Decision made

I've decided on this "diamond pullover" with short sleeves for

the Colourmart challenge.

So far, love the knitting, but it requires concentration.

Slowly, I'm picking up on the pattern.

I do have something in mind, though, for a little

mindless knitting...

you've got to have a little of that!

Hemp Featherweight

It worked!

The dijon hemp from Allhemp yarn worked perfectly

for this true featherweight cardigan.

It has a slubby, irregular texture.

It's thin and airy.

This is what Hannah Fettig had in mind when she created her pattern!

I'll wear it all the time.

(More details on Ravelry)

Must get busy...

Having a terrible time deciding exactly what to make for

that Colourmart challenge...

Thinking that knitting without pressure is more where I'm at.

Must finish my hemp featherweight before I can even think about it.

What to do!

Meanwhile...my flowers are having a wonderful time in the cool, drizzly weather we're having.

Colourmart project challenge

I recently received a message on Ravelry,

notifying me of a group project.

Evidently, all members of the group will be making "something"

out of yarn from ColourmartUK,

that fabulous yarn company that often posts great deals on eBay.

When I received the message, I had just ordered more of that

wonderful "pewter" merino DK...

the yarn that I made into that not-so-featherweight

cardigan, along with some Kidsilk Haze.

It's time for me to swatch and choose another sweater project!

I'm totally caught up in my next "truly" featherweight

cardigan (the hemp one!)

but

I have some ideas for this Colourmart challenge.

The deadline is July 20th, I'm afraid!

P.S. Looks like I have enough yarn, doesn't it?

April showers bring...

...May flowers, for one thing!

It has been raining daily here for more than a week.

The world is turning green,

green, green!

Nature has awoken.

Rain means poor lighting for photography

...but lots of time for knitting.

Finished!

My not-so-featherweight Featherweight by

Hannah Fettig

It's longer, heavier and overall a different sweater,

but it's modeled on the Featherweight cardigan.

I love the color.

Gray.

In fact, I'm in the process of painting the family room gray.

I've gone from a blue jag, to a gray jag!


A success.
I will wear this sweater!

And since a gal can't have too many clothes,
not to mention too many sweaters...



I'm going to tackle another Featherweight
immediately!


This one will be of hemp...
in another of my favorite colors!

P.S. All the details are on my Ravelry page!

P.P.S. My camera is back!!

Near disaster ~ averted

A sweater completed.

A project to cross off my list (at right).

An undertaking that was questionable from the start.

A near disaster ~ averted.

October Frost.

Knit with Donegal Aran Tweed by Debbie Bliss.

A sweet color, purchased for the sweet price of 50% off.

Finally finished, it looked baggy and frumpy.

A housecoat at best.

Angry and frustrated to have created yet another "okay" sweater,

it was tossed in the washer.

Go ahead and felt! See if I care!

Oh! damn! what am I doing! what am I doing?

Pulled from the washer, and wait...

It fits a little better.

The slight felting is good for this yarn and design.

Maybe I'll wear it.

Maybe, just maybe.

P.S. Sorry for the single, not-so-great photo. My camera should be back by week's end. Yahoo!

Just enjoying my yarn

The yarn for my latest project was just hanging out in the sunlight today.

Thought I'd capture it, especially the very end of the first skein of

Kidsilk Haze, looking like a flower as it comes to its end.

I love my Billie sweater!

There's not much to say, except "I love it!"

This is "Billie" by Kim Hargreaves,

knit in Rowan Kid Classic (one of my now favorite yarns).

The color is "smoke" and I just can't say enough about

how cozy and great I think it is.

It went together easily (not all sweaters do, you know!)

The first picture makes it look as though it has a "sheen" to it,

but it really doesn't.

On a day when I'm feeling like a jack of all trades, master of none,

this makes me feel like I made something special!

I recommend you go knit one for yourself!

P.S. I have two more sweaters in the works!

Both should be finished soon. Wish the Olympics could last a little longer!

Almost perfect

This sweater is my new favorite!

Everyone knows it...the good old Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinsky.

...now knit by more than a thousand Ravelers!

I am completely indebted to Angie who made this exact version (same yarn, same color) and made me think I had to have one!

I knit the 36" with Rowan Kid Classic, colorway #825 (crushed velvet).

The gauge challenged me a bit, but of course never gave me pause. I just kept on knitting!

As a result, I wish the sleeves were a tad looser and the fronts had just a tiny bit more ease, but...it looks better unbuttoned anyway.

I will knit this again, and soon. It's a dressier version of a casual everyday sweater.

I love it!

P.S. It's really hard to blog about knitting when you can just put it all on Ravelry.

I love the photography part of blogging, and have decided to join Camilla in a little photography exercise. Stay tuned for my first photographic adventure!

Knitting vs. Caterpillar

Here's the little bit of interesting knitting going on these days...two linen stitch scarves.

I found the stitch on Ravelry, and I love the woven look it creates. Two great projects to take in the car for brief knitting opportunities. Progress is slow, to put it mildly!

Otherwise, there's a whole lot of stockinette stitch going on here, and it doesn't make for good blog postings.

On the other hand, here's something much more interesting to look at...

The biggest caterpillar I've ever seen, found by my husband yesterday.

Doesn't nature make some amazing colors and color combinations?

A great opportunity to use my new camera (which I love!) and to try my husband's older macro lens.
He's been safely returned to the spot where he was found.

Thanks for brightening our day, little (big) caterpillar.

Air progress

My Kim Hargreaves "Air" is coming along...the back is almost complete.

I was uncertain of the color at first, but I think I'm loving it!

The Sublime Extra Fine Merino feels great.

What a pleasure.

Paper Crane, complete

Drum roll, please...and here it is...Paper Crane.

Knit on US 3 needles, I used a 100% bamboo yarn in palest yellow (I believe it's Fiber Rhythm Bambu 12, Sweet Corn). I love the result. It is so soft and drapey, perfect for wearing out in the evening. I probably won't wear it everyday, as the yarn tends to get pulls and I want it to last a while.

I think that we all tend to spot a pattern, say "that's what I want," and off we go. I, for one, don't always scrutinize a pattern, looking for what difficulties lie ahead. All went well with this sweater, however the drapey quality of my chosen yarn is maybe not the best fit. The armholes are a bit loose, and I'm getting some excess in the upper back. When I put the sweater on, I have to make sure everything is where I want it, and I have to really "roll" the neck edge to get the right look.

All in all, still a big success! Thank you, Kirsten!

It is very possible that you'll see me knitting this piece again. I'm wondering what would happen with a little Kidsilk Haze...? Hmmm.

Maybe I should stick closer to the pattern specifications. We'll see.

A little swatching helps everything

All I needed was a little swatching to fulfill my desire to start something new.

Now I have a plan (and it won't look just like that pattern you see!)

I'm back to work on Paper Crane, and squeezing in a little progress on my Blanket cardigan, as well.

I hope to have them both finished by summer's end.

Paper Crane update

I'm really not ready to post about a finished object but I have to update you on my Paper Crane.

The top in complete... except for one entire sleeve!

I've been knitting, knitting, knitting because I'm so eager to see it complete, and maybe actually wear it.

Problem is, at the same time, I'm itching to start something new.

I've decided to take a break for a week or so, start a new project, then get back to my Paper Crane...but I pieced what I have together to make sure it's worth continuing...and it is!

For some reason (my brain, perhaps) I struggled with the construction of this piece. I had a hard time understanding why I was shaping the sleeves unevenly. I worried that it wouldn't come together, especially when I omitted a few repeats on the sleeve cap (don't worry, I took notes for the second sleeve, and my modifications seem to have worked). My bamboo yarn knits up with a lot fewer rows per inch than the original pattern's Habu yarn, although the stitch per inch gauge is near perfect.

Hats off to Kirsten for a beautiful pattern, and one that I found challenged me in a new way.

I'm already thinking about making this again with a completely different yarn.

Oh wait! I haven't even finished this one yet.

More photos when the top is really complete!

Cropped Dress Up Cardigan

Here it is. My cropped dress up cardigan in Rowan Kidsilk Haze.

I love it.

It could be just a tad bigger, but it fits.

I wore it for a while today, and it is so airy yet warm. Perfect for Montana summers.

Speaking of...I'm taking it off to go for an afternoon hike with my family. More later...

I just can't help it...

I just can't help it...meaning, I started a new sweater...and it's another pale, neutral!

My cropped dress-up cardigan in Kidsilk Haze is complete, except for weaving in the ends and pressing the seams.

A picture will follow shortly, provided the sun continues to shine.

Yesterday, I started my Paper Crane top.

The pattern was purchased from Kirsten, at her blog, assemblage.

I love what she does.

I've chosen some 100% bamboo yarn in a pale, pale yellow.

Really a yellow-white.

Very delicate, very soft and very drapey.

The yarn is wound on a huge cone that I purchased in Missoula, maybe 2 years ago.

I'm not certain that the yarn is anything like the yarn of the original sweater, but it ought to be compatible.

It will be interesting, if nothing else.

I've started with the sleeve, and although I got "gauge" with size 5 needles right away, there was too much play and laxity in the knitting, so I switched to size 3's and I think they're going to work just fine.

My new official photographer is my oldest son. Of course he expects to get paid for his efforts. But I think he did a good job, no?

Classic wavy cable "beach" sweater

Pattern: Jo Sharp "Classic Wavy Cable" from Family, Book #7

Size: B (bust 35-39), version 1

Yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton, color 191 (jersey/off white)

Needles: US 8

At first, I thought, "oh no, this thing is huge!" but I'm actually loving it. That was what I had in mind when I decided to knit this oversized, roomy, "beach" sweater. And now that I look back at the photos in the pattern book, it's supposed to be huge!

I took my time, seaming and reseaming certain areas, and I'm really happy with the results. The neck "rolls" perfectly. This will be a great sweater for a cool and windy day...just like it was today. Now I just have to find a beach...

My "beach sweater"

This is a project that I've worked on sporadically for the past year. I've loved the repeating cables, but it's a big, loose sweater and it was a long, slow effort. Finally, the back, front and sleeves are complete. Everything is blocked, and it's seaming time. Hopefully, I'll have a new sweater to tell you about in the next day or two!

Oh, I forget...I still have to pick up stitches and knit the neckline. Maybe I'll have it complete within the week...