Source: my design, using Walker's Knitting from the TopMaterials: seven balls Katia Irina, color 9 (bought at Webs); #5 needles
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I love to knit. I love to make sweaters. I love to wear sweaters I've knit.
I live in Texas.
Ah, well; I still knit things. Some day I might move to the Midwest or New England or the PNW or Finland, and I'll dig out piles of sweaters that I'll finally get to wear, and be able to justify making more sweaters out of Real Wool™. In the meantime, I enjoy the process.
This was probably my first needlecraft, though Mom may have let me use the sewing machine earlier. My grandmother taught me the very basics on a visit, and I later taught myself the casting on and casting off from a book. (I cast on with the backward loop method; it's a bit of a pain to knit but looks great for ribbing. I'm not sure whether I got that from the book or just muddled it out on my own -- I never learned a "proper" cast-on until 2004, and I still need to check a book to do it.)
Source: my design, using Walker's Knitting from the Top
Materials: seven balls Katia Irina, color 9 (bought at Webs); #5 needles
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A top down tank, though I'm more likely to wear it as a vest. The yarn is gorgeous but annoyingly splitty, and the loose ends fray easily. The pattern turned out pretty well; I could make the shoulders a little narrower and the armhole a lot shallower (especially if I planned to wear it as a tank), but the overall fit is great, and I seem to have shaped the body well. The edging is the Campanula pattern from Waterman's Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls; it's basically a ribbing with a little lace in it.
Started February 2007
Finished May 2007
Source: my design, using Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweaters
Materials: KnitPicks Crayon, three skeins each Blue, Brick, and Orange (only needed two of Orange, and could probably have used just two of Brick); #5 needles
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A sweater for my son. I think I've finally been convinced of the importance of swatching unfamiliar yarns; I started this three times before finally finding the right width and needle size. It's turned out a little big for him, which is what I wanted.
Started June 2006
Finished December 2006
Source: Alexandra Virgiel design at Knitty.com
Materials: 6 skeins KnitPicks Shine in Violet, #3 needles
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Tank tops aren't usually my thing, but this one's pretty. I tweaked the pattern to make the neck opening a little higher, so it fits quite nicely and doesn't make me feel exposed. I made the bottom half at a larger size than the top; that worked, but I could probably start with something in-between the two sizes, and it'd fit even better.
I'll probably make this pattern again, but I'll use a garter stitch lace pattern for the bottom next time; the stockinette lace curls far too much.
Started March 2006
Finished May 2006
Source: my design, with help from Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Sweater Patterns
Materials: KnitPicks Shine, five skeins Cherry and two (could've been one if I had wanted to wind yarn onto bobbins; the total quantity I used was much less than one skein) Cream, #5 needles
Front and back
Started the project, discovered I was getting a different gauge from the swatch but decided it was okay, screwed up the placement of the back pattern three times, put it on hold while I knit Norgi, started at it some more, and finally blazed through. This is a present for my nibling (who emerged two days after I finished and is now officially a nephew).
I wouldn't use Shine for colorwork in future (or at least, I'd only use it for stripes and big blocks), but the letters don't look too bad. And at least it's machine washable, thus good for a grungy small child.
And while I did intentionally start the sweater on Rosh Hashanah, it's pure coincidence that I finished it on Purim.
Started October 2005
Finished March 2006
Source: Wendy Johnson design at Knitty.com
Materials: Dale Baby Ull -- 4 skeins red, 1 white, and 1 yellow; #0 and #1 needles
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The original cardigan I'd planned for my impending nibling ended up more of a 2-year-old's size once I started knitting; rather than frog it, I put it on hold and made this one for while the latke is small. It's pretty fun, and I've finally justified buying #0 needles....
This was definitely a learning project:
Started December 2005
Finished February 2006
Source: my design, using patterns from Ozbel's Turkish sock book, McGregor's Traditional Fair Isle Knitting, and Zilboorg's Simply Socks
Materials: Red Heart yarn, two Supersaver skeins each black and Starlight ombre; #5 and #8 needles
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A multicultural sweater -- I used two Turkish, one small Fair Isle, and one Fair Isle/Norwegian pattern.
The next time I want to do a variegated against solid combination, I'll pay closer attention to the intensity range on the variegated yarn. But I like how this turned out anyway.
Started May 2005
Finished August 2005
Source: my design, inspired by Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Workshop
Materials: about nine skeins of Caron Bulky Boucle
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Got inspired by a combination of reading Zimmerman and decluttering my craft room; I've had this yarn for at least fifteen years, so it's high time I used it up. I was worried that there wouldn't be enough yarn for a whole sweater, but I turned out to have plenty; I ended up taking out the sleeve cast-offs and adding another couple inches.
This one now holds my sweater speed record -- eleven days.
It's very comfortable, but the yarn doesn't wear well. That's okay; I'm enjoying it as a muck-around-the-house sweater.
Started and finished March 2005
Source: my design, using patterns from Barbara Walker's Treasuries
Materials: Three skeins Bernat Handicrafter cotton
Sweater back and front
It rarely gets cold enough to wear sweaters where I live, and even more rarely gets cold enough to wear a heavy Aran sweater. So when I got the urge to try some fancy cable patterns, I used cotton instead.
The effect's certainly different, and the shoulder shaping got really odd, but overall I'm satisfied with the results. It's my comfy sweatshirt sweater.
Started December 2003
Finished October 2004
Source: Stitch patterns from Zilboorg, Simply Socks, vest my design
Materials: 10-12 ounces black Red Heart worsted, plus single skeins of scraps
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So I was browsing this book, looking at all the cool patterns, and saw a couple pictures of these traditional Turkish sock patterns used on sweaters.
And I thought, "hey! I have a ton of scrap yarn; I could use it to make one of these patterns!"
A vest rather than a sweater, though; two-color work is far too heavy to wear here. Anyway, I made it, and I used up some dull olive yarn that I would never ever use otherwise; in this pattern, it works great.
One oddity -- since the stranded work is so much tighter horizontally than the solid work, the bottom of the vest bells out. And it fits my figure just about perfectly. Wow. I didn't plan it that way....
Started March 2002
Finished October 2002
Source: Workbasket
Blue, pink and blue variegated, and Monet
This is a great basic vest pattern, interesting to knit and classy-looking. The blue one, my first try, is one of my favorite things I've ever made; the color is just cool. Later I did it in a blue and pink variegated yarn, with grayish blue ribbing on all the edges. It's a nice effect, though you can kind of tell that I worked the body in the round and the upper parts side-to-side. Most recently I made it in Red Heart, color Monet, a rainbow pastel-shaded yarn.
If I make this pattern again, I probably should use a solid color; the cables aren't as noticable on the varigated yarns.
Blue: Started September 1987, finished May 1988
Blue/pink: Started March 1997, finished April 1997 (unloaded since then)
Monet: Started February 2003, finished April 2003
Source: my design, with some help from Barbara Walker's Knitting from the Top
Materials: about 12 skeins Stahl Chagall, #6 needles if I remember correctly
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Visiting a local yarn shop a few years ago, I fell in love with this yarn. Of course, it's one of these $5/skein puppies, where you need 12 or so skeins for a sweater.... [ETA: Heh. Now I know that's actually relatively inexpensive for fancy yarn....] But it was around my birthday, so I splurged. And then it sat in a bag for a couple years before I started working on it.
Since I was a little concerned that I wouldn't have enough yarn to complete the sweater, I used the techniques in Barbara Walker's Knitting from the Top to make a top-down cardigan with "set-in" sleeves. The yarn looks wonderful when it's knit up, even better than it does on the skein. I also bought three skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic for making the ribbing. That seems to have been a good choice, actually; I had enough of the original yarn to make the sweater the length I wanted (though in retrospect I could've added another inch to the sleeves, but actually it's working for me), and since the Cotton Classic is smoother, it'll be better for the edges. (Yeah, I know that cotton yarn doesn't hold its shape all that well; that's okay, it's working for my purposes.)
And no sewing on this sweater whatsoever, other than running in the ends (which I still haven't finished doing). Invisible cast-on at the top means you really can't tell where my cast-on row is unless you follow along the neckline. 2x2 ribbing at cuffs and bottom hem; a few rows of garter stitch around the front opening; and it's done, and unique, and fits quite well, and feels great. I might eventually add buttons and loop fasteners to the front, but we'll see. In the meantime, I'm very pleased with how it turned out.
Started July 2001
Finished December 2001
Source: Mary Maxim kit
Original pastel version
Black & bright vest version
Blue & pink version
Blue, green, & yellow version
This pattern was the first sweater I ever made. My dad bought me the kit when I was in high school, and I made the thing in three weeks because school was frequently closed due to bad winter weather. It's off-white, with pastel notes. I still wear it.
I was involved with a lot of musical activities in school, and I really liked the pattern, so I made further sweaters with it. First was a vest variant, with bright/neon colors on a black background. Next, I made one for a friend's piano teacher. I didn't take a picture, unfortunately, but I seem to recall that it was in reds. This was followed by a blue version for my mom. Several years later, my mom needed a larger version, so I made one with a blue background and green and yellow notes -- she likes daisies, so I had that in mind when I chose the colors.
1985-1997
Source: McCall's Needlecrafts
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I made this for my mom. It's a really interesting pattern; turns out there was a typo in the pattern that I didn't catch until I was too far along in the thing, but that just makes it unique, eh?
Started May 1996
Finished December 1996
Source: some Coats & Clark leaflet, I think
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Very pretty, but the thing is too narrow; I have much to learn about gauge when knitting stranded work.
Started December 1993
Finished November 1994
Source: Country Handcrafts
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The too narrow problem strikes again. I made this for my sister, and the color looks great on her, but it's too snug to be comfortable. (It fits me, though....)
Sometime I'd like to try this one again in another color combination. Blue and black, perhaps.
Started January 1997
Finished July 1997
Source: freebie pattern from Red Heart
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I made this sweater in blues rather than the reds on the original pattern; it worked out well. If I lived in a colder climate and wore sweaters often, I might try one in greens or in multi-colors. It adapts very well to color experimentation.
Finished probably around 1995
Source: Needlecraft for Today
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I made this sweater with Dazzle-Aire yarn, a brand that has a nice fluffy texture. (Alas, this makes it too dratted warm to wear at any time here.) I used varigated yarns for the yoke pattern, to see what would happen; in retrospect, I'd have changed one to a yarn that didn't include the main color in its variations. This is the first project I ever tried using a top-down method; I'm not entirely happy with the fit, but it was an interesting experiment.
Started sometime in 1992
Finished November 1993
Source: my design
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My first foray into sweater design. I made this for my brother, but it was too small for him; I eventually gave it to charity.
Made somewhere around 1988-1990
Source: my design
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At least I've made one gift sweater that fit the recipient. This is a vest I made for my dad. I don't remember where I got the pattern, but it has a really funky cable on the front.
Started September 1988
Finished March 1989
Source: generic sock pattern
Materials: two skeins Regia Bamboo, #1 needles
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Generic socks with a lace panel insertion (Lace Diamond Chain, Walker Vol. 1). The gusset is based on Wendy Johnson's toe-up gusset pattern. The yarn doesn't wear as well as Regia's 75% wool/25% nylon blends, but it feels great.
Started July 2007
Finished January 2008
Source: generic sock pattern with short-row heel
Materials: two skeins Crystal Palace Panda Cotton; #2 needles
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Generic sock.
Started October 2007
Finished December 2007
Source: generic sock pattern
Materials: one skein OnLine Supersocke Summer, color 788; #1 needles
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Generic sock with thumb-joint heel.
Started July 2007
Finished October 2007
Source: generic sock pattern
Materials: one skein Cider Moon Glacier, color Casablanca; #2 needles
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Generic sport-weight sock with short-row heel. Great color, but I've decided that merino really is a bad yarn for socks; it looks worn very quickly. Feels very nice, though.
Started August 2007
Finished September 2007
Source: generic toe-up pattern
Materials: two skeins Apple Laine's Apple Pie (bought at The Loopy Ewe, #1 needles
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Generic socks. Great yarn. Short-row heel on 60% of stitches.
Started May 2007
Finished July 2007
Source: generic toe-up pattern
Materials: two skeins Crystal Palace Panda Cotton (bought at The Loopy Ewe, #2 needles
Generic socks, short-row heel..
Started May 2007
Finished July 2007
Source: generic sock with short-row heel and Jaywalker leg
Materials: Knit Picks Dancing, color Square Dance
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I have to say, this is the most hideous color of Dancing yet. Some of the other colors looked so-so on the ball but pretty nice when knit up. This one -- nope, it still looks ugly. Maybe if the green were brighter or something.... Anyway, I'll wear them, but I won't cry when they wear out.
Started February 2007
Finished April 2007
Source: generic sock pattern
Materials: two skeins Panda Cotton, color Night Lights, from The Loopy Ewe
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This is a neat-feeling yarn. Cotton, bamboo, and nylon; very smooth, and will probably feel great in summer. The yarn splits pretty easily, though; I think it needs a smaller needle for durability, but I'm not sure how easy it'll be to knit!
Started and finished March 2007
Source: generic sock pattern
Materials: one skein Mountain Colors Bearfoot in Bitterroot Rainbow, bought at Hill Country Weavers
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I did not plan to try out this yarn when HCW had their annual sale. However, it and one of its companions jumped off the shelf, and while I was able to bring myself to put back the blue skein (Mystic Lake, I think), I decided I might as well see what the big deal is. (After all, I'm apparently the only person who thinks that the only thing going for Koigu is its brilliant color; otherwise I wouldn't be interested in knitting it.)
It feels great, AND it's washable! (Though handwashing is better; the machine tries to felt it after a couple rounds.) And they feel fabulous to wear. I'll definitely be buying more of this yarn when I find another color that I love.
Started January 2007
Finished March 2007
Source: generic sock pattern
Materials: 2 skeins Regia, color #5270 Provence, #1 needles
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My first pair of Regia socks. So far I like the yarn quite a bit; it washes well too. This colorway is purple and blue stripes.
Started July 2006
Finished January 2007
Source: generic sock pattern
Materials: 2 skeins KnitPicks Parade, color Plum, #2 needles
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The last of the Parade socks, this one in pinkish purples. This is the pair I worked on during the Yarn Harlot's talk.
Started July 2006
Finished August 2006
Source: generic sock pattern
Materials: 2 skeins KnitPicks Dancing, color Two-step, #1 needles
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Generic socks, in a brown, orange, green, and dark blue yarn. A tiny bit too small.
Started June 2006
Finished July 2006
Source: generic toe-up sock
Materials: two skeins Knitpicks Parade in pink, aqua, and green stripes, #2 needles
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Same as the below two. This was my AAUP conference sock for this year.
Started and finished June 2006
Source: generic toe-up sock
Materials: two skeins Knitpicks Parade in red, blue, and yellow stripes, #2 needles
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Same as the blue pair, although I inadvertently made the foot a smidge shorter; they still work, but I like the longer fit better.
Started and finished May 2006
Source: generic toe-up design based on Gibson-Roberts instructions in Ethnic Socks
Materials: two skeins KnitPicks Parade in blue stripes, #2 needles
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I'm gradually getting the hang of this toe-up working; this pair fits quite well. 48 stitches around on #2 needles; stockinette throughout the foot and 2x2 ribbing up the leg.
Started and finished April 2006
Source: Fluted Bannister sock pattern by Laura Gallagher
Materials: two skeins Knitpicks Dancing, color Rumba; #1 needles
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Another go for this pattern. I was so-so about the yarn color on the skein (why did I buy it? because I bought a complete set of Dancing, that's why), but now that I'm actually seeing it knit up, I like it much better.
This yarn does feel a titch better knitted on smaller needles, though the difference is slight enough that I may yet be lazy and knit the further skeins on #2s.
Started February 2006
Finished March 2006
Source: basic toe-up design adapted from Gibson-Roberts, Ethnic Socks and Stockings
Materials: 2 skeins KnitPicks Simply Stripes in Sweet Tarts, #2 needles
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This yarn was one of my stocking stuffers, so I went ahead and started these on Christmas. I knit them toe-up, using the plain wrap cast-on and the thumbjoint heel; the foot is all stockinette and the leg k2p2 rib.
The next time I make socks with this yarn, I'll make them narrower and shorter; they expanded quite a bit in the wash, and I may yet go back and rip out a section so they fit me better. I also need to use smaller needles. But they feel great, and I like these colors.
Started December 2005
Finished January 2006
Source: generic sock pattern in Myers, The Joy of Knitting Companion
Materials: 2 skeins KnitPicks Dancing, color Jig; #2 needles
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My first project with a KnitPicks yarn. I did a plain boring stockinette sock; the color changes made it interesting nonetheless. It fits pretty well, although next time I'm going to try smaller needles.
Started July 2005
Finished August 2005
Source: pattern by Laura Gallagher, with some tweaks
Materials: two skeins Wildfoote in Black Orchid, #2 needles
I have seen the path of sock wisdom. I now have enough double-pointed needles to have both socks in progress at once, so I can make sure they match without doing large amounts of counting.
I made this pair for my boyfriend.
Started October 2004
Finished January 2005
Source: Socks, Socks, Socks
Materials: 2 skeins Wildfoote yarn in Rhapsody, #2 needles
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Love these colors. (They aren't as bright in the picture as they are in reality.)
Started July 2003
Finished October 2003
Source: Loosely based on Elizabeth Zimmerman's instructions in Knitting Around
Materials: Two skeins Wildfoote in Elderberry, one in Blue Flannel; #2 needles
On the table and on my feet
A pair of refootable socks in Brown Sheep's Wildfoote, color Elderberry. It came out okay, though I screwed up the ankle increases (it's supposed to be every OTHER row, not EVERY row), and the heel is just strange, and I need a shorter circular needle to do the sole comfortably. I'm now thinking that since I don't wear wool socks that often anyway, I might just not worry about heel wear....
Started December 2002
Finished April 2003
Source: Socks, Socks, Socks
Materials: two skeins Wildfoote, color Columbine; #2 needles
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I'd been knitting for over twenty years, so I figured it was high time I tried making socks. This is my first pair. Actually, I found it pretty easy, although I'll have to practice the weaving technique for toes.
The main problem with socks is that I know they're going to wear out! I'll have to learn some of the refootable sock patterns, so it'll be easier to repair the things when they keel over.
Started around March 2002
Finished around April 2002
Source: Fiber Trends pattern
Materials: Kint Picks Wool of the Andes, four skeins each in Coal and Ice Blue Heather
Third pair of these.
Started January 2008
Finished February 2008
Source: my design, based on the generic prayer shawl 3x3 pattern
Materials: 8 skeins Valley Yarns Wildwood, color Coventry; #10.5 needle
A plain shawl.
Started March 2007
Source: modification of shawl in A Gathering of Lace
Materials: KnitPicks Sock Memories in Mesa, #8 needles
unblocked, blocked
A gift for my ex-mother-in-law, who I am grateful to still be able to claim as a relative via my son.
The original pattern in GoL is for laceweight yarn; I upsized the needle, did fewer pattern repeats, and had to tweak the inner borders at one point, but it worked quite well. Then when I did the outer border, I realized a third of the way through that I was going to run out of a yarn that's no longer made.
There are moments in one's knitting career that call for intestinal fortitude. This was one.
So I ripped out the border and started again with a narrower border pattern (Narrow Van Dyke from Waterman, Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls. Much better; I finished with plenty of yarn to spare.
And then I discovered the minor error I'd made near the halfway point.
I debated leaving it. I pondered ripping out half the border again. I finally decided that since the knot where I'd added the final skein was nearby, it'd be easier to just pull out this one section, reknit the repeat properly, and graft. Indeed, it was, or at least it took less time.
Started April 2006
Finished May 2007
Source: my design, using Budd's The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns
Materials: KnitPicks Swish - two skeins (may only have needed one) blue, scraps of gray and black
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Mittens for my son. Pretty easy; we'll see how they fit as of next winter!
Started February 2007
Finished March 2007
Source: Knitpicks pattern
Materials: Three skeins KnitPicks Sparkles in Lagoon; #11 needles
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A fairly simple shawl pattern in a royal pain-in-the-toosh yarn. It looks gorgeous, but it doesn't feel pleasant, and it snags on everything and its cat. I'm either going to give it to someone who admired it or put it in the TIFD auction.
Started October 2006
Finished February 2007
Source: my design
Materials: two skeins Plymouth Jelli Beenz, white, bought at The Yarn Barn of San Antonio
My first project of 2007. A simple short scarf, with a keyhole for looping part of it through.
Started and finished January 2007
Source: Polly Outhwaite design
Materials: two skeins KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud, color Stream (only a little of the second skein); #6 needles
Unblocked, blocked, on the floor scale
A lace shawl to use up the leftovers from my circular shawl. (It took less yarn than I'd expected; if I'd only done eleven pattern repeats, I could probably have gotten it out of one skein. So now I have to figure out something to make with a titch less than one skein of Alpaca Cloud....)
Started June 2006
Finished December 2006
Source: my design
Materials: 8 skeins Ironstone mohair, #11 needles
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A trapezoidal mohair shawl in a simple lace pattern. I call it "Rahab" because I was inspired by the Yarn Harlot's most recent book.
Started August 2006
Finished September 2006
Source: my design
Materials: leftover skeins of each
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A use-up-scrap-yarn project. The leftover Andean Silk from the DNA scarf is the crown, and the Odyssey from the mitts is the brim.
Started May 2006
Finished July 2006
Source: June Oshiro design, slightly modified
Materials: Four skeins KnitPicks Andean Silk, #4 needles
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Since I used a heavier yarn than the original pattern called for, I dropped the two border cables.
Lessons learned on this project:
Started March 2006
Finished April 2006
Source: my design
Materials: two skeins Reynolds Odyssey, color 441; #4 needles
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Cast on 36 stitches, knit 2x2 ribbing, make a thumb gusset, and done. This was my spring break project. (It also got eaten by bugs in the drawer before I got to wear them for the first time in fall. All those "Wool Rulz Acrylic Droolz" folks need to spend some time living in the south before they get too snarky about bugproof yarns.)
Started and finished March 2006
Source: Fiber Trends
Materials: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, 4 skeins Spruce, 4 skeins Coal
Photo (unfelted)
This is a fairly fun pattern to knit up. It's not a mindless project, as you have to do a lot of counting and keep track of where you are, but it moves quickly.
The pattern says that if you're working the two-color version, you need about 1/3 of the yardage in the upper color and 2/3 in the sole/cuff color. I decided to make the inner sole in Spruce rather than Coal. In the men's medium size, that worked out quite well; two skeins of WotA were exactly enough for an inner sole and upper, with a smidge left over. The outer sole and cuff took just a tad more than a skein; if I were making a smaller size, I might be able to get away with buying just two skeins of the contrast color, or possibly three.
Started January 2006
Finished February 2006
Source: my design, with help from Budd's
The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns
Materials: two skeins of Mission Falls 1824 Superwash Wool, #5 needles
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Fingerless mitts for my boyfriend. These were a pretty easy knit, though the next time I try mitts I'll make the thumb gusset a bit smaller.
Started and finished December 2005
Source: Swansen, A Gathering of Lace
Materials: 3 skeins KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud (almost exactly; very little left of skein 3), color Stream; #3 needles
unblocked and blocked
My first non-cotton knitted lace project. It took me three tries to get started, as I'd never done the loop cast-on before, but once I got past the first few rounds it started chugging along. The first and second lace patterns were done by late September; the third took about a month to work, and the 115 pattern repeats of the border took another month or so.
I replaced the third lace pattern, Madiera Fan, with a pattern from another item in the book (I think it's called Spiders and Webs), as I don't like the way Madiera Fan looks.
I'm very proud of this piece. And the difference pre- and post-blocking is amazing.
Started August 2005
Finished December 2005
Source: my design, with help from Zimmerman's Knitter's Almanac
Materials: KnitPicks Merino Style, color Dusk; #5 needles
front and side views
Pants for my nephew to wear to UAH hockey games. They were fairly easy to make and took much less yarn than I expected -- only three skeins (though I probably should have gone into the fourth and made the rise a little deeper) plus a smidge for the letters.
Legs are worked in the round. Cast on 45 stitches; knit 18 rows of seed stitch. Switch to stockinette and work 53 rows. (Letters start on row 28 and are around 12 rows high, with two rows between each letter.) On row 54, increase 5 evenly spaced; k 4 rows. Increase 5 evenly spaced; k 22 rows.
To join legs, k around one leg, provisionally cast on 4 stitches, k around the other leg, pick up the 4 stitches from provisional cast on. (i.e. I was too lazy to come back and graft or to sew a seam.) K until you reach your inseam depth, then knit about 10 rows in k1p1 ribbing. Cast off loosely. Run some elastic or a string through the ribbing if it's too loose.
Started October 2005
Finished November 2005
Source: Knitter's Magazine Shawls and Scarves
Materials: two skeins Plymouth Encore, color 658 (a heathered grayish blue); #5 needles
Photo and close-up
The last piece of the Celtic set. After I broke down and placed an order with KnitPicks, I decided I'd better at least start this -- now I don't have any yarn stash that's designated for unstarted projects, right?
This scarf is knit in two pieces and then grafted in the center. I knitted both halves at once -- it's easier on my psyche, and I didn't have to count rows later to make sure they were the same length.
Alas, the thing curls like crazy; I'll have to see if washing improves it.
Started July 2005
Finished September 2005
Source: Knitter's Magazine Shawls and Scarves
Materials: one skein Plymouth Encore, color 658 (a heathered grayish blue); #5 needles
Photo
This was my travel project for a recent business trip, and another personal land speed record project; I cast on the first mitten in the airport on Tuesday morning and finished the last bit after arriving home on Thursday.
They fit quite well, but while the yarn feels good, I don't find these mittens warm enough for the times when I actually need mittens.
Started and finished June 2005
Source: Knitter's Magazine Shawls and Scarves
Materials: one skein Plymouth Encore, color 658 (a heathered grayish blue); #6 needles
Photo
The hat turned out a tad too large, and I'm going to have to do something about the curling edge, but it was certainly easy to do, and I like the pattern.
Started May 2005
Finished June 2005
Source: my design
Materials: two 200-yard skeins Plymouth Encore in a brown heather, #10.5 needles
Photo
A hat and scarf for my ex-mother-in-law. I used the Little Leaf Lace pattern from Barbara Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns. The scarf is 25 stitches wide, and the hat 48 stitches around if I recall correctly. I probably should have done garter stitch on the edges of the scarf, because it curls a lot, but it actually looks neat curled up too.
Started April 2005
Finished May 2005
Source: we don't need no stinking source!
Materials: Seven partial skeins of Caron Bulky Boucle, #10.5 needles
Photo
Another use-up-the-leftovers scarf: cast on 20 stitches, knit until skein's gone, tie on another skein, knit till it's gone, repeat.
Started and finished April 2005
Source: my design, inspired by Elizabeth Zimmerman's Knitting Workshop
Materials: two partial skeins of Caron Bulky Boucle, #10.5 needles
Photo
This was my swatch cap for the sweater I made with the same yarns, although I ended up using a different size needle for the sweater....anyway, it's quite successful as a hat even if it didn't end up being used properly as a gauge swatch!
Started and finished March 2005
Source: what source? it's garter stitch!
Materials: most of a skein of Lion Brand Homespun, #10.5 needles
Photo
Twenty stitches wide, knit until I'm out of yarn. The ultimate easy project.
Started June 2004
Finished July 2004
Source: Homespun, Handknit
Materials: two skeins (I think) Tahki Cotton Classic
Photo
I love this book, even though most of the items aren't needed often enough in a Texas climate to bother making. I made these gloves from cotton yarn for my then-husband; he has fairly sensitive skin, and the texture of most yarns bothers him, but this one he likes.
Started November 1998
Finished November 2000
Source: cribbed off sample at local yarn shop
Materials: two skeins Unger's "Fluffy", probably #10.5 needles
Photo
This is one of the simpler ways to get a lacy effect -- on one row of stitching, you wind the yarn around the needle a couple extra times; on the next row, you knit just one extra-long stitch from the winds. Alternatively, you can do the first row by slipping the stitches onto a much larger needle, or a large dowel, or even a ruler, and then knit them off normally. Easier to do than to explain.
I probably could have made it a little longer, but I was getting bored.
Started and finished October 1998
Source: photocopied leaflet
Materials: a skein of variegated baby yarn, probably #2 needles
Intended for the same preemie clothing drive as the below set, but didn't finish in time due to flu. Finally got them off the needles and dropped in the Goodwill bin. (Now, if I'd just saved them for nine years, I could have given them to my nephew....)
Started December 1993
Finished April 1996
Source: Mushroom Cap matching mittens from Homespun, Handknit
Materials: Two skeins Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride wool/mohair (one blue, one green), probably #8 needles
My pair (on left)
A fairly simple pattern. I made two pairs of these, one for a friend and one in reversed colors for me.
Friend's pair: Started and finished December 1994
My pair: Started and finished January 1997
Source: photocopied leaflet
Materials: a skein of yellow baby yarn, probably #2 needles
I made these for a preemie clothing drive, but didn't donate them because I came down with the flu right after finishing them and didn't recover before the deadline. So I washed them well and donated them to charity instead.
Started November 1993
Finished December 1993
Source: Workbasket, September 1987
Materials: a skein of baby yarn, probably #2 needles
I made two pairs of these in March 1990, one in yellow and one in variegated pastels. Don't remember who I gave them to (though I think one pair went to my boss), and don't have photos, but they existed.
Started and finished March 1990
Source: Woman's Day Book of Knitting
Photo (on right)
A pair of gloves made from a blue tweed yarn I inherited. A bit big for my hand, but they work well over a pair of cheap cotton gloves.
Started September 1988
Finished October 1988
Source: my design
Photo
I like bright colors and rainbow flows, so I used a wide variety of colors in this scarf. Since I didn't feel like running a couple hundred yarn ends in, I just knotted them and left them there, so it's got a fuzzy edge as well as fringe. It's actually held up surprisingly well over the years.
In my high school psychology class, one of our lessons was to break into pairs and each try to teach the other person a skill. I tried to teach my partner how to knit, using this scarf; she tried to teach me how to whistle. Neither of us was particularly successful.
Started September 1986
Finished June 1987
Source: my design, and unknown mitten pattern
Photo
Once I really had the hang of knitting, I learned its utility in making cheap Christmas presents. The orangey scarf is made from yarn that I inherited from my grandmother -- my folks like it because it's sort of Washington Redskins colors. The purple scarf and mittens (and a matching hat, which I couldn't find at photo time), I made for my sister back when she still liked purple.
Finished around 1987
Source: modified from the Memories afghan in Needlecraft for Today, premier issue
Photo
Lion Brand Homespun is a lovely yarn, with a cool texture and colors. I discovered it, wanted an excuse to buy some, and decided to make this afghan. The original pattern is for mixed scrap yarns on #13 needles, making a big, thick afghan; I've previously made the pattern on #17 needles and five strands of worsted-weight yarn, which makes a monster thing that weighs a ton and would be suitable for winter in Finland. Worked with this yarn and #10.5 needles, it's a much more reasonable afghan; it'll be nice for putting in my lap or wrapping around my shoulders.
Of course, I ended up JUST running out of yarn :-P, and the color isn't readily available anymore :-P :-P. But I found a somewhat similar color, so I'm calling it a design feature instead of a flaw.
Started June 1999
Finished October 2001
Source: Needlecraft for Today
Photo
An interesting afghan motif -- it's started using one of those flower looms that you used to see (and may still see) advertised in a lot of craft magazines. Then you pick up the flower loops onto double pointed needles and knit around.
Started July 1987
Finished May 1996
Source: Needlecraft for Today
Photo
Five strands of yarn held together, on #17 needles. I changed two colors every couple rows, thus the gradual stripe effect.
