Insubordiknit Workshop Samples

Insubordiknit Workshop Samples
Originally uploaded by Lettisia

Here's my awesome spinning from the Insubordiknit Workshop 20 and 21 March 2010.

Slightly Askew

My latest knitting project is Askew by Cheryl Kemp. http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer07/PATTaskew.html

I knitted it as written for the 41" size blocked, basted it together, tried it on and eurgh! Just not right. I hate the clingy horizontal stripes on the back and the straps were far too wide set. I'd used 2 balls of silk garden starting in very different places in the colour repeat and that as quite unflattering too. The photo of the original has them quite close together - a little askew! It looked much better. I unpicked the side seam a little and that helped the front to look better. I suspected that a bias knit back would be more flattering so i but the top on back to front to check andit no longer clung to my back fat. The back needed to be a few inches thinner than the front leaving a gap under each arm to be filled in by a shaped gusset.

I frogged the back and one of the front sections then re knit the back on 28sts. I worked both halves of the back at once using two balls and twisting the yarns at the back intarsia style. I chose two balls that started at close to the same point. I then worked another front section with similar colours to the first. Once i sew the fronts together i'll try the top on and see what size and shape the gusset panels will need to be.



Here's what the fronts look like before and after blocking.

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Yarn Pron!

Y'know i'm spelling it wrong for a reason, right?

Anyway:

This, my friends, is the yarn of doom. I finally wound it into a ball and took a photo.

You can stop drooling on your keyboard now.

Colinette Tao. 100% silk. Soft. Shiny

Look at Me!!!

I was fiddling round with my camera and i happened to take an actual nice photo of me so i had to post it here. Duh!

Now have a closer look behind my head... I like this photo!



Oh yeah. Here's the Bloody Stupid Johnson Hat! Looks bloody stupid, no?

Andrea's 50s Bolero

Ok folks, Andrea wants to knit a bolero to go with her gorgeous 50s style navy blue dress and matching navy blue polka dot heels. She has lovely, 8-ply natural white wool.

She wants to use this pattern.

I'm not so sure. I really like the stitch pattern, its simple and perfect and the border is pretty.

BUT Its all loose and floppy...*nose scrunch* I like the more fitted versions. At my place i have some authentic 50s bolero patterns! I think its the shape around the shoulder that i'm finding most annoying. The looser sleeves and bottom look fine but the vintage patterns all have set-in sleeves, some with a little puffiness at the top. Granted i'm most likely looking at 40s to early 50s patterns when i say that. Anyway i've put a few pictures with explanation here, on my blog,

I'd rather make this:

See its much more fitted. But Andrea doesn't have 4-ply Angora to play with (neither do i)

Now i was complaining about the topdown oversized raglan look. This shape is what was popular in the 40s and 50s

Look how square those shoulders are and the cleaness of the lines. Isn't she perfect? Fine unless you move your arms, of course!

Or you could make the shoulders even pointier and puffier, this is very 40s

I'm not suggesting these patterns in particular, i'm just making a point about the sleeves.
Oh and i really like that angora bolero. Now i'm thinking it might be fun to try it in a simple lace stitch but it does have weird shaping including short rows which might not be lace friendly.

Have fun Knitting Andrea

Swimming in Yarn

Oh do i ever wish i had the camera. I just put the one i got for christmas in for repairs. :( The reason i need a camera is to show off the piles and piles of yarn the i recently bought. I put in a big order at Bendi which didn't come till today and meanwhile finally made it to the Back Room at the factory shop and went a little nuts on the way back from confest.

I Have:
lilac cotton
harmony stretchy wool/cotton/lycra in wisteria (lots), mauve (lots), blue(200g), pink(200g) and pale gray green (200g)
8 ply baby wool (lots) in Raspberry which is incredibly soft and will be absolutely perfect for the Leticia Cardigan (see below)
Dusty pink/mauve 10 ply aran for a January Fishtrap Aran from EZ's Almanac made for Dad (7x200g balls)
5x200g balls mauve alpaca for my Lift an Separate wrap cardigan from Big Girl Knits
3x200g balls graphite rustic wool for my Melba vest
Some random complementary colours of wool for the December Lights Tam in Interweave nits Holiday edition 2007
10 balls burgundy sock wool, Jo has already stolen 2. (with permission)
2 balls blue/grey tweed lace weight baby alpaca from my Tea Swap partner
Cone of 2-ply wool in red and a cone of 3 ply in aqua for random lace making
A big bag of blended black/grey/white superwash sliver from Bendi all ready to spin.
A random bag of 5-ply wool in dk plum
Lots of 8-ply wool with 2 blue plies and 1 varigated pink ply spun into a three ply yarn. Very pretty and perfect for some EZ garter stitch work, i reckon. Maybe i could try a tomten jacket this has inspired me.

It may only be the 8th day of January but i really don't think i'll need to buy any more yarn this year!

The only thing wrong now is that i'm still waiting for my Joan McGowan Michael patterns :( Oh well they'll be here soon.

Till then i have plenty to knit and a 2-year old nephew to play with.