The knit has hit the fan

FOs: Serpentine Mitts & Purl Beret...

2009-02-09T00:59:00.003Z

Last FOs of 2008.

Pattern: Serpentine Mitts by Miriam L. Felton
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Baltic Sea (.5 hank)
Needle: US 1 / 2.25 mm Susan Bates aluminum DPNs
Time: 1 week

Pattern: Purl Beret by Isabelle from Purl Soho
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock Multi in Baltic Sea (.75 hank)
Needle: US 2 / 2.75 mm Clover bamboo DPNs
Time: 2 weeks

Notes:

I finished these in November before things got really crazy at work. I knit the mitts a little tighter since my hands are fairly small, so they're nice and snug. Usually my mitts and armwarmers are a little too loose. The beret is nice and floppy but the brim might be too loose. I'm thinking about getting some elastic thread and weaving it through so it stays on my head better.

Overall, these two projects were quick and simple, and they got quite a bit of wear for a few weeks before freezing temperatures hit.

FO: Caps Scarf...

2008-10-14T01:37:00.004+01:00

It's hockey season!

Pattern: My own--Washington Capitals Scarf
Yarn: Cascade 220 wool in red and blue (1.5 hanks each), Vermont Organic Fiber Company O-Wool in natural (.25 hank)
Needles: US7/4.5mm KnitPicks Options
Time: 2 months

Notes:

- Failed Ravelympics project (but at least it was done in time for the start of the regular hockey season)
- First time double knitting
- First time doing substantial duplicate stitching

There are a few things I would do better if I were to do this over again. For starters, I'd use a lighter yarn. This scarf is thick and heavy, and it turned out wider than I would have liked. I'm also not quite sure about the quality of the duplicate stitching. Other than that, I'm pretty happy.

I'll definitely take what I've learned from this project for a Montreal Canadiens scarf. And since the Habs are #1 in my heart, it'll have to be *just* right. =)

FOs: Tuxedo Shirt and Baudelaire...

2008-08-19T01:47:00.004+01:00

A bit of catch up.

Pattern: Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt by Theresa Schabes from Interweave Summer 2007
Yarn: Jaeger Java; 4.5 skeins
Needles: US3/3.25mm Susan Bates Silvalume circs
Buttons: La Mode buttons from Exquisite Fabrics in DC
Time: ~1 month for knitting, another 2 months before I finally got buttons and sewed them in.
Mods: Shortened the body a bit and lengthened the straps since I wasn't sure if I had enough yarn.

Notes:

I finished knitting this in June, got the buttons soon after, and it was another couple months before I got around to finishing. This top didn't really appeal to me once the knitting was done, even after blocking. As a result, I kind of lacked the motivation to finish. I finally got around to sewing the buttons and weaving in ends this weekend and now, I love this top. I will definitely wear this quite a bit. Amazing what those finishing touches can do.

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Pattern: Baudelaire by Cookie A. from Knitty Summer 2006
Yarn: Koigu KMP in royal purple (2 hanks)
Needles: US1/2.25mm Susan Bates aluminum DPNs
Time: 1 month of commute knitting

Notes:

I *heart* this pattern, and I *heart* these socks. I've done the usual cuff-down socks, toe-up socks with short row heels, socks on DPNs, socks on two circs, and I've decided that toe-up socks with gusset heels on DPNs are my favorite technique. Normally I get bored knitting socks but this is my second pair of toe-up with gusset/heel flap. They maintain my attention, and they don't take ages to complete.

And, of course, I like almost anything that's purple.

---------

I've also been crazy enough to join the Ravelympics. Well, at least I'm crazy enough to knit a reversible Washington Capitals scarf in the the style of soccer scarves. BTW, did I mention I've never done double knitting before? And that I have a crazy work schedule? And that I'm totally making this up as I go along? Yeah...

FO: Wing Top...

2008-05-28T02:24:00.004+01:00

Pattern: Wing Top by Kate Gilbert, Interweave Knits Summer 2007
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Silk (5 balls)
Needles: US9/5.5mm KnitPicks Options
Time: 2 weeks
Mods: Omitted last set of decreases around the bust to make it ~31" instead of 30"; adjusted for row gauge difference in the body.

