elishevaknits

Owlie

2012-12-05T11:27:00.000-06:00

I love gift knitting. I may obsess that the quality of the gift reflects both the quality of my relationship with the recipient and the quality of my knitting skills BUT I love it. I really do.

I made a big stuffed owl for a very wise friend of mine. The pattern, Big Snowy Owl by Purl Bee, is lovely, squishy, and easy. I used DeAire for the body and scraps of Vintage for the eyes and nose; I didn't like how bulky the eyes were in the Purl Bee sample. I love Owlie, and he will be very missed in our home. The way he would sit and stare, the way he would lie down and stare...it's and absence we're still feeling.

Ravelry project page

A tip: place markers between the body repeats! Makes it easier and faster!

woodlet (and my love of tiny owl knits)

2012-09-22T14:52:00.002-05:00

woodlet woodlet woodlet!!

In the past few years, I've come across this pattern without reaction. But earlier in July, I saw the woodland hoodlet and fell in love. Instantly.

Anyone who knows me even the littlest bit can speak to my love of tiny owl knits patterns. My adoration of the woodland hoodlet is no different.

It took me a while to commit to making this. I kept thinking I wouldn't get much wear out of it, or that it was one of those things I loved for its design rather than its functionality, or that I wouldn't be able to do it (prior to this project I had never done bobbles or short-rows), but I am so glad I made the plunge because I love it.

I used Eco Wool double stranded and was just shy of gauge. I was considering dying it a mustard yellow, or mayhaps turmeric, but I can't imagine it being greater than it is in this natural color. My hood is huge. My tassle is sassy.

I had so much leftover. This yarn is the greatest.

Here's a hat I made for Eddie pre-KoolAid dye!

Mods:

Shy of gauge

Omitted kitchener stitch using a 3-needle bind-off

I started making more hexapuffs for the beekeeper's quilt after finally, after six months of living in San Francisco, swinging by Mendel's to get some fiber-fill.

Up next I want to make hopsalot out of a lil Cascade 220 maybe?

And, of course, the BFF Cowl.

My real-life BFF Ashley ~~told me about this pattern~~ informed me that we are making this. I'm using Malabrigo Twist in either Applewood, an amazing tonal neutral, or Sunset, a vibrant orange. I'm leaning towards Applewood as I used the amazing Superfine Merino in Sunset for the Pangolin Cowl.

Applewood

Sunset

Panoramic

2012-07-25T12:45:00.000-05:00

In lieu of paying for this pattern, please consider donating to your local domestic abuse advocacy center.

Materials needed:
US Size 6 (4.25mm) circular needle, 24" at least
Yarn needle (for weaving in ends)
Stitch markers
Two skeins fingering weight, at least 330 yards each.
The yellowish shawl used to skeins of Malabrigo Sock in Ochre and Primavera. The blueish shawl used one skein of madelinetosh tosh merino light in mica and one skein of Ella Rae Lace Merino color 115.

Skills needed:
Cast-on (co)
Knit (k)
Purl (p)
Knit front & back (kfb)
Make 1 left (m1l)
Make 1 right (m1r)
Slip slip knit (ssk)
Knit 2 together (k2tog)
Yarn-over (yo)
Bind-off (bo)

Method:
Using main color (mc), co 4

r 1 : kfb all (8 stitches)

r 2: k3, pfb, pfb, k3 (10 sts)

switch to contrast color (cc)

r 3: k3, kfb to last 3 sts, k3 (14 sts)

r 4: k3, p to last 3 sts, k3 (14 sts)

switch to mc
r 5 : k3, *Place marker (pm), m1r, k1* 3 times, *k1, m1l, pm* 3 times, k3
r 6 : k3, purl all stitches and slip all markers, k3

switch to cc:
r 7 : k all, slipping all markers
r 8 : p all, slipping all markers

switch to mc:
r 9: K3, *SM, M1R, K to marker* 3 times, knit to marker, M1L, SM, *knit to marker, M1L, SM* 3 times, K3
r 10 : P all, slipping all markers

Repeat rows 7-10 until there are 25 sts between each set or markers (50 for the middle section), or 206 stitches

---

Lace Edging (mc):

r 1 : *yo, ssk, k1, k2tog, yo* repeat until end
r 2 : purl all stitches
r 3 : *yo, k2tog, k1, ssk, yo* repeat until end
r 4 : purl all stitches

Repeat these 4 rows until desired length, ending with row 4

---

Modified picot edging (cc)

Knit one row, discarding all markers
Purl one row
Bind off 2 stitches as normal, *co 2, bo 2, co 2, bo 6* repeat until end

Weave in ends and block.

