Knitting Therapy

Mistake Rib Scarf

2012-01-07T07:44:00.000-08:00

My beloved brother (BB) visited over the winter break. As one of his Christmas gifts I offered to knit him a winter scarf using the leftover yarn from his Narvik. He happily accepted this offer and provided consultation in the design as well as expert styling and modeling. See for yourself:

The inspiration to use this particular stitch came from the Scarlet Knitter's blog. See her beautiful version here.

The only other knitting I accomplished during the winter holidays was a series of miniature Christmas stockings for gifts. Here is the one I made for my grandmother and aunt who are purple aficionados:

May 2012 bring you peace, health, and happiness with every stitch!

Epic Adventure with Dale of Norway

2011-08-22T11:39:00.000-07:00

Two years ago my brother gamely agreed to wander into a yarn store with me. As I was browsing through yarn patterns looking for a hard-to-find DON pattern, he spotted an M.C. Escher-like pattern that captured his fancy.

I agreed to make it for him and purchased the pattern. A week later, I ordered the kit from Allegro Yarns and cast on as soon as it arrived. I knew that knitting an XL sweater on US2 needles would take a while, so I believed (mistakenly) that if I started right away I could build up enough momentum to sustain the knitting all the way through. Not so. I got about a third of the way up the body and then took a long hiatus as other projects lured me away. But, it bothered me that this beautiful sweater that my brother liked so well was left sitting in a knitting bag, all but forgotten.

So, at long last, in May 2011 (nearly two years later) I committed myself to finishing it (witness my last blog post). Since then I haven't knit anything else. It sometimes took a lot more discipline than I normally possess to stick to it, but I did. I kept working away on this very large sweater with very small needles. And now it's done!

First, I finished the body.

That felt like a big accomplishment in and of itself. But then I started on the sleeves (simultaneously) ... the never-ending sleeves! My brother is 6'4" and has long arms, so I wanted him to have the luxury of sleeves that were actually long enough for him.

Next, it was time to cut the steeks. I always feel as though I'm going to have a panic attack at this point. So, I talked myself through it by measuring, re-measuring, checking, re-checking and going slow. That helped a little.

I then sewed up the shoulder seams and sewed in the sleeves. Can I just say that those steps took hours and hours?! I'm not sure why, but it took a very long time. My husband was away so I sewed and sewed the sleeves in while watching all 5 seasons of "The Wire" in a marathon session lasting 2 days. When I was done I felt incredibly depressed about the conditions of life in our American cities, if not the entire country, but happy that the sweater was one step closer to being done. I think this is why I knit ... to find a little bit of happiness in the midst of a world that's in big trouble.

Anyhoo, after the sleeves were finally in, I was able to tackle the neckband.

Next came the placket and the buttons and then I was done!

Unbelievable!

Here is the back:

Here is a close-up of the back yoke design:

And, finally, here is a shot of the inside:

I liked how the pattern called for a self-facing of the inside sleeve seam to cover up and secure the raw steeked edges.

Phew! That really was an adventure! But, it was made with love and hope that it will keep my brother warm for many, many winters to come.

Signing off.

Happy Knitting to All!

It's All in the Details

2011-06-18T14:06:00.000-07:00

Recently I have been paying more attention to the fit and proportion of my clothes. This is partly due to the fact that I have picked up a few pounds around the middle and am feeling self-conscious about it. Until I can motivate myself to increase my level of exercise, I certainly don't want my clothes adding any more weight to my silhouette! I have also been following a blog by Alexandra, a couturier as well as a knitter on Ravelry, and have been inspired by her fastidious approach to ensuring that her garments fit properly. For me, Alexandra's pride in her craft reminds me of my Grandmother who is also obsessive about craftsmanship and fit. My grandmother taught me to knit and sew and she did her best to instill this same pride in me, but over the years I have often let my standards slide.

So, in the hopes of rectifying at least one instance of this I focused on the Marion Foale-inspired jacket I knit two years ago.

As you can see above, there is an excess of fabric in the back (and the front) making what is supposed to be a fitted jacket look very sloppy.

I decided the solution to this problem was to knit a two-button half belt for the back. (BTW, I had to search the internet to discover the technical name for this little item.)

I don't think I quite captured the vast improvement in fit in the picture above, but in fact the jacket hangs much better and has a closer fit. I am hopeful that I will feel more confident about my silhouette when I wear this in the future.

Meanwhile, I am continuing to work away on my brother's Dale of Norway sweater. Here is a sneak peek at the back yoke:

Happy knitting to all!

Gray Area

2011-05-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

On a recent gray, rainy day shortly after finishing my "Black, White, and Gray" tunic sweater I decided that I would never wear it. So, in an impulsive moment, I threw it into the washing machine on hot and then into the dryer in the hopes that it would shrink into a better-fitting size. Surprisingly, it came out of the dryer exactly the same size but not the same color. It had turned gray (The black hand-dyed yarn had bled into the cream-colored yarn turning it a medium gray).

I knew I would never wear this ill-fitting gray sweater and for a couple of days I felt deflated and a little depressed about it. However, I happened to see my good friend Nancy and offered the sweater to her. She tried it on and it fit her perfectly! She loved it and couldn't say enough nice things about it. So, I gifted the sweater to her. It's really good to know that it has gone to a good home.

All's well that ends well.

Tracking the Sources of Inspiration for One FO

2011-05-15T11:51:00.000-07:00

Most of the time my knitting projects are the result of seeing a pattern I like and deciding to make it. Simple. But, sometimes there is a more complicated genesis as was the case with my most recent FO: "Black, White, and Gray."

First, I noticed a page in the Harper's Bazaar, Spring issue 2011, indicating that Black and White was on trend.

The graphic impact of black and white appeals to me. I tend to wear a lot of black to the office because I think it's chic and slimming, but I do worry about appearing too funereal to the children with whom I work. I'd rather not look like the Wicked Witch of the West. So, the idea of lightening up my professional attire with some white (or cream) was also appealing.

With this in mind I sketched out a general idea of what I might knit with the idea that the sweater would be cream-colored near my face and then blend gradually into the black of my skirt or slacks.

Next, I searched the patterns on Ravelry to find something that would approximate this design and was delighted to discover this pattern "Eva" by Stefanie Japel in Mission Falls Dreamer 136:

"Perfect!" I thought. So, I ordered Madelinetosh Vintage DK wool (my new favorite) from Eat.Sleep.Knit, in antler (cream), composition book gray, and port (black). I cast on and very carefully checked the sizing on my dress form, Heidi. I also modified the neckline from a boatneck to a scoopneck.

I wanted to be sure to make the tunic in a size that was fitted and flattering. To this end I added two darts in the front and two in the back. I measured and calculated, and calculated and measured until I was sure that I had exactly the right fit and happily knit along until I had this:

When I laid it out on the blocking tiles I was horrified to discover that it measured 21 inches across the chest, meaning that it was a size 42". I am a size 36-38, so the sweater is not at all fitted in the way I had hoped it would be. In retrospect, I think I went wrong when I continued the increases for the sleeves well beyond the point I should have. It looks like I increased about 6-8 times too many thus increasing the diameter of the garment by 12-16 stitches, translating into about 3" too much. Furthermore the armscye is about and 1 1/2" too long.

Disappointed, but undeterred, I moved on to the finishing the neckline.

As you can see, the neckline shape (from the "Hillary" version of Mission Falls pattern 136) has pointed edges to the front of the shoulder increases. At first I thought I would reduce this bulk by using a p2sso at these points. However, this resulted in a very wonky neckline edge. Instead of increasing to accommodate the extension in the fabric, I decreased. Exactly the wrong thing to do. Sometimes I think I have no knitting sense whatsoever.

It's hard to see the problem in the above photo as I had pinned the offending points out in an attempt to block the edges so they would lie flat. This did not work at all and that part of the neckline simply puckered when it was worn.

So, I frogged the neckline and re-did it by using a m1, k, m1 stitch every other row at those two points. This created more knitted fabric where it was needed and resulted in a beautifully flat neckline.

I don't know if it's possible to see the difference, but it looks much better (trust me).

Here is a gratuitous close-up shot of the lace pattern:

I believe it is a variation on the feather and fan motif.

However, despite the perfected neck edge and the pretty lace, in the end, I still do not like how the sweater fits me at all.

It's baggy and there are big batwings underneath the arms. A friend suggested I wear the sweater with black leggings to better balance the proportions. I think that's a good idea, but I know it won't make the sweater fit me any better. I am not a big fan of frogging completed garments, so I think I will be looking to donate this sweater to someone who is a 42. Any takers?

Feeling properly chastened by this failure, I am retreating to finish a Dale of Norway sweater for my beloved brother who has been patiently waiting for about two years now. Coincidentally it is in the same color palette. My hope is that I will do a better job of fitting it to his true proportions. Onward and upward ...

The Longest Shrug

2011-04-03T10:25:00.000-07:00

Back in November I attended a wedding in Miami, Florida. I naturally assumed that the weather would be warm and sunny and therefore neglected to bring sweaters, wraps, etc. As luck would have it, the evening of the (outdoor) wedding, a cold front swept in from the North. Fortunately for the bride and groom, the rain held off until after the ceremony but the wind was chilly and I was forced to don my DH's blue blazer in order to stay warm. This was not the elegant look I was attempting to achieve. When I viewed the wedding video several weeks later I realized that I looked like a hobo in a coat three sizes too big (no offense to hobos). Then and there I decided that I needed to be more prepared in the future. As I am not the sophisticated type who can pull off the look of a wrap draped across my shoulders with elan, I decided to knit myself a shrug.

A shrug from Stefanie Japel's GlamKnits, the Textured Circle Shrug, had caught my eye a while back so I decided it was just the ticket. I like how it hugs the waist in back, has a curved line up the front and a deep collar. I've also been obsessed with burgundy reds recently so I chose MadelineTosh Vintage yarn in tart. (As a side note, apparently their hand-dyed yarns don't indicate dye lots so I was unable to ensure that the skeins from different sources matched).

Here is the final result on Heidi:

I made several modifications and discovered several things about this pattern which I will list here. I think this next section will be interesting to anyone who plans to knit this up, but otherwise I'm afraid it will be somewhat boring.

