FO: Sunnyside Cardigan

We had a baby shower this afternoon for our friend Stéphanie who is expecting a little baby girl!

At first, she did not know if it was going to be a boy or a girl, so we mostly played it safe with her favorite color, which is green!

It is a good thing that a pregnancy lasts 9 months.  I finished knitting the project Thursday night.  It dried on Friday (yesterday) and I sewed the buttons at night while it was still a little wet.  I'm so glad it was finished on time!

The pattern is Sunnyside Cardigan by Tanis Lavallée of Tanis Fiber Arts.  It is easy to follow but I guess that you have to have some experience because the instructions are somewhat vague sometimes.  It's a free pattern.

Pattern: Sunnyside Cardigan by Tanis Lavallée of Tanis Fiber Arts

Yarn: The Sanguine Gryphon Bugga!

Needles: US 4 / 3.5 mm (circular and DPNs)

Color: Insect leaf

Start to finish: August 2012 - September 2012

For: Annabelle

Notes: None.

 

Initially, I wanted to make the picot hem but it turned out that I did not know how to sew the border of it to the cardigan.  Since I really did not have the time to learn a new technique, I tinked a few rows and knitted the garter hem instead.  It turns out I really like it.

 

For the little buttons, I found these little lady bugs.  Aren't they cute!  I think they are really fun on a baby garnment!  It fits very well with the name of the colorway too!

 

Have a great weekend everyone!

FO: Farniente

Here is my finished Ravellenics project: Farniente!  What a beautiful little shawlette!

The lace border is absolutely gorgeous and the stockinette part so addictive.  It is a very quick and satisfying project!

It will probably get a lot of wear with jeans!

For those who wonder, the pattern has yet to be published by Deux Brins de Maille because I was test knitting this size!  It will also come in a larger size and you'll see that it looks very different but just as beautiful!

Mine was knit with Silk Blend of Manos del Uruguay.  The colorway is 3044.  I really loved this yarn and look forward to use it again!

Have a great weekend everyone and for those of you who are still completing their Ravellenics project: go go go!!!

Ravellenics dilemma...

I'm almost done with my project but I have a dilemma.  Here is how it looks now with 9 more rows to knit (stockinette).

I'm thinking about unknitting the plain portion and change the rate of increasing to add a few more rows.   Currently, the border is 4 inches and the plain part is 5 inches.  I'm afraid the blocking will stretch the border even more...

The 9 remaining rows will add 1.5 inches to the plain portion.  If I make the modification I'm thinking about it would add 3 inches (plain portion the double of the lace portion) or even 4.5 inches (plain portion more than the double of the lace portion).

Any ideas?  I don't think the amount of yarn is an issue (although time is)...  It was going so well ;-)  No worries, I'm not going to lose sleep over it and finish after the Ravellenics I guess...

Have a good week everyone!

Ravellenics: week 1

I've been on vacation for one week already.  One more to go...  I think humans are made to be on vacation ;-)

I won't spend too much time talking about my Ravellenics project because I'd better be working on it if I want to finish it on time ;-)  It is a beautiful pattern that I so enjoy knitting.  It is not yet published.  You should take a look at the work of the designer I'm testing it for.  I also love the yarn!

How's your Ravellenics project going?  I hope to finish mine early ;-)  We'll see!

Have a great week everyone!

The Ravellenics

Well, it takes a little bit of time to get used to the new name, doesn't it?  It sure requires a bit more explaining when you try to explain what you are getting ready for.  The Ravelympics kind of used to say half of it already ;-)

But, whatever the name is, aren't we just as excited?  I am!  This afternoon, I bought my yarn!  I love it!  Can't wait to start the project! It will be a test knit.  I should get the pattern in the next few days!

Here's the lovely yarn I bought:

It is the Silk Blend from Manos del Uruguay.  It is a light brown with pink and green hints!  I fell in love with it!

And you, what will you do?

Have a great weekend all!

Long summer weekend!

Mother Nature is really spoiling us this summer!  We had another wonderful day and it's the long weekend for Canada Day (last week was also a long weekend for Quebec Day)!  I worked outside around the house all afternoon.  Now, I feel tired, but tired good!  And I'm having a little glass of wine before dinner ;-)

On June 16th, I went to Tricotine et cie for the Knit in Public event!  It was fun!  We had sangria and cup cakes and a good time!  I got to wear my Damson!  I even spilled a little bit of sangria on it but thankfully, I was quick enough to dry it and it's fine!

Tricotine et cie is a new store in our area so every time I go (hum, well, it's the second time I go!), it's important that I buy a little something because it's really cool that they opened.  They have more and more different yarns now and they have some local products which is what I like to buy the most!

This time, I've bought a skein of Gaïa DK from Sephyra.  It is absolutely gorgeous!  I just don't know yet what I will make with it!  123 yards.  If you have any suggestions, let me know please!

I also started the cute Hedgerow socks with my latest Tanis (Year in Color 2012 - May 2012).  I think that they are the perfect summer knit!  Very light and the color reminds me of flower petals!  I hope they will be as pretty as Andi's!

I've also decided to do a test knit for Monique of Une maille à la fois for the Ravellenics 2012 (isn't it a cool name?)  Monique has some really nice designs to warm up our necks and shoulders ;-)  It's coming fast!  I will be on vacation during that period.  I will have to be super disciplined if I want to reach my goal and enjoy our short summer at the same time!

And you, will you participate to the Ravellenic Games 2012?  Have you decide what will be your challenge yet?

Have a great week!

FO: Damson

I finished my Damson on Monday!  What a nice pattern to knit!  I recommend it... if you don't already have one!  The yarn also was simply exquisite.  What a great colorway for this time of the year!

Pattern: Damson by Ysolda Teague 

Yarn: TFA Year in Color 2012 - March

Needles: US 4 / 3.5 mm and US 8 / 5.0 mm

Color: Sprout

Start to finish: March 2012 - June 2012

For: Me

Notes: I used 3.5 mm needles for the entire pattern,

except for the bind off, I used 5.0 mm.

It is smaller than the original pattern.  I only had 100 g of yarn.  So I read notes from other people on Ravelry, reduced the needle size compared to what the pattern calls for, built an Excel file to follow-up the percentage of stitches knitted versus the remaining weight.  This made me confident that it would work out well and it took 90 g of yarn.

Here is a closer look at the yarn and the light variations of purple and red in it!

It looks like we are having a wonderful summer day today!  This week, I only work tomorrow and then, I finally take some days off (for the rest of the week)!  Yé! 

Have a great end of the weekend!