A bit more on beads

I chose uneven subtle beads

I'm working on a beaded scarf, a version of prethreaded beads, strung between stitches, rather than what I've done previously, which is attaching to the stitch - \o/ - it's legs as it were, while knitting the stitches, with a crochet hook - my preferred method.

However back to the Ravellenic (prev Ravelympics) knitting olympics which I do like to find something I've always wanted to try.

So. I started out on the machine, but quickly decided, after a couple of rows, to do this on 4.00 needles and try my hand at doing a two stitch garter strip up both sides.

Time for some pictures:

curling rather nicely on the edge

Light isn't the best but here they all are. in the background, on the left, is the other end, ready to go

I measured out both ends of the yarn so I didn't have to do a join in the middle. Plus a bit and when I came to the big knot, I stopped knitting, took it off and finish it off on 4.00mm.

So. having decided to give that technique a miss, I decided to see the best way to to the two stitch garter edge. And what I liked the best was:
Set the carriage to hold on the left.
bring out the two last needles both sides,
with the latch tool, take off the first stitch and manually form a stitch and put it back, same with the second.
knit one row - last two stitches didn't nit
take off the second last with the latch tool, knit a new stitch and put it back.
then the same on the last stitch
knit one row.
It's not too slow going, although it was for the first couple of rows till I worked out that that was the best way for me to do it.

It will need a press, to assist with the sides, then it will be ready to use - it's been a cold winter..

Fibonacci Righe 13/1782D Vest

Back

Righe = Italian for stripes.That one's easy.

Fibonacci = a sequence of numbers, found in nature and first discovered by Signor Fibonacci, an Italian mathematician by adding 0 +1 = (1) then adding the sum (1) to the previous sum +1 (=2)  then 2+1 = (3), then (3) + 2 = (5) and so on. sequence = 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55... and so on for this vest I start and stop with 55, alternating the one colour in ascending and the other colour descending order.
This is what I worked out for my vest - the underlined are grey, alternating with the red.

I need to press it before I wear it, so when it's done I'll retake their photos and put in a nicely press front and back.

55

2

34

3

21

5

13

8

8

13

5

21

3

34

2

55

I based the pattern, on one from Passap Model book 13/1782D. Except I made it longer. And wider. And with thicker wool. And I did a drop every 3rd needle down and relatch up. I'm speedy enough now at latching up, it's quicker than knitting. Official.

Un pressed front

Then because I wanted to add width, to the sides, and I wanted this to be thigh length, I decided to go the whole 1970s and put 2.5cm (8 rows) of short rows into the start of the back after the ribbing. I chose the middle half - quarter each side, then every 8 stitches I think it was, then commenced my 55 rows,


Seeing as I had the excel open, I decided to do a row count - 272, and put a row by row where I had to change colour, increase and decrease. then take away the rows I didn't want, paste it into publisher, make it big font, save as a .pdf and sent it to the kindle. Brilliant. Love it.
When I work out how to do the sequence, I get out the excel spread sheet, but first I MUST know how many rows I need from the centre back from hem to neck. Then I can work out where to put the stripes. On this one, I had too many rows so I started on 2, not 1, 1 like I have in the past.

Fibonacci Raglan Cardigan

On this cardigan, I was able to add 17 rows over all by putting in a black row between the rows and I started the sequence on 34/1, 1, 2, 3, 5 etc and reversed. It just worked out best for the total length I needed.

Fibonacci Stripes to the waist only

On this vest, I didn't buy enough yarn in the first place and they don't make it anymore, so I put the complimentary extra I need in stripes to the waist, and this also worked out best to have the grey/green separated by the main yarn on each side, but this time I decided to get the garter bar out and wield the stitches around with it. I thought it worked well.

Beads, Beads, Beads

I love beads and beading. And knitting and my knitting stuff and my kitty. And we all live happily in my apartment.
I put beads on cards:

I put beads on shawls:

Usually I put them on hand knitted silk shawls and I've made a few in my time, however this week I've been experimenting with putting beads on my machine knits:

Experiment results. I did some hand tooling before I did the beads.

These beads are too big for the idea. The beads are prethreaded and this is where counting the first is an excellent idea, the needles in between the beaded sections are put into hold, UWP, beads placed, until each section has been knitted. This would look much better with small 5mm (5/0) or 3mm (8/0) glass seed beads. But I these were in the same box as the big plastic ones - I was checking the technique so I can do something similar in the Ravellenics.

This is one way of threading beads onto your yarn. Thread a very small needle with a sturdy thread, I used dental floss, tie a knot in the end and thread the yarn though it, about 10cm/4" should do it, thread them onto the needle and pull through, it is helpful to count up how many you need or you will have to keep pushing them along (or cut the yarn and unthread them. Another method is to get some PVA glue and make a point from the end of the yarn - rub it between your fingers to form a point, hang to dry and trim up the tip - this is a very easy way for a tight fit.

