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April 30, 2007
My pretties
As I plan new projects or work on existing ones, I take the materials out of my stash and pile them on my couch or in a wicker basket. Here's a small tour of my current clutter.
Alpaca Twill sleeve in all its lime green goodness. Classic Elite Princess in Ladylike Leaf (#3497).
Do not adjust your monitors! Your eyes do not deceive you - it's that bright. Schaefer Andrea in Clara Barton. After marinating in the stash for a year, I think I've finally found a worthy project for these 1000 yards of silky goodness.
Dimply is beautiful. This skein of Sundara Yarn Silk Lace in Wine with Violet somewhat solid has a long and sordid history. Its existence was conceived in September 2005, and it came to live with me on May 19th, 2006. An old soul like that... no wonder it's a bit misshapen :).The yarn itself is in perfect condition, of course, morphing into an Ene, slowly but surely.
After making my Denyse Schmidt coasters, I read up on string quilting (the reading should have been done before the sewing, for future reference). Well, Gwen Marston's Liberated String Quilts
April 29, 2007
BFF
Have I ever told you about my BFF?
This little ball weighs about 5 grams, and should be just enough to add dainty picots to the short edges of my Dolphin scarf. It is what remains after knitting 28 repeats.
Hello?!? Twenty-eight repeats! Exactly what I calculated way back when!!!
Fortuitously, the scarf is 52" long in its unblocked state, so one skein of Seasilk once again knits up to a respectable length! After double-checking one last stash for a matching dye lot (just in case: won't hurt for it to be a bit longer), I should be binding off later this week!
Posted by Kathy at 07:21 PM | Comments (22)April 26, 2007
Uber-swatch
You see what I mean?!? That's how much knitted fabric I was able to squeeze out of a single skein of Princess! A 7" x 4" swatch, plus one sleeve nearly up to the sleeve cap. For the mathematically inclined, a little more than 170 square inches.
I feel reassured that I'll have enough yarn for big lapels and a bit of ease in the bust. I want my Alpaca Twill to be a cardigan I wear on chilly autumn days, on top of long-sleeved tees or thin cotton sweaters.
At this point I'm going to block the partial sleeve.
?
This is not my typical modus operandi. I usually finish knitting all the pieces, then block, then seam. Furthermore, when was the last time you saw me knit a sleeve before the sweater's body?
Simple. When I suspect my gauge swatch has something to hide, I treat the sleeve (or fraction thereof) as an uber-swatch. This is regularly done by a number of knitters I know. And even though I believe the order of knitting and assembly is a matter of personal preference, blocking halfway can be beneficial in many cases.
For Classic Elite Princess and the stitch pattern of Alpaca Twill, I found the fabric changed significantly after a bath. It fluffed up and flattened, and expanded a bit. But I was barely able to assign those changes concrete numbers - it's tricky to measure gauge in a highly textured fabric, plus it's very pliable and can be easily stretched vertically and/or horizontally.
I'm going to get a much better idea of these changes from an uber-swatch - 14" x 13" at its widest. Time to lather up!
Posted by Kathy at 09:25 AM | Comments (23)April 25, 2007
Alpaca Twill
I first saw Classic Elite Princess about a year ago at Wild & Woolly, and made a decision to buy a sweater's worth as soon as I spotted some on a sale.
There are the obvious reasons: rich, mouth-watering colors, and incredible softness. But consider this: there are 150 yards in each 50 gram skein, and the yarn knits to 4.5-5 spi. That's unbelievable yardage! I could knit a sweater with as few as 8 skeins - a warm sweater weighing only 400 grams! It's hard to beat that.
A long while passed between first seeing the yarn, and then buying the yarn, and finally settling on a sweater pattern.
Somehow this gem never made it big. It's Alpaca Twill, designed by Norah Gaughan (of the Knitting Nature
Let me tell you, the construction of this sweater coat is so clever. The front pieces overlap just in the middle - function without all the bulk. How did Ms. Gaughan do that? Elaborate shaping! The stunning oversized lapels are knit as a continuation of the sweater fronts! They are then folded and seamed at the back of the neck. Is there anything more clever? No, there is not. The texture is wonderful, of course*.
I don't intend to mess with the construction. I like the way the two front panels overlap, then come apart at the hip. The big lapels hit the spot, too.
I am, however, choosing to knit this design in a yarn with a different gauge: 3 spi recommended, 4.5 spi achieved. I'm also not following the recommended finished dimensions. For example, a 16.75" sleeve circumference at the bicep is recommended for my chest size, which isn't going to happen. Last, I don't want a long coat, nor do I have enough yarn to knit one. Depending on how much the sleeves eat up, something which hits mid-hip would be perfect.
