FO: Thyme

Doing FO posts has been a staple for me since I started this blog, however I haven't written one in 2013, despite finishing 13 projects, and two yarns, so far this year.  I've been finding the prospect of writing all those posts mightily overwhelming and so this will be the last FO post in this complete style I will be posting for a while.  I'm going to do some combined project posts, some mostly-photos posts and some of my usual blogging to get through my project backlog.  The only reason that this and the Tokyo Cream Cowl post, which went up earlier today, were formatted like this was because they were done back in December & January.

Another challenge I was having with my FO posts was the fact that I live in Ontario, the big windows in my apartment face north.  Which means there is very little direct sunlight with which to photograph my knits and that light is almost non-existant when I'm home (eg. evenings).

So this shawl, which I finished in December and I have been wearing happily ever since, only got photographed this past week, now that the days are getting longer and we are having more sunny days.  SO the lace isn't as perfectly stretched as it was after it's blocking, but it looks as pretty to me as when it was first finished.

- Details -

Project Name: Thyme

Pattern: Flukra by Gudrun Johnston from The Shetland Trader

Recipient: Mine, mine, all mine

Yarn: madelinetosh Tosh Lace in Thyme

Modifications:

• None - I actually followed the pattern.

New Skills:

• Shetland Shawl Construction - The center garter triangle is an interesting way to create a shawl and helps break up the monotony of shawl knitting by changing the direction fairly regularly.
• True Garter Lace - The way the lace section works you are essentially doing garter lace (rather than stockinette) and the patterning is on every row.
• Knitted on Border - LOVE IT!  As someone who has issues with tight bind offs the knitted on border is kind of genius and I will be seeking out other shawls that use this technique

Feedback:

• Yarn - This Tosh lace has been hanging over my head for a while, I first wound it into a ball almost 2 years and I made at least 3 attempts to knit it into the first pattern I picked.  However, after getting a chance to actually knit it, I really enjoy the yarn.
• Pattern - The pattern was great.  There are some tricky parts the pattern (mostly the Shetland construction that I wasn't familiar with) and the pattern gives all the information I needed to finish the pattern. I'm very excited to try more of her patterns, including more shawls.

Re-Knit?: No, but I have a very similar pattern by Gudrun in my queue and am on the lookout for a nice yarn to make it out of.

WIP Wednesday: October 31st

 

Sorry about the poor quality of WIP Wednesday photos, it is really dark here in the morning.

Last week, I had a few more projects on the needles, but I finished the Pomatomus socks and I decided to hibernate my crocheted stole in preparation for KAL Chaos.

This leaves (from left to right):

•  Thyme - I have made it through the main body and first lace repeat, just three more and a knitted on edge
• Hello Sweetie - This is going to be my purse project for the next little while, these should be quick but they just haven't been at the top of the to do list.
• Too Cool for My Socks - Finally got the toes knit on these, but they are going into hibernation until I finish my TFA KAL socks and Hello Sweetie.  I would like to have them finished by the end of the year.
• Rockberry Triangle - Through the 3 charts, but really only one section (stitch pattern). As a worsted weight shawl, it really shouldn't be that much longer. I'm not hibernating it, but maybe lowering it down the list.

So, tomorrow I will be casting on for the TFA KAL projects and then not long after I will be starting the other KAL projects.

FO: Secret of Opals

At the start of summer the hottest thing in the knitting world was the Color Affection Shawl. As someone who has never been very good at following trends, I haven't started my Color Affection yet (although I do have yarn put aside for it) I decided to try another of Veera's shawls, the Secrets of Change.

I had bought the Tosh Sock more than a year ago for a Jared Flood/Brooklyn Tweed pattern that I fell out of love with, and now knowing so much more about yarn and spinning I know that I found the right pattern for the yarn.  Also, the line would have driven me much more crazy in a lace stole because I wouldn't look quite as much like a design feature.

The miles and miles (well yards and yards) of garter stitch were incredibly soothing and made for a shawl that is delightfully squishy.  What astounded me was that there is as much yarn in the first five section, as there is in the final section (as evidenced by the drastic color change betweens skeins, that it was my fault I didn't alternate skeins to avoid).

I'm eager to work on other of Veera's shawls, because she has a great aesthetic and an affinity for garter (which I'm realizing more and more that I love it dearly).

- Details -

Project Name: Secret of Opals

Pattern: Secrets of Change by Veera Valimaki for Rain Knitwear Design

Recipient: Me

Yarn: madelinetosh Tosh Sock in Opaline

Modifications:

• I slightly shortened the pattern on the last repeat (7 repeats instead of 8) because I was worried about running out of yarn.

New Skills:

• None

Feedback:

• Yarn: As always madelinetosh has great colors, however my skeins weren't well matched and I didn't check beforehand and I ended up with a line.  It was totally my fault, I should have alternated, but I prefer to think of it as a design feature rather than error.
• Pattern: My first time using a Veera pattern, and it was well written, well formatted and a great FO.

Re-Knit?: Nope, but I already have another Veera pattern on the needles and have plans for the infections Color Affection shawl.

WIP Wednesday: August 15th

Now that the Ravellenic Games are over it is back to my previous knitting. I'm going to try to finish my plain (casserole) socks so that I can start a fingering weight pair to check the pattern.

My other priority is to finish the new bubbly cowl, which was a Christmas gift to my mom last year. The thing was she wanted to knit so I gave her the things to learn, but turns out she isn't that motivated so I needed to make the cowl before the weather turns cool.

The other two were cast on just before the games and I'll get to them at some point.

The one you don't see here is that green lace stole, which I finally frogged. It had two chances with the Muir pattern, time to try it on something else.

FO: Flower Cowl

Sometimes a yarn bounces from queue item to to queue item so often, sometimes you just have to turn it into something before it goes back into the deep stash not to be seen for years.  So after never finding the right pattern for the Tosh I decided to just use it and make the Calm Cowl, which has been on and off my queue for months.

I really need to crochet more, I do enjoy the activity and the fabric it makes is really different from knit fabric, which means it has different applications.  Maybe some crocheted toys like those made by Stacey at Fresh Stitches.

- Details -

Project Name: Flower Cowl

Pattern: Calm Cowl by Suzana Davidovic

Recipient: Me

Yarn: madelinetosh Tosh DK in Smokey Orchid

Modifications:

• None

New Skills:

• Crochet in the Round: although I don't think I succeeded at it (there are some weird spots where the rounds join)

Feedback:

• Yarn:  Tosh DK is always awesome, although the skeins were different and I should shave be alternating rounds but didn't, whoops, that is the joy/danger of working with hand dyed yarns.
• Pattern: Clear and fine and the FO matched the pattern, although it could have been written in fewer steps, even for a crochet newb like me

Re-Crochet?:  Probably not, I prefer knit cowls, but I do enjoy crochet and should do more of it.