Category Archives: knitting

Two colorful FOs for my birthday

Posted on February 4, 2011 | 23 Comments

Word Lily knits

I seem to have unintentionally crafted a bright, colorful birthday for myself. That I’m posting these two objects on my birthday is perhaps the most serendipitous part — although, maybe not. I seem to be scrimping on the photographs today in order to get something posted. Please forgive me. The addition of color is quite welcome, though, because it seems to me January has been quite grey. Many days without sunshine.

Motley

When this pattern was first published (in September, maybe?), it was one of those (it happens only rarely for me) patterns that grab a person and won’t let go. I *had* to make this, immediately! Except, the immediacy was delayed, since I needed specific yarn that I didn’t have and couldn’t quite justify buying.

This photo is of the shawl before blocking. It has been blocked now, but I don’t have a decent photo of it yet. I used Marks & Kattens Fame Trend. More details on my Ravelry project page. I love how colorful it is!

Handspun brights

Then. Remember this yarn (merino, two-ply, my handspun; dyed by me last summer at the fiber festival in Iowa)?

I cast on Monday using this Wendy Knits pattern, and on Thursday I cast off, on the second sock. Again, more details on my project page.

I think maybe it’s time to put some color on.

Have you crafted a finished object this week? Check out the roundup of other people’s finished objects for the week at Tami’s Amis.

Fiber Arts Friday

Also, see the Fiber Arts Friday roundup at Wisdom Begins in Wonder to see what other people are crafting this week.

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Fiber Arts finished object Friday

Posted on January 14, 2011 | 21 Comments

Word Lily knits

Shawlette self portrait

Not exactly a great capture of the wrap but as a photograph I found this one interesting.

I cast on for this wrap in June. It didn’t see prime knitting time until after Christmas, though. I’d pick it up and knit a few rows here and there, between projects or when I needed mindless garter stitch. This was knit was a simple one for me — not only is it basically all garter stitch, but this is also the third time I’ve followed the Gardiner-Terhi path. (It’s not quite a pattern, it’s more of a variation of a variation of a pattern. Or something like that.) This time, though, I threw in (what felt like) a wrinkle of my own.

Instead of making this one envelopingly large, I made this one smaller. I quit the main section about 3/4ths of the way through, and I knit about 2/3rds of the called-for tail section before switching colors. I measured the contrasting color section in inches rather than in rows (to be nearly the same length as on the larger one) since I used a heavier yarn for that section this time.

Here it is laid out flat:
Gardiner-Terhi shawlette flat

Today, I need to work on a crocheted hat, and if I get that done I’ll probably give my first entrelac project a bit more time.

Fiber Arts FridayCheck out the Fiber Arts Friday roundup at Wisdom Begins in Wonder to see what other people are crafting this week. Also: See a roundup of other people’s finished objects for the week at Tami’s Amis.

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Socks done, socks to come

Posted on January 4, 2011 | 7 Comments

Word Lily knits

I’ve recently finished two pairs of socks, and I’m getting ready to start another two.

Finished: Leaning socks

This is my first pair of worsted weight socks, and they went really quickly. The pattern‘s a translation, though, and not very easy to follow. It also assumes a certain amount of sock-knitting knowledge. I thought I took excellent notes as I went along, but the toes ended up different than each other anyway. I dithered for more than a week, trying to decide if I could live with the inconsistency, but I finally just decided to finish them. I used stash Lion Brand wool, it took less than 2 skeins for the pair.

Finished: Denim blue Rivulets

Pattern: Rivulets
Yarn: Araucania Ranco Multy in colorway 328
These socks were my first toe-up socks, and the making was not without hiccups. I had to rip them out several times before I finally got the needle size and foot length right. All that’s really my fault, though, not the pattern’s. I really love them! I’ll definitely be making more toe-up socks. Just realized my bind off at the cuff is too tight. :( But they’re still very wearable. I do hope this yarn holds up better than the other from this brand I used, though (which had different fiber content, so I think there’s a decent chance — plus, these are knit at a smaller gauge, which has to help, right?).

Queued: Monkeys

Yarn: Plymouth Yarn Sockin’ Sox, color 002; superwash wool, bamboo, nylon
This hugely popular pattern is sung as the (one of the) preeminent answer(s) to pool-happy yarn. Which is what I discovered I have after casting on for a pair of stockinette short socks a month or two ago. (Well, at least at the gauge I was working at.) So, Cookie A. Monkeys it is.

Queued: Handspun brights

Remember this yarn? Yeah. I’m planning to use this Wendy Knits pattern. This definitely calls for a simple pattern, as I’m expecting the yarn to sing. After looking through patterns, I’m hopeful I’ll have enough of this yarn to not require something else for the cuffs or heels/toes.

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Word Lily’s 2010 in fiber arts: A retrospective

Posted on January 1, 2011 | 2 Comments

I experienced quite a few fiber arts firsts in the last year. I intentionally stretched myself. Although I didn’t quite accomplish every single goal, I’m happy with the progress I made.

    In 2010 I:

  • Began designing
    • released Hedgerows as a free pattern

      • Hedgerows in greys

    • and have several other patterns in various stages of completion.
  • Knit with my own handspun yarn for the first time (and several subsequent times).

  • Did some intensive spinning, including spinning every day of the Tour de Fleece.

