Finished Project Pics!

 

Not sure why I look crabby, must be my reaction to something my Hubbie said.  Ha!

 

See the change in the color variegation?  I didn't blend the 2 skeins of Malabrigo Lace as I should have.

 

Here's my Hubbie Dan.  Isn't he handsome in his Shetland Vest.

Just a quick post today to show you some of my finished projects.  Up first is my Gemini Summer Top pattern by Jane Richmond.  It fits really well, but the shoulders do slip a bit.  I knit a few rounds of garter on the neck edge ( not done in the original pattern) to help prevent this, but I think it needed to be a tighter gauge altogether (for the lace part that is.)  So, if I were to knit this one again I would go down a needle size for the lace and keep the same size needle for the body.  The Hemp yarn I used has a lovely weight to it and feels really good next to my skin.  Now, if it would only warm up enough to wear it.

Next up is my Hubbie Dan's Shetland Vest.  I was only lengthening this sweater about 2 inches in the stockinette body portion and re-knitting 2 inches in the ribbing.  I talked about how I did that here.  It fits him very well now and he can reach upwards and not expose his stomach.  I am very pleased I did not have to re-knit this whole sweater.  Shetland is a grabby yarn and doesn't like being frogged much.

Dan's cabled vest is almost done too!  My oldest WIP by far - 3 years if you can believe it.  I have the ribbing around one armhole to do today then block it.  I didn't run out of yarn either and in fact have leftovers.  All that worrying for naught.  What's coming off your needles?

Joining in with Andrea for Fibre Arts Friday
 Linda for Creative Friday
Jenna for Freshly Finished Friday 
Beth for Flash Your Finishes Friday

A New Project!

Casting on for a new project - yay!!  The Summer Top is currently blocking and though I have yet to wear it, it has turned me on to knitting even more summer tops!  Thus the above project has begun and will be the Astonish Top from Knit Picks Golden Morning collection of patterns.  It's knit on the bias and has a lovely drape.  I'm using Valley Yarns Charlemont fingering weight yarn (the other yarn I got for Mother's Day last year - see the theme?) which is mainly merino wool, but has 20% silk in it's makeup.  The silk should really add to the drape of this pattern as well as lending a lovely sheen.  I chose my favorite classic color combo of navy blue and white (which is starting to take over my wardrobe.)  My only trepidation to this project is the fact that it is fingering weight yarn knit on tiny US 2 1/2 - 3 mm needles.  This is making progress slow, but oh, do I love the look! 

Joining in with Andrea for Fibre Arts Friday.

Summer Top!

I'm finally finishing up my warm weather sweater I planned on knitting last summer.  I received the yarn as a gift from mother's day a year ago, and knit the bulk of it while on retreat this Spring.  The pattern is Gemini by Jane Richmond and it is free and very easy to follow.  It's meant for a DK weight yarn and while the Hempathy by Elsbeth Lavold is considered DK I thought the fabric was a bit too loose at gauge.  To remedy this I added a lace weight strand of Malabrigo merino yarn and now I love the resulting fabric and the color variation the Malabrigo lends.  Of course this addition means I have to handwash the sweater, but I think it will be worth it in the long run.  I have about 4 inches left to knit which is so close and yet so far as it's boring stockinette (good TV knitting though.)  Then just a few rows and some ribbing to finish off each of the sleeves and I'm done.  This is my first knitted warm weather top and I can't wait to wear it.  Now, if it would just warm up already, but alas Spring in Minnesota is temperamental to say the least.

Joining in with Nicole for Keep Calm Craft On and Ginny for Yarn Along.