Spin a Yarn and Start a Cowl

Starting on the Ninebark Cowl, from the Winter/Spring 2010 Knitscene magazine. This caught my eye and I love the color combos! I am making it detached from the vest. Cast on 100 using the size 5 circs. Tried it on to make sure it would fit over my head. Someone else recommended casting on a few more sts. to start. I am using the Lustra for the teal, green and coral. I am using Inca Gold for the burgundy. Cascade 220 for the brown. The Lustra is very soft and can be slippery. Careful, it can slide off the needles. This is my first time doing any knit work in "color" changes. So I am trying to carry across the back when I can. The pattern is in 25 rows, then you reverse directions and increase so the cowl "grows" as you make it through the final 2 repeats, also changing up the needle size.Changing needles to size 7's on the 11th row of the second pattern repeat, and now the knitting is done on the wrong side for the rest of the cowl. I suppose because a cowl sort of flops over and this is done so you see the pattern when it flops. Edited post to add this pic:

Today, my excursion with a friend was to a quaint old house in Edmonds, where the Spin a Yarn shop is found. Each room features different types of yarn. Some of the sections are arranged by color. It was a sunny day for a ladies day out, with a "must see" trip to C'est La Vie gift shop to show her why I love my Troll bead collection, (I almost have her convinced) and yummy lunch at Chanterelle's.

Poppy Sweater Continues

This knitting blog is somewhat random lately, but my knitting is rather sporadic. Loving the summer weather this week with a bit of a break from it today.
I am still knitting on the Poppy sweater, using the Noro yarn along with the mixtures of other wools, including a Cascade 220 Heathers brown. I have the body done and shoulders seamed. Next the sleeves and then the finishing work! Shown here trying it on. Tricky trying to match the striping on both sides of the front. There will be an edging on the V-neck that will finish it off nicely. Still deciding how to stripe my sleeves...


Each person who has done this sweater has a little different "take" on it. Which is entirely the point. It was written up in "Yarn Play", by Lisa Shobhana Mason as a pattern meant to use up excess yarn in a beautiful way.

Poppy Back

Showing the tube body with the stitches picked up along the back and knitting up on the back piece now. Bumpy seam runs down the center back. Other purl ridges are done on purpose to give some texture. The seam will smooth out during blocking of course. I "tried it on" as best as I could with needles holding the front stitches and on the back. I think I am going to love this sweater!

Happy Easter!

Diversions from Poppy

Oh how technology can divert us from things we might otherwise be getting accomplished...They can be a mixed blessing- these things called Flickr, Ravelry and FaceBook. Fun, yet we can get sidetracked. Between planning a wedding and being sidetracked by diversions, knitting has suffered a bit. However, back on the "Poppy" sweater happily this week. Using the Noro Silk Garden...Mixed in with some other Cascade 220 heathered brown and Berroco brown...This sweater is knit in a tube for the body, then seamed. Then stitches are picked up around the top for the back and front. Then sleeves are made and seamed in. Not a seamless sweater.
Very nice to use your creativity to pick and choose what colorways you want in this one and how you want the stripes to go. This one is called "Poppy"from the book "Yarn Play". I am using some poppy color in mine, but alot of browns too.

Shalom Cardigan

This pattern is such a popular one, for good reason. There is something so intriguing about the yoke and the texture, and I learned about "knitting through the back loop" on this project. This is my first Shalom. I plan to do another. Shown after blocking. Blocking makes all the difference once again! Prior to blocking:

Shalom Cardigan knit on size 10 circs. This is a free pattern I found on Ravelry, by Meghan McFarlane. It was knit from the top down with no seaming required. I knit while holding the yarn double or double-stranding with Cascade 220 Heathers wool (4 skeins, and tad more). Mods: Added increases on body under arms and at waist. Added three more buttonholes than pattern. It hasn't been blocked yet, so needs some smoothing out, but had to try on when the buttons got put on. I love the yoke on this sweater. Love the color. And love that it is called Shalom....Peace!

