New Toys...........

Earlier this month there was a Circular Knitters convention in Bristol and intrigued I went along.  I know the history of these machines from my research into women homeworkers in the silk industry.  Whereas most of the equipment for silk was artisan made usually of wood, these machines are made of cast iron and fairly complicated.  Most were bought on a production basis, you paid for the machine in finished socks, and then and only then did the worker start to earn cash.  It is obvious from the manuals that the makers didn't have much faith in the little woman's ability to understand the mechanics of the machine as text in the accompanying manual is patronising to say the least.

This is a circular knitting machine - generic photo

But the mechanics are the bits that fascinate me - how does it work, why does this bit move and this not..............  In reality they are really quite simple - it is the latch hook that does the work, without this fabulous little needle none of the knitting machines we have today would exist.

Now on to the new toys..........  No I haven't bought one of the circular type, but I did get a fleabay bargain of a Knitmaster 323 knitting machine.  Yes I know I have a machine, but Mr S broke the carriage handle and as yet hasn't made the promised replacement! But it was a very basic machine and that was it, no way of making any more than the flat-bed machine it is.

Here is where my love of mechanical things come in, it needed a new sponge, needles and good clean. Plus the spools that make the punchcards function weren't going round. I was directed to this resource on YouTube, with the wonderful title of 'Help! my machine was working when I put it away'.  With the help of this and Mr S's tools I took the carriage apart, removed lots and lots of fibre and put it back together again

There was a lot more than this, but Mr S sneezed and bits of fluff went flying everywhere!

And here it is all set and ready to knit. Yes it is on the ironing board and yes I do need a proper table - soon!  I was lucky enough to get a paper manual and set of punch cards from a fellow Raveller and this is my first attempt at fair isle on a knitting machine ever. But this is a flat-bed so to do more I need a ribber attachment............, or so the lovely lady I met at Unravel said!

So I did say toys, well inspired by this video, in which the sweater is knit and then sewn I have finally bought an overlocker! This is my birthday present from Mr S who understands me perfectly.

It is rather scary and much noisier than my sewing machine, but I have my first lesson booked in March so should overcome the fear of breaking a thread and not being able to re-thread...........  there are four threads and each have a particular threading, so until then I am being extra careful!

Of Spinning Wheels and other things

Of Spinning Wheels

I am often asked when demonstrating about the cost of wheels and what is the best wheel for a beginner and quite honestly that is a difficult question!  For as in all things spinning wheels are individuals with character and habits unique to each particular wheel.

My advice is usually to go to an event such as Wonderwool or Fibre East and try as many wheels as are available.  But this isn't always possible - so how do you advise someone on the best wheel for them?  When there are so many variables such as single or double treadle - this may seem a simple choice, but there are pros and cons for both.

I prefer, for obvious reasons, a single treadle and many people do like a single treadle, but there are equally as many who prefer a double.  This maybe because using one leg for a long time aggravates a problem or they find it harder work - it is a matter of preference as is Double Drive or Scotch or Irish Tension (these last two depend on which is driven the bobbin or the flyer) and I would say that Scotch Tension is probably the easiest for a beginner.

So to the point of this post  - it has come to my attention that the fantastic Bishopofknit the designer of the Dodec wheel is planning to release his second wheel in June the AltDes- again it is going to be cheap to make and will kinder to the metric system than the Dodec which was cut from imperial wood sizes.  At the moment readers are being teased with hints!  But if it is anything like as good as his first wheel I shall be getting out my tool kit once again..

The news on the web reveals the introduction of a wheel that retails at just €230 (under £200) for the single treadle version and it is called The Bliss and comes with three bobbins, a built-in lazy kate, Scotch Tension and weighs 4.5kg.  If it as good as it seems then this will certainly be a realistic option for the newbie spinner.  They are also selling a drum carder for €210 - these are being made by Louët for Woolmakers in the Netherlands so no import duties payable!!

Of Other Things

It has been pretty quiet on the spinning front so far this month but I am particularly pleased with this combo in baby camel and silk - destined for Forest Pansy

But as you can see I have been busy knitting - well a girl can never have too many shawls................

Mystery Knitalongs - the good, the bad and the beautiful!

Regular readers will know that I am a sucker for a Mystery Knitalong, some are a real joy, while others test your knitting ability and others, well others are just not quite what you expected! 

Often mystery knits come with a disclaimer - that there is no refund just because you don't like the result............  I find this quite funny, as it would appear that having knitted from the pattern some people then try to claim their money back, because they aren't taken with the finished article!  Isn't that like watching a film on DVD and then asking for your money back because you didn't enjoy the film - or eating a meal and then saying you didn't like it! 

There are some mysteries, however, that exceed all your expectations and I am pleased to say that this Mysterious KAL Shawl by Romi has done just that and more.  I signed up for this one because:

1. I had never knitted one of her patterns before and
2. I had heard excellent reports/feedback.

Initially I was a little unsure, the first clue had been released in a kit several weeks early and looking at the project pages I wasn't sure that this was going to be mine kind of shawl - wrong, wrong, wrong it everything I had hoped for and it is beautiful!!! Each clue came with a verse which on the last clue revealed the name of the pattern Cactus Flower - can you see what I mean?

