Prince of Wales Vest

My brother-in-law decided he would like a pullover vest. One problem - it could not be wool. The search started, there is not much non-wool fingering weight yarn on the market that is not in baby colors. Finally found some at my LYS, Katia "Mississippi 3" cotton/acrylic 60/40, but not a large range of colors as called for in most fairisle sweaters. By cutting back on colors and using one dark, two lights, one bright and two mediums I managed to put together a color scheme in the blues that he wanted. I had to go down one needle size to get the gauge but it is coming along nicely. The yarn is soft and can be machine washed. Although not as forgiving as Shetland, the fabric is smooth and stitches are laying flat.
The pattern is from one of my favorite books, Meg Swansen's "Sweaters From Camp".

Marina is finished! It was a fun knit, the colors glow. The sweater was from "This Morning Woolcraft", done with J&S Shetland on 3.5mm Addi circs. If I were to knit this again, I would definitely do a crew neck cardigan and make it longer.

Marina Progress

After spending a weekend on Monhegan Island at a knitting retreat, Marina has progressed nicely. We spent evenings in our building - an 1840 home converted to a dorm - in a parlor knitting by kerosene lantern and head lamps. What a good time we had. I came home with Marina above the armholes. It has now progressed to the shoulder bind-off and have started on the sleeves. I chose to do a 3 needle bind off instead of grafting the shoulders. Had a little problem with this as there was an extra stitch at the beginning and end of the shoulder. After taking it out once, I decided to knit 3 stitches together on the first and last bind off instead of 2. Worked out fine and the pattern matches beautifully. Have cut the armhole steek and started the first sleeve. I am really enjoying working on this sweater, the colors just glow.

Poetry in Stitches

Also on the needles, cardigan from Solveig Hisdal's Poetry in Stitches. Work has progressed to the neck decreases. It has been put aside for awhile as "Marina" KAL has started. The fiber is Hifa, a Norwegian 100% wool 2ply purchased as a kit from Nordic Fiber Arts.

Start of "Marina" KAL

On the needles, Alice Starmore's "Marina" Fair Isle Cardigan. Ribbing is done, now on to the patterns. I am using the Woolcraft version, a v-neck cardigan.

And Even More Socks!

Too hot to work on a large sweater, so I have been busy making socks. Pastel colors in Cascade Fixation cotton/elastic is from Cascade's web page, "Fancy Feet". Funny fiber to work with, like knitting with rubber bands. Blue socks are "Child's First Sock" from Nancy Bush's Vintage Socks. Done with Regia superwash, colorway is "short color". Rust socks are Jeanie Townsend's "Maple Leaf", the July Townsend KAL. Done with KnitPicks "Memories" merino wool, color Redwood Forest. Last pair is still in progress, Sockamaniac's July KAL, "Fetzensocken" from Germany, done with STR superwash merino, colorway is Cobblestone County. A very addictive and beautiful pattern! The needles in my work are the black walnut 5" double points from Golding Fiber Tools, love them. Check out their website for more info. They also have lots of spindles for spinners. All socks were made with size 1 double points, top down.

Golding Fiber Tools
http://www.dropspindle.info

More Socks

Two more pairs of socks to add to my collection. Moc Crocs, from KnitPicks.com, made with their "Dancing" yarn in wool,cotton,nylon & elastic. Fun pattern to knit, the yarn is very stretchy and elastic, fits the foot nicely. A good summer sock!

Aran Braid for a sock-a-long, knit with Fortissima Socka in 75/25 super wash wool, color Jager. An interesting braid and cable and nice yarn to work with.

Both done on size 1 double points, top down.

Fisherman Socks

Have finished my Fisherman Socks for the May/June Sock-a-manic sock-a-long. They were designed by Monika Eckert. I used Regia 75/25 wool and size 1 needles.

PW Sweater Finished

Hubby's Philosopher's Wool pullover is finished and is a perfect fit! Too warm to wear it now but it will get plenty of wear this Fall. I did run out of one color and was able to match it almost exactly, have plenty of the main color left over. I joined the sleeves with a 3 needle bind off, first time I have tried that, and am very happy with the results. The yarn did bleed quite a bit when it was washed but did no harm. It was knitted with size 7 Addi circular needles.

Next Project on the Needles

Hubby's Pullover, picked out and colors chosen by him. This is the Traditional from "Fair Isle Sweaters Simplified" by Ann Bourgeois of Philosopher's Wool. The fiber is Philosopher's 2 ply worsted in colors Peat, Wine, Anne, Rust, and Yellow. I'm knitting on size 7 needles to get the gauge. After two projects using J&S Shetland, this yarn feels like rope in my hands. It knits up very rapidly, only two evenings into it and the sleeve is half done. The wool is soft and quite heavy.

Pullover Finished

My SFCKAL Traditional Pullover is finished! It was a lot of fun to knit and I have fiber for five more sweaters in baggies waiting in line. The fit is perfect and I had no trouble at all knitting up the sleeves. I used Jamieson & Smith Jumper weight in the following colors:

#81, Charcoal
#27,Medium Gray
#43,Crimson
#FC6, Lt. Pink Heather
#FC10,Dk. Rose Heather

and one Jamieson Shetland Jumper weight:

#144 Turf

It was knitted on size 5 needles.

Traditional Jumper Update

After knitting on my sweater all the way to Key West and back up the East Coast, and a week-end knitting retreat, work is progressing nicely. I have invested in several Addi Turbo needles and am getting a much better tension with them. I'm not really happy with the underarm gusset as the pattern doesn't continue quite the way I would like it to, but........ who's going to see it anyway. We had a wonderful vacation in the warm (80's) South, and Anne and I made a large dent in the LYS in Camden supply of Jamison Shetland! I now have multiple FairIsle projects lined up, should keep me busy for a few weeks (read years)! What a good time we had!

Next Fair Isle Project

I've started the "Traditional" pullover from SFC. After knitting half of the first pattern repeat friend AnneB thought it looked small so we measured it. It measured 34" and I measure 39"..... so it was ripped out and re-knit on larger needles. Now on a size 5 it is coming out exactly to gauge and I am starting the second pattern repeat. I'm finding this one much easier to do than the "Northwest Sunset" vest because it is a very easy pattern to memorize, and there are no long strands.

Northwest Sunset Vest

It fits!

It's A Vest!

The "Northwest Sunset" vest is done! Wonder of wonders - it fits! I really enjoyed the process, and am very pleased with the result. Although I have always done two handed knitting and spit splices, I had never done a steek before. It was much easier than I ever imagined and I will probably never do another sweater without using one.

Thanks to AnneB for introducing me to this KAL and to Rebecca for hosting it. I have already started another Fair Isle, the Traditional Pullover in SFC. I'm off for warmer climates next week so will not be able to follow everyones progress for awhile, can't wait to see how all the other sweaters work out.

Shirley

The Steeks are Cut

Well, that was traumatic but I did it! I actually CUT my sweater! So far so good, now on joining the shoulder seams and picking up the band stitches. It was easier than I thought it would be.

Ready to Cut Steeks

For those who are knitting the Northwest Sunset Vest, the directions for what to do when you reach the end of the charts assume you know what you are doing. This is my first attempt at steeks, and though the book has good directions on how to cut them, it did not tell me what to do with my knitting when I finished the last row. After reading finishing directions for other sweaters in the book, I have un-knit my last row and re-knit it binding off the steek stitches. I put the shoulder stitches on waste yarn, basted a line up the center of the steek, And am ready to machine stitch. My fingers are crossed, on to the sewing machine!

Northwest Sunset Vest

Swatching was done, couldn't wait so cast on and started knitting. This sweater is addictive, couldn't stop. It's like a jigsaw puzzle, have to do one more row to see what it looks like. Here I am, almost finished with my third pattern repeat! I had a problem with tension, right hand was looser than left hand, but now that I have corrected that I'm sailing along beautifully.

One good thing about retirement is that I have lots of time to knit!

SFCKAL Swatch II

Not being too sure that I liked the burgundy in my first swatch, when making the new one with size 3 needles I substituted the dark green. The needles gave me the perfect gauge and I like the new color combination. Reminds me of the woods and lakes of Maine. I think this one is a keeper!

SFCKAL Swatch

This is the swatch for the SFCKAL. I am going to do the Northwest Sunset vest. It is made with Jamieson and Smith Shetland 2 ply on a size 2 needle. My gauge is not quite right, am going to do another using a size 3. I am thinking of changing the burgundy to a very dark blue and the white to a pale yellow which would make the pattern stand out more. It's a cold, windy, snowy day here in Maine today, good day to sit by the fire and knit!

QuiltingKnitter

QuiltingKnitter

I have finished my Northern Lights mittens as a practice piece for the SFCKAL. The pattern is by Joyce Chinn exclusively for Knit Picks www.knitpics.com. The yarn used was Knit Picks Palette, a 2ply Peruvian wool. This was my first use of corrugated ribbing and I like the effect. It is not as elastic as a regular 2 x 2 rib, much firmer.

Now on to a swatch for the Northwest Sunset vest!

Shirley

SFC Knit A Long

Just joining in to the Sweaters from Camp Knitalong (SFCKAL). Anne B and I went to our LYS, the Stitching Mantis today and had a great time picking out fiber. We both left with a bit more than we planned but what the heck!

I am going to knit "Northwest Sunset" vest in blues, burgandy and greens.

Shirley