Blueberry Wine (I mean Vine).

I am knitting the Vine Yoke Cardigan for my Ravelympics 2010 project. It is a pattern by Ysolda Teague.

The Vine Yoke Cardigan has a very unique construction. It’s a real joy knitting something so different and watching how it becomes a garment. However, because of the odd shape that it takes, I find it kind of bulky and in the way when I am knitting back on the short rows. It kind of pushes up on the cable of my circular needle.

I have completed the right front & sleeve and have just begun the back. The thought of knitting 102 rows is kind of putting me off, right now, but I will persevere & knit on, although last night, I only knit about 8 rows….




The cabled yoke is getting very puffy, but hopefully, I can smooth that out in the blocking.


I think the biggest issue I have encountered so far is that my wrapped stitches are turning out really loose. I may have to run some yarn through them “creatively” when it is all said & done to hide the looseness.

Cables, garter and yarn - oh my!

Progress pictures of my Baby Cables and Big Ones Too sweater.

Love is a many splendid stitches

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this sweater I am knitting. It's a pattern by Suvi Simola and it's called Baby Cables and Big Ones Too. It was love at first sight. As soon as I saw this, I knew I just had to knit it. It's so unusual and so stunning and so design savvy. This is the first time I have ever come across a pattern in which I was struck so profoundly.

And it is such a joy to knit. The pattern is very easy to follow, although I have to admit it was daunting at first. But, I wrote out the charts and aligned them in the correct order and am having no difficulty at all knitting this little gem. I'm using Filatora di Crosa Zara in Oatmeal and it is very soft. And with garter stitch, it is extra squishy.

I love the pattern; I love the design; I love the cables; I love the garter stitch; I love the yarn; I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS PROJECT!!!

I had thought about knitting this for the Ravelympics 2010, rather than the Vine Yoke Cardigan, but I wanted to start on this right away, and as you know, anything knit for the Ravelympics cannot be cast on until opening ceremonies on February 12. So my beautiful, wonderful Baby Cables and Big Ones Too will forego olympic fame...

Ravelympics Update #1: Training

I plan to begin my Ravelympics training (TEAM KNITMORE) this weekend (ball winding & swatching)!!!! I am going to knit the Vine Yoke Cardigan from Twist Collective, Fall 2009 using Cascade Lana D'Oro in the starry night colorway. The pattern is by Ysolda Teague.

Photo from Twist Collective, Fall 2009

Cascade Lana D'Oro - Starry Night; Photo from Jimmy Beans Wool

WOW!!

It's only January 14, 2010 & I have already started & COMPLETED 3 projects!!!!!!!!!!

Ravelry link: Baby Surprise Jacket for Barbara's great grandson.






Ravelry link: Baby Surprise Jacket for Jorge's granddaughter.






Ravelry link: Baby Ruffle Hat for Jorge's granddaughter.

It's just not that black & white...

Ravelry link: Baby Surprise Jacket #4 for Barbara's great grandson.

BSJ #4

Well, I have started my fourth Baby Surprise Jacket. I don't know why, but this pattern has really captivated me and has kept me quite interested, so much so, that I scrounged around for yarn (I do not really have a stash to speak of) and found some "disgusting" acrylic yarn (Caron Simply Soft). I'm using it because I do not have anything else to use right now. It will be sturdy/durable and very easy care for whomever is going to get this. I have not quite decided who I am giving this to. It was originally going to be for a co-worker of mine who recently had her 2nd great grandson. He was born around Thanksgiving, 2009. But, because of the yarn I am using, this BSJ is coming out a little larger than I thought it would. Barb could still use it, but she'd probably have to wait at least a year before her great grandson could wear it.

This is what I had knit for her for her first great grandson.

Ravelry link: Baby Surprise Jacket #4 for TBD.

Charlotte wearing her BSJ & hat

Isn't Charlotte just such a little cutie pie???? That's why I couldn't resist knitting her a few things.

Charlotte & her mom, Heather

Ravelry link: Baby Surprise Jacket and Baby Ruffle Hat

Another BSJ is complete!

Ravelry link: Baby Surprise Jacket for Jorge's soon-to-be granddaughter. This is BSJ #3. I added several eyelet rows (K2TOG, YO) and knit an attached i-cord bind off with butto hole. YouTube video of the attached i-cord bind off & button hole technique is at the end of this post.

Attached I-Cord Button Hole

Favorite Kitty!!!!!

Attached I-Cord Bind Off & Button Hole from Lorilee Beltman (Knitting Nuggets)

Baby Surprise Jacket #2

I finished the Baby Surprise Jacket for Charotte which goes with her Baby Ruffle Hat.

Charlotte's Baby Surprise Jacket ravelry link.

Completed Cranberries

Cranberry Mocha ravelry link.

Cranberry Blocking Pictures

Cranberry Mocha ravelry link.

Cranberry Mocha

I can't believe I knit a whole sweater without mentioning it in my blog, so here's the scoop....

I just finished Cranberry Mocha and it is now patiently drying on the blocking board. The pattern is the Moch Cardi by Gudrun Johnson and it is extremely well written.



I used Lorna's Laces Swirl DK in the cranberry colorway and this has got to be one of the most beautiful colors ever.

I will post pictures of the completed sweater soon.........

I am still in the sweater mood so I am actually thinking about restarting this, although fair isle & I have not gotten along very well. This will be my 3rd attempt, and three time's a charm, right? I'm going to rip it out and start over.

Block Party

Miss Honeychurch is soaking....



Miss Honeychurch's block party location....



Miss Honeychurch is blocking....

PERFECT NUMBER COMBINATION: 09.09.09...

...and oh yea, it's my birthday! Couldn't get better numbers than that!

I cast off Miss Honeychurch at lunch today. I just need to block her & then I'll post pictures.

Back to where I was...

...before my swim in the frog pond.

Miss Honeychurch - 2nd time around

Here's the first version:



There's not a whole lot of difference, but I'm happy with my 2nd attempt. I'm going to add about 2 more inches to the length and then complete the sleeves.

Here we go again

Frogged Miss Honeychurch last night and re-cast on. I'm about 20 rounds in.

Goodbye, Honey

I have decided to frog & start over. I LOVE the drape of the hemp fabric so I want my Miss Honeychurch to have a little more drape when worn. Right now, there is too much negative ease so I am going to go up a size and hopefully gain some more drape. My gauge swatch turned out to be a whole lot looser than my actual knitting (I didn't intend to have any negative ease) so to the frog pond I go...

Honeychurch progress