Tag Archives: gradient

Quarantine Sweater

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So, I’m putting my socks (er… sock) in time out for a little bit.  I can’t face ripping out an entire sock, and I can’t face knitting up a second sock that I know for a fact isn’t going to fit.

I also can’t really muster up the energy to dig through my stash and match up a specific pattern to the yarn that I’ve got on hand.  That just seems like way too much effort for right now.

I do, however, have just a ton of Knit Pick’s Alpaca Cloud lace-weight yarn.  Why? I have no idea.  I think the last time I knit with lace-weight yarn was somewhere in the middle of the Obama administration.  (Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice yarn, just not what I usually reach for these days.)

But, I finished my Lovenote (which I just realized I haven’t shared with you yet!), which was knit with finer yarn held double on large needles, which gave me an idea.  I set out my stashed Alpaca Cloud in a rainbow(ish) and started swatching on US10 1/2s.  (See, I learn from my mistakes.  Sometimes.)

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I decided that holding the yarn double made fabric that was still a little too skimpy, so I tripled-up, and came up with something that was light but fluffy, cozy but drape-y.

I busted out my favorite Knitter’s Handy Book of Top-Down Sweaters by Ann Budd, and started on a raglan sweater.  It’s not fancy in the design; no crazy textures or lace, no weird construction, just big blocks of color.  I’m holding the yarn triple, so every block, I switch out one color, which has left me with a rather pleasant color gradient so far.

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I’d originally thought about measuring out how long the sweater was going to be and making the stripes even all the way down, but… meh.  Instead, I’m kind of just knitting until I get bored, then switching.

What will the rest of the sweater look like? Who knows!  Will it be long or cropped or somewhere in the middle?  I dunno!  Will it have waist shaping or tapered sleeves? Maybe?

It’s kinda fun to go into a sweater with literally no idea of what it’s going to end up looking like.  I always go from a pattern, or at least a sketch of what I want the finished project to be, so it’s a nice change of pace and a nice project to have on my needles in this weird, weird time.

What’s your quarantine knitting?

 

Wheee!

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Sometimes you just get cranking on a project, and before you know it, you’ve finished!  (Or nearly finished).  I love those projects- I’m in the zone, my needles flying.

And, this Baby Surprise Jacket was definitely one of those projects.

I had intended to use a bunch of blue and gray yarn, but it turns out, that I didn’t have as much of those colorways as I had originally thought.  I was a little worried at first, but then I realized, I could just add more colors!  The more colors the merrier, right?  Plus, you know how much I love using up scraps from my stash.

So, instead of plain ol’ blue stripes, I ended up with a very cool (if you don’t mind me saying) blue-to-green gradient!

I finished up the knitting on the sweater yesterday, and as much as I love the gradient, I think my favorite part of this (or any) BSJ is how it folds up- it’s the most satisfying feeling ever!  You start with this weird, wobbly-looking piece of knitting, then you fold up one side…and the other…And, ta-da!  you’ve got a beautiful little baby sweater.

Sure, it still needs a little seaming along the sleeves and some buttons, plus a nice round of blocking wouldn’t go amiss, but it’s essentially finished.

I’m so happy with how this little cardigan has turned out- I think the Baby Surprise Jacket might just be my favorite sweater pattern ever.

Moon River

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So, I haven’t decided exactly what to do with my Papaya yarn yet.  I’m currently leaning toward a flowy, cozy cardigan, but I’m not sure on the details yet.

But in the meantime, while I was deciding, I pulled out some lovely blue yarn that my husband gave me for Christmas!  I’m all about stashbusting this month, it seems.

I’ve lost the label, and I forgot to take pictures before I started knitting (I guess I was too excited to get going).  But, I do know this yarn was a gradient set from Wonderland Yarns.  My best guess is that it was dyed in the “Shillings & Pence” colorway, or something close.  (I think mine’s a little darker than what’s shown on the website, so I could be wrong.)Totally pretty, right?  The yarn I have is a little thinner than that shown in this picture, too…  It’s a fingering-weight two-ply, and oh so soft and springy.  It’s a delight to knit with.

Anyway, I’ve had this yarn pinned up on my bulletin board since December, hoping that it would inspire me to make something lovely. And, since I had a little downtime (and wasn’t quite ready to jump into a whole big sweater quite yet), I decided the time was right.

I found a lovely, simple half-circle shawl.  It’s dead easy, but so gorgeous, and a great way to show off my nice gradient yarn.

Moon River Shawlette by Malabrigo TeamIt calls for Malabrigo one-ply, so mine’s turning out a little lighter than the example, but I kind of love it that way.

I’ve gone through the three lightest skeins, and just joined the fourth.  It looks like I’m going to run out of pattern before I get through my yarn, so I’m going to add some extra rows onto the edge of the shawl- I want to use every last inch of my lovely blue yarn.  My shawl is going to be nice and big when I’m done with it!

Have you ever used a set of gradient yarns before?  What did you make?

New Pattern: Gradient Scarf

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Well, when it rains, it pours.  I’ve got another new pattern for you today!  And, better yet, this one’s free!

Introducing: The Gradient Scarf! (Yes, I know I’m not great at naming patterns.) It’s an asymmetrical triangular scarf, wider on one end (obviously, because it’s a triangle), and it’s knit in Knit Picks Stroll and Stroll Gradient.

Stroll Gradient is brand-new, and just lovely (I just received a couple skeins yesterday, and my fingers are itching to start kitting).  It’s a super-soft merino sock yarn dyed in one long continuous gradient.  (And, better yet, the colorways all have goofy names!  “Kale Yeah!” is my favorite, but “Hula Girl” is the one we used for the example.)The Gradient Scarf is worked in the round, starting at the narrow end.  Every few rounds, you increase a couple stitches, creating the gradually increasing triangle shape.  Then, the wide end is closed up with Kitchener Stitch (my favorite), making a super-sleek, seamless scarf.I suppose you don’t have to work this scarf with gradient yarn- it would be lovely worked in all one color, or solid stripes- but there’s something very entertaining and super satisfying in watching your yarn change colors as you knit along.

Want to knit your own Gradient Scarf?  Get the pattern here!  And pick up a ball (or two) of Stroll Gradient here!

New Pattern: Gradient Hat and Scarf

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How does that old saying go?  “A new year, a new pattern?”  That sounds right… yeah.

Well, however that saying goes (and whether or not it’s actually a saying), I’ve got a new pattern for you!

It’s the middle of January, and it’s real cold, so what could be better than a super-squishy, extra warm, nice and thick hat-and-scarf combo?

Nothing.  That’s what.

Introducing: the Gradient Scarf and Hat.52178220_5_medium1This bad boy is made from worsted-weight merino, held TRIPLE, so you know it’s going to keep you warm.  Both the hat and scarf are worked all over in broken rib, one of my favorite stitches.  The fabric is soft, squishy and totally comfy.   Plus, there’s a mean pompom on top of the hat.  You gotta love a pompom. I mean, look at it:52178220_15_medium21And, that’s not all!  This pattern is one of eight in Knit Picks’ new book Quick and Cozy: Bulky Knit Accessories.  Patterns like this adorable red cowl from the cover:75279d1And these gorgeous colorwork mittens:75279d1051You can order a copy of the book here!  Or, if you’re feeling lucky, comment below with your favorite thing to knit in January to be entered to win your very own copy of Quick and Cozy!  (The winner will be announced next Wednesday!)