Knitting

Kordy Sweater

5th Mar 2025 yorkiemouse3 Comments

Hello all! After January lasting 87 weeks, February seemed to fly by in a flash. I’ve been wearing my new Kordy Sweater (Moon and Turtle) for most of this year so far and wanted to document it before the knits are washed and put away.

This knit is a little different because I decided to time how long it took to make. I am often asked “how long did that take?” and I only really know that I started in October and finished in January. The row counter app that I use has a timer, which I thought I would use to finally answer the question.

Colour research

I only started the timer once I started knitting. I actually started prepping this jumper back in June, perusing A Dictionary of Colour Combinations for inspiration. I frequently lean to purples and teals where wool is concerned. Whilst this makes getting dressed easy because most of my clothes “go” with each other, I wanted to stray from my usual palette. After much deliberation, I kept coming back to blue, green and yellow (let’s ignore that they combine to make teal!). The Kordy sample in the pattern has a contrast of black yarn, so I thought that Navy would go well with the three colours.

Yarn

Buying yarn is so much easier when you have the colours in mind (as long as they’re in stock). I have knitted with Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran a few times before. Aside from having a range of colours, I feel comfortable “knowing” a yarn that I’m planning on using for a jumper. I know how this yarn behaves when knit, blocked, washed and worn, which is reassuring.

Using the same yarn as my Strange Brew Marshland and Flax Sweater had the added bonus of being able to fit-check the yoke as I knit. Gone were the days of purple and teal though. I’m branching out and trying new things, so I popped into my basket Navy, Cowslip, Jade and….Teal. In my defence, I maintain it’s more of a denim blue and I’m sticking to that line ;o)

Knitting and fitting

I knit a medium, checking the fit as I went along. When the yoke was nearly done, I spotted a rogue blue stitch that should have been yellow. I was temporarily annoyed with myself (still am if I’m honest). Rather than rip all the way back, I decided it was something that could be rectified with a Swiss darning ‘mend’ when finished. I’m glad I took this more proportionate response for one stitch!

After finishing the yoke, I was worried it was slightly too long as it was just longer than where my armpits were. I spent an hour figuring out if I could alter the pattern to take out a few rows, then decided to risk it! It’s definitely wearable and I can move my arms, which is the main thing – the thought of un-knitting, amending the pattern and re-knitting was very unappealing.

The sleeves knit up quite quickly and have a quirky striped cuff. After weaving in the remaining ends, I made sure to fix that offending blue stitch. I can’t even find the stitch now that I’ve gone over it in yellow – phew.

The total knitting duration between October and January was 42 hours. Interestingly, a pair of socks that I’m knitting in 4-ply yarn are likely to take around the same time, which shows how much fiddlier thinner yarn is.

All I had left to do was block and put a label in. Once a jumper starts being worn, I find it shapes to the body, so it’s useful to have a way of identifying the front. Thanks for reading :o)

Knitting

Advent socks

26th Oct 2024 yorkiemouse2 Comments

Hello! I’ve had another little break from blogging with most of my crafting time taken up with gift making. However, today I’m relieved to say I’ve finished another long-term project that’s ready just in time for the festive season.

Three years ago, I came up with a cute way of using up some of my sock yarn remnants. I thought it would be nice to have an advent calendar made up of various sock yarns, with a little ‘stocking’ for each day. I knew it would be a lengthy project, but under-estimated just how long it would take! My recent blog about the “longest project” shawl has already been beaten.

Pattern

The Wee Socks for Wee Feet pattern is one that I’ve used many times for new babies of friends and family. In fact, the first sock that I ever knit is in this advent calendar. Years ago, I used this pattern as a way of understanding the mechanics of sock knitting, mainly because baby socks are much smaller than adults ones. I often recommend this pattern if anybody wants to learn how to knit socks.

I kept that test sock and sporadically came across it in my remnants box whilst searching for something to use as a contrasting toe. Then one day, I decided the lonely sock needed some friends.

Initially, I picked a selection of sock yarns from my remnant box and made a Wee Sock when I felt like it. As the project progressed, I started amusing myself by knitting an advent sock from the same yarn I used for my sock projects. As well as having a mini sock to match every project, this approach meant I added another advent sock to the bag more frequently.

