Shetland Triangle all finished

Here she is all finished...
My first lace shawl. It turned out quite well. I was relieved that the bottom edge didn't change at all when I unpinned it from the blocking board. I used Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in color #10 on size 8 needles. I started on 12/11 and finished on 12/21. I used straight needles until the 9th repeat of the body section because I'm not that fond of my circular needles. I added an extra (for 9 total) body repeat. I didn't insert any lifelines and ended up not really needing any. I skipped the last pattern row because I didn't want the points along the bottom edge.The pattern was pretty easy. I did make one mistake (forgot to pass a slipped stitch over) and realized it several rows later. Instead of unknitting all those rows of stitches, I just dropped the stitches over the mistake, unraveled down to it, fixed it, then raveled back up and it worked out fine.

The Silky Wool had a rougher feel than what I had thought it would. It is soft in a cushy soft sort of way, like flannel maybe, but not soft in a smooth way. The silk shows itself as rough little nubs along the strand. Also, there were quite a bit of twiggy plant pieces in the yarn (not a problem, just mentioning it). I really like how it looks finished more than I thought I would and it blocked very well but I wasn't crazy enough about it to want to knit with it again.
I'm thinking about my next lace shawl. I'd still like to make the Swallowtail Shawl, but I also like some of the other shawl patterns by Evelyn A. Clark. I also like this Sun Ray Shawl at Elann.com

one triangle off the needles

I finished knitting my Shetland Triangle shawl. Here it is hot off the needles before blocking:And here it is blocking:
I skipped the last (purl) row of the edging chart and the last pattern row because I didn't want the points along the edge. I bound off too tightly though and had a hard time stretching the lower edges out to a point. I think I should have gone up a needle size (or even two) to get a loose enough, stretchy enough lower edge. Because of this it's not as long as it could have been I think. Blocking, it is about 64 inches wide along the top edge and 26 inches from top edge to bottom point. I'm worried that when I take the blocking pins out the lower edge will pull back in or curl. I've got my fingers crossed that it will be ok.

I also made this candy cane holder cutie on my embroidery machine.
The pattern is from Embroidery Library. I used white felt for his body. I'm going to make several and put them on some Christmas gifts. Cute huh?

changed my plan

I'm to the neck part of my Wandering Aran Fields cape and I've decided I don't have another one of these in me (at least not now). The cable chart part seemed to go along pretty quickly. But when I got to the 9 inches of k2P2 for the neck I slowed down as it got a little tedious and dull. I'm about 6 inches along and have set it aside to do the Shetland Triangle shawl from the same Wrap Style book. The cape's collar is taking a lot longer than I thought. I'm hoping to get the Shetland Triangle done for a Christmas present instead of another cape. It's more realistic than trying to do another cape.
Here is my progress so far on the Shetland Triangle. It's not much to look at yet. I'm on my fourth repeat of the body chart and the rows are getting long. I'm about to switch to circular needles. I've been using my straight needles for as long as I can with it because I'm not crazy about my circulars. I usually spend more time wrestling with the stiff cable than knitting. I'm hoping Santa brings me a set of the new KnitPick optons needles for Christmas.

progress

Here is a photo update to show the progress I've made on the Wandering Aran Fields Capelet.

I've been busy. I finished the chart and am now working on the right button band. Then I have the left button band and collar to do. I think my guage may be a little off though. It's hard to tell. I'm a little worried it may end up bigger than I had calculated. The yarn is actually a bit darker than how it looks in this photo. The flash from the camera makes it look more red when really its burgandy. Now I am considering possibly maybe making another one of these for a Christmas present. I'd like to get this one finished to see how it is before I really commit to another one though. I've never knitted anything twice before except for mittens. Hmmm....

I've started wandering....

....the wandering aran fields capelet from the Wrap Style book that is. I started on the 18th. I haven't had any problems so far except for one mistake in reading the chart towards the beginning. When I had gotten to row 4 of the chart I realized I had done the previous two rows wrong and so had to rip out two rows (at 292 stitches per row - ouch) but it's been going well ever since. I'm on row 19 of the chart right now.

shrug finished...next up - cables

The evonne shrug is done. I can't say that I'm that all that happy with how it turned out. I'm not crazy about the edge curling, and the edges seem a bit unfinished looking. I added a ribbing along the back edge to stop the curl then experimented with picking up stitches along the front edges, added a crochet edging then took it out, added a clasp in front then took it out. Nothing could improve it. It is just the nature and style of the pattern and I didn't realize it before knitting it up. I'm considering unraveling the ribbing I added along the back edge and resigning to the curl. It's for my mom so I'll see what she would prefer.

