Merry Christmas - pssst...it's a sale!

Sweet Fiber yarns is having a holiday sale - 30% off all purchases over $30 (before shipping) - expires December 31, 2012. Canadians - shipping cost is $6 and don't forget there's HST.
Also, the Knit City colorway is still available on the Super Sweet Sock base, and also the Cashmerino Worsted base.

Free pattern from Tin Can Knits on ravelry.

and I'll be updating my Enabler tab as I see more sales, so if you get an update, and don't see any new changes to the Pages, look on that tab.

Happy Holidays.

Ta Da - # 12 of 12 Done!

Bound-off, finished, blocked, and pics -



Project: Blue Water Mahogany Cardi
Pattern: Water and Stone by Veera Valimaki
Yarn: Verdant Gryphon Bugga in Dyeing Poison Frog (3.16 sk)
Needles: US 6 SN,
Size 38" for the 36" - but I adjusted the stitch count to fit me, rather than blindly following the pattern.
Time taken: 7 weeks elapsed from swatching to bind-off. Mostly knit in the evenings, weekends, and some lunch hours for the parts of the body. 1-1.5 weeks in there, I also took a break from knitting as I was doing a lot of keying for work..Need to save my wrists.

Mods: The pattern is intended to be mid-thigh, I shortened this so it's a length I'll really wear year round. I used a provisional cast-on for the start. I also did a twisted rib instead of a rib, and matched the length of the cuffs to the hem, and I added an inch at the waist, since I'm long-waisted. Bind-off is using JSSBO, purl side on the cable portion so it curled less.

The yarn softened up so much and it's so drapey, it's really lovely, and the yarn shows off the cables nicely. I really enjoyed knitting this pattern, and made the cables without a cable needle. It took a bit of attention at the beginning to make sure the shoulders were set up correctly, and I was a bit frustrated that the design required you to pick up the sides of the starting piece, but it turned out great, and it's a necessary evil to place the cardigan on the back so that it sits below the plain stockinette piece.

Details:

Back cable and neck (left), and double cable on the front (right):



Front cable (left) and cuff (right):

 

I had hoped to finish this by the end of the year, and ended up finishing earlier than expected.
So, now I'm swatching for my next love - Pull me Over, with SG Codex from my stash (a BFL-silk blend). It's worsted weight, so a  bit of a shift from the last project. Colorway is Captain Nemo which is a blue-green teal..more on the green side to my eye than blue.

Knitting the Sleeves

I've had a few revelations this week... I realized tonight that I have been blindly following patterns for sleeves. The one I'm currently knitting says to decrease every 3". This is too steep for my arms. It seems that I should be knitting 3-1/4" to 4" before decreasing and I should stop before I complete all of the decreases. I came home tonight and measured my arm, and around my elbow. I will definitely have to try it on again before completing the next decrease row.

Other discovered these last few days - Phillips' Ginger Ale Soda - so yummy! It's cool and gingery without the regular bit of ginger ale like Canada Dry...veerrry nice and Ottavio Italian Bakery. I had no idea they have a coffee shop there and food. I succumber to a loaf of bread, some Prosciutto, and lovely soft cheese - soooo yummy! then, went back for a few bottles of soda.

This weekend - to put up my Christmas tree (I hope); also, Christmas Moss St. Market and a few errands. Hopefully, good weather - it's still in the 50s these days (yay!)

Also, note to self..I'd like some more HUE tights.

Cabling at the hem

I've reached the cable portion for the Water and Stone Cardi. Actually, the modified length I'm making. The pattern makes this cardi mid-thigh. I just don't wear the longer sweaters year round; I'm sure I'll get more use out of a cardi which is shorter, so I've knitted to 15" from the armhole (instead of going onto 18"), and I think I may only knit an inch or two of ribbing, instead of 4".

I'm thinking of knitting a twisted rib though to make it more decorative than a regular rib.