The Potential of Yarn

2010 in review

2011-01-09T16:44:00.001-08:00

I did say I was done blogging here, but I put together these lovely 2010 FO mosaics and wanted to share. Links will take you to the original picture on Flickr.

Yarns I Spun, and the Fiber they Came From

1. Corduory and Flannel, 2. 4 oz superfine merino, 3. Fangorn, 4. 5 oz BFL, 5. Snobby Spinners, 6. Two-ply, 7. Superwash Merino, 8. Carolina Red, 9. Indigo-Dyed Fiber, 10. Indigo-Dyed Swirl, 11. Underworld, 12. Underworld Swirl, 13. Bonnie Lass, 14. Plump Three Ply, 15. Sticks and Stones, 16. Hand-Carded Rolags, 17. Gradient Skeins, 18. Fleece!, 19. Mini Navaho-Ply Skeins, 20. Gray Flannel, 21. Gray Flannel, 22. October 2010 High Society club, 23. FLUFF High Society, 24. Argyle, 25. Corriedale Top, 26. Dead Leaves, 27. Black Sea, 28. Fulled, 29. Humbug BFL, 30. 325 yards

My Knitted FOs

1. Twisted, 2. Ruffled Scarf, 3. Shawlette/Scarf, 4. Charcoal Daybreak, 5. Mitts, 6. Twin Bibs, 7. Pretty Thing FO, 8. Pinned, 9. Mocha Darkside Cowl, 10. Abstract Leaves Cowl, 11. Ammonite, 12. Lil' Bit yet again, 13. Sunglasses Case, 14. Vertical Keyhole Scarf, 15. Vertical Keyhole Scarf, 16. Planetarium and Peapod, 17. Jalepeno and Blackberry, 18. Fedora for the Trim, 19. Ruffle, 20. Back, 21. Jojo Hat, 22. Orange and Red with Black, 23. Dane Shawl, 24. Pinned, 25. Multnomah-esque, 26. Irish Hiking Hat, 27. Buttonholes, 28. Trimmed, 29. Holiday Birds, 30. On the Tree

I'm a Joiner

2010-07-19T12:24:00.000-07:00

When it comes to knitting, I am such a joiner. Right now, I am participating in five -alongs of one type or another:

10 Shawls in 2010: A group trying to knit 10 shawls during the year. I have three completed (bending the rules a bit, I'll admit) and three on the needles, so I'm behind at the halfway point. But I'm almost done with grad school, so hopefully my record will improve.

Tour de Fleece: A Spin-along during the time frame of the Tour de France, which is July 3 to 25 this year. I've completed a skein of two-ply and have three singles ready for my first ever three-ply. I'm hoping to get a gradient spin in, but I suspect I won't have enough time to finish it by the deadline.

3-ply Challenge: The Snobby Spinners group on Ravelry is doing a three-ply challenge, and I'm spinning my first three ply (standard, not Navaho ply) for it. I have the singles ready and hope to ply tonight. This is part of Tour de Fleece too.

Sundara Summer Lace: The Sundara Yarn Love Group on Ravelry is have a lace knit-and-crochet-along. I started a new lace shawl, one of the 10 shawls in 2010, but I'm working more on other shawl projects right now.

Stashdown: Trying to knit up more of my stash than I am adding to it, with support from the The Yarn Snobs group on Ravelry. I joined this effort in April. On a yardage basis, I was just barely was successful in the second quarter of the year, but only because of several destashes. This quarter, I'm not doing great so far - I've fallen in love with hand-dyed fiber for spinning, and I think I'm about to rip out about 500 yards in a shawl in progress to redo the color striping.

And it's worth noting that my last post was about my efforts for the Ravelmpics/Knitting Olympics.

Above all, what I've really done is join Ravelry. And by doing so, I've found the online knitting presence I was looking for when I started this blog. I show my WIPs and FOs off there. I've made friends and found community - even some knitters I know in real life are on Rav too!

The timing of joining Rav coincided fairly closely with starting grad school, which meant my knitting blog suffered doubly. And now that I am almost done with grad school (I'm in my last quarter, yo), I've been thinking about how I want to spend my time, and the answer is definitely less time in front of a screen. So I am considering ending my knitting blog, as many others have done, either accidentally or on purpose. If there is any feedback, please do leave it, otherwise find me on Ravelry. And my free patterns are there too.

Olympics Finish Line

2010-02-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

I had to abandon the Mara shawl when, after ripping out a week's worth of knitting (more on that in a future post), it became clear that I would not make the end-of-the Olympics deadline. Instead, I cast on the Lacy Baktus in some more of my handspun.

Pattern: Lacy Baktus by Terhi Montonen
Yarn: my handspun from superwash BFL from Cloudlover in the Fangorn colorway
Needles: US 8 / 5.0 mm
On Ravelry

This is a pattern where you weigh your yarn, knit half of it with increases every four rows, and then decrease every four rows. Well, I'm still pretty new at spinning, and weighing apparently wasn't the best judge of whether or not I'd used up half of my yardage. So, with one day left in the Olympics, I used up my yarn and still had at least three repeats to knit (#2 below) ... and so I frogged it back to past the center point to start the decreases earlier (#3).

I could have handled this with a bit more grace and a lot less stress if I wasn't knitting on a deadline. But I wanted the Ravelympics/Knitting Olympics medals, so here is the finished shawl/scarf (a little too big to fit in one frame):

It's a little shorter than I'd like, and I'm counting on the blocking (which certainly was not going to happen today too) to help stretch it out.

Winter Olympics

2010-02-13T17:24:00.001-08:00

In honor of the Winter Olympics, I am participating in the related Knitting Olympics and Ravelympics knit-a-longs that began last night. I was originally thinking I'd do a series of small projects, and see what I could get done in 17 days, but the spirit of the Olympics is to challenge yourself, so I'm going big and going to attempt a full shawl. I may not finish, but I decided setting a big goal was success enough if need be.

I'm knitting Mara, a simple triangular garter stitch shawl with a ribbed and slightly ruffled edging. I'm planning on adding some shoulder shaping. Part of what makes this project medal-worthy is that I'm knitting it from my own handspun, Potentiality Handspun Falkland in a colorway I'm calling Blueberries and Chocolate. It's one pound and 1028 yards of fibery goodness.

I cast on last night. I planned to do this while watching the opening ceremonies, but as we don't have tv reception, I planned to watching the ceremonies via online streaming. I spent 40 minutes trying to find a feed that worked, and struck out multiple times and places. This was, let's say, extremely frustrating. In the end, I put a movie in the DVD player and cast on to a sweet and sappy coming of age story.

I am loving watching the colors change as I knit. I rarely knit in garter stitch, so I am impressed by the thick squooshiness of the fabric I'm making. And I'm just starting to add the shoulder shaping, so it's coming along great so far!

2009 in Review

2010-02-03T17:19:00.000-08:00

In 2009 I became a bad blogger. I can point to graduate school as the primary cause of this, but now that it's February, and I have 8 months of school left, I think I have to admit defeat. So, rather than try to bring anyone who may still be reading this (and thank you if you are!) up to date on each project, I'm just going to show you the year in review.

Despite grad school, it was a productive year, although it looks like I concentrated on the accessories. More portable, and simple stitch patterns were definitely my friend this year.

1. Mini Sweater Trio, 2. Dolores Park Cowl, 3. Cowl'd and Frosty Morning, 4. "Camel" Cowl, 5. Spiral Cowl, 6. Herringbone Cowl, 7. Lichen Cowl, 8. Two-One Cowl, 9. Turn A Square Try #3, 10. Turn A Square Try #4, 11. Maine Morning Mitts, 12. Lollipop Hats, 13. Cabled Sampler Baby Blanket, 14. Sampler Baby Blanket, 15. Verona Shawl, 16. Deciduous Lace Shawl, 17. Barn Raising Quilt, 18. Susan Shawl, 19. Mitered Hanging Towels, 20. I-Love-Stockinette Baby Bibs, 21. Baby Goth, 22. Cotton Stripes Hat Trio, 23. Lace Ribbon Scarf, 24. Thorpe!, 25. Camera Sock, 26. Crofter's Cowl #1, 27. Crofter's Cowl #2, 28. Pretty Thing Cowl, 29. Toasty Mitts!, 30. Purl's Cashmere Cowl, 31. Vancouver Fog Mitts, 32. Gathered Scarf, 33. Hello Kitty Hat, 34. Scrunchable Hat, 35. Earflap Hat, 36. Ribbed Hat

I also had time for some spinning:

1. Corriedale Sliver, 2. Three Skeins, 3. 8 oz Eire Corriedale Pencil Roving, 4. Two Skeins of Eire, 5. 4 oz Shetland Top, 6. My Winding Wheel, 7. Green Yarns, 8. 4 oz BFL Top, 9. One Skein of Autumn Girl, 10. Hanspun, 11. Four Braids, 12. Falkland Fiber, 13. 4 oz of strips, 14. And then there were nine, 15. Blueberries & Chocolate

And I kept on accumulating yarn. The best:

1. Squoosh MCN in Brick, 2. Sundara Night Blossom, 3. CMF Wild Horses, 4. CMF Baby Camel/Merino, 5. Sweet Georgia Frozen, 6. Sweet Georgia Stillwater , 7. Graphite, 8. Mysterious Night, 9. Antoinette, 10. Aurora Borealis, 11. Fjord, 12. A Step in Time and Roasted Java, 13. Black Cherry ASM, 14. MadTosh Van Dyke Brown and Plucky Augustus, 15. Deadly Nightshade, 16. Pigeonroof Charcoals, 17. Sundara Poppy, 18. Charcoal over Blue Lagoon, 19. Deep Spaces, 20. Seasons Collection, 21. Black over Violet, 22. End of the Day FSM, 23. Brambleberry, 24. RPoGP, 25. Cashmere, 26. Fiberphile Batwings, 27. Arabian Nights, 28. Huckleberries FSM, 29. Delphiniums, 30. Rocky Shore, 31. Copper Rose, 32. Plum Pudding, 33. Smoke, 34. Chocolate Chambord, 35. Taj Mahal FSM, 36. Ember over Flame

Verona Shawl

2009-07-21T15:27:00.000-07:00

For Project Spectrum Cardinal Directions North, and because a lot of stockinette stitch was very appealing to my grad-school-full brain, I knit up a Verona Shawl.

Pattern: Verona Shawl by Morehouse Merino Originals
Yarn: Morehouse Merino Lace in Hemlock colorway
Needles: US 9 / 5.5 mm
On Ravelry

It really was just what I needed. I could knit in class, while reading, when I was writing papers and needed and "thinking break." I've found stockinette is perfect for times like these.

This pattern is just a big stockinette rectangle. I had the yarn in my stash, more than is required (I used five balls, or 1100 yards) so I cast on 100 stitches. If I were to do it again, I might cast on even more - the rolling nature of stockinette means that it's not as wide as I'd like.

Given my desire to have it wider and the fact that I still have one ball of yarn left, I'm actually considering turning it into a L-shaped shawl. I'd do this by shortening what I have now, picking up stitches along one edge, and adding another rectangle at a right angle. This would be some more good grad school knitting. But I've got a few things on the needles to finish up first.

Candy Baby Hats

2009-07-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

I picked up some multi-colored, mostly cotton yarn to make a matching set of hats for a co-worker expecting twins.

Pattern: One Skein Candy Baby Hat by Artful Yarns (on ball band of yarn)
Yarn: Artful Yarns Candy in the Lollipop colorway (9366)
Needles: US 6 / 4.0 mm
On Ravelry

Interestingly, the pattern is to knit it flat and then seam up the hat when done. I have to admit I didn't realize this - I mean, who would knit a stockinette hat flat? - and I thought it was just the little cord at the top that was knit flat. In any case, I knit it in the round, and finished with an i-cord rather than the nine-stitches-wide top flap per the pattern.

My co-worker was very happy with them, and now has three-month-old twins, a girl and a boy, so I'd say it was a success all around.

FO: Road Not Taken

2009-07-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

I showed you this scarf first almost a year ago when I cast it on for easy travel knitting. I finished it at the end of last September (right as grad school started), but it took me, um, 9 months to get around to taking pictures. So, finally, here is:

Pattern: Road Not Taken Scarf by Lisa Lloyd
Yarn: Sundara sock yarn in Burnt Cranberry
Needles: US size 6
On Ravelry

This was an easy, pleasant knit. I found that I loved having a little bit of color to wrap around my face and a little bit of warmth around my neck last fall and winter. I especially loved to wear it with brown and white.

My only complaint is that the scarf curls a little, given the stockinette base and the fact that the lace pattern is three joined columns that easily fold at the joins. A very pretty pattern, though, and the hand-dyed yarn is divine.

FO: Falling Leaves Shawl

2009-06-19T01:26:00.000-07:00

I finished this shawl many moons ago (July 2008, to be exact), although it took me a long time to block it. It was a holiday gift for my mother and so I waited until after December to post the FO, and then never did. So here it is:

Pattern: Falling Leaves Shawl by Katy Wight
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Oceanic
Needles: US size 7 / 4.5 mm
on Ravelry

This shawl is a stole, but all the decreases are k2tog, so the resulting fabric leans to one side, making a parallelogram shape. I thought it made an exceptionally photogenic project, especially with the shawl pin by Ruby Vegas.

A Slew of Sock Hop

2009-06-07T13:47:00.000-07:00

Well, so much for getting caught up with my blogging in two weeks!

Back when I ripped my first try at the Pacific Waves Shawl, I found myself with lots of unused Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop yarn. Since I had bought several of the skeins as remnants, and all the one I used were now in tiny little balls ...

... I decided I would look for stash-busting patterns to use up the yarn. My first project was the Turn-a-Square Hat by Jared Flood. By holding two strands of Sock Hop together, I was able to achieve heavy worsted weight, and adjusted for gauge accordingly. I ended up knitting this hat three times with different colorways before I finally called it good. The first attempt may have been the most photogenic while knitting ...

but I didn't like how I looked with white yarn right by my face. I tried a three-color combination, and finally settled on one colorway (San Francisco) where I let the striping in the handspun show off the square shape of the hat. It's much more subtle. My three attempts are the top row of this mosaic of Sock Hop projects:

I then knit a set of Maine Morning Mitts in the same Sock Hop colorway (though a different lot) to match (pictures #6 and #8). I love fingerless mitts, and expect this set will be the first of many. I wanted a cowl that would match the mitts, and couldn't find one on Ravelry that was just right, so I created my own easy-peasy pattern - the Two-One Cowl, pattern available for free download right here (as well as on the sidebar). Pictures are the second row of the mosaic.

I also knit a new little sunglasses case with leftovers - picture #9. Let me tell you, it's a joy to pull it out and use my handknitting on a regular basis! And last, but not least, I started a set of mini sweaters (picture #7) which will decorate my holiday tree this winter, and are a great way to use up tiny bits of yarn.

Crazy for Cowls

2009-05-12T00:22:00.001-07:00

I apologize for it being so long since my last post. Grad school means the blogging is just not happening much. I am keeping my Ravelry up-to-date, though. I'm going to try to get caught up with posting FOs over the next week or two - I confess that I feel the pressure of being out of date!

Early in 2009, I knit a bunch of cowls in quick succession. Mostly as gifts, but I kept one, maybe two. I really enjoyed knitting cowls and foresee many of these in my future when the cold months roll around again.

1. Lichen Cowl by Lauren Weinhold in Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop in the San Francisco colorway
2. Spiral Cowl by Keri McKiernan in Madelinetosh Pastoral in Nocturne (my favorite - the combination of the yarn and pattern is wonderful to wear)
3. Herringbone Cowl by Lauren Osborne in Sundara Yarn Aran Silky Merino in Charcoal over Blue Lagoon
4. Cowl'd and Frosty Morning by Kelly Herdrich in Malabrigo Yarn Chunky in Paris Night colorway
5. Baby Camel Cowl by Sonya Philip in Malabrigo Yarn Chunky in Tuareg colorway
6. Dolores Park Cowl by Parikha Mehta in Malabrigo Yarn Chunky in Burgundy

Lace Inspiration version 2

2009-01-17T11:55:00.000-08:00

Do you remember this? (My post from June 2007 about how much I wanted to knit lace, and the shawls knit by others that were inspiring me to take the plunge.)

Welcome to January 2009:

1.Lace & Rhodedendron, 2. Fade Away, 3. Tuscany Shawl Detail, 4. Lace Leaf, 5. Shetland Triangle Detail, 6. Falling Leaves Shawl, 7. Winding Road, 8. Folded, 9. Diamonds

These are the shawls I've knit since June 2007. (Okay, Juno Regina is still a WIP). Next month will mark three years since I started knitting, and I'm pretty pleased to see myself accomplishing what I set out to learn to do and to create.

