On The Needles – May 2016

What’s on my needles right now!

The good news is I have finish-itis right now.  Don’t worry, never lasts long.  I just finished my next shawl design (actually a stole with beads) and am going to primarily work on two other projects before starting the sample knitting for my next design.

• Diadem– I’m hoping to return to focusing on this next.  Unfortunately, I need to knit it at home, in good light, with minimal distraction. Brief reminder – this is the shawl I’m knitting for my friend Patty in exchange for a pair of handknit socks.  And she’s making good progress on the socks so I better hurry this up! Yarn is from Zen Garden (I think Serenity Silk – the light fingering weight one) and the pattern is Diadem by Ruth Greenwald.

• Starry Whovian Socks – I am still loving knitting on this tiny circular needle.  I was actually farther along but really didn’t like where I’d started the ribbing I out ripped back a bit and started that ribbing earlier.  It’s become my current “brainless knitting” project that I can do anywhere, anytime.  These are plain socks with ribbing across the top, knit toe-up with an after-thought heel.  I’m using Quaere Fibre Sparkle Sock in the colorway Dr. Who Vincent and the Doctor.

• Radiance Shawl– If you follow me on Instagram you know this was one of the three contenders for my next shawl.  I like the pattern, love the feel and color of the yarn but its just so darn splitty.  And I just finished another large lace project so would like to knit something a little heavier next.  Yarn is from Skeindulous Ursula in the color Little Ray of Happiness and the pattern is Radiance Shawl by Helen Stewart of Curious Handmade.

• Alpaca Fresh Till Cowl– An easy peasy cowl for fall/winter.  Another one I keep handy for brain dead knitting. Yarn is from Classic Elite Yarns Inca Alpaca in a teal color and the pattern is Fresh Till Cowl by Rebecca Fox.

• Caprica Socks – More socks.  This has gone into hibernation.  I might pull them out after my Whovian socks and keep knitting or I might rip them out.  Yarn is Knit Picks Felici, a super soft merino/nylon blend, in the colorway Caprica.

• Scarlet Capelet -Remember I said I was thinking of ripping this out? I did.  I’m going to knit another cape but one without a hood and with cables.  The yarn is Miss Babs Northumbria Aran in Vlads.

 

 

On The Needles – January 2016

What’s on my needles right now!

Back into the swing of my regular blog schedule!  It’s funny – when I travel I feel the need to take multiple projects (just in case something goes haywire) but I usually only work on one or two.  I seem to do that, focus on a singular project until I’m either done or bored.  Then I move on.  So on to my current projects.

• Mansion House – My current shawl. At first I didn’t love it but its grown on me.  Pattern is Mansion House by Toby Roxane Designs, and is a DK weight shawl with twisted stitches.  I’m using Grinning Gargoyle Primo in Signature Red.

• Starry Whovian Socks – I am still loving knitting on this tiny circular needle. It’s become my current “brainless knitting” project that I can do anywhere, anytime.  These are plain socks with ribbing across the top, knit toe-up with an after-thought heel.  I’m using Quaere Fibre Sparkle Sock in the colorway Dr. Who Vincent and the Doctor.

• Caprica Socks – More socks.  This has gone into hibernation.  I might pull them out after my Whovian socks and keep knitting or I might rip them out.  Yarn is Knit Picks Felici, a super soft merino/nylon blend, in the colorway Caprica.

• Diadem– I’m hoping to return to focusing on this next.  Unfortunately, I need to knit it at home, in good light, with minimal distraction. Brief reminder – this is the shawl I’m knitting for my friend Patty in exchange for a pair of handknit socks.  And she’s making good progress on the socks so I better hurry this up! Yarn is from Zen Garden (I think Serenity Silk – the light fingering weight one) and the pattern is Diadem by Ruth Greenwald.

• Crossroads Hat – I made a little progress on this but am still not sure on the sizing.  So, more tweaking might be yet to come.  I actually started this one time before too but didn’t like the gauge so frogged to restart with smaller needles.  Now I think its going to be small.  This yarn for this colorwork hat is alpaca so I want it at a tight gauge to prevent it from growing.

• Scarlet Capelet – This is hanging on the back burner, like way back there.  So far back I’m actually considering ripping it out.  Why? I’m not sure I like the hood because its a very big and wide hood.  This pattern (Scarlet Capelet) is also by Heather Zoppetti.  The yarn is Miss Babs Northumbria Aran in Vlads.

