The Knits So Far

 It has been a year of challenges and changing priorities, however, my knitting has remained a constant. I had been reading various accounts of how other knitters, for a variety of reasons, often had multiple projects on the go at any one time. My normal practice is to knit one garment at a time, so this year I decided to try working on more than one thing at a time. I like some mindless knitting for those times in the car or social situations when juggling charts can be problematic but I also like the challenge of new techniques or complex cables and colour work.

The first project started was the last to be finished. This pattern popped up on my Instagram feed.  I am not really a shawl person but the colourwork caught my eye. It is the Artus shawl by @moonstruckknits and I also purchased a yarn kit from @tribeyarnslife  

When I got the pattern I discovered that this section was worked using mosaic knitting, a new technique to me. This part was easy enough but I needed to follow a graph/chart and not the best for social knitting or in the car.

This section was the easy and good for the car and social knitting.

Next up  The Do Ewe Yolk 2 knit along from @zaneteknits.  Knit in Shetland yarn from my stash. A vey challenging knit and definitely not for the car. It took quite awhile to complete this but really enjoyed the challenge of making this and will think about doing the next Do Ewe Yolk 3  KAL in 2026.

My third knit, the Daingean sweater from @feller.carol  using Darnie yarn that I purchased from Stolen Stitches. It was the first project in the Sweater Club from Stolen Stiches. I have knit many patterns designed by Carol Feller and would recommend them.

This is the car / social knit, a simple design cardigan knit in stocking stitch that is easily managed .

This is the yarn for my next project, hopefully it will be on the needles very soon. In the process of winding the skeins into balls and swatching. It will be a an Aran style knit with cables and lots of textured stitches. It may be a bit late into Winter to start this but there is a back up plan.

The back up plan

The Tonnach cardigan by Kate Davies. A lighter weight yarn and a lace pattern, I haven’t knit lace patterns so this would be something new. Perfect for Spring.

Still deciding which colour  combination I like best.

Abstract Mixed Media on Synthetic Paper

Just over a week ago I returned home from Summer Brushes, a week long artist retreat held at Longerenong Agricultural College near Horsham in northern Victoria. My class, Abstract Mixed Media on Synthetic Paper was taken by Gaye Nieiwenhof. Gaye is an exceptional tutor and I knew that if I signed up her class it would great. I was not disappointed. This was a fantastic event, there is something really special when you have some one hundred and fifty participants living together on site and undertaking an intensive program spread across fifteen classes. The grounds around the buildings were beautifully landscaped and shaded by big trees.

Despite some initial misgivings about heading to Horsham in the middle of an  hot Australian summer I was so pleased with the event. Great accomodation and food, air conditioned rooms and a fantastic class. 

We spent the week experimenting with selection of the synthetic papers, watercolours, inks, pens, pastels, paints and any mark making materials that we had. This is a taste of some of the papers that I made, we were encouraged to experiment with many different techniques and materials and often times to try colours that we might not usually work with.

 

As is often the case I tend to turn my sample pieces into books. A simple concertina fold book is a perfect way to showcase the work

Sometimes I convert the papers into simple vessels

The evolution of a sheet of paper with layering

Layers can be added and removed. The sheet was then cut up and made into smaller pieces which were made into a book.

The Last Knit for 2024

 Sometime ago I purchased some stubby cotton and linen yarns with the intention of knitting a Summer top. I had no idea how much yarn would be needed and consequently purchased way too much.

The finished sweater adapted from my favourite raglan sleeve pattern, Doocot by Kate Davies Designs

Some swatching for gauge and drape, experimenting with different combinations of the yarns.

Close up of the finished knit, one strand of the stubby cotton and one strand of the thicker linen held together. The plan was to include some extra texture and darker tones with some rows of garter stitch knit with three strands of the fine linen.

Detail of the bands, faux cable that I used in a previous knit, the Galanta sweater by Carol Feller / Stolen Stitches. Less repeats used for the neckline and three quarter sleeves but enough of the faux cable to look coordinated.

Blocking the finished sweater. Really an important step for this cotton and linen combination.

Closeup of the neckline, garter stitch and stripe details

Advent Knit Along

 I found this project designed by @knitandspritz on Instagram. The idea was to make eighteen squares, one square per day and then for the last week make up the mystery project .

The mystery project, when finished, became a chunky textural scarf.

The finished 6 inch squares were sewn together, firstly one row of nine and then another row of nine. The two rows were sewn together to form a long rectangle of  12 inches by 54 inches approx. then rib borders added to the long sides and the short sides which also included buttons and buttonholes.

Finished squares measured approximately 6 inches by 6 inches

A selection of the finished blocks, each block different

Squares were wet blocked on the blocking mats, making sure that they were consistent in size and the fabric of the square relaxed.

This was a really fun project. Made from leftover yarn in my stash.