Laura Kate

Travel Project Frogged

Posted on July 16, 2024July 15, 2024 by Laura Kate

In my last knitting post, I was starting a pair of socks worked with stash yarn.

https://dailyfiberfun.com/2024/06/25/casting-on-to-travel/

The yarn in question is Roslyn, by Cascade.

Well, the long and short of this story is that Roslyn is unsuited for socks. (Some of my readers tried to tell me that.) When I really paid attention to how the yarn behaved, it told me that it wanted to be a shawl. So, before we left for our trip, I ripped the sock off my needles and cast on a shawl.

I would really like to share the pattern I am using but alas, it eludes me. I remember printing it, using the printout to get started, memorizing the stitch pattern and then putting the paper pattern aside. It’s probably somewhere in Canada.

**Photo taken in my Calgary hotel room.**

The good news is that my stash yielded four coordinating yarns in fingering weight to give color variation to this simple pattern for a point-to-point shawl with picot border. Since I was knitting on the fly, I decided to improvise the color changes.

There is no pattern just some rules. The olive-colored Roslyn will be the background yarn, continued throughout the project. The four colors will rotate in and out at a fairly regular pace. Every so often, I will throw in a ridge of eyelet lace.

Oh, and the bright red yarn will appear only in single ridges, separated by the background yarn. It reminds me of pin striping.

This shawl could easily go on for weeks at this rate. It is a soothing knit.

I reserve the right to change a rule here or there, if it suits me.

Living Life Well

ReEntry Week

Posted on July 15, 2024 by Laura Kate

It’s been several weeks since my last post. I have update on my recent fiber fun, but first I’d like to share some Alberta photo.

Lake Moraine. Standing on top of an ancient rock slide. Ten peaks in the background.

View of Banff from the Cascade of Time garden.

Standing on the Athabasca glacier. This is near Canada’s intercontinental divide. Waters flow in three directions: to the Atlantic, Pacific and Arctic oceans.

This post was sent from my phone, so I am keeping it short. My computer is having internet connectivity issues. I’ll try later to post about knitting, quilting and painting.

knitting

Casting on to Travel

Posted on June 25, 2024June 25, 2024 by Laura Kate

It’s really heating up here in Oklahoma. Thankfully, the husband and I are headed for cooler climes: Alberta, Canada. Since our trip includes airplanes and bus rides, it is essential to my nervous system that I knit. My go-to travel project is socks.

I have two skeins of this wool and silk blend in my stash. It swatches out as a dk, with around 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 stitches per inch, depending on the needle. Husband loves the color. I am skeptical that the yarn will hold up to the rigors of sock-wearing.

The silk portion appears to be raw silk. (I’m guessing it’s in the little pale nubs.) My understanding of raw silk is that it is spun from cocoons after the caterpillar has chewed its way out. Maybe if I double the yarn, it will be stronger?

I have chosen a lovely pattern by Purl Soho featuring a twisted rib stitch, with crossovers, called House Socks.

https://www.purlsoho.com/create/2022/08/25/house-socks/

The pattern suggested that I swatch in the round using 34 stitches and the twisted rib. The results are this tiny and cute cuff.

I didn’t quite get gauge, but it’s close. Husband’s foot is rather wide, so I am confident that I can get a good fit.

Anyone have an opinion to share about this yarn?

quilting

Fabric Strips Saga: Chapter Three

Posted on June 19, 2024 by Laura Kate

My obsession with strips continues. First, let me share an image of the pieced abstract landscape that I have been working on most recently.

The work at this stage looks about as I expected, although I feel kind of let down by it. I’m also stumped as to how I will proceed with the surface embellishments and quilting. As I ponder, I have laid it aside.

Leftover strips are hanging out, and they keep drawing my attention. I started noodling around with them, cutting and sewing together. Since I had used the 1- and 1/4-inch-wide strips for the landscape art quilt, I wondered what else I could do with this size. Pulling out some 2 and 1/2 inch scraps, I start sewing strips together, again.

Well geez, first I need a little bit of structure to this game. How about a palette? I decide to try analogous colors. Pulling out my color wheel, I spun it around to show that teal blue color in the center, surrounded by its four closest relatives.

Now I am really in my comfort zone. My stash contains many scraps in this range, leftovers from some favorite projects.

If I sew two thin strips on either side of a 2 1/2 inch precut, then cut that piece down to four inches, I get a nice-looking square block. I decided to stick to monochromatic fabrics for each. Here are some examples.

Combining four of these gives me a seven and 1/2 inch square.

What if I sew four of these together?

Hm. To me it looks too busy while also looking kind of boring. I can do better.

How about inserting some sashing? I have a longing to try dark background fabric with this palette.

Now we’re talking. But to get more negative space into the picture, I could put the blocks on point and space them out with a background block.

Ah, the drama it beginning to happen. I sit down with graph paper and plot out a lap sized quilt using this on-point configuration.

This could be wonderful. Perhaps I can create focal points in the dark blocks by inserting some bits of hand-painted fabric. Something like this leaf, which is left over from my very first quilt.

Gosh I feel better. Going from a vague notion to a planned design is so satisfying. Even though I had no intention of sewing up another lap quilt, I’m ready to go. The trick will be to buy as little fabric as possible and still get the look I want. I’m up for that challenge as well.

knitting

Friday Finish – Baby Jacket from Stash Yarn

Posted on June 14, 2024June 13, 2024 by Laura Kate

Even though the description on the pattern suggested that I would finish in 5 hours, I took my time. It actually took me five evenings to finish this project.

The pattern I used is by Franklin Habit:

https://images4-g.ravelrycache.com/uploads/franklin/511695736/webp/fwf-61-threequarter-5hbj_small2.webp#jpg

Front view of jacket. I used a vintage button from my mother’s collection.

Back View

It really was a delightful knit. I am so thrilled that the yarn combination created an interesting and sturdy fabric. I held two yarns together to achieve the look.