Angel Lace Shawl - complete!

This is the beautiful Angel Lace shawl, designed by Evelyn A. Clark for Fiber Trends. This is by far the easiest of Evelyn's shawls I've ever made (either that or I'm getting better at knitting!). The pattern is easy to remember and for those who are new to lace knitting, it has one row of just knitting (no increases or decreases, except of the YOs at the edges and center spine). I never use a "lifeline", but this one has one built in! The yarn is Filatura di Crosa 501, DK weight 100% superwash wool. I used 9 full balls to complete this shawl and a size 8 needle. It measures 78 inches across the top and 38 inches down the center...very generous! I've got enough yarn to make another and I'll be starting that one shortly. This shawl to 5 days to make.

Like my other shawls, this will be donated to the local cancer centre and will be given to a patient.

The Sock-a-thon continues!

More finished socks...

The first is made with Classic Elite's new sock yarn, Alpaca Sox in colourway "Garden". It's gorgeous yarn and is so very soft. The fibre is 60% alpaca, 20% merino, 20% nylon. I made these socks using a size 1 needle. The pattern is Monkey Bars from Wildhorse Farms. The pattern is very simple and easy to memorise...the perfect portable project! Both the pattern and the yarn were bought from The Loopy Ewe.

The second sock is made with Dream In Color Smooshy sock yarn (my new VERY favourite!!) in colourway "Deep Seaflower". The pattern is "Small Tiles" from More Sensational Knitted Socks. It was simple and easy to memorise. I used a size 2 needle.

The third sock is also made with Dream In Color Smooshy, this time in "Good Luck Jade". The pattern, also from MSKS, is "Lattice Stitch", also simple to make. Again, I used a size 2 needle. These yarns were also purchased from The Loopy Ewe.

Dream In Color socks

This is my first pair of socks done in Dream In Color sock yarn. The colorway is called "Dusky Aurora" and it's GORGEOUS yarn! These socks were made using a size 2 needle (a 47" Addi lace needle) and the pattern is a simple eyelet rib twist something or other! I made up the pattern; it's just a YO, K2Ttog. But, about the yarn...it's wonderful! I can really understand why so many knitters rave about this yarn. The colour has enough variation to make it interesting, but it simply does not pool. I'm rather tired of having swirls and blobs of colour pooling on my socks, so this yarn is a real winner!!

I've got one more skein of this yarn in "Deep Seaflower" and I'll be stalking The Loopy Ewe this week for more!

More (and more!) socks!

Here's the second sock finished in the Lorna's Laces Cornucopia yarn and another pair just finished in Cherry Tree Hill Supersocks in African Grey. I don't get the name, but the yarn is gorgeous! I call the CTH socks my "Comedy Of Errors" socks because...well, they were a comedy of errors! I started off with a six-stitch pattern from More Sensational Knitted Socks. Great! So, off I went and cast on 72 stitches on a size 2 needle because my last pair of socks worked up nicely using 72 stitches. About 3 inches into the sock, I realise I have a BIG problem! The previous socks were done on a size 1 needle and these socks are huge!! Frogged them and started over by casting on 64 stitches and started working the P1, K4, P1 ribbing. Hmmm...2 stitches short. Gee, I thought I counted 64 stitches. No matter, I knit on two more stitches and off I go! Everything worked great until I got to the heel flap. I still had the thought of 64 stitches so I worked the heel flap on 32 of those stitches. You know where this is going! Now my instep had 34 stitches and the pattern didn't center over the instep. Grrrrr....what I should have done was cast on 60 stitches, not 64! I managed to finish the socks and worked the second sock in the exact manner so whilst they were a comedy of errors, they turned out OK. I learned a lesson though...count thy stitches TWICE!

For the technical details, the Lorna's Laces were knit using a size 1 needle with 72 stitches; the CTH on a size 2 needle with (shame!) 66 stitches.

I've just started another pair of socks using Dream In Color Smooshy in Dusky Aurora. What's the big deal about this yarn anyway?? Well, I know...it's gorgeous yarn!! So soft, so lovely to work. It's fast becoming my favourite. Stay tuned for photos!

