New Year - more knitting, less planning

I'm not going to make too many plans for 2019.  I choose projects, change my mind, and then feel anxious that I've deviated from the 'plan'.  Silly, when the only person who cares about this is me!  So I'm going to join a couple of KALs to start the new year off while focusing on a few simple goals:

1.  Knit from the books I own - I own many knitting books and magazines (Ravelry says I have 48  books and 56 magazines) and want to knit from them.  I love books, having the hard copy in my hands and looking at the pages.

2.  Knit from the stash I have - this is a repeat of previous years' goals but still holds true.  I don't have a huge stash but I'd like to use the yarn I have already, and purchase for specific projects rather than just accumulating.  Not a hard goal for me to meet but it will help me make decisions about what to knit next.

3.  Build up my gift bin - I deplete this every winter for holiday gifts but love having a variety of cowls, mitts, and hats to gift when I need to.  This reduces that 'holiday gift' knitting stress tremendously.

That's it.  I have started off with these in mind and cast on a pair of bulky socks (for around the house) by Alicia Plummer from PlumDandi Knits and a bulky sweater from Hannah Fettig's Home and Away book.  Both are bulky so they will be quick and give some not-quite-instant gratification.  A hat from each book will be up next!

'Tis the Season

It's gift knitting season, and I've made several items to gift.  I enjoy making things to give, and make items for my 'gift bin' all year long.  This makes giving to people like teachers, colleagues, and friends easier with minimal holiday knitting rush.  My gifts are small accessories - not all recipients appreciate hand-made.  This year, I made and gifted:

Old Castle set by Lisa Mutch (teacher gift)

Striped Stitchplay Cowl, my own design (gift for colleague)

Wislawa by Bristol Ivy (birthday gift for friend)

Gramps by TinCan Knits (baby gift)

Not a lot of gifts to give, but all were knit ahead of time which leaves me with lots of time to knit what I want to knit during the holidays.  Just the way I like it!

yarn of my dreams vs. yarn in my budget

I love knitting books and magazines, especially the ones that come with thick pages and lots of photos that come from overseas (Laine, PomPom).  They are more collectors items than recyclable reads for me.  Often, though, the cost of the suggested yarn is far beyond my means, and often quite literally out of reach to purchase even online.  (Note: I've never purchased yarn online, more on that to come).

I have learned to pay close attention to the fibre content, suggested gauge, and my own experience to pick something to substitute.  My LYS is a great place to go with a pattern - Tina will suggest something that will work that she has in stock. I also often rely on Yarnsub.com to help me find suitable alternatives to the yarn found in the patterns I want to knit.  I scroll down to see if I recognize a suggestion that my LYS might have, or one I know is comparable.

A few examples:

Nuuk (Laine issue 1) - suggested yarn is Brooklyn Tweed Shelter.  To purchase the required amount of this online from a Canadian store (which avoids exchange rates and international shipping), the cost of the sweater would be $142.38.   Instead, I chose Cascade 220 at my LYS and paid about $55.00 for the materials.

More recently, I knit Lanes (also Laine issue 1) - suggested yarn is Walk Collection DK, a yarn not available to purchase in Canada.  I'd have to buy it online in the UK at 125 GBP or $210 CDN before shipping and customs.  I used an alpaca blend from my LYS (purchased a few years ago) that cost about $60.

My next few projects from Laine, Pompom, or other sources will not use the suggested yarn, either.  I'll find a substitution that works that I can buy locally (or that I already have in stash, also purchased at my LYS).

Up next is Luoto (Laine issue 4) - suggested yarn is Quarry by Brooklyn Tweed. Purchased online, the skein with tax and shipping will cost $45.20.  A bit pricey for a hat.  I'll use Berroco Inca Tweed, purchased for about $22.00.

I know that purchasing online is the only option for some, and realize I'm fortunate to have two LYS within reasonable driving distance from home.  One day, I might change my mind but for now the hunt for a good substitution is part of the challenge (and fun!) of planning a project.

all FOs

Quiet on the blog, busy with the knitting.  Trying to carve out more knitting time and focusing on depleting the stash. 

Finished projects are almost all accessories:

Coastal walk by Joji Locatelli (Malabrigo Arroyo)

Sharman by Bristol Ivy - more like a shrug than an accessory but wears more like a shawl than a cardigan. 

Oldcastle Hat by Lisa Mutch (Malabrigo Mecha)

Tread Hat by Shannon Cook (Juniper Moon Stratus)

Lanes Cardigan by Joji Locatelli (Twilleys of Stamford Mist) - pattern is from Laine Magazine (No. 1), my favourite issue so far.  I've knit 2 items from it so far with a third ready to cast on.  All of the Laine patterns definitely match my aesthetic.  I find the muted colours, classic shapes, and natural fibres fit with what I want to knit right now.  More coming as I queue and cast on (next post?).

Trellis Mitts by Mari Muinonen (Briggs and Little Heritage)

Mittens are from Vogue Knitting, part of my "Then and Now" KAL - challenge was to pick a pattern from 2018 edition, and another from a decade prior (any issue with a year ending in '8').  These are my "then", coming from the Fall 2008 magazine. 

My "now" project is a four-colour shawl from the Fall 2018 issue.  It's knit in worsted weight and again I'm using yarn from stash (Cascade 220- black, Estelle Worsted - cranberry, Cornelia Hamilton worsted - gold, and Berroco Vintage - gray)

It's a lot of garter with a bit of lace and texture to break it up.  Easy knitting while watching tv!


Blogging seems a bit 'past' but I do like archiving the projects and my thoughts here.  May be to an audience of none, but I still have goals for the next few months.  December is here and as I think ahead I'd like to set more of a schedule so that I can get into a routine here. 

Finished Tee

I finished my Nasreen sleeveless striped top from the Summer 2018 issue of Pompom Magazine.  I love the construction, which is modular with some seams (which I don't mind at all).  The yarn is Berroco Remix Light.  It's light and almost sport-weight in the way it knits up.  It's also 100% recycled fibers.  I love the way it drapes when it's blocked and I know it will get a lot of wear in spring, summer, and early fall.

The boat neck is a little less 'me' than other necklines, and even though I made it longer by an inch, it's still shorter than the 'tunic length' described and modeled in the magazine but given the modular construction I didn't want to add length to the striped section so only added to the bottom ribbing band.   Very pleased with how this turned out.

Working On... more Bristol

Started the Sharman garment from Bristol Ivy's Knitting Outside the Box.  Like all projects in this book, the construction is unique.  This is a shawl that will be folded so that the sides become 'arms' with ribbed cuffs at the end, and a bottom band to resemble the waistband of a sweater.  It is not a sweater or cardigan though; it drapes over the shoulders like a capelet/shawl.  Many knitters on Ravelry have commented on this (some positively, some less so) but I think it's the mindset that matters.  If one wants to knit a cardigan, there are two of those in this book that are designed to wear like a sweater.  If you want a shawl, there are several of those as well.  My expectations are for a loosely fitting, shrug-like layer that I can toss on in my always-cold workplace so I think I'll be pleased.

The yarn is Estelle Yarns Eco Andean DK, a pure wool from Peru.  It's from my stash, purchased originally as part of a Soper Creek Yarn Challenge.  I made the Tanager shrug with it from Alexis Winslow's book Graphic Knits.  I don't wear it often, mostly because it's short and not practical most of the year.  I'm hoping this one will be worn more often as it's more substantial (longer) and should work as a layering piece for three seasons. 

Top two photos are from the book, bottom one is the one I'm working on:

Finished

My Wislawa Cowl from Bristol Ivy's Knitting Outside the Box is complete.  This is my second project from her brilliant book.  I love it, and will wear it when the weather changes from hot and humid to cool and frosty.  This change will come more quickly than I'd like, I'm sure.

