Off the Needles || Whispers

The lack of On My Needles/Off The Needles posts would lead one to assume that I have abandoned knitwear as of late, but it's quite the contrary... Aside from a recent need to disconnect a little bit and center myself, it's just been a little hard lately to get in knitwear photoshoots for a number of circumstances. This project has been bound off, finished and blocked for a couple of months now, and draped over the back of my studio chair along with a couple of other FOs.  The bad part about this habit is that I never wear a piece until after I've gotten photos (to hell with wrinkles!) and given that it's the middle of January I'm not really in the best season for this sort of top, now am I?  It's the perfect piece to break out as soon as spring arrives, though, so I will eagerly await that moment --- just as I eagerly await seeing daylight after 7:30 PM.
This is Whispers, my first Veera Valimaki project.  Oddly enough, the two other FOs hanging out in my studio at the moment were both also designed by her... both of which will have posts coming up in the next couple of weeks.  I find that this garment is very flattering and comfortable to wear, especially with the length that I added to it.  Although, it's been so long since I made this and I did not make note of it in the previous post, I cannot remember exactly how much I added on! (Sorry to you prospective knitters, if that's something you were wondering about).  The split sleeves are a fun and interesting touch.
I wrote about the gradient yarn in my previous post about this project -- Black Trillium Lilt Sock Gradient kit in plum.  I do want to reiterate that the brilliant idea of using an ombre yarn for this particular pattern was not my own.  Cassy of Knitthehellout did it first, and truth be told her project is what sold me on this pattern in the end.  Kudos, Cassy!  If you're a fan of knitting blogs I highly suggest checking hers out.

Off the Needles || Foliage Wrap

 The Foliage wrap (by Anne Thompson).  If you saw my previous post about this, you'll remember that I received some Crazy Sexy Wool from Wool and the Gang to try out in one of my projects.  Since I already have an abundance of scarves and cowls, I decided to do something a little different with it and found this pattern on Ravelry.  I had a little less yardage than the pattern called for, however, so I made some modifications on the number of rows which was made up by the larger gauge, in measurements.  Before blocking I wasn't really sure how it would turn out, but it flattened nicely and spread out a little for a fit with a little more ease (though not much more).
The belt is what makes it work.  This is a pretty bulky knit, and drawing the garment in at the waist gives it a bit of a peplum look, in my opinion.  I like it with the black pants, but it could easily be paired with a  dress as well.  The pattern page shows it worn upside down, with the leaf edging as the collar.  I   didn't notice that until just now or I may have tried it that way for some of the photos as well, but I'm curious about it now-- on the next wear, definitely.
Since I normally work in pretty small gauge, this is by far the bulkiest piece I have made to date (aside from accessories).  The speed is a nice change from what I'm used to - talk about instant gratification!  It may have taken a while to get some final photos of the project, but this was finished within days of the previous post.
What gauge do you knitters prefer working with?  Are chunky knits your thing, or do you get wrapped up in tiny gauges like myself?  I might have been won over to projects like this one, just every once in a while...

Off the Needles || Ruckle

Ruckle.  I've been getting into knitted tunics lately.  For a while, it was cardigans and then I had a couple of knit tops turn out a little long and now here I am, enveloped in an oversized knit garment with all the comfort in the world.  I still stand by everything I said in my previous post about this project.  If you get tired of mundane, top down construction, this pattern is for you.  It does involve some seaming at the end, but the yoke and the bottom edge make it all worthwhile.
The pattern is free on Ravelry, designed by Norah Gaughan.  I used Berroco Lago in Deep End for my project.  It drapes beautifully and I've been wearing it in August in Oklahoma without too much misery from the heat.  Works great layered over a dress or with jeans!

