FO Parade

Are you ready?  This is going to be a long one.  Mostly filled with pictures and little explanation.  Today is the day for the FO Parade!

I mentioned earlier this month that I just couldn't stand to think about blogging for each project I've completed since the last time I'd written.  I'd forever be behind.  Instead I'm just giving you the highlights - a picture or two, the pattern name, yarn and needle size.  I'll let you know where the knit now lives and perhaps a comment about the piece, but that's about it.  So don't fret about needing to read a lot.  And if you make it to the end, thanks!! :)

Dungeness Shawl by Samantha Kirby - Test Knit
US 4/3.5mm; Knit Picks Stroll Tonal, Pearlescent & Knit Picks Stroll Solids, Heathers and Twists, Merlot Heather

This is probably my most "neutral" shawl since it's brown and cream.  I adore this shawl! :) (There's also a matching hat if your'e interested.)  And if it's not obvious, it stayed with me!

Quaker Ridge Shawlette by Susan B. Anderson
US 7/4.5mm; Knit Picks Stroll Sport, hand-dyed by me in a teal gradient; complete with ruffle and red & gold beaded edge

This shawl is super warm in sport weight yarn.  I like wearing this shawl with a pin instead of just wrapped around like a scarf.  This also remained at my house.

Christmas Bell by Debbie McGrath
US 4/3.5mm; Lion Brand Vanna's Glamour, Ruby Red & Diamond

This was for the December Ornament Swap on the Itty Bitty Forums and went to live with Patty (pattytrish on Rav).  Super simple and extremely quick.

Stripey Stocking Cap by Susan B. Anderson
US 9/5.5mm; Cascade 220 Superwash, Shire & Christmas Red Heather

Knit for Janie's (Ratch on Rav) grandson as part of the Advent Swap on the Itty Bitty Forums.

Simple Wristlets by Haley Waxberg
US 11/8.0mm; YoSpun Handspun (thick & thin) that my sister gifted me for my birthday

This was a wristlet pattern that I modified into mittens.  The yarn at it's biggest is a bulky weight and I probably should have gone up a needle size as they are a little tight.  But they are extremely warm and I love intentional mismatching that happens. :) (And they're special since it's yarn from my sister.) They're mine.

Waiting for Winter Mittens by Susan B. Anderson - Test Knit
US 8/5.0mm; Brooklyn Tweed Shelter, Thistle; size medium

Test knit for Susan, these are my go-to mittens for the season.  Shelter is extremely light and floofy, but surprisingly warm.  I like to layer them over fingerless mitts for extra warmth. Mine as well (do you see a pattern here?)

Yarn Cloth by Theresa L. Jones
US 5/3.75mm; Knit Picks Dishie Solids, Clementine

Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap.

Barn Cat by Susan B. Anderson from Spud & Chloe at the Farm
US 3/3.25mm; Lion Brand Vanna's Glamour, Diamond, Platinum & Ruby Red

Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap.

Felted Wreath Ornament by Joan Ferguson
US 7/4.5mm; Cascade 220 Superwash

Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap.  The pattern says to felt the wreath after knitting is complete, but you can also leave it as is, which is what I decided to do since I only had superwash yarn on hand.  Extremely fast with cute results.  I don't mind that it's not felted.

Homewood by Thayer Preece
US 6/4.0mm; Knit Picks Stroll, Navy

I knit this for my friend Tonya who designed a logo for the Itty Bitty Rhinebeck meetup in New York this year (that's a whole story in itself!).  She's great and let's me knit her things for the work she does for me occasionally!  You can check out some of her work HERE.   And below are the logos she designed for some buttons and other things.

(By the way, if you haven't noticed, you'll see that I've used a lot of Knit Picks Stroll...it's a great yarn and I highly recommend it!)

Modern Rib Hat by Susan B. Anderson
US 7/4.5mm; Cascade 220 Superwash, Charcoal & Christmas Red Heather

A replacement hat for my brother.  He requested a new one when his original hat was lost.  I cannot turn down a custom request from him - it makes me really happy when my family truly appreciates and use my handknits.

