Knitting Escapism

Peace out

2008-04-04T14:29:00.000-07:00

I've officially moved. Update your address books.

www.shihknits.com

The Michelin Woman

2008-03-16T13:13:00.000-07:00

There comes a time when you realize that you've been duped. We have all been victims of pretty pictures that we see in pattern magazines, and envisioned how magnificent our FO's will turn out. Such is the trickery of beautiful models and professional photography. I, on the other hand, have an iPhone camera on the day the FO shooting took place. No awesome cameras, grumpy knitter, and this is what you get.... just a "Meh...."

(Do not be fooled by this picture. That's the most flattering angle of the sweater)

(Notice how I am not smiling in the pictures. There is a reason. The truth will be revealed soon)

(Way too oversized batwings.)

(Trust me, I can gain an additional 50 lbs and this sweater will still fit)

(The side that the French model never bothered to show you)

Pattern: Phildar Gilet No 416-T4-159, Sz 34/36

Materials: Jaeger Baby Merino DK (13 balls in Teal), Sz 4 circs, 2 el-cheapo Walmart buttons

Notes: The pattern, though French, was pretty straight forward because it didn't contain complicated shapings. The finishing instructions though, were a hoot. Basically, this is what it said : "Attach fronts to the back piece. Don't bother trying to match up the stitches because it is impossible. Look at the diagram and use it as a guide." Hmph! Great. The yarn that I used is a superwash yarn, and when I wetblocked the pieces, it grew to monstrous proportions. What is it with superwash yarn and gigantic expansions? I think that's what contributed to such a floppy looking sweater.

I had grand hopes for this sweater, and spent 8 hours seaming this beast. I was going to find a kick-ass furniture store and look for a similarly shaped couch that the model was standing in front of and do the exact same pose for kicks and giggles. And then, BAM!, I tried it on. "Meh..." was about the best emotion the resulting FO elicited. Just "meh".

At first I wondered if I should just rip the sleeves apart, but it wouldn't be a cardigan now, would it? I have decided in the end to just make peace with it and move on. Oh sure I'll still wear it, we all need a tent sweater some time right?

And with that.. let's move on to better pictures of the Pimlico shrug in the outdoors. This is a drastic improvement from my bathroom shots. We must end this point on a high note. Yes we must.

(ahh..much better)

(collar up)

(and again, what the pattern doesn't show you in the book)

New Year, New knits

2008-02-11T19:11:00.000-08:00

Alright, I'm a little late for a new year post, but better late than never right, guys? Let's start with the end of year knits. First here, we have a pair of Lapland Mittens from Folk Mittens.

Project: Mittens from Lapland (Folk Mittens)

Materials: Leftover Baruffa Maratona (uber light pink and burgundy), and Knitpicks Merino Style (Pink), Sz 2 dpns

Notes: No mods to the pattern, and this was my first DPN project. I saw these short 6" balene DPNs at the LYS and decided right then and there that I need to expand my horizons and move beyond the magic loop. Love the DPNs, surprisingly, and went out to purchase more sizes in the 5-6" length for future mittens and socks. These mittens were a little tight on me, but they did keep my hands warm enough for my Mardi Gras trip to New Orleans two weeks ago. (Yes I saw breasts, and no they were not all pretty).

And because I didn't want my friend to lose me in the madness on Bourbon St, I brought along my newly knitted Moss Stitch Beret in super bright yellow. It is Big Bird on Sesame St yellow. Little do I know that Bourbon St attendees would show me up with even brighter costumes that obscured my yellow noggin.

Project: Ken's Moss Stitch Beret

Materials: Cascade 220 (used less than a skein), Sz 3 for the knitted hem, and Sz 7 for the rest of the beret

Notes: I loved the provisional cast-on knitted hem. Look! Lovely. The beret turned out a little slouchier than Ken's, which is fine by me because I like my hats a little oversized. I may or may not have screwed up the decreases, but in the end my stitch count ended up just fine. Live and learn.

