Lokken Kerchief {A Triangle Addiction Begins}

Now that I have opened up my knitting world to triangular things, it seems I cannot get enough of them.  The Way From Brighton was tons of fun, I couldn't hardly put this one down, and I already have 2 more triangle shaped thingies started.

 This pattern was from the Knitscene Accessories 2012 issue, Lokken by Megi Burcl.  There were several things I love in that issue (and every issue!), and this was one of them.  At first, I didn't know if I could find a suitable substitute yarn, because the original with just two colors was so dang cute.  Then I stumbled upon this Knitpicks yarn on clearance, and decided to give it a shot.  It is not quite the same effect, but I love it just the same.

The great things I'm finding about knitting shawls/wraps/kerchiefs (triangle thingies!):

-They don't take so long that you lose interest

-They can contain interesting details (like FRINGE!!!)

-They are still somewhat portable (more than a sweater, to a certain point)

-And, they have a pretty high impact.  It's satisfying to wear it out for the first time, and you usually get comments, because they can be so unique.  They also pull together a simple outfit more, I think.

So, one of my favorite details on this project?

THE FRINGE!!!  I did color blocked on the side with the blocks, and crazy mixed up color fringe on the side with the long stripes.  I think it works better than color blocking both sides since I used a multi-color yarn.

So, that's all for now.  I'm off to knit and Ravelry stalk more triangles!

Also, here are the Ravelry details if interested!

Big Announcement!

It's finally time to announce!  I'm opening a Local Yarn Shop in Webb City, MO.  Right now we're planning for an early summer opening.  You can find out details, follow our progress, and find out when the official open date will be when you "like" the page at www.facebook.com/StitchSpace

 

Sewaholic Robson Coat Pattern Testing

 This post has been a long time coming, and I just finally got some photos taken to share my Sewaholic Robson Trench Coat.

I was lucky enough to make this coat during the pattern testing phase back at the beginning of the year.  I have made some other Sewaholic patterns and really love how thoughtful and well-drafted they are.  This coat was no exception.

(Pardon the wrinkles.  I chose a cotton/nylon blend hoping it would cut down on the wrinkling but the jury is still out.)

 I really love all the little details on this coat, and especially the strong collar.  Tasia is wonderful when it comes to precise drafting.  The under collar is cut just small enough that the top collar lays just so, no matter what. I also added contrast buttons to up the fun factor.

(So I'm noticing some pulling in these photos, but I think that is just a result of my akward poses.  I wanted to show how much this coat shows off your waist, but with my arms up like that it makes it look a little small, but in person I think the fit is spot on!)

One thing I was worried about was the waist not hitting me in the right spot, and the pockets being too low.  Once I got the buttons and tie finished, though, they are perfect.  If you have a long or short torso, you might consider a tissue fitting or a toile, but it actually worked out fine for me.  The tie brings the waist in, and the hem up a little.

 

Something about this coat really ups your confidence and you feel like a spy!  As mentioned, the waist is extremely flattering and the coat doesn't add too much bulk.  I'm really happy with the way it turned out, and proud that I pushed my sewing skills a little.  It had been awhile since I took on a more intricate project, and now that it's all finished it really does look professional.  All of Tasia's patterns tend to have that very nice finished quality to them.

Last, but not least, a jumping picture just for fun!

You can find more details at my Pattern Review here.

The Way From Brighton

I finished another fun little knit.  The pattern is The Way From Brighton by Joji Locatelli.  The finished project is fabulous and it was fun to knit.  I used some yarn that my parents picked out for me, some Malabrigo Rastita.  It has wonderful colors and I love how they subtly change and shift throughout the shawl.  It took just a tiny bit over one ball of the yarn.  I still have enough to make some Rathtrevor mitts...yeah!

I have to admit, I had previously been skeptical about the "shawl" world, but I am a new convert.  My style is not too girly, though, so I am really liking the more modern/graphic/simple variety than the lacy and intricate.  This could change of course ;)

The bobble fringe was fun to make, and kept things interesting every few rows.

 

You can see my Ravelry details here.

