She's finished! Whew!

I officially bound off and finished all the tassels last night. One day short of the Knitting Olympics but I've never been one to do well with KALs, I mean well...really I do! Anyway, I am very pleased with with way Lady Eleanor came out. She's so lovely even with her funky yellow bits, I've got them so why shouldn't she? I've decided not to block her because I'd like to preserve her wavy wrong side, I've been wearing her around the apt this morning (it was 10 celsius!!) with my kitty, Leo following close behind. He loves the tassels. Ah yes, the tassels... I decided against the tassels that the pattern called for. They were a bit too spiderwebby pour moi so taking a vote comprising of myself, Leo and my husband and we voted for more traditional tassels.

Drum roll please....

Here she is!

The same story here on color, the color is absolutely crazy bright in the first few pics but she's more true to herself in the last two. I am currently wearing her as I type this entry and I suspect she will become a permenant fixture around my neck until springtime!

Bed head + Lady E = Flare's Paris Style!

The details:
Pattern: Lady Eleanor from Scarf Style
Yarn: 9 skeins of Noro Silk Garden in #217, one skein for tassels.
Needles: 5.5mm Clover circulars
Dimensions: (about) 18 inches by 70 inches
Cast on: Feb 12, 2006
Cast off: Feb 27, 2006

:

Posted by Aimee at 12:44 PM, February 28, 2006
Comments (786) | TrackBacks (3)

I need a gift for my Dad's wife's birthday (yes, it was last week, and no, I didn't start this until 4 days later!) I was enamored by the Bowtie Scarf Irène made, and had an extra skein of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk DK in black. This is a much finer version of Alpaca Silk, and yields more yardage, so after some calculations, Aimee and I thought that it would be enough to make this without any more skeins. I hope we're right!

I started it during the felting expedition, to keep myself busy while I waited for the wool to do its thing. It is turning out much more delicate and lacy than the regular alpaca silk, and I love the feel of it. These are my first YOs, and I think they look really nice, if I do say so myself. (I may have to explore this lace knitting thing!)

I am hoping to make it more like a little neck scarf, like you'd wear a chiffon square, rolled and tied in a double knot at the neck--sort of 1950's Audrey Hepburn-ey. (I can just imagine it with a white button-down shirt, black capris, red lipstick and little ballet slippers. Cute!)

So I have a question. Help please!

How big is your neck?

Mine measures 13.5 inches around the larynx, but this pattern calls for 16" for a woman. Since I want it to fit tighter, I was thinking of going for 14. This yarn does not bounce back at all, so the only stretch would be results of the garter stitch. Since the yarn really has no recoil, I'm afraid that if it's too long, it will get way stretched out and head south.

Please help me! Do I have a non-average neck?

:

Posted by Ronica at 12:40 PM, February 28, 2006
Comments (8)

I finished the Marsupial Bag (including Roo and the umbilical cord) last Saturday at Katia's, but was a little nervous about the felting, so I used the leftover yarn to whip up a little test bag. It is the same principal, only smaller, with no handles.

I figured, hey--we've got a front loader machine with a 2 and a half hour wash cycle--this should felt itself!

Wrong.

I pulled it out, and it had barely changed, though the stuff in with it now had a different tint to it. (Aimee and I, during a sink test-felting of a swatch, mistakenly thought the color wouldn't run.)

So, I spent the next few hours alternately cooking, cooling, rubbing (Scotch brite pads helped out with this!), soaping, knitting, and web surfing. This is what happened.

As you can see, the bag itself didn't really shrink very much. It is definitely felted, but the shrinkage I expected didn't exactly happen. The stitches aren't invisible (probably due to the acrylic in the yarn), but are fairly tight and thick, except for a tiny hole or two at the base where I guess I missed picking up a stitch. The colors are more muted now, and I like the look of it. This sample is due for a zipper, and it will be my knitting accessories bag, for stuff like stitch markers, measuring tape, scissors and needles.

I am saving the big bag for the weekend, when I'll have more time on my hands. It's going to take a while, and I may need to borrow a bigger pot!

:

Posted by Ronica at 12:17 PM, February 28, 2006
Comments (6)

The Marsupial Bag is done! Well, the Kanga part, anyway. I've still yet to start the little added insert pocket and i-cord (which I think of as "Roo"), but they should be quick. It knit up pretty fast, and was easy to do. The hard part was figuring out how to pick up stitches (the explanation in SNB didn't quite work for me, but I figured it out by doing it as they said, then transferring the picked up stitch to the other needle.) I had a little trouble with the handles, because the pattern doesn't explain that well either, but found that it works fine if you know that after casting on the new stitches with the single cast on, you must knit the short side, cast on the other new stitches, knit the other short side, and then knit around fully, on the newly cast on stitches. Once I did that, it was cake. The handle rolls a bit, being stockinette, but I think that will all come out in the wash. (ha!)

I absolutely love how the colors ended up--the wide tiger stripes at the bottom, and then the thin ones at the top. Totally unplanned, but it looks cool! The original pattern used two different yarns, with orange at the bottom and the top third being red, but this yarn kind of gave me that effect without having to change. Very neato!

I know the pattern says it will all tighten up on felting, and not to worry about wobbly bits, but I also know whom will be using this bag. I am making it for my sister, who works in theater in the Minneapolis area (mostly Theater in the Round and Mixed Blood Players, some others). I figure this will be a good script bag, but since she does props and stage managing, she carries around a lot of extra stuff and tends to overfill her bags. Thus, while sewing in my ends, I decided to reinforce the corners where the handles join, just to make sure it will be strong when it's felted.

Stay tuned for Act III. :)

:

Posted by Ronica at 11:37 PM, February 24, 2006
Comments (6)

being the resident «knitting slacker» of the group - i decided that it was high time that promoted myself beyond "scarves" and i jumped into knitting A-REAL-PROJECT.

the chosen subject: the very same shrug that flare has finished. which i shall be copying down to almost the very last detail (same colour et all) due to the fact the rowan yarn selected doesn't come in quite the assortment of colours i'd generally wear. (side note to girls: very funny. yes, they had black but i'm "expanding" my horizons - even beyond charcoal!) of the choices presented, the merlot-esque colour sang to me and i knew-it-would-be-mine. it's actually darker than the photo portrays it to be.

after a morbidly failed attempt at using the circular needles the first time last week (do i even know HOW to knit???) - and despite the valiants attempts of resuscitation from flare - i have managed to realize that i DO indeed remember how to use these needle thingies and have managed to get far enough to give me the reassuring thought my work shall not be in vain! it hints vaguely of a SLEEVE! huzzah.

as i'm the cold-blooded member of our clan - i figure that despite the length of time this project will most likely take me to finish (i hear the sleeves seem to take F.o.r.e.v.e.r.), i think i shall be able to wear it well into june. :D

this is what i'm knitting, irene. :)

:

Posted by Kyliemac at 1:04 PM, February 24, 2006
Comments (4)

Never again will I try casting on at a Knots night.

Trying to count 136 stitches whilst listening to, and participating in, talk on a number of interesting topics (varying from Angelina and Brad now living in Paris to mother-in-laws), is not the best idea.

My 4 hours of knitting went a little like this : cast on, take half an hour to count stitches because am incapable of not participating in the gossip intellectual conversation that abounds at Knots nights, miss one stitch on the first row of a 1x1 rib, frog, cast on, take another half an hour to count stitches because am incapable of not talking, get distracted and miss another stitch and spend half an hour with a crochet hook because am too stubborn to frog and cast on again. At the end of the night? 2 1/2 cms of knitted garment completed.

Thanks to my billabong girls* for yet another evening of entertaining distraction in the guise of making progress on our knitting. Any excuse will do me, really.

*apparently Australian equivalent of "my homies"

:

Posted by Katia at 11:12 PM, February 23, 2006
Comments (6)

Had a long time to knit today. So long, I started getting a bit "funny" from staring 6 inches from my nose for too long, and had to look out the window for a while to avoid getting vertigo or something. The sides are now just a bit over 7" high.

But here's where I'm at now, and I just want to point out how cool the colors are working--it's like diagonal pink and purple tiger stripes that wrap around the bag! And the really cool part is, each skein flows into the next--ever time I've had the next skein start out in the right color. It must be Marsupial Karma or something...
You can kind of see the ridge from the "Right Twist" that forms the corner on the right side. I flattened it so you can see part of the bottom, the side and end. It measures about 14 inches along the side + along the end, so the circumference is around 28" now. I'm interested to see how much shrinkage will happen.
OK, I've bored you long enough talking about my knitting project. My husband just called me a "knitting fiend." I retaliated by calling him a "couch hog." I think it's time to call it quits for tonight.
Ta!

:

Posted by Ronica at 11:23 PM, February 22, 2006
Comments (4)

by Aimee and Ronica!

Woo hoo! We started our own mini-knitalong! Whoopee!

We're both making the Marsupial Bag from Stitch-n-Bitch, though not using the yarns called for at all. We both bought Plassard Rapsodie. Mine is a purple/pink/lilac (intense colors though--no wimpy lavendar in this yarn) and Aimee's is a navy/turquoise/blue. This bag is for my sister, for her birthday, and will be felted. We tried felting a bit of it, and it worked quite well, so we're off like a herd of turtles.

I started last night, casting on 16 for the bag bottom and gartering for 44 or 45 rows, on 7mm circular needles (though the yarn calls for 8mm needles, which I don't have, and I want it tighter to felt well, too, because the original pattern calls for two types of yarn held together.) Today I learned how to pick up stitches, though I'm not quite positive I did it right, as SNB's explanation didn't quite work for me with the circulars, but I did what I thought would work and it seems to be going OK. Then I started going round and round--with some funky little flips on the corners to make it all-structured-like. (They call that "right twist.") I've knit about 3 inches of the sides so far, and have to go to 10 before working on the handles. There have been a few bumps in the road (where did that extra loop come from? And where did that other one go?) but I've recovered, perhaps not perfectly, but I'm counting on the felting to hide that. It's like makeup, but for knitting.

Here's my photos so far. The colors may be a little wonky, but you get the idea. (Note: cool stitch marker courtesy of the ever-so-fabulous Pink Rocket.)

Here you can see the construction. We knit the bottom, pick up the sides, and knit straight up, which results in stockinette because it's in the round. (I love that you can see the camera strap at the bottom of this one. Professional, thy name is not Ronica.)

Here's Aimee's. (Passes the keyboard to Aimee.)

I usually don't do KALs but I couldn't resist this one. After the test swatch of the Plassard Rapsodie, I was intrigued to see how it would look in a felted bag. I casted on tonight and knit up one skein. I absolutely love how the colors are pooling and I think that this is going to look wicked felted!

My progress so far:

Stay tuned for more knitting and felting with Ronica & Aimee! :)

:

Posted by Ronica at 9:50 PM, February 21, 2006
Comments (1892) | TrackBacks (1)

I've decided to keep Lady Eleanor around. I was on the fence while knitting up the first skein, the yellows and the reds were a little weird for me at first especially because the other colors in this colorway are so much more subduded. I did have to cut out a section of yellow because it was just too much. So here she is 5 skeins in:

What do you think? Detail of Lady E here.

It's hard to get an accurate photo of Lady Eleanor, the colors pop more in the photo than they do in real life which is a definately plus otherwise I'd feel very clownish wearing her.

I don't think I'm going to get her finished before the Olympics end but who knows, I have very strange knitting habits so we'll see...

:

Posted by Aimee at 2:07 PM, February 21, 2006
Comments (11)

Hi, my name is Aimee and I have Knitting Attention Deficiency Disorder or as Kylie would simply call it KADD.

I couldn't focus on Lady Eleanor this weekend, it just wasn't what I felt like knitting at the moment so then I moved on to my hourglass sweater sleeves but just couldn't focus on that either (they are coming along very nicely, actually). I decided to re-organize my stash a little and found some yarn that was given to me last year by a friend and thought well this would make a nice shrug! Something fun for spring/summer so I cast on for the One Skein Wonder by Stefanie Japel at Glampyre Knits. Et voila:

I didn't follow the pattern completely, it called for moss stiched sleeves and I decided to go with ribbed sleeves to match the ribbed trim that the pattern called for around the neck line. I'm really happy with this! A fun, fast project to cure those KADD moments. One thing I must avoid at all costs right now is going to Bon Marché to "look" at yarn, thank goodness Kylie, my rock, was there to keep me in line.

:

Posted by Aimee at 11:45 AM, February 21, 2006
Comments (11) | TrackBacks (3)

When I'm not teaching, I spend my days studying for the upcoming teaching board and PhD exams. I have a pretty tight study schedule and don't allow myself to do much during the day but study. But, come night fall, I become a different person and the knitter comes out of her shell. Well, I only allow myself the pleasure of knitting if I study well during the day, pretty harsh, but at least it gets me motivated to study! By the looks of the following picture, you can guess that my studying has come along pretty well. About an hour every other night for the past week, and the front of the Rowan Cabled Capelet is done.

I love the look of it already, I'm just a little worried that it might be too small, but the yarn will stretch. Very, very fast and simple pattern. Now, the back just like the front, and then it's done! I'm really a one project at a time kind of knitter, maybe two, but any more than that, and nothing will ever get done and I get anxious, so for now, I'll stick with this and then it's onto a Gab sweater.

:

Posted by Andie at 10:36 AM, February 21, 2006
Comments (5)

I'm onto the arms of the hoodie, and since I'm using two skeins at once, it's getting a little cumbersome to carry on the train. I am trying to be disciplined with my knitting... I tend to get distracted by all these wonderful projects that I'd like to be doing too, but of course, when I am doing a bunch of things at once it takes me ages to finish them all. So I like the idea of having one big project, and maybe another little project going at the same time - something transportable.

Enter = socks.

Socks sound like the ideal mini-project, something I can easily carry around in my handbag and whip out whenever I have a spare moment. I'm certainly not adverse to trying out magic loop, if only to avoid the madness that is DPNs and the likelihood that I'll give up after only one is done ;)

So... I'm looking for suggestions for easy sock patterns as well as advice for beginning sock knitters. Toe-up, or ... whatever the opposite of toe-up is... I'm open to anything really :) Share your sock love with me!

:

Posted by Katia at 9:54 PM, February 20, 2006
Comments (8)

It's so satisfying to hear reports back from things we've made for others. The FIL Hat has been a permanent fixture in his back pocket since Christmas Day, and the Squareys (aka Monstres de Lit, Bed Monsters) are most commonly used as missiles between the beds of my 4 and 6 year old nephews. Apparently the legs are close to coming off, but thankfully my sister-in-law knows how to reattach them if necessary. Although a two-or-three-legged monster is almost more monster-ish, and possibly could add to the charm, not to mention that it may help the velocity. Satisfying indeed.

:

Posted by Katia at 9:10 PM, February 19, 2006
Comments (0)

The Super Grover Shrug is done. The original pattern (which I modified) suggested knitting 60 inches in length. I thought that was a little too long, so stopped at 55. Unfortunately, I should have stopped at 50--the neckline was just a bit too wide because the weight of the yarn stretches it out. So, being the lazy bugger that I am (who didn't want to try to find the ends I sewed in so I could frog the extra length) I decided to modify it by sewing the two sides together at one point to form a keyhole. I think it turned out pretty cute, though if I made it again, I would probably increase at the back to compensate for the weight of the yarn. The front part is wide, and I wish the back was as wide.

The stockinette stitch with a garter border turned out nice. I like how smooth it is under my fingers. It does roll just the slightest bit, but not enough to look weird. The yarn, point-virgule by plassard, is so hairy that it hides a multitude of mistakes. This can be both good and bad, because it's pretty much impossible to figure out where you went wrong!

But since this is a "once around the kitchen" project (like many of my recipes), I think it all worked out acceptably. It is warm and cozy, and I love the fuzziness. When I am wearing it, it feels like I have my security blanket draped around my shoulders. Gotta love that feeling!

PS--please ignore my very bad hair day. Thank you.

:

Posted by Ronica at 3:28 PM, February 18, 2006
Comments (9)

I found this today on the Internet:

:

Posted by Irene at 10:03 PM, February 16, 2006
Comments (10)

My current project is my first "real" item - at least, my first knitted garment that requires swatching, shaping, etc. I'm making the Hooded Jacket (to be known from now on as the Hoodie) from Jo Sharp's Family (Book Seven). I adore the loose fit and think that in this cotton blend, it would be perfect for those slightly fresh spring and summer evenings. Not being able to get Jo Sharp yarn here, and being too impatient to wait for an order from ebay, I decided to substitute the yarn with some Rowan All Seasons Cotton. The blend is almost identical, and the swatch knitted up beautifully, albeit with a few flaws (that should have warned me about what was to come...).

I've done the back and one of the front pieces, but unfortunately I cannot post any progress reports as my husband has run off to play with moose, and took the digital camera with him. So you'll have to settle for a photo of the swatch for now (and it's actually a little more purplish than in this photo).

The only problem is that cotton shows every single darn flaw. My trusty Vogue Knitting warned me about this tendency, but I soldiered on and knitted the back. My tension seems to be pretty good, but sometimes the yarn twists in on itself and the stitches look wonky - wonkiness that might not be as obvious with other sorts of yarn, but which is absolutely unforgiving with cotton. I kept going on the back, ripping it out only occasionally, when the loose stitches were really blatant.

On Saturday night, I finished the back and started on one of the sides - I learned my lesson with the cotton and I had to rip it back about 10 times overall in order to smooth out the booboos. I just bound off this evening and the end result is something that I'm really happy with - so much so that I'm considering reknitting the entire back again (even though it took me two weeks to do, in between a crazy work schedule) because I can't help seeing every single little lump and bump. I need to think about it, because even though it's something that I'm only planning on wearing around the house and for runs to the supermarket, I would like it to be relatively presentable.

I'm on such a huge learning curve with this project... I have had a hard time battling with some of the pattern directions, so much so that I rang my mum last weekend for some words of wisdom and decryption advice - she's a true legend. Checking and rechecking my rows and stitches is slowly becoming a habit, and I hope that this reflex will become more automatic as time goes on.

I'm pretty sure that, as usual, I've bitten off more than I can chew with this project. I KNEW it when I read the instructions that it was for an "intermediate" level knitter ;) I'll just have to take it slowly and not be afraid to frog... Of course, I haven't even thought about the sewing part of this yet, which is just going to render me nauseous ahead of time, so for now I'll just pretend that it will magically get put together by little faeries at the end of it all.

:

Posted by Katia at 8:15 PM, February 15, 2006
Comments (3) | TrackBacks (1)

To my KNOTs Sisters,

I love you ! Thanks for being such great friends! Lucky am I to have a bunch of friends like you.

:

Posted by Aimee at 11:59 AM, February 14, 2006
Comments (6)

A big round of applause to the Aussie Lass who ordered one (1) skein of Lorna's Laces sock yarn. When she bought said sock yarn, she read and registered the instructions that two (2) skeins of this yarn are required to make a pair of adult socks, but the Aussie Lass was obviously off with the faeries when she put in her order for only one (1) of the aforementioned skeins.

So it's time to quickly order another one. And try to resist buying any more whilst I'm at it. Day 9 of the self-imposed Yarn Diet and I'm already breaking the rules.

:

Posted by Katia at 7:42 PM, February 13, 2006
Comments (3)

I had mentioned before that if I'd finished my Turtleneck Shrug on time I'd participate in the Knitting Olympics. I didn't officially cast on Lady Eleanor until last night because Friday night there was a power issue chez ma copine and we decided that pizza and beer was the only way to solve the problem.

So, today while watching the ladies half pipe and women's biathalon I worked on my Lady E. One skein down and only 9 more to go. I am using less skeins then the patters calls for in hopes that it's more of a scarf then a shawl. And I only have 10 skeins of Noro Silk Garden 217, so that's that!

I love the color in the skein but knit up it's kind of strange. A lot more red and yellow than I had anticipated but I'm not going to give up on Lady E for now. I must say that Entrelac is a real pleasure to knit. Once you have the pattern down, it's really fun! I have to admit that reading in the book totally confused me and it took three tries before I got it going the right way but I'm really enjoying Entrelac now. I hope you all have a chance to try it.

So, what do you think?

Another photo here.

:

Posted by Aimee at 6:55 PM, February 13, 2006
Comments (8) | TrackBacks (2)

Studying or no studying, I couldn't go to bed tonight without finishing these cabled/laced wristwarmers that were supposed to be given as a Christmas gift. After weeks of promising, tomorrow is the last day I can give them to the recipient who is going away for a couple weeks on vacation.

Pre-blocking:

Blocking:

And of course a little helper who loves to play with his momma's yarn:

This pattern wasn super easy and a great project for first time cables and lace. Made of Rowan Kid Classic out of the Rowan Fall 2005 issue.

:

Posted by Andie at 9:47 PM, February 11, 2006
Comments (5)

...sort of..

Knitting in 2006 represents two things for me.

1. Socks. I know, I know everyone is doing it but I can't help myself. The beautiful colors, the interesting designs, the portability. Right now I am finding it hard to fit knitting into my schedule but when I can grab a few moments inbetween a diaper change and feeding, the sock satisfies my need to knit. Also, socks are a great way to learn and practice new techniques. Lace, Fair Isle, anything you can imagine but on a smaller scale. I have started a few projects and so far I am really enjoying them...but we will save that for another post.

2. Taking my time and not being afraid to go backwards. Too often I rush through my knitting projects. I don't bother too fix mistakes usually convincing myself that no one will notice or that "I am just knitting this for myself." I have never really properly finished a project - making sure that everything looks neat and professional. And let's add to that: actually finishing projects. So much of knitting is about the process for me and not the finished product but it is silly to have loads of unfinished works of art and labor sitting around you. There is also a satisfaction that comes from admiting your mistake and pulling out those two rows to fix that one stitch.

So, I have imposed a yarn buying strike on myself and I am slowly but surely trying to "tie up some loose ends"...

Here we have the back of the "Purple" Cable Sweater from Rebecca Baby+Kids #8. It is called Turquoise in the magazine because it is, well, Turquoise. Sadly, I just couldn't capture the true color of my sweater today. It is a dark, warm purple that I just want to cuddle up with (and soon will be able to since it is a 6 month size.)

And here we have a sleeve. The yarn is GGH Samoa. I love love love this yarn. I talked about my frustrations with GGH Goa in an earlier post so I was bit worried about it's little sister. But, I was pleasantly surprised. It is so soft and spongy. It has a nice matte finish to it and it was great to knit with.

So, now we wait. This is all I could fit on my little ironing board. Once these are dry, I will move onto the other two pieces. Then I will focus on doing a proper job in the sewing department. More to come.

:

Posted by Sarah at 1:43 PM, February 11, 2006
Comments (6)

Check out this mini swatch I made of some kool-aid dyed yarn I made a few weeks ago with Sarah. I really love how the stripes are coming out. According to our kitchen scale it weighs 53g so maybe I can make a pair of ankle socks? What do you think?

Les détails:
Yarn: no name 100% wool
needles: Addis circs 2.5mm
Gauge: about 9sts/inch

:

Posted by Aimee at 4:09 PM, February 10, 2006
Comments (7) | TrackBacks (1)

Any ideas? I could knit up socks but I am not feeling socks with this yarn. It's trying to tell me something but I just can't figure it out?

Edit: Some details would be nice, huh? It's Kona Superwash 100% Merino wool with it's gauge set at 5-6 sts/inch

:

Posted by Aimee at 5:35 PM, February 7, 2006
Comments (12)

This past weekend we were in Etienne's hometown of Nancy, France where it might as well be Siberia with the blistering winter weather, including snow. I hurried to weave in as many of the Colinette ends as I could because I figured that even if the sweater is a little bulky, it will sure be warm enough to handle the cold weather. And, it was, and I didn't think it looked *too* bad on me, okay a little bulky, but it was just a big sweater. So I thought.

Obviously the striking vibrant colors automatically draw attention to the sweater, so afterwards, the question is whether or not how it looks on you will draw positive or negative attention. When we met Etienne's mom at the train station, she gave me a once over and then didn't say anything, so I assumed that the sweater didn't look too great. Then when we got to Etienne's uncle's, I walked in and there was an awkward silence after I walked in, so to break the silence my loving husband whispers to his cousin "Tell her, her sweater looks good" but no one said anything. I get the picture. Usually, my MIL compliments on something when she really likes it and if the sweater looked good, it deserved some compliments, call me paranoid, but I just don't think it's ready to be worn yet. Tried the ribbon thing but didn't like it after all, the only solution is to use size 15s and reknit. In the meantime, the Colinette sweater is going into hibernation, hopefully to be taken back out again early next fall when I have more patience.

:

Posted by Andie at 3:07 PM, February 7, 2006
Comments (3)

Look what I got today! Along with a box full of goodies, Pink Rocket sent me this great knitting book, a necklace like this one and this oh-so-wonderful-I-can't-believe-it's-mine needlecase! I bet Kylie is happy now because I've been drooling over hers for the past three weeks.

thank you sooooooo much Shanna!

:

Posted by Irene at 10:13 AM, February 7, 2006
Comments (3)

Finally! I started this shrug late last year and got stuck in no man's land with the repetitive k3, p3 put it aside and decided to pick it up last week and finish it! I set a goal for myself saying that I would not be able to particiate in the Knitting Olympics unless I finished this shrug! It's done, done and done! I'm very happy with it. It's a weird shrug as my back is totally exposed but I love how it looks with t-shirts. The Rowan kid classic is so soft and warm the creator of this shrug made a good choice to use this yarn.

I think that I will probably wear this shrug as a scarf too. I feel like it gives me knitting super powers! Definately something to wear while knitting at home during the Knitting Olymics. :)

Les détails:
Yarn: Rowan Kid Classic in shade 825
Needles: Clover 4.5mm circulars (40cm)

:

Posted by Aimee at 10:59 PM, February 6, 2006
Comments (7) | TrackBacks (1)

Introducing: the Super Grover Shrug!!! (Note: no muppets were harmed in the making of this garment.)
It's not finished yet, but more progress made last night while watching Dr. Who (season 18).

Turns out at some point I made a mistake and ended up with an extra loop on my needles. I tried to find it and frog to there, but this yarn is really hard to see, so I eventually just gave up and knit two together and kept on going.

It's Point-Virgule (;) by Plassard. So far I have only used 1.75 balls, and it's probably 1/3 to 1/2 done. (Good thing I bought the extra one, Aimee!) I am doing a sort of pattern, sort of not. I started doing a pattern sort of like this one, but found it was way too huge for what I wanted, so I modified it to the size I am doing. I cast on 25, which ended up to be 27 within a few rows (woops, didn't notice at the time) and then 28 and now 27 again. It's about 9 inches in width, so will be a little capelet style. The initial mistake made for a nice rounded corner, so I am enjoying the happy accident.

I am knitting stockinette with a garter border (3 stitches on each side). You really can hardly tell, due to the yarn, but I like the smooth feel and the way the little bits end up a bit more random than with garter stitch.

I will keep knitting until I like the length, and then sew the end of the short side to the opposite end's long side, resulting in a sort of cone thing. The point can be worn wherever you like--front, side, or back (Look at my butt!!!)

I have a little capelet I got for Xmas from my inlaws, and I love wearing it because it feels like walking around with your Wubbie on your shoulders all day. I am planning on wearing this one with black or ivory or purple turtlenecks and jeans.

:

Posted by Ronica at 2:24 PM, February 5, 2006
Comments (4)

I've been a busy bee over the last month or so, and have been churning out the accessories like there is no tomorrow.

First off the mark is a pair of felted wristwarmers. I actually knitted these up at the end of October last year, but the first wear stretched them out so much that I couldn't wear them anymore. I used Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk in a lovely teal colour, cast on about 30 stitches and knitted them in 1x1 rib.

So at Christmas I decided to throw them in the washing machine and see what would happen. And voilà the result :

After I washed them I set them out to dry, somehow I managed to forget them for about a month. It was only when Aimee pulled out her magnificent felted creation that I remembered about my own felting experiment and had to dig through a pile of neglected ironing to find them again. The ribbing means that the felted result is very textured, and I love the little flecks of light green in amongst the dark. I can't believe how soft they turned out - they're so warm and comfortable that I have been wearing them nearly every day.

I have a copy of Debbie Bliss Home, which has a pattern for a superadorable felted bag, so I think I'm going to make that with some of the Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk that I bought in last years sales.

Next on the list is a super-simple little crochet scarf - there was nothing complicated about this baby.

I used Anny Blatt Cashmir'anny in Paon, and crocheted two strands of yarn together, with a size 4,5 crochet hook in double crochet stitch. I think I cast on about 15 stitches and it measures about 1 metre. It was a very fast project, and next time I think I would like to add a bit of decorative edging on the ends. It was a good way of practicing my double-crochet stitch!

After that was a cowl, using the cowl pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. I used Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk in Teal, and cast on 104 stitches.

I was disappointed by the extensive rolling at the top and the bottom (because everyone could see where I had sewn in the ends), so I adjusted it after this photo was taken, by folding over the top and the bottom at the purl row and sewing it inside, to make a sort of hem. It doesn't roll now and looks far more "finished". I'd make the pattern again, only I would reduce the number of stitches to about 86, to make it a little smaller.

And last but not least, a little scarf using Laïka from Bouton d'or in the brightest of bright pinks. I cast on 24 stitches, and knitted 3 rows moss stitch at the beginning and end, with stocking stitch for the main body, and 3 stitches of moss stitch on each side. This really helped reduce the rolling effect of the stocking stitch. It's really the perfect sort of scarf for a grey and dreary day and never fails to cheer me up when I'm heading out the door for work in the dark at 6.30am!

So, with so many little projects done, I have embarked on a bigger one... But that's another post for another day...

:

Posted by Katia at 12:28 PM, February 4, 2006
Comments (4)

While shopping today at the Bon Marché I happened to ask the Rowan lady if they sold ball winders? I asked for a machine a bobiner. Not sure if that's the actual word for a ball winder but she smiled and disappeared into the back and came out with a box that said ball winder on it. A few women had gathered around after hearing me ask for this weird contraption as the the woman explained to me how to use it. We laughed how we'd no longer need out husbands to hold the hanks while we made our balls of yarn. I have some of the most delightful conversations with French ladies at the yarn counter. Don't you think that knitting is a very social activity? But it hasn't seemed to have soaked in with French women yet. We'll win them over, won't we Knots sisters? It was nice just looking around today at the Bon Marché, the sales woman at Phildar counter knows me and we always stop and exchange our hellos and what not and the Rowan lady acknowledged me today and asked how my shrug was going. I see more and more French ladies knitting in public maybe someday I'll have one over for tea and yarn cakes. ;)

:

Posted by Aimee at 7:14 PM, February 3, 2006
Comments (5)

I got some cool yarn, Rhapsodie by Plassard, at Bon Marché to knit something for my sister. Her birthday's coming up in April, but I didn't know what to make. (As I said before, I am sick of scarves.) So the KNOTs gals came to my rescue, and suggested that since this beautiful bright warm pink, soft eggplant and intense lilac yarn was 72% Merino Wool (and only 28% acrylic) that it should felt very well. (That's the only way to describe these colors--they're really vivid!!!)

Our own Flare came over to my place after our meeting, and over tea and cookies, Miss Aimee helped me find a cool pattern in Stitch and Bitch (which I still haven't given back to Katia yet!!!) So we decided to experiment and see if it would work.

Here's the little swatch we knitted and felted in the bathroom sink. It seems like it's working! So, I am going to attempt to knit a Marsupial Bag (with or without the marsupial), and Miss Flare may knit along--she loved the yarn. I do too--it's very cool! I am also going to knit a swatch and attempt to machine felt it with some towels to see what happens. (Katia had good luck with her wrist warmers in Alpaca Silk, so we'll see what I can do.) My first felting! I am so excited.

I really hope this turns out, because my little sis is turning 30 this year, and I want to give her something as cool and unique as she is! It should be just the right size for her to carry her scripts in (my sister, Roxanne [aka "Rock"] does theater work in the Twin Cities.) Wish me luck!

:

Posted by Ronica at 1:07 AM, February 3, 2006
Comments (5) | TrackBacks (1)

Here's a baby bonnet I made for this little cutie's birthday this month.

I found the pattern in my new Bible and used Rowan's kid classic. I feel pretty proud about this project because it was something I thought I could never knit just two weeks ago. I feel like I've learned so much during the last couple of days. I am no longer nervous when I read a pattern and don't understand some parts. I know I will learn. I will find out. I am much more confident now and it is affecting my life in so many various ways.

Meet my dog, Finn!

:

Posted by Irene at 10:26 PM, February 2, 2006
Comments (10)

Here's a bow-tie scarf with Debbie Bliss Alpaca & Silk for my husband's friend's daughter and probably future daughter-in-law. I know, we're crazy parents. Pink Rocket sent me the pattern last week and spent two hours helping me via IM last night! Thank you Shanna!

I love it so much I think I'm going to make another one for me!

:

Posted by Irene at 6:15 PM, February 1, 2006
Comments (14) | TrackBacks (2)