Starting the Addison Hat

I've volunteered to teach a color work class at my LYS.  After plenty of browsing on the web, I settled on the Addison Hat.  I think it incorporates a number of techniques for knitters who are ready to move on from beginning scarves and washcloths.

Techniques start out right away with knitting in the round and making sure you don't get a twist at the join!  The ribbed bottom is optional.  I decided to go for it so students get the most for their money and we pick up that technique too.

 

The meat and potatoes of what this class is about starts up pretty quick when we introduce stranded color work. I have to admit I wasn't in love with the colors for the class sample when I first started, but they started to grow on me as I worked.  This hat is being worked in Classic Elite Colors by Kirstin and Dragonfly Fibers Traveller.  

The stranding portion of the color work on the inside is coming along great.  I'm really liking how the strands give the hat an interior layer for extra warmth.  Stay tuned as this projects continues!

Sometimes my dog gets jealous.

Both halves of the Snowflake Scarf are complete!  Which required me to learn a new technique to graft them together.  I had never done a project that required grafting before and was pretty excited to learn.  A number of fellow knitters at my LYS were practically lining up to teach me the Kitchener Stitch.  I think I'm doing pretty well for a first time!

And I continue to work with my LYS to line up new classes for me to teach.  I'm rapidly evolving into one of their regular instructors.  January will be the first month I'm teaching two courses and my first knitting class.  My regular class is beginning crochet.  For my knitting class, it will be color work and I'll be making a class sample of the Addison Hat.  I will be working mine in Color by Kristen in Mushroom paired with Dragonfly Fibers Traveller in Admiral Benbow.

 Stephanie's Wrap continues to make headway.  I just keep telling myself that slow and steady wins the race with this one.  I will be very happy to get to the point where its all just working with one color instead of changing colors every 2 rows.  

While I was photographing my work today my little dog decided she was jealous of the camera.  She laid down right on my drop cloth and actually posed for a picture.  It's a sure sign a dog is craving attention when she actually holds still for a photo.   Here she is being as silly and adorable as ever. 

A bit of a slow knit week....

This week has been a bit slow for my work.  It feels like I've had something going on nearly every night!  But the upcoming weeks are slow and the holidays are pressing their way closer, so I have plenty of work to keep my fingers busy.

To start, I did finally decide on colors for the cable scarf.  It was surprisingly tough to find a masculine pattern for a scarf.  I decided to go with a basic cable in some manly colors.

In other news, I wore my mobius to work the other day and two people took interest in and may want me to make them some for Christmas gifts.  Thankfully they whip up quick and I could fit them in with my other holiday work that is yet to be done.

This original one is made from 1 skein of Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Chunky.  It was a dream to work up and has remained super soft and warm.  I used the Gemstones colors way and it works as a universal accessory for broad range of colors.  My LYS doesn't carry this yarn, so any future projects would likely be in a different yarn.  Hopefully I'll know soon!

As the short rows come marching in....

They're here!  Finally the short rows for Stephanie's Wrap have made their appearance.  I like that the short rows work up a bit faster to start, but they are certainly deceiving. In the first striped section there were 17 repeats, but only four rows to a repeat, so it at least felt like it was coming along quickly.  Now with the short rows, the first two or three repeats will go quickly, but once those "short rows" get a bit longer and now that it's 12 rows to a repeat, it's only a matter of time until these rows start taking a long time. 

The transition between the second and third sections is coming along nicely.  I wasn't totally sure I was in love with the purple variegated as I started working it in, but once a few rows of it were worked in I think it'll come together nicely.   

A nice close-up of my 3.25mm hook and the stitches.  The itty-bitty little stitches.  Thankfully this pattern is all single crochet and paying super close attention to what stitch goes where next is not a problem!

Over all progress on this project is coming along great!  I'm really happy with how things are coming along and can't wait to watch the rest of it come together!

Chevron Scarf for my class

I've was invited to teach a beginning crochet class at my local LYS.  The first session of class was last week.  I was a definitely nervous since this is my first time teaching a class.  But also very excited to be sharing my passion for fiber crafting with others.  We will be making a simple chevron/ripple scarf for the class.

The class sample was intentionally left unfinished so we can practice those techniques in class.  This scarf is being stitched with Malabrigo Rios. 

Snowflakes and Stripes

Achievement of the Week: I finished my first panel of color work!  Stitching the pattern worked out ok, but keeping an even tension is significantly harder when working with the two colors.  Hopefully I can get that straightened out in while I'm working the remaining panels.  

I'm having a bit of trouble with the edges curling up on me, but looks at how great those colors came together!  I'm pretty thrilled with this half of the scarf.

Moving on to the stripes section....  Stephanie's Wrap is coming along, slowly.  I'm in a section where each row is 200+ stitches, in lace weight yarn, on a size D hook.  Only a few more rows of this repeat until I start working the short rows, which is really keeping me motivated at this point.  

A close of up the stripes.  

Let the stripes begin!

The first section of stripes begins!  I was a bit hesitant to combine the red and purple, but ultimately decided to go for it.  Am I ever glad I did!  The stripes are coming along beautifully.  Though the the rows grow it is starting to take forever to work one row.  

Itty Bitty Little Stitches

I was feeling a bit playful with the camera on this particular day.  The camera and I were a bit at odds with the colors coming out correctly, but the detail turned out great!  The hook I'm working this project with is is a size D - 3.25 mm.

This last photo is the project as a whole.  I find it amazing how quickly this project grows.  Every 4 rows (1 repeat in the stripe section) gains 10 stitches.  And with 17 repeats, things certainly get growing in a hurry.

Snowflake Scarf Round 2

Well I did a bit of homework and decided the best way to cure the curling problem in my Snowflake Scarf was to add a bit of ribbing at the bottom and some edging.

So far things are going well.  A bit of curling around the cord, but it's working it's way out as it gains length.  The ribbing itself curls a bit though I feel that will come out with blocking. The biggest issue at the moment is that the edges are pinching in on the rows where the pink ends then begins on the same stitch.  I'm experimenting with different techniques in hopes to find a fix.  Thankfully even though there is a pinch, its still quite loose and hopefully will come out with blocking.  

Here's a close of up the center snowflake coming together.  The flash on the camera makes the colors look neon.  The photo above is a much more accurate representation of what the colors actually look like. 

One project complete, another one started.

Radiance Shawl is Complete!

It turned out quite well.  This is only the third or fourth project I've blocked and was a bit nervous with pinning it out wet.  I pinned it out at night and let it air out with a fan overnight.  It was still a bit damp in the morning, but after having the fan on it all day while I was at work it was completely dry.  The shape held quite nicely after the pins came out.  The tips of the leaves curl up a bit, which is a bit of a bug, but fighting it is a losing battle.  

Stephanie's Wrap Begins!

I must make a confession, this is not my first Stephanie's Wrap.  The first one I made was completed about a year ago when my husband and I were doing a lot of traveling, which led to a lot of "airport appreciation" time.  My mom has admired my first one since it was completed, so I decided to make one for her as a Christmas gift.  Selecting the colors was a bit of a challenge.  My first wrap was very high contrast, this one will be less so.  This one will be made from Classic Elite Silky Alpaca Lace.

Because this wrap is worked in lace weight, progress can be a bit slow going.  I got things started with the red and am almost to the point of adding in the first set of stripes.

It curls a bit wonky until it gets big enough, so stay turned to future posts for things to straighten out!

Radiance Shawl

Recently, I moved nearly 1,300 miles across the country for a new job.  As one would expect, this was not an easy process.  My husband needed to find a new job, we needed to sell our house, find a new house, transfer insurance, and I'm sure you can imagine the tons of other details and things that have to change when making such a long move.

Throughout the process I developed a friendship with a new co-worker who really went out of her way to make sure I had somebody to talk to and was very supportive through all.  When my LYS announced the Radiance Shawl as a knit along, I thought it would be the perfect thank you gift for my co-worker.  I opted for the larger 2-skein version in Claret of Freia Ombre Sport.

I thrilled with the way the colors came together.  To start the project I did the foundation rows all from one skein, then after that alternated skeins every two rows, carrying the unused skein up the side.  It was exciting to see the color changes come in, though it did take a few rows for it to be obvious.  Clearly, the project still needs to be blocked.

Here is the center row, I love how the leaves branch out from the middle   Unfortunately I couldn't get the camera to cooperate for this photo and it turned out a bit more pink than the yarn actually is.  The other two photos are much more accurate to the true color.

The tips of the leaves are curling over pre-blocking.  Also, the puckering of the leaves shows through as well.  With any luck this will come out when it's blocked!

Welcome & Previous Works

Welcome!

I'll start off with a showcase of some of my previous works.  I view these items as a jumping off point for my skill set.  Works I'm proud of, yet seek to improve.  The beginnings of a library of techniques and knowledge.  One project of each crochet and knitting.

Granny Square Baby Blanket

First is a baby blanket I made for a friend's first child.  A basic granny square throw with an edge.  I swapped out a few of the colors required by the pattern for colors closer to the colors of the baby's room.  In this project I learned the important lesson of gauge as I ran out of one of the trim colors 3 inches short and had to buy another skein!  Thankfully the dye lots were very close and you really had to look to find the variance.  

Knit Swirl Sweater

This sweater is the pride and joy of my work so far.  I spent months working on it and learned a whole bunch of new techniques.  Being the first garment I ever made, I was really nervous about how it would turn out.  I've seen so many cartoons and such about "knitting a sweater that doesn't fit" I was quite anxious.  But after diligent gauge checks and learning how to mattress stitch, it fits perfectly!

It will be some time before I attempt another sweater.  My brain needs a bit of a break from long and drawn out projects.  For now I'll be sticking to quick projects where I can practice a greater variety of techniques. Enjoy!