The socks are finished!

The good news is that the slow/fast socks are finished!  Yay!  What I hadn't mentioned before is that these socks were actually a gift for a friend of mine - hence the hurry at the end to get them finished.  I'm really happy with how they turned out, and I think I've figured out a knitting pattern that I really like - I will try to write it all out and share it here soon.

In other news, another of my colleagues is off to have a baby this week, and so I crocheted some face washers in soft organic cotton as a small gift.  I crocheted into the back of the stitch to give a ribbed effect - looks pretty neat, huh?

One sock in

You may remember a while back that I started knitting my slow socks.  The idea was that socks take a long time to knit, so I should treat it as a relaxing, non-deadline based activity.

Recently I finished the first sock.  After 12 weeks.  Yes, it took me 12 weeks to knit one sock.  Sure I did some other stuff inbetween (move house, for instance), but that seems like a bloody long time to knit one sock.

And I starting thinking that knitted socks are really only nice to wear in winter, and if it takes me that long to knit another sock they won't get worn this year at all.

So slow sock mode is officially off, and I've set myself some deadlines so that the socks can be finished before winter is over.  I know that goes against the idea of having a slow-paced project, but in reality, I knew it would only last so long.  What can I say?  I'm an impatient knitter.

Other than knitting, I've been cooking up a storm of late.  I got the urge to cook this weekend just gone and ended up stocking up the fridge with quite a few meals.  I made:

Pumpkin, ginger and red lentil soup
Veggie lasagna/bake - using whatever veggies were in the fridge, and homemade pasta sheets
Slow-cooked beef cheeks (6 hours) with roast veg
Spicy chickpea loaf - recipe from this book which I borrowed from a friend
a loaf of bread
and let's not forget Dark Chocolate Brownies with sea salt

We still have loads of veggies in our fridge so I can feel a preserving session coming on.

What's been cooking in your kitchen lately?

This year's socks

Sydney has definitely turned on the cooler weather lately, and so I've been finding a cosy place to sit (usually on the bed) and picking up the knitting needles again.

You might remember my adventures knitting this pair of socks as I travelled through Europe last year.  Sadly, no European holiday this year, but I will aim to knit at least one pair of socks.  This yarn is even finer than the type I used last year, and I am using teensy little size 2 needles.  Every stitch is so little - it's probably going to take me ten years to finish knitting them.

I do like the idea of this being a slow project though.  Most things I make I feel a sense of urgency about, especially if I want to wear it NOW.  But socks are a good slow project, with no sense of deadline, don't you think?

Stitchy night

Recently I held Stitchy night at my house.  A bunch of lovely lasses came over and brought their stitchy projects, yummy snacks and fun conversation.

There was some machine-type stitching...

...wine, cheese and dips...

...lots of great knitting...

 and even some finished products!  Look at those cute kiddy trousers!

Me, I cast on something new (but didn't get very far - I blame the wine, and the cheese, and the chatting).  Such a good night!

Knitted baby vest

A few weeks ago I became an Aunty to a very sweet little niece.  What better excuse do I need to craft some cute things?

I actually started on this knitted baby vest before we knew if we were getting a niece or a nephew.  I was having a long weekend in the Hunter Valley and picked up some red baby alpaca wool, and just knew I needed to start knitting something for the little one.

I combined bits of different online patterns to make this vest and drew up the diamond pattern myself.  It worked really well!

There is one extra special thing about this vest, and that is the little green apple button.  A couple of Christmases ago, boyfriend's mum gifted me her button collection - the same buttons that boyfriend and his sister used to play with as kids.  One of those buttons was this little green apple - so it has essentially been passed down from one generation to the next, and now the one after that.

I just can't get over how damn cute this vest is.  So little!

The socks!

Well, the holiday is now over, and so is the sock knitting... yes!  I finally finished that second sock!

Being the first pair of socks that I have knitted, they are not perfect.  There are some small flaws and I have made a few mental notes of how to do things better next time.  But they are totally wearable, and boyfriend, bless him, thinks they're great.

I knitted these socks in Morris Yarns Empire Merino in 4 ply (I bought three 50g balls, but only used 1.5).  I used size 3.75mm circular needles, but if I was to use the same yarn again I would go with a smaller gauge.

You might remember that I decided to give 'the magic loop' a go.  If you're not familiar with the magic loop, you can see a demonstration of it here.  Basically it allows you to use circular needles for knitting small circumference items (like socks) instead of using double pointed needles.  And the verdict?

It took me a few rounds of knitting and watching the above video over and over to make sure I was on track.  After three rounds I was on a roll and it was easy to follow from there.  Some people say that the magic loop is easier than using double pointed needles, but I've never had a problem with them.  In fact, I do think that I like using them better.  The problem with the magic loop is that you are always knitting in a circle, and even though it's split into two rows most of the time, it's easy to lose track of which row you're up to.  I find the motion of changing from one double pointed needle to the next clearly marks the end of each row or section for me.  I also often l tell myself "I'll just knit to the end of this row", which doesn't really work for the magic loop.  On the plus side, the magic loop is quite good for travelling with, as you can't drop stitches off the ends of the needles as easily as what you can with dpns.  But at the end of the day, I find dpns more methodical and easy to follow, so I'll stick to them.

