Melodia Shawl

In May my LYS began a knit-along (KAL) and the chosen pattern was Melodia, a simple crescent shaped, garter stitch shawl. While I liked the pattern, I've always wanted to join a knitting group and knit socially, so that was a bigger draw to me. I convinced Courtney to join in as well. She was scared she was going to be the worst knitter there and embarrass herself, so the night before, we practiced all the techniques she'd need to know, specifically a garter tab cast-on. At the cast-on party I think she surprised herself by being able to cast-on on her own while others struggled, making her not the most beginning (aka nice way of saying worst) knitter there.

A few weeks before, the store had held an anniversary sale where I picked up a skein of MadelineTosh Merino Light in the store's exclusive colorway, Susquehanna. I had no plans for it, but I love this yarn base and the blue with hints of green was too pretty to pass up. It ended up being a great yarn for Melodia!

Anyway, the pattern was super simple, which I enjoyed. I tried to only work on it at the shop during the KAL meetings, but towards the end I did some extra knitting at home. I was scared I was going to run out of yarn, but I had plenty left at the end. In hindsight, I wish I would have added a few more rows or even gone into a second skein. It was 12" deep and 44" long before blocking. Even after blocking, the shawl ended up on the shorter/smaller side. It's still wearable, but I'd prefer something larger. Live and learn, I guess.

And the best part? There were prizes for completing the shawl on time and posting a picture and I won a gift certificate! Courtney won another pattern from the designer.

Pattern // Melodia
Yarn // Tosh Merino Light
Needles // Size 5 Dyakcraft Rosewood Needles
Ravelry Notes // Here

// Lauren

Koigu + Plucky Knitter Triangle Shawl

I was able to finish up my Koigu and Plucky Knitter Triangle Shawl awhile back, but I lagged on getting some finished shots of it. With a tiny apartment and no yard, photo shoots have to be planned, so I like to accumulate a few things before heading outside to find a suitable back drop. Plus, Courtney needs to be available to man the camera.

Anyway, this shawl made a couple of appearances in my WIP Wednesday + Yarn Along posts as I was making it. It was a really fun and most importantly, simple knit. I saw something similar in my LYS, asked a few questions and jumped in. Basically, you start with a few stitches, increase until half your yarn is gone, then start decreasing. Plus I added an i-cord edge. There are basic instructions for how I made it here, but if you'd like a real pattern, here's the one from my LYS. 

As I wrote before, the plan was to knit until I finished one skein of the Koigu, since it had less than half the yardage of the Plucky. However, the Plucky skein was a One Hit Wonder, meaning it wasn't labeled with a base when I bought it. I went around touching different things in the Plucky Knitter booth at Stitches West to figure out what it was. I'm pretty sure it is Primo Fingering, so I went off the listed yardage on Ravelry. Imagine my surprise when I run out of yarn a few inches from the end...I think the yardage was definitely off in this skein. It was a One Hit Wonder, so no harm no foul. I had to finish up the decreases with a different yarn. I chose a similar weight grey sock yarn, KnitPicks Stroll to be exact.

It turned out to be kind of a weird size, but definitely still wearable. I like how the solid Plucky (and eventually the KnitPicks Stroll) calmed down the variegated Koigu. All in all I'm happy with the project and can't wait to wear it come fall. 

Pattern // Made up recipe, but Drea's Shawl is close
Yarn // Koigu KPPM | Plucky Knitter One Hit Wonder | Knit Picks Stroll
Needles //  Size 4 DyakCraft Rosewood Needles
Ravelry Notes // Here

// Lauren

Leather Foldover Clutch

I've had a plan to sew a laptop sleeve for my computer since January when I got it. However, after a failed attempt at a quilted sleeve due to my faulty zipper math, I decided to take a much simpler route. However, my math was off again and the thing was ever so slightly too short and far too wide for my laptop. Are you sensing a theme here?

