A Suprise for a Baby

I guess it isn't that much of a surprise really. My coworker knows I'm knitting it for her.

We still aren't convinced it's supposed to become a sweater.

Even after casting off.. I'm still not convinced. Yes, I did run out of yarn at the end. But I did a bit of strategic colourwork, and now it's not terribly obvious that I ran out of yarn. To a non-knitter, anyways.

But hey! Look! It's an arm!

Oh my god, it's a baby sweater!

ProTip: This is Elizabeth Zimmerman's baby surprise sweater. I have to say, it's a pretty amazing little pattern!

The Honey Cowl

It's so nice to knit for myself sometimes.

It's even cooler to get to have a hand in the entire process, like dyeing the yarn!

The yarn pictured above is undyed Ecological Wool, from Cascade. I got to take a natural dye class at the Knit Cafe a few weeks back, and we dyed our yarn using Turmeric (bright yellow), red cabbage (blue/grey), and red onion skins (greeny yellow).

I knew I had enough yarn to make something lovely, I just wasn't sure yet. I checked out Ravelry, and they appear to be completely in love with the Honey Cowl. Why not?

 

I actually really enjoyed knitting this. The pattern was straight forward, the yarn was lovely, and I just had to be a little creative with my colour changes to make it all work together. I love how natural dye colours never seem to really clash with each other!

I couldn't be happier. Just in time for the cold weather too!

Modeling in High Park

It's been a beautiful summer here in Toronto. A bit colder then normal, but I guess I just like that weather because I can wear my knits.

I recently got to wear some other knits by another artist though! Stitch Noir on Etsy has some really fantastic (and macabre!) crocheted pieces that are really just amazing.

She invited myself and a couple others to model her works recently, and it was a fantastic evening of laughter and great friends.

Check her out!

Natural Dyeing

It's been a busy, busy couple of weeks and I have a number of projects on the go at the moment.

I've been quite sidetracked by Natural Dyeing though.

I recently took a natural dyeing class at the Knit Cafe (I'll post about that soon!), but before the class started I had the bug. Bad.

I also had some really nice, single ply alpaca yarn my mother gave me.

I decided to mordant this yarn with alum and cream of tarter. Unfortunatly, I listened to the advice I found online and only did a 7% solution with the alum (I should have aimed for 15 - 20%). I simmered the yarn in the mordant solution for about half an hour, and let it cool overnight.

Then I rinsed the yarn out (mistake 2, next time I won't rinse)

Then, I poured my soaking water from a ton of black beans over it, and put it aside for a few days.

Initially, I wasn't impressed.

It looks like worms!

Eventually though, it started to turn blue! After 48 hours, I pulled out the yarn and rinsed it out. Mistake 3: I should have left it longer.

But hey, it did turn blue. So I guess it wasn't a lost cause!

Kilt Hose

Guys! Guys!

GUYS!!!

I knit my own kilt hose!! I even made up the pattern!! (kinda)

I knit these for my husband to wear on our wedding day! He's got sexy legs.

The entrelac cuffs turned out amazingly!

Unfortunatly, I don't have a great detail picture of the back of the leg. I do, however, have a picture of the back of the leg while I was knitting it:

I'm so happy with them!

Sock Update!

I have lacy feets:

Only forever to go!

These US0 needles are murder, I tell you. I knit these every single morning, but I only get a few rows done before work starts. Oh well.

Honeymoon Knitting

It's been a wickedly crazy month!

On June 30th, I got married.

We were so blessed that we have great friends and family, it was drama free and I had a great time!

Then, we stayed at our cottage for a week. I spent it knitting.

And knitting.

I'm still working on it! I just started the third ball, and it looks like this!

Clearly, it's a bigger triangle.

This is taking forever. I've never done a shawl that was constructed this way before.

Oh yes, pattern is Jared Flood's, over at Brooklyn Tweed. He's got some really lovely patterns, check him out!

Again, Again!

I've decided to knit a sock.

Another sock.

A PURPLE sock.

I've decided to wing it. Again. This delightful little toe cap is being knitted on US 0 needles, and has a gauge of 9.5 stitches to the inch. 

According to Knit Pick's Two at Once, Toe-Up, Magic Loop Pattern, I'm supposed to knit this little thing until it's as wide as my toes and just barely touches the top of my pinky toe. As my pinky toe is ugly and my toes are weird, I've decided I'm going to keep knitting this one just a little longer.

I cast on 30 stitches, and I have about 62 now. Onward!

Photography

I just wanted to share the gallery of a knitting artist who's photography I've decided I adore.

Stephan West has a number of really neat (and easy!) patterns available on his ravelry! I have to say though, his photography really sets him apart.

This guy has fun.

His patterns are affordable, and fun. Plus, it's always great to support someone that clearly loves what they do!

Check him out!
http://www.ravelry.com/designers/stephen-west

Kilt Hose, Take Two

I do get a certain satisfaction out of knitting socks.

When it's sexy long socks for man legs? Even better.