Madness:

My little knits had a photo shoot yesterday...

2012-07-23T11:31:00.003-05:00

...at the conservatory of flowers. Here are some highlights

Not included: the dozens of photos of me with hair in my face. Thanks, wind.

Divisadero, Big & Bulky

2012-07-22T17:11:00.000-05:00

In lieu of paying for this pattern, please consider donating to your local domestic abuse advocacy center.

Materials needed:
US Size 15 (10mm) 16" circular needles
One skein of Berroco Vintage, or another worsted weight yarn of your choice, held double. About 200 yards.
Yarn needle (for weaving in ends)
Stitch marker

Skills needed:
Knit (K)
Purl (P)
Double yarn-over (YO, YO)

Now for a very quick version of Divisadero

Method:

CO 50 stitches. Join in the round, careful not to twist stitches.
Rounds 1-3: Knit
Round 4: Purl
Round 5: *yo, yo, k1* repeat until end of round
Round 6: Purl all, dropping the yarn overs
Repeat rounds 1-6 one time

Knit 7 rounds

Repeat rounds 1-6
Bind off.

How easy was that?

Madness:

A brief to-knit list and a wishlist of sorts

2012-07-01T11:38:00.002-05:00

I love being around yarn all day and taking inspiration from the projects people are starting, but it threatens the very foundation of my finances -- I want to make it all. Somebody gets yarn for a chunky triple wrap infinity scarf, I wanna make it. Somebody gets yarn for a giant toy, I wanna make it. I need to know where to draw the line, so I don't end up with a stash of yarn bigger than me and no plan to make a dent in it.

My new to-knit list:

woodland hoodlet by tiny owl knits

....or as I like to call it, the woodlet. There's a hood on display at ImagiKnit and I find myself staring at it longingly so often. But I don't really like normal scarves, with the wrapping and the knotting and the falling. I prefer cowl, or in this case capelet, type creations. How fantastic is this? I don't know if I'd get daily use out of it (I'm sure Chicago would provide plenty blisteringly cold opportunities), but I just love it so much.

Aethercopter by Jocelyn Tunney

Just look at that sweet, sweet drape. Knit in DK yarn, this would be a change from the light fingering weight shawls towards which I always gravitate. I could wear it all day every day, and it'd be awesome in coral.

Gin & Tonic Hat by knittedblissJC

This yarn would showcase a skein of hand-painted yarn perfectly (as it does so in the photo). I am tempted to make another broken rib hat, but I've just done that with Tosh DK, and aren't we supposed to be pushing ourselves? I long for this in green, which brings me to...

My new (incredibly truncated) yarn wishlist:

Tosh DK (or heavier) in Jade

Blue Sky Bulky in Fawn (1005)

Twirl in Coral Bells

Superfine Merino in Sunset

(same micron count as cashmere! That means you get the feel of cashmere for the price of merino!)

All yarns are available at ImagiKnit :)

New design -- sneak peak

2012-03-03T15:59:00.002-06:00

Better photos and a written pattern to come

Don't take naps around me....

2012-02-25T13:01:00.002-06:00

Tough break, roomie.

Mittens!

2012-02-16T13:23:00.000-06:00

Since I learned to knit, my mother has been telling me how much she wants mittens. At first it was subtle, but over time she's gotten more boisterous. Example:

Mom: What are you knitting? Mittens for your momma?
Me: This is a scarf.

My mitten apprehension was not out of laziness or unwillingness to make my mom happy, it was out of fear -- fear that mittens were too hard (and gloves were just ridiculous). But I did it! I made a pair of mini-mittens for Christmas ornaments and graduated to full size, functional, adult mittens. So here mom, here's your stinkin' mittens.