Do's and Don'ts When Knitting Up Stefanie Japel's Textured Circle Shrug:

* Do be prepared to knit miles of ribbing before you start. I know this sounds trivial, but just to bring home the point: There are 78 rounds of ribbing (22 are in seed stitch) across at least 268 stitches. I needed 15 minutes per round. If my math is correct (which is a big "if") this means I spent approximately 20 hours knitting ribbing. The ribbing is critical to the final look of the garment, but as everyone knows how you feel about the final product and how you feel about the experience of making something are two very different things.

* Do check out the Lion Brand sponsored knit-along (KAL) that Stefanie led in the Spring of 2009. You will find many helpful photographs and explanations. I printed out the entire 5-week series of posts and referred to them constantly.

* Do pick up exactly the number of stitches recommended. This has implications for how the garment will hang when it is completed. I had to re-do my stitch pick-ups a few times, but it was well worth the effort!

* Don't cut the yarn after completing the first part of the body. I found that it saved on loose ends and hassle to just keep the back stitches live. I think it may have also reduced some of the "puffiness" that others have encountered in that portion of the garment.

* Do change to the smaller needle size when picking up stitches for the ribbing. This piece of the instructions can be easily overlooked and makes a huge difference to the final look!

* Do take the time to watch the video included in the KAL on how to do RLI if you don't already know how. (I wasn't familiar with this method and I was very glad to learn it.) There has been much confusion on Ravelry about this piece of the instructions. If you do the increases as described in the pattern, it works out perfectly. If you try to do a different type of increase, it will likely throw off the stitch count and ribbing.

* Do place markers! During most of the knitting you will have an endless round of ribbing that looks the same from every angle and it's very easy to lose track of where you are on the garment. Stefanie** recommends markers at the beginning and ends of the sleeve sections (different colored markers for each sleeve is helpful). I also used markers to indicate the collar section and the middle of the lower back. The lower back marker is useful for when you have to begin a new ball of yarn so that the ends can be woven in where they won't ever be seen. Finally, a marker in the middle of the right sleeve section is helpful for buttonhole placement. I had to guess where to put one and was wildly wrong.

* Do knit the sleeves in the round. It saves on seaming and, IMO, it enhances the final finished look.

In the final analysis, I did enjoy the process of making this shrug, but I'm glad I took my time and followed the tips listed above. I also deviated from the pattern in several ways as follows.

MODIFICATIONS:

* Eliminated the textured stripes to create a smoother, more slimming look
* Knit the sleeves in the round and made them full-length
* Did 8 short rows across 120 stitches across the back of the neck to ensure that the collar would lie flat over the seam line at the bottom of the collar.
* Added a black edging or tipping to create more of an evening look.

So, There you have it!

** Disclaimer: I am using Stefanie's first name as though we are close friends. I should make it clear that, alas, we have never met and she doesn't know me from Adam (or Eve). I just feel that I know her well after living with this pattern over the past month. I intend no offense by presuming a first name basis - I hope none is taken!

Getting Organized

2011-03-06T16:29:00.000-08:00

I have come to realize that I am an episodic housekeeper. Or maybe a hit-and-run organizer is more accurate. I have great difficulty keeping things neat and tidy all of the time, but periodically I go on intense cleaning and organizing sprees. One of these sprees hit this week-end and involved my yarn stash.

My DH and I live in Boston in a tiny, two bedroom condo (and the second bedroom serves as his home office). This means that I don't have a craft room (dream on!), but only a craft corner -- located in our bedroom. Recently it's really gotten to be an eyesore. See for yourself.

To be fair, it's usually neater than this, but the above photo reflects the level of chaos I was starting to feel and the degree to which things had gotten out of hand.

So, rather than spend $350.00 on this Pottery Barn cubby organizer which caught my eye in the catalog, I decided to be more thrifty and purchased this Martha Stewart cubby organizer for about one-third the price.

Now, granted, I had to assemble it myself, but it only took about an hour before it was good to go. So, I then took all of this:

... and turned it into this:

On the upper-middle shelf is a three-drawer organizer that holds all of my dps; the left-center shelf holds my sketching notebook, knitting journal and circular knitting needle organizer; and the brown cloth drawer in the middle-bottom holds my awkwardly shaped tools such as a yarn scale, a ball winder and, my most recent acquisition, a darning egg.

I had originally intended to display the yarn a la LYS style which I had thought would be very pretty and would allow me to constantly admire my beautiful yarn. However, after careful consideration I decided that I needed to protect my yarn from dust and moths. So, each of the cloth drawers is lined with a 100% cotton, zippered pillowcase cover into which I packed the yarn and then included a cedar sachet for good measure.

Finally, almost everything got a label. (Be still my heart!)

Fashion Week in Milan

2011-03-04T05:56:00.000-08:00

My new favorite blog is The Sartorialist (found here ). The blogger, Scott Schuman, has a great eye for fashion and is an excellent photographer to boot. I like to check out his blog in the morning to seek inspiration before I head to my own hum-drum closet to get ready for work. He is currently in Milan for the fashion shows and included a photo of these Dries Van Noten socks in a recent post. Aren't they great?

I wonder if they were handknit? I'd love to knit up a pair of these babies! Just seeing them made me smile.

Darn Those Socks!

2011-02-19T12:54:00.000-08:00

A confluence of three events this past week led me to try something new: darning. First, I received my Spring 2011 issue of Interweave Knits. I was very interested to read a column by Sigrid Arnott all about how her father had taught her to darn socks when she was growing up in Montana. (See her blog at www.analogme.typepad.com.) The thing that struck me the most about her description was the use of a lightbulb in place of a darning egg. That tid-bit stuck with me. The second event was that my beloved brother sent me Vogue Knitting's Knitopedia as a birthday gift. As I was flipping through this fabulous book I noticed a description of darning (complete with technical drawings) on pages 64-65. Finally, my DH came home one day and showed me that the socks I knit for him in March 2008 each had a hole in the heel.

Since these were the first pair of socks I'd ever knit I wanted to save them. So, I resolved to learn how to darn. With the Knitopedia on my lap, some balls of left-over yarn at my side, a lightbulb firmly stuck inside the sock and a tapestry needle in hand, I dove in.

It was actually kind of fun! Who would have thunk it?

My first sock (on the left) came out a little bit lumpy, but my DH was kind enough to say that he really didn't notice it too much.

The second attempt (on the right) went along a lot more smoothly (literally) and I added some duplicate stitching to both disguise and extend the reinforced section of the heel.

I have a feeling other parts of the sole are ready to go soon, but this should hold them for a little while longer.

Maybe just until the snow melts!

It All Started With a Necklace...

2010-07-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

...that was inexpensive but striking. I love turquoise - both in jewelry and as a color. And I like to wear it to punch up my summer wardrobe. Hence, the starting point for my most recent knitting project.

I decided a turquoise-colored summer cardigan in cotton yarn was just what my summer wardrobe lacked. Then I saw this and thought the color and design could be a winning combination.

I've been pretty happy with the finished product and have received lots of compliments. In terms of wearing it -- I like that it matches my necklace perfectly and it is just the right weight and warmth for air-conditioned offices. It's versatile and can be dressed up or down.

In terms of knitting it, my feelings were mostly positive. The lace patterns were easy to learn and fun to do. The sweater knit up quickly and I actually didn't mind all the sewing up at the end. However, I seemed to suffer from Can't-Seem-to-Count-the-Same-Number of Stitches-Twice Syndrome during the knitting of it. Hence, the left side is nearly an inch smaller in every dimension as compared to the right side. This is not that noticeable when its being worn, but does mean that I am wearing this more as a shrug than a cardigan (i.e., without buttons so far). I take full responsibility for this error, but a warning if you plan to knit this up: The number of stitches is increased and decreased a few times as you work your way up each piece, so it helps to pay attention. Apparently I didn't.

Also, the design of this sweater seems to be most appropriate for a small-busted person with a short-waist. I have neither of these attributes and thus I don't think I do the original design full justice.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Design: Short Sleeve Cardigan (#19) VogueKnitting International Spring/Summer 2007 by Shiri Mor
Yarn: Tahki Stacy Charles, Inc. Cotton Classic (100% mercerized cotton) in 3786 (Bright Turquoise)
Amount: 5 1/2 skiens
Size: 38
Modifications: Lengthened body before armhole shaping by 1" and added 3 rows to sleeves
Duration: 6/28/10 - 7/17/10

Final thoughts: Firstly, I bought some great buttons on Etsy but am still deciding about whether to sew them on or not. Secondly, I ordered twice as much yarn as was needed so I'm halfway through knitting a matching tank top. Pictures will be posted when complete.

Happy Knitting!

A Brief, Illustrated History of my Life in Knitting - Part I

2010-06-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

Given my recent obsession with all things Knitting (with a capital "K"), one would think that I'd always been a knitting fool. However, this is not the case. As with a large majority of knitters, my grandmother taught me to knit the summer I was six. She gave me a pair of big (size 12) plastic knitting needles with red tips and a skein of yarn and showed me the basics: how to cast on (from a loop over my thumb), how to knit and purl, and importantly, how to pick up dropped stitches. I remember that getting a consistent tension was my biggest challenge. I assiduously knit a scarf on our way home by train (I don't remember the details of that trip - why the train?), and I was thoroughly engrossed in the process of knitting all the way home. I ended up with a scarf that waved in and out at the sides due to my very inconsistent tension. And then I stopped. I don't think I knit another thing until I was 18. I can't really say why I didn't knit after that except that my mother didn't care that much for knitting (although she knew how) and much preferred to sew. So, during my school years I sewed quite a bit in an attempt to keep up with the latest fashions.

I wasn't inspired to knit again until my senior year in high school. See my blog entry my-original-knitting-inspiration. It was at about this same time that I saw this picture in American Home Crafts magazine (Spring Summer 1977) and became completely enamored of this look.

The photograph captured a fantasy of what, at 18, I hoped to be: An elegant, sophisticated woman of the world with a great sense of style. In those days I somehow thought that if I knit this sweater I would also magically appear to have great cheekbones like the model's (Margareta Stupakoff, a former Miss Universe). But, I digress.

