Rambling thoughts on knitting plans - lots of pretty pictures!

It may seem a bit strange to be writing this on the first official day of the Australian summer, but when one has a new addiction/passion/love mere dates, temperatures or seasons cannot stop one from ogling beautiful patterns and falling down the Ravelry rabbit hole! I think the great thing about the Southern Hemisphere being a season behind in terms of fashion (and therefore sewing and knitting fashions) is that we can see all the lovely new things being tried and tested, then we can swoop in and use up all that experience and advice with our own makes!

And of course the hard thing about knitting, especially as a beginner, is that once you graduate to from making scarves to making garments each item can take so. damn. long. At least if I am sewing chances are my project will be finished in less than a month (and usually less than 2 weeks) - and the mental queue of future sewing projects doesn't seem quite so overwhelming. So it's only natural that the delay of knitting gratification causes one to make crazy long term unrealistic plans - or is that just me? The good thing about such long term plans is that it does give you time to think sensibly about how it will fit into the wardrobe - colours, styles, which garments it will work with, instead of rushing headlong into making something that might be pretty but not really a great fit with the rest of one's wardrobe!

I know many sewists/crafters just LOVE the planning stage. I'm no different. Hours are spent on the couch, one eye on the telly, the other looking up patterns, garments, fabrics, reading blogs, and now that time has also started to include Ravelry, and actual knitting time. I thought I'd share my current list of possible future knits, mostly because I think they are so lovely!



(all images via Ravelry unless noted otherwise)

Morgat - by Army of Knitters



This is actually my current WIP - I'm nearly done, just started the second sleeve (the first sleeve took about a week) so hopefully next weekend I'll be finished! I'm making it a little longer in the body and intend to wear it with more than a pair of red knickers.


Featherweight Cardigan - by Hannah Fettig


This is my next project. It's a lovely lightweight cardigan knitted with very fine yarn - I'm going to be using a beautiful dusky pink merino-silk blend. I'm pleased to say I've been very good and actually already done my swatch. Because it's knitted flat, on pretty small needles I know it will probably take me forever, and so, as leader of Chez Tragic, I am allowing the rule that one can have at least 2 WIP's on the go, one brainless and fine, the other quicker and chunkier! This can be my brainless stockinette project that I do in my work break. This designer has several other cardi's and jumpers that are in my favourites - she seems to favour designs that use fine yarn and needles - lovely finished projects that take forever!


Cape Cod - by Thea Colman


This will be my concurrent WIP - I bought the yarn on my recent trip to Bendigo, from the Woollen Mills there - beautiful bright red wool. Such good value yarn - the giant balls are like miniature pumpkins, for $12 each!!! This is a lovely boat neck jumper, knit from the top down in the round (whoohoo, easy!) with just a little bit of lace work to keep it interesting. I really like Jillian's lovely fitted gold version, and felt very encouraged by her comments that it was good for a beginner (I call myself a Phase 2 beginner, Phase 1 being confident with scarves!).

The scary thing about these 2 projects is that I will have to start to learn DPN's - I've just ordered a set of bamboo DPN's off ebay (bargain - 9 sizes, 5 needles each for $13!) and might ease myself into the technique with a little hat..... I went with the techknitters advice on the type of DPN's - this woman is an absolute knitting guru it seems.....

These next few lovelies are in no particular order - as I get closer to the end of the above projects I'll start sniffing around for yarn, and decide then (I'm trying REALLY hard not to accumulate a yarn stash):


The Miette Cardi - Andi Sutterland


This is a very popular and well known pattern - it's free, good for beginners and apparently quite quick to knit up. I'd love to make it in a silk wool blend but that might be a bit pricey. I'll probably make it in black, and maybe a little longer. This designer makes lovely patterns, and she's particularly well known for her seam-free designs.

Raindrops - Tin Can Knits


I just love the yoke on this - so delicate, and pretty. It's got gorgeous 3/4 sleeves too with a cute button detail. It's made in very fine yarn so will probably be a longer term project. Again I'm thinking black or maybe a dark charcoal....

Phinney - Cirilia Rose


I'm a bit undecided on this one. I love the look, especially the colour blocking of the yoke and the little puffed sleeves, but the annoying thing is that you can't buy this pattern as a PDF - it only comes in a Berocco yarn book (that contains no other patterns I'd be interested in), and I've not been able to find it in Australia. I've found it from the US, but it's going to cost me $20, and quite frankly, I'm not sure I want to pay that much when there is a zillion other sweater patterns out there to download for less than $8! I recently bought an Interweave sewing mag at my local newsagent, and it contains this pattern:

which I think with some more experience I could fairly easily adapt to have a similar colour blocking effect. I do love that aqua/grey combo.....

Toulouse Pullover - Leah B. Thibault


What's not to love about this? Cozy, slouchy, frenchie, top-down knit with a gorgeous neck tie, knitted in nice 10ply yarn and the pattern only costs $3!!! I've pretty much decided I'll be knitting this in a Bendigo Woollen Mill 10ply yarn called Denim, which is a lovely deep french navy.

Chuck - Andi Satterlund


I'm not really that into the cabled look (makes me think of those cream cabled jumpers that were popular when I was a teenager in the 90's, worn with checked pants - shudder), but I think the fitted and cropped style of this in a fun colour would be great. I've got a few higher waisted skirts and dresses now, and I think a nice bright turquoise or aqua would look great, especially with my red Beignet skirt. Again Bendigo Woollen Mills will come to the rescue with their 10ply wool in either Lake or Aquarium. I'll probably make it a little longer though (that cropped length makes me think of Alicia Silverstone, in Clueless)!

