Old Vine Tempest

It would seem that I have lost my ability to multitask!  I used to be good at it, but since having children I can only focus on one thing at a time.  So, while I have been working on finishing a sweater I have been unable to blog, read, and garden.  Unfortunately, I will have plenty of time to weed now that I have completed my latest garment. Sigh.

I call it "Old Vine" Tempest.  When I saw this sweater pattern I thought it would be a fun project both in construction and color.  The tonal yarn in yellow and maroon colors make me think of glasses of chardonnay and cabernet wines.  Many shades are present in one skein of yarn, some brighter and some faded, reminding me of an old grape vine.

The stripes were what I found the most interesting part of this sweater.  They had to be accurately lined up when seaming the pieces together, a challenge for me since I am more apt to knit in the round.  I like how the stripes are different sizes, with the smaller stripes along the middle of the garment.

By itself, I could never wear this greenish yellow color, but deep wine shade makes it work with my skin tone.

Pattern: Tempest by Weaverknits.  Knitty.com


Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy.  One skein each of Strange Harvest and In Vino Veritas.


Time Elapsed: Oh goodness, I just don't know.  This has been a stop and start project that has been worked on for about two months.


Modifications/Notes:  Instead of doing a folded hem, I knit a garder hem to match the collar and button band. I opted for a short-sleeved cardigan, which I think makes this sweater very versatile. Grosgrain ribbon was added and hand stitched on to stabilize the buttonholes. Other than these mods I followed the pattern.  I wish I had remembered to swatch before starting the project! I forgot this very important step, and while I like the sweater, I would prefer a slightly looser (and longer) fit. Thank heavens for blocking!

It really is the perfect sweater for meandering pensively among the daisies!

If I Only Had The Time

I'm not sure why, but I always seem to be knitting socks in the month of March.  It seems a little crazy doesn't it, since the arrival of spring means it's time to start dusting off those sandals.

Truthfully, I would rather be knitting a light cardigan, but I haven't had the time to find the right yarn for the one I want to do.  So I went shopping in my own yarn stash and settled on some lace socks using the Schachenmayr nomotta Regia Color 4-ply /4-fädig (say that ten times fast) sock yarn that I bought in Newport last year.  

Today is the perfect day to snuggle up on the couch with a cup of Earl Grey, a good movie and needles clacking away.  Now, if I only had the time to actually sit down and knit ...

Strawberry Sunset Shrug

I love days like this.  The days where I get to combine my two favorite hobbies.  The days where I have completed a knitting project and I get to photograph it!

"I've got it!  I'll name it 'Strawberry Sunset'!" my daughter exclaimed.  She had been pondering a few options for what she wanted to call her new sweater.  She chose strawberry because I said the color reminded me of a strawberry Laffy Taffy, and sunset because the color reminded her of a sunset.  Sounds logical to me!

With an early school release on Wednesdays, I thought today would be the perfect day to get some shots of my girl in her wooly new shrug.  But, being the procrastinator that I am, I was still sewing the ribbon on at the last minute and we didn't get to the park until just after 4:00 pm.  Boy did that turn out to be a blessing!

The sun was hanging low in the western sky.  It wasn't yet sunset, I'd say it was more like twilight, and my daughter was feeling beautiful and cooperative.  She was inspired by her surroundings, and I was inspired by her dazzling smile.  The photo shoot just clicked (pun intended) and I'm feeling pretty pleased with our time together.

I just don't know what I like the most: the way the sweater turned out, the fun of using my new camera, or the way the sun shines warmly on her hair.

This one is my favorite.  While not the best for giving a detailed look at the sweater, this frame was a simple moment that became magical by the sun and the trees around her.  Plus it helps that she isn't giving me a cheesy grin or funny face.

Okay, back to the subject at hand ... the shrug!

Raveled here

Pattern:  Shrug This by Toni Kayser Weiner

Yarn:  Rowan Big Wool in Tricky

Time Elapsed:  Yeah right!  Like I could keep track of that with all of the moving we've done in the last month.

Modifications/Notes:  I followed the instructions as written except instead of a rib on the hem and sleeves I opted for a sturdier moss stitch.  I also added a silk satin ribbon (in pink of course!) that I hand-stitched to the inside.

