Knitting Update

I haven't written about my knitting for a few weeks so I thought that I would bring those who are interested up to date with my work. I found that I had enough wool to make a third hat which is as different to the other two as they are to each other.

Hat No 1
Hat No 2Hat No 3

After the hats I started to knit a V-necked pullover, but put that to one side because it is really a winter jumper, and therefore can wait for a couple of months before I start working on it again. So I started knitting an afghan for a friend. It was to be the same pattern that I had used for an afghan for myself a few months back and I thought that I had enough wool left over from what I bought for mine (I drastically overestimated how much I would need) to be able to complete this second afghan. But I miscalculated and knew that although there would be enough to complete the main part of the afghan, there wouldn't be enough for the edging. It was possible that I might be able to get another ball of the wool that I was using but I made the decision that to create a different effect I would use a contrasting colour to complete the last pattern repeat on the afghan and to create the edging. On Tuesday morning, armed with a length of the yarn that I had been using, I went back to the shop where I had bought the wool to look for something that was the same thickness and yarn composition, but which would provide a contrast to the bulk of the afghan. I found what I was looking for and Tuesday evening I started the last pattern repeat with the contrast yarn and was quite pleased with the effect that it created. Yesterday I started working the edging on the shawl and it is progressing slowly. I estimate that I should be able to finish the edging by about Tuesday of next week, although it may get done earlier if I have an evening where I really get on with it. Then I need to sew in the few ends and it will be completed and ready for me to give to my friend.

Yes, I am indeed using three needles to finish off the afghan. The needle on the left is the circular needle on which the afghan has been knitted, while the two double-pointed needles are the ones that the edging is knit on although on alternate rows one of the stitches from the circular needle is knitted with the last stitch of the row on the double-pointed needles, thus forming the join between the edging and the afghan.

While I was buying the contrast yarn for the afghan, I also found some other yarn being sold for a good price. The problem with knitters is that they are always looking for bargains and will buy any that they find to put into their stash for use in the future. Well, I'm just like any other knitter and I have my stash of yarn for future projects and I bought some of this cheap yarn for a pullover or a cardigan (I haven't quite made my mind up yet). It is somewhat unusual in composition because it looks a little like it is made from crocheted chain stitch. But it will make a change from the somewhat ordinary feeling (although one cannot describe the projects that have been completed recently as ordinary looking) yarn that I have been working with for the last few months. I'll put up a photograph of the finished project when I get round to knitting it.

Just in case you weren't aware, if you click on any of the photographs on this blog an enlarged version will open in another window, so you can see whatever is illustrated in all its glory.