frayed at the edges

Happy Socks!

2013-05-23T09:22:00.000-04:00

I finished my Happy Socks, and as their name suggests, I'm really happy with them. I used 1 ball of Zitron Trekking XXL (colour 550), and 1 skein of Regia 4ply (colour 44, charcoal grey) for the toes, rear of heel and ribbing at the top.

I am in pursuit for the perfect fitting hand-knit socks for me. I used a generic short-row toe-up technique, worked in a k3p1 rib for the top of the foot and stockingette for the bottom, threw in a toe-up gusseted heel, and made increases up the back of the leg for the calf. I wrote down all the details in my notes on Ravelry, but they were written for my own guidance, not as a pattern, and details I don't generally need to note are omitted (basically, if you are new to sock knitting, I suggest you follow a basic beginner sock pattern and don't follow my notes).

The socks will be on display in the store until the fall, at which time I'm reclaiming them!

You can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Lanesplitter

2013-05-17T09:08:00.001-04:00

We made a Lansesplitter Skirt! It is a free pattern online from knitty.com. We used 2 skeins of Noro Taiyo in shade 21. I think it looks great, and it feels great too! Liane made one for herself and has been wearing it ever since. Very, very pleased. :-)

You can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Galinhos Spring Cowl

2013-03-22T11:33:00.000-04:00

Last month Liane completed a really nice spring cowl, Galinhos, with Berroco Origami. It turned out beautifully, and the yarn crocheted as well as it knits (we knitted Kiama with it a couple years ago). The pattern is super easy peasy, great mindless crocheting and beginner-friendly. The yarn is unfortunately discontinued, so pick it up while supplies last.

Galinhos in Origami
Modifications: none
Pattern: Berroco Booklet 305 Origami
Yarn: Berroco Origami, 3 skeins, colour 4356
Hook: 5mm

You can find us at Knitomatic.com

Liesl in Berroco Karma

2013-03-21T09:40:00.000-04:00

Finally, a finished project for you! It's a quick little spring/summer cardie worked up on big needles. The yarn, Berroco Karma, has a lot of drape and worked extremely effectively with the lace stitch.

The pattern was easy, and easy to follow. I went of the pattern and made mine a bit smaller than the pattern because i wasn't certain how it would work with this yarn and larger needles,. I think the smllest size in the pattern with this yarn on 8mm needles would fit a size medium (size 8 to 10).

Liesl in Karma

Modifications: see my Ravelry Notes

Pattern: Liesl by Ysolda Teague (about $8)

Yarn: Berroco Karma colour 3415 Sap Green

Needles: 8mm-29" circular (for body) & 8mm-16" circular (for arms)

You can always find us at Knitomatic.com!

Post-Holiday Projects - Doll Clothes

2013-01-02T14:25:00.000-05:00

Sasha's Pants (rear: pockets)

So the holidays have come and gone, and I'm still working on my holiday knits - kinda. I received a request for some doll clothes for my niece's vintage Cabbage Patch Kids, but I didn't really make the deadline for either holiday. Fitting the dolls has turned out to be harder than anticipated. I figure dressing the girls is a worthwhile pursuit, Lucy will probably play with them for years. I also feel a little responsible for the kids, as they used to be mine - every time I see them semi-dressed I cringe and feel guilty, like I'm neglecting them.

Cornelia's Pants (rear: pockets)

So the plan is to make each kid a full get-up, or at least fill in the gaps. Sasha, the big sister, gets pants, a pullover and socks. I made Cornelia, the preemie, a dress last summer, so she gets pants, socks, and if I have time or inclination a pullover. Both will be clad entirely in stripes, when I'm done I want them to look like an art installation. Also, it's really boring knitting normal doll clothes.

Although, I came across a cool pattern in a vintage Vogue Knitting magazine from the hight of the cabbage craze, an Aran sweater & tam! Isn't it too cute?! I might have to make one.

And of course this project has launched me into an exploration of vintage knitting patterns for vintage Cabbage Patch Kids.

Sorry I haven't been able to take pics on the dolls: fittings have to take place after dark because Lucy is pushing 2 and well into the 'mine' phase. The funny silhouette has a function - I wanted the pants to fit snugly on the hips & waist, but have room in the legs to make it easy to pull on. I've been using Cascade 220 Superwash Sport - its soft, washable, isn't too thick, comes in small skeins, and won't break the bank.

Anyway, wish me luck!

You can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Slipper Season

2013-01-01T10:03:00.000-05:00

Helloooo! I think the desire to blog is a good sign that I'm starting to recover from my Holiday exhaustion. I even have a project worth chatting about - I made Chris felted slippers for x-mas this year!

I used the Fiber Trends Felt Clogs pattern, it is tried-and-true, and the author, Bev Galekas, is a felting master. The pattern calls for 2 strands of worsted weight yarn held together, but I wasn't inclined to take the rest of the Lamb's Pride Worsted grey yarn off the shelf right before Christmas, so I used Cascade Eco+. The Eco is a bit thicker, but other people on Ravelry had used it, so I figured it would be fine. Yeah ... not quite. They felted a size too big. If you use Eco, I suggest going up to a 10mm needle and making a size smaller in the pattern. I had to felt the shit out of the slippers to get the size down. I went over to my parents house (their washer has lots of controls) and kept the agitator going for about an hour. One good thing about the super felting is that the slippers are really nice and dense, I love the texture.

So, the lesson is that thicker yarns do not felt in the same way as thinner yarns. If you want to do research online, there is an older version of the pattern that has many more projects. Some people have used a single strand of Lamb's Pride Bulky, but I don't know if it felts larger or smaller. janwise seems to knit them larger and then super-felt them, so does cadrake.

To finish them off I cleaned off all the fuzzy woofies with a sweater stone (first time I've been happy with the sweater stone) and sewed on some suede slipper bottoms from Fiber Trends (12") with matching yarn (I use the sock reinforcing yarn from Regia, it comes in small packs so I didn't have to open a whole skein).

I got lucky with the final fit, but they look great, and now I kind of want a pair too. Which colour do you think? I could use Lamb's Pride Bulky (in Violet Fields maybe?), or Lanaloft Bulky (less mohair means less fuzz, and Twist of Lime looks fun), or I could just make them the way the pattern suggests and hold 2 strands of Nature Spun Worsted together. Maybe a turquoise or a violet? Top of the Lamb Worsted in Peacock would also be nice.

Addenda Jan 2, 2012

I think I am going to make my slippers using 3 skeins of Brown Sheep Co. Shepherd's Shades in SS572 Celery.

You can find us at knitomatic.com!

Lucy's Stash Enrichment

2012-12-29T17:14:00.001-05:00

Witness Lucy's first stash acquisition at the tender age of 23 months. It is a skein of Cascade 220 Superwash Paints, colour 9867 Princess Pink. She yanked it off the shelf, handed it to me, and said "make something." Okey-dokey. Perhaps a neck-warmer & mitts that actually stay on?

You can find us at Knitomatic.com!

GAP-Tastic Success!

2012-11-01T15:41:00.004-04:00

Tah-Dah! Our GAP-Tastic Cowl (pattern FREE via Ravelry) was a fantastic success! We made it with 3 skeins of Malabrigo Chunky (colour Intenso) and 8mm-36" circular needles.

Because we took the needle size down a bit to accommodate the yarn, we cast on an extra 10 stitches (total cast on 141 sts). I think it would be absolutely sumptuous made with Misti Alpaca Chunky (3 skeins, 8mm needles)

If you don't want to shell out for the fancy yarn, you could also make this cowl using any of the following:

3 skeins of Berroco Peruvia Quick ($32.91) & 9mm-29" circular needles
3 skeins of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky ($29.91) & 8mm-29" circular needles
4 skeins of Berroco Vintage Chunky ($31.88) & 6.5mm to 7mm-29" circular needles (cast on 151 sts)

For a narrower, shorter cowl, you can get away with using 2 skeins and casting on 111 sts.