2008 in Review

2009-01-01T12:30:00.000-08:00

1.Strawberry Hat, adult size, 2. Finished Kimono Shawl, 3. In the Breeze, 4. Tuscany Back, 5. Lace Leaf Back, 6. Sampler Baby Blanket, 7. Shetland Tied, 8. Draped, 9. Hat from Above, 10. Scrunchable Scarf, 11. A Happy Pair, 12. Pro Bono Handspun Hat, 13. Sidekick Again, 14. Pacific Waves, 15. Winding Road, 16. Shower Gift, 17. Juno Regina - one end down, 18. Finis!, 19. Koolhaas Again, 20. Alpaca Silk Cowl, 21. Stockinette Cowl, 22. Turn a Square Again, 23. Green & Grey Turn a Square, 24. Ribbing, 25. Scarf & Hat Set

It seems that the theme of my knitting year was lace and then some hats too. Looking back on my knitting goals for 2008, I'm happy to say that I have indeed knit lace triangles, designed and shared/published my first pattern, and did knit quite a bit from my stash.

My other big first of 2008 was learning to spin. Sadly, I haven't really maintained it since taking the classes. I borrowed a wheel from my knitting mentor, but I'm having trouble getting it to work, and with my second quarter of grad school just a few days away, it'll be three months before I have time to give it a try again.

As for my plans to knit from stash, I have also stashed quite a bit this year (but I am knitting from it, see?):

1. Burnt Cranberry, 2. Three Skeins, 3. Delicious, 4. 10 Skeins, 5. Crown Mountain Sock Hop Handspun Yarn, 6. Indigo-Dyed Super Sock Yarn, 7. Stacked, 8. Silky Wool, 9. Stonechat, 10. Indiecita, 11. Silk Lace, 12. Midnight Meadows, 13. Three Skeins, 14. Fingering Silky Merino, 15. Squoosh Dewberry, 16. Nocturne, 17. Silk Lace, 18. MadTosh Sock, 19. Lichen, 20. Norway Spruce, 21. Faubourg, 22. Gothic Rose, 23. Siren Two Sock Yarn, 24. Malabrigo, 25. Paris Night

On the yarn front, I've continued in the Sundara Seasons Club and have added the Madelinetosh Magnolia Society Club. I really enjoy the hand-dyed yarns and the surprise of packages in the mail. I also bought a bunch of handspun to knit with, and am finally get some projects finished with it. I stashed a bunch of Malabrigo Silky when the factory had a fire this summer, which I have yet to knit with.

Knitting goals for 2009:

Knit a sweater (baby sweaters would count, but I have one in mind for me)
Get the wheel working and do some spinning
Stranded knitting (perhaps from some of that indie-dyed sock yarn)
Share/publish another pattern or two
Mainly, find time to knit while tackling four quarters of graduate school

I'm also looking forward to a class with Elsebeth Lavold at Madrona Fiber Arts in February and Nancy Bush at the Nordic Knitting Festival in March.

What are your knitting plans/dreams for 2009?

Great Feather & Fan Shawl Project of 2008

2008-12-31T16:51:00.000-08:00

Seeing as today is the last day of 2008, I decided I really needed to get this shawl photographed and posted to the blog.

Pattern: Pacific Waves Shawl by Danielle Miner
Yarn: Sundara Aran Silky Merino in Charcoal over Blue Lagoon
Needles: US size 10 / 6 mm
On Ravelry

I originally started this shawl in Crown Mountain Sock Hop, but I didn't like how it knit up. Re-done in Sundara Aran Silky Merino in Charcoal over Blue Lagoon gave me pretty much exactly the shawl I wanted. The yarn is gorgeous, soft, and warm. And the color, totally delicious.

I was so delighted when I finished it that I started wearing it every where even though I hadn't blocked it. I think I've decided I like it as it is. I wouldn't mind if the scalloped edges would lay a little flatter, but I think blocking would stretch it out too much and make it much too large for me.

The other thing I really love about this pattern in the L-shape. There is a nice point that hangs down the back, but generous arms that lay across the front too. No slipping or bunching. I'm going to work on turning some of my favorite patterns into L-shaped shawls, I think.

A big winner in my book.

Knitting Calendar

2008-12-26T20:36:00.000-08:00

And now for something completely different. I've turned some of my knitting photography into a calendar that is available on my CafePress store. A few of my favorite shots:

I apologize that it is so close to the new year - typically I make my calendars by the beginning of November - but the demands of grad school meant that I couldn't get to it until my break started. I plan to make greeting cards with the same images, but it may be spring break before I can really get to them.

Xmas Knitting

2008-12-26T20:04:00.000-08:00

A series of snowstorms has swept through Seattle during the last two weeks. Since the city isn't well equipped in the ways of plows, and I have a lot of anxiety about driving in the snow (due to a near miss two years ago), I haven't been able to mail Xmas knitting packages yet. However, I have been able to finish a slew of small projects. I'm taking a risk that my family might see this before they get their mail, but I don't think they really read my blog. So, hats for three generations: my father, brother, and nephew.

Pattern: Koolhaas by Jared Flood (pictured right)
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Peat Mix
Needles: US size 6 & 8
On Ravelry

I love how this hat looks, but found the knitting to be a little fiddly, with all of the cable crosses. I was not able to master knitting without a cable needle, and hope to if I knit this again.

Pattern: Turn A Square by Jared Flood (pictured center)
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Peat Mix and Charcoal Mix colorways, held doubled
Needles: US size 10 / 6.0 mm (9 / 5.5 mm for ribbing)
On Ravelry

I really like this pattern, as you'll see. I like knitting doubled; it goes very quickly and makes a warmer hat. The two colors are both dark and that makes the striping very subtle.

Pattern: Pro Bono by Angelina Fagan (pictured left)
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Peat Mix and Charcoal Mix colorways, held doubled
Needles: US size 9 / 5.5 mm
On Ravelry

Another Pro Bono, a simple and quick ribbed hat that can expand with a growing head. I like this pattern but think it's just too long. I'm hoping the hat can be warn with the brim turned up because I really don't feel like ripping out and shortening this hat before I can actually put it in the mail.

Pattern: Darkside Cowl by Sarah Fama
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk in Navy
Needles: US size 7 / 4.5 mm
On Ravelry

I knit a quick cowl for my SIL. This is a nice ribbed pattern which gives the cowl some structure. The yarn is soft, however, just like the Ultra Alpaca, I found it to be sheddy. Is all alpaca yarn like this? Because I'm not too fond of the shedding.

Pattern: Kim's Hats by Kim Hamlin
Yarn: Filatura Di Crosa 127 Print in 33 - Dark Grey
Needles: US 6 & 7
on Ravelry

I knit the hat to go with the garter-stitch scarf my partner knit for our friend Chris. The yarn struck me as a bit scratchy and I had a little trouble getting into the project (I wanted to make it warmer but did not have enough yarn), but once I finally got it going, I really like the project. It was really fun to have the splashes of color show up in seemingly random fashion as I knit - and no pooling! This took a little bit over one skein of yarn.

I've been knitting somethings for myself, too, but I'll wait to finish before posting more.

A Baby Shower Set

2008-12-26T19:57:00.000-08:00

I'm hoping to get caught up on my knitblogging during my winter break from school and work, although a couple FOs still need photoshoots. In any case, a little set for a baby shower:

Hat Pattern: Baby Watchcap by Nikol Lohr
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Mediumweight in Lagoon
Needles: US size 4 / 3.5 mm
on Ravelry

I knit with smaller yarn and needles than the pattern called for. I swatched in the 3x3 rib and found gauge based on an average of the swatch relaxed and stretched fully out. I cast on 90 stitches and added a few extra plain knit/purl rows during the early decrease rows to compensate for the thinner yarn.

Mitten Pattern: Baby Mittens by Malin Nilsson
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Mediumweight in Lagoon
Needles: US size 2.5 / 3.0 mm
on Ravelry

My gauge was different from the pattern, so I CO 26 stitches for the ribbing and increased to 33 stitches for the hand.

Both were quick to knit up and so very cute when done. The STR is a good yarn choice. I like the Baby Watchcap pattern, because the ribbing can expand with a growing baby head, making the hat longer wearing than many baby knits, and the Baby Mittens are very cute.

Project Spectrum - Water

2008-11-10T00:07:00.000-08:00

Of all the elements, I connect most with Earth - but when it comes to Project Spectrum, Water blows the others away. First, clearly I like taking pictures of water:

1. Wahkeena Falls, 2. Bridal Veil River, 3. Crescent Beach, 4. Cannon Beach, 5. Sea Stacks, 6. Haystack Rock, 7. Rain, 8. River Reflection, 9. River & Rocks, 10. Tidepools, 11. Imbolc Sunset, 12. Sunset over Puget Sound, 13. Hanakapi'ai Beach, 14. Sunset, 15. Sol Duc River, 16. Sea Stacks, 17. Sea Stacks, 18. Sea Stars, 19. Beach, 20. Deception Pass, 21. Deception Pass Eastward, 22. Kure Beach, NC, 23. Mt. Rainier Reflection, 24. Rainbow Falls, 25. Lake Crescent

1. Great Egret, 2. Clear Water, 3. 520 Bridge Reflection, 4. From the Depths, 5. Swimming Upstream, 6. Straits of Juan de Fuca, 7. Straits of Juan de Fuca Panorama, 8. Tidal Flats, 9. Sea Scape, 10. Northwest Sunset, 11. Rising Tide, 12. Sun on Water, 13. Sea Stack at Sunset, 14. Sea Stack near Neah Bay, 15. Brilliant Sunset, 16. Washington State Ferry, 17. Canoe at Sunset, 18. Reflection, 19. Sunrise, 20. Sunrise, 21. Reflection, 22. After Sunset, 23. Multnomah Falls, 24. Horsetail Falls, 25. Columbia River Gorge

And just as clearly, especially when it comes to knitting, I love the colors blue and purple:

1. Charcoal over Blue Lagoon, 2. Three Skeins, 3. Silky Wool, 4. Yarn and Leaves, 5. Needles and Leaves, 6. Tactile Fiber Arts Handspun, 7. Indigo-Dyed Super Sock Yarn, 8. Falling Leaves Lace, 9. Blueberry Hat, 10. Chevron Scarf Detail, 11. Chevron Scarf Folded, 12. Three Strands, 13. Blue Yarn Cake, 14. Purple Yarn Cake, 15. Knitted Utility Bags, 16. Oceanic Detail #2, 17. Lagoon, 18. Nodding Violet, 19. Side View 2, 20. Swatching for Aran-Style Bag, 21. Noro Kochoran, color #1, 22. Lavendar Bib, 23. Blue Varigated Bib, 24. Donegal Tweed, 25. Leaf Vine Baby Blanket

1. Furrows, 2. Squoosh Dewberry, 3. Juno Regina, 4. Juno Regina, 5. 2x2 Ribbing, 6. Shetland Tied, 7. Shetland Triangle Detail, 8. Yarn Cake, 9. Pale Sky Over Sugared Violet, 10. Sidekick Again, 11. Lace Leaf Back, 12. Center Seam, 13. Lace Leaf, 14. Knit Picks Shadow, Doubled, 15. Malabrigo Delight, 16. Diving Deeper, 17. Feather and Fan Lace, 18. River, 19. River, 20. 10 Skeins, 21. Twisted, 22. Curves, 23. Sock Hop - In the Skies, 24. Sock Hop - San Francisco, 25. Sock Hop - A Hard Day's Night

Water was the months of August and September, so I am quite behind in posting my pictures. But better late than never, say I.

Project Spectrum Air

2008-10-23T01:08:00.000-07:00

I realized that I've been delinquent about posting the second half of Project Spectrum Elements here on The Potential of Yarn. We've already seen Fire and Earth. June and July were dedicated to the element of Air.

1. White Asters, 2. Seagull Riding the Thermals, 3. Rainbow at Sunset, 4. Clouds, 5. Salal Blossoms with Bee, 6. Dogwood, 7. Storm Clouds and Sun Breaks, 8. Chestnut Flower, 9. Storm Clouds, 10. White Cherry Tree, 11. Sunset Cloud, 12. View of the Olympic Penninsula, 13. White Cherry Blossoms, 14. Waxing Crescent Moon, 15. Tree & Sky, 16. White Clematis, 17. Sun Rays, 18. Sun & Sky, 19. White Dahlia, 20. Washington State Ferry, 21. Pali Ke Kua Beach Sunset, 22. White Dahlia, 23. Seagull, 24. White Rose, 25. Deception Pass

1. Sampler Baby Blanket, 2. 20 Finished Squares, 3. Silk Lace, 4. Romney, 5. My First Handspun, 6. Two Singles, 7. More of My Handspun!, 8. My Handspun!, 9. Yarn Cake, 10. Pale Sky Over Sugared Violet, 11. Winter Sky, 12. Sock Hop - You Babe, 13. Ripples, 14. Ripples 2, 15. Fade Away, 16. Scarf Folded, 17. Stitch Detail, 18. Gift Yarn, 19. Celtic Plait Scarf, 20. Celtic Plait Scarf, 21. Schewe Baby Alpaca yarn, 22. Embossed Twining Leaves Blanket Square, 23. Chain Links Cables, 24. Bjars Hitches Cables, 25. St. Brigid Swatch

One of the cool things that happened during PS Air was that I learned to spin, as I've already described in detail here. (Sadly, not much spinning since then, although I have stashed some lovely hand-dyed fibers). I'm happy to report that I did finish the Sampler Baby Blanket during PSE Air. I do still have a stack of 12 blanket squares left over, so there will eventually be a second baby blanket.

And, in personal news, I started grad school a few weeks ago. I am now find my knitting time cut back rather severely, so this blog will probably be fairly quiet until June 2010. I'll still post as time allows.

CO: Juno Regina

2008-09-26T16:09:00.001-07:00

The Sundara Love Group on Ravelry (where I spend far too much time) is hosting a Lace-along, also being called a Knit-and-crochet-along, or KACAL (pronounced cackle). I decided to take advantage of the community support to give knitting with Silk Lace a try.

Pattern: Juno Regina by Miriam Felton
Yarn: Sundara Silk Lace in Black over Fuchsia
Needles: Addi Lace Turbos in US size 3 / 3.25 mm
On Ravelry

I swatched both US size 4 and US size 3 needles. I thought the 3s were just a bit tighter and neater while still allowing for a light, lacy fabric. I've found the silk lace a challenge to knit with - so tiny, so little give - but am getting the hang of it and love to stroke the fabric I've created so far.

I've already made a couple of mods. First, I'm knitting a garter stitch border rather than a seed stitch one. The seed stitch was way too fiddly with silk lace! Second, since I want a wider stole (as opposed to a scarf), I've knit six repeats of Chart 2 rather than four. This is giving me an extra four lace diamonds in width. I'm now at the point where the diamond pattern starts moving inward and columns of yarnovers start appearing from the outside in.

This is my first Miriam Felton design. I have several of her shawls in my queue and am very excited to finally be knitting one!

RIP Pacific Waves Shawl

2008-09-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

I hate to do it, but I'm going to frog it.

I was so excited about this project. I stashed each skein of yarn like it was a jewel. Casting the shawl on was a reward. I was so looking forward to wearing it. I knit on it mostly monogamously for over a month, 69 freakin' rows, 32,705 stitches in fact. That's a lot of knitting, and a lot of time, and time is precious to me.

But I haven't liked it from the very beginning. (Why, oh why, did I not pay more attention to that?) One week after casting it on, I was questioning how it was working out. I frogged 19 rows and tried to improve upon it, but still wasn't really happy with it. The thing is, everyone else loves it. I've gotten compliments in person, on my blog, on Ravelry. I put it aside for a week and then looked at some of my pictures of it, and liked the pictures enough that I kept going, again.

I was so in love with the idea of this project, with both the yarn and the pattern, that I couldn't admit for the longest time that the shawl itself doesn't work for me. The color changes of the handspun yarn, which would be so lovely and gradual in a scarf or in socks, are creating vee-shaped stripes of color as I knit, which I don't like (although they are fun to photograph in detail). I also just don’t think the colors are working together, and I thought I would get a mostly blue shawl, but it's mostly brown. Maybe these pictures will help give a better sense of the full shawl:

I thought about giving it away, or selling it. But I spent too much on the yarn, and I love it too much, to give it away. And I'd have to charge a lot for the shawl to recoup my costs. I still love the yarn, I just think it deserves different patterns - possibly the Turn a Square Hat, some Mini Sweaters for the tree this holiday season, a nice, basic cowl, and a Baby Surprise Jacket or two (all Ravelry links). I still love the Pacific Waves Shawl pattern, and I want to try it again with different yarn. Perhaps my Sundara Aran Silky Merino in Charcoal over Blue Lagoon - I think the slightly variegated colorway will produce a nice wavy effect but still create a shawl that is basically one color. In fact, I've already swatched it.

What do you think of this swatch? Do you like it better with or without the purl ridge every fourth row?

FO: Tuscany Shawl

2008-09-12T13:06:00.000-07:00

Here's the last of the three shawls I knit earlier this year that just recently had their photo shoot.

Pattern: Tuscany Shawl by Amy R. Singer
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss in Burgundy
Needles: Addi Lace Turbos in US Size 5 / 3.75 mm
Dates: March 19 - April 12, 2008
On Ravelry

This was another knit that I really enjoyed. (What can I say? I love knitting lace.) I used the same yarn as my Kimono Shawl (on Ravelry), as I had plenty left over. I really like the Knitpicks Gloss for lace - it's a fingering weight (although they now have a lace version) made of merino/silk, which is soft, warm, and lovely to knit with. It makes a shawl that is substantial without being heavy or too warm.

The pattern starts at the point of the shawl and works upward. I really like the shape of the shawl - a yarnover increase at each edge on every row makes a narrower traingle than four increases every other row (such as the Shetland Triangle and Lace Leaf Shawl that I just posted) and longer arms or ties on the shawl, as you can knid of see in the pictures just above. I think this shape is better suited for wearing.

It shape of the triangle - a broad canvas, rather than one split by a center column of yarnovers - also shows off the lace pattern quite nicely. I like how the columns of purls outline the shape of the leaves. I think the lace pattern is the same as the Embossed Leaves Socks and Lace Leaf Hat & Scarf (Ravelry links), although I haven't compared patterns to be sure.

Another gift that I'm saving for the holidays, so no further talk of who the recipient might be.

FO: Lace Leaf Shawl

2008-09-10T00:01:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed knitting this shawl.

Pattern: Lace Leaf Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark
Yarn: Knit Picks Shadow in Vineyard Heather, held doubled
Needles: Addi Lace Turbos in US Size 6 / 4.0 mm
Dates: April 14 to May 24 2008
On Ravelry

First, I loved the yarn. It's a lovely soft heathered merino. The recipient loves the color, and so do I - I have another shawl planned in this same Vineyard Heather color. I knit the shawl with the yarn held doubled, because I like lace in fingering weight, and I am happy about how it turned out.

Second, the pattern is a wonderful knit. I prefer to wear a shawl with some shoulder shaping, but for knitting, Evelyn A. Clark's triangular shawls are wonderful. I was able to memorize the pattern by about a third of the way through, so it became a very portable project.

I wanted to knit until the yarn was gone, and I did exactly that. I was knitting with three skeins, or 660 yards when doubled, and I ran out of yarn half the way through the edging. Personally, I like the look of a straight rather than pointed edge, so I called it good. I got 14 repeats and half the edging out of the 660 yards.

The shawl was a wedding gift for a friend of mine. I made her open the package at her reception so I could take a picture of her. (She's such a rock star, wearing black to her reception!)

Apparently, I also really, really enjoyed my photo shoot. There are even more pictures on my Flickr.

FO: Icy Shetland Triangle

2008-09-06T11:06:00.000-07:00

I finally had a photo shoot with the three shawls I knit earlier this year that I've blocked. So expect a few FO posts this week:

Pattern: Shetland Triangle by Evelyn A. Clark
Yarn: Sundara Sock Yarn in Pale Skies over Sugared Violet
Needles: US size 6 / 4.0 mm
Dates: May 4 to June 19 2008
On Ravelry

This shawl takes my breath away. I've loved the pattern from the moment I first saw it in print, and this is the second time I've knit it. It's a fantastically easy lace shawl pattern - the only reason it took me six weeks is because I was working on several other patterns at the same time. I highly recommend the Shetland Triangle to all. My only complaint is that triangular shawls do not fit around the shoulders very well, so I am thinking I'll design my own L-shaped shawl using the same lace repeat someday.

This yarn was a dream for lace. I really like fingering weight yarn for lace, and the superwash merino is soft and relaxed, not wiry like some other sock yarns I've knit with. Sundara dyes amazing semi-solid shades, with enough variation for some interest but not a multi-colored yarn that would overwhelm the lace.

This shawl is a gift, but the holidays are far enough away that I could not wait until the end of December to post it. Hopefully, if the recipient sees this, it will be a distant memory by the time the package is opened.

Pacific Waves Shawl Try #2

2008-08-30T17:49:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, I decided that the Pacific Waves Shawl (aka my Great Feather & Fan Shawl Project of 2008) I was working on was just too busy for me. Handspun yarn with color flecks and variations, changing the color every four rows, a purl ridge as part of the lace pattern ... it was just too much. So I took a big breath and a drink and frogged back to row five.

This is how it looked before.

Moving forward, this time I knit a stockinette-based version of the feather & fan lace pattern. (In general, I do prefer the version with the purl ridge, but the pattern is written stockinette, and as I said above, I didn't like how it was working out with the purl ridge.) I'm also knitting longer repeats of each color - at least 8, sometimes as many as 12 rows in one colorway before switching.

I prefer how it's looking now and it seems more cohesive to me. I'm still not quite certain about it though. I expected more blue overall - one of the colorways, San Francisco, is a lovely blue and brown combination which is knitting up more brown and less blue than I expected. I have some of the bright blue colorway called In the Skies, but those skeins are spun so much tighter than the other yarns, and the color is so much brighter, that I've decided not to use it.

I've finished 38 rows and have knit about 6 inches. The shawl is supposed to be 18 inches, so I'm about 1/3 of the length and am aiming for 120 rows at this point. I've got 6.85 oz (195 g) of the yarn left, or 458 yards, and I calculate that I've used 508 yards. I'm glad there is a Sock Hop update coming up soon, because I think I'm going to need another skein or two to make it.

Looking at these pictures has made me realize that I'd prefer more color similarity and don't really like all the stripes of color. Dang.

FO: Sampler Baby Blanket

2008-08-18T22:04:00.001-07:00

Yarn: Plymouth Encore in grey, dark grey, brown, and cream
Needles: US 9 (which, in retrospect, was too big)
Patterns Used (four squares, one of each color for each pattern):

Plain stockinette squares
Using 100 Afghan Squares to Knit by Debbie Abrahams, I knit the "Sea Wall" basket weave and "Twine" cables patterns
"Embossed Twining Vine Leaf" from Barbara Walker

I've already posted about this blanket a couple of times, so I don't have much more to say. This was the very first project I ever started, and after a few months I was more than ready to put this in a basket and never look back. I am very grateful to the Webs podcast - while doing the Babette crochet-along, they suggested doing a baby blanket if a full afgan was too much - and Project Spectrum Air, which convinced me to pull it out again. I'm not sure who will be the lucky baby - they may not yet be conceived - but I think it will make someone else very happy someday.

I am still working on baby blanket #2 - that one will be made of Celtic-style cabled squares.

Two New COs

2008-08-15T22:48:00.000-07:00

First up is a lace scarf I cast on at the end of July with the intent of finding a little lace project that would take one skein of sock yarn (since I had this luscious yarn in my stash) that would be ideal for summer travel knitting. This pattern fit the bill quite nicely, but I felt myself strangely not interested in knitting while I was in Hawaii. (Go figure! I guess the water was calling.) Last week, I said here that I was most likely going to frog this ... but I can't. After a few weeks apart, I could look at it with new eyes, and I think I'm in love again.

Pattern: Road Not Taken Scarf by Lisa Lloyd
Yarn: Sundara sock yarn in Burnt Cranberry
Needles: US size 6

Last week, I also said it was time to cast on for the Feather & Fan shawl I've been preparing for for sometime. A year or two ago, I saw pictures of Hello Yarn’s Handspun Feather and Fan Shawl and fell so in love with it that I started collecting handspun yarn with the plan of making something similar for myself someday. I saved the project for Project Spectrum Water, since the yarn I collected was in blues and purples, but also because of the wave motif in the feather & fan lace pattern. I decided to knit the Pacific Waves Shawl pattern, because I think I will really like the way an L-shaped shawl fits around the shoulders. Last weekend I cast on - no mean feat, that’s 541 stitches.

Pattern: Pacific Waves Shawl by Danielle Miner
Yarn: Sock Hop handspun by Crown Mountain Farms in 5 colorways
Needles: US size 8

As of today, I’ve completed 24 rows of the shawl. I like the way it’s shaping up - it’s very cool to see how the center decreases every other row are making a nice “V” - but I have to confess I’m unsure about the color combination. I can't decide - are the changing colors working up to be a lovely way to bring out the wave shape, or is the combination somehow excruciatingly 70s?

Recent FOs

2008-08-10T02:49:00.000-07:00

My knitting has been a bit scattered since I finished the Icy Shetland Triangle in June. (I did block the three shawls, but haven't had photo sessions with them yet).

I like having knitting projects that are portable, because I knit away from home a lot - in the car (when I'm the passenger, of course), when I'm hanging with friends, and during several Wednesday meetings at work. I also want projects that are easy to memorize, because a lot of the time, I have to concentrate on something besides my knitting.

With Project Spectrum Air happening over the months of June & July, I decided to pull out the sampler blanket project that I put in the bottom of my stash bins over a year ago. Because this is the first project I ever knit, I am not into knitting it any more, so I decided to take the 25 squares I had already knit, finish off seven more, and make two baby blankets with 16 squares each. The grey & cream (& brown) colors were a perfect match for PS Air, and working on squares would be a portable little project good for summertime knitting. Except - each square requires closely following a pattern, so it turned out to be less convenient than I thought. I am happy to say I just finished sewing up one blanket, and have four more squares to knit for blanket #2.

So I've done a slew of quick little, portable projects. Many of which are actually good for Project Spectrum Water, which just started August 1. I finished the Falling Leaves Shawl:

And knit a Foliage Hat out of the same yarn (Berrocco Ultra Alpaca in Oceanic Mix) to match:

I found that the Ultra Alpaca was not as suited to the pattern as the Malagbrigo. It was way too long. After finishing the hat, I had to pick out the cast off, rip back the ribbing and a lace repeat, and then reknit the ribbing.

I knit a Scrunchable Scarf and a pair of mittens (cobbled together my own design) out of Malabrigo Chunky in the Vaa colorway to match the Foliage Hat I made for myself:

And a quick little Pro Bono hat in naturally dyed handspun from Tactile Fiber Arts:

I also was out of town for almost two weeks. I took along two one-skein lace scarf projects but was not engaged by either of them. And frankly, Hawaii is not conducive to knitting - I was either swimming, taking pictures, or reading (a lovely vacation indeed). I have already frogged the one I was trying to design and I suspect the other one will follow. Also, I frogged Birch - I knew I couldn't make it into what I wanted it to be. I do love the Morehouse Merino Lace yarn with the fern leaf lace pattern, so expect they will be paired again at some point.

So, the only WIP I have going right now is the baby blanket #2. I need a portable, easy to memorize project. Which means, ladies and gentlemen, that it is time to cast on for the Great Feather & Fan Shawl Project of 2008.

My First Pattern

2008-07-22T01:05:00.000-07:00

I have a few pattern ideas rolling around in my head - several of them lovely lacy things - but I thought I'd start simple. Introducing Sidekick:

A simple bag, just big enough for wallet, keys, and sunglasses. It comes with a long i-cord strap, making it just perfect for running about town on those summer days when you find yourself without pockets.

The pattern can be adjusted for any yarn as long as the resulting fabric is pretty tight. A great use for scraps from your stash.

Skills used: Provisional cast on, knitting in the round, double-pointed needles, three-needle bind off, picking up stitches, i-cord. Magic loop for knitting in the round is optional.

I'm in the process of adding it to Ravelry, but it's also available as a link in the bar to the right. I can't wait to see what others do with it. Enjoy!

Yarn Love

2008-07-18T11:05:00.001-07:00

Just to prove spinning hasn't taken over, here are some pictures of recent stash acquisitions. The Malabrigo Silky Merino falling down came right after hearing of the recent fire in their headquarters - I felt I had to stash some quickly before a Malabrigo shortage hit the world. (It looks like they are dyeing again now, yay!)

Malabrigo Silky Merino in Indiecita (top) and Stonechat (bottom), 5 skeins each

I love these pictures of the Malabrigo Silky - the texture of the yarn, the richness of the colorways. I'm considering Clapotis or another kind of stole that will really highlight the colors (i.e., mostly stockinette, not lacy). Next up is silk lace is from the Sundara Seasons Club. I'm not sure I'd wear this color, but I'm not ready to swap it yet.

Sundara Silk Lace in Granite Falls

And well, maybe spinning has taken over. Because I now have a wheel in my house (lent to me by my knitting mentor), and I purchased these rovings from Crown Mountain Farms (before the current sale, sigh):

Corriedale Pencil Roving in the Eire colorway

Blue Face Leicester top in the Shala colorway

Beginning Spinner

2008-07-02T23:15:00.000-07:00

I finished up the fiber I got to take home for the week, more Coopworth wool:

I very much enjoyed the spinning, but toward the end of the bobbin felt my legs tiring. Does this mean spinning is good exercise? I can't wait to start playing with color.

This left me with two bobbins of spun yarn, shown below as wound balls because I only had one bobbin to work with. We didn't get time to ply in the second wheel spinning class, although we did see it demonstrated. Since I'm currently without a wheel, I think the plying is going to have to happen on the drop spindle.

In the second class, I got to use a Lendrum castle-style wheel. I think I like the Ashford Traditional I used last week a little bit better - I think it's because the Ashford has a larger wheel and so spun a bit faster. But the castle-style wheel is much more practical for storage, so when I get a wheel, I expect it will be a castle-style one. My knitting mentor is going to lend me his castle-style Shacht wheel, and I suspect after that, I will be quite spoiled.

~~I don't have pictures of the following, but~~ (EDITED to add pictures)

We also got to spin with Blue Faced Leicester (oh, it's so dreamy, and I could spin a very fine single!), and we carded some pre-washed Romney fleece, created rolags, and spun it up too. I spun two rolags on the wheel in class and then finished the other two rolags at home on the drop spindle.

BFL & Merino samples, Romney samples

I learned that I definitely prefer spinning from roving, and I definitely prefer spinning on a wheel.

Learning to Spin

2008-06-25T19:55:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to learn to spin before it seemed like such a bandwagon thing, but the timing of my first spinning classes happens to coincide with half the knitting world doing the same thing. Which just means I have good company!

On June 11th, I took a 2.5 hour drop spindle class. We got simple drop spindles and fiber to play with and take home. It took the whole 2.5 hours to get the idea that you pinch with one hand, draft with the other, and then release the twist to let it travel up the drafted fiber and ta-da - yarn.

I completely overspun the first single I spun, so I actually ran it through the spindle again to loosen the overspin. Which, of course, was overkill - the singles are so loosely plied that they are basically singles still. But it's my very first handspun. I wound up with 1.9 of very chunky two-ply handspun Coopworth wool in natural colors:

Then, this weekend, I started a two-part wheel spinning class. I love spinning on a wheel. It goes so fast! I'm glad I took the drop spindle class first, because I already understood the pinch-draw-release combo move, and it made for a fun class. Here's the bobbin I spun in class:

These singles will probably still make yarn larger than I typically knit with, but it's much more even and thinner than the singles from my drop spindle. And, we even got to take wheels home for the week. (This is an Ashford Traditional Saxony-style. Next weekend I get to try a Lendrum Castle-style wheel.)

(My cat checking things out.)

Last night I subscribed to Spin-Off and then today, I signed up for the Funky Carolina Fiber Club. No going back for me!

Overly Ambitious?

2008-06-20T15:06:00.000-07:00

* Number of days spent on my recent trip to Portland, OR: 3
* Number of knitting-hours spent in the car on said trip: 7
* Number of knitting projects I brought with me: 4
* Number of projects I actually worked on: 1
* Number of rows I knitted on said project during said 7 hours: 20
* Number of minutes each row took me, on average: 21

When planning for a trip, I seem to think every minute spent away from home will be spent knitting. But between navigating for my partner while driving through an unfamiliar town, time spent visiting with friends and family, time spent photographing kids playing, and time playing with the kids, there wasn't a whole lot of knitting that actually happened. I also always seem to forget how long those final rows of triangular lace shawls are! I seem to think that 20 rows left means I'll be done in about an hour. No, not so much.

* Number of knitting stores I visited in Portland: 1
* Number of skeins of yarn I bought: 0
(Took some willpower though! Knit/Purl had an amazing Koigu selection! My subscription to the Sundara Seasons Club, my desire to only purchase yarn I can't get at home, and my partner standing next to me, kept me from walking away with a lovely souvenir.)

I did finish knitting the Icy Shetland Triangle shortly after I made it home from the trip.

Pattern: Shetland Triangle by Evelyn A. Clark
Yarn: Sundara Sock Yarn in Pale Skies over Sugared Violet, approx 1.7 skeins
Needles: US size 6

Two skeins of the yarn, 700 yards, brought me to a finished shawl of 13 lace repeats plus the edging. I'm pretty sure there is enough yarn left that I could have done 14 repeats. Pre-blocked, it's measuring 50.5 x 21 inches. Which brings me to another statistic:

* Number of finished shawls I still need to block before they are "FOs": 3

(From top to bottom: Icy Shetland Triangle, Lace Leaf Shawl, and Tuscany.)

Swatching Feather & Fan

2008-06-11T14:45:00.000-07:00

I realized I'd never really shown off the swatching I did for the Great Feather & Fan Shawl Project of 2008.

Sock Hop Handspun Yarn, needles in US size 8

I like the fabric that the yarn and needles make. I love the blend of colors from the handspun yarn. (Also, side note, speaking of handspun, I'm taking my first spinning class tonight - drop spindles!)

I find some of the color changes to not work as well as I'd like. So I'm planning to be a bit organic with switching skeins - I'll go by feel rather than by number of repeats knitted, and I'll look for a complimentary rather than jarring color when ready to switch skeins.

All I need to do is figure out which pattern to use. I'm looking at four different ones (all Ravelry links): Evelyn A. Clark's Shoalwater Shawl, Sarah Bradberry's Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl, Myrna Stahman's Mirialis, and Danielle Miner's Pacific Waves Shawl. I've started to get annoyed with the way triangular shawls don't sit comfortably on the shoulders, so I'm leading towards one of the last two, which are Faroese and L-shaped, respectively. If any of my readers have experience with Faroese or L-shaped shawls, I'd love some feedback!

Fridays are for...

2008-06-06T16:25:00.000-07:00

Is it Eye Candy or Yarn Pr0n on Fridays? I'm not sure. Either way, the following will surely count:

The six yarns & colorways from the Sundara Yarn 2007-2008 Seasons Club, Winter. She really has an eye for color, doesn't she?

Clockwise from upper left: Fingering Silky Merino in Winter Sky, Aran Silky Merino in Charcoal over Blue Lagoon (simply divine - and we got three skeins of it!), Silk Lace in Black over Fuschia, Sock Yarn in Candied Chrome, Sock Yarn in Burnt Cranberries, and Sock Yarn in Emerald over Charcoal. I signed up for another year of the club and stuck with Winter.

This is the "Icy Shetland Triangle" that I'm knitting out of two skeins of Sundara Sock Yarn in Pale Skies over Sugared Violet. (One skein down, up to one more to go). I really love this yarn for lace, and I love the play of colors without wild variegation. It's also as soft as buttah.

I couldn't justify the expense, but now I regret that I didn't sign up for two installments of Winter, since two skeins in the right amount for a shawl but one is too little in my book. My single skeins will likely become scarves, cowls, or baby sweaters. Or maybe I'll be able to do some trading and wind up with enough for more shawls.

Project Spectrum Earth

2008-06-02T19:49:00.000-07:00

I was a little more involved with the posting for Project Spectrum Elements - Earth than I was for Fire. What can I say? I love Earth in so many ways, and green is one of my favorite colors. Here are the end-of-the-element mosaics showing my contributions:

1. Birch Detail, 2. Birch in Process, 3. Birch Edges, 4. Birch Swatch in Hemlock, 5. Fern Leaf Lace Pattern Detail, 6. Birch Swatch, 7. Four Skeins, 8. Hemlock Detail, 9. Stacked, 10. Berroco Ultra Alpaca, 11. Green Yarn Cake, 12. Indigo-Dyed Super Sock Yarn, 13. Indigo-Dyed Super Sock Yarn, 14. Green Varigated Bib, 15. Lagoon, 16. Marron Oscuro Hank, 17. Vaa Hank, 18. Malabrigo Chunky, 19. Foliage x 2, 20. Foliage x 2, 21. Side View 2, 22. Camel Yarn, 23. Handspun Camel Yarn, 24. Handspun yarn, 25. Handspun Yarn

1. Cupcakes, 2. Strawberries, 3. Tomato Flowers, 4. Sweet Woodruff, 5. Cucumber, 6. Snap Peas, 7. Tomato Starts, 8. Snap Peas, 9. Sprouted Seeds, 10. Sprouting Snap Peas, 11. Seeds, 12. Lemon Balm, 13. Oregano, 14. Hens & Chickens, 15. Fungus on a Tree, 16. Salal Berries and Sun-Bleached Tree, 17. Beach Stones, 18. Maple Tree, 19. Curly Vine, 20. Beach Stones, 21. Maple Leaves, 22. Chickweed Flowers, 23. Beach Stones, 24. Red Alder Tree and Moss, 25. Turkey Tail Fungus & Moss

In knitting news, I finished the Lace Leaf Shawl but haven't blocked it yet, have completed 7 repeats of the Icy Shetland Triangle, and ordered a scale so that I can make a decision about frogging Birch or not. I have also picked up the languishing Sampler Blanket again for Project Spectrum Elements- Air and am thinking it might end up as a baby blanket.

Photo Finals

2008-05-28T12:32:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who voted in my Photo Query post a few weeks ago. As I probably should have expected, there was a diversity of opinion, which meant no clear winners. But I was at least reassured that there were no "wrong" choices.

My final class, where a gallery owner will be present to review our work, is tomorrow night. Here are the final six:

I'm thinking of making photo cards to sell on Etsy or CafePress, or both. But it will probably take a while for me to get things together.

Also, if you are in the Seattle area, some of the above images will be in a show at the UW Medical Center between June 13 and July 14. There will be an opening reception on June 13th from 6:00 to 8:00 pm and you are certainly welcome to attend!

Cast On: Birch

2008-05-16T13:56:00.000-07:00

I realized I never did a post re casting on the Birch Shawl, just one about swatching for it. So here it goes (but, be forewarned, it gets angsty):

I wanted to make the shawl a little on the big size, but as a top-down shawl, you have to figure out how many stitches to cast on in the very beginning, and I had trouble doing so. I asked for math advice here and on the Ravelry Lace Knitters group forum, to no avail. I don't want to knit Kiri (I want the shawl knit straight down, as opposed to sideways down with a dividing line of two yarnovers down the middle). I don't want to knit bottom-up, because that turned the lace pattern on its head, and I prefer it with the leaves hanging down rather than pointing up. Yes, I'm picky, but I'm knitting it so I can make it exactly what I want.

In the end I decided to cast on 319 stitches, which is two more repeats than the pattern calls for. I figured that if I used up more than half a skein in those first two repeats, I could frog and cast back on with fewer stitches.

You see where this is going, right? I'm about a repeat and a half in (which has been at least six hours of work, probably more like eight), and my gut tells me I've used more than half of the first ball of yarn. I don't have a scale to weigh it and know for sure. (I suppose I could take it to my LYS and get it weighed.) And, of course, I don't actually want to rip out all that work that looks so lovely now that I'm here.

I could order another skein of yarn, most of which I wouldn't end up using. I could rip and cast back on with 10 fewer stitches - I'm pretty sure I have enough yarn for that. Or, you know, I could pick an entirely different yarn. (Yup, here's the angsty bit).

I really like how it is knitting up. I've never used yarn this fine on needles this large, so it's much more "holey" than I'm used to, and it looks lovely. It's going to be an airy, light, wonderful shawl. But, as Project Spectrum Earth project, and one that I'm calling "Rustic," the truth is I envisioned something much earthier and heavier. Look at this Birch knit in Felted Tweed. Or wouldn't it be lovely in Berocco Ultra Alpaca Light? (Although they don't have the dark evergreen color I have in mind.) But I don't really want to go out and buy new yarn when I already bought some specifically for this shawl.

In any case, this lovely shawl is now in time out while I ponder my options. (And, um, if you'd recommend a nice DK-or-sport-weight rustic, earthy, tweedy, evergreen green yarn, I'm open to suggestions.)

Cast On: Icy Shetland Triangle

2008-05-12T22:50:00.001-07:00

I've cast on another shawl, a second Shetland Triangle. I'm calling this one the "Icy Shetland Triangle" because of the icy blue color:

Pattern: Shetland Triangle by Evelyn A. Clark
Yarn: Sundara Sock Yarn in Blue Sky over Sugared Violet
Needles: US size 6

The yarn is like buttah. I'm so knitting lace with the other Sundara Sock Yarn skeins I've collected as part of her Seasons Club. A cowl, a scarf, a shawl for someone more petite than I?

I started this shawl as part of a Shetland Triangle Knitalong group on Ravelry. I am totally not keeping with the other knitters, though, because this makes the fourth shawl I've got on the needles right now. (It's really not my style to have so many projects OTN at the same time, especially so many similar projects. I do enjoy the process of knitting, but I'm enough of a product knitter that a lot of knitting without a finished object makes me ancy.) I have a deadline to get this one finished, though, so I used the KAL as an excuse to cast it on.

Photo Query

2008-05-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

Since last fall, I've been enrolled in photography certificate course at the UW here in Seattle. It's been a really good course for me. I've been a photographer for more than 20 years, but never was very technical. And I'm still not especially technical - to me, photographs are about images and art rather than technology - but I've learned a lot, especially about how to use Photoshop much better. And I've also learned a lot about how one might make a living as a photographer, which has been very exciting.

For two of the three quarters of the program, we've been working on individual projects. Somehow, mine ended up being on knitting and yarn. I started with this idea that a dream photo job for me would be to shoot for a knitting book, and so started trying to do product shots. But my teacher pushed me into a more fine-art kind of place, where the pictures ended up being semi-abstract, more about color and line, pattern and texture.

I'm just a few weeks away from the final project being due. I've narrowed images down to 13, but have to pick a final six. I'd appreciate you're input if you're willing to weigh in. You can see all images on my Photo Class set on Flickr, but I'll post small images below too.

Here are three that I've decided will be in the final set:

I'd like to include one of these. Which do you like better? (Red/Kimono Shawl or Grey/Shetland Triangle.)

I'd like to include one of these too. Which do you like better? (Green/Morehouse Farm Merino or Blue/Sundara Yarn.)

And one last one from these 6 choices:
Chevron Scarf
Feather & Fan
Dropping Away
Scarf Folded
Lace Leaf Shawl
Tuscany Shawl

I'd be most appreciative of comments left here with your opinions.

Swatching Birch

2008-04-29T12:17:00.001-07:00

For Project Spectrum Elements Earth, I'm planning on the Birch Shawl by Sharon Miller (Ravelry link). I knew it was going to be dark green, both because of the theme of PS Elements, and also as a nod to the leaf lace pattern. But I didn't want to use the recommended Kidsilk Haze - I'd like to avoid knitting with mohair as long as possible. I decided to use this project as an excuse to try a lace yarn I hadn't used before, and decided on Morehouse Farms Merino Lace in Hemlock green.

On Earth Day, I swatched the lace pattern. I used the Fern Leaf Lace from Barbara Walker's first Treasury, as it's the same pattern without built-in decreases. I used US size 8 needles, as the original pattern called for, and love the result:

The yarn is single ply, so feels fragile. It's not as soft as other yarn I've been using lately - there is a lovely rustic-ness to the yarn that is perfect for the pattern. I've never used such large needles on such fine yarn before (it's thicker than other laceweight I own, but thinner than the fingering weight I'm used to using), and so have never knit something so "holey."

I have 880 yards, and want to make a generous shawl. Thing is, you cast on the long end and knit up to the point (which means the finished lace pattern will "hang" in the opposite direction of what is pictured above). So if I want to make the shawl bigger, I have to cast on those additional repeats and hope I don't run out of yarn.

Luckily, Fig & Plum has already knit this shawl in this yarn, and she used approximately 770 yards, so I've got a benchmark to start from. I'm thinking about casting on 20 extra stitches for two extra repeats. If anyone had any advice on how to know if I can fit two extra repeats in 110 yards, I'd love input.

Cast On: Lace Leaf Shawl

2008-04-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

I've started another shawl. (This also means that Tuscany is done. I'll do an FO post after blocking and another portrait session).

Pattern: Lace Leaf Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark
Yarn: Knit Picks Shadow in Vineyard Heather, held doubled
Needles: Addi Lace Turbos in US Size 6

I've finished the set up rows and the first repeat of the lace. The pattern creates a nice, mostly diamond-shaped leaf pattern with a little row of purl bumps for the stem. The leaves that are along the center and outer increase lines are a little bit smaller than the regular pattern to accommodate establishing the pattern. It's almost invisible.

I even wound the yarn doubled so I wouldn't have to wrestle two balls of yarn at the same time. I have three skeins of the yarn, which will bring my total length to 660 yards. Based on the pattern, this might allow me one repeat past the small size. I'm planning to use up as much yarn as I can.

After knitting primarily with a silk/wool blend over the last several months, it's taking a little bit of getting used to 100% wool. I like the yarn (Knit Picks Shadow), but after frogging a swatch (didn't like the needle size I tried), I noticed a tendency to felt that the blended yarn didn't have. It's taking some getting used to.

This one is going to be a gift, but I won't say for who just in case they see this blog.

FO: Kimono Shawl

2008-04-16T23:31:00.000-07:00

I finished knitting this shawl the end of January, but it took me a while to get the blocking wires, block it, and then even longer to take and post photos.

Pattern: Kimono Shawl by Cheryl Oberle
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss in Burgundy
Needles: Addi Lace Turbo in US size 5 / 3.75 mm
Dates: July 5, 2007 - January 26, 2008
On Ravelry

The only mod I made, other than yarn substitution, was to knit 16 rows of garter stitch at the top and bottom edges instead of the 20 the pattern calls for. That way the garter stitch border was even on all sides instead of being a bit thicker on the top and bottom.

I love this shawl! This was my first lace project, and I was just enchanted with it the whole way through. It is a long project - over 600 rows - but so worth it. It took me 7 months, but I wasn’t knitting exclusively. I learned so much about knitting lace from this project. I've since moved on to triangular shawls, which I think I'd recommend to a first-time lace knitter just because they go faster, but I certainly do prefer to wear the rectangular shape - it actually stays on your shoulders.

I love the yarn I picked. The Knit Picks Gloss is easy to work with and a great weight for the project. The burgundy colorway is gorgeous. It took just over 6 skeins of the yarn, but if I had frogged my swatch, 6 skeins may well have been enough. I went on to knit another shawl (the Tuscany) with the same yarn, and now that I'm knitting shawls with other yarns, I find I miss the Gloss.

Pre-blocked size was 17 x 72 inches. After blocking, it grew to 24 x 80 inches. This is a bit bigger than the pattern (22 x 72 inches), but since I used a wool/silk blend instead of 100% silk, I’m not that surprised. The final shawl is elegant and classy and lovely. It's my first lace shawl and suspect will long be my favorite.

10 Skeins of Sock Hop

2008-04-10T16:51:00.001-07:00

I played around with my camera and the 10 skeins of Sock Hop Yarn that I've collected for the Great Feather & Fan Shawl Project of 2008.

I'm trying to get a better sense of how the colors work together. At first, I didn't really like how the "In the Skies" blue (lighter, with pink) was so different from the "A Hard Day's Night" shade of blue (darker, with green). But now I'm thinking it will all go together very nicely.

What do you think?

The Great Feather & Fan Shawl Project of 2008

2008-04-09T20:12:00.001-07:00

At least that's what I'm calling it in my head, since it's still in the planning stage. Planning and stashing.

Several months ago, my breath was completely taken away by Hello Yarn's absolutely gorgeous feather and fan shawl knit from her own handspun. The details of the handspun yarn rippling through the lace pattern are really breathtaking. I think it was this shawl that convinced me I need to spin.

Of course, I haven't actually learned to spin yet. But I have been picking up some handspun yarn. First, there was my purchase of Sock Hop Yarn at Madrona:

Sock Hop Yarn in "You Babe," "Love Me Tender," and "A Hard Day's Night" colorways

And then Crown Mountain Farms had an update last week. So I ordered some more:

Sock Hop Yarn in "In The Skies," "We Are The Champions," and "San Francisco" colorways

Here's another pic of the new yarn:

What do you think? Is it a winning combination worthy of The Great Feather and Fan Shawl Project of 2008?

Project Spectrum: Fire

2008-04-06T15:54:00.000-07:00

I love Lolly's theme for Project Spectrum this year - the four elements. I haven't been participating as much as I'd like because I have a few too many things going on in my life right now (homework for a photography certificate that I am taking, a photo show that is currently hanging, two open positions at work that I need to fill, recent travels, and of course, knitting). Even though it is a week into the new element, earth, already, I finally got a moment to put together a retrospective of pictures for the element of Fire.

Like I said, many of these pictures I never posted to the Flickr or Ravelry groups, and many of them certainly pre-date February, when the Fire theme began. But I have quite a few pictures that matched the red, orange, pink, Fire theme that I wanted to share.

