Scarves and unfinished projects

I have been inspired to complete some of my unfinished projects by a friend who posted an entry on her blog about the same thing 'Finish it up Friday' . She wrote a list of all her unfinished projects, and every friday has to post an update of the projects she has finished.

Well, recently I unearthed some beautiful handspun and dyed wool from Wool Dancer I bought about this time last year. Her wools are aptly described as art yarn - and they are truly beautiful and unique.

Inspired, I decided to finish them and this is what they look like.....

I made up the pattern as I went, one was knitted using 1cm knitting needles... 15 stitches wide and about 49cm long.

I just love the soft colours in this - the wool is also incredibly soft too - like being wrapped in cloud....

The other one was crochet using a 1cm hook - I ran out of yarn halfway so I joined in some grey that I had in my wool stash.

This one is also about 15cm wide and 50cm long and made using single chain stitch.

I love the grey spun baubles which are tightly twisted into the pumpkins and purples of this yarn...

My sister modelling her new scarf...

You may be wondering what my other projects are that are on my to finish list? Well, a number of them are knitting projects.

• Jumper knitted using blue/green variegated wool (knitted and unraveled twice so far)
• Jumper knitted using raspberry / chocolate variegated wool (knitted and unraveled twice as well!) - I fall in love with wool and buy it without a project in mind and then find it incredibly difficult to find a pattern which suits the wool.
• Lace scarf using 2 ply grey mohair
• lace scarf using special NZ wool

Some of them are cooking projects:

• Finish making Noccino (green walnut liquor)
• Make some Lemoncello (lemon liquor)

Some are sewing projects:

• Make a quilt - put together patchwork blocks from a Patchwork Bee I participated in (also organised by Jules from RelishAustralia)
• Sew curtains from my handprinted fabrics for my house.

I promise Ill post updates on how I get on finishing my projects - but it may not be as regular as every Friday! x

Knitwear becomes Sculpture

With the chill in the air of the impending change of seasons, my fingers are itching to start knitting....

So I picked up some needles and reworked some yarn I bought earlier in the year from Rainbow Wools. I absolutely love the blues, greens and greys in the variegated yarn but Ive been struggling to find a pattern which would suit the wool.

After starting and unraveling for the third time, I decided to play with texture to create the pattern of the jumper. Using a stitch called Mock Rib which is K1 P1 (repeated) for the first row, and then knit for the second row - so very easy - the wool has knitted into a beautiful textured fabric which makes the colours of the yarn sing.

Some amazing things can be created using knitting and Scandinavian Sandra Becklund has created some visually stunning pieces.

I don't think my jumper will look anything like these creations, but they are fun to look at and very inspirational :)

The Sweater You Can Knit in One Night!

I stumbled across this pattern whilst looking for the perfect jumper pattern. Always up for a challenge - I thought I would try it out. I didnt quite knit it in a night - but it was finished very quickly all the same. I have included the pattern below, just in case you are interested to take on the challenge. The great thing about it is that it is two knitted squares, so theres no need to follow a pattern for shaping and its really easy.

Materials
4 balls 50g mohair (I used 2 wine coloured and 2 varigated and knitted with 2 stands (combining both the wine colour and varigated wool)
10 mm (000) needles
12 mm (0000) needles

Measurements: fits all sizes to 97cm

Tension: 4 st to 5cm

BACK & FRONT
(both alike) Using 10mm needles cast on 44 stitches and work 7 rows in k2, p2 rib.
Change to 12mm needles
Knit until garment measures 57cm (or prefered length)
Cast off.

MAKE UP
Join shoulder seams, leaving 25cm unjoined in centre for neck.
Join side seams, leaving 18cm unjoined at top for armholes.

I knitted this to jumper length, but it would also be a great tunic (if knitted a bit longer) to wear over stockings or jeans.

A Chill in the Air

The mornings and evenings are starting to cool down and there is a crisp edge to the Canberra air as we approach winter.

My fingers are responding to the itch to knit and I am knitting like a 'knit-wit' with 4 projects on the go: a fluffy green/blue scarf, a possum wool scarf, a recycled silk (from Nepal) scarf and a jumper knitted from beautiful rasberry & chocolate coloured wool I bought during a recent trip to NZ. They are all beautiful and rich in textures and colours and simply delightful!