You can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Tuesday Night Cowl

2012-10-19T12:56:00.001-04:00

Check out the Tuesday Night Cowl we just finished with Misti Alpaca Chunky! It looks and feels so good (I knew it would) that I think these might be my gift project this Holiday. Misti Alpaca Chunky is a totally a petting yarn and I know the cowl will be very well received.

We used 2 skeins of super-soft Misti Alpaca Chunky (total $33.94) and 6.5mm needles (but I think you can go up to a 7mm). The pattern is free, via Ravelry, and we used the instructions for the thickest yarn. I think it would also look sensational as a long cowl, knitted twice the length and then wrapped around the neck.

Tips

Use a Chained Cast On (alias: crochet cast-on) for your Provisional Cast on - it undoes so easily it's like a zipper!
The texture is created with some very simple cable stitches, a real no-brainer, just use a big cable hook (the kind that looks like a fishing hook works best).
It is knit side to side, and then joined at the end. You can either go the easy way and finish with a 3 needle bind off, or take the high road and graft using kitchener stitch.

If Baby Alpaca isn't in the budget this season try using 6mm needles and any of the following yarns:

1 skein of Cascade Eco + (total $19.97)
2 skeins Berroco Vintage Chunky (total $15.94)
2 Skeins Berroco Comfort Chunky (total $13.94)

If you want to go even bigger, try 8mm needles and 2 skeins of Berroco Peruvia Quick (total $21.94) or Malabrigo Chunky (total $35.94).

You can always find us at Knitomatic.com!

Top-Down Hallowig

2012-10-18T17:58:00.000-04:00

Lucy's head is bigger than my doll, but the doll stays still longer.

My first Hallowig did not fit my niece, Lucy (she is 21 months and dressing as Dora the Explorer this Halloween). I've de-constructed the pattern and re-jigged it from the top-down, so if it is too short I can go back and add length, and if it is too long I can rip it back. Just one caveat - this is a more fiddly way to make the Hallowig, so beginners beware. Actually, here's another. I'm rushing this so you can use it before Halloween, but I haven't had the chance to knit a second version to check the pattern. If there are some small errors, I apologize.

Notes
I used sport weight yarn (1 skein Cascade 220 Sport Superwash) and 2 circular 3.5mm needles.

Materials
Locking stitch markers
Yarn, see pattern for size
2 circular needles, see pattern for size (or a set of 5 double pointed needles)
scrap yarn
crochet hook

Special Techniques
Lifted Increases (LL1, LLP1, RL1, RLP1)
Crocheted Provisional Cast-On
Knititng on 2 Circular Needles

Abbreviations
K ....... Knit
LL1 ... Left Lifted Increase
LLP1 . Left Lifted Purlwise Increase
P ....... Purl
PM ..... Place Marker on needle
RL1 .... Right Lifted Increase
RLP1 .. Right Lifted Purlwise Increase
SLM ... Slip marker
St/s ... Stitch/es

Directions
With scrap yarn, provisionally cast on 23 sts. knit 1 row with your working yarn. remove provisional cast on and pick up sts on another needle. With right side facing, knit these stitches. (46 sts)

From here on out you'll be knitting in the round on 2 circular needles (or you can work in the round on a set of 5 double pointed needles).

R1. *PM, k4, PM, p1, (k2, p1) 6 times; rep from * one more time . (46 sts)

R2. *SLM, k1, LL1, k to 1 st before marker, RL1, k1, SLM, p1, RLP1, (k2, P1, RLP1) 5 times, k2, RLP1, p1; rep from * to end of round. (64 sts).

