Something from nothing

Rooting around in my plastic buckets of partial skeins and dreaming up ways to use odds and sods is one of my favourite things to do. Scraps are a huge source of inspiration. I can get hours and hours of cheap entertainment.

I pulled out some bits and pieces of sock yarn leftovers, and whipped up this....



the prettiest yoga mat bag I've ever seen.

Comprised of Tofutsies, Koigu, Colinette Jitterbug, Regia by Kaffe Fassett, among others, it is knit according to the Serenity Yoga Mat pattern by Stephannie Roy published in KnitWit. Instead of Mission Falls 1824, I used all sock weight yarns held double, and knit round and round. Stashbust city.



Accessorize, accessorize.

Lone Star, Part 2

This is another project I have had on my mind, waaaaay longer than the Rogue hoodie, ie. since we moved in.

Stars are probably my favourite kind of quilt patterns, maybe because there are so many different ones to choose from? I've always liked the graphics of the Lone Star design, which is rows of 45 degree diamonds set in contrasting rings radiating from the star's centre to the tips. It is a classic, eight pointed star, also known as Morning Star and Star of Bethlehem.

When I saw the jelly roll in the shop, I knew it would be an effective, efficient way to use the fabric. I also knew I would be using the strip piecing method of construction and I didn't want to cut any more than I had to.

I wanted to use as much of the jelly roll as I could, in a variety of fabrics, but not make the star so big that it wouldn't look right in the space I had in mind for it to hang. I also knew I was going to machine quilt this one, and I have learned the hard way many times over that I can't quilt a big quilt easily and comfortably using a regular machine, which is what I have. That also helped me determine the size to make.

The width of the jelly roll strips was 3 inches, which, in a 5 x 5 diamond layout using 1/4 inch seam allowances, meant I would be making a finished star measuring approximately 60 inches (across the full width and height of the star). This would work for me.

I studied a few different quilt designs for lone stars, and finally decided using a continuous curve method from Harriet Hargrave. It's not too fussy to do, and the best part is that the process eliminates the need to constantly stop and cut threads. The only time you have to stop is when the bobbin runs out (and when you finally quit for the night).

Here we are pinned and getting ready to start the actual quilting (and psyching myself up).



I batted up a sample for my "practice sessions." This is quite important to "get in the zone," I call it, before I start machine quilting. I usually have a beverage by my side and music playing to help this process. I go at it for a bit on the practice piece, then go for real on the quilt after I'm all loosened up. That sounds funny and odd, but ...it works for me! Not to mention it's pretty fun. :o)



After I finished machine quilting the star, I was stumped about the design in the setting triangles. I had enough going on in the star, and did not want to complicate things with anything too fancy. I sifted through all my patterns for borders and corners, and came up with a simple scroll design from Hari Walner that I enlarged, traced onto a template, cut out, then traced around the template with a special marking pen onto the sections. I initially machine quilted it, but was having trouble making the curves smooth enough for my liking. I ended up pulling out the stitches and hand quilting it instead, which did not take long (2 nights). I'm really happy with the result.



One might think that after spending so much time and thought on this quilt that the process would carry on through completion. For some reason unbeknownst to moi, I did something rather impulsive, with some regret. I attached the binding to the back (instead of the front, my usual), and brought the binding to the front to machine quilt into place using the serpentine stitch.



I think it's an interesting look, but not exactly the one I was going for with this project. It is too much to unpick, so now I am learning to embrace my quick decision and going with "the look." I have too many other things to do!

Voila, another checkmark on my life list.

Bits and bobs

It's a time of restraint, hence, I present a couple more finished projects from leftover yarns. I'm in feel good mode!

From five different yarns comes this wildly scrappy hat using The Boy Hat pattern. Rather jolly looking, I say.



