I had a good walk / run today. My running pace was Dancing Days.  I almost didn’t go because it was getting late. I should never try to figure out something with my knitting before I go out for a run. |
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| I finished my Maybe Mulberry scarf for the LYS. I kind of like these shots.I knit two rows of twisted drop stitch in the Luna and knit two rows in Stella. Needles = US 8. Two balls Stella and 1 ball Luna. |  |
 Warmth for a chilly evening.
 New home at the store. |
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While I was at the store yesterday I made this necklace for the shop. I think it came out cute. I haven’t crocheted in years. Ever since I picked up knitting again I haven’t looked back. It went really quick, and I know it would be a lot quicker once my crochet skills come back. I think I’d prefer a metal needle too. I was using a bamboo one and it seemed too sticky for me. |
Archive for the ‘Finished!’ Category
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Dancing Days
2011
11.12
11.12
2011
11.04
11.04
It’s an amazingly gloomy day here in So. Cal. It rained last night, and it looks like it may rain – Oops, it’s raining again right now. My mood fits the gloom and I’m not sure why. Here’s a picture to cheer me up:
- Malaga Cove
I finished these last week. They were designed by Stephannie Tallent of Sunset Cat Designs. The yarn is Road to China Light by the Fibre Company. I love this yarn. I knew when I bought it that it wanted to be fingerless mitts. It has been staring at me for a few months now. I never put it in the stash; it has been sitting on top of my knitting bookshelf.
All other projects took a back seat while I was knitting these. I just couldn’t stop! They worked up quickly. I knit them two at a time on 2 circular needles, just like my socks. I think I’ll go put these on right now to warm my soul.
Koigu
2011
09.17
09.17
I’ve just discovered wonderful Koigu yarn. I’m sure most of you are already aware of how beautiful it is. I had never knit with it until I was asked to do a sample shawl for Foxy Knits. Their online shop specializes in Koigu. Merilyn was doing a trunk show at Alamitos Bay Yarn Company and wanted one of Fickle Knitter’s designs worked up in the lovely Koigu. The pattern was the Wild Lettuce Lace Shawl. I was immediately taken with how springy the yarn is. The color that Merilyn sent me was a lovely golden yellow. In some lights it took on a greenish cast.
The lace worked up quickly on the recommended US 5 needles and was a joy to knit. I finished in 11 days! After blocking I really loved it and was reluctant to send it back! I used two + skeins. I was hoping to only have to use 2, but I needed just a little more to finish the edging. If I were to make it for myself I think that I would make the body larger. I’d want a bit more to wrap around as a shawl, but the pattern as written came out quite nice. Here are the details on Ravelry.
The trunk show was on August 27, and I went to see all the other lovely samples made in Koigu. There were lots of shawls and scarves, and a beautiful coat that looked like it was an adult surprise jacket. There were so many lovely colors to choose from. There were the solids and the wilder multicolor yarns. There was a mulberry silk that I was coveting, but decided that I’d better wait. It is exceptionally beautiful, but I had to restrain myself. Then there were some speckled yarns. I decided to get a couple of skeins of these to knit a pattern that I had gotten while in London earlier this year. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the pattern was from a company in Washington. The idea was to only buy stuff from England, but I digress. The pattern is Barb’s Koigu Ruffle. You can order a kit at the link. I made it for my trip to Amsterdam.
Zaanse Schans, Netherlands
I got a couple more skeins in one of my favorite colors, a tonal hand painted mauve. I’m making socks from them. So far they feel super comfy. I can’t wait to wear them! They were my travel knitting in Amsterdam. The pattern is Khotan from Silk Road Socks by Hunter Hammersen. I swear I am going to make all the socks in this book! 2 ½ done so far!
Speaking of Amsterdam, every time I knit in public I got comments and smiles. On the train a little girl of about 7 was so fascinated by what I was doing she had to bring her mother over to see. Either I don’t knit in public so much at home, or people keep more to themselves here.
Oosterpark, Amsterdam
New Wrist Warmer Pattern
2011
04.01
04.01
As soon as the weather got to 89 degrees in Southern California, I decided to publish a new pattern for wrist warmers. Oh, the irony. I love irony, don’t you? Seems like just last week I was wearing them…
I actually designed these over the holidays. I didn’t talk about them much because they were a Christmas gift and I didn’t really update my blog about Christmas knitting. They’re super simple to knit and fast too. It’s an evening or two’s worth of concentrated knitting.
I worked them two at a time, just like my socks, on two circular needles. You don’t really need to do it that way, I just prefer it. If you’re up for a challenge, just read the right and left hands at the same time, keeping track of which row you’re on. When you get to the thumb gusset, remember to add the M1s on every odd row starting at row 13. I wish I had a picture of them on the needles. It would be easier to describe with a visual aid. I worked them as if my hands were in front of me with the thumbs in the center. Does that make sense? If not, I’ll start another pair and take a picture.
SOCK NEWS
I have started Mood from Silk Road Socks. The Ravelry group is doing a KAL. The pattern isn’t hard, but I’ve frogged them numerous times already. This morning I discovered that one of them had 68 stitches instead of 64. Now I’ve got to start that one over.
In the beginning my knitting did not look like the pictures. I discovered a note at the end of the pattern. Ummm, I wish that note had been at the beginning where the instructions for the leg are… Just goes to show you that reading the pattern all the way through before starting is profitable. Will I learn? Probably not.
I’m almost done with the leg of my RSS sock. This one is better for almost mindless knitting. Not quite, but it does take less concentration. I can actually “read” my knitting on this one. It will be the next pattern up for publication.
SCARVES
I’ve been working on Palindrome off and on since December. I thought that I might be able to give it to Rex instead of the sweater that wasn’t working out, but this has proven to be a bit of a challenge. The pattern is easy, but I decided that I wanted to do it in two colors. First I had to work out how the yarn would stay together. I guess this is my first color-work project. I think it would be Intarsia rather than Fair Isle. It’s not that hard, just very tangly. I’m stubborn too, so I didn’t make manageable bobbins, I’m using whole skeins rather than joining the yarn every so often. The yarn tends to break sometimes though, so some of the pieces are shorter and easier to untangle.
Speaking of the sweater, that would be “new sweater” in the WIP on the left side of the page. Actually, I’ve decided to use a pattern from Interweave Knits Weekend 2009. I just got my copy from EBay today! Yippee! Anyway, the sweater I’ve decided on is the Twisted Pine Pullover. I really want to do this one, but I don’t have enough yarn. It will probably be better in a softer yarn anyway. I’m going to put this project aside for a while though. I’ve got so many others going…
Ok, back to scarves. I just cast on the Panorama scarf for a store sample. I’m using Allegoro by Classic Elite in a pretty blue. The pattern is a pretty lace that seems to look a little like hearts going up the scarf. There is long fringe too. It looks very summery.
Do you think I have enough projects going? It’s hard to keep track of them all, especially the ones that are languishing in my basket. I still see lots of WIPs in my Ravelry notebook. I’d better get to work!
Have a great weekend!
Knitter Ditter
New Year New Goals
2011
01.05
01.05
Happy New Year!
I know, it is January 5th already, and I’ve neglected to post since November. I could say that I’ve been real busy, but haven’t we all? No excuse, but I seem to have that one all the time. So….
My new year’s resolutions for 2011 are:
Post to blog once a week. Maybe I need a specific day? Mmm, I’ll pick Friday. ‘K.
Write 6 new patterns. (I’ve got a couple in my head and notebooks. Time to get them out there!)
Promote my web biz. What web biz you ask? The one that’s been in my head and all the books I keep buying.
Knit every day. Uh, is that a goal? I sort of do that now.
Invest 15% for retirement – CONSISTENTLY!!!
Give beyond the regular church tithe, to outside charities – REGULARLY!!! I mean monthly. (You have to be specific with these goal things. Otherwise they flit around with a mind of their own.)
Study Web design DAILY.
Bible study daily.
Study guitar DAILY.
Save for a home on the Central Coast.
Travel to exotic places once a year.
Go to NM & CO to see where my Great-Great Grandparents lived.
Follow FlyLady’s recommendations DAILY!!!
I know there’s more, but that’s all I can think of right now. There I’ve written them down!
KNITTING PROGRESS -
I finished the Simple Triangle Shawl for Unwind’s Ravelry event. It’s this Thursday. I can’t wait! I was telling DH about it last night and he wishes he could be here to go to the party! I don’t know if he would really have fun, but it was so cool that he is excited for me to be succeeding.
I should expound on how much I love the Silky Alpaca Lace from Classic Elite. I do, I really do. It is very easy to work with and never splits. I got this whole shawl from 1 ball! Can you belive it? This stuff just goes on forever! There are 440 yards per 50 gr ball. 70% alpaca, 30% silk. Mmmmmm.
I also made a scarf from the brown colorway and some fingerless gloves for a Christmas gift. I’ll post those pictures another time. (I think I have enough left to make myself a pair of fingerless gloves.)
I’m now working on Alpaca Baby Shawl in True Love Fiber Merino Superwash.
Here’s True Love’s Etsy Store – Yummmm! I love how squishy this yarn is. I’m working with Sorbet which is a yellow and peachy/pink variegated and peach. It is coming out quite nicely if I say so myself. Pics to follow.
Since I will be posting Friday, I’ll tell you all about the Ravelry Party @ Unwind!
Till next time,
Knitter Ditter
Boy-O-Boy
2010
11.20
11.20
My latest knitting project is a little sweater for my friend’s new baby. Its from the 101 Designer One Skein Wonders book. I started it last Sunday. It’s due tomorrow (Sunday) for her shower. Ahem. The directions should clearly have stated, “NEXT ROW: K3 (On the front button band, you idiot!) and place these 3 stitches on holder.” I in all my wisdom placed the stitches on the SEAM side of the front on a holder and thought,” Gee, that’s funny, oh well.” Now when I come to the 3 needle bind off on the shoulder seam, my pattern isn’t lining up. I go to Ravelry to look for info or eratta on the pattern and guess what? The picture there clearly shows that I should have put the center front stitches on the holder so that I could knit the neckband onto them. IDIOT! Also we are suddenly going out tonight, so I need to finish this afternoon. I’m glad it’s not a full sized manly sweater.
11/21 – Finished!
Li’l Pumpkin Baby Hat
2010
09.01
09.01
SOLD!
I got my first sale ever over at
http://www.etsy.com/shop/KnitterDitter.
It’s so exciting! Thank you, jessicabmagee!
http://www.etsy.com/shop/KnitterDitter.
It’s so exciting! Thank you, jessicabmagee!
The idea for this hat came to me a couple of weeks ago. Since fall is on the way, it seemed appropriate. And what’s cuter than a baby pumpkin? Maybe more veggie hats. I’ve got some ideas rolling around in my head.
One of my hats was also featured here:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c78353172998eefd48252c9/pounced-announced-bounced-flounced
I’m not sure if that’s where the sale came from, but I’m ever so grateful!
Ishbel
2010
07.10
07.10
I have finally completed Ishbel, designed by Ysolda Teague. I think she’s my new favorite designer! The yarn is Ysolda Red from my Lorna’s Laces Color Commentary subscription. The pattern for Ishbel came with it. I fell in love with this pattern at the very end. It has been a love / frog project for me. I was about to give up when I discovered that I was crossing the end yo because of the way I knit. I knit stockinette in the combination style made popular by Annie Modesitt. I discovered that I had to purl the yo with the yarn over the needle instead of under to avoid an annoying little cross in the yarn. Since the yo is on every row it is supposed to just go straight across. I think. Well, that’s what I wanted anyway.
Once I discovered the error of my ways, all was well and I knit on the lace bit with no further problems. I really didn’t get the beauty of the design until the blocking phase. The point at the bottom of the shawl comes together so beautifully. It looks like flowers growing up from the bottom. I should have taken a better photo, but here it is!
Yarn: Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock
Weight: Fingering / 4 ply
Content: 80% Wool, 20% Nylon
Color: Red (semi-solid)
Needles: US 6 – 4.0 mm
Pattern: Ishbel
Adjustments made: I added an additional 4 pattern repeats (2 on each side) so that my gauge would be close to the pattern. I think it came out larger than expected after blocking which doesn’t bother me. Now it’s a cute little shawlette! More info and photos at my Ravelry Project page…
Annis is Finished!
2010
06.17
06.17
I finished Annis the other day and blocked it. Today I took it over to Unwind where it will live as a store sample. I think it’s beautiful! Check it out live and in person!
The yarn is so soft, you just want to keep petting it. It will make a great wrap to keep your shoulders warm on a cool summer evening.
Yarn: Colinette Parisienne
Weight: Lace 2 ply
70% Kid mohair, 30% polyamide (nylon)
Color: Variegated Blue-green
Needles: US 7 – 4.5 mm, 32″ circular
Pattern: Annis from Knitty, Spring+Summer 2010
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- Annis
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- Lacy Edge
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- Annis @ Unwind (True Color)
One note: I found an error on line 13 of the chart. It should have a yarn over on either side of the double decrease (S2KP). Just in case you run into the same trouble… Oh, I see they have already corrected the pattern. Never mind!
Firmaments is Finished!
2009
08.26
08.26
I am finally done with my tablecloth. I think it ties the room together. Lebowski, anyone? I did choose the color because one of our pictures has a lot of this blue in it.
The blocking took nearly all day. Apparently my gauge was off by a couple of inches. I tried to stretch it to the pattern’s dimensions, but the pins kept popping. At first I had it on the bed, but couldn’t get it to stretch enough, so then I laid it out on the floor. I bent my lace blocking wires all to heck by putting them around the edges, but I don’t care. I think it looks beautiful. It seems to fit the table nicely too, and I think 4 more inches would have been too much for this table.
I wonder how you are really supposed to block a circular knitted piece?
Today’s Sweater is a Wrap – "Literally"
2009
02.18
02.18
Apologies to Brenda Dayne and Saturday Night Live for that title.
A while back I wrote about some lovely yarn that I acquired at my LYS. I had my eye on a wrap that one of the girls was wearing and noticed how lovely it was draped across her shoulders. I couldn’t stand it so I bought the yarn. I know, I’m weak. Who could resist this?
The yarn is Schaefer Laurel in the Susan Sontag colorway. I noted at the time that the colors reminded me of the beach. I also noted that when I got home and started working on the pattern that they wrote out for me, my brain decided that it couldn’t be right. My memory kept thinking that the ribs were thicker and there was more substance to it. It kept looking like a shopping bag to me. Actually, this would be a great stitch pattern for a shopping bag. I think the yarn might be overkill for a market bag though.
Anyway, it was driving me crazy. I went to the web to look for stitch patterns. I found Lacy Diagonals and that was better, but still not giving me the thicker ribs I was looking for. I modified that and came up with the pattern below. Actually, this is the first pattern that I have written out. I named it Sky Wrap because it reminds me of clouds in the sky.
By the way, I was wrong. I went back to the store and compared my wrap to theirs. Stephanie’s wrap was exactly as she had written it. She liked what I did though. My ends slant, hers were straight. My memory thought that her ends were slanted. What a brain fart! Anyway, mine’s an original and I love it! I wore it all over Amsterdam in September.
At some point I’m going to post the pattern, but until I remind myself of what I actually did, I’ll have to leave it off. Remind me to remind myself to refigure it out…….
2009
02.16
02.16
I just finished Josie’s baby blanket.
I bound off using a size 7 needle and the 6th bind off on this page: http://weebleknits.blogspot.com/2003/05/stretchy-bind-offs.html
I want to keep this handy because I keep referring back to it. I hope someday I’ll remember how to do this automatically. The easiest thing is to just use larger needles.
My daughter didn’t want traditional pink or yellow. She chose purple for her new little girl. This yarn has a pearly white strand running through it that adds a bit of “glitz.” I think she’ll like it.
I finally got the invitations to the shower mailed.
I had forgotten that Monday was a postman’s holiday. Hopefully everyone will forgive me that I asked them to RSVP so quickly. It’s ok, in all we have invited about 60 guests. If the laws of invites hold true, 75% of them will come and that leaves us with about 45. Now to figure out the food. Do I make it myself or buy pre-made? I’m being a little Martha Stewart-y about all this. I have to count tables and chairs and tea cups. I’ll probably end up buying paper ones. I wish they were shaped like tea cups rather than coffee cups. Other than that I hope it doesn’t rain. It would be nice to do this in the backyard. Martha would have a conniption
about my back yard though. Maybe she would get up early in the morning to plant petunias!
Ambrosia
2008
02.28
02.28
I just finished my Ambrosia Socks. This is a beautiful sock pattern, carefully designed and documented. I knit them in Knit Picks Gloss in Cocoa which is very soft. The stitches are well defined and make a wonderful sock. Too bad I don’t follow directions very well…
I ripped them down about 3 times, so I should have been done a month ago. The first time I wasn’t happy with my short row heels. They had holes at the turn, so I used a different method that I had used on my MIL’s socks. Everyone seems to have a different way to turn the heel. I think I like this one best.
The butterfly rib pattern is so easy, I didn’t think I needed to look at the directions after the first repeat. Just knit, and knit, and knit – Oops! I realized that I had not added the 4 additional stitches as I started the pattern up the leg, and I knew it wasn’t right, but I kept going… Finally I looked at the pattern. Since I’m a bit of a perfectionist and I do like the knitting, I frogged down to where the pattern starts. Then, I kept knitting and knitting, thinking I must be almost done when, wa la, I looked a the pattern again, and I was supposed to move up a needle size 4 pattern repeats down. Again I frogged.
Moral of the story, read the directions all the way through and pay attention!
Anyway, I’m happy with them now. They are so comfortable and I love the pattern’s detail.
On to the next pair…
What Brought Me Back
2008
01.31
01.31
This is the project that started it all. It was approximately 4 years ago. The woman who lead our bible study wanted to have it at her mom’s yarn shop one night. I was immediately taken in by the small store in Pasadena, CA. I wish this store had a website. The name is Elegance Designer Yarns on Green St. You can Google it for the address. It was so artfully arranged. There was a comfy couch in the bay window, antique hutches and side boards with yarn spilling off the shelves in a riot of colors.
I think I was taken back to when I first started knitting at about 8 or 9. I didn’t stick with it then. The sticks were awkward and I couldn’t keep my tension straight. If only I’d learned continental first. I think I only tried to knit a scarf at first and I quickly became bored. Besides, the yarn was something on the order of a Red Heart yarn. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that… Seinfeld) Just not very comfortable to work with.
At any rate, I heard that there was a workshop the next Saturday, so I signed up for it. Barry Klein from Trendsetter was teaching a pattern for an afghan. I think it is called Anniversary Plaid. It ended up not being a knitting project, but a crocheted one. That was fine with me because at that time I was more comfortable with crochet. Since my SIL was pregnant, I decided this would be the perfect project.
It took a while, and after I had a few color changes I decided that I didn’t like my choice of yarn. I hopped on down to my favorite LYS, Unwind, and there bought the yummy yarn for the blanket.
A Few Finished Objects
2008
01.21
01.21
Embossed Leaves Socks from Interweave Knits, Winter 2005
Hedera by Cookie A.
These were done a while back, probably 2 years ago now. I’ve just had the pictures lurking on my computer. I’ll post some more later. I’ve got lots more…..
July Sockfest
2007
07.14
07.14
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Here’s what I’ve been working on this summer.
Baudelaire socks for my SIL. I modified the heel with short rows. I don’t really like gussets.
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Here’s another pair I knit with some yarn I found in Boerne, TX.
  Not quite finished in this photo, but they are now! This picture made me think about making toeless socks – Sandal Socks! Hmm…..
Again modified with the short row heels. Did I mention I don’t like gussets? |
 
Here’s a closeup of the pattern.
This superwash wool was from Rosewood Yarns. I discovered this cute shop while I was exploring Boerne when DH was working in San Antonio in June. It’s really yummy. I might have to get some for myself the next time I’m in TX. That may be fairly often since DH will be going there every other week or so.
I made these socks a couple of years ago in Rowan Cashsoft Baby DK. My SIL was admiring them then, so they seemed like the perfect birthday gift. Happy Birthday Lori!
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