Notes:

I bought the yarn from Stitchy Witch in a recent destash. It's really soft and drapey. Definitely a yarn that needs to be swatched and washed as it fluffs up pretty well. I did knit this a needle size smaller than the ball band recommends even though my tension tends to hit slightly tighter than ball band gauge. I noticed the drap and knew the fabric would be floppy, for lack of a better word. I probably could have knit the 30" size as is but when I didn't like how the swatch looked when I stretched it a couple inches so I took out the last set of decreases to make it 31".

The top stays up pretty well. The loop through which the scarf is threaded is pretty snug, which makes a pretty sturdy strap. This is definitely a top I could wear dressed down with jeans or dressed up with a nice skirt. I also think the neutral brown color works nicely with the unique construction of the top.

My parents just came back from trip to Hong Kong, so I'm expecting some yarn goodies soon. As a result, I've been working through stash knitting up the projects I've had in the queue as well as finding projects for the leftover yarn that's been marinating since the original projects were completed. I'm currently using the leftover yarn from Orangina (yarn from Mom's *last* trip to HK) for the Sleeveless Tuxedo Shirt from Interweave Knits Summer 2007. Hopefully I'll have enough yarn but I have a couple ideas of how to improvise.

FOs: Tilted Duster and Lace Ribbon Scarf

2008-05-23T22:17:00.004+01:00

Pattern: Tilted Duster by Norah Gaughan from Interweave Knits Fall 2007
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool (12 skeins)
Needles: US9/5.5mm KnitPicks Options
Time: 1.5 months
Mods: Only used 3 buttons instead of 4--Two nice ones on the outside and a clear, inside button

Notes:

I *heart* this duster. It's so soft and cozy. Just right for my heavily air conditioned office. About halfway through the skirt, I realized that I originally intended to make the 36" size (this one is 32") to accommodate layering. Now I have two extra skeins. Given how warm this is, I'm okay with the smaller size because I'd only wear it over a T-shirt.

Pattern: Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery from Knitty Spring 2008
Yarn: Spinning Yarns in "Mulberry Bush" (1 hank)
Needles: US4/3.5mm Addi Turbos
Time: 2 months of commute knitting

Notes:

I love how this scarf turned out. The whole time I was knitting this, I didn't realize that the colors were making a zig-zag pattern. I noticed it when I laid it out to dry after washing. It's about 8 feet long. Also, way easy to memorize for mindless commute knitting.

FO: Drops Eskimo Jacket...

2008-03-22T23:15:00.003Z

Smurfy.

Pattern: 103-1 Jacket in Eskimo or Silke-Alpaca with A-shape by DROPS design
Yarn: Gjestal Naturgarn No. 1 (5 hanks)
Needles: US11/8mm KnitPicks Options
Time: 2 weeks

Notes: I *love* this jacket. As I was knitting it, I wasn't sure how the smurfy blue would look, but the color grew on me. Very easy, quick knit and very cozy. There are some parts of the pattern that are a bit vague, but as long as you keep notes on where you are and what you're doing, it works out.

I'm trying to work my way through my immediate queue (i.e. the projects that already have yarn for them) and, by extension, my stash. On the needles at the moment is the Tilted Duster. The pieces are going pretty quickly, but I imagine the skirt will slow down progress. Venezia has been stalled mainly because I'm color-worked out. I'm hoping to get back into it soon, but it doesn't look too likely at the moment.

In the not-so-immediate queue, I've added Coraline by Ysolda. There's also a familiar link in the pattern. It's nice to know that something I put together can be helpful.

FO: Wren...

2008-03-10T01:18:00.002Z

Pattern: Wren by the Berroco Design Team
Yarn: Patons Classic Wool in Leaf (4.5 skeins)
Needles: US5/3.75mm Addi Turbos; US7/4.5mm KnitPicks Options
Time: ~6 weeks
Mods: Made the sleeves longer

Notes: I finished this the middle of last month and only got around to blogging about it now. I'm kind of meh with the end product. Ultimately this cardi will get quite a bit of wear because of its simplicity. It just didn't quite turn out the way I'd hoped. I think the biggest issue is the collar. I knit this a size bigger (I was exactly the smallest size) for layering purposes. Maybe that's the reason why the collar seems so big? I'll also need to find something to secure the front. I'm using a cable needle in the photo.

