Finished Object

Finished object #2 – Summer Sky Socks

Posted on January 25, 2013January 30, 2013 by bekswhoknits

Sock number 1 in my 13 in 2013 challenge is complete and I’m in love this pattern.

Two at a time, toe up socks, with little delicate cables, on my favourite addi turbo 2.5 circular, with moda vera noir ( which is always on special).

My Bloke thinks I’m in a rut because all he sees me knitting is socks.
But not all socks are created equally.

These summer-sky socks (yay! alliteration!) were a great cable project for me. After learning how to cable without a needle on my Christmas Spirit Hats, I wanted something so I could really practice.

And these are it!

The pattern has a yarn over detail in the centre, which makes it really easy to know where you’re up to in the pattern. It was easy to memorise and didn’t require a counter (always a plus in my book).

I really want to knit more things with this pattern. I’m thinking maybe a pair of fingerless gloves. Who knew I would like cables so much?!

Finished object #1

Posted on January 18, 2013January 17, 2013 by bekswhoknits

I seem to be attracted to scarfs at the moment. It’s the middle of summer! Well I work in an office and wear tights and scarfs all year, so maybe it does make sense.

This charming fellow (as modeled by the newest member of the family) was a super quick knit.
In fact it was started and finished on New Year’s Day.

The yarn is leftovers from my cardigan. The pattern is quick but pretty.
I really love the design. I’ve always been a fan of bows, and the way this sits is really cute.

If I was to make it again I would shape the end a bit differently. It came out a bit pointy. This could be the pattern, but it also could be my inability to read patterns sometimes.

See. Cute!

~~~
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13 in 2013

Posted on January 15, 2013January 29, 2013 by bekswhoknits

These type of posts are dime a dozen at this time of year. Everyone is enthusiastic about what the year will bring. I’ve always set informal goals for myself.

• I have the usual goals that I set every year. Exercise more, eat more ethically, live more sustainably, thrift more/buy less, have a cleaner house.
• I have work goals, which are too boring to share on this blog but usually revolve around completion of projects and implementing process changes (told you it was boring).
• I have my eye on buying a house in the next 2 years so I’m working towards saving for that.

But I don’t want to blog about that stuff.

So here is my list of 13 fun and crafty things to do in 2013.

1. Open my little etsy shop.
2. Host a giveaway on my blog (this one should be easiest! Stay tuned)
3. ~~Finish~~ Start the knitting for my Pay It Forward post. (Who knew finding the right project for two of my knitting idols would be so difficult!)
4. Knit 12 pairs of socks. 1 for each month.
5. Sew some cushions. 6 to be exact. (Fortunately I have a friend who is in need of cushions.)
6. Write a knitting pattern and post it on Ravelry.
7. Post a tutorial or a how-to guide.
8. Try a new craft, or 2, or 3.
9. Create an artwork for my apartment
10. Embroider a whole song (lyrics) onto something.
11. Sew a garment from a pattern, and wear it.
12. Read a new book every month. (something I haven’t read before)
13. Crochet a granny square.

Does anyone else have a list of things to do this year?
I’d love to hear about it.

~~~
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A scarf in the middle of summer

Posted on December 24, 2012December 24, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I cast on this scarf over the weekend.
Now it’s forecast to be 40 degrees on Christmas Day, and I’m casting on a thick winter scarf??

Madness.

I put it down to the cold which I’ve somehow managed to catch.
Having a cold in winter seems normal, you get to rug up, drink lots of tea, and you always know if you have a temperature.
At the moment I’m not sure if I have a temperature or am reacting to the temperature outside!

So I curled up with the aircon on, made some stewed nectarines, and cast on a scarf.

Although its very slow going, so maybe at the rate it will be done by next winter!

~~~
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Christmas spirits with hats!

Posted on December 17, 2012December 17, 2012 by bekswhoknits

Someone very kindly sent this my way this morning.

I am a little bit of a grinch when it comes to Christmas. I prefer to celebrate Boxing Day test match day.

But I did get into the Christmas spirit and decorated my wine rack.
(It would be better if I decorated the spirits rack but there was a gin incident last week and it’s all looking a bit depleted.)

So these little hats are the perfect way to use up those mini-skeins I always seem to have lying around.
It was also a great way to relearn double-pointed needles.
These hats are made before I’m sick of needles hitting me in the chest and am ready to throw the project across the room.

I also used it as an opportunity to learn how to cable without a cable needle. I still need loads of practice with that though.
I think my problem is I’m pulling it all too tight. I think I need to loosen up until the last stitch.

Also! Two finger pompoms! These are pompoms I can actually make.

So all in all a lot of learning went on.

And if I need to give anyone a last minute pressie, these are just the things to make it a little more special.

~~~
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Geeked out knitting.

Posted on December 11, 2012 by bekswhoknits

It’s the countdown to Christmas, and all through the house. Not a creature was stirring, not even a dalek.

So much for rhyming.