• Starshower Cowl – I got a little ways into this and then frogged.  I need good light because the handspun is so dark.  I selected this to use my blue/purple handspun from Spinner’s Cottage.  The pattern is Starshower by Hilary Smith Callis.  It looks like it will be a cool knit – a cowl with a twist.  It is designed to be able to be worn around the shoulders.

• Color Affection Shawl – Frogged but haven’t started over yet.  I still want to knit it (at a tighter gauge) but other things are more interesting right now.

On The Needles – November 2015

What’s on my needles right now!

Skipped this post last month (again) but now I’ve actually got new things on the needles!  I worked on the Gridelin for most of October so barely anything else was worked on.  So much so I didn’t both updating some of the pictures.

• Starry Whovian Socks – I think I’ve tried knitting socks every which way.  I didn’t like magic loop and I really don’t like double points (see the Caprica socks).  So now I’m trying a nine inch circular needle.  Yep, tiny little needle (actually eight inch would be better but can’t find that).  I love it soooo much better than the other two methods.  These are plain socks, knit toe-up with an after-thought heel.

• Caprica Socks – Back to knitting socks.  This has gone cold.  I’ve put maybe 2-3 inches on them since July? Just not something I’m loving right now and I think its because I really don’t like little dpns.  I might frog these in favor of knitting with the bitty circular.  These are toe-up but I’m not following a pattern, per se.  It’s slow going but I have some more self-striping sock yarn I want to use, which is motivating me.  Yarn is Knit Picks Felici, a super soft merino/nylon blend, in the colorway Caprica.

• Diadem– Post new cowl, this one is now back on the front burner. Brief reminder – this is the shawl I’m knitting for my friend Patty in exchange for a pair of handknit socks.  And she’s making good progress on the socks so I better hurry this up! Yarn is from Zen Garden (I think Serenity Silk – the light fingering weight one) and the pattern is Diadem by Ruth Greenwald.

• Crossroads Hat – another new project! I actually started it but didn’t like the gauge so frogged to restart with smaller needles.  This yarn for this colorwork hat is alpaca so I want it at a tight gauge to prevent it from growing.

• Scarlet Capelet – This is hanging on the back burner, like way back there.  I picked it up briefly and did get gauge still so that’s a plus.  I like it well enough but its hit the point where its large and cumbersome.  This pattern (Scarlet Capelet) is also by Heather Zoppetti.  The yarn is Miss Babs Northumbria Aran in Vlads.

• Starshower Cowl – I got a little ways into this and then frogged.  I need good light because the handspun is so dark.  I selected this to use my blue/purple handspun from Spinner’s Cottage.  The pattern is Starshower by Hilary Smith Callis.  It looks like it will be a cool knit – a cowl with a twist.  It is designed to be able to be worn around the shoulders.

• Color Affection Shawl – Frogged but haven’t started over yet.  I still want to knit it (at a tighter gauge) but other things are more interesting right now.

On The Needles – September 2015

What’s on my needles right now!

Skipped this post last month (again) but now I’ve actually got new things on the needles!  I’ve been very project monogamous lately so one thing is done and barely anything else has been worked on.  So much so I didn’t both updating some of the pictures.

• Florence Cathedral Cowl – I actually finished something (yea!) but since it is a new design you won’t see a post about it until it is published next month.  I know I said it would be a shawl but the stitch pattern was pretty adamant it wanted to be a cowl (with lace and beads).  Who am I to argue? I finished the knitting last week, wrote the pattern Friday night and took pictures on Sunday.  Next step is tech editing and test knitting, both of which just take time.  I’m aiming for an end of October pattern release at this point.

• Super secret project #1 – I’m getting ready to start (just waiting on the yarn, which should arrive today) but am not going to be posting any details here or on Instagram because I can’t swear the gift recipient wouldn’t see it.  Two skeins of fingering weight yarn and is from a new book I got last month.  It is for the recipient’s birthday, which is in early November, so hopefully I’ve got plenty of time.  Says the world’s slowest knitter.
• Big Chunky Comfy Hat – Just a quick hat so I feel like I’ve accomplished something.  I’m about four rounds in but am not sure it will be big enough so I may be starting over.  Yarn is Malabrigo Rasta (super-bulky) in the colorway Plomo which is a purply-gray color.  Pattern (free) is Big Chunky Comfy Hat by Nomad Yarns.

