Whatcha' Knitting? July, 2024

Welcome to July! The first half of 2024 has raced by with lots of lovely projects successfully completed. The photos have been amazing and inspiring. I’ve added more than a few to my Ravelry favorites.
What’s on your needles or hooks now and what plans for the coming months are you mulling?

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I’m making a knitting and fabric picture for a box frame, featuring a yellow seahorse. If I don’t lose the motivation to finish, of course… I have only just started :sweat_smile:
Edit with photo - I ordered a thick yellow pipe cleaner to put inside the tail (I have finished it, but had taken the photo on top of my notes, thought this one looked better! I’m starting the belly gusset next, then doing the back fin).

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I’m knitting a v neck sweater with fingering weight yarn in bamboo/cotton mix. It’s a light and stretchy fabric which is quite nice. Hope I chose the right size, I always stress over what size I’m making.
I’m loosely using a free pattern but changed so many things I’m not sure there’s really much point using a pattern at all.
I am using yarn I was gifted, so kind to be given a gift, but so much pressure to then produce something with it! I have had to find the yarn online and double the amount I have to be able to make a sweater. I have also had to swatch a million times learning how to use this yarn and trying to find a fabric that feels nice. I’m not 100% sure I’ve got it right but I’m going ahead with it at the moment. I’ve finished the back and now on the front. I suspect it will be a sweater I hate but then I wear the ones I hate a lot and leave the ones I like in the wardrobe mostly unused! (How odd!)

Had a laundry disaster recently, due to my disability now someone else does the laundry for me, and my “best ever” sweater (intarsia colourwork in cashmere merino silk) which I spent sooooo much time and effort on came out half the size, an odd shape and looking like a door mat. I’m trying to see it as a knitting opportunity; to make another, even better, in an easy care yarn that can’t be destroyed.

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Ohh, so sorry to hear about your handmade sweater but it’s good that you’re making the best of the situation.
Reminds me of when mum washed dad’s wool jumper and it came out looking perfect, except it was now child sized.

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I am nearing the finish line on a hat made from yarn leftovers from my sweater. Working on the crown. Pattern is Tin Can Knits basic beanie. I plan to make fingerless mitts in the same yarn.

Also on needles: a blanket (Billowy Quilted throw), a 10 stitch blanket, practicing toe for toe up socks, and cast on for a Stars and Hearts blanket.

In crochet, I am working on a corner to corner blanket for Project Linus. I am using yarn donated to our local coordinator but ran out. Since she did not have anything sutible I ordered what I needed, fortunately it was a Knit Picks yarn so I was able to get more. Since I am working strips of color, dye lot is not an issue.

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Just take down from the needlepont frame :grinning:
Now tedious part of making/treading the grid on Aida cloth for the last one project (American Eagle).
Made graph from picture using free FlossCross software

IMG_20240705_234248_7
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I’ve just seen your seahorse - love it!!

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This looks amazing, very bold! I love wolves, too. Well done!

This is the back of the lace and cable cardigan… a lot of it got done in the car as we drove to and from Florida

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Just beautiful! This is going to really shine when you wash and block. All that lovely lace will show off.

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Nothing fancy but a classic ribbed beanie. My partner got me the yarn for my birthday…to show off the beautiful colours, I thought a standard 1x1 ribbed hat would be perfect!

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Beautiful. Hope to see it when finished and blocked.

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Beautiful yarn. Perfet for a beanie.

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I’ll add some photos when it’s finished! It was one of those moment where I fell in love with it, my partner saw my face and just put it on the till to pay for it! Ever since May I’ve been wondering what to make with it…with how it’s turning out I think a beanie is the perfect choice! I can see why people struggle with indie dyed yarn, knowing what to make with it without hiding the stunning colours

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I have had to temporarily stop all medications to have a test done, which means my tension wanders.

The test should give me a firm diagnosis, after 20 years of problems, so I’m very glad to do it, and a bit nervous.

But I’m not happy about not being able to knit!

Am filling in my knitting time by pondering how to knit a thin vertical band for a men’s cardigan to attach a zipper to. At the start of making the cardigan, I decided I would do this separately and sew it on at the end.

So far I’ve considered a facing, an i-cord selvedge, and a double-knit selvedge.

This facing on a Petite Knit pattern looks nice:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DvUZEq9TR4

I would have to do it a bit differently because I have already knitted the body of the cardigan, but I could achieve the same thing.

I am impressed by the nice finishing details on Petite Knit patterns. Unfortunately the garments are mostly (all?) knitted top down, which I don’t usually do. Just personal knitting preference/habit.

I might make this sweet little scarf though:

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I’m sorry to hear you’ve had to take a break from your meds, it must be very frustrating… but of course good that you are having this test. I hope it comes quickly and goes well for you and that you get the result you need to help move forward.

I am often thinking of sweater with zips. I love them but I think it’ll be a long time before I get around to making one, or have the confidence to make one.

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It’s so difficult to be forced away from knitting when it is something that gives so much pleasure and relaxation. It’s for a greater good in your case and hopefully the tests you’re going to take will give you a helpful answer. I’m thinking of you and wishing you the best in the coming weeks.

Love Petite Knit’s detail and finshing. I’ve seen the scarf worked and it’s lovely.

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I finished the Cumulus Tee, which I would have never gotten started without your help. I used Merino Yak Silk from Huckleberry Knits, color Colleen.

I am now working on Hayward, using Julie Asselin Fino, color Gres.

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@Creations, I will take some photos and report on the zipper insertion when it happens. I have made things a bit hard for myself perhaps by accidentally leaving a larger-than-desired gap at the centre front of the cardigan. (I miscalculated the stitch count.)

So I have to fill in part of the gap with a skinny band on each side as well as provide a nice edge for the zip to be attached to.

How do I get myself into these situations???

On the plus side, if the zip defeats me, I can knit a normal button band.

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I give myself 3 attempts to set in a zipper. Usually I get it to work on #2. If you pin the zipper in, then baste it with sewing thread you get a good idea of how it will sit, neither puckering or rippling.

This video uses double-sided tape which I haven’t tried but which sounds like a very helpful addition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY9Z6uXQklQ

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