PDXKnitterati

Answering the question

Posted on January 15, 2009 | 11 comments

I’ve been wondering: If I knit Athena one block narrower, would I be able to do it with one ball of Taos? The answer is…

Almost. But No. I made it all the way through the triangle blocks, but didn’t have enough to bind off. So now I know. This Athena is quite cozy at 20 inches around, yet still roomy enough, but since I have to buy the second ball of Taos anyway, why not make it more squooshy? So my next one will be at the size specified in the pattern. Wait, did I say next? Yes. It turns out this Athena isn’t for me after all. The colors are perfect for my friend D. And she’s having an Important Birthday. So off it goes.

Please note the lovely daylight, outside, no rain. A respite!

But I can’t knit another Athena right now. I promised myself that when I finished, I’d cast on for the Leyburn KAL on Ravelry. And so I shall. Tonight.

11 Comments

Posted in Knit, ravelry

Tagged Athena, cowl, entrelac, Knit, neck warmer

Knitting around in circles

Posted on January 11, 2009 | 14 comments

Pippi 3 is off the needles.

It looks just like Pippi the first, right?

Almost! The Cashmerino Aran colors are really rich and and seem to glow. I wouldn’t call it Aran weight, though. It’s a very nice worsted. Note the slightly shorter earflaps. And now that I’m looking at the picture, I see that I used double crochet instead of half double crochet on the edging! Oops. I’m not a crocheter, really, and I mis-remembered how to do it. I like the way it looks, though. I love this pattern, but after three hats, I’m definitely ready to move on.

What next? I started my Athena for me.

Lest you think that I am in a rut (three of the same thing, and three of the same thing?), I have another thing in the queue after Athena:

My friend Susan gave me these Lantern Moon Sox Stix for Christmas. Size 2! I guess that means I need to knit some somewhat skinny yarn socks. I bought some Socks That Rock Mediumweight (still not ready for the really skinny stuff); this color is “Eggplanted.” There’s a KAL on Ravelry for the Leyburn Socks, so I’ll start with that idea and see if it flies.

14 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, ravelry

Tagged cowl, earflap hat, entrelac, Knit, leyburn kal, neckwarmer, socks

An evening with BrooklynTweed

Posted on January 9, 2009 | 15 comments

Jared Flood (BrooklynTweed) is in town. He’s teaching classes at Knit/Purl this weekend. The classes filled very quickly, so they added a lecture/slide show. Beautiful photography! But I knew that already from his blog. Jared spoke about his inspiration, photography, designs, new designs. He gave some hints on photographing knits, and had a generously lengthy Q&A time after the slide show. There were a few sneak peeks of things that are coming soon, such as an amazing pair of Aran gloves that will be in the next VK. These are stunning, so texturally complex, I really want to make them. And I’ve never knit gloves! He’s also working on a book for Classic Elite due out this fall. Based on just a few pictures, this book is going on my wish list.

I did have to take a picture with my current project, just to show that I was there. But no flash (didn’t want to startle), so it’s not a great picture. More like a kinnearing, but it wasn’t my cell phone!

Yes, the project is one more Pippi. I’m knitting a sample for Twisted; they’re carrying paper copies of the pattern. This time I’m using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, and it’s really soft. The yarn has a bit of a shine to it, too. Really lovely stuff.

The other thing that I’m really enjoying is my new Lantern Moon ebony 16 inch circulars. I love how smooth they are. These have fairly short needle tips; they are shorter than the tips on my bamboo circulars. I’ve come to find that this helps them fit well in my hand, and the cable curves nicely under the palm. They’re not too short at all. And I love the way they sound. Bliss! I’m almost done with Pippi, and then I can use these needles to finally knit Athena for myself. I’m looking forward to it!

15 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Knit

Pippi pattern published

Posted on January 7, 2009 | 14 comments

How’s that for alliteration?

I finished the second Pippi hat, and took notes this time! I played around with earflap length and placement, and added a larger size. I just finished editing the pattern; it is available as a Ravelry download. See pattern page for details.

Good night!

14 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, ravelry

Tagged earflap hat, Knit

Log cabin blanket and friends

Posted on January 3, 2009 | 27 comments

I finished my log cabin blanket last night.

This blanket began with leftover yarn from four entrelac felted bags (pattern and yarn from knitpicks.com). After a while I ran out of leftover yarn, and had to buy more to keep the blanket going. Then I got sidetracked when I designed and made three felted slip stitch totes last spring using the yarn I bought for the blanket.

That meant I had to buy more yarn, again. As I got close to finishing the blanket, I used leftover yarn from the blanket to make socks, and Pippi. I had to dip into the blanket’s last ball of hollyberry (red) to finish Pippi. And when I finished binding off the last log on the blanket in hollyberry, I only had one yard left. That was close!

The details:

Log Cabin Blanket from Mason Dixon Knitting by Kay Gardiner & Ann Shayne
KnitPicks Wool of the Andes worsted (a great inexpensive workhorse of a yarn)
Lantern Moon US size 7 ebony circular needles (last one was 40 inches long)
Finished size: I knit until there were 10 stripes of color on each side of the center rectangle. It came out to be 44″ x 46″
Started: July 2007
Finished: Jan. 2, 2009

I didn’t put on an edging. I’m leaving open the possibility of making it bigger, somewhere down the road. For now, it’s a nice snuggly hanging out on the sofa afghan.

I love how this turned out. The colors make me really happy!

27 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Knit, knitpicks, log cabin blanket, mason dixon knitting

New Year’s Day

Posted on January 2, 2009 | 13 comments

I spent part of New Year’s Day working on my log cabin blanket; I’m on the last planned color strip. I’m ready for this project to be done. I’ve enjoyed working on it, and it’s been cozy to sit under while knitting it. I know I’m not the only one who thinks so!

We had a little surprise snow last night/this morning. It was 1 a.m. I took a picture because it was so magical, and I was afraid that it would all be gone when I woke up.

Guess I didn’t need to worry. I’m glad we still have seed for the birds. (Can you identify this bird? I don’t know what it is, but it’s a regular visitor at the feeder. It’s kind of chubby and cute.)

I found this lone hydrangea bloom this morning.

I’m working on Pippi 2 today; the colors are very different from the first hat but I really like them, too! I’m writing the pattern this time. Still working from the stash. I’m using Plymouth Galway in navy and white, and the green and medium blue are KnitPicks Wool of the Andes.

Knit on!

13 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged Knit, log cabin blanket

Happy New Year!

Posted on December 31, 2008 | 14 comments

Here’s my last FO for 2008.

It’s the Head Hugger beanie from Ann Norling. I made it last night. I’m teaching a class at Twisted in February and again in April, Intro to Circular Knitting/Basic Hat. I needed a shop model/teaser for the class. This is a good basic hat pattern that a relative newbie can master, and then customize as they wish. Should be fun!

I was going to make a mosaic of all my 2008 FO’s, but organizing all the pictures was daunting. There are about 30, and I’m out of time. So instead, here are things that I’ve designed/written during 2008.

They are, from left to right, top to bottom: entrelac socks, felted slip stitch tote, log cabin baby blanket, zigzag lace pedi socks, stitch markers, checkerboard scarflet, Athena entrelac neck warmer, Pippi (pattern coming soon), and the square for the Afghans for Afghans afghan. Someday we’ll finish all those squares!

I started this blog in March, and it’s been way more fun than I anticipated. I started selling patterns on Ravelry and at Twisted this year, too, and that’s been a good experience. Thanks for coming along for the ride. Happy new year and happy knitting!

14 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Knit, pattern design, ravelry

Here’s Pippi

Posted on December 30, 2008 | 11 comments

The hat is finished! DH says I look like Pippi Longstocking in it, so Pippi is her name.

Crochet edging took care of the curling issues. I tried single crochet, but it didn’t have enough oomph to tame the curl, so half double crochet is the winner here. The hat is really fun to wear, even though I don’t wear hats.

Now I want to make it again, a little bigger, a few tweaks…but I have another project that I promised myself I would finish by New Year’s Day, so that one is first in line.

11 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged earflap cap, earflap hat, hat, Knit

Stashbusting improvisation

Posted on December 29, 2008 | 9 comments

Well, I didn’t make another pair of socks. I decided to try something else with the stash yarn.

What is it? Besides bright and cheery.

It’s trying to be an earflap cap. I’m designing as I go. I mostly like it. But I don’t like that the brim in front is flipping up. I should have started with some garter stitch at the edge.

The earflaps themselves tend to curl. That’s their nature, being stockinette stitch. I think some crochet around the edges will tame that problem. The flaps could also be about half an inch shorter, but I’m not going back to the beginning to change them!

I generally don’t wear hats; they mess up my hair. But after all the snow of the past couple weeks, I decided that a hat could be a good thing. Earflaps and some braids on the flaps would give some visual interest (pretend to be a hairstyle?); I think I’d like that better than a beanie.

First try at the crown shaping was not what I wanted, so I’m on the second attempt. It’s all trial and error here.

Happy new year!

9 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Warm woolies, happy feet

Posted on December 23, 2008 | 16 comments

I finished my Ukrainian Socks last night. Here they are, unblocked.

I used an afterthought heel, so the heel is basically another toe. It fits well. It should, because it took three tries to get it right.

Feet are the best sock blockers!

And I have happy feet. I wore these to work today, in snow boots.

Worsted weight socks, adapted from Ukrainian Socks in Folk Socks by Nancy Bush. Knit from stash yarn, KnitPicks Wool of the Andes, and US size 5 dpns.

I really like how these turned out. But there were a million ends to weave in! So my next socks will have fewer colors. I’m considering the Finnish Socks from the same book, adapted again for worsted weight yarn. Did I just say “next socks?” Me, the non-sock knitter? Hey, it’s cold out there!