Out With The Old

I need structure when in an overwhelming situation. So I often make arbitrary limits just to bring some order and control to the chaos. Therefore it seemed only natural for me to create some kind of absurd rule for MDSW 2008 purchases: I couldn't buy yarn from any vendor from which I had bought yarn in 2007 that was still in my stash.

So no Brooks Farm. No Tess. But I was able to buy from The Fibre Company due to these quick knits just before we left ...

Pattern: Sideways Ribbed Cap by Cathy Campbell
Yarn: Terra from The Fibre Company (sunflower and light indigo)
Needles: US 7s
Notes: Thank you Liz for your inspiration! This hat is an end of the year present for another of R's teachers. We thought the lightest yellow of the sunflower was reminiscent of sunshine and the indigo evoked a clear blue sky. Perfect for our lovely outdoorsy preschool teacher.


It took me a while to find buttons that would work until The Yarn Lounge got some Danforth Pewter's buttons. I didn't realize until I got home that I've actually been in their store in Middlebury, VT. The business is wonderful and they are right near the Vermont Organic Fiber Company. Sounds like a fun day of shopping next time I'm up in the area!

Terra is 60% Merino, 20% Baby Alpaca, and 20% Silk. That equals 100% delicious. And at 100 yards a skein, these are better than some of the skimpy yardage skeins that I saw this year at MDSW.


Pattern: Ruffles Scarf by Amanda Blair Brown from Scarf Style
Yarn: Terra (Sunflower) from The Fibre Co.
Needles: US 7s
Notes: I had a skein (and a bit more) leftover from the hat, so I tried a Ruffles Scarf. These short rows were actually a lot of fun to knit. I didn't have enough for a long scarf, but it's just enough for R!

And now may I present my new Fibre Company yarn ...

Organik

Limited Edition Longhorn

Busy ...

... but not with knitting. If I have free time, I'm in the garden marvelling over the little green things that defy all reason and pop out of the soil year after year. This is my 8th year in this house and it's nice to see things coming along.

All the gardening has left me with cracked, dirty hands. Not so good for knitting. And terrible for knitting hemp with my sharp Knit Picks Options. It's inevitable when knitting with this yarn and these needles: I will sustain a knitting injury.

And so I was sidelined for a bit. I wasn't knitting much of consequence since I don't enjoy knitting with a big band aid on my thumb (the needle exploited my dry, cracked thumb on a purl row and punctured the skin).

But I'm back baby! A washcloth is done as is my chevie.

Vandyke Lace Border washcloth


Pattern: Vandyke Lace border from Victorian Lace Today
Yarn: All Hemp 6, DK Weight
Needles: Knit Picks Options US 5s

This was a housewarming present for a friend. I had some All Hemp left in the stash and knew how well it softened with repeated washings. I knit a few garter rows and then knit the body in stockinette. At the end, I knit a few garter rows again, this time double looping on two of them. Then after another knit row, I crochet cast-on stitches for the Clarence border.

Thank you Victorian Lace Today! I am relying on this book more and more for lace information and ideas. There are also other lace books that I would like to get (this and this to be specific) but right now I'm saving my knitting budget for the first week in May.

Chevron Scarf


Pattern: Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: KPPPM
Needles: US 6s


I never said that I was a trend-setter in the knitting world (that's Liz!). In fact I am way behind the trend. But I do finally get there. I love this scarf. It seems so springy and colorful and fun.

I picked up the Koigu at The Needle Lady in C'ville. I was so worried about whether or not I had picked the right colors (when confronted with a large selection of koigu, my mind just freezes up). I love the way these two worked together.


Maybe this year I'll wear mine to 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!

Scarf with the Clarence Border

My auction project is done! And compared to last year's contribution, this one was simple, fast, and just a joy to knit. (Please, learn from my experience last year, do not felt a vest. You end up knitting a very ugly dress and then it takes forever to felt.)

It's doubled over in this picture.

Pattern: Scarf with the Clarence Border from Weldon's, 1886 (Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby)
Yarn: Hand Maiden Lace Silk (1/2 skein)
Needles: US 5s
Notes: I modified the pattern by knitting the border repeat twice instead of 3 times. I wanted a narrower scarf. Therefore, I only had 42 stitches once I had turned my work and picked up to work the center panel. The finished measurements are: 73" long and 7.25" wide.

By the way, what is up with the center panel in the picture in the book? If you have the book, turn to page 83 and compare it with mine:

I swear I knitted the pattern as it reads -- I even had Melanie check it over for a mistake. Maybe they altered the center panel pattern in the book? Maybe the stitches stretched out differently by more aggressive blocking?


Also, I think it's time I think about getting some blocking wires -- see how the edges were pulled by my pins? It does seem to be falling back into place as I let it hang.

This is exquisite yarn. Please knit something lighter than air, slinky, and delicate with this! I think it was the perfect yarn for this scarf and hope that someone special ends up winning it at the auction this Friday!

If you're in the Richmond area, come on down to ArtWorks this Friday (March 14th) at 7pm for the Richmond Waldorf School Auction! We've got loads of handmade items, art, gift certificates, and even some autographed items from my former neighbor!

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?

2007 Roundup

Life here at Chez Ann has finally calmed down. Christmas decorations are down and packed away (when they go up the house feels cozy, by New Year's Eve it feels like I can barely turn around it's so crowded in here). I was able to visit with many, many friends (including my film friends from NYC -- check out Adrian's website for viewing suggestions) and family.

We travelled in the midst of it all up to Johns Hopkins for a 2nd opinion (daughter N was born with a foot birth defect and surgery was recently suggested) where we received our best present of the season -- a "no surgery necessary" opinion from the chief pediatric orthopedist. Hurray!

So medical issues have receded, travel is over for a while, and the entertaining has subsided. Time to post all those knits I gifted as presents!

Pattern: Bright Stripes by Kristin Nicholas from Scarf Style
Yarn: Plain & Fancy Sheep & Wool Company (colors: Natural White and Magenta Variegated)
Notes: This is the first time I have used this yarn and it now is my absolute favorite 100% Wool yarn. I have always balked at the price, but you get a ton of yardage and the colorways are just incredible. Wouldn't a BSJ in this yarn be delicious? I go mine here but please my knitting friends, do yourself a favor and knit with this yarn in 2008! They don't seem to have a website, but you can contact Ken and Grayce here. This scarf was a present for the girl I mentor at a local school (I did get her a book also, it's not just about fiber mission work ...).

*Notice something different under that hat?

Pattern: Koolhaas by Jared Flood from Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts
Yarn: Malabrigo (Stone Blue)
Notes: What can I say? Jared is a genius. The hat fits like a dream. The yarn is soft and warm and the colors are stunning. It was hard for me to hand this over to my MIL. But I did. I must make one for myself in January! I found the cable needle burdensome at first, but developed a rhythm quickly and didn't mind it at all after a while. The crown decreasing is really beautiful. If you click on this link and scroll down a bit, you can see how great it looks in a green -- nice work Cate!

Pattern: Basket Weave Scarf by Ann Budd from Interweave Knits
Yarn: Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed (Licorice)
Notes: I really treated myself to some good yarn for holiday knitting, didn't I? Yup, another yummy yarn. The darkness of the color made this hard to photograph well (despite the excellent model), but it really does look nice up close and feels light yet warm around the neck. This was gifted to my FIL -- my in-laws received the handknits along with some Norway themed goodies in honor of our upcoming trip to Norway together in June. Any yarn related travel suggestions for Norway? Lay them on me!

I am currently working on the 2nd sock for the BackBou (the first wasn't even cast on until Christmas Eve -- he is very understanding and patient). I hope to post a completed pair soon!

*Yup, that is short hair sticking out from Koolhaas -- I was able to donate 13 inches of hair to Locks of Love right before Christmas!

Scarf with the No. 20 Edging

It is done! Can you believe that I actually stated at one point that this would take me just a month to finish? It has been months and months. What was I thinking? I never seemed to get into a groove with the pattern and I realized, after tinking one too many times, that I just couldn't be around other people while knitting this border with this yarn on these needles.

I finished this during the football game Monday night (was I the only Redskins fan out there listening to the game on the radio and knitting Victorian lace?) and blocked it last night so that my friend Dana could borrow it for a fancy schmancy party tonight celebrating the new Luck Stone Building. She modeled it for me at R's preschool this morning at drop off.

So here it is.




Pattern: Scarf with the No. 20 edging from The Knitted Lace Pattern Book, 1850 from Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby
Yarn: Sea Silk by Hand Maiden Yarn (about 1 2/3 skeins)
Needles: Knit Picks Options, US 8s

Modifications: I only knit the border pattern repeat 20 times instead of 22 since my gauge was different with this yarn and 20 times gave me close to the 72". Also, I may have misread the pattern but I did not purl one row after completing Chart B. If I eliminated this instruction, I was exactly where I needed to be when I began to pick up the stitches for the 2nd border. I'm not sure whether the pattern is wrong or I was. I only found one reference to this here. Any ideas about what I did wrong? It looks fine ...



This was a challenging project for me simply because the repeat was 20 rows (really 10 since the wrong side rows were all the same) and I found the yarn hard to read and the pattern difficult to anticipate. I assume that my tolerance for this will grow as I become more experienced with lace.



I used the suspended bind-off but needed to use a size 10 needle in order to keep it loose enough to match the cast-on edge. This is a perennial problem for me. I think I would maybe try a different bind off next time (maybe the modified Russian?).



