FO: Aujourd’hui

I’m going to start this off by saying two things.

1) Instant gratification knitting projects are amazing.

2) Malabrigo’s Rasta is also amazing.

This is the Aujourd’hui cowl by tante ehm, and I used Malabrigo Rasta in the Pagoda colorway!

This was such an instant gratification knit…

I took the yarn and needles with me on a weekend retreat with RUF during the semester, and finished it within a day.

(I’d like to say that this is not a face of disgust or disapproval, haha. It was very sunny!)

Joey took these pictures for me, which makes them really special to me. He took them on his nicer camera, but changed the settings for me so he wasn’t shooting in RAW, which I don’t like working with. He’s the best.

FO!!: Lady Marple

Dear everyone, I have a finished object!

This is the Lady Marple Cardigan by Nadia Crétin-Léchenne.

I used Brooklyn Tweed’s Shelter in the Snowbound colorway.

No super big mods, just added an extra inch on the sleeves. Which happened totally on accident, haha! We went to see the Secret Life of Walter Mitty, to which I brought my sweater to work on. Starting with only an inch after the shoulder short rows (3″), I came out with an inch past what my goal was (18″). It was quite a triumphant moment, haha. Then next day I busted out the second sleeve in an evening… and a lot of football and Parks and Rec, haha.

I’m really happy with this accidental mod, haha. I love the fact that I can pull the sleeves down over my hands (which proved to be really handy while taking these pictures, because it was freeeeezing. But not really. For Houston/Texas, it was really cold outside.

^ Gig’em d^_^b

Anyway, this sweater has been in my queue for forever… and I’m so happy I finally got around to making it ^_^

(*SIDENOTE*: I got cowboy boots for Christmas! Never had a pair before. I’m super duper excited! Every time I put them on, I really want to go dancing. Two-stepping, yo!)

Started it on Christmas Day, while enjoying the wonderful family time. Then finished it on January 6th. Bam! The wonders of quick-knit sweaters on size US9 needles.

It was such a fun and mindless pattern to knit. If you’re looking for a classic sweater, thats also easy an quick… This is perfect! Plus, its also cozy and will keep you warm, if needed. I think it’ll become my go-to cardigan ^_^

Hat-A-Long Hat #3: Hertenvos

Hat #3! Thus comes to an end of my hat-run. But, more hats are going on the needles. Its only October 11th! Think of all the hats that can be made between now and the 31st! More hats are coming.

This hat… ever since it was published, I’ve been wanting to make it. Like, really really really. But didn’t know exactly where I’d wear it or how… or whatever.

My brother and I went home last weekend, and my mom asked me what I wanted to do… and I had a random need to go to Joann’s and get the yarn for this hat. So we did! (We also got buttons, because… knitters always need more buttons ;-P)

We got home, I cast on immediately. Worked on it all afternoon/evening. It was the project of the day.

The novelty of this hat is quite epic. Just the idea, and then the construction. Making it was a blast!

So, behold! The hat of awesomeness!

Yes, that is a deer hat. Or a fox hat. It could be either one! Whatever you want it to be!

This is Hertenvos by Stephen West out of his Dear Amsterdam collection. On Stephen West’s project page, he said that the word “Hertenvos” in Dutch means “deerfox”. Which I think is super cool and very suiting ;-P

I used Lion Brand’s Wool-Ease Thick and Quick. Super soft, bulkiest yarn ever, haha. Makes things go extremely fast d^_^b

I did use different needles, the US11 and US13 were making the hat too big. So, I used a US11 and US10.5. The ears are heavy enough that they don’t stand up, but I love it when they hang down. Plus, when it gets colder (yes, because its cold now! Yayyy!!) they’ll be amazing ear warmers; thanks to the super cool construction!

And its got a floppy pompom. I love those big, thick, puffy kind.. but the floppy ones are so cool too.

So yes. If you need some kind of really not-your-ordinary hat, this goes lickity-split!

