Book: Sensual Knits

Now that The Knitter has disappointed me yet again, I felt no qualms when I found Yahaira Ferreira's book Sensual Knits and bought it instead. I'd seen it before in exactly the same shop, but that was before I lost weight and none of the patterns were near enough to my size. So when I saw the book again this week and saw it was the last copy left for only £3.99, I couldn't resist any longer.

Some of the patterns are my current new size or very close to it, so that I am very excited about knitting some of the items and starting a first big project or wearable tops. I have scanned the most interesting images of things I would like to knit once I can afford the luxury yarns required for the projects:

The Vixen Camisole didn't catch my eye at first, but after a while it grew on me. It couldbe very nice in summer, perhaps with a simple shrug of some sort. I may well give it a try and perhaps make a longer version as a nighty.

Speaking of nighties, the above image is the silky negligee that was reprinted in The Knitter some months back. I'd love to give it a try, though I will have to adjust the size to make it fit me. For some reason, all the dresses in the book are in small sizes so I shall either have to adjust them or wait till I can fit into them.

The silken cowl tank is another item that did not interest me at first glance, but I love the colour and the garment looks very lovely in this yarn. I may knit it, especially as it is very simple to do, and wear it with something to cover up my arms. Since I am starting a new job on Monday, I have been thinking of clothes fit for the office, and I think this could be one.

The Sayuri jumper would probably be perfect for me. I am undecided about the sleeves now that I have seen other people's projects on Ravelry, where the sleeves weren't always flattering. I shall have to experiment and see for myself. The yarn is especially soft and seems to shimmer, but I have looked up the price and don't think I shall be able to get it - unfortunately, that's what I fear will be the fate of pretty much all the suggested yarns in the book. Still, I am sure there are some nice substitutes.

Ramona is a very boring jumper, to be honest, but it seems simple enough and a better fit for me than even Sayuri's design. With a few adjustments to make it more interesting - for instance, a change of colour and the addition of some lace - I could well imagine myself wearing it and looking good in it too.

Cable has always been a strange thing for me. I dislike it, deep down, but sometimes there are items that look really stunning with a cable design. Also, I do not like heavily cabled items, but this Moss Cable cardigan seems ideal to me. It may well end up being my first project, simply because it should be a relatively fast knit, and I have been looking for a new cardigan for years now since I only have one. I would knit it in Merino yarn, like the original, but in a more flattering colour that will suit me better.

Wraps are a new passion for me ever since I knit the first lace shawl. The Cleopatra wrap seems perfect - it is simply, yet elegant, just the way I like my clothes most of the time. The yarn is beautiful too, so maybe I will even buy the one used in the image above. Again, I shall have to find a nicer shade.

Betty is something much simpler: a vest like that would probably be the quickest knit and it is just what I need for work as well. Still, it seems to be less interesting to knit, so that I won't be making it first. I'd like to give it a try one day and see how I get on with it. I think this may need modifications and some lace instead of cable, or some more distinct cabling elsewhere. We shall see.

And, finally, this is the cover image that interested me from the beginning. It is the balloon sleeve jacket (somehow I didn't notice the balloon sleeves till much later and I am not sure I am keen on them, to be honest) and what appeals to me is the classic look. I have no idea if this would suit me in the end since jackets of this kind usually don't, but I may yet try it anyway. I would use the same colour as well, though probably a cheaper yarn. Who said knitting was cheap?

Apart from the featured items here, there are a few other ones I am not yet sure about. They are simpler and/or less suitable for me and mostly the colours don't manage to catch my attention. Perhaps they will grow on me as well, who knows? I am happy to say, however, that this book has been a very worthwhile purchase already and I would very much rather buy books like this one instead of another personally useless issue of The Knitter.

Disenchanted with The Knitter

I recall my review of the first issue of The Knitter. By now there have been 7 issues of which I bought only 5. Issue 4 had just one pattern in it that I desperately wanted, but I thought that didn't warrant spending £6 on the whole mag. Now I regret it because I haven't been able to get it anywhere else. I was very disappointed with that particular issue, but luckily the next one was okay again. However, issue 7 was even worse - with nothing it it that was of interest to me at all! I still find that hard to believe, but it was all just awful. I am hoping that the one due by the end of the month is going to be better so that I can buy it again. I hate not having the entire series so far, but then it is a lot of money to spend on a magazine and I can't justify the purchase if I know I won't be using the patterns.