I went out and purchased the chunky chenille yarn in a dusty rose colorway and a pair of knitting needles and set to work. I did not bother to get gauge and simply followed the directions. I knit the whole thing in simple stockinette stitch and sewed it together with crocheted seams. It did fit me apart from the fact that the sleeves were much too long, despite the fact that they were supposed to be folded up. Also, it turned out that the chenille yarn was quite drapey and the cowl-necked collar never stood up the way it does in the photo. It would flop down in a very inelegant manner, no matter how I folded it. The final insult, however, was the terrible smell of the yarn. It literally had an acrid, dusty odor (as its name "dusty rose" might suggest) and the chenille wasn't all that soft on my skin. I concluded that the chenille yarn must have been manufactured from some offensive plastic and chemicals. So, for all of these reasons the sweater wasn't a big success and after carting it around from place to place in my 20's, and never wearing it, I finally gave it away to Goodwill.

My next two projects were sweaters for boyfriends, and although neither of those relationships lasted (thus providing two instances to support the myth of the "boyfriend sweater curse" from my own life), what did last was my memory that I fearlessly dove into knitting sweaters that involved cables and bobbles and loved every minute of it. I was proud of both of those sweaters and I imagine they are still out there somewhere in the world, hopefully keeping someone warm.

At that point I decided to knit something for myself again and chose this vest:

It was begun in 1983 during a period of time when I was working to save money for college. It then sat around in suspended animation until 1995 when I completed graduate school and in a burst of activity finally finished it. It fit me fine, but I learned two things upon its completion. One, I loathed intarsia and, two, I no longer found an argyle vest to be all that stylish. So, I promptly gave it away.

That was the sum total of my knitting from 1978-1995: three sweaters and a vest. Not very impressive. But, although my output wasn't very high, my level of satisfaction with the process was always quite high. After 1995, my output steadily increased.

To be continued in Part II.

Three Finished Objects: From good to not-so-good

2010-04-23T06:17:00.000-07:00

Well, my plan worked. I've been focusing on my WIPs and knitting and knitting and I was able to cross three projects off of my list.

The one I like the best is the Selbu Modern Hat. I guess 1,237 Ravelers can't be wrong! The pattern was clearly written, short, and easy to follow. And, best of all, it resulted in a very pretty hat...just in time for ~~spring~~ the winter wear closet.

And the inside of the hat is almost as pretty as the outside.

My next project did not turn out as well. The backstory is that I've been reading Alice Starmore's book about Fair Isle knitting to increase my knowledge and gain some inspiration. She writes about how she uses the things she sees around her to provide a jumping off point for her beautiful designs. Based on this idea, I took a napkin holder from Mexico (of all things) and used it to create a pattern.

My execution of this design was less than pleasing to me. The flowers look like fiery blue suns and the V-shapes look like elongated blue hearts. Hmmm.

So, I filled in with a tried and true Dale of Norway rose pattern. After I had made about 1/3 of this I decided to turn it into a cosmetics bag based on the one found on page 90 of Holiday Knits by Sara Lucas and Allison Isaacs.

I especially like that it is fully lined.

One of my sisters has a fetish-like obsession for cosmetics bags. She must have hundreds of them ...which has never stopped her from obtaining more. So, I thought it would make the perfect Mother's Day present after I fill it up with little heart-shaped soaps and a packet of lavender bath beads.

Finally, my last project is a completely original design for which the new slang word "meh" is a perfect description of my feelings for it. I don't think it's going to ever get a mate, but it did send me back to the drawing board with a better idea...

... to be blogged about at a later date.

Happy Knitting!

April is "Working on WiPs" Month

2010-04-11T12:43:00.000-07:00

I have far too many works in progress (WiPs). Before Ravelry I never worked on more than one knitting project at a time. I didn't have a stash of yarn either. For most of my life my approach to knitting was to become inspired to knit a particular project, buy the necessary pattern and yarn for the project. Knit the project until it was complete. If I lost momentum, I simply laid the project aside and came back to it whenever the spirit moved me. When the project was done I would come up with a way to use up any extra yarn I might have had leftover. This usually meant knitting a coordinating scarf. And it might have been months or even years before I became inspired to knit something else and then the process would repeat itself in much the same way.

The Internet, Ravelry, and knitting blogs have changed all that. I wander in and out of Ravelry on a regular basis and feel like a kid in a candy store. The yarn! The patterns! The finished objects (FOs)! The knitting books! They all call out to me and it's hard to resist their siren's call. I have now reached SABLE (stash acquisition beyond life expectancy), have shelves of knitting books, and worst of all, far too many WiPs. In fact, the number of WiPs is making me feel stressed out and uncomfortable. It's just not my style to have all of these projects hanging about and it's making it hard for me to concentrate on any one project. So, I've declared April the month for winnowing them down. Don't get me wrong, I will never finish them all by April 30th, I would simply like to cross several off of the list. So, without further ado here they are:

1. My version of the ever-popular Selbu Modern hat. I think I stand a chance of finishing this soon.

2. My version of a cosmetics bag adapted from the one in Knitted Gifts. (It's not a Poetry in Stitches project, I'm just using the handy bag Hifa yarn used to send out with their kits inside.)

3. A Dale of Norway sweater, Narvik, that I'm making for my beloved brother. Can I just say that he's a very big guy (6'4") and the 19 inches of lice requires a fair bit of patience?

4. A baby blanket for no particular baby. I was swept away by the colors of the Cascade Superwash yarns that are now available and I thought they'd be pretty in a baby blanket. So far I have about 1/3 of a blanket.

5. My "Chanel" socks. They actually have nothing to do with Chanel the designer other than the fact that I was reading her biography when I started them and I'm using the colors black and white. (The gorgeous blanket under my leg was knit by my wonderful grandmother on the occasion of my marriage.)

And that's about half of the list. You can see how far I've strayed from the days of old when I was a monogamous knitter. Now I'm playing the field with whatever project catches my eye. Not that there's anything wrong with that. It's just different for me and a little bit overwhelming. So, I'm going to see if I can whip these WiPs into shape...or rather into completion.

Happy Knitting!

Experiments in Mosaic Knitting

2010-03-28T09:00:00.000-07:00

Although there has been radio silence on this blog recently the knitting has continued apace.

Lately I've become interested in mosaic knitting, a technique I believe was invented by Barbara Walker and was written up in her book, Mosaic Knitting. The fabric is created by knitting with one color at a time for two consecutive rows, (the first row is knit and the second can be purled to create a textured look), and then changing to the second color which is also knit and then purled for two consecutive rows. Stitches are slipped in a pattern in order to create the desired design. It is different from stranded knitting in that you are never carrying two yarns at once. To my eye the results are graphic and striking.

Because I am also continuing in my sock craze, I have been experimenting with mosaic knitting as applied to socks. So before starting my latest pair of socks I worked up a sampler to decide upon a design.

Before knitting the sampler I was convinced that this yarn, Classic Elite Alpaca Sox in Carousel, would be gorgeous in the flower pattern with a grey background. However, as you can see it just laid there with no pop at all. I then tried white which did allow the flower design to come to the fore but the color combination just seemed boring to me. The pattern was also much too "fiddly" for me to tolerate for the duration of two socks.

I then decided to try out a mosaic pattern used by Charlene Schurch in her Sensational Knitted Socks: Caesar's Check. It's a very striking pattern and works well with the mosaic knitting technique. Here it is paired with black.

As an aside, I feel compelled to mention that that rhythm of this pattern, Caesar's Check, is in sevens. There are seven stitches in each section and seven rows to complete each part of the pattern. I followed this through by knitting seven repeats of the pattern so there would be continuity. This kind of pattern rhythm is something I've noticed that occurs in knitting. It isn't visible to the naked eye per se, but is a notable part of the experience in creating the fabric.

And, without further delay, here are the socks themselves:

Please excuse the blindingly white winter skin! Also, the wide black area near the toe on the right sock was done intentionally to widen the sock at that point. I thought it would be an interesting touch, but once the sock was done it just looked like a mistake.

Overall, I am satisfied with the results. The mosaic (garter stitch) legs of the socks are soft, flexible and comfortable. The feet fit me perfectly and I like the vertical stripes (as opposed to the horizontal stripes called for in the pattern).

Specifications:

Completed: March 27, 2010

Yarns: Classic Elite Alpaca Sox in Carousel and Malabrigo in Black

Pattern: Caesar's Check by Charlene Schurch in Sensational Knitted Socks

I've already moved on to more experimentation with mosaics in black and white. Working as a professional in an urban area on the East Coast means wearing lots of black. So, I've been attempting to come up with a sock design in black and white that could pass muster in an office setting. Here's what I have so far.

Not sure how well this works. Stay tuned...

Colorplay with Ingrid's Blues

2010-02-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

Not long ago I fell in love with the colorway, Ingrid's Blues, from Claudia Hand Painted yarns, so I purchased four skeins from a fellow Raveler. The yarn made the trip from Minnesota to Boston twice (which is another story) and when I finally got it in my hot little hands I decided to make the basket check socks featured on the cover of Little Box of Socks by Charlene Schurch and Beth Parrott. Here they are:

(The sock on the left has not yet been washed & blocked so the color is brighter.)

And here's a close-up up the bird's eye slip-stitch heel.

And, a comparison of the skein and the knitted fabrics.

My reaction to the final product was only tepid as the colors seemed muddy to my eye. So, for a little fun, I decided to do some swatching to see if I could come up with a color combination that enhanced the colorway once it was knitted up. Here's what I have so far (shown during a rare moment of sunlight).

In the picture below it is combined with Gold Dynasty cashmere yarn from Zen Yarn Garden. The bottom is plain gold, the next section shows the two yarns held together, next is a section of alternating rows of gold and Ingrid's Blues, and finally, a section of just Ingrid's Blues alone. To me, the addition of the gold causes Ingrid's Blues to lose its essential color qualities that make it so appealing in the skein.

I also tried adding a brown, Autumn Leaves from Destination Yarn. I like the brown by itself, but combined with Ingrid's Blues it makes the colorway even less eye-catching.

I also tried adding Baby Ull in Lagoon and that seemed to really pop the colorway! You can see the alternating rows on the bottom and then the two-tone lattice stitch as described in Margaret Radcliffe's Essential Guide to Color Knitting (a really useful resource).

Maybe it's just because blue happens to be my favorite color that I like this particular color combination, but I do think I like it better than Ingrid's Blues alone. What do you think?