Autumnal Splendor Spiral Cowl

The amount of time it took me to knit this cowl is ridiculous!  It was not difficult or particularly time consuming, but with all of the change going on in my life I found it difficult to concentrate.  

I wanted to give a hand knit gift to my friend for her birthday.  Something that is in a neutral color, high quality, and wearable even in the sunny state of California (it gets cold there once in a while, right?).  I settled on this spiral cowl and used up some tweedy yarn left over from my Tangled Yoke Cardigan.  The result is this simple, fashionable and elegant cowl!

Raveled here

Pattern: Spiral Cowl by Keri McKiernan. 

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed in Seafarer.

Time Elapsed: really I couldn't say, what with all of the picking up, moving, and losing of things going on!

Modifications/Notes: I followed the pattern exactly as written, and added a beautiful leather wrapped button.

The Yarn That Keeps On Giving

Since my interest in knitting has grown, so has my stash of leftover yarn.  What does one do with odds and ends of sock yarn, and especially entire skeins of somewhat expensive luxury yarn?  It turns out that Ravelry is a great place to sell or trade stashes.

I had posted on Ravelry that I had two skeins of my Rowan Kidsilk Haze left after completing my "Swan Lake" Gathered Pullover, and was willing to part with it.  I actually didn't expect a response, but someone contacted me and was interested in making a trade.  In return for my yarn, I got two skeins of Rowan Big Wool in Tricky (a discontinued color), a variegated chunky pink yarn that will be perfect for a little shrug for my daughter.

What a great way to nudge a good knitting project to becoming realized!  And I must confess, it was pure joy to open up the package that had come in the mail, and laying eyes on the cheerful rosy hue of the contents.  Yay, new yarn for me!

My Fifteen Minutes Of Fame

I am not famous.  I am not a celebrity.  But, I have had my fifteen minutes of fame.

Not to brag or anything, but I do receive a few kind comments from other knitters on Ravelry.   Since I can take a decent photo of my finished objects, I'll get questions about how I took a photo, or someone will compliment my project.  Well, last week I got a request from a woman in Oklahoma who owns a yarn store there, and she asked to use a photo that I had taken of my "Wine Country Wrenna" sweater for an e-newsletter.  I was very flattered and excited that someone wanted to use MY photo of MY knitting project!  She did a brief highlight on the kind of yarn I used, which was new on the market, and credited my photo.  Check it out ...

Screenshot taken of the Loops Scoop e-newsletter put out by Loops, A Yarn Store.

Pretty cool huh?  I feel so special.

Wine Country Wrenna

 

For a couple of years now I have been salivating over some of the hand knits in the book, French Girl Knits: Innovative Techniques, Romantic Details, and Feminine Designs by Kirsteen Griffin-Grimes.  I checked it out a couple of times from the public library and even had a couple of friends recommend it to me, so I took the hint and finally bought it!

Now I am pleased to say that I finished my first project from the book.  There are so many beautiful fashions to choose from, some are wispy, some are incredibly detailed, and some are chunky like the one I chose: Wrenna.

Photo from French Girl Knits

 Wrenna is inspired by the Dark Ages Eastern European country.  It has a gypsy like quality to it, but in my opinion is quite modern at the same time.

Being the creative person that I am (which is sometimes a blessing and sometimes a curse), I came up with my own interpretation.  Since I definitely don't have any sort of gypsy edge to me, I went with a more Anthropologie-style approach; I nixed the leather laces and instead went with a closure of chocolate hued leather and antiqued silver buttons.

This would have been the perfect sweater to wear while I was exploring the many vineyards of Napa Valley last fall. It is chunky, warm and a very beautiful design.  It would look great whilst frolicking down of row of sweetening grapes, don't you think?  And while I will not be in Napa this year, it suits a wine tasting in my own back yard just fine!

Raveled here

Pattern: Wrenna: Leather-laced cardigan by Kirsteen Griffin-Grimes.  French Girl Knits

Yarn: Rowan Drift.  For the 32" size it took about 2.75 balls.

Time Elapsed: A couple of weeks.  This "quick knit" would have gone quicker if I was better at deciphering the vague instructions.  I kept having to rip the sweater back and knit again in order to get the horseshoe lace on the back correct. 

