Wow, the week sure has flown by! I have been busy with my knitting machine this week.Â
These were made with self striping sock yarn with a little sacrificed cause I love matchy, matchy.
I have a bunch, okay a ton, no actually about a few hundred skeins of yarn from an ebay binge that I went on a couple of years ago. You may have recognized the labels from my hat post two weeks ago. I have to seriously purge my stash before it takes over the house and, as most of the yarn that I bought is sport or finer, the machine just called out to me!
The hat is lined for warmth!
I have had some problems in the past with static that these yarns hold. I am not sure why but they are way more electric than any other yarn I have used. It doesn’t seem to matter about the type of fibre.  I normally rewind the skeins into a cake for machine knitting to suss out any knots or imperfections before they hit the tension mast or the carriage and cause a major patterning fail. Plus, it hurts like crazy when the weights hit your feet as the knitting drops off the needles! I held a damp wash cloth in my hand and let the yarn run through it while tensioning and, voila, no static! Why didn’t I think of this years ago??
I am working on a pattern for a toddler’s cardigan, machine knit, with a hand crocheted edge. The sample turned out really cute, so I am experimenting with sizing now. I always like to offer a pattern in multiple sizes and, although I know how to do the math from gauge for hand knits and crochet, machine knitting is a little different. As the samples are quick to knit and can be added to my sales inventory, I am making one in each size to ensure that the pattern is correct. It will be written out and on sale next week.
Samples ready for blocking and finishing.
I am also working on a hand knit version in worsted weight as I liked the machine knit one so much. That pattern is going to take just a little bit longer.
I am also working on a crochet pattern for you. I have a vision of a shawl that I have been cooking in my brain for the last ten months. I made a sample over the summer but didn’t like it enough to finish it. I have been mulling over the best stitch pattern to achieve the look that I want and have arrived at a winner I think. I will let you know how it goes! Here is a teaser.
Don’t forget about my half price offer on the Gradient Cable Poncho and Northern Rose Shawl patterns, coupon code 50OFF in my Ravelry store!