meet elijah.

This project sat in my unfinished objects drawer for the past 18 months. I know. It’s a long time. And it only took the better half of a day to finish him – why didn’t I finish him sooner? Oh well.

Please meet Elijah:

Another one of Ysolda’s ingenious patterns, Elijah is a great little toy since there is no seaming! 

Isn’t he just too cute? I love grey and red together so as it was getting close to finishing time this afternoon, I decided he needed a red scarf. I rooted through my stash, found some red Cascade 220 left over from my second Swallowtail that I knit a couple of years ago and I think the simple 7-stitch garter will keep him warm:

One note about the yarn and gauge. Because I started this when I was not a particularly experienced knitter, I knew nothing of gauge when I started him. Therefore, the row gauge was wrong … very wrong. So he’s a little short – his trunk should be longer, as should his little body, arms and legs. BUT – I am glad I finished him.

He’s knit in Mission Falls 136 Superwash Merino in colour 015. I used 3.00mm DPNs. More yarn gone from my stash!

I started knitting Elijah because my husband was working on “Project Elephant” at work and I wanted to give him a toy elephant at the end of the project. Two years later, the project was completed this past week. Although Elijah is a little late, I am still able to give it to him! Yay!

-r.   

strawberries in the strawberry patch.

Even though Fall is my favourite season of the year, June is my most favourite month. It’s probably partly because my birthday is in June but I think it’s mostly because of the anticipation of Summer. June is just prior to the hot weather of July but there are strong hints of the things to come and with that comes strawberries, my second favourite fruit (raspberries).

So, while I hunt through the strawberry patch, I am aware that there other creatures of the patch that are aware Summer is just around the corner:

Snails, for one. And lady bugs – can you see the little creature perched on the leaf below the strawberry on the right? Even after I had picked both the ripe berries, she still rested there.

  The results? Oh yes.

Wonderful strawberries and a very very happy puppy named Charlie who loves strawberries so much that I think he might explode!

I don’t know what we are going to do with him once he finds out about raspberries.

-r.

those bold dandelions.

Another shawl to share with you! I am on a roll!

As those who know me will tell you, I love muted colours. I’m talking about really quiet neutrals that I know I will wear for a long time and love. That will coordinate with many things and that I will never “get sick of.” I was recently complimented about this quality of mine so not only did this yarn have me stepping outside my comfort zone, it has also opened up a new world of colour to me. The yarn was originally going to be knit into a sweater but I just wasn’t feeling it (it really was too bright to be a sweater – even though I am turning over a new leaf). I decided to rip it and re-knit the gorgeous lace weight into Ishbel {by Ysolda Teague}.

[Knit Picks Gloss Lace in Dandelion]

I love Ysolda’s designs and although Vine Yoke was not my favourite sweater, I will always by a huge fan of Ysolda’s ideas and creativity. Ishbel is no different.

I used 1.3 skeins of yarn for the smaller of the two sizes of shawl available in the pattern. Holding the yarn double, for the stockinette stitch (St st) portion of the shawl, I did Make 1 (M1) on either side of the center marker. When I got to the lace section I switched back to yarn-overs. I just really like the look of solid St st rather than YOs in the center of the section. This was something I wished I had done for the Travelling Woman shawl I made back in March (however, I have enough yarn to make a second Travelling Woman and plan on doing just what I did here).

I started knitting on 4.00mm circular needles but halfway through the St st section, I ripped it all out and started again on 4.5mm circulars. I’m not sure that 0.5mm makes a huge difference but it was enough to loosen up the St st a little and create a nicer drape. The 4.00mm created a tight St st section that I didn’t think would loosen when washed. Also, the 4.5mm knits an ever so slightly larger shawl.

Holding the lace weight double also gives the lace itself more structure. I like this effect over using a heavier yarn (such as a worsted) and it leaves the shawl light enough for breezy evenings in the summer but warm enough for cool Fall and Spring days. It’s the best best best of both worlds and now I have some colour in my life! Bravo!

-r.

satisfaction. simplified.

Annis (by Susanna IC) is simple. Which is perfect for a quick, enjoyable knit. Considering the lack of finishing around Casa del Welford lately, this is a great feeling to have not only cast something on very recently but also to have finished, cast it off, and write a post about it so quickly.

At Fibres West back in the Spring, I bought a skein of Treenway Silk, specifically the Bombyx Laceweight Silk 20/2. Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous. I confess, it is the most I have spent on one hank of yarn E V E R. I was looking forward to knitting Gail out of it and I think I actually have enough left over to still knit it with the yarn held single.

For Annis, I held the yarn double (as you might have just guessed) and added beads over top of the SK2Ps. Because they were seed beads, they don’t show up as nicely as I had hoped; however, the subtly is nice. Hence my satisfaction.

I followed the pattern with no modifications. Needles used were 5.00mm circulars, although I did follow the instructions to use 6.00mm needles to cast on.

This is the first time I have worked with pure silk. I can not complain – it was nice to work with and sailed over the needles beautifully. I did wash it in Eucalan and again, it blocked out beautifully. I am hoping that it stands up to wear but I know it will need to be re-blocked every so often.

I have to say, no matter the price, Treenway Silk was wonderful to work with and I look forward to it again. It was a very lovely knit to knit :)

What’s the most satisfying fibre you’ve ever worked with?

-r. 

finishing. or lack thereof!

I have been terrible lately about finishing projects. I seem to just jump from one cast-on to another. I hope that I will soon have finished items to show you!

Until then, happy Spring :)

-r.