The Aidez Sweater

I had been stalking the Aidez sweater online for almost a year after I stumbled upon it (and all the beautiful versions) on Ravelry.  Finally, after all of my holiday knitting, I decided it was time for some selfish knitting, and I cast-on for the sweater.  It was such an addictive knit!  It was completed in just 24 days, and now I do not want to take it off. 

I love all the details, texture, and how it turned out to be flattering even though it is sort of a big cardigan.  Here it is!

You can find my Ravelry notes with more details here.

Just Some {More} Basic Socks

Finished some socks for me, finally.  So far, my sock-knitting has been for others, so it's nice to have a treat out of this yarn I had been gifted.  Nothing fancy or crazy, just the same as before.

I'm starting to like always having a pair of socks going as my travel/mindless/in-between project.

My only complaint is I blocked them a bit loosely....they fit better pre-blocking, so I think I need to go back to my bent clothes hanger trick instead of the fancy sock-blocker!

 Pretty colors!

 

Slouchy Hat {The Amstel Hat}

I love a good hat, and I love a good magazine.  When the Fall 2012 Issue of Interweave Knits came out, I knew immediately I would want to make the Amstel Hat.  I could have gotten creative and even changed the color, but I liked how it looked in the magazine so well that I did not stray.  It's made from a different yarn, but I found a colorway pretty close to the same one used.

It is about the perfect amount of slouch for me, and I really enjoyed knitting top-down for a change.  Every hat I've made before this one has been bottom-up.  It's also the first time I've knit from a chart, and I found it to be very addictive.  I finished this thing in 5 days because every time I sat down to work on it, I kept saying "just one more row" to see how the pattern was coming along.  

The only thing I don't love is how the shaping ended up, since the increases were paired to accommodate the chart.  It makes it kind of have 4 points on top, even after I blocked it over a plate.  Oh well, I still love it, and I did this miraculous elastic bind off to keep it from being too tight at the band edge.  This has become my go-to method to avoid a tight bind off edge.  Here is a closer picture showing the chart detail:

Love it!  Subtle, but beautiful details :)

Here is the Ravelry page!

Color of the Year Pants

When Pantone announced the 2013 color of the year, I was already itching to have/make something in the Emerald color.  I'm not really one to jump onto color trends unless it's a color I already like/own/wear.  I do LOVE color, though.  So it is always interesting to see the trends come out with the runway shows, and figure out how I can work something into my own looks.

Something else I really like to do is dye things.  If it is white or light colored, and made of fabric, yarn, or anything else that will take dye, it is in danger if it is in my house.  This is just as well, really, because I'm clumsy and white doesn't last long anyway.  So I had my eye out for something to dye green when I came across these pants:

There is nothing offensive about the boring grey corduroy.  Actually, they went with quite a few things in my wardrobe, but I decided they were too bland.  I looked up the color of the year dye formula, and green pants were born!

They worked pretty well in this cozy outfit.  Not sure that I will wear them tons, but they are fun, and will make me smile when I wear them, so that's all that counts in my book!

A {Grey} Brownstone

Quite some time ago, my husband asked me when I was ever going to get around to making him a sweater.  When I stumbled onto Jared Flood's Brownstone Sweater pattern, I knew it would be a perfect pick.  It had enough details to be interesting, but was not so crazy that Matt wouldn't wear it, or that I would give up making a man-sized sweater.  

I finally got around to starting the project while he was gone for the summer doing his internship.  This allowed me to work on it in secret (for a Christmas gift), and it provided a great way to keep myself busy while I was missing him.  He was out of town from the end of May to the beginning of August, and I had finished the sleeves, and half of the body at that point.  I decided to keep it a secret, and I would knit at my parent's house here and there, or while he was at class.  It was down to the wire, but I finished it the week before Christmas and had it blocked and wrapped just in time.

Somehow, I managed to keep it a surprise, and I think he really likes it.  We finally got around to snapping some photos and he went all J.Crew on me ;)

Overall, it was a great pattern, and really the only thing I changed was that I did one button instead of two, and I did a single crochet chain for the loop closure instead of what the pattern recommends.  I'm just happy that after all that knitting the thing fits!

