Pretty Yarn Plus Too Many Choices (Adriana)

Last month I was Bertha's 1000th commenter and to my delight she sent me this:

Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Solid in Amethyst (actually a richer purple)
The yarn is posed with my anniversary roses

Thanks so much, Bertha! The yarn is beautiful. I’ve never played with solid sock yarn before; there are so many pattern possibilities! (The yarn also came with chocolate but it was devoured prior to picture taking)

Every November I give my mom a detailed wish list for Christmas. This is a list of all sorts of things (mostly knitting related) that I would like so she can pick and choose. This way I get things I want but there is still some element of surprise. This year I’m having trouble deciding what yarn to request. I like it to be for a project I can cast on Christmas Day (though that might not be possible this year since the usual plans have been rearranged). I’m trying to update my wardrobe to be more business casual in anticipation of the fabulous job my new program is going to land me. To that end I’ve been considering the following three projects: Deep V Argyle Vest, Ms. Marigold and Tangled Yoke Cardigan. I have concerns about all of them. The Argyle Vest: I’ve only done a couple of Fake Isle Hats in the past so my fair isle skills still need some work. I also don’t know how much fun this project would be what with steeking and all. Ms. Marigold: the jury is still out on if vests will look good on me. Tangled Yoke: this is such a beautiful sweater but I’m allergic to alpaca so the recommended yarn is out and my sub of choice, Silky Wool, I hear doesn’t wear well. Also, requiring 2mm needles scares me.
Clearly I am overthinking this stuff rather than study for my midterm tomorrow. How about you guys do the thinking and get back to me on what I should do :)

Square #12! (Adriana)

Here it is, the final square of the log cabin blanket:



Not only that but I'm halfway through seaming the blanket! I can't believe that my log cabining days are over and that this project is almost complete. I'm going to hold off on posting pictures of the finished blanket until I give it to my mom on Friday. I just can't wait! I love gifting my handknits, especially to people who love and appreciate them.

I've been feeling a bit of knitting ennui these days. Usually I can't wait to get through one project to jump into the next one. I do have Granny's socks to knit but those certainly don't inspire me. Since it's supposed to be getting cold out (one of these days. I can't believe how hot it was yesterday) I decided that a sweater is in order. One thing I was looking at led me to another and the next thing you know I've found a pattern which excited me: Chick Knits Ribby Pulli (I like the scoop-neck version). I think I'll use my red Mission Falls 1824 Wool with black cuffs.
It's nice to feel excited about knitting stuff again (I hate when I lose my knitting mojo). Now if only I could make myself feel excited about my homework :)

Feelin' Square (Adriana)

Thanks for all the comments on my Granite Shawlette. I've been wearing it every day and I love it! My mom has a picture of me wearing it to the show last week but I keep forgetting to get her to email it to me. Until then I thought I'd show off the latest log cabin squares.

Over the past few months I've been working on this project off and on. When I finished the shawlette I realized that I just needed to knit 3 more squares to have the blanket done. With that as my incentive I have been monogamous to this project and I am now on the last square. The goal is to finish it this weekend and seam the blanket next week so my mom can take it home after her visit on October 26th.


Block 7


Block 8 (knit during my first week back at school)


Block 9


Block 10 (started during the bus ride to and from the Drowsy Chaperone)


Block 11 (finished last night while watching Ugly Betty and Grey's with my classmates (the lemon margarita I had does not appear to have affected the knitting :P))

I am currently halfway through the centre square of the last one. Hopefully I won't let my heavy homework load interfere with finishing off this project :)

Happy Friday!

Fall Behind (Heather)

Fall finally arrived this week. It was quite lovely to spend a moment each morning choosing a sweater to wear. And now that I can actually fathom the idea of wearing woolen socks, it occurs to me that I need more variety in my sock drawer!

Instead of wisely completing one of the three pairs of socks I have on the go for myself (I could open a sock singles bar!) I of course started a brand new sock.



Isn't there something deeply pleasing about a ball of yarn? Part of me realizes that I am nuts to be so appreciative of the aesthetics of string, but that part is generally shooshed by the part of me that reasons that I am certainly not alone.



