Our temperatures here in northern Massachusetts never got above 5ºF yesterday and with a 25-30 mph wind blowing, things were mighty brisk out there! God bless Lily (my little white Accent) - she takes a licking and keeps on ticking - and she warms up fast too :) This morning, last time I checked, the outside temp was already up to a whole 18ºF! Time to open some windows? Heheh…
This is a fancy scarf that I’m trying out :) There’s a triple strand of lace weight yarns here being worked on size 6 US (4 mm) needles incorporating the ubiquitous Van Dyke panel (for me, anyway) between seed stitch borders. I actually like the way this looks very much. The yarns are Second Hand Rose (baby alpaca) and a double strand of lace weight rayon flake in a fuchsia/copper/purple/silver variegate. The work is a bit slow going because the yarns are very slippery but the results are, I think, very pretty. I do seem to be enjoying lacework these days - just not in the very fine gauges :)
I also started a sock yesterday…
...with some sport weight yarn I’ve had for quite a while now. It’s an interesting yarn as the base (and main color) is a deep cranberry red but there is a small ply of yarn spun with it that runs from orange to green to strawberry to blue which lends a subtle striping effect when the yarn is knitted up. It’s a fascinating stuff but I’m not sure this sock is the right project for it.
That said, I like how the leaf pattern is working out, though the 60 stitch cast on - size 3 US (3.25 mm) - is a little big. Because the pattern repeats over 5 stitches and because I want an even number of repeats, I’ll have to see if this would work with a cast on of 50 stitches. That’s if I was going to continue to use this yarn - which has another issue concerning relatively small work (for me) - it’s too damned dark. When I was starting the sock yesterday morning, I was sitting in full, plentiful sunlight and even then noticed how deep a red this color was. Last night, under the living room lights, I could barely discern one stitch from another. While I love both the yarn and how the pattern seems to be evolving, they should probably not be used together. So the other possibility, of course, is to use a different yarn and, maybe, a size 2 needle and see how that works.
Oh - the above photo had to be lightened to show the detail. The true color is much deeper than that - even in direct sunlight :)
And (you knew this was coming - right?) there has been another swatch :) This time in wool, which is what I want to make this shawl out of, and sampling another lace pattern.
This is Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Cherry Blossom worked on a size 9 US (5.5 mm) circular. The stitch pattern is from the 365 Knitting Stitches a Year calendar and is called Alternating Lace (found on July 31). What I like about the pattern is that it’s simple, has a straight purl-back row and is pretty adaptable in terms of both height and width. What I’m not so sure about yet is how well something as open as this works in blocks placed at right angles to each other.
I guess it’s not too bad and my even have a certain maze-like appeal :) But it seems really busy to my eye. I suppose if I, for some reason, fall distractedly in love with it I could find something plainer to alternate with it - either by block or by row so that the busyness wouldn’t immediately and permanently cross the eyes of anyone viewing the finished shawl.
On the other hand, the pattern of the scarf above - differes only from the pattern of the first large swatch (see this post, about two-thirds of the way down) in that the borders are done in seed stitch rather than stockinette - and I think I like it better :)
I feel another swatch coming on…
No trackbacks yet.
i say hooray for startitis- keeps the mind occupied when the weather isn’t being cooperative and indoors is the place to stay- heck, i would love to have an attack of starting anything- i have decided that i must be a direct descendant of some kind of amazing union between a sloth and a slug and cannot move myself toward even getting things started-
i do have a completely mindless shawl on the needles, but since i went for easy instead of interesting, that seems to make it one of those everlasting projects that goes nowhere- and, to top it off, i’ve decided the colors i am using closely resemble ‘cat yack’!
umm, i might be grumpy today- *you* stay happy-
Barb - Cat yack!?!? LOL - that’s and interesting color description. Have you let the yarn manufacturer know? It could set up a whole new trend in color naming! Cat yack, Bile, Owl castings and so forth. You know, for the natural crowd…
Sorry you’re having a grumpy day and I hope things are looking up before long!
I think your startitis is related to my knitting ADD. I can’t seem to concentrate on much lately. I think all this yucky weather is just plain making me restless. I think I need some spring knitting inspiration or something.
Lisa - Believe me, I know where of you speak. I spent two weeks in the Doldrums of knitting before I got some wind in my sails :)
Hang in there - inspiration is just around the corner!
well, my sloth regarding knitting was definitely caused by the weather - I came out of it as soon as I cast the heavy wool aside for a nice DK cotton/modal blend. That seems to have perked me up enough to get through a skein and a half’s worth of sweater….
I honestly like the first swatch of the shawl (in the white, that echos the scarf?) better than the red… enough to hope you would post a pattern for it someday….
Hey, Robbyn! I see you got a mention in the new issue of Knitty. There’s an article on dyeing with food coloring, and your blog The Dye Pot is mentioned in the notes at the end of the article.
http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring07/FEATdyeyourown.html
Way cool!
Startitis - my personal demon.
LOVE that sock!!
What fun! I love the scarf and the sock is really gorgeous. I know what you mean about going blind working with dark colours though. Have you ever considered getting an OTT light? It’s been a life saver for me.
Colleen - Since I won’t be getting the yarn for this for a while yet, I’ll be playing with patterns and edgings until then - and believe me, I’m grateful for the time. But I promise, when ‘ve got it worked out and done, I will share the pattern :)
Marcy - WOW! Thanks for bringing that to my atention. Now isn’t that a kick in the pants :)
Lisa - Under normal conditions, startitis is chronic with me :) I love the pattern, but have frogged the sock as I really, really can’t work with the dark yarn at that gauge. I have already cast on and re-started them in smething a bit brighter though!
Opal - I have thought about an OTT light and, perhaps I’m going to have to give it more serious thought. The thing is I’m not terribly fond of really dark colors but I do love this yarn. I think I’m going to try working it at a larger gauge.
Keep on startin’! I’m always fascinated with where your knittin’ brain goes next. :)
Bron - Nothing to worry about there :) I’m afraid I’ll always have more ideas than time and therefore always several things on the needles (or hooks)!
All kinds of things on the needles….seems you have found your mojo again :)
I like the colors in the scarf. They are very pretty together.I am itching to get some lace on my needles too.
Maureen - Here’s hoping it sticks around for a little while!
Robbyn -
I think in your earlier post of the Van Dyke stitch, which I found once and now CANNOT locate because I am a dork, there is a K1 missing from the section in parantheses on Row 3.
I’m going to try this pattern (inspired by you!) with some Manos for a scarf, and so I’ve charted it out on Excel. Happy to send out if anyone likes a charted version.
Diane - Thanks for pointing that out - you’re absolutely right and I have fixed the problem :)(it’s the 9/5/06 post - The Lace Blanket).
I think your scarf idea sounds lovely - I haven’t had the opportunity to use Manos yet, but I understand it is really quite wonderful!