The yarn is beautiful. I was concerned about the colors pooling since when I blocked it I noticed all the lighter pinks were more on one side the the darker blues and purples on another; however, as it dried this was less noticeable and when worn becomes irrelevant. The yarn is divine. Just divine. The colors are jewel-like and brilliant.




And the crocheted edging worked out grand as well. I fumbled around a bit at first ... how should I hold the yarn for the correct tension? what is that twisting motion again? But finally I remembered my few crochet lessons.

I have another lace project in my very near future, but for now I am simply happy to have this as a finished object!

Clapotis by the Sea

The Jersey Shore is no substitute for a Parisian cafe, but when I wear my Clapotis, I still can say, "Je suis belle et ça ne demande aucun effort!"

Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert, Knitty Fall 2004

Yarn: Black Bunny Fibers Merino/Silk, a custom-dye job by the talented (and wonderfully snarky) Carol. This yarn was dyed with Clapotis in mind, and I knew I wanted one in my favorite shades of blue. I surfed Carol's Etsy shop and selected colorways that appealed to me, and she came up with a beautiful tonal colorway of turquoise, robin's egg and a silvery sky blue that is rich and saturated, and with the silk content in the yarn, it also has a gorgeous sheen. Carol understood and translated my colors so well that not only is almost the identical color of my living room walls, but when I showed the yarn to my (blogless) friend Aileen, she took one look at it and said, simply, "Of course!"

It's the color of the Caribbean, the Mediterrean.

Mods: Amy at Needles and Hooks has compiled a great site with information for all-things Clapotis. I found this site to be of immense help when planning this project, and on her advice, I twisted the stitches on either side of the ladder rows on both the wrong and right sides. I also did one less increase section, as the wrap was getting pretty gargantuan.

It has proven to be the perfect wrap to keep me warm in the ocean breeze in the still-cool evenings down the shore. No, it's not Paris, but the shore is our place for the summer, and now that I am properly swathed in ocean-blue silken handknits, Summer has officially arrived!

Trendy Me

It's not that I'm not trendy. It's not that I don't want to be just like all the cool bloggers. It's just that I am rarely organized enough to participate in blog trends. But I was determined to jump on the Chevron Scarf bandwagon, even if it spelled destruction for a perfectly wonderful pair of socks.

Pattern: Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts by Joelle Hoverson
Yarn & Needles: Two skeins of Koigu KPPPM (I can dig out color #s if anyone is interested), US 5 needles

Info and Thoughts: I did consider making this scarf longer, but stopped after a few chevron knitters confirmed my concerns about stretching.

I am thrilled with the result. As I mentioned before, I realized this winter that I did not own any handknit scarves. This was an unacceptable state of affairs, and totally worth the sacrifice of the Anastasia socks in order to remedy it. It matches my spring coat perfectly, and I suspect I will be knitting myself more scarves to match all of my coats.



I'll be wearing it when Ann and I go to MDSW. Who else is coming?

11-4 for Socks

In a recent post, I asked for feedback about frogging the fuschia Anastasia socks in service of Chevron Madness. The votes were pretty clearly on the side of keeping the socks and many commenters suggested that I keep the socks and buy more Koigu.

Not to be contrary, but I went with the minority, especially once I got Minty's imprimatur. The Anastasia socks are history and my chevron scarf is growing. Perhaps if I had mentioned the following:

- The colors match my Spring coat perfectly.



- I really want a chevron scarf. Really badly.

- I truly am not buying yarn until the MD Koigu Binge MDSW. Buying more yarn is not currently an option, and I want a scarf now.

- I do not have a handknit scarf. Seriously. As Theresa said, I have a bunch of socks. I have about a dozen currently in rotation, and wool sock season is hopefully at an end until September. But after 6 years of obsessive knitting, I do not have a great handknit scarf! I'll say it again. I DO NOT HAVE A HANDKNIT SCARF! I have been wearing the same turquoise pashmina scarf for years now.

I have made some scarves, but have either given them away, or they are not exactly wearable. There's one that's too itchy. This one stretched beyond wearability. So it is time for this knitter to actually have a scarf.

Thanks for the feedback, friends, but I gotta do my thing. I must have this scarf. And a few others too, I think.

Swimming in Stockinette

So months ago I decided to knit a felted vest to match the Anemoi Hat and Mittens (btw, how 'bout that Eunny Jang? Huzzah!). I thought, "I'll knit the mittens first to get a feel for the pattern. Then the hat since coming up with the pattern will be the hardest part of it all. Then I'll just need a few weeks for the vest -- I mean, c'mon, it's a sweater without sleeves! Easy schmeasy."

Back up to the first sentence in this post. Do you see the word "felted" next to the word "vest?" Yup. It's there. But unfortunately, it did not really lodge in my brain. You have to knit a HUGE vest to get it to felt to a medium size. That's a lot of stockinette stitch. Right now I'm past the armhole divide and working on the back (the sides are done) and this beast is the biggest honkin' thing I have ever knit. It stretches from one side of my Queen bed to the other and is at least 2 1/2 feet in length.

