princessdeia

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Classic AL in North Sea (Darker Blue) & Rooster Almerino DK in Sugared Almond.
Pattern: Hourglass Sweater from Last Minute Knitted Gifts .
Needles: 4.5 mm.
Notes: Well, I did finish this sweater in a month - even I am shocked. I loved this pattern, simple stocking stitch on the round on large-ish needles. I think my love of this sweater was doubled with the combination of my Addi Turbos and the lovely soft baby alpaca/merino yarn.
Modifications: I made the Medium (41) sized sweater for the body, but found the arms to be too wide, so I cast on the next side down for the sleeves, I also found the length of the arms to be way too long (about two inches). As mention on several blogs/boards, I had to add several more rows of decreasing, I am not sure how many I ended up doing, I just kept knitting and randomly trying it on until it fit.

1. Hourglass - Hem, 2. Hourglass - Side, 3. Hourglass - Raglan

Well, I am still working on the Hourglass Sweater, I have finished both sleeves and am now working on the raglan decreases - this should be finished by the weekend.

I have been thinking about my new year’s resolutions for next year - I think I need to stash-bust (it is getting a little silly, that I keep buying yarn). I also think I need to control my startitis for next year. I am need to become a two-project gal, I figure I will always need a small project for carrying around, a major project to potter on at home.

So last night before, starting this new exciting knitting life, I decided I needed to finish what is on the needles. Attack the projects hibernating the bottom of my knitting bag, finally weave the ends on the Entrelac Scarf, sew the sleeves on my Central Park Hoodie. I thought I would start with the Flower Basket Shawl.

Now, I loved this pattern, and I like the yarn - I just don’t think they would well together. I think the pattern will look better with a solid coloured yarn, as for the yarn because it looks like water I am thinking it will be better suited for a River Stole or Print O’ the Wave Stole. So I frogged it - one project down - five to go!

For months I was planning on knitting this sweater, if I am going to be honest, I think I planned on knitting this pattern soon after buying the book in New York way back in June 2005.

Now after a week of knitting I have nearly finished the first arm (I have a long knitting session planned tonight). I know this pattern is in the “Over Eight Hours” chapter of the book, but I thought that meant way more than eight hours, I think I have been knitting for around seven hours now.

I love this knitted on the round yoke type sweater, and I am already on the hunt for the next one to knit, I love the IK’s Equinox Yoke Pullover and Aftur (especially after seeing Lolly’s completed version), however I think that fair isle pattern is out of my league, so I think I will opt for Neiman, now begins the hunt for the right yarn.

I spent most of the weekend working on my Hourglass sweater, I have to say this is knitting up so quickly, I have finished all the decreases and increases on the sides, I was thinking of knitting this as part of NaKniSweMo, but thought I would never knit that quickly now I am having second thoughts - maybe I could have who knows. I think part of the joy of knitting this sweater (apart from it being knitted on the round) is the yarn. Both wools are so soft, I just love the feel on the yarn in my hands and also the knitted fabric.

Recently my new obsession has become knitted things for the home, I have had Erika Knight’s New Knits for a while and love most the patterns, and she is about to publish another book Glamour at Home, which I can’t wait to see. After hours of searching I have found several things I want to knit (Mason-Dixon’s Absorba Bath Mat, Mug and French Press Jacket and Reverse-Bloom Flower Washcloths), but I started off with these lovely Flower Scrubbies. I adapted the pattern a little, to cover one side to protect your hands whilst washing.

As well as being a showcase for all my present and past projects, it has helped me organised my stash and needles. But my favourite section has to be the “queue.” Of course I always have a list of planned projects - used receipts in knitting books, post it notes in magazines saved web pages and the odd scribbled note in the bottom of my knitting bag.

At the top of this list was always the Hourglass Sweater from LMKG, I got as far as buying the yarn for the project in the summer some Elsebeth Lavold Classic AL from Coldspring Mill. Before, I cast on the project I was checking out Ravelry (as you do), and discovered that you actually need more yarn than the project suggests, knowing I couldn’t get the same dye lot for this yarn, I decided to get another colour and add a few stripes to the sweater.

I then discovered it was almost impossible to get Elsebeth Lavold yarn in the U.K. so I asked the London Knitting Group for advice, I found out the Rooster Almerino Aran is a very similar yarn (50% Baby Alpaca wool and 50% Merino Wool), and comes in some amazing colours.

I managed to get the yarn in at Ally Pally, and now whilst ill in bed this week, I finally got around to casting this project on. For the hem, I used the provisional crochet chain cast on, and folded hem, similar to what you would use for a Picot Hem, done with the Almerino Aran and then changed to the Classic Al for the main body.

Yarn: Araucania Pomaire 6 (Blue) & 10 (Green).
Pattern: Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts .
Needles: 6 mm.
Notes: As I was using thicker yarn, I adjusted the pattern to make the scarf the same width, I had 36 stitches and not 48.

Now that Christmas is over, I can get on and post all my finished projects from the last month. All the recipients have received their gifts and those I have seen since Christmas have been wearing their scarves to beat this chill that is creeping in over London.

Branching Out

Yarn: KidSilk Haze in Liqueur and Meadow.
Pattern: Braching Out from Knitty, Spring 2005.
Needles: 3.75mm.
Notes: There is nothing to more to say about this pattern, I love it, everyone in blogland loves it and seems to be knitting it.

Fishtail Lace Scarf

Yarn: KidSilk Haze in Grace and Pearl.
Pattern: Fishtail Lace Scarf (pdf file).
Needles: 3.25mm.
Notes: KSH leans itself extremely well to any lace pattern, I opted to do some simple patterns just to save time – but it works so well (Take Airy Scarf and simple easy pattern that knits up in hours and looks so good). This is one of those easy patterns – great for a first time lace project as it really is only four stitches, K, P, YO and sl1-k2tog-psso.

