I thought for sure that my friend T’s Rikke would spell the last of my winter knitting. I figured that she’d have very few chances to wear her hat, which was the last of a 3-piece gift: Rikke, Strata (from “Knitting New Mittens and Gloves”) and Eleanor.

Har-dee-har-har. There is actual snow on the [...]]]>

Strata Fingerless Gloves

I thought for sure that my friend T’s Rikke would spell the last of my winter knitting. I figured that she’d have very few chances to wear her hat, which was the last of a 3-piece gift: Rikke, Strata (from “Knitting New Mittens and Gloves”) and Eleanor.

Har-dee-har-har. There is actual snow on the car hoods this morning. Not much but it was snow! The average temperature for this date is supposed to be closer to 60 degrees (F) than to 32. Not funny, weather gods. Well, at least I don’t feel so bad about talking up my woolly adventures with alpaca(s). That, and a mug of coffee should warm me up – some.

Details of Strata and Rikke

The plan was to knit accompanying pieces that went together but that did not necessarily match.

I made the first layer of Strata with Blue Sky Alpaca sport weight in Capri blue. This was my first foray into making fingers although I’ve made an uncountable number of mittens and fingerless mitts in my time. It turned out to be a lot easier than I thought. The only caveat? Make sure to save a bit of yarn to stitch up and secure any gaps between the digits. The fingerless cream-colored Plymouth Indiecita alpaca top layer was a breeze by comparison. The only digit required is the thumb.

A Winter Ensemble

And Rikke makes three.

I thought the German Twisted Cast-on would be difficult. At least it looked complicated the first time I saw the YouTube videos. I recommend watching 2 or 3 to get the hang of it as each person explains a little differently. How this cast-on manages to be both firm and stretchy is beyond me. I’ll chalk it up to a touch of knitting magic!

The only issue I had (and I’m not sure why) was snugging up the stitches when switching needles during the decreases. I took corrective measures with a tapestry needle afterwards.

For T’s Rikke, I cast on using the remainder of the KSD from Knitty’s Eleanor, completed in mid-November 2010. The 100 yards of remaining yarn formed the first 3 inches of Rikke. The body of the hat was done using Blue Sky Alpacas sportweight in the Capri colorway, held double with cream-colored Plymouth alpaca.  Once that ran out, the crown of the hat and remaining decreases were done in cream-colored alpaca only. I love how it turned out!

Oh, and did I mention I made one for myself? Except mine was made from one skein of bellamoden’s sport weight yarn in the Fahrenheit 451 colorway. This hat, along with my version of Stephen West’s Boneyard shawl became my “go to” gear this past winter.  Both have seen a good bit of wear but they still look fantastic.

Who doesn’t love an adventure?

Have you ever thought about adopting an alpaca? Well, that’s exactly what a group of friends did for Pirate Alice’s birthday (erstwhile alpaca farmer back story). We would occasionally talk about going to the farm where her alpaca lives but it was talk that came to naught. That is, until the fates intervened during the Chicago Auto Show.  A media blogger friend of ours was given an SUV for a week and AlpacaQuest was ON!  The four hours to the White Violet Farms in southern Indiana were worth it to see and feel the wool on the hoof, so to speak.  It was a chilly rain and mud kind of day but with these faces, no one was complaining!

And West is West – Stephen West, that is.  Don’t know what you may have heard about this talented 22 year old designer, but I find his take on the humble shawl new, simple and fresh.  How someone came fashion stockinette, garter stitch and geometry into flattering shape and movement is [...]]]>

Stephen West at Loopy Yarns

And West is West – Stephen West, that is.  Don’t know what you may have heard about this talented 22 year old designer, but I find his take on the humble shawl new, simple and fresh.  How someone came fashion stockinette, garter stitch and geometry into flattering shape and movement is beyond me.  A bit of hyperbole? Maybe. There is, however, no denying the modern beauty of his designs.

