Knitting In The North

Yarn Along

~Joining in with Ginny's Yarn Along, because I love reading as much as knitting!~

 

 

Even though it's not a Christmassy story, I picked up this book this morning because it's an Inter-Library Loan, and I'm going to have to get it back soon. I believe I first heard of it on another blog doing the Yarn Along, which brings things full circle. I love finding new titles and authors this way!

 

On the needles is my final Christmas project, a Turn a Square hat for a family friend. I'm using stash black wool, and a shifting grey that I found at the LYS, and hope to have it finished tomorrow, which will give me time to block it before the big day.

 

In other news, we've been busy, as have all of you, I'm sure, with much holiday elving. I'm forming quite a collection of photos, and will try to sit down in the next few days to share the goodness. If you celebrate it, Happy Solstice to you! We're headed tonight downtown for a family solstice celebration, and I'm really looking forward to getting the whole bunch of us out and about on this dark night.

Yarn Along

 

 

 

As is usually the case, when one area of life really takes off, another has to slow down.  My Christmas knitting has been moving along really well, but my reading - not so much.  I finished Gwenyth's sweater (it's blocking right now, and then needs buttons), and I finished the first of Brian's socks, and just turned the heel on the second.  Wow - I'm impressing myself!  You can see Brian's socks above (even better, I'll have enough leftover for a second, smaller pair - matching ones for Liam, perhaps?), along with the wool Liam & I wound up this morning to knit felted clogs. 

 

Since my school semester is winding down, I am allowing myself a bit of seasonal reading fun.  I like to read "Christmas" fiction during December, and since I'm feeling so festive, figured I may as well start that, too.  First up is Matchless, by Gregory Maguire.  The cover says it's "an illumination of Hans Christian Andersen's classic 'The Little Match Girl'", and was apparently read on NPR a few years ago.  I just picked it up today, so I can't tell you too much, although I'm very much looking forward to curling up with it in the evenings to come.  Do you like to read holiday themed stories?  What are some of your favourites?

 

 

FO: Simple Baby Hat

 

 

 

Since I seem to be on a roll with the hats, I figured I'd knit one for my newest little nephew.  Stuart's younger sister, Judith, has just had her first baby, a sweet little boy (that is, I'm assuming he's sweet, he's so fresh we haven't even seen pictures yet, and I'm not sure of the absolutely final name... but he's got the same blood as Stuart, who has made some fabulous looking babies, so I'm going with it).

 

Judith is allergic to wool, so I went looking for other options, and came up with this lone ball of Patons Silk Bamboo.  The hat is on it's way east now, and I have high hopes of some pictures, once it arrives.

 

Particulars:

Yarn - Patons Silk Bamboo, 1 ball, Almond

Pattern - Simple Baby Hat, by Alison Williams, courtesy of Blue Sky Alpacas

Needles - 3.75mm

Notes - Not much to say about this one - a fast, simple knit, producing a super soft little hat.  Ahhhh... babies....

 

FO: Wise Old Owl Hat

 

 

Can you see the owls?  I confess, I'm not sure this was the best yarn for this particular pattern, as the marled yarn kind of hides the stitch definition, obscuring the cabled "owls" a bit.  Also, I'm a little distracted by that grumpy face... it needs to be kissed.  A little chasing around, and his smile came out, though. 

 

Particulars:

Pattern - Wise Old Owl Hats

Yarn - Briggs & Little Heritage, in Anniversary Twist, about half a skein

Needles - 4mm

Notes:  Although there is a child version of this pattern, I used the adult size with aran weight yarn, and ended up with a hat to fit Liam.  I didn't really plan on using this yarn, but Mr. Particular had a specific plan in mind, and I just went with it.  I scrounged the eight smallest pairs of buttons from my thrifty button jar for the eyes, but would have used smaller ones, if I had them.  Some of those eyes are a little big.

Liam is holding true to his strong preferences, and I've discovered that if I care about him liking something, and wanting to use it, I will let go of my own very particular plan, and instead focus on creating something, with love, for him.  Sigh... growing up can be tough, but I'm learning as I go.  So, here is his blue owl hat, just the way he likes it.

 

Holiday Plans

 

 

I've been inspired by the fall leaves and crisp morning air to start making my holiday plans.  Here's what I'm thinking...

 

• Using that fabulous green/pink yarn (from the amazing Ruth), I want to make Gwenyth a Radiant cardigan.
• Legwarmers for Katie, using the Silk Garden and striped with the black wool; if I have enough leftover from that, I'd like to knit a Turn a Square hat for a good friend.
• A secret project, already underway, for my lovely (blogless) girlfriend.
• A simple pair of socks, with the Dancing shown above, for Brian, who never seems to have enough socks for his big feet.
• A kneewarmer for Stuart, who has a hurting knee some days.  Poor old guy.
• Using the felt I bought last year, but didn't have time to use, a set of felt fish for Liam (with a dowel fishing rod.

 

The best part is that all of this yarn is in the stash already, so I am ready to get started, and I'll be making room in my yarn dresser.  You know, when I read that list over, it doesn't seem that crazy... lets see what the next two months hold!  What plans are you making?

 

Staying Warm

 

 

As I started to get ready for this winter to arrive this year, I decided that each of the kids needed a new hat for the season.  Here are Katie & Gwenyth, modeling their new woolies.

Katie really loves the colours of Noro, and so I used some Kureyon I had lingering in the stash to knit her up a Noro Hat, and a matching pair of fingerless gloves.  For Gwenyth, I also chose Noro, but instead used Bonbori, which is a bit chunkier & therefore faster to knit.  Her hat is a simple vanilla hat, and the fingerless gloves were knit with some old leftover tweedy wool.

Next up - warm winter woolies for the boys, too...

Yarn Along: Making Plans

~Joining in with Ginny's weekly Yarn Along - you can, too!~

 

 

I have been enjoying the luxury of diving into a nice, long novel in the last few days.  I've seen many other Yarn Alongers reading this one, and so was excited to pick it up.  I'm not sure what I think quite yet, though.  It's not grabbing me the way I imagined it would, but I'm going to keep reading, and see where it takes me.

 

A friend of mine has asked me to test-knit a pattern.  I can't show you too much, but what I love about it is that it's designed to use up all those scraps of yarn left hanging around, and I was inspired by waldorf mama's amazing rainbow knits to see if I could find a rainbow in my stash.  I'm looking forward to getting knitting on this, but I have to finish my Multnomah, first.  I did end up ripping back the lace, but it was for the best, since I added another repeat of garter stitch to the body before beginning the feather & fan.  If I stay on task, I'll be able to wear this scarf/shawl this spring!

Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

 

 

 

When I was a little girl, my mom & I loved to read Victoria Magazine.  For a while, I even had my very own button collection, which I kept on a string in good Victorian fashion.  Although those buttons are long gone now, my love of them hasn't faded, and I am always on the lookout for something special.

 

My favourite local yarn store recently started carrying buttons, and then to top it all off, purchased a close-out lot of buttons from somewhere out of town.  I happened upon them by accident, when I went in looking for a nice button for my new hat (green, of course).  Naturally, I wanted to buy one of everything, to start a brand new button string, but I resisted - for the monst part.  Several of my favourites did end up making it into my bag... I wonder what to do with them all?

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?

 

 

 

Swatching Along

 

 

 

Joining in with the Yarn Along again this week, and it's a Yarn Along with a bonus - this week there is a giveaway, and it's not too late to join in yourself!

 

Sticking with my obsession with green things right now, I'm swatching with some lovely Noro Cash Iroha that's been hanging out in my stash, with plans to cast on for the Creature Comforts Cardi as my project for Vestuary.  I'm so looking forward to this one, the yarn is soft and the leaf cable pattern is gorgeous!

 

The book by Michael Pollan, Second Nature, is a collection of essays that I'm enjoying quite a bit.  Things have been super busy at work, and an essay is just about the full amount of time and attention span I have right now.  Plus, it's all about gardening - what's not to love?