I was lucky enough to snag a spot test knitting this sweater, and I really enjoyed making it.

This sweater uses a lightweight yarn (Kirsten used sport weight, I used a Berroco Vintage DK, a light DK weight yarn) worked at a loose gauge to achieve its cozy, drapey effect. I made this sweater with about 2″ of positive ease, and it has the perfect weekend sweater feel.

The sweater is not just relaxing to wear, either. With few increases, a seamless yoked construction, and Kirsten’s clear instructions, this thing was actually soothing to make.

The pattern is available for download now on Ravelry. You can also read more about the sweater’s origins on Kirsten’s blog, Through the Loops.

My pattern notes are on Ravelry, too.

The first of these projects I can share with you because the mystery has officially been revealed. Throughout early January, I worked on this fantastic striped shawl pattern by Joji Locatelli.  Here are the results:

This pattern started out with just a long strip of crazy fringe. Because I wasn’t too sure about the fringe, I modified it to be little “picots” instead. I accomplished this by only casting on/binding off 1 stitch where the fringe pattern called for casting on/binding off 10 stitches. Here’s what my shawl looked like after the first clue:

At this point, I wasn’t too sure what I’d gotten myself into, but things quickly improved, and I really love my finished shawl. The pattern is really fun and well-written, but part of the credit for this successful object must also go to the yarn I used. All three colors were Plucky Knitter fingering-weight in the Feet (merino/nylon) and Primo (merino/cashmere/nylon) bases.

I’ve been hoarding a small collection of Plucky yarns in my stash for awhile now. This was the first project I broke them out for. All I can say is why did I wait so long. This yarn is absolutely the best. It is smooth and soft, but also sturdy. The colors are complicated enough to reveal that they are hand-dyed, but not enough to give that splotchy or pooly look that some hand-dyes offer. I can’t say enough nice things about this yarn. If you can snag a skein or two for yourself, I highly recommend it.

Joji’s Mystery Shawl pattern is available on Ravelry for $4 (though I think this low price is a limited time offer, then the price will go up later).

My full project notes are on Ravelry as well.

I made this using a free pattern by Monika Steinbauer (Ravelry info). The pattern uses alternating knits and purls to produce a simple woven plaid effect. It is interesting to knit, but also very wearable in a typical neutral mens wardrobe.

Here’s another shot against a darker background:

I used Berroco Blackstone Tweed for the first time in this project, and I discovered that I love it. It is a wool, mohair, and angora blend, so although it has that roughspun, tweedy look, it is actually quite soft and lofty. I think that this will end up being a very warm and durable scarf because of the unique yarn blend.  I think a sweater in this stuff would be amazing.

I also found that a little of this yarn goes a surprisingly long way. I used about 3.5 skeins to yield a scarf that is 9″ x 64″.

Further notes are on my Ravelry project page.

The mitts have a thick leather outer cover lined with a removable wool liner. My grandfather had these mitts for many years, and their origin is unknown.  The leather exteriors (not in my possession) survived well, but as you can see below, the decades and insects have not been kind to the wool liners.

Nobody panic—I’ve isolated this sample mitt from all my other wool and kept it carefully quarantined in a zip top bag since I got it. Those moths aren’t coming near my other yarn.

My task now is to deduce a pattern for these and recreate them.  I’m just getting started, but I thought you readers might like to follow along as I work on these in the next few weeks.

So far, I’ve only taken the first steps. I started with the yarn. The gauge is about 7.5 stitches per inch, so I looked for a sturdy wool in fingering weight. The original mitts are a slightly tweedy olive green. Before settling on my final choice, I eliminated Brooklyn Tweed Loft (seemingly too fragile, expensive) , Jamison’s Shetland Tweed (texture seemed too thin, difficult to acquire where I live), and Cascade 220 Fingering (believe it or not, I couldn’t find a color that seemed right).  In the end, I ordered this fabulous cone of Harrisville Shetland.

It seems to have all the characteristics I am looking for. Plus, I love that it was made at one of the oldest remaining mills in America. Maybe this mill even made the yarn that comprised my grandfather’s original mitts.

Next step: swatching!

Some of you may recognize this classic pattern as Evelyn Clark’s Pacific Northwest Shawl. I worked this as part of a special swap with a Raveler in Nevada who really wanted this shawl. In exchange, I’m receiving a stunning woven triangle shawl that she made. I don’t weave, and I loved knitting this lace shawl, so I can’t help thinking I got the better end of this deal.

My Pacific Northwest Shawl used the yarn called for by the pattern: Jaggerspun Zephry Wool-Silk 2/18. This yarn was new to me, but it is a new favorite. It is beautiful and soft, but also quite sturdy (thanks to the silk?) and surprisingly affordable. It comes in many great colors and can be found on cones or wound off in cakes depending on where you buy it. If I didn’t have several lifetimes of stash to knit through, I would be stocking up on this stuff.

What makes the Pacific Northwest Shawl famous is its graphic lace patterns. In the above photo you can see some of the adorable fish, bubbles, waves, and pine trees that make up this shawl.

