Jailhouse Rock

The instructions that came with this Sheep 2 Shoe kit were for making 3-ply sock yarn. I have given up on knitting socks with yarn that lacks nylon, as they wear out too fast. I've also given up on using merino, as it too does not last. (Simply Socks produces a sock yarn made from Corriedale and nylon, and that is now my go-to sock yarn.) Then I agonized over finding some superwash merino in black, to ply with this yarn, but that search was fruitless. So I finally just created a two-ply, which I really, really like.

Fiber: Blue Moon Fiber Arts superwash merino top in 'Jailhouse Rock'
Wheel: Ashford Joy 2
Technique: Nothing special
Spun: worsted, Z-twist at an 11:1 ratio
Plied: 2-ply, S-twist at an 11:1 ratio
WPI: 9
Yardage: 387 yards
Weight: 237g (8.3 oz)

I really wanted this yarn to be DK weight after the fact. In other words, I spun and plied it, and THEN decided it should be DK. Wishful thinking. Still, I crammed it into my wpi counter before admitting that it really is worsted.

Another so-called plan was to knit or weave the yarn with as-yet-to-be-spun black yarn, but I'm thinking it is dark enough just as it is. One skein, the last one, has a lot of joins in it, so I will use it to work up some swatches while I decide what to use this for.

This roving was gifted to me by Qutecowgirl who just released a hat pattern on Ravelry called Pascal. It's free and looks like a fun knit, so check it out!

Graham in black Superwash

I've knit this pattern a couple of times before (here and here). My daughter said she gets a lot of compliments on the gray one and would like more, in neutral colors. I dug through my stash, looking for yarn to use up, preferably a washable yarn because I know her. Here is the first of several.

Pattern: Graham, by Jennifer Adams
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, in black (72g)
Needles: US5 and US7 circs and DPNs
Modifications: used 1x1 ribbed long tail cast on

The reason my daughter needs extra hats

I knit the medium size, which fits a small to medium adult head. The (free!) instructions are excellent, very detailed. This unisex hat is knit on the wrong side, so that the waffle effect can be achieved with knit rounds between the rib rounds instead of purl rounds. Quick, easy, and fun to knit!

Sixth time is the charm?

I lost track of how many times I crocheted the border on this baby throw, just to rip it back and try again. Running out of yarn didn't help, either. In the end, I settled for two rounds in the lavender instead of three, but I left the last end to weave in at a later date, just in case I find or buy some more yarn. (Right now I am on a fiber diet.)

Pattern: F870 Shell Flower Baby Throw, by Plymouth Yarn Design Studio
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash in lavender
Needle: I for initial chain, H for the rest
Modifications: see above and below

I had to start with a larger hook to meet the blanket dimensions - I guess I chain tight - but then switched to the H hook for the rest. The pattern was fine until it got to the instructions for the border. Once I started fiddling with the edge, the instructions *almost* made sense. Since the bottom edge already had a row of single crochet, I broke the yarn and started on the side following the bottom. For the vertical sides, I worked 3 sc into each shell row. For the top (and then the bottom), I worked 6 sc for each shell. Each corner had 3 sc. I could not get the hang of the suggested reverse sc to finish, so abandoned that idea.

At one point, I crocheted two rounds in white Modo Dea Washable Wool yarn. It's more of an Aran weight than worsted, also is not plied but braided? I later deemed it too heavy for the Cascade 220 Superwash, which seems a bit light for worsted.

So much anguish over a baby blanket! I did enjoy crocheting something for a change, although my shoulders did not find it much different than knitting. Something about the micro movements really irritates. As long as I can crochet and knit, though, I will continue to do so.

Fractal Neapolitan

I enjoyed spinning up the 'Neapolitan' roving, but I'm not so sure about the results after plying. Maybe the colors are too solid? Or there is too much white? What should I make with it?

Fiber: Lone Star Arts superwash merino, colorway 'Neapolitan'
Wheel: Ashford Joy 2
Technique: Fractal
Spun: Worsted at an 8:1 ratio
Plied: 2-ply at an 8:1 ratio
WPI: 9 (worsted weight)
Amount: 362 yards, 239 grams

My spinning is more consistent and I achieved a worsted weight yarn, but the plying looks loose. I think my problem is I am not used to spinning superwash merino. Merino is rather slick, and once it is treated to become superwash, it looses its barbs. This results in a soft yarn that won't felt. It also means it does not want to cling to itself like a coarser, non-superwash wool. I'll have to do some research to see if there are techniques for overcoming these quirks.