R3. *K1, LL1, k1, p2, k1, RL1, k1, SLM, work in pattern to next marker, SLM; rep from *one more time. (68 sts)

R4. *K1, LLP1, k2, p2, k2, RLP1, k1, SLM, work in pattern to next marker, SLM; rep from * one more time. (72 sts)

R5. *K1, LLP1, p1, k2, p2, k2, p1, RLP1, k1, SLM, work in pattern to next marker, SLM; rep from *one more time. (76 sts)

R6. *K1, LL1, p2, k2, p2, k2, p2, RL1, k1, SLM, work in pattern to next marker, SLM; rep from *one more time. (80 sts)

R7 to 18. Continue to increase in this manner, maintaining the rib stitch, until there are 38 sts between first two markers (total of 16 increase rounds). (128 sts)

Work in rib until bangs measure appropriate length (based on original pattern: approx another 2"/10 rounds in yarn at a tension of 5.5 rows per inch).

If you aren't sure how long the bangs should be, continue to knit the 32 bang sts (see below) separately and then you can either rip them back if they need to be shorter, or add more length if they aren't long enough. Seam the sides of the bangs to the main portion using mattress stitch.

Next row: knit 3, cast off 32 sts, knit 3, work in rib to end of row.

Working back and forth, work in rib as established for length preferred (6.5" based on original pattern).

Cast off loosely.

As always, you can find us at knitomatic.com

Belly Flops

2012-10-11T12:30:00.001-04:00

Some times things just don't work out the way you wanted them to. I'm currently on a mis-sizing jag. The last 3 projects have ended up either too big or too small. Part of the reason I'm sharing the details is because people are always assuming that because I'm experienced, everything I make works out perfectly, if not flawlessly. Is anything in life ever like that?

I finally got around to finishing this hoodie for my niece Lucy. I thought it would be a Christmas or birthday gift. I used some stashed Koigu Kersti, it was pink enough for her, and un-pink enough for me to work with. The pattern is a basic hoodie pattern from Knitting Pure and Simple. I especially liked this version on Ravelry. I worked hard to keep the colours from pooling, I knit the whole thing alternating 2 balls of yarn. On the arms I even threw in a third when necessary.

I wasn't sure which size to make. Lucy will be 2 this January. The baby version of this pattern goes up to 24 months, but the child's version starts at size 2 to 4. I erred on the side of safety and went with the child size. I now know that when it comes to kids there is no such thing as a size 2 to 4, there is only a size 2 or a size 4. When finished, the sweater was a size 4. Not the end of the world, but she wasn't going to be wearing it this year.

The edges were curling up on the bottom and the hood, so I set about blocking it. I washed it in Eucalan and lay it out on the dining room table. It grew in a very unusual and unexpected way. Kersti is routinely used by other people as a worsted weight yarn, and I had taken this for granted. The manufacturer, however describes it as a DK weight yarn. It seems that while Kersti knits like a worsted, it blocks like a DK. Hence, my sweater was knit on too large a needle for the yarn, and when washed the stitches stretched to their normal size. The sweater jumped up another size. Lesson learned - always listen to the manufacturer, they know their yarn.

Regardless, I took it over to my brother & sister-in-law's house, in the hopes of getting a picture of Lucy swimming in it. She refused, I guess it felt more like drowning. My sister in law held it up and yelled across the house to my brother "Hey, look what Haley made for Lucy! It's a sweater that'll fit her when she's six!" Whatever, it looks great, and it'll fit her *some* day.

So there you go, sometimes the universe has different plans. Lucy will be starting grade 1 when she's 6, maybe she will need a really special sweater from her aunt to help her out with the change that year.

More flops to follow ... :-)

You can always find us at Knitomatic.com

Tissue Box Woes

2012-10-09T09:29:00.000-04:00

This is a "Meh" project - it is a tissue box cover that did not turn out properly. My Kleenex box is literally swimming in it, and I don't love how the colours worked out. That said, I actually really like having the tissues 'dressed'. The boxes are so ugly, I always want to always want to hide them. I wish they would get Amy Butler or Kaffe Fasset to design them - I'd be grateful for anything by Rowan Fabrics or Marimekko. Anyway, I'm going to give it another shot in a different yarn and fewer stitches.

