tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23630113695392876112024-02-07T19:42:32.977-08:00Elly KnitsOn knitting and knitting resources...Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-5646398669420807692013-04-24T12:47:00.001-07:002013-04-24T12:47:28.928-07:00Yarn Along: Quiet Knitting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nVO6M47mYXi5EggvtFyXu_fDiKYOgWlUHbrmdxqA3W1iOjRCmRzhIu301hBLR6NPVajzp_7X6MEpirdGGfJWaWwbcvtv7_nEOz0W4LVVT_KsPcXsuJ1TDxdnOypV7pOF2cZan1jYmkQ/s1600/20130424-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2nVO6M47mYXi5EggvtFyXu_fDiKYOgWlUHbrmdxqA3W1iOjRCmRzhIu301hBLR6NPVajzp_7X6MEpirdGGfJWaWwbcvtv7_nEOz0W4LVVT_KsPcXsuJ1TDxdnOypV7pOF2cZan1jYmkQ/s320/20130424-7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
Last week, I had two projects on the go. I finished the gloves (come back Friday!) and I am still strutting along on the little <a href="http://www.petitepurls.com/Fall11/fall2011_p_littlered.html" style="background-color: white; color: #ad25d1; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Capuchon</a> project. It's real quiet knitting. Long rows of stockinette, with a small seed stitch border. It does not look much like a cape yet, but I am sure you can appreciate how relaxing it is to knit. In the last few months, I really have challenged myself knitwise (ha ha!), so taking a break from intense knitting is quite appreciated. <br />
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What is also quite special is that I don't know what I am going to knit next. I usually have this long mental list of projects I want to tackle, but it seems that I went through it. Maybe it is a time to take a break? Nah..... I'll certainly come up with something else while looking at other great projects in progress on <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;"> </span><a href="http://www.gsheller.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #ad25d1; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Ginny's Yarn Along</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">, </span><a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/" style="background-color: white; color: #ad25d1; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Tami's amis WIP Wednesday</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;">, and </span><a href="http://frontierdreams.blogspot.ca/" style="background-color: white; color: #ad25d1; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 24px;" target="_blank">Nicole's KCCP</a>!<br />
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<a href="http://www.gsheller.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/yarnalong_gsheller_aqua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://www.gsheller.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/yarnalong_gsheller_aqua.jpg" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZxm_q03izpY8d6DeCyn9-vUDnrHe8knODIbJqsgRzkX9JhXe7EIZm1EfWOCZQTQO5GiUxzwDm6WuI2TE3u6m6VAbslQW7myt1-5wY31QKDCvDe3NBLk7pLnZWumbmAbZbl6N-Rz1fGXf/s170/tami_wip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHZxm_q03izpY8d6DeCyn9-vUDnrHe8knODIbJqsgRzkX9JhXe7EIZm1EfWOCZQTQO5GiUxzwDm6WuI2TE3u6m6VAbslQW7myt1-5wY31QKDCvDe3NBLk7pLnZWumbmAbZbl6N-Rz1fGXf/s170/tami_wip.jpg" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-39484152170015972932013-04-19T05:31:00.000-07:002013-04-19T05:31:33.376-07:00FO Friday: Zipped Cardigans!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh55B5Vezf04PslKDbnZsJt896cyk7VhMb5Ul2m5Wpo0vwtz-2VdrhBYKFU4XjXSTtCZHab8iFrAZ61tuDh2J4CT6tmc0u9BDrMMSv-otPnnWWN0RhVbS_m8xiZk-vM_ym12Q86Oqvh88/s1600/20130416-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh55B5Vezf04PslKDbnZsJt896cyk7VhMb5Ul2m5Wpo0vwtz-2VdrhBYKFU4XjXSTtCZHab8iFrAZ61tuDh2J4CT6tmc0u9BDrMMSv-otPnnWWN0RhVbS_m8xiZk-vM_ym12Q86Oqvh88/s320/20130416-10.jpg" width="228" /></a><br />
Finally! With the weather getting warmer, I packed my two girls and took the trip to my local craft store (which is not that local...) to get the zipper that I needed to finish Gabrielle's cardigan. This cardigan has been sitting on my shelf for several months, waiting for additional yarn first, and then for a zipper.<br />
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I thought it was the perfect item to try the <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2012/10/zipper-in-knitwear-no-sewing-way.html" target="_blank">TECHknitter no-sew zipper</a>. It was more difficult than I anticipated - most likely because I didn't have the right tool - but I am very pleased with the result. I do not have the tiny latch hook the TECHknitter uses for this. I did the job with a regular tiny hook, so my yarn got split several times. I nevertheless finished the job of transforming the zipper into a "knit-able object". Once that's done, fixing the zipper on the cardigan becomes incredibly easy.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aFBkjuXAuEg1Px01w1XQA1JO-tcZJomyahvotC_RnsfyyxJrM-I_4t_EaGjqYvYFPk-PcXHscl0B4t9eTWIC1fjxNRhGR0TtxM8NLFm_ySZaGBX8RXSyYu1IP8ac_SUpftAWddEHuGw/s1600/20130416-25.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_aFBkjuXAuEg1Px01w1XQA1JO-tcZJomyahvotC_RnsfyyxJrM-I_4t_EaGjqYvYFPk-PcXHscl0B4t9eTWIC1fjxNRhGR0TtxM8NLFm_ySZaGBX8RXSyYu1IP8ac_SUpftAWddEHuGw/s320/20130416-25.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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While at the craft store, I found this lovely Winnie the Pooh ribbon - Winnie is Gab's favorite - and thought it would do a fantastic job to hide the zipper on the inside. She loves it!</div>
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I have also finished the Icelandic cardigan (from the Craftsy Top-Down Icelandic Sweater course) for Gabrielle's mother. I was quite anguished while knitting it because I relied on measurements more than on the pattern. Mrs Godmother hasn't tried it yet, but I am pretty sure I did a good job. <br />
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I am really happy with the color work. That purple really jumps out!<br />
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I have also finished it with a zipper rather than buttons, but I didn't use the no-sew technique for this one. It just felt easier to sew it there, and allowed me to tame my steek stitches which were flaring a little. I could resist: I used the same ribbon to finish the inside: the godmother and goddaughter will share that little secret!<br />
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It's so great to have finished these two projects! To look at more beautiful finished objects, visit <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Tami's amis FO Friday</a>!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-10773022089905647512013-04-16T19:15:00.003-07:002013-04-16T19:15:49.377-07:00Yarn Along: New Projects!Hello everyone!<br />
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This is my first post in two weeks - glad to be back. Blogging and a number of other things have been on hold due to a tendonitis to my shoulder: no more browsing and typing allowed while breastfeeding. The bad news is that this will considerably limit my contribution to the online knitting and crafting community. The good news is that, weirdly enough, it doesn't stop me from knitting. Pheeewww!</div>
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In the past few days, I have finished the two cardigans I was working on. More about these on Friday! The great thing about finishing items is that I can start new ones completely guilt free. So here's what's in my project box now:</div>
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The red yarn that wants to jump in your face from this photo comes from my big stash of Caron Simply Soft that I bought on sale during the Christmas time. It is yarn to experiment, but also to play. I started this lovely little cape, <a href="http://www.petitepurls.com/Fall11/fall2011_p_littlered.html" target="_blank">Capuchon</a>, for Gabrielle. I thought that since she lives pretty much all the time in a musical or in a play, she would love to be the little red riding hood. It is very simple and relaxing to knit...</div>
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In the picture, you might also have recognized the Lett Lopi I used for my Icelandic cardigan. I have a few skeins left and thought I could use some of it to make fingerless gloves. The cardigan is for the girls' godmother, you had requested, a while ago, a pair of such gloves. </div>
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I finished one and the other one is on the way. I try to reuse some of the cardigan color work pattern on the glove. I guess I could have done something a little more intricate, but I had never made gloves before and had to deal with a slightly different gauge than the one specified on the pattern. I decided, for all these reasons, to play safe!</div>
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I am now debating whether I will also make a hat or a scarf... but might just end up keeping the lovely Lopi to make some gloves for myself!</div>
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To see other great projects in the making, visit <a href="http://www.gsheller.com/" target="_blank">Ginny's Yarn Along</a>, <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Tami's amis WIP Wednesday</a>, and <a href="http://frontierdreams.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Nicole's KCCP</a>!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-65990399513042525912013-04-03T05:16:00.001-07:002013-04-03T05:16:10.265-07:00WIPW: Icelandic AnguishA short post this week. We've been quite busy with Easter, of course, seeing family and swimming in maple sirup at the sugar shack. <div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoq6YJvPwJ6xujq5YxzbQDmJ-gEkHlzQzomsVuG3wr6GhPlDdml44dxM669vTujXdLyw7F0rl-YaYls4Yq6Reb1QUbqr2IEzljWNpn0p9ATlNOnDvlB02AT_rJHgnf3qdbmO5tt4wFIRw/s1600/20130330-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoq6YJvPwJ6xujq5YxzbQDmJ-gEkHlzQzomsVuG3wr6GhPlDdml44dxM669vTujXdLyw7F0rl-YaYls4Yq6Reb1QUbqr2IEzljWNpn0p9ATlNOnDvlB02AT_rJHgnf3qdbmO5tt4wFIRw/s400/20130330-11.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Knitting has therefore been replaced, to a fair extent, by sleeping to recover from all this excitement....</div>
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I made progress, nevertheless, on the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lebrault/top-down-icelandic-sweater" target="_blank">Icelandic sweater</a> I cast on last week for the girls' godmother. The yoke is finished, and since then, I am giving myself a little sweat by ignoring the pattern is just going with the godmother's measurements. My gauge is a tiny bit off (me and my infamous loose knitting....) so I decided to knit the size below, but must make sure to increase enough so that it fits nicely on the high hip. Hence, I knit a few rounds, I worry, I measure.... Knit a few rounds, worry, measure... So on and so forth.</div>
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I still haven't made it to the craft store to buy the right zipper for <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/projects/lebrault/bobby" target="_blank">Gabrielle's cardigan</a>. I nevertheless resolved to fix the sleeves that are a little too long with the <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2008/01/length-reassignment-surgery.html" target="_blank">Length Reassignment Surgery</a> published by the TECHknitter. Stay tuned for the result!</div>
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Linking with <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Tami's amis</a>, <a href="http://www.gsheller.com/" target="_blank">Ginny's Yarn Along</a> and <a href="http://frontierdreams.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Nicole's KCCO</a>.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-14783566787467815352013-03-27T06:08:00.001-07:002013-03-27T06:08:17.514-07:00WIPW: An edge, a yoke and some swatchesBefore diving in the heart of the matter, a big thank you to all of you who have left comments throughout my Try-it-out sweater adventure. Yes, I will knit another sweater trying to correct all the problems I found with the first one, but not straight away. I, maybe not surprisingly, needed a break from experimentation and wanted to knit something "real". without asking myself too many questions.<br />
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<b>The Swatches</b><br />
There was, however, something I needed to check first. Perhaps the most enlightening lesson of the tr-it-out sweater was to realize that my gauge was not consistent throughout the garment. The body gauge was much looser than the swatch. The sleeve gauge was much tighter. So, to figure out what was going on there, I made.... another experiment. I knitted 6 swatches: in the round on a small circular, in the round on dpns, in the round with the magic loop, flat with the Half-Loop method, flat with the Whole-Loop method and flat back in forth, If you didn't think I was a nut bag after the try-it-out sweater, now, you're probably convinced.<br />
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I swatched keeping my gauge constantly in mind. Even so, there were differences. When I knit using the Magic Loop, my gauge is definitely tighter, both on the stitch gauge and the row gauge. The swatch made flat, knitted on the right side and purled on the other side is tighter than the others, but on the stitch gauge only. From this, I take that I do have to swatch using the Half-Loop of the Whole-Loop method when I am going to knit in the round. And I also take that I should get properly equipped with dpns, because not only do I prefer them to the Magic Loop, but my gauge stays the same when I use them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5l3oprjb3jsV2mtLnB03mZvDIp9WcEHpP3Uv8-6iOycS3tdKlwRWfK2gHONPWgzKD4HsLpd388JluN7FsyMbGRzfKa7pbN6VLTg3ZmdbQy6j8TrQkowogFDvlQp61JAj8OJvKYrG7lnI/s1600/20130326-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5l3oprjb3jsV2mtLnB03mZvDIp9WcEHpP3Uv8-6iOycS3tdKlwRWfK2gHONPWgzKD4HsLpd388JluN7FsyMbGRzfKa7pbN6VLTg3ZmdbQy6j8TrQkowogFDvlQp61JAj8OJvKYrG7lnI/s320/20130326-1.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<b>The Edge</b><br />
I took one more step towards finishing the little cardigan for Gabrielle. I knitted a rolled stockinette edge all around the cardigan and I am very pleased with the result. Now I really need to make it to my craft store to buy the right zipper because it's the only thing that stands between me and a FO.<br />
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(That cartoon on television was so interesting that I couldn't get a smile or even a look...)<br />
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<b>A Yoke</b><br />
My Icelandic lopi is the last yarn that made it into my stash and it will be the first one to leave. My fingers have been itching to get started on the Craftsy Top-Down Icelandic Sweater, mainly because I want to have a go at a steek. The cardigan is intended to the godmother of my daughters - my best friend - to whom I promised a knitted something a long time ago. I am almost done with the colorwork, which was incredibly fun and easy to do. The yarn is very grippy, which I expected, but also very light, which somehow surprised me.<br />
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<b>A Photo or Two</b><br />
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In the recent years, I've learned a lot about knitting but also about photography. It all started after feeling ripped off by a photographer to whom we went to for pictures of my oldest daughter Gabrielle when she was 6 months old. I felt very angry and it prompted me to buy a good camera and take some lessons so it would never happen again.<br />
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Of course, my daughters are my main subjects. Here's my most recent picture of Sarah, 4 months old. I am very proud of my little girl, but also very proud of this picture! So proud, in fact, that I couldn't resist blogging about it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgaII2uo57gmF4Je8b-achdZ0rPibtEg9iUjdbzSbZf2dxTl0Hv07aGoo4ZbCgpA_c8Mlv61ZSRAgCgnCHnFcJdWUlfukgvcsdskx2cO3neD6T6rp98MLDtg7xEJaVbGBIusTXii-b5k/s1600/20130209-128.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgaII2uo57gmF4Je8b-achdZ0rPibtEg9iUjdbzSbZf2dxTl0Hv07aGoo4ZbCgpA_c8Mlv61ZSRAgCgnCHnFcJdWUlfukgvcsdskx2cO3neD6T6rp98MLDtg7xEJaVbGBIusTXii-b5k/s400/20130209-128.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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If I post a picture of Sarah, I have to post one of Gabrielle too, no?<br />
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To see more great knits and other projects in progress, follow the links to <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Tami's WIPW</a>, <a href="http://www.gsheller.com/" target="_blank">Ginny's Yarn Along</a> and <a href="http://frontierdreams.blogspot.ca/2013/03/keep-calm-craft-on-crafting-on_26.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+FrontierDreams+(Frontier+Dreams)" target="_blank">Nicole's KCCO</a>.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-72821925748140024482013-03-22T05:35:00.003-07:002013-03-22T05:35:42.333-07:00FO: The Giant SwatchToday, I am linking with <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/2013/03/fo-friday-129.html" target="_blank">Tami's Amis</a> and <a href="http://wonderwhyalpacafarm.blogspot.ca/2013/03/fiber-arts-friday-wicked-crazy-week.html" target="_blank">Fiber Arts Friday</a>.<br />
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The Try-It-Out Sweater, a. k. a. the giant swatch, is completed. The idea behind this sweater was to use inexpensive yarn to knit a sweater and in the process of doing so, try many techniques that were new to me. Techniques I would probably not have dared to try on a piece of "real knitting" with yarn I like. A good thing, because I would have had to unravel it all: a few things did not worked as planned.<br />
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Actually, the problem is mostly a problem of fit. The body of the sweater is really baggy, the sleeves are a little too tight, the waist is lower than it is supposed to be and the armhole depth way too large. However, the new knitting techniques that I tried worked very well for me.<br />
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This is going to be a long post. In fact, I write it mostly for me because to make the most out of this experiment, I have to write a proper "lab report". I am going to put a big title to each section, so skip ahead if some stuff is of no interest to you.<br />
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<b>The Gauge</b><br />
I did my gauge swatch using the <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2011/02/circular-swatches-knit-flat-back-and.html" target="_blank">Whole-Loop Method</a> as explained by the TECHknitter. It was a new way of doing a gauge swatch, so maybe I was a little nervous. The gauge I obtained was 21 stitches and 28 rows for 4 inches.<br />
When I measured the gauge on the sweater, I had 19 stitches and 28 rows on the body, 21,5 stitches and 27 rows on the left sleeve (which was knitted with the magic loop method) and 21 stitches and 28 rows on the right sleeve (which was knitted using dpns). The row gauge is pretty consistent, but my stitch gauge varies.<br />
Lesson learned: I need to be mindful of my gauge. I realized this as I was knitting. When I am cruising through on a large circular piece of knitting, my stitches because really loose.<br />
Follow-up experiment: swatch a large circular piece, a smaller one using dpns, another small one using the magic loop, a flat piece with the <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2011/02/circular-swatches-knit-flat-back-and.html" target="_blank">Half-Loop Method</a>, a flat piece with the Whole-Loop Method and, while at it, another flat piece back and forth. Check for differences in gauge. Get to know my knitting....<br />
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<b>The Measurements</b><br />
I took my own measurements. That's probably the first mistake and the reason why the sweater waist is not at the right place (since row gauge was not much of an issue). I also realize that I took my upper arm measurement with my arm in the air. Maybe the circumference is larger when my arm rest against my body. I need to check.<br />
I also need to re-take the measurement for horizontal bust darts (see below).<br />
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<b>The Design</b><br />
The overall top-down raglan approach described by Barbara Walker is great. It is completely seamless and you can try it on while knitting, which can greatly help (see the <a href="http://ellyknits.blogspot.ca/2013/03/wipw-try-it-out-sweater-part-4.html" target="_blank">Bust Story</a>). I just need to adjust a few things:<br />
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I like the little cables at the raglan seams and going down the body. However, the stripes are not a good idea with this stitch pattern. On each side of the mini-cable, there are two purl stitches that are showing spots of color at each stripe beginning and end (see picture). Not nice - to avoid in the future.<div>
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The sweater I had in mind had no ease. Most of the sweaters I own have no ease. Despite this, in my calculations, I have put an inch of ease on top of the bust, waist, high-hip, armhole depth and upper arm measurements. Beside the upper arm which came out too small for other reasons, all the other parts of the sweater felt too large.</div>
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I wanted a boat neck, but I ended up with some sort of collar because I didn't want to increase in the ribbing at the top of the sweater. Clearly a mistake. When I realized this, I decided to compensate by adding more rows to the yoke, which has probably contributed to the armhole depth and waist to be out of place.<br /><ul>
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<b>The Bust Darts</b></div>
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Getting a good "fitted fit" for my shape requires some special maneuver (isn't it the same for everyone?), especially at the bust. I've got a small waist and a large bust. With the current breastfeeding, the difference between the two is even more pronounced.</div>
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Horizontal bust darts add length to the front of the sweater so that the hem/ribbing of the front and back fall at the same place. When I took my measurements to make the bust darts calculations, I had the measuring tape follow all my curves rather than simply holding it at the top and bottom. As a result, I added way too much fabric to the front of my sweater.</div>
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Moreover, I should try to include vertical bust darts as well, as the horizontal ones do not help with the waist/bust circumference difference. The vertical bust darts would allow me to add more stitches to my rounds in the bust area, rather than have "an average shaping" done throughout the mid part of the sweater.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpH3PXnvABsAScGbiGoZqL6vcOs8CcYRZJIv8kMbA3Cl0wQssZCsspGuNCPtu0WtuyNAzbPA7nuJFmH63Q0VG5iHhldhHbMskYDz0X1pQx5g2MSXqig-FGNmCNTiWCpSsD2HBYU3bJFsM/s1600/20130321-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpH3PXnvABsAScGbiGoZqL6vcOs8CcYRZJIv8kMbA3Cl0wQssZCsspGuNCPtu0WtuyNAzbPA7nuJFmH63Q0VG5iHhldhHbMskYDz0X1pQx5g2MSXqig-FGNmCNTiWCpSsD2HBYU3bJFsM/s320/20130321-5.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>The Ribbing</b></div>
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Once I completed the ribbing at the bottom of the body, I understood that something was wrong. It was completed flared, rather than bringing the fabric in a little. I forgot to change for needles of a smaller size. Not only was the ribbing completely loose, but the rolled stockinette edges were also enormous.</div>
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I knitted the right sleeve cuff in exactly the same way. For the left sleeve cuff, I went down two needle sizes. In addition, I used a <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2010/03/uneven-knitting-part-3-fixing-loose.html" target="_blank">slipping technique</a> described by the TECHknitter which helps fixing the loose knit column I sometimes had in my ribbing. I also have to mention that I knitted this cuff with the magic loop (which, it seems, makes me knit tighter) as I didn't have dpns the right size. </div>
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The result: although the right-sleeve cuff looks flared, it feels comfortable. The left-sleeve cuff is waaaayyy too tight. And it was highly unpleasant to knit! I think going down two needle sizes was enough to make things right.</div>
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I also tried a technique to improve the <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2007/03/where-ribbing-ends-improving-transition.html" target="_blank">transition zone between the stockinette and the ribbing</a>, but since the yarn is really dark, it is hard to see if it makes a big difference. I guess I'll have to try this one again on lighter yarn to see whether it makes a big difference or not.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbFQP5pk2Rl2wmvM9x-YIf0R-TewYP3mpSfmdb1YKdzE5ox2-6-4l7_5lpqPDQ1h7jIjQ8QU7qrL5t1Iw4HFaKYIDrB9ZyG3TNcAOYCpAm8pk83Og-QE0d4M2Hw4q8ihdRuIuuDEbY1c/s1600/20130319-18.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLbFQP5pk2Rl2wmvM9x-YIf0R-TewYP3mpSfmdb1YKdzE5ox2-6-4l7_5lpqPDQ1h7jIjQ8QU7qrL5t1Iw4HFaKYIDrB9ZyG3TNcAOYCpAm8pk83Og-QE0d4M2Hw4q8ihdRuIuuDEbY1c/s320/20130319-18.jpg" width="320" /></a><b>The Cables</b></div>
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I do like the little cables running along the raglan seams and down the body and sleeves. However, I noticed that sometimes, the transition from knit to purl was a little sloppy. I used the <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2010/03/uneven-knitting-part-3-fixing-loose.html" target="_blank">slipping technique</a> on one of the sleeve. See the difference? Nice and tight on the sleeve at the top of the picture, a little sloppy on the body below.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2imwqIazNIXTswAh52gYJdjt9u8RORyletneT9bQHQlifx9kgxVU_jUFxS_9Wt1AolD9ilGNV47z9YNwkUBqtYSl-kLJAkEKhb-RwXV-PXsXPfoQDQgd3ikd5wabiQudhlIg6wO4oUUQ/s1600/20130319-21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2imwqIazNIXTswAh52gYJdjt9u8RORyletneT9bQHQlifx9kgxVU_jUFxS_9Wt1AolD9ilGNV47z9YNwkUBqtYSl-kLJAkEKhb-RwXV-PXsXPfoQDQgd3ikd5wabiQudhlIg6wO4oUUQ/s320/20130319-21.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Picking Up Stitches at the Underarm</b></div>