Here is the first shawl, yes I did say first - I was so smitten and concerned that my hand spun yarn wasn't doing justice to the pattern that I started another.............

This time using the yarn I had frogged from another KAL..............  should really have used the colours the other way round, but by the time I realised it was too late!

So then to the good KALs - and what makes a good KAL?  Well obviously a good design, well written and clear charts are crucial - error free also helps.  A realistic amount of knitting in each clue is essential - too much and the participants are always running on catch-up, too little and the fast knitters are finished too soon, so a good balance is key. 

Here I am harping back to a MKal that I knitted in 2011, Round the World in 80 Days, an absolutely super shawl, but Clue 12 was 46 rows on well over 1200 stitches, huge - took weeks and weeks (I did notice that other knitters only did the first 18 rows, while me I followed the pattern to the letter) by then of course further clues had been released and the mojo had gone.........  I did finish, but weeks after the final clue was released.

Another key, in my opinion, is method - a lot of shawls are basically two triangles with a centre spine stitch - but there are many other ways to create a shawl besides the tried and tested two triangles - square, crescent, circular, semi-circular, and heart shaped are the most common, while Shetland shawls begin with half a square and have a knit on border and so on and on.    Then there is the question where to start top or bottom - so quite a lot of choice so it helps it the KAL is a little different to the norm.

Two really good Kals  were Blooming Fuchsia

and Princess and Pea

both by Lilygo I would recommended them to anyone, in fact I am already signed up for the Fox and the Grape MKal safe in the knowledge that I won't be disappointed.

So - what makes a bad mystery - well for me anything that includes a lot of garter stitch, and or just colour changes and a definite no no is anything that doesn't flow - one stitch selection needs to change effortlessly to the next and so on!  A great example of what I consider a good design is this shawl from LindaCC - Spring Maple see how the stitch develops in perfect symmetry.

That isn't to say that such Kals are bad, nothing creative is bad, it is just that I prefer something with a bit texture that challenges my knitting knowledge, I love beads and lots of 'yarn overs and k2togs'  and I am getting to enjoy nupps now for what they can add to a design.  I do not like endless stocking or garter stitch even if there some sort of shaping I did enough of that when I was a child - dish cloths and the like..................

Finally the thing that makes a good MKal is the fact that there are many knitters all knitting the same design at the same time, sharing experiences, problems and solutions - it is a community thing, a sense of belonging, being part of a group of like minded people who will support and suggest answers - who although all knitting the same pattern produce at the end very unique and individual items, no two are ever the same...................

 

Kolourwork Krazy

Its Woolly Wednesday and I have to admit that there is a black hole in my knitting knowledge and that is colour work or as I knew years ago fairisle. 

The last time that I knitted anything that could be classed as colour work was probably back in the late 1960s when I made a sweater with a fairisle yoke.  I can remember at the time forcing myself to knit a pattern repeat a day (that was 10 rows on 300+ stitches) boy was I glad when it was finished.  The last time that I can remember wearing said sweater was on a pot holing trip down Swildon's Hole - no proper waterproof clothing required, just turn up in something old was the brief..........................

Having discovered that shawls are not and never were really the lacy creations that I had thought I found through further research that shawls were garments made for warmth and generally worn by working women.  You have to wait to the late 19th century for coats to make an appearance in the wardrobe of women, until most women wore cloaks or shawls - make sense when you consider the long skirts and petticoats.  The lacy creations popular in the early 19th century were the reserve of the upper and gentil classes - think Cranford Mitts!!!

After much searching I have decided that I love Kate Davies Designs particularly as I feel an empathy with her, having suffered a migraneous stroke in 1997. (one week to the day after the General Election) Like her I have turned by life around, but unlike her I am not an expert at fairisle knitting. But this, like the stroke, can be overcome! 

So colour work shawls............... First I thought I would dive straight in and make a colour work shawl with steek - well the works really!  Then sense prevailed and I thought practise first, shawl later!  Besides the chosen shawl - Eliza is a big project and I have two shawls on the needles already

Winter Green which is a KAL

 

 

The other is a test knit of my Strawberry Thief Shawl which I can't hibernate as I am charting the pattern for a friend who is also testing the pattern

 

 



A smaller project seemed more appropriate - so a scarf knitted in the round (which I have been told is the best way to knit fairisle as you only ever do knit stitches!)  So I purchased a ball of Kauni EFFEKT and a contrast in grey.  Its a bit of a cheat really because you only used two yarns, but get the effect of more.

Couldn't find a pattern, so turned to my Alice Starmore's Book of Fairisle Knitting and sorted out a suitable design! 

All the books on knitting with two yarns suggest using the technique of Continental knitting with one yarn and English throwing the other!  It ain't easy - and I have gone back to holding both yarns in my right hand and using both my index and middle finger - it works for me!

But I have just discovered that I twisted the first row.................................. &*&()(*^%$*)()^%$£&(*&^%$!