Regency Alert! A new magazine to check out!

I found this at our local fabric store and at Barnes and Noble.  The magazine has a few articles about Jane Austen, the Austen movies and some back ground information around fashion, knitting and just a great timeline of corresponding events during Jane's life time.  The knits are all Austen/Regency inspired pieces sent in by different knitters and knit designers.  Unfortunately, none of them are for the novice knitter.    There is a sweet little reticule with a diamond pattern that I would love to try but I am not a good knitter nor a patient one.  Give me thread and needles and I will embroider and handwork up a storm but knitting, alas is not my forte.  What is exciting ladies and gents, is there must be an interest amongst Regency folks to produce a full, glossy colored magazine on such a specific topic.  There is a call for entries for future magazines, so all you knitters and Austenphiles go for it!

Knitting the Mitts - Phew! Got it started.

Well, after literally 20 tries to get this project going, I got this far:

Really, it did take 20 tries to load the first stitches and figure out 1). Getting the right number of stitches on each needle. There are 4.  2). Get the first few rows done and connect the two ends to make a round. (I had to watch 3 tutorials online to figure that one out). And 3). Figuring out the 'false' seam. 

Anyway,  I would get so far and suddenly figure out I did something wrong and have to unravel the knitting and start again.  :(   Never quite got to the point where I had to use 'wall therapy' and toss the entire thing at the wall but I came darn near close.  I am not a great or practiced knitter and so this whole project was meant to be a 'challenge' but also to make something I would like and could use. I am done with the wrap-around scarves and the ski hats.

Working with 5 needles is like working with an 10 pointed (2 points for each needle) octopus.  Three are left on their own to get hung up on each other as you work with two.  Closing the gap between the sections is important - I am doing pretty good with that.  I dropped a couple of stitches at some point but luckily these were on the row I was working on so I could use the crochet hook to fix it.  No trauma or drama there. Phew!

Once you get several inches along and get into the rhythm it actually is kind of fun to see the shape form.  With that said, I am on row 39 and I have to get to row 75 to start decreasing and getting the shape ready to do the part that actually goes around your hand and thumb.  Oh, boy!  Here is another look:

As you can see the 'false seam' isn't perfect - in fact I have no idea if that is the way it is suppose to look.  No, don't tell me...leave me in ignorant bliss of having gotten this far.  :)  I am not going to unravel it again.

I am not expecting perfect - it is my first try at this kind of detailed knitting, so far so good.  Probably should have started out with something a bit chunkier in yarn weight to make it easier but oh, no, I wanted the baby weight... a much more refined look and feel. 

So, that is it for now.  I am embarking on my evening gown for the ADSC Preservation Ball coming up in two weeks.  I had planned on deep blue silk crepe (@$28.00/yd) but I waited too long to go back to the store and poof!  Gone!  So, now I picked up a cerise red crepe silk (@$40.00/yd OUCH!) and will trim in blue (?).  I am going to use that 1946 pattern I talked about a few entries ago that is actually a day dress but I am going to lengthen it for the ball.  I like my gowns simple and elegant.

Have a great day.  I will keep you posted.

18th century knitted mitts project - phase 1

Okay, I am all fired up!  With the help of a good friend, Shelley - (a sister in all but blood) - I have gotten my project to knit a pair of 18th century mitts started.  No deadlines.  Just an on-going project to keep my hands busy when at stitching gatherings, etc.  The mitts are for a middle class woman of the time, so the yarn isn't supposed to be a fine or lace thread.  I chose not to use the sport weight recommended by the pattern, but something a little finer. As I will not be using the pattern's recommended yarn, I made a gauge sample to start with.  The yarn is a pretty hand-died silk-wool so they will appear vintage - not a solid flat modern color.  There were so many pretty colors to choose from but I didn't want to go with a safe "white".  The peach I picked is pretty earthy and neutral.  Here are some pics:

The pattern is from Mara Riley - see link in previous blog.  The trick will be learning to knit with 4 double-end needles.  Yikes!!  I only have ever knitted scarves and hats with regular needles or circular needles.  So, this will be a challenge in many ways but I am up for it.  Will keep you posted.  Cheers.