Modifications/Notes:  I knit this sweater as it was written with no changes except that I did the ribbing at the bottom with a size 15 needle for a tighter hem.

This sweater (in my signature red) is perfect with a floaty dress or a pair of jeans and a t-shirt!

And finally, I had to post this photo.  I didn't include it on my Ravelry page, but did here because my daughter loved it so much that she asked for a print of it.  She told me I looked beautiful and just hearing her say that made me feel so.

Passing It On

When I prayed this morning that the Lord would help me to show patience and grace to my children, I had no idea that my daughter was going to ask me to teach her to knit ... but He did!  My very eager six year-old wanted to make a blanket for her princess doll, and has always been curious about knitting since she sees me clacking away all the time.

Upon my agreement to teach her, she carefully chose a brilliant red worsted yarn from my stash and I decided to start her with size 10 needles since they were easy for her little hands to handle.  Casting on was a challenge for her at first, especially since she was so eager to do it all by herself.  But with a great deal of restraint and patience on my part, she cast on 20 stitches and felt a great sense of accomplishment!

 Every knitter must develop their own technique.  My daughter's method for casting on includes sticking out the tongue and holding the needles in the most bizarre way.  Hey, whatever works!

Next came the fun part: knitting!  I taught her the knit stitch with a simple poem to help her know the steps.

Under the fence

Catch the sheep

Back we go

Off we leap

It's amazing how this little rhyme was so effective in helping her.  With just a few minor disruptions she knit one row by herself.

And now she says she is too tired to do another row.  Perhaps we'll pick up this little project tomorrow ... after she has had an entire day to rest.

Drifting Along

What can I say, I'm on a knitting kick ... once again!  Now that "Swan Lake" is all finished up, I've decided to switch gears a little bit and work with some really BIG yarn!  I'm talking roving type yarn here.  The Rowan Kidsilk Haze that I had been working with was so light and thin (imagine knitting with a spider web) that using this new yarn is the complete opposite as it is thick and fluffy (like knitting with a cloud).

Rowan Drift is 100% merino wool and I chose this variegated shade called "Fire".  Isn't it brilliant!?  I am working on a short-sleeved cardigan from French Girl Knits that has a beautiful horseshoe lace pattern.  Fall may be a ways off, but this piece is sure to be ready when the weather cools down.

Good golly this is gorgeous stuff ... though admittedly a little warm to be knitting with in 90° weather!  But I can just imagine myself frolicking amongst the pumpkin patch in October, donning this sweet little sweater.  

Ah lovely Autumn, you are welcome here.

Swan Lake

After officially starting this sweater in April, it is FINALLY finished!  I had intended for it to be done before summer started and I would wear it as a spring sweater, but life took over and I barely had time to work on it until recently.  Even though the color is not what I consider an "autumn" shade, plans to wear this sweet and lofty little number in the coming months are being hatched.  Oh, and by the way, it is currently 90° outside!

When I first saw this pattern, I immediately thought of the soft and airy sweaters a ballerina would wear.  The original pattern called for a sport weight yarn, but to achieve a translucent look I chose a mohair/silk blend.

The diamond motif is a series of cables that give it that interlocking Celtic knot look.  It was surprisingly very simple to do!

The sleeves are actually what took me the longest.  I think it was mainly because I was using a ball of yarn that wasn't wound correctly and kept getting knots and tangles.  In fact, more time was spent detangling the yarn than knitting the sleeve!  But, I don't blame the yarn itself; it was otherwise fun to work with and yielded gorgeous results.

Raveled here

Pattern: Gathered Pullover by Hana Jason.  Interweave Knits Winter 2007

Yarn: Rowan Kidsilk Haze in Heavenly.  For the 32" size it took about 3 balls.

Time Elapsed: About four months.  However, in my defense it would have gone a lot faster if I had more time to knit!

Modifications/Notes:  Aside from using a completely different yarn than what was suggested, I knit this sweater as written.  Wanting longer sleeves, I did add about 2" in length.

These photos were taken at Lithia Park in Ashland, Oregon.  The lush foliage and picturesque duck pond in the background made a perfect setting for my "Swan Lake" gathered pullover.  And while I didn't see any swans, the fluttering dragonflies put on a lovely performance of their own!

