"Pacific" progress

WIP: Isager's "Pacific" sweater
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I'm knitting the second sleeve, shaping the cap with short rows and then knitting in the round.

In the instructions there is no shaping, but I like the way it removes excess fabric. Also, I decided to frame the cable with a white vertical row where I picked up stitches (see left sleeve). I did this with a crochet hook.

Another modification is the way I have changed the sleeve pattern. Instead of the original design's striped sleeves with two cables (which I thought would be too monotonous to knit) I have used the parallelograms from the body for the sleeves too; only two, though, and placed closer to each other.

Still, my sleeve does have a cable too: I picked up the stitches of the middle side cable to let it run from hip to wrist.

Last, I'm happy to be able to brag about getting the Beautiful blogger award a second time, now from Ann. Mange tak! I hope you don't mind my simply linking to the post about seven things about myself.

Before and after

Before and after blocking
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Same miraculous transformation every time one blocks a shawl! I finished the knitted-on edge late last night, and decided to wash and block it before going to bed. It was dry in the morning, so now it's just waiting to be wrapped around my friend Annika's shoulders.

This is a project I will associate with many pleasant things; to name just two:

1. The memorable afternoon I met up with fellow Raveler Ian to go yarn hunting in Stockholm. This yarn was my prey.

2. The company of my greatcolleagues. We started a knitting and sewing group a couple of months ago, and last night Mimmi invited us and our projects to her beautiful house outside Uppsala. After a long and unusually cold winter, being able to spend a warm and light evening in a garden felt almost surreal. We were quite spoiled too: home-made rhubarb pie and elderflower juice. Delicious!

Circular Cape no 2

WIP: Lady's Circular Cape
Originally uploaded by Asplund

One of my favourite yarns is Wetterhoff's Viva, a shimmering wool-silk blend - like knitting with champagne! I recently found three skeins in a colour I hadn't seen before and thought it was my duty to buy them, and it didn't take more than a couple of days to decide what to use them for.

I'm knitting "Lady's Circular Cape in Shell Pattern" by Jane Sowerby (Victorian Lace Today), a design I first knitted exactly a year ago and gave to my aunt ("Lady Caroline's Circular Cape"). This one will be "Lady Annika's Circular Cape", for a dear friend and shawl lover who's moving back to Sweden after quite a few years abroad. Hooray!

Some modifications:
1. Wedge-shaped repeats elongated with increase rows placed more regularly in the original pattern, where it grows very quickly towards the end.
2. 5 repeats instead of 12 to keep her extra warm in the winter.
3. Edging knitted with slightly thinner needles.

Feel like something new for your computer desktop? How about some elephants from Mattias Inks?

IRL

The Yarn Guide
Originally uploaded by Asplund

A few weeks ago a fellow Raveler living in Paris wrote to me to ask about yarn shops in Stockholm, since he was going to spend a few days there. Fortunately, it was possible for us to meet up there and go yarn hunting together. Here we are at our third stop, Maria's garn, in front of my favourite shelf (BC Shetlandsuld galore). It's such a treat getting to meet other Ravellers in real life!

I enjoy my "Pacific"sweater project very much, and it's time to decide how to shape the neck. Sometimes I don't do it low enough, so this time I'm going to take the time to figure out exactly how to shape it.

I discovered a split stitch the other day, but it wasn't very difficult to fix; it helps that the pattern practically consists of vertical stripes. After making a ladder with the help of a blunt needle, I used a crochet hook to make new stitches.

Returning to the subject of fellow knitters, xtine wrote something wonderful a few days ago that I want to quote: that a good knitted garment should feel like Sarah Vaughan sounds. I agree completely. (Although trying to make a garment of that kind would be aiming impossibly high - not that there's anything wrong with aiming that high, of course!) I first fell under Vaughan's spell some fifteen years ago, and the past few months I've been unusually addicted to her voice. Pure luxury. Last, I would also like to quote Caprifool's comment on a previous post, that knitting is like writing music for the eye.

A few of my favourite things

Naxos Cat
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Now that I've started my "Pacific" sweater I'm going to write seven things about myself (for receiving a blog award).

Here are seven things that I like:

1. Cats (see photo). Don't have one, but we always did when I grew up. For a few years we had three, and unlike our dog they liked walks. (She joined out of sheer jealousy, though.)

2. Needlepoint. (See photo again!) I haven't done it for quite a few months, but will probably get back into it. I like it that you can paint with colours in ways that hardly would be possible in knitting. This is a design by Elian McCready, and I stitched it some eight years ago.

3. Books, both fact and fiction. Right now I'm in the middle of The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt, and opening it is like stepping into the late 19th century.

4. Movies. A few months ago I joined a study circle, "Se film med nya ögon" (Watch movies with new eyes) and I've learnt so many things! I used to watch movies more or less they way I read novels, but last week we discussed editing, light, camera angles etc. comparing three scenes in Spike Lee's 25th Hour for a couple of hours. It's so rewarding hearing what others have seen and thought about. Our teacher has chosen great, very different movies and gives us intriguing questions to ponder.

5. Listening to the radio. A favourite show is "Språket" (language).

6. Gustavianum in Uppsala. My favourite building.

7. "This Year's Kisses" with Billie Holiday and Lester Young. Well, practically anything recorded by Lady Day.

I'm passing this award on to James, whose blog was the first one I started reading a few years ago. He recently arranged a Men's Knitting Retreat in New Zealand!

Taking liberties

WIP: "Pacific" by Isager
Originally uploaded by Asplund

I like this shade of light bluish green so much I decided to make those stripes wider to make the colour more prominent.

This change entailed other modifications, like the width of the white rhombs. (Parallelograms? Somethings else? Geometry was a couple of decades ago.)

I have also changed the number of rows to a repeat. That's because I've chosen to twist the side cables every six rows: exactly 5 twists per repeat helps me keep track of when to do them, since I mark those rows in the chart and don't have to count rows.

Addicted to Isager

Pacific swatch
Originally uploaded by Asplund

After buying Marianne Isager's book Inca Knits a few months ago I've been eager to knit her design Pacific. Maria suggested this colour combination, which of course was impossible to resist.

However, even though the skeins looked great together, they didn't knit up as well: this shade of white looks too yellow, so the swatch has been resting for weeks. Today I celebrated finishing Isager's "Knit and purl" sweater by taking the yarn to reliable Yll och tyll to see if they had whiter skeins of white Shetlandsuld. Of course, they did. Also, it's wonderful with a shop where they trust you to take products outdoors to compare them in the sun!

Marianne Isager is easily the most imporant designer to me when it comes to developing my skills and seeing possibilites in knitting. Knitting two of her designs fifteen years ago was a true eyeopener regarding the possibilities of knitting, above all ways to combine shape, pattern and function in clever and attractive ways. She's a master of deceptively simple, something I admire tremendously. I love her sense of colour too.

Edited to add:

I have received an award! Thank you, Caloweena! I'm supposed to write seven interesting things about myself, but that will have to wait. Or maybe there are seven things in this post already? (Too eager to wind my new skeins into balls and start knitting Pacific to think of anything. Can't even remember the names of the seven dwarfs!)

Isager's "Knit and purl" sweater

WIP: Isager's "Knit and purl" sweater
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Here's a picture of my second attempt at a shoulder join: vertical lines and a three-needle bind-off, which is my favourite method. You can also see the sleeve cap in this picture.

My first attempt ended with diagonal lines and a simple neck opening (and short rows for it to be lower in front). I though it would work with the horizontal pattern borders, but didn't like the way it turned out, thinking it looked just like a slit - as if I'd simply cut it open. The new neck looks more finished. The vertical lines blend with the ones on the yoke.

I'm sure I will associate this project with quite a lot of live music, completely different genres and completely different venues. First, there was first-class jazz outdoors surrounded by palm trees: Dee Dee Bridgewater in top shape (beyond words) and a quintet to match her dynamics. I'm still high after more than a week! Then there was The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain visting a small and charming theatre in Uppsala, a highly musical and entertaining evening. Last but not least, in a couple of hours off to Uppsala cathedral to enjoy Händel's Messiah. (By the way, I don't knit during concerts - but on my way to them or while waiting for them to start!)

Quality knitting

Masada
Originally uploaded by Asplund

On 10 April my blog turned one year; I should have written a post about it yesterday but was nowhere near a computer.


Nor did I knit much, but on the other hand I let quality take precedence over quantity: what better way to celebrate than to knit a couple of rows on top of Masada overlooking the Dead Sea and the Jordanian heights? (By the way, it seems I'm turning into a chameleon, colour matching my environment in terms of clothes as well as knitting. And clothes again. Etc.)
Floating in the Dead Sea was glorious after hours of driving and walking: like bathing in silk. No knitting in the water for me, though. (Sic!)


Other highlights that day included seeing lots of ibices and some hyraces in the Ein Gedi national park.














