Of Course It's Green!

The Merino top is 4 oz and is dyed by Poppy Flower Fibers. The colour is called "Harvest Collection #16. It's around a fingering weight and I got about 480 yards out of it.

I'm extremely happy with this one!

So, I've made some yarn...

So this is my first go at it. It's BFL in the Natural colour. It was so soft! As you can see, it was all over the place but it taught me a lot.





This is my second attempt with the same fibre. So much better! I was really encouraged with this go at it. In these photos you can see the improvement I've made.


Well, more improvement has taken place since and you'll see it soon!

Now I Can Make It Myself!

I have joined many other knitters who spin their own yarn. I purchased a Lendrum Double Treadle Spinning Wheel in October. I've been admiring the beautiful handspun yarns on other people's blogs and also on Ravelry for a couple of years and knew that it would be something I'd want to try at least. I saved up and got it from a shop just 30 minutes from where I live. So, I've been having lots of fun with it and of course the fibre part of it all is great too... all the colours are just wonderful.





SO MUCH FUN!!!!

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

Finished Knitting Blogging

Hello, I've been away for quite a while. I have been knitting though... Here are some finished projects:

Central Park Hoodie
Tahki Donegal Tweed 5.5 Skeins

Alisha's Irish Hiking Scarf
Malabrigo Worsted 2 Skeins

Pictures will be coming soon. I'm having trouble uploading them right now. If you are on ravelry you can check out all my knits. I'm "jen8"

The race begins!

So, I've joined the Tour de France KAL. It will be fun... I got into watching the race thanks to Jason and like following the cyclists on the tour. I'm going to knit my sock pal's socks. Yes, I know I've already posted about my pal's sock. I decided against them as my pal's feet are longer than what I'm used to kniting for and I feared that there may not be enough yarn for a nice length on the leg. I bought some nice sock yarn with more than 400 yards in it.

This is my first attempt at trying out a pattern. Turned out too tight and I wasnt having fun with it. I think it looks great though. Just not a great knit for me.


Here is my second attempt. I worried again that it would be too tight and I guess I just wasn't keen on the striping going on.


So, I found a pattern that I think will work out alright. And I really hope she likes it cause this is my last and final attempt. That's not a bad attitude now is it?

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?

Jarrett is on his way...

I am still here. Just busy -and then not so busy -but without a camera so no posting (boring without the pictures). So I got promoted at work and am very pleased, very happy, and it's what I've wanted for a long time! Jason and a couple of my kids are in Ontario and have been for about a week so I've had a lot of time to knit and get some house things done and spend time with Sebastian. Tonight I finished seaming Jarrett! All the ends are even woven in! Too bad the camera isn't here. I'm going to wait to block it until Jason has had a chance to try it on and then if I need to block it to a certain length or width I can do that then. I'll take a picture and post it before I do the blocking though. I'm so GLAD to have that one done. I thing it has been one year exaclty since he picked out the yarn with me. Pretty sad.

Slowly but Surely

Look at my lovely Fay...



In this shot she's blocking nicely.... I've started on the sleeves and will probably want to get the seams of the front and back sewn up sooner than later.

Laura B got it right. They are the Madder Rib socks (Vintage Socks - Nancy Bush). And Pixie, they very well could be the Nova Scotia colour way. I would have knit my pal a pair of Monkeys but she already has a pair. Oops, a little hint!

My Pal's Socks

Well, along with the other one thousand plus knitters, I joined this years Sockapalooza 4. I'm very excited about it all and already have a good start on my pal's sock.



I already had this yarn and was planning on socks for myself... I figured that my Pal would enjoy this yarn too. It's Fleece Artist 100% Washable Merin Wool. I tried to find the colour name or number on the band but there's nothing.


It's a nice mossy green with a marine blue through it. Lots of depth.


Can anyone guess which pattern it is?

April UFO Resurrection

No photos today... You wouldn't see much of a difference. Except that I have COMPLETED (!) the back of Fay. I have started the front and have done the bottom lace detail, the waist decreases and am increasing from the waist shaping. I'm enjoying this pattern and Rowan 4-ply Soft is great to knit with. Unfortunatly, I still have more than half of the front and two entire full-length sleeves.

Jarrett is still on the side lines....

Baby Knits Planning

I'm happy to say that my little sister had her second baby at the beginning of this month. Her first boy and he is such a cutie! So I'm planning some baby knits for my little nephew Owen. I won't be out to see them until August at the earliest so I've got lots of time and he's got some growing to do too. Anything I'll make him will be for a size 12 months anyway so he will have room to grow. I have a feeling he'll fit a 12 month size before his first birthday.

I bought this Debbie Bliss Book when I first learned to knit in 1994. It has a lot of cute patterns and I'm SO glad I hung on to it after all this time.



This is the yarn I'm thinking of using. The Grey should be quite familliar to those who have visited my blog before. It's Rowan Yorkshire Tweed DK in "Mouse". I'm quite confident that I'll have lots left over from Jason's cardigan. The other one is the same yarn in "Drizzle". Love it! I bought this yarn for myself and would like to make something fitted similar to Salina. I could totally do another Salina. So I may have enough of this left over to do a little something for Owen.



This is the pattern I've wanted to knit ever since I bought this book. In fact, this is the pattern that I bought the book for. The book really has a lot of neat patterns and covers a larger range of sizes... 1 yr to 10 yrs. You don't find a lot of patterns for 7 to 10 year olds.



So what do you think? Mouse or Drizzle? Liz? How about Mouse?

Old to Me, New to You!

Here's a sock that I made last year. I can't remember when I started it... probably in the summer. I finished it in September I think. This sock does have a mate I just haven't taken a picture of the pair.



The yarn is Lorna's Laces "Mixed Berries" and I love it. Reminds me of the Super Man colours.



They are a bit roomy for my liking but they are very comfortable and warm... I usually put them on after a long day at work after comming off City Transit and walking home. I need to warm my feet up.

Update on Jarrett....
The first sleeve is too baggy. The second sleeve I fear may be too tight but I believe in my heart that it can be blocked out. My verdict is to rip out both and knit them cuff up and flat as the pattern told me to. But they are going to have to wait while I digest this change of mind. Jason is happy that the sleeves will match and that they will both fit so he is giving me my time away from this project without mentioning Jarrett... for a while.