knit – Page 3 – Elliebelly Knit & Dye Works

Clapotis: An Old Knitting Favorite

Posted on March 29, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

In 2009 I knit a Clapotis out of linen. To be precise, that is Elliebelly Chemise in the Nassau Colorway.

Every year, around this time I take my summer clothes out of storage, and fall in love Clapotis all over again. Kate Gilbert's brilliant pattern stands the test of time. And, in linen, Clapotis is decorative, protective from the sun, a little bit of extra warmth – all as needed.

It's interesting how some knits remain favorites for ever. This Clapotis, my second one, knit up much more quickly than the first. It's much smaller and I understood the pattern going into it. It's very simple. And yet, I reach for it constantly.

What knits have stood the test of time for you? What patterns do you see out there that you think could achieve that status in your knitting? My other knit in this category is Lida, which I finished just last year, and which I wear constantly.

Elliebelly’s Adventurous April KAL 2015 Begins

Posted on March 28, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

The Knit Along isn't actually beginning just yet, but I'm winding my yarn and gathering my notions so I will be all ready on April 1. Looking for a KAL to join? Our pattern, Antarktis, is a one skein project that is beginner appropriate and we are lots of fun to knit with! You can use any yarn you want, and, if knitting a scarf/shawl isn't your thing, we also have a stuffed animal and a "learn a new technique" category. Sign up for the Elliebelly group on Ravelry here, introduce yourself in the threads and feel free to join in with us!

I've selected my yarn after lots of back and forth. It's Elliebelly's MCN (merino/cashmere/nylon) High Twist in a fingering weight. It's a pale robin's egg blue called Lady Mary (if you watch Downton Abbey, you'll remember the dress that inspired the colorway!)

My runner up choice is this Elliebelly Seasilk in Jabot. I went with the Cashmerino blend because the Seasilk doesn't grow as much when blocked, and pattern designer Janina Kallio stresses the importance of selecting a yarn that will block well.

I'm all set. I've got my new Darn Pretty Needles all ready to go, along with my yarn in a pretty linen bag from Churchmouse. See you on Wednesday for the start of knitting nirvana as we all cast on.

First Finished Object — Malabrigo March KAL 2015

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

It's my first finished object for this year's Malabrigo March Knitalong. Or does it count as two? Tardis Blue mittens, knit from Malabrigo's Bulky weight Rasta yarn.

This is a great last minute gift project, as they knit up in just a few hours at this weight. The yarn is so soft! This is the kind of project that makes you glad you're a knitter.

Olivia At Last

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

I'm done with Olivia! Despite some last minute, late night concerns about finishing the short rows and some early struggles with fisherman's rib, I'm finished and really very please with the result.

I like the color. In case you've forgotten, since it's taken me months to do the knitting, this is the Plucky Knitter's Holloway colorway on her Primo Aran yarn. Lovely.

Let's be candid. Because we are all friends here.

There are mistakes in my Olivia. Mistakes I did not fix. I struggled to fix mistakes in the rib, so I finally decided that the two places with mistakes needed to stay. And I needed to embrace them because, well, Olivia is not perfect and neither am I. Good reminder of my limitations.

I love her despite, or perhaps even because of, her mistakes. She's so warm and scrunchy, even though the yarn grew and softened with a good wet blocking. I'm hoping my model will give her back to me at some point. It's been hours, but she still shows no signs of returning Olivia to me.

I've got almost three-fourths of the last skein left, so I've cast on a hat to match. I love the host of cables. Hopefully with a three day weekend, there will be some time to knit this up.

Knitting with Dragons. Color Choices. Why I Knit.

Posted on February 6, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

Drachenfels, which means Dragon Cliffs in German, is also a wonderful pattern by Melanie Berg for a multi-colored, knit shawl.

(c) Melanie Berg (with permission)

My plan is to knit it with sport-weight cashmere from The Plucky Knitter.

The issue? Color selection. I have some choices ahead.

Choice One: the blue color is Thank You Note, and truth be told, it is probably my all time favorite color. The green is called Good Old Days, and the first time I saw it, I wondered who could possibly like it. The answer is me. I've got a hat on my needles in it, a sweater in a related shade in progress, and plans to do another sweater (because I want a pullover in this color in addition to the cardigan I'm knitting). I adore it, and although as a kid I was told I couldn't wear green, this one works for me. And gray. Because I love gray.

