Lorelei at (psychedelic) sunset - done!

In the interests of stashbusting, I present myself with this fine top ... a suitable antidote to a rather grey day, I thought!

Front:


Back:


For some reason it looks a bit bunched up in the photo - probably because I'm paranoid about the size of my stomach recently! SIGH.

Specs:

Yarns: remnants of each of the following:

- Super3 mercerized cotton (orange)
- Romni linen in two shades (red)
- SWTC soysilk (red)
- Noro Kureyon (pale variegated)
- Handmaiden Silken (bright variegated)
- Mission Falls (fuschia and peach - don't remember the official names of the colours)
- Berocco Suede (pink)
- probably some more I've forgotten about...

Pattern: adapted from Yarnplay by Lisa Shobhana Mason... this is a cross between the Lorelei and Poppy tops, size small

Start Date: 7 or 8 August

Needles: 4.5 mm Clover Bamboo and 4.5 mm Clover crochet hook


Notes:

- this is my second stab at the Lorelei (I have had more compliments on the last one I knitted than any other top this year!). However, it was the photo of the Poppy in Shobhana's book that inspired in part the colour choices and "layout"
- in this regard, I skipped out the eyelet rows in Lorelei and substituted ramdom purl rows against the stockinette. I think it looks quite sharp!
- other modifications: I had to adjust the stitch and row count slightly, assuming close to aran weight for the yarns I was using. I also made it a bit slimmer than the last one. (33" around instead of 33.5")

I love how loud it turned out, although am not 100% about the idea of alternating the orange and red stripes at the top. Oh well.

This is a tremendous scrapbuster that I would recommend to just about anyone. I think they are both very flattering patterns for many figures... and a very simple knit with minimal shaping and seaming.

Now to bore you with some close-up shots!

Detail shots:




Next off the needles: probably another Tomato, just about as loud as this top! Also working on the Goddess from Stitch Diva (on commission from a co-worker, in chestnut coloured Lang Opal Maxi) and "Gaia" (design by Haley Waxberg of Knitomatic in Toronto... yarn is Handmaiden Silk Spun).

lorelei/poppy in progress

Here is the latest project on the needles - scrapped the Tomato in favour of a tank tee modelled on the Lorelei and the Pppy in Shobhana Mason's Yarnplay. It's turning out to be a good scrap/stashbuster!

:-)

PS. In the ongoing quest for stashbusters, and having had to content myself with reading for the past week on the TTC... last night I hit upon a brilliant idea. At least, I thought it was brilliant at the time.

Namely, I figured I could use scrap and "one skeins" left over from other projects to make... wait for it... a log cabin blanket.

That's right - a blanket.

I started this blanket today (right now the temperature is 32C or 37C with the humidity...). I won't go on about my "humidex" pet peeve. Suffice it to say that it doesn't seem like the best time of year to knit a blanket. However, I'm stubborn and I have no other portable projects at present... so, we'll see.

Wish me luck!

2 presents from a proud Canadian...

... to the proud Canadian she sees in her mirror every day! I managed to complete two tank tops today!

1. Lorelei

Front:


Back:

Specs:

Yarn: Cotton Fleece Berry (2 skeins) and New Age Teal (1 skein)
+ Lang Mille Colori 1 50g skein
Needles: 4 mm Addis and 4 mm bamboo crochet hook
Pattern: Lisa Shobhana Mason in her book "Yarnplay"
Time spent: 6 days approx.

This was great to knit and I really like the finished outcome. It did turn out a bit less formfitting than I wanted... but no huge problem. I stuck to the pattern closely this time... but did a slightly different design on the front and the back, which is why you all get treated to a shot of my butt (just in case you were wondering!) ;-)

2. "TTC Tank"



All but the shaped part at the top was knitted during my commute to work (1/2 hour approx)... my first subway knitting project, but not my last! (however, I guess I'll have to find a simple scarf pattern..). This one, like the Lorelei, had the benefit of being a stashbuster... this one was knitted almost all in the round and the only seaming was the shouders (for which I did a 3-needle bind off instead...)

Yarn: Lana Grossa Elastico (cotton/polyamide)
Needles: 3.25 mm and 3.75 mm takumi bamboo + 3.5 mm crochet hook
Pattern: "4x4 rib tank" by Cabin Fever.

Cheers!

Kristina

PS. the toxic looking cooler in my hand? One word of advice... DON'T SPILL IT. It actually has stained my countertop. SIGH. None of which, of course, stops me from drinking it...

who needs fireworks, anyway???

I decided to start creating my own fireworks today... with this wildly coloured Cascade fixation yarn!



Here is my completed Lorelei... not blocked yet, but wanted to post anyway!

Specs in today's second post (together with pictures of me, perhaps a reason to avoid it... and gaudy looking vodka cooler!)

And this is the new work in progress:



And... these will be future works in progress...



To the left is allhemp 6 by Hemp for Knitting, to the right Sari silk. Thanks to those on the Knitty message Board who suggested washing these. I notice a bit improvement with the hemp in particular... the Sari silk not so much but it still did soften a bit. The hemp is my latest acquisition... and although the red linen in my stash drawer is no doubt feeling very jealous and neglected I will probably be using that one next.

As for the He Gansey... back on the shelp (just for a short while).

Oh, by the way... Happy Canada/Dominion Day!!!

Lorelei in progress...

This is the new "TTC tank" I am working on - by Shobhana Mason in her book Yarnplay. However, I'm so happy with the pattern that I am cheating and working on it off the subway as well - started on Monday this past week.

Here's a couple of shots of how I hope Lorelei looks when she grows up...

Betty's
Claire - 28 April post

The photography skills of both Betty and Claire are clearly far superior to mine as well!!

And here's my work in progress - bottom almost done:




I'm using Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece for most of it.

... and where is the He Gansey, you might ask? Still in progress. Only the sleeves left to go. Will get back to it today... really, I will!

I went yesterday to the LYS and bought some Hemp for Knitting (allhemp 6) in periwinkle and pumpkin. End goal - yet another T-shirt! (a girl can't have too many... apparently).

Gansey and TTC Project #2

Here are my updates:

(a) the gansey sweater

I'm ready to start the neck shaping now... then the sleeves... no seaming! ;-) Gotta love this pattern. Unfortunately for me, it means I've developed a new yarn predilection - Rowan All Seasons Cotton (probably $2million per ball where I live... got this stuff on line at Cucumber Patch but do not wish to develop an online yarn purchase habit...)





Luckily I have some more All Seasons in "sea spray" - for me! Stay tuned...

(b) TTC project #2

After what seems like years, the TTC tank #1 (below) is FINALLY at 14" - after seeming to hold at 13" for about 50 rounds. I must confess I cheated and did a bit at home last night. Now I can't do any more plain knitting without shaping, so time to start a new TTC tank: the Lorelei!

Here's the beautiful photo that led me to buy the pattern book - linked from the Knittyboard:

Knitting Betty's Lorelei

...and here's my swatch:



Too bad it's not big enough to hide my face:


Using good ol' Cotton Fleece this time around (from the stash...! Well, more or less...) together with a skein of Lang Mille Colori for the middle panel.

Wish me luck!

Kristina

PS. Smoking is SO glamourous...