Warm Wool Mittens by Lion Brand Yarn

Knit with Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Bouquet Heather

The pattern is a little weird, the whole fabric seems too airy. I considered sewing in a warmer lining but my mom said it wasn't necessary. Oh well, it's her chilly-hands funeral.

Not fully satisfied with mitten attempt version 1, I used the yarn Eddie got me for our anniversary to make myself some mittens.

Green Leaf Mittens by Amy Mercer

Knit with Tosh Sock in Baltic

Ravelry Project Page

They're still far from perfect (my thumbs are different sizes, whoops), but I love them. They're warm and they make me feel like a crafty child.

Mods:

Used double-stranded fingering weight instead of DK yarn

Knit the whole set in 4s to avoid too small mittens (I don't think it was necessary)

Horseshoe Cowl

2012-02-16T12:29:00.000-06:00

I've finally gone through the last of my Giftmas yarn with this latest project, Horseshoe Lace Cowl by Sashka Macievich. To my surprise, I already knit up this pattern in bamboo before (project page) but rest assured, wool is a much, much better choice.

Ravelry Project Page

Knit with Cascade 220 Sport in 8992

This pattern is written for fingering yarn but I used sport weight. I fell in love with this yarn at first sight; the color is a deep, interesting blue and it was super affordable. The problem is that at 164 yards, there's not a whole lot of one-skein options. I considered making some fingerless gloves but let's get real -- when I have a choice, I will almost always make a neck-thing.

Mods:

I cast on 10 sts less for one less lace repeat

I did 5 lace repeats rather than the 8 the pattern recommended

I used the whole skein.

The pattern really came out in blocking, and when I was knitting it I kept considering switching to stockinette because the lace wasn't showing up. Patience, my knitting friends, patience is the key.

Dandelion Air

2012-01-25T12:53:00.000-06:00

In lieu of paying for this pattern, please consider donating to your local domestic abuse advocacy center.

Materials Needed
Size 6 circular needles, at least 21 inches
One skein of Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light or other fingering weight yarn of your choice, about 400 yards.
Model was knit in Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Candlewick
Stitch markers (optional)
Yarn needle

Skills Needed
Knit (k)
Purl (p)
Yarn over (yo)
Knit front & back (kfb)
I-cord bind off

This is a great website with videos on these and other stitches.

Method
Cast on 3 stitches on size 6 needle

Set Up
Row 1 (RS): kfb all (6 stitches)
Row 2 (WS): p all (6 stitches)
Row 3 (RS): k1, kfb, k1, kfb, kfb, k1 (9 stitches)
Row 4 (WS): k3, p6, k3
Row 5 (RS): k3, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k1, yo, k3 **Note: the pink stitch is the center stitch, you may want to use stitch markers to keep track of it**
Row 6 (WS): k all

Pattern Repeat
Body Row 1 (RS): k3, yo, k to center stitch, yo, k1, yo, knit to last 3 stitches, yo, k3
Body Row 2 (WS): k3, p to last three stitches, k3

Every sixth row, knit a body ridge row:

Body ridge row (WS): k to center stitch, p1, k all

It can be tedious to count your rows like this, so it might be easier to keep an eye on the ridged edges of the wrong-side rows. There will be two rows with ridged edges between each body ridge row.

Repeat body rows 1 & 2 (keeping track of the ridge rows) until your 20th body ridge row.

Purl edge:
Row 1 (RS): Purl all stitches
Row 2 (WS): Knit all stitches

Repeat edge rows 5 times (or as long as you like) ending on row 2

Binding off

Bind off using a 3 stitch I-Cord bind off.
Cast on three stitches, k2, k2togtbl. Slide these three stitches back onto the left hand needle, then *k2, k2togtbl*. Repeat until the end of the row.

This is a great tutorial for the i-cord bind off.

Block as you like; I pinned mine into points a bit.

