Quicky Shawl

In May I was in Butterfly Yarns and Debbie had a shawl there that caught my eye. I threw it on and fell in love with how drape-y the garter stitch was. It was so soft and comfy. Turns out it was Classic Elite Premiere and I knew I had 5 skeins in my stash.

I bought the yarn last summer to make a sweater, but it never really worked out.

Debbie followed the Weaver's Wool Mini Shawl pattern and added this cool ruffle. I only added two ruffle rows before running out of yarn. I think it's just enough ruffle anyway.

A simple knit. Since it's cotton, it's nice for cool summer evenings on the couch. It's big enough to wrap all around me. Super simple. Super comfy.

Pattern: Weaver's Wool Mini Shawl [Rav Link]
Source: http://www.knitlist.com/2003/minishawl.htm
Materials: Classic Elite Premiere
Amount: 5 skeins
Needles: US 10.5
Started: July 6, 2009

Finished: July 25, 2009

Maplewing

THE MAPLEWING

I really cannot tell you how excited I am about this project. It's my perfect project. My piece de resistance.

The Back Story.

I saw it in development on Anne's blog. As you know, I knit lace, but I'm not a Lace Knitter. Not because I can't do it, I just haven't made the leap. I made Anne's Ostrich Plume and a bunch of lace thingies, but never anything that I could really boast as Lace Knitting. I'm not even sure why I was over at Anne's blog. I'm a fan and if I'm looking for inspiration I check her pattern shop, but her blog isn't on my daily rounds. I happened upon this post and fell in love with the design. I found myself checking Anne's site to see when the pattern would be available. I had to make this shawl. When this post arrived, I pre-ordered the kit from the Woolen Rabbit in New England Red, naturally.

The Yarn.

I was SO excited for the yarn to arrive. I had read in the ravelry forums that Kim's yarns were pretty awesome. I even took a pic of the box the day it arrived. It's the one on the bottom.

Then I took a pic of the skein.

I took a pic of it on the ballwinder.

I took a pic of my materials before I started.

Are you getting the impression that I was excited? I WAS SO EXCITED! I'm never this compulsive. I just knew in my heart of hearts that this project was going to be freaking awesome.

Oh yeah, the yarn. 1. The skein is ginormous. My hand cramped while winding the ball. And I still have a good size ball left after finishing. 2. No knots. No weak spots. 3. Pure awesome lace yarn with a good twist. 4. The color. So. Spectacular.

The Pattern.

I have always heard great things about Anne's patterns. I fell in love with the Maplewing, but there was a part of me that wondered if I was ready for Lace Knitting. It's an intricate pattern, requiring a lot of yarn and intricate needlework, but I was confident that with Anne's awesome pattern I could do it.

Can we talk about Anne's patterns? Awesome. Charts AND written instructions. Very thorough. There was never a time when I found myself confused or shaking my fist and cursing. It was smooth sailing. The pattern is knit bottom up, which my friend Chrisie is convinced involves some sort of wizardry, but I just followed instructions very well.

I flew through the bottom, then got a bit sidetracked on the Hemlock Ring when my grandmother's health declined. May and June are flow knitting months for me, but I worked on it when I could.


The End Result.

Can you freaking stand it?

I've got nothing left to say. It's amazing, awesome, fabulous. Everything I could have wanted it to be. I could die tomorrow a very fulfilled knitter.

Pattern: Maplewing [Rav Link]
Source: Knitspot
Materials: Woolen Rabbit Merino Laceweight
Amount: 1 skein
Needles: US 6
Started: March 24, 2009

Finished: July 5, 2009

The Hemlock Ring

So there's a story about this blanket, but I don't really feel like telling it. I just don't really think I can do it justice. I've had this pattern on file for awhile. Brooklyntweed first adapted it. It's a vintage knitted doily pattern that he knit with worsted yarn and a big needle. His results were pretty gorgeous and I was just waiting for the right time to knit one myself.

On Easter Sunday, my grandmother had a stroke and her life was turned upside down. She is 94 years old and was living a completely independent life. A life that included crocheting doilies with thread and size 6 hooks. She made the most intricate things.

She's spent the last three months in a nursing home with some hospitals trips in between. She's endured several strokes, a fall that broke her hip and most recently a pace maker. Her communication is limited, but she's still there.

She's in Ohio and since I can't visit or talk with her on the phone, I sent her the Hemlock. I knew it would be functional as a blanket and something that she could look at, but mainly it's my big ol' doily made especially for her. So that's the story. There's a lot more, but that's really all there is to say.

Pattern: Hemlock Ring Blanket [Rav Link]
Materials: Cascade 220 Superwash
Amount: 3 skeins
Needles: US 9
Started: April 23, 2009

Finished: May 9, 2009

Hung out to dry

I haven't blogged. I know. There are many reasons, but it's mainly because I've focused my energy elsewhere. I've been trying my best to take pleasure in small things. Like my clothesline. Every Saturday, I rush to wash clothes and take advantage of the sunshine.

Hemlock Ring

What I've been up to:

I'm having trouble unpinning it. It's too pretty.

Monmouth Cap

There once was a gurl named Haddy.

