This week I started (and finished) a quick-knit hat in a new Classic Elite yarn, Ava. It’s sparkly! The sparkles match the colorways! Purple rules! Here is my version of Bastille.
I also cast on for a new Sivia Harding cowl, Wild Iris. I’m using a skein of Tosh Light in Mare that I’ve had stashed for some time now.
This Friday’s finished object is a baby gift! I didn’t finish before Gwen was born, but I did finish before the heat hit.
Project: Sunsuit for Gwen
Designer: Rachel Henry
Available: someday, in Fresh Designs KIDS
Yarn: Eden Cottage Yarns tempo 4ply
What more can I say about this pattern? It’s become my go-to baby gift for friends expecting girls. The prototype went to the eponymous Susan, and I made one for Lillian too. Let’s not forget the sample for Fresh Designs! This one is purple, like the sample, but using different yarn.
Project: Sublime Rosewood
Pattern: Sublimity
Designer: Sivia Harding
Available: $6 as a single pattern, or $26 for the 7-pattern collection
Yarn: madelinetosh Tosh Vintage in “Rosewood”
Beads: 6/0 Miyuki round seed beads; transparent lavender with AB finish
Man alive I have a serious designer crush on Sivia Harding. This is yet another awesome pattern from her mind. Love the stitch pattern, love how the decreases are hidden … love the sparing yet perfect use of beads! I knit this cowl as-written, even though the neck seemed a bit high … turns out I was right, since it crumples up when I wear it, but maybe I have a short neck and the fault is not with the pattern. Tosh Vintage is just as yummy as it always is.
Project: Early Grey Lattice
Pattern: Lattice
Designer: Rose Beck
Available: $5 as a single pattern, or $13 for the 4-pattern collection
Yarn: madelinetosh Tosh DK in “Earl Grey”
Love the yarn, love the project. I did extra repeats of the lower border to use up as much yarn as possible. I found both stitch patterns intuitive and fun. My only complaint is that the garter stitch lower edge seems to flare a bit on my shawl … maybe more strenuous blocking is in order?
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.
I finished my Catkin a couple weeks ago! I’ve been wearing it a LOT because it is so lovely.
Project: Tute Catkin
Pattern: Catkin
Designer: Carina Spencer
Available: $7 on Ravelry
Yarn: Tosh Light in French Grey and Byzantine
Buttons: LaMode Style 24794 1/2” antique silver (purchased at Jo-Ann’s)
This is a pattern designed for Tosh Light, and I found two colors of Tosh Light I loved … is “French Grey” a brownish grey, or a greyish brown? Either way, it really allows the Byzantine to shine. Working with a single-ply yarn is always a bit more challenging that working with a nice round plied yarn, but sometimes the results are just so lovely, I don’t mind a bit.
The striped neck section was a bit boring to work, and keeping track of the increases was a pain. I stalled out a bit there. I stalled out again in the textured middle section, until I figured out the pattern and didn’t have to watch the chart as closely. The slipped-stitch lollipop section was fun, fun, fun — no stalling out there at all, even though the rows were at their longest.
I especially adore the slipped-stitch vertical stripes at the corners!
I was going to cast on for a hat last week. Really! I wound my Tosh Light (in William Morris)…
… then I put it in a bag with the right size needle and my copy of Weekend Hats …
… and then I waited for the right moment to cast on.
But, instead … I bought new yarn at the Hub Mills Store when I worked on Friday. Pashmina in Firewood
The photo does not really do it justice. This on one of those layers-upon-layers colorways — rainbows under water, oil in a jar, gorgeous beyond reckoning! I’m making myself a Goodale cardigan with it. I’ve already got about two inches done. It is so soft and pretty! The William Morris hat will have to wait a bit longer.
See my pretty purple sock yarn? It’s Mad Tosh Sock in “Flashdance” — yum!
This week I cast on for a pair of Fringe Socks from California Revival Knits (Stephannie Tallent).
I’m using some ancient stash (Reynold’s Wash Day Wool in Cream) for the contrast color. I’m about to do the the fringe bit — very cool!
Sometimes a knitter needs an instant-gratification kind of project …
Project: Foxglove Cloche
Pattern: Lea Cloche
Designer: Cecily Glowik MacDonald
Available: in Weekend Hats
Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh DK in Foxglove
The hat begins from a circular cast-on at the crown. Increases go along the four purl “seams.” I ended up adding one additional round of increases, because my head is big and my gauge was a tiny bit tight. Other than that, I knit as written! I tried to add some length to the brim, but it curled terribly. I had to rip out my modified brim and go back to the as-written one — which, you can see, worked perfectly.
I’m very pleased with my ribbon and button! Both found at Jo-Anns.
My Monday knitting group took a field trip to Another Yarn in Winchester, MA. They had some of the new Madelinetosh colors, and I found that Foxglove (in Tosh DK) just had to come home with me.
I’ve already turned it into this adorable hat — which still needs a ribbon and a button to be finished:
I also (finally) cast on for the poodle I owe to the winner of the Jasper raffle — I made a leg, then frogged it, because it was HUGE. I ended up un-plying the Pipsqueak I’m using into three individual plies, and using just one ply to made the leg again. It worked, I’m happy with the results: “just” three more legs, two sides of the body, the head, and the tail to go. 🙂
Pipsqueak:
Remily Knits 