CFTCSPRINGKAL - Miss Winkle in Pink!

A while ago I decided to join in with the Crafts from the Cwtch Spring KAL, because the pattern they decided to knit was Miss Winkle by Martina Behm, and we all know how much I enjoy her designs. I hadn't taken part in a KAL (other than my own) for quite a while and thought a single skein of sock yarn and a nice garter stitch pattern would be fun and easy to knit on whilst, joining in with something. I really like Sarah's blog and thought her KAL would be good to take part in.

If you don't know about this pattern, it is a biased, elongated triangle in garter stitch with garter stitch loops along one edge.

These loops fascinated me and I couldn't work out how it had been done, so really the KAL was just an excuse to buy the pattern and find out.

The yarn I used was from stash, and I bought it in January 2011 from The Thylacine. I bought the yarn when the dyer was living in the UK, but she now lives in Australia so I haven't bought anything from her since then. The sock yarn was Flinders Sock and has 70% merino and 30% seacell. It was the first time I bought something with seacell and that explains the pinkness of this yarn. I bought this colour because it was the only skin with the seacell in it. I wouldn't really go for such a light and dusky pink, as it was ingrained that it didn't suit me, simply because of the colour I dyed my hair for 15 years, which was dark red.

This hair colour doesn't really go with dusky pink! So the poor yarn sat in my stash for ages and I thought it was time for it to be knit, especially as I still hadn't knit with seacell.  I have to say, that I really enjoyed knitting with it. The seacell was a small part of the  yarn but it gave it texture and a slight slubbiness that I liked. It also gave variation to to the yarn as it didn't seem to take the dye as deeply as the merino.

After assuming I wouldn't keep the scarf, and that it was simply an exercise in knitting something interesting, with yarn I hadn't knit with before and joining in with a group whilst doing so, I discovered, it actually suits me now!

I think I simply forgot to look at different colours I could wear once I changed my hair colour.  I love how this shawl drapes as it is quite a heavy yarn because of the seacell. It feels soft and I really like the way it sits round my neck. Now I've tried it on, and looked at the photographs of me wearing it, I think I will actually keep it. It's something different from my usual accessories, and different is always good!

I talked about this project on my latest podcast episode, which went live last night. If you are interested in hearing what I've been up to over the last month or so whilst being sick, check it out here.

One of the things I talked about on this episode is a giveaway that has generously been donated by Countess Ablaze.

Lyndsey of Countess Ablaze has very kindly offered a great prize to you. TWO skeins of This Ain't A Scene on Tia Merino (single ply superwash merino fingering weight - 400 yards / 366m) and a black tote bag (380mm wide x 410mm deep) with long handles, to put it in. Lyndsey has kindly offered to post these items worldwide to the winner.

I love this colourway and used it to make one of my many Sockhead Hats. It's bright and fun, just in time for the warmer weather. As you have two skeins you could make a matching set of hat and long mitts, or maybe a large shawl. I think Concavus would work brilliantly as a showcase for this yarn.

I have opened a thread on the Ravelry Board, and the contest closes on Friday 16th May 2014 (to give International entrants a chance I'll close the thread when I get up on Saturday morning. To enter you have to be a member of the group and state what your favourite colourway and base would be from Countess Ablaze, if you could choose from any of her current work.

Lyndsey very rarely does giveaways, so I'm especially grateful to her for being so generous.  I hope I can tempt you, as much as I've been tempted by her yarns over the last couple of years, they are wonderful to work with and her colour sense is incredible.

I have shared the giveaway with the blog readers and podcast listeners because I know they are often separate groups and I want everyone to get a chance to win this amazing prize.  Good luck!

Brickless Behemoth!

I told you a couple of weeks ago about jumping on the Brickless bandwagon.  Once I started this lovely pattern, I couldn't seem to stop.  It was finished in 6 days, and it is enormous!  Every podcaster and blogger who has spoken about this particular pattern has said that the resulting shawl is big, but I decided to add an extra pattern repeat to mine because I had so much yarn to spare.  With hindsight I think maybe I should have saved the yarn and made some mitts, because it is nigh on impossible to take a decent photograph of this beast in it's entirety.

