Finished Object

FO 5, 6, & 7 – A couple of shawls

Posted on April 17, 2014 by bekswhoknits

It’s the middle of April and we’re STILL having 30 degree days!
I just want to wear jeans already!
And these two shawls that have been finished and blocked for ages now but can’t bear to wear them yet.

So no awkward modelling, but you can admire them from afar.

The green one is Multnomah made from Invictus Yarns Determination which was a dream to knit with. Except that it was previously had frogged yarn, but that’s not the yarns fault.

The purple one is Terribly Simple made from my own hand dyed yarn! I added a simple cable down the centre to add a bit of something special to it.
I’m so impressed with my dyeing job.
Totally love both of them and can’t wait for it to be cool enough for me to wear them. Obviously I’m more in love with my hand-dye because I could only find one photo of the multnomah.

(What the last pattern is is a mystery to me, but it’s yarn from Yarn vs Zombies Doctor Who yarn club so I must have finished it this year. I just don’t remember when. Maybe some yarn fairies came in and made it for me in my sleep.)

FO 4 – all about hats

Posted on March 20, 2014 by bekswhoknits

I was fortunate enough to be given a copy of She Makes Hats to review.

I always enjoy hearing other people’s stories and am particularly curious about how other people got the knitting bug.

About 10 pages in I had already decided that Robyn and I were going to be friends.
She Makes Hats tells the story of Robyn and how she fell into knitting and decided that she would make 1000 hats and give them away.

Motivated by a need for knitting and noticing all the cold heads that needed warming she set to work and is now knitting 10,000 hats!!!! I won’t go into too much of her story because she tells it better than I ever could.

If that completely hooks you in, (as it did me) I’ve got a digital copy
to giveaway.
I wouldn’t be giving it away if I didn’t like it and think you would like it too. The only criticism that I have is that it didn’t have enough pictures. Fortunately Robyn’s bloghas all the pretty pictures of hats that you could ask for.

To enter this giveaway, leave me a comment about your favourite hat or hat pattern and I’ll randomly pick a winner next Friday 28th March.

In other hat news, I finished a Gwen Slouch hat.

This will be given to my Mum who recently had a shonky haircut. You know those haircuts when you want one thing and the hairdresser completely ignores you? She had a hairdresser who had little consideration for her hair. And so she is in need of my hat collection.

Dad will be required to collect a hat or two, but absolutely cannot be trusted to choose a suitable hat for mum, so I made her a video so she could choose herself.
Dear ol’ Dad has many lovely qualities, but his taste in hats is somewhat questionable. The hamburg hat at the end of the video is proof enough!!!!

FO2 – Parcel

Posted on March 7, 2014March 7, 2014 by bekswhoknits

My first ever jumper is off the needles.
Well it was finished last week, but it’s been too stinking hot to try and model it. (It’s officially Autumn and today is set to be 38 degrees. That’s 100 for all you Fahrenheit folk.)

I started Parcel over a year ago. I remember knitting it at Perth Festival last year. When Perth Festival came around this year I decided it was time to knuckle down and finish this damn thing. As much as I liked the set in sleeves it did mean that whilst knitting them I had a jumper on my lap. Fortunately Hewhofishes likes living in an igloo so it wasn’t too bad.

It was a well written pattern (having no experience to compare it to) and I chose it carefully wanting something with cables, that was knitted in the round, and didn’t have any seaming.

So here it is! All ready for some cooler weather.

I still haven’t figure out how to take a good picture in my crafty room and don’t know whether to blame the model or the lighting.

I knitted a jumper that fits!!! That’s a pretty big achievement.

Ravelry Pattern Page – for those who want all the gory details.

Sending snail mail to friends – FO1 – may your WD-40 be ever cozy

Posted on January 13, 2014January 13, 2014 by bekswhoknits

Firstly let’s back up a little bit.

