Progress at last

My old barn is getting there and it makes a good storage space for the collection of knitting machines I have now attained, and the most important thing is it is dry and free from the Brittany humid climate, so far,

I decided to knit another of my favourite jumpers in readyness for winter and that is the wonderful polo neck designed by Doris Paice. I have not been able to find out an awful lot about this lady but I do know she wrote for the magazine edited by George Warre, the Duet and this pattern was in the number 9 series Winter 1991, and that she lived in New Zealand.

This is not an easy pattern to knit and even though I have knitted the design around 9 times I still have to refer to the instructions every time. I knitted it on my E6000 and it can be knitted with various weights of industrial yarns ie with perhaps 2 strands you get a smaller knit and with 3 strands as in my latest it was with 3 strands. Of course the type of yarn you use is important as I expect that 3 strands of industrial acrylic would knit easier than the same in cotton, I bought this glorious pink industrial yarn and married it with 2 strands of white to attain a sort of mixed variable, I do love the colours when knitting with mixed industrials. I simply run them through the same tension mast and as always I knit the initial rows by hand just to see that it is going to behave itself when I attach my motor and in this case it went as smooth as silk,

I usually use the body of the garment to see if the sleeves are going to be the correct length as I hate sleeves that are either too short or too long and this is an easy way to ensure they are going to fit. The design tends to stretch but bounces back and I can confirm this is a cosy design that is going to keep you warm all winter. I suppose I have to say there is a limit as to how big the jumper can be and the limit is the ease of the lock going back and forth as it uses the whole bed of needles no matter how many ends you knit.

The fabulous thing about this design is that the polo is knitted at the same time as the back and front of the jersey, now the back is so easy, however the same cannot be said for the front which is shaped and to my mind this is what makes it fit so well.

However if you are like me and like knitting complex patterns then this may well test your grey matter, its a thought provoking design.

My barn has both a base concrete floor which houses my larger machines and motors and a incline via some steep stairs leads to where I like to work, the first floor, however the problem is that the old wooden beams are quite low in places and luckily I am only 5’3 so I sort of skim under them, not so much fun for taller folk though as laid testament to my son who is over 6 foot.

Luckily enough I am fit enough to bounce up and down these stairs but I suppose it could be called difficult for some.

Anyway just a few photos of the chaos I encounter here - I just wish I was more organised and I do miss my darling husband who helped me with the heavier tasks.