Monday, August 07, 2006

A New Week in Wonderland…

Note: The leaf chart for the Dana Victoria pattern has an error.  The middle row should have five boxes representing five knit stitches, not three.  For those of you who have already printed the pattern out, you could just draw the boxes on either end of the row.  The written instructions are correct.  My apologies for any inconvenience.

The endless mohair blanket is about half done...I think :) There are three completed strips which total about 25 inches in width and about 66 inches in length.  Here it is, complete with bookcase and Jade-tail :)

As to how done the blanket actually is, well, that depends.  Another three strips roughly the same size as the ones I’ve already got will give me an approximate width of 50”.  That should be fine but if there’s enough yarn, I may make it wider - just to have something really oversized and splendid :) The length is fine.  I also have to decide how to join these pieces.  Right now I’m thinking crochet would be the most sturdy and I’ve got enough of a black, alpaca lace-weight (which would be used doubled) to do the job.  I’m thinking the black would set off the colors so that the whole would look something like a piece of stained glass.  But I’m not there yet and everything is still subject to change at this point.

I am liking how the colors are going together.  I feel I really lucked out with these assorted balls of mohair and part of the fun is switching colors randomly to see what happens. 

The fourth panel has commenced and may be a bit more regular in color spacing than the others.  It starts with a very deep eggplant, moves to fuchsia and may incorporate some orange before going back to fuchsia and ending with the eggplant again. 





Regularity hasn’t been a key theme so far however, and I’m almost a little afraid that a panel with regular color changes will throw everything off.  On the other hand, I also know that my mind can present some astonishing nonsense before I’ve had my coffee, so I’ll play it by ear - eye?

The weather was heavenly this weekend, cool (relatively speaking) and much dryer.  It was quite entertaining to watch the little wild things (birds and squirrels, mostly) outside the kitchen window cavorting and playing.  They clearly appreciated the change too.  So did our cats; Jade commenced trying to get into my lap again at every opportunity (she hates that I knit!) and Goldie finally came out from under the kitchen table (a cool spot).  In fact, they were chasing each other around like kittens Saturday night!

There were more socks this weekend too :) These were done with Cascade 220 on size 6 needles.  They’re a variation on the The Mystery of 12s; the ribbing and the cuff are both a bit longer and I added a couple of bands of seed stitch to the cuff (8 rounds ribbing, 3 rounds stockinette, 3 round seed, 3 rounds stockinette, 3 round seed, 3 rounds stockinette) which looks kind of funky. 

The Cascade knits up into a nice, thick sock and it was quite a different experience working it on size 6 needles, compared to the size 9 needles I used for this same yarn for Dragon Wings.

Welcome to a new week in Wonderland :)

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1. the mohair blanket with black as your joining color really will look like a pretty piece of stained glass i think- lovely thought- i don’t mind seaming garments, but when it comes to joining squares/strips, etc i have turned out some incredibly strange things- i’m also known for having one piece joined facing the wrong way (and usualy a centrally located one at that)- i know i should stick with afghans made in one piece, but i have selective memory and keep trying to do otherwise-

   i really like the cascade yarns- they do everything well (including felt!) so beware hot water with them-

   you had a productive weekend- stay happy-

   Posted by  on  08/07  at  09:56 AM
   Location : right here- waving at you...



2. The mohair blanket is looking great.  The Jade tail adds a certain something to it, doesn’t it?  Maybe you should incorporate a curved black bit in one corner, as a whimsical touch lol.

   Posted by Pamela  on  08/07  at  10:19 AM
   Location : UK



3. That blanket is going to be beautiful. :) I feel honored to have been there at the very beginning!!

   Posted by Bron  on  08/07  at  10:30 AM
   Location :



4. Barb - Thanks for tip tip about Cascade felting well!  I sure wouldn’t want that to happen by accident :) And thanks also for the tip about watching gor inadvertant upside-down pieces - I am nothing if not absent-minded!

   Posted by Robbyn  on  08/07  at  03:06 PM
   Location : Sleeping in my chair :)



5. Pam - LOL!  I’ll do one in I-cord, to attach to the bottom of the blanket, shall I?  Ot I could just stitch Jade down, but I think she’d protest.  Mightily :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  08/07  at  03:07 PM
   Location : Sleeping in my chair :)



6. Bron - Indeed you were there - watching my undignified scrambling through the bargain bin - LOL!  It was so much fun :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  08/07  at  03:09 PM
   Location : Sleeping in my chair :)



7. I love all the warm colours you have used - it looks lovely Robbyn!

   Posted by nat  on  08/07  at  06:07 PM
   Location :



8. Nat - The colors are entirely coincidental as I grabbed whatever was available from the bargin bin.  Fortunately, they went together reasonbly well and I rather like the combination myself.  Thanks for your kind words :)
   

   Posted by Robbyn  on  08/07  at  08:42 PM
   Location : Sleeping in my chair :)



9. the blanket looks great! how will I keep up with all your gorgeous creations while I’m away? Has the box I sent you arrived yet? I wonder how long it will take

   xxxxxx

   Posted by  on  08/08  at  05:05 PM
   Location :



10. Abi - I’m so jealous of your incredible traveling plans!  What a tremendous treat :) I’ll be thinking of you and hoping you have the best time ever :)

    The box hasn’t arrived yet, but I have no doubt that it will - no worries :)

    Posted by Robbyn  on  08/08  at  07:28 PM
    Location : Sleeping in my chair :)

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