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Barbara Walker suggest to cast-on underarm stitches for the body, and then picking up these stitches when knitting the sleeves (rather than casting on more stitches and then sewing or grafting). It works well, except that there is something wrong with my picked up stitches: they seem twisted. I'll need to pay close attention next time I do this. Maybe even swatch it beforehand....</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEEpE3PWqfCP0NMp6YZVroNmFo0G0vKHKcQCADP6tSJmETLCSoPQQw_O1EAw0xW0L3OodtiaFcDGVzqZQhyMggEFFr68c3OVCyKYfKc5m2-Qet7j6SYoCa1viEYLhs8CFxjG9bf9I2cA/s1600/20130321-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoEEpE3PWqfCP0NMp6YZVroNmFo0G0vKHKcQCADP6tSJmETLCSoPQQw_O1EAw0xW0L3OodtiaFcDGVzqZQhyMggEFFr68c3OVCyKYfKc5m2-Qet7j6SYoCa1viEYLhs8CFxjG9bf9I2cA/s320/20130321-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b>Phoney Seams</b><br />
I have included phoney seams - as created by Elizabeth Zimmermann - on both the body and the sleeves. Phoney seams are great, and so easy to make! They make the garment fold properly, and add a very discreet tailoring effect to the sweater.<br />
I didn't really need such seams on the body of the sweater because of the small cables running down the sides, but I had planned for them anyways because I really wanted to try them out. I really like the end result!<br />
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<b>Other Techniques</b></div>
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<li>Slipping the first stitch when joining round and knitting it with the long strand of yarn that gets created on the second round works very well for me. That one is adopted until something better comes my way!</li>
<li>I like the <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2007/11/why-bands-and-cuffs-are-wonky-and-what.html" target="_blank">rolled stockinette edges</a>, but they must be knitted on needle of a smaller size and made a little shorter, I think.</li>
<li>Knitting <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2008/03/jogless-ribbing-with-trick-to-work-your.html" target="_blank">jogless stripes and weaving my ends "as I go"</a> is great. The problem is that I sometimes forget to slip the first stitch of a new color on the second round, so some stripes are jogless and others are not!</li>
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<b>The Next Step</b></div>
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Wow! You read it all the way here!!</div>
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Now, have you guessed what I am going to do next? Yes. I will knit another sweater, trying to do better. I don't want to rip this one for two reasons. Firstly, I don't think the yarn would survive it. Second, I want to keep it to compare with the next one, which will be green, the color of hope!</div>
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If I haven't completely overwhelmed you, check out other finished objects at <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/2013/03/fo-friday-129.html" target="_blank">Tami's Amis</a> and <a href="http://wonderwhyalpacafarm.blogspot.ca/2013/03/fiber-arts-friday-wicked-crazy-week.html" target="_blank">Fiber Arts Frida</a>y!!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-20543768337924021112013-03-20T06:44:00.000-07:002013-03-20T06:44:47.341-07:00WIPW: The good and the badRemember my <a href="http://ellyknits.blogspot.ca/2013/03/wipw-try-it-out-sweater-part-4.html" target="_blank">Try-It-Out sweater</a>? This top-down sweater knitted according to Barbara Walker instructions in cheap yarn and in which I am trying out many techniques that are new to me? It has been my main project in the last two weeks and is almost completed. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcX5yFWinwQx2RrPRST44CRIREFv7Lg6NSKbaB5QPQy6yHbugwvB4VyW5Lp9aWQgYloWp6bE7U_EA66yFZh4KC5e02XdI5iPNWQafIc7C0yim_50Vka1v1r79GjqrDDQKCoIagtSu_sws/s1600/20130319-15.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcX5yFWinwQx2RrPRST44CRIREFv7Lg6NSKbaB5QPQy6yHbugwvB4VyW5Lp9aWQgYloWp6bE7U_EA66yFZh4KC5e02XdI5iPNWQafIc7C0yim_50Vka1v1r79GjqrDDQKCoIagtSu_sws/s320/20130319-15.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<b>The bad</b>: this project started as a learning exercise, then transformed itself into a real sweater I could wear and finally went back to a giant swatch after I tried it on last. A few things went very wrong. But that's ok: it is made out of six skeins which cost me $1.29 each, so total (even including taxes and shipping), it is still a self-taught knitting class much cheaper than a Craftsy class!</div>
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<b>The good</b>: while I was knitting the first sleeve, I found new techniques to try. Most of these techniques come from the TECHknitting blog. When I started the sweater, I was reading this blog from the alphabetic index, and I was around letter "J" - for "jogless stripes". I then moved down the index and started letter "R" - for "ribbing". I am therefore trying to <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2010/03/uneven-knitting-part-3-fixing-loose.html" target="_blank">improve my knit column</a> in the ribbing and my <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2007/03/where-ribbing-ends-improving-transition.html" target="_blank">ribbing transition</a>.<br />
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To complete this sweater, I still have to make one last phoney seam on the sleeve, finish the last sleeve cuff and make sure all my ends are properly weaved in. The most important step, however, will be to do a thorough post-mortem for this exercise. I want to identify all problem and try to fix them in.... the Try-It-Out Sweater #2 (yes! I still have some of that cheap yarn!).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mynTQ-61pR5WTC63kEYu5DS5Ek2teSzEMSxjcLYKwrZ9z2pLzrrlO1U4qeg_YbeBmSKT0tNNxT3G-wj9MpgpN47FE_qxPujrt9IXE-1lw7DiJtpGgEoD4_zWUG3YjTrwuLl8umCt4gM/s1600/20130319-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mynTQ-61pR5WTC63kEYu5DS5Ek2teSzEMSxjcLYKwrZ9z2pLzrrlO1U4qeg_YbeBmSKT0tNNxT3G-wj9MpgpN47FE_qxPujrt9IXE-1lw7DiJtpGgEoD4_zWUG3YjTrwuLl8umCt4gM/s320/20130319-5.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
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I still have <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bobby" target="_blank">Gabrielle's cardigan</a> to finish. I finally made my trip to my LYS to buy the zipper I needed.... but was such in a hurry (with my 4 month old and my 3 year old) that I bought a zipper open at one end only. Zut! Must go again....<br />
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Finally, I will need to fight myself to finish these projects before casting on this wonderful yarn received from Iceland this week!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XYyl_ULCZ2MvF9ESvdowWSFs5Ar-n7CjEd1qD2TbqL4W258Fw1H9YjVkCAbbLnB4kKvhTosXm4NwVStJU7pwUGd0D4NCnZmNZZf54P1syfsbURmb47gB3dI-J6o4CACzd87SBzwrNeo/s1600/20130319-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XYyl_ULCZ2MvF9ESvdowWSFs5Ar-n7CjEd1qD2TbqL4W258Fw1H9YjVkCAbbLnB4kKvhTosXm4NwVStJU7pwUGd0D4NCnZmNZZf54P1syfsbURmb47gB3dI-J6o4CACzd87SBzwrNeo/s320/20130319-11.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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I want to make the <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/the-top-down-icelandic-sweater/129" target="_blank">Top Down Icelandic Sweater</a> and featured in the Craftsy class for the girls' godmother. I promised her a sweater a long time ago. I finally got her measurements down and chose this sweater for her. I am sure she'll look fabulous in it! I can't wait: that will be my first steek!!<br />
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So tune in Friday for the Try-It-Out post-mortem! In the meantime, check out other projects in progress through <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/2013/03/work-in-progress-wednesday-136.html" target="_blank">Tami's </a>and <a href="http://www.gsheller.com/" target="_blank">Ginny's </a>blogs!<br />
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<a href="http://www.gsheller.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/yarnalong_gsheller_aqua.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.gsheller.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/yarnalong_gsheller_aqua.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPJNDr1u9GuGslSkWhudg3Y4feQYAnR-P-DiD1FwEoKpAC_fZdh9uu1hAnbrCbYXLDQSf5mSIDuwLBRREeNRgesi6qOukxfAe_B6jgJKfyAXH6SCffLoA8_-sKv9xSDeW4uKXY0QFDZA/s1600/tami_wip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPJNDr1u9GuGslSkWhudg3Y4feQYAnR-P-DiD1FwEoKpAC_fZdh9uu1hAnbrCbYXLDQSf5mSIDuwLBRREeNRgesi6qOukxfAe_B6jgJKfyAXH6SCffLoA8_-sKv9xSDeW4uKXY0QFDZA/s1600/tami_wip.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-18962819617466462532013-03-17T05:01:00.007-07:002013-03-17T05:01:49.589-07:00Design Envy: Leaves Skirt by Jenise ReidI love <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/" target="_blank">Ravelry</a>! Isn't fabulous to be able to discover so much about knitting (and crocheting) in one central place? You can easily find new patterns, discover new yarns, learn new techniques and meet new people. I just love browsing patterns, finding one I like, and move to the designer page to see what else that person came up with.<br />
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That's what happened to me this week. I stumbled across the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/twist-sweater" target="_blank">Twist Sweater</a> by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/jenise-reid" target="_blank">Jenise Reid</a>. I find that sweater really cool, yet simple (cool and simple - my favorites!) with that twist stitch going all over.<br />
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<a href="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/femininebydesign/151572809/IMG_4793_medium2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/femininebydesign/151572809/IMG_4793_medium2.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
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I didn't know Jenise, so I check out her designer page, and several things happen to me then.<br />
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First, design envy. Right next to the Twist Sweater is the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/leaves-skirt" target="_blank">Leaves Skirt</a>. Wow. Isn't it pretty? I just love the look with the brown belt and shoes and the green jacket. Organic and stylish!<br />
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<a href="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/femininebydesign/138959549/leaves_4_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/femininebydesign/138959549/leaves_4_medium2.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
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The skirt seems simple enough to make. The only measurement you need is you hip measurement (or wherever you want to "hang" your skirt) and the flaring is done through the leaves getting bigger and bigger. You just need to get the hang of the lace pattern!<br />
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It is make with KnitPicks Cotlin, a nice mix of cotton and linen, perfect for the upcoming summer!<br />
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From what I've seen, Jenise doesn't have a webpage or a blog. She, however, host Ravelry group called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/feminine-by-design" target="_blank">Feminine by Design</a> where the testing of her new designs is discussed, among other things.<br />
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While browsing, I then discovered that Jenise is a fellow Canadian, from British Columbia. Canada being pretty large (very very very large), bumping into someone from BC doesn't often happen to me. But on Ravelry, it is possible!<br />
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<a href="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/femininebydesign/138959457/leaves_3_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/femininebydesign/138959457/leaves_3_medium2.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
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I WILL visit BC on day, if only to see those big giant trees like this one! What a pretty picture!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-90626766659288048142013-03-13T06:01:00.002-07:002013-03-13T19:07:03.262-07:00WIPW: Try-It-Out Sweater Part 4I am so happy of the progress I have made so far on my sweater! The body is almost done, with something like half a sleeve.<br />
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Next week, I'll probably blog about it on Friday as I suspect it will be finished. This Try-It-Out Sweater is basically a simple sweater knitted with inexpensive yarn as a mean to try various knitted techniques I read about or saw in my Craftsy classes. I've listed a few last week. <br />
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Here they are again, with a few comments:<br />
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<li>I am knitting top-down, in the round, as suggested by Barbara Walker in <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/knitting-from-the-top" target="_blank">Knitting from the Top</a>. The great thing about this knitting method is that you can try your sweater on as you go. This came in very handy for me - see my bust story below.</li>
<li>I've slipped the first stitch when joining the initial round and performed a "knit repair" on that stitch at the beginning of the second round using the long strand of yarn that gets created when joining. I have learned that from Amy Detjen in her Craftsy course <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/custom-yoke-sweater/154" target="_blank">Custom Yoke Sweater</a>. So easy to integrate in all objects knitted in the round. And effective too: it really reduces the gap you usually get.</li>
<li>I've swatch in the round using the <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2011/02/circular-swatches-knit-flat-back-and.html" target="_blank">Whole-Loop Method</a>. It worked out great for me in the end, but it took me some time to get used to. I often ended up with too much or too little yarn at the end of a row, forcing me to increase/decrease. The result was a very uneven side to my swatch, but as it was fairly large (6 inches), I still had plenty of space to take my gauge measurement.</li>
<li>I've incorporated <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2007/11/why-bands-and-cuffs-are-wonky-and-what.html" target="_blank">rolled stockinette edges</a>. It looks great on the collar!! I'll do the same after the ribbing.</li>
<li>I've made <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2008/03/jogless-ribbing-with-trick-to-work-your.html" target="_blank">jogless stripes and have woven in my ends "as I go"</a>. I believe I'll need to re-read the TECHknitter's posts on this topic because sometimes my joins look good (that is, you cannot really see them), and other times, something is going wrong. That is besides, obviously, the one or two times where I simply forget to slip the stitch like I was supposed to!!</li>
<li>I've incorporated bust darts. Once you get the maths and the wrap-and-turn twist, bust darts are easy to incorporate. I cannot wait to see what it will look like once my sweater will be blocked. </li>
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The Bust Story</h3>
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When I started my sweater, I was worried that I would not have enough beige yarn to finish it, so I decided to randomly throw in some brown stripes. I did so when I was working the yoke. I then split the stitches between sleeves and body and continued on the body. A few rounds later came the time to add bust darts. And so I did. So far, so good.</div>
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Once the bust darts were done, I thought it would be a good time to throw in some more brown stripes. I continued in this fashion for another 20 rounds approximately, and decided to try my sweater on.</div>
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Horror.</div>
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I had basically framed my bust with brown stripes. Adding the effect of the bust darts to this was truly scary. A flashing sign saying "hey! look at my bust!" would have been more discreet.</div>
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There was only one way to go: frogging. As I was contemplating - with a fair bit of discouragement - the frogging of 20 or so rounds, I remember this Craftsy class, <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/Lace-Shawl-Design/86" target="_blank">Lace Shawl Design</a>, in which Miriam Felton demonstrates a way to frog lace. She picked up stitches a few rows below where she was at with a smaller needle. It was impressive: she was doing so in curvy lace, full of k2tog and yo. It looked so difficult that I thought at that time that I couldn't do it. However, with a Try-It-Out sweater mostly done of stockinette stitch, I thought I could give it a go.</div>
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I remembered that Miriam said to pick up the right loop of every stitch. She also said at some point that if you couldn't figure out which one was the right loop, you should just pick any loop. That's what I did. I then frogged the 20 rounds and believe it or not, I was ready to go again. All my stitches were on the smaller needle, all ready to be knitted again, except my tiny cable stitches which were mounted backwards. I was amazed!</div>
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That sweater is probably not something I'll wear a lot, but it has been a fantastic learning experience so far. You should try something like that to!</div>
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If you want to read more great work-in-progress stories, visit <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/2013/03/work-in-progress-wednesday-135.html" target="_blank">Tami's</a> and <a href="http://www.gsheller.com/2013/03/yarn-along-118.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gsheller%2FqXrF+%28small+things%29" target="_blank">Ginny's </a>blogs!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-72263951702182951352013-03-11T20:00:00.002-07:002013-03-11T20:00:54.678-07:00On MotheringBlogging about knitting has opened up a completely new community for me. The Work-in-Progress Wednesday and Finished Object Friday "open houses" held by <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Tami </a>and <a href="http://www.gsheller.com/" target="_blank">Ginny </a>every week allowed me to discover other knitters around the globe and get to know them, a bit like bumping into a neighbor in the street. Needless to say that this has been really good to the soul during the harshest months of winter where going outside with a newborn baby is not necessarily a good idea.<br />
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I have discovered another "open house", this time on mothering. <a href="http://smalltownsimplicity.blogspot.ca/p/meet-lydia.html" target="_blank">Lydia </a>is holding a "linky" every Monday on the subject. Monday is almost over, but I nevertheless feel like linking in. I read <a href="http://smalltownsimplicity.blogspot.ca/2013/03/finding-y-in-joy-mindful-mothering.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+LydiaJWill+(Lydia+J+Will)" target="_blank">Lydia's post</a> in the morning, and it stayed with me all day. She talks about JOY, that is, how you put Jesus first, others second and yourself last, and how a lot of mothers never make it to the Y and therefore feel completely overwhelmed. I felt like that - really to pick up my purse and leave everything behind - a few weeks ago, so her words went straight to my heart.<br />
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It is hard to say that Jesus comes first to me. It has been years since I went to church. It has been years since I prayed, although the silent conversations I have with my mother, who died when I was two, might count like a prayers. I have nevertheless been raised in the catholic faith, and that faith is still with me, alongside the teachings about love, charity and justice. These values are still fundamental to me, so yes, in a way, Jesus is somewhat there first.<br />
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Others second, well, almost every minute of the day! With a four month old baby, a three year old running around, and an aging surrogate mother, there is always someone who wants my attention! I profoundly love the three of them, but they can make me pull my hair out at times!<br />
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And yourself last. That's a difficult one at times! We have a saying here (in Quebec) that says something similar. We say <i>Charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même</i>, or well-ordered charity starts by oneself. You cannot give charity if you are yourself in need - you need a minimum for yourself before you can become useful for others. It is with these thoughts in mind that, this afternoon, I told my eldest daughter. who wanted to play with me during the baby's siesta, that mommy needed some time on her own, to knit. Usually, I would have put down the needles to play with her, feeling her sense of loneliness (especially since the baby came in the house, taking a lot of her mom's attention), but I understood that I needed that time in my bubble to be available to her during the rest of the day. I felt horribly guilty saying so, but rather than throw a tantrum, she said "OK!" and went back to her toys.<br />
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Am I not the luckiest mother?<br />
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On a high note, spring is upon us. Soon, I will not be as locked up in the house. Here's what spring looked like in our back street two years ago:<br />
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This little girl is now much taller, but she will still run from one puddle to the other. The other one will be in the stroller, probably frustrated of not being able to do the same! I believe that walking with them outside, on the first day where you can open up your winter jacket will be a moment of pure JOY, the three letters at the same time.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-11181602141640283862013-03-10T11:06:00.000-07:002013-03-10T11:06:13.938-07:00Design Envy: Ivo the Seahorse"You cannot have too many stuffed animals", says Stacey from <a href="http://www.freshstitches.com/" target="_blank">FreshStitches</a>. Well, when I look at my daughters' room, I sometimes do feel we have plenty. There are usually so many in Gab's bed that there is hardly any room left for her to sleep.<br />
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I think there are plenty, but when came Valentine's Day, what did I do? <a href="http://ellyknits.blogspot.ca/2013/02/another-bear-coming-along.html" target="_blank">I crocheted the girls (and hubby) amigurumis</a>. And it's Stacey's fault! I took both her Craftsy classes: <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/Amigurumi-Woodland-Animals/59" target="_blank">Woodland Animals</a> and <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/Amigurumi-Design-Your-Own-Monster/58" target="_blank">Design Your Own Monster</a>. I crocheted the bear and the raccoon from the first class, and applied what I have learn from the second to create a duck for hubby.<br />
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What's great about these classes is that you don't have to be a very experienced crocheter to tackle Stacey's patterns. You can create amazing stuffed animals if you can find your way around single crochet and backstitching. I believe this is one of the two things that are behind FreshStitches' success: giving <i>everyone </i>the possibility to pick up a crochet and some yarn and make a marvelous stuffed animal.<br />
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Look at the <a href="http://www.freshstitches.com/amigurumi/" target="_blank">pattern page</a>: there will be something you'll like. My favorite - with a pang of design envy - is <a href="http://www.freshstitches.com/seahorse/" target="_blank">Ivo the seahorse</a>.<br />
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I love seahorses!! They are truly amazing animals. There is nothing like them under the sea. <br />
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Isn't Ivo amazing? I believe you can create Ivo if you know how to single crochet, slip stitch and backstitch. <br />
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The other thing that I truly admire about FreshStitches is the attention to detail that Stacey gives to everything. She created an environment that is beautiful, friendly and happy. The <a href="http://www.freshstitches.com/" target="_blank">website </a>is so nice to browse. She must have spend a gizillion hours building it. For every pattern, the material and skills required are clearly indicated alongside useful tips, again in a beautiful, friendly and happy manner. And she blogs everyday!! Finding something interesting to say everyday is quite something. Writing it and illustrating it as she does is even more impressive. No need to say that I am a faithful follower.<br />