On The Needles

This last week I can honestly say that I have been feeling well.  In fact, it's the best I have felt in many months.  I feel inspired, energetic and motivated.  I just hope that I have this long-sleeved "Swan Lake" Gathered Pullover finished by the time the weather warms up or I won't get to wear it right away!  I have the body done and a few inches of the first sleeve complete, so at least I can see the end in sight.

Isn't the pleated cable divine?

Weaving A Web

I'm doing something a little crazy with my latest project, a gathered pullover.  The pattern calls for DK or sport weight yarn, creating a tight knit.  I, however, chose a fingerling weight mohair/silk blend to create a light and airy garment.  A woman at a yarn shop that I was in once cautioned me NOT to do it, saying that the yarn was not made for this type of sweater.  Well, I'm a third of the way finished with the body and so far it's going just swimmingly.  Someday I will wear this sweater into that shop just to show her!

 

  This stuff is like knitting with a spiderweb.  It is incredibly strong, it almost sticks to itself, and is as light as a whisper.

I am no expert in the making of luxury yarns, but it is my guess that the silk content in Rowan Kidsilk Haze is what gives it its strength and the mohair provides the softness.  It is instantly my new favorite yarn as I'm sure the sweater will be my new favorite too.

Spring Swing

Hooray! The sun is out, the windows are open and letting in a slight breeze, and my daughter is practicing her cheer leading moves out on the back lawn. Her cheers are only made cheerier by her new "Spring Swing" skirt.

The first skirt I've ever knit, this adorable thing wasn't difficult, just labor intensive. The formula pattern is written in such a way that the knitter determines the measurements based on simple math involving gauge, yarn weight and desired length.

Raveled here

Pattern: Hey Mickey by Jacquelyn Landry

Yarn: TLC Essentials Solid in Robin's Egg and Light Celery

Time Elapsed: roughly three weeks.

Modifications/Notes: This was an easy pattern. Anyone who can knit and purl can do this, but BEWARE: if you use more than one color you will spend extensive time weaving in the ends! I had to weave in four ends for every pleat!! This skirt came out a little shorter than I anticipated, but since she will wear leggings with it I'm not too concerned.

My daughter chose the yarn she wanted for the skirt. It was darling to see her roam the yarn section at Jo-Ann Fabrics in search of the perfect combination. Deciding that she "didn't want pink" she selected this gorgeous robin's egg blue and light green. And even though it was the cheapest yarn ever and it felt like I was knitting with carpet fibers, I never got tired of the lovely colors.

Just A Hoot!

Meet my little owl friend. I just adore his expressive eyes and teeny tiny beak. It's been said that owls are wise, but this one is more inquisitive than he is wise.

I just finished my second sweater, a pullover, and can already be seen around town wearing it. It's an instant classic in my wardrobe!

A series of carefully placed cables create a collection of horned owls in the yoke. I chose one lucky owl in the front to have eyes and a beak.

Raveled here

Pattern: owls by Kate Davies

Yarn: Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool in Nature's Brown; Paton's Classic Wool Merino in Natural Marl

Time Elapsed: about three weeks

Modifications/Notes: Despite the Autumnal color of this sweater, I want to be able to wear it into the Spring. So, I made it with short sleeves that can be worn over a long sleeved tee or a camisole. I also chose a worsted weight yarn instead of the required chunky weight and had to adjust the pattern accordingly. I loved working with the Fisherman's Wool, especially since the total cost of this sweater came to about $12; however, I was not to pleased to see that it was made in China. The buttons I bought for the eyes were the exact color of the wool, so I hand painted the golden centers to make them look more like eyes.

Because I can't just follow directions, I added a contrasting stripe along the bottom hem, armholes and neckline to give it that extra something special.

Here I'm feeling pretty spiffy and proud of myself for knitting such a glorious sweater. The experience was just a hoot!

Shhh ... It's A Secret (Sort Of)

I highly doubt that my new brother-in-law reads my blog so I think it is safe to reveal the hat I knit for him in this post. And I suppose it would be okay if he did see it because he commissioned me to make him a hat ... but I'd like a little element of surprise when I give it to him.

