FO: Noro Striped Socks

They're finished! Actually, I finished them November 23rd, but have neglected blogging about them.



Here's the specs:

Yarn: Noro Kureyon Sock, color s164, about 3/4 of a skein
Pattern: Wendy's Fingering Weight Toe-Up Socks with Gusset Heel
Needles: US 2 (2.75 mm)
Mods: None!

I really enjoyed knitting these socks and it's going to be hard to give them away (they're a gift). But I have enough yarn left over for a pair for myself. And no, I didn't find a way to stretch the yarn :) I used the yarn leftover from these socks plus a new ball for this pair.



Next up, my NaKniSweMo sweater. I didn't manage to finish it by the end of the month, but it's almost done and I hope to block it later this week.

Interweave Knits Winter 2008

Yay, it's out! There are several patterns I like in this issue. The new issue of Twist Collective is pretty great, too.

Pre-Blog Sweater: Ribby Cardi

This is the Ribby Cardi from Chic Knits. I made it about a year ago using Cascade 220 tweed. It's very warm, but did not receive much wear last year. I've worn it once this year, and I think it'll get more wear this year than last. It was a great, fast and easy pattern. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Wheat Ear Cable Yoke Sweater

I've been taking photos of several pre-blog projects for Ravelry. I'm glad of that now, because they make excellent blogging material when you didn't take photos on a particular day, and you want to blog.



This is my Wheat-Ear Cable Yoke Sweater designed by Pam Allen from Interweave Knits Summer 2007. (Ravelry Link Here.) This was one of my favorite sweaters last year, and I'm sure I'll be wearing it a lot this winter as well.

Trying Again

Well, I missed a few days there. I hope I can blog every day for the rest of this month!

I finished the sleeves for my Cabled Spiral Pullover and have started the front and back. I'm knitting them both at the same time flat as the pattern states. I took the photo above last week and have made more progress since then. This was at the end of the first ball of Rowanspun DK. I was able to get a sleeve and 2-1/2" of the front from it - great yardage!

Halfway There

I finished the first of my Noro Striped Socks a couple days ago. I think it's one of the neatest things I've made so far. Can't wait to finish the pair.

Third Norovember Project

I'm enjoying Norovember and knitting with Noro Kureyon Sock quite a bit. This is my third pair of socks, the Oak Ribbed Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush.

Anxious...

...to cast on for my February Lady Sweater. I've swatched for three sweaters, but I just might cast on for this one first - after I've finished the Cable Spiral Pullover and Dollar-and-a-Half Cardigan! Knitting Decisions!

This is Araucania Nature Wool, one of my favorites. The colors are beautiful, the yarn is great to work with, lots of yardage (242 yards!) and a great price - how can you beat that?

Rib and Cable Socks

Here's my second Norovember project, the Rib and Cable Socks from Favorite Socks by Nancy Bush. I'm using Noro Kureyon Sock in color s182.

Norovember

Besides being NaKniSweMo, this month is also Norovember.

Like many others, I enjoy knitting with Noro yarns, especially their sock yarns. So, I've cast on for some socks.



These are Wendy's Fingering Weight, Toe-Up Socks with Gusset Heel. I'm making them striped using a new ball of Kureyon Sock in color s164, and the leftover ball from these socks. I'm enjoying them quite a bit.

Sleeves

After I finished my Veste Everest there was some time before NaKniSweMo, so I cast on for the Dollar-and-a-Half Cardigan. I read on a blog a while ago about knitting two sleeves at one time on a circular needle to avoid second sleeve syndrome. After reading that, I've always cast on for the sleeves first when I'm making a sweater, and it really does help the sweater to at least feel like it's going faster.

I was able to finish the sleeves for the Dollar-and-a-Half Cardigan on October 31st.



I then cast on for the sleeves of my NaKniSweMo sweater, the Cabled Spiral Pullover by Norah Gaughan from Knitting Nature.



I'm using Rowanspun DK in Mist. I'm used to knitting with worsted weight yarn, so this is going a little slower than usual. Hopefully I'll finish the sleeves this weekend.

The Socks That Wouldn't End

Pattern: Universal Toe-Up Sock Pattern from Vogue Knitting The Ultimate Sock Book
Yarn: Regia Bamboo Color, color 19745, 2 skeins
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm)
Modifications: None



I started these socks in April. Because of the very dull 1 x 1 ribbing on most of the sock, coupled with the fact that I wasn't really enjoying the yarn, itt took a while for me to finish the first one and even longer to finish the second one. I'm so glad to be done with this pair!



