cosmicpluto knits!

the slow season change

When the tomatoes have finally hit the market in full force and the eggplant is trickling in – that’s how I know summer is starting (slowly, slowly) to come to a close. Personally though I love the summer produce, the heat and humidity just do me in. And obviously as a knitter, I LOVE being able to wear sweaters again.

I’ve actually been knitting a sweater that isn’t one of my own designs – Hanne Falkenberg’s Diva jacket, in dark olive and cyclamen. It’s all fingering weight garter stitch, in a sticky, wooly yarn, and I can’t wait to get it worked up. It starts at the center back, and you increase in stripes similar to a triangle shawl for the lower part of the body. It’s not too interesting, but not boring either. And perfect take-along knitting!

Still sneaking in a bit more summer knitting, though – my second version of this little shrug is off the needles and has even been worn once already! I’m trying to finish up the pattern for one more quick summer piece to help transition into fall.

Ashworth Scarf

There’ve been a few cooler days in the last week or so, just that hint of autumn around the corner…I love it. Fall is my favourite season. Luckily the day I shot these photos was a cool day – I was wearing a black wool sweater and a cashmere scarf! I can’t wait until I can actually wear this scarf out for warmth. And hoo boy, you’d better bet I’ll be wearing this scarf a LOT. I hope this gets you excited for fall too!

ASHWORTH SCARF

The only word for this scarf is luscious! Soft, silky, luxurious laceweight cashmere gives an ethereal halo to this light and cozy fabric. If cashmere isn’t in your budget, find the softest merino or alpaca laceweight you can!

Chic oversized cables alternate sides to produce a reversible fabric and provide maximum punch for minimal effort! The fabric scrunches and drapes in fantastic ways. It’s the scarf you’ll keep reaching for over and over.

Technical Editing by Jaya Purswani

SIZE
One – approximately 60” x 12” / 152cm x 30cm, blocked. Size is adjustable.

MATERIALS
Laceweight yarn, approximately 1200 yards / 1097m
Each additional 400 yards / 365m will add approximately 20” / 51cm to the length of the scarf.

Shown in Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 2-ply. Colour: Silver Pearl (100% cashmere/400 yds per 55g skein), 3 skeins.

US 2 / 2.75mm circular or straight needles cable needle of similar diameter (or a double pointed needle)
2 stitch markers

GAUGE
28 sts and 40 rows = 4″ square in stockinette stitch

MORE INFO
Skills needed: cast on, knit, purl, cable with a cable needle.

Pattern is a 2-page PDF which contains full colour photographs and a tutorial on the Outline Stitch Bind Off – it’s a great sewn bind off that’ll ensure your cast off edge perfectly matches the cast on! Great for scarves.

Available through Ravelry, payment through Paypal (no registration required). The Ashworth Rav page is here!

$5.00 USD

Crossfield Shawl

I’ve gotten a few emails about what I’m wearing in my Welcome photo over on the side there, and I’m happy to announce that the Crossfield Shawl pattern is now available!

CROSSFIELD SHAWL

A super light, airy square shawl reminicient of a bandana or silk scarf. Easy to knit stockinette in the round with a fun garland lace edging. Wear it folded and tied, over your shoulders or any way you’d wear a bandanna!

This shawl would also make a beautiful baby or lap blanket worked in fingering weight or heavier yarn for a larger finished size.

Technical Editing by Jaya Purswani

SIZE
One Size; 28” / 71cm square, blocked

YARN
Laceweight yarn, 815 yards / 745m.
Shown in The Woolen Rabbit Whisper in Chocolate Chambord (100% merino wool, 1700 yds/235g skein), less than 1/2 skein used.

NEEDLES AND NOTIONS
US 2.5 / 3mm double pointed needles (or needles of choice for small circumferences in the round)
US 2.5 / 3mm 24-32” / 60-80cm long circular needles (change length as required as the shawl grows)
stitch markers
tapestry needle

GAUGE
26 sts and 40 rounds = 4” / 10 cm square in Stockinette Stitch

MORE INFO
Skills needed: cast on, knit, purl, increase, decrease, optional chart, knitting in the round.

Pattern is a 3-page PDF file with full colour photos, written and charted directions for the lace pattern, and abbreviations.

Available through Ravelry, payment through Paypal (no accounts required).

$5.00 USD

silk, silk, everywhere

I finally, finally (after ripping and reknitting several times) finished the little shrug I was working on before TNNA, out of Sweetgeorgia Merino Silk DK. The yarn stood up surprisingly well to the ripping, not a pill anywhere!

Unfortunately it’s too big for me. I made a bit of a math error and although it’s proportional and everything, it’s just about a size too big. I’ve blocked it and woven in the ends already (denying to myself the fact that it was too big) and I don’t want to rip again. So it’ll go off to a friend and I’ll work up another one. At least this time it’ll be even faster since it’ll be smaller?

In latest spinning news, I pulled out some tussah silk that I’d started spinning well over a year ago.

It’s Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks, definitely purchased at Rhinebeck – maybe the first time I went? I had spun up the first half of the fibre and it was just sitting on the bobbin all this time. I spun up the second half fairly quickly (not very evenly, really) and plied it together to get 430 yards of laceweight (2oz). Should be enough for a little shawlette! I love the colour.

I think my last bit of Tour spinning will be this silk/camel. It spins like a dream, but the pink comes off on my fingertips a bit. Super soft though! I’m planning to spin up the whole 4oz and chain ply by the end of the week.

After the Tour is over, I’m definitely going to keep spinning – it’s really given me that kick to get back to the wheel. It’s meditative, doesn’t require math (like my knitting always does) and it’s a good break from working on my knitting like I always am!

Have you achieved your Tour de Fleece goals? What are you planning to do with your spinning after it’s all over?

an important announcement

Applicable only to my Canadian customers – as you all know, we pay a lot of tax. Unfortunately I’m going to have to start collecting it from you too! As of July 1 (okay, actually as of July 5), 2010, pattern sales will have sales tax added for Canadian customers only.

The rates are: British Columbia 12%; Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador 13%; Nova Scotia 15%; and everywhere else in Canada 5% GST.

These taxes should be added when you go through the Paypal checkout. For sales from all other places, no tax (the price you see is what you get). I’m currently going through all the pattern pages to add a note about this so you don’t get any surprises!

Enough of the tax talk, how about some knitting?

My cashmere cabled scarf grows! It’s probably about halfway done (I’m in the second skein) and I still love knitting it. This month I have a deadline project looming, so I’m not sure how much love this scarf will get – but I’m hopeful that I’ll be able to release the pattern in August for a jump start on autumn knitting!

happy july!

Almost, anyway! Can you believe how quickly this year has gone? I think the older I get, the faster the years go.

I’ve got a bunch of stuff on the needles right now and I’m pretty in love with them all. This one hasn’t seen much attention the last couple of days, but I’m anxious to get back to it!

That’s the Viola merino fingering weight, and I’m working it up into a shawl – I love triangle shawls, but this one’s a little different. Still from the top down, but it won’t be a triangle – more like wedge shaped. Sort of a cross between a top-down triangle and a top-down raglan. I’ve got an edging in mind, but we’ll see how that looks when I get to it (hopefully pretty soon).

The stitch pattern is subtle but breaks up the colour a little bit, and it’s more interesting than stockinette too. I’ve got two skeins of this yarn to use so it’ll be nice and big!

Oh, and I must say, thanks for your great response to Bellevue! I can’t wait to see some of your finished projects.