hat – Elliebelly Knit & Dye Works

Progress…

Posted on September 13, 2016 by elliebelly

I'm progressing on my Paint Brush Hat, which is now well into the colorwork.

And, my Sjølingstadkofta sweater is also breezing right along. I'm a bit further along than in the photo, below. I've finished the collar ribbing and the portion of the collar that is knit flat, and have now joined in the round and added stitches for the steek that is in my future. I'm knitting on new-to-me needles that my LYS recommended, Hiya Hiya Sharps, and although I didn't like them at first, we are now BFF. They make immaculate increases and wrap & turns (especially when it comes to lifting the wraps to hide them, which I do this way).

Packing for travel is always a huge challenge for me. I'll sacrifice just about anything to get my yoga mat and my knitting into my small rollaboard and carry on bag. But, my current three works in progress all contain multiple, large balls of yarn. The hat has five, and they are all still huge at the point. I can manage just two along with me for the sweater, as it's fingering weight and they'll last. And my Grannie Annie has four balls of yarn, although at this point, they're all about 1/3 of their original size.

I've been negotiating with myself over who comes along with me this week. I've got too very long flights. I'm frankly a bit nervous about running into trouble with Sjølingstadkofta, so I don't want to travel with just one project. I think Grannie Annie, which takes up less room, likely gets to come along, while I leave the hat at home. I hate to do that as it's a wonderful pattern and I could finish it on this trip, but it's just too large at this point. Hopefully I can knit a bit more of it at home and take it along to The Plucky Knitter's retreat, Glamping, at the end of the month.

That Wonderful Feeling When You Finish Knitting

Posted on August 20, 2016 by elliebelly

I finished Vitsippa. It now goes into the category of memory-knits, because it will forever be the project I was knitting when I was here. (Glacier Park, Montana)

It is also one of those knits that is infinitely enjoyable — the pattern is well written and easy to follow for a project that looks rather complicated. At the end, you're left with a feeling of great satisfaction. And, it was a skill builder for me as I'm trying to improve my fairisle skills to get ready for knitting this sweater. I enjoy stranded knitting, but I'm still working on the evenness of my stitches and on feeling completely awkward with the whole knitting with the yarn held in two different hands thing. Vitsippa helped a lot with both of those issues.

As soon as I finished, I immediately wove in the ends and put Vitsippa on my head. And didn't want to take it off, even though it's over 90` here. I had no trouble finding a model for it. In fact, before I was done, everyone in the house had it on their head. The ribbing is deep and stretchy (I hate it when there isn't enough ribbing on a hat). I used a long tail cast on, and it worked perfectly. The finished hat is comfortable, beautiful and not too tight — pretty much the hat you're going to reach for every time you hit the trails all winter.

Another Knit Nevermind Hat. Subtitle: Why I Love The Plucky Knitter’s Snug Yarn

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

I'm sure I sound like I have lost my marbles to anyone who is not passionate about knitting. But, I have a new favorite yarn, and I really don't care who knows about it. Snug. I love you Snug. I love you for your cashmere content and for your beautiful, smooth, round, bulkiness. And I love how you take color. All of them. I loved you right out of the box, even before the first time I put you on my needles.

I love you even more, now that I've knit a second hat out of Snug, my second using the Nevermind cabled pattern. It is what you were meant for.

Forgive me for the glamour shot. I'm rather partial to the model as well. But she still doesn't get to keep the hat!

The colorway is Fisherman's Wharf, a neutral with just a hint of a purpleish undertone in the right light. So subtle that you're not even sure it's there. So beautiful that I'm kicking myself for not getting a sweater quantity.

Here is the obligatory cat photo. I was chided, after the lovely photo of our baby cat Juliet earlier this week, for not including our cats in more photos. So here is Harry, who is skilled at photobombing, but agreed to pose just this once.

In case I haven't been clear, if you don't have any of The Plucky Knitter Snug in your stash you need to RUN not walk and get some. You can buy it at her periodic updates or through destash on Ravelry if you're lucky. It's amazing yarn. You need to knit with some now!

