Drowing in Beige

I married into a great family. It was part of what vaulted Mr S's and my relationship from serious to consideration-of-marriage. As I considered the future of our relationship, I wondered whether I could look forward to holidays with his family, year after year. Could I really eat Thanksgiving Dinner with these people 20 years from now? The answer was an unqualified yes, and remains so. This weekend brought us to Maryland for a family graduation, and we stayed at the home of one of my most favorite in-laws, Mr S's aunt. She is a brilliant and accomplished scientist, a reader, world traveler, insect-o-phile and knitter/crocheter.

Evidence of her handiwork were everywhere. There were full-sized crocheted blankets and an enormous throw slung over the back of the couch. Even the little blanket she offered Rosebud to sleep with was a pretty feather and fan blanket. I aspire to having my handknits all around my home some day.

I also had the chance to present my wonderful Mother-in-Law with a handknit birthday gift. I saw her a few weeks ago, and when she saw the beige wrap I was making, with trademark subtlety she mentioned how a beige wrap would just be perfect for air conditioned restaurants this Summer.

Now, I must really love my mother-in-law, because a knitting long rectangle of beige stockinette is pretty boring. The Sunday Market Shawl is fast, yes, but it is dull. But I do love her and am happy to indulge her knitting requests, so I made a second one for her.

This weekend, she happily modeled her shawl for me.


She was all excited to take pictures of the two of us wearing our matching shawls, but mine needs to be reknit. Somehow, I managed to drop the wrong stitches, so my lovely ladders disappeared into the body of shawl, making a droopy, burlap-esque wrap. I've already frogged it, and plan on knitting a THIRD long rectangle of beige stockinette.

Left, no ladders. Right, ladders.

I would take a break from all the beige, but I really do need this wrap. It's a perfect summer layer. It will go with everything, from casual to dressy. It can be worn like a scarf and over the shoulders like a shawl. The silk is perfect for throwing over one's shoulders in drafty Athenian restaurants and protecting against sea breezes on the Aegean and nighttime walks along Cretan harbors. And since I leave for Greece in two weeks, I'd better get knitting!

I Wanna Be Popular!

One of my favorite features in Ravelry is searching the most popular patterns. It is surprising, because I generally eschew the popular for the obscure and unique. But in knitting, patterns are popular for very good reasons: a simple stitch pattern used to good effect (Jaywalkers), a universally flattering sweater (Hourglass), or it is just plain cool to knit (Clapotis).

I was looking down the list of popular socks, and I was surprised to find many great sock patterns that I had not yet knit. So in my constant search to keep up with the popular kids, I knit a pair of Hederas in honor of Project Spectrum's EARTH element.


I used Shibui sock yarn and let's just say it once and for all: Shibui pools. Big wedge-shaped striped pooling. On the lace portions of the sock, it isn't so noticeable, but look at the sole:

Yeah. That's some pooling.

Hedera socks are one of those patterns that are popular for a good reason: the stitch pattern is easy to memorize, and it creates a pretty sock. The only modification I made was to shorten the heel flap, which I think was written for a very high instep.

I'm thinking my next sock might be Charades, yet another popular sock pattern.

Will I See You at MDSW?

Look for me; I'll be the girl in the knitted skirt!

Pattern: Indigo Ripples Skirt, IK Spring 2007 (Rav link)
Yarn & Needles: Elann Den-M-Nit, 9 balls indigo, US5
Pattern Mods: I lengthened the stockinette portion and I only knitted 50 rows of the lace pattern. I also added a few shorts rows right below the waistline but before the first hip increase to account for my apple-ish bottom. I've added all the details in my Rav notes, and included some stats about shrinkage. If you're not on Ravelry, um, why?


I never thought I would knit a skirt for me (I did knit one for Rosebud), but a few in the last year really caught my eye. Jody's. Eunny's. Elspeth's. (Interestingly, they were all designed by Kat Coyle, who I guess we have to thank for the resurgence of the knitted skirt.) The return of Elann's Den-M-Nit this fall sealed the deal for me, and I've been single-mindedly knitting on this skirt to finish it time for MDSW.

I've knit with denim before, and didn't much like it. Knitting the denim can be a chore. I am not usually bothered knitting with cottons, but denim is really hard on my hands and wrists, and the indigo dye rubs off on my hands (but not on my clothes, which was a good thing). But the fabric it creates is perfect for a skirt. It is an extremely comfortable garment, but it feels substantial, like woven denim cloth, especially after shrinking, which firms up the fabric nicely and evens out the stitches. This weightiness keeps the skirt from grabbing and bagging around one's bottom. Instead it skims the curves and when it starts to droop, just stick in the washer and dryer!

This pattern is extremely simple to knit; from the top down, with simple increases through the hips and then some easily memorizable lace at the bottom. The ruffle at the edge takes a long time, and it took me all day to bind off. But it was so worth it. It creates a lightness and movement on a substantial garment, and makes it really fun to wear. I find myself twirling and twisting and walking with an extra swing in my step just to enjoy the swirl!

