Knitting Pharm

2009 - the year of the sweater

The lovely and gracious Lesley/YesIKnit/Lulubelle has already shared a sweater project (below), but there are many, many more to share.  I'll dispense with the whole apologizing for lack of blogging and explain all that later.  For now, the sweaters!

Fleece Artist Lady of the Lake.  All mine, all bluey green goodness.  I love the ease of the pattern and that it's knitted on such large needles.  That way, by the time the mohair fuzz drives me crazy, I have a beautiful jacket as a prize!

Susie Hoodie.  This one was a hard-fought battle to find a yarn that even approached gauge.  (For a not-new knitter, I knit with a fair bit of tension.)  I finally settled on Berroco Cuzco, at the suggestion of the fabulous Purl Diva in Brunswick, Maine.  It's very heavy and very, very warm.  Now that it's done, I'll have to tuck it away until at least November, but I still take it out periodically to pet it and admire it.  The major modification was to switch out the cable panels for the reversible ones found in A Cardigan for Arwen.  As always, Mandy's work shows impeccable attention to detail.  I love the bias shaping and the nipped-in waist.

The first yarn I rejected for Susie was Knitpicks Swish worsted, which is a great yarn, but too fine for Susie.  However, it was perfect for BFF's son Charlie and Angela Hahn's Sherwood.  Isn't he handsome?

Here is a new pattern, Ramona, that will be available for sale shortly.  Thanks to Lesley for test knitting it and helping me tweak it.  I only wrote it for one size, since it is very boxy and swingy.  It takes a single skein of Socks that Rock Mediumweight or similar.  Watch the blog or leave a comment here if you think you may be interested in it.

This little jacket was knitted for baby Jade and no doubt would barely fit over her little self now.  It's a single skein of Pagewood Farm Chugiak, top-down raglan and lots of garter rib

Much, much more to come, including at least one more sweater!

He said, she said

A few months back, I had the chance to participate in a talent exchange with a dear friend's mom.  She wanted a handknitted sweater for Bill, her hubby.  She, possessing a sewing skill level to which I'd never dare aspire, was offering some homemade Care Bears for my daughters.

The bears are perfect.

And, if I may be so immodest, so is the sweater.

Bill's criteria were simple:  a roomy cardigan, sleeves large enough to accomodate a shirt with rolled-up sleeves underneath, one of those "shawl-thingy" collars if I could figure it out.

Mine were pretty clear as well:  a fabulous, durable affordable natural fibre yarn, a stitch pattern that would keep me jumping, and seamless construction.

I am really proud of this one.  Starting with an old Patons leaflet, I charted the written directions of the stitch pattern and built the sweater from scratch!

[mid-post rant:  Are you effing kidding me, Typepad?  Tell me again why I pay for you?]

 

Yarn is Cascade 220 Superwash, colour is Lichen Heather.  Wearer is thrilled, knitter is too!

I HAVE been knitting: heaps of hats

Yesterday I composed a huge post, only to have it crash and auto save three times, then crash and eat the post on the fourth.  I will do my best, but Typepad sure doesn't seem to want me to blog.

Apologies for the lack of blogging, but I wanted to keep the post on my Potpourri pattern on the top of the page, and I didn't know how to pin it.  With my luck, stickying it to the top would have wiped out the entire blog!

So, hat knitting continues to satisfy me, starting with a pile of Unoriginals.  Amy and Laurel each got one in Lamb's Pride.

Next came a pair of Fern Glades from the most recent issue of Knitty.  I used of my last remains of Felted Tweed to make one for me and one for a gift.

Next, FISH!  This one's fairly self-explanatory.  It's also perfect for a little boy turning four.

OK, I just crashed, which means I need to split posts before I lose this one.  Kindly pardon the complete absence of wit or even commentary.

I HAVE been knitting: sweaters

Spiral-yoked pulli in Socks that Rock lightweight, Jasper.

   

Stashbuster in multiple scraps.  I carried the spiral pattern down the body, and it just needs sleeves.  Love it or hate it, the supplies cost me nothing!

 

Multiple shades of Cotton Fleece for daughter #1.  Top down raglan, seamless and highly addictive.

