WIP Wednesday: Sophisticate

Remember this cozy cardigan from long ago? Yep, it’s finally getting some knitting time since it fell to the bottom of my WIPs back in November.

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I finished the waist shaping and bottom hem in no time back in October/November. Then it fell to the bottom of my priorities. I know exactly why,. I like my sweaters to go past my waste. But I didn’t measure carefully enough when I was working the stockinette body section. I switched to garter and was several rows in when I realized it was short. Instead of ripping back I worked 3 inches of the garter border at hem instead of the pattern written 2 inches. I made the sleeve to match so all in all I don’t mind the deviation. And at least it won’t make me look like a short torso freak.

I picked it back up these past few days and I finished one sleeve and started the other. I’m making modifications from the original pattern. It is written for a totally tapered sleeve. Which is fine for a garment you don’t intend to wear anything but foundation garments under. But I want to wear this as more of outer sweater/jacket. So I’m omitting some of the decreases around the elbow.

You can see in the photo sort of what I did. I worked the first four decreases, then worked four repeats without, and finally worked the last four decreases. These makes it loose fitting on my arms and bell out slightly at the cuff. This way I can fold up the cuffs I’m working or cooking. I’m praying to the knitting gods I can make the second sleeve match (I took notes, fingers crossed).

I hope to finish this one by the end of the year, but if I don’t oh well. It’s my sweater so who cares? This is Stashbustin’ #38 for the year if you are keeping score.

Happy Knitting!

Wine and Cardigans

I fell in love with a photo for a pattern on Ravelry. One of those kismet situations where I was instantly hooked. Take a look, it’s Abalone by Beata Jezek…

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(Photo is from the Ravlery page and all credit due to beatka’s flickr photo, it is amazing!)

I’ts a open front short sleeve worsted weight cardigan. It would be amazing over a long sleeve tee or even a simple tank top. I just HAD to make this. It’s even a free pattern. Only one problem, it’s only written for size small and I need a slightly bigger cardigan. Not to worry I perused the completed projects section on the pattern page and checked out other knitters modifications. The author included percentages for each section so you can back into your number stitches based on swatching and doing the math.

Based on my scribbles, I am going to cast on 80 stitches instead of 54. And I will work to 149 total stitches instead of 98. As swatch as my witness, I hope this works. I just love the color and the yarn! I am using Knit Picks Brava Worsted in Wine.

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Now I’m off to grab my needles and cast on, Happy Monday!

FO Friday: Honey Cowl

Tah Dah! My Honey Cowl is done!!

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I cast on the intermediate size, or 160 stitches. And I used Patons Silk Bamboo blend on my new Knit Picks Options Interchangeable circular needles.

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The honey cowl is one of my go-to/easy cowls. It’s always beautiful and immensely easy to memorize. Great movie and tv knitting. I used size 8 US needles. I used 102 yards of each color and my FO weighs 130 grams. The finished cowl is 34 inches in circumference by 7 inches tall.

The silk blend has a lovely drape and sheen to it. It’s just baby butt soft against my neck. And the two colors blend well together. Even the WS has a unique beauty to it. This is Stashbustin’ Project #43 for anyone keeping score.

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I can just barely double it and wear it around my neck. This would not be a cowl for when I don’t want to mess up my hair. But on a blustery day this would certainly keep out the chill. I apologies for the model-less indoor photos. It’s winter and I’m at work during the daylight. So this is what I got, lol.

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TGIF and Happy Knitting!

I Love Organization!

My biggest OCD trait is organization. Clutter makes me grumpy and I like for items to be stored neatly. This includes my knitting.

My mom knows this, so she dropped a little surprise in the mail this week. A new circ needle organizer! Made by the talented hands of my mother….

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It’s made of up-cycled jeans, leftover quilt scraps, and some netting. There are eight….count’em eight pockets!

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I pulled together all my plastic and wooden fixed circulars and loaded them in. Short circs in the inside pockets, wood on one side and metal on the other. And the longer circs live in the outside pockets, again wood on one side and metal on the other.

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The case folds easily and the velcro is holding closed for now. I might be inclined to slip a rubber band around it, just to be sure. But I’m very happy that my circs are no longer stuffed into my straight needle case.

How do you store your circs?

WIP Wednesday: Honey Cowl

Honey Cowl update!!

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I’m almost there! I have just enough yarn to do a couple more color repeats then the rolled stockinette edge. This silk/bamboo blend is soooooo soft. I can’t wait to wear it!!!

