Sunday, December 06, 2009

I’m half-way through the ASJ edging, buttonholes in place. I put in only two, in the modern fashion. Saves all that fuss about spacing them, and I really don’t think buttoning up from top to bottom is what will be wanted.

It’s got six mitres, at various corners – four outward and two inward. I think I’ve got them all going in nice straight lines. It was a bit scary at the beginning, with poor eyes and poor light and dark yarn. I put in lots of markers, of course, but if you put in a marker between (say) the bottom of the jacket and the upward-advancing stitches, and then start a mitre, you have to remember on the next round, a long time later, whether the centre stitch was the last one on the front or the first one on the bottom edge.

I can’t bear to leave off now, so I will go ahead and finish the edging and cast off, possibly achieving all that today. Then tidy up, then maybe think about that last Christmas present, the cashmere watchcap, before proceeding to lengthen the sleeves.

Comments

Donna, your concern about sag is a serious one. I will keep you posted. Sock yarn is light, and garter stitch is firm: I have high hopes. My worst episode on those lines was an alpaca fisherman’s-rib sweater, long ago. After a couple of wearings, it was a mini-dress. A couple more, and it was discarded. It was bliss to knit, and I learned something about alpaca from the experience.

Kathy, that is an unnerving story indeed, about your unwanted commenter. I think the only time I’ve deleted a comment that (probably) came from someone who had actually read the blog, was the time I was describing the street in south London where EZ’s aunties lived and where she herself spent some months towards the end of the Great War, to get away from the Zeppelins. Mount Nod Road, not far from where Rachel lives, and one day she drove me along it. The comment was the one word “snob!” and I took it to refer to something I had said about the comparative size or detachment of the houses. Or did I refer to the “better end” of Mount Nod Road? I’m sort of scared to look back.

I’m keeping up with the electronic-gaming comments, which are coming in thick and fast. I worry about what will happen when I go away for Christmas.

EJ, I want to know about the “red sandstone jacket” too. I’ll write to Helen C.K.S. today. I didn’t try Ravelry myself, but I followed her link to Ambermoggie, from whom she apparently got the pattern. There’s the jacket again, and again no specific detail about the source. It clearly depends on having a wonderful self-striping yarn, and I don’t think I’ve got anything that qualifies in stash, so I mustn’t let myself think about it too much.

11 comments:

  1. GrannyPurple11:54 AM

    Ah, the ever-lengthening sweater problem. I have solved that one a few times with judicious use of a tumble dryer at very low heat. It has (so far) solved the problem of 4 or 5 garments. Just soak the garment, squeeze out the excess moisture and give it 10 minutes at very low heat. If that hasn't done it, try 5 minutes more... This has worked with wool blends and pure wool. It might work with Alpaca. I don't know about superwash, but it would probably bring it back to shape until it had been worn a few times...It's worth a try if you're just going to get rid of the garment!

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  2. Hi the jacket is a Patons pattern if you mean the green one?
    here is the ravelry link
    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wrap-jacket---worked-sideways
    the jacket I do prefer knitting is the Elsewhere one. I've made 6 I think now.
    http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/elsewhere

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  3. Thank you, Ambermoggie :) The Red Sandstone one is knitted in Lolly Orange and you can find it either from Amber's link or from my Project page. I'm chronicknitting.

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  4. I've made an addition to the blog post with links to the Ravelry pages. I should also say that Paton's Jet is discontinued, so you may be safe from further temptation, Jean.

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  5. For the comment spammers -- you might try turning on the captcha (word verification) feature. It's the bit that makes you type in some word that it shows you. That won't defeat people who are manually pasting in their comment spam, but if the trouble is that your blog has been found by the Electronic Gaming Spam-o-Rama, that might help stem the tide. Here's Google's page on how to turn it on for Blogger. As for when you go away -- there's no rule that says if you turn on full moderation for a little while, you have to leave it that way! :) No reason you should have to spend your holiday wondering what mischief the spammers are getting up to.

    I envy the speed with which you've made your ASJ! My second project ever, knitting, was an enormous jacket-coat out of bulky yarn and although that was a few years ago I think I'm still feeling the trauma; it would probably take me two years to do another sweater, even if I went with a normal size and a normal yarn. I also envy how far you are along to being done with the Christmas knitting. I've barely started and I've only got two things I'm doing. I've been cheating on the knitting lately, spending all my time spinning, so I'm wondering who out there might appreciate a skein of yarn instead of something already finished. :)

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  6. thanks gals for posting the links and pattern names for the Sideways Jacket.

    next dilemma - how to order that pattern brochure?. the website patons.biz (see ravelry page) is no help.

    thanks !

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  7. The sweater is in Paton's 1250, which was an Australian publication, I believe. Some places still list it in their stock.

    I think this shop is in OZ:
    http://www.yarnsgalore.com.au/product.asp?P_ID=312&strPageHistory=search

    and another OZ shop:
    http://www.needlenook.com.au/wools/patons_patterns/Patons_book_1250_front_cover.htm

    A UK Shop has it too:
    http://www.rkmwools.co.uk/product_detail.php?prod_id=3509

    I hope that helps :)
    Enjay

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  8. I've been wondering, Jean, which Ticker do you use? I can't seem to figure out which one to choose to put a 'since I bought' ticker on my blog.

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  9. I bought my copy of Paton's book 1250 off eBay. There's a copy listed just now.

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  10. I bought my copy of Paton's 1250 off eBay. Someone's listing it just now.

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  11. thanks helen. i have requested the shipping costs to my zipcode.

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