My dad is ridiculously difficult to buy presents for. You can pretty much rule out any of the usual golf/alcohol related/fishing/ sports merchandise ideas that the catalogues have as their ‘fathers gift guides’.

I think over the years us kids have bought him every single train DVD imaginable. I’ve also bough him reticulation connectors and a dustpan and brush. They were both on his list, so I bought them for him.

This year for his birthday he got a pair of socks, which he dutifully wore on Christmas Day and even colour coordinated his outfit so they matched.

And so for Christmas I bought him a can of WD-40.

Because I am Bek I made a crochet cozy for it.

And again because I am Bek I ended up with a custom request from a twitter friend.

I didn’t quite have all the right colours on hand so I dyed up some yellow.

There was then a slight hiccup with this sizing.

(Fortunately the colours are familiar in this house so HeWhoFishes now has an Adelaide Crows coloured scotch cozy)

So @parhwy a parcel is now winging it’s way (or it will be if I make it to the post office this arvo) to you.

May your wd-40 be ever cozy.

Good bye 2013

Posted on January 2, 2014 by bekswhoknits

2013 was awesome in so many ways.

We bought a house, went to our 6th test match together, saw plenty of live music, holidayed on a houseboat, and I helped out with the Port Adelaide Football Club.

I’ve had green hair, pink hair, purple hair, red hair, and several different combinations.

I participated in the Knitting & Crochet Blog Week. I even made two youtube videos!

And I worked my way through 13 goals.

1. Open my little etsy shop. – Tick!

I opened a shop and closed it just as quickly. I didn’t enjoy knitting for strangers or the etsy fees.

2. Host a giveaway on my blog – Tick!
This was so much fun! And this is where I figured out the I like giving things away more than selling them.
The lesson to be learned is that postage is a killer. In the future small and light will be the way to go.

3. Finish Start the knitting crafting for my Pay It Forward post. – Tick!
Again this was ridiculously fun! And it was the beginning of embroidering fabric to go on a frame.
4. Knit 12 pairs of socks. – 8/12
I completed 8 and I currently have 3 on my needles. I didn’t quite get to 12 but maybe I was being a tad optimistic.

5. Sew 6 cushions.- 10/6 – Tick!

I caught the cushion making bug hard!
I even learnt how to sew an invisible zipper.

6. Write a knitting pattern and post it on Ravelry.
I have started this one yet. I don’t know if I still want to.
Maybe if inspiration strikes I may be able to check this off my list.

7. Post a tutorial or a how-to guide. – Tick!
Seriously making a video was not what I had planned for this. But it turned out to be a really good experience. And now I have youtube subscribers. That’s a weird feeling for someone who only has two knitting videos.

8. Try a new craft, or 2, or 3.
I tried arm knitting, spinning, jewellery making, yarn dyeing. I’m looking forward to seeing what new crafts I can learn next year.

9. Create an artwork for my apartment – Coming Soon!
I never showed you this one. But it did happen.

10. Embroider a whole song (lyrics) onto something.
This is totally my favourite embroidery ever!

11. Sew a garment from a pattern, and wear it.
This is going on next years list.

12. Read a new book every month. (something I haven’t read before) 15/12
I joined goodreads to keep track of it all, so I realised I well and truly met this goal.

13. Crochet a granny square. – Tick!
2013 was the year that crochet and I finally understood each other. I still struggle with patterns and only have one loop on my needles, but the instant gratification is awesome.

I’m currently deciding whether to do 14 in 2014 or, as I’m 30 next year, 30 before 30.
Either way 2014 is going to be awesome. I just know it.

For my mum

Posted on December 24, 2013December 23, 2013 by bekswhoknits

My mum is a pretty kickarse lady. (Who would never in a million years call herself kickarse but I’m telling this story the way I remember it)

She left the country before finishing highschool, but once I was born studied at night school to become a teachers assistant and then when she didn’t really want to do that anymore she retrained again in business studies.

