Narragansett Bay Cap and Scarf

I recently finished the Narragansett Bay Cap and Scarf from the book A Fine Fleece. I totally heart this book for so many reasons, one being that it really showcases handspun and rustic-looking yarns. Since I love to support local farmers I'm always on the lookout for patterns that highlight non-commercial yarns. In this case I am even more thrilled, because the designer is local too.


I'm really pleased with how they turned out. They remind me of something a fisherman's wife might have knit for her husband, like in the book Ahab's Wife (hands down one of my favorite books ever). There is also a matching pair of socks that I would like to make at some point.


Narragansett Bay Cap and Scarf by Lisa Lloyd, from A Fine Fleece
Yarn: Mirage Alpacas Mostly Merino, three hanks for the set
Source: Mirage Alpacas Shop, purchased on the 2008 New Hampshire Wool Arts Tour
Needles: US Size 4 straight needles for the scarf; US Size 5 16" circular needle for the cap
Modifications: Since the yarn I used fell between a DK and a worsted, I decided to only work part of the chart to get the same finished width. In the original pattern there are two sets of the arrow shapes that you see running down the center of the scarf. I was a little disappointed at having to change the pattern when I started, but I love the finished product so much I actually kind of forgot that it is different from the book!

Since April is a fickle month here in New Hampshire I should still get some wear out of both of these!

Oh Baby

There has been lots of knitting, but specific projects keep stalling. Which makes me feel lame because I love to finish things and there are so many things I want to make. The Lucy wrap is stalled because I had to order another skein of yarn. This is annoying because it was a kit and I used a larger size needle than the pattern recommended (after first knitting the entire thing on needles slightly smaller than recommended and it came out too short), and it is still several inches too short to be a stole or wrap. Whatever. I ordered the yarn and I am now moving on.



I was also working on the Narragansett Bay Scarf from A Fine Fleece, and after knitting to the recommended length last Sunday I decided that I wanted it longer. I decided I would knit the matching cap first and then use all of the leftover yarn on the remainder of the scarf. I started the cap today and hope to finish it this week, along with the scarf.


I have also been knitting these:




And this:





The top picture is of two baby blankets I knit for premature babies at a local hospital as part of a program for the library I work at. The deadline was this past Friday, and it was so inspiring to see all of the beautiful blankets knit and crocheted by members of the community. We are starting a fiber arts group at the library, so contact me if you are interested.


The baby sweater is for my mom's friend, and the pattern is Super-Natural Stripes by Fawn Pea. I was really excited to find this pattern, because it's worsted weight and interesting without being too technical or demanding. It may become my new go-to baby sweater. I knit most of it at the Manchester Monarchs hockey game on Friday night, and I finished up the sleeves while watching The Goonies yesterday morning. Very quick and very easy--just make sure you read the directions all the way through first (which I did not).


I have started the Spiral Cowl, but it is at the very beginning. I also have to actually work on the second Bird in Hand mitten because it is not knitting itself (although that wouldn't be much fun for me, now would it?). Progress is somewhat hindered by trying to spend some of these beautiful early spring days outside, but it's worth it.

Spring Cleaning

I have sort of a mish-mash of pictures for you this week.


My new boots for spring (they were on sale!):


The cat helping me knit:

A new Chaos for Leo, since the first one was too small (my aunt suggested I save it for someone else, so I didn't frog it):

Yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease in grey, 4 balls for two sweaters (the largest and second-to-largest sizes)

Needles: Handmade Peace Fleece needles, US Size 7 and US Size 8 straight needles; also an Inox 24" circular US Size 7 for the neck band

Modifications: I worked fewer rows on the neck band--on the first one the neck opening seemed small, so I thought if I did fewer rows it might give a little more room. I think it looks good that way. I worked 1x1 rib for four rows after the pickup row and then bound off on the fifth row.

Closeup of the neck and pattern:

Action shots to follow (also of him wearing the Trellis cardigan I knit for his last birthday, which I apparently failed to take any pictures of)



I finally knit the beret from Greetings From Knit Cafe--I've been hoarding this yarn for almost a year now. The only other thing I have to do is make a felted flower to pin on it.

Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca and Silk in light green, 1 skein

Source: Patternworks

Needles: Addi Turbo US Size 4 16" circular, Susan Bates aluminum US Size 4 dpns

Modifications: None

My tribute to Cyndi Lauper:

The Pretty Lace Handwarmers from Whitney over at the Purl Bee (her little pom pom socks might have to be next--I told you, I'm addicted)

Yarn: Something from Lorna's Laces. It came from the free bin when I worked at Patternworks

Needles: Susan Bates aluminum US Size 5 (I really need to invest in wooden needles in sizes I don't have--it will make my knitting life much more pleasant)

Modifications: None

This was the result of another "I need spring to be here NOW" impulse:

Kate Gilbert's Strawberry Clutch from the Spring 2007 issue of Knitscene

Yarn: Cascade 220, one skein each of red and green, and some yellow wool of unknown origins for the seeds (another Patternworks free bin score)

Source: Stash! (although I had to buy another skein of the red since my stash skein was small)

Needles: Addi Turbo US Size 13 24" circular

Modifications: I chose to duplicate stitch the seeds on rather than do intarsia since my intarsia isn't all that great. I did some intarsia where the leaves come in, but after a couple of rows I did all one color and then went back to duplicate stitch the appropriate pattern.

