WIP Wednesday: Rosetta Skirt

The second half of the Rosetta skirt is almost done; I only have the ribbing for waist left to do. I've been curious about how the seams would look so decided to start. The photo below shows the "right side" of linen stitch, the seam at the top is stitched between the slipped stitches on the edge, the bottom is the invisible mattress stitch.

This picture shows the reverse side. The top is the reverse side of the traditional mattress stitch (invisible on the "right side"). You can see that it is a thicker seam. The bottom is the reverse side of the seam stitched between the slipped stitches.

If I stitch in the middle of the slipped stitches I can wear Rosetta as a reversible skirt, making the seam visible on both sides. However, after seeing Del's beautiful Dolman Pullover that has the seams on the outside, I'm tempted to do the regular mattress stitch making the seam invisible on the right side, with a bulkier seam on the reverse. What do you think?

Olga and Jason's Murka.

Zitron Unikat, Blues

I had the bright idea of using my leftover yarn to make baby clothes. I'm never ready when I find out that a friend or colleague is preggers. Last year this time, I dropped my WIPs to knit baby gifts, now I've dropped everything again to knit for two pregnant co-workers. Turns out that very little that I have is suitable: it's handwash, machine-washable but not dryable, or scratchy wool, or I don't have enough of whatever is suitable.

So I bought some kid-friendly yarn to make baby clothes, but I also bought this from someone on Ravelry:

It's Zitron Unikat in Blue. It's not washable, but I want to make this, and maybe this. These little knitted jean jackets are so cute that it doesn't matter. I will give them to someone who doesn't mind handwashing. They'll be the first FOs for the "unknown baby boom," as Amanda put it!

Jaeger is going out of business! Of course by the time I found out about it most of the Matchmaker DK and Extra Fine Merino DK in the colors I wanted were gone. Some places are still selling it at full price, but there isn't much left of that either. It may sadden one knitter friend, who just tossed her fun fur, that Jaeger "Fur" is especially hard to find! There's some here. She may want to knit these Prada items:

Harper's Bazaar, July 2007

Hmmm, well, though I come around some fashions years later, right now these knitted suits are more my style: Vogue, August 2007

Kinda.

Yarn Pron Friday: Habu Bamboo - All Wound Up

Habu Bamboo, XS-24 20/12

Thanks to everyone for your more than kind words about the Shapely Tank. Wish that I could thank you all individually, but you all know that Blogger can make that difficult.

Have fun with all your knits this weekend!

Rosetta Skirt and Swatching

Half of the "Rosetta" skirt is done. It's the big piece on the bottom. I knit half of it on the flight to Texas a week ago, and the other half while I was there. I've accounted for shrinkage and gauge is spot on, but before washing, it looks alarmingly big. I'll think about that later.

There are several swatches lying on top of it. Every time I get new yarn, I have the urge to cast on for a new project, no matter how many WIPs I have. I think swatching will be a way to satisfy that urge. I've really needed swatches recently to account for gauge of course, but also to observe shrinkage; how the yarn survives washing and drying; and testing for color fastness. I know you all know that, but I've been hard headed about swatching, knitting one once after the project is completed. Why have I had to do that? Well, my Orangina, which I never photographed after completing, is stained with some blue substance. I made it with Rowan Linen Drape and have no idea how it will hold up to various stain treatments. Notice the little lacy holes in the top swatch: I learned from someone's blog to knit a number of holes to correspond to the needle size used to knit the swatch. Clever.

Be sure to read this interesting Tim Gunn interview about fashion, Tim's new book, and the new season of Project Runway. I can't wait for it to come back.

Shapely Tank Finished!

Another finished object!

Started: June 2006
Finished: July 2007
Pattern: Shapely Tank, White Lies Designs
Yarn: School Products Natural Fantasy Cashmere
Needles: US 5 and 6 circulars
Modification: None


Love the fit! But next time I will make the shoulders narrower. I joined them with a three needle bind off. I like the garter stitch around the around the neckline, arm holes, and hem. It's hard to see, but there are short row darts where the side seam and hem meet, creating a shirt-tail effect. There are also short row bust darts, which I am not certain that I actually needed, but there they are. Olga kindly offered to show me how to mattress stitch the side seams, then just did them herself! Thanks, Olga! But I did learn, and later mattress stitched the white sleeveless turtleneck. It wasn't as hard as I thought it was going to be, i.e. I didn't have to lay the pieces side-by-side on the floor and carefully stitch it. Instead, I matched up the seams on my propped up knees, then began. Once I got the rhythm of it, it was fairly easy. I hope to finish it next week.

WIP Wednesday: "Kusha" Shawl

I finished the Shapely Tank - pictures will follow. I've finished the white turtleneck too. I tried it on again and, oddly, it was longer than it was when I first tried it on! I don't know if I had on different under garments or what, but I may not cut it afterall. In the meantime I couldn't resist casting on for a new project and joining the new Habu KAL. So what else is new?!!?

I bought some Habu spiral slub at Stitches East last year and had no idea what I'd do with this green thread of a yarn flecked with tiny pink fuzzy stuff.

So when I saw all the Kusha Kusha scarves and shawls out there, I knew I wanted to knit this thread with wool stainless steel yarn to make a shawl like this one.

I'm knitting it on US 6 Addi Lace Turbos and I can feel the stainless steel lightly, but ominously scraping against the metal of the needles, but I really need those sharp points to easily pick up the stitches. The first few rows looked like this:

The pink slubbies are more subtle in natural light and now it looks like this:

It is fun to shape and form it and mesmerizing to knit. I can't imagine that it will be in the least bit warm, but will be a nice and unusual accessory.

Altering the Sleeveless Turtleneck and Other Stuff

Originally, I thought I would cut the turtleneck, pick up the stitches then knit the 2-3 inches I need, but that gave me the willies. So rather than cut it right away I decided to run a needle through the stitches six rows above the ribbing, and knit down from there. I probably don't need that many but I wanted to give myself some room to cut and unravel. If I knit from the rib up I would have to kitchener a quarter of the way across the bust line. I thought that it may be neater to pick up the stitches there instead. With the sweater upside down I picked up the right side of each stitch then knit from there. (Sorry for the quality of the pix - the lighting sucks.)

When I achieve the right length, I think I will knit onto the row just above the ribbing and then cut.

I'm progressing on a yellow top I'm adapting from a design by Twinkle.

The bottom half that will just cover the bust is knit in Cartridge Belt Rib. I will crochet the top half. There's no pattern that I know of, I'm making it up as a I go along.

I did not knit a border at the bottom so as not to call attention to my hips and I will likely not knit sleeves and collar like the original because they will make my shoulder appear broader than they are.

I swatched the Artfibers Rosetta in an 8x8" swatch as Sahara suggested. I'm using linen stitch.

I stretched the swatch, pulled it, and it resumed its original shape overnight. I washed it in warm water with a load of laundry, then machine dried it. The swatch lost about a half inch in length when wet, and a full inch lengthwise, and a half inch in width after drying.

I'll decide what kind of adjustments to make later. I like the idea of being able to dry it, but I'm afraid of what will happen to the yarn after multiple dryings.

Have a happy and safe 4th!

Yarn Pr0n Friday: Artfibers Golden Siam and Rosetta

I stumbled upon Artfibers online years ago and was reminded of it by Sturdygirl's, then Cara's posts about it recently. Coincidentally, I had a San Francisco business trip planned, so I was pretty determined to get there. Fortunately, it was close to my hotel. You probably know that Artfibers has yarn developed especially for them and that they allow knitters to knit swatches that they are free to take with them. I didn't take any pix - I only had about an hour, so I knit up the smallest swatches in history as quickly as I could.

