Effortless Cardigan

I finished this project about a month ago, but it was during the period of time when I was overwhelmed with work so I'm only now posting about it.  I have worn it often though, it is a great springtime cardigan.

The pattern is Effortless Cardigan by Hannah Fettig.  I was a very quick knit and involved absolutely no seaming due to the top down construction.  I enjoyed the process of knitting it and definitely find it comfortable to wear around the chilly lab.  However, it is difficult to photograph in a way that doesn't look awkward.  I have no complaints about the way that the pattern was written, it was very straightforward.

It is designed to wrap around for ultimate snuggliness too:  

It is knit in Berroco Vintage dk, I decision that I actually regret for this pattern.  It doesn't make for a very substantial fabric with the gauge and also really stretches.  I think that the version shown with the pattern was knit with a yarn that has a lot less of a stretch.  But even with those minor annoyances I still really like how the project turned out!

This was on my list of Fiber Goals for 2013: Effortless Cardigan.  Another goal complete!

Also, I really enjoyed hearing about other strange house mysteries and encounters with fellow knitters/crocheters.  I love meeting other knitters by chance, I feel like we instantly have a connection, where otherwise we probably never would have met.

Twisty socks

With the momentum from having finished one of the items on my goals list, I immediately started on the next project that didn't involve me having to buy yarn (I'm waiting until next month when I'll get to go somewhere super secret).

I've been wanting to knit a pair of Skew socks for a while now because the construction of the pattern fascinates me.  Even better, they are knit toe-up!

Here's what my first sock looks like as of now:

Mmmmm rainbow-y

I bought the yarn while visiting Lisa last summer, which is great because we always end up buying way too much yarn (we help each other justify it because that's what good knitting friends do, right?).

This is Crystal Palace Yarns Mini-Mochi, which I have been wanting to try for a while now.  It certainly has not been a disappointment and looks so neat with the pattern so far.  The color is beyond my photography skills to accurately capture, so here's a photo in a different light just to confuse you.

--> Skew is on my list of fiber goals for 2013

I want to truly thank everyone who commented on my last post with words of support on my life philosophy.  This is first time I have revealed this about myself, outside of my immediate family and humanist/atheist social support group, without being met with some kind of open fear and animosity.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you.  This means so incredibly much to me. 

Evergreen sweater

Finally I have finished my self-designed Evergreen sweater!  It has been a rocky road with this project too, considering every time I've mentioned it here it has been with frustration.  But I was looking for a challenge and I got one.

One of the biggest things I struggled with was deciding how I wanted the neckline to look.  Now I wonder why I didn't ask my knitting friends for advice earlier, they all gave me the confidence to keep going with it.  Once I finished the neckline I realized the sleeves were too tiny, but I've been in good company with Audry, somehow it always makes it easier when you know a friend is going through the same mess.

It isn't the most perfect sweater I've ever made, but it is definitely special because I knit it without a pattern (I still cannot believe I get to type this).  This was a huge step for me personally, but I'm not sure if I'll do it again any time soon, I think I prefer following a pattern.  I also wish that I had more of the brown yarn because I would have liked to do more colorwork.

This sweater was knitted in Berroco Ultra Alpaca, one of my all time favorite yarns.  I had been coveting the green colorway for a while and I love it even more knit up.  I also find it hilarious that I finished this alpaca/wool blend knit just in time for spring!  But it snowed here in North Carolina yesterday, so perhaps I'm not too late after all.

Gleefully I get to cross off one of my goals for 2013: Finish Self-Designed Sweater!

Now on to another item on the list...

Winifred

This sweater has been finished for a while, but I've been too busy wearing it to get any photos.  I've mentioned in the past that this project means a lot to me.  The person who designed the pattern, the person who gifted me the pattern, and person who gifted me the yarn all made this sweater possible and I treasure it all the more because of that.

