Athena Dreams

How a Lady Bug Can Teach a Lesson

Lady Bugs, as far as the eye can see . . . The body has been finished and I have spent much of the last week weaving in ends. I have to say it is not my strong suit, and neither is the colour changing and floating. I am a "thrower" as we are called, and a couple of times a year I try to knit the way my grandmother did with all that continental flair, but the klutz wins out and I end up pulling more stitches off the needle than actually knitting them.

Thanks to the diminutive size of this colour work sweater (it is a 1-1/2 year old size), I did not quite lose my mind, or my patience, but it nearly happened. All of this has made me re-think the joys of colour/stranded work. I know, I heard myself gasp as I typed this.

I have spent many an hour looking at the photos of all the phenomenally gorgeous colourwork sweaters over at Marina's cupboard, and have been so caught up in what the finished product looked like, that I guess I did not spend a great deal of time contemplating the actual work of a sweater like that. I have spent ages of time looking and re-looking through all my Norwegian knitting books, and again, made endless swatches, and have gotten no closer to actually casting on, until this little Lady Bug.

I have swatched ad nauseum, and made you all witnesses to my joy and euphoria about colour and the pairing of colours and the re-matching of colours, and talked of tones and depth of colour and all those things, and I believe I have come to understand that while I love colour with a deep and abiding passion, the actual knitting of multiple colours is just not my thing.

I could see creating a 2-colour knit, but the 3, 4, 5, and 6 and up colours, I think I just need to take a big deep breathe, make a good long and capital lettered Note to Self, maybe even take a step back and ponder. (I am remembering the sock yarn overpurchase after the thrill of the heel, and want to learn some lessons, rather than repeat mistakes.)

So this weekend is the steaming, and the "cutting" and the sewing together of the Lady Bug, and once finished will be studied and discussed, with me, myself and i. I keep reminding myself that we try things and learn whether we are suited for any of the things we try, or, sadly, if we are not. The verdict is not in, so to speak, but me thinks the writing is on the wall, or at best the colour is on the wall. More to come!

Ladybug, Ladybug

Isn't there a rhyme that starts with Ladybug, Ladybug? I thought that there was, but then that's as far as I got with it... so on to the topic: the Marihøne, or Ladybug sweater from Dale's Soft Treasures for Little Ones.

Sleeves are finished and now it's on to the body... this little lovely is for my niece who turns one in April - I can't remember the date, but as this is the first time having to remember her birthday, I'll get it straight after this year.

It's a sweet little pattern, and so perfect because her big brother has called her Ladybug since she was in her mum's tummy. I opted not to use the Baby Ull, the colours were a little too crayon-y and bright, and my sister in law is much more fond of earth-y colours, and so I chose RYC Cashsoft 4 ply. The gauge is not quite spot on, but the sweater will be a tiny bit big, which will just mean that it will still fit her next fall.

The RYC is beautiful, and I chose some similar/same colours as what I used for her Apple Tree Baby Blanket that was made from the RYC Cashsoft Aran. Funny how the colours do not carry through between all the different weights of the Cashsoft. I had wanted the Aubergine colour from her blanket, in the 4-ply, and it didn't exist, so we went for a more blue/purple.

Now, does anyone have good instructions for a pom-pom for the hat?

Vine Lace Baby Hat

2 hats for a baby named Jack.

#1 Hat Vine Lace Baby Hat
Knitting Daily Free Pattern by Sandi Wiseheart
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
Colour: #203 "Ocean-y Teal"

#2 Hat Vine Lace Baby Hat
Knitting Daily Free Pattern by Sandi Wiseheart
Yarn: Rowan Wool Cotton
Colour: #911 "Rich"

They are off to be soaked and blocked today, and then sent to a baby named Jack. If you are needing a quick and wonderfully fun something for a wee one, this hat is a great pattern. Short and sweet, cuz after all it is so small, and a pattern with just enough changes to keep it interesting and easy to memorize (once I was on hat #2).

The Baby is a-coming

So speaking of things resurrected from the past... ah yes, the mitred baby blanket. I think about 4 out of the squares are sewn together, and I need to block the rest and sew them together, and then sew all 9 big squares together. The baby is due in a week or so, so I need to get back to finishing this....

Now, the reason I lost steam... As I was sewing together I realised I don't like the back with all the change colour lines... (see photo above with a few of the squares showing their backsides) and so I have been thinking to get a piece or organic cotton or flannel and sew it on to the back.

Has anyone ever done this with a knitted piece, sewn fabric to it? If so, how did it work out? Good? You'd never do it again?

I am not feeling particularly brave about this, but I don't want to give it to her with all the back showing... Any suggestions gladly accepted.

More Mitres Lead to Games from Long Ago

It is kind of like a giant game of Concentration. Remember that game with the cards laid out face down, where you have to remember where they are and match them... loved that game. It seems/feels a lot harder with squares of knitting. Maybe because in this game I have created there are no exact matches, just the feel of a match... I could spend the next decade knitting more squares and rearranging the overall layout each time a new square is finished.

I did make a "centerpiece". 4 squares that had a slightly different stripe to them. OH, remember 4 Squares? We used to have almost semi permanent chalk lines on my grandparents driveway to play 4 Squares. I can still remember the smell of that red rubber ball.

I am thinking that I will sew a piece of soft green or brown fabric to the back of the blanket once it is all sewn together. I am not loving the backside of the blanket with all the riot of colour changes and lines, so my little OCD Inner Child, is going to cover up the mess!