purlsandmurmers

Two winter collections from Rowan

While I am occupied with adding a crocheted border to a "Warm Up America" blanket, I thought I would update my pattern database and share a few recent additions to the pattern library.

Both of these books are from the fall/winter collections for Rowan, although I just got around to purchasing them in January.

 Both books feature classic, somewhat rustic, what I would call, "country" sweaters, although there are certainly sweaters in both books that could be at home almost anywhere, city or country, depending on one's style.  Or am I completely out of date in thinking that t here is such a thing as "city style" and "country style" anymore?

The Purelife Winter Collection features sweaters for men and women designed by Marie Wallin.  Since G doesn't want sweaters, I am mostly interested in the women's patterns.   The designs use Rowans British Sheep breeds Chunky and DK wools or Organic Wool DK. There are three patterns in this book which I like, all in DK weight. 

 Windemere is a lovely, classic, cabled turtleneck sweater that I think is somewhat elegant, but which I will never knit.  I have, somewhat reluctantly,  come to accept that for the most part I should avoid high turtlenecks sweaters unless they are being worn as layering pieces with other shapes and necklines to add interest.  A simple turtleneck sweater like this is simply not my friend.

Luckily there are two other sweaters that I am itching to make and wear.

 Ulveston is a lovely tunic with a lace and cables pattern that would be perfect for layering, worn with a shirt as shown here, or with that turtleneck and perhaps a scarf or long necklace.  

 The third pattern, Kendall, is not a layering sweater, and although it does have a cowl, the drape makes it much more wearable and flattering.  The illustrated sweater is knitted from bluefaced leicester, one of the natural wools in the British Sheep Breeds collection, which is fitting as bluefaced leicester is a soft  with a nice drape and a bit of luster as well, features to remember when choosing a yarn for this project as it is meant to be worn against the skin.  Softness and the soft luster of the wool add elegance to the sweater.

 The second winter book I purchased was Rowan's Classic Heartland which features designs by Martin Storey, using Rowan's aran weight wool-silk blend, Silky Tweed.

Continuing with my recent fascination with colorwork patterns, two of my choices in this book use stranded colorwork using the fairisle technique.  This means, of course that with the aran weight yarn, they will be toasty warm sweaters, much like the much striped cardigan I am currently working on, although slightly less bulky as I am using an aran weight yarn and a bulky yarn in that sweater.

 Considering that I am constantly cold this winter, it is no surprise thought that I am attracted to cozy warm sweaters.

Lowri fits the bill for warm and cozy, and pretty too.  I love the pattern and the subtle colors as much as I love the deep ribbing.  This pullover is knit to what would be called "mid length" in the Sally Melville book Mother-Daughter knits, and the deep ribbing can be knit to the perfect length so that the colorwork begins at one's "short sweater length" which would give an attractive silhouette and increase the styling and wearing options.  

I don't know anything about the yarn, although I did see at least one comment on Ravelry that it might work best at a tighter gauge than recommended on the label (19 stitches = 4").  The stranding might help this, but at 20.5 stitches to 4" this is not much tighter.  I might sub a different yarn or a different weight yarn.  Since Rowan's charts tend to be tiny and difficult for my middle-aged eyes to see, I always end up recharting the patter anyway, so it probably wouldn't be that difficult to convert it to DK.

 The other colorwork sweater, Dilys, is knit more tightly, at 22 stitches to 4 inches.  I am sure this is because this sweater is meant for layering and the designer wants a stiffer hand with less drape.   I certainly am attracted to just these qualities in this sweater:  the shape, the layering possibilities.  This sweater combines my love of color, but in a rather sophisticated way, with the short cropped silhouette that I have learned works so well with my long torso.

This is definitely a must-knit, although I don't see how it will get on the needles before next season.

 The last sweater is a lovely cardigan with a tailored appeal, Braith. There is nothing fancy here stitch-wise, it is just a classic, simple, wearable cardigan, and probably just what my wardrobe is waiting for.

