Pat's Knitting and Quilting
<< October 2006 //Main//December 2006>> November 30, 2006
Final decision....unravel from the bottom and knit to the top which is just what I did. I used every last inch of yarn.
I have 3 more pairs of mittens just started - "Anatolian Mittens" and "Aran Island Mittens" both from Folk Mittens, and "Toubadour Mittens" from Morehouse Farm. I will take some pictures when I am far in enough that you can see something. (are you getting sick of mittens yet?) November 27, 2006 These pretty mittens from the Land of the Midnight Sun are so soft, comfy and warm. With the color pattern changes it is easy to just keep on knitting so you can see what the mitten will look like after the next row .
This is the 2nd pair of mittens I've made with Baby Cashmere - the first were made with a single thickness on 2.25 mm needles and are elegant and soft, but not nearly as warm as these...I've got 2 or 3 more pairs planned using this yarn....I love it for mittens.
November 24, 2006 All of a sudden I want to make mittens. I've decided to make them as Christmas gifts so there will be a few mitten posts coming up. My plan is to make beautiful mittens and THEN decide who will get each pair. Warm Lopi mittens are the 1st up. I have a pile of leftover Lopi from past sweaters so there will probably be a few pairs of these. Quick knit on US 10 needles and oh so warm and fuzzy!
Pattern: Lopi Mittens from Alafoss Lopi No. 12 Now for some color.....
These are the "Mittens from Lapland" in Folk Mittens by Marcia Lewandowski. I would love to eventually make all the mittens in this book...a wonderful variety from all over the World. I am using Elann Peruvian Baby Cashmere doubled to approximate worsted weight on 2.75 mm circulars. I just measured and they are a bit small so I'm going to switch and do the rest with one 3 mm Inox 40" circular - not much difference, but maybe a little to increase the palm size. I really like the plaited edge on the cuffs. November 21, 2006 Shedir was a fun and quick knit ....I couldn't stop - just wanted to keep going to see what it would look like and I love the finished product! I used Rowan Calmer, a new yarn for me, and I love the cotton softness and springiness. Shedir is one of the most comfortable hats I've made. As an additional bonus it is a hat that is noticed even by people who never notice my knitting....something about those cables and that beautiful star top. I modified the pattern minimally by eliminating one of the main pattern repeats (I only used 4 repeats) and I'm glad I did that ....it fits perfectly.
One more picture....off of my head
November 16, 2006 I am enjoying twisting and turning stitches on 2 current small projects. 1st up are the slow moving, but beautiful Austrian Diamond socks. I love it when something I knit makes me smile and I smile every time I look at these socks - I don't know if it's the brightness or the elegant pattern or both.  Next is Shedir by Jenna Wilson. I have loved this pattern since I 1st saw it in Knitty several years ago, but it wasn't until I saw Brooklyn Tweed's version that I knew I had to make it NOW. I am using Rowan Calmer in Khaki shade and 3.25mm 16" circular. For some reason this is an addicting knit for me and I think I will finish it quickly.
In my experience when I first look at a chart it always looks so confusing and I can't imagine I will ever 'get it' , but then when I start to knit it all comes together and makes sense, eventually flowing and quite simple and predictable....even memorizable! That's is what has happened with these 2 charts....the twists and turns are all flowing. On another note......Look what I got in the mail yesterday. They are beautiful handmade sock blockers made in Austria by Monika's woodworking Dad. Monika is special to me as she was the very 1st person (other than my family) to comment on my blog when I didn't even know if anyone was looking at it. I've been enjoying her blog ever since and believe me, her needles really are smoking . Thank you, Monika! As you can see from the photo, they are the perfect size for Dave's socks (my other blockers are tiny and only work for my socks) so now my bigger socks will be able to be displayed with style too!
November 13, 2006 Real Knitting on the Road We went to Portland, Maine this weekend and on the way I did some true Knitting on the Road and finished my Traveler's Stockings which was the pattern for the October/November Knitting on the Road Along.
