Project Updates: Knit Edition

I've slowly been going through my project bags and baskets and bins in an effort to finish the various knitting projects I've started over the years, or to revise projects that have been finished but sit dormant. A little round up of things I've checked off the finish & fix list over the past few weeks, or that I've been motivated to make some progress on.

Entrelac Infinity Scarf 

This was a "regular" scarf that I had knit from two skeins of this colorway, plus a third skein of a close-but-not-close-enough colorway. The other skein had too much bright red and pink to really blend well, and I just wasn't happy with it. I completely ripped out the scarf and reknit it with the two matching skeins. I sewed the two ends together and viola! An infinity scarf - and just the right length (diameter?) for doubling over to create a cozy cowl. The pattern is an entrelac stitch, which creates a bit of a basketweave pattern. I'm digging it right now although it uses a bit more yarn because of how it is constructed. The yarn is variegated, which gives the blocks of different color but the pattern can be done with any number of colors for each square or triangle.

new cowl!

Double-Knit Argyle Headband

This also had a previous life as a scarf, and not a very long one. It wasn't quite the right length to convert into an infinity scarf/cowl, so I decided to take part of it out (about two-thirds), cast off, and sew into a headband. It's now in the regular rotation of headwear for this winter, since it hasn't always been cold enough (hrumph) for a hat. The pattern is a simple argyle, in the fairisle tradition, with two colors creating the pattern. The fabric itself is double knit - reversible, and opposite in color. Double-knitting is fun to do, as the pattern emerges on both sides. 

the original scarf

new winter headband!

And because I can't stop having projects in progress:

Bark Cable Cowl

That yarn mom and I dyed back in May? Well, I decided to get a little project going with it. I'm on a scarf & cowl kick this winter, in part because I feel the need to liven up my winter teaching wardrobe, which mainly consists of sweaters and cords or jeans. The nice thing about scarves and cowls is that they are fairly quick projects for me, and I like the sense of actually having finished a project. I'm generally very good at starting knitting projects and then letting them stew for a while. We're working on that. The cable pattern came from a great book, Knit Local, which a friend of mine gave me - I love it! The original pattern, Interlocking Rings Cowl, calls for knitting two separate shorter cowls, in two different knit patterns, and sewing them in a manner which "locks" them like chain links. My yarn is thicker, and I am using larger needles, so I picked one of the two patterns. I'm loving it so far. The yarn is soft and the pattern is chunky and airy which will translate to being nice and warm. 

mmmmmm. . . another cozy cowl on its way

Icelandic Star Cardi

This sweater is a looooong term project. I bought the yarn for something else an embarrassingly long time ago. And like many of my projects, I let it stew for a bit. This is a fairisle sweater which can be found in the 2009 issue of Interweave Knits. I'm not sure when it will get done, but I've made some progress - when I last left it I was only two-thirds of the way up the ribbing. I've since made it through almost all of the bottom fairisle border. Whoo-hoo!

just keep knitting.

 And, of course, those things I really did mean to finish. . . 

Remember the string of lights summer project I was working on? Key word there - was. It got lost in the moving shuffle this fall, transferred to a vintage knitting basket I found at an antique store, then tucked into the corner behind my little turquoise easy chair. And then I took down my Christmas tree. And here it is, no further along than it was when we last checked in. The whole "done for Christmas for sure?" Oh well, there's always next winter!

I meant done for next Christmas, I swear. . . 

I'm also throwing around the idea of an Etsy shop. I have a bunch of stuff (knit and sewn) leftover from my island Silver Thread Artisan days, so I may toss some pictures up and see if they move. I'd love to find a similar thing around here, and might do some research with my sister to find a craftshow next holiday season.