The pattern is Winifred by the prolific designer Sarah Ronchetti of Sezza Knits.  This pattern was such a fast and enjoyable knit.  I definitely enjoy patterns with fun little details to break up rounds of stockinette stitch, the large cable down the front was always fun to reach.  The construction is seamless and top-down, which is definitely my favorite.

I know I've mentioned it before, but the way that Sarah wrote and structured the pattern was excellent.  I loved that she not only included instructions for 10 sizes, but also separate patterns for both worsted and DK weights.  She also put great little suggestions throughout the pattern to help make an even more polished final product.  Many times I feel as though patterns don't deserve a higher price (or even a price at all) for what the pattern actually provides, this is definitely an exception!

 

The yarn is Knit Picks Swish (worsted version), which is 100% Merino.  This is the colorway Copper, which is a apt name for it.  I cannot really wax poetic about this yarn, it was inexpensive but other than that I feel completely neutral about the experience.  One thing that made me a little sad is that it didn't have that nice Merino smell.

Kitty is initially in shock that I would dare pick her up and then she told me that if I didn't put her down she would eat me.

So, here it is!  Another wonderful sweater to cuddle into, although not for long because spring is well on it's way to North Carolina!

A very special project

Recently I've been working on one of my goal projects for this year, one that I have been very excited to cast on for!  A little while ago, my wonderful friend Andi of My Sisters Knitter kindly gifted me a pattern that I've loved ever since I first saw it.

 

This is Winifred, a sweater designed by the oh so talented Sarah of Sezza Knits.  Not only is it a beautiful design, but I really like the way that the pattern is laid out.  Sarah has added suggestions and clever little guides throughout the pattern that I think might be appreciated by knitters of any level.  Bravo Sarah!

My mother was kind enough to gift me enough yarn to knit this pattern with (this is such a special sweater, right?).  This is Knit Picks Swish Worsted, which is 100% merino wool.  I absolutely love the color and I'm finding it nice to work with.

This project has been great for travel and will surely help keep boredom at bay during my long flight back to North Carolina tomorrow (a four hour layover in Atlanta, ew!).

Have you started any of your goals recently?

Fiber Goals for 2013

Last year I really enjoyed the experience and challenge of working towards specific knitting and spinning goals.  I wasn't able to complete all of the goals on the list for 2012, but it was so enjoyable that I have decided to compose another list for 2013.

Knitting:
- Finish self-designed sweater

- Complete entrelac project

- Knit upcycled yarn

- Improve finishing skills


Spinning:
- Design e-spinner

- Learn to spin with supported spindle

- Learn to chain ply

- Process and spin raw mohair fiber


Planned projects:
- Gnarled Oak Cardigan
- Celestarium
- Arroyo
- Winifred
- Paloma Cap Sleeve Blouse
- Water and Stone
- Entrelac Hat
- Skew
- A Very Braidy Cowl
- Effortless Cardigan
- The Dude

I'm looking forward to this year and all of the yarn it will bring with it!  I wish you luck in your own resolutions and goals!

Colorwork Sweater

After a couple of weeks of hard work and a couple of months spent simply glaring at it and wondering why I wouldn't just finish itself, the colorwork sweater is complete!

Now I can finally cross off another one of my Fiber Goals for 2012:

Complete a colorwork sweater

Needless to say, I'm very excited to announce this development and honestly, I can hardly believe that I have finally finished this project considering how long it took to complete.

There are some things on it that are a little bit wonky (part of the collar just didn't work out great), but overall, I love it and cannot wait until it is not 90 degrees outside every day to wear it.  I'm thinking that it will make a great sweater to cuddle into during classes and especially exams because it is super warm.

The pattern was Velvet Morning from Knitty, bis winter 2011.  As I have written in past posts, this pattern was not very well written and I had some huge problems with it.  There were some techniques that I think could have been used to make this a more finished project, as well as more fun to knit.  For example, using steeking to allow for knitting in the round rather than flat.  At the time I didn't feel comfortable enough to modify something as huge as the body of the sweater (although some people have); however, I did knit the sleeves in the round and was so glad that I did. 

The yarn was Cascade 220 Superwash, the only Cascade yarn that in my experience is worth buying.  The dark blue was the Blue Velvet colorway (856) and the other colors started out white, but were hand dyed by me using Jacquard Acid Dyes.  This project definitely gained a whole other dimension when I decided to dye yarn specifically for it and it is something that I would really love to do again someday.

Finishing this project has been a huge challenge for me, but now that I have finally finished it, I can say that it did pay off.  Now I need to start working full steam on two test knits and the three remaining sweaters.  But now, with this momentum, I really feel that I can finish them all.

Mohair Cloud Handspun

I decided pretty early on to name this skein of handspun "Mohair Cloud" because it was so soft and dreamy to spin with!  I'm glad that I decided to cheat a little bit and spin it up plain rather than as a part of a blend.

I was really excited by the sheen of the fiber, it is so bright and shiny!

- Finished: March 26, 2012

- Fiber: 100% undyed mohair from angora goats (Wicked Stitch) 

- Spindle: Schacht 3" Hi-Lo drop spindle (2.2 oz.)

- Other Information: 1 skein, 2-ply, ~180 yards, ? oz., fingering weight

I have now finished another item on my Fiber Goals for 2012 list: Spin a New Type of Fiber! 

I think that this lovely fiber should become a cute little scarf, what do you think?

Also, I'm having second thoughts about dyeing it because it is so pretty the way it is.

Soon after I spent a little time admiring my finished handspun, I started on another goal on the list of Fiber Goals for 2012: Master Spinning A Silk Hankie.

Turns out, silk is difficult to photograph, it is so shiny!

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend!  Here's to another week of exciting projects!

Successes and failures

I don't really like to share what's going on in my life in very much detail, you guys don't want to hear about all that boring stuff, but I have to share that on Friday I was offered a position at my first choice graduate school program!  I've been ecstatic because this means that I will not only have the opportunity to be in the perfect program but that I will also be moving to North Carolina, my favorite state! 

In knitting-related news, I've hit a huge block with my colorwork sweater.  After spending several hours yesterday attempting to seam the stupid thing, I have been unable to seam it in any way that does not make it look like crap.  The pieces just don't want to fit together correctly!

I have always avoided traditionally constructed garments requiring seaming, simply because I have always felt as though there are better, more efficient methods.  So, granted I started this project knowing full well that I would be required to seam.

I was lucky to stumble upon a couple of videos from Berroco on the subject which really helped: 

Video on seaming shoulders:

Video on seaming set-in sleeve:

Through attaching the sleeve, ripping back, and then repeating several times, I have gotten quite good at making an attractive looking seam!  Sadly, I still cannot seem to make the sweater look attractive no matter how hard I try.

After closely following Evelyn's cardigan adventures, I have decided to take a leaf out of her book and calmly let the sweater hibernate for a little while until I feel better equipped to deal with it.  

Besides I have plenty of time to finish it to meet my Fiber Goals for 2012.

Colorwork Sweater Update

I meant to post this update yesterday as a part of WIP Wednesday, but that just didn't happen.  Don't you just hate how sometimes life is not very understanding about your crafting ambitions?

I've been working half-heartedly on my colorwork sweater lately:

The colorwork pattern is beautiful, the sweater itself is very attractive, the problem is the pattern has some weird little aspects that really bother me.  It's almost as though the pattern is written for a beginner, but the construction is not suited for a beginner (I'm not sure if that made any sense at all).  The pattern author and I obviously disagree on more than one topic...

I've mentioned once before that I am annoyed that the pattern for the garment is to be worked flat, rather than in the round (even the sleeves! Why?!).  In retrospect, I really should have just taken the plunge and knitted it in the round with a steek.

Also, the pattern is very nice and all, but the chart was not adapted for use with all of the available sizes.  This just came across as sloppy to me, but I was able to work around it.