1. Tuscany Lace Pattern Detail, 2. Tuscany Lace Pattern Detail, 3. Kimono Shawl Lace Pattern Detail, 4. Kimono Shawl with Yarn, 5. Kimono Shawl with Yarn, 6. Rumpled, 7. Kimono Shawl Detail, 8. Strawberry Hat, adult size, 9. Strawberry Hat, 10. Heart Graffitti, 11. Fruit Loops, 12. Colorful, 13. Red Yarn Cake, 14. Orange Yarn Cake, 15. Sunset Heather, 16. Candied Chrome, 17. Sundara Sock Yarn, 18. Burnt Cranberry, 19. Burgundy, 20. Burgundy, 21. Fence, 22. Fiestaware, 23. VW Door Handle, 24. VW Headlight, 25. Sweatshirt

1. Bandana Detail, 2. Bandana Detail, 3. Tomatoes, 4. Japanese Maple Leaves, 5. Lace Leaf Japanese Maple, 6. Strawberry Harvest, 7. First Berry Picking, 8. Rose, 9. Burning the Sacred Woods, 10. Burning the Sacred Woods, 11. Pink Tulip Macro, 12. Parrot Tulip, 13. Orange Rhododendrons, 14. Cherry Tree in Bloom, 15. Fire, 16. Candle Trio, 17. Fire Elemental Candle, 18. Fire Elemental Candle, 19. Red Dahlia with Bee, 20. Hot Pink-n-White Dahlia, 21. Red Dahlia, 22. Orange-Pink Dahlia, 23. Orange Hibiscus, 24. Somoan Fire-Knife Dancing, 25. Lughnasadh Bonfire

Tuscany Shawl

2008-04-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so the "on location" pictures in the last post were fun, but they don't really show off how beautiful this lace pattern is. So here are some pictures to remedy that:

Mmm, a bit of bokeh to make lace look all dreamy...

I like how the column of purls at the edge of the lace pattern makes the leaves stand out, and creates a lovely ripple as well.

It's a lovely pattern, isn't it?

I get a lot of knitting done on Wednesdays because I have several meetings where it is okay to knit. I've got nine repeats done now, just two more to go.

Travel Knitting

2008-03-30T18:10:00.000-07:00

I'm just back from a trip to the east coast to visit my brother, my partner's brother, and their families. We have two almost-5-year-old nephews (one for each brother) who we do not see nearly enough, and it was a lovely trip.

I decided not to bring my laptop with me so I could be on vacation, really on vacation. So my days were filled with reading, photography, hanging out with family, playing with kids, and knitting. For the trip, I decided to go back to a pattern I tried last summer with a different yarn.

3 repeats in, 3/21/2008

Pattern: Tuscany Shawl by Amy R. Singer
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss in Burgundy
Needles: US size 5

Yep, this is the same yarn I used on my Kimono Shawl. I had 4 skeins left over, plenty for a shawl. This one is destined to be a gift, and I liked using the yarn, so it was a good travel project.

5 repeats in, 3/23/2008 (taken on the southern Outer Banks, North Carolina)

I've finished 2 & 1/2 lace shawls since I first tried this shawl, and I can really tell that I'm a more accomplished lace knitter now. I'm able to "read" my knitting, which made it very easy to memorized the pattern. I'm being daring and am knitting without a lifeline! The only problem I've encountered is that that pattern has big patches of stockinette stitch, and I don't count the stitches during those sections - I just knit till I reach the part of the pattern that indicates it's time for a yarnover or a decrease - only to discover eight rows later that I made a mistake. I must confess I've mostly been correcting them without going backwards - knitting two or four instead of three together, for example. Amazingly, my perfectionism has mostly been okay with this.

8 repeats in, 3/29/2008 (taken at the National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC)

I actually brought two new lace shawl projects with me, and found myself trying to push through the knitting on Tuscany so that I could start the second shawl. But I remembered that I was on vacation, having fun, and wanted to savor the knitting. So I let the pace be slow. I'm currently at 8 repeats out of 11, and enjoying my way through the shawl.

Falling Leaves

2008-03-11T23:20:00.000-07:00

I'm about halfway through the Falling Leaves Shawl.

Pattern: Falling Leaves Shawl by Katy Wight
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Oceanic Heather
Needles: US 7 / 4.5 mm Knit Picks Options

I did end up frogging (link to story about why) and starting over so that I could cast on the correct number of stitches. Third times' a charm, because it's going just dandy now.

I've finished 18 repeats, which is halfway through the pattern. However, I've only used about 40% of the yarn. I love this yarn too, the wool adds a nice structure to the alpaca and the worsted weight knits up quickly. My original intent was to use all of the yarn I purchased, but maybe I have enough for a shawl and a hat too. I'm just going to keep enjoying my knitting and figure that out when I'm further along.

Madrona

2008-03-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

I know it's been several weeks since Madrona, so this post is a bit overdue. My excuse is that I ended up getting sick right afterwards. And then I had final projects due for the classes of the photography program I'm in, plus a photo show to hang. The final class and the show hanging were both yesterday, so I'm finally able to give a report.

I took the class "Designing Lace Triangles" from Evelyn Clark. We used her book Knitting Lace Triangles as a textbook, and you could pick up most of what she taught from the book, but seeing things demonstrated was certainly worth it. Evelyn also brought an impressive store of shawls that she had designed and knit with her, and they were passed around the room, much to our delight. Her Hyacinth Lace Shawl, Dancing Leaves Shawl, Seafoam Lace Scarf, and the truly amazing Labryinth Lace Shawl are all on my to-knit list now.

And I spent a bit of time (and money) in the market. The rule I set for myself was no buying anything I could get at one of my LYSes. I was on the lookout for something special and unique. From Crown Mountain Farms, a Washington-based company, I bought a collection of leftover handspun Sock Hop sock yarn:

Crown Mountain usually sells their sock yarn in pairs, but the skeins I picked up were orphans and most were less than the standard yardage, so I called them leftovers. The colors look amazing together. (I took lots and lots of pictures of this yarn. More on my Flickr.)

I'm thinking they'll eventually make a wonderful shawl, perhaps the Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl or the Feather and Fan Triangle Shawl (both Ravelry links), although I don't have enough yarn for either. A few more orphaned skeins of handspun in complementary colors would nicely round out a shawl, and looking for a few more skeins is a task I'm happy to take on. ;-)

Heady with the first purchase, I went looking for more handspun. I bought one hank from Tactile Fiber Arts, a two-person studio up from California. The skein I bought was a naturally- and hand-dyed mix of Blue Faced Leicester wool, Tussah silk, Merino wool, carbonized bamboo, and alpaca. I think it would make a lovely hat or neckwarmer.

And there was another shop that I kept going into every time I did a circuit around the market: Butternut Woolens. A one-woman studio from Oregon specializing in angora yarn and naturally hand-dyed yarn and fiber, her yarn was incredibly beautiful. I kept waffling between a blue-green silk/wool blend and a purple-blue-green superwash sock yarn, because I wanted them both. But I don't like purchasing yarn without a project in mind, and I couldn't figure out what the project for either would be. Then I remembered Jeanie and I purchased three skeins of the lovely Indigo-Dyed superwash sock yarn.

Unfortunately, the pattern calls for 1350 yards and my three skeins bring me to 975 yards. So I'll either need another skein or another project.

I really enjoyed Madrona, and hope next year to be able to go for longer and take more classes. The classes fill up pretty quickly, so I missed out on the Weaving for Knitters with Syne Mitchell or the Yarn Harlot's offerings, but hopefully next year...

FO: Shetland Triangle

2008-02-22T15:56:00.000-08:00

I happy to report an FO!

Pattern: the lovely Shetland Triangle by Evelyn A. Clark
Yarn: Schewe Baby Alpaca (a discontinued yarn that was a gift from my knitting mentor)
Needles: US size 7 - Addi Lace Turbos

This is the first lace shawl I wanted to knit, although it did not end up being my first lace project. It is a great pattern and the lace repeat is very easy. Highly recommended, especially as a beginning lace project.

I’ll admit to some confusion regarding the cast on, but Clark’s book “Designing Lace Triangles” provided some other options that made more sense. (Crocheting with waste yarn and picking up the stitches didn’t work for me; starting with a few 2-stitch rows of garter stitch in waste yarn did.)

It doesn't work to put stitch markers between each repeat of the lace so I quickly learned to read the pattern in the lace to make sure things were lining up.

I wanted a shawl that would be generous, especially on my frame, so I ended up knitting 12 repeats of the lace pattern. The pattern calls for 8 but it is easy to accommodate more repeats if you have enough yarn. Luckily, I did, but I would recommend buying extra yarn if you also want a generous shawl.

I cast this project on on February 8th and bound off on February 20th. It is a fast knit, especially the beginning, and my speed was helped by a few days out of town with not much to do with my hands except knit. The rows towards the end get pretty long - mine reached almost 300 stitches across - but it's worth it!

Shetland Triangle

2008-02-14T22:39:00.000-08:00

I've had a lot of fun working on the Shetland Triangle by Evelyn A. Clark this past week. After the seven months it took me to knit the Kimono Shawl, this one just flew.

After three days of knitting at a retreat with friends, I was almost ready for the edging per the pattern - and my yarn is a bit thicker and my needles a size larger than the pattern calls for - but a little bit of measuring convinced me it was too small. So I kept on knitting.

Today, after finishing 10 repeats (the pattern calls for 8) I put the live stitches on some waste yarn and tried it on. Still too small for my broad shoulders. I think I need another two repeats. Luckily, I had way more yarn than I thought I would need, so I expect to have enough.

And tomorrow I'll be at Madrona taking a "Designing Lace Triangles" class from Evelyn herself! I'll be wearing the Kimono, just in case any of my readers happen to be there too - please say hello!

New Shawls

2008-02-01T14:34:00.000-08:00

I loved knitting lace so much that I'm already working on two more. (Even though those unmade Xmas gifts are still nagging at me, and the cold weather we've had recently makes me want another scarf.)

I cast on the Falling Leaves Shawl (Ravelry link) by Katy Wight first.

The pattern is very, very easy lace (an eight-row repeat, and four of those are all purls). This has become my take-anywhere project because it’s so easy to pick up and knit without much thought involved but still complicated enough to stay interesting. The pattern looks similar to Foliage but the decreases are all k2tog, which ends up producing a slant to the knitting, making the shawl into a parallelogram.

I started out thinking a garter stitch border would help the mostly stockinette stitches lay flat, but after knitting two repeats decided I didn't like the border. So I frogged it and started again without a border. However, almost four repeats in, I realized I cast on 9 stitches (one repeat) too few. That would make the difference between the shawl being 22" or 24" wide after blocking. Aargh! I've now put it aside while deciding whether or not I care enough about those two inches to frog and start all over or not.

So I pulled out some gorgeous baby alpaca yarn that I received as a gift some time ago and swatched for the the Shetland Triangle (Ravelry link) by Evelyn A. Clark.

I have tried to swatch this at least twice before and finally realized that the swatch has to include the increases that help build the shawl for everything to line up correctly. Finally, success. Not sure which size of needles to use with this German yarn for a lace project, I tried out both 6s (the lower repeat) and 7s (the upper repeat). I think the 7s are the winner.

I haven't actually cast on the actual shawl yet - it has taken every ounce of self-control I have today to work on getting ready for a class I have this evening instead - but certainly will before the weekend is over.

73,944 Stitches

2008-01-30T12:17:00.000-08:00

I knit the last stitch on Saturday afternoon. The Kimono Shawl is done.

Well, the knitting is, anyway. I haven't blocked it yet - I ordered blocking wires and they haven't arrived yet. Pre-blocking dimensions are 17 inches wide by 72 inches (6 feet, y'all) long.

I am so delighted with it that I've been wearing it almost everywhere. I can't wait to see it after blocking and will certainly post when I do.

Part of me was sad to finish because I enjoyed the knit so much. So I've already cast on another shawl (Ravelry link) and am swatching for yet another.

Getting So Close

2008-01-20T18:32:00.000-08:00

I'm 95% done with the Kimono Shawl.

Every 6 rows is another percent done. Believe me, I've been counting. I'm still enjoying this knit, but it's taken a long time.

Here's hoping I'll have an FO to show off by next weekend!

First Project of 2008

2008-01-18T23:41:00.000-08:00

This was one of the gifts planned for Christmas that just didn't happen. It ended up being a quick little project for January and will go to the recipient next week.

Pattern: Ann Norling Kid's Fruit Cap
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Needles: Clover bamboo US size 7

Mods: to make a hat for a 20 inch adult-sized head, I cast on 90 stitches. In addition, I spaced the seeds every 10 stitches instead of 8 to make them more proportional to the larger hat, and the leaves at the top were formed from 10 stitches instead of 8. This gave two more rows to decrease to the top stem and made leaves in a larger and more proportional size. (I thought the 8-stitch-wide leaves in the adult-size blueberry hat I made were too small.)

I've already washed it (love the superwash!) and let it dry flat. The yarn blooms a bit in the wash, giving it a nice softness, but my pictures from before turned out better.

If this hat looks familiar, that's probably because I made a baby-sized one last fall. In fact, I got both hats out of the same balls of yarn with plenty of green and a fair amount of red left over.

2007 Knits

2007-12-31T16:00:00.000-08:00

1. Kimono Shawl with Yarn Cake, 2. Halfway There, 3. Pyramid, 4. Baby Blocks, 5. Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks Color Wheel (after blocking), 6. Mini Mitten Ornament Collection, 7. Mini Mitten Color Wheel, 8. Scarf Flower, 9. Noro Kochoran Neckwarming Scarf, 10. Blueberry Hat, 11. Foliage in Vaa, 12. Foliage in Marron Oscuro, 13. Chevron Scarf Detail, 14. Chevron Scarf Folded, 15. Strawberry Hat, 16. Knitted Utility Bags, 17. Colorful Bibs, 18. My First Hat, 19. Umbilical Cord Hat, 20. Adult Umbilical Cord Hat, 21. Knitted Teddy Bear, 22. Celtic Plait Scarf, 23. Celtic Plait Scarf, 24. Baby blanket, folded, 25. Leaf Vine Baby Blanket

It was fun putting that mosaic together and reminiscing on my knitting life in 2007. (Thanks to Lolly for this blogging idea!) My favorite project by far is the Kimono Shawl (now at 82% done, but such a big part of 2007 knitting that I had to include it). I'm also especially fond of the Leaf Vine Baby Blanket and the Mini Mittens, and really enjoyed knitting all those hats (especially the Foilage pattern).

February will mark two years since I took up the needles (if you don't count the scarves I never finished as a child). Firsts for me in 2007:
* hats
* knitting with DPNs
* stuffed objects
* lace
* stranded knitting

My knitting goals for 2008:
* lace triangles
* designing something that I want to share/publish (I have a project in mind for this, we'll see how it turns out)
* more knitting from the stash
* more stranded work

I'm not sure that I'm ready to commit to sweaters or socks, but we'll see. And won't it be the Knitting Olympics again this summer?

The Blocks are a Hit!

2007-12-26T11:39:00.000-08:00

It was love at first sight when I saw this pattern. I was surprised that not many people have knit it - mine is one of only four projects on Ravelry.

Pattern: Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks
by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas
From Knitting for Baby

I made several modifications. First, I decided to use Cascade 220, which is worsted, not bulky weight, so I used a size 7 needle instead of 9, and cast on 18 stitches instead of 14. The pattern calls for blocks knit in stockinette, seed stitch, stockinette/reverse stockinette rows, k1 p1 ribbing, k2 p2 ribbing, and basket weave. I don't like seed stitch very much and my k1 p1 ribbing looked bad, so I replaced them with double seed stitch and a lattice pattern.

I finished knitting and blocking all 36 squares by the end of November, but stalled out on how to stuff them. The pattern calls for 3 inch foam blocks, which I purchased, but then was worried that they wouldn't be safe for a baby to be chewing on, even through the knitted fabric. After some research and advice, I purchased a batt of Romney wool to stuff the blocks.

This is the first project where I've done the kitchener stitch to seam, and I'm not sure I did it completely right. Stuffing the blocks with the wool resulted in somewhat lumpy by still very cute blocks. The important thing, though, is that they are a hit!

The happy recipient on Christmas morning.

I had originally thought about knitting three sets for three babies in my life. After knitting one set, though, I don't feel the need to make any more. I'm pleased with the results, but one set was enough, thank you.

Holiday Knitting

2007-12-26T11:14:00.000-08:00

I managed to get all the holiday knitting done by 3:00 pm on Christmas Eve - if you don't count the two projects I never cast on. The first three were easy, because they were already finished:

Chevron Scarf went to my mother
Foliage Hat in brown went to my sister-in-law
Kochoran Scarf went to my sister

My partner and I tag-teamed gift #4. She knit the blue and I took over when it was time to knit the green.

The Blueberry Hat went to our good friend Chris.

Pattern: Ann Norling Kid's Fruit Cap
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Needles: Clover bamboo US size 7
Mods: cast on 96 stitches to make a 22" adult size hat

Mini Mitten Ornaments

2007-12-17T13:01:00.001-08:00

So, when my WEBS catalog arrived a few weeks back, I was enchanted by the little knitted mitten ornaments on the cover. I emailed WEBS about the pattern and they were kind enough to email it to me in PDF. A few days later, I noticed they had posted it online (note: opens a PDF file) as well. I guess it's a popular pattern.

