Off to Woolfest

The weather's apparently going to be bad, bad, bad. Torrential rain all day, but its off to Woolfest in the Lake District tomorrow whatever the weather. Spent alot of money last year when I went so I shall try my best not to disappoint the stall holders this year. Friends have also given me shopping lists and I'm going to find one last treat for my secret pal.

I have several projects to photograph and blog about including the new sexy knitters project. I have downloaded the patterns for both projects and will talk about them some more next week.
However, if you haven't already got your red carpet convertible do go take a look. Its a gorgeous gown/top/tunic pattern and its helping someone out at the same time.

Mum and dad have escaped our awful weather and gone to Spain for a week. Unfortunately everything starts when they get back. Mum doesn't like driving anymore so I'm going to be taking him for his appointments. Its a couple of hours drive each way to the hospital which would have been good knitting time, but even I haven't managed to find a way to knit and steer a car at the same time, so I mightn't be as productive as I would like, but going to try my best.

for now
Ruby x

Shreddies - Knitted By Nanas

knitting rhymes

I came across these two old knitting rhymes about sock knitting...

To knit a stocking, needles four,

cast on three needles and no more,

each needle stitches eight and twenty,

then one for seam stitch will be plenty

I've not tried the instructions yet!

This one however is my favorite. I just think its wonderful.

“Life is a stocking”, Grandma says, “And yours has just begun. But I am knitting the toe of mine, And my work is almost done”.

This one almost makes me cry.

for now
Ruby xx

Textured 50's Jacket Swatches and progress

I've been working on my design for knitonthenet.com using Blue Sky Alpaca organic cotton in a gorgeous honey shade. I sampled on 5.5mm and 5mm and decided I liked the firmness of the yarn on 5mm, particularly with it being cotton I really think you need to have really good firm stitches.

I wanted a textured stitch for my jacket but because I intend to mix it with panels of either stocking stitch or reverse stocking stitch I didn't want anything over complicated. I've done some experiments based on 8sts knit, 8sts purl,

I started with


which is 8sts knit, 8sts purl, for 6 rows, then 8sts purl, 8sts knit for 6 rows.

This wasn't really interesting enough and also came out a bit too square, so I tried the same combination but only over 4 rows



which I liked better but still not quite what I was looking for, so after the first 4 rows I moved it all along by 4sts



still only simple but visually much more interesting. Looking at the three together I think you can definately see its the strongest



I'm going to give the jacket a hem rather than edging and build the buttonholes into the patterns edge.

The buttons are just wonderful. I bought them some time ago at an antique and vintage textile fair. They are original early 1950's plastic buttons and I love them



I think they're going to work just great with the jacket. I'll try and finish off my sketches over the weekend but I keep changing my mind about it as I sketch.

I'm hiding away from the workmen in my garden at the moment. Big holes have been dug and now concrete is being poured, I may finally see my extension built yet.

for now,
Ruby xxx

Lots and Lots

I went to my brother's house at the weekend and had a lovely time playing with my niece and nephew, however I have managed to finally complete Frolic. I'm very pleased. I was scared it wouldn't sit on my shoulders properly but it was just right.



'Dita' is rather more petite than I but it still looks really good. I particularly like the raglan



I knitted it in the round rather than seperate back and front to the underarm, then divided and knitted the back then front seperately.

I knitted the sleeves flat but rather than cast off I left the stitches for the body and the sleeves on holders then picked up with a circular needle and knit the rib in the round.

I received some gorgeous yarn from knitonthenet to use for a design for the next issue. Its Blue Sky Alpaca's Organic Cotton. It is beautiful and I love the colour



Its approximately an aran weight yarn and I'm planning on a 50's shaped jacket with colour and lapels shaped into the waist, single breasted with probably 3 quite large decorative buttons. I'll probably do three quarter sleeves with a decorative cuff. The whole garment will be in a textured stitch, just haven't decided what yet.

I received a wonderful box of goodies from my Secret Pal, a hank of beautiful Blue Sky Alpaca Suri yarn in chocolate brown - it is a mohair type yarn and 2 hanks of a gorgeous rose coloured silk



There were also two soaps which have been clothed in felt which I will use to scent drawers



aren't they just so lovely.

And finally, if all this wasn't enough a wonderful old pattern book, which I have been after for some time. Here's an example of the pages



Its just fab. Thank you Emma, you're the best Secret Pal a girl could have.

for now
Ruby xxx

Should it stay or should it go?

I knitted this sweater by Zoe Mellor in Rowan Handknit Cotton for my daughter a number of years ago..