This shawl is a behemoth!  Despite the difficulties in photographing this shawl, it is nothing compared to the struggle I had to block it.  I wish I could have taken photos of it on my bizarre layout of foam mats, that followed the curve of the shawl.  As the shawl was so large, the only place left for it to dry (I wet block pretty much everything) was leaning against the wall of the spare bedroom.  I had to wait for my other half to come home from work to help me man-handle the boards without the whole thing collapsing.  Maybe I should consider gaffer taping them together next time I do something so huge.  Normally it's not much of an issue, and the interlocking mats stay roughly joined together, even when being stood up against the wall.  This time, not so much.  This was the layout.

I think each mat is 18" square, so you can get an idea of the unwieldy nature of the beast.  I have to say that the blocking and photographing was the hardest thing about the whole project.  Knitting it was a complete dream.  After the first couple of repeats you didn't really need to refer to the pattern except to check occasionally on the right number of stitches to increase or cast off.

I loved working with this yarn and would love to use it again.  After blocking, the lace and texture really popped out because of this lovely plump round yarn.

I'm really pleased I chose this yarn, despite it being out of my comfort zone.  Malabrigo Rastita is such soft and warm yarn, I wouldn't hesitate to use it again.  The price point is a little on the steep side for me, but you do get what you pay for, and the yardage is ok.

It is really hard to capture the complexity of the colourway, Arco Iris, but this photo gives you a good over all impression.  I knew that this pattern was written with a highly variegated yarn in mind, so it was nice to actually try and hunt down something similar in the UK.  I'm glad I did, because the yarn and pattern work really well together.

This shawl/scarf will really create a snug layer of merino around my neck and shoulders when Winter appears.  It can wrap around my shoulders over 3 times!  If I just wrap it round my neck, you get this;

I love how the right side and the wrong side are almost as interesting as each other.  When the scarf is all wrapped up tight you get pops of colour and texture, and contrasts of points and smooth edges.  It's a great design. Martina Behm strikes again!

I really wish I could have got some nice arty shots of this shawl with a big overcoat and boots, but this has been a very warm Summer and it was hard enough wearing it for the brief seconds I did for these photos!

I did manage to get my Brickless finished in time to enter two KALs.  I know I didn't win the first one, but I still stand a chance with the second.  However, the shawl is enough of a prize that I'm not worried about that.

Over all, I recommend the pattern and I recommend the yarn, and I recommend the gaffer tape on your blocking mats, or find somewhere big and flat to leave them!

Brickless Bandwagon

A few weeks ago one of my favourite designers Martina Behm had a deal on her patterns.  It was something like if you buy three patterns you get 25% off, or some such thing.  As I knew there were at least three patterns I wanted to buy, I thought "why not?" and bought three.  I bought, Sleeves, Vajante and Brickless.  I really thought the one I would cast on first would be Vajante and I really wanted to get Wollmeise Lace to make it.  I've never used their lace, and though it is expensive, it looks lovely.  Then I discovered that the Wollmeise store was closed for a month for their holiday.  So I decided I would make Brickless instead, especially as I'd seen such nice ones being made on the Fibre Town and Yarnivore podcasts.  So I began my search for suitable yarn.

The Brickless pattern was written using Miss Babs Yowza and I really, really wanted to use this yarn as it looks gorgeous and the colourway Look My Way, was making me drool.  Then I came to my senses and remembered the customs charge and the import tax and decided that wasn't going to happen.  So I started looking at the yarn other people had used and I discovered Malabrigo Rastita.  It's single ply of merino wool that has been slightly felted and it is an heavy DK or light worsted weight yarn, like the Miss Babs Yowza.  It has 285m/310yds per 100g skein and it looked perfect.  As it is Malabrigo, it has stunning colourways and I really was hard pressed to decide, until I finally settled on Arco Iris.  It is made up of lovely muted colours with pops of brighter yellow and green.  When the skeins came I couldn't have been happier with my choice and caked them up straight away.

The yarn is soft and bouncy and has great stitch definition, but still has a soft haze.  The variegated colourway is perfect for this pattern.

This pattern has ribbing, lace and garter stitch.  It's really fun because you never get bored of what you are doing, but it is simple enough to do quickly without much risk of going wrong if you are chatting.

This pattern is like all Martina Behm patterns, deceptively simple, but elegant and fun.  This is going to be a quite large scarf/shawl and I intend to wear it like a scarf in the Winter, which is kind of how it was designed to be worn.  I thought it would add some extra warmth when I go out on those rare occasions in the cold weather, and I think the yarn will be very warm and so soft next to my skin.

I'm so happy I jumped on the Brickless bandwagon, I suppose there is a reason everyone seems to be knitting it!

