Another Top Completed and More Knitting

I got around to finishing my Leaf Yoke top the other day and wore it to work on my special day. I received a lot of complements. The top is very comfortable to wear and the Pebble yarn made the garment feel lightweight. I actually like the two color contrast yarns I used, but I plan on knitting another top in a single color.



I resolved the long armhole issue on my Leaf Yoke. First, when I was getting ready to do the I-cord BO, I picked up less stitches in the underarm area...about 44 stitches versus the 50 recommended in the pattern. It was a slight improvement, but the armhole area was still a bit "loosey-goosey" for me. I dove into my sewing notions stash and found fine elastic thread. I took my darning needle and threaded the fine elastic through my I-cord BO edge, making sure the thread didn't show on the right side. I pulled the elastic until the armhole area was slightly gathered and I knotted the elastic. I tried on the top again and the fit was perfect.

I'm still weaving in the ends of my Chevron top. Though I loved using 3 different colors for this top, the ends are a pain in my side to weave in. I have a few more strands left and I should be done.



I've been looking through Ravelry (my queue) and through my pattern books and magazines to find a new knitting project to start. I found a lot of sleeveless tops, but can't seem to find one that jumps out at me. I've also grown my yarn stash to include more cotton and cotton-blended yarns in light worsted and DK weights. I actually enjoy knitting with the thinner yarns.

In the meantime, I've resurrected a WIP from last year...my Lace Panel cardigan. I stopped knitting it last August which I regret now. It's taken me awhile to figure out where I left off and I've noticed my knitting skills have vastly improved since last year. My right front I'm working on now looks a bit better than the left front from last year. LOL!!! I'm glad I had documented this garment on Ravelry. Let's face it, my mind can only remember so much from last year.



So, I'm working my way towards the shoulder and I'm not looking at my notes from last year. See that vast improvement of my knitting skills? I can now look at what I knitted and figure out when I need to do my next decreases. Wonders never cease for me.

I'm still debating as to knit the short sleeves for this cardi or just knit an I-cord binding around the armholes and make this cardi into a vest. My "Simple is Better" motto keeps coming to mind as I really need to change this WIP into a finished garment and check if off my Ravelry list. I'll be back to post the results.

Happy Knitting!

Still Knitting, Here & There

I still have some needles going. The weather here is up and down, but still Spring-like. I've given up on up on knitting with thick or bulky yarn. So, I may have to put my Fitted Cardi on hold til the Fall. Not a problem. I have a bin ready for WIPs that won't be completed anytime soon. Never thought I would come to this.

Also, going into the WIP bin is my blue thick and thin cardigan. I'm finding that the Blizzard yarn is kind of linty. While knitting, I'm finding a lot of lint falling off my cardigan. That can't be a good sign! I've lost interest in this project. Into the bin it goes.

I'm still working on my pink "cropped raglan sweater cardi". Making some progress. Getting close to placing the sleeves on the holders. Once that is done, the knitting will get faster. As long as I don't start another project, I hope to get this completed by the end of this month. I love knitting with the Bernat DenimStyle yarn.

Making some progress

I found two buttons that match my blue Malabrigo Shrug This. I also found some thick beading elastic to use as a toggle for the two buttons. If that doesn't work, I also found some blue soutache to make into a toggle. I will more than likely make the two versions to see which one works the best. Will post my findings. :)

Speaking of the many versions of Shrug This that I've knitted, looks like I will get to teach that pattern at my LYS. How cool is that?

I came across a preview for the next Interweave KNITS magazine coming out in May.

I'm thinking of making my own stitch markers. Since I have been making my own necklaces and have all the beads and tools available, I thought I would give it a try. If they turn out okay, I will be back with a post and let you decide.

Happy Knitting!

Knitting News

It's late and I just finished my Malabrigo Shrug. It's on my dressform waiting for pictures to be taken. I'm hoping tomorrow morning, the sun will peer through my sewing room window so I can take pictures in natural light. If not, it will have to wait til Sunday.

I have to say the shrug came out beautifully. :)

Now, I need to finish my other WIPs before I can start another project. I'm tired of moving my project bags around my sewing room. I need to finish my Fitted Cardigan and my long pink cardigan. I also need to get back to knitting my sleeveless top.

Happy Weekend Knitting!

Another WIP - Something Bright & Cheery

I've casted on this sleeveless top with wide scoop neckline yesterday evening. I finally got the gauge right after frogging my first attempt which was 2 inches too small. I must have made a mistake knitting my first test gauge using the wrong sized needles. For my second attempt, my gauge was 3 sts/inch using 10-1/2 needles. Right on target.

So, here is the start of my next project. I love the bright colors. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the colors will be fine with my skin tone.

The bottom of my sleeveless top


This is the yarn that I'm using for the bottom ribbing and base of the sleeveless top. I love knitting with mulitcolored or variegated yarns. You get a neat surprise with the color patterns.

