Sweater Streak

Wondering why I’m suddenly into sweater knitting?

This is the reason …..

International Sweater-a-Month Dodecathon

12 adult sweaters in a year is a huge feat for me but I think that this group is just the ticket to get me stashbusting.  As far as progress goes, I’m not faring too well seeing that I’ve just completed 2 sweaters so far and we’re almost done with April.  Yikes!  But I ain’t quitting yet!  Some brilliant knitters have completed their 8th and 9th sweaters for this year!!  So, there’s plenty of knitterly inspiration out there.

Of course, there has been other knitting too but for the most part it has been sweater knitting and I am really enjoying it.

Next on my needles is the Geodesic Cardigan using Malabrigo Lace.  I’m almost at the little “tucks” which is the fun part of the pattern.

Posted by & filed under Cardigans, Stashbusting. This post has 7 comments.

Tart For Tea

Finally……

my Tea Leaves Cardigan  « c’est fini »

Tart for Tea

Pattern: Tea Leaves Cardigan by Melissa LaBarre
Yarn: Madelinetosh tosh dk  in “Tart”
Needles: Size US 6/4 mm and US 7/4.5 mm

I found out (yet again) that I can’t completely rely on my gauge swatch since I tend to knit tighter on a larger piece of fabric compared to a 4×4 inch piece of stitches and rows.  So, with this sweater, there was no positive ease on me as compared to the experience of most others who have knit this pattern. 

I knit two extra rows of garter stitch on each button band since I wanted them a little wider and reversed the sides of the buttonholes on the bands to the right (pattern says otherwise).  I think that these are the only mods I made to the pattern.

Another thing, all the hoo-hah about the Tart colorway being fantastic is actually bang on!

This is definitely my current favorite finished object and the 3/4 length sleeves make for a great spring garment.

Posted by & filed under Cardigans, Finished Knits. This post has 27 comments.

Rosy Scalloped Hat

This little hat is ready to be gifted.  This was my first time knitting a Tot Toppers pattern.  It was well written and I had to only make a couple minor changes – reducing the length of the hat and the number of rounds to finish off the crown.  This was probably due to the fact that I didn’t check gauge before casting on (as always, my bad!)  

Also, this was my first time using this yarn and I absolutely loved knitting with it.  It’s so soft, has a lovely sheen to it and the price is unbeatable.  Added bonus — it’s machine washable!  I managed to knit this hat out of just one ball with maybe a yard to spare.

Love the little details in this pattern – the lacy brim, the sweet rosettes and the little ‘teepee’ (don’t know what else to call that pointy bit).  It’s a little too big on my 2-year-old’s noggin, but I think that it will be perfect for the recipient who is 3.

Rosy Scallops

Pattern: Rosy Scalloped Hat by Kate Oates
Yarn: Sirdar Snuggly Baby Bamboo DK  in “Willow”
Needles: Size US 5/3.75 mm

Posted by & filed under Finished Knits, Hats, Kids. This post has 10 comments.

Toppers

My Tea Leaves Cardigan is done and drying on the blocking board as I speak type.  I ain’t holding my breath though  seeing that I know from previous experience that wet merino doesn’t dry quickly.  Promise that pictures and blurbs of my Tarty Cardi will be forthcoming!

In the meantime, I’ve been knitting a couple hats.  One for gifting and another that’s been requested by a friend.  I’m using a purchased pattern for the one to be gifted for which I had the perfect yarn in my stash. 

It’s a sweet little pattern and I should have been done ages ago but I have a couple sick kids at home with wheezy chests and leaky noses, so knitting time was pretty much extinct over the Easter long weekend we just had.  They’re  on the mend now, thank you yucky antibiotics!

Continuing on the sweater streak, I’ve been wanting to cast on for this or this or this or maybe even this.  I think that I’ll get the hats out of the way before I tackle another project that takes some serious commitment.

Posted by & filed under Cardigans, Hats, Kids. This post has 7 comments.

Molly for Sarah

The Molly beret is done and ready for gifting to Sarah.

Molly for Sarah

Pattern: Molly by Alana Dakos
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy in “Happy Forest”
Needles: Size US 2/2.75 mm and US 4/3.5 mm

I knit the hat extra slouchy to accommodate the unfortunate hair incident and got Kirtana to model it for me.  Kiki adores Sarah and will do anything for her include sitting still for pictures! 

Once again this pattern proved to be a quick, fun knit and even comes in adult sizes.

Love :: the little i-cord detail on top.

Posted by & filed under Finished Knits, Hats, Kids, Lace, Stashbusting. This post has 8 comments.

A Perfect Day For Green

Spring is almost here according to the Weatherman and the calendar.  Spring flowers have broken free a few weeks too early but no one will begrudge their overenthusiastic schedule since they make everything beautiful.

I have little something on the needles today, perfect green knitting for St. Paddy’s Day.  I’m knitting the Molly hat again for my dear friend’s daughter who turns 3 next week. 

She and her brother had a very unfortunate incident involving a pair of scissors and Dora.  No, they didn’t cut Dora-the-doll’s hair.  He decided to give his sister a “Dora haircut” and seeing that he’s only 5, he didn’t do a very good job of it.  Their frazzled Mama tried to salvage the bad hair-do at the local salon, but you can only do so much to hair that’s been chopped off in clumps.  Thankfully, hair is renewable and this one will definitely go down in their memory books!!  I’m thinking that this beret will be cute enough to hide a multitude of haircutting disasters:) 

My Tea Leaves Cardigan is coming along quite well too.  I’ve finished the body while multi-tasking.  

Prithvi loves to read and it’s no surprise since I used to be the same way when I was his age.  I remember devouring a book every chance I got, even reading under the covers with a flashlight!  So, it’s no wonder that we go to the library to check out a pile of books every week.  Last week I happened to see a knitting novel called, ‘The Beach Street Knitting Society and Yarn Club’, sitting there on the shelf and had to grab it.  I didn’t read the back cover to see if it was any good, I just grabbed it.  I’m on the last chapter now and I have been reading while I knit.  The reason…LARGE print edition!!  

Unfortunately, the book is, well….meh, but I realized that I have missed reading so much that I just plowed my way through.

PS: For those of us with little people in our lives, the latest issue of Petite Purls is out with plenty of stashbusting inspiration and cuteness!

Posted by & filed under Books, Cardigans, Gifts, Hats, Kids, Stashbusting. This post has 10 comments.

Irresistible

That’s all I have to say about this

this

and this

Fell off the yarn diet wagon.  Bad, bad, bad!

Posted by & filed under Yarn. This post has 9 comments.

Levens

Before the madness that was the Ravelympics I finished a very interesting shawl project.  This pattern called Levens written by the very talented Lily Kate France breaks up yards of plain stockinette with vertical ruched sections and a lacy edging.

My Fleece Artist yarn in “Labrador” that I was so smitten and flummoxed by at the same time turned out to be the perfect choice for this shawlette.  I’ve used Fleece Artist Merino before in a different colorway for my Monkey Socks and once again, I loved the smoothness of this yarn.

Levens

Pattern: Levens by Lilly Kate France
Yarn: Handmaiden Fine Yarn Casbah Sock in “Ruby”
Needles: Size US 6/4 mm

February has turned out to be Shawl Month for me and my shawl mojo has vanished temporarily.  For now, it’s back to sweater knitting until the call of lace is too strong to resist.

Posted by & filed under Finished Knits, Shawl. This post has 6 comments.