Finished Mitts

I have been knitting, but after sort of finishing the Volt shawl, I did one needlepoint project and then these fingerless mitts.

They are knit with Malabrigo Tosh Vintage (I LOVE Tosh Vintage) and from the pattern One Cable Knits.  Not a creative name, but accurate.

Well,

I am just altogther too smug about this hat:

Yes, I did knit it and I think it's beautiful. It's shown being blocked over a dinner plate but is almost dry. The color is a bit deeper than it appears in the photograph.

I think the real genius, however, is the designer, Desi Knitter, and those of you on Ravelry can get to the free pattern (Cabled Rangoli Hat) by clicking on the "Desi Knitter" link. The pattern is stitch perfect and I am amazed by that. I think that pattern-writing is difficult and this pattern is particulary fussy, with the cables moving around on the hat. I followed the advice of another Ravelry knitter and made the bobbles larger; they were small and not very noticeable in the original pattern. The only caution: the pattern calls for dk weight yarn, but the hat the designer and others on the site made were all knit from worsted weight, as is mine. I think it must just be a typo.

The yarn is Malabrigo, kettle-dyed worsted, 100% merino wool, and it is wonderfully soft. The designer suggested using a tightly-spun yarn so that the cables will show up well, but this Malabrigo is in spots almost just roving and it worked out fine anyway.

The hat is for younger daughter, and I think she will love it too.

Just in Time for Texas

First of all, I finished the second sock of my sparkly Berroco Sox Metallic yarn, but the sparklies don't show in the picture. I know they are there! And so will all my friends and family (not you, younger daughter) when I wear them.

These are not blocked. I don't block socks; I figure that's what feet are for.


And second, I finished my second attempt at the Bitty Bolero sweater. THIS one will fit Elizabeth, I am sure. But she doesn't get it till her first birthday, in October, and even if I gave it to her now, it is way too hot in Texas to wear a wool sweater, even one as soft as this one. It's made from 100% merino wool, and I am starting to think that out of all the wonderful fibers that are made into yarn (wool, angora, bamboo, milk -yes-milk, cotton, soy, alpaca, mohair, silk and ???? I'm sure I've forgotten some), I love working with merino the best. It is just SO, SO soft! This is Malabrigo, colorway Cuarento 237. And have I learned my lesson about the importance of making gauge swatches?
Probably not...

I've also bought yarn for a new project to work on while I'm in Texas, because, you know, there are just NO yarn shops there!

Oh, and I do have a new camera. Phew. Without pictures, how can I blog???

When Will I Learn?

Here I've been, happily knitting along on this cute little Pixie Purls Bolero sweater for Elizabeth's first birthday (in October). But when I finished binding off all of the ribbing, I noticed that the sweater looks a bit....small?...for a one year old child. Hmmm....

It is sitting next to a dollar bill, which is, as we knitters know, a good substitute for a tape measure, since it is six inches long. Which means that this sweater is TINY!

Did I make a gauge swatch? Good doG, no. I NEVER make gauge swatches. Sometimes, if I remember, I count the rows and stitches in the actual garment soon after beginning a project, just to make sure I'm on gauge, which I always assume that I am. But did I do that here???

Nope.

So I just did. The correct gauge is: 18 stitches/24 rows = 4".

My gauge is: 24 stitches/32 rows = 4".

OK then. A frogging we will go...unless Elizabeth needs a worsted weight merino sweater in the heat of a Texas summer. I'm guessing she doesn't.