FO...Stansfield 16 socks in STR

All done...my first pair of socks in Blue Moon Fiber Arts' Socks That Rock. The colourway is Scottish Highlands and it's their medium weight yarn, which is quite thick, I must say. I knit them on a size 2 needle and it knit to 8 sts/inch. I'm sure they will be quite warm. The pattern is from More Sensational Knitted Socks and is Stansfield 16. It's a basket weave that was simple to memorise. I have about 26 grams of yarn left over and I'm considering adding some form of border at the top of the cuff. I made this a bit on the short side as I didn't know if I'd have enough to finish both socks. Given that I wear a size 10 shoe, I'm always worried about that. Yes, I know, I could knit them toe up, but I'm not overly fond of that technique.


The socks-in-progress are in Lorna's Laces Shepard Sock in a colourway called "Cornucopia", which is available from the nicest enabler on eBay, emtnestr. I'm about to cast on the second sock and am using a size 1 needle. The pattern is a simple garter rib. I hope to have the second sock done by tomorrow...we'll see!

I'm starting to appreciate patterns that are quite simple and allow the yarn to be the centre of attention. For more intricate patterns I'll stick to solids, especially after the Country Girl socks I made (see post below). These socks took 4 days to complete.

FO...Tilting at Windmills socks

Here are last week's socks! The pattern is "Tilting at Windmills" designed by Melissa Morgan-Oakes. They were a breeze to make! The yarn is Claudia Handpainted Yarn in Blue Terra Cotta. It's gorgeous yarn; the colours are lovely and it's so very soft. With my rather big feet, I was able to complete the pair with a few yarns leftover from each skein. Oh, and I love my new sock blockers from The Loopy Ewe!

I hope to have another pair finished this weekend and will post them. The new socks are Stansfield 16 (from More Sensational Knitted Socks) in Socks That Rock Scottish Highlands medium weight. Stay tuned!

More FOs...

I've been just a bit busy...

Here's my version of the Classic Elite Interlude Lace Wrap done in their Classic Silk yarn. I made this for the CEY Knit-a-long that goes with their new web letter. The yarn is a blend of cotton, silk, and nylon and is gorgeous stuff! I used 7 full balls of yarn and a size 7 needle. I added repeats to make the shawl wider than what the pattern called for and to compensate for the slightly lighter weight yarn. This shawl, like all the others, was donated to the local cancer centre.

The socks are made in Lorna's Laces "Gelato", which was an exclusive colourway for my favourite eBay enabler, emptnestr. It worked up a bit oddly, as you can see from the various pooling in the photo, but I quite like it! The pattern is Heartstring's Country Girl. Not the best pattern for the yarn, but they're done and I'm not frogging them!

Meanwhile, back at my knitting...

After setting aside the Cocoon Lace Wrap (see July 6), I was able to complete several projects for the local cancer centre, some of which I've posted here. The green close-up is another Cozy wrap from knitty.com. This one is done in Debbie Bliss Merino Aran in an emerald green colour. I used ten 50-gram balls and a size 8 needle. I think I could work this pattern in my sleep!

The turquoise blue shawl is the Gothic Leaf Stole from Sivia Harding. It's a gorgeous pattern! I used a sport weight superwash wool from Lana Grossa and a size 6 needle. The pattern is worked in two halves and is intended to be grafted together using Kitchner. Those who know me know that I cannot Kitchner to save my life and my effort at doing so was a dismal failure. I think it's because I work left to right and the stitches come out twisted. I worked a few rows of garter stitch and used a three needle bind off and it came out very nicely. I'll keep working on that Kitchner.





















The blue throw is another Heritage blanket from Oat Couture...one of my favourites. I used 6 100-gram skeins of Plymouth Encore and a size 8 needle to make a nicely sized throw.


In my spare time (?), I also made a couple pairs of socks...photos to come later!

On the needles now is the
Interlude Lace Wrap from Classic Elite. Check out the CEY Knitalong for progress!

Coccoon Lace Shawl WIP

I must be nuts. Not only is this a very fine nearly cobweb weight yarn, but it's mohair. The yarn is ArtYarn's Kid Silk (mohair/silk blend) in a pale green and white colourway. The pattern is Fiber Trend's Coccoon Lace wrap, designed by Evelyn Clark (of course!). The wrap is just gorgeous, but it's coming along so slowly! I've had to set it aside for a short while whilst I work on some projects for the hospital (and to have a little surgery myself!). I've finished the first hank of yarn and will use up at least two more (I have 3, but I might make a scarf with the 4th hank if the shawl appears to be long enough). The pattern makes up little puffs, especially with the mohair yarn, quite lovely! I'm making the version with a lace edging. I started the shawl with a provisional cast on, then picked up those stitches to add the border. Given the clingy nature of the mohair, twas quite a task, but lovely to be sure!

