Things are looking rather bleak at the moment and I got a parking ticket yesterday :(, so I HAVE to destash a few favorites. Please help a girl out, and give this yarn a new home!
Yarntini Semi-Solid Sock in Peaknit - 2 1 skein available $20, FREE U.S. shipping included
Dyed in the Wool Handmade Fingering Sock Mediumweight in Daisy Note: This has been wound and re-skeined, but not knitted with. $20, FREE U.S. shipping included
Yarntini Self-Striping Sock in Three Rivers Stripe Note: This is a different base yarn than what she's using now. $24, FREE U.S.shipping included
Valley Yarns Colrain, specially dyed by Kangaroo Dyer, in Sprout - 2 skeins available Note: 50/50 blend of merino and tencel, worsted weight, monster yardage at 500 yards each! One skein is brand new. The other has been partially knitted with (maybe 25%) and reskeined, with a small section removed (a cowl neck’s worth, so not too much). $35 total, FREE U.S. shipping included
Malabrigo Yarn Silky Merino in Celeste - 1 skein available (NOT 3 as shown) $10, FREE U.S. shipping included
Please email me if you'd like to welcome these to your stash. Thank you in advance! :)
Hubster's cousins hosted us during the Half-Marathon weekend back in July, so I offered to knit them something as a thank-you gift. Nothing says "thank you" like Lorna's Laces and Koigu! ;) (Sorry, no modeled shots this time. I meant to, then forgot and washed them and am too lazy to model, photog, and wash 'em again. Plus, I need to get these mailed off as it's been over three months since I promised to knit these for them, sooooo, sucky pics it is!) Have any of you seen this hat before? Hmmm, it's a rather obscure one... HA! Right. I'm sure you recognize the ubiuubiqoi popular Koolhaas pattern from the IK 2007 Holiday Gifts issue. I have to say, I can see why this pattern has become such a bandwagon. It's much easier to knit than it looks (as long as you know how to cable without a cable needle, otherwise, it would drive you mad), really pops with those lattice cables, and is incredibly stretchy. It fit both Hubster and me!
Only made a couple of minor mods here: I a) lengthened the ribbing to create a fold-up brim, because me likey fold-up brims; b) knitted three repeats before the crown decreases (instead of five) as my row gauge was off; and c) ktbl'd the slipped stitch before moving the marker at end of Row 8 (instead of just slipping), to maintain the patterning. That was about it!
Hopefully J will like it! I thoroughly enjoyed knitting it, and the results turned out fab! In fact, this may become my go-to gift hat pattern. Uh, if my brothers are reading this, I hope you like it 'cause there's a very good chance you'll both be getting one for Christmas.
Koolhaas Pattern: Interweave Knits, Holiday Gifts 2007 Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Worsted, less than one skein in Pewter Needle: HiyaHiya Stainless Steel Interchangeables, size 8 Mods: Fold-up brim, fewer repeats before crown, ktbl slipped stitch in Row 8
And for M, my Mitt Envys! Is it wrong to love your own pattern? Ah, screw it if it is, 'cause I do! They knit up super quick, take very little yarn, have those kicky little cables, and look great in both solid and variegated colorways. I love this pattern so much, you'll be seeing a pair modified for sport weight later this week!
These should keep M's hands nice and toasty as she's sipping tea, overlooking her kickass San Fran view that I would hate her for if I didn't love her so much.
Mitt Envy IV Pattern: Mine :) Yarn: Koigu Premium Merino, less than one skein in 2405 Needle: HiyaHiya Stainless Steel, size 1, 32"
And when I say Big Damn Chevron Scarf, I mean Damn Big Chevron Scarf! This be looooong. If you're trying to read my shirt, it says, "Dear Buddha, please bring me a pony and a plastic rocket". If you're checking out my rack, well by all means, continue.
Soooo, not much to say about this one. It's the ever-popular Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. Like those who have come before me, I have to say... last minute, my ass! Everything you've heard is true - it takes foreeeevver. So do what I did - take it on vacation! When you have four- to five-hour layovers, it's actually fun! ;) I knitted most of this on the way to, in, and on the way back from Hawaii, then finished up the last little bit here. Otherwise, it may very well have stalled somewhere in that eternal middle section. Which would've been a shame, 'cause ain't it pretty? The stitch pattern kinda reminds me of the ship, the way it bobs and weaves in space. :) Mods: I knitted this in a single colorway, modified the stitch pattern down to 32 stitches, subbed in garter at the beginning and end (as opposed to reverse stockinette), and added a 4-stitch garter edging to each side to keep it from curling. This worked out well for the ends, but the sides? Not so much. As you can see in the modeled shots, they curl in anyway. For some reason, though, this doesn't bother me as much. Go figure!
