Recently in Finished Objects Category
Posted on 09/29/2008 by Andrea
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Babies!, Finished Objects
Just a quick post to show off a finished object - the Sideways Sockyarn Baby Sweater. I finished this tonight, but still need to find some buttons. I made the smallest size (well, the second-smallest size -- the smallest size is for a doll) and only made one modification - I simplified the collar.
And yeah, that's my belly in the photo (six months pregnant as of today, in fact!) -- it accidentally snuck its way into the photo. It seems to intrude on lots of things lately.
Posts have been sparse here lately (obviously) because we've had our hands full dealing with Dad's surgery and recovery. I know Mom's gotten some good work done on her Leo sweater. Busy hands keep busy minds out of trouble, I guess!
Posted on 07/28/2008 by Andrea
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Babies!, Finished Objects, Knitting
My mom and I both went to a baby shower tonight, where we both gave the mom-to-be some knitted items. It's so much fun to give knitted stuff as gifts; I would enjoy knitting even if it weren't for all the oohs and aahs, but they are a bonus.
As I was designing this, I sort of dubbed it the "Atticus" sweater in my head, since that was one of the joke names the future parents came up with for their baby boy. I liked the reaction it got at the shower; one person said she thought it should come with a little set of golf clubs.
Someday I might post the pattern, but it really needs a lot of work. It was something I knitted on the fly, and my notes are terrible. It will need at least one or two test-knits before the pattern will make any sense to anyone other than me.
A little bit about how I made this: I used Trekking Pro Natural (wool and bamboo), a lovely sock yarn to work with. I'm infinitely happier with picking up stitches than I am with seaming, so I made this without any seams. And I had lots of fun designing and knitting it. I'm sure I'll be making at least one sweater for my own baby using this basic template and varying the stitch patterns.
Now that I'm done with baby shower knitting, my attention turns to the Ravelympics. I've been "training" (aka, swatching) for Liesl, which I'll be knitting for myself in black Cascade Lana d'Oro (a gorgeous wool/alpaca blend). I'm excited for this pattern because it looks like it'll be a good layering sweater throughout my pregnancy. And after that? I've got a queue of baby knits a mile long.
Posted on 06/05/2008 by Andrea
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Finished Objects, Knitting, Show-Off Ruffle Skirt
It's early June in Minnesota. One of my most favorite times of the year. Everything's green and blooming, the humidity and mosquitoes haven't started yet, and you can finally experience the feeling of sun and breezes on bare shoulders.
Well, at least that's how early June in Minnesota is supposed to go.
I'm prepared! I've got my SPF 55, plants out in containers on the deck, and a definitely feeling of longing for the summer. And I've finished my Show-Off Ruffle Skirt!
But so far it hasn't seemed much like summer yet. We've had plenty of summer-like storms with thunder and hail and winds, but we haven't really had a beautiful summer day yet. Well, I guess I'll be ready for it when it arrives.
Show-Off Ruffle Skirt
Pattern: Show-Off Ruffle Skirt by Kat Coyle, from the book Lace Style. (Ravelry Link)
Yarn: Cascade Cotton Rich DK (Ravelry Link). This is a cotton nylon blend, which is nice because it has the coolness of cotton, but the nylon adds a bit of elasticity to it. It's soft and has a wonderful drape to it. I just hope it holds up well to wear, as I've never used this kind of yarn before.
Modifications: I didn't knit quite as many bobble lace rows as the pattern called for, partly due to modesty and partly due to the arthritis-inducing nature of bobbles. I like how it turned out, though. I also haven't added the ribbon the pattern calls for; I haven't decided if I'm going to. I kind of like it the way it is. That's pretty much it for modifications, though I'll admit I did have to fudge the decreases because I ended up with a mysterious number of stitches that was different from what the pattern calls for. Operator error, I'm sure.
Overall thoughts: I can't express how much I love this skirt. I can't wait to wear it. The pattern was well-written and if you can stomach the bobbles, the rest of the project is easy and goes quite fast. And if we ever get a warm day, I'll get a photo of me actually wearing the skirt.
Posted on 04/24/2008 by Barb
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Finished Objects, Knitting
You’ve probably heard enough about this beaded bag repair project …
this will be the last post about it, I promise!
It has a totally different, more casual feel than the original , but I love it! It has plenty pockets and space for everything ... iPod, camera, cell phone, book, wallet, etc., etc. (Is it any wonder the narrow handles couldn't take it?)
Now I can move on to other things!
Posted on 03/11/2008 by Andrea
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Finished Objects, Knitting
I have to admit I've been in a bit of a knitting slump the past month or two. The St. Mawes sweater was sort of hanging over my head, nagging at me every time I tried to pick up something else. My knitting confidence was shaken and I began to amass a collection of unfinished objects. But I think that finishing St. Mawes and finding out that it was indeed FINALLY right freed up the old creative juices.
So as I waited for St. Mawes to dry (took a good three days, laid out on towels, for that thing to dry and block), I knitted the Koolhaas Hat by Jared Flood. I used this Noro Silk Garden that I'd bought as a complete impulse buy. This hat pattern really is as great as everyone says it is. It's quick to knit and so much fun to watch the cris-crossing cables develop. I really like the end product of cables, but I don't usually like the process. But because the cables only cross one stitch, it's very easy to knit without a cable needle, which makes the endeavor much less painful for me.