Madness

Giftmas, Greg & Britini

2012-01-07T10:23:00.000-06:00

My brother is not affectionate; it's how I've always remembered him being. He hugs our mom and his girlfriend, but not me. Maybe I can weasel one out of him at my wedding, but probably not. Still, it's good to dream. Am I giving up? No! I am relishing the small victories. Example:

------------
Thanksgiving 2011
Greg: Your pasta's actually pretty tasty, Liz.
Me: YES! (arms in the air in victory)
-----------

So when Greg actually asked for something specific for Giftmas, I jumped on it.

bearded toque by v. vine

Knit with Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Mink Heather and Knit Picks Comfy Worsted in Black
and
Official Kittyville Hat by Kitty Schmidt
Knit with Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in White and Cascade Yards Ultra Pima Cotton in 3775 Red

My brother's girlfriend Britini is adorable (clearly). What to make for a girl who loves Hello Kitty and already has several Hello Kitty hats? A Hello Kitty hat of course! Of all the people to whom I've given hats with earflaps like this, she's the only one to rock the hat tied under her chin. Adorable.

----------------------------------------

Knitting modifications

bearded toque

My original plan was to knit the whole hat in WOTA and get a ball of black for the beard. Because the beard will rest against his face, I went with a softer (albeit less cozy) yarn -- Comfy Worsted. It's so soft! Only I goofed and ordered on ball of Comfy Worsted instead of two, so I had to make some modifications to make it work.

The ribbing is worked in WOTA (as opposed to Comfy for the beard)
There is ribbing at all (the pattern is written for seed stitch)
The beard is worked in stockinette rather than seed stitch

Hello Kitty Hat

I used size 8s because I lost my 7s. Boo.
Instead of the decreases in the pattern, I did *K10, SSK* for one round, then *K9, SSK* etc until a round of SSKs
I knit the ears in the round and attached them after rather than picking up stitches
I lightly stuffed the ears with fiberfill
The I-Cords are a massive 13 inches long.

Hemlock Ring Blanket

2012-01-07T09:49:00.001-06:00

I started this bad-boy super early (September 7!) and managed to get in done in a month, with about two or three weeks dedicated to exclusive foot-dragging. I am so silly. This throw wasn't even that hard.

My first Jared Flood project! Although it doesn't count because it's not really his design, more his charting of a vintage pattern.

Hemlock Ring Blanket by Jared Flood

Knit with Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Mist

I almost always fear giving hand-knit presents, especially to people who already own such nice things. I convince myself that what I make for people must look like garbage next to some of the nicer things people purchase. This fear echoes, and my confidence shakes as I hand over my gifts, eyes slightly downcast, a bit embarrassed. I wonder if this afflicts other proponents of gifts handmade, or if my insecurities are uniquely heightened.

Wee Hats

2011-12-23T10:50:00.000-06:00

This Christmas I decided to make a bunch of mini hats for Eddie's family! I get nervous giving handmade little things like this, I don't want people to think I was being knit-lazy (does anyone else worry like that?).

Wee Hats by Kym Hretz

Ravelry Project Page

I told Eddie's mom about my nervousness, and after telling me I was being a little silly, she told me "it's all about the presentation".

Presentation

My mom helped me a lot with the Christmas cards, both in concept and construction. They're little snowpeople with funny hair and big hats. JUST LIKE ME.

Mods:

Used size 1instead of size 0

Knitted the decrease rounds without knit rounds in between

Happy Christmas!

Keep Holden On

2011-12-12T16:13:00.000-06:00

Oh man, I am so punny.

In my early days of knitting, I remember looking at Holden Shawlette and thinking it was the most beautiful thing, yet so intricate and complicated. Though my skill set grew over the years (I started my knitting adventures in fall of '09!), I never revisited Holden, absolutely convinced it was too challenging.

How silly I am.

I started this pattern in the early fall (October maybe) for an autumnal shawl. Then my row count was off, and I thought I had enough stitches to start the lace but I was something like 14 rows off (I have no idea how that happen). Disheartened, I ripped out the botched lace row and set it down. For months. In my desk.

I picked it up again a few days ago and bam! Done.

I used MadTosh and accordingly modified the pattern in fear of yarn shortage -- I have one less lace repeat than the pattern dictates. Other than that, everything's as written.

Ravelry Project Page

Thanks to my mom for taking the photos, and only kvetching a little throughout the process.

Holiday knitting

2011-12-02T15:45:00.000-06:00

You haven't posted anything in a while, does that mean you're not knitting?

No way. I'm primarily working on holiday knitting for other people. And what sort of knitter would I look like if the recipient already saw exactly what they were to receive?

Some light spoilers though:

I finished the presents for my parents and my in-laws. I'm still working on the presents for my brother and his special lady. I have one part of Eddie's presents done.

But! In the spirit of selfish knitting, I have started a project for myself:

Holden Shawlette by Mindy Wilkes

I'm using Tosh Merino Light in Terra

Happy knitting!

Baby Mitts

2011-10-07T13:44:00.000-05:00

I work at my college library, and I can say with complete certainty that the library job is the best on campus. Seriously. It's fantastic. Part of what makes the library so wonderful is the amazing people who staff it, and today is the last day for one of them.

The woman who's leaving is a new momma, so I made her beautiful baby some mitts!

Baby Mittens by Malin Knits

MC: Knit Picks Comfy Fingering in Whisker, CC: Premier Yarns Serenity Sock Weight in Rainbow

Seriously, how cute are these little things? The overall cotton/ merino/bamboo/nylon/acrylic fiber combination makes these super soft. It's interesting that the rainbow yarn yielded two completely different mitts -- one's completely orange!

These mitts are so quick and use such little yarn! Since fingering weight yarn is my new favorite weight, all you new parents should watch out. Your babies are getting mitten'ed.

The Hillside, San Francisco

2011-08-31T12:03:00.000-05:00

My second order from Knit Picks this summer came in, containing yarn to make everything from my to-knit list. I started with what may become a classic for me -- Cladonia by Kristen Kapur.

Ravelry project page

I named the project "The Hillside" after my fiance's neighborhood in San Francisco. Those of you familiar with San Francisco may not recognize Hillside as a neighborhood, and you are right! Eddie's neighborhood is sandwiched between two larger ones, and his niche doesn't get distinction. The Eddie solution? Name it something new -- The Hillside. My Hillside is knit with Knit Picks Chroma Fingering in Pegasus and Knit Picks Comfy Fingering in Whisker. They're different fibers, so the gray really pops against the spectrum and adds a new texture dimension.

I visited ImagiKnit last week to get a Tosh fix. Mission successful.

Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Terra

I don't know what to do with such a glorious orange, but my needles busily click about Nathan for now, so I must stay focused. After ImagiKnit, Eddie, his fantastic roommate Matt and I went to the cinematic glory known as Midnites for Maniacs at the historic Castro Theatre. There, we saw a triple feature -- Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Vegan Police), Hot Fuzz (a great big bushy beard!), and Shaun of the Dead (You've got red on you) -- with in house Q&A from the mind behind these film-gems, director and writer Edgar Wright. All for $15. Bam.

I also visited a new yarn shop -- Atelier Yarns. I bought some darning needles to officially finish The Hillside (I somehow lost my cherished yarn needle), but the yarn selection definitively tempted me. Mmm Malibrigo.

San Francisco with my beloved delivers new adventures daily. I love it here with him (although I suspect I'd love anywhere with him).

To-knit list (and why I love them)

2011-08-03T20:20:00.000-05:00

I just made my last yarn purchase of the summer (and I'm blogging about it now just in case I forget -- no more buying yarn!), so it's time for a knit-list!

●

Nathan by Jones and Vandermeer

My Eddie is dapper, oh so dapper, and he is quite fond of sweater-vests. He loves the last sweater vest I made him, but I'm not completely satisfied with the project in hindsight. Textured Vest by Erika Knight is knit flat, and flat stockinette, while cathartic, drags. Nathan is knit in the round, which will save yarn and also make the pattern go more quickly. The sides are ribbed, which will help achieve an ideal fit (I want slim fitting, ala Joseph Gordon Levitt in Inception). This pattern is free!

