Tag Archives: Knit

New year, new project

Posted on January 3, 2010 | 22 comments

Just a small one. Or a big one, depending on how you look at it.

I’m making myself some slippers. I love this color; it’s been living in my stash as leftovers from some long ago project. Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Worsted, the color is called Raspberry. I finished knitting these last night.

A perfect fit, wouldn’t you say?

Maybe not. But that’s okay. These are the French Press Felted Slippers from Melynda Bernardi; they’re just not felted yet. I saw these on the Yarn Harlot’s blog, and then on Tami’s blog, and then on Cristi’s blog. Each time was more enticing. Until I realized that these were knit in pieces, and seamed. That wasn’t so enticing.

I mentioned this deal-breaker to Cristi, and she kindly forwarded me a link to katec4b’s Ravelry project page, which gives instructions for adapting this to be knit seamlessly. Perfect. I bought the pattern, downloaded the mods, and knit away. And now the fun begins. On to the washing machine!

I’ve been doing a lot of red knitting lately. There are my sister’s mitts, and these slippers, and I’m working on the red Quincy hat that my my sister requested. This is it so far; it’s Lamb’s Pride Bulky in Red Hot Passion.

Unfortunately, I’m going to frog this bit, and start over. The color is perfect with the mitts, but the Lamb’s Pride Bulky is a lot heavier than the Classic Elite Ariosa. The Lamb’s Pride Worsted is a lot lighter. So I’ll refigure the gauge and use this Bulky, and see how it turns out.

I’ve also ordered some Lamb’s Pride Bulky in Black Cherry for a cardigan for me. More red. A deep, dark red. Is red my new blue? My new purple? No, it’s just red. And I like it.

Happy new year! What’s new on your needles?

22 Comments

Posted in Knit, ravelry

Tagged felted slippers, french press slippers, Knit, quincy hat

Post-Christmas Post

Posted on December 27, 2009 | 15 comments

Ahhh, symmetry. Love that.

Christmas was grand. Christmas eve found the boys still scrambling to find a gift for me. They had lots of ideas, but nothing was panning out. They drove all over town for days. At 3:45 p.m. on Christmas eve (with us due at a friend’s for dinner at 4), DH bailed them out by suggesting that they sign me up for next year’s Single Skein Club at Twisted. Everybody wins! I’m looking forward to it.

Gift knit update

Let’s see. I gave the broken garter stitch cowl to my friend Carole; I chose the color with her in mind. I designed the cowl for next month’s knit party at Twisted. She’ll be helping with the party. The cowl comes full circle!

I gave the red cashmerino cowl to my pastor. I hope she likes it. Christmas eve is a busy night, with two services; I’ll catch up with her next week. (The Day Old Pastries sang at the family pageant service and led the congregational music. Fun! Then I went to the late service, too, to just…be.)

I gave the blue Quincy hat to my niece; I thought it would be cute on her. My sister says that it frames her face perfectly, and now she wants one, too. For her birthday. In red. To match these fingerless mitts that I made for her.

As soon as I saw this yarn I knew that it had to be fingerless mitts for her. It’s Mirasol Tupa, 50% merino, 50% silk. The color just glows. These pictures don’t quite capture the depth of color, though.

At first I thought I’d do a heart design, because she loves hearts. But then I decided to go with an OXO cable for a hugs and kisses theme, because it suited the yarn better. I’m really pleased with how they turned out. And she loves them. I’ll be writing up the pattern soon.

During the design process (and fine tuning), I also made a pair in white, and I gave them to my mom for Christmas. I wanted her to have some new mitts to replace the Fetchings that have gone AWOL. I can nearly make these in my sleep now! And I’ve become a master at cabling without a cable needle. I have a photo tutorial in my tutorials section on the sidebar, and if I get to it, I’ll make a video one, too.

So now my needles are pretty empty! I’m looking for the perfect red yarn for my sister’s Quincy, but haven’t found it yet. And I want to cast on something for me, but I can’t quite commit to the Heather Hoodie yet. Don’t know why not. I went to the yarn store to order the yarn, and didn’t. Hmmmm.

Oh, there is one little thing on my needles. I’ll tell you about it next time…

15 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged christmas knitting, Knit

Happy Christmas eve to you…

Posted on December 24, 2009 | 17 comments

Ready or not, Christmas is coming. I’m as ready as I’m going to get. Tonight is a whirlwind of activity, and then we’ll have a quiet Christmas morning. Bliss.