At Last...

I didn't quite make it by the end of January, but the sleeves were completed last night and blocked this afternoon.  The body of the sweater has already been assembled so I just need to knit the collar/neckline and button loops.  I need to look for buttons as well.  I'm hoping there are some in my extensive button stash.

 My intention had been to knit finish the knitting this morning, after errands and while I was sitting in yet another doctor's office, but I brought the yarn and the knitting needle and left the sweater at home.

Instead I started a sock, a plain simple stockinette sock, top down, with a picot edge hem at the top.  I'm just past knitting the hem in place and continuing to the body of the leg.  The yarn was originally to be used in a different pair of socks, shown here, but I didn't like the way this flecked yarn looked in the lace pattern so I ripped them out during my last ripping frenzy.  Simple socks will be much better.  Besides, socks make a nice, easy, carry-along project.

I need to do some swatching for the next project/projects and crochet an edging on a blanket and it is cold and dark enough that I expect the sleeves to take a couple of days to dry.  Finished objects should be coming up soon.

Mother-Daughter Knits Part 2: The Sweaters

I promised that I would show the patterns from this book, and there are quite a few that appeal.  In fact I added six sweaters from this book to my master knitting pattern database, which is a pretty good number.

One thing I like about the patterns, and this refers back to the information I discussed in my previous post, is that there is very complete sizing information given with the patterns.  Of course there is finished bust and length but also waist and hip measurements if it is relevant as well as waist length and shoulder width on a few patterns.  The patterns also discuss the intended length of the pattern for example, a sweater is intended to be worn at the mid-length, or it discusses options or how the placement of design features might affect the length at which you choose to knit the sweater.  Not only is this useful if you are knitting the sweater, as many many patterns are lacking even basic information, but looking through the book, looking at the styles and the fit and directions given is an education in knitting design and proportion that can be applied to other sweaters.    

The only fit information that is lacking, and it is not common enough in knitting patterns to begin with, is that it would be wonderful if the designer mentioned the amount of ease in the design in the actual pattern.  That said, it is still easy to figure out as there is a size guide in the back of the book and one can easily find one's size and then compare it to the given measurements.  

 

But I believe I promised pictures:

I love this buttoned and tabbed muffler.  Oh I know buttoned mufflers are almost a dime a dozen.  There is a nice one sitting on the table of my LYS right now.  And I do like the tailored effect of them, the clean lines and the warmth without too much bulk or flopping ends. (and this from a woman who has more scarves than anyone has a right to).  But what I really like are the little tabs, a small detail that I wouldn't have thought of but now think is just perfect.  They are, in fact, a little bit weird, like fingers wrapping around the neck, and I suspect that is what attracts me, as if that little bit of oddness catches one by surprise and makes it all the more interesting.

 Sally Melville says that she was inspired to make the buttoned muffler by a pair of fabulous tabbed cuffs her daughter designed.  I agree with her that the tabbed cuffs are fabulous and I am very much intrigued by them.  But I also know that I would never wear them.  I love gloves and mitts, but only as an accessory to my coat.  

I honestly believe that there are "glove people" and then there are the rest of us.  Glove people can wear gloves and make them into a style statement; I cannot.  I admire beauty in gloves, but in the end it is just a glove, a necessary accoutrement, and as much as I love these tabbed cuffs, they would never be comfortable on me.  

 And now on to the sweaters.  There are lots of sweaters, all pretty much classic.

The Knit Across Sweater is knit side to side, as is implied in the title.  I like the narrower ribbing on the sleeves and the wider ribbed pattern across the body.  The ribbing at the waist is picked up and knit down after the top of the sweater has been completed, and it can be worn short and bloused as shown, or pulled down.  I would think that it would be flattering and slimming either way.

 I learned long ago that a long, unshaped sweater with a deep rib detail like this one is very flattering on me.  I tend to think the long deep ribbing, and it is about 6 inches as this pattern is written, somehow reminds me of a little flippy skirt at the bottom of the sweater.

