The plan starts to come together

After all that swatching it is a joy to finally be knitting the cushion cover I've been planning for my friends' wedding gift. Number one of two hopefully as making a pair seems almost compulsory.

Swatching is a bit like the trailers ahead of the eagerly awaited feature presentation; sometimes fun but often just something to get through. I hoped I wouldn't be alone in my laziness so thanks for those of you keeping me company on that front and as for the rebel no-swatcher Rachel I like your style!

Kendra asked what I do with my swatches. This is something I'd like to improve upon now I am going to be such a swatching swot. I always try and keep them and they are strewn in random nooks around the place. I haven't yet had to unravel one to have enough yarn I don't think, but I'm sure that'll happen one day. I did try to set up a scrap book for them where I recorded the needle I had used by the swatch so that if I used that yarn again I could refer to the previous swatches for my gauge. You can imagine though that someone too lazy to wash her swatches didn't keep that up for long. What do you do with your swatches?

This is my first attempt at a little colourwork and I have to say I'm really liking it. It makes basic soothing knitting just a little more fizzy, an extra spice to the rows of stocking stitch.

There was a timely email from Knitting Daily last month showing a video clip of how one of the Mistresses of Colourwork - Eunny Yang - manages her yarns whilst knitting. I'm a big fan of these emails though they tend to build up in my inbox until I have a clear out and actually read some of them. I love a little bite-sized chunk of useful information.

I'm off to take a bite out of the weekend with some more stripes. Hope you have a good one.






Comments

Clare said…
Looking fab! Colourwork is so addictive isn't it :)
T. said…
THose emails tend to clutter my inbox too, but boy there is some useful info!
Charity said…
It's looking wonderful! I don't have the patience for much colourwork or intarsia, but it's very pretty! :o)
Bells said…
Looks like you don't need the knitting police for now!

My swatches too are stashed all over the place. I keep finding them in bags, backs of drawers, behind the couch. At knitting camp last year, one of the women had a beautiful, delicate pile of swatches she'd made and they were all blocked, neatly finished off and kept together. i aspire to that.
Rose Red said…
I'm useless at organising swatches too - but I have found a couple of times I've needed to unravel them to use the yarn, so it's definitely a good idea to keep them!!
raining sheep said…
That will be so cute; I just love those hearts. Color work is hard.
Anonymous said…
Those look like they're going to be really cute cushions. :) I want to knit cushions for my apartment too, just haven't figured out the colours yet...

I'm not a good swatcher. Well, I swatch, I'm just lazy about it - I know that it's not good to substitute very different yarns and just cast on for a large project, but it takes me ages to actually get around to swatching. And then even longer to actually start the project - especially if I have to make mods because I didn't quite get gauge. :P
Donna said…
That looks like its going to be super cute.
Anonymous said…
I always make swatches, I'm a bit anal like that, but they are always quite small, and I always frog them out to use the yarn in the project. At one point I thought I could keep them all and make a blanket or something, but it never happened.
Sarah said…
I love the design you've come up with. The colours look really good together.

I wish I'd kept all my swatches in one place too. I tend to use them as coasters.
Anonymous said…
These will be a perfect wedding present - so much better than another set of towels!
Rachel said…
I'm not sure I'd admire my style! I am a realist if nothing else...therefore I know it will eventually bite me!

Loving your design! I think this is going to look fabulous. Knit fast, I want to see it finished :)
Great colour work! I've steered away from knitting patterns which involves change yarn colours....looks too scary. I think I will tackle my fears of knitting socks first.

Mary

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