New Pattern Release: Endgame Stole

July 11, 2012July 10, 2012remilyknits 6 Comments

Introducing my latest pattern: Endgame!

Pattern: Endgame

Designer: Rachel Henry (that’s me!)

Available: Booklet #9207 from Classic Elite

Yarn: Classic Elite Yarns Wool Bam Boo in Garnet (4 balls)

This is my first pattern published in the CEY booklets — I’m so pleased to be included! Check out the drape of this stole in the modeled photo:

Design/Skills Needed: This fully-reversible stole is worked flat. The woven pattern is achieved with increases/decreases and dropped stitches. I added a lacy edge with a full column of dropped stitches. Twisted stitches on either side of each dropped-stitch panel keeps the look sharp and the dropped-stitches open. The overall effect is stunning, and the Wool Bam Boo is silky-soft to touch. I love, love, love this yarn.

I used my “interchangeable cable ” trick to block this stole. Before washing, I threaded a long cable through each loop on both edges. I screwed on the end caps to make sure the cables didn’t fall out, and put the stole in for a good long soak. After squeezing out the water, I stretched out the stole on my blocking board (aka, old alphabet letter foam squares). I put pins in every two inches or so, pulling against the cable — not the individual stitches. Using the cables meant a lot fewer pins to get the “fully stretched” effect, and also gave a more even blocking overall.

FO Friday: AMS 2012 Olive Lace

June 29, 2012June 12, 2012remilyknits 4 Comments

This is my fourth year making the Anniversary Mystery Shawl — a free KAL put out annually by prolific lace designer Renee Leverington.

Project: AMS 2012 Olive Lace

Pattern: Anniversary Mystery Shawl 2012

Designer: Renee Leverington

Available: soon

Yarn: Malabrigo Lace in #56 Olive

I chose Malabrigo Lace as a backup plan, when a skein of lace from my stash turned out to be horribly cut up in many places. (I’m STILL not happy about that!) But, it turned out to be a great excuse to knit with Malabrigo Lace, which is so soft and wonderful. It is a single-ply, which makes it a tad delicate, but definitely worth the extra effort.

After trying several colors, I settled on “Translucent Amber” beads with a “Rainbow” finish. I love the warm neutral brown of the amber, and the translucence allows the bead to blend with the yarn better. Finally, the rainbow finish makes each bead a bit different, again allowing for better blending. At least that’s my theory!

My favorite part of this shawl was the big leaf motif at the top!

This shawl is a 4/6 hexagon. You could block it as a square … but I vastly prefer the 4/6 hex shape.

FO Friday: Rodekool de Kool

June 8, 2012May 6, 2012remilyknits 1 Comment

I did it! I made a lace brioche scarf!

Project: Rodekool de Kool

Pattern: Rodekool

Designer: Nancy Marchant

Available: FREE! on Knitty.com

Yarn: Crystal Palace Yarns Mini Mochi in #103

I totally enjoyed the challenge of this pattern! The FO is cozy, pretty, and impressive in a subtle way. I’ve already posted a rodekool video showing how I managed both the lacy and non-lacy rows. As I mentioned before, it took a lot of focus to get through this pattern. I found I couldn’t work on it and chat at the same time. Ultimately it’s a small project though, so despite my need for silence and privacy to work on it, I did get it done.

FO Friday: Deep Water Echo

June 1, 2012May 6, 2012remilyknits 5 Comments

I made a pretty pretty shawl! I think I’m in love with Estonian-style lace patterns.

Project: Deep Water Echo

Pattern: Echo Flower Shawl

Designer: Jenny Johnson Johnen

Available: FREE! on Ravelry

Yarn: Knit Picks Shadow Tonal in Deep Waters

I made the larger version of this pattern, which I only regretted when doing the umpteenth repeat of the 3-into-9 body pattern. I love the nupps, the stars, everything! High marks to this first-time designer for a beautiful and well-written pattern!

Knit Picks Shadow Tonal is a joy to work with — springy and just enough color variation for beauty, without distracting from the lace. I did find Deep Waters a bit dark for night-time knitting: I had to wait for good light.

FO Friday: Alizarin Damask

May 4, 2012April 22, 2012remilyknits 1 Comment

Project: Alizarin Damask

Pattern: Damask

Designer: Kitman Figueroa

Available: $5 on Ravelry

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Alizarin

This is my second try on this particular pattern, and I’m glad I stuck it out! I love the undulating waves, punctuated by nupps and wrapped stitches. There’s a lot going on with this pattern, and in retrospect I wish I’d chosen a lighter-colored yarn … but I loved working with the Tosh Light, and I love wearing the finished shawlette. I made the small size, and it’s really more kerchief than shawl.

New Pattern Release: Elderberry Lace Cardigan

May 2, 2012May 1, 2012remilyknits 2 Comments

Introducing my latest pattern: the Elderberry Lace Cardigan! This lacy cardi is a simple and elegant layering piece, perfect for cheering up a cool fall day. Zig-zag eyelets rise in narrow columns over the skirt, body, and sleeves. Think airy, feminine, and colorful. Here’s a photo of the sample sweater on my deck at home …

… and here’s a photo on the model for the UK magazine “KNIT” (issue #49)!