I have always been a fan of a long cozy warm sweater when the weather is cold, and the way the design breaks up the large expanse of sweater makes it very nice and wearable.

 Even though I have never been a big fan of the shirt-jacket, I am very atttacted to the classic knit shirt as designed by Sally Melville in this book.  Perhaps it is the soft fabric that appeals to me.  She shows two versions, one in lace weight mohair and another in sport weight linen and both are gorgeous.   I think it is the combination of the shaping and the soft drape of the fabric that appeals to me, and the fact that soft drapy semi-sheer mohair would be warmer and more versatile than a sewn shirt jacket in a sheer fabric.  At any rate, for the first time in my life I see shirt-style cardigans in my life, whereas before a shirt jacket was something I borrowed from my husband when I was raking the leaves.

 The Sophisticated Hoodie is also nice: interesting enough to knit, casual and more stylish than a standard sweatshirt.  Knit in cotton or a cotton blend I think this would become a trans-seasonal favorite much like Rogue has become a winter favorite.  Again, I have learned that I am a great fan of knitted hoodies, and have several residing in my closet, both purchased and hand knit, and several of these are about to be retired.   This one would be a great new addition. 

 A classic cabled cardigan is always nice, and this one definitely appeals to me.  It is not particularly shaped, but the deeply ribbed waist will add the illusion of shaping as will the nicely angled cables in the bodice.  This is a nice combination of texture and detail with simplicity of shape and design, something that sometimes seems all to rare

 The tunic pattern named Mini-Dress is a more trendy garment than most of the ones listed here, and it is designed by Sally's daughter Caddy (as is the first, sideways sweater).  I have loved this since I first saw it and although I can see it with a simple pair of slacks and sandals in warm weather, I mostly envision myself wearing this as a layering piece.

 Last (yes there is an end to my long ramblings) is this Crinkly Blouse Sweater.  Another long unshaped sweater, this one is actually a-line, to be worn with narrow pants, it exudes calm casual chic.  I think it is the combination of the ribbing and the lace, with the crinkly texture of the pattern and the linen that really makes this sweater.  It would have a completely different aura in a different fiber. There are days when I want simple, casual, and uncomplicated and this sweater fits the bill; if I can have all of that with a bit of sophisticated chic, so much the better.  I believe this sweater has that potential although success will all lie in choice of yarn and the fit. Get it wrong and you could easily have an oversized "I give up" sweater.  Luckily the designer gives you enough information to make it work if you pay attention (something at which I have not excelled of late).

If it weren't so funny I think I'd cry

 One sleeve done, two to go.

I finished the first sleeve last night and I was so excited because I was determined to have the Elaine striped sweater finished this month.   But it was one of those crazy days where I was constantly starting something, getting interrupted, getting back to it and forgetting where I was, getting interrupted again.......

By the time I got around to wet-blocking the sleeve it was getting late and I was in a bit of a hurry.  I thought I would spin the wet sleeve out in the washing machine.  I've done this many times before without a problem.

But this time I didn't check the spin speed before I started the machine.  What went in as a soft, waterlogged, floppy piece of wool came out about half-sized, firm and thick and very nicely felted.  If it weren't so small it would make a lovely sleeve-shaped rug.  Pre-felting the sleeve was about 25 inches long.  Now it is almost 15.  I didn't even know I could felt something with just the spin cycle.  I'm not sure what I will do with this yet, but I will save it.  I'm sure I can make something useful out of it that will always make me smile.

Before this, I wondered what I would do with all the extra yarn I thought I had.  Now I wonder if I have enough to knit two more sleeves.  I think I have enough of the Elaine, the multicolored yarn.  I probably don't have enough Manos.  I am hoping to have enough Manos to get through the sleeve and then have to buy another skein for the front bands.   

I have no one to blame for all the problems with this sweater but myself, for silliness, and self-delusion, and just plain old inattention.  It is kind of amazing that so many things can go wrong with one sweater.  But I am determined it won't get the best of me.  

I wonder if I can knit two sleeves in one week and still get the sweater finished.  I wonder if I want to knit two sleeves in one week.  No I know the answer to that; there are other things I want to be doing.  I won't let this sweater defeat me, but I won't let it run my life either. 

Mother-Daughter Knits

 I've been reading Mother-Daughter Knits by Sally Mellville and Caddy Melville Ledbetter and by this I mean actually reading it, not just looking at the pictures and diagrams of the sweater and letting my mind wander off into new knitting territory.  And the book is well worth reading and worth knitting from as well.

Admittedly I picked up the book on a whim, and I do like quite a few of the designs, but I was particularly impressed about the clear simple way the authors discussing knitting a garment to fit and flatter the knitter/wearer.  

Thee is a good discussion on shaping and proportion, with good illustrations of the points.  I followed the technique to find your ideal sweater lengths, and was intrigued and happy to find that the correspond to the lengths that I have found to be perfect for me.  Granted it  took me years of sewing and knitting before I discovered this, but hey, I am only reading this book now.

There are also good directions for what to look for in knitting a garment that will fit, including 5 critical points where individual fit should override the pattern:

1.  Finished length

2.  Waist length

3. Shoulder width

4. Sleeve length

5.  Diameter at the cuff.

And then there are directions on how to alter patterns, in a very general way for making these corrections.  I was also intrigued to see the discussion of shoulder width which included the idea that  a shoulder might need to be narrower or wider to accommodate sleeves or other design features.  I thought the advice was right on target and should help anyone knit a better sweater, even me, because despite knowing better, I am far too often prone to just blindly following a pattern and then being disappointed with the ill-fitting result.

I didn't start reading this book until after I finished knitting the body of the Elaine Striped Cardigan and even though I altered the pattern at the shoulders, I may not have made the shoulders quite wide enough.  I am hoping that Sally Melville's advice to knit the shoulders 1" narrower to help keep a heavy sleeve from pulling it downward will help me out here, but I may be a little more than 1" too small.  We will see soon enough.

The first sleeve is being blocked now, so I will know how it fits into the sweater soon enough.

While I am thinking about sleeves, I think the method discussed for finding and measuring for the right sleeve length in the book is genius.  The clever part is now how to measure your own sleeve length, which I already knew, but how to translate that measurement to the pattern you are actually knitting.  I have other fitting and knitting books, but somehow it never really clicked until now.  And the idea is so obvious that I really almost had to hit myself in the head.  Once again, we will see how it works as I finish the current cardigan.

Obviously I am going on and on.  I'll have to do another post reviewing my take on the patterns, because there are quite a few I like.

Vogue Knitting, Winter 2009/10

The new Vogue Knitting arrived over the holidays.  Because the family was here, and a vicious cold incubated, I was a little slow at actually perusing the contents.

Although there are several things I like, there is nothing that is really calling to me, telling me it must be made right now.  This is probably as much due to the fact that I have just cataloged my yarn stash as anything else, and I have lots of yarn and lots of projects, all of which I want to knit right now.

 Nonetheless, here are my thoughts.

I love this little floral vest.  It would be fun to knit.  I have doubts as to whether I would wear it or not though.  I do not really wear a lot of vests and I am not convinced that that the high round neckline is one I would wear on a vest.  I could add sleeves, but then it is not much different than a lot of other patterns I have.  This is a maybe.

 While I am thinking about floral color-work patterns however, I do love this cardigan with the larger scale flowers.  I love the way the large print is offset by the delicate fair-isle work at the waist and along the borders of the sweater, and the herringbone lace pattern in the lower portion of the sweater.  This sweater looks like one that would be both fun to knit and a joy to wear.  Just not right now, although it is even possible that I have felted tweed in the stash that may be applied to it as a future project.

 The truth is that the sweaters I actually wear the most tend to be very simple shapes with simple details, and often not even a lot of color work.  There are two sweaters here that look like they would be fabulously wearable additions to my wardrobe.

