Ravelry – Daily Fiber

Unraveled Wednesday 6-25-25

Posted on June 25, 2025 by Laura Kate

Following along with As Kat Knits, I am posting this progress update on the project I cast on June 2nd.

This is Paper Dolls, a pullover by KDD & Co. As of today, I have knitted up from the bottom about 12 inches.

This is the point where the body is set aside and the cap sleeves are knitted on separate needles. The technique is reminiscent of Elizabeth’s Zimmerman’s Fair Isle Yoke Sweater as published in her 1st newsletter. Eventually stitches for all three parts are loaded onto one long needle and work continues for the yoke.

First sleeve cap complete and waiting for its sister before both join with the sweater body.

A design feature added by Kate Davies is the corrugated rib stitch worked in contrasting yarn for the hems of body and sleeves (as shown in my first photograph.)

This part of the project has been great for television watching, since no stitch counting or pattern checking is required. The next section will require undivided attention, and I work the very cute paper dolls while simultaneously decreasing the yoke stitches. (That makes it sound harder than it really is.)

I must add a shout-out to knitting blogger Alissa Makes who made and gifted me the cute Mer-people project bag.

I love using it – Thanks, Alissa.

As far as reading, I just finished a biography of Salvador Dali’s wife, Gala. It is titled Surreal and written by Michele Gerber Klein. I had no idea how crazy those early 20th century artists were. If you like soap operas, and are not easily shocked, you may enjoy this book. My main complaints are that it is a bit long, and could have used more photographs.

That’s it for me. During this hot sticky heat wave, I hope you, my dear readers, can remain cool, calm and knitting onward.

knitting

Cast on Monday: KDD Pullover

Posted on June 2, 2025June 3, 2025 by Laura Kate

This week-end I got out the knitting needles and settled into a new project. This one has been bagged up in my yarn closet since last year. I am putting to work some Berroco Ultra Alpaca that I purchased – oh, who knows? Anyway, here it is with its two pairings.

The Ultra Alpaca is a 50/50 blend of Peruvian wool and super fine Alpaca. I have loved this yarn since my early days as a knitter when I made a skirt of my own design using a peat moss color and several teal colors of wool from another source. Today I am working it with two Knitpick yarns – Swish in pink and Hawthorne in a speckled dye. The Berroco yarn is not a super-wash, while the other two are. Since they are all the same gauge, I don’t expect any trouble from those superwashes. The main yarn should keep them from stretching inordinately.

Now- the pattern. I’ve chosen a Kate Davies design going back into the aughts, called Paper Dolls. This has been in my Ravelry favorites for quite a while.

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/paper-dolls

https://images4-a.ravelrycache.com/uploads/KDDandco/750184067/New_paper_dolls-79_medium2.jpg

Getting gauge was a problem. Using the suggested needle (US 4) I was off significantly. But the fabric I achieved with this needle looked and felt good, so I just cast on two sizes down. I’m aiming for 40 inch width at the bust. Since this is knit from the body up, I’m pretty confident I’ll know soon enough if it will fit.

If not, I have two fans of my knitting who are smaller than me. Holiday gift giving season isn’t that far off.

If you like the look of this design, I recommend that you check out Kate’s other patterns. This is my second time using a KDD pattern. Her patterns are well written and edited, and give a lot of very useful information. Her partner Tom takes all of the photographs, which are beautiful. He is an artist in his own right.

Friday Finish – A New View

Posted on May 9, 2025 by Laura Kate

Today I will comment on two subjects – fiber first. You see my latest knitted finish. This cowl is designed by Nat Raedwulf, of Wolf and Faun Knits. I chose this for a travel project that exploits the virtues of slipped stitch patterns. She says “the slipped stitch colourwork creates a dense fabric, perfect for keeping one warm…”

I say “Ditto.” It is worked in a soft yarn that is equal parts alpaca, wool and acrylic. (Knitpicks Upcycle Alpaca Blend. I would link you to the yarn on KP site but it appears to be discontinued.) Rivers and Ravens Cowl sits lightly upon the shoulders. I notice some scratchiness, so will wear it over outerwear, such as a jacket or coat.

Now about the view: Our new home is built into a bluff that is at the highest point in the neighborhood. The upper level deck wraps around three sides of the house, yielding a panoramic view. It is simply stunning, especially at sunset. During the past few days, Bill and his camera are rarely indoors. The following photos are mine.

Rooftops and sky. This view extends from the northwest to the northeast sky.

In between opening boxes, we have been getting to know the neighbors and our new town. Dubuque, Iowa is a town just under 60,000 that supports numerous cultural organizations, abundant parks, good libraries and a revitalized downtown along the Mississippi river. We are slowly exploring. Last Sunday it was the Arboretum – I’ll likely have a post about it soon.

My creative projects have been on hiatus too long. Now that my materials are unpacked, I hope to pick up on unfinished works and also begin something new.

Thanks for reading.

knitting

Unraveled Wednesday: Autumn Bloom

Posted on March 26, 2025July 23, 2025 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.

knitting

Wednesday WIP and 2025 Knitting projects in the Queue

Posted on January 29, 2025 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:

Rivers and Ravens Cowl, by Nat Raedwulf in two natural colors of alpaca yarn.
Paper Dolls cap-sleeved vest, by Kate Davies. I have some blue-violet Ultra Alpaca from Berroco for the main color.
Wildwood Crescent Shawl, by Andrea Mowry, in three shades of purple
A pair of socks for Bill, in a self-striping Schachenmayr Regia yarns, purchased from Jimmy Beans Wool.
Felted mittens, using the brown Icelandic wool Mandy gave me Christmas.

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.