 

2 shades of Cotton Fleece for daughter #2.  Since finished, but not photographed.

   

Cardo for my friend's Dad.  Sleeves are now done, body about 1/3 of the way to armholes.  Yarn is Cascade 220, which recently became available at a local store!  Squee!

 

Little Rowan Cotton tee, blogged about in my last head-to-toe.  Cute little stashbust, and about a size 2T.

Happy knitting!

I HAVE been knitting: socks

Gull lace socks in Seacoast Handpainted merino-bamboo. Toe-up, magic loop, short row heel over 2/3 of stitches.

 

Muscari in Trekking XXL. Toe-up, Magic Loop, reverse flap heel.

 

Waving Lace in Colinette Jitterbug.  Toe-up, magic loop, patterned reverse flap heel.

See?  I DO knit!

Oh what a Tangled Yoke we weave...

... when our own knits we do receive!

Tangled Yoke Cardi by Eunny Jang, from Interweave Knits, Fall 2007.  Rowan Felted Tweed, colourway "Whisper".  Only mods were added length.  Photographed before the addition of Celtic Knot buttons.  Fits well, slightly drapier and larger than planned, but will be taken care of with washing.  Love it to pieces.

Fall Sweater Count:  3

An abundance of Bubble Gum

Knitpicks got me again.  A discounted shade of Swish Superwash was an impulse buy that has left me wanting more!

Picture this three times:  one for each daughter, plus one for an upcoming birthday party.  Pattern is Hug Me from Sara Galley, and my only mod (other than tweaking the sizing) was to work the sleeves in the round.

This one's the ultimate in instant gratification, taking less than a day and less than 100g for daughter-sizes shrugs.  More are to follow in other yarns as well.

Pretty huggable bubble gum!

And another shawl and a half, this one for a friend whose daughter has been coveting her poncho.  Apparently this Shetland Triangle thrilled her to bits!

Hug a little girl today.  Especially if she loves handknits.

Pretty Smurfy

My favourite Hallowe'en fiends had an odd request this year.

"Could you knit a smurf sleeper for the baby?"

Um, OK.

I suppose I've knitted odder pieces than that.  At least this one had a purpose, so the baby would match his smurfy parents at their upcoming Hallowe'en party.

I started from the toes, worked up to the body, added a zipper from the back waist to the top of the head, ribbed face opening, a little stuffed short-row peak, and voila!

 

 

This kitten, she's smitten - with mittens!

I'm a big reader of the knitting magazines, but not so much of a knitter of their patterns.  I probably do 5-6 pieces a year in total from magazine designs.  It's not that they're not terrific designs.  Other than the seriously couture-type designs, the magazines tend to publish innovative pieces that are both lovely and wearable.

I have found a pattern that has already made a repeat offender out of me.  2 pairs down, heaven knows how many more to come.

The Green Autumn mittens from Jared Flood appeared on the cover of Vogue Knitting's Fall 2008 issue.  While gorgeous, the cover doesn't show the true beauty of the mitts.  Not by a long shot.

Not a single bit of plain stockinette appears.  It's a stranded, cabled, bobbled wonderland of texture.

Here's my first pair, in Socks that Rock mediumweight, Nyame colourway.  These will someday be gifted, but for now I just pet them and stare at them.

 

 

The second pair is in Araucania Ranco (nearly) solid.  It's a shop sample for Baadeck Yarns, but more than anything it was an excuse to work another pair.

Both pairs were from single skeins, with a ton of yardage leftover.  For the STR medium, I went down a needle size. 

The pattern is brilliant.  The magazine is worth it for it alone.  Thanks, Jared, for sharing it with all of us little knitting schlubs!

I am a February Lady...

but who isn't these days?

February Lady Sweaterby Pamela Wynne

Blue Moon Fibre Arts Luscious Single Silk

Spinel colourway, 3 skeins

4.0 mm and 4.5 mm needles

Longer body, longer sleeves, some shaping and sizing modifications

Shawl pin by Perl Grey, buttons likely to follow

Completed September 13th, first worn about 15 minutes later.