The Scrappy Cardigan

I had lots and lots of scraps of wool leftover from different projects so I decided to knit a cardigan using all the wool! Basically I just made different fair isle patterns and knitted it into the shape of a cardigan with all the colours I had left. I was going to put buttons on it but in the end I decided to sew on snap fastener thingymajigs and sew flower buttons over the top to hide it.

I never wore this cardigan so I gave it to my mother and she wears it all the time.

Colouring-in Sheet

So apparently adults really like colouring-in sheets now - so do I when I can't be bothered to draw a picture and colour it in. So here is a picture that I drew. Feel free to print and colour in, or colour in with photoshop or paint or whatever you want.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B61fOErLrV3VYmlYbm5mckV3OGs/view?usp=sharing

Knitted-Beaded Bag

I made this bag for my aunty a few years ago. I knitted it all and slipped a bead onto each stitch with a crochet hook because I didn't want to work out how many beads I needed to slip onto the yarn to begin with. It's much, much easier to simply slip a bead onto each stitch and then knit it. I think it turned out quite well. One day I want to knit a dress using this method.

Eurovision Beanie Pattern

I had leftover wool from the linen stitch scarf:
http://thewoollyjumper.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/linen-stitch-scarf-finished.html

so I decided to make Roy a beanie as well. I thought I'd try and make it look like honeycomb so I found a website with a mock-honeycomb stitch on it:
http://www.knittingstitchpatterns.com/2015/03/mock-honeycomb.html AWESOME SITE ALERT!!
I really like the butterfly stitch pattern on there - might try that next.

When I started knitting it I realised that the pattern was for flat knitting and not knitting in the round (which is how I like to knit most things because I HATE sewing seams). All I had to do was just not include the last stitch instruction on the pattern but apparently that's too hard for me because I ended up stuffing the whole thing up, ripping it out and starting again. So I sort of wrote my own instructions but not very well. If you want a dodgy pattern for a beanie, please read the instructions below:

Eurovision Beanie Pattern

(So called because I knitted most of it while watching Eurovision. GO AUSTRALIA!!!!!)

This pattern is written for the hat you see in the photo, above. 

(Hat is knitted in the round on 40cm long circular needles and double-pointed needles).

With 3mm needles, cast on 104sts.

K2P2 rib for 25 rows.

Change to 4mm needles. 

Do Honeycomb Stitch for 25 rows: 

Honeycomb Stitch: 

Row 1 and all alternate rows, K

Row 2 *sl 3 wyif, K1, repeat from*

Row 4 *sl 3 wyif, K1, repeat from *

Row 6 K2, *K1 uls, K3, repeat from * until last 2 stitches, K1 uls, K1

Row 8 * sl 3 wyif, K1, repeat from*

Roy 10 *sl 3 wyif, K1, repeat from*

Row 12 K2, *K1 uls, K3, repeat from * until last 2 stitches, K1 uls, K1

Maybe....

K = knit

sl = slip stitches as if to purl

wyif = with yarn in front

K1uls = knit 1 stitch under the loose strands at the front of the knitting. To see how to do this, watch the video here: http://www.knittingstitchpatterns.com/2015/03/mock-honeycomb.html

or just attempt it 50 times until you get it right, like I did!

Begin decrease:  

Row 26 *sl3 wyif, K2tog, sl2 wyif, K1, repeat from *

Row 27 K

Row 28 *sl3 wyif, K1, sl2 wyif, K1, repeat from *

Row 29 K

Row 30 K1 *K1 uls, K3, K1 uls, K2, repeat from *

Row 31 K until last st, K2tog (knit last st from end of round together with first st from beg on next round)

Row 32 sl2 wyif, K1, *sl2 wyif, K2tog, sl2 wyif, K1, repeat from *

Row 33 K

Row 34 *sl2 wyif, K, repeat from *

Row 35 K

Row 36 K1, *K1 uls, K2, repeat from * until last 2 stitches, K1 uls, K1

Row 37 K until last st, K2tog

Row 38 *sl1 wyif, K2tog, repeat from * until last 2 stitches, sl 1 wyif, K1

Row 39: K

Row 40 *sl1 wyif, K1, repeat from *

Row 41 K

Row 42 *K1 uls, K1, repeat from * until last st, K2tog

Row 43 *K2tog, repeat from *

Row 44 *K2tog, repeat from *

Row 45 K

Row 46 *K2tog, repeat from * until last stitch, K1

Cut thread and draw through remaining stitches. Tie off and secure threads. 

FINITO! Dodgy beanie done!

Apparently it's a very comfortable beanie. I wouldn't make it for someone who has hair, it might be too small.

Eurovision Beanie 2

This is how I should have knitted the beanie. I haven't tried this pattern yet but when I do I'll update it and put in a photo.

(Hat is knitted in the round on 40cm long circular knitting needles and double pointed needles)

With 3.75mm needles, cast on 104 sts.

K2P2 rib for 30 rows (this will allow the brim to be folded)

Change to 4mm needles.

Do honeycomb stitch for 25 rows: 

Honeycomb Stitch: 

Row 1 and all alternate rows, K

Row 2 *sl 3 wyif, K1, repeat from*

Row 4 *sl 3 wyif, K1, repeat from *

Row 6 K2, *K1 uls, K3, repeat from * until last 2 stitches, K1 uls, K1

Row 8 * sl 3 wyif, K1, repeat from*

Roy 10 *sl 3 wyif, K1, repeat from*

Row 12 K2, *K1 uls, K3, repeat from * until last 2 stitches, K1 uls, K1

Maybe....

K = knit

sl = slip stitches as if to purl

wyif = with yarn in front

K1uls = knit 1 stitch under the loose strands at the front of the knitting. 

Begin decrease:  

Row 26 *sl3 wyif, K2tog, sl2 wyif, K1, repeat from *

Row 27 K

Row 28 *sl3 wyif, K1, sl2 wyif, K1, repeat from *

Row 29 K

Row 30 K1 *K1 uls, K3, K1 uls, K2, repeat from *

Row 31 K until last st, K2tog (knit last st from end of round together with first st from beg on next round)

Row 32 sl2 wyif, K1, *sl2 wyif, K2tog, sl2 wyif, K1, repeat from *

Row 33 K

Row 34 *sl2 wyif, K, repeat from *

Row 35 K

Row 36 K1, *K1 uls, K2, repeat from * until last 2 stitches, K1 uls, K1

Row 37 *sl2 wyif, K, repeat from *

Row 38 K

Row 39 *sl 2 wyif, K, repeat from*

Row 40 K1, *K1 uls, K2, repeat from * until last 2 stitches, K1 uls, K1

Row 41 K until last st, K2tog

Row 42 *sl1 wyif, K2tog, repeat from * until last 2 stitches, sl 1 wyif, K1

Row 43 K

Row 44 *sl1 wyif, K1, repeat from *

Row 44 K

Row 46 *K1 uls, K1, repeat from *

Row 47 K

Row 48 *K2tog, repeat from *, if there's any single stitches left over, K

Row 49 K

Row 50 *K2tog, repeat from *, if there's any single stitches left over, K

Row 49 K

Row 46 *K2tog, repeat from *, if there's any single stitches left over, K

Cut thread and draw through remaining stitches. Tie off and secure threads. 

Hallelujah!

I have a new-found respect for people who write patterns now. I salute y'all. 

Linen Stitch Scarf Finished!!!

Well, I finished the linen stitch scarf. It looks pretty good. I like linen stitch a lot.

Here's a link to the post when I first started knitting it: http://thewoollyjumper.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/linen-stitch-scarf.html

Here is what linen stitch looks like from the front and the back:

Back

Front

Roy likes it, he says it's very comfortable. 

Linen Stitch Scarf

Roy wants a "metro" scarf (which apparently means that it is thin and not too long) so went out and got some wool yesterday. We got Paton's Rainbow 8 ply in some deserty looking colours. It looks like barn owl feathers if you ask me.

See? They look the same! That photo is from wikipedia by the way.

