A bit of this, a bit of that

Finished objects keep flying out of my needles these days, it seems!


Meet "Foxgloves" by Clara Parkes (from "Brave New Knits"). These fingerless gloves are made from 100% wool ("nagano"/Gjestal) and knit in no time. Simple and pretty. And useful.

Here's "Northumbria cowl", by Elinor Brown (KnitSimple, fall 2010). I had a skein of moss-green alpaca yarn, and what better use for such a treat: again, a simple lace pattern, a lovely end result. And useful.

I embellished the cowl with a piece of satin ribbon as a seam.

I love it!

"Oscilloscope" by Kate Gagnon Osborn, once again and now in it's full bloom.

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Friday's finest

As promised, here are the first pictures of the latest Finished Object, the "Oscilloscope Shawl" by Kate Gagnon Osborn (excellent new knitscene, fall 2010).

Knit from a refreshing apple green merino yarn, bought eons ago from Colormart. The pattern was simple and yet flashy when finished. This cone of yarn has been haunting me for a long time, and now finally it has received the treatment it deserved: to be the latest update to my collection of scarves.

This scarf is now drying up and getting its final shape, so more pictures to come soon to a blog near you!

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As as extra bonus, here is actually another FO, finished about a month ago.

"Anney", made from Rowan Purelife Revive (recycled cotton, linen and viscose), is designed by Emily Johnson in Twist Collective / Summer 2010.

The texture of the yarn is really nice, a bit rough and spiky, yet the color brings out the summery idea.

Yessirree!

I'm not frustrated anymore, nosirree!

My computer came back to me sooner than I thought it would, and now we are together again - both agreeing that we should be working together without harsh words or sulking faces, in perfect harmony that is the root of the co-existence between woman and her machine. (and I promised to be more pedantic with taking back-up copies of my files...)


And, and! I've also finished the First Knit of 2010 - here's "Sabbatical", by Connie Chang Chinchio / Twist Collective, Winter '09, in a modest photoshoot sans human mannequin.

I like this garment a lot; the color, the softness of the yarn (primavera/teetee, 75% merino+25% silk), the wearability and the versatile functioning with different accessories.

The lace pattern was easy enough to work on, although not maybe your basic TV-knitting if the plot on the screen requires much attention. The cast-on with tubular method certainly was worth the effort to make a nice, finished look.




I did not make any permanent fastening solutions, i.e. button or hook, but chose to go with whatever feels right - so it can be worn open, fastened with a piece of ribbon, with a brooch etc..

Something brown, something black and something finished

In my lookout for challenging and interesting knitting patterns, combined with the quest for diminishing my yarn stash with a heavy hand, I came across a perfect pattern.

Finished during the weekend, and photographed in the ever-dimming light of November, here's "Wrap Cable Jacket" from latest VK Holiday issue (pattern by Shiri Mor).

It's knit like this: first the back panel, then right + left side are knit separately by picking up stiches from the side of the panel. With a few decreases and some handy tricks, you get the short sleeves and the fron side nicely done.

I liked making it (it's seamless!), and what's even more important, it consumed some big balls of my ancient Debbie Bliss aran yarn which didn't seem to find its calling before this project came along. It's a warm, soft and versatile garment. Say no more!


As an extra bonus, here's my 2nd Koolhaas hat (by Jared Flood / IK Holiday Gifts '07), made with some obscure alpaca yarn, and embellished with a little something I made while attending a virtual classroom where I was supposedly learning how to calculate value added tax......

Quelle surprise!

The two-fold surprise in this post:

1) I've been sewing again
2) I'm happy with the result


Inspired by the 'Mexican belt' pattern in Hanna Välitalo's book "Silmukoita, siksakkia ja pala suklaakakkua", I put together this - made from two cotton place-mats cut in half and sewn together, satin from my stash for lining, and velvet ribbon for tying up.




More than Mexican influence, this reminds me of Japanese kimonos...




As it's quite wide and sturdy, it feels almost like a corset when wrapped around your waist - good to keep up one's posture.




For some reason, this project was very hard on my neck and shoulders - I already started to make another one, but just couldn't continue. Working over the table, looking down and pinning fabrics together is not something my neck is willing to co-operate with today. Maybe tomorrow.