Beginning Shalom Cardigan

I am now ready for an easy topdown "no seams" knit. Shalom Cardigan is just the ticket. Click on the name to go to the link. It is also a FREE pattern! Had the Cascade Heathers 220 in the stash for another sweater, but now it is becoming this one. I like the "no seams" aspect of topdowns. This will be my second topdown sweater. Refreshing after the last project that required seams and brains. This is the yoke, then will bind off underarms for small sleeve caps, then do the body. Cute and easy. I'm using size 10 circular needles. Double stranding the yarn to make it bulkier. (New skills required: Make 1, and k1tbl -Knit one through the back loop, p1tbl -Purl one through the back loop) Modifications: adding more buttonholes down the front than pattern.

Blocking Loppem

I would have to say, I now see the difference in a blocked garment first hand. Blocking is where you get it wet and lay flat, shape it and let it dry, or lightly steam it to shape it.

Wow, what a difference blocking makes in smoothing out your stitches! All the increases that showed up so much, now have been diminished. And the sleeve banding finishing pulled things in just right. I did a stitch pick up of only 61 stitches to do the final 4 rows of banding on same size needles, 9. Ta Da! It's really, really done!

Adding sleeve bands on Loppem

Back to Loppem and adding the pattern's sleeve band to bring in the sleeves and underam holes tighter in and finish them off. Before the bands, they are a little big and the armholes dip down.

Adding this extra ridge of 4 rows of stockinette by casting on less stitches than are currently on the sleeve will bring it in closer to the arm and finishes off the underam with a rolled edge.

And since I never got around to blocking Loppem (too excited to wear it!), it is drying now on a towel...taking up my Christmas wrapping table for a few days.

Lovely Loppem is Finished

My beautiful Loppem by Norah Gaughan is finished! Buttons are on and it is laying flat now to dry a bit. Trying to show you the buttons here while taking a self-pic with it on-a bit hard!

I did four cable pattern repeats, and 2 more lines following those before starting the yoke.On the sleeves, I hadn't misread the pattern after all...just hadn't read far enough to the end. If I want to, now is when I would pick up stitches around the sleeves and add another little "ridge" of stitches. I am kind of pleased with it as is. I may just leave it! The cardi does swing open as you can see when it is hung. Probably the most challenging thing for me is trying to lightly steam-press the decreased stitches a bit so they don't show so much on this heathered yarn, as well as blocking to make everything lie flat. Despite a few minor things, I think all in all, it went well!

Loppem from the Norah Gaughan Vol. 3 book, was knit on size 9 needles using Cascade Heathers 220 wool in Aporto Blue on one circular needle from the bottom up. I used 3 skeins. Modifications: Body- Started decreases at 2.75 " and every 1.75 " after-however found wasn't necessary to change the decreases from pattern instructions, as I did end up following the pattern length pretty closely. Sleeves-omitted the extra band rows at the finishing stage. Suggestions: May want to put sleeves on holder instead of casting off armholes, then casting on sleeves-it was very tight casting on the sleeve sts. Definitely check Ravelry and Berroco errata changes on this pattern.

TA DA! I did it! It turned out just as I had imagined it would...

Loppem Sleeves

Loppem shown close to actual color, hanging on a chair! Have worked up through the sleeves and beginning next on the yoke. This is a very fun stage of the sweater, where it is all coming together and soon to be completed. Notes to self: Might have listened to advice of another knitter and done a few things differently. Casting on sleeve stitches was very tight. Might have put some stitches on holders to help through that portion. Decrease rows on sleeves did not line up in pattern. Reverse stockinette on lower portion of sleeves was done only first few rows instead of repeated a few rows later, as I never saw in pattern those instructions to repeat it. Though I am not disappointed in having it only on the edge. It matches the lower hem of the sweater that way. In the yoke portion, will be the buttonholes. I have buttons that I think will work well! This one with flash turned off-NOT actual color but shows stitch definition a little more for you. I have done 4 pattern repeats with 2 more lines of pattern after that prior to yoke.

All in all...it is coming along well and hopefully some of the decreases and rough spots will block out to not be noticeable. A "happy" knit!