At around sock 15, I started to keep track of how many I had. I also got quite speedy, able to knit a sock in a few hours. There’s something very pleasing about holding the set in one hand like a woolly bunch of flowers!

The last sock

The last few socks were made from yarns from recently completed projects. After finishing a yet-to-be-blogged pair of Altitude Socks, I cast on a Wee Sock. Knowing it was the last one, I think I flew through it in an episode of Strictly Come Dancing!

Last Christmas, I spotted some numbered advent pegs whilst present shopping and snapped them up. A tad optimistic to think I would have a full set in time for Christmas 2023, but I put them in a box with the decorations so I remembered that I had them this year. They’re the perfect size for holding the little crotcheted loops that I stitched into each sock.

My crotchet skills are limited to a straight line and when asked if I crotchet, I often reply that “there aren’t enough sticks” (aka needles)! However, I did manage to crotchet a long chain, holding 4 strands of sock yarn together so that the pegs can hold the socks.

If you’re interested, some of the yarns are mentioned in various blog posts such as Re-knitting a Hat, Beyond Bayswater, The Quest Continues and Hermione’s Everyday Socks.

Thanks for reading :o)

Knitting

Re-knitting a hat

1st Sep 2024 yorkiemouseLeave a comment

It’s been almost two months since I blogged, but I’ve been busy behind the scenes. Mr Mouse’s wardrobe has been receiving a bit of a makeover.

I knit him a hat in 2016, which he has worn most winter days since it was finished. Unfortunately it made its way into the washing machine and did not enjoy the experience. With chillier days coming to the UK, he was in need of a head warmer. I offered to re-make the same hat given it was such a hit the first time.

As I’ve said before, the floats on colourwork make me very happy. To see the havoc a washing machine does to floats, look no further…! Absolutely not recommended!

The benefits of writing things down

Once I had recovered from the sadness of the felted and shrunken ex-hat, I dug my old knitting journal out. As I designed the hat, I thought (i.e. hoped) I had made some notes on construction.

Fortunately, I had made copious notes including a pattern chart, needle size and other vital details. I also managed to find the same yarn online, although a slightly lighter blue.

Over time, I think my knitting tension has become more relaxed. After a first attempt that turned out to be rather huge, I frogged and reduced the needle size by 0.5mm for a tighter knit. That was a much easier approach than attempting to change the maths on the pattern.

Once I’d sorted my needle size, I knit the hat up over a few evenings, occasionally trying it on Mr Mouse’s head to check for size. A quick try on before blocking and he was very happy to almost have a new hat.

It’s lovely to be able to re-make his favourite hat too. Thanks for reading :o)

Knitting

Beyond Bayswater

23rd Jun 2024 yorkiemouse3 Comments

As is often the case, the most recent pair of socks become my favourite…until the next pair are cast off. Sock affections can be fickle. The current favourites provided the perfect opportunity to use a yarn that had spent far too long in my stash, paired with a more recent purchase.

Yarn chat

The main yarn is a variegated skein that I bought at a yarn festival from Adventures in Yarncraft. ‘Beyond’ is one of those skeins that belong in a 3D frame on a wall because it is so pretty. Skein to ball to knit all look so different, which I love about yarn. In particular, the heel has interesting pools of colour.

The contrast yarn is a West Yorkshire Spinners Exquisite ‘Bayswater’ that I bought years ago with a gift voucher. I have frequently considered knitting it and decided it wasn’t the right time. Clearly, it was waiting for ‘Beyond’ to form the perfect pairing! They’re such a good match, it’s as though the dyers had a chat and made them for each other.

Pattern and mods

The Samphire Socks pattern is part of Curious Handmade’s ‘The Handmade Sock Society 2’ e-book. I’ve knit three of the six patterns in the book and love how they’re laid out, with every row/round included in the instructions. I’ve actually bought THSS3 e-book and queued a few of those patterns already.

As a seasoned sock knitter, I like a pattern with something a bit different. The back of these socks is textured and so squishy in this yarn. It was interesting to knit a different back, rather than the same pattern in the round.

In terms of modifications, I stopped the leg one set of pattern repeats earlier than the pattern instructed. With short legs and ‘generous’ calf muscles, a shorter sock is my preference. I knit a size medium leg, then reduced to the size small at the gusset for a more fitted heel.

