Check Yourself Cowl Pattern

Posted on October 20, 2015 by MissCarlotta

I am both immensely proud and partially horrified… I’ve just published my first for pay pattern. My test knitter messaged me with a pre-coffee wake up update that she had finished her knitting and so the Check Yourself Cowl is now available on Ravelry.

The pattern was test knit and includes directions for both an Aran or Worsted Weight yarn options, and works very well with one yarn that may not have a consistent gauge, such as your own homespun or in my sample, Manos del Uruguay Classica.

And now for some sentimental rambling thoughts…

Deciding to sell a pattern rather than just give it away is one of those brain hurdles for me. Up until now, I was easing my way into the pool with some free patterns… learning the ropes and through my own knitting seeing the good patterns vs bad patterns traits. But there comes a point when you just have to take the big plunge and as I was making up my cowl… that was the time. Get wet and get over it.

The inside (for the curious)

Cowl Before Me!

Posted on October 5, 2015 by MissCarlotta

Every so often I take a minute after a project and before the next to physically go through my yarn stash. Since I’ve been stash busting, its also a good way to see what singles, partials and just plain kind of special cases of yarn need to find a use. My last venture started out with some thrifted Manos del Uruguay Classica (Price tag is from the stashkeeper before me). This is a thick/thin single ply yarn that is kettle dyed in some lovely colors and which I ended up with just a bit better than 2 non-matching skeins. The skein on the right looked like a good match to one of the half a ball colors left over from my original stitch block cowl, so that was my jumping in point.

So I started out and was knitting along and after a few inches into the cowl project it became apparent to me that there wasn’t enough variation between the two colors, so back into the stash to come up with a better plan. And eventually I came out with what I am calling the “Check Yourself Cowl” (This photo taken while it was blocking.)

I was quite pleased and had taken pretty good notes, so I sent the pattern off to another knitter as a test knit and with a bit of luck this pattern will be available soon. There was just one problem. I still had half a skein of the original Manos. So with that… I knit up a slightly different pattern, this one showcasing the Classica as the foreground yarn. (Again photoed while blocking)

This one I guess I’m calling the “Wreck Yourself Cowl”. Not just because you should “check yourself before you wreck yourself”, but also because if you’ve ever accidentally dropped a stitch the concept of dropping 30 or so stitches that you want to pick up later is a little mentally challenging, even when the actual stitches aren’t that complex. This pattern needs a bit more refining before its ready to be test knit. Which is ok with me since I like the design even if I am not typically a cowl wearer.

And with that, here’s a few sisters in skein cowl shots:

A Frugal Sweater to Fall For

Posted on September 28, 2015 by MissCarlotta

Wool yarn is generally not inexpensive. This makes sweaters on the more expensive end of wearable crafts, and a bit of a hurdle for some new knitters. One option when you are scouring sales racks and finding your way through the options are thrift sales. If you are a little bit cautious and a little bit adventurous you can find a good deal.

I say cautious because it can be easy to see a brand name and some people will bid up to near retail price without considering any shipping or handling costs. One of the main dangers with thrifted yarn is you don’t know how the last person kept their stash and paying near retail (or above if you forgot about the additional fees) only to discover you have a moth nest is going to be a bad time.

But also adventurous. Take a chance on a wool brand you aren’t quite sure about. Find one of those swooned about skeins in your price range.

It was this spirit of frugal adventure that ended in a purchase of 12 skeins of Christopher Sheep Wool for $21.99 or the equivalent of $1.75 a skein. (7 in Barley, 4 in Chris Robin, 1 in unlabeled dark brown)

Now I can say that based on the Ravelry stashes and the color options seen on their website that my finds were from a much earlier period and in colors they no longer produce. When I wound it into the balls I can say that the stash keeper before me had some issues with pests and so several of the Barley colored skeins were not unbroken.

Nevertheless, in the spirit of stash busting cold sheeping I decided to have a go at making it into a garment. And because its a bit more of a rough texture yarn I wanted to use it as an outer layer style garment. Enter Sylvi. I loved the design on the back, and even more so the idea of making it pop out a bit with some color work, as a few knitters before me had done. What I didn’t care about was the hood and that there were no pockets. But with only $20 on the line… time to test out the ability to make modifications.

My modifications included Intarsia Cables and bud/leaves, an alternate cuff in the Celtic Vines pattern, Two front pockets, a separate button placket, and a shawl style collar. I found some coconut shell leaf buttons to finish it off. The front vine/flower was added as an afterthought i-cord design. It fits well enough I wore it out to fall cider and apple fritters. I just forgot to get any photos. (And my other photos are late night cell phone shots which leave a bit to be desired)

And now something for the curious knitter…. what the interior of it looks like.

