Author: Laura

A Little Slow

I don’t have much to blog about today! I had a bit of a run-in with a box grater last week (grating onion for latkes, worth it) that resulted in a pretty good gash to my right index finger, so I had to take a couple days off knitting. I did manage to get out to take some photos for a couple of new sweater patterns that will be out soon.

Then, I realized the sweater back I showed in my last post was probably going to be too big, so I had to rip it out and start over. Luckily I still really like these cables! The problem with having so many projects in progress is that there’s not much to show even if I were knitting around the clock!

I have posted a couple new skeins of handspun yarn for sale, including this pretty one:

I’m hoping to get lots and lots of knitting time in this week. Maybe start a new shawl.

If you’re in Toronto and haven’t done so already, make sure you get out and vote!

Watching: Defiance – I just finished season 1. It’s not particularly deep, but I like it!

Reading: Starting Mysterium by Robert Charles Wilson. I finished 11/22/63 and it was so good, you should definitely read it if you’re into time travel mysteries.

Eating: Halloween candy (oops) and Chicken Pho. I cheated a bit on the broth and used 1 carton of chicken broth + 2L water to cook 4 chicken legs, instead of the whole chicken, and omitted the 3lb of extra chicken bones/wings. I used the spice amounts from Serious Eats. After we had our dinner, I refrigerated the broth overnight, removed the fat, and now I have a couple containers in the freezer ready for when pho cravings strike!

October 27, 2014
October Garden

There’s not much left to look at, but I’m glad we finally got out to finish harvesting everything. We;re out of yard waste bags though, so the real cleanup will have to wait a bit!

I’m going to have to figure out something else to do with these green tomatoes (I made hot dog relish with the others!) – maybe fried?

What was left of the basil and chard went right into a nice pasta casserole with mushrooms, red pepper, and bechamel sauce, with panko breadcrumbs and parmesan on top.

New on the needles: a cabled sweater out of Zen Yarn Garden superwash worsted. I started another sweater with this year awhile ago, but it didn’t really turn out. I’m hopeful for this one, I’m addicted to knitting it!

I have five projects on my desk right now – four sweaters and a shawl. Startitis much? I’ve been working out a sock pattern in my head that I want to cast on, too.

October 20, 2014
New Pattern: Territory

Blurb: TERRITORY is a cozy, stylish pullover with a pretty, easy slip-stitch colourwork pattern. It looks complex, but you’ll only be working with one colour at a time! The Frieze pattern is echoed on the cuffs, while the rest of the long set-in sleeves offset the patterned body with simple Stockinette. The pieces are worked flat from the bottom up, and seamed before adding the ribbed collar. I’ve used a surprising hot pink for the contrast colour on the back, for an update to a classically styled sweater. Shown in size 41″ with no ease.

I’ve loved this slip-stitch colourwork pattern for ages – it looks so complex, but it’s really very easy and fast to work. You only use 1 colour at a time – no stranding. For a bit of a switch-up on an otherwise straightforward pullover, I knit the back of the sweater with a super bright contrasting pink! I love pink and grey – well, okay, I love any colour with grey really. I think it would look fantastic with a striping/colour-changing yarn for the contrast.

The yarn I used, Cascade 220 Sport, is inexpensive and very nice to work with – pleasantly wooly, but not too scratchy. And it comes in tons of colours! I’ve had this sweater done since the spring (the end of the never-ending winter?) so I haven’t had a chance to wear it yet, but I think it’s going to go just great with my fall leggings and skirts. I hope you like it too!

Queue and fave on Ravelry!
More details on the pattern page.

October 15, 2014