Off the Needles || Toulouse

I'm trying to get caught up on knitwear, so hopefully I'll have a few more posts in the next few weeks.  On a side note, purchases in my Society 6 shop currently have free shipping, through Sunday the 11th!  If you've been coveting one of those tote bags, now is a good time to go for it!  And now to the project...
For me and this Leah Thibault pattern… well, it was love at first sight.  Knit Scene debuted their Winter 2012 collection and as soon as I spotted this design I knew I had to make it.  I had to add it to my closet.  The bow adds a romantic, vintage inspired detail that does not adorn anything that I own as of yet… but it definitely appealed to me.  I mentioned all of this in my progress post about the garment.  Just like I mentioned the yarn that my mom passed over from her magnificent stash.  Cascade Alpaca Lana D'Oro.  It's so soft and cozy, I may have to purchase more for a future project.
To be honest, I cast off on this project over a month ago, but blocking and photo shoots fell to the bottom of my to do list, what with Succession and Niche both in progress this spring.  Now that they're done, perhaps that Lanesplitter will make an appearance next…
Back to the pattern - it really was a simple knit.  Stockinette, no seaming, simple details.  I didn't need to make any alterations, so I don't really have all too much to say about it - the fit turned out to be perfect!  I like the layered style with the other blouse, but it would look great on its own with a pair of jeans too.  How would you wear it?

layered top - Loft; wool skirt - thrifted; tights - Target; shoes - Kohl's

Off the Needles || Cardoon

A while back I wrote about some recycled yarn in a review for Love Knitting, Rowan's Purelife Revive.  It's a cotton and silk blend, made from recycled garments that are stripped down and respun into a new yarn.  Each colorway is named for a different stone, and if you get a close look at the yarn you can see why - despite one major color overtone it is covered with tiny flecks of color, just like you would see in a slab of granite.  The colorway you see here is Pumice.
To go along with this summery, eco-friendly yarn, Rowan came out with a collections of patterns called  the Purelife Recycled Collection.  I've been working on Cardoon for a little while now and finally recently finished it.  The pattern itself is fairly simple, with a rib stitch making up the entire garment.  It does require seaming, but the gauge was large enough that I did not find it too cumbersome.
One thing I will recommend about this pattern is to make one size smaller than you would normally wear.  Mine is a size medium because I wanted a little bit of ease (my normal size is on the small end of the medium range), but it ended up quite a bit looser than I anticipated.  I'm still happy with the oversized sweater look that I got (since that's what I was going for), but if I had wanted a more fitted sweater the outcome would not have met my expectations.
The sleeve would tend to slip off my shoulder in the sleeveless dress I wore it with, but when styled with a t-shirt and unbuttoned it seems to stay in place pretty well.
The Purelife Recycled Collection is full of down to earth knits for a transitional season such as spring.  I admit, the beautiful photos of the country make me itch for a little excursion out of the city.  I too want to frolic in a field of native grass wearing a delightfully chunky tunic!  Several of these are probably going onto my queue...

 Check out Purelife Revive and the pattern collection.

Dress: Fleet Collection (purchased from Collected Thread) | Necklace: Kalee Jones W

T-Shirt: Bombs Away | Jeans: Banana Republic | Sandals: Chaco

Off the Needles || Brise

Brise was really a breeze (see what I did there?).  A long-winded breeze, but a breeze nonetheless, just like the other Knitbot projects I've taken on.  Effortless Cardigan... Walpole... who says miles of stockinette are mundane?  I like having at least one project going that doesn't require my full attention so I can keep my hands busy while watching our fave HBO shows (who caught the True Detective premiere last night?!) or a movie with my husband.  Truth be told, now that this piece is finished I will likely move on to the Featherweight Cardigan (also designed by Hannah Fettig aka Knitbot) using some gorgeous Malabrigo yarn I ordered with birthday money last summer... but that's another blog post.
This pattern called for Quince & Co.'s Sparrow, a linen yarn that the collection was designed around.  Since Hannah's patterns are of course simplistic genius, they are on the queues of many and this yarn was totally sold out when I went to buy it.  This may actually have been lucky for me, because I've been looking for an excuse to splurge on some Louet Euroflax Sport for quite some time... so in the spirit of seizing opportunities (as seemed to be my theme for the year), I went for it.  My normal color choices fall under the bold and bright categories, but since I do like to wear such bright colors I figured it would be great to have a neutral tone in my wardrobe.  This shade is called Ginger and had just enough punch to grab my attention.  (Hey, neutrals can be enticing too).
As I've said before on other Knitbot projects, the seamless design of this cardigan made it simple and non-stressful to create.  Sure, it took FOREVER, but that was due in part to my over-zealous period of cast-on addictions, and then it sadly sat on a shelf for the majority of the fall while I was working furiously on Saprobia and then preparing to move.  If you erase September, October and November from this timeline, it really didn't take all that long.
What do you think?  Have you tried any Knitbot patterns yet?  Have I convinced you yet that they are AWESOME?!?  I do feel like I should put this out there for those of you who have not ever knitted a sweater but are interested in attempting it:  Knitbot patterns are a great place to start.  Seaming is a chore, and it can be especially confusing when you're not that familiar with sweater construction and shaping.  Lining up pieces to sew them up can be tedious.  Why not just get used to the sweater knitting part and not deal with the seams?  All you have to do is put live stitches on waste yarn and then return them to your needles later, or pick up stitches along an edge and knit on.  Just something to think about.  You can do it!

