Bouclé Afghan

Sometimes when walking through my local Jo-Ann, I admit I get easily distracted.

Or maybe all the time.

Well, one day when I was there taking advantage of a pattern sale, I saw some beautiful red yarn.

Then I looked closer. It was bouclé -- not my favorite. It was also acrylic*-- again, not my favorite. But the color was so pretty, and the yarn so soft! And on sale, too! Plus I had a coupon.

With that, I was hooked. I purchased 4 balls of Jo-Ann Sensations Rainbow Bouclé yarn for $20.

I decided the best thing to do was to make an afghan. I cast-on 200 stitches, and worked in garter stitch until I had gone through 2 balls of yarn, binding off just before I ran out.

This made a large and soft afghan which I can wrap myself up in, or snuggle under with someone I love. To get an idea of scale, the bed that the blanket is spread out on is king size.

The only trick now will be to keep the pups from stealing it like they have the others.

Project Details:
Pattern: None, but the formula is here.
Designer: Well, designer is a bit pretentious, but I made up the formula.
Yarn: Jo-Ann Sensations Rainbow Bouclé (88% acrylic/12% nylon) in the red colorway.
Needles: US 10 (6 mm) interchangeable needles with a 60" cable.

*NOTE: While acrylic is not my favorite fiber choice, I don't hate it. I believe quite firmly that there is a place for every type of fiber. Indeed, for color selection and saturation, easy care, and affordability, acrylic is fantastic.

Colorblock Towels

The good people at Knit Picks gave me the opportunity to make another project for them -- a set of tea towels.

The pattern is well written, easy to follow, and error free.

CotLin is a beautiful yarn, and the colors they selected are lovely.

The provisional cast-on, and three-needle bind off mean that there's no seaming.

These are very quick to knit, and would make a good, easy care gift.

Project Details:
Pattern: Colorblock Tea Towel Set
Designer: Laura Wick
Yarn: Knit Picks CotLin DK (70% Tanguis cotton/30% linen) in Chartreuse, Sprout, Harbor, and Loden.
Needles: US 6 (4mm) and US 7 (4.5 mm)

You can also find these towels pictured in the May 2012 Knit Picks Catalog, and on the Knit Picks website.

A (Very) Hungry Caterpillar

One of my knitterly friends recently had a son. To share in the celebration and welcome the little guy, and because I am a knitter, I just had to make something.

I do have a few guidelines that I like to follow when making this type of project.

1. It cannot be something I've made before.
2. It has to be designed or customized just for them.
3. It has to be something that will suit the child and the family.
4. It MUST be machine washable.

I spent a good deal of time wondering what to make.

To be honest, I was really at a loss.

 I did the only sensible thing I could - I did a knitted toy search on Ravelry, hoping and praying for inspiration to strike.


While scrolling through the search results, I came upon this project and pattern:

Creepy Crawly Caterpillar by LaTina Steele

It brought mind one of my favorite picture books, The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. My lightening strike moment had arrived!

I used the Creepy Crawly Caterpillar pattern, but changed the colors to match the character in the book -- green for the body and feet, red for the head, purple for the antennae. 

I added three body segments which meant working rows 23-39 a total of four times, got everything stuffed as I went, and sewed all the pieces together. 

I then got some felt and cut it (free form) to match the face in the book, securely sewing each piece.

The only thing that remained was to purchase a copy of the book to include with the gift.

 

I was so pleased and excited with the way this turned out. Thankfully, this was a book that they didn't yet have, and both Momma and Baby seem happy with it. I hope it will bring enjoyment for years to come.

Project Details:

Pattern: Creepy Crawly Caterpillar

Designer: LaTina Steele

Yarn: Peaches & Cream (100% cotton) in Emerald (green), Red, and Deep Purple

Needles: US 3 (3.25 mm)

Other: Stuffed with polyester fiberfill, face cutouts from polyester felt

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.

