nonaSwatches

31 march, 2007

I warned you!

30 march, 2007

An extra large swatch today to make up for my expected extra small swatch tomorrow -- seeing as tomorrow is the 3rd Round of the KnitOff.

Yarn:	Rowan's All Seasons Cotton
Needles:	US 8
Stitch:	Basketweave; multiple of 8 + 5
Source:	Vogue Knitting, pages 122

29 march, 2007

Thus endith the mini Gansey serial swatch.  Can I tell you, it was fun and has me thinking about designing a traditional -- yet modern -- Gansey for myself.  A perfect Fall project when I official become an empty nester.

Today I knit the sleeves from the top down and added the neckband.  The second half of the underarm gusset is knit with the sleeves.  I've always been a fan of the sock gusset, so I was naturally inclined to  enjoy the underarm gusset.  This sweater involved zero -- zip -- seaming.

Previous installments: Day 1 & Day 2 & Day 3

You gotta love the gusset!

Yarn:	Cascade 220 Heather
Needles:	US 7 for body, US 5 for cuffs and neck band
Source:	Sample Gansey from Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown-Reinsel.

28 march, 2007

Seriously this was too cool.  This?  "What's this?", you ask.   This is the perpendicular shoulder join -- the technique used to knit the shoulder strap while joining the sweater's front and back all at the same time.

For today's installment in the serial swatch I knit the pattern motifs for the front and then joined the front to the back using shoulder straps and the perpendicular shoulder join.  The center of the shoulder strap featured a small 2 stitch cable.  Cool.  Previous installments: Day 1 & Day 2

You've got to try the perpendicular shoulder join for yourself!

Yarn:	Cascade 220 Heather
Needles:	US 7
Source:	Sample Gansey from Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown-Reinsel.
Techniques:	Perpendicular shoulder join

27 march, 2007

Day 2 in my serial mini Gansey swatch.  Today I began knitting the pattern motifs for the body, worked the first half of the underarm gussets -- the second half is worked with the sleeves -- and finished the back.  Day 1 here.

I'm also knitting this mini sweater Continental style.  The knit stitch is no problem, but I'm having a hard time finding the rhythm with the purl.  I've tried wrapping it both ways and see pros and cons to both, but think in the end I'll be a Combined Continental Knitter. 

Yarn:	Cascade 220 Heather
Needles:	US 7 for body
Source:	Sample Gansey from Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown-Reinsel.
Techniques:	Combination Knitting

26 march, 2007

Another serial swatch in the spirit of my 3-day mini Orenburg Shawl.  This serial swatch is based on the mini Gansey sweater featured in Beth Brown-Reinsel's book, Knitting Ganseys.  I love knitting these mini versions as they give me an opportunity to learn new techniques and constructions. 

For today's swatch I started the mini Gansey, which includes a Channel Island cast-on, split and overlapped garter welt, mock seam of 2 purl stitches, an initial -- Q -- in the plain area, and a garter stitch definition ridge.

Channel Island cast-on (left).
Split and overlapped garter welt and mock seam of 2 purl stitches (right)

Yarn:	Cascade 220 Heather
Needles:	US 5 for cast on and welt.  US 7 for body
Source:	Sample Gansey from Knitting Ganseys by Beth Brown-Reinsel.
Techniques:	Channel Island cast on, split and overlapped welts, purl-stitch initial

25 march, 2007

Last night I dreamed of crocheting ripples.  I know, scary.  This nocturnal journey left me, as you can imagine sympathetic reader, with the need to crochet another Chevron swatch over coffee.

Yarn:	Tahki's Cotton Classic
Hook:	G
Gauge:	10 stitches (1 ripple) = 2.75 inches
Stitch:	Chevron Stripes; multiple of 10 + 4
Techniques:	Chain, Single Crochet, Double Crochet

24 march, 2007

I really like Erika Knight's book, Simple Crochet, perhaps because it makes crocheting so, well, simple.  And with all the rippling going on -- thanks to Alicia's beautiful creation -- I needed to try my hand at the wave.  Erika's book features an easy to follow Chevron Stripe that I used for this swatch.  Dare I ripple too?  At least not before nona-niece-the-newest's blanket is finished...

