my creative space | blocking & buttons | in threes cardigan

Today in my creative space I'm weaving in ends (only three!), sewing on buttons and blocking. I'll be back next week to share the details & some action shots of this awesome pattern - in threes by kelly Herdich. 

suzy xoxo

Orenburg Lace Workshop | a recap

Last Thursday I got up super-early and super-excited to be off to Sydney for an Orenburg Lace Workshop with Galina Khemeleva. Excited to be knitting ALL DAY, starting with 3 and a half hours of uninterrupted bus-knitting time! Seriously I've never been more excited to catch a bus.

Whilst I will probably never knit a traditional Orenburg lace piece, the primary reason I attended was so that I could grow as a knitter and expand my skills. I got all of this, but what I didn't expect was how the workshop would open my eyes to the advantages of continental knitting. Yes I'm a thrower, that is I hold my yarn in my right hand and 'throw' it over the needle. The continental knitter folk hold it in the left hand and it's super fast, and looks more intuitive to me.

This morning I asked my peeps over on Facebook if any had made the transition to continental knitting, and there was some great discussion and feedback. Click here to read it. It seems that this way of knitting has appeal to those that learnt to crochet first (like me!). There also was a huge interest in learning how to do this, so expect a lot more on this from me.

Galina was AMAZING, it was an honour to be around such an experienced knitter, and learn about the amazing women in Russia, and surrounding countries, who practised the fine art of this type of knitting.  

I may have even brought a little something home with me, to see if I'd like to add that range to the store...stay tuned!
suzy xoxo

PS: Excuse the photos. I was too busy knitting to even get the camera out of my bag!

my creative space | shibui solo L.1. KAL

...and so it grows. 10 days to go of this KAL, and a there is a lot more growing yet to be done.  This is my creative space today.

Project details can be found here.

More creative spaces being shared over here.

Have a great day,

suzy xoxo

seven | BC Garn Baby Alpaca

Something new for the blog tonight.

seven.
seven patterns perfect for the sublime BC Garn Baby Alpaca.

1.  Viajante by Martina Behm
2.  Vlad by Tammy Bailey
3.  Kingswood by Alexandra Brinck
4.  Camomille by Helga Isager
5.  Ocean waves by Agneiszka Rupnik
6.  Zilver by Lisa Mutch
7. Seascape Stole by Kieran Foley

autumnal days | Swans Island worsted

With the mercury sitting at around 14 degrees today, day two of autumn, I'm finding that my knitting fingers are starting to twitch for some woolly projects.

Lucky for me the gorgeous folks at Swans Island sent me a sample of their worsted weight yarn. It is divine, and yes I've ordered heaps of this weight and more colours of the fingering weight to add to the store.

Happy Knitting!
suzy xoxo

Shibui L.1 KAL

To celebrate the arrival of Shibui Knits at suzy hausfrau I've let my head go and decide to host my first KAL. Knit-a-long for the few non-yarn tragics that read this blog!

So the pattern for this KAL is solo|L.1 by Antonia Shankland which is a FREE download. The recommended yarn is Shibui linen. I'm not being a fascist about it and you can knit this gorgeous scarf up in whatever you like to join this KAL. The only deal is that you pop into the KAL thread on Ravelry and share your progress from time to time. I'm running it through until 31 March 2013, and there are prizes and a special discount for KAL members.  

These are the colours that I've picked...gorgeous no? Gorgeous YES!!!! ...and if you haven't read all about it, here is a link to my newsletter with more about Shibui and all of the other goings on in suzy's world at the moment.

Newsletter sneak preview

So I'm back, and straight into it. Yarn arriving, ordering more yarn and some beautiful new patterns plus a newsletter to write. This morning I managed to convince a friend to model this gorgeous Colour Affection Shawl knitted up by my friend Danielle.  Isn't it sublime?

I'll be featuring it and telling you about all of the suzy goings on in my newsletter which should hit your inboxes on Thursday or Friday. If you haven't signed up you can do so over here.

Have a great day,
suzy xoxo

 

Little Kina

 

A Little kina and denim pinafore made to gift to a special little girl at her party last Saturday. The perfect size to fit a Waldorf 16" Doll. The party girl, and my Miss Sophie both have these dolls from our friend at Poppy, Bean and Bloss.  I think the party girl calls hers "Lucy" and ours is rather descriptively called "Girl".

