Month January 2013

CO Monday: design projects aplenty, plus some cabled mitts

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A couple weeks ago, Classic Elite’s Web-letter featured the Fresco Garter Cabled Wristlets. Check out the awesome sample mitts:

I bought some Fresco in Plum (5332) — lovely warm purple — and cast on:

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Yes, those are Signature needles. I have a #3 set and a #8 set — both 32″.

I’ve also planned the shawls for my next collection. Like Lovelorn, each of the shawls in Airs Above the Ground will use a single skein (or equivalent) of fingering-weight yarn.  I’ve cast on for the first pattern, which uses Footlights, which is a bit unusual.  Rather than a single 100-gram skein, it is sold in bundles of four 25-gram skeins in coordinating colors, along with a special striped-sock pattern. Of course, I’m not making socks with mine … but I am taking advantage of this special put-up in the first shawl.

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As if this weren’t already enough, I’ve also cast on for a very special design project — for an upcoming “What Would Madame DeFarge Knit?” book. I’m so excited to be part of this awesome series.  I have some great yarn in a fabulous color, and it’s knitting up (dare I say) perfectly … I couldn’t be happier.  I’m not sure how much I’m allowed to share, or when, so for now I’m staying mum.

FO Friday: Aberystwyth the Quaker

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This week, I have another handspun project for you …

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Project: Aberystwyth the Quaker

Pattern: Quaker Cowl

Designer: Lisa R. Myers

Available: FREE! on Ravelry

Yarn: my handspun, heavy worsted-ish, from A Hundred Ravens Merino Roving

This is a simple-yet-awesome pattern, perfect for colorful or slightly-irregular yarn. The cowl is worked in a simple 12-row pattern, on the bias.  The provisional cast on is grafted to the final row for a seamless finished cowl.  I will definitely be making it again.

For the curious … here’s the roving I bought…

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… and the yarn I made …

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… and a close-up of the finished look!

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Cast On Monday: Mosaic Bucket Hat and Pansy Prairie Shawl

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This week I started two new projects.  The first is A Better Bucket hat, using some of my handspun yarn.  I wear hats all the time, especially in cold weather — more are better!

I also bought yarn for a KAL starting Feb 1 …. and already cast on.  It’s ok, don’t worry — I’m not in trouble. The designer, Nancy Whitman, assures us that the “Feb 1st” date is only approximate. Her Eden Prairie shawl is so interesting and graphic.  Worked entirely in garter stitch, in sections from live and picked-up stitches, this is a relatively “mindless” project much of the time, punctuated by occasional color changes.

Check out the awesome sample:

 

I settled on Alpaca Sox after much hemming and hawing.  Here are my colors:

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Charcoal for the border color, Pansy for the center squares, Wren and Oatmeal for the stripes.

FO Friday: Sugarbunny Cloche Divined

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Seriously people … I think I have a new most-favorite hat ever:

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Project: Sugarbunny Cloche Divined

Pattern: Cloche Divine

Designer: Meghan Jones

Available: FREE! on Ravelry

Yarn: Knit Picks Sugarbunny in Hawk

Some time back in 2011, I made mittens for a friend.  In payment, she bought some yarn from my KP wish list: two balls of the limited-edition “Sugarbunny” merino/angora blend.  Recently I got a PM on Ravelry asking if I’d sell a ball to someone looking to finish a sweater … I couldn’t do that without making a hat first, because I knew the hat would take one full ball and a bit of the second.  Ergo: hat!

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This was a remarkably quick knit. I cast on Dec 15th, and finished Dec 17th.  The pattern has the entire hat knit flat and seamed, but I elected to knit in the round after the brim was complete.  There were a few things that seemed overly fiddly to me — I saw no need to cut the main yarn while putting on the “tab” that “gathers” the short rows, for example — but that is a minor quibble with an otherwise excellent (and FREE!) pattern.  The gathers are made with short row-shaping and then knitting the layers together to hold them in place. I made a size L (for my extra-big head) but began crown shaping at 7 inches (otherwise it would have been far to L, even for my extra-big head).

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CO Monday: Early Grey Lattice

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This week I soothed a bout of cast-on-itis with a single new project.  I’m pleased to say I did NOT buy new yarn or a new pattern — rather, I started a project from my Ravelry queue: a worsted-weight shawl called Lattice (by Rose Beck), using some Madelinetosh DK in Earl Grey that I bought especially for this project.  Three skeins in this gorgeous colorway have been sitting in my project organizer since August … I’m pleased to say the colorway is working up beautifully, so far.

FO Friday: Heartsick Redeux

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This project is for my Secret Santee … so now that Christmas has come and gone, I can share it!

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Project: Heartsick for SS

Pattern: Heartsick

Designer: Rachel Henry

Available: on Ravelry: $6 as a single pattern / $10 as part of the Lovelorn Collection

Yarn: BMFA Socks That Rock Lightweight — Rare Gems (Water)

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I feel like I just finished making the samples for the Lovelorn collection, but when I drew my friend K’s name in the Secret Santa swap … I knew exactly what I wanted to make for her.  I made her some teal Butterfly Mittens two years ago — and this yarn was definitely in the same color family.  On a second time around, Heartsick was just as fun to make.

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