Adventures in Knitting – Page 7 – Elliebelly Knit & Dye Works

My Shetland Lace Shawl and the Virtue of Alternating Multiple Skeins When Knitting with Malabrigo

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

When last we visited my Shetland Lace Shawl, I had just realized that I should have been alternating skeins as I knit, because they were clearly different. I immediately commenced a program of switching skeins every four rows. The tip of the scarf definitely has a more "mustardy" appearance than the rest, but I'm hoping that it won't be obvious — at least not to anyone other than me.

Um, it's pretty obvious. I know this, but I keep hoping it will go away. Worst case, I will resort to a gentle overdye to try and unify the colors.

One tip: had I wound all of the skeins into balls before I began, I think I would have been forced to confront reality. In the future (and I've got a red Malabrigo sweater about to come up in my queue), I'm going to wind everything in advance and try to avoid convincing myself it will be okay. You can see from the balls wound that this was never going to work out without alternating the skeins.

However, I'm eternally optimistic, and this project is no exception. I pulled it out of my bag at brunch this morning for knitting show and tell with my Mom, and everyone around us ooh'd and ah'd. Perhaps I caught the problem early enough and it will all work out after all. It is definitely lovely up close!

Knit It Now: Stephen West’s Honegart Hat

Posted on October 11, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

This is my favorite hat of all time, possibly my favorite knitting project of all time.

I made it back in 2011, but it was a rush job as cold weather set in for a child who was going to school up North, and I didn't get decent pictures at the time. Thankfully, the child returned, and with him the hat. I pulled it out with some other winter things this morning and remembered what a brillant pattern and fun knit it was, and wanted to share it with you all.

This hat is knit in two different sections, which gives you endless possibilities — solids, variegated yarns, you name it. I dyed Elliebelly Alpaca & Merino just for this project. The honeycomb portion of the hat is so much fun to knit that I pulled over at a farmstand on the way back from the beach, and knit much of it while eating fresh peach ice cream and watching the tourists. I couldn't wait to finish it.

This hat is at the top of my "must knit it again" list and I recommend you try it if you are looking for something a little bit frisky but well within the capabilities of a advanced beginning knitter with a couple of projects under your belt. (I mean that in the realistic sense — not in the way some well-meaning experienced knitters who have forgotten what it's like to be knew to sticks and twine will tell you the lace shawl is "really easy" or the heavily cabled pattern is fine for a new knitter). Like all of Stephen West's design, it is slightly edgy but imminently practical. And, it's really warm. Return of the Polar Vortex, anyone?

What Was I Thinking
Subtitle: This Skeins Don’t Match

Posted on October 6, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

In the whiskey-foxtrot-tango category of bad things I've done as a knitter, comes this unforgiveable mistake when knitting with hand-dyed yarn: not alternating skeins as you knit. I know better. After all, I dye yarn myself and understand that even with great care, handpainted skeins aren't going to be a perfect match. And Malabrigo Yarn, which I love as much as life itself for its beautiful colors, is notorious for throwing skeins that don't match, even in the same dyelot. Which is to say, anyone with an ounce of sense who is knitting with Malabrigo knows to swap skeins every few rows.

But, in my excitement at starting this project, I … forgot. This is Evelyn Clark's Shetland Triangle Lace Shawl, and I have been wanting to knit it for a long time. It's a simple lace pattern, knit in DK weight yarn and I chose the indescribably delicious Arco Iris colorway in Malabrigo's Silky Merino yarn. I had four skeins.

You can see right off in the picture that although it isn't horrible, the second skein down from the top has a lot more bright yellow in it than the rest of its cadre. So, you guessed it, that's the one I started knitting with.

Midway through the fourth repeat, I realized I hadn't changed out skeins. No problem, I told myself, those skeins really were well-matched, and I would be just fine. I would start alternating now. So I pulled out the next skein (as a well prepared knitter I had wound multiple skeins into balls so I could switch off carefully throughout the shawl) and beheld this incredible horror:

They don't even look like the same colorway. The one on the right, the skein I started out with, is not even in the same universe as the one of the left, which I am currently knitting from. Quel disaster!

Here I am, about four rows into the new skein (this photo has the truest colors of any of them — I do love Arco Iris). One could almost convince oneself that it was all going to be okay. That despite carelessness, just this one time, the knitting gods were smiling, and it would all work out.

However, I have learned that such hopes typically get smashed a couple of inches in. I haven't made a mistake like this in years, actually, in seven years, since this sweater, which I knit in 2007, showed a clear line between skeins. You can't see it well in this cleverly staged photo, but particularly in the back, there was a line of demarcation that was as clear as the Berlin Wall.

Already, my thoughts are turning to clever strategies like a gentle, unifying overdye to tone the different skeins into submission. I could, and probably should, frog this back to the first repeat and go forward in a more knitterly fashion. But I'm going to hold my breath and see what happens.

In Defense of Single Skein Projects — Why We Knit

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

We can't all be the girl who knits incredibly intricate Estonian lace in her spare time, producing immaculate shawls of haunting beauty. And we shouldn't feel bad about it.

I love knitters who are accomplished and precise, and I enjoy celebrating their work. But that doesn't, and shouldn't, in any sense take away from the accomplishments of new knitters, intermittent knitters, or knitters without time for larger projects. There is virtue and integrity too in smaller, simpler, single skein projects.

My Redeux hat, pictured above, was a relentlessly simple knit that any beginner could finish in a day or two since it calls for a single skein of bulky yarn. It has given me an enormous amount of pleasure, to say nothing of the warmth it leant my husband during our trip to Iceland. It was easy, it was simple and it is red and beautiful. I value this hat as much as any project I've ever knit.

