Shedir

Meet Shedir, the first project I've knitted for charity. I donated it to Support Connection, an organization that provides support services to women with breast and ovarian cancer. My mom has been volunteering there for about 12 years, and they do really amazing work.

I'm pleased with this hat, though maybe it is a bit big. When I tried it on, I had to roll up the brim so it doesn't cover my eyes. But I have a small head. It also used up more yarn than the pattern suggested. My gauge must have been a little off. (I didn't swatch!) The cables probably could have been a little neater, though blocking helped even things out. The Rowan Calmer took a little getting used to since it is so stretchy. (Swatching beforehand could have gotten me used to it!) Towards the end, the pattern involves some p2tog tbl maneuvers, and I had a lot of trouble with those, but I got through it. Shedir is a very beautiful, clever pattern, and I'm happy with how the hat came out, but I probably won't be racing to make another one of these anytime soon. I intend to make more chemo caps for Support Connection, but I'll try different patterns.


Shedir
Started: Dec. 31, 2006
Finished: Jan. 21, 2007
Pattern: Shedir from Knitty's breast cancer awareness special issue
Yarn: Rowan Calmer, 2 skeins (used very little of the second skein), shade #478, "Joy"
Needles: US 3 bamboo circ, US 3 dpns

Irish Hiking Wrist Warmers pattern

This is the first pattern I'm posting. I did my best to write it up accurately and clearly based on my notes, but I can't promise it's error-free. Please leave a comment if you have any questions, suggestions, corrections, etc.

These wrist warmers should fit most people, as the cables and ribs make them both clingy and stretchy. You can try them on as you go, and make them as long or as short as you want.

This pattern was inspired by the Irish Hiking Scarf pattern from Hello Yarn, and by the Uneven Cable pattern from Barbara Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns.


MATERIALS
- Less than 166 yards of worsted weight yarn (I used Bernat Satin)
- 5 double-pointed needles, size 8 US
- Cable needle

GAUGE
In stockinette, 18 sts and 25 rows = 4"

ABBREVIATIONS
C6B = Slip 2 sts onto a cable needle and hold to back of work. K4, then K the 2 sts off cable needle.
M1K = Make one knit stitch using the increase of your choice (I used lifted increases: first right-slant, then left-slant)
M1P = Make one purl stitch using the increase of your choice (I used lifted increases: first right-slant, then left-slant)

DIRECTIONS
Cast on 36 stitches and join for knitting in the round, being careful not to twist. Place marker at beginning of round.

Stitch Pattern:
Rounds 1, 2, 4, 5, 6: * K2, P2, K6, P2, repeat from * to end of round
Round 3: * K2, P2, C6B, P2, repeat from * to end of round

Repeat these 6 rounds, continuing in pattern until the wrist warmer is about 3 1/2" from the cast-on (or where ever you want the thumb gusset to start).

On the next round: slip marker, M1K, K2, M1K, pM, then complete the round in pattern.

Knit a round even in pattern. (Starting with K4 now that there are 2 extra stitches)
Continue in pattern, increasing by M1P after the first marker and M1P before the second marker. (These added stitches will be purled in future rounds.)

Repeat these last 2 rounds. There should now be 42 stitches.

Continue in pattern until wrist warmer is 5 1/2" (or desired length) from cast-on.

Bind off the 8 stitches between the markers, remove the second marker, and complete the round in pattern.
At the beginning of the next round, slip marker, cast on 2 stitches using the backward loop cast on, and complete the round in pattern. (These new stitches will be knitted in future rounds.)

Continue in pattern until wrist warmer is 7 1/2" long, or desired length.
Bind off loosely in pattern.

Make another wrist warmer just like this one!

Irish hiking gifts

This Irish hiking scarf and matching wrist warmers are for my mother-in-law. The only modification I made to the Hello Yarn Irish hiking scarf pattern was to use "uneven cables" which I found in Barbara Walker's Treasury of Knitting Patterns. Instead of putting 3 stitches on a cable needle and knitting the next 3 before knitting the 3 from the cable needle, you put 2 stitches on the cable needle and knit the next 4. I like the way these cables turn out, and they're a bit easier to do. I went with a 6-row repeat, as opposed to the 8-row cables in the Hello Yarn pattern.

The finished scarf is about 60" long. The ends don't fan out much because I did the first cable row on row 3 (the Hello Yarn pattern has you do it at row 8). Likewise I ended the scarf 2 rows after the last cable row.


I improvised a matching wrist warmer pattern, after a botched attempt at modifying the wrist warmer pattern from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. The wrist warmers I made are 36 stitches around (3 repeats of the 12-stitch cable pattern). I started at the arm, and after 22 rounds began increasing for the thumb gusset. I increased 2 stitches every other round until there were 42 stitches. In round 35 I bound off 8 stitches at the thumb, and in round 36 I cast on 2 stitches to complete the circle. After another 10 rounds, I bound off.

1/15/07 EDITED TO ADD: I have posted the complete pattern.


Irish hiking scarf
Started: Nov. 1(?)
Finished: Nov. 30(?)
Pattern: From Hello Yarn
Yarn: Bernat Satin, Sterling, 3 skeins (used very little of the 3rd skein)
Needles: US 8 Addi Turbos

Irish hiking wrist warmers
Started: Dec. 1(?)
Finished: Dec. 9
Pattern: My own
Yarn: Bernat Satin, less than 1 skein
Needles: US 8 dpns

FO: Grandma's vest

Grandma's vest is done! I finished it last night. I'm about the same size as Grandma (she's an inch or two shorter) so I tried it on. It fits pretty well, though perhaps a bit on the short side. I tried to elongate it in blocking. It's still drying, but here are a couple pictures:

I don't think it's actually lopsided -- that's probably just the camera angle. There are a few mistakes, but hopefully I'm the only one who will notice them.

I made a few modifications to the pattern:

• Used garter stitch, rather than stockinette, between the cables
  
• Rounded armholes -- I didn't like the squared-off armholes in the pattern
• Fewer decreases along the V, so as not to disrupt the cable pattern
• After the first three twist rows, I switched from twisting every 10 rows to twisting every 8 rows. This started out as an accident, but I liked the way it looked with the cables getting a bit smaller as they go up so I just went with it.
  

This is the first article of clothing I've knit. (Prior to this it's been all accessories: scarves, hats, and that one pair of mittens.) I learned a lot in the process of making it, including how to make a buttonhole with a yarn over, how to join shoulders with kitchener stitch, and how to make the most of the Denise interchangeable needle set. Kitchener is cool -- I like how the vest came out virtually seamless. Perhaps most importantly, in the process of knitting this vest, I forced myself to relax my tension, so not only was I able to achieve the recommended gauge (by only going up 2 needle sizes!) but there was less wear and tear on my hands. Some of the stitches came out loose and uneven, but blocking seems to have evened it all out splendidly!

The buttons, incidentally, are from a store called Botani around the corner from where I work. They're made of real stone.

Grandma's vest
Started: Jan. 3
Finished: Jan. 8
Pattern: Pretty in Pink
Yarn: Lion's Brand Wool-Ease Worsted in Cranberry, 3 skeins (actually less than 2 1/2)
Needles: US 9, 10.5 circular of varying lengths (hooray for the Denise interchangeables!)

Holidays are for knitting

My long weekend in Pittsburgh was a great opportunity to get some knitting done. First I worked on the Griffindor scarf until I ran out of yarn. I've still got a few more stripes to go, especially now that I've found out that Andrew wants to wear it doubled up and looped through. (Is there a name for that method of scarf wearing?) We're talking about a guy who's never even had a scarf before. But apparently law students spend a lot of time discussing things such as how scarves ought to be worn.

Then I finished up John's double-knit ski cap. My purls must be looser than my knits, as the yellow side came out significantly bigger than the gray side. I'm hoping blocking will fix it. The stripes also didn't land where I wanted them. I had envisioned the hat being long enough to fold the edge up, so I started the stripes later, made them thicker, and added some extra rows before beginning the decreases. It still ended up being just long enough to cover John's ears without folding up the edge. And the stripes are very close to the top of the hat. Oh well -- live and learn. John says he's happy with it. Still, I know he'd prefer to wear it with the gray side out, but as it is right now, the extra fabric on the yellow side gets all wadded up inside so it isn't comfortable. The good news is, the reason I haven't had a chance to block it is that John has been wearing it every day!


While in Pittsburgh I got to see Courtney wearing her Kittyville hat. It fits her perfectly, and her parents like it because it covers her ears. One potential danger is that the pom-poms are just the right size to fit in her mouth. I probably should have made them bigger. During our stay I learned that she needs a pair of mittens, so the night I got back to Brooklyn, I found a pattern and made a pair from the same yarn I used for the kitty hat (Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted). The thumbs came out very long even though I made them shorter than the pattern suggested. I don't think it's something I can fix with blocking, so I'm planning to try and redo them. It's going to be tricky since I already seamed up the thumbs and weaved in the ends. Once I get a measurement from her mom, I will also make an I-cord to connect the mittens.


I also started trying to make gauge for Grandma's vest. It calls for size 8 needles, but I know my stitches tend to be tight, plus the yarn I bought (Lion's Brand Wool-Ease) is on the lighter side of worsted, so I started with US size 9. My stitches came out way too tiny. I didn't have any larger needles, so when I got home I bought some cheap 10's and 10.5's. (I was hoping to come across a Denise interchangeable set, but couldn't find it in stores so I bought it on eBay.) Last night I started a new gauge swatch, following the method outlined in Stitch 'N Bitch Nation, which I have out from the library. With US size 10's I was still way off. With 10.5's I'm getting closer, but I'm wondering if 11's might be better. At this point I'm not going to purchase any more needles, but will wait for the Denise set to arrive. (I'm so excited!)

The Christmas scarves seemed to go over well. Turns out Amy had her eye on a cashmere cable-knit scarf from L.L. Bean, so the Irish hiking scarf worked out nicely. Though now I wish I had used cashmere instead of acrylic! Derek seemed pleased with the Broncos scarf. Apparently the blue I used is their "old" blue, and one of the patches is their old logo, which seemed to be plusses.

