It's a Wrap

I've been working on smaller projects lately, things that don't get too hot on my lap in this ridiculous weather and don't take too long so I'll be ready for the Ravellenic Games, which begin July 27th. 

I finished this triangular shawl a few weeks ago. It's the Kumara Wrap, a free pattern from Classic Elite yarns. I used two skeins of Cascade 220 Superwash. It blocked very well, and the shawl is squishy 1x1 rib. The fringe took a while but was very worth the effort. I really like this shawl, but I have a friend who just is this color blue, so I may gift it away.

Another free pattern, Grayson, used less than one skein in each color of Palette, which is a nice fingering-weight wool that comes in a staggering number of colorways. It uses a very ingenious method of casting on stitches at the edge (where the yellow is later knit), thus making it completely unnecessary to pick up stitches to knit the border. I'm not entirely in love with the yellow. I think a darker yellow, one with more brown or orange in it, would have looked more harmonious.

When working the stripes, I always brought the new color under the old color, and this made a very neat little spiral/spine up the edge of the knitting: very tidy looking!

Currently on the needles is another shawl, Quaking Aspen. . . 

Thick Stripes Cowl

Four skeins of clearance-priced Lion Brand Alpine Wool somehow jumped into my basket about six months ago. I thought about knitting hats and mittens with them, but during a Christmas-shopping trip I saw some great chunky, soft cowls and decided to see just how far those four skeins would take me:

This was super simple to knit, and made me especially glad that I had bought a 40-inch cable for my interchangeable needle set. More details on my Ravelry project page.

Charity Projects #2-5

Finally, a sunny day when I have time to take a few pictures! These projects have been off the needles for two weeks, but between blocking and waiting for them to dry, then days upon days of rain, I hadn't had a chance for photographs.

These fingerless mitts claim to use 75 yards of Malabrigo, and my pair came in at 73.8 yards of Capra: pretty good! The Hat Fit for a Boyfriend and mitts combined used about one and a half skeins of Capra in Caviar, which is the perfect stormy grey.




These fingerless gloves, knit with more of the mystery worsted from my stash, were super simple to knit. They are worked flat in ribbing and then sewn up one side. Remembering to leave a hole for the thumb is the only tricky part.

Below is the Very Braidy Cowl, which used about one and a half skeins of Capra. It is soft and cuddly and very warm.

I've been working a custom sweater for my husband, a shawl for a friend, and a cardigan for another friend's first baby, all currently in progress. I did finish a cardigan for me, but I can't seem to get sunny weather and someone else to take pictures. That would be pressing my luck.

I Haven't Been Blogging, but I Have Been Knitting

School's in again, so while I've still been carving out time to knit, I haven't been as good about blogging. As a sort of apology, here's a quick rundown of what's been coming off my needles this month.

Most recently finished is a monster buddy for my son, knit with partial skeins of wool from my stash. The pattern is Adorkable Monster.



I knit a birthday present for my dear friend Frances, but used smaller needles than called for to get more of a neckwarmer. It's Lion Brand Alpine Wool, which is a lovely and soft roving-style yarn.

Simple Ribbed Cowl (pattern link):

Then there was Turn a Square. I actually made two of these: one for charity, and one for my husband, also in stash wool.

And last but not least, the Little Lebowski sweater has been done for a while, but fall is upon us and my son finally got to take it out for a test drive.

I just ordered more yarn (don't tell my husband), and I think these are on deck.

Honey Cowl

I just wove in the ends on this yummy cowl from madelinetosh. This was the larger pattern option, which can be worn doubled around the neck. I used about three and a half skeins of Knit Picks Merino Style, a DK merino wool, that were left over from my Fairy Tale Cardigan. It was a very fast knit, thanks to slipped stitches on every other row, and was knit in the round, so all in all a pattern built for speed. I used a bind off of *k2tog through the back loop, place st back on LH needle, and repeat from *. It proved to be a good choice: more forgiving and stretchy than the classic bind off but not too loose either.

Worn long:




And worn doubled: