Toasty 暖烘烘

 

Toasty by Leslie Friend

Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Superfein in 412 (medium heather gray)

3.25 mm needles

2011/12/2 ~ 5

Dolly was quite content with the Fugue set and the Twisted Rib Cowl but there was only one tiny problem: she couldn't touch her iPhone screen with the mitts on. So, a pair of fingerless mitts were to be knitted. Knowing Dolly, a simple stylish design will do, hence, Toasty. Well, she did mention my Toasty during the conversation. They were knitted with the Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Superfein leftover from the Fugue set. The amount was just right for a pair of Toasty.

表妹對賦格帽, 賦格手套和扭羅文脖圍很滿意, 一直說好漂亮好漂亮, 但是有一個小問題: 戴了手套就沒辦法用 iPhone. 於是, 要打一雙露指手套. 我知道表妹喜歡簡單有型的款式, 所以就暖烘烘手套囉! 其實, 表妹是有提到我的那雙暖烘烘啦! 打賦格帽和賦格手套剩下的中灰色線, 剛好打一雙暖烘烘, 一點都不浪費!

Stockholm Scarf 斯德哥爾摩脖圍

 

Stockholm Scarf by knittedblissJC

Lana Grossa Alta Moda Alpaca in 022 medium heather gray

5.5 mm & 6 mm circular needles

2011/11/16 ~ 27

While shopping yarn for Fugue and Twisted Rid Neckwarmer, I spotted this alpaca yarn that is so warm and lofty, although it costs a lot but I really want to try it out. That was also why I recommended Stockholm Scarf to my aunt and Dolly in the first place. Actually, I bought 3 balls of this Lana Grossa Alta Moda Alpaca in medium heather gray along with the merino for TRN. I decided to knit Stockholm anyway. And I would let Dolly decide if she likes it or not. If she likes it she can have it, if not, I will keep it!

買要打賦格和紐羅文脖圍的毛線時, 有瞄到一組駝羊毛的線, 看起來又輕又暖, 值趕超讚但貴鬆鬆的線, 很想買來試. 這也是當初我會推斯德哥爾摩脖圍的原因之一.  而且在買扭羅文脖圍要用得線時, 就買了 3 球這線, 打定主意就是要打斯德哥爾摩. 打好後如果表妹喜歡, 就給她, 如果不喜歡, 就我自己留著囉!

Working with larger needle and the airy cable-tube construction yarn slowed me down a little. But I totally enjoyed knitting it. In November Taipei was still quite warm, and when Stockholm grew wider and wider, my lap felt warmer and warmer. Even my hands got extremely warm knitting it.

這條脖圍用得針碼比較大, 且這組線比較特別, 是空心管繩索狀, 打起來比較慢, 但是這線高即打起來感覺超讚. 十一月的台北天氣還不冷, 脖圍越織越大的時候我的腿也越來越熱, 因為駝羊毛真的很暖, 連手都熱呼呼.

Me trying on Stockholm Scarf and fooling around a bit.

試圍斯德哥爾摩脖圍然後做搞笑動作...

Dolly wearing Stockholm Scarf. She said since January she was wearing Stockholm for it is one of the coldest months in Japan, and that it is very, very warm!

表妹圍斯德哥爾摩脖圍. 她說年底後她都一直圍斯德哥爾摩, 因為一二月才是日本最冷的時候, 而且斯德哥爾摩超暖的!

Twisted Rib Neckwarmer 扭羅紋脖圍

 

Twisted Rib Neckwarmer by Michelle Johnston

Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Print Superfein in 766 (blue-green-gray variegated)

4.5 mm circular needles

2011/11/13 ~ 20

 

Besides tam and mittens, my aunt also commissioned me a scarf for Dolly. The scarves she knitted wasn't thick enough. Dolly felt that they weren't warm enough for she walks 30 minutes to class everyday. After a discussion with my aunt, I decided to knit a cowl for her.

除了帽子和手套外, 阿姨還託我打條圍巾給表妹. 因為她打的那幾條都不夠厚, 表妹走路走半小時去上課, 有點凍不住. 經過討論, 決定打條脖圍給她.

Unlike the tam and mittens, I spent days searching for the cowl pattern and eventually came down to three: Stockholm, Twisted Rib Neckwarmer and a third whose name I can't recall. Dolly and my aunt liked TRN while I recommended Stockholm. But Dolly is the receiver of the cowl so I have to knit what she likes.

脖圍的織圖花了我好幾天時間, 最後篩選成三個: 斯德哥爾摩, 扭羅文, 還有一個忘記叫啥名字. 阿姨表妹都喜歡扭羅文, 我是推薦斯德哥爾摩. 不過畢竟表妹是最後要帶的人, 還是要打她喜歡的樣子.

