It’s starting to get a bit chilly outside! Fall is prime knitting time. Warm woollies are perfect when the air gets frosty and you start thinking about mittens, scarves, hats…
This week I finished three projects. I also bought yarn – I know, I’m not supposed to be buying yarn! But this was for something very, very special and dear to my heart.
Here are the finished Yellow Seaweed Socks.
On sock blockers. I use these to help “set” the lace pattern evenly.
I’ve already worn them out of the house once. They’re not very warm, unfortunately. But boy, wool socks do feel great and they keep moisture away from your skin.
I originally said I used a Turkish cast-on for these socks – that was an error. A Turkish cast-on with size 0 double-pointed needles would be almost impossibly difficult for me to do. I’m not that skilled yet. I used Judy’s Magic Cast-On, which is similar but a lot more stable. I needed a very stretchy bind-off for these babies so I used Elizabeth Zimmerman’s Sewn Bind-Off (whenever you see a knitter call something EZ it means “Elizabeth Zimmerman,” not “easy”).
Today I finished the End of Summer Cardigan. Once it was done and all the edges were woven in I did not want to take it off. I am in love with angora.
I made this planning to wear it with camisoles and tank tops. It feels amazing next to the skin.
It also dresses up plain shirts nicely!
The third project I finished was the button clasp for the cardigan. I made it with two buttons and some beads. When I was finishing the collar of the cardigan I made buttonholes on either side for the clasp to go through.
On Thursday my husband and I went to Prairie Yarns (conveniently located two blocks from our apartment) and picked out some yarn for his winter gloves. Last winter I made him gloves with Lamb’s Pride wool which I love but he later admitted hurt his hands. He has eczema on his hands and it gets quite painful in the winter. This year I’ll give it another try but we’re going with some smoother fibers. I’m going to line the gloves so they’re extra toasty. The lining will be made of Bristol Yarn Gallery Buckingham in brown.
80% Alpaca, 20% Silk
The Buckingham is an alpaca/silk blend and is so astoundingly soft. I am having a great time knitting with it. I was surprised at how reasonably priced it was ($8 per skein). I’m very pleased so far. Of course, I’m only ten rows in.
The outside of the glove will be in Cascade Venezia in green.
70% Merino, 30% Silk
Cascade is a brand I have had very good luck with in the past, although the Venezia is new to me. It’s a merino/silk blend which gives it softness and warmth. Merino is great – it’s like knitting with butter. It’s really smooth and has a kind of “squishiness” to it.
The pattern I’m using for the gloves is the same one they handed out to volunteer knitters during WWI and WWII for servicemen. It’s interesting to read the old pattern. It doesn’t list yarn weights or needle sizes – just the number of stitches and rows per square inch. Add to the mix a lining that’s a completely different yarn weight from the outside and I’m sure there will be a lot of trial and error. I hope I can finish them before it gets cold!
