Friday, August 28, 2009

Yes there is the Knitting Fairy

And she is smiling upon me. I hope.

Herald the Harald:

I am thrilled. This is the most beautiful sweater I have made.

And there will be no sweater curse.

Cascade 220 tweed in grey. Simply beautiful I must say.

And I believe the Knitting Fairy is smiling upon me when it comes to the Central Park Hoodie as well.


It is blocking! To measurement. I am holding my breath. I am also holding on to knitting the front until this dries completely and I take another look at it to be sure. I have hope.

In the meantime I worked a bit on the Rambling Rows afghan.

And the Girasole blob is growing, albeit slowly.

I am halfway on Chart D now.

And during all knitting frenzy Runty totally ignores me.


I couldn't care less, he seems to say. I am happy on the window sill here.

And as though I don't have enough projects going on I found a new addiction. Knitting small shawls with fingering yarn.


This is Gaia with Noro Kureyon sock yarn. Another birthday gift. A lot of people mention the "roughness" on the Noro sock yarn. I had that reservation as well when the Noro sock yarn first came out. I knitted a couple of pairs of socks with it and found that once the project is washed it softens considerably. I have no problems with the socks being rough at all. They are very comfortable. I am sure this shawl will be nice too once I washed and block it.

I need more knitting hours....

Thursday, August 27, 2009

I have serious doubt about this

I hope I am wrong.


I finished the back of CPH for Julie.


It is gorgeous. Except I think it is going to be too small. It is a 52 and I got gauge!

I am going to block the heck out of it tonight and see what I get. Let's hope I don't have to restart the whole darned thing! That would really bum me out!


Wednesday, August 26, 2009

There is no monogamy in my knitting life

Isn't variety the spice of life?

I have a knitting friend who decides on a pattern, buys the yarn, knits the project, finishes it and then decides on a new project.

I greatly admire her self-decipline and sometimes wish I were like that. Because I think I might be in over my head right now with projects underway and projects in queue.

My Christmas gift list is so long. Everything I have on the needles right now is for someone else. Not that I mind. I love giving gifts that I made myself, especially to the people I love. The things is I need more time to knit.

And no mistake! Not like this:

That's my Girasole. Actually it's for my friends George and Ann MacDonald. And it had a mistake on row two of chart d. And I was on row 12 when I noticed it. There are 380 stiches per row. That's 3,800 stitches I ripped back. I am now back up and plucking along. Love that pattern.


Lesson learned: Check your work after each row, especially when it comes to yarn-over.

Fortunately the Central Park Hoodie for Julie is moving right along.

I am up to the armhole shaping on the back now. I love Dream in Color yarn. It is such a joy to knit. And the cables really pop even though you can't see them too well in the picture. Here is a close-up.

Romeo Blue. One of Dream in Color's new semi-solid colors. It is simply beautiful. I had bought ten skeins from the Loopy Ewe (on sale) meaning to knit Carl a sweater. Then when I couldn't get gauge (or didn't the look of the fabric when I got gauge) of the Cascade 220 superwash I got for the hoodie, I decided to use this instead. I had to order two more skeins from Eat.Sleep.Knit since the Loopy Ewe did not have any more. I was holding my breath afraid the color wouldn't match. I lucked out. There is very little color variation in the two dye lots. I am alternating the two new skeins nonetheless.

The yardage called for in the Central Park Hoodie pattern is a surprise though. I am making a 52-in bust size which calls for 2,928 yards. That's 11.7 skeins of DIC. Well I am almost done with the back and have not even used two skeins. Assuming the two front pieces will take two skeins, the sleeves three, I will have five skeins left for the hood? Maybe the fronts and the sleeves will take more. I have never done such a size before so we shall see. I hope I won't end up with two or three skeins left that I will then have to match the color again. The next size down (48-in bust) calls for 1,830 yards. That's 1,098 yards less than the 52-in bust size. Hmm.

I am plugging along with Rambling Rows as well. I try to knit at least one block each day. There are 55 blocks in the blanket. I've got ten so far.

In the meantime I need a small project to take along.

I was checking out one of our newest yarn stores in the area, Nature's Yarn, when I came across this Zauberball sock yarn. Perfect for a multi-directional diagonal scarf. Another to go in the Christmas gift box.

Too many projects; too little time.

Why do I have to work too?

Friday, August 21, 2009

It's growing

Stitch by stitch, row by row.

