When did you first learn to knit? And why?

Back in 2005, I wanted a wrap sweater. I have long arms and a long-ish torso, and could not for the life of me find a wrap sweater that fits. On one fateful Saturday in WalMart, I picked up their “Teach yourself to knit” kit and that marked the beginning of a new obsession. After a weekend of casting on and binding off, I picked up the Stitch’n'Bitch Nation book and knit my first sweater - the Lucky Clover Wrap. Ever since then, I’ve knit several sweaters — cabled ones, simple raglans, boleros, and jackets.

Yet despite all that knitting, I have come to realize that the ones that I wear again and again, are the simple sweaters. Take for example, my Thermal. I wear it with a tank top underneath, or a 3/4 length shirt, and when the weather started getting a little colder, a long sleeved shirt. And my Raspy, a simple stockinette raglan that has seen numerous wears. And so when that Phildar Tendences 2007 issue arrived at my doorstep, this immediately caught my eye. But I really wanted to knit with Rowanspun 4ply - despite its slubby texture, and so I forged ahead.

Pattern: Phildar Tendences Printemps’07 Cardigan #18, Sz 34/36
Materials: 8 skeins (with lots leftover for seaming), 0 mm and 2.5mm needles, 3 3/4″ pearl buttons 

Notes: The pattern asks you to knit 8 pieces separately but I cheated. I knit the two front pieces and the back piece in one piece to the armhole, and continued separately. I added an extra stitch in the seam line to visually separate the front from the back, and also kept the beginning and edge of the rows with a selvedge stitch for easier seaming later on. Short-row shoulders, with a 3-needle bind off. The two front ribbed edges were attached to the front pieces using a crochet slip stitch (Note the slight puckering on one of the front edges), and the sleeves were knit the round.

The cardigan has 3 columns of stockinette detail in the fronts on a reverse stockinette background, so basically I would knit in the round in stockinette and just flip it inside out when I needed to seam. The collar was attached using simple backstitching.

(shown here: The knit column on the waist, and the decorative knit columns on the front)

(shown here: the right sleeve seam and the collar to body seam)

Now if you followed the pattern like I did for the buttonholes, that button size mentioned in the pattern will NEVER fit through the holes. Like, NEVER. So I settled for 3 el-cheapo 3/4″ buttons from Joann’s instead. Does the job if you ask me.

In the end, I like my yarn substitution. Wet-blocking Rowanspun really smoothed out the slubbiness and evened out my stitches, and I can predict many many wears in the future already.

And because I just totally raved about simple designs, I will now bite my own tongue and show you this.

(shown here: Fair isle swatch for my first Fair Isle Pullover)

It’s a hefty swatch. I’m having a hard time deciding which shade of grey to go with the yellow. The yarn is Harrisville New England Shetland: Cornsilk for the yellow, and Charcoal –> Dove Grey –> Suede (darkest to lightest). I am planning a simple shapeless potato sack pullover, something to lounge in for the cold weather, but in a bold brocade-ish pattern. Feel free to chime in and give me your two cents. All suggestions welcome.

And oh, in case you were wondering, I did get that pair of crochet slippers from my friend. He done good, y’all. The darn thing fits!

(pink feet make me happy)

Well, since my last appearance, it’s been quite some time. Who knew “stay tuned!” meant over a month’s absence? If I had held my breath I’d be purple by now. And no, I have not found the appropriate buttons. Again, who knew buying buttons would be such a pain in the butt? The search goes on. But that doesn’t mean that knitting has halted. Oh siree no. I’ve since completed a pair of mittens for a shivering friend in DC, and am currently churning out a cardigan.

Presenting…. the mittens that I had a really hard time giving away..

Project: Squirrelly Swedish Mittens by Elli
Materials: Stash yarn (Rowan 5-ply soft - green, Knitpicks Palette - light blue, New England Shetland - white and brown, Henry’s Attic Kona Superwash - more white), Sz 0 and 1 Addi’s)
Modifications: Used sz 0 for the cuff, added the braids, and knit the rest without modification using sz 1 circular needles.
Pretty huh? I know. I want a pair too. But the recipient has reported back saying how much he likes them and that the mittens have already accompanied him on his recent Sunday trip to Whole Foods grocers.