Satsuma Stripes - City Purl


This is just a nice simple jumper pattern with stripes. The other night I was seriously considering risking being labelled a creepy stalker when I tried to sneak a photo of a jumper I saw a girl wearing in a restaurant. In the end I just tried to memorise it - it was a very fine knit (obviously machine knitted) with a beige background and each stripe was a different colour, but in muted shades - not bright rainbow colours - coral, grassy green, blue, black. It was so cute. I found these pics on the web to help me remember and to help me choose complimentary colours in the future. Although I might make it a grey background as beige doesn't really float my boat....





These next two patterns would be the first dip of my toes into Fair Isle knitting. I have to say that Fair Isle patterns tend to make me think of snowflakes, and reindeer, and are generally a bit dorky, but I think a bit of subtle colour work in a modern colour way and fit could be really nice in winter. The Amira by Andrea Rangel is fitted and cropped, and I think would look great in a grey marle with navy colour work:

Image from Andrea Rangal Knits
I'm not sure whether I'd do the cuffs. It might be a bit much for me!

This is another Hannah Fettig pattern - the Willard Fair Isle Pullover - I love the chevron colour work - it's a bit different and I think would look great in a bit of a crazy colour combination, like turquoise blue and a red chevron:


I'm only putting this next pattern in because I think it is just so beautiful - if I ever get good enough to make this then I'll be very happy. Lacework and colour work! I can't even see myself pronouncing it, let alone knitting it (although the designer claims she designed it whilst hiking. I kid you not - there's photos of her walking and knitting - those bloody clever multitasking Norwegians!) - the
Fimmvörðurháls by Hélène Magnússon:



And finally, I've a little selection of patterns put out in the Wool People series - a collection of patterns made from Brooklyn Tweed yarn, in collaboration with various knitwear designers around the world. I've actually got at least 9 patterns in my Ravelry Favourites, but some of them are a bit too ambitious - the Brooklyn Tweed website has all the Wool People catalogues here - they are just so beautifully photographed - well worth an ogle! Here's my favourites:

Carpino by Carol Feller

Image via Brooklyn Tweed
This is gorgeous, but I wonder whether a big part of it is the striking mustard colour and that beautiful  girl......I'd never wear that colour.....

Edie by Michelle Wang

Image via Brooklyn Tweed
This a very cute short sleeved jumper with subtle little cables around the bottom hem. Again cables that don't scream cables!

Peabody by Leila Raabe

Image via Brooklyn Tweed
This is so pretty - lace panels on the front and down the sleeves. I'm being a bit optimistic about this one in the near future...maybe in a couple of years!

So whats that - 12 or 13 patterns.... if it takes me 2 months to knit something then that's 2 years of knitting projects lined up for me! Ha! What a dreamer! What's in your Ravelry queue?

Comments

  1. I recently wanted to take up knitting again, but since I live in the opposite hemisphere where it's fall, it makes a bit more sense, haha. So, I finally bought myself a set of circular knitting needles (Knitpicks's new Caspian line - so pretty!!) and grey yarn to make a Miette cardigan. I can't wait to start!
    And good luck on your 2 year knitting project! :D

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    1. Thanks Michelle - good luck with the Miette! Yes I was well aware of the seasonal irony - it was so hot yesterday! Still managed to get some knitting done under the air con though!

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  2. Wow! You have been busy haven't you? Ravelry is a bit like disappearing down the rabbit hole though isn't it? Can't wait to see your Breton inspired WIP, tres chic. Thank you so much for mentioning my Cape Cod! I don't think I've ever been mentioned on another blog before. I am loving some of your projects to be. Might join you for a knit-along with the Toulouse pullover and the Chevron colour work. Colour work! You are skipping miles ahead of me. I have two new knits planned (a sweater and cardigan) both knit in self-striping yarn. Love!!! Oh and forget the DPNs, you have got to do the magic loop method instead for small circumference knitting. DPNs? Ick. Magic loop? Bliss. Now got to get back to my knitted tee which seems to be taking forever to finish. I need some sewing time :)

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    1. You are very welcome - it's true I think your jumper is fab! So inspiring! I've looked at the magic loop technique - will have to check it out again! Look forward to the tee - I presume you've sorted your disastrous stitch dropping!

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    2. LOL! Yes, crisis averted and soldiered on :)

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  3. So many beautiful projects, so little time! But isn't the planning and dreaming blissful?! I've had the Peabody on my wish-list too for ages. The last few projects I've done have been 12 ply ones - quick, sure, but I'm itching to try something a bit finer next. Maybe it is Peabody Time after all...
    Love your creepy stalker tendencies. Don't think I've ever actually photographed anyone for inspiration purposes, but I have done surreptitious sketching on napkins...
    Looking forward to the progress posts on the two above!

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    1. The planning is truly one of the best parts! Yes start the Peabody! And don't forget to swatch - you don't want monkey arms again hahaha :)

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  4. Don't be shy of Mustard Yellow! I thought I could NEVER wear it (too pale skin, olive undertones) and this seasons fell in love it and it looks fabulous on me! Give it a try!

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    1. Thanks Rachel - I've been considering mustard for a few seasons now, and really should give it a go!

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  5. All delicious!! Which one will be your first project?

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    1. Cardi I think, but I promised my husband I'd finish knitting him a kombi that he bought me a pattern for last year - it's hanging over my head now!

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  6. The ravelry rabbit hole... whahaha! I'm so getting you! I've recently started knitting my very first sweater. As you, I've been knitting scarves and hats, but I felt like taking the leap. And i so love it! But is takes sooo long. Can probably do just about 2 large knitting projects a year...
    I'm curious to see your makes! And I love the patterns you choose.Especially the Cape Cod and the Raindrops... let's do lace! Oooeeh!

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    1. I'm sure you'll get faster! I can't wait to start them all - I have Startitis!

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