Liesl in Sundara's Aran Silky Merino

I'm in love with Sundara's aran silky merino yarn - it is so very soft to the touch, and the colours are striking. A little while ago I was able to pick up 3 skeins in the colourway Viridescent, and have been eager to cast on with it. After an exhausting business trip last week, a lazy weekend of knitting was on the books. I picked up this yummy yarn and the pretty Liesl pattern and cast on.



The pattern is really well written and extremely flexible - wide neck vs tighter neck, short sleeve vs long sleeve, frilly picot edge vs standard cast off, buttons vs ribbon vs other... lots and lots of options to customize and make it your own unique version.



I used a slightly smaller needle than the pattern called for, and went up a size to compensate. I cast on for the wider neck because I figured the thinner yarn and smaller needle would end up producing a smaller neck than the one in the pattern - it turned out just as I'd hoped.



This is July's sweater for NaKniSweModo.
Pattern: Liesl by Ysolda
Yarn: Sundara Aran Silky Merino, Viridecsent - 2 skeins (only a very little bit left over)
Size: 36in
Needle: US 10.5

I'm so very happy with the end result. Just need to find a suitable button for the top.

Rowan Joy

I'm still plodding along with the NaKniSweMoDo challenge, and this top - Rowan Joy - marks June's contribution. That means I've passed the half way mark - yay!



This felt a little like another 'cheat' project to help keep the monthly FOs coming -- it was in the WIP pile, it's chunky yarn on big needles which always goes super fast, and there are no sleeves to work on either. Yippee!



Pattern: Rowan Joy, size medium
Yarn: Rowan Cotton Tape x 6 skeins
Needles: US 10.5 and 11
Modifications: None



With the exception of wrapping my head around the slip stitch/chain stitch edging (took me a few goes to figure it out, and then had to be careful that the 'chain' was appearing on the RS) this is a super easy and fast knit. And unlike most of the chunky yarn sweaters I've knit to date, I actually think this one turned out pretty nice and doesn't make the wearer look larger than they actually are.



Ooh what to work on next? Pull Tempest out again, maybe?

Cashmere Lace Ribbon Scarf

It truly is deliciously soft - this is the lace ribbon scarf that I was knitting for a dear colleague, out of a silk/cashmere blend. It has been a delight to work with, and will be difficult to part with.



I'd planned on finishing up sooner, but luckily our farewell luncheon had been pushed out until later this month. So I still get the chance to gift it in person.



Seems I like taking pictures of this type of scarf in a tree - I did the same with my last one. At least with the last one it was in the privacy of my Mum and Dad's back garden. For this one I was laid at the base of the tree in my front garden, snapping pictures up to the sky. I can only imagine what the neighbours must think about the eccentric English lady next door ;o)))



Pattern: Lace Ribbon scarf - free from Knitty.com
Yarn: Jade Sapphire Silk Cashmere in colourway Caribbean Mist, one skein

Rowan Geno

I just completed Geno for my NaKniSweMoDo (Knit a Sweater a Month in 2009) May sweater.



This one's been in the hibernation pile for a good while now. I'd started back in August 2008 - it was going to be my Ravelympics sweater (cast on during the Olympic opening ceremony; cast off by closing ceremony). I'd made a pretty good effort and just needed to knit the buttonband and then finish. But picking up stitches, and finishing in general, tend to be my least favourite parts of knitting, so it had been tucked away in my yarn cubbies.

It wasn't until I realised that I don't yet have a sweater completed for May's NaKniSweMoDo that I decided this would be a quick solution. (Technically you don't have to complete a sweater every month but I know myself well enough that if I don't there'd be little chance of completing 12 sweaters in the year).



I am thankful to have the nudge of the NaKniSweMoDo challenge - sewing the sleeves on seemed to be more problematic than I'd anticipated. The pattern was written with a little gathering at the top of the shoulder. I was trying to avoid excessivly poofy shoulders and instead ended up with poofy armpits the first time round! Erm, yes, not a look the best of us can pull off. It took me several attempts to make the sleeves sit to my liking, and if I hadn't committed to finishing this for KAL it probably would have been returned to it's former home, never again to see the light of day.

But all's well that ends well - I'm really happy with the cardi. In fact I'm thinking it could be one of my handknit faves so far.



Details:

• Pattern: Geno by Marie Wallin from Rowan 43
• Yarn: Rowan 4-ply soft (instead of Rowan 4 ply cotton as is used in the original pattern)
• Size: 34
• Needles: US 2 and US 3
• Cast on: Aug 8, 2008
• Completed: May 30, 2009
• Mods: None (that I can recall)

Temporarily distracted

In the back of my mind Ive been thinking that I should be working on the scarf that I'll be gifting early next month. Or the sweater a month KAL project - I still haven't completed anything for May.

Instead I've been distracted making these barn raising squares:


On Friday night I picked up a bag of Pagewood Farms 'sock bites' (think a bag jammed full of mills ends) and couldn't wait to try out the yarn and different colourways.


Although a little fiddly to start, once you get going they are great 'on the go' projects.

I'm completely hooked!

Bright and Cheerful

That's the theme for May's card swap at stamping club. I decided to use the "Wild about you' stamping set - I just love the Elephantika. I don't think it comes more cheery than this little guy.


As I was in the stamping swing I also put together some thank you cards - I've been a little overdue in sending some out for my birthday bootie :)


It's gorgeous here today in Colorado (after a rainy night) and so I spent the afternoon doing some much needed work in the back garden. Hope you are having a great weekend too.

Now back to the scarf...

Still knitting...

It's true. Despite what you'd think from my recent blog postings :)
I'm currently trying to stay focussed on another lace ribbon scarf.


It's a gift for a dear friend at work who has been a mentor to me over the last couple of years. She will be leaving our company at the end of the month and I'm sorry to see her go. I wanted to show my appreciation... and well, isn't this what us knitters do?


The yarn is scrumptious! It is Jade Sapphire's Silk/Cashmere 2 ply and is soo very lovely to work with. The colour is pretty too with some slight changes in depth of shade. So it's proving to be an enjoyable knit... good thing too... I am trying to complete this by a week tomorrow. Wish me luck! (Yes, if you read my blog regularly you'll know that I don't learn from past experiences :o)