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Sweaters in the Wild

2012-09-29T15:25:00.001-04:00

Sweaters in the wild ..... Above is my niece, Lucy, wearing an old store sample, Tulips. My brother just sent me this pic, probably because:

he just got a new iPhone.
the kid is wearing one of my sweaters.
she seems to be dressing herself - not bad for 20 months.

I'm glad she likes sweaters and mismatched brightly coloured socks. We are kindred spirits. I will make her more striped sweaters in the future.

BTW, the yarn I made this with has been discontinued. It takes 8 colours and you can use an Aran or Worsted weight yarn, like:

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Fair Isle Fumbles

2012-09-29T10:01:00.000-04:00

Above is Drips. I was hankering to make one since I first came across the pattern late last spring. I didn't really have it in me until this fall. I dove in, thinking it would be easy to learn how to do the colour-work. You know that saying, when you 'ASSUME" you make an "ASS" our of "U" and "ME"? Yeah, I forgot about that. Hubris got the best of me. But let me explain ... I don't want to put you off Fair Isle knitting, just please learn from my foibles.

So I figured it should be easy, sure it's a new technique, but I've seen other people do it, it's 2 colours, and an easy chart to read. What could go wrong? My tension, that's what. There are many projects where tension in fair isle isn't a huge issue, and it's ok if it's a little off. But a hat needs to stretch to fit a head, so the tension has to be consistent. If it's too tight, the hat won't stretch. If it's too loose, you'll see gaps between the colours when it stretches.

Of course, I really had not thought about any of this, I just said "Hey! Lets make a cool looking hat! Wheeee!" (I did not actually say any of that, inside or outside of my head, but it illustrates my reasoning, or absence thereof).

I looked up some videos on youtube about Fair Isle knitting, and took it from there. I found that I was most comfortable holding a strand in each hand, so I used that technique. Now, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the tutorials I followed, they were great. I did not learn anything incorrect or bad from them. My problem stemmed from the fact that my tension knitting with my left hand (continental technique) is a lot tighter than my tension knitting with my right hand (english technique). It makes sense, I have knitted English all my life.

After a few attempts, I threw in the towel. The yarn, Malabrigo Worsted, is a single ply and not resilient. If I kept ripping it out I'd also wreck the yarn. I made a compromise, decided to add the drips to my hat using duplicate stitch (embroidery), and resolved to tackle the fair isle issue again after consulting with a professional.

I've since consulted with the intrepid Liane, who learned from the all knowing Mairi, that for me, the best way to get a consistent tension on a fair isle hat is to use the method where I hold both strands of yarn in my Right hand. The 2 handed method was comfortable for me, but I could not control the tension. Problem solved, I'll give it another shot later.

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Big Red Cabled Cowl

2012-09-28T12:27:00.000-04:00

Above, a finished object for the store. A sample of the Loose Cabled Cowl pattern, made with 2 skeins of Malabrigo Rasta and 15mm-24" circular needles. It was super fast & easy (once I sorted out the needle situation), and the Rasta feels super sumptuous! You know when people refer to things as "yummy scrummy" - that's how it feels.

The weave is loose, so it drapes really nicely (as well as merino will ever drape), and the aesthetic is nice & casual. It'll probably only cover your shoulders like the pic above if you are very small (the mannequin's shoulder only measure 15.5"/40cm - I am a medium, have small shoulders, and my shoulders measure 18" from side to side).

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Camp-Out Mitts

2012-09-17T13:57:00.000-04:00

Shona Tova to my Jewish and Jewish literate friends! I should be unpacking and organizing my kitchen today (just shacked up with my boyfriend and I have to try and integrate some of his stuff). Should. I glutened myself yesterday and don't feel like doing much of anything. My compromise is writing to you. :-)

Ok, so lets get down to brass tacks! Above is a finished object, Camp-Out Mitts. They only used 1 skein of Noro Silk Garden. I'd say the skill level was around moderate to adept-beginner, but they were really quite simple. I know that sounds like a paradox; the pattern employed a bunch of different skills, but did it in an simple way. Actually, they would be a good project for a class: skills included 3 needle bind off (or grafting if you want to get technical), knitting on double pointed needles, picking up stitches, casting on in the middle of a row, placing markers, special kinds of decreases. If I've inspired you, you can sign up for one of our Project Workshops and make them as your project. (Sorry, when I started writing I did not set out to plug our classes, but writing is a process and it just seemed like a good idea).