You can view more photos and details on my Flickr site. ETA: Pix of my swatches appear on page 2.

I just happened to find a review of the Artfibers in Knitter's Review last night that I concur with and it includes pix. I would only add that one of the shop's designers, Kira, was there and she was very helpful and knowledgeable. She showed me around the shop including the "tasting bar," where I could sit and knit swatches. They supply straight and circular needles and crochet hooks for customers to use. Kira left me alone to knit, checking up on me periodically to see if I had questions or to make suggestions. I bought Golden Siam, 100 percent Golden Tussah silk, to make a sweater,

and Rosetta, 100 percent cotton tape, to make a skirt in linen stitch.

For $2 Kira plugged my measurements and yarn gauge into a computer knitting application and created a skirt pattern for me. I hope it doesn't become "buttsprung," as my mother would say. Kira has some pretty cool designs on Artfiber's site, and on her own site, Kira K Designs.

If you make it to San Francisco, I highly recommend that you visit this unusual yarn shop. I hope I'll have a chance to visit it again along with the other shops in the city.

San Francisco, China Town

WIP Wednesday: Pomatomus Fingerless Gloves and Shapely Tank

Back from business trip to San Francisco where I squeezed in a visit to Artfibers - more about that later.

I have to more WIPs to add this week.

Pomatomus Opera Length Fingerless Gloves, inspired by Cookie A's Pomatomus Sock Pattern.

I'm using Sundara Sock Yarn, "Black over Plum" colorway. I have two more rows to finish on one of the thumbs; the other is finished except the weaving. Guess I don't feel much pressure to finish since it's too warm to wear them.

Shapely Tank, from White Lies Designs.

The yarn is from School Products. All done except the seaming. I made this before I began slipping the first stitch at the beginning of every row. Therefore the seams will be hard to match up using my favorite backstitch. That means I will have to use the mattress stitch. Yuck. O.

I haven't had time to get back to the white sleeveless turtleneck. But after some brain storming with Olga and advice from Sahara, I've decided not to frog it, but will re-do it another way. Involving scissors. More on that later too.

WIP Wednesday

I'm informally joining Turtlegirl's WIP Wednesday. I can't promise that I'll always have to something to show you - or time to write about it and photo what I'm working on. But I do have a few things this week.

STR Walk on the Wild Tide Rockin' Sock Club Sock: I tend to save sock knitting as commuting projects but lately most the patterns I've received require more attention than I can give them on my few minutes on the bus or subway. I started the STR Walk on the Wild Tide fishnet-like pattern but loved the yarn on the stockinette toe so much that I frogged and started the whole thing over in stockinette. The hank did not do the yarn justice, nor did the pattern, in my opinion, which obscured the yarn's silkiness and the richness of the color. I'm not sure if they will fit properly or I've got enough yarn to make the knee socks in stockinette, but I'm going to try.

Twinkle Marilyn Jacket: A very quick knit made of Twinkle Soft Chunky; this was done over a weekend with US19s. It's an unusual pattern, knit all in one piece. The strips at the bottom are each only 5" wide; the "wings" you see on the side are 3/4 length sleeves. I still have the back to work. It already too hot to wear it.

ETA: The 5" strips form the front of the jacket. It's soon going to be too hot to knit it.

Adrienne Vittadini Rebecca Jacket: all the pieces are done. I'm just seaming it now. Problem is that the seams open up into huge crevices. The instructions give no guidance. Olga suggested that I hand stitch with a smaller weight yarn or machine stitch the seams. UGH. I can't tell you how much I hate to sew!

Adrienne Vittadini Sleeveless turtleneck in Miranda, a narrow cotton tape yarn: Olga took one look at this and asked if it was long enough. "Oh yeah," I said. Well it's too short after all! I mean I followed the instructions to a "T" for once, and technically it is as long as it should be inch for inch, but I never thought to measure the sweater from the top of the ribbing to the top of the shoulder. The ribbing does not stop below the bust line, but covers about 2" of the bottom of my bust line. So it fits, strictly speaking, but it's butt ugly! It's stuff like this that makes me start other projects, but I need this sweater, and it's quick knit, so I'll frog it and start over. I'm at expert at this - don't forget that I completely re-knit the Michael Kors cardi. I'm going to San Francisco next week, so this will be travel knitting.

I have other WIPs too, but I'll show you those later.

Olga, by the way, has a new sweater on Knitty: Zinzin. It's really cute. Check it out. Paloma took great photos!

Yarn Pr0n Friday: Habu Viscose Sizing and Silk Mohair Kasrui

Two yarns this week: Habu Viscose Sizing Silk, and Silk Mohair Hand-dyed Kasrui, bought at Woven Arts, East Lansing, Michigan. There are more pix on my Flickr site (just click on the Flickr badge on the side).











My first thought was to knit them together double-stranded into a shawl. Any other suggestions?

Woven Art Yarn and Fiber Art Gallery in East Lansing (Long Post)

I'd like to post a correction: Nancy McRay's Woven Art Yarn and Fiber Art Gallery is in East Lansing, Michigan. You can get the address, driving directions and phone number on her site. She has a blog too where she shows her hand dyed yarn and other creations. Here's a shot of her back room where knitting, weaving, spinning, and other fiber arts are taught.

and here's a couple of extra Habu shots from her shop just for me:


WIP
I did work on an Adrienne Vittadini sleeveless turtleneck while I was in Texas. I cast on with an Addi Turbo Lace circular I bought a few months ago. I love the sharp points and I think it will be excellent to use with laceweight yarn.
But the surface of the metal part was designed to avoid having slick yarn slip off so there was a little too much drag for the Adrienne Vittadini Miranda cotton yarn I'm using. I had expected that the Addi Turbo Lace circs would displace the regular Turbos, but there's still room for them in my needle collection. I switched to the regular ones after finishing the ribbing and I rapidly got this:
I decided to kitchener the shoulder seams rather than sew them and I really like the result. It's not invisible, but I expect that it will smooth out when it's blocked.

I bought these Japanese knitting pins at Nancy's and love them too. They're about 2.5 inches long and made entirely of wood.

I thought they were a frivolous purchase at the time, but they've turned out to be enormously useful. I used them to pin the side seams of the turtleneck to made sure they were the same length.

I've also started the Twinkle Marilyn jacket over the weekend. What a quick knit it is! I still have to finish the back. I wonder though if it's going to fit. I might have to ask Olga to model it when I'm done. Or frog and re-knit it in a larger size. There's dieting too, but I'm not going there...

Ravelry
I'm sure you all know about Ravelry. It's still in beta, but there's a link on the site to request a tester's invitation. It's cool place to organize your knitting and crochet projects: project notes and photos; needle and stash inventory; a "queue" section to record future projects with site linking capability (really cool!); linkage to your blog if you have one; discussion forums; links to KALs; interaction with other knitters, even e-mail. It's going to bring me to a new level of knitting obsession. It's hard enough to get stuff done around the house! Seriously, Jess and her husband Casey are great to do this. Here's my Ravelry page. There's not a lot on it yet, but I'll be adding stuff regularly. Now someone needs to make a Ravelry button.

Yarn Pr0n Friday, Hand dyed by Nancy McRay

I bought this in Lansing, Michigan, at Nancy's Woven Art Yarn and Fiber Art Gallery. I'm going to make a shawl for my friend Sharon.

It's a really nice yarn shop with a great yarn selection, and a shrine to Habu!

Y'all know I love me some Habu! I bought two skeins of copper-colored Habu viscose sizing silk and four skeins of matching silk mohair for a shawl for me. Pictures later. I have to buy a card reader first.

I didn't get much knitting done or blog reading - sorry - but I see that y'all have been active. I'll catch up this weekend.