Last night I tried to attend the local Stitch 'n Bitch group for the first time, but when I got to the designated coffee shop, I couldn't find any other knitters. I bought some tea, settled down on a couch and started knitting, waiting to see if anyone else would show up, but nobody did! I guess a lot of people are out of town the week between Christmas and New Year's.

John's double-knit ski cap
Started: Nov. 30
Finished: Dec. 26
Yarn: Tolegno Lana Gatto Luxor, 1 skein yellow, 1 skein dark gray
Needles: metal circular size 6, bamboo dpns size 6

Finishing touches

The patches arrived yesterday, and last night I managed to sew them on without injuring myself too seriously. (I'm not used to using needles that are actually sharp!) I also added the fringe, which nicely covers up the fact that one end of the scarf is narrower than the other.

Having done that, I decided to see if fringe would also cover up the fanned-out end of the Irish hiking scarf. I'd say that was successful as well. I used yarn from the very inside of a skein so it's all curly, which I think goes nicely with the cables.


Diagonal Denver scarf
Started: Dec. 12
Finished: Dec. 19
Yarn: Bernat Super Value, 1 skein Carrot, 1 skein Royal Blue
Needles: US 9 bamboo straights

Irish hiking scarf
Started: Dec. 8
Finished: Dec. 12 (added fringe Dec. 19)
Yarn: Bernat Satin in sapphire, 2 skeins plus a little extra for the fringe
Needles: US 9 bamboo straights

Irish hiking scarf

Last night I finished the Irish hiking scarf which will be a Christmas gift. This was my first go at cables. I love the way they thicken the scarf.

Looks like I will have to block this one. I'm not sure I bound off quite right -- it seems to have flattened out at the end, but maybe that's normal? I also made a couple mistakes along the edge, but I don't think they're terribly noticeable. I know how to turn knits into purls and purls into knits (thank you Stitch 'n Bitch handbook!) but when the mistake happens along the edge, I get all confused when I try and fix it.

The scarf is 52 inches long. It would have been longer, but Norton the dog got a hold of the third skein, and in the process unravelled and drooled all over the yarn. That was a fun scene to come home to -- at first I thought he had unravelled my work. I was relieved to discover that it was just unused yarn. 52 inches should be long enough for this scarf, as its intended recipient, like me, is a hair under 5 feet tall.

Started: Dec. 8
Finished: Dec. 12
Yarn: Bernat Satin in sapphire, 2 skeins
Needles: US 9 bamboo straights

Grandma's baby cable hat

This Baby Cable Ribbed Cap was done in 4 days. It goes with the ribbed scarf I knitted for Grandma the week before. She's been in and out of the hospital for the past few months, and she's always cold, so I wanted to make her things that would both cheer and warm her up. And make me feel useful. It was something to do while I awaited news from her doctors.


Started: Nov. 8
Finished: Nov. 12
Yarn: Rowan CashSoft Aran, Oat (2 skeins), and Mole (leftover from scarf)
Needles: metal circular size 8, bamboo dpns size 8

The beginning (my first scarf)

A few months ago, on a train headed upstate, Emily gave me a lesson on knitting. It felt funny to me, coming as I do from a line of women in which each generation is successively less gifted in the "domestic arts," to be holding knitting needles. Nevertheless, I managed to grasp the basics and completed several rows of garter stitch on that train ride. After the first few rows my stitches started to tighten drastically, resulting in a very irregularly shaped swatch.

A few days later, I went out to Purl in SoHo and bought some yellow Manos del Uruguay yarn which John picked out, and started my first scarf. Just plain and simple garter stitch, as I had not yet learned to purl. I started with 40 stitches and soon counted 42, but fortunately my mistakes were not too obvious. During my first few knitting sessions I would concentrate so hard that I'd forget to breathe, and I'd get all queasy and headachey. But as I plodded on, my fingers started to memorize the movements, and my breathing fell into step with the rhythm of the stitches. John likes his scarves extra long and wide, so I didn't finish that scarf for another three months.

Since then, knitting, like most things in which I get involved, seems to have become an obsession. I bought myself Stitch 'n Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook and started to get a little more ambitious. I am now halfway through my fourth hat and close to finishing my third scarf. With each new project I have tried to learn something new. I made a scarf for Grandma and learned how to purl, rib, and make stripes. Then I made her a matching hat and learned to follow a pattern, knit in the round with a circular needle and double-pointeds, make baby cables, and decrease. The Kittyville hat I made for John's one-year-old niece taught me to pick up stitches, seed stitch, and make I-cords and pom-poms. And so on and so forth (hopefully more details and pictures to come).

I find myself spending much of the time that I'm not knitting looking at other knitters' web sites. It occurred to me that I really ought to start my own knitting blog, if only to keep track of my projects.

I will try to get pictures of my already completed projects so I can post the backlog, plus there will be lots more in the near future as I am in the process of cramming for the holidays.


John's scarf
Started: July 17, 2005
Finished: Oct. 25, 2005
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay Handspun Semi Solid Goldenrod, 3 skeins
Needles: US 9 bamboo straights