Goal Trackers

Showing posts with label cowl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cowl. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Granny Madness Bites

Granny Madness is running rampade with my knitting group. Denise introduced us all to Lion Brand's new yarn Amazing. She made this incredible giant granny square blanket and me along with several other members of my knitting group fell in love the colors and the lighteness of this yarn and soon we all chose different colorsways so we could all see how they crocheted up! I picked the Wildflowers colorway and I ♥ this yarn! This blanket is done, but for the edging. I still haven't decided what edging I want to use. This picture was taken outside in hopes that it would take a more true to life color shot, but the colors look much bright in this photo then they really are. The colorway is really more muted and just gorgeous!

Granny in Wildflowers

Just a few finished projects.

Haruni Shawl
I just love how this shawl came out. It was a lot of fun to knit, but a real bitch to pin and block!! It was also a tad difficult doing the crochet cast-off because I'm left handed. This shawl is much more stunning in person, especially done in this color. I think the blue blocking squares detreacts from the beautiful color of this yarn.

Haruni
Pattern: Haruni (Rav link)
Yarn: Fresh From the Cauldron's Silk Sock
Colorway: Sookie
Needles: KnitPicks Harmony size 8
Modifications: none


November Wrap
This shawl took me a while to complete. I just got bored with it when I reached the ruffle and I put it down. Then about two months ago I caught the finishing bug and finished up several UFOs, this being one of them :)

November Wrap 2
Pattern: November Wrap (Rav link)
Yarn:
A Touch of Twist Peruvian Alpaca & Cascade 220
Colorway: Night & Day and Black
Needles: KnitPicks size 10
Modifications: added 20 stitches for length, added short rows before the ruffle to make a nice curve and added length to the back.


Mobius Cowl
I've been wanting to make this cowl for a while, but I could never decide on a yarn. Then I received this yarn and just know it was perfect for this project. I still have 1/2 a skein left that I don't know what I want to do with!!
Mobius Cowl 2
Pattern: Mobius Cowl (Rav link)
Yarn: Fresh From the Cauldron's Silk Camel
Colorway: Field of Poppies
Needles: KnitPicks Harmony size 8
Modifications: none


Socks, socks, socks!!
Jabberwocky socks
Pattern: Jabberwoky Socks
Yarn: Wullenstudio Sock
Colorway: Feeling Groovey (Sprint Sock Club)
Needles: KnitPicks size 2
Modifications: none


Pomatomus
Pattern: Pomatomus (Rav link)
Yarn: Socks that Rock MW

Colorway: Lucky
Needles: KnitPicks size 3

Modifications: none

Summer Socks
Pattern: Lace Trellis
Yarn: Wullenstudio Sock (Summer Club colorway)

Colorway: Here Comes the Sun
Needles: KnitPicks size 2
Modifications: none

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Finished Projects Updates

Yikers! I have been a very bad blogger when it comes to posting my finished projects. I just scrolled back and realized I hadn't posted a finished project since May!! Bad me!! (Sorry Ellen!! - have to say that before she chastises me at knitting group ;) )

OK, first up is the Gail shawl. I loved knitting this shawl as it was very different from any of my other previous shawls. I may actually knit this one again as a Christmas gift for someone else, but this one I am definitely keeping for myself!

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Pattern: Gail (Nightsongs) Rav link
Yarn: Fresh from the Cauldron - Silk Sock
Colorway: The Volturi
Needles: KnitPicks Harmony size 8
Modifications: completed 7 repeats and then the edging. The pattern called for a double YO at the center stitch. I thought that made to large of a stitch and changed it to a single YO.

Here's a nice close-up of the motif. Believe it or not, the yarn is a variegated colorway. The dyer blended the colors so smoothly and the changes are soft enough that it worked beautifully in this lace pattern. I couldn't have been happy with the results!

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Here's an outside shot so you can see the colors a little better.

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Next up are just a few dishcloths. I was on a kick. I had made one for my sister a while back and last time I was over her house I noticed that it was seriously on it's last life! So I gave her the top two that are pictures and I kept the bottom two for myself. I'm thinking of making a whole bunch more and giving them as part of family Christmas gifts this year.

Chinese Waves dishcloth Flicker Flames dishcloth



Octagonal Swirl dishcloth 100_2322

Next up, I test knitting a baby sweater pattern for my friend Sheila over at Wullenstudio and Sheila Rovelstad Designs. What a fun knit and you can knit the smallest size with one skein of her sock yarn!! I made this sweater to give as a baby gift for my cousin's wife, who is pregnant, but they are holding out till the baby is born to find out if the child is a boy or a girl. Since the sweater design really leans more toward a girl I"m holding on to it and going to start a more boyish sweater here soon.

Bebe Sweater
Pattern: Bebe Sweater (test knitted the pattern for Sheila Rovelstad Designs)
Yarn: Wullenstudio Sock Yarn
Colorway: Mama Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys

Needles: KnitPicks size 2 (30 mm)

Bebe Sweater

Lastly is a birthday gift for my friend - KnitRedSox. OK, so she's a July baby and a wool cowl isn't really ideal - BUT there's a good reason for this. She has just recently moved back to the Chicago area and the winters up there can be brutal, so it will be put to good use in a few weeks I'm sure ;) Plus, her favorite color is purple! (Miss you Girl!!)

I cannot tell you how many times I frogged and started this cowl over because it just didn't look like it was coming out right. I looked on Ravelry on other people's project pages and no one had any comments about errors or anything, so I casted on again and worked through one full repeat during at a knit night. I showed some of the gals there the directions and what was coming out on my needles and it wasn't looking like the picture on the pattern. Finally I gave up for the night and decided to give Ravelry another look-see in the morning. On the actual project page is where I saw a more explicit explanation of the pattern directions and finally understood the pattern, but thought the pattern directions could have been written more clearly to reflect that! Well, I was finally able to get the cowl finished and the birthday package put all together and shipped out :)

I just may have to make one of these cowls for myself as well!!
Storm Cowl
Pattern: Darkside Cowl Rav link
Yarn: 100Purewool
Colorway: Storm
Needles: KnitPicks Harmony size 8
Modifications: none

Friday, May 22, 2009

Playing Catchup!

So, I went through my spare room to take stock of all my UFOs and well, I have a few! Not suprising. I took updated pictures of the ones I really would like to complete before starting a new project *LAUGH* Oh I cracked myself up on that one! Anyhoo, here's the current listing of projects that I am hoping to complete by the end of June? Maybe? Hopefully? OK, so that's at least that's the game plan!

Then again, I did just find out that my cousin's wife is pregnant and her family is having a baby shower for them on June 12, while they are in town visiting, so right there I will be casting on for either a blanket or baby sweater. Considering that they currently live in Colorado, a sweater will be well used I am sure. I just have no heard if they know the sex of the baby yet. There are also three co-workers who are pregnant. One of these women worked with me a lot and wrote me a great recomendadtion letter for a summer position, so I would definately want to knit her a baby sweater and she knows she's having a boy so that makes it easy! And there's project no. 2 that will need to be casted on :) *as they say, "the road to hell is paved with good intentions"*

OK, not on to the UFOs. First up Juliet (Rav link). This is my second attempt at Juliet. The first was almost finished when I tried it on and it was swimmingly big!! And before you even ask, yes I did swatch and yes I did get gauge. After looking around on Ravelry and reading others people's project pages, I understood that the pattern ran big and attempt no. 1 went to the frog pond and the yarn was put on the Naughty Step, or rather the Naughty Bag *ok, so I've watch the Super Nanny a few times* So, after being in the Naughty Bag for almost a year. I brought it back out and cast on two sizes smaller. It's turning out much better, so far. Sorry the pictures a little dark. I did not cast off the sleeve stitches as I'd like to add a little more to the length of the sleeve. The garter portion is almost under my bust line and just about an inch away from starting the lace pattern. I'm sort of going back and forth between increasing just enough stitches to complete the repeats or making the numberous increases the pattern calls for and having the extra bulk. Oh decisions, decisions!

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Next, I found my cashmere cowl. Just a simple 2x2 ribbing. Not suprised that this project got lost in the stash mound. Ribbing is so boring to knit, but with the colorway, I didn't want to knit something to elaborate and have the pattern get lost in the colorway. Even thought this one is boring to knit, it would be a perfect TV watching project, expecially since all my shows have ended for the season and all that's on now are reruns! It's nice that the yarn is super soft too!

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Here's are the Horcrux Socks Take Two. The first time I started these I was a relatively new sock knitting and didn't cast on enough stitches. So, these too went off to the frog pond and were recast-on with more stitches. I think these have lapsed to the bottom of the pile because there were suppose to be my Halloween socks and then Halloween came and went and the socks were put on hold.

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Here's yet a third "Take Two" project. Only the first were actually completed. The socks were just a tad too small to get on my feet, so I gave them away and started another pair for myself and went up two needle sizes. I think these will work out much better for me :) The STR yarn is medium weight, so it makes for a nice thick sock. The pattern is a lot of fun to make and it makes a stunning sock in the end. Well worth the effort of a "take two"

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Oh my, look, another "Take Two" *anyone see a theme building in my UFOS?* I have actually completed a pair of these socks earlier in the year. I was test knitting a pattern for my friend Sheila's sock club and I knit straight according to the pattern without making changes as that was the assignment - test knit the pattern to make sure there were no errors. So, again the first pair were too small for my feet and are on the "Gift" pile for my sister. They'll either be her birthday gift or her Christmas gift. Since the first ones didn't fit, I went ahead and cast on for another pair for myself and added a few stitches to the cast-on. These should fit nicely when I finish.

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Finally, a first draft! *laugh* I took a yarn dyeing class about a year ago at Lovelyarns in Hampden, MD. I was aiming for a purple and brown colorway, I had not realize the range of colors that came out until I wound up this skein and started knitting with it. I just LOVE how the colors are coming along on these socks!! Makes me wish I could somehow reproduce this colorway and make a shawl with it!! Because the yarn is so thin, I went ahead and cast these socks on size 0 needles. I must be crazy, but I really like the tightness in the stitch and the feel of the yarh is FAB!! Of course, knitting on such small needles, these are taking me longer than normal, but I think they will be well worth it in the end!

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Something other than socks!! Here's the Tiger's Eye Scarf. I wasn't thinking at the time that I cast this on, but this scarf is make in two halves and then grafted together in the middle so that the "eyes" are all facing in the right direction on both halves of the scarf. So today, I went ahead and cast on the other half and I'm knitting that half until I'm up to the same repeat as the first and then I can knit them at the same time. I really like this colorway with this pattern.

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Last up is actually a FO! A bread basket liner. I followed the pattern, but I think the basket would have to be pretty small for this liner to work. I have more of this yarn in this colorway and other and intend to make more of these bread liners as Christams gifts, but I think I will knit the center square larger before I start the edging pattern.

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I think I'm all caught up with projects now. Would I swear to that, well no. There could still be a project or five lurking around my home!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Winners and more

OK, first let me post the winners to the contest. I let Frisco dig into the bag and which ever piece of paper came out was the winner. Unfortunately, when I went to go take pictures of this the batteries died *ugh* So now I have to write myself a note and stop at the store on the way home to pick up batteries so I can take pictures of my new niece this weekend!! I'm heading to NY tonight, so this will probably be my last post till I get back.

Getting back to Frisco... It probably wasn't the best idea to let him pick, but since I don't have any kids at home to use as prize drawers I had to improvise. As he was playing around in the bag TWO pieces of paper fell out, so there are two winners. Congrats to Kati Mae and Heather! I have contacted you both and awaiting your response :)

In knitting news - I had finished the Baby Bolero for Baby M a while ago, but I haven't posted about it till now. I would have waited till I got a picture of Baby M wearing, but I still haven't received a picture of her wearing the dress or the hat. So, I'm not going to hold my breath on this one either. I'm very pleased with how this came out and I'm stash searching for more DK yarn to make an even smaller on for Maya.

Neck-down Childrens Bolero
Pattern: Children's Neck Down Bolero from Knitting Pure and Simple
Yarn: Wullernstudio DK Merino (1.5 skeins) specially dyed for this project
Needles: Knit Picks Options, size 6
Modifications: I went down in yarn weight and needle size to make a smaller sweater since Baby M is wearing size 18 months. Beatrix Potter button

I have also start to really buckle in on my holiday knittings. I cranked out 2 gifts this weekend. First up is the Impressionist Cowl for my younger sister. She will also be getting some baby things - obviously. The pattern was easily memorized and knit up in a day! I want to make a second on with just the top pattern and leaving off the waves at the bottom. I like the colorway of the yarn too!

Impressionist Cowl
Pattern: Impressionist Cowl (Ravlink)
Yarn: Reynolds Harvest Tweed (1.5 skeins)
Needles: Knit Picks, size 10
Modifications: none

Nexy up is the Birthday Cowl for Zia Franca. This was an easily memorized pattern as well and knit up in a day and a half. This yarn is super soft! I have a few more skeins in my stash in other colors, so I may be making a few more of these :)

Birthday Cowl
Pattern: Birthday Cowl (Ravlink)
Yarn: Frog Tree Merino (1 skeins)
Needles: Knit Picks, size 8
Modifications: none

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Ravelympics Cast-on!!

OK, I wasn't a die-hard fanatic that got up at 8 AM just to cast on. Sorry folks, I slept in as my per-normal healing period, till about 11. Then I had to pack for a drive-by weekend with the folks. My older sister and her family were going to NY for my baby sister's birthday and to drop the kids off with Nonni and Grandpa for the week. My parents are so good to take the kids not just for one week, but TWO different weeks over the summer!! Earlier this summer they took the grandkids to Florida for a week!

The trip was a little hard on me. I wasn't used to sitting for such a long period of time. Not even the first day I was home from the hospital, but then again the swelling was pushing against my bladder which had me in the bathroom every couple of hours. We got stuck in HORRIBBLE traffic in Delaware. It was even worse when we came home on Sunday!! Sunday we were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic from the Delaware Memorial Bridge (entering Delaware) to the toll booth LEAVING Delaware!! Sunday was BRUTAL!!

This traffic was horrible on one bum and patience, but great for the non-driving knitter, ME! Though I had a few sharp belly pangs Friday night to remind me that it wasn't so great on the body.

Anyhoo, I cast on for my Horcrux Socks at about 2PM, after I was done packing. By the time we got to NY (9:30 PM) I was 2 rows away from the heel flaps!! I went ahead and cast-on 2-@-a-time. Silly me forgot that book at home and didn't want to screw up the heel flaps, so stopped there.

Horcrux Socks

Saturday was my sister's birthday. I help my Mom a little in getting ready for the party. She was having family over (25 people total) for a cook-out for Stefania. When she saw me draggin' ass she sent me to take a nap. I passed out on the couch for a few hours. It was just what I needed.

Doesn't she look cute pregnant!

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Sunday I cast-on the Cashmere Cowl. It's just a simple 2x2 rib. By the time we got home Sunday night I had knit through about 1/2 the skein of yarn. I think this just might be a one-skein wonder!! Now what do I do with the other skein that I have?!

Cashmere Cowl

Other Knitting News:
I am almost done with all the pieces for the Moss Bark Short Sleeve Cardigan. I just have one more sleeve to complete, block and sew together. I hate sewing pieces together! Anyhoo, I love how it's turning out. It's a tad heavier then I was expecting, so I doubt I'll be sporting this indoors, but it will be a nice jacket on brisk days!

Moss Cardigan

Dad's socka are coming along nicely. They will probably get the back burner till I am done with my three Ravelympics projects, but that's OK since Christmas is a bit off still. These were the first pair that I had cast on using the 2-@-a-time method. I have about 5" on the leg, the pattern calls for 9" before starting the heels. Notice anything about the needles on this project?? No, I'm not talking about the fact that they are Harmony needles, but they are nice aren't they! Look closer.

Dad's Socks

It snaped in half! *waaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh* I have never broken a needle before and I haven't even had these a month yet!! *sniffle* These were a gift, so KnitPicks won't replace them because only the person who bought them can do that. So, I decided I'm going to write them a letter and enclose the broken needle at proof. Hopefully they will replce, but in the mean time I had to order a pair in that size to finish the socks! I ordered the Options in hopes that I won't break them!

Luckily it isn't the working needle that snapped, so I can still knit, but I will need to switch out the needles when I get down to the heel flap.

Broken Harmony needle

Lastly, remember that yarn were the colorways was sooooooooooooooooooooooo off the order site picture. I went ahead and finished the Shetland Shawl for my sister and a fellow knitter, who is also a professional dyer was going to help me overdye the shawl. Turns out I didn't get to do it before my sister's birthday, so I wrapped it up as is with the intention of telling her that I would have to take it back with me to dye it again. Turns out, she LOVED the color. No need to dye! So I just blocked it and gave it to her when it was dry. Finnitto!

Shetland Triangle