Minty posted pics of her finished Snapping Turtle Skirt this week, and as I read through her comments, I saw a lot of knitters who loved it (it is gorgeous, and looks great) aren't sure about the knitted skirt. I, too, was once a knitter dubious of the knitted skirt. But I am now a believer. I am not a particularly skinny gal, and my lower half is curvy and womanly and reflects my age and my status as a child-bearer. I have hips and ass and a poochy tummy, and this skirt looks and feels great.

So if you are still not sure, ask me about it at MDSW this weekend. Or even if you believe in the knitted skirt, come on up and say hi! Ann and I will be together for another XRK meet-up, and we'd love to say hello!

Fantasy vs. Reality

There's nothing like a string of warm days to make me really crave a warm merino jacket.


Pattern: 96-3 Short jacket knitted from side to side in Alpaca, another free pattern from DROPS Design
Yarn: Karabella Aurora 8, Anthracite colorway, 9 balls, US 6 needle
Mods: I made some ill-considered mods to the sleeve that while not disastrous, I would not recommend other knitters do. I'll add detailed discussion in my Rav notes for future knitters of this pattern.

I'm trying to decide if I'm disappointed with this garment, or if I am just being too hard on myself. It's not as if I've knit a total failure of a sweater; it's a striking design, and I've already gotten lots of compliments on it. It resembles a commercially-made sweater, in a good way, in that it is sophisticated and simple. It was a simple knit as well. It got a little big and unwieldy at the end, like all knit-in-one-piece garments, but the pattern isn't challenging to make at all.

It's just not how I envisioned it. I imagined something a little swingier, a little drapier.

Do you all suffer from this, when your actual sweater doesn't live up to the fantasy sweater?

While I really enjoyed knitting with the Karabella, it wasn't the best choice of yarn for this project. Knitting with the yarn is like buttah, so smooth and silky. It makes a beautiful fabric with incredible spring and body. Combine this with a 2x2 rib pattern and we have the perfect storm of fiber memory here. I have to vigorously steam block it every time I wear it because no matter how many times I wet-block this thing, it shrinks! The length shortens a bit, it becomes a little snug in the arms and the sleeve shrink up a little.

The solutions were many. I could have used a larger needle, of course, but I was concerned about wear in a 100% merino sweater. I am hopeful that as I wear the sweater it will droop a bit more; some comments on Ravelry have suggested that the yarn will lose some of its vaunted springiness.

But I'm left feeling frustrated that I struggle with pairing yarns with projects. I have difficulty extrapolating the behavior of a yarn from a swatch, and often don't anticipate what I really want from the fabric of a garment before I select a yarn. Once again, I have a nicely knit, wearable sweater in a beautiful yarn, just not the right beautiful yarn.

Fire and Earth

The third edition of Project Spectrum has just transitioned from the element of Fire to Earth, and as usual, I am a few days behind.


Pattern: Primavera Socks
Yarn & Needles: Trekking XXL, US2 & US1 needles
Rav info here

In a world full of delicious sock yarns, it was with some relief that I relegated Trekking to my "not for me" yarns. I had used it twice, and really suffered through the last pair in August 2006. I found it splitty and rough, and too thin for my tastes. As you can see, though, I've had a change of heart, and I am pleased to welcome Trekking back into my stash. Having knit more than 30 pairs of socks in the last couple of years, I have developed genuine affection for workhorse sock yarns, like Regia, Jawoll, and Trekking. Socks made from these yarns really do stand up to hard wear, and do not need to be treated with special care in the wash. As the chief (well, only) laundress in our household, I do appreciate that. I've also gotten used to knitting at fine gauges, so the thinness does not bother me as much anymore.

I do have these socks of Nova's to thank for the inspiration to give Trekking another go. I just loved the colorway instantly, and bought it the first chance I had. Project Spectrum provided the perfect excuse to get it on the needles and the Primavera pattern is a great match for the yarn.

Once I finished the Primavera socks, I moved on to a couple of skeins of Shibui yarn in a nice, mossy green for my first Earth project, Hedera socks. I'm much further along than the picture below shows, thanks for daily swimmming lessons for both kids.

And, without planning it at all, I realized that my current sweater WIP (Rav link) fits beautifully into the Earth element, as it is being knitted with the gorgeous Karabella Aurora 8 in the Anthracite colorway. I'll either finish this sweater this weekend or force it into hibernation until fall, in favor of another project I'd like to have done by MDSW!

XRK: Today, with Crochet!

We've needed some new throws and blankets around here for a while now, and I have been fully convinced that crocheting an afghan is for sure the way to go. I spend lots of time on Ravelry looking at different ones, and imagine the amazing crocheted afghans I could make. Sally tells me that crocheting is much faster than knitting, and considering the speed with which she cranks out B.A.G.S. afghans, I am apt to believe it. But Sally is primarily a crocheter who knits.

I am knitter who has extremely rudimentary crochet skills, ones useful for a knitter. I've never actually made a crocheted project. I've never followed a crochet pattern, and only know the single crochet. So while I am obsessed with ripples and Babettes, I'm just not convinced that it would be faster for me, given that I would have to learn how to crochet before I could actually begin.

