Monday, October 22, 2007

When Knitting Needles Attack

A high school friend and I were contributing to a knitting blog for most of this year, but all of a sudden it disappeared. My friend had started it and after learning that I was teaching myself to knit, she added me as a contributor and we both had fun posting works in progress and completed works - commenting and giving congratulations to each other. To make a boring story short, the last time I went to log into our blog, I found that the URL was unavailable and I still have not found out why. That is part of the reason for starting this blog. I really enjoyed having a place to showcase my work even if only one other person looked at it.
Because this is my new "all about me" blog, please bare with me and try to enjoy the next bajillion pictures of recent knitting projects to catch you up from the last site:
My third knit piece ever. This came after a garter stitch scarf and a stockinette scarf. It went to my boyfriend!

My next piece - it went to my sister (another bull, but she's less ferdinand and more fighting bull ring). Same pattern as the first which, by the way, came from Grumperina. Both were knit on US size 8 bamboo straights out of two 220yd skeins of Cascade brand yarn. The purple sharfik is Cascade's Heather. Both measure about 8 inches wide by 5 feet long.
Next up are a couple crochet projects. The first is a skull cap I made out of some grab bag yarn I picked up at Abundant Yarn. Both patterns are from the Learn To Crochet book that came with my aluminum Boye hooks. I modified the hat into a skull cap by omitting the floppy brim that the book instructed to give it, but I did use the H hook as suggested. The blanket is still in progess, as you can see by the I hook hanging halfway through the top row. I'm five balls of Universal "African summer" 100% deluxe worsted wool in and the last three balls are taking their sweet time coming to the shop I ordered them from. This is the type of yarn that when knit into a certain width will self-stripe. I hoped for a more random look, but haven't quite acheived it. Sometimes I really like the blanket and sometimes I do not. I just want to finish it soon at this point! (And, yes, that is my new comforter it's laying on....bulls like sumptuous things...)

Yet another sharfik. Still Cascade worsted yarn (2 skeins), but this time knit with US 7 bamboo straights in a vibrant tangerine as requested by its recipient. This measured about 6 inches wide and probably a little shy of 5 feet long. I much preferred using this size needle, which was the suggested size!

Lastly is the project I am most excited about. It is the beginning of the Cobblestone sweater I originally found in Interweave Knits and was furthered encouraged to make after visiting the designer's website: BrooklynTweed. I am actually a little further along than the picture indicates. The fourth ball of yarn was started today and I am a few inches in length away from finishing this body portion. I am following the directions to a T as this is my first sweater and from reading about the designer's work with Grumperina's scarves, I have surmised that we have a similar gauge. This means I am using size US 7 bamboo circulars (currently on a 32" and have a 16" waiting for sleeves). The yarn is "spring green" Plymouth Yarn Plymouth Tweed: 100% virgin lambswool 50g/109yds. I LOVE the yarn. It is fun to look at while knitting and I can tell it is making a warm, snuggley, perfect sweater. The problem is that I need 6 more balls and they are kinda far away. Just gonna have to get them shipped!

Phew! That's enough for tonight. Ferdinand needs some scrummy dessert and then it is early to bed - rowing and pilates back to back tomorrow morning!!




1 comment:

Leon said...

Hi young guy, nice sweather you are knitting! I love (wool-)sweathers and would like knitting this model myself....
Best regards Leon