Roz's Loft

Horray, this morning I can upload photos. This is the bottom band of Nigella, the circle sweater. After around 900 rows I'll bind off and then pick up stitches with a 36" circular needle and start the stockinette and decreases. I DO think this could be done on the machine and maybe I will make one on the machine next time but I'm enjoying knitting it by hand at the moment.

So you don't have to scroll down to look at it, here's Nigella. Its a Berroco pattern in book # 259 in case you'd like to get the pattern.

2 years ago my daughter and I found circle sweaters in Fred Meyer in Tacoma WA. Honestly that was the most comfortable sweater I've ever owned but it ws made out of crummy yarn that pilled almost from the minute we put them on. I said then that I would like to make one some day and wanted to figure out how that one was made but never took the time. When I saw Nigella I knew this was even better. The yarn is 50% cotton/50% Model Rayon (whatever Model means, I don't know).

This would make a great Christmas present but I'll have to do it on the machine if I want to make more than this one because it would take way too long by hand to make several, given there's 900 rows of lace before you start the rest of the sweater. Not sure the actual stockinette would go very fast by machine because it looks like you decrease across the rows often, that is do-able on the machine but takes time. Of course, thinking about it, the actual knitting wouldn't take all that much time.

While I was pampering myself, I bought a pair of Knit Picks Options Harmony Wood Circular needles. I like Bamboo needles for slippery yarn and this is slippery yarn so who can resist the Harmony Wood needles??? And while I was ordering I ordered their new blocking mats, only $19.99 and they're fabulous, they come as 9 9" square puzzle pieces, you use as many squares as you need for your project. How handy is that? you can take them apart and store them in their box when you aren't using them. I love it!!! I didn't get the case for the needles and all that stuff but 1 pair of circular Options needles comes with the stitch holder and the little screw to put the needles and cable together. I have a set of Boye circulars and broke the size 8 as well as the cable which really broke my heart. BUT you can replace 1 needle and cable if you want, however I have heard such good things about Knit Picks needles, I decided to go that way. This new one can be stored in my Boye case. Now all I need is a sewing/craft table to use as my blocking table, cutting table, hooping table, etc. I was going to go get one at Hancock Fabrics yesterday but got waylaid at Walmart where I bought a new camera for trips, its small enough to plop in my travel bag, my old one wasn't that small.

Enough money spent this month though and we're only half through the month.

Enjoy! While I have the luxury of my Internet Satellite's speed I'm going to put up some pictures of my yard but will start another post for that.