Currently working on the Drops Eskimo jacket with a chunky, smurf blue yarn I got from Springwater Fiber Workshop's Superbowl sale. It's a pretty fast, mindless knit so far and I still have enough for another sweater. only one week into it and I've already got the body pieces finished. I'm about halfway through the sleeves (working both at once) now.

FO: Squirrely Swedish Mittens...

2008-01-20T21:18:00.000Z

My WIP pile is now down to two.

Pattern: Squirrely Swedish Mittens by Elli Stubenrauch (Elliphantom Knits)
Yarn: Schoeller & Stahl Fortissima Socka in green and pink (1 skein each)
Needles: US1.5/2.5mm Addi Turbos
Time: 3 weeks, on and off
Mods: Knitted hem, added braids, fewer snowflake repeats

Notes: I started using this long tail CO method for knitting a hem on Venezia. I like it so much that I used it for the mittens. Provisional cast ons tend to take me a few tries to before I have something workable, which gets tiring, so I'm glad that it's possible to pick up and knit together stitches from a long tail cast on edge. I also added braids to the cuff using this tutorial. It was slow to work on the first mitten but by the second I breezed through those rounds.

My gauge was a little off, probably because the needles are a tad larger than called for. The colors are nice, but they're not very "me". I'm going to find a friend I can gift these to.

FOs: Boteh and Monkey

2008-01-16T22:34:00.000Z

Trying to make up for lost time...

Pattern: Boteh Scarf by Kathy Merrick from Interweave Crochet Spring 2007
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Red Rover (2 hanks)
Hook: F/5/4mm Boye aluminum
Time: 1 week
Mods: Gauge was tighter than specified so I crocheted 4 extra triangles for a total of 20 to reach the desired length.

Notes: My first real crochet project! I figured it out sometime last year, mainly because I really liked the Boteh Scarf. The yarn was originally knit into a mini Sarcelle that just turned out too short. It makes a nice Boteh, though. This was an easy pattern to crochet (note: there is errata for this) and made for nice instant gratification.

And I finally got the Monkey off my back...

Pattern: Monkey by Cookie A. from Knitty.com
Yarn: Southwest Trading Co. TOFUtsies color #722 (1 skein)
Needles: US1.5/2.5mm DPNs]
Time: 5 months
Mods: Altered pattern to be knit toe-up, short row heels, knee-length (because the yarn would not end), increases for calf shaping

Notes: These are *finally* done. I pretty much got tired of their unfinished state and the slow progress due to making them exclusive travel knitting, so I devoted some time after the Boteh Scarf specifically to finishing these socks. I wanted to use up as much of the yarn as possible, which is why they're toe-up and knee length. One skein of TOFUtsies goes a long way (I wear a US 7 shoe in case anyone was wondering just how far). I still have a bit left over but that probably would have taken me closer to the knee than I'd like.

For the calf increases, I basically added a couple stitches per lace repeat over four rounds, which enlarged the overall lace pattern (i.e. each repeat has 4 rounds of eyelets originally, this went up to five after increasing). I also knit the ribbed cuff about half an inch longer than called for.

For some reason the color pattern on the second sock flashed instead of striped until I started the calf shaping. This one feels looser than its mate so maybe my gauge changed slightly for the first half and then tightened up. I did knit half of this second sock while on a couple hours of sleep and jet lagged. The latter half I did at home. Oh well. I'm just glad these are finally done.

FO: Fireside Stocking...

2008-01-08T02:04:00.000Z

I haven't posted since September? Seriously? Oops.

Pattern: Fireside Stocking by Kate Gilbert from Interweave Knits Holiday 2007
Yarn: Dale of Norway Svale in white (2), dark purple (1), light grey (1); Nashua Handknits Creative Focus Cotton in purple (1), navy (1), blue (1)
Needles: US5/3.75mm Denise Interchangeables
Time: 1 month
Mods: Lined the inside, knit niece's name in top, used fabric scraps for hanger

Notes: I started this mid-November and finished it mid-December. Early enough to mail out to my new niece. I wasn't too picky about the yarn selection. Just went with something that was a similar weight and in the colors I wanted, which is why I used two different brands of cotton. The pattern was hard to get into at first, but once I got the hang of it the knitting was a breeze.

