The quest for a border

 

I've completed the main body of my lacy heart shawl (previously called "Amore Shawl" when I mentioned it on this blog) that I believe will be coined "Forget Me Not" for sentimental reasons mentioned in my Podcast episode #1. With that reason, the quest for a suitable border is all the more important to get "just right." 

I've searched through all of my stitchonaries, checked out additional books from the library to merge a couple of ideas together for what  I envisioned for this shawl. It hasn't been easy, but I think that I have come up with a game plan. I've been mulling over this for quite some time now.

My challenge now is that I have to fit this 16 row border perfectly with the row and stitch count of this shawl. I'm working with an excel chart to (visually) help me turn the corners accurately in this border so that all corners look the same because I haven't done a rectangular shawl border before. Triangular  borders-yes, at least three times, but not a rectangle. If you've never done this either, you normally need to knit into certain stitches more than once around the corner area, so that the edging bends with the curve. I'll show and explain more about that later, but in the meantime, wish me luck!

FO: Frozen River Slouch

Another hibernated project off the needles! You're looking at a cabled slouchy hat that resembles frost marks on a pool of water. I've named the pattern "Frozen River Slouch" and it was started in 2010. 

Pattern: Frozen River Slouch by Anna Maliszewski (KUAS original)

Yarn: 1 ball Wool-ease in a blue heathered colorway

Needles: Size US9 circular (16'')

Started: 2010 (hibernation)   Completed: February 20, 2014

On the base of the slouch is a cabled braid, and other finishing touches is a crochet slip stitch border above the braid edging for a nice, clean finishing touch, and also a little cute I-Cord nub at the top.

Optional little I-Cord adornment

 It's a very slouchy hat. I'm thinking of making another version that is less slouchy and with a different type of yarn that is less fuzzy for better stitch definition. I was destashing before, but this might lend itself nicely to be published? No?

KUAS Podcast Episode #2: Saucy

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This is the podcast that was recorded yesterday, but I ran out of time to post it the same day. Let me know if I'm doing something right, because it is a little time-consuming.

Podcast & music by Anna Maliszewski. Copyright 2014.

Episode #2: Saucy
1. Work-in-progress knit: Frozen River Slouch by Anna Maliszewski (KUAS Designs).

2. Tutorial on how to cable without cable needles using the stitch "2-st RPC (tbl)" and "2-st LPC (tbl)". Materials needed: 1 plastic stitch marker with a slit in it + your project that you will cable on.
You can find a video of just this tutorial under my tab "Video Tutorials."

3. Frogging & spring cleaning of WIP's.

4. Hot Sauce: Wing Master Buffalo Wing Sauce in the "Garlic Parmesan" flavor from the Pepper Palace (www.pepperpalace.com). $7.99.

For more podcasts or tutorials, please visit my tab "KUAS Podcasts" on my blog or SUBSCRIBE to my Youtube page.

Give me a shout-out if this no-cable trick has been handy!
Sorry for the haziness, this was done at night!

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KUAS Tutorial: Knitting without cable needles

Here I will demonstrate how to do the 2-st RPC(tbl) cable* and 2-st LPC(tbl) cable using a stitch marker with a slit in it, instead of using a cable needle because it is faster and easier.
         *TBL= knit through the back of the loop

Tools needed: a stitch marker with a slip in it, plus your knitting work.

Row 7 example: P1, RPC (tbl)-2x, LPC (tbl)-2x, p1

Project demonstrated on:
Frozen River Slouch by Anna Maliszewski (KUAS Designs).

My computer is slug-slow right now from making these podcasts and tutorials today. I have a podcast from today all but compiled into one video, but it is darn late...it will have to wait! Come back tomorrow!

A Bientot!

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KUAS Podcast: Episode 1 (Valentine's Day)

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.
OMG, made it! I'm literally just getting done with this podcast episode, having started it yesterday (while working all day on it) only to have to redo the whole thