Hat for Pat

As a palate cleanser after the whole baby sweater thing, I knit a bulky-weight hat for my Pet Physicist, who wanted one to use at his jobsite.
 

PATTERN:  Didn't need one.  I cast on a few stitches and worked top-down, increasing every other row until I had achieved an appropriate head size.  Then I went until I'd run out of yarn, added on the other yarn, and worked ribbing until that yarn was gone.  Easy.

YARN: The blue is my handspun from a Fibernymph 100% BFL braid in "Scylla Beware."  The multi is Classic Shades Big Time in color 814 "Jubilant."

NEEDLES: US 11/8.0mm

NOTES: It's really amazing how much even the worst handspun improves in the knitting.  This is one of the first skeins I ever made (spun in September 2013, according to Ravelry), and it's truly beginner yarn, but it made a nice warm hat, and even matched the commercial grist quite well.  And one can't argue with the results--doesn't he look thrilled?

 

That $*(@$(ing Baby Sweater

Ugh argh sorry!  I did not mean to abandon you for so long!  But you know how it is, the holidays come and all of a sudden you're expected to spend time with your loved ones and cook real dinners and send out cards and stuff.

Sometimes I am not a very good grownup.

But I do occasionally finish a project, and, lo, the dreaded baby duplicate stitch sweater is among the finished!

PATTERN: the rather euphemistically-named Plaid Jacket by Linda Medina from 60 More Quick Baby Knits: Adorable Projects for Newborns to Tots in 220 Superwash Sport from Cascade Yarns.  Mine remains the only project on Ravelry.  You know why.  This is the largest size, 12-18 months.

YARN:  Brown Sheep Nature Spun Sport (100% wool, 184 yds/50g skein) in colors Blue Knight, Bit of Blue, Bulldog Blue, and Mallard.  I used just about the whole skein in every color except the dark blue contrast, where I only used about 33g. 

NEEDLES:  US 3/3.25mm

NOTES: The knitting of this little sweater was easy and pleasant.  The finishing, however . . . ugh.  According to my notes, it took me nine days to do the duplicate stitch, and that's with working pretty diligently every day.  If one were to plan ahead, one could work a purl channel at the appropriate places in the pattern while knitting, enabling one to use a crochet hook to do the duplicate stitching.  If one has not planned ahead, though, this doesn't work (the hook spreads the stitches too much).

Was it worth it?  You decide:

I rather think it was.

Rose of New Mexico

PATTERN: Rose of England by Marianne Kinzel.

YARN: ColourMart 2/30NM Laceweight (100% merino, 2405yds/150g cone).

NEEDLES: US 0/2mm

NOTES: It is very hard to photograph giant lace objects by yourself.

Victorian Boating Socks

PATTERN: Edwardian Boating Socks by Emma Grundy Haigh.

YARN: Fable Fibers Novel (80/10/10 merino/cashmere/nylon, 600yds/150g skein), colorway "Denim."

NEEDLES: US 0/2.0mm

MODIFICATIONS: Virtually none.  I used the twisted rib adaption of the heel for extra stretch, and made the leg longer than called for in the pattern.  I did end up with differing numbers of stitches occasionally, because Ms. Grundy Haigh uses the (frankly) stupid "needle 1, needle 2" method of pattern-writing, which is impracticable for anyone wanting to a) avoid ladders, b) use a different number of DPNs, or c) use something other than DPNs in the first place.  I may not be the best designer in the world, but I do try to write my patterns with an eye to flexibility, particularly when it comes to something as individual as sock-crafting preference.

You may notice that these are way too long for me.  That's because they will be a birthday gift for my father in November.  (Seriously, Camp Loopy.  Get shit done.)

Moyen Age

 Pattern: Moyen Age by Hanna Maciejewska.

Yarn: Maple Creek Farm Portland (50/50 merino/silk).

Needles: US 2/2.75mm,US2.5/3mm

I am beyond pleased with how this came out.  It fits perfectly, and it's so soft and warm--the yarn is just a joy to work with, and I desperately wish the dyer had an internet presence so I could go buy about 39489 more skeins of it.

Hmm, wait, maybe I don't . . .