... the weather has improved a bit, but only for a day or two! it's not only valentine's day - but my son's birthday, the 18th this time! so this time it wasn't only birthday cake and candles, but a pub/bar party beforehand - and I am quite glad that all that is over, the last few days were rather... hectic:) the cake was a bit iffy as well (that's the result of trying a new recipe without testing it before:() - but it tastes great, even if the icing was a bit rough looking.
when I haven't been trying to prepare everything, pack up presents, make cakes... I am knitting, what else:) I started to work with the purple cotton blend sock yarn - which knits up very nicely, even though I had to rip back the heel once.
it is very slightly thicker than wool yarn, but not by much. I wanted the leg to be slouchy, but I didn't decrease for the heel the first time. only when I had knitted half the foot I realized that this would be far too baggy to sit well, so I frogged and decreased by several stitches - now it fits like a glove. I like slouchy leg parts (I wear those thocks only in birkies!), but not slipping feet! the first sock is finished - the second on the needles....
I began with the soft donegal tweed vest for myself - in the hope that I can wear it before the summer. but it knits quite slowly - no surprise really because it's done with 2.5 mm needles... on the other hand - the last few years weren't so hot that a sleeveless vest couldn't have been worn on most days:)
as you can see Mr Pringles is very keen to take a look at the camera - curiosity......!
I started with bead crocheting again, but I have problems with this one. the last one was done with the same beads but finer thread, which worked well. I thought I might get away with a slightly bigger thread, but the result is too loose - the yarn is visible between the beads:( I will try a finer hook first, but I think I'll have to re-string the whole lot and start again with finer thread:( couldn't be bothered to do that during the last few hectic days, so the tray is waiting for a nice, quiet day.... I had planned to work a matte black necklace with lovely gold beads - but the "cheap" beads from the show in Dublin turned out to be so uneven that they're useless for a project like this:( which proves that cheap doesn't always stay cheap:(
and I am trying out a "new" (= new to me at least) crochet pattern I found online. several years back I bought a large cotton blanket in waffle weave. I love that blanket, but I wouldn't be able to weave something like that myself. when I saw this waffle pattern in crochet, I thought I might give it a try. it's super simple (only dc/tr cr) and works up pretty quickly as well. I am going to make a few wash cloths/wash mittens first, but I think I might make a larger blanket with some of the very fine cotton threads I have been storing for several years. the only downside - the blanket will be quite heavy in pure cotton - but I don't really want to buy a blend - the idea was to use up some of my stash:) it feels very nice though, the 3D effect of the pattern seems to form pockets of air that make the fabric warm and cosy - just like my woven one!
the last picture is Mr Pringles again - the only way to catch that rascal properly is to work with the zoom - but you can see that she was just starting to run closer! I think the dangling little loop on the side of the camera is what the cat finds so fascinating - he has to come running as soon as he sees me with the camera! which makes for quite blurry photos most of the time:) maybe about 1 in 10 is useable - the rest just tends to show black and white streaks...
5 comments:
Lovely items in the works! I love the slouchy socks; glad you could make the adjustments so they will fit right. The vest sure looks pretty-mine is in the naughty bucket-I seem to put a lot there lately.
The beaded project will demand your full attention...hang in there!
Love the kitty pic-you caught him just right this time!
waffelmuster gehäkelt..spannend.. und geburtstag gut überstanden...schön..da war es bei mir sehr viel ruhiger.. sohn ist ja auch schon doppelt so alt...und mehr..aber ich erinnere wilde partys wo ich lieber auszog..und hinterher echt erstaunt und erschrocken war..was da so abgelaufen war bei den gästen... aber das geht vorbei.. sie werden wieder normalos.. liebe grüße wiebke
Cindy - thanks, I like wearing the slouchies, but they don't work in shoes or boots, even with a tight fitting foot. and you're not the only one with knitting problems - I've frogged several things that didn't work so well lately! but better that than being annoyed at stuff that's finished - but still doesn't look right!
Wiebke - zum glueck war die party ja nicht hier im haus, sondern im pub. wer will sich schon 20, 30 oder mehr angetrunkene teenager zuhause antun?:) da muss man ja angst haben, dass das haus nicht mehr steht danach. aber es war wohl garnicht so arg diesmal... und heute ist der nachwuchs gluecklich in galway unterwegs - zum "anlegen" seiner eingesammelten "spenden":) aber hier feiert man nur den 18 und dann den 21 nochmal, die anderen geburtstage werden hier praktisch garnicht gefeiert, bis auf vielleicht 50ster oder 100ster... bis dahin dauerts ja dann noch eine gute weile:)
Mr. Pringles is a very handsome kitty! I will have to try a waffle weave blanket. I'd considered one a while back but was distracted. It is now on my to do list. I like the thought of slouchy socks, but haven't found any that don't slip down on me. I end up ripping them out and starting again. Those are pretty though.
Nina - I wouldn't be able to weave a waffle blanket - if I am not mistaken one needs an 8shaft loom for this? anyway, I shouldn't try to run before I can walk, so crochet is my only option for now. but it does feel nicer than "flat" fabric to me. and the slouchy socks - mine can slip down along the leg, that's ok - but not under foot, which makes wearing them rather uncomfortable! the leg pattern is easy to do: 3 rds k, 3 rds [k3/p3], 3 rds p, 3 rds ]p3/k3). it ends up looking kind of wavy. the foot has to be tightfitting, so I decrease before starting the heel....
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