Much like my Brilliant Retro, I'm following a design rather than a pattern.
*If the idea of knitting an entire sweater in 2x2 rib makes you scream, the Alpaca Twill stitch pattern may not be for you. It's just a stacked 2x2 rib: k2, p2, ad nauseum.
Posted by Kathy at 12:10 AM | Comments (38)April 24, 2007
Hungry for texture
The subtle texture of the Railway Stitch socks left me hungry for more. The tactile sensation of knits and purls, then purls and knits is deeply satisfying to me. Running my hands over seed stitch is almost as sensual as touching Jackfruit.
And so, a swatch for a new project emerges:
What could it be?!? I'll give you some hints :)
- It's a sweater (for me) from a famous knitwear designer.
- The construction is very clever (I'm entirely predictable), so it's fortunate that my planned mods don't concern that aspect of the sweater.
- I don't think I've mentioned it here yet.
- The yarn is Classic Elite Princess in Ladylike Leaf*.
As always, wild speculation is encouraged.
* First, how can a leaf be "ladylike"? Second, even though the angora content of this yarn is a measly 7%, it's driving me bonkers! Itch, sneeze, scratch, sneeze, itch!!! Good thing I don't plan to wear this sweater next to my skin (ah! yet another hint!)
Posted by Kathy at 04:56 PM | Comments (21)April 22, 2007
Fifth one
The genius of Nancy Bush unfolds in another pair of socks.
Stripy heels and toes, calf shaping, and a gentle texture.
Pattern: Gentleman's Sock in Railway Stitch from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in cedar, 2 skeins. For the contrast I used Lorna's Laces in chino, leftover from my dad's socks (as usual, I visited Linda to scratch that Lorna's itch).
Needles: Susan Bates US 0 dpns, set of 5.
Nancy Bush does it for a fifth time: Gentleman's Socks in Railway Stitch join these other KVS beauties: Child's First Sock in Shell Pattern, Gentleman's Fancy Socks, Gentleman's Sock with Lozenge Pattern, and Yarrow Ribbed Sock. And Lorna's Laces never lets me down - watching the subtle variegation keeps me entertained each and every time.
Posted by Kathy at 10:23 PM | Comments (50)April 21, 2007
Somebody, stop me!
You didn't think I would let those practice little quilts go to waste, did you? A little pressing, a little seaming, and possibly two more green strips, and I've got myself a top for a toss pillow!
Good thing, too: this cover I knit eons ago doesn't have a partner, the bland pillow form stuffed somewhere in the back of my closet. I originally planned to knit Dale Damask #2007 to match, but I think a quilted pillow case would be nice, too!
Posted by Kathy at 09:58 AM | Comments (15)April 20, 2007
Measure twice, cut once?
You know, sometimes I don't make any sense.
You'd figure that with all the gorgeous, modern, inspired, colorful quilting popping up on knitting and crafting blogs (and Etsy), I would have checked out Denyse Schmidt Quilts
I started scheming no more than 8.2 seconds after looking through DSQ. Don't you love the rush of planning a new project? The need to get started regardless of previous commitments, weather, work, hunger, pets, laundry, personal hygiene, etc.?
I was primarily captivated by the Any Way You Slice It quilt.
I love the random regularity of it, if that makes any sense.
But before launching into something so big and elaborate, I decided to make a smaller project: I've never done piecework, or used batting, or attempted to combine more than three colors/patterns. The Mix It Up cocktail coasters seemed like a perfect choice - functional, and constructed using the same methods as the Any Way You Slice It quilt.
And let me tell you, I'm so glad I didn't jump into the deep end of the cold pool head first. Because those little coasters took three full nights to perfect, probably 4-5 hours each night.
What you see there is a whole lot of trial and error. My problem was that the coaster tops kept coming out too small, no matter how carefully I sewed the fabric pieces together. I ended up having to modify the DSQ pattern, enlarging the final layout by 4.6% in the vertical direction and 6.9% horizontally. Many trial coaster tops were stitched, pressed, and 'squared up' to come up with those numbers.
All's well that ends well: I'm absolutely thrilled with my first little quilts!
Allow me to ramble some quick and dirty facts.
- The fabric is from Winmil, except the burgundy print (leftover from this skirt).
- To me, chain piecing is like a cold glass of water after being lost in the Sahara. By the time I was putting together my third (ahem) set of coaster tops I figured out how to sew in one continuous line - looping the finished pieces from behind the machine to my lap, cutting them off one by one as more strips were added.
- I don't have a point of comparison, but the Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon
cotton batting I got from joann.com (always check for a coupon!) is very soft and lovely!
