Kate's Big Scarf

My daughter Kate usually doesn't like things I knit for her.  She went to fashion school, she's picky.  But she misses an old Marc Jacobs scarf she had in college days that was big bulky and long.  She asked me to try and replicate it in grey and then I remembered my White Buffalo stash.

White Buffalo Unspun is a discontinued yarn that is used to make Cochiwan Sweaters.  When I bought this yarn on ebay I also bought an old pattern book to make the sweater.

I finished the back and there it sits in my Hibernation bin.  So I was excited that I had the yarn needed to re-create Kate's long lost scarf.

Here is the progress.  One skein produced 30 ins of scarf, so I will use 3 skeins to finish to 90 ins.

Very easy big scarf on 15 needles:

Cast on 18 sts

Row 1: purl 1, knit 1, repeat to last two sts, purl 2

Row 2: purl 1, knit 1 in row below, repeat to last two sts, purl 2

Repeat row 2 till you get the length you want.  I'm thinking tassels or fringe!  

Take care, Sue (hopefully soon I'll update you on finished projects!! Oy!)

Vintage Vogue Boatneck Pullover

Hi,

I'm making good progress on this project and having a lot of fun.  The yarn is working beautifully and the patterns are so interesting, but not too difficult that I get discouraged.

I've decided not to go too crazy with the modifications.  I am using the cabled ribbing, although I cast on 122 sts instead of the 117 suggested for the largest size.  I also cut out one inch of ribbing, so it's 3 in instead of 4.  Then I increased 8 ins on the last row of ribbing to get to the 130 st count for the body of the sweater.

The only modification to the main part of the sweater I made was the striping.  The directions say to make 16 row stripes but I am doing 8 rows.  To tell you the truth, the photo looks like 8 rows, too, so maybe there was a mistake in the pattern.  16 seems too thick to me.

So I am getting perfect gauge and so far the width is 22" which will fit me with about 2 inches of ease.  My plan is to make drop sleeves 10" deep instead of the set in sleeve.  For now I still have about 10 inches to go before I have to decide.  Here is my progress so far.  I'm loving this!!!

Happy Sailing, Sue

Vintage Vogue Knitting pattern Spring 1984

Hi,

So I've been playing around with another "vintage" pattern from mid-80s from Vogue Knitting magazine.  It still bugs me that the 80s are considered vintage but now that my daughter has turned 30 I guess I should face facts!!  :-)

Here is a summer pullover from Vogue Knitting Spring/Summer 1984.  I've always loved the design of this pattern, and if you look closely at this very fuzzy photo, that's Paulina Porizkova, (probably one of her first modeling jobs).

The design is by veteran, Deborah Newton, who has a new design in the VK Fall issue that just arrived in my mailbox.  She is a genius!!!  The description for the sweater above reports "Stripes and an openwork cable plot out this yare boatneck pullover. Designed by Deborah Newton in Ulltex cotton."  Ulltex is described as a lightweight cotton getting a 22 sts and 34 rows to 4" gauge in stockinette stitch.  Does anyone know what yare means?  Well, Miriam Webster says it is an archaic way to say "set for action."  Sounds like something a pirate would say!!  :-)

So I was at the Knitting Etc. summer sale and they had a pile of Berroco Linsey in solid colors for an amazing $3.50 a skein, so I had to sweep up as much as I could get.  Here are shots from my Ravelry stash page:

This yarn definitely knits up to the gauge suggested in this pattern.  I think though, that I want to update the pattern to a looser fit.  I don't like the tight cabled ribbing at the bottom, so I'm thinking about making a cable i-cord border at the bottom and sleeve edges.  Also, I think I want to loose the stripe, and just do the solid blue with the beige lace inset.  I've been practicing the lace inset and love the way it looks in this yarn:

The cable has an eyelet inset which is pretty and the main lace center is so interesting to knit.  I love the way this is looking.

Other modifications I am thinking about:  picking up stitches on the side of the inset and knitting sideways into a dolman sleeve, much like Norah Gaughan's design in Monhegan from her Vol. 8 summer issue. 

I am also still working on my Dutch Tunic from VK Holiday 1987, but it's still summer, and you know how I keep changing my mind!  :-)


Back to the new Fall issue of Vogue Knitting ... the 360 video is up and OMG the designs are so amazing.  Especially Deborah Newton's tunic, which the picture in the magazine doesn't do justice.  Check it out for yourself and prepare to be wowed!!!

Happy Knitting!!  Sue

Misty Modular Dish Towel

So I am getting ready to post some of my own designs.  In preparation for writing patterns, I am starting with a very simple modular dish towel.  I wanted a longer towel that I could use in the kitchen, and this one does the trick.  It is also a great first pattern for trying modular knitting, which is a technique which joins smaller knitted pieces as you go, so there is no seaming.  I've used this technique many times, especially Iris Schreier's patterns.  I recently made the Elegant Poncho from her book, Modular Knits.  You can see my poncho at my ravelry site: Elegant Poncho.

Here is a link to my free PDF of the pattern: Easy Misty Modular Dish Towel

I will also post the directions here for those who want it.  Enjoy!

This pattern uses easy modular knitting techniques and eyelet borders, including increases, decreases and yarn overs.

