Wednesday, October 26, 2011

more yarns

Eidos Harmonia

Eidos, The Prince

Nature Spun Fingering, Irish Shamrock

Jaggerspun Superlamb, Navy

Kauni-W-EQ

Briggs & Little, Atlantic


Cascade 220--green, black/ Cascade 220 Heathers, orange

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Pretty yarns

Kypria and Naiad

Squoosh Merino Silk Fingering

Sundara sock

Plucky merino singles laceweight

Tosh Vintage, Chambray

Canon Hand Dyes Jane MCN

Dyelectable yarns  Sea Siren

String Theory Continuum

Evermore Studios Crazy Lady gradient self-striping

Fleece Artist Merino

Fleece Artist  Sea Wool

Kauni, W-EK greens, 150/130, 120 g each



We are getting a puppy in my house! I know it's going to be quite a bit of work, and an initial investment in time and money, so I'm going to sell some of my yarns to make room in my head and purse for our new friend. The pups were born two days ago, and ours will come home just before Christmas!  Link to my Rav stash page, for details on the yarns. Not on Rav? Just e-mail me, and I'll fill you in.

Free Patterns, links added to side bar.

Bright Arrows Stole


Royal Crown Hat (DK)
Sophia's Crown Hat (bulky)
Wooly Crown Hat (worsted)
I have set up links in the side bar where you can download the patterns for these projects for free. Just click on the link if you're interested! The links in the captions are just to the blog pages where I introduced the patterns, in case you want (a little) more information. This is probably a clumsy way to do it, but they are free!  You can also check out my "pattern store" on Ravelry for more information.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Gnarled Oakwoods and Big Knot Scarf

 Gnarled Oakwoods is an Anne Hanson pattern, first published in the Twist Collective. This was knit in Grinasco cashmere sportweight.Very soft, and very delicate yarn. The pattern is huge: the finished measurements are 80" by 22". With 1000 yards of sportweight that seems difficult to accomplish, actually. I used size 5 needles, and had to sort of block negatively, that is, pull the knitting in toward itself to get the correct measurements. I could have knit tighter, I suppose, but the cashmere wouldn't have liked that. And I used less yardage (only about 900 yds) than called for.

I'm thinking this design really wants to be much bigger than that.   To tell the truth, even though I enjoyed the knitting, I'm really not sold on the design. I think the two motifs are interesting on their own, but I'm not liking the way they go together, for two reasons. First, there is no transition, second, the middle section wants to block out much wider than the end sections, and I think that will make it awkward to wear well. But it's not for me, so I won't ever really know about that.

My sense is that three patterns were chosen, math was done, and size was based on that. this is a great way to make a pattern, I just don't like the result all that much for this particular one.  Maybe we could have omitted the leafy edging and had a nice sized shawl. That really could have resolved it. There--I figured it out. If I knit this again, no leafy edging--seed stitch would do just as well.  More photos below.
 This Big Knot Scarf is from the Debbie Bliss Magazine Fall/Winter 2011. I did not knit the scarf, my 11-year-old daughter did. She's joining me in knitting samples for the yarn shop.  She used Cascade Yarns Covington. I wish I had a good camera sometimes. The knots are really quite impressive. Maybe if you embiggen the photos you'll have a better view.




Saturday, October 1, 2011

He's ten!

Madelinetosh Merino Worsted singles in Jade and Tart. Basic rolled brim hat.

this is a sweater that came to me knit, but unseamed. Sophia wove in all the ends and seamed the sides and sleeves in time for the birthday! Mattress stitch is so great, and she did a lovely job. I need to get photos of the seams for her 4-H project.