The ShiBui scarf!
The forecast suggested there might not be much poolside time, so I brought the ShiBui scarf along for the ride. With the highest highs in the mid 60s, our outdoor time was spent in long sleeves, not swimsuits.
I didn't knit much once we reached our destination, but I did knit for most of the plane ride.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Starting ANOTHER New Project?!?!
It does seem wrong to start another new project, but I need some airport-able knitting for a trip this week. To meet my criteria, the project needs to somewhat compact and there needs to be little to need to reference the pattern.
I pulled out things I had bought over the last year to see who qualified. My first choice was the Nansen poncho. I had purchased the yarn just a few weeks ago. After a lot of thinking about gauge and some planning, and blogging about the joy (where is the sarcastic font when you need it) of yarn substitutions, I cast on and started. The cable pattern is charted and not an intuitive pattern to follow, so I set it aside for the time being.
Next up an infinity scarf, the ShiBui Array. This yarn was just purchased this month, when searching for the Madelinetosh project. I had to cast on 320 stitches and join, being careful not to twist -- not easy with 320 stitches on a 24" needle. (I invested in a new 32" needle.) This project would work, but we are heading for a warmer place and this wouldn't be comfortable poolside knitting.
I started a third project, Summit, with lace weight yarn, and have ripped twice, just not getting things to move as I would like, but I will persevere!
All three are free patterns and I have made yarn changes to all of them.
I have a a list of yarn shops at my destination. It's always fun to see other yarn shops and yarn doesn't add that much weight to my 'stay under 50 lbs' suitcase!
I pulled out things I had bought over the last year to see who qualified. My first choice was the Nansen poncho. I had purchased the yarn just a few weeks ago. After a lot of thinking about gauge and some planning, and blogging about the joy (where is the sarcastic font when you need it) of yarn substitutions, I cast on and started. The cable pattern is charted and not an intuitive pattern to follow, so I set it aside for the time being.
Next up an infinity scarf, the ShiBui Array. This yarn was just purchased this month, when searching for the Madelinetosh project. I had to cast on 320 stitches and join, being careful not to twist -- not easy with 320 stitches on a 24" needle. (I invested in a new 32" needle.) This project would work, but we are heading for a warmer place and this wouldn't be comfortable poolside knitting.
I started a third project, Summit, with lace weight yarn, and have ripped twice, just not getting things to move as I would like, but I will persevere!
All three are free patterns and I have made yarn changes to all of them.
I have a a list of yarn shops at my destination. It's always fun to see other yarn shops and yarn doesn't add that much weight to my 'stay under 50 lbs' suitcase!
Friday, February 15, 2013
Minnesota Mittens
I have made this pattern (or portions of it) more times than any other pattern.
I knit these as if I were knitting 2 socks on 2 circular needles. I also have rather large cold hands, so my last two pairs have been with bulky instead of worsted yarn and I cast on 29 stitches (a multiple of 4 + 1).
When I have gotten a hole in the thumb, I have ripped back the thumb and put a new one on. The cuff I have on my current pair is at least 8 years old, but I have brand new 'uppers.'
Minnesota
K2 ,
put the 11 stitches of the gusset on a holder, knit around
K2 , cast on 3 stitches, knit around.
K2 , K2tog around
I knit these as if I were knitting 2 socks on 2 circular needles. I also have rather large cold hands, so my last two pairs have been with bulky instead of worsted yarn and I cast on 29 stitches (a multiple of 4 + 1).
When I have gotten a hole in the thumb, I have ripped back the thumb and put a new one on. The cuff I have on my current pair is at least 8 years old, but I have brand new 'uppers.'
2 skeins Brown Sheep Worsted
size 8 dp needles
CO 33 sts
Join, being careful not to twist.
Purl 2 rows
Knit 10 rows
Purl 1 row
Turn and knit 1 row, knitting the last stitch together with
the first stitch. (32 stitches)
Change color if a contrasting color was used for the cuff
Knit 2 rows
Rib 7 rows
Knit 5 rows
(This makes the base of the thumb about 2" from the rib, adjust
as needed. i.e. 13 rows on my last pair)
Thumb gusset
Right mitten:
K2, inc 1, K3,
inc 1, knit around
knit 1 round
K2, inc 1, K5,
inc 1, knit around
knit 1 round
K2, inc 1, K7,
inc 1, knit around
knit 1 round
K2, inc 1, K9,
inc 1, knit around
knit 1 round
Left mitten:
K11, inc 1, K3,
inc 1, knit around
knit 1 round
K11, inc 1, K5,
inc 1, knit around
knit 1 round
K11, inc 1, K7,
inc 1, knit around
knit 1 round
K11, inc 1, K9,
inc 1, knit around
knit 1 round
K11, put the 11 stitches of the gusset on a holder,
knit around
K11, cast on 3
stitches, knit around.
Knit 24 rows or until mitten reaches the top of the
little finger (approx.)
For rounded tips
K6, K2tog
around
K5, K2tog
around
K4, K2tog
around
K3, K2tog around
K1, K2tog
around
K2tog around
Break yarn and
run through remaining stitches (4)
Thumb
Pick up 5
stitches from behind thumb to make 16 stitches (along with the 11 from the
holder)
Decrease 1
stitch on each side of thumb in first knit round (14 stitches)
Continue in
stockinette stitch for 1 ¾" (about 12 rows)
Decrease by K1
K2tog around, break yarn and run through remaining stitches
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Bonus -- Finished Mittens
I discovered a thumb-less pair of mittens in a basket of yarn. There were 9 stitches on holders. So I decided to finish the mittens and reclaim the holders!
Actually one thumb was on a holder, one was using a cable needle as a holder. I quickly added a thumb to each.
These were knit with Brown Sheep Bulky from a very old pattern from my knitting instructor. The Minnesota Mitten was originally written for worsted weight yarn, but I have made multiple pairs in bulky weight yarn.
D2 thinks the mittens were intended for her, but when she tried them on today, they were a little snug. I am still thrilled they are done. I gained a Finished Object, a stitch holder and a cable needle!
Actually one thumb was on a holder, one was using a cable needle as a holder. I quickly added a thumb to each.
These were knit with Brown Sheep Bulky from a very old pattern from my knitting instructor. The Minnesota Mitten was originally written for worsted weight yarn, but I have made multiple pairs in bulky weight yarn.
D2 thinks the mittens were intended for her, but when she tried them on today, they were a little snug. I am still thrilled they are done. I gained a Finished Object, a stitch holder and a cable needle!
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Blue Honey Finished!
Nice yarn, well written pattern. A joy from start to finish! And yes it is finished and delivered to it's happy owner.
My finished scarf was 50" x 9"; we love the way it looks.
So many times I hear or read that someone has struggled with a yarn or a pattern but this was a joy to knit. It was a very repetitive stitch, but there wasn't soooo much knitting that it was boring.
So many times I hear or read that someone has struggled with a yarn or a pattern but this was a joy to knit. It was a very repetitive stitch, but there wasn't soooo much knitting that it was boring.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Yarn Substitution
The pattern I am overthinking is the Nansen Ponchette. I am making a number of changes starting with a different yarn. Some yarn substitutions are simple, some are more complicated.
The yarn the pattern calls (Berroco Flicker) for has a default gauge of 5 sts & 7 rows to the inch on a size 9. The yarn I am substituting (Berroco Peruvia) has a gauge of 4.25 sts & 5.5 rows on a size 10. Not too different, but enough that some adjustments will need to be made.
Just how far off? My pattern calls for 48 stitches to be cast on. The resulting panel would be 9.6" wide. With my substitution, 48 sts would be 11.3" wide. My panel would be almost 2" wider than the pattern.
This is where the all important gauge swatch and a little guess work come in to play. The pattern I am using has a slightly different gauge than the yarn ball AND it is measuring that gauge in pattern. It wants 48 sts to 7" and 20 rows to 2.75" IN CHARTED PATTERN.
My pre-swatch assumptions:
1) I would need to be a little smaller than the called for yarn if I don't want to change the number of stitches.
2) I tend to knit pretty close to gauge.
3) This is a poncho and fit is not as important as it would be for a more fitted item, however, drape is very important.
Conclusion: I'll try a size 8 needle for my swatch instead of the 9 called for in the pattern. I don't want to adjust the number of stitches in this pattern if I can get away with it. The length of the knitting in this pattern (rows) is all indicated with inches, but my row gauge matters because after joining this panel, I have to pick up around both edges to add the top and bottom of the poncho.
The yarn the pattern calls (Berroco Flicker) for has a default gauge of 5 sts & 7 rows to the inch on a size 9. The yarn I am substituting (Berroco Peruvia) has a gauge of 4.25 sts & 5.5 rows on a size 10. Not too different, but enough that some adjustments will need to be made.
Just how far off? My pattern calls for 48 stitches to be cast on. The resulting panel would be 9.6" wide. With my substitution, 48 sts would be 11.3" wide. My panel would be almost 2" wider than the pattern.
This is where the all important gauge swatch and a little guess work come in to play. The pattern I am using has a slightly different gauge than the yarn ball AND it is measuring that gauge in pattern. It wants 48 sts to 7" and 20 rows to 2.75" IN CHARTED PATTERN.
My pre-swatch assumptions:
1) I would need to be a little smaller than the called for yarn if I don't want to change the number of stitches.
2) I tend to knit pretty close to gauge.
3) This is a poncho and fit is not as important as it would be for a more fitted item, however, drape is very important.
Conclusion: I'll try a size 8 needle for my swatch instead of the 9 called for in the pattern. I don't want to adjust the number of stitches in this pattern if I can get away with it. The length of the knitting in this pattern (rows) is all indicated with inches, but my row gauge matters because after joining this panel, I have to pick up around both edges to add the top and bottom of the poncho.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Blue Honey a Blur
I'm knitting so fast on this project it's practically a blur!
This is a really nice pattern - it's interesting, but at the same time repetitive enough I don't need to carry the instructions with me while I work.
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