Yarn Along March – Purple cardigan
I finished knitting my purple cardigan. I love it. It could very well be the best thing I’ve ever knitted. I’m really happy with the fit and love wearing it. From my notes, I reckon it’s taken me eight weeks to knit, which is impressive for me.
The only part I need to work on is the curling hem. I have blocked it, but not enough, it seems. If anyone has got a tried and tested method to make the hem behave, please let me know.
I used King Cole Merino blend dk. 100% wool. It is now my favourite yarn to use. A real pleasure to knit with. I’ve made hats with it before as it’s anti-tickle, and have often thought it would be good for something bigger. I bought the yarn in the sales, which reduced the cost down to a do-able price. I’ve found it priced at anything between £3 to £3.79 per ball. Back in January, I bought it for £1.79 per ball making the cardigan work out at just over £25 to make, instead of the usual £42. Perfect!
The cardigan pattern is King Cole 4076. There is a choice of a cardigan or jumper. Both are long line with side vents. I found the pattern straightforward. The cable panel is easy once you get into the swing of it. After a while, I stopped referring to the instructions, as the it’s obvious what to do from the previous row, if you see what I mean. Total joy to knit.
So on to the next knit. Yes, I’ve cast on, but the photo really doesn’t give a fair representation of the amount of time it has taken. I’m using Wendy air yarn. It is wispy thin. Never underestimate how long it can take to find the start of the yarn in a ball like this. Lots. I’ve tried the first row a few times, but undone it. I’m not charging ahead with this one. I’m sure I’ll find my way with it. Eventually. It is such a contrast from my last project.
As it’s Yarn Along time again, I’m including my book, which I am loving. Matt Haig’s How to Stop Time. I’ve nearly finished it and am dragging out the end, because I don’t want to finish it yet. Savouring every last page. It is difficult to put down. It’s so good, I find myself reading and preparing the evening meal at the same time. The book in one hand and a spoon in the other. Children mumbling that I’m ignoring them.
Last photo of my cardigan. I’ve ordered some more wool to make the jumper version next. I’ve found it again at the same price, so hopefully they have enough of the same dye lot, which caught me out last time. I had to change colours. Fingers crossed. It is such a good pattern.
Joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along. What have you got on the needles at the moment? Are you reading a good book? Oh, and any advise on my curling hem, would be much appreciated.
Yarn Along in February
The snow has all gone. Washed away by rain, although some of the drifted snow by the hedges and remains of snow creations made a valiant stand against the inevitable. The rise in temperature finally got them. We’re back to blue skies followed by rain. Hello, mud season. I’ve been expecting you.
It’s February and time for an update on books read and knitting done.
Book
I finished Kindred. {affiliate link} If you’ve not read it, the story is about a woman, from 1979, being called back through the centuries to rescue a slave master. Over and over again. Each time, she spends weeks/months in that era, returning to her own time to find only a few hours have past. There are little twists and turns throughout the story, of course, but I guess the hardest one is that she is black and has to live as a slave.
My daughter asked if it had a happy ending. Had to think for a moment. I didn’t want to ruin the end, so answered as truthfully as I could. Not really, but the story ended for the characters, so I guess that was good. I felt the same way with the Hunger Games. Not my usual choice of book. I need escapism. It is a hard read story wise, but written in a style that is easy to flick from one page to the next. I’m sure it is a tale that will haunt me for a while. I’ll not need to read it again, so this book is heading for my charity book shop pile.
Always difficult to follow a book like this one. I had an hour to kill, waiting for my youngest to finish an after school activity, this week. I picked up the Miniaturist again. I found it so difficult to get into last time, but with the alternative option of twiddling my thumbs as I waited, persevering with this one was an easy choice. We’ll see if I can finish it this time.
I really am not finding my reading rhythm at the moment. Not at all.
(Moominland is in there too. After checking out the snowball lantern and making my own last week, I couldn’t resist reading it again.)
