Month: May 2020

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The Lunenburg Pullover

by casadeberryLeave a Comment on The Lunenburg Pullover

I have made a few top-down pullovers. Most of them involve some kind of short-row sequence at the beginning, so that the back of the neckline is higher than the front. When I read the description on this pattern by Amy Christoffers and it mentioned short rows beneath the colorwork yoke section instead, I knew I had to try it.

Amy’s patterns are published in various magazines, yarn company websites, and also under her own brand, Savory Knitting. She has many designs that are favorites in the knitting community, such as the Felix pullover.

I had originally purchased the colors for the fair isle section for a different project that never came to be. In fact, it was one of the first purchases I ever made at my local yarn shop. Once I decided to make this sweater, I thought the gold/green palette would be perfect.

I decided to made the cuffs and hem ribbing in the dark brown color, and probably didn’t follow the chart as precisely as I should have, but I do really like the short row shaping method.

The main yarn for this pullover is from Abundant Earth Fiber – it is a beautiful neutral and knit up like a dream. The colorwork yarn is from Elemental Affects, and it is very sheepy and rustic. I have very sensitive skin so I wear a thin layer underneath.

I am very happy with this project, the fit is comfortable but not super oversized, and I love wearing this sweater with jeans. You can find more details on my Lunenburg sweater, or as I named it, my Golden Fairyland sweater, on my Ravelry project page.

2020, candle, knitting, Uncategorized

A Momoa-sized challenge

by casadeberryLeave a Comment on A Momoa-sized challenge

Steve has received from me a handknit sweater each of the past three years. Every time it’s the same, “oh, whatever you think best” back and forth until I pretty much just close my eyes and point to a cabled sweater pattern and call it a day.

This year, though, he has a pretty specific sweater in mind.

Found on Pinterest

For those of you able to get past the sight of Mr. Momoa looking like a fine feast, he is wearing a heavily cabled sweater with a shawl collar in this publicity pic from the movie Justice League. I’ve made cabled sweaters for Steve before, of course, since that is his preference. The challenge, however is to find a starting point – I’ve never knit a shawl collar before – and then customize it to look as much as possible as this sweater.

I happen to have Norah Gaughan’s Knitted Cable Sourcebook, which is, in fact, a guide on incorporating a variety of cables onto whatever you choose to design. The plan is to make a chart including all the cables seen on the front, figure out how many stitches for each cable and in between cables, total them up, and adjust depending on how many stitches the front of my starting point pattern has. I have a few ideas for the base pattern, thanks to my lovely yarnie friends C and L, so I will decide that in the next few days.

As far as yarn color goes, I’m going to make Steve’s sweater in a shade of blue. If I’m going to make all those cables, which are not difficult but are time consuming, I want them to be easily visible, so a medium blue-gray is the goal, and will also go well with Steve’s fair coloring.

Added to the mix is the fact that Steve has wanted me to knit him a hoodie as well, so do we make this a hoodie or stick with a shawl collar. No, I am not making a shawl collar hoodie, dogdamnit.

Also Pinterest, showing the sleeve cabling.

I usually start Steve’s sweaters around September, so that I can present it at Christmas. This past year a friend was having a bebe so Steve graciously let me make a bajillion baby knits and his sweater was ready in February. Considering how this year has gone so far, though, I am probably going to start early, take a lot of notes on what I’m doing, and light a few candles.

Maybe one of these.

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As Anne Boleyn said to Henry VIII . . .

by casadeberry2 Comments on As Anne Boleyn said to Henry VIII . . .

“we’re one third of the way through!”

No, she never said that, but we are one third done with this insane year and I figured a recap of my knit achievements would be a good thing to document.

Here are some highlights of this year’s knitting:

Eleven Twelve sweater / Blackwood hat / Wash’s Sweater / Tender hat & Cozy Classic Raglan / Becoming test knit / Zweig pullover ( all details on Ravelry)

It seems that a) this year is going to be mostly garments, and b) while it may not be clear in this grid above, this will be the year of pink. Much to my own surprise and that of everyone who has known me for more than three days, I am in the middle of a complete pink-fest. I have bought more pink yarn in the last two months than I have in the past forty-eight years. Before February, I had no pink yarn other than yarn I’d bought for baby knits.

What’s next on the needles? Another pink top, a couple of colorwork projects, and uh, another pink top. No, really. I’ve been a burgundy-and-black girl for decades so this pink addiction is very much a reality I am still getting used to.

I am super thrilled with what I have made so far, and I am making my peace with the fact that, maybe due to my arthritis, or maybe due to age, my gauge has changed. I am knitting way looser than I have ever knitted. Not a problem, I just make a smaller size. I am not willing to fight the new way I’m knitting because that will just end up hurting my hands. Accepting and moving forward.

And now murder hornets – excellent.