Scarf or stole of doom

Posted on 16 December 2011 by Kris

It took me over a year, but finally, finally, Juno Regina is done.

Pattern: Juno Regina by Miriam Felton
Yarn: Malabrigo Lace in Purple Mystery
Needles: US1 / 2.5mm Addi Lace circulars

My only modification was width – I only did chart 3 thrice, because I wanted a narrower scarf. I’m glad I did that, though, because it meant there was that much less knitting to do. Because it’s a pretty scarf, and I’m glad to gave the finished product, but I really, really did not enjoy working on this.

It would have been a good work project because other than the ends, it’s basically the same two rows over and over again, so easy to do while on the phone. However, the incredible stickiness of the yarn made it really difficult. It got easier when I started working from the outside of the ball rather than the center, but… that’s really not saying much.

In fact, if you compare both ends, you can totally tell which one I started from because that end’s already a bit felted. It’s even more noticeable in person, but I think you can get the idea from the photo.

The pattern itself was nice though. I liked working the ends. The middle was boring, but again, there’s a place for that, given a better yarn.

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Fall startitis

Posted on 12 December 2011 by Kris

Argh. Things have been busy! Though not too busy for knitting, because guess who cast on for four different projects in October? (Yes, I know it’s December already…) Yeah, that would be me.

I’ve got a Textured Shawl in progress, using some Jo Sharp DK Tweed I’d had since… 2005, I think? I know I got it early in my knitting life, started a scarf with it, and then got bored with it about two inches in. This project, on the other hand? Much better. Easy, but not mind-numbingly dull.

Next, a new pair of socks! I’m so glad Spey Valley turned out to be the next pair for my self-imposed sock club, because I really didn’t have the heart for another pattern with twisted stitches so soon. Sadly, I don’t think it’s the best yarn-to-pattern match in the world – the second ribbing pattern is especially lost here – but oh well.

Speaking of finishes, the third new project is also an FO. I got a new phone in October, so I decided I’d make a quick little sleeve for it. Or sock. Whatever. As long as it helps keep my phone from getting scratched in my purse, it’s all good! The yarn is left over from the Kindle sleeve I made earlier this year, though I knit it on US0s this time.

Unfortunately, it pools a bit at this gauge, though the worst of it’s actually happening on the back of the phone (in this photo at least). Oh well. I can live with it. I think.

So, what about the fourth project? That’s also an FO now, but it merits its own post. Just need to take decent photos of it first…

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Spires ahoy

Posted on 03 November 2011 by Kris

Remember Gothic Spire? It’s okay if you don’t, because I hadn’t actually touched it for months. But I finally finished it a couple of weeks ago:

Pattern: Gothic Spire by Cookie A
Yarn: Koigu Premium Merino in color 2169
Needles: US0 / 2.00mm Inox Express circulars

Difficult sock to photograph because the yarn’s such a dark purple – the pattern kept getting lost, especially in my detail shots. The pattern’s clearer in person, I swear!

So why the heck did this take so long, anyway? Well, I was actually making pretty good progress to start and I finished the gusset on my first sock… back in early May. But then – and only then – did I realize that something was off. The start of the round wasn’t moved to the left, so it’s not offset from the previous pattern repeat.

Funny thing is, this is actually called for in the pattern. Or at least in the version I have. (I bought it back in… 2007, I think?) It calls for working the chart three times while moving the beginning of the round, and one last chart repeat without rotating. So when I cut one leg repeat out, I thought I was being smart by not moving the last start point. But then I poked around on Ravelry and found that pretty much all the projects have the start point for all leg repeats rotated. So I’m guessing that the pattern’s been updated since I bought this (although I can’t actually say for sure, since I haven’t looked at the version in, say, Knit. Sock. Love.).

So, I frogged back to the end of the second leg repeat, moved the starting point for the third leg repeat, and then continued from there.

But then I stalled out after I started the second sock. I wasn’t really feeling all the twisted and wrapped stitches to begin with, and I got super discouraged after having to reknit so much of the first sock, and I wasn’t knitting at all for a month or two. So, yeah. Love the finished product, hated the process of making it. Oh well, can’t win them all, I guess.

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Arm Candy

Posted on 20 October 2011 by Kris

Until about a month ago, all I’d knit for this project was the two-inch strip of seed stitch at the bottom hem. But then I got my knitting mojo back, finished this about two weeks ago, and now I have a sweater that’s perfect for a San Diego “fall”!

Pattern: Arm Candy by Amy Herzog
Yarn: Brown Sheep Serendipity Tweed in Indigo Delphinium
Needles: US5 / 3.75mm Clover bamboo circulars

I probably didn’t need to buy the pattern for this because I tweaked it so much, I might as well have just written my own pattern. But then, I used Amy’s fantastic Fit to Flatter series to help me out, and I didn’t pay for that, so… I guess it evens out!

As usual, I didn’t like my chosen yarn at the gauge called for by the pattern. And of course, none of the pattern’s sizes would have fit me correctly – the size that would’ve fit my bust would’ve given me too much ease in the waist, I need to do my increases/decreases more rapidly because I’m so short, and so on. So, I recalculated all the numbers to (mostly) work for me.

I probably should have placed the bust darts a little lower, and started the waist decreases about halfway through the seed stitch hem, instead of knitting one inch past the hem and then starting the shaping. I’m still pretty happy with it though. Looks much better with jeans than it does with the skirt I’m wearing in these photos, too. (I guess I should’ve donned jeans for this shoot since this sweater’s meant to be worn with them anyway, but it was too stinking hot for pants at the time!)

I kind of adore the buttons on the sleeves. I like flowers, or rather, representations of them. (Real-life ones, not so much. Thanks, allergies!) And I love the color orange. Yay fun buttons!

As a bonus, this was a stashbusting project for me. I’ve had the Serendipity Tweed for several years – if you’ve known me for awhile, you may recognize it from my failed attempt at a second Tubey. The yarn held up nicely after being frogged and reknit. I’m glad I could finally put it to good use!

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Orange Spice mitts

Posted on 22 September 2011 by Kris

Oh, hey, right, I have a blog, don’t I? Not that I’ve had much to post in the past couple of months – fell out of the knitting habit for awhile, didn’t cook anything new, etc. I did finish a little project last month, though I didn’t get around to taking pictures until this week.

Remember my Longjohn socks? I had nearly half a ball of Pagewood Farms Yukon left after I finished those. I like having a little bit of leftover yarn, for repairs, but nearly half a ball is excessive for those purposes! So, I cranked this out with most of that yarn.

No pattern, really – it’s just 3×1 rib (except for the cuffs, which are 1×1) with basic gussets, knit on US0 / 2.00mm Inox grey DPNs. I really loved working with this yarn again! But now I don’t have enough left for another project, so I won’t be knitting with again anytime soon. So sad!

But at least I have another warm pair of fingerless mitts now. Perfect for fall!

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