FO: Sarcellette...

Just in time for the PS switch...



Pattern: Sarcelle by Kristi Geraci (knitanon.com)
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Red Rover; 2 hanks
Needles: US3/3.25mm Susan Bates 32"/80cm circs
Time: 2-3 weeks
Mods: 42" long, 12" wide, worked up to 5 pattern repeats instead of 7

Notes: I bought the yarn on sale at one of the LYS's and got the last two hanks of this colorway. I didn't want socks and Sarcelle was the only thing that I thought would work with the yarn. So instead of a full-sized Sarcelle, it's a little Sarcellette.



I originally started this on US5/3.75mm needles but after the first hank, I realized I wasn't going to get the minimum number of repeats I wanted lengthwise. I frogged and went down to US3/3.25, which I like the result of but I think I should have gone with US4/3.5mm.

I really enjoyed this pattern and plan on making the full sized version once I find the right yarn.

I would be starting MS3 right now if I hadn't have decided at the last minute to use beads. I'm now waiting for the teeny crochet hook I ordered. Should be here soon but in the meantime I'm working on sleeve #2 of the hooded jacket and admiring my Habu Tsumugi. The LYS didn't have anymore but I found a place online that had what I needed on sale (and only a few left). I got a couple more cones just to be safe, so I'll be working on the Forest Path Stole once MS3 is done.

FO: Isabella...

A very belated green Project Spectrum knit.



Pattern: Isabella by Jordana Paige from Knitty
Yarn: Sirdar Country Style 4-ply in sage, 1.5 skeins
Needles: US3/3.25mm Susan Bates circs and Inox Aluminum DPNs
Time: 1 month
Mods: Folded picot hem while knitting, omitted third eyelet row in front, worked a few decreases along upper edges of lace for slightly rounded neckline, folded armhole hem and bound off simultaneously.

Notes:

This was not one of the more exciting knits I've had. I don't hate the end product--I know I'll wear it, but I don't love it, either. I had planned on working the picot edging at the armholes using the crochet method but the LYS misplaced the size I needed when I reserved it (it was at another location originally). I couldn't find the correct size hook, millimeter-wise, anywhere else,not so I just gave up on the idea of a crochet picot edging and just knit them. The reason I wanted to crochet it was to avoid having a bulky seam. I minimized the bulk by folding the hem over and attaching the edge while binding off.

The LYS had a sale over the weekend, so I decided to check it out. Plus, I had store credit from the hook that never appeared. I didn't intend to buy anything, except for lace weight yarn if they had any I liked. I seem to have trouble finding lace weight in stores and generally have to order online. Anyway, I came out with three cones of Habu Tsumugi in green.



I've always wanted to try Habu yarn and I've always wanted to knit a silk shawl but could never justify the cost. Yay for sales! I have enough knit knit most triangular shawl or rectangular stole patters. However, I have my heart set on knitting the Forest Path Stole with this. I've been intrigued by the idea of lace entrelac for a while but couldn't really imagine knitting this stole until now. I am short one cone (450 yards each/1350 yards total), though. I may have to call the LYS and ask if they have more at the other locations (I picked up the last three in sight), or I could make the stole smaller. Considering my size and how large the stole looks, it wouldn't hurt.

In other news, I got my Ravelry invite. I'm whereskat if anyone was interested. Interestingly enough, I just signed up early last month and forgot about it until last week when I saw that you could check your place in line. I'll be slowly building it up.

FOs: Wicked and Pea Pod...

Posting is still slow.



Pattern: Wicked by Zephyr Style
Yarn: Lion Brand Cotton Ease in terracotta, 3 skeins
Needles: US7/4.5mm KnitPicks Options, US7/4.5mm Inox aluminum DPNs
Time: 1 week
Mods: Decreased 12 stitches (4sts/dec rnd) for waist shaping rather than the 10 stitches (2/dec rnd) suggested.