• Super secret project #2 – This one isn’t quite as secretive because I told the gift receipient earlier this year I would knit it for her.  So she just doesn’t know what it will look like.  I’m knitting for her one my wide cuff wire beaded bracelets.  Need to be done by October 9th.
• Caprica Socks – Back to knitting socks.  This have gone cold.  I’ve put maybe an inch on them since July? Just not something I’m loving right now and I think its because I really don’t like little dpns.  I did order a small eight inch circular to try knitting socks with but need to ball up some other yarn.  If those go better these will probably get frogged.  These are toe-up but I’m not following a pattern, per se.  It’s slow going but I have some more self-striping sock yarn I want to use, which is motivating me.  Yarn is Knit Picks Felici, a super soft merino/nylon blend, in the colorway Caprica.

• Diadem– Post new cowl, this one is now back on the front burner. Brief reminder – this is the shawl I’m knitting for my friend Patty in exchange for a pair of handknit socks.  And she’s making good progress on the socks so I better hurry this up! Yarn is from Zen Garden (I think Serenity Silk – the light fingering weight one) and the pattern is Diadem by Ruth Greenwald.

• Scarlet Capelet – This is hanging on the back burner, like way back there.  I picked it up briefly and did get gauge still so that’s a plus.  I like it well enough but its hit the point where its large and cumbersome.  This pattern (Scarlet Capelet) is also by Heather Zoppetti.  The yarn is Miss Babs Northumbria Aran in Vlads.

• Starshower Cowl – I got a little ways into this.  I need good light because the handspun is so dark.  I selected this to use my blue/purple handspun from Spinner’s Cottage.  The pattern is Starshower by Hilary Smith Callis.  It looks like it will be a cool knit – a cowl with a twist.  It is designed to be able to be worn around the shoulders.

• Color Affection Shawl – Frogged but haven’t started over yet.  I still want to knit it (at a tighter gauge) but other things are more interesting right now.

On The Needles – July 2015

What’s on my needles right now!

Skipped this post last month but now I’ve actually got new things on the needles!

• Midsommer – This is my main focus at the moment and I’m just about done.  Like I should be done this week (maybe even tonight).  At Patty and I bought the same yarn at Stitches Midwest a few years ago and each bought beads.  She said earlier this summer “hey, why don’t we try to get this knit before Stitches this year.”  I love knitting with beads so I said “heck, yeah.”  This hasn’t been going smoothly for either of us.  The pattern is written for lace weight.  We’re using fingering weight, which should make the shawl bigger.  As its written the shawl would be very small, even with fingering weight yarn instead of the lace.  I repeated an extra section and if I hadn’t been so far into it I would have ripped out and restarted on a larger needle size. Even the amount of yardage used in the pattern doesn’t make sense in regards to how its knitting up.  Very weird.  Anyways, yarn is Plucky Knitter Primo Fingering, a merino/cashmere/nylon blend, in colorway Fat Fish Blue, which is a vivid electric blue.  Pattern is Midsommer by Sivia Harding.

• Caprica Socks – Back to knitting socks.  Getting these started was a massive PITA.  After pleading on IG for some help the suggestion of using Judy’s magic cast on on a circ and then switching over to DPNs worked.  These are toe-up but I’m not following a pattern, per se.  It’s slow going but I have some more self-striping sock yarn I want to use, which is motivating me.  Yarn is Knit Picks Felici, a super soft merino/nylon blend, in the colorway Caprica.  Knit Picks discontinued Felici last year but presently has brought it back as a special edition.

• Un-named shawl – I’m working on a new shawl.  Pattern is mostly drafted – now I just need to knit it!
• Diadem– Put this one on the back burner for now but I want to get back to it soon. As a bit of backstory, I dislike knitting socks and my friend Patty doesn’t always get along with lace (would be hard for you too with 3 dogs, 1 cat, 2 bunnies and 2 kids).  So we decided to swap skills.  We each bought our own yarn and I am knitting her a lace shawl and she is knitting me socks.  I actually started another shawl but got real worried I would run out of yarn.  So switched over to this pattern which I’m loving.  Yarn is from Zen Garden (I think Serenity Silk – the light fingering weight one) and the pattern is Diadem by Ruth Greenwald.

• Scarlet Capelet – This is hanging on the back burner now too.  I picked it up briefly and did get gauge still so that’s a plus.  I like it well enough but its hit the point where its large and cumbersome.  This pattern (Scarlet Capelet) is also by Heather Zoppetti.  The yarn is Miss Babs Northumbria Aran in Vlads.

• Starshower Cowl – I got a little ways into this.  I need good light because the handspun is so dark.  I selected this to use my blue/purple handspun from Spinner’s Cottage.  The pattern is Starshower by Hilary Smith Callis.  It looks like it will be a cool knit – a cowl with a twist.  It is designed to be able to be worn around the shoulders.

• Color Affection Shawl – Frogged but haven’t started over yet.  I still want to knit it (at a tighter gauge) but other things are more interesting right now.

On The Needles – May 2015

What’s on my needles right now!

As part of my new blog schedule I expect to write this post once a month.  As I get better about getting stuff done I hope the items in this post will change more frequently.

• Diadem– I’m loving this knitting. As a bit of backstory, I dislike knitting socks and my friend Patty doesn’t always get along with lace (would be hard for you too with 3 dogs, 1 cat, 2 bunnies and 2 kids).  So we decided to swap skills.  We each bought our own yarn and I am knitting her a lace shawl and she is knitting me socks.  I actually started another shawl but got real worried I would run out of yarn.  So switched over to this pattern which I’m loving.  Yarn is from Zen Garden (I think Serenity Silk – the light fingering weight one) and the pattern is Diadem by Ruth Greenwald.

• Self-Designed Cowl – I’m keeping the details under wraps but this is certainly something I’m focusing on this month.  Fingering weight cowl – all I’m sharing right now. As of today I’m about 25% of the way done.

• Scarlet Capelet – Yep, still working on this.  I picked it up briefly and did get gauge still so that’s a plus.  I like it well enough but its hit the point where its large and cumbersome.  This pattern (Scarlet Capelet) is also by Heather Zoppetti.  The yarn is Miss Babs Northumbria Aran in Vlads.

• Starshower Cowl – I got a little ways into this.  I need good light because the handspun is so dark.  I selected this to use my blue/purple handspun from Spinner’s Cottage.  The pattern is Starshower by Hilary Smith Callis.  It looks like it will be a cool knit – a cowl with a twist.  It is designed to be able to be worn around the shoulders.

• Color Affection Shawl – Also started just a bit. A colorwork shawl with different sections of stripes. Yarn is Fiber Optics Yarn‘s Foot Notes in Graphite, Bordello and Teal Batik. Pattern is Color Affection by Veera Valimaki.  Since I took this picture I had to frog and start over.  Lost my spot and couldn’t figure out where to restart.

On The Needles – October 2014

What’s on my needles right now!

Post Spinzilla I haven’t done any spinning.  The first weekend after I reorganized my stash, picked up the loft and put together project bags.  Putting together project bags is basically my OCD version of startitis.  I select my top projects I want to knit and bag up the yarn, pattern and needles.  It looks a lot like the picture above.  There’s actually more project bags not pictured but I’m only going to talk about those I’ve already started or actually plan to work on within the next month.  I have an additional five queued, bagged and ready to go.

• Scarlet Capelet – Yep, still working on this.  Hopefully when I pick it back up I can get the same gauge.  This pattern (Scarlet Capelet) is also by Heather Zoppetti.  The yarn is Miss Babs Northumbria Aran in Vlads.

• Reverse Spectra – I started this puppy in May, put it away for several months and then actually completed over a dozen of the wedges.  But, I have several oopsies along the edging and I wasn’t happy with how I carried the black yarn so I ripped it out.  Knitted about six wedges and had to rip again.  Hopefully third time is a charm.  The pattern is Spectra by Stephen West.  Gradient yarn is Turquoise to Tangerine gradient on FootNotes from Fiber Optic Yarns.  The solid black is also in FootNotes.  Most people have used the gradient for the wedges but I mixed things up and used the solid for the wedges!