All and all, this pattern has been an adventure and I'm sure that more surprises lie in wait.  But I'm sure that it will come out looking very nice in the end.  However, I think it was wise to offer this as a free pattern.  As Evelyn wisely said, we must finish our wintery knits.  Finish them we will!

Also, I apologize for the crappy, low-light photo, it looks like this outside:

Work-in-progress Wednesday - #1

I'm now going to jump on the WIP wednesday bandwagon started by the fabulous Tami. 

It's funny how I can be going through a hectic time in my life (anyone who has or is getting ready to graduate from college knows what I'm talking about), but still somehow find time to knit and spin.  If anything I am more productive!

I'm making great progress on my Beatnik, I really love the cabling, it is so much fun.  Also, the yarn Plymouth Worsted Merino Superwash is a favorite, it is so smooshy!  

My Tulip socks are growing slowly but surely.  The cabling is challenging enough that I have to pay close attention to what I'm doing.  The Shibui Knits Sock yarn is fun to knit with (although I'm not blown away by it).

My Velvet Morning colorwork sweater is slowly growing, I think that my tension for the floats is fine and I'm surviving the purled wrong-side well enough.  This should be a favorite knit when it's done.

I'm also finally getting somewhere with my alpaca handspun.  It just has a great texture and I love having a chance to work with it a little bit every day.

I love WIP wednesdays because I get to see what everyone is working on.  You all have some amazing projects on the needles right now!  Keep up the wonderful work! 

Colorwork Sweater Adventure!

Yesterday I was finally able to cast on my colorwork sweater.  Having this kind of project has been a relief to me as I have been surviving an overwhelming mixture of good and bad events this week.  It is also a huge comfort to be reading all of your blogs and sharing in your successes.

As you may know, one of the huge projects on my Fiber Goals for 2012 list is to complete a colorwork sweater.  I chose a recently published Knitty design: Velvet Morning.  I absolutely adore the colorwork patterns that she designed for this sweater; however, I'm really struggling with this design because it is worked flat.

After experimenting with steeking last month, I've become convenced that colorwork should only be done in the round.  I've spent many a night thinking this problem over in my head and then decided that I should stick with the pattern, I'm just not ready to make the leap that is required to alter a pattern yet.  I would rather take it slow for now and hopefully end up with a beautiful sweater!

Here's what I have so far!  I'm thrilled to be using some of my own hand dyed yarn!

Also, thank you to all of you who graciously shared your stories of how you learned to knit.  I truly enjoyed reading each and every one.  You are all so talented!

Lagoon Merino Handspun

This pretty handspun has actually been completed for about a week, but I've only just gotten around to setting it.  As many of you probably know, I'm a college student, so I'm pretty busy as it is.  However, recently has been particularly hectic as I am finishing a honors thesis in the sciences and traveling twice a week for graduate school interviews.  In about an hour I'll be on my way to (warm, sunny) North Carolina!  So, I apologize if this post seems rushed.

Here is one of the more photogenic skeins of my thick/thin single ply handspun:

Spun: January 2012 
Roving: 100% merino wool (frabjous fibers) 
Colors: green, brown, blue 
Spindle: Schacht 3” Hi-Lo drop spindle (2.2 oz.) 
1 ply, ~? yards, 8.0 Ounces, 11 WPI (DK)


I haven't really had the chance to estimate how many yards of this I have, but it is likely quite a bit because I had eight ounces of the stuff.  You might remember that I recently bought this fiber at the cute little Winter Woolfest in Wamego, Kansas.  I have really enjoyed working with it even though I usually do not enjoy working with pure merino.  But this fiber was not very grabby at all and was wonderful and springy! 

Now I'm able to cross off yet another one of my Fiber Goals for 2012: Learn to spin attractive relaxed singles! 

Also, I wanted to thank everyone who left such kind comments on my last post about my year of spinning.  I don't fancy myself a good spinner, but I hope to one day reach that level and your encouragement really helps!

