I am a serial knitter.  At least I became one in the last month.  I committed to starting AND finishing three pieces to accompany an old (but still unworn) orange, brown and cream tweed cape.  Two you already know about: Malabrigo Arm Thingies (Ravelry) and Malabrigo Neck Thingie (Ravelry).  The newbie is [...]]]>

Red Java Slouchy Beret

I am a serial knitter.  At least I became one in the last month.  I committed to starting AND finishing three pieces to accompany an old (but still unworn) orange, brown and cream tweed cape.  Two you already know about: Malabrigo Arm Thingies (Ravelry) and Malabrigo Neck Thingie (Ravelry).  The newbie is Natalie Larson’s wonderfully slouchy cabled beret, Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret.  The only change I made to this easy, cabled hat was to double the rows of k1, p1 ribbing.

Like they say on the infomercials, “That’s not all!”  I’ve even resurrected a project started almost two years ago.  Despite good intentions (and a cheat),  I’ve never even come close to finishing the beautiful knitted lace Honeybunch (Ravelry).  I picked it up last week and have made it to the 75% mark.  Christmas?  I really, really hope so.  Must. Stay. Focused.

The only thing standing in the way (at least in my sometimes unrealistic head) is a baby gift. It’s getting down to the wire for the baby’s birthday and I need something quick, thick and chunky.  I’ve thrown out the idea of finishing the beautiful vintage baby dress – for now, at least.  I’m trending toward a jumper in some long-discontinued Rowan bulky yarn.  I knit it before so it should be a slam dunk.

I know I promised to get a shot of me wearing the cape and the knits all together.  Monday’s chilly weather and a trip to the courtyard of the Fourth Presbyterian Church on Michigan Avenue offered the perfect opportunity.

Baby, It's Cold Outside

It’s not as though I don’t have hand knits to wear, right?  The conundrum [...]]]> December in Chicago and the first snows have fallen, right along with the temperature.  I was afraid I wouldn’t have what I needed so I knit as fast as my fingers permitted – just to make sure I was ready for the drop.

It’s not as though I don’t have hand knits to wear, right?  The conundrum this year had to do with a cape and the colors of that cape.  Yes, a brown, cream, charcoal and rust colored tweedy wool cape that very much put me in the mind of the old Sherlock Holmes movies.  Beautiful, dashing things WITHOUT sleeves.  What to do, what to do?  My workable option came in the form of Malabrigo Hand Thingies (Ravelry). I like the faux-rib created by the slipped knit stitch, so I adapted the pattern to create fingerless mitts that extend to the elbow.  No sleeves? No problem.

Project details

(2) skeins of Cascade 128 Chunky Solid in Charcoal Grey
Size 10.75 US needles

Although I used heavier yarn than called for in the pattern, I still cast on the requisite number of stitches. I followed the pattern as written except I kept going until I’d knit the length of my forearm, alternating k2, sl 1 row with knit row until to about 2 inches shy of my wrist.  I then repeated the purl row, knit row banding as in the beginning of the normal Thingie pattern and voila!  Thingies At Arm’s Length:

Malabrigo Arm Thingies

I’ve never worn this cape so I decided its debut wouldn’t be complete without a neckwarmer and matching hat.   The challenge here came in the form of the flared-bottom shape of the cape.  It absolutely requires a fuller shaped hat to help balance top to bottom.  I have enough body issues so I refuse to look like a tweed-clad penguin with a tiny head and large body.  I settled on Natalie Larson’s Star Crossed Slouchy Beret (Ravelry). The slouch and the fullness of the softly cabled top really appeals to me.

For the neckwarmer, I stuck with the Malabrigo Neck Thingie pattern, using one skein (210 yards) Malabrigo worsted weight merino in Red Java.  Two days, start to finish:

Red Hot Malabrigo Neck Thingie

There is no way I was going to go the completely matching ensemble route though, which is why I chose the same pattern for arm and neck thingies, then the same color for neck thingie and slouchy beret.  I’ll try to snap a picture of the complete look once I get cracking on the beret.

My handspun sock yarn version of Laura Chau’s kerchief turned out even better than I expected. Since I knit in the slow lane, it took an entire week for me to finish and pin to the blocking board (thank Jeebus for blocking wires!).