My sister, the World's Most Deserving of the Handknits, recently requested something Spring-y, to go with her new Spring tote. A little flair, and little green, a little scarf-ish accessory to brighten up an otherwise mostly neutral wardrobe. Enter the perfect excuse to practice my crochet skills, and to test my afghan hypothesis: is crochet really faster than knitting, even when you don't really know how to crochet?

In a word? Yes.

Knitters know that scarves can be a slog, but I cranked out this scarf in less than a week, and that's with some serious ripping after a too-tight chain row caused the scarf to twist and ruffle. I used the Stripes and Stripes Forever (Rav link) pattern from the Happy Hooker, but if you know how to single crochet and have a few skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic lying around, you could make this scarf without a pattern.

My tension is still not great, I have no idea how to properly finish, I lose and gain stitches easily, but in all, a fine first effort. Only about a zillion more rows, and I would have made a great afghan!

Two Boleros

Do you want to know why I don't ever worry about the size of my stash? Every once in a while, I get this incredible urge to stash-dive and knit something with some random, long-stashed yarn. I fall back in love with it, or just get sick of seeing it. Either way, I decide it is time to knit a certain yarn, every last bit. Remember January, my month of Manos?

So in March, I got a particular urge to knit up the three skeins of Cascade Sierra, leftover from Mr S's Dylan Goes Electric sweater. This yarn has mad yardage, and I learned from experience that this yarn washes and dries beautifully in the machine. This would be the perfect yarn to knit a sweater for my son, and as I am typing this very sentence, I am thinking to myself, "why the hell didn't you just make a sweater for Pepe? It would have been perfect." Damn you, hindsight! Well, I can guarantee you that I will use this yarn again and again, probably for easy sweaters for the children. But in the meantime, it was time to get these three skeins out of the stash.

I started with the Ribbed Lace Bolero by Kelly Maher, after seeing Sally's in progress (dude, finish it already!). This is a simple, customizable pattern that knit up over a weekend of many, many basketball games. However, the pattern calls for Cotton-Ease, and I used a mostly cotton blend (80% cotton/20% wool), but I think a yarn with a little more stretch would be ideal for this bolero. There's a big of sag in the armholes and slight droop in the back (as with most shrugs, really) that might be eliminated if knit in a more elastic yarn. My sag vastly improved after a trip through the washer and dryer, which is another reason to love Sierra, because a garment looks better after laundering. I'm not criticizing the pattern, but would just recommend a knitter try a yarn with a bit more memory and give it you are looking for a perfect fit.

It's a perfect, multi-season layer. I've been wearing it a lot over turtlenecks and long-sleeve Ts, and can picture wearing it over a tank in the summer. Love it!

Details here (Ravelry link). Like my haircut?

My daughter immediately asked me to make one for her too, but I don't do the matchy-matchy mother-daughter thing, and I still had 1.5 skeins left of the Sierra, and the goal was to get it all knit up. I knew a ribbed bolero for her would take far less yarn, and leave me with a useless quantity leftover.

Rosebud got a Cloud Bolero. I loved this sweater ever since I saw Carrie's full length version. It was simple to resize for a child, too. First, the sweater is written for a bulky yarn; Sierra is a worsted. I also knit at a much tighter gauge, even for the Sierra. I used a US6 needle and got about 5spi in stockinette. The difference in gauge was enough to shrink it down to fit her, and I ended up following the instructions for a size S. It is basically a top-down raglan, so it was easy to try it on her as I knit it, and Ysolda's instructions for customizing the sizing are easily applicable.

But I got a little overzealous resizing it, because it is a little too small to allow for any kind of closure. It ended up being more like a vest than a bolero. I should have cast on a few more stitches in order to have it meet in the front, but the truth is, my daughter chews on her clothes. I know, gross, right? I know she would have loved a pretty satin ribbon tie at the neck, but it would have been gnawed to oblivion within days. The problem with a vest is that she plays with it incessantly. Pulling it off her shoulders, putting it back on. It needed some kind of closure, like a button or tie at the center of the chest or something. As is, it's a weird, distracting layer for her, and while it looks really cute, it is not exactly a practical item for a busy 7 year old. I have lived and learned: no more open-cardigan-vest-things for her for a while.

But I have knit every last bit of Cascade Sierra (except for a tiny bit left over for repairs if needed on the DGE) in my stash. And that feels great.

Sock Spirit

My last pair of socks were a disappointment, so I was in need of some sock redemption. I wanted to knit a pair of red socks in honor of Project Spectrum 3.0, and with MDSW only a month and a half away, and I've been feeling the pressure to knit more of the yarn I bought there last year.

I chose Spirit Trail Fiberworks Brigit in a beautiful burgundy semi-solid, and once I learned from their website that Brigit is the "Celtic goddess of fire, illumination and guardian of bards, associated with handcrafts of all kinds, creative muse," I knew I had unwittingly stumbled on the perfect MDSW purchase with which to celebrate the Fire element. Combined with the super-simple Nutkin pattern, I have achieved sock redemption.