- The quilting was of the "stitch in the ditch" variety, though I tried to quilt each coaster in one continuous line, skipping some seams and making sure to go over the opening left for turning.
- Did you know that Clover makes quilting supplies? In order for each coaster to be a perfect 4" square, I traced a cardboard template onto the top using the cutest little Clover chalk wheel
.
Okay, enough. It's Friday, I have coasters, let's have a drinkie before I start cutting more fabric. Cheers!
Posted by Kathy at 08:45 AM | Comments (60)
April 19, 2007
Buried
If I don't surface from this pile of fabric by tomorrow afternoon, send in reinforcements.
Posted by Kathy at 09:49 PM | Comments (14)April 18, 2007
Multifaceted
Little Kitty, what do you see?
Little Kitty, what do you dream?
Little Kitty, what do you feel?
Little Kitty, what do you taste?
Little Kitty, what do you hear?
Little Kitty, what do you smell?
We snorgle.
Regular posting to resume once I surface from the pile of fabric, courtesy of one Ms. Denyse Schmidt
April 15, 2007
Ventilation
Saturday, April 14th, 2 p.m. Phone conversation with my grandmother.
Me: Hi, grandma! How are you?
Grandma: I'm good.
Me: Did you get any packages from me recently?
Grandma: I did! I haven't gotten the chance to talk to you, but I got the brown socks you knit for me.
Me: Good! I was starting to worry - I mailed them out a week ago, and didn't hear from you.
Grandma: No, no, they're here. The package was so small, I didn't even think they could be socks at first.
Me: Yeah, I didn't tell you that I had knit another pair, so it must have been a surprise. Do you like them? Do they fit?
Grandma: Yes, they're great! I don't know where you got such interesting yarn. It's brown but it has other colors in it, too. And how did you finish them so quickly? I got the blue ones just a few weeks ago.
Me: These knit up really quickly, I'm glad you like them.
Grandma: You know, I don't even wear regular socks anymore, just handknit ones.
Me: And that's how it should be.
Grandma: For the summer I wear the darned ones... for ventilation.
Me: [rolling of the eyes] I should really stop sending you extra yarn. You shouldn't have to darn your socks.
Grandma: You know, I still have all the prettiest things. Even the scarf* you just sent to your mom isn't as nice as the one I have. Not her old one, nor this new one*.
[*I gave my mom my Shetland Triangle.]
Me: Never! You will always have the most pretty things.
Grandma: Yes. Well, it's enough. I have enough socks now. Knit for someone else.
Me: [laugh] Okay.
And with that, the Hidden Passion socks are demoted from "temporary" to "permanent" hiatus. Don't get me wrong - I really love that design, but it took me a good 4 tries to get it right. And that's the equivalent of knitting a pair of socks. I'm not sure whether one day I'll pick up where I left off, or frog and reknit the pattern with some modifications, but I'm not going to think about them for a long while.
Instead, I want to knit another sweater for myself. I splurged during the Webs Anniversary Sale, getting a bag of Classic Silk and a bag of Jo Sharp SilkRoad DK, and now have an uncomfortable amount of sweater yarn.
Plus there will be sock knitting for my Sockapalooza 4 pal. I get quite enthused finding yarn and pattern perfectly suited to my pal.
And I've started a pair of non-grandma gift socks:
These are Gentleman's Sock in Railway Stitch from Nancy Bush's Knitting Vintage Socks
I just hope I have enough for two heels and two toes, since I think the two go quite well together.
Posted by Kathy at 11:04 AM | Comments (49)April 13, 2007
Eye Candy Friday: shawl pin edition
I know, it's kind of shocking, but this is the 700th (seven hundredth!!) Jaywalker added to the Grumpy Reader's Gallery. Nancy from California has the distinction of having knit these, and for that I congratulate her! Congratulations, Nancy!
As her prize Nancy selected a gorgeous handcrafted shawl pin, courtesy of Chris at Scotts Mountain Crafts. Here's the chosen pin being modeled by my Melon Scarf.
When Chris proposed this sponsorship, I jumped at the opportunity - I had already admired her handiwork on Jody's blog, and my recent adventures in bead 'n wire manipulation allowed me appreciate the beauty of her art that much more. Thank you so much, Chris!
As an unexpected bonus, Chris sent me a shawl pin of my own, with a bead to match my newly minted Mountainash shawl. Divine... I'm thrilled to offer these shawl pins as an option to the gallery winners :).
P.S. Did you sign up? I did!
Posted by Kathy at 09:37 AM | Comments (25)April 11, 2007
Verdict
ETA: In my calculations, I forgot to take into account the 8+ repeats I've already knit! Oops! The numbers below have been fixed.