Hemlock Ring Blanket by Jared Flood

It's about time I knit something by Jared Flood. While this isn't technically his pattern, I credit him for sharing it with the knitterverse anyway. I am so excited for heavyweight lace. This pattern will be a challenge (I haven't knit exclusively off a chart before, I've never made a blanket before) but I'm looking forward to it. Plus, it's beautiful. This pattern is free!

Cladonia by Kristen Kapur

(oh yes, I'm making another one)

My first go at this pattern went so beautifully, and despite being a large-ish shawl, I was never really bored by it (which is saying something). Plus the outcome is stunning. This time I'm using Chroma Fingering in Pegasus for the contrast color. I love this pattern.

the beekeeper's quilt by tiny owl knits

tiny owl knits Oh my Gosh. I first fell in love with her designs when I made "Baby Lamb Cuffs", and I had been keeping an eye on her new designs ever since. Imagine my jubilation when I found the beekeeper's quilt. It's made from stuffed sock yarn puffs (so there's no need to line the opposite side of the quilt) using bits of yarn, so it's an amazing stash-buster. Pay close attention to the charts and tips discussion board on Ravelry where people post charts (for free) to make things like bees, foxes, owls, and gnomes for your puffs! I am so excited

Pucker up, round 2

2011-07-26T15:27:00.000-05:00

My lovely friend Ashley designed Pucker Up back in January, and I eagerly knit one up from my stash -- Lily Sugar & Cream in Rose Pink. The project itself displayed the pattern well, and the color of the yarn certainly added a pop to my wardrobe, but all in all it wasn't the best yarn choice. In these harsh economic times, we must cherish frugality, careful not to spend where we don't need to. That's why stash knitting is so great -- we get to craft new and beautiful things using what we already have.

Earlier this month, I made some purchases at KnitPicks and bought the yarn for my beloved Cladonia shawl and some Comfy Worsted to remake Ashley's design.

Round 2 is so much better.

Pucker Up by Ashley Aguilar in Knit Picks Comfy Worsted, Fairy Tale colorway

Ravelry Project Page

Comfy Worsted is unbelievably soft, I want to make a blanket out of it and stay wrapped up for hours. I love the color, although I admittedly have a thing for jewel tones. Unlike Sugar & Cream, Comfy shows off the pattern more and can hold the picots without losing definition. The drape is amazing, and the hat turned out much slouchier than I anticipated.

Mods:

I used size 6 needles throughout because I still can't find my interchangeables.

I cast on for the medium size and knit the body in large because I wanted it slouchier. It turns out that wasn't necessary. Tip: If you knit the hat in yarn that can be blocked, there is no need to size up to get a slouchy hat.

Worried about yarn shortage, I knit the pleated sections two rows shorter than written, but it turns out I had some extra yarn anyway.

The pattern is quick and unique, and it can hold my giant curly lion mane so that's always a plus. The construction is simple but the result is super sweet. I was so grateful to size up from fingering yarn.

Cladonia

2011-07-24T11:04:00.000-05:00

I have nicknamed Cladonia Yarnie: the yarn baby.

This pattern held my attention really well. Especially in a fingering weight shawl, knitting through the body can be dreadful. But this pattern is different; with color changes every two rows, you're constantly switching up what you're doing. As far as yarn choices go, variegated is tops. Watching the colors change adds a new component to the knitting project. Golden Glow changes from a pale, near white yellow to warm, honey yellow with bits of bright, intense yellow. The pink changes from pale, near white pink to cool, pastel pink and deep, near almost purpley pink and of course, it has bits of yellow.

Combined, there are spots in the shawl where the pink and yellow are nearly indiscernible.

In the edging, though, I didn't like the yellow bits in the pink. I feel like it took away from the overall look of color completion. But maybe I'm thinking too much about it.

Yesterday Eddie and I took a bunch of photos of the baby in action (after busting it out at the theater while watching Captain America).

I knit the pattern as written, except on 6s instead of 7s (can't seem to find my interchangeable needles). I was apprehensive to do the looped picot edging, but it's really not that bad and the end product is beautiful.

I really, really love my yarn baby.

