Miette Progress Report!

I thought it was about time I did another update on my miette cardigan! Which I'm starting to hate by the way! from what I can see my last update was here in October 

So as you can see I've finished the bodice and I'm what I'm referring to as the home stretch, The sleeves. 

The bodice turned out okay, I like the shape but the wool is a lot thicker than I thought which is kinda meh. And I'm annoyed because I jacked up the lace pattern right at the end, I don't think its noticeable but I know I did it so that bothers me! 

The sleeves are knitted in the round and my circular needle is too long so its a complete faff to be honest, I seem to spend most of my time jigging the wire and the stitches. On the plus side though you only need to knit in garter stitch and you achieve stocking stitch. Its witchcraft but it works!!

I'm planning to have it done before September, which would make it a year long project but I still don't think that's too bad for my first ever hand knitted garment. And I'm pretty sure the experience hasn't put me off so much that I'll never make another one!

Hopefully my next post about this will be me saying its finished! And proudly modelling it flaws and all! 

Much Love Frankie

xxx

Nanny Knit

I've heard a rumour that their are Nans out in the world that can't knit..... I know I was shocked too! Luckily for me not only does my own nan knit but Mr Knitwits nan knits as well, In fact I would go as far as to say she's a keen knitter, and that if there were ever a knitting Olympics she would be the team captain.

And luckily for me she's always up for a complicated bit of knitting! I've been lusting after oversized Aran cardigans for ages now! Something I could throw on over pretty dresses in winter so I stay toasty. 

And after a few week of hinting, somebody gave her some Aran wool and her fist thought was of me!!! We had a peruse of some patterns and i chose this one [after we'd weighed all the wool on my kitchen scales and tried to work out if we had enough]

Its got some pretty great details but I don't know what they are called, there's diamond things and and cable thingys and this weird netting kinda look.

Its really pretty!

And boy is it warm I mean seriously this thing makes me sweat! I've actually turned down the heating!!! its lovely and warm for trips in and out of the car and up and down the garden.

I'm not sure how long it took her the knit, I know she had to undo some parts and re-knit them. but I think its been about a month since we first started talking about it and looking at patterns. Either way I'm so glad she knit it for me! Its something I don't think id have ever made for myself! Let alone put the effort into making one for someone else!

Now I just have to worry about washing it! Imagine if I destroy it in my washer!!!!

Much Love

Frankie 

Miette cardigan update - part one

I thought I'd document my progress on my miette cardigan! So without further ado here's part one!

So I started off by casting on no less than 8 times, I'm not even joking I really struggled with some of the instructions! As it goes ssk does not mean slip stitch, slip stitch, knit stitch. It actually mean slip stitch, slip stitch, knit the two slipped stitches together, It took me far to long to realise my error, about 4 cast ons I'd say? Then there was the wonderful incident where I decided I don't need stitch markers so took them out, only to realise I do actually need stitch markers so had to start again!

Incidentally I don't actually own stitch markers so I've been using paper clips, bright pink paperclips to be precise.

One pound from Tesco can't say fairer than that can you! And they are working just as well as regular stitch markers, well I assume they are.

But anyway I'm plodding on nicely, I don't knit really fast so the aran wool is making it seem like Ive done more than I have.

Ive just finished the dreaded row 25 which I had to Google, but as soon as a realised that I was making the front bit more sticky out it made sense. I'm getting along quite nicely with the lace pattern but I'm making sure to re read each line so I don't make any silly mistakes.

I'm also coping surprisingly well with the needles, even if they do look a bit like nun chucks [everyone knows grannies are assassins really]. I think for my next project I'm going to try knitting in the round, she says even through shes not finished the cardigan yet!

Speaking of which I'm trying not to start any new projects until this is done, I'm desperately trying to stay focused!!! So these are the only items in my knitting bag at the moment, my wool, my needles, a tub of paper clips, a jingle jester pencil [technically little knitwits] and a piece of card that I'm marking my rows off on.

whats in your knitting bag?

Much Love

Frankie

xxx

Miette Cardigan

I'm going to take the plunge and knit myself a cardigan. No im being serious ive got wool and needles and everything!

Im going to make the miette cardigan by andi Sutterlund Mainly becuase a lot of bloggers have made it, so it seems quite popular, its meant to be fairly easy and its super cute!!!

I did have to get needles and wool though so i used my hobbycraft voucher!

One massive ball of wool! and two scary sets of needles!

Staring with the needles, I didnt have any of these so obviously i had to invest! hopefully ill be able to knit this competently so then i can progress to some of her more complicated patterns, which i think also use this type of needle!

The wool is a womens institute aran thats exclusive to hobbycraft, I was meant to buy the grey [becuase grey goes with everything] but this purple slipped into my basket! and im glad it did! sometimes you just have to take the plunge and inject some colour into your life! theres 1000m in a ball so it should be more than enough! i just hope i dont screw up too badly. althought at 10 pound a ball i didnt think it was too expensive, i mean its not cheap but its a nice wool.

pattern wise its a top down pattern, im still not 100% what that means but i have nanny on standby for any queries!

right im off to cast on before i bottle it!

much love

frankie

x

I'm a beautiful butterfly!

An old lady died in my mums home town, we didn't know her, but we do know.

I shall explain, whilst having a meander in her town we strolled past a charity shop, and outside of this charity shop there was a table filled with fabric and embroidery thread, and embroidery transfers and just loads of craft stuff! Well I had a small (slightly maniacal) dig through the box of fabrics and happened to find a black knit fabric, roughly two metres. Anyway after deciding to purchase (what? It's not new fabric if you know exactly what to make from it!) we wandered inside where we found about. 30 craft books and asked the assistant what had happened, turns out a lady had died and her husband had donated all of her craft stuff because he couldn't bear to look at it. Which makes me kind of sad, but at the same time im sure that a lot of people are going to get pleasure from his kindness and generosity and her good taste! 

Now my intention for the fabric was to make the three hour cardigan from the great british sewing bee book, but there wasn't quite enough! So I followed this tutorial for a cocoon cardigan! http://truebias.com/2014/03/diy-cocoon-cardigan.html

You basically follow the instructions and mark directly into the fabric.

Excuse the mess, we've fitted a new sound system in the game room and are storing all if our Easter eggs! 

Right so it's comfy, and the construction was super easy, I did French seams for a nice finish and use a zig zag stitch and a ball point needle. This was my first experience sewing with a knit so I was pretty nervous! 

The arm seam kinda points at the nipple region, (can I say nipple?) which I'm not crazy about, but I think it's hidden by the drape of the fabric. By the way I have no idea what kind of knit it is, it's fairly stable with a very small amount if one way stretch, it's not thin like a tshirt, but the backs not fuzzy like sweatshirt. 

I'm not crazy about the gather detail at the back, I'll see how it washes but it might be ripped out. 

It feels very snuggly.

Here's me trying to do a casual pose, so you can see it hasn't worked! 

All In all I kind of like it, I don't like it as much as my kimono jacket, but it's warmer and I was DESPERATELY in need of a black cardigan I can just throw on over things. Yes i know springs meant to be here but have you seem it yet!? No didn't think so! 

Much love

Frankie

 Xx

OWOP Day 4

Oppsie this is a late one! Today I wore the Robert version of my simplicity 4070 and went for very preppy styling! 

Dress - Robert version with box pleats, handmade! 

Cardigan - select (used to wear this cardigan with nothing underneath and about five buttons done up when first got it! Some of my fashion choices make me cringe now!!! (By nothing I mean I did have a bra on! I'm not a complete tramp)) 

Shoes - primark imitation deck shoes! Given to me by mother in law! 

I managed to convince myself that the three strand pearls made the outfit look like a costume! 

Followed coco channels advice as always , always take off the last thing you put on. Good job pants go on first isn't it!!! 

Much love

Frankie 

Xxx