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.

FO: Tokyo Cowl

Note: I have had this project done since October and this is the only photo I have of it, from Instagram and from the fall.  The post has been written since late last year, but I needed to get it out of my drafts folder.

This was a spontaneous project, I saw a cowl Carla had made and I figured it would be a good use for the skein of Groovy that had been sitting in my stash for far too long.  When I had originally ordered the yarn (we don't have a decent LYS less than 2 hrs from where I live, so I order 99% of my yarn online) it came a different color that I had expected.  It is a very nice color, but it was basically the color of my peachy skin rather than the nice cream I had been expecting.

After having it live in my stash for nearly 2 years it was time for it to be made into a gift, and I still haven't found the right buttons or the right person for it, it will find its way to the right person eventually.

- Details -

Project Name: Tokyo Cowl

Pattern: Begbie Cowl by Jane Richmond

Recipient: The Box/Not Sure Yet

Yarn: Dream in Color Groovy in Tokyo Cream

Modifications: None

New Skills: None

Feedback: Easy pattern, nice yarn, but not my colors.

Re-Knit?: Only if I have a single skein of bulky yarns I don't know what to do with.

FO: Sleep Tech Dressy

I had been holding this post back in hopes of getting better pictures of the socks, but now I'm back in Bracebridge and the socks have already been worn several times, so we go forward with the pictures I was able to take in my dark apartment.

For me knitting fits well into the old adage "if I like you, I'll do it for free and if I don't, not for all the money in the world".  So giving Jim, Carla's boyfriend of about 6ish months, a pair of socks for Christmas shows that I'm happy he is dating my sister.

This was another project I completed during the November TFA KAL along with the Winter Bloom and Moonset shawls. And these make 13th pair of socks for the year, which is quite impressive if I say so myself.

Now, these socks were half of a "Gift of the Magi" like scenario.  I gave these socks to Jim made from an exclusive OOAK Tanis club color way and Jim got me a skein of TFA Blue Label in Cranberry.  If you are a TFA fan and wondering why you aren't familiar with Cranberry, thats because it was the November 2011 club skein.  I used it this spring to make Staked, however, after many months I had to admit I had made them way too small and gave them to Carla.

 But I loved the skein and wished I could get another, but I know they are few and far between and I didn't want to make the effort to hunt down a skein.  However, Jim (and Carla by proxy) was able to get a skein from Tanis.  I'm not sure where she conjured it up from, but she helped make for a very special Christmas surprise for me.

I know Jim likes his socks and I hope that it is the first of many pairs I make for him, as he seems to be a really great guy and he seems to make my sister happy, which in turn makes me happy.

- Details -

Project Name: Sleep Tech Dressy

Pattern: Business Casual Socks by Tanis Lavallee

Recipient: Jim

Yarn: TFA Blue Label in Truffle (January 2012 Year in Colour Club)

Modifications:

• One less leg repeat, which is good because I would have run out of yarn

New Skills:

• None, I'm really starting to get a handle on sock knitting

Feedback:

• Yarn - Blue Label is fast becoming my favorite sock yarn, and was perfect for this pattern and recipient.
• Pattern - Clean and simple.  I am getting to a point with socks where I use the designers pattern as a jumping off point that I can tinker with to make them fit well.

Re-Knit?: Just maybe, because the choices for man socks are few and far between and this is a nice pair.

FO: Boxing Day Hat

After a December of crocheting toys, a cold that would just not let me go and some changes in my plans, I didn't really feel like I had accomplished much.  After binding off Flukra, a lace shawl I have been working on since August, I felt like I had earned a quick project.  After seeing the nice hat Carla made for Jim's sister for Christmas and remember I had brought along the skein of indigodragonfly MCN Worsted I got as my October mystery skein with me to Parry Sound a plan was formed.

This hat worked up very quickly and is fits pretty well as either a slouch or as a tight toque with a folded up brim.  However, I might not get the chance to wear it.  My mom, who is more than knitworthy and has hosted me for Christmas going on 10+ days now, who does not seem to own any hats asked if she could have it and I have a hard time denying her a new knit now and then.

I need to tuck the ends and give it a gentle blocking and see if I can get another skein of nice sproingy MCN worsted to make another one for me!

- Details -

Project Name: Boxing Day Hat

Pattern: The Big Easy by Vivian Aubrey of spindleshanks

Recipient: Well it was supposed to be, but I think it will go to my mom

Yarn: indigodragonfly MCN Worsted in Rusty the Rooster (a deep archive Special Edition)

Modifications:

• None

New Skills:

• None

Feedback:

• Yarn: This is my first time using a non-fingering weight indigodragonfly yarn and it is a nice sproingy MCN.  I got a bit of dye on my fingers as I knit (I have harsh body chemistry), however I don't expect any bleeding when I send it for a bath.
• Pattern: Clean, simple and a nice FO, what more can a person ask for in a pattern.

Re-Knit?: Yeppers, I want one for me!

FO: Toys for Toshie

For a knitter (or any sort of fiber artist) there is nothing quite like an appreciative recipient, and I think Tosh might have been the most appreciative recipient yet.

On Christmas morning she opened up her three little stuffed animals and she has been playing with them ever since.  The inspiration to make toys came from a Craftsy class with the amigurumi designer Stacey Trock of Fresh Stitches.  I don't have any small children in my life, and Toshie really needed some cute toys.

I'm really enjoying make the toys, I prefer the look of knitted toys, but honestly I am having tons and tons of fun crocheting these little critters and I'm developing a whole stash of Brava worsted to make a variety of creatures and monsters.  This is a change for me, I'm really not a fan of acrylic yarn, but it was the right thing for this project and at such an affordable price and great hand it is a great change of pace from super-pricey, but worth it, fancy blended hand-dyed yarns.

And it's not only me who has been inspired by these little toys, my mom has even picked back up a crochet hook.  She wants to start crocheting again to help strengthen her hands, she is an extremely talented gardener (check out her Tower Hill Heritage Garden page to see just a small portion of the work she does in our little town) but she wants to make sure her hands stay as nimble as can be as she works them very hard.  Crochet is her preferred craft (over knitting) and by switching her over to a knife hold (from a pencil) hold she has been able to get restarted.  She crocheted a bit before I was born (which is longer ago that either of us is willing to admit) but it's not something she had kept up with.  However, there is nothing like a cute toy and a cute puppy to inspire a crocheter to get back to her hooks.

- Details -

Project Names: Toshie Birdie, Toshie Bear, and Reindeer for Toshie

Pattern: Amigurumi Blue Bird, Amigurumi Teddy Bear and Amigurumi Deer all by Stacey Trock for the Amigurumi: Woodland Animals Craftsy Class

Recipient: Toshie, the cute white puppy

Yarn: KnitPicks Brava in a variety of colors

Modifications:

• No major mods, just color changes based on the yarns I had
• Embroidered eyes - I figured with a puppy chewing on them, I was better off embroidering on eyes with black yarn, than installing non-child-safe eyes.

New Skills:

• Making amigurumi
• Crocheting spirals
• Attaching pieces
• Embroidering eyes

Feedback:

• Yarn: I was surprised and delighted by the KnitPicks Brava.  While I had heard good things about it, it has been perfect for this type of project, and has already stood up to much wear and tear without any sign.
• Pattern: Craftsy is an interesting platform, and the patterns are well written, so it is a great way to learn more about the technique and get patterns I'm likely to use again.

Re-Crochet?: Very likely, I've already had requests for more birds, as they are perfect for little dogs, they are like soft balls that don't roll away under couches.