Knitting In The North

FO: Creature Comforts Cardi

 

 

 

Even though this pattern is called a cardi, I think of it more like a vest, and so chose it to knit for my Vestuary project.  It made me happy that I had a great yarn in my stash all ready for it, and I finished it in time to wear to the Film Festival this weekend!  (Which was very interesting, although I'm quite tired now...)

 

 

 

Particulars:

Pattern - Creature Comforts Cardi from MadelineTosh

Yarn - Noro Cash Iroha, 7.5 skeins, colourway 106

Needles - 4.5mm Denise interchangeables

Notes - I knit the smallest size for this pattern, and was dreadfully concerned all the way through that it was going to be too small.  I always forget how much Noro yarn seems to grow upon blocking, though, and the finished fabric is beautifully soft and drapey, and the fit is just right.  I did go down one needle size in order to get gauge, and I didn't knit the ribbing on a smaller needle, because I was concerned about stretching the rib over my *ahem* motherly hips.  Although I knit to the correct length, and then blocked the piece before seaming, I still needed to stop the arm seam about an inch short (I used some leftover sock yarn for the seaming - do not try it with the Cash Iroha).  

I'm thrilled with the finished knit - it's soft and comfortable to wear, and I forsee it being a versatile part of my wardrobe.  It went beautifully from work to the film festival to home.  Plus, the leaf panel up the back is terribly impressive, and leads to lots of comments and compliments from people around you... and what's not to like about that?

 

 

 

Yarn Along - As Fast As I Can!

Ginny says: ~ Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs. I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well. So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading? Take a single photo and share it either on your blog or on Flickr. Leave a link below to share your photo with the rest of us! ~

 

 

 

I'm so close to finishing this vest, I can almost taste it!  I'm on the very last leaf in the cable panel, and then it's just a matter of some finishing.  The class I'm taking has to attend our local Film Festival (darn it, eh?), and I'm hoping to wear it on the weekend.  I just need a good knitting evening!

 

The book is called Design-It-Yourself Clothes, and I first heard about it on another blog I love dearly, Farmama.  (Sara lives with her hubby & 4 children on their CSA - I love living vicariously through her...)  Although I still consider myself a beginner at sewing, I'd like to do some proper clothes-making this year, and am finding this a great resource.

 

Now, back to the knitting...

Contentment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

 

Sock Along

~ Joining in again for Small Thing's weekly Yarn Along ~

 

 

This week, I'm back to the vanilla sock I'm making for my Father-in-law.  This one seems to be barely crawling along, probably because I tend to ignore it for more exciting knitting.  Also, I got past the heel turn, and decided I wasn't going to have enough yarn, and ripped back.  I had a lone ball of dark yarn in my stash, and it's working just fine for the heel (and eventually, the toe).  I have started carrying this project around with me - it's small enough to fit in my purse, and I can manage to work on it a little bit here and a little bit there, as I go about my days.

The book is one I found through Whichbook, and it's very cute.  Told from the perspective of a family dog, it's funny and sweet and a little bit sad, all at once.  I'm so glad I found Whichbook!

 

I Believe These Speak For Themselves...

 

 

 

Sewn: Tea Cozy

 

 

I've been having such fun with the weekly Yarn Along, I decided to join in with Julie for her new Sewing Bee!  Although I don't sew as much as I knit, I have been having fun discovering the joy of sewing, and the satisfaction of repurposing, whenever I can.

 

I found a great linen tea towel at the thrift store a while back, and brought it home full of joy.  It was too lovely, though, to use as a tea towel, but I was determined to find a practical purpose  that would still let me appreciate the embroidery and the colours and the crunchy linen.  My solution was a tea cozy - I cut two elongated half circles from the towel, and two more from a red fleece I had in my fabric stash, then sewed them together, with a little red ribbon pull on top.  I know I have seen something very similar to this in a sewing book, but I'm not sure where - perhaps Bend the Rules Sewing? 

 

Yarn Along

~ Ginny at Small Things is holding a Yarn Along, and I'm playing along today...~

 

 

 

I was planning on showing you something different today, but watching this cable unfold has captured my attention this week, and here is the first repeat complete!  I'm very much enjoying this pattern, and can hardly wait to see it finished.

 

My book this week is not as much fun as I'd like, but it is very helpful, as it is the textbook for the English (Intro to Film) class that I'm taking this semester.  It's great, although a little more work than I had imagined, and I'm very glad I chose to only take one class this term.  I am, however, looking at movies in a whole new light - I'm pretty sure I'm driving Stuart a bit crazy with my constant, "Look how the bad guy is always shot from a low angle to make him seem big and scary... isn't that interesting?".  So much to learn, so little time...

Yarn Along

~ I'm joining Ginny for her weekly Yarn Along again this week - books & knitting, what's not to love? ~

 

 

 

This week, I've been very much enjoying Sharon Astyk's Independence Days.  It focuses on food preservation, with a lot of great information and some interesting recipes to encourage local eating year-round.  Although it may be a goodly amount of time (if ever) until I find myself accomplishing all that this lady does in the areas of food production, I am finding her thoughts and suggestions very motivating and encouraging. 

 

In the very exciting knitting department, the first of February arrived yesterday, making it legal to cast on for my Creature Comforts Cardi.  I finished the ribbing last night, and am looking forward to a window sometime this afternoon to do the set-up rows for this lovely cable.  I love the early days of a project, when I'm infatuated with the pattern, the yarn, the colour, the feel, the sheen.  So immensely satisfying.

 

Figure 8

 

 

 

Even though this Canadian girl has never learned to skate, I can still appreciate a good figure eight.  When I saw this blog post over at Anna Maria Horner's, I knew I wanted a scarf like this.  And when my kind dad sent me some money for Christmas, rather than spend on groceries the way I was tempted to do, I popped online and ordered this kit of precut fabric.

 

I will confess that I was somewhat disappointed with the cutting of the fabric - the two pieces didn't come close to matching, and I had to do quite a bit of smoothing out on the floor, pinning and cutting before I was ready to sew.  If you decide to make this, there is no way on earth you could use too many pins.  The two fabrics, a velveteen and a cotton voile, move in different ways, and have a tendency to slip and slide and stretch while you're working.  Pin, pin, pin!

 

The finished scarf, though, is perfect!  Substantial enough to wear outdoors with a coat, but soft enough to wear inside as an accessory, I love the colours and texture.  The rich, soft comfort is wonderful this grey time of year.