Modification Monday: Apple Leaf Lace Scarf

Original Pattern: Scroll Lace Scarf

Knitter Extraordinaire: Hinke (Rav Id)

Mods: Using the Scroll Lace Scarf and the Heart to Heart Beaded Scarf  as a starting point, Hinke created this stunning shawl, which was intended as a stash-busting project. She intentionally made it a bit smaller than the pattern, and instead of the lace trim from the Scroll Lace Scarf, she used  apple leaf lace.

What Makes This Awesome: Stash busting scarves are always a win, especially when they are as elegant and timeless as this one. I love the simple stockinette paired with the gorgeous apple leaf lace. There are so many lovely lace trim patterns out there, and I love how Hinke customized her scarf to include one that she loved. This is proof positive that you can make a totally original shawl/scarf by using a pattern as a guideline, and any trim you want. Go forth and customize!!

Knitting Comic!

Only someone who knows knitters could write a comic like this:

Both G and I are addicted to this comic series, Questionable Content. This is the only knitting related one I've seen in the strip, though.

Modification Monday: Problem Solving and the Case of the Cashmere Veronique

Original Pattern: Veronique

Knitter Extraordinaire: Aimee (Rav Id)

Mods: Made the back portion less voluminous by casting on fewer stitches. Added ruching to the sleeves, using crochet to keep the gathered folds in place. The edging was done as a single crochet cast off, and then has a delicate crochet trim.

What Makes This Awesome: How pretty are those sleeves?! I love that detail. And you saw the word 'cashmere' up there, right? I can just imagine how buttery soft this little shrug must be. Or I should say, must have been. You see, Aimee was not entirely happy with it. The sleeves worked out great, but the neckline was problematic- it just kept falling off her shoulders, and you know how frustrating it is to keep fussing with your clothes. So, she didn't wear it. And rather than waste delicious, delicious cashmere... she frogged it.  Her new plan is to knit up the Whisper Cardi in the same yarn, and incorporate the same sleeve detail that she tried on this project. I really commend Aimee on this. Sometimes it's hard to let go of a knit that just didn't quite meet your needs, and you keep delaying that trip to the frog pond, even though you know it's the best thing.I can't wait to see it knitted up as the Whisper Cardi with the sleeve detail!

Project page, including sleeve mod details, is here.

I've always thought that the best part about Ralvery and the community of knitters is to share what works and what doesn't, so that others can learn from the process and be inspired, or at least just see the danger zones. So, I scoured the Ravelry project pages to see what others had done with Veronique, and it turns out that most people had this problem with the lack of shoulder structure, and seem to just treat it like a shawl with sleeves. 

 I've given it a lot of thought, and I can only think of two straightforward possibilities to fix that problem: either deliberately make the shoulder section in smaller size than called for in the pattern, or just let it fall off one shoulder for an "oh no, my sexy bare shoulder keeps escaping from this delicate shrug, whatever can I do!" sort of thing. I'd channel my imaginary self inner French Girl and be all mysterious and alluring, with my bare shoulder. Naturally there would be candlelight. Except I don't think my husband would take me seriously at all if he thought for a moment I was flirting with him, especially with a bare shoulder. So... I guess I'd make it smaller.

Put on your problem solving hats, everyone- if you were going to knit this, and you knew that the shoulders were going to slip off and generally give you problems, what would you do differently? 

FO: November Fitted Pullover

Pattern: February Fitted Pullover

Yarn: Tanis Fiber Arts Green Label (Aran Weight). I absolutely love this yarn!! soft and squishy, with great stitch detail.

Needles: 4.5 mm circulars 

Mods: knitted an extra two inches between the waist decreases and increases, and lengthened the 3/4 sleeves to full sleeves. 

Notes: I. Love. This. Sweater. It's the perfect marriage between a really wonderful yarn and a really wearable, flattering pattern. I knit about 90% of this sweater while drugged up and recovering from having my impacted wisdom teeth removed. Everyone warned me that knitting while under the influence was a bad idea. They shared stories of waking up in a pile of yarn or having to frog everything. I was amazed that the sweater turned out. Error-free, I thought. That is, until about 5 minutes ago when I was looking at the FO shots and thought to myself, "what's that funny line just under the bust section?" So I looked at the sweater. And sure enough, there is a mistake (it's a 2 row pattern, but it looks like I did row 1 twice, and then carried on as usual). So..... it seems I have not produced an error-free knit while under the influence.

Although you've got to admit- it's a pretty well-placed error. It looks like an empire waist detail! At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

I'm Back!! With a New Website, and a new Name!

G has very kindly been working away at  creating the new blog for me while I've been recovering, and today is the new launch! Welcome to Knitted Bliss. It's pretty much the same as Teamknit was in the past, only facing up to the fact that it's been a solo show for a while. I'm so excited!! Please update your links accordingly (although the old site directs you directly to this site, so it's all good).

Recovering from impacted wisdom tooth extraction: I had no idea my face could swell up to the gigantic proportions that it did. If it weren't so painful, it would have been really funny. Because in all honesty, I looked like this:

Only without the smile.  It was so swollen that it hurt to open my mouth wide enough to get a spoon inside. So I drank my food, surviving off of my killer smoothies, and this pumpkin soup recipe, which has been amazing. I doubled the garlic in the recipe, and it was delicious sipped it out of a mug.

You know what was really surprising? Although I have hardly any recollection of knitting at all, somehow, when the drugs were done, I had this:

My apologies for the strange light, I was holding a lamp in one hand and the camera in the other, trying to get a clear shot. I'm still seaming the other sleeve, and then I'll give it a good blocking. FO post to follow very soon!