Has anyone else used the magic loop?  If so, what did you think?

Unravel: Knitwear in fashion exhibition - Antwerp

While we were in Antwerp, we were lucky enough to stumble upon the Unravel exhibition about knitwear in the history of fashion being hosted by the Momu Fashion Museum.  I had no idea that the exhibition was on - it was just pure luck that we walked past the Musuem and I happened to notice a rather large piece of knitting hanging from the first level (as pictured above).  Of course I dragged boyfriend through the doors and immediately bought entry tickets.

Knitted orb lamp cover

The exhibition featured a tour of knitwear 'through the eras' amongst some interesting knitted items, such as the orb lamp cover (above), which stood about one metre high and knitted fruit and vegetables.  A number of famous designer pieces were on display - Westwood, Chanel, Missoni etc.

It was difficult to pick my favourite era - the 20s had many great wooly garments, but then I was also drawn to the oversized jumpers of the 80s (think Daryl Sommers).

Some of the pieces were bizarre (I'm thinking 'Bjork-wear') while others were simply sculpturally amazing.  Given that I had only just mastered the art of turning the heel in a pair of knitted socks, I could certainly appreciate the craftmanship (or craft-womanship) that went into creating these knitted shapes and textures.

Stitchybritt and a pile of BIG knitting

You can see some more professional shots of some of the exhibition here. 

As our holiday drew to an end, I was pleased to cast off the last few stitches and finally be able to say "I knitted a sock!".  Ok, so it was only one sock, and pretty much completely useless without a matching friend.  But having been through the process, unravelled and re-knitted bits that looked a bit dodgy, and persevered - I knew that the second one would be much easier knitting.

Next post I'll wrap-up my sock knitting adventure, the lessons I learnt, and the pros and cons of using the magic loop. 

Antique Antwerp

Vrijdagmarkt (Friday Market) in Antwerp

Antwerp, Belgium, is antique city!  And I'm not saying that it's old, I mean that this city is Mecca for antique hunters and vintage shoppers alike.  There are streets lined with antique shops and every hotel room has business cards from antique dealers.  I can only imagine this is where the Anthrolopology shoppers come when they have a new store to decorate!  If you really love antiques and vintage finds, the streets around Kloosterstraat will keep you very happy.  It's also worth checking out the Friday Market (Vrijdagmarkt) even just for novelty value alone.  The Friday Market is a live auction every Friday where you can buy whatever junk the auctioneers seem to have gathered that week.  I almost accidently put a bid on this fishing rod (above) when I put my arms up to take this photo.  Thankfully someone else bid, and were the lucky new owners of a fishing rod for 2 Euro.

If you're into vintage and second hand clothes shopping, Antwerp also has some great places to shop.  The Think Twice (T2) stores have great collections, and I was able to put a new outfit together for 8 Euro.  Episode is another one worth sifting through, and there were many more that I didn't go near because I was already experiencing suitcase overflow.

Stitchybritt checks out a toy horse at the Antwerp Design Centre

Antwerp is a very relaxed city and it also has a 'designy' feel.  There are lots of galleries and art centres to check out, including the Antwerp Design Centre.  While they house a whole building of designy folk, the sections open to the public are generally the cafe, the exhibit hall, and the gift shop.

Comics on Belgian walls

Comics on walls are not unique to Antwerp; you'll find them all over Belgium.  The Belgians are quite proud of their comic history, and have used lively scenes like this to brighten up walls around the cities.

Some of the collectables at the beautiful B&B we stayed in

The place we stayed in Antwerp, another brilliant Airbnb find, was full of interesting art and collected antiques.  Yes, that's a saddle hanging over the handrail!

Meanwhile, the sock knitting continued.  I started knitting the gusset, and unfortunately, this is where I encountered by first problem.  I started decreasing according to the pattern, but soon realised that the decreases were not starting from the 'corner' (see the uspide down v where the two sides meet?) and they should have. I ended up unravelling this section and starting again, adjusting the pattern to suit.  As you can see below, I finally got back on track and decreased the gusset successfully.  Nearly there!

Next post I'll tell you about the knitting history exhibit that I stumbled across by accident!

Creative Cologne

Cologne Cathedral

Cologne is one impressive city.  Following Berlin, we visited Nuremberg and Bamberg (and yes, many a beer was sampled) then caught the train to Cologne.  The first impression that you get when you step off the train is the Cologne Cathedral, shown in all its majesty above.  With this amazing landmark as inspiration, it's no wonder the town is full of creative people.

