Italian Dish Knits

Jared Flood’s Autumn Leaves

September 5, 2012

Wow – it’s been a while since I’ve posted around here but hey – something called “Summer” happened. There was a lot of yard work to do and feeding my summer addiction. But I was knitting. I’ve been working on two big, long projects and finally got one of them finished – the Autumn Leaves Stole by Jared Flood.

This stole is knit in two halves and then grafted together, using kitchener stitch. I had the first half finished the first part of the year and then, after it went on a stitch holder, I got distracted and picked up some other things to knit. But discipline set in and I determined to finish the second half. The second half just flew off the needles. Such fun to knit!

Jared’s pattern is, as usual, so well written and the chart is easy to read. The pattern is very easy and once you get the hang of the stitch symbols, a very fast knit. This stole can be worn as a scarf, also. I’ve used Madelinetosh Vintage, which is a yummy yarn, so warm and soft.

Pattern: Autumn Leaves Stole
Needles: US 9 Circular Addi Lace Turbo (of course)
Yarn: Madelinetosh Vintage in Bark
Ravelry Page

Posted in finished objects, knitting, scarves, Shawls/wraps | Tagged knitting | 2 Comments »

Super Stretchy, Super Easy Sewn Bind Off

March 25, 2012

When I posted about my finished Guernsey Wrap, I said that I would write about the sewn bind off that I did to finish it. Jared recommended a stretchy bind off in the pattern and so I did Elizabeth Zimmerman’s sewn bind off. I think it’s my favorite yet. It’s not only easy to execute but it has a nice finished look to it and is super stretchy. Here is how it’s done:

Cut your yarn to a length about 3 times as long as the knitting and thread it onto a needle. Insert the needle into the first two stitches, purlwise . . .

. . . and draw it through

insert the needle into the first stitch on the knitting needle as if to knit, draw the yarn through and . . .

. . . slip the stitch off

Repeat.

This creates a super stretchy bind off that actually resembles your long tail cast on. My new favorite.

Posted in knitting, techniques | 11 Comments »

Guernsey Wrap

March 13, 2012

The Guernsey Wrap is finished but – surprise – it’s a different color! When I started this wrap, I began it in Madelinetosh Vintage (a superwash yarn) in Bark, but as I knit it up, I decided I didn’t like the color in that particular pattern. So I ripped it out (you have to be brave when you knit) and ordered a different color for the Guernsey. While I was waiting for that to arrive, I began knitting up the Bark in a different Jared Flood pattern – Autumn Leaves.

I so love his patterns. So I knitted half of the Autumn Leaves stole and then the new Madelinetosh showed up and I started the Guernsey Wrap in Moorland. I don’t know why I didn’t like it in the Bark, but it just didn’t look right to me.

The pattern calls for casting on 58 stitches but I cast on an extra 12, which is 1 repeat more. In reading a lot of project notes on Ravelry, I felt like a lot of people were not getting quite the width after blocking. I’m glad I did because even with an extra repeat and fairly aggressive blocking, the wrap is only 16″ wide! I don’t know how the heck Jared got his to 17″ with only 58 stitches.

This pattern is very easy. The charts, at first, look daunting because the symbols change every other row – how are you supposed to remember that? Someone on Ravelry said she went through and highlighted all the purl stitches so she could remember. But a few rows into it, I realized you don’t need to do anything like that – if you remember that every single row begins with 3 knit stitches, then you know in that particular row what the knit symbol is going to be. The purls are just the opposite symbol. Easy!

Jared recommends a stretchy bind off and so I did Elizabeth Zimmer’s sewn bind off. It was perfectly stretchy and easy to execute. I’m going to post how to do it as a separate follow up to this post.

Pattern: Guernsey Wrap
Needles: US#8 Addi Lace Circular
Yarn: Madelinetosh in Moorland
Ravelry Page

Posted in finished objects, knitting, Shawls/wraps | 33 Comments »

Selfish Knitting

February 2, 2012

January was “Selfish Knitting Month” when knitters start projects for themselves after all the holiday knitting is finished. That was so true for me, but I had to stop work on the Granny Stripes blanket because I ran out of one color. Everyone has it on backorder with no estimated delivery date from Cascade Yarns. I even e-mailed Cascade and asked them and no answer. Very nice. So that project is on a little hold until I get some more Cascade 220 Superwash in Vinci.

No matter. This gives me a chance to finally start a Guernsey Wrap from Jared Flood. I’ve always wanted to knit that wrap. I love his patterns. They are just so well written and full of beautiful texture. I’m doing this up in super soft Madelinetosh Vintage worsted in Bark. We are traveling to Italy in a few weeks and I hope to have it completed so I can take it with me and use it on those chilly nights on the Amalfi Coast!