Back on the Needle(s)

It's cold. 

I broke down and turned on the heat last week. Most Wisconsinites try to make it to November 1 - it's a source of pride if you can tough it out that long - but I gave in. I simply can't sit around my house in a hat and coat... I want to be barefoot. And, if I'm a little cold, a blanket on the sofa should be enough.

Of course, with the cold weather comes the desire to knit. Since I prefer to knit wool over all other yarns, summer is a low-knitting time for me. But, once the temperatures drop below 50 degrees for any extended period of time, I get the itch to get back on the needles.

For about two months, I've been staring at this gorgeous skein of yarn that was gifted to me when I was sick. It's a hand-dyed, rough-spun Cascade - which I didn't even know they made. It's also variegated, which is normally something I dislike but the colors are fantastic - black, grey, and white.

Ah... the joy of breaking out the needles!

So, about a week ago, I started looking through my patterns to find some one-skein thing to make with this beautiful yarn. I wanted something cozy, so I focused on scarves and cowls, and I landed on a madelinetosh cowl which you may recognize from the stitch pattern. Three years ago, I learned this stitch pattern from someone who was making this exact cowl and I used the stitch for a hat and "gator".

The Honey Cowl

The madelinetosh Honey Cowl is a stunner, at 42" long for the large size with an easy, but beautiful stitch pattern. On Ravelry, there are over 1,200 projects for this pattern and each one looks great - even the ones done in variegated yarn. ;)

Sadly, my one skein of Cascade wasn't enough for the large size so I decided to alternate rows with the variegated and a flat, black DK wool. Every other row of this pattern is knit - I think it give some space between the rows so that the slip-stitch pattern stands out more. It made sense to use the flat black for the knit rows and, honestly, I think this ends up making the pattern really pop.

The cowl so far.

I've made a couple of mistakes in the pattern (I think I may be a bit rusty - or just lazy), but you really can't tell with the variegated yarn so I'm not going to worry about it. I love the way it looks and can't wait for it to be done so I can wear it!

42" is a LONG cowl...

I'll be sure to post pics when it's finished. Also, the Honey Cowl is a free pattern on Ravelry. Hope all our knitting readers are making something cozy and winter-appropriate too. :)

- Alex

Back in the (Knitted) Saddle

This past weekend it was 55 degrees outside. And I'm not talking about the middle of the night. It was 55 degrees at noon on Saturday (and Sunday). When the temperature drops 30 degrees - during what is meant to be the hottest week of summer - it's a bit of a shock to the system. I spent the majority of the day on Saturday wrapped in a blanket on the sofa, alternating between knitting, reading, and napping.

I need to make one of these

To be frank, I find it difficult to knit in the heat of summer. I do a little but it's mostly just so I can say I'm still a knitter. However, as soon as the temperature drops, I'm compelled to get some wool and pointy sticks in my hands.

On Sunday, two friends of mine and I had lunch at a local yarn shop and spent a couple of hours with like-minded folks catching up on our projects. One of these lovely ladies had never knit before taking the "beginning knitting" class that I taught a few months ago. She is my success story, having mastered knit and purl with ease and being brave enough to alter patterns to suit her fancy. Putting me to shame, she's a fast knitter as well, having cranked out two dog sweaters in the last couple of weeks - one with a hood that she "figured out" herself. I couldn't be prouder. Seriously.

And, you know she's serious because she's already building stash. LOL

My other friend was wearing a cowl that she'd knit last year. I immediately recognized it as a stitch pattern that I'd fallen in love with a few years ago. The cowl itself is fine but nothing earth-shattering so, when I learned the stitch pattern, I applied it to other things - like a hat and a scarf.

For those of you on Ravelry, you can see the project here: Democracy Gator & Hat

For those of you who aren't, the stitch pattern is super-easy. It's just:

Row 1: knit across the row
Row 2: knit one, slip one - across the row
Row 3: knit across the row
Row 4: slip one, knit one - across the row

This combination is for straight needles, knitting back and forth. If you want to do it on a circular, simply substitute a purl stitch for the knit stitch on rows 2 and 4.

I'm feeling the itch to make something new with this pattern. Could it be my first-ever sweater???

Finally, the Universe has put this pattern in front of me three times in the last few days. It's the Color Affection Shawl, available on Ravelry for about $5 US.

My friend Deidre had the pattern and some GORGEOUS yarn she's going to use for it out on her counter on Saturday morning. I immediately thought that I should make it. Then, on Saturday afternoon, while poking around on Ravelry, I stumbled on it (not remembering the name of the pattern). And, finally, on Sunday, when I went knitting with friends, the local yarn shop had a sample knitted up because they're doing a class on this pattern. So I decided not to fight the messages from beyond and I bought this lovely Italian Filatura Di Crosa super-wash wool to make it. :)

I hope the colors I picked (autumn-y red/orange/yellow/tan) do the pattern justice.

So, unless the temps go back up to 90, I think I'm back in the knitting groove. None too soon, either. It's time to start thinking about Christmas presents!

- Alex

Tea Leaves Cardigan

Almost a year ago, I whined here about wanting more hand-knit sweaters for myself. Well, I am happy to report that I have a finished beauty to add to my collection (now it is a collection of 2).

Love the neckline...

I am all squealy about my new Tea Leaves Cardigan. I am wearing it all the time. I had such a hard time narrowing down which sweater to knit, so it's satisfying that this ended up being a really great choice.


