Chevalier Mittens

My last Christmas gift got done on the plane to Estonia, I blocked them a night before Christmas Eve and packed them just half an hour before the gifts were handed out (here the presents are brought by "Santa Claus" on the 24th after a huge dinner with family).
I made the mitts slightly shorter but that was all I changed, kin of nice to knit mitts again, haven't done it for awhile.


I wish You peaceful and joyful Christmas! And yarnful and FO-rich new year!

Annimanni`s warm winter

May I present - Anita, the latest recipent of my creations and a little joy to mommy, daddy and me (what a talkative cudly baby she is). I do not have many baby girls around lately, but if I have just one, I`m happy. And today I`m especially happy of this set I managed to finish to keep little Anita warm for the winter holidays. Unfortunately the measurements I had for 1 year old, fit Anita who is only 7 months old. I suspect that either Anita is really huge for her age (doubtful) or the standardized measurements don`t make a good clue of what one really ought to knit. Anyways, right after holidays I hope to finish writing the pattern and post it here. I`m not sure yet, whether it will be my first attempt to make it paid or maybe a another free one. Have to reflect on it.

Get set, ready, go!

Take a big breath and go for it!

One down (nearly) 4 more to go.

Remember yesterday's post?
Well I finished the hat and ripped the mitt. Hat with a wide brim this time, I used the white merino wool from Puglia I made the Inspiration aka first BSJ with, and leftover yarn from mitts. Designing this I had a very clear idea of what I wanted - a strong, big folding brim, two earthly colors and something my lovely grandmother in her 80+ years could wear daily yet provide a lady-like feel, something that she could wear with -20 degrees C and still have wide brim!



More pictures here!

Details:
Needles 5,5 mm and 4,5 mm circulars
Yarn: Argentinian handspun (natural brown, about 40 grams) and natural white merino wool from Puglia (about 50grams)
Pattern: mine

If you are interested knitting this type of a hat, leave me a note and I'll write the pattern down.

Reality check

These days I am doing this most of my time:


because I'm faced with this:


Taking it all to pieces:

Chevalier mitts - one is done, but I need to frog it, because I knit it way too tight. Second is just a few rows from the end and looks a lot better with the changed gauge and modifications I made.


This is going to be my granny's mitten-matching hat, which just awaits until I finish mitts and can use the leftover yarn to knit top part of the hat. Did I already mention that it ought to be done TODAY?

Next on my knitting schedule:

Little lady's warm winter depends on whether I will stick to my plan and finish a pair of pants and /or mitts, socks, scarf and hat in the next three days. Which is doubtful, because I'm behind with my granny's gift. I may do the smaller pieces on the plane. Note to myself: get bamboo circulars and dpns. And oh, yes, buttons.
Make second note: find all the notes on scraps of paper and write together the pattern. Maybe on the plane? Erm.. the flight is during the night... shooo....

Next Monday should start with this:

I've planned total of 2,5 - 3 days on it, because I need to do my maths well and then cut - and not just one thing, but 4 - two sleeves and two body pieces! Pick up the stitches, knit the body and sleeves longer in stockinette stitch and then graft the sleeves. Then hide the million and two ends... yeah, can do it... in my dreams...

And then I have this:

Which is Anke Leen's sweater. Yeah, I know... plus she needs mitts, hat and scarf and maybe, just maybe, I can squeeze in some woolen socks as well. Deadline: 18th December. Planned number of days for sweater - 4. Planned knitting of small pieces: before or during flight. Oh, right, the flight is already planned full.

And this:

Which isn't exactly a Christmas project, but was meant to be traveling project. Looking at it all now: for my !next! trip over continent... maybe.

All my knitting right now totals to 16 days, and it ought to be done for the 22nd. Most of these things have to be ready for the 18th though. But knowing all sorts of things always come popping out, I'm not that confident.

