Zorzal - Finished!

Once I finished the short rows, the stripes went quickly as well.  After working the wedges I had 45.9 grams of Color A left, and 30.7 grams of Color B.  I was able to work 7 stripes of Color B, ending up with 1.3 grams left.  I was able to work 9 stripes of Color A, so I worked extra rows of Color A after using up all of my color B, ending with 2.9 grams of Color A left after the bind off.  That is what I call a perfect project.  I really hate having leftovers.

The shawl is a nice size and lays well on your shoulders.  I will wear it to work tomorrow.  I always pick out my outfit the day before so I don’t have to think about it when I roll out of bed at 5am.

I did block fairly aggressively, for me.

And I do like the way the garter stitch was opened up.  I did knit this on US 6 needles, which is a size larger than I typically knit this yarn on for shawls.  Jezebel supervised the blocking.

Pattern:  Zorzal by Lisa Hanes

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Yarns Oriana 8-Ply

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Zorzal - Two Wedges Done

This shawl is working up very quickly.  Garter stitch is great when I have a good book to read.  I used German short rows instead of the wrap and turn.  I am now ready to work stripes until I run out of yarn.

Pattern:  Zorzal by Lisa Hanes

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Oriana 8-Ply

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

 

Zorzal - One Wedge Done

This project is working up quickly, partly due to the fact that it is easy garter stitch and I can work on it while reading.  Bruce and I are reading Naomi Novik’s dragon series, which are enjoyable, if not of quite the same caliber as Spinning Silver or Uprooted.  We like the dragons the best.  When I was working the stripes I just carried the other color up the side, but when I worked the wedge I knit the first stitch with both colors to carry the lighter color along and avoid having more ends to weave in.  I like the look of knitting the first stitch with both colors and will use that for the rest of the shawl.  For both methods I always stretched out the edge to make sure that it wasn’t pulling in.  Now I work a similar wedge from the other side in the lighter color, and then I finish off with stripes to use up the rest of the yarn.

Pattern:  Zorzal by Lisa Hanes

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Yarns Oriana 8-Ply in Fresh Light and Cold Sky

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Zorzal - Cast On!

One of the other things that I have been doing lately is cataloging and putting up some of my more recent stash acquisitions (recent being a relative word).  As I was cataloging my SpaceCadet yarns I came across this pair from the Interstellar Yarn Alliance November 2020 shipment.  As I needed a simple project to take to work I decided to cake up the lighter of the two and throw it in my work bag along with a US 5 circular needle to start another Boomerang Garter Stitch Shawl.  But as I was working on it during a meeting I decided that I really wanted to use both of the colors together, so I did a quick Ravelry search and found the Zorzal pattern, which was already in my Ravelry library.  When I got home from work I caked up the other skein and started over.  The colors are Fresh Light and Cold Sky.  It starts out with stripes and then has two sections of short rows that highlight each of the colors and is finished off with more stripes.  This is the end of the starting stripes, and I’m almost done with the first short row section.

Pattern:  Zorzal by Lisa Hanes

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Oriana 8-Ply in Fresh Light and Cold Sky

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Rumo - Finished!

I finished Rumo this week, and figured out how to do the sleeves top-down and set-in.  It did take some trial and error, and some pondering.  In the end I focused on two numbers - the maximum number of sleeve stitches that I wanted to end up with, and the number of rows in the sleeve cap.  

The maximum number of sleeve stitches that I wanted to end up with dictated the number of stitches I needed to start out with around the armhole, and that was my first challenge - getting the pickup right without having gaps.  The other issue that I had run into was keeping the garter stitch pattern going due to the fact that you have to knit up to the first turning point, which gives a partial row of knit stitches that just looked a bit odd.  I solved both problems by simple picking up stitches in a consistent and even fashion, not worrying too much about the number, but focusing instead on picking up the stitches evenly.  I then did a complete purl round where I decreased to the correct number of stitches.

The number of rows in the sleeve cap dictated the number of short rows that I wanted to work.  Basically, the number of stitches that you start out with in the first short row is the difference between the number of sleeve stitches and the number of rows in the sleeve cap.  In this case, I started with 12 stitches.  I did knit the sleeves at a slightly bigger size than the body pattern as when I knitted the pattern size they were just a bit too tight.

Pattern:  Rumo by Alice Caetano 

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Yarns Cressida 

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Rumo Take 2 - Body Done!

