An Interesting Year....

I haven't tended this "supposed blog but really knitting diary" because life has been full, to say the least. When did I have time to knit all this? (answer: late at night when I should be sleeping)

Lots of new projects to show off (details on Ravelry under JaneJetson):

The Lady Eleanor Entrelac Stole - Noro Silk Garden 252









A sweater for the Spencer











I used the Sweater Wizard software to generate this pattern. I choose a motif from the book “Knitting in the Old Way” by Priscilla A. Gibson-Roberts.
I did not carry the motif all the way around the sweater. To do this: drop your CC at the end of the first row of the motif and knit with your MC back to the beginning of the motif, knit the motif MC stitches and slip the CC stitches. When you get to the end of the motif where your CC yarn is sitting, turn your work and use the CC to purl the slipped stitches to finish the second row of motif. Now your CC is at the beg of the motif -leave it there and pick up your MC and knit around to the beg of the motif. Cont in this manner until you finish your motif.

A sweater for me














The "Hemlock Ring" = a doily upsized to a blanket














The Mitered L Wrap













The Heathered Hoodie Vest














Stained Glass Windows Blanket


















Another mini-Clapotis scarf:

My New Favorite Scarf

One Zero is a thick and thin, chunky wool by Colinette in many beautiful colorways. I purchased two skeins from River Colors in Lakewood, Ohio (where I teach) and have finally found the perfect stitch for this yarn. I am so excited to share this with all my fellow knitters. Like the marriage of tomatoes and basil, the use of YO, K2tog with One Zero was made in heaven. This stitch has a natural bias causing the scarf to curl into a gentle swirl at each end. Let me know what you think.

My New Favorite Scarf
by Karen Lynn Wiebusch (JaneJetson on Rav)

Size: 5.25 inches wide x 65+ inches long, or desired length.

Yarn: 2 skeins Colinette One Zero.
Needles: US size 10, (yarn was splitting until I switched to bamboo needles).
Gauge: approx. 4.2 st. / inch in the pattern stitch.

Directions:
Cast on 22 sts. (or any even number to get the width you desire)
All rows: *YO, K2tog* rpt to end of row. (DON'T FORGET ANY YO'S! Especially the one at the beginning of every row.)
Bind off at desired length.

Yes, that's all there is. Oh, one more thing: It's reversible!

A Mini Clapotis

Coming late to the Clapotis party, and like many others, taking a long time to decide which yarn to use... I finally met and fell in love with the Marina colorway of Prism's Bon Bon (100% rayon). (12.18.09 - Update: made another one using colorway Rio Fantasy)

My new favorite yarn shop, River Colors, had only 3 skeins (88yds each x 3 = 264yds). I debated about ordering a bag but decided to be prudent (the new me) and try to get a mini-clap out of it instead. I actually wanted a mini anyway.


You can see all three skeins in the picture: 1 hank, 1 wound ball and 1 on the needles. Depending on how you measure the length, I am getting about 20-22 inches from 1 skein, so it should work out perfectly (so excited!).


Bon Bon is a worsted wt. and I used a US9 needle. I did one set of the 12 increase rows + rows 1-6 again. I got over 5 sets of the 12 straight rows + 8 more rows from the one skein. The width of the scarf after dropping the sts is 7.5" spread out and 4" when allowed to roll. The rayon is nice and drapey but it's the color and shimmer that is spectacular, I don't know how Prism does it.

This is my first experience with this company and I can see myself getting hooked on it for life.

Celebrity Jester Hat

Apparently, celebs are buying this hat for their little ones so I wrote a pattern for toddler size, 16" circumference. It will be available for download at a price of $2.00 as soon as I can set it up with Paypal and Ravelry. My designs have been sold in a yarn shop but this is my first time selling online and it is a learning experience for me.

Baby Jacket and Hat in Kertzer Super 10

The jacket pattern is the "Baby Albert" from Sally Melville's The Knit Stitch.
The yarn is mostly Kertzer Super 10 mercerized cotton, also sold as Tahki Cotton Classic and other names.
The hat started out to be "Ribbons and Bows" from a book called Baby Knits, Hats and Booties by Debby Ware, et. al. I didn't like the finished look, probably due to my choice of yarn, so I morphed it into a baby jester type hat. (btw, you'll just want to hug the baby models in this book - unbelievably cute!)

Farewell to the Knitting Garden {deep breath, sigh...}

The Knitting Garden in Westlake, OH - where I have spent the last two years teaching classes and helping people with their knitting - has closed. I will miss the camaraderie of many wonderful women (Christine, Jackie, Dawn, Robin, Debbie D., and Debbie G, Joan, just to mention a few). We have promised each other that we would meet on a regular basis to knit together.

I am still sad for the loss but there is some good news - I still get to do what I love the most... help people with their knitting. I am now with River Colors Studio in Rocky River, OH (just down the road). I got to meet lots of nice knitters this week and Erica Gadomski, the owner, a talented artist, is great with color and a very nice person.

Gathering Intentions, kind of....

