A Noro cap to match my scarf!

Every scarf needs a little hat and since I had one full skein of Noro Kureyon left after making the Lacy Diamonds scarf below, I tried the Rolled Edge Stocking Cap from Clickity Sticks. It worked up in just a few hours and will look good with the scarf. I used a 16" size 9 needle, then switched to DPNs when it got too small for the circular needles. Fortunately for my hands, that was just a few rows. Cute hat!!

Shawl Knitting TRIathlon - COMPLETE!

Sweet fini! It's done...this is the Cathedral Window shawl from St. Seraphina Knits. The yarn is Jaeger Merino Aran in indigo, which shows every piece of lint within 50 miles! I wasn't sure I'd get this done before the closing ceremonies, but I managed to get in a full day of knitting on Saturday, so it's all finished. I call this event the "500 Gram Rectangular Shawl" race, since it took all 500 grams of yarn to finish. As I mention in the post below, I used a size 8 Addi Turbo 32" circular needle and it came out just right. The finished shawl measures 24" by 76". This is the second time I've made this shawl and I do like it quite a bit. Like the first one, I modified the pattern to be knit in two identical halves (grafted together with 3 needle bind off) instead of following the pattern instructions that reverse the pattern. I didn't like the look of the "reverse" windows, so I did it my way! Either way, it's gorgeous and works up very quickly. I started this one on 2/18 and finished on 2/26.

Like all the other shawls, this one will be donated to the local cancer centre. The two other shawls I did during the Olympics have already been delivered.

On to the next! Oh, and if someone mentions "Knitting Olympics" in 2008, SLAP ME!!

Knitting Olympics - Going for the Triathlon!

OK...colour me crazy! I've decided to start another shawl for the Knitting Olympics and go for the Triathlon! I started the Cathedral Window shawl from St. Seraphina Knits. I'm using Jaeger Matchmaker Merino Aran in Indigo. The photo shows just the first repeat of "windows", so there's lots more knitting to do. I'm using a size US8/5.00mm needle. Although this yarn is supposed to be Aran weight, the suggested needle size is a US7/4.50mm, which is more like worsted weight. Doesn't matter for this shawl, however, it's knitting up very nicely!

Will it be done by the closing ceremony in a week's time?? I have no idea!

Shawl Knitting Biathlon - COMPLETE!

Someone pass me the gold medal!! My Biathlon of Shawl Knitting is complete!! Two shawls in 7 days...that's got to be a world's record! Here's the shawl before blocking and after blocking. I used DK weight yarn and a size 10 needle, which I've used before. I like the open lacey look, but next time, I might step down the needle size just a bit.
One more thing....like all my other shawls, these will be given to the local cancer centre to warm and comfort someone undergoing cancer treatment.

Shawl Knitting Biathlon - Second Event WIP!

My Cozy shawl is complete (including washing, blocking, trimming, etc.) and I started the Leaf Lace shawl on 13 February. I just started the 4th skein of yarn (Cleckheaton Country 8 Ply DK) in a pretty lilac colour. I hope to have this done this weekend.

Whatever will I do with myself until the closing ceremony?? Another shawl?? Hmmmm.... If there is another shawl (thus making this the Triathlon of Shawl Knitting!), it will be the Catherdral Window shawl from St. Seraphina Knits (the patron saint of spinners and those with crippled hands from too much knitting!!) in Jaeger Matchmaker. We'll see....

Shawl Knitting Biathlon - First event DONE!

OK, so I'm exhausted! I cast on this shawl (which is Cozy from knitty.com) using 9 full skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in a dark red just as the opening ceremony started on Friday, 10 February at 2:00 ET. I just finished at 10:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, 12 February. I'm beyond tired....

Meanwhile, now that this shawl is done (except for a wash and dry), I'll be taking a day to rest my hands and will start the Leaf Lace shawl on Tuesday using the Cleckheaton DK yarn shown here.
Given that I can make one of these in a week without much difficulty, I think it shouldn't be a problem. I had considered doing the Triathlon of Shawl Knitting and then realised just how silly that was!

Lacy Diamonds scarf - complete!

I had hoped this scarf would hold me over until the Knitting Olympics, but I finished it in just 2 days. The pattern, which is Lacy Diamonds from Oddball Knitting said I'd need about 410 yards of yarn; the sample used 5 skeins of worsted weight cotton. I had 3 skeins of Noro Kuryeon and thought I'd need another. But...it worked up with only 2 full skeins. The finished size is 6" x 66" and I used a size 9 needle. And now I have an "oddball" skein! I found a pattern for a rolled-brim hat that uses 1 skein or Kuryeon, so that will make a nice accompaniment to this scarf.

Notice how the stripes match up?? That was somewhat by accident. I found that the second skein started just the same way as the first, so I rewound that skein and started knitting with the colours in reverse order. Luckily, I ended up with an exact match from one end of the scarf to the other. Whilst there was some effort put into get that to work, I think it was just luck that it worked so well!

On to the Olympics!

WIP - Lacy Diamonds Scarf

This is the Lacy Diamonds scarf from Oddball Knitting by Barbara Albright. The yarn is Noro Kuryeon in colourway 166. The pattern calls for 450 yards of worsted weight yarn, but I'm nearly through my first skein (100m) and the scarf is measuring 25", so I can't imagine I'll need 4 skeins. That's good because I only have 3 and didn't want to go on the hunt for another skein. I'm using size 5.50mm/US9 Bryspun needles.

I just started this scarf this morning in the hopes it would keep me busy until the Knitting Olympics start, but it looks like I'll be able to finish in in a couple days. I suppose I'll just rest after that!

More 2005 completed shawls

Here are some shawls that I made for the local cancer centre before I started this blog. The green shawl is the Aran Plaid shawl from Folk Shawls. The yarn is Wool of the Andes from Knit Picks in Grass Green. The blue shawl is the Lacy Prarie shawl, also from Folk Shawls. The is also Wool of the Andes in Stream. The peach shawl is Cozy from knitty.com. The yarn I used was Cloudspun from Bernat...long ago discontinued, but it's such a nice yarn. It's a wool/mohair/acrylic blend.

Estonian Lullaby blanket - complete!

It's finished! This is a great blanket! It's the
Estonian Lullaby blanket from Fiber Trends. As I mentioned in the previous post, it was sized to be for a baby, but I increased the stitches and used worsted weight yarn (Plymouth Encore) and it came out just right. I used 6 full skeins, which was 1200 yards, and I had just a couple yards of yarn left. The finished measurements are 44" x 44" (112cm x 112cm), which is a good size for a lap throw. I'll make this one again. Like all the others, this will be donated to the local cancer centre. It took 9 days to complete.

On to the Knitting Olympics!