A New Project

I've been working on a new project, and have struggled with getting gauge.

Guess who has turned into a loose knitter when I wasn't looking?

Here's the one and only sneak peek I'll be giving until the pattern is released.

I hope you are enjoying your projects, and that they're being a little kinder to you than mine was to me.

The Autumn Garden Stole

When my dear friend Lara and her husband were in the process of adopting 3 children from Ethiopia, there were two things she asked me to make, a bag and a scarf/shawl/wrap. 

I got the bag finished and sent off quite a while ago (you can read about it here), and started work on the stole.

The colors were easy -- based on the colors of the Ethiopian flag.  The pattern came about after flipping through my stitch dictionary and putting a three of them together.  I got to work, it was going well, and then I feared I had run out of yarn. 

I wasn't able to get any more yarn of the same dye lot, and at least one of the colors is no longer available, so simply getting more wasn't an option.  I decided the only thing I could do was rip back to the last repeat and get it finished.  I then noticed I had broken the yarn at the cast on edge because I had cast on too tightly.  So I ripped that out, too, and left the edge unfinished.  With both edges unfinished, I had an opportunity to add a new border, so I combined the two center colors and knit on a garter stitch edge.

I'm very pleased with the way it turned out.  And although it wasn't finished in time for their trip to Ethiopia, Lara was (and is!) very pleased with it as well. 

Sorry about the quality of the last 4 pictures.  They were taken at night, indoors, so the color is more yellow than in person, but they show the overall patterning well, which was the point.  The colors of the first two pictures are more accurate.

Details:
Pattern Name: Autumn Garden Stole
Pattern Designer: Brenda McCunn
Pattern Source: Not yet available
Yarn: Knit Picks Shadow (100% Merino Wool) in the Burgundy, Persimmon Heather, and Forest Heather colorways.
Needles: Knit Picks Options, size US 4/3.5 mm

Gone To Pieces

It appears that everything I'm actively working on right now is knit in pieces, then seamed together.

A LOT of pieces.

Take, for example the Nautical Blanket (this is a Ravelry link, because KP is no longer selling the kit, so it's not on their website), knit with Knit Picks Wool of the Andes:

And that's not even all of the pieces!  It's 27 of the 30 the pattern calls for.

I still have another 3 of the star squares to make. 

Then there's the edging of each square, the seaming, the edging of the blanket, and possibly the addition of some backing material.  Did I mention I'm making this as a Christmas present?  I must maintain my diligence.

I'm also working on two baby blankets.  I VERY slightly modified one of the Nautical squares, and am knitting up each square the same but with complementary colors.  I've decided to call them the Moderne blankets.

I'm pleased with the way each square is coming out, and I think the finished product will be perfect.  They will be a little late, though, as the twins they are for are already about 3 months old.   I LOVE this yarn.  It's Cascade Yarns Ultra Pima, and it's a dream.  Soooo soft and lovely.  It's not like working with cotton at all. 

There is also another secret project that I've finished and will (hopefully) be able to share soon, and another that I'm busy working on.

Speaking of work, it looks like I need to get back to it.

Test Knit: Gallitan Sweater

I'm sure that most of the knitters who stop by here have received their Oct. 2010 Knit Picks Catalog.  Well, you know that gorgeous colorwork sweater on the front?  I didn't knit it, but I did test knit the Gallatin sweater.  I did it in the largest size -- making sure the yarn amounts were correct for the kit.

 

This sweater is knit with Wool of the Andes Bulky.  That means it knits up VERY quickly.  Colorwork?  Intarsia? And quick?  YES!  And the end result was a sweater I think is very beautiful.  Hats off to Nina, for a lovely, well-written, and easy-but-looks-complicated pattern!

The body is seamless, and the sleeves knit separately in the round, until the two parts are joined for the raglan shoulders.

Knit on the collar, do the belt, et voila!

Please excuse the dirty mirror.  My teenage son cleaned the bathroom, and guess what he forgot to do?

In Like A Lion

March has roared in, spring has sprung, and life is very full.

After a very wet winter - the wettest I've experienced in the 15 yrs. I've lived in Arizona - the sun has been shining again, calling me outside to play.  Or just be.  Or golf, which I've been doing at least once per week (as usual), along with extra practicing at the driving range with Jordan.  I've also been enjoying some early morning and evening walks with Gypsy.  The birdsong is wonderful, and the desert is in bloom; very beautiful.  Of course, today it's raining again, but no matter.

I have several craft projects going right now, not all of them fiber related.  There's a wooden tray I'm decorating, a pillow (sewing and knitting) waiting to be stuffed, two purses in need of lining, and a needle case to be sewn.  I'm also still spinning the linen/silk blend, designing both a colorwork pullover and an aran toddler cardigan, and working on another secret project.  I haven't yet found the motivation to do more on the embroidery project I've had going for a couple of years now, but am thinking that perhaps I should make it a goal to finish it by December 31.  I also haven't yet gotten to the sweaters I'd been given, but think a goal of finishing two of them by the end of April might get things moving.

I have signed up for my first ever fiber swap.  Coggie of the High Fiber Diet Podcast has organized a "Swap the Seasons" swap on the High Fiber Diet Podcast Ravelry board.  I'm very excited!  It's a secret partner swap, and I'm really looking forward to spoiling my swap partner. :D  After all, surprising someone else with a fabulous fiber mystery package is as exciting as receiving one.

Jordan and I began the Arizona Hunter Safety Education classes last night.  He's been wanting to do this for YEARS, but we kept missing the registration deadlines.  We finally got it, though, and are learning quite a bit already.  And maybe when it's over we'll actually put it to use and do some hunting.

I'm also very much enjoying the audiobooks I've been downloading from Librivox.  It really is an excellent way to combine my love of fiber and of books, but I must admit that I miss the act of holding and reading the books.  I guess I'll just have to make some time for that occasionally, too.

Herringbone Men's Pullover Sweater

The January/February 2010 Catalog for Knit Picks is out, so I can now share with you the project I did.

I knitted the Herringbone Men's Pullover Sweater.

The pattern is found in Men's Knits by Erika Knight, the yarn is City Tweed DK in Desert Sage (green) and Tabby (brown).  I completely fell in love with this yarn!  It is so soft and easy to work with, and the tweedy texture is fabulous.  Buy and use this yarn.  You won't regret it.

The pattern is well written and did not contain any errors.  The sweater is knit in pieces and seamed together, with the neckband being knit on at the end.

And both of my men would wear this sweater if it were knitted in their colors - a big complement as one of them is super picky and won't wear most designs.  It also knitted up fairly quickly, and was interesting enough to work on that I never got bored.