One of West’s first designs, the Boneyard Shawl, was my first of his knits as well.  Of course, I had to wear it to his recent book signing and trunk show at Chicago’s Loopy Yarns.  Lanky, unassuming and a bit shy, West seemed grateful for the welcome home after spending the past few months in Amsterdam.  Somehow between studying dance, he published two collections of designs.  The first book focuses on shawls and scarves, while book two branches into hats and mitts.  I do love a trunk show because you can touch the fabric and see how the choices of color impact the design.  You know where I’m going with this.  It also tempts you to a) buy the patterns and b) buy the yarn to make them.

Fortunately, my yarn stash is deep so the problem of yarn-to-knits ratio is moot.  I did gave in to Book One but just so you know, the patterns can also be purchased individually, either through WestKnits or directly through Ravelry.

These three will make it into my Ravelry queue sometime this year:  Akimbo, Daybreak and Pogona. If you like Daybreak or Akimbo, be aware that they were among West’s first design releases and are therefore NOT included in either of his book collections.

There are still one or two things I want to make before any one of these hit the needles.  February may be nearing an end but we’re still subject to wet and cold in Chicago.

WestKnits: Akimbo, Daybreak, Pogona

I’m trying really very hard to keep my hands busy doing anything but snacking. Looks like knitting is filling the gap at the moment. This shawl took me a little over one week to knit. Granted, it’s not fancy but one week. A shawl. Me? Never happened before. [...]]]>

Venezia Boneyard Shawl

I’m trying really very hard to keep my hands busy doing anything but snacking. Looks like knitting is filling the gap at the moment. This shawl took me a little over one week to knit. Granted, it’s not fancy but one week. A shawl. Me? Never happened before. I must really want that box of Four Cheese Cheez-its. Knit, purl, knit, purl.

I might be paying the price for knitting-as-snack substitution, with finger numbness and an aching shoulder but I get a lovely prize at the end of it all. The silk merino wool blend I used blocks easily and drapes divinely.

Details
Pattern:  Stephen West’s Boneyard Shawl (Ravelry)
Yarn:  2 skeins Cascade Venezia in Hot Pepper
Needle:  Size 8US circular

Instead of the left and right M1 called for in the pattern, I substituted yarn overs along the center and edges.  I also took a cue from another Raveler with respect to the picot bind-off.  The original pattern instructs you to knit a number of garter rows before doing the standard bind-off. Nothing wrong with that at all.

I went all ooh-la-la when I saw this version though.  About three garter rows, then the grinding task of “cable cast on 2 stitches, bind off 4.”  I’m not sure how many stitches I had by the time I decided enough with the 12-row stockinette sections.  What I can tell you it that it took me over 2 hours to complete the picot process.  Hard work.  Really hard work but not so much that I wouldn’t consider doing it again. Just not right now, okay?

Another reason I’m seeing red is that February is American Heart Health month.  The Go Red for Women campaign targets women with the latest recommendations for heart health.  This year, updated guidelines rely less on dry clinical research and more on real-life situations and challenges.  My father died as a result of heart disease.  I’m making lifestyle changes that should go a long way toward keeping me around a bit longer.  Go Red urges you to “Tell 5. Save Lives.”  Consider this my due diligence.

Exhibit One:  Leah’s Baby Jumper.  Seven pound Leah was born December 31st.  Leah is my friend Stacy’s first child and [...]]]> January? I hardly knew ya and now in marches February, all brash and bold and blizzard-brained. Good thing I was well-stocked with yarn and Diet Coke because knitting definitely took place even though there’s no bloggish evidence.

Exhibit One:  Leah’s Baby Jumper.  Seven pound Leah was born December 31st.  Leah is my friend Stacy’s first child and I just had to make sure she started the New Year right with her very first hand knit.

Leah's Baby Jumper

Yarn: Rowan Polar (discontinued)  in pale blue; used a skosh over 1 skein
Needles: Size 13 US
Notions: One yard of .5 inch velvet ribbon in French blue from M&J Trimming I love this store for buttons, trims – almost any embellishment.

Since Polar is not quite as bulky as the  Blue Sky Alpacas yarn called for in the pattern,  I made up the difference by using smaller needles (size 13 instead of 17) and casting on more stitches for the size 1 jumper (66 stitches instead of 60).

Exhibits Two and Three: Tweed Houndstooth Mittens and Seedy Alpaca Mittens.  I jumped-started my January knitting by signing up for a Mitten Knit-along on Ravelry.  I wanted to do at least one pair and decided to challenge myself by creating mittens I’d only seen in my imagination.

Tweed Houndstooth Mittens

Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed in Rage, less than 1 skein; Beaverslide 1-ply light sport weight in Mountain Midnight.
Needles: Size 3US Addi circulars
Pattern: My own

This was a fun one – a bit frustrating at first but ultimately a real learning experience.  Some time ago, I’d done a swatch of houndstooth from Book One of Barbara Walker’s stitch dictionaries.  The problem with this fantastic resource is that the stitch patterns are not written with circular knitting in mind.  My first lesson from this project was to convert one of the simpler stitch patterns.  I chose “Houndstooth Check”  on page  90 .  For me, the key to successful conversion lies in 1) picking a pattern that doesn’t require more than one type of wrong-side stitch and 2) being able to “read the knitting” and chart it.  Others say that you merely knit the purls and purl the knits to replicate the wrong-side with only right-side knitting.

Circular version: D = dark color.  L = light color.

Row 1 D1, L1, D2
Row 2 D1, L3
Row 3 L3, D1
Row 4 D2, L1, D1

I also learned how to do an afterthought thumb (check out KnitPicks YouTube tutorials), as well as the rudiments of Continental (picking) instead of English (throwing) my knitting.  I found it so much easier to manage two-color knitting this way.  I was able to maintain tension and keep the floats tangle free.  Like I said, a fun project that added to my knitting repertoire – and to my collection of mittens.  They fit snuggly and have a rustic feel to them.  Tweed is good.

Seedy Alpaca Mittens

I really wanted to do a second pair of mittens, what with the Houndstooth mittens taking so long.  Darn that lightweight yarn. Enter 2 hanks of long-ago stashed Catalina Chunky Baby Alpaca (also discontinued).

I started someone else’s  pattern using size 10US needles but didn’t like the results. When you get handed lemons, wing it!  I had to work my way down to size 8’s to get a decent enough tension to keep the soft (but no memory) ribbing relatively secure.  I decided to do the palm in stockinette and the back of the hand in seed stitch. You’ve gotta feel these mittens. Delightful!

Somebody stop me! Seed stitch (or cousin Moss Stitch) has cut a wide swath through me at the moment. I’m working on a scarf for my next door neighbor’s 3 year old. He’s just too adorable and his mom says he needs a new scarf. This is an offer I cannot refuse, especially if I get some Bulgogi as a reward (smacks lips expectantly).

+++++

Food, glorious food. It becomes a bit difficult to reconcile a 1500 calorie per day diet with anything even vaguely delicious, but the doctors say I must. I’ve started keeping a food journal that tracks not only calories but percentages of fat, sodium, carbs and the like. I’m also on the look-out for simple, healthy recipes like the turkey meatloaf and herb roasted potatoes I made recently. I’m even learning how to make brown rice which, for me, is still very much a work in progress. Any suggestions for entrees?

While you mull that over, take a look at my latest documentary, “Catnip Wars.”

I looked out the window as the ginger syrup simmered.  I decided to try a different sort of homemade gift this year, based on the recipe from Mags Kandis’ “Gifted”.  I sliced an orange and added the pieces along with the zest to the mix, giving the syrup a more citrusy taste to [...]]]>

Fresh ginger syrup

I looked out the window as the ginger syrup simmered.  I decided to try a different sort of homemade gift this year, based on the recipe from Mags Kandis’ “Gifted”.  I sliced an orange and added the pieces along with the zest to the mix, giving the syrup a more citrusy taste to add a different note to the bite of ginger.  Italian glass bottles dressed in red crocheted circle ties about the neck of the bottle went home with my friends – a perfect end to an afternoon of mulled wine, loud singing and an evening of salsa, chips and hockey!  Yep.  Chicago won.  Another gift.

My friend is an aunt again – this time it’s a boy.  Another friend is impatiently waiting for her daughter to arrive.  The gifts of life.  And hand knits.  Is there such a thing as too many handmade gifts?

Whether friend or stranger, there is always a need for the work of our hands which is why I’d like to tip my hat to the Crafty Angels.  They send the gift of warmth and caring to people in need in the Chicago area and around the world.

Finally, I am grateful for you even though most of us have never met.  You’ve given me the gift of your time and talent;  you’ve given me your trust.  Y’all do kind of rock.  I’m a lucky duck.

Let It Snow!

Ginger scents the air
Snowflakes blow sideways outdoors
Wet boots stand empty.

Seasons change; new life
New year and promise of hope.
Yuletide gifts to you!

I am a serial knitter.  At least I became one in the last month.  I committed to starting AND finishing three pieces to accompany an old (but still unworn) orange, brown and cream tweed cape.  Two you already know about: Malabrigo Arm Thingies (Ravelry) and Malabrigo Neck Thingie (Ravelry).  The newbie is [...]]]>

Red Java Slouchy Beret

I am a serial knitter.  At least I became one in the last month.  I committed to starting AND finishing three pieces to accompany an old (but still unworn) orange, brown and cream tweed cape.  Two you already know about: Malabrigo Arm Thingies (Ravelry) and Malabrigo Neck Thingie (Ravelry).  The newbie is Natalie Larson’s wonderfully slouchy cabled beret, Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret.  The only change I made to this easy, cabled hat was to double the rows of k1, p1 ribbing.

Like they say on the infomercials, “That’s not all!”  I’ve even resurrected a project started almost two years ago.  Despite good intentions (and a cheat),  I’ve never even come close to finishing the beautiful knitted lace Honeybunch (Ravelry).  I picked it up last week and have made it to the 75% mark.  Christmas?  I really, really hope so.  Must. Stay. Focused.

The only thing standing in the way (at least in my sometimes unrealistic head) is a baby gift. It’s getting down to the wire for the baby’s birthday and I need something quick, thick and chunky.  I’ve thrown out the idea of finishing the beautiful vintage baby dress – for now, at least.  I’m trending toward a jumper in some long-discontinued Rowan bulky yarn.  I knit it before so it should be a slam dunk.

I know I promised to get a shot of me wearing the cape and the knits all together.  Monday’s chilly weather and a trip to the courtyard of the Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue offered the perfect opportunity.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

It’s not as though I don’t have hand knits to wear, right?  The conundrum [...]]]> December in Chicago and the first snows have fallen, right along with the temperature.  I was afraid I wouldn’t have what I needed so I knit as fast as my fingers permitted – just to make sure I was ready for the drop.

It’s not as though I don’t have hand knits to wear, right?  The conundrum this year had to do with a cape and the colors of that cape.  Yes, a brown, cream, charcoal and rust colored tweedy wool cape that very much put me in the mind of the old Sherlock Holmes movies.  Beautiful, dashing things WITHOUT sleeves.  What to do, what to do?  My workable option came in the form of Malabrigo Hand Thingies (Ravelry). I like the faux-rib created by the slipped knit stitch, so I adapted the pattern to create fingerless mitts that extend to the elbow.  No sleeves? No problem.

Project details

(2) skeins of Cascade 128 Chunky Solid in Charcoal Grey
Size 10.75 US needles

Although I used heavier yarn than called for in the pattern, I still cast on the requisite number of stitches. I followed the pattern as written except I kept going until I’d knit the length of my forearm, alternating k2, sl 1 row with knit row until to about 2 inches shy of my wrist.  I then repeated the purl row, knit row banding as in the beginning of the normal Thingie pattern and voila!  Thingies At Arm’s Length:

Malabrigo Arm Thingies

I’ve never worn this cape so I decided its debut wouldn’t be complete without a neckwarmer and matching hat.   The challenge here came in the form of the flared-bottom shape of the cape.  It absolutely requires a fuller shaped hat to help balance top to bottom.  I have enough body issues so I refuse to look like a tweed-clad penguin with a tiny head and large body.  I settled on Natalie Larson’s Star Crossed Slouchy Beret (Ravelry). The slouch and the fullness of the softly cabled top really appeals to me.

For the neckwarmer, I stuck with the Malabrigo Neck Thingie pattern, using one skein (210 yards) Malabrigo worsted weight merino in Red Java.  Two days, start to finish:

Red Hot Malabrigo Neck Thingie

There is no way I was going to go the completely matching ensemble route though, which is why I chose the same pattern for arm and neck thingies, then the same color for neck thingie and slouchy beret.  I’ll try to snap a picture of the complete look once I get cracking on the beret.

I actually cast on for Eleanor in mid October but those 132 stitches sat for two weeks – just the promise of a cowl at that point. I knit it in fits and starts, hence the delay in finishing this beautifully simple pattern. I thought chart-reading would be a problem after my [...]]]>

Knitty Eleanor Cowl

I actually cast on for Eleanor in mid October but those 132 stitches sat for two weeks – just the promise of a cowl at that point. I knit it in fits and starts, hence the delay in finishing this beautifully simple pattern. I thought chart-reading would be a problem after my long knitting hiatus but this is easy-peasy. If you’re sitting on the fence about this pattern, time to jump in and knit it!

It helps that I rediscovered my Knee-sel™ from Nancy’s Knit Knacks.  Totally worth whatever I paid for it.  The name comes from the fact that you can prop it on your knee to read and knit at the same time.  It is a perfectly portable easel with a pop-up flap to hold papers or charts in place.  It made knitting in the waiting room so much more manageable, without having to wrangle papers along with a wily ball of yarn and needles.

By the way, I have no affiliation with Nancy or her Knit Knacks.

Choices and modifications

• The pattern calls for sport-weight such as Lorna’s Laces or similar.  I used about 2/3rds of one skein of  Kitchen Sink Dyeworks bamboo merino worsted with no adjustments for gauge. Despite weight difference, the cowl still retains the grace of lace but with a bit of heft from the slightly beefier yarn.

• I chose to knit the piece flat because I found it easier to manage moving the stitch markers. I cast on using size 9 US and switched to size 8 once I finished Chart A.

• I used Ravelry member Nakiru’s modifications to Chart B to make the pattern more symmetrical:

Edit rows 17,  31 and 45 of chart B so that the decreases in these rows showing “k-k2tog-k2tog-k2tog-k2tog” become “ssk-ssk-k1- k2tog-k2tog.” I tinkered with the pattern chart to make this mod a bit clearer:

Eleanor, Chart B Mods

• By the way, there is a bit of errata in the written instructions. Where it says, “When you begin working Rounds 5, 15, 35 and 48,”  it should read “When you begin working Rounds 5, 15, 35 and 43.”  The chart itself is correctly highlighted.

• Because the yarn is worsted weight, I did not repeat rows 23-49 as called for in the pattern. I had already reached the finish height of 12” by the time I hit row 50.

• I used a Kitchener stitch to seam the cowl. It might have been easier to do a 3-needle bind-off or crochet the two sides together but this way, the seam came out nice and clean with little tell-tale thickness on the inside.

I seem to be knitting this neckwarmer in fits and starts, having cast on 132 stitches and letting it sit for a [...]]]> There is actual knitting going on chez moi. This is Knitty’s Eleanor knitting up nicely in Kitchen Sink Dyeworks bamboo merino blend. I found this lovely yarn on sale at Chicago’s YarnCon in early October.

I seem to be knitting this neckwarmer in fits and starts, having cast on 132 stitches and letting it sit for a week before doing a few rows.  Lather, rinse, repeat.  The real progress came from a concerted effort to make the most of the time spent waiting in the doctor’s office.  With yarn cake nestled in my über cute somersaulting kitties Piddleloop bag, I was able to break through well into Chart B of the pattern.  At this rate, I predict completion this year!

Eleanor in progress

Now to the “Kitty” portion of our program: Nikita’s birthday is October 29th. As he emerged in 1996, that makes him 14 years old and just as cute (though not as spry) as the day he was born.  I’m not going to lie to you.  He’s had some recent health problems – one of which seemed to develop suddenly.  He’s bounced back from the weight loss and dehydration and seems much like his old self.  His heart is still a concern but the vet reminded me that cats, unlike dogs, don’t do things to please us. She says that if he wants to play, let him.  And so, life goes on. One bowl of tuna at a time.

Nikita and his birthday tuna