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Hi guys! This post is a little late in coming because I’m away, but here’s a little something regardless. : )
I claimed Craftster user Rangerbeth for fruit cozies and an eye pillow. Here’s what I came up with:
Pattern: This one from I think I’m gonna purl.
Yarn: Lily Sugar and Cream cotton
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm dpns
Mods: I made the blue one smaller to fit smaller applies, peaches, and plums.
They’re cute! If I ate apples with any regularity, I might make some for myself.
(Note: This picture is courtesy of Rangerbeth because I brilliantly forgot to photograph these.)
I also whipped up some eye/neck/back pillows. They’re filled with rice and a little bit of lavender soap and you can put them in the microwave or the freezer to heat or cool your aches and pains. I might make some for myself cause they were so easy and they’re perfect for using up small scraps of fabric (you could quilt them too). The rice is contained in a smaller bag inside the pretty fabric. I used t-shirt scraps because I didn’t want the rice to leak out all over.
I really LOVE how these came out and I think they’d also make great gifts, so I’ll definitely be making more. Plus, they’re top-stitched. Everything looks better with top stitching. ALSO, I bothered the iron the fabric, which was basically amazing. I love the iron.
I also got my package from the person that claimed me, but as it is at home and I am not, pictures of that will have to wait. I may have other FO’s coming up though, including a tank top.
(click to make bigger)
Pattern: Climbing Vines Pullover from the winter 2008 Interweave Knits
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in Lake Ice Heather
Needles: US 6/4 mm and US 7/4.5 mm Knit Picks Options 24″ circular, also US 7 dpn’s.
Modifications: Knit in the round to the sleeves, sleeves done in the round, lead motif added to wrist of one of the sleeves, length probably added somewhere; I fiddled with the numbers a little.
I really like how this sweater came out. It fits me better than Elizabeth (much closer fit), and the leaves are really distinct and pretty. The sleeves are a little snug but not unwearable. I like it, and come winter I think I’ll wear it a lot.
About the yarn: I like it a lot. It’s quite soft and I am totally in love with this color. I love the subtle blue sections blending with the grey base… It’s lovely. And I love it. I think the yarn is a bit thin for a worsted weight, but it knit up well on the 7’s, so I’m not really complaining. My spit splice (well, I used water) resulted in a weird texture (kind of scraggly) so I’m not sure what the felted fabric would like, but with this sweater, I’m not really itching to find out.
Tomorrow: A swap package. Later: Another knitting FO, the tank top I referred to before. Stay tuned!
Unfortunately, this did not come out how I wanted, despite modifications, so it’s headed for the frogpond (or, well, hibernation I guess because I have a metric fuckton of yellow RHSS and I can’t see needing the yarn from this bag any time soon). It’s not so bad though as I didn’t really need another bag and I prefer to sew purses anyway. *shrug* Here are the specs regardless:
Pattern: DROPS cable bag, 98-54
Yarn: Red Heart Super Saver, in Bright Yellow
Needles: US 8/5 mm Knit Picks Options 24″ and 30″ circular needle
Modifications: Many. Cast on fewer, made the increase and decrease rows less steep, lengthened the cable panel for a larger bag, made the cables wider (4×4 instead of 3×3, which actually made a huge difference) probably effed up the bottom bit (I basically just decreased, did garter for a while, then seamed the bottom using Kitchener stitch). I also cast on with a provisional cast on and knit the top garter band later because I wanted to see how my CO number would work and also I was anxious to get to the cables to see how they would work out. Planned to line with pretty pink fabric and use a chain handle, but didn’t get that far.
In happier news, the Climbing Vines pullover is nearly done. I have the entire body knit as well as a sleeve and a half. The other sleeve will probably be done by Tuesday. I’m also working on a special present for my friend Sarah’s birthday (if you’re reeeeally curious, Sarah can be found in the second ever post of this blog, modeling a hat, a crochet calorimetry, and a scarf thing), which I am planning to mail to her Tuesday. When she gets it, I’ll post pictures here. I also started a pair of gloves, mostly because I wanted something small I could knit while at Busch Gardens (Williamsburg) with some friends today. They have fingers, so they’ll be taking a little longer, but they will happen, and pictures will happen here. ALSO, there’s swap stuff (yes, another one). So stay tuned for lots more posts about finished things.
So my mother is a frequent yard sale shopper. I occasionally like to go with her, but this morning I had to work so I did not go. Fortunately, my mother kept me in mind and picked up a gallon-sized ziplock bag of buttons! (It wasn’t full, but still.) Many of them were the extra buttons you get with clothes with buttons, and while most of them were boring two or four hole flat buttons, there were a couple of really cool shank buttons, brass with vaguely nautical themes:
But my favorite of all the buttons is this tiny little heart-shaped one:
So now my button box is almost full! Here’s a gratuitous shot off all of my buttons:
And now for some actual knitting content. I have two projects on the needles currently, because you know, I thought I’d just keep the project orgy going. Yeah. Anyway, I have a DROPS cable bag and the Climbing Vines Pullover from the winter IK. Both are slow going because they’re either cables/ribs or require me to follow a chart. I prefer to knit on the pullover because, as I am using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, it is lovely to knit on, and the pattern is challenging and interesting (even though I hate charts). I am knitting the bag because I really would like to have the bag, not so much because I enjoy knitting it. I am using Red Heart Super Saver because I wanted something cheap and easy to wash, though in retrospect, I should have just sucked it up and gotten some Plymouth Encore or something. *shrug* I’m slogging through it, bolstered by the fact that it’s really cute and I have adorable pink lining fabric.
More details on those will come later, when I get a little further into the construction. I mostly just wanted to show off my buttons. : )
Pattern: Everlasting Bagstopper by Amy Singer (Knitty)
Yarn: Lily Sugar and Cream Cotton in Jute (2 balls)
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm 24″ circular (Susan Bates, and then I switched to Knit Picks Options)
Modifications: Used a smaller needle and knit the bottom until I liked the size. Followed the directions through the pattern bit, then basically just did a couple rows of garter stitch. I don’t know what the actual directions say cause I didn’t read that far. The strap is just a hair ribbon thing that I tied on.
I still might put in a lining because I don’t really like the way it pulls and sags when I’ve got stuff in the bag. I also might put some plastic canvas or something in the bottom so it has a rectangular bottom instead of that pulling and sagging. But then again, I might not. But I don’t know how much use I’ll get out of this as is. So I’ll probably line it. Eventually.
In the last days of the final semester of my freshman year of college, I whipped out a little white shrug, partly to use up yarn, partly because I’d been meaning to make that particular pattern, and mostly because I felt I needed a shrug to wear over strapless dresses and tank tops.
Specs:
Pattern: Minisweater by Stephanie Japel
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Needles: US 9/5.5 mm Circular (The very annoying Susan Bates one)
Modifications: Scrapped the puffy sleeves and did regular raglan increases til the sleeves fit. Also scrapped the edging. I’m not sure what’s up with that. Has anyone actually knitted the edging on that sweater?
Anyway, the fit is fantastic and the Simply Soft actually works quite well in this pattern. I wouldn’t knit a whole sweater out of it because I imagine it would sag like hell, but it works for a little shrug. I think I will wear it a lot. : )
So I’m officially home for the summer, which is less than great, but it does mean I have lots of time for knitting and blocking and sewing and other such crafting. Which means I’ve finally had time to finish and block and photograph the Superman sweater. And I looove it.
Specs:
Pattern: Button Me Up by Lauren Chau (I really like her patterns, actually).
Needles: US 8/5 mm
Yarn: About 2.5 skeins of Ella Rae Classic in red and a half a skein of Lion Wool in blue.
Modifications: Pretty much ignored the sleeve instructions and did what I wanted, ignored the striping pattern because a stripe across the boobs looks good on no one. Probably made it longer, cause I do that. Long torso. Made the ribbing shorter. Don’t need five inches of 2×2 rib on my stomach and also I hate knitting ribbing. Also, did the button band different (one button) mostly because I fail at reading directions and did it incorrectly, though I like my mod.
So, I’m totally in love with this sweater and it’s definitely my favorite sweater that I’ve made to date. It fits wonderfully, it was fun/quick to make, and I love the color scheme. I am a huge fan of this sweater. Unfortunately, it’s made of wool and it’s currently almost May, so that’s a bit of a bummer. It almost definitely won’t be cold enough to actually wear it for a couple of months. 
Maybe I’ll be able to wear it around the house. My bedroom is a good 10 degrees (at least) colder than the rest of the house, and I actually have a little air conditioner back there. Hmm… I’ll find an occasion to wear it. : )
The yarn is nice, but it’s a little itchy, so I would definitely wear a long sleeved shirt under it. It’s lovely though.
Also, one more picture:
Meet Elizabeth, the mannequin bust my mother picked up for me in Florida over spring break. The size is off, but since I’ll mostly use it for modeling FO’s (easier to take pictures of it than myself) it’ll be close enough.
Currently on the needles: Various swap things, a string bag (Everlasting Bagstopper, if you’re curious), and fixing to be either a cabled bag (I need to get yarn for it though) or Climbing Vines pullover. I also recently finished a shrug, pictures of which will be up shortly/whenever I get around to it. They’ll probably be on Elizabeth. Cause that is WAY more convenient. : )
Another triangle scarf, because I like them.
Specs:
Pattern: None, it’s just a big triangle with some yo’s.
Yarn: Bernat Satin Sport in Seashore (love the color, not a big fan of the yarn)
Needles: US 6/4 mm
(More pics on this projects Ravelry Page
It’s basically a huge triangle of stockinette and I got bored, so I cast off a little too soon (because I’m project monogamous, so I couldn’t just start a new one). I still have about half a ball of the yarn left and the scarf is a wee bit too small, but it works and I rather like it anyway. It’s acrylic, so that was no fun, and the yarn was really splitty, so I had to pay attention and it wasn’t quite the mindless knit I had in mind.
Also, this was my first time using yarn thinner than worsted. I still prefer worsted and above, though the sport wasn’t too bad and it’s really more of a dk weight anyway. I ordered some fingering when I ordered from KP, but that will get turned into lace (or possibly Clapotis) so it won’t be too bad. I like knitting lace and it will be sufficiently complicated to keep me entertained.
So the Superman Sweater is finished… mostly. The knitting is all done and I even sewed on a button, but I seem to have lost the only tapestry needle I have at school, so unfortunately, I will either need to haul my ass down to Benjamin Franklin and buy some more (probably… Wednesday) or wait until I get home (May 2) to track down the pack I bought over winter break and promptly proceeded to lose in my pig sty of a bedroom before I’d even open the package. Win. So anyway, I haven’t woven in the ends of Superman and I probably won’t until at LEAST Wednesday and it also hasn’t been washed or blocked. That will happen… eventually. Also swap things are, as I’ve said, on hold until I get home because I lack the right supplies.
Also, finals are this upcoming week.
I only have three and they’re on Monday and Tuesday, so they’re not extremely stressful, but one of them kind of is because the professor giving it is a rather terrible teacher and I am still not entirely certain exactly what will be on the test.
Which, of course, means I need a simple, stress-free, but still pretty, knit to get me through finals:
I’ve been working on a simple triangle scarf of my own (admittedly very very simple) design. This is my first time using sport weight, so, you know, that’s tons of fun, but it’s on US 6/4 mm needles so it’s not too bad. And the yarn (Bernat Satin Sport in Seashore) is very pretty, even if it is acrylic. It’s quite soft and silky, so I imagine it will be lovely to wear on cooler spring/fall/summer days. Also, the colors are very pretty and just like the seashore. Ocean blue, sun shiny yellow, beige sand… I love it. All the pleasure of the beach without the grimy sand, sunburn, gross saltwater, and having to be in a bikini while creepy strange old men try to stare without my noticing. Ahem.
Speaking of acrylic yarn… I’ve gone of it a bit lately. Probably because I have more experience with better fibers. It’s still good for some things, but I find that on the whole, I much prefer plain wool. And you can certainly find wools for almost as cheap as acrylic, and wool is much better for the environment, on my hands, and it, like, breathes, which is more than I can say for acrylic. Acrylic yarn certainly still has its place in blankets that will need to be washed, toys that need to be indestructible, and learning new techniques. If I mess something up horribly in acrylic, no harm no foul, but if I screw it up in alpaca, well, that’s alpaca I don’t get to use for other things. : )
Stay tuned for the completion of this shawl/scarf. I have a feeling I’ll get a lot done on it, if only to keep me from lashing out at dorm mates who disregard quiet hours. Anyone got finals coming up?
Because I’m such a proficient knitter, I recently finished a couple of things:
Home on the Range Mitts:
(Modeled by my lovely boyfriend.)
Pattern: My own, with a slightly different thumb (involving CO 9 stitches instead of holding them). Also, I cast on more. Also, to keep them from curling, I did a row of seed stitch before the cast off. You wouldn’t expect this, but it works like a charm, and I’ll definitely be doing this for all my fingerless mitts from now on.
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Needles: US 6/4 mm
Notes: Made for my friend, who wanted a pair of fingerless mitts that he could wear to the range so his other ones wouldn’t smell like… guns. Whatever that is. Powder? Smoke? Guns.
Basic Black Socks:
Pattern: Lifestyle Socks (Basic pattern)
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Needles: US 6/4 mm
Modifications: Worsted weight. DPNs. Ended up just using figure 8 cast on.
(More pictures of these on Ravelry.)
Okay, I love these. They’re acrylic so they won’t breathe very well, so they’ll stink to high heaven and I’ll have to wash them a lot, but I looooove them. They knit up VERY quickly. Like, a day or two. They’re like mittens. They’re comfy and lovely and wonderful. The first sock of this pair is a little messed up cause I made the heel too pointy and the ribbed bit around the ankle is a little large, but I solved the first by fewer rows on the heel and the second by decreasing four stitches after the heel is complete. LOVE. Definitely will be making more socks. Many more socks. Because I have much yarn, and they’re so quick and useful and wonderful.
Zebra Socks
Pattern: Lifestyle Socks (basic pattern)
Yarn: Caron Simply Soft
Needles: US 6/4 mm
Modifications: Same as above.
OH MY GOD, LOVE LOVE LOVE. SO much love. I fiddled with a few things for these socks, meaning they fit AMAZINGLY and oh god, so comfy. The ONLY thing I would do differently is make the solid toe section a little shorter, starting the colorwork/stripes earlier. But other than that, perfect fit. A sewn bind off makes for a sufficiently stretchy cuff which is made tight enough by going down a couple needle sizes. Love these socks. Definitely going to make a ton more in more fun colors. I need more Simply Soft…
RIGHT NOW: I have a couple of projects on the needles for a swap, so stay tuned for that. I may start another sweater (a ballet-style wrap cardigan out of JoAnn Sensations Rainbow Boucle) or I may just make more socks for myself, using wool this time. I think I’m going to get some DK weight wool and slowly ease into sock-weight yarn for socks. I’ll get there. Probably.
Stitch, Brinn, Stitch! 