Prickly by Melissa J. Goodale
US 2/2.75mm & US 2.5/3.0mm; Knit Picks Stroll - Handpainted, Punky & Tanis Fiber Arts Blue Label Fingering Weight, Seabreeze

Knit for Janie (Ratch) for the 2012 Advent Swap.  Picture courtesy of Janie.

Lined Beanie by Heather Kinne
US 5/3.75mm; Knit Picks Comfy Worsted, Fedora & Pomegranite; Men's size

Another hat for my brother, this one as a Christmas present.  I'd already planned this hat when he asked for the other hat.  So he got 2 this year!  LOVE this pattern.

Clockwork by Stephen West
US 5/3.75mm; Knit Picks Gloss Fingering, Kenai & Valley Yarns Charlemont, Indian Turquoise

Knit for Tara (taralyn1104 on Rav) as a Christmas gift.  I didn't have enough of the Kenai to make it the main color so I reversed them.  Definitely a different outcome but I still like it.

If you're here, you've made it to the end....I told you it was a long one!!  I've got a list of WIPs that I'd like to share, but I'll save that for another day.  The list is somewhat extensive, but enjoyable nonetheless.  I've linked each FO to my project page, design and designer.  You can find more details on my project pages, or leave a comment about what you'd like to know more about and I'll be sure to get back to you.  If you leave your Rav name, I'd be happy to message you on Ravelry.

Tiny Snowy Owl

On the Itty Bitty forums, a new swap idea has taken hold.  The group is growing, faster than I can keep up with.  I'm trying to remember the new members but I have so little time on Ravelry any more to peruse the forums, I'm having trouble with that.  A lot of people are coming out of the woodwork because of this new swap trend.

The big swaps that Mel organizes each month are awesome.  People put a lot of thought and care into their swap package and really try to personalize it to the person who is receiving.  But for some, especially newer members of the group, these swaps are a bit intimidating (they are a very friendly, welcoming place, but I can see their point of view).

One member of the group has taken it upon herself to organize mini-swaps.  These are called the "Single Ornament Swaps."  The idea is that you get your partner's name (it's kept a secret), and you're allowed to create one ornament for your partner and ship it off to him or her.  You're allowed some leniency if you choose to add an additional small item, but it's not supposed to be a really big package.  It's meant for the swaps to be approachable, especially to those who are new or don't have the time or money to dedicate to the larger swaps.

That's where this knit came about.  I was trying to find a pattern that I could knit as an ornament.  At the time, I wasn't feeling any of the holiday ornaments that were on Ravelry.  There are some great patterns but you know when you get in that mood or funk that unless it's exactly what you're looking for, you really just can't knit something else?

Enter the Big Snowy Owl.  This is a free pattern from The Purl Bee.  The original patterns calls for bulky weight yarn and is intended to be something like a pillow-sized owl.  I've loved the owl on their site for a long, long time and thought it would be perfect as an ornament.  And I was especially drawn to the colors they chose for their owl.  I looked through other project pages and nothing called to me quite like the soft gray owl with giant blue eyes.  :)

I searched my stash (no need to buy new when it takes so little yarn!) and came up with sport weight yarn in the appropriate colors.  Knit on US 2s, I had hoped this would be a sweet little owl that would hang happily on a tree.  Well...the thought was good, but my execution was a little off.

My version is much smaller than the original.  This sweet fowl is about as tall as my hand is long, and perfect for little hands.  But, in my opinion, much too large for a tree.  So we kept him at home, Lovebug is quite attached. (I think it's the eyes...)  I am in love with how he turned out, just bummed he wasn't small enough.  I am planning to attempt this again, but with either fingering or lace weight yarn. And tinier needles.  Eventually I'll get it right.

So what else is good about this pattern might you ask?  It's incredibly fast.  Even if you knit the larger size, you're using bulky yarn and big needles.  This was two days tops and only because I had to tend to the kids. :)  The stitch pattern adds visual interest, but plain stockinette would be just as cute.  If you made the larger version you'd need a lot of fiberfill.  Even this little guy took a lot because I wanted him to be firm - too squishy and he wouldn't hold up to being played with or squooshed.