So what is with the cold weather and wanting to live in your blanket? I've had 6 skeins of pure merino from Uruguay burning a hole in my stash the last two years and couldn't figure out what to do with them. Sure, a sweater would be nice, but this yarn pills too damn much. And then I found the perfect pattern.

Project: Pimlico Shrug from Knit2Together (Size S)

Materials: 5 skeins of 216 yd/skein pure merino wool from Uruguay, Sz 7 and 8 needles

Notes: Instead of 34" of lace knitting, I shaved off some length and ended it at 27". Since I CO provisionally, I just continued ribbing and joined the knitting in the round. No other mods to the pattern, and it is a dream to knit with this yarn.

We've seen some cold nights here in California, and I've loved every moment of it. Why? Because I now have an oversized blankie to keep me warm. It's soft like buttah, and the perfect piece of clothing to keep me cozy while I knit.

So there we have it. And lest you think I'm taking a break.. you'd be wrong. Project on the needles right now... tadah!

It's French, it's pretty, and it's..... one giant headache. Google translator to the rescue!

Simplicity

2007-12-22T19:58:00.000-08:00

When did you first learn to knit? And why?

Back in 2005, I wanted a wrap sweater. I have long arms and a long-ish torso, and could not for the life of me find a wrap sweater that fits. On one fateful Saturday in WalMart, I picked up their "Teach yourself to knit" kit and that marked the beginning of a new obsession. After a weekend of casting on and binding off, I picked up the Stitch'n'Bitch Nation book and knit my first sweater - the Lucky Clover Wrap. Ever since then, I've knit several sweaters -- cabled ones, simple raglans, boleros, and jackets.

Yet despite all that knitting, I have come to realize that the ones that I wear again and again, are the simple sweaters. Take for example, my Thermal. I wear it with a tank top underneath, or a 3/4 length shirt, and when the weather started getting a little colder, a long sleeved shirt. And my Raspy, a simple stockinette raglan that has seen numerous wears. And so when that Phildar Tendences 2007 issue arrived at my doorstep, this immediately caught my eye. But I really wanted to knit with Rowanspun 4ply - despite its slubby texture, and so I forged ahead.

Pattern: Phildar Tendences Printemps'07 Cardigan #18, Sz 34/36
Materials: 8 skeins (with lots leftover for seaming), 0 mm and 2.5mm needles, 3 3/4" pearl buttons

Notes: The pattern asks you to knit 8 pieces separately but I cheated. I knit the two front pieces and the back piece in one piece to the armhole, and continued separately. I added an extra stitch in the seam line to visually separate the front from the back, and also kept the beginning and edge of the rows with a selvedge stitch for easier seaming later on. Short-row shoulders, with a 3-needle bind off. The two front ribbed edges were attached to the front pieces using a crochet slip stitch (Note the slight puckering on one of the front edges), and the sleeves were knit the round.

The cardigan has 3 columns of stockinette detail in the fronts on a reverse stockinette background, so basically I would knit in the round in stockinette and just flip it inside out when I needed to seam. The collar was attached using simple backstitching.

(shown here: The knit column on the waist, and the decorative knit columns on the front)

(shown here: the right sleeve seam and the collar to body seam)

Now if you followed the pattern like I did for the buttonholes, that button size mentioned in the pattern will NEVER fit through the holes. Like, NEVER. So I settled for 3 el-cheapo 3/4" buttons from Joann's instead. Does the job if you ask me.

In the end, I like my yarn substitution. Wet-blocking Rowanspun really smoothed out the slubbiness and evened out my stitches, and I can predict many many wears in the future already.

And because I just totally raved about simple designs, I will now bite my own tongue and show you this.

(shown here: Fair isle swatch for my first Fair Isle Pullover)

It's a hefty swatch. I'm having a hard time deciding which shade of grey to go with the yellow. The yarn is Harrisville New England Shetland: Cornsilk for the yellow, and Charcoal --> Dove Grey --> Suede (darkest to lightest). I am planning a simple shapeless potato sack pullover, something to lounge in for the cold weather, but in a bold brocade-ish pattern. Feel free to chime in and give me your two cents. All suggestions welcome.

