Getting reacquainted with Malabrigo

I recently got my Aidez off the needles. Everything has been blocked and dried except for the sleeves which are now currently being blocked and drying. Ten skeins were the perfect amount to complete the knitting but not the seaming. I didn't want to spend too much on another skein and didn't want to have to order online (because NO ONE LOCAL has Berocco Peruvia Quick!) and wait another week for it. I went to Michael's to find a similar yarn to use for seaming. It also helped that I've been holding on to a Michael's gift card I received 2 birthdays ago. Because of the holidays there wasn't much selection of what I needed on the shelves. Lion Wool-ease Thick and Quick in Oat was the closest I could find. It's lighter in color to what I need but I'll cross my fingers and hope it works. Seaming yarn isn't supposed to show anyway. Did I say I hope this works?

While I wait the sleeves to dry I immediately put The Last Hour Hat on the needles. It HAD to be. I mean, did you see how cute and simple and Anthropologiesque it looks? I'm not much of a hat wearer but maybe after I finish Last Hour I will be. I think the pattern author has been published in Vogue Knitting numerous times and definitely want to knit her Eternity Scarf pattern as well. So many projects and so little time.

I originally wanted to make the hat for my sister-in-law as a Christmas gift but time got away from me. I had bought a couple balls of Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran to make it with but changed my mind the moment I found Malabrigo Worsted at Imagiknit. To my knowledge, they have the largest stock of Malabrigo in the area. They always have a ton whenever I go there. I haven't been to Article Pract as much but I have a feeling they have a huge stock of it too. I think what turns me off from going is the sometimes sketchy location and not easily finding free and close parking.

So back to Malabrigo...I forgot how much I love it! I know I just made an earflap hat with the much chunkier version of Malabrigo, but worsted is so soft on the skin that I wish I could sleep on a pile of skeins. I can imagine it would feel like sleeping on a cloud. I'm sure I'll finish up the hat by next week at the lastest because I'm determined to get Ishbel on my needles ASAP. With what yarn? A Verb for Keeping Warm's Annapurna. I purchased it over a year ago and haven't known what to do with it until now. There was a store sample at Verb's new store opening and it was beautiful. I'm also not much of a triangular shawl wearer but it could easily be wrapped around my neck instead to show off the lace pattern.

I think 2011 will be a great year of knitting projects. Let's get knitting!

How about some quick Malabrigo lovin'?

At the Verb for Keeping Warm re-opening at their new Oakland location I came across this lovely skein of Malabrigo goodness...



Kristine created it into an earflap hat to show off at her new space and I immediately had to make one of my own. Because of how chunky the yarn is I knew it would be a quick knit so I could use it on the Thanksgiving Tahoe trip.



I knew the work load at the office would be super slow during Thanksgiving week so I knit it up in a few hours. Knitting helped me keep me awake! I ripped it out when I got home because I felt it was coming out too snug and the length was a bit short for my taste.



I knitted 2 extra rows before the 1st decrease row. Then before the next decrese row I added an extra row. I used 3 strands for each cord and braided it. I may (or may not) re-do the cords and make them into i-cords instead.



It was perfect for the Tahoe trip! It kept my noggin nice and toasty. =)

Cape of Drab

My 3G iPhone camera doesn't do the colors justice. The florescent lighting at my desk makes it so drab. I started the decrease repeats a few days ago which means I'm halfway through finishing this cape.

I've got to be honest, I'm not really loving this garment. Not sure why. Maybe because this isn't a color I usually work with? Maybe working with sock yarn that makes this project so painstakingly long to knit is boring me? Once I'm done knitting, blocking, and sewing on the perfect button I'm sure I'll be more excited about wearing it through the fall weather.

Here's my problem...I can't think of an outfit to wear this with. From what I recall at Stitches West the Malabrigo rep wore their sample garment with a black A-line type skirt, probably a fitted black shirt underneath, and knee high black leather boots. It was a cute ensemble on her. Put that outfit on me and it's not something I can pull off with my body type. I might not even be able to pull off this cape.

We'll see what happens. I'll look through some Bergdorf Goodman outfits online to get some ideas. They're proclaiming knits are all the rage this season.

