Portuguese Shores progress

I’ve been really enjoying working on my Shore cardigan. I look forward to the evening hours when I can plop on the couch grab my project and knit away while enjoying an episode of my latest Netflix addiction.

Don’t you love it when you are working on a project and every time you dedicate yourself to it, you notice a visible ‘grow spurt”? It’s so satisfying. Of course all this “mindless” knitting can result in a blunder or two. I was lulled into such a good rhythm that I just knitted away without thinking, only realizing too late that I should have tried on my cardigan before finishing the hem. Because when I did, I realized that the model wearing the cardigan in the picture and I are not the same proportions. 

Ripping out 25cm of a project is never pleasant, but unfortunately necessary in certain situations. Luckily I quickly recovered from my mistake and have now even finished both sleeves (no 2^nd sleeve syndrome here) and I am about to  start on the neck and button band. 

I cannot wait to give this knit a proper bath and block and then, weather permitting, find the perfect location for some nice photographs.

Hurray for Baby Knits

It’s been a while since our circle of friends has welcomed a baby into the mix, but there’s another on the way, so I was delighted to delve into my list of favorite baby knits to find the right one to cast on for.

I settled on the Little Coffee Bean Cardigan by Elizabeth Smith. It is a classic raglan cardigan, and I feel that any baby deserves such a staple knit in their wardrobe. Yes he’ll grow out of it quickly, yes, it’ll be drooled on, but let’s be honest, is there anything cuter than a baby dressed in hand-knits?

My choice of color was dictated by the mom’s preference and once again, it’s a classic, a beautiful blue for a long awaited baby boy. I’ve been looking forward to this knit, as it should whip up quickly, and I need a satisfying knit at the moment. I’ve been working away on a design of my own for a bit, and it’s proven to be quite the exercise in patience, so a straight-forward, uncomplicated knitting experience is just what I need right now.

I have made a slight modification to the pattern in that instead of making it in plain stockinette I chose to add a bit of texture to the cardigan. I am using the twisted purl stitch to accomplish that. Easy enough I thought to myself, right? Well, as it turns out any "little" change can have a big impact. Yes, it looks lovely, however it turns out that this stitch pattern does not exactly work in the round. That stumped me for a moment, but then to my relief I remembered this genius post by Karen Templer , which saved my project for a reason not even mentioned in her list of benefits!

I am well on my way to finish this cardigan, just one time for the baby's imminent arrival! 

via Instagram

Gift Knitting - Cable Cardigans

 I’ve been knitting a lot of things in duplicates lately. As everyone knows when you have 2 children you cannot get just one of anything, that’s playing with fire. So if I knit for friends’ kids or my nieces, it all has to be double. Which makes it feel like there is little progress on my projects, and I find that truly frustrating. Couple that with the fact that it feels like my list of bookmarked patterns is only growing, and I am a very aggravated knitter. However, nothing satisfies an irritated knitter more than FO’s . I am happy to be able to wrap up these adorable cardigans and send them on their way to Austria. But not before I tell you a little bit about them. This pattern really is at the top of my list of favourite kids knits. I already know I will be knitting it a third (sigh) time for my own little girl. 

I love the fact that the pattern is written for a variety of sizes, and because it calls for an Aran weight yarn it is a relatively quick knit.  The cabled yoke gives it some texture and adds a lovely intricate detail to a relatively straight-forward knit. I chose to knit the body a little longer than it calls for and  the hems on the sleeves long enough so that they can be folded over, this way the cardigan can be grown into and be worn for a little longer. There is enough ease built into the chest sizes to allow for that (I hope).

I tried two different types of yarn to make these and I am happy that both yarns seem to work for this pattern. The Luxury Collection Lima Tinto yarn is 100% wool with a fuzzy texture that should keep the wearer warm and cozy. It knits up great at the required gauge. The striped colorway adds an element of playfulness to the cardigan which I particularly like (pictures of that version are on my Ravelry page ). My second choice was the Berocco Vintage yarn, as it is for a 3 year old and will probably get dirty a little faster and I think that the washability of the Berocco is essential in this case. I found it to also be a suitable yarn for this pattern, though the gauge was a bit off, I chose to knit a larger size in the smaller gauge, because I felt otherwise the fabric was not turning out properly, and it worked out beautifully (if you are interested, the project details are on ravelry here).

I cannot wait to see them worn, used and loved and I wish I could be present when they are unwrapped for the first time.

More Inspiration - Macaron cardigan

Since we've moved to the suburbs, venturing out into the city is considered "an outing" in our house. We all enjoy our little trips, and make an effort to keep things interesting. 

Before the start of school, we took the kids to one of Montreal's prettiest outdoor markets, "Atwater market". 

It is always such an enjoyable experience. Fresh produce everywhere, the smells and colours all delicious and tempting. My favourite spots is this little patisserie, tucked away in a corner. We always make a pit-stop there, to enjoy a cappuccino or hot chocolate and a macaron.

When I walked in this time, and saw their display, it hit me...this would be a perfect colour combination for a girl's cardigan. Inspiration is funny that way, it lurks in the strangest places.

My project is a girl cardigan called "Semis de printemps". It is another gift for my nieces. Their mom had asked for a simple go-to cardigan that can be used any-time, and this pattern is just that.

The yarn I chose to use for it is Noro Tayo Sock, in a colourway that perfectly suits my inspiration. 

If you recall, I just spoke about colour inspiration in my previous post. To me, it is such an important part of choosing a project to work on.

I'm wondering...what inspires you when you choose yarn for a project?

Svalbard Progress

Svalbard…isn’t it a great name? I don’t know why, but the name is what caught my attention to begin with. Not the ideal way to choose a knitting pattern I agree, but in this case the look did not disappoint either. Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago. I believe that loosely translated it says pointy mountains. What a perfect name for a knitting pattern, don’t you agree?  Scandinavia, mountains, snow-covered peaks….all of these images make me want to pick up the needles and knit away.

I initially planned on having the cardigan finished for my return to work, but as so often happens, things came up, and I started late. I had found the perfect shade of yarn, a warm, sunny, mustardy color, a yarn that I think will perfectly compliment this pattern. 

Then I started reading the instructions. Right away, I noticed that this was going to require some serious concentration, as you are keeping track of several types of increases at the same time and different types of patterns for the front, back and sleeves. The cardigan is knit in what is called a Cartridge rib, which is simply a succession of K3, P1 stitches, strategically aligned to create this wonderful texture, so I thought, really? How hard can this be?

Famous last words. I started, and almost immediately stopped when it came to setting up the sleeve stitches. The diagram included with the pattern, did nothing to lift the mystery for me. I read through project notes, and noticed I was not the only one confused, so I emailed Brooklyn Tweed Support for guidance. In less then an hour I had an answer with detailed row-by-row, stitch-by –stitch instructions. If that is not support, I don’t know what is!

I was determined however to understand the instructions, and not just blindly follow them, so in the end I made up a diagram to help me along.

I will post it here for any knitters that may come across the same issue to use. After all, knitters help each other, don’t we?

Once you get it, the yoke starts growing quite quickly. And then you can knit along until your next challenge pops up...the sleeves. I had to ask for help for a second time, and it was swift and concise, and it even came with photos. I am still working on a diagram for that, and will be posting it soon.

I cannot wait to show you the finished project, it's my new favorite.

To download click here

Style a Knit

My return to work, from maternity leave, has prompted a wardrobe overhaul. I have gone through several "styles" in my life in an attempt to find the real "me". It's been an interesting journey, but I believe, or rather hope, that I have finally matured. 

For some reason, this time, I was determined to approach it from a practical point of view. I've been reading a lot about capsule wardrobes, and I can see its advantages, especially for a person whose morning routine is a mad dash. Simplicity, a formula, interchangeable pieces, all a must at this point in my life. So, I am working on creating one for myself, and I have decided that as a knitter it would be essential to incorporate some knits into it. 

