cosmicpluto knits!

production knitting (and ripping)

I’ve been busy busy getting ready for my trip to Boston and Rhinebeck! Mostly this involves running around and buying new stuff for traveling – something about taking a trip really brings out the shopper in me. I need a new water bottle! tote bag! pj pants that can be seen by other people! case for my new camera! etc etc etc. Now I’ve got a suitcase full of Coffee Crisps and I’m still working on my knitting after a bit of a Rhinebeck sweater disaster.

Yeah, it looks ok. But trust me, this was NOT GOOD. The shoulders were WAY too roomy for little ole me, which I really only discovered after sewing in the sleeves and knitting the collar (which also needed some tweaking). Total fail. So I ripped the collar, took out the sleeves, took apart the shoulders, ripped the upper body back to the the underarms, ripped sleeve caps, and rejoined it all to work a seamless set-in sleeve. It’s blocking (again) now and I think it’s MUCH better! Plus I got a pretty pretty ribbon to put in, which makes me happy about it. It’s not perfect, but it’ll do for now I think!

I put the finishing touches on my swap hat, which I think is ready to go -

and now I’m working on finishing up a scarf – just a few loooong rows to go.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to finish packing those new pj pants and get to a Thanksgiving dinner! Happy Thanksgiving to all my Canadian friends and readers.

new and improved, kinda

So this week I decided it was time to just bite the bullet and buy myself a new camera body! I love the lenses I use (Sigma 30mm f/1.4 and 17-70mm f/2.8-something) but I felt like it was time for a body upgrade. The body I was using, a d40, has been discontinued for awhile now and I’ve been ogling a new one for the last few months! I got a Nikon d5000.

This is definitely a fair upgrade – double the megapixels, Live View, takes HD video, great sensor, but still in a more compact body than the spendy-but-awesome d90. There were a few things that made me choose the d5000 over the d90. Price was a big one, the d5000 being more than a couple hundred dollars cheaper. I’m used to the display of the d40 and the d5000 is quite similar, and the size and shape are similar as well. The d5000 is a touch bigger than my old camera, but not as big as the d90. Since I have teeny tiny hands that’s important to me! (Although of course if someone wanted to sell me a d90 for the same price or something I certainly wouldn’t refuse). The d5000 also has an interval timer, meaning you can take more than one timed shot at a time.

One of the biggest things that sold me on the d5000 was the “vari-angle” LCD screen. This means the screen flips out and rotates. Perfect for self-portraits, or in my case most of the time, knitting pattern shots! So cool, right? Well…

The LCD screen hinges from the bottom. Which is great if you want to say, use the live view and the LCD to hold the camera up high and still see what the camera sees. But it’s going to be useless for my self portraits. Can you see why? Yup, it won’t play with a tripod. You can’t put the camera down on something and still see the screen. This was a pretty poor choice on the part of Nikon – the screen should have hinged from the side, making it available at pretty much all times.

So overall I’m happy with the photos, and the displays, and I’m happy I bought this camera. But I really, really wish that the LCD could have been used as I imagined – mounted on a tripod, able to see myself and make sure I was in the photo and what the framing looked like. Oh well. It does take pretty photos! The first thing I noticed was that the colours were much easier to capture and truer to life, straight off the camera. I haven’t had a lot of time to play with it yet, but a couple of knitting photos:

(A hat for a swap we’re doing at Rhinebeck! So excited! THREE WEEKS!)

This colour, Madelinetosh’s Composition Book Grey, was pretty tricky for my old camera. With the new one, presto!

I’m trying to get this sweater done in time for Rhinebeck – the sleeves are done, but I keep having to restart the body. Even just now I looked down at it and realized I should’ve done more hem shaping. Once I think of something like that, I can’t just let it pass, so I guess I’m ripping yet again!

Dew Point!

I had hoped to get this pattern up before the end of August, but well, the end snuck up on me pretty quickly! One last summery item, and hey, if you live in the Southern Hemisphere you’ve got lots of time to knit one before your summer!

DEW POINT SHRUG

A fun and quick top-down shrug is a perfect layering piece for transitional weather – give those fun summer dresses a chance for cooler weather, or just keep the air conditioned chill off in warmer climates.

Dew Point is knit seamlessly from the back neck down in lightweight yarn with a pretty lace border all the way around. It uses a small amount of yarn and is great for showing off those luxury yarns that are just too pretty for socks.
Shown in Back Size 15” / 38cm.

Technical Editing by Jaya Purswani.
Special Thanks to Mary-Heather Cogar for pattern editing.

SIZES
The back size is measured from the outer edge of armpit to armpit – not centered under your arm. Get a friend to help measure your back, or measure across your own front from just where your arm and chest meet, above your breasts. Note that if you are busty, you may take a smaller size than usual because the shrug only fits across the back! If you are between sizes or unsure, knit the smaller size.

Back Sizes: 13 (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)” / 33 (35.5, 38, 40.5, 43, 45.5, 48, 51)cm
Upper Sleeve Measurement: 12.25 (13, 13.25, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)” / 31 (33, 33.5, 35.5, 38, 40.5, 43, 45.5)cm

YARN
Sport or light DK weight yarn.

Yards Required: 375 (400, 437, 470, 510, 550, 600, 650) yards of sportweight or light DK weight yarn
Metres Required: 343 (366, 400, 430, 467, 503, 549, 595)m

NEEDLES AND NOTIONS
US 4 / 3.5mm circular needles, 32” / 80cm, or size needed to obtain gauge
US 4 / 3.5mm double pointed needles or needles of choice for small circumferences in the round

Note that the 32” / 80cm needles can be used for the entire project if you are comfortable with working Magic Loop for the sleeves.

smooth waste yarn
stitch markers
tapestry needle

GAUGE
24 sts and 28 rows = 4” / 10 cm square in Stockinette Stitch

MORE INFO
Skills needed: cast on, knit, purl, increase, lace (written directions only).

4 page colour PDF file contains written instructions, photos, schematic and abbreviations. This pattern contains fill-in spaces for you to write down the numbers for just your size. You can type in your numbers right in the file in Adobe Reader!

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

$5.50 CAD

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 CAD

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 CAD