Throughout many winters Kirk has been wearing the hat my mom knit for him years ago. This year, I thought I would give him an option. Of course it's now spring, and it's done, the Marsan Watchcap. I used the extra ball of Dream in Colour Classy (the lighter coloured one) that I had for the Rogue. It's knit up into a sturdy, twisted 1 x 1 ribbed hat with a nice brim for extra ear warmth and interesting decreases for the crown. So he's ready....for next winter.




And this silky little number is from a pretty skein of Malabrigo Silky Merino. Marianna remembered I was quite taken with it on a trip to the LYS, then took her dad back to the store so she could buy it for me for Christmas. Just the sweetest. The pattern is the Darkside Cowl, free on rav. It's an easy pattern with a zigzag look. Used only about two thirds of a skein....so now I have more leftovers to work with, heh heh.

Finally....Spring

Me and my Rogue

In my ravelry queue for over a year, and on the needles for 5 weeks, I'm done!

I got this Rogue Hoodie off to a great start this past winter. Nineteen page pattern from Jenna Wilson, it is a detailed and well written pattern. No wonder it is rated five stars by reviewers on rav. The pattern pages were a bit unwieldy to haul around in my knitting bag, but worth every effort. Ta da!



The pocket is knit in as you go along, which I really liked, not having to go back to sew it on.



I made the body length longer by adding an extra cable repeat, as the designer suggested. After I finished the sweater, I was still not quite happy with the length so I left the 1x1 ribbed hem down instead of turning it up. Even with the turning row showing, I think it still works! The side shaping in cables I thought was rather clever.



I used a three needle bind off for the shoulder seams.

The Celtic cables I am crazy about, I love them! (seven charts of cables to follow, oh my). When working the hood foundation row, do not forget there are three wrapped stitches that must be worked within the left and right cable sections! I had put the project down for awhile and then had to deal with this after the fact. Not pleasant, but all fixed up :o)





For the hood finishing, I was unsure about how to graft both purl and knit stitches, but found a tutorial here which was quite helpful.



For sewing the hood to the cabled border, I picked up the same number of stitches on the border as on the hood (19), and grafted them together.



I wore the sweater around the house, in vest form, while working on the sleeves. I adapted the sleeve pattern to knit them in the round, so I worked two less stitches (to compensate for seam allowance) up the sleeve. I also knit the sleeve hem just 8 rows instead of 12 to reduce bulk. Besides the hood finishing, the only sewing was setting in the sleeves to the body. Totally manageable! But then again, I like sewing.

As for the yarn, well, wow, it was my first time with DIC Classy. I think we now have a "thing" going, I so enjoyed knitting with it. This colourway is called Grey Tabby, it makes me feel warm and cosy just imagining a furry kitty. This is a superwash yarn, a good choice, I think, for a hoodie. I did not encounter any knots in any skeins, either. However, as with hand dyed semi solids I've used in the past, I ran into problems with colour varigation differences, and I didn't think I could live with it. Only with one ball, though, so I just went out and bought another one! Not without discussing at great length with knitters at work, knitters at the LYS, family members.... anyone who would listen, really. All is good! Thank you, you know who you are ;o)



After blocking, the yarn easily went back into shape. I just know this will be a high use sweater.
Love my rogue.

Leftovers

I think I've been pretty good lately, I have not bought yarn for at least 2 months! This is a long time for me....so now I'm feeling rather virtuous working through my partial skeins leftover from finished projects. I had lots of balls of about 100 yards or just under, so off I was on a stashbusting mission.

I present the Wavy Hat Pattern knit in Misti Alpaca Hand Dyed Worsted. Love those short colour repeats.



and Lonesome Stone Dyed Worsted in the same pattern. Very pretty lace work, and quite stretchy enabling a forgiving fit.



This is the You Don't Know Our Women Hat knit in Araucania Azapa, this yarn is SO soft! I like how the cables twist opposite to each other.



and The Amanda Hat in Cascade 220 Paints, gorgeous colour blends. I omitted the last set of lace rounds and garter rounds since I was running out of yarn. It's still deep enough for a good fit, though.



Plenty more where that came from!