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When I blogged about my finished amigurumis, I said that <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 24px;">I would also suggest her blog to anyone wishing to start a web-based design business. Many of her posts suggest that behind her happy-go-lucky character, Stacey is a very </span><a href="http://www.freshstitches.com/craft-business-articles-crochet-knitting-photography/" style="background-color: white; color: #ad25d1; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 24px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">sharp and wise business woman</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 24px;">!! Today, I add "down-to-earth". Read her post about the <a href="http://www.freshstitches.com/the-probably-not-surprising-downsides-of-self-employment/" target="_blank">downsides to self-employment</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, FreeSerif, serif; line-height: 24px;">So, which <a href="http://www.freshstitches.com/amigurumi/" target="_blank">amigurumi pattern</a> is your favorite?</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-2655081117478175232013-03-06T06:47:00.002-08:002013-03-06T07:49:24.628-08:00WIPW: having fun again!Finally!! No more sick people in my house! Life has returned to normal, except maybe for the few hours of sleep I am still missing. Knitting was resumed as well, and my Try-It-out Sweater is progressing fast.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKX_Cf76WPwDU6_qmwaKuno7RIey5HCGfET6Db30rOZUmpyJnepHtwwThhbL4WvqDMyAYyKykuepYCZ0XHGkrUZU5DO8JkYMLP8QzK6dvKLDj_zfuHidTjw5jQFs4-VU15C1KcZIFvPRI/s1600/20130305-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKX_Cf76WPwDU6_qmwaKuno7RIey5HCGfET6Db30rOZUmpyJnepHtwwThhbL4WvqDMyAYyKykuepYCZ0XHGkrUZU5DO8JkYMLP8QzK6dvKLDj_zfuHidTjw5jQFs4-VU15C1KcZIFvPRI/s400/20130305-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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(Yes, those are baby feet. I just couldn't get them out of the frame...) <br />
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What have I tried out on this sweater? Well....<br />
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<li>I am knitting top-down, in the round, as suggested by Barbara Walker in <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/knitting-from-the-top" target="_blank">Knitting from the Top</a>.</li>
<li>I've slipped the first stitch when joining the initial round and performed a "knit repair" on that stitch at the beginning of the second round using the long strand of yarn that gets created when joining. I have learned that from Amy Detjen in her Craftsy course <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/custom-yoke-sweater/154" target="_blank">Custom Yoke Sweater</a>.</li>
<li>I've swatch in the round using the <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2011/02/circular-swatches-knit-flat-back-and.html" target="_blank">Whole-Loop Method</a>. </li>
<li>I've incorporated <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2007/11/why-bands-and-cuffs-are-wonky-and-what.html" target="_blank">rolled stockinette edges</a>.</li>
<li>I've made <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2008/03/jogless-ribbing-with-trick-to-work-your.html" target="_blank">jogless stripes and have woven in my ends "as I go"</a>.</li>
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I am done with the yoke and have started the body. This sweater, which started as a scrap yarn exercise, is becoming a garment I am really looking forward to wear!</div>
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I have also finally received the yarn I needed to finish Gabrielle's cardigan. I still need a zipper, but at least I can get started on the edges.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMMHNYn9JiKveNHyk4NTLwydhw81KbJN6nuXWFYpEz1xXRGsjrbhbZarwoT3PEWSI8XPNeC5g0WNWhpc2LKhSDQD74SFEPwUjyA4EmStWEk3XrJFdybs444_g4Ct9HNoWoij4dJI2fHc/s1600/20130305-7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBMMHNYn9JiKveNHyk4NTLwydhw81KbJN6nuXWFYpEz1xXRGsjrbhbZarwoT3PEWSI8XPNeC5g0WNWhpc2LKhSDQD74SFEPwUjyA4EmStWEk3XrJFdybs444_g4Ct9HNoWoij4dJI2fHc/s400/20130305-7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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While retrieving these pictures from my memory card, I found other photos I took last week. We had quite a snowstorm of sticky snow:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrprOwz5cVfLpdrgYsBolLmvvQVUSP5hxk55ZszzyhVHynCRhKEm7SmW-XiuShPwOQI_M4-J_pnscr5Q7j4O95aBci1Le6APdWOfSG0aPuBbqaY4PxhT2wtliBOh6Y8uN0DlnR0AE4fww/s1600/20130228-11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrprOwz5cVfLpdrgYsBolLmvvQVUSP5hxk55ZszzyhVHynCRhKEm7SmW-XiuShPwOQI_M4-J_pnscr5Q7j4O95aBci1Le6APdWOfSG0aPuBbqaY4PxhT2wtliBOh6Y8uN0DlnR0AE4fww/s640/20130228-11.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FSUe0yHQZC14ylyDwnAZ1aI0n0nXXvjH8CEeQdIEvGmbuWVap07_vxyuOMl7-ylkxnjJjMXTOMQBO1Gc5JLg0qQoI0Xs8Vvn6Ad8xFiN4_7_NQK6SHCAs_Ryq3WYLGzx29VstYGXi08/s1600/20130301-14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4FSUe0yHQZC14ylyDwnAZ1aI0n0nXXvjH8CEeQdIEvGmbuWVap07_vxyuOMl7-ylkxnjJjMXTOMQBO1Gc5JLg0qQoI0Xs8Vvn6Ad8xFiN4_7_NQK6SHCAs_Ryq3WYLGzx29VstYGXi08/s320/20130301-14.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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And that's perfect for a snowman!!<br />
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Go and visit others fantastic projects in progress through <a href="http://frontierdreams.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Nicole's</a>, <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/2013/03/work-in-progress-wednesday-134.html" target="_blank">Tami's</a> and <a href="http://www.gsheller.com/2013/03/yarn-along-117.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+gsheller%2FqXrF+%28small+things%29" target="_blank">Ginny's </a>blogs!</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-69863828900813886782013-03-03T04:32:00.000-08:002013-03-03T04:32:47.307-08:00Design Envy: Knoten by Stephanie van der Linden<br />
I will not knit socks. I can't: I am genetically sock'ed out. My grandmother and my aunts have knitted so many socks that they used my sock quota in addition to their own. They have knitted so many that my daughters may also have been born sock'ed out. They have knitted several pairs of socks for each members of the family, for neighbors, friends and for summer employees of the family farm. During the First and Second Wars, they must have supplied half the Canadian Army with socks as well.<br />
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That does not mean that I cannot appreciate sock patterns. I can even suffer from design envy in front of a very special pairs of socks, like the ones designed by <a href="http://www.maschenmarkt.de/" target="_blank">Stephanie van der Linden</a>, called <a href="http://www.twistcollective.com/collection/component/content/article/104-winter-2012-patterns/1316-knoten-by-stephanie-van-der-linden" target="_blank">Knoten</a>, featured in the <a href="http://www.twistcollective.com/2012/winter/magazinepage_054.php" target="_blank">Twist Collective Winter 2012</a> edition.<br />
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Aren't they original? I've never seen anything like that before!!! I really wonder how she came up with that motif! Moreover, when you look at them sideways, they look completely different! Even the soles are spectacular!!<br />
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When looking at her <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/stephanie-van-der-linden?page=1" target="_blank">Ravelry designer page</a>, it becomes very clear that Stephanie knows about socks. She has several sock publications out, including <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/the-sock-knitters-workshop" target="_blank">The Sock Knitter's Workshop</a> in collaboration with Ewa Jostes and <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/around-the-world-in-knitted-socks-26-inspired-designs" target="_blank">Around the World in Knitted Socks</a>. Her designs include beautiful lace socks, but the ones using color work are the most striking of all!</div>
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And if you look at all her designs, back to the early ones, you understand that Stephanie is also a mother. She has made lovely designs for babies before she became a sock superhero. Not to be missed!!</div>
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So, if you are not sock'ed out like me, you will definitely find something that suits your tastes in Stephanie's designs. To stand out of the crowd, why not knit yourself a pair of Knoten socks?<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-3708165040584125332013-03-01T12:26:00.000-08:002013-03-01T12:26:22.738-08:00Knitting to manage stressWhen the day is over and the girls are (finally) asleep, I love to grab my needles and knit a round or two in my corner. It relaxes me, even more than a bath or a stiff drink. It seems that needles are the keys to my bubble of peace and quiet, in which I can heal all the negative emotions and vibes that life has thrown at me. <br />
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I remember, about 15 years ago, moving back with my parents because I had lost (unfairly, I still believe) my job. It turns out that this was a very positive thing in the end, but at the time, I was enraged, to say the least. Well, I cross-stitched that rage over a few weeks until there was none left, until I was ready to move on.<br />
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I am not the only one who uses needlework for stress relief. Look at what I have found while browsing on a <a href="http://www.tricotrico.com/" target="_blank">blog writing by Sandra</a> (re-posted with her permission - thanks Sandra!), a fellow knitter:<br />
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<img height="320" src="http://tricotrico.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/an-hour.gif" width="320" /><br />
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Doesn't it say it all?<br />
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My husband doesn't get it. He says to me that if I stick two needles and a ball of yarn in his hands, his stress level could only go up. Whenever we have this conversation, I like to refer to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Plante" target="_blank">Jacques Plante</a>, a famous hockey goalkeeper (6 Stanley Cups and first adopter of the full face mask goalkeepers wear today) who used to knit hats before jumping on the ice. Hubby says Plante was weird. I say Plante was wise.<br />
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In this <a href="http://www.prlog.org/10179509-knitting-and-crochet-offer-long-term-health-benefits.html" target="_blank">2009 press release</a>, pain specialist Monica Baird explains that the action of knitting actually changes brain chemistry, decreasing stress hormones and increasing feel-good serotonin and dopamine". Moreover, Dr Herbert Bendon, Director of the Institute of Mind, Body Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School notes that knitting is one method to create a "relaxation response" in the body, which can lower blood pressure, heart rate and helps prevent illness". <br />
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Why spend money on therapy or medication when you can spend it on yarn?<br />
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Yesterday was a bad day. We were still fighting the last germs of our family cold. My eldest daughter, who pretty much skipped the terrible-two phenomenon is catching up big time now that she is three. My youngest one refused to sleep and wanted to feed continually. But a ray of sunshine suddenly came in: I won a prize!! That never happens to me! <a href="http://www.margaretblank.com/" target="_blank">Margaret, a Fiber Artist</a>, was holding a "one-a-day" draw for the 10th anniversary of her blog, and I won a lovely sunflower quilting pattern!!<br />
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I don't know much about quilting, but am quite eager to try. Despite my lack of quilting skills and knowledge, I really like to read Margaret's blog. I just feel a natural affinity with her and enjoy strolling in her quilting world. I guess this is a sign that quilting, too, could make my stress level go down!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-47501571851250507032013-02-27T08:25:00.002-08:002013-02-27T08:25:24.985-08:00WIP WednesdayThis is going to be short. Not much has been done on the knitting or reading front since we've been the host of an un-welcome guest for the last week or so. The benign-yet-horrible-end-of-winter-cold has invaded my house and has tackled each and every member of the household in turn. If there was still time at the end of the day for knitting or reading, it was often devoted to trying to get rid of the bug myself.<br />
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I nevertheless did cast on <a href="http://www.blogger.com/"><span id="goog_415108405"></span>my tryout sweater<span id="goog_415108406"></span></a> (being stubborn, or trying to do something pleasant for a few minutes), but every time progress was made I had to rip off because I was completely unable to concentrate.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivCMGiBoPHaz1m640RH8GBiXKklGB-e-WtONkYDM0u4t08AxI5pxaB-9RuExn7VeBAtbrkLOvogbaEskusWKCV5ujwIRYmWOPskfvo_aCi_NloZPov2_UfiCzSZYCK-dpw5du3iSx-bk/s1600/20130227-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhivCMGiBoPHaz1m640RH8GBiXKklGB-e-WtONkYDM0u4t08AxI5pxaB-9RuExn7VeBAtbrkLOvogbaEskusWKCV5ujwIRYmWOPskfvo_aCi_NloZPov2_UfiCzSZYCK-dpw5du3iSx-bk/s400/20130227-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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As for reading, my sweater is a "knitting from the top" sweater, so Barbara Walker is never too far. Elizabeth Zimmermann is right next to her, and I am having lots of fun jumping from one to the other, opening their books at a random page and discovering the knitting wisdom within.<br />