Red is a bitch to photograph, but this represents the color best

I would encourage anyone to knit the Nutkin socks; they should be the next Monkeys. The simple lace pattern is easy to memorize, but makes for a dramatic effect. It does bias a bit on the leg, but I haven't found it to be uncomfortable. Also, the pattern calls for a YO short row heel, and while I usually choose a heel flap, I tried the heel as described in the pattern, and for the first time ever, I managed a short row heel without holes. Call this a strong recommendation for a easy yet dramatic pattern that teaches you a new technique.

I'm sure many knitters are beginning to consider their MDSW 2008 purchases, and I would recommend this yarn as well. It is a superwash merino, with no nylon, but the tight twist makes it feel more durable than I would expect. The colors are rich and deeply saturated, and the yardage is great as well. Spend some time exploring their website; while the photographs so not do this yarn justice at all, learning about their mission to protect endangered and rare species of sheep convinced me that this is one yarn vendor I want to support. I have another skein of their Elizabeth I in the stash from last year, and will make it a point to stop by their booth again this year to try out a few more of their yarns.


I'm way behind on my blogging; expect a parade of FO posts this week if I actually get around to blogging.

Still Winter Here

Oh, Ann, you and your daffodils and your new gardening blog tease me. 15 years in the South have totally screwed up my seasonal clock. I expect Spring to come now, but here in Philadelphia, we are still definitely in hat season, and will be for several more weeks to come. Knowing that, I made myself a new hat.

When I was in Richmond in January, I spotted Stewart wearing this hat, the Sideways Ribbed Cap, a pattern from the folks at the Vermont Fiber Company. Hers was in a cute two-color combination, and while beanie-type caps are usually not flattering on me and my very oval face, I thought that the horizontal ribs would add just enough volume to flatter. I immediately thought of the mill-end skeins of Fibre Company Terra in the stash, the absolute steal of the day at MDSW last Spring. Remember how I almost destroyed their booth while pawing through baskets of their incredibly gorgeous, incredibly expensive yarns for sale dirt cheap, looking for just the right color combination? Neither skein was a full 50g, and I knew I'd need to combine the two to make something. Here was the perfect pattern!

Now I have serious yarn lust for this yarn. It is really spendy, but a sweater of this yarn would be amazing. The colors of this yarn are just incredible, and while I was concerned that it might have just enough hairs to make it itchy against my forehead, this thing is soft and warm and wonderfully cozy. It might just be worth the price.

* sorry, trying to ping*

Sproingless

My first pair of socks in 2008 have left me decidedly underwhelmed. They're knitted with the new Noro Kureyon Sock, and it didn't much like it. I've previously really enjoyed knitting with Noro yarns, but this is not what I am looking for in a sock yarn.

My main gripe is that the yarn has no elasticity whatsoever, so it makes very baggy socks. If you like that sort of thing (Marnie, I'm looking at you!), then this is the yarn for you. I, however, prefer a snug-fitting, no-droop sock.

So basically, its just your basic 64-stitch stockinette sock with a heel flap. The colors are pretty and the socks are warm, and I don't find them scratchy either. I just prefer some sproing in my sock yarn, and I'm sorry to say that Noro Sock is sproingless. So you won't be seeing me use Noro Sock again, because my stash is too big for me to use a sock yarn that doesn't have sproing.

The Camera Doesn't Lie

I was all ready to show you my finished Sugarplum Pullover early last week, after having ripped it out all the way past the armpits. The length issue had been resolved by ripping the entire yoke and several inches of the body, and reknitting a smaller size. The yoke was still too deep; my row gauge was off for the whole sweater and since it was my first colorwork yoke, I didn't feel capable of modifying the chart enough to shorten it. Thus I chose to be satisfied with the roomy, classic sweater I made, instead of the snug, modern sweater I imagined.

I blocked it, wore it all day, and took FO shots in the backyard. But when I looked at those photos, I saw this:

It looked terrible from the back. The neckline was too droopy and wide. A wide boatneck does not work on a roomy sweater. I am a master of convincing myself in the moment that something was good enough, but the photo did not lie. It was not good enough.

I was loath to reknit the yoke again, even though my inner knitter knew (and still knows) that I should place at least one additional decrease round within the yoke. So I ripped the neckline back, hoping that some added decreases might cinch things up enough. I was hopeful that perhaps it would even raise the neckline enough to improve the fit overall. So I decreased in the last row or two of the colorwork, and in the ribbing around the neck, and then in the last row below the cast-off. I also did a simple, standard bind-off, for one last bit of snugging.

I put it on, it fit over my head, and yes, this was a more more cinched neckline. Satisfied, I set up the camera for more FO shots, this time in the snowy backyard. And again, the photo did not lie. I had decreased way too much, and ended up with really unattractive rippling. Blocking was not going to flatten this out. I needed to rip again.

I decreased a bit more judiciously this time around, and chose to bind off in the rib pattern as well. And now, I can say, that I am, finally, satisfied with my sweater.

Pattern: Sugarplum Pullover (Ravelry link) by Veronik Avery from Handknit Holidays
Yarn: MC is KFI Cashmereno DK. Colorwork is mostly KnitPicks Merino Style but I also used stash where I could, including a little Lambs Pride and Naturespun.

Cashmereno is discontinued, and I think it may be one of the yarns that was caught up in the whole "cashmere content controversy" of years past. I had bought a bag on sale a couple years ago, and decided to use it against my better judgment, assuming that it would pill on the needles like its doppelganger, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino. I am glad I ignored my better judgment this time, because this yarn has held up to serious ripping and reknitting like a dream, and I have worn this sweater already a few times and have yet to see a single pill. There is a slight halo, but otherwise, it has so far held up way beyond my (admittedly very low) expectations.

I did have gauge problems with this sweater, and that is what led to my overall sizing issues. I also think the instructions on gauge are confusing in the pattern, and actually, I think there is a mistake. This pattern calls for the knitter to use three needle sizes: small for the rib, medium for the body, and large for the colorwork (assuming that colorwork tends to be tighter for most knitters. However, it recommends you get gauge in plain stockinette on the large needle the one you'd use for the yoke. I contacted the Ms. Avery, who suggested the obvious: get gauge on the medium needle, the one you'd use for the body, and she too suspects an error in the pattern.

Once again, the camera does not lie. The sweater, although a bit big, is deliciously cozy, the colors are divine, and the knitter is finally satisfied with the final product!

Trio of Mitts

I'm no Tiennie. I don't knit rainbows of mitts for all the playground moms, nor do I knit flowers of snowboarding caps for all my son's friends. No, there's only one Tiennie, and all I can hope to do is to be inspired by her generous spirit and knit for those I love.

Coincidentally, the day before Tiennie amazed the blog world with her incredible colorwheel of Evangelines, my sister-in-law requested a pair of black fingerless gloves to keep her hands warm but still enable her to adjust her MP3 player. My sister-in-law knows that I love to knit on request and when she found herself borrowing her 8 year old's fingerless mitts, she knew she needed to commission a pair.


Pattern: Evangeline, from MagKnits January 2008, inspired by the amaazing Tiennie
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted
I lengthened the ribbing by a few rows on the cuff, but otherwise this is a great, easily modifiable pattern, and they are especially yummy in Malabrigo.


I really do not knit for others to get showered with praise and thanks, but was gratifying to have my sister-in-law tell me how much she loves her mitts, and how she's told all her friends that I just whipped them up by request. And when my daughter brings home schoolwork like this, how can I refuse her when she asks for a new pair? She wanted fingerless gloves too, so she can keep her hands warm and deal with her seatbelt in the back of the car. She had grown out of her Playground Mittens, and really, she prefers gloves. She wanted green, because that's her favorite color. Since I have colorwork on the brain, I threw the hearts (borrowed from here and here) onto a basic Ann Budd pattern and used some Naturespun Sport from the stash.

And since I had a ton of Malabrigo left over, I made some for me too. Like I said, I'm no Tiennie.


Pattern: Natalya by Jody Pirello
Yarn: Malabrigo Worsted
Mods: I shortened them considerably as I had to conserve yarn, but otherwise, a simple but elegant pattern from my friend, the certified knittng genius we all know as Savannah Chik.

Rosebud's and my mitts saw a lot of action this weekend as we participated in the Audubon Society's Great Backyard Bird Count. We printed the checklist for our area, we took our identification guides and pencils, and settled in, ready to count.



We counted exactly zero birds in our cold backyard. But at least our hands were warm!

Wear Report - Valentine's Edition

For the last four years, I have knitted something for Mr S for Valentines Day. The first thing I ever made him were Fibertrends Felted Clogs, and after four years of daily wear, it was time for a replacement.

Let's give some serious credit to that double-thick felted sole; these slippers have held up amazingly well, given their level of hard use. Mr S wore them every day, often up and down our very steep driveway to get the newspaper or to put out the trash. But for the last 6 months or so, the soles of the clogs began to sprout holes, and I began finding little strands of red yarn all over the house as they began to shed their frayed edges.



I made the first pair of clogs in Lambs Pride Worsted. They obviously held up so well, it made sense to use that felting workhorse again. My husband has very big feet (insert snicker here), so I made the largest size, but it took many, many cycles in the washer for these to felt to the proper size. It wasn't much of a surprise when he opened them up even though I made sure I didn't knit them when he was around; he'd been expecting a new pair, but he was, predictably, happy and grateful for the new pair.



Pattern: FiberTrends Felted Clogs
Yarn and Needles: Lambs Pride Worsted, 4 skeins, chocolate souffle, US13
Ravelry Details here

We've all heard the old adage that marriage is hard work, to stay connected as life gets complicated, to keep the spark as life gets predictable and boring. We've been together over a dozen years, and we're in the stage of our life where Friday nights no longer mean wine tastings or art openings. It means ice cream socials at the elementary school or sharing yet another pizza on paper plates. Our first Valentines Day was celebrated with a romantic weekend away at a B & B; now we celebrate with a giant chocolate chip cookie from Acme after dinner and a gift of handknits. I mean, replacement felted slippers don't exactly say "Come on over, sexy lover." They're practical, warm, and sort of boring.

