Tap dancing is fun. It took all my courage to go for the first time, and then I was told I couldn't just watch and I wasn't able to take part thanks to dire underpreparedness (no socks, shoes or money), so I had to do it all over again a week later, and it was not the regular instructor and the sub had no idea I was new, so asked me some quite difficult questions about steps which I couldn't answer. "What have you done before?" he enquired. "Er...well I stopped classes about 15 years ago, when I was 10," I stuttered back (note: managed to shave nearly 5 years off my age, but I think it was written all over my face). This alienated most of the other class members (apart from the very irritating tattooed hard-looking bloke who turned out to have a Fred Astaire complex and tap around freestyling in every pause we gals took for breath) who were amazed I had been recommended that class "because we're so advanced!" Ha, yes, well, I managed to keep up with that shim sham we did, better than some others, so evidently my muscles have some memory. It wasn't so good this week, I have a problem doing pick ups, which might be solved if I buy a pair of tap shoes and, yknow, PRACTISE. I think I'll stick at it. Friend Parpy Jo wants to do ballet. That'll be a hoot. I can barely manage 45 minutes of studiously ignoring myself dancing in the mirrors in sweats, let alone a pair of pink tights and a leotard.
Some of those women do that tap class in JEANS. Miss Barnes would never have allowed that.
Anyway...on with some knitting. I joined the Knittabaggamonth on Ravelry but then I messed up my January string bag project and so I think I have to leave the group now. I have knitted a hat every month so far, though. Here is January's...

Pattern: Hannah from Magknits
Yarn: Rowan Scottish Tweed in Bulky Herring...I love this colour. It's grey woven with what seem to bebits that someones swept up off the Rowan factory floor. I want to knit a whole big thing in it soon.
Mods: I knit it to pattern the first time without swatching and it was MAHOOSIVE. So I ripped it out and started again, with less stitches, and did one less decrease per round. I can't remember how many I decreased by, I think it was 10. I did some maths that made sense at the time and worked. It's still a bit too big but I am happy enough with it. I love the buttons. I hauled out the huge box of buttons I inherited from my last London rental and found, amongst the vintage buttons, a cool row counter and a lot of retro stitch holders, which is handy, since I didn't have any. (The picture is the original biggy).
Fun. It only took a couple of hours. I am speedy now, dontchaknow.
And for February....

Pattern: Shark Hat by KnittingNinja
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky in Heritage Blue, with some 220 held double for the mouth, and LP worsted for the teeth.
Mods: Another one I didn't swatch for properly (LEARN dammit!) but I was getting more stitches per inch than the pattern and was concerned it looked too big, so I did decreases after COn the fin, and ended up with a pot bellied shark. I found the pattern really confusing, especially over the body increases and the teeth, but I did a good job I think.
I was so happy the project came out just in time for the ski trip. I had been checking compulsively for weeks. I'm going to look great sharking it down the slopes in it, and it only took me 3 days, and that was working around work commitments and the CPH.
Ah yes, the hoody. It's looking SO NEARLY FINISHED. It's driving me a bit mental. I have seamed the sides and put on both the sleeves, and I am halfway finished with the hood. It's a good length, but wider than I expected so it's not a figure-hugger like I hoped it would be. However, I think it might look a bit odd as a figure-hugger, being the length it is. I also might put a zip on it instead of picking up the 6 million stitches for the button band, depending on how neat the edges look - then the front cables will meet and sort of match the back...it would be a perfect match if I hadn't read the pattern backwards.
It's exciting, though. An actual garment. Something that took more than two skeins. And I've only been knitting it for two months! I'm like, a proper knitter now. My seams suck and I am too slap-dash to do proper Kitchener so it will never look like it was shop bought, but it is snuggly warm and a lovely colour - the variations in the yarn have become a real feature.
Better go and pack.
1 comment:
No - don't leave the group! No-one will mind if you don't actually knit a bag a month. I'm having doubts I'll manage it myself! You sound busy (I know the feeling). I would say relax but I guess you can't if you're skiing. Anyway, have fun.
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