The only problem that I had was the second toe. After grafting the toe closed, I realised that I had dropped a stitch whilst knitting the toe. Just when I thought I’d finished the pair, I had to re-do the second toe!

A final two photos – the first finished sock when we were visiting Niblings in February, showing the length (a good idea to shorten!). The second photo is styled by our niece after I finished the second sock (visiting other Niblings). She saw me taking a photo of the finished socks and decided that the best way to show them off was to hold a can between them – delightfully imaginative!

Thanks for reading :o)

Knitting

Paul Klee Sweater

15th Apr 202415th Apr 2024 yorkiemouse4 Comments

The first quarter of 2024 saw me completing three knitting projects. Dismal weather really improves crafting productivity! The Paul Klee Sweater was one that I spotted online and the more versions that I looked at, the more I wanted one of my own.

Yarn choices

I wanted to use my stash yarn for the yoke – some were unused and some were remnants. The pattern doesn’t have a particularly deep yoke and I was surprised at how little contrast yarn I actually needed.

I was drawn to The Fibre Co Amble from Tribe Yarns because of the link to Cumbria (outlined in yarn description). After much deliberation, I bought three skeins of “Walk Me Home” with the help of a cheeky first order discount. It’s a soft merino/alpaca/recycled nylon blend. The recycled nylon should give a bit of added strength to go with the warm merino/alpaca combination.

I used 2.5 skeins of Amble, so my cautious nature paid off when I was um-ing and ah-ing about whether to get 2 or 3!

Once my main yarn arrived, I tipped my sock yarns out and spent a happy half hour selecting contrast colours. I settled on four to alternate between rows. Clockwise from top left:

The Fibre Co Amble “Walk Me Home” (Main Colour)
Botanical Yarn “Sweetpea”
Northshire Yarns “Light at the End of the Tunnel”
Botanical Yarn “Viva Magenta”
Spectrum Fibre “Trick or Treat”

Swatching

Next came swatching – for size and colour combos! The pattern comes with a handy chart guide, which meant the colouring pencils came out (unparalleled joy). I wasn’t keen on my original swatch and decided to change it for the final pattern, switching to pinks on one row and purples on the other.

Knitting it!

Having knit a few jumpers, I think the colour choosing was the most complicated part of this jumper. One particular “new to me” element of this pattern is pure genius. The colour work yoke pattern uses a slightly larger needle. I’m guessing this is to help with tension, but it’s a great idea that I plan to use in future.

Blocking worked its magic (as usual) after I had finished. I was worried the jumper was going to be too short in the body, but after blocking it’s the perfect length.

I’ve been wearing the neck funnel folded over as it’s more comfortable under my chin. I think it sits better as well.

Now that Spring has arrived, I’m getting as much wear as possible from this sweater before it’s too warm.

Thanks for reading :o)

Knitting · Sewing

Me Made Every Day

11th Dec 2023 yorkiemouse3 Comments

A recent Check Your Thread podcast episode planted a seed in my mind. It’s a fabulously thought-provoking episode on a number of levels, but the part that kept coming back to me was when Zoe and her guest, the lovely Lena, talked about wearing me-mades every day.

I often feel that social media feeds the expectation that we should be “showing off” new makes all the time. In reality, I will often wear the same knitted jumper for days (with a base layer next to my skin!) because it’s warm and comfortable. I suspect a lot of people have a similar approach to their wardrobe.

The podcast mentioned #MeMadeEveryDay and I started to ponder over whether I wanted to share my daily outfits more often. There are several hashtags that are linked to this theme but it’s the one I have chosen to use.

My recent 3 in 3 blog also made me start thinking about 2024 goals. I love sewing and knitting, but I also know that my wardrobe is quite full. I want to be more thoughtful about what’s working, not working, and what might be missing from my wardrobe.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve started sharing my me-made outfits on Instagram stories and saving them in my highlights. Already, it’s giving me a sense of what feels good, what I reach for, what I instantly put back in the wardrobe. I think the process of documenting my outfits means I’m thinking more about what I am wearing…and making.

As well as being useful in helping me assess my wardrobe, it’s a gentle reminder that we don’t have to constantly churn out new makes due to any (real or perceived) expectations. My hope is that it contributes to normalises wearing things on rotation and getting the most out of what we already have.

