Final 2012 FO: Marin

This last knit of 2012 just may be my favorite — and not because it was knit practically straight through in the quiet days after the holidays. (Although, I definitely loved that.)

I've long admired this pattern and bought it soon after it was released... Then I looked at its charts and got scared off. When I found the perfect yarn pairing last month, I gathered up my courage. Can't tell you how glad I am that I did. I'm completely smitten with the FO.

Pattern: Marin by Ysolda Teague

Yarn: TFA Purple Label in Rock

Did I mention the yarn is 20 percent cashmere? Swoon.

Best of all? It wasn't anywhere near as hard as I'd imagined.

Holiday FOs: Guernsey Triangle and Isla Wrap

Now that they've been unwrapped, I can post these two FOs from the month-long blackout between my last two blog posts. (I may not be blogging, but rest assured, I am always knitting! ;-)

First up, one of the lovely yarn and pattern combos from the 2011 Tanis Fiber Arts Year in Colour Club. This one had my sister's name all over it from day one. (Although I must confess, I wasn't sure until the end that I'd be able to let it go.)

Pattern: Guernsey Triangle by Jared Flood
Yarn: TFA Red Label in Smoke

And second, a present for Izzy. She saw this yarn online right after Thanksgiving and asked for "something, anything" in it for Christmas. I was only too happy to oblige and found this nice little caplet/cowl on Ravelry. The color is actually somewhere between these two shots... Ah, the joys of snapping FO photos in winter!

Pattern: Isla Wrap by Jessica Vinson
Yarn: TFA Red Label in Frippery

FO: Winter's Coming Sweater

While I'd finished the knitting nearly two weeks ago on the dog sweater teased in that June "where we're headed" post, I hadn't tackled all the weaving in of ends. So I packed it in the car for our trip up North for Thanksgiving, thinking it would be a good mindless task for sitting around talking with the family after all the eating and all the cleanup.

Good thing, too, as winter arrived with a vengeance on the holiday, dropping throughout the day and bringing first sleet and then snow. Friday we took my first Fair Isle project for several test walks in my parents' yard. Every walk started like this, with my spirited Violet ready to go...



... only to look like this within 5 minutes. Tops. In defense of my little NM-born pup, it wasn't that much above zero with the wind chill. 



While winter may not be a big hit with Violet, she does seem to enjoy the sweater. The best part about knitting for dogs? Unlike Izzy, she's yet to tell me that it itches. And, oh yeah, Fair Isle is completely addictive. I'll be doing more of it soon!

 

Pattern: Icelandic Beauty Sweater by Judith L. Swartz

Yarn: Sandnes Garn Peer Gynt (Mulberry)
with bits and bob from my stash

FOs: Cassis & Stacked Eyelet Cowl

Got a two-fer today as I try to catch up on blogging. First up, my #10 (this might actually happen) shawl of the year, knit from the lovely birthday yarn from my friend Jane.

Pattern: Cassis shawlette by collete audrey

Yarn: Crystal Palace Yarns Panda Silk Solid in Spruce

Fun technique with this (free!) pattern: Start by knitting the lace border, then pick up 240 stitches and create the crescent. I decided I wanted the shawl a bit deeper than the original sliver, so I changed the K3s to K2s in the short row section.

Second up is a cowl to match Izzy's fingerless mitts, which you also see again in this very hammy photo. Lest you think fall has come really late to MN this year, full disclosure: The photo was taken nearly a month ago... And the cowl has gotten plenty of wear in the chilly days since the photoshoot. (And unlike Izzy's jaunty top hat headband, which she made at school, it's still in one piece.) Phew!

Pattern: Stacked Eyelet Cowl by Ami Madison

Yarn: Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Big Print (#811)

FO: Nightlock Fail

We've got a first on the blog today, gentle readers. Love the yarn, love the pattern, but absolutely hate the FO.

It started off so promising. The colors in this TFA yarn are stunning and the the Merino-Cashmere blend is beyond lovely to work with. Here I am hanging out a few weeks ago at Wild Rumpus, a magical kids bookstore where chickens and cats (and lots of other critters) peacefully coexist. I grabbed a chair near the Harry Potter and was kept company by the friendly (and hungry) Bilinia while Izzy started her once/week volunteer work.