I'm not sure if I can bring myself to frog the socks and make them again with the Lagoon -- I'm not much of a frogger. I might make a second pair of the socks using these two yarns, but more than likely I will be moving on to other projects that are calling my name!

Watching Knitwear in the Movies

2010-01-17T14:35:00.000-08:00

You know you're a knitting geek when all you can do during a gripping, white knuckle film about four mountain climbers whose lives hang in the balance is to...look at the knitwear. As in, a climber is hanging from a single rope 3,000 feet up and may fall to his death at any moment and I'm thinking "Wow, his gray handknit knee socks are really nice!"

Okay, I'm exaggerating. The film was "North Face" and it is a German (2008) film set in pre-war Germany before the 1936 Olympics when there was (among other things) a national frenzy for climbers to scale the vertical North face of the Eiger. The movie is very well done and it subtly examines many of the relevant social issues of the time while documenting (somewhat loosely) a particular climb that took place in July, 1936.

But, whoever did the costumes for the movie selected several vintage handknits for the actors. Of particular mention, the lead actress wears a beautiful aqua pullover with lovely cables down the front and back and later wears a gray scarf all done in seed stitch. The actors who play the climbers wear the aformentioned gray knee socks with very nice cabling. They also wear handknit headbands and mittens, but those items are more run-of-the-mill. It was a little distracting to focus so much on the clothing, but it actually added to my enjoyment of the film.

Is it just me or do you do this too? :-)

2009: A Summing Up

2009-12-28T06:55:00.000-08:00

I am not a numbers person. I've never liked math primarily because I'm not good at it. But, I do like data. For some reason, for me, expressing certain things quantitatively has a certain definitiveness to it; a certain elegance; a certain je ne sais quoi. That's why I keep track of some things by adding them up at the end of the year. For example, I know that I conducted 750 therapy sessions in 2009. I don't know how many hours I spent on paperwork or on the phone because it would be much less satisfying to tally up those kinds of things. I guess I mostly like to keep data on things that feel like accomplishments. This definitely applies to my leisure activities. I have lots of data on the things I do on my own time.

In 2009 I swam 64,475 yards. This is a somewhat pathetic amount of yardage, but I only really swam consistently for about 6 months this year, so from that perspective it's not so bad.

In 2009 I read 30 books for fun (not including professional reading). That's 12,238 pages. In this case, it may be more meaningful to list titles rather than just the data.

1.  World Without End, by Ken Follet
2.  Dreams from My Father, by Barack Obama
3.  Georgiana - Duchess of Devonshire, by Amanda Foreman
4-7 The Twilight Series (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn), by Stephanie Meyer - because I work with teens ... sometimes
8. Devil Water, by Anya Seton
9. The Age of Innocence, by Edith Wharton
10. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, by John Le Carre
11. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, by John Le Carre
12. The Housekeeper and the Professor, by Yoko Ogawa (excellent!)
13. Year of Wonders, by Geraldine Brooks
14. People of the Book, by Geraldine Brooks
15. March, by Geraldine Brooks
16. The World Over, by Julia Glass
17. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, by Muriel Spark
18. Nineteen Minutes, by Jodi Picoult (distressing)
19. "T" is for Trespass, by Sue Grafton
20. Her Fearful Symmetry, by Audrey Niffenegger (intense)
21. Await Your Reply, by Dan Chaon (dark)
22. Behind the Scenes at the Museum, by Kate Atkinson (excellent)
23. Case Histories, by Kate Atkinson
24. One Good Turn, by Kate Atkinson
25. When Will There Be Good News?, by Kate Atkinson
26. 1066: The Hidden History of the Bayeux Tapestry, by Andrew Bridgeford
27. The Bayeux Tapestry, by Carola Hicks
28. The Needle in the Blood, by Sarah Bower
29. "U" is for Undertow, by Sue Grafton (great!)
30. Mistress of the Monarchy, by Alison Weir

A rather motley collection, I must say. I often set literary goals for myself, but this past year I read whatever came to hand or struck me as potentially interesting. I also went on reading jags with particular authors I was enjoying at the time.

Ah, but now for the knitting. This was by far my most productive year with respect to creating knitwear. I attribute this to Ravelry. Before Ravelry (or BR) I would knit one, or possibly two, things a year. Many years went by when I didn't knit anything at all. After Ravelry (or AR), I have knit significantly more. There's something so inspiring about seeing things others have knit, accumulating patterns and yarn, queueing the projects, etc., that creates a much higher level of inspiration and productivity. So, now for the data. I knit exactly one dozen projects. "Projects" may have involved more than one item (e.g., a baby sweater, romper, and cap). When counted individually the tally was as follows: 2 sweaters for myself, 2 baby sweaters, 3 pairs of baby pants, 2 baby bonnets, 2 jumpers for my niece, 1 shrug for my niece, a smoke ring (or cowl) for my mother, a scarf (unblogged so far) for me, and a pair of socks (there were actually three) for my DH. Okay, so I'm a slow knitter. But I had a blast doing it!

If I were more techno-savvy I would include a photo collage of these items, but alas I am clueless as to how to do this.

You may have noticed that I did not include the number of knitting books I acquired or how much yarn I purchased. Like I said, I only keep data on things that feel like accomplishments and don't involve guilt.

As for my resolutions in the New Year: No new yarn! Knit down the stash in 2010.

Images of Ancient Greece - Part 2

2009-12-26T11:30:00.000-08:00

After knitting three of these socks, I finally had a pair to present to my husband on Christmas day. Here are some action shots of his modeling efforts.

They are close to being a matching pair apart from the fact that I was experimenting with "Judy's Magic Cast-on" and as a result the toe on the last sock was a bit longer than that on the first.

I also added 12 stitches after the ankle shaping so that I would have 82 for the stranded portion of the socks. This created extra "black space" up the back of the calf area, so I added in some embellishments to reduce the long floats that needed to be carried across the back.

The entire project took nearly a month (for three socks). I mostly enjoyed the process and learned a lot about sock construction. I also discovered that I really like mosaic knitting (incorporated into this design in the three Greek keys on each sock). I also enjoyed using toe-up construction but have more to learn about how to do it properly.

PATTERN REVIEW: B+

Overall, the pattern was very well-written and gets big points for creativity. However, there were a couple issues that I had to grapple with that could have been solved within the pattern which, BTW, is an expensive one ($8.00). If you are thinking of knitting up this pattern, keep reading. If not, this part will be pretty boring.

First, as mentioned above, the stranded portion includes some very long float areas. For me this was exacerbated by the fact that I increased by 12 stitches after the ankle-shaping to ensure that the sock could be pulled on over the heel. I think added design elements up the back of the calf would have helped ameliorate this. Speaking of the calf portion of these socks, it is not made clear in the pattern how to position the stranded portion on the leg. It is useful to think about this before beginning that part of the pattern. I chose to center the two faces of the main characters on the shin area. Speaking of the "back of the calf" part of the design -- the chart for this is inexplicably split in half. I am not sure why it was done this way. This caused me untold grief until I got smart and physically cut and pasted the pattern so that I could read across the chart more easily. I also wondered about making the design up the back of the legs in a matching pattern, but didn't think of it until after the socks were completed.

Second, it is important to realize that the stranded portion involves counted stranding. Now I know most people will find this to be patently obvious, but it may be worth emphasizing to someone who is considering knitting this pattern. There is no memorizing of the pattern for stranding -- you have to count every stitch! That being said, it was a lot of fun to watch the figures develop slowly as I knit up the leg of each sock.

My husband was inordinately worried that the socks would slide down, so I added 3/4 " of 2x2 ribbing above the final Greek key portion. As it turned out this was unnecessary and they would have stayed up just fine without it. The mosaic knitting hugs the leg and foot and renders ribbing redundant. This is another great feature of the pattern.

Finally, on the negative side, there are a couple of typos in the pattern. In the Foot section, for the medium/large size, there should be 34 (not 43) stitches on the heel needle. Similarly, in the first half of the Turn Heel section there will be 16 (not 14) stitches left unwrapped in the middle. These are not huge problems as one will immediately recognize the mistakes.

Project Specifications:

Pattern: Theseus and the Minotaur by Gryphon Perkins of Sanguine Gryphon Fiber Arts

Yarn: Bugga! yarn was unavailable so I substituted Malbrigo sock yarn in negro and Zen Garden serenity sock yarn in gold dynasty (absolutely fabulous yarn!)

Needles: US size 1 (2.5 mm) and US size 0 (for the ribbing)

Modifications: increased from 70 to 82 stitches after ankle shaping, used doubled yarn on heel, added 3/4" of 2x2 ribbing at cuff.

Duration: One month - 11/21/09 - 12/23/09

Theseus has slain the Minotaur and this chapter can now be closed.

Kali Nikta!

Images of Ancient Greece

2009-11-29T07:10:00.000-08:00

I lived in Athens, Greece during my early elementary school years and my mother (who had majored in art history) was fond of dragging my sister, brother and me to various art museums and ancient ruins. Given our tender years we didn't fully appreciate the experience at the time. However, the beauty of the classical images must have been absorbed at an unconscious level because I now find them to be quite compelling.

Flash forward to many, many years later when my husband and I traveled to Greece (Athens, Santorini, Crete) for our honeymoon and toured the Parthenon and the Temple of Knossos to name just a few sites.

So, when I saw these socks about a year ago on Ravelry, designed by Gryphon Perkins of the Sanguine Gryphon (www.SanguineGryphon.com),I was immediately struck by the elegance of translating a classic Greek vase design to a sock and I vowed to make them for my husband for our 9th wedding anniversary.

I was finally able to obtain the pattern a week ago and diligently knitted away on the first sock that incorporates that image of Theseus killing the Minotaur.

This side shows the Minotaur:

Here is a close-up of the Theseus side. I love the bird silhouette between his legs.

I was careful to get gauge and followed the pattern instructions slavishly. But, I am sad to report, the sock is not wearable. It is not possible to pull the sock on over the heel and ankle area -- a prerequisite for well-fitting socks. I think the issue is that I was so careful to weave in the floats so as not to be caught by an errant toe, that there is not enough flexibility and give in the stranded part of the sock. If it were only possible to put it on, I think it would fit okay but that's simply not possible. Here you can see it on a sock blocker (size medium).

