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Mittens and a Cowl

Posted on 12 March 2013
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I get so good at blogging and then fall off the wagon for a while.  To be fair, we’ve had a bad few months with lots of grief and loss, so the blog has been less important lately.  Anyway, I do have another spun-to-finished project to show off.  Well, two, really, from the same batch of yarn/fiber.

The fiber is Koigu braided roving, and is 100% Targhee fiber.   This was acquired at the Maryland Sheep and Wool festival in 2010, and I LOVE the fiber. DSC_1349
It’s really light and sproingy, so I managed to spin 500 yards from the 100 grams. DSC_3570
Finally, the two finished objects made from the same skein of yarn.  One pair of Broad Street Mittens, and one Moebius Cowl.  Both were easy knits, and simple, because I wanted the colors to show themselves off more than the pattern. They’re both patterns I’ve knit before, so it was easy, and I made a few small modifications along the way (as you do when you’ve knit a pattern multiple times and know just how to fit it to your peculiarities).  Very pleased with how they both came out.  I knit the mittens first and then the cowl second, using up every inch of the yarn which means it’s a little short, but does the job well enough!
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A Year of Sock Knitting, part 2 – 2012

Posted on 19 December 2012
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I was originally shooting for 12 in 2012, and I just squeaked by with a quick pair of DK weight socks for grandma.  I could probably do another pair, but I don’t think I’ll have the time.  Anyway, the lineup is below!

Rick Socks Pattern: Rick
Designer: Cookie A
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits Sheepy Feet in, “Tangerine Tango”
-Ravelry Project Link-
I ended up having to cast on more to make the sock fit.  Cast on 72, and then had to finagle around the heel to get the pattern to line up.  The socks don’t exactly match since I’m a lazy knitter who tends not to write down good enough notes to do the second sock the same, but it worked out well enough, and they’re bright and fun to wear.
DSC_9418_color Pattern: Dayflower Socks
Designer: Dayflower Socks
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits Grab Bag Mystery Yarn in, “Electric Blueberry”
-Ravelry Project Link-
These worked up pretty quickly and were the right combination of lace and ribbing so that it was interesting without being boring.  The color and the pattern just matched up perfectly and I couldn’t have been happier with how they turned out.  The yarn was a neat thing too since it was from a club that offered a ‘grab bag’ option – list the weight of yarn you want and the dyer picked out something that would work.  It did!  I really like how lofty and airy this particular yarn is and it was fun to try something completely different.
DSC_1153 Pattern: Primavera Socks
Designer: natalja
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)
Yarn: Little Red Bicycle Tricycle Sock in, “Mistletoe Grope”
-Ravelry Project Link-
A friend gifted me the yarn for these socks a few years ago as part of a set where the yarn matched two pots of eye shadow.  Pretty neat!  I finally got around to using the yarn and love how it knit up in this pattern.  It’s totally holiday-yarn-barf, but somehow, the pattern breaks up any pooling and keeps it interesting.  I do love the little spot of pooling on the heel since it kinda looks like a candy cane stripe.
DSC_1261 Pattern: Jaywalker
Designer: Grumperina
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)
Yarn: Lang Yarns Jawoll Magic in colorway 1001
-Ravelry Project Link-
Because no year is complete without a pair of Jaywalkers.  Am I right or am I right?  My brother brought back the yarn from a trip to the Netherlands and it was just SO much fun to knit with.  The colors are spectacular and made for a fun sock.  I had worn them before getting a picture, so they’re not as crisp as they were right off the needles, but they sure are cozy.
DSC_1274 Pattern: Pointelle
Designer: Cookie A
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits Sheepy Time MCN in “Driftwood”
-Ravelry Project Link-
These probably rank as my #3 most difficult pair of the year.  It wasn’t that the chart was particularly difficult, but it did involve actually looking at the chart instead of knitting away.  I knit the larger size, but probably could’ve done the smaller size since there’s a lot of extra room, especially around the foot.  I do love them, and love the subtle variation in the yarn that works well to show off the pattern without swallowing it up.
DSC_1199 Pattern: Simple Skyp Socks
Designer: Adrienne Ku
Needles: US 2 (2.75 mm)
Yarn: Schachenmayr nomotta Regia Design Line Kaffe Fassett 6-fädig 6ply in colorway 05958
-Ravelry Project Link-
These were very simple and quick two-day socks.  We were going to visit grandma and I needed something quick to knit up for her that she’d enjoy, hence these socks.  The bright colors really jumped out at me and the pattern has a neat almost herringbone style motif inbetween the ribbing.  Grandma was very happy with them and tried them right on – they fit perfectly!  Gotta love ending the year with a fun pair of socks like these.
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A Year of Sock Knitting, part 1 – 2012

Posted on 7 December 2012
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I was originally shooting for 12 in 2012, and I just squeaked by with a quick pair of DK weight socks for grandma.  I could probably do another pair, but I don’t think I’ll have the time.  Anyway, the lineup is below!

