FO - Wavy Scarf & Elizabeth I!!

First of all... here she is!! I'm so very proud of her. My first Alice Starmore. My first adult size sweater, really. (I did make Klaralund and I guess that counts, but it had no shaping and was on size 8 needles. This has lots of shaping and was on size 3 needles.)

It took me almost (but NOT quite,) a year. Mostly because I kept putting her aside. I had gauge issues: I got stitch gauge perfectly but my row gauge was way too big. So I subtracted as many rows as I could in the body and hoped for the best. Turns out, it was okay! It fits me really well and I love it! I've even worn it once already!

Introducing... Elizabeth I



Pattern: Elizabeth I from the book Tudor Roses by Alice Starmore
Yarn: 100% merino, recycled from a Banana Republic ribbed pullover. I have enough left to make a matching cap and some gloves.
Needles: size 3
Modifications: I just left out some rows in the lower body to make up for my row gauge being off.

Once I was at the point where Elizabeth needed to be sewn together and the stitches at the neck picked up, she was no longer portable. So, I needed a mindless project. I didn't want to cast on for a pair of socks 'cause I thought I'd be knitting my sample pair for Cookie A. in April (turns out I'm not going to knit until May,) so I cast on a simple scarf.



I bought the yarn a year ago at The Knitting Basket in Montclair in Oakland. Just to make this scarf. So, I feel good that I finally did it! I started it on Easter and blocked it out a few days ago. I like it! The colors striped in a funny diagonal wide stripe, which is not what I expected. It's so hard to see what Koigu is going to do by looking at the skeins.

Yarn: Koigu KPPM
Pattern: Wave Scarf
Needles: Size 8
Modifications: None

Now, I have 2 projects I'm working on.

I'm still plugging away on the Melon Shawl. The body of it is finished and I have started the edging. (I linked to Grumperina's Melon Shawl, 'cause it's so pretty.) I will absolutely be dying it a richer purple. I love the soft alpaca, though!

I have picked up my ancient, dusty Zaftig from Knitty.com. I crocheted all the trim around the edges the other night and went to Beverly's today to pick up the elastic I needed. Now I just need to sew in the elastic and I'll be done! I haven't been able to find a pretty ribbon to lace into it -- I like that and I want to to do it. But I have to hunt about more. I think a trip to Stone Mountain and Daughter is in order!

Comments

Carrie said…
Holy Moly that Elizabeth I is gorgeous!! And recycled yarn to boot. How much do you rock? :)
April 1, 2008 at 5:50 PM
Amy said…
I can't get over that sweater! It's perfect, congratulations!
April 4, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Anonymous said…
Gorgeous sweater! I tried Zaftig, once upon a time. I was a very new knitter and had serious gauge issues. Please let us know how yours turns out!
April 6, 2008 at 7:16 AM
Unknown said…
Too beautiful for words! AND - I love the color

Miss Alice
April 19, 2008 at 1:47 PM
funsize said…
Elizabeth is lovely! Thanks for your comment, I was trying to remember what Wilder book I read about knitted/rag/spiral rugs, but I can't remember. It's likely my brain grafted memories of bits of all those things that Ma Ingalls would do, like knitting, with Almanzo's mother selling rag scraps to the tin peddler. Aren't brains funny?
April 23, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FO - Huckleberry Ascot from Interweave Holiday 2007

Image
First off -- all of my yarn has been baked and sealed into its own private little zip-lock freezer bag. It took two and a half days. I shudder to see my gas bill for this month. But I saw NO more evidence of moth infestation in anything and it should all be well protected now. Zowie, what a nightmare. On to more fun things! I got my Interweave Knits Holiday issue at the bookstore last week and fell in love with the Huckleberry Scarf. I fell more in love when I realized that I needed 2 skeins of worsted weight Alpaca and that I actually HAD that in my stash -- a gift from juliepersons . So I happily cast on and knit on it. 2 days later -- ta da! I had to go up a needle size to get gauge -- but if I could do it over again, I would knit with the smaller needles and be slightly under gauge. The problem is that the weight of the heavier ends with the bobbles stretch things out quite a bit - much more so than your gauge swatch will do! So, this is - I think - a bit bigger than the pattern i
Read more

FO - Melon Shawl - Margo learns that color can be changed!

Image
BEFORE and AFTER I finished this shawl in April. Since then it's just been wadded up carelessly in my knitting basket waiting to be dyed and blocked. And because I didn't think it was terribly pretty, I wasn't in a hurry. But I was blinded -- BLINDED -- by the color I wasn't in love with. When I started the shawl, I wanted a simple lace project and I wanted to use yarn in my stash. I had 3 skeins of Knit Picks Alpaca Cloud in Iris Heather sitting around and it was dreamily soft and I thought the subtle color would do, and I cast on. I quickly became aware that I was not loving the color. But I kept going because I figured I could always dye it and because I really wanted to use up the yarn (I still have 1 skein left.) When it was finished, I wove in the ends and shoved it in said basket. But last week I bought two pretty purple tops and was suddenly motivated to use the purple dye I had bought for the purpose of dying this shawl and DO it so that I might wear the shawl
Read more