Pattern: Little Kina (free pattern)
Yarn: MillaMia Naturally Soft Merino
Needles: 4.50mm circular
Ravelry details over here.

MillaMia and the Australian Women's Weekly

A super-quick reminder that the Australian Womens Weekly goes on sale tomorrow with a special knitting book included. MillaMia have FOUR new patterns in this booklet, including their first adult size garment.  
To celebrate I have put all MillaMia yarn on sale today at $9.95 per ball (RRP $11.95) PLUS you will get an extra 10% discount if you spend $60 across the store AND FREE SHIPPING!

This sale is for two weeks only (ends midnight AEST Sunday 8 July).

my creative space | milo vest

I didn't really appreciate how busy I would be in May before putting my hand-up for Milo May. But this is a quick knit, I started it on the 28th May and finished up on the 2nd of June. So although I missed the deadline by a couple of days I'm thrilled to have made my first Milo vest ....4300 odd projects on Ravelry can't be wrong!

• Pattern: Milo Vest
• Yarn: BC Garn Semilla DK ob101
• Needles: 4.00mm circular needle (60cm)

More details over here on Ravelry ....and more creative types sharing here.

Like Sleeves by Harumidori Designs

• Pattern: Like Sleeves
• Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran #44
• Needles: Lantern Moon 5.00mm

More details over here on Ravelry .

...and more creative spaces in a NEW location over on Village Voices.

 

Another day, another lifeline

I finally worked up the courage to fix up THIS knitting disaster over the weekend. I couldn't bear to knit the whole garment with a smaller moss-stitch border, so I decided to insert another lifeline and reknit the moss-stitch border - upside down. Because what I wanted to fix was at the cast on edge, I went for broke and I can tell you that ripping and cutting into your project is not for the feint-hearted!

I'm delighted with the result, the project is back on track...and only you and I will be able to tell that the moss-stitch is upside down on the back. ;)

If you want a reminder on how I insert a lifeline, read THIS blog post.

Happy days,
suzy xoxo

Inserting a lifeline

After confessing to a wee-knitting problem here last week I decided that the only way was to insert a lifeline - and here is how I did it.

1. You need to firstly mark the row where you want to get back to, and then chose a row or two above that just in case your lifeline isn't quite right.

2. Pick up the stitches very carefully, it helps if the yarn like this one has very defined stitches. I picked up the stitches with the wrong end of the needle that I use to weave ends in. You can't use the pointed end as you will not be able to pick up the strand of yarn evenly. A bit obvious, but it is best to use a colour for your lifeline that is in a contrasting colour to your work.

3. Work your way carefully across the row. Taking care to pick up the correct stitch, ie. knit OR purl stitch in my case for stocking stitch...and making sure not to cross-over into the row above or below.

4. This is the scary part. Start ripping out your work above the lifeline and stop a row or two above. If you are confident your lifeline is OK rip away, but if not you can pick up your stitches with your needles at this point. I find it good to have a crochet hook handy here, just in case there are any stitches that pop of the needles, or you have missed with your lifeline.

I went for broke and ripped right away to the lifeline.

5. Insert your knitting needle back through, if you haven't decided to pick up stitches that is, and pull out the lifeline....and voila we are back on track.

My creative space

Working on the Anemone Vest in Holst Garn Antimony. Everybody's home and happy...today is a good day!

More creative spaces over here.

suzy xoxo

tiKKi's Jane in Debbie Bliss Cotton DK

As promised on the weekend, here is my first finished project for 2012! It's a great summer knit from the talented designer Georgie Hallam, tiKKi ...you can see why there is a Ravelry Group aptly titled tiKKi love! Whilst this seamless pattern has an unusual construction, it is a very easy and quick knit. The moss stitch border just does it for me, despite my recent unfortunate history .

Inspired by Retro mummy , I chose to knit mine in Debbie Bliss Cotton DK (#47) size 4, and the recipient? Very grateful after the cool summer that we have been having so far.

Project details over on my Ravelry page .

Happy knitting,

suzy xoxo