DSC_5178-picsay.jpg Pattern: Steampunkery
Designer: Heatherly Walker
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)
Yarn: Holiday Yarns FlockSock Sock Yarn in, “Vanilla” – purchased as a kit
-Ravelry Project Link-
They were an absolute PAIN to knit.  I must’ve gotten an early version of the kit because there were errors and omissions throughout the pattern.  No errata supplied, nothing.  I am happy with the finished product though since they’re SO pretty, and what a neat idea to have the fully functional button up flap on the leg.
DSC_0491 Pattern: Child’s Sock in Miranda Pattern
Designer: Nancy Bush
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)
Yarn: Little Red Bicycle’s Boneshaker BFL Sock in, “Oh, Io”
-Ravelry Project Link-
These were meant to be children’s socks, but I cast on 64 stitches and worked the pattern as normal, ignoring the calf shaping.  They came out great, and I love that the pattern is replicated from a historical pattern.
DSC_5455 Pattern: Gentleman’s Fancy Socks
Designer: Nancy Bush
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)
Yarn: Knit Picks Essential Solids & Twists in, “Sarge”
-Ravelry Project Link-
A friend requested socks ages ago and I finally got around to knitting them.  What took so long?  The requestor has a size 14 men’s shoe!  Yikes!  Took the better part of 2.25 skeins, but he commented in a thank you note that they are, “easily the coolest pair of socks I’ve ever owned.”  WIN!
DSC_5717 Pattern: 14 Karat
Designer: Glenna C.
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits, All Your Base in “Sunken Treasure”
-Ravelry Project Link-
Twisted stitches Ahoy!  The chart was easy to follow, just time consuming, and I’m not good at memorizing charts with cables.  Still though, they came out beautifully and I love the color depth in the yarn – there are so many colors that pop out of that yarn.
DSC_5712 Pattern: Business Casual
Designer: Tanis Lavallée
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits, All Your Base in “Fathoms Below”
-Ravelry Project Link-
They were easy enough to knit, but the photo doesn’t show the pattern very well.  The diamond pattern shows up just fine in real life but didn’t photograph very well.  The color is a favorite – I love the greens and black together.
DSC_6385 Pattern: Escher-Würfel (Escher’s cube)
Designer: Stephanie van der Linden
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits, Pearl Necklace in “Grey Matter”
-Ravelry Project Link-
The pattern is really just a stitch pattern to create the cube effect.  I cast on 60 and knit a basic cuff-down sock.  I was a little worried that 60 wouldn’t be enough stitches, but it was perfect with enough room (and a little extra) to stretch around my calves.  Very happy with how these came out!
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Knitting Update – finished objects!

Posted on 20 May 2012
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So I actually have been knitting, honest.  I just haven’t posted everything here.  So, here’s a quick post with a few recent finished objects.

On the top above, is 14 Karat.  The yarn is from the club I’ve been a member of for a while now, and is a colorway called “Sunken Treasure.”  I figured a pattern referencing jewels would work nicely with a color referencing treasure.  They were pretty labor intensive and required working from the computer with the chart, but they’re well worth it!

On the bottom above is Business Casual, using another yarn from the club, this time the colorway was, “Fathoms Below.”  Easy to knit, and they worked up pretty quickly.  These two pairs of socks were worked at the same time, but the Business Casual socks didn’t require looking at a chart and were taken along with me everywhere.  The faux-argyle diamond pattern shows up more in person than it did in the photo, and I really love how they came out.

 

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This is the big project that I’ve had sitting in my Works in Progress (WIP) queue for a while.  I started the Royale sweater in November of 2010 for the National Knit a Sweater Month (NaKniSweMo).  I got about 5 inches up from the bottom and set it aside.  With Ravelympics 2012 coming up soon, the team I joined decided that we should spend the month prior to the Ravelympics ‘training’ and finishing up WIPs.  This one isn’t my oldest one, but it was a huge undertaking – the cables, twisted stitches!  All the hard work was totally worth it though, I mean, just look at that!  It’s sort of unfortunate that I finished now, mid-May, when I won’t be able to wear it all summer long.  The pattern and charts were easy to follow.  My only big mistake is that I usually don’t do as many increases for the bust as the pattern sizing calls for – everyone has different measurements and should adjust a knit pattern to suit their individual measurements for a best fit.  Nooo I just kept trucking along!  So, the bust is a little loose, but it’s not a dealbreaker, and there’s NO WAY I am going to go back and work all that over.  The yarn used was Valley Yarns Northampton in the color, “Twilight Heather.”  The photos above are pretty color accurate, and I’d call the color kind of a purpley maroon heather.  I over estimated on the yarn purchase, so I have three skeins left – I’ve got a short torso, so while most folks have 4 or more repeats of that center cable pattern, I only needed three, cutting down drastically on the yarn requirement.  Love this to bits, and I’m so glad I finally finished it!