Luckily for me, the second attempt was salvageable as a fold over clutch. While I have no use for one at this point in my life, it is a good addition to the 'gift box'. Slightly off topic, but this year I've decided to make things that I want to make and let people choose what they want as their gift. Fewer expectations on my part and more enjoyment on the receiver's part...at least that's my hope.

I used a blue-ish gray twill (from Fabric Outlet in SF and leftover from my Minoru Jacket), leather (again from Fabric Outlet), and a vintage cotton print (from a garage sale a LONG time ago).

It is constructed like any other basic zippered pouch, except I used this tutorial to keep the edges neat. I didn't follow it exactly though. Instead of using binding for finishing the inside seams, I just sewed up the sides and left a hole in the bottom to turn everything right-side out. I think ladder stitch is the best for closing up the hole afterwards...it keeps everything neat and invisible.

I added a leather zipper pull to finish it off...I like the something 'extra' it adds.

 

Hope the (eventual) recipient loves it!

// Lauren

P.S. Thanks Courtney for the photography! 

Purl Bee Classic Mittens

When I stumbled across the Classic Mittens pattern on Ravelry, I fell in love with the faux-ribbed cuffs and knew I had to make them. Also, I was intrigued by the thumb construction. Plus, I had lots of single skeins of worsted weight yarn so this seemed like a great project to make a dent in my stash. Although I will say that this pair used very little yarn.

The overall construction is pretty clever. You cast on provisionally and then knit twice the length you'd like the cuff to be, fold in half, and knit both sides together. I loved the 'fake thrums' in this project and decided to copy them. They look like little hearts!

I like a nice tight gauge, so I knit a size small on size 4 needles. They ended up a bit short for me, so a gift they shall become!

Although I finished them just as the weather started to warm up, they will be a good addition to the pile of gifts I'm stockpiling for Christmas.

Pattern // Classic Mittens [with added fake thrums]
Yarn // Random worsted weight scraps
Needles //  Size 4 [DyakCraft Darn Pretties in Rosewood]
Ravelry Notes // Here

// Lauren

P.S. Thank you Courtney for being a hand model!

Linen Stitch Cowl

While I am pleased with how this cowl turned out, I never planned on knitting a linen stitch cowl or using these two yarns for anything but socks. I signed up for a mini skein swap on Ravelry and decided to send a variegated jewel tone skein of Lisa Souza Sock!. Well my scale wasn't so accurate and I ended up with 13 mini skeins instead of 10. Not wanting to short anyone, I bowed out of the swap. However, the super kind Dyakcraft Ravelers, not minding a short mini skein, convinced me to join in again. Still not wanting to short them, I picked another yarn and meticulously divided it according to yardage. Next time, I will invest in a better scale. This one was highly recommended during the swap.

It's linen stitch in the round, which is surprisingly meditative once you get in a rhythm. Once I cast off, I felt like it still needed something so I added a crocheted picot border. Crochet is not my strength but the border was easy enough to do. This was super helpful.

After blocking there are two creases...hopefully those steam out.

 

Pattern // Made up my own, but it's essentially just linen stitch
Yarn // Lisa Souza Sock! Merino and KnitPicks Stroll Sock Yarn
Needles //  Size 4 [DyakCraft Darn Pretties in Rosewood]
Ravelry Notes // Here

Kane Hat

In February Courtney and I visited our LYS Loop so that she could buy some yarn to make me a belated birthday cowl. I had just finished two Hutchin hats, one for me and one for my mom, so I had hats on the mind...they are such a fun quick project. After trying on some of the fun shop samples, I  fell in love with the Kane Hat. It is a super simple knit and very flattering. Plus I couldn't leave the shop empty handed so I grabbed a skein of MadelineTosh Merino DK in Charcoal which included the hat pattern.

As soon as we got home, I cast on. It only took me two afternoons to knit, so I was wearing it Monday morning on my way to class. I love how soft it is AND how it covers my ears!

Pattern // Kane Hat
Yarn // Tosh Merino DK
Needles //  Size 6 [DyakCraft Darn Pretties in Rosewood] + Size 7 DPNs
Ravelry Notes // Here