It no longer fits and isn't really cool enough anymore. I have three choices really: -
1) pass it on - but there is no one who it will fit amongst family and friends.
2) pack it up in a suitcase and put in the loft for safe keeping.
3) deconstruct, recycle and re-use.

My real options are numbers 2 and 3 and as loath as I am to take apart something that was my child's I really feel its worse to lock it away for ever to go musty and fade.

What do you all think? Should I let my sentimental side win, or should I make something new?

I received a wonderful pressie off my beloved a few days ago. This great book about vintage fashion



Not only does it provide an excellent historical reference, images are a wonderful source of inspiration. Its a beautiful book.

I have started working on a new design for knitonthenet using a Habu silk yarn



Photos/swatches to follow shortly.

I was reminded that I had some of this yarn when reading lomester's blog. She has knitted a great version of my Paper Bag pattern. It looks fab. Made me feel so proud.

On the down side, it has rained all day today - all day.

Anyway, for now

Ruby xx

Feeling positive and A Stitch in Time

Spoke to dad and he is feeling very positive. He has already started dealing with things to make sure he gets prompt, correct treatment. So I am determined to be positive too.

I got up really early this morning and enjoyed a gloriously sunny warm start to the day. Had several cups of tea and finished off the first of my gloves



It looked really really small as I was knitting and sewing it up but it fits beautifully when I put it on. Now I've figured out how the fingers work I'll try and photograph the process on the second one as its really interesting, especially as I've only ever made gloves on dpn's before.

The lace pattern looks lovely on the back of the glove. I don't know whether I should embellish it at all or should I leave it as is?



I've made the little finger very slightly too long so may have to adjust it, or grow my fingernail longer!

I can now officially say that I am helping knitonthenet with the republication of 'A Stitch in Time' by Jane Waller. Its a real favorite of mine with lots of original patterns going from the 1920's to the 1940's. I will be helping with knitting, technical editing, pattern corrections etc.

This glove pattern is in the book and the gloves will be being rephotographed and used in the book.

Its extremely exciting and will certainly help to keep me focused.

Finally thank you for everyone's supportive comments. They have really helped me. My stomach is still quietly churning but I'm keeping my mind busy.

for now

Ruby xxx

You have good days and then you have s*** days

I don't know whether I feel right about airing this on my blog but I feel a need to get it out of me. I had really bad news this morning - that my dad has prostrate cancer. He already has a condition called cardiomyopathy that has killed off 80% of his heart, and now this. I guess i'm angry with the gods, with fate, with the turn of the cards, whatever it is and I don't know where to put it all.

I had struggled at my wedding when someone had called him a lovely OLD man. It completely shocked me that other people see him that way. And now, this. I'm surprised how badly I'm handling this. I'm normally the one who takes it all on the chin and gets on with things. Today I want to curl up in a ball and cry. I would never let dad know thats how I feel. He's being fantastically positive as he always is. He was given 2 years to live 10 years ago so he's not one to take things lying down. I just don't want anything to happen to him.

I don't really know how to finish this posting and I'm so sorry if I've been depressing. I will be back tomorrow with a positive blog.

Frank Sinatra said 'I've been up and down and over and out, but I know one thing; each time I find myself flat on my face I pick myself up and get back in the race. That's Life.'

for now
Ruby xxx

clearing out the cupboards

I embarked on my spring cleaning rather belatedly yesterday, when it finally dawned that I couldn't get any of my clothes back into the cupboards because they were already full. I happened upon my first ever intarsia knit, knitted way back in the scary days of the late 1980's with dropped shoulders and no shaping. However, I still love it...



It's my "Whaam" jumper based on a piece of pop art by Roy Lichtenstein. (For more information and to see images of the original painting try www.lichtensteinfoundation.org) The picture above is the back. The front shows the plane cockpit and nose



and on the sleeve are the words "I pressed the fire control and ahead of me rockets blazed through the sky ..."



I can even remember I used Pinqouin cotton (which hasn't been available in the UK for years and years) and it took a long long time but I loved every minute, and to be honest I had forgotten how much I enjoyed colour work, painting with the stitches. I miss it and must try to incorporate into my work again.

anyway, for now, feeling very nostalgic,
Ruby xx

A host of WIP's

I don't know if there is a technical word for a multiple of WIP's but these are a few of the many things I am working on right now.

The first are these lovely gloves:



using Jamieson & Smith 2 ply lace yarn. Its 100% pure wool in shade L68. Its more of a raspberry shade than it looks on screen. You knit the gloves on only 2 needles. I've had to FROG once as I haven't quite got the finger placement instructions worked out right yet. I'm hoping I'll crack it tonight. This is obviously the first glove so I've still got to do a second. I hope I don't run out of enthusiasm.

