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