I really need to get back to working on the Secret of the Stole II, but lately I've needed small quick things to do at school (and to keep me sane). It just requires too much concentration, so once this semester is over I'll bring it out again. I also lost a pair of kneesocks that I wanted to frog because they are a little too big and they are a great school/bus project. I don't usually lose things, and I've never actually lost a handknitted item before. I never even lost mittens as a kid! Oh well. I'm 90% sure they are somewhere in my room, so they'll have to turn up sometime.

In more exciting news, next Sunday I will be at the Yarn Harlot event at Webs with Susan and Beth! Since the NH Sheep and Wool festival is just a few weeks away, I can't go crazy, but there will definitely be some stash enhancement.

One step forward, two steps back.

Flowers and Yarn

Since spring didn't seem to be coming anytime soon, and everything around here is a variation of brown or grey, I decided to make my own flowers:

(back left shoulder)

(left side hem)

Full sweater shot (there are a couple of flowers at the right hem also) (yes, that is the chaos that is my room)

I got this beautiful J. Crew cashmere sweater at the Salvation Army a year or so ago, and I didn't realize that it had moth holes in it until I got home. That probably wouldn't have stopped me from buying it, since it is cashmere and it was three dollars, and I figured I could fix it somehow. It sat in the mending pile for a long time, while I bought several packages of beads and designs floated around my head. Then I found a great pattern in the book Craftivity (which I highly recommend--please consider buying it from your local independent bookstore) for embellishing moth-holed sweaters by doing a button hole stitch around them. This is brilliant because it looks cool and prevents the hole from getting any bigger. Since I couldn't seem to understand the stitch the way it was explained in Craftivity I turned to my mom's copy of The Encyclopedia of Stitchery. After I did the button hole stitches, I just freehand stitched the beads on to look like flowers and stems. I just made it up as I went along, but I'm really happy with how it came out.

And this is some yarn that I made. Just like the Harlot, (Susan and I are going to see her at Webs on April 28th! Yay!) this Tuesday was for spinning. It was very random; I got annoyed at this ball of roving that kept rolling out of the bag onto the floor so I spun it up. There is about 60 yards, I have no idea what weight (probably heavy worsted), and I spun it on my drop spindle. I was frustrated when I started because I got out my spinning books and tried to do what they said and my yarn didn't look like theirs. So I just did it my own weird way, wet-blocked it on the niddy noddy, and it came out pretty good. I'm realizing I should just accept that this is the way that I spin and that's okay. However, I do think I'm going to buy Start Spinning sometime in the near future, since I've heard very good things about it.

Knitting? Oh, there has been knitting. There are projects that are very nearly done (a beret in Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca and Silk, the Strawberry Clutch from the Spring 2007 Knitscene), there was a big frog session (a Jaywalker sock that was complete--and I couldn't pull it over my ankle), and there is a toddler sweater in the works. Although it is getting to be that point in the semester when there is a lot of work I should have started earlier (but I am very close to finishing my career in academia, so why change now? And really, it wouldn't change much.) and I just have to knit to keep my head. So either there will be lots of finished things or not many at all. As usual.

Holy FOs Batman

Ladies and gentlemen, the finished commissioned Clessidra stockings:

(which look much better on a human leg, but I didn't want to stretch them out). The purchaser called me "a knitting rockstar superstar" and I was told the recipient hasn't stopped smiling, so I'm happy.

Clessidra from Knitty Spring '07

Yarn: Knit Picks Risata Sock Yarn, four balls grass

Source: Knit Picks

Needles: Addi Turbo US size 1 24" circular needles

Modifications: Knit on two circular needles instead of dpns

Above and below are pictures of chemo caps that I made in January and February. One of my knitting goals this year is to knit for a new charity every two months. November/December was afghans for Afghans, and these will go to a local hospital for women who have lost their hair during chemotherapy. I think March and April will be the pet blankets from Knitting for Peace, since so many puppies and kittens come into shelters in the spring.

The hats above were knit with Plymouth Baby Alpaca Brush, which is one of the softest yarns I've ever used. The green lace hat is a combination of two patterns: Kim's Basic Hats in Last Minute Knitted Gifts and the Lacy Eyelet Chemo Cap in Knitting for Peace. The striped hat is the Basic Roll Brim Hat of Kim's Basic Hats. The hats below are made with Berocco Chinchilla, which is also very soft, and the patterns were free with the purchase of the yarn from Patternworks. It was great to clean out the stash and make nice things for people at the same time.

As a treat for finishing the Clessidra socks, and also as an antidote to all the snow and cold, I ordered some Vesper Sock Yarn from Knitterly Things and received the pin above in my package, along with the coolest sock yarn I've ever bought:

If this doesn't scream spring and ward off the winter blues then I don't know what does.