This thing is heavy. In fact, the weight of it broke the cable on the needle before I finished -- I had to do some improvisation with smaller needles to hold the stitches. Fortunately I was near the end by then.... But let me tell you, this afghan probably weighs about twenty pounds. It is never cold enough in winter here to use it -- I'd have to move to Minnesota. On the other hand, if I fold it in half, I can use (and have used!) it as a mattress in a tent...
Started early 1993
Finished October 1994
Source: Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of Needlework
Photo
A fairly simple pattern; lots of striped and solid squares in white, yellow, red, dark green, and purple.
When I was doing volunteer work at a public radio station during high school, I'd work on these afghan squares while waiting for tapes to rewind. One day one of the station managers asked me what I was doing; I said I was knitting an afghan. "Oh," he replied, "you're weaving a dog?" That became our running joke for the rest of the time I worked there.
Started early 1987
Finished August 1987
Source: Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of Needlework
Photo
This one's pretty neat. You knit stripes in various colors, followed by rows of black where you drop and pick up stitches to make the leading effect. Probably my favorite afghan; I can indulge in my love of a gazillion colors, and it still doesn't shear your eyeballs.
Started early 1987
Finished August 1987
Source: Black Sheep Bags
Materials: 3 skeins Noro Kureyon, 10.5 needles
Unfelted and felted
An easy felted bag; the hardest part was poking the holes for the strap and threading the strap through them. The pattern calls for three skeins of the same color, but since my local shop only had one skein of the color I really liked, I used three different colors: 159 (the one I really liked), 139, and 147.
Started and finished March 2006
Source: Polly Outhwaite design on Knitty.com
Materials: three skeins Cascade 220, color 4009
Unfelted and felted, with trivet for size comparison
Since I needed some mindless car knitting to work on while I was finishing the Shetland Tea Shawl, I started this felted bag. (Indeed, it's perfect for mindless knitting; the straight stockinette section can be knitted in the dark while watching a movie.)
I used #10.5 needles instead of the designer's recommended #7 (and probably a slightly thinner yarn than she recommended), so it's a very flexible bag. Eventually I'll try another one of these using the proper needles and see how it comes out.
Started November 2005
Finished December 2005
Source: adapted from Myers, The Joy of Knitting Companion
Materials: two skeins KnitPicks Wool of the Andes, color Bluebonnet; #10.5 needles; one button
Before and after felting; finished
My first experiment with felting. I used the simple felted bag pattern from Myers, added a triangular flap (with a double yarn-over for a buttonhole), and knitted on the straps rather than sewing them on later (3-stitch I-cord, joined into a 6-stitch I-cord, on each side; then grafted together in the middle). It worked quite well, and I now know never to throw a wool sweater in the wash!
Started and finished August 2005
Source: teddy bear book by Debbie Bliss
Photo
I bought this book of knitted bear patterns solely for this one design. It's a little bear, wearing rabbit pyjamas. The picture is one of the most adorable things I've ever seen; I'm not usually big on cute, but this one's a nice cute.
Bit of a pain in the neck to make, though (and that was even before I temporarily lost one of the needles). I adjusted the pattern to limit the amount of sewing I had to do at the end, and that helped. But I don't plan to make this one again.
Started September 2000
Finished May 2003
Source: Better Homes and Gardens Big Book of Crafts
Close-up 1, Close-up 2, and full-size
I was carrying the project in my bag, and the needle slipped out, dropping thirty-some stitches. Argh! After letting it sit for nearly a year, I finally picked up the stitches and started working on it again. Then I let it sit another several months. Then I brought it with me to the College Art Association annual meeting, and kept at it afterwards, and now it's done! A lot smaller than the pattern claimed it was supposed to be -- 66 inches in diameter? Try 40. (Though I may just not have blocked it enough....) But that's okay; it still covers a small table. And I have now realized why point protectors are such an important thing for a knitter to have.
Started May 1998
Finished April 2001
Source: the classic Lily Sugar & Cream pattern
Photo (one example)
A favorite quickie project. One skein of Lily Sugar & Cream cotton yarn plus one evening = a nice washcloth. I like these; they're simple, and they work well. The colors do fade after a few washings, but hey, they're washcloths! it doesn't matter!
1992-2000
Source: Homespun, Handknit
Itty bitty socks for the Yule tree. I made them using some yarn that my friend Michael had brought back from Denmark.
Started and finished December 1994
Source: Needlecraft for Today
Materials: white, light blue, dark blue, and navy yarn, probably #8 needles
A birthday present for a college friend. No photos, alas.
Started February 1991
Finished March 1991
Last updated 23 September 2007