I am “limited” to a pretty typical casual business attire, but that does not mean that I cannot be a little creative. And to be honest, I am having fun planning outfits around handmade knits. I am thinking this may even turn into a regular column on the blog, what do you think of  “Fashionable Knits”, “Fashion Purl-ice” or better yet “Style-a-Knit”.

After a few delightful hours spend on Ravelry and Pinterest, I have a list of knits that I will have to "whip up" to add to my wardrobe. It's not going to be easy, it's not going to be cheap, it's certainly not going to be fast, but it's going to be SO much fun! And you'll hear about every detail. 

My first choice? A Bristol Ivy pattern called Svalbard. 

Pattern name: Svalbard                            Outfit inspiration Pinterest

I'll be back soon to tell you more about it.

SSKAL 2014 - A fail and a success

I have a confession to make...It seems I am addicted to baby-knits. I can't stop casting on, researching, planning. I've got it bad!

My latest favourite? Cascade by Raya Budrevich. I mean look at those pretty leaves! Who could resist tat? Certainly not me.

Since my own Summer Sweater KAL project ended in a frogged pile of yarn, I searched for solace in a quick project. And Cascade was the perfect pick-me-up. I whipped it up in 2 days. It took me longer to weave in ends, choose buttons, block and photograph it!

I cannot wait for Sienna to fit into it. I think this is a cardigan that will be knitted in several sized to accompany her through childhood!

Baby's Closet- Korrigan Cardi

Time to look at another baby cardigan. This one was also knit while spending time in the NICU. 

Staying true to my style, I chose Korrigan, a pretty, elegant cardigan with a little girly detail, in this case these adorable cables. It's the first time I have used Shibui yarn, and I have to say it's been added to my ever-growing list of favourite yarns. The colour is absolutely stunning , and the yarn itself has amazing stitch definition. The result is really lovely as you can see.

Never enough baby knits

Hi, and I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's day celebration. We had a beautiful day, a full house, lots of laughter and squealing children. I was planning a quick little post, but time just got away from me.

So I am back today to show off another adorable baby knit. I started this pattern while recovering from giving birth in the hospital. A dear friend of mine sent me this yarn from Berlin, and I wanted to make something special with it for my little one. 

A very popular baby cardigan on Ravelry is Puerperium (how DO you pronounce it?). It is written for a very small size, so it was perfect for my tiny 2lbs, 10oz baby. 

Well perfectly small for her to grow into anyway, as it still is a little big on her now, and she is 3 times as big.

It is a very fast and straightforward pattern. I enjoyed making it, and really like the way it turned out, but my absolute favourite part of this cardigan......the buttons! Aren't they adorable? Ever since I saw them in my friend's yarn shop, I planned on knitting a cardigan to fit them. I mean owls! You can never have enough owls!

The beautiful weather has finally arrived here in Montreal and I am planning on spending as much time outdoors as I can. What about you??

"Inversion Cardigan", a project 6 months in the making

I have never been great at multi-tasking, at least not when it comes to my personal projects.  I have never been the one to read several books in parallel, or work on several knit-projects at the same time. 

You may think that it’s maybe a good thing, but this, can back-fire. Case in point, the project I want to show you today. I started the cardigan last fall, October according to the notes I added to Ravelry. And it was only finished recently. 

There were times, I never thought I’d finish. Why? Because except for the borders, this is all stockinette stitch. And that is in the shape of a rectangle, so no shaping whatsoever. Even though I knit as a form of therapy, I still need a little more excitement then what stockinette can offer.

But I stuck by it, and slowly the pieces came together.

Details: Inversion Cardigan Pattern by Jared Flood

Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca in Pea Soup Mix

 Project details on my Ravelry page

If you are planning on knitting this for yourself, the most important tool to have on hand, besides patience is blocking wires. They are essential! How do I know? I don’t own any, and boy, did I regret that. Once the pattern is knitted, in order to put it together properly and to have the right shape you need to block the pieces very precisely, the 2 mirroring pieces need to be the exact same size, and the third has to match. To my surprise my knitting stretched by 7 inches once blocked, so I was grateful that the instructions mentioned not binding off until the pieces were blocked, and even more grateful that I actually followed these instructions.