My new yarn baby

2011-07-13T15:24:00.001-05:00

I picked up my knitpicks yarn on Monday and oh my god, it is glorious.

Stroll Tonal in Golden Glow and Queen Anne

I feel like these colorways were made for each other; the yellow has bits of pink, the pink has bits of yellow. I started a new project with this yarn, Cladonia, and it is beautiful:

Cladonia by Kristen Kapur

More on the actual pattern later, but I'm really loving that the colors switch every two rows. It keeps the pattern very easy to memorize and the variegation of the yarn holds my interest (especially with the pink, I am really interested in how the colors knit up).

Knitting so many beautiful things makes me want to keep designing, but I oh-so nervously dip my toes into the waters of design. But this makes me happy:

Look at all those hearts! I hope people make more projects though, I'd really like to see what people can do with my patterns.

I wonder what I should design next...

Summer Flies

2011-06-22T20:24:00.002-05:00

And so I am done with the first trimester of my senior year of college. Only two more to go before I graduate in March. This March. In nine months. Wow.

When finals roll along, I have an unrelenting "No knitting until you're done" policy, so this yarn and this project served as an incentive to get all my work done (it's a good incentive -- I stayed on Dean's List all year! Whoo!).

Eddie got me some beautiful yarn in Royalty from Sun Valley Fibers for my birthday. I normally buy fingering yarn in 440 yard skeins, but this skein fell short at just 400 yards. But alas, there are plenty of beautiful shawlette lacy patterns under 400. I decided to make Summer Flies by Donna Griffin.

The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn, so obviously my fingering weight finished product differs from the sample. Most notably, the gorgeous knotwork section doesn't show up as clearly as it would in worsted weight.

I had trouble with the first butterfly section, and I ended up having a few extra stitches at the end of the butterfly sections, but it wasn't really a big deal, I just made up for the stitch count (skipping the m1s, ssk when there were extra stitches, etc).

The bind off took super long, but I'm glad it's done. Blocking helped bring out the pattern. The color is most accurate in the first photo.

Ravelry Project Page

Clouds over moorlands

2011-05-25T10:22:00.001-05:00

...sounds like a poem title.

Eddie got me a skein of Tosh Merino Light in Moorland over spring break. I want to work with more green yarn, but I didn't want to make a hat out of fingering weight yarn. So, I went to my go-to pattern, the Storm Cloud Shawlette by Hanna Breetz. Given that Tosh Merino Light comes in skeins of 440 yards and the Storm Cloud Shawlette is written for 210 yards, obviously some adjustments needed to be made.

To start with, I used a size 6 needle (smaller yarn, you see), and followed the pattern was written up to row 38, where I made rounds 50 and 70 increase rounds. I knit until row 85, then I did the ruffle end, knitting 7 rows before binding off.

I did a modified bind-off (kfb, ssk) that made the ends fluffy and strange.

I still ended up with leftovers, which I used to make Leonidas and I still have more. Oh well, I like having extra tosh around.

The finished product was a little too large as a neck-shawlette, so I sewed up the ends to make it a shrug. Of course, it's not written to be a shrug, so the ends were way too long and I had to sew a few inches of material just to get it to lay flat, but now it has a whole new life!

Ravelry project page

Om nom nom

2011-05-22T20:41:00.000-05:00

One of my professors is an Iowan, and the Heartland is certainly known for its corn. While I usually stick to knitting goose-accessories for this professor, I decided to deviate a bit to incorporate his homeland. Who doesn't want a little bit of home with them?

I decided to knit Corn by Kimberly Chapman.

Mods:

I used 4s instead of 3s
I knit the corn in seed stitch (it looks all kernel-y!) and adjusted the increases/decreases accordingly
I completely misread the pattern and didn't lengthen the leaves of the husk at all before decreasing. What a bummer.
I embroidered a happy face, closed the corn up, then decided my embroidery looked stupid. My corn is face-less.

Thanks to Ashley for giving me a might sack of extra yarn way back in the day. The husk is knit from that stash!

I used acrylic for the whole project, but I might want to knit another Corn-guy with cotton just so it's a bit cuddlier. Although I doubt my professor will be cuddling this corn.