New Year’s Knitting

Posted on January 3, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

I wanted to catch you all up on the knitting I have planned for the month of January. I've joined The Plucky Knitter WIP Wrangling KAL, the goal being to finish Plucky projects that were started before the new year during the month of January.

I started Olivia at the end of November, but promptly set her aside to get some final holiday knitting done. Fisherman's Rib has been slow going for me, but I really like its plump, cushy effect. I'm hoping to spend some quality time with Olivia and conquer the short row technique necessary to finish her off this month.

Because I'm like this as a knitter, I hit a Cast-On-All-The-Things streak the last two weeks in December and set up a number of other projects to include in the KAL:

I'm knitting a second Nevermind Hat in Plucky Snug. This one is for me.

Vodka Lemonade is a sweater I've wanted to do forever. I've cast on in Plucky Crew — a cotton/merino blend. Although there is about zero chance I'll finish this in January, I'm hoping to get a good start.

I'm in love with Paddle Mitts and am doing mine in Plucky Scholar. The stripes on the hands will be in a different weight Plucky yarn, but I'm optimistic that it will all work out.

Some of my precious Plucky cashmere is going to become a Lina Hat. I'm not overjoyed with my cable cast on, but I've decided to assess it tomorrow and rip it out for a fresh start if it sucks as bad as I think it does seems to need a little help.

Wish me luck, ok? January is always a busy month at work for me, so this may be my knitting for several months, rather than just January. I'm really happy to have it all on my needles and ready to carry with me for delays and lines.

Finally, a sad note to the start of the year. Longtime blog readers (that would be you, Mom), know that we have four cats. Our beloved black cat Squirt, the oldest of our cats, passed away peacefully but suddenly. I'm going to miss his affectionate nature and loving support for my knitting — he enjoyed the holidays and was especially fond of having me sit on the couch for hours at a time and bat balls of yarn around for his pleasure. I'm going to miss him a lot, but am really glad he sat for one last family photo shoot a couple of weeks ago.

An Update on Malabrigo March: a Month of Knitting with one Company’s Yarn

Posted on March 23, 2014 by Joyce Makes Art

Malabrigo March is almost over and it has been a whirlwind! I've been out of town almost as much as I've been in town, which has been bad for blogging but rather interesting for knitting. Before each trip, I cast on several projects and then negotiate with myself over space in my suitcase. I have been known to turn two changes of clothing into a week's worth of outfits, just so I can take four knitting projects along as well.

I'm getting ready to head out of the country for the rest of the month and, predictably, I'm taking four projects along with me.

The first is so new that I've only just cast on and will be working on the brim during the flight. The pattern is Fuego and I'm knitting it in Malabrigo Worsted in Fuschia.

I'm also taking along my Lutz Jump hat. I'm midway through the first of three pattern repeats and I highly recommend this pattern. It zips right along and has clever little stitches in it, like one reoccurring motif that depends on a slip one, knit one, make a yarn over and pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch and the yarn over. It's fun and fast, and I love it in this Damask Rose colorway. I've never made a pom pom before, but I think this hat will need one!

I haven't gotten far with my Steam Punk Cowl. The pattern is called Metallurgy and I adored it on sight. But, it hasn't been my favorite knit so far. I'm hoping that under the influence of very cold weather on this trip, I'll get more excited about knitting it. (and yes, for those of you who follow my Maine Moon Cats, that's Hermione guarding my knitting). I'm knitting with Silky Merino in Smoke.

Last, but not least, I'm taking the current quilt square in progress for my Barn Raising Quilt. My goal for this year is to knit one a month while doing other projects and to finish up knitting squares by the middle of next year so I can put it together before my darling daughter goes off to college. It's nice to have a child who knits and appreciates knitting, and I'm hoping the quilt will be a piece of home she can take with her when she leaves the nest. I"m knitting the quilt from Malabrigo Sock in Piedras.

That's it for me for now, although I will try to do a couple of quick posts or at least photo updates while we travel. Please keep my house in your prayers as it is in the hands of our two twenty-something children while we head off. This could be interesting!