And good reason:

I love these super-cute little mittens!

Pattern: Mini Mittens by Leslie Ann Bestor
Yarn: 6 colors of Cascade 220
Needles: US size 5

The patterns calls for yarn in sport, DK, or worsted weight, which would be using needles US size 3 (3.25 mm) to US size 5 (3.75 mm). It's a great way to use up scrap amounts of yarn and I think would be especially lovely in leftover variegated sock yarn.

I made a total of six pairs over the course of four days. Mine are for my tree, but I also proudly hung them at work to festively decorate my space.

Each mitten is knit flat, except there are some short rows in the middle to make the thumb. After the thumb, the yarn is rejoined where you started the thumb to finish the knitting, and then you sew it together. Each mitten took me 30-45 minutes. I got a lot of joy out of knitting these little guys up!

It's a Yarn Sale

2007-12-14T18:23:00.001-08:00

First, the first installment in Sundara's Seasons Club arrived. I didn't post pictures right away so that it wouldn't be a spoiler. The winter selection, Black over Fuschia, is gorgeous:

Sundara Silk Lace

Second, I ordered more Malabrigo Chunky in the Vaa colorway to make a scarf. I love this yarn:

And then, yesterday, Weaving Works was having a holiday sale, and my partner and I bought a total of 17 skeins. It was mostly hers - she is planning 4 scarves - but I took pictures anyway. My favorite is her Filatura Di Crosa 127 Print:

Color 33 (Dark Grey)

These also made nice photos and will hopefully make nice scarves - Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan in a dark blue and Loop-d-Loop Shale Yarn by Teva Durham in color 005 (Wine):

I didn't share everything here. If you want to see more yarn pics, they are on my Flickr.

Noro Kochoran Neckwarming Scarf

2007-12-07T13:07:00.001-08:00

Now that it's December, my mind is full of holiday knitting. My stash isn't too large - it fits in two huge plastic containers - but I've been focusing on knitting from the stash. So when I saw the pattern for the Cashmere Neckwarmer, I immediately thought, "The perfect way to use up my one skein of Noro Kochoran!"

To adjust for the thinner yarn, I cast on 17 stitches with US 10.5 size needles. I got really close to 4.5 inches wide, but there was so much yarn in my one skein that it ended up being 69 inches long (instead of 25, as the pattern called for!). Which means I made a scarf, not a neckwarmer, and I didn't have to add a button.

I like the pattern a lot. It's super quick and easy and is great stash-busting. It was easy to knit Continental and went really fast. I cast on 12/4 and after a couple hours of knitting, had 15 inches done. A few more hours on 12/5 brought me to 28 inches. I powered on through until the wee hours of 12/6-7 to finish with 69 inches total.

The pattern is mostly stockinette, so the finished scarf has a curl to it. Hopefully it will flatten out with blocking. I have resolved, however, to only do scarves with ribbing or garter in the future to avoid the curling. (The curl of the Chevron Scarf also bugged me.) And speaking of the Chevron? After knitting a 69 inch scarf in just over three days, I will never knit a scarf with fingering weight yarn again. That's three months of my knitting life I'll never have back.

As for the Noro Kochoran - it's soft yarn but the 30% angora sheds quite a bit and when I wore it around the neck, it was a bit scratchy. I liked the color transitions as I knit, but overall found the colorway I picked a bit on the dull side - for Noro, anyway. I doubt I'd use this yarn again.

At least it made nice photos.

Destash

2007-12-05T22:26:00.001-08:00

I know I don't have a lot of readers, but I thought I'd give advertising my destash a try.

I've been trying to use up "one skeins" as part of my holiday knitting, and have decided I'd be happy for the following yarns to find a new home:

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight in Rolling Stone
fingering weight 100% wool yarn
[SOLD]

I bought this for a second Chevron Scarf, but you know what? I'm not going to knit another one. There's too much pink in this colorway for my taste, so I'd love it to find a new home. It's been wound into a ball but never knit with. I'd like $20 (US) for this one hank.

Handmaiden Fine Yarn Sea Silk in the Lily Pond colorway
70% silk, 30% sea cell fingering weight yarn

I love this yarn (soft, luxurious, lovely to knit with) but don't wear pastels. One hank has been wound into a ball. I did start a project with it but frogged it shortly thereafter. Asking $65 plus shipping for two skeins, or willing to trade for some darker colors.

Plymouth Royal Bamboo 100% bamboo yarn
DK to sport weight yarn, but labels calls for US size 8 needles

Both balls have now been wound into cakes. I've cast on and knit a few rows with one and then frogged it. I paid $14 for the two balls, would like to get $10.

Tahki Donegal Tweed 100% wool worsted weight yarn

I've tried to knit a project with this yarn, but sadly, this was not the right yarn for that project. It was frogged and the yarn wound into a cake. I paid $12 for it, would like to get $8.

If you are on Ravelry, you can also see all the yarns here.

On any of the yarns, I'd be open to entertaining any offers. I can accept PayPal. Let me know if you are interested.

Blocked Squares

2007-11-25T19:05:00.000-08:00

Also over the Thanksgiving weekend, I blocked the squares for the Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks:

The rainbow of colors is so photogenic that I'm making this post simply to be able to share them with you.

Pattern: Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks
by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas
From Knitting for Baby
Yarn: Cascade 220

Now, I just have to sew them up and stuff them ...

Foliage in Two Colorways

2007-11-25T18:57:00.000-08:00

A long Thanksgiving weekend, and two Foliage hats done:

in Marron Oscuro, a lovely mottled brown

in Vaa, a lovely blue-green combination

Pattern: Foliage by Emilee Mooney from Knitty Fall 2007
Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky 100% merino wool in Vaa
Needles: US size 10.5 and 9

This is a great pattern. I love the lace leaf motif and wow, I am so in love with Malabrigo now. It's a very quick knit and was a joy the whole way through. The brown will be a gift and the blue-green is for me. I love it so much that I am considering getting some more yarn to make a matching scarf now.

My only complaint with the pattern is that the hat is so big that it almost reaches my eyebrows when fitting the crown of my head normally. However, I can fold the ribbed edging back if need be. I may also try re-blocking and let it dry flat rather than on a round surface to see if that helps it shrink up.

Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks

2007-11-19T00:23:00.000-08:00

I'm afraid I lied when I said I was going to cast on Foliage. I haven't yet. (I'm thinking it will be my take-to-Thanksgiving Day project, so I won't be a liar much longer.)

I've been working on the Sampler-Stitch Baby Blocks. I love how fast each square knits up and I love the colors I'm working with. I've only got three squares left to knit, although when I took these pictures this afternoon, I had 31 of 36 done:

Gotta love Cascade 220.

Pattern: Stitch-Sampler Baby Blocks
by Melanie Falick and Kristin Nicholas
From Knitting for Baby

Mods: using worsted weight yarn, so I cast on 18 stitches to make 3 inches. I'm using double seed instead of single, figured my own basketweave dimensions, and chose the lattice pattern out of Harmony Guides to replace the single rib.

I expect to blocking and starting to sew up over the holiday weekend. Now I just have to figure out how to stuff the blocks - with something safe for baby to chew on.

Foliage

2007-10-29T23:04:00.000-07:00

Since I finished the scarf and am finally making headway with the blocks project, it seems like time to cast something else on. I decided on Foliage from Knitty. One for me, and one as a holiday gift, I'm thinking.

Really, I just wanted an excuse to try some Malabrigo yarn.

Malabrigo Chunky 100% merino wool in the Vaa colorway

I'm excited to give this yarn a try. It's soft enough to dive in to. (I'm picturing myself with a couch full of yarn to leap on.)

Malabrigo Chunky 100% merino wool in the Marron Oscuro colorway

I picked up a set of DPNs in the correct size today, so I'm all ready to dive in...

Chevron Scarf

2007-10-21T01:20:00.001-07:00

It's finally done.

Finished Chevron Scarf, 10/20/2007

Pattern: Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock medium weight in Thistle and Nodding Violet
Needles: Knit Picks Options in US size 5

About two weeks ago, I decided to pull this project out of hibernation and focus on finishing it. (Thanks to Alice and Tiennie for the encouragement!) I kept track of my progress in Ravelry:

7/2/2007 - cast on
7/13/2007 - 13 inches
8/11/20007 - 28 inches
(set aside for a while)
10/6/2007 - 42 inches
10/15/2007 - 53 inches
10/17/2007 - 59 inches
10/20/2007 - 64 inches - bound off!

Overall, the main thing I have to say about this pattern is: fingering yarn + a scarf =crazy! The pattern calls for 78 inches as the final length; I made it to 64 (but haven't blocked it yet, I expect it will grow some.) I'm really impressed that so many people have made this scarf, 'cause it is a lot of knitting. I bought enough yarn to make another in a different colorway, but don't expect to be doing that any time soon.

It is a nice pattern - easy to knit, pretty, shows off the hand-dyed variegated yarn wonderfully. I love the Socks That Rock yarn, but I don't like the lime color that seems really prominent to me throughout (that's from the Thistle). Also, pre-blocking I find it annoyingly curly along the increase/decrease waves, and I hope that blocking will help it lie flatter. Not sure if I'll keep or give it away.

And it sure is photogenic. (There's a whole bunch more on my Flickr).

Crazy Aunt Purl comes to town

2007-10-21T01:03:00.000-07:00

Ms. Crazy Aunt Purl at the downtown Seattle Barnes & Noble, 10/17/2007

I was happy to catch Laurie Perry reading from her book Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair this week. As you can maybe tell from the above picture, there were not enough chairs. I stood for her her whole talk with my chevron scarf draped around my neck, knitting from one end. (Laurie thought that was funny when she signed my copy of the book, but hey, it's a convenient way to knit!)

Laurie was as sweet and funny in person as she is in her blog, and I have to say, as cute as a button. I mention this especially because she often writes about body image issues (which of course I can relate to) and I think she's just so pretty so I wanted to say that here.

I've already finished the book. It's Laurie's story of what it was like to have her husband leave her and grow into a happy life with a little help from the passage of time, knitting, and friends. She's a humorous writer (I highly recommend the blog) and it's a quick, enjoyable read with some knitting patterns in the back.

Baby Knits

2007-10-09T23:36:00.000-07:00

I'm blessed to have many babies in my life to knit for. Aren't they cute?

Umbilical Cord Hat that I knit for little c, picture taken by his mama 10/7/2007
[aside for Wanderlust Lost Knits ... yes, this is R's baby! Can you believe it?]

Strawberry Hat I knit for my dear Peanut, at the pumpkin patch, 10/7/2007

I finished the 13th repeat of the kimono shawl and am temporarily putting aside while I push on through to the end of the chevron. But, in case I start to go crazy, I've also cast on for the stitch-sampler baby blocks in this gorgeous Cascade 220 rainbow:

I could just take pictures for hours. There are more on my Flickr too.

I started with the purple heather. OMG, I love this yarn (color, texture, knitting with it) so much I want to knit a sweater in it. Me, a sweater. I don't wear sweaters, especially ones made of wool. I live in the Pacific Northwest, sweaters are too hot here. I don't look particularly good in sweaters. And it would take a lot of yarn and stitches to knit a sweater that would fit me well. But wouldn't Rogue as a cardigan or Arwen look just lovely in this yarn?

WIP Updates

2007-10-06T18:46:00.000-07:00

It's that time again. To tell you about my progress with two projects that just don't want to be finished. If I had had any clear idea that both would just keep going and going, I would have realized that casting them both on in the same week - the first week of July - was not a good plan. I snuck a little hat in last week just to be able to finish something.

Pattern: Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson.
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks That Rock medium weight in Thistle and Nodding Violet
Needles: Knit Picks Options in US size 5

I'm 42 inches in. I have to confess that the thought of going on to 77, or even 66 inches, just makes me want to cry. Can't I be done already? Seriously, it's like a slap in the face that this is from a book called Last Minute Knitted Gifts. Yeah, she says it will take a while. And, yeah, I've put it aside for long stretches of time because I'm burned out on it. I can't believe that some of you have knit more than one! Of course, I did buy enough yarn to knit two in different colorways...

Speaking of yarn, I adore Socks That Rock but find that there is noticeable pooling, especially of the lime green, and I just don't like that. I've actually considered frogging but think I will more likely give it away. What's your opinion?

Pattern: Kimono Shawl by Cheryl Oberle
Yarn: Knit Picks Gloss in Burgundy
Needles: Addi Lace Turbo in US size 5

I am exactly halfway through my Kimono Shawl. That's 33 inches of unblocked lace. I adore this pattern and I love the yarn and I continue to enjoy the knitting, but at this rate (one 24-row repeat per week), I'll be done in December. And I really want to be wearing it now!

I thought the Kimono Shawl would be a good first lace project since I wouldn't have to deal with shaping for a triangular shawl. But I think the triangular ones would go much faster. Also of note, I substituted fingering weight yarns (Gloss is 70% wool, 30% silk; the patterns calls for 100% silk). I ordered the same yardage of yarn as the pattern called but, at the rate I'm going, I'm only going to use about 60% of it. Amusingly enough, I'll have enough leftover to make a triangular shawl!

Strawberry Hat

2007-10-05T22:35:00.001-07:00

I'm glad to report I got by auntie knitting mojo back, and I've already completed the strawberry hat for my little nieceling. Since I'm in the middle of two projects that just keep going and going and going, it was really, really nice to do a quick little project and have a finished object already! This knit up so quickly I didn't have time to take pictures in progress.

Pattern: Ann Norling Kid's Fruit Cap
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Needles: Clover bamboo US size 7
Size: Six months (16 inches diameter)

This was my first stranded project and once I figured how to wrap the extra yarn when there was a long stretch of red in between the "seeds," it was easy going. It's a great little project. It's super cute and people love it! I've already had three friends ask me if I can make it in an adult size.

Pattern available for sale here. Similar pattern available for free online here.

I had a little falling down

2007-10-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

I had a little falling down. Now, when I write those words, I assume you know what I mean, because I assume anyone reading knitting blogs is reading the Yarn Harlot and she writes fairly often about her fallings-down and, as far as I know, the term "falling down" as it applies to yarn comes from her. But I'm not sure she's ever technically defined it, so let me 'splain what I mean by "a little falling down."

First, this is not a falling down:

Cascade 220 Superwash Wool in color #809 (red) and color #801 (green)

You didn't think 2 skeins was a falling down anyway, did you? But here's why: I was recently at the half-birthday party for my favorite six-month old, whom I'll call Peanut. Her Nana had sent her a really cute pumpkin hat which she was wearing. But the pumpkin hat was store-bought and made from cotton jersey fabric. Now, if there is one thing that can be knit well, it's baby hats that look like fruit and vegetables. In fact, I purchased the pattern for such hats when my little Peanut was one month old. Seeing her in the little store-bought pumpkin hat made me realized how derelict I was in my aunterly duties. And I know how fond her mama is of the strawberry hat, and in fact, I've been promising a hat since Peanut was a month old. So, off to the LYS for yarn for a strawberry hat - which I've already cast on and am two inches in.

See, perfectly justifiable, overdue even - not a falling down. This isn't a falling down either:

Cascade 220 Heathered Wool in color #9454 (purple), #2447 (blue), and #9461 (green) and Cascade 220 Wool in #4147B (yellow), #9465B (orange), and #2413 (red).

It may look like a falling down because of the lascivious way in which the yarn is photographed. But again, it's a well-thought-out, overdue purchase. See, at this half-birthday party, little Peanut was holding court, sitting on the couch, playing with her many toys. Grabbing them, pulling them to her, chewing on them. And I thought back to a darling knitted baby block pattern that I've had in the back of my mind for probably a year now and realized that they should have been done already because six months is the perfect age for playing with them. So, on the same trip to the LYS I also got the yarn to make blocks.

See, not a falling down. Plus the yarn in such great colors will be good fodder for photographs, and that's a worthwhile cause too, especially since I've signed up for a photography certificate course that just started.

I have this rule that I only buy yarn with a project in mind. Technically, I've only broken that rule once (well, until yesterday, anyway), and that was handspun camel down and only one skein and it would have been a crime to pass that up, right? Then there is the yarn bought for projects that didn't work out and ended up making a home in the stash without a project attached that somehow don't count against my little rule. The truth is, I don't really like having a lot in my stash, because it stresses me out to have yarn nagging me from the closet and the closet really isn't that big. And I'm not big on consumerism (despite my falling down) and don't really want to present myself that way. But, beautiful yarn is beautiful yarn.