 

 

 

 

Top and Jeans: Loft

Off the Needles || Color Craving

Top - Athleta, Skirt - thrifted, Tights - Target, Shoes - Minnetonka, Shawl - Color Craving by Stephen West knitted with Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine
Since Momentum Tulsa ended, I've been trying to knock out all of my pending projects so I can start anew once we move.  There are a couple I've started on that haven't even been shared in an On My Needles post.  Soon!
Despite falling about a month behind, I continued with Color Craving using the mystery KAL instructions (although if you're interesting in knitting this pattern it is now released in its entirety on Ravelry.  Color Craving was designed by the talented Stephen West, and this is the second shawl of his that I've made (the first was Daybreak).
I'm not sure if I got too hasty in trying to finish this up or if I got distracted by the sob-fest that was my Parenthood Season 4 marathon on Netflix a few weeks back... but my stitch count was waaayyyyyy off on clues 2, 3 and 4.  Because of my determination to get this dang thing finished, I decided that fewer repeats would not change the appearance of the piece that much beyond the size so I just winged it and did as many as I could before running out of stitches on the short rows.  I think it turned out fine and I'm happy with the size, so no harm done.  Isn't it nice when accidental modifications work out?
Being the Ultra Alpaca fan that I am, I used some jewel tones in the Fine gauge, and man is this shawl ever cozy.  The breeze was a little crisp when I was taking the photos, but my arms were nice and warm underneath the shawl.  The large end is wide enough that it makes a really great hood/head wrap (as you can see below... too far?)

Off the Needles || Ines

Ines!  After holding on to the Manos Del Uruguay Serena collection booklet for a couple of years, I finally put this short sleeved top first on my knitwear queue earlier this summer.  With reverse stockinette and US 6 (and later US 9) needles, it knits up pretty fast and is perfect for your mindless movie watching knitting.  The  yoke is shaped with short rows that are also simple enough to breeze through without much concentration.  My numbers did come up a little off with the last section of short rows, but it was consistent on both sides, front and back, so I decided it wasn't really something to worry about.  The fit overall turned out great and I might even consider making one in another color someday.
The pattern calls for Manos Del Uruguay Serena yarn, which has quite a bit of alpaca in it.  Since I wanted to make a summer top out of this, I went with a strictly plant fiber yarn for my project since me in alpaca garments and Oklahoma's summers don't really get along.  The humidity here is insulation enough without adding the magical warmth of alpaca (soft and enticing though it may be).  As an alternative, I used Knit Picks Shine Sport in Macaw.  My smaller gauge didn't end up causing any problems, and the top still fits comfortably loose despite the difference.

 Top - Manos Del Uruguay Ines top knitted with Knit Picks Shine Sport; Shorts - Ruche; Tights - Hansel From Basel; Shoes - Shoemint

