knitting for menfolk

I have, periodically, offered to knit or been requested to knit for the 2 wonderful guys in my house. It doesn't happen a lot, so when it does I try to be accommodating. I've had a few other things going lately, but next on my list is to finish this zippered cardigan for my husband

and a knitted hockey jersey for my son.

There's been an interesting discussion going on in the Ravelry Designers' group concerning knitting and designing for men and boys and their aesthetic 'limits'. My guys seem to be pretty typical to what others are saying; no bright colours (this is a pretty burnt orange), complicated patterning or shaping, etc.

However, the knitted hockey jersey is a good challenge and fun from a historical perspective, as originally all the game jerseys were knit (by the players' grandmas?).


Then there's the Tragically Hip video for 'Courage' (which I'm unable to find a link to) in which Gordon Downie is wearing a Bruins sweater knit by his mother. Anyway, kinda cool.

My question for you is this: I want to knit this jersey for my 11 year old in worsted weight, and I have the logo yarn colours in this weight as well and was just going to intarsia that part.

Do you think it will be too pixelated? I then considered doing it in fingering weight and sewing it on. Being a 'fair isle circle' that will be a bit of a trick, but maybe look better?....in case you're wondering, I've already decided not to attempt the little air force wings on the shoulders. Feedback welcome.

Happy weekend!

not Rhinebeck. better.

This weekend I went on my first knitting retreat, hosted by Mona and Odessa from my LYS - Wolseley Wool. It was absolutely awesome. I would have on-site photos to show you if I had been able to find room to bring my camera in the 2-loads-to-the-car amount of stuff I hauled there with me (spinning wheel, lazy kate and bobbins, carders, knitting project, yoga mat, deck chair, sleeping bag, pillow, gluten-free snacks, a few clothes).

We went to a nearby camp and there we spun and knit and had great classes and hilarious conversations and ate the most awesome tasting food. It was made even better for me by the fact it was on Rhinebeck weekend which has always made me a bit sad because I wasn't there, but this was just as fun (and I think I might get a bit irritated by those huge crowds anyway). I spent all of Saturday learning to make fancier yarn (though my attempt is not worth photographing) from Francine of Rovings who is such a wonderful person (she's met Jared Flood and says he's very nice). I did some kool-aid sock yarn dyeing (below) and learned to make felted soap scrubbers. We enjoyed watching deer wander through the camp.

All in all a fabulous time and I'm so glad I went. Being around fellow fibre-lovers for awhile made me feel a bit less obsessed and a little closer to normal.

fleece project :: conclusion

Here's a quick recap if you're just joining us...

I received a raw Welsh fleece from my friends several months ago. I don't have a photo of the particular sheep in question, who was very dear to my friends, but I imagine she looked somewhat like this.

It arrived like this

full of lovely oils and farm related stuff, like goat hair

I washed it all (it took about 3 hrs) and it came out gorgeous and fluffy

Here it is some of it carded

and spun into a roughly dk weight 2-ply yarn

and then I knit some mitts

lined with some soft alpaca

and a matching hat

and sent them off to my friends this week as a thank you for their wonderful gift. I hope they keep them warm this winter.

We enjoyed one fabulous Thanksgiving dinner with our family last night and have another to look forward to tonight (winter's coming; we need to bulk up ;). Last night we also had our first NHL home game after losing our team 15 years ago. Our city was ecstatic (hockey is rather big here).

We have much to be thankful for.

Apiary

Thanks to some fabulous testers I now have this pattern up for release (here and sidebar). The yarn is Lioness Arts Smooth Merino Fingering in Mr. Jarndyce (Bleak House Collection) - a subtle and lovely violet-y purple.

I know I've mentioned numerous times my adoration for neck apparel, not liking chilly necks, etc. and I wanted the option of a fairly straightforward but interesting single skein project. This honeybee stitch was really fun to adapt to my needs and I love the airiness of the result.

We've started to have a few nippier mornings and evenings and I find this scarf is great to throw on with my jean jacket for a walk with the dog. It's been super busy around here with classes and activities starting again (and construction season not yet over). I hope you're all busy and happy, too.

epic knitting fail

Since I'm currently working on stuff that's taking awhile I thought I would amuse you with something else. About 2 months ago I decided to make cookie a's Clandestine socks from 'Knit.Sock.Love' and I swatched with many yarns until deciding on some fabulous Malabrigo sock yarn in a deep red (tiziano). Putting aside my misgivings about using a yarn without nylon content for durability I succumbed to its velvety softness; likely swayed by the word 'sock' in its name.

I proceeded to spend many hours knitting happily along, progressing through the charts (which are much more complicated on the leg than the foot. By then you're home free). Very time consuming but very enjoyable as well, so I was looking forward to sock #2. However, as I went along the nagging voice in my head persisted and it said "you've knit a million socks. You always cast on over two needles to ensure there's enough stretchiness on the cuff. You didn't this time because you're insane and you followed the instructions to the letter and they just said 'cast on' not 'cast on over 2 needles' and you were busy thinking about the charts and you weren't really paying attention to what you were doing and now you.are.screwed."

Of course, I completely ignored the annoying nagging voice until the very very end when I was confident I could try on the sock without pulling out a needle (thus letting fall a row of lace stitches I would never recover from). And, as you've guessed, there is a certain undeniable tightness to the cuff I am completely unable to come to terms with and the sock has been banished out of sight ever since. It doesn't even deserve a colour photo right now.

I'm starting again. LATER. With something with a bit of nylon, over 2 needles. Because it has to work next time.

apiary

Pattern: mine

Yarn: Lioness Arts Smooth Merino Fingering in colour 'Mr. Jarndyce'

My plan was simple: come up with a neck accessory that would use as much of a single skein of lovely handdyed yarn as possible. I swatched many many times on many different needles with many different ideas until I got here. I love the honeybee stitch and on 5 mm needles doing it is like knitting acrobatics. Using bamboos helped immensely. It was easy to memorize and fun to make. It has a reckless, loopy quality I love and it looks great on either side. Plus, I used all but a few metres of the skein. Score.

intrepid

Pattern: Intrepid (not yet released) by Connie (yellowcosmo)

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Hempathy in colour #41

This was a test-knit for Connie, who is, I think, one of the most amazing designers in the world. The patterns she's released are gorgeous, and many of her projects are originals as well. Some of them I visit periodically just to have moments of bliss. Like this. And this. And this. (For those of you not on Ravelry, I apologize).

This dress has a fabulous shoulder method and top-down construction. The cable on the front is great and the pockets, too. The Hempathy is a good yarn choice for its drapiness and light weight. My gauge meant a slight airiness to the fabric which, for modesty's sake, prompted me to don a sheer black and blue skirt underneath which acted as a pseudo slip. I will try it with only tights once the temperatures are cooler.

All in all a great summer knit and a totally enjoyable pattern.