Taurid - Finished!

And after languishing in my WIPs pile for a while I finally finished up my Taurid shawl.  The shawl came out on the large side, and is pretty snuggly, thanks to the yarn.  The pattern is pretty easy, and there are enough straight knitting rows that I could read for at least part of the time I was knitting.  I get bored with the simple stuff and it really helps if I can read while I knit.  I even did some of the pattern rows while reading, although it definitely slows down both the knitting and the reading.

Pattern:  Taurid by Taiga Hilliard
Yarn:   Shalimar Yarns Paulie in Midnight in Mendoze, and Anzula Squishy Skeinettes in Wuthering Hanks
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Taurid - Progress Update

After finishing up my test knit for the Mini-Modern MKAL that starts next month I took a break and picked up this project which I started back on April 15.  But it isn't the oldest WIP I have - at least I started it in this calendar year.  I need to get back to test knitting the Unique Sheep Christmas Club shawl, but I think I will save that for tomorrow.

Pattern:  Taurid by Taiga Hilliard
Yarn:   Shalimar Yarns Paulie in Midnight in Mendoze, and Anzula Squishy Skeinettes in Wuthering Hanks
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Taurid - Cast On

The other project that I cast on recently is Taurid by Taiga Hilliard.  This is a kit that I purchased from Earthfaire (I have a hard time resisting Ellen's kits), and I pulled it off my kit tree in the front hall on April 15th.  I think I was feeling a bit in a rut and needed something to pull me out.  I haven't made a whole lot of progress, working a few rows here and there, but it is a nice project to pull out when I want a change of pace.

The yarns are Shalimar Yarns Paulie in Midnight in Mendoze, and Anzula Squishy Skeinettes in Wuthering Hanks.

Pattern:  Taurid by Taiga Hilliard
Yarn:   Shalimar Yarns Paulie in Midnight in Mendoze, and Anzula Squishy Skeinettes in Wuthering Hanks
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Corfu - Finished!

I actually finished this up last Sunday, and got it blocked and a picture uploaded to The Loopy Ewe web site on Tuesday - successfully completing Camp Loopy this year.  The picture was approved very quickly too, which was nice.  Last month it seemed to take forever for my picture to get approved.  I have had a tough time getting a decent picture, but finally managed to get a good one of the back this morning.  I still haven't gotten a really good one of the front.

I haven't had a chance to wear it yet, it has still been too hot, but I have tried it on.  It has a really nice drape.  The sleeves are loose, which I like.  I don't like sweaters with tight sleeves.


Pattern:  Lilium by Amy Herzog
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in Corfu
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm) and US 5 (3.75 mm)

Corfu - One Sleeve Done

I finished up the first sleeve just before noon today.  I was worried that I would have to join another skein of yarn before I got to the bind off, but ended with about 4 feet of yarn left.  I picked up every other stitch around the armhole, except under the arm.  Once I started working in the round I went up a needle size, knowing that I always knit in the round tighter, especially when I'm working on short cables.

Pattern:  Lilium by Amy Herzog
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in Corfu
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm) and US 5 (3.75 mm)

Corfu - Front Edge Done

For the front edge I picked up 272 stitches, this is actually less than any of the pattern sizes called for, but that is because I didn't make my cardigan as long as any of the pattern sizes called for.  I wanted this to stop at the top of my hips.  I worked 7 rows of garter stitch, and then bound off a little loose, keeping my stitches relaxed so the bind off wouldn't distort things.  Next up the sleeves.

Pattern:  Lilium by Amy Herzog
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in Corfu
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Corfu - Body Done

Despite the craziness at work this past week, including a 12 hour day on Wednesday, I managed to get the body done, finishing up the right shoulder this morning.  As I was working the top sections of the body separately I was glad that I hadn't combined all the charts.  The only ones that it might have been worthwhile combining were the three charts used for the back.  Between the charts and the separate counters available in knitCompanion it was pretty easy to keep track of what I was doing and also be consistent between the sections.  One thing that I did modify was the spacing on the decreases along the front neck edge.  The pattern has you alternate between every 2nd row and every 3rd row, which I frankly found confusing.  I went with every 3rd row, which also had the advantage of ending the shaping on row 57, which was close to where I ended the knitting on the sections - row 63 - so I ended up with a nice line along the front going into the back neck.

