I'm Done!!!

After a good 18 months, I've finally finished my Great American (Aran) Afghan.


I used two booklets from 'Knitter's Magazine', one, The Great American Aran Afghan and, two, The Great American Afghan. The first books has the pattern for 24 squares and the other has 25 squares. In the end I've picked 24 squares total, a wild mix and match from both books.

For the border I've sort of made up my own thing, though the braid is based in part on one of the existing squares. It was six meters of that border and in the end I really had to force myself to push on to finish it. But the result was so worth it!


The afghan is a wooping 2.05 meters by 1.45 meters large.

I bought in the beginning 37 balls of the yarn I've used and I used every single one of them. I've got maybe half of one ball left, so I couldn't be any happier.

Even though it was a rather long project (though, of course, I didn't work on it continuesly) I really enjoyed it. There was a lot of different styles and ideas to try out and I learned a lot of different techniques. Some squares have been knit from inside out or outside in, diagonally across or in stripes and then joined again on the go. Some have been plain cables, others are more visual (I'm quite fond of the crab or the fish). There was entrelac, ablique, acorns and trees, bobbles and leaves. Some turned out bigger than planed, some had to be blocked within a inch of their lives to fit (more or less)
Each square contains some fond memories for one reason or another and (except for the border) it really never got boring.

I know it's not a perfect afghan and I wouldn't win any prizes with it, but I loved doing it and I love having it.

(and I found out that taking pictures of something mostly just off white is a pain ... sorry for the bad quality)

White and Blue

I've been good and actually did sew together all squares of the afghan (there are a few strangled threads left, but I'll take care of them later). I've also started on the border, which will take some time. So far, the afghan is 180 cm by 120cm, which makes for 6 meters of border.


(I know, the color of the border and the square is different, but I hope this equalizes as soon as the whole thing is once washed together)

For distraction and also in a weak attempt to reduce my stash (weak, because I added so much the last couple of weeks, three hanks of yarn less are not going to be noticed) , I started another experiment on felting. This time I certainly can't complain about the finished object not being felted sufficiently.

The original inspiration is the pattern Percy, though this bag is not felted, and there's also a additional inner pocket, which I left out in the end because the bag turned out so small (I did start knitting it, though).
It did shrink by about 30% in the washing machine and it produced a lovely tight fabric. The strap *is* too short, but I can't really change that now.
I'm thinking about some additional decoration, but haven't decided yet.

I also started on a new project, a lacy wrap called Juno Regina. The yarn is Trekking Hand Art and I do have three hanks, so I could go for a nice, large wrap. But one of the hanks turned out to have much less of the lighter blue in it as the other two, so I will first see how far I get with the two lighter hanks and then decide if I do add the third one. The warp (at least the way I'm going to make it) is knitted from both tips, so if the middle bit turns out to be somewhat darker, it shouldn't be a problem.

Squares 21 to 23

I'm fairly close to finish the Great American (Aran) Afghan. I managed to finish knitting squares 21 - 24 (though 24 still needs blocking) and started on the border (of which I'll need to knit 6 or 7 meters *gulp*). After that all I need to do is sew the thing together and I'm done (excuse me for a moment as I leave the room to laugh hysterically at the idea of 'just' needing it to sew together - don't expect results this side of the century)

- Block 21: GAAA, designed by Dagmara Berztiss: nothing much to say about this one. Fairly straight forward. Like the knotwork pattern

- Block 22: GAA #12: Another entrelac. This one I enjoyed more than the other one, maybe because the entrelac goes over more stitches - less turning around the work.

- Block 23: GAA #16: oak leaves and acorns. Fun to do


On the other side, I finished knitting Hanami. Below is the shawl pre-blocking and all scrunched up. It looks to be 30 x 110cm - which is waaaaay too small.


I started to block the living daylight out of it though, and now I'm at 40 x 140cm - which is better, but still, I think a bit on the smallish side. I'll need to do some deep meditations (maybe while a sew together the monster afghan) to decide if I do it again with more repeats / different yarn / larger needles.

For blocking I used welding rods in lieu of blocking wires and it seems to work pretty well, though the threating of the stole on the wires is a bit painful. The matte is one of those puzzles things for kids, which I bought two packs of last week when they were on sale. One of my better buys I think.

All Socked Out

I bought this (Noro Silk Garden, colors 201 and 236):
And want to make this:


And the start to it is this:

I think I'm all socked out, so I decided to do something else for a change. I've had my eyes on that vest for a while and finally decided it's time to give it a shot. My gauge was off though (19 stitches to the 10cm instead of the 22 stitches in the pattern) but I didn't want to change the needle size to something smaller, as I really did like the tension as it is - anything tighter and it would have been too stiff. I did some math and hope it'll work out.