Oh.. that’s just me guarding my mittens in the apartment complex yard.

And this is me new love. I chose a wool yarn that may or may not be appropriate for it. But I am forging on. We’ll see what happens. I am hoping blocking will work miracles, but we all know how wishful thinking gets us every single time (photo courtesy of Phildar Tendences 468, Cardigan #18).

Happy Turkey (or Tofurkey) week y’all.

We are experiencing extremely hot and windy weather here in Southern California due to the Santa Ana winds. It’s causing my nose to bleed (ahem, bloody booger is more like it), but it’s allowing my Demi to dry at record speed.

Stay tuned for modeled shots!

It is interesting that after 2.5 years of knitting, triumphing over lace, fair isle, cables and many a sweaters, I have absolutely no ability to crochet. I have drooled over Erika Knight’s turkish slippers many times, and still can’t get myself to pick up a hook to learn the pattern.

One time in a yarn store with a friend, I was browsing the Rowan magazines while he wandered around the store, checking out what it is about these yarn stores that draw me to them irregardless of traffic conditions on the 5pm congested freeway. He noticed the slippers on the cover of Erika Knight’s Simple Crochet, and commented on how cool they are.

So fast-forward a few oohs and ahhs, and I charmed my way into a pair of fuschia colored slippers from a non-crocheter for my birthday this year. I’ll knit him a pair of socks, and he’ll learn crochet and make me the turkish slippers that I so desired. (If this ain’t persuasion skills then I don’t know what is).

“Fuschia? You want fuschia? Are you just trying to make this even harder for me or is that really what you want?”

(Now I would like you all to imagine an ex-football player with a crochet hook and two balls of fuschia yarn. A first-time crocheter, nonetheless)

Several months later, after much ripping and cursing on his part, my right foot was requested for a fitting. And of course, the crocheter can’t help but marvel at his own work and demands photoshoots for his work. I am mighty impressed. And hell, if he can do it, so can I. Guess who learned how to crochet?
Leftover sock yarn here I come. And stay tuned for the finished crochet slippers. It has taken months to get this far, I am sure the other foot won’t be too far away. Yipee!

It’s been, hm, over a year. While I haven’t stopped knitting, it’s safe to say that I’ve slowed down significantly. Why? Life. It gets in the way of knitting sometimes. One day I may eventually write about the things that have transpired, but suffice to say that for now, I’m getting the knitting mojo back again and that I hope to have more FO’s for the year ahead.

This blog is meant to document the projects that I have made over the last year - pitifully few, but nonetheless let’s get to it. (Let’s face it, it’s more for me now anyways. I probably lost all my readers a long long time ago).

Ah yes, the Pomatomus socks. I knew from the get-go that the perfect st count for socks for my feet would be way less than the 72 sts that the pattern states to CO. So modifications galore and voila. Perfect fit.
Needles used: Sz 1 addi’s (2.5mm), magic loop, 60 sts leg to 64 sts foot
Materials: Koigu KPPPM (p219), 2 skeins
Next, the ball-band dish cloth that everyone and their mothers have made. I’ve made a few, and this is just one of many. I think we have seen enough of them around the blogland to get into the details.

And last, my Swiss Cheese Scarf. Appropriate name, non? This is probably the easiest scarf that one can make and I chose to knit from stash. I wanted a light and airy scarf that has enough texture to stand out, yet be simple enough that I can just sit down and knit without having to worry about patterns. Light and airy? Check. I will use laceweight merino. Simple? Check. Nothing complicating about binding off certain number of stitches and casting back on. Results? Mighty long to make, but mighty pleased.

Materials: School Products Lace-weight Merino. Color 7. Gifted by Joy.
Needles: Sz 3.

And there you have it. I’m in the process of knitting a Komi Hat right now too.. so expect an FO soon. The next time I blog won’t be a year from now, that’s for sure.

And oh, happy new year. It’s been so long.