Hat-A-Long Hat #2: Bad Wolf

Heres my next hat! I cast this on on October 1st, took it with me to school, then finished it on October 2nd. So, technically, this was my first hat ;-P

This is the Sugar Maple Hat by Katie Mack, which is a free pattern (wooo!). Its such a great pattern – its just a basic hat, with all the math done for you, haha! It also has so much room for modifying it and making it your own. Maybe a cable, a couple rows of lace or colorwork. You can use crazy colorful yarn and let it do all the work! Or you can use handspun (which is what I did) and bask in the glory of knitting with your own handspun.

This fiber I spun right before school started back up, and I spun it in about day, haha. The colorway name is Rose Tyler from Woolen Mills St. Yarns. Heres the blog post I wrote about it! . So, because of the colorway name, this is my Bad Wolf hat.

This was kind of a spontaneous project, haha! I was headed to my girl’s small group with the A&M RUF group, and didn’t have anything small that I really wanted to knit on. So, I grabbed this skein, caked it up in about 5 minutes (hallelujah for swifts!), grabbed the needles read the pattern, and left!

Its super simple, but that way the random striping can shine.

Another really amazing “cast on, knit a couple hours, bam! You’re done!” hat… Perfect for Christmas knitting!

FO!: The Bubbles Slouch Hat

I finished a hat last week, but haven’t had time to sit down and take nice FO pictures :-P

The Slouchy Bubbles Hat by knitshep

I saw one that Julie (Phoebejeebes99 on twitter :-P) posted on Instagram, and I decided that I HAD to make it, at some point… didn’t matter when. Just had to be made, haha.

So, I did! Later, when we visited my sister and brother-in-law in Dallas for the weekend and we stopped by her LYS (The Shabby Sheep) and I got two skeins of Berroco’s Flicker in the Siegfried colorway.

The yarn is super super soft – I really want to get more and make a cowl. Cause its gorgeous! And its got some sparkle d^_^b

The pattern was a bit fiddly though – if you’re new to cables, I wouldn’t suggest this as a beginning pattern. It can be a bit tricky keeping track of.

It can be worn lots of different ways, haha. Its fun to experiment :-P

I’m thinking about putting a pompom on the end… but I haven’t quite decided yet :-P

My wooly preparations for the cold continue on… and they shall continue to continue on. Because its just too much fun ^_^

Also, Diane of the Knitabulls podcast is doing a “Hatalong” during October. Which of course, I’m going to do, haha! So, I’m saving up the hats I want to now for later… d^_^b

FO!: Long Sands Cardigan!

I love finishing something. Its one of the best feelings ever!

This is my Long Sands Cardigan by Amy Christoffers (Who is one of my favoritest designers ever!)

I was gifted this pattern by the extremely sweet Mel of the Single-Handed Knits podcast a couple weeks ago… and I so excited to cast it on ^_^

(lets just ignore the fact that my head is kind of chopped off, haha!)
My yarn is Cascade’s Ecological Wool in the Tarnish colorway.

And for serious… this is my new favorite cardigan. Its one of the most snuggliest things ever, and I can’t wait till it gets colder when I get to wear it all the time ^_^

Plus, it went super quickly… I’d definitely knit another one! Maybe in cream or a light grey…

FO!!: Pomme de Pin!

Upon which I complete finish my Pomme de Pin cardigan and can’t express how much I absolutely love it.

Pattern: Pomme de Pin Cardigan by Amy Christoffers
Yarn: Brooklyn Tweed’s LOFT in the Snowbound colorway (I used 4 skeins, and had about 10 yards left over. Cuts it close!)
Needles: US 4 and US 5 (3.5mm and 3.75mm)
Mods: None that I did. But if I knit it again, I’d probably knit the sleeves a size larger. They fit perfectly now, but that’s after two blockings and a bit of a stretch. d^_^b
Project page!

Like… ohhhhh my goodness. New favorite sweater! It drapes so nicely (which LOFT does extremely well ^_^) it fits perfectly, its cozy but not too much for Houston. When it gets colder, it’ll be really nice with a long-sleeve shirt, maybe.

