A lovely chill is returning to the air here in the Pacific Northwest and I'm starting to feel a familiar itch in my fingers to start knitting again.
The Fall 2008 Vogue Knitting is actually worth buying for a few of the patterns. Shocking! I particularly like the cover mittens designed by Jared a.k.a. Brooklyntweed. (Check out that link for more photos of the mitts. Does he give photography lessons?)
Plus this issue talks up Canada, and what's not to love about that?
I'll have more to say about knitting soon, I hope.
Friday, September 05, 2008
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Action shots of Kate's sweater
My brother sent photos of Kate wearing the sweater I knit for her in 2006. She was born in October 2006 and it was too big for her then. Now it's too small, but it still keeps her warm.
I'm happy to see the Dale Baby Ull and Lanett Ull yarns have held up well. They're both soft fingering weight superwash wool, perfect for baby knits. I'll ask my brother if they've washed it often. They machine wash and dry everything, so it's good to know it still looks decent without the benefit of a proper post-wash blocking and air dry. (cringe.)
It's a shame nobody buys her any toys.
I'm happy to see the Dale Baby Ull and Lanett Ull yarns have held up well. They're both soft fingering weight superwash wool, perfect for baby knits. I'll ask my brother if they've washed it often. They machine wash and dry everything, so it's good to know it still looks decent without the benefit of a proper post-wash blocking and air dry. (cringe.)
It's a shame nobody buys her any toys.
"Help Auntie K, I need a new sweater, this one is too small!"
OK, OK, I'm on it kid.
You'll find project notes and more photos on this gallery page:
http://www.az.com/~andrade/knit/fobaby.html
Monday, March 10, 2008
Updates with photos
In the last two months I've finished a pair of socks, most of a child's cabled cardigan (burgundy), a woman's hat, and I've started another child's cardigan (storm blue).
I knit the hat for my mom's friend but had to give it away before I could get a good photo of it. Too bad, it was pretty cool looking and the pattern isn't on Ravelry yet.
I'll finish the first cardigan after my niece tries it on. It just needs a second sleeve, and I don't want to bother with that until I know the first one fits her right. I can handle ripping out one sleeve but I'd rather not rip two. Did I mention the sleeves are knit entirely in seed stitch? Not my favorite thing in the world. (I purl with my left thumb so doing anything that involves repeating K1P1 is slower for me than the average knitter.)
this color is not accurate
I'm excited about the storm blue cardigan, it's a gansey style pattern (decorative knits and purls and a fancy cable) designed by E.J. Slayton, found in a 1994 Knitting Digest magazine. So far I've knit the first 6 inches of the fronts and back. It's worked in one piece to the armholes and finished off with applied i-cord trim and i-cord buttonholes -- which I might change up, I haven't decided yet. The yarn is beautiful, it's the Storm color in Knitpicks Swish DK (superwash). The wool is very soft and I expect it will pill like crazy but oh well, 6 skeins only cost $18. I'm hoping that the cardigan won't have to be washed as often as a regular pullover sweater.
I don't want to know how long it took me to slog my way through these socks. Ugh, so boring to knit. The heels are solid blue because I cut out the other colors and wove in a bunch of ends.
I knit the hat for my mom's friend but had to give it away before I could get a good photo of it. Too bad, it was pretty cool looking and the pattern isn't on Ravelry yet.
I'll finish the first cardigan after my niece tries it on. It just needs a second sleeve, and I don't want to bother with that until I know the first one fits her right. I can handle ripping out one sleeve but I'd rather not rip two. Did I mention the sleeves are knit entirely in seed stitch? Not my favorite thing in the world. (I purl with my left thumb so doing anything that involves repeating K1P1 is slower for me than the average knitter.)
this color is not accurate
this isn't the real color either
I'm excited about the storm blue cardigan, it's a gansey style pattern (decorative knits and purls and a fancy cable) designed by E.J. Slayton, found in a 1994 Knitting Digest magazine. So far I've knit the first 6 inches of the fronts and back. It's worked in one piece to the armholes and finished off with applied i-cord trim and i-cord buttonholes -- which I might change up, I haven't decided yet. The yarn is beautiful, it's the Storm color in Knitpicks Swish DK (superwash). The wool is very soft and I expect it will pill like crazy but oh well, 6 skeins only cost $18. I'm hoping that the cardigan won't have to be washed as often as a regular pullover sweater.
I don't want to know how long it took me to slog my way through these socks. Ugh, so boring to knit. The heels are solid blue because I cut out the other colors and wove in a bunch of ends.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Baby Surprise Jacket
I made a Baby Surprise Jacket for my 15 month old niece, but I don't know how long she can wear it because I didn't take measurements when I saw her last month. It looks like she's going to be a tall kid, so I'm more concerned about length in the body and sleeves than the body width.
Full disclosure: I haven't actually sewn the buttons on yet
Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann ~ can be found in The Opinionated Knitter or purchased as an individual pattern from Schoolhouse Press, it's still only $3.00 plus s&h.
Yarn: mystery unlabeled worsted wool from a thrift shop, stripes/collar/trim is Lamb's Pride worsted in Wild Violet (yarn left over from the Bunny Fun project). The main grey yarn is slightly variegated (subtle, the way I like it), and a shade of violet in it matches the Wild Violet perfectly, it looks like these two yarns were meant to go together. Serendipitous.
Buttons: 19 mm, purchased at Joann Fabrics
I promise to learn how to activate the macro feature on my new camera soon (and maybe take pictures again when it isn't overcast and raining?)
Notes:
applied i-cord
The i-cord trim was knit with the wrong side of the jacket facing me as I worked it, because I like the back side of applied i-cord better than the front -- mainly because it's smaller and slightly neater looking.
I learned Joyce William's trick to cover up the color blips on the front side by watching Knitting Glossary. (If you've done applied i-cord then this should make sense: make a YO after the usual slipped stitch, then pass both the slipped stitch and YO off the needle during the PSSO step. This covers the blip nicely.) So I started the i-cord trim using Joyce's trick and the jacket's right side facing. But halfway through I decided I still preferred the look of the back side so I ripped it out, and started over again with the wrong side facing. I'm happy with the results.
The i-cord starts and ends at the back of the neck, it was done before the collar was added.
collar
The collar is 11 ridges (22 rows) of garter stitch, first stitch of every row was slipped as if to knit. I simply determined where I wanted the collar to start and stop and picked up sts around the neck between point A and point B. There's no shaping at all, this couldn't be easier. You may need more or fewer rows, depending on yarn weight and how big you want the collar to be.
sleeves
I added a couple inches to the sleeves and I'm not sure if it was the right amount, I need a fitting with my supermodel niece.
surprise!
I know everyone talks about this, but it's true: the construction on this thing is super crazy, interesting, and mind-boggling. You need to make one as a sample, just so you can count ridges and plan out the striping and color changes on the second BSJ you knit. I neglected to take a photo before sewing up the sleeve seams, but you can see a BSJ in its unfolded state here (plus other useful tips for this pattern): KnitWiki page for the Baby Surprise Jacket @ http://www.knitting-and.com/wiki/Baby_Surprise_Jacket
Full disclosure: I haven't actually sewn the buttons on yet
Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann ~ can be found in The Opinionated Knitter or purchased as an individual pattern from Schoolhouse Press, it's still only $3.00 plus s&h.
Yarn: mystery unlabeled worsted wool from a thrift shop, stripes/collar/trim is Lamb's Pride worsted in Wild Violet (yarn left over from the Bunny Fun project). The main grey yarn is slightly variegated (subtle, the way I like it), and a shade of violet in it matches the Wild Violet perfectly, it looks like these two yarns were meant to go together. Serendipitous.
Buttons: 19 mm, purchased at Joann Fabrics
I promise to learn how to activate the macro feature on my new camera soon (and maybe take pictures again when it isn't overcast and raining?)
Notes:
applied i-cord
The i-cord trim was knit with the wrong side of the jacket facing me as I worked it, because I like the back side of applied i-cord better than the front -- mainly because it's smaller and slightly neater looking.
I learned Joyce William's trick to cover up the color blips on the front side by watching Knitting Glossary. (If you've done applied i-cord then this should make sense: make a YO after the usual slipped stitch, then pass both the slipped stitch and YO off the needle during the PSSO step. This covers the blip nicely.) So I started the i-cord trim using Joyce's trick and the jacket's right side facing. But halfway through I decided I still preferred the look of the back side so I ripped it out, and started over again with the wrong side facing. I'm happy with the results.
The i-cord starts and ends at the back of the neck, it was done before the collar was added.
collar
The collar is 11 ridges (22 rows) of garter stitch, first stitch of every row was slipped as if to knit. I simply determined where I wanted the collar to start and stop and picked up sts around the neck between point A and point B. There's no shaping at all, this couldn't be easier. You may need more or fewer rows, depending on yarn weight and how big you want the collar to be.
sleeves
I added a couple inches to the sleeves and I'm not sure if it was the right amount, I need a fitting with my supermodel niece.
surprise!