Well, I guess it could be used as a Christmas stocking ...

Those of you who have followed my blog over the past year know by now that I don't give up easily. I have already started on the second sock which will have a number of improvements. First, I was fortunate to have purchased Wendy Johnson's sock book which includes several great toe-up cast-ons. I am delighted with the perfection of casting on in such a way so as to not have to sew up the toe. Yay! One great advance already. Second, I plan to shorten up the length of the foot, eliminate the slip stitch from the bottom of the heel area (my own misguided addition), and I plan to increase the number of stitches in the stranded leg area.

Finally, I just wanted to mention that this is not the first pair of socks I've made. Hardly! It's the SECOND pair. The first pair I made (also for my husband) a year ago were a perfect fit. Witness below. I guess it was beginner's luck and then I went and got all cocky about it.

May All Your Knits Be Both Beautiful and Interesting ...

2009-11-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

When choosing a project to knit for myself I always experience a certain tension between a design that (I hope) will be flattering to wear but also interesting to knit.

It is often difficult to obtain both attributes in one project. My latest project, a Gedifra design (#1443 from Highlights 092), is an example of the former concern -- I am hoping for a flattering and attractive look.

However, endless rows of rib stitch is not the most fascinating thing in the world to knit. Here is the back -- all 25 inches of it.

The yarn is Samina which is a very unusual fiber. It is made of wool that is inserted into a nylon mesh sheath. It is soft to the touch and the knitted fabric holds its shape well, but it snags very easily. My hands are not as soft and smooth as they should be and my rough cuticles tend to catch on this yarn and snag it. I am hoping that these small snags will not be too noticeable in the finished garment.

How I Learn About "Cool Girl" Clothes and Realize I Don't Know How to Make Them

2009-10-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it seems that my 6 year-old niece is enamored of "cool girl" clothes. Even though I am a child psychologist and meet with the elementary school set every day, Monday through Friday, I realize that I have no idea what "cool girl" clothes are. I suppose they are closer to what Hannah Montana might wear and not so much what Marcia Brady might have worn circa 1970.

So, herein lies the peril of knitting for others. Unless the knitee specifically picks out the style and colors, beware! The receipient may not: (a) like the style of the knitted item, or (b) wear it. I guess all dyed-in-the-wool knitters know this, but I am a slow learner. Despite having an inkling of this danger, I blithely went ahead and knit the following creation which, I am sad to say, Hannah Montana would not be caught dead wearing!

But, I had fun making it and learned a very valuable lesson. My next project is for my brother. And, yes, he did pick out the pattern and approve the colors.

My Great-Grandmother's Quilt

2009-09-26T10:59:00.001-07:00

My great-grandmother was an amazing woman. She had to flee Lebanon in the 1930's after my grandfather was killed for political reasons. She immigrated to the Pacific Northwest with four young children, the oldest of whom was my grandmother. My "Citty" (as we called her) had to figure out how to make her way and support her children in a foreign country where she didn't speak the language. Fortunately, she was very resourceful and good with her hands and was able to raise her children to be honest, hard-working, productive members of society.

She taught my grandmother to knit, who, in turn, taught me to knit. So, for that in and itself I am forever grateful. But, I also loved her for her gentle and loving nature. She seemed to be one of those people for whom adversity and sadness had distilled in her a sense of what is really important in life and she was generous in her relationships with others. One of her most obvious traits was that she could never just sit still and relax. She always needed to be doing something and so knitting and quilting became important activities for keeping her hands busy during her infrequent moments of "relaxation."

By happenstance I inherited a quilt top she made in the 1930's out of scraps of fabric from various items of clothing she'd made for her children and herself. She pieced this Star of Bethlehem together by hand but never finished it and it was found among her personal belongings when she died at age 92.

I was honored to inherit it, and since I am not a quilter I had a professional quilter finish it for me. It now hangs in my therapy office and I hope it brings a sense of comfort to my patients. I know it does to me. Thank you Citty!

The backing is a reproduction fabric from the 1930s. It depicts little girls in long dresses serving tea to little boys with waistcoats.

Obsessions

2009-09-09T10:21:00.001-07:00

"It surely is a great calamity for a human being to have no obsessions."

- Ted Berrigan, poet

Clearly, this is not a calamity from which I suffer.

Over the Labor Day weekend I went into an organizing frenzy. The label gun was out and the dust was flying. Eventually when the dust settled, here is what became evident.

First, the knitting books.

Then, the (partial) yarn stash.

This is an embarrassment of riches. If I sat down and knit for the rest of my life, I wouldn't run out of yarn or inspiration. On the one hand, this gives me a great sense of comfort (as in, "Phew - I'm glad I don't need to worry about having nothing to knit."). On the other hand, I feel more than a little embarrassed and somewhat baffled. How did this happen?! Have I been in a fiber-induced fugue for the past 18 months? And, most importantly, how will I work my way through this?

To wit, here is my knitting queue (in no particular order, because the latest project in which I've fallen in love always jumps to the top of the queue:

1. Gedifra Moments #1443

2. Narvik by Dale of Norway (for my bro)

3. Ivel by Evi T'Bolt

4. Ginny by Kim Hargreaves

5. Autumn Rose by Eunny Jang

6. Ingeborg Jacket #12614 by Dale of Norway

7. Military Jacket by Veronika Avery

8. some stealth gift knitting ...

... and many other projects for which I either have patterns but no yarn, or the yarn but no plan.

But, in closing, I must admit that I am not looking for a cure. It's my therapy. It keeps me sane. When things become overwhelming or stressful, I can always lose myself in the Zen of knitting.

Emma Peel: The School Jumper

2009-07-27T10:03:00.000-07:00

Before I share my latest FO, I feel moved to digress a bit. It's about blogging. I am a blogging neophyte. I've only had my blog for a little over a year and I only post about once a month or so -- whenever I finish making a knitted item. But I greatly admire many other bloggers (mostly knitters) who write amusing and interesting blogs on a regular basis about a wide range of topics. With these inspirational folks in mind I've been musing a little about broadening the scope of my blog to share my latest read or talk about the amount of yardage I've swum that week. Stuff like that. But then I think to myself, who would really care? And, isn't that the fabric of my private life so why would I splash it all over the Internet? And then, finally, I think to myself, no one ever comments on my blog anyway so I know that I really have very few readers. (Sometimes I even feel a little bit sorry for myself about that last point.) But then I read the Yarn Harlot's recent blog about all of the hate mail she's been getting lately (mostly from one particular offender), and I think maybe I'm lucky that my blog seems to stay under the radar. Mostly I feel saddened that there are a few people out there who have to ruin the fun for the rest of us who would like to trustingly share a little bit of our lives with the world and spread the joy of a well-cut steek or a well-turned heel. Sigh. Okay, digression over. On to the knitting ...

This FO is the second of two knitted jumpers (i.e., sleeveless dresses for all you Brits) I made for my six year-old niece who begins first grade in a month.

She is a very active, athletic little girl who much prefers leggings and jeans to dresses despite the attempts of my sister, my sister's MIL, and me to dress her in girly-girl clothes. So when I saw Emma Peel which is described as a dress that school-age girls will appreciate more than a "frou-frou" knit with ruffles and bows, I thought I'd give it a try.

Okay, I couldn't resist some embellishment, so I embroidered a heart on the breast. I found this particular heart in libbyguillard's Flickr photostream, but I'm not sure if she made it up or used a pattern. Anyway, it was the perfect outline of a heart for this little dress. Sort of like the alligator on Izod shirts.

I love the trompe l'oiel effect of the belt. The skirt design is created using a slip stitch pattern. I added in a third color (the white) to give it a plaid look.

I used Rowan handknit cotton yarn, because my niece lives in Southern California and I thought wool would be too hot for her. But, I have to admit, although cotton yarn has its uses it's like knitting with string in my mind. I muuuuuuch prefer wool!

Anyway, I hope she likes it.

Specifications:

Design: Emma Peel

From: Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines by Kay Gardiner & Ann Shayne

Yarn: Rowan handknit cotton

Needles: US3

If you have something nice to say and you'd like to leave a comment, please do!

Twenty-eight pansies

2009-07-19T18:38:00.001-07:00

My dear niece begins first grade in September, so I decided to knit her a couple of jumpers to get her started off on the right foot. (Not that she needs it, mostly I just thought it would be fun).

I finished the first of the two. It's actually a baby design by Kari Haugen published in the Dale of Norway Baby Collection Nr. 114. I modified it to fit a 6 year-old and added the colored stripes at the bottom of the bodice.

I purled the yellow centers of the pansies to add texture to the design and while I was knitting it the fabric was somewhat puckered. However, a good blocking seems to have taken care of 99% of the problem. There is still a small amount of pulling just below the yellow centers where I wove in the floats. I got lots of support and ideas about how to prevent this in the future from Mary Ann of http://www.kidsknits.com/ and the Two Strands group on Ravelry. Many thanks!

I was watching "An Affair to Remember" when I picked up the stitches on the left armhole which is clearly not beneficial to my knitting technique. The right sleeve stitch pick-up looks much more professional thanks to the fact that I gave it my full attention!

I thought these pansy buttons were perfect! I found them on Etsy at http://www.lovebuttons.etsy.com/.

Here are the specs:

Design: Kari Haugen for Dale of Norway, Baby Collection Nr. 114

Yarn: Baby Ull (natch) - light green (9013), deep lavendar (5135), deep blue (5545), pastel lavender (5303), and yellow (2015).

Needles: US0 and US2

Gauge: 28 stitches and 38 rounds in 4" x 4"

With apologies to Marion Foale

2009-06-20T11:39:00.000-07:00

Last Fall I was thumbing through a back issue of Rowan magazine, Rowan 36 to be exact, and came across this beautiful cardigan.

Apparently, this was a Marion Foale design named "Betty" that was available in UK retail shops in the 1990's for about 250 pounds. I despaired of being able to "reverse-engineer" the design until I found this Marion Foale pattern published in Woman's Weekly (11/4/2008 issue) on eBay.

I decided to try and modify the pattern to approximate the "Betty." Six months later, here is my best attempt:

Overall, I am pleased with the outcome but it is now clear to me why Marion Foale is a talented knitwear designer and I am not.