And here it is:
Pattern: Koolhaas Hat by Jared Flood. From Interweave Knits Gifts, Winter 2007, but I bought it on the Knitting Daily website (Ravelry Link)
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden (Ravelry Link). My first time using any Noro yarn after hearing so much about it. I doubted its appeal, with the scratchiness and the bits of hay. I have to say, though, that I'm sold on Noro now. At least Silk Garden. It's soft enough and the yarn just has so much character. And of course, the colors are fantastic.
Modifications: Because I didn't get gauge with Noro Silk Garden, I decreased the number of stitch pattern repeats by one. I also cut out one full row repeat (8 rows), but I wish I hadn't because the decreases happened more quickly than I thought and the hat ended up not covering my ears all the way.
Overall thoughts: This was really fun to knit, I loved watching the colors come out, and I'm looking for excuses to make more of them. One of the best patterns I've come across in a long time.
Posted on 03/10/2008 by Andrea
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Finished Objects, Knitting
I can hardly believe this, but over two years after starting the St. Mawes sweater for Brad, I am finally finished.
And he likes it.
VICTORY.
Pattern: St. Mawes (XL) from Rowan Magazine #39 (Ravelry Link)
Yarn: Rowan All Season's Cotton, in Dusk. This was the recommended yarn and it was perfect for the job. It was a joy to work with, and Brad will like it because it's not as warm as wool.
Modifications: I did a reverse stockinette tubular cast-on for the sleeves and body instead of rolled stockinette, which I think looks pretty great (see Techknitter for an explanation of what this is). I modified the neck into a v-neck, per Brad's request. And I had to shorten the sleeves. I also had to perform surgery, but that wasn't really a modification. I just had to mention it again because it was so traumatic.
Overall thoughts: Despite all my bellyaching about this project, I love this sweater and I loved knitting it. It was just the finishing it that killed me. I would do it all over again if given the choice (but I wouldn't make as many mistakes!)
Posted on 03/07/2008 by Barb
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DIY, Finished Objects, Free Patterns, Knitting, Stash
It’s funny how something as insignificant as wrist warmers can affect your life. (Well, that might be an overstatement … your life.) Some areas of our office can feel chilly so I’ve been knitting wrist warmers to keep around for anyone who’s feeling the need for a little something cozy. They’re pretty quick and easy to do once you get the hang of entrelac, and they’re a great way to use up scraps of odds and ends of yarn. They’ve become quite the rage around the office! (Well, that might be an overstatement, too!)
Posted on 02/27/2008 by Barb
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Finished Objects, Knitting, Stash
Ravelry’s Stash Knit Down 2008 Group issued a January Challenge to knit a mile, which I did (yea for me). The total for the group was reported by the group’s moderators, Angela and Karin, to be a whopping 66.21 miles!
I haven’t accomplished tons since The Challenge, but I did finish my Stow-Away Bag (pictured below) so I’m all ready to yarn shop at Double Ewe.
I also have a tear-out in my future. The project is a vintage Christmas stocking I’m trying to recreate. I think I've mentioned it before. It’s coming along but I have a mistake a few rows back and since I should really be using a smaller needle, I’ve decided to rip it out and start over. Sigh. I have the motif all figured out, which is probably the toughest part … or at least the most tedious. So now it’s just a matter of knitting it up. It's been hard to get into it since it's months and months away from Christmas. But I do have to return the stocking to its owner soon so I have to keep on it. More on this when I have something to show, and have had a chance to take some pictures.
Posted on 01/26/2008 by Barb
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Finished Objects, Knitting, Stash
Well, here’s the finished Coin Lace and Cable Wrap, Project 1 of the Knit a Mile from Stash commitment. I gave it to Andrea. It's cozy warm, and v-e-r-y long ... here she is wearing it, looking a little what ... sassy? haughty? smug?
I have 125 yards left to successfully complete The Challenge. I’m improvising some wrist warmers using partial skeins from my stash. First attempt wasn’t quite right so I tore that out last night. Net accomplishment this week toward completion of that last 125 yards: 0 … but a willingness to give it another go.
(Actually, that sort of sums up my week!)
Posted on 01/16/2008 by Barb
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Finished Objects, Knitting, Spinning, Tips
I recently added a zipper to a sweater and people asked how I got it in straight, without having it look all "ruffly."
It's pretty simple. In addition to a sewing machine, your garment and the zipper, you'll need a sheet or two of white tissue paper.
This technique works for all sorts of finicky fabrics ...
Here I'm putting an open-end zipper in the front of a sweater. First, carefully block the sweater, making sure both edges for the zipper are the same length, that they're straight and any stripes or patterns line up left to right.
I generally leave the zipper zipped when I do all this, but if it's easier for you to take the two halves apart, that works, too.
Position the first side of your zipper along the edge of the sweater as shown, and pin it in place. Then lay a sheet of thin tissue paper over it. The tissue paper permits the sewing machine foot to glide over the knitting without pulling at or catching on the yarn. With the tissue side up, carefully stitch through tissue, sweater and zipper, making your row of stitches far enough back from the teeth so the zipper pull will be able to move freely along teeth without any yarn catching in it. It's pretty easy to see what you're doing right through the tissue paper.
Then carefully tear the perforated tissue paper away and remove the pins. Repeat for the second side of the zipper.
Photo by Andrea
That's all there is to it. When you're finished, you'll want to give it a good blocking, of course.
I just grabbed a bit of scrap yarn and tied it to the zipper pull on this sweater, but it's fun to find an interesting bead or bauble to dress it up. I'm keeping my eyes open for just the right thing!
