The Lyf So Short

Grin and Bear it

Kate — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:54:17 +0000

This has just come to my attention — a bit late, but still adorable and beyond cool. I used to live just three blocks away from this very statue.

Tagged: Griffith Park, yarn activism, yarn bombing

Two Sweaters for Niece-to-be

Kate — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:35:26 +0000

I’ve just finished the “Cabled Raglan Baby Sweater” by Rebecca L. Daniels, a gift for the niece-to-be (the first photo is here). Because there are no seams — it’s worked from the neck downwards — it’s quite easy to finish. I had to make a quick trip to the local sewing store to get a snap since the button is only decorative. I chose a plastic, translucent white button to match the button from the baby kimono I also made for the niece to be. The yarn I used to make this, the heather Suss Love, is the same yarn I used to crochet the edges of the Kristin Spurkland “Baby Kimono.” Even though the sweaters are very different in appearance, I think the use of same yarn ties the two sweaters together and makes them a kind of matching set. Here’s a close-up of the crochet edging and buttons:

And here’s a close-up of the button and collar area of the “Cabled Raglan Baby Sweater”:

I chose to work the collar and buttonhole band edging in seed stitch instead of garter stitch which is what the pattern calls for. No particular reason–I just like the look of seed stitch better.

Tagged: Cabled Raglan Baby Sweater, garter stitch, Knitting, Kristin Spurkland, Rebecca L. Daniels, seed stitch, Suss Love yarn, Sweater

Purl Dreams Finish!

Kate — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 07:39:56 +0000

I bought this pattern at my LYS–Unwind–just a couple weeks ago and I had to start it right away, even though I don’t really have any plans for it. I just love the idea of creating a square blanket in plain ol’ stockinette.

This blanket is an example of my favorite kind of project: it’s (relatively) easy to knit and yet the finished product looks elegant and complicated. It was perhaps a little tricky at the beginning to juggle the dpn’s and get into the “swing” of the pattern, but once you get going, it’s quite easy. This is a perfect “sit in front of the TV” project.

This is “Purl Dreams” in a slightly less complete state:

The only difficulty I had was deciding how to join one skein to the next. Since the piece is seamless and knitted as one piece in the round (or, I guess, technically, in the square), there are no edges or seams to hide the loose ends in. I used a variation of the “Russian Join” so the joins would be very secure and stand up to all the wear and tear it’s bound to be subjected to by an active toddler. My final photos were taken pre-blocking, but it’s still difficult to tell (especially on the front side) where one skein ends and the other begins.

Although the pattern called for ivory, I chose a pretty mauve/pink with a chocolate brown border because those are such popular colors right now for girls. I would gladly do this pattern again, however I would probably arrange to do all my joins in the diagonal furrows of the yarn-over increases. I think that would hide them better and probably create a smoother final product.

Overall, though, I think this is adorable and I can’t wait to do more patterns like this square shape–next time with stripes?

Tagged: Baby Blanket, Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky, Donna Higgins, GGH Aspen, Knitting, Purl Dreams, Russian Join, Unwind

A Finish!: “Absorba the Great Bathmat”

Kate — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:01:03 +0000

I am Absorba, the Great Bathmat! Bow before my moisture-extracting powers!

Although this is my first project from the first Mason-Dixon Knitting book, I have been head over heels in love with their aesthetic ever since it came out. Their second book, Mason Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines, only reinforced my eternal love and devotion.

Obviously, the knitted log cabin quilt pattern is one of their trademarks and although I am far from the first to jump on this bandwagon, I am definitely one of the most enthusiastic. In fact, I realize I’m probably the last blogger in the Western Hemisphere to extol the virtues of log cabin knitting, but here goes… It’s very soothing to work solely in garter stitch. It’s almost mindless (and I mean that in the best possible way) and kind of zen. And the way the log cabin pattern works, there’s hardly any counting of rows or stitches involved. Not to mention the fact that the design possibilities–color, texture, fiber mixtures, striping, size, shape, fancy/everyday–are endless.

On a personal note, my grandmother was an avid quilter who loved to make log cabin quilts for everyone in the family. Although I have not inherited her quilting skills (or patience), I like to think that log cabin knitting keeps alive the tradition she loved so much.

For this project, I used size 15 needles and four strands of either Lily Sugar & Cream and Suss Bomull in ivory, chocolate and olive. The two yarns are, IMHO, completely interchangeable. The olive and chocolate bands (which are a little hard to see in this photo) match the colors in my bathroom decor (and I use the term “decor” loosely). You’ll have to trust me that those colors work. Really.

Tagged: Absorba the Great Bathmat, Knitting, Lily Sugar 'n' Cream, Mason-Dixon Knitting, Suss Bomull

A Finish! Baby Kimono for Niece

Kate — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 14:14:00 +0000

So, I’ve finished the world’s most beautiful baby kimono for the world’s most beautiful niece-to-be. See the baby kimono in a less symmetrical state here. Like Brooke’s kimono, I finished this one with a single crochet edging–this time in heather Suss Love (a kind of light gray-green). This yarn is amazingly soft, perfect for baby clothes.

Sorry for the murky photo. Here’s a close-up of the crochet edging:

Here’s a slightly more detailed close-up of the button closure:

The pearlized plastic buttons are just flowery enough to suggest femininity without being too girly. They also go really well with the neutral colors. I think my brother and SIL will love it.

What’s next, Auntie Kate?

Update 01/25/11: Sadly, Suss Love yarn has now been discontinued.

