Mimosa Odysseia Final

I wanted to follow the process of this huge shawl on the blog, but the darned cord that transfers photos from my camera to my laptop was missing and turned out just today... from my husbands backbag... I have a stinky feeling that this may be the result of my quick clean-ups at my home, when I stuff things in the less likely places all around the house without giving it a second thought. Ah well, at least it was safe traveling forth and back between home and office.
As a result here follow pictured process from day 1 to day 20:


02.02 I managed to cast-on twice. That wasn't nice because 599 stitches is not nice to CO again. Not to mention that I figured my Moebius mistake out after near 5 rows - that is nearly one and half ball of yarn. And then count and count and re-count countless times. Believe me you do not want to err with that many sts on your needles.

05.02 This where the expected setback happened. I ran out of beads. I had to wait until 13th of February to get the beads (I'll write a separate post about that specific bead shop).

14.02 I just got the beads the day before and decided to spread out the shawl on 3 circulars to see how wide it was going to be. Obviously it was going to be wide (that measuring tape is 150 cm / 60 inches long).

16.02 I've injured my left hand index finger. I have a small cut that often occurs when one is knitting a lot with drying hands. If you didn't know - knitting dries hands quite a deal.

Luckily my daughter takes care of me and offered one of her band-aids to help me through my injury.

18.02 The wrap is 3/4 done, it goes much faster to knit a row, but I've been making silly mistakes, like decreasing too much or too little, or knitting into the stitch below (often happens when knitting on high speed and in stockinette stitch), I've had to rip back 10 cm (4 inches) once but usually my good friend crochet hook helps me out.

20.02 Fresh off the needles. Washing and darning in the ends are ahead.

I'm darning. I only had 22 ends. Until I decided to split the yarn and it became 44. But I got through it pretty fast.

The shawl is blocking. And it became even bigger (I have a king size bed). And then I remembered. Merino stretches - A LOT!!! So from 22 sts per 4 inches / 10 cm it fell down to 19 sts

Here it is, on the ground with two 60 inch / 150 cm measuring tapes close by to show the size.

I used app. 1200 Toho Craft square beads - they are gold lined and it gives them a darker color than they really have.

This is a closeup of the central part here panels come together.

And the last shot:


Stats
Yarn: 11 balls of Sublime Yarns Cashmere Merino Silk DK (75% extrafine merino, 20% silk, 5% cashmere; 127 yrd/116 m for 50 gr ball)
Needle: 4.5 mm
Pattern: Mimosa by Sivia Harding from Big Girl Knits
Extra: 1200 Toho Craft square beads, color 39

I used less beads: didn't insert beads in the diamonds and didn't put them on the edges as well.

Mimosa Odysseia Part Two

So, I'm into my 4th day of knitting and this is how far I've gotten:

It doesn't seem much, but believe me it is, since now i have to bead only every 4th row (instead of every second) and I've gone from 599 sts to, I am guessing, about 490 sts. With every pattern repeat I decrease 10 sts so it gets less and less daunting by the row.
But I'm awfully close to finishing beads, I have some 170 left, but they disappear real quick, I just hope I get the rest of the beads from Japan on time.
Oh, by the way, I was wrong about the amount of days I have to knit this little big monster shawl - instead of 25, I have 21 days - that includes blocking it. So I'd say I have to have it done by 20th at least.

Mimosa Odysseia

Oh, I can feel it on my fingers that this is going to be a long project. I CO yesterday 599 stitches, or that's what I thought, knit 5 rows of garter stitch, one row of 599 purl stitches, started with the edging pattern, worked through 19x26 stitches of edging and then saw that I had more stitches than needed. I started counting and discovered I had done Moebius in the middle of the first row. Argh.

I got some beads as well. I'll go back today to get some more and order the rest. I decided to go with less beads and therefore I'll need about 1000 nr 8 beads. Just I didn't imagine that they'd be so difficult to find here.

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.

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

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

Knitting with both hands

Some of you define themselves Continental Knitters, some English Knitters some Italian knitters, some knit like Portugese do. I was continental knitter, still am as a matter of fact, but now I could say I am expanded continental knitter.
I like learning new things, I find great pleasure trying out different designs, always keeping an eye on, that they have some new techinques to teach me. I do not like knitting items where I cannot play with new skills, so when I saw Equinox Yoke Pullover I knew I wanted to do it. But knitting with colors is such a dull thing, all that stranding and yarn balls getting all tangled up (even if you are careful and follow yarn dominance principles... you know, the thing about which yarn always comes from under and which from top), and the tightness-looseness of stitches which is difficult to control... so I let it be at first and while surfing in internet one day I found a website which had a video about circular knitting with both hands (I can't find it anymore though). I flared up! I had to learn it. And of course I'm just not going to make a simple swatch and try it, I just started the Equinox Yoke pullover straight away. (Okay I opened Knitting Help site and looked how you gotta knit english way, tryed it out on few rows and off I was). The sleeves I knit continental way, working real fast for I was eager to start knititng in the round. And yes, girls, I did it. The first few rows were slow, but the more I knit the faster I got (logical, huh), and I'm hooked. My next goal is to start flat color knititng also with both hands. So I'm in lookout for a project to do that.

WIPs

I've been moving my hands a lot lately.
As well as trying to finish Equinox Yoke Pullover from Interweave Knits Fall 2006, Which should become something like this:
And instead is like this (I strated it right after Christmas, but got caught up by other projects and now picked it up, for in the light of possible translocation I need to get UFOs finished and as mucha s yarn possible used up):
And the true colors:
It now has been waiting for that free evening of weave-the-million ends-sew-up-garment-motivation. I think you see my problem.
Plus I am afraid to sew it up and re-block for it is obviously too short now, and maybe it won't "stretch" :(

I also have once again fallen into the Norah Gaughan entrapment skills and followed by the glorious arrival of the book called "Knitting Nature" which made me dig out my Debbie Bliss Cathay and start knitting franctically hoping to finish it before Ponte...
instead it made a blister on my finger and made me realize that this is yet-another-to-cry-about-Gaughan-sans-néné-design. Does anyone have an idea how to make the floppy "ears" below armpits go away. Blocking doesn't help. I have hope in placing straps differently or maybe.... I just have to rip.

In the mean time, for I was saddened by my 2-in-a-row instantunsuccessfulnesses I started yet another project: Forecast from Knitty.
About which I blabbed a little here
And would like to emphasize at this point the importance of local markets, specially when they carry better yarns than local yarn shops do. And cheaper prices, for the yarn is produced in small farms and sold exclusevely on local markets, you just have to find the right stall.
In these occasions you are truly reminded that largely the best and most beautiful yarns from Europe are made in Italy.

And while celebrating the long weekend il Ponte (28th April - 1st May) in Pescara I found a yarn shop and bought, guess what, of course, yarn. This time the shiny and soft and elegant Filatura di Crosa Millefini Fine 100% cotton:Aren't the colors just great?
It is turning into another Clapotis, one of my favourtie patterns:

Swallowtail Shawl 2

Second full version of Swallowtail Shawl.
Yarn: Lace handspun and dyed from Uruguay
Needles: 3,75 mm 80 CM Addi Turbo
Pattern: Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark from Interweave Knits Fall 2006
Time: less than 4 days

I love, love, love this pattern!