Log cabin scarf

The theme for the weaving guild this past year was COLOR. We explored different ways of using color in weaving. Along the way, I created a log cabin swatch. My SO was quite taken with the swatch. Because he had felted one of the scarves I knit him, I offered to weave him one, using a log cabin pattern. And because he felted a scarf, I chose to weave this one out of superwash wool.

Pattern: Rectangular-ish log cabin
Loom: Ashford 24" rigid heddle
Warp: Cascade 220 Superwash Worsted, in 853 'Butterscotch' and 867 'Lichen' (he picked the colors)
Weft: same as warp
EPI/PPI: 7.5/7.5
Size off the loom: 6' x 6.5"
Size after fulling: 5.5' x 6"

A previous scarf I wove was rather dense because I beat it too hard, which also caused the pattern to disappear. I blamed the yarn (also Cascade 220 Superwash), but it was ME. Trying to NOT beat the yarn down, though, was quite challenging. I worried the weave was too open.

I kept telling myself fulling the scarf would solve that issue, and it did! I soaked the scarf for a half hour or so, then tucked it into the dryer for about 10 minutes before letting it finish by air drying.

The scarf is light and soft and drapes well. The selvages, while not perfect, are an improvement. I'm pleased, and I'm sure my SO will be as well.

Daffodil scarf

While I have a regular method for reporting on knitted FOs, I am still struggling a bit with woven goods. It would help if I kept some notes as I go along. Usually I do this in Ravelry for knitting; now I can do the same for weaving AND spinning, if I just get into the habit.

My goals with this scarf were to explore color and color inspiration (hence the "daffodil" theme) and to play with plaid. I think I achieved these goals. An ongoing goal is to create even selvages; while there is less pull-in with this project, the selvages are still rather raggedy.

Loom: Ashford Samplet 10"
EPI: 10
PPI: 10 (actual around 15)
Dimensions: Before fulling: ? x ?; after fulling: 4" x 80" (not including fringe)
Yarn: Valley Yarn Valley Superwash DK, in 'Red', 'Soft Yellow', 'Spring Leaf', 'Green'

I am still beating too hard, so the goal of 10 ppi was not met. I also was a bit confused over which heddle I was using, as at first I thought it was the 7.5 epi one. Like I said, I need to keep better notes, from step 1 on.

Personally, I prefer worsted weight yarn for scarves, be they knit or woven. I just happen to have a fair amount of DK superwash on hand, so that is what I am playing with.

Oops

I finished the Pine Forest baby blanket. While photographing it, I thought something was wrong with the light in the room. Alas, it was not the light but me. I neglected to check dye lots, so the first third or so of the blanket is a bit lighter than the rest.

Pattern: Pine Forest Baby Blanket, by Ingrid Aartun Bøe
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, in colorway 905 ('Celery')
Needles: US8
Modifications: None except to slip the first stitch of each row knitwise

While one might expect a major yarn manufacturer to have their process down pat and produce more consistent colors, I should know better than to ignore the dye lots when selecting yarn. I feel compelled to point out this flaw to the recipient, as I don't want her to notice it later and think it was something she did. And once this blanket is wrapped around an adorable baby, who is going to notice?

I get a hat too

I thought I was done knitting hats, but I guess I had at least one more left in me, for me.

Pattern: Watch Cap by Judith Durant
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, colorway 901 'Cotton Candy'
Needles: US7
Modifications: Increased depth by 1"

This pattern is about as simple as can be and produces a nice stretchy hat that fits just about any adult. I made this one deeper because I like to turn up the bottom while still covering my ears.

When you SSK, do you slip knitwise or purlwise? I do the former, but wonder if the latter would be better. Comments?

So maybe I am done with hats... for now. The fact that the weather forecast calls for 60 degree temps tomorrow definitely discourages knitting almost anything in wool. Baa!

Another learning experience

After finishing my ruby red sweater, I wanted a matching scarf. Instead of knitting one, however, I decided to weave one, in a houndstooth pattern of red and white. I went through the motions, but the result was not quite what I wanted.

To warp for houndstooth, one alternates two threads of each color across the loom. I thought the scarf would look nice with solid red borders, so I warped just red on either end, not realizing the result could not be solid red unless I executed something like clasped weft technique, which I was not prepared to do. Oh, well.

Another mistake was using Cascade 220 Superwash. It is just too stretchy, especially as a warping yarn. That is why the houndstooth looks rectangular instead of square. It took me quite a while to adjust to wefting in two colors, too, so the selvages are wonky.

