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Pattern: Revontuli-Huivi (Northern Lights Shawl) by AnneM
Yarn: Kauni Effektgarn in EQ
Needles: Addi Turbos US 9
Notes: I don’t remember the last time I enjoyed knitting something this much. I have absolutely no complaints about the pattern and you’ve already heard my one complaint about the yarn so not much to say! Well, except that I LOVE it.
I think I’m going to make another one eventually in a different colorway. Maybe in a blue or rust color. But for now, I’m very happy with the one I already have.
Work has been slow so I’ve been able to work on the Revontuli (Northern Lights) Shawl. I’ve basically got 5 hours a day to knit so I’ve been plowing through this thing and it’s been very exciting. The pattern is very simple but the yarn is fantastic. I love watching the colors change. I’m on the last handful of rows so I was looking forward to finishing the shawl today at work and getting home to block it. BUT (there’s always a but) the yarn has let me down (or maybe, I let myself down). Just as the blue was fading into violet, out comes BRIGHT orange:
The worst part is I KNEW this would happen. I had read many comments on this yarn and almost all of them had mentioned an awful color splice. I had actually been carrying around a second ball of Kauni for the past two weeks but decided yesterday it was taking up too much space in my bag. Now, I have to sit here, staring at my almost finished shawl.
A couple of months ago I signed up for the Ravelry Scarf Exchange. I decided to knit Parallelograms from Knitting New Scarves.
I used Cascade 220 and Tahki Torino. I chose the yarn based on color. I liked the idea of using two different reds. The Cascade 220 is a actually a heather red color but it looks orange next to the Torino.
I also included some soaps I made a couple of months ago (unemployment breeds new hobbies) and a knit dishcloth made from Tahki Cotton Classic.
I put the package in the mail yesterday. I hope she likes it!
In other news: Conor and I found an apartment in New Haven! I am so pumped. It’s so perfect how Sami was looking to get rid of her apartment which, ended up being the perfect place for us. It was just meant to be. It’s got tons of space which means I’m getting my craft room! It’s also really close to Yale so no more driving to work everyday. I think I’m going to save up the money I would have spent on gas (about $50 a week) and buy a bike in the fall.
Well, I’m off to go camping in Maine!
Coachella was a disaster. I was a third of the way done when I decided to try it on. Perfect fit! Nice drape, low neckline but not too low. I took it off and knit a few more inches. I tried it on again and it hung so low, that if I wore it, everybody would get a show. Tess Microfiber Ribbon was just a bad, bad choice. It’s 100% nylon with no memory. I might start Clapotis with it and probably never finish it. Anyway, I did finish a successful item this past weekend:
It’s the Everlasting Bagstopper! and boy, is it everlasting! Look at that baby stretch (the good kind of stretch, not the kind that exposes your chest to the world):
I used Little Barn Cotton and Eco-Spun which, is made with cotton and recycled soda bottles. Perfect yarn for a market bag. I was going to knit the handles but decided that they would most likely stretch and die. I went for apple green ribbon instead. I machine sewed the handles on and they seem really sturdy and you can barely see the stitching.
My mom wants one for her trip to Aruba (ooh-la-la). She wants to make sure she has a big enough bag for shopping. Now, I just need to find a cotton or hemp yarn in the bright, happy yellow color she described to me.
In other news, I’m still working at Yale temporarily but they’ve extended the job a couple of months and I’m moving to New Haven soon. We’re still looking but we’ve narrowed it down to two places. Just waiting on a couple of things before we can decide.
I moved into a new apartment with Conor a couple of weeks ago and it is oh so very nice to feel independent again. I’ve been pretty busy so I haven’t done a ton of knitting lately but I did manage to finish the Lace Ribbon Scarf and I love it:
I ended up using about 1.25 skeins of Alpaca Sox on size 3 needles. When I first cast on for this project, I was in love. I loved the yarn and the lace pattern was interesting but still easy enough to memorize. But still, I got pretty sick of knitting a scarf out of sock yarn on size 3 needles. At about 60 inches I thought I was going to lose my mind. I bitched my way through the last 20 inches and Conor can vouch for that. The colors in the above photo aren’t really accurate. The pink is a lot less electric:
So, I’ve decided to practice project monogamy and seriously, only work on one thing at a time. This does not count for things I started before I made this decision (about 3 weeks ago) so Rusted Root and various half-knit socks will remain WIPS for life. I made one exception while knitting Lace Ribbon Scarf but only because it was a gift. Check it out:
It’s the Bearded Toque. My buddy, Al, requested this around Christmas time. I totally meant to start and finish it before winter was over but of course, I ended up starting it a week before his birthday when the temp starts reaching mid 70’s. There’s always next winter!
