Kennedy Sweater

Cold weather has finally reached the South! South Carolina had surprise snow and here in North Carolina we had a really chilly Halloween weekend. I am not a huge fan of the winter months, but it has been fun getting to wear all my warm hand knitted sweaters! 

I am thrilled to report that I finished my Kennedy sweater a couple of weeks ago, thanks to my mother saving the day. I ran out of yarn at the very end and was unable to finish the neckband. My mom, being the best, drove out to Webs and grabbed another skein for me and I was able to finish it.

I love this sweater even more than I thought I would. It fits perfectly due to the ribbed construction of the back and sides. The cabled details stand out particularly well due to the texture of the yarn. Most of all, this sweater is super warm and cosy! 

Kennedy is from the Fall 2012 issue of Knitscene and I loved it from first glance. The cabling just looked like a joy to knit. The pattern was clear and simple (although there is an errata for the cabling chart, beware!). I did work in a few alterations to fit my personal preferences though. I don't like turtleneck-like necklines on clothing, so I amended with a simple ribbed neck. I also made the sleeves less baggy because I like a more form fitting sleeve. 

The yarn is one of my tried and true favorites Plymouth worsted merino superwash. It is a super soft and durable 100% superwash merino in worsted. I have knitted another cabled sweater (my Beatnik) out of it and it has held up beautifully. I love how it shows off cabled details particularly.

Are you unpacking your winter clothes? Or are you now packing them away again to enjoy the summer? 

Travel and progress

Last weekend was hectic and exciting between a visit from my best friend and a visit to the Asheville, North Carolina area for the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair. I have passed up the chance to go to SAFF the past two years, but this year I went and I am certainly glad I did!

I had the opportunity to meet some new people there, especially some dedicated farmers. I also ran into some people I know, including Liz (Carolina Knits). I spent a lot of time with the alpacas because they are the cutest, someone even brought a little baby! I wish I had taken the time to take more photos, but it was an overwhelming event!

I have been trying to finish some of my older WIPs lately, including my Nymphalidea, which is looking very nice. The colors are starting to grow on me, even though they are unconventional.

I have also been crocheting quite a bit, including starting on this Kitty Nest. I am hoping that it will be large enough for kitty to fit in, she is a very big kitty! I'm using some t-shirt yarn I made last month. I didn't think I would like the process, but it was quick and fun to do! 

You may recognize this yarn, it was a part of a blanket that is no more. I loved how it was looking, but I did not like how the resulting fabric felt, I doubted the ability of it to stay together over time. So I ripped it all out and went for the tried and true granny square style. So far it is looking very nice and I am happy with my decision.

What have you been working on? Have you changed your mind about a pattern recently?

The joy of handspun socks.

I have a little travel tradition, whenever I know I'm going to be on the road, I cast on socks. They are the ideal travel project: compact, simple, easy to set down, and always fun to work on. My recent trip to Massachusetts was no exception, the night before I cast on these socks and a week later I finished them up.

The pattern is another from Wendy Johnson's Socks from the Toe Up, the book I learned the technique of toe up socks from. I love coming back to this book for sock patterns again and again. This pattern was Mock Cable Socks, and it was perfect for travel because the pattern was simple but entertaining.

The yarn used for these socks was some handspun I finished a few years ago. I do not remember the specifics of the dyer or fiber type (likely because I failed to share it here when I finished it!). But it was a sweet gift from Lisa (Wickedly Artsy). The yarn itself was perfect for socks and the resulting socks feel like they'll be sturdy and warm for years to come.

I just find it so satisfying to knit up a project in my own handspun. The resulting product is just that much more special.

Seasonal Accessories

I've been going through a phase, one defined by an obsession with cables and bulky yarns.

I have been wanting to knit a Chunky Cowl for a while now. I love how bulky yarns are continuing to be a fashionable staple for the Fall and Winter. Last December I found some Malabrigo that would be perfectly suited for a cowl and my mother also had some US 15 needles on hand, so this project worked out great!

I couldn't find a pattern that I liked, so I just cast on with a general idea of what I wanted. It worked out pretty well ending up perfect in size with a little bit of ease. Malabrigo Yarn Chunky was a dream to work with, I love the stitch definition I get with it and how super soft it knits up. I definitely want to make myself a bulky sweater with it soon!

Swirling Gauntlets were just one of those quick knits, we are all guilty of this kind of project at one point or another. Evelyn puts it best, sometimes you just need a palate cleanser, something small and satisfying.

The pattern is Swirling Gauntlets by Susanna IC, the cabling is simple but fun. I knitted these in Rowan Felted Tweed dk, one of my favorite yarns for its texture and colorways. The soft halo of this yarn envelops the cabled detail a little, but I actually find myself liking that aspect.

Now I can add these two knits to my ever expanding accessories collection! I'm definitely looking forward to wearing them both.