Notes: This is the first time I've knit a top-down sweater for myself (I knit a child's size for the Dulaan Project) and was fascinated by it. Not really fascinated by the process so much as the ability to try the top on as I went.

The top zoomed by pretty quickly since it's mostly stockinette in the round on worsted weight. The Cotton Ease is nice to work with. The fabric feels a bit bulky but luckily it doesn't look bulky when wearing.



Pattern: Pea Pod Baby Set (pdf) by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Ella Rae Silkience in teal, ~3.5 skeins
Needles: US6/4mm KnitPicks Options
Time: 1 week

Notes: Originally I was worried that I'd be short on yarn. I bought the yarn thinking I'd make Trellis from Knitty only to realize that the pattern noted the gauge in the cable pattern while I assumed it was stockinette. So I chose the Pea Pod cardigan instead and hoped for the best since, according to *this* pattern's yardage, I was short nearly 1 skein. I ended up having about 1.5 skeins leftover after the cardi, which I ended up using for the hat. I'm not normally into sets but I don't really like having excess yarn laying around, either.

The Silkience is probably the softest cotton yarn I've ever felt. It's really smooth, although a bit splitty, with a strand of silk thread running through to give it a bit of a sheen. The baby set survived the washing machine in a lingerie bag. I decided I wouldn't try low heat in the dryer. It's a 6 month old size so shrinking wouldn't have hurt but I think I'll leave a note to the mother-to-be about that possibility.


Leafy buttons to go with the leafy lace.

I'm still waiting on the crochet hook so I can finish Isabella. The LYS, which has three locations, thinks they must have misplaced it during an inventory trade so hopefully I'll get it soon.

In the meantime, I finally started knitting the hooded jacket from Vogue Knitting Holiday 2005. This has been in my queue for how long? I think this will be a long term project since I don't have a need for a knit wool coat at the moment.



This is the left front. I have one sleeve done, which sort of doubled as a gauge swatch. Once I finish with this piece, I'm going to set it aside for this:



Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Red Rover. I picked up (the last) two hanks at another LYS. I didn't really want socks so I decided to use it for a scarf or little shoulder wrap. I think it wants to be Sarcelle, something that's rectangular and knit on the bias (I'm not a fan of drop stitch patterns, which rules out Clapotis). Of course, this means that the purple Zephyr Wool Silk I was going to use for Sarcelle needs a pattern.

Good thing I joined Mystery Stole 3. I thought I was going to use black lace yarn for this but I don't really want to buy anymore yarn at the moment. As I thought more about it, and looked at some of the progress pics in the Yahoo group, I realized that purple would work quite well. Plus, I have enough. I'm going to wait until next month to decide for sure. By then, I'll see more pictures *and* it'll be appropriate for Project Spectrum.

Catching up...

I've been doing a lot of knitting but not a lot of updating.

FO: Dulaan Project



Red hats: Basic double crochet hats, Patons Wool-Ease in cranberry, G/4.5mm hook
Red sweater: Basic top-down raglan, Patons Wool-Ease in cranberry, US6/4mm & US8/5mm needles
Purple socks: Basic cuff-down sock, Sirdar Country Style DK in heather, US4/3.5mm needles
Blue hat: Basic knit hat, Sirdar Aran with Wool in denim, US8/5mm needles
Blue scarf: 2x2 rib scarf, Sirdar Aran with Wool in denim, US7/4.5mm needles
Time: Projects worked on and off since January. Mailed out June 18th.
Notes: Not much else to add except that I learned how to crochet (sort of) by watching various videos on the internet.

A couple would-be FOs if only I had the materials for finishing.

Isabella for which I'm waiting for a crochet hook so I crochet the picots for the armhole edgings (instead of the knitted version as called for).



And the Pea Pod Baby Set from Interweave that needs buttons.



While I'm waiting, I started Wicked from Zephyr Style in Lion Brand Cotton Ease in terracotta.