Panda Cotton socks - second pair done!

Here's the second pair of socks made with Panda Cotton. The pattern is Hedera from knitty.com, designed by Cookie A. It's a very simple lace design and a very nice result! The colour is a bit off, but they are a royal purple.

A couple more FO's; cable pocket wrap and Estonial Lullaby blanket

In the past couple weeks, I've made another Estonian Lullaby blanket and a cable pocket wrap. The Estonian Lullaby is another of Evelyn Clark's beautiful designs for Fiber Trends. The yarn is Shepard Colour 4 Me, an 8-ply superwash wool I've used many times. I used a US8 Addi Turbo 32" needle and used 500 grams of wool.


The turquoise wrap is the Cable Pocket Shawl from Knit Picks. I bought the yarn (Sierra) when it was on clearance and like it quite a bit. This shawl is knitted in two halves which are then brought together with a three needle bind off. This gave me a look I wasn't overly fond of, but since this wrap is to keep me warm, it's OK. I'll make the shawl again, but will find a different way to graft the two halves together. I used 8 100 gram hanks of yarn and a size 10 Addi Turbo 32" needle for the main shawl; a size 8 Addi Turbo needle for the garter stitch borders.

Panda Cotton socks - One pair done, One WIP

I finished the first pair of socks in Panda Cotton and liked it so much I bought more. Yes, it can be splitty and heaven help you if you have to frog, but the socks are so nice, I couldn't resist more.

The pink socks are the finished WIP below; Waving Lace designed by Evelyn Clark. I finished both socks in about 3 days. The WIP sock (in colourway Crystal Purple) is Hedera, designed by Cookie A. The pattern is very simple and the look with the Panda Cotton is very nice. I just started these socks this morning and they are working up quickly.

Waving Lace socks WIP

I'm making the Waving Lace socks from Favorite Socks, published by Interweave. These socks are featured on the cover of the book and are designed by Evelyn A. Clark, my favourite designer! I'm using Panda Cotton yarn from Crystal Palace for the first time. Everything you've heard about this yarn splitting is true, but I still like it very much. Here are the WIP photos. This shows the lace edging and 2.5 repeats (50 rows). What worries me more about this yarn is the rather short yardage. It's only 170 yards and after reviewing all the free patterns for this yarn on www.straw.com (Crystal Palace's web site), I think I should have purchased 3 balls instead of 2. I just frogged a sock made with Claudia yarn because I didn't have enough, so I'll make the cuff of this sock end right were it is (5.5 inches) and start the heel flap now.

I'm using a size 2 40" Addi Turbo needle (Magic Loop).







I'm not sure that I mind the splitting all that much. I rather like the texture it gives the sock, which I tried to show in these rather poor photos.

It's been a long winter!

And I've been busy knitting! Here are a few of my projects that have been finished this year. The green shawl is yet-another Cozy shawl from knitty.com. This one is done in Debbie Bliss Merino Aran in an emerald green. I used a size 8 needle for this one. The finished size is 24" by 76". I used ten 50 gram balls of yarn and it took me about a week to complete.







The second shawl is from Fall 05 Vogue Knitting and is fondly referred to as "the #15 shawl" as it doesn't have any other name! It's designed by Deborah Newton and is gorgeous. The scalloped edges are a result of the increase/decrease in the pattern. The edge of the shawl is half of what the pattern called for. I'm not crazy about the edging and, truth be told, I didn't have enough yarn to make it twice the width. I'll make this shawl again, but perhaps I'll find a different edging. The yarn is Colorado Yarn Knitaly and I used five 100 gram balls and a size 8 needle. This shawl took about a week to complete.








The pastel photo shows another one of my basket weave lap throws. This is my design as I don't like the checker board look of many other basket weaves out there. This is done in Plymouth Encore worsted weight and used a size 11 needle. It took about 4 days to complete.







About those socks...some colour, eh? It's Koigu KPM in a rather bright chartreuse (chosen by the recipient). The pattern is Oriel from Sensational Knitted Socks. It was my first attempt using the "Easy Toe" method used for toe-up socks and I quite like it. These socks took about 2.5 skeins of Koigu and took me about 2 weeks to complete.