Pat's Knitting and Quilting
November 29, 2011 They turned out much prettier than I expected!
I looked up every online source I could fine - some of which included: The Yarn Harlot where the idea took hold of me, Knitty Tutorial, Various You Tube Videos, The Painted Tiger, SpinalCat, and of course a Ravelry Group - Hanky Mania - then came up with my own way of doing it using a conglomeration of the best of all these sources. I realize how much I love learning something new! The main thing I found to be helpful for ease of knitting and maintaining a consistent fiber size was to draft as I went along. I just pulled out the hanky to about 1 yard in length and drafted the fiber as needed while knitting. Very quickly I could "feel" the right size for a worsted weight yarn.
Pattern: Troubadour Mittens from Morehouse Farm- I love this simple nicely shaped pattern - have made these before
A great experience - and fun to know that I can actually do it! They are so so soft - I know I want this silky fabric around my neck, so I bought some gorgeous hand dyed deep purple hankies from AllSpunUp to knit into a cowl or scarf. This comment system does not give me access to your email, so I am unable to respond. If you have a question and would like an answer, there is an email link on my upper right sidebar - Please email me . I ALWAYS answer emails so if you don't get an answer, check your spam box.
November 21, 2011 Well - looks like it's Seaman's Caps for everyone :) I took the hat order from Dave - needed to be warm - cover ears, but not itchy on ears and forehead, enough head space so he doesn't need to stretch it down. I gave him fiber options and he picked this deep rich Spirit Trails Mixed BFL.
Spun it into thickish singles and decided on a regular 3 ply for warmth and muted colors.
3.2 ounces/111 yards of aran weight yarn and a little bit of chain plied leftovers (which become important!)
The only problem is that even with the softness of BFL, I knew it would be slightly itchy on his ears forehead, so decided to add a band of handspun cashmere inside.
47 grams/ 150 yards of 2 ply fingering weight cashmere
Hmmm - it fits me too!
Pattern: Seaman's Cap by Brenda Zuk - Ravelry Link
Here's where that tiny bit of chain plied yarn came in handy - thank goodness!!
and on the very serious intended recipient who really likes his new hat!
Today I'm washing some pure Merino fleece - so naturally beautiful! This comment system does not give me access to your email, so I am unable to respond. If you have a question and would like an answer, there is an email link on my upper right sidebar - Please email me . I ALWAYS answer emails so if you don't get an answer, check your spam box.
November 14, 2011 I've wanted to make a Darkside Cowl for years and have had the perfect yarn for it just waiting on the sidelines. I was in such a hurry to start that I didn't read the directions and just started right in on the pattern stitch rows - ooops - I was supposed to purl a round 1st to make a nicer bottom edging. Oh well, I kind of like the unfinished wavy look.
Pattern: Darkside Cowl by Sarah Fama (free pdf link)
I'm a little late to the silk hankie party, but I'm so excited to start this new project. Marcy and I are having our own little "unspun silk hankie mitten KAL". I'm using BMFA Silk Hankies/ Mawatas in "Debra Anna" colorway - I LOVE these colors!
What a wild sticky fun mess - I quickly learned that I should NOT use Knit Picks pointy wooden needles - the silk sticks like glue to the needles and the tips catch every little bit of fiber. I've switched to dull Addies and it's SO much easier. I've also learned that I should finish drafting the fiber as I knit as opposed to drafting out a whole hankie layer and then knitting.
I'm sure I'll be learning more as I progress, but so far so good :) This comment system does not give me access to your email, so I am unable to respond. If you have a question and would like an answer, there is an email link on my upper right sidebar - Please email me . I ALWAYS answer emails so if you don't get an answer, check your spam box.
November 4, 2011 The process began in April 2010 when I spun this gorgeous 75% BFL 25%Silk Fiber, beautifully hand dyed (Ice Cave) by Kristin from AllSpunUp, into 230 yards of worsted weight 3 ply yarn (110 grams)
When I recently started to knit again, I picked up this yarn, cast on 90 stitches and started knitting around and around just to see how my hands/elbows held up. I knit for about 10" then decreased for the crown and voila...
Pattern: My own - 90 stitches on US 6 circular needle - knit and knit and knit :) But then I still had some yarn left over - enough for colorwork, so I spun 60 grams of this beautiful Hubert Farms grey alpaca roving
to make 106 yards of soft lovely worsted weight 2 ply yarn
which I combined with the hat leftovers for some soft warm BFL/Silk/Alpaca mittens.
And then to make them even more special, I used leftover handspun cashmere/silk lace yarn from Clothilde and made the softest linings you could ever imagine.
Pattern: Hangvar from The Mitten Book by Inger and Ingrid Gottfridsson
As soon as I finished knitting, it snowed just so I could wear them - PERFECT! This comment system does not give me access to your email, so I am unable to respond. If you have a question and would like an answer, there is an email link on my upper right sidebar - Please email me . I ALWAYS answer emails so if you don't get an answer, check your spam box.
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