(This was my reaction to Joey saying “Do something else besides just standing there”.)

(Along with that one, haha!)

So, the colors are a bit different in all the pictures. I’m trying out this new photo editing program, Pixelmator, and so I’m still getting used to figuring out what everything does, and then trying to get everything look the same, haha! Its a really nice program though, its super easy to use, and only 14.99$ or something. Its made specifically for Mac users, so you can get it through the App store. Heehee, so I apologize for the random looking pictures… just experimenting! d^_^b

If you haven’t made this sweater, and you are still on the fence about it… DO IT. You won’t regret it! The lace is interesting, but easy enough to memorize. I would have gotten it done a lot sooner if I hadn’t been working on other projects.

Pomme de Pin – Just Needs Buttons!

Although all the knitting is done on my Pomme de Pin cardigan… its still not finished. Buttons, thats all it needs!

But I had to take some pictures because its just to awesome – I love it so much!

(I spy a cat ^_^)

Once I sew on the buttons, I’ll get official FO pictures where you can see the whole thing, haha. Its hard to get the whole thing while sitting on a bed and using a mirror for pictures ;-P

Lots of Progress of All Sorts

Road trips are perfect for productive knitting. You can get such an insane amount done, its… amazing, haha! If you’re not the one driving, that is :-P

I’m like..98% done with my Pomme de Pin cardigan!!!

I blocked the sleeves before I set them in, because the sleeve cap was a bit tight. I’m super glad I did, because after the second blocking, it fits perfectly ^_^

I was able to set in both sleeves and complete the button band… woot woot!

The only sad thing was that the buttons I got when I got the yarn… they don’t fit *sadface* But, thats okay! I’m going to go Joann’s soon and pick out ones that will fit :-P

More knitting news…

I have a new project!

About two weeks ago, I was chatting with Mel of the Singlehanded Knits Podcast on twitter about her knitting the Long Sands cardigan, and she was so extremely sweet and gifted me the pattern!

Mel is so considerate and kind, and she has a super awesome podcast! You definitely need to had her to your podcast list d^_^b

So, I ordered the yarn and it came while we were on our trip to Oklahoma (for my sister’s post-wedding reception in Ponca, it was AMAZING) and so I was able to cast it on when we got home.. and was able to finish the entire back last night while my mom and I watched Project Runway. I plan to finish the back and cast on one of the fronts this evening ^_^

Spinning wise, since the Tour de Fleece finished while we were gone, I had something on my wheel and wasn’t able to finish on time with the tour…

I finished it yesterday! I’m so insanely happy with it – it’s 620yds (the most I’ve ever done ever!) of a lace/light fingering weight. The colorway is called “The Candy Man Can” from Two If by Hand from the Willy Wonka fiber club. It was a 4oz braid of Targhee .

I love the name, haha. The movie it comes from is one of my favorites, I watched it a ton growing up… And this is one of the best songs from the movie :-P

Once again, a fractal spun, heehee :-P But yes, I’m so so so happy with how it turned out… I have no clue what I’m going to do with it yet, haha. But I want to pick something that is really special ^_^ Any ideas?

FO!: Wendy – the Peter Pan Collar

Upon which I have an FO, and I feel really good about it.

This is called “Wendy” by Malia Mather. I used some Knit Picks palette in white…

I saw it in an ad on the sidebar of Ravelry, and there was an immediate need to cast it on and wear it, haha.

It was uber easy and quick! I love the detail of the icord edging; it adds a nice polished edge to it. The lace was really easy to keep track of.. There is both written and a charted lace pattern :-)

Definitely plan to make another one in a different yarn… That’s one of the great things about this pattern and this type of accessory. You can make it in different kinds of yarns and get a totally different result every time. I think it’d be fun to have the icord edging in totally different yarn or color just to spice things up ;-P

Peter Pan collars are quite awesome – they can dress up any kind of shirt. I definitely recommend knitting this. Its one of the most perfect accessories you can make ^_^