  • Attended Yarn School and my first fiber festival.
    • Took my first forays into dyeing and fiber prep.
    • I fell in love with drum carding, spinning from batts, and dyeing fiber.

I plan to continue branching out in these directions — I was surprised with a drum carder for Christmas!

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Christmas knitting

Posted on December 30, 2010 | Leave a comment

Word Lily knits

I struck a good balance this year, with a good amount of gift knitting (not too much), and with it spread out over months. No cramming and stress, yay! I’m not sure it’s exactly due to careful planning and moderation on my part, though; it’s most likely serendipity, at least in part. Happily, I think they were all well-received, too.

I knit a hat for my only niece, and fashioned a ceramic button (that I made a couple years ago) into a pin as a fastener and decoration for it. I looked through tons of patterns, but I settled on this one, which I’d seen on another babe this fall.

Pattern: Poppy
Yarn: recycled sweater yarn (wool, rayon, nylon, cashmere, angora)

Last year a certain sister-in-law received a scarf I’d made, and after Christmas she wanted a hat to wear with it. But I was out of the yarn, and I couldn’t find any to buy to barter for, either. When I found a dab of the yarn in my scrap bin, I knew it would work for her hat.

That’s me modeling it, not the recipient.
Hat pattern: Surface braid hat
Yarn: recycled sweater yarn, mostly wool

We went through several ideas for what to get my dad (he’s hard to buy for!), but this fedora is the only thing that ended up working.

Pattern: Fedora
Yarn: recycled cotton sweater yarn

I also made red and green kerchiefs for all the siblings’ pups.

The other [five] knitted or crocheted gifts were all made well ahead of time, without specific recipients exactly in mind. I don’t have decent photos of most of them, either.

Did you give handmade gifts this year?

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Christmas ornaments

Posted on December 22, 2010 | 7 Comments

Before I fell full-bore into gift knitting (now thankfully done!), I was getting into the Christmas spirit by making ornaments.

Christmas trees


Click any photo to view it larger.

These are the first ones we made. Paul shaped and slipped the trees, and I strung my handspun yarn as a garland. I especially like the bit of sparkle and variation in the yarn, as well as the highlight the edges of the trees themselves bring. I love it when we find ways to collaborate in craft!

We may iterate on this idea more in the future.

Icicles


Again, click any photo to view it larger.

I pounded out quite a few of these; they’re kind of the unifying element on our personal tree this year. They come together really quick, too; I was getting four or so done in an hour. They’re a variety of lengths.

Here’s how I made them:

With a hook size suitable to the yarn (I used a G or H hook with worsted weight yarn), Ch — loosely! — a number approximating the desired length of your icicle. I had good luck with 18 or so. Any shorter than 14 I found less than ideal.

Working in the fourth ch from hook, 3 dc. Work 3 dc in each ch to end. Break yarn, weave in ends.


Icicle B prototype

This is an idea not fully come to fruition, I think. I like where it’s headed, but I’m not sure when I’ll have more time to devote to it.

I crocheted the stainless steel and threaded a bit of undyed combed top through it.

Have you made any ornaments this year?

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Iteration in knitting

Posted on December 12, 2010 | 2 Comments

Word Lily knits

Paul’s post yesterday mentioned iteration, particularly in gestural drawing.

The first is that the “process of drawing is a really live process and not like a dead thing, ‘Oh my God I can’t change anything because I made that line five minutes ago.’” If we didn’t learn this from all of the gestural drawings we did in college, I don’t think we ever will. This is, I believe, what paralyzes a lot of people who do not have artistic training (or even artistic ambitions) when they think of drawing. They have this idea that your first line has to be perfect. Not so.

(He’s quoting from a video on a New York Times blog.)

So now I’m wondering,

What does iteration look like in knitting? In knitwear design?

Sure, knitting can be ripped back and reworked. But sometimes that destroys the yarn.

I don’t have answers today, only the question.

What does iteration look like in your craft? In your blogging?

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Fiber Arts Friday: Amigurumi challenge

Posted on November 5, 2010 | 15 Comments

amigurumi, n A stuffed animal toy usually made from crocheted yarn and having an oversized head

I’ve had a couple amigurumi on my to-make list for years, but until this week I’ve never gotten around to making a softie. Now, I’ve made several.

Last Friday (on Twitter, where else?), I told Alea (@mint910) that she should challenge me to make one so I’d actually get around to it. And she did. She gave me a deadline of November 10, but I’ve already completed it.

The first one I made is knitted.

Knitted gnome; my Ravelry project

Then I made a crocheted one.

Then I made the one my husband thought I should make (also crocheted).

I’m not happy with my embroidery on either the kitty or the Ewok. Mostly on Miuku (the cat), the face should all be a bit higher, but especially the eyes. She’s pretty tipsy even though I put a few pennies in her base.

The Ewok, especially, was a TON of work. And I’m especially displeased with his mouth. But what’s done is done. I knew I wasn’t particularly skilled at embroidery; maybe I should have thought about that before I embarked on this challenge! The Ewok (also weighted) stands much better on his own than the cat.

I kind of want to make a bunny nugget next.

Bunny Nuggets, projects and photo via Knitting Zeal.

Have you tried your hand at amigurumi?

Fiber Arts Friday

Check out the Fiber Arts Friday roundup to see what other people are crafting this week.

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