Tag: Malabrigo

Posted in knitting

Unraveled Wednesday: Autumn Bloom

Posted on by Laura Kate

Dear friends

Thanks for letting me join your monthly Wednesday knitting show and tell. Today I have photos of the pullover finished recently for my daughter. Her friend Krystal kindly snapped some photos.

I was gratified to find that it fit her perfectly. This is a version of Autumn Bloom by Olga Putano Designs available on Ravelry.com. My modification is in the sleeve. Daughter did not want the stranded panel included in the pattern, which mimics the yoke design. Instead I worked the contrasting yarns into the very deep cuffs by knitting them with a corrugated rib stitch.

Using the gold Malabrigo yarn was a little tricky. I had skeins from multiple dye lots, so they didn’t really go together. I blended two different toned skeins by alternating each round. The two strands are twisted together at the center back.

The multi colored yarn in the yoke is Knit Picks Hawthorne dk in colorway Foster Powell. I also used a skein of Swish in colorway moss.

And that will satisfy my desire to knit sweaters for awhile. Projects planned for 2025 completion are mostly accessories and socks. But don’t quote me on this. When I come across an amazing yarn or pattern, I’m not shy about changing my plans.

To see the work of other Ravelers, click here.

Posted in knitting

Wednesday WIP and 2025 Knitting projects in the Queue

Posted on by Laura Kate

For all my blogging knitters, this is an update. While I haven’t posted about knitting in some time, my needles have been clicking away, and my project queue is longer than ever. Let’s start with this pull-over/jumper.

I am knitting it for dear daughter, and this week I finished the body. Since she and I are roughly the same size, I knew that if it fit my body, it would fit hers. Ta da! It fits. Those interested, the gold yarn is Malabrigo Rios in colorway Frank Ochre The contrasting yarn in the yoke is from KnitPicks – Hawthorne dk in Foster Powell multi and Swish in Moss. She chose the pattern from a selection of patterns in Ravelry. It’s called Autumn Bloom , designed by Olga Putana.

So last week, I went through my project bags and my yarn closet and discovered that I have Four WIP’s and Five New Projects lined up with pattern and yarn secured. That’s way more than I thought. And yes, I am guilty of buying yarn lately. In my defense, it was All On Sale.

I won’t bore you with the WIPs today (pretty sure that I’ve written about each of them in 2024.) But here is what I am planning to knit this year, once I get WIPs done:

I know this post is light on photographs, sorry friends. It’s late and I am tired. I promise to do a charming photo shoot of all the new yarns in my stash, once the weather improves. In the meantime, remember to stay calm and keep knitting.

Posted in colorwork, knitting

Autumn Blooms

Posted on by Laura Kate
LOOK UP!

This past week I cast on a project that has been in my queue most of the summer. It is a pullover sweater for Mandy, using some Malabrigo Rios yarn as the main color.

I was thunderstruck to see that my palette is a near match for the colors I see outside right now. The gold color is 035 Frank Ochre and I purchased it online from Jimmie Beans. The two contrasting colors are from Knitpicks: Hawthorne dk in Foster Powell Multi and Swish dk in Moss.

My daughter chose the pattern from three or four options I gave her out of my Ravelry favorites. She liked Autumn Bloom by Olga Putano.

It is knit top down starting with a very beautiful and somewhat complex yoke.

In this photo I have worked to the point where the main color is joined. When that happens, the knitter is faced with working three yarns at the same time for about four rounds – slow and tricky work involving a lot of catching the long floats of unused strands under the working yarn.

Here is my progress with the yoke chart completed.

In the bright sunlight, the colors almost glow. That gold will definitely brighten up a dark winter day when sunshine is rare.

The project is almost to the point where a fitting is required. I have some doubts and fears about sizing and whether my stranded knitting will block out smoothly. Since I won’t have access to the recipient for another four weeks or so, I would be wise to cool my needles and put the project aside until the next time we are together.

Posted in knitting

Cast-on Monday: A Kate Davies Sock

Posted on by Laura Kate

Summer is on its way, and that means knitting small, portable projects. Reaching into my yarn closet, I brought out a stashbuster bag all ready to go, using Kate Davies’ sock pattern Mary Delany.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mary-delany

I purchased this pattern on Ravelry a few years back when KDDesigns was offering a sale. This will be my second cast- on using it. The first time I followed the pattern pretty closely, but substituted a more “manly” looking chart, since I was knitting socks for dear husband. This time I happily followed Kate’s stranded pattern of little flowers. So far, it has been a joy to work.

My yarns are acquired from three different companies. The beautiful deep tonal blue is Malabrigo Ultimate Sock in a color called Azul Profundo. I purchased it from Jimmy Beans. The aqua tonal yarn is Knitpicks Hawthorne. I’ve mislaid the band and so don’t know the colorway. And the tiny bit of red to be used in the toe and the ribbing is from Hobby Lobby. The box store briefly offered a line of wool + nylon fingering weight yarn in various colors. It turned out to be not-so-good and has since disappeared from the shelves.

Here’s my start. I cast on using the winding cast on method. It is described perfectly in Kate’s pattern, and I had no trouble at all finishing the first toe.

Yesterday while watching PBS, I managed to get most of the foot finished. It now measures 8 and 1/2 inches long.

Front of foot
Back of foot showing the heel increases

This pair of socks will be for ME. Wearing hand knit socks makes me feel pampered. It is a small and affordable luxury.

What new project are you undertaking? Do share.