Saturday 11 April 2015

Knitting

I keep saying that I am going to post to this blog more often and never do.  Oh well, perhaps in my retirement.

The last couple of weeks have been spent at our big Agricultural Show here in Sydney,  The Royal Easter Show.  I've missed going for the last couple of years, usually spending a very tiring day, but this time I wanted to try something different, I applied to work as a volunteer and got accepted.  Was able to see the show at my pace by turning up for each shift a couple of hours early.  Took a couple of weeks off work using my paid vacation time so still got paid.

At the show I bought some beautiful Alpaca/Merino blend yarn and have been making a feather and fan scarf.

The pattern is really easy.

Cast on 70 stitches.
Knit 5 rows

1st row :Knit
2nd Row: Knit 5 stitches,  Purl to last 5 stitches, Knit 5
3rd Row:Knit 5, Purl 2 together twice, *yarn forward, knit 1 - 4 times, Purl 2 together four times repeat from * to last 13 stitches, yarn forward knit 1 - 4 times, purl 2 together twice, knit 5.
4th Row: Knit 5, purl to last 5 stitches, knit 5.

Repeat last 4 rows until the scarf is the length required.
Knit 5 rows 
Cast off. 



I'm not a fast knitter, hadn't even known what the style of knitting I did was called, until I googled it last night, I knit English Style.  Thought I would give Continental Knitting a try, so watched a couple of videos.  It feels a little odd holding the thread in the opposite hand, I started off much looser than I normally knit.  Did a few rows of English Knitting then tried Continental again, tension is much better but the stitches look messier.  It is faster but if I persevere I would improve the tension.