Solar Dyeing + Off the Needles || Hitch Hiker Shawl

Since I had a few other projects going on concurrently, it took me a while to finish this hitch hiker shawl that was part of a knit-along with the Instagram-along-ers Ravelry group.  Normally I take "off the needles" photos of a finished object styled and worn, but I did not do that with this one... because it's not finished yet!
Recently, I featured Caitlin Ffrench for the first post of the "Fiber Is..." column, and she just happened to have an article on solar dyeing in this summer's issue of Knit Scene.  When I started the shawl it was a last minute thing and I wanted to use some yarn from my stash.  For whatever reason I had some bare merino that would work perfectly.  Earlier in the year I made the herringbone cowl in a natural hue though, and didn't really want another scarf of the same color.  The solar dyeing tutorial seemed like a great way to try out something new and also add some color to my finished shawl.
For Christmas I received the Earthhues natural dyeing kit from my parents, which is available through Knit Picks.  Stovetop dyeing has been high on my list of things to learn for a while, but my kitchen isn't exactly ideal for large projects like that and it just seems really daunting.  Once I read through Caitlin's solar dyeing tutorial, I felt that this seemed a little more manageable for my first attempt at natural dyeing.  If you don't have a copy of the magazine yet, I really encourage you to pick it up.  There are some really cute patterns in it as well!
I used alum and madder for my shawl, which should come out to be a deep gold/orange color when it's finished.  Even after a couple of days it looks like some of the color has soaked up into the fiber.  Since it's a finished garment rather than a skein of yarn, I'm not sure exactly how it will look when it's done.  However, I like imperfections and variegation in solids, so it won't bother me a bit if it comes out a little splotchy.  Note to self: get some bigger jars for next time.
Have you tried any solar dyeing?  I'm really addicted now and fully intend to start several more jars as soon as I can get my hands on some skeins of natural yarn.  What are your favorite natural dye combinations?

 

Off the Needles || Walpole

Yes, it's finished!  I started Walpole just after Christmas and after a slowdown in late February I buckled down last month to crank out the second sleeve and finish up the yoke.  The pattern is designed by Hannah Fettig, who is also the brilliant knitter who dreamed up the Effortless Cardigan (which I also LOVE).  I used Knit Picks Capra yarn for the project, in the Celestial colorway.  Capra is 85% merino and 15% cashmere, making this my first project to utilize even a small amount of cashmere.  It is seriously cozy--- super soft and warm, but also light since the gauge was so small.  TINY gauge by my standards, when it comes to sweaters.  This piece definitely worked on my patience, but I'm so happy with the outcome and have already worn it multiple times.
My sleeves for the Effortless Cardigan ended up a little shorter than I wanted, so I knitted an extra couple of inches on the Walpole sleeves.  Maybe I should have measured instead of guesstimating it, because after blocking I found that the sleeves hang nearly to my fingertips.  I'm not really bothered by it though, because in the cooler months I enjoy pulling my hands inside my sleeves when I'm outdoors, and the sleeves are easy enough to roll up.

Off the Needles || Palladio

I figured I should post a finished object so I can prove that I have in fact been knitting all these winter months... Really, I have.  Fingering weight sweaters just take such a dang long time!

Palladio is a beautifully romantic boatneck top with high waisted ribbing and lovely fluttering sleeves.  It knits up pretty quickly, and if you're looking for a project to work on this spring for light, summer wear, I highly recommend it!  I finished this top a few months back, but there are only so many photo shoots I can get myself to do in the cold so I opted to wait a little while to show it off.  In actuality, I think one of my last photo sessions - the flu ridden snow flurries one - had something to do with that.  I'm hoping to get a lot of wear out of this beauty this year and there are several other patterns in the same booklet that I would also love to make.  Berroco Captiva is a luxurious, beautiful yarn.

 

BIG THING #1 aka Off the Needles || Foundation

Remember the "big things that are happening" that I vaguely mentioned a few days ago?  Well, this is the first one.  Last year one of my very dearest friends, Emily, and her husband had a baby and I knew I needed to make something extra special to commemorate this event.  Thus, "Foundation" was born.  Little Beatriz (pictured below - how adorable is this sweet little girl?!?!) was born in mid summer, so I was obviously running a little bit behind on this project but it was way worth it.
A tree's root system is the foundation of the organism - it provides anchorage for the tree's weight, it absorbs the minerals and moisture necessary for metabolic processes, it exchanges gases that are crucial for tree survival and it stores sugars that provide energy to fuel the tree.  Without this foundation, the tree would be nothing.  This blanket that I designed symbolizes that support structure of Beatriz' family.  The growth rings in the center represent the five years her parents built their relationship before bringing her into the world.  I hope it is a piece that she will cherish for years to come, if not at least to keep around because it's a dang soft (and warm) blanket to snuggle beneath. :)
The blanket is made from Knit Picks Swish Worsted.  It incorporates a chart of 6 identical sections knitted in the round.  I plan to publish the pattern eventually, although it will require a little bit of tweaking.  I am going to adapt it with 8 sections to make the growth rings a little rounder - they turned out a little too geometric.
Regardless, it feels so good to finish this project!  I don't even know how many hours of work went into this - weekends and weekends!  Since it was knit in the round, I couldn't really see how it was progressing because it was bunched up at the needles the whole time.  I designed the chart as I went, since I could see the last several rows I had knitted the whole way through to gauge how the pattern was turning out.  Once I started to bind off, the finished product took my breath away.  I will work on trying to make this available soon!