First is this fabulous tunic with a central cable motif by Suvi Simola.  Simple and sleek, I don't see what is not to like about this pattern.  Even the relatively short to nonexistent sleeves don't bother me as I can see ways to style it, and what is winter without coats anyway?

 The other sweater is this fabulous fitted jacket-like cardigan. The silhouette is shapely and the lovely details would emphasize a bit of shape even where there was less.  This is a fabulously versatile cardigan, at least for those of us who like a bit of structure and tailoring, that can be dressed up or down.  

Oddly enough, my first thought on seeing this was "too fitted, too conservative, too retro-inspired" but I have come around and it hasn't escaped my thoughts.  The more I look at my closet and the contents therein, the more I see the potential of a little knitted jacket just like this one.

 I don't usually knit men's sweaters, not because there is not a man in my life, but because that particular man, G, always tells me " I don't wear sweaters" and "I don't need sweaters" both of which are quite true as he has drawers of sweaters both purchased and hand-knitted, that he never wears.  But he likes to look at the knitting magazines and point out sweaters that he likes and thinks would be nice for me.  

In all of the years we have been married, this is only the second time he has ever pointed out a men's sweater that he liked and said he would wear.  The other sweater was Alice Starmore's Henry VIII.  

I think he would actually wear this one.  Although he occasionally reminds me he likes Henry VIII, I remember that he hates pullovers and I am not inclined to turn it into a cardigan.  This one I may actually knit, someday.  

Good progress

I am making good progress on the Elaine Striped Cardigan.

I ripped it all back to about 4 rows below the armhole shaping, then knit the body in one piece, adding another 4 inches in length before the armhole openings. Last night I finished the back, and I now have one front section to finish.

 

I should be able to get this piece done pretty quickly, perhaps tonight, perhaps not because I am fading fast even though it is not that late.  I may get a second wind.  

G is having a minor procedure at the hospital tomorrow, but this is too bulky to take with me.  I might take the one sleeve,which I also ripped back to below the sleeve cap shaping, and start reknitting it now that I know what the actual space requirements will be.  I might just read.  We are supposed to go out to see Avatar tomorrow night, assuming G is up for it, so it does not look like a promising knitting day. Even so, I hope to have the body and the one sleeve finished by the weekend.   Perhaps even a sweater next week.

I wonder if I have buttons?

Yarn Catalog Complete

I   spent a significant amount of time on New Years day finally cataloging all the yarn in the yarn closet which also now contains most of the yarn that had been in my sewing room before the youngest cat discovered the pleasures of fiber.  For those of you on Ravelry, I also got it all posted here.

The whole process was really a little bit overwhelming although it did serve as a good reminder of all the wonderful things I have planned to knit with all this fabulous yarn.  There will be much knitting from stash this year although I would be a fool to say I will not succumb to temptation either.  I do however hope that having a record so easily accessible will help remind me that "I don't have anything to knit" is most certainly not at all true.  Bad enough to admit that large as this stash is, it is still not all the yarn.  There are bits and pieces hiding here and there in other rooms.  I might consider coming clean and declaring all of it, or I might just decide that some things are best left behind closed doors.

Unwindings and new beginnings.

The last time I posted it was mid December and much has happened during the intervening weeks.  Our planned trip to Knoxville was cancelled.  My step-daughter and her family decided to come up here at the last minute so we had a lovely Christmas with my three-year old grandson.  Much time was spent playing, painting, baking holiday cookies and decorating them, and one morning we were even able to go out and catch snowflakes on our tongues.  

Knitting progress was shelved in the general hubub and the rush to make a magical Christmas at home on three days notice; but then Christmas is all about magic and it doesn't take a lot, just creativity and love.

The family is gone now, and I have settled down to the Elaine Striped pullover and one of the worst colds I have had in many a year.  I worked on the sleeve today, got up to the shaping at the top and decided to sew up the sweater and make sure my lengths were correct before proceeding.