Anyway, I really like my new mitts and will probably make another pair. :-)

As always, you can kind us at Knitomatic.com!

Next Freebie: Simple Wristlets

2012-09-12T15:47:00.003-04:00

Okey-dokey, so here's another of the fall pattern's I've been working on. More hand things - I'm really feeling the little hand garments right now. These ones are made with a skein of Malabrigo Gruesa (2 if you want a contrast colour).

Simple Wristlets

These wristlets are fast, simple, and very satisfying. They make quick, easy gifts that stand out. Designed with Malabrigo Gruesa, the yarn’s texture and depth of colour works with the simple design to create extra interest and a unique, handmade aesthetic.

Simple Gauntlets in Noro

2012-09-07T13:29:00.001-04:00

Above: size Medium in Noro Odori colour 8

Simple Gauntlets

Pointy Elf Hats A-Go-Go

2012-08-29T12:11:00.000-04:00

Pointy Elf Hat (green)

I'm sorry I have been absent lately, I've been hard at work designing and knitting Fall samples. If I have really left you bereft (somehow I think not, there is A LOT of other stuff on the internet) you can always follow my progress through my Ravelry account. I'm pretty attentive to my Ravelry Project Page, it's the closest thing I have to a garden and I am constantly tending to it. (That said, don't bother messaging me through Ravelry, I never read it. Just shoot me an old skool e-mail via knitomatic.com)

Pointy Elf Hat (pink)

Anyway, I've been getting into the book More Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson. Her first book, Last Minute Knitted Gifts is one of my favourite knitting pattern books of all time. Joelle used to work for Martha Stewart and she's got the touch.

Above are a couple of Pointy Elf Hats. Both are toddler sized, and made with 1 skein of Malabrigo Gruesa and 8mm double pointed needles. They were fast, fun, and look really great. I made the green first, liked it so much I made a pink one thinking I'd give it to my niece, but I like the pair of them together so much I'm keeping the pink one in the store. They are so charming that I'm feeling like I want one in every corner of the store. Seriously, they're adorable, and they remind me of those little pointy hats that the kids wore on the first night at Hogwarts in the 1st Harry Potter movie. Anyway, the Gruesa is only $14.97 a skein, they aren't a huge investment.

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

New Free Pattern: Easy Loose Cable Cowl

2012-08-27T12:33:00.003-04:00

Easy Loose Cabled Cowl

This pattern is a simple, straightforward, easy project great for new knitters (great way to learn cables). It knits up fast on thick yarn and BIG needles (12mm). It's easy, is a satisfying quickie, and looks impressive to non-knitters (hint: it's very giftable).

It is made with one skein of Brown Sheep Company Burly Spun (not bad at $20.97 per skein), but it would also make an excellent excuse to buy a couple of skeins of Malabrigo Rasta (especially in their luminescent semi-solid colours).

Dolly Dress on Display

2012-08-02T11:48:00.002-04:00

I finally got around to taking pictures of the Dolly Dress on the dolly it was made for. Above Cornelia models the dress. It is a bit long for her, but she is undiapered and needs a pair bloomers to cover her bum. Next time I see Lucy (my niece) I'll try and get a pic of them together.

Here's Sasha. The dress fits her perfectly, but she doesn't get to wear it very often because Cornelia really likes it.

And yes, these were MY Cabbage Patch Kids. My mom excavated them from her basement. Sasha was found still in her original diaper.

