ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

Skill + 1UP or I think I want, I think I want to knit socks!!

Have I been upskilling myself in the knitting world in recent times?

I guess so. In the time since I arrived in Europe, specifically in the Netherlands at the end of August 2008 I have tried a number of techniques that I had never looked at previously and I have rekindled an interest in simple lace stitches. It has been easy to work on new techniques when away from all the interruptions that a normal life at home in New Zealand allows. In New Zealand one had friends to see, family to be with, stuff to do other than knitting, like gardening and so on. Here in the Netherlands Best Beloved is at work so I have peaceful time on my side, time to explore and to play with yarns and concepts and colours and obviously to explore and experience the Netherlands and so I have.

Carbon Footprint - Shadow Knitting

and then there is the orange crepe paper crown that I started, required for Queens Day on the 30th of April. I have also used dpn’s for the first time knitting a pair of simple ribbed fingerless gloves.

Feather and Fan arm warmers

Skirt with hyperbolic plane inc

But my big hairy goal – is sock knitting.

Which sock pattern would you recommend for a new sock knitter, me.

I can knit in the round, I can knit simple lace, I can follow charts, I can follow written instructions, I can knit with dpn’s, I have sock yarn, and I have IOU’s for 2 pairs of red socks.

Help please, advice requested. Which sock pattern do you recommend for plain red socks for the two men in my life, my son and my Best Beloved?

World Wide Words: states that Upskilling is a moderately common technical term and the Second Additions Volume of the Oxford English Dictionary cites a first use as long ago as 1983.

Upskilling refers to increasing the skills of workers, usually through training. Critics say that upskilled workers are not necessarily better paid, nor do they have better promotion prospects, and that upskilling benefits the employer rather than the worker.

I think the critics are nearly right – upskilled knitters are not necessarily better paid – but they have lots of fun, gain pleasure, have more to offer other knitters and are all round contented, well balanced, and interesting people.

Knitting and Crochet Blog Week

I am staggered that my waistcoat which I am knitting in one piece to the under arms – is working out as a striped one. That is the colour changes are almost so correct that each set of the 4 rows of Feather and Fan (Shale) stitch pattern is in an individual colour. Now that isn’t a problem, I just didn’t expect it to be quite so distinct.

The problem I have now is what to do when I divide for the armholes. Do I cut the yarn and maintain the stripes more or less, or do I cut the yarns and use a different colour more or less for each front and for the back? I am having trouble visualising the end result and it is unusual for me to have a problem visualising colour on a piece I am creating, but this is such a surprising result that I am having a minor conniption.

I know! I carried on knitting, not believing my eyes – but now I must believe the camera.

Has anyone created a waistcoat using Kureyon Sock Yarn and made some decisions on where to go to from here? Please.

I found on the internet that there are 2 Noro Kureyon yarns and one is described as a gorgeous self striping 100% wool yarn, and mine being Kureyon Sock yarn contains 30% nylon yarn. It is also described as having long, subtle color changes, which is not happening on my waistcoat – where the stripes are clear not subtle – but that is to do with the width I have chosen to knit, not the yarn.

I have often expressed the wish to attend a knit and stitch show or other similar anywhere in the world. We have been here in the Netherlands for just over 2 years and I haven’t made it as yet.

As luck would have it – Best Beloved wanted a trip to the UK, and he wanted it originally in the last week in September. Discussions at his work ensued and he is taking the week the 2nd to 10th October. As luck would have it “The Knitting & Stitch Show” at Alexandra Palace is on the 7th – 10th and I can be there. I don’t know on which day(s) yet, I don’t know if I will be able to take any classes or whether I will just look and see [buy]! as I might only have one day.

Can’t believe it really, Best Beloved has leave & we’re going to the UK and The Knitting & Stitch Show is on. How lucky can I be.

I am going to the HANDWERKBEURS AHOY in ROTTERDAM on Friday 15th October as well – two in one month. Brilliant. And I am doing a class with Nicky Epstein.

As luck would have it October is turning into a great month.