Not not mention housework, some shopping for other gifts and household items, finding a maid for when I'm away and running tons of other errands, meeting up with some people and such. Luckily Saturday evening's dinner was canceled and I do not have to spend near 8 hours shopping and cooking and cleaning. Woohoo, knitting time.

Marabou Beret

My Bainbridge Scarf needed a hat and I am in the mood of berets. I googled and "raveled" but couldn't find one I really like. Plus I wanted to continue the Broken Rib theme, so in the end I had to come up with my own design, which turned out to be quite fun and I learned a lot. I have just finished writing it down and you can download for free from here (.pdf file). Se qualcuno e' interessata lo posso scrivere anche in italiano. Lasciate mi un commento.
The beret has nothing to do with the Marabou Stark but has a lot to do with the Swedish nut chocolate Marabou. Believe me, designing might become quite a fattening process, if you have to frog a lot and the only thing helping you avoid stress and depression is a chocolate bar ;)

Info:
Yarn: Schoeller+Stahl 100% Merino - brown and gray
Needles: 3,5 mm
Pattern: my own

Update 20.02.2008: Link to the pattern was broken, I changed it so now you can download the pattern without any problems.

Choker

I'm on the scarf-hat-mitten mode right now - like every autumn, even though this year I have 30 degrees Celcius outside and not 13 or 3 (Italy/Estonia). As soon as Christmas is over I start knitting other things, but until you gotta bear with my Christmas gifts.
So this time I present you Bainbridge Scarf. It is a very easy knit, you basically cast-on, knit in round, cast-off, knit two ribbons and then say... ?!?!?!?! buh... Then you open the .pdf again and step in front of mirror and practice putting it on. Simple as that. Takes a few times though before it becomes your absolute favourite. Like in my case.

Technicalities:
Needle: 3,5 mm
Pattern: pepperknits.com Bainbridge Scarf
Yarn: Schoeller+Stahl Merino Soft (100% merino)



Maybe a hat now? A Beret? Ravelry.

Old Debt

When I was in Italy still packing when I dug out a vest from my closet, completely forgotten :(. The only reason for that - I don't have a white long sleeved shirt. When I saw the Leftovers vest in knitty.com I had a sudden urge to knit it. And I was very sure I wanted to knit it from the same yarn, because I saw some really yummy photos on Alison Hansel's blog. But unfortunately already back then (winter 2005-2006) the yarn was discontinued and not available for the European knitter. After countless searches I finally found a Dutch yarn shop without a website but luckily with an e-mail address who had still some leftovers and some corrispondence with the kind shop-owner lead to my order. It took 1 month of agonizing wait, I already had had my fingers burnt with Poste Italiane. I finally got it, and within next two days I had my result:

Phildar Legende Tweed Alpaca is a very nice yarn: interesting texture, nice soft and beautiful colors. It is 48% wool. 41% acrylic, 9% alpaca and 2% of rayon. It has 125yd/115m for 50g. I knit the vest with 4,5mm needles.

Mindless knitting

I have very limited amount of yarn!!!! And the delivery of our household items will not be before 16th of November. It's horrible to live without my stash!!!
Therefore I have been forced to use that little I brought over in my luggage. I think in someways it's good that my yarn isn't around, so that I finally knit the stash that has been around for a while. Like my handpaintedyarn.com Ejido 160.
As part of the Christmas Gifts Project 2007, I've finished two simple scarfs. Everyone, who has been an expatriate, knows that first few weeks, nothing is better than some relaxing mindless knitting, that allows you to keep an eye on things or avoid certain missing necessities.

Earthly scarf

Info
Yarn: Ejido 160 (100% merino, hand dyed)
Needles: 4,5 mm
Pattern: my own

My so called scarf

Info
Yarns: Ejido 160 (100% merino, handdyed)
Needles: 8 mm straight
Patterns: My so called scarf

And as a side-project I'm doing this:

I have to say, it has been and still is the most difficult "knitting project" of all.

MS3 Complete!