Materials:

Yarn: 1 skein Lily Sugar and Cream, 100% Cotton.  96 yd./86 m.  You can use any cotton yarn that gets the same gauge.

Needles: #8 US (5mm)

Gauge:  4.5 sts = 1 inch; 7 rows = 1 inch.

Abbreviations: YO = yarn over; ssk = slip two sts, K2tog through back loop; skp = slip one stitch, knit 1, pass slip st over; K2tog = knit two stitches together; RS= right side; WS= wrong side.

Directions:

Cast on 1 st. 

Start first triangle section:

Row 1 (RS):  K1, YO, K1.

Row 2 (WS): Knit across.

Row 3: K1, YO, K to next to last st, YO, K1.

Repeat Rows 2 and 3 until there are 35 sts.

Next row: K1, *YO, K2tog* till end. 

Next row: Knit across. See first photo at right for progress to this point.

Start modular decreasing:

Row 1: K1, YO, skp, turn.

Row 2: slip first st purlwise, knit to end

Row 3: K1, YO, knit to last row decrease st, skp, turn.

Repeat Row 2 and 3 until all 35 sts have been worked.

Starting with next row (WS), repeat modular decreasing one more time till all 35 sts have been worked.  See second and third photos at right for progress after first modular decrease and second modular decrease.

Start last triangle section:

Row 1: Ssk, YO, *K2tog, YO* till last 4 sts, K2tog, YO, K2tog.

Row 2: Knit across.

Row 3: Ssk, YO, ssk, knit to last 4 sts, K2tog, YO, K2tog.

Repeat  rows 2 and 3 until 7 sts are left. 

Next row: Ssk, YO, slip 1, K2tog, pass slip st over, YO, K2tog. 5 sts.

Next row: Knit across.

Next row: SSK, YO, K3tog

Next row: Slip 1, K2 tog, pass slip st over. Bind off.  Weave in ends. 

© Cloud Heights Designs

Sheep and Wool Festival!

I went to visit my friends Andy and Lyn in Maryland.  Lyn is an awesome knitter and we are buddies on Ravelry ... so she thought a visit to coincide with the Sheep and Wool Festival would be a good idea ... BRILLIANT.  We had so much fun and splurged on some great yarn (and chevre goat cheese!).  Here are some pictures of the festival:

Fair Isle Afghan

Lamb Chops!

Lyn's LYS's booth

Lyn's LYS had a great booth with the designer, Ann Weaver, modeling sweaters and selling her pattern books. Lyn bought the White Whale Vol 1, which had a beautiful white cardigan on the cover.

Color Affection kit from Miss Babs

Ripple Chips with the works!

More Fair Isle

and More Fair Isle - I loved this shop

 I loved the color combinations at the Miss Babs booth for the most popular shawl on Ravelry right now, Color Affection.  I chose a light grey, peach/brown, and dark brick set, and started it as soon as I got home.  I'm really enjoying this knit, although I also bought 6 skeins of Peace Fleece from their booth to start my version of Jared Flood's Inversion.  I really love the look of this sweater.

So we also indulged in a plate of Ripple Chips with the works!  A little bit more jalapenos then I usually go for, but it was an over the top day, so why not.  Lyn's friends were volunteering at the Hospitality Tent so we sat down for a snack and showed off our yarn booty to everyone.

 I have so many pictures of the Fair Isle sweater booth because they were the most amazing masterpieces of knitting I had ever seen.  I've never tried to do a large fair isle project and right now, I don't think I'm sane enough to pull it off!!

Other purchases included some Green Mountain Cotton Comfort in beige and navy blue for the new Interweave Knits pattern, Bethany Wrap, which Lyn bought some yarn for, too.  I think we are going to attempt a KAL, if we get motivated!!  I also bought a ball of Berroco Sox Metallic, and two books, Knitting Brioche by Nancy Marchant, and Lacy Little Knits by Iris Schrier.

It was a fabulous time and I'm still in knitting heaven but, of course, the addition of more beautiful yarns in my stash has put me in a manic starting projects bender for the past week!!  Oh boy, it's fun to be crazy sometimes!!!

Take care!!!  Sue

VK Dutch Tunic Progress

I have just finished 10 inches of the back. Berocco Remix is a beautiful yarn. I think it is perfect for this sweater because of lightness, since, at 28 inches long, this sweater would be VERY heavy with a 100% cotton yarn. Remix also has a flow to it that will make the silhouette drapey and not stiff. I'm really excited about finishing this so I can start wearing it for my spring wardrobe!!

Take care, Sue

January Round-up: What the heck am I knitting?

Here's what I'm knitting right now ...

Vintage Elbaite - From Norah Gaughan Vol. 7 - I've been looking at this scarf for quite a while and decided to just go for it when I was browsing in Knitting Etc. while on vacation. I bought three skeins of Berroco Vintage in colorway Chana Dal (pictured below). This color is amazing ... I can't get enough of yellow ochre, always my favorite while painting.

The unusual construction of this scarf has not bored me yet. I am done with the first section, adding the fringe and I am on the mid-section with the traveling cables. Really fun knit, and Vintage is so soft! Here is a photo of my progress:

I am also knitting a pair of socks, and a prototype square for a brioche afghan I'm thinking about designing. Brioche is my favorite stitch right now, especially with two colors.

Take care, Sue