twylem.

It is overdue but it is finished! I started this test knit back in early February. It was moving along very quickly but we had some weekends of rough teething (we are officially up to 3 teeth!) and my knitting was laid to the side. Do you experience a lull in momentum on a project when you constantly have to put it aside? I know I do.

I have wanted a new black cardigan for a long time – unfortunately this is going to be way to warm for a summer-over-the-shoulders-cardigan but it will be perfect for the rest of this winter and then the fall. It is almost more like a jacket due to the collar.

Pattern: Twylem by Vanessa Smith

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Worsted in colour black

Needles: 5.5mm for the yoke, collar and body; 5.00mm for the sleeves; 4.00mm for the belt

I really wanted to test this because of the super cool collar. The construction was interesting – I loved working the top-down collar with the yoke, then picking up and working the ribbing. It makes the collar bulky. I think that was very smart that it isn’t double layered all the way to the bottom of the cardigan – it would have been a lot of heavy fabric and warmth.

The seaming on this is minimal – the collar join at the back of the neck is a 3-needle bind-off. But the one seam is the double collar edge to the lower single ribbing. It was challenging to figure out how to seam it to get a clear line all the way across. Vanessa’s tutorials are fantastic and the finished edge looks perfect.

While I was knitting this I lost 10lbs. So by the time I got to the sleeves, it was too big. I did decide to size down the sleeves, though, and knit the 34 1/4” size sleeves instead of the 36” sleeves. I’m glad I did as it actually helped with the rest of the sweater even though it is too big. I should have knit the 34 1/4” instead of the 36”. It’s only 2” but in this case, for me, it made a big difference. And here I was concerned about whether I should knit the 38”! It would have been huge!

That’s the difficult thing about knitting while you are pregnant or just postpartum – everything for me felt too tight and now that I am getting back to my pre-pregnancy size, everything is too big! It is a small problem to have but when knitting sweaters, it is a little frustrating :)

How have you been doing with fit ‘issues’ lately?

wonder-pole.

Knit in less than a week, this will definitely be one of my favourite sweaters going forward. Simple but interesting construction to keep it a little spicy, this cardigan is surprisingly flattering. I have to admit, I was a little sceptical when I read peoples’ comments about how flattering this sweater was – I am a convert!

It really is as flattering as they say – it hugs where it should and drapes where it should.

Pattern: Opposite Pole by Joji Locatelli
 

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool (Worsted) in colour Mercury
 

Needles: 5.5mm
 

 

Those who know me, know that my two favourite colours are grey and yellow. So what could be better than a comfy yellow t-shirt under this cozy, chunky-ish knit … my favourite scarf of course!
 

 

Yup, I`m in love! I made no modifications to this cardigan. The only thing I would do differently next time is knit the next size up sleeves. I chose the bust size 36-38” and while that is perfect, I just always need that extra inch or so in the upper arms.
 

 

However, because this is a little bulky, I would not want any more bulk in the sweater body itself. The length is perfect. The oversized collar is awesome – have I mentioned how much I love big collars?!
 

 

While this project was all about stash-busting and I started it on a whim when I was home alone last Tuesday night (yup, it was a 7 day knit!), I kind of want to knit it again … and again … and again …
 

 

Lovely pattern, Joji – I really enjoyed this one!

weekend work.

“What’s a weekend?”

-The Dowager Countess of Grantham, Downton Abbey, Season 1

The weekend seems to be the best time for me to work on my various crafting projects as I usually have some quiet time to myself. It is nice for me to have some small breaks from the routine of the week. And it is even nicer for M to have some catch up time with Tiny and enjoy some father-son bonding that he misses with his weekday schedule! What has sort of ended up happening is that I get a chance to work on my knitting. I thought that going forward, I would continue to share some of this ‘weekend work’ with you as I am able since I tend to mostly share finished projects rather that works in progress…

Last weekend and this weekend (in whatever free time I have), I have been working away on a gem of a knit! I am completely in love with this one – and it’s not even my usual style!

 

I chose yarn from my stash that I did not know what I was going to do with – thankfully I had enough as this is a yarn-eater! There is a deceiving amount of knitting in the collar/skirt.

The only regret I have about this knit is that I wish I had not done the three-stitch garter border on the outside of the large cable. I just love the look of a cable border but that’s ok – I am happy with it anyhow.
 

 

Isn’t this just the coolest? It is surprisingly slimming even though it is quite bulky. The short rows cinch it in nicely and I am really looking forward to wearing this one! I have not made any modifications to this yet – and I do not think I will. Hard to believe, I know! I hope you are working on something you are thoroughly enjoying :)

weekend work.

“What’s a weekend?”
 

-The Dowager Countess of Grantham, Downton Abbey, Season 1
 

The weekend seems to be the best time for me to work on my various crafting projects as I usually have some quiet time to myself. It is nice for me to have some small breaks from the routine of the week. And it is even nicer for M to have some catch up time with Tiny and enjoy some father-son bonding that he misses with his weekday schedule! What has sort of ended up happening is that I get a chance to work on my knitting. I thought that going forward, I would continue to share some of this ‘weekend work’ with you as I am able since I tend to mostly share finished projects rather that works in progress.

This weekend, I have been working with some Berroco Remix in my favourite colour: Yellow. The colourway is called Buttercup but between you and I, I don’t think it looks at all like the colour of buttercups. Never mind – I love this yarn! I find cotton really hard on my wrists so I don’t work with it. This recycled yarn is lovely because it contains fibre (like cotton) that I don’t normally work with and I am really enjoying the results.

 

I have been thinking about this sweater for a long time and over the past few weekends, I finally had a chance to cast on. I had written out the pattern back in the summer but I never had the chance to actually start. In my head, I am calling it “Irish Heart” since I love the cabled Celtic sweaters. I only have the sleeves left to work … and I have to find one more button. Can you believe that even though I always buy extra buttons for a project (usually 2 extra) that I am short 1 button? Unbelievable.
 

Have a wonderful weekend!

toques, toques … & more toques!

The majority of the Christmas knitting this year was of the toque variety. Everyone got a toque this year … it was a good exercise in stash busting. It was also nice to have items fly off the needles without hours and hours of commitment!

 

This actually isn’t the whole pile but I had to mail a couple off quite quickly for them to be there in time for Christmas morning in Ontario.
 

Let me show you the various patterns and designs for each recipient.

The first set of toques went to my sister-in-law and her fiancé.

 

I decided to knit my favourite men’s toque pattern for J, which turned out perfectly. There is something so satisfying about a fully reversible toque!
 

Pattern: Botanic Hat by Stephen West
 

Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers in Grey (8401) and Schoppel-Wolle Zauberball in Grey (1507)

Needles: 4.00mm circs
 

For L, her favourite colour is baby blue so this was a no-brainer. I picked a pretty blue out of my stash and proceeded to find a colourwork toque for her that would have a little slouch to it as she looks great in beret-style toques. Just a side note, I looooved the decreases for this pattern – brilliant!
 

 

Pattern: Seasons Toque – slouch version – by Jared Flood
 

Yarn: Knit Picks Palette in various colourways
 

Needles: 3.00mm
 

The second set of toques were gifted to my brother and sister-in-law.
 

 

My brother, P, is always easy to knit a toque for since he loves them so much. It is so great to see him wearing the myriad of toques I’ve knit for him over the years. He looks best in blue so whatever I chose for him would be blue.
 

 

Pattern: Windschief by Stephen West
 

Yarn: Cascade Wool 220 Heathers in colour
 

Needles: 4.00mm
 

I used the same pattern for K as I did for L since the first one turned out so perfectly. Instead of the slouch version, though, I knit the beanie as K has a great beret from me already. I thought this would be more of a warm winter toque for her.
 

 

Pattern: Seasons Toque – beanie version – by Jared Flood

Yarn: Knit Picks Palette in various colourways
 

Needles: 3.00mm
 

Lastly, I gifted my mom and dad (aka Nana and Gramps) with toques.

 

For Dad, I knit off the top of my head (sorry for the pun!). He has a large head (25.5” diameter) and he likes his toques loose. I cast on 24” worth of stitches and just knit. I had picked up the ball of yarn on a whim at my LYS and I wasn’t wrong: It is perfect for him. I knit 3” of 2x2 rib, then 3 garter ridges, then straight St st until the toque measured 8” from the brim. I then worked decreases at 5 evenly-spaced points. Easy-peasy!
 

 

Pattern: My own inspiration (see above)
 

Yarn: Berroco Quasar in colour 8220 Ultraviolet
 

Needles: 6.5mm
 

Lastly, Mom’s toque was the most premeditated of the bunch. I had knit the same toque for her dear friend who is battling cancer in Halifax, NS, and we had mailed it off in November 2012. When Mom was trying (but having a lot of difficulty) choosing yarn for her friend’s toque, she kept showing me yarn that she liked. This particular skein she kept returning to, so I went back and bought it a week or so later. She loved the toque I knit up for her friend so much that I knit her the same one using the yarn I’d returned to buy.
 

