Weaving Goodies.

   Got my tartan weaving book today, booklet really and pretty expensive for the number of pages. It did come with a second how to weave booklet though and the tartan weave one is pretty rare, specialised so no complaints. I haven't read it fully yet but once I master weaving it will come in handy.

  I also got another loom today, a Spear's No2 weaving loom. Its a kids loom that's wide enough to do scarfs on and I think it will go up to 5 feet long. Its got a heddle, something my frame loom doesn't have. The spear's loom came with some work already set up on it, I've had a go and its a joy to use. Its just stripes but is so easy to do compared to the messing around with the frame loom I think I'll be using this one mainly.

  The main thing that has really been throwing me off with weaving is vertical lines. With the heddle loom I think its done by the way you thread the yarn through the holes and slots. I'm a long way from weaving tartan but think I've taken a step closer today, fingers crossed.

  And now for the really really really good news!!!! I've finished the backpack straps!!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!. I haven't finished the backpack yet, it only needs weaving in, a buckle sewn on and a button and its done. About time too. The backpack was pretty easy to knit and quickish too, its the straps that have been holding me up for months. So glad to have gotten this one out of the way. I'll do a post on it soon once I have taken pictures.

Long Weekend Fun

   Well its started out with wind and rain. It does look like the sun is trying to break through, just needs to push those ominous black clouds out of the way. I got my Yarn maker magazine this morning, haven't had time to read it yet but had a quick flick through with my morning coffee and it looks good. I'll tell you more once I've read it.

  Had a look around on the net for cabled bookmarks and there doesn't really seem to be all that many. Only one bookmark that looks simple enough for me to attempt. My friend who encourages me told me to design my own, think its a bit much since I've never cabled before. I did find a couple of nice none cabled ones I could do. I might do the simple cabled one and another one, might include a quick poll on which one. I only have so many sisters and can't knit them all.

   My spinning is coming along slowly. I started the light grey* top but don't really like it, it feels a bit rough and the yarn looks fairly hairy. Its giving me the chance to concentrate more on how I wind the yarn onto the spindle though, getting a nice bump in the middle. I was planning on plying the sweater yarn this weekend but only have one spindle so will need to buy another one next week.

  My scarf is almost done, haven't touched it for two days though, Wanted to do an hour on it last night but had irc problems I had to address that took way longer than I had thought. Silly computers. I might finish it this weekend or at least do a little bit more on it. Going to miss this one once its done, even with the 10" mistake I had to rip out its been a real pleasure to knit.

   Last but not least, I haven't mentioned the backpack in awhile. I've pretty much finished the body of it, I knitted the sides up and attached the Icords. I need to sew the buckles to the bottom and finish the straps. The straps are turning into a nightmare. Easy to do but oh so boring. I also need to sew a button on, I had looked at buttons awhile back but totally forgot about them.

  So that's read yarn maker, do a bit of knitting on the straps and sew the bottom buckles. Maybe a bit of knitting for the scarf, or maybe even finish it off. Got to find and start two bookmarks, well at least start one. If anyone knows of a simple cabled bookmark let me know in comments or email. No dyeing this weekend but I will be doing some spinning, I want to get this grey* top out of the way so I can start on the white** one which feels really soft.

What are your long weekend plans???
* I think the light grey is Suffolk
**Bluefaced Leicester

Spinning and knitting

Knitting and spinning

     Been doing a fair bit of spinning the last few days, clockwise too. I only spend about 10 to 15 minutes at a time doing any. Still training the muscles memory. Finding spinning clockwise is much more stable, the spindle doesn't go flying around as much and there for doesn't try and eat my drafted yarn. Still need to watch where I'm sitting or put my feet as that's what causes me to snap the draft most of the time, though my heavy handiness has snapped the draft while I'm drawing out the fibers too.
   Still finding drawing out the hardest part though I'm now getting a more consistent width of yarn but it could be much thinner. I need to be brave and see how far I can push it to snapping point. 

Breaking stuff is the only way to learn how not to break stuff.

     The double basket weave scarf is coming along nicely and is a real pleasure to knit. Once its finished I might make everyone one for Christmas. Alas the backpack isn't as much fun, though it once was. Still on the straps, I had done one strap to about 4 inches then decided to do the other strap at the same time so did that last night(eta on the same needle). It will make my increases much easier to do in the right places.

    Not sure I've mentioned this but I've already decided on my next project and its another darn bag. This time I want a bag to hold my pegs(clothespins). Haven't looked for any patterns yet but have a good idea of what I want, just not sure on how to add the hanger thingy. I do have plenty of the cotton yarn I used in the bib pattern. 
Really I should be thinking of Christmas presents, I know its months away but I'm not a fast knitter.

Darn backpack

    Getting really hacked off with this backpack now. What should of been a quick project seems to have dragged on and on. I'm doing the straps in garter stitch but slipping every other stitch over an even amount of stitches per row so on the next row I knit a slip stitch and slip a knit stitch. The results are a bit padded and are not stretchy but have a tiny amount of give. Plus its much quicker to knit so I can get this darn thing finished quicker.

  Got my white sock yarn today but will wait until I have the time to play with dyeing otherwise I'll end up ringing in sick, "hello, I can't come in today. I'm blue". 
   I really need a couple of pans, glass bowls to set the dyes in. Its not so important with food dyes but using other types seems much more deadly than I realised. Heck it ain't real fun unless its messy and deadly.

BBQ without rain.

BBQ and knitting

   It was lovely and sunny yesterday so I had a bbq, may as well make the most of this poor summer were having. Only had a couple of burgers, I messed the chicken up. The top of the jar of turmeric sort of fell off, tried to save it then just wrapped it in foil and let it cook mainly that way until near the end then let it char grill awhile. The dog seemed to enjoy it.
   Its nice and sunny today too so I may fire up the bbq again, got some rump steak*(top sirloin) in. Not 100% sure I'm going to have the time, oh well and it looks like rain again tomorrow(Tue).

  Having some trouble knitting the straps for the backpack. I'm doing heel stitch and was hoping there would be no curl but its curling. A friend told me about double knit that I'm looking into at the moment, its not exactly like she described but I think it will work great for the straps.
ETA
   Having looked into double knit more I don't think its what I'm after. It does look really interesting though for working two colours and making a thick piece. Would work well with hats or pot holders. I'll have to learn it another time, for now I need to figure another way to do the straps. At the moment its looking like moss stitch.

* English butchers its rump steak and sirloin, USA is top sirloin and sirloin.

Almost done.

knitting and spinning updates.

 Decided to have a finale push at the backpack and get it finished. I'm going to use the 25mm buckles I have, am knitting a bit now to hold the bottom buckle. Sort of two triangles with a thin bit in between that's knitted with 2 strands. Will fold over and sew the triangles to the bottom of the bag. Then I need to knit the straps and sew those to the top of the bag and thread the buckles onto the bottom part of the straps. Not sure if I'll do a straight strap or do some increases along the way. Am really flying blind with this whole back pack thing.
 
  Cracking on with the scarf, made a couple of mistakes but have caught them early and unknit them so its still looking good. Got about 3 feet done so am probably half way.

  Finished my first top but had trouble skeining it, turns out I spin counter clockwise. From all I've read it usually tells you to spin clockwise so am not sure if I'm doing it wrong, have asked on ravelry. Think it will be ok, would need to ply clockwise if I spin counter clockwise other than that I can't see it being a problem.

Knitting & spinning

Small updates.

  Still struggling with my spinning, to be expected really seeing as its only been a day. Its the drafting part I'm having most trouble with. Its very hands on and you need a feel for it that can only come from experience.


  I got the buckles today for the backpack straps, got the 25mm ones but they look a little big, clunky. I did want the straps at 25mm but might change that now, might have too. Thinking double yarn at 15mm width then increase but with single yarn for the part that goes over the shoulder, so the adjustable part is thinner and the main strap part is wider offering some comfort. Does that make sense?
  Talking of the back back, its still drying. Got it laid out flat between 2 big bath towels that I keep moving around to dry spots so have no idea whats taking so long. I'm sure my cotton bibs dried faster than this.

