Knitting For Myself Has Not Stopped

Hello!👋

Hope you have been keeping well!

We are already in February and I have not sewn myself anything! 😱

This must be the longest I have gone without making anything for myself, and it’s not for lack of ideas though!

I have been prioritising working on my patterns and getting the little details right on the construction instructions.

I must say that I have really been enjoying the process of designing and figuring things out! I have so many design ideas in my head, I physically can’t keep up! 😂

I have drawings, notes and pins everywhere to keep my ideas alive. My head is going at 100 mph and I need to document what goes through my head anywhere I can before it speeds away!

As sewing goes, I have done a bit as I get through the instructions for the Palma Pouch.

I had already taken photos and written detailed instructions for it last year, but I somehow felt the fabrics I chose to use for the tutorial were not adequate.

So as I go through the instructions again while making a new pouch to check that everything matches, I am updating all photos and tweaking the instructions as I go.

I have gotten some valuable feedback from the Roma Necessaire testing process(which is still ongoing) that I am adapting to the Palma Pouch instructions too.

I am so excited to show you a couple of tester versions of the Roma Necessaire that have already been completed!

Made by @kazc_what_i_sew.

Made by @sewing_st.albans.

It is such a lovely feeling seeing one of my designs being made by other sewists! ❤️

I am waiting for a few more to come in, and hopefully I can show you some more next week as the deadline is the 8th of February.

One sewing project that has been living in my head ever since I saw it is the Mikal Fleece Jacket by Petite Stitchery.

I have been all about colours for the last few months as they just uplift my spirit, so I have been thinking of these fleece fabrics to make the Mikal in.

I have yet to select a colour for the chest pocket and binding, but I am leaning towards a tan  colour. 🤔

Or I may just go with something else completely different when the time comes. 😂

Knitting for myself has not stopped though!

I have finished the Ellie Sweater test knit that I was working on for Rita Made This! 🥳

There was not much left to go since last week so it didn’t take me too long to finish earlier this week.

The pattern came with a couple of options to choose from to finish off the sleeve cuffs and the neckband - normal cast off or folded.

I was originally going to make both cuffs and the neckband folded, but after trying it on I quite liked the long sleeve cuffs.

So I left the cuffs and just cast them off, but I did make the neckband a folded one.

The sweater turned out really well, and I have another colourway I would like to make it in - lavender, pastel pink and cream! 😍

It is not going to be my next project though, it will have to wait in line for now.

I am currently making a test swatch to see if my gauge matches that of the pattern.

I am going for the I’m So Basic Sock from Summer Lee, which is a free pattern if you are interested, and it calls for a 2.25mm needle.

I started the swatch with this size needle but it was coming out a bit big, so I went down a needle size to a 2.0mm.

I have never made anything with needles this small and the ones I have to hand aren’t very good.

A couple of years ago I bought a set of circular needles from Ebay, a cheap set that came with about 8 needle sizes. When I say cheap, I mean really cheap, around £6 for the lot.

Needless to say, they aren’t the best needles out there.

I must add though, they have never disappointed me…until now.

I have always made items that required a size 4.0mm needle and upwards which made moving the stitches from the needle to the cable smooth.

With the smaller sizes it hasn’t been so easy. 

The cable is wider than the needle meaning that the stitches are getting caught on the cable when I move them over from the needle.

This not only delays my knitting process, but I feel like it could be breaking some of the fibers because I have to force it past. 😣

Not only that, but one of the points is chipped.

I feel confident in my knitting abilities and know that I will not drop it anytime soon, so I have been shopping around for a good quality set of needles.

These come with a high price tag though and I don’t feel I need to spend that much on needles right now. 

Since it is only the smaller size needles for my current project that are the issue, I decided to buy just that, 2.0 and 2.25mm needles (I slid a sneaky size 6.00mm in there as well 🤭).

I bought the Drops PRO fixed circular needles and I thought these would come at a higher price tag, but they were very affordable. The smaller sizes start from only £2.50 each!

They haven’t been delivered yet, they are coming from Wool Warehouse and their delivery is quite quick, so I am hoping it arrives tomorrow or Tuesday.

I am making the swatch with the needles I have for now and it is looking a mess...

The top bit is the initial swatch I started on 2.25mm needles and I didn’t want to remove the stitches just in case. Not sure of what though, because I know it doesn’t match gauge! 😂

The pattern says to check gauge by knitting in the round and blocking it first, but ain’t nobody got time for all that! 

So I am just knitting in the round, without actually knitting in the round., hence the mess at the back.

I think I saw this tip on Winwick Mum’s website, where you just slide the stitches to the other side of the needle, leave a long loose strand behind and knit again from the start.

That mimics knitting in the round in stockinette stitch without actually having to knit right around! Less time wasted.

Anyway, I can’t wait for my new needles to arrive to start a new pair of socks!

😎Confidence Corner:

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. - George Bernard Shaw

Many people think life is about "finding" themselves, as if who you are is hidden somewhere, waiting to be discovered. But in reality, life is about creating yourself, shaping who you want to be through your choices, experiences, and actions.

Instead of searching for a fixed identity, accept that you have the power to grow, learn, and reinvent yourself at any stage.

Every decision you make, every skill you develop, and every challenge you overcome adds to the person you are becoming.

So instead of waiting to find yourself, take the lead in creating a life that reflects your passions, values, and dreams.

🧵This Week's Tip:

Sock Yarn - The Purpose of Nylon Content

Do you know what I learnt this week?

Sock yarn is made from different percentages of nylon(polyamide) for different purposes like durability!

I mean, it’s logical, but I had never thought about it.

A higher percentage of nylon means socks will be more hard-wearing, especially in high-friction areas like heels and toes.

Nylon strengthens the yarn and helps prevent thinning from friction. It also adds stretch and helps keep their shape after washing and wearing.

The most common percentage of nylon in sock yarn is 10-25%, but there are some that go higher than 50%. These high nylon content sock yarns are less soft, but are very strong and long lasting!

So if this is new information for you too, check this quick guide to help you choose the right blend for the need of your next pair of socks:

• 10-15% Nylon – Soft & cozy, best for light wear or house socks.
• 20-25% Nylon – The standard one. Durable, comfy, and great for everyday wear.
• 30-40% Nylon – Extra-tough! Perfect for work socks or high-friction areas.
• 50%+ Nylon – Ultra-durable but less soft, best for reinforcement rather than full socks.

If you love a woolly sock yarn with no nylon, you can reinforce high-wear areas by holding a strand of nylon thread with your yarn while knitting the heels and toes! 😉

⭐My Favourite Things This Week:

• I finished my Ellie Sweater test knit from Rita Made This! 🥳
• Taking it easy and making a test swatch for my next knit project - socks! 🧦
• Working through my Palma Pouch instructions!

🗓️Upcoming Plans

• Cast on for socks on my new knitting needles!
• Continue working on the details of my second bag pattern - Palma Pouch.
• Make one quilt block 🤔 (Is this ever going to happen? 😂)

🎉Upcoming Events

23rd of February 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event - in Gatley Hill House, South Manchester, 10:45h - 16:15h
Email bianca@beesilva.co.uk and quote reference: SEWBOND014
For more information: https://www.beesilva.co.uk/sewbond014/

More 2025 Dates!

22nd of March 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event
26th of April 2025 - Sew&Bond - Sewing Social Event

Thank you so much for reading it! And if you enjoyed it, please tell a friend about it to allow me to reach more people. 🥰

Bye for now,
B! xx