 

Free Pattern || Big Heart Beanie

Love is in the air, but truth be told that even if it wasn't hearts seem to be making a comeback in the accessories/fashion world...  At least that's what the Blogosphere tells me.
J and I aren't huge Valentine's Day people, although our 7 year anniversary of when we first fell for each other falls during this week.  We always celebrate in some way or another.  Early dating stages around Valentine's Day make for an AWKWARD "day of love"--- Do you get them a gift?  Will it seem too serious too soon?  Will they be offended if you don't give them something?  Fortunately, neither of us ever really put too much weight on the holiday, so that first Valentine's Day went pretty smoothly for us.  Now we just pick a day during the week to go out for a nice dinner (any excuse to eat great food is enough for us -- we picked sushi this year!) and chat in disbelief at how long ago we found each other.  Just about a quarter of my life ago.  Madness.  But it makes me so thankful for him.
This beanie is an homage to all of the big hearts I've seen floating around the web lately on garments and accessories.  It's a super quick knit using worsted weight yarn -- the yarns listed in the pattern are the two types I had in my stash and used to make the hat pictured.  The heart may be appropriate for the season, but it's also on trend enough that it could be worn on into spring too.  Happy Love Day!
Download the Big Heart Beanie as a PDF through my Ravelry store.

 

Off the Needles || Big Herringbone Cowl

This project came about spontaneously - while I've been eyeing the pattern for quite some time, it wasn't very high on my queue until I came by some incredibly soft yarn by chance.  When I was planning out Replier, I ordered some Malabrigo Worsted yarn, only to discover that it was backordered.  In a panic, I ordered the Quince and Co. yarn instead because I knew I was running short on time for Christmas knitting.  Lo and behold, the Malabrigo Worsted yarn arrives during the week after Christmas, and I now have this luscious wool with which to make something of my own choosing.  Something not a gift.  Something self indulgent.  The Purl Soho Big Herringbone Cowl instantly came to mind, and I cast on just a week and a half later.

I've always been curious about this stitch, because just at a glance it looks really complicated.... but it's not at all.  Basically, you are knitting two stitches together all the way across.  Instead of dropping both of those stitches off the needles after knitting together, you only drop the one closest to the end.  Essentially, every stitch gets knitted into twice.  Each row alternates knitting through the front or back loop to create the opposite slants.  In a nutshell, the pattern is very easy, but just takes twice as long as a normal cowl of its size due knitting each stitch twice.

I guess I finished it just in time too, because I came down with this nasty cold over the weekend and laid around with this cozy cowl around my neck.  Even if it couldn't do anything for my symptoms, at least it lifted my spirits, right?  Good thing I got the photos in before I really got knocked down - I sort of have sick eyes there, but a few hours later they were watering so much they were nearly swollen shut!  I hope this post finds you in better health than me!

 