When Life Attacks

Friday, DH was driving to work and hit some tread that had fallen off a semi tire and was lying in the middle of the road. It was either hit it, or one of the cars around him. I think he made the correct choice. The car sustained some damage, though, so we had to file a claim with our insurance. And getting everything set up and scheduled was how that day was spent.

Saturday was shaping up to be a better day. I went to visit my sister, and my truck's transmission decided to stop working properly. We ended up cutting our outing short, and I was able to make it back home. Barely. It appeared to give up the ghost when I pulled in my driveway.

Sunday, Jay spent the day with Miss L's family, and while DH and I were able to spend some time together, I was mostly running errands. I had to do it while I still had a vehicle available. Nice way to spend Easter, no?

Monday I spent the day getting the cars to the garage, picking up a rental, and trying to activate DH's new iPhone. (Turns out the Droid phone he'd gotten was a dud -- after 5 phone calls to customer service we decided to send it back and get a new phone.) Unfortunately, our service provider was having issues that prevented activation initially, but it took them 2 hours and 3 customer service representatives to communicate that to me. At least it's finally working.

Now, the truck isn't acting up, so the mechanics can't find and fix the problem. Typical.

At least my garden is doing well.  Strawberries are ripening,

cabbage is forming a lovely head,

and the rhubarb is thriving.

The trees are all doing well too.

I finished a secret project, started another, and am able to work on the others that are in progress. There's the Triangle Summer Shawl that I'm knitting out of handspun linen/silk,

the Bouclé afghan that I'm knitting out of Joann Sensations,

the socks I'm designing and knitting out of Knitting Fever Indulgence,

and the cashmere top I'm spinning.

And, of course, I get to see an abundance of this adorableness.

I guess things are looking up.

What A Week

rhino virus (common cold) illustration

So, I'm still trying to recover from the micro-beastie that decided to make its home in my body.

Downside: It's been a week already, I'm not yet completely better, and I am so beyond ready to be healthy again.

Upside: Crafty goodness.

Yes, it's true. I got past the not being able to concentrate thing, and have been busy working on several projects.

First up we have the Triangular Summer Shawl. I started this last October, but after the initial cast-on and first few rows, it got set aside in favor of other projects. I don't know why. Its knit with linen/silk blend handspun, which I like. Its a pattern I've done before and like. There is no reason not to have been working on it. But I wasn't.  Having gotten a couple of things off the needles, I decided to work only on my wips, so this got picked back up. I have about 40 more rows on the shawl (each shorter than the one before, so it goes quickly), a lace edging, sewing on the lace edging, washing, blocking, and weaving in the ends.

Come to think of it, it sounds like I still have quite a lot of work to do. And here I was getting all excited about how close to finishing I was getting.

Next up is the sock I'm designing as I go. I picked up a ball of Indulgence from my lys, and loved the feel of the yarn and the color so much, I decided to cast on a sock immediately. I wasn't sure how the color repeat would go, but it turns out to be self-striping, so I knew that I could get away with some patterning without it being too busy or getting lost. I've got lace panels framing a center section of cables and ribbing. I like the way they are coming out, but am not thrilled with the short-row heel that I'd used. I think I'll do some looking around to find a heel that works better for these socks. Any suggestions? I also don't have a name for these yet, so any suggestions would be welcome.

Note to self: Make sure to write down what you've been doing, so that the second sock will actually match the first.

Finally there is the cashmere I've been spinning. I was able to pick up some incredibly soft and lovely cashmere top, and was trying to spin it for a wedding ring shawl (examples of which are Shetland and Orenburg shawls).

Truth is, it is nowhere near fine enough for that, but it is a good lace weight. The above skein is about 2 oz. (50 g), is two-ply, and is approximately 440 yards (400 meters). It is clear to me that I still have a long way to go before I'm able to ply as well as I'd like to, and before I'll be able to spin for a wedding shawl, but I have decided, overall, to be pleased with this yarn.

I still have another 2 oz. to spin and ply, and then will go in search of the perfect project. If anyone has a pattern they would like to recommend, I am open to all suggestions.