  The double basket weave scarf I'm doing I messed up big time last night. Think I only messed up one stitch but while looking over the pattern and row I checked the wrong line in the pattern so it looked like I messed up the whole row. Unknit the whole row but have some weird loop thing going on, bit of yarn hanging there covering about 4 stitches. I'm going to unknit another row and see how it is, think if I need too I can undo one more row and I'll be back at a full purl row. Should be manageable from there. Fingers crossed otherwise I'll have to rip out the whole thing.
  
Think I promised you guys a post on one of my finished projects this week, guess I should do that for tomorrow.

Last backpack update for awhile, again.

  Ya, ya, ya I know I said there wouldn't be anymore backpack updates but this will be the last one until its finished, I think. Decided to buy buckles for adjusting the straps so want to wait until they arrive before I start knitting the straps. I've pretty much finished the Icords and will block the front and back today and sew it together when its dry.

  I ordered a top whorl drop spindle with 4 * 50g of fleece tops at the weekend and a book on hand spinning. I think there will be lots of posts on my learning as I go along. I also want to get into dyeing but that can wait until I can spin yarn.

  Started 5 gal, 40 pints, 25l, of bitter yesterday. That should be ready in about a week, judging from the original gravity I think this will be a stronger batch than I normally do. I've stopped using spray malt and just use 100% dextrose, the last batch of bitter was fine and the lager I did was fantastic, one of my best brews so far.

  I'll get a post up this week showing one of my older finished projects, think I've promised that before but this time I really mean it, honest.

Free style back pack

  Here are some pictures of the back pack I promised. They were taken straight off the needle so no weaving in or blocking has been done.

                                          click to enlarge image
Here is a close up of the front showing double basket weave and a little bit of the 3*1 rib. k3 p1 ribbing.

                                   click picture to enlarge
A full size picture showing the front and sides of the backpack. You can see the two bands of double basketweave, the 3*1 rib and the 1*1 ribbing at the top. You might be able to see a few holes at the top for threading the Icord

                                   Click image to enlarge

   Here's the back view of the front and sides, the inside part of the backpack. I was thinking of making this the outside part, I do like the wrong side of the 3*1 rib.

                                Click to enlarge images
  A couple more shots showing the double basket weave in different lights, my batteries were running low so had to turn the flash off.

  I still need to do the Icord and the straps then I can sew it all together. I really need to come up with an idea beyond buttons for adjusting the straps. I might also add a pocket to the front to hold little things and maybe a holder inside for long needles, though I only use small connected ones for all my knitting. I'm not planning in lining the bag but that might change.
  Once its all finished I'll do more pictures and a better write up with some sort of instructions for it. There really is no pattern so am calling it my free style backpack.

Finshed part of the backpack.

Finished the front, sides of the back pack today. Did a hem on the top that will cover the icord so it took me a little longer. Not sure what the cast off, bind off, method is called. k2tog or p2tog then slip the stitch back onto the left needle and repeat, produces a looser edge than a normal cast off.
 Still haven't come up with a good idea for adjusting the straps, all the ones I've looked at on the net are just sewn on. I'm thinking maybe 2 buttons might be strong enough, maybe... Not sure really what I'm going to do, no rush for now.
 Will pin the backpack together so I can get a better idea on the flap, will take some pictures before I sew it all together so I can show what I've done. Might even be finished this weekend, don't count on it though.

Backpack straps

  I know I said there wouldn't be anymore backpack updates for awhile but as usual I was wrong. It hit me yesterday I have no idea about the straps, never gave them a minutes thought. What I'd like to do is make the straps adjustable but at the moment I'm not sure how to go about it. I was thinking a button on the back and holes alone the strap but don't think that will really be very strong. If any of you have suggestions please leave a comment. I'll have a hunt around the net and see what other folks have done about it, I'm sure I'm not the first.
  The backpack is coming along a lot faster than I thought it would, I only have two to three rows left to do on the front, sides piece then I can decide how long I want the flap. After that I need to do a short Icord and the straps and sew it all together then I can move onto my next knitting project.

Bargain sock yarn

Got 200g of dark ish grey sock yarn today for £1 + £2.50 postage including basic sock pattern. Not a fantastic colour, its like school uniform grey, but for the price its pretty amazing. 75% super wash wool so not cheap nasty stuff. 200g (50g = 210m) will do 2 pairs of socks. She has a couple of other colours but there not that inspiring either though the rusty orange might be. Going to get some more and maybe try my hand at argyle socks. Of course I don't have to use it for socks. I could knit hats, gloves or even a thin summer sweater with it.
 If you want her eBay link to buy some for yourself please ask in comments or email me. No affiliation with me.

I also bought some coloured pencils today to help me work out what I want to do with the tartan scarf. I think that's going to be my next project and first real Christmas present. 
Not sure what I'm going to do with the backpack, might keep it for myself as a yarn bag.I want to do a poll soon on which side should be the front, I kinda like both sides. Will have to take pictures first and fast because I'm almost done.

Weekend knitting, bbq & stuff.

Ok this will probably be my last update on the back pack for awhile,bet your glad about that, heh. I've done about an inch of the 3*1 rib and at the moment I prefer the wrong side which is ok because the double basket weave I've already done works on both sides. I'll update again when I'm doing the eyelets for the icord to help keep the backpack closed. I should of made my mind up about which side to use by then. Not 100% sure when that will be because I'm not sure on the size of the backpack yet, all depends on how much yarn I have. 
p.s don't forget to save enough for the shoulder straps.


I tested the email thing, didn't work with the email I gave but did work with another email, still not sure if it sends the whole post or just a notice,guess I'll find out after this goes up. I'm also looking at the AdSense and amazon ads to add to the blog, doubt I'll make any money but might boost my blog up in searches and increase my readership.

It didn't rain yesterday, Friday. I think that's the first time its not rained and has been sunny this month.I did want to have a bbq but didn't have time. Its pretty dull again today but dry so I might drag my old cast iron bbq out. Not gonna do anything fancy just a couple of burgers, not really had many chances to have a bbq this year. I normally have lots, my first one this year was back in February. Cold weather but yummy food.

The batteries are charging for the camera so I'll take some pictures tomorrow. Swatch, newsboy hat, and the back pack so far.Also have the last bookmark I knitted on there to upload. I'll do a post next week on one of my past finished projects that already have pictures done. I think it will be the two scarfs I did as last years Christmas presents.

Hope you all have a great relaxing weekend.

Back pack dilemmas.

I've finished 2 rows of double basket weave stitch on the backpack. When I say rows I really mean I've done two bands of double basket weave, i.e 36 rows. Now I really have to decide what I want to do for the rest. Do I carry on with double basket weave or go onto 3*1 rib like I had originally planed. Or is there something else I could do? I was looking around the web last night at different ribbing patterns and came across a nice one I hadn't seen before, Waving rib. Not sure I want to do it for the back pack but its good to know for future projects. Maybe I'll knit up a swatch and see what it looks like then decide.


I did come across a blog while looking more into waving rib and found this a year in stitches . It hasn't been written for over a year but I think it was a good idea to do all those swatches, not sure she completed them all. I've borrowed this picture of waving rib from her site, thank you.

I think it looks pretty good both sides. The back sort of looks like basket weave, been a while since I knit basket weave so can't remember what the back of that looks like but don't think it looks like waving rib.

I don't have the readers to justify a poll but what the heck, it doesn't cost anything and its fun to play. Besides I really can't make my mind up which is a problem because I should be knitting right now instead of sitting here thinking woolly thoughts. 
Polls over there ---------------->.
Please vote and comment,thanks for the help. 

ETA. I will do a swatch and replace the picture with one of my own when I have the time.

Basket weave

I thought I'd best do a post on regular basket weave seeing as I did a post on double basket weave yesterday.

 Thanks for the picture, saves me doing a swatch.