The quick photo (usually before I start work) is a reminder that not everything has to be shiny and perfect for “the gram”. The scenes of Christmas prep chaos on my office floor and bleary eyes are proof of that!

My aim is to continue using #MeMadeEveryDay into 2024, but I may stop saving to stories as they’ll quickly fill up. I won’t necessarily manage to share every day, but I’ll probably be wearing me-made even if I don’t share. I’m hoping it will contribute to pride in my existing wardrobe, rather than the obligation to share the freshest item off the machine/needles.

Thanks for reading :o)

Knitting

The quest continues…

20th Nov 2023 yorkiemouseLeave a comment

My quest for warm feet continues…

After taking an age to knit the Cliff Walk Socks, a few train journeys and a holiday meant that I knitted two new pairs of feet warmers this summer!

Zener Socks

First up were the Zener Socks from the beautiful Moon and Turtle book. I highly recommend owning this book if you’re a knitter. In fact, even if you’re not a knitter, it’s a beautiful book!

The Zener socks have quite a short leg, which appealed to me and is something I want to incorporate into future socks. With large calves, most socks don’t pull up on my legs, so it feels sensible not to bother with knitting the extra few inches.

I chose some Spectrum Fibre twisted sock as my main yarn – this lilac base is called “Trick or Treat” and it had been in my stash for about 6 months. The contrast yarns were Botanical Yarn “Viva Magenta” and Coop Knits “Beryl”.

After doing some airborne knitting of my Zener socks, I finished them on holiday this summer. They even made it to the beach. I started with size 2, then decreased to size 1 at the gusset. I’ve found this tactic gets a good fit on my legs/feet. My tension on the last row of the colour-work was a bit tight, meaning getting the sock over the widest part of my heel is slightly challenging. I’m hoping this will loosen up over time because I can’t face ripping them back and re-knitting!

Cosy Autumn Socks

I cast on the Cosy Autumn Socks whilst still on holiday, having predicted I would finish the Zener socks and planned ahead with some newly-balled yarn. This is a really good freebie pattern with clear instructions and a meditative repeating set of rounds. I love that the pattern has a look of cabling without the fuss of actually having to use a cable needle.

Again, I started with the larger size (casting on 72 stitches), then decreased to the smaller size at the gusset to get a snug fit around my heel and foot.

Yarn names often sway my purchases and this “Oh my opals!” from North Shire Yarns was no exception. Of course, the presence of turquoise definitely helped. More and more, I’ve been using contrast colours for the cuff and toe on socks and this was no exception.

Given my experience with sock-knitting, I’m always pleased to find a new approach in a pattern. The heel flap on these socks was slightly different to what I’m used to, with three knit stitches at each end, forming a sort of border. I like the look of it and it made it slightly easier when it came to picking up gusset stitches.

Both pairs of socks are a great addition to the feet-warming drawer of my wardrobe. The bright colours also help on a grey day! Thanks for reading :o)

Knitting

Cliff Walk Socks

27th Aug 202327th Aug 2023 yorkiemouse1 Comment

I’m really trying to get back into regular blogging, with a few makes lined up for a space on my little bit of the world wide web. I haven’t posted about knitting for a while, so it felt like a good time to introduce a pair of socks that took an absolute age to make!

In reality, the Cliff Walk socks took about 11 months to make, which is quite a long time for me. They travelled to Austria, Scotland and various places in England by plane, train and automobile (80s reference for those in the know!). Admittedly I have knit several other things in tandem, which might be one of the reasons why they took so long.

The pattern is part of the Handmade Sock Society 2, which is a lovely collection of sock patterns inspired by the Cornish Coast. A few years ago, I made the Shell Cottage socks and felt the instructions were laid out really well. The same is true of this pattern, with each round having its own instruction, rather than a pattern and “repeat rows x times” which involves a degree of modulus maths.

Sock 1: Jul 2022 – Dec 2022

The first sock took so long to make and became a bit of a chore. There was something about this pattern that presented a bit of a mental block for me. I still don’t really know why because I like the pattern, it just felt complicated.

A fair proportion of the first sock was knit on trains. One particularly turbulent train resulted in my husband’s fleece sleeve being employed as a yarn holder to stop the ball rolling onto the floor. The last pic also shows many stitch markers because I ended up using them to denote each pattern start/end which helped hugely.

