FO Friday - Solitude Scarf

... aka Yet Another Malabrigo Montego Bay Scarf, this time with fringe! (Here's the first MalaMontego Bay I made, for my MIL!)

For the last bunch of months this yarn was half of a Flutter Scarf, but I just wasn't feeling the ruffle end out of this yarn - 100% merino wool. The ruffles demand a drapier fiber content, something like silk, bamboo or alpaca; and to be truthful, they looked a little awkward. They just hung there, instead of draping nicely; so I never finished the second half.

The reason I picked Solitude for the name was two-fold. First, my husband and I'd just received a Peter Lik photo of the same name* we'd bought for his new home office, and the colors are to-die-for gorgeous! Secondly, I've been a fan of Nina Simone for a very long time, and the song Solitude seemed to really fit with what I felt at the time I knit it.

When I started this scarf, I was really hoping to get the job at Lorna's Laces. It didn't work out for me this time, and so I decided it was okay to be selfish, and knit something just for myself. (I have a bunch of gift knits going right now.)

And then, the Ravelympics hit me, or rather I got obsessive and couldn't hold myself back from them. Fast forward a couple weeks, and here I am now - with a finished scarf and a blanket that's a quarter done. Hahaha...  
That's how I roll, folks - always unpredictable, even to myself!

Specifications - see this scarf on Ravelry!

• Pattern: Montego Bay Scarf by Amy Singer (from Interweave Knits Summer 07)
• Yarn: Malabrigo Lace in Brisa (one skein, including fringe)
• Needles: Knit Picks Interchangeable Zephyr needles, US size 5 (3.75mm)
• Date started: Thursday, January 28th 2010
• Date cast off: Tuesday, February 23rd 2010
• Date completed: Thursday, February 25th 2010

*To see Solitude on Peter Lik's site, you'll need to visit the horizontal panoramic gallery (linked above and here - and click on the piece 5th from the left and all the way at the bottom (Wg197 Solitude) - be careful! His photos are a total time suck, even more so in person! Don't say I didn't warn you when you end up finding an amazing photo you totally love! LOL

FO Friday - Clementine Shawlette

Wowsers! I let this UFO sit so long! No reason, really - except I'm not a huge fan of grafting! Hehehe. I was going to use Lucy Neatby's method, which I found via Ruthless Knitting. This blogger's Clementine pictures helped a ton too, I'm really a visual learner. (Unfortunately I got super lazy, and just used a 3-needle BO.) Before blocking, the two halves measured 26" long by 7 3/4" wide. Post wet blocking it grew to 28" long by 10" wide (that is, before I grafted the two pieces together.)



I consider this my first real lace, because it was my first time working with a chart. I'm so happy I didn't let the fear of the unknown stop me from knitting this, it was really fun to knit, and I'm thrilled with the finished object.

(With the small exception of the small black spot, which my ball winder inflicted as I carelessly wound the skein into a center pull ball. It got less noticeable after I wet blocked it.) Another beautiful Clementine to drool over is Octopus Knits'. It's actually my inspiration, because she used 2 skeins of the same yarn I had on hand. And it's teal. Grin. Aren't the ties so unique? I love them!

Project Specifications - see it on Ravelry!

• Pattern: Clementine Shawlette by Michele Rose Orne, Interweave Knits Spring 07
• Yarn: Bristol Yarn Buckingham in Natural, 80% baby alpaca 20% silk 218yds (x2 skeins)
• Needles: Size 4 Knit Picks Interchangeable circulars (24" cable)
• Started: January '08
  
• Finished: July 14th '08 (wove the ends in on May 31st, '09!)
  

FO - Malabrigo Montego Bay

I actually finished this a while ago, but wanted to wait to post about it since it was a surprise birthday gift for my MIL Robin. When I found the yarn for this, I knew I had to make her something out of it; the color was just perfect. It's Malabrigo Lace weight in Pink Frost, a lovely blend of dusty roses - lighter and darker shades without any of them being too bright or saturated - just the right tones.



I wanted my first foray with laceweight yarn to be fairly easy, so I decided to use Amy Singer's Montego Bay Scarf pattern with a few modifications. I increased the number of cast on stitches to 67, and used size 3 needles, although I switched a few rows in from regular Addi's to the lace ones. Thank goodness I did, they made the whole project so much more enjoyable and quick to finish. The right needles for the project make all of the difference, I tell you what!



The pattern itself was very simple, although towards the end I managed to need to rip back and add a forgotten yarn over about once a day for week! I think I was just trying to finish it too quickly… originally it was going to be her Mother's day gift, but I gave myself so much time that I had it done early enough for her birthday - yeay! Now I have to figure out what else I'm going to make!