I am so honored that he asked me to hand knit him something. He requested a stocking cap with ear flaps to keep his ears warm as he rides his bike in chilly temperatures, and he told me he loves the color blue. This is a time when I love being on Ravelry because there are so many patterns (often free) and great tips from other knitters to pick through. I chose a hat that had ear flaps and a simple fair isle zig zag stripe. My conclusion: not bad for being my first hat!


Raveled here

Pattern: Leef's Ear Flap Hat by Leef Bloomenstiel

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Encore Worsted in 517 (blue), 514 (light blue) and 389 (heather gray)

Time Elapsed: roughly a week.

Modifications/Notes: I followed the pattern exactly except I cast on 96 stitches and used a size US 8 needle to make a bigger hat. I also went around the edge and ear flaps with a crochet stitch to finish it off and reinforce the flaps. I found fair isle to be quite fun to do and not nearly as difficult as I expected. I am a little concerned as to how it will fit my brother-in-law, so my fingers are crossed. I hope to have a photo or two of him wearing it that I may post at a later date.

My daughter has already put in an order for a hat for her. But hers will undoubtedly be pink in color as she said the blue and gray "just isn't my style". Now that's a girl who knows what she likes!

The Leftover Solution

Recently, I came across some old Barbie clothes that my husband's Grandma Florence had knit decades ago. My mother-in-law gave them to me to keep for my daughter and I had forgotten all about them as they were stashed away in a drawer.

Suddenly, I realized what I could do with all of the leftover yarn I have! I have odds and ends of yarns in varying weights and colors and have often wondered what to do with it all. So why not use it to whip up a little Barbie shift dress or tank top in between projects? My daughter will definitely appreciate it and who knows, maybe it will be passed down to my grandchildren some day.

While I probably wouldn't choose to wear handknit pink capris, I would absolutely don the ski sweater with its charming buttons or the golden tank dress. Who would have thought that in the 1970s Grandma was so fashion forward?

Winding to Unwind

It's been an ... interesting few days with all the snow, a Fibromyalgic flare-up, my husband's birthday and battling my daughter's Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye). The days have been full of decontaminating all surfaces with Clorox wipes, preparing homemade chicken noodle soup, doctor visits, celebratory dinners and a bad case of insomnia. Through it all I am so grateful for brief opportunities to clack away with my knitting needles!

Sadly, I announce that our LYS (local yarn store) will be closing in March. Gleefully, I announce that I bought three high-end knitting needles and six skeins of yarn all for 50% off at their liquidation sale. So, I have been busy knitting my first hat, a simple fair isle hat with ear flaps, for my brother-in-law. Learning something new and taking a moment for myself has helped me through this somewhat trying week. Who would have guessed that winding yarn would be the perfect way to unwind my nerves?!

Lake's Edge Phenomenon

In the last year or so since learning how to knit I have made: four scarves, two pairs of socks, two sweater vests, one pair of booties, a throw and one rather challenging sweater. I decided it was time to try my hand at mittens (pun intended)!

Aside from wanting the experience, the other motivation was to use up some stash yarn I had laying about. I wanted something warm for the winter months but that would be soft too. After looking at several patterns on Ravelry, I decided on some long mittens with a cabled pattern and a thick, padded palm.


Now, I do feel like a bit of a hypocrite because technically these mittens are just like ones that were worn in one of the Twilight movies. You may recall that I posted about how I have grown tired over all the hype with that series. But in my defense, the pattern was free, it used up a lot of yarn, and the design is utterly adorable!

Raveled here

Pattern: Phenomenon by Carine Ancel

Yarn: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted in Sandy Heather; unknown homespun/hand-dyed yarn in woodland colors bought at Goodwill.

Time Elapsed: a smidge over two weeks.

Modifications/Notes: I followed the pattern exactly as written but added a single crocheted band to the cuff in pretty woodland colors.

I have enjoyed wearing these mitts when I take my daughter to the bus stop in the morning. My only complaints are that their bulkiness make it very difficult to zip things up and it is a great challenge to photograph them creatively. Chunky mittens don't make very good models!

As I artfully demonstrate here, my "Lake's Edge" Phenomenon mittens are very soft and warm.