The selvages also looked unfinished to me, so after some experimentation, I added a single crochet border.

Another thing I don't like is how dominant the white is. Even though the yarns are the same, the white takes over, I presume because it is more reflective than red. The scarf has no drape, either, despite some rough treatment in both the washer and the dryer. Using worsted weight for both warp and weft is too much.

All along the way, I kept second guessing my decision not to sample the yarns and pattern. As a knitter, I am used to wasting very little yarn, whereas weaving produces a lot of waste. Creating a sample on my 24" Ashford would have wasted as much yarn as the finished sample would take. My solution to that dilemma is to purchase ANOTHER loom, fittingly called the Samplet. I pick it up on Thursday. Then I will have no excuses not to sample.

Ruby red sweater

I chose the yarn for this sweater several years ago, started knitting last July, took a hiatus for xmas hats, and finally wrapped it up a week or so ago. And I am very pleased with the results (although I could certainly learn to take better photos!)

Pattern: Drop shoulder ski sweater by Barbara G. Walker, with some input from Denmark pullover with simple patterns by Donna Druchunas
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, colorway 893 'Ruby'
Needles: US7 mostly, with some US8
Modifications: see below

I don't know at what point a handknit garment crosses the line and becomes one's own design. My intent was to follow the Denmark pullover but knit from the top down and knit flat instead of in the round, and things went to hell from there. I swatched the stitch patterns recommended for the Denmark pullover but none of them sang to me. I switched to ringwood stitch for the body and sleeves. However, Walker's invisible cast on was not invisible, so I added some seed stitch to the shoulders. And since swatches lie, the fit was too snug, so I added seed stitch insets at the sides.

I duplicated the seed stitch for the tails (back one longer than the front) but didn't like it for the cuffs, which became 1x1 ribbing. Tried the ribbing for the neckline but it didn't work, so switched back to seed stitch. Before blocking, I was not satisfied with the collar and the sleeves seemed too short. After blocking, the collar was fine but the sleeves grew - I may shorten them.

I'm not a fan of superwash yarn (except for socks) as it feels too stretchy, like it lacks spine. But this was the color I wanted and the finished sweater is very comfortable, with nice drape. Too bad my "experienced" body is so lumpy.

Only one day until xmas

This hat has been done since Monday as well. I started with one pattern in mind, then began experimenting: knit from the bottom up instead of top down, provisional cast on, added Fair Isle, knit ear flaps like short row sock toes, etc. I'm amazed it's finished AND I am pleased with the result (although, like some of my other Fair Isle hats, this one is a bit snug).

Pattern: Based on Amelia E., by Amy Miller
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, colorways 816 (Gray), 854 (Navy), 253 (Desert Sun)
Needles: US7
Modifications: A LOT!

Amelia E. is knit top down, but I didn't like trying to knit 8 cast-on stitches in the round. I didn't want to pick up stitches for the ear flaps, though, so I provisionally cast on 100 stitches. Then I embellished the plain stockinette with Fair Isle designs. At the crown, I decreased four stitches evenly, then started each section with a k1, ssk and ended each section with a k2tog, with a round of plain knit between decrease rounds.

Back at the lower edge, I picked up and purled a round so I could hem the bottom. And then I get confused. Somehow I ended up with a hem (good) while maintaining 26 or so stitches for each ear flap (also good, but I had to change the purl stitches to knit to eliminate an unsightly ridge). I tried knitting the ear flaps like sock toes, but there were major gaps between the fronts and backs of each one. So I reknit them, like short row sock toes, with the tip being 4 stitches wide. Then I sewed down the hem.

Instead of my usual i-cord tassels, I braided like I braided 4-strand lanyards at summer camp: wrap rightmost strand under two and over one, wrap leftmost strand under two and over one, repeat ad infinitum (or 12", whichever comes first). Each "strand" was actually two strands of yarn, with half in gray, a quarter in navy, the rest in orange.

I knit this hat before discovering this KnitPicks tutorial. Some of the floats are a bit longish. Since the yarn is superwash, no felting is going to help anchor them. Hope the recipient treats this hat gently.

And now I am DONE with xmas knitting!

Only two days until xmas

This hat has actually been done for a while, except for the pompom, which I added last Monday. And then my laptop went to Windows 10 update hell FOR DAYS. I was on the verge of taking the damn thing to Best Buy and reverting to Windows 7 when something resurrected it. I wish one of those so-called Microsoft techs (IT'S A SCAM, PEOPLE!) would call me now so I could give them an earful, just for fun.

Pattern: Based on Little Rabbits Hat, by Michael Storey, published in Easy Fair Isle Knitting (currently no Ravelry link)
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, in colorways 901 (Cotton Candy) and 871 (White)
Needles: US6 (for ribbing) and US7
Modifications: Knit in the round (who knits Fair Isle flat?!?), substituted cat motif (from same book) for rabbit

The pattern calls for DK yarn, but since I used worsted, I cast on 84 stitches. BUT it is still too snug, as demonstrated by the photo below - the cats are all stretched out. Someday I will knit Fair Isle hats that fit.

My countdown to xmas may seem off to you, but my family celebrated on xmas eve (a Danish custom, I believe), so to me, xmas is on the 24th.

Only 14 days until xmas

Another "hunter orange" hat, this one for my granddaughter. I decided to add some Fair Isle, just for fun, but my floats must be too short, as the result is kind of smallish. I resoaked it and tried stretching it on a styrofoam head form, which helped but also stretched out the hearts.

Pattern: Amelia E., by Amy Miller
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, colorways 1952 'Blaze' and 871 'White'
Needles: US7
Modifications: Fair Isle designs, i-cord instead of twisted cord, added pompoms, skipped the front flap.

This hat is knit from the top down, which made the hearts look kind of odd because the V's of the stockinette are upside down in the design. My Fair Isle experience is rudimentary at best, and it shows. But I do like doing it - much less boring than plain old knit, knit, knit.

Granddaughter's favorite color is pink, but she told me the other day that she is trying to not like pink so much. Otherwise, I doubt she would have accepted this hat. She did comment on the strings - too long, in her humble opinion.

Only 15 days until xmas

I haven't posted xmas knitting for a while, but it has been ongoing. This is another "hunting season" hat, something to wear for a walk in the woods.

Pattern: Amelia E., by Amy Miller
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, in colorway 1952, 'Blaze'
Needles: US7
Modifications: Instead of attaching twisted cord to the ear flaps, I made i-cord with the yarn; didn't tack down front flap.

Photographing adult-size hats without an adult-size model is challenging. The styrofoam heads from JoAnn are not large enough. Also, this hat turned out YUUUGE. Fortunately, the intended recipient says it fits fine. He particularly likes the aviator style - keeps his forehead warm.

This pattern is knit top down, meaning you cast on eight stitches using four DPNs and try not to drop the needles or twist the stitches. A challenge.

Knitting binge

Even though my family celebrates xmas on xmas eve, I usually feed someone on xmas day. Not this year. Some might think it sad to spend xmas day alone, but after all the flurry of xmas preparations, I was ready for a day of R&R.

To get through all the holiday knitting, I listened to a lot of books on CD, the most recent one Stephen King's Under the Dome (30 disks!) Not quite done with that story, I binge-listened while I binge-knit this hat for my g'daughter.

Pattern: Official Kittyville Hat, by Kitty Schmidt
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, in colorway 838 (pink)
Needles: US7
Modifications: worked and reworked the ear flaps until I was satisfied (see below); also, no ears.

I've knit this hat before, but always in dark colors. In pink, the ear flaps just did not look right along the edges. I tried this, that, and the other thing, and finally settled on slipping the first stitch of each row knitwise, then always knitting the last stitch of each row. That seemed to clean them up, at least well enough.

Ordinarily, I would knit this yarn on US8 needles. Since my g'daughter is but five, I used US7's with the hope that the tighter gauge would mean I would not have to adjust the pattern to get it to fit her smaller head. She hasn't tried it on yet, but the styrofoam head is close to the same size as hers, so here's hoping.

What a diva

It looks like I forgot to post about Tuckernuck, probably because this sweater just about killed me provided me with many learning opportunities. Cascade 220 Superwash is a perfectly serviceable yarn, but almost every time I picked up the project, I found myself wishing I had held out for the recommended Karabella. Getting gauge was nearly impossible, and going up needles sizes resulted in a rather loose fabric. The instructions definitely could have been more detailed, especially regarding the sleeves, which was compounded by this being my first time with capped set-in sleeves. In the end, I had to block it twice, to get the width to work, then also had to reinforce the buttonholes to keep the buttons from sliding out. I am extremely happy... to see the last of this sweater.

Pattern: Tuckernuck, by Elinor Brown
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash, colorway 1949
Needles: US7 and US9
Modifications: None that I can think of

My g'daughter is frequently contrary when it comes to modeling knitwear, but today she put on a show.