The second time around things definitely went faster, but I still managed to get distracted and make mistakes that caused me to rip back.  I am much happier with the fit, however, knitting a larger size means that I’m going to have to get creative with my yarn usage.  I have 4 skeins of the dark color, and 2 skeins of the light.  They were dyed to go together, so there is no issue there.  I had already planned to work the lapel in the light color, but I also know that I will not have enough of the dark color to work the sleeves.  My preferred method of working sleeves is top-down set-in, and if this jacket was being knit up in stockinette stitch I would have no issues whatsoever.  This jacket, however, is worked in garter stitch, including the sleeves, so figuring out how to work garter stitch sleeves top-down and set-in is going to take some pondering and some trial and error.

Pattern:  Rumo by Alice Caetano 

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Yarns Cressida

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

 

Rumo Take 2 - Back Done

After finishing up the body and most of one sleeve I decided that I really needed to go up a size, or two.  The body fit, but the sleeve was super tight.  In the end I went up two sizes.  The right back went smoothly, but I think I must have gotten over-confident on the left back, or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention, as I made several mistakes that caused me to rip back.  I did come up with a good technique for working the three needle bind off to join the right and left backs together.  I used a crochet hook, inserted into the stitch on the front needle knitwise and on the back needle purlwise, pulling both loops off onto the crochet hook, then wrapped the yarn and pulled it through both loops.  Once I had worked the first stitch I pulled the yarn through all three loops on the hook.  It worked well and made it easy to keep the working yarn between the two needles.

Pattern:  Rumo by Alice Caetano

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Cressida

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

 

Rumo - Body Done!

I finished up the body back on July 10.  Well mostly.  I have not done the lapel yet.  I am saving that until I finish the sleeves, in case I need to do the lapel in the coordinating colorway.

Knitting the body was really pretty addicting.  I like this construction technique.  I have started on the sleeves.  I would have liked to have worked them top down, but with garter stitch that is not as straightforward as it is with stockinette, and I ended up not wanting to mess with it.  So I am working them as written.  I will likely modify how I attach the sleeves to the body.  I am thinking of picking up stitches on the armhole opening and the sleeve cap and then joining them with a three needle bind off.  I almost did that when I joined the shoulders together, but instead I ended up sewing them together so that the edges butted up against each other, so there is no seam, per se.  If the three needle bind off method doesn’t work, then I will likely do the same thing on the sleeves.

Pattern:  Rumo by Alice Caetano

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Cressida

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

 

Rumo - Right Back Done

The two halves of the back are worked the same way, and when they are joined the right side of the right back actually becomes the wrong side.  The pattern is pretty easy to follow, each section of shaping has its own section and she gives the row count and width for each so you can check your progress and your gauge as you go.  She does restart the count for each section.  So far a fun and easy knit.

Pattern:  Rumo by Alice Caetano 

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Cressida

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

 

Rumo - Cast On!

Having frogged five WIPs I felt comfortable casting on something new.  I have wanted to make this pattern for a while now, and having finished a garment after a long spell of not making garments (other than simple top down vests) I was motivated to cast on another.  The yarn is SpaceCadet Cressida, a 100% Merino Worsted weight yarn.  It has a slightly rustic feel and knits up into a nice firm fabric.  The colorway is Sound, from The Space Monster Club.  I may not have enough of this color, but I do have two skeins of the complimentary color, Safe, that I can use if I need to.  The pattern is Rumo by Alice Caetano - it is a jacket that is knit in garter stitch vertically.  The design is a little reminiscent of some of Hanne Falkenberg’s designs - I have several of her kits and really need to knit those up as well.  I really like the construction and the resulting jacket is very elegant.

Pattern:  Rumo by Alice Caetano

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Cressida in Sound

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)

Nature’s Cathedral Vest - Finished!

My sister Liz’s birthday was last month, and I wanted to make her something.  We don’t usually do much for birthdays in my family, but I wanted to this year.  I had this yarn in my stash and had been thinking of making her a vest for a while.  Like me she gets cold easily.  So I cast this on last month and finished it up last weekend.  I would have finished it sooner but I had to finish up a test knit.  Now I just need to box it up and get it in the mail to her.

The yarn is Vega by SpaceCadet and the colorway is Nature’s Cathedral from the Space Monster Club.  I really like how this one blocked, the fabric is very soft and drapes nicely.  I have now made 10 of these vests.

Pattern:  Practically by Kelly Herdrich

Yarn:  Vega by SpaceCadet Yarns

Needle:  US 6 (4.0 mm)  

Opinionated Cardinal Shawl II - Finished!

 I finished this shawl up on January 2.  As this is for my sister Virginia, I only did the lace on the cast off edge.  I went with black as this shawl is a companion to her Woodsman Shawl that I knit for her about a year ago.  I used the same edging on both shawls, and the same yarn for the edging.

Pattern:  Improvised - Boomerang

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Yarns Oriana & Simply Socks Simply Sock

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Opinionated Cardinal Shawl II - Border Started

 

After I finished up the body of my second Woodsman Shawl, I grabbed this skein of yarn, which had already been caked up and cast on another garter-stitch boomerang shawl.  Well, actually, I tried a scarf in Fisherman’s Rib first, but that just wasn’t working out, so I frogged and went with old faithful.  I needed a mindless project for knitting while reviewing documents.  I almost frogged this one because I already have one and don’t need another in this colorway.  I even thought about making socks with it.  But in the end I kept going and now I’m on the border.  I’m only working the border on the cast off edge as I’m going to send this one to my sister Virginia, and that is how she wanted her Woodsman Shawl edging done.

Pattern:  Improvised - Boomerang Shawl

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Yarns Oriana 8-Ply

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Woodsman Shawll II - Finished!

 

This week is my last week of work for the rest of the year, and it was a bit of a hell week packed with meetings.  Fortunately that gave me plenty of time to work on the lace edging on my shawl and I finished it up this past Wednesday.  For this shawl I bought some Cascade Yarns Heritage Solids in black.  We had a little bit of snow last night and I thought it would go well with the shawl.  This is just one of my simple garter stitch boomerang shawls.  Mindless knitting that is great for when I’m reviewing documents.  I made one for my sister Virginia, but she only wanted the lace edging on the cast off edge.  I loved the colors so much I bought a second skein to make one for myself.

Pattern:  Improvised (Boomerang shawl)

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Yarns Oriana in Woodsman

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Woodsman Shawl II - Body Done!

 

I’ve been working on this one lately and managed to finish up the body last night while watching the latest season of The Last Kingdom.  I ordered a skein of basic black sock yarn for the border.  Now I need another mindless project.

Pattern:  Improvised (Boomerang shawl)

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Yarns Oriana in Woodsman

Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Woodsman Shawl II - Cast On

 

I needed another mindless knit for work knitting, so I pulled this skein out of my recent stash.  I made a simple boomerang shawl for my sister with this colorway, and I so loved the color that I purchased a second skein to make a shawl for myself.

Pattern:  Improvised (Boomerang shawl)
Yarn:  SpaceCadet Yarns Oriana in Woodsman
Needle:  US 5 (3.75 mm)

Hope Springs Eternal - Finished!

I finished up this shawl this past Tuesday.  I love this yarn.  It is SpaceCadet Yarns Maia and is a 80% Rayon from Bamboo and 20% Merino.  It is very light and airy, and has a nice luster to it.  It works up beautifully.

Pattern:  Marinna by Ambah O’Brien

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Yarns Maia

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Hope Springs Eternal - Striped Section Done

This project has taken a bit of a back seat while I worked on my July Camp Loopy project and my test knit, but I have been working a row here and a row there and today I finished it up while also finishing a book (Starship Troopers by Robert Heinlein).  I am now all set to start the leaf lace section.  As with the flower section I made the chart symmetric through the magic of knitCompanion.

Pattern:  Marinna by Ambah O’Brien

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Maia

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Hope Springs Eternal - Flower Lace Section Done

I finished up the Flower Lace section and have started on the garter stitch stripes.  I am actually over half way done with the striped section at this point.  It is good knitting for reading, so that is what I’ve been doing this morning.  I love the yarn and the colors.  It really is a great pairing of color and yarn, and also the two colors.  The yarn is 80% Bamboo and 20% Wool.  It has a wonderful sheen to it, and feels smooth and silky in your hand.  The knitted up fabric is light and ethereal, and the colors suit the feel so well.  I know it is going to drape and flow beautifully.

Pattern:  Marinna by Ambah O’Brien

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Maia

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)

Hope Springs Eternal - Cast On!

I finished up The Winter Violet this morning and it is currently blocking, so I cast on another Ambah O’Brien pattern - Marinna.  I’m using the SpaceCadet Interstellar Yarn Alliance March 2020 shipment Eternal Spring and the complimentary color Hope.

The yarn is Maia, 80% Bamboo and 20% wool.  When I was working the set up for the first chart I noticed that there was a deliberate asymmetry.  One side had one more stitch than the other side.  I had to restart it because I made a mistake, so I took the opportunity to make it symmetric.  I also made the first chart symmetric, thanks to the magic of knitCompanion.  I mirrored the right hand side of the chart and combined it into a new symmetric chart.

Pattern:  Marinna by Ambah O’Brien

Yarn:  SpaceCadet Maia

Needle:  US 4 (3.5 mm)