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All Things Crafty

Posted on 15 February 2012
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Spinning and spinning and knitting.  Spinning up clay on the wheel, spinning up yarn on a different wheel, and as always, knitting.

Not too long ago, I started going to Cara’s open studio Wednesdays at the Cobb Studio.  She’s a wonderful teacher and it’s been an incredible amount of fun getting my hands dirty.  I got a quick lesson in throwing clay on a wheel one day when the studio was a little emptier than usual, and I’ve slowly been working on getting better.  Just wanted to share a few pieces I’ve made that I’m super happy with so far.  The first is a little tea cup.  It’s a bit heavy and thick on the bottom,  but I absolutely love how the handle came out.  The second is a mug with a leaf applied to the side so that you can slip your hand inside and keep your hand warm while you sip on your tea.  Unfortunately, I neglected to account for the shrinkage of the clay when it dries, so it came out a little smaller than I expected, but I can still get my fingers inside the little leaf pocket.

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For fiber spinning, I’ve spent the last week or so not knitting. I think I may have over-knit recently and my elbow is telling me to take a break. I’ve got two bobbins spun and plied so far, and am working on some 100% silk which is challenging, but AMAZING at the same time. Below, on the left is some superwash merino fiber from Twisted Fiber Art in the colorway, “Maple” and on the right is more superwash merino fiber from PigeonRoof Studios in, “Illuminated Moss.”

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Then I have another spun-to-knit project because this month has been all about handspun.

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Fiber is from Fiber Optic yarns and is 80% Merino and 20% silk dyed into one big long gradient.  The colorway is Gold-Copper-Cinnamon-Espresso.

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All spun up!  480 yards, fingering weight, and chain plied to keep the color progression.

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Knit into Saroyan!  (Ravelry Project Link)  The pattern is pretty easy, and the only issue is that it wants to curl up.  I thought I had blocked it pretty well, but the garter border at the top still wants to curl under.  Other than that, I’m really happy with how this came out and how even the not-so-even handspun knitted up.  Can’t wait to wear it out and show it off!

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Owlie Gloves

Posted on 7 February 2012
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Owlie Gloves! They’re just too cute, and a great way to use up my growing stash of handspun.

First, the Fiber:

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Fiber is by Gnomespun and is Polwarth in colorway, “Hidcote” – I picked this up at Rhinbeck in October 2010

 

Second, the spun yarn:

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Yarn was chain plied, and came out to 328 yards.  It probably falls between worsted and DK and is pretty slubby and uneven, but it’s got a very handspun quality to it which is perfect for gloves.  The unevenness seems to disappear, especially when knit at a smaller/tighter gauge.  The yarn is lofty and squishy and perfect for gloves.

 

Thirdly, the gloves!:

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Pattern is Owlie Mitts that I added fingers to so that I’d have gloves.  I love fingerless gloves and mitts, but really, it’s my fingers that get cold, and adding fingers to mitts is pretty easy!  They fit perfectly.  The gauge is pretty tight (think knitting a thick DK yarn on US 1.5 needles), but there’s no way the cold is getting in through these.  The beads were sewn on later rather than knitted in since I didn’t have the crochet hook or floss necessary to add them during the knitting.  No big deal.  Here’s the Ravelry Project Link if you want to see my short bit of notes.

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Go With the Flow Socks

Posted on 16 April 2011
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Finally, another spun-to-finished project.  I’ve been accumulating quite the stash of handspun, and I figured it was time to put some to use.  The yarn is dyed by Meg at Twisted Fiber Art, and she’s really quite the magician with dye.  The colorway is called, “Intrigue,” and was part of a club Meg ran for 3 months.  I spun the superwash merino roving into a thin single and then chain or navajo plied the yarn so that the colors would stay together as they were dyed.  I ended up with about 425 yards of fingering weight yarn that was then turned into a really squishy pair of Go With the Flow socks.  The pattern knitted up quickly, and I only made a few modifications – worked a plain slip-stitch heel and didn’t turn the work inside out after the heel flap was done.  I love the way they came out and refuse to take them off now that the photos are taken.  Yeah, it’s almost not-sock season, but that won’t stop me from stocking up for the winter!

 

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Gin & Tonic

Posted on 5 April 2011
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This is the second finished item of my 11 in 2011. Yeah I might be a little behind, but I can still make it, right?

