Category: finished object

  • and what a dream!

    Well, the weekend may be officially over, but I think I still kept my promise erin!

    Dreamcatcher Medallion Cardigan
    Pattern: by Teva Durham, from Loop-d-Loop
    Yarn: Elann Highland Silk in “Oxblood”
    Needles: Denise US 6
    Finished: April 22, 2006

    It’s everything I hoped it would be! Comfy, perfect fit, and certainly eye-catching. The yarn was lovely to work with, a bit dry-feeling from the silk but beautiful nonetheless. I made the smallest size of the sweater, knit at a very slightly tighter gauge, which loosened up upon blocking. There was so much going on at once I had to write out a row-by-row guide! It certainly made things easier, though. My back neck seam, which I thought I’d have to redo after blocking, actually lies very well. And the medallion? Super easy to do, once you figure out the instructions (I had a bit of a snafu but still managed to finish it within an SnB evening).

    All in all, a great knit. And the buttons? I got ’em at Fabricland, and you know, they’re perfect. Some may notice that it looks like I’m missing a button at the top of the band – and you’d be right. I only bought 6 buttons but actually needed 7. Eh, I can live without it. It’s not like I’d have done up the top button anyway!

    And in new yarn – spun up a skein of merino in violets with a touch of blue. DIY light tent of the day – white pillowcase. I wonder if my mom would miss it if I cut it up to build a sturdier light tent?

  • knitters’ eternal question

    What do I knit next?

    Charlotte’s Web
    Pattern: “Charlotte’s Web” by Koigu
    Yarn: Jaggerspun Zeyphr in “Steel”, worsted weight
    Needles: Denise US9
    Finished: March 6, 2006

    Ah, Charlotte. Just as beautiful as the first and second times I knit you. This one, being much heavier yarn, has a really nice weight and warmth to it without being stifling. Would it be odd to wear my grey Charlotte as a scarf with my grey coat?

    Vneck’s almost done too – just need to figure out what to do with the neckline and weave in the ends. Hmmmm. Ribbing? Or just simple single crochet?

    So….what do I knit now? I’ve got shawl options – flower basket shawl outta my handspun, leaf lace shawl with elann baby cashmere. I’ve got sock options – Pomatomus from knitty in Cherry Tree Hill? Uptown Boot Socks in Knitpicks Essentials?

    I’ve got sweater options – I want to start Breezy Cables from the latest Interweave for a jacket, but I’m not sure it’s really going to be useful or get worn (I’m going to use Elann Highland Chunky). I’ve got some super yummy handdyed Shelridge Farm W4 (washable worsted weight wool) for some sort of cabled cardigan, possibly a pared-down Must Have. And I’ve got a bunch of ultra luxe Artyarns Supermerino in brown for a girly springy cardigan, but starting that would mean winter (and heavy wool sweater season) is ending! Not like we had much of a winter, anyway…

    Obviously, that’s not ALL the sweater yarn I’ve got, but it’s what I feel like working with. One of those.

    Sorry for the rambles. I’m sick at the moment, blame it on that! I should go make some soup.

  • blues

    Second FO of the day – finished socks for the boy. Sorry for the blurry photo. Modelled by me, so they’re a bit too long.

    boy socks
    Pattern: basic sock, 64 stitches, 2×2 ribbing, four-point-dec toe.
    Yarn: knitpicks essential, dusk, 2 skeins
    Needles: Lantern Moon US1 dpn
    Finished: February 9, 2006

    Since I wanted to make socks he’ll actually wear, I did the same toe on these as I did on his last pair. It uses the same rate of decrease as my standard toe, but the decreases are spaced evenly around instead of at the sides.

    So in this case, I used four needles (plus the working one, so all 5) and decreased at the end of each needle, every other round until 50% of the stitches remained, then every round until there were 16 stitches left, and grafted. I know a lot of people hate grafting, but I like it!

    I’ll toss this spinning stuff in here now too – three of my latest skeins. All of them have blue in them, too!

    They’re all 100% merino, 2 ply. The one on the right has been set, but the others haven’t – and there’s a real difference there. My skeins always puff up all nice when I give them a nice hot eucalan bath. I also snap the skeins a few times (like cracking a whip) and whap them again the bannister a couple times as well. Gets more water out and just really improves the skein, I find.

    So, you ready to go (or cheer on)? If you’re part of the Toronto contingent, see you at the pub! Hope the lighting is okay, otherwise I might need a headlamp!