In my last newsletter, I described hitting a wall and deciding I needed to stop running at it, as it was a most unrewarding wall. I couldn’t see over it. I couldn’t see round it. I was constantly trying to jump over it. Bearing in mind, you are reading the words of a former schoolgirl who managed 3’ 8” at her third attempt, jumping has never been my forte. I made the decision to stop writing and publishing patterns, and, instead, to make things that I love and if others love them, and are willing to pay their hard-earned cash for them, happy days. If not, I will have had the pleasure of making them and then the pleasure of having them.
I cannot begin to tell you how freeing this decision has been. I can knit and write no notes whatsoever, I can make the design I want to in the size I want to and not fret how I am going to turn the one design into something which will fit a range from 32” to 65”. I am 62” tall. I can’t visualise what 62” bust actually looks like. One design literally cannot do this and retain its integrity.
In the spirit of being free, I went to the wool shop. Northern Yarn in Lancaster has the loveliest yarn and Kate, the owner, is a sweet heart, and I can recommend a visit. I have plans for the pale green blue but please don’t ask me what I will do with the LITLG or WYS. It was in the sale and far too lovely to leave behind. Also, there are two videos and I can’t remove one.
Knitting News
I have been knitting a striped sweater for a week or two now. For some reason, I forgot that mitred squares don’t have a point at which they make a triangle. I tried to fix it with short rows. There was WAY too much fabric so I pleated it. I then hated it. The next day, at 3 am when my brain would not let me sleep, I undid it, and loved it again. Tip of the day: don’t do this. It doesn’t work and it uses a ton of wool.
A diversionary hat was needed so I launched into a double thickness number with fun features.
Here is a sleeve of the sweater and the lining of the hat. It is in brushed alpaca and so warm.
And here is the outside and the fabulously froufrou topping. I will model it for you next week.
Other Creative Stuff
Also, because I am now free and liberated, I started a course with the Pale Rook and am making what my husband describes as bodies. In case you’re wondering, this hasn’t had a terrible accident on her body, it was just spare material. I rather like her curly hair. I’m thinking of a range of dolls with wild, grey hair. It is so lovely just to make, just for me, and not to have to think of selling. Each email invites you to really look deeply into what motivates you as a creator, and to take time to see what the materials can become. I was particularly taken with the idea of letting the doll have soul and tell you what it wants to be.
I found the turning out of the bodies particularly problematic, so was very happy to move onto limbs. G had to drag me away from limb making last night, in order to eat. I was having the best of times. Thanks to YouTube, a plastic biro tube and a tiny crochet hook, these skinny tubes are actually a doddle to work. It’s surprising how much filling these tiny pieces take up. It got me to thinking what the contents of a real body might look like, if it was laid out in a warehouse, like the contents of a hoarder’s house.
Tech Tip
You have a very long cast on in the round. You are scared rigid of twisting it and not spotting the error. You obsessively check at least the first four rows. There are a number of solutions.
(a) work 4 rows flat, leaving a long tail to sew up the gap, join in the round. Sew up the gap immediately to stop ‘gapping’.
(b) work a two-colour cast on. I really like this as it gives definition to the bottom edge and looks really neat on things like socks. If your sweater has two colours, then this becomes a design feature. If you dont want the cc to stand out, choose a colour which is sufficiently different to be noticeable when your nose is a couple of inches away, but otherwise is invisible. Problem sorted. I usually cast on an extra stitch, then slip it to the left-hand needle when joining in the round, and work together the first 2 sts on the left-hand needle. This gives a good firm join.
Here is a video, courtesy of Drops design and this is also their image.
A further advantage of using two strands of yarn is that you will never again have to figure out how much yarn you need for the long tail. Just make a slip knot, cast on as normal, then snip off the spare yarn and knit in on the next row.
If you have enjoyed this, please share it with your friends, drop me a sub, and come back for more woolly nonsense!
Other News
With some trepidation, I have made my first post for Paid Subscribers. You can get a free 7 day trial. As well as a series on design and creativity, I will be sharing my way of dealing with life, making myself happier, and living a creative life.
I am thinking these will be random in time and number but will happen on a weekly basis. If I tie myself down to a certain day and time, it tends to kill my spontaneity and hangs like the proverbial Sword of Damocles over my gentle head.
This is my first post What to do when you feel powerless. I do hope you will consider giving it a go.
Thank you and have a lovely Sunday
Lily
Found you and love what you are doing Lily! Good luck with it, I’m still finding my way around but it looks like I’m going to be very happy here. Thank you for finding me!