First, I misplaced the pockets.

Rather than frog the whole thing (to which a collar was already attached) I decided to camouflage them with pocket-flaps (one of which I think is sewn on a little crooked).

Second, I had absolutely no idea how to turn a Revere collar into a shawl collar and, as it turns out, moss stitch does not look the same when turned on its side.

Third, I added a vent to the back just to be fancy.

After six months of slaving away at this, I have to admit it was not my best effort. Sigh.

Although I think I will be able to happily wear it to work, it does not warm my perfectionist heart. But, the great thing about knitting is there is always the next project!

Specifications:

Pattern: Modified "Neat Knit," by Marion Foale
Yarn: Rowan 4-ply soft in ecru (doubled throughout) - 20 balls
Needles: US0 and US1
Completed: January - June 20, 2009

What I Learned about Moss Stitch

2009-06-07T17:19:00.001-07:00

I like using moss (or seed) stitch in knitted garments. I like the nubby texture. I like it as an edge to stockinette stitch, and I like how it adds warmth without adding a lot of bulk.

What I don't like about moss stitch is that it takes so looooong to knit up. I think these sleeves are like Penelope's shroud...I knit them during the day and then they unravel at night (all on their own).

Here they are in March:

And here they are in April.

And here is one of them as of today:

Not much progress, huh? What I discovered on page 23 of that wonderful knitting reference book, The Principles of Knitting, by June Hemmons Hiatt, is that "Seed stitch is 30% shorter than stockinette and 18% wider." Aha! I knew something was up. I knit and knit and knit and have only an inch to show for it. I've also noticed that it tends to become somewhat misshapen. The sleeves I knit in stockinette stitch never look this "wonky." I hope the pieces even out with a good blocking.

Well, I have to admit that I'm being a little bit melodramatic because the delay is largely due to several other knitting projects that have intervened during the past several months. Projects that have been much more interesting to work on, so I've abandoned these poor sleeves time and time again.

One of my other projects is the Military Jacket by Veronika Avery.

I swatched in a WW Khroma from the Fibre Company in Plum, but it was too dark. Then I swatched in a DK Khroma in Aegean, but the yarn was too thin. Finally, I cannabalized my stash of Cascade 220 Tweed set aside for Stefanie Japel's texturized tweed jacket (which would never have flattered me anyway), and that was just right the right yarn.

I've started on the right sleeve (you may remember my vow to work the sleeves of my next garment first), and added a ruffled border as I felt strongly it needed an edging.

Here is a close-up of the ruffled edge.

I guess I'd better go knit some more on Penelope's sleeves ... ;-)

... And One To Grow On.

2009-05-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

So, as promised, I immediately went to work on a 6-month size of "Blu" because I simply could not believe that an actual human being could fit into the newborn size. This is most likely due to my own lack of experience with newborns. There were other reasons too: (a) I'm compulsive; (b) I had so much fun the first time around I wanted to have another go at it; (c) I am a perfectionist wannabe and thought I could do better the second time around; and (d) did I mention I'm compulsive?

I did make a few modifications that I would recommend. I cast off the top edges instead of keeping the stitches live because it was much less of a hassle during the pre-shrinking phase (and I don't think it made the elastic casing too inflexible). I also followed beppesgirl's lead and cast off three stitches at each edge of the elastic casing to enable the placement of a button on the inside for use with a special type of elastic with buttonholes every inch. This way the elastic can be lengthened or shortened depending upon the baby's girth.

So, that's it. I'm closing the chapter on the Baby Blues ... until the next time I hear that someone's expecting that is.

On to other knitting news. I found this nifty expanding file folder thingy today at an office supply chain store for $10.99. I have been keeping my circular needles in a bag which is a very inefficient way to manage them.

Now, I have a separate pocket for each size and can easily put my hands on the needles I need. I know there is no such thing as a knitting emergency, but should one ever arise I will be prepared to rapidly equip myself with the proper knitting tool.

Did I mention that I am somewhat compulsive?

I Got the Baby Blues!

2009-05-10T15:10:00.001-07:00

These may be the smallest jeans ever! I knit the newborn size and I'm thinking these will fit Baby S. for about 5 minutes. The pincushion was placed in the photo to indicate the size of the FO. Are newborn babies really this tiny?

The button is wooden and is painted with an orange slice design. The embroidery was done with Rowan handknit cotton in "canteloupe." The jeans themselves were knit with Rowan demin and pre-shrunk in the washer in hot (!) water and thrown in the dryer before sewing up. (I know!)

The label was made with faux leather in butterscotch purchased online from Leisure Arts. (I can't take credit for thinking this up, I took my inspiration from "beppesgirl" on Ravelry.)

The entire project was completed within a weekend -- a first for me! And I also had time to do 5 loads of laundry, play a game of tennis, read a book and watch two movies. So I'd say all in all this is about an 8-hour project.

Specs:

Design: BLU by Cristina Bernard Shiffman and Kay Gardiner

Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines

Yarn: Rowan Denim in Nashville and Tennessee
Rowan Handknit Cotton in shade 337

Size: 0-3 months

Mods: None to speak of -- substituted faux leather tag for felt tag

Problems: The crotch is a little wonky due to an irregular cast off on my part.

While I have some momentum with this I plan to start the 6-12 month old size right away so the little guy can wear them for a little while.

More Perlemor ...

2009-05-09T09:12:00.001-07:00

I was having so much fun with this pattern, I just kept on knitting and came up with a romper and a matching bonnet to complete the set.

The bonnet has a pinwheel design at the back of the head that is both elegant and whimsical at the same time. I didn't have a baby on which to model it so it's hard to see in the photo, but trust me - it's very cute. (Please excuse the water stain on the top of my bureau.)

The romper fastens with pewter heart buttons to match the sweater.

Et voila, the whole layette is ready to be shipped to the expectant parents. (Oops, except for the booties which haven't yet been made.)

Projects: Past, Present, and Future

2009-04-17T09:08:00.000-07:00

Past: Perlemor in Red and White

Here she is! I thoroughly enjoyed knitting this sweet little sweater and in the process came to appreciate the genius of the design team at Dale of Norway. Or, maybe it's just the genius of the Norwegians - especially when it comes to knitting. At any rate, the pattern was extremely well-written and all the pieces came together into a satisfying whole.

One of the design features I liked a lot was the knit1, purl1 rows that separated the neckline from the body. It makes a nice flexible collar area. I also liked the fact that most of the neck stitches were kept live and knit after picking up stitches at the front edges of the collar.

Finally, the "private side" of this little sweater is nearly as neat and tidy as the "public side." I like that a lot. It's much more satisfying than having lots of ends and ugly pick-ups and decrease stitches, etc. to hide on the inside.

Design: Perlemor, Baby Knits from Dale of Norway,
"Soft Treasures for Little Ones"
Yarn: Dalegarn Baby Ull in cherry red (4227) and cream (0020)
March 22 - April 13, 2009

Present: Marion Foale's Neat Knit cardigan - THE SLEEVES

Why, oh why do sleeves seem to be so interminable to knit? Why do I resent knitting them so much? Why are they less pleasurable to knit than the body? These are the questions that plague me as I work my way stitch by stitch up the sleeves. Perhaps I should do as the French do and make the sleeves first. Somehow my excitement about a new project never allows me to do this.

And, speaking of a new project ...

Future: Veronika Avery's Military Cardigan

I've chosen the yarn (Khroma WW in plum) and I've been swatching. I haven't gotten gauge yet, but I'm pretty sure I'll be able to knit this up on US7's. Sevens! Hoorah!

My assistant agrees that this will be a nice change from US1's and zeros!

I'm Knitting as Fast as I can ...

2009-03-28T13:43:00.001-07:00

... and it doesn't seem to be fast enough. It is difficult for me to match the pace of my knitting (slow) with the rate of my interest in starting new projects (rapid). This discrepancy is further aggravated by my propensity to choose projects that require tiny needle sizes (US0, US1,US2). I just like the look of finished knitted fabric with fine stitches. This means that while other knitters are knocking out finished objects in just a couple of weeks, I'm plugging along for months. So, although I know pictures of works in progress tend to be boring, here is my version of Marion Foale's "Neat Knit" as she currently stands.

There have been some minor tragedies associated with this project which will be blogged all in good time.

And, here are the sleeves. Sleeves are particularly difficult to tackle when one is ready to follow the siren's call of the next anticipated project, but I am determined to knit away on them until they are done.

And lastly, here is the body of Perlemor 1. This is an incredibly fun knit. I absolutely love the houndstooth check pattern.

A Poem for Baby S or Baby J

2009-02-15T08:27:00.000-08:00

The Poetry in Stitches baby sweater for one of the two anticipated grandchildren has been completed. It was a labor intensive project but seems to have been worth the effort.

The sleeves are done in "elm stitch" which is a pretty stitch but very, very slow. The front side is simply knit, but on the back side one has to do a yarn over, purl two stitches and then pull the yarn over. It's a lot of stopping and starting, but adds a lacey look to the sweater.

The motifs are done in double-stitching which is a lot of fun. However, I was surprised to find that the spots on which the sweater is embroidered become hard and inflexible, altering the pliability of the knitted fabric. I guess I should have anticipated that this would be the case, but I didn't. I don't think it will make that much difference in comfort for an outer garment.

On the back is this cute little butterfly.

Specs:

Pattern: Baby layette from Poetry in Stitches, p. 22-23, by Solveig Hisdal.

Yarn: Dalegarn Baby Ull, 100% wool, machine washable, approx. 3 balls (165 meters each) using doubled yarn throughout.

Modifications: took artistic license with the embroidery, changed the placement and did not include the tulip or cherries in an attempt to make it suitable for a girl or boy.

If I ever knit this again, which I tend to think I won't, I wouldn't use doubled yarn as it seems too heavy (or maybe it was just the yarn I chose) for US1 needles.

Now onto an easy, colorful baby blanket on US6's as a hiatus from little tiny needles.

A Blank Slate ...