I just love cable sweaters, especially cardigans because they can be opened to let in a little air. I had some Cascade 220 in color 4002,a dark charcoal color that looks good with everything. I chose the Gathering Intentions pattern by Fiona Ellis in her book, Inspired Cable Knits







I decided to add a zipper down the front and because the yarn was a different gauge (because I used a US7 to get a firmer fabric) I had to add extra cables here and there.

My desire to wear this is overriding my true knit-yearnings. I am choosing this project over the others just so I can get it done AND WEAR IT.
The back and one sleeve is finished so I may have a FO to post soon.

My summer project for the Knitting Garden

"Cozy Carriage Cover" designed by Edie Eckman for Alpaca with a Twist, a luxurious knitting experience indeed! Using their new yarn, "Highlander" a worsted wt. alpaca/merino blend and Addi Turbo needles, this project gave me several hours of knitting pleasure. Truly blessed is the baby that gets wrapped in this incredibly soft blanket!

The Open Waters Wrap designed by Ilga Leja done using 3 skeins of Colinette Wigwam in colorway Mediterraneum (worn by Zoe).

This is a well written pattern with lots of good information. Remember to block your gauge swatch well.

The Bucket Bag

I don't know why I so desired to knit this, especially since I don't like the pictures in the magazine (Knitter's Spring 2007). Using Cascade 220, it takes 1 skein of each color, held double. I had the extra dpns but you could also use 2 circs or the magic loop method and markers. With all the Cascade colors available the possiblilities are endless. I think I will make a "watermelon" bag next (green and pink).

Jack's Aran Sweater

This pattern is from Best of Knitter's Arans and Celtics. I made it for my first grand nephew, Jack, who lives in Seattle.

I used Encore.

Little Goodie Bag

Christine asked me to design a project using one skein of Blue Sky Alpaca Sportweight and this is what I came up with. It can be a gift bag, sachet, jewelry container and if you turn it upside down: a cute infant hat! We had our guild Christmas Party at the Knitting Garden and each attendant received a gift of this pattern and a skein of the yarn.

Braided Scarf

Another heavenly Cashmerino Superchunky scarf - your neck will love you! Again, my lovely model, Zoe. (My other lovely model, Taylor, is working her hiney off with 19 (engineering) hours this quarter then off to WDW for 5 months to do the Disney College Program. More on that later.)

The Knotted Cable Scarf

...for lack of a better name. This is a luxurious scarf made with Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky or Baby Alpaca Grande! It was inspired by a Nicky Epstein design and is self-fringing. Daughter Zoe and good friend Laura are the models.

The Top Down Funnel Neck Sweater

Pattern writing is a lot of work! I started on this design last July and just yesterday (1/12/07) delivered the pattern to the Knitting Garden for sale. It is 4 pages long with lots of good tips included. I also teach a class on it. I hope to be able to sell patterns from this website someday but until then, if anyone really wants this pattern they can email me and I will mail it out.

Bunny Egg Cozy Pattern

Bunny Egg Cozy
SUPPLIES:
Yarn: any leftover, smooth worsted wt yarn
Needles: US size 6 and tapestry needle for sewing up.

DIRECTIONS:
Cast on 37 sts. leaving a tail for sewing up. Wind tail into a yarn butterfly to keep it out of the way.
Rows 1 and 3: *K1 P1* to last st. , K1.
Row 2: P1, *K1,P1*
Rows 4-11: Knit in garter stitch (garter: knit every row)
(note: 8 rows = 4 ridges)

Shape edges and under chin:
Row 12: K1, K2tog, K 10, (K2tog) 2X, K3, (SSK) 2X, K10, SSK, K1
(31 sts.)
Row 13, 15, 17-19: K1, K2tog, K to last 3 sts., SSK, K1
Row 14: K1, K2tog, K9, inc. in the next 5 sts., K9, SSK, K1 (32 sts.)
Row 16: K1, K2tog, K10, (Knit in front and back) 4X,K10, SSK, K1.
Row 20-21: Bind off 5 sts. at the beginning of each row.
Rows 22-24: Knit. (16 sts.)
Row 25: K6, inc. in next 4 sts., K6.
Row 26: Knit 6, Bind off 8 center sts., K6.
Row 27: Bind off each side separately.

EARS- make 2
Cast on 4 sts.
Rows 1 and all odd rows – Purl
Rows 2,4,6 and 8 – Knit
Row 10: K1, K2tog, K1
Row 12: Slip one as if to knit, K2tog, pass slipped st. over the k2tog.
Sew up body, rt sides together, attach ears. Make a pom-pom for the tail. Whiskers optional.

This was fun!

After knitting several pairs of socks at 8-9 sts. per inch I finally said to myself, "I'm not doing this any more!" These $%@# things just go on and on and on and on and on...
But, of course, making socks is an important rite of passage for all knitters and the time has arrived for me to give a sock class at the shop, The Knitting Garden, Westlake, OH.
So when Robin, always full of life, suggested I pick a worsted wt. pattern to teach I was all for it. They don't make the Jacquard print yarn in worsted wt. as far as I know and I didn't want a solid color - I wanted something fun and Silk Garden was just right for the job. It was so addictive watching the striping unfold that I am actually looking forward to making the mate!

She wanted a beaded shawl of her own and I couldn't say no...