Book of Kids' Knits - 50 designs for babies and toddlers". It has ear flaps and cables.

Zoe Mellor's book is fab! There are lots of great patterns including a pirate jumper and a puppet theatre, with hand puppets.

Strawberry and Blueberry Ripple

I've bitten the bullet (so to speak) and unravelled about 10 colours of my ripple blanket. I cannot tell you how unhappy I was with it. The actually crocheting was fine, which is kind of what killed me about the whole sorry saga. But the colours! Ugg. Individually fine. Together, one horrible mess.

I knew I couldn't live with it. But I knew it was going to hurt unravelling so much. So, I procrastinated about taking action for weeks and weeks.

Finally, on Thursday night I did it. Here is how it used to look:



And now, well it's back to ripple ripple ripple! I've completed a further 1 1/2 colours. I refuse to say 're-done'. I think if I think about it in those terms I'm going to drag my feet, thinking that I am just going over old ground. I need to think about what I'm doing as new.

So, here is how it looks now:




I think that what helped me turn the corner was buying some new colours from Cleggs in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne.

They had some Cleckheaton's Machine Wash 8ply Wool Crepe on sale for $2.50 a 50g ball in some good colours - pinks, mauve pinks, pinky red, and they had some other colours of Paton's Totem, which I hadn't seen before - specifically a soft grey blue purple colour. It's one of those colours, which in different lights appears different. Looking at it this moment, it looks like periwinkle.

I think what I am ending up with is a Strawberry and Blueberry Ripple!

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On a different topic, I have discovered Cast On. It's a pod cast about knitting, recorded by Brenda Dayne, who's an American living in Wales. I've only listened to 3 shows so far, but I think they are lovely. Bright, thoughtful, entertaining.

I listen to it on my laptop, but it's the first time I've started to think that maybe I do need an I-pod. Two people tried to give me one for Christmas, but I said I didn't want one. No use for one. I think I may have changed my mind.

I have Sue to thank for putting me on to it. I think I had read about Cast On before somewhere, but when I recently read Sue's blog, 'Sue who knits', I was convinced that I should at least have a listen. I think I'm hooked!

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And changing the subject again, I am also involved in my first 'swap' as a result of participating in one of the forum's on Ravelry - Susan Knits. We are all 'Swapping Susans'.

My swap partner is SueChicago - the same Sue mentioned above.

I already have a few ideas about what I might put in my swap package - the minimum requirement is something local and 200g of yarn.

Everyone participating in the swap had to fill in a questionnaire, so I have some clues as to what her general interests and tastes are. Mmmmm. Trying very hard to be thoughtful and send something she may like. Despite the vague anxiety, it's kind of fun though!