seamless hybrid

I've wanted to make Elizabeth Zimmerman's Seamless Hybrid sweater for awhile now and finally got around to it. I love how the sweater can be just the size I want with her percentage system and the majority of it is good mindless knitting.

I started this sweater soon after the new year in Minnesota with family. It was a great project for all the down time I had sitting around visiting with family, waiting an hour for my little cousin to open all her birthday presents, and of course all the time spent in the car. I even knit in the sanctuary before a service at my aunt's church. (Their exit signs in the sanctuary were stained glass!)

The final product turned out pretty well. If I do it again I'll make the body an inch or two longer. I had to block and encourage a little more length out of the body fabric.


Pattern: Seamless Hybrid by Elizabeth Zimmerman (Knitting Workshop)
Yarn: Beaverslide Dry Goods Worsted, Clear Water colorway
Needles: US 8, US 6 (ribbing)
Started: January 2, 2009
Completed: January 9, 2009


I got the yarn from Beaverslide's website on sale about a year ago and was a bit surprised when I saw it in person. The color seemed bright for my taste, but I love the yarn quality and finally cast on with it. I thought I might try dyeing it darker, but the color has grown on me so I'm liking it now.


I didn't have many problems with the construction except I forget to allow a plain stitch between the arm's double decreases going up to the shoulder. You don't notice when I wear it unless I raise my arms. I cast on 182 sts (my key number) for the body and 36 sts for the arms.


I had 6 balls of the yarn but I ended up just dipping into the fifth one for the neck's ribbing. You get great yardage with Beaverslide, 250 yards/skein, $8 for the colorway on sale, less than $40 for a great sweater!


I loved working with Beaverslide's yarn. It's nice, plush, and has great texture. There are also scattered flecks of lighter blue throughout the yarn. It has a loose twist, but that didn't bother me at all. I need to try other colors in the future.

durrow

I finally got to give Chris his Christmas sweater a few days ago. I started working on the pattern at the end of September and finished the collar and sewing the seams January 1st. So, it's my first FO of the year!

I did some collar modifications and mirrored cables on the sleeves after reading Ken's blog entry of his Durrow. I used the smallest size on US sz 6 needles instead of 8s and added some sleeve and body length.


Pattern: Durrow by Jodi Green
Yarn: Queensland Collection Kathmandu Aran, colorway 155
Needles: US 6 & 4 (for collar)
Started: September 30, 2008
Completed: January 1, 2009


Kathmandu Aran is one of my favorite yarns to work with. It's soft and the subtlety of colors is great.



I had the front and back done during school and tackled the sleeves over winter break. About a week ago I had to be in the car from Chicago to Tulsa, OK. So, I spent the whole time finishing one sleeve, took about 10 hours or so.


The cables and charts look complicated, but by the second sleeve I was moving along quickly and memorized what all the symbols in the chart meant. It's a lot easier than it looks.


It fits Chris perfectly and he loves it!

cowls

Within the last few days I got to enjoy two nice 700 mile drives, one from Chicago to Tulsa,OK and one from Tulsa to Minneapolis. In about an hour or so my mom and I are going to scout out a couple yarn stores in the area. I brought several projects and plenty of yarn (a backpack and messenger bag full), but I've finished several things/don't want to work with the rest. Anyway, the holidays + traveling make for excellent knitting time.

Around Christmas I went on a little cowl kniting spree. I made my mom the Ice Queen cowl with beads which she LOVES.


Pattern: Ice Queen by Rosemary Hill
Yarn: Kidsilk Haze colorway 583
Needles: US 8
Started: December 23, 2008
Completed: December 25, 2008

She's going to make something like it in black for my sister-in-law. She's been knitting in the car too, working with Blue Sky Alpacas Suri Merino doubled with Rowan Kidsilk Haze in shades of blue. She made a nice cowl for her sister and I got to help her with the lace edge.

About a week ago, I made two other cowls.



Pattern: The Guy Next Door Cowl by Devin Fred Fredrickson
Yarn: Hand Jive Knits Nature's Palette Bulky thick and thin merino
Needles: US 13
Started and Completed: December 26, 2008

This yarn was awesome to work with and I have about a quarter of the skein leftover. The fabric is exceptionally squishy and has great texture.



The same day I got that yarn at Three Bags Full in Northbrook I went over to Nina in Chicago for the first time. The shop is really sleek. Everything is very organized and well lit. You just have to barely pull the yarn out from the shelf and it hits the light perfectly so you can get a good look at the true color, very inspiring store. I scored a habu textiles kit and a few skeins of Blue Sky Alpacas Melange that resulted in this.



Pattern: improvised
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Melange
Needles: US 6
Started: December 27, 2008
Completed: December 28, 2008

I loved working with the heathered colors of melange. I improvised this simple design and it entertained me as I waited in line for an hour at Wool and Company in Geneva, IL for their 40% off almost everything sale Saturday morning. I controlled myself and got what I needed. I didn't walk out with a garbage bag full of yarn like many others.

I guess this holiday break has been full of knitting stores and it's not over yet!

It's been awhile

I'm going to try to keep up with blogging. I stopped back in April and then I think just got overwhelmed by all the projects that passed without blog attention. So, I'm going to start up again with my recent knitting adventures and occasionally add in some other good knits since April.

Most recently I finished the Baby Cables and Big Ones Too sweater by adding neck modifications a few days ago. I was very pleased with my mod.

Before the mod, the neck was a wide boat-like neck which looked nice in other women's sweaters, but I don't like this neck for me because it shows a lot of the shirt you wear underneath and doesn't feel sturdy on the shoulders and neck.

BEFORE


I picked up stitches on either side of the neck, knit them in garter stitch while knitting on the new strip to the front and back sides, then picked up stitches all around the neck and knit in stockinette for a rolled brim. There are written instructions to my modifications at the end of this post.

AFTER


Pattern: Baby Cables and Big Ones Too by Suvi S.
Yarn: part of a 1250g cone of 100% New Wool from Hunters of Brora in Scotland
Needles: US 8 throughout and US 6 (for neck mods)
Started: December 11, 2008
Completed: December 21, 2008




I got some nice pictures of the sweater outside, on the sunny day after most of the snow melted.


In about 6 hours from now I'm driving with my mom and step-dad to Tulsa, OK to see one of my brothers and my niece I haven't met (my other brother's daughter, he's over in Iraq) So, I scouted out some cute baby patterns on Ravelry to make for her. I have to pick a bunch of yarn from my stash to take with me so I can have whatever I need for the pattern I choose. I downloaded podcast episodes of Cast On and Lime & Violet to entertain me in the car with my knitting. I'll have a lot more knitting to share soon, especially with this nice long holiday break from school.

Here are the neck modifications...

Neck Modifications 12/28/08:
Pick up and knit 18 sts (RS of sweater) at the side neck edges using US sz 6 needles. Knit back and forth in garter stitch by doing the following…

next row (WS): Pick up the next stitch from the front of the sweater or back (dependent on which side is worked first) and knit it together with the first stitch of the row and then knit to last stitch and knit it together with a picked up stitch from the front or back of sweater. (18 sts)

next row (RS): Knit one row, decreasing one stitch at each end. (16 sts)

Repeat those 2 rows 3 more times (10 sts) The last row knit was the RS.

Repeat that process on the other side. When the other side is caught up, pick up stitches along the front and back and continue to knit on the RS, knitting the picked up stitches from the front and back and the other side’s 10 sts. Continue to work in the round for about an inch in St st on US sz 6 needles to create a roll brimmed neck edge.

I ended up with about 80 sts or so. Then, choose a flexible bind off. I used sz 8 needles for the BO.

I’m sure I could have started with a smaller amount of neck sts at the beginning of this project, but this modification afterwards looks just fine. The garter stitch rows on either side of the neck run perpendicular to those rows on the front and back instead of connecting all around like the rest of the yoke, but that doesn’t bother me. It’s a little design feature. This sweater feels much sturdier now and more secure on my shoulders.

scarves and gauntlets

I recently got a profile on Ravelry. I LOVE it!! So, I have been uploading most of my knits and finding other people's projects I like for inspiration.

I found two scarves I really liked and knit non stop to finish both within three days. I sprained my ankle badly a week ago so there's not much else I can do. (an excellent excuse for knitting)

One of the projects I found was the purl ridge moebius scarf by Cat Bordhi
Size 8 US circulars
Araucania Atacama 100% Alpaca






I have the book Knitting With Balls which I really like and after finding projects from other people's Not So Rugged Scarf I took a second look at that pattern and really liked the idea. I guess it's the simplicity of these scarves that are pleasing and calling me to knit. I won't even get to wear them until Fall arrives. Oh well. It's never too warm to knit.

I chose Kidsilk Haze and Rowan Yorkshire Tweed 4-ply both in brown instead of the recommended yarns.
size 8 circulars
I cast on 272 sts and started knitting away making up when I switched yarns.
I will probably do this project again for a friend or two. I love knitting stockinette or garter st lengthwise.






I made these gauntlets a couple weeks ago for Christopher as well.

Noro Silk Garden
sz 8 needle

I just started knitting a rectangle because I liked the yarn and then they turned into arm warmers. I had 42 sts wide going so I continued until they went up to the elbow, then sewed them together and left a thumb opening. eeeeasy



That's all for now.

felted bag

During the last few days, I used up most of the leftover yarn from my patchwork quilt.
This stash bust resulted in an awesome felted messenger bag.


I knit the front, back, and flap in one stockinette rectangle and then knit the two blue garter rectangles for the sides.
I also knit an extra long strap in garter stitch and several stockinette stitch felted pockets.



At first I sewed the sides to the bag body and tried to felt them, but the bag shape and proportions didn't turn out as planned. So, I cut it back into the original pieces and felted everything again so it would be more even. Then I sewed everything together.
I ended up having to tack and tie a few things on the bag to get the right shape and size that I wanted for everything. I am pleased with the result.



Yarn: Rowan Yorkshire and Scottish Tweed chunky (pockets: Noro Kureyon and Tahki Donegal Tweed Homespun)
Needle: US 11
Pattern: my own ( I have a few scribbles and calculations written down, but it was mostly done on the needles)

garments

I finished knitting this short sleeved cardigan for Klose Knit out of Malabrigo Worsted.

Pattern: Knit Simple magazine Fall 2007 (US 8 needle)



Also, I finally completed the Noah sweater by Sarah Hatton
I started knitting the front last Fall and I finished the front, back, and one sleeve over winter break.
Within the last week I picked it back up and made the other sleeve, pressed and sewed it all together, and did the garter stitch neckline.
I am really pleased with the result and fit of my first sweater (besides a sweater vest) and there are still a few chilly days for it.

Pattern: Noah by Sarah Hatton from Rowan Magazine no. 41
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca color #6295