Blocks So Far

I have finished seven blocks in my second round of Arne & Carlos' Quarantine Knit Along.  The cream yarn is Bendigo Woollen Mills merino sock yarn.  The coloured yarn are all from The Noble Fox Co, all but the green are from a set called 'We All Fall Down'.  I included the green for a contrast.

Two Deliveries

Two parcels arrived on Monday with lovely contents.  On the left, a half set of ChiaoGoo circular needles and two skeins of yarn from the Yarn Trader.  From a very nice yarn shop in Adelaide we visited last year while we were there.  The yarn is their own hand dyed.  And the three skeins of yarn on the right are from another very nice yarn shop in Hastings here in Victoria, Little Woolie Makes Yarn Store.  The orange from LolaBean Yarn Co, the rich reds from Life in the Long Grass.  I have a project in mind for the last three, the green and blue will go into the stash.

More Quarantine Knits

Arne and Carlos are back and adding more blocks to the Quarantine Knit Along.  Since my project is done and dusted, I thought I should knit another lot of blocks and the new ones.  So I have started from block number 1.  These are smaller than the others, not double knitted, and different yarn.  Using 4ply on 2.5mm needles, the blocks turn out about 9 x 9cm square.  I made a guide on a piece of calico and blocking after finishing each one with steam from the iron.

Finished the Cardigan

  



Yay.  The yarn is Cleckheaton and the pattern is from Bendigo Woollen Mills, PT8333.  I even got Mitchell to take a photo of me wearing the cardigan.

Finishing a Cardigan

  

Yesterday I had a slippers and knitting day.  I dug out this project on Thursday and I was determined to finish it.  I bought the pattern in January 2018 (had to look it up on Ravalry), which isn't too bad, I thought I started it before that date.  I have had the yarn for years before that and started projects, didn't like how it was going, ripped them out and started something else.  Cant remember how many times I did that but I know it was quite a few.  So yesterday I knitted the neckband and sewed in the sleeves.  It was feeling like I was going to finish last night, but then it also felt like I was rushing, so I stopped.  Today are side and sleeve seams, sewing in ends and  adding buttons.

Little Fish

Had to go and buy a new filter for the fish tank.  The little fish like to play in the stream the filter creates.

Big & Little Ibis

  

The ibis I made to send with the gnome to Piers is bigger than other ibises I have made.  It was crocheted in 8ply, the first ones in 5ply.  Looks like a very tall friend.

Boy or Girl Bunny?

  

This Luna Lapin was recently sent as a gift.  Then the question arose about whether this is a girl or boy.  The general consensus is that because the little rabbit is wearing trousers, then he is a boy.  The one who surprised me most with this is my 22 year old son, I thought that convention was long gone. When I made the rabbit I intended her to be a girl.  She has a pink top with little flowers embroidered on it, not that you can see, but pink feet and inside ears, and a nice winter coat.  Not that boys can't wear pink, I was making girl clothes, and yes, a girl wearing trousers.  Any opinions?

Little Shoe

Actually I made several shoes.  It was a mix of Goldilocks and Cinderella.  One shoe was too big, one to small, and this one was just right.

In Between

At the moment I am struggling to find a project that grabs my attention.  I keep trying things, then no, not working, clear the desk, next.  I covered this coat hanger yesterday.  It is a good in between project.  Nice and quick to crochet and it feels satisfying to finish something.  I am not going to sit here and just crochet hanger covers, that would be boring.  That is why it's a good in between project, just do one every now and then.

The Ibis Whisperer

  

  

  

Piers asked if he could have a gnome.  He was gong to choose one that came home from Can Do Book's Easter window, but none came home.  So I made him one.  Knitted this in between the blocks of the Quarantine Knit Along.  The pair arrived in Sydney yesterday, so I can share them now (a surprise for Piers).  The ibis is larger than the others I have made, he is in 8ply.

Little Knitted Bag

  

This was going to be a little mitten but I changed my mind and thought it would make a sweet little bag.  I learned two new things making this: Latvian Braid and Kitchener Stitch.  The Latvian Braid is the decorative rows of stitches at the top, very easy to do.  I have looked at how to do Kitchener Stitch before, it is how to close the toe when knitting socks, it leaves a smooth join.  So I closed the bottom of the bag with the stitch.  I made the twisted cord handle but it isn't attached yet.  Not sure who the bag is for so I will wait until I know the length the handle should be.  The little bag measures 6x3cm.