My Swan Lake is ready. The actual knitting part I finsihed already a month ago, but due to lack of a blocking area I blocked it just yesterday and from late evening last night it has a new home with my new friend Laura, who actually dares to wear it.
My main concern when I started to knit Swan Lake (having heard It won't be symmetrical), since I am not a shawl person (too young, in my opinion) and most people I know wouldn't have the courage to wear it, was that it might stay in my closet for a very long time. Luckily I met Laura.
It was a tremendously fun project to knit, and I have many thanks to give to the designer Melanie Gibbons, from Pink Lemon Twists. If the next years Mystery Shawl sounds even half as interesting as it did this year, I will be knitting MS4 along as well.

Beret in 31+ degrees

We've arrived in the Singapore heat, but the very first and very chilly impressions made quite clear that my wool knitting life is not suspended yet, for indoors it really is cold, freezing cold.

And as comfort knitting I finished a beret in two nights. I used handpaintedyarn.com Ejido 160 100% merino with 4,5 mm dpn and circular needles and followed Tweed Beret instructions (with modifications) from Interweave Knits 2006 Fall until the decrease rounds, I increased slightly more and changed stockinette stitch edge to 1x1 rib to make a better fit.

Quick knit Urchin

Everyone liked Urchin on its first outing at Stich & Bitch Milano this Saturday. Here are just some examples:


Info
Needles: 5mm
Yarn: Hanspaintedyarn.com Ejido 160 (100% merinos, 1 skein)
Pattern: Urchin

Between Pauses

Bloggin vacation for now is over.
It is quite shameful that whenever at the seaside in Puglia I have no urge to knit, it isstrange though that each year I take allmy UFOs and pattern and yarn along and never do anythingh, but I am convinced that the year I'll elave my needles and stash behind will be the Most Eventless Summer of all.
Therefore I have (ashamed) accomplished only 18 nearnothings as seen on photo.
And finished Clapotis.
Mystery Shawl isn't quite finished yet, I'll work on it during the next following weeks. For now I've finished packing my yarn (and it was mopre difficult that anyone can imagine), and I'm emotionally ready to not seeing them for the next 2-3 months while they do their seatrip towards my new home in Singapore. And I guess the next post will come from there as well. Until then, arrivederci!

BSJ Inspiration 2

I enjoyed Elisabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket design and simplicity yet complexity so much that I decided straight away upon hearing of the arrival of little Anita Marie to Estonia, that she needs a warmer jacket than the one I knit for her back in May, and she will be very cute in BSJ. Again the calculations didn't go easy, I had my doubts until the moment I handed it over, but it seems that the sleeves are quite right and the body goes fine until the end of this summer and then she certainly will need a new one. And I have some ideas already about that :).
Enough of blabber, I present the (not)finished jacket (I sew the sleeves and buttons on this morning, and silly silly silly me, forgot to take even one shot):
(Location: Pärnu 22nd July 2007)
Information:
Yarn: GB Wolle Gil (100% wool, 50 gr = 125 m)
Needles: 4mm Addi Turbo

Blue Vest

Yarn: Schaffhauser Wolle "Allround", 100% merino, ~300 grams

Needles: 3 mm straight

Pattern: Mani di Fata November 2006


Finished it in November last year, but couldn't present it before it was in the hands of the future owner, my sister.

Inspiration

First: I'm in Ravelry. Got an invitation yesterday and started discovering that constantly growing and interesting community straight away. It'll take some time to settle in with my UFOs, WIPs, stash and accessories, but it'll be worth while.