Recall that I used two 200 yard skeins of Crown [...]]]> FO: Blue Garter Kerchief

My handspun sock yarn version of Laura Chau’s kerchief turned out even better than I expected. Since I knit in the slow lane, it took an entire week for me to finish and pin to the blocking board (thank Jeebus for blocking wires!).

Recall that I used two 200 yard skeins of Crown Mountain Farms Sock Hop yarn (held double) to create a kerchief that ended up measuring 40″x 28″ x28″.

My version includes “k2tog, YO” pairs on every 7th wrong side ridge row. By adding an additional yarn over to either side of the last 7 ridge rows, I was able to create elongated ends suitable for draping or tying. Blocking really opened up the yarn overs, both within the fabric and along the edges.

Add Laura’s Kerchief to your Ravelry queue.

Easy Glamour Neckwarmer pattern

Just as the seasons are changing, what do I come out with finally? An actual pattern for the neckwarmer portion of the Easy Glamour duo that debuted in February ’08.

The Easy Glamour Crochet Neck Warmer (PDF) is crocheted lengthwise using a variant of a shell or fan stitch. While you’ll need a couple of buttons to fasten the neckwarmer, you do not need to make buttonholes, thanks to the open chain stitch.

By the way, the pattern includes “how to” stitch information and a construction schematic to assist in finishing your creation. Once the piece is complete, you simply sew those buttons on the left side and there you have it: Easy Glamour in less than two days.

Want to add Easy Glamour to your Ravelry queue? Clique ici.

This is something that has fascinated me of late. Just how differently designing [...]]]> At its most basic, that’s all knitting really is, isn’t it? Loops over loops. Only when we apply these under-over-through actions to the loops in a consistent, uniform way do we begin to see the loops build upon one another into a cohesive fabric.

This is something that has fascinated me of late. Just how differently designing for knitting varies from creating patterns for sewing which you then apply to fabric. Of course, there are similarities of terminology, measurement and fit. But with knitting, you are simultaneously creating the fabric and the garment with all the requisite constraints of sizing and fit. Pretty freaking cool if you ask me. All from something as simple as loops over loops.

What To Do?
I delayed posting the finished Foliage hat in Malabrigo’s Velvet Grapes worsted because I just couldn’t decide on what to do with the 1.5 skeins of yarn I had left. The hat is a quick knit, even for me, taking only 4 days from start to finish. I hesitated on making a scarf since the temps are starting to hint at Spring in the Midwest. But I’m like, “Heck. It’s wool. I’ll need a scarf at some point.”

After the flipping through Ravelry, a couple of books and a giant box of patterns, I dipped into the Knitty archive once again and cast on for Argosy. It sort of looks like entrelac or modular knitting but it’s really just loops over loops, turned counter-clockwise 45 degrees. No diamonds. No leaves. Just a little ol’ patterned stockinette and garter that fascinates my visual mind.

“No Knitting For You!”
If it’s not one thing, it’s another. There will be a slight break in the fiber action, so please forgive me. For reasons of either medication or stress, my hands have broken out in a kind of rash. The topical treatment consists of cortisone cream and cotton gloves and avoiding wool and doing the dishes until the symptoms subside. The only part I like is not doing the dishes. Here’s wishing you a relaxing weekend!

Aside from the usual blah-blah (doctor) blah-blah, there’s been quite a bit of design thinking (and sketching, planning, coloring, procurement) [...]]]> Sadly, for the past week or so, I’ve been doing everything but. I’ve done a few more repeats on the ZigZag scarf but nothing that bears a photo update: “Oh, look! It’s longer than last time.” Yawn.

Aside from the usual blah-blah (doctor) blah-blah, there’s been quite a bit of design thinking (and sketching, planning, coloring, procurement) going on. That Ravelry is both a font of information and a cattle prod when it comes to pursuing what I’ve come to see as possible. Heck, at least it’s forcing me to do proper drawings and come up with construction models for the designs. I love how the colored sketches look but can’t share them with you. It’s that old “first publishing rights” thing.

I did receive a special post-holiday treat that I can share with you. My friend Y stopped by for a visit and graciously let me take her photo as she modeled the hand knits I made for her.

Thanks, Y. Rarely do I get to see my gifts in action. You really made my day.