And I have been warned – @lapurplepenguin – Take big empty bag to Ally Pally – however disciplined you plan to be, you come out laiden.

I wonder what Best Beloved will make of that news then.

I just can’t wait to say it – and I still have the medium length gloves to complete.

BUT I love this pattern and I cannot believe that I have actually created something using a lace pattern, even a very simple lace pattern, and then it is for arms! I don’t create for arms!

But these are so much fun, I know what I shall be knitting for wintery presents – MY FINGERLESS GLOVEs or GAUNTLETs. The name is a very personal thing, it could be a glove, a mitten, gauntlet or lacy thingymebob to keep hand and arms warm in a stylish fashion, or just arm and hand warmers.

So for the short length – only 40 rows or to the length you want x 2 – as most people have two hands. Not at all daunting for the quick Christmas present.

My etsy listing for these gloves At only US $2.50 till 19th September. Pattern available from Monday 13th.

My short length PURPLE version is a one skein pattern, and will become a favourite. Wear it one way and you have the curve of the fan over your hand, turn it one turn and the narrow rib at the back sits along the thumb and the fan curves are now over your hand sides, as it were. Perfect for a chilly day, easy and quick to knit and oh so “In fashion” right now. Make a pair to match your various clothing colour themes.

So you live in a warmer climate! then use a cotton or bamboo, or other cooler fibre, as I have done with the full length green version. These are stunningly stylish, young and oh so cool – being cotton; and oh so cool – being fashionable.

Wikipedia: A glove (Middle English from Old English glof) is a garment covering the hand. Gloves have separate sheaths or openings for each finger and the thumb; if there is an opening but no covering sheath for each finger they are called “fingerless gloves”. Fingerless gloves with one large opening rather than individual openings for each finger are sometimes called gauntlets.

You see we are having house guests (son and family), they are arriving from Switzerland on Sunday. Should I be preparing our small Dutch house for the influx, or should I just knit – which is what I feel doing? I am knitting capelets, I have 2 more on the needles right now as well as that shadow knitting bag (still not completed) and the red socks that I owe son and Best Beloved – that old IOU, you remember it, don’t you?

I bought son some New Zealand merino socks whilst in New Zealand recently, as a salve for my conscience – such tardiness I am expressing with regard to the knitting of socks. I didn’t discover the new “Red Socks” campaign that was held in New Zealand on July 2nd (while I was there), until today when researching “Red Socks” yet again.

Darn, I could have bought son and Best Beloved Red Socks and not have to consider knitting those all elusive socks for them myself.

And then there is the cardigan for Angelica, the poncho/capelet for Elaine, pattern for gorgeous waistcoat, and a vest for….. Damm – I would much rather knit.

Today is a cool 21c which is a remarkable temperature to be working on knitting, designing and writing. Crosby Stills & Nash are singing loudly. All is good, I have had a great coffee. I have found the connector plug to attach to my iron’s plug so that it can work here in the Netherlands. The big problem is that it wants me to hold it to do the ironing. Will son and family care if the pillow cases are ironed or not? Probably not.

While in New Zealand, I posted to myself, here in the Netherlands some more of my yarn stash – I need to sort it, work out where to store (hide) it. Well maybe I don’t need to hide it anymore – Best Beloved knows how much yarn I have . Well I think he has a general idea that there is enough yarn to knit for the lifetime of a fanatic – trouble is I have the yarn, but am running out of lifetime, having reached nearly middle age as you can tell having just raced to 63 whilst in New Zealand.

Thing is – house guests for 2 weeks – I have to be able to knit while they are here, or I will forget how, maybe (they say you forget things as you age, so maybe I am forgetting things, I just can’t remember if that is so).

So I think I will sort yarns to knit the wedding gift that I have mentioned in earlier posts. Once the yarns are sorted, it will be a doddle to knit. I don’t have to write anything down for it, I just knit.

That could be a perfect solution, sort yarns today, and then prepare somewhat for the guests.

Too bad about the ironing