Little Leaf Scarf

Yarn: KidSilk Haze in Smoke and Drab.
Pattern: Little Leaf Scarf .
Needles: 3.25mm.
Notes: Again this is another fantastically easy pattern, four simple rows repeated numerous times (I think I did over 100 repeats on this pattern). I left off the garter borders – once pressed the edges did not curl and it looked lacier without the edging.

Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf

Yarn: KidSilk Spray in Pebble and KidSilk Night in Starry Night.
Pattern: Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf .
Needles: 3.25mm and 4mm.
Notes: I love this pattern on smaller needles using variegated yarn the pattern looks amazing, using bigger needles it becomes an interesting lacy pattern.

Yarn: KidSilk Spray in Regal.
Pattern: Airy Scarf from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts
Needles: 3.75mm.
Notes: This pattern is great to get use to KSH, as the pattern is so simple.
As I dropped the needles size (a lot), I used 42 stitches instead of 22 to get the same width. I also used all the wool to make a longer scarf.

Yesterday, I received my second parcel from my SP – she is so organised, I am always amazed how each SP present is so perfect – she gave me a mini calculator it put in my knit kit, which is something I could really do with, in fact I started using it last night.

As the weather is so unpredictable in London at the moment, I figured it was ideal time to knit another shrug. I was going to knit another OSW, I was looking in my mini stash and found the Rowanspun DK that Tracy got me in the last round of Secret Pal, that I earmarked for a mini-sweater. The wool is thinner than the pattern called for so I had to rework the pattern a little (hence using the calculator).

Using Jason as my swift I tried to roll the two hanks into balls, however, it all went terrible pear-shaped and we ended up with a massive nest – that somehow Jason managed to get into a big ball and a little baby ball – he is my hero. Hopefully, I will have this little baby knitted up ready to wear over the weekend.

Which will be amazing as my obsession with not complete projects is continuing, I still haven’t finished branching out, even though it is such a simple lace pattern to knit, I am getting so carried away with other projects. I just love this colour, it is going to look so perfect with both my autumn jackets (one is grey the other navy).

I am still undecided if I will knit several branching out’s for gifts, after hunting around online, I found Wendy Knits’ list of lace scarves, and fell in love with Lorrie’s Fishtail Lace Scarf, Little Leaf Scarf and the Simple Knitted Lace Scarf.

With the second ball of Kidsilk Spray, I have I decided to try Multidirectional Diagonal Scarf, again, I dropped the needle size down to 3.75mm and I am really pleased with the results, this pattern is so simple and looks so affective, I think I might have to knit one of these for myself.

I seem to have lost the cable to upload my photos on to the web And I have loads of photos to post. I have taken some photos with my camera phone but they do no justice.

Finally, I have a finished project, NLLALM is finished – it is just waiting to be blocked – all I can say is never again over 160 stitches for the back and front, took forever. Although I am pleased with the rest it just took way too long.

Now I am concentrating on the KSH scarves. I am half way though Branching Out, I have done 20 repeats of the pattern, but as I am using 3mm needles it is still really short (about 30 inches), I think I will need to do about 50 to get it too the length I want. But I have loads of wool left.

Over the weekend as a quick project, I cast on an Airy Scarf (from Last minute Gifts) in Kidsilk Spray, for this version I am using the pinkie colours, and it looks amazing, there are four tones of pink in there, from an almost lilac colour to a bright pink, and totally unintentionally the colour weaves through the scarf like a wave.

Once again, I am using smaller needles than the pattern asked for, and I cast on extra stitches to make it wider, after knitting for 4 hours (the blur above the pattern says that was how long the designed knitted for), the scarf is 24 inches, I always intended to make it a longer scarf, but now I think I might just knit until I run out of wool.

EDIT:After I posted this morning the postman delievered some goodies… a postcard all the way from Vegas (baby), and a lime green jiffy envolpe, also from Vegas. Inside was this amazing package, the wrapping paper was hand-made. I didn’t want to open it as I would ruin her lovely work. But inside was Weekend Knitting : 50 Unique Projects and Ideas , which I have been lusting after forever. I spend all this lunch time planning what I am going to make.

So finally I have a chance to update my journal. I made a decision not to bring any knitting on holiday with me – this is meant to be a chance for Jason and I to spend time together without worrying about his sleep patterns because of his shifts, and I didn’t think we would appreciate me knitting on the plane or in hotel rooms – of course now I really miss my needles.

With the pound being so strong against the dollar I had to do some shopping (not to much so far I am pacing myself). But I had to go to the Motherland – and as we were staying two blocks away from 5th Avenue I went to Tiffany’s and brought myself a rather lovely “d” necklace – well I had to treat myself – I also brought my sister a matching “a” necklace, so we really will look like sisters - tacky I know.

Yesterday we went to Soho and of course a trip to knitters’ New York Motherland, Purl Soho. I decided to treat myself (again) and brought the current IK – I never brought a copy of the magazine before – but was looking for some inspiration for more summer knits. Whilst flicking through the books, I saw a few ideas for presents for my Secret Pal, but I want to do a little research online first to find out which one is the best book. But I did pick up a copy of Last Minute Gifts for myself.

Last night as I was leafing through Last Minute Gifts, I was really missing my wool and needles – however, I now have an even longer list of things I want to knit and I still have to read IK. But in Chicago, I am determined to buy some wool to go with my Denise Inter-changeable Needles.

I also got an email from my the person spoiling me - and I have a parcel waiting for me at home