Oh dear

So, remember that quilt I was going to make back in the summer of 2010? Well, I'm working on it. After I finished my last woven scarf I folded up my loom and set up my kitchen table as a quilting center.



I'd gotten through sewing many pairs of squares when I realized that I had ten too few squares in a few of the fabrics. So I'll cut those and be back on my way to an actual quilt!

Progress pic

I realize that I rarely post progress pics. I will try to remedy that.

In my attempt to complete another outerwear set, I have cast on a Honey Cowl in Malabrigo Worsted in Impressionist Sky. This will match my Mal Gretel Beret.

Color Affection

I adore the new Color Affection pattern from Veera Välimäki. I'm trying to cut down on my stashing (I didn't post a New Year's Resolution, but that's definitely one of them) so I chose not to buy a kit from Plucky Knitter. Instead, I'd like to use three skeins of my Sundara Fingering Merino, since I've accumulated so much during last year's club. The question is, which three?

Mushroom Scarf

As a thank you to my friend Gretchen, who lent me her loom to learn on, I wove her a scarf from two skeins of Sundara Fingering Merino in Portabello and Porcini.



I think it came out rather well.



Now if only we could schedule a time so I could give it to her!

I did it!

Guys, I did it. I actually did it. I finished my Flaming Flamingo Empire. I have yet to take any glamorous pictures of it, but it's done. From the top of the ruffle to the bottom of the hem, it is complete. This has been on the needles since...August of 2009 (Rav is so useful that way). It is now January of 2012.





Pardon the bathroom pics.

Complete Set (sort of)

I have finally completed a set of outerwear. Well, sort of. I did finish mitts in my favorite color, Jungle Boogie.





And they do match my previously completed Jungle Boogie Beret and Jungle Boogie Scarf. But...the hat just doesn't fit right. It's beautiful, but too small to really wear (I think I was struck down by my tight knitting). So I think I'm going to rip out the hat and reknit it bigger. At some point. Maybe.

Pooling Woven Scarf

Seeing as my friend Gladys is a pioneer of planned pooling projects, and Wollmeise kept sending me skeins of Grapes for Sheri in my grab bags, I simply had to make a Grapes for Sheri pooling scarf. It was so much fun to make, and it came out beautifully.

I warped the yarn to pool.



And I used MadelineTosh Merino Lace for weft in Duchess, a really dark, almost black purple.

The pooling came out beautifully.




Next time I may not choose to use such thin laceweight for the weft. It did create a warp-faced fabric, but it's so delicate that my scarf is already a bit damaged, from pretty gentle wear.

Mom's Birthday Scarf

My mom was rather taken with my Turning Leaves woven scarf. And so, for her birthday, I picked out a skein of FSM in a shade I thought she'd love, Antilles. My mom's a big fan of jewel tones. Since she was away for her birthday (in Hawaii) I gave this to her over Thanksgiving. I hope she wears it in good health.



Pattern: Standard weave.
Yarn: Sundara Fingering Silky Merino in Antilles

Rhinebeck Sweater

Once again I have made a Rhinebeck sweater. And once again, it did not have all its buttons upon its debut. Ah well, it wouldn't be a Rhinebeck sweater if it was actually complete, right?



This is a Vine Yoke Cardigan by Ysolde Teague. I knit it out of some delicious MCN Worsted custom-dyed by Gherkins Bucket. It is some of the softest, squishiest yarn I've even used. And it's amazing in garter stitch.



I found the pattern rather difficult to follow, which resulted in two sweater fronts twice their intended size. Since I was finishing it up the night before Rhinebeck I decided to rip back one side far enough to compensate for my mistake, resulting in an asymmetrical sweater. I rather like it that way. If I were to make this again (and I wouldn't be surprised if I did), I'd follow some of the mods suggested on Rav for the short rows in the yoke.

Turning Leaves Scarf

I am loving how quickly I can make a scarf on my (well, Gretchen's) loom. Today I finished a scarf I warped on Friday night!

It went from this:


to this:


in two days!

I had a little photo shoot in Central Park on my way to the gym this afternoon.





Yarn: Sundara Fingering Silky Merino in Turning Leaves

This is an under the wire entry to Celebrate Color.

Jungle Boogie Beret

So after swearing for years that I was going to make a whole fall set (a.k.a. hat and gloves) to go with my Japanese Vines scarf, I have finally made progress! Presenting my Jungle Boogie Beret!

 

This may actually be my absolute favorite Sundara colorway. And that's saying a lot (especially considering how much Ruby Port I own). Thankfully I still have enough for a sweater, a pair of gloves, and maybe another small project. :)

Here are some pics of the hat in Central Park. :) This is September in NYC.





Yarn: Sundara Yarn Sock in Jungle Boogie
Pattern: Rustling Leaves Beret from Coastal Knits

This is my first entry for Celebrating Color. I'm also hoping to weave a scarf out of some gorgeous Sundara Fingering Silky Merino in Falling Leaves - a perfect fall colorway.

Limberlost Scarf

Look! I finished my first planned weaving projects! It's a scarf, warp and weft four by four, yellow and purple.


Close up:

Weaving that Doesn't Suck!

For my second weaving project, I bought some yellow and purple worsted weight cotton. The yellow is mercerized, so it has a bit of shine to it, but the purple isn't. I like the contrast. I also really like the color combination of yellow and purple - it reminds me of the end of Girl of the Limberlost, where even the bad girl gets a happy ending. :)

Here's my warp. It's a four by four, beginning and ending on yellow. I made a mistake and warped the loom on the front beam, instead of the back beam. In order to make the whole thing work I cut the warp off the beam and tied it down - so now both sides are tied.


I'm weaving with four by four pattern as well, and I'm carrying the yarn up the sides, catching the non-used yarn after the second row. It's working so far, although my selvedges are still far from perfect. I love the look though.

I have committed weaving!

So, I borrowed a loom from a local knitting friend, and now I'm actually weaving. Crazy, huh?

I mean, I'm weaving badly - but I'm weaving.

WiPs

So, I've had a bit of a...moment, and I've gone back to some rather abandoned projects.

I've knit sleeves on my version of Wendy Bernard's Skinny Empire, so now all I have to do is make the neck ruffle and it'll finally be done.

But more excitingly, I've picked up my Swan Lake shawl - which is probably the project that marked my transition from a casual knitter to a Knitter with a capital K! I've swapped out the Adi Lace needle that was just too catchy for me, and I'm not using some signatures. I can't wait to see this finished.