I brought in the second OOAK colorway during my visit to a (new to me) knitting group last week. And while I was a bit skeptical at the time, I was lulled by the group of kind women and the wine. It's not that the two colors don't work together — in fact, they echo the golds and pinks of the other strand quite well.



But now that's it's done, my fears are realized. Even if I hadn’t moved back to MN between purchasing the yarn and knitting it, I’m pretty sure I’d see only MN Gophers colors in the FO. :-(

Pattern: Nightlock by Lisa Mutch

Yarn: TFA OOAK Purple Label: Squash and Autumn Sunset

As you'll see, I haven't woven in the ends or blocked it. The decision at hand: Do I gift to a Gophers fan or frog and create two new items with the lovely (but not combined) yarn? The selfish knitter in me is leaning toward the latter since it's my first go-round with TFA Purple Label. What would you do?

Either way, it's chronicled here and counted as #9 in my 12 in 2012 challenge. At least there's that...

FO: Malabrigo Mizzle

Do you ever just have to knit a particular color? For whatever unknown reason, I was craving blue. And this lovely Malabrigo with bits of purple and green in my stash answered the siren call. And how.

Pattern: Mizzle by Patricia Martin
Yarn: Malabrigo Sock (Indiecita)

The first part of this free (!) pattern went so fast. And then came the, shall we say "just slow down and breathe,"  decorative ribbing. But that deep border is what drew me to the Mizzle, so slow down and keep knitting I did.

For those keeping count, this is #8 of my "12 Shawls in 2012" personal challenge. Good thing it's knitting season, 'cause I've got some catching up to do!

FO: Izzy's Fingerless Mitts

Hello, Fall. How I've missed you.

In Albuquerque, the air turns crisp around Thanksgiving. For a "fall is my favorite season" person, the September equinox is a strange sort of torture: "It's nearly October. The kids are settled back in school. Why can't I pull out my woolens?!" Happily, Minnesota is bringing it this year — even throwing in a first frost warning on the 23rd.

Faced with chilly mornings, the kid started asking for a pair of fingerless mitts. We went stash diving last weekend and found three skeins of tween-perfect bright. (Matching cowl now on the needles, thank you.) The yarn is also superwash wool, so the mitts just might survive beyond the season.

Pattern: Montgomery Fingerless Mitts

Yarn: Cool Wool Merino Big Print (811)

Violet is a bit more skeptical about the September chill.

FOs: Scalene Double Take

Since they knew we were headed back to MN, my sister and brother-in-law gave me a birthday gift certificate to another new yarn store that had opened in Minneapolis during our stay in Albuquerque. (This place is fiber heaven!) Rather than spending it right away online, I decided to exercise some rare restraint and wait a few months so I could visit in person... As luck would have it, I traveled to Mpls a few weeks later for an interview (for the job I got, yay! ;-) and visited Bella Lana over Memorial Day weekend.

Being the total geek that I am, I traveled with the last skein I planned to purchased in NM and the goal of buying a complementary skein in MN to create a symbolic transition knit. Yep, total geek! Here's my "Two-State Scalene," which I love for more than just the silly sentimental reasons.

Pattern: Scalene by Carina Spencer

Yarn: Zitron Unisono (1210) &
 Madelinetosh Pashmina (Magnolia Leaf)

Beyond the great mix of color stripes in the Unisono, my favorite detail is the double keyholes, which make the Scalene so easy to wear.

I wasn't alone in appreciating the style. The Scalene also caught my mother's eye... And I instantly knew what I wanted to do to thank her for all the help this summer, which included hosting Izzy for several weeks and unpacking my kitchen. Yeah, I know. I'm one lucky daughter! Not sure that this "Gratitude Scalene" is enough, but at least it's a good start. And the colors suit her to a T. (And in case it's not clear, Izzy insists that I note she's sporting her "silly face" in the following shot.)

Yarn: Sublime Yarns Cashmere Merino 

Silk DK (Nutkin and Anise)

 

FO: Summer Color Affection

I queued this pattern back in March shortly after I first saw it and even bought three skeins of yarn (selecting shades of my favorite colors: green, blue, purple). Then I made two swatches and couldn't decide — indecision no doubt enhanced by the fact that I was in the middle of making some pretty big life decisions.

Thank goodness for the announcement of a TFA KAL — and the Yarn Harlot getting infected with the Color Affection bug — so that when I posted the swatch photo on Ravelry asking for help, my fellow TFA fans knew the pattern and helped me pick, with a few weeks to spare.

Even so, I got a late start casting on for the KAL since I wanted to finish up another project. But all proved well and good. This is an easy pattern to memorize and really flies off the needles — well, that is, until you get to those final, reeeaaalllllly long rows. Not that I was suffering my way through them — in fact, when I started to worry that I was running out of the Atlantic, I discovered I had read the directions wrong and had already knit an extra six rows of the three-color-stripes section.

Pattern: Color Affection by Veera Välimäki

Yarn: TFA blue label (Atlantic, Plum, Olive)

In the "bigger is better, right?" frame of mind I decided to leave them and start on the Olive border. Warning: This is one big, cozy shawl. It blocked out at more than 7 feet, not that my six extra rows really tipped the scales.

It's sure to keep me warm this winter. But more about that in the next blog...

FO: Stained Glass Is Sweet

More than most projects, this one has quite a few miles on it. I started it before we headed off on our vacation, getting in several rows on that lovely porch swing in Carlsbad. It traveled to all the Saturday ice skating lessons and Thursday practices, and even made the trip to Santa Fe for the competition. 

Mind you, when the yarn contains cashmere and silk, I'm happy to carry it anywhere. Anytime. The pattern was as sweet as the name promised. Yep, pretty much loved this project from beginning to end. What more can a knitter ask?

Pattern: Sugar Is Sweet by Rose Beck

Yarn: TFA Red Label (Stained Glass)

FO: Zuni Truffle

Not sure what it is, but I find myself liking the look of garter stitch these days.

No doubt, it's partially tied to working with some gorgeous hand-dyed yarn. Who would have thought that bumps showcased color variations so well? While I've done my best to capture the greens and purples that emerge from this chocolate brown, it is even more swoon-worthy in person.

Life is also in one of those "buckle your seatbelts" phases, so the Zen-like nature of garter is not to be argued with. Evidence: Entry #3 in my 12 in 2012, which was knit in a few weeks, only to lag for nearly double that time before blocking and photographing.

Pattern: Zuni Shawl by Danielle Chalson 

Yarn: TFA Blue Label Fingering (Truffle)

FO: Bunny Nuggets

Happy spring / Easter! These fuzzy little critters were a fun stash busting exercise. I only wish I'd seen the recommendation by one clever knitter to insert bread ties into the ears before I'd sewn them all on. In this squishy soft yarn the ears are beyond Peter Cottontail floppy. Even so, I had waaaay too much fun posing them outside in the best patch of returning grass I could find. (Yeah, it's been that kind of week.)

Pattern: Bunny Nuggets by Rebecca Danger 

Yarn: The Knitting Goddess DK Alpaca & Silk (Topaz & Dove)

FO: Beach Glass Spectra

First things first: Izzy is recovering nicely from her sprained wrist — phew! Thanks for all the well wishes. Now on to the knitting. Remember that rut I mentioned about a month ago?

Pattern: Spectra by Stephen West

Yarn: Noro Taiyo Sock (S8)

Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light (Antique Lace)

Well, I decided to embrace said rut when I couldn't wait to cast on another shawl the minute I finished up this one. Yep, I signed up for the the 12 shawls in 2012 challenge. Crazy? Perhaps.

And for those keeping track of my  New Year's "three new techniques" challenge, I'm counting this Spectra and its short rows as #2 down. Sure, I did a few short rows when making those holiday Malabrigo loafers. But here I worked on learning how to conceal the wraps — thinking of Cat Bordhi and her excellent tutorial each time I lifted a "yarn necklace" (all 500+ of them).

FO: Fracture

These days it seems I can't get enough of shawlettes/scarves knit in fingering weight yarn. The fact that I added several lovely skeins to my stash with the two StevenBe gift cards I received for Christmas (and had to spend before flying back to Albuquerque) certainly is aiding my momentum.

You could say I'm in a rut... But this shawlette only looks like it was designed by Stephen West.

Pattern: Fracture by Paulina Popiolek

Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light (Grasshopper)
Zen Yarn Garden Serenity 20 (Charcoal)

And while green is no stranger to my FOs, nor even acid green, it's the first time I've used a full skein this vibrant.

Then again, perhaps I'll just skip the rationalizations and add 12 in 2012 to my goals for the year. Something to ponder as I finish up the Spectra currently on my needles. And, yes, that one is designed by Stephen West.

FO: Hearts & Bows Headband

Ah, the joys of having a tween. While Izzy specifically requested this headband for Valentine's Day — and was thrilled to get it this morning — you'd have thought I asked her to scrub the toilet based on her facial expressions in the quick photos I took today.

It's quite the miracle that this one smile slipped into the mix.

Pattern: Strada Headband

Yarn: The Knitting Goddess DK Alpaca & Silk (Topaz)

The yarn, which is a perfect girly pink and fuzzy soft, made its way to my stash via an online trade. (Last fall, I got a Ravelry message from a UK knitter in need of my leftover Lavender Cotton Glace.) While I got gauge, the fabric seems pretty airy... And now has me wondering if DK in the UK is actually what we call Sport in the US/Canada. It's a fun, fast knit and I have plenty of yarn still, so think I might try reknitting it with the yarn doubled.

FO: Baby Steps

This post needs to start with an admission — my fine motor skills are seriously lacking.

I don't jest, as my friend and former co-worker Laura would be happy to confirm. She once handed me an X-ACTO knife and asked me to help cut Peter (or was it Plinky?)* out of foam core. Not believing my claim, she insisted. And so I started, cautiously and carefully. Really trying. After about two minutes, she said, "You know what? You're right. Never mind." and promptly took that X-Acto back.**

So it's not surprising that I've avoided knitting with smaller yarns and needles. But this past Christmas I asked for and got a lovely set of sock-size DPNs. A member of my team is expecting a baby at any moment, so I took the opportunity to grab some fingering weight yarn from my stash and knit up my first-ever pair of booties. On size 1s (2.25 mm). Here are the booties on top of the needle set for a sense of scale.

And here is my snoopy ever-helpful cat Chloe walking into the photo, providing her paw as further evidence of the wee size.

Patterns: Saartje's Bootees & Gooseberry Hat

Yarn: Knit Picks Imagination Hand Painted (Mermaid Lagoon)

Once I got past the feeling that I was knitting doll clothes on toothpicks, I found the booties fun. In fact, the size 3s (3.25 mm) felt clunky when I first started the hat. I'm counting the booties as my first new item/technique of the year... Now to decide, socks or mittens next?

* For the record, Peter, Plinky, and all the Mint Pals have changed quite a bit in the (how is it possible?) more than a decade since we brought them to life. Laura's art was far superior.

** Also for the record, Laura is a lovely person — so lovely, in fact, that I could only laugh and not feel the least bit offended.

FO: Just Ducky Chadwick

First off, heartfelt thanks to everyone who weighed in here or on Facebook to my "to frog or not to frog?" question. As you can see in the above photo, I decided to keep my "design modification" and finish without shame.

Pattern: Chadwick by Stephen West

Yarn: Tanis Fiber Arts, Blue Label Fingering

(Mallard and Chestnut)

I'm a bit sad this project has come to an end — it was that perfect combination of interesting but not too challenging to knit. And the yarn... Gorgeous and so aptly named. I'm a MN-raised girl who's always loved watching mallards on the lake. The interplay of blue and green is spot on — and makes me so happy.

Credit goes to Albuquerque, though, for today's bright January sun and running water to pool my the shawl alongside.

FO: Incognito

Pattern: Incognito with Snidely ‘stache

Yarn: Smart (Olive, Chocolate, Black)

You could call this a gifting-redo. For Christmas, I'd made a pair of Malabrigo Loafers for my brother-in-law. Even though they were the largest size, they turned out to be too small. Bad for him but good for my sister, who yelled out "Score!" and then got details about how to felt them down to her size before the rest of the presents were  unwrapped. Later on, I conferred with him over this patten (since it's the sort of thing you either find terribly witty or can't imagine wearing).

The Incognito has made its way to Minnesota for his January birthday. Should the weather there return to normal, it'll make a nice addition to his winter biking gear. Before I packaged it up, though, Izzy and I brought it with us to the zoo for a few quick snapshots. And — I should have seen this coming — she now wants one of her very own.