Awesome Knitwear #13

Sir Ben Ainslie, in a cable cardigan.

Four things Friday

1. Sock production continues, and approaching the heel on the second of the current pair.

2. Still staying strong on the Little Prince sock yarn. So far.

3. Some charming knitting animations (Pingu and Fraggle Rock), courtesy of The Knitting Needle and the Damage Done.

4. Hatching plans to put down the knitting for a moment this weekend and do some sewing, and to make Alessa's Buchteln.

The Downton Abbey Conundrum

Downton Abbey series 4, episode 1

~~ may contain spoilers ~~

Downton Abbey was back on Sunday, with new opening credits and music, some missing characters and the promise of some new ones. It was a slow start, but we will see how things pan out as the series, starting in 1922, rolls through the twenties.

There were some wonderful twenties costumes, even in the lilacs and greys of half-mourning. I was particularly taken by Lady Edith's purple satin bandeau, and she later razzed it up in a beaded dress slashed to the thigh for dinner with her editor chap. (As a side note: she does seem to have a type. Editor chap looks remarkably like the middle-aged one who jilted her at the altar.)

But where was the knitwear? The action took place six months on from the 2012 Christmas special, when it was summer in the Highlands. At a guess, late-ish August, as they were shooting (giving plenty of opportunity for tension for those who'd read magazines at the hairdressers and knew that someone was to meet a sticky end). Thus six months on would be February. But not a scrap of knitwear.

Indeed, when Lady E went to London, she didn't even wear a scarf:

source

Was early 1922 particularly balmy? Or are they blowing what's left of the estate - and little baby George's inheritance - on superheating Downton Abbey?

Four things Friday

1. A new comment! From the very kind linencat, who has a shop selling all sorts of splendid things, including the very handsome Mr Fox. I think he might have to come to live with me soon.

2. There is also a Mr Wolf, who reminds me of this lovely animation for the Real Tuesday Weld's 'Tear Us Apart':



(I discovered the Real Tuesday Weld via Spillyjane's blog. Can't wait for her book.)

3. Major yarn admiration for agirlinwinter's Little Prince sock yarn. Trying to be strong and not turn admiration into that other 'a', acquisition.

4. Downton Abbey starts on Sunday. Time to get excited! Interweave have even released The Unofficial Downton Abbey Knits in honour of the occasion.

Coming up: a new craft

Well, not a new-to-me craft, but something I haven't written about here. I have, periodically, done a fair bit of tapestry (and yes, enough to know that I should really call it needlepoint), and - quelle surprise - have a few unfinished canvases lurking.

John Lewis recently sent me a £5 thank-you-for-shopping-with-us gift voucher, which was rather a nice surprise, and I put it towards an inexpensive frame for better working. The tapestries I have completed are all curiously rhomboid and I've never quite worked out how to stretch them back to something approaching a square so I can make them into cushions. She says gaily. I have no idea how to make a tapestry needlepoint cushion cover, either.

Anyway, I have always used the kits with printed canvases, but saw this picture (below) and am going to have a go at making my own:

My own version of Alice Roosevelt's cushion, that is, not a rendering of Alice Roosevelt in needlepoint. Though the Guardian has published a number of stitch-your-own famous-ish person cross-stitch patterns that I'm sure could be adapted. If you wanted. 

FO: Terra 2

After seeing Tasia's lovely version, I knitted my first Terra last autumn (unblogged, unphotographed, unravelried). Then, for my grandmother's birthday earlier this year, I knitted a second:

A swift, straightforward pattern, warm and much appreciated. The yarn is Stylecraft Special Aran in Garnet. I had toyed with Cascade 220, which I had used for the first version), but needed something machine-washable: my grandmother is in a nursing home and, while the staff do many, many fine things, I'm not sure hand-washing and blocking shawls should really be added to that. 

The Stylecraft also had the advantage of coming in one giant 400g ball, so there were only two wee ends to weave in, and a lot left over that may well go towards a hat or two for Christmas presents.

Pattern: Terra by Brooklyn Tweed

Yarn: Stylecraft Special Aran with Wool in Garnet

Needles: 5.5mm circular

Awesome Knitwear #12

there is much to be enjoyed about Foyle's War: satisfying mysteries; sea views; a refreshingly strong main female character; the reassuring tones of Michael Kitchen ... But above all, some very awesome knitwear:

Yes, I took a photo of my telly

Crinoline Robot and What's in a Treehouse have also noticed this - and with lots more pictures

Four things Friday

1. Autumn is setting in.

2. I recently discovered the Purl Bee, and was so taken with this scarf I dreamt about it.

3. Which is probably an indication I should cast on.

4. A flurry of FO posts, and autumn plans, to follow.

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Baby, I'm no lady

Way back when* I resolved to knit a February Lady Sweater this year.

The FLS seems to be one of those cult things, a rite-of-passage knit that in these modern times of Ravelry many, many knitters have made. Indeed, at today's reckoning there are 12834 projects on Ravelry.

In February 2012 I'd had a false start with some Rowan felted tweed, and then waited for February to come around again, for an FLS should, of course, be a February challenge. But as the month approached, I just couldn't quite get into it, and wondered if it was in any case something I'd actually wear. (Tasia wrote a really good post on not wearing things you knit. I can't find the link, but you should read all of her blog anyway as it's full of amazingnesses.)

I have, however, been supplied with a brace of new knitwear victims nieces, and so I went back to the FLS ur-text, the baby sweater on two needles in the February chapter of Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac. The result:

version 1

version 2

Both were knitted in Sirdar Snuggly DK, the first on 3.75mm needles and the second on 4mm.

Now to knit something (other than socks) that I will actually wear. And to see things I've made as real close. There is, after all, a scrap of paper in the Sewlutions jar ...

* On New Year's Day, it turns out

Leavin' on a jet plane

Cause I'm leavin' on a jet plane
Don't know when I'll be back again

Last week a very dear friend moved overseas which - while expected for a long while - made me feel rather sad. The very cold, rainy, grey Saturday didn't help, as I sat around feeling like a chipped tooth.

Then, I decided to get up and start sewing. The previous weekend I had bought some black and white polka-dot material in Fabricland to make a Simplicity 2444. I'd been inspired by agirlinwinter's versions, and so set to cutting out the pattern pieces for the bodice, cutting out the fabric and so on. After just over an hour of cutting and sewing like a maniac I had a bodice. (Well, a bodice with some very bodged darts.) I tried it on ... and it turned out I'd made a rather fetching polka-dot crop top.

There are no photographs. No one needs to see me in a polka-dot crop top with wonky darts, holding the side seam closed as I couldn't be bothered to fit a zip and so just left the side open. Yeah, mad skills.

Which was frustrating, but on reflection it had been time well spent - I had learnt that I need to lengthen the bodice by a few inches. So it's tucked away in a Ziploc bag with the pattern pieces, ready for the next time sewing inspiration strikes.

But above all, it was time well spent as it made me feel better. Sewing is good for you.

And to play us out, John Denver on the YouTube:

Sock Rocketeer

As soon as I finished the last pair of socks, I cast on another and - having got the hang of magic loop, as well as rewarding weekend work with knitting breaks - it's fair zipping along. Cast on Friday evening, and roundedthe heel turn on Sunday evening.

The poor light in the photo doesn't quite do the violent lively colourway justice. Surprise (yes, it really is), in King Cole Zig Zag.

Do Not Adjust Your Set

Yes, socks finished at last.
Yes, that's some violent pooling.

Do not adjust your set.

Details
Simple stockinette socks based - as before - on Tiptoe Through the Tulips by Stephanie Pearl Mcphee; Wendy Happy 4ply in Sherbert, using 2.75mm circular for magic loop.

Four Things Friday

The Saturday edition.

1. On 2nd September 2012 I started knitting a pair of socks using magic loop for the first time. I finished the first one this morning.

2. This is not to say that magic loop is slow. Rather, as I said on the Twitter, it's quick if you actually do the knitting. The magic of magic loop only goes so far.

3. Fearing second-sock syndrome, I cast on the second sock right away, and a combination of watching the Tour de France and waiting in for an Ikea delivery has translated to good progress. Though given the ten months to knit the first sock, any progress is good progress.

4. My all-time sock knitting total stands at seven, or three and a half pairs. All have been done to the same basic pattern, bar an adventure in intarsia heels, and I'm starting to think about branching out into something a little fancier.

Awesome Knitwear #11

Jolted out of blog-hibernation by the AWESOME SWANTS on Kate's blog. Go see. And admire her wonderful designs while you are there.

Back. Again.

A lengthy break from blogging, for various dull reasons. Work and other things and lack of brain space. But back again.

Knitting continued:

A small hat, based on Terhi Momten's garter-stripe beanie, for my baby niece ...

... and a February Baby Sweater (and indeed actually made in February) for the same.  

A honey cowl is now on the needles, and let's not mention the magic loop sock that has been in progress since September. And Cria? What Cria?

Four things Friday

Knitting around the internet.

1. Loes Veenstra's knitting parade.

2. Killing jumper copyright controversy.

3. Wool House at Somerset House in March:

4. Franklin Habit on his lineage of creativity. (And a bonus link to FH's Yarn Shaming.)

NaKniMitMo

My (Inter)National Knit Mittens Month project, just sneaking in before the end of the month:

Not the initial plan of colourwork mittens, and a rather more simple end product than I had envisaged, but plenty of challenges came in the unexpected deviation into small-scale designing.

Pattern to follow.

In the works ...

A very, very basic mitt pattern.

Wallis blue

Edward VIII, no stranger to snazzy knitwear (shown yesterday, wearing Fair Isle like a boss), and was also a knitter, as mentioned in Wallis Simpson - knitwear pioneer. It seems that he was not just able to knit, but actively knitted:

From The Pittsburgh Press, May 22 1937:

NERVES FRAYED BY BOYCOTT, EDWARD TURNS TO KNITTING

Duke Makes 'Wally Blue' Sweater for Fiancee as His Bitterness Over Cabinet Attitude Grows

by The United Press

Monts, France, May 22 - The DUke of Windsor, seriously worried over a virtual British Government boycott of his wedding, has resorted to knitting to soothe his jangling nerves, it was understood today.

As the result, it was said, Mrs Wallis Warfield has a new sweater which he knitted for her in wool of the new 'Wally Blue' shade. It was finished last night and presented to her this morning.

Since the Government's ostracism campaign, it was said, the Duke has become more and more nervous, and slept so badly that he knitted and purled on the sweater until late at night.

It was reported Mrs Warfield was kept busy consoling the Duke. Events of the last two days have filled him with bitterness against the Government, it was reported, and have been a severe blow to his pride.

First denied the attendance of members of his own family at his wedding to Mrs Warfield June 3, only 10 days hence, the Duke now has been denied even the privilege of a religious ceremony.

Wallis (or Wally) blue was Mrs Simpson's signature colour, the shade of her wedding dress and said by some to match the colour of her eyes. It was 'the name given by the dressmaking firm of Mainbocher for a shade, especially dyed, described as having a soft tone between medium and pastel', 'a very soft yet an individual blue'.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, it was Edward's favourite colour and became popular in the fashions of the time: in the summer of 1937 the Milwaukee Journal reported that the 'first fall costumes shown in New York included Wallis Blue'.

There is also a Wallis Blue cocktail, made of gin, blue curaçao and lime juice.