There are actually three patterns in this series.  A pig, a bunny and this owl.  I want to knit all 3.  I'd like to knit them in bulky weight, but I may just see what's in my stash and find the appropriate needles.  I think that Lovebug and Squishy need the full set. :)

As an aside, the eyes are crochet.  It's very simple crochet, but I know a lot of knitters are intimidated by the crochet hook.  So if you like the pattern but don't want the crocheted eyes, you should be able to find a pattern that tells you how to knit circles.  Honestly, it's the eyes that really make this pattern.  (The beak construction is pretty neat too.)

This is an idea I encourage all knitters to explore.  Is there a toy pattern you really like but it's too big or too small?  Consider adjusting your yarn and needle sizes accordingly and you have a whole new outlook on a project.  I'd really like to try this idea on some of Susan Anderson's patterns - specifically the Giraffe.  I'd love to make it in lace weight and see what size he comes out.  I may even have something perfect in my stash....

Lost Banner Hat

Continuing on with my Ravellenics projects, today I'm sharing the Lost Banner Hat.  This is a Susan B. Anderson pattern and qualified for our team prize drawing during the Ravellenics.

Susan knit this hat for herself from her own gradient handspun (a Loop batt maybe?) and eventually included a picture wearing said hat in her blog banner.  Her daughter wore it to school one day and it was lost, hence the name.  This was a pattern Susan never intended to publish, but instead something she whipped up for fun.  She had an overwhelming response to the hat, finally relented and released the pattern.  I'm glad she did because I really enjoyed the knit!

With a long, ribbed brim, this hat is really cute because you can flip all that ribbing up over the stockinette portion.  I knit this with my own handdyed, worsted yarn in Snowcone and Lollipop Guild. I then mailed it to Carol to be donated with the other charity items collected.  It should make for a fun kid's hat with all the bright, vibrant colors.  I'd really like to knit another hat for myself out of some gradient yarn.

I put the hat on Lovebug and tried to snap a few shots, but she would have none of it.  (She's very anti "things-on-my-head" right now.)  Squishy modeled it for me briefly, but he too wouldn't leave it on his head.  He is still very attached to his green apple hat from Debby (knittinggrandma) that we received in a swap a while ago and doesn't think he needs another at the moment.

Sorta Scrappy Socks

Do you remember the socks I knit for Sis?  My first pair of adult socks.  After they were done, I quickly cast on a pair for myself using the same pattern from Susan B. Anderson, How I Make My Socks.  They were meant to be for the Scrappy Socks KAL but I didn't finish in time.  The KAL, however, was my driving force.

Mary Rose (smozerose on Ravelry) can truly be credited for the inspiration behind these socks.  They began as an idea I blatantly copied from her.  She posted photos of a sock she'd knit using scraps, but instead of a random selection of colors, she outline each scrappy section with a consistent light, dark, light pattern.  See the sock on the left?  That's what I'm talking about.  I fell in love with that sock.  And then launched my own plans.

My socks are knit with Tanis Fiber Arts, the leftovers from my Whippoorwill shawl.  The colors are Tidal, Peacock, Deep Sea and Midnight.  Of course, I'm not very good at random, spontaneous selection (and I don't have a lot of yarn scraps) and so my socks had to have some rhyme or reason to them.  I decided on a striping sequence and got to work. (Hence, Sorta Scrappy Socks.)

I did run out of the darkest color, Midnight.  I love that color.  It's dark, but so rich - there are slight variations in the color that make for beautiful knit items.  I love TFA yarn - I wish I could afford to use it all the time!  Once I ran out, I switched to using Deep Sea to outline the stripes.  Most people won't notice the difference in the socks.  Probably knitters, or those who see a lot of my feet.  That's not a large number of people... :)  And if knitters notice, they'll understand!

This is my one and only pair of handknit socks.  It's not really been sock weather as it's been so warm and dry here.  I live in sandals all summer long and have the tan lines to prove it!  But at night, when it gets chilly or the AC has been running, this is the perfect pair of socks to slip on my feet.

