Happy Halloween!

It's Cold

So John should wear his scarf, right? Especially when he's sick? Tell him!

It's a Scarf

Pattern: Different Lines by Veera Välimäki
Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Smokestack and Stovepipe
Needles: US 7
Project Page

John says he needs a haircut before he'll wear his scarf and pose for a picture. I can't cut his hair until tomorrow, which means you're stuck with these pictures today. They aren't so bad, but they'd be better with John looking so nice in his nice new scarf! :)

This was super easy to knit and kind of fun until the rows got so long at the end. If I hadn't done the 15th stripe (one more than the pattern calls for), it would have been perfectly bearable. I did use up almost all of the Stovepipe (blue) and have enough of the Smokestack left for part of a shawl. The construction is super clever and requires little to no brain power. I worried that I would forget to increase at the end of every other row if my brain got too far from my knitting, but looking back at it, I don't think I ever missed one that I didn't catch immediately. And if I did miss one, you sure can't tell!

I wish that the stripes were uniform in width at the end where they are one to two rows wide because when one is two rows wide and sits between two that are one row wide, they just look a little wonky or drunken or something, but I suppose I'm the only one who notices. Overall, it came out amazingly well. It's HUGE. The colors are fantastic. The fabric is super soft. The dark blue didn't bleed a single drop. John wonders if it will be warm at all because it's so airy (6s might have been a better choice after all), so feel free to reassure him there too. It'll wrap around his neck about three times and probably make him too hot.

He better wear it after I cut his hair tomorrow or I'm keeping it for myself!

For more FO Friday posts, visit Tami's Amis!

Landmarks All Around!

This is our 50th post and it's about my 100th project!

It's Rikke in Manos Silk Blend. The yarn was so delicious that it called to me for four days. When I saw no one had bought it, I snatched it up and went on a Rav search for anything I could do with 150 yards of variegated dk yarn.This hat should fit the bill.

I really shouldn't have started it. I still have the pile of works in progress from a couple weeks ago, minus John's scarf (my finished object this Friday!). My department is holding a conference this weekend, so I thought a small, mindless project would fit the bill. I might have it done before then, though!

This week (I think), also marks an anniversary: Sweetpea and Spike's first together. Awwww. I've had Spike two years this month and Sweetpea one. Happy anniversary, little bunnies!

For more WIP Wednesday projects, visit Tami's Amis!

Finally!

Here it is! I'm so proud!

Pacific Coast

Pattern: Larch Cardigan by Amy Christoffers
Yarn: Shibui Merino Kid
Needles: US 4
Project Page

I love this cardi! I did have a few issues with the yarn when I began: it shed like a little green bunny, it turned my bamboo needles and my fingers green, and it wasn't quite the right gauge. After looking at finished pictures, I realized the bigger gauge was perfect because then I wouldn't look too big for my sweater. The green fuzz vacuumed right up. The green needles got a rubbing alcohol scrub and I learned how to set dye: soak for 20 minutes in cold water with 1/2 cup of vinegar, bag in an oven bag, set on a cookie sheet, put it in the oven at 200 degrees for 30 minutes, let cool, wash in tepid bath with wool wash, and voila!

Really, I probably could have just rinsed the excess dye out of it (which I ended up doing in the post-cook bath), but I'm glad I took the precaution with the vinegar bath too. I wore it over an expensive white Banana Republic shirt all day yesterday and no green stains! Just green hairs. :)

I don't think I modified it at all. The sleeves are even knit to the prescribed length, I think. Finishing was easy. I HATE twisted rib, though. Goodness, it took FOREVER. But it looks really neat. Love the bound-off detailing on the hem and the sleeve cuffs. John helped me pick the buttons. He's a genius button-picker!

I named it after our trip to Washington in the spring (during which the yarn traveled in the back seat, waiting to be knit and returned home in exactly the same state). The yarn varies in color between the trees of the Olympic Peninsula and the water of Crescent Lake. I miss the Pacific Northwest....

For more FO Friday posts, visit Tami's Amis!

Very Nearly Finished

I still have the same pile of WIPs I did last week, some in the same condition. It got really cold here all of a sudden, though, so I've been pushing to finish John's Different Lines. Fortunately, with grading almost out of the way and showing videos in my classes, I've almost finished it.

I'm on the 15th (and final) blue stripe. Just the border to go! I'll show it to you next Friday. This time I mean it!

Sorry I keep promising and postponing showing you Pacific Coast. John and I got buttons for it on Sunday. It will be ready for showing Friday! I PROMISE! I may share some photos of our trip to Indianapolis, too. John did very well at the marathon considering everything was working against him. He's a trooper, for sure.

For more WIP Wednesday posts, visit Tami!

A Pile of WIPs!

I totally had Pacific Coast ready for Friday (minus the buttons), but I didn't have any time or light to take pictures. I still haven't taken pictures, but I'll try to get some before Friday. John's running a marathon out of town this weekend, so we'll be out of town, but hopefully not out of touch!

Now on to the works-in-progress! I have a Willoughby for my grandma (who just had major surgery! Send her your thoughts!), John's scarf, Rocky Coast Cardigan for my aunt, and my Breezy is still waiting for one more sleeve. The weather has been so great that I wish I could finish it really quickly, but I just know that as soon as I put it on, it'll snow or something horrible like that. :)

Head over to Tami's Amis for more WIP Wednesday posts!