Petits Diamants

Last summer, I went into Michael's Arts and Crafts and saw they had Patons Stretch Socks yarn on sale, so I purchased several balls, each in a different color. My plan was to make one pair of ankle socks with each ball. I made some plain ribbed socks for the first pair, and these are the second.

The pattern is one I improvised, consisting of a lattice pattern on top, stockinette at the toe, heel, and on the bottom, and a 1x1 folded ribbed cuff. They are knitted toe up, with a short-row heel.

These I planned as very short ankle socks, and I definitely achieved that. If I were to do it over again, though, I would have made them a bit longer -- another pattern repeat and a longer cuff.

I really like the color of these (the colorway is Algae), but I have to admit that I'm not a huge fan of this yarn. It's a cotton/wool/nylon/elastic blend that just doesn't have the softness or smooshie-ness that I like in sock yarn.

I have now knit several pairs of socks from yarns that are primarily cotton, and I find that I feel the same about all of them -- the cotton makes them hard on the feet. This disappoints me because wool is very warm, and I live in a very warm climate. I had hoped that the cotton blends would extend the sock wearing weather, and it does, but I find myself reaching for the wool socks first and saving these as a last resort. I also won't wear them if I'm going to be on my feet a lot. I think that wearing them is to the feet what knitting dishcloth cotton tightly is to the hands.

One positive is that I have found socks made from this yarn to be very sturdy and have had no issues with holes.

I really like the patterning on these, and the fit (apart from being a bit short) is perfect. I think I would knit them again, but with a different yarn.

In fact, I don't think I'll be making any more socks out of this yarn. Anyone have any ideas for other projects? I think I still have at least 2 balls in different colors.


Details:
Pattern Name: Petits Diamants
Pattern Designer: Brenda McCunn
Pattern Source: Not available (yet) -- I improvised this design
Yarn: Patons Stretch Socks in the Kelp colorway
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm) Knit Picks Harmony double-pointed needles

More WIPs Than I Can Shake A Needle At

I ended last year, and began this year, with so many works-in-progress (hereafter known as wips) that it is a bit overwhelming.

I just checked my Ravelry notebook, and I have a total of 10 wips listed there. I have another 5 wips that aren't listed.

Sadly, the only project I've completed is a pair of felted clogs for my dh.

Did I say completed?

I mean, finished knitting. They are now patiently waiting in my laundry room for me to get around to fulling them. And to be photographed.

I am finding myself making a fair bit of progress, though. On all of the wips. I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm going to end up finishing several projects within a period of a week.

'Til then, I guess I'll just keep plodding along, and find something else to talk about.

Day 19: A Hat to Match the Gloves

When I finished the fingertip-less Treads mitts, I had about 1/2 a ball of yarn left over. I decided the best use of it would be to make a hat that goes with the mitts.

The pattern is very simple. I cast 88 sts onto a set of US 5 (3.75 mm) double-pointed needles, dividing them evenly between the needles. I then worked in 1x1 rib (k1,p1) for 2". Next I knit one row, then the next row was a lateral braid. Another knit row came next, followed by a band of linen ridge stitch, 2 more knit rows, and another lateral braid.

I then went back to the 1x1 ribbing, and worked for 2 1/2" before beginning the decreases. The decreases were worked in pattern, with p2tog, and either a k2tog (if the first 2 sts on the needle) or a k2tog tbl (if the last 2 sts on the needle. I decreased 2 sts per needle, for a total of 8 sts per round. After the first decrease row I knit 2 rows, then did a decrease row every other row until there were 12 sts remaining on each needle, then every row until there were 8 sts remaining on each needle. On the next row, keeping in pattern, I decreased 4 sts per needle using the same decreases as above. Then next row I did a decrease row again, then using a tapestry needle, wove the end into the stitches, pulling them taut.

The hat was finished, and just as easy to complete in a brief period of time as the mitts, making it another excellent last-minute knitted gift.