At this point I finally had to face facts and deal with the uncomfortable little gremlin that has been sitting on my shoulder and nagging me about this sweater for some time now and admit that he was right all along, and in fact the reason I have been making slow progress is due to the fact that I was never able to completely convince myself that all was well.

The simple truth is that the armholes are just too long.  When the sweater is sewn up the armhole opening is halfway between my bust and my waist, considerably low. And there is no way the sleeve cap, as written will fill the space.  In fact, I don't even want the sleeve cap to fill the space as the sweater would be cumbersome and unwearable.  

 So I ripped the sleeve back to before the cap shaping and then I started ripping back the sweater.  I have finished ripping the back, although I sill have the side seams sewn together at this point.  Next I will rip back the fronts.  

Then I need to add about 4 inches to the sides before the armhole shaping and continue the neckline and shoulder shaping as before.  The total length of the sweater is perfect, the armhole depth is the only issue.  And I will be happy to continue this knowing it will fit.  In fact it may even move along a little more quickly.

It is a suitable end to the year, and although ripping a sweater sounds like a sad way to end a year and begin another, it is actually quite positive since I am no longer fooling myself, wasting my time pursuing dreams instead of reality.  Not that dreams aren't worth pursuing, just that they need to have some foundation.

I hope to close out this year by unraveling this sweater, hopefully finishing  long before midnight,  at which point I shall top off the evening with a little green glass of Nyquil rather than the pink champagne residing in my icebox.  The dawn of a new day and a new year is time enough to begin again.

What's Next: A Plan that might actually stick

I mentioned, a couple of posts back, that I was greatly enamored of the cover sweater for the current Interweave Knits.  When I saw it I immediately envisioned it in some red Aurora 8 that I have in my stash.  Unfortunately there is not enough of the Aurora 8 for that particular sweater so I put the project aside in my head as I fretted and contemplated yarns and whether or not I wanted to order something and if so, what that yarn might be.

 As I was sorting through the yarn stash however, I happened upon some Alpaca Silk from Blue Sky Alpacas.  It is the perfect shade of cherry red and I realized as I looked at it and fondled it, as much as I love the design of the Interweave sweater, what I really want is a red sweater. 

 Luckily for me this red yarn almost fell right into my hand.  As soon as I saw it I remembered purchasing it last February with the intention of knitting the Silk Cocoon Cardigan from the Spring 2009 Interweave knits. This was another sweater that I was eager to knit when I saw it, but the store did not have enough of the color I wanted in stock, and by the time the yardage arrived my attentions had wandered elsewhere.

 

Now it seems like the perfect sweater, although it is vying for attention with this fabulous blue and black cashmere from Stacy Charles called Luba.  I see this yarn in a very simple shape, where the yarn is the star of the show and am considering knitting Ingenue from Wendy Bernard's book, Custom Knits.    This might come first as we are definitely getting into the cold weather season here in the NorthEast and a cozy cashmere sweater is always a welcome addition to the wardrobe. 

For those of you who are eagerly awaiting the Anny Blatt Sweater, Valadon, not to worry.    I never really intended to start it before January, and I was hoping to have reached another interim goal in my weight loss journey, but I will start the sweater whether I am progressing as fast as I hope or more slowly.

I have the yarns together for Valadon and I am ready to go come January, whenever I am ready to start it.  I will finish the Elaine cardigan first as I just don't want to be working two color work sweaters at once right now.  And I might well be knitting two sweaters at once, as I don't believe Valadon, especially once I get up to the color work on the yoke will be a good sweater for portable knitting.

Worked simultaneously or in sequence though I am pretty happy with having these as my next major projects.  I'm not saying there won't be a pair of socks, or mitts or gloves in there, possibility even a hat.  There are a few openings in my wardrobe for small portable projects.

And of course I must finish my current project first.  I'm sticking to my no more additions to the UFO pile rule, as well as my determination to work that pile down.