I took the Harald sweater to Uniquities, my LYS, to be sewn up. This is the first time I had somebody do the assembly. It seems like cheating but I hate sewing up the seams and want it done really well. Besides, I am supporting my local yarn store, right?


In the meantime I am progressing very well with the WIPs.

Girasole is growing. I am working on chart D. It is now too big to carry around so it is now evening knitting on the sofa. I really like working with Cascade Eco Wool.


I made a bit of progress in the Central Park Hoodie.

I love this yarn. Dream in Color in Romeo Blue. The two extra skeins came from Eatsleepknit yesterday and I was so glad to see that there is no color variation! I will alternate two skeins to be on the safe side, however. It is going quicker than I expected so that is good news since I have a couple more sweaters in the queue for Christmas list.

Another project that is growing fast is the Rambling Rows blanket.

Five blocks done. 50 to go! The best thing about the project is you knit one block at a time and each row has fewer and fewer stitches as you knit.

The weekend is coming up. What can I start? This, perhaps?


This is Roland, a gorgeous henley from the Rowan book Classic DK Designs for Men and Women. It is knitted in RYC Cashsoft DK. I have been trying to get gauge in Cascade 220 Superwash that I have in stash but it is a tad too big. Either I will make a smaller size to account for the bigger gauge or will break down and buy the yarn. Will mull over that this weekend.

In the meantime Runty is wondering about all this knitting frenzy.


And what is that crazy thing you put around my neck, Mommy?

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

FOs

Yeah!!

I finished Ellie's Lavalette shawl.

It is a lot prettier than I expected. And it blocked out very nicely. This was the first time I wet-blocked a project so I wasn't quite sure how to do it. Thanks goodness there wasn't any point to pin out. A good first practice.

I will knit this shawl again. It is very easy (on the point of boring on the stockinette part!) and only takes one skein of sock yarn.

Carl's sweater is also finished. The knitting part, that is.


Not a very good picture. Oh, well. For a while I thought the sleeves wouldn't ever be done. I knitted and knitted and knitted and they were still an inch and a half short. I kniited some more. An inch and a half short! It took forever. But now it is done and ready to be sewn up.

Which brings us to cast-on.


Acrylic!

Presenting the Rambling Rows blanket. This will be a Christmas present for my daughter-in-law Erica and her five kids. Now you see why it is a washable acrylic/wool blend. I want it to be used so the only way to go is acrylic blend. Besides, Erica lives in Texas. No wooly blanket needed there. I got a bit started. Actually the Plymouth Encore is quite nice. A bit splitty but very soft. I found that I quite enjoy knitting with it.

Another Christmas project got underway.

I joined the Central Park Hoodie knitalong on Knitting Daily. The yarn is Dream in Color in Romeo Blue. It is absolutely gorgeous. I had wanted to knit it in Cascade 220 Superwash but when decided to change the yarn after I swatched the Cascade. Even though I got gauge on #8 needles it looks too loose. I like the gauge on the DIC much more. The only thing is I only have 10 skeins that I bought on sale (DIC on sale, imagine that! There went my yarn diet resolution) from the Loopy Ewe. I had meant it for a sweater for Carl. I need more for this CPH for my friend Julie. I decided to gamble and ordered two skeins from Eatsleepknit. (the Loopy Ewe didn't have any more. It was part of their 3rd anniversary sale and it went quick.) I am keeping my fingers crossed that the color will blend that I am able to knit from two skeins alternately. If not, I might have to go to plan c or make a hoodless hoodie.

I have a very ambitous Christmas knitting list. Better get going. How many knitting hours are there in a day?

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Done, done, done!

Presenting Babette:





I am so happy with this. I didn't have enough yarn to crochet three rounds of edging. Instead I did one round and then did a crap stitch all around to give it a finished look. I can't wait to give it to my friends Pom and Julie when they come back from vacation next week.

In the meantime I worked a little bit on Girasole.

Love this one too. It doesn't have a disignated giftee yet. I will have to think hard about parting with this one. But then again I can knit myself another one. My Christmas gift list this year is quite long but they are the people I really love so this one will be in the Christmas box.


As I was taking pictures outside Runty came out for a bit too. He likes sniffing around in the flower bed.

Maybe I should teach him how to pull the weeds...

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Updates

I am really, really happy with Babette.

All the assembly is done. I started the edging last night but haven't quite finished yet. I am having a hard time keeping it away from Runty!


He likes it too. Maybe I should make a baby-size for the Runt.

In the meantime I whipped up a birthday present for a friend.


