cute mitts

Mitered Mittens (May) by Elizabeth Zimmermann
wool: Noro Silk Garden
weekend knit (started Friday after work and finished on Monday)

ez at perfection! i think this might be the perfect car knitting pattern ever … small/portable, ideal mix of mindless stockinette but miters keep it interesting… feeling inspired to make a bunch on the upcoming road trip into BC
love love love!
used the gusset thumb thanks to grace ivy

i have narrow hands so adjusted the stitch count
CO 48st and reduced to 36st (so a flared long cuff)
gusset thumb: 12 st

ps crazy how these ending lining up! it is like i planned it (not at all)

new project ...old project

so yes ... i hate to admit it but i do have a closet of wool. here is a very old project .... from the last winter olympics in fact! this was my olympic knitting project when i lived in dawson .... but i never finished ... as it was coming together, it umm was a bit blah. but when i saw new free pattern downloads yesterday from interweave i found inspiration to dig up that project, pull it apart and start on a cozy fall cardigan.

so i have it all balled now and you know it is really quite a lovely colour deep greens with some teal and clay hints. the pattern: Side-Way Ribs Cardigan by Norah Gaughan is quite simple and normally too boring to knit but it is going to be quick and has an interesting construction!

instant shawl

so i'm still working on that edging ..... 2.5 sections out of seven .... sigh
on my trip to dawson last weekend i cast on for a simple shawllette (placing beads on lace yarn in the car .... not that do-able) .... very satisfying to finish a project in the car there and back!

this is textured shawl recipe available on ravelry. i subbed in a bunch of other stitches and rows of stockinette between the lace

it is fairly small but it is perfect for this rustic pretty handspun wool that i bought in inuvik. hard to see but there are beads randomly glittering too

on to the edging

well i've done the body of the cardigan now onto the edging. to help the monotony of it (twenty stitch saw tooth lace edge) i've decided to add beads - i picked out gold seed beads in Inuvik but i haven't been able to find a crochet hook small enough to add them to the yarn. so yesterday i went to our great local dollar store and found these larger beads and a size 14 crochet hook (0.60 mm smallest i've been able to find in whitehorse). The beads are a clear amethyst purple with a copper foil lining - the copper glints in the light and also makes the beads appear brown in some light. i really like how they shift colour - sometimes a pale grey-purple, bright copper, or dark warm purple/brown.

i have to admit i'm a little worried that they will add too much weight to this light floaty cardigan (wool will weigh about 100grams) and/or distract from the lace - however they are really pretty and it is fun to knit with them!

ps want to know how to knit with beads? knitty has a great article about beading it is much easier than it looks - try it out!

currently on the needles ..... and on my plate

hardly looks like anything here but it will end up as a lacy floaty cardigan .... this link isn't a great pic but it does give you an idea how it will end up. the pattern is Honeysuckle in Rowan 45. mom has given me a subscription to this British magazine for the last couple years and i love it. it isn't a fast knit ... i'm on row 86 of 130 .... well then i do the edging and sleeves. so i'm getting there but haven't reached the half way mark yet!

mom and dad were here last week. it was so great to have them visiting as they finally got a chance to see the Yukon during our long summer days. they drove up bring my bedroom furniture ( a tall boy chest of drawers and vanity both with beautiful art deco lines from the 30s) and my great grandmothers china ... yes i now have a stunning set of dishes!

Blue Mikado by Royal Crown Derby ... this set was once Jennie Cogswell's my mom's mother's mother ... willa also got a beautiful set - from mom's father's mother - unfortunately not all of willa's made it to her complete ... so sad!!!! many broke ... so we'll hunt the internet for replacements. andrea also just received china too from our grandma white - her's has lovely pink blossoms that almost have a botanical drawing feel about them - so perfect for andrea!

back to my trip with mom and dad - they spent a few days here in whitehorse then we drove up to dawson city where we had three nights. there are so many touristy things to do in dawson and it has been a while since i've done them! we did the walking tour(highly recommended by the way as they also take you into restored buildings), the dredge (so big!), and mom and dad also went to robert service's and jack london's cabin .... i had homework to do then so didn't make it to those. we all went up the dome road which is high above dawson to see the sun not set on the 21st at midnight. it is a big gathering spot everyone brings a bottle ... or card table (there were a couple of groups plying poker) ... we looking rather square with out booze and mom and i were pretty tired ... but it is always cool to experience to sun stay high .. or skim above the mountains anyway ;)

ok i'm going to knit a bit more this morning .. enjoy your sunday morning

thrums good to -27C

look what willa made me! the one on the left is inside out so you can see that it is fuzzy on the inside. they are crazy puffy and warm - i used them today (and it was a chilly -27 this morning!)
ooh in case you feel like making thrummed mittens here is a pattern. the thrums are folded bits of fibre knit right into the mitten - and make these suckers amazing hand furnaces

