Still Knitting

Okay, so I've finally finished this. I made it shorter than the pattern - it should have been 10cm longer on the lacey bit, but I wanted it to sit just above the hips, on the waist, so I shortened it. And I'm glad I did because it's just right like this.

It looks much better on! Especially with a white T-shirt underneath, as you can really see the lacey bit then. In fact I like it so much that I decided to use that luscious blue yarn I got from Woolfest to make another.

Only problem is - I don't have quite enough - arrggghhhh! However, luckily - and in an extremely rare fit of organisation - I managed to write down which stalls I got all my yarns from at Woolfest (I know, stunning, eh), so I know that I got this from Woolfish and I've been in touch to order another skein.

Meanwhile, as I wait for more blue yarn to arrive, I thought I'd start on this fabulous number - from the Kim Hargreaves Misty book.

As you can see, the back is shaped rather interestingly, and it's this bit you start with.

I've never done anything like this before, but you use a technique called wrapping. This is where you knit, say, the first 3 stitches, then you turn and knit back - but - you don't just turn, you do a sort of convaluted wrap-over thing with the yarn, so that you don't get a hole in the knitting. Then you knit back to the beginning. Then, the next row, you knit past your 3 stitches again picking up the 'wrapped' stitch, then carry on to say the 6th stitch and then wrap and turn again. So really you're just doing some shorter rows at one end of your needles. For this (above) you had to wrap and turn until you got to the 31st stitch. then you carry on across the needle to the other end and reverse it all. Very effective though, eh? It was made slightly more complicated for me on this because it's moss stitch and the wrapping technique is all about taking the yarn to the opposite side of your work before you wrap - so I had to really think about which side I should be wrapping. I know - this probably makes no sense whatsoever, but if you look it up on utube (as I did) you'll (hopefully) see what I mean!

It's knitted in this gorgeous Rowan Lenpur Linen, by the way - you can probably see it has a sort of sheen on it so that it reflects the light - beautiful.

At one point last week I randomly decided to knit a teddy bear. God knows why because I think they're a bit naff really, but this one just sort of appealed to me. So - here he is - named Timmy (by the boy). As you can see, he is wearing a rather lovely pair of pygamas (made from an old pair of the boy's!!). He is now the new bedtime teddy. I'm still not sure about him but he certainly looks chuffed with himself.