These are just beautiful socks though you can't see that so well in the photos. I couldn't wait until a sunny day like I should have (it is pouring here) and the flash seems to bounce off the slight sheen from the silk which makes the pattern all but disappear. In real life the pattern shows up wonderfully even thought the yarn is darkish as you can see in this progress picture. I love the KnitPicks "Gloss"- it is oh so soft and cushiony. The ONLY problem I had with it was it tended to split a bit with the traveling stitches so I had to be sure I didn't leave any tiny bits behind.
Oh and Dave's hat is done too....
November 9, 2006 I've decided to use my Tahki Donegal Tweed (color 862)to make the Knitting Pure and Simple Neck Down V Neck Cardigan. This is a wonderfully simple pattern - and I think the perfect sweater to wear with jeans. My only decisions will be what stitch to use for the ribbing and button bands....I'm leaning toward garter ridges or seed stitch, but I don't have to make that decision quite yet. My gauge seems to be close using a US 7 (4.5mm) needle (4.5 stitches/inch. I didn't swatch - just using the beginning of the sweater as a swatch) and I'm getting a nice dense fabric which is just what I wanted. The Tahki Donegal Tweed is strange yarn - It's almost like the yarn strand is felted. It has taken awhile to get used to the feel of it. I really like the color...a denimy blue with flecks maroon, navy, black and cream.
After starting this hat, I realized that all my current projects are mindless knitting -which, don't get me wrong, I LOVE at times (even the Traveler's Stockings have become easy now that I'm on the foot - easy, not fast!). But last night I was craving a chart...something stimulating for those times when I want to be challenged. I didn't feel like making lace and I'm waiting for a needle I ordered to make Shedir - SO I decided on these beautiful socks in Knitters Fall 2006 issue. Austrian Diamonds by Candace Eisner Strick. It is a twisted knit pattern on a field of reverse stockinette.
November 5, 2006 Must Have Cardigan I love this sweater! It is everything I hoped it would be which is surprising since I messed around with the pattern so much. The fit is wonderful and the cable pattern shows up so well with the Briggs and Little heathered wool. I finished it yesterday and have been wearing it ever since. We went into Boston last night to the Wheelock Family Theatre to see the play "Holes" ( Connor's all time favorite book) - a perfect evening for wearing my new cardigan. Today is a beautiful fall day ( about 46 F) and I wore the sweater on a nice walk.
I did make some changes to the pattern. In the Paton's pattern the main cables were not symmetrical so I changed the twist to make them so. I also adjusted the ribbing so it flowed into the cables smoothly. I did not use smaller needles for the ribbing because I did not want it to pull in. I made the armholes longer and adjusted the top of the arms accordingly. I lengthened the body and inch or so and shortened up the sleeves a few inches because they would have covered my whole hand if I had followed the directions. If I could change one thing I would have made a better buttonhole and would have placed it in the purls of the band ribbing, but I'm not willing to go back and change it now! The next sweater.....
November 1, 2006 Starting today I am exclusively working on my "Must Have Cardigan" until it is DONE! I really like this sweater and want to wear it now, so I must finish it! Here is where it stands right now..... I just joined the shoulders and picked up the button bands .
The sleeves are done and it looks like they will fit into the armholes which is surprising with all the adjusting that I did. Hopefully my next post will be showing this sweater FINISHED! I have turned the heel on the Traveler's Stockings.... and I should easily complete these before December when the next KOTR along project begins.
At this point (when a sweater is almost done) I start making plans for the next big project - Right now I am thinking maybe a simple basic cardigan like the V Neck Cardigan from Knitting Pure and Simple made from some stash Tahki Donegal Tweed. OR The Braids Cardigan from stash KnitPicks Wool of the Andes or Andean Silk. OR my new favorite pattern, Irish Moss Cardigan by Nancy Bush, from The Best of Knitter's Arans and Celtics from stash Jo Sharp SilkRoad DK Tweed. OR something else.... I have a ball of Rowan Calmer and I want to make this hat too (Whenever he makes something it always looks so much better than the original!) I also added the Dulaan Project button to my sidebar, so I have some Dulaan knitting to do before July 2007! I think I better join |