Here's a view of the Dead Sea and the Jordanian heights from the Ein Gedi national park. Spot the ibex!

Extending my knitting

Knitting in Tel Aviv-Jaffa

to Tel Aviv and Jaffa.

In case anyone is curious, let me assure you that the temperature of the Mediterranean waves is no less than perfect.

Lunch outdoors in Jaffa, at restaurant Dr Shakshuka, was also perfect!

Here's a photo of my knitting:

Marianne Isager's sweater Knit and Purl from Classic Knits consists of different horizontal borders that are fun to knit. Also, I think the pattern suits both the yarn (Rowan Felted Tweed) and the colour ("Duck Egg").

I have decided not to make a raglan sweater, even though I love raglans. It's just that I think raglan yokes look better with vertical rather than horizontal patterns. Other modifications include changing the border that consists of triangles (original version top border to the right) and knitting the pieces back and forth instead of in the round.

Knitter on holiday

Knitting in Jerusalem
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Making up for lost knitting time - all the hours I didn't dare to knit in public.

Today I bought a bag in the Old City; it's perfect for carrying a knitting project around. As if I didn't already have a few knitting bags...

With a bit of luck I'll be able to go to a concert with one of my favourite singers while I'm here: it turns out Dee Dee Bridgewater is performing near Tel Aviv on Thursday!

Shared custody

"Zaire" sweater
Originally uploaded by Asplund

In a comment on the previous post docrock asked to see the "Zaire" sweater modelled.

It looks a lot better on my dear friend Annika than on me, so I've decided we're going to be co-owners.

(I already like wearing it too much to part with it completely, but must admit I didn't enjoy knitting it enough to make another one.)

All's well that ends well

"Zaire" sweater finished
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Last night I was in despair, beginning to suspect the yarn was superwash in secret. After spending all day finishing the sleeves and weaving in ends, I handwashed the sweater to felt it gently by hand.

As expected, the water made it grow even bigger at first. Not expected and far worse: no matter how increasingly violently I kneaded and rubbed the sweater it wouldn't shrink. Not even a session in the tumble dryer had any effect! (But I've almost got biceps muscles now. Almost.)

I imagined the only possible way to use this sweater would be to pitch it on the main square and sell beer inside.

This morning I wrestled with it again: washed it in the machine, tried a longer session in the dryer, rinsed it alternating between hot and cold water... Nothing happened. Finally I put it in the machine again and washed it in warmer water, so fed up with it I didn't mind risking it would shrink too much.

Would you believe it, it shrank to the right size and it's like thick fabric, just what I hoped, and surprisingly soft. Who's a lucky guy?

Here's a picture of what the back of the neck looked like before felting. The definition of the garter stitch is far less prominent now, which is something I prefer.

Instead of sleeve seams (not a fan of sewing) I picked up stitches, knitted a row, and then did a three-needle bind-off. Here's what the right and wrong sides of it look like.

Edited to add: I received an award from Annika. Thank you!

I'm supposed to forward it to 12 other bloggers, but it seems most of the blogs I read already have received it. So, instead I'd like to dedicate it to everyone who reads my blog.

"Zaire" sweater: sleeve

"Zaire" sweater: sleeve
Originally uploaded by Asplund

First sleeve nearly done! I haven't made up my mind how to finish the cuff, so I've started knitting the second sleeve.

I will probably fill in the gaps with green triangles to make the cuffs similar to the body. Another colour could be used for variation, of course, or the edge could even be scalloped. (I really don't think the last idea would work very well with the overall design, which practically consists of straight lines going in different directions. Thinking about different ideas is fun, though! )

For a while I toyed with the idea of having more stripes, but suddenly remembered the drummer accompanying Sarah Vaughan in this clip and changed my mind instantly. But how I would have loved to be there hearing her live!

"Zaire" sweater: progress and modifications

"Zaire" sweater
Originally uploaded by Asplund

Well, "Zaire" tent would be a more appropriate name. I'm optimistic about this project anyway, certain that some felting will make a big difference.

Apart from the unintentional but considerable resizing, there are some conscious modifications:

1. Addition of mitered stripes at the bottom.
2. Addition of the same stripes at the beginning of the top-down knitted sleeve. (My intention is to have them near the wrist too.)
3. Shoulder squares knitted in one colour instead of broken up into four triangles.
4. Similarly, the collar is knitted in one colour, although I added a beige and blue triangle at the back of the neck for fun.

Here's a picture of the original design for comparison.