hurrah! I’ve just finished my knitted project for December, aka the last monthly knit for the year! and possibly the last made thing for the year, depends whether I can get my already cut-out thing done in the next day or so. 🙂
I have to admit I was quite excited about this one, but it was definitely the most time consuming of the knitted projects for the year, just because it’s the biggest that I started from scratch… I had quite a diverse collection of random whites/creams and blacks/charcoal and decided to attempt the classic black and white stripes. There was quite a lot more of the whites than black so the white stripes are a shade wider than the black ones. Also the sleeve and bottom hem sections are in the white colour way too. There is just a very tiny amount of leftovers, nothing to speak of really, which makes me pretty happy.
As previously I made the design up myself, it’s a topdown, knitted-in-one piece, just like my pink jumper from August previously, with a raglan sleeve increase. The only difference really is that I knitted a rib finish for the edges so they don’t curl up, unlike the pink jumper which was stocking stitch throughout, thus the edges curl up on that one.
Speaking of the rib finish, I tried something new I’d seen on instagram, and I’m truly sorry I cannot for the life of me remember who it was who posted it so I can’t give credit for the idea. Basically, they said that rib is often uneven in appearance and that’s due to the difference in the way the wool goes around the needle in knit and purl stitches. They suggested the following; for knit stitches, knit through the back of the loop… and for purl stitches, wrap the wool clockwise around the needle – which is the opposite from normal. Apparently it uses a little less wool, anyway I gave it a go and I think the rib does look a little bit neater than my usual efforts.
I’m really happy with this one! the classic white/black stripes will be so easy to wear and I’m looking forward to giving it lots of outings in winter. I was a little worried about the bobbly cream coloured wool – are the bobbles going to be too hideous?! scary! but in the end they’re not twee to an unbearable extent and I’m ok to just let them be.
In case you’re curious, is it too hot right now to be wearing it on the beach like this? and the answer is of course YES. aah, the things I do…! I actually wore just a light top, carrying the jumper in my beach bag and popped it on briefly for the picture, and it was still enough to make me question my life choices!
Firstly, some new trousers. I used a new pattern, the Fibremood Lux trousers. Lately I’m more interested in trousers/jeans etc with a flat front and no pleats… and so the pattern piqued my interest immediately. I also liked the sleek, menswear vibe that the top part gave, even if the patch pockets at the back and the flared legs didn’t quite fit that vibe. Easily sorted!
I cut mine with straighter legs… partly to fit the pattern better on my fabric too! and decided to put single welt pockets on the back in place of the big patch pockets. There are nice slanted front hip pockets as well, and I cut mine a good inch bigger all the way around, to better accomodate my own big flippers…
There’s not really much more to say about the pattern, it’s a kinda basic pattern really; classic and a bit plain but we all need patterns like this in our lives too, hmmm? The belt loops at the centre are stitched in an “M” arrangement, a subtle detail that is different enough to draw the eye without being too much.
The fabric is a deep chocolate; cottony-sort of stuff; I’ve had it in my stash for so long I cannot even remember how or where I got it from, let alone the content of it. It has a very crisp “snappy” hand to it and literally crackles while you walk. It does crush a little, but irons beautifully, and putting in those welt pockets was a dream! It is just slightly water resistant, and dries very quickly, so I think it might be a technical fabric of some kind. Meaning I can wear them hiking if need be … and that need will probably come up next year, at least once!
I also have my knitting project for the month to show… I made a couple more cushions. I know, sorta boring? and a bit crazy too, if that makes sense. But since I’m using otherwise discarded materials and spending nothing, making stuff like this makes me feel virtuous and thrifty and therefore very happy, so it’s all a good thing! I needed a smaller project this month after a couple of months of knitting full jumpers/cardigans. I’m hoping to go back a more substantial project for next month!
I didn’t take a picture of the “before” yarns, but actually this project changed shape and form several times during the making and new yarns got added in as I went along. I’m pretty happy though… because there were about 11 balls/part balls of yarn in all to start with, and now they are all GONE from Le Stash. I’m particularly pleased with the “turquoise” stripes on the sleeves, which are actually four strands of two different colours of an extremely fine mohair yarn that I had no idea what on earth I could use for anything at all. The four of them held and knitted together as one turned out to be a reasonably good thickness to actually use.
I used our own Carolyn & Cassie Pinjarra pattern, the high necked top version. I cut a size bigger than my usual for a loose fit, and cut a hoodie piece to fit the neckline length. I also added a few inches of length to the bottom edge, again for that loose look. It was a pretty easy hack of our own pattern! so easy that I wondered for a little bit whether we should draft the hood up and add it to the pattern.
I could have sewn new covers, however… well, why not knit up some of my wool stash instead? You might recognise this orange-y coral pink cushion cover as my 
This bright unicorn-pastel one was from a stash given to me by my daughter-in-law Lainey… anyone remember the Flurry yarn? I don’t know about outside Australia, but here there was a short-lived fashion for wearing scarves made from this type of wool. There was actually just over three balls of the same colour way in the box Lainey gave to me, which I thought could be enough for a cushion cover. I felt it looked quite nice with the other cushion too. The gods were smiling upon me, because there was the perfect amount for a second cover, with zero leftovers. I knitting in the round, then grafted with Kitchener stitch at the bottom end, I then stuffed in the old cushion insert and stitched up the top end with the leftover wool. So no, you can’t get the cushion inserts out again without undoing a seam, but I’ll probably just hand wash the cover and insert all together and I’m sure it will be fine.
I’ve knitted a new cardigan!
Aaaaand, apropos of nothing really, but I also have to confess that I’ve decided that I really do hate April’s project and am probably going to rework that one. Hmmm. How am I going to reduce the stash if I keep making such self-defeating decisions?!
