Stashbusting Eternity Scarf

If you're like me you have all these pretty scraps of yarn from leftover projects lying around that you just can't seem to part with. Someday... someday I'll find a use for them I said. I also had a few other things lying around; a few super bulky yarns that I could not think of a use for and a free cotton/silk blend sweater whose sleeves were easily undone but (surprise!) the body was serged. I was inspired by a thread on Ravelry making ruthless fun of this scarf: which I thought could be pretty cool...

First I swatched with those super bulky yarns that needed to be used. I found my largest needles (size 15) weren't big enough for the fabric I wanted. Some sharpened dowels did the trick, though. They're probably similar in size to US size 20 needles (I'd guess, obviously I don't have any size 20s so I can't say for sure).

I provisionally cast on about 14 stitches with waste yarn using a crochet cast on. Then I used yarn 1 and knit 2 rows. Cut yarn 1. Now there are two yarn 1 tails; one beginning and one end tail. Use yarn 2 to knit 2 rows. Cut yarn 2. Then tie the beginning yarn 2 tail to the end yarn 1 tail.



You can see a close up of the knotted fringe above. Continue in this fashion until it's as long as you want; mine is about 9 feet long and I can wrap it around two or three times. If you're using different weight yarns hold lighter weight yarns double or triple so that they knit up similarly to the heaviest yarn. Then graft the ends together. Alternatively, you could do a regular cast on and bind off for a regular scarf or you could twist before grafting for a moebius scarf.

Cashmere & natural dyes

I found a cashmere sweater with cables made of lace to light fingering weight yarn. It was a nice beige color and I made a full sized Laminaria for my grandmother, but that only used most of the sleeves. It was a nice beige, but really? Beige? Not for me. So what to do with the rest of it...

So I grabbed a short pieces and went to the kitchen (better known as my laboratory, insert evil laugh here) and started experimenting. We know we need vinegar but what else? Ahh, some coffee grounds from this morning, and that nasty mangostene green tea that I simply cannot bring myself to drink (it was bought because it was on sale really cheap and now I know why). Well, we'll throw in all that stuff and why not use apple cider vinegar since it's already out on the counter (it's not just for barbecue anymore!)

I hanked up a big ball and actually tied the tea bags and coffee grounds to it hoping for some real variegation. When it came out, cooled off, and I finally got all the coffee grounds washed out of it I was disappointed that it wasn't that variegated but it was a beautiful gold color! Upon knitting it into an Aeolian shawlette I can see that there is a perfect amount of variegation: lighter spots of almost beige and darker spots closer to golden brown.

I still have enough yarn leftover to make something else (I'm thinking another lightweight sweater) I may have to attempt to recreate this lovely color. Although green would be nice too. Oh the decisions! I can't believe I got enough yarn for two shawls and a sweater out of just this one big old cashmere sweater!

Reloved

My latest design involved unraveling a handknit sweater that was too small in the body and too long in the arms for, well, anyone I dare say. I hated to see it laying in the closet unused.

So first off: unraveling a handknit sweater is a bit different from your average commercial sweater. Watch the seams and ends because it can get a bit dicey. It was beautiful dove grey wool that just screamed at me CABLES! Then off to the local library I found the perfect plaited cable in the Vogue Stitchionary Vol. 2.

I wanted cables, but nothing too bulky. It's a sport weight yarn so I used size 7 needles. Made for a very nice fabric with a lot of stretch. It's a top down raglan and I used a provisional cast on (my favorite way of beginning top down raglan sweaters) and tried it on as I went for a perfect fit. I increased one stitch on each edge of sleeves and back as usual and one stitch on each front for a deep V-neck.

The front increases are done right at the neckline so that I could incorporate the emerging pattern. It has a single plaited cable on each sleeve, one down the front, and two stockinette bands on either side of the front cable. I worked waist shaping on the sides as well as incorporating some of the decreases/increases into the stockinette band and the front reverse stockinette panels. This, I thought, helped create a more slimming hourglass shape.

The edges are worked in k 2 p 2 rib with decreases on the neckline at the point of the V as well as one on each side where the sleeves and back raglan increases lie. All in all I'm very happy with the results.

Bitter Beret

Not because my mom is bitter but because I made up this pattern using the charts from the lovely Bitterroot shawl from Rosemary Hill on knitty. It's made from the same yarn with the same beads I used on the shawl I made her for Christmas so it matches perfectly. It uses the simplified tubular CO

Using waste yarn and size 4 needle provisionally CO 72 sts

With working yarn:

Rnd 1: *k1, yo* across round--> 144 sts

Rnd 2: *sl 1 w/ yarn in front, k1* across

Rnd 3: *p1, sl 1 w/ yarn in back*

Continue in p1, k1 rib for 2.5 inches. Change to size 9 needle, knit one round increasing 6 sts evenly around -->150 sts

Work repeat portion (it's the ten stitches inside the red box) of Bitterroot chart E Rows 11 - 16, knitting the wrong side rows. Then work repeat portion of chart F rows 1-4, then rows 9-16. Then begin working repeat portion from chart G. Rows 1-16 will be worked but decreases are done on rows 9-16. Chart to come...

Ravelympics Sweaterette

snowflake:

1: k1, *yo, sl 1, k1, psso, k1, k2tog, yo, k1*

3: K2 (yo, k3), yo, k2

5: k2tog, yo, sl1, k1, psso, k1, k2tog, *yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, sl1, k1, psso, k1, k2tog* yo, sl1, k1, psso

7: k1 *k2tog, yo, k1, yo, sl1, k1, psso, k1*

9: k2, (yo, k3), yo, k2

11: k1, *k2tog, yo, sl1, k2tog, psso, yo, sl1, k1, psso, k1*

4 st/in on size 6 needles in laburnum

5.5 inches = 19 sts on size 7 needles in snowflake

co 140 sts on size 6 needles

4sts each side in garter st, the rest in laburnum worked flat as follows:

row 1: (Rs) (p2, k2), p2

row 2: (k2, p2), k2

row 3: (p2, k3tog, yo), p2

row 4: (k2, p into back then front of yo, p), k2

To begin sl 1, k 3, work rows 1 & 2 twice, k 4

Continue in pattern to desired length

End ribbing with row 2 then work row 1 once more. Change to size 7 needles work one row purl across, increasing one stitch. Next row begin Snowflake pattern. Work one repeat of pattern (12 rows). Place markers on either side of center stitch (70,1,70). Inc one st each side of marker on rows 2, 6, and 8 (146 sts).

Finish repeat then work rows 1 (buttonhole row) and 2 of lace. On next row bo 16 sts from each side in white (k2, sl back to left needle, k both tog) work even dec 1 st each side of neckline on RS until 10 sts remain while at same time when correct length to armpit BO 2 for sleeves. dec 1 at armhole edge twice. cont in patt until it's long enough...

on back: bo center sts leaving 10 on each side to graft together with front sts. Graft sts together.

sleeves: pu 46 sts, begin knitting 4 on top center picking up one st at end of row each row until all 46 are picked up. Begin snowflake on row 3. Will incorporate new sts into pattern on subsequent 2 row 1s of pattern. join in round (worked in magic loop) and continue. dec 6 sts between pit and elbow--> 40 sts. Switch to laburnum worked in round.

all BO: k2, k those two together, k1, k together with first st on l needle (lace bo from bitterroot)

Annanic, An Introduction

2/15/2010- So since I'm just about the last person on the interweb to drift namelessly through the ether with no blog to call home I shall start one to see if it's all it's cracked up to be. I'll admit that my inspiration to start a blog right now is mostly due to knitting. The Ravelympics hosted by Ravelry are in progress right now and apparently the prizes are blog badges. Thus, I need a blog. Sad, I realize, but I don't have much else going on right now. Other than, of course a 9 month old destroying the house, so perhaps I'll have to go deal with that.