You can see my ravelry project page here.

A Handmade Yarn Swift From My Sweetie

I hinted at a handmade gift that needed to be shown off, that I received from my husband.  We have been trying to do handmade gifts for each other, and as many people on our list for the last couple of years.  This year we got close (all but one!).  Matt does woodworking, so at my request, he made me a yarn swift.  I'm pretty sure it was made with love, but also with the desire to not have to help me wind yarn balls anymore ;)

I love how it turned out, and it works really well.  The base is made from Walnut, and the arms are from Maple.  Matt looked up some plans online, and then winged it from there.  The pieces are basically scraps leftover from the cutting boards he was making for gifts, so we got by making it pretty cheap.  I think in the $20-$30 range.  The pegs are just pieces of dowels, that can be replaced if they get stained from the dyes in the yarn.

Tigger was intrigued:

 

Here's a closeup where you can see the finish, and how lovely it looks with some yarn on it!  I really love that he made me something I will use all the time!  If I can get some photographs of his sweater, you'll get to see what I made him next!

 

Plaid Flannel Wiksten Tova Top

There are many enviable versions of the Wiksten Tova Top out there on the web.  (See Wiksten Flickr group here)  I have had this pattern (along with the tank pattern) for awhile now, and with the cooler weather, I finally decided it couldn't wait any longer.  I needed to make it in plaid flannel!  

I was originally making the dress version, but then I chopped it off after trying it on.  The crazy colorful plaid I picked was a little much in allover dress form!  Here it is:

(That's Tigger on the shelf behind me.  He loves a good photo-bomb opportunity.)

I made a couple of minor changes to the pattern.  To show off the design lines on front, I decided to cut the bib section on the bias.  Since I did this, I also decided that that section needed interfacing, along with the placket.  What happened when I tried it on, though, is that it was stiff and looked too "buttoned up," even in the absence of real closures.  I remedied this by pinching a dart out beside the placket to make the neckline more V-shaped.  This worked, but I think if I made it again, I would use a fabric with no real wrong side, because my interfacing sort of shows if the top gaps.  Or, you could do a double layer on the bib, so that it would not be an issue.  I'm hoping to make it again in more of a floaty cotton, and I think that will change the look of the neckline.

I'm still happy with the final product, even though some changes had to be made.  It's a great casual top to throw on with jeans and boots!

I have also uploaded a review to Pattern Review here.

On Playing Catch-Up (and some new socks)

So after a year long hiatus, I'm back.  Not that I will guarantee I'm going to be posting every little thing, but I am ready to share some more and get caught up with this space.  I intend to share some of the things I made from the end of 2012, and through the holiday season.  Sewing has somewhat taken the backseat to knitting lately.  Something about the cooler weather, I guess.  I just finished a pair of socks for my Dad, that were intended for a Christmas gift, but ended up being a little late.  Luckily, he didn't mind, and put them right on to go do cattle chores in the snow!  (I know, scary that they might get yucky, but I am from the school of thought that handmade items are to be used, so this thrilled me)  

The socks are just a basic pattern from a Patons Sock pattern book that I picked up at a chain store.  It is the first sock pattern that had enough pictures and explanations for me to make a pair without struggling or giving up, and the husband was the lucky recipient of that first pair Christmas 2011.  (He has since moved on to bigger and better gifts such as sweaters...more on that later)  I have since become really fond of making socks in a way I never imagined.  They are the perfect portable project, and they have just enough boring stuff, just enough action to keep me hooked.  They are also great for when you are working on another more involved project (husband's sweater), and you need a break.

 The color is just a boring oatmeal color, but I'm breaking him in slowly with the handmade socks ;)

Can't start off with too many crazy colors!  The yarn is also a nice wool/alpaca/nylon blend so they are really soft, and should wear nicely.  Here is the Ravelry page.  (Psst...Feel free to add me on Ravelry!)

Time to head back to the couch by the fire, and keep on knitting! :)