This project was a pleasure to work, though I must warn that the edging is requires fortitude. If you knit this shawl, don’t let yourself get too excited when you finish the body patterns…much work is still ahead.

More project notes are on Ravelry

I’m using the start of the new year as a good opportunity to make a fresh start on two hobbies I enjoy: knitting and blogging.

You’ll be hearing more about new knitting projects in the coming days. For now, here is a quick snapshot of the yarn I’m using for one new project–the Mystery Shawl Knitalong by Joji Locatelli.

These three pretty skeins are from Plucky Knitter. I’m using Primo MCN in the Classics club colorways Gus and Clara (teal) and Starling (grey-lavender). The Oatmeal is on Plucky’s “Feet” base.

Enjoy the first day of 2013!

Please bear with me while I freshen up this space, add some new features, and get you all caught up on what I’ve been knitting (hint: it is MUCH less than you might imagine based on how much time has passed).

In the meantime, if there are any features or content you would really like to see me cover, please don’t be shy. Let me know in the comments or send me an email.

Thank you for your patience!

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All month I’ve been focused on clearing out some old projects and making way for new things, step by step. My last post assessed how I’ve done with steps 1-4. Today I’ll talk with you about step 5, queuing new stuff.

In the future, I’d like to have no more than three knitting projects going at a time. Ideally, I’ll have one larger project, like a sweater or afghan for TV knitting, one more complicated project like a lace shawl, and one portable project like a sock or hat.

My schedule has fortunately imposed some limits on my startitis for the next two months. Since I’ll be traveling until the end of July, the size of my suitcase demands that I be mindful in choosing projects. For the travel knits, I’m sticking to a few straightforward garments and one or two lace projects. I like bringing laceweight with me on trips because you get so many hours and stitches out of such a small amount of yarn.

Here’s what’s going in the suitcase:

• Color Affection shawl in Malabrigo Sock and Cascade Heritage
• Lavaliere sweater in Cascade Ultra Pima cotton
• Emma shrug in Quince Sparrow
• Herbivore shawl
• 600 yds of laceweight for shawl TBD (considering Kirsten Kapur’s TTL Mystery Shawl or Felicia Lo’s Shattered Sun Shawl)

I’ll be busy during my trip, but I’ll also have long plane and bus rides and jet lagged early mornings which should leave me lots of time for knitting. I’m happy with this list of projects!

What knitting do you have queued for summer?

All month I’ve been focused on clearing out some old projects and making way for new things, step by step. This post will focus on assessing how I’ve done with steps 1-4. Next time I’ll talk with you about step 5, queuing new stuff.

When it comes to these first four steps, I’m giving myself a grade of B-.

I’m giving myself a lot of credit for taking inventory and unraveling a few old projects, because those steps were the most difficult part of this journey. I also managed to finish all but sewing the buttons on two sweaters.

The White Pine cardigan and my everlasting Tilted Duster sweater are done and awaiting final finishing procedures when I return from my trip to Asia (what, you thought I was going to add these to my summer wardrobe for Thailand?). I owe you some good photos.

I took points off my grade for not finishing the rest of the projects on my list. I got farthest on my Laar cardigan, which only needs one more sleeve.

I basically did not touch the Emma shrug or Herbivore shawl, except to move them into my suitcase for the summer. Unlike my wool sweaters, a linen shrug may get be good for Thailand.

The Redwork Cowl and Mitts are hibernating. I haven’t done more than a couple of inches on these anyway, and I think I may start over with bigger needles when I return from my trip.

I do consider this Finish or Frog month experiment a success. Without it, these projects would have languished even more. I just may make this an annual event. Anyone want to join me in a virtual finishing retreat next May?

For today, I’m skipping ahead to the “Mindful Queue-building” portion of my plan to tell you about what I’ve got in the works for Camp Loopy 2012. This multi-stage summer knit-along is sponsored by The Loopy Ewe yarn store. Participating knitters make three projects, one each month, in June, July, and August. Each month’s project is based on a theme. Discounts on yarn and prizes are available throughout Camp, and each person to complete all three projects on time according to the rules gets a special gift at the end.

I had a great time participating last summer and scored a free skein of Wollmeise at the end. This year, I thought I probably would not be able to participate again since I am going to be traveling on a “work” trip in Asia for all of June and most of July.  I was delighted to find that the dates of Camp this year just barely work out for me, as long as I plan to knit something REALLY FAST when I get home in July.

The first challenge is to knit something of at least 400 yards between May 27 and June 27 from a pattern designer who is from another country. After much deliberation, I’ll be joining hundreds of other knitters who have been seduced by Veera Valimaki’s Color Affection shawl.

I chose these three colors for my shawl. Don’t they sort of remind you of an ice cream sundae? From top to bottom, they are: Cascade Heritage in “Butter”, Malabrigo Sock in “Boticelli Red”, and Malabrigo Sock in “Cordovan”.

I’ll be casting on for this shawl on May 27 during my long flight to Singapore. Here’s to hoping that it makes all those in flight hours pass quickly.

Are any of you joining the Camp Loopy fun this year? I’d love to hear about what you’re making.