But Mr S and I had an especially happy Valentine's Day, after having endured a potentially scary health issue for me. I am one of the lucky women whose questionable mammogram ultimately showed no signs of malignancy, but it has been a worried few weeks for the two of us. We maintained perspective, and were very optimistic, but it was impossible for me not to see his concern when he looked at me. I teased him that he loved me extra, and that he'd better still love me extra when I was just his Making-Spaghetti-For-Dinner-Again-Wife, not his Oh-My-God-What-If-She-Has-Cancer-Wife.

We've emerged from the last month with an immense feeling of relief and gratitude, as well as a new empathy for people who have to walk the difficult path that we were so fortunate to avoid. We appreciate in a whole new way our boring, happy life, and we still love each other extra.

So Long, Manos!

I have managed to knit up just about all six skeins of Manos that had long lingered in my stash. The final FOs were more successful than the first few.

The Purl Scarf (Ravelry link)

I made this with one skein of Manos and one skein of Douceur et Soie, another longtime languishee in the stash. At first, I questioned even using the Douceur, as they were very similar in color, but the addition of the Douceur added a very subtle sheen to the Manos, as well as a lovely halo. That, and I had no idea what I would do with this ball of yarn, having had it now for four years.

The One-Day Beret

I really did need a warm winter hat. I tried Thorpe, and we all agree that while it might be an excellent hat for a Mongolian, it was not so good on me. I then made Gretel. The slouchy Gretel. And it was wwaaaaaaayyyyy slouchy, as in rastafarian slouchy. Rather than simply rip it back to a more normal size, though, I decided to felt it a bit. This the point that my super-slouchy beret turned into a gigantic head cozy. The felting process caused the ribbing in the brim to lose all elasticity, and well, it was a mess. It was impossible to frog (thank you, felting), so I threw it out. I'm sorry I did not take a photo of it, since all our loyal blog readers truly deserved a picture of this monstrosity, but I just pitched it. Sorry, Gretel, maybe next time.

So I needed to attempt a third hat, and since I really do admire Kirsten's work, and after the personal failure of the Thorpe Hat, I wanted to give another one of her patterns a try. The One Day Beret is a top-down beret recipe, and it is totally customizable to any yarn or gauge. Once you get past those first few rounds, it is really simple and quick knitting. My bind-off ended up being a little loose, so I threaded some elastic in the brim and snugged this up nicely. A smashing success!

Chevalier Mittens

I fell madly in love with Tikru's mittens when I first saw Grace's a few months back. Mine still need a good blocking, but since I've been wearing them every day, I've been unwilling to soak them and wait days for them to dry. They are a little too long than I'd like, but they do keep out the chill on cold mornings. I also made a huge error by knitting these on Addi Lace needles. Pointy needle + single ply yarn + cabling without a cable needle = lots of splitting and poking of the fingers. I could have easily gone upstairs and gotten a blunter needle, but I was lazy. Thus, I deserve the finger poking.

So, instead of making a whole sweater out of this yarn, as was my original intent, I made a ton of warm winter accessories, for me, for Rosebud, and for charity.

What yarns can you set free?

Setting the Manos Free

I've had this sweater's worth of Manos in my stash for a couple of years.

A lustrous turquoise, I got it on sale during our lean years in Virginia, and it felt like an incredible indulgence at the time. I wound some, swatched some, even started to make a sweater with it, but it never got made into anything. I diligently considered tons of sweaters, and spent endless hours surfing Ravelry to match the right project with this yarn.

Until I finally figured out what the problem was. I do not want a sweater out of Manos. I just don't. I also really love turquoise, but I do not want a turquoise sweater. I just don't. But turquoise is a flattering color for me, especially near my face, so I decided to wantonly break into my sweater's worth of Manos, and make myself a warm winter hat to match my down jacket.

I started with the the Yarn Harlot's Unoriginal Hat, and it was too small, despite multiple modifications to account for my yarn's different gauge. So I slapped on a huge pom pom and gave it to Rosebud, who also needed a warm winter hat.



This week's spring-like weather does not have me fooled. I know I have many more freezing mornings at the bus stop ahead of me, so I tried again, this time, making Kirsten's Thorpe hat, with some contrasting pink Nature Wool Chunky from the stash.


This hat fit, but it definitely didn't flatter. It took me a day or two to realize that through. And in the meantime, I had begun matching mittens.

The color combo stopped working for me altogether, so the hat and mittens are headed for Dulaan. Yay for serendipitious charity knits!

But I am undaunted. I'll start hat #3 tonight.

Four Year Sweater

It is a good omen to start the new year with a victory, isn't it? I know this little, unassuming mass of stockinette seems like nothing much, but for me, it is wearable proof of how far I have come as a knitter.

I have this commercially made sweater, a boatneck pullover knit with a fuzzy mohair-type yarn, knit at a larger gauge so that the sweater is lightweight but warm. It had seen a lot of wear for a couple of seasons, but it has gotten a bit ratty, and is ready to be retired.

