I like making things: Sweater non progress report and the burning question of the day!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Sweater non progress report and the burning question of the day!

I have to call it a non progress report because I have not progressed despite doing a sleeve yesterday! Time to knit this week has been limited but I did grab some yesterday so I thought i would do a sleeve.

I write my patterns out longhand as my attention to detail is not so good these days so if I have a place to increase or decrease I write that section out and tick off rows as I go. It takes longer but I make fewer mistakes that way. When I was writing out the sleeve pattern I thought that the sleeve was going to be too long and I almost adjusted it but didn't have the confidence in myself to do so............I should have done so! It was very long!!!!!

I also made a mistake with the patterning......completely my own fault. When I had finished doing the pattern section I took out the punch card, reset the punch card lever, reset the cam lever (I think that's what it is called, the big round one in the middle) and the side levers and proceeded to do a row. What I had forgotten to do was take out the contrast colour. I realised this after the first row but didn't think it was a problem because all the stitches on the needles were the main colour. I took the contrast colour out and carried on.

Everything went smoothly and it only took an hour and a half to complete. I was excited, but my excitement was short lived when I took it off and turned it over.

Aside from being way too long there was a straight row of the contrast colour at the top of the patterning. So leaving the contrast colour in the yarn feeder on the carriage, even though it didn't seem to knit is NOT the thing to do. Another lesson learned lol. (No photo as I unraveled it straight away so the yarn wouldn't be too wrinkled to re-knit. I decided to re-use it this time as I have been wasting a lot of yarn on this one!)

So I will adjust my pattern for the length and try again.

But my burning question of the day is............

Does anyone have a way to see the back (which is really the front) of the knitting while it is on the machine. I thought of setting up a light and a mirror under the desk or taking my phone up with me and taking pictures but both seem a bit extreme. It would be nice to be able to see it though so I could stop and restart much sooner if I have made a mistake.

Ideas anyone????????

4 comments:

AnonymousAugust 26, 2011 at 12:57 AM
I crawl under the table so I can see the right side of the work. Not very dignified and not quite as easy as it used to be!
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maureenlthompsonAugust 27, 2011 at 5:09 PM
My crawling under any table days are long gone lol. Tried my phone but it doesn't have a flash on the camera so will try my husband's next time as his does.
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PhilAugust 28, 2011 at 4:31 AM
I normally just fold the knitting towards me and have a look - it usually works ok with me.
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maureenlthompsonAugust 28, 2011 at 10:08 AM
That wouldn't have worked in this case because by the time I had done enough to turn it over I would have almost completed the whole sleeve anyway as it is for a one year old so not very long. I find that with the ribber attached even though it is in the dropped position, it is difficult to see behind. I wanted to see that the patterning had worked out before I went on and finished it. Also I leave the cast on comb on the knitting to keep it stretched out even when I have done with the ribbing. I do take the weights off though. The first time I didn't and the item I was knitting looked so long lol and it was only the back of a baby sweater. I am always amazed at how the knitting goes right back so nicely though after it is off the machine. Sometimes when I am knitting it looks so contorted and I think it is going to be a weird shape, but it isn't.
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As in the words of Thumper: If you can't say 'nuffin nice don't say 'nuffin at all.

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I started this blog in 2011: Ever since my Mum taught me to knit at the age of about six or seven I have made things. Back then it was doll clothes. I was also inspired by Mrs Levitt an elderly lady who had a sewing room in a conservatory type room on the back of her house. I would sit and watch her in awe as she sewed.

When I was a child living in England the school system was such that you started at 5 years, did two years in Infant School, then four years in Primary School then five to seven years in Secondary School, depending on whether you chose to stay on after fifth form to get qualifications to go to University. I can't remember much of the Infant school other than making the standard square doily thingy from fabric that had holes in it so you could embroider patterns into it. A bit like the modern day cross stitch fabric but with bigger holes and spaces to make it easy for small hands to use. I also remember with great joy getting a toy sewing machine one Christmas which sewed only chain stitch but I did make doll clothes on it and that was before I started Primary school. I do have very vivid recollections of Primary school and having sewing and knitting lessons. In Primary school I knitted gloves and made a dress from scratch hand sewing it all.

Secondary school continued on with sewing by which time I had progressed to using full sized sewing machines and was making more intricate skirts and dresses. My parents bought me a proper sewing machine when I was thirteen. I used that same machine right up until I emigrated to Canada at age forty six years.

I have always had a fascination for sewing machines and knitting machines. I bought my first knitting machine at around age twenty one from an ad in a newspaper for twelve pounds. I had absolutely no idea what one was just that I wanted one. I trundled on the bus to the address in the advert and handed over my twelve pounds having absolutely no idea what I had really bought. Fortunately it came with a manual. It was an aged Knitmaster, very basic and I loved it. I wore it out. Next was a Brother push button one which I didn't keep because it was at a time in my life when things were difficult. Later on in my life, around forty, when things were better I bought a brand new Brother punchard machine with a ribber attachment. I loved it and made many things. Life took a different turn, I moved countries twice and along the way, regrettably I sold it.

Now, through the universe's blessing I now have another machine. It is a vintage one because they stopped making them early 90's but works perfectly and I love it. So I decided to make this blog to document my knitting progress and include sewing projects.

In 2013: we embarked on a new hobby, leather-work. My husband got started with it and it drew me in. It is something we can do together. We have a workshop so have plenty of room to work. We added another workbench for me to work on in 2013. We already had one but we were tripping over each other both trying to work at it. We only make things we want to make. It is strictly a hobby. We made some things for our good neighbours who help us out a lot. I am also working on Christmas presents. So this blog now incorporates the leather-work. Knitting and sewing will always be my first love though.

Fast forward to 2023 and now age almost 75 years. I have seven sewing machines, four knitting machines, several ribber attachments and a garter carriage for one of the machines. I am blessed beyond words, but I know that I have more than enough machines to keep me going in my lifetime so I don’t think I will be adding to my collection any time soon……….unless a nice embroidery machine manifests itself very cheaply.

I am a Brit living in the USA, sometimes I spell like a Brit and sometimes like an American. Sometimes I use slang and even make grammatical errors. I blog for the pleasure of it and to record my endeavours in the event that my memory fades, as I am sure it will with more age. I will be able to look back and remind myself of the things I have made along the way. So please forgive my mistakes when reading about my life making things here in the hinterlands and I hope you get as much enjoyment from my blog as I do from reading the blogs I follow.

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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Sweater non progress report and the burning question of the day!

4 comments: