Clapotis Scarf - Machine Version

Monika Stramaglia's Clapotis on Machine is a wonderful machine adaptation of the knitty Clapotis. Monika's version is done one the bias, but I wanted a quicker knit, so mine is straight.

For my first attempt:
I used 14 sets of 5 x working position / 3 x resting on the front bed and on the back bed, one needle on each side of the 5 needles and to the left, and used racking one needle back and forth to set the edge stitch. This would be excellent for using up a cone of slippery yarn. (diagonal as per original or straight). However, this used up a lot of yarn, making it about a metre (40") long.

I did another attempt using front bed only but that I had considerable trouble with the cast on (again!) and have officially given up on the e wrap method. My machine doesn't like it one little bit.

Last Attempt:
Front bed only: I upped the tension to T4.5: 12sets of 5WP/3RP and crocheted the cast on stitches onto the combs, it was slow going at first, but quite happy with it thereafter and will certainly use this method again, leaving the 3 x resting position chains inbetween. I'm just so relieved to have this work, it was the most fiddly. The counter says I did 552 rows and it ended up being 1.5m long.

I will do a diagonal version of the scarf, but not this side of Christmas.

Knitting News this week

Denim Ornettes aka the Dodos: (focus and finish project): And frogged! Why you say? Why? Well, run out of yarn didn't I? right out. I'd just done row 18 of the foot chart when I noticed that there wasn't a lot of wool left, so I measured it, about 18 m.. and I was knitting over a metre per row at this stage, absolutely no way I had enough yarn. I didn't cut the first sock as it was a little bit big and thought if it looked like that I'd run a bit short, I'd rip it back and reknit it smaller from the heel. Not going to happen, it's short by too much. I'll redo the Ornette pattern at a later date. Meanwhile I do believe they are named for the wrong bird and are now could rightly be called Dodos. I've rewound the wool, but not blaming it! I'll find it a something really special for it, I will.

Go Fetch: (SnB easy knit) My time with the group was cut short last week - family BBQ commitments, with the EX husband AND his extended family, at the EX husband's place, BLAH! Nevermind, I did get a little bit done there and was able to do heaps when Daughter #1 drove half way there. I even "borrowed" some of her wool from her entrelac beret scraps for the thumb (yep past the thumb already). I've got one more row then start the cables. I'm going to make them longer then written to match my longer self.

Hot Socks Police Nanna Rug: (long term project) is doing the edge. Just picked it up and did a count, if I cover at least two squares a day, I'll be able to finish it with the next focus projects; CPH cardi; then Bannisters jumper.

I've been ploughing through that pile of unfinished so well, I've given myself Sundays: I can do as little or as much knitting as I like. (Just so long as I don't fall back into my old habit of stuffing my face with food! Hopefully I've moved on from doing that.) I'm looking at a long sleeved big circular back motif wrappy/cardi/shawly thingy and found a really nice pattern from the Norwegian DROPS site. I bought an alpaca blend from Lincraft, similar to what was recommended, it worked out well but would come to over $70. No way I can justify spending that when I have so much stash to knit through. So the two Alpaca balls will be turned into another pair Fetching mitts. Which meant if I want to make it, just what do I have in my stash that I could use? I settled on some Mystique in beautiful deep blue "Britannia" in 8ply. I didn't think it would disadvantage the end result if it was done in thinner yarn, especially when I read one of the Rav comments thinking it was a good idea. Just so long as the fabric was firm enough to hold it's shape with the yo and lace holes. To start I'll do the largest size to 20 stitches between the yos, and on Sunday I'll get the calculator and tape measure out to work out what to do next! I like this idea Monday to Friday really plough through those half finished projects and fiddle around on Sundays. Especially with a project like this one, where, by all accounts I've read, gets hideously boring doing the endless rounds as it gets towards the outside of the circle. One Rav knitter did the sleeves inbetween to break up the monotony, which I may do too as the thing gets bigger!

So I did end up buying 2 balls of Alpaca blend this week, but with the back up plan of turning them into top down Fetchings for next year's winter, they didn't actually end up in my bottomless pit of stash, as they are already in the Saturday bag, hopefully that doesn't count!

What I've been up to this week

First things first: (smile, smile) here is the beautiful Silk Merino Moonlight Blue, I won last week from Daphne's October giveaway:

I don't know what I'll make yet, either Print o' the Wave Stole or Japanese Feather and Fan Shawl or In the Pink Shawl.

It's still in it's skein, ready to take to SnB for show and tell.

Now this week has been remarkably unproductive, so here goes:

Ornettes: focus and finish: Right sock finished. I did my usual Regia style toe, but I'm using thicker wool and bigger needles on the biggest size.. hmmppfff ttttoooo big. Oops, redid keeping the diagonal pattern travelling along the side. NOW for the worst bit. The "quicker" left sock. OMG!!! if only I'd started this one first, I would have changed the mock cables. Wait for it: you slip two stitches knitwise onto your right needle, THEN put them back on the LEFT needle, THEN put your RIGHT needle into the SECOND stitch on the left needle - from the back - AND KNIT IT. But wait... there's more fiddling - KEEP BOTH on the left needle - somehow - then knit two together TBL. I've invested so much time into these already, GRRR. I love the pattern, the wool and the finished one, but finding words to cover the pain-in-the-arsedness of the left mock cables is beyond me. Safe to say I'll not be making a second pair as written.

Go Fetch: SnB knit: CO45 seems to be to go, all packed up in it's zip lock bag, ready for it's outings on Saturdays, and here is it's picture for the four people left on the planet who haven't seen Fetching Mitts.

Police Hot Socks Blanket: long term project: finished the extra square down the side making it 8 squares wide, I'm glad I did, I could have made a pair of socks with the extra ball I found, but I'm happy it's in the rug. May even finish by the end of the month. That'll be a sad day, I'll miss it!

If I keep having difficulties with the left Ornette sock, I'll do a couple of rows a day and swap it with the CPH. There's a only a couple of days in each of the CPH, Bannisters and sock blanket to get them finished, which was my whole idea of having focus and finish project a week - to get rid of my almost done projects.

So this week, I HAVE added to stash, but it has a specific project: some Orange Blossom Chubby to make the other Cookie A's PDF sock pattern - Stricken Socks, not the best photo, silly camera! (and some secret secret stuff for presents). I'm not going to cast it on just yet, it's ready for the needles I'm using on the Ornettes.

I'm not counting my PRIZE of silk merino, I'm going to enjoy having won it for a little bit - then wind it into a ball when I choose what to make with it.

And Last but Not Least: To Rip or Not to Rip:
I've ripped my Diamonds cotton top. I've not knitted a stitch in months and months; I didn't knit elastic in the rib (it needed it); the actual pattern, though gorgeous was a bit too lacy (really am too old for too lacy); the yarn doesn't suit the pattern (too thick, would be better in thinner yarn); I had just started the 3rd 50g ball (not a lot of time invested); I've lots interest in it (sad but true). I've never actually done that before, I usually plough on and finish; maybe if I haven't finished it within a year it's time to give it a miss, so I did.

The next thing to have a really good think about is My Oblique - I've invested a lot more time into this one, almost up to the armholes in the all-in-one-body.... It's year is up in January, I'll see how I go with ploughing through CPH, Banniters, blanket and Ornettes.. these I want to finish.. I just don't know about the Oblique, perhaps I should look for a pattern to make it in instead. That would make it easier to rip I guess.