Back to work!

So, I finished my first adult garment last week - I was so very excited!! :D



Back to School U-Neck Vest from Fitted Knits by Stefanie Japel (Rav Link)
Materials: Cascade 220 Heathers in colour 2452
Used: 2.56 skeins (515m)
Size: 41

I really enjoyed this, although I was very apprehensive about making it to begin with, as I didn't think the neckline would suit me - I'm one for the plunging neckline :) And I was worried about all the mindless ribbing, but that actually didn't turn out too bad. I did the ribbing for a little bit longer than written, and I continued the waffle stitch a bit more after doing the bust increases, and after dividing for the front and back and doing the decreases for the under arms, I only did one row of working even instead of seven, as suggested by Cripsynoodle's blog post. I also did a 3 needle bind of on the shoulders, and only one three row purl ridge on the arm holes and the neck line as it would have been too much otherwise.

I learned how to do a pretty invisible increase on the bust as well, which I'm proud of - the M1R and M1L from knitting help. And EZ's Sewn bind off!! I will be using this bind off for everything now, because it is really easy to do, and it's so stretchy. Hooray for learning new tricks! So yay.

I wore it to work last week, and I received lots of complements about it, which made me happy. And it's always nice to wear knitted object to work - especially when you work in a yarn shop :)

Looking back through my other projects in my notebook, I finished my Downtown Clutch(Rav Link) back in March, just in time to take it to my job interview (I didn't plan that at all ;).



This project is where I learned how to do a 3 needle bind off (awesome!) and I converted the pattern into a circular knit, instead of two separate pieces to be joined up. I also lined it (dodgily)



My next plans are to make a February Lady Sweater in Bendigo's new Luxury 10 ply - they've brought out a really nice dark orange/red colour that I think would look fantastic. I also bought Ysolda's Ishbel last night, and I am a bit unsure what to make it with. I'd like to make it fairly big, so I think dyeing some knittery slim sock will be in order. I also want to make a Ribbled Lace Bolero in some sort of red Malabrigo worsted weight.

The boyfriend beanie is still in time out, as I am not loving it, but it needs to be finished. And I am currently working on a Clapotis, which is going VERY well - it's in this beautiful rainbow coloured fingering weight yarn I got in a swap, 200g worth of it, so it should turn out something nice and light, but very colourful.



Okay, that's enough for one post. :)

Some dyeing...

I did some dyeing the other day - I put four balls of Cleckheaton Country Silk 8ply together to make a 200g ball and dyed it similar to what I had already done with it last time - blues, reds and purples. And then I'd bought a ball of while Sullivans Sock yarn a couple of weeks? ago, and dyed it blues, purples and greens. They both turned out quite nicely, especially seeing I upped the amount of vinegar I soaked it in. Need to buy more red food colouring, as that's what I tend to use up first. That, or pink. Anyway, my next lot, I want to do reds, purples with yellow, so I think it will be best to dye (or buy) yellow wool first, and then go from there with the reds and purples. Not sure how the purples will turn out though with the yellow base. Maybe I'll dye yellow and leave white patches, so the purple turns out purple and not brown.




Been a bit down yesterday and today, seeing yesterday is normally pay day. And freaking out slightly on the money front. I never really know how I survive when I have no job, but I do somehow... except the other times I've had no job, I've had ParentLink helping out. This time, it's just me and the boy. But I guess it'll work out somehow. Have been cooking and (attempting) to clean (although a lot of it has been sitting in front of the tv, watching NCIS and knitting) and trying to brainstorm what I do want to do with my life. I am going to a career councellor (when I get around to finding one) but I thought I should probably do some reasearch about where I want to take my life on my own, before I start paying someone insane amounts of money to tell me. I wonder if Griffith offers alumni councelling. Something to look at.

When I was up in Mackay while Dad was sick, I went with Mum to MADEC. I am thinking that I could see myself in that sort of enviroment. Not working with the disabled though. I have enough of that in my personal life - not so much now, of course, but that could change. But I have an understanding of what can happen at home, so I can empathise with others. So an admin side of it? Who knows. But at least that's something to think about.