The Knitting Assassin!

Blanket coverage....

2012-03-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

.....I'm still chugging away with the latest blanket design! The end is in sight, though - just starting the final quarter!

As it's currently 4'x4' I think it will maybe need a few external rows to increase the overall size. Still not sure whether to do rows of black squares all the way round the edge or replicate the centre 'square' like a frieze instead...... decisions, decisions!

However, I am truly a convert to this form of knitting and I have already mind-mapped other colour combinations to create some blankets for charity in the future.

New Project

2012-02-12T09:32:00.000-08:00

After the debacle of frogging an item last week I was hunting around for a new project. I have two or three WIPs at the moment but......you know how it is when you want to try something new...!

Anyway, I was thumbing through some old knitting magazines and came across a stitch/pattern that intrigued me, made of mitred squares.

Using some variegated yarn from my stash I was quickly knitting blocks of green (see pic at top of post) - delighting in the fact that each row grows shorter!

Then, I decided to experiment with blocks of colour. The stash pile produced this:

Appetite well and truly whetted I made a trip to our nearest yarnshop and stocked up on specific colours and this is the WIP so far:

The photo doesn't replicate the colours so well, but basically I used black, mid-brown, fawn and white. I will try and get a better shot in daylight.

This will be an ongoing project to create a blanket - easy enough to do in front of the TV or at knitting group. Still, it looks effective. I'm already thinking of ways to tweak the original idea to create new ideas - I'll keep you posted!

Living up to my 'name'! (well, sort of...!)

2012-02-09T00:58:00.000-08:00

The other day I was casting off the last few stitches of a sleeveless jacket. It was knit in one piece (fronts and back all together, thus avoiding seams) so it seemed a little large, but I told myself it was because I was used to doing separate pieces. However, trying on the finished article proved my initial suspicions - the darned thing was way too big.

I couldn't understand it - until I realised I'd been following the wrong set of figures in the sizing brackets.....DOH! >:-(

As I sat frogging it out I was muttering away to myself about the lost hours I'd wasted - I really felt quite murderous!

So, as I haven't yet got any other projects ready to share here I thought I'd stick up one of the stories (from one of my other blogs) that earned me the moniker 'THE KNITTING ASSASSIN' - bestowed upon me by another blog-writing friend.

Hope you like it!

STITCH AND BITCH

"Looking at it from his point of view, then yeah, I would be pissed also,” said Mary, behind the curl of blue smoke trailing upwards from the cigarette held vice-like between her elegant long fingers.

“Hmm, me too,” replied Carole, swallowing another large mouthful of wine from her glass.

“But to complain like that and then – oh, damn! Dropped another one!” Sheila hadn’t quite got the hang of cables. Mary laid her unfinished cigarette in the ashtray and leaned over.

“Give it here,” she said, beckoning across the table to Sheila. “Right, let’s have a look….oh, I see what you’ve done.” Deftly twisting the yarn backwards round the needle she worked her way back along the row of knitting and re-started. “Here you go, sweetie,” she said, handing the work back over the table. Sheila blew her an imaginary kiss in response and picked up the needles.

“Anyway, as I was saying, how could he complain about the way it was done? I think Petra did an excellent job!!” She patted me on the arm as if to reassure me. As the new kid on the block I was really just feeling my way.

“I guess he thought if he complained long and loud enough we’d waive the fee,” continued Mary. She exhaled another lungful of blue smoke as her eyes concentrated on the stitches she was counting along the needle of her own piece of work, moving them along in pairs with her immaculately manicured nails.

Carole laughed as she set down her glass.
“I don’t think he’d read the small print in the contract,” she giggled. The second bottle of wine was beginning to have an effect, I thought. Mary laid her work down and stared at me.

“Petra, you did make sure no-one else saw you?” she asked. Her face had lost it’s gentle look as her laser-beam eyes raked over me.

“Of course!” I retorted. “What sort of amateur do you take me for?” I tried to balance the tone of my voice to match a fair copy of the hurt I might be expected to feel. I picked up the pattern in front of me and made a show of studying it. Thankfully, all the hours spent with my Grandmother as a child had turned me into a fairly proficient knitter. Well enough, anyway, to fit into this group.

For the last three months I’d been working my way into their confidence, letting slip nuggets of information about my past ‘jobs’. My other special skill came in useful too - none of them is as good as me with a high velocity rifle.

