(So for now here's a few shot of the finished Fern...I'm particularly proud of the shoulder seaming)
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Let's see if we can get this going again....
(So for now here's a few shot of the finished Fern...I'm particularly proud of the shoulder seaming)
Princess Cardigan, from Ravelry
I've had this long-time struggle in my mind - blog vs Ravelry. I always try to keep up my project notes on Ravelry....it's where I write everything about my work. But I notice that I spend all my time and desire to write about it on Ravelry, and then the blog just gets ignored completely. I know many knitters/bloggers do it the opposite way, so Im trying something new. I'll cross-post my Ravelry entries here on the blog, so maybe I'll reach a wider audience, and my blog will actually have something on it!
The first post will be about the Princess Cardigan by Kathy Zimmerman for Kraemer Yarns. I'm knitting it as a sample for the wonderful Christina at the incredible Yarn Mountain shop in Harrisonburg, VA. It's definitely the most challenging pattern I've ever knit, so I hope it will make for an interesting story.
Details: I'm using Kraemer Yarns Summit Hill Worsted Superwash in Blue
I'm using US6's for the smaller needles and US7's for the larger needles; the needles are from my Knit Pick's Harmony Wood Interchangeable Set
My gauge is, well, honestly I didn't do a gauge swatch! (Please don' t tell anyone!)
See complete details on my Ravelry project page here
08.19.12 This project was started by another knitter, who only got thru the majority of one sleeve. Christina sent me 6 skeins of yarn (including the skein it took to knit that one sleeve), so I assumed she wanted me to knit the small size, tho she never actually said. Maybe I should have asked her before I knit half the back piece! Anyway, half the back piece has taken almost a whole skein of yarn, so I’m starting to worry already whether or not I’ll have enough.
I don’t particularly love knitting this pattern (& this garment isn’t at all my style), but was written by one of the knitterati heavyweights - Kathy Zimmerman - no relation to the incomparable EZ (at least I don’t think so); plus it’s keeping my interest due to its rather complex stitch patt & its lack of detail in the instructions. Sometimes it takes me a while to figure out what Kathy’s telling me to do…and her hand-drawn charts & sloppy-looking symbol key leave a lot to be desired. It is rated for the “Experienced” knitter, which gives me a little thrill…..I am in that category!
09.20.12 I’m just starting on the right front (I’ve
finished the back and left front), and so far this pattern has been a
bit of a challenge. The instructions assume you already know or have a
preferred way of doing things because it doesn’t spell anything out for
you. I think I’m spoiled by the detail most modern designers put into
their pattern instructions.
In this patt you have to figure out which decs to use & how to best work them into the cable pattern, which then makes you have to figure out which sts to keep & which to change at the edges, which wasn’t rocket science but I’ve never done any of that on my own before. Then you have to work the right front as you did the left “reversing all shaping”….seriously? That’s the ONLY direction it gives. So I start working the ribbing just like the left side thinking that the reverse shaping won’t start until the armhole shaping, but I was WRONG. After about 50 rows & just before the first buttonhole I finally realized that I was supposed to reverse that section as well so the ‘yo,ssk,k2tog,yo’ section would be at the front edge and the 5 st garter section would be at the side seam. Oh well…knit, rip, & learn I guess!
So then it tells you to work “self-reinforcing” buttonholes, but gives no size or explanation beyond that. Plus I’ve found errata in a couple places….nothing devastating, just a few typos. I made the changes on the pattern pages….maybe I’ll have time later to go thru and type it up here.
Now to re-cast on for the right front and figure out how to reverse the pattern so the 5 garter sts are on the other side of the piece!
09.23.12 Ok so reversing the chart B shaping was no big deal. I don’t know why I thought it would be. My next big odyssey is now the buttonholes! I finally chose the Tulips Buttonhole by Techknitter, tho the link is to a video of Eunny Jang working it on Knitting Daily TV (I just CANNOT follow diagrams or written instructions for stuff like this. I have to watch it being done. That’s how I taught myself everything I know about knitting & crochet, actually….by watching online video tutorials). Anyhow, after a couple pathetic attempts at a lazy, one-row, un-reinforced buttonhole which ended up being the loosest, sloppiest thing ever, I googled “self reinforcing buttonhole” and found the Tulips. After watching Eunny’s video while attempting the thing directly onto the garment a few times, then ripping it out cuz it was totally wrong, I finally got it. I should note that Eunny’s sample in the video is done on a st st band that’s only 8 sts across, while my buttonhole had to be slipped into the pattern st of this cardigan (again, the patt lets you decide exactly which row to do this on). At first I tried to slip it into the first rep of row 1 of Chart B but it was too much to work the buttonhole and the yo’s, ssk’s & k2tog’s in the same row. So I ripped back to the prev row 3, which is actually the first instance of row 3 and the 2nd row after the shaping decs, and worked it in on sts 5, 6, 7, & 8, like the patt says. It finally looks pretty good. Now I have to figure out how far apart these fucking things need to be for the rest of the garment. I know there’s some kind of formula that EZ came up with, but I might currently be too lazy to try to figure it out, so I’m gonna try to lay them out on the left front and go from there.
The first post will be about the Princess Cardigan by Kathy Zimmerman for Kraemer Yarns. I'm knitting it as a sample for the wonderful Christina at the incredible Yarn Mountain shop in Harrisonburg, VA. It's definitely the most challenging pattern I've ever knit, so I hope it will make for an interesting story.
Details: I'm using Kraemer Yarns Summit Hill Worsted Superwash in Blue
I'm using US6's for the smaller needles and US7's for the larger needles; the needles are from my Knit Pick's Harmony Wood Interchangeable Set
My gauge is, well, honestly I didn't do a gauge swatch! (Please don' t tell anyone!)
See complete details on my Ravelry project page here
08.19.12 This project was started by another knitter, who only got thru the majority of one sleeve. Christina sent me 6 skeins of yarn (including the skein it took to knit that one sleeve), so I assumed she wanted me to knit the small size, tho she never actually said. Maybe I should have asked her before I knit half the back piece! Anyway, half the back piece has taken almost a whole skein of yarn, so I’m starting to worry already whether or not I’ll have enough.
I don’t particularly love knitting this pattern (& this garment isn’t at all my style), but was written by one of the knitterati heavyweights - Kathy Zimmerman - no relation to the incomparable EZ (at least I don’t think so); plus it’s keeping my interest due to its rather complex stitch patt & its lack of detail in the instructions. Sometimes it takes me a while to figure out what Kathy’s telling me to do…and her hand-drawn charts & sloppy-looking symbol key leave a lot to be desired. It is rated for the “Experienced” knitter, which gives me a little thrill…..I am in that category!
 |
| Back piece, bottom rib section complete |
In this patt you have to figure out which decs to use & how to best work them into the cable pattern, which then makes you have to figure out which sts to keep & which to change at the edges, which wasn’t rocket science but I’ve never done any of that on my own before. Then you have to work the right front as you did the left “reversing all shaping”….seriously? That’s the ONLY direction it gives. So I start working the ribbing just like the left side thinking that the reverse shaping won’t start until the armhole shaping, but I was WRONG. After about 50 rows & just before the first buttonhole I finally realized that I was supposed to reverse that section as well so the ‘yo,ssk,k2tog,yo’ section would be at the front edge and the 5 st garter section would be at the side seam. Oh well…knit, rip, & learn I guess!
So then it tells you to work “self-reinforcing” buttonholes, but gives no size or explanation beyond that. Plus I’ve found errata in a couple places….nothing devastating, just a few typos. I made the changes on the pattern pages….maybe I’ll have time later to go thru and type it up here.
Now to re-cast on for the right front and figure out how to reverse the pattern so the 5 garter sts are on the other side of the piece!
 |
| Completed back piece |
09.23.12 Ok so reversing the chart B shaping was no big deal. I don’t know why I thought it would be. My next big odyssey is now the buttonholes! I finally chose the Tulips Buttonhole by Techknitter, tho the link is to a video of Eunny Jang working it on Knitting Daily TV (I just CANNOT follow diagrams or written instructions for stuff like this. I have to watch it being done. That’s how I taught myself everything I know about knitting & crochet, actually….by watching online video tutorials). Anyhow, after a couple pathetic attempts at a lazy, one-row, un-reinforced buttonhole which ended up being the loosest, sloppiest thing ever, I googled “self reinforcing buttonhole” and found the Tulips. After watching Eunny’s video while attempting the thing directly onto the garment a few times, then ripping it out cuz it was totally wrong, I finally got it. I should note that Eunny’s sample in the video is done on a st st band that’s only 8 sts across, while my buttonhole had to be slipped into the pattern st of this cardigan (again, the patt lets you decide exactly which row to do this on). At first I tried to slip it into the first rep of row 1 of Chart B but it was too much to work the buttonhole and the yo’s, ssk’s & k2tog’s in the same row. So I ripped back to the prev row 3, which is actually the first instance of row 3 and the 2nd row after the shaping decs, and worked it in on sts 5, 6, 7, & 8, like the patt says. It finally looks pretty good. Now I have to figure out how far apart these fucking things need to be for the rest of the garment. I know there’s some kind of formula that EZ came up with, but I might currently be too lazy to try to figure it out, so I’m gonna try to lay them out on the left front and go from there.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
the adventures continue
The first sweater I'm making for the awesome folks over at Yarn Mountain in Harrisburg, VA is the Fern sweater by
Using Addi Click US 6's as per pattern and alternating knit1, purl1 long-tail cast-on. Found this video on youtube by ThePassionateMind that made it so simple to follow and to do. I've seen other videos for this technique where they grab the yarn differently but the end result is the same, but I like ThePassionateMind's way much better than the rest. Thanks to her for a great-looking edge!
I love working with this yarn. It's hearty and slightly thick&thin, giving the knitted fabric a bit of a rustic look and feel, while it's also fine and soft and has a satin-y sheen to it, giving it a luxurious look and feel. Plus the colors are incredibly interesting and blended so beautifully into a soft yet rich hue.
**12.18.11** 7.75" in 1x1 ribbing done!
Again I have to mention how much I love working with this yarn. It knits up into the most beautiful fabric. It feels lightweight, yet thick and warm and squishy at the same time. It's luxurious and special enough for that "spoil yourself" project, yet rustic and durable enough to make it into an everyday sweater. This yarn is full of wonderful contradictions! I think I even read somewhere that the Possum content prevents the yarn from pilling. I've been using spit splicing to join new balls and the join is totally undetectable. And I finally figured out what the Possum hair reminds me of - Angora. It's like the rustic version of angora! You can see the halo really well in one of the photos. I just can't say enough about this yarn!
There is, however, one tiny little thing that I *don't* like about this yarn: the fact that they call it "Possum Hair". I know the yarn is named Heron, but I wish there was another word to describe *possum* hair, like how we don't call wool "sheep's fleece", we call it "wool". We don't call Angora "Bunny Fur", we call it Angora. I just think that a lot of people would be put off by this yarn
I can just imagine how sublime this sweater would feel worn against the skin. But, alas, I won't get to experience it cuz it's going straight back to Yarn Mountain when it's done....
Using Addi Click US 6's as per pattern and alternating knit1, purl1 long-tail cast-on. Found this video on youtube by ThePassionateMind that made it so simple to follow and to do. I've seen other videos for this technique where they grab the yarn differently but the end result is the same, but I like ThePassionateMind's way much better than the rest. Thanks to her for a great-looking edge!
I love working with this yarn. It's hearty and slightly thick&thin, giving the knitted fabric a bit of a rustic look and feel, while it's also fine and soft and has a satin-y sheen to it, giving it a luxurious look and feel. Plus the colors are incredibly interesting and blended so beautifully into a soft yet rich hue.
**12.18.11** 7.75" in 1x1 ribbing done!
Again I have to mention how much I love working with this yarn. It knits up into the most beautiful fabric. It feels lightweight, yet thick and warm and squishy at the same time. It's luxurious and special enough for that "spoil yourself" project, yet rustic and durable enough to make it into an everyday sweater. This yarn is full of wonderful contradictions! I think I even read somewhere that the Possum content prevents the yarn from pilling. I've been using spit splicing to join new balls and the join is totally undetectable. And I finally figured out what the Possum hair reminds me of - Angora. It's like the rustic version of angora! You can see the halo really well in one of the photos. I just can't say enough about this yarn!
There is, however, one tiny little thing that I *don't* like about this yarn: the fact that they call it "Possum Hair". I know the yarn is named Heron, but I wish there was another word to describe *possum* hair, like how we don't call wool "sheep's fleece", we call it "wool". We don't call Angora "Bunny Fur", we call it Angora. I just think that a lot of people would be put off by this yarn
I can just imagine how sublime this sweater would feel worn against the skin. But, alas, I won't get to experience it cuz it's going straight back to Yarn Mountain when it's done....
Sunday, December 11, 2011
"Adventurous Zealana" (AKA Adventures with Zealana)
Decided to start up the blog again. I mean, anyone who does anything in the modern knitting industry has a blog, right? It'll be fun this time cuz I now have something great to talk about regarding yarn and knitting. I've been hired to do some sample knitting for a few different shops and designers! I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of the first package of yarn from a sweet little shop, Yarn Mountain, located in Virginia ....it'll be around 34 balls of Zealana's Aspire Heron in about 7 different colorways! I literally can't wait! I've been tracking the package online multiple times daily just to watch my precious yarn make it's trek across 4 states, 663 miles to be exact. Which is nothing when you consider that this yarn originally hails from New Zealand.
I love to picture my yarn making it's little journey to me. I map out the distance between the Yarn Mountain shop and my little town online, and imagine a tiny little truck carrying my special little balls of fluffy, decadent string along the map's crimson path. I imagine the moment when it finally arrives: I'll hear the faint rumbling of a delivery truck in the distance and my heart will flutter. I'll casually glance from my computer screen towards the window, as we've certainly been here before. Not wanting to show how anxious I really am (and at the same time wondering if it is completely crazy to be this anxious for yarn to arrive) I wait with bated breath, lest I miss the sound of squealing breaks as the truck pulls up to....my driveway!
The delivery man practically hops out of the open door, a small brown box already nestled in the crook of his arm. But how could he be driving like that? He jogs up to my silvered picket gate, and with one fluid movement, flips up the latch and sends the gate swinging open. He seems to be almost skipping as he heads up the walk.
I'm on my feet. My body lunges uncontrollably toward the door. I'm suddenly in full-blown frenzy mode! I can't contain my excitement any longer as one thing becomes abundantly clear to me....that package is for me, and that package contains YARN!
More to come once yarn actually arrives.......
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