Sock 2: Jan 2022 – Jun 2023

I’m fairly sure I cast the second sock on immediately after I finished the first. “Second sock syndrome” is real and I always try to make sure I have time to both graft a toe and knit a few rounds of a cuff in one sitting.

Whilst the second sock took about the same time, it didn’t feel as much of a slog. Psychologically, I had the upper hand because I knew it was possible to complete a sock , coupled with knowing I would have another wearable pair at the end of the second.

Still, a busy Spring with little opportunities to knit on the go meant I was edging toward the first birthday of this project.

Sock 3: one evening

Both yarns were lovely to work with. The main sock yarn is from a fellow Yorkshire-based knitter, Quack Yarn in Penguin Ice colourway. As a lover of penguins, I was easily swayed by this vibrant blue.

I chose to contrast the cuff and toes with a pink skein that I received as part of Botanical Yarn’s kickstarter campaign. Initially, I discarded this combination when finding something to go with the main colour, but I kept coming back to it. I do really like the combo and think I made a good choice.

After the long haul of the Cliff Walk socks, I whizzed through another mini advent sock in an evening! I’m hoping to finish 24 mini socks before this Christmas so we can use them as our advent calendar, but I committed to only using scrap yarns from projects, rather than using new yarn. Only time will tell, but it’s not looking promising!

Thanks for reading :o)

Knitting

Sunday Sweater

15th Feb 2023 yorkiemouse2 Comments

This is my first full knitting project of the year and I LOVE it! The Sunday Sweater is a pattern by Petite Knit that I’ve seen popping up on my Instagram feed. It’s a bulky knit with a ribbed yoke and big, billowy sleeves. Oof, those sleeves are so yummy.

I have worn this sweater every day since it was blocked and it’s definitely my new favourite thing. My only regret is that I didn’t knit it in October because we had such a chilly Nov-Jan in the UK!

Sniff test

I asked my parents for 5 balls of King Cole Chunky Tweed for Christmas, as per the pattern instructions for my size. I ended up adding a bit of length to the cropped bodice, which meant I needed to “panic buy” another ball. Fortunately the same dye lot was available. As I was paying for postage, I also bought some of the Orkney colourway because I like the yarn so much!

It’s no secret in the knitting world that jumper quantities of yarn can get really pricey. I have found a mix of acrylic and natural fibres is a good balance for me. The natural fibres give a softness and mean that regular washing isn’t required, but the acrylic gives strength and significantly lowers the price.

Whilst I’m hovering around the subject of laundry, I didn’t believe that woollen jumpers don’t need washing as often until I started wearing them. I was really worried that they would smell, particularly in the armpit area(!). Washing and drying a hand knit jumper is quite a task, so I decided to experiment and see how many times I could wear mine. My jumpers are never directly on my skin because I wear thermals as a base layer, and I’ve found that I can wear a woolly jumper quite a few times and they continue to pass the “sniff test”. I’m converted to the theory now!

It’s good to gauge

As this pattern and designer were new to me, I knew that checking the gauge was important. The pattern recommended 7mm needles, but the swatch came out huge, so I dropped to 6mm needles. I was worried it would be too tight a knit, but it was fine.

The pattern recommends smaller needles for the neckline, but that posed some problems in that I couldn’t get it over my head! I wanted to knit a size Small based on the measurements, so decided to knit the entire jumper in the same needle size (6mm). I did change to 5mm for the sleeve cuffs as I have very small wrists.

I always find sizing jumpers a gamble because I have to get quite a way into the knit before trying on. Thankfully my first try-on, when the yoke was knit, proved to be a great fit.

Ever the cautious knitter, I left a lifeline in before I knit the ribbing in case I wanted to rip back and adjust the length. As it turned out, the length is spot-on so I should have trusted my judgement (and tape measure).

Realisations

When I came to pick up the second sleeve, I realised that I had been living on the edge with a missed stitch that wasn’t on the spare yarn. It’s sheer luck that this didn’t cause me major problems because the project had been shoved in a bag, transported to my in-laws’ house and generally moved about whilst knitting the bodice and other sleeve.

Whilst thanking the knitting Gods for this close call, my second realisation was more amusing. I was knitting a jumper I had already sewn! One of my favourite sweatshirts is an I Am Lion in a dusky pink fabric with black flecks (sound familiar?!).