I got a swag of doctor who goodies in the mail last week, including Doctor Who monopoly! Which I need to ~~con~~ persuade someone into playing with me.

Apparently Monopoly is banned my bloke’s family due to its rage inducing properties.

But my little brother loves doctor who and monopoly, so I may invite him round for a game.

(Can I congratulate myself on a smooth segue?)

While I was watching all of series 6 & 7 on the weekend, I needed some themed knitting.
As I’m doing dishcloths for Christmas this year, I found this adorable dalek cloth.

So little brother, this is your Christmas present (to go with your Lego storm trooper alarm clock you’re getting for your birthday).
I’m such a cool sister.

~~~
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I heart bunting

Posted on November 25, 2012November 26, 2012 by bekswhoknits

Well after being in a funk last week I made it my mission this weekend to snap myself out of it.

I ignored all the cleaning I ‘should’ have done, kicked the Bloke out of the house (well he had other things to do anyway), and took myself to the Internet.

That inspired me enough to try some new things (paper embroidery), put some things on the ‘things to make when I have a shed’ list (metal stamping), and finished some projects that were hanging around unfinished.

I made these little heart shapes a while ago, and then didn’t quite know what to do with them.
So I made them into bunting!

It’s such a simple project which really brightened my day!

I also dyed my hair which always puts me in a good mood. Except that it hasn’t worked out exactly. But I’m still grateful that is light teal, and that I can have it this colour all the time.
And it reinforces that I look terrible as a blonde. And that I only have one facial expression when taking photos of myself.

~~~
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Garden creatures.

Posted on November 12, 2012November 12, 2012 by bekswhoknits

What a delightful weekend.
Test match cricket is back! This makes me a very happy Bek!
Also the weather was fantastic. We spent a bit of time in the garden. I did some knitting. And there was some cricket watching.
That’s my kind of weekend.

~~~
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It’s an outfit post!

Posted on November 3, 2012November 7, 2012 by bekswhoknits

Wow. It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these.
But I reckon this is a good enough reason.

This is my cardigan! I am still super chuffed that I finished a big knitted project.

And this is my bookcase. The biggest reason that I haven’t done many outfit posts is that our apartment is so tiny, it gets no natural light, and there is no neutral place to use as a back drop.

So in lieu of a neutral place, I thought I’d show a part of my apartment that I’m proud of.
The first place that springs to mind is my cd collection. But that’s right next to the only window in the place and is really awkward to stand in front of.

So the next place is my bookshelf. I love to read. And I love to watch tv. To the left you can see my tea cup collection. And on the top shelf you can see my Dalek (and other assorted Doctor Who merchandise).
It’s forever changing, and being shuffled around, but I’m thinking of doing more outfit posts here. I’d love to know what people think of the location. Too cluttered? Too distracting? Or is it me? Will you all judge me on what you see in my bookcase?
Actually, if you haven’t already figured out who I am, my bookcase will certainly confuse or enlighten you.

So enough chat, here is me, pretending to model, wearing my own knitted creation.
(My jeans are cotton on, my shoes are from rubi, and my tank is from temt)

~~~
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Frogging Friday.

Posted on November 2, 2012November 2, 2012 by bekswhoknits

I was always taught pride comes before a fall. Mostly through Enid Blyton novels, and Sunday School.

After feeling so chuffed with myself, for thinking I may have been able to make a pair of socks in a week, I failed.
Not just made a tiny correctable mistake, I failed.

I didn’t follow the pattern correctly and had too few stitches in the toe.
To compensate I increased randomly in the foot of the sock. In hindsight this is where I should have started the gusset.
So I started the gusset massively late.
When I tried it on to start the heel I started early (again to compensate). Stuffed up my maths with turning the heel which meant I had one really lopsided heel.

And when I tried it on it was about an inch too big.

So the project got flung across the room and a few expletives hurled at it.

I frogged it back to the toe and started again from there.
6 rounds in I realised that it still looked wrong and I gave up.

The next day I started again from scratch.

Just when I thought I was getting the hang of this and getting cocky I realise the value of slowing down and reading instructions.

When I was in primary school (and occasionally in high school) there was a test. It consisted of a page or 2 of instructions. The first instruction was to read through all the instructions and then follow the instructions.
Usually the instructions were things like ‘stand on your chair’, ‘say or sing something out loud’, ‘turn around 3 times’, but the last instruction always read ‘now that you’ve read all the instructions, sit down quietly and don’t so anything’.

It was meant to be an exercise in following instructions. It inevitably turned into people sitting smugly, watching other people making fools of themselves.

By the 2nd time a well meaning teacher instituted this test, my first action was to skip to the end and read the last instruction.

Obviously I was a smart arse and should have paid attention to the actual lesson.
It may have resulted in a finished sock instead of a frogged* sock.

*for those non-knitters who are utterly confused, ‘to frog’ is to unravel a piece of knitting, or rip-it (ribbit) back.