knitting – Page 4 – Elliebelly Knit & Dye Works

Elliebelly’s Adventurous April KAL 2015 Begins

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

The Knit Along isn't actually beginning just yet, but I'm winding my yarn and gathering my notions so I will be all ready on April 1. Looking for a KAL to join? Our pattern, Antarktis, is a one skein project that is beginner appropriate and we are lots of fun to knit with! You can use any yarn you want, and, if knitting a scarf/shawl isn't your thing, we also have a stuffed animal and a "learn a new technique" category. Sign up for the Elliebelly group on Ravelry here, introduce yourself in the threads and feel free to join in with us!

I've selected my yarn after lots of back and forth. It's Elliebelly's MCN (merino/cashmere/nylon) High Twist in a fingering weight. It's a pale robin's egg blue called Lady Mary (if you watch Downton Abbey, you'll remember the dress that inspired the colorway!)

My runner up choice is this Elliebelly Seasilk in Jabot. I went with the Cashmerino blend because the Seasilk doesn't grow as much when blocked, and pattern designer Janina Kallio stresses the importance of selecting a yarn that will block well.

I'm all set. I've got my new Darn Pretty Needles all ready to go, along with my yarn in a pretty linen bag from Churchmouse. See you on Wednesday for the start of knitting nirvana as we all cast on.

Counting Down To Knit Along

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

We've only got ten days left before the Adventurous April KAL starts. Please come sign up to knit with us if you haven't already. Everyone is welcome. We will be knitting Antarktis and stuffed toys, and trying out new techniques.

We have two last yarn giveaway winners, Susie and Sparkynfeisty. I've messaged you both on Ravelry. As soon as we can discuss colors, there will be yarn on the way to you!

After a few hours in my office, I'm clearly going to have to finish my Tipperary Shawl. Harry is not understanding about it still being on the needles and wants me to finish it so he can claim it for himself. It's divine. It is knit from a cashmere, alpaca, and merino blend. He's going to have to fight me for it.

Unfortunately, my money is on the cat.

Nighttime Knitting. Or Not.

Posted on March 21, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

*If you are looking for the post about the Adventurous April Knitalong and the Yarn Giveaway, click here.

I had plans to start the final repeat of my Tipperary Shawl tonight. I spread it out on my bed and went off to grab a few things I needed.

My cats typically ignore my knitting, but apparently there is an exception for Plucky Snug yarn — perhaps it's the bit of Alpaca in it? Whatever the reason, Harry, my Maine Coon Cat, decided there were more important things to do than knit tonight. Like snuggle all the knitting.

I really wanted to knit, though. There are so many stitches in each row now that it's going to take me a while to get through the final repeat of 20 rows and the cast off. I really wanted to get started. So I tried to gently shoo Harry away with promises of kitty treats later on. But he got feisty.

I had to buy him off with promises of a knit toy if there were any leftovers. Not much knitting around here tonight. Hopefully tomorrow!

Knitalongs: Give Aways & Progress

Posted on March 15, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

It is, perhaps, a bit confusing to be participating in one knitalong while planning another. Confusing, but fun. So, first things first. The Sunday night yarn give away winner for the Adventurous April KAL on the Elliebelly Ravelry Group is Jamlknitter. Lisa, message me on Ravelry and I'll get your yarn on the way to you in time for cast on!

If you aren't Lisa, don't worry. There is still time to enter and win some Elliebelly yarn before the KAL starts on April 1, by leaving a comment to this post, before next Friday.

In the meantime, any guesses about what color my yarn, in the dye bath above, is going to be? This photo is a little bit reminiscent of the dress that took the internet by storm a couple of weeks ago. What color do you all see?

And, for the Malabrigo March KAL, my Monkey's eyes arrived today. I've got three different options to choose from. I'm almost done with the first leg, so perhaps we will be to the point where we can have an eye test soon. The pattern calls for you to do the monkey's muzzle last — right now his face is just the big round blob you all saw last week. But I'm glad to have the eyes ready. I'm hoping to finish Monkey up next weekend.

Malabrigo March KAL

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

Do you remember the 2014 Malabrigo March Knitalong? I amassed stash, cast on all the things, finished two cowls, a hat, and a sweater, went to Iceland, knit a lot while hiking, and finished one last hat just in time for Ellie to wear it home. All in all, it was a wonderful month. Knitting in Iceland! Knitting with Malabrigo!

This year, my goals are a bit more modest. I have two projects to knit and a longer term project to cast on and get started with, and then finish up later this year.

First up, Blue Mittens. Because it's surprisingly cold for Alabama in February. I plan to cast these on right at midnight on March 1 and have them knit up in time to wear for the Selma march anniversary the following weekend, because I hate having cold fingers and this bulky Malabrigo Rasta yarn is an amazing chill chaser.

Next up, Monkey Jacobus. He's going to be my first knitted stuffed animal. He's going to be adorable – you're just going to have to trust me on this one. And, I get to learn a new technique, intarsia in the round, along the way.

My last project is Hannah Fettig's Featherweight Sweater. Yes, that's a sweater knit in a fingering yarn, Malabrigo's new Mechita. I love their single-ply yarns, and I fell hard for Mechita in the Diana colorway. I'm willing to accept that this one will take a while. I'm calling it "I want to go to Marz," a goofy homage to the fact that Marz means March in Icelandic and our tour guide in Iceland played the John Grant song of this name over and over while we were in Iceland last March.

I'm looking forward to this year's Malabrigo March KAL festivities, which are hosted here on Ravelry.

Cast on All the Things!

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

Sometimes that mood hits! The perfect new pattern comes along. Or an irresistible yarn. That happened to me this week — times two. Both the perfect pattern and the perfect yarn came along. So despite an impressive array of works in progress, I'm swatching for two new sweaters.

First up is Isabell Kraemer's Criss Cross Sweater. This one went into my favorites as soon as I saw it. But when I swatched with Plucky Scholar for a vest (it wasn't going to happen, the miles of twisted rib would have killed me) and realized my gauge was spot on for Criss Cross, I knew it was meant to be. I'm in love with this Bohemian Blue colorway, and the minute I opened the yarn two days ago, I knew it had to be knit with right away.

Then there was Katya Gorbacheva's Winter Weed's sweater pattern. Its difficulty level is clearly over my head, but how could I resist?

The pattern is written for Plucky Primo Aran, and although I don't have a sweater quantity on hand, I have been hoarding the December Classics Heartstring's colorway on snug worsted. I didn't get gauge on my first try.

But I'm not horribly far off — only 1.75 stitches over four inches, so I'm going to go up a needle size and see what I can do. I love this colorway and think it will be perfect for this sweater. The verdict is still out on whether I have the skills to knit it, but I have good knitting friends to rely on in a pinch.

So it looks like I'll be casting on all the things in the next week or so. I've also got a couple of projects I want to swatch for ahead of the start of the Malabrigo March KAL. I expect to be doing a lot of prep and set up work for the sweaters as well as for Mal March, so there won't be a whole lot of knitting progress this week, but I do love having a number of projects in the works, which makes it easy to pick one up to carry around or travel with.

A little progress on Drachenfels

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

I wanted to share the introduction of color onto Drachenfels. It's so much fun to knit!

I've deviated a bit from the pattern to have all three colors show on each of the ends, so the green bit is my own addition. Knitting with cashmere is awfully, awfully fun. This project is more guilty pleasure than work.

The whole carrying the yarn along the edges to avoid weaving in all those ends thing is a challenge for me. I'm only going to be able to carry where there is a two row change in color. I'll need to spend some time looking for a better way to do it on longer runs, but for now, I've decided to be old fashioned and weave in my ends on those pretty pops of color!