Mmm.... red socks. The yarn is Regia Galaxy; a neat new creation that intentionally creates flashing and pooling reminiscent of the swirls on a gas giant. This colourway is called Jupiter Rot (though it should be called Hard to Photograph). I started it on the trip home for Thanksgiving, so when I realized that I had brought 2.5mm needles instead of 2mm needles, and that the pooling wasn't happening as it should when I could only cast on 56 stitches for my sock, the decision was made to convert these into a pair of socks for Mike. Guess I will have to tackle one of those second socks after all. (although, I do have some Kaffe Fassett Regia just begging to be knit up...) Pooling never looked so good!

I also hit the sewing machine a few weekends ago.



This fabric is apparently impossible to photograph. I used this tutorial (thanks, Bertha!). I used medium weight interfacing and two fat quarters I had picked up whilst out with Leslie last spring. I love the lining!



I think it is still a tad floppy for my tastes... can you double up interfacing? I know that I was too impatient and sloppy on the ends, but I know how to do better next time. And I saved my favourite fat quarters for the second attempt. Whenever I actually get a chance, that is!

I also got a start on my next store sample project (being a deputy returning officer for 12 hours + poor voter turnout = tons of knitting time)...



This is Bridges from Rowan 42 in Kid Classic 'Feather'. (You can see a lovely finished Bridges here)



The first repeat of this lace pattern kicked my butt. I wrote it all out and now I understand how it stacks up. Decreasing in pattern is the next challenge!

Something New (Adriana)

Yesterday, while studying for my marketing test, I finished knitting my Granite Shawlette! (I love being able to knit while studying. It makes it much less painful) Unfortunately the ending of the knitting isn't the end of the project since I still had to graft those bad boys together. My relationship with the Kitchener stitch is rocky at the best of times so I decided to look for an alternative. After Ravelrying for a while (you know, looking things up on Ravelry) I came across Lucy Neatby's technique, seen here and here. I was a little skeptical but I decided to give it a try. I did most of it while watching Private Practice last night (which I'm still not sure if I like but it was better than watching the Ontario Election results which seemed to be on most of the other channels)

Without flash, colours most true here. This really is a very clever technique. You follow the lines of the waste yarn (the yellow one) to see how to stitch the two pieces together (That said, I haven't actually taken out the waste yarn so I'm not positive that everything will stay together when I do that)

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Post-grafting (with flash which makes everything looks so shiny!)


The back side (I guess I should take that out before I block it)

I've got to block today so I can wear it to see my shows this weekend!!
I almost forgot, there's something else I have to show you. Look what arrived in the mail yesterday:

Socks that Rock lightweight in Jingle Bell Rock (purchased on Ravelry)
This is my first STR and I love it soooooo much! I have a couple of pattern ideas (this or this) but I want to wait until it's closer to Christmas to work on it.

Knitting for Me Again! (Adriana)

I'm pretty much done my stealth Christmas knitting. I have the ends to weave in on one project and I still have to knit Granny's socks but I can blog about that.
A few weeks ago I asked for help deciding on a lightweight wrap for fall. The Swiss Cheese Scarf seemed most popular and I cast on right away using the lovely Regia Strato in Granite from The Jane. Unfortunately, since I was using a heavier weight yarn, I had to do some math (which I do enjoy but it makes things more complicated) and this project rapidly got less appealing.

This is as far as I got with it.

As I wandered through Ravelry I kept coming across gorgeous versions of the Clementine Shawlette from Spring 2007 IK. This one, done in Wollmeise Sockenwolle, especially caught my eye. Encouraged by Bertha (for whom I was the 1000th commenter!), I frogged the Swiss Cheese Scarf and cast on for the Clementine Shawlette which shall henceforth be known as the Granite Shawlette. I'm knitting both halves together at the same time because I'm worried about running out of yarn. I'm through the increase section and onto the straight knitting. This pattern is very memorizable but still interesting. I definitely recommend it.

Two at once

Close up on the stitch pattern. The zig-zag really shows off the striping in the yarn

I'd like to have this done for next week when I am off to the big city to see two awesome shows. I anticipate getting a good amount done this weekend since we are going to the in-laws for Thanksgiving (I'm taking this and my marketing study notes so you know what I'd rather be working on :P).
Happy (Canadian) Thanksgiving!