The needles are also very nice. A little slippery for this project and my tension is a bit different. But it’s working so I’m rolling with it. All in all I love them….provided I use them for the right project and I swatch for gauge, lol!

Happy Wednesday!!!

Goodies In The Mail

My mom is not an internet shopper but she really wanted to purchase some knitting swag for me for Christmas. So we compromised….I agreed to act surprised at Christmas and she agreed to let me pick out my favorites.

The result?

A Chica Interchangeable Needles case in black and white….

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I should be able to fit my Knit Picks Options interchangeables and my Denise plastic interchangeables all in one case 🙂

Next up, a new to me yarn: Knit Picks Reverie in Gemstone. This is an alpaca/acrylic blend that has great halo and softness. I’m thinking a great cowl or pair of gloves?

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This color is just gorgeous and definitely in my wheel house. What’s a little more blue in my wardrobe right, lol?

And lastly, some cable connectors for my Knit Picks Options interchangeables. Just in case I go insane and decide to make a ginormous blanket again.

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Now I just have to wait until Christmas to use and play with these delightful goodies. Merry Christmas to me!!!

FO Friday: Purl Ridge Scarf

This was such a quick knit!!! Just a few evenings this past week. So without further ado, I give you my Purl Ridge Scarf by Stephen West.

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I used Knit One Crochet Two Brea Tweed. This an amazingly soft yarn but the “tweed” bits got everywhere as I worked! I felt like I was pulling them off everything as I worked. I used 299.8 yards or 137 grams. I worked the pattern as written and had yarn left over. I probably could have done at least one more repeat of the purl ridge. But I didn’t want to run out of yarn!

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My finished object is 60 inches around (30 inches folded in half as shown above) and 7 inches tall. I can safely loop this around my neck twice for extra warmth or wear as a single loop for a more artistic approach. Blocking did wonders for this! It was a bit scrunched up coming off my needles.

Stephen West is a genius with design. This pattern is simple but gorgeous to look at!!

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This pattern would make a great quickly holiday knit and it’s free!! Christmas is almost here 🙂

Happy Knitting!

Bugs!!!!

During the last warm snap I noticed a MOTH IN MY HOME!! The same home that houses my precious yarn stash and beautiful silk and wool knitted objects. To say I freaked is an understatement.

I proceeded to do the following:

A) kill the crap out of the moth

B) put all woolly WIPs and skeins of yarn that were out in the open into the deep freezer. Then rotating them in and out to kill any buggy babies!

C) order lavender and cedar sachets on amazon

I don’t think I have any damage, but time will tell. For now, I received these:

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And I have my mother on the hunt for am old fashioned cedar chest. I work way to hard to loose my fiber goodness to vermin!

Anyone else out there have any moth experience to share?

So Many Choices!

I recently purchased this amazing pattern on Ravelry, Mackinac Mitts.

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(Photo credit to earthchick on the Mackinac Mitts ravelry page)

I have several women in my life who adore butterflies, including my SIL. This pattern calls for worsted weight yarn and look to be an easy and fun knit. I just can’t decide what yarn to use….so I’m asking the wisdom of the blogging world.

Option A – Berroco Vintage in blue

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Option B – Berroco Vintage in a tweedy green

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What’s a knitter to do?

FO Friday: Nutmeg

Just in time for some seriously wintry cold weather here in Kansas! I give you a finished Nutmeg!

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I knit this using Knit Picks Brava Bulky. Black may have been a poor choice as I spent 20 minutes with a lint roller getting this FO photo ready, lol. I have a white lab that sheds all year round! I used just under 7 skeins or about 922 yards of yarn. This sweater weighs about 680 grams and is seriously warm.

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I find that I like the open boat neck of the collar. I did opt however to knit the sleeve ends and hem in garter ribbing rather than the rolled hem to match the neck. I just don’t like the rolling. I like my garments to stay down over my tummy. And oh the sleeves….I highly recommend anyone knitting this sweater to omit the K2tbl and use a K2tog instead on the left sleeve.

_MG_0285This sweater is seriously warm!! The finished fabric turned out pretty dense. It was 30 degress (Fahrenheit) on the day we took these photos and I stayed pretty warm, even without a coat. God bless wool blends!!!

Would I make this pattern again….maybe, but only if someone requested it. There are soooo many other sweaters waiting in my queue. And this one was quite vanilla. I think some challenges are in order for my next project!

Happy Knitting!!!