***
Now something that is ready. Finally.

I saw Elisabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise Jacket for the first time few months ago. I thought it's a clever idea, but wasn't tempted enough to buy the pattern. A month ago I found from local market an amazingly soft handspun merino from Southern Italy and thought that it would be fantastic to knit something in garter stitch. And then I remembered EZ's jacket. But I didn't want to buy the pattern (I was in the midst of packing before a big move and long vacation away from home, so it would have arrived to me probably not before September) and wanted to solve the mystery myself. I surfed around and read some comments from which I understood that it is based on mithered square and it's about double increases and decreases. So I started knitting it. I don't think I've ever ripped and reknit an item this many times before. After the 3rd attempt, I had figured out how it worked, but couldn't get the sizing right. Once over that part it was an easy knit. And I am tremendously happy that I finished it :)


So it's not EZ Baby Surprise Jacket, but she was the inspiration and motivation. Thank You, so much!

Information:
Yarn: 1,5 skeins of handspun natural white merino from Puglia (DK) and Noro Silver Thaw (wool 50%, angora 25%, nylon 25%) colorway 09 about 15 grams.
Needles: 4 mm Addi Circulars

The sleeves with this techique never come full-sized, in Inspiration's case it was less than elbow length, so I had to lengthen it somehow. I tried picking up stitches in regular way, it wasn't nice, I think it can only be done without leaving obvious line if you are using colors. So I decided do follow the clue of the full construction and knit mithered squares inbetween and then picked up stitches to continue.
Noro Silver Thaw is a difficult yarn (uneven color sections, scratchy and uneven surface) to knit I-cord with, but without a doubt it was the best option for this edging.

Mystery Stole 3 - week 1 & 2

I'm happy to be part of the huge group (+5700 people from all around the world) and have eagerly finished both of the clues.
I'm using my all time favouruite lace knitting yarn, but this time doubled up (I've knit Kiri and one Swallowtail Shawl with it). I'm not using any beads this time, for actually for me this is more like a try-out knit. If I like what I see, I might consider something more luxurious to knit with and surely add the beads as well.
I must admit that since I was missing the big picture, knitting (especially the first clue) was tricksy. In lace knitting I usually know what it is going to be like and therefore I doubt less in pattern and in myself and make less mistakes (again, confidence plays a huge role in my knitty life).

So I'm knititng with cobweb weight Canetta merino wool, using Addi Turbo 3,5 mm circulars (I wanted to find the new Lace needles, but couldn't) and am very anxious to get the next clue.

What I've done, what I haven't and I what I want to do

The rules: Mark with bold the things you have knit, with italics the ones you plan to do sometime, and leave the rest.

Afghan - One day when I have enough patience and matching leftover yarn
I-cord - part of the project I'm working on
Garter stitch - garter stitch is where we all start
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl
Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn - if someone has spare, send it over, I'd really like to try but haven't gotten my hands on it yet. I did find a yarn band in the park once (a glue that there are other knitters), which was camel hair yarn, but she didn't leave any yarn behind.
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat
Knitting with silk
Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL - It's Knitting Nature and Forecast for me
Sweater
Drop stitch patterns
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn - didn't have much when I grew up
Slip stitch patterns - they create excellent patterns if you're not into fair-isle knitting
Knitting with banana fiber yarn
Domino knitting (=modular knitting) - another WIP not yet to be revealed
Twisted stitch patterns
Two end knitting
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Charity knitting
Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan
Toy/doll clothing - there wasn't much where I grew up, all toy clothes were self-made, and man in the end we were good at it.
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items
Knitting with your own hand-spun yarn
Slippers
Graffiti knitting
Continental knitting
Designing knitted garments - taking my first steps. Should write down patterns.
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Lace patterns
Branching out
Publishing a knitting book
Participate in an exchange
Scarf
Teaching a child to knit - I'm struggling at home, she wants to but isn't ready (too young), ah well, keep trying
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Buttonholes
Knitting with alpaca
Fair Isle knitting
Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies…) - now that's a thing that doesn't quite flatter my skills. Maybe I'll do a lamp cover or knit a pillow, but I'll call them home design.
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items) on one or two circulars - I'm strictly 5 dpn lady if knitting in small circles
Knitting with someone else’s hand-spun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting
Teaching a male how to knit - I'm luring my husband into my net :)
Bobbles - I have tricks for bobbles and started to like them when I got to know the tricks
Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dying yarn
Steeks - I'm looking for that courage
Knitting art
Knitting two socks on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting
Knitting with wool
Textured knitting
Kitchener stitch
Knitted flowers
Purses/bags
Knitting with beads
Swatching
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and purling backwards - it's fun!
Machine knitting
Knitting with self patterning/self striping/variegated yarn
Stuffed toys
Baby items
Knitting with cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn - when I was young and price had a huge effect on choises
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Free-form knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/arm-warmers
Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an on-line knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting - tried it, but it never gets cold wnough here... one day, one day...
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/bolero/poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair- it makes me sneeze too much
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