And oh, in case you were wondering, I did get that pair of crochet slippers from my friend. He done good, y'all. The darn thing fits!

(pink feet make me happy)

Demi - Delayed FO Shoot

2007-12-08T17:50:00.000-08:00

I know when I read blogs about other knitters' FOs, I am always looking to see how it actually fits on a real person. Sure, just the act of completion is a marvel in itself, but let's be honest: We want to know how it looks on someone.
Finding buttons for this sweater took way longer than knitting it, and hence the delay in the photoshoot. I'm actually visiting a friend in Northern California this weekend, and she warned me that she was going to drag me Christmas shopping with her. I told her that I'll bring my comfy shoes :)

"Okay, but you have to take pictures of my sweater while we are out and about today so I can post on my blog.", said I. "And headless". She thought it was funny, but obliged nonetheless.

Pattern: Demi, XS from Rowan Vintage Style

Materials: 14-16 (ha ha I forgot) balls of Pingouin Shetland et Lin, discontinued yarn (a Shetland / linen blend yarn), Sz 6, 7, 8 needles, and 4 wood 3/4" buttons from Joann's.

Notes: No modifications, just knit to pattern. Seaming was a pain in the ass, and I misread the left collar instruction and botched the ribbed (placket) section. I thought I was outsmarting the pattern by not binding off at the left shoulder section. It wasn't until the seaming that I realized that the bind-off had a purpose. Duh. Oh, yea, and seaming was a pain in the ass. It is so painful that I have to repeat. Painful. There, thrice. But whatever, I can live with it.

And there you have it. I love the way it fits, the modified bobbles, the length, the color and the warmth. Trust me, this baby is warm. If I can shop outdoors the whole day without a coat, it is definitely a-ok in my book. And oh, I admit, I did check my reflection a few times today to marvel at my own work. Pfffftt..... Who wouldn't?

Acorns and Squirrels

2007-11-19T18:50:00.000-08:00

Well, since my last appearance, it's been quite some time. Who knew "stay tuned!" meant over a month's absence? If I had held my breath I'd be purple by now. And no, I have not found the appropriate buttons. Again, who knew buying buttons would be such a pain in the butt? The search goes on. But that doesn't mean that knitting has halted. Oh siree no. I've since completed a pair of mittens for a shivering friend in DC, and am currently churning out a cardigan.

Presenting.... the mittens that I had a really hard time giving away..

Project: Squirrelly Swedish Mittens by Elli
Materials: Stash yarn (Rowan 5-ply soft - green, Knitpicks Palette - light blue, New England Shetland - white and brown, Henry's Attic Kona Superwash - more white), Sz 0 and 1 Addi's)
Modifications: Used sz 0 for the cuff, added the braids, and knit the rest without modification using sz 1 circular needles.
Pretty huh? I know. I want a pair too. But the recipient has reported back saying how much he likes them and that the mittens have already accompanied him on his recent Sunday trip to Whole Foods grocers.

Oh.. that's just me guarding my mittens in the apartment complex yard.

And this is me new love. I chose a wool yarn that may or may not be appropriate for it. But I am forging on. We'll see what happens. I am hoping blocking will work miracles, but we all know how wishful thinking gets us every single time (photo courtesy of Phildar Tendences 468, Cardigan #18).

Happy Turkey (or Tofurkey) week y'all.

Shh.. Demi is napping

2007-10-08T15:00:00.000-07:00

We are experiencing extremely hot and windy weather here in Southern California due to the Santa Ana winds. It's causing my nose to bleed (ahem, bloody booger is more like it), but it's allowing my Demi to dry at record speed.

Stay tuned for modeled shots!

Komi Hat

2007-10-03T19:53:00.001-07:00

The right side...

The inside...

Pattern:

Komi Hat by Charlene Schurch

Materials:

Harrisville New England Shetland (loden blue, cream white and cocoa brown), Sz 0 and 1 needles

Notes:

This is my second Komi hat. The first one walked out of my apartment with a friend who was supposed to take an action shot of the hat on her snowboarding trip to Mammoth. Days turned into months, and now that summer is finally giving way to autumn, what better way than to knit an improved version. My first Komi was a little too long and too loose, so I cast on 180 sts using Sz 0 needles and skipped the increases for the adult hat. When it came time to switch to the patterning, I just switched the needle size to Sz 1. The first round of pattern begins at the Child Size section for me. Eh voila! Much better fit.

I have finally cast on for Demi, and have finished both the front and back, and one sleeve. I love the texture, the bobbles (3-st bobble) and the color. Can't wait to finish this one.

My sales pitch

2007-06-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

It is interesting that after 2.5 years of knitting, triumphing over lace, fair isle, cables and many a sweaters, I have absolutely no ability to crochet. I have drooled over Erika Knight's turkish slippers many times, and still can't get myself to pick up a hook to learn the pattern.

One time in a yarn store with a friend, I was browsing the Rowan magazines while he wandered around the store, checking out what it is about these yarn stores that draw me to them irregardless of traffic conditions on the 5pm congested freeway. He noticed the slippers on the cover of Erika Knight's Simple Crochet, and commented on how cool they are.

So fast-forward a few oohs and ahhs, and I charmed my way into a pair of fuschia colored slippers from a non-crocheter for my birthday this year. I'll knit him a pair of socks, and he'll learn crochet and make me the turkish slippers that I so desired. (If this ain't persuasion skills then I don't know what is).

"Fuschia? You want fuschia? Are you just trying to make this even harder for me or is that really what you want?"

(Now I would like you all to imagine an ex-football player with a crochet hook and two balls of fuschia yarn. A first-time crocheter, nonetheless)

Several months later, after much ripping and cursing on his part, my right foot was requested for a fitting. And of course, the crocheter can't help but marvel at his own work and demands photoshoots for his work.

I am mighty impressed. And hell, if he can do it, so can I. Guess who learned how to crochet?
Leftover sock yarn here I come. And stay tuned for the finished crochet slippers. It has taken months to get this far, I am sure the other foot won't be too far away. Yipee!

When knits fail

2007-06-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you see a pattern and you think of how cool it will be after you tweak it a little, and you get cranking. And then instead of the recommended yarn, you sub it with something else that caught your eye. And then you block it and await for the final moment - the moment you stare back at yourself in the mirror.Dude that's not how I envisioned it.
Oh well. At least the yarn was nice to play with.
Pattern: Mobius Hat
Materials: 1 skein of Cascade Sierra (80% pima cotton 20% merino wool 191 yds), sz 7 needles
And the leftovers are good for a set of 4 coasters. David the Gnome approves.

Edit to add: Front View

Knits in Action

2007-06-05T13:21:00.000-07:00

Pattern: Thermal, Sz 34”

Materials: Henry’s Attic Kona Superwash Fingering Yarn (8 oz), Sz 1 for body and body ribbing, Sz 0 for sleeves and sleeve ribbing, Rit Dye Royal Blue and Black

Notes: This has been such a long knit that I don’t even know if I can recall any details. I started swatching for this project using the recommended needle sizes, but decided that the resulting fabric was too loosey-goosey for my liking. Using Sz 1’s, I managed to obtain row gauge and decided that I’ll just knit the 34” size to result in a tighter-fitting sweater. From the original pattern, it appeared that the sleeves were loose. What I wanted was a three-quarter length sweater that is fitted all over, so I decided to use Sz 0’s. In the end, it worked out marvelously and I have a new favorite sweater…. But not without some drama.

Enter drama….

I panicked and thought that I would run out of yarn.

Initially, I envisioned this to be a cream-colored sweater. I posted on KnittersReview to see if anyone had yarn to spare, and a kind knitter sent me 3 oz extra out of the kindness of her heart (Knitters are just cool like that). It was a different shade. I bought an extra skein of yarn, only to find that it is a smidge darker too. What I had was a sweater that had two shades of cream in it.

