Monday, May 28, 2007

Turbulence Pullover

Deciding that making a short-sleeved version of the Turbulence Pullover would be fun, I embarked on changing little bits of the pattern as gracefully as I could. First, I used a divine bamboo/cotton blend yarn in a very luminous purple - six balls of Valley Yarns bamboo from www.yarn.com. It is soft and silky. The bits of bamboo fiber are darker than the cotton, so that when you look closely at this yarn, it is not solid. It tends to split very easily, so I do not recommend using pointy needles. I am lazy, so I translated the pattern to work the bottom in the round, and split the top into the two seperate sections. I added waist shaping, but not quite enough. I also should have worked the set in sleeves, but lack of motivation won again, and I just picked up the stitches - which made this shirt look a tad strange. Now that I am done with it, I love the way it feels against my skin. I am not even sure that it will need to be blocked, although I may do this tomorrow.



I am trying to think of a way to make the phyllo yoked pullover much smaller, and almost completely in the round..I think I could split the two pieces when the pattern needs it...could anyone help me with this?

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Spiral scarf finished


Here is my finished Spiral Scarf, which I started last weekend. You can read about the yarn here. I used bamboo dpns size 3.5mm. The largest hexagon now has 25 sts along the side, and there are 14 hexagons.
I like how it turned out - I think I found a good application for this yarn.

Friday, May 18, 2007

Ram's Horn Jacket

I stumbled across the Ram's Horn Jacket through another Aussie blog about a week or so ago and immediately purchased Knitting Nature, ordered the yarn, which arrived three days later, and began knitting.
I'm using a Bendigo yarn (Rustic, colour Peppercorn) and so far it seems to be working well. I went up a needle size then recommended for this yarn to a 5mm to get gauge, which worked out exactly, as well, the fabric still looks good. I choose this yarn as it was immediately available to me in Oz and the colour was so close to the photo of the jacket.

The right front is complete, now working on the left front. Such an easy knit so far, but really looking forward to knitting and attaching the collar to complete this fabulously, stylish jacket.
You can also follow my progress on my blog.


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Turbulence Calmed


All is calm on the Turbulence U-Neck Pullover, it is done! I love the fit, it suits me well, and I am happy to say, "finished!" The sleeves did come out a little longer than I had measure (they are supposed to three-quarter length) my came out between full length and 3/4s. I like it though, because I love a pushed up sleeve, so it works for me. I really loved doing the half-twisted ribbing, it made the ribbing more detailed looking. There were other surprises in the design, like the make one at the cuffs to the elbow were by making a stitch between two stitches which created a lovely yarn over hole on both sides of the seam. And the neck was fun, applied after sewing together the front and back on one side and then picking up stitches along neckline in a knit, knit, purl bind-off for the three rows added! Well, back to the lacy summer knit sweater.


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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Spiral Scarf is finally done


Finally I finished my first project out of Knitting Nature with the Spiral Scarf.

I worked with 200 gr Regia Bamboo colour 1066 double-stranded on 3.5 mm bamboo-dpns .

To be honest: I was really happy when I had finished the spiral scarf. At first it was fun to knit the hexagons but then it was really boring. I sew some little push-buttons in order to hold the wider end of the scarf on the shoulder.

I still have to get used to wear the scarf in public because I always think I wear a chain of pot-holders. I hope this impression will fade in time ...

Nevertheless: One of my next projects will be another design from Norah Gaughan. This time it will be the multidirectional cabled shrug called "capecho" which was presented in the winter-issue of Vogue Knitting.

Creative greetings from Germany
Susanne

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Monday, May 14, 2007

Spring is here!


This is the finished Basalt Tank I've been working on. It looks very smooth and I can't wait to wear it around. The hemp has softened up a bit, and it will be a long lasting durable garment. Elizabeth Lavold's Hempathy would be good to make bags and purses from. It is also the exact gauge Norah Gaughan's pattern calls for. I knit the front center hexagon in the round, as the back (my first attempt, has the dreaded seam everyone here has mentioned). I should have added waist shaping, because it is a wee bit boxy on me, but I am very happy with the result.

I am watching a tiny bird dive through the railing and past my feet in this photo. It was quite the pilot. So fast you can't see it in this picture.

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I've started the Spiral Scarf


I'm already knitting the Bubble Pullover, and now I've started the Spiral Scarf, which I guess will soon be finished since it is such a rapid knit - I find it so hard to put it away since I can always "just finish the next hexagon" :)

It is knitted from this blue yarn, which is one strand of mohair mixed with a 2-ply strand, that changes colour between black, yellow, turquoise, and pink - I think this strand is made of cotton and maybe polyamide.
I made my largest hexagon with 24 sts along the sides, i.e. two more than the pattern calls for, to make the scarf a little larger. By now, I have made 8 hexagons, starting with the largest one.

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Basalt Tank

As this is my first post here, I'd like to say thank you to the blog organizer. I first saw this book about a year ago when I was learning to knit, and I wanted to work my way up to being able to knit these beautiful patterns. Now I feel confident, and am very excited about making several of these (I think unique) patterns.