After finishing the Fugue set, I went yarn shopping again for the cowl. Since I had a great experience knitting with Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Superfein, and I knew the LYS carries variegated ones, so I thought I should give it a try. This colorway immediately caught my eyes, and very fortunately it is consisted of the colors Dolly likes. Although I wanted to knit a wider cowl for more coverage and easy wearing, I only bought 3 balls according to the pattern, and would like to see how it would go before deciding how many more I would need. In the end, I bought 1 additional ball, and used up all 4 on the cowl.

打完賦格後, 我又去買毛線. 打賦格用的 Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Superfein 感覺很不錯, 還有賣段染的, 就想說來試試看. 第一眼就看上這個顏色組合, 剛好都是表妹喜歡的藍綠灰. 一開始已經計畫好要打一條高一點的脖圍, 覆蓋性比較好, 但是我還是照織圖說明先買了 3 球, 先打下去在看最後要再加買多少線. 最後只加買了 1 球, 且 4 球通通都用上了.

I actually like to wear it like this indoor.

其實在室內這樣圍蠻不錯的.

Dolly with TRN. It's barely visible though for she didn't turn on the light. Her roommate was still asleep.

表妹圍扭羅文脖圍. 幾乎看不見因為她沒開燈. 室友還在睡覺.

 When I finished TRN it was very already very cold in Japan, so I sent the Fugue set and TRN via airmail, along with Dolly's favorite chocolate.

扭羅文脖圍打好時日本已經很冷了, 我就把賦格帽, 賦格手套和紐羅文脖唯一起空運去東京給表妹. 還有幾盒她最愛的巧克力.

Fugue 賦格

Fugue by Kate Davies

Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Superfein in 444 (dark heather gray) & 412 (medium heather gray)

3.25 mm & 3.5 mm needles

Tam: 2011/11/5~7

Mittens: 2011/8~13

My cousin Dolly went to Tokyo to fulfill her dream: study Japanese in Japan.  She left Taiwan in late September when the weather was still warm. I was thinking about knitting her something to keep her toasty up there in winter. She has plenty of scarves already knitted by her mother, my aunt. So I thought a tam would be nice to keep her head warm but wasn't sure she would wear one. 

表妹到東京去念日文了. 九月底過去十天氣還熱. 那時我有在想是否要打個什麼東西給她,日本東天很冷的. 圍巾她已經有很多條, 都是阿姨打給她的, 所以當時想帽子應該是不錯的選擇, 只是不知道她戴不戴帽子而已.

After she settled down and started her classes the weather changed. My aunt commissioned me to knit a tam for her, preferably  a stranded one. Exactly what I had in mind! And Fugue almost came up immediately after mu aunt and I had the conversation. I sent the picture to both my aunt and cousin, to make sure she likes it (more on that later), and bought the pattern. Then went shopping for yarn, which was easier than most of the time for Dolly likes gray scale colors, and these Lana Grossa Cool Wool Merino Superfein grays were calling out to me!

表妹到東京一陣子後, 天氣開始冷了. 阿姨就請我幫她打個帽子, 因為她走路上課, 東京冬天風大, 吹得頭很痛. 真是剛好, 我就想打帽子給她. 打的帽子還希望是配色的. 一說到配色馬上想到賦格. 我還先把賦格的照片給阿姨和表妹看, 確認她有喜歡, 才下單買織圖. 再來就是去買毛線. 這次買毛線輕鬆多了, 因為表妹喜歡灰色系, 且這組 Grossa Cool Wool Merino Superfein 的線看起來不錯, 也有好幾種灰色可選.

I followed the pattern religiously. Really. I listened to Bach's Fugue while knitting the tam and mittens as suggested by Kate Davies. Seriously, it calmed me down almost immediately and I didn't make any mistakes on the stranded work! The stranded work looks way more difficult then it really is, and it was a joy to knit listening to Bach's Fugue.

我完全依照織圖打, 甚至遵從設計師 Kate 的建議, 打的時候要聽巴哈的賦格. 因為設計賦格的靈感證是來自巴哈的賦格. 真的, 一聽賦格馬上就可以靜下心來打, 且這個配色花樣看起來很複雜, 但打起來一點都不困難, 也許跟聽了賦格心靜有關係? 總之, 聽巴哈賦格打賦格真的是件很享受的事.

 

 

I even like the inside of the tam. The stranded work looks equally fascinating.

連反面我都喜歡. 這個配色花樣即使在反面也是一樣的令人覺得讚嘆.

 

 

 

When knitting the second mitt, I totally forgot to do the stranded work by reversing the chart, and didn't realize that until both mitts were finished. Luckily it wasn't too obvious when they are worn. 

打第二隻手套時完全忘記花樣要反過來看, 兩隻手才會對稱. 等到打完以後才發現, 還好帶起來沒有很明顯不對稱.

