cosmicpluto knits!

Massey Wrap

And now for the fruits of that photoshoot at Wychwood Barns!

MASSEY WRAP

This lacy wrap in fingering weight yarn scrunches up as a scarf or expands to be a stole. Versatile and easy to wear, Massey is knit on the bias in an easy lace pattern that looks great on both sides! One side features a geometric diamond pattern while the reverse is a wide and lacy rib. The knit-as-you-go I-cord edges are neat and pretty – a perfectly lovely piece for spring layering.

The stitch pattern used in this piece was inspired by “Another Lacy Rib” from Lynne Barr’s mindbending book Reversible Knitting. Technical Editing by Jaya Purswani.

SIZE
One Size: 13 inches / 33cm wide by 80 inches / 203cm long, blocked

MATERIALS
Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Sock (80% superwash wool, 20% nylon; 215 yds / 195m per 2 oz / 57 g skein)
4 skeins in Cranberry
or 860 yards / 780 m of fingering weight yarn

US 6 / 4mm needles (circular or straight)
tapestry needle
stitch markers (optional)

GAUGE
5 repeats of lace pattern = 3.5 inches / 9cm square, blocked
Approximately 24 sts = 4 inches / 10cm across in Stockinette Stitch

Gauge is very flexible for this pattern – use a needle size that will get you a fabric that you like.

Skills needed: knit, purl, increase, decrease, chart reading. This pattern is suitable for beginner lace knitters.

3-page PDF includes charted lace patterns only – no row-by-row instructions.

Available through Ravelry (no account needed), payment by Paypal.

$5.00 USD

Note: As of July 5, 2010, sales tax will be added to this price for all Canadian residents only. The rates are: British Columbia 12%; Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador 13%; Nova Scotia 15%; and everywhere else in Canada 5% GST. Tax will be added in the Paypal payment process.

on reworking

To answer a couple of questions, yes, I plan to release patterns for both my basic black Terra sweater (top down circular yoke, chunky weight) and the brilliant blue cardigan (bottom up circular yoke, fingering weight). I’m not sure how quickly I can get them done, but I’m hoping for sometime this month!

Meanwhile, I’ve been working on a lace shawl that I’m quite into – the original version was in a luminous purple sock yarn from Sliver Moon Farm, purchased at Rhinebeck:

Easy to knit and was coming out how I wanted, but then I went to go chart it up and found that it was rather complicated. The lace pattern is a 6 stitch repeat, and I was increasing one stitch per row – so it was difficult to figure out what the repeat including the increases was.

I’ve decided to change the increase rate, and I’m reworking it in Lorna’s Laces sock in Cranberry. The chart is much neater, and perhaps at this rate, this pattern will be done in short order. I restarted last Saturday, and I’m a little over halfway done.

knitting along

I’ve been at my parents’ house the last few days, house-sitting and cooking for my teenaged sister until my parents come back from their vacation (in Hawaii). Enjoying watching television while knitting on the couch – something that doesn’t happen in my apartment since I don’t have a tv!

Not much to show, unfortunately. I’ve had to rip and reknit a large section of this new project I’ve been working on, but I think I’m back on track now. It’s reversible lace! More correctly, lace that looks great (but not the same) on both sides. I’m very excited about it.

Oh, and before I forget – Pavlov’s Dogs has a gig again tomorrow night! If you’re in Toronto and need a bit of a Wednesday night pick-me-up, check us (and lots of other awesome performers) out at the Rivoli for my friend Bella’s Burlesque Birthday Bash! Facebook page is here, and tickets are $10. Hope to see you there!

a quick FO

In dire need of something that didn’t require thinking and would be off the needles in a few short days, I went back to an oldie and knit up a Milkweed Shawl!

This one will live at lettuce knit – it’s knit from just 2 skeins of Koigu KPPPM, although I did have to bind off 2 rows early (on row 104). I used a 3.75mm needle for this one, and it’s really light and springy.

Super quick and I love the colours. We’ve got more at the shop if you’re interested, too! The colour number is P324.

Just a little bit funny to me to be knitting from my own pattern. But it was nice not to have to figure anything out or do any math while I was knitting it!

raspberry beret pattern

This lightweight, easy to knit hat is an accessory you need in lots of colours! Worked in fingering weight yarn, it is perfect for those skeins of sock yarn or laceweight that are just too beautiful to hide. A bit of slouch makes for a flattering fit.

Work this up in a single yarn, or mix it up with one for the ribbing and a complementary yarn for the rest of the hat – I used Koigu KPPPM for the ribbing and a doubled laceweight yarn for the rest.

SIZES
To Fit: Baby (Child’s S, Child’s M){Child’s L / Women’s S, Women’s M, Women’s L}
Brim Circumference: 16 (17, 18){19, 20, 21} inches / 40.5 43, 4648, 51, 53] cm

MATERIALS
Fingering weight yarn – approximately 180-215 yards / 165-195 m per 1.75 oz / 50g skein
Total Yardage: 150 (165, 195){210, 235, 260] yards / 136 (150, 178){190, 213, 236] m

If using 2 different yarns, you’ll need 15% of the total yardage for the ribbing, and then 85% of the total yardage for the body of the hat.

Shown in Koigu KPPPM for the ribbing (35 yards / 32m) and Skaska Designs merino/silk laceweight, held double (390 yards / 354m), for the body of the hat. Shown in Women’s M.

Pattern download through Ravelry and payment by Paypal (no accounts needed).

$4.50 USD

Note: As of July 5, 2010, sales tax will be added to this price for all Canadian residents only. The rates are: British Columbia 12%; Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador 13%; Nova Scotia 15%; and everywhere else in Canada 5% GST. Tax will be added in the Paypal payment process.

ready to go!

I finished my gloves with time to spare! I knit the fingers at work yesterday and wove in all the ends.

No pattern for this one, just 3 balls of black Baby Ull, some 2.25mm double points and lots of stockinette. I started with 72 sts and decreased down to 44 for the hand (at 8 sts/in) – told you I have small wrists! They’re nice and long and super comfortable too.

Instead of finishing the tops of the fingers like the top of a hat (cut a tail, pull through the live sts) I chose to graft them instead. I have another pair of knit gloves that I did the usual pull-through finish with, and they always have a bit of a hole left at the top. This way is nice and secure at the ends.

I also finally managed to find a top to wear for this performance (and probably others) – I really didn’t know where to go to buy these kinds of clothes anymore, but I ended up at Le Chateau and found just the thing (cheap too). The full effect, although I’ll be wearing a different skirt:

Nothing to do tonight? Come see me and lots of other great people perform! We are the Trampions, a Queen tribute show – Lee’s Palace at 10pm, tickets $12. See you then!