Next up: Pomatomus with the leftover Alpaca Sox. They may be socks or they might just end up being fingerless gloves to match the scarf.
Oh, and I know I haven’t gone to SnB in like 3 weeks but I’m going tonight!
So I went to MD Sheep & Wool this past weekend and it was awesome. I had never been to one so I didn’t know what to expect but basically you have the opportunity to buy a ton of yarn, check out other handmade goodies, eat fair food, see some animals and maybe pick up a new hobby or two. I did all five of those things. This is going to have to be told in a series of photos:
First, we checked out Tess Designer Yarns where I bought some Microfiber Ribbon Yarn:
I plan on making Coachella with this yarn. This stuff is so silky, I can’t wait to be wearing it. I’ve heard it’s difficult to knit with because it’s so slippery and there are some weird winding instructions. I’m just going to knit directly from my swift so I can avoid any tangles. That means the project won’t be portable but that’s ok, I bought plenty of yarn to start many new projects.
Next, we hit up the The Fold, where Karen was nice enough to hold a place in line for us while we shopped. Check it out:
The first photo shows where the line begins and where we were standing. The next, shows how many people were behind us. Socks that Rock is like crack to these people. I was just curious enough to try it:
After I bought the sock yarn, I told myself I was done. Let’s see how that worked out:
I ended up getting some Koigu mill ends, Little Barn Cotton and Eco-Spun (perfect for a market bag), a drop spindle and of course, some roving to learn on. It looks like I’m going to be super busy until next year’s MD Sheep & Wool. I also bought some non-knitting related items including a needle felting kit and some awesome prints from Connie Tögel. You have got to check her stuff out.
So, all in all I had a great time at the festival and hanging out with some cool knitters. Thanks for inviting me, Heidi!
This weekend, Conor and I spent over 7 hours total in the car. On Saturday, our first stop was Creative Fibers, my absolute favorite LYS in Connecticut. I figured since I was going to be in the car a lot, I should get some emergency knitting supplies. I brought along some socks I’ve been working on but I haven’t been super excited about knitting them so I needed a back up project.
The scarf is knit using Stacy Charles Ritratto. It’s so fuzzy and sparkly and not me at all but for some reason, I was drawn to it. The socks are Regia Galaxy which totally reminds me of an 80’s sci-fi movie. Conor calls these my laser socks. So back to the trip. On Saturday, after hitting the yarn store, we went to Boston so Conor could bottle some of his homebrew he made with our pal, Carleton. They’re officially known as C&C Brewing Factory (get it? get it?). Anyway, on Sunday we headed to Northampton to see The Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, speak. I have to say, I think her books and blog are pretty funny but she is HILARIOUS in person. Conor was even cracking up.
I went to Webs before the event and got my book signed. I got a little shy when it was my turn and forgot to say ANYTHING. No big deal. I’ll be sure to at least say “hey” next time. Maybe it was just the yarn-induced coma I was in that prevented me from speaking. This weekend was my first time at Webs and I was blown away. Especially, by the walls of discounted yarn in the back of the store. I spent way more than I should but everything was discounted and I came home with some great stuff. Photo time!
WALL OF YARN!
Conor gets attacked
Cascade 220 Heathers (I’m thinking vest)
Alpaca Sox (maybe for the Lace Ribbon Scarf)
Great Adirondack Yarn Co. Soxie
Austermann Step (Socks for Conor)
I’m starting to think I have a thing for vests. Not all vests, just knit vests. The new issue of Knitty came out and immediately I was drawn to the two vest patterns:
and
The first, Talia, is going to require some modifications. It’s a little too long and I’m not crazy about some of the design details but I am drawn to the shape of it. The second, Honeycomb, is perfect. The stitch detail plus the tweedy yarn makes this an excellent vest for fall. Of course, I can’t start either of these because I’m currently working on three things: Wicked, Rusted Root and Mystic Waters Lace Shawl. I also need to hit up the sewing machine soon. My mind has been drifting towards summer dresses.