While I was waiting for my chance to get the yarn, I fell back to the Aran Afghan I started ... ehr, a while ago. The first square I tried I didn't like so I ripped it up and did this one instead.


It's the one by Ann McCauley and there are a few tiny mistakes in it, but I decided I don't care and won't rip it up (again!!!).

Grayjeans

Hurray, my new cardigan is finished. It took about a month, so not too bad on this front, especially, as I only knitted on the weekends.


The patterns is Mr. Greenjeans from Knitty, the yarn Bingo Chinè by Lana Grossa.
The construction is pretty cool and there's no sewing involved, which always is a big plus.
After the wash last week, it's know a wee bit too big, but I don't mind really. The arms are about an inch too long, too, but that is more of a plus than anything, considering how cold it got.
I'm not too happy about the collar, though, and am thinking about redoing parts of it (making it wider at the top.
It's warm, it fits (more or less) and it doesn't itch (which really, in the end, was the problem I had with Oblique)

Other than that I'm making even more socks.

I'm not quite sure what I was thinking when I bought the yarn last year, except maybe that sock from it will be warm for sure. It is pretty ugly, really. But the socks are perfect bed socks, and nobody but me will really see them, so never mind.

I did go back to working on the Afgan now. It's been a while, and now that it really got cold, the thought of a nice cuddly blanket has some appeal. I dropped the idea of making a bedspread though. I've finshed 16 squares so far and with eight more I'll get a nice, proper sized blanky. And I won't need ot worry about getting more of the yarn.

More crafty stuff

... though mostly on knitting.

Finally, finally, my local yarn store got some of the Noro Kureyon Sock Yarn in stock (they've waited for over half a year)


The pattern is (surprise, surprise) from Knitty and is called Ziggy. Many people have said it's difficult to knit with the Noro and even though I didn't have much problems so far, it is a different yarn to your standard run-of-the-mill sock yarn. But, the colors do absolutely make up for it. They are stunning in real and this pattern does show it off wonderfully.
My first try on knitting a sock on a circular needle. Not sure if it will be my favorite way to knit socks, but I do like the look and the fact that there is a much smoother transition from needle to needle than with the double pointed needles.

A bit of beading: really just a simple flower motives bracelet, but it took my a long time yesterday to figure it out. It's my own design, so I was making it up as I went. I'm pretty happy, though, on how it turned out.


I did stitch some more on the castle sampler, but no update picture. Maybe next time.

Update on the Great Aran Afghan project. I do knit on it occationally as it's a good project to carry with you when you go somewhere, or when you just find you're in the mood for some knitting.

Block 13: (GAAA) designed by Hanna Burns: The double helix is suppose to depict a DNA strand, and me, being a science type of gal couldn't resist. I do love the center panel cable. I never did such a tight cable and I really like the look,


Block 14: (GAAA) designed by Dana Hurt: Not a particular exciting block and it ended up a bit on the loose side.


Block 15: (GAA #4) designed by Celeste Pinheiro: Now, here's a fun block. The appliques were a bit on the fiddly side, but fun nonetheless. I did that one in Sweden, as I thought it appropiate being so close to the sea. I don't know what I do wrong, but everytime I did that left hand cross in the water bit always gives me that little extra wide stitch on the left side. It looks okay here because of it being the water and all, but I know it's not right and it does bug me a bit.

The Crafty Vacation Post

This is the second post of the day, covering the crafty stuff I've did while on vacation. And keep your hats on, it's quite a bit :)

While in Sweden, we watched a lot of TV. And when I watch TV, I almost always do something crafty.

The first thing I've started with was a new pair of sock. Basically, the travel sock bit (I started on the flight). The pattern is the Mock Wave Cable Socks from the Favorite Socks book. The wool is JitterBug sock yarn, which I bought in Alaska last year.


It is a fairly dark green, but maybe not quite as dark as in the first picture.

Second project was a necklace my sister made a while ago for my other sister. I wanted to learn how.

It's using the peyote stitch to create a circular tube of beads. By using four different sizes for those beads, this spiral effect is create. It's actually pretty simple.

Another craft I wanted to try my hands on is quilting. And a small kit I've also bought last year in Alaska was perfect for it, as it covered several technics, without being too big.


I did the quiliting in Sweden, but did the application back home. According to the kit you're supposed to add some beads for water droplets, but at the moment I like it just fine as it is.

Back home, I've felt inspired to go back (after almost half a year of abstinence) to my cross stitching. My sister is stitching on The Guardian from Teresa Wenzler, and I've got sitting at home the Castle Sampler (which my sister has finished herself, and framed and, gosh, it is lovely)


I finished the center panel now, and started with the greenery around the panel (which is nice and relaxing to stich, as it doesn't require a color change every two or three stitches)

I also bought a magazine in Sweden called Right-Angle Weave from Bead & Button.

I started out with with caterpillar bracelet, but am not happy about my color choices, so I possibly will undo it again, and use the beads for something else.


To staff off my frustration, I did just today two Wiggle Room bracelets, which are fun to make, and fast too. The second one took less than an hour.

The green one is a bit too long, but the blue one is perfect and I'm wearing it as I type.

Ah, and I also finished another square for my Aran Afghan.

And the Games Go On

I'll be off next week in Sweden visiting my sister and her family. And watching the olympics. Excessively. It's turining into a bit of a tradition, as we've did this four years ago. I was stitching on 'The Minstral' from Teresa Wentzler back then and finished it while I was there. My sister, courious, started with her own stitching project and the bug was passed on again ...

This year I'll be probably mostly knit, though I have a quilting kit I want to try and my sister has done quite some lovely quilting so far, so she may be able to give me a few pointers. But for TV watching I'll work an a new pair of socks and also bring my Aran Afghan project, to work on some more squares.

Yesterday I've finished the Lily of the Valley shawl and, gosh, it turned out beautifully.


This picture was done pre-blocking (isn't is great how the shawl hides my big butt?)
I was a bit reluctant how the silk would block, but there was no reason to fear. It turned out great. I blocked the whole thing this morning and it got even more lovely then it was before.


You see what I mean?

Last night was a lunar eclipse over Germany, so, of course I tried to capture is with me camera. The 300mm lens did get some cool pics. I did play around with exposure times a lot,

I did try to caputure the famous red glow, but was not as successful as I hoped I'd be.
That's the best I've got.


Yesterday was also our traditional BBQ in the Hundsrück. Looks who was there ...

Eight to Ten

More squares and a new start.

• Block 8 (080610): GAAA no. 5 Kathleen T. Carty - unusual construction. A bit fiddly in places, but a lot of fun

• Block 9 (080612): GAA no. 9 Lily Chin - biased square with bobbles. Also a rather unusual construction on a square, but way easier than block 9. This gives me the idea for trying a biased square with cable. I have to think about the idea a little bit longer …

• Block 10 (080614): GAAA no. 2 Julie H. Levy - not a very exiting square, but not boring either.

Monday in a week, I'm going to Japan once again. For the knitting on the plane I've picked another pattern from Knitty (Spring 2008). It's the Lace Ribbon Scarve.



I did two repeats so far, and I'm confident that it will keep me busy for a while. The yarn is one I've picked up last December in Japan (so I'm taking it home, really). Very fine yarn, very soft, no idea what it's made of. 15 gramms run for 148m - that's quire a bit. I've got five balls, which should be plenty (the pattern asks for around 600m, though I'm making one more repeat of the pattern, as I'm knitting it on smaller needles). The pattern is easy to memorize, but does require some attention, so you don't drop stitches.

Squares 3 to 7

I'm on a roll - means I'm going to show of nothing but afghan squares for a while.
I apologize for that in advance ...

• Block 3: GAAA no.3 (Marian Tabler) - more tricky than the first two, but I love that tippsy cable
  

• Block 4 : GAA no. 25 (Nancy Bush) - easy one, though I think it’s a bit on the short side. Will maybe rework

• Block 5 : GAAA no. 7 (Ginette Belanger) - fairly easy once I worked out the correct way to make the bobbly bit

• Block 6: GAAA no. 4 (Meredith K. Morinka) - this was originally my test swatch to decide which yarn to use. It is too long, so I took out one repeat.

Block 7: GAA no. 13 Nicky Epstein - the trees were fun to knit. The sewing took almost as long as the knitting

I'm on a roll - means I'm going to show of nothing but afghans squares for a while.
I apologize for that in advance ...

Ready, Steady, Go!!!

From this


with these


I plan on making the Great American (Aran) Afghan.
I've got 36 skeins of the yarn, I have to see how far I get.
As I plan this as a bed spread, I will certainly need more than the material for the 'normal' afghan. I also will use pattern from both books (Great American Afghan and Great American Aran Afghan), whatever I'm in the mood for.

I already finished square 1 (from the GAAA, no1.):


and square 2 (from GAA, no.2)


So far, so good ;)


Just one quick finish from last weekend to add.


Sneaker socks - started them a long time ago (I finished the first one last August *uups*)
Finally got around finishing them. No idea what took so long.
Pattern is my own, toe up with magic loop, short row heel and some funky bind off.