More Spring Cleaning

My winter sweater is done just in time for Winter to end and Spring to begin.  Although it came in handy yesterday when we went plant shopping since it was only in the mid 40s.  This pattern is called Sock Yarn Sideways Swing Cardigan and can be found here for purchase.  It is knit with 6 ply sock yarn.  The designer used OnLine sock yarn, but I got a wonderful deal at www.littleknits.com on Regia 6 ply Kaffe Facett yarn and the cost of the yarn was just under $20 for an extra-extra large size.  At my age and for a knitter life can't get any better than that.  So here is my mug shot including cardigan.  As you can see, I am a wee bit short, but wide. I did change all edgings on the  cardigan to a moss stitch pattern instead of the picot edging. What I liked about the pattern was that you can make the front wider than the back for those of us who are "frontally challenged."

By the way that's my walnut cane, bought once upon a time at a yard sale for 5 cents as a hiking stick.  I think it has much more character than one of those that you buy at the pharmacy. This stick is so me. Unfortunately, I think, I have to turn in my Birkenstocks when walking on our uneven land.

In the mean time, knit on merrily.   

Spring Cleaning...

...can take on various forms.  I remember as a child my aunt would empty the house of most furniture and then go on a cleaning spree that lasted all day.  Before night fall all the furniture would be returned to its proper place and peace would reign until Fall.  I am doing a different kind of Spring cleaning.  I decided it was high time to finish some of the unfinished knitting projects that have languished in my house, gathering dust as well as dog and cat hair.  So here are photos of three projects, all started in 2011 and finally finished in April 2012.  Plenty of projects had been completed in the meantime, but none were for me.  So here they are:

Knit with GGH Cadiz bought ages ago and no longer being marketed.  The pattern is based on a Drops design without the sleeves since I ran out of yarn.

Knit with GGH Illusion also bought eons ago, and I believe no longer on the market.  Used  the pattern from Cascade Yarns Rio T  since the yarn had similar specs.  I left out the garter stitch pattern just under the bust.  Now that I have a sample that fits, I will include the garter stitch section if I knit it again.
 

And now that Spring is just around the corner in Northern Michigan, my winter cardigan.  It was designed specifically for 6 ply striped sock yarn.  The designer used OnLine; I used Regia Design Line Kaffee Facett.  The pattern can be bought here .  The cardigan came in handy yesterday as the temperatures were only in the mid fourties.  I did change the picot edgings to seed stitch edgings.

Knit on Merrily and please notice no snow on the ground. 

Butterflies

Many cities have butterfly exhibits in early Spring.  We have our own this year, right in our own front yard.  Due to the mild winter, the Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta) has exploded, feeding on the flowers of our gooseberry and red currant bushes.  Only the cool winds prevent me from sitting outside and marvelling at the sight, but I can see them flitting past the living room windows.  Certainly, there are more professional pictures in the universe, but these are my very own Red Admirals and, therefore, special to me.

Part 2: Froggy went a frogging

Even after 60+ years of knitting, mistakes are still being made. So what's the matter with this picture besides the neck not being finished?



And the comedy of errors continues.  It's a good thing I am not superstitious (aberglaeubisch) or I would just give up on this project and put it out with the garbage.

Knit on Merrily?

Wanted...

...one slender and tall adolescent to model sweaters for the Akkol and Urupinka orphanages in Kazakhstan.  Unfortunately, none to be found in this family.  Therefore, all sweaters are displayed on a hanger or in a chair.

All my knitting for our Spring Drive for the Mittens for Akkol group is completed. I knit for sweaters and several pairs of socks. 

OK, this one needs some steaming.  Knit with Peace Fleece yarn.  This was my first use of Peace Fleece.  I was not too impressed with the yarn.  Way too much vegetable matter in the yarn.  Knitting was slowed down considerable since every foot or so I had to stop and pick out bits of straw. 

Lyon Brand Yarn's Top Down Pullover  knit with Jojoland Baritone 100% wool yarn.  This a nice and easy top down pattern which I may knit again.

 

Knit with 1 strand of worsted weight Knit Picks Wool of the Andes and Knit Picks Suri Dream, a brushed Alpaca (no longer available from Knit Picks) after a pattern from Dawn Leeseman called Merino Stripes Leaf Pullover .  The original was knit with a Crystal Palace Yarn.  I felt a belt would go well with it since the yarn is not striped.

Similar in construction to the first sweater, this one was knit with Berroco Ultra Alpaca.  I liked knitting with this yarn.  It is a soft, easy to knit with 50% Alpaca and 50% wool yarn.

Knit on Merrily!