Monday 10 March 2014

Shellseeker cycling hoodie or hoody - in progress!

I have made some more progress with my sweater, I am knitting Shellseeker by the talented Heidi Kirrmaier. I am using Drops Extra Fine Merino. I love this yarn, I used it for my French stripey throw and promised myself a sweater for me in it. Grey plus 8 colours, a ninth one has been rejected as being too bright. It's a superwash double knit yarn, so no hint of lanolin or itchy wool-itis, and it comes in lots of gorgeous natural shades and it is relatively affordable!
Shellseeker is a clever top down in the round construction with neat shaping...
..as you can see below, which cleverly incorporates the kangaroo pocket. Decreasing in the centre and increasing at the sides so the sticth number doesn't actually change but shaping happens! Now that pocket was a bit of a challenge, I had had flu badly and been in bed for ten whole days with no hope of knitting, and however hard I tried I could not fathom out the pocket logic. I googled and found others had the same problem. The solution...
...is to stop trying to imagine it and just follow the instructions exactly, and then it works. Even post flu befuddled brains can do it. I was so annoyed with myself as I undid it once when I had done it correctly...duh! Follow the instructions exactly as written and it works.

I am so proud of myself as, about a zillion years after everybody else, I also taught myself Magic Loop. I thought it was some extremely complicated clever technique for super advanced knitters requiring multiple classes to learn. It is extremely clever but super easy, knit anything in the round on one size circular needles. Google and watch a You Tube video for 2 minutes and anyone is an expert! I have just picked up the sleeve stitches from the holder in the pic above to knit magic loop. Now just to work out how you knit two socks at once.

The only problem with all these luscious stripes are the ends......I have sewn them all in except for the second sleeve I am just finishing off. 2 ends per colour stripe for the body and each sleeve Far wiser to use just two yarns as the pattern advises so the yarn can be carried up neatly! 156 ends, never mind a few grey ones too.....I have endititis.

12 comments:

  1. Oh yes the ends can be the END of you lol, but must say this is going to be one amazing sweater ☺☺

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  2. Well done you for keeping on going, it looks great!! I like your colour combos. Hope that you are fully recovered and feeling yourself again. xx

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  3. It looks wonderful and beautiful colours on it, like spring, a lot of health and good day, anna

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    1. Thank you and here's hoping spring is staying now!

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  4. This is a great pattern isn't it ? I really like the idea of the colourful multi stripes ( but not all the ends !). I made this for myself last year and used Drops Cotton Light ,as it was very reasonably priced and I wasn't sure I could manage the pattern ,so wanted to attempt a prototype ...on the cheap :) It was a bit splitty ,but I loved it and even made another for my friend in England for Christmas.
    It's such a lovely sweater to wear...really comfy, like a favourite sweatshirt and great for cooler days in spring / summer. I sympathise over the pocket ...had the same problem ( even without flu- induced fog brain !) but yes, you really do have to follow exactly what the pattern says without over-thinking it !
    I've been wondering what to use to knit up another one ( for me !) and may well now go with your choice.Hope you are now feeling much better. Really look forward to seeing your completed Shellseeker . Bonne journée :)

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    1. Wow, you are so prolific Carole...I think I will make again and just do 2 colours but cotton light or drops merino cotton was my plan!! I have to fathom out how to do a hood and i cord edhing for it

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    2. That sounds quire ambitious ( I've never made an i-cord ) . I think it would be lovely with a hood . Haha, not sure I'm prolific ..... I think ' numpty ' should be my middle name....when I made the first one in two colours I CUT the yarn after every stripe and did this for about a third of the way up before I realised I could just carry the yarn up...duh ...so many totally unnecessary ends...yep ' Numpty ' that's me :)

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  5. HI Fiona
    What a gorgeous pattern, can't wait to see the end result. And isn't Youtube fab ? I taught myself to crochet that way.
    Have a good day,
    Kate x

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    1. Sliced bread was a none invention compared to you tube/intetnet resources

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  6. It looks absolutely beautiful. Can already see how it will be. Love the pocket too. Can see this becoming a favourite jumper. If I were a better knitter and had a bit more time, this is exactly what I would have liked to make. For now I will enjoy following you. Glad you are feeling better x

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  7. I'm sorry you've been unwell, flu is nasty. I hope you are over it now. I'm so impressed with your knitting since I am very much at beginner level and have never tried to knit in the round. I have often found youtube to be a fantastic free resource of crochet and knitting advice. x

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  8. Oh, those blessed ends! You should see the underside of my knitted objects! I'm still not entirely sure I'm weaving the ends in in the best possible way; probably not! But I do like stripes and your sweater is a delight!

    Thank you so much for leaving such a kindhearted comment on my blog this evening. I truly appreciated it -)

    Happy new week to you.

    Stephanie

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