Pat's Knitting and Quilting
March 29, 2007 My February/March Project Spectrum Knitting
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I love these colors, so this was easy for me, though I must admit, I am very ready for the upcoming March/April spring colors!!! I think I am on a sock binge...Sock patterns are swimming around in my head and all my sock books and sock yarn are spread about the house. There are new choices coming up for KALs too. I just started some very cool colorwork socks in black and red..... should have waited for June Spectrum colors (which are black and red) , but I couldn't!!
And on top of that - just when I thought things couldn't get better....I won 2.....yes, 2 contests this week.
March 25, 2007
I finished the Whitby's just in time to squeeze them in for Project Spectrum. They are beautiful socks.....one of my many favorite Nancy Bush sock patterns. It is such a simple cable pattern - you don't even have to count between cabling rows ....just follow the front diamond and on the row with no purls- twist the cable! So easy that this has been my "take along" sock for the past few weeks.
and a little Dulaan hat made from the scrap basket....
March 21, 2007 OK - I am ready for spring! I decided that if I'm ever going to knit a pair of socks with this yarn, it should be NOW. All I can think of is Easter Eggs when I look at it. Beautiful Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Happy Valley (Easter Egg) colorway....what better yarn is there to use at this time of year?
I bought Fiber Trends "Peak Experience Socks" pattern 3 or 4 years ago when I first started knitting socks and have never used it. The lacy look of "Angel's Rest" (one of the 2 patterns offered on this leaflet) seemed perfect for my pastel yarn. I had planned to finish the Whitby socks before starting these, but couldn't wait to see what the Lorna's Laces hand dyed would do ......looks like fun striping to me! Now that I have my preview of coming attractions, I'll be disciplined and go finish the Whitby's!
March 18, 2007
Click pictures to enlarge
Pattern: "Inside Out" (February Rockin Sock Club Kit) design by Kaci Kyler Hays Here are some close ups of the "outside" and "inside" of the cabled leg pattern
and pics of the whole sock - both sides ...
Finally on my feet with shoes...we are heading out to do errands....perfect socks for a cold snowy day like today. They fit like a dream and are so soft, warm, comfortable and cushiony!
March 15, 2007
March 11, 2007
Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl designed by Evelyn A. Clark from IK Fall 2006
Oh What a beautiful and elegant shawl! I do believe that the Baby Silk is the softest yarn that has slipped through my knitting fingers and the finished shawl reflects that wonderful heavenly softness. Size wise....an ideal fit for me. The pattern is intricate, yet easy and fun to knit up....I had no trouble with the nupps - I think a perfect combination of yarn/needles made them easy to execute. I always slow up dramatically as I get toward the end of a shawl and this one was no exception ....but this time, the completed gorgeous shawls of (check out these Swallowtails!) Beth, Maud, Monika, and Trish (who all started their shawls at about the same time I did) gave me the incentive to keep going....and I'm glad that I did! Here are a few more pictures - a little off color in a bright purpley way, but lovely anyway...
March 8, 2007 In no particular order ......
The colors are starting to look like a forest floor - subtle and beautiful. The yarn is perfectly spun, soft and squishy. The toe construction was fun and easy (I just got this kit at 4:00 yesterday afternoon and knit up the toe last night) I can't wait to continue so I better end this blog post!
March 4, 2007 The final product from my own hand-dyed yarn ......beautiful socks!!
For my never fail/never flare picot cuff, I use a knitted cast-on, twisting the stitches as I put them on the needle (makes beautiful loops to pick up). I work the hem rows on a one size smaller needle (in this case 2mm) then after my turning round ((yo, K2tog), I change to my regular needle size and knit the same # of rows before picking up my easily seen cast on loops and knitting them with the live stitches. I think I am the only one that still hasn't received my STR Club kit ....I couldn't wait and cast on a pair of Whitby Socks, from Nancy Bush's Knitting on the Road, to hold me over. I am using Sheep's Gift (Denim Colorway) from Joslyn's Fiber Farm on 2.75mm circular needles....another pair of Project Spectrum socks.
and Swallowtail is nearing the end.....
March 1, 2007 I usually don't swatch at all - NEVER for socks/hats/scarves/mittens....just seems like such a waste of my limited knitting time.....Don't get me wrong, I have gotten burned by my no swatch method! But for sweaters, I sometimes make a teeny tiny swatch just to see if I'm in the ballpark - and then I adjust from there. So here is as big a swatch as I ever make.... ooops that's a picture of the back of the swatch - oh well, you get the idea.
The scary thing about this upcoming sweater is that NO ONE else seems to have made it. When I am going to make a sweater, I always google to check and see what others have done.....what yarn/needles used, any errors, finished pictures....ANYTHING that might help me along the way. But there is NOTHING for this one.
I decided to start with the sleeves since my swatching was questionable....the base is a welt rib stitch. The front and back of the sweater also have a beautiful center lattice cable that melts right into the rib. I am using Tahki Cotton Classic #3774 - Sea Foam on US 5 needles. So far I like it! Thank you for all the kind birthday wishes - I had a great day! As for fibery gifts....My daughter Kate (who works next to a lovely yarn shop "Knit Purl" (no web site) in Sudbury, MA) gave me the most beautiful giant hank of yarn....
I also received my prize from SAM2 KAL.....
The yarn is Mama-E's C*EYE*BER FIBER in the gorgeous Autumn Harvest colorway and the pattern is designed by Chrissy and available at Gardiner Yarn Works. BEAUTIFUL!!!
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