Wendy Knits and the Shetland Pi Shawl

So i've been following a site for a while now - or should I say spooking, as i have never commented on anything there yet, oops. Anyway, the site is Wendy Knits, and if you happen to enjoy knitting, siamese kitties, the occasional giveaway, and complex looking lace patterns with simple instructions, this is one site you have to bookmark.
Wendy is fantastic when it comes to the design of beautiful lace projects. I considered myself a newbie when it comes to lace, as I haven't done many things, and nothing on a large scale. A hat here, a cloth there, an occasional yarnover. That was before I tried out one of her patterns. It was written in such a way that even a completely beginner could understand these. I was really happy about it.

So, last night when I couldn't sleep, I decided to cast on the Shetland Pi Shawl - because you can never have too many projects, amirite? I'm on Chart C already, 288 stitches around thus far. This thing gets pretty large, but also so beautiful.

Don't have Ravelry? CLICK HERE
What's that wool?: Knitpicks Bare Shadow Lace

ps. This is the perfect yarn. It's a 2 ply laceweight with 880 yards. EIGHT.HUNDRED.AND.EIGHTY. for $5.50/hank. You are robbing them blind, thats the only way to describe such a heavenly deal. Its so light, nice to work with, your projects will feel like strands of air. Its also perfect for people who like to dye, as it is called bare for a reason.

Expect in the near future a blog post + photos on my recent adventures in the world of spinning, plus dyeing with koolaid, as well as a giveaway! It will be a small one as it is my first, but still quite swell if I do say so myself.

Take care,
Cind.

Gabriels Wings.

Despite being in the midst of review for my finals, I've been knitting non stop the past week. It's nice to be able to knit a few rows[or 50] and not experience discomfort/pain from my wrist to my shoulder. I have a lot of catching up to do, it sounds reasonable to me! haha.

Unfortunately, I only have webcam photos to share with you today, as my camera battery is dead. I need to buy a camera of my own, eventually. In the meantime, they aren't terrible photos, so I shall share.

This is something I cast on a little while ago, and that I tend to knit on and off. I usually only work on it when I am watching Supernatural. Actually, I chose this project in honor of one of my favorite characters from the show, Gabriel/Trickster!
As you can see, it's a combination of stockinette and garter stitch separated by YOs and also has a center stitch. Its a very easy to memorize pattern, and even after putting it away for a week, I whipped it out one day in the car and had no trouble recalling where I had left off.
What is this? This is Gabriels Wings, which can be as big or as small as you desire, something I like a lot about this pattern. Dont have Ravelry? CLICK HERE
What it's knit with: Noro Kureyon Sock in S150.
This yarn often has points of being inconsistent, it turns into roving at some points, but with that aside, it is very easy to work with. It may be rough, but it doesn't feel irritating on my hands when I work with it. Its the kind of yarn where you touch it and never want to use it, but it really isn't so bad. A judge a book by its cover kind of thing, if you will.

All in all if you want a rewarding yet mindless shawl pattern, i'd recommend this one.

Well, i'm back at last. I had to take a 3 month hiatus on knitting due to a mixture of a carpal tunnel flare up, as well as a mountain of stress to go with it. Lots of school work to be done. I will make an effort to blog regularly from now on.

"Doctor Who" scarf update

It's about time I post an update on a project I started a little while ago - a Doctor Who scarf, done for commission. It is going to be ~10 feet when all done, and today it broke the 7 foot mark.
This has taken maybe 5 hours so far, I wasn't really counting so i'd have to think it over, but its probably something like that. I usually watch a movie when im working on this, and i'm hoping the next time i put one on and work on it, it will finally be finished and given to its owner.

It is knit on 6.5mm needles, done in garter stitch like the original scarf. I used misc. acrylic yarn, all purchased at michaels. I chose to use acrylic so it would be less expensive for the person and also so it would be easier to take care of. If you need to wash it, just toss it in. When a scarf is this long, you really don't want to have to go through the whole handcare thing. Anyway, here is the photo i took for this. Its the scarf hanging over the door of my bedroom.



And, of course, here is a photograph of the original Tom Baker scarf, from which this scarf is inspired.


Cheers!

Hedera

So, I began knitting a pair of socks with my KIP pals for a March KAL.

