Casted on Tulip

I am knitting Tulip from Rowan 41 with Cotton Glace instead of Damask, as I want to knit it in solid color. I planned to knit Peace cardigan from Rowan 25 at first but changed my mind.

I bought this yarn for 10 balls-pack and it has been occupied my limited stash storage for long time. I have enjoyed picturing various project for these balls enough and now I want to destash them to make additional space for future projects. I always feel glad when I reached the end of ball cause it means that I get space for another ball."

So, i started knitting Tulip using same needle size. When I reached before armhole, I remembered someones comment about the length of Tulip that it looks longer in picture than actual design, and it really is. Small and short. So I frogged. I changed needle size and made some calculation to extend the length with waist shaping. And reached before armhole again. It looks alright so far. So glad!

And shell stitch bag, I almost finished. I have to get matching button and liner. The yarn I used for main color is 100% silk according to its label but I felt if i were knitting with jute - not smooth at all. I'll never use this yarn again.

Blue socks and flower bag

I finished simple socks with short-row heel and short-row toe. The yarn is the Margo, hand dyed yarn by Trico. Really beautiful and soft yarn. I enjoyed from the first stitch to the last stitch.



And this crocheted flower bag. The yarn is Rowan 4ply cotton. Too cute for women in her mid-thirty? Don't worry. I just wanted to know the structure of this pattern. I will make another in more bulky yarn in more chic color so that I can bring out with me. It's so pretty.

Stash enhancement

I went to Rowan store this morning and got some cotton yarn for next big project - Babette Blanket. I will use some from my stash for white, beige, navy, light blue colors. I was looking for dark brown color but it was not in 4ply cotton, so I selected Cotton Glace instead. But this idea was too optimistic. I tried with small motif using 4ply yarn plus Cotton Glace yarn and found the fact that thickness of each yarn were completely different. It doesn't affect on scale but the touch of the fabric is somewhat hard. So Cotton Glace will not work for this project. Anyway, this is not the project that have to be worked in hurry and I need some more color.

Cotton FBS finished

My cotton FBS has just finished and blocked. I was not sure if this scarf has enough size for use at first as it shrinked a lot. It turned ok after blocking and I am very glad about the result! I like the touch of the scarf - it's like gauze, very soft. FBS is absolutely pretty pattern.

I like using triangle scarf like this way rather than spreading out to show its pattern.

Project paln for spring 08

I've just joined Ravelry and it's really terrific and dangerous place. It evoked my passion for knitting.

- cotton shawl
I've already started since last month. It's a Flower Basket Shawl from IK, using organic cotton in pale green color doubled in size 3 needle. I only have 80 grams so I will use up all this yarn for this project.


- crochet bag
This bag was listed in my ToKnit list for spring of last year... I'll start when FBS is almost finished.


- Peace cardigan from Rowan magazine 25
I have purple Cotton Glace yarn in my stash. Will start soon.


- Anklet socks
Still looking some nice pattern and nice cotton sock yarn.

- cotton scarf
Not decided the pattern yet. Maybe Ribbon Lace scarf from latest Knitty or something like this or crochet. I'll start after FBS.

Actually, there are some more projects in my mind, but these are the one that I should start asap to finish before best-season-for-wearing ends.

Some pictures of FO of last season

I always get lost what to knit between seasons. I know it's apparently better to knit cotton from now considering my slow hand but I've just had very beautiful lace weight yarn and can't put it into my stash box.
Anyway, before I talk about some plan for coming season, I think I have to put some picture of finished objects that I haven't uploaded yet.

Fingerless mitten for my son. I used the chart from here (http://www.supermitten.com/images/SkullCharts.gif) I followed the practice for intarsia knitting I read somewhere before but my hand didn't work right.

He showed around this pair and we-call-them-pirate hat to his friend's mom or stuff at pre-school. Most of them were non-knitter and returned reaction was "You made them? I never want to do like this. I hate needlework!" Even I got the praise from them, it felt totally different from words from knitters.


And this is crochet motif bag, from this book.



I used the odd balls in stash with no ravels. The bag is made of 63 large motifs and 48 small motifs and joining just like when you make blanket. Then crochet around them to gether side. I have to attach a liner inside, but not yet.

That all I finished for this winter. Let's talk about my plan for spring in next post!

A reason for no-updates

Sorry if you have visited here just to see same post again and again. Well, I am now facing some serious concern about my son and it is really hard to enjoy something. It's about color vision - he often mistake darkgreen and dark brown. I brought him to eye doctor's and asked for test. And result was not happy one and really shocked me. What I see is NOT what he sees and there is no way to know how he sees. Sigh.

So I am reading some books to understand more about color vision. Cause that looks only the things I can do about it.

I feel very nervous about the color-matter now but I hope time will mitigate and get back to life with yarn and needles.

Bayerische sock

I started this Bayerische sock in December. It was first time to knit a sock with the pattern chart all throughout the project. Very complicated and hard to remember for me who with a short memory. I used same yarn named in the pattern in different color, so I didn't worry about the yarn at first. When I turned heel and started foot part, I suddenly started worrying the amount of rest yarn and lost motivation to finish. I left it away for a while but I decided to trust the pattern and started again and managed to let it off the needle today. Left over yarn was only a couple of yards. You can guess how i relieved. I couldn't help smiling when I put the finished sock ;-)

The pattern looks better on my leg than itself as the ribbed pattern shrinks.
I think I can enjoy second sock cause I no longer have to worry for the shortage of the yarn.

Merry X'mas

It's christmas day today and the stocking is filled with alot of sweets! Happy holidays!

Christmas stocking

Isn't this looks like a sleeve or some parts of a garment? No. It's a Knitted Fisherman Stocking. I hadn't read carefully and thought it should be knitted in round with thick dpns, and this misunderstanding made me reluctant to start since last year. Knitting thick yarn with thick dpns in round is uneasy for me. When I noticed it could be knit with straight needle back and forth, I flew to the LYS to get materials. Only 10 days for Christmas eve. I'm knitting like crazy this socks tossing all other projects.
The picture on the pattern site is unclear, but the appeared texture is really pretty.

Red gloves

I knitted this Ladies' Gloves with Scalloped Ribs on Two Needles from "Charm" Glove Book 12 c1950 in red Regia yarn. I was just curious about the way knitting in 2 needle. I like the way pattern continues from wrist to finger.

Finished scarves

Chunky slub yarn scarves for me and my son. I used 5 balls for mine and 2 for son's. I've been knitting for many years but NEVER made a scarf in chunky slub yarn until now. I usually prefer lacy pattern in fine weight yarn but my taste is completely different recently.


And another finished one is Mermaid scarf from Knittingdaily site.
I made this crochet lace scarf to use for autumn. As it is very long, i can wrap around my neck twice. Lacy but warm enough for sunny day.

Finished red rib scarf. Feel so glad to be set free from those boring ribbing pattern. I like the crocheted edging on both end. They are just one-row edging but the result looks totally different!

I won't knit any more scarf for this winter because i have already knitted 2 other new scarves which I haven't taken pictures yet (they will be here soon).

So, what's next? Well, my son is requesting to knit a pair of fingerless gloves (not mitten) in black with a skull motif on back. It will be a challenging project for me ...

Progress on red scarf

I've been working on red scarf very patiently without starting any other new knitting project. 3 balls projects looks quite big for sock knitter. I knitted up 2 balls so far and one more to go.

Lavender Lace Socks

This is a Lavender Lace Socks from Vogue Knitting Socks, i wanted to knit for long time. I couldn't find yarn that would not get hard when knitted in the lace pattern until I used this yarn, hand-dyed by Trico. The name for the color is "Sakura (cherry blossom)" with pale pink, blue and purple. I never used such soft and beautiful wool yarn before. Really nice.

red rib scarf

I started a red rib scarf for myself. Ann Budd's knitted Ribbed Scarf with Crochet Edging Pattern. I have tried this pattern with scrap yarn to see how the stitch pattern works last year and gave up for "mostly purl" pattern at that time. It looks like mistake rib and made of " p3 k1" pattern on both side. I think the result must be same if I knit in " k3 p1 " so I changed like this. It is supposed to be used in midwinter. Yarn is Zara of Filatura Di Crosa.

We call them pirates

We call them pirates
http://www.helloyarn.com/wecallthempirates.htm

My 6-year old son has shown interest to fashion and care how he looks recently. His favorite color is now black and the preference seems to go on for coming winter season. As he used to prefer red or orange for long time, his winter items were all in those colors and has no black items yet other than a jumper. So, I got a reason to knit a hat for him and come up with this pattern right away.
The finished hat is just the right size. That means i will have another reason to knit a hat next year ;-)

Raised leaves pincushion

I like this raised leaves pattern so much and wanted to make something small with it for long time. As I needed a pincushion for knitting needle, I thought it is a chance to try this pattern. First, I knitted 4 pieces of triangle shape and sewed them together making square fabric. I chose very fine cotton yarn for this but it wasn't pleasing result. The seam was not tidy. So I chose wool yarn for next try and arranged the pattern to knit in circular to knit in one piece instead. I put old swatches and some failed projects inside.

Even though I knew the pattern with knit and purl stitch combination would make raised effect, I really impressed how the leaves raised such fully. You might think the leaves are sewed on appliques!

Embroidered bag for bead necklace

I made this beads necklace kit this summer and made a matching case. Stitching lace pattern was fun and finished before I know it, but it took about a month to finish. Because i didn't had a piece of fabric that goes with the surface, didn't had ribbon in same color, and felt hard to set up sewing machine.

There is one more bag for another beads necklace just like this waiting to be finished ...
Hope i can show it to you here before long.

Organic slub

Since I saw a nice comfy blanket knitted in ecru slub chunky yarn in a magazine, i firmly decided to make one for myself. It was an end of winter or spring when i saw it, so i missed the chance to find such yarn. Last month, I visited LYS and found very soft slub yarn just perfect for my purpose. It's called "Sonomono" that means "just as is," not colored organic wool, from domestic brand Hamanaka.



I got 5 balls to make a ribbed scarf for me before blanket, cause i want to make sure that it doesn't produce lots of dust on clothes. That what i learned from Abfab throw. If it's all right, i will get some more to make a blanket and scarf for DS - if he agreed.