knittypingu

C'est finis!!!

I completed the 'Clapotis' from knitty.com last night.
I ended up running out of yarn toward the last corner, so I added some 'artistic flare' and used a matching shade (pink 03) of Louisa Harding Kashmir Aran yarn (it adds a nice touch and actually looks like I did it on purpose...phew!).  I purchased the 'pink plumeria mohair combination' yarn on eBay from spincityyarns well over a year ago, but it worked great for this project... I had to  place two orders, because I either ended up needing twice the amount of yarn, or I didn't get as much yarn as I thought I was going to (not sure which).... at any rate, this project required more yarn than I though it would.  I used US8 addi bamboo circulars for the entire project.  Be sure you have enough stitch markers, because this project uses a lot of them!

This took a long time to knit up (not including the year-long hiatus), but I like how it turned out so much, I would love to make another one with different yarn!!!  I'm wearing it right now and it's so warm and cozy that I don't want to take it off!

i am suffering from knitting A.D.D.  so much so that it took me a minute to remember what i was working on this weekend while watching running with scissors (i need to read the book..i started it a long time ago, but never finished it.  i think it will paint a clearer picture as to what is actually going on.....)...  i put down the margaret o'leary cardigan and made the decision to try and finish the clapotis shawl that i started quite a while ago (january of 2006 to be precise)... i'm pretty sure i'm going to run out of yarn before i finish it, but i think it'll add character to switch to a different yarn at the very end.... i have yarn that will match beautifully.... and since i purchased the yarn on ebay from someone who made the yarn themselves, i doubt i'd be able to get more of the same stuff anyway....  at any rate, i have my fingers crossed that i'll have just enough yarn to finish the shawl, but it won't be the end of the world if i don't..... i'm at the decreases now so i'm almost done with it!!! 
(i'm just proud of myself for deciding to finish something i started that long ago....)

i really want to make this pithy hat (also saw some celebrity wearing a similar one in a pic in the latest people magazine...), but now that i have learned the 'magic loop' method, i refuse to use my DPNs!!!  so i need to go and get much longer circulars in the correct sizes. . . .  i probably wouldn't even wear it, so i'm not exactly sure why i want to make one so badly.... i'm planning on using this plymouth charcoal gray alpaca yarn i have had sitting around for over a year....hmmmm....  i figured out the gauge and everything to make it fit my head (since this pattern doesn't really spell that out for you...had to use my brain a bit last night! ha ha) and i even cast-on the stitches before i realized i needed to be using dpns or longer circulars.... oops....it's funny how now that i know how to get away from having to use DPNs, i'm really averse to it....

in my previous post  i mentioned i was having a bit of a dilemma trying to figure out what project to work on next.  i did all of my gauge swatches and started the k2,p2 ribbing for the back of the margaret o'leary cardigan (here's someone else's photo of the cardigan)

the pattern calls for somewhere around 1400 yards of CASHMERE yarn.  i don't need to go broke in the process of making this sweater and based on how fabulously this person's cascade 220 version came out, i'm not that concerned that i'm substituting the yarn... i was concerned that the ecological wool would be scratchy, but after knitting up the swatches, i am finding that it is surprisingly soft!!  very encouraging.  i am also liking the weight of the fabric and how it moves.  because it's a bit thicker than what i think is being called for in the pattern, i am using US8 and US5 needles instead of the US10 and US8 that the pattern suggests to get the right gauge...

now that i've finished my remires cardigan, i can't decide what i want to work on next!!!  i'm not ready to finish my ene scarf from 'just scarves'..... there's a margaret o'leary cardigan in the fall, 2006 issue of vogue knitting that i'm 75% sure will be my next project. . . i haven't had a chance to closely examine the pattern yet to be sure that i want to work on that next....it looks a bit more intense than any of my other projects... it has cable knitting and a belt for the waist..... hmmmm.... strongly considering it.  i have 4 skeins of a natural colored soft wool that i got for 50% off at the annual mainstreet knits sale (cascade ecological wool) that i think might work well, but i'll have to test out the gauge....

or do i want to work on a pair of socks????

or do i want to finish the shawlette?

hmm... i'm leaning toward the cardigan, but we shall see.......let's see what i pick up and start tonight :oP

my very first amigurumi

here it is.  my first ever amigurumi.  i ended up getting a private lesson on the art of amigurumi, because nobody else had signed up for the class.  i've never taken a knitting/crocheting class before because i'm usually too determined to figure it out on my own.  in an effort to step outside my comfort zone, i signed up to take a class.... it wasn't what i expected, but it was still nice to be taught and get some tips and tricks along the way....

so what is this thing, you ask?  your guess is truly as good as mine.... i was running out of time toward the end so i completely rushed through embroidering the eyes and sewing on the 'ears'.... the instructor called the things on the side of the head princess leia buns....so, i guess that's what they are. . .

i'm 'creating' something else right now using up the leftover yarn from my turtle...it's definitely turning out a lot better than this little bugger did, but i'm not sure if i want it to be a green pig or green bear....we'll see what it turns into....

aside from amigurumi, starlitflashes had mentioned that she was knitting socks using the 'magic loop' method.  i ended up asking about it while i was at yarndogs and ended up not only getting a quick lesson in magic loop knitting, but also picked up super long circular needles and a skein of trekking xxl.... it turns out that i need 000 or 00 size needles, because when i try to use the pattern that i found, my sock is WAYYYYYYY to big.... i started by trying size 1 needles (which the pattern calls for) and then moved down to size 0 and it still seems too big... *SIGH*.... guess i'll get back to working on the shawlette i started earlier in the week until i can get the right size needles - or - find a different pattern that will work better....

kobbes and his felted mouse (2/07)

i knit my cats a toy mouse stuffed with catnip and a bell.  it was quickly felted in the washer and i let it dry overnight before stuffing it and sewing it shut.

yarn used:  caron felt-it

pattern/kit can be found here:  knitwhits

remires cardigan (feb 11, 2007)

i finished it!!!  i actually really like the way that it turned out and can't wait to wear it!! this is one of the first garments that i have made and actually am proud enough to wear in public!!!  :oP

this pattern is from louisa harding's 'winter's muse landscapes' collection.

instead of using 'impression' yarn, i opted to use up some of my stash and knit this up using the same needle sizes as recommended in the pattern with GGH soft kid.  it ended up taking about 7 balls to complete the project.

Loopyscarf

i have said this before and i'll say it again... i have knitting a.d.d.  i didn't feel like working on any of my existing projects, but wanted to knit without really having to think about it and ended up going with the loopy scarf (loopy pattern) from knitty.com.

this was one of my first projects that i completed after i took up knitting again.

this time, i'm using the same berroco hip hop yarn as in the photo, but using a slate blue crystal palace kid merino wool instead.

i think i'm going to give it to my co-worker when it's finished because she absolutely loved mine when she saw me wearing it....

i also love this pattern because it is so versatile!! you can virtually use any combination of yarn to get different effects. i've also made this scarf combing the kid merino with louisa harding's sari ribbon and thalia and for a more cost-effective method, i used lion brand incredible.

i am very excited! i am going to be taking an amigurumi class next month at yarndogs!! i've always found them sooooo cute and cannot wait to learn how to create my own!!

Amigurumi

Fetching_gloves

thanks to starlitflashes for showing me this pattern!  i couldn't wait to try it out. i'm using  some laines du nord dolly maxi linea merino yarn that i have had for a while and seems to match the gauge well.

i decided i needed a break from my remires cardigan even though i only have one more sleeve, the collar and construction left....  i figured this would be a nice, relatively quick project to break up the monotony of working on the sweater ;oD