Joining The Blocks

  

  



I didn't realise joining double knitted blocks would be difficult to get a nice looking seam on both sides.  A quick look on youtube had only one video showing how to join double knitted blocks and while it looked quite nice, it added extra stitches between the blocks and I didn't need to make mine larger than it was going to be. The side seams were easy, I don't know what the stitch is called, but you take the needle from the back to the front on one block then the back to the front on the other block.  When you pull the thread/yarn it all joins and the sewing yarn disappears.  Very nice.  But the top and bottom of a block are different with the cast on/cast off edges.  Doing the same stitch as at the sides results in a bit of a mess and the sewing thread can be seen and it's all a bit wonky.  So what I did was mattress stitch on one side just taking a little material from the top half of the blocks, then flipped it over and did the same to the blocks at the back.  This encased the edges.  The side that was worked first ends up being flatter than the second join, so I made sure all the first seams were one side and second seams the other, end result is that each side is consistent.
For the edging there was the same problem, if you worked from one side the other was a bit messy.  So I did a row of double crochet on the edge of the top blocks all around, flipped it over and did another row of double crochet on the edge of the bottom blocks, then held these two together and worked a third row of double crochet through both loops of the first two rows.  Made for a nice edge that looks the same on both sides.
I would benefit from blocking but I don't have anywhere large enough to lay and pin it out.  So an iron with a wet cloth will do for now.

Quarantine Knit

  

The blocks have been sewn  together and a crocheted edge worked.  Now the double knitted block from the Quarantine Knit Along with Arne & Carlos is a table protector under my computer in the craft room.  Just the right size and its reversable.

Happy Easter

  

Wishing everyone a safe and healthy Easter.  Have a wonderful day despite the situation we are all in at the moment.  We stated a thing at Easter a few years ago, a gift instead of chocolate, trying not to eat chocolate.  I have done courses in person and online, bought tools, quite a few different things.  This year I added to the stash.  Yarn from Fibresmith and Bendigo Woollen Mills, felt from Winterwood Toys and some threads from Crewel Goblin (the threads haven't turned up yet).  Lovely materials for future projects.

Quarantine Knit 18

  

The Teddy.  This is the last block from Arne & Carlos's Quarantine Knit Along.  Thank you both for your generosity, patterns and spirit.  It has been great to have something to focus on each day and not wonder what to do.  Now to put them together and make something.

Quarantine Knit 17

    

Vine.  Second last one.

Quarantine Knit 16

  

Lilly.  This is the first using the substituted colour.

A Gnome

In between blocks and on weekends I have been knitting a gnome, just a bit here and a bit there.  The other gnomes I made recently had white cotton yarn used in their beards.  This one has a 5ply merino yarn in natural.  Funny how a change in yarn makes the gnome look older.

Quarantine Knits

  

The blocks so far.  There have been 15 patterns.  I didn't do one, it had writing, Hug Me Later, and I chose not to do it.  The first photo are all the darker side, the second photo a mix of dark/light.  So there are three to go.  Patterns have been released from Monday to Friday each week.  It has been really good to knit these, they kept me busy.  Thank you Arne & Carlos, much appreciated.

Quarantine Knit 15

  

Butterfly Wings.  I just ran out of the darker colour and there are three blocks to go.  A rummage around the stash to see if I have a suitable substitute.

Quarantine Knit 14

  

This one is called Potentilla.  Didn't think I was going to get it finished yesterday, but the knitting mojo kicked in after dinner and it's done.

Quarantine Knit 13

  



Butterfly.  The pile of blocks is getting quite tall.

Quarantine Knit 12

  

Bird Song.  Still knitting.

Quarantine Knit 11

  

This one is Eight Leaf Rose.  I haven't forgotten Quarantine Knit 10, I didn't do it.  The block had lettering:  Hug Me Later, and I'm not really a fan of writing in work, and it is quite difficult to do in double knitting, I chose not to do it.  If I need eighteen blocks for the final piece I will rework one other block or make up my own.