I’ve knit several gifts this year, although I didn’t set out to do so. Knit just happens! My favorite one is a new design, and I can’t show it until after Christmas. But here’s another version of one of my cowls. This one is knit with Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Chunky, and it’s lusciously soft. A gift for a non-blog reading friend.

The Cashmerino Chunky is a lot lighter than the Malabrigo Chunky, so this was knit on a US 9, as opposed to the 10.5, and on fewer stitches. It took about 1.5 balls of yarn (50 gram balls). I loved knitting with this yarn.

Mookie wishes you a very happy holiday. We’ve celebrated Hanukkah, and are about to celebrate Christmas. Which reminds me, I still have to go get her a new catnip slug to put in her stocking. She loves them.

Almost as much as she loves this Log Cabin blanket that she’s claimed for her very own.

Did you finish all your gift knitting? Is it time to start something for you? I’m still toying with the idea of a Heather Hoodie (ravelry link), but I want it to have sleeves. I have a skein of Brown Sheep Lamb’s Pride Bulky to swatch, and if I still like the idea after swatching, I’ll order a sweater’s worth of it. What do you want to knit next?

Merry Christmas!

17 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged cowl, Knit

Almost…

Posted on December 21, 2009 | 13 comments

So close, and yet so far…

I can see that I’m not going to get 56 more stitches out of the remaining yarn. I bought another 50 gram skein, and I’ll figure out what to do with the 48 grams I’ll have left!

In the meantime, I made these.

They’re just those gingersnap cookies that show up this time of year. I used our mini ice cream scoop and filled them with peppermint ice cream. Then I drizzled them with chocolate truffle sauce (recipe here). They’re back in the freezer, firming up.

And the Day Old Pastries sang Mary, Mary in church yesterday. I love singing with my Pastry friends. We’re not perfect, but we have a lot of fun.

Busy, busy, busy! Knitting and shopping not done. But I’m off to a party…

13 Comments

Posted in Day Old Pastries, Knit, music, recipe

Tagged Knit

As You Like It, aka Knitter’s Choice

Posted on December 19, 2009 | 14 comments

I’m having a knit party at Twisted next month as a fund-raiser for our high school booster club. I did this last year, too, and wrote the Checkerboard Scarflet pattern for that party. This year’s party will feature a pattern for even quicker neckwear. These cowls are designed to be knit with Malabrigo Chunky. What’s not to like?

The pattern is called “As You Like It.” There are two cowls worn three ways. This one is my favorite. I love the fabric and the texture. Knitting this was heavenly.

Here is the other one/two. Knit it once, you can wear it either way.

They’re fairly simple projects, since the party is for knitters of any skill level. I hope they like them! We’ll also have needles donated by Lantern Moon to work with. Again, what’s not to like? The patterns will be for sale as a set.

And now, back to my Christmas knitting! I need to finish the stealth project, and then write up the pattern. I’m really pleased with it, It’s turning out just the way I wanted…after three tries.

Do you have knitting to finish before Christmas?

14 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, ravelry

Tagged cowl, Knit, malabrigo

Faith, Hope, Love, Knitting

Posted on December 15, 2009 | 7 comments

This book by Lorna Miser, the founder of Lorna’s Laces (a yarn company), is sweet.

I received this book from Peggy McMullen at the Oregonlive knit blog in exchange for sharing a free pattern for a single skein project. Peggy had a long list of books, and this is the one I chose.

The patterns are nice enough. (I previewed them on Ravelry before choosing my book. What a great tool!) I can see myself knitting several of them. But what I really like are the personal stories that accompany each of the 24 patterns. Many of the designs were originally knit for special people in Lorna’s life, and I enjoy seeing the thoughtful care that went into making these designs reflect something about those people.

Knit on!

7 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Knit, ravelry

Tagged Knit

Pippi goes to Multnomah Falls

Posted on December 13, 2009 | 20 comments

It’s been really cold here lately, with temperatures down in the teens. That’s pretty chilly for our mild climate. But Jack Frost is an artful decorator. check out my windshield.

Laurie and I took a quick trip out to Multnomah Falls on Friday morning. It’s one of my favorite places; I’ve posted about it in other seasons, too. Laurie was wearing her Pippi hat.

The falls were stunningly gorgeous.

Some people made the short trek up to the bridge, but I was short on time and not dressed for more than a quick photo op.

The lower falls:

We had a quick stop at Rooster Rock on the way back, and saw the ice in the Columbia. Do you see Beacon Rock way up the river?

I’m knitting away at a new design project. I took it with me in the car, but I can’t show it to you yet, so here’s another picture of someone else’s knitting. One of my students from my Christmas stocking class sent me a picture of her nearly finished project. Congratulations, Courtney; it looks great!

What’s on your needles?

20 Comments

Posted in Knit, travel

Tagged christmas stocking, Knit, multnomah falls

Christmas sweaters

Posted on December 10, 2009 | 19 comments

First, a disclaimer: I didn’t knit this.

Grant Butler over at the Oregonian/Oregonlive is collecting pictures of ugly Christmas sweaters. I don’t think mine is ugly; I think it’s kitschy cute! But I told him I’d send him a picture, anyway.

It’s so NYC. We lived in New York for 9 years, and this sweater at Nordstrom Rack just spoke to me. I think I’ve had it for 6 years or so, but I can’t remember.

I hate knitting intarsia, so I would never make something like this. But look at the detail! From the sequins on the gift and the beads on the hat…

To the beads for tire treads…

What’s not to like? What do you think? Cute? Ugly? Kitschy? Would you wear it? I love it. But only once a year.

19 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Knit

Tagged christmas sweater, Knit

December Single Skein Club

Posted on December 6, 2009 | 8 comments

It’s December, which means it’s time for the sixth and final 2009 offering of the Single Skein Club at Twisted. This club has been a ton of fun to be in, even if I didn’t knit most of the projects! There’s something so tantalizing about about knowing that a surprise is waiting for you at the yarn shop. If you haven’t picked up your kit yet, or if you’re non-local and waiting to receive your shipment, avert your eyes now. Oh, wait, I’ll distract you with this other picture, first.

One of these things is not like the other…

But the color is pretty similar! We love clementines at our house; they’re sweet, juicy, seedless. A perfect small snack. My mom gave me this persimmon before we went away for Thanksgiving. After seeing them on a tree in North Carolina, we came home to eat this one.

Have you ever eaten a persimmon? The Teen laughingly insisted that it was a tomato. But it didn’t taste anything like a tomato! Sweet, but not overly so, and firm-ish like…a not quite ripe mango? Anyway, it was good, and it’s gone.

Okay, back to the Single Skein Club. Last chance to avert your eyes.

Ready?

This month’s kit has a very timely pattern for mittens, 100 grams of yarn, and a ruler with a built-in needle gauge. Always handy! Oh, there was also a twizzler that matched the yarn, but that was munched days ago.

The yarn is Hempwol, a 65/35 wool/hemp blend. It feels nice. The color is a heathery red. Love it!

I don’t think I’ll be knitting this into mittens until after Hanukkah and Christmas. There’s a lot of knitting going on here, and I’m pretty pleased with all of it. More, later.

8 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Knit, single skein club, yarn

Quincy rocks!

Posted on December 5, 2009 | 10 comments

I finished my second Quincy hat (ravelry link) yesterday. This is just the cleverest construction.

One of the other knitters at knit night (Toni, if you’re keeping score) actually did the garter stitch kitchener join on the moebius strip. I commend her. I thought about doing it. BUT! She also turned the strip so that the join was under the twist of the moebius. Brilliant! I decided then and there that I’d use the three needle bind off again, and hide the slightly irregular join under the twist. Double brilliant! Because it’s hard to be chatty and learn a new technique at the same time, and knit night is all about the chatty. Check this out.

Isn’t it cool how the join is just sitting under the twist? I love it. So much that I’m going to take out the crown on the first Quincy hat and scoot that join under the twist, too. I’ve noticed that there’s a little garter bump on the i-cord, right where the join happens, and if it really bothered me, I’d do it differently next time (will there be a next time?). But it doesn’t really bother me, so I’m definitely not going back to re-do the first two!

Details: Quincy hat by Jared Flood
Yarn: Bulky Merino from Knitted Wit in Passionflower colorway
US size 10 needles for band, and size 9 dpns for crown
Mods: 3 needle bind off instead of grafting the ends of the moebius strip, and placing the twist under the twist line instead of opposite the twist

In other news, I just taught a Christmas stocking class at Twisted, using my snowflake Christmas stocking pattern. It was really fun. The group was great, funny and intrepid. They learned to turn a heel, a neater way to make a circular join, knitting in the round, working with two colors, and reading and following a chart. That’s a lot of ground to cover in 3 hours, but they were up for it, and they did great! They’ve promised me pictures of the finished stockings. I’m looking forward to them!