Monday, April 17, 2017

Keeping the Needles in Motion: Knitting and Tatting

A week or two ago, I finished a pair of socks and wondered what I would make next. I was getting antsy to start a new project, but nothing seemed quite right, so one night, I picked up a patchwork tatting project I have ongoing and worked on that. I got enthused about it and have kept on working on the rectangle that is in progress.
For this large project, I am using navy blue linen thread that I have left on the huge cone Bill got me a year and a half or so ago. I used a bunch of it to make this shawl, but there is still plenty left on the cone.
So the blue will be the main colour and I have various bits of cotton thread to use for stripes--I am making rectangles consisting of 4 strips of navy blue and 3 strips of various colours. Right now I am thinking that I will crochet around each rectangle and join them into a vest, but if I get a better idea, I might change my mind.

When I mentioned on Facebook that I wasn't sure what my next project would be, someone asked if I'd made a pussy hat. I was thrilled to see that question (thanks, Deidre!) because it reminded me that I had thought about making one a few months ago, but I was working on something else at the time. By the time I'd finished with that project, we'd unexpectedly looked at this house, decided to move and I was packing, so the hat idea was forgotten. Seemed like a good time to start one, so I went through one of my stitch dictionaries and chose an Irish net stitch. I wanted to make a lacy one out of cotton since it's getting warmer. I chose green for Earth Day. Guess I'd better get going if it's to be done by then!
The net stitch has pulled it in a bit more than I thought, so I've considered ripping it out and starting over with more stitches, but after setting the project aside for a few days and thinking about it, I think I won't. Since this will be a simple rectangle that gets seamed up either side, I have decided to see whether I need it wider or not, bearing in ind that cotton does not 'bounce back' like wool does, so I don't want it too big. If I do need a bit more width, I will do a few rows of garter stitch or a slip stitch crochet rib along the sides before seaming. That would give me narrow panels of stretchy fabric, which would probably be a good addition.

I also whipped up a couple of little dishcloths over a couple of nights while listening to an audiobook of Winifred Holtby short stories.

Yesterday Bill requested another pair of lightweight fingerless gloves, so I decided on which yarn to use for those and got my needles. That'll be a good project for next to the couch--he keeps his other pair down here and I can measure against one of those as I knit the first of the new pair.
I have a few more projects in mind too, so it looks like my idea drought has ended--and I am so glad! I always feel like something is wrong when I do not know what to stitch or what book to read. Things are back to normal now.

Happy Monday!

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