How The West Was Spun

WIP Wednesday - 01/28/09

Project #1:  Amanda Sweater

My 16" circulars came on Saturday, so I did get some knit-time on the first sleeve for Amanda this weekend.  I finished what wound up being 12-1/2 inches of the body knit and then started on sleeve #1. Here's where I am on sleeve #1, with about 14-1/2 inches knit (bonus cat paw included for scale - snort):

 

Goal:  The sleeve is 20" long, to the point where you rejoin it to the body to begin the raglan shaping.  Finish knitting this first sleeve.

Project #2:  Knotty Gloves

I finished glove #1, except for darning in the ends, and started on glove #2.  Thanks to some chit-chat time at the new SnB group I've found (thanks, Ravelry!), I knit the ribbing for the cuff and then worked on the knot work pattern during my few semi-lucid moments on Saturday morning (before the mail came with my circulars).  I've been cruising along on this one.  I've got 2 more fingers and the thumb left to knit.

 

Goal:  Finish these!

Project #3:  Waterlily Roving

Before I get going on any other new designing, I thought I'd try to get this roving spun up and off the wheel.  This is a 50% Tencel, 50% merino roving from Carrie over at Funky Carolina.  Colorway is "Waterlily", and I decided to spin this up to knit Mim's Flutter scarf from it in singles.  I think the colorway will marry beautifully with the little delicate, flared edge of that pattern, which actually reminds me of lilypads skimming the top of a pond.  I've got perhaps two-thirds of the roving spun. 

(The colors are a little off in this picture - I think the bright sheen off the tencel is throwing the camera lens for a loop.)

Goal:  I have 1.4 ounces of roving left from the original 4 ounces.  I'm going to try to get all that spun up this week.

All for now...

WIP Wednesday 01/21/2009

Okay - here with go with another WIP Wednesday!

Project #1: Amanda Cardigan

Despite the (ahem) somewhat overblown discussion to the contrary, I have NOT finished this.  Geez!  I am not exactly a lady of leisure who just sits and knits you know.  And besides, I had to order some 16" circulars to work on the sleeves.

I have knit about 10-1/2 inches of the body.  This sweater is worked back and forth on circular needles, knitting both the fronts and the back, and then you place that on hold and work the sleeves, and then rejoin everything, splitting the fronts and back to add in the sleeves and raglan shaping.  My plan is to knit the body about 12 or maybe 12-1/2 inches long (the pattern calls for 13" so I would guess it'd be fairly short on most normal-waisted folks).

 

Goal:  Finish knitting the body.  If my shorter circulars arrive, I'll start on the sleeves.

Project #2:  (New!) Knotty Gloves

I had actually started these gloves before we left SLC, but didn't want too many projects out and about, so I popped them into one of the storage bins, and then remembered this week I had those still to work on.  The pattern can be found here, on Ravelry.  I'm knitting these in STR lightweight, colorway Rare Gem, which was one of the skeins I got from the 2007 STR Club I joined. 

 

The colors are darkened in this photo - I need to find better lighting to take a shot of this colorway.  It is brighter, jewel tones than this picture represents.  (And no, I'm not jazzed about the odd pooling on the back of the hand, and yes, I plan to continue on anyway.)

Goal:  Finish glove #1 and cast on glove #2.

Tomorrow I finally got back 3-plus pounds of new roving from the mill that'll be for sale.  It was a quick moving trick I used - box up the loose fibers and ship to the mill, which equaled 2 less boxes to move!  (It's alpaca and it's gray - for those of you interested in such things.)

All for now....

New Project Start

Uh huh.  You guessed it.  I cast off the Wisteria, and cast on for the Amanda cardigan, another project from A Fine Fleece.  How I love that book!

I'm working this in Beaverslide Dry Goods merino, colorway Dusty Clover.  I think that this is actually dyed on a gray base, and not a white wool base, which may account for the subdued, lovely color.  The frosted appearance of it would also be very nice with a pattern like October Frost from... you guessed it.... A Fine Fleece, but I wanted something simpler for the NaSwe challenge, so Amanda it is!

This is a loose-fitting, boxy cardigan with a shawl collar.  The kind of perfect weekend wear that will suit sitting around the house, or running errands, or grabbing a quick cup of coffee.  I am reminded that I adore working with the BSDG yarn. 

 

The stitch pattern is interesting, but already memorized.  I've knit just under 4 inches of the body as it stands, and even though this is a weekend I have coverage at the hospital, I'm hoping to get at least another few inches knit on it before the start of next week.

Have a great weekend!  All for now....

FO: Wisteria Sweater

You knew it wasn't going to be long before I got Wisteria done, after yesterday's WIP post, right?

I am happy with this sweater on so many levels, I can hardly stand it:
1.  I have used stash yarn that's absolutely ancient.  I'm trying hard to decrease the stash this year, and this is going a long way towards it - using up yarn that I adore, but really.... it is much better having a real life than sitting in a storage bin.
2.  This pattern is very interesting and a bit outside my normally somewhat loose-ish sweaters that I would make for myself.  I was a little bit concerned when I tried it on before blocking, as the arms were a little short, as was the torso (that NEVER happens), and it was...ahem... a bit more va-va-voom looking than I would be comfortable wearing.  But after a nice relaxing bath, the cables straightened out and the arms and body length came out perfectly (my swatch didn't lie).  I actually think it is practically perfect in every way, in terms of fit.

(My pictures are just not going to be that great - D is in Chicago on a training seminar trip this week - so this is as good as they get.)

   

Pattern:  Wisteria available through Twist Collective, by Kate Gilbert.  Nicely written pattern, as you'd expect from Kate.  There is enough interest to move you along through the more sedate stockinette parts, some nice details to ensure a good fit, and an organically developed pattern that complements the yoke-neck style.
Yarn:  This is a worsted-weight 75% wool, 25% rayon singles that I bought at a knitting retreat in Virginia probably around 2000.  I couldn't find anything exactly like it in the Ravelry database, and I think the company that produced it is no longer.  It has a similar hand to the Malabrigo Silky Wool.  Colorway was unmarked, but it's overall a dark gray, with bits of bronzey-brown, plum and darker gray in the hand dye.  It didn't pool at all, even though I just knit straight from the balls, without alternating skeins.  (Note:  I think I have enough of this for another entire sweater.  If you think you might like the yarn, email me and I can weigh it out, and make you a nice deal on it! Edit:  Spoken for already!)
Needles:  US Size 8 circs.
Modifications:  I shortened the torso about 2" in total length.  I knit to the first decrease round for waist shaping, and then only did 10 rows in between each of the next 2 repeats (rather than 15), and I left out the final 6 rows of the cable pattern at the hem.  I shortened the arm length just slightly, as the pictures in the pattern show the sleeves very long.  I deleted 4 rows from the "work rows even until 14-1/4 inches" part of the instructions.

 

Final thoughts?  I LOVE it.  It's lightweight enough I think I could just throw on a camisole under it, but still warm enough to qualify as a winter sweater.  I can totally see wearing it with jeans (my normal daily uniform),  but it's also nice enough, especially with the sheen from the rayon content, that I could wear it with a long gray flannel skirt and boots to go out to dinner.  It fits me perfectly, and I love the colors in it!

All for now.......

WIP Wednesday: 01/14/09

Project #1:  Wisteria cardigan

Making strides on this one!  I have finished the body, plus finished sleeve #1 and started sleeve #2.  I have the cabled cuff left to knit and then can do the minimal finishing needed for this one and call it finished!

Goal:  Finish sweater.

Project #2: Bousta Beret

You saw the details on this one from yesterday's post.  This is going to be my p.r.n. project.

Goal:  Nothing specific, but knit on this as I have the time or inclination.

Project #3:  Amanda Cardigan

Swatched for this over the week, and got gauge perfectly with size 7 US needles.  Sa-weet!  I'm ready to go on this when I finish up the Wisteria.

Goal:  Cast on for this once Wisteria is done.

All for now......

WIP Wednesday - 01/7/2009

Let's kick off the year with my first WIP post!

Project #1:  Wisteria Pullover Sweater

You saw the Harriet Cardigan is done as of the 1st of the year.  So, I'm trolling merrily along on the Wisteria Pullover from the last Twist Collective online magazine.

I finished the neck/shoulder yoke cables, knit the body, decreases and increase rows, and started on the bottom hem cables.  I'm planning on trying this on again to see about length of the body.  I did some mods on the body, decreasing the number of rows in between the decreases, as I know I want the length shorter than the 14" called for in the design.  I may also have to delete 1 repeat of the cables at the hem.

Plan:  Finish the cable patterning at the hem, so the body will be done.

Project #2:  Filey Bay Socks

I made some slow progress on these this weekend in the car driving down to ABQ, but I did get all the numbers crunched so Danielle can start test knitting the larger size.

Plan:  Work the rest of the foot down to toe decreases.

Project #3:  Amanda Cardigan

This isn't really a full-fledged project yet, but I'd like to be ready for when I get Wisteria off the needles.

Plan:  Do some swatching and check for gauge.

All for now....

Looking Ahead

I mentioned yesterday that I did a little stash diving/organization on Sunday in the new and improved yarn room.   I had been thinking I would work on a lightweight cardi next for NaKniSweMoDo, but realizing that I'll have Wisteria done by January, and that February is normally a long, cold month as well, I thought maybe a more wooly sweater that I'd still get some use out of before spring would be a better choice.

I decided that my next sweater project will be Amanda (Ravelry link) also from A Fine Fleece (just can't get enough of those patterns, I guess!).  This is a warm, cozy cardigan with a shawl collar and I can see myself wearing this one a LOT during the colder weather.   I decided I'm going to try using Beaverslide Dry Goods Merino in their "Dusty Clover" colorway, which was in the stash. 

It's a warm mulled-wine sort of color, with flecks of white and ruby red in it.  I enjoyed using this yarn for D's Cobblestone Pullover, so I know I'll like working with it on another project.  I just need to do a gauge swatch and see if I'm close.

I also decided on my next spinning project.  This is another one from Funky Carolina.  This is a 50/50 blend of merino and tencel.  The colorway is "Waterlilies".  I'm spinning this in a singles laceweight for a scarf, I think.  That's the current plan anyway. 

 

I'm not exactly sure when I'll be knitting all this handspun up, but at least I'm moving it a little closer to a finished garment having gotten it made into yarn!

All for now.....

Kick Off! (And an FO)

I was up bright and early on New Year's Day to get my shift coverage at work taken care of.  D wanted to watch the Michigan State game (he's an alum) at 11:00 mountain time, so even though I was still at work, he kept me posted on updates. 

After work, I was able to settle in to some bowl-gaming of my own and I finished up my Harriet Cardigan. (This photo makes the color seem more purple than it is.  It is really a very dark rose-pink.  The last picture at the bottom of the post is closest to the real color.)

   

Pattern:  Harriet Cardigan from Lisa Lloyd's fantastic book A Fine Fleece. 
Yarn:  Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK (colorway, a romantic #350).
Needles: US Size 6.
Modifications:  Just my usual shortening of the torso.  I only knit 12 inches, rather than 14 between the hem and the castoff stitches for the set-in sleeves.

Notes:  This was a really wonderful pattern.  Interesting enough to keep you moving through it, but not so complicated you couldn't tackle it while thinking of other things.  The charts were easy to memorize, and all the shaping is done outside the lace panels. 

I technically knit the size 40".  I got gauge (even used the yarn called for as the commercial version in the book), but this is no where near the large comfy sweater I had thought it would be.  To be honest, I didn't block it very hard.  I probably could have gotten a couple more inches out of it, but it's more like a 37" and not a 40" sweater.  Be forewarned if you knit it that the lace pattern at the waist draws in like ribbing.  You'll want to block the bejebus out of it if you want it to be nonstretchy.  Also be sure to double-check the measurement of the sleeves at the top.  I wound up having to add a few extra repeats to get the width of the sleeve large enough that it would fit appropriately into the armscye (and I still wound up fudging it a bit, and then blocking the heck out of those seams to get them to lay flat).

However, this actually turned out better than I had hoped, as it is more fitted and feminine than I had envisioned looking at the pattern specs/schematics.  The Rowan yarn softened up a bit after a bath, and it's nicely lightweight, but still appropriately wooly for winter/fall wear.  It's also a warmer color than I would normally pick to knit with - but I'm trying to expand my horizons, and it sure looks great with jeans!

Oh, and just in case you missed it, this is my sweater #1 to kick-off the NaKniSweMoDo challenge.

All for now!

WIP Wednesday - 12/31/08

I thought I would round out 2008 with a WIP post.  I'm not sure how well these will work next year when it's gonna be all sweaters, all the time, but we'll see.  If the posts get boring, I'll forego torturing y'all with that, but we'll see how it all works out.

Project #1:  Harriet Cardigan

In the home stretch on this one.  No pics, as I'll have an FO to show you after the new year, but basically I'm planning on watching some bowl games on New Year's Day and doing some finishing work to get this one ready to go as the first NaKniSweMoDo offering of 2009.

Plan:  Finish this project.

Project #2: Wisteria Pullover

The yarn I had pegged for this project has been sitting in stash for close on 8 years (might be more - that's a lot of time passing).  The yarn, which I don't think is even being made anymore is from Wool in the Woods.  It's a hand-dyed wool/rayon singles worsted.  Reminds me a lot of the Malabrigo Silky Merino in terms of the hand.  It has a lovely sheen to it, and will be lightweight and relatively drapey for it's weight.  The colors are hard to capture, but the base is a dark battleship gray with bits of dark blue-gray and a plum, and a sort of coffee brown.

I started this project one night this week and I've worked through the first pattern chart for the yoke.

 

Plan:  Work through the second chart for the neck yoke.

Project #3:  Filey Bay Socks

I'm working on these as a pattern for my frend Terry's farm store up in Vermont.  I think I've got the charts where I want em, and hopefully I can get the large size to the test knitter in the next week to have my numbers double-checked.  It's not a difficult pattern at all - mostly knit/purl combinations with a small 4-stitch cable.  I have been really enjoying working with the custom sock yarn she had spun up at her mill.  It reminds me a bit of Schaeffer Anne in terms of weight and how it feels.  You can see a bit of the alpaca halo in this picture.  These will definitely be warm socks!

 

Plan:  Get the pattern and charts for these to the point they can go off to be test knit.

I'm taking New Year's Day off from posting, although I'll be at work (yawn!) bright and early.  I'm hoping to zip through my charts and be done with work in time for the Penn State/USC game!

Happy New Year everyone!!

All for now.....

A Quick Catch-Up

As promised, some knitting for y'all today.  I did not get as much knitting done during our Utah to New Mexico trek.  Far too stressful, and frankly, I barely had room for my butt in the front seat, as I was sharing it with D and with Emma in her travel carrier.  However, a few days of snowy weather, and I have been working along steadily on my Harriet Cardigan.

I'm almost done with this sleeve:

 

I will have this sweater finished up close to the first of turn of the year.  After this sleeve, I've got the collar and front bands to do, plus the finishing work (buttons, ends, etc.), so I'm confident I can get that done in the next week.

This weekend, I also swatched for the Wisteria Pullover from the first Twist Collective magazine.  That'll be my next project for the NaKniSweMoDo extravaganza. 

Emma has found a new hiding place in my office.  There are a pair of sliding glass doors in the room, and lots of little birds come and sit in the small shrubs and trees outside.  (We are planning to get them (her?) a bird feeder next time we run into town).  She sits crouched down at the door, behind the drapes and talks to them while I work. 

Back tomorrow with some other fiber stuff.

All for now......