Modification Mondays: Featherweight Meets Minimalist

Original Pattern: Featherweight Cardigan

Knitter Extraordinaire: Klara (rav id, blog)

Mods: Klara cast on fewer stitches for the top section to reduce the volume of fabric around the neck, and make the neckband more narrow. Since this cardi is called Featherweight Meets Minimalist, I'm sure you can guess what happened next- she used an all over double moss stitch to mimic the minimalist cardi texture. The collar is worked in 1x1 ribbing, and cuffs in 2x2 ribbing. 

What Makes This Awesome: For those of you that ready the blog regularly, you know I'm a sucker for a great pattern mash up- it's like doubling your pattern knitting satisfaction!  I love the double moss stitch texture, the simple style, and I'm a sucker for grey. This is the kind of cardigan that I wish was already in my wardrobe- so wearable, you can throw it on with anything.  Admit it- if you knitted this, you'd wear it all the time! Project page is here.

Modification Mondays: Cabled Bolero

 Original Pattern: Cabled Bolero

Knitter Extraordinaire: Una (Rav id)

Mods: Used fewer pentagrams and arranged them in a different configuration, as well used the collar edging  completely around the bolero, for a more finished look. More details on her mods, specifically a very handy diagram on how she put it all together, is on her project page.

What Makes This Awesome:  This is a popular but really challenging pattern, and many people have tried to modify it into a more wearable garment. I've even got this one sleeping away in my Ravelry projects page, too. But Una's take is easily the most sophisticated and wearable mod of the bolero I've seen- it's the kind of sweater that you wear out and absolutely everyone asks you wear you got it.And how perfect is the knitted button?! I love this sweater, it's utterly perfect. If I ever get around to finishing my bolero, I'll be using Una's mods, for sure. And looking at hers makes me want to dig mine out of the WIP pile, posthaste!

Into Hiding, Briefly

I'm having my wisdom teeth removed this morning. They are impacted, and apparently one is so close to my sinus that they won't be able to get it out with nicking it slightly, and leaving a small hole (it'll heal, but wtf?!) between my mouth and sinus. The lower ones are so close to the nerve that runs along my lower jaw that they suspect I'll have some temporary nerve damage (again, sounds like a party, right?). So I'm  hunkering down this with painkillers, smoothies, and these two knitting projects:

I know that the minimalist cardi won out in the vote, but the February pullover has cast a spell on me. Also, a bit of a confession- I suspect that I might prefer the minimalist in grey. I'm not sure. I need to have a think about it, especially since I suspect I have enough yarn for both. Crazy talk, right? Well folks, I'm feeling kind of crazy. Must be the oral surgery I'm undergoing, oh, probably while you're reading this.

I'll be back next week when I'm off the painkillers! Mod Mondays will go forward as scheduled.

FO: Modern Pumpkin Garden

Bright sweaters look better with bright lipstick, no?

Pattern: Modern Garden

Yarn: Plymouth Yukon, in "Pumpkin"

Needles: 10 mm circulars

Mods: None.

Notes: This was a test knit for Veera, who designed the absolutely stunning cardigan, Modern Garden.  It is designed to use the leaf motif as the shaping, which works quite well. This means that where the leaves are broadest, there are more stitches, such as the bust and hips.

I got to choose my own yarn, and I chose the Plymouth Yukon, as it was a great price on Webs. However, I must warn you that it sheds. And sheds. And pretty much sheds more than my fluffiest cat, Gatsby. Giving the sweater a bath helped tremendously, and did adding some glycerin to the soaking time. It's better now, but while I was knitting it.... orange fluff everywhere.

A word to the wise: chunky knits require negative ease. I really recommend that your Modern Garden have some negative ease, too.

 My husband G always takes the pictures, and I feel like recently we've really found out photo groove. We had lots of fun shooting these photos on Halloween, but is was SO windy that day!!

Modification Mondays (and my Own FO!): Cotton Candy Boatneck

 I wonder if it's self-serving to have your own mod on Modification Mondays.... screw it. I'm doing it anyway.

Original Pattern: Whisper Stripe Pullover


Knitter Extraordinaire: Me.

Mods:This pattern didn't start at a size small enough to fit me (32"). So I modified the stitch count and went down slightly in needle size. I knitted it in the round instead of flat. As for the yarn, I only used 2 yarns instead of 3 called for in the pattern. I also thought the yarns used in the original were kind of expensive, so I got the well-priced (and deliciously awesome) Elann Peruvian baby Silk and Elann Super Kydd. I highly recommend both yarns.

I also eliminated the ruffles at the hem and sleeves, shortened the sleeves into 3/4 length, added waist shaping, and changed the neckline from a scoop into a boatneck.  As for the stripes, I used the pictures from the pattern as a guideline, and put them where I felt like it. I can't stand row counting, I find it tedious. More details on the mods, including the stitch counts, can be found on the project page.

What Makes This Awesome:   I have to tell you- this sweater feels like heaven. I love wearing it so much!! It's lightweight, surprisingly warm, and just feels like I'm cuddled up in a cotton candy cloud. I loved the delicate pink that was used in the original pattern, so I shopped for yarn that was similar. I'm really pleased with how it turned out, and I really enjoyed knitting it- it was so light, it felt like it flew over the needles. There is only one thing I wish I had done differently-  jogless stripes in the round. I forgot jogless stripes existed until I finished the sweater.

Usually it's my kitty Yarn that loves to get all up into the knitting action, but today is was our other kitty Gatsby who wanted to be in on things. He's not usually a ham, but I think he just wanted to cuddle up with this awesome pink sweater. He's such a fluffy beast, isn't he? Most of what you see there is fur, he's really a small bodied cat. Wow, that was such a 'defensive parent' thing to say, wasn't it? "It's glandular! He's just short for his age!" etc. Sigh. I love my cats.