Rubbish Photos of a Glorious FO

This is another post filled with rubbish photos.  I don't care, however, because I LOVE this FO.  It's simple and beautiful and soft and warm.  It is all that a finished object should be!  The FO of which I speak is the second project from my Challenge To Myself.  I showed you the yarn in March.  I finally settled on knitting the "Wriggly Edge Shawl" that came free when I bought some Kidsilk Haze.  I have no idea who wrote the pattern, I just know I love it.

This shawl is like wearing a warm and fluffy cloud around my neck.  It is gorgeously soft.  This is the first time I've worn Debbie Bliss Angel next to my skin and it is much less itchy than Rowan Kidsilk Haze.  It has the same composition of 70% mohair and 30% silk, so it is just as warm and light, but it just feels a little bit more soft.  I imagine it's something to do with where they source their mohair from and how it is spun.

The shawl was knit from the bottom up and I cast off using Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off (my preferred stretchy bind off).  This meant the top edge of the shawl (the one next to my neck) was beautifully stretchy and soft.  I am definitely keeping this shawl for myself because I love it.  I simply don't want to give it to anyone else.

The shawl is very wide and shallow and has picot edging.  The yarn is held double, which makes it even warmer than if it was a single strand.  You can see quite clearly how the silk takes the dye differently to the mohair and gives a lighter coloured core to the yarn, whilst the halo is more saturated in colour.

This was a really quick knit, it took 2 days.  This was mainly because of the simplicity of the project and the 8mm needles, but it was also because it was incredibly addictive to knit.

I have already started my next CTM project, but I'll tell you about that another time.  To see some (probably) better photos than mine, click on the button!

A Final Christmas Post

Last weekend, I travelled down to Somerset to see the in-laws for our VERY delayed Christmas get together.  This trip is the reason I've been missing this week, I've been recovering from spending time with some much loved children who I can't resist playing with.  My body tells me I should rest and my heart is telling me to cuddle and play while I have them near me.  It's been worth a week of silence and rest to have those memories of a wonderful few days.

I can reveal that all the presents; monsters, quilt and scarf were well received.  In fact the monsters were in all the family photos taken at the weekend and the younger of the boys who received one has now decided that he wants ALL the monsters from Rebecca Danger's Big Book of Knitted Monsters to be given, gradually, each birthday and Christmas from now on.  I made the mistake of showing him the other monsters on Ravelry and as soon as he knew he could have a Collection, he was hooked.  Ah, boys and their collections!  The quilt is probably going to be a wall hanging in the baby's bedroom, which I like the idea of.

I realised, when I linked back to the posts about the presents, that I hadn't shown you the finished Wingspan scarf.

It's a lovely pattern/yarn combo.  I think these graduating yarns are perfect for something that has an unusual construction, because it reveals how the project is made.

I decided to block out the points of the wedges quite firmly.  I love how it emphasises the "wing" part of the title of the pattern.

I apologise for the quality of these photos as they were taken on a fairly dark day and increasing the exposure led to some blurring that I wasn't aware of at the time.  I hope you can see what I'm talking about though, because I can't take any more now!

I am tempted to make this pattern again using a bouncier yarn with more variegated dying.  I have seen other projects done like that, and think it would make a completely different scarf.  I did enjoy making this, it was a fun and easy project that used up a pretty yarn in a way that showed it off to it's best advantage.  You need projects like this to cleanse the palate between tricky and challenging projects.

I do believe this is the very last of my Christmas projects to share, so you can give a sigh of relief.  New things will be appearing in this blog!  If you want to see some finished items, from talented crafters, click on the button.

Two Purple FOs

In December I told you about a hat I'd cast on for myself.  All the details of which are here.  In that post I told you that I had knit it to go with a new purple scarf/shawl that I'd made, but had never told you about.  In this post I will show you the finished hat and tell you about the lovely stole I made.

Firstly, the the shawl was a test knit that I jumped on board as soon as I saw it.  It's a pattern by Marjorie Dussuad, called Fluvial.  The pattern uses two skeins of Malabrigo Sock Yarn, which is one of my favourite yarns.  It is merino yarn, so it's gorgeously soft, and it is also beautifully dyed in sumptuous colours.  I used Violeta Africana, which is a yummy purple colour.

I had to use two different dye lots because I already had one of the skeins and bought another one to match it.  Because I had two dyelots I decided to alternate the skein I knit with, every two rows.  This means there is less of a hard line where the skein changes half way through.  It also stops the pooling of the colours in the yarn being too dominant.

