The knitting part of Clapotis is finished!

Once the end was in sight [at the decrease rows] I couldn't put it down! I knitted twelve rows, took a break, knitted twelve rows, until I had about 35 rows to go then, with the finish line in sight, the final spurt and I was over the line!

The forecast for today is 35C [95F] so it will be perfect for blocking - if I can find my board and pins! The re-decorating continues at a frantic pace - the floor goes down on Thursday and the carpet on Friday. Half the things we own [apart from big pieces of furniture and the computer!] are stacked in boxes in the garage. And only half that junk will make it back inside!!

I'm off to do my block! LOL

To post or not to post?

I keep writing posts and saving them, waiting to add photos and not getting around to it.

We're redecorating and this place is mad! We had three weeks to clean, repair and paint all the walls, doors and woodwork before new flooring and carpets are laid at the end of next week. Sounds easy? Prior to taking on this ridiculous commitment, DD and I both injured our shoulders so can't help and WM works 8 hours a day, six days a week! The good news is the physio said I'm still allowed to knit! Yay!!

Anyway, back to my comment about posting... despite all the madness, I'm going to post - with or without photos - whenever I have something to say! After all, I can always add photos later!!

Tofutsies finished! and the first of the Supersocke Cotton socks

This is an example of what I mean - this post was originally written on 12 October and has waited patiently in the draft folder for a week!

After two months languishing on needles waiting for the grafting [Kitchener stitch] the Tofutsies socks are finally finished. And so is the cold weather I think!! LOL

I wore the Tofutsies socks on Friday - I didn't like the feel of hand-knitted socks under the soles of my feet. They're knitted in stocking stitch - does anyone have suggestions? It never occurred to me that I wouldn't like hand-knitted socks; I've bought more yarn for at least another three pairs! What can I do?

I have also finished the first of my Supersocke Cotton socks for SSoS and cast on the second sock. No sss for me*!

*sss = second sock syndrome
SSoS = Southern Summer of Socks

Clapotis went swimming in the frog pond!

I learnt the reality of knitting with handpainted yarns. Despite both hanks looking very similar, they knitted up very differently. The second hank was a little darker overall than the first but had many more light patches - Clapotis looked like I had knitted two different fabrics and joined them together in the middle. In other words, it had an obvious dark line across the middle and looked terrible. [Anyone who's ever knitted with two different dyelots would know what I mean!] So, at 11 o'clock last night and 80% completed, I frogged the lot! :-(

I'm now about halfway through section #2, knitting two rows from each ball as I should have done in the first place.

Ah well, we live and learn!

Clapotis progress

Clapotis and I have compromised! I can knit socks providing I knit a minimum of twenty rows on her every day!

I have knitted 119 stitches in the increase section [section 2] because I'm using 8ply [not the suggested 10ply]. I possibly should have done 131 stitches, but I'd rather get more length than width and I don't know how far my 840 metres will go.

I am now up to row 60 in section 3 - the straight section - and dropped five ladders. Because I'm using pure wool, it doesn't unravel as quickly as it would in a smoother yarn - I have to unravel each stitch beyond the first five or six so it is a slow process. This is her so far [pinned out for ease of photography]:


The yarn is very pretty and the colours land randomly so I am constantly surprised by the striping in one section and the colour pooling in another. Because the whole thing will have ladders running through it, I'm not too concerned about either.


The purple is a bit more 'royal' than that - it's so hard to get the colours right!

I assume she will block into a more rectangular shape. :-0

Rugz4Kidz

cross posted and adpated from Rugz4Kidz blog

I had intended to knit a lace pattern in acrylic to lighten the weight, but the rug cried for a stranded colour pattern [in wool]!

Here's what I wrote in the book:

As you wrap this blanket around you
or snuggle under its comforting warmth
draw strength and courage from the love knitted into every stitch.

Eight knitters have worked on the rug so far and there are twelve to go.
Here's the rug spread out over two circular needles:



I'm still fairly new to this type of knitting and I'm pleased with the way the hearts turned out.

Southern Summer of Socks Ready? Set? No go??

The Southern Summer of Socks KAL started on Monday 1 October. How many pairs of socks do I have on the go?

None! That's right!! She who was sock obsessed just a month ago has no socks on the needles. Why?

Three distractions:

First, there was Rugz4Kidz. The rug arrived here last Thursday. In theory I have two weeks to knit 7cm and I was considering using acrylic [to lighten the overall weight] and doing a lace pattern. Because I was still undecided, I paid her little heed. On Monday, her cries for attention could not be ignored; and somehow I knitted a stranded colour pattern in wool! I got her finished more quickly than I expected and she's impatiently waiting to strut her stuff for the camera before heading off to Donni in Wollongong.

Once Rugz was finished, Clapotis started to whimper, then started in with those long heavy sighs, and I just had to cast on! Even if it was late at night and time for bed! She wasn't giving me any rest until I completed at least section #1. On Tuesday afternoon I finished section #2. But, at bedtime, she whispered: "Just a few rows of section #3, you know you want to see what happens when you drop those stitches! It's only eight rows!"

Despite the thickness of the yarn, the weight of the wrap and the unseasonably hot weather [it's never too hot to knit remember!!] - Clapotis keeps calling, she won't leave me alone! Maybe if I took her off the lounge and hid her... LOL
Anyway, I have a deadline to get it from Penrith to Newcastle by 15 October.

Yesterday, it was the lace wrap - "block me, block me" she screamed from the lounge. I succumbed - and she looks wonderful. She's ready for a second blocking but, since she's quiet, it can wait till tomorrow.

Block more than once, I hear you ask. I'm told by a knitting guru [at the Guild] that blocking several times will teach the knitting what shape it's supposed to be so that it won't reduce to its unblocked size when the recipient washes it!

I'm off now, to cast on those socks. Online Supersocke Cotton is calling to be turned into a pair of toe up socks with short row shaped heels - challenges #1 and #2! Bring it on!!!!

Be quiet, Clapotis, or I'll put you in a cupboard!