Yarn thoughts This is Sweet Georgia Speed Demon in Firefly(Browncoats - can you see all the colors of the logo in here?). Unlike the Superwash Sock from my Dragonslayer socks way back when, the Speed Demon was an absolute dream to work with. This stuff is ultra ultra soft and sproingy! And I LOVE the way it knit up - gorgeous, unique, with unexpected flashes of color.
There was some runoff in the soak, but no color fade and no pilling afterwards, so hopefully this scarf will last a good long while. (Note: I stashed these right after she went on sabbatical, and I think she's now calling it Superwash Sport, so the base yarn might be different. But I have seen the colorway on her new website recently, so it's worth checking out!)
Wrap it up Love it! The final size turned out huge - 90" long x 5.5" wide. Should be nice and cosy once it stops being 90 freakin' degrees outside. Of course, the lengthy size does set in motion a slow choking process when worn using the traditional wrap and tie method:
So I'll probably stick with this method instead. Safety first and all. Oh, and Nathan, on the off chance you're reading my blog, this one's for you (P.S. Pay no attention to the wedding photos on the wall and the wedding band on my finger, my darling. Those are just...um...props.): Big Damn Chevron Scarf Pattern:Chevron Scarf from Last Minute Knitted Gifts Yarn:Sweet Georgia Speed Demon, about 1.5 skeins in Firefly Needle: HiyaHiya Stainless Steel Interchangeables in size 5, 24" Mods: Knitted in a single colorway; added garter border to beginning, end, and sides; modified for 32 stitches
Sun sets on yonder something Shakespearean. Aren't they pretty? And look ma, plain stockinette! I tend to prefer patterned socks, but when you get a colorway like this one, you kinda have to go vanilla. Not much to say. Socks like yours, 'fraid mine would seem terrible dull.
Not much to these - I used Judy's Magic Cast-on, a standard toe, and a Sherman heel, with 2x2 ribbing for the cuff. That's about it! :) Yarn thoughts This is Artsygal Stripes, a lovely 3-ply merino sock yarn. Not really sproingy, but nice and soft. It comes pre-wound in a set of two cakes, which makes it easy to go the matchy-matchy route! Excellent yardage as well - I think these are the tallest socks I've ever knit, and there was an entire purple section left over.
There was a fray and subsequent breakage in both skeins in the exact same spot, however, just after the yellow part of the toe. I'm hoping that's not a sign of durability! But, I have yet to wear through a pair of socks (great, I probably just jinxed myself :P), so I'm sure these will be around for many seasons.
What I really love is how the colors just meld into one another. Very Noro-like, which is nice for someone who can't knit with Noro (Kureyon too crunchy, Silk Garden too...mohairy). I think these might be dyed in flats, as the cakes have that wavy Ramen look about them. It also knits up with subtle lighter stripes throughout (difficult to capture on camera but easy to see in person), almost as if the dye didn't make it into the nooks and crannies. I would've liked to seen a more consistent color throughout each section, but these socks are very pretty and I'm sure I'll wear them quite often!
Wrap it up I dig 'em! They remind me of those gorgeous sunsets back in Hawaii. All I need now is a Mai Tai! Mmmm, Mai Tai. Hold on, I'll be right back... Sunset Stripes Pattern: Improvised Yarn: Artsygal Stripes in 090643 Needle: HiyaHiya Stainless Steel in size 1, 32"
"When the job went wrong he went back to the beginning." And oh, did these go wrong. That pile of blue on the left is the train wreck that was Raspy. I figured I'd wear it around the house, but it turns out I didn't want to be seen in it - even by me. It's been sitting in the closet unworn, preeeeetty much since that FO post. Sure, I could've tossed it in the donate pile, but that would've been easy! ;) Besides, I like the idea of a casual denim raglan, and am too cheap,too broke, focusing on reusing materials to save the world. So, I frogged the whole damn thing. We'll see if it can be re-knit into something wearable after a nice soak.
That pile of yellow on the right is Cotton Ease, from a giant summer FAIL at something similar to a short-sleeved February Lady Sweater. Turns out garter stitch + square neckline + weez = desire for that memory-wiping wand from Men in Black.
Looks like Ramen, don't it? Add some egg to that, and it'd be a meal!
