Wednesday 11 March 2009

Yarrr! Avast ye, FOs!

Pattern: Pirate Hat by Knit Like A Pirate
Needle: 9mm Knitpicks circ; I wish I had some 9mm DPNs, it would have made the top so much easier. As it was I magic looped it, bitching the whole time.
Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers, in Galaxy, under 3 balls
Mods: None for this one.

It was a fun and quick knit. I cast it on with one strand of Lamb's Pride Bulky in January, hoping to use the yarn up, but was concerned the fabric was too loose, so I set it aside and then finally bit the bullet, ordered some different yarn and started again last Monday. It was done by the end of knitting group on Saturday morning. It was HOOOGE! Like a poncho I'd forgotten to put the head hole in, according to one of my knitclub friends.
It went through the washing machine twice, on a quick wash at 60 degrees, no spin, with some jeans. That got it good and felted; then I dried it over a bowl and pinned the brim to wear I wanted it. It's kind of rustic looking but I think that adds to it.

I have discovered the cabled cast on with this pattern. I LOVE it - makes such a pretty edge. Unfortunately, when I cast on my 150 stithces, I failed to follow the pattern instruction, "Be damn sure not to twist" because I realised it was, indeed, twisted after 10 rows. I was knitting this to a deadline and couldn't face ripping it back, so I cut through the knitting, untwisted, and then tied the ends of the yarn back together and oversewed it. It was quite messy and felt so wrong cutting the stitches, but the felting has hidden all of it Hurrah.

I have been doing lots of Yarring and calling people scurvy dawgs since it was finished. I love pirates. I can't wait for the murder mystery this weekend.

And now for something completely different....



Pattern: The ubiquitous Eowyn. These are the 6th pair I've knitted.
Needle: 6mm DPNs
Yarn: Total stashbuster these - I used Rowan Kid Classic in blue, Calmer in lilac, and Kidsilk Haze or Night in a pale silvery grey. Didn't actually use any of them up, but got some way towards it and loved what came out of the three together - very soft and warm, with a fluffy halo and a bit of sparkle.
Mods: I knitted the body of the mitts in the round, and added an extra repeat of the cable pattern.

These were a charity knit for a lady who lives in a unit for people with head injuries. Shani, whose idea it was to knit everybody a pair, was very complimentary and said they matched the lady they were made for perfectly. I might have to leave the Selfish Knitters group soon because knitting and giving them gave me the warm fuzzies.


It's not snowy outside now - I knitted these during the snow-in in February.

Had a training day today - well, a county G&T co-ordinators meeting at a local golf club. I had a blissful extra hour of kip this morning and a bacon and egg breakfast, it was lush. The meeting was great and I got loads of ideas, and we got a lot done in our cluster group in the afternoon, towards the year 9 conference we're having in the summer. I like training courses, they sort of recharge me and reinvigorate me for work again. I am feeling quite low about my job lately, and like I am making a hamfisted attempt of everything; but now I feel a bit better.

A final bizarre anecdote. I went to Corsham this afternoon to set up an orienteering exercise for the weekend, and on the way home I saw a peacock waddling down the pavement. No common pigeons for Corsham!

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