Monday, June 13, 2005

I’m Gettin’ Tired of Hot and Hazy…

I worked on the coat and the sock this weekend - but not much, I’m afraid.  The heat and humidity here aren’t conducive to much more than sweaty fatigue.

I though hard about this, but not too long because it was apparent soon after the festivities had commenced that I wasn’t going to have enough of the dusty plum to make the entire garment.  I could have gone out and gotten more yarn I guess, but I really wanted to use the plum and it’s a discontinued color :( And, I also really wanted to make this garment so that meant shuffling through the stash to see what else I might have a goodly quantity of.  I found the green (the label refers to it as “teal” I think, but this seems more like a “spruce” to me).  It’s certainly brighter than the plum, but with the variegated linking the two, I think it works. 

Yes, there will be one green and one plum sleeve as well.  I hope it doesn’t look too clownish because I’m going to do it anyway.  And it’s not as if I’m making the kimono in orange and lime :)

This is about the 20th swatch I made with the new yarn (by the way, it frogs and reworks nicely).  Actually, it looks better in the picture than it does in real life (and just how does that work?).  That’s two repeats of a fish scale lace pattern with a 3 stitch rib in the middle.

I had the idea that I’d like to make a kind of extended shrug somewhat along the lines of this Fluffy Pink Shrug.  While the page is attached to a crochet forum, the instructions are really a schematic or a description of the concept rather than a line-by-line sort of thing.  It would be very simple to adapt this to knitting and that’s what I’d like to do.  It reminds me of (page down to the picture of the author’s daughter) this which I have admired for some time.

So I swatched and frogged several times looking for a stitch pattern that wasn’t utterly defeated by the thick and thin nature of the cotton.  I haven’t found one and so am considering doing this in plain stockinette and probably on considerably smaller needles than I was swatching with.  The ones in the picture are size 8 US but the yarn really isn’t much more than a DK weight.  A size 6 or even a five might be a better way to go.

I hope your weekends were fine and restful and that your crafting was fun and successful!

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1. Thanks for the link to the shrug/jacket - it looks like just the kind of project I’ve been looking for!  Kind of a sweater, but not as difficult.  I’m betting this would be a good one to do a combination of knitting and crocheting on.  I’ll be sure to let you know if/when I do decide to tackle it.  =)

   Posted by Erin  on  06/13  at  01:22 PM
   Location :



2. Erin - You’re more than welcome!  Please keep us posted on how things go!  I had that same thought about the knit/crochet combination :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  06/13  at  01:24 PM
   Location :



3. Ugh, I don’t know how you can mess with all that without sweltering.  500ml sweet tea, STAT!
   I’m guilt ridden cause I can’t do a sweater, not even a little sweater right now (Dulaan stuff).  I’m making great progress on flirty ruffles from fiddlesticks.  That Dorothy, she makes a great pattern!
   Do you find you can remember stuff you watched or listened to when you knit just by looking at the knitted item? 
   I think the colors are great, just can’t imagine working on it til, say, November.

   Posted by  on  06/13  at  03:37 PM
   Location : hoowheee it's hot!



4. Aarlene - Well, with the AC running it isnn’t too bad and I’m so in intrigued to see where it’s going that I can’t resist doing a section now and again.

   I have one last Dulaan thing to finish up.  I hope to get the stuff mailed out next week.  What a gratifying project.  I shall go right back to work on stuff for next year’s box :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  06/13  at  06:44 PM
   Location : Rick's Cafe American



5. I’m interested in what you come up with for the thick/thin cotton. I have some on a cone that I’m at a loss as to how to use. (I’ve had it for almost 2 years - that should tell you something!) I’d hate to do just boring stockinette, so if you can find a decent pattern stitch, I’ll be ever so grateful.

   And very smart, having you do all the legwork (or is that fingerwork?) for me. hehehe

   Posted by Bron  on  06/13  at  10:46 PM
   Location :



6. Bron - seems only fair since I ran away with your Seraphina shawl idea.  I’m re-swatching even as we speak.  I’ll let you know :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  06/13  at  10:59 PM
   Location : Rick's Cafe American



7. I can’t quite picture the kimino jacket. Is there a link to the finished product? I love the crocheted shrug idea. I have always loved the White Lies jacket.It’s cooling down a bit today...Woohoo!!!! 

   Posted by Maureen  on  06/14  at  08:04 AM
   Location :



8. I don’t understand.  Why aren’t you making the kimono in orange and lime???

   Posted by Pamela  on  06/14  at  09:01 AM
   Location : UK



9. Maureen - There isn’t a link because I’m making this up as I go along.  If things go well, I will post the pattern when I’m finished.  If you look at the picture above, the hole is where one of the sleeves is going to go.  This is being worked from side to side rather than from the bottom up.  Does that help?

   Posted by Robbyn  on  06/14  at  09:55 AM
   Location : Rick's Cafe American



10. Pam (snicker) - Maybe because I hope to actually get some wear out of this thing?  Orange and lime just aren’t my colors :)

    Posted by Robbyn  on  06/14  at  09:57 AM
    Location : Rick's Cafe American



11. Duh???? Of course that makes sense. What can I say? I did not have my coffee this morning ....lol.

    Posted by Maureen  on  06/14  at  07:58 PM
    Location :



12. Maureen - Not at all!  I can see how it could be confusing :) And I’m an absolute wreck without my coffee.
    

    Posted by Robbyn  on  06/14  at  10:53 PM
    Location : Rick's Cafe American

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