The Pattern
This pattern was sooooo easy to knit. I am a big fan of working top down. (My other hand-knit sweater, Liesl, was the same.) The detail on the yoke is simple but elegant and the miles of stockinette made for great mindless TV watching/knitting. And, there is very little "finishing" work to do on this sweater which is always a big plus.

The yoke in progress.

One problem:
I actually knit a gauge swatch before I began this project because I wanted it to fit just right. I was spot-on with gauge so I was surprised in the end that my sweater is about a size bigger than I'd like it. My body measuring must be off. The next time I make a sweater for myself I am going to do more research on this subject and make sure I am doing it properly.

With that said, I did notice a lot of people on Ravelry mentioned that they ended up ripping back after knitting the yoke and making this sweater in a smaller size. So maybe it's not just me. For a better fit, I ran a piece of yarn through the neckline to tighten it up a bit. It helped immensely.

The back view of my new sweater. It could fit a wee bit snugger.

The Yarn
I used the Madelinetosh merino that the pattern specified. It was spendy, I was nervous. I was worried that it would be wonky. Then I would have a hand-knit, expensive, and ugly sweater in my collection. I put my reservations aside and mustered up my kitting bravado...casting on with confidence.

I am not that experienced knitting with hand-dyed yarns so I wasn't sure if pooling would be a problem. To be safe, I alternated between two balls on every row. A bit of a pain, but better safe than sorry.

Madelinetosh Merino in Nutmeg.

This yarn knits up like a dream. Beautiful stitch definition yet as soft as can be. And the color...oh Lordy! It is so rich. I am not generally a fan of variegated yarns, but this is so subtle. No wonder I fell in love with it in the store. This is a bad, addictive kind of love though. I want more...

Wonderful pattern, wonderful sweater. I can see why it's so popular on Ravelry. I have some dreams about the next one on the needles for me...

–Cassandra

Me and Madelintosh

It has been hot as hell here (see Monday's post) and yet I have had a lot of yarn in my hands. The central air does help, but I think I may have continued to work on my new sweater without it. Yes I said MY! I am knitting for myself...yeah! Mine, mine, mine.

It started as a twinkle in my eye.

The yarn I bought on a recent trip to Chicago is fast becoming a Tea Leaves Cardigan. Well, pretty fast. I have knit the yoke (this is a top-down sweater) and am currently wading through 13 inches of stockinette. Ugh. What is getting me through this mindless knitting is the amazing fabric the Madelinetosh is creating. It drapes, has a medium weight, and a soft texture...the finished garment is going to be incredibly versatile.

On each row I am alternating between two balls to avoid pooling.

 The Madelinetosh knits up like butta. I will be straight with you, when I bought this yarn I had some sticker-shock. I wondered if it was worth it. (I mean really, I've made some beautiful stuff with $7/skein Cascade 220. ) Oh my, I've learned that you get what you pay for with this yarn. It has it all, stitch definition, rich color, a firm twist...I repeat, butta. I don't want to love something so pricey, but I'm afraid it's too late.

Love!

And so far, I am really digging the Tea Leaves cardigan pattern. It has been very easy to read and fun to knit. If this sweater fits well when finished, I will be one happy girl. I will even go so far as to say that it would be a great "first-sweater" project for those who have never tackled one before. (You know who you are.)

Between the yarn and the "friendly" pattern, I am having a great time with this project. It is one of those that I get obsessed about finishing. With so many other projects on my plate, I keep picking up the needles and soldiering through the stockinette. Now, I need everyone to pray for some cool weather so I can wear the sucker when it's done!

Have a great weekend!

–Cassandra

My kind of town!

Alex and I had the privilege of attending the HOW Design Conference this past 4 days (thus the absence of a post on Friday) in Chicago. We had a much-needed recharging of our batteries. It's such a luxury to be able to get out of town with the specific mission of creative inspiration. Our conference filled us with ideas and Chicago filled us with good food and the natural excitement that comes from visiting that town.

During one of our lunch breaks I was wandering downtown on foot and stumbled upon a really cute yarn shop, Loopy Yarns. It is located in the historic Dearborn Station on Polk Street. The building is quite grand.

Gorgeous!

Anyone would be truly lucky to have this yarn shop in their neighborhood. They carry a wide selection of workhorse yarns such as Cascade and lovely, lovely things such as a madelintosh and Malabrigo. If you are ever in Chicago, make sure to stop by for a peek. I will admit to having fallen in love with 8 skeins of madelinetosh vintage in the colorway "nutmeg" when I was there. Mustardy-orange is my signature color, how could I resist?

Interior shot of Loopy Yarns in Chicago.

I have been wanting to knit the Tea Leaves Cardigan for ages (it suggests this brand in the pattern) and it seemed like the time and the place to dive in and just buy it. It is so beautiful. I can't stop looking at or talking about this yarn. I'm sure I have driven everyone nuts with this already...what is going to happen when the sweater is done? Will I be shamelessly flaunting it?? I have problems.

My gorgeous yarn.

 As a rule, I am not a big fan of hand-dyed yarn because the color is usually too variegated for my taste. This yarn however has only subtle color differences. Enough to make it rich and interesting. It took all my will power to not set all the unpacking aside and wind it up when I got home last night. I resisted, for now. Tonight I might just have to cast-on (after a few more loads of laundry).

–Cassandra