Well, I'm up to my usual antics. First, I weighed the remainder of my Sea Silk skein using my little balance:
Next, I knit one repeat of the pattern, and weighed it again:
A little bit of algebra, remembering to take into account the few yards required for the decorative edging, and the verdict:
My Dolphin lace scarf will likely have a total of 28 pattern repeats: 8 completed so far, and 20 from the remainder of the skein.
Next, a little pinning and measuring:
And a second verdict:
My Dolphin lace scarf will likely be 15" wide and 49" long, once blocked.
A petite scarf for sure. Remembering that the Melon Scarf came out to be 11" wide and 56" long, perhaps a more narrow version of the Dolphin Lace scarf would maximize the yardage.
I might stop by Windsor Button and see if (miraculously) they have another skein. But I'm not holding my breath considering the yarn was purchased in September.
If not, no big deal: first, I'll be extra diligent to maximize length when blocking. Second, all scarves are subject to gravity and get longer and more narrow with use. Third, knowing my fashion habits, I'm quite content having a smaller, more square scarf.
If I were a glutton for punishment, I would have also timed myself during this exercise, and then extrapolated how much more time this project would suck up. Let's not go there, since knitting this pattern is very enjoyable.
And thanks to everyone for pointing out the dolphins! Honestly, I didn't see them at all before reading your comments... and now, they're as clear as day :).
Posted by Kathy at 11:16 AM | Comments (44)
April 08, 2007
Just in time for Easter: autumn inspired socks!
Pattern: Uptown Boot Socks by Jennifer Appleby from the Favorite Socks
Yarn: Fleece Artist merino sock yarn (from the kit), russet colorway, 1 skein. (Has this colorway been discontinued? I don't know.)
Needles: Susan Bates US 1 dpns, set of 5.
These socks were one of those wonderful projects that worked out in every aspect, from the very beginning.
The yarn can only be described as delectable - soft, springy, and with a wonderful sheen. The colorway is luscious and interesting without being overwhelming. The yardage is generous - 8 grams remain after knitting socks to fit a woman's large foot.
The pattern is simple to knit, but engaging to watch. What more can you ask for?!?
Posted by Kathy at 01:16 PM | Comments (76)April 06, 2007
Squint and imagine a dolphin
Either we're all going blind, or the intricate web of knits, purls, and yarnovers doesn't create the shape of an actual dolphin.
I'm guessing the stitch pattern is simply called "dolphin stitch" for whatever reason, or the whole thing must be very abstract. (Or not! See some fabulous ideas in the comments!)
To me the border looks like leaves emerging from a center panel, especially with those points created by binding off three stitches. The big hole in the center of each leaf is the dolphin stitch itself - passing a few stitches over each other, then casting-on a bunch more mid-row.
Yesterday's was a long and complicated post, and I don't want anyone to walk away with any misunderstandings. First and foremost, there is only one outright mistake:
Mentally (and/or physically) move those three words, "On next row," one picture higher, and presto - all fixed!
Second, there are a few minor hiccups, not errors per se.
Hiccup #1: As written the pattern works out fine - the number of cast-on stitches matches the charts perfectly, the charts don't have mistakes, and so on. However, after knitting a few inches you might note that the scarf in the photograph containing three columns of lace in the center (possibly compensated by more narrow motifs elsewhere):
Hiccup #2: The author doesn't clearly differentiate the set-up row from the regular pattern in the 'row sequence chart'. This actually didn't stump me (the beast became all too familiar by the third cast-on) but Jennifer kindly directed me to the blog entry where she explains the hiccup.
Hiccup #3: The supplied Dolphin lace chart doesn't contain any mistakes, and it's totally possible to deduce both borders from just the one chart. However, it is tricky to do all those mental inversions in one's head, as everyone who's actually tried the pattern attested (thanks, guys!). Wouldn't it be more effective to get rid of all those inversion directions and 'pattern row sequence' diagram and just... include the second chart?!? Revolutionary, I know.
I don't want these clarifications to mislead you - I just wanted to set some things straight. Because, honestly, this is far from a disaster (cough, MMS, cough). It's not a complicated project once you take the time to think about the way the scarf is constructed, and there are no mistakes that will render it unworkable. Quite the opposite! It has two great things going for it - worked over 60 stitches, it's just the right width to utilize a small amount of yarn while making a respectable neck-covering. In addition, the whole thing is worked in one piece, allowing us to take advantage of every last yard of that glorious Sea Silk.
Posted by Kathy at 11:55 AM | Comments (40)
April 05, 2007
No love for...
The patterns in the running for my next lace project are a nice collection, aren't they? I certainly understand and appreciate the appeal of many of them.
Clearly the Raku Suri Stole by the Alpaca Yarn Co. was a frontrunner in my mind, since I already went through the trouble of finding three border possibilities.
On the other hand, the Fern Path Stole by Alpaca with a Twist and Sarcelle by Knitters Anonymous are knit on a diagonal, one of my favorite design elements.
But my choice was largely dictated by the nature and amount of Sea Silk. First, a pattern knit on a diagonal needs some space to fully reveal itself, and I think 438 yards would make a scarf that was only beginning to blossom. Second, when I'm describing Sea Silk to someone who's never seen it before, I always mention that the yarn is spun very tightly, like a compact little rope. This results in very crisp, defined stitches, without any fuzziness or halo. Now consider the Raku Suri Stole - would the flower shape come across with every stitch as its own entity? I think sometimes you need a little fuzz to blur the lines and boundaries, thereby divulging the bigger picture.
On the plus side, I never hesitate to throw Sea Silk into a pattern with big open spaces - stacked yarn-overs, double yarn-overs, and the like - because I'm confident the openings will not wear out and remain crisp.
And so, while I loved all the patterns equally, I thought the Dolphin lace scarf was the most appropriate for a single skein of Sea Silk (the very last picture in my collage).
Sixty-two comments, and not a single person even mentioned the Dolphin lace scarf. No love for the Dolphin!
But it's actually a very lovely pattern - a simple lace panel surrounded by intricate leaves on both sides. The hole in the middle of each leaf is made using the "dolphin stitch," which involves binding off and casting on stitches mid-row. Very cool, albeit a bit tricky! By the way, in the set of Dolphin stitch diagrams, I think the caption "On next row," belongs one diagram 'up'.
I know many of you will like this - the scarf is entirely reversible! But this makes it difficult to keep track of the right side.
The right side?!? Shouldn't both sides be identical in a reversible scarf?!?
This brings me to the downfall of this pattern: I think the way it's presented in Victorian Lace Today
Now, think about this for a second. First, you have to mentally reflect the chart in your head. Second, you have to shift the chart either one row up or one row down. Third, you have to keep the garter-stitch nature of the thing straight in your head during this exercise (that is, reverse it from the original chart).
Oh, brother!!!
Why-oh-why was it so difficult to just make a second chart for the right-facing leaves?!? And while at it, to move 10 stitches from each leaf chart to the center panel, because they don't change and follow the same geometry (2-row repeat). And also, perhaps make sure the instructions would result in a scarf that matches the one in the photograph... perhaps!
Oof!
Needless to say, before I cast on for the third time, I rewrote the charts. If you're considering the Dolphin lace scarf, I advise you to do the same.
Posted by Kathy at 10:45 AM | Comments (41)
April 03, 2007
In the running
Once you play with Sea Silk, you can't help but go back again and again. I inherited this particular skein in the straw colorway from Ms. Bestitched, and I'm hoping it's destined for the same kind of success as a former hand-me-down.
Yesterday I decided that with two pairs of socks nearing completion, it was time to cast-on some lace. I gathered my multitude of books and patterns, and started what may seem like a daunting task: finding a pattern for a single skein of Sea Silk, which contains only a modest 438 yards.
I knew it wasn't a hopeless search, however. My Melon scarf came out the perfect size for me, and I wear it quite frequently! There had to be other patterns out there that would work well as a small rectangular or square scarf (at the moment I'm tired of triangular shawls, it seems).
After a few hours, I had chosen the winner, and cast on immediately (three times, but we'll get into that later). For the sake of suspense, I won't tell you which pattern I ended up choosing. Instead, consider for yourself all the beautiful options below - it's no secret that even a single skein of Sea Silk is a true luxury, and yet the amount is quite versatile. Perhaps you'd also like to speculate which one caught my eye? :)
From Victorian Lace Today
Lacy Serpentine Scarf by HeartStrings Fiber Arts; Fern Path Stole by Alpaca with a Twist; Sarcelle by Knitters Anonymous; Rippling Waters Scarf by Fiddlesticks Knitting.
The center panel of the Raku Suri Stole by the Alpaca Yarn Co., bordered by a petal-like motif. I spotted some suitable motifs in the Dewdrops Pullover from A Gathering of Lace
From Victorian Lace Today
April 01, 2007
NOT made up
I couldn't make this stuff up if I wanted to!
Knitting needles have all kinds of unique uses, but what if the situation is reversed? Toothpicks, unfolded paperclips, and apparently mangled q-tips do the trick.
Happy April!
Posted by Kathy at 08:32 PM | Comments (42)