Have a great Friday!

FO: Veste Everest

Pattern: Veste Everest by Veronik Avery from Interweave Knits Fall 2005
Yarn: Cascade 220, The Heathers, Color 2437, 4.25 skeins
Needles: US 4 & 6
Ravel It!



Modifications: I made the bottom ribbing 1-1/2" and added about 3" to the length of the vest. I also knit it in the round up to the armholes.



This was a very enjoyable pattern, and not having any sleeves to knit made it go by very quickly. I really enjoyed using this heathered shade of Cascade 220, also.



So, you know I haven't been blogging very regularly. This month is NaBloPoMo, and, even though I missed the first five days, I hope to blog every day for the rest of this month. See you tomorrow!

FO: Equinox Yoke Pullover

It's finished! And I love how it turned out.



I've wanted to make this sweater since seeing it on the cover of Interweave Knits Fall 2006.



And, even though I look like I feel so-so about this sweater in the above photo, let me assure you I do not. I just am able to make some weird faces in photos at times.

So, the details:

Pattern: Equinox Yoke Pullover by Michele Rose Orne from Interweave Knits Fall 2006
Yarn: Cascade 220 Wool - Color 3462, purple, 4 skeins, and one skein each of 8884 (dark burgundy), 4147B (pale yellow), 8401 (medium gray-green heather), 7829 (medium red), 7824 (orange red), 8400 (dark gray-brown heather), 8010 (light tan heather), 2453 (red-brown heather), Berocco Ultra Alpaca 6275
Needles: US 6 & US 4



So, modifications. I knit the sleeves in the round, and cast on eight less stitches than specified in the pattern (they were coming out huge). I also knit the sweater in the round, using the instructions for holding the underarm stitches from the Cactus Blossom Pullover in Knitscene Fall 2007. I did a few extra decreases at the neck because the neckline was a little wide for my taste.



I hope you all have a gret weekend! I'll be casting on for my Norovember & NaKniSweMo projects - more on that next time :)

On Taking Notes

I'm not so good at taking notes for my knitting projects. But I think I have some motivation to take better notes now.


top row, l - r: cascade 220 the heathers for a veste everest, cascade 220 for an ariann, rowan felted tweed for a tangled yoke cardigan.
bottom row, l - r: rowan 4-ply soft for an apres surf hoodie, rowanspun dk for a cabled spiral pullover and reynolds soft linen for a $1.50 cardigan

These are swatches for five sweaters and a vest that I knitted about 4 or 5 weeks ago. I though for sure I would remember if I had to go up or down needle sizes for the swatches, but I forgot what I had done for a couple of them. Thankfully, I did remember what sizes I had used and I won't have to knit the swatches again, but from now on I hope to take better notes!

On another note, fall is here to stay (I think!) and I've finished the Equinox Yoke Pullover. I hope to have the photo shoot this week.



And, I've started the Veste Everest. It's quite a bit further along than in this photo, and I hope to finish it this weekend.



Hope you're all enjoying the fall weather!

A Finished Project and Some New Ones, Too

I finished a pair of socks a few weeks ago that I never blogged about.



This is my second pair of socks with Noro Kureyon Sock and I'm sure it won't be the last. After having to frog my Meida's Socks, I just wasn't into the sock knitting for a while. But the Kureyon Sock took care of that.



I made a ribbed sock this time instead of plain stockinette. I'm a tight knitter, and the last stockinette pair I made is a bit tight on my foot - I have to do some coaxing to get the sock over my heel. To those of you who make plain stockinette socks, is this just how they are, or do I need to go up a needle size?



Pattern: Madder Ribbed Socks from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush
Yarn: Noro Kureyon Sock, 1 skein, color S95
Needles: US 1 (2.25 mm)

I also started some new projects.

First, the Flower Basket Shawl in Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool.



I finished the first Bird-In-Hand Mitten:



I've started the second mitten, but I've only done a few inches of it.

I started the second toe-up sock of the pair that I started in April, which I've just turned the heel on.



I decided to try the Meida's Socks again, this time knitting a little looser and on US 2 needles instead of US 1's.



And, the project that I've put everything aside to work on, the Equinox Yoke Pullover.



Both sleeves and body have been completed and joined, and I'm working on the colorwork part of the yoke now. I'm hoping to finish it this weekend. It's going pretty quickly and it's so much fun to work on a fall sweater again.