Introducing Dolly with Fugue in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

表妹戴賦格帽於東京新宿街頭.




*** Dolly is very specific with her things. If you bought her something without making sure it was her style, her color, she would not even touch it. That's why I had to send her the picture of the pattern.

表妹對東西有很明確的要求. 如果妳買個東西給她沒有事先確認是她喜歡的樣式或顏色, 她連碰都不會碰的.

6 Shawls in 3 Weeks 三星期六條披肩

From left to right: Swallowtail, Holden, Sur un petit nuage, Yasmine (shawl), Yasmine (scarf), Alice.

左到右: 燕尾, 霍爾登, 小小雲端上, 雅思敏 (披肩), 雅思敏 (圍巾), 愛麗絲.

After Swallowtail, I finally felt I could use a break. And when I look up I realized that I've knitted SIX shawls in... what?... THREE weeks?!

打完燕尾後, 終於覺得想要休息了, 然後赫然發現自己在三星期內打了六條披肩?!


Seriously, I didn't rush-knit any one of them. I just knitted, finished, went on to the next and so on... couldn't stop!

我沒有趕工打任何一條. 就是打一條, 完成後再接著打下一條... 就停不下來啦!

Swallowtail Pour Moi 我的燕尾

Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A. Clarke

Handmaiden Fine Yarn Sea Silk in Rose Garden

3.75 mm needles 

2011/10/31 ~ 11/4

Finally had a chance to knit a Swallowtail for myself using the Sea Silk bought ages ago specifically for this shawl. No modifications were made. Knitted according to pattern. Love the outcome! The color Rose Garden and Swallowtail match perfectly!

終於有機會給自己打條燕尾, 且是用 n 年前為了打這條披肩買的 Sea Silk. 尺寸沒有加打, 完全照織圖做. 成品很令人滿意, 用的線顏色名為玫瑰園, 打成燕尾感覺很對!

Feels quite punky paired with leather jacket.

配皮衣感覺有點龐克.

Holden Shawlette 霍爾登小披肩

Holden Shawlette by Mindy Wilkes

Malabrigo Yarn Lace in Azul Profundo

4 mm circular needles

2011/10/23 ~ 26

I have been wanting to knit Holden since it was published, but somehow never got to do it. After knitting four Marie-Adeline shawlette, I couldn't seem to be able to stop, so I went on knitting Holden. 

自霍爾登被發表後就一直很想打, 但說也奇怪卻從來沒去打. 連打四條 MA 小披肩後手停不下來, 終於把或爾登也打了.

It's the edging that attracted my attention in the first place. Didn't do a nice blocking the first time. I was blocking four shawls at the same time and ran out of pins. Didn't pin every picot. Should do that to fully show the beauty of Holden.

就是這個豆豆邊引起我的注意. 定型的時候沒定好. 當時同時定型四條披肩大頭針不夠, 沒辦法每個豆豆都用一針去拉. 要霍爾登充分展現她的魅力記得每個豆豆都要一隻針去拉喔!

Sur un petit nuage pour moi 我的小小雲端上

Sur un petit nuage by Marie-Adeline Boyer

Malabrigo Yarm Lace in Tuareg

4 mm circular needles

2011/10/20 ~ 23

This SUPN is for me. I've knitted another one about a year ago for Christmas Exchange for a  friend using the exactly same color of yarn but with a smaller needle and used exactly one skein of yarn. This one, I followed every word in the pattern and only used 70% of a skein. A smaller shawl, a nice scarf. Perfect for me!

這條小小雲端上是打給自己的. 去年一個聖誕交換活動中打過一條給朋友. 那時也是用同一款線, 同一個顏色, 不過小一號針, 且把整絞蕾絲線通通用上. 這一條完全照織圖的指示打, 只用了 70% 絞. 因此, 是條比較小的披肩, 比較像圍巾, 很適合我.

I've always loved Marie-Adeline's designs. And I love this scarf, this yarn, this color, and above all, I love wearing it!

我一直都很喜歡 Marie-Adeline 設計的東西. 我喜歡這條蕾絲圍巾, 喜歡這款線, 喜歡這個顏色, 重點是我很喜歡圍小小雲端上!

I especially like to pair it with my leather jacket! Bisou a MA!

尤其我喜歡把它拿來配皮衣! 給 MA 親一個!

Yasmine Shawl Version Test Knitting 雅思敏蕾絲披肩版測織

Test knitting Yasmine by Marie-Adeline Boyer in shawl version with Malabrigo Lace Merino in Emerald. Yasmine shawl weights about 40g and measures approximately 160 cm wide and 70 cm long.

I gave myself two weeks to test knit Yasmine. For the scarf/sock yarn version that is. Since I finished it in two days, I couldn't help but also test knit the shawl/lace weight version, which was completed equally fast.

