All tied up...

...in ropes.

I was a bit worried about this square, being cables and all (and two colours!) but I think it is ok. Again tension issues on the colour carrying but it is improving. I have another 15  'ropes' squares to hone my skills!

Stitch and Bitch

I found out today our town has a Stich and Knit club. Magic! It's on the first and third Tuesday of the month and costs £2. So when agility training has finished I am going to head down to the hall for some knitting fun with other people (they have cake too! I like cake, although not as much as I like...oh wait, no I like cake better).

Punch and Judy Take Two.

My laptop is shouting at me because it's running out of battery so I'll be brief (or get the lead - probably get the lead).

Third time lucky (we won't mention having to rethread ALL the beads as they were put on in the wrong order, or getting to the last row and realising you have way too many red stitches) and we have another square. Tension is better on this one, but not perfect. It's a much better size so should be fine. I have another three of these squares to knit so I will see how the others go before I decide what to do with the first one.

Onto my first (of 16!) 'Ropes' square with multiple colours and cables. Should be fun. Well it will be when I actually get past row one which after three attempts I have failed to so far.

Stop eating my beads Jack!

Jack, my elderly cat has decided that beads are nom nom nom. That means that threading beads is hard work when he's around!

...but after an hour or so (big improvement on last time!) the beads are on.

 

Well, all but one. I realised I made a mistake and forgot to thread the extra black one at the start! As the beads are threaded in reverse order I now have a problem.

 

But I think I can rectify the situation. As it is the last bead, I will knit to the last one, cut the yarn and thread the bead on from the other end. That will work. I hope!

All work and no play...

..makes Becky a something. Too tired to remember.

Amongst a building move at work I managed to take in my Punch and Judy square to show brilliant colleague wot knits. She agreed with me regarding the tension on the tent and said that the 'float' needs to be carried very loosely.

I am knitting a 'shingle' square at the moment and when that is finished, I am going to thread more beads (beats head against wall) and have another crack at it and not pull as tight on the changes.

I don't get much done on a Monday night as I teach agility, or a Tuesday night as I train my own wayward mutt but tonight I am planning an evening in front of the telly and the knitting book.

Multi stranded knitting. Fun for all the family. Or not.

So then, after about three days, and many re casting ons, Punch and Judy is born.

Ta da! Not too bad for my first colour work. Doesn't look like the square in the book though...

I am having some issues with tightness. I think proper knitters call it tension. Basically when I have to carry a colour it bunches things up. I have been told by my fabulous knitter colleague and line manager that my knitting is quite tight, which isn't a bad thing but can cause issues. It is also very chunky where I have carried the yarn. I can't think of another way to do this particular square. There would be so much stopping and starting with the red and white it would be a nightmare. It was bad enough managing this:

 

I have pinned it to the two other knitted squares and it does match size wise so would be ok when knitted together I think.

 

I am in two minds. Unpick and start again, or see how the next one goes. I am inclined to leave it and see. The chunkyness adds depth to the work, and gives it an individual twist. What do you think?

Knitting with beads is hard

It is. But it looks dam good if I do say so myself! Just finished the sand and onto the sky and hut. It's my first time using multiple colours (blue, red and white, and later blue, red, white, turquoise and navy) and after a faltering start and some tinking (knit backwards!) I think I've cracked it. The bottom of the square is a bit of an odd shape though :/

Becky vs Beads

After a slow start and much gnashing of teeth, I think I am winning! Who would have thought threading beads would be so arduous. It involves a complicated system of thread, yarn, needles and most of all, PATIENCE! Nearly there for the first Punch and Judy square.

I think next time I will check the beads have holes big enough for the yarn without all this hassle. Two hours to thread 50 beads *sigh* About 20 more to go this evening before I can start knitting.