Yarn:	Rowan's Handknit Cotton
Hook:	G
Gauge:	10 stitches (1 ripple) = 3 inches
Stitch:	Chevron Stripes; multiple of 10 + 4
Techniques:	Chain, Single Crochet, Double Crochet, Smiling

23 march, 2007

I'm often inspired by the new yarns at my LYS.  Recently I've been drawn to 2 new Rowan yarns -- Damask and Bamboo Tape -- and thought I'd try 2 variations of the 2 row stripe.  I've used the same color of Damask throughout, but have used a sea green Bamboo at the bottom -- low contrast -- and a denim blue Bamboo at the top -- high contrast.  I particularly love the Bamboo Tape and look forward to knitting one of the interesting designs from Rowan's Bamboo Tape Collection pattern book.

Yarn:	Rowan's Damask and Bamboo Tape
Needles:	US 6
Gauge:	21 stitches = 4 inches
Stitch:	Stockinette stitch with garter stitch edges
Techniques:	2 row stripe

22 march, 2007

Inspired by Jane's knockout quilt, my improvisational take on the 8-patch log cabin.

Yarn:	Rowan's Wool Cotton & Rowan's Cotton Glace with other misc yarns
Needles:	US 4
Stitch:	Garter Stitch
Techniques:	Short Rows, Log Cabin Construction, Intarsia, Slip Stitch Edge

21 march, 2007

Gazing at Cara's squares made me happy, knitting one for myself made me even happier.  All this happiness makes it feel like the 1st day of Spring.

Yarn:	Tahki's Cotton Classic; 3 colors
Needles:	US 6
Source:	Mason-Dixon Knitting, Striped Miter, page 108
Techniques:	Mitred Squares

20 march, 2007

I was curious.  Curious to see if lace felts.  It does and it's neat!  I wish you could feel this swatch.  Needless to say, I have a few ideas brewing...

Yarn:	Cascade 220; 100% wool
Needles:	US 11
Gauge:	22 stitches x 26 rows = 6 x 7 inches before felting and 6 x 5.5 inches after felting.  Interesting, there was no real shrinkage in width.  Probably because I stretched the swatch out horizontally once it was felted.
Stitch:	Elongated Vine Stitch -- See my March 13th swatch for details.
Techniques:	Felting -- I ran this through the Hot/Cold cycle of my front loader with a bunch of towels.

19 march, 2007

According to Jane Sowerby in Victorian Lace Today, faggoting is "the basis of all lace knitting."  I love the simplicity and vertical line of this stitch and am reminded of March 13's swatch.  Click here for detail.

Yarn:	Lorna's Lace's Sock Yarn
Needles:	US 6
Stitch:	Faggoting; multiple of 3 plus 2 Row 1: sl1 purlwise, *yo, k2tog*, repeat between *'s to last stitch, k1 Row 2: sl1 purlwise, *yo, p2tog*, repeat between *'s to last stitch, p1
Source:	Victorian Lace Today by Jane Sowerby, page 17.

18 march, 2007

Larger square in square motif with complex monochromatic center.  I love the paintings of Richard Diebenkorn and am especially drawn to his use of color.  In his paintings, a patch of green is really many greens with a few other colors thrown in for good measure.  I never tire of that patch of green.

Yarn:	Rowan's Wool Cotton & Rowan's Cotton Glace with other misc yarns
Needles:	US 4
Stitch:	Garter Stitch
Techniques:	Short Rows, Log Cabin Construction, Intarsia

17 march, 2007

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Yarn:	Tahki's Cotton Classic
Needles:	Crochet hook, size F
Source:	Irish Crochet Shamrock based on an antique pattern from 1917.
Techniques:	Crochet; slip stitch, single crochet, double crochet, treble crochet

16 march, 2007

A little more shadow knitting -- don't worry, I'll move on to something else tomorrow.  Swatches from left to right:  2x2 square in oranage and pink, red "T", and purple "T".  For these swatches I picked two colors with less contrast.  I really like the 2x2 square and think it would make a cool pillow or bath mat.

Tomorrow, March 17th, is the day nona-hubby predicted I would miss my daily swatch.  It's KnitOff Round 2 tomorrow, will he be correct!?

