Swatching in progress

reading and loving some Berroco designs (go Norah!), reading Domino knitting, Mary Thomas' Book of Knitting Patterns, Stitch'n'Bitch, Hyvän olon neuleet... 

Well, it seems that I'm finally knitting. Swatching, that is. I got annoyed with my 3d cowl because I came up with a possibility after I had knit the entire row that I would've tested the idea on (had I had the sense to really think through where and how I want my partial binding off to go I could've omitted the need to go back...). Now I'm mad at my project for not telling me about what I could've done earlier... I'm not willing to frog my "progress" just now. 

Consequently I have decided to focus on a vague idea of a classic-style cardigan I've had for a couple of days. I'm swatching for it but mostly I'm enjoying the freedom to test whatever strikes me as wof Knitorthy of it. I'm using a horribly coloured cotton yarn I bought from huuto.net (Finnish ebay equivalent) in the Spring. This post is prompted by a terribly faulty (and swiftly frogged) attempt at brioche stitch. I think that I need to consult the internet since I couldn't decipher the meaning of Mary Thomas' directions from her Book of Knitting Patterns (O, anyone?). 

Here are today's test knits: 

First I tested an idea I have for a button band or perhaps a neckline. My idea for using a crochet hook to bridge the rows worked fine, I think. 

Then I tried using twisted stitches (or racking, as it's called in machine knitting?) on a base of 2+2 rib. And learned one way to do a tubular cast on for 2+2 rib. 

Finally I used a 1+1 tubular cast on and tested 4 methods of bobble-making, as well as tried a (1 to 5 and back) nupp (the first one on the left). 

I feel rather accomplished now. I really wonder if any of my designs (apart from the pair of mittens which still astound me with their mere existence) makes it into a finished pattern/object soon. But the doubt doesn't matter since I'm happy to test possibilities now; all is well. 

Learning to swatch

Last night was the municipal election results night. What better to do at the election party than to knit a needed swatch, finally, for a project you've been thinking about for weeks? After finishing the swatch I was less convinced than ever about the idea... I'm starting to think that I'll not let myself become excited about an idea before I've done at least some swatching to develop/research it. Finally I'm learning to appreciate swatching. It's actually fun to knit small pieces and you can stumble upon great ideas by testing whatever comes to mind. Is this swatch a successful one? I'm not sure if I like the way the holsters look, and the part that will not be visible when the cowl is buttoned up does not lie as flat as it should. 

The swatch is not finished since I want to try adding the buttons and button loops I would for the final cowl: I'll see if that changes the flatness problem. I'm still procrastinating on making the decision of whether to attach the holsters to the stockinette edges or not. It's not really visible in the picture but I tried both ways in this swatch. 

I've also begun knitting the 1st real test version of the cowl. I started with provisional cast-on with a circ instead of waste yarn. That was not a great decision since the circ kept hitting my thighs and was so stiff that knitting the following rows wasn't easy. With 160 stitches per row it does annoy you for a while. However, the edge that is made by knitting the live stitches together with the stitches left by the cast on is very beautiful to me, so I think that I'll keep the provisional cast on in the pattern but suggest using waste yarn. Also, I don't really like finishing, i.e. sewing, so I much prefer knitting the edge together over sewing it. Even if it took more time to knit it. I'll create a way to knit the neck edge together as well. 

This really is how far I can knit without making some decisions. The size of the cowl seems okay. Here it is around my neck yesterday: 

I'm working on this cowl more than anything to test writing a pattern. I imagine I'll move on to more interesting knitting and ideas rather soon. I'm dying to write about the possibilities I see in knitting and what I want to create... Well, actually I've got a more interesting version of this cowl planned, I'll first knit the 1st finished version and move on to that. 

A second swatch, overload continues...

The last time I wrote I told you that I'm designing a simple, slightly 3d, cowl. My nickname for the project still is 3d cowl. The finished object will be somewhat Elizabethan, but since ravelry is full of cowls with names like that I'll have to think of something else. I actually started writing the pattern already even though the details aren't decided yet. Despite that writing it was very pleasurable. I also drew a picture of the cowl and noted down all the parts that need to be considered - designed, if you will. Looking at the drawing makes me slightly anxious. At least I've chosen the yarn, the Finnish staple 7 veljestä (7 brothers) again. I used that for the mittens I finished at the beginning of the week. 

However I'm also planning another cowl, with another type of a 3d effect. That one doesn't have a real name either, so I call it "kohokuviokauluri" in my head (Finnish for embossed shapes cowl). I have real trouble focusing on a single project at a time (so many ideas to note down, and so many noted down ideas I could focus on and develop ideas for garments from...), but to my surprise I've actually been able to make a swatch with 4 different possible shapes for the kohokuviokauluri. I learned Japanese short rowing for this swatch, reading the fabulous tutorial by nonaknits. I've been wondering about whether it's possible to knit a few rows with only one turning point (makes a hole larger than 1 row) and based on my swatch I think that it does work.

I'm wondering how much of the details of my designing projects I'm willing to share here. I guess I'm somewhat afraid of someone taking my ideas and claiming them as their own. I'm really still learning this designing thing, for me it's progress to actually work on swatches. And now that I need to create another swatch for the 3d cowl I'm procrastinating like hell on it. I'm realising that swatching is just the first step, that decisions to be made actually crystallise in your mind after a successful swatch... Another thing that I noticed when knitting my swatch was a momentary loss of all faith in my ability to design something beautiful. I felt like I can't trust my own taste. Now I'm thinking that I'll just live out that sensation, and maybe ask my boyfriend and other friends for feedback... This is the swatch I've worked on the last 2 days, suitably unclear to ease my mind: 

What do I do when I procrastinate? Amazingly, knitting holds my attention almost all of the time now. So I search the internet, especially ravelry, for new knitting ideas, and take out books from the library and search for interesting techniques I could try or modify to use in one of my projects. These couple of days I have: 

- received the book Knitknit from the lovely people at bookdepository

- borrowed the following books from the library: Poetry in Stitches, Knitted Sweater style inspirations in color, 2 Finnish sock books (Sukkasillaan and Suomalainen sukkakirja), Sticka med färg och tradition (a book about Scandinavian knitting in Swedish), Vogue knitting designer knits 

- been all over the internet, loving especially Liz Collins' and Teva Durham's designs

Whenever I use these materials I usually make notes in my sketchbook about things that interests me and that I think I could use somehow. Here's a glimpse into my messy book world: 

I have a billion ideas for garments I'd like to develop at some point. (Maybe I'll even make a list here, but not today). I guess that I do have knitting-related dreams. Before the end of the year, preferably within a few weeks, I'd like to have my 1st pattern out (the 3d cowl). I will most likely offer it for free since I don't feel like learning all the ravelry/paypal details just now. I feel like there are a billion things to write about as well, so dear reader, bear with me as I try to give myself opportunities to share my thoughts with you. 

My first finished object at ravelry and knitting overload

Current reading:
IK w06, IK f06, IK s06
Designing Knitwear by Deborah Newton
Knitwear in Fashion by Sandy Black

Designers I'm researching: people mentioned by wallpaper in their October 08 issue, loving Lutz & Patmos at the moment. (others were old acquaintance Sandra Backlund, Ria Thomas & Simone Shailes)

The reason for this blog is, at least indirectly, this pair of mittens:


The insides bear the near ubiquitous markings:


This is the first finished object (yarn tails hidden and all) in a very long time, even though I've been obsessed-ish about knitting for a while now. Ravelry is probably the sole reason these are finished! What did I learn by making these? I'm confident now that I can indeed knit a pair of mittens (and that it's not as boring as I used to think) and know what to do better in the next pair I knit. I'd like for the thumbs to be hand-specific. These are uni-hand only because I forgot to think about putting the thumb increases somewhere besides the outside edge of the hand. The most annoying "mistake" in these is that the thumbs are identical, i.e. they are not perfectly mirrored. That's something I'll definitely change if I knit another pair.
I'm thinking that palm side could be more beautiful but as a first attempt I'm relatively satisfied. The outside is a traditional Finnish wave (from peräseinäjoki mittens) turned vertical.

What to do now that these are finished? I've collected so many ideas I don't know where to start, I'd like to design something until a finished garment appears. The most conceptualised idea I've got now has got me annoyed because I've listed the details that need to be thought out but am not exactly too motivated to work on them yet. However here's a glimpse to the project: my preliminary swatch for a 3d cowl.


What to pick now? To read the books I got from the library? Continue thinking about a mohair project that I started yesterday..? Chart the earrings I've got in mind as a small project? To be continued...

I'm not sure if this is going to work, but...

I'm surprising myself with this. For the moment I'll assume that I'll be willing to share my knitting-related thinking with others. Why do I feel like I need to have a blog? Some have expressed concern that the advent of ravelry will drive blogs out of business. For me it's exactly the opposite: because I'm at ravelry I feel the need to have a blog as well. I've been working on a pair of mittens, and it would be very elegant to just be able to add posts into my project page, instead of just writing everything I've thought into the "project details" page.

Today is a great day for me: I can add my first finished object to ravelry. It is the pair of mittens, a design I charted myself. I did colorwork for the first time in a while - generally I'm more of a knitting thinker than an actual knitter - but I'm satisfied with the outcome.

Lately I've been going through my knitting books and magazines (Finnish Moda and the ever-wonderful Interweave knits) and the internet looking for interesting ideas and techniques and I recently dedicated a sketchbook to only knitting and sewing-related activities. It's a big step for me. I'm thinking that I'll create some patterns from my ideas and see how others respond. I'm working on a "3d cowl" at the moment. I love the actual writing of the pattern, but am struggling with the details. A picture of the preliminary swatch to follow at some point...

My plan for this blog is to document lightly what knitting-related activities I take upon myself and what interesting things I find in the internet and physical craft worlds.

Dear reader, if you exist, do not expect meticulous updates. But when I do update, I'll be delighted if you find something interesting through me. Happy knitting! (or more poignantly, thinking about it!)