So I dyed it. Charcoal Grey. And you know what? I love it.

P.S. Yes, I know. I am still missing two buttons. But who cares? I wore it to work today.

Sock Love

2007-04-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

A few months ago, news broke about the new Addi Turbo lace knitting needles, you know, the ones with the really sharp tips. My friend Bobby G and I (more like I dragged Bobby G) went to the LYS to gets me a pair of them sharp sharp needles. So, new needle in hand, but nothing to cast on.

Enter sock yarn section.

"Bobby G, would you like a pair of handknit socks?" said I.

Bobby G: "My feet are too wide to knit socks for."

Winnie S: "Oh yes but that is the wonder of handknit socks. You knit to fit."

Ta da! Bobby G, for the first time in his life, has a pair of socks that does not cut off his blood circulation. He is pleased.

And we took the opportunity to showcase our lovely feet together on this fine Saturday afternoon.

Project Specs: Bobby G's Wide Manly Socks
Materials: Sz 1 Addi Turbo Lace needles, Meilenweit Colortweed #1008 (80% virign wool, 20% polyamide)
Sizing: Sz 9 foot, 64 sts.

Swiss Cheese Scarf

2007-02-26T13:09:00.000-08:00

I've had a few inquiries in regards to the Swiss Cheese Scarf over the last few weeks and figured maybe others in blogland may be interested in making one for themselves. This is mindless knitting to the nth degree, but the results are beautiful (if I may say so) and a staple to anyone's wardrobe.

The general idea is simple: Knit a few rows, bind of a few stitches, cast on the sts that you bound off the previous row, and knit some more. Rinse and Repeat.

Pattern: Swiss Cheese Scarf, my own.
Materials: Sz 3 needles, about 800-1000 yds of laceweight yarn
Gauge: not important, but my scarf is about 10-12" wide after blocking.
Recipe as follows:

CO 110 sts

Rows 1-6: Knit
Row 7: K5 (BO10, K8) 5 times, BO 10, K5
Row 8: K5 (CO10, K8) 5 times, CO 10, K5
Rows 9-14: Knit
Row 15: BO6, K8, (BO10, K8) 5 times, K6
Row 16: BO6, K8, (CO10, K8) 5 times, CO6
Row 17: Knit to end, CO6

Repeat Rows 2-17 until desired length, then BO all sts.

All rights reserved by me. Please use this pattern for your own enjoyment ONLY. Not for resale or distribution unless authorized by me.

I wanted an airy feel to this scarf, and just happened to have a bunch of laceweight yarn sitting in my stash. The same idea can be applied to any weight yarn, but you'd have to cast on fewer number of sts and play with the CO/BO number.

Edit: I've received a number of emails due to the holes not lining up properly. Apologies for those who have experienced frustration with this pattern, and special thanks to my readers for spotting the error. Thanks!

Enjoy!

Protect the cranium

2007-02-08T10:26:00.000-08:00

The possibilities are endless.... preparation for future projects
Harrisville Shetland (900 yard/cone): White, Loden Blue, Cocoa
Harrisville Shetland: Washed and wound into cute yarn cakes
Komi Cap blocking...
Words later...

Inching Forward

2007-02-02T18:26:00.000-08:00

It's been, hm, over a year. While I haven't stopped knitting, it's safe to say that I've slowed down significantly. Why? Life. It gets in the way of knitting sometimes. One day I may eventually write about the things that have transpired, but suffice to say that for now, I'm getting the knitting mojo back again and that I hope to have more FO's for the year ahead.

This blog is meant to document the projects that I have made over the last year - pitifully few, but nonetheless let's get to it. (Let's face it, it's more for me now anyways. I probably lost all my readers a long long time ago).

Ah yes, the Pomatomus socks. I knew from the get-go that the perfect st count for socks for my feet would be way less than the 72 sts that the pattern states to CO. So modifications galore and voila. Perfect fit.
Needles used: Sz 1 addi's (2.5mm), magic loop, 60 sts leg to 64 sts foot
Materials: Koigu KPPPM (p219), 2 skeins
Next, the ball-band dish cloth that everyone and their mothers have made. I've made a few, and this is just one of many. I think we have seen enough of them around the blogland to get into the details.

And last, my Swiss Cheese Scarf. Appropriate name, non? This is probably the easiest scarf that one can make and I chose to knit from stash. I wanted a light and airy scarf that has enough texture to stand out, yet be simple enough that I can just sit down and knit without having to worry about patterns. Light and airy? Check. I will use laceweight merino. Simple? Check. Nothing complicating about binding off certain number of stitches and casting back on. Results? Mighty long to make, but mighty pleased.

Materials: School Products Lace-weight Merino. Color 7. Gifted by Joy.
Needles: Sz 3.

And there you have it. I'm in the process of knitting a Komi Hat right now too.. so expect an FO soon. The next time I blog won't be a year from now, that's for sure.

And oh, happy new year. It's been so long.

Ponchette for Spring

2006-04-22T23:47:00.000-07:00

The original pattern called for hemp yarn (DK weight) to knit this ponchette... but since I was trying to use up stash I figured Rowan Felted Tweed would make a lovely substitution as well. A friend of mine has been wanting a little poncho for a while now.. and I finally came across one that I actually like myself. Great use for stash yarn! The ponchette is modeled below by the lovely giftee...

Pattern: Hemp Ponchette
Materials: Less than 2 balls of Rowan Felted Tweed in Melody, Sz 7 needles.
Other than the little easy peasy knitting above, I've been working on the Sunrise Circle Jacket. Adding some minor modifications to the sleeves... but that will come in a later post.

Bloggiversary

2006-03-30T16:58:00.000-08:00

Oh man. I just realized that it's been a year since I've started blogging about knitting. I've compiled a poster of my completed knits since March last year and I guess pictures speak louder than a verbal summary.
Suffice to say that I've come a long way since the age of acrylic yarn and garter st. In all honesty, I never imagined that I can keep a hobby for this long. I usually have a short attention span when things get boring and move on to the next big thing. In knitting however, I feel that I've accomplished some, but there's still more mountains to climb. Guess I'll be knitting for a while...

Squeezing In

2006-03-30T01:30:00.000-08:00

Well, March is almost over and I figured I might as well squeeze in an FO before the month ends. It's the deep argyle vest designed by Eunny, only this time in Rowanspun DK Eau de Nil and Snowball. Since you've seen the progress shots of the previous test piece that I knit, this time I'll just jump straight to the finished product.

Pattern: Deep V Argyle Vest (34" size) by Eunny
Materials: Sz 4 needles, Rowanspun DK 2 hanks plus a smidge of Eau de Nil, and 1.5 of Snowball
Notes: Truth be told, my row gauge was a bit off and I didn't come to realize that until I started knitting the V neck. Thankfully I had enough time to recalculate the armhole decreases or else I'd be wearing a floppy/terribly long vest now. Although my st gauge was tighter than Eunny's, I figured the yarn should expand a little when I block it and then I'd be ok. And I was right. It fits me nicely and I think this will be my outfit tomorrow. Yarnwise, Rowanspun DK definitely was thick'n'thin in some places but the resulting fabric bloomed after the rinse and it has a semi-felted feel to it. It does snap easily if you tug a little harder than usual, but I didn't experience any yarn breakage while knitting. I don't see spring-time coming to LA anytime soon and so I may get a few wears out of this yet.
Oh yea, some of the pictures came out a bit fuzzy. Uh, yea. Maybe I should lay off the caffeine. Other than the vest I really haven't been knitting that much recently. Busy with dissertation, and also a bit uninspired. That doesn't mean I haven't been keeping up with you all fabulous knitters' works. Maybe it's the blasted weather in L.A., but I need my 70 degree weather NOW ALREADY. Hmph.

Yarny goodness

2006-02-18T14:57:00.000-08:00

A few of you have asked me what yarn I'm using for the real vest that I'll be knitting for myself, and I finally made a choice- Rowanspun DK. Now I've heard mixed reviews for this yarn, but I'm strangely drawn to the tweediness. Terhi loves this yarn, and waxes poetic about it.... so why not? In the end, I went with Eau de Nil - the blue green, and Snowflake - creamy white. In other news, I won a contest! Ann of Fidget held a contest to guess the most popular color and yardage of her stash and I guess I lucked out. She sent me two skeins of Koigu KPPPM (p219) and I've been fondling it ever since. What will I do with them? Pomatomus, of course. Thanks, Ann!

The Complete Practice Swatch

2006-02-14T22:32:00.000-08:00

It's done, sewn in and blocked out. And it's small.. and I knew that. The swatch started as a foray into fairisle practice, then slowly made its way to a steeking practice. I didn't have the right yarn for it, so I picked up a few balls of fingering weight Knitpick's Palette yarn just so I could play with it. I made it in the 34" size too... since I want to experience the whole she-bang once... figure out what I can do better if I had the actual DK weight yarn.. and where I should pay particular attention to.
Initially, I only wanted to show you this.

But I got carried away and stuffed myself into this too-small too-tight cut-off-my-circulation vest just for kicks... (yea I need to pay attention to picking up stitches.. see where it's wonky and holey? That's not gonna happen when I have my real yarn)
The giant practice piece here is better suited for a 32" bust.. if you use fingering weight yarn and sz 3 needles like I did. My next piece is so going to ROCK!

Edit: Silly me.. totally forgot the most important part. I followed Eunny's directions to the tee... her diagrams and instructions were very well-written and made this an easy knit. Can you knit and purl? Then you can knit fairisle! Eunny, thanks for the explicit instructions and impeccable pattern.

Moment of Truth

2006-02-10T16:57:00.000-08:00

Ahh..the moment of truth..will it unravel? Hey...so far so good!
Is this the largest practice swatch you've ever seen or what?

Knitting just for the heck of it

2006-02-07T11:39:00.000-08:00

Ever since Eunny published her Deep Argyle Vest pattern, I've been itching to try it out. But the search for suitable yarn has so far been unfruitful...should I go with Dale of Norway Heilo? Or Rowanspun DK? Briggs and Little Regal? Ah... choices. So while I wait to make a decision.. I decided to just knit a practice swatch with whatever I have.. you know.. just to see what it's like..

Knit knit knit.. ah.. crap.. I'm knitting too tightly.. I need to loosen up my tension...
Knit knit knit.. ooh.. check out that argyle pattern...
Knit knit knit.. Oi.. I have gone this far.. might as well go all the way..
Knit knit knit.. yea.. I should totally practice steeking on this while I'm at it...

Yea..this thing definitely won't fit me when I'm through with it.. but who cares? I knit for fun. And this sure is fun.. and when I finally decide on a suitable yarn, you can be sure that I will have gotten the steeking down pat. Oh.. the yarn is KnitPick's Palette by the way, in Blush and Fog. Sz 3 needles.. Photos taken under natural light.

The Sock That Needs No Introduction

2006-01-31T12:11:00.000-08:00

Pattern: Jaywalker by Grumperina
Materials: Sz 0 addi turbo, Regia Mini Ringel #5340 (2 balls, with tons of leftover yarn)
Notes: I cast on 76 sts for the smallest size in Sz 0 needles, and they still came out a bit loose. I usually cast on 60 sts on Sz 0 addi's for my ribbed socks.. so I guess 76 sts is a bit too much, even for the zig-zaggy pattern. I'm going to reduce it to 68 sts for my next pair...Yes that's right..there is going to be a next pair.
Aside from knitting Jaywalkers.. I haven't done much knitting the last few days.. feeling just a wee bit uninspired. But I've had that before.. and I'm sure things will pick up again soon. And you can be damn sure I ain't jaywalking in L.A.. a few years ago one of my friends did a little bit of jaywalking and got slapped with a $90 ticket. OuCh! That's enough money for more jaywalker sock yarn!

The Color of Prosperity

2006-01-11T02:20:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned earlier, the red Cascade Tweed is the recommended yarn for Stephanie Japel's Forecast. I've been working on it for a while now, and have spared you the in-progress shots of the bobbles on this cardigan. Trust me - it looked like ugly tumors. There was no question that it needed a good blocking. But boy does this yarn bleed.... And look at the stain on my Denise needles! But the results are worth it. I just have to remind myself not to wear any white shirts underneath. Or maybe wash it with vinegar next time.. Chinese New Year is around the corner, and even though my family is split over 3 countries, sometimes it's nice to conjur a little bit of celebration. I'm glad I found this yarn in red, because RED is the color of prosperity. I hope this new year ahead brings good things. Pattern: Forecast
Materials: Cascade Tweed (less than 4 and a half ball at 220 yds/ 100g), US Sz 5 and 7 needles
Gauge: 16 sts and 32 rows to 4" in garter stitch on US 7 needles
Notes: Ah.. changes. The smallest size in the pattern was for a 32.5" chest, and the next larger one a 36.5". Now I fall somewhere in between, and there was no schematic in the pattern, so I calculated for a 33.5" measurement. The armpit at the yoke looked pretty short, and I was worried for a while that it wouldn't fit, but I figured the yarn is sproingy enough to accomodate. This is basically the top-down raglan with interesting details. You are more than allowed to try it on as you go along. Now for the bobbles, initially I knit the 5-sts bobble stated in the pattern, but didn't quite like it. They just stuck out too much for me. I want textural interest, but something a little less protruding - in the end I changed it to a 3-sts bobble. Here's a picture of my bobbles... One additional change was the sleeves. In the original pattern, the bobble/cable feature extended to almost wrist length. Aside from the fact that I was a bit tired of knitting bobbles, I didn't want my lower arms to look, um, so billowy. I decided to stop the bobbles at elbow length, and knit the rest to my wrist with Sz 7 needles. I made the sleeves 20" long, which is still a bit short in reality, but knowing that I would dunk the sweater in water during blocking assured me that the arms would grow in length - and I was right. It came out to 23" - perfect for me. Oh and the yarn, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I expected it to be a bit rough, it being tweed and all, but on the contrary, it's springy, not itchy and shows the pattern quite well.
And here's another gratuitous shot. Just because. I think it means I like it.

Year End Yarn Porn

2005-12-30T17:35:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month, while surfing through the knit-blogs, I came across Katie's site and we did a little yarn exchange - my leftover Rowan Plaid for her leftover Felted Tweed. The picture below details the three amazing balls of Felted Tweed that she sent me. (Now what can I do with a ball of Crush and a ball of Melody? Suggestions?)
I've always wanted to knit Bloom from Rowan 36, and I can't make a sweater with three different colors now, can I? (Well actually I could but let's just pretend I can't). So then I scoured for Felted Tweed sale and hit the mother load. 5 balls of Felted Tweed in Whisper at just the right price - $6.00 per ball baby! Now I have more felted tweed than what's needed to make Bloom, but who cares. It's lovely lovely yarn, I tell you.
And then, as fortune would have it, I was just looking at Forecast from Knitty and happened to stop by my LYS to chance upon 7 balls of the exact yarn called for at $4.00/ball. With the amount of yarn I have at my disposal, maybe I can make a Demi from Rowan Vintage Style too, if I so choose.
Okay.. enough yarn porn. I did have a small FO during the break. Another DNA scarf. It so happens that BF would like a cream-colored scarf, and since he adores the DNA pattern, I made another one in Rowan Cashsoft DK. This yarn is delish - 57% extra fine merino, 33% microfiber and 10% of cashmere. At 142yds/50g, I used 3 balls. And get this, it's MACHINE WASHABLE. Heck, the label says you can even IRON it too. Way to go, Rowan. It's going to be part of a goody package that I'm sending off to him.... I just gotta finish up a pair of socks before I assemble the package.
Happy New Year All!