She’s a crafty lady who used to sew me swimsuits. Including one pink + frilly number which I believe I hated at the time [i hated pink – go figure!] but looking back must have been bloody difficult and time consuming to make!

I still have dolls she made and pottery she painted, and pottery we made together. And she did teach me to knit although it never quite stuck.

There’s only one way to repay a crafty lady and that’s with crafty love.

I found some flowers on the Internet, and used the Rhonna iPad app to trace the letters.

I used nail polish to gussy up the frame. And glued a backing to the fabric because I can guarantee that my Nanna, who is a far superior embroiderer than I, will check the back which was not done to her standards.

I love my mum.

FO26 – lettuce of lothlorien

Posted on December 11, 2013December 11, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Whilst moving house there was 5 days when I didn’t pick up my needles at all.
Every time I thought about knitting there was something slightly more pressing that needed unpacking or organising.

By the sixth day I was getting slightly stir crazy and so I cast on two pairs of socks, untangled some yarn that I needed to finish a shawl, and started a hat.

It is going to be crazy hot here over the next week. So even though a hat isn’t the most practical item of clothing for an Australian summer, it is a practical item to knit.
Urgh, just thinking about having a jumper or a blanket on my lap is making me uncomfortable.

We still don’t have wireless internet at home, so I’ve been making do with using my phone as a hotspot to get the internet through my ipad (definitely #firstworldproblems).
I started the hat working from my ipad, until I had the pattern firmly in my head. I finished the required 4 rounds and then started the decreases.
I did the right thing and checked the decrease chart to make sure I was following the pattern.

Silly Bek picked up her phone, checked the last pattern that was open and followed that not realising that it was not the same pattern.

So I now have a half lettuce / half hues of lothlorien. A lettuce of lothlorien.
I am still pretty happy with it though.
The wide cables are gorgeous (without actually doing any cabling) and even if the decreases could be steeper it blocked out nicely.

If I was to make this again (which I probably will because I do really like both patterns) I would probably make it into a cowl.
And maybe play around with the drape. The needle size & yarn combination only just worked on a hat.

If you look closely you’ll see that there are two side plates inside the hat which I used to block it with.

You’ll also have to bear with me while I figure out the best times to take photos.
Clearly 11pm after I’ve just finished weaving in the ends doesn’t get the best light.

my weekend in numbers – FO 25

Posted on November 18, 2013 by bekswhoknits

12 – the number of sleeps remaining in our apartment.

2 – the number of invisible zips I sewed
1 – pair of shorts I successfully shortened
1 – curtain I was meant to sew up but that is lost somewhere in the abyss that it the spare room.
4 – the amount of times I couldn’t find where I left the scissors
5 – how many pairs of scissors I put away after I had finished.

48 – the number of stitches to cast on with DK weight yarn on
3.25 – mm needles for a pair of socks
3 – days it took these socks from start to finish
8 – the number of times I oohed and ahhed at the way the hand dyed yarn was knitting up
20billion – the actual number of times I marveled at my hand dyed yarn.

5 – the number of fat quarters I bought at Spotlight
0 – how many balls of yarn I didn’t buy because none of it took my fancy

2 – the number of friends who have birthdays in the next 2 weeks
2 – the number of presents I have finished for said birthdays

16* – the number of Bobs Burger episodes I watched on the weekend
7* – the number of Leverage episodes I watched
6* – the number of Parks & Recreation episodes watched.

3 – the number of bands I saw on Friday night
1 – the number of songs that I knew well enough to sing along to.

4 – the number of tacos I ate last night
0 – the number of tacos I made for myself

3 – the number of mosquito bites that I can’t stop scratching.

*I don’t know exactly how many episodes I watched. These numbers are estimated guesses.

FO #22 – the shawl

Posted on October 22, 2013October 22, 2013 by bekswhoknits

While I was away, I tackled my first proper lace knitting shawl.

