April 21, 2011

Yarn: Rowan Wool Cotton, DK weight 50% Cotton/50% Wool, in Citron and Smalt
 
Needles: 4 mm / US 6

Gauge: 4.5 stitches x 8.5 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Instant Plaid 

Source: BW3, p. 236.

Comments:  This faux-plaid is made with slipped stitches - for the longer ones, you wrap the yarn twice so that it carries nicely, without puckering the fabric.  Very fun effect, but I fear the slipped stitches would catch on things too easily, and get ruined.  Oh well...  (ps: that is a greenish yarn for the background, its not just your eyes!) ;)

April 20, 2011

Yarn: Cascade 220 100% worsted weight wool, in Beige

Needles: 4.5mm / US 7

Gauge: 4.5 stitches x 7 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Clover Chain

Source: BW3, p. 9.

Comments:  What do you do with stitches like this?  I can't imagine making a sweater out of it... maybe a blanket or something? I don't know...

April 14, 2011

Yarn: Rowan RYC Cashsoft DK, 57% Wool, 33% Microfiber, 10% Cashmere, in Crush

Needles: 4 mm / US 6

Gauge: 6 stitches x 7 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Bleeding Hearts 

Source: BW3, p. 156.

Comments:  I think I need to try this with a different yarn/needle combination, because my overall impressions of it is that its too much work for the final result.  On the plus side, the Canadiens won while I was knitting this, so overall its all good.  ;)

April 13, 2011

Yarn: Cascade 220 100% worsted weight wool, in Dark Plum

Needles: 4.5mm / US 7

Gauge: 4 stitches x 5.5 rows per inch (I blocked this quite severely)

Stitch Pattern: Alan's Pattern 

Source: BW3, p. 7.

Comments:  I'm running out of things to say about the swatches... I've just been picking random patterns based on how much time I have, and what I'm going to be doing while I knit them - these days, I seem to be needing a lot of simple, easy to follow patterns that knit up quickly.  :)

April 12, 2011

Yarn: Cascade 220 Heathers 100% worsted weight wool, in Pumpkin Spice and Yakima Heather

Needles: 4.5mm / US 7

Gauge: 4.5 stitches x 10 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Two-Colour Fabric Stitch 

Source: BW3, p. 228.

Comments:  This fabric is super dense and - due to all the slipped stitches - very smooth.  The back looks a little like and over-stretched moss stitch done in 2-row stripes.  I think this would make a really interesting fabric for a waistcoat, especially when done in two very similar tones like these.

April 3, 2011

Yarn: Cascade 220, 100% Worsted weight wool, in Navy, and Patons Classic Wool Merino, 100% Worsted Weight Wool in Old Gold

Needles: 4.5 mm / 7 US

Gauge: 5 sts and 5 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Tongue and Groove Stripe, vertical stockinette version

Source: BW3, p. 191.

Comments:  I really like mosaic patterns.  They look really fun, and given that you only ever use one colour at a time, you don't have to worry about carrying your yarns across the back of each row! Now I just have to figure out how to turn this into a proper project.  hmmm... I wonder how it might look felted?

March 30, 2011

Yarn: Cascade 220, 100% Worsted Weight Wool, in Dark Plum

Needles: 4.5 mm / 7 US

Gauge: 4.5 sts and 7-ish rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Miniature Smocking Stitch - Fish-Scale Pattern Variation

Source: BW3, p. 246.

Comments:  There seem to be a lot of these "yo, knit X stitches, pass yo over X stitches just knit" type of patterns.  This one varies slightly because you work the yarn-over backwards, bringing the yarn over the top of the right hand needle, from back to front (as opposed to bringing it around between the needles and then taking he yarn from front to back).  I'm not sure you can see the difference on the front, but its much more obvious on the back - it looks almost like a line of slipped stitches.  (I'm not giving a picture, to tempt you to try this out for yourself!) :)

March 19, 2011

Yarn: Berroco Vintage Worsted - 50% Acrylic, 40% Wool, 10% Nylon in Breezeway

Needles: 4mm / US 6

Gauge: 4.5 stitches and 7 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Fancy Herringbone

Source: BW3, p. 247.

Comments: This is a great pattern for anything that needs to be very flat - it doesn't curl at all.  I suggest using it with non-splitty yarns on very sharp needles - lifting the stitches over can be a real pain otherwise! 

March 17, 2011

Yarn: Patons Classic Wool Merino, 100% Worsted Weight Wool, in White, and Paton's Decor, 75% Acrylic and 25% Worsted Weight Wool, in Rich Sage Green

Needles: 4.5 mm / 7 US

Gauge: 4.5 stitches and 9 rows per inch 

Stitch Pattern: Shamrock Mosaic

Source: BW3, p. 211

Comments: Happy St. Patrick's Day!  :)

March 8, 2011

Yarn: King Cole Merino Blend DK - 100% Superwash Wool, in Avocado

Needles: 4 mm / 6 US

Gauge: 6 stitches and 7.5 rows per inch

Stitch Pattern: Broken Chevron

Source: BW3, p. 5 (Ooooo!  A new book!)

Comments: I'm falling behind the posting thing here - I keep finishing my swatches late in the evening, and then they don't dry (post blocking) in time for me to post them before bed!  :)

This one is from Barbara Walker's 3rd treasury pattern book (the yellow one).  She charts her patterns in this one, rather than writing them out line by line.  I don't mind it, except I'm not used to her symbols, and therefore have to keep flipping from the pattern to the glossary in order to follow any of the more complicated patterns!