FO: Brilliant Retro...

It's missing the snaps but I'll call it finished.



Pattern: Brilliant Retro by Teva Durham (Interweave Knits Winter 2005)
Yarn: Patons Brilliant in "crystal cream"; 6.5 skeins
Needles: US5/3.75mm Addi Turbos
Time: 1.5 months

Notes:

It's finally done! While this cardi is pretty and sparkly, it's probably one of the more boring projects I've worked on. I think the combination of small gauge, lots of stockinette and ribbing, and a plain shape made it so.

After working on several projects requiring mods (and one without a pattern), it's nice to be able to knit straight from a pattern and not think about it. Normally I'm not into shiny materials, but I ended up using the yarn called for in the pattern because it was on clearance and I really liked the cream color. It reminds me of champagne when knit up. The fabric is actually nicer than I expected considering the metallic thread in it, but the yarn can be annoying to work with. The ends frayed easily so I had to tie a knot at the beginning and end of each skein. When I went back to weave in ends, I took some sewing thread and sewed up the ends to help prevent fraying over time.

The pattern description wasn't kidding when it said the cardi was close-fitting. I made a size larger and the arms are still skin-tight while the body is a touch looser than snug (this might be due to the ribbing in the back).



I also have no idea why I have so much of this yarn left over. I used less than what the *smallest size* called for even though I did not make the smallest size. I'm guessing the designer overestimates the requirements, but I wonder if part of it is just me since I always have an extra skein when I finish a garment.

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Not much new knitting to get done. I'm re-doing a sweater I knit for Mom last year that ended up too big. However, I did get some new goodies--the KnitPicks Options set.


The shiny, pointy tip and the join.

I bought a bunch of Addis in smaller sizes while in the UK as they are way cheaper than in the States (about £3 compared to $15-20 here) and got spoiled used to them. When I had an opportunity to use my Denise needles again, they just didn't feel right anymore. But since Addis are so expensive, I decided to give the Options set a try. They are very similar to Addis but not quite the same. They do feel slightly heavier but not really noticeable. I like the pointy tips and the cords feel the same although I might just be crazy but I think the Addis' cords are still more flexible. My other concern with the Options is that the thread (where the needles and cords are screwed together) will wear out over time. It's still a great deal, though.

FO: (un)Striped V-Neck Vest...

Pattern: Striped V-Neck Vest from Vogue Knitting Winter 2004/05
Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease in "cranberry"; ~2.75 skeins
Needles: US7/4.5mm Denise Interchangeables
Time: 4 days
Mods: No stripes; knit to an unlisted size.

Notes:

I killed two birds with one stone on this project--something for Mom that she needed and destashed. I had originally bought a lot of Wool-Ease for another project that I changed my mind on so I've had it sitting in the stash for a while. This was a good use for it since it's a simple garment that my mom can just toss in the wash. Since this vest is meant to be a close fit, I had to do a bit of math to make it to my mom's measurements since none of the given sizes were a good match. As I noted before, it wasn't difficult since the construction is so simple.

I wouldn't make this vest again, though. Easy as it was (and Vogues labels it as "Very Easy"), the way the armholes are shaped are just...odd. I'm not a fan. But for its purpose, the vest works fine.

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In other news, I have sleeves!



The cardi will finally be ready to seam once they're done blocking.

FO: Wine and Roses Mitts...

Pattern: Wine and Roses Mitts by Jolene Treace; Interweave Knits Winter 2006
Yarn: Peruvian Classic Baby Cashmere in "cashmere blue" (from Elann.com); ~1.5 balls
Needles: US2/2.75mm Clover bamboo DPNs
Time: 4 days

Notes:

This was a destashing project using the yarn I had leftover from the Union Square Market Pullover. I had just a bit less than three balls of the blue left and most of one ball of white, but this project ended up using half the blue (originally I thought if I ran out of yarn I could trim the mitts with white). So the destashing was only half successful.

The project was pretty quick despite getting confused by a couple of the chart symbols. I just decided to trust the pattern and it all worked out. Of course, part of the confusion was a result of how lumpy the lace was while knitting.


Quite a difference, no?

I would definitely recommend this pattern as a way to get rid of small amounts of leftover (fingering weight) yarn in the stash. It doesn't use much and I can imagine how you can add different colors to the edges or even stripe the cuff.

Time to get moving on those sleeves...

No second sock syndrome for me...

I generally have a lot of trouble completing the first sock, but I make up for it in how much I like pairs. I just see the first lone, sock and immediately cast on for the second. It's gone pretty quickly now. I have the leg finished in just one day--I worked on it more since this photo was taken.



Besides, the wool I used for Hedera irritates my skin, so I ended up giving them to my mom who doesn't find them itchy at all. Now I don't have a cozy pair of wool socks to keep me warm this winter (the Norwegian and Argyle stockings are too thick and tall for wearing around the house).

Of course, where I gain motivation for second socks I completely lose it for sleeves.



I finished the back and fronts of Brilliant Retro a while ago. I've just been slow with the sleeves. I'm working both at the same time to prevent any "second sleeve syndrome" but am only halfway through with the cuffs. Yeah, slow. I'm hoping the cold weather will motivate me more into finishing the cardi up.

Colchique is pushed back even further now. I figured out a different project for the Felted Tweed in my stash and am working on the sketches and math for it. I've also been distracted with a few new magazines in my possession:



Three Phildar magazines (Twenty No.458, Automne 1 No.453, and Automne 2 No. 456) and the latest Interweave. My favorites are the motorcycle jacket from Twenty, the split neck sweater from Automne 1, and the swing jacket and asymmetrical cardigan from Automne 2. There are also several I'd really like to make from Interweave, but I think I'll put them off until next year. Well...with the exception of the Wine and Roses Mitts, which will also be a destash project.

Yeesh. It's gonna be a busy winter.

Progress thwarted...

I had made some good progress on the ribbed section for the back of Colchique. Then realized that I knit where I was supposed to purl and purled where I was supposed to knit. In other words, despite having translated the pattern correctly, I still read the chart wrong while doing the actual knitting. The piece has been frogged, the yarn re-wound, and the project put away for a later date.

In the sidebar you'll see that while Colchique is back to 0%, a new project has moved up to the top of the list: Brilliant Retro by Teva Durham from the Winter 2005 Interweave. I found a bunch of Patons Brilliant on clearance at the LYS recently and thought, what the heck? I do need another cardigan. There were two colors left, "Crystal Cream" and "Radiant Red." I really liked the red but opted for the cream instead because it is more wearable on an everyday basis.

I also got a bit of sock knitting done on a recent trip to the Bay Area. I'm trying get around to finishing them at home but it's been a little difficult. Sock knitting is usually travel/commute/transport knitting for me, but I won't be getting any of that for a while. Besides, the shininess of the Brilliant is hard to say "no" to.