It just feels really great to be playing around with some nice woolly wool (it is just some Cascade 220).
Monday, January 28, 2008
Still here
I've spent a lot of my knitting time playing with superfine merino, silk and so on.
It just feels really great to be playing around with some nice woolly wool (it is just some Cascade 220).
It just feels really great to be playing around with some nice woolly wool (it is just some Cascade 220).
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Helm -- Error
So someone thankfully point out that in the original pattern I had up that increasing 12 stitches from 98 for the brim does not 120 make. Pattern has now been corrected, you must cast on 108 stitches, not 98.
There should be some knitting in a day or two, just got a few more rounds on this knit...
There should be some knitting in a day or two, just got a few more rounds on this knit...
Sunday, January 20, 2008
First FO of 2008! -- Scarflet
Well, this is it, my first completed knit of the year!
To recap:
I mentioned cables,
(and isn't the reverse side fabulous as well?)
and buttons,
and here is the result! (and a big thanks to my human analog model, who seems to have suffered some sever head trauma in a past life.
This scarflet shall soon be on its merry way across the continent to a surprise recipient!
Pattern: Of my own devising
Yarn: One skein Malabrigo, colour 102 - Sealing Wax
Needles: 5.0mm bamboo straights (14"?)
Started: Monday the 14th, January
FInished: Thursday the 17, January
Super quick knit, nice excuse to use mmmmmalabrigo. I hope it gets put to good use in the cold winter climes of the East Coast!
To recap:
I mentioned cables,
(and isn't the reverse side fabulous as well?)
and buttons,
and here is the result! (and a big thanks to my human analog model, who seems to have suffered some sever head trauma in a past life.
This scarflet shall soon be on its merry way across the continent to a surprise recipient!
Pattern: Of my own devising
Yarn: One skein Malabrigo, colour 102 - Sealing Wax
Needles: 5.0mm bamboo straights (14"?)
Started: Monday the 14th, January
FInished: Thursday the 17, January
Super quick knit, nice excuse to use mmmmmalabrigo. I hope it gets put to good use in the cold winter climes of the East Coast!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
A Lost Sock Is A Very Sad Thing Indeed.
Hello everyone!
It was chilly out today, and I thought of you.
As far as knitting goes, I can show you this,
and this,
and of course, this.
However, I cannot tell you anything about it except for mmmmmmmmalabrigo. It should be done in a couple of days, provided I can rustle up the requisite cute buttons (I guess I can tell you that it uses buttons. most likely two of them).
It was chilly out today, and I thought of you.
As far as knitting goes, I can show you this,
and this,
and of course, this.
However, I cannot tell you anything about it except for mmmmmmmmalabrigo. It should be done in a couple of days, provided I can rustle up the requisite cute buttons (I guess I can tell you that it uses buttons. most likely two of them).
Sunday, January 13, 2008
durrr
I am trying not to become a once-a-week blogger, but the truth is, I have no fodder. The only piece of knitting I have right now is barely moving, and I am contemplating scrapping it (and I feel rotten because it was a request/Christmas gift for my father). I know my knitting mojo will come back in time, but currently I am feeling rather fried. I have been keeping up with my goal of drawing something every day (nothing spectacular, I certainly don't fancy myself a drawing kind of person, but I figure, how else will I improve?)
I am going to cruise Ravelry and hope that something jumps out at me. (I've got lots of stuff I would like to knit for other people... tempted to take requests, just to get moving again)
I am going to cruise Ravelry and hope that something jumps out at me. (I've got lots of stuff I would like to knit for other people... tempted to take requests, just to get moving again)
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Late much?
Normally I hate (absolutely hate) when people ask 'so what was your favourite birthday/Christmas/etc... gift?' (yeah, this post is a little late, so what?) Anyway, this year I am proud and happy to announce it. My favourites were the only two gifts that I expressly asked for: a piece of artwork from my mother and my younger brother. For various reasons these mean a whole heckuva lot to me.
