Thursday, August 28, 2014

Favorite cardi, favorite yarn, favorite color

My newest pattern is a short-sleeved cardigan in Pashmina that's going to be a great transitional piece! I love it over a tank or t-shirt now, and can't wait until it's cool enough to wear it over a long-sleeved shirt :)


It's called Robie Street for the street we lived on this summer in Halifax. I always love knitting with Pashmina, and this colorway - Fig - is one of the best browns ever. Sadly discontinued :(

And I also released a cowl a couple of weeks ago - Blackberries, knit in the divine Tesseract DK.


I think I may need a sweater out of this stuff!

Now I'm working on a pullover in the very nice Rowan Pure Wool, but after knitting with Pashmina and Tesseract, it's wearing my hands out. Partly because it's heavier yarn but also because it just doesn't glide across the needles like the luxury stuff!

Our time in Halfax ends tomorrow - it's been a great summer! Here's a postcard for you :)

Peggy's Cove Lighthouse

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Which comes first?

Usually the name is the last thing I decide on with a new pattern. A few weeks ago I decided I wanted to do a garter stitch, multi-colored shawl that I could name 'Divergent'. I sketched this out in Paint, thinking it would be appropriate for that name -

I knew short rows and decreases would be involved, but really wasn't sure it was going to be possible to knit. I just started knitting and figured it out as I went. Surprisingly there was very little ripping out involved, (less than usual for me even when I know what I'm doing!) I wasn't even sure things were going to work out with the cast on number I started with. I just couldn't see my way clear ahead of time. The whole time I was knitting I was figuring I'd have to do it twice (or more) to get it right. But look - this is the first (and only!!) go!


This was intended to be a Mystery KAL, but I polled my Rav group and they voted for just a regular KAL. It starts on September 24 but you can get the planning sheet now for 40% off so you'll be ready to go if you want to participate. Details can be found here. It is much easier to knit than you would think! And the funny thing is I ended up changing the name! I was trying to think of a project name that didn't give away my pattern name and came up with 'Exit 0' - there's an exit 0 on the 102 near where we've spent the summer in Halifax. Then I decided I liked it better than 'Divergent' :) It seemed appropriate since the idea and the shawl were both 'born' here :)