Saturday, May 31, 2008

Lollipop

I've made quite a few cotton items in the past few years (you might remember this, these and these) and I've had a shoe box full of scrap yarns (maybe 30-40 grams each ball). Until a few months ago I've deceived myself constantly thinking that one day I would be the new Prudence Mapstone with my creations in freeform crochet, but at this moment I need space and I need it fast (yep, I have a new order arriving from the other side of the ocean) so I had no other option but to use the scraps as fast as possible, empty the box and therefor make some space in the bed, and since the summer vacation is quite near, a new summer hat was in order. Of course for my daughter who has been bugging me quite awhile with requests on knitted garments.
Armed with 4 mm crochet hook and scraps I started working in single crochets and finished yesterday with this:
New hat
It has 3 different yarns in 6 different colourways:
Katia Jamaica in 4002 (beige, green, red) and 4003 (blue, pink, beige
Ornaghi Filati Alicante in 65 (greens) and 62 (pinks)
GB Wolle Mosaik in pink and lilac.
I started it like a beanie and later I crocheted the brim.
Odds and ends - mainly cottons
She seems to be very happy with it. I have enough to make a second one ;)
She likes her hat

Monday, May 12, 2008

New loot, new love

I am madly in love with my new Harmony needles: they are amazing, smooth but not slippery, light and warm, the cable is (it seems right now) better than the Addi cable and the fun colors making working quicker.
Look at them, gorgeous:
HArmony interchangable circs
I also, surprise surprise, enhanced my stash with some
Knit Picks Shimmer new colourway Galazy
Knit Picks Shimmer - Galaxy
and Knit Picks Gloss Cosmos
Knitpicks Gloss
which I'm currently making up as the Mystic Light KAL (I know I'm late, was waiting for the yarn)
Mystic Light KAL clue 2
I'm not too happy with myself and the pattern working together: my Virgo personality likes clear understanding of where the pattern is going, pattern repeats that match from the beginning to the end and very certain pattern changes. I don't blame the pattern, I blame myself of not being able to count and follow pattern row by row. Plus I do not know how I could have read instead of sl1k2togpsso (slip 1- knit 2 together - pass slipped stitch over) as s2kwk1psso (slip 2 knitwise - knit 1 - pass slipped stitches over) - so my diamonds have a little unusual look and then in the middle of the work change their appearance :P But I really like the finished shawl I've seen online.

V like....

... Catriona (my Ravelry page) by Debbie Bliss.
Catriona done

I like the way cables look, by I don't fully enjoy knitting them - the pulling of the fabric puts a lot of pressure on my hands and that's not nice, nevertheless once in a while it's OK to do and Catriona was an easy project with a very stunning appearance.

Specs
Yarn: Schoeller + Stahl Merino Soft (100% merino, 50 gr 130 m, color 05)
Needles: 3 mm, 3,75 mm, 4 mm
Pattern: Catriona by Debbie Bliss (Ravelry)