And no knitting lately, soon though, I hope.
(the first is my mother's, the second is from my brother)
And no knitting lately, soon though, I hope.
(the first is my mother's, the second is from my brother)
Thursday, January 3, 2008
The Helm: Pattern
So who remembers this hat from last winter? Well, I do, and oddly enough, a few people lately have asked for the pattern, so I finally got my act together, and here you go! Please note, this pattern (including the charts) has not been reviewed or test-knit by anyone else, so there might be errors. Let me know if you have any questions, or find any mistakes in it!
THE HELM!
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool, two colours. I used a red and beige, but any colours with contrasting values would work fabulously. (I may have used Russet [010] and oatmeal [006]). I needed about a ball and a half of each. Any Aran weight yarn knit at the appropriate gauge would render a similar effect, a worsted weight at standard gauge would give a less dense hat, but that might be just what you’re after!
Gauge: I knit this to be very warm, so it is knit to a gauge of 20 sts/10cm (26 rows/10cm), as opposed to the 18 sts/10cm suggested by the yarn.
Needles: Set of double points, or a suitable circular, as is your preference (I used 4.00mm bamboo double points)
Size: to fit an average adult head. Hat measures approximately 21” in circumference. The best way to alter sizing would be to use a different weight of yarn, or to alter your gauge. Since the charts have varying stitch counts, some would not line up if you chose to simply remove/add repeats to change the size (at least, not if you wanted to use the same charts I have here).
Pattern
I see this pattern as being in three parts: the double-thick brim, the body and the crown shaping.
Brim: The brim is only worked over 90% of the total body stitches, to reduce bulk. You could work the brim in something delectably soft or warm, or in a finer gauge to reduce the bulk. If you do use a lighter yarn for the inner brim, you may be able to simply cast on 120sts right away. A provisional cast on is not strictly necessary, but I find that it makes a nice finished product.
Using a provisional cast on of your choosing (I like this tutorial, from See Eunny Knit. I use the method whereby you crochet a chain onto your needle http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/03/majoring_in_lace_part_iv.html ), cast on 108 stitches.
Knit 13 rounds in CC. (If you wanted to add a name, initials, date, whatever, these 13 rows on the inner brim are the perfect spot)
Next round, [k8, kfb], 120 sts. (feel free to use whichever increase method you prefer, just be sure that you are increasing after every 9th stitch, adding a total of 12 stitches)
Purl one round. This purl round allows the fabric to fold cleanly and makes a very clean bottom edge to the hat.
Body: The body is worked over 120 stitches. If you prefer a longer hat, you could add additional rounds in MC in between the charts, or add your own chart(s)! Just be sure that their stitch count(s) are factors of 120.
Knit 3 rounds in CC.
Knit chart A.
Knit 2 rounds in CC.
Knit chart B.
Unzip/unpick provisional cast-on and place stitches on spare needle. Knit one round in MC, knitting both sets of stitches (those that you just loosed from the cast on, and those from the body) together. Every 10th stitch, only knit the stitch off the body needle, as you only have 98 stitches on the cast on needle, but 120 on the body needle.
Knit 1 round in MC.
Knit chart C.
Knit 1 round MC.
Knit chart D.
Knit 1 round MC.
Knit chart E.
Knit 2 rounds MC.
Knit chart F.
Knit 1 round MC.
Knit chart G.
Knit 1 round MC.
Crown shaping: This shaping produces a fairly gradually sloped top, but mostly, I love the pattern that the decreases form.
Work Crown Shaping chart.
Repeat last two rounds of Crown Shaping chart ([k2tog], [knit all]) until fewer than 8 stitches remain (I lost my original notes, I don’t recall my first numbers). Draw yarn through remaining stitches, pull tight, fasten end inside of hat. Tadahh!
Charts
THE HELM!
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool, two colours. I used a red and beige, but any colours with contrasting values would work fabulously. (I may have used Russet [010] and oatmeal [006]). I needed about a ball and a half of each. Any Aran weight yarn knit at the appropriate gauge would render a similar effect, a worsted weight at standard gauge would give a less dense hat, but that might be just what you’re after!
Gauge: I knit this to be very warm, so it is knit to a gauge of 20 sts/10cm (26 rows/10cm), as opposed to the 18 sts/10cm suggested by the yarn.
Needles: Set of double points, or a suitable circular, as is your preference (I used 4.00mm bamboo double points)
Size: to fit an average adult head. Hat measures approximately 21” in circumference. The best way to alter sizing would be to use a different weight of yarn, or to alter your gauge. Since the charts have varying stitch counts, some would not line up if you chose to simply remove/add repeats to change the size (at least, not if you wanted to use the same charts I have here).
Pattern
I see this pattern as being in three parts: the double-thick brim, the body and the crown shaping.
Brim: The brim is only worked over 90% of the total body stitches, to reduce bulk. You could work the brim in something delectably soft or warm, or in a finer gauge to reduce the bulk. If you do use a lighter yarn for the inner brim, you may be able to simply cast on 120sts right away. A provisional cast on is not strictly necessary, but I find that it makes a nice finished product.
Using a provisional cast on of your choosing (I like this tutorial, from See Eunny Knit. I use the method whereby you crochet a chain onto your needle http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/03/majoring_in_lace_part_iv.html ), cast on 108 stitches.
Knit 13 rounds in CC. (If you wanted to add a name, initials, date, whatever, these 13 rows on the inner brim are the perfect spot)
Next round, [k8, kfb], 120 sts. (feel free to use whichever increase method you prefer, just be sure that you are increasing after every 9th stitch, adding a total of 12 stitches)
Purl one round. This purl round allows the fabric to fold cleanly and makes a very clean bottom edge to the hat.
Body: The body is worked over 120 stitches. If you prefer a longer hat, you could add additional rounds in MC in between the charts, or add your own chart(s)! Just be sure that their stitch count(s) are factors of 120.
Knit 3 rounds in CC.
Knit chart A.
Knit 2 rounds in CC.
Knit chart B.
Unzip/unpick provisional cast-on and place stitches on spare needle. Knit one round in MC, knitting both sets of stitches (those that you just loosed from the cast on, and those from the body) together. Every 10th stitch, only knit the stitch off the body needle, as you only have 98 stitches on the cast on needle, but 120 on the body needle.
Knit 1 round in MC.
Knit chart C.
Knit 1 round MC.
Knit chart D.
Knit 1 round MC.
Knit chart E.
Knit 2 rounds MC.
Knit chart F.
Knit 1 round MC.
Knit chart G.
Knit 1 round MC.
Crown shaping: This shaping produces a fairly gradually sloped top, but mostly, I love the pattern that the decreases form.
Work Crown Shaping chart.
Repeat last two rounds of Crown Shaping chart ([k2tog], [knit all]) until fewer than 8 stitches remain (I lost my original notes, I don’t recall my first numbers). Draw yarn through remaining stitches, pull tight, fasten end inside of hat. Tadahh!
Charts
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
*pfweee*
I hope everyone had a thoroughly enjoyable New Years Eve (just remember, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. You might be feeling that today.) I also hope that everyone has a 2008 which far surpasses this past year, whether that means that the coming months will bring phenomenal joy and excitement, or just being healthy and happy.
The sock and it's mate from my last post were gifted (and finished in the nick of time) and they fit! (or so I am told, I still think it could be a biiiiiit better).
And remember peoples, if you hear someone knocking at the door, don't just sit there shouting 'come in'.
The sock and it's mate from my last post were gifted (and finished in the nick of time) and they fit! (or so I am told, I still think it could be a biiiiiit better).
And remember peoples, if you hear someone knocking at the door, don't just sit there shouting 'come in'.