Simply Knitting's regular columnist, knitter and artist Rachael Matthews, has a big project under way. She'll be talking about it in issue 55 of Simply Knitting, but as she's looking for helpful knitters and there's a May 29 deadline I thought I'd mention it to you now on the blog. Some knitters may be dedicated enough to complete a UFO in the time between issue 55 going on sale and the deadline, but I know I need a lot more time and you might want it too!
Put simply, Rachael's been selected as one of the participants in this year's Jerwood Contemporary Makers Exhibition, and for her exhibit she's been collecting UFOs - the dreaded 'unfinished object' all knitters have hidden away somewhere - and getting people to complete them however they see fit. If you go to the project's dedicated website you can see the UFOs (click here) and get in touch with Rachael to claim the one you wish to complete. On the other hand, if you have a UFO of your own, you can send it to her and she will find someone to turn it into a finished knit which will then be shown in the exhibition.
I've got the St Anne's school jumper segment. I'm not going to complete it as a jumper; it never got finished in the first place because the girl it was started for switched schools. The fragment has a story behind it, and I'm hoping that my finished knit will reflect chunks of the story. I'm going to turn it into a bag – far more useful to the original owner than the jumper – and, if I can buy enough in charity shops, line it with school ties. It's fun to take a piece of knitting and think, "What could this be? How can I make this forgotten knitting into something new?" It's liberating, because instead of following a pattern you are using your skills to create something unique. If you'd like to join in, do look at the blog and volunteer. UFOs need love too!
Monday April 20, 2009 UFOs need love too
Wendy Happy 4ply – sock yarn review
We reviewed six sock yarns in issue 53 of Simply Knitting and after our expert had
finished with them, we took them down the pub and asked the folks at
our local knit and natter what they thought.
Wendy Happy 4ply
Review by Simply Knitting Technical Editor, Kirstie McLeod
A soft, silky bamboo and nylon blend, Wendy Happy is great for socks, baby garments and even cool summer tops.
The eight self-striping colourways include Pisces, with its no-effort Fair Isle effect, and also Aquarius, which has variegations within the stripes. With shades ranging from the pretty pinks of Capricorn and Leo (shown) to masculine browns, greens, blues and greys of Scorpio and Taurus, there’s a colour for everyone. Wendy is expanding its collection of supporting patterns, so look out for more cute knits for kids and adults over the coming months.
It knits up best on metal rather than wooden/bamboo needles. Machine wash on a mild setting with a short spin. Can be tumble dried on a cool setting.
So our overall conclusion? Soft and pretty but a bit tricky to work with.
Have you used Wendy Happy 4ply yarn?
We'd love to hear what you think of Wendy Happy 4ply so if you've used it, please leave a comment!
As with all writing, it's better to stick to what you know firsthand: it's easy to judge the colour through a computer screen but rather harder to tell if it's splitty or how well it washes! Please do also bear in mind that the spinners and dyers may read your comment.
Wendy Happy 4ply
 |
Yarn
Facts Ball weight 100g Ball length 420m Yarn content 75% bamboo & 25% nylon Knits as 4ply RRP £5.50 Rec needle size 3¾mm |
Review by Simply Knitting Technical Editor, Kirstie McLeod
A soft, silky bamboo and nylon blend, Wendy Happy is great for socks, baby garments and even cool summer tops.
The eight self-striping colourways include Pisces, with its no-effort Fair Isle effect, and also Aquarius, which has variegations within the stripes. With shades ranging from the pretty pinks of Capricorn and Leo (shown) to masculine browns, greens, blues and greys of Scorpio and Taurus, there’s a colour for everyone. Wendy is expanding its collection of supporting patterns, so look out for more cute knits for kids and adults over the coming months.
It knits up best on metal rather than wooden/bamboo needles. Machine wash on a mild setting with a short spin. Can be tumble dried on a cool setting.
 Click for a larger image. Swatch knit in the round on 2.75 mm needles. |
The knitters said: "Lovely lustre. Great stripe balance. Quite moochy so would be good for slouch socks. I would knit it on smaller needles than recommended." -- Helen "So soft!" -- Elle "Silky smooth with a nice finish." -- Elizabeth "Amazing quality for the price – definitely sleuthing this out! 10/10" -- Jess The team said: "This yarn produces a gorgeous finished fabric, but I found it tricky to knit with. It's a bit splitty and quite sticky – I used wooden needles, but I'd recommend metal." -- Elizabeth B, Production Assistant "Slightly splitty but knits up into a lovely smooth fabric. I'm a slow knitter and tend to look at my knitting but the multi-strand construction might annoy someone who likes to knit and look at other things." -- Miriam, Production Editor |
So our overall conclusion? Soft and pretty but a bit tricky to work with.
Have you used Wendy Happy 4ply yarn?
We'd love to hear what you think of Wendy Happy 4ply so if you've used it, please leave a comment!
As with all writing, it's better to stick to what you know firsthand: it's easy to judge the colour through a computer screen but rather harder to tell if it's splitty or how well it washes! Please do also bear in mind that the spinners and dyers may read your comment.
