My Non-Plan

Mar 112012
 

As promised, I cast on Piper’s Journey on Monday with the Wave 2 KAL Paula is running over on the Knitting Pipeline forum at Ravelry. I used Panolopy of Peacocks fingering from Alisha Goes Around in the Estuary colorway. I am loving knitting with it, the green is rich, deep, and luscious. It reminds me of walking barefoot on moss, and it’s one of those yarns that looks even better knit up than it does in the skein. The garter stitch of the pattern just adds to the decadent feel of it all.

The pattern is easy to knit, a crescent shape that promises to sit nicely on the shoulders. I plan on making it larger, as I’m not the shawlette type, and am anxious to see how my plan is going to work out. What is my plan, you ask? Just keep knitting til it looks large enough to start the edging. Not very scientific, but I’m hoping it works and I don’t end up with a 160 x 22 inch strip. I was thinking of increasing the amount of increases per row, but knew I’d be borrowing trouble, so I’ll see how my Non-Plan works instead.

Rams and Yowes is coming along, and I’m beginning to worry about finishing it by the end of the month. I still have more pattern to knit, then the steek, and then picking up alllll the edge stitches and knitting the border. I can do it if I pledge monogamy for a while, but I’m finding I get restless and need a break from it from time to time. Hopefully I’ll get another burst of Rams mojo going and the rest will be a breeze.

What are you working on?

~Purled

I’m in Love

Mar 042012
 

Tomorrow we start our KAL – that is, both of us joining up with the Second Wave Piper’s Journey KAL by Paula of Knitting Pipeline. I may have let you down in the past KALs, but I promise I am up for this one! I was going to use the Alisha Richness of Martens Fingering from the Cookie A club, like you were, but know that I will want to make this shawl larger rather than smaller. Instead, I’ll use my Alisha Panalopy of Peacocks Fingering in Estuary. I’ll have extra yarn, and it will fit in with the ‘green’ prompt of Muggles Studies in HPKCHC for March. I’ll also be in season with St. Patty’s Day knitting. So it works for me. We cast on tomorrow!

Speaking of KALs in our past gone awry, I have been working on my Island Girls Leaves of Grass shawl. I am SO enjoying it, I just needed to get off to a good start. I’m doing it in between House Cup projects, and am enjoying knitting with Loft. Thanks to Knit Companion, it’s easy to pick up my place even to the exact stitch after putting it down for a few weeks. I just can’t say enough good things about this app. It has completely revolutionized my knitting life. I feel that I can knit anything, no matter how complicated, as it breaks the project down into doable parts.

My Harry Potter Owl Project is coming along nicely. I am over half way done with the colorwork. I am a Steeking Virgin, and I am really looking forward to that part! Once steeked, I’ll need to pick up the stitches all around it an knit a border. I need to get cranking on it. I’m happy with how its working up, and love knitting with the Jamieson’s Shetland. Nice honest work.

Along with my Owl project and Piper’s Journey, I will also be working on Romi Hill’s Katanya. I have no idea as to whether or not I’ll be able to finish it by the end of the month. I’ve been working non stop on it for the past several days, and am done with the solid stockinette portion. It has very subtle beading, and I am using my Wollmeise 100% Vamp. I am totally enchanted with the pattern – I mean head. over. heels. I can’t remember knitting anything I’ve loved as much as this shawl, and have just barely resisted casting on Pulelehua, because now I must knit all the large shawls Romi ever designed. I’ve decided. Each and every one. Though I’ve enjoyed her Muses and small shawls, the larger ones of the pins and lace club have me completely smitten.

I’m in love.

~Purled

Progress Made

Feb 262012
 

I’m making some progress!

First off, my Owl for the House Cup. Rams and Yowes by Kate Davies. It needs to be half done by the end of this month in order to get extra points – though NQFYs don’t actually get points, I’m trying to make a good impression on the Professors in order to hopefully get sorted next term. And, I’m happy to say, that it is over half way done.

This is a really satisfying knit for many reasons. First off, the design is stellar. What Kate did with the seven natural Shetland sheep colors is really a work of art. They flow from one to another in almost a gradient feel, which had to be well thought out. There is also something gratifying in working with natural wool that has only been slightly processed. It feels like good honest knitting, something that Elizabeth Zimmerman would approve of. Also, I can see that my color work is finally improving. As I’ve gone on further in the pattern, I can see the tension becoming much more even. And lastly, as Gigi Knitmore would say, this is truly potato chip knitting. I am always wanting to do ‘just one more road’ to see what the pattern will look like knit up. I can hardly put it down. I’ve enjoyed it so much that I am already thinking of doing another colorwork project, like a larger blanket using the Thistle pattern for my next owl, assuming I can fit it into a prompt. The only thing I can’t decide is whether to use Wollmeise for it, or go again with Shetland, which is so nice and sticky for colorwork. Stay tuned.

I am also working on my Hemlock Ring Blanket, and hope to finish it in the next few days for the House Cup. Hello Edging Hell, I remember you! I began the bind off this afternoon. I’m hoping I saved enough yarn for the bind off. It would totally suck to spend hours and hours only having to rip back if I didn’t. I’ll keep calm and knit on until something tells me different. I’m really glad I finally took the Cascade Eco out of my stash to knit this up. It’s been a nice and cozy knit, and easy as well. Though there are now 0ver 500 stitches to do edging on, it is a quick knit. Use that Eco in your stash for this, and you won’t be sorry.

I’ve also been spinning. Kristen from All Spun Up put up some of her famous Millefiore 50/50 Merino/Silk a few months back and I got a pound. It’s gorgeous stuff, and though it took a while for me to learn to handle the high silk content, once I did, I was off and running. I am falling more and more in love with my new Cherry Matchless. I can’t believe how quiet and smooth she spins. No, she’s still not named yet, but I’m sure it will come to me. But just look at this roving! The colors and the shine are to die for! I’m currently spinning some singles, and have ordered another pound. Yes, that’s right, she’s going to be putting more up again! People wait for months and months to get their hands on this colorway, so if you’re at all interested, go now and sign up! I’m going to get you to spin someday, I just know it!

And lastly, I’ve gone stashdiving to pull out some Wollmeise Digitessa for Yarnissima’s La Digitessa KAL which starts March 1st. It is a gorgeous pattern, and I’m sure I can fit it into some prompt. This is another project that I’ve been holding on to the yarn for for over 2 years. I’m looking forward to casting on!

And, Happy Birthday! I hope you enjoyed! How was it?

~Purled

Blame It On The Cookie

Feb 122012
 

I am using all the self control I possess, (which isn’t all that much, I mean can we talk about the Loop Bullseye Batt update earlier this week?) to ignore any reference you made to the Superbowl. Instead, I will graciously move on to compliment you on your lovely projects. Seriously. That sweater of yours is going to be gorgeous, and I take back any doubting comments I made when you first mentioned casting on for it. Pulelehua is one of my favorite Romi shawls, and I am thinking I will wait to cast on for it until March 1. That way I can turn it in for the House Cup, and I do need to keep knitting away on my Rams and Yowes, my Owl Project for the Harry Potter House Cup, which needs to be half way done by the end of the month.

I have just finished the first repeat of the Rams heads. At first, I was diligently weaving in my floats every other stitch, but in the forums saw that the shetland will felt together on the opposite side since it is so ‘sticky’ of a yarn. That lead me to wrap every 8 stitches or so, and it’s going much quicker. I’m planning on the rumply look blocking out – it will won’t it? (The correct answer here is “Of course it will, you’re a brilliant knitter, I don’t know why you worry about such things.”) I’ve always envied those who can do colorwork and have it look neat and orderly before blocking, and perhaps I just need to do more of it.

I do love the blanket though – or pillow cover as you have called it, since it measures 36 inches square – and will try to make it larger by adding more of a border to it. Half of my problem in beginning this was that a 32 inch circular was too large to knit on comfortably, so I was having to Magic Loop, which I find to be an annoying time sucker. I changed to the 24 Addi Lace Turbo which has a needle which is about 4 inches long and too small for my clodhopper hands. Finally, I had a custom one made by Signature which gave me a 5 inch needle and a total of 29 inch length. It’s perfection.

I also cast on My Imaginary Knitting Boyfriend’s Hemlock Ring Blanket using some Cascade Eco Wool I had purchased for this back in 2009. There is something cleansing about knitting from stash, I’ll admit it, particularly when it’s a project you enjoy. I am planning on turning this in for the House Cup as well, so I need to get cranking on it. It’s bulky weight, so will go fast – I’m on to the Feather and Fan portion at this point.

Speaking of cleansing, as I mentioned earlier, I broke mine when someone came into the office with some gluten free cookies – which were full of processed sugar – right before the Loop Bullseye Batt update. I planned on getting one, maybe two bumps. I love Steph’s products, they are beautifully processed and a dream to spin.

High on sugar, somehow I bought seven. I blame it on the cookie.

~Purled

Happy February!

Feb 012012
 

I’m so glad you liked the swap. I can’t wait to do another!

I’ve been busy and breathed a sigh of relief when Feb 1 arrived. No more pressure to crank out projects for HPCH for January anyway! I never finished the mitts in time though I was close – nor did I finish my Shipwreck Shawl. I did a LOT of spinning instead, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

First up was my Loop Bulls eye batt. This was my first experience spinning from a batt and I am totally sold! No lengthy preparation or predrafting, you can spin right from the bag by just pulling from the middle of the batt. That keeps the color changes in order. It was a lovely blend of merino, bamboo and nepps, which I learned were little balls/tangles of fiber. First it became singles, then I  Navajo plyed it to keep the gradients of color. I only got 236 yards, but am getting better!

I also spun up 508 yards of 3 ply Polwarth/Silk from All Spun Up. I had begun this a few months ago, but lost the end on my bobbin, a problem which could only be solved with a pair of scissors and several glasses of wine. I ended up cutting it off the bobbin – and started again with what was left. I Navajo plied it and was pretty happy with the results. I’m not sure what it will become just yet, but I can wait til the perfect project reveals itself!

In the meantime, I’ll be catching up with my Owl project, Rams and Yowes. It needs to be half done by the end of this month and I’ve barely started!

What projects do you have planned for February?

~Purled

Knitting With Two Colors

Jan 152012
 

Thanks for the Bellybutton Cast On tutorial! It did allow me to start my Island Girl Leaves of Grass, which I’m using Loft for in the Fauna colorway. I’m on chart B now after a false start that left me with five petals instead of four. Don’t ask.

I have been using Knit Companion with this and other projects. You asked me to get back to you on how it is working. After taking the time to look at tutorials, I’m happy to say I’m sold!

One look at a chart and my eyes glaze over. Though I understand the legends and how to use one, my brain works better with written directions.  I’ve tried various methods to keep track, from low tech approaches  such as sticky notes moved row per row to higher tech methods such as Goodreader on my Ipad. Knit Companion has them all beat hands down, and finally I’m convinced that even an impatient dimwit like me can knit anything as long as I’m armed with a slew of stitchmarkers and a well set up project on my Ipad. There are plenty of video tutorials guiding you through setting up a project, which for complicated patterns, might take all of five minutes. Once set up, you can power through seamlessly from chart to chart, with a space at the bottom which can be hidden when you don’t need it, giving you notes on whatever chart you are working on.

Photo courtesy Kate Davies

I’ve spent some time setting up Rams and Yowes, by Kate Davies. I’m planning on doing this for my Owl project this term at HPHC. As the Owl is supposed to be something that “..reflects beauty, elegance, and most importantly, learning to persevere and that you are way more capable than you thought in some way.”, I thought Rams and Yowes would be perfect.

Though I’ve done colorwork before, it has left something to be desired. I knit two handed when doing it, and the tension of the yarn in my left hand isn’t always that even, and even after blocking, I’m not always pleased with the results. Along with that challenge, this blanket is knit in the round, and steeked – more new territory!

I found what appears to be the only US supplier of Jamieson & Smith Natural Shetland in Maryland – Yarns International. I contacted them on Thursday, and my yarn arrived on Saturday! The pattern calls for all 9 colors of Shetland Supreme. The designer says that it is probably the most perfect yarn for colorwork as the shetland blooms nicely while blocking to help with any irregularities in tension that can pop up with colorwork. The yarn is scrumptious looking, and completely dye free. All colors are made by hand sorting of fleece according to color in the wool store. How cool is that? I’ll be swatching today and getting my proposal together. I can’t wait to get going on this!

Fortunately for me, Knitting With Two Colors arrived just in time! It’s put out by Meg Swansen and Amy Detjen at Schoolhouse Press. It even came signed by both authors! It includes helpful tips such as steeking, dealing with tension issues in colorwork, and even walks you through how to design your own colorwork sweater using Elizabeth Zimmerman’s percentage system. You can be sure it will be within reach while working on Rams and Yowes!

All of this has been keeping me busy this weekend, and I’m looking forward to hearing all about Vogue Knitting Live! How was it?

~Purled

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