Tag Archives: knitting

May 10, 2013 · 6:00 am

A Glamourous Cravat!

I truly love quick knit projects and with all of the works in progress I have going, I casted on yet another one but this one was different, it was quick, easy and lacy.

I’ve had my lovely skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze Glamour sitting on my desk staring at me wanting to be knitted up but I didn’t quite know what I should make out of it, especially since I only had one skein that measures 177 yards (162m).  After searching through countless patterns, magazine and books, I found the perfect design on the Rowan website, the Glamour Cravat, Scarf and Throw designed by Louisa Harding.

Knit this beautiful lace cravat, scarf or throw, a free download as  part of the launch of our new yarn Kidsilk Haze Glamour(super kid  mohair and silk). This pattern is from the Rowan archive, originally  designed by Louisa Harding and re-worked in Kidsilk Haze Glamour, this  knitting pattern is a simple yet elegant knit and is for the  intermediate knitter. ~ Rowan

Rowan Kidsilk Haze Glamour in Smoke

This pattern is a free download from the Rowan Member site that is available in four languages.  I also love the fact, that the designer included three sytle options:

  • Completed wrap measures approx 40.5 cm (16 in) wide and 220 cm (86½ in) long and requires 5 skeins of Kidsilk Haze Glamour
  • Completed scarf measures approx 21.5 cm (8½ in) wide and 173 cm (68 in) long and requires 2 skeins of Kidsilk Haze Glamour
  • Completed cravat measures approx 16.5 cm (6½ in) wide and 100 cm (39 in) long and requires 1 skein of Kidsilk Haze Glamour

Since I only had one skein, I decided to knit the cravat and modified the original design ever so slightly.  I did not knit the garter stitch borders and I added a section of garter stitch for the middle of the cravat, which will rest at the back of my neck.  My finished blocked piece measures 6″ wide and 38 1/2″ long, and has very nice lace points at each end.  This will be a great accessory piece this fall and winter to wear with my jackets and cardigans, adding just the right amount of feminine sparkle at the throat.  I plan to wear mine using a 1928 Company  Marcasite pin to hold it in place.

 

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For inspiration on how to use a skein or two  of Kidsilk Haze Glamour, check out my fellow Rowan Ambassadors and their projects:

What are your favorite lace one skein projects?

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May 8, 2013 · 6:25 am

Yarn Along: Work in Progress and Of Course Reading!

Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well.  So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading?  ~ Ginny from Small Things

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Still reading  The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher and I’m happy to say I’m half way through the book.  I’ve had too many distractions lately that have been keeping me away from this book, maybe this evening I’ll just sit and read and give myself a knitting break!

My project bowl is overflowing but I’m working on  each project a little at a time.  Keeps one motivated to have a few WIPs going!  I should be done with the front of my Cabazon soon, just four more rows and then I will start the back piece.

So, what are you knitting, crocheting or spinning?

Any good books lately?

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May 4, 2013 · 6:24 am

A Case of Startitis!

Startitis is a term used somewhat jokingly among knitters. It refers to an expensive, but rarely fatal affliction that often affects knitters and crocheters where they begin several projects all at one time but don’t really make much progress on anything before starting another new project. ~ Knit Wiki

Knitting WomanI would first like to say, it’s all Glenna’s fault, and I’m sticking to that excuse!  But in reality, well folks, I have a bad case of “startitis” and it started when Glenna posted her sock projects in simple patterns using beautiful fingering weight yarns.  The desire to cast on socks kept growing and growing  until I finally relented,  and yes, I gave in!

So, I have casted on Lara Smoot’s On Stranger Tides this morning using my stash of Springtree Road Muscandine in Tanis and will be casting  on Glenna’s A Niced Ribbed Sock using my newly acquired Patons Kroy in Grey Brown Ragg.  While I’m at it, I also hope to make a pair of crocheted slippers for my Mom for Mother’s Day, the Crocodile Slippers by Bonita Patterns.   See, I told you I have a bad case of “startitis”.  Is there a cure for this???  The bright side, I’ll not be bored!

Current Projects on the Needles and Hooks:

As a knitter, crocheter, or spinner, have you ever had the urge to cast on many projects?  I know I can’t be the only one out there :)

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May 1, 2013 · 6:04 am

Yarn Along: Work in Progress and Of Course Reading!

Two of my favorite things are knitting and reading, and the evidence of this often shows up in my photographs.  I love seeing what other people are knitting and reading as well.  So, what are you knitting or crocheting right now? What are you reading?  ~ Ginny from Small Things

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I’m still reading  The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher.  So far I’m half way through the book and will be finished soon.  I’m truly looking forward to reading Debbie Macombers latest book, Starting Now (A Blossom Street Novel), which is sitting on the table next to the bed waiting patiently for me to finish my current book.

I only have three projects going right now, which is a good thing as that’s about all I can handle for the moment.  On my needles is my handspun Posies Shawl .  This design is going to be fun to knit and the stitch pattern is so easy to memorize!  I have to say I’m loving the fact I can once again use my own handspun for a project.  I’m still plugging away on my  Angel Pearls Beaded Scarf  and will admit that this particular project will be a slow going one for me  that will get finished over time.  One project I’m very happy with is my Cabazon.  So far it seems to be going fairly quick for me, considering I only work on it at night, and I’m looking forward to wearing it this summer.