(ps this lovely shot is stolen from willa)

hello lace (goodbye winter?)

i'm wishing for spring these days ... well maybe not wishing as i do love the bright sun on the snow but i am dreaming of warmer weather and green grass and flowers. so instead of the sweater(s) i had planned, i have been knitting lace. above is the hemlock ring tam knit with "silky wool" - it is wool and raw silk so has this lovely tweedy texture which i think works for this lacy tam. it isn't warm enough yet for this hat .... but maybe in a month or two?

yesterday i cast on for my next lace project: Cobweb Lace Stole by Michele Rose Orne found in last spring's IK Knits magazine. this pattern looks like a bit of a handful! there are no “rest” purl rows in the main pattern/section - but it shouldn’t bore me at least! so far i have the ruffled edge almost done - it reminds me of foxglove flowers



it is for my trip to Reykjavik and Copenhagen in early april with Willa. (squeal!) so i have a deadline i want to wear this light airy for spring in Scandinavia. the wool is from my trip to the east coast with my family last year - it is the prettiest pale coral or salmon pink/orange. it is suri blue a lace weight by Fleece Artist (based in Nova Scotia) - this wool/alpaca is totally lush - the colour has a slight variegation and a soft halo

tweedy is done!

Alexandra Ballerina Top by Stefanie Japel (found in Fitted Knits)

Needles: US 10½ / 6.5 mm

Yarn: Rowan RYC Soft Tweed (7 balls + a wee bit more) in Slate Blue

Size: 33" plus a lot more length for my looooong torso


i really like the back - all the waist shaping was done here - although this photo makes it look a bit lumpy!

while i'm still not 100% about this sweater - as i said before it's the chunk factor - it is cozy and the colour is pretty. oh and i think the sleeves are cute too!

tweedy ballerina

its coming along! the neck is pretty wide & big though, so will likely cut it out and re-knit it tighter. i'm not 100% on this knit - it's feeling a bit chunky. however i love the yarn, Rowan Soft Tweed! why oh why has it been discontinued? (hint... if you see Soft Tweed on sale keep me in mind!)

christmas gifting - so hard not to share

ooooooooooooooooooh you should see what i'm knitting at the moment. my camel/silk cowl is on hold right now as well it is december - which might not be news to you but took me by suprise/shock earlier this week. this fact put into focus a few gifts that need to be finished!

but that also means i can't share in case i spoil it. but maybe a few tibits?? it is a deep beautiful teal with matching tiny seed beads ........... so lush and beautiful! ok i broke down and added a photo - isn't it pretty? i need to get moving on the knitting ... i'm almost done.....

latest project .... made with camel

yes that is right ... silk and camel yarn ..... it is positively yummy - so soft and cozy
this will be a neck warmer/cowl - so less bulky under my coat (i think this will be for me as it is so luxurious i can't resist it!!)

ps: in case you want some: Handmaiden Camelspin

le sigh

ah well - doesn't seem it is going to be much of a dress up halloween after all. oh well
i've got plenty of other things to do anyway!

crafty-ness i'm up to:

• moccasins for patrick (above) - we are holding class at work so i'm making patrick a pair for christmas (shhhh don't tell!) beading on to elk hide is not easy - my hands are cramping up and unlike knitting i have to concentrate - watching tv + beading don't mix at least for me
  
• ski sweater for me - a traditional norwegian ski sweater - i'm v excited about this - haven't cast on yet but will this week - esp now that i'm not knitting a costume!
  

halloween costume

so that time of year do i make a halloween costume?? hmmmm
so i'm thinking either an owl or rainbow-brite .... i'd knit the costume ... mainly since i can't sew for my life.

so owl - basically a bubble knit dress in a couple shades of brown + a felt owl mask (borrowed from brownies)
rainbow brite - a bit more umm complicated. - but knit (tube?) top and skirt and puffy rainbow sleeves

any votes?

cashmere scarf

hello my dear friends .... i know i haven't written for a while..... but looked what i finished! a lacy estonian shawlettte/scarf ... it had some crazy 3 into one into 9 stitches (yes really!) but really was a pretty quick knit .. i did the majority on my holiday with mom, dad and willa so that is a couple weeks.
it is super lovely, soft and warm! perfect for the .....do you see behind my shoulder? no, not patrick's moose lamp ...... snow. yep our first day of snow here. mid-october ..... not bad i guess ... and you know it is really pretty

pattern: laminaria from knitty
wool: jade saphire cashmere in robin's egg blue
needles: size 4

sweater is done!