There was an awkward lull in the conversation and all I could hear was the gentle rhythmical click-clack of knitting needles around the table. When I looked up Mary was still staring intently at me, whilst her hands worked in a blur of almost regimental precision, eating up the yarn trailing through fingers tipped with her trademark blood-red talons. For a moment I was wary, but then Sheila broke the silence.

“Mary, don’t pick on the kid!” she said in my defence. “When I drove up to collect her I made sure I wasn’t followed. In the distance I saw all kinds of birds circling over something, but I couldn't tell what from where I was and if I couldn’t tell it was Marian Hansen’s body then believe me no-one else would!”

No, she wouldn’t be able to tell it was a dead sheep and not Marian Hansen’s body because, in fact, Marian Hansen was now in protective police custody. The woman was safely out of the way, thanks to what I’d been able to glean from our cosy little “Stitch ‘n’ Bitch” evenings. We’d meet a couple of nights a week at Freddie’s Bar - an innocent little knitting group. No-one paid a blind bit of notice so we were quite effective at hiding in plain sight.

I hadn’t wanted to go under cover but it seemed I had the necessary skills to blend in – none of the guys on my team were willing to show their feminine side and confess to being able to knit. For once I was glad I was the only girl in the squad. But now I’m scared I might be slipping out of my depth.

You know that feeling when you wake up sweating and think 'thank goodness it was only a dream'? Well, when I wake up each day I’m starting to wish this was a dream. I just have to hold my nerve long enough and stay undercover to try and find out what they’ve done with Daryl Hansen.

To my mind, he deserves everything he might have got, having put out a contract on his wife for turning evidence. I know cops shouldn’t think that way but, hell – we’re not saints.

Mary’s staring at me again. Daryl pushed his luck too far with her, trying to argue his way out of paying as he didn’t actually get to see Marian’s body. I wonder which one of them did it?

Knit one. Purl one.

With her background in pharmacology Sheila could have poisoned him. Or Carole’s skill with a garrotte would have seen him quickly despatched. For a small woman she has immense strength in those pudgy fingers, which defies the logic of how she can create the most beautiful lacework stitching with such fine yarn.

Knit one, slip one, yarn forward.

No, my money’s on Mary. She likes sharp things. Stiletto heels. Long fingernails. Ice-picks. Daryl was probably perforated in some vital organ. Perhaps she even did a bit of probing with one of her spare knitting needles….

Knit one. Purl one.

Cast off…….

(The original piece was part of a writing challenge with certain words/phrases that had to be incorporated - click here to see the original post and comments)

Necessity - the mother of invention!

2012-01-24T04:53:00.000-08:00

A couple of weeks ago I posted details of a small scarf which I'd greatly enjoyed making. However, blocking it out was 'fun' (not!) - in fact, the blocking process is the part I really hate, (almost as much as sewing up knitted garments!) all those little picot edges to be pinned out individually and to shape......eugh! :-(

Still, I decided to replicate the scarf in a different yarn - a lovely, soft, 75% Bamboo mix.

It looked like a limp bit of dishcloth as it came off the needles - but then, lace knitting never looks its best at that stage, that's where the (previously dreaded) blocking comes into play!

Of course, it's so much easier using blocking wires/rods - but not so easy to find where I live in the UK. Then I got inventive.......!

A quick trip to one of the DIY 'sheds' saw me procure some anodised metal rods. The narrowest gauge I could find were 4mm but as the scarf I wanted to block had a suitable sized slotted edging I thought I'd try.

Well - it was SO easy I couldn't believe how I'd never tried this before! The rods were 1m in length, so I had to use two, slightly 'overlapped', along the neck edge, then use the third along each diagonal edge seperately.

The end result is drying out nicely and I'm rather pleased with the outcome.

(Of course, if any of my family are reading this, I might still put a set of 'proper' wires/rods on my Birthday/Christmas list, anyway.....if you can find/afford them! ;-p)

Isn't this gorgeous?

2012-01-24T01:56:00.000-08:00

I found this blog by chance this morning - am totally smitten!

Particularly with the post about the 'Rams and Yowes' blanket!

Seriously jealous - beautiful design and gorgeous colours!

I want one! :-)

The Beginning .....and the End!

2012-01-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

It's the beginning of 2012 - but it's the end of two WIPs! :-)

The 'Icecream' scarf (so nicknamed because the colours remind me of Neapolitan icecream: vanilla, strawberry and chocolate) is finally complete! It has been my 'go-to' project in between other projects, but rather than run out of wool (I bought it on holiday in New England, so not exactly easy to run out and buy more!) I called a halt, cast off and added the fringe. It was a very simple pattern and is so snuggly soft that it will be appearing in public on many outings, methinks!

The next project only started last week but is already finished!

The knitting club I go to twice a month has a tradition of using the profits from out weekly subs to purchase balls of different yarns and at Christmas all the members of the club get a 'lucky dip'. Well, I selected some sock yarn and decided that, rather than knitting socks (of which I have a fair number knitted already!), I'd use the yarn for something else and came across a pattern for a small scarf/shawl

I love it so much, I've already cast on with different yarn to create another scarf.....will post piccies of that when finished, too!

Natty Hat!

2011-12-15T12:08:00.000-08:00

My son had me knitting him a voluminous 'Dr Who'-style scarf earlier in the year - his next request was for a hat with ear-flaps. It has taken me until now to find a suitable pattern and with a little 'customising' it's finally finished!

It was an American pattern and the nearest match I could find for yarn turned out a hat that was just a tad loose - so I knit a second one on smaller needles and sewed it inside: one very smartly lined hat and now my son's head is 'toasty warm' (his quote!)

A brief respite whilst I busied myself with Christmas preparations means I am now mulling over what to tackle next - revisit one of my laid-aside WIPs or start something new....?

Hmmmmm..........!

Finishing off

2011-11-19T14:38:00.000-08:00

Oh, I do savour that delicious moment when the WIP comes off the needles AND all the finishing has been done!

The shawl I finished a few days ago has been successfully blocked and looks so delicate. I'm really pleased with it as it's the first time I've used such fine silk yarn. That said, I think it's unlikely I would undertake such a project again in a hurry - it required focussed attention to follow the pattern and I became somewhat of a hermit during its construction!

Also, fresh off the needles and ready to wear - some cosy socks ready for the cold winter days!
Knitted in Sirdar Crofter DK yarn they're soft and snugly and the variegated yarn creates a pleasing Fairisle pattern.

Now, a slight interruption as I look for a pattern to use 200g of this!:

Ideas, anyone?

Taddaah!!!! Finished the shawl!

2011-11-11T10:37:00.000-08:00

Well, I finally cast off the last stitch of the pink silk shawl I was knitting for a cousin in New Hampshire - just a year behind schedule (having taken it on from my daughter, who'd originally agreed to do it but had to abandon the project due to eye surgery).

Now, the only remaining problem is blocking it - which will be interesting as I'm not sure where in the house I can possibly do it without it getting in the way! Still, it will (hopefully) look more like the piccie on the pattern when all the picots are pinned out to pointy perfection!

Also, the variegated yarn I bought when over in NH last year has been put to good use. A little too rough for garment quality it is making up into a gorgeous throw/blanket. Just a little left, so with some judicious extra rows of black I might get it another few inches bigger!

After knit-club, this afternoon, I managed to track down the red 'eyelash' yarn I needed to knit the 'Ruby Slippers' that a fellow blogger coveted on one of my earlier blog-posts - (I'm casting on tonight, Jenny!)

It has been great for Miss H to accompany me to knit-club the last couple of times. Although she's had 2 of the 3 operations to repair a detached retina she's able to see well enough to do simple stocking stitch items. And we rather more 'senior' members have been delighted to have her youth to drop the average age of attendees! ;-)

Knitting groups

2011-10-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

Finally.....finally managed to make it back the Knitting Club I started going to earlier in the year. We meet twice a month at a local Adult Education centre and although there were informal 'meets' during the summer break I haven't managed to get back into the Autumn season until this week!

I was hastily casting-on something 'simple' last night so I'd have something to take with me today - although I have several WIP's they are a bit tricky and require a fair amount of concentration!

Recuperating daughter (after surgery) joined me and even though she was by far the youngest there she seemed to enjoy it! There was much praise for the slippers she was knitting (to her own design!) - I hope she'll be able to join us again before she's well enough to return to work.

It's lovely to see all the different projects on the 'go' - a variety of skill levels and always something new to learn and share.

.......and I learned that one of the 'leaders/organisers' has a online yarnstore website Knit'n'Caboodle - so I'm off to explore!

On the needles.....

2011-09-30T07:10:00.000-07:00

....a piece of lace knitting!

Last Autumn, my daughter and I visited family in New England. On a trip to Portland, Maine, we called in to an amazing shop - Tess's Designer Yarns and purchased a fair few items ! (amidst the gasps of 'oooh!' and 'aaaahhh!')