Unlike my first version, I made this one the full length as Mom looks great in slouchy toques.
 

 

Pattern: Molly by Erin Ruth
 

Yarn: Malabrigo Yarn Rios in colour 139 Pocine
 

Needles: 4.00mm
 

My only regret is that I didn’t get a toque knit for my husband – I literally just ran out of time. We are headed on our yearly retreat to Tofino, though, and I’m thinking I might get one finished for him while we are there. Wish me luck!
 

 

Merry (although belated!) Christmas!

working.

This is my office currently:

The kitchen table and an experiment with a new button band attachment. I’ve never done a seamed button band – I’ve always picked them up or knit them along with the sweater. I am excited to see how this turns out and whether I’ll like it.

The tutorial is here, courtesy of Norah Gaughan.

comforts.

Ooooh madelinetosh. Your yarn, your patterns, your overall look … why do you tempt me so?

Although I really like the results of this cardigan and I wished I had pushed through, finishing it sooner; I just wasn’t into this knit. As I mentioned last time, I am lacking my knitting mojo but I really wanted to finish at least one sweater this month … especially the one I started because I was pregnant and would be able to wear throughout the whole pregnancy without worrying about it being too small, short, flattering, etc. But did I get it finished? No. Not until the last 2 weeks of pregnancy and just when summer is starting and I am already boiling (have been for a while!). Herumph. I hope this will see lots of wear in the Fall :)

Pattern: Creature Comforts Cardi by Amy Hendrix

Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers in colour 2443 – neutral

Needles: 5.00mm

Modifications:

• Cast on for the 38-42” (med/lrg) size. Halfway through, I decreased every 6 rows until I had the stitch count for the 34-38” (sm/med) size (12 decreases total).
• Knit the chart and St st portion first, seamed the sides, then knit the ribbing in the round.
• 3” of ribbing around instead of only 1.5”.
• Made the armhole a bit smaller, as it kept falling down my arm when I tried it on!

p.s. Thank you so much to the comments from last post! You all completely inspired me – and although I am really looking forward to baby coming, I have decided to take advantage of the quiet time and cast on for something I have wanted to make for a long time but didn’t know what yarn to use. Instead of stash busting, I went to my LYS and spent a little more than I usually would (no workhorse yarn for this project!) and am swatching this evening for the Acer Cardigan – something I have been wanting to make for a loooong time :) xo

hunting truffles.

One of the cardigans that I have coveted since starting to knit is the Truffle Tutorial – it’s kind of been my holy grail. It’s a gorgeous cardigan – and the notes Megan left were thorough and a good place to get started. There were a couple of things I was hoping to accomplish with this cardigan:

1. More of a jacket than a cardigan,

2. Tweedy, and

3. Large enough that it would fit me while pregnant & be oversized when I deliver.

Pattern: Truffle Cardigan Tutorial by Megan Rogers

Yarn: Donegal Yarns Aran Tweed in 4715 Hunter’s Green

Needles: 4.5mm (body & sleeves) & 4.0mm (ribbing) circulars

I chose to do 2 repeats of the horseshoe cable for the yoke. The cables down the front were improvised and charted as I went, then repeated.

I picked up around the long edge of the yoke for the body, worked one purl row then worked short rows across the back and top of the sleeves prior to starting the length of the body. Without the short rows across the top of the sleeves, the front hem of the cardigan would have been longer than the back of the cardigan. Instead, the short rows ‘levelled out’ the front of the cardigan. In total, I worked about 6 short rows. Megan talks about this ‘triangle’ phenomenon in her tutorial notes. I then finished the length of the yoke (9” in total – 2” of positive ease in my non-pregnant state) by worked raglan increases.

The shawl collar was worked with a series of short rows as well. I worked them mostly across the top of the yoke, then continued with the left and right fronts.

The buttons are backed by snaps for closure.

Finally, I added wrist warmers. Love this addition – I have to thank lilau’s inspiration in her sedum.  I cast on 4 fewer stitches than the sleeve was when I cast off the ribbing, which worked perfectly to fit inside the sleeve.

Overall, I am surprised how quickly this knit up – the yoke worked up in 1 day. I finished the body during the week we were away in Tofino. The button band worked up in a few days after ripping and re-knitting … many times. This entire cardigan exists because of short rows – if I didn’t know the magic of short rows (and how to disguise them), I would never have been able to knit this.

I will say, though … I will not be knitting anything with seed stitch anytime soon. I promise.