Yes, we have no bananas..

..but we do have new socks - from this lovely yarn (bought from here), which you met already before, back when it was just an innocent ball still..

The socks are "Sunday Swing Socks" by Kristel Nyberg (Knitty, summer '09), and they indeed do have a nice swing to them. A great pattern to knit, simple and yet interesting to look at when finished.

Button up!

Here are fingerless mittens by Ysolda Teague, called "Veyla" - I've made them with an alpaca yarn (two shades of purple) and some pretty pearly buttons to dot the i.

They are warm, soft and nice to look at. What more can you want from your pre-winter accessory?

The Grey Period

Picasso had his Blue Period - I seem to have a grey one going on..

Meet "Mary Jane" (by Rachel Bishop & Sarah Johnson / Zephyr Style, Twist Collective / Winter '08). Made with the results of the Frog Fest, again - a dark grey woolly yarn. And, yes you guessed right, from top down again.

This is really really snug, with a minimum ease, but that's exactly what makes this such a favourite of mine already - warm, preppy, easy to combine with different styles.. Yum!

Rosamund

Meet the finished cardigan, by Andrea Pomerantz (IK, fall '09) - made with un-identified woolly yarn from my frogging excercise a few weeks back.

I like it - it feels warm, without being too stuffy (with the short sleeves and open front), and the possibilities for layer-dressing are endless.

A one night stand (a.k.a "third time's the charm")

Oh, the joy of cowls - quick to make, and will most likely prove to very crucial part of the autumn/winter couture in this part of the world.
This beauty was made in one night (ok, cast off today and still missing buttons, but who counts.. and we know where to get buttons, don't we....) from the lovely apple-green Katja merino wool used previously for the 'Kingscot' I made for my sister for last Christmas.


It's such a pleasure to knit, this yarn - so soft, and resulting in very even stitches. 'Nuff said - here's "Thermis" by Kirsten Patay:




I'll be definitely making more of these, with different colors/yarns.


And, for the third time, here's "Lace Ribbon Scarf" (by Veronik Avery, Knitty / Spring '08) - this time from some discount tweed yarn, the name of which I cannot remember. Some of you may remember, I've made this number already once from Rowan denim cotton, and also from a hand-dyed Knittery merino. Why, you may ask, did I do it again??

It's a very easy pattern, and results come quickly - that's why. And there's never too many scarves in a lady's wardrobe. I rest my case.

Aren't ears meant for keeping your hat on..?

This beret ("Lace Beret" by Kate Gagnon, VK autumn '09) is of the loose kind - although it was defined as 'close-fitting' in VK's description.. But hey, I like it just the way it is!





And it's stash-busting, as well, made from a very old Regia Silk. There's enough left still, for a matching mitts/gloves, so a set is on it's way, for sure!

These small items for autumn/winter seem to spring (sic!) up quickly now - let's see what comes off the needles next....

Cute as a button!

These wee things were crocheted in a flash from scrap yarn (some of you may recognize which yarn...) and some lonely embellishments just looking for this kind of project to shine. Original idea is from Frida Pontén's book "Virkkauksen ilo". A nice way to decorate a collar of an old jeans jacket, for example:

Some can be used for festive occasions:

Or they can just be grouped together and admired:

Getting ready for you-know-what...

...which is not yet mentioned here, since there's plenty of summer left still, right?!? But anyhow, one must be prepared. And what better way than making those pretty little things that make the you-know-what just a little more bearable. I'm talking about items like these:




The fingerless gloves are made with Peruvian 'Mirasol' hand-dyed merino wool + some Debbie Bliss cotton added in for extra comfort. Pattern is fresh-from-the-oven VK fall '09, "Meander Mitts ".




The hat is also from the latest VK, "Blossom hat" by Nora Gaughan. It's made with Debbie Bliss 'Prima', and a stripe of Mirasol added in for that extra flavour (and using up all the yarn...).







Of other things: I will start studies next month - it's for a degree in a field where I've never been too strong, involving numbers etc... But I've decided that one must face one's fears head on, in order to conquer them. As it will be mostly virtual lectures and self-study, it will require a lot of self-discipline. But, up and at 'em, I say!