knitting school dropout

i started this sweater in january and almost immediately, the doubting began. i knit a little at the recommended gauge, but i didn't really like the airiness of the fabric, so i ripped it out and started over. i decided to cheat and knit the 36" size on smaller needles and hope for the best. the "best" being a sweater that fits, but is not quite as long as the original.

after completing the back, fronts, and sleeves, i ditched this for other sweaters. most of the time, the half-finished sweaters don't get picked up again after they've been abandoned for a few months. i think the color, and possibly the urge to just finish something, led me to pick it up again. i'm pretty glad i did.

it's going to need a partial re-blocking. my cats have a tendency to move damp knitwear around on the blocking board when i forget to close the door. there it is though, not too long and a perfect fit in the sleeves and upper body. the color is a favorite, and one that i don't own too much of. the only thing i would change is to lessen the flare of the skirt portion. with the shorter length, it flares out right at the hip, i rather like my hips flared out only as much as they already are.

don't let my less-than-excited face fool you. it's an expression that's 50% "omg, it's 86f out and i'm about to pass out" and 50% "let's get this over with before my next door neighbor asks why i'm taking a self-portrait in a sweater in july". i really think this will see some serious wear once it's cold enough for it.

the details, if you'd like:

pattern: tilted duster, by norah gaughan (i don't believe a link is necessary, as i'm the 8,000th person to make it)
yarn: berroco peruvia, 6 skeins in "sea turtle"
needles: us9 circulars for everything.
mods: not many. knit the sleeves in the round using magic loop, smaller needles

my love of green yarn is in full force at the moment, so i also knit up a little cowl with some handspun from my stash.

the pattern i kind of used was this one. i altered the length, rows, number of repeats and needle size though, so it was more like an "inspired by" kind of thing.

i have lots of work to do this weekend, and i'm hoping the 6 cups of coffee i've had so far are going to help me power through. have a lovely weekend!

Posted by melissa at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBacks (0)

my hat pattern is featured in this week's classic elite web-letter!

i knit both of these versions in the middle of may.

the white was first, using classic elite's provence. i really loved how it came out, but i just knew it was going to look really great on my step-sister. it did, so i knit another one in bam boo, since it has great drape for this type of hat. i'd never used a bamboo yarn before, but i certainly will again.

since cotton and bamboo can lose shape with wear, i went down 3 needle sizes for the ribbed band, to combat stretch. you may want to up the needle size on the band for other fibers though.

you can queue it on ravelry here

well, i hope you like it!

also, my tilted duster is dry, dry, dry! i'm just figuring out which buttons to use. after a long slump of once-a-month posting, it looks like this little blog might actually have regular content.

see you soon,
melissa

Posted by melissa at 03:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (23) | TrackBacks (0)

(deep breath) june is already an overwhelmingly busy month for me, but pretty soon, it'll be even more so. i'm doing my best to procrastinate as much as possible, though. here's some hand-knit proof:

pattern: warmest mittens, from the book knitting pretty. the pattern is also available for free, (ravelry link)
yarn: handspun patchwork yarn from folktale fibers, a little less than 1 skein.
needles: 4mm for ribbing, 4.5mm for the rest of mittens.
started: june 5, 2008
finished: june 7, 2008
modifications: a few. the pattern is written for dpns, but i knit them both at the same time on one 40" circular using magic loop. i've never knit 2 of anything at once before, and let me tell you, it was instant love. i think watching them grow simultaneously turned into a little obsession for me. i ended up with a completed pair in no time at all.
i knit these on larger than recommended needles because i'm a very tight knitter, and the fit is just right. i think i eliminated around 5 rows from the main portion if the mitten because i thought they might be long for me.

i really love how this yarn knit up into mismatched stripes. i'll be making more mittens in this yarn for sure.

next week, i'll be making my debut as a bridesmaid, for the first time ever. i know, right? my sweet brother is marrying a great gal (and knitter!). let's hope i can clean up real nice for them.

eta: for those who asked, the boots are made by camper, my favorite shoe brand ever. unfortunately, these are from a few seasons ago. the only place i was able to find them was here, and for quite a bit more than i paid "on sale".

Posted by melissa at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (21) | TrackBacks (0)

a few posts ago, i hinted at starting a new sweater. i actually started it the same day i finished my last sweater, but aside from the mention, i neglected to blog about it at all. well, here it is, just in time for a drop in temperature!

the details
ravelry project page
pattern: none. i was heavily inspired by this baby sweater that i knit in march. i didn't use the pattern at all, but i loved the garter yoke so much that i knew i had to make something similar for myself.
yarn: rowan scottish tweed aran in "lewis grey", 4.5 skeins
needles: one us8 5mm 40" circular for everything, even magic-looping the sleeves
time to knit: march 21- april 29, with some socks and a shawl in there somewhere
more info: i knit this top-down, working 3 increase rows within the garter yoke. after that, i switched to raglan increases for the stockinette portion. i knit the button band as i went, adding buttonholes every 8 rows eta: i meant every 16 rows. sorry!. i tried it on throughout the whole process, adding waist shaping, and after that, a few extra increases for a "booty allowance". heh. the sleeves were knit using magic loop, without any shaping.

i really wanted yellow or red buttons, but after sewing on a few different ones, the orange won out. they're just cheap plastic buttons from a fabric store, but i really like them.

i am so happy with this sweater. i'm planning on squeaking out a few wears this spring by using it instead of a jacket on cold mornings. cross your fingers for some cool days for me, will ya?

Posted by melissa at 07:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (77) | TrackBacks (1)