Recycled yarn, hooray!

See this jumper?


Now you don't!



aaaand jumper!

Pattern:Ubernatural, from magknits

Needles: Addi Turbo 10s, 10 mm DPNS and 8 mm circular and DPNS for the ribbling

Time sucked: Three days

Modifications: I knitted the sleeves longer by knitting 20 rows in stocking stitch on 10mms before switching to rib, slightly lenghthened the body, and nipped in the waist.

I am ADDICTED to the top-down raglan now. Addicted! So quick! No seaming! You can gauge the measurements precisely as you go along! It may not be the most slimming jumper ever, but I wear it every other day at the moment. I found the pattern pretty straightforward, once I had found the pattern corrections. Before that, I admit I was crying over my circulars for a bit. But only for a bit.

Recycling is not just for yarn

Recycled jumper tote, using an old Penney's jumper. I have a horrendously low IQ, and spent hours last night trying to work out the spatial logistics of how to line the bag and which side to sew on. Nightmare, I tell you, but it gives the bag so much more structure. Also, it looks cuter.
Pattern: Made more or less according to the instructions for a recycled sweater tote given here, but with a square bottom, and lined.

Materials: old Penney's (Primark, for UK readers) lambswool stripey raglan, patchwork cotton for lining.

Time sucked: Two somewhat frenzied evenings.

I like it. I wear it with pride.

Rebecca lace jumper

Pattern: Model number 40, from Rebecca knitting magazine no. 40.

Yarn: The original is knitted in pink cashmere, and I calculated that to use the yarn required would work out at about 220 euros.

220! I might JUST pay that for a jumper hand-knitted by Vivienne Westwood, but certainly NOT one cobbled together by me. So it's knitted in a discontinued Prestige yarn that I scored on eBay, hence the slightly unexpected bright orange colour: Bluefaced Leicester Hog DK, it says, 70% wool 30% silk.

Modifications: I also only had 550 grammes of this, and it turns out that it's a really heavy yarn: I didn't want to knit the jumper with flared sleeves anyway, because they annoy me, but I had to shorten them considerably to make the yarn last. But I think it looks pretty damn nice with short sleeves too - which also means I can wear it right away even though it's May already.

Time sucked: About a month, on and off

The pattern and lace chart was very easy to follow, and I think the lace is gorgeous. The only quibbles I have is a slight problem understanding how to increase on the sleeves - are you supposed to increase in pattern, or have a section of plain stocking stitch growing on each side of the sleeve as you increase? and the fact that the pattern only comes in one size, 38/40 (10/12 Irish/UK size). I was slightly worried that it wouldn't stretch to fit me, but blocked, it did. However, it fits pretty snugly, so I'm not sure how large a range of sizes it would fit.

Overall, a MUCH more fun knit than any plain stocking stitch jumper I've knitted, AND it turned out really flattering. This is the first thing that I've knitted that feels as though it is more fabulous than anything I could buy in the shops. I'm delighted.

Vintage FO: Blackberry

Following on my adventures in recycling yarn, I bring you

FO: Knitty's Blackberry

First we had Shapeless Charity Shop Jumper, which I scored for seven euros:

and then we had Stringy Yarn...

And now, within the space of roughly five days, we have a cardigan!

http://www.knitty.com/issuefall05/PATTblackberry.html
Pattern: Knitty's Blackberry

Yarn: Recycled 100% wool purple tweed.

Needles: 7mm Addi Turbos

Time sucked: Five days. Went on the needles last Thursday, was finished, blocked and dried by tonight.

Pattern modifications: I changed the reverse stocking stitch to normal, and left off the bobbles, because the poor wool had seen enough bobbles in its last incarnation.

Verdict

Now, I know it's not the most flattering cardi ever for a bosomous person, but it is
quick and goddamn, it is warm, and my flat is fucking FREEZING in the daytime. Curvy people need chunky sleeves
too. I may not look va-va-voomish, but I recalculated the gauge properly (which thrilled me no end) and I now have
cosy shoulders, and really, what is not to love? This is an astonishingly easy knit. And seven euros it cost me for the
original jumper, which, for pure wool, is a bargainous result by anyone

hat on dpns

Stocking stitch hat knitted more or less freestyle on 3 mm dpns, out of ggh superwash 100% wool yarn, trimmed with ggh Mystik in seed stitch. I used the kitty hat in Stitch and Bitch as a rough guide, but merrily adapted it myself for skinnier wool. This was before I learned to ssk: hence, the crown decreases make a spiral shape, as they are all k2togs.

Verdict: hats in dk yarn are not warm enough. But I learned!