Pattern:  showcases short row lace motifs inserted into an otherwise simple background of knit/purl garter pattern.  Easy to follow chart (I use chart instead of written instructions) and clear instructions made this a relatively easy knit

Modifications:  I knit fewer repeats than the pattern calls for, as I reached the stated length well before.  It calls for another 4 repeats.

Yarn:  Manos del Uruguay Alegria (75/25 wool/nylon sock yarn)

Overall, this was a quick and satisfying knit, much easier than I anticipated and relatively fast given that it's fingering weight yarn.

Working on...

I’m mid-way through a few things, but all are at the ‘less thinking, more knitting’ stage.  I need something that requires some concentration to keep my attention right now.  Any of Bristol Ivy’s patterns fit the ‘thinking Required’ category.  I have yarn in stash for Sharman, a shawl with sleeves (not quite a shrug, but similar), so I’ve cast on.  Yarn is Estelle Eco Andean DK.  I’m already enjoying the unique construction and the charts are easy enough to follow but still require some attention, which is what will help with the ‘restless brain’ that comes in mid-August.

Mid-point Motivation

Trying to motivate myself through the mid-point of my project.  I’m past the excitement of casting on, worked through the thinking part of learning the pattern/construction, but still too far away from the rush of being almost done...

So, determined not to cast on a new sweater til this one is closer to being finished but planning ahead so that I’ll have one ready to go.  I’m thinking of Magnolia from Laine Magazine Issue 4.  Instead of holding two strands (fingering and lace mohair) I will use some dk alpaca I’ve had in stash for a long time.  The gauge will work (I think) and the sweater is designed to be drapey with positive ease.

Alternatively, I could knit Joji Locatelli’s Lanes using the dk alpaca, as that’s what the pattern calls for.  Both are pictured below.... not sure which one will be next but either will motivate me to keep knitting the current WIP!

Magnolia:

Summer = time

Time seems to be something that comes in waves around here - I have lots of free time now, yet at other times of the year there’s not nearly enough time for me.   This coincides with the school calendar (not surprising!) so as the calendar turns to August I become more aware of the time that I have now.  This also means that as the month goes by I also begin to feel the pressure of time slipping away.

In the meantime summer means knitting and reading so I’ve done a lot of both.  WIPs were finished, and a couple of projects were started and finished as gifts:

Top to bottom:

Reverb Shawl by Felicia Lowe (Sweet Georgia Yarns) - yarn from stash
Vogue Knitting Tee - Berroco Weekend DK
Prairie Fire by TinCan Knits - Berroco Remix Light
Indigo Frost by Isabel Kraemer - Cornelia Hamilton Heaven’s Hand Worsted (main colour), Cascade 220 (colour work)

recipe for a quick gift

I love to knit for friends.  I also love to knit gifts and my notion of  'knitworthy' is far more flexible than many (see Franklin Habit's succinct and noteworthy flow-chart here).  I love to knit items that don't need to fit - cowls, scarves, shawls, the occasional pair of mitts.  Hats are tricky - my gauge can be loose and head size becomes a factor.

With these things in mind, I gathered leftover fingering weight yarns using a gradient/fade idea to knit a cowl as a goodbye gift for a colleague and friend at work.  I had already knit two others and don't like to knit the same pattern twice.  Inspired by the mini-skein sets like SweetGeorgia's Party of Five I made my own mini-skein set of five and cast on.  The finished product combines 5 yarns and 6 different stitch patterns to make a single-loop cowl:

Improvised recipe:
Started with Manos del Uruguay Alegria (gray): 
cast on 144 stitches, knit 1x1 rib for 10 rows 
- broken seed stitch for 12 rows, then 4 rows of st. St. To stripe in new colour 
Switch to Noro Sock (green/gray/blue) 
- 10 rows of lace mesh, then 4 rows of garter plus 2 rows to stripe in new colour 
Switch to Bulletproof Sock (SweetGeorgia Yarns) (blue) 
- 3x1 rib for 2 rows, st st. for 4 rows 
Change to Koigu KPPPM (Variegated) 
- 4 rows garter, 2 rows eyelet pattern, repeat x3
Switch to Viola sock (brown) 
- 8 rows 1x1 ribbing, cast off

Stitch patterns can be found in any stitch dictionary - I looked them up online on various websites, or used ones I had recently used for other projects.  

