This week, I decided to do something new and fun – I declared it my “Week of Old Knits” and dug around for knits that were at least 1.5 years old.  Re-photograph and review how they are wearing and what the yarn looks like after the time has passed.  It’s been a fun project so far, and something I think that more people should do.  What happens a few years later?  How are they holding up?  Are they ever worn?

I would love to see and hear more about your own knits – we spend time on them when we knit and purl – so tell the rest of their story too!  It’s only fair, right?

Street Smart Hoodie

Finished: December 2007
Yarn Review: Doesn’t look a day older. This yarn, Cottage Craft wool, is one of those lovely rustic wools that will just keep ticking.  It was a joy to work with back then, and I would use it again in a minute.  Perfect for cables, textured pieces, and for colorwork.  I bought it at Stitches East in 2006 from the producers, and since then, they have made a nice website where you can see and shop for their wools and patterns online.
Wear Review: Until last winter, this knit didn’t get much wear… it was so pretty, but just sat in the closet. Last December, I pulled it down and wore it a lot over the winter. With the cold temperatures right back in Maryland now, I have already worn it several times this fall. No pilling, no stretching – it looks brand new.
Verdict: Love love. Would knit it all over again. This garment makes me want more hoodies in my wardrobe!

Twiggy Bobble Hat

Finished: January 2008
Yarn Review: Lovely natural alpaca from Kraemer Yarns; however, like most alpacas I have worked with, this yarn stretches.  It lacks the elasticity factor of wool, but it is almost forgivable because of the lovely halo!  It’s a tad scratchy right against the skin of my forehead.  It is very warm and toasty though, so perfect for the cold days of winter.
Wear Review: For a hat this lack of elasticity is fine, but a sweater in this yarn would be an issue… it would sag too much and just not fit.  The hat just gets some more slouch.  The pattern’s bobbles have not worn as well over time, and many of them get inverted and look more like dimples.  It’s not unattractive, it’s just the way it is.  If I had the real inclination, I would go back and stitch up the back of the bobbles… or if I ever made this again, I would do so after knitting each one – one or two stitches would do the trick.
Verdict: It gets a lot of wear because of the warmth. Plus, I love the chocolate brown and the general fit of it. A few things I would do differently next time, but still a nice knit.

Koigu Indigo Anklets

Finished: January 2006
Yarn Review: Koigu is still a hot topic and a well-loved yarn. The colors and the saturation was what drew me to this yarn in the first place, and they haven’t faded a bit since I made them. They have pilled with wear, and the bottom sole is kind of “felted”, but there are no thin spots or areas where a hole might form. The yarn has eased quite a bit, and they are a little baggy on the top of the foot.
Wear Review: These get a lot of wear – as around the house socks or slip on with tennis shoes socks. Considering this, they have held up well.
Verdict: Great color saturation and color fastness, decent socks. I don’t think I would make any more Koigu socks, but I would be happy to use the yarn for something like a shawl or scarf – something that wouldn’t be so likely to pill and lose shape.

I have completed 5 Days in the *Week of Old Knits* series along with reviews (although the ones written here are much more comprehensive than what is on Flickr) and I am planning another sweater and another pair of socks to finish out the week.  Stay tuned…

Pattern: Hoodie from Patons Street Smart
Yarn: Cottage Craft 2-ply in Maritime Blue (100% wool)
Source: Stitches East 2006 (Baltimore)
Needles: Size US 7 and 8 circular needles
Started January 2007 / Finished December 2007

I did not make any modifications to the sweater, although I have to admit that I have not yet sewn in a zipper. I had a little mishap – purely my fault. I bought a zipper at the craft store and was thrilled to find such a close color match (without customization) and in my haste, I neglected to study the package: it was a non-separating zipper, which is really of no use for a cardigan. So, I have a choice of going back and looking again, or just holding off (à la Central Park Hoodie?) on the zipper all together. It does not pull to the sides, and is quite comfy, so it is quite wearable without it… still have to decide on that one.

The pattern was pretty easy to follow, and once I got going, quite enjoyable to knit. I really enjoyed the cables and the bobbles. The cables remind me of chromosomes (inner voice: hush now, your nerd is showing!) and I guess it is fitting that it is a female cardigan I considered cutting the cables out of the back panel, but I am glad that I stuck with it. They turned out really nice. I made the Medium size – which is supposed to be for a 38″ inch bust with ease to 41″ inches. I went up one needle size, so I think it may be closer to a 39″. It is a great fit – perfectly comfortable with different tops underneath.

The only notable problem that I had with this garment was the hood. It is BIG. Totally HUGE. It was a nightmare to seam up, and I am still not 100% happy with it (but I will settle for 98%) I blocked the thing like crazy, but when attaching it to the body in the seaming process, I had to do about five hood stitches to every body stitch. I looked at the directions, and I did it right, so I guess it is supposed to be that way. If I had known this earlier, I would have made the hood smaller in the first place. However, I do feel some accomplishment: this was my first hood ever, and overall the results are pretty good. Funny how a head covering can make you feel like a completely different person. (I can’t quite place it: I feel like a 16th-century milk maid, or a fantastical gnome…) Of course, the hood will be worn down most of the time.

I have already sung the praises of this yarn. I could easily sing an encore. It is amazing. I love it. It is a wonderfully simple wool yarn that blocks and blooms beautifully. It is one of those quintessential yarns that works for a large number of projects. I have only seen the distributors at Stitches, but I imagine that you can probably mail order from them as well. My stashbusting mantra forbids me from ordering more (now) but this yarn will undoubtedly be used again the future.

…and now my hoodie and I are headed off to the library for a first outing…

I have been playing with bokeh aesthetics for awhile in my own photography, and it is all the rage in some of the Flickr groups. (Check out Minty and her new camera – she caught on to the bokeh really quickly!)

Since I finished up all of the knitting for the Street Smart Hoodie, I thought some blocking photos might be fun… with a little but of bokeh on top!

Now comes the seaming… I have a feeling that this will take awhile to block, but finished photos should come soon. Nearly a year in the making, and I am so close to be finished!

PS – Sweet Tina over at Knitting Contessa and I had a little chat – and she posted the interview on her blog!

Since October, I have finished the back, and have finished 3/4 of the second sleeve. I am trying not to feel bogged down; there are still have the two fronts AND the hood to knit. I hate to admit it, but this is no longer a process knit – it is squarely in the MUST FINISH THIS THING AND GET IT OFF THE NEEDLES category.

Please do not mistake my urgency for dislike of the pattern or the yarn – that is really not the case. I encountered the Street Smart hoodie soon after I learned to knit – four years ago last month – and dreamed about the day that I could have the skill and the patience to make it. And the yarn – so perfect and blue. It is a true joy to knit.

I just want it off my needles before the year is out. That seems like a reasonable goal, right?

Do you have any long-standing unfinished knits?

Blue color is everlastingly appointed by the Deity to be a source of delight. –John Ruskin

… …

Aftur update :: sleeve one complete, sleeve two in progress

Saturday errands in the new blue shoes (and store bought socks)

…More thoughts and observations on blue…

Why in the world did I abandon this project for so long?

I bought the yarn at Stitches East 2006 from the lovely people at Cottage Craft. Just talking with them made me want to go to their idyllic shop on the bay in New Brunswick. After working with the wool itself, my urge to go there is even stronger. The yarn is great – sturdy, beautifully dyed, and perfect for textured projects. It is raw, with some “crunch” to it. There are a few flecks of vegetable matter, although nothing too coarse. Like so many other yarns, I know it will soften up after a nice dunk in the sink. This is their 2ply worsted weight in Maritime Blue. [See their colors here] (I also bought some of their single ply yarn in Black Cherry for a shawl or simple lace project… so this is not the last you will hear of this yarn!)

This project, as well as the yarn for my Aftur yoked pullover are going right into my travel bag: Kris and I are headed south to Williamsburg, Virginia for a little business (a regional archives conference) and a little pleasure (wineries!)

Street Smart Hoodie
Patons Street Smart booklet
Cottage Craft wool (from Stitches East)
(Sleeve one complete, working on back)

Royal Blue

Kristen Hat
Bea Ellis Knitwear
Dale of Norway Heilo

Periwinkle

Glee Tee
Zephyr Style
Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool

Patons Divine hat in Denim colorway

I am swimming in blue – and absolutely loving it.

Such an amazing and diverse color!

…All to make beautiful finished objects…

We strive to make that finished object happen faster – so we can show it off to our friends and families (I feel like there is even more pressure as a blogger to get that finished product out there – will people still read even if you have nothing to show?).

Why not take the same pride in showing off all of parts of the whole?

My Street Smart hoodie was worth the three-year wait. I am enjoying every second of this knit. The yarn is a perfect match for the pattern. I am loving its "wooly-ness". It has a great heathery quality, and just makes these cables and bobbles pop! Sleeve one is nearing completion; I started the sleeve cap decreases last night, and have about 15 more rows of cable pattern to complete before the bind off. Next up: the fronts panels!

I have received several emails asking where to get a copy of the Patons Street Smart pattern booklet. I found that it is still in print, and available for only $5.95 (US) from Joann.com . Let me know if you get a copy! I have noticed only one problem with the pattern – and that regards the bobble. The stitch count appears to be off by 2, but I figured out a way to remedy the problem, and the pattern seems to match up well after this little tweak. These are my first bobbles, and they are quite fun.  I will probably try more bobbles in the future – in the form of Forecast. I just adore that cardigan.

Among my other in-progress knits (I have several) is my never-before-seen Bejeweled scarf. I cast on for it shortly after the beginning of the informal knitalong (January 1st), but have neglected to mention it until now. However, it is a great easy lace pattern. I am using a fun yarn that I picked up from Sarah at last year's Stash Swap. It is Cherry Tree Hill's Zebra Caribe – a cotton/rayon blend that will make a nice spring/summer scarf. The colors are vibrant, and will be a nice addition to my scarf collection!

The Bejeweled knitalong will continue indefinitely – with no deadlines, and no pressure, feel free to join any time. The pattern is fun and easy, and perfect for beginning lace knitters (like me). It is also customizable for many yarns, textures, and needles sizes. The knitalong started to support Shobhana's efforts to raise money for F.I.R.E., the parent organization of The Dulaan Project. The pattern is still available to purchase on her blog.

In December, Shobhana sold 299 patterns, and with a matching donation, we were able to donate over $1000 to F.I.R.E., and in return, we got this great scarf pattern.

Now the lovely scarves are showing up all over the place!

Click to enlarge and
to get details on each one!

These scarves are a mosaic from my Handcrafted Scarves group on Flickr, but there are several other lovely versions to see too:

• Flimmerglimmer decided to skip the increases and attach lovely beads to her version!
• Margene unveiled her beautiful scarf on a wintery day!
• Not Scarlett chose a stunning turquoise yarn for her Bejeweled!
• Edie chose a lovely mohair yarn for her Bejeweled.
• Midnight2Sticks used a ribbon yarn for her "Bollywood" version!
• Sarah made a hot pink soy silk Bejeweled!

Did I miss your finished Bejeweled? Please let me know by sending me your link in the comments, or by email!

I eagerly went home to show Kris my work. My chunky acrylic scarf kit with uneven gauge and mistakes. I was proud of it. I stayed up late that night working on the scarf. I put it next to my bed so that I could immediately start it the next morning. The minute I opened my eyes, I wanted to knit. Later in the morning, Kris and I took the train into the city and I saw a knitter on the train – wrestling with this huge cabled sweater with stitch markers, circular needles, cables, etc. I looked on in amazement: I had just figured out what garter stitch was, and here was this guy knitting this amazing red sweater on the train. I stared at his work, and I finally spoke, telling him that I had just learned to knit. Thankfully, he was nice, and told me to stick with it. (Isn't it cool that the first two knitters I saw – my coworker, and this random train knitter – were guys?)

My second session was the "PURL" session. It took a little while to catch on, but when I did, it was good and solidified. I practiced for the rest of the class, and the teacher noted that I had picked it up quickly (this from the girl who couldn't figure out the long-tail cast-on…) The teacher gave the participants a 25% off coupon for the store and as a thank you for taking the class. I decided to hold on to my coupon for awhile, and after the new year (2004), I came back to spend the coupon and a gift certificate I got for Christmas. That's when I saw it…

The Patons Street Smart booklet was hot off the presses – and I loved everything in it. The hoodie on the cover was my favorite of all. However, I knew that it would be a long time before I could take on such a thing – I was scared to try a sweater at that point, much less a hoodie with cables and bobbles… but I knew that someday, that hoodie would be mine.

Someday is today.

I finally started the Street Smart Cabled hoodie. I originally bought some Patons wool, as the pattern calls for, but after seeing this gorgeous blue merino wool from Cottage Craft at Stitches East last November, I knew it was meant to be together. I could just picture it in my head… and after seeing Elizabeth's version of the hoodie last month, I knew I couldn't wait any longer. I was ready to take it on. I am at the point where I can handle those cables, those bobbles, and anything else this sweater throws at me!

Sleeve one has just begun! (See cable detail)

This book has inspired some lovely knits – all four of the designs included are wonderful, stylish, and wearable. There was a long-running knitalong for the Must Have cardigan in 2005 and 2006, and more recently, Claudia completed a beautiful version of the sweater. The Urban Aran sweater has also been the talk of the town, especially after Jared at Brooklyntweed "cardiganized" it last year, Saun followed with a great version, and it is now on the needles of Stacey, Jess, and Wendie – and probably a lot of other knitters as well! The last pattern in the book is a simple cabled pullover called "Easy Street", and I am thinking that it will be a great match for the new Malabrigo I just bought…

Of course, now that I have reached the someday for the Patons hoodie, I have many other someday projects to look forward to, things I am not ready to tackle now, for fear of messing them up too badly! – Fair Isle, cables, lace, etc. As I become more confident in my skill, I will take on more projects with challenges.  Not quite the same as the regular "to knit" list that we tend to queue in our heads, but more of an aspiration of what you can accomplish in the future.

***

Do you feel that you still have some knitting techniques to master or perfect before you can make a certain pattern?

What are your someday projects?