Showing posts with label tappanzee. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tappanzee. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Knitting: It's an itis

Why oh why can't I finish anything?

I've been on this organization kick recently and it occurs to me that I should reclaim lots of yarn from old projects never finished. I'm still on the fence here on this and not sure. In the meantime, I want to finish a darn sweater/tee/shirt type of object that I can wear NOW before it gets too incredibly hot (cool office - fyi). But I don't know what exactly.

Keep in mind I have several ideas and thoughts here. But then I think about the current stuff I am working on and am kicking myself because they aren't done.

Progress Report:
1. Tappen Zee - Huge booboo made by me not paying attention, need to tink 3 rows.... time out.

2. Secret Garden Socks - going well actually, but requires concentration, patience and some twisty hand movements.

3. Every Way Wrap - Got a little boring and is just hanging out. Too warm to wear now anyway, so on hold for a bit.

4. BOM #3 - The bobble catastrophe, man I hate this block, but I'm half done and it will be easy peasy to finish just not in the mood.

5. Cascadia Sock - RSC #1 for the year, have done quite a bit on this, but fear it is too huge. Contemplating if I really want to finish the pattern or reclaim the gorgeous yarn for something else. I LOVE the colorway.

So there ya go... as usual I have plenty to work on but yet want to start more, more, more.... Good grief, someone reel me in!

Ok, I think I'll go tink those rows or maybe take a walk in the secret garden, hmm....

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Knitting: A Knitty Cardi

So I'm really enamored with my latest project. I fell hard in multiple ways. For some time I've been wanting to make a nice light breezy spring/summer cardigan/tee etc. Last week, I went so far as to peruse many fine publications at Temptations in Dublin. I even thought I'd settled on a beautiful project from dear Jane Ellison for Mirasol. Anddd... I even bought a skein of this fantastic blue yarn. It's dreamy! The name escapes me right now, but it's a merino/silk blend (I believe) and it has a little bit of a sheen to it. Fantastic.

Anyway, I went home to mull it over and to swatch.

I mulled, but I didn't swatch. I just didn't feel like winding that pretty hank of yarn, only to start a swatch of a project I might never make. See, while I really LOVED the look of the cardigan, I don't like knitting in pieces. And I LOVE Jane Ellisons patterns. She definitely has what I would call a classic style. Many of her designs are modern, yet timeless. And some give off a vintage feel. I have several pattern books by her and I LOVE the sweaters and items in those books, but you know, I still haven't knit one. NOPE, not one.

So I continued to pause and mull as it were. I thought about doing the math to do it as one piece, I thought about top down and more math. And it wasn't in me to start, so I didn't.

WHICH turns out to be a good thing because on Sunday Cath and I met up for tea at Zen Cha. Got my fave Lavender Latte (delicious times a million). And then we headed to the Merc. While there I happened upon this delicious light COOLWOOL by Elisabeth Lavold. It's a 50/50 wool/cotton blend. Is super soft and I would say it's a DK or sport weight. Sometimes those weight definitions are lost on me, but it's definitely not a worsted weight and it's not sock weight, so to me dk/sport. Not sure if those are interchangeable, but that's what I know.

Anyway, the color I put on HOLD was called, Ultramarine, it's blue. But seriously there is a huge color palette for this yarn, it's all gorgeous. I purchased one skein because I was going to swatch first and I still had the Mirasol sweater in mind. (Cath bought a love tan of same yarn for a fantastic project as well!)

But then..... the spring/summer issue of knitty popped up and I found the PERFECT sweater for this yarn. It's the Tappan Zee by Amy King. So far it has everything I want.

1. It's top down (yay)
2. Looks lightweight and breezy
3. Short sleeves
4. Yarn works up to the perfect guage
5. Easy to read and follow the pattern along

So I cast on the other evening despite not being quite to the end of the socks which was a mistake because this thing has really taken a hold of me! The first night I finished a little over an inch and then day 2, I did increases and still managed to eek out another inch. I love the look of this thing so far. Granted I still have quite a ways to go. But I'm moving into the "design" section next, so I'll be following a chart for a bit so that will be fun. I'm full on committed to this project (ravlink) and let me tell you it feels fantastic.

Someone please remind me of this when I get to the bottom half and have to do stockinette for miles!