I personally don’t think I am the best at weaving in ends, but to me this looks fine enough I don’t think I would line it.

Now as to the stash busting and how that is going…. I still have a couple more sweaters-worth of thrifted yarn. One in a fingering weight black and another in a worsted weight beige that I am hoping to dye a more suited shade. And then the latest yarn swap came in…. so 10 skeins out… and it looks like 7 skeins in.

Must… knit… faster

Just keep Knitting

Posted on September 5, 2015 by MissCarlotta

Weddings sure do eat up a bunch of time out of a month! So alas this time I am a bit light on the finished items, and have lots of Works in Progress to share (WIPs).

First up… I am continuing my stash busting, and tackling some yarn I thrifted a few years ago. These big hanks take up most of one of the closet stash boxes. They are slowly becoming a sweater with some modifications to give it a collar and pockets. I am up to the right front, pockets and the collar to complete.

The back, missing some the full flowers

Left front with pocket line

both of these are finished and blocking now.

Well this is rather complex, and a bit bulky, so less transportable… so I started some other project too. It may be getting out of hand.

There is a baby blanket from some stash acrylic in a modified tree tops style.

And a couple row by row quilt rows:

I’m a bit of a ways from being done with those last few projects. Hopefully they will show up in a blog post her soon…..ish.

A Bouquet of Tiny Flowers

Posted on July 17, 2015 by MissCarlotta

The big day is getting closer and closer, and thankfully this morning I get to tick the little box that says “knitted DIY projects finished”

In addition to my shawl which I posted earlier, I knit some favors (to be revealed later) and my hairdresser said I could do just about anything (pins/combs/veil) so… I made some flowers for my hair. Here’s the flowers I have ordered for my bouquet,

: Rhudbeckia

: Roses

: Lisianthus

Which I used as inspiration for making my flower hair combs

I wrote up some of the pattern details for each flower on my Ravelry project page where you can see each flower solo. (Please note that those directions are very rough) To finish off my combs (6 red, 5 yellow, 5 violet) I left long tails to tie them onto the combs and then used a small dab of hot glue to set the knots and secure the flowers to the comb.

The backside with long yarn tails

Glue has hardened and my tails are trimmed.

The most difficult parts of this project was finding plain combs (~~Joanns~~, ~~Sally Beauty Supply~~, Michaels had them but in the bridal supplies which wasn’t where I was looking) figuring out where I’d put my hot glue gun, and getting a photo that was fairly true to color.

Guessing I would say that each flower takes less than a yard and the red and gold were yarns already in my stash in fingering and lace weights.

Hollywood Socks: Fixing it in Post Production

Posted on June 13, 2015 by MissCarlotta

Ok, so you may recall that I made a nice set of beaded socks for Sock Madness that were a bit too long in the foot for me. Well during Sock Madness there are specific rules per pattern to help ensure that at least everyone knits a standard requirement. For me, that meant my sock feet were too big. So technically they were finished, but then I needed to re-finish to make them wearable.

Mad About the Gals original finish

I did realize that my socks were going to be too long so I did put a stitch marker at more appropriate measured row for starting my toes and did not weave in my yarn tails, just tucked the toe yarn inside the sock. So the first step was to un-kitchener the toe.

Here you can see my marker for the earlier toe transition point and I’ve unworked the kitchener stitches.

Since I have quite a bit to frog back, I decided to just pull back like one would frog the entire item, but by keeping a handle on how fast and far I was pulling, be able to re-pick up my live stitches at or around the row I’d marked.

: Here is one sock where I’ve pulled all the green yarn from the toe. I will continue to pull back to my marker.

: After you get to the row, pick up each stitch on your needles again. If you knit tightly, you may want to use a smaller needle to pick them up. Be careful not to miss any loops.

Once you have your stitches picked up again, you just use your directions to re-knit them to the correct length. Here’s a photo of the first sock re-completed stacked on top of the other sock in the original finish so you can see the foot length difference.

Sorry about the lighting… I was working on these while taking a drive to Oregon.

After you have finished the first, then you work the second just the same.

It was a beautiful day for a drive. I still have some green toes, but not as much and the socks fit.. which was the most important part.

In semi-related news. I also finished my second Woodruff Sock, which is my first colorwork sock. They are a bit roomy, but not too big I think if I were to knit them all over again I’d probably go down a needle size, but we shall see after the first real wear and block. Here’s some beauty shots.

Socks and other things that happen when pigs fly

Posted on May 21, 2015 by MissCarlotta

Whew! I am writing this post while sorting through songs to play wedding day… and finding all the photos of things I didn’t blog about. (Shame on me!) But I have reasons! Some of them are better than others too! One of my reasons is we have been redecorating some of the house by painting. And we finished up the guest room just in time for my future (soon!) mother-in-law to come visit. This is also the home of most of my yarn stash, and now it sports a great chair for sitting and knitting in.

While she was here, we visited a local yarn mill called Abundant Earth Fiber, where we enjoyed getting a full tour from Lydia which included Ben trying out her loom. Even though both his mom and I encouraged him, I am not sure he is going to make any of the rugs we will use when we put in the hardwood floors.

Anyway… back to socks, and specifically Sock Madness. I did finish the pair with beads for the competition. I did it “Hollywood Style” which means they are too long in the toes (and I did run out of my skein there too!) so I shall just have to fix them in post-production.

I solemnly swear to try to post my post-production sock fix.

And then after the socks with cables and beads… it was Kilt hose to narrow the teams down to just seven. So I tackled my first pair of socks made intentionally for someone else. Which turned out better than I had hoped, and I have the distinct pleasure to present as worn with kilt.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Tradescantia Zebrina Socks

So this is the second to last round… and while I did get started, I’ve not gotten terribly far and will not be advancing to the final round. The pattern is by the same designer as the Semki socks I made, so its quite the challenge.

While I didn’t make it all the way to the finals, I did win a prize! And all because I knit a very silly little flying pig between the rounds.

I had so much fun making him… I’ve started to knit a whole fleet! (While there are several names for groups of pigs, there doesn’t appear to be any for the flying kind.)

As for the other things… well in addition to finishing my wedding shawl, I did actually tackle a shawl that I have had in my queue with yarn assigned from nearly 3 years ago. I know.. that’s a long time to have something in queue with the yarn, but let me take you back…. back to the early years. Like many a newer knitter, I started out trying to balance budget and skill, and you know me, I tend to be frugal. So it was a real splurge when I used some reward bucks at a yarn shop to pick out a gorgeous skein of Malabrigo lace. The color is called Archangel, but in my opinion, its the Orion Nebula.

Courtesy NASA

In yarn

The pattern for this one is both simple and complex… mostly bare half-charts which leave some of the mechanics open to interpretation…. so I did my best.

And before I forget yet again… I did enjoy the Yarn and Fabric Swaps. And quite frankly… I totally made out like a bandit!

Here’s my fabric gift write up. My giftee posted a thanks, but no photos.

And the one for yarn. (Here’s what I sent)

So now I have more piggies, more wedding knits, and two pairs of color work socks to finish up… anyone have a knitting clone?

This is why we Block

Posted on April 26, 2015 by MissCarlotta

I’ve discussed blocking previously, and while he example was fine… I think this one is a better illustration. (Featuring my planned wedding shawl)

This is after knitting before blocking:

Its a nice crescent shawl with a bit of a ruffle/flutter texture

And this is after blocking:

So very much more lacey and airy

Yes, that’s the same tabletop in both photos. Yes, I do sometimes fail with photography (hello lens shadow I see you!).

This pattern has 2688 beads and I knit it up on my salal dyed yarn. And since I’m rather pleased with it… here’s a ton more pictures.

Sock it to me!

Posted on April 24, 2015 by MissCarlotta

We are now working past the 2 miles of knitting part of the year.

Ok so this year in addition to getting married, and apparently resuming cookie baking, I also joined a sock knitting competition called Sock Madness. Yes that’s right, the lady that whined about how bad her Second Sock Syndrome was in April of last year with the prior experience then of one pair of socks that took nearly a year to finish. Well last year I finished three whole pair of socks, for a new total of four pair, and then pair five was the first project of 2015 so I was on a roll.
So first up, you had to make a reasonable effort in the qualifying two week round. Apparently I’m still sorting out gauging correctly, so the first pair were a bit large and now belong to Ben.

10 days, 2 socks, one at a time.

After that you get assigned to a ~~bracket~~ team, with people that should be approximately the same skill/speed as you are. My team is Purl, and the first thing most of us commented on was how much we don’t like purling. And then it was on to the competition rounds.

Round Two: Fight!

The first pattern in the competitive rounds was top down and cabling. Only 32 members of the ~~bracket~~ team would advance. So while we did take a drive down to Oregon to see the Spruce Goose, I was knitting away the whole way.

Wanted to make sure these fit, so I tried them on a time or two.

The second sock, complete with the kitchener stitch toe (which was required so I actually did) was a bit tight in the leg. So I knit the leg of the second sock on a bigger needle. So my submitted socks were not exactly matched, but did qualify.

Sock one on the right, all size 0 needle, Sock Two starts with a size 1 needle on the leg.

Of the two week timeline, I finished the pair in six days. And then once I got the advancement confirmation I immediately frogged and reknit that first sock and so now I have a real matched pair, just had to knit three socks to get them. (Wore them yesterday too!)

Round Three: Fight!

Next up, was a pair of toe up socks with lace. These knit up so fast the round didn’t even take a full two weeks for 25 members of the ~~bracket~~ team to advance.

Spring Flowers for your feet!

Round Four: Fight!

So here we are in Round Four… and I’m updating my blog when I should be knitting. (Don’t panic I’m knitting right after this!)

This round the sock is top down, both cables and lace, AND BEADS. Oh… and a different gusset decrease too. Technically I am beading a bit more than required by going all down the leg, but this is shaping up to be some great socks. I hope I’m one of the 17 from the ~~bracket~~ team that advance!

This yarn has some cashmere in it. I’m going to feel like I have fancy feet!

Now how I convinced myself to do this whole madness was partially the pile of sock weight yarn in my stash, the prompting of a fellow knitter and the fact that I could really use more awesome socks. (Though not necessarily for the TSA) Which was why I had actually finished the first sock in my pair of first colorwork socks just prior to joining in Sock Madness.

One finished Sock!

Top of the Sock

I have managed to cast on the start of the second sock between rounds, but this will probably take a bit as I’m still working on the wedding shawl, which takes priority since I’d like to take it with me when I go dress shopping. (Which is now just a few weeks away! WAHHHHH!!)

I better get back to knitting. @_@

PS – A Word about ~~Brackets~~ Teams: I was soundly informed that while Sock Madness calls them teams, because you are knitting against your team they are actually brackets. I say… who cares so long as you can explain it.

The January 1000

Posted on February 3, 2015 by MissCarlotta

Believe it or not… I knit 1000 yards in January. (Yeah I know, I hardly believed it myself) The whole month I was in “I’m never going to finish all the things I want to get done this year” for a mindset which may have helped but then again was a bit stressful at times.

So let’s see… first we made socks that I’m putting firmly in the category of “will wear for benefit of the TSA.” This is a silly idea of mine that since we have to take off shoes most often to travel, and since the TSA officers then get to see a myriad of socks, I shall wear socks as if it were a sock contest. Previously this was novelty holiday socks, but now I have these beauties checking in for the first 200+ yards:

No officer, a clown did not puke on my feet.

That pattern probably would look a bit better in a less variegated color, but it was a nice simple repeat suitable for taking in the car or when concentration isn’t as needed. Which means it offset my lace and beads shawl project.

2nd bead project!

Golden beads on russet

This project has a nice soft drape

A nice shallow cresent

The pattern itself was only available for a very short time called Dance With Dragons. I used about half of my Secret Santa yarn, so I shall need to find another project for the remainder, but overall I am loving how it came out.

Next up… it was the January Cold Sheep challenge… find the oldest yarn in your stash and knit it up. Technically I’ve other yarn that was in my stash for longer, but due to the time of year and the plans for it, I went with actually probably the oldest yarn. A vintage Dazzleaire from the era of when it was “new” that may even predate my own existence.

Dazzling Yellow Dazzleaire

This yarn joined my stash from another knitters stash. The idea of what to do with it went through several considerations and I really do like the colorway. But when pressed for an idea… I decided to make my very own design Neck Cat.

This dazzling kitty loves to travel.

The essential design idea is a cat themed neck/travel pillow, and I’d say that while its comfortable, and obviously a cat, this fella needs a second go through the design phase. The next iteration I plan to aim for a more curved and less square body shape, with feet that are a part of the main pillow.

Now at this point I was just shy of both February and 1000 yards. I wasn’t yet ready to start another beaded shawl. Another person shared some mosaic knit dish/wash cloths, and I am sitting on a stash of quite a bit of cotton so….I churned out a pair of cloths myself.

Coral and Peach Partners

Technically the photo above is at the one and a half cloth stage, but I thought it was a nice showcase of how you can just swap the two colors around and get a mismatched yet still matched pair. It successfully made two skeins of cotton exit the stash and so now I’m starting another mosaic pattern for another pair.

Mosaic knitting is where you slip one color while working the other color across the design. When you get back to the start of the design, you swap and work the other color while slipping the first color.

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