Estonian color swap

We swapped colors with a bunch of knitting women in Estonia. I was requested for lime green and more or less lime green it came. But it was oh so hard not to buy all lime green items I saw around. And I went over them limit they set, but the prices are different, I guess. Hell who cares about money if swapping is fun. I will recieve my package when I go to estonia in a few weeks time.

Edit: 8.07.2007
I finally recieved my own package as well, I got if from Vardakeerutaja and I think she did a great job choosing the items for they are exactly my tase.
Proof:

Click on the picture, it has notes.

New purchase

I ought to be getting rid of my yarn stash, well most of it, and yet I couldn't stop myself when last week a natural products market took place for a day. And of course I just happened to pass by. And of course I bought yarn, some natural wool from Puglia (Southern Italy) and some Argentian handspun wool in darker natural colors. Of course I'm knitting it already.
And today, right below my house there is another market and this yarn swift was calling out my name, I swear. Now it's mine for only 15 Euros. I used it to wind a ball from one of the skeins of that courgeous wool.

Forecast done!

Tadaa! My Forecast is done.Actually it was done quite a while ago, I just didn't get to taking the pictures.
I like the design a lot and it was really fun to knit, which explains how it got ready in only 5 days.

And I did sew on the self-made buttons.

Modifications:

• I didn't purl, I knit the garter stitch part, which meant changing the pattern a wee little in the beginning.
• Different kind of yarn. I went down on needle size, that meant more bobbles (iiiik), but I got them done.
  
• I didn't turn my work while knitting bobbles, I just slipped stitches back to left needle and knit them through then just passing stitches over the last stitch.

What I wish had done differently: knit the ribbing part longer (blocking again will help I hope, or losing weight :P) and knit the first stitch of every row. I trusted the pattern, but should have trusted my experience, now I have this strange cross-stitch row between body and button bands (It's because my stitches are quite loose). But I guess you can call it DESIGN element.

Info:
Yarn: Unknown producer, 100% merino, cream, 350 grams
Needles: 4 mm and 3,25 mm Addi Turbo circulars
Pattern: Forecast
Time: 5 days

Belle & epoque

I am licquidating my stash by knitting faster (khm... smaller projects)
Last year I purchased 2x400 grams of Katia Jamaica cotton yarn, the turqoise-pink-orange one became Clapotis nr. 2, but green-beige-red-orange mix hid in the closet and didn't find a pattern.
Then one day last week my daughter came home and asked whether she could stay over for a night at a friend's place upcoming week. Of course I said yes, last time they had great fun together.
And it just happened that I was cleaning the closet and deciding the fate of my stash, so I instantly got an idea to knit some playful skirts. I pulled out Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge and picked out two ruffles.
2 days later I had these beauties ready:
Belle

...and E'poque

Close-ups of ruffles, they are:
Belle Epoque

...and knit fluted edge
Why such a name... Well, Belle èpoque means in french "good/beautiful times" and I guess childhood can be considered the best of times, so it wasn't difficult to name the skirts after ruffles :)

Info:
Yarn: Katia Jamiaca, 100% cotton, color 4002 (Suzanne) , used for both 320 grams
Needles: 4 mm Addi Turbo circular
Pattern: my own