I have no desire to design things, just wanted to use up some stash for a quick gift.  I like following a pattern, and find improvising my own a little stressful, so I am back to a pattern for my next project!

twins and a party

Two new spring FOs to share, as I try to finish up some WIPs.  My entry into this year's Soper Creek Yarn challenge was Shindig, a shawl from PomPom Quarterly's 5th anniversary issue.

I recently finished the tank that is meant to be a complementary garment.  Each are designed by a twin sister, Sachiko and Kiyomi Burgin and are designed to be a modern take on a "twin set".  The tank Boum is done in two colours:

I used the same yarn, and the only modification was to lengthen the body.  The yarn is wool, so I'm hoping it will still be cool enough to wear for a bit longer.  Hoping for warm spring weather, but not too hot just yet!

I've also jumped on the 'mini-skein' wagon and finished Talinum, a long cowl with a set of Party of Five Toughlove Sock mini-skeins from Sweet Georgia Yarn.  This will be a gift for a colleague at the end of June.  Mini-skeins were also a theme in the MDK March Madness Knitting bracket, so I'm glad I was able to finish a project connected to that.

I have a second Party of Five set in a gradient purple set that I will knit into a second gift for the end of the year.  Just need to choose a pattern!

post-Mayhem Plans

This spring, I'm renewing my commitment to knitting from stash, and knitting patterns I already own. I strayed from this plan in late fall... and it became a slippery slope of purchasing, planning, but not necessarily knitting.  To get back on track, I'm revisiting my queue with this renewed goal in mind.

For inspiration, I'm turning to the MDK March Mayhem bracket.  The final winner is a yoke sweater by Isabell Kramer, Humulus.  Turns out 3 of the 4 'finalists' were patterns I voted for.  Only the mini-skein pattern was different (I chose Luminosity hat by Tanis of Tanis Fibre Arts).  Many of the patterns, however, are not in my library.  While I'd love to purchase many of them, I instead looked for patterns I own that fit these categories AND the yarn is already in stash.  I'm considering:


YOKES:
Indigo Frost by Isabell Kramer - same designer as the Mayhem winner, I own the pattern and have the yarn in stash , with gray as the main colour:

SWEATERS:
I have the yarn and pattern for Winterly  by Suvi Simola in the first issue of Laine Magazine.  My yarn is Classic Elite Alpaca Sox, and will be a bit more colourful than the original:

OR

I have the yarn to knit Wolf River by Melissa Schaschwary that I purchased quite a while ago.  It's bulky yarn with a lace pattern and should knit up quickly (or more quickly than a fingering weight sweater!)

MINI-SKEINS:
I bought a Sweet Georgia Party of Five Mini-Skein set to use for a gift project for a colleague.  I'm leaning toward Talinum by Tabitha Hedrick, a cowl designed for Sweet Georgia Yarn.

This one needs to be done by end of June (end of school year) so it'll be cast on as soon as I'm done my current cowl project. 

SHOULDERS:
I have lots of shawls and big cowls in my queue.  Most will mean a yarn purchase - while I own the patterns or book that they're in, I don't have the yarn ready to go for most.  I do have yarn for Sharman,  which is a shawl/shrug garment.  I own Bristol Ivy's book, and Harjo was included in the MDK Bracket this year.  This category is the one I will likely leave til later... I like to knit shawls but don't really want to cast another one on at this moment.  Maybe in the summer. 

These four categories are organized in my queue on Ravelry, so I'm hoping to knit one from each in the next few months to play along (sort of) with the MDK KAL while also using things I already own.  Lofty goals, perhaps?!