Randomness

Nothing really new on the knit front to disclose, currently engaged in online Christmas shopping and planning tasks to be done in the new year. 

Have to go back to Italy next week [I'm praying only a week!] to fit prototypes and decide which colours to produce them in.  I'm making all of this sound really easy, but it usually involves several hours of heated arguments to resolve anything.

Other than that, I finally managed to get round to uploading an image to the webspace I've had for ages.  You can check it out if you like, but it's temporary and there's not really anything there yet.  I plan to start working on something over the Christmas break, relying heavily on my brother for technical support.

If I have time later, I'm going to post a knit technique you can try.

Ps.  I did get the Jewelboxes, and I can confirm that they are everything they are reported to be.

UPDATE:

As promised, I'm back.  The technique I want to present is a fashioning detail.  Referred to as "wale deflection" in the knitting industry, it's usually used only on higher quality stuff as the multiple transfer rows make it time consuming, and therefore expensive, to do.  It's not difficult to do, however, and the effort involved is minimal.  If you can do an ordinary fully-fashioned decrease, you can do this. It's perfect for those simple garments that need a little extra detailing to upgrade them into something more special and looks good anywhere you would normally use fully-fashioned shaping.

[click to see a larger image in a new window]

As you can see in the sample above, the edge stitches are deflected by the decrease[hence the name] and run off at an bias angle.  The number of rows worked between each decrease will also change the effect.  In the lower part of the sample 1 stitch was decreased every 2 rows [like a standard raglan], creating a gentle slope.  Decreasing 1 stitch every row results in a steeper slope, as seen in the upper part of the sample.

This technique works best on finer yarns and looks best worked several stitches away from the edge [my default number is six]. 

The trick is that two different kinds of decreases are used alternately. 

By machine: 

**Using a 3 or 6 point transfer tool, move edge 6 sts in by 1 needle. [one 6st fully-fashioned decrease made]

Return empty needle to non-working position. 

Knit 2 rows [or as many rows as your pattern dictates]. 

Using a single point transfer tool, move edge st onto adjacent needle. [one 1st simple decrease made]

Knit 2 rows [or as many rows as your pattern dictates].**

Repeat from **to**

By hand:  coming soon