Similarly, this Rainbow Twist Cowl is easy enough to be the perfect first attempt at cables for a knitter who has never done them before. Plus, it has the advantage of color. Anything knit with Malabrigo's beautiful Arco Iris colorway is guaranteed to become a cherished favorite. Again, a quick simple knit that was infinitely satisfying and produced a remarkable result. I know this to be true because my teenage daughter stole it away as soon as it came off of my needles and will not return it. This must mean it is a thing of grace and beauty.

This is a basic ribbed knit hat, Rib-a-Roni, knit from a single skein with the addition of a few leftover scraps to form the stripes. This hat brought me such a feeling of accomplishment. I googled and mastered jogless stripes so that the joins look even. The ribbing was meditative. The recipient was ecstatic. He is still wearing it in summer.

We all know that as knitters, there is a tremedous amount of pressure to constantly innovate our craft. And I like that. Last year I picked up lacework for the first time and enjoyed the results. But there is a special virtue, and no shame in working with these easier, baby-bite sized kind of one-skein projects. They take skill too. We sometimes forget that to non-knitters, we all look like rocket scientists. Don't be afraid to turn off the pressure and enjoy a simple knit.

Nangou: What To Knit Next?

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

Before I start this post, I need to say: I have too many works in progress (WIPs). I know this. But it doesn't change my desire, at a certain point every summer, to start casting on new projects. I get one started and then suddenly, like June lightening, a new pattern calls me with an irresistable pull and I'm off again. Fortunately, I tend to have a fall spate of finishing up all those projects, but still, I view this riotous approach to knitting as something of a character flaw and envy those who are more restrained.

That said, I have fallen in love with Nangou.

Nangou is a simple garter stitch with simple eyelet lace patterning rows scarf that was written for a fingering weight silk-merino blend yarn, so think light and delicate but gently warm.

This version, by German knitter Blauregan, is knit in the pattern yarn, with the clever twist of using an undyed skein for the lace eyelet rows. It's one of my favorites.

Lismete's gold on gold variation is really eye catching as well, and I like the looser gauge she used for her project.

And AniaBKnits' version in a rich purple with darker eyelets looks like something I could toss around my shoulders every day.

Since I'm trying to knit from stash these days, I took a look on Ravelry, which let me know I had a number of possibilities already in my stash.

My Tosh Dandelion has a lot in common, color-wise, with several of the projects I like and the addition of 10% linen to the merino woud give it a nice drape. Plus, I've been dying to find something to knit with this yarn.

A lot of knitters have used Tosh Merino Light, and it just so happens that I've got three skeins of Spruce tucked away.

And then, I could always dye some yarn just for this project. I've been impressed with the BFL/Silk sock yarn I've been dyeing for the last month, so I may dye some in a brown-gray colorway just for Nangou.

Currently, Ravelry includes 333 projects and Nangou has a rating of 4.7 stars out of 5, so it looks like it has made a lot of knitters happy. I'm looking forward to joining them!

Why I Love A Good Knitalong

Posted on April 10, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

In the past, I rarely participated in knitalongs (KALs). The deadlines didn't fit into my work schedule and family life and it wasn't always easy to find the right group knitting the right pattern. I've flirted with KALs a couple of times, but after the fun of Malabrigo March with its Multi-KAL approach, I'm a serious convert. The enthusiasm and the support were contagioius.

I still have four unfinished projects from Mal March, but I got a good headstart on them. My Modern Garden sweater is almost done and there is one last project, Amy March Slippers, that I have yet to cast on but am looking forward to doing.

During the fall of 2013, I decided to catch up on all of my knitting. I finished up everything I was working on except for two long terms projects, my Barnraising Quilt (because it really does take a long time to knit a quilt out of sock yarn) and my Summit Fairhope Shawl, because I have to be completely alone and undisturbed to keep up with the pattern, which doesn't happen a whole lot. Other than those two long term projects, I was going to be one of those knitters who worked on one project at a time and finished it before moving on.

But I'm not that knitter. I'm a CAST ON ALL THE THINGS kind of girl. And, sometimes you just have to know who you are. In addition to the Mal March leftovers, and the long term projects, I've got a Storm Cloud Shawlette cast on that I work on when I need to keep my hands busy so my mind can focus on complex issues.

All the yarn

I'm getting ready to finalize my choices for the Adventurous April KALs on the Elliebelly group, which start in just five days! I've got all of this yarn pulled out and am mulling over my pattern choices and planning to swatch over the weekend. I can't wait to see everyone else's knitting and get going with my own.

Iceland, The End of Malabrigo March, And, Of Course, Knitting

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

This is where I spent the last week of March.

Iceland was beautiful and our time there was everything we hoped it would be. I will surely have more to say about that later, but in the meantime, if you are thinking about traveling there, do.

Iceland was a good place to knit because it was cold but not frigid. Average temperatures were in the 30's unless you got into wind chill. So I finished off Malabrigo March with two hats you've seen in progress before.

This is Lutz Jump, one of the Salchow Trio of Hat patterns.

And this is Fuego. I had a hard time getting a photo of this colorway, Fuschia, that didn't bounce light back in an overbright way, but in reality this hat is just the perfect very intense pink color. I may go ahead and add a pom pom to it now that we're back home, because it is begging to be just a bit silly.

I also finished another square for the infernal Barn Raising Quilt that I will be working on for the rest of my natural life awhile longer.

I finished Fuego while we were out hiking between waterfalls and driving back to visit the Alafoss Yarn Store on the outskirts of Reyjkavik, which seemed particularly appropriate. Who says you can't knit while wearing four layers of clothing, which is what I resored to that day for both the chill and the wet.

I was amused when I saw the photo my daughter snapped of me knitting between waterfalls to notice I was wearing my Douglas Fir Hat and my Simple Cowl (this was one of the colder days), while knitting Fuego. A perfect ending to Malabrigo March.