Cables, working with dark colours and my new light

 I do love my Bergere de France patterns and this time

Dark blue colour is about right

I'm making one from their 04/05 catalogue #753 .

I'm taking a break from sewing it up and posting about working with cables, working with dark colours and my new light.

The design has the first 18 in a 3:3 rib and the decreases are done 21 sts from the edge, flowing into cables up a raglan bodice.

Just the thing for my personal cableathon.

Cables on the machine

Hard to see but there they are

Even though the cables are over stretched on the machine, they resolve themselves when off the machine.

I know, I know, six impossible things before breakfast, lots of moving stitches for the raglan decreases, putting the KrisKrafter 20 needle decker/garter bar to good use, and a 7 sts cable.


For the back I took the cables off the machine and hand knitted them, however between doing the back, sleeves I went to a Susan Guagluimi Seminar on... fiddling around with the machine and tools.. right up my alley. However before I get to that story, I'll show you the light the electrician was using when installing LED lights in the building.

The LED light

It's a caving light used by those outdoorsy types, and electricians and now machine knitters.

There is a down side - I get to wear it on my head... oh joy! Just as well it's something I can wear on my head when no one is around. And NO, there will not be a photo of smiling me wearing it, sooo sorry!

Anyways, here it is, a nice little LED light, the switch is on the top and it clicks up and down so my head stays still and the light moves.

How good the light is on the stitches

Field of light when it's on my head

So now with the LED light on my head, and Susan G's bridging cables, I thought I'd try it out on the fronts.


Did I mention that this is also called my Twice Knit Jumper? Yes, I've been knitting this for a month.. twice or more on most sections... but back to it.

OK, so what I did was - knit the first bridge, then set the carriage to hold/hold/part/part - so the only thing that would ever knit was needles in the UWP - I found this easier.

I put all the needles I needed to put on the other end in hold - not all of them, no, then about halfway-ish, all on hold, yes a small section on the other side of the bed had the exact number of needles in hold on the far end, and then some in working position, then hold up to the bridge.

Then knit the first couple of stitches, back up (nothing knits, everything is in hold or WP at this point.)
adjust the stitch dial plus 2 sizes in my case, put the four needles I need to do the cable cross nice and big, backup

Return to original stitch size, take off hold on the left side, and slowly knit across the next stitches, as soon I was past the lower needles already knitted, take of the left hand part, as soon as I was past the needles on hold, I slipped it back into hold,

When all the needles up to the last ones in hold are knitted, all the setting go back to hold/hold/part/part back up, plus 2 sizes up, 4 needles in UWP, knit them, back up, return to main st size, take off hold and knit the last few - now all the stitches have been knit, return all settings to knit, do the crosses, and this time I hand knit them off - plastic machines are more fragile than their metal cousins, however, it all knit off remarkably well and I learnt a lot about cables, giving my stitches some more yarn to do the crosses and I got quicker as I went along and I think I got almost to the end before I had to undo the last couple of rows.

Not quite what Susan said to do, but it worked for me! There's lots of things in her second book for me to try out over the next couple of projects, for my cableathon.

And here are the cables:

 And my next cable pattern is a Vague aka Vogue pattern... with more bridging happening... wish me luck!

Bergere de France pattern 289 - Blouson Zippe

Well most know I love these patterns, especially the MK logo AND the little bit that says (TYPE C = 7) which is especially for Passap. I loves them so much, I'm going to put in some links:

Old patterns: and you can see the lovely logo that looks like a bridge? followed by: Ce modèle peut être réalisé sur une machine à tricoter familiale, means you can chuck them on your standard machine and use
this list to see which machine is which letter machine and
this list for what the abbreviations mean. And just as a sweetener, here is a list of
French to English knitting terms. There you are then, everything you need to know and see why they are just the best thing on the net for all knitters, especially MKers.

And there is the tricotheque for the latest free pattens for the ladies.. Now I know what you are thinking - but, it's in French... Never fear all patterns more or less say the same thing, don't they? anyways as per the Pirates Code - they are more guidelines. And to make you feel really better, here's a bit from my Blouson Zippe...

Here are the instructions from the Right Front:

Emmanchure et épaule : Rab. à gauche comme au dos.

And what does it all mean?

Armhole and shoulder shaping - do what you did on the back.

And the left front? Yep - do what you did on the right one but in reverse... Seriously, go look for yourself! The row count is all there, for you to stop.. do your shaping .. easy as. I usually don't bother to translate if there's a graph and a schematic. Just the rows and numbers. I took a photo of the working notes - all the numbers of stitches and rows.

Now here's my dilemma: I've done the sleeves, back and right front, and now I think it would have been better to use the size lower on the back bed to pull in on the ribbing sections.. Oh deary me, what I've decided to do is the left front that way to see if it's better and if it is - redo the back and right front. I've left this for over a week now while I have a think.