I found an alternate yarn for my Paper Bag pattern from Spring Knitty. I've tried using Debbie Bliss Donegal Aran Tweed. Again its a pure wool. You need to up the needle size to 5mm (US 8)
but it works rather well. It gives a completely different look to the bag.



I would use these handles with it



and a brown and orange 50's or 70's print fabric as a lining. I have an old tablecloth with brown and orange flowers on it that I would probably use. I don't know if I'll make it up into the bag or not though as the yarn, fabric and handle combination have given me an idea for another bag.

I've also been swatching with my gorgeous Habu Textiles pure silk that I received from my Secret Pal. It drapes beautifully. Very soft and fluid. The colour is gorgeous. I also have some Habu stainless steel yarn that I keep threatening to use. I think the combination with this yarn and colour will be perfect.



I'll show you more of this one as it proceeds. It's a very simple 7 stitch repeat, of K5, yfwd, k2tog., with the number of stitches at the beginning of each RS row decreasing then increasing to move the eyelets. The WS is just Purl every time. I've just got to order a load more skeins of it now to make a full garment with it. The yardage is very good though, there is 155yds (138 mtrs) in 25gm.

There are more ongoing projects but I'll save them for another day.

The sky out of the window is turning black and once again I think we're going to have rain.

for now
Ruby xx

Knitting news, no camera and falling trees!

I now definately have no blogging camera! Despite many attempts to get it working again it won't even switch on. (I have changed the batteries!) I will have use of a camera at the weekend and have some interesting stuff to take photos of. I have been asked to be involved in a very big project connected with www.knitonthenet.com but can't say any more about it at this point. Will hopefully be able to show you more at the weekend.

Can anyone recommend a good cheap digital camera that takes good clear close up photos. There are so many to choose from I don't really know where to start.

At the weekend we went to our friends' home set in the middle of a wood. One day things were wonderfully calm with the sun shining into the beautiful conservatory (can you imagine a more idyllic place to sit and knit?)



Then that same evening the wind and rain arrived. As we were eating our evening meal a huge branch from the nearest sycamore tree came crashing down on the dining room roof...





We were very lucky. It just seemed to bounce off the house. It completely covered the back door. Strangely enough, we all slept very well that night. I guess we thought once it had happened once it wasn't going to happen again.

(Photographs courtesy of Mr Ruby's far superior camera!)

for now
Ruby xx

Adaptions to frolic

My version of Frolic is progressing SLOWLY but successfully. I have knit the body in the round



and am very happy with the side seam shaping. I think it works really nicely. When I reached the bustline I thought I would try some additional shapings. Being of a 'fuller cup' I didn't really want the ribbing just to stretch and distort over my bust so rather than do the last round of increases I positioned increases in the front of the garment to create bust shaping - cups almost -





I hope this will make a better fitting garment. I am going to knit the sleeves in the round and join them to the body and work the raglan shaping all in the round. At this point I can try it on again and make sure it fits neatly around the shoulder or if necessary work some decreases before casting off.

My camera has just died again. Its very tempremental - I think I probably need a new one but I seem to go through cameras like water and they are expensive things plus I don't like having to throw them away. I have some swatches for my 'paper bag' from knitty, http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/PATTpaperbag.html but as yet have not been successful photographing them. They will follow shortly.

Immediately before my camera expired I took photos of the beautiful wild foxgloves that the kind birds have brought into our garden. This is one of many:



Aren't they gorgeous.

Well, for now

Ruby xx

Doesn't time fly....

I can't believe its a week since I last blogged. This week has gone so unbelievably quickly that this afternoon I felt like someone had sneaked into my brain in the night and taken a whole week of memory out. I have been doing, and been very busy, but won't be posting any progress photos tonight. I will tomorrow. But tonight I'm packing my baby's suitcase. My daughter is off with her school for 6 days on a foreign language trip in Spain. We have to get her to school at 05.45 in the morning! So the last couple of days have been taken up with all the planning, shopping, clothes altering etc etc necessary for her to be ready. I'm going to miss her so much.

The one thing I've made absolutely certain she put in her suitcase is a safety pin. I usually always carry at least one safety pin and a mending kit in my handbag. However, after a tidy up of my handbag the above mentioned items ended up on my window sill and forgotten about. On Saturday afternoon whilst walking round my local shops in the sunshine (therefore without a coat!) the zip on my skirt broke! I had to walk round with my skirt pulled up and my sweater pulled down till we got to the nearest habedashery and bought a box of safety pins. My friend, also never goes anywhere without safety pins, but had, to attend my wedding, also cleared out her bag to make it sleeker for the day, and had also forgotten to return the pins to their usual place.