So, what are you knitting, crocheting or spinning?

Any good books lately?

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April 30, 2013 · 4:15 am

Let’s Talk Fine Art, and I’m not Talking Paintings!

When someone says fine art, you might automatically think Monet, Cezanne, Renoir or more.  But today, I’m not discussing the fine art you might be thinking of, no it’s not about paintings or sculptures, but a brand new line of hand-painted  yarn that Rowan is launching May 1st called Fine Art .

Sourced from Cape Mohair Spinners in South Africa, the yarn is painted by the team at Lance and Ines Khoury’s hand painting department, which takes enormous pride in employing individuals from some of the poorest and most marginalized sections of the community. One of their goals is to create opportunities for growth and development, and this ethos is something Rowan is extremely proud to support. As a result of the increase in production needs following on from Rowan’s interest in the yarn, the company has had to relocate to larger premises and take on more members of staff.  ~ Rowan Industry News

Rowan Sock yarn

Rowan Fine Art is a blend of 45% wool, 20% mohair, 10% mulberry silk and 25% polyamide, and will be available in eight beautiful colors.  This yarn will not only be suitable and quite durable for socks, but will be perfect for shawls, shawlettes  and other types of accessories.

There’s a great PDF article regarding this new hand painted yarn – click here to download the PDF flyer

______________________________________________

Serin
Serin
301
Tawny
Tawny
302
Waxwing
Waxwing
303
Raven
Raven
304
Kingfisher
Kingfisher
305
Lapwing
Lapwing
306
Phesant
Phesant
307
Chiff-Chaff
Chiff-Chaff
308

_____________________________________________

Fine ArtThe Fine Art Collection booklet features fourteen designs, that not only include designs for socks of every length, but four accessory designs.

My personal favorites include Cuckoo , a cabled ankle sock,  Grouse, a snowflake motif mid-calf sock, and the Starling Wrap, a versatile rectangular wrap.

I will be doing a review on the skein that is coming my way, but meantime be sure to check out  Clara Parkes in depth review of Rowan Fine Art on Knitter’s Review.

Happy Knitting, Crocheting, Spinning and Crafting!

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April 29, 2013 · 5:14 am

Change of Heart

It’s often said it’s a woman’s prerogative  to change her mind but in my husband’s words it’s called being fickle.   I don’t think I’m fickle to often, but like any knitter or crocheter, if the project is not working or I’m just not happy with it, why continue.

This past Friday, I was excited to cast on Cheyenne using my lovely Rowan Savannah in the color of Arizona.  I started, I ripped out twice and came to the conclusion, I just did not like the look of the lace stitch pattern.  For some reason my double yarn overs were leaving huge holes and that was simply unacceptable in my book.  So, I ripped it all out and let it sit in my basket the remainder of the day and did not touch it or my copy of  Summer Textures until Sunday morning.

DSCF4022I love the Savannah yarn  and decided to use it for a different project, Cabazon by Sarah Hatton.  Cabazon is a quick and easy crochet project that  uses Rowan All Season’s Cotton.  After doing the math and a swatch, my 9 skeins of Savannah was going to work and I promptly started but only to realize after four inches of work that something wasn’t quite right.  Sigh … yes, I had to rip it back out.

Note to oneself: Before starting a project, be sure to check the terms used for instructions. I did not think to check to see if UK crochet terms were used or US crochet terms. Needless to say, I had to start over after I realized UK terms were used throughout the book.

Yes, the crochet terms are written for UK standards and it didn’t even dawn on me to check this out before starting.  So, I once again started over but have to say it was well worth it!  The crochet pattern looks fantastic in the  Rowan Savannah and I’ve noticed the more I work the yarn, the softer it is becoming.  I do believe this crocheted pullover will be perfect for the summer here in Arizona and I can’t wait to wear it!

Have you ever had a project that was just not working?

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April 26, 2013 · 7:29 am

Friday Work in Progress!

I had a lovely day yesterday, especially at Jessica Knits in Scottsdale.  It was nice just to go in and visit a bit, check out all the latest yarns, get ideas and of course bring home a few new lovelies!  I really was excited to see hard copy patterns for two of my favorite designers, Romi Hill and Stephen West.  Needless to say, three patterns found their way into my shopping bag!

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I picked up two skeins of Rowan Fine Lace at Jessica Knits and a skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze at Bonnie’s Yarn Crafts in Carefree. These lovely skeins will be turning into scarves!

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After visiting Jessica Knits and seeing the knitted sample of Cheyenne, I decided it was time to cast on this project, as summer is just around the corner and it will be perfect to wear in Phoenix!

In my basket is 9 skeins of Rowan Savannah in the color of Arizona.  This is a very textured yarn and it is really showing the stitch definition of this pattern.  As far as the design, this is going to be super quick and easy.  The body is knitted in two pieces, side to side, with the ribbing and yoke then added at each edge of the lace portion.  After reading the pattern, it could be adapted to knitting in the round.  As many of you know, I do not care for seaming, but this really won’t be that bad.

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I also made decent progress on my Angel and Pearls beaded scarf last night.  I’ve finished the first chart and getting ready to start the main portion of the design.  This is quite a challenge for me, but oh my do I love the result!

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My vacation time is drawing to a close and to celebrate, my hubby took the day off to be with me today.  We are heading off for breakfast, then a movie, so not too much time to knit this morning.  It’s going to be quite a gorgeous day here today, and I hope it’s gorgeous where you are too!

Make it a beautiful day!

Until next time, happy knitting, crocheting, spinning and crafting!

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April 25, 2013 · 6:23 am

Casting On and Casting Off: A Posies Shawl, A Angels Beaded Scarf and a Finished Handspun Shaelyn!

So on Monday I started Shaelyn by Leila Raabe and I found that I could not stop knitting this pattern!  It’s simple, it’s easy to memorize and it was the perfect choice for my handspun.  I’m quite excited too, I only had about a yard or so of yarn left and during the bind off, I was sweating bullets hoping that I would have enough yarn.   I’m very happy with my handspun too, I have a subtle variation of color and a hint of self-striping.  This was my second attempt at fractal spinning.

You can view my notes on my Ravelry project page.

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I had plans of knitting the  Lace Shawl  by Sharon Miller, but after two attempts, I have given up.  I’ve decided that I will use my stash of Rowan Fine Lace at a later time and will double it for a light fingering weight for either Brandywine by Romi Hill or Lyrica Euterpe by Romi Hill.  However, I have a lovely skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze in my stash in smoke.  After looking through numerous patterns, I’ve decided to cast on Angel Pearls Beaded Scarf by Sivia Harding.  After looking in my bead stash (yes, I have one of those too and it’s Laura Nelkin’s fault), I came across the perfect bead to go with the yarn.

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Since I’m enjoying knitting with my handspun, I’ve decided to finally cast on a design by Anne Podlesak.  Posies Shawl requires approximately 400 yards of fingering weight and I will be using my stash of 411 yards of FatCatKnits spun together with Cupcake Fiber Company.  If for some reason I do not have enough yardage for the edge, I will use my 126 yards of Cupcake Fiber Company that I spun by itself.

Posies Shawl Photo Courtesy of Anne Podlesak

FatCatKnits Merino plied together with Cupcake Fiber Co. BFL

Cupcake Fiber Company BFL in the color of Winter Lake

Hopefully I will find the time over the next few weeks to get these two projects done.

Until next time, happy knitting, crocheting, spinning and crafting!

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April 23, 2013 · 5:54 am

Casting On and Casting Off: Shawls and Lace

I seem to be in a shawl knitting mood, maybe it’s the aspect of lace, which I absolutely love and cherish!  There are so many beautiful patterns to knit, but right now I’m looking for simple and quick lace projects.  I’ve come across two patterns that will be just the ticket for me, and I can use stash yarn!

But first, here’s an update on my Cottonista Triangle Shawl ~ it’s finished!

Finished Cottonista Triangle Shawl

Pattern: Cottonista Triangle Shawl by Franziska Collins
Yarn: 4 skeins of Fiesta Yarn Cottonista in Wind Surfer
Blocked Size: 29” x 60’
Started: March 9th
Ended: April 21st
Modifications: None

Now, that I have finished my  Cottonista Triangle Shawl, I decided that it was time to find a pattern for my 462 yards of sport weight handspun.  After searching the patterns in Ravelry, I decided upon Shaelyn by Leila Raabe.  This particular pattern has been in my Ravelry queue for some time and I keep coming back to this pattern.  Now that I’ve casted on,  I think this is going to be perfect to show off my handspun !!

Photo courtesy of Leila Raabe

462 yards of sport weight yarn – Heavenly Fiber BFL in Driftwood

Progress Photo

Progress Photo

 I’m also casting Lace Shawl by Sharon Miller using my stash of Rowan Fine Lace in the color of Vintage.  I’ve never knitted with lace weight yarn before so I thought this pattern might be a good one to get me use to this weight of yarn.  This shawl pattern has easy to follow instructions that would be perfect for beginner lace knitters and is free to Rowan members.  I think this will be perfect to wear all year round and the soft color of the Vintage will go with just about anything I have in my closet.

Lace Shawl by Sharon Miller

Do you enjoy lace knitting?

If yes, what’s your all time favorite lace project?

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April 20, 2013 · 5:46 am

And the winner is ….

Thank you all for entering my recent giveaway featuring Ferry Beach and On Stranger Tides and by knitwear designer, Lara Smoot.  As a reminder, you can find her designs online at Ravelry and online at Etsy.  To stay informed of new design releases and more, join her FaceBook page and follow her on Twitter.

And the winner is, entry#6 Elizabeth, a.k.a. Lizella of Knits and Prints

“Both are beautiful, but I really like On Stranger Tides.”

On Stranger Tides by Lara Smoot

Random

Congratulations Liz, Lara will be sending your pattern to you soon!

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