Lover’s knot cable beanie, or how I learnt an unusual skill July 13, 2007

I finished the beanie out of my hand dyed yarn a while ago, and here is the picsels

I knit reducing, alternating cables on 3mm dpns, starting with 4 front and 4 back. I made it up as I went along, which as we know really translates into “I knit this bastard 3 times over”
I’m pretty happy with it. Now.

squeezed up on the table

stretched out on the head: side…

and back…

It’s a perfect fit on the lucky boy who got it, my model has a slightly larger head than him (sorry sweetie, we’ve discussed your noggin issues before)

I might make another one for my fella in grey, it’s simple enough to not take up a lot of time, but interesting enough to keep you alert. I was not always alert, and as a bonus have developed the skill of making retrospective cables with a crochet hook

Ha ha, pants! July 2, 2007

I have been meaning to share some more snortles with you all.  Thought I’d throw in a few, you know, to make up for lost time.  Well, something like that.  Today’s theme, why it is pants of course.  OK, it is always about the yarny pants with me I know.  So why break my trend now at this late stage?  Heh heh…

Nope, you aren’t seeing things.  That IS our Elle and YES she is wearing knit hot pants with a folded cuff.  It comes from a booklet called Nautical But Nice (from the 80’s obviously), har geddit?  Oh boy!

This stylish piece is from The Beach-knits!  No idea why the title has a hyphen and and exclamation mark in it though.  As the price on the cover is given in cents as well as shillings, the book is likely to have been printed in 1963, or there abouts.  This pic shows the men’s they come in a ladies version too.  It is fully fashioned and has belt loops, a twisted yarn belt and a faux pressed look all worked in.  Talk about attention to detail eh?  Shame it is intended for swimming in, surely that is a disaster waiting to happen.

What could possibly top that?  Trackies!!!  No seriously

Actually two of them, both from Patons Cotton top, a late 80’s printing I suspect.  Up top, the more traditional style and below a slightly more scary summer version.  Well, at least both have hoods, thats something.

The short sleeves are fine, but the gathers and ties on the shorts bother me a little. 

Now I don’t really have a problem with the idea of knitted tracksuits, necessarily.  Well, the shortie one is definately off limits, for reasons already mentioned.  But the long one could be awesome, if you know how to rock it.  I’d go so far as to say I’d probably wear it, even though there is no way I could ever be bothered to knit such a huge project, when I may not have the guts to wear it outside my house.  Well if it isn’t all that bad, why post it up to be picked on you may wonder?  Ah, because Patons thought enough of themselves to include their logo in the pattern thats why.  Oh yeah, it is in the instructions.

Thanks, but no thanks.