Next I will pick up stitches for the front edging.  I'll pick up 2 stitches for every 3 rows along the front edges, and 1 stitch for every stitch along the back neck.  Then I'll work the sleeves.  I'll do those top down and probably make them longer then the pattern calls for.  The pattern has them ending just below the elbow.  I'll go at to at least 3/4 sleeves.

Pattern:  Lilium by Amy Herzog
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in Corfu
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Camp Loopy 2016 - Project 3 - Take 2 - Corfu

I finished up Neptune, my Short-Row Vest, which was supposed to be my August Camp Loopy project, but came up short on the yardage, so last Saturday I went back through my pattern library and found another pattern that should meet the yardage requirements easily and ordered more yarn.  The pattern that I selected, Lilium, by Amy Herzog calls for Catherine Lowe yarn, which I don't have easy access to, so I had to do a yarn substitution.  I ended up buying Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in the color Corfu - in keeping with the exotic locale theme of the third challenge.

Of course I did a gauge swatch.  The yarn band recommends a US 6 (4 mm) needle, but when I started swatching with that needle it was obvious to me that the gauge was too open.  I raveled that false start and pulled a US 4 (3.5 mm) needle out.  I liked the fabric that I got and the gauge was close to that called for by the pattern.  My gauge is 21 stitches and 31 rows in 4 inches, while the pattern calls for 24 stitches and 32 rows.  Taking my gauge I looked at the pattern and picked the size that would get me the right measurements.  I ended up going with the 31 1/2" bust size, which with my gauge will give me a finished bust of 37" and a couple of inches of ease.  I don't like tight cardigans.

The pattern calls for knitting the back and fronts separately and joining, but of course I am knitting the body as one.  I left off 2 stitches from the cast-on count from the back, and 1 stitch from each of the sides to account for the fact that I don't need to seam mine.  I use markers to mark the sides, but otherwise don't use them.  The front edges have a braided cable design, and there is also a lace panel flanked by the braided cable design in the center of the back.  There are only two charts, but the way the pattern is written you start out on different rows of the braided cable design depending on where you are at.  Once I got it all figured out I copied the braided cable chart in knitCompanion and ordered the charts in the order that I need to knit them.  If I had felt like taking the time I could also have recharted the whole set and just had one chart to work from, but I kind of like the way I am doing it because I can use which chart I am currently working to remind me of which section of the cardigan I should be on.

Here is a shot of my knitCompanion screen.  I am using my old iPad, instead of my new iPad Pro because I really don't need the screen size of my Pro.

Pattern:  Lilium by Amy Herzog
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in Corfu
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Neptune - Front Done

I finished up most of the wedges yesterday, and finished up the last one this morning and joined the short row section to the right shoulder using a thee needle bind off.  Now I just need to work I-Cord edgings on the neck and top part of the short row section and both arm holes.  I did some yarn usage calculations this morning, though, and realized that I am not going to make the yarn usage requirement for the August Camp Loopy project.  I've only used 590 yards, and the requirement is 800 yards.  I don't think that I-cord will make up that difference.  I had some concerns regarding the yarn usage after I finished up the back, and as I started working the wedges I did some quick calculations and realized I was in trouble, so I did another pattern search, limiting the results to patterns that I already own and found another project, Lilium, by Amy Herzog, from the Spring/Summer 2013 Twist Collective.  I've bought a lot of Twist Collective patterns, but haven't made any yet.  I picked Shalimar Yarns Breathless DK in the color Corfu.  The irony is that both of my other Camp Loopy projects used a lot more yarn than required.

If I make it with another project, I make it.  I'm not going to get stressed about it.  If it hadn't been for Camp Loopy I might not have found this cool vest, or used Shalimar Yarns Enzo Sport - a very nice yarn to work with.

Pattern:  Short-Row Vest by Carol Feller
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Enzo Sport in Neptune and Glacier
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Neptune - Back Done

I've been working pretty steadily on my final Camp Loopy project.  I didn't do as many garter stitch rows at the bottom as the pattern called for because my row gauge is different.  I knit the body to a length that works for me - about 10 inches and then split for the upper body shaping.  I noticed that the pattern didn't have much in the way of shaping for the armholes, so I added that as well.  I worked 8 1/4 inches for the armhole length before I did the short row shaping for the shoulders.

After finishing the body I did a 3-needle bind off to join the left shoulder and then picked up stitches to start working the short rows.  I ended up picking up 48 stitches along the right edge.  I worked 1 row and then on the next right side row I cast on the stitches for the armhole.  I ended up casting on 43 stitches, which should give me the right length for the armhole.  My total stitch count came out pretty close to the stitch count for the third size (91 compared to 93) so those are the directions I am using for the short rows.  I've finished one wedge and have started the second.

Pattern:  Short-Row Vest by Carol Feller
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Enzo Sport in Neptune and Glacier
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Neptune - Camp Loopy 2016 - Project 3

I finally cast on my third Camp Loopy project yesterday.  I almost dropped out of Camp Loopy last month after becoming very disenchanted with my second Camp Loopy project, but managed to revitalize myself with a project change to the Raspberry Blaze Cape.  Shortly after I found that project the third project was announced and I found one that I liked - the Short-Row Vest by Carol Feller.  The pattern was published in knit.wear Spring/Summer 2014, which I happened to have.  The theme this month is Faraway Lands - so your project has to  incorporate a different country by using a pattern by a designer who lives in a different country, or you picking a pattern named for (or celebrating) something in a different country, or can picking a color that reminds you of a place in a different country.  I decided to go for Ireland and started a pattern search and came up with this pattern.  The designer lives in Cork, Ireland, which, coincidentally, is where my Uncle John (my mother's brother) spent the last years of his life.  I chose Shalimar Yarns Enzo Sport, a yarn that I have not knit with before, and picked as my two colors - Neptune and Glacier.  The picture above is the Glacier.  I did my swatch in Neptune (below).

I picked the colors because their names also evoked faraway lands. Does Neptune have Glaciers?  I don't know, but it sounds romantic.  Of course I did a swatch.  When I looked at the pattern I saw that the gauge was 19 sts and 28 rows = 4 inches.  The pattern also called for a US 6 (4 mm) needle.  The yarn I chose called for a US 4 (3.5 mm) needle and has a recommended gauge of 6 sts per inch.  For my gauge swatch I cast on 28 stitches (24 for the 4 inches and 4 extra stitches for the garter stitch edge - 2 per side).  I worked 33 rows, just to make it easier to work my garter stitch edge before casting off.  My gauge ended up being 22 sts and 32 rows = 4 inches.  From a size perspective, I want to knit the second size (34 inch bust).  This size calls for casting on 108 stitches.  But for my gauge I would need to case on 108(22/19) = 125 stitches.  This falls between two sizes, the third size with 122 stitches cast on and the fourth size with 136 stitches cast on.  After looking at the schematic and noting that the model is shown with 2 inches of positive ease, I'm going to go with the fourth size.

Pattern:  Short-Row Vest by Carol Feller
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Enzo Sport in Neptune and Glacier
Needles:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Primula Adiri - Finished!

I finished this sweater up on Sunday.  The picture does not really do it justice.  I shall have to try and get a photo of it on me.  It fits perfectly.  I remember my early days knitting sweaters and the problems that I would have getting them to fit - mostly due to a combination of not getting gauge and lack of experience.  I was always ambitious in my project selections.  Of course gauge swatches do not tell the whole story or the whole truth.  How can a small square gauge reveal what the finished sweater will be like?  There are an instance of the fingerpost, pointing the way, you need experience to read the terrain and know how to proceed.  Luckily yarn can be frogged and used again, and I have reknit sweaters to get them to fit.

I haven't started anything new yet, although I do have some works in progress that I need to get back to at some point.  Right now I am converting a bottom up raglan cardigan to a top down raglan cardigan and modifying the cable pattern on the sleeves.  The pattern is Cassatt from the Sweet Paprika Sweater Club.  I don't do bobbles and I would like to be able to make it a little longer so I will work the sleeves and the collar before I finish the body and use up all of my yarn.  I am also working on two test knits.  I really enjoy test knitting and tech editing patterns and I learn so much about pattern writing from the MKALs.

Pattern:  Adiri by Julia Trice
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Haven in Primula
Needles:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Primula Adiri - Collar Done

I finished up the collar last Sunday and started on the first sleeve.  As I was converting the sleeve instructions to knit them from the top down I noticed a couple of things.  I saw from the schematic that the sleeve would be too short for my long arms, only 13 inches, where I need 16 inches.  Some quick math yielded the total number of rows that I would need once I started knitting in the round (108 rows).  Then I looked at the increases that the pattern called for and figured out my decreases.  As I was looking at the increases I noticed that they were spaced less than an inch apart for the pattern size that I was working.  I like to start the first decrease about 2 inches from the underarm and work them about every inch.  I ended up working the first decrease on row 17 and am working them every 8 rows and will work 10 decreases total.

I picked up a total of 68 stitches around the armhole.  This is actually 8 stitches more than the pattern size I am knitting calls for, but I like my sleeves a little roomier. As I started working the back and forth section the first part ended up being 22 stitches, which was just enough to work the lace pattern and the 3 stitches to either side.  As I worked from side to side I started working the pattern as soon as I could.  The color in this picture is not great from a color perspective, but it shows the top of the sleeve.

Pattern:  Adiri by Julia Trice
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Haven in Primula
Needles:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Primula Adiri - Body Done!

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I finished up the body this afternoon.  I'll do the collar next, but I knew that if I waited until I had finished the collar it would be too dark to get a good photo.  This pattern is really well written and nicely detailed.  I usually mark up my patterns a lot, writing in details, especially on the shaping, but this one already has most of the kinds of details that I add.  The only thing I found a little strange was the bind off for the underarms, it wasn't centered on the side markers.  After some thought I decided to start the bind off on the side marker (center of the round) and then do the bind off on the round marker.  Because of the pattern, the bind offs are not centered on the markers, but start 9 stitches in front of the marker and extend 2 stitches past.  I did the bind off on a non-pattern (WS) row, and this way I was able to continue with a right side row as I started working the back.  I kept the foliage lace pattern going for as long as I could once I started the neck shaping.  Even unblocked the sweater fits me quite well.

Pattern:  Adiri by Julia Trice
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Haven in Primula
Needles:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Primula Adiri - Making Progress

I have been working steadily away on my Adiri sweater.  The pattern is pretty easy and you get into a nice rhythm. I am almost three-quarters of the way through the body up to the underarm and am into my second skein of yarn.  I am going to work the sleeves top down and in the round.

Pattern:  Adiri by Julia Trice
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Haven in Primula
Needles:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Primula Adiri

I had this yarn - Shalimar Yarns Haven in Damask - hanging out in a very nice knitting bag that I picked up at Bead & Button this past year (one of my few acquisitions this past year).

As I was finishing up my Iced Audrey Corvina I decided that I would knit up the yarn in this knitting bag next.  Although I had bought this yarn for the pattern Loden, at some point I got it into my head that I had actually bought it for the pattern Adiri.  I caked up a skein and consulted the pattern to knit a gauge swatch.  The pattern called for a US size 8 needle, which sent off alarm bells in my head, as the weight is DK.  I swatched with a US 6 and made gauge.

After I finished up my Iced Audrey Corvina and had it blocking I started setting up my project page for Adiri.  I like to make sure that the yarn I am using is in my stash so I went and checked and discovered that the yarn I had swatched with wasn't, but this yarn was.

And when I stashed it I had noted that it was for the pattern Adiri.  I then also noticed that I had 5 skeins of this color and 6 skeins of the Damask (in the first photo).  The Adiri pattern called for 5 skeins for the size that I was knitting, so obviously I had intended the Damask color for something else.  A quick search on Ravelry solved the mystery and I added the Damask color to my stash and noted that it was intended for Loden.  I went to my stash and pulled out the Primula color and discovered that I had also printed out the Adiri pattern and included it in the box with the yarn.  Sometimes I think ahead, and then I forgot that I did and do things over again.  I put the Damask skeins in the box that I pulled the Primula skeins out of and caked up a skein and cast on.  I've made it through the ribbing and have started the lace and cable pattern.

It doesn't want to lay flat, so I just let it do its thing.

Pattern:  Adiri by Julia Trice
Yarn:  Shalimar Yarns Haven in Primula
Needles:  US 6 (4.0 mm)