Dyeing Yarn for Colorwork

One of my more lofty Fiber Goals for 2012 is to Complete a colorwork sweater. After a bit of thought I have found the perfect pattern: Velvet Morning from Knitty, Winter 2011.  From the very beginning I decided that I wanted to dye the secondary color yarns myself for a special touch (I'm going to buy the yarn for the primary color).

So, I broke out my acid dyes and got to work dying some Cascade 220 Superwash:

I'm not sure why, but Cascade superwash is a lot of fun to dye.  I'm not sure how to describe it, it's just a friendly yarn to dye with.  It always looks great and doesn't felt, but it is fairly pricey.

My favorite one is the gray for sure.  It has this wonderful frosted look to it.

I have to run by Webs to buy the yarn I need for the primary color before I can cast on.  I almost cannot wait, I'm so excited to cast on!

An Experimental Cowl

I've always been one of those knitters that is completely dependent on patterns for pretty much everything.  Yeah, I can knit a vanilla sock without direction, but anything more than that and I'm completely, utterly lost.

So, one of my Fiber Goals for 2012 this year was to
     Design a pattern and publish


The main reason for this goal was to help me escape from my comfort zone a little bit more and just try knitting something without a pattern for guidance.  So, I decided to start simple, cast on a cowl, and see what happens.

And I ended up with my Spiral Secret Cowl:

Yarn: ~160 yarns of worsted or aran weight yarn.
Needle: One 16" circular needle, US 8.
Gauge: Not very important, to your liking.

Cast on 80 stitches loosely.

Place marker and join for round

Row 1: *K2, P2, repeat from * to end.
Row 2: P1, *K2, P2, repeat from*, ending in K2, P1.
Row 3: *P2, K2, repeat from* to end.
Row 4: K1, *P2, K2, repeat from*, ending in P2, K1.

Repeat rows 1-4 until cowl reaches 7" or until desired length and bind off loosely.

The final product is very warm with an attractive pattern.  I think that you could use single ply handspun for this cowl very easily too.

I would not really count this as a pattern though, because it is so simple and easy.  So, I'm not going to count this towards my fiber goal of designing a pattern.  But I think that this is a huge step forward and next time I will be up for designing something more ambitious such as a sock pattern.

I really loved the yarn I used for this project.  In fact, I enjoyed every part of working with it, which was a relief because I had never even heard of the brand before.

This yarn is Brown Sheep Lanaloft, which is a worsted weight, single ply yarn in 100% wool.  I have no complants whatsoever with this yarn, and a majority of Ravelers seem to agree with me according to the star rating.  Unlike most single ply yarns I've worked with (...Noro), the fiber isn't horribly overspun, but is not splitty.  Also, at ~$7.50 for 100 grams and 160 yards, this yarn will now be my go to cheap wool instead of Cascade 220.

Also, look at that bright, happy yellow!

Spin-to-Knit - A Success!

A few months ago, I decided that I was at the point in my spinning career where I should attempt a spin-to-knit project.  I also really I wanted to make my mother a warm pair of socks for christmas.

This is where I started, with some balls of fiber larger than my head!

Then I spun, spun, had some weight consistency problems, and then spun some more. 

I ended up with some stunning 3-ply fingering weight yarn (which I now realize that I did not measure the length of...). I decided on 2 strands of 100% black jacob wool for warmth.  It was a absolute dream to work with and smelled wonderful.  Then I plyed those with a merino/silk blend for some flexibility. 

Then I began to knit this lovely fiber up into a pair of vanilla socks for my mummy.  I won't say it was easy and there certainly were moments when I wanted to give up so badly because things were not going my way, but I stuck with it. 

I must say that this was the most satisfying finish to a project that I have ever experienced.  I felt so relieved and accomplished when she finally got to try them on and they fit perfectly! 

I also really love how the green blends in with the natural Jacob wool color.  I'm reminded yet again of how spinning yields new yarns that I will never find in stores, yarns that fit a project perfectly because they were made for that purpose. 