 Cast on multiples of 8 stitches plus 5.

Row 1(RS): Knit.

Row 2: K5, *p3, k5; repeat from *.

Row 3: P5, *k3, p5; repeat from *.

Row 4: Repeat row 2.

Row 5: Knit.

Row 6: K1, *p3, k5; rep from *, end last rep k1 instead of k5.

Row 7: P1, *k3, p5; rep from *, end last rep p1 instead of p5

Row 8: Repeat row 6.

Repeat rows 1 - 8.

As you can see from the picture it produces a nice woven looking pattern.

Quick back pack update.

 I've stopped doing the base,back and flap until I can get more of the front and sides done so I have a better idea of the size of the flap needed. I'm hoping I don't run out of yarn. I do have the base and back done and probably about half of the closing flap. 
 On the front and sides so far I'm on my second row of double basket weave, still not sure what to do after that and I'm running out of time to decide. Oh well.

Double basket weave

Double basket weave knitting instructions.

Image now here 

This is double basket weave that I'm knitting around the bottom front and sides of the backpack. I'll have to take a picture and add it later as I couldn't find any good ones on the net. 
Might even knit up a swatch just for you.

Cast on multiplies of 18 plus 10

 1: (RS)*K11, p2, k2, p2, k1; repeat from *, end k10.
 2: P1, k8, p1, *p1, (k2, p2) twice, k8, p1; rep from *.
 3:*K1, p8, (k2, p2) twice, k1; rep from *, end k1, p8*, k1.
 4: P10, *p1, k2, p2, k2, p11; repeat from *.
 5: 6: 7: and 8: Repeat rows 1: 2: 3: and 4:

 9: Knit row

10: (P2, k2) twice, p2, *p10, (k2, p2) twice; repeat from *.

11: *(K2,p2) twice, k2, p8; rep from *, end (k2, p2) twice, k2.

12: (P2, k2) twice, p2, *k8 (p2, k2) twice, p2; rep from *.

13: *(K2, p2) twice, k10; rep from *, end (k2, p2) twice, k2.

14:, 15:, 16: and 17: Repeat rows 10:, 11:, 12: and 13:.

18: Purl row

Repeat rows 1 - 18. 

I need to charge the batteries for the camera then I'll take some pictures of the backpack and maybe a double basketweave swatch. Also need to take pictures of the bakers boy / newsboy hat I knitted.

Click here for double basket weave picture 

Quick backpack update

Just a short post today on my knitting.

Finished the base and back and started the closing flap. Decided to do the front and sides with a row of double basket weave then 3*1 rib.

Bought a pattern today for an afghan cube,looks really fun and kinda freaky.
woolythoughts. A great site, well worth a look around.         
I'm going to buy there book next week, some great funky ideas even if math is involved.

Christmas already???

I always seem to finish late when knitting presents and probably should of started knitting Christmas presents around January, 2009 or maybe earlier. I sort of know what I want to knit,which is a very good start. I say I know what I want to knit but that could easily change, the back pack I'm doing at the moment I'm not sure who its for yet. Other things I want to knit are a newsboy hat, I'll do a post on that soon cos I recently finished a newsboy/bakers boy hat. I want to do a tartan scarf, put pen to paper and planned in my head and have two possible versions I could do. If anyone knows of any tartan scarf patterns it would be a big help to mention em in the comments, or any knitted tartan patterns.
Hmmm that's only two things, plus the backpack.I guess I don't have all my presents thought out yet.

K1 P1. knitted backpack

Got the base of the rucksack knitted and moved onto the ribbing for the back, decided to include a few rows of heel st every so often up the back. 1*1 rib for 3 fingers(2") then 5 rows of heel st. It will give the bag some strength and integrity. Its coming along nicely, only problem is the cotton yarn is rubbing against my finger pretty bad.I knit way too tight, after doing the jumper I had thought I'd gotten looser.The jumpers another post I'll do soon, do have pics of that already. Still thinking on the front but will probably be k3 p1 rib unless I change my mind which is a real possibility.