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There is one fundamental thing I have learnt through that sneezing-galore week: health is so precious, especially in children. That cold was nothing: nobody ran the slightest fever. However, every time I was hearing one of my daughters cough, my heart would break. Parents who have a sick child - a really sick one - and who manage to walk through the ordeal alongside the child are superheroes.<br />
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I am blessed with two beautiful and healthy daughters. Blessed. There is nothing more to say.<br />
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Except perhaps to join <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/2013/02/work-in-progress-wednesday-133.html" target="_blank">Tamy </a>and <a href="http://www.gsheller.com/" target="_blank">Ginny </a>for their WIP Wednesday!<br />
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<a href="http://www.gsheller.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/yarnalong_gsheller_gray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.gsheller.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/yarnalong_gsheller_gray.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPJNDr1u9GuGslSkWhudg3Y4feQYAnR-P-DiD1FwEoKpAC_fZdh9uu1hAnbrCbYXLDQSf5mSIDuwLBRREeNRgesi6qOukxfAe_B6jgJKfyAXH6SCffLoA8_-sKv9xSDeW4uKXY0QFDZA/s1600/tami_wip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPJNDr1u9GuGslSkWhudg3Y4feQYAnR-P-DiD1FwEoKpAC_fZdh9uu1hAnbrCbYXLDQSf5mSIDuwLBRREeNRgesi6qOukxfAe_B6jgJKfyAXH6SCffLoA8_-sKv9xSDeW4uKXY0QFDZA/s1600/tami_wip.jpg" /></a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-55608439408535609052013-02-24T06:20:00.000-08:002013-02-26T12:19:37.918-08:00Design Envy: Venezia Pullover by Eunny JangSo there I was, Tuesday morning, breastfeeding Sarah with my left hand, drinking coffee and checking my emails with the right one. I was going through the morning inbox with new positions available in finance, the latest deals from my favorite stores, and my Knitting Daily email from Interweave.<br />
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It was about a new book by Martin Storey, <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/Knitting/Books/Scottish-Knits-Colorwork-and-Cables-with-a-Twist.html?SessionThemeID=15&a=kp130219" target="_blank">Scottish Knits</a>. I thought "Oh! This is the designer behind the little cardigan I am making for Gabrielle!". Scroll, scroll, scroll. I kept on thinking "This is nice, I should check out his other designs..." Scroll, scroll, scroll and BANG!<br />
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Design envy.<br />
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Like I mentioned last week in <a href="http://ellyknits.blogspot.ca/2013/02/design-envy-granville-by-fiona-ellis.html" target="_blank">my post on Granville by Fiona Ellis</a>, design envy is similar to food envy. Food envy strikes me in a restaurant when the plates arrive: sometimes I would give anything to eat what's on my table neighbor's plate instead of what's in mine. Design envy is when I see a design and I would give anything to have been the one coming up with this idea first. Does it ever happen to you?<br />
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Well, on Tuesday, design envy struck me at the very bottom of the email. A little vignette among many "other traditional designs". A Fair Isle pullover by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/eunnyjang" target="_blank">Eunny Jang</a> (see also <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/store/a/298-Eunny-Jang.aspx" target="_blank">here</a>), called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/venezia-pullover" target="_blank">Venezia Pullover</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://images3.ravelrycache.com/gallery/eunny/500/www.interweaveknits.com-Venezia-mag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images3.ravelrycache.com/gallery/eunny/500/www.interweaveknits.com-Venezia-mag.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
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It was published in <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/interweave-knits-winter-2006" target="_blank">Interweave Knits, Winter 2006</a>. Fancy that!! That amazing design has been waiting there 6 years for me to get all envious about!</div>
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I usually do not like designs with motifs/patterns all over, but this one is definitely an exception. The choice of colors and the subtle motif give a definite "chic" to the pullover. The waist shaping, three-quarter sleeves and overall length add to the elegance of the design. Big presentation to the Board of Directors with the A/C max-ed out? Dinner in a fancy restaurant in the midst of winter? That pullover would be my top choice!!<br />
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You have to be brave though: It involves steeking, that is, cutting into your knitted fabric to assemble the garment. It must be completely freeky to knit something so beautiful and then put the scissors in it!!<br />
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You may have seen Eunny before, as a host on <a href="http://www.interweavestore.com/Knitting/DVDs-Videos/Knitting-Daily-TV.html?SessionThemeID=15" target="_blank">Knitting Daily TV</a>. I came across a video on the <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2011/02/article-and-video-on-jogless-stripes.html" target="_blank">TECHknitter's blog</a> in which she explains how to make jogless stripes. Jogless stripes are certainly an interesting topic, but even more fascinating is the speed at which Eunny knits! Check it out at 3 minutes 50 seconds.<br />
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/GshD9_qlUfE/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GshD9_qlUfE&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GshD9_qlUfE&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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Well, now that I have confessed everything about my sin of design envy, I can keep on going and check out the 1120 designs by <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/designers/martin-storey" target="_blank">Martin Storey</a>! I'll probably become envious again!<br />
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If you have ever suffered from design envy before, share the pattern with us!<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-40602585051401027492013-02-22T12:44:00.000-08:002013-02-22T12:44:03.037-08:00Evernote Part II<a href="http://www.ellyknits.blogspot.ca/2013/02/evernote-to-remember-every-stitch.html" target="_blank">A few days ago</a> I wrote about <a href="http://www.evernote.com/" target="_blank">Evernote</a>, a free software I use to keep my craft information and ideas at hand and tidy. I have showed you the main view of the software, where you organize your notebooks and tags and where you can browse your notes. Today, I'd like to show you what an actual note looks like.<br />
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In my "Knitting Patterns" notebook, I have a note in which I store a free pattern from the Rowan website: Bobby, by Martin Storey. This is what the note looks like:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjib-5SaWdbZyzyBdJRfA3qvEgcXIffBzZYK2i2FIsqVN7kMFQFTUPevDY5i5OfPP6rwupcWhCAuL-yFirHI-W5Ng7QBKFvbj3AbYdWkEkUyljdDnB7OI23xCPFy3gPpE0Fzro3RY5hk/s1600/Evernote2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="492" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbjib-5SaWdbZyzyBdJRfA3qvEgcXIffBzZYK2i2FIsqVN7kMFQFTUPevDY5i5OfPP6rwupcWhCAuL-yFirHI-W5Ng7QBKFvbj3AbYdWkEkUyljdDnB7OI23xCPFy3gPpE0Fzro3RY5hk/s640/Evernote2.png" width="640" /></a></div>
The pdf file sits nicely in the note, and all pages can be viewed from within the note (the pdf can also be extracted to be viewed on a stand-alone basis). Whenever I import a new pattern (as easy as drag and drop within Evernote), I tag it in the upper panel with, among others, the yarn weight, and I copy the gauge at the top of the note. As you see, the pdf is like an object in the note and I can put text (or a picture, or another pdf, ...) above and below.<br />
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I am almost finished knitting the piece. Before I started, I change the instructions to knit the cardigan seamlessly. I did the calculations in an Excel spreadsheet and have dropped the spreadsheet below the pdf:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyvag_ZeCzfXUbFL9lnK5wzpBWwtGgzIaZcZijxxzRxNr6IeDyXYCyhMl7bXbs84ftGOgC-ttqmBI2MiQFMksc__5mZEGOhk3cnk-c14ZXBhRaimm85yEMDWMkxCUle05yCx64scHCFE/s1600/Evernote3.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYyvag_ZeCzfXUbFL9lnK5wzpBWwtGgzIaZcZijxxzRxNr6IeDyXYCyhMl7bXbs84ftGOgC-ttqmBI2MiQFMksc__5mZEGOhk3cnk-c14ZXBhRaimm85yEMDWMkxCUle05yCx64scHCFE/s640/Evernote3.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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Of course, while knitting, some things didn't go as planned, so I took a few notes to make sure I would not repeat the same mistakes if I ever knit this piece again. I have also added the pictures I took to upload on Ravelry.<br />
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Whenever I am planning a new design, I create a new note and literally chuck in all my ideas, pictures and stitch patterns. I also scan any scribble I make on the way and save these scans in my note, with pictures of my swatches. I do not have much space at home to keep hard copies of everything that goes into a design (OK, I never was very tidy with old swatches and scribbles) but the essential gets save in Evernote.<br />
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If you end up downloading and trying the software, please let us know what you think!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-20407000044678854512013-02-20T05:07:00.002-08:002013-02-20T11:36:28.626-08:00WIP Wednesday: the Tryout SweaterShortly after Christmas, I was browsing around for yarn deals and stumbled across some <a href="http://www.marymaxim.ca/yarn/caron-simply-soft-worsted-weight-yarn.html" target="_blank">Caron Simply Soft Worsted at Mary Maxim</a>. $1.29 for 150 yards! "Bargain!", I thought to myself, even for acrylic (the deal seems to be still on, if you are interested). I thought that it would be perfect for amigurumis and as "tryout yarn" to save my more expensive yarn from swatching mania. I ordered a bucketload.<br />
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About three quarters of the bucketload is still there on the shelf, looking at me while I breastfeed and wondering when I'll finally have the time for serious knitting again (I am wondering the exact same thing).<br />
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Now, many of the techniques I would like to try would fit best on a sweater. But here's the issue: I am breastfeeding an ever-hungry baby. My bust size is far from what it used to be, and only God knows what it will be when I am done. I like my sweater close-fitting so any sweater I come up with now would be, most likely, short-lived. Hence, I must wait.<br />
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"No!", I hear you shout! "You can make a short-lived sweater out of the $1,29 yarn!" And you are right. I hereby announce the birth of the Tryout Sweater, through which new techniques will compete for a position in my knitting toolbox. Color: whatever looks nice in my $1.29 stash. Size: breastfeeding. Lifespan: from the moment it is finished to the day Sarah switches to porridge and cow milk.<br />
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It will be a completely seamless top-down raglan sweater <i>a la</i> <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/knitting-from-the-top" target="_blank">Barbara Walker</a>. The raglan seams will be decorated with a cable or some cute stitch. My <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2009/09/matching-your-cast-on-to-your-bind-off.html" target="_blank">cast-on and bind-off will match</a>, probably through their tubular version. I will <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2007/07/back-to-back-join.html" target="_blank">weave in ends as I go</a>. It will be in stockinette, although I really like the seed stitch too. I'll have no choice but knit with more than one color, because the stash was built mainly for amigurumis (many colors, few skeins of each). There will be bust darts (to accommodate for the breastfeeding size) and waist shaping, I don't know about the collar yet, but need to make my mind soon because when you knit with Barbara Walker, that's where you start. <br />
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But even before the collar, there is the gauge swatch. I'll be knitting in the round, so I must need to knit my swatch in the round too. I could knit myself a hat (the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/knitting-workshop" target="_blank">Elizabeth Zimmermann</a> way) or knit flat on a circular needle leaving long floats behind. The TECHknitter suggests another way: the "<a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2011/02/circular-swatches-knit-flat-back-and.html" target="_blank">Whole-Loop" method</a>.<br />
