Tree Jacket

The next completed project I have to show is my very green Tree Jacket.



I loved working with the Malabrigo Merino Worsted. So soft!







Pattern: Tree Jacket by Zepher girls Sarah and Rachel
Yarn: Malabrigo Merino Worsted in Verdes
Needles: Addi Turbos in size 5mm
Size: xs 4.25 hanks used
Time to knit: February - April 2008

This is another favourite. Very comfortable to wear and warm. Of course the yarn pills a bit but I can live with that. These photos were taken before the sweater was blocked. After blocking the collar folded down and it now lays quite nicely. I think I increased the length in the body and in the sleeves. I tried not to take out the biasing in the body during the blocking -I kind of like it sideways.

I think I would knit this again... Malabrigo is great and I would use it again but I would also use Dream in Color Classy in maybe a blue.

Finished Fay

The next completed item that I will show you is my Fay. It took me a little over a year to finish but I found that in the beginning of it I found it really hard to keep focused on the pattern. Until I reached that "I've got to get this done already" point I really didn't get it. After a couple of pattern repeats it all made sense and I really didn't need that pattern to create the fabric... only the decreasing and increasing.









Pattern: FAY by Kim Hargreaves "New Beginnings"
Yarn: Rowan 4 Ply Soft in "Marine" 4.8 balls
Size: XS
Needles: 2.75mm and 3.25mm
Time: March 2007 - April 2008
You can find the pattern on www.kimhargreaves.com

I love this sweater. Really love it. I put a lot of hard work into it and it looks impressive. The impressive factor is important of course, sometimes that is the only thing that keeps the knitting happening.

It looks great with a collared shirt underneath, I haven't tried anything else with it yet. I wanted the yarn to be in the same colour the model is wearing on the website but it was discontinued and Kim didn't have any left so I opted for the navy (which I do love) and then I did find 10 balls in "Goblin" from another source so I got them too. I Love my greens! I'll probably use it to make another lacy sweater. I have lots anyways.

Still Here

So , I'm still here. I've been reading other people's blogs a lot lately... knitting blogs and more recently spinning blogs. And I don't know why but I have the need to start blogging myself again. Ravelry IS great but I'm finding that it really isn't satisfying the need of updating my thoughts on my projects and logging my thoughts on future projects. As well as commenting and linking to other's projects. When Ravelry happened I thought "Great, this will be easier and better and I won't have to spend that extra time writing a post, uploading pictures and replying to comments etc. etc.

There is a need for Ravelry and I do Love It but there really is no limit with blogging. I could post about quilting and show all the quilts I have in my home, or write about my obsession with hand-dyed roving and other's hand-spun yarns. Wow! I'm so inspired! And then seeing the hand-spun then hand-knit into beautiful socks, mitts, shawls, sweaters and cowls! It's all so wonderful!

So, here are some finished projects that have come about since my absence last year. Let's see if I can remember how to do this...

Central Park Hoodie








Pattern: Central Park Hoodie by Heather Lodinsky in Knitscene Fall 2006
Yarn: Tahki Donegal Tweed 6 skeins
Size: 32
Needle Sizes: 4mm, 5mm
Time: June 2007 - October 2007

I love this cardigan! LOVE IT! It fits just right, the yarn is hard-wearing so I don't feel like I have to treat it with too much care. I love the colour... even though I was going for the green like the pattern.

I am knitting another one for my mom and I will be adding buttons and a button band to hers. This is what hers looks like so far:



For hers I'm using Rowan Scottish Tweed Aran in a fabulous purple with fushia tweediness in it. I really love this one too but I know she'll like it more. Besides, I could always knit another.

So that's it for now, next I'll show you my finished Cherish cropped cardigan. To those who are still subscribed to After Eight, thank you and sorry for neglecting it. And to those who have popped in every now and then or have come here by means of surfing, glad you made it and I hope to keep things active if not interesting.

Thanks,
jen