How The West Was Spun

WIP Wednesday: November 11, 2009

Project #1: Refined Raglan

Stand back.  I have the bit between my teeth on this one, and headed into the home stretch.  D has been gone since this time last week, so I've been on the "no cooking" option wherein I eat cereal for dinner every night, which cuts down on that pesky cooking and clean-up stuff.  Time much better devoted to knitting.

My circs came in the mail, and I powered through both sleeves.  These are now attached to the body and I'm working the pretty patterned raglan decreases.  I'm about two thirds of the way done the decreases.

Goal:  Come hell or high water, I am finishing this project this week.  

Project #2:  Flutter Scarf

I knit what I thought were the rest of the regular repeats for the first half of the scarf.  My brain remembered the pattern said "55", when it actually said "50".  Oh well - no harm done.   I like a little extra scarf length anyhoo.  So, that said, I'm ready to start the patterning at the bottom of half #1.  It doesn't really look all that much different than last week, but I will comment that I am enamored of how nicely the colors are coming out in this. 

 
 
Goal:  I would like to get the 14 rows of chart B done, but this is going to take a back seat to finishing up the raglan (above), so we'll call this project optional this week and see where things are in 7 more days.

All for now......
 

WIP Wednesday: November 4, 2009

Project #1:  Refined Raglan

Not a bit o' knitting on this.  I decided to wait for my circs, so my gauge will stay the same as that for the body.  Hopefully those will be here this week and I'll get the first sleeve cast on.

Project #2:  Flutter Scarf

During my stay-cation, I decided to cast on one new project (that was the Bousta Beret from yesterday), and tackle a UFO that's been on the needles for a while, my handspun Flutter Scarf.   Seriously, there is no reason why I shouldn't be enjoying knitting this!  I love the yarn and the pattern is easy, but a bit of interest, so I need to just finish it up.

I'm knitting this from handspun merino/tencel singles from Funky Carolina's "Waterlilies" colorway.  I have a couple other colorways in this fiber blend, which seems to lend itself nicely to singles, and I may just go ahead and spin up more of it for more scarves (which aren't my favorites to knit, but I whacked all my hair off this week too, and now I need something on the back of my neck when outside).  Mim's pattern is, as usual, easy to follow, and I love the finished look of it.

Goal:  I'm on row 36 of the first half repeats before the flutter edging.  Finish up thru 55 repeats before starting the edging.

All for now......
 

WIP Wednesday - October 28, 2009

Project #1: Refined Raglan Pullover:

This week, I started the Refined Raglan pullover for my sweater #11 of the NaSweKniMo09 challenge.  This is an easy knit-in-the-round stockinette body pullover with a bit of lace detailing along the raglan shoulder shaping. 

Stockinette, in the round?  I am SO there for mindless knitting this week!

Again, I think this is reading oddly in the photograph, but then again, Lori's colorways are notoriously hard to capture on film for whatever reason.  This is just a couple of rounds shy of the 12" I need to have completed before I divide for the sleeves.  The waist decreases and increases are already done!

Goal:  I needed to order some shorter circular needles for the sleeves and I did that on Sunday, but I think they are on the slow boat.  If they come soon enough, I'll get started on the sleeves this week.  Or I may try to Magic Loop the beginning.  Not one of my favorite techniques, but I'm also not sure I want to wait 2 weeks potentially for the needles to arrive.  I think DPNs aren't going to be a good choice with this merino/bamboo blend, as it will want to ladder.

Project #2: Potpourri Socks

Lots of progress on these, as they've been my foozball-watching knitting.  I cast on, finished the leg, turned the heel and started the foot on sock #2.

Goal:  I have just 6 pattern repeats left plus the toe shaping.  I feel pretty sure I can finish these up over the next few days!

I think I'm going to pull out a UFO (my handspun Flutter scarf) and maybe add that in as my next WIP for the Wednesday updates.  Or maybe cast on another pair of socks.... or there is the Ulmus shawl I've been thinking about starting....... Choices, choices!

All for now.....
 
 

WIP Wednesday - October 21, 2009

Having cleaned out my previous listed WIPs, we are on to all new things for a change. 

Project #1:  Refined Raglan Pullover

I have only just cast this one on, but it'll be sweater #11 for the NaSweKniMoDo09 challenge.  I originally had a different pattern picked, but I could not get gauge without having the fabric feel overly stiff, so since I was more wedded to the yarn than the pattern, I opted to go with a different pattern.  I picked something relatively easy for this, as I'm um.... getting burned out on sweaters.

The yarn for this project was hand-dyed for me by Lori at Oceanwind Knits.  It's sort of a riff on her Mocha colorway.  The yarn was mine originally, 50% merino and 50% bamboo, and I had enough for 2 sweaters plus worth.  I sent her all of it, and she dyed some for me, and returned enough for a sweater and kept the rest for herself.  A fair trade, I think. (The morning light has blued this out a bit.  There are more chocolate browns in it.)

The pattern I decided on is from IK in Winter 2006, the Refined Raglan Pullover.  I am hopeful I can move through this one pretty quickly, but I've already frogged it once, having put a twist into the original cast-on edge.  It's back on the needles and I'm thru the hem facing, ready to knit the turning purl row.

Goal:  Knit up thru the first set of waist shaping rounds.

Project #2: Potpourri Socks 

Since I have had these on the needles since July, I think, it's about time to put some concerted effort into finishing them.  I had finished up the first sock.

Goal:  Cast on for sock #2 and knit the picot edging.

All for now......
 

WIP Wednesday - October 14, 2009

Project #1: Printed Silk Cardi

Despite having my MIL here this weekend, or perhaps because of it, since we had a lot of car-driving time, I managed to finish up sleeve #1 that would not die, and got that sewn into the finished body.  I then gave mysel a stern talking-to, and started sleeve #2, which I suspect will also be a bit of a slog, but dadgum it, I am going to finish it, one way or the other.

