It’s raining in Geneva

Posted on June 23, 2024 by knitigatingcircumstances

Doug and I are in Geneva. We were expecting some sunshine after a cold and rainy spring in England, but apparently we are bad weather attractors as it is rainy and overcast here and apparently now hot and sunny back home. I am expecting this will reverse itself as soon as we step on the plane to head home.

That is the most I shall complain, however, because I am here with old friends, and that is always a good place to be. We spent two days attending a great linguistics workshop in a beautiful villa on the banks of the lake. The cooler temps meant that my piping hot sweater came in handy, and Doug snapped a cool photo:

We only brought carry-on luggage with us, so I had very little space available for knitting. So, I decided to start something new to bring with me. I ordered some lovely blue Kalinka linen before I left:

And I cast on for the Hør no 19 top by Lone Kjeldsen:

I have got the first two pattern repeats done. The photo below is a bit deceptive as it looks somewhat like the yoke of a top being knitted top down, but is in fact a top being knitted in the round bottom up.

Here is a closer view of the stitch pattern:

The linen is scrunchie and a bit hard on the hands to knit. It is also a fairly dark blue which for me means I need good lighting to see what I am doing. However, the linen gets softer once it is washed, and continues to get softer still with time as it gets worn and washed.

I am here for another 4 days and it looks like the thunderstorm-y weather will continue. But I hope to spend time chatting with old friends, eating good food, strolling by the lake (possibly in the rain), lounging and reading, and knitting.

Have a good Sunday, everyone!

How to be a Knitter’s Spouse: Lesson 1

Posted on June 7, 2024 by knitigatingcircumstances

Doug: “Hey honey! What did you do today?”

Kelly: “I bought more yarn.”

Doug: “Good. We wouldn’t want you to run out.”

‘Piping hot’ is piping hot

Posted on June 2, 2024 by knitigatingcircumstances

The moment I saw the Piping Hot design by Lily Kate, I knew I had to make it. The colours are amazing and the piping is such a great feature. It’s classic, but fun. I saw the pattern and purchased the yarn instantly – not my usual MO. And now it’s done!

I started this way back in October. It’s kind of been a long haul. The start of the sweater is fiddly; it takes some concentration to get the shoulders right and to get used to managing the bobbins. There are a lot of things to pay attention to right at the start. But the results are worth it. I love the way the piping looks.

Lily Kate suggests sizing down if you are between sizes, and I am happy that I followed her advice, as the fit at the shoulder is really important to getting it to drape properly. You can see from the back that the fit is good.

I often moan here about bad timing with finishing sweaters in the wrong season. Here it is, June, and I am just finishing a long-sleeved DK sweater. However, this year, it is a masterstroke in timing, as the weather has been total crap! See, a knitter can always find a silver lining to cold, grey skies.

I followed the instructions pretty much exactly. I added about 2 inches/5cm to the sleeves, and I also spaced out the sleeve decreases a bit (decreasing once every 5 rows, instead of once every 4 rows as instructed). Once you join in the round at the underarms, all of the fiddly bits are done, and then it is an easy knit.

This is my first time using this yarn, and it is lovely. It is so soft, and it blooms beautifully once it is washed. I am really hoping that it keeps its shape and doesn’t pill, because I want to use this yarn again and again. It comes in such great, bright colours too; right in my wheelhouse.

You may not be surprised to find out that this bright red and pink sweater matches most of my wardrobe! Fancy that!

This really feels like a sweatshirt; soft, comfortable, warm, roomy. But it has so much more style than a sweatshirt.

It took eight months to knit this sweater. Eight months is a long time. But, during that time, I wrote a book (!) and had a second bout of covid, so I have no complaints about the timeline. I imagine that if you want to knit this one, it will fly off your needles.