Crafty shopfront displays

As we walked the streets around our accommodation in Ehrenfeld (which we booked on Airbnb, and was fantastic), it became apparent to us that this was actually a very creative neighbourhood.  There were crafty displays in shop windows, as shown above.  The cafe where we ate breakfast also hosts poetry and wine evenings.  We also noticed many cute little theatres and vintage shops.  People from Cologne obviously have an eye for the handmade touch, and we found little hidden decorated spots around every corner.  Someone had even gone to the trouble of pretty-ing up this heating grill on the outside of a building.

Detail on the streets

I also noticed a fair bit of art (street and sanctioned) around the city.  Peeking through this gate I saw what looked like an abandoned building covered in posters and graffiti, but a closer inspection revealed that it was actually a working theatre.

Abandoned building?  No!  Uber cool theatre.

Cologne is a wonderful city to visit, perhaps a little bit Melbourney?  There's also a huge array of bars where you can drink the city's signature beer, kolsh, or sample many other fine ales.  We found a great brew-pub called Braustelle (below) in the trendy area near Leyendeckerstrasse.  This area is full of rock'n'roll types enjoying the region's many bars (I could have sworn that I walked past the Northcote Social Club).

Braustelle brew-pub

Meanwhile, the sock knitting was coming along well, especially with the train time that I had up my sleeve whilst travelling between German cities.  By this stage I had successfully turned my first heel!  Three cheers for me!

Brilliant Berlin

One of the many, many cafes in Berlin's Kreuzberg

I'm going to start my travel stories with one of my most favourite cities - Berlin.  After four days in Amsterdam, which I admit was very nice, we flew to Berlin, which is nothing short of awesome.  Berlin is a city that offers something for everyone - choices in food, choices in shopping, choices in art, choices in shows, choices in just about everything, and you can have those choices on a small budget.  Berlin has always been a nucleus for ideas.  It's where an amazing, and still very visible, history meets the young, trendy and interesting.

The East Side Gallery - art on the old Berlin Wall

Berliners know how to refashion on a large scale - they have an old airport that they turned into a public park, a beautiful forest mountain which was actually made from all the WWII rubble from around the city, and parts of the Berlin wall that used to divide the city is now - what else? - an art gallery.

Art at the East Side Gallery

A huge mix of art to be seen

Art students flock to Berlin and it's easy to see why - there is great art everywhere.  Street art, public art, galleries and exhibitions.  There's also cheap rent and one of the best public transport systems I have experienced - and I'm assuming very good art courses at their universities, hence the focus on art in the city.  But that's not all...

Flohmarkt at Mauerpark

Crafty, stitchy and vintage-loving peeps will enjoy areas like Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, Prenzlauerberg and Hackescher Markt (don't let that limit you though, there is so much of this city to explore).  Above is the Flea Market (Flohmarkt) at Mauerpark, on every Sunday.  It's filled with loads of vintage and second hand clothes and homewares, as well as crafts and lots of yummy snacks.  If you get a chance to go, don't miss the karaoke that is on from 3pm every Sunday.

Also worth visiting is the market at Maybackufer, Neukolln on Saturdays.  It has a great mix of fabrics for 2 or 3 Euros per metre, crafty stalls, and delicatessen goods.

This is just a small snapshot of a truly wonderful city.  You could spend months exploring Berlin and still come across totally new things.  Meanwhile, of course, I was just getting started on the socks that I decided to knit for boyfriend whilst we were away.  As you can see, I had finished the cuff and was working on the leg of the sock... more updates next post!

The magic loop

See that? That is the start of a pair of socks, knitted using the magic loop. I only learned of this technique recently - knitting something with a small circumference (like socks) on a set of bigger circular needles - but since I've started researching it, everyone has been singing it's praises. I'm not completely convinced yet as I usually quite like using double pointed needles, but I am giving it a fair go and learning a new technique while I'm at it. If you're curious about the magic loop, have a look at this.

The socks are actually for boyfriend. Last time I tried to knit socks it was a bit of a disaster, but I'm a more experienced knitter now, so I thought I would give it another go. It's also something I can do as we travel on trains throughout Europe - yes - we are leaving today for a trip through the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium! Oui Oui! So it might be a bit quiet around the Stitchybritt blog for the next month, but if I make some cool crafty discoveries I will be sure to let you know. You can also follow me on Twitter (I'm @stitchybritt) as I intend to tweet updates of my sock knitting escapades.

Until then, auf wiedersehn!

Warm, warm legs on these cool, cool nights

During these cool winter nights I've been sitting in front of the heater knitting up some legwarmers. The pattern is a spiral rib knit (from The Purl Bee) which is basically just a knit 2 purl 2 pattern, starting on a different stitch every 3rd row. Looks tricky but it really isn't!


I picked up the yarn at A Coffee and A Yarn's yarn swap night, it had come from the bottom of another knitter's stash and I gladly exchanged some yarn that I wasn't going to use for this blue and brown twist.


I'm almost all done with my winter knitting, just one more thing that I'm going to try my hand at... more on that next post!