For stability, I lined the stocking with a striped cotton fabric in similar colors.

My best hand-sewing job. Ever. Still wish I had a machine, though.

PROJECT UPDATE!!!

After knitting all the pieces for the hooded jacket, I realized that I wasn't in love with it anymore. I was pretty sure I wouldn't wear it, either, so I frogged everything. The yarn will be turned into Wren.

I am nearly done with the Monkey socks! I have one sock done, and I'm halfway through the second sock. They're taking a while because I've been knitting them while traveling only. And they go up to my knees.

I have two sleeves and a bit of the body done for Venezia. I'm liking my decision to do it in three colors:

For instant gratification and because I was inspired by a week of sub-freezing temperatures, I knit a Squirrelly Swedish Mitten. Note the singular tense. I'm a little color-worked out at the moment. I plan to get to the second mitten after finishing my next instant gratification project:

The Boteh Scarf. I figured out how to crochet at some point last year. Now I'm putting it to good use. I frogged my Sarcellette after I came to terms with the fact that it's too short. The yarn makes a nice Boteh Scarf, though.

Hope everyone had a Happy New Year, and I'll try to update this more.

FO: Bonnie...

2007-09-26T23:09:00.000+01:00

Finished before the end of Project Spectrum despite a few set backs.

Pattern: None. Inspired by a top worn by Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde
Yarn: Jaeger Aqua in Bugle, 7 skeins
Needles: US5/3.75mm KnitPicks Options; 3mm crochet hook, cable needle
Other: Jacquard Procion MX dye in lilac
Time: 1 month

Notes:

I had some trouble figuring out the smocking. I knit about three swatches and still had to rip out the back (first piece I knit) when the method finally occurred to me. I had the right idea in my last swatch but tweaked it when I reknit the back. I posted a tutorial earlier this month on how to do the smocking. I forgot to mention that the number of stitches to cast on are an odd multiple of 5+3. The odd multiple (e.g. 7x5 or 13x5) is important for symmetry.

The math wasn't too difficult to figure out until I got to the sleeves. In the end, the sleeves are a tad more fitted than in the movie picture. I say this because in the photo, the smocking is relaxed rather than stretched. The only way I could get this effect was to increase a lot after knitting the smocked band, which would have made the sleeve much too baggy. I also worked a single crochet edging around the neck.

Sleeve detail

As you can see, I overdyed the top. When I washed it (by hand with mild soap), some discoloration occurred on the sleeves. A very noticeable hot pink stripe went halfway around both of them. Since I've washed items in the same manner before with no problem and it only happened on the sleeves, I might have gotten an unlucky skein. There are other possible reasons. Anyway, I was tired of knitting on this and I wanted to wear this soon so I did a bit of research on dying cotton. I ended up getting some Procion MX dye and tried dying for the first time ever. The end result isn't as even as I'd like but at least you can't see any blatant discoloration. The top is now a shade darker, which I kind of like. I'll call this a success considering it was my first time.

I might make another one sometime in the future. Probably with a softer cotton or drapier plant fiber. I tend to avoid wool for short sleeved tops meant for spring and summer. Next time I'll make the bottom of the body about and inch longer and maybe I'll even figure out the sleeves.

For now it's back to the Vogue hooded jacket. Both sleeves and one front are done. Currently working on the other front and then I'll just have the back and the hood to do. I'm also going to try to get some more progress on Monkey. After the hooded jacket, I plan on finally starting Venezia from last fall's Interweave and either Baudelaire or the Entrelac Stockings after Monkey.

FO: Totoro Hoodie...

2007-09-21T04:00:00.000+01:00

Done with the "deadline" knitting and the package has been sent off just in time!

Pattern: None. Used instructions for ears from Hello Yarn's Totoro Bonnet.
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton-Blue (4 balls), Ecru (0.5 ball), and a bit of Beige
Needles: US7/4.5mm and US8/5mm circs and US7/4.5mm DPNs for the ears.
Time: About a week.
Other: Fits 6-12 months old; 10 inch zipper in off white.

