Adult Surprise Jacket

With the help of Marilyn on knitbabysurprise group, I am participating in a "knitalong" on the Adult Surprise Jacket.


I had been putting off making this because of the thought of the 'math" involved - what a baby I am!
It really is not difficult at all - once I made a swatch, and worked out the number of stitches to 10cm , then asked my daughter for the width of the most comfortable sweater she wears. The rest was easy! But without Marilyn's clear explanation to go along with Elizabeth Zimmermann's pattern instructions, I doubt if I would have braved it !



I am nearly at the part where I place stitches on a holder for the front neckline. I am making it in Cleckheaton Mousse, 60% wool, plus mohair, and viscose, which is very soft and light, but also warm.

The colours are lovely - sort of "brown-y heather-y" mixtures The stripes are fairly random and will, I hope, be quite muted when the jacket is finished.
I am now coming to the front part of the sweater, so will now start to make the stripes smaller, probably one garter ridge only in each colour. I am hoping my daughter likes the colour combinations, and/or the stripes - because I am planning on giving this to her for her birthday in June!!
In the picture below, the left hand edge is the cuff edge, on which I shall pick up and knit down to increase the length of the sleeve. The bottom cast on edge is actually the back neck edge!
If you stand on your head to view this, you will see what I mean LOL!















These two pictures explain just how this finished sweater will look. The stripes will be vertical at the front and horizontal across the back and the only seam will be the shoulder to cuff line. I may take my courage in both hands and use an applied i-cord for this - another first for me! Fortunately for me - I have lots of help and encouragement from knitters who have done this before on this wonderful group! I am thoroughly enjoying this knitalong!

It is amazing that a shapeless blob can suddenly start to become a recognizable garment! The construction is so ingenous - is it any wonder I have joined the ranks of the Zimmermaniacs???
I have knitted dozens of the Baby Surprise Sweater - so I guess the Adult version is not as daunting to me as it could have been!

I would therefore recommend that the Baby version should be tried first !!

Couple more hoodies!

I made my second Tomten!!

This time I was happier with it - mainly because I read the pattern more carefully when I came to doing the double decrease on the sleeves. For those who like to know these things - the Tomten pattern is from the remarkable brain of the late Elizabeth Zimmermann and is available in a couple of her books, Knitting Workshop and the Opinionated Knitter or as a single pattern leaflet from www.schoolhousepress.com

I can recommend it - but be warned - just like E.Z.'s Baby Surprise Jacket - it is highly addictive!!

Someone had given me an anonymous skein of yarn (no ball band) which I think was wool, in a beautiful soft cream with a coloured fleck in it. I didn't have enough to do the whole sweater in it and as it had flecks of blue in it as well as a little bit of yellow and red, I found some Cleckheaton wool blend in a beautiful blue for the sleeves. I used literally every last inch of both colours!

This little hoodie I made for my dear friend Karen's great niece Jasmine. Karen provided the yarn and the pattern which was from a Powder Puff book, I think this is Paton's? Can't tell you because I gave the pattern book back to her!

Garter stitch, in alternating ridges of Powder Puff and Feathers, this was so easy to do, albeit tricky due to the nature of the yarns.

The finished hoodie was just so sweet - lovely and cosy too. Took no time to make either!!

Could call this home........

We have been thinking of moving to Toowoomba to be closer to Simone. Since having had problems with the new neighbours, and giving up our beloved cats, the idea of a new start is looking more attractive every day.

We found a wonderful rental property about 15 minutes from Toowoomba CBD - on 23 acres, plus a fenced paddock. The potential is endless! You can just see the back of the house here if you look carefully.

Who knows what we can do - and the thought of all that wonderful space and fresh air, birdsong, peace, and most of all no nosy neighbours, is very appealing!

There are two hills like this rearing up at the back of the house - which is small - but still has three bedrooms and a brand new kitchen. Plus a BIG brand new deck as well, large enough to take two outdoor settings.

These two views are the left hand hill.

The soil is black, friable and very fertile. There are lots of rocks around which will be handy for retaining walls around veggies etc. Lots of space for growing raspberries (one idea we had) and gooseberries.

Plenty of exercise to help me lose weight!

Space for chooks and goats - I am thinking Kashmir goats here !!!

Isn't this gorgeous?? I took this at night, last Friday week when at Simone's - the most beautiful Crab Cactus, also called Christmas Cactus in USA

I used the night setting because it was pitch dark

at the time - not that you would know it!

And just look at all the flowers still in bud!

Blazing Sunset!

What a sight!

I have to share these pics - taken on Wednesday evening 2nd May 2007. We get beautiful sunsets here - but isn't this spectacular?? The bumps on the skyline on the next picture are the Glasshouse Mountains.

At the end is was like watching a bush fire

through the trees at night!

Another Beanie Blitz

More beanies made this weekend - for Knitting For Brisbane's Needy - a great Yahoo group I belong to, that knits (and crochets) for homeless and needy people.

Mind you - we are getting alot of requests for knitted items from a lot farther afield than just Brisbane now - and our members are from all over Australia, in U.K. and U.S.A.

We make what we want, when we want - but just occasionally, we have a blitz for items badly needed - in this case beanies - but there is a big demand for gloves, scarves, and rugs. We are also needing baby booties too.

If you can help and want to join, go here: http://au.groups.yahoo.com/group/knittingforbrisbanesneedy/

We have only been in existence for 15 months - but already we have made more than 1100 items for needy people in that time!

Best Ever Baby Sweater

Finished this beautiful baby sweater - finally sewed the buttons on!

It is from Elizabeth Zimmermann's book, "Knitters' Almanac" - the lace stitch is Gull Wing stitch.

The only seams were the sleeves - I could have knitted them on two circulars I guess and then there would have been no seams at all!

Thanks to Marilyn on EZknitalong - for pithy and comprehensive instructions - even though I was too impatient and scooted along without her after Day 2 LOL!! I didn't make a mess of it after all.

Aren't the little mushroom buttons cute?? From Dave Rundell in Florida - "daverun"on ebay .

Oh yes, cream Angoretta and some lovely apple green anonymous donated yarn - I have a fair bit of this - so it will feature in some more baby sweaters I am sure!