Continental washcloth

A few weeks ago I decided to have a go at learning continental knitting, and optimistically started out on a simple washcloth. For the technically minded, I used Norwegian purl for the moss stitch and normal continental purl for the stocking stitch. The knit stitch is very simple but the purl took a bit longer to get the hang of. It is not the most beautiful piece of knitting; but it is a forgiving pattern and my deficiencies aren't obvious.

 

I have been knitting in the English style for over 30 years. So, is continental knitting quicker? Was it worth the effort of learning a new style? Being of a mathematical and scientific bent, I timed myself knitting English style and continental style. Remembering that I am very much a novice continental knitter, I am already quicker at the continental knit stitch. However, at the moment I crawl along at continental purling at about half the speed of the English purl. I obviously need more practice! Well, a girl always needs more washcloths!

Continental or English?

No, not breakfast, but knitting! I have used the English knitting method for years, nearly forty in fact. I finished my latest crochet project last week - a dismembered rabbit is awaiting safety eyes and stuffing - and I fancied doing some knitting. I also want to knit using the continental method; my great-grandmother had French antecedents and apparently her needles flew. For some reason, maybe patriotic, my Mum was taught the English method which she passed onto me. I am very comfortable using it, but I am ready for a new challenge.

I had some sunshine yellow cotton yarn in my stash so I decided on knitting a washcloth. I have fancied knitting my own for a while, and the patterns are very simple, just purl and knit with no fiddly bits. I found a good pattern on Ravelry here. I also found video tutorials for the knit and purl stitches. In the end I decided to jump in the deep end and learn the Norwegian Purl first. This keeps the yarn at the back of the work, so ribbing is much easier. It is a bit tricky to learn, and I couldn't get on with any of the video tutorials - it all happened much too fast. However, I did find some useful pictures at the end of this article here.

Here are the results so far. I did the first three rows of moss stitch English style, and the rest is continental. The continental knitting is pretty loose! However, even now I am fairly quick on the knit stitches. I have a feeling this may become my knitting style of choice!

So, what do other knitters out there prefer? Do you stick to one method, or chop and change?

Seasonally prepared!

What else do you do during a heatwave...

 

except knit woolly hats? A girl has to be prepared for all eventualities!

Many thanks to Morgan from "Growing in the Fens" for the wool and pattern.

A Fenland parcel

The postman often knocks at our door, as DH works from home and has a fair few deliveries, but today the parcel was for me! Morgan at "Growing in the Fens" has just reached 100,000 page views and held a giveaway to celebrate. (100,000! I am in awe!) I was fortunate enough to win!

The first thing I unearthed was this beautiful ball of wool. It is a lovely heather and green mix. Morgan also included the pattern she uses for hats which go into Operation Christmas Child boxes. My church also supports OCC, so I will knit a few up myself, just as soon as I've finished DD's cushion cover. (I'm about half way through now, and speeding up slightly as I get the hang of rippling.)

This cute little notebook is excellent timing. Being of a forgetful nature, I carry a notebook around in my handbook, and my current one is just about full up. As, presumably, is my brain!

These will be great for when we travel. 

I have read a few Philippa Gregory books, and normally find that I can't put them down, so I am looking forward to reading this one! I will probably save it for a holiday, or else nothing else will get done!

So, thank you very much Morgan for the lovely parcel. Thank you too for an excellent and useful blog, which I personally find very inspiring. Here's to your next 100,000 page views!

A chubby chirp

Back in the autumn my neighbours gave me some lavender. Unsure what to do with it, but inspired by vague ideas of cottage kitchens I hung it up to dry. The fact that I live in a three-bed semi didn't deter me at all!

I had no idea how long to dry it for so there it stayed. Then during the Christmas holidays I started knitting this little guy. I had some lavender/lilac/violet wool in my stash which needed using up, and I had found a cheerful pattern on Rebecca Danger's blog.

He was pretty quick to knit; it took me a while because I kept getting distracted! He is stuffed with a mixture of toy stuffing and dried lavender and smells lovely. He is destined for my linen drawer but just for now I can't bear to hide him away.

Festive chicken wear

I have been enjoying knitting up my chook jumpers, intended for hen-pecked battery chickens. The first offering was rather dull so I decided that what every fashion conscious chicken wants is a Christmas jumper!

Well dressed chickens!

I have always loved the idea of joining a crafty type group. I had an idealised vision of knitting away in a cosy cafe to like-minded people. This week I finally found one that has recently started at a nearby craft shop. To be honest, it's more of a craft supermarket, but the staff have set aside an area for workshops and that is where the group meets. I was made very welcome and met some lovely ladies. At the moment the group are working on knitting jumpers for rescued battery hens:

Photo from hencam.co.uk

Battery hens sometimes peck each other's feathers out due to stress caused by being so cramped. These jumpers help keep them warm while the feathers regrow. The pattern is available here. The group provided wool and I am now half way up my first jumper.

I think the brown is a bit dull, but I don't suppose the chickens are that bothered by the colour! I have plenty of more vibrant colours for future chook fashion!

Christmas stockings!

I have finally finished the Christmas stockings that I started back in September. They are from a Ravelry pattern. I can spend hours on that website!

I really enjoyed the snowflake pattern. I haven't done Fair Isle knitting in years and it was fun watching the pattern form. It was also quite slow! If you can do both continental and English knitting then it can be much faster, (tutorial here), but I have never conquered continental knitting. Maybe once I am a bit more confident with crochet I will try to learn it. So now my needles are empty. I have some ideas of what to do next, but I really need to get on with my crochet bag. I am half way up the sides and the end is in sight!

One down and one to go!

Back in September I succumbed to my children's request for larger Christmas stockings and started a new knitting project. I have just finished the first. It may eventually acquire tassels and pom-poms if I can persuade DD to make some!

I had never knitted socks before, so this was a bit of a challenge - turning the heel was interesting...

To be honest, it wasn't totally successful and there are a few judicious stitches in the heels. I am still fairly pleased with the result. I have persuaded DD that a snowflake pattern is much more exciting than stripes and started on the next stocking. I have just about reached the fair isle section.

Fair isle knitting in the round? I am feeling nervous!

A new knitting project...

I had barely finished kitchener stitching my latest owl puff together when I started casting on for my new project.

No, it's not an Italian football scarf!

The stockings that my children use at Christmas were knitted in Albania for DH twenty years ago. I love them; they are quirky and full of character, but they lack one important commodity from my kids' point of view: size! We actually don't spend a lot on stocking presents; they are mostly small trinkets I collect over the year. However, I decided to continue to practise my "knitting in the round" skills by producing stockings. They are another Ravelry pattern and were originally in a Hobbycraft magazine. Hopefully they will eventually resemble these:

 

Photograph from Hobbycraft magazine

I tried very hard to persuade the children that they wanted the snowflake pattern, but they were having none of it. So stripes it will be! I just hope they are ready for the man in red this year, rather than next!

Another owl puff is hatched!

I have finally finished the little owl puff I promised DS weeks ago. Is it just me, or does everything craft-like take longer in the holidays?

DS chose the colour combination of blue and green, obviously having never heard the adage "blue and green should never be seen"! I think I've finally cracked knitting on double pointed needles. By the time I got to the head I'd managed to eliminate the ladder effect you can get when changing needles. Which is just as well as my next project involves knitting on five needles! Pictures will be forthcoming when there are more than a few rounds to show you.

Owl puffs

Since I managed to complete my tea cosy I have been knitting this little fellow for DD.

This quirky little bird is an owl puff created by Jenna Krupar and it is another Ravelry pattern. She looks simple enough, and according to the Ravelry community is very easy. I have to say, the Ravelry contributors are obviously way out of my league. The first difficulty is that she is either knitted on double pointed needles, or by the magic loop method. Having read up on both, I opted for double pointed needles.

It looks worse than it is. Once you realise you don't need an extra hand or two it is fairly straightforward, as generations of sock-knitting grannies can tell you. However, I am very much a novice and will need a bit more practice at this one.

The other difficulty was the simple line, "Kitchener stitch the top of your owl closed." What? Yet another Google search turned up this brilliant tutorial which shows how to graft pieces of knitting into a single seamless entity. Magic!

DS has now demanded his own little owl, so I am about to start casting on again. It's a good thing they are quick!

Cosy teapot!

 

I have finished the tea cosy which was originally designed by Frankie Brown. I am very happy with it and smile every time I see it. It didn't take as long as I thought it would, despite the tiresome amount of ribbing. I don't like ribbing, too much moving of yarn around to get a decent rhythm going. I found the buttons reasonably cheaply as well and I am pleased with the effect. My teapot is quite chubby, so in the end the larger size fitted perfectly. Now I just need to make some fairy cakes to go with it!

DD enjoyed getting creative with the camera!

No more cold tea!

Recently I have been having knitting cravings. I had two Knitting Nanas, as well as a Knitting Mama, so it is hardly surprising that I learnt to knit as a small child, and knitted my way through adolescence. I haven't done much lately; the unfinished baby blanket for my 14 year old nephew was my last project! I decided that my teapot is in dire need of a cosy, so I signed up for Ravelry, an online knit and crochet community. I found it very easy to use. I could not believe the number of patterns on there; six pages of free tea cosy patterns! I eventually settled on this one:

Frankie Brown's beautiful tea cosy!

I really like the fairy cake design with the bead decorations. It is by Frankie Brown who has designed lots of beautiful things. When I visited the local craft shop to choose some yarn, I dithered for ages. I am still not convinced by the baby pink, but I couldn't see anything I liked better. 

The first snag is teapot size. Did you know teapots come in standard 3-cup or 6-cup sizes? The pattern thoughtfully gives alternative sizing for both. After much faffing around with measuring cups, I discovered that my beloved teapot is 4.5 cups! So I have decided to go with the larger size, and adapt if necessary.

The second snag was casting on. I never realised there was more than one way, so when instructed to cast on with the "long tail method" I was stumped. After frantic Googling I found this tutorial which comes complete with a video. It looks trickier than it is, and I eventually managed to produce a row of not too higgledy-piggledy casting on. You never know, at some point soon I might be able to keep my teapot happy!