Notes:

I originally wanted to make a grey Totoro hoodie but couldn't find any cotton yarn in the right color. Crazy skin allergies run in the family so I decided to stick with 100% cotton until we knew for sure if the baby could handle an animal fiber. The knitting was easier than I expected. I thought I'd run into trouble with the fronts because I had to knit the color sections separately and seam them together, which meant calculating the raglan shaping for the white part and factoring in the seam stitches.

The hood was pretty basic. I picked up stitches as if I were knitting a collar, increased evenly throughout one row, and continued knitting for about eight inches. Then I divided the stitches over two needles and grafted the top of the hood together. I did a bit of short row shaping in the center just before the end of the hood to make the back rounded instead of pointy. I opted not to put a face on the hood because the shape of the hood makes the placement difficult.

The zipper was not as painful to install as I'd expected. In fact, it's by far my best zipper installation. I can hardly sew to save my life but everything just worked out this time. The center /\ even matched up perfectly.

This is probably one of my favorite things I've knit so far although I think I've exceeded my cuteness quota for the year. =)

FO: Felted Clogs...

2007-09-16T16:07:00.000+01:00

Two down, one to go on the deadline knitting.

Something comfy for a mom-to-be.

Pattern: Felted Clogs by Bev Galeskas from Fiber Trends
Yarn: Cascade 200 Wool in navy, 2 hanks; Cascade 220 Heathers in blue, 1 hank
Needles: US13/9mm Denise Interchangeables
Time: 3 days and forever to dry

Notes: Nothing much to say about these that probably already hasn't been said. Quick and easy pattern. Great for instant gratification. I felted these in the sink instead of in the machine. Seemed like a waste of electricity to run the machine just for these and it worked out okay (although I did work up quite a sweat). I did have to throw them in the dryer for 20 minutes to shrink them a little more. They took forever to dry. Then I realized I should put them in front of a fan, and that did the trick.

I'm currently blocking a baby hoodie, which is the last thing I need to get done before I send out this package. I'm still waiting for a zipper that I had to order since I couldn't find one short enough.

Just have pictures of the back and fronts for now.

Tutorial: Smocking...

2007-09-07T01:42:00.000+01:00

Originally I was going to knit the front and back pieces of Bonnie without any waist shaping and go back with a needle and extra yarn to create the smocked section as demonstrated on Knit Lit. However, I knew finishing the pieces like that would take forever given my bad relationship with sewing or anything resembling sewing. Then I found this video on how to knit smocked ribbing, which gave me an idea for how to do the smocking for Bonnie. (Excuse the photo quality. Today's lighting wouldn't cooperate.)

The stitch pattern I'm using is *K1, P4* K1.

1. Slip knit stitch (K st) to cable needle (CN).

2. Slip 4 purl stitches (P sts) to right needle (RN).

3. Slip K st to CN.

4. Slip 4 P sts from RN back to left needle (LN).

5. With working yarn, wrap 2 sts on CN twice.

6. Knit 1 st from CN.

7. Purl 4 sts from LN.

8. Knit remaining st from CN, and purl next 4 sts.

Repeat.

Bonnie will need to be set aside for a little bit. I have an unexpected deadline on a couple projects.

More purple...

2007-09-05T21:42:00.000+01:00

Right after I finished the Mystery Stole I started my version of the smocked top Faye Dunaway wore in Bonnie and Clyde.

I'm done with the back now and have just cast on for the front. I'll post a tutorial on how I did the smocked section once I reach that part.

I've also finally gotten some of my books and magazines (the rest are still stored at the parents' house), so the queue is active again!

FO: Mystery Stole 3

2007-08-28T04:51:00.000+01:00

This has been done for a few days.

I like wearing it the first way better.

Pattern: Mystery Stole 3 (Swan Lake) by Pink Lemon Twist
Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr Wool-silk in violet; about 1.25 ounces (a bit more than 1 50g ball)
Needles: US3/3.25mm Addi Turbo Lace circs
Beads: 8/0 seed beads in transparent amethyst
Time: 3 weeks

Notes:

I had a lot of fun participating in MS3. Loved the beads and I'm not really a bead person. Probably because there weren't that many in the design. The pattern was also well written and pretty easy. Not a first lace project but I think it's fine for someone who's knitted lace at least once. Laying flat, I'm not too crazy about the wing but I really like how it looks when worn. I prefer it with the wing over the point, though.

Clues 6 and 7, Charts I-J. The wing.

This was also my first time using Addi Lace needles. Love them. The tips are smooth but not too slippery, the join is the smoothest join I've experienced, and the tips are pointy but not so pointy that they leave my finger calloused (like the KnitPicks Options do).

Caught up...

2007-08-11T05:21:00.000+01:00

Finally got myself caught up on the Mystery Stole. Clue 3 took one day like the first two while the bigger Clue 4 took a couple days. Since I was caught up by the time Clue 5 was released I decided to take my time with it and finished on Wednesday.

While I waited for the sixth clue, I frogged the Ribbed Tofutsie. It's now going to be Monkey by Cookie A.

You can't really see the lace pattern although I'm not sure if it's the colorway doing that or the kinks in the recently frogged yarn. I've modified the pattern to be worked toe-up in order to use as much yarn as I can. I'm more or less working backwards. I used the Magic Cast-on to cast on the number of toe stitches left at the end, flipped the chart upside down with a couple minor adjustments, and I will be knitting a short row heel.

I'm going out of town for a week so this will make good travel knitting. I'd take the Mystery Stole if it weren't for the beads.

Late start...

2007-08-03T18:30:00.000+01:00

I finally started Mystery Stole 3 and have been able to complete a clue a day so far.

Clues 1 and 2. Just started Clue 3 today when Clue 5 was posted and the theme revealed. I think I'm going to go ahead with the asymmetrical stole rather than make it symmetrical. It's all in the fun of not knowing what I'm knitting, right? I could always make another one and in a more appropriate color for the theme although it does look quite nice in violet.

Speaking of which, at least I started this round of Project Spectrum on time. =)

I'm also ridiculously fascinated by this teeny crochet hook I'm using, and it's not even the smallest hook in existence! Totally put my macro skills to the test.

Size 13/0.85mm hook with 8/0 Czech seed beads in Amethyst

FO: Sarcellette...

2007-07-31T18:10:00.000+01:00

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...

2007-07-23T22:37:00.000+01:00

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...

2007-07-13T19:38:00.000+01:00

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...

2007-07-01T19:28:00.000+01:00

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.

FO: Print o' the Wave...

2007-05-29T22:29:00.000+01:00

Successfully moved across the country and finally finished another project.

I'm still trying to figure out how to wear it.

Pattern: Print o' the Wave stole by Eunny Jang
Yarn: KnitPicks Shadow in Jewels Heather, 2 hanks
Needles: 32" US3/3.25mm Susan Bates Silverado circ, 24" US3/3.25mm Inox aluminum circ, US3/3.25 Inox aluminum DPNs, 32" US2/2.75mm Susan Bates Silverado circ
Time: 2.5 months

Notes:

I started this in early March and just finished it a few days ago. Progress was stalled while I moved and got settled in my new place, so I still consider it a Project Spectrum piece.

The lace patterns for the body and edging were easy to memorize. It was just the size of the stole that made it take so long to finish. I only had a few yards of yarn left, so I'm glad I went down a needle size. That and it would have been huge if I'd used the suggested US4/3.5mm's.

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I finished the first of my Tofutsie socks before the big move, but I haven't had the motivation to work on the second sock. Instead, I started on Isabella from this spring's Knitty with some yarn I had in the stash. It'll be a nice summer top, especially for the weather here.

I don't have all my knitting stuff with me. Well not my books, magazines, and half my stash, anyway, so I need to rethink my upcoming projects list. Although I suppose this would be a good time to get caught up on Dulaan knitting. I only have two items knitted so far.

FO: Phildar sleeveless cowl...

2007-04-15T20:57:00.000+01:00

Pattern: 11 Pull sans manches (no. 458-T6-256); Phildar Special Twenty Automne-Hiver 06/07 (no. 458)
Yarn: Patons Divine in night sky; 4 skeins
Needles: KnitPicks Options US9/5.5mm & US10/6mm; US9/5.5mm Empress bamboo DPNs
Time: 1 month, on and off
Mods: Knit in the round up to armholes, picked up and knit the cowl and armbands.