To me, a falling down is an impulsive purchase, most likely extravagant, and without a project in mind for that yarn. Not exactly blatant consumerism, but closer to that than I'm really comfortable with. Perhaps the Yarn Harlot's definition differs, but that's what it means to me. My falling down is that I signed up for Sundaras' new "Seasons" Yarn Club yesterday.

I occasionally flip through her "currently available" list and dream, but without a project in mind, I haven't been able justify the cost. I have no desire to get caught up in the drama of the competition for a limited yarn when she makes an update, so oftentimes the yarns I really like are gone when I go looking. I don't knit socks (yet) so the sock club hasn't appealed. But Tiennie posted yesterday about the new Seasons Club, so I clicked on the link to check it and bam! a falling down, and I had subscribed.

Somehow, it feels better to share the good news.

PS I chose Winter.

The Yarn Harlot Comes to Town

2007-09-25T01:15:00.000-07:00

Yes, her visit was a week and a half ago. But my father was in town (and agreed to be dragged along - lucky for me, as he had his tourist camera on him, and I had forgotten mine at home) and so it's taken me a while to process my pictures and find the time to write even this short note.

I was afraid Third Place would run out of chairs, so we got there about half an hour early. (It didn't, but there were a few hundred people there to see her). It's a lovely venue which endeavors to be a community gathering spot - the bookstore is only part of it - so we had a bite to eat before the show started. My partner and father then wandered the bookstore while I sat down with my shawl and listened.

Man, the cameras went crazy when she did her standard shots of the crowd with the traveling sock. Of course, I was one of them:

Stephanie talked with us for a while, and was witty, funny, and enjoyable. She made me swell with knitterly pride. I'm not sure if it actually was a book reading - I've read the book and didn't recognize her piece as being from it - but her talk belongs in print, IMHO. Beyond the humor, one point that stayed with me, and impressed my father, was: 100 years ago, it was considered a waste of money to buy something that you could make. Now, it's considered a waste of time to make something you can buy. I'm quite pleased to be part of the movement that is taking back the value of making.

I tried to take some pictures while she was talking, but the lighting was poor. Here's the best I managed:

Pretty awful, huh?

With family in tow and a big crowd, I didn't stay for the book signing. But I did hover around the stacks to get a better picture of her in person:

I love that she's wearing Birkenstocks, because I was wearing my own pair that night.

Shawl update: I took Stephanie's message to represent for knitters to heart (although frankly would have done this whether or not I had made it to see her) and took my shawl to a two-day training I attended for work last week. I completed almost a full repeat and a half in two days and the training was much more enjoyable. And I've churned out another repeat since then! I've now finished 11 repeats, which is 45% done! With autumn upon us in earnest, I am eager to be able to wear the shawl soon.

Kimono Shawl

2007-09-05T00:23:00.000-07:00

Lovely Kimono Shawl,

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

1. You are my first lace project, and I'm learning so very much. Like the correct way to do SSKs. How yarnovers and decreases go together like peas in a pod. That purling Continental style is a breeze. Why it is important to pay attention on the purl-back rows. How to fix missed yarnovers, and how to fix mis-placed yarnovers four (count'em, four!) rows down. The value of lifelines, even though I haven't needed to use one yet.

2. You are being knitted in such a lovely yarn. (Knit Picks Gloss in the burgundy colorway). You have all the elasticity and warmth of your 70% merino side and the sheen and softness of your 30% silk side. Your color is a beautiful deep red that doesn't want to be photographed despite my many attempts. And you smell yummy too.

3. You are rectangular, so I don't have to worry about increasing to make a triangle or shaped for shoulders. (The next project or two, perhaps).

4. Your pattern looks like leaves and petals and feathers all at once. You are gorgeous.

5. I love you more with each repeat I knit. And I've finished seven now! (Of twenty-five.) I can't wait until you are done and I can wear you all the time!

Knitted Utility Bags

2007-09-05T00:06:00.001-07:00

I finished these some time ago, but since I've been using them, I hadn't gotten around to photographing them until over this past weekend.

A sunglasses case, a radio face plate case, and a little camera bag. I was inspired by this gorgeous bag (without knowing she had made the pattern available online - I had only seen the picture on Flickr). Of course, the yarn I wanted to use was much bigger.

I knit them in the round on US size 9 DPNs with a three-way bind off. I used three strands of Silk City Perle 3/2 Cotton in different blue-purple colors, knit tripled. I love the way the three strands of yarn make a beautiful heathered fabric. (It kind of reminds me of the Artfibers Coat that Amy R. Singer is knitting, except of course the fibers are very different.)

Sunglasses case: I lost my sunglasses case, so knit myself one. It's a little big for the glasses and the things that go over your ears (what are they called?) have a tendency to get stuck, but I lurve it. I stuck a couple yarnovers a few rows down from the cast-on edge to run the drawstring through.

Face plate case: I got a new radio for my car, which came without a face plate case. So I took half of the old one (which had fallen apart) and knit a little bag to fit around the whole contraption.

Camera case: I began with some ribbing, but it totally failed in the cotton yarn and size 9 needles. When closed, I tie the strap around the end to hide the terrible ribbing. (I started this bag about 7 times, so was unwilling to frog and try again.)

Each project only took a couple of hours, but I only knit them when I wasn't interested in knitting anything else, which was rare, so it took a while to finish them.

I used the yarn from the cabled baby blanket that I frogged, and still have a small yarn cake left over.

Ravelry

2007-08-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

I got my invite last week. I've started to post things to my account, potentialofyarn. I've also gone through my blogroll and tried to add as many of you as possible. Feel free to leave me your Ravelry user name if you have one. (FYI, if you are still waiting, the latest info on their blog is that invites will be going out much faster within a week or two).

Now for the eye candy:

These beautiful cotton scarves were woven by my knitting mentor as a fundraiser for the Seattle AIDS Walk. He also hand painted the multi-colored yarn. I'm taking pictures for him because he's thinking of setting up an Etsy shop. They are gorgeous and I really hope he does. They deserve a wider audience.

WIP Updates

2007-08-11T20:57:00.000-07:00

I've been on vacation this last week, at home, doing projects around the house - painting the home office (which left me without internet for almost a week) and making jam. Plus an emergency root canal, oh joy. And, of course, some time for knitting. So here's the update on my two main projects:

I'm 28 inches into the Chevron Scarf. Which means I still have 7-10 inches to go to be halfway through, depending on how long I end up making it. The lime is a little more lime - vibrant lime - than the picture shows, and it's pooling a little more than I'd like - despite the yarn changes, the pattern of the lime is very noticeable. But I can think of several people who would really love this scarf, and I expect to be making one of them happy come the holidays.

This is a great knitting project to take with me when I'm out and about, and I'm looking forward to trying it in some of the other yarns I have - which is partially why I'm leaning towards a 70, not 77, inch final scarf. I'm also happy to report that I'm doing a lot of Continental knitting on the scarf - pretty much everything except the k2tog and kfb rows. (I've found the knit front and back to be very hard to do left-handed.) This is making the tendinitis in my right arm happy.

Almost done with the third repeat of the Kimono Shawl. I put a lifeline in after the second repeat. Luckily, I haven't had to use it, but I have had another instance or two of tinking a few rows. When I do the purl rows back, I have a tendency to somehow drop the yarnovers. I have to be much more vigilant with lace than I'm used to. Despite that, I'm still passionately in love with this shawl.

Knitting Classes

2007-07-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

In the last week, I took two knitting classes. First, a Continental Knitting ("picking" rather than "throwing") class at one of my favorite local yarn shops, Acorn Street Shop. Once I got the hang of it, I really liked knitting this way (so efficient! so easy to switch from knit to purl! puts the left-hand to work, giving my right a break!). I'm pretty pleased with how the swatch I knit in class looks - the tension is mostly nice and even, although the ribbing looks pretty bad:

Despite my fondness for the above swatch, I have been a little too scared to try picking with any of my works in progress because I'm afraid my tension may be very different than what I've already knit. Perhaps I can pull out the blanket square that I put aside several weeks back and give that a try. Hmm, or start a new square altogether.

There were only three of us in the class and we progressed so quickly that we were able to try some two-color knitting by the end of the class. I'd never knit with more than one color in a row before - dang, I'm going to want to try Fair Isle now.

Then, I took a morning off work on a lovely sunny Seattle summer day, and took the ferry to Bainbridge Island to take a class at Churchmouse Yarns and Teas. What a fabulous yarn shop! It's fairly large with big windows in front, cozy places to knit, an excellent selection of yarn, and serves and sells tea. Although my commute there was about two hours (drove to work, parked, bus to the ferry, ferry across the Sound, walked up to the shop), I am so in love with the place that I'm sure I'll be back. (I think that they will host tea parties - perhaps for my birthday?) I got there a little early and they let me in to fondle and purchase yarn before the class started.

Handmaiden Sea Silk yarn (70% Silk, 30% Seacell) yarn, which I think is fingering weight? The skeins above are in what I think is the "Lily Pond" colorway, but it wasn't labeled, so I'm not sure.

I've been wanting to knit with Sea Silk yarn for some time, and the opportunity finally arose: a class on how to knit the Tuscany Shawl. Although I'm in the middle of a lace project right now, I'd never knit a triangular shawl before, and since the designer herself, Amy R. Singer, was teaching, I jumped on the opportunity. Amy was quite friendly and fun in person and taught us lots of cool tricks to make the knitting easier - shortcuts so that we wouldn't need the pattern, a way to rip back without things falling all apart (I've already tried this one), and my favorite: a way to loosen then tighten the decreases so that the stitches lay flat. Very cool trick!

The first twenty rows or so of the shawl, which I knit in the class.

Unfortunately, my counts are off right now, and I think I'm going to have to rip back some more...

Travel Knitting

2007-07-13T21:51:00.000-07:00

I recently traveled for about a week and a half. I made progress on the Chevron Scarf:

13 inches in. That's somewhere between one-fifth and one-sixth done, depending on how long it ends up being.

After knitting and blocking the swatch while traveling, I finally cast on the Kimono Shawl:

I'm almost done with the first repeat. I was actually a few rows closer when I realized that I missed a yarn over - 4 rows back. Aarggh! I hadn't put a lifeline in, because I was planning to finish the first repeat first.

I attempted to fix it by dropping four stitches back the four rows, but that made it worse. I tabled it until the trip was over and brought it to my knitting mentor. His verdict was: tink the four rows. I did this last night, but after purling a row to get me all caught up and clean, I found - a missing yarn over! So, one more row of tinking to fix that, and then I'll be ready to move forward again.

Oh, well, it's my first lace project. I didn't expect to be an expert!

Gift Yarn

2007-07-13T21:38:00.001-07:00

My parents recently took a trip to eastern Turkey. They lived and worked in Turkey almost 40 years ago, but had never been to eastern Turkey. They still have some friends they are in touch with, who they got to see again. I am very happy they are enjoying their retirement well.

Sheep and Big Mountain, 6/8/2007

My mother took this picture in Turkey, so I'm afraid I'm not sure which mountain this is. I think the picture is gorgeous, and of course, the sweet sheep appeal to the fiber lover that I have become. Speaking of fiber, before they left on their trip, they asked me what I wanted them to get me as a gift. I thought about the gorgeous Turkish rugs that are made there, and the yarn I have that is made in Turkey, so I asked for yarn.

They brought me this:

They were told it was Angora Goat Mohair. It's natural, no dyes.

And also this:

Silk thread used for weaving. It's multiple strands, so I'm not sure it's something I can ever use - but pretty cool, eh?

They also gave me this:

A simple drawstring cotton bag with Turkish block print. I immediately filled it with my gift yarn, so it has become a new knitting bag. The design is of Hittite origin!

Knit Picks Score

2007-07-02T14:46:00.000-07:00

More yarn arrived.

Gloss fingering weight yarn, 70% merino and 30% silk, in Burgundy

Alpaca Cloud lace weight yarn, 100% alpaca, in Iris Heather

Shadow lace weight 100% merino in Vineyard and Sunset Heathers

I balled up four skeins of the Burgandy. This may sound weird, but it smells good. I think it's the silk.

I love my ball winder.

I cast on and knit a swatch.

Kimono Shawl from Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls. If this looks familiar, that's because I tried it once already in a different yarn - only to realize I did not have near enough of the gray alpaca to make a shawl.

I knit the upper half in US size 6 needles, the lower half in US size 5 needles. I'm not sure I can see the difference, but I'd love opinions on which size needles to use.

Socks that Rock Score

2007-07-02T14:15:00.000-07:00

My yarn arrived.

Socks That Rock mediumweight 100% merino wool in Nodding Violet, Thistle, Lagoon, and Rolling Stone colorways

I took a lot of pictures.

Thistle and Nodding Violet

Rolling Stone and Lagoon

(This is really just the tip of the iceberg. See more pics on my Flickr.

I wound up some balls with my new ball winder and swift set.

Nodding Violet and Thistle

Lagoon and Rolling Stone

I cast on and started knitting.

Chevron Scarf from Joelle Holverson's Last Minute Knitted Gifts, knit in STR Nodding Violet and Thistle

Dreamy.

I Like Hats

2007-06-25T23:29:00.000-07:00

Another pregnant friend, another umbilical cord hat. I whipped this one out in two days, which including frogging a whole section.

(I should also mention that said hat knitting happened after making my yarn orders and while lusting after various lace shawl patterns, so perhaps I wasn't quite as desperate as I let on. Then again, it was a quick knit.)

Pattern: Umbilical Cord Hat by Jennifer L. Jones in Debbie Stoller's Stitch and Bitch.
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino, held doubled.
Needles: Clover Bamboo, US size 9

I had this idea for the stripe section that I would make it variegated: I'd drop one strand of green and pick up one strand of purple, then go to two purple, then back to one each, then back to two green. I did in fact do this, but it looked terrible. So I yanked that out and made two purple stripes instead. I like the sportiness of the way it turned out.

I gifted the hat on Saturday for a baby due in August.

First Hat Mojo

2007-06-25T23:14:00.001-07:00

The Yarn Harlot likes to talk about First Sock Mojo. I haven't knit socks yet, but I think first hat mojo must be something pretty special too.

After I knit all those bibs, I had a tidy little pile of leftover yarns.

So, I sat down, and knit a hat in the round.

Pattern: Umbilical Cord Hat by Jennifer L. Jones in Debbie Stoller's Stitch and Bitch.
Yarn: Crystal Palace Yarns "Bunny Hop" - 50% microacrylic, 42% micronylon, 8% rabbit angora
Needles: Clover Bamboo US size 7

This hat also went to the baby boy who is due in two to three weeks.

I have to confess that I got a bit tired of it as I knit. The yarn I chose was a little finer than the recommended yarn, which meant more stitches. Plus all those DPNs going every which way! But, as soon as it was finished, I was so delighted that I immediately cast on one for my sweetie. I think I'm sold on the beauty of hats now.

Baby Bibs

2007-06-25T22:56:00.000-07:00

I knit these back in March, April, May - but only this last weekend did they go to the happy mamas-to-be, so only now do I feel free to post the pictures. This post is going to be on the picture-heavy side, since I'm terribly proud of them.

After killing my arm with the last baby blanket I made, I decided I needed to knit something easier and quicker for my other pregnant friends. I considered sweaters and various toys, but finally decided on bibs.

I looked and looked for a pattern for bibs that I liked, but couldn't find one. I didn't want something in garter stitch, and the flower petal bib, while lovely, was more complicated than I wanted. I finally decided to make my own pattern, so this is also my first design.

It's a pretty simple stockinette with a garter edge pattern, with I-cord ties. I traced a real baby bib on a piece of paper and knit more or less to those dimensions.

The yarn is Crystal Palace Yarns "Bunny Hop" - 50% microacrylic, 42% micronylon, 8% rabbit angora
The needles I used are Clover Bamboo, US size 6

These two went to a baby girl who was due last Wednesday ... haven't heard yet if she's made it into the world.

These two went to a baby boy who is due in two to three weeks.

Lace Shawls: Inspiration

2007-06-22T20:03:00.000-07:00

While waiting for my yarn delivery, I thought I would pull together a list of all the shawls I want to knit. And then I got inspired by all the lovely mosaics that cosymakes makes, and decided to make a mosiac of those shawls that I lust after:

Mmm, pretty.

I must confess to filling a little weird about using other people's pictures ('cause I do a lot of photography, and despite the fact that I put my pics on the web, I feel pretty strongly about retaining my copyrights to them), so I've been very diligent about saying exactly where they are from so you can check out all the rest of their lovely work:

1. Kimono Shawl by Cheryl Oberle in her book Folk Shawls, pic from *Lia*.
2. Birch Shawl by Sharon Miller from Rowan Magazine 34, pic from guessica.
3. Shetland Triangle by Evelyn A. Clark from Wrap Style, pic from Brooklyn Tweed.
4. Flower Basket Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark from Fiber Trends, pic from iSeL Knits.
5. Sarcelle from Knitters Anonymous, pic from Kelp!.
6. Leaf Lace Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark from Fiber Trends, pic from cgespino.
7. Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl by Sarah Bradberry, pic by hello yarn. (It's her own handspun too. This pic just makes me swoon.)
8. Zephyr Shawl by JC Briar, pic from her website. The lace pattern looks the same as the Kimono Shawl, but is finely shaped to hang on the shoulders well.
9. Tuscany Shawl by Amy R. Singer from her book No Sheep for You, pic from Scoutj.