A lot of us ended up knitting Hedera, a gorgeous lace repeat sock, which is simple to remember. It is really good for beginners who don't want to do a plain sock, but also aren't confident in their lace skills. Well, this sock is perfect for anyone really. I'm not new to lace or socks, but I chose this as a challenge. It turned out to be really simple, but I am enjoying knitting it!
I'm hoping that doing a pair as a KAL will enable me to actually come out with a pair of socks instead of just one. Now, if only I could actually finish these by April.
I will probably do a post on these once i am finished both of them, but in the mean time here's a peek:

sock knitting [ and why it isnt as intimidating as it seems]

Firstly, a quick hello to my new followers! :)

Next, since I began knitting, there was always one thing I was worried about, one thing that I really didn't feel like I should dare attempt. That, my friends, would be knitting a sock. I am not certain what it is about a sock that seems to cause knitters to drop their needles where they stand. Their faces seem to imply they would rather give up knitting forever than create some warmth for their own feet!
Well, even now, I'm still not certain what it is about socks that is so scary. The closest I could come to would be the heel, which is created with short rows, which really aren't so frightening after all!

So, I decided to dedicate a post with sock heels. Well, unfortunately I am past the heel of my own sock, so i can't make my own post with photos/video, so i'm going to provide a few videos that may help you. Perhaps when I am on the second sock i will do something. In the meantime:



I can't recommend theknitwitch [seen below] enough. all of her videos are simple, to the point, and very helpful for people unfamiliar with stitches.


I hope seeing it done first hand can help those of you who are feeling intimidated by socks to feel fearless and adventurous once more. It really is as simple as knitting/purling, and then well, turning your needles around.

Yarn Review: Cascade 220

I think it is time to do a long overdue review on a yarn that I have grown to love. Cascade 220 is a worsted weight yarn, made of 100% peruvian wool that is durable, heavy, and, most delightful of all for a student like myself, it is reasonably priced! It may be cheap in price, but it's most definitely not cheap in quality.

A 100g skein[pictured above] is equal to ~220 yards. This is a great multipurpose yarn, as it holds up well, and comes in endless tones shades of each color. You can view their color swatch cards HERE, as there are far too many colors to post here. One of the great things about Cascade220 would be their color options. A lot of the knitting i do is done because i find it aesthetically pleasing - after all, first the pattern catches your eye, and then i typically choose not only a yarn that compliments but a color I like, or the recipient likes. So, for me, it is important to have a lot of options to choose from. In this department, cascade does no wrong. There are solids, heathers, quattros, etc. Pictured below is the heathered version of this yarn. If you have no project planned but would like to try this yarn, I would recommend making a heather your first pick, you will not be disappointed.

This is color 9451, Lake Chelan Heather. Gorgeous, right? And the others hold up to the same quality, just really beautiful.


If you are a fan of accessories, toys, or especially feltwork, this yarn is right for you. This is the best felting yarn i've come across so far, actually. I toss it in my washer[top loading, it's pretty old] and even the biggest projects will felt in a matter of minutes. I'm really looking forward to making an oversized felted bag out of this yarn in the future.
Another thing I wanted to quickly mention would be splitting. Splitting is not something I have experienced with cascade so far. It is easy to work with, makes a nice finished project, and I haven't even found a single knot in a skein yet!

All in all, I would give this yarn a 9/10. It is the yarn i turn to when i am unable to afford yarn but really "need" that one color [also known as kid-in-a-candy-store syndrome] for a project I don't really have time to begin.

If you are wondering what this looks like knit up, or are seeking some inspiration, check out the RAVELRY PROJECT PAGE. just to give you an idea of how much us knitters/crocheters love this yarn, it is in over 38000 stashes, and has been used in over 64 000 projects documented on ravelry. Impressive. plug in some words into the search bar to get more specific results, like 'red', or 'hat.

Wondering where to buy this yarn? If you live in NL, check out A Good Yarn, located in beautiful downtown St. John's, on Bates Hill. Jenny is a very genuine shop owner, who is always up for a spot of tea, and to help you with any questions you might have. She stocks some lovely popular, in demand yarns so if you're ever in the area, be sure to stop in for a cup and a KIP! Links to her facebook page, twitter, etc. are available on her website, as well has her hours of operation.

Online, check out http://www.yarn.com/. They are always guaranteed to have a wide selection to choose from. :)

Happy Knitting!