Alice Starmore's Oregon Vest kept me company through the final week of the Australian Open (tennis, Australian summer, family habit, two weeks in January, usually hot, hot, hot, but this year not, not, not). You know I am in blog posting catch-up mode. I'm hoping that it wont seem so strange referring to an event long since gone. How was that open though? That men's final. I was in favour of Nadal but really this year's tennis was designed for obsessive people who enjoy sitting still and doing things with their hands - me. I got lots of knitting done while those mad men tried to beat each other, their own demons, win the crowd, grab our attention, impress us with feats of endurance and courage, keep us from our beds - all achieved.
I did discover while I was knitting that (one) I'd been joining in my yarn at the steeks incorrectly and (two) I needed to improve my tension. On the first point, in my defence, I had started off correctly. You are meant to get half way across the steek and then start the new colour. For the first few rows I did this. Then I lost the plot and started joining in the new yarn at the beginning of the steek. I'm not sure how I detected this error, but I've read the instructions again and now I'm back on track. Yarn joined in middle of steek - don't forget.
On the second point, these photos aren't really giving up any secrets but I can point out to you, my reader, that I was carrying the wool at the back a bit tightly. I've made a conscious effort to loosen up. I'm a reasonably tight knitter, which doesn't usually cause me any trouble but with fair isle it seems the key is to be even and loose. I'm working on it. Even and loose. Not odd and tight. Who would like that - odd and tight? Sounds awful.
Strange to knit in summer but I found it easier to knit than to embroider. I can knit without watching my hands and there's a rhythmic nature to knitting that lends itself to long stints and for keeping your eye on the tennis ball (and the crazy young men battling it out until way past midnight).
Previous posts
Progress on the Oregon Vest - Alice Starmore (October 2011)
Alice Starmore - Oregon vest - a start (September 2011)
