Peace Out

peace out 1
Originally uploaded by vampirefan

So, I tried my hand at double knitting and it's so simple! I made a tardis pot holder to try the technique out and it was a breeze.

So now, I'm making a scarf for my bff. I had some multicolored hacho yarn and after much searching, found some beautiful red yarn to make the contrast. The pattern I chose was a peace sign since she loves them. It came out a little more football shaped than round since I didn't want to make a sample from the peace sign chart I made. I really love the thickness.

Double Knitting

Although I did get a good start on a pair of socks during my trip, I got bored and decided to make a hat.

I'm done with that now too and, because of a conversation with a friend, have revisted the mysterious Double Knitting I'd seen a couple of patterns of.

Double Knitting is when you knit a two-sided item. Each side looks stitch knit, but it's not a tube. It's the way you alternate knitting/purling that creates this awesome effect.

So, now I want to make a scarf - there seem to be very few patterns out there though. I found a Space Invaders one and a Peace sign one. I also found a nice Dr. Who chart (tardis, daleks). But, I'm finding that I'm not that enthusiastic about those designs. I might have to chart my own design - and I have no idea what that would even be yet.

I have to practice a little to make sure I understand it, but it seems fairly simple and straightforward.

Or damn. I guess I should really finish my bff's gloves - they've been languishing with just the fingers from one hand missing - for 2 years. doh!

Socks!

Well, knitting Commelina turns out to be a bust. The beautiful Somoko yarn completely overpowered the lace design. Furthermore, because of the lace pattern, the colors couldn't establish their own pattern and it just looked awful. see?

So, although I would still love to knit Commelina, I think I'll save it for a solid color or for a variegated yarn with much, much longer color sections.

Now, I've been thinking about what else I can do to take with me for my trip this weekend and I'm thinking I might start another pair of socks. I have all that sock yarn! Only problem is that I have most of it in skeins and not wound into balls. I either need to invest in a winder/swift or find someone who can do that for me.

In preparation, I've found the toe-up cast on I prefer, the Turkish caston. Now I need to find a good heel gusset method.

I'm pretty sure I'm making the toe-up Jaywalkers.

Links:

• Turkish Cast-On
• Toe-up Jaywalker

Commelina Scarf

Now that I'm done with the Leaf Lace Shawl, I'm trying to finish off a pair of socks I've been working on for a while.

I may abandon it to start up on Commelina by Kelly McCraw. It's a beautiful lacy scarf. The only thing I have a problem with is that the instructions call for making 2 end pieces (each having some pretty pointy stitching at the ends) and knitting the center section, and then attaching the end pieces. Ugh. I hate sewing stuff! So I kept thinking about how I could avoid that. I kept thinking, well, I'll knit one piece and then pick up the stitches, knit the rest of the scarf, then continue with the end piece. But then I'd have a seam where I picked up the stitches on one end and it wouldn't look nice.

Then, I was reading about provisional cast-on for socks and it hit me! I could do a provisional cast-on and knit one end piece, remove the provisional thread and then knit the rest of the scarf and it would all be one continuous piece! woo!

So, that's what I'm gonna do. I think I'm going to use the pretty artisan yarn I posted about a while back.

Also, I think I'm going to add some beads so I need to figure out what's going to look nice with this yarn and the placement so I can make sure I have enough.

This will probably be my project for my trip to Portland next weekend. Awesome!

Links

• Commelina (at Ravelry.com)
• Provisional Cast-on (Google search)
• Somoko Artisan Yarn I plan on using

ETA: um. yeah. this won't work after all since the end pieces are worked *sideways* as rectangles. then the stitches are picked up along the long side of the rectangle.

Leaf Lace Shawl - done!

Leaf Lace Shawl
Originally uploaded by vampirefan

Finally! After a few months of mostly knitting during my commute (when I wasn't taking a break).

I absolutely love this! It actually came out much bigger than I expected but it's a great size.

I included beads on the eding and they look great.

Now, on to the next project!

Leaf Lace Shawl - beads and blocking
Originally uploaded by vampirefan

The yarn looks much darker than it is, but the beads look pretty accurate.

I was so glad I had decided to invest in some blocking wires. They helped tremendously!

My mom loved it and she actually almost cried when I gave it to her.