Here's Lucy showing off Cornelia - literally. She's 18 months old, everything is literal. Like the stickers on Cornelia's head? Apparently Lucy isn't keen on bald & beautiful. ;-)

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com

Boboli Mobius Cowl

2012-07-27T10:02:00.000-04:00

While I was sick last week I was stuck at home inhabiting the sofa, and I dug into my UFO box and pulled out something simple - a Mobius Cowl I'd started last winter using a yarn we no longer carry, Berroco Boboli.

I originally made it for myself, but I think it was always destined for an old friend in Chicago who buys me german loose fruit teas on her forays to the alps.

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com!

Petite Facile Progress: which button?

2012-07-26T13:54:00.004-04:00

Our Petite Facile kids pullover is almost finished! It looks great and I'm so impressed with the yarn (Cascade 220 Superwash Paints), it didn't pool at all. If I had produced it I'd feel proud. I just have to wash and block the sweater (think I'll add some vinegar to the bath to make sure the colour stays vibrant), and dye the button purple.

I also can't decide which button I like best. What do you think, triangular or oval?

I'm not loving the single big button hole. Maybe on the smaller sizes it's ok, but on the larger size the upper edge tends to flop around. If I did this again I'd make 2 or 3 button holes, and certainly make them smaller (I'd experiment with a 1 or 2 stitch button hole).

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com

Petite Facile

2012-07-25T12:43:00.000-04:00

Liane is knitting up a Petite Facile for the store. It's so adorable, I thought you'd find it inspiring. It's also always nice to stumble across something great in your magazine back issues (it's from Interweave Knits Winter 2011, and if you are looking for a copy we presently have 5 for sale at Knit-O-Matic).

The construction is really cool, it is made in one piece and then seamed up the side & arm, but it also has short row shaping in the upper part. I love that kind of elegant simplicity in a pattern - plus it's not so simple that it's boring, but not so hard that you have to pay attention every second.

And above is Our Petite Facile, in progress. We're using 4.5mm needles and Cascade 220 Superwash Paints. The yarn is knitting up beautifully, it is comfortably soft and the colour isn't pooling, which is VERY impressive for a hand-paint variegated yarn.

More to come once it's finished!

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com

A Hoodie for Lucy

2012-07-18T11:37:00.000-04:00

I feel like I should update you on what we're making, but the only thing is that none of it is finished or even looks like much of anything. I will post the pattern picture, and them my product shot.

I'm working on a hoodie for Lucy, the Knitting Pure and Simple Hooded Tunic. I thought she'd look really, really cute in a hoodie. I was kind of fantasizing/day-dreaming about her frolicking around the playground at the park in the fall in a hand-made hoodie. Do you day-dream about garments? I do, I visualize little vignettes in that back of my mind, like moving dioramas.

The little dress I made for her cabbage patch doll, Cornelia, went over extremely well and I think Lucy was a little disappointed that it was for the doll to wear and not her. BTW, I'm so sorry I keep forgetting to get a photo of the doll wearing the dress. We'll set up a photo shoot soon.

Anyway, this hoodie has been a bit of a mess on the technical side, but there's no point in ripping it out, it's just a pullover for a kid. Still, I feel like I need to make another to prove to myself that I can get it right. I have all of my opinions in the notes on my Ravelry project page, and I'll blog them in their entirety when the project is finished.

So here's my hoodie, above. I've been using some yarn from my stash, Koigu Kersti. I figured it's pink enough for Lucy, and un-pink enough for me. The colour is lovely, but I'm not in love with the yarn, it's prone to splitting. I have also developed some conservative feelings about hand painted variegated yarn. It looks great, but knitting it in the round has become really high maintenance. It looks great in the portions that are round, but it pools like an ocean on the shorter stretches like the hood, arms and bottom panels. On those sections I've been using two balls, alternating every row. Even alternating every-other row it pooled like crazy. From now on, when making sweaters in the round I'm only using heathered, tweed, or semi-solid yarns.

I'll try to push through and get this finished up quickly so you can see it!

As always, you can find us at Knitomatic.com