I also picked up Lace Style today and fell in love with the Lily of the Valley Shawl. And I realized that I missed including the Icarus Shawl and the Candleflame Shawl in my mosaic. So there are three more in my wish-to-knit list.

Well, I have the patterns for 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8, and the patterns for 2 and 9 have been ordered. #1 is the next project to go on my needles!

And, speaking of which, the Knit Picks fingering weight Gloss yarn in Burgandy which is destined to be the Kimono shawl arrived today. (Along with the Options needle set and three skeins of lace yarn.)

As did the four skeins of Socks that Rock for Chevron Scarves.

Yarn love, indeed.

Anticipation

2007-06-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

It's possible that project-deprivation, that fear of having nothing on the needles, made me order too much yarn. I was also able to justify it because I am getting ready to do some travel knitting, and it's important not to run out while far from my familiar LYSes.

Anticipation part the first:

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock destined to be two Chevron Scarves. (I'm going for more tone-on-tone than contrasty).

1. Nodding Violet 2. Thistle 3. Lagoon 4. Rolling Stone

Anticipation part the second:

1. STR Nodding Violet 2. STR Thistle 3. STR Lagoon 4. STR Rolling Stone 5. Berroco Ultra Alpaca (alpaca/wool) in Oceanic Mix 6. Swift and Ball Winder combo 7. KnitPicks Options Knitting Needle Set 8. Gloss (merino and silk) Fingering Weight in Burgundy 9. Alpaca Cloud Lace Weight in Iris Heather 10. Shadow Merino Lace Weight in Grapevine Heather 11. Shadow Merino Lace Weight in Sunset Heather 12. Elizabeth I Lace Scarves Pattern

1-4: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock destined to be two Chevron Scarves, as I mention above.
5: For a Clapotis. I'm listening to old episodes of Cast On, and her description of how much she loved her Clapotis (before it felted) convinced me that I needed to make one.
6-7: Simply because I need them.
8: Knitpick's wool/silk fingering blend in enough yardage to actually make the Kimono Shawl.
9-11: Three single skeins of Knitpicks' lace weight yarns to give them a try. I'm planning on knitting the lace scarves seen in #12.

All now winging their way to me in the mail! I don't think I'll be project-less for quite some time. Hoo-ray!

My Stash

2007-06-21T17:09:00.001-07:00

I don't have a big stash. I buy yarn with projects in mind - there's only been one exception to that, when I purchased a skein of camel yarn less than a month ago, because I would be crazy to pass up 100% camel wool yarn, wouldn't I?

And I do generally use the yarn for the intended project, although two skeins (Tahki Donegal Tweed and Noro Korchoran) were not right for their intended projects. They are now orphaned, and I'm not sure what they'll end up becoming.

I have received some gifts of yarn from my knitting mentor - some handspun wool in a warm chocolate color, the gray baby alpaca that has graced these pages before, and a cashmere/Persian angora lace weight:

Add to the yarns I mention above the eight+ skeins of Plymouth Yarn's Encore 25% wool 75% acrylic that I'm using on my sampler blanket, and you have pretty much my entire stash.

(See more of my yarn portraits, and in bigger sizes, on my Flickr.)

So, three single skeins of worsted/bulky yarn that are orphaned. Worsted brown wool that would make a nice sweater, but I'm not ready to make a sweater. Cobweb black thread that is best saved for when I have a few lace projects under my belt. I tried, oh so valiantly, to use the alpaca, but when I noticed that the pattern called for two 1000 yard hanks, I realized my 650 yards of DK/sport weight was only going to give me a scarf. A lovely scarf, to be sure, but what I want is a lace shawl.

Suddenly I had nothing on the needles. I was even forced to pull out the Encore and cast on a new blanket square. I didn't like this being project-less thing. There was only one possible solution: buying new yarn.

Stay tuned. (Not for very long, I promise).

Umbilical Cord Hat

2007-06-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

Pattern: Umbilical Cord Hat from Debbie Stoller's Stitch n' Bitch, adjusted for adult head
Yarn: Patons Decor 75% acrylic and 25% wool
Needles: Clover Bamboo US size 7 circular and DPNs

As I noted in the previous post, despite the lovely colors, I would not recommend this yarn, as it bled onto my hands and needles. I'm also a terrible yarn snob who prefers natural fibers, so I wouldn't recommend it for the acrylic content either, but my sweetie picked out the yarn, and the hat is for her.

Knitting the crown gave me a bit of trouble. I had cast on 100 stitches, and right before I started the crown, reduced it down to 96 so I could divide by 8. I was trying to decrease every other row (as all the patterns for adult hats I could find instructed), but the hat was just too tall and too pointy for my sweetie's head. The third time, when I just decreased every row, was the charm.

I was a little nervous about what would happen with the pooling after I started the decreases, but it's a small enough section that it looks fine.

Simple Hat WIP

2007-06-17T00:51:00.000-07:00

This is my second hat, but I don't have pictures of the first hat uploaded yet, so I'll save the first hat mojo for a future post. I mention this now because, although I was a bit annoyed by the first I hat I knit (I don't care so much for DPNs), when I finished it I was so delighted that I pulled a skein of yarn (Patons Decor 75% acrylic and 25% wool) out of my partner's stash and immediately cast this on for her.

I was good and knit a swatch. I calculated how many stitches to cast on for her 21" head and proceeded to carry the project around with me and spend a good day knitting. I do like how portable hats are, especially since many of the projects I work on (cables and lace) require charts.

The first issue I encountered was the yarn. I like the colorway a lot and how it knit up (no pooling at all) but it bled up a storm, dying my hands and my bamboo needles purple. Lovely. Then I measured it ... and discovered that I had done a very gross mathematical error when figuring the number of stitches to cast on, and it was 7 inches too big. Yes, seven.

Frog, recalculate, cast on again, knit, and make my partner try it on repeatedly as I progressed.

This time there was pooling, but in an interesting lazy spiral pattern. My partner liked it, so I kept going.

It took three tries to finish off the crown, but is now done and just requires the good washing to rinse away any remaining dye before my partner can wear it. A picture of the finished hat to come.

Aran-style bag

2007-06-17T00:18:00.000-07:00

I bought the yarn for this baby over a year ago.

Tahki Donegal Tweed, 100 % wool

I really love the color, the tweediness, and the slubiness of this yarn.

I really like to knit cables, and the more they look like old Celtic or Viking knotwork, the better. I love Aran sweaters, but I live in the Pacific Northwest, where sweaters are not really needed, and well, I don't feel ready to knit a sweater yet. So I decided I would make a bag in the Aran style, something big enough to carry a book and a wallet for when I wanted to take a walk or go read in a coffee shop for a little while.

I tried out many different cable patterns (see how handy that sampler blanket project is?) and settled on the patterns I would use. Swatching commenced. I first tried US size 7 needles, a little smaller than the recommended 8s because I want a tight fabric, but found the cabling too hard to work. I frogged the swatch and tried again in 8s.

I found the yarn a little hard to work with. It's fairly scratchy and the homespun style means it's one ply, without the sproinginess of plied yarn. The yarn itself tends to curl up in corkscrews as I pull it out of the wound ball, which is a bit annoying. The kicker, though, is that I can't get all the stitches I want in the pattern I've designed and keep it to the 16 inch circumference I'm headed for. The swatch pictured above is 17 inches, but I don't have quite all the elements I want in the piece.

I'm afraid this yarn may be destined to become something else. Any suggestions for 100 g of worsted weight 100% wool? It's 183 yards...

Swatching the Kimono Shawl

2007-06-11T22:51:00.000-07:00

A few months back, my knitting mentor gave me a wonderful gift:

ten 20g balls of Schewe 100% Baby Alpaca yarn (which I understand has been long discontinued), about 650 yards

I've been dreaming of knitting a lace shawl. The yardage of this alpaca may only be enough for a stole, but is so soft that I'd love to have it in something I drape around me and my neck. After much looking around at various lace shawl patterns, I settled on the Kimono Shawl from Cheryl Oberle's Folk Shawls. (Which, incidently, is the first knitting book I bought, after my learn to knit book, because I'm ambitious like that.) I've knit a swatch:

The top half of the swatch was knit in US size 5 needles, the bottom half in size 6. I prefer the size 6 and am really liking the Addi Lace circular needles that I'm using. I'm really pleased with my swatch, because this is the first lace work I've done (although not the first openwork I've done.)

My gauge is pretty close to what is called for in the pattern, but I've only got 650 yards of yarn, not the 1000 called for in the pattern. My yarn is DK/sport weight, not lace weight. I'm trying to figure out how many stitches to cast on to make a final piece that is a good size to wear - not too short, not too narrow.

Book Review

2007-06-11T22:49:00.000-07:00

Stephanie Pearl-McPhee Casts Off: the Yarn Harlot's Guide to the Land of Knitting
by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

The Yarn Harlot is my favorite knitting author. Everything she writes is so damn funny.

This book has the premise that Knitting is a destination, so it's written as a travel guide. There are sections like Consulates and Embassies (local yarn shops), History, Politics (circular vs. straight, natural vs. acrylic), Knitting Sports (marathon, time trial, synchronized sock making), Religion, and Extending Your Stay. I thought it was a fun and light-hearted book, but it's only for those who, well, really like to knit.

There are also some very good tips for how much knitting to pack for a trip: at least three projects (a small one for the carry-on, one for being out and about, and one for hanging out indoors). For road trips, she recommends projects on different size needles to give the hands a break, and notes that some folks can get carsick if reading patterns and knitting while in the car - pick easy projects that don't require charts. For the plane, you can carry on yarn, needles (preferably circular and bamboo), patterns, and a cloth tape measure, but needles, scissors, and metal tape measures must be in the checked luggage.

A few quotes I thought worth saving:

From time to time, non-knitters who don't understand that some upset and frustration are part of the process of knitting have accused me of not really liking knitting as much as I think I do. (I can sort of understand how they might think that I'm not enjoying knitting when I've just whipped a half-knit sock at the wall while letting fly a string of filthy language.) When I get over my initial shock and their statement, I realize the truth: I don't like knitting. I love it ... and when you love something, you don't just give up on it the minute it stops being fun. (Most of us wouldn't still have our kids if that were the case.) You keep pursuing passions such as parenting, marriage, and knitting even when they aren't fun because they somehow fuel the human soul. Simply having a passion is a deep payoff, offering something more ... and knitting is like that. (pgs 12-14).

From instructions on how to weed a stash, step 6 is:
If at any point you falter, feel dizzy, find yourself panicking, or discover that you are taking items back out of the [give-away] bag, repeat your stash weeder's mantra: I am a knitter of discerning taste. Yarn is meant to have a future, and yarn I don't love won't ever be knit. I am not getting rid of yarn; I am liberating it that it may achieve its full potential with another knitter. (pg 101).

This last one is the quote that inspired the name for this blog.

Noro

2007-06-10T17:26:00.000-07:00

Let me wax poetic about the skein of Noro Kochoran, color #1, that I purchased:

50% Wool, 20% Silk, 30% Angora

soft and gorgeous

look at all those lovely fibers

I was actually trying to get something more colorful than my usual neutral grays and browns... and somehow, I ended up with what it quite possibly the most neutral colored skein of Noro in the world. Still, pretty.

I bought it intending to make an Fan and Feather (Old Shale) scarf. I wound up a ball and cast on and knit several rows. It would be a dream to have around the neck, but the yarn is bulky enough that the scarf was too wide. I also realized that I'd probably seriously underestimated the amount of yarn I'd need too - one skein for a whole scarf? So I frogged it.

What would you do with one skein of Noro Kochoran? (Note: buying more yarn in a similar or different color is an option, but I'm not wanting to make a sweater or other large or fitted garment.)

Four More Squares

2007-06-08T23:00:00.000-07:00

Remember this project?

After having put aside the sampler blanket for several months, I finally pulled it out again. I couldn't quite make myself knit the same square four times in the four different colors of yarn, but I did enjoy challenging myself with new cable patterns:

Cable pattern from St. Brigid sweater in Alice Starmore's Aran Knitting.

Bjars Hitches Cables pattern from Elsebeth Lavold's Viking Patterns for Knitting.

"Interlaced Twisted Rings" and "Twisted Linked Rings" cable patterns from Elsebeth Lavold's Viking Patterns for Knitting.

Book Review

2007-06-08T00:51:00.000-07:00

Aran Knitting
by Alice Starmore

This lovely book is out of print, and is a hot (and expensive!) commodity amongst knitters, so it was difficult to get a hold of. My library doesn't have a copy, so it took some work to get a copy I could borrow through another library system. After finally getting a hold of it, I discovered one page (with charts!) was missing. Oh, the woe! What knitter would do this to another knitter?

The book begins with historical research into the origins of "Aran knitting." Starmore analyzes the Aran sweaters held in the National Museum in Dublin, and through that, is able to prove that Aran knitting developed on the Aran Islands of Ireland in the mid-20th century as a commodity to sell off-island for money. (Legends have held that it is an ancient practice, with family patterns, and that the patterns of the sweaters were used to identify the bodies of sailors who died at sea. This was blarney, but apparently good for sales).

Starmore was one of the first (if not the first) to develop methods for Celtic knotwork-style cabling (as opposed to just diamond-patterns and simple twisted cables), which she outlines in this book. The book then contains a a number of beautiful patterns for cabled sweaters and hats, with gorgeous photography taken on location in Ireland (see pics from the book here).

I find it a great shame that it is out of print, and I understand that copyright disputes will probably keep it that way, as I'd really like to own a copy. But I did copy the charts and am now swatching some of them for an Aran-style bag I intend to make. Out of tweeded blue Donegal wool, natch!

Some other knitting books that I'm enjoying and would happily recommend:

For cabling:
220 Aran Stitches and Patterns by Harmony Guide Staff, Collins, and Brown
Inspired Cable Knits by by Fiona Ellis
Cables Untangled by by Melissa Leapman

For lace (my new passion):
Folk Shawls by Cheryl Oberle
Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls by Martha Waterman

Knitting for Baby

2007-06-08T00:42:00.000-07:00

You may recall the diaper bag I knit for my friend Mama J in the fall. After I had that project out of the way and still several months to go before the birth, I wanted to knit something for the bebe. So, a little teddy bear. I actually finished it while waiting in the hospital during the birth.

(Cashmere Teddy Bear from Simple Knits for Cherished Children by Erika Knight, Debbie Bliss baby cashmerino yarn).

And, since she's such a cutie:

My beautiful nieceling* is 16 hours old in this picture, 3/16/2007. My partner knit her this lovely blanket (garter stitch in an amazingly soft, plush nylon yarn) and is holding her in this picture.

* a word I made up to mean "the daughter of close friends"

Celtic Plait Scarf

2007-06-05T11:09:00.000-07:00

In March, I finished knitting the Celtic Plait scarf I started back in November - just in time for spring. It looks very good, and is very warm.

The yarn (Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed in Dusk) is 85% wool, 10% silk, 5% cashmere and has lovely slubs of cream, green, blue, and maroon. It's a little scratchy around the neck but was very nice yarn to work with. I knit until three balls of yarn were used up.

The pattern for the cabled Celtic plait is from the Harmony Guide's 220 Aran Stitches and Patterns. I added two stitches of reverse stockinette on each side of the cable. It curls slightly, but I'm a garter stitch snob, and didn't want a border. Knit in US Size 8 needles.

When I finished this, I wondered, What to do next? I really want to try my hand at lace knitting, but that's a serious investment of time in one piece. Then again, I've been fingering some lovely alpaca yarn at the LYS recently and I could make a lace shawl made of clouds, it's so soft. But this I've got some other fantastic Celtic knotwork cable patterns that I want to give a try ...

RIP WIP

2007-06-05T10:58:00.000-07:00

In February/March, I attempted another baby blanket for another pregnant friend, but my attempts ended in defeat. I just couldn't knit with that stiff cotton, it made my tendinitis so bad. In fact, I had to lay off the needles for several days to give my arm/shoulder/back time to heal. Which is a shame, because the blue/purple/lavender heather is so pretty.

Two more pics on my Flickr.

Three purpl-y strands of 3/2 mercerized cotton, (140 stitches, a 2 inch garter stitch border, three C3F cables up the center on a reverse stockinette background.) I think it looks pretty good, and I love the way the mix of colors heathers, but I just couldn't take the pain. I gave the cones of yarn to my partner, and after I worked up the courage, frogged it - but saved the used yarn just in case I could pick it up and work with it again at some point.