Thursday, January 31, 2008

FO: Cobblestone Pullover


Yes, it's true. I've finally finished Rod's Christmas present ~ the Cobblestone Pullover! It was not a difficult sweater to make, but as it was done in the round (going 'round and 'round and 'round...), I did take a few breaks and worked on some small projects in between.
This rather blurry shot is of the Kitchener
stitched armpit - pretty nifty.













Shhhh.........I'm blocking...
After blocking and letting it dry for two days, Cobblestone is finally finished and much lighter than I expected. All ready for the photo op:

Look - the "hands in the pocket" pose - just like in the magazine!

I think he kind of likes it because guess what he wore to work today?


Pattern: Cobblestone Pullover by Jared Flood

Wool: Marks & Kattens Natura (acrylic, wool, alpaca, viscose blend); Twelve 50 gm balls

Mofications: None





Wednesday, January 30, 2008

No swift, no ball winder, but still a centre-pull ball?




Yes, I did it! Except for a little discomfort at the halfway point when my thumb became quite numb and turned blue, I managed to create a centre-pull ball wound by hand, quite literally. I followed the instructions found here. Next time I will wind the first part much looser though, to keep the circulation going!






Okay, here is where my thumb goes numb (photo right) and I take the half-formed ball off and wind the rest of the wool just around the ball itself.


Ta-da! A lovely ball of Berroco Peruvia - Tilted Duster here I come.


I realize the rest of the knitting world is already looking ahead to spring, but here in southern Ontario it is still very much "winter." Today the wind is gusting at 50- 70 km/hour, making the -8 degrees Celsius feel like -18! Not the best weather for running but perfect weather for a bit of winter knitting...


A kind word warms three winter months.

~Japanese Proverb




Sunday, January 27, 2008

Lydia's Fetching...

After her shower, Lydia finds her own pair of "Fetching" ready and waiting for her...
I think she kind of likes them...
Pattern: "Fetching" by Cheryl Niamath
Wool: Patons Classic Merino
Needles: 4mm dpns
Modifications: I added 2 rows in K4-P1 pattern before starting the thumb. Cast off was done in K4-P1 pattern instead of picot bind-off.




Saturday, January 19, 2008

Knitting encounter - hands and feet


Ever have people stop you in the middle of your tracks and ask you about your knitting? Me neither ... at least not until the other day. As I was leaving the Supercentre with my cart loaded with groceries a woman stopped me and asked about my mittens! "Hand-made?" she asked of my self patterning, sockwool mitts that flap back to become a pair of fingerless gloves. (These are my favourites so far this winter.) Then she proceded to pull up her pant leg to reveal a sock made of the same wool "from Germany" ~ we laughed.


Here's another pair that I gave to my sister:

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

...Fetching...

It's done...well, except for kitchener under the arms, sewing in yarn bits, washing and blocking (sigh), the Cobblestone is finished! The trial try-on by DH shows a good fit but it is "quite itchy." I really hope a good SOAK helps with that...(photos to come).

In the meantime, as a reprieve before starting another big project, I made a pair of these:











Fetching


The pattern may be found here and is designed by Cheryl Niamath. I used Sublime (baby cashmerino silk dk) which really is sublime to knit with! These took less than one 50g (116m/127 yds) ball on 4mm dpn's, but the fit is a bit small for me. I did not do the picot edge bind-off as I had heard this seems a bit loose, so I stuck to straight forward bind-off in the K4-P1 pattern. DD#1 found them to be a perfect fit and claimed them as her own. I hope to finish a second, slightly larger pair for my sister-in-law's birthday this Sunday.


Monday, January 7, 2008

Running...out of yarn...



Yes, this is supposed to be a blog about running and knitting. Lately, however, the only running I've been doing is running out of yarn. I am on my last two balls of wool for the Cobblestone and it will be a very close race, right to the finish. I am well into the yoke area, above the shoulder join, but need to do several more short rows. Fortunately, there are also some more row decreases coming up so my wool should go further...I hope...I'm so close...