Back by popular, or rather Bridget's, demand

All right, all right, so I've mostly been working on Christmas present (that includes you, Bridge), but I have finished something recently. I delayed posting picures a) because I haven't had much time to get a picture, and b) because I've been thinking I might want to try to get the design published. But I don't really have any time to do that, and besides, not many people really read this, so it's not like I'm giving away my secrets.


Specs:
Yarn: Plymouth Suri Merino in the perfect salmon color*, about 7 balls. (That's only $37!)
Design: mine!
Needles: Size 7
Comments: I knit this damn sweater so many times. The first time, I made it to big and I had to go with serious negative ease the second time. Then I wanted to make it a turtleneck, but after many tries, it never looked right. Hence the round neck. I single crocheted around all edges.

* Nighttime photo=funky color. But Matthew worked a little photoshop magic, so the sweater color, if not my face, is pretty close. I like it actually, it's kinda arty.

I'm a bad knit blogger

I don't have any picture to show you. I have a couple of things that are almost finished, but I don't have time to get pictures. And then there are the Christmas presents I'm working on that are top secret. Heh heh heh.

Sock pics

Here are the finished socks:

Details:
Yarn: Cascade Fixation Color 9843, less than 2 balls
Pattern: Made it up
Needles: 4mm double points (the package said US size 6, but that would be 4.25mm, so they must be from the UK)
Comments: My first pair of big socks! Not bad. Stretchy yarn takes some getting used to, but working with the merino stretch first helped.

With the leftovers, I made some baby socks:

Pattern:
Cast on 20 sts on US size 5 double pointed needles and join. Work 16 rounds in moss stitch (Round 1: [K1, P1] repeat to end. Every following round: K the P sts and P the K sts). Work the short row heel shaping over 10 sts, until you have 5 sts between yarn overs, then back to 10 sts and rejoin the round. Work another 9 rounds in moss stitch, then repeat heel shaping for toe. Graft toe sts to instep sts. Should fit a 0-3 month old, maybe older since they are stretchy.

I really think this is cute

Sweet Mary Jane Cardigan

And it would be cheap to make, but what would I do with it?

It's a sock!

Kristi and I are having a mini sock-a-long. It started when we were in Portland browsing the Yarn Garden and she said she wanted her next project to be socks. Totally doable, and I told her I would help her through. But in order to be able to help her, especially long distance, I realized I would have to get some Cascade Fixation and needles and follow along. When she visited yesterday, we worked on our socks some and I gave her a primer in heel shaping (plus some take home instructions). Since I rushed to get to the heel by her visit, it was pretty easy to finish up the sock this morning.



Specs to come later.

Kate is never interested in me until I have a camera in front of my face.

Please check this out

You Knit What? is hilarious. For anyone who has gotten a Berroco e-mail newsletter (and been appalled), this site is for you.

Knitting Tour of Oregon

Checked out many yarn shops while in Oregon, but the best by far was Juniper Fiberworks on Century Drive in Bend. EXCELLENT selection of yarns, plenty of stock, and organized by color, which is great because I was on a quest for the perfect shade of salmon for a new sweater. As I was walking out of the store, 11 balls of Plymouth Suri Merino attacked me and demanded to be taken home. So I took them.

The suri makes it feel like angora!

Tivoli Tee

Almost forgot, and now I remeber why. I love this pattern! (Note: Also available (with picot edging!) in the newest edition of Magknits here.) What I do not love is the (not so) subtle striping going on with the yarn. But that is my fault. You see, I bought this yarn off eBay over a year ago, seven skeins. I like it, but I couldn't figure out what to use it for, so I knit some of it up a couple of times, then ripped it out and rewound it. Apparently, the couple of washings faded the color a bit, because now the different colors have created wide stripes. The shades are just different enough to be noticeable, not different enough to look like I meant them to be stripes.


Yarn: Novita Brilla (same as yarn of same name by Filatura di Crosa), about 6 balls
Pattern: Tivoli Tee by Grumperina sized for 31" bust
Needles: US size 6 circ, E4 crochet hook for trim
Comments: Yay for negative ease. I'm a 34" bust, but the 31" top fits perfectly with the little bit of stretch. Pattern was very easy to follow. I did a single crochet trim around all edges to prevent curling and make it look more finished.

Closeup of waist shaping (my first correct M1s):


Shoulder shaping and single crochet:

Baby Silk cardigan

I'm so pleased that Elann has restocked its supply of Baby Silk, because after crocheting this baby cardigan with it, I can tell you, it's really nice stuff. (They have some great new colors!) My seven balls in cornflower were intended to be Bridget's birthday sweater until I realized it was too fine a guage to knit on size 3s. It is too delicate for a knit that gets substantial wear, but would be good for scarves, crochet or...baby stuff:


Yarn: Elann Baby Silk in Cornflower, about 5 balls
Pattern: Made it up. Stitch pattern is Diamond Lace Stitch from The Harmony Guide's 300 Crochet Stitches
Crochet hook: E4 for the body, D3 for corded edging
Comments: I used some measurements for a 6-12 month old from Debbie Bliss's Baby Style. The corded (or crab stitch) edging took forever and gave me serious wrist pain, but I really like the way it looks. The sleeves are not bell shaped, I just sewing them in a little tightly.

Here are some closeups (pardon my crappy camera skills):



Kate helps me photograph:

Spoiled

After knitting with that Merino Stretch, it's hard to go back to regular worsted weight yarns. I picked up my remaining Jaeger Matchmaker Merino Aran, and sketched a little design, but working with this heavy yarn is killing me! I can't bring myself to do anything more than stockinette, because it feels so heavy in any other stitch pattern. Don't get me wrong, I love MMM, and I'm sad it's being discontinued, but... lately I find myself thinking obsessively about how to get my hands on more Merino Stretch.