Then, came the fun part! Grafting the border to the stockinette portion and then using kitchner stitch to seam the mirroring pieces together. It took me 3 evenings to finish this step of the process. Granted, I'd never used the kitchener before, so this pert was especially slow, but I did it right, and in the end, I believe it looks quite good.

I am extremely happy with the end-result, and I have worn the cardigan a few times already. It's been admired by both knitters and non-knitters alike.

All in all, this is another amazing Jared Flood pattern!

Getting back into the swing of things

Life is strange. After trying for months to make changes in my life, to get things onto a positive track, and feeling trapped, like I was hitting a wall, it seems my persistence has paid off.

Not only did we manage to sell our old place, and move, but I have finally found another job, and will be starting my new role in a couple of weeks..

So now that it all seems to be falling into place, I can focus on my knitting again. It feels like ages since I've picked up the needles! And I never got a chance to blog about finishing my Effortless Cardigan. It's a great sweater, a pattern that I've wanted to knit forever, and of course it did not disappoint. None of Hannah Fettig's patterns do! I debated for a long time what yarn to use, and when I saw the Classic Elite Moorland on sale at Webs, it struck me as a good choice.

And it is .... in a way. Because mohair sheds, so I tend t leave a trail wherever I go. You can tell what chair I've  been sitting in, or what coat I've worn. Also, and this I am not sure is due to the mohair, I've got quite significant pilling where my watch and purse rub against the sweater. Bit I still like the yarn, it's great to work with, I maybe chose the wrong project for it.

Make no mistake, I'm still proudly wearing my sweater, but it just goes to show you that I still have lots to learn about pairing yarn and projects.

Now let me share some shots I got of the Effortless. We had really wonderful weather for about a week, so I am glad I got the hubs to dig out the camera.

Now that my creative mojo is slowly returning, I've got some, hopefully interesting posts lined up, so don't give up on this blog just yet!

Best friends and a Debbie Bliss cardigan

Do you still remember your best friend from childhood? Do you still keep in touch? How special are these memories to you?

As a mother, I find it fascinating to see my son forge relationships. There’s his best friend from daycare, his partner in crime, whom he plans on taking along for a ride when he gets his own motorcycle and his girlfriend, whom he wears his Super-man T-shirt for. And then there are the friends he sees on weekends, the ones he goes on vacation with and meets at activities.

I am a little obsessive about capturing little special moments for him to remember. I love this picture of A. and one of his buddies. Don’t they look like they’re up to no good?

What does this have to do with knitting you ask? Well, I wanted to show off a new FO. It’s another Debbie Bliss Pattern from “Baby knits for beginners”, specifically the raglan cardigan. I chose a bright-red cotton acrylic mix yarn for durability, and I am really happy with how this turned out.

As this was made for a 3 year old, I enlarged the pattern a bit, and it looks like I’m getting better at adjusting knitting patterns. Now I just have to knit a matching one for A. so they can go out and charm the ladies.

Summer Sweater knit along

Can you believe that I have never tackled an adult sized knitting project? I mean, ok , I’ve “only” been knitting for 3 years, but I’ve always focused on small, fast projects, mainly baby clothes and accessories. But now that I have gathered some experience, I figured I am ready for a new challenge.

Then I saw this post on Luvinthemommyhood, and it was the push I needed to make a commitment. I’ve wanted to knit Hannah Fettig’s Featherweight Cardigan for a while now, and I had even purchased the yarn. The color is this intense red-orange-y-pink/fuchsia. Not my usual color, but something about it just made me think it’d be perfect.

I have never joined a KAL, I simply have no time, but since this is on-line, it’s the perfect alternative. So get ready to hear about this project and its progress, I am myself curious to see how it will turn out.