I was looking at my projects on Ravelry and I'm so sad that I haven't finished any projects this year. It's not that I haven't tried. In January I had every intention of finishing my green Backyard Leaves scarf. The pattern is beautiful and I wanted to wear it the remainder of the winter season...then I ran out yarn. I thought I had one other ball somewhere in my stash or I stupidly didn't calculate the right yardage for the scarf. The unfortunate problem is this yarn was bought as a closeout yarn from Tuesday Morning which means I CAN'T FIND THIS YARN ANYWHERE!!! I could find a substitute but finding the right shade to match is going to be a bitch. I tried looking on Ravelry hoping to find someone that has extra or willing to sell but this color doesn't seem to exist for anyone but me.

I started an improvised shawl sweater but that went down the tubes. I realized halfway through that it was going to be too small and the ribbing pattern wouldn't suit me. I need to find a ribbing pattern that comes out flat and not bumpy. After I finish the cape I'm going to frog it and start over. I'll finish a pair of socks that's been on the backburner as well.

I'm crossing my fingers I'll have at least 3 projects in the bag by the end of the year. Maybe even 4.

Knitting Inspiration

Malabrigo Sock Yarn in Arbol, originally uploaded by Filipina Sakura.

I was cleaning out a bag I had brought to Stitches West in February and found this free pattern Malabrigo handed out called Coprispalle. I remember how beautiful it was on the the person wearing it. In Italian, Coprispalle translates to "shrug" (via google translator). I think it's more of a cape than a shrug though. Whatever it is, it's beautiful.

I needed some inspiration to kick my knitting rut and this was it. I've been really bummed by my past sweater projects not working out and decided I need to not make any for awhile. So, this one size fits all cape will do for now. I hope I get some use out of it if and when I finish. At the rate I'm knitting I'll be done by the Fall months which will fit this colorway. This is Malabrigo's yarn sock in Arbol...a bit of olive green and chocolate brown. Personally, I'm not a fan of wearing garments that have a lot of variegated color but I think I can pull this one off.

I casted on twice (269 stitches!!!) the wrong way until Erin pointed out to me that the instructions to the double needle cast on was at the end of the pattern. Goes to show that you should always read the directions first before casting on. =/ After looking through youtube videos and slowly reading the instructions step by step, I finally cast on succesfully yesterday. Sheesh.

Silk + Merino = Luscious

I finally found Malabrigo Silky Merino at Imagiknit earlier this week. YAY! This stuff is dreamy soft. They had just got in 3 colors, 4 skeins each. I took all the Nocturnal. I just LOVE purple. I had decided that if I ever found a good deal on Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb or found something similar to it I would make another Clapotis. I hate the first one I made using Noro Silk Garden. It's pretty but so scratchy on my skin. I've barely used it. Silky merino is very similar to Lion and Lamb but a smidge lighter in weight.

I couldn't wait so I casted on Clapotis. It's beautiful :) I'm probably going to buy every color of Silky Merino I can find at Stitches West!

I should be fixing (or frogging) TD but I don't wanna. Not ready yet.

Last week I went to Daiso (Japanese dollar store) in Union City. Lookie what I got:

- stitch holders

- bamboo crochet needles

- buttons

- foamy mats to use for blocking

All $1.50 for each item. Daiso is awesome.

Selfish Knitteritis

I couldn't resist. I have to make one for my own noggin before I start Christmas gift knitting. I've been thinking about not knitting as many gifts this year because I had a flash back of this time last year. I was literally knitting during every free minute I had and my head was spinning. To my knowledge I know that everyone I made gifts for loved what I made them but mannnn...it became too much. I know it's poor planning on my part knitting last minute but that's just how I work, dammit. I don't think about knitting for other people until the end of the year because I'm too busy making stuff for myself. =)

Alrighty...gonna get a move on and work on my Foliage. I'd like to make one modification to it. I don't want to mention what it is to avoiding jinxing and botching my idea.

Quick Mitts

I can't believe I got a pair of fingerless mittens out of 92 yards of Malabrigo left over from Foliage and there's still a yard or two left. It fits snug on my hands because I should've used size 7 needles instead of size 6, but I think for the recipient it should fit perfectly.

One Christmas gift done...more to go.

Like a Plum Tree

Except on my head!I can't say enough good things about Knitty's Foliage hat pattern and mmmmMalabrigo yarn. The combination makes me happy.=) It reminds me of my big plum tree in my backyard. Unfortunately I have to part with this. I decided I'd get some Xmas knitting out of the way early. The lucky recipient better love Foliage as much as I do.