BBQ kniting

  The sun is shinning again today. It was meant to be raining from what the weather man said, guess that's like still believing in Father Christmas at 25 though. I could of gotten another load of washing done and on the line, I'm falling behind a little.
   I had my BBQ yesterday, the lamb burgers I made were pretty fatty, more like mutton than lamb. Still tasted good though. I might have another bbq today, with beef and maybe pork this time, yummy.

   I started the Ipad sock cosy thingy yesterday, a few times. I tried a couple of different yarns instead of the cotton but didn't like the way any of them were knitting so went back to the cotton. I don't think I was really in the mood to be honest. I've decided to do the basket weave again for the back instead of the honeycomb, really couldn't be bothered doing the honeycomb.

   I did come up with a couple of new ideas to try like combining the crossed cable with a single honeycomb cable, also thought about using different coloured yarns for the cables. Not sure if that's possible but will give it a go when I have time. I might knit a few of these Ipad sock cosy thingies and give my sisters a choice. They could pick which parts they liked best and I could reknit one for them if theres not a full one already knitted. The left over ones I could try and sell on ebay,the ones already being sold on ebay just look like the top of a sock. Mine with the cables are much more interesting.

   I got my bluefaced Leicester top today, I love the oatmeal colour. The online picture really didn't do it justice, looked like a boring light brown. Think I'll get more oatmeal and hopefully spin it good enough to be able to knit with. The white bluefaced I'm spinning at the moment is coming out much thinner but there are still the odd thicker parts too it, I am getting better though.

Icords

   These are my favorite things to knit. I absolutely positively love to knit Icords, I could happily knit a mile long Icord. There quick to knit and takes no thought process once you know how.

  Take two double point needles and cast on 3 stitches onto one of the dpn. Slide the stitches to the end so that the yarn is at the end not the beginning of the stitches. The yarn will go across the back of the stitches, knit the 3 stitches, give them a little tug and slide them along the dpn and knit them again. A good video showing what I mean.

  I learned to do Icords from "Knitting without Tears" by Elizabeth Zimmermann that a friend bought for me to help me get back into knitting after I went through a rut of not knitting for awhile. Its a great book and I love her no nonsense witty writing style.

  I didn't manage to take any pictures yesterday, I was too busy messing around with the loom. I have a long way to go. I think I've figured out how to put the weft on but I could be wrong. The weaving I did manage to do yesterday was definitely wrong. I'll get there, just don't think I'll be knitting a tartan scarf any time soon.

  I got my new drop spindle today. Its tiny. Really tiny. Makes me wonder how heavy the monster of a spindle I've been using is. I haven't used it yet but did give it a few spins with the string from the label and it spins great. Looks good too. I might start the blue faced top with it today if I don't get lost in the loom again. Oh, I need to take pictures of my stuff too.

  Almost finished the ipod sock, its off the needles just needs weaving in and the bottom sewing. I probably need to do a few more inches on the Icord for it then its all done. I love doing these little quick knit projects.

Ipod, Ipad, Idk

    Almost finished the Ipod sock thingy, I love quick knits. Not sure if I need to do an Ipod or Ipad sock though, I don't even know the difference.
   At this stage I'm not 100% happy with the way it looks, its the yarn not the pattern that's the problem. Oh and maybe my technique. Time is short, its her birthday this weekend but I'd like to do it again in a different yarn or maybe improvise a new pattern. We'll see what happens, might make an interesting post on Monday.
  One more thing on the pattern I used, there are two small mistakes on rows 33 and 39. Row 33 should be P8 not P9 and row 39 should be k1, P2, k2 and not k1,p2,k1. I've emailed her the corrections so they might be corrected by now.

  Been thinking about felting stuff since I found out about the dodgy sock yarn I have. Sill have 250g of the white left and 200g of the dark grey. Not great colours but I could always ruin, I mean dye the white. Or even leave it white and knit with both yarns. They might felt together nicely. Who knows?? Certainly not me.
   What to felt though I'm not sure. It would have to be something where size doesn't really matter. Don't fancy doing a scarf at the moment, think it would be boring because of the stitches I'd have to use. Its one thing to do double basket weave for 6 feet but don't want to do 6 or 7 feet of stocking stitch, yawn. Maybe I could use my fattest needles so it knits up quick. I need to read more on what sort of stitches felt best. No point knitting lovely cable patterns for them to go flat once felted.

  Working on the sock post for tomorrow, taking a bit longer than I thought but I'll do my best to get it posted. So pop on by tomorrow and see my first socks and if you have any helpful comments on felting let me know, thanks.

Measure twice

Cut once...

  Started the Ipod sock for the second time because the first time I thought it was too small. I also messed up with a couple of pattern swatches mixing the length up with width, well I totally forgot about the width and thought everything was a square. 
    The sock Ipod thingy calls for worsted weight yarn so I'm using bigger needles and some old double knit I have. Its acrylic which I usually hate but this stuff is amazingly soft and a joy to knit with. I've knitted a baby blanket with it before, being grey isn't s great baby colour but I liked it. Not sure I have pictures but will look, they may be on disk or my old computer.

  I downloaded a demo of a motif knitting program last night to help me design my own Ipod sock. Theres just a slight problem in that I can't read knitting charts. Guess I need to add it to the list of things I need to learn.

 Its even warmer today, over 20c (70f) and last night was a little warmer too. I didn't have a bbq yesterday but will have one today. Got some chicken defrosting and will throw a couple of burgers on. Yum.

Ipod socks

    Its one of my sisters birthdays in a few days so will not have time to design my own Ipod sock, life would be easier if she hadn't changed her mind from the bookmark which I have finished. I've found a nice Ipod sock I plan to do. It looks simple enough and has cables to the back and purl cables both of which I've not done yet, and its done in the round too. Should be a good work out for my brain.

  My other sisters birthday is at the end of the month so will design one of my own for her.I did start a swatch last night from some magazines I picked up at the thrift store. The magazines are in a folder but there not the full editions but are full sections of a series. The pattern isn't what I'm after but will finish it and write up a post with pictures. There is another one I want to try and a cable pattern I want to try when I have the time.

  Weather is really nice today, after temps of 4c (39f) last night. Got the washing out and am planing on a bbq for my dinner so might not get as much knitting done as I'd like. Beer and bbq wins over knitting most of the time.

Scrub that, Ipod socks instead.

New birthday presents, glad I've only started one.

   Talked to one of my sisters before and she wants a Ipod sock thingy, so will need to find a pattern for that or I might design my own. I want to do a cabled one seeing as I can now do cables, yaaa me.

   Only a quick post today as I'm a wee bit busy, I see my scheduled post posted early. I'll have to figure that out another time.

Have a happy knitty day, back to regular postings tomorrow.