And now it's warmed up. So I'm knitting on the patio, with 80 degree weather, with a heavy pile of wool on my lap. Ugh. I am planning to felt it on Saturday. I cannot wait.



Meanwhile, I finished up a mistake rib scarf in Malabrigo Stonechat. It is the most fantastic yarn! I can't believe that Liz is lucky enough to have a sweater made with Malabrigo -- how simply wonderful!

Da Scarf

Inspired by Bonne Marie's new Player hat, I decided to make a rally scarf for my Astro Van drivin', Chicago Bears lovin' pal. I thought her high security clearance level would not permit me to show her face on XRK blog, but she slipped and let me snap a shot. Isn't she a cutie?

I keep telling everyone she's going to the Super Bowl, but that's not really true. Her husband surprised her with a plane ticket out of Redskins country to the Windy City to watch the Super Bowl with her lovely mother, eight brothers and sisters, along with in-laws and dozens of neices and nephews. She's so happy, it's better than really going to game. Nice job big guy, we're all impressed!

The scarf is Cascade 220 in organge and Patons Classic Wool Merino in navy. I doubled the yarn and knit in a K2P2 rib on 10 1/2s until the yarn was gone. A simple gift for a wonderful friend. Go Bears!

Monkey See, Monkey Do (with mods)

When Liz posted about Rosebud's super-cute playground mittens in Noro Kureyon, I got in the car, drove to the LYS and bought some Kureyon. I had to have it, but I though I'd make the Fake Isle hat from MagKnits.

Then, Eyeknit posted about her stripey scarf knit with four skeins of Kureyon. Wow ... that's an awesome scarf. I wanted to start one immediately.

I had one skein of Kureyon (color 170) and one skein of Lamb's Pride Worsted in Midnight Green on hand. Since a few knitters commented on the very large size of their scarf, I scaled mine down. I cast on 24 stitches on 8s, with a k2 p2 rib, alternating the yarns every two rows. It's still a good size scarf. Another note, the Lamb's Pride really adds some softness to the end result. The solid color yarn cuts down on the wacky random color combos, but the brilliant Kureyon colors still shine through nonetheless.

This may be my Red Scarf contribution. Or, I may make another just like it, but with reds.

All in all, this is an awesome last minute knitted gift. Try it!

Tricot en Situ, Dateline: Moscow

I realize that I have sounded a little humbug-ish in my recent posts about Christmas knitting, and it sounds like there have been underwhelming responses from certain recipients of the handknits. In truth, I am hard-pressed to think of any time since I returned to knitting 5 years ago that anyone did not gush appropriately about a knitted gift. Many receivers of the handknit are sure to share the compliments they receive when they wear them; I have had moms send me pictures of babies wearing the sweaters or snuggling blankets I've made.

My family is always the most enthusiastic and appreciative of all the knitted items. They go out of their way to take an interest in my hobby, and this is why they get the bulk of the knitted gifts.

They are also very tolerant and enabling when it comes to the blog. First of all, my darling children (for the most part) leave me alone during the day so I have time to blog. And no one questions me when I insist on taking pictures of their feet. Mr S tolerates me when I constantly tinker with the camera to get the lighting right. My sister had provided lots of behind-the-scenes support for XRK, making improvements to the template, going yarn shopping with me and even contributing a post herself. How lucky I am to have a family that not only supports my little knitting obsession, but encourages my equally strange need to talk ad nauseam about it.

My brother Joe has proved himself to be a worthy recipient of the handknits, and he'd best prepare for some more. Last year, I made him a Here and There Cables scarf, intended to warm him in a Russian winter as he and his wife traveled to adopt a sister for their son. Bureaucracy and incompetence conspired cruelly against them for over a year to delay their trip but finally, during those first few cold December days, my brother and his wife traveled to meet their daughter.

And while he was there, he took my casually requested picture:

"Um, here's this scarf, but if you could just take a picture of it in Red Square, that would be awesome."

With this level of support, traveling over 5000 miles for a special photo-op, he'd better be thinking about what he wants for his next hand knit. Perhaps a hat? A knitted vest? Socks?

But he's going to have to wait in line behind his daughter, who is getting a purple top-down raglan pullover with a big ole' cable down the front.

The new niece's sweater, pictured with the handmade card Joe gave me last year with my membership to Rowan International. Yes, that's Nipsey Russel. With knitting needles. This man deserves more handknits!

For the very first time, my family will be spending Christmas without my brother, as they are going back to Russia to bring home their long-awaited daughter over Christmas, so please wish them safe travels. Merry Christmas to Joe and Dana. We'll miss you terribly.