Klosekraft

A new beret

I finished up this little beret last night. I wanted a hat to go with my entrelac scarf, which I'm sure I'll finish eventually. I have to say that I'm not totally wild about how the colors ended up next to each other, especially that dark purple between two peachy-pink stripes, but it's fine. It was a quick project — less than a skein of yarn, just a few days of knitting on it here and there. I even wrote up a pattern.

Last-minute beret

Size: one fits most
Gauge: 4 sts and 6 rows = 1" on #9 needles
Materials: Patons Soy Wool Stripes (70% wool, 30% soy, 80 g/2.8 oz, 110 yards/100 meters) one ball color 70013 Natural Earth
Size 8 16" circular needle
Size 9 16" circular needle
size 9 dpns

On smaller needles, cast on 76 sts. Work in 1x1 rib for 1".

Switch to larger needle and knit one round.
Increase round: *inc in next st, k2; repeat from * around; end by inc in last st - 102 sts.
Work 3.5" even, dec 4 sts on last round.

Work decrease rounds as follows, switching to dpns when necessary:
*k12, k2tog; rep from * - 91 sts
Knit one round.

*k11, k2tog; rep from * - 84
Knit one round.

*k10, k2tog; rep from * - 77
Knit one round.

*k9, k2tog; rep from * - 70
Knit one round.

*k8, k2tog; rep from * - 63
Knit one round.

*k7, k2tog; rep from * - 56
Knit one round.

*k6, k2tog; rep from * - 49
Knit one round.

*k5, k2tog; rep from * - 42

*k4, k2tog; rep from * - 35

*k3, k2tog; rep from * - 28

*k2, k2tog; rep from * - 21

*k1, k2tog; rep from * - 14

k2tog around - 7

Cut yarn and run through live stitches, pulling tight. Weave in ends.

Soak in warm water and dry by rolling in a towel. Block by stretching the beret over a dinner plate.

Leather and lace

Despite the new philosophy around here of starting with a finished object in mind and working backwards to find or devise a pattern and look for the right yarn, my newest project is the exact opposite. As I've been organizing for the Great Stash Migration (which I'm gradually moving over to ebay, seller id sklose1), there have been a couple of things that I haven't wanted to let go for sentimental reasons, despite not really having a plan for them.

One is the batch of handspun that I made the ganomy hat out of. Another is a small ball of narrow-cut leather that I bought at a furrier-supply store in the garment district on a really fun afternoon with a friend I'm no longer close to. My plan at the time was to replicate a super-duper high-end sweater I had seen somewhere that was a strand of brushed alpaca knit with a strand of leather. It was really unusual and gorgeous. Luckily, I realized how a) heavy and b) totally impractical it would be before I started. I've tried knitting and crocheting with the leather once or twice, but don't have enough to really make anything big and it's too stiff to work tightly. I liked the idea of leather cuffs on a pair of gloves or mittens, but it didn't look right worked loosely. (And now that I think about it, if it was worked tightly, I'd have a tough time getting my hand in.)

My new plan is to use it as fringe on a scarf. I'm using that handspun in the vine lace pattern from BW 1 and I like the contrasting elements in the project: the rustic yarn with the delicate lace pattern, the leather and the wool, the differing but harmonious shades of brown. I really like the way the finished product looks in my mind's eye, definitely something I would gravitate towards in a shop. I'm going to come up with some simple, coordinating hat, probably not allover lace but maybe one panel...

Incidentally, if anyone else is using the updated version of Picasa and knows how to export a single photo, please let me know. I hold the image I want in the photo tray, select it and hit export and it still sends the whole file to the desktop, rather than the single image. I like Picasa a lot, but this is driving me batty.

Ganomy

I finished the Ganomy hat this weekend and (heresy!) ... meh. At least it was quick. I got gauge, but it's a little too big for me and the crown shaping as written made it unwearably huge. I ripped back and put in a round crown. I think the earflap shaping is charming and was reasonably fun to knit, but it's kind of weird to wear. By the time I get it adjusted so that the sides aren't covering the corners of my eyes, a big swathe of forehead is exposed, which doesn't look bad but isn't practical.

I'm going to try fulling it a little and blocking it, but I'm not sold yet. I have a feeling that I'm going to stick with watchcaps and berets for my winter headgear.

Ganomic beginnings

I started the ganomy hat from Knitter's Almanac last night and so far so good. I didn't have a size 10 16" circular needle, so I'm doing the whole thing on dpns. I don't usually like working with dpns, but I think the larger sizes are more comfortable. It might help that it's a larger project than socks or sleeve cuffs. It feels more stable and less like a prickly creature that hates me and wants to escape.

On the right is the beginning of a tuck stitch scarf. I like tuck stitch and I don't think it's used as much as it deserves to be. It's essentially stockinette, and all you have to do to make the ridges is this: with the right side facing you, look over your needle at the purl bumps, count down a few rows (four is standard), put that bump onto your left needle and knit it together with your first stitch. Repeat all the way down the row.

My initial plan with the scarf was to have random,  haphazard ridges that didn't go all the way across the rows all over the scarf. I really didn't like the way it looked—it distorted the fabric in an unattractive way. So, instead, I'm keeping the number of rows between ridges random and varying the number of rows I count down to make the ridge (either 4, 5 or 6). I'm happy with the way it's turning out so far.

The yarn is some handspun of mine. I had the weird experience with this fiber of finding it in the stash and having literally no idea what it was or where it came from. I usually have a pretty good memory for those kinds of details. It's mostly wool, almost definitely has some silk, possibly some alpaca. It feels good, soft but still with character.

Zimmermania!

So, I up and joined a knitalong.

I've never been much for along-ery or groups or joining things; something about a lot of people agreeing to work on the same project at the same time and be all cheerful and earnest about it gives me the irresisible urge to work on anything else. (Way to make myself welcome, wouldn't you say? They must be delighted that I've joined.) However, I like this one for a couple of reasons:

1. I really like Elizabeth Zimmerman's books. I like her sensible "it's just knitting, what's the worst that could happen?" approach to trying new techniques. I like her innovative construction methods. I like that her stuff is so open to interpretation and customization. The first sweater I ever designed and knit for myself was based on one of hers. I made a lot of mistakes on it and don't wear it anymore, but I learned a lot from it and, as the wise and lovely Claudia would tell you, you really have to knit at least five disappointing sweaters before you get a bone-deep sense of How It All Works and what kind of sweaters you like to knit and what looks good on you and where the two of those things intersect. I should dig it out and post about it one of these days. It had flaring ribbing, a too-tight neck, something screwy with the armholes, and I can't even remember what-all else.

2. It's not about a specific project. It's just anything you happen to feel like making from any of her books. I think this will lessen the chance that I'll freak out and run away to live in a cave.

3. I'm usually drawn to bigger projects, so I'm going to take the opportunity to knit some of her hats and maybe a moebius. I really like the gamony hat (shown here by brooklyntweed) and the snail hat from Knitting Without Tears. Maybe a tam o'shanter. I've been wanting to knit a Pi R Squared shawl for years, but I don't know if I want to take that on right now. (Sorry about not posting photos of these, for people who aren't readily familiar with the projects, but the book photos are pretty grainy already and if I take a photo and post it, I doubt there'd be much detail left to see anyway.)

4. I have some handspun odds and ends that would be good for hats, so it'll be a good way to use up yarn. I'll dig through the stash tonight or tomorrow to pull likely suspects.

Socks, beer and Things That Are True

I. Socks
I've mentioned before that while I really like having and wearing handknit socks, I'm not all that nuts about knitting them. However, I like the having and the wearing enough to do the knitting. It just takes a while. Since the current pair is supposedly going to end up as knee socks and since I'm trying to do them both at the same time to avoid having to figure out later what I did and since I'm using both of my size 1 12" circulars on this project, I really need to step up the knitting if I'm going to finish them in time to wear this fall and/or have any other new socks for this winter.

One foot done to the heel, one a couple inches shy. It's Lorna's Laces, bought at Purl. I think it might be one of their custom colors.

II. Beer
I worked on them some on the long train ride to and from Astoria to meet the lovely Zoe at the Bohemian Beer Garden.

It's a funny place, the Beer Garden, since if you look at the website, you might think it's peopled exclusively with picturesque Czech and Slovak characters who know the difference between many kinds of goulash and demand that both bread dumplings and potato dumplings be on the menu. Maybe in the winter it is, but on a warm summer night their (HUGE) outdoor space is filled with college-age kids really going to town on cheap pitchers of excellent beer and fantastic food. I haven't seen so many pastel polo shirts with popped collars since the last time I caught a John Hughes movie marathon.

III. Things That Are True
1. This line from Crazy Aunt Purl's post today: "I think we often confuse the need for love with the idea that we don't appreciate the things we've got."

2. The best article on introverts that I've read in a long time, via Alice's blog. 

Clap along

I started a Clapotis, um, yesterday(?—maybe the day before) out of Brooks Farm Harmony in Soulful. I know Clapotis is so Winter 2004, but I don't care. I knit one then and I'm knitting another one now. When the Yarn Harlot had her gig at Lord & Taylor, I'd say close to half the people there had one on, such is the power of the Clap. I think it's a fabulous pattern, interesting to knit as well as producing a chic and wearable accessory.  It's also one of the best uses for handpainted/variegated yarn I've seen. I did my first out of solid turquoise Microspun, but I actually prefer the multicolored ones.

I'm really liking the yarn. I've started and unraveled a couple of projects out of their 100% kid mohair yarn, which is gorgeous but stiffer and harder to find a suitable pattern for. This one has the luster and softness of the kid mohair, the sheen and hand of silk and enough wool to provide some lightness and elasticity. There's a wee bit of texture from the yarn, but not enough to be distracting, some slight variation in how the different fibers took the dye, and it feels divine. I have less yardage than called for, so I'm doing one less increase round and hoping that does the trick. The whole thing will be done on 95 stitches instead of 107. Over the whole course of the scarf, that should save me a goodly amount of yardage. If I run out, I'll just bind off and call it a day, but I'm not worried.

Inspiration

How much do I love these socks? Enough to start researching solid color sock yarn, for starters.

Creamsicle spring scarf

At Cummington two years ago, I bought 4 oz of Icelandic/dyed angora from my friend Helen and spun it into this:

Then I put it away until I figured out what I wanted to do with it.

I like wearing scarves in spring. They add that little extra bit of warmth that'll allow me to not wear a coat on cooler days. Of course, I'm dead sick of all the scarves I've been wearing all winter and this seemed like the perfect solution.  One pair of size 9 needles, the Miniature Leaf Pattern Version I from Barbara Walker's first book (p 215), and a few evenings later, we have this:

fresh off the needles (above) and after blocking (below, with a cat since I had one handy)