By popular request (and in response to the chillier weather), the return of the Knitapalooza diary series…
First, a few finished objects:
I know a few of you have seen pictures of the sweater I made for CBtY already, but I thought I should show you the modeled version as well (click all pictures to embiggen):
I’ve also finished a little sweater for Mr. Finny, using Madeleinetosh superwash sport weight yarn in the Well Water colorway. Here’s the “in-progress” picture:
Here he is, showing off the completed sweater. See how much he loves it? 😉
I also finished up a few other smaller projects since the last Knitapalooza. This is the LOVe shawlette designed by Anne Hanson of Knitspot; The shot below is of the scarf size while blocking. When you knit lace patterns, the finished item tends to look like a big blob until you wash it and pin it out to the desired size, opening up all the lacework so the pattern is fully visible. I love this step in the process, even though it takes quite a bit of time to thread the wires through the lace to pin out the points, because the change is so dramatic.
The picture below is of the final piece, draped over Booman. I used Madelinetosh Pashmina yarn (a yummy mix of wool, silk, and cashmere) in the colorway Baltic. My only regret is that I didn’t do the largest size; I think I might have to make another one of these to fix that oversight. 🙂
I love Anne Hanson’s patterns so much (they’re very well written and detailed), that I treated myself to a pattern-only subscription to her fall “club”. Each month, I get a new pattern; the club also has a yarn option where you receive the yarn (hand dyed in an exclusive color) for the project. I loved the October yarn Fourth of July from Briar Rose so much that I traded someone for a hank of it, and made BooMan a new hat for frosty morning blogging:
The matching scarf is currently on the needles:
And that’s all for this week (although I do have plenty more to show you next week…)
I’m off to knitting circle for a bit this afternoon – we all knitted a few squares to put together for a baby blanket for one of my knitting friends who just had a baby (he was a few weeks early, or we would have the blanket done before his arrival).
Nice work! I especially love the sweater/jacket CBtY is wearing. Very handsome.
Thanks. I love that one too. It’s knit in a really heavy yarn; I think I’d like to make another in a regular worsted weight for more indoor wear.
Beautiful work. CG! I envy you your knack for creating knitted goods. I cannot knit or crochet, not for lack of trying, but I admire those who can do it so well. I think you have a great eye for color and that scarf at the bottom looks like autumn in yarn.
I am a fiber artist and work with wool strips, not yarn. I’ve posted photos here with boran’s paintings. I’m currently working on a commission for a client of two golden retrievers. I have to really get going because it’s a Christmas gift!
Love your work!
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d27/Rughooker/01954340.jpg
Wow. beautiful work!
That is gorgeous! The texture is really interesting. Are they loops of wool, rather than tufts (which is what I traditionally think of when I see rughooking)?
That autumn colored yarn had all the boys here wondering who was going to get the prize made out of it. CBtE wanted a sweater, but it was BooMan’s turn. 🙂
Yes, the rughooking I do is traditional style, not the latch hook with pieces of yarn. This particular rughooking uses a cotton linen evenweave backing, onto which I draw my design, and then it’s stretched over a frame. I pull thin wool strips up through the back to the top to make about 1/4 inch high loops. The width of the strip is based on 1/32 of an inch, and I’m doing a 3 cut, which is 3/32’s of an inch: pretty skinny!
When they’re finished, the rugs can be used on floors, but mine are usually hung up like paintings. I have two cats and a dog: imagine what those rugs would look like in a week on the floor!
Thanks for the sampler, CG, lovely work! You too donnah!
Thanks, Indy Dem!
I have been making hooked rugs for about nine years. It’s kind of a lost art, but I love doing it. This past year I’ve been teaching at guilds and trying to spread the word about it.
Hi, well nice to see this diary again…good work CG, I love all the pieces, especially the scarf, but they all look great. Also nice work donnah, my grandmother did hooked rugs, she always had one on the frame, I really like hooked rugs but yes it’s a dying art.
I am still doing crochet, finally learned to do a cap last year and churned out dozens of them for Xmas with scarfs to match. This year I been making them for the new baby, which is a continuing job as her head grows.
I would post pics but I can barely remember how to do that, so maybe next week if you have another diary I will try to recall the method.
Everyone, keep on knitting and crocheting and crafting anything…it’s all good.
We have to talk you into posting some pictures! Especially of the baby with her hats. 🙂
Finny looks like he wants to take off and fly in his gorgeous sweater. 🙂
I love the shades in the hat and scarf — it’s like an autumn leaf collection.
Thanks for posting these.
P.S. Donnah, I am amazed at the expressiveness of the face of the foreground dog — sweet with just a tinge of sadness.
Thanks, Andi
It’s pretty amazing how a few lines can make something happen.
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d27/Rughooker/7551dd3b.jpg
That’s a close up of the face. The overall rug size will be 20 by 24 inches. The dog’s face is about 6×6 inches.
Thanks for the link to close-up. It was interesting to see the details of the work (I’ve always like looking at brushwork in paintings too).
That would be the new Mac in the BooMan shot, no? I love seeing all of this! And Finny is such a big boy now. Last time I saw him he was just still an infant. Thanks for the update.
You’ve got skills, CG! Everything looks amazing. Did you add puff balls to the skullcap for BooMan? 😀
“Did you add puff balls to the skullcap for BooMan?”
You mean like these hosers?
Oddly, I have had multiple requests or the addition of pompoms.
he can’t help himself
I was thinking more of this classic: