Monday, May 14, 2007

My Knit List

Copied from http://kneuroticknitter.blogspot.com/ but edited a bit.

Bold for things you’ve done, italics for things you plan to do one day, and normal for things you’re not planning on doing.

I did this to see what I've tried and what I would like to try. I would be interested in seeing others' lists.

American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Bobbles
Button holes
Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)
Continental knitting
Domino knitting (modular knitting) ~ I learned how in a knitting class but don't care for how it looks
Drop stitch patterns
Entrelac ~ I learned how in a knitting class but I don't care for how it looks
Fair Isle knitting
Freeform knitting
Fulling/felting
Garter stitch
I-cord
Intarsia
Kitchener BO
Knitting with circular needles
Knitting with DPNs
Knitting and purling backwards ~ I'll have to keep trying; I'm very slow
Knitting smocking
Knitting small tubular items on two circulars ~ I didn't care for this method
Knitting a circular item using the Magic Loop ~ I didn't care for this method either
Lace patterns
Long Tail CO
Moebius band knitting
Norwegian knitting
Provisional CO
Short rows
Slip stitch patterns
Steeks

Stockinette stitch
Swatching

Textured knitting
Swiss Darning
Thrummed knitting
Tubular CO

Twisted stitch patterns
Two end knitting

Knitting with alpaca
Knitting with bamboo yarn
Knitting with banana fiber yarn

Knitting with beads
Knitting with camel yarn
Knitting with cashmere
Knitting with cotton
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Knitting with linen
Knitting with metal wire
Knitting with soy yarn
Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Knitting with someone else’s handspun yarn

Knitting with self-patterning/self-striping/variegating yarn
Knitting with silk
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn
Knitting with wool

Afghan/Blanket
Baby items
Cuffs/fingerless mitts/arm warmers
Gloves
Hat
Hair accessories ~ when I was in elementary school
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cozies…)
Jewelry
Mittens: Cuff-up
Mittens: Tip-down
Pillows
Purses/bags
Rug
Shawl
Scarf

Shrug/bolero/poncho
Slippers
Socks: top-down
Socks: toe-up
Stuffed toys
Sweater
Toy/doll clothing

Charity knitting
Graffiti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Knitting art
Knitting for pets
Knitting for preemies
Knitting items for a wedding
Knitting a gift
Holiday related knitting

Designing knitted garments
Dyeing yarn with plant colors
Dyeing yarn with acid dyes
Participating in a KAL

Publishing a knitting book
Knitting to make money
Knitting for a living
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Knitting on a loom
Machine knitting
Olympic knitting
Resizing patterns
Spinning on a drop spindle
Spinning with a spinning wheel
Teaching a male how to knit
Teaching knitting classes
Writing a pattern
Knitting in public

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Sunday, May 13, 2007

Black is Beautiful














It is unfortunate that the photo is so terrible because this is a beautiful scarf. I wanted something warm, soft, practical and solid black and managed to hit on all four. It is knit in brioche stitch with two stands of Lacewight Baby Alpaca in black and one of Baby Ull , also in black. The ends were knit in garter stitch for 8 rows on size 9 (5.5 mm.) needles and the body was knit in brioche stitch on size 10 1/2 (6.5 mm.) needles. It has 19 stitches of brioche stitch in the center and a three stitch version of Annie Modesitt's i-cord edging on each side but the edging was unnecessary because the brioche stitch forms its own nice edge. The ribs are not as prominent as they appear in the photo--that is a distortion in the photo caused by the blinding sunlight.

This took so long to complete because I wanted to use a decorative border but could not get it to work. I cast on using a provisional cast on and, as I neared the end of the scarf, I perused Knitting on the Edge by Nicky Epstein looking for a pattern. Unfortunately, almost every pattern was knit beginning with a cast on rather than ending with a bind off or was knit side to side. I could have used one of these and grafted it on to each end of the scarf but brioche stitch isn't particularly suitiable for grafting in my opinion. So, I gave up and used garter stitch which provides a nice horizontal pattern in contrast to the brioche ribs and prevents the ends from flaring. I had used a garter stitch border previously on a brioche stitch scarf I made for my mother out of three strands of laceweight baby alpaca and liked the result. This time I substituted Baby Ull for one of the strands of alpaca because alpaca lacks the memory of wool and it is my hope that the wool will keep the scarf from stretching out of shape.

Pattern: My own, 25 stitches wide.
Yarn: Two strands of Misti International Laceweight Baby Alpaca, 80 g. (about 700 yards total) and one strand of Dale of Norway Baby Ull, 97 g. ( about 350 yards).
Needles: Addi Turbo 9 for the borders; Denise 10 1/2 for the main part of the scarf.
Size: 5.5" by 61" but the brioche stitch makes a thick fabric that spreads out easily.
Begun: Sometime in 2005.
Completed: April 20, 2007.
Helpful Hints: A simple edge works well with this stitch pattern. Choose something that will prevent the ends from flaring out. This looks lovely in three strands of laceweight yarn of coordinating colors. If you want to get the most out of your yarn, weigh it before you begin and again after you complete the first garter stitch border. Calculate how much yarn the border needed then periodically weigh your yarn as you near the end so you'll have enough available for the ending border.

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Friday, May 11, 2007

Dyeing with Mixed Success

Another hat for charity is complete. This one was made with the old version of Emu Superwash, a DK weight 100% wool that is much scratchier than the new version. I acquired the grey yarn on a swap site and dyed it with Wilton cake dye using Sky Blue, "Barney" purple (don't ask) and green liquid food coloring. I tried to space the colors out so there would be one stripe per row without total success but I came close. The purple tends to pop out in the photo but the colors are actually more balanced. This will go to a charity collection and I hope the recipient doesn't mind the less than perfect result. The hat is resting on our roses, which are in full bloom.

Pattern:
Needle Beetle Seaman's Cap which is my favorite charity hat pattern. It is extremely easy to make and the tall foldover provides a second layer to keep the wearer's ears warm. I cast on 102 stitches.
Needles: Inox grey sizes 4 (3.5 mm.) & 5 (3.75 mm.).
Yarn: Emu Superwash DK, 50 g balls, no yardage given; I used 63.3 grams.
Gauge: 6 stitches per inch on size 5 needles in st st in the round.
Size: 17.5" circumference, 8.25" high from foldline to crown, child's large.
Begun: 3/11/07
Completed: 4/23/07

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Thursday, May 10, 2007

Vanalinn Progress

This is a scan of my progress on the Vanalinn gloves I'm making for the Glove Knitting KAL (link in sidebar). The pattern is from A Gathering of Lace. I'm using cream colored Dale of Norway Baby Ull and size 2.00 dpns. Baby Ull is machine washable and wonderful to knit with. This is the first glove I've ever knit and I am enjoying the experience.

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