Posted in colorwork, knitting

Autumn Blooms

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

Friday Finish – no, really

Yes, I know it’s Saturday. I photographed the image above yesterday. It is Little Whiskey, a sweet cape pattern for a little girl designed by Erica Jackofsky.

This morning, I sewed on Laura Lu’s prized button and took the garment out to the garden for a photo session.

The pattern was easy to follow. Because I didn’t quite get gauge, I cast on extra stitches and followed the instructions for the next larger size. Ultimately, the process of washing and blocking widened out the knitting, but didn’t add any length, which is a good thing. I got the length I was aiming for.

Wrong side view, close up of lace pattern

The lace pattern was not difficult, except for the popcorn stitch, which the designer called Nupps. They are kind of hard to see in the photos. They add some texture to what is mostly stockinette knitting. They also echo the picot edge stitches nicely.

This capelet will go with us on our next trip to Wisconsin. At that time, I’ll get a photo of the recipient wearing it, and know for sure if the fit works.

Posted in knitting

Cast-on Monday: A Shawl for Laura

It’s a lovely day for casting on a new project. Today I started knitting a capelet for my granddaughter. Last May she asked me to make her a shawl. I chose this pattern

https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-whiskey

instead of a shawl, in the theory that the button will help keep on her shoulders while she rushes about her business. She specified that it be white – a bit of a surprise, but then, maybe her favorite princesses and fairies wear white capes. She also handed me a button, obviously found and scrupulously saved for just this moment.

The yarn was purchased at my number one favorite yarn store, North Wind Book and Fiber Store in Spooner, WI.

It is a light dk. Incredibly soft, it is made from 80% Merino Superwash wool and 20% bamboo. I was keen to see how well it performs.

There are four sections of lace in the body of the cape, so I don’t think this project will work for travel knitting. For our up-coming trip, I will continue working on the improvised shawl project that I carried while cruising through Canada in early July.

Posted in knitting

Friday Finish – Baby Jacket from Stash Yarn

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.

Now there are two less balls of yarn in my stash. With the ball of yellow yarn remaining, I plan to knit some baby beanies.

Anyone out there in Blogville have some patterns to suggest?

Posted in knitting

Finished Object or no? A Tale of Two Socks

Yesterday I got to the top of my second Mary Delany sock. Today I cast it off. While technically, I am finished knitting the pair, there is a small geographical glitch.

Sock no. two hanging in the garden, clipped to a tomato cage. It looks pretty good.

One foot cozy and warm, one left out in the cold.

Sock no. 1, found under a chair in the living room of daughter’s house in Madison.

(sigh)

The fault is my own. I had pulled out the completed sock to compare to the one in progress while I was visiting our loved ones. Apparently, I failed to stuff it back into my project bag before packing up.

There’s good news on all fronts. It was found and daughter agrees to mail it to me. If the U.S. Post office fails to deliver it, I have enough yarn to knit sock no. 3.

If you have a hankering to make a pair like this, the pattern is by Kate Davies, and can be found on her Ravelry site here.