Tagged: Baby Kimono, Finish, Knitting, Kristin Spurkland

WIP: Cabled Raglan Baby Sweater

Kate — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:50:00 +0000

When I saw this free pattern on Knitting Daily, I liked it instantly and I knew I just had to make it for the niece-to-be. Here’s my version of “Cabled Raglan Baby Sweater” by Rebecca L. Daniels:

My version is worked with heather Suss Love (I’ve sung the praises of this yarn before) on size 5 needles. I made the sleeves a bit longer than the pattern called for and used seed stitch for the edging instead of garter stitch. Seed stitch is probably my favorite simple edging. This change caused some minor glitches at the neckline, but I’m hoping those will be covered up by the button. I’m thinking a shell button would look rather elegant.

Bonus: the raglan, top-down shaping means no seaming! Sweet.

Update 01/25/11: Sadly, Suss Love yarn has now been discontinued.

Tagged: Cabled Raglan Baby Sweater, Knitting, Rebecca L. Daniels, Suss Love, WIPs

Sister-in-Law in Sweatery Goodness

Kate — Mon, 25 May 2009 20:23:00 +0000

I’ve just returned to Chez Kate after a lovely, albeit overcast, weekend at the Tickle Pink Inn in the Carmel Highlands, one of my favorite places on earth. Check out the photo gallery on the website and you’ll see why. On my way, reluctantly, out of town, I snapped this photo of my SIL, Karen, wearing the sweater I made for her as a Christmas gift:

Sister-in-law (and little niece on the way) in Cable Panel Pullover

It’s a good thing I made this sweater a little big to make room for my little niece on the way. And Karen was such a good sport for agreeing to have her picture taken outside with wet hair!

Tagged: Ann Budd, Cable Panel Pullover, Carmel Highlands, Knitting, Sweater, Tickle Pink Inn

WIP: Baby Kimono for Niece

Kate — Sat, 23 May 2009 21:38:00 +0000

Ever since I found out this past February that I’m going to be an aunt, all I can think about is what I’m going to make for the little tyke. OK, yeah, yeah, I hope the baby’s healthy and all that… And, yeah, I hope my sister-in-law has a healthy and relatively uneventful pregnancy… But the real questions are: what to knit? what to stitch?

I’m particularly excited since this is my first outing as an aunt, and, since I’m the family spinster and I have only one sibling (brother Bill), I’m not likely to have a lot of children in my life to shower with painstakingly crafted handmade gifts. We found out recently that the baby’s going to be a little girl due at the end of September/early October. My SIL put it perfectly: “I can’t wait to meet her!”

To the left, we have the latest WIP: “Baby Kimono” by Kristin Spurkland from the Summer 2005 Interweave Knits “Baby Gifts” section (the pattern is also available for free from Knitting Daily). Although I don’t usually like to repeat patterns, you can see another version I made for my cousin’s baby here.

The yarn I used is ivory Suss Love, an incredibly soft 100% tactel nylon yarn that feels like cashmere (I swear!) but is washable. The pattern is worked all in one piece and I only have two halves of the two sleeves left to work. The pink stitch holder is holding the stitches for the right sleeve and my circular needles (Size 4, if you’re curious, and Size 4 if you’re not) are holding the stitches for the left. Since the entire piece is worked in garter stitch, the safety pin is marking the “wrong side” (the inside of the garment).

Update 01/25/11: Sadly, Suss Love has now been discontinued.

Tagged: Baby Clothes, Baby Kimono, Knitting, Knitting Daily, Kristin Spurkland, WIPs

A Finish: Shepherd’s Bush “Folk Heart Roll”

Kate — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 13:37:00 +0000

I’m so happy to have finished this project. This is one of those kits I bought on an impulse just because I liked the colors and the hearts and the lace and the black checkerboard design and the… well, you get the idea. You’ll have to take my word for it that I’m not much of a “hearts and flowers” gal, but something about this design’s simplicity and “folkiness” spoke to me. After all, there’s no explaining love.

Unfortunately, the kit sat in a bin in my “office” for several years waiting to see the light of day. And then, one day, I needed a simple project to get back into the swing of cross stitch and there it was. After I started stitching, of course, it was completed in no time flat.

By the way, please pardon the hoop marks!

If memory serves, this is the third Shepherd’s Bush needleroll I’ve completed. The other two were Christmas themed and were given as gifts. I can’t decide what to do with this one. I don’t feel like making it into a needleroll because I’m afraid it will just sit around collecting dust, but I can’t think of what else to do with it except perhaps get it framed. With some minor modifications, it would make a lovely birth sampler for a little girl. Any finishing ideas, gentle readers?

Tagged: Cross Stitch, Finish, Folk Heart Needle Roll, Shepherd's Bush

Merry Stashmas!

Kate — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:28:00 +0000

And, from my crazy and creative roommate, I present the World’s Best Way to Use Up Your Yarn Stash^TM:

These were so fun and easy to make–and the assorted novelty yarns and yarn mixes hid a multitude of flaws “design elements.” A couple of the balls are just gauge swatches I had lying around that have been sewn up and gathered at both ends. So this is a great way to use up those old gauge swatches too.

You are doing gauge swatches, aren’t you? OK, OK… Christmas is no time for nagging, especially not when you’ve got multicolored yarn-covered Christmas ball ornaments to wrap. To the left is my absolute favorite, a gold ornament wearing a chullo hat–with a fair isle design no less! Chullos are originally from the Andes Mountain region of South America, especially Peru and Bolivia, but they’re starting to become very fashionable here in the United States as well. If you’re interested in styles from this region, I highly recommend you start with Marcia Lewandowski’s Andean Folk Knits: Great Designs from Peru, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador & Bolivia.

Happy Stitching to all and to all a good night!

Tagged: Andean Folk Knits, Christmas Ornaments, chullo, Knitting, Marcia Lewandowski, Novelty yarns, Yarn Stash