Yarn:	Rowan's Wool Cotton (pink and orange) and Alpaca with a Twist's Baby Twist; 100% baby alpaca (red and purple)
Needles:	US 4 (wool cotton), US 5 (alpaca)
Source:	Shadow Knitting Alphabet, Shadow Knitting by Vivian Hoxbro
Technique:	Shadow Knitting

15 march, 2007

Another take on yesterday's Shadow Knitting "T".  For this swatch I switched the colors, so the light pink was used for the "T".

Yarn:	Alpaca with a Twist's Baby Twist; 100% baby alpaca
Needles:	US 5
Source:	Shadow Knitting Alphabet
Technique:	Shadow Knitting

14 march, 2007

I was inspired by Grumperina's Shadow Knitting and the birth of nona-niece-the-newest, who has "T" as one of her initials.  If you look closely -- real closely -- you should be able to see the "T", with the top of the "T" on the left.  I'm curious.  What if I switched the colors?  What if I used colors with less contrast?  I feel a few more Shadow Knitting swatches coming...

Yarn:	Alpaca with a Twist's Baby Twist; 100% baby alpaca
Needles:	US 5
Source:	Shadow Knitting Alphabet
Technique:	Shadow Knitting

13 march, 2007

It's amazing to me -- fascinating really -- that these two stitch patterns are almost identical.  A stitch is slipped in the bottom where it is knit in the top.  Slipping a stitch causes the fabric to condense, requiring more rows to fill an inch.  Slip verses knit is all it takes, all it takes to drastically change the look.  Like I said, fascinating.  Click here for a detail photo.

Yarn:	Rowan's Cotton Glace
Needles:	US 8
Gauge:	Bottom; 5 stitches and 9 rows in 1 inch Top; 5 stitches and 6 rows in 1 inch
Stitch:	Bottom; Vine Stitch   Multiple of 3 plus 4 Row 1: k2, *yo, sl 1, k2, psso* repeat between *s to last 2 stitches, k2 Repeat Row 1 for desired length Top; Elongated Vine Stitch Multiple of 3 plus 4 Row 1: k2, *yo, k3, pass the 3rd stitch on the right needle up and over the other 2* repeat between *s to last 2 stitches, k2 Repeat Row 1 for desired length
Source:	Vine Stitch was created by Sarah.  Elongated Vine Stitch was adapted by nona.

12 march, 2007

It's March Madness and time to join a NCAA College Basketball Pick'em Tournament -- why not join nona's -- details here.

Yarn:	Nashua Handknits's Creative Focus Worsted -- love this yarn.
Needles:	US 8
Stitch:	Stockinette Stitch with Garter Stitch Edges
Techniques & Resourses:	Stranded Color work, Yarn Dominance, Knitter's Graph Paper

11 march, 2007

In addition to short rows, I've added increases and decreases to shape the sides.

Yarn:	Rowan's Wool Cotton & Rowan's Cotton Glace.
Needles:	US 4
Stitch:	Garter Stitch
Techniques:	Short Rows, Log Cabin Construction, Intarsia, Increasing, Decreasing

10 march, 2007

Working out a few more details for the elusive baby blanket.  You'll have to wait and see the final choices...

Yarn:	Alpaca with a Twist's Baby Twist in various colors and Claudia Hand Painted Yarns in color way John B.
Needles:	US 4
Gauge:	About 5.5 stitches = 1 inch
Stitch:	2 Color Star Stitch
Source:	Barbara Walker's A Treasury of Knitting Patterns.

09 march, 2007

I've really been in an improvisational mood recently.  The gold strip at the top of this swatch is new for me.  I wanted to figure out how to create the illusion that the knitting had been sliced -- quilt style -- and the gold strip inserted.  I think it works.

Yarn:	Rowan's Wool Cotton & Rowan's Cotton Glace.  In my opinion, Rowan does color right.
Needles:	US 4
Stitch:	Garter Stitch
Techniques:	Short Rows, Log Cabin Construction, Intarsia

08 march, 2007

I've been thinking a lot about short rows as I write up my Improvisational Knitting Tutorial -- did you know, patient reader, that writing up a tutorial takes much longer than you think?  Anyway, I was curious if it made a difference in how the short rows were worked, hence today's swatches.

