Happy Halloween!

Mine is the vampire and my husband's is the scared one :)

FO: Zickzack Tunic

Pattern: Zickzack Tunic by Melissa Wehrle IK Spring 09
Yarn: Naturally Dawn 2 ply
Needles: US 7, 5, and 3
Size 36.5"

In the words of Tracy Jordan: I love this sweater so much I want to take it behind the middle school and get it pregnant. The yarn is perfect, the fit is great, and the color is gorgeous. I knit the 36.5" size so it has about 0.5" of positive ease and that works perfectly for me. The only modification I made was accidental. I misread the collar directions so I basically knit the collar for the next size down. I was more that halfway done by the time I realized what I had done and I didn't think it would make a big deal. The pattern was really nicely done and went pretty quickly. I felt like the collar took forever probably because I was so anxious to have it done. I love Melissa's designs, I think they are really flattering and stylish. I wore this today despite not having buttons, I just couldn't wait and having a new sweater to wear on my birthday was great. It is nice and cozy but not too warm. I'm going to have to stop myself from making one in every color :) I love garments in lace weight but after this and Whisper I think I may need a break, I'm going to try and finish up a few things and decide what my next sweater will be. I'm thinking either the Heather Hoodie vest or Melissa's Berkshire dolman. Both are a must knit this winter.

Grr

Well blogger won't let me upload photos today and I refuse to let it beat a post out of me. So in lieu of the knitting content I will just tell you this and some lovely Japanese fabrics are on their way to me to christen my the sewing machine I will hopefully receive soon. If you think those are some cute owls wait until you see the rest :) I see some very cute purses and totes in my future.

FO: Eclipse Socks

Pattern: Eclipse Socks by Julie P. Miller
Yarn: Valley Yarns Huntington
Needles: Addi Turbo Lace 2.5mm

So maybe I liked the books :). Sometimes you have to embrace your inner fan girl. I love the look of these socks, the way the ribbon design looks like the red is spilling from the cuff to the toes is so cool. We stopped at WEBS on the way up to my in laws so I could pick up some sock yarn for these and a pair of Addi Turbo Lace needles for magic loop. The needles are amazing by the way, perfect joins, flexible cables, this was the happiest sock knitting experience I have had. The long holiday weekend gave me plenty of knitting time and since I was knitting these together from the toe up, with an afterthought heel they were nearly complete by the time we got home. The duplicate stitching was what took me a long time. I don't think I did the best job, the writing on the back of one sock looks pretty bad. I'm also dumb and think I followed the chart upside down. This was my first time doing an afterthought heel and while it doesn't fit my personal ankles as well as a gusseted heel it is great for knitting the heel in another color or for a prolonged period of mindless knitting. I love these socks but I am really worried about how they will wear, I can see my toenails through them :( I think I'll have to treat them gently. I will also have to add some elastic to the cuffs, I used a Russian bind off and I don't like it, way too loose. Doesn't it figure the most recent issue of Knitty came out just days after I bound off with a new technique for toe up socks. My husband is dismayed that I didn't write I heart Andy on them, maybe I'll write it on the other. Or I may take advice from my sister and make his something that says I heart Kate on it and make him wear it. I have plenty of yarn left over so I have started on some Breaking Dawn socks, they have some really cool shadow knitting which I had never done before. I don't often like knitting socks but for some reason I feel like it now. I've learned to embrace these knitting urges, just cast on and go with what you really want to knit at that time. Amazingly I tend to finish more if I go this route.

Dayflower Sweater

I am really late in posting this but I had my first pattern published in the most recent issue of knotions. It's a seamless yoked sweater with a scoopneck and lace panel. It's based on a favorite light weight store bought sweater I have. I'm pleased with it and I can't wait to see some finished versions on Ravelry.


I have another FO blocking away, pictures hopefully soon!

FO: Whisper Cardigan

Pattern: Whisper Cardigan by Hannah Fettig Sprin 09 IK
Yarn: Malabrigo Lace ~1.5 skeins
Needles: US7 and US 4
Size M

Whisper is finally done and I love it. Very soft and very light. I didn't make any real mods, I think I bound off the called for amount of stitches for the arms at the beginning of two rows rather than breaking and reattaching the yarn. I added some length and did a few rows of garter stitch at the bottom to prevent a lot of rolling, the arms I like the rolled look so I left them as written. The construction of this is pretty cool and it was an easy knit. It seemed to drag on a bit towards the end with the ever increasing rows but it was so worth it. I do wish I had bound off a little more loosely around the neckline, it is a hair to tight. You can tell that I used two different dye lots but I don't think it looks too bad, the color is much more intense than these pictures, it got a little washed out in the evening light. I'm happy with this, love the yarn and would use it again in a heartbeat. I do hope it wears well. I seem to be in a red mood, I also have some red socks on the needles but I have also just cast on for a zickzack tunic. I love that sweater and will get some progress shots as soon as I start the lace part. I'm about three months behind the IK magazine :)

FO: Bina's Shrug

My sister asked for a shrug to wear to some weddings this summer and requested that is be silver and sparkly. I picked up this sugar cane yarn at Woolworks that I think is lovely. A slight shimmer is all you need some times. I went through my Barbara Walker stitch dictionaries (I now have 1 and 2) and we decided on this simple four row lace repeat with some ribbing at the sleeves and garter stitch around the opening. It's just a simple scarf sewn up at either in. She seemed to like it and I may just have to make one for myself. I have about the same amount of yarn left over :) I'd like to write this up maybe with a few modifications, I just need the time!




Yarn: Queensland Sugar Rush ~3 skeins I think.
Needles: US5 and US3