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The idea is simple. You first knit your right side row. Then, you turn and knit the next row, just like if you were knitting in garter stitch. Once you're done, you mark the yarn straight after your last stitch with a safety pin, and undo the second row. The length of yarn between the last stitch of the first row and the safety pin is the length of yarn you need to knit one row. You can go back to the beginning of the right side and start knitting holding the yarn where the safety pin. That is, you knit your row with the long float that you created (the explanations of the TECHknitter are much much clearer - check them out <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2011/02/circular-swatches-knit-flat-back-and.html" target="_blank">here</a>).<br />
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I tried it out. Here's the result.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEjAr0UxJpSQaueiJ5v6CZuJPHyGTw3izOfOguVCvtYVkRVhiri5H0tP_i07Yf2jfIEC3eDEHS5SU80def6hkNtdJrfiybdjSyzXEBKOoJFdIZk2QD6gazQIaYukCE6x0EEtauvn-B2U/s1600/20130220-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDEjAr0UxJpSQaueiJ5v6CZuJPHyGTw3izOfOguVCvtYVkRVhiri5H0tP_i07Yf2jfIEC3eDEHS5SU80def6hkNtdJrfiybdjSyzXEBKOoJFdIZk2QD6gazQIaYukCE6x0EEtauvn-B2U/s320/20130220-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The length of yarn I needed to knit a row was from the tip of my left hand fingers to my right collarbone, with the left arm extended. I doubted that I could always be "spot on" at the end of the row with that "high-tech" measurement method. Also, my gauge is pretty even, but I am not a machine, Finally, even with the best intentions, there is always a little slippage when you knit the first stitch of the "wrong side made right side" row. I found a way to make it work though. When I had too little yarn, I knitted 2 together at the end of the row. When I had too much, I knitted through the front and back loops. That is why the left side of my swatch is <i>so uneven</i>. However, since my swatch is large enough, I have plenty of room left - when ignoring the leftmost inch of the swatch - to make an accurate gauge reading. Accurate, because blocked and lying completely flat!<br />
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The Whole-Loop method wins in the tryouts!!! I am happy to share this victory with <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/2013/02/work-in-progress-wednesday-132.html" target="_blank">Tami's amis</a> and <a href="http://www.gsheller.com/" target="_blank">Ginny</a>, on another WIP Wednesday. Visit the other WIP projects too!!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPJNDr1u9GuGslSkWhudg3Y4feQYAnR-P-DiD1FwEoKpAC_fZdh9uu1hAnbrCbYXLDQSf5mSIDuwLBRREeNRgesi6qOukxfAe_B6jgJKfyAXH6SCffLoA8_-sKv9xSDeW4uKXY0QFDZA/s1600/tami_wip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPJNDr1u9GuGslSkWhudg3Y4feQYAnR-P-DiD1FwEoKpAC_fZdh9uu1hAnbrCbYXLDQSf5mSIDuwLBRREeNRgesi6qOukxfAe_B6jgJKfyAXH6SCffLoA8_-sKv9xSDeW4uKXY0QFDZA/s1600/tami_wip.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.gsheller.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/yarnalong_gsheller_gray.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://www.gsheller.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/yarnalong_gsheller_gray.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-74281622205239205712013-02-19T13:13:00.001-08:002013-02-24T07:11:13.233-08:00Evernote: to remember every stitchAfter knitting many years alone in my corner, I finally became a <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/" target="_blank">Raveler </a>last October. Wow!! What a platform!! What a community!! Now, probably like many other Ravelers, I browse patterns and projects hours on end and can't wait to start and finish projects to post photos of my work.<br />
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I have also discovered cool tools available through the platform, such as the library, the queue and the favorites. I am not using them though because while I was alone in my corner, I used another tool to achieve similar results. It is called <a href="http://www%2Cevernote%2Ccom/" target="_blank">Evernote</a>.<br />
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Evernote is a free web application that you can download and install on pretty much every device. Here's a screenshot from my computer:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_F_OzYEgbUE0Vz7rSJ4mFjhfhTxVMg2F-HCZlrADU9kKORtSoSh3VhyphenhyphenMNLPh4X-Hd8KuUHHxK-2KaSZcyLZYlHy78JA5k1US3PMdHYI76Vr71hUlXlfycGR91fziAtog4Qs441Je7MI/s1600/Evernote1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif_F_OzYEgbUE0Vz7rSJ4mFjhfhTxVMg2F-HCZlrADU9kKORtSoSh3VhyphenhyphenMNLPh4X-Hd8KuUHHxK-2KaSZcyLZYlHy78JA5k1US3PMdHYI76Vr71hUlXlfycGR91fziAtog4Qs441Je7MI/s640/Evernote1.png" width="640" /></a></div>
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You start by creating notebooks (upper left corner in the illustration above). As I use Evernote in pretty much all aspects of my life, I got three main notebooks: Crafts, Personal and Work. I've got other notebooks inside each three to keep things tidy. When the notebook "Knitting Patterns", inside "Crafts" is selected, I can see the list of all the notes in this notebook, with a little thumbnail, in the middle of the screen. That makes it easy to browse through the 600 free patterns I've collected on the web. To search through my collection, I've created a set of tags that I use every time I import a new pattern.When I want to see a pattern in particular - let's say the gloves by Drops Designs - I select the note and it appears on the right side of the screen.</div>
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That is pretty similar, I believe, to what the Ravelry library offers. However, I can expand my library content with Evernote: in addition to knitting and crochet patterns, I also got a notebook on techniques and references for both crafts. If I see an interesting article on set-in sleeves in <a href="http://www.knitty.com/" target="_blank">Knitty</a>, for example, I store it in my notebook! I also got notebooks of various stitches for both knitting and crochet, a notebook on things related to this blog, a notebook on yarns and another one on design ideas.</div>
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The really cool thing is that you can store pretty much everything and anything in Evernote: text, images, pictures, files (including Word and Excel), videos, name it!! And you can access your notes from anywhere with an internet connection.</div>
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An unrelated but cool experience I had with Evernote is our last family camping trip. We wanted to visit Charlevoix, a region of Quebec fairly far from Montreal. We had never been there before. So a couple of weeks before our departure, I created a notebook with information on camping sites, maps, and attractions. I put in the phone number and address of friends that are now living there. I was pregnant, so to play it on the safe side, I downloaded maps with the regional hospitals. We could access all that information through my husband's iPad on the way. I was so useful!</div>
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Anyways, in a next post, I will show you how I organize some of my knitting notes. In the meantime, <a href="http://www.evernote.com/" target="_blank">why don't you try it out</a>? It's free!!</div>
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*** UPDATE ***</div>
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I have written a follow-up post on Evernote. Find it <a href="http://www.ellyknits.blogspot.ca/2013/02/evernote-part-ii.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-42661940837360791442013-02-17T08:58:00.002-08:002013-02-18T12:39:06.979-08:00Design Envy: Granville by Fiona EllisHave you ever felt food envy at a restaurant before? You know, the feeling you get when the plates arrive and you SO wish you had ordered your table neighbor's food instead of yours?<br />
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I sometimes feel like that when I browse patterns. I'll come across one and the time suddenly stops. I then SO wish we could all go back in time for me to create this design <i>before </i>the designer because every detail is presented <i>exactly </i>as I would have done it. And the result is so beautiful that it aches a little. Yep, design envy.<br />
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The design is not necessarily a garment I would like to make for myself or my daughters (although it often is). It has more to do with the creative spark behind the design, the way the designer married yarn, color, texture and construction together to come up with the garment.<br />
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The great thing about design envy though is that it will often jump-start my imagination. How can I make something similar yet different? Is there any technique used in there on which I could build a brand new design?<br />
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Let me illustrate. Here's my design envy of the moment: <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/granville-3" target="_blank">Granville by Fiona Ellis</a>.<br />
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First, it's green. That caught my attention all right!! Green is my favorite color. To me, it represents the incredible feeling you can feel in the air in Spring on the first day you venture outside without your winter gear. It smells freshly cut grass and tastes like lime.</div>
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On top of that, it's a hoodie. I love hoodies because I don't like hats so the hood comes in handy when it's cold. I like hoodies too because I constantly lose my umbrella so the hood comes in handy when it rains.</div>
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However, that doesn't mean that I get design envy every time I see a green hoodie. The envy really comes from the use and choice of cables. I consider cables as a jewel you put on a garment. Too many of them makes me feel overwhelmed. I believe that even the most simple cable pattern stands out on an otherwise plain fabric and brings elegance and refinement to the garment. Granville beautifully illustrates that belief.</div>
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I just love how the two cables running up the lower back interconnect in the upper back....</div>
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<a href="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/Marnie/130164597/granville_a_500_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/Marnie/130164597/granville_a_500_medium2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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and how the "negative space" between the two cables is used ti adjust for shoulder width...</div>
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<a href="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/Marnie/130164614/granville_b_500_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/Marnie/130164614/granville_b_500_medium2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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and how the back cables and the two cables going up on the front all make it all the way to the hood...</div>
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<a href="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/Marnie/130164597/granville_a_500_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/Marnie/130164597/granville_a_500_medium2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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One last thing: the cardigan has a zipper on the front. I like zippers - they are fast and handy. I however rarely used some on my knits because I wasn't comfortable putting them on securely and neatly. But now, thanks to the TECHknitter, I know how to add <a href="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/Marnie/130164597/granville_a_500_medium2.jpg" target="_blank">no-sew zippers</a>!!</div>
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It's no surprise that I "design envy" Fiona Ellis. She is a well-established and fantastic designer. I was really interested by her design process using i-cords and various pictures, as she explains it in her Craftsy class <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/mastering-cable-design/153" target="_blank">Mastering Cable Design</a>. If your budget doesn't allow you to purchase this class, I suggest you go for <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/creative-cabled-necklines/196" target="_blank">Creative Cable Neckline</a>: it's free!!</div>
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One final note: Granville was published in the Winter 2012 Twist Collective. You can find the publication <a href="http://www.twistcollective.com/2012/winter/magazinepage_01.php" target="_blank">here</a>.</div>
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As I was writing, I thought that I feel design envy often enough to make it a weekly blog thing, like <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">Tami's amis</a> Work in Progress Wednesday and Finished Object Friday. Sunday would be a good day for this. You'll tell me that Design Envy Sunday doesn't work because "Design" starts with a "D" and "Sunday" with a "S". True. However, I am a francophone and Sunday is <i><b>D</b>imanche </i>in French!!</div>
