Tag: lichen and lace

It’s March already

It’s not spring here. We had 4-6″ of snow yesterday and some more to come but … you know it’s not here to stay. Everything looks nice and fresh again. So it’s time to start thinking about spring knitting but not this minute.

I started some new things. One of them is to delve back into Cat Bordhi’s book: New Pathways for Sock Knitters.

I’ve been through this book before but it was years ago and I decided it was time to give it another try. I knit two pairs of the Upstream Sock.

These are knit toe-up with what looks like a standard heel flap but if you’ve ever knit anything by Cat Bordhi, you know it’s not exactly standard. The gusset is knit with increases that make a V up the top of the foot, as you can see from the sock I knit for myself. Then you turn the heel and work the heel flap, attaching it to the stitches of the top of foot on either side of the V. It took me a bit to get that from the general formula, but I’ve got it now and will knit more socks this way. I knit the blue pair for my son-in-law and am very happy, after 2 rip backs, that I have a good looking sock. (The wool is Timberyarns, don’t you love the stripes? I do.)

I started another project with my Lichen and Lace Rustic Sport Club wool. It’s the Clint by Natasja Hornby. The centre motif is modular so I am totally captivated.

I find it really interesting to try different ideas for working modularly. This one is slightly different from anything I’ve done before, mainly the corners. But as usual the corners are not working out for me as exactly as I would wish. She suggests that you weave your tails in as you go but I am finding that I need to do some repair because of my lack of precision at the the corners. Totally me, not the pattern. This pattern is also written in an interesting way with a map to follow for the motif. It’s ingenious.

I am loving it. As you can see, those corners need some work but … oh well. I’m carrying on with it as is.

Today I had an exciting day. I bought a spinning wheel. I have been working on a borrowed wheel and am so excited to have one of my very own. This is a Rognvaldson spinning wheel. I think I am the 4th owner. A Canadian wheel made in Acton, double drive with scotch tension (whatever that means?). I have a lot to learn. I bought it from a friend who had it serviced a couple of years ago so it’s in great shape.

I love that it’s compact since I live in an apartment, and that the tension is easy to adjust.

I have been spinning for about 5 months on a Louet S15 (for those of you who are in the know). I was told I just had to do the hours and I would get some wool I could actually knit with. I have finally made the shift into making finer wool. Yay. This is my latest spin, 100g of Isle-de-France fibre from the Long Way Homestead Breed of the Month club. I am so happy with my progress.

It definitely has a halo and should be very soft. I’m going to make a 2 ply wool and should end up with sports weight, DK weight? Maybe? What should I make with it? I’m thinking a shawl might be good since it’s still a bit thick and thin. Any ideas?

I’m looking forward to spring. I have 3 more weeks of curling to go. It’s always sad when it’s over. I have some hemp I want to get out for a summer knit. Making a summer top will be something new for me.

I hope you are enjoying spring, or the last gasp of winter, where you live. I shoveled snow today but next week we’re headed for several days above zero.

Happy knitting, Deb

Cabin Fever patterns by Deb & Lyn and the cabinfever crew.

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free knitting patterns by Deb

Deb.gemmell on instagram

DebGemmell435 on youtube

Cast On, Cast On, Cast On

I am right in the middle of choosing patterns. Maybe this one, maybe that. Do you love doing this?

It’s amazing how much time I can spend deciding and undeciding (is that a word?). One little voice is saying ‘make up your mind’, another voice is saying ‘let’s look at one more ravelry page’. I also scan my library of patterns over and over. I downloaded those patterns for a good reason, at least I thought so at the time.

This one is from my library. I do love a long project. I am knitting the Polaris Wrap by Veera Valimaki as a blanket. I belong to the Rustic Heather Sport Club by Lichen and Lace, where I get 2 50g skeins of rustic sports wool every month. I am going to knit the blanket out of my club wool. It will be bigger than the wrap because I’m jumping from fingering (pattern) to sports weight (my wool) and a much bigger needle. I think it will make a great blanket.

Looking good so far don’t you think, ha, ha.

Next I cast on Romi Hill‘s Winter’s Finery shawl, again in the Rustic Sport wool. I am experimenting with what this wool can do.

A lace shawl always looks a mess before it comes off the needle. I am very close to being done.

I am also knitting from one of my own workshop instructions: 3 Tier Shawl Workshop. I have taught this do-it-yourself triangular shawl at several retreats. I give you a basic structure and you choose the stitch patterns from a list in the pattern. It starts with the normal tab cast on to knit a triangle shawl with centre increases. Then it breaks into sections where you can work different stitch patterns. It’s tons of fun and I will tell you more about it as I get going.

I have knit several shawls using this pattern. Here’s one of them.

The shawl here is a stockinette based version (wrong side rows are purled). This time I decided to jump on the wool/mohair band wagon and work a garter stitch based version (all wrong side rows are knit) of the same shawl. I’ll post the pattern on ravelry this week. (The title of the workshop pattern might change since ravlery quite often doesn’t like my titles.)

How many is that, 3 so far. One long project, one almost done and one shawl just started.

I have a sock on the go, of course. I am trying to see how I can make Timberyarns stripes dance a bit. Nothing too complicated. An increase at either side of the front of the sock and a double decrease in the middle, with a short row heel. Fun to watch the stripes move.

I guess that’s enough to get on with at the moment. I have one more I want to start but nothing on the needles yet.

How about you? Is this Cast On time for you? What is taking your fancy?

Cheers, Deb

Cabin Fever patterns by Deb & Lyn and the cabinfever crew

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

Debgemmell 435 on youtube

deb.gemmell on instagram

A Couple of FO, Yay.

I’m sure the knitting rule is that if you finish 2 projects you are allowed to cast on 5 more. That’s right, isn’t it? I’m quite sure it is.

So here are my two finished objects. I’m feeling the joy of being at the finish line.

My tea cozy is done. I used an aran weight plus a sports weight held together for the top and 3 sports weight yarns held together for the straight body section. As I had mentioned, I am an incredibly tight crocheter so the funny horizontal lines are because I can’t get my crochet hook under the 2 legs of the stitches to make a single crochet, so I just go into the top leg. It works for me and I like how it looks. Have I inadvertently stumbled on a real crochet stitch?

My second FO is my Reversible Ribbon wrap/scarf. Yay. It is easy knitting but an 80″/203cm long wrap is still a large project. I’m all set for winter now. I’ll wrap this around my neck, outside my coat, to hold my hood in place and cover part of my face. I am already warm and toasty just thinking about it.

I added a second contrast colour and am really happy that I did. I’m sending an update for the Reversible Ribbon out with the finished photos in it.

Does a little sweater that still needs to be blocked and the buttons sewn on count as a FO? Sure it does.

This is going to be called the Build A Better V, a baby/child sized garter stitch cardigan. It is a redo of the Build a V without the pointy bit at the bottom. I used left-over DK weight yarn (from the rainbow sweater). The extra bonus is that the different colours show the different parts of the cardigan. Four buttons to sew on and I’m done.

Now I am in a dither. What to cast on?! Maybe that, wait this would be good, wow, look at that. You know how this goes.

I made one decision.

I cast on Winter’s Finery by Romni Hill. I wanted to try some rustic sport weight wool I have from Lichen and Lace. I want to see how it works for a shawl. The pattern is written for fingering weight yarn, so with the sports weight I’m using a 4.5mm needle. What a relief to be using a larger needle. Everything else I’ve been knitting lately has been with 3.25mm needles. I’m really happy to be zipping along with this one.

Now, back to ravelry to contemplate some new projects. See ya, Deb

Cabin Fever patterns by Deb & Lyn and the cabinfever crew

Any Gauge and Gauge-Free patterns by Deb

Deb.gemmell on instagram

Debgemmell 435 on youtube