Swatching, Swatching...

The Cherie is blocked, sewn (and altered) and it now looks wonderful.

See:

I had to sew the neckline closed about 3" because it was so deep that I kept having to adjust it. Now it is perfect and I love the feel of the Manos. The pattern is perfect for this yarn because it is warm without being too hot to wear indoors.

I am still working on my current WIPs including the sweater for my boyfriend, but there has been some major stash enhancement and today I will begin swatching for two new projects.

The first is the Soap Bubble Wrap available free if you sign up for Knitting Daily emails from Interweave Knits. The yarn I chose for this project is Silk Bamboo from Patons in the Sapphire colourway:

I bought it from Yarn Forward and Sew On on Bank S. This yarn is sooo soft, but it has the reputation of being very slippery so we will see how it goes.

The next yarn is Sublime Kid Mohair in the Fancy colourway:

Purchased at Wool-Tyme on Colonnade. This yarn is also extremeally soft, which is a good thing since it is destined to become the Grecian Plait, a sweater designed to be worn next to the skin (with perhaps a cami underneath since it seems to be see through).

So I will be swatching for both of those today.

TTFN and KEEP KNITTING!

The Many Lives of Manos

Rejoice, for I have a finished object!
Well...almost finished...the knitting part is done, it is currently blocking, and then I have to sew in the sleeves.
But it is off the needles and until it dries I can work on something else.

Here's a pic:

I love the pooling on the sleeves:

The pattern: Cherie Amour (why yes I did end up humming Stevie Wonder the whole time I was knitting it, why do you ask?)
The Yarn: Manos Del Uruguay, and thus begins the story of The Many Lives of Manos...

Once upon a time I walked into Wool-Tyme with the intent to purchase some Patons Divine to make the Divine Throw. I was disappointed to discover that they did not have enough balls in my colourway to make the throw (they had tons of every other colour, but only 2 balls of the one I needed). I really wanted to make a throw, so I started hunting for something else I could use. I wandered the aisles...mushing skeins and petting yarns...all the while hunting for the perfect colour. Then I saw it. Long skeins of glorious reds, rusts, oranges, and browns. I rushed forward, hoping the yarn was a soft as it looked...it was. The only downside was the price. In order to make a large throw I would need quite a few of the 138 yard skeins, and at $19.99 a ball, I couldn't justify the expense.
Since I loved the yarn I decided I would get enough to make a small lap rug. I happily purchased 5 skeins and took my bounty home.

I cast on immediately and started to make a lap rug in a cable lace pattern:

But the colours called to me and said that they needed to become a sweater. The lap rug died a noble death, and the second life of Manos began.

I found the pattern for a custom fit raglan sweater. I took my measurements, did the math and cast on for the neck:

I happily knitted away, excited about my new sweater, but the yarn had other ideas...

As I stitched a little voice kept speaking in my ear, reminding me of a sweater that I had put in my Ravelry queue some time before. A pretty sweater that called for a bulky yarn. So the raglan sweater died a noble death and the final incarnation of Manos began.

My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore...

I have a feeling that is what I really bought the yarn for in the first place, since I had exactly enough to finish the sweater.

What's next? Well aside from all the other unfinished projects (I'm picking up the sweater for my boyfriend again), I'm waiting for yarn and a pattern.

The yarn is this:

Flock of Feathers DK from Robyn's Nest (the photo was taken by Robyn). The yarn is 95% wool, 5% cashmere, the colourway is Ibis. It will become Evangeline.
I can't wait to start!

OOOOHHHH!!!! My yarn just arrived!!! Thank you Robyn! Now I just have to wait for the pattern.

Well, I'm going to do a few rounds of my boyfriend's sweater before work.

TTFN and KEEP KNITTING!

Yea...Goodies!

My mailbox had goodies in it yesterday. My order from Robyn's Nest arrived:

It consists of:

A skein of One of a Kind Yarn from Infiknits. Which is a laceweight wool/angora/nylon blend hand-dyed in gorgeous vibrant colours:

A pair of really cool yarn ball earrings:

A 2.0mm circular needle (Robyn's Nest Brand), that has a stainless steel cord that doesn't curl up on itself and requires no relaxing:

and finally a 60" measuring tape:

Of course these goodies don't help with the startitis because now I'm searching on Ravelry for a pattern to go with the yarn...