It looks like I’ll be visiting California sometime in the coming months. I’m hoping to set up some job interviews in and around San Francisco. I haven’t had much luck here so I’m hoping there might be something for me on the opposite side of the country. Even if I don’t get a fabulous job there, I’d rather work a crappy job there than here.
what a cute little sock you’ve started there:
I mean, it’s not perfect but the teal and brown seem to go okay together. Oh, but wait…what is that awful pink clump I see on the bottom stripe? oh! right! That’s the fugly pink part of the yarn that you should have cut out!
I knew it was ugly from the start but I thought it would grow on me. It hasn’t. Do I rip it out? Keep it? Enjoy the ugly? Sometimes I like ugly. Decisions!
Sorry for the poor quality of my camera phone. I’m updating at work and what else would I be doing besides knitting? Actual work?? No way.
Pattern: Just a basic hat pattern with an argyle chart I made in Excel.
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of Andes
Needles: Susan Bates US 8 circular
Notes: Conor has been asking me for this hat for I don’t even know how long. I saw that Knit Picks was having a sale, so I bought Wool of Andes in the colors Conor requested and FINALLY began the hat. I messed around in Excel and decided on a basic argyle pattern:
I duplicate stitched the orange line in and I think it came out okay. It looks lumpy but I haven’t blocked it yet. I’m waiting to make sure it fits Conor’s big head. If I were to knit it again, I’d start the argyle a little sooner but hopefully he likes it and it fits and I won’t have to knit it again.
Wool of Andes….Not sure how I feel about this yarn. I hear people compare it to Cascade 220 a lot but I have to say, I think Cascade is of better quality than Wool of Andes. The chestnut was thin and had a ton of knots in it while the blue was plump with no knots. I think next time, I’ll spend the extra 3 bucks and get Cascade 220.
So, I guess living at home isn’t THAT bad. I really think I was cranky because of this diet my mother wanted to try. I decided to do it with her as moral support and because I wouldn’t mind losing 4 or 5 pounds myself. It’s called the Cardio-Free Diet and it’s AWFUL. Really, just awful. The whole idea behind it is that you’ll burn more fat by being on a 1200 calorie diet while working just your muscles three times a week and of course, no cardio. We basically followed the book to a T. The recipes were really the worst part. My breakfast usually consisted of a 4-egg white omelette with up to 4 cups of veggies. FOUR CUPS! They ended up looking like a plate of veggies with some white stuff mixed it. All of the food was tasteless and I was always hungry. Hungry = cranky. After three days of being a bitch, I quit. My mom has also quit (thank God!). Instead, my entire family has joined a gym. Really, my entire family. The first time I went, I was with five other people. We looked like an episode of the Brady Bunch. At least now I’m less cranky and back on ice cream.
Tonight, I’m sewing. Hopefully, I’ll something to show tomorrow.
Pattern: Blustery from My Fashionable Life
Yarn: Jaeger Extra Fine MerinoDK
Needles: US 3 and 6 circulars
Notes: Let me start off by saying that I had a love-hate relationship with this pattern. I was thoroughly entertained while knitting the separate pieces despite it being in plain stockinette. Anna Bell’s instructions were flawless and very exact. No guess work needed with this pattern. Things were smooth sailing until it came time to do the tubular bind-off method:
Which, I think is a great little detail but it takes so long! I sat through 3 hours of crappy reality television and had only finished doing the tubular bind-off on the button band. In the end though, it was worth all of the work because I am 100% happy with the vest and I feel proud of the work I put into it.
Jaeger Extra Fine Merino is such a soft squishy yarn so the vest is very comfy. My one complaint is (because there always is one) the color. I like wearing black but I didn’t enjoy working with black yarn. Not only is it harder to see the stitch definition but you can also see every piece of lint, dust and dog/cat hair it picks up. I cleaned it up as best I could for the the photo but I’m done. I’m going to learn to live with it.
So, now that this vest is done I can sew again! I also have a lot more knitting patterns in my queue especially, since this purchase:
I finally caved in a bought a swift and ball winder and they are fantastic. Next up: Argyle hat for Conor and the Mystic Waters Lace Shawl.
I keep having dreams of returning to my old job. It’s creepy and I don’t want to look into it. Also, never heard back from the boutique. All is well though, I’ve been applying to at least 3 jobs a day. Something’s got to stick. I may start looking in New York. I could always commute until I’ve saved enough to move there.Onto knitting!
