Knitting for the Dude

A while back I was browsing through the plethora of patterns on Ravelry when I came across a sweater just like the Dude's from the Big Lebowski. The pattern is free and I've got a hankering to knit it for N.

Me: Would you wear this sweater if I knit it for you?
N: Umm...that looks different than the Dude's sweater. Isn't the collar different?
Me: Yeah, I could make it more like a shawl collar. But would you wear it?
N: I don't want you to knit something for me just so I can wear it and you can laugh at me.
Me: I won't laugh at you, it's an awesome sweater. Would you wear it?
N: grumble grumble grumble

I'm taking that as a no. Is that going to stop me? Probably not. The only problem right now is the vast quantity of eco wool that the pattern calls for and the fact that I've got other knitting obligations. Maybe this Fall?

Lintilla

Last Sunday I dug through my stash and pulled out a fairly old skein of sock yarn. This skein has been rolling around in my stash for almost as long as I've been knitting - 5 years! It's Fearless Fibers and comes in a whopping 550 yard skein. She's changed her base and put up in the years since I purchased my skein but the colorway is still available (Inner Sanctum). This is all in pursuit of Lintilla which is strangely satisfying to knit considering it's only garter and short-rows. I love how each garter short-row section flows into the rest of the knitting.

In other news, I'm off to the shop to work the Annual LYS Tour which is fun and crazy and exhausting. I always dread/love this weekend since it's so incredibly tiring but really fun to see new people in the store and excited about yarn! Our shop project is a hat with a sideways cable knit in Malabrigo Rios. Yum. I plan on sporting my new Fair Isle Yoke Sweater since Seattle weather is changeable and it's raining today. I guess that's a boo/yay situation.

Just in time

As soon as warm weather hits I finish a sweater that I want to wear! I purchased yarn for this sweater on my 30th birthday trip to Port Townsend and decided it was finally time to knit it up. After taking Janine Bajus' class at Madrona in February I finally felt ready to knit my very own Fair Isle Yoke Seamless Pullover a la Elizabeth Zimmermann. It was a welcome challenge and I love the result.

Pattern: Fair Isle Yoke Seamless Pullover by Elizabeth Zimmermann (from Knitting Around)
Yarn: Cascade 220 Sport
Needles: US #5 & US #6
Mods/Notes: I worked this at a sport weight gauge (6 sts/inch) on the larger needles. I added some gentle waist shaping and short rows at 5, 10, and 15 inches. My sleeves are 17 inches but could be a tad longer but I always shove long sleeves up to my elbows so it works. I knit the yoke to just under 4 inches before starting the Fair Isle since I like a shallower yoke. Short rows at the back of the neck and 6 rows of ribbing on the smaller needle before a loose bind off. Love!

BTW, 220 sport does not have 220 yards but 164. However, it retails at about 4 dollars per skein so I think it's still a great deal! I used just over 7 skeins of the main color for my 44" bust and small amounts of the other 4 colors for the yoke.

Darn it!

I tried my hand at darning socks today. I would say the results are mediocre but that has more to do with a lack of finesse in my technique than anything. I found a great video on how to do it and pulled out my holey socks.

The sock on the left had an actual hole in the heel and I darned it according to the video instructions. I have a small darning mushroom that I received as a gift that I got to use for the first time. If the hole had been any bigger I think an actual darning egg would have been a better choice.

The sock on the right was just threadbare in the heel and about to explode. Instead of waiting for a sock emergency I duplicate stitched over the patch that looked ready to fall apart. I like the look of it better than the darning and if I notice a sock ready to give out I think I'd rather implement the duplicate stitch method of sock-saving. I'm glad I was able to repair these socks, learn a new technique, and add some knitwear back into my rotation.

Happy Mother's Day!

Mine was good. Breakfast. Work. Dinner. But all I could think about was the relationship between Lucille and Buster and how damn funny Arrested Development was and how much I miss it. Sadly, youtube doesn't have any clips for the motherboy episode so I had to make do.

Handspun Treads

While thinking about my next big knitting project I decided to cast on for a small, fast project. I purchased this yarn at Madrona in February and, copying fellow Purlygirl Meagan, decided to knit Treads. They're quick and satisfying and as soon as I started getting bored knitting one stitch it was time to switch to another.



Pattern: Treads (free Rav pattern)
Yarn: Spincycle Yarns Handspun BFL in Greed
Needles: US #5 Addi Turbos
Mods: I was pretty sure that I would run out of yarn if I knit the individual fingers so after the last braid I knit one row and then worked four rows in 1x1 rib before binding off. I had about three yards left from the skein.

Candelia

I knocked out my Candelia in a little under two weeks and I've already worn it several times. If only the weather in Seattle would stay consistently warm I might be able to sport my new sweater with a skirt!

Pattern: Candelia by Cecily Glowik MacDonald
Yarn: Hazel Knits Artisan Sock in Chocoberry
Needle: US #6 Addi Turbo
Mods: Practically no mods - I only knit the body an inch longer before beginning the ribbing.