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*** UPDATE ***</div>
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I have just discovered a Ravelry group for Fiona's fan!! It seems they are currently knitting Granville along. We can join them <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/groups/fiona-ellis-fan-club" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-42526502402145868492013-02-15T06:15:00.001-08:002013-02-16T05:59:14.206-08:00Another bear coming alongA few days ago, I wrote about my <a href="http://ellyknits.blogspot.ca/2013/02/my-finished-valentine-gifts.html" target="_blank">finished Valentine projects</a> for my family. Here they are again:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SwnIb0LyqM39Dn4L9m9WH-uwcqUV5JGM927iK3zc6upoCOHYHfpzaAWa_bk30FrnBP-SoeHRNXl9oO4ol0LljlKTyR06HubWrQfA0lALOHlyNsvF3gdAO6mxLhmpNnr0t0JqIvAWq4k/s1600/20130209-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SwnIb0LyqM39Dn4L9m9WH-uwcqUV5JGM927iK3zc6upoCOHYHfpzaAWa_bk30FrnBP-SoeHRNXl9oO4ol0LljlKTyR06HubWrQfA0lALOHlyNsvF3gdAO6mxLhmpNnr0t0JqIvAWq4k/s320/20130209-13.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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They were a big hit, especially with my three year old daughter Gabrielle. She immediately adopted the three of them even though the duck was daddy's gift (no problem there) and the bear was here sister's gift (ouch!).<br />
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Now the little sister, Sarah, is only three month old. She certainly didn't fuss about her sister playing with her bear. I can foresee, however, that she will get exponentially more fussed about that in the months/years to come. I therefore demanded, last night, for Gabrielle to hand back the bear to her sister for the night. Well, that was akin to a Greek tragedy for my Gaby (tough, tough for mamma!!).<br />
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She finally agreed to give it back on the promise that I would crochet a similar bear for her.... That was the price of peace, which I will be paying for in the coming week!!<br />
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If you like amigurumi, I strongly suggest that you visit Stacey Trock website, <a href="http://www.freshstitches.com/" target="_blank">Fresh Stitches</a>. Stacey designs the cutest amigurumis I've seen and she runs a number of fun crochet along (with great tips!) and contests. I would also suggest her blog to anyone wishing to start a web-based design business. Many of her posts suggest that behind her happy-go-lucky character, Stacey is a very <a href="http://www.freshstitches.com/craft-business-articles-crochet-knitting-photography/" target="_blank">sharp and wise business woman</a>!!<br />
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And like me, she participates in <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/2013/02/fo-friday-125.html" target="_blank">Tami's amis</a> FO Friday!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizkwgct5vhsEtSaCk8zIfdeaW30W5oUwIv_piZhzM4Qp_laKGEgmJFPMT6e12FlkqPSnlRGjFmiIkAggVYUnG2USBbOhwmVZJc53nb74aOHxq8qzjg9mSyes39c4yhA6pBhQdKwSmF5Y/s320/FOfriday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiizkwgct5vhsEtSaCk8zIfdeaW30W5oUwIv_piZhzM4Qp_laKGEgmJFPMT6e12FlkqPSnlRGjFmiIkAggVYUnG2USBbOhwmVZJc53nb74aOHxq8qzjg9mSyes39c4yhA6pBhQdKwSmF5Y/s320/FOfriday.jpg" /></a></div>
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Join us too, if only to check out and comment on the beautiful work of fellow knitters and crocheters! </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-41650430678353105492013-02-13T09:41:00.002-08:002013-02-13T09:41:36.457-08:00Wednesday WIPIt's Wednesday, and today is the perfect day to join Tami's Amis Wednesday WIP circle!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPJNDr1u9GuGslSkWhudg3Y4feQYAnR-P-DiD1FwEoKpAC_fZdh9uu1hAnbrCbYXLDQSf5mSIDuwLBRREeNRgesi6qOukxfAe_B6jgJKfyAXH6SCffLoA8_-sKv9xSDeW4uKXY0QFDZA/s1600/tami_wip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwPJNDr1u9GuGslSkWhudg3Y4feQYAnR-P-DiD1FwEoKpAC_fZdh9uu1hAnbrCbYXLDQSf5mSIDuwLBRREeNRgesi6qOukxfAe_B6jgJKfyAXH6SCffLoA8_-sKv9xSDeW4uKXY0QFDZA/s1600/tami_wip.jpg" /></a></div>
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So, what's in progress at Elly Knits? A few things are in the very early stages, but Gabrielle's cardigan almost done. I chose to knit the largest size of <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bobby" target="_blank">Bobby</a> by Martin Storey. Before getting started, I converted the original pattern - knitted flat in distinct pieces - into a seamless cardigan. However, when I got into the knitting, the stripes caused me a few little problems.</div>
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First, I started knitting the sleeves in the round but realized I was creating a "jog" every time I changed color. I didn't know, back then, that it was possible to knit <a href="http://techknitting.blogspot.ca/2011/02/article-and-video-on-jogless-stripes.html" target="_blank">jogless stripes</a> back then, so I reverted to knitting the sleeves flat. This is what it looked like when the sleeves and body were completed up to the armhole.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1u5ecRbLLdwx7yidEjpqAvrqI1Nya_tpCIVV8lCdlUZCKJBziF_tX9h_Po4aG1LcxLdn62R59xW44M0bJs979dayRw1TRFev0S1GTc5TknyPDXoI5USODU8dt41JnSZWLZ_621FJJxDY/s1600/20130109-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1u5ecRbLLdwx7yidEjpqAvrqI1Nya_tpCIVV8lCdlUZCKJBziF_tX9h_Po4aG1LcxLdn62R59xW44M0bJs979dayRw1TRFev0S1GTc5TknyPDXoI5USODU8dt41JnSZWLZ_621FJJxDY/s320/20130109-5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Second problem: I didn't plan the shoulder shaping short rows adequately with regards to stripes. Moreover, I was knitting away without paying enough attention, so I didn't catch the mistake until I was done with the hood! Result, on the left front piece, I have a 4-row blue stripe, instead of a 2-row one. This is what it looks like:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMpc-F7IL7db7djD2bmwaF54b9lu01OvunLfpHuWscFJJ2MseYbTFMNxlTE4fik5T5cbTfzMZF7pjm65BVZxhHjFIiybtXIHQeUswd0Xk6MmjtgYNBxMRjL9f0i_h9btM0YUubzUcbYA/s1600/20130213-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMpc-F7IL7db7djD2bmwaF54b9lu01OvunLfpHuWscFJJ2MseYbTFMNxlTE4fik5T5cbTfzMZF7pjm65BVZxhHjFIiybtXIHQeUswd0Xk6MmjtgYNBxMRjL9f0i_h9btM0YUubzUcbYA/s400/20130213-2.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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I guess that, from a distance, and especially with the smiling little princess inside the cardigan, you don't really see the extra-large stripe.</div>
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Now, here comes the last issue. It has nothing to do with stripes. Even though the pattern called for 7 balls of yarn for the largest size (6 for the others), I bought only 6 as I didn't want to end up with some yarn left over to add to my ever growing stash. Well, guess what? I don't have enough yarn left for the edging and the button band. It is especially problematic given that the shipping costs for one ball of yarn will be more expensive than the yarn itself, and that a trip to the yarn store in the middle of the winter with a 3 year old and a 3 month old requires a lot of planning/effort.</div>
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I guess it'll be a little while before this little cardigan makes it to Tami's Amis Friday FO!</div>
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Join Tami's Amis <a href="http://tamisamis.blogspot.ca/2013/02/work-in-progress-wednesday-131.html" target="_blank">here</a>!</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-1951815193950252662013-02-11T05:56:00.000-08:002013-02-11T05:56:19.501-08:00Need to knit something quickly? Check this out<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/eClB0RpGBlo?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-57312703291814185872013-02-10T19:19:00.000-08:002013-02-10T19:19:29.087-08:00My finished Valentine gifts!Finally!! Not only have I finished my Valentine amigurumis, but I have also taken pictures of the final products. Only parents who have or had young kids to take care of know what an exploit that is!!<br />
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Aren't they cute?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SwnIb0LyqM39Dn4L9m9WH-uwcqUV5JGM927iK3zc6upoCOHYHfpzaAWa_bk30FrnBP-SoeHRNXl9oO4ol0LljlKTyR06HubWrQfA0lALOHlyNsvF3gdAO6mxLhmpNnr0t0JqIvAWq4k/s1600/20130209-13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SwnIb0LyqM39Dn4L9m9WH-uwcqUV5JGM927iK3zc6upoCOHYHfpzaAWa_bk30FrnBP-SoeHRNXl9oO4ol0LljlKTyR06HubWrQfA0lALOHlyNsvF3gdAO6mxLhmpNnr0t0JqIvAWq4k/s640/20130209-13.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The bear is for my baby Sarah, the raccoon for Gabrielle and the cranky duck, well.... for my husband. Funny choice for my other half, you say? Well, my husband collects rubber ducks. He has over 100 of them, all of them sitting pretty in our main bathroom. This one isn't rubber, true, but I am sure he'll find a place for this cranky guy too.</div>
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I have made the bear and the raccoon as part of the <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/Amigurumi-Woodland-Animals/59" target="_blank">Amigurumi: Woodland Animals</a> Craftsy class. I absolutely loved it, and immediately enrolled in the <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/Amigurumi-Design-Your-Own-Monster/58" target="_blank">Design your own monster</a> class afterwards, from which the cranky duck was born.</div>
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These classes have also given me an idea for Easter.... Coming up in a later post!</div>
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Now, I just have to wait for the 14th to distribute my presents to the family!</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2363011369539287611.post-3108157244052527922013-02-08T15:58:00.001-08:002013-02-08T15:58:33.295-08:00Mercedes Knits - A New BookAmong all knitwear designers, Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark makes it to my very very short list of favorites. When I look at her designs, I can't help but think: "I wish I had designed that myself". <br />
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Here's an example: the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/heliotropic-pullover" target="_blank">Heliotropic Pullover</a>.<br />
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<a href="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/thepiebird/54080523/Tarasovich-Clark_Pullover2_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/thepiebird/54080523/Tarasovich-Clark_Pullover2_medium.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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It is simple and elegant (two qualifiers I prize when it comes to garments) and looks very comfortable to wear.</div>
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I love this one too: </div>
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<a href="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/CEY/111257330/9207-Capture-LG_medium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4-b.ravelrycache.com/uploads/CEY/111257330/9207-Capture-LG_medium.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>
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It is called <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/capture-2" target="_blank">Capture</a>. Again, simple, elegant, and so original!!</div>
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There is also the <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/artemisia-sweater" target="_blank">Artemisia Sweater</a> designed for Mercedes' <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/class/the-seamless-artemisia-sweater/128" target="_blank">Craftsy class</a>. The sweater is constructed from the top down, with a gorgeous lace motif.</div>
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<a href="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/mercedesknits/125654007/SAS_07_medium2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/mercedesknits/125654007/SAS_07_medium2.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Thank to my <a href="http://ellyknits.blogspot.ca/2013/02/my-first-post-google-reader-for.html" target="_blank">Google Reader</a>, I saw a new post on <a href="http://www.mercedesknits.com/" target="_blank">Mercedes' blog</a>. She is in the process of <a href="http://mercedesknits.com/2013/02/07/writing-a-book/" target="_blank">writing a book!</a> I bet it'll be fantastic, I can't wait to see it.</div>
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Also, check out the <a href="http://mercedesknits.com/2013/02/08/artemisia-sweater-blog-tour/" target="_blank">Artemisia sweater blog tour</a>. That,ll be a great opportunity to read about Mercedes' designs and discover new blogs about knitting and crafts!</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11221268389340740197noreply@blogger.com0