She had quite a week. Make that quite a month. She came home on a Friday, started a supper of Chana Masala, put some speakers spouting Kings of Leon in the window, grabbed a beer and her knitting and hit the deck.

As anticipated, it only took a couple minutes to finish the hat she started earlier that week. She celebrated with a slug of her favorite Sam Adams White Ale.

(Please note tiny bit left of skein. One skein wonder this project is.)

She was excited to finish and grabbed the tripod to take pics to show the recipient, her dad.

Not a bad fit. Haddy's head is not too far off from her dad's.
She approves of her work.

While she's modeling, Hubby comes home from work with a Blackberry still attached to his ear.
He jumps in the shot.

She rolls up the brim to demonstrate the versatility of this historic design, but it only makes Haddy laugh.


Her dad likes his caps to double as sleeping masks to block early morning sun while he sleeps. Haddy demonstrated this with some help from Hubby.

This hat only needs a bath and it's ready to be shipped to her dad.
There's only one final thing she needs to know.

Dad: Nipple or no nipple? I can take it off, but I need to know soon.

Pattern: Monmouth Cap by Sarah Bradberry [Rav Link]
Source: http://www.knitting-and.com/knitting/patterns/hats/monmouth.htm
Materials: Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky in Deep Pine
Amount: 1 skein
Needles: US 10
Started: April 20, 2009

Finished: April 24, 2009

For more info on Monmouth Caps, check out Cast-on Episode 62

Sweet Baby Sweater

Probably the sweetest thing I've knit.

Pattern: Babies Neck Down Cardigan #982 [Rav Link]
Source: Knitting Pure and Simple
Materials: Plymouth Encore Worsted
Amount: 2 skeins
Needles: US 8 & US 6
Started: March 1, 2009

Finished: March 8, 2009

The buttons make the sweater.

This is a thank you for a friend that recently helped me out with some work stuff.
She's due in August.

YES!

Dirty Harry movies for Hubby, yarn for me.
(not the fragile one. That's Johnson Brother's Regency from ebay. Also for me.)

The color is not this intense. It's more a burnt orange color.
It's beautiful and it's the biggest skein ever!

Shhh! Don't talk to me. I'm casting on 522 stitches!

Come to mama

I waiting on yarn for the Maplewing. I've rushed to the mailbox every day this week.
I needed something to take the edge off.

Gratuitous Cute Dog

I am constantly surprised by how cute I find Roxie.
It's like I never really get used it.

Done with Sweaters

I think I am just about done with sweaters for the season.
I've been dreaming of lace and sock projects.

Check out this obsession du jour:

Maplewing


Wow.

I'll be spending the day in self-assessment. Can I handle the Maplewing?

Most Excellent Baby Sweater

It doesn't look like much yet, but this is the most fun I've had knitting in a long time. I love this yarn.

Last week I knit a baby sweater and as soon as finished yesterday, I cast on for this one. Wait until you see these two. So cute and you'll die when you see how perfect the buttons are.

Ruffle Cardi

Pattern: Marilyn's Not So Shrunken Cardigan [Rav Link]
Source: Knit and Tonic
Materials: Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool
Amount: 3 or 4 skeins
Needles: US 6 & US 3
Started: February 1, 2009

Finished:February 22, 2009

I love this sweater. I wore it to work the day after I finished it. I love it.

I knit the 34 and it fits beautifully. I knit the raglin sleeves to the pattern (10") and they may be a bit too deep. I'm currently planning a raglan pullover and I think I'll go to 9.5".

I modified the length to make it hit at the hips. Most everything else is directly as prescribed by the pattern. I even found perfect little buttons.

The ruffle is a double crochet ruffle. I must say that this is pure brilliance. I will remember this tip if I ever need ruffles in the future.

The 30 Sweater

I turned 30 in June. I didn't talk about it here, but I was pretty excited about it. For my birthday, Hubby and I went flyfishing, had lunch at one of my favorite places and rounded out the day with a trip to WEBS, where I was determined to buy a sweater's worth of Rowan.

I purchased Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran in my favorite color, gray. I had no idea what I was going to knit with it, but my goal was to knit a sweater during my 30th year. Here is the result:

Pattern: Garter Yoke Cardigan [Rav Link]
Source: Knit.1 Fall/Winter 2008
Materials: Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran
Amount: idk. maybe 5 balls?
Needles: US 7
Started: December 26, 2008
Finished: January 17 2009

This was a such an easy, quick knit. It flew off my needles. I've been wearing it for weeks now waiting for the sun to return to New England so I could take some pics.

My only mods were to include decreases in the sleeves. The pattern intended for somewhat bells sleeves and I just wasn't sure that the Scottish Tweed would provide enough drape to make this look right. I decreased quite a bit and if I were a better person, I would have taken notes to share with you.


I do love it, but I have to admit that I am seriously considering re-knitting this.


Yes. Yes, I am.
See how much ease there is under the arms and across the bust? I have a 36 bust and I knit the 36 size. The sweater taught me that I really should knit a 34. More to come on exactly how I know this is true in my next post.

I am only confirmed that perhaps re-knit is needed by looking at my photo from the back.

:( frump-a-dump. Anyhoo...


The button are spectacular and come from crazy ol' Joann's. Who knew? The perfect compliment to my 30! sweater. I loves it.