I've ordered yarn for my next major project, the wandering aran fields capelet from the wrap style book. I decided on cascade 220 in burgandy. There are a lot of cables in this pattern which is why I picked it. I hope the burgandy yarn isn't to dark for the cables to show well. I was going to do the swallowtail shawl from the fall '06 IK next but then changed my mind. I still plan on doing the shawl at some later time, probably in JaggerSpun Zepher Wool-Silk in the dk weight unless I change my mind again. (I was considering gloss from KnitPicks). I'm going to put off knitting the falling leaves scarf from scarf style until after Christmas.

I'm still working on finishing my WIP's. I've been working on my loon sweater again. I've elevated it from a stalled project to a WIP project. I finished one sleeve this week and so am one sleeve away from finishing it. There is a picture on my web page. I know it's not really the style now days but that's ok. I like loons and wanted to try intarsia. Anyways, I'll just probably not wear it out in public I guess.

misty garden

I finished the misty garden scarf from Scarf Style on Nov 1. I used 3 skeins of artyarns supermerino and size 7 needles. It's about 6 1/2 inches wide and aprox. 50 inches long. It was a very easy knit. It was the first thing I've knitted where I didn't have to really keep track of anything. I quickly memorized the pattern and didn't have to count anything. I didn't have to count rows or stitches or any of that. It was nice. I just knitted till I used up my three skeins of yarn and then that was it. I didn't quite have enough to do a proper bind of row. So I slid the stitches onto another needle and did a kind of loop over loop bind off and pulled the yarn tail thru the last loop. I did block it to open up the eyelet holes a bit more. It looks really good I think.

I bought the Wrap Style book. I couldn't resist when I saw some of the finished Wandering Fields capelets that were posted on the Scarf Style/Wrap Style Knit-Along blog.

Interweave is going to be coming out with a Lace Style book also. It's on their web site. It's going to be out in Feb '07.

batty

I made this "batty" dishcloth yesterday.I used Sugar'n Cream cotton yarn in hot purple, size 6 needles and this pattern. I figured Halloween is coming up pretty soon so this is kind of appropriate.

bead soup

I made this bracelet. It's actually a knitted bracelet.It was a kit from EarthFaire. It's their "bead soup" bracelet in "the sun, the moon, and the stars" version. It was hard to get a good photo of it (you can click on it and I think it opens a new window with it larger size and it looks a little clearer). It's knitted on size 0 needles with all sizes of beads. There is a nice review of these kits here. I saw a few that other people had made on craftster and on several knitting blogs so I thought I'd give it a try too. I really like how it turned out. It took two evenings to make. The kit includes enough beads to probably make three bracelets.

first scarf

I've started my first scarf. I've been knitting for I'd guess about 10 or so years now (off and on) and I've never made a scarf. I was very excited to buy the Scarf Style book after seeing several finished Backyard Leaves scarfs around on the internet. I basically bought the book for that pattern. It's by Annie Modesitt. I really like some of her other patterns that have been published in Interweave Knits and she has a few free patterns on her blog. There are several other scarfs in the book that I'd like to make eventually. There were a couple of scarfs in the book that I didn't really like, one of which was the Misty Garden scarf. I'm not a big fan of fuzzy yarns. But then I saw a finished one posted by someone somewhere (I can't find it now) knitted in a different yarn from the one in the book and it looked totally different. So, of course I've started the one that I didn't like at first, the Misty Garden scarf, and I've put off making the Backyard Leaves scarf. I started on I think 10/19 and I'm using Artyarns supermerino in colorway 115 reds with size 7 needles. (The Backyard Leaves scarf pattern is also included in the Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts special issue.)

bohemian purse finished

I finished my bohemian pouch. The pattern is by Pam Allen from Interweave Knits winter 00/01. I used five different colors of lion brand Wool-Ease yarn and size 6 needles. This is the first time I used fair isle technique with stranding multiple colors thru an entire project. Once I got the hang of how to hold two strands of yarn at once it went along pretty quickly. It reminded me of doing counted cross stitch. I like the colors, but I knitted one side of the purse stranding more tightly than the other side. Then of course, as a result the two sides were different sizes for when they were folded together (along the bottom edge) and stitched up at the sides. I had to really stretch the one side when I blocked it to get it to match.
The lining was another challenge. I made the lining too big the first time and then had to cut it down smaller and re-sew it. I added a zipper to the top edge too. The knitting and the colors look real nice. The sides of the purse are not real straight though and have a definite home made look (putting it nicely), but I still am pleased over all. I hope the imperfections I see are not too noticeable from a distance. I'm not real anxious to do another project that requires lining. Using the sewing machine is quite a challenge for me.
The cord handle was intimidating and I almost didn't do it because I thought it would take forever and be too tedious but it didn't and wasn't. It involved casting on 420 stitches then doing a cast off row of knitting and passing stitches forwards and backwards. I was almost going to just braid some yarn, or do an i-cord instead but I'm glad I didn't. The top edge uses a two color bind off that I had never done before. It's nice how the top edge matches the style of the cord handle.

beading

I took the afternoon off from knitting and made these two bracelets

progress...

