Get yourself an iced coffee and settle in for my return to blogging about knitting. Here we go...
Update on sweet little wedding shawl:Shawlie did not make it to the wedding. I figured I'd freeze in it in late-March Bend, OR. As it turned out, the weather was lovely and I didn't need any wrap at all. Shawlie had her ends woven in, but still needs a good blocking - that's lace for you. I still think she's lovely; maybe she'll go with the dress I'm wearing to Elaine's wedding.
Pattern: none, I made it up using Frost Flower lace
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas' Alpaca Silk (50/50 blend) in Ice, 4 skeins
Needles: can't remember, but I think it was US size 4
Notes: I need to put a bit of thought into how to close it - some sort of pin or other, I guess.
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The Lotus Blossom Tank from the Summer 2006 IK:Much more of a thistle blossom tank, I think, hence the name on the sidebar. I like it quite a bit. I recycled the yarn from the
Tivoli Tee, using the paler stuff on the bottom lace and switching to the brighter stuff on the stockinette top portion, which masks the fact that the skeins were slightly different colors. I would still like to knit another Tivoli Tee, but I think I need to find some really interesting yarn for it.
Pattern: Lotus Blossom Tank, Summer 2006 IK, size 34"
Yarn: Novita Brilla, unknown color, unknown quantity - maybe 5 or 6 balls
Needles:
Notes: I wish the back wasn't so high. I'm sure this could be modified a bit the next time around. Love the trim around th neck and armholes.
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Feather and Fan Top from Karabella:I made this from leftover Mayfair from Dad's sweater. It looks great over a black tank - very sexy. The only thing it could use is a couple of threads of elastic around the neck; the lace tends to curl there. This is something I never remember when I'm at the fabric store.
No pictures for this one - Navy Blue is very difficult to photograph well.
Pattern: Feather and Fan Top from Karabella Yarns (pattern sold singly), Size small
Yarn: Austermann Mayfair in Navy, maybe 4 balls (it goes really far)
Needles: US size 6.
Notes: Definitely needs the thread elastic at the neck. Otherwise it is lovely. I originally wanted to make it in Lavold Silky Wool, a good alternative to the required Empire Silk. Maybe next time.
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Ivy from Fall 2006 Knitty:I used this pattern for some Jaeger Luxury Tweed I bought. It's not bad, but (and I really hate to say this after all the work) I don't know if I can actually wear it - it is more than a little scratchy against the skin. This yarn is called "soft" by a lot of people, but they must have tougher skin than me. I may try to wash it a few more times to see if that softens it up; I'm not that hopeful. I could invest in a good white long-sleeved shirt, but I'd probably just sweat all over it with the wool over top. We'll see how she ends up.
Pattern: Ivy from Fall 2005 Knitty, smaller gauge needles, so I used a medium size for instructions
Yarn: Jaeger Luxury Tween in Kew Green, about 5 balls
Needles: US size 5
Notes: I simplified the sleeves by making them straight instead of bell shaped, no decreases. I still need a ribbon for tying the wrap.
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Michael Kors Aran from Holiday Vogue 2005:I pulled apart the Ribby Cardy I made out of my Jaeger Matchmaker Aran to reuse for this. I never liked the cardy anyway, both because of the way I knit it (messed up the pattern a bit and made it too small) and the zipper - zippers in handknits are the work of the devil. I admire those of you who can put them in. I can't do it particularly well. And this one always looked and felt funny.
Two things about this sweater: it is totally impractical for me; and I should have fixed the bunching caused by the meeting of the ribbing and the blackberry stitch (I know how to do it, I was just lazy). But it is a really beautiful sweater and if I can find a way to wear it without simultaneously freezing my arms off and sweating like a whore in church, that will be a fine day.
Pattern: Aran Top (pattern number 2), Holiday 2005 Vogue Knitting, size small
Yarn: Jaeger Matchmaker Aran in Ivy, maybe 10 balls?
Needles: US size 7
Comments: If only I could afford the cashmere the pattern called for. Oh well, yay for washability.