The stars aligned and the yarn perfectly matched the pattern.
I could see it in my head before it was even started.

The yarn is from Yarn vs Zombies who is one of my favourite yarn suppliers.
This particular colour is a limited colour way from the Downton Abby & Tea club. It was so much fun to be part of a club I signed up for another. Getting themed yarn delivered to my door? Yes please!

The pattern is dragonfly wings and it’s one of the more popular patterns on Ravelry for a reason. It was very easy to read and had line by line instructions as well as a chart. There was a slight counting issue (counting is hard!) so I did rip back and start again, but I still finished it in a week (and a season of Game of Thrones).

It was also my first time using my blocking mats properly.
It took at least an hour to pin it all out. But I’ve finally witnessed the magic of blocking. The process of something coming off the needles, not really looking like anything, but then transformed by a spray of water and some time.
Its a bit magical.

13 in 2013 update

Posted on September 9, 2013 by bekswhoknits

At the beginning of the year I set myself a list of 13 things that I wanted to do this year. Now that August is finished and there’s only 4 months left in the year I thought that I would do a quick recap and reassess where I’m at.

1. Open my little etsy shop. – Tick!
Sometimes you think you know what you want but then actually when you do it you realise it’s not what you want at all.
I thought I wanted an etsy shop, but almost as soon as I opened it I realised that I didn’t.
I prefer to make things with a specific recipient in mind, rather than for a mass market. So I’ve closed my shop and chalked it up to experience.
Instead I will continue to make things and send them to friends. Even if they’re friends I have never met.

3. Finish Start the knitting crafting for my Pay It Forward post. – Tick!
Again this was rediculously fun! And it was the beginning of embroidering fabric to go on a frame.

4. Knit 12 pairs of socks. – 6/12
I’m halfway through this one. I have two pairs of socks on the needles at the moment. One which I like and one which I don’t.
After seeing Jesse’s finished socks from this week I have the sock knitting bug again.

5. Sew 6 cushions.- 6/6 – Tick!
Woo all 6 cushions are completed! And I have one side of another one. This cushion making lark is fun. (Jazzical if you’re reading this I haven’t forgotten you, this whole buying a house lark is time consuming.)

6. Write a knitting pattern and post it on Ravelry.
I have started this one yet. I don’t know if I still want to.
Maybe if inspiration strikes I may be able to check this off my list.

8. Try a new craft, or 2, or 3.
So I tried arm knitting which was interesting.
The jewellery making was something that I had wanted to do for ages. I can definitely see more of that in my future.
Spinning definitely counts as my third new craft. I’m still not too good at it, but I can only improve right?
I recently bought a weaving kit so that’s going to be my fourth new craft so I’ll be interested to see how that goes.

9. Create an artwork for my apartment – Coming Soon!
This has been done but I haven’t blogged about it yet. I’m now waiting until we get in our new house. Or maybe I’ll show you it and then show you it again in our new house. I haven’t decided yet.

10. Embroider a whole song (lyrics) onto something.
I’m changing the parameters on this one. The intent was to stretch my embroidery skills and do a long project. Well instead of a song I chose a story from Black Books. Embroidery skill level ‘ 3 stitches learnt’ achieved!

11. Sew a garment from a pattern, and wear it.
I’m going to wait until we’re in a house before I attempt this. If I’ve learnt anything from making 6 cushions this year it’s that I don’t have enough room to cut out cushions let alone a pattern. Since the fish came along this year I have lost my kitchen table.

12. Read a new book every month. (something I haven’t read before) 11/12
This has been fun. I’ve learnt to knit and read at the same time which has helped.
I’m currently half way through a new book so I should well and truly achieve this.

13. Crochet a granny square. – Tick!
I thought that a granny square would be a great way to ease into crochet and it was. I’ve now completed two rugs, many granny squares and a cushion. I’m about to attempt a chevron rug. Wish me luck!