I've got a few more thins that didn't make it into this already long post that I'll save for next time. I think I'm finally getting back into a blogging rhythm!

Josephine Top

I finished the Josephine Top, and I've worn it quite a bit.



This is the first time I've made a garment on size 4 needles, and I really like the thinner material you get with the thinner yarn. The Karabella Vintage Cotton was really nice to knit with, too - soft and silky. Definately a cotton I'd use again.



I finished the front and back, and then let them sit for a couple weeks before doing the finishing. I wish I would have done it right away - I could have worn it a few more times when the weather was warmer. We had our first real fall day today - I don't think it got above 65 degrees - and it's soooo nice! Almost cold enough to wear fall sweaters.



Here's the Specs:

Pattern: Josephine Top from Interweave Knits Summer 2007
Yarn: Karabella Vintage Cotton, color 320, 6 balls.
Needles: US 4 (3.5 mm)
Modifications: The empire and a-line top styles do not look good on me so I made changes for the fit. I cast on the number of stitches required for the 36" bust, and increased to the number required for the 40" bust when I got to the bodice. I also continued the textured lace pattern to the armholes, and switched to the textured purl stitch pattern just before I began the armhole shaping. I was hoping this would work out well, and I'm so glad it did.

And, here's one more photo - thanks to my sister Priscilla for doing the photo shoot with me.

Fall Knitting

I like fall so much, and I always look forward to fall knitting, also. There's so many great patterns and yarns, and I'm beginning to want to cast on for several projects at once.

So, I created a mosaic of some of the projects I'd like to knit.


For details, click here.

Yeah, I think I'd need about three times as much time as I have to knit all that. Or maybe four times as much. At least I've got lots to choose from! I'll be starting on the Equinox Yoke Pullover first. Here's the yarn, all wound and ready to go.



I've actually made my swatch and just need to block it now. And in other knitting news, the front and back of the Josephine Top are finally finished, and I hope to do the sleeves tonight.



I've also added another panel to the Babette Blanket - just one more to go!



I had to frog my Meida's Sock because I couldn't get the leg on past my heel - it was too tight. I've always been a tight knitter, so I guess this is a reminder to loosen up a bit.



I'm not sure if I'll try the Meida's with this yarn again, maybe I'll make another pair of Waving Lace Socks.

Hopefully I'll have a finished Josephine Top for next time!

Hi There

Back again, after another long abscence. I've really got to post more regularly:)

My main project lately has been the Josephine Top from Interweave Knits Summer 2007. I finished the back:



And started the front:



This photo's a little old - I'm just finishing the lace portion and will be starting the bodice portion. I was hoping to have the top finished in time for the vacation my Mom, sisters and I were on in California, but it didn't work out, plus, I was a little distracted helping my sister Anna knit a couple toys for some freinds' children that we visited.



This is the only photo I have of either one. I wish I would have gotten a photo of the monkey after his face was embroidered and of the snake that came out so well.

See you next time! I'm looking forward to starting my fall knitting, so I'll be writing about that.

Moving to Blogger

Well, I've decided to move my blog over here to blogger. I hope I like this better than Wordpress.

So I said I'd blog about my cowls on my next post.

I've made three cowls so far and plan on making at least two more. They're really perfect, warm and cozy (funny to write that during summer!) and they are so fast!

So here's my first cowl. I think I cast on about 100 stitches on a size 6 US circular needle (16" cable). I did seed stitch for the first and last five rows. The yarn is Kathmandu DK Tweed, which I really enjoyed working with and hope to use again. It has a very rustic, tweedy feel to it.



I knit my second cowl out of the leftovers of my Chevron Scarf. I cast on 120 stitches onto a US 6 circular needle (16" cable) and followed the pattern for the Chevron Scarf in Last Minute Knitted Gifts. The only change you will have to make is to do three rows of knitting after the pattern round instead of one knit, one purl, one knit round.



And, here's a modeled shot.



My third cowl was made out of Auracania Nature Wool Chunky. This is the roomiest cowl and my favorite of all three in regards to it's fit. I knit the first few inches on US 10 circular needles, then switched to 9's for about an inch-and-a-half, and finished the cowl on size 8's. I was trying to shape the cowl, and i did a little, but it's not what I was aiming for. It still fits and looks great, though. I think I cast on about 94 stitches for this one and once again knitted in seed stitch for the first and last five rows.



I hope you all have a great weekend!