Sigh, I suppose I'll finish a project eventually...

TTFN and KEEP KNITTING!

Severe Startitis...

I keep telling myself I'll post as soon as I have something finished. However, given that I seem to be suffering from a case of startitis, I'll post a few pics of the WIPs.

First:

These are the Baroque Socks from the Fall issue of Knitty. The yarn is from Lotus Yarns. It was the skein from the September kit of the Robyn's Nest Sock Club. I started them and then got distracted by this:

This is the Spincycle Thirdwave Harf, done in the Dream in Colour Classy left over from my Mr. Greenjeans. It's almost done, or it would be if I hadn't started this:

and this:

The pattern for both is The Incredible Custom-fit Raglan. The first is made from Dream in Colour Classy and it will be a sweater for my boyfriend. The second is Manos Del Uruguay and it will be for me. They have been set aside for some lacework:

It's the Leaf Pattern for Half-Square Shawl. I found it in a knitting exercise book from the 1840's by Cornelia Mee. It's available as a free ebook at Manybooks.net.

However, I did manage to get two projects done:

One is a tree skirt I crocheted:

and the other is an Ipod Cozy for the Ipod Nano my boyfriend got me for Christmas:

So that brings you up to speed with what has been happening on the knitting front.

TTFN and KEEP KNITTING!

...Finished...

...Yippee! I finally finished the Hibiscus for hope socks (I've been distracted a lot lately).

Ta Da!

I love the way that the yarn has striped:

So, to recap...the pattern is Hibiscus for Hope by Mezzodiva and the yarn is Biscotte & Cie from the Robyn's Nest Sock Club.

I'm not sure what socks I will cast on next, but I'm also still working on this:

It's going to be a small throw. The yarn is Manos Del Uruguay and I'm working a Lace and Cable pattern from A Treasury of Knitting Patterns by Barbara Walker. It is being displayed on my bison skin rug:

It is very soft and warm. I love curling up in front of the fire and reading.

I also have to start thinking about Christmas gifts...Sigh...so much to do, so little time...

Oh well, I'm off to grab another coffee and get this day off to a good start...

TTFN and KEEP KNITTING!

The cake says it all...

It's my DB's (darling boyfriend's) 28th birthday today! In honour of the occasion I baked him a Boston Cream Pie. Yummy!
There has been some progress on the knitting front:

These are the Hibiscus for Hope socks in progress. Well on the way to completion.
They are on my newest furniture acquisition:

A mahogany side table. This table will eventually house a new lamp, and this will become my new knitting spot.
Well, I've got to go clean the apartment and get ready for dinner.

TTFN and KEEP KNITTING

Another Lazy Holiday!

It's Labour Day!...and that means it is the last day of the Summer of Socks for this year. I wasn't as productive as I hoped (I kept getting distracted with putting together new furniture), but I did manage to finish 3 pairs of socks:

Summer Socks by Wendy Johnson.

Tweedy Stripes (pattern: Two-at-once, toe-up, magic loop from Knitpicks.com)

and finally:

Vintage Rose socks. The pattern and yarn are from the January Sock club kit from Robyn's Nest. I altered the pattern though. I did the socks toe up and didn't like how the leg pattern turned out when done upside down. I love how these socks turned out.

Speaking of the Robyn's Nest Sock Club, I received my August Kit:

This yarn is from Tanis Fibre Arts and the colourway is called E=MC2. The accompanying pattern was designed by Robyn herself!

My next sock project is going to be Hibiscus for Hope. For those of you who remember my Campanula socks. Hibiscus is also from Ramona and you can get your copy if you go here and follow the links to sponsor Ramona in the Weekend to End Breast Cancer. A great pattern for a worthy cause! The wool I will use is another Robyn's Nest sock club yarn (June I think):

I find the colours remind me of a Blue Hibiscus. I can't wait to get started!

Well, I'm having company for dinner so I better get started!

TTFN and KEEP KNITTING!