sweater is done
Originally uploaded by knit_north

it has been done for a while ..... but no pics until now.
alas it did not make it into the fair .... "oh honey you have won a ribbon" the lady at the fair sighed - i missed the date - oh well, i love the sweater....

ps please don't mind the messy house - we are in the midst of moving!

olympic update

well i'm about 1/4 of my way there - it is certainly a bulky funny thing. but will be thick spongy cute mat when it is all said and done (and heavy!).

totally addicted to watching the olympics - fashion wise: i love the russian team jackets - i couldn't find any decent pics but here is one to the right - the crisp red and white is fantastic with the scrolls found in traditional russian embroidery.



the other team that looks fabulous - in the opening ceremonies in particular are the french. check out the dove gray jackets on the men and the belts! looooove the red belts!!! really all their accessories are perfect and so french.


i wish i could say the same for canada - HBC blah! have you seen the the ugly fully patterned track pants?! they better put out the classic Bay jackets in Vancouver - keep it simple - the whole 'four elements' theme is overly complicated and ends up looking like pajamas - lame.

just lame

up the hill

213 steps 6088.1
Originally uploaded by Yukon White Light

just home from a walk up the cliff - where i live right now is in the older residential part of whitehorse right along the bottom of the clay cliffs. on the top of black street is a huge set of steps (200+ stairs) which i climb a few times a week, well at least at this time of year. it is so pretty up at the top you can see right across the city down to the river

this afternoon i took my knitting with me - i realized yesterday that i definitely do not have enough loops for the bathmat (like 150% more!) so loopy cotton loops .... solution? socks - yep i cut socks into loops. about 30 socks - i found a package of 20 youth sport socks for $5! plus a 10 pack that had white, pink, blue and purple socks. I spent last night cutting socks up as i watched the olympics. normally when patrick is away i rent girlie flicks (costume dramas and bollywood is my weakness) but the olympics are fantastic. not sure what is, i'd never watch bike road races, beach volleyball etc normally but during the olympics? count me in.

yesterday was pretty busy. i moved everything from christine + my house up the hill to the new place in porter creek. i spent friday night packing up and then on sat afternoon, four of my friends helped pack the boxes in the van and then into the apartment. took less than 2 hours! so i treated everyone to coffee and a treat ... ahhh.

still have to move patrick's place ..... that is the big stuff like couches etc but almost there.

olympic knitting challenge

after failing last Olympics with a rather ambitious (cough.. crazy) sweater challenge i set myself - this time round: it is a bathmat. yes not nearly as sexy... or wearable (well maybe as a heavy-ass cape but yeah no.)

so how does one knit a bathmat? with potholder loops.... ummm potholder loops??? these cotton jersey (t-shirt material) loops - I found two bags in this funny little 'everything' store in Sitka. so yeah i need to loop them together to make my yarn then knit away with some big knitting needles! i'm already starting to worry i don't have enough .... so if any of you see these in weird little craft shops let me know!

i am a knitting machine

with less than a week to the Alaska State Fair, all i'm doing is knitting..... must finish sweater ... must block sweater .... must finish ... must knit .. stop typing back to knitting

ps check out dr horrible's sing-along blog (tho sure you already have!) "Look at my wrist! Time to go!"

sweater in the sun

westcoast rose progress
Originally uploaded by knit_north

as you can see i'm working on the second sleeve ... um clearly missed the unrealistic stanely cup goal ..... but gotta get moving as i want to enter it in the s.e. alaska state fair - yes for real! i really really want to win a ribbon ... or even a sticker or something - also tempted to make some rhubarb jam or something. if i hadn't lost my oh so lovely tam would have entered that but ah well .... it is almost yoke time for this sweater so i'm on my way (by the way here is a photo of the pattern - i've changed up the colour and added an extra repeat to the torso as i'm so long-waisted)

so despite needing to finish this sweater - i'm planning out my next knit Gigi from knitty - it is a cute cropped kimono sleeved cardie and rather mindless knitting - i even already have the wool for it an alpaca/merino sock yarn in navy/purple . it is so soft and lush. and after that???? well i think i need a cashmere scarf (yes need. i mean it's cold up here)... a big lacey one .... maybe in a robin egg blue? thoughts?