I actually really enjoy knitting in the summer, because I can knit outside. The sunlight is great for photos, I get a lovely breeze, and it's just very soothing for me.

It's less soothing when curious by-passers come over and fondle my knitting. Generally, I enjoy when people ask about my knitting. I love giving them a couple of thoughts on getting started, some resources I've found useful, and the chance to convert someone!

I was, however, a bit put off by the woman that stopped by to fondle these babies. She sounded pretty interested until she picked it up:

"Oh, it's a sock? Not many people do that anymore." She sniffed slightly, apparently miffed that I was working on such a mundane project.

"Oh, that's a common mistake. It's actually a willy warmer."

Well, that got her attention. She hustled off pretty quickly after that.

I might be going to hell, but I'll have a lovely pair of knee-highs to wear there.

Weekend Planning

Today, before I left for my camping weekend, I blocked my shawl.

That's my bed. The only space in the apartment big enough to block a shawl on. Which is why I waited till I was leaving for a weekend!

Then, because it might rain this weekend, I packed another project to work on:

That's a toe. It's a toe for kilt hose #2 for James. The first one is nearly done, but we're at the point that I'm 'knitting to fit' and I have to check to see if it fits properly before I knit the garter band.

I think I've finally figured out how to knit socks without a pattern. So proud!

The Cove

My brother came to see me last weekend. Between making fun of each other, inhaling pancakes, mixing each other drinks and throwing each other off cliffs in Mario Kart, I actually managed to finish the last few rows and bind off my shawl.

It measures 37 inches across, and hasn't been blocked yet. I have to pull up my big-girl panties and figure out how to dye it, and set it to block. I'm so nervous. It's just hanging in my living room because I can't stop looking at it.

The Cove Continues

I'm worried that I'm not using enough yarn for this thing...

I'm about halfway through section 7 of the lacework now. I hope this sucker grows during blocking!!

Holey Knits

You wouldn't know it, but I'm actually kinda accomplishing something lately.

I'm about halfway through the third lace pattern now (I'll update a picture once I've got decent light again. After the third lace pattern, comes the net weaving. and beading.

Teal Brambles

Well, it's done.

I do actually really enjoy doing cables. It's lovely to watch your work grow.

Even the crown shaping is meditative.

And the hat is a great example of why blocking is important. Right now, it looks like a beanie. Once arrangements are made for delivery the recipient, I'm going to block it. I'll post updates then!

Send Needles

Nothing like knitting up a project you've already knitted so many times that you can almost, almost, knit it by memory.

Knitty's Bramble Beret. This time in a teal blue.

Once this is over, I can knit up a shawl. Or some kilt hose. Or some other project that someone else has asked me to do.

I'm very much eying Knitty's Shipwreck Shawl. However, it requires about 6 different needle sizes. In a size cable I don't happen to own. Which is why I want a KnitPick interchangeable's set.

If you feel like buying me one, I may cry.

Off again

Well, I've started another project that's going to look awfully familiar:

Eh?

This little scarf is knit up using Knit Picks Chroma worsted, in Impressionist and Grey. Lovely colourways. It's such a simple pattern! It's a simple 1x1 rib, two rows of each colour, and the first and last stitch of every second row slipped. Easy Peasy! You can check it out on Ravelry

Lovely ball too:

Once this scarf is finished, I have a hat to knit, two pairs of kilt hose, and a shawl. Phew!

If I don't get a nice glamour shot of this scarf I just might kill the recipient and take it home. Just saying.

Sunlit Lace

This shawl has been a labour of love since day one. Most times, it's very tough love. I'm not a patient person, and lacework really tests me. I've been working on this shawl for about 3 years now, and while it's limping along, it's getting somewhere.

WIP Wednesday, after all.

Mushroom

There isn't much worse then knitting up a yarn you don't like. You have to use it, because someone gave it to you. You have to pretend to enjoy that knitting within earshot of said someone. Even though it's acrylic and you really do prefer wool, you have to knit that yarn.

Of course, it could be worse if you finished knitting said yarn into a hat, and realized that the bind-off that you used was tight enough that it now sits on your head like a neon pink mushroom cap.

Rip it, rip it, rip it.

I get by with a little help from my friends.

I can't wait to receive my KnitPicks order. I have to knit another striped scarf, another bramble hat, and 2 more sets of kilt hose. Of course, I'm receiving yarn for myself as well, but that project will have to wait till these are done.

Noro Stripes

My little sister asked me to knit a thing for her. A scarfy, circle thing.

I told her she had free pick from my stash, and she grabbed the ever colorful Noro.

I combined the noro with a lovely brown wool/acrylic blend I found in my stash. One, to stretch the colourways longer, and two, because I only had 2 balls of Noro.

I finished the scarf over the Christmas holidays. My sister was delighted. However, she hasn't had time to send me a picture of the finished product yet. I'm taking that as permission to post her artist conception of the knitted piece she wanted me to create:

 So.. That's all that I've got to offer. Go check out her other work over here