Lanesplitter

This is my Lanesplitter from Knitty First Fall 2010, which I actually finished a couple of months ago. I've just had it blocked and waiting for me to get round to threading the elastic through the waist band.

Being 8.5 months pregant at the moment, I'm afraid I can't model it for you as the bump wasn't taken into account when making my usual size! Some time after Christmas I should be able to wear it though.

There are lots of other great versions out there, and it was hard choosing the colour(s)! As always with Noro, the thrill is in waiting to see what colour combinations arise. In this pattern, the excitement is increased by alternating two balls at the same time. I know some people carefully chose when are where to start a new ball, and cut out sections they felt didn't work, but I just went with it and watched to see what would happen.

I'm pleased with the result. Above is the seam, which would be impossible to match up colourwise. I can't decide whether to wear the seam at the back or side.

It's basically one long rectangle, which is knit on the diagonal, so you begin by increasing at regular intervals to the mid point, then decreasing down to a point at the other end, all the while alternating every two rows with stocking and garter stitch.

Enjoy the magical Noro colour graduations...

Honeycomb Problems

I have only got this far on Honeycomb. I've finished the waistband, which was a nice twisted rib. My progress was hindered earlier in the week when I accidentally made a moebius by twisting the c/o row. Not to be deterred, I swiftly cast on again, and have made good progress, considering how thin the yarn is.

However, here's where the real problem began. The first round of the Honeycomb pattern is: K1 (C2F, C2B) Repeat to last stitch, K1. The dilemma here was whether to bother with a cable needle (tedious) or leave the slipped stitch hanging before coming back to it later (risky). The latter seemed like the obvious option, but let me tell you: it took me at least an hour to do this first round. That is unacceptable for me! I need to be going much faster than that. I'm used to cabling without a cable needle; it makes progress much faster. However, the combination of evening knitting (dark), colour of wool (quite dark), texture of wool (tweedy) and hanging stitches made it so easy to drop a stitch, and progress was slowwwwwwww. I normally use much thicker yarn where the hanging stitch is much easier to idfentify, so this was difficult.

Bearing in mind that the cable round is repeated every 6 rounds, this will take me forever to finish. I am considering giving up now. Alternatively, I've considered doing a simple stocking stitch tank top, which I would actually prefer anyway. I realise that I would have to modify the pattern, as cabling pulls the fabric in. Presumably the waistband width wouldn't change, so I could stay where I am (as long as I remember to frog the first Honeycomb pattern round after the rib). What would you suggest for modifying the size of the overall tank top to make it in stocking stitch? Should I just give up on this project altogether?

Before embarking on this, I did read comments on Ravelry from those who had finished Honeycomb, and knew that the cabling would be a pain, so I can't blame the pattern. It's not that I can't do it, just that I want to enjoy my knitting, and this round was far from enjoyable!

Speaking of Knitty, have you seen the Spring issue? Warm weather knitting really isn't my thing anyway (I like to make woolly garments to provide warmth in winter), so I wasn't expecting to find anything I liked. The only one I would even consider would be Emmaline, but if I'm honest I probably wouldn't wear it. For me, and it's just a personal taste thing, not snobbery, I'm not keen on short-sleeved knitted cotton tops in Summer. Why not just wear a T-shirt? Sadly, I didn't like any of the other patterns, and I spend months waiting for the new issue, so it was a little disappointing. I did like the idea behind Tribute (a sock pattern written by a woman in tribute to her friend who had lost her battle with cancer), but I'm not in the mood for socks yet!

I'm probably just being too picky... I should really embrace the knit I'm working on, and stick with it, so back to work now.

Edited to Add: I'm now on my third gauge square, trying to get gauge in stocking stitch. I think this is the way forward for me.

The One That Got Away

I can now show you the cushion that I submitted to Knitty as it's been rejected (their loss!). Only joking, when I look at the skill and imagination that has gone into the garments on Knitty, I am not at all surprised that this simple cushion wasn't good enough.

The basic pattern is the same as the other items I designed in the Ripple range; simple cabling body bordered in moss stitch, but the effect is quite pretty:

Here's another little umbilical cord hat, for a friend:

And some own-designed booties to match (yes, you're right, there's only one there; the second one is in progress):

Stitch & Craft Show

Well, I took what I considered to be a well-earned day off yesterday and went to the show at Olympia. As I had suspected it wasn't heavy on the knitting (mostly sewing and paper-craft) but there were a few good yarn stalls, including, wait for it, one for a company that specialises in Possum yarn, yes real Possum! Apparently they're not endangered, practically vermin in New Zealand, and they've been killing off all the other semi-extinct species in the country, which justifies their use in yarn.

I managed to come away with a small selection of yarn, a home-dyeing sock kit (yes, I'll believe it when I see it too) and a large selection of ceramic buttons in all sorts of shapes and sizes. They're my favourite kind and hard to find, so I pick them up whenever I see them.

Curlicue is blocking so photos will follow when finished. Have you seen the latest Knitty?: I'm quite keen on Hanne and Topaz.

Look out for another post over the weekend xx

Aren't these fetching!

I made these this weekend. They're a very quick knit and the yarn really shows off the cables. This was my first cabling project, and easy, despite the tight knitting (in order to use one skein, as specified). I'll have to make another pair for someone with the emergency skein I have - unfortunately in the same colour. Looking at the skein I couldn't believe I would get two gloves out of it, but I did.

Pattern: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath for Knitty
Needle: US 6 / 4.0 mm

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Rialto Aran (1 skein = 87.5 yards (80.0m)/50g) Colorway: DBRA03
Yarn purchased at: Stash, Putney

Here in Brook Green Autumn is in full swing and the rowanberries are out on our street. My favourite time of year:

I'm getting ready for Christmas too with these mini Christmas trees to hang on the real tree. Some will be off in the post to my Mum, and I'll hang the others at our house. The pattern is by Frugal Knitting Haus. I've made them in snippets of malabrigo worsted and koigu (using a much smaller needle):