Friday, August 27, 2010

Onwards & Upwards

A sweater for Euan
My new knitting project is coming along. I have included a picture so that you can see the pattern.  It took me a few tries to get it started but once the pattern develops I pick up speed from there.  A knitted sweater for my 9 year old grandson; this one is from a Sirdar Pattern in Denim Sports yarn  - but I am using up my yarn from the "mountain of yarn" I have gathered over the years and the Mary Maxim Starlette, 4 ply worsted weight has the same gauge in a nice light green shade.

I am now on the hunt for new patterns and if I can use the yarn "from the mountain" that will be a bonus. Don't worry I am still working on the unfinished items and keeping them moving along (watch this spot, as they say).

I finally found time to visit some knitting blogs and was impressed with the blog 'a-friend-to-knit-with.blogspot.com.  Definitely worth a visit.  There are beautiful pictures of the finished items and from there I have discovered "Plymouth" patterns which I really like...haven't tried them yet but they have more up to date designs and some challenging items...I feel a trip to the knitting store coming on.

School starts in a week or so and that always brings the pins out.  This may be because it is fall and the weather is getting cooler or the need for warmer wear with winter approaching.  I remember my mother-in-law knitting away at this time of year too...usually baby knits and the odd adult sweater and the beautiful shawls she did when her grand daughters were born, she always had something on the go. My own mum was more creative with her knitting, or you might say economical, and did not use a pattern.  Her projects were usually out of necessity and few and far between but she did inspire me with her own designs and finished items.  This may be where I get all this yarn and no pattern situation from. I guess if your search your past for long enough all will be revealed.  My sister was a lovely knitter and used the best of yarns and the latest patterns producing beautiful knitted garments for herself and for her children. When my nephew was a toddler he looked like he had walked out of the pages of a knitting book everyday. One project she had was ladies mohair sweaters...she did several for herself which were beautiful and heirloom pieces and a few for others.  We would sip tea, eat cream buns, and watch her garment grow... and sneeze a lot.  Early on she knitted a beautiful over sized "lumber jacket" in red with big buttons.  It was heavy and just full of cables.  It had a collar and two pockets at the front.  She would lend it to me for school (3rd year - 14 -15 years old) and I thought I was really cool in it - given my uniform was navy blue I must have stuck out like a sore thumb. I still love red.

Wonder how other knitters got started and if they have these attachments/ memories like I do? I gotta think that is why it is so relaxing as you are wrapped in those times where it was associated with a cozy fire, cup of tea and a good challenging knitting project. Ooooh my!

Thanks for visiting don't forget to leave me a comment.

1 comment:

Starry-eyed stitcher said...

My last knitting project was for my sister who wanted a fisherman's guernsey. We bought the yarn and pattern from a shop in Whitby and it knitted up surprisingly quickly as there was quite a lot of cabling. Each stitch is particular to one fishing port and they were thus apparently able to identify where drowned fisherman came from. The sweater loses colour with each wash and now looks very authentic. I ended up with blue fingers as I knitted though! Irene xxx