I've been working on finishing up some of my WIP's recently. I decided I'm not going to start anything new until I finish up some of these current projects (finish up some but not necessarily all, but just maybe most). The urge to start something new has been almost unbearable lately. I'm so anxious to start on the Swallowtail Shawl from the fall Interweave Knits magazine and the Backyard Leaves scarf from Scarf Style. I've been shopping for yarn for the swallowtail shawl and I am considering using Gloss from Knit Picks but am not sure if I really love any of the available colors. So the shopping continues. I also want to make either gloves or mittens out of my leftover clapotis yarn. I don't think I have enough left over for two complete mittens of gloves so I plan on knitting the cuffs in navy blue. In the meantime here is what I'm working on currently:

The Isabeau purse (free pattern from Chez Plum) just needs a button strap, button and a lining. I'm thinking of using some type of red fabric for the lining. I want something that somewhat contrasts in color so the lace will stand out but I don't want it to clash of course and I don't want to use white. I have a feeling sewing the lining will take quite a bit of effort and time unfortunately as I'm not very good or experienced at that type of thing.

The Evonne shrug needs sleeves. There is some major edge curl problems even after blocking and so I'm going to have to do some modification. At this point I plan on adding a hem along the back bottom, and then maybe a crochet edging.

My Bohemian pouch (from the winter 00/01 Interweave Knits) needs to be assembled. I finished knitting the handle strap a couple nights ago. I had debated about even doing the strap as the pattern specified because it seemed so difficult and I thought it would take me a year to do it. I considered substituting an icord or just braided yarn. In the end I did it as specified and it took about one full evening instead of a year. The strap turned out much better than a braid or icord and it matches the top edge style of the pouch so I'm glad I did it. Now I need to stitch it together and add a lining. Again, the lining intimidates me.

clapotis finished

I took some photos of my finished clapotis.
It's pretty big. I used 9 skeins of the supermerino with size 7 needles. I did one more increase repeat and then the 12 straight section repeats.

lace capelet finished

I just finished sewing the button on this lace version of the anthropologie inspired capelet from the pattern posted by crnaofca on craftster. The anthropologie inspired capelet became quite popular on craftster's knitting forums and I guess I got a little swept up in it. I made a previous one out of Sierra in cinnamon by Knit Picks following this pattern. That picture is on my knitting photo gallery page. For this lace version I used 6 skeins of Lion Brand Kool Wool in Khaki with size 11 needles. I really like this yarn and am sad that it's been discontinued. I used Kool Wool in tomato to knit a vest from the 2005 issue of Knit It magazine (pic also on my knitting photo gallery page). It's a very soft yarn but not fuzzy. I actually finished knitting this capelet in July but then dragged my heels and didn't finish weaving in the ends or blocking it until just this past week. I like knitting but blocking and finishing is a drag.Also, I've finished my clapotis! I actually finished it on Sept. 17th but haven't been able to get a good picture of it. It's been so dark and rainy and overcast. Taking the picture with a flash messes up the colors too much. I really speeded along on this and it ended up taking just less than a month to knit. I ended up with a little left over yarn from it and then also a skein that is the same colorway but different shade and have been wondering what to do with it. I came across this pattern that's kind of neat but I don't care for the way the edge curls and don't know what you could do to avoid it. Adding a ribbing would squish the dropped stitch strands I think and I'm not sure blocking would take care of it. Maybe I'll experiment with it some time.

Finished blue bag

Here is my second booga bag. It's from this pattern at blacksheep bags. I did 42 rounds in Lion Wool ocean blues then 15 more rounds in Lion Wool navy with 16" size 11 needles. I started on 7/4/06 and finished knitting on 7/16/06 but just got around to attatching the handles today. I hand stitched on some beaded trim (Jo-Ann craft essentials) with DMC pearl cotton color #807. I think maybe I should have glued the trim on instead of stitching it on. The bead ribbon seems a bit delicate. Now that it's done I think it's really cute. I may even make a third bag someday in KnitPicks Wool of The Andes in Violet and Hush. I'm guilty of already buying the yarn. I had said I never wanted to felt my knitting because it's basically destroying all of those knit stitches that took so long to make. Now I've made two felted bags and have plans for a third. I guess it's a bit addicting.