Lazy Holiday!

Happy whatchamacallit to anyone with a holiday today! Here in Ottawa we are enjoying Colonel By Day.

My laundry is drying in my bathroom. I have a stew in the slow cooker, and bread kneading itself in the kitchen (have I mentioned I love my bread machine?). Now I get to sit and knit to my hearts content.

I finished the tweedy stripes:...

...and cast on another pair right away:

These are the pattern and yarn from the January Sock Club Kit from Robyn's Nest (pssst...it's Robyn's 1 year anniversary today and she's having a sale! Head over now!)

The yarn is from Perfect Day Yarns (Free Verse Sock yarn) and the Pattern is Vintage Rose Socks by Mona Schmidt. I'm adapting the pattern from dpn-top-down to magic loop-toe up, so we will see how it goes.

I bit the bullet and frogged the Garter Stitch Jacket. I have now figured out how to knit the pattern so it actually does garter stitch and I am much happier.

Remember my garden? Well it's grown:

Tomatoes and Squash then:

and now:

Cucumber then:

and now:

The plants are a little scrawny. I think it is because the pots I have them in aren't deep enough. However I do have some veggies. I have about 4 cucumbers, 8 grape tomatoes, 6 early girl tomatoes, and 4 beefy boy tomatoes. The squash just began flowering with male flowers so the females should bloom sometime this week so we will see if I get any acorn squash. Next year I'll plan a little better. It's definitely a learning process.

Now I'm going to take advantage of some quiet knitting time and work on my socks!

TTFN and KEEP KNITTING!

Plugging along...

Still knitting, but have become very distracted by my Wii Fit. I love that thing...

I did manage to finish the Summer Socks:

and I'm working on another pair:

These are Two-at-a-time, toe-up, magic loop socks. The pattern is available as a free download from Knitpicks. The wool is Lana Grossa Meilenweit Colortweed, and I love how it's striping.

I did manage to finish Witterings in time for Canada Day:

That's me in the middle with Parliament Hill in the background.

I've also cast on The Garter Stitch Jacket by Fleece Artist.

I have had that kit since last November, but was hesitant to wind the mohair without a swift (there is nothing worse than tangled mohair). However, since my wonderful boyfriend bought me a swift for my 30th birthday (yikes I can't believe I'm that old!), I managed to wind the balls with nary a tangle! I'm not quite sure about the pattern though. If I follow it word for word, it's not really garter stitch, but rather stockinette. I'm not sure if that's due to a typo, or if I'm supposed to knit stockinette and wear it inside out. I'm more inclined to do the latter because that's how it was written and I can't find any corrections for it.

Finally, I've begun Shedir.

This is being knit in Cabin Fever Tweed DK in Purple. It is for my boyfriend's sister who has recently been diagnosed with leukemia. The strain she has is very receptive to treatment and has an 85% survival rate, but the news was a blow to the family. Especially since she lives all the way in Philly.

Well, back to knitting and hopefully I'll have more fo's in my next post.

...and we're off!

The Summer of Socks 2008 officially began last night at midnight (or is it this morning at midnight?) anyway I stayed up and cast on at about 12:01am. My first pair of socks is shaping up quite nicely:

The pattern is one that Wendy of Wendy Knits designed especially for the SOS. This pair I'm trying two-at-a-time on two circular needles. My next pair I'll try two-at-a-time using Magic Loop and we'll see which way I prefer.

Mary Mary quite contrary how does your garden grow?

I am once again trying to garden on my balcony. This year I got a greenhouse in which I am housing my strawberry plant (so the squirrels and birds don't eat them) and some herbs:

Eversweet Strawberries.

Chives, French Lavender, and Cilantro.

Some Tomatoes:

Grape Tomatoes on the left, Early Girl Tomatoes on the right, and Acorn Squash on the far right.

Two different kinds of mint:

Spearmint and Apple Mint.

and finally some Cucumbers and Sedum:

Cukes on the right, Sedum on the left, oh and my birdfeeder (which doubles as a squirrel feeder, but the birds don't mind).

I hope....

Anyhoo, I'm off to knit some socks...

TTFN and KEEP KNITTING!