If you haven't had a chance to touch this yarn (the Malabrigo laceweight,) you're seriously missing out! It is the softest wool I've ever laid my hands on, and I tend to be pretty picky about scratchy things on bare skin (wrists or neck, people! I know you guys have gutter-minds! LOL) The yarn, going back, has that wonderful sproingey-ness that makes you want to cuddle with it; lofty but not heavy, and substantial without feeling thick at all. Just right. Can you tell how much I like it when that happens?!?!? Hehehe.

Anyhoo, the scarf came up to 6.5"w by 54"l unblocked, from one skein. I was tempted for about a minute to block it, but the recipient lives in downtown Chicago; so I didn't think the lacey holes from all of the yarn-overs needed to get any bigger. It'll stretch if she needs it to, though - the pattern is awesomely stretchy. All in all, a very satisfying project - I hope it gets a lot of wear!

WIP - Vanilla Clementine Shawlette

When I saw that Octopus Knits had used just under 2 skeins of Bristol Yarn's Buckingham for her Clementine Shawlette, I knew immediately I wanted to make one for myself. Then I spent about 2 weeks trying to figure out what else I could make with my 2 skeins of Buckingham. Hehehe. Okaaaay, I'll admit it… I was scared about the graft at the end, to join 2 pieces at the center back. The pattern calls for Kitchener stitch, and I've never done it before. But with all this fearless knitting going around, I couldn't help but have the thought that if I never try it, I'll never learn how it's done (or maybe more specifically, not done. Ha! Plus, my good friend Karrie swapped me for some of her awesome Kitchener stitch markers!)

So, I set out to wind up my yarn into center pull balls so I could use one ball for each half, working them simultaneously. And then, my ball winder ate my yarn! It got caught in the gears, and I didn't realize it right away, winding more into the gears with each turn. Ugh. I managed to get it off of the gears by winding backwards, but it stained enough yarn black-ish, that I'll almost certainly cut it out and splice back together. Oy.

Considering I would've otherwise not have any splices, since it's knit in 2 pieces and then joined, I'm a little pissed. But, I guess that's what I get for not paying attention to a yarn I've not wound before (80% baby alpaca, 20% silk;) the one time I tried to wind 100% silk, it jumped off the winder like it was possessed!!! Hahaha! Paying more attention, i.e. my full attention, I was able to rewind the first ball and get through the second without any more mishaps - thank goodness!

I'm on row 37 of chart B here.

This is my first time knitting from a chart instead of written directions, and I'm pleased that it doesn't seem nearly as complicated as it looks. I guess it's easy to get intimidated when you're looking at the whole chart, but you don't work all of those stitches at once - just one little one at a time! I'm excited that it's not so difficult, because I've been trying to work up the nerve to start a purple Hanami stole. It's so delicate, and I really like the asymmetrical ends; it's a lovely wrap, and I really want to make one for myself.

And a teeny rant... what the frak happened to January? Hahaha! I bought Patricia's calender back at the end of December, and still haven't finished it yet! (That's not to say it's hard, I'm just super picky about my cuts not being clean enough, and I haven't yet decided if I want to use paper or fabric scraps for the empty spaces! Ack, the choices!

FO - Montego Bay Scarf

It didn't take me very long to knit my Montego Bay Scarf; but I did take 5 days to cast it off and weave in the ends! LOL I finished it just in time to wear it to BogHer, and I'm glad I did. It was nice to wear something I made. It was a super easy peasy knit, and I love it in the bamboo - so incredibly soft! (I've been meaning to post this now for over a week, I didn't get the pics I wanted the fist time I photographed it. I think these turned out great, though!)

Specs -
Pattern: Montego Bay Scarf by Amy Singer (Interweave Knits, Summer 07)
Yarn: Southwest Trading Company Bamboo in Intensity, 1 1/3 balls (just over 300yds)
Needles: Knit Picks Options Interchangeable circulars, size 10
Started Monday July 16th, finished knitting July 23 (cast off & wove in ends 7/27)



I opted to shorten my scarf up a bit, the pattern size was 7" wide by 80" long, and I thought that might be a bit too long. I also decided to leave the fringe off, I braided one piece with the tail ends and didn't think I'd like the look for how much work braiding the rest of the fringe would be. My finished measurements are about 6-8" wide by 72" long. The width is tricky, because the lace just keeps on stretching!



I absolutely love this FO, and plan to make more Montego Bay scarves (quick knit = great gift!) It was great tv knitting, and the results look so pretty, even though it was super easy! That's my favorite kind of project lately - big impact with minimal effort! Stay tuned for another Amy Singer pattern, I just cast on for the Everlasting Bagstopper from this summer's Knitty!