I decided to do linen stitch because I saw this: http://queerjoe.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/work-ethic-throughout-my-working-life-i.html and got excited because it looks awesome! So I googled how to do linen stitch and now I'm knitting it. It even looks like linen.

Anyway, that Rainbow yarn is only acrylic and I don't really like knitting with acrylic much because I always think it's a waste and if you're going to go to so much effort to knit something then you may as well knit with real wool but Roy wanted it so I obliged him. Anyway, the next best yarn in the shop was $12 for 50 grams and I wasn't going to spend that much.

It's still only autumn but it feels like winter so I'd better hurry up and finish the scarf soon.

Favourite Knitting Sites Part 1

Here is a list of my all time favourite knitting sites, the sites I go to when I want a free pattern (cos who doesn't want something free?) or if I need some inspiration. I've written this as "Part 1" in the expectation that there will be more parts to this post but I don't think I actually have any other favourite sites :(

Garnstudio

http://www.garnstudio.com/

This website has some awesome patterns on it, the only problem is that all the patterns are written in squished up writing and you need a ruler to follow each line. I copy the pattern into a word document and separate each instruction to make it easier to follow. I made a men's Norwegian jumper from this site - it turned out really good but the pattern was incorrect on the sleeves and I didn't realise until I was knitting it and it was a big mess until I sorted it out and corrected the mistakes. I had to undo half the knitting on the sleeves and knit them again AND I HATE UNDOING KNITTING!!!!

I also made three pairs of mittens from this site, one pair I gave to my partner's mum and the other two I gave to my aunty to sell on her website.

Unfortunately, as usual, I didn't take photos of all the mittens I made. I always forget to do things like that until it's too late or I've worn or used whatever it is so much that they're trashed. The above mittens I gave to my aunty for her website.  http://www.merakcrafts.com/  I don't think they've been put up yet and I wouldn't expect them to sell anyway. They're knitted from some Aussie merino wool that I got from Spotlight or Lincraft or somewhere.

Here is the pattern in case anyone wants to make them. They're fun to make and fairly easy.

http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/pattern.php?id=5716&lang=en

Here is a dress I made from a pattern on the garnstudio website. I bought some big bags of bamboo blend wool from Spotlight, 20 balls for $10 or something ridiculous like that. I bought a bag of pink and a bag of purple and then made this dress in stripes. I have a tendency to eat chocolate while I'm knitting (I have a tendency to eat chocolate while I'm doing EVERYTHING) and I must have dropped some on the dress while I was knitting it and it melted and it got a big funny looking stain right on the crotch/stomach/bum area. I washed it out but it's sort of stained right into all the fibres and gah!!! I don't think there's a difference between the front of the dress and the back so I just turn it around and wear the stain where I like! It's a fashion statement people!

http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/pattern.php?id=5578&lang=en

Knitty

http://www.knitty.com

Knitty is one of those website that I always go to in the hope that I'll find something I want to make but get discouraged by the technical terms, get discouraged by the awesome product photography, crack the shits and leave. It doesn't matter what pattern you look at on there, the final product is always modelled by...well, a model. Someone who's all beautiful and standing in some awesome scenery with wind artfully blowing their hair and the jumper or hat or shawl (usually a shawl, I've never seen so many shawls in my entire life) flapping gently in the wind. And then I look at it and think, "Why don't my pictures turn out like that?" Because I'm not a model, that's why! Just look at the picture of me in the dress above! I'm standing next to one of the most bland houses in the entire universe! And it doesn't matter if the person is not model-looking, they could be an ageing hippy with grey dreadlocks, unwashed armpits and the faint smell of patchouli lingering around their nether regions, they still look like a freakin' model! What the hell!?

Not only that, but the patterns are freakishly difficult. You know you're not going to be able to knit something when it starts off like this: 

Slip the next two stiches onto the right needle as though to knit. Holding the yarn in your left hand (this is where you start to sweat when they tell you how to hold the goddamn wool) bring the left hand needle up to your eye. Slowly push it into your eye and twist. Once blood is running down your face and you feel your eyeball skewered firmly onto the needle, slowly bring down again. Cook over a low flame, rotating every few minutes to achieve a nice brown crackly flesh. Knit to the end of row. 