What annoys me about the magazine is that every issue needs errata in the end. What's the point of buying it if what's in it isn't correct? Also, I do not think that the patterns are actually particularly difficult. Some are very easy and certainly not just geared towards the experienced knitter despite the magazine claiming it to be so. I am glad there is Ravelry, which has loads of things for everybody, a lot of it for free. Also, why do people sell old issues on Ebay for twice the original price? In the UK even?

In future, I shall proceed as I have so far and only buy the issues I actually find useful. It may leave me with gaps in my collection quite often, but my little money is too dear to me to squander it on The Knitter every month. I could get 5 secondhand books at the local charity shop for that money!

A Long Overdue Update

Dear me, it's been a while, hasn't it? I'm afraid I haven't got anything new to post today either because I still haven't been able to afford new yarn since making the baby blanket. There is hope, though! Now that I finally have a paying job, not just a voluntary one, I am looking forward to my first wages next month, which I will use to save up for a trip to Get Knitted in Brislington to purchase some of their yarn. I have no particular plans, though I would love to make another lace shawl, a big one, and some tops. I doubt I can afford enough yarn for the latter, so I will probably have to make do with something smaller. That's okay though, as long as I get back into knitting at last. To my surprise I haven't had the time to miss it as much as I thought I might. Somehow I manage to keep myself busy all the time.

So, fingers crossed, I will have the chance to put up a new post in the near future! In the meantime I shall jealously watch what other knitters are up to at the moment.

Bamboo Baby Blanket

Steffi is having her baby at the end of July so this baby blanket will reach her a little early, but I am sure she will like it no matter when it arrives. It is the first blanket I ever made and I like the simple pattern that still remains interesting enough both to look at and to knit. The feather and fan pattern would come out more if I blocked the blanket, but I decided not to because it is a practical blanket that will probably have to endure quite a few washes.

Material:

• 4 mm DPNs
• 2oo g King Cole Bamboo Cotton, colourway 531, dye lot 63916
• rowcounter

The cotton and bamboo blend was incredibly nice to work with. It is such a nice summer yarn that I wished I could knit a top with it in time for summer. Bamboo Cotton comes in 8 different shades of which I liked the purple best. I can imagine knitting something light and lacy with it, though it won't be happening this summer.

I used a free pattern that you can find here. It's not much of a pattern as such since you don't really need one. All you have to know is the 4-row repeat that you will be knitting till the blanket is long enough. It's a nice and easy project for knitting while watching TV or listening to the radio and the result looks lovely in its simplicity.

Mitred Towel

At long last I am back again with a new post! I must admit I haven't been knitting very much and that the main project I am working on at the moment is a baby blanket for a friend due at the end of July. That means I am not in a hurry and I don't have much else to knit at the same time.

After finishing the tea cosy I started on a mitred towel from Mason-Dixon, which you can see above. I just finished another one in green and yellow too and shall add the images once I get back home in two weeks. At present Mark and I are house-sitting for friends while they get married in Barbados, so somebody has to take care of the pets.

Materials:

• 5mm circs
• a ball of Sugar 'n Cream yarn and some leftovers to add to the loop if desired
• rowcounter

It is a quick and easy knit and nothing that requires a lot of attention either. It kept me busy for a day or two when we really needed more towels in the kitchen. I am getting rather domestic.

Very British

Bear with me while I try to figure out how to add pics from this computer which doesn't seem to allow me to do things as usual.

Material:

• 85 g Sugar 'n Cream, colourway 19605
• a bit of spare Sugar 'n Cream Stripes for the string and bobbles, colourway 23143
• 5 mm circs
• row counter

This tea cosy is the first project I finished since my move to England and how fittingly British it is! I used the Rosie Posy Tea Cosy pattern from The Knitter as a guide though I certainly didn't stick to it. It was useful as a general outline of what I wanted to do. Basically, my tea cosy is merely a ribbed tube with two slits in it for handle and spout. That's it. I pulled yarn through the top and added bobbles for decoration, so it was a very quick and easy knit. I wasn't sure whether it would work well for keeping tea warm as it seems to be rather thin despite the thick cotton yarn. I am happy to say that it does work nicely and that I had warm tea for a change all evening yesterday.

WIP: Hibernating Handbag

The handbag is almost done now, but since I have already packed everything for my move to England, the bag had to go into the suitcase as well. Once I've settled, I shall block the bag, sew the lining and add the handles. That is all that's left to be done and I am looking forward to completing it.

The heart-shape cushion is suffering an even worse fate because I can't take it with me at all for now. I am hoping it will be sent to me soon. It's a pity that I don't have a larger suitcase - though mine is already big enough and I have difficulty lifting it. The rest of my knitting is packed except for my two knitting books, which I just can't fit in anywhere and are simply too heavy anyway.