happy again

It looks like my clapotis will get finished after all. The yarn that I got from the ebay seller was a very close match. Close enough that I can finish and I don't think it will be real noticable. I'm so relieved. After I saw how far off my first replacement skein was in color I feared I'd be buying a roomfull of yarn in a desparate search for a close match. I think I got lucky. I'm really amazed at how much yarn this project is using. Here is a progress shot from today. I'm on my 12th straight row repeat.

not enough yarn

Well I've been knitting away on clapotis every free moment I've had. I was so dedicated to it like I was in a race because I was so anxious to finish. I had 7 skeins of the artyarns supermerino 108. I had done a search of the web and seen where others had knit clapotis in 5 skeins. So I got 7 skeins to be on the safe side. I figured I'd could knit some mittens with the extra. Well, there won't be any extra because I'm not going to even have enough to finish clapotis. I'm on repeat number 11 of the straight section and have only one skein left. I need two for the decrease sections (because I used two for the increase sections). Adding that extra increase repeat must have really increased the amount of yarn I'd need. That's the only thing I can figure that would have thrown me so far off, because my guage is right on. So I ordered two more skeins from the same place I got the initial batch from, hoping they would have more of the same lot. They had one skein left. I took it, confident that it would match what I had gotten only a few weeks earlier. It didn't. The shades were very different so that I can't use it. I can't bear ripping out a bunch of my straight rows to have enough to finish. It took so long to knit them and then it would end up way to short so I wouldn't like it and I have a feeling I'd get totally messed up because I'd have trouble picking up the stitches again with the dropped columns in there and all. I got really down about this. I've worked so hard on this project and have been so excited to finish, like no other knitting project and now I worry it may not ever be "right" because I won't be able to get anymore matching yarn. There are no stores even remotely close to me where I could go and actually see this yarn before I buy it, so I have to mail order and cross my fingers I'll eventually get a skein that's a close enough match. (I guess I'll probably end up with a bunch of extra yarn after all) I've got two skeins on their way to me now that I bought from a seller on ebay. I'm hoping that they will be closer (close enough) in shade and color so that I can finish. But I have a bad feeling.
In the mean time I've been working on the Evonne shrug from berroco's web site. My mom brought the pattern over a while ago and said she'd like me to knit it for her. She picked out the yarn, Shetland Chunky by Patons in High Plains Varagated (my apologies to berroco ;) ). I've finished the back and am a quarter of the way thru the left front.

Clapotis

I wasn't going to knit clapotis. I really wasn't. When I first saw the pattern on knitty.com I wasn't that interested. But I kept seeing photos of other peoples finished clapotis every where I looked in knitting cyberspace. It seemed like every knitting blog and every kitting forum had clapotisis. They were everywhere and multiplying. Then one day I did an about face and was seized with the desire to knit one for myself. After researching yarn I decided upon artyarns supermerino in colorway #108. I was a little concerned that the pink in it would be too much pink and too light. But the yarn that arrived to me looked better than the photo. It is hand dyed and so I know there are variations from batch to batch. I really like the colors. It has a mix of navy, plum, purple, violet and fuchia. I think it's the beauty of the yarn that keeps me knitting, and knitting, and knitting.... Really, this is a huge expanse of knitting. Here it is lounging on my lawn chair.
I added an extra increase repeat because I thought my stitch guage was less than what the pattern called for so my straight rows are something like 118 stitches. The colors of the yarn and the drop stitch rows are what keep me going. I'm addicted to those drop stitch rows. The drop stitch columns cause a wavy undulation in the fabric which is what I think the word clapotis means in french - the lapping waves of water. The pattern is so darn clever. I think the author is a knitting genius to come up with something so unique and clever.

knitty

I've made a couple of items from Knitty.com recently. The first were these wristwarmers. They are the "fetching" pattern featured in the summer 06 issue. I used Red Heart Soft in navy with size 4 needles. When I did the thumb I picked up 4 stitches along each edge instead of two. Then I knitted one round, then on the second round I k2tog the two extra stitches on each edge to bring me to the 17 the pattern called for. I wanted more stitches at the base of the thumb so it wouldn't pull and make gaps as much. Then I added an extra round (5 instead of 4) to the thumb to make it a hair longer. They were a pretty quick and easy knit. I started them on 7/8/06 and finished on 7/15/06. They fit perfectly so I am pretty pleased.

The next thing I made from knitty.com was this cuff bracelett. It is the perdita cuff from the same issue. It took me about a week to make them. I used DMC pearl cotton (one skein) in color #988 with size 1 needles. It was like knitting with toothpicks. I like the beads. The pattern was the lily of the valley one and the beads really make it look like lilys of the valley. I used 10/0 seed beads in a kind of pearl white.

I don't think it's the type of thing that I would wear very often but the pattern looked so intricate and I like the beads in it so I had to make them just to make them. I liked how it turned out and it fits well.

so I went and got a blog...

yep, I did.