Choice Two: It's hard to capture the depth of this teal blue-green. It's the same color as the Olivia I currently have in progress, which I've also been unable to get an accurate color photo of.

Choice Three: I am not a colorful person. But I could be, especially if I knit Drachenfels up like this!

Choice Four: Ignore Thank You Note on the left, and focus on the delicious introduction of Cabernet, the red, with the pink (Decorum Dictates) and the light gray. This one might be impossible to resist.

Choice Five: My original thought was to go with the two grays and the scummy green. But the contrast wasn't high enough. Then Decorum Dictates, the blush pink, dropped into my lap while they were out. The three on the left — pink, gray, and green.

Choice Six: Another strong contender (ok, they are all strong contenders or we wouldn't be having this wishy-washy post), I originally thought about doing this is the red and grays combination, and this is the yarn I ordered for Drachenfels. And I still love it. I love them all. I think they would all be splendid. So, I'm having a hard time deciding.

Choice Seven: Finally, there is this lovely concoction of gray, blue, and red. It will look good with black, which is a must in my wardrobe. It is both unusual and familiarly comforting. I like it a lot. But then, as we have previously established, I like all of them.

So help me out. Let me know what you like and why. What would be practical. What would be whimsical. Help me decide on colors for my Drachenfels, and consider joining me! Drachenfels has been knit 511 times on Ravelry (as of this posting) and in such a wide variety of yarns!

This project pretty much sums up why I knit. Beautiful colors. Wonderful, soft fibers. Texture. The planning is as much fun as the knitting. The finished project will be surreal. Truly, I cannot wait!

Knitting Catch Up

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

With apologies — my long lovely weekend with this child

kept me from blogging. But, not knitting. In addition to reporting that she thoroughly enjoyed visiting Georgetown and had a great time auditioning at the Washington Ballet, I have some knitting progress to share.

One thing I have come to accept about myself is that although I can pack a week's worth of clothing in a carry on bag, my "personal item" — the second carry on airlines allow — is exclusively devoted to knitting. For this four day trip, I had four projects along with me.

Top to bottom you can see my newly cast on Tipperary Shawl, the French Laundry colorway portion of my Sugarloaf Cowl peeking out, a wee bit of my Vodka Lemonade sweater in the bag with the green zipper, and Olivia, which grew a lot on this trip.

I'm indulging my inner geek here, and sharing my Da Vinci drawing style Dr. Who meets the Daleks project bag, which is Olivia's home.

My big knitting news is finally finishing the fisherman's rib portion of Olivia, and moving on to the short rows. For some reason, short rows and I have never been friends before, but we are getting along famously this time.

There was, however, the predictable knitting disaster without which no trip would be complete. Forgive the late night/hotel room/bad lighting photo, but it portrays the exact moment at which my lurking suspicion that the game of yarn chicken I was playing with my third skein of Plucky Primo Aran was going to end badly. See the little bit of yarn that trails across the right front side of Olivia? That would be the 12" of yarn left from my last skein. And, at this point, I still have 50 short rows left before I get to the lengthy cast off row.

This was the first project I cast on with Plucky yarn, and I didn't stop to realize that the yardage for the pattern yarn, Plucky Traveler Aran, is different than the yardage for the Primo Aran that I substituted. Several other knitters noted the need to shorten the rib when knitting in Primo to conserve yarn for the garter portion of the pattern, but apparently oblivious, this girl knit a fulsome seven inches of rib and then came up short on the garter.

Thankfully, a kind knitter has already put one of her precious skeins in the mail to me. I'm hoping for a good match and a bit of time this weekend, as I'm ready to wrap Olivia's squishy goodness around my neck. Love, love, love this pattern.

What’s Your Favorite Color To Knit With?

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

It started innocuously enough, with a couple of pretty skeins that I purchased during a trip to a favorite local yarn store in Tuscaloosa. I'd never really thought about chartreuse. It looked like Shrek. And, my Mom never really liked me in green. But those first skeins jumped into my cart over the summer, and suddenly that color was everywhere!

Have you ever developed a color obsession from out of no where? It's not even a trendy, Pantone scale color for 2015. It just suddenly caught my eye. And my needles.

There seems to be no end in sight. I have some coming for a sweater — slightly different, and in different fibers, than the one I already have in progress. And a few skeins for a cowl that will likely be a gift for a friend.

I wonder if it's just me, or if everyone picks up color obsessions over time; only it's magnified for knitters and other crafters who work with color. I would love to hear about your color obsession!