Quick Waistcoat

This waistcoat is in the June 2011 issue of Machine Knitting Monthly.  It is a Bill King design.  What drew me to this pattern is that there is no sewing up. Yes, no sewing up!  (You just have a few ends)

You start at one end of a cord, increase for the main body, shape for sleeves and then cast on for the other cord.  I tried it in some old yarn and was completed in just over 2 hrs.  It weighs 162g, so perfect for used cones and fits from size 12 to 16.

I will need to check my stash for some nicer wool and maybe white for the summer and as it could be completed in a night - it would be quickly done.

Quick Waistcoat



Sleeve detail



Chunky Jacket Finished

I have at last finished my Chunky Jacket which I blogged about on 3rd May.
I got all the pieces joined together and after seeing it made up, I decided not to add a long band  and collar as shown on the pattern, as I thought it looked a bit old fashioned.  I liked the way the wool naturally curled to form a sort of band (See photograph).  So, I only knit a band as far as the yoke.

I am quite pleased with it although the chunky wool is thick and quite heavy.  I liked the concept of only knitting square/rectangles and the way the wool direction changes.  I hope to measure and record the sizes of the sqaures and then re-create it in a 4ply yarn. It is ideal for a woven fabric as the shaping is minimal.

My next project of finish is my blanket made of squares which I am presently joining on the machine.  It is quite time consuming and I may not have enough wool but will keep you updated.

Lacey Cardigan

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but I have been busy and getting on with some projects.  At the moment I have 3 items on the go and have just finished this one.  It is a hand knitted lacey short-sleeved cardigan which will do me for this summer.  I started this just after Christmas in December 2009 for Easter 2010 and have only just finished it.  It is not that I am particularly slow at knitting - it is just that I amy only get about 1 hour a week to knit it.
The pattern is from Simply Knitting May 2009 and I knit it in King Cole Mirage which is a DK weight. The yarn is multi coloured and was quite nice to knit.  At times it got quite thin and I thought it may break, but it did not.  I like the double button effect and is light, soft and cosy.  It is a good addition to my wardrobe for cooler evenings in the summer.

Lacey Cardigan

Neckline and double buttons

Next, I hope to complete my chunky turquoise jacket which seems to be progressing quite well.

For Phil- My Tension Square

This blog is inspired by Phil's question on my previous post regarding tension.
Well, the hand knitted pattern stated that the tension required to knit this jacket is 12 sts and 16 rows to 10cm (4in) over stocking stitch.
I knit a tension square on my chunky machine at Tension with 20 sts and 20 rows.  Then I got a tape measure and measured the number of stitches and rows needed for 10 cm.  The yarn is chunky, so these were easily counted and I discovered that I needed 14sts for 10cm and 20 rows for 10 cm. So, now I had to convert the pattern.
For every 12 sts in the pattern, I need to knit 14 sts on my machine, so when the pattern says cast on 57 sts, I divide this by 12 and multiply by 14 - so I need to cast on 69 sts.
The same goes for the rows - for every 16 rows in the pattern, I need to knit 20 rows on my machine.

I converted the pattern this way throughout and to make it easier for myself - I draw out diagrams of  the basic pattern shape and write down the sts, rows, increases, decreases etc. Hopefully this will help.

That's the theory, so hopefully it will fit when I sew it together.

Chunky Jacket

Hi, I have been enjoying the sunshine and Easter break and have not had a chance to do any knitting or blogging.

My next project is to complete a jacket on my chunky machine.  I spied a lovely pattern on Deramore's web site and bought a torquoise King Cole Magnum Chunky. 

Pattern for Chunky Jacket

 Although the pattern is for handknitting,  I liked the different direction of the knitting and after doing a few tension squares, converted it for my chunky machine. At Tension 8, a 10cm square is 14 sts wide by 20 rows high.  This is not exactly the same as the handknitted pattern but I was able to convert it. 

The jacket is knitted is sections - the arms are knitted in two halves and continue to form the back yoke and front yokes.  Smaller rectangles are knitted with the rib for the bottom part of the jacket.  Finally, a collar and bands are added.  As you can see, I have some parts knit and hopefully the jigsaw will all fit together.



Completed parts



On my standard machine, I am still completing some squares for my baby blanket and have bought some of the yarn in another colour to make the blanket bigger and more interesting.  I will update you on this later.