Goal:  Finish sleeve #2 and get this sewn into the sweater.  I will just have a few ends and the ribbed neckband to complete then to get this one off my plate.

Project #2:  Icelandic Poppy Shawl

I also made some nice progress on this one this week.  I finished the body repeats, I worked the set-up rows for the border, and started on the border, knitting rows 1 through 5 of the 18 rows I need to complete.  You can just barely see the border pattern starting to emerge here.

Goal:  I'm going to see if I can get this border finished, and then I'll just have the crochet bind-off to do.  Kind of a lofty goal, but I'm at least gonna try.

All for now......
 
 

WIP Wednesday - October 6, 2009

Prepare to be thrilled by the stellar photos this week, let me tell ya.  My apologies for their level of craptastic goodness.

Project #1: Printed Silk Cardi

Car time, but not a lot of knit time this weekend.  I have knit about 5-1/2 inches of the total 12 inches (these are 3/4-length sleeves) I need on this.  Pretty boring 1x1 rib, so I will hold out the hope I can at least get the first sleeve finished this week.  Tubular cast-on for this, for those of you keeping score of such things.  I tried two different techniques and picked the (for me) easier one.  (Insanely busy this week, with my MIL coming on Friday, needing to get the camper to and from Santa Fe for repairs and just general life stuff in the way.)

Goal:  Finish sleeve #1.

Project #2: Icelandic Poppy Shawl

I have knit half of the remaining body pattern rows on this one, sneaking in a little bit of knit time before and after we left for Colorado.  Yup - still looks like a large blob o' lace.  I did make the executive decision to only do the 7 body repeats as called for in the pattern.  I did some Google and Ravelry searching for finished photos, and this looks a little bit larger than some of Evelyn Clark's other smaller shoulder shawls (like the Flower Basket or Swallowtail shawls), and Carrie is a small person, so I am hesitant to make it too much bigger than it is written for.  And...um... I am tired of knitting the interior pattern at this point anyway. 

Goal:  Finish the last 4 rows of the body pattern and work the setup rows for the border.

All for now.....

WIP Wednesday: September 30, 2009

Project #1: Printed Silk Cardigan

Thanks to my Remicade day, I actually got a lot done on this cardigan this week. I have finished both the left and right front, and I have sewn all the body pieces together, as well as tacked the banded hem in place.

Goal:  We are traveling this week, leaving on Thursday, but I think I can handle 1x1 ribbed sleeves in the car, so my plan is to start the first sleeve.  I should be able to get at least half of the sleeve done on our trip.

Project #2: Icelandic Poppy Shawl

Also got thru my assigned repeat this week on this project.  I have one more repeat left of the small lace pattern to finish up before I get to the wide border.  I think, from what I can tell having loosely blocked this out with pins, that I don't want to add any further repeats of the small pattern, so this last repeat will be it for the main body of the shawl. 

No pics this week.  It's just all crumpled up on the needles at this point.

Goal:  This is not a travel project by any stretch of the imagination.  I'm not going to set a specific goal for this, but if I can work on it "a little" before we leave, I'll be content with that.

All for now....

WIP Wednesday - September 16, 2009

Project #1:  Printed Silk Cardi

After some concentrated knit-time while watching the USC game after our training ride on Saturday, I finished up the back of the Printed Silk cardi.  I have also since cast on for the left front and I'm working on the waist decreases in the stockinette right now.

Here's a detail of the pretty twisted-stitch diamonds.

Goal:  Finish knitting up thru the ribbing at the left front waistline.

Project #2:  Icelandic Poppy Shawl

Not as much progress on this as I would have liked, although I met my posted goals for it.  The repeat on this pattern is long (18 stitches) and the repeats are staggered, so I'm still getting used to how the yarn overs and decreases line up over a set of full repeats, which means I'm still looking at the charts quite a bit, and that isn't the best for foosball-watching and knitting at the same time.

And another closeup for you - with all the pretty subtle semisolid shading that Carrie does so well.  There is absolutely zero pooling, even though there are a lot of different colors/hues going on in the yarn.

Goal:  Even though those rows are getting longer quickly, I'm going to try for 2 more chart repeats this week.  That will put me at 5 repeats out of the called-for 7, and we'll see where I am in terms of size by then.

All for now....

WIP Wednesday - September 9, 2009

Project #1: Printed Silk Cardi

I finished up the ribbing for the waistline and started on the twisted stitch pattern for the top of the back section.  I have knit about 3" done of the total 7-3/4" I need to knit, and have cast off for the armsceye shaping.

 

Goal:  Finish knitting the back.

Project #2: Icelandic Poppy Shawl

I got this cast on before we left for the race over the weekend.  I have finished the set-up row and worked the first of 7 repeats that the pattern calls for.  I think I'll probably make this shawl larger than the 7 repeats, but that'll at least give me a goal to work towards.

 

Goal: Knit 2 more pattern repeats.

PS - Totally craptastic pictures in terms of colors this time.  It's rained almost every afternoon here that I've tried to get decent photos.  Sorry about that!

All for now.

WIP Wednesday - September 2, 2009

Project #1:  Printed Silk Cardi

I finished the stockinette section of the lower body, and knit the 12 rows of 1x1 ribbing for the waistline.  I've got the embossed diamond sections to work on next.

 

Goal:  Work the embossed diamond pattern and shaping up to the armsceyes.

Project #2: Icelandic Poppy Shawl

Pictures of that new project's yarn in yesterday's post.  I'll get this cast on and the set-up rows knit.

All for now.....