Category Archives: Knitting

LOVE me some Creativebug—— and the latest project on my needles happens to be one of their FREE projects. (Content is worth paying for, really!) I’m a member of Creativebug and was actually shocked that the Prima Shrug from Maggie Pace was a freebie, check it out if you haven’t.

It’s mad birthday knitting time around here and the Prima Shrug was a perfect option. I even tried the featured yarn in the video even though I’m not normally a Redheart knitter. This yarn is Boutique Treasure in Abstract, it’s really delicious, super soft and the color variegation is wonderful. Prima is lots of fun to knit as it uses interesting shaping (it’s constructed all in one piece), using a provisional cast on as well as picking up stitches so there is no seaming at the end. Add in the fact that you just can’t wait to see what the color will become as you knit, this project keeps you going. My only gritch is that it is knit entirely in ribbing! Makes it look really great but I’m always in a hurry to finish rib on a project so I can move on. I’ve found that because the shrug is all rib and there is no next stitch to begin the process is wonderfully meditative.

My yarn is on the left, the finished project photo is on the right

You can see the sleeve on the left waiting on waste yarn, the back is in progress and knit flat

the provisional cast on is in the purple thread hanging off the back

On we go. Wish that  I didn’t work through the weekend so I could have had more time for this rhythmic contemplative knitting project.

Related Creativebug content, I have 3 projects waiting for me to play with them! I’m sewing the GORGEOUS Linen Caftan from Liesl Gibson, a gorgeous tablerunner from Alabama Chanin, and some really fun image transfers from Courtney Cerruti. This is absolutely the downside to Creativebug—- too much fun to have and never enough time.

This weekend was 80% play and 20% work, not bad as far as percentages go. Sunday afternoon is always a bike ride to my favorite island coffee shop and some coffee or sweet tea and a bit of knitting or reading. I took along the new socks I cast on for, nameless yarn but probably Deborah Norville purchased for car knitting last year. Love the colorway and it’ll be a fun knit.

Here’s to a fresh new week!

I cast off the Inspira Cowl a couple of days ago and just finished the gentle steam block!

No I didn’t swatch as I didn’t actually want it to be as large and floaty as in the pattern cover images. My first recipient, who requested this cowl wanted something smaller. The request was for a cowl that was super warm, close to the neck with enough length that would tuck into a shirt or sweater. SMALLER is what I got for sure. I’m going to knit this again (FOR ME) using a chunkier black contract color and the same main color and I will cast on TWICE as many stitches as suggested. I think that will do the trick for a floaty and more dramatic cowl as pictured. I think I’ll also go up a needle size to improve the drape and hand of the cowl. Don’t get me wrong, I still like it and Recipient #1 is thrilled with it. Really, can’t ask for more than that, enjoyable Olympic watching knitting AND another great finished project!

Ravellenics project 2 is finito! Onto the last project, a cowl/scarf. The difficulty factor comes from the yarn which is very (read: VERY) sheddy and I’m doing a moebius cast on and knit. Ahem. We’ll see!

Remember the chicken   (said with a question or an exclamation, either is correct)—— that is my lead in here today.

After knitting the chicken (which should have been blue and white) but is yellow and red, which still decorates my dining room and makes me smile while others scratch their heads—– after knitting the chicken which took too long and much angst. I said I’d never knit anything non wearable, kitchy or off the track again. Ever.

So why you might ask with the second pair of socks in the heel flap one stage might I pause? Get caught off guard? Smitten with another project? That in itself is not unusual but the project is a doll.

That’s right. A doll.  {a very cute doll that I’m quite taken with}

Not just any doll but the cutest doll I have ever seen.  Knitted from yarn in a most intriguing manner that knits her all in one piece with virtually no assembly required. Knit in a way that she seems to smile that beguiling “oh… you know you wanted to knit me from the start” way with every row. I’m crazy for her and she’s almost done, half of a leg remains and then adding her charming face.  Will we discuss that she has a wardrobe, also sweet and handknitted? Of course we will!

She’s the brainchild of Claire Garland at DotPebbles…… a pretty cool blog on a daily basis. Website also wonderful.  I warn you, she’s a pusher of all things cute.

Her latest pattern is Ernest the rabbit.  I want it too I kid you not.

My lovely is in the works….. look how she starts all fiddly and bloppy:

I’m telling you, she’s addictive as can be!

I leave you with photos of the finished watermelon socks, just in case you think I’ve totally lost my marbles.

Somehow we’ve gone from no winter to a very brief spring to full blown summer! It’s 92 today, holy cow.  I’ve been up early with some yardwork before it gets too stinkin’ hot, and I wrapped the office early as well.  You know what that means, right? Must be time to knit!

So far utter bliss…… UTTER BLISS I say!   No traffic at all, lovely weather, warm and friendly people, a local knit shop, seafood galore and wonderful days! The bonus? A finished sock! Believe it or not, I have no signs (so far) of the dreaded second sock syndrome.

Locomotion? The car has not moved much at all and getting around has been bipedal locomotion or provided my my bike. Yesterday the seat of this rental cottage provided bike gave up the ghost and had been giving me fits for days. The owner lives next door and provided a quick swap out at the local bike shop.  I told him I’d ride the bike down to the shop (no biggie) and just as I was pulling in to the parking lot my chain popped off.  Great timing for a fix! Now I’m ready to go. While I was there I bought a cheapie wire basket for the front and will be using that on a trip to the yarn shop as well as a drive out to the beach today.

I’ve tried for quite awhile to post a photo but the wireless is a titch lacking here at vacation cottage Contessa! I’ll work on it later, the solo sock fits beautifully and I can’t wait to introduce it to it’s mate!

Doesn’t get better than that!!!!!

Vacation began at 6 a.m. this morning. Despite the early hour it was wonderful. I finished Bianca Blue about an hour outside of Chattanooga although to be honest I only had 3 rows of garter to edge the fronts/back and a bind off after picking up about a zillion stitches from right neckline around to the left.  The buttonholes are simple loops added on the bind off……. the buttons are ones I definitely settled for. But as it is doubtful I’ll wear this sweater until next season the purchased buttons will do in a pinch.  I plan on blocking her so I can fully admire and photograph her.

Get this—– third sweater since January 11th!

With the last sweater off the needles and vacation ahead, I’ve cast on for a supah simple pair of socks (the best kind if you ask me) using yarn I’ve had for, I’m not kidding you, 3 years. It’s “Toastyboo”, 60/30/10 merino/bamboo/nylon. The colorway appealed to me enormously when I purchased the yarn, but the gild was off the lily over the years. “Watermelon Pickle”….. and in tones of watermelony greens and pinks with a white to tan transition, it is mouthwatering indeed. Anything other than the simplest of socks would have wasted effort as nothing will really show in the yarn.

I mean really, they’re socks.

Or will be!

Worked on DPN’s, 2′s to be exact. Perfect travel knitting, decided at the last minute.

I also brought a ball of Aloft in the colorway mongoose. For the non-knitter the translation is a midpriced laceweight very fuzzy yarn in a minky color. I have thoughts of perhaps knitting another Everyday Wrap, I wear the one I knitted in a soft taupey beige a lot…. simple and wearable and wonderful.

As I write this I’m 5 hours away from vacation nirvana—– time to hole up in the house, unpack the goodies, spread the vintage quilt I brought from home and get ready to enjoy.  Not peak soak in the ocean weather but nice enough to walk on the beach with the dogs, eat some seafood, check out two back to back artsy fartsy weekends….. and get in some r&r.

My socks in progress  look pretty interesting a la Instagram…..

When does a sweater for a normal woman require three sleeves? When the first one, knit to the point where it waits the joining of all of the assembled body parts? When the first sleeve is incorrect of course~

That’s the first sleeve. Lovely.

Wrong.

Which of course is what happens when you’re happy with how it looks and zipping along.

I really didn’t notice until the border for the second sleeve was underway, and boy did it look different. Yikes.

See? Way different. (And not very pretty at all in it’s unblocked persona.

So the question became to knit the second sleeve “wrong” or to begin as if the sleeves were only beginning and start fresh. I also tossed around the option of knitting the correct border, cutting the wrong border off the completed sleeve and grafting the two together. The whole thing made me nervous and I wasn’t in the mood to crank up the laBORatory….. (said in my best Dracula voice)…. so I decided to start fresh. I do really REALLY like the mistake sleeve (where I purled back all rows on the chart instead of actually READING it and seeing that this is not the case), and I’ll use that sleeve for something.  I have no idea what, just bear with me.

You can see the wrongness underneath the rightness above. Sigh.

And when the third (and final) sleeve is in progress you can see everybody playing nicely together:

I was hoping to have Bianca Blue done to wear leaving on vacation next week—- it will not be sweater weather upon arrival but should be nice to wear starting the trip in the car! By the time I arrive home spring will have sprung and Bianca Blue will have to wait for next year. That pesky third sleeve should be bound off sometime this evening and the sweater joined in all it’s happy pieces tomorrow (Wednesday).  Then the lace yoke will be knit on, seaming accomplished, the border picked up and knitted on, blocking and buttons. In other words, I’m not at all sure I’ll make it! All because of that third sleeve (entirely my fault).

In related news, remarkably unrelated……. isn’t it delightful to actually use the good camera instead of being lazy???? Remind me to keep it up

Man, I love that lens!

The moral of the story is to be more adventurous when facing challenges. Pay more attention the first time. Never consider growing another arm to solve any problem.