My Recent Projects & Reviews
Here you will find my current and recent projects with links to the patterns, what yarn I am using and a bit about how I'm going along in the pattern, moderations I have made and a review of the pattern and garment once I have finished it.
Recent Project
Trifle Wrap by Helen Stewart
Cast on date: 26 October 2023
Yarn: Leftover sock yarns and a mini skein set from Blackwattle yarns plus a few minis from my own collection.Yarn: SuriSilk Laceweight- a blend of baby suri alpaca and silk. Colourways: Various
The Trifle Wrap is the first window in Helen's Knitvent for 2023.
It is knit in a fingering weight yarn held together with mohair silk lace weight (I'm using the undyed SuriSilk above) to create a DK weight yarn.
Knit across the rows in a chevron pattern with each colour using approximately 20 grams so it's perfect for those Advent calendars languishing in your stash or all those little leftovers from other projects
The mohair helps blend the colours together smoothly and created the most gorgeous snuggly floof. It's going to be a gorgeous wrap / throw. The pattern is also easily adapted so you can make it thinner or larger by adding another chevron repeat and you can also stop shorter than using 24 minis. It would make a great throw for the lounge or end of the bed.
Link to my project on Ravelry.
Recent Project
Woven Shadows by Yumiko Alexander
Cast on date: 28 August 2023
Finish date: 4 October 2023
Yarn: Cotton/Linen blend yarn hand dyed by me.
Colourway: Storm Season (a dark blue)
Knit sideways across the body in two flat pieces, the front and back, and then seamed at the shoulders and side seams. There is no other shaping as the drape of the linen fabric creates a lovely neckline and opens up the lace.
The designer has listed this pattern as an intermediate knitting knowledge level.
Designed to be worn with 6 inches of positive ease for a loose fitting garment.
The body stitch pattern includes an eyelet mesh along one edge for the neckline, a stockinette stitch pattern in the center, and woven lace along the other edge for the hem.
My Notes
I am using the recommended needle size of 5.5mm needles which is giving me a nice open weave stockinette fabric and teamed with the cotton / linen blend yarn is creating a lovely cool fabric for a Summer addition to my wardrobe.
The wave lace pattern is a 16 row repeat but easy to memorize and is repeated on both the front and back of the design.
Overall the pattern is well written and easy to read. It is a relaxing knit with enough lace to keep you entertained amid the stockinette.
I am making the sleeveless version which has a drop shoulder sleeve but the pattern has instructions for 2 other sleeve lengths included. The photo above is of the medium sleeve length. I realised that I had knit the back longer than the front but adjusted the sideseams to 'cinch' up the extra length so the side seams met top and bottom. The back drapes down nicely to cover my bum, and the front is a little higher and I love it this way. There is a video on my Instagram and Facebook that you can view of me modeling it.
This pattern was a quick knit, well written and easy to understand and follow along with the lace sections. Very simple but clever design and will be a great piece in my Summer wardrobe knit from linen. Overall I'm really happy with it and would knit this again.
I have finally seamed and blocked this project and absolutely love it and would recommend it to anyone wanting a nice summery easy fit top.
Recent Project
Oshima (Classic) by Jared Flood
Cast on date: 11 July 2023
Finish date: 1 Sept 2023
Yarn: John Arbon Harvest Hues Light Aran
Colourway: Woad
Knit from the bottom up in the round until dividing for the sleeves. This means there is both brioche stitch in the round and flat but other than that the pattern is stockinette with some basic ribbing. The lovely brioche stitch details are formed with simple increases and decreases.
My Notes
While this should have been a fairly simple and straightforward pattern I have found it frustratingly difficult to get gauge. This is partly due to my change in yarns as the designer uses two strands of fingering weight yarn held doubled which equates to an aran weight yarn and partly because I feel that Jared and I have vastly different knitting gauges. I have substituted for a 'light aran' in the John Arbon Harvest Hues. I also went down a needle size to compensate for the difference between the aran and light aran difference. My gauge was still way off with the resulting fabric being quite open and lacy and not at all suitable. After a few more attempts at gauge and different needle sizes, and some time out in the naughty corner, I ended up going down 3 needle sizes. The fabric is still a little looser than I would normally knit but it is within an acceptable range and look, especially for where we live here in Brisbane.
After knitting from the bottom up in ribbing and then stockinette you come to the beginning of the brioche section. To set up you knit a decrease round on smaller needles (there are 4 different needle sizes in this pattern) This round is very important for the overall look of the sweater as brioche has a tendency to spread width wise and can give a gathered appearance in the middle of your sweater.
While mine didn't gather or spread out I still didn't like the unfinished look of where the two fabrics met so I added two rows of garter stitch to create a small border between the two sections. I noticed that some other knitters have used a Latvian braid stitch which looks lovely as well.
The Brioche section is knit in one colour which keeps things nice and easy and once you get into the rhythm of the stitches it is a nice relaxing knit. The architectural look of the Brioche lines are actually achieved quite simply via the arm and shoulder increases and decreases.
The finished sweater is just lovely. The architectural lines are really eye catching and give the sweater a minimalist styling. The yarn is perfect for this type of knit and will wear well with very little pilling which is important in a sweater, whilst still being 'next to the skin' soft. Overall I'm really happy with the results.
Link to my project on Ravelry