As I said at the top, I absolutely love this jumper. My only grumble is that the spectacular sleeves don’t fit into any of my coats. This does limit the opportunities to wear outside of the house in winter, but I can see me wearing this in spring/summer evenings where there’s a chill in the air. Thanks for reading, and thanks to my parents for the woolly present :o)

Knitting · Make Nine 2022 · Sewing

Autumn Sewing Plans

8th Sep 2022 yorkiemouse4 Comments

Greetings friends! It’s been a while since I blogged. We had a busy end to the summer, seeing friends and family, going on holiday and general life. As a result, I haven’t been sewing much. I have been knitting lots because we’ve been travelling, so craft is never far from my mind or my fingers.

September often prompts a feeling of “new year” for me, more so than January does. I think the new academic year conjures up memories of new stationery, new teachers, new goals and some of that has carried through to my adult life. Our Cornish holiday has given me the chance to prioritise a few makes, plucking them out of the seemingly endless list of ideas in my head.

As with last year’s Random Project Generator, this is particularly important because it’s that time of year when I make more for others (i.e. Christmas Elf time), but want to make for myself as well!

Gift list

Let’s start with the gifts… I really try not to be sensible about Christmas making because sewing to a deadline isn’t compatible with my stress levels. It’s also reason number 1 (of 75) for me not even considering the Great British Sewing Bee ;o)

Explorer Raglan t-shirts for nephew – I had a very late “Christmas ask” last year, so he’s been put at the top of this year’s list. I’ve got some fun jersey to make these from, both with a similar base colour which means i won’t have to change my overlocker thread (genius).
Sprite wings for niece – she loves dressing-up and unknowingly picked the fabric herself when I asked her “what’s your favourite” from four pictures on my phone. I found out about this pattern from Chatterstitch’s amazing wings which you can see here.
I have a few other presents in mind, but those people can read so I won’t share here!

Personal list

My personal sewing list is made up of pattern and fabric combinations that I already have, including one that I’m already part way through.

Stacker Jacket – during the cooler moments over the summer, I often said “I need a replacement for my denim jacket”. I’ve already fitted this pattern and cut out the pieces. My plan was to make it in time for our holiday, but it’ll be ready for next year!
Power Sports Bra – I recently bought some hot pink econyl fabric from Sew Me Sunshine to make another sport bra. This is the only pattern I use for sport bras as it fits, works and feels comfortable. The cross back is particularly good as it NEVER needs readjusting.

I’m back in the office a lot more now and have a shortage of “work dresses”. I have a wearable toile of the Lyra, which might need narrowing on the shoulders. I also recently bought the Davenport pattern, which I think will look lovely in some border fabric that I have in my stash.

Combining crafts

For my “big birthday” this year, my family gave me a Bobbin Hood screen printing kit. Over the summer, I had a fun day learning to use the kit, but haven’t made anything since.

I really want to make some t-shirts using the kit. I have the free Stellan t-shirt and Lago tank patterns, both of which are great pj tops. My stash has a fair bit of plain jersey thanks to some bundles from Lamazi. The beauty of starting with pj tops is that if they don’t go to plan, not many people will see them but the garment won’t be wasted!

My plan is to cut the pieces, then print before sewing up. Doing it in this order means I don’t have to worry about printing around seams.

Make Nine

I still have three fabrics left from my Make Nine 2022. The middle square is destined to be a Lyra, but I’m not sure about the other two. If I have any ideas, they may jump the queue, but I don’t want to use them for the sake of ticking a box in my Make Nine.

Don’t forget the knitting!

I can’t write about plans without a nod to my ever-present knitting! I am part-way through the Painting Honeycombs Shawl, and really enjoying making it. It requires a lot of different yarns, so it’s a “home sofa” knit and doesn’t travel with me. This means it may take a bit longer to complete, but it’s going to be beautiful.

My portable knitting project is the Cliff Walk Socks pattern. As a pattern inspired by the Cornish coastline, I’m pleased to say that a few rounds have been knit in Bude. This project is already well-travelled, having been to Austria, Cornwall and The Wirral.

Future knitting patterns are less well formed in my head, but I love the Wool and Honey and Sorrell jumper patterns.

If you got this far, thanks for reading! Hopefully some of the above appear in future posts :o)