tundra

Pattern: my own

Yarn: Crown Mountain Farms superwash merino in 'Riders on the Storm' colourway

So I finally got around to knitting up all that yarn I spun last winter. I did this top down with set in sleeves to try to use as much of my yarn as I could, although I only needed about 1200 yds. of the 1418 total I spun. This was from 32 oz spun into a worsted weight 3 ply.

This sweater should have taken me a little more than a week to make. It took over 2 because I ripped out and re-knit the lower 1/2 of the body no less than 3 times and one of the sleeves completely twice. I felt like that guy in the Greek myth who rolls the boulder up the hill every day only to have to start again at the bottom the next. I want to be in love with this sweater and I'm not yet, but it's getting closer.

Anyway, the yarn from this fibre is gorgeous. The colours working together reminded me of an arctic tundra landscape.

Now I'm off to Minneapolis for 5 days to a Parks conference, and I'm trying to decide on the car knitting. Hope you're having a great weekend.

Shadow

Pattern: Shadow (my own)

Yarn: Blue Moon BFL Sport, shown in 'Shadow' colourway

2,(2,2,2,3,3,3,3) skeins); 661 yds/604 m per 8 oz / 226g skein). Actual yardage used: 1075,1150,1200,1300,1400,1550,1700,1800) yds.

To take my mind off the fact I'm not at Rhinebeck, I thought I'd release my Shadow pattern!

It's a lightweight but warm collared cardigan. I've been wearing mine pretty constantly for the past several months and it works in many situations for work or casual wear.

It's knit from the top down in the round with raglan shaping and a steeked front opening. Cuffs are hemmed, and i-cord edges the front opening, forming button loops. Ribbing creates some waist shaping and increases create a slight A-line to the lower body. Link to pattern on the sidebar.

Thanks so much to my tech editor Joeli, and all my fabulous test knitters. You are all very generous and helpful.

Hope you have a great fall weekend!

sea princess

Pattern: 'Sea Princess' by Elena Nodel (not yet released)

Yarn: Cascade 220 in colour 8912

I spontaneously decided to sign on to test knit this lovely pattern last week and I'm happy I did. Elena has made a very versatile sweater - sized 6m-14 yrs., 2 sleeve length choices and 3 back cable choices (this is the most elaborate version). She'll also be releasing an adult version. She also has patterns for similar pants and a skirt. Here is her designs page on Ravelry. Super cute collection!

I wanted to make something purple and warm for my sweetie as she's had a hard week. Sadly, we had to make the decision to return Gracie the dog to her home on the farm. We all miss her.

Hope you enjoy your long weekend. It's gorgeous and warm here and we have most of the dreaded leaf raking done already, so we can relax. Later, peeps.

terra

Pattern: my own

Yarn: The Fibre Company Terra in 'Shale' (40% baby alpaca, 40% wool, 20% silk)

Needles: 7.5mm

As I found my last post somewhat depressing, I thought I would show something happier. Thanks for your thoughts on the pink sweater. I'm going to put that project in a time out until I decide what I'm doing. I have many projects going right now that are taking awhile (yes. I know that the first of those things results in the second) and some have their 'issues', so I needed some instant gratification for a change.

I found this wonderful yarn the other day and decided to see what I could make with only two skeins. I've mentioned before my dislike for chills in my neck region and I've had the habit lately of wearing lightweight scarfs/shawls indoors, so I'm putting together a collection of such accessories.

I used 7.5mm needles for a super drapey feel, cast on 26 sts and sat in front of the tv for some completely mindless stockinette. I stopped when I was almost done the second skein and it wrapped around my neck twice. Then I bound off, seamed the two ends together and then seamed the whole thing into a tube. All ends hidden, no need to block and no need to tie together when worn. I wanted a simple way to showcase this soft and textural yarn and this is perfect.

things what are pink

This:

is currently turning into this:

It's another sweater's worth of CMF fibre and it's going to be awesome. It's all sketched out and everything. I know I haven't knit up the last sweater quantity batch of CMF fibre, although it is started. I decided not to make the Tea Leaves cardi with it but something from my head instead. Just to continue the 'making it from scratch' theme, I guess. And I'm intrigued about designing for handspun at the moment. Anyway, more on the above once the 32oz are finished spinning.

I've returned to my bad 'multiple-WIPs' ways lately after a few months' attempt at knitting monogamy. So as not to overwhelm you, I'll just talk about something else that's pink.

It's top-down (obviously), raglan, steeked, and stranded. The pattern will change in an inch or so again, increasing in scale as it goes down the slightly A-line body. It's for my daughter. It's going fine except I cannot.stand.the.yarn. At least in this particular application. It's Knitpicks telemark and I'm knitting it to its usual gauge but the thing is it's just too densely spun a yarn for my liking here. And it's resulting in a fabric that's too dense and generally un-drapey. I wish I'd used Lamb's Pride sport; same gauge but a more loosely spun ply.

I'm trying to decide if I should continue and just live with the fact it's a denser sort of sweater (for outdoors?). And maybe try thrashing it against some boulders at a creek to soften it...

Or do I frog?

And if I continue should I keep with the small pattern down the arms, or switch to plain light pink for a layered effect, or omit them altogether? Thoughts?

Happy weekend!

gracie

This is our sweet new housemate, adopted from our niece. We love her already and we hope she likes living with us, too.

Hope you're having an awesome weekend.

1/4 lb. Cowl

The 4!Ounce!Challenge! on Ravelry was such a great motivator to come up with a way to use 4oz. of fibre, since it's such a common amount to buy. Here is the finished version of my pattern - it's available free on the sidebar.

I made two versions - one in dk-weight with button holes and this one in worsted weight which has button loops. This Hello Yarn Falklands top in "Grouch" colorway which the fabulous Lisa generously sent to me was such a wonderful thing to spin and knit with. You fiber club people are (as I always suspected) extremely lucky!

Winter is coming. You need a warm neck or you'll get sick. Happy knitting!