I’m especially proud to report that my cute spring cardi made the cover of the magazine:

Pattern: Elderberry Lace Cardigan

Designer: Rachel Henry

Available: on newsstands in KNIT #49 (pattern will also be available for individual download late in 2012)

Yarn: Sidar Simply Recycled DK

Design/Skills Needed: The body is worked in a single piece to the armholes. The waist is nipped in by using a slipped-stitch pattern (rather than shaping), and is secured by a single large button. Set-in sleeves are worked from the top down from picked-up stitches; short-row shaping creates the sleeve caps. Hem, neck, and sleeves are finished with an easy ribbed eyelet worked as you go. Finishing is limited to shoulder seams, sewing on a button, and weaving in loose ends.

I love the button I found for this cardi:

Here’s my concept sketch, for the truly curious:

Cast-on Monday: AMS KAL 2012

April 30, 2012May 6, 2012remilyknits Leave a comment

I have swatched my Malabrigo Lace in “Olive,” with Amber TR beads (size 8):

I was at an agility trial all weekend, but my friend Chris and I cast on for the “Anniversary Mystery Shawl 2012” by GoddessKnits in a tent, using Chris’s i-phone to display the pattern. I did about a dozen rows by lantern-light before turning in for the night :).

I believe there are still a few days to sign up for this KAL, if you are interested … hint hint! 🙂

Tips and Tricks: Rodekool is Dutch for Lace Brioche

April 22, 2012April 22, 2012remilyknits 2 Comments

Back in February, I cast on for my very own Rodekool de Kool. Designer Nancy Marchant published Rodekool in the Deep Fall 2010 issue of Knitty — it’s still available (for free!) there. Keeping in mind that I’ve never done much (any?) brioche before tackling this “extraspicy” pattern, and also keeping in mind that this pattern involves not only brioche but also lace … it totally kicked my butt at first.

Getting through the set up rows and first few repeats of the lacy brioche pattern very nearly did me in. It took every last ounce of available mental prowess, kntterly skill, and concentration. Thankfully, once I’d accomplished those first few rows … things began to settle in. Here’s the RS and WS just after the keyhole:

So pretty, right? For once I used the called-for yarn, and (by accident) selected the same colorway as the sample, so if my version looks a bit like the photographs in the pattern, that’s why.

I’ve trucked right along on this project, but I find I can’t work on it at knitting group (chatting!) — at least not successfully. But, working on it at knitting group did help me learn how to tink lace brioche! Ugh. I have also learned how to fix (small) mistakes, and also pick up the stitches after ripping out several rows.

I’m nearly done with my Rodekool de Kool, and I wanted to share how I’ve been doing it. I’m not saying it’s totally right (though I believe it is) — naturally this is my interpretation of the pattern, and not endorsed by the designer or knitty, and so on. Usual caveats apply! In editing I already noticed that I keep calling the big decrease a “quintuple” decrease when I should have say “quadruple.” Oops. But, I also feel like I figured out a bit of a shortcut with the wrong-side rows — of course for all I know, brioche knitters already know my little trick, but just in case, I thought I’d share.

With all that, I’m sure you are dying to see what I’ve come up with. I split the video into three parts. First up: Row 1 (RS, MC)

Still with me? Here’s Row 1 (RS, CC):

The part that’s “mine” is next. Row 2 is just straight-up brioche — no lace — and fairly early on I decided it must be possible to work the stitches in a single pass, rather than doing first the MC, then the CC. Here’s my take on Row 2 (WS, MC & CC together):

I hope this was enjoyable and even useful! This is a great pattern with a lot to offer.

New Lace KAL: Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Shawl

March 21, 2012March 20, 2012remilyknits 2 Comments

For the 4th year in a row, I will be making an “Anniversary Mystery Shawl” courtesy Renee Leverington of Goddess Knits. As to the reason why … here are the results from the first three years:

2009: Victorian Romance

2010: Mandala II

2011: Summer Rain

(See my posts about joining the 2011 KAL and the FO Friday for Summer Rain for more information.)

I think they speak for themselves, no?

Anyway, the signups are now OPEN for this most excellent and FREE lace shawl KAL. Go to the Anniverasry Mystery Shawl 2012 group page at yahoo, and join. That’s all there is to it. You have until May 5th to sign up, but after that you are out of luck. Renee creates beautiful hand-dyed lace yarn for the KAL, but she doesn’t require knitters to use it. I rummaged through my stash, and plan to use Ivy Brambles Romantica in Pine Tree:

FO Friday: Diantha Aurora

March 9, 2012March 8, 2012remilyknits 2 Comments

May I present, Diantha Aurora:

Project: Diantha Aurora

Pattern: Diantha

Designer: Susanna IC

Available: $6 on Ravelry

Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in Dusky Aurora

I made this shawl via the designers mystery KAL — it was super fun! Susanna did a great job balancing the “clues” so that each portion of the design took similar amounts of time to knit. This crescent-shaped shawl is knit from the border up, and is adorned with both nupps and beads. The only mod I made was using a crochet cast-on for the bottom edge. I think it blocked beautifully!