I was attracted to this pattern because it has both cables and lace - my two favourite things!

The stole is nice and and broad, and can be folded over lengthwise to make a scarf, or left open to make a stole.

I love everything about this stole, from the yarn choice, to the garter ribbing that is knit as you go.

I wear it a lot.  This is why I felt compelled to knit a matching hat, besides there was a distinct lack of purple in the headwear department of my accessory wardbrobe.

I am so glad I added that cast on row of contrast colour with this hat.  It really pops and means I can wear it with my green cowl.  The hat is a little short for my liking, even with the extra short row shaping to bring it down over the neck and my ears.  I imagine this is because I didn't swatch - ooops.  But it still looks ok, even if my ears aren't as warm as I had hoped.

I really like the cabling, but I think that it is lost with this yarn, which is a bit hairy.  I am tempted to knit this hat again but in a nice plump and rounded merino or merino blend.  I think the cabling would "pop" more.

I do like the deep garter stitch brim to the hat, and that, more than anything, is what attracted me to this hat.  I do love garter stitch!  So now, I have to show you the two items worn together, as they were supposed to be.

I love how versatile this stole is.  I often wear it as a scarf.  In slightly milder weather I wear it like a stole under my coat, with the ribbed edging curling up around my neck like a cowl neck sweater.

As the stole is knit in sock yarn it isn't heavy, it just provides an extra layer of warmth, which can stay round my shoulders if my destination isn't too warm.

I really enjoyed knitting Fluvial, it is a lovely pattern and well written.  I highly recommend it, as I do the hat pattern.

I'm linking up to Tami's FO Friday, where you can see other finished projects by clicking on the button.

Spectra

When you find yourself blogging about a project that you finished in October, you may begin to worry about being behind in the update department.  I, however, do not worry about such things.  If I were to worry about such things I would have worried myself into oblivion a long time ago.  I simply think - oh, how marvellous, I have something to blog about, despite not finishing anything this week.  The finished object in question, is Spectra, by Stephen West.

I initially posted about this project in August!  I really enjoyed knitting this scarf, and my only regret about the project is that I didn't buy two skeins of Count Cashmerino Sock from Countess Ablaze.  The skein was only 350m long, instead of the pattern recommendation of 384m, which meant I ran out of yarn before the end of the scarf.  It was totally my own fault.  I simply didn't register the length of the skein when I pulled it out of the stash.  The yarn was divinely soft and the subtle shades of grey are beautifully elegant.  The contrast of the subtle grey of the Count Cashmerino and the vibrant Noro Silk Garden Sock works wonderfully well.

The scarf is nice and broad and covers right across my shoulders and upper back.  It provides lots of extra warmth.  I love how the garter stitch edging stretches so there are no taut sections pulling against the skin.

Despite the scarf being slightly shorter than recommended, it is more than long enough for me.  The colours sing to me in the dark and dismal days of Winter, wrapping snugly around my neck and shoulders to provide warmth on cold, grey days.

I love this scarf and it never fails to make me smile when I put it on.  I highly recommend this as a project to get over a fear and dislike for intarsia.  I think I will approach intarsia with a slightly lighter heart than before I knit this scarf.  Stephen West is a very clever designer who always gives you a pleasurable and interesting knit.

A quick reminder to go and vote on the KAL hat pattern from earlier in the week.  I will make a choice based on the vote on the blog, and on the Ravelry Group, on Monday.  If you want to join in, go and join the group and I'll make an announcement about how to obtain the discount when the pattern is decided.

To see other finished projects, click on the button.

Finished Scarf

A very long time ago I blogged about a simple scarf project.  I finished it a long time ago (beginning of June!) and then it waited a long time for blocking, and then it waited some more time for photographing.  These are not great photos, but if I wait even more time for better photos, I will be blogging about this really simple project in 2013!  So with no further ado, here is my finished scarf.

I love this very simple scarf.  It is a testament to how my knitting skills have developed.  Instead of following a pattern like I did for my Striped Noro Scarf knitted in April 2009, I made it up myself.  Not that this pattern was difficult, but I like the little touches I used to finish the scarf nicely.

The scarf is a simple 1x1 rib, knit in Manos del Uraguay Silk Blend DK yarn.  I alternated two skeins every two rows to prevent pooling and an obvious change of skein, part way through the scarf.  I used 400m of yarn to produce a nice length of scarf (I haven't measured it and I can't be bothered to go downstairs right now to do so).

I used an odd number of stitches and knit the last stitch of each row, and slipped the first stitch of each row, purlwise, to create a selvedge.

I was quite proud of myself for the way I began and finished the scarf, as I did some actual research before starting.  I used a tubular cast on after finding it in The Principles of Knitting: Methods and Techniques of Hand Knitting.  I found a great photo tutorial on Woolly Wormhead's website, if you want to give it a go, you can download the PDF.  This is a good way to create a nice stretchy ribbed cast on that means the starting edge isn't a hard line, but matches the ribbing.

To cast off, I wanted to be equally clever, so I found TECHknitting's great tutorial for a tubular cast off.  This creates two pieces of fabric, using double knitting, from the initial single piece, which is then grafted closed.  I even used her version of grafting which uses knitting needles instead of a tapestry needle.

 

I can't work out which, end of the scarf, is which on the above photo! If you have it in your hands and stretch it open you can just about work it out, but is the only way.

I haven't learnt all these techniques in the last three years, I only learnt them in time to do this project, but the difference in my knitting skill is I knew to go looking for them.  I knew there was a way to have nice stretchy cast on and cast off edges, so I went looking for them, and I have the resources to find them.  I knew how to do a selvedge and I knew to alternate skeins of yarn to avoid pooling and a marked change to the yarn.  I didn't know those skills three years ago.  My new skills mean I have a beautiful scarf, which I even blocked because I wanted it to be the ultimate ribbed scarf.

It drapes beautifully, it feels soft and elegant and I LOVE it! I couldn't be happier. All the effort to utilise new found skills have made a real difference to how this scarf turned out. No one but another knitter would see those differences, but they make all the difference to me.  I hope that it signifies how far I have come in my attitude to knitting.  I want to make everything in the best way that I can.  I want to be able to take pride in my knitting.  I also want to keep learning everything I can as I become more confident in my knitting skills.  I never want to stand still and say - I'm a good enough knitter now.  One of the things I love about knitting is that you can never know everything.  I'll never have to stop learning.

To see what other people have learnt, click on the button!

Spectra

When I had my burst of energy last week (yes that was the last time it happened) I took a couple of photos of my latest WIP.

Isn't it glorious?  I love Noro colour changes but they can sometimes be a bit scratchy on the skin.  Having this smooshy yarn from Countess Ablaze on the outside edges is going to make it a divinely soft scarf.  I am pretty sure I'm going to be buying more of this yarn because is it is gorgeous to knit with and I know it will be wonderful to wear.  I love the subtle colour of the semi-solid as the contrast to the vivid colour changes of the Noro.

This is how far I had progressed last week when I took the photo.  I'm much further a long now.  I'm enjoying this knit so much, as it is easy to memorise and the colour changes draw you along.  You find yourself saying "just one more wedge".

I think I want to keep this scarf.  I really should find someone who wants it, but I love it too much to give away.

That's all I've got to share this week, click the button and have a look at other people's photos as well!

Actual Photos of an Actual Finished Project Shocker!

Well after all my talk of not worrying about blogging, yesterday I had a burst of energy and decided to exploit that burst and take some snaps.  I was sensible and decided to go "Old Skool" and NOT use the tripod or worry too much about lighting and using the light tent.  This means that photos are very like those taken, when this blog was first starting out, but at a slightly improved resolution, because I have a better camera.

The main reason I wanted to record a couple of my projects was the looming of birthdays.  Two of my projects will soon be wrapped up and sent away from my camera!  I will share the first of these projects today.  I will save the other one for next week - to spread out the joy of photos ;-)

I think the last time I spoke about this project was at the beginning of July.

This lovely project didn't take very long at all to knit, what took the time, was blocking it.  I don't think I will ever get over what a difference blocking makes to ALL projects.

Look at how the stitches all line up beautifully after blocking.  Even the back looks good.

I will miss this project.  The yarn is very soft and drapey.

The bamboo content of this scarf blended with the merino really is a perfect combination for scarf yarn.  It is soft and light, with less chance of overheating the wearer!

It's a great length too as it can be looped artistically or doubled up and threaded through the loop, like above.  It gives the wearer options about how they use the scarf.

To remind you of the details of this scarf:

Yarn: Daisy 4 ply by Posh Yarns (80% merino, 20% bamboo)
Pattern: Favorite Scarf Ever by Lisa Bruce
Project Page: Ravelry Page

To see other finished projects to inspire you, click on the button.