Off the Needles || Replier

I didn't have an On the Needles post for this piece, because it kinda came together in the frenzy of December's Christmas knitting.  I used Quince and Co. Lark yarn in Chanterelle.  I've been wanting to use Quince for something since I found out about them last year, and I fell in love with this colorway as soon as I saw it.  The bottom photos turned out a little more brownish than the yarn actually looks, and I would say it is closer to the photos of me wearing the piece above.  It's a somewhat grayish tan.  Beautiful.
The pattern is Replier by Pam Powers, which was just released a few days before I cast it on.  I came across the pattern page around Thanksgiving, which was posted prior to the pattern becoming available.  It struck me as a very elegant alternative to a scarf, and I knew it would be a perfect gift for my very stylish grandmother.  I wasn't sure if I would get any photos of her in it, so I tried it on and got some self portraits in it just in case - and then proceeded to wear it around for another hour or two because it was so pretty and warm and comfortable---I mean, because I wanted to make sure that the clasps would stay closed.  In any case she loved it, so my work here is done.
The pattern was pretty simple, but I wasn't crazy about the way it was written out.  The short row section was a little confusing, because the designer wrote in a lot of repeats but some instructions were not very clear.  Then in the main pattern section a couple of lines required you to repeat a previous line that was several rows above.  It is my thinking that writing "repeat row X" instead of writing out a stitch pattern is done to make the pattern easier to read for the knitter... but when you have to find a different line and then jump back and forth, I think this only creates more difficulty for the knitter in following the pattern.  I would much rather just have that line written out again.  The only thing I can think of is that the designer was trying to make everything fit onto a certain number of pages so she had to cut out some text.  Since it's a brand new pattern there are obviously no corrections yet and the kinks must be worked out.  All in all it was a quick knit and the end result is gorgeous.  This is the first thing I've knitted using the smocking stitch, and I love the way it looks - an interesting variation on cables.

Off the Needles || Daybreak Shawl Part I

I cast off this shawl a few weeks ago, and then it took a couple of weeks to finally block it... and another couple of weeks to get photos of the finished product (post coming soon).  The pattern is Daybreak Shawl by Stephen West, and I used Knit Picks Chroma yarn in Bittersweet Heather and Orchard.  Only one skein of each was required, which made for an inexpensive but beautiful knit.  I fell in love with the colors as they laid out in the pattern and the medium size is just right for a nice scarf that won't fall off of your shoulders constantly like some of the other triangular shawls that I've made in the past.
One thing that I would do over if I could would be to purchase some blocking wires.  As you can see in the bottom photo I had pretty close spacing with my pins but the scalloped edge couldn't really be avoided.  I'll just have to say that it was on purpose.  :)  Photos of how it looks in wear are coming soon!

Off the Needles || Ishbel Shawl

Admittedly, I finished this shawl WEEKS ago.  In fact, I've finished two more since then (hey there, Christmas knitting).  However, as I've moaned about before, I feel like an idiot running around with my camera and tripod in hand in public places taking self portraits.  Plus things have been really busy lately.  Seriously, it's a little pathetic.  Sooo... I got up early on Saturday morning and managed to find a nice secluded spot by an abandoned building on a street that no one seems to drive down that early in the day.  That sounds a little rapey, doesn't it?  Well, no one was there and the area surrounding the building was very open so I would have seen someone if they tried to sneak up on me.  In any case, I finally got some photos of my Ishbel, so now I can start wearing it!  Yes!  I should also note that it was about 45 degrees outside, but I felt that wearing it with a long sleeved shirt would look frumpy and would not complement the lace.  So there you go, I shot photos of myself in public wearing practically nothing on a super cold Saturday morning JUST FOR YOU!  I hope you enjoy them.  The Ishbel shawl is a design by Ysolda Teague.  Additional project details may be found on my Ishbel - On My Needles post.

 

Off the Needles || Effortless Cardigan

My Effortless Cardigan is ready for wear!  This is the coziest sweater, and I absolutely love how the colors turned out.  Eventually, I wouldn't mind purchasing more of the Swish Tonal yarn in a different colorway to make another bright, happy, cozy cardigan with.  This is going to be the PERFECT piece for fall, and I'm ready for 90 degrees to go away so I can basically live in it for the rest of the year.
The pattern was so simple, and the absolute best part about it was the fact that there is ABSOLUTELY NO SEAMING.  Every section was knitted into the next.  You either reserved stitches on a stitch holder to join yarn to later or you picked up stitches along an edge.  This was the perfect technique for me, because as I've mentioned before I tend to finish knitting the pieces for a garment and then let them sit on a shelf in a tote bag for months (or years) before I stop being lazy and seam them together.  I HATE seaming.  But the Effortless Cardigan had none of that.... it truly was EFFORTLESS.  And fast - I highly recommend this pattern!
I will post later this week about my current projects.  Knitting this time of year is so very enjoyable.  Happy Fall!
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