Green Vesticle

I was asked back in April by a friend to make a vest for her. So I when she was over one night I brought out all my pattern books and magazines and we went through many of them looking for a suitable vest. She earmarked a few of the ones that she liked but none that really "got" her. So I logged on to Ravelry and we had another browse there.

She settled on the Cambridge Vest.








Pattern: Cambridge Vest by Martin Storey
From: Rowan Classic Alpaca Book 13
Yarn: Rowan Felted Tweed in Herb 3.5 skeins
Needles: 3.5mm & 3.75mm

I've used this yarn before and loved it. I love the different flecks of colour especially the two colours of blue in this colourway along with black and white.

A Rare Gift For A Baby

I rarely knit gifts for children. There are a few reasons why I don't: kids grow fast and soon outgrow whatever I've made, parents don't know how to wash hand-knitted items and they tend to shrink or felt over time, I don't always know the exact size the child is and fear that the item may not fit, and lastly, I fear that the gift really isn't appreciated to my expectations (purely selfish on my part but hey, I put a lot of effort into my knitting).

All that said, I knitted a pair of booties and a sweater for my boss's baby girl back in June.


These are Saartje's Booties and there are well over 3200 pairs out there. They used about half of a skein of Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe. Very cute!



And very quick!






Pattern: Child's Placket-Neck Pullover by Joelle Hoverson (Last-Minute Knitted Gifts)
Yarn: Koigu Kersti Merino Crepe 2.5 skeins
Needles: 4.5mm
Size: 6 - 12 months
Recipient: J. L. B.


So I got the reaction that I had hoped for from not only the parents but also everyone in attendance at the little girl's baby shower. Which may change my mind about knitting for children.

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

Jarrett is done!

Pattern: Jarrett by Kim Hargreaves from "Vintage Style"
Yarn: Rowanspun DK in Mouse 6.5 skeins (I think) for size 38
Needles: Addi Turbos 3.75mm, 4mm and 3.25mm for patches
Mods: None.
Started: August 2006
Finished: June 2007




I'm so glad it's done. I blocked it before Jason tried it on and I stretched the sleeves a bit too much. I'll have to remember that when I wash it again.


The buttons are great! At first they looked like petrified wood but I think they are some kind of horn. You never really know what they will look like until they are on the garment. I was afraid that they would be too large but I think they are perfect.

Here are some others that inspired me:
Aren't they all just wonderful?

My So Called Scarf

Love this Scarf!! I used one skein of Malabrigo and I have to say that this is the softest scarf most will ever feel. I could have made it a little longer but the person who will recieve this has a little one and a little one on the way.. last thing she needs to get strangled by it.



Pattern: My So Called Scarf free pattern from Sheep In the City found here.
Yarn: Malabrigo 1 skein
Needles: 8 mm straight Areos
Recipient: My Sister! Merry Christmas!!

Salina

At long last, I made time to download these pictures of my finished Salina to my computer. I love this sweater! I've been wearing it out more than I thought I would and it just so happens that it is very comfortable!! I've done almost all my Christmas shopping in this sweater.

A close up on the great buttons...


Pattern: Salina by Kim Hargreaves from Rowan's Vintage Style
Yarn: Rowan's Felted Tweed in Herb (146) 5.25 balls for XS size
Needles: Addi Turbo circulars 3.25mm and 3.75mm
Mods: I increased the length of the body by 1 cm before the waist shaping as well as the sleeve length by 1 cm just before working the increases. I also sewed down the buttonhole flap at the bottom because my 5 cast on stitches seemed a little tight and pulled up a bit. I really enjoyed knitting this sweater. The felted tweed made the plain stockinette stitching interesting. And I LOVE moss stitch! I could knit this again... although, if I were, I think I would figure out how to make the arm holes not so big. Other than that, I'm pretty happy with the turn out.

Warm Woolies All Around

I made this ipod sweater way back in February. Jason needed something to protect his precious ipod so I volunteered my services. I used some left over Lett-Lopi from a sweater I made way back in 1995! I bought a skein of Atacama varigated 100% alpaca yarn to stripe it. He loves it. So do I.

Erin's Cardigan

Pattern: 28b. Blouson from Phildar's Pitchoun ete collection 2006
Size: 6 years
Yarn: Phildar Aviso in Campanule (7 balls) et Blanc (3 balls)
Needles: 4mm & 4.5mm Addi Turbos

I finished this cardigan a while ago... maybe in early October. She was able to wear it for her school pictures. I enlisted my mother to sew in the zipper and 4 broken needles later it was in. Thanks Mom! One little difficulty that I (we) had was getting the zipper in. The side trim is very thick and the sewing machine didn't like going through all that knitted fabric. But it fits her and she likes it a lot.

Kendra's Daisies

This is my 2 year old Niece in her new jumper. As you can see, she has lots of room to grow in it over the fall, winter, and spring.

Bomber Cardi

15 balls of elann's Den-M-Nit in ecru can make one of these...




The "Bomber" cardi found in Rowan's Denim People by Kim Hargreaves.






I made this cardigan for my lovely sister for her birthday. It was the first knit I have made after about a 6 year break. I had forgotten how theraputic knitting is. I'm in love again.

Elann's substitute yarn worked wonderfully and I got perfect guage which is always encouraging. I washed, dried and blocked this knit and I am so pleased with the results. I was only taught how to knit on a pair of mittens before I moved away from my teacher, so I learned the rest on my own. I didn't know about blocking back then but I see how it really can make the difference between a "homemade" sweater and a "hand-crafted" sweater. So, it's a success. My sister has already worn it and she says it's a good fit.

Next post I'll show you something I made for my niece (my sister's daughter) once again featuring Den-M-Nit in Navy.