********* NEVER GO OUT OF THE HOUSE WITHOUT A SAFETY PIN ****************

How embarrassing. It did however stop me spending money on yarn in the habedashery department of my local store.

I have to return to my sewing machine now to taper a pair of denim jeans and shorten them by about 8 inches! They are the last thing to be packed.

I will post some WIP photos tomorrow.

but
for now
Ruby xxx

A walking river, wonderful wool in Wales & much more

First of all may I thank everyone who has sent best wishes to myself and Mr Ruby. You are all incredibly thoughtful.

This is the scene that greeted people as they walked through London on Saturday lunch time. The Wateraid river being carried through the London streets to Downing Street in peaceful protest.
What a fantastic sight.



Congratulations to everyone who took time out to carry a section of the river. It is now to be cut up into sections and passed on to be used, if anyone knows of charities who need knitted blankets/throws maybe you could let me know and I'll pass the names on.

I have made a number of knitting decisions and treated myself to a bit of an book buying spree this week. I have purchased a second hank of the beautiful Lorna's Lace yarn (from Get Knitted) that my secret pal got me and an equally beautiful pattern to make myself this pair of socks.



I haven't knitted socks for quite a while so hope I dont' get SSS.

I have also purchased some Lana Grossa Royal Tweed to make this sweater out of Stephanie Japel's Fitted Knits



I was originally going to make it the colour as in the photo but couldn't get the colour in the UK so have opted for this lovely blue with mustard flecks



My final knitting purchase of the week was Runway Knits by Berta Karapetyan of Karabella Yarns. What a lovely, lovely book. There are so many very wearable, elegant, well shaped garments in the book I don't know where to start. The shaping Berta has done on many of the cabled garments is just sublime.



I think this is going to be a very well used book. Classy, quality designs.

I have been going through a very favorite book of mine called Blueprints of Fashion by Wade Laboissonniere, which shows pattern envelopes from the 1950's. It doesn't actually include the patterns themselves but the inspiration it provides is limitless. I am working on a number of ideas combining 1950's fit and drape into knitted garments. I should have some illustrations in a few days.



I have also finally decided which yarn to use for my second Sexy Knitters KAL which is Rusted Root



I have purchased some Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece in Holly Green. I saw one of the other lovely sexy knitters wearing this and finally knew it was the right colour, and then found out that I could get it in the UK which I hadn't realised. Its an incredibly economical 80% cotton/20% wool mix. 215 yards to 100g ball for less than £4 per ball. It only takes 4 balls to make a medium Rusted Root sweater.



I haven't started knitting with it yet but it feels lovely. The merino in it adds just enough softness. I have pressed on with my Frolic in 4ply cotton on circulars but progress is slow, though attractive. I'm definately going to need at least one project to knit alongside it to keep me going.



This is where I'm up to, have just started increasing after working waist decreases and working straight for the waist. Love the colour combination. Don't know when I'm going to finish it though. The needles are Susanne's bamboo circulars that I get from Scottish Fibres and they are gorgeous needles. Very smooth to knit with. They don't seem to get much press but I love them.

And my last treat, three wonderful craft books, at least one of which I know the entire blogging world seems to be talking about.



All three are very nice books. There is a bit of duplication in the projects and you probably wouldnt need all three unless you are obsessed like me. My daughter found the Lotta Jansdotter very easy to follow and loved the clear paper patterns that came with the book. She is doing Textiles GCSE and is finding it very useful. I wouldn't like to pick a favourite although the Jansdotter book is beautifully made. There are things in each of them that I will use.

And finally, I am off to Wales at the weekend to Wonderwool Wales, celebrating welsh wool, yarns and craftsmanship. I will no doubt buy even more yarn, and might possibly not fit in my house for very much longer. Its a good job my beloved really, really loves me or I could be in real trouble.

for now
Ruby xx

WEDDING BELLS

I hope the image above gives a clue as to my recent blogging absence. I got married last Friday. It was a wonderful day shared by close family and friends. Unfortunately in the week leading up to it I didn't get very much time to knit! Which is really very unfair. However, I took some knitting away on honeymoon with us, but, sin of sins, forgot to pack a sweater, and when the weather turned I felt very stupid.

We only decided to get married 7 weeks ago and am very proud of how we managed to get everything organised. I don't think I would change a thing. I bought my dress from Monsoon Wedding range 'off the shelf' and felt like a million dollars (without spending it).

We have spent a few days in the Lake District at a beautiful old hotel, in a room with its own balcony were I managed to sit and knit. I received a wonderful gift from my Secret Pal just before we left. How cleverly thought out - a crystal champagne flute with a hank of champagne coloured pure silk yarn from Habu Textiles inside. I must have the best Secret Pal ever.



Finally I have lots of news on the knitting front which I'll blog about over the weekend.
but

for now
Mrs Ruby xxx

Paper Bag update

The yarn for Paper bag featured in Spring knitty can be purchased direct from Habu Textiles.
This is the direct link to the product page on their site:

http://www.habutextiles.com/webfile/n-24.html

I am working on some samples to show alternative yarns, however the best yarns to use are Sport or Aran weight with a stitch tension of 19sts.



Will not be blogging for a few days but will be back early next week with news and photos.

for now
Ruby xxx

My logo is missing....

My logo has disappeared from the top of my blog page. I will recover it shortly but need help from my expert who is still at work. A nice little job for him when he gets home.

for now
Ruby xx

Springtime projects

The sun is out
The sky is blue
There's not a cloud to spoil the view

and I want to knit something that makes me feel the same. Have spent two days searching through my patterns and have decided project one will be Frolic:



Knitted in Rowan 4 ply cotton on 3mm needles. I'm going to make a couple of adjustments to the pattern. I'm going to knit in the round and am not going to cast off so I can knit the stitches for the neckline instead of having to pick them up.

I have a pack of Rowan 4 ply in cooking apple which is a discontinued colour but I love it



which I'm going to knit most of Frolic in, but I'm going to work the first 4 rounds in cream and the rib neckband in cream aswell and possibly the sleeve cast on - we shall see. The neck might be a bit fiddly but we shall see when we get there.

I am impatiently waiting for the postman to bring me my set of Denise interchangeable circular needles that I have ordered in the special pink case but they haven't arrived yet.



When they do I can use them for Frolic.

I have had a bit of an internet splurge today and shall post photos when everything arrives.

Oh, Frolic is from Rowan book 29. Not one of my favorites initially, but have since knitted loads out of it. A grower,



For now

Ruby

Review in Knitting magazine May 2007

Other exciting news. I received a text late this afternoon from a friend who had just been reading the new Knitting magazine. And in their blog reviews there I am. The assistant editor Katie Allen, has written a lovely review of my blog. I'm really flattered. I think she must have caught me in my 'blue' period when I didnt blog for a few weeks as she kindly asked me to start blogging again. So glad I did. What a fab day its been. Very very happy.

for now,

Ruby x

So much to blog about, so little time...

This has ended up being a week with a lot to talk about. First of all, did I finish Sahara? NO. I knitted all weekend. It was wonderful. However, a couple of design issues meant I had to frog, which has slowed me down no end. First of all, I decided to go with the cap sleeve version of Sahara, but when I tried it on the sleeve was much to loose round the top of my arm. So out it had to come. I was going to figure out some decreasing but as the sleeve is knitted from the shoulder down in short rows, I didn't really want to start messing with what was supposed to be a pain free project, so I'm now doing the sleeveless version. All I now have left to do is the sleeve edging.

The other problem I had was with the hem edging at the bottom of the garment. I initially cast off loosely as suggested on the pattern but still found the edge didn't have enough give - especially for those of us with shapely bottoms! So I frogged again. I have now knit the edging on 3.75mm needles and cast off with a 5mm needle and it sits so much better.



This is how it looks at the moment, modelled by the lovely, new Dita Von Dummy, not replacing Marilyn Mannequin, just offering a different look.



I was worried the front might have been too low, but it has worked out beautifully.



I am really pleased with the finished result. The fit is exquisite. This is one I think I will definately knit again. I may even try and stretch to the original Tilli Thomas yarn.

I also received a lovely, lovely, parcel from my lovely, lovely SP10 friend. The photos I have taken of the yarn have come out all blurred, but I received 2 beautiful hanks of yarn from the Natural Dye Studio in the most glorious shade of GREEN - my favorite. My SP10 tells me that all the dyes used are completely natural, so I'm going to investigate this company further. I also received a hank of Lorna's Laces yarn in a beautiful colourway, which I will try and photograph again to do it justice. I then also received a tin box of buttons. Fantastic. Not only do I collect buttons, but unbeknownst to my SP10 I collect tin boxes. It couldn't have been better.



It goes on. I also got a fab mug, which also wouldn't photograph with the words 'life is nothing without friendship' How true. Friends make the world go round. Thank you Emma, my SP10 you made my day.

OOh, she also sent me a recipe for the best cup cakes ever so I am going to have a go this weekend and shall let you all know.

for now

Ruby x