Just Enough Ruffles. Malabrigo merino worsted in dusty pink. This yarn is soft!

Another pretty little knit. I have another birthday present to knit. Three August birthday. This is the second one:

Lavelette. In Prism Saki sock yarn colorway tumbleweed. This should be a quick knit. I haven't come up with a project for the third August birthday yet. I probably will end up reaching into my "socks box" for a pair for her.

And I have to keep cranking on Harald for Carl as well. The sleeves got under way.



About a quarter done. Really, I need more hours in the day!


Monday, August 10, 2009

Ba, Ba, Babette!

Finally, it is on its way.

I put the knitting aside this weekend to work on the Babette blanket.


It was supposed to have been done in May, as it was meant to be a 30th anniversary present for my best friends Pom and Julie. Well, better late than never.


I got all the squres done a while ago.

Noro Silk Garden color 269. It was a lot of fun the crochet all the squares. I kept putting off the assembly, thinking it would be a really tedious job. Finally I sat down this weekend and told myself to get it done.

Boy was I wrong.

Putting the squares together was a lot of fun! It was like playing Legos. The whip stiching was quick and easy and I enjoyed seeing the blanket coming together bits by bits.

So did Runty.

I only have two more panels to stitch. Then the border. Well, Pom and Julie are on vacation and won't be back for two weeks. When they are, their blanket will be ready!

Friday, August 07, 2009

WIPs and UFOs by any other name...

I overfelted the Fair Isle bag.
All the stitches disappeard (they weren't supposed to according to the pattern). And it is much smaller. Anyway it is very nice and I am quite pleased with it. I will sew the straps on and put it aside for Christmas gift.

Speaking of gifts Carl's sweater is coming right along. I finished the front and back.

And now am on a roll with the sleeves. Hopefully I will get it done this weekend. In the meantime the Girasole glob is growing.

I am half way through chart c now. I need to put it on a longer cable. This is really fun to knit. I am already thinking about another Girasole for myself. Maybe in blue.


I also uncovered another UFO I need to finish pronto.


These are the final few squares of the Babette blanket. Crocheted in Noro Silk Garden. This was meant to be a 30th anniversary present for two very dear friends. That was May. Well, looks like it will be another Christmas gift. Maybe earlier. I only have three more squares to crochet. Then to put them together.

Let's see what other UFOs I can uncover this weekend.


Thursday, August 06, 2009

WIPs

It's time to get going.

I have been taking stock of my WIPs to determine which ones I really want to finish and which are to be frogged when I came across a sweater I have been knitting for my boyfriend Carl.

This is the Harald pullover by Elsebeth Lavold. I started this last December wanting it to be a Valentine's present. Well, Carl got two pairs of socks instead. But now his birthday is coming up in September and I have to finish it. I don't have far to go. I already finished the back and am almost done with the front. The Viking cables are really pretty in the Cascade 220 tweed.

Well, let's get going and not be distracted. Maybe just a round of Girasole here and there.

On chart C now. I will have to put it on a 60-inch cable soon. This is really addictive.

Another WIP is the work on my house. That too is almost done. The siding on the front is in. All that is left now is the gutters and downspouts. And of course it is raining cats and dogs today..


Oh well, one can stay inside and knit some more. Get moving!


Wednesday, August 05, 2009

OMG!

How pretty!

I stopped by Uniquities, my LYS, on my way home from work yesterday to look for straps for the Fair Isle bag. I got the straps. I also got this:


At $15 a jumbo skein, my Girasole will cost $60! The decision was made right then for me. Three hours later I had this to show:


I had to force myself to stop and pick up the Ishbel, which is progressing very nicely. I finished the first lace section before going back to Girasole.



Pretty. Pretty. Pretty. I love them both.



Tuesday, August 04, 2009

fair isle bag

Ready to be felted!



I have to wait until tomorrow when I go knitting at a friend's house who has a top-loading machine. In the meantime I started Ishbel.


This will be my first lace shawl. The yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy in Deep Seawater colorway. I also want to make Girasole. I already got the pattern but am debating wheter I want to do it in Cascade Ecological Wool or Dream in Color Classy. This is going to be a blanket and not a shawl. And probably a Christmas present for a very dear daughter-in-law. I am also tempted by Wendy Johnson's two new shawls -- Order to Chaos and the Exonumist circular shawl. Either one will be knitted as a blanket as well.

Well let's not get carried away. I still have two pairs of socks on the needles!