I am in LOVE with this pattern. It is really an easy knit. The design is so pure and simple and yet elegant and sophisticated. After knitting both scarf and shawl version with two very different yarn, it is needless to say that Yasmine is the most versatile accessory for this fall/winter.  Should I say more? Want a Yasmine, or maybe two, anyone?

Now, some pics of me with my dear Yasmine, just to let you know what a marvel this is. I know I need to get outdoors and take some real pictures with my face visible, but before that please bear with these self-taken crappy pics a little longer!

Please look out for the publishing of Yasmine pattern on Marie-Adeline's Ravelry page. Besides Yasmine, we will be seeing more of Marie-Adeline's designs very soon!

Yasmine Scarf Version Test Knitting 雅思敏圍巾版測織

Test knitting Marie-Adeline Boyer's latest scarf/shawl design: Yasmine.

The scarf version was knitted with Noro Kureyon Sock. Variegated yarn wasn't what I intended for Yasmine but I really wanted to try this pretty Noro Kureyon gifted by Mary L. I thought if I didn't like the color combination after a few rows, I could just rip and switch to lace weight and knit it double stranded, since I have plenty of solid lace weight yarn.

Surprisingly, I finished Yasmine scarf version in two days. Yes. Two. I myself was alarmed by the speed. This pic shows how it's being blocked.

Yasmine scarf version is about 120 cm wide and 60 cm deep. And used up way less than one skein of Noro Kureyon Sock.

I had some issues with Noro Kureyon Sock. First, I didn't like how it feels. It's kind of hard and not smooth. Second, the yarn goes thick and thin while you knit, and sometimes the thin part comes to be so thin that I think it would break while blocking. But after the scarf was removed after blocking, I couldn't find that assumed would be breaking part which I intended to reinforce by darning.

 

And third, I was afraid I wouldn't like the color combination of the famous Noro yarn and that it would compete with the design itself. Luckily, the yarn lives up to its reputation and it actually shows off elegantly the beautiful scarf Marie-Adeline designed.

Guess what? I'm in love with the marriage of this yarn and the design!  Now I'm off to knit the shawl version of Yasmine. Will keep you posted!

Few pics of me wearing Yasmine scarf:

 

Alice 愛麗絲

Alice was planned to be knitted up right after Cassandra, but Alice was busy with her life and so she didn't come out until a few days ago.

It was a very quick knit, even for me, who had a four-month knitting break. I could have finished it in two days, definitely less than three, but when I started the leaf border, my stitch count was off. I had more stitches on the first half of the triangle, and I couldn't fix it unless a visit to the frog pond. Besides, the garter stitch main body makes any fixes glaringly visible. So, I ripped back to row 10. Yes. 10. Row 10.

It took me another half day to re-knit the garter stitch body, but the leaf border was easy enough and it was finished in no time.

Alice used up almost a whole skein of cotton silk blend yarn. Only a little was left. No modifications were made, except the way I did the ssk: slip 1, place slipped stitch back to left needle, k2tog tbl. That way the stitch definition was great for it resembles exactly the k2tog.

Selbu Modern 色布配色貝雷帽

Selbu Modern was 2011-1 KAL project of Taiwan Knit Along.

And that was way back in Jan or Feb.

Scarlett asked for a hat in pink and magenta and Selbu Modern was a perfect match. I knitted to around row 30 and found the whole knitting really miserable. 

I used the tubular/invisible cast on featured in Interweave Knits Fall 2008, and tried to hide my float while knitting to avoid snag. I had had tension problem with stranded knitting, and thinking back now I wasn't really concentrating while working on it. Crappy results. Decided to rip. And then the weather got warm.

More than six months have past, with much cooler air, I started knitting again. Especially after two successful stranded berets, I thought, why not finish what I started? So, Selbu Modern was officially ripped and re-started.

This time I used tubular cast on with Judy's magic cast on. Way easier than IK Fall 2008 tubular cast on. No fuss at all. The only set back was the ripped yarn was so crinkled like ramen... but of course it got better after using up the quantity for the first 30 rows!

After finishing the pink Selbu Modern, I think I know why I was not able to concentrate the first time. The pattern has been updated and although I didn't compare the versions side by side, I was sure the newer version was better.

Delighted, a second Selbu Modern was cast on, for Sebastian. The yarns were the same type as the pink version but in yellow and blue. And I found that the newer version of the pattern was written and colored exactly like how I was going to knit Sebastian's Selbu Modern! Seriously, when I re-started Selbu Modern and before getting out the pattern, which I downloaded again from Ravelry instead of going through my hard drive, the color combination was already decided!

Seba and I really liked the colors, although it's kind of more Swedish than Norwegian!