They are warm and cozy, soft and squishy.  The colors are soothing to your eyes.  Nothing else in my drawer compares to these.  And perhaps that's all in my mind because I made them myself.

It doesn't really matter the reason, what matters is that I love them and they make me happy, and that's really what knitting is about for me.  If I can't enjoy it, then why do it?

Of course, now my knitting queue has at least doubled because I've added so many sock patterns!

WIP Wednesday (sorta): 7/19/12

I know it's not Wednesday, but it’s been awhile since I’ve just shown you what I’m currently working on.  So here we go!

Evie’s Sweater – are you tired of hearing about this one?  Because I am.  Every time I think I get moving on it, something else catches my eye and I’m bored with it.  I really like the look, I think it’d be great on Evie for the winter, but I’m just not feelin’ it.  So…I’ve decided to frog it.  (And after starting it twice!)   I think it’s got something to do with the yarn and the pattern.  I’m using a heavier yarn than called for, and although I tried going up a needle size, I’m just not happy with what I’m seeing.  I’m sure I can find a better project for the yarn and I know I’ve got better yarn for this project.   This will be done during the Ravellenic Games for the Frogging event.  I’d like to match a yarn to the pattern as well and start over, we’ll see how far I get with that.  I want it to be green – green is Evie’s color. 

Ruche Beret – This is a pattern from my favorite designer, Susan B. Anderson. It’s published in the book, Weekend Hats.  I cast this on while I should have been doing other knitting but was instead procrastinating.  I’ve had the yarn for awhile now (I got it during the A is for Apples swap), and I’ve had the yarn caked for quite some time – waiting for the right pattern. 

My problem and delay in knitting with it is the quantity and composition of the yarn.  This is 170 yards of 100% alpaca.  It’s soooo soft and squishy and beautiful (it’s actually teal, by the way – not dark blue).  I only have one skein, which isn’t enough for any Alana Dakos beret pattern (I don’t think, anyway), and because it’s 100% alpaca, there will be a halo with the finished object.  I don’t mind a halo, but it also means that stitch definition can get a little lost. 

I also have really sensitive skin, especially around my neck and face.  I easily break out in a rash, and I can get hot really quickly.  So this meant the yarn could not be around my neck.  When Susan’s pattern was released, this was the first yarn that popped into my head.  Now, her pattern calls for DK weight and I’m using Sport, but I’m hoping it all works out alright.

I am having a hard time knitting on this right now, though, because we’ve had nearly 100 degree heat for the last couple weeks, in addition to the high humidity…I don’t want to knit with anything too fuzzy.  When I’m sticky, knitting with alpaca isn’t on the top of my to-do list.

Westknits Mystery KAL 2012 - I debated joining in, but this is good travel knitting.  We've only received clue 1 so far, and I've completed 14 repeats.  I'd share a picture, but I don't know who's reading the blog and I don't want to throw any spoilers out there.  If you want to see a picture of my progress, check out the pictures on my project page.  It's reminiscent of a couple other patterns Mr. West has out there.  I'm enjoying it because the repeats are quick and easily memorized.  There are some gorgeous projects going on!!

Finally, Sharktooth.  This is a Stephen West pattern, and it was part of a pattern/yarn club.  I had to wait for the pattern to be released before I could dive in, which was probably good anyway because I had a lot I wanted to complete when I first found this. I’m using Dream In Color Everlast in Jeans.  You can see the variation in the yarn.  Not something I normally gravitate towards, but it seems to work in this pattern.  In fact, I went in search of a yarn that wasn’t just semi-solid so I could replicate what Mr. West did.   There are three fan-like sections to this shawl.  I’m about half-way through the second fan.  I’m making the smaller size because I only have 1 skein of  yarn, but it should make for a nice scarf/shawlette.  I've pretty much got the pattern memorized...it's all just a matter of proper placement of increases and YOs (yarnovers).

What's in your project bag at the moment?  Anything you shouldn't have cast on, but you just couldn't resist?  Is summer time heavier or lighter on the knitting for you?