I know everyone talks about this, but it's true: the construction on this thing is super crazy, interesting, and mind-boggling. You need to make one as a sample, just so you can count ridges and plan out the striping and color changes on the second BSJ you knit. I neglected to take a photo before sewing up the sleeve seams, but you can see a BSJ in its unfolded state here (plus other useful tips for this pattern): KnitWiki page for the Baby Surprise Jacket @ http://www.knitting-and.com/wiki/Baby_Surprise_Jacket
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Christmas Bunny
I knew mom would appreciate a handmade bunny more than anyone else I know. She decorates the house for every big holiday/season, and Spring time is when the bunnies appear. Here's an early arrival:
Pattern: Fiber Trends Bunny Fun
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride worsted - Sable and Wild Violet
Eyes: Darice brand, 15 mm, purchased at Joann's (99 cents for four eyes)
Nose: black sock yarn
Tail: pompom made with the Wild Violet yarn
Height, to top of ears: about 11"
I was hoping I could use just one skein of the Sable (190 yds/skein), but I needed a couple yards from a 2nd skein to finish sewing up the pieces. For this reason I don't recommend using Lamb's Pride unless you plan to knit a solid colored bunny (2 skeins of 1 color) or you don't mind buying 3 skeins. The contrast color used for the feet and ears only requires about 30-40 yards so it'd be smart to check your stash for leftovers.
I like this bunny a lot, and there wasn't anything complicated about it. It's knit flat in four pieces (front, back, two feet -- the ears and arms are part of the front and back body pieces) and then sewn together before a trip through the washing machine.
Idea for next time: install a wind-up music box inside bunny, find some orange wool for a felted carrot, maybe make a teddy bear instead -- all I'd have to change is the ears.
Pattern: Fiber Trends Bunny Fun
Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride worsted - Sable and Wild Violet
Eyes: Darice brand, 15 mm, purchased at Joann's (99 cents for four eyes)
Nose: black sock yarn
Tail: pompom made with the Wild Violet yarn
Height, to top of ears: about 11"
I was hoping I could use just one skein of the Sable (190 yds/skein), but I needed a couple yards from a 2nd skein to finish sewing up the pieces. For this reason I don't recommend using Lamb's Pride unless you plan to knit a solid colored bunny (2 skeins of 1 color) or you don't mind buying 3 skeins. The contrast color used for the feet and ears only requires about 30-40 yards so it'd be smart to check your stash for leftovers.
I like this bunny a lot, and there wasn't anything complicated about it. It's knit flat in four pieces (front, back, two feet -- the ears and arms are part of the front and back body pieces) and then sewn together before a trip through the washing machine.
Idea for next time: install a wind-up music box inside bunny, find some orange wool for a felted carrot, maybe make a teddy bear instead -- all I'd have to change is the ears.
Monday, December 31, 2007
Good Deals
If you've ever looked for yarn at thrift shops then you've probably seen the BIG BAG OF ACRYLIC:
There is an astonishing 17 skeins of acrylic stuffed in that bag -- not the quality kind. But this is why I turn the bags over and take a good look:
Hidden at the bottom is a 100 g skein of sock yarn, enough for a pair of socks, and two skeins of Lamb's Pride worsted.
I paid $5 for the bag. The three skeins I'm keeping would've added up to $29 if purchased at the LYS. Good deal!
Of course it's only a good deal if I'll actually use the yarn. Lately it seems all I find at thrift shops is acrylic, so I steady myself when I find wool and seriously think about how it could be used. Don't buy it just because it's there! I have no problem walking away from nice yarn at the Goodwill if it doesn't seem like something I'd use, and hopefully it makes another knitter really happy.
What to do with all the acrylic? My mom gets first dibs for her school's craft projects and the rest is given to a priest who collects yarn for a prison knitting program.
Bonus: The sock yarn* matches my sweet kitty Sophie. :)
*my guess is Trekking, let me know if you recognize it as something else
There is an astonishing 17 skeins of acrylic stuffed in that bag -- not the quality kind. But this is why I turn the bags over and take a good look:
Hidden at the bottom is a 100 g skein of sock yarn, enough for a pair of socks, and two skeins of Lamb's Pride worsted.
I paid $5 for the bag. The three skeins I'm keeping would've added up to $29 if purchased at the LYS. Good deal!
Of course it's only a good deal if I'll actually use the yarn. Lately it seems all I find at thrift shops is acrylic, so I steady myself when I find wool and seriously think about how it could be used. Don't buy it just because it's there! I have no problem walking away from nice yarn at the Goodwill if it doesn't seem like something I'd use, and hopefully it makes another knitter really happy.
What to do with all the acrylic? My mom gets first dibs for her school's craft projects and the rest is given to a priest who collects yarn for a prison knitting program.
Bonus: The sock yarn* matches my sweet kitty Sophie. :)
*my guess is Trekking, let me know if you recognize it as something else
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