• Starshower Cowl – Bagged up and ready to go.  I selected this to use my blue/purple handspun from Spinner’s Cottage.  The pattern is Starshower by Hilary Smith Callis.  It looks like it will be a cool knit – a cowl with a twist.  It is designed to be able to be worn around the shoulders.

• Up & Away Hat – Also bagged up and ready to go. A colorwork hat I will be knitting out of gray and dark green. Yarn is Sublime Yarn’s Baby Cashmere Merino Silk DK.  Pattern is Up. . .up & Away by Grace Akhrem.

• Watering in the Garden Shawl – This one is bagged up except the pattern.  I changed my mind when I noticed my prior selection did not have charts for the lace.  Knitting lace without charts didn’t sound too appealing.  Anyways, pattern change.  This is a shawl for me I hope to be able to wear to holiday parties.  Yarn is Crimson to Black gradient from Fiber Optic Yarns. The pattern is Watering in the Garden Shawlette by Giddy Davies.

On The Needles – May 20, 2014

What’s on my needles right now!

More later about vacation and traveling with your knitting.  Or your spinning. Or your angora bunny.  Ok, not the bunny.  Back to my needles.  Here’s what is in progress.  I have one other scarf/shawl barely started but don’t even have a Ravelry page set up for it.  So I’ll catch it next time.  Obviously I need to catch finishitis sometime soon.

• Firehawk Shawl – So this is still in process.  This two color shawl has an interesting construction.  You knit the long lace border edge then pick up stitches along it to knit the body of the shawl.  I’m still working on border (see photo above) but love this shawl and the yarn. The pattern is Firehawk Shawl by Heather Zoppetti and the yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere in Amber Glass and Blue Lagoon.

• Scarlet Capelet – I’ve been working on this poor thing for over a year.  I started it, put it aside, picked it up, put it down – you get the idea. This pattern appeared in the 2011 Jane Austen Knits and is a hooded cape.  I’m unfortunately not as excited about it now as I was but I do plan to continue working on it.  This pattern (Scarlet Capelet) is also by Heather Zoppetti.  The yarn is Miss Babs Northumbria Aran in Vlads.

• Alluvia Felted Tote – A felted bag/tote out of different colors.  It’s worked from the bottom um and I’m on the third color (just finished the second pleat).  The pattern (Alluvia) is from Allison Haas.  The yarn is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Worsted in the colors listed on my Rav page.

• Mysterious May KAL – My local yarn shop (Nomad Yarns) is doing a a knit-a-long with a mystery shawl.  All we know is it will be a semi-circle and it involves self-striping worsted weight yarn.  I got behind from being on vacation and then decided to re-start to clean up my starting edge.  So, long story short, I’m just now finishing clue 1 and clue 4 gets released Thursday.  So I need to seriously catch up!  The pattern is here and I’m using Ella Rae Classic Superwash as my solid and Knitting Fever Painted Sky as my stripe.  Rav page showing what colors are here.

On the Needles – March 14, 2014

For one of my regular planned posts, lets take a quick run through of what’s on my needles right now.  You know, now that the sweater is DONE  🙂

On the needles right now:

• Firehawk Shawl – I started this on the plane ride out to Omaha.  This two color shawl has an interesting construction.  You knit the long lace border edge then pick up stitches along it to knit the body of the shawl.  I’m still working on border (see photo above) but love this shawl and the yarn. The pattern is Firehawk Shawl by Heather Zoppetti and the yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy with Cashmere in Amber Glass and Blue Lagoon.

• Scarlet Capelet – I’ve been working on this poor thing for nearly a year.  I started it, put it aside, picked it up, put it down – you get the idea. This pattern appeared in the 2011 Jane Austen Knits and is a hooded cape.  I’m unfortunately not as excited about it now as I was but I do plan to continue working on it.  This pattern (Scarlet Capelet) is also by Heather Zoppetti.  The yarn is Miss Babs Northumbria Aran in Vlads.

• Gregorio Hat – This thing is very nearly done – I mean really, really close! The pattern was written for aran weight yarn and I modified it for DK weight.  While the changes needed for the colorwork went fine I’m stuck on doing the decreases and keeping the pattern.  I need to take it up to my friend one afternoon but just haven’t gotten around to it quite yet.  The pattern is Gregorio by Grace Akhrem and the yarn is Alpaca with a Twist Baby Twist in orange and electric blue.

That’s a wrap!