b r o o k l y n t w e e d
6.01.2008
Shifting Sands
This one has been a long time coming, but I think it was worth it.
This is one of those projects that sat in my basket and got a lot of short-term play, off and on over the course of a year: bus trips, flights, waiting rooms, etc. It inched along slow and steady but I finally knit up all the yarn sometime last Fall. As for why it took so long to get blog play, I can't be sure, although it might have something to do with all the wearing that was happening in the colder months. Malabrigo users know how neck-friendly this stuff is!
Modifications: The pattern is written for a sport weight yarn but is easily modified for any weight you'd like. The pattern repeat is 5 sts wide, so any multiple of 5+2 (two selvage sts) will work. I cast on 42 stitches, rather than the 52 suggested by the pattern, and knit until I ran out of yarn. The other mod I tested out was a hem on either end of the scarf to combat the natural curling of the fabric. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out - you can see the hem in the previous photo.
Here's what I did: I cast on 15% less stitches with a provisional cast on, knit one row, knit one row increasing evenly across the work to 42, worked a turning row using *k1, sl1* across, work one row stockinette, work first pattern row and continue scarf as written to end. I tacked down the loose stitches after all was said and done, but you could easily knit the hem together with the 3rd row of pattern for a super-clean join.
As for the hem on the other side, it's basically the reverse order of the previous instructions: work last cable row, knit one row, knit turning row (k1, sl1 across), decrease 15% of sts evenly across next row (I decreased 5 or 6 sts), knit 2 rows and tack down loose stitches invisibly to back of fabric. Press the edges with a steam iron to get good-hem-behavior and a nice finished look.
I have a finished sweater and a finished blanket to share with you in the next couple posts. The summer heat might be here, but my wool addiction is stronger than any weather condition. Bring on the summer sweater knitting!
¶ 11:03 AM 43 comments
Pattern: Shifting Sands Scarf by Grumperina [*via Ravelry]
Materials: Malabrigo Pure Worsted Merino in "Frank Ochre"
Amount: 2 hanks; 430 yds/200g
Needles: US 9/5.5 mm straight Clovers
Finished Dimensions: 65" long, 6" wide
Start Date: November 2006
Finish Date: November 2007 (shameful I know)
Materials: Malabrigo Pure Worsted Merino in "Frank Ochre"
Amount: 2 hanks; 430 yds/200g
Needles: US 9/5.5 mm straight Clovers
Finished Dimensions: 65" long, 6" wide
Start Date: November 2006
Finish Date: November 2007 (shameful I know)
This is one of those projects that sat in my basket and got a lot of short-term play, off and on over the course of a year: bus trips, flights, waiting rooms, etc. It inched along slow and steady but I finally knit up all the yarn sometime last Fall. As for why it took so long to get blog play, I can't be sure, although it might have something to do with all the wearing that was happening in the colder months. Malabrigo users know how neck-friendly this stuff is!
Modifications: The pattern is written for a sport weight yarn but is easily modified for any weight you'd like. The pattern repeat is 5 sts wide, so any multiple of 5+2 (two selvage sts) will work. I cast on 42 stitches, rather than the 52 suggested by the pattern, and knit until I ran out of yarn. The other mod I tested out was a hem on either end of the scarf to combat the natural curling of the fabric. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out - you can see the hem in the previous photo.
Here's what I did: I cast on 15% less stitches with a provisional cast on, knit one row, knit one row increasing evenly across the work to 42, worked a turning row using *k1, sl1* across, work one row stockinette, work first pattern row and continue scarf as written to end. I tacked down the loose stitches after all was said and done, but you could easily knit the hem together with the 3rd row of pattern for a super-clean join.
As for the hem on the other side, it's basically the reverse order of the previous instructions: work last cable row, knit one row, knit turning row (k1, sl1 across), decrease 15% of sts evenly across next row (I decreased 5 or 6 sts), knit 2 rows and tack down loose stitches invisibly to back of fabric. Press the edges with a steam iron to get good-hem-behavior and a nice finished look.
I have a finished sweater and a finished blanket to share with you in the next couple posts. The summer heat might be here, but my wool addiction is stronger than any weather condition. Bring on the summer sweater knitting!
¶ 11:03 AM 43 comments
1.10.2007
Evidence...
...that if you're using great yarn, a scarf never gets boring. (Well, almost never.)
I think the cable count is reaching into the thousands... and that's great! Shifting Sands measures somewhere around 4 feet presently and is slated for just over 6. Over the holidays, this was the project I worked on when I was sick of shaping/counting/pattern writing, etc. or at least the knitting I worked on when I was too full of holiday grub to think about anything else. I probably won't add fringe but will need to come up with something creative to cure the curl at each end (I have one idea that may work).
[if continued exposure to photos of 'Shifting Sands' has finally made you cave, the pattern is located here]
¶ 9:33 AM 43 comments
I think the cable count is reaching into the thousands... and that's great! Shifting Sands measures somewhere around 4 feet presently and is slated for just over 6. Over the holidays, this was the project I worked on when I was sick of shaping/counting/pattern writing, etc. or at least the knitting I worked on when I was too full of holiday grub to think about anything else. I probably won't add fringe but will need to come up with something creative to cure the curl at each end (I have one idea that may work).
[if continued exposure to photos of 'Shifting Sands' has finally made you cave, the pattern is located here]
¶ 9:33 AM 43 comments
11.17.2006
Many of you have been inquiring about the yellow scarf that I showed you just a snippet of in my last post. To clarify, its Kathy's new 'Shifting Sands' pattern - I just modified the number of stitches in the pattern to accommodate for a worsted (the pattern calls for sport weight).
I wasn't sure how I would like this yarn for this pattern but as it turns out, I think it looks pretty perfect for what I had in mind. It adds a bit more thickness to the fabric which, as you know if you've already worked with malabrigo, is a wonderful thing.
I don't have much more for you today - although I'm hoping to get a lot done this weekend and have lots of fodder for the tweedy fire next week. If we are lucky enough to get a sunny day, I may even have some finished sweater photos for you at the beginning of next week. Cross your fingers for a bath of natural light to wash over Brooklyn and save us all.
Aside: did anyone notice two random yarn lines appear all-of-a-sudden on the knitpicks website a little while ago? Listed as web specials with limited quantities? "Totem" is a worsted wool/modal blend (50/50) and "Salishan" is a wool/pima cotton (45/55). It seems they're basically all snatched up (a few of the less desirable colors are still hanging around, i think). Intrigued, I threw in a ball of the "Salishan" on my last KP order.
Anyone know what these yarns are all about? Maybe they're testing out some new lines...? or I guess these could be really old lines they used to carry before I was hip to the KnitPicks scene? I'll give you a report once I use it, although I don't know how much good that will do, if the yarn is no longer available for purchase.
Have a good weekend. And please, knit.
¶ 10:05 AM 54 comments
I wasn't sure how I would like this yarn for this pattern but as it turns out, I think it looks pretty perfect for what I had in mind. It adds a bit more thickness to the fabric which, as you know if you've already worked with malabrigo, is a wonderful thing.
I don't have much more for you today - although I'm hoping to get a lot done this weekend and have lots of fodder for the tweedy fire next week. If we are lucky enough to get a sunny day, I may even have some finished sweater photos for you at the beginning of next week. Cross your fingers for a bath of natural light to wash over Brooklyn and save us all.
Aside: did anyone notice two random yarn lines appear all-of-a-sudden on the knitpicks website a little while ago? Listed as web specials with limited quantities? "Totem" is a worsted wool/modal blend (50/50) and "Salishan" is a wool/pima cotton (45/55). It seems they're basically all snatched up (a few of the less desirable colors are still hanging around, i think). Intrigued, I threw in a ball of the "Salishan" on my last KP order.
Anyone know what these yarns are all about? Maybe they're testing out some new lines...? or I guess these could be really old lines they used to carry before I was hip to the KnitPicks scene? I'll give you a report once I use it, although I don't know how much good that will do, if the yarn is no longer available for purchase.
Have a good weekend. And please, knit.
¶ 10:05 AM 54 comments
1.08.2007
The Scholar Collar and Other Ramblings
The holidays came and went. My house saw a whole lot of knitting - which may come as a shock to you since all you've heard from me in the last two weeks is a whole lot of nothing. Rest assured, I'm semi-refueled, at least for the time being.
A quick summary:
* The huge red blob? Turned into something wonderful. You'll have to trust me on this one cause I can't show you for a while.
* Shifting Sands grew in a crazy way. Not done, of course, but I'll show you an updated photo later this week.
* The School Products Cashmere Merino garter swatch evolved. See below.
* More sweaters (plural) were started (somewhat shamefully)
As for Christmas knits, they were basically non-existent this year. And that felt great. I gifted the Swallowtail Shawl that I finished in August (to the most grateful recipient. Most deserved indeed). I felt fine leaving it in worthy hands.
The only other Christmas knit was a collaboration between Luigi and I - the creative vision was all his. All I did was round up the good fibers, buttons and ... the garter.
Pattern: The Scholar Collar (Ours)
Materials: School Products Cashmere Merino Blend (Bulky)
Needles: US 10/6mm
Buttons: Faux leather from M&J Trimming
Thoughts: The project seems almost too simple to write about. A rectangle with two buttonholes thrown in and some cool buttons. Form and function are both about as straight-forward as possible. It's clear that the yarn choice is this one's claim to fame. The Cashmere Merino Blend (50/50) from School Products is, hands-down, an all-time favorite for me. Its also one of SP's most popular sellers. The price is borderline criminal (in a good way)(for a bulky cashmere blend) and the color options leave you inspired... rather than the more common "okay the yarn is cheap and nice... but the colors suck. What could I possibly get by making with one of these options that doesn't look absolutely ridiculous..."
It's also true that I love garter stitch. It hasn't always been this way, though, and I'm sure my Zimmermann obsession has heavily tempered this preference over the years.
now with real buttoning action!
There should be more activity occurring around here, at least relatively. I'll tell you now, January will be a rough and busy month for me, but I'll do my best to keep up some fiber flow around here. Happy 2007.
A quick summary:
* The huge red blob? Turned into something wonderful. You'll have to trust me on this one cause I can't show you for a while.
* Shifting Sands grew in a crazy way. Not done, of course, but I'll show you an updated photo later this week.
* The School Products Cashmere Merino garter swatch evolved. See below.
* More sweaters (plural) were started (somewhat shamefully)
As for Christmas knits, they were basically non-existent this year. And that felt great. I gifted the Swallowtail Shawl that I finished in August (to the most grateful recipient. Most deserved indeed). I felt fine leaving it in worthy hands.
The only other Christmas knit was a collaboration between Luigi and I - the creative vision was all his. All I did was round up the good fibers, buttons and ... the garter.
Pattern: The Scholar Collar (Ours)
Materials: School Products Cashmere Merino Blend (Bulky)
Needles: US 10/6mm
Buttons: Faux leather from M&J Trimming
Thoughts: The project seems almost too simple to write about. A rectangle with two buttonholes thrown in and some cool buttons. Form and function are both about as straight-forward as possible. It's clear that the yarn choice is this one's claim to fame. The Cashmere Merino Blend (50/50) from School Products is, hands-down, an all-time favorite for me. Its also one of SP's most popular sellers. The price is borderline criminal (in a good way)(for a bulky cashmere blend) and the color options leave you inspired... rather than the more common "okay the yarn is cheap and nice... but the colors suck. What could I possibly get by making with one of these options that doesn't look absolutely ridiculous..."
It's also true that I love garter stitch. It hasn't always been this way, though, and I'm sure my Zimmermann obsession has heavily tempered this preference over the years.
now with real buttoning action!
There should be more activity occurring around here, at least relatively. I'll tell you now, January will be a rough and busy month for me, but I'll do my best to keep up some fiber flow around here. Happy 2007.
Labels: "Scholar Collar"
¶ 10:27 AM 66 comments
