Knitting & crochet quote found on Facebook
When working on any form of craft work, I normally concentrate on one project at a time. I may well be planning the next one in my head as I finish off the mundane and tedious elements of the task in hand. In the past year or two I have noticed a difference. At one stage there were three projects on the go at one time.
Up until yesterday I had three crochet projects unfinished. Running out of yarn is not to be recommended!
Basket weave project
This basket weave jacket was working well but it was a yarn guzzler. I had the back & two fronts complete, but it looked like I would run out of yarn before I had the second sleeve, never mind the front border and collar completed. I found this aran wool in Dublin last year, when out with my sister. She is an avid knitter, but does crochet too.
Sister is sensible. She sticks to a pattern. I seldom do. I like to add my own touch to a garment. Most of the time it works.
My sister offered to consult her outlet for the yarn, to see if it was still in stock. It was, but a different dye number. I decided (long distance) to let her get it for me and hold it until I was next in Dublin. I planned to use it for the two sleeves and the front band and collar using a different stitch. If there was a slight difference, it would look intentional.
A couple of falls resulting in very painful ribs last autumn, put paid to my travel plans for a few months.
In the meantime, I decided to use some raspberry coloured Aran wool called lipstick, that I had in my wool stash for over a year, to make a long cardigan/jacket. I had 10 X 100g balls, more than enough, says I to myself over confidently! Ha Ha!
Waffle stitch Cardigan
Again, I used a yarn guzzling stitch. This time waffle stitch. I finished the back, two fronts, two sleeves and two front border/collar sections. I used every last inch! I had no Lipstick yarn to sew the pieces together!
Waffle stitch cardigan- back
Unfortunately the shop where I had bought the yarn had gone out of business. Thankfully there was a website address on the ball-band so I was able to find stockists in Northern Ireland. Four or five phone calls and I found it. Well almost!
Collar back detail.
The colour lipstick was available in either double knitting, or chunky varieties, but not Aran. Since it was only to stitch the garment together with the stitches unseen on the outside, I went along with the double knitting.
closer look at the front
It worked, so I decided to use the remainder of the 100g ball to make a belt. That is what you saw yesterday.
Belt in waffle stitch
Sailing close to the wind… the photo above shows how little yarn I have left at the end of the project!
sleeve detail
I learned a couple of new tricks with this project.
- A new way to join the yarn leaving no unsightly tails to be worked into the finished garment.
- A new way – for me – to work the base line instead of starting with a long chain.
If you would like me to share them with you, let me know in the comments, and I will do so next week.
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- Waffle stitch Cardigan
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- Waffle stitch cardigan- back
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- Collar back detail.
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- Sleeve detail
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- sleeve detail
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- Belt in waffle stitch
Click on any of the photos to enlarge them for greater detail.
Yes, please share! I hate weaving in ends!
Hi craftycoup, thank you for vising and following my blog. I will share the method of joining yarn next Wednesday.
Wow!
A cheerful colour to keep me warm in the winter.
I agree with Ramana –> Wow!
Karen’s quilts take so long to complete, being mostly hand work, that she generally has several in the works. It gives her variety by being able to shift between the various stages of making a quilt.
Mike, of all the craft techniques that I have tried over the years, quilting is the only one that I seldom work at. I have tried all the various methods and the hand quilting, to my mind, gives the best finish. It is the time, effort and space needed that puts me off. Nowadays, I prefer to concentrate on items that I can wear.
What a beautiful cardigan, and I love how creative you were completing the project. I’m very interested in the new way to join the yarn too.
Thank you, Celia. Next Wednesday should provide the answer on joining new yarn!
Wonderful projects, Grannymar. You do good work.
Nancy, it will be a very cosy jacket for the winter! The bonus is that it cost me £16 GBP / $25 USD / 1,600 INR, and hours of pleasure.
And it’s gorgeous! So is your basketweave project.
I am very happy with it. I love the wool in the basketweave, The shade is Fireworks – a winter white with faint flecks of blue, jade, yellow and a pinky red.
I have been feeling guilty because I have two partially completed projects. I want to start a third one. I get bored with only one needle in the yarn. Dianne
Great work, BTW. I am not nearly so talented.
Dianne, I find that having several projects on the pins at one time is a distraction and work better on one item at a time!
Beautiful red jacket, but I get plumb tired just thinking about it! But I admit I’m a little jealous, too!
Alice, there is a fair bit of work in it, but sure it keeps me from running the roads! 😉
Grannymar,
You failed to mention when you would be shipping my Lipstick Red Basketweave Sweater to me. I’m Waiiiiiiitingggg!!!!!
Now Nancy Leitz, was the Lipstick Red before the blue sparkle and the blush pink? You will have my fingers worn to a frazzle!
That’s lovely! What a gorgeous shade of red!
Empress, thank you, I call it a ‘cosy colour’, you feel snug and warm just looking at it!
Gorgeous, gorgeous work missus!!! yes please on the hints.
XO
WWW
Right so, WWW. I am off to draw a few diagrams!
You are one talented lady, Marie. This is a strikingly beautiful garment.
P.S. I wear a 42 long.
Thank you, Al. from your avatar, it might be your colour, but you might have a lonnng wait!