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Moving into spring....
Becky from Summer Essentials:I attempted to make another Tivoli Tee out of Knitpicks Shine, but I either underestimated my own size (my bust has slowly and mysteriously grown in the last few years) or overestimated the garment's ability to stretch because it was WAY too tight. To be honest, I wasn't really mad about the color either. I thought the yarn was a bit more tan (damn computer screens) when it is really a subdued dijon color. But I did think it would be okay for Becky from Debbie Bliss's Summer Essentials. There are a lot of great patterns in this book and I'm looking forward to knitting more of them at some point.
It turns out I like this top quite a bit, and though I'm always apprehensive about knit garments in the summer, especially in Northern California, it is surprisingly cool. I took the extra width out of the waist. I'm not much for the blousy effect and at my age, the pregnancy suspicions run rampant on their own, no need for further encouragement.
Pattern: Becky from Summer Essentials, smallest size
Yarn: Knitpicks Shine Sport in Willow, almost every bit of 5 balls
Needles: US size 5
Notes: Took out the 12 extra stitches in the lower part of the front and added 6 at the beginning of the cables to keep them from gathering.
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Martine from Summer Essentials:On a role with the Debbie Bliss summerwear, I knit Martine. Elann.com's Callista is fabulous! Definitely one of my favorite yarns of all time, it is a great weight for summer. The pattern as written calls for the neckband to be knit in one piece from the back left shoulder - the sweater slips on over the head rather than being a cardigan as it appears. I was not hot on that idea, so I made it a functioning cardigan and I like it that way even though it looks best buttoned all the time anyway.
Pattern: Martine from Summer Essentials, size 34"
Yarn: Elann.com Callista in Boysenberry, 6 balls
Needles: US size 5 and 6
Notes: Made it a bit shorter in length, made neckband to open.
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Jude from Summer Essentials:Pattern #3 from Summer Essentials, I went a bit small on the sizing with Jude. Truthfully, I didn't mean to, but I accidentally made the smallest size sleeve first and then was too lazy to do it over. Actually, let me confess: first I made the sleeve (in the smallest size) without changing to the bigger needles after the ribbing and didn't realize until I had finished it, at which point I ripped it all the way back to the ribbing. Then I made it again with the correct size needles before realizing it was the smallest size and was not about to knit it a third time. If I can digress for a moment - twisted rib is one of the most simply elegant and defined stitches, but I absolutely hate knitting it. Especially in a non-stretchy, splitty 10-plied, 100% cotton yarn on small needles. This plus the little 2-stitch mirrored cables in the lace pattern made Jude a much less satisfying knit than it should have been.
I lengthened the body and made the ribbed border on the bottom shorter to make it less boxy. The Elann.com Lara definitely needs some time in the drier after laying flat to soften the all-cotton stiffness, but I love the color and it goes well over my black strapless linen dress.
I backed both button bands with grosgrain ribbon to keep them from buckling when buttoned (this might not have been so necessary if I had knit the correct size). This was my first attempt at making buttonholes on the sewing machine EVER and they are really sad looking, but as they are on the backside of the band, I don't expect many people will ever see them. I also had to hand sew the ribbon onto the bands, which adds to the ugliness - damn sewing machine feed dogs.
Pattern: Jude from Summer Essentials
Yarn: Elann.com Lara in Antique Blue, 4 balls! I can't believe I still have 2 and a bit left over.
Needles: US size 3 and 5
Comments: Lots of modifications: lengthened, less rib, hip increases, grosgrain ribbon button bands.
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And I think that brings us mostly up to speed.
As for wearable garments, the next project is the
Josephine top from the current IK in more Callista (Italian Plum this time, should be arriving any day now). I would absolutely love to knit
these socks, but as (a) it is summer and (b) I hardly ever wear socks, I'm having a hard time rationalizing it.
I've been dutifully using up my stash and odd balls and have come up with a couple of interesting creations I'm hoping to put out at some point. Keep your eyes peeled.