My Basalt Tank is happily blocking out. It was an easy knit, but it took me a long time - I think due to the yarn I used. Elizabeth Lavold's Hempathy was a bit easy to snag, and bled a little in the blocking process. If it softens up a bit, I will not be disappointed by this yarn. I still don't think I would use it again. It took just under four balls to make the xs size with half hexagons at the sides. It is an airy knit with size four needles, but this does not distract from the pattern. I will post a picture of me in it when it is done drying.

One of my goals in this blog is to accurately describe the different kinds of yarn I use for each project. I love it when people critique yarn. I never buy yarn in person, so research is a must, and I don't see enough of it out there.

I am also thinking about making the Phyllo Yoked Pullover, but I am near certain that a size 36" xs will fall off of me. I am closest to a 32" but this knit looks like it could be a little loose...I have no idea how to size it down to a 33-34" top as of yet. I will be grateful for any input on this matter.

I look forward to seeing more projects by everyone, and in general, shooting the breeze about these knits.

Crystal

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Saturday, May 12, 2007

Too warm for wool?


I eventually received my yarn from the US all the back to France. I could benefit from sales at Web's. Well, it's still the most expensive sweater I will knit so far, but this time I really wanted to have the exact matching yarn for my Serpentine. I may well start my project only in a couple of month (and do another one) as it's getting towards summer. I am participating to another french KAL "Lace & summer yarns".Maybe Sand Dollar with a Bamboo Yarn will do??

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Tuesday, May 08, 2007

Finished Roundabout Tank

Here is the finished Roundabout Leaf Tank. I've been done for nearly a month now, but i haven't had time until recently to get it photographed.
It's knit in Kollage Cornucopia, a 100% corn braided tape yarn. I highly recommend the yarn to anyone, but especially those interested in alternative fibers.
I have to admit, the shot isn't great, the fact that my boyfriend is right next to me hides part of the tank, and his hand is not placed properly to get a good picture. So another shot is in order at some point, and perhaps i'll even be smiling in that one...





Unlike a previous comment on the fit of a roundabout, i find that i love the way the garment clings and shapes to me. Perhaps that has to do with the yarn. and the fact that i'm relatively young and in shape. It turned out longer than i anticipated. I would have stopped a full rotation earlier had i been paying more attention and following the pattern less. But i like the longer fit as well, even if it wasn't what i was going for.

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Sunday, May 06, 2007

Knitting Nature in France



















Hi ! My name is Mimosa and I'm French .
I'd like to thank Lilikoiknits who let me join this great knit-along.

I love Norah Gaughan's patterns and I find that "Knitting Nature " is a wonderful book . I fell in love with that shawl pattern and had to find yarn to substitute for Harrisville cashmere .


















I chose Sublime extra fine merino wool dk and knitted a swatch gauge which corresponds to the pattern .

To be continued ...

(If you want to see more of me , my knitting blog is here .)

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Bubble Pullover in progress

I just wanted to post a picture of my Bubble Pullover progress. I posted earlier on this item too, however I had to frog it, because it was too small with my smaller gauge. Now I'm knitting away again - one sleeve, the bottom rib, and the collar are yet to come. I also need to find some funny buttons for it. I'd like to have some in the same style as So Much Fun, but I haven't figured out there to find some yet.

Saturday, May 05, 2007

Turbulence U-Neck Pullover







Thanks for allowing me to contribute to this great blog you have going! I live in South Metro Denver, CO. I have lived many places and I believe Denver to be the mecca of yarn stores and knitters - at least in the USA! Oh, I love green yarn, then blue (as in indigo or larkspur blue). Please visit my blog, Larkspur Studio to see what I am up to and please comment (I need insights to what I am doing). Enough with the intro.

Last week I went to a LYS (Strings, A Knitting Boutique) yearly blowout sale and picked up this Queensland Katmandu DK (half off), thinking I could easily make the Ram's Horn Jacket, only to be disappointed, not enough and guage all wrong. I don't know why I was so disappointed? Only because, I turn back to my favorite piece in the whole book to see that, yes, the gauge is correct, and I HAVE BOUGHT EXACTLY THE RIGHT AMOUNT OF SKEINS! I immediately swatched on 4's and 6's. Washed, blocked, and got amazing results. Sunday's start, to Wednesday finishing the back! Yesterday I started the front, got up early this Saturday morning and arrived to the paatern portion to the top of the front. I hope to finish the front tonight!

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Thursday, May 03, 2007

Phyllo Yoked Pullover Alert!

There is a phyllo in progress in London!

It is my first adult sized knit and the jumper involves techniques that I have not tried before e.g. final construction on circulars.

I am halfway up the second sleeve and the back, front and other sleeve are waiting impatiently for me to get to the point where I put them all together onto a circular needle, ready to do the yoke...I am really looking forwards to this bit!

I am posting progress on my ORK blog and will update here when I have something more interesting than stocking stitch to show you all.

Apologies for very null 'Blog Owner' name, I run a newsletter blog for a small sports club...and I like to keep the different elements of my life a little bit separate!

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Tuesday, May 01, 2007

Sierpinski scarf

After studying fractals in my math-for-non-math-majors class, I decided to knit the Sierpinski scarf. I love chunky scarves, so I'm just using dishcloth cotton yarn I have on hand, with several different shades.

You can see a picture of the scarf in progress at my blog, Marvelous Things.