My cousin's wife fell in love with a pattern for a lacy shawl and my daughter agreed to make it up for her but it proved a challenge too far, (not least because my daughter has recently had emergency eye surgery so 'fancy' knitting is out of the question for a while!) so I have taken up the needles and am attempting to 'save face' and produce the shawl in time for Christmas.

Learning to read charts (and American patterns!) has been a massive learning curve - but I'm getting there.

Meanwhile, I have a completed (but not 'made up') short sleeved cardigan sitting in a bag (how I hate the 'making up' part of knitting):

Some random-dyed yarn I was knitting up with a vague idea of a cushion cover in mind, just something easy to do while watching T:

- and yesterday I finished unravelling a jacket that just never did 'feel' right, but the yarn is gorgeous:

Meanwhile, I'm still on the hunt for the 'right' pattern to use some gorgeous random-dyed wool I bought a while back. Still looking......

Finished the jacket!

2011-08-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

I went back and frogged back to the waist shaping to add extra length, then re-knit up to the neck finishing. Just need to make a button loop at the waist and it's done. This isn't the best picture, but my internet use has been hampered by the demise of my laptop - hence I'm on an ancient PC that turns the pages very ponderously! Hope to be back up to speed shortly - when the computer shop says the shiny new laptop is ready!

Project updates!

2011-08-11T01:46:00.000-07:00

I realised it's been a few weeks since my last entry here - I wish I could say it's because I've been so engrossed in knitting...! (some of the tardiness is down to a spate of DIY and also 'movement' on the publishing front... !)

Anyway - here's the current state of play on some of my projects:

Sage long-line cardigan. Not sure I'm happy with the length - it's correct according to the pattern but doesn't match the proportions on the modelled item on the pattern. May rip it back to before the commencement of shaping and add a couple more inches (luckily, I bought extra yarn!)

'Ice Cream' scarf - my ongoing 'in-between' project.....grown a few inches since its last photographic outing!

Next project - all ready and rarin' to go!

Knitting has been interrupted by changing this:

....into this:

...interspersed with plenty of this:

I hope to get the Sage cardigan finished by the weekend - will post pics of the finished artical, but I have a writing deadline to meet (in five and a half hours!!!) so I'll have to abandon the knitting needles for a while....(sigh)

Knitting Loot !!

2011-07-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

On a short break to Truro, I ventured into a shop called 'Truro Fabrics' recommended by other Ravelry knitters.

On the upper floor there was a good selection of yarns for me to drool over and plenty of other little knitting related goodies - so this is a picture of the 'treasure' I picked up! (and I was pretty restrained, I can tell you!)

So: two patterns; 2x50g balls of Sirdar Crofter DK in muted natural tones (have used this in a different colour-way and it's delightful to knit with!); 100g ball Wendy 'Happy' 4ply Bamboo/nylon (used this before - so silky!); 2.75mm circular needle; set of 2.75mm bamboo dpns and, finally, a size 4mm Tunisian Crochet hook!

I tried TC ages ago and was fascinated with it, although I had to improvise by using an ordinary crochet hook, so I could only do a small swatch. At the time (over 25 years ago) I found it impossible to find TC hooks - I remember walking into yarn shops and meeting blank looks when I made my request!

I'm afraid you'll have to wait to see what I produce from this, although the short-sleeved cardigan pattern (pink) has me wondering if I should frog out the navy 4ply jacket I started last week.......!

Also - I picked up a copy of 'Simply Knitting' magazine as I was strolling round Truro this afternoon and came across the mention of an excellent blog - well worth a visit! (anyone who mixes knitting and books is a must, as far as I'm concerned!)

Red and Yellow and Pink and Green.....

2011-07-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

I knew I had some photos knocking about of some previous projects - here's a few in mouthwatering shades!

My first ever pair of short-row 'toe-up' socks!

A cuddly 'Thomas'!

There's a story behind this - I knitted an original version of this for my son 20-odd years ago - he had a TT plastic shape-sorter that he would try to take to bed to cuddle, so I measured it up and recreated it in wool - much more snuggly. Recently, when my Great nephew was born, (named Thomas, of course!) I decided to create TT#2 - much to my son's horror! (he's nearly 25, for goodness sake - you'd think I'd given his original away!)

Ruby Slippers!

My daughter is a 'Wizard of Oz' freak - so one Christmas I created these for her using sparkly red 'eyelash' yarn, and sewed anti-slip mesh on the soles so she didn't keep falling over on her laminate floors!

'Stained Glass' blanket

This was designed to use up bits of stash wool - I'd crocheted 'Granny' squares but had never tried hexagons! With the uniform black edging it does indeed look like one of the 'rose' windows you see in old cathedrals!

Well, that's all for now - on with the knitting!

(and thankyou for allowing me to 'show off' my wares!) ;-)

Interruptions....!

2011-07-11T08:37:00.000-07:00

Don't you just hate it when you're halfway through a project and you get the urge to pull out that gorgeous yarn you bought a while back and get stuck into it?

I'm knitting a navy wool jacket with lace panels, but my mind is fantasizing about the 'Reflections' wool I bought to make a cobweb-lace shawl.....

I'm so tempted to push the jacket down into a bag and start casting on for the new shawl.....but I already have another scarf on the go, too, plus a half-finished pair of socks and I need a small-ish project to take away on holiday.....and I fancy a go at another 'granny-square' quilt.....

Still, they say a change is as good as a rest!

Steal a peek at the stole!

2011-06-30T13:13:00.000-07:00

Taddah! Finished the stole earlier this week and was hoping to have it modelled by a friend, to be pictured here but sadly events got in the way of that!

Still, here it is in all it's glory - and I'm well impressed with it! The yarn is wonderfully soft and SO light, you hardly know you're wearing it!

I love the shades of green through to yellow - so when I saw the blue colour-way I HAD to have it!

Scrummy, isn't it! It conjures up images of waves and the sea. I have a project in mind for s circular 'cobweb' shawl - just need to find the right pattern. ;-)

Other WIPs are progressing: the 'ice-cream' scarf will be continued during a long car journey over the weekend and I started a lacy jacket in navy 4ply yarn - pics will follow!

Vintage Knitting 'Treasure' ! (and WIP progress report)

2011-06-25T07:39:00.000-07:00

Over the years I've collected a fair few knitting patterns and books - looking back at them you can see the progression of fashion, mainly throughout the 80's & 90's, plus newer items since my resurgence of interest!

However, one of my treasured possessions harks back to a much earlier decade!

This cloth-bound book, despite it's rather dilapidated condition, has been knocking about in my family since it was purchased 'new' in the 1940's and is a real insight to the fashions of the day!

This picture is supposed to be what the well-dressed 'teenager' would aspire to - but she looks a tad older than that to me!

Although designed so many years ago, this bolero beach-jacket "for those cooler days by the shore" would not look out of place over a light summer frock today!

...and who wouldn't be tempted to revert to their alter-ego and play the 'vamp' wearing this!

In other news: after another trip to the yarn shop, the 'stash' has grown again, slightly! More on that later.

Meanwhile, the WIP stole/shawl is growing in all it's magnificent 'green-ness'!

It was much admired at Knitting club, yesterday! I think it's about 2/3 'done' - will be posting pics of the finished article in due course!

That's all for now - back to the needles :-)

Casting On....

2011-06-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

Excuse the title of this blog - I really don't go around stabbing people with knitting needles or garotting them with yarn! (well, not really, anyway!)

Perhaps I'd better clarify that last remark! In another blog-life I write fiction, (usually crime/mystery/thriller) and the name 'The Knitting Assassin' was bestowed upon me by a writing-buddy because I occasionally include a knitting element to my 'yarns' - excuse the awful pun!

Anyway - this blog is dedicated to all matters of tricotage (with a side-order of other crafts!) so let's start as I mean to go on:

The current 'stash' - selectively culled recently, so not too ostentatious!

The WIPs (Works In Progress):

This is a beautiful lacy shawl knitted in Creative Yarns 'Reflections'. A 'new' yarn to me - love it so much I went back and bought more in a different colour-way for a future project.

A simple 2-row patterned scarf in four shades of Quince & Co.'s 'Chickadee' 100% wool yarn, an impulse buy on holiday in America last year. The colours remind me of a brick of Neapolitan icecream!

An idea I 'pinched' from one of my colleagues at the knitting club - using leftover sock-wool to make a tube-scarf on double point needles (...or it might become a bolster cushion....or a draught excluder..!) - this is useful 'mindless' knitting to keep my hands busy when I'm watching TV or reading!

A recently completed project;

It started life as an unravelled sweater that just didn't 'work' but found a new identity when it was 're-invented' as a blanket of squares (although I had to buy extra yarn to finish it!)

So - there we are - successfully 'cast on'! More knitting 'notions' will emerge in future posts! ;-)