This is the 0.5mm crochet hook I use to put the bead on, take the stitch off the needle, hold firmly and pull the bead over it so it fits on both the "legs" of the stitch, making sure all of the wool is through the centre of the bead. Fishing line can also be used, thread the beads onto the fishing line, insert the end through the centre of the stitch, slip the end through the first bead, slip the bead onto the stitch "legs" and put the bead back on the needle.

I used a rouleau turner, it is too thick, but will be good for pony beads

And a day later, here is an excellent tutorial of the three methods of beading in hand knitting

Spin, Spin, Spin Beading Tutorial

Craft and Quilt Show at Darling Harbour

Was on a couple of weeks ago, and here is a photo of our exhibit

Mine is the white Kate shawl - with 2 on it

I was there two days, with different people. The public are asked to vote for the one they like the best and this year they picked me!!!! and I won $50. They didn't last year...

It was the last year at Darling Harbour, they are pulling down the convention centre in August. The feature this year was beads.. Horrible people.  Last year the beads were overpriced and I happily left them there, this year I got some nice cracked glass black/clear ones to put on a shawl.

I had an excellent time with Leonie from Newcastle, I promised to show her how to put beads on stitches with the machine. We had a lot of fun and Leonie took home the samples.

And the sad thing about the day, one of my daughter's acquaintances from her gaming crowd heard my laugh and voice and thought daughter was back in Sydney, turned around and was dissapointed to see me, then when she went home, Ravelry stalked me (I had my name badge on) and realised I was her mum. Wish she had come up to say hi, but she is apparently painfully shy. But is a knitter all is forgiven. Next time I hope she will come and say hi.

Slipper Basics on Diana's blog

Diana has from time to time said some lovely things about my blog, I don't know her personally and although I have lots of online Ravelry friends, Diana isn't one of those either. However, I find her blog has lots of interesting things to read and in an homage to her:
Inspiration at Diana natters on: Building a Slipper Pattern

.. and my family may find themselves wearing a pair next Aussie winter... you never know what the slipper fairy may bring.

The scales didn't lie.

As most know, I'm halfway through my 2012 "cold sheep". Meaning I have made a commitment to not buy any yarn, no matter how much of a bargain it is, this year. So I'm using the stash I have, not only did I use up every little bit of 1 x 100g Chubby Sock wool, but also finished off the left overs from the last Chubby sock I made:

Cadence Socks with left over toe and 2m of it leftover.

Now onto my last FO (Rav speak for Finished Object). A lovely pattern, Cadence is one of those rare patterns that I can't adapt to be bigger. I have some beautiful 5ply, no longer available, theknittery Chubby Sock Wool in Smoke and I can knit it on 3.00mm and use the 64sts lacy pattern. Almost a perfect plan..

Stretch Cast on

So I made one, using a nice stretch cast on, I found here, which worked well on either a bigger needle or both together, it did turn out well. So back to .... I made the first one, then started on the second, then halfway through I realised I didn't do the cast on properly and I wouldn't be able to put it on. Then I saw how little I had left and decided to get out the scales and weighed the finished sock and then remaining wool. Well, I wouldn't have enough. What to do? Either start over with another yarn? undo it and take out some rows above the heel in the first sock? or... I found some leftovers from the last socks I made out of TK Chubby, weighed it with the second sock wool and the combined weight was just a bit more than the first sock.

So.. I decided I could live with the toe in the different colour, same wool stock, not undo the first sock to have roughly the same amount of other coloured toes, it will be in my shoes. I didn't want a join further up the toe if I could possibly help it and the colour will fade a bit after a couple of washes.

Anyways, I did have enough to make it all the way to the end, with just the toe to do. And am pleased to know the scales don't lie. I did have enough combined wool to do the second sock - with about 2 metres left! So glad it wasn't the other way!

Pretty Ribbons: aka Putting Stuff in Shows

In January, yet again Eleanor stood in front of us begging and pleading for us to enter some of the shows around Sydney. So this year I took pity on her pleading self and asked if she would like one of the Kate machine knit shawls I've made - yes she would, so I gave her the shawl and some money to spend on entries. The idea is to promote machine knitting, a cabinet filler, and Wildhoney's (Natalia from Russia) Kate Machine Knit shawl is lovely, it's what all the girls in the family got for Christmas.

Anyways, Eleanor entered it in, along with her stuff - some shows it did what I though - made a nice display and in two of them I got pretty ribbons, a FIRST in the Castle Hill Show and a SECOND (and $3.00 - yes that's correct three dollars) from Hawkesbury Show, now isn't that nice?

It's next excursion is to the Sydney Craft and Quilt Show Macknit display- however I'm not going to hold my breath for pretty ribbons in that one - we get a lot of entries and the general public votes for their favourite item. A nice filler it will be too, I'm pretty sure they won't let me put the pretty ribbons on it! No.