I made my two Panda Cotton socks instead. I'm more inclined to do one project at a time, I'm not so good if I have too many things on the go at once... So... I'll edit in what I decide.

853 Bergere de France Green Jumper

Call me crazy, but I do love Bergere de France free patterns. OK OK they are in French, BUT they are also in Knitting. This link is for the Femme in us all, there is also Homme, Enfant, and kids. Some have a lovely little knitting machine symbol, which I have even more love for, but not this one.

Here is a photo of my latest love:

The principles are there.. cast on xx sts, do some sort of rib; knit xxx rows to the armhole, cast off xx sts, for xx rows, then usually a few more xx sts for a few more xx rows, then straight for xx cm to the shoulders, where we ignore the instructions and do a short row shaping for xx sts over xx rows anyway. On the front, fiddle with the neck shaping as well. Sleeves are always the same too. All this and an excellent schematic diagram.

Now there's me. I look at the schematic, whereby I decide where I need to increase the length to fit my big self - which really means it doesn't matter what language it's written in, out comes the pencil and alterations begin, saves heaps of time translating!

I'm hand knitting this one on 4.5mm needles using Cleakheaton Country 12ply, in a green which is pretty close to the green on the Harmony Knitpicks, which I stuck next to the top of the photo (not quite as yellow as it's showing on my monitor). After this lovely beginning (edging) it is plain st st to just below the shoulders and finishes with a 19cm open rib and matching cowl neck. I decided to knit both front and back edges while the translation was still fresh in my mind. I've had a couple of opportunities to sit, wait and knit this week - my first ever visit to MKers of NSW guild on Thursday, Saturday's SnB and waiting to pick up Peter from Burwood, I'm already up to the armholes on one piece and nearly there on the other. Today I'll do both sleeves patterned edges and leave them on knitpicks cables (aren't they they best things ever invented?).

The only tricky bit of translation I found was on the centre on the square (hopefully) it is:

knit 5 tog without taking them off the left needle (I used a crochet hook),

RN: one long stitch which is through those
LN: 5 sts,

next yo, knit 2 tog and take off left needle:

RN: one long st; one yo; one st
LN: 3 sts

next yo, knit 3 tog take remaining 3 off left needle:

RN: one long st; one yo; one st; one yo; one st
LN: no sts left from this set.

The rest of the instructions for the edging is easy enough to follow, even if it isn't exactly what the French is, it is how I wanted the fabric to look.

The top "mesh" pattern uses dropped stitches to achieve a nice open look.
I'm reasonably sure that the translation was to drop the stitch when casting off, however, I dropped them every couple of rounds as I wanted to put a bit of shaping into the front panel, so I did a 3 pattern sets of 2/1 next to the shoulder 3 rounds short of when I was supposed to stop, stopping short by one set each round to the end, to make it more comfortable to wear. Yes that meant a bit of a bigger space, but it will be covered by the cowl.

Now I've finished my Shalom vest, I will be taking this anywhere I'm sitting and chatting and/or waiting for kids etc. Eventually, I'll finish it.

Minty Fresh aka Pull a Torsades 468

I've decided to try making this on the Passap. Here is it's first attempt picture:
Problem: ladders, cables crossed in the wrong place, rib too tight.

Link: 468 Pull a Torsades from Bergere de France free pattern.

I'm making it in Bendigo 4ply Cotton, which is new to me and the machine.

Working notes:
I used some knit-in elastic for the rib. I didn't think things through, and on the first attempt, I didn't put in a marker (remove the pushers from the rail) for the cable and went two stitches out of alignment. I forgot to do some of the cables and I had ladders for not putting the handle down for this type of stitch alignment. AND the tension was too tight on the rib and too loose on the body. I will need to put an extra needle into work behind the cables on the row prior, to allow the cables to cross comfortably.

Rib 2:2 (cast on T1, N/N x 1; T3, CX/CX x 2; T3, N/N x 1; RCOOO) T3, N/N x 12**.
**11th rib row: T4.25, don't put knit in elastic. (probably easier to do 7:4 rib from the start or quicker to do rib by hand and put onto machine).
Number x9th rows: Two needles put behind cables.

OK T4.25 is too tight I got sick of putting the stitches back onto the needles, didn't have that problem with T5. I'm going to trial doing 7:4 rib, with elastic should be fine, at T4.5, then do body in T4.75.

Now picture: rib T4.75; body T6.5

Swatched as per Stephanie's instructions, and did the various stitch sizes recommended. I settled on 6.5. It is loose off the machine, but will shrink down when washed. I'm doing a bit each day and it's getting easier to flip the 2 pairs of stitches, and the cables are no dramas. I've put 2 spares behind the cables for ease, which has made eyelet style holes, and there's a few ladders, but I think they will be ok. Nothing I can't wear when finished.

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.

Wisteria Rib jumper is finished

Oh happiness and joy, I've finished all the knitting, now for the sewing up. next week! So pleased with it, looks fabulous.