"Knit to the end of row." Do all this impossible stuff that doesn't make any sense, and then knit to the end of the row. Simple. How can you not understand the instructions you halfwit dinosaur!

The reason I like looking on knitty.com is because all those patterns are written by people like you or me, except better people, smarter people, people that we can only aspire to be. They've been knitting for at least 500 years and experimented and made mistakes (I can assume they've made mistakes, nobody would ever bloody admit to it) and now they can write a whole pattern in technical terms. When I write a pattern it reads something like this: 

Knit a lot until your hands are sore. Wait for a bit and then knit a bit more. (heh, that rhymes) then somehow you need to decrease by 30 stitches; you could probably knit 2 together every third stitch, that's what I did, except at the end when I realised I had to decrease 3 more stitches so I quickly did them all together...oh shit...that looks crap, doesn't matter, continue on as if nothing is wrong. 

But knitty.com does inspire me to knit and I check it out every few months. You should too. 

Knitpicks

http://www.knitpicks.com/ 

I always go on knitpicks.com if only to check out what new yarn and pretty needles they have on their banner thing on the front page. A few months ago I decided to knit the monkey toy for my sister (see previous post: http://thewoollyjumper.blogspot.com.au/2015/05/strawberry-booties-and-spider-monkey.html). I really wanted to knit the Mr Foster monkey pattern on the knitpicks website. I had previously tried to order yarn from knitpicks but they wouldn't deliver to Australia (damn you!) but I thought they would at least let me buy and download an e-book. Yeah right! I still had to enter shipping information even though it was only to download a book and because I live in Australia they wouldn't let me download it. Sigh. So that's why I knitted a spider monkey instead. 

They have lots of free patterns though. Once upon a time, a few years ago, or maybe 6 years ago, my mother wanted everyone to quickly use up all our internet data in one night before we lost it all, so in my infinite wisdom, I decided to download all the free knitting patterns I could from knitpicks.com because of course knitting patterns are gigantic downloads and would use up a lot of internet data (I'm being sarcastic in case you didn't realise). Anyway, I've ended up with lots of patterns like the candleflame shawl (http://www.knitpicks.com/patterns/Candleflame_Shawl_Pattern__D50465222.html) and crochet market bags and stuff like that. Never made anything though. Probably because they're free and they're written out all nicely and I can't knit anything unless it's a huge trial and I want to kill myself half way through. 

I would really like to buy some of their pretty knitting needles though. 

Strawberry Booties and Spider Monkey

My sister just had a baby so I knitted two things as a present: a spider monkey and strawberry booties.

The spider monkey is a pattern from Kath Dalmeny's book "World of Knitted Toys". I made the adult spider monkey and I ran out of wool so the tail is two different colours. Very cute toy though. While I was knitting it I had lots of ideas for alterations to the pattern which I will try one day. I want to give it a big fat tummy and really thin little fingers and huge enormous ears.

The strawberry booties are by Hronn Jonsdottir, a free pattern that I found on the internet:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mhUkeUG_d8XV2m7kXy_Fe5wE9hkmFgWC6-KHLGBDAWE/preview

Because I'm lazy, I made the booties in 8 ply wool using small needles, so they ended up a bit big but babies' feet grow fast so I'm sure James will be able to wear them soon. I couldn't crochet the little flowers because my wool was too thick and they ended up looking a bit stupid so I left them off. But the booties turned out pretty good anyway. They were heaps good fun to make! I made the i-cord ties in a slightly darker colour for contrast. They only took me 6 hours or so to make. If I was really good and on the ball I could have made them a lot quicker but instead I sat and watched TV (it's very hard to read subtitles while knitting) and alternated between knitting and reading.

I forgot to take a photo of them until I was leaving Melbourne so I took this rushed one.

As always, I knit everything using wool from the Bendigo Woollen Mills. I used to use lots of other different types and brands of wool but nothing compares to BWM. 

"Nothing compares to yooooooouuuuuuu..." http://www.bendigowoollenmills.com.au/