Pattern: Little Arrowhead Shawl
Source: www.interweave.com
Yarn: Brunswick Promfret
Needles: Inox US 7 Circular
Notes: All done! I have no complaints about the pattern. It was super simple and easy enough to modify. I ended up doing one less repeat than the pattern called for. When I started this shawl, I envisioned wearing it tied around my neck. Think knitted bandanna. My one concern is that it will be too long after I block it. I’ll have to be careful not to stretch it too much. I decided to follow Yarn Harlot’s guide to blocking lace. This is my first time blocking lace like this. My blocking skills need a little work:
It’s a tad crooked. If I were a perfectionist, I might try to fix it for the millionth time. Luckily, I’m not. Side note: The smell of wet wool reminds me of the house I stayed at in Jordan. It’s not wet wool in general just this specific wool. Strange.
I really love the way it drapes. In fact, I really just love the whole thing. I find that my feeling towards my FOs usually range from meh to IN LOVE. This is one of those FO’s that I want to constantly wear and look at. The wrong side is also nice which, doesn’t make it wrong at all: (I think I took one too many photos)
This project has definitely inspired me to look into more intricate lace projects. I want to knit a lace shawl for everyone I love. The funny thing is, I started knitting this as a “looking for something else to knit” project. Does anyone else do that? Have a project you work on until your next big inspiration comes along? Who knew that this would actually become my new inspiration?
Pattern: Deep V Argyle Vest
Source: www.eunnyjang.com
Yarn: Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK
Needles: Clover US 4 circular
When I knit my gauge for swatch for this, I was spot on. Right yarn, right needles, right tension. Perfect! Right? Well, not so much. After a few rounds, I noticed that the stitches looked slightly longer in the actual project than in the swatch. I took out my needle gauge and sure enough, my stitches per inch had gone up ever so slightly. Thankfully, the the width of the garment didn’t change too much. It is slightly less fitted than intended but the length was the problem. I have a short torso as it is and I could tell the vest was going to be way too long.
I’m not sure why this happened but I do have two theories: The first being that the combination of small circumference knitting and DPNS allowed me to knit at a tighter gauge. With DPNS, I tend to be more careful because I don’t want my needles flying everywhere and to drop stitches left and right. I was probably keeping a tighter tension out of fear of messing up. On circular needles, there is a slim chance your work will slip off the needles and you can stop mid-row more often. In other words, I got lazy.
My second theory is that the the circular needles and DPNs were slightly different in size. In my experience, bamboo needles wear down with use and become slightly smaller in width. I checked both sets of needles and honestly, I can’t tell. My eyesight is not that good. Let’s just go with theory 1.
I decided to keep knitting on and improvise later. Which, worked out just fine. After I started the armhole steeks, I decided that once the armholes were long enough to fit, I’d begin my back neck decreases early and decrease at the front neck with more frequency. In the end, I left out about 10 - 15 rows of the pattern. My original plan was to do the crocheted steeks but after several attempts on my gauge swatch it looked like the yarn I chose was way too slippery. I even used a sticky mohair blend to set the steeks but still no luck. That’s when I broke out the sewing machine. Keep in mind, when I sewed the steeks, I had not sewn in years so my lines are a tad bit crooked.
Click the photo for a larger view. You’ll be able to see just how poor my sewing skills were. On to cutting the steeks. My favorite part.
There is something just SO satisfying about cutting through your knitting. Maybe because it is absolutely the worst thing that could ever happen to one of your knitting projects. After cutting all the steeks and seaming the shoulders, I wore the vest and started stretching the neck and arm holes. I wanted to be sure that the sewn steeks would hold up. They did…in retrospect, I wonder if that was a bad idea. Whatever! I ran out of the black yarn after knitting up the arm bands. Jaeger Extra Fine Merino is a discontinued yarn so I after scouring the net for a good three hours, I finally gave in and went on Ebay. It’s virtually impossible to find just one ball of a discontinued yarn. You either forget it or order about 9 more balls of yarn than you actually need. Which, is what I ended up doing. Long story short I ordered from some place in the UK and it took a little over 2 weeks to get here. 2 weeks of waiting for a neckband. And here is it:
My FINISHED Deep V Argyle Vest. Probably the most difficult project I’ve taken on. It is also the most wearable garment I have ever knit.
Next Up: Blustery