2009-02-13T09:29:00.001-08:00

This is about being a blank slate in several different ways. The first way is that I'm about to become a grandparent ... well, sort of. I am only 48 (about to be 49), which seems pretty young for a first-time grandmother doesn't it? But, the back story is that I will actually be a step-grandmother or, as I think I might prefer, a "bonus grandmother." My DH is 12 years older than I am and his two children, a son and a daughter, were away at college by the time we met and later married. So, I've never actually parented his kids, we rarely see them, and now both of them are married and expecting their own babies in July. So, I'm a blank slate about how to be a grandmother especially when there are already two biological grandmothers and another "bonus grandmother" in the family.

So I turned to what I know: knitting!

And then I turned to my all-time favorite knitting book: Poetry in Stitches by Solveig Hisdal and decided to start by making the baby layette she designed.

Et voila, here is the second blank slate:

The third blank slate is that we won't know if one of the babies will be a boy or a girl. So I modified Solveig Hisdal's embroidery design in an attempt to make the sweater more gender-neutral. Alas, I fear it tends toward the masculine at this point, although with a butterfly on the back and picot edging and textured sleeves, it may yet suit either a boy or a girl.

I do love the sweet motifs taken from a 17th century Norwegian brocade bed tapestry.

More photos to follow as the work progresses.

Introducing "Heidi"

2009-01-10T08:23:00.001-08:00

A belated Christmas gift arrived recently ... a body form with my exact dimensions. It's an extravagance about which I feel somewhat guilty given these difficult economic times. I mean does anyone really need a body form? However, she was a gift and you know what "they" say about not looking a gift horse in the mouth ...

So, I'm going to enjoy the fact that I can now measure my knitted creations as I make them without having to take off clothing during these cold winter months and contort my body as I attempt to see if I'm getting it right in the mirror. Now I can see if the waist will fit by fitting the garment on "Heidi" instead of myself. Although I have to say, it's very humbling to see one's widening figure reflected in an inanimate object.

Today Heidi is modeling the almost completed Vine Panel Cardigan. Here you can see a close-up of the lace design and collar. In the previous photo you can see that I modified the waist ribbing to elongate it (I have a long torso) and changed the sleeves from bell-shaped to fitted around the cuffs.
I still have to add the buttons and pockets and hope to get to that today.

A Little Christmas Sparkle

2008-12-25T09:44:00.000-08:00

First, I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas, a Happy Channukah and I'd like to send out a wish for Peace on Earth in 2009!

Since this is a knitting blog, I will move right to my latest FO, "Agnes & Joy," finished just in time to wear to Christmas dinner tonight.

I modified the pattern to lower the waist to my natural waistline -- the pattern calls for it to be just below the ribcage which seemed odd.

I also made the sleeves full-length as in "Joy" but used the cuff design from "Agnes."

I sewed on grosgrain ribbon to stabilize the buttons and had to add a couple of snaps to ensure the front stays closed.

I knit the sleeves plain (without beads) except for a bracelet row of beads on the sleeves and cuffs and a extra 3 beads above the right cuff.

Finally, the buttons are made of beads that are similar to those knitted into the body. The beads are very subtle and are hard to see except when they catch the light.

I really like this design and enjoyed knitting it. I admit that at first I didn't understand the instructions to cast off at the waist and then pick up the stitches again in the next row, but as you can see it leaves a pretty braid right at the demarcation between the moss and stockinette stithces.

The endless stockinette stitch on number 2 needles did get somewhat tedious by the time I'd started on the sleeves, but created a nice smooth fabric which suits the yarn.

This is a very lightweight sweater, appropriate for wearing over a blouse.

Here are the details:

Pattern: a hybrid of "Agnes" and "Joy" both by Kim Hargreaves

Size: Medium

Yarn: Rowan felted tweed in watery (a little over 8 skeins)

Next up: Vine lace top-down cardigan from http://www.sweaterbabe.com/

Have a Happy Holidays everyone!

My Psychedelic Sweater

2008-11-30T10:52:00.001-08:00

I'd like to say here, at the outset, that I don't normally wear bright colors. I usually wear dark and muted-colored clothing and try to project a professional image in my work attire. I say this because my latest sartorial creation is uncharacteristically exuberant. The back story is that I've been quite taken with Kauni effektgarn in the rainbow colorway. At the same time, I found a beautiful brocade pattern by Kim Hargreaves and decided to combine the two. I'm still not sure if it was a completely compatible marriage of yarn and pattern.

The original pattern was for a vest and you can see that in the shaping, which I do like.

The process of putting together the sweater began with cutting the steek ...

... and then designing a sleeve pattern. Again, this was taken from a vest pattern, so I had to figure out what design to use for the sleeves. I decided to take a small motif from the pattern on the front of the body which you can see here:

However, making the rest of the sleeves all black did not work. I thought it would tone down the vivid colors of the sweater, but it just looked as though it was from a completely different sweater. So, after this false start, I decided to combine the flower motif from the front with the stripes from the back of the body. I also decided to use a "Siamese" or "twin steek" in order to keep the color changes as consistent as possible across the two sleeves.

Fraternal twins, separated at birth:

Here are some further project details if you're still with me:

The pretty leaf design in the front blended together too much and I don't really care for the combination of green and orange, so I used double-stitching to highlight the pattern in blue.

Meanwhile, the buttons bring out the red.

A bientot!

So Far, So Good: Works in Progress

2008-11-09T07:35:00.000-08:00

I've finished the back of Agnes/Joy and I'm really liking how it is turning out so far. I wasn't sure about the combination of tweed and beads, but the added sparkle seems pretty. I may skip the beads on the sleeves, however, to tone down the evening look so I can wear it to the office.

In the meantime, I was also inspired by a Jillian Lewis design to create an equestrian-style knit jacket. Here is her design as found on the Internet. Her version is rumoured to retail for $700.00!

My much less costly version is taking shape here:

A few mistakes have occurred during the course of the shaping, but rather than rip back and lose the creative momentum, I'm pushing forward.

The yarn, elsebeth lavold Classic AL baby alpaca and merino wool blend, is a dream to work with!

Agnes & Joy

2008-11-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

I am becoming a huge fan of Kim Hargreaves' knitting designs. In perusing many of her books and designs in magazines, I've noticed that she frequently tweaks and modifies the same basic design for different yarns and seasons. I feel this frees me up from slavishly following any one of her particular patterns and gives me implicit permission to mix and match her ideas and design elements. Accordingly, I've taken two of her very similar designs and decided to combine and modify them to fit my particular preferences.

"Agnes" is an older design published in Rowan Magazine 35 (Spring/Summer 2004) made up in a cotton yarn with bracelet length sleeves. "Joy" is a newer design published in Vintage Knits and features a tweeded yarn with a chevron design done in beads knitted into the body of the cardigan. It's an interesting idea to pair beads with a tweeded yarn - evoking two different moods - so I thought I'd try it. However, Danish damask (knitting a pattern into stockinette stitch using purl stitches) drives me crazy! Although it looks pretty, I constantly lose my place and get frustrated. So, forget it. I will use a simple placement for the beads following the placement of French knots in the Agnes pattern. (I also could not bear the idea of making a zillion French knots.) So, to my mind this is a happy hybrid of two Hargreaves designs. We shall see how it turns out.

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed Sport 5 ply (12 wpi) in "watery" colorway

My Original Knitting Inspiration

2008-10-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

Today I suddenly remembered what set me on the path to knitting.

To set the stage: I attended high school in a coastal Northern California town in the 1970's. During that difficult period of adolescence when I was trying to find my identity, I developed a deep admiration for a girl in my class named Jody. Jody had a unique and very cool sense of style and self-assurance that seemed beyond her years. She didn't fit into any of the typical social groups or cliques. She was a star tennis player, but not part of the "jock group." She was intelligent and made good grades, but was definitely not a "nerd." And with her white blond hair and blue eyes she was strikingly pretty but was not a cheerleader type or a "surfer chick." Jody just seemed to float above the typical and banal social dramas that set the stage for life in high school. She had that mysterious aura of charisma one associates with movie stars.

One chilly winter morning she came to school in a beautiful, very colorful turtleneck sweater that she wore with great panache. I imagined that she looked as though she'd just stepped off the ski slopes of Austria (think Audrey Hepburn in the opening scene of Charade). Anyway, I overheard her telling someone that she'd knit the sweater herself from yarn scraps in her mother's knitting basket. It had turned out to be much too big for her, so, (she continued nonchalantly) she'd thrown it into the washing machine to felt it. Now keep in mind, teenagers in the '70s did not exactly view knitting as the coolest of hobbies. And yet, at that moment, I felt inspired to go home and create my own unique knitted fashions. Thirty years later, I'm still at it!

BTW, the last I heard Jody had become a renowned sculptor / painter living in Soho who sells her art to wealthy connoisseurs from around the world. (Wouldn't you know it?)

An Orchid for Nancy

2008-10-26T08:17:00.000-07:00

I pushed myself to finish this sweater yesterday and, after 6 hours of non-stop sewing, here is the final result:

It's a Kim Hargreaves' design called "Orchid" from her Nectar collection. (Also the same design as "Beatrix" in her Thrown Together collection and "Darcy" in the Heartfelt collection). This one is made up in Rowan purelife organic cotton naturally dyed in the Logwood colorway.

In this close-up of the neckline you can see the array of buttons used.

My friend Nancy (the giftee) picked up these vintage buttons at a crafts fair and asked that I use a random assortment. No two buttons are alike on this sweater!

Because this was a gift, I tried my very hardest to do a perfect job, but of course there were mistakes.

1. I messed up on the broken rib pattern while working the short row shaping on the back peplum. Did not go back and rip it out.

2. The buttonholes are a bit sloppy. I don't like the method of yo, k2tog -- I much prefer to cast off two stitches, then cast back on, then work the cast-ons the following row. Much neater looking.

and,

Lessons learned:

1. I learned how to do mattress stitch. For me, I have to leave the loops small and pull the seam closed every few stitches or the yarn gets hopelessly stuck.

2. My bind-off is usually too tight, but I learned it's also possible to make it too loose. The neckline is bordeline floppy. Sigh.

3. I am a huge devotee of the single crocheted seam. I know, I know, it's bulky. But, it's quick! By the time I'm piecing together a sweater, I'm ready for quick!

Casting off until next time ....

Color Me ... Turquoise

2008-09-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

I can't resist fun little quizzes like this one which gives you the colors that describe your personality. My colors are green and blue which seems to fit pretty well. Given that I'm a therapist, the other parts seem to fit as well.

you are turquoise
#40E0D0

Your dominant hues are green and blue. You're smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people's conflicts well.

Your saturation level is higher than average - You know what you want, but sometimes know not to tell everyone. You value accomplishments and know you can get the job done, so don't be afraid to run out and make things happen.

Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

I know, I know, what does this have to do with knitting? Not much. But, I have been knitting away and the creative juices have been flowing as I design a sweater that is a hybrid of several I've admired. I don't want to blog about it too soon, however, before I find out if it's a success or not. Don't worry, apparently "I know I can get the job done!"

Daisy Buttons? You be the Judge

2008-09-09T07:15:00.000-07:00

I'm knitting Orchid from Nectar by Kim Hargreaves for a friend who has a funky, retro sensibility.

Yesterday, I found these black and white daisy buttons in my LYS.

Question: Are these super cute and would totally make the look? Or, are they incredibly tacky?

Let me know what you think. Here is another look at the buttons:

I was also thinking of adding a thin cream-colored edging to the neck and front to complement the two tone look.

Rainbow Brocade

2008-09-01T11:25:00.000-07:00

I've finally finished the body of the brocade vest, which I plan to turn into a cardigan. As you can see the colors are very vibrant. My husband refers to this as my "psychadelic" knitting.

I've edged the pocket tops with black wool and plan to do the same with all of the edges. I think I will add sleeves in black as well. For the sharp-eyed among you, you will notice a big mistake on the right-hand side of the front where the pattern doesn't match below and above the pocket tops. Oh well, it's too late to fix that now!

Next up: Steeking and edging.

A Pop Quiz

2008-08-09T08:04:00.000-07:00

There is an interview for the S.O.s of knitters circulating on the web. I found it here at Purl Diva: Knitters Are Sexy and traced it back through about 15 knitters, but not to the original source, so I can't properly credit her whoever she may be. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to interview my husband.

First, a little background information: About 9 years ago I knit him a sweater in cotton yarn. The yarn stretched and stretched and stretched until we laughingly referred to it as his "sleeping bag." It was eventually frogged.

Me: What is your favorite thing about my knitting?

Him: The quality of what you make.

Me: What is your least favorite thing about my knitting?

Him: It takes time away from me.

Me: What is something I've knit that you recall as good?

Him: Everything you've done in the past year or so.

Me: Do you think knitters have an expensive hobby?

Him: No. (Smile. I guess I've got him buffaloed on that one!)

Me: Do you have any hobbies?

Him: Yes. (No elaboration offered)

Me: Do you have a stash of any kind?

Him: You mean like my liquor cabinet?

Me: Have I ever embarrassed you by knitting in public?

Him: No.

Me: Do you know my favorite kind of yarn?

Him: No. (In all fairness, I don't really have a favorite.)

Me: Can you name a knitting blog?

Him: Well, there's "Knitters of America" (smile -- he means Ravelry)

Me: Do you mind my wanting to stop at yarn stores wherever we go?

Him: No.

Me: Do you understand the importance of a swatch?

Him: Yes. That's where you practice knitting the thing you're going to knit to make sure the compression and size are right. That's what you should have done before you knit my sleeping bag!

Me: Have you read Knitting Therapy?

Him: I have once or twice.

Me: Did you leave a comment?

Him: No.

Me: Do you think the house would be cleaner if I didn't knit.

Him: He laughs and says, "Yes!" (We often joke about our crimes and misdemeanors against Good Housekeeping Practices.)

Me: Anything else you'd like to add?

Him: No.

Experiment in Brocade

2008-07-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

With this project I am attempting to stretch myself in terms of my knitting abilities. I'm experimenting with circular stranded knitting and colorwork. I'm trying to teach myself how to knit with a color in each hand, to weave in the ends, avoid twisted stitches, and notice the effect of different color combinations. It's a lot. But, I'm having fun, so the end result is almost beside the point.

So, it's a vest knit with a two-color brocade pattern that was designed to be knit in pieces in intarsia. I've chosen to knit it as a stranded pattern on circular needles with two balls of Kauni Rainbow (EQ) colorway yarn.

The pattern is a lot of fun to watch develop as the colors change and the non-repeating pattern unfolds.

The yarn holders are a little distracting -- they are keeping the pocket stitches "live" to be finished later.

The pattern was taken from an old (1992) Kim Hargreaves book.

Oh, BTW, did I mention it has a steek? (Eek!) Stay tuned as the fun continues ...

A Berry Happy 4th!

2008-07-04T16:13:00.001-07:00

Here's a firecracker of a sweater for the 4th -- although it's obviously much too hot to wear it. It's already stored away for October. I love the soft hand of this yarn (Knit Picks Andean Silk in Hollyberry).

Project Details:

Pattern: Lily Chin, Knitters' Magazine Fall 2002
Yarn: Knit Picks Andean Silk in Hollyberry (55% Alpaca, 23% silk, 22% Merino wool)

On the Block

2008-06-18T09:03:00.000-07:00

The front and back pieces are finished and blocking. I focused my blocking efforts on the seams so they will lie flat for sewing up, and left the gathered and ribbed areas unpinned and did not spray them with water. (I try not to block the life out of my knitting, after having done so in the past.)

For the first time ever, the measurements of my finished pieces lined up almost exactly with those specified by the pattern. A shocking development. It's amazing how a small thing like a gauge swatch can really help.

Now, on to the sleeves ...

Draping Knitted Fabric

2008-06-15T14:52:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it's because I learned to sew before I learned to knit that I'm intrigued by the idea of creating knitted garments in a similar fashion to garments that are sewn from fabric. Lily Chin's design, "Ruched Magic," appealed to me for this reason. (Pattern is from Knitter's Magazine, Fall 2002.)

I wear the color deep red a lot and am a big fan of soft, comfortable things to put on my body, so I chose this beautiful KnitPicks' Andean Silk yarn in Hollyberry.

I've finished the back and am three-quarters of the way done with the front. Sorry, no pics yet. Look for a F.O. soon!

A Saga in Stitches!

2008-06-08T16:16:00.001-07:00

It's finally done! I put this aside for almost 7 (!) years. However, because I loved the pattern of leaves, I decided to commit myself to finishing it. "Commit" is probably a good operative word here as the steeking process nearly drove me crazy. Never having steeked before, I blithely created a steek by securing only one of the colors! What was I thinking? This gargantuan mistake had to be corrected by a lengthy process of crocheting, sewing, and creating a facing. I guess it was all worth it, as I do love the finished product!

Here you can see the pretty striping that was called for by the pattern when shaping the underarms. I don't know if you can tell, but the first repeat of the pattern is inexplicably shorter than the elongated versions higher up on the body. Did my knitting get looser as I went along?

Here is a close-up of the button placket and the sleeve design. One drawback to this pattern is it defies memorization. I literally had to check each stitch in the stranded body, and really struggled to remember the sleeve design. In the end, I gave up on the cuff design and skipped it. I actually think it looks okay plain.

Pattern: Poetry in Stitches, by Solveig Hisdal, page 160
Yarn: Hifa 2
Needles: US 1 and 2

Knitting Fever

2008-05-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

I have been knitting away feverishly in an attempt to finish up some projects so as to allay my guilt about wanting to start new ones. I finally finished the body of the Poetry in Stitches "leaves and vines" cardigan. Here it is saturated with water on my homemade blocking board:

Meanwhile the sleeves are coming along apace!

I couldn't resist trying out the Koolhaas hat, but chose the wrong yarn for it (Karabella Aurora 8). The yarn is much too sproingy for the cable pattern. The pattern actually gave me fits, but I'm determined to make another one with a different yarn and a nicer cable holder.

Given my frustration with the Koolhaas hat, I thought a Zimmerman watch cap would be just the ticket. However, I discovered two things in making these. One, my cast-on style is much too tight. And two, I don't think I decreased correctly as these seem to resemble prophylactics more than hats ...

However, I did love the brioche stitch. I highly recommend it!

Finished Object: Poetry in Stitches Cardigan, p. 54

2008-04-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

Well, it's finally done! It was a relatively quick knit (3 months as opposed to 3 years)! I'm generally pleased with how it turned out although there is definitely room for improvement (e.g., I made the sleeves a bit too baggy). I was happy with the yarn I used -- I substituted Rowan cotton glace in maritime for the recommended Hifa yarn. I do worry about it stretching out, but the design of garter stitch from side to side should mitigate against this. Here are various views of my FO:

Socks - The Newest Frontier

2008-03-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

I got a little bogged down on the two Poetry in Stitches cardigans, and so decided to make a pair of socks for the first time. I have to admit that I wondered how hard could it be ... Well, I quickly learned that it requires some new skills and the first attempt was immediately unraveled. I then discovered Terri's Socks 101 , and voila!

It took me about 2 1/2 weeks to complete the pair (not including the first false start). It's a great feeling to create something usable in such a short time.

(The husband is gamely modeling his new socks in the photo above.)

2008-03-04T07:31:00.000-08:00

Close-up

2008-01-23T11:44:00.000-08:00

Here are pictures of the Poetry Cardigan, such as it is so far. The colors did not read well at all in the photos. The yarn is a pretty blue similar to the color used for the camisole version in Poetry in Stitches.

Pictures of Knitting Projects

2008-01-23T11:37:00.001-08:00

Okay, I think I've figured out how to post pictures.
Here is the back of the "vines and leaves" cardigan:

Knitting Therapy with Liesl

2008-01-23T07:28:00.000-08:00

As a child psychologist I use knitting as my own therapy to work out the tensions (no pun intended) of the day. I am currently working on two Poetry in Stitches sweaters. "Two?" you may ask. It's not that I'm an over-achiever, it's that I got bogged down on the first one (the cardigan in the navy leaf and vine pattern on an olive green background), so I decided the best way to motivate myself would be to start on another pattern. ("Hmmm, perfectly logical," you might say).

In fact, the strategy is working so far. The second project is the Poetry Cardigan in blue. I was so eager to begin I impulsively purchased Rowan cotton glace yarn as a substitute. This forced me to engage in some complicated math (never my strong suit) in order to determine the number of yarn balls needed. I'm hoping my calculations were correct as the dye lot has now sold out.

I will post pictures of each sweater in the current states as soon as I figure out how to do so. (I am a neophyte blogger.)