Details:
Pattern Name: A Hat to Match the Mitts, based on the Treads pattern by Victoria Ann Baker
Pattern Designer: Brenda McCunn
Pattern Source: This is it!
Yarn: Krystal Acres Alpaca's Awesome Alpaca Yarn in Topaz
Needles: US 5 (3.75 mm) Clover double-pointed needles

Day 16: Fingertip-less Mitts

It seems that during the winter months, I am always cold. Especially my hands and toes. For the toes, I simply put on some wool socks and my felted clogs, leaving my feet warm and toasty. My hands were left to freeze, however, because I didn't have any mittens, gloves, or variations thereof.

So, when I finished my latest deadline project, I determined that I needed something to keep me warm. I knew the yarn I wanted to use, Awesome Alpaca Yarn from Krystal Acres Alpaca, but needed to find a pattern. I took advantage of Ravelry's advanced pattern search and found the Treads pattern by Victoria Anne Baker. One quick note about the yarn: It's listed as being sport weight, but I found it to be more of a worsted weight. Bottom line, swatch before using!

The pattern is detailed, clear, and very well written.  Mrs. Baker also put links in the pattern to techniques used, so if you're unsure about anything you've got guidance built in. It is an excellent pattern and I highly recommend it.

The patterning is so interesting; there's always something going on, and that makes you want to just keep going 'til they're done. They are knit from the cuff to the fingers, with 1x1 ribbing for the cuff, and 2 bands of linen ridge stitch that is set off by lateral braiding. The stockinette field is created when making the thumb gussets, and knitting the fingers in the round finishes them up. Weave in the ends and, abracadabra, my hands are now cozy.

What does this have to do with the Christmas countdown? Well, these would make a fabulous gift. And with Christmas just around the corner (only 9 days left!), they are a quick knit that can easily be finished in time. I would estimate that most knitters could have them done -- start to finish -- in 6-8 hours. Just don't forget to swatch, and swatch in the round, since they're knitted in the round.

Whether you use this pattern or another, hand knitted  gloves, mittens, mitts, etc. all make truly wonderful gifts.


Details:
Pattern Name: Treads
Pattern Designer: Victoria Anne Baker
Pattern Source: Ravelry
Yarn: Krystal Acres Alpaca's Awesome Alpaca Yarn in Topaz
Needles: US 5 (3.75 mm) Clover double-pointed needles


*Almost all of the links used in this post are Ravelry links, so you'll need to sign in to access them.

Random Ramblings

Leanne's shawl

My dh gave the shawl to his coworker, and she absolutely loved it.  No news yet on whether or not it worked, but then the weather is actually nice now, so the a/c isn't really an issue.  Maybe the heating won't become one this winter.

I've started work on a new secret project, which prompted me to take a look at the wips I have listed on my Ravelry project page.  I was a little stunned to see just how many there are.  I think I'm going to focus on getting some done before I add any more new ones to the list.

Slow progress is being made on the vest for I'm designing for Bonnie.  I'm now ready to start the armholes, and am fairly pleased with how the color changes are happening.  I did have to rip back initially because of pooling issues, but working with 3 balls at a time seems to be helping.  I had to do a provisional cast on because Bonnie wasn't sure whether she wanted the bottom edge to match the sides and collar, or if she wanted it as just the main color.  I'll finish everything but that edge, take a picture, and let her decide.

Bonnie's vest, up to the armholes

I was able to stop by the yarn store on Friday, and purchased 8 oz. of mulberry silk, and 1 oz. of cashmere top.  I am very much looking forward to spinning them, but only after a new spinning project I have planned - more on that a little later.  I shall try to spin finely enough to get a wedding ring shawl out of the cashmere.  Anyone have any pattern suggestions?

(left to right) 2 bags of Mulberry Silk Sliver in a silver color, 1 bag of natural colored cashmere top

 I have been working on a cross-stitch project as well, and am quite happy with how it's going.  There are several "personal design features", but that just adds character.  Here's a preview of what I'm making:

The cover of the magazine that has the stocking pattern I'm working on

And just because I think they are fabulous, my fur babies:

Bogey and Gypsy -- it's a dog's life

Gypsy

Bogey

I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend, and that you remembered to thank a veteran.

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