These 2 swatches are the same size and shape but were worked differently.  In the first swatch -- the bottom swatch -- I worked shorter and shorter short rows, while in the second swatch I worked longer and longer short rows.  The results?  The garter stitch does flow differently in each swatch, but I'm not sure I prefer one over the other.  I suppose I'll use them interchangeable depending on my whim.

Yarn:	Rowan's Wool Cotton
Needles:	US 5
Stitch:	Garter Stitch
Techniques:	Short Rows

07 march, 2007

Do you know that I, nona, had owned BW's Charted Knitting Designs; A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns for several years and hadn't cracked the cover!?  Well, this negligent over-site has been corrected.  Several nights ago for my bedtime reading I scanned the stitch patterns and flagged ones of interest -- ones I'd like to swatch.

The circles of the Wheel Web stitch pattern -- page 173 -- caught my eye.  I'm thinking a single vertical line of circles or circles randomly placed.  Click here for a detail photo.

Yarn:	Alpaca with a Twist's Baby Twist in red.
Needles:	US 4
Stitch:	Wheel Web
Source:	Barbara Walker's Charted Knitting Designs; A Third Treasury of Knitting Patterns, page 173

06 march, 2007

Are you ready for a wonky short row tutorial?  Yes? Okay, click here.

Yarn:	Rowan's Cotton Glace, Rowan's Wool Cotton, and a few other random things from my stash.
Needles:	US 4
Stitch:	Garter Stitch
Techniques:	Short Rows, Log Cabin Knitting

05 march, 2007

I so enjoy knitting these small square-in-square log cabin swatches.  It's always interesting to see how the color of the center square interacts with the color(s) of the outer square. 

I'm often asked what I'm going to do with all my swatches.  Most of the swatches I'll do nothing with -- knitting them was enough.  As for the square-in-square log cabin swatches, I plan to combine them into a small wall piece.

Yarn:	Rowan's Cotton Glace, Rowan's Wool Cotton, and a few other random things from my stash.
Needles:	US 4
Stitch:	Garter Stitch
Techniques:	Short Rows, Log Cabin Knitting

04 march, 2007

For the last couple of days I've been swatching a few of the new Spring yarns from my LYS.  Just the right kind of swatching to do on a weekend trip.  Although this yarn has a lot of acrylic in it, the swatch has a nice drape and feels more like linen.

Yarn:	Lana Grossa's Basics Calmo; 59% acrylic, 24% cotton, 17% linen
Needles:	US 8
Gauge:	TBD
Stitch:	Stockinette Stitch with Garter Stitch edges.

03 march, 2007

A quick and dirty, half-ass swatch posted after paying $11.99 from my hotel room for Internet connection.  Don't expect a whole lot of creativity when I'm out of town.  Hey I'm into this swatch thing, but not that into it!

Yarn:	Lana Grossa's Pallone; 70% cotton, 30% microfiber; color 007
Needles:	US 9
Gauge:	something or other....
Stitch:	Stockinette Stitch with Garter Stitch edges.

02 march, 2007

I don't know about you, but my LYS is getting lots of terrific new Spring yarns in.  This much anticipated beauty, Rowan's Bamboo Tape, is well worth the wait.  It's 100% bamboo, which has been woven into a tape.  Lots of beautiful colors, lots of interesting designs.

Yarn:	Rowan's Bamboo Tape; 100% bamboo; color 710 Amethyst
Needles:	US 8
Gauge:	19 stitches = 4 inches
Stitch:	Stockinette Stitch with Garter Stitch edges.

01 march, 2007

I'm still in search of an inspiration for the nona-niece-to-be's baby blanket.  Last summer I had a lot of fun knitting dish towels.  It started with a variation on the Mason Dixon dish cloth and moved into an interesting textured version.  Today's swatch resurrects the textured stitch -- 2 Color Star Stitch to be exact.  I'm not sure if the colors are right, but I love the alpaca yarn and like combining the variegated yarn with the solid.  Potential, my friends, potential.

Yarn:	Alpaca with a Twist's Baby Twist in red and Claudia Hand Painted Yarns in color way John B.
Needles:	US 4
Gauge:	About 5.5 stitches = 1 inch
Stitch:	2 Color Star Stitch
Source:	Barbara Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns.