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.