Enter the Deep Breath sweater from Webs. I generally don't look too closely at their patterns, but this one caught my eye since it was for a sweater in laceweight yarn. I had never really considered using my laceweight stash to make a sweater, but I liked the idea. I could have easily purchased the pattern. It costs $1.50. Seriously. But I have, in the past, bought patterns for some top-down sweaters, and felt really suckered in the end. I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again. If you have Barbara Walker's Knitting from the Top, you do not need a pattern to make a sweater. You need a decent sized swatch, a measuring tape, and a calculator, and that is it.

So I used the measurements of my commercial sweater as my guide, and cast on. I was pleased to find as I knit the sweater that I would not need any shaping in the body, since the fabric created by knitting this yarn at this gauge (about 5 spi) is wonderfully stretchy and sexily clingy. So while I planned for no negative ease (I didn't want the fabric to stretch or look distorted over the bust), I didn't have to decrease for the waist. The fabric did all the work for me.

But when I cast off, lightly blocked and tried the thing on, the neckline was way too wide. It drooped and made the armscyes too deep. It rendered the sweater unwearable. The body fit beautifully, so I was loath to frog the whole thing, and cutting off the yoke and grafting was also a bad option in this yarn, which is a bit sticky and shows every uneven stitch.

I tried to crochet an edge at first, but it still sagged in the shoulders. So I began to pick up stitches at the neck, and experimented with necklines that would raise the entire yoke of the sweater.

My mind eventually drifted to one of the very first sweaters I ever tried to make for myself, the Mohair Cowl Pullover from IK Winter 2004. Due to an unfortunate yarn substitution, it was also the first sweater I ever made and them immediately frogged. I referred to the instructions to make a cowl, threw in a couple of short-rows in the front to lengthen the cowl, and eventually ended up with a drapey cowl that is perfect for short-necked, graciously endowed, petite gals like me. It had the added plus of totally camouflaging the old garter-stitch neckline, and fixing the fit issues beautifully.


The cowl does change the overall effect of the sweater, which was intended to be a lightweight layer to wear over a tank. Now, it is cozier and looks great layered with a tissue-tee, although it isn't exactly appropriate for the arctic chill we've been experiencing. I regret using yarn-overs for my raglan increases, but I do think that they'll take the sweater into warmer seasons over the aforementioned tank.

It feels like a full-circle moment, this sweater. This is the sweater I was going for four years ago. Four years ago, there is no way I could take a swatch and a sweater in my closet and make something that fit and flattered. I could never had said things like "threw in a couple of short rows" or "I planned for no negative ease." I could never have problem solved my way out of a loser sweater into a winner. This is a great way to start the year!

Details: Four Year Sweater
Pattern: a combination of the Deep Breath sweater and Barbara Walker's Top-Down wisdom.
Yarn & Needles: Touch of Twist Zephyr, Dianthus colorway, purchased at MDSW for nine dollars, a little less than 900 yds. Addi Lace US 6 needles gave me a gauge of 5spi.

Party More!

I can't say my slate is exactly clean; I'm having some neckline issues with my laceweight sweater, but still, I am content with my year's worth of knits.

Here's the final FO for 2007, then, Herringbone Mitts from Elliphantom.

I used Cascade 220 in cream and a tweedy brown and size 6 needles. This is my second attempt at colorwork, and this was the time that it clicked! I think the colorwork bug has bitten me badly, so look for more stranded goodness here at XRK in 2008. In fact, I've even begun major swatching for the next big project, the Sugarplum Pullover (Ravelry link) from Handknit Holidays.

Many New Year's Eve's ago, my family was celebrating together, and we made a series of lists: the 5 best things that happened to us that year, the 5 worst things that happened to us that year, and 5 New Year's Resolutions. It was the one and only year we made such lists, but there was one resolution I remember vividly. It was my sister-in-law, a senior in college, who resolved to "Party More!"

Party. More! I loved it. And I instantly adopted it as a go-to resolution. Now, as a thirty six year old mother of two, partying means something different than my then college-aged sister-in-law, but I love the attitude of wanting more celebration in life. So I resolve to Party More in my life, to celebrate life's precious moments more in 2008, and to look for ways to add more joy to my life and the life of my family.

Knitting remains a joy and a passion, and one of the ways I truly do party in my life. I resist rules and structure in my knitting, and allow whimsy to be my guide. I'll continue to follow the spirit of my inspirations this year, and knit what pleases me with yarn I love.

So from Ann, Mo, and me, we here and XRK wish you a Very Happy New Year and urge you to Party More too!

Clean Slate 2008

It has been the joy of family and the magic of Christmas with young children that has kept me from blogging. I did have a wonderfully blessed Christmas with my family and with Mr S's, and Santa was very good to all of us this year. And while I truly did read many of your wonderful Christmas messages and received all your wonderful wishes with a warm heart, I was just to busy to leave many comments on anyone else's blog. I do hope all of you had a lovely Christmas!

I don't know why I care, but I decided to try to finish all of the WIPs before the new year begins. I am generally not one to leave projects to linger, and am fairly disciplined about finishing or frogging. I have a lot of projects in the queue ready to be cast on, but I decided to just focus my energies for a couple of weeks to finish up, and I think I am going to reach my goal. My current sweater (which I haven't even mentioned on the blog) has about a quarter of the sleeve to go, my colorwork mittens are blocking, and my longest lingering project ever, my New England socks, are finally done!

Pattern: New England socks by Nancy Bush from Knitting on the Road
Yarn and Needles: Koigu KPM, Knit Picks US 1.5 (2.5mm) circular

Notes: These socks were my quiet vacation knitting, sitting on the front porch of our cabin in the Maine woods. They were a part of my summer dalliance with Nancy Bush, and the final remnant of my flirtation with the Single Sock Liberation Movement.

I got through the first sock this summer, but when I first made the second sock, I noticed I had gauge issues when I was about 80% finished. I had swapped out my Knit Picks 1.5 needle for my Addi Lace 1.5, and it really did make a noticeable difference in my gauge. These socks are not difficult to knit, but they do require you to refer to the chart for every other row, so it took my Clean Slate Resolution to muster up the urge to finally finish them. It's my first highly patterned sock pattern, and I'm not sure if you'll see many more in my future. I like to knit socks because they are portable and mindless, and these socks were neither.

They are a little bigger than I prefer, but I hope a few washes will shrink them slightly. I'll give you an update in 2008, for a newly planned feature on the blog, where I'll post updates and wear reports on various knitting projects.

Forecast Notes

As previously mentioned, my Forecast is finished and photographed.



Pattern: Forecast by Stefanie Japel, Knitty Winter 2005
Yarn & Needles: Brooks Farm FourPlay, US 7 & US 8
Mods: Like many Forecast knitters, I used Winnie's mods.

Since picking up the needles 6 years ago, I have learned a lot of techniques that have made me a better knitter, and really improved the look of my garments. I thought about this as I made this sweater, as I used combination knitting to make neat ribs, as I knit backwards to speed the bobble-making, as I cabled without a cable needle. A beginning knitter could easily make this sweater, but I was struck by how some of these simple tricks made the knitting of this sweater easier and neater, more professional looking.

But this sweater is also an example of how an experienced, technically proficient knitter can end up with so-so results. A top-down raglan is usually a no-fail method for me, and Stefanie Japel's patterns are well-written and designed to fit a woman's body. So why does my Forecast, an almost universally flattering pattern, look so freakin' boxy on me?

It's the yarn. Now, I have to say, unequivocally, that I love this yarn. This was one of the most pleasurable yarns to knit with, period. The color changes are so rich and saturated, and the smooth hand and easy knitting were just amazing. I love it so much that after making most of a loser sweater, I ripped it out and immediately cast on for Forecast. So I essentially knit two sweaters in a row with it! And loved it!


But this is a classic example of how you can combine a great pattern and a great yarn and get so-so results. Forecast is all about the structure, while Brooks Farm is all about the drape, which didn't become totally clear to me until I blocked this sweater (I used the steam-block method), and the horizontal ribbing flattened out and the sweater became a bit flabby and lifeless. The sweater sags (don't look too closely at the bottom of the button band) and is just a bit too big. The silk content overrides the merino's memory and springiness. This yarn would be great for a very drapey sweater, but I would definitely NOT recommend it for this one.

On the other hand, it feels divine, and the yarn does look great with this pattern. When I initially used it, I just loved how it looked in garter, but was not pleased with how it was striping in stockinette, so I figured that the combination of garter, cables, and bobbles would break up the color repeats to interrupt the striping, and I was right. Most finished Forecasts I've seen are in a solid or tweedy yarn, but I would not hesitate from using a tonal variegated yarn for this pattern.

Overall, I'm pleased with the sweater, but know that good old Cascade 220 would have served me better for this pattern than the yarn I chose. I still have a lot to learn, which is why I can't wait for my birthday present from Ann to arrive!!!

When Mom's a Knitter...

...you have conversations like this over the breakfast

Mom: It's going to be cold today. Wear that stripey sweater today.
Daughter: What stripey sweater?
Mom: They one I made you last year.
Daughter: Oh, you mean my Noro sweater?


...you get a new hat just in time for the first snow of the winter


Pattern: the ubiquitous We Call Them Pirates
Yarn & Needles: Cascade 220 (red), Plymouth Encore (black), Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino (lining) from (you guessed it!) the stash, US3 needles
Mods: To size down the hat, I knitted at a tighter gauge (about 7 spi) and only did two repeats of the skull motif.

I made a poor choice when I decided not to decrease in the lining. I thought the difference in the weight of the yarns (worsted vs. fingering) would make up for it, and I didn't want the lining to pucker. Well, it flares, dammit! It flares! I did EZ's sewn bind off for the lining for stretch, and then meticulously sewed it down beautifully. I was not about to pick it all out and redo it, so I threaded some elastic in the brim, and it snugged things nicely.

Notes: This was my first colorwork project ever, and it's some pretty craptacular knitting. However, this was knitted as a more of a learning and practice piece, so my expectations were pretty low. Plus, Pepe desperately needed a new hat. And despite some puckering and lack of crispness in the colorwork, Pepe has gotten tons of compliments on it, and I have managed to impress many non-knitters.

I am working on picking comfortably, and have some work to do keeping my floats even. Despite that, though, it was a relatively quick project, knitting up in a just a few afternoons.