So, in the end, this project was a lot of hard work and stress over whether it would all work out, but it was completely worth it.  My mother has been wearing them pretty much non-stop too!

I also get to cross off another of my fiber goals of 2012:

           - Finish a spin-to-knit project

Have you ever conquered a seemingly impossible craft project?  Please drop me a line or link in the comments, I'd love to hear about your personal triumphs!

Dyeing Fiber With Tea

I love tea.

I love tea so much that I often end up drinking 6-7 large cups a day.  Inevitably, I have had some situations where I have accidentally spilled tea and found that it dyes a variety of surfaces fairly easily. Naturally, I had to experiment with it.

Being one of those people who never wants to jump into a situation without background knowledge and a firm plan, I looked at what others have done.  After clicking around for a while I found a pretty good tutorial on how to dye yarn with black tea at a blog called tinateaspoon.

I didn't deviate too far from what she did; however, because I am a scientist, I feel obligated to record exactly what I did to allow for repeatability and to share the results of my experiment.

List of Materials Needed for Experiment: 
-- 1 skein of non-acrylic yarn
For this experiment I decided to use some unloved Knit Picks Bare Swish DK (100% superwash merino wool) that I had crammed into my closet.  Also, for the love of yarn, please skein and secure your yarn properly before dyeing or it will become a huge mess.
-- 3 bags of Lipton black tea 
I'm fairly sure that fewer tea bags can be used, as my dye bath was pretty strong.  I also do not think that they have to be unused tea bags either.  I think that any black tea can be used, but that the Lipton is going to be a cheaper option.
-- Large stainless steel pot and spoon for stirring
As far as I'm concerned, any kitchenware used with food-based dyes can be used for cooking again, but this is really up to you.

Protocol:
1.  Soak yarn in warm water for 1 hour.

2.  Fill a stainless steel pot with water and bring to a boil.

3.  Add tea bags to the pot and steep at a gentle boil for 1 hour.

4.  Remove tea bags and gently add pre-soaked yarn to dye bath, ensuring that the yarn is completely submerged in the solution.

5.  Keep solution at a gentle boil for 1 hour, stirring very gently (to avoid felting) every 20 minutes.

6.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

7.  Remove yarn from pot, rinse gently to remove excess dye, carefully squeeze to remove excess water, and then hang to dry.


Results:

Beautiful, naturally dyed yarn that you dyed yourself

with a gorgeous color you cannot easily find anywhere else.

Now I get to cross off my first fiber goal for 2012!
- Dye fiber/yarn with tea


Have you ever dyed with tea (or some other plant)?  Please share your own experiences!

Fiber Goals for 2012

My good friend Lisa (check her blog out at Wicked Artsy) recently suggested that we both write a list of knitting goals for the upcoming year and then we could both support each other in our goals.  Of course, I thought that was a fantastic idea and then took my sweet time composing a list.  This was partly because I have been terribly busy and partly because I feel that there is so much to learn that writing a list that isn't a mile long is rather daunting.

However, I finally sat myself down and completed a list that includes not only knitting resolutions, but also spinning and dyeing resolutions as well!


Knitting:

- Knit a pair of CookieA socks

- Complete a colorwork sweater

- Complete an entrelac project

- Knit a tea pot cosy

- Conquer fear of short rows

- Knit a decent looking toy

- Try knitting with a new type of fiber

- Finish a spin-to-knit project


Spinning:

- Buy or make a wheel

- Learn to spin on a different type of spindle

- Learn to Navajo ply

- Learn to spin attractive relaxed singles

- Master spinning with a silk hankie

- Spin a new type of fiber


Misc:

- Learn to shear a sheep

- Dye fiber/yarn with tea

- Design a pattern and publish

- Make knitting/dyeing/spinning tutorials for blog

I found that making a list of everything I really wanted to learn and achieve this upcoming year really inspired me.  However, if I get half of them completed by the end of the year I'll call it a success.

Are you planning on composing a list of your own?  I would love to hear about it!