Fichu

The Yarner April 10, 2015
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The Triangle Fields test is progressing nicely, but since there’s nothing I can do until my testers have finished knitting, I’ve been playing around with a new crochet pattern. I still have to work out some of the math, where I fudged it on the protoype while I changed my mind about how things should look and what stitch to use next. And then, of course, I’ll have to write out the pattern and *sigh* chart the whole thing. But just to give you a little sneak preview – tada:

Fichu on blocking pins

The prototype on blocking pins. The yarn is Art by Ana, one of her House Sock party cakes. Lovely gradients, definitely worth checking out.

 

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Spontaneous yarn buys

The Yarner May 2, 2014
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There was a sale. Of Baby Ull. Not my fault at all. I still would have felt guilty to add it to my stash. So I made something with it right away. Since it was a left-over sale, it consisted mostly of single skeins, which meant some sort of colour work. I chose stripes, and out came this shrug:

shrug

It turned out every bit as wonderful as I’d hoped, though I confess, I wasn’t in love with darning in all those ends.

Then there was the day I forgot to take my knitting to knitnite. I know. And, believe me, I’ve heard every comment on my cerebral faculties there is. In short, I had to buy a skein of yarn and borrow some needles to keep me busy, or in this case, a crochet hook. I’ve made a Shanti scarf before and love it. It’s a wonderful one skein project, and the Lang Ella yarn just screamed Shanti.

scarf

April’s charity knit is a scrappy lengthwise scarf, perfect for using those half-skeins one typically finds in donation bins.

scarf

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Thoughts of Spring

The Yarner April 2, 2014
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There’s a whiff of spring in the air and my niece’s upcoming 3rd birthday. So I knit her a little summery, cottony ladybug dress:

She looks adorable in it. The pattern is Little sister’s dress. Available for free on Ravelry.

The March charity knit was a reversible cowl:

But my biggest accomplishment was to finally conquer the Swain Sweater (Tunisian chrochet):

:

That was a pattern with some challenges, so I’m doubly happy with how it turned out. It’s hella warm and very comfy.

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January’s off to a good start

The Yarner February 11, 2014
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I didn’t realize how busy I was until I checked my finished projects.

We started the year off in style with a knit-along of Jared Flood’s wonderful Juneberry pattern. I knit mine in the no less wonderful Madelinetosh Pashmina:

Charity knit of the month was a Tunisian crochet scarf:

Test knit another fantastic Dagmar Mora pattern – Deco Mitts:

And finally finished the prototype for a crochet design that had been confounding me for a long time. I give you ‘Zephyr’:

I still have to write up the pattern, but I’m super pleased with how it turned out.

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Rounding things off in December

The Yarner January 1, 2014
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Well, Christmas knitting, obviously. Notably Hax0r mitts and Tiger sox:

I liked the Treads pattern so much that I decided to use it for glove covers for myself (slightly amended):

The yarn was handspun for me for my birthday!!! Thank you again, Natalie. It’s utterly fabulous.

Apart from that I did mostly charity knitting:

It’s the season, but I’d like to do a little more of it all year around. I’d have a bigger pile at the end and it wouldn’t end in stress. So that’s part of my resolution for 2014: Knit one charity item each month.

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Busy October

The Yarner November 6, 2013
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I finished the medium and large Gradient prototypes, and the tests for all are in full swing.

Medium Gradient:

Large Gradient:

I also started a test for the text version of my Telegraph pattern,

and I’m hunting around for someone to make professional charts for me.

Things are looking really good this month.

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September update

The Yarner October 2, 2013
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As the garden year slows down, the fiber stuff picks up again.

I did a crochet test of a super cute pair of shorts by Vicky Chan. Check them out:

The pattern is up on ravelry, if you’d like to make some for yourself (click the pic).

 

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What happened in August?

The Yarner September 2, 2013
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I don’t have any pictures for you, because *gasp* I didn’t finish anything.

First I managed to catch the summer flu bad enough that I didn’t have the brains to knit for nearly a week! I know, right?

Then, I’ve been working on two more sizes for the Gradient pattern, and ran out of yarn on the large one. Good thing my LYS still had that dye lot; I just have to go pick it up. In the meantime, I started the medium Gradient to tide me over.

I’ve also been playing with the idea of a lacy side-to-side jacket in crochet for a while now, but for the longest time couldn’t find the right stitch for it. I think I found one. I’ve been swatching with a lovely flower pattern that I really like. I’ve picked Fleece Artist Saldanha II in a deep midnight blue/black for the jacket and recently started a sleeve. It’s not very far along though, because I’ve been working on the Gradient shawls almost every night. Hoping to start testing very soon.

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July

The Yarner August 2, 2013
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I finally finished my felted bag, liner and all, and love it to pieces. It has all those nifty little pockets inside from an old pair of jeans turned inside-out. And the colours just make me happy:

I’ve also been working on a new pattern, and finished a first prototype. Meet Gradient:

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June Projects

The Yarner July 4, 2013
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My big project in June was Jared Flood’s Rock Island. I’ve had the pattern for at least a year, but it took a knit-along at my LYS to finally get my butt in gear to make it. I picked a skein of Handmaiden Marrakesh in a lovely Amber that I’ve had in my stash for a long time. Wasn’t it just made for it?

In the crochet corner, I succumbed to my favourite sock pattern again and turned out another pair of Sideways Socks. I just can’t get enough of them:

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