Notes:

This was more of a fun knit--one of those trendy items that happens to catch my eye for some reason. I'm not sure how much wear I'll get out of this but if the cold weather keeps up, it'll be very useful. The top is really cozy. My mom even pulled the cowl up over my head and said, "Hey, you can use it as a hood if it gets too cold!" I also wanted to try out an easy Phildar pattern to see how I would do working from a French pattern. It's been a couple years since I've needed to use the language. A little out of practice but still okay.

I picked the Divine because I needed something that would be light and drapey for the gauge the pattern calls for. The yarn called for in the pattern is also a novelty yarn, which is part of the look that appealed to me, so I wanted to mimic the fuzzy aspect without crossing over to furry.

The pattern had you work everything flat in pieces--front, back, neck, and armbands. I noticed the Divine would be a pain to seem so I converted it to be worked in the round. I also picked up stitches for the cowl and armbands and worked those in the round. In the end, the only thing I had to seam were the shoulders.

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In other news, I tried wearing the tweed V-neck for a day. The baggy sleeves really got to me so I took care of that. I ripped out the top until I had the desired stitches for the upper arm and knit the sleeve cap. Then I cut off the bottom where I my first set of increases were, knit the bottom part of the sleeve to the desired measurements and grafted it to the upper part of the sleeve. It fits much better now.

I've also been working on a couple other items:

On the left is the Print o' the Wave Stole by Eunny Jang. I've had this printed out for a long time and only got around to knitting now. I had some KnitPicks Shadow that I bought to qualify for free shipping and a lot of time while taking care of some family obligations last month. I'm on the inner border now, and it looks like it'll be done by the end of the week.

On the right is a sock made from SWTC Tofutsies. I saw the yarn at the yarn shop and was intrigued. It's much softer and stretchier knit up than you would think. In the skein it feels like cotton string. I also really like the colors. I'm just winging a toe-up, ribbed pattern (the former to maximize yardage, the latter for interest). I think this will be a slow project, though. I only pick up it occassionally.

Times are busy. I'm in the process of moving to DC. I've never been, but I just see it as another adventure. At least I won't have trouble finding yarn shops, though.

FO: Tweed V-neck...

2007-03-06T21:19:00.000Z

Another one for Project Spectrum.

Pattern: My own
Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed shade #131; 5 balls
Needles: US4/3.5mm KnitPicks Options and Susan Bates DPNs; US5/3.75mm KnitPicks Options and Inox DPNs
Other: 3x 1"/25mm buttons
Time: 2 weeks

Notes:

One ball of Felted Tweed seems to go a long way. I'm actually wondering if there was a typo on the labels for this batch because I can't find any shade cards, old or new, that have #131 although another, similar number looks very much like this colorway.

This pullover is another basic shape knit from the bottom-up in the round with some simple waist shaping on the sides. I placed an inch and a half worth of stitches on a holder for the neck band when I started the increases for the upper half. Then I worked flat for the rest of the body, dividing the fronts and back at the start of the armscye shaping. The hardest parts to figure out were the front and back neck shaping. The sleeves were also knit in the round to the sleeve cap, which was knit flat. Just to add a tiny bit of interest in the sea of stockinette, I worked purl stitches on the sides and down the inside of the sleeve to create a faux seam.

The sleeves ended up being a bit looser than I expected, but that's not a bad thing. The Felted Tweed feels a bit scratchy so I'll be wearing a shirt underneath. I actually suspected that would be the case, so I knit the body with enough ease for layering, anyway.

I don't know if anyone's noticed but I usually stick to a very basic structure when knitting without patterns (only exception was the Gucci-inspired cardi). I don't do any complicated shaping and I refer to notes from previous projects to figure out those numbers. I suppose this is why I will never be an actual pattern writer. Everything I make without a pattern is tailored specifically to my body and preferences in fit. I have no idea how I would translate that into a range of general sizes.

Next up is the Venezia Pullover from the Winter 2006 Interweave. Well, it will be as soon as my needles get here. In the meantime, I think I'll work on some destashing and Dulaan knitting.