Tag: Merino

One In Ten Afghan

1 In 10 Afghan

I finally found…

  • the perfect pattern for the next scrap afghan
  • my new portable project
  • and a project name – One In Ten – to honor one of my most favorite bands – 808 State

I’ll admit I was wary of picking up stitches, which I have done incorrectly, but present as as an invisible join…more or less! Even with the fur yarns, I did not have any difficulty finding the stitches to pick up. After about a couple of turns, I have learned how to turn the same way each time. I am not an avid fan of the holes in the turn, preferring a defined ridge decoration.

The good news is that I have already run out of scraps! The bad news, is that I have to start making more light weight stuff for more scraps, as this is a combination of yarn weights 1, 2, and 3 to make a 4 ply yarn to work with. So far I have gotten luck with maintaining an even ply…more or less.

Cast On: April 20, 2016
Pattern: Ten Stitch Blanket by Frankie Brown
Yarn (Used so far…):

  • Sirdar Snuggly Baby Care DK (Fiber Content: 60% Acrylic, 40% Cotton; Yarn Color: 0321; Yarn Weight: 3, DK)
  • Patons Brilliant (Fiber Content: 69% Acrylic, 19% Nylon, 12% Polyester; Yarn Color: 3143 Blue Shimmer; Yarn Weight: 2, Sport)
  • Patons Brilliant (Fiber Content: 69% Acrylic, 19% Nylon, 12% Polyester; Yarn Color: 3005 White Twinkle; Yarn Weight: 2, Sport)
  • Patons Brilliant (Fiber Content: 69% Acrylic, 19% Nylon, 12% Polyester; Yarn Color: 3425 Sparkling Rose; Yarn Weight: 2, Sport)
  • Artfibers Carezza (Fiber Content: Silk, Alpaca, Merino; Yarn Color: 17; Yarn Weight: 1, Fingering)
  • Lion Brand Vanna’s Choice (Fiber Content: 100% Acrylic; Yarn Color: 404 Dark Heather; Yarn Weight: 4, Aran)

Needle: US 9
Size: To be determined…

Now back to Oakland Raiders (in the background)…

 

Orange Crush Shawl

Cast On: September 29, 2013
Cast Off: November 18, 2014
Pattern: Orange Crush Shawl by Allison Harding
Needle: US 7
Yarn: Cascade Heritage Silk (Fiber Content: 85% Merino, 15% Silk; Yarn Color: 5641 Mango; Yarn Weight: 1, Fingering)
Finished Size: 61 x 11 inches (aggressively blocked)

Named after the song by the same name – Orange Crush by R.E.M. – it seems like a lifetime ago when I started this. I had received a prize at The Knitting Tree, L A Cascade Yarn Tasting even in September 2013. I set to work on the shawl immediately, but after a while, the lace and fine yarn weight got old, and I put it in hibernation. I was not happy that the pattern did not indicate how much yarn should be left to knit the border. My boss, at the time, suggested leaving one ounce. Looking at the yarn specifications now, that can’t be right, and I don’t remember the specified weight on the digital scale I used.

When I picked up the project again, I was still trying to get to one ounce. When I finally reached that amount, I began the ending border. Well, after about three tries, I kept ending up with an extra stitch after row two, and more importantly: the knitting direction was counter-intuitive to the border/body attachment instructions. I even had at least three more knowledgeable knitters try it with the same results.

I finally decided to contact the designer via Ravelry. She did not reply. Bad form!

Subsequently, I wrote Cascade Yarns and received a fix withing 48 hours. Now that’s a yarn company I can support. Unfortunately, I cannot speak favorably regarding the yarn. Even before I finished the project, haloing had begun on the beginning border. I find the halo unattractive, more like lint or pilling.

Overall, I am glad to have finished another UFO.

Price: USD $61.00

Technicolor

Continue reading “Technicolor”