dolly dimple knits

8 out of 10 knitters ...

who expressed a preference - well, okay just over a third of you - liked Juno the best. So bowing to the power of the voting public here she is so far

I have to tell you I had some gauge issues. I'm not using the recommended doubled wool cotton on account of my inbred Scottish presbyterian resistance to throwing money away. Why use twice the amount of a thin yarn doubled when you can use a thicker one the same gauge ?? - but there lies the nub of the problem "the same gauge".

I was just desperate to use the gorgeous Malabrigo Merino my sister gave me for my birthday but it's not quite the same tension. So (cover your ears Ms-I-Never-Knit-Swatches-India) three swatches later I'm using needles 2 sizes bigger AND knitting a size up from normal 'cos I just couldn't get it to work out without using tree trunk needles which I HATE to knit with ! And so far it seems to be okay. I think. Maybe.

Actually, the best thing about it is the Malabrigo which is possibly the loveliest yarn I have ever knit with. Unbelievably soft, gorgeous depth to the colour, just a faint bloom to the finished fabric, no splitting and only 1 knot found in 3 skeins so far ! Very nearly perfection. I may never knit with anything else again :0)

Not that I've had masses of time to knit this past week. It's been half term for the girls so I took the week off and frankly it baffles me that I ever find the time to work - I've been SO busy.

We did find time for an outing or two though. Guess what we did ?

Choices, choices ...

For the knitter who really doesn't need to enhance her/his stash any more (for the moment !) - I give you the ideal Christmas gift. Ain't she cute ? And still technically in the "knitting gift" zone.

I don't know about knitting gifts but I'm certainly not in the gifted knitter zone at the moment. The Simple Knitted Bodice is shelved but not yet behind the couch.

I finished the body and tried it on. It fits really well over the shoulders and bust but then just seems to hang and look a bit blocky. Either that or it's me that looks a bit blocky .... entirely possible. I often have this problem I find. I need something fairly roomy in the bust area but then unless it's really shaped under my bust it just hangs from it giving me either the "8 months pregnant look" or the "my body is completely rectangular look". Neither of them fab - unless of course one is pregnant (or rectangular !)

Anyways up, I don't like it and I'm thinking about how to fix it.

I'm definitely going to rip back and take out the red Tilli Tomas panel. I'm not ripping that bit tho' as it would be a complete nightmare as the sequins are strung on a single thread that kind of wraps round the yarn and I suspect would not be very happy unwrapping in any way ! Never mind. I have a cunning plan for that lace panel.

The dilemma tho' is whether to redo the lace panel in the Tapestry (but possibly without the purl ridges as I'm not keen on them) or whether to finish it in stocking stitch but with a bit more shaping and then do an i-cord tie round it like this lovely one Ali has just finished. Too many decisions !

I'm taking a break from it now and finishing Fruit Salad (pictures next time) with slightly longer sleeves to make it a bit more Scottish climate friendly. And I'm already planning my next ventures. (I'm on a real knitting roll at the moment !)

I'm about to cast on for another of my own designs now that I've got the bug - but much simpler this time as it's only a baby blanket. If it works out I'll probably put it up as a free pattern :0)

But what next for me ? The current favourites are - Rowan 40's Juno in Malabrigo Merino in Damask Rose

or maybe Eunny Jang's Deep V Argyle Vest in Rowan's RYC Silk Wool in Velvet and Cashsoft Baby DK in Borage

or perhaps Dolman Updated from IK Winter 2003 in Jaeger Extra Fine Merino Aran in Rainfall with a little pink trim to lift it

or even Robin Melanson's fabulous Corset Pullover in Rowan Calmer in Peacock (discontinued colour)

or how about Debbie Bliss's Shawl Collared Jacket in Cashmerino Astrakhan in a bright apple green or maybe ...... actually I'm going to stop now as it's ridiculous to think that I actually have all the yarns for all these projects already in my stash. I am a knitting hoarder.

So which should it be ? Help me knit the stash, please !

13 years ago today ....

I was 2 stone lighter, 3 children less, 13 years younger (obviously) and looked something like this -

Not every day of course. Only on the day.

We had a fab wedding day. It took place entirely in The Town House Hotel (now sadly a shop) which was previously the premises for the Royal Scottish Academy of Music & Drama (where I studied for part of my degree course) in what was the Old Athenaeum building. A great place for a multi-generational celidh:0)

I chose the venue because I had studied there - Al chose it because it meant he got to have Nelson Mandela Square as the address of where we got married on the wedding certificate ! You can take the boy out of politics .....

Anyway. That was then and this is now and a whole lot of knitting has happened since then. Especially in the last couple of weeks.

I have become a vicious killer. The International Socks of Doom were knit and posted so quick I forgot to take a photo. But they were knitted in Regia 6 ply stripes in Passion (it seemed appropriate somehow ?) My victim hasn't declared herself dead yet but I reckon they're maybe stuck in the mail - it's a long way to New York. Either that or she ducked the fatal bullet by moving house or something ...... I'm still hale and hearty and my assassin hasn't even mentioned preparing for my demise on her blog so I have high hopes she's forgotten all about me !

Hang out the flags ! I finished my project for Kerrie !!! And boy was it tough. Never have I re-knit something so many times. But that's because I was doing it for someone else. If it had been for me it would either have been - "Ach, it'll do !" or "Sod this for a game of soldiers" and behind the couch with it.

But I'd promised Kerrie, so I kept going and by the end I think it looked ..... not bad. ( Note for the non-Scots : this means I was pleased with it. "Not bad" is pretty high praise in this dour wee country.)

I'm not going to show you the garment but the design process looked something like this. Not pretty.

In need of something pretty I cast on for the Simple Knitted Bodice - and guess what ? It is simple !

I'm using Rowan Tapestry in Lead Mine for the main body with Tilli Tomas Disco Lights for the lace waist panel.

Both yarns are gorgeous - if slightly prone to splitting, especially the Tilli Tomas ! I think it's going to work out but until I finish the lace panel and see it with more of the grey underneath I'm not quite sure. I also know I don't have enough of the silk to do red panels on the sleeves so the sleeve lace will be in the main colour. Who knows ? If it looks crappy I'll rip it out !

I discovered an amazing thing whilst I was working on my Socks of Doom and the sweater for Kerrie. If I have a deadline, I buckle down and get it done. I don't flit about casting on umpty new things - I focus. Wow.

So I have self-imposed a deadline for the Knitted Bodice of mid-October - reserving the right of course to decide it looks rubbish before then and cast on for something new :0)