tentenknits

bitten by brioche

I don't know about you but I've had a pretty hellish week of work! Night events and dinners have left my knitting time to Zero Point Zero Five (0.05) percent.  I think I managed a row or two of the front of the Honeycomb vest and am JUST finishing the ribbing today.  That sweater I'm working on "from scratch" is still in it's gauge stage and I haven't had the brain power to think more about it.  All my knitting had been virtually stalled until I saw this hat.

I am now in love with the Brioche stitch.

It's so simple and yet makes such a beautiful eye catching fabric.  I cannot believe I haven't used it more!

The yarn is Zitron Nimbus, a beautiful and soft organic merino.  It's oh so squishy!  I'm making a simple and quick neck warmer.  A perfect busy-week-at-work-just-want-an-FO kind of knit.  

Up next - a stash sale! I'm in the process of cleaning out my apartment and need to find new homes for some of my yarns!  A sneak peek on flickr.

Spicy September

My knitting time has decreased a ton this month with work being in full presentation mode and my nights filled with wedding tasks. (DJ, check!  Registry, check!  Bridesmaids dresses, uhhh getting there!) Nonetheless, the back of the Honeycomb vest from Knitty is done and I will be casting on today for the front while the fiance and his buddies get their Fantasy Football on. (Direct TV, Sunday Ticket anyone?  We're talking 3 games, at least, on at the Same Time)

I'm really loving the color of the vest having been so skeptical at first!  The pumpkin spice color is just winning me over everyday.  Of course, Rowan Felted Tweed is just such a great yarn to work with - it's not hard to love it!  With that coming along it's not a surprised my mind has wandered to "the next knit". 

I laugh at my queue these days wondering why I even put a ranking to the knits I want to make.  My mind changes everyday and even now I am scheming...

Recently, my eye caught a cute sweater hanging in the window of a local boutique.  What truly made me stop and stare was the large overlapping panel in the front that wrapped around the neck and created a beautiful collar.  I would have bought it if it weren't for the fact that it didn't have sleeves - so it was more of a "vest" than a true sweater.

I figure I would try my hand at re-creating a version of it - keeping that front panel-collar idea but making it with sleeves.  I'm going for a top down, knitted in the round style.  Now, this is the first time I'm giving this a shot so one can only wonder what will be come of this sweater this fall.

To add to my sweet September, J and I are moving!  Just a few blocks from our current apartment but now that means a whole lot of giving things away, selling things and just plain throwing things out.  Keep your eyes here for a little Stash Sale - prob sometime in Oct.  It's time I gave some of my yarns a new home.

cables by the lake

Pattern: "Brown Sweater with Cables" No. 42 aka "Margaux's Cable and Lace Sweater Lovefest" from Rebecca 36
Ravelry Link
Yarn: RY Cashsoft Aran, 14 balls (I think!)
Needles: Size 5 and 6 Addi Turbos
More photos on flickr

I am in love.  It's soft, it's beautiful, it smells good, it's done and it Fits!! 

This was my first Rebecca sweater and I would suggest reading through all the directions before you start (as you would do with Any pattern! ;-)). The wording is a bit different from that of an American or British pattern - so just peruse to get yourself familiar!  Also, I found a minor-eque mistake regarding stitch count.  In the pattern it says you increase Chart B from 9 to 13 stitches when it is actually only 12. In some places that may mean your stitch count might be a 2 stitch difference. 

I also highly suggest washing and blocking your gauge swatch.  I found RY Cashsoft to be very stretchy. So when the moment came where I thought my sleeves were going to be too tight I remained true to what my gauge swatch told me - it will grow! And it did!  It is a bit snug in the end, which I prefer, but if you hate snug fitting sleeves you may want to go up a size.

I was up by my friend's lake house this weekend and got to actually wear this sweater during the "New Year's Eve" party hosted by the local firehouse on Sunday night.  Yes, it was complete with tiaras, rattles and balloons that fell from the ceiling when the clock struck 12.  It was awesome.  That and they also had karaoke.

It was the best way to end a fabulous weekend in which I did a whole lot lounging, knitting, boozing, and eating. Oh and if you can't tell from the pic below, I chose the orange color for my Honeycomb vest!! I was under the influence of something ;-)

I am happily home and my voice is hoarse.