Knitting
In contrast, my knitting is flying. I’m making progress with my long cardigan. I’ve finished the left and right front sections and love how the pattern is coming out. The cable is fun to knit. Easy to remember without constantly looking at the instructions.
I’m now working on the back of the cardigan which leaves me feeling a wee bit underwhelmed, as it’s all stocking stitch. Inches and inches of no interesting stitches. A bit of mindless knitting, I guess makes a change, but I think I’ll be glad when I reach the neck edge. I’m three quarters finished. The end is in sight and then I can have fun with the sleeves.
Final photo of two shelves from my daughter’s bookcase. These two shelves are making me smile, at the moment, every time I go in to wake her up. They span several years of her love of books. She has always loved books.
I’m joining in with Ginny’s Yarn Along linky. Special hello to fellow yarn- alongers. -*- waves -*-
So, what book are you reading at the moment? Please do share. I’m very much in need of some recommendations at the moment.
Yarn Along in January
It’s yarn along time again. Technically I’m about two weeks late, but I’m on Somerset time, so totally understandable. Time. It’s a strange thing. Definite audible click whenever we approach a city, as time realigns, after weeks in the countryside. Anyone else?
Anyway. Without any more to do. A book and my current knitting.
Knitting
I’ve started knitting King Cole 4076. I always research my new knits before I commit. There seems to be a lack of finished versions of this pattern. Even Ravelry was missing it. (I wonder if it is a UK version with a different name)Either it’s new or not popular. Or the choice knit of people who don’t post up photos on the internet of their latest project. The pattern is a long line cardigan or jumper, with a split on the bottom hem at the seams. I’ve gone for the cardigan.
The cable panel is the same for the sleeves and body. I love cable. The first jumper I knitted was cable and I learnt to knit on the project. Seeing the pattern grow as you weave stitches backwards and forwards is my kind of knitting. For the main pattern of circles and crosses, I use a standard cable needle. There is a two stitch twist on the either side of the panel and I use an open safety pin to hold the one stitch at the back before it’s knitted back into the panel. Easier to control.
The yarn is the recommended Merino Blend DK from King Cole. I’ve used it before to knit anti-tickle hats as gifts and loved it. When I saw it at a tempting price in the January sales, I couldn’t resist using some of my birthday money and snapping it up for a jumper for me. I went for the emperor colour at first, but it turned out the sale wool was a mix of dye lots. Not enough of one to make my jumper, so I opted for the magenta instead. I’d say it is more purple than magenta. I’m knitting the second size after checking the ease. I don’t want to make the same mistake as I made with my lilac jumper.
Crochet
Sneaking a bit of crocheting into this post too. I’ve already written about this, but I thought a follow up was needed. I’ve been crocheting alternatives to cotton wool pads for us to use for skincare and to remove makeup. The experiment has worked. They washed well and everyone seems to think they were good to use, so we are going with this substitution and reducing waste. I need to crochet some more up as three each was not enough, and was only for trial purpose. I will need to secure my net bag I use for washing them in the machine, as it opened last time and spewed the pads around the washing. I have found them all. No pipes clogged this time!
Book
I spotted Melissa on Instagram reading an Octavia Butler book. I’ve not heard of the author before and when we ducked into Wells the other day, I picked up a book. It’s about a modern, black woman who is drawn back through time to rescue a slave owner’s son from death on numerous occasions. I’ve not read much, so early days. Understandably there is violence. Not my usual genre, but not out of place. I was surprised that a potential mystery was explained so early on. Saying that, I’m interested enough to carry on reading.
So that is my book and knitting (and crocheting) at the moment. The turquoise/teal book in the photos is my planning book for 2019. Making the most of the long evenings to make progress with my jumper and books-to-read pile. In my planning book, I’m laying plans for the kitchen garden. Not long until the first seed hits the soil!
What knitting are you doing? I do love book recommendations. What are you reading at the moment? Special hello to fellow linkers to this month’s Yarn Along.