Moda Dea Metro Multicolor in Safari

I plan on using this solid color for the scooped neckline ribbing. It's appropriately named Wasabi and the color is right on. Right now, it looks like a huge contrast with the Safari colors even though it has some green in it. In the store, they looked like they would go together nicely. Must have been the lights in the store playing tricks on my old eyes. In the end, this will be a unique garment of mine and the colors will have to do. This will be my wearable muslin in the sewing world. :)

Moda Dea Metro Solid in Wasabi

Happy Knitting!

Another WIP and New Needles

I've casted on another cardi yesterday. This pattern Weekend Retreat Cardi is from Lion Brand and it's free. It's also featured in the April 2008 issue of Knit 'n Style magazine. I dug around in my yarn stash and came up with this beautiful Denim Style Weathered Rose yarn from Bernat. Over the years, I have collected several other colors and I finally found a pattern that will work great with this yarn.

It's another top down raglan cardigan, but a longer version. This pattern includes different sizes instead of "one size fits all" pattern I previously knitted. I love this heathered pink color.

My Weekend Retreat Cardi in Weathered Rose

Lion Brand Weekend Retreat Cardi

It's a slow knit (no chunky yarn here). I'm actually enjoying my knitting time with this project. That's because I'm using my brand new Skacel Addi Turbo circular knitting needles. This needle is a joy to use. I was having a problem knitting this yarn with my Takumi Velvet bamboo needles. I noticed the yarn wasn't gliding along smoothly on the bamboo needle. Once I tried these Addi Turbos, I was hooked!

Happy Knitting!

The Fitted Cardigan - WIP

I love this cardigan! I love how quickly it's knitting up. I love the shaping and the darts. I love the two colors I chose even though the olive green is showing up as yellow in the pictures. The only negative thing I can say about this cardigan is it may not fit me. Sure, I chose the 38 inch finished bust when I casted on. The top of the sleeves, back and front appear to be in alignment with my body. The area under my bust is very snug. Almost barely breathing snug.

Bold & Bulky Mini Cardi - front view


Back view


I will continue to finish this cardigan and see what it looks like in the end. I have the two sleeves to pick up and knit and then pick up and knit the front and back neck edges.

I'll be back....

Update: I wanted to add that this pattern is available in the Fitted Knits book by Stefanie Japel. It's also a free pattern at Lion Brand's site and includes the corrections to the instructions.

Another Shrug in the Works

Since the pattern is fresh in my head, I decided to start another shrug. I'm using a really cool yarn called Denim Chunky by Sirdar. I found this yarn in the clearance bin at my LYS. This will be perfect for casual wear.

Sirdar Denim Chunky

I'm actually further along than the picture shows below. I'm getting ready to knit the ribbing for the sleeves. I'm still on my first of two skeins of yarn. I'm thinking of lengthening the shrug so it falls at my high hip area. I tend to make my decisions at the spur of the moment. We'll see what I end up with.

Another Shrug This-WIP

This shrug looks like it will be slightly larger or loose fitting even though I CO the same amount of stitches as my previous version. This Denim Chunky is a nice yarn to knit with.

Knitting Right Along

I am beginning to see a knitting pattern here. I seem to have four (4) different knitting projects going on at the same time. When I'm done with one knitting project, I start another one. Keeping four going. There's a really good reason for that and now I have an understanding why others might be doing this.

I am back to knitting my BHG beginner sweater. After seeing Monica's comment here and Trina's on Ravelry, I realized I needed to get this sweater done and preferably before the warmer weather heads my way. I really like how this Tudor (Homespun) color yarn is working out.

BHG Sweater-back...still working my way towards the neckline

I'm making some progress on my Plymouth Royal Llama Silk shrug. I don't think I have enough yarn. The pattern calls for 4 balls of yarn. I'm on my 3rd ball and have only knitted 1/4 of the main body (K1,P1). I still have 12 inches of the main body to knit. I know I'll need at least 2 balls when I go back to the K2,P2 section. So, I'll keep knitting until I run out.

Plymouth Royal Llama Silk Shrug...starting to knit the K1,P1 main body

I'm also working on a Plymouth Baby Kimono for my Godmother's granddaughter. The kimono takes only two skeins of Plymouth Encore yarn. My LYS only had 1 skein of the Heather Pink left. I bought that color plus a Light Pink skein...thinking I could knit different sections in different yarn colors (e.g. the front panels in light pink and the sleeve and collar in the heather pink). Well, the sleeves and front panels are completed. All I need to knit is the back piece, sew the seams, and then knit the shawl collar. I don't think I have enough of one color to knit the whole back, so I might end up knitting in the Heather Pink halfway up and then use the Light Pink for the top half. I'm not sure I'll have enough of one color to finish the shawl collar.

I am not comfortable enough to feel the yarn and figure out how much I have left. So, this is a good puzzle for me to figure out and get through this slight issue. In the meantime, I've put this project on hold so I can make a dent in the others.

Plymouth Baby Kimono...Heather Pink sleeve panels and Light Pink front panels

I still have my Cropped Cardi/Vest on my needles. I am knitting the last front panel.

This is amazing that the four knitting projects or WIPs I have, don't require the same needle sizes. LOL!!!