Mmm Alpaca

The first time I ever went to Webs, I fell in love with Classic Elite Miracle and Classic Elite Premiere. They are both so soft. I could caress them all day long. I decided that I must knit myself two different sweaters using these yarns. I used the premiere on the Phyllo Yoked Sweater to not so great results. I am hoping that the sweater made of miracle will fit much better.

When I got my Vogue Knitting Fall 2006 issue, I fell in love with the Cabled Scoop Neck sweater from the Gray's Anatomy section. I love the traveling cable. It is so different and classic looking. You can't tell from this picture, but this pattern also features quite a bit of waist shaping. Hopefully that will make this sweater even more wearable than the last.

I am using the color Martin's Purple which is a really deep dark purple. Right now I'm almost done with the back.

I have gotten some major help with this pattern from Ingrid on the knitting help forum. Here's the thread if you're interested in all of the ways that I messed up the cable section of this sweater. It really is not a hard pattern. It's just that every time I had to interpret an instruction on the chart I did it completely wrong.

But, now I'm cruising right along.

In other sweater news, I am planning on making the Dollar and a Half Cardigan by Véronik Avery from the Interweave Knits Spring 2007 issue. I ordered the elusive Reynolds Soft Linen yarn from Webs and it came in last week. Tomorrow I'm driving up to pick it up. Of course, I might get a few more things while I'm there. :)

Jess' Birthday Gift

For Jessica's Birthday I made another scarf. She's always wearing scarves -- even inside the house. So I figured I could get away with a really impractical scarf. Not so much for keeping you warm, but instead just to be pretty. So when I saw that the yarn barn had gotten a shipment of Tilli Tomas in, I ran right down to get some. While I love the silky softness and sparkly rhinestones in this yarn, the number of knots I came across was unbelievable! There were at least six knots in this one skein! I doubt I will be picking up this yarn again.

Pattern: Ariel Scarf, by Ysolda.

Yarn: Tilli Tomas Disco Lights in color hope. I only used 1 skein. I bought the yarn from the yarn barn.

Needles: I used size US 8 aluminum straight needles.

Here's a close-up of the stitch pattern on the blocking board.

A Sweater for Me

Pattern: Phyllo Yoked Sweater, Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan.

Yarn: Classic Elite Premiere in color 5207 (bright blue). I only used 8 skeins (about 864 yards). This is much less than the 1400 yards called for in the pattern. I bought the yarn from Webs.

Needles: I used a 24" US 6 Knit Picks options circulars.

Finished dimensions: I knit the 40 1/2" chest size and it came out a little large. I think the premiere yarn stretched after washing.

I think the spiral pattern in this sweater is simply gorgeous!

If I were to knit this again, I would add a little waist shaping and maybe go down a size. Unfortunately, it's not the most flattering sweater in the world in its current incarnation.

Still, I learned a lot with this project including how to read a lace chart and how to seam up a sweater.

A Knitted Christmas

We had a very scarf Christmas this year. What else do you expect for a knitter that's been knitting for less than a year?

Here's the round-up:

My parents got a pair of bike helmet ear warmers. They fit Nancy's helmet better than my dad's. It was actually really funny making them guess what these were before I finally told them.

Pattern: Bike Helmet Ear Warmers, Men Knit Fall 2005.

Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted in color M-05 Onyx. I used about 1 skein for both sets and I still have a little bit left over. I bought the yarn from the yarn barn, my really local yarn store.

Needles: I used US 8 aluminum needles.

Modifications: After knitting the first two pieces and sewing them up, I decided to knit each ear warmer in one piece and then sewing up just one seam. I am happy to report that this worked perfectly! I omitted one stitch that would have been eaten up by the seam that I didn't have to do.

My father-in-law got a scarf that is fitting for a man that will retire in Maine. This was a quick and fun knit! My first scarf knit the long way.

Pattern: Men's Rustic Scarf, Last-Minute Knitted Gifts.Yarn.

Yarn: Rowan Yorkshire Tweed Chunky in colors 553 (pecan), 556 (flaming) and 557 (olive oil). I used less than 1 skein of each color. I bought the yarn from Jimmy Beans.

Needles: I used a US 11 Knit Picks 40" circular needle.

My brother-in-law, Adam, received a Harry Potter scarf for Christmas. We thought this would be a great gift for him since everyone in Japan called would say, "Oh, Harry Potter!" whenever they saw him when we were all there in March. I really liked how it came out, but it took FOREVER to knit.


Pattern: Harry Potter Prisoner of Azkaban Scarf, Atypically Knit.

Yarn: Plymouth Encore in colors burnt sienna (#0999) and butternut (#1014). I used less than 1 skein of the butternut and 4 skeins of the burnt sienna. I bought the yarn from the yarn barn.

Needles: I used a US 8 Addi Turbo 16" circular needle.

Modifications: I did not knit the full 13 pattern repeats. Instead, I stopped at 10. It was already super long.

My sister-in-law Tracy got a scarf and hat set.

Pattern: My So Called Scarf, from Sheep in the City. The stitch pattern is the Little Herringbone pattern from A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara Walker. I made up the hat pattern myself by piecing together several generic hat patterns.

Yarn: Manos del Uruguay in the Wildflower colorway. I used 2 skeins for the scarf and one skein for the hat. I bought the yarn from Jimmy Beans.Needles

Needles: I used US 11 straight aluminum needles.

My First Sweater

This was meant to be Eric's birthday present in October, but I didn't end up finishing it until Christmas. Since I wanted to make sure he actually wore the sweater, I let him pick out the pattern. He specifically chose this one because he liked the colors. I think it is Bill Cosby-esque -- hence the appeal.

Pattern: Guy's Raglan sweater, Knitscene Fall/Winter 2005.

Yarn: Filatura Di Crosa - 127 Print in color 18. I used about 11.5 skeins. I bought the yarn from Webs.

Needles: To get gauge I had to go down to a size 6 needle. I used Knit Picks options circulars for the body of the sweater and Inox Express circulars for the sleeves.

Finished dimensions: I knit the 43" chest size and it came out just right.

Modifications: I did a 1 by 1 ribbing for the cuffs and bottom of the sweater instead of the oblique ribbed pattern that was called for. Eric didn't like the look of the rolled stockinette. I did convince him to keep it for the neckline though and I'm glad we did. That the part that everyone complements.

All in all, not bad for a first sweater project if I do say so myself. I selected this pattern from the ones Eric chose because it looked so easy. Knit for the top down, all in one piece -- no sewing at all! I really enjoyed knitting this sweater and look forward to doing more top-down patterns in the future.

Here's a close up of the neckline: