Knitting Musings

Cleaning Up the Sidebar

I was noticing that my sidebar has been getting a little cluttered recently, what with all of the finished objects that haven't been properly written up - so over the next few days, I'll try to work my way through all of them!

Debbie Bliss Silk Shrug

Pattern: from Debbie Bliss Pure Silk Collection
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Pure Silk in Black
Notes: I had quite the challenge with knitting this, as the lace patterning and the decreases/shaping made for a serious challenge. I ultimately charted every single row on excel and crossed off as I went. This project marinated in an almost-complete stage for AGES because I couldn't face the prospect of sewing black silk without an Ott light... and then I just couldn't face the seaming period! But once I finally finished everything, I've found it is the perfect jacket to go with fancy dresses that just need a little something!

Tangled Yoke
Yarn: acrylic/merino from School Products - dyed by me!
Pattern: Tangled Yoke Cardigan from Interweave Knits, F2007
Notes: LOVE this sweater! I modified it slightly - I knit the sleeves flat and seamed, and I knit the body in 3 pieces to the yoke, and then joined. I prefer the extra structure of the seams to keep everything together. My gauge was not 100% right, but everything seemed to work out in the end with only a few small adjustments.

Labels: Silk Shrug, tangled yoke

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Finished Sweater, Minnesota, and Some Jello

Last time I managed to sit in front of the computer and update, I was struggling to finish Monarch of the Glen in time to wear it to Minnesota. I decided to do a turned-down collar and graft the live stitches to a row of picked up stitches on the inside of the collar - for this pullover, I wanted the collar to be nice and stretchy. Of course, since I was essentially making the shaping up as I went along, I had to do this part twice. I think the worst was taking out the first round of grafting...

With the neckline FINALLY properly shaped and grafted, it only remained to weave in some ends and graft the underarms. Monarch accompanied me to Late Night, where I attempted to finish everything up. Unfortunately, a few other things got in the way of the last bit of grafting...

Exhibit 1 - Crazy Yarn Hoarding Behavior.

Exhibit 2 - Adorable Dog Under Knitting Table (or, more likely, in arms demanding snuggles).

So instead of finishing up the sweater on Wednesday night, I finished it up at the airport on Thursday morning. Thanks to TSA, I even had to gnaw off the ends with my teeth since I couldn't bring scissors with me. Fun times!

With one project down, I turned my attention to Alpine Lace... I definitely got a few strange looks from my fellow passengers as I carefully unpacked my cone of yarn, set it up under the seat in front of me, and started knitting.

The lace enjoyed the flight, and enjoyed the view (and the beer) in the Milwaukee airport.

Eventually, we made it to Minnesota, and spent some lovely quality time with S' family. Friday and Saturday morning, however, were reserved for "playing tourist." We didn't have a ton of time, but we managed to visit S' alma mater, the state capital building (awesome tour, by the way!), and one of my favorites - the Como Park Conservatory. (Freudian slip? I keep calling it CORMO park... I wish!) It was beautiful! We wandered through the Sunken Garden...

... almost had to physically carry my dad out of the Fern Room (he really REALLY likes ferns!)...

... and we lucked out that it was the very last weekend the outdoor Japanese Garden was open for the season!

The beautiful garden and the cool temperatures combined for a photo shoot....

Monarch of the Glen Aran

Pattern: my own, based on a sweater worn by Duncan on the BBC show Monarch of the Glen

Yarn: Cormo worsted, Fox Hill Farms (MDS&W)

Notes: I loved working on this sweater. I am thrilled with how it turned out, and am proud that I took the time to rip out and re-do when something didn't turn out exactly as I hoped. I knit this sweater in pieces, leaving live stitches at the neckline for the collar. After seaming up the raglans, I knit the collar (turned hem, grafted) and finished sewing the seams.

Before the "second reception" on Saturday, we headed up to Stillwater for some pictures - which resulted in another finished object photo shoot as I realized I never properly photographed the Debbie Bliss Silk Shrug I finished AGES ago!

And the reception in Minnesota? SO MUCH FUN. And look! Jello!

When we finally got home, the animals had (according to them) NEVER EATEN AT ALL. And they'd gotten no attention. Yeah, right!

Cricket seems to be sleeping, but really, she's fainted from hunger. She just happened to conveniently faint right in that lovely sunny spot in the living room...

And Abby is so weak that she could only managed to dig a little teeny tiny hole this morning...

Labels: Alpine Lace, Monarch of the Glen, Silk Shrug

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Blocking

Last night, I cast off on the Silk Shrug, and decided to block it overnight in preparation for the dreaded "pick up and knit" edging extravaganza.

So out came the blocking board. And, apparently, my lovely assistant, who can't help but wonder why it's been so long since she got to ~~sit on my knitting~~ help.

I soaked the pieces in cold water, squeezed them "dry" in a towel, and attempted to follow the schematics. Of course, since Debbie only gives 3 measurements, it was a bit of a guess, but at least it's kinda in the right shape, and the fronts seem to match the back, so that's a relief.

My lovely assistant pointed out that I still haven't dealt with weaving in the ends, and then asked if I was aware that this particular knitting was WET. Apparently, she would prefer DRY knitting to sit on, thank you very much!

So with the prospect of one sweater reaching the finish line, I swatched with some cotton yarn Knitterary Girl gifted me... I've washed the swatch vigorously in the sink, and looked to see if there's any measurement change... nothing so far. But it's not tremendously soft yet, so I think I'll machine wash/dry the swatch next to see what happens. But that'll have to wait until laundry day. I don't know what this'll be when it grows up, but I'm thinking a basic pullover or cardi. I like the stockinette best, and I don't think the cotton yarn would be happy with cables or a lot of texture. Sometimes basic is best...

Oh, and I'm occassionally knitting on the Eleanora Sock.

Labels: Silk Shrug, Socks

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I'm Not Posting - I'm Studying

Disclaimer - this post is an illusion, because I'm actually studying for finals RIGHT NOW. I'm NOT reading blogs, or watching Gilmore Girls on DVD, or knitting. Because doing any of those things would mean that I wasn't actually studying, and since I am, well, you get the idea.

So I don't know where this pile of finished pieces of the Debbie Bliss shawl-collared cardi came from, because I certainly couldn't have been knitting the collar on Wednesday night at Knit Happens (because, of course, I wasn't AT knit happens on Wednesday night, because I was studying!)

Funnily enough - even though I can seemingly justify knitting for hours instead of studying, seaming up a sweater so I can wear it would totally take too much time away from the books. So the sweater pieces will sit there, on my shelf, looking sad and lonely, until I finally take pity on them.

But I have another excuse for waiting besides studying - I just ordered a space-board, and I want to try it out with these slightly curly pieces before I seam up. See? There's always a good excuse available when you're trying to get out of seaming up a sweater.

I've also NOT been knitting on my Eleanora socks... I'm loving these. Despite appearances, the main pattern is REALLY easy to memorize, which makes them go much faster. And yes, I'm doing these top-down - I actually followed the pattern exactly... for about 5 minutes. And then I made them narrower, and did a short-row heel, and I'll probably do a short row toe. Still undecided about that one. Oh, and I didn't change to size 1 needles. Please. Size 1's for socks? That's crazy-talk! (unless they're koigu, or possibly Cherry Tree Hill.)

And here's a close-up of the stitch pattern:

And finally, I'm DEFINITELY NOT knitting the back of the Shrug from Debbie Bliss' new Pure Silk book. So since I'm not knitting it, I couldn't possibly know that the silk is so amazing that I can't actually put it down without looking at it longingly as I walk away. Oh, and of course, were I actually knitting this, I would have changed the pattern by knitting the ribbing on the bottom (instead of picking up stitches on the cast-on edge), and that I mirrored the cables around the center motif, because I'm anal like that.

But even if you're studying all the time, you have to eat, right? And so it's totally justified to make chicken noodle soup from scratch, because you've TOTALLY got to eat, right?

Ok - enough with the (not) studying.... Happily, the weekend after my last final is SHEEP & WOOL. You know you're going. So if you're local, and want to go on Saturday bright and early so that minimal blood-letting has to occur at a couple of key merchants (cough cough, that means you, Holly!), then email me (address in the sidebar). I'll start putting together a list, and we can figure out logistics!

Labels: Astrakan Cardigan, Silk Shrug, Socks

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ireland cardigan