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(17.8km north of 401 exit 410. Look for the green house with the red roof a few doors north of the Myrtle Station railroad tracks)

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

green appeal

This is the time of the year when I become enamoured of green. Though it is very nice to have so much white around this winter, even while we shovel it, I find my gaze lingering on the houseplants.


No note necessary to tell which sweaters were made in February and March.


This week as I was making another Lumio hat in the new green I discovered the free pattern missing from the reverse side of the ball band. No problem.


You can find the said free pattern on the Schachenmayr website . It is so easy to make, you might not even need to print it out. I found more free patterns for Lumio, so I see a natty glowing scarf in the near future.


Today I am knitting a fiber rich, calorie free pink hat, very sweet!




A vanilla cardigan improves

At the Whitby Knitting Guild meeting I was kindly invited to give a demonstrtation of blocking so I made a vanilla cardigan out of King Cole Aran. The yarn is a mix of acrylic and wool and very washable. I used Kate Buller's excellent book, Style Your Own Kid's Knits.


When it was all sewn up I thought is could use a bit of colour. First I imagined a young man wearing it, so blue buttons were sewn on.


Pockets, are so handy. Making the cardi used exactly two 100 gram balls and I mean exactly, I had only about 6 inches of yarn left after making up.


So I knit pockets to match the button colour using Bravo DK. Casting on 19 stitches, always knitting the 3 outer stitches (garter stitch) and moss stitching the middle (for sturdiness).


After blocking, I placed them, 5 stitches in from the center and 4 stocking stitch rows up from the rib, first marking the spot with pins then basting them in place with (temporary) Wonder Tape. You see the pockets upside down to illustrate the position of the tape. I flipped them over and applied a bit of pressure to make the basting stick. The tape will wash away.


I tested the stitch using the Bravo tension swatch.


Straight stitch, a lighter presser foot pressure and matching thread, using the even feed foot on the sewing machine, also for sturdiness.


A cardigan is born, ready to warm up some lucky young lad!