The yarn is Sheepy Feet from Sheepy Time Knits, colorway, “Daisy Chain.”  The color pooled up making these awesome spirals of green around the socks and I love how that happened – looks like a twist of lime, going with the gin and tonic theme.  The sock pattern, Gin & Tonic, worked up really quickly and I’m happy with how they came out.  No real modifications to the pattern, just knit it as-is.  Pretty short post, but socks are socks, and it’s more about the eye candy here than any fancy write-up!

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Dagon Casadh Socks

Posted on 27 February 2011
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The first finished item of my 11 in 2011 lineup.

The yarn is from the January 2011 installment from Little Red Bicycle. The colorway is called Dagon, inspired by H.P. Lovecraft’s short stories.  In fact, the three month club will entirely be based upon Lovecraft’s stories and I’m excited to see what comes up next.

The pattern, Casadh, worked up pretty quickly since there’s a lot of plain ribbing inbetween the crazy cable rows.  The sock was sized for men, so I made a few modifications (only 15 repeats on the heel flap, decreased on the gusset to 18 stitches each needle) to help fit a smaller foot.  The combination of the ribbing and cables gives it plenty of stretch though, so it ended up working out just fine.  They’re really comfortable and I can’t wait to wear them out and show them off!  There are a few more pictures on the Ravelry Link below as well as more information about my modifications.

Ravelry Link

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Speshul Snowflakes

Posted on 7 November 2010
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Since the club cycle had completed for the year, I figured I ought to update on all the socks I’ve knit from the club yarn. The club is Sheepy Time Knits Speshul Snowflakes Yarn Club.  I really love how the club is set up, that there are two colorway choices and a wide variety of yarn choices every shipment.  You pick the yarn/colorway one month and then it’s shipped the next month making for 6 total shipments.  Back at the beginning of the club, I decided that I’d kit each shipment as it came in so that I’d still be knitting socks and the yarn wouldn’t go into the stash and be forgotten.  I’m really glad I kept up with it, and here are the results from a year’s worth of shipments.  Looking forward to next year’s club again and knitting more socks!

DSC_8490 Pattern: Hanging Vines Socks
Designer: Kelly Porpiglia
Needles: US 1 (2.25mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits, Sheepy Feet in, “Green Eyed Monster”
-Ravelry Project Link-

They are GREEN green for sure.  These have already gotten a ton of wear and I think I love them a little more every time I wear them.  The base yarn feels strong yet still soft and has incredible stitch definition.  Also, not even one little bit of pooling in that variegated colorway.  Not a single bit.
DSC_0519 Pattern: Komet
Designer: Stephanie van der Linden
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits, Yarn That Shall Not Be Named in, “Teel Deer”
-Ravelry Project Link-

I’ve already blogged about these, but I still LOVE that colorway.  It’s funny how a knitted item can remind you of where/when you were knitting it and for me, these will always remind me of our trip to New Hampshire, knitting and cozy in the lodge while the husband was skiing.  And the epic adventure of showshoeing down Mount Washington.
DSC_1705 Pattern: Jabberwocky Socks
Designer: Mandie Harrington
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits, All Your Base in “Blackberry Martini”
-Ravelry Project Link-

The dyer designed these socks and I just couldn’t wait to get the yarn and cast on.  The construction of the sock is not typical and I really LOVE how she got the pattern on the side to go straight down to the foot.  And again, THAT COLOR.
DSC_3020 Pattern: Angler’s Loop Socks
Designer: Andrea Mules
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits, Panda Feet in “Creamsicle”
-Ravelry Project Link-

I probably could’ve knit the larger size on these for a little more ease around the cable, but they still fit fine.  The base is super squishy and comfortable and the cable was just enough knitting interest to keep me engaged but not overwhelmed.  Do you see what’s happening here?  Variegates, no pooling, tons of different patterns, but no pooling.  I’m still in awe.
DSC_4507 Pattern: Passerine Socks
Designer: Cookie A.
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits, All Your Base in “Foggy Dew”
-Ravelry Project Link-

So these were a challenge.  I just wasn’t feeling the pattern (it’s gorgeous, don’t get me wrong) and they took FOREVER to knit.  Totally worth it in the end, and the pops of green in the grey are just perfect.  See, again?  No color pooling.
DSC_5091 Pattern: Lichen and Moss Socks
Designer: Joanna Ryan
Needles: US 1.5 (2.5 mm)
Yarn: Sheepy Time Knits, Yarn That Shall Not Be Named in “Lichen”
-Ravelry Project Link-

Well when I found the colorway and did a search for “Lichen” in Ravelry, I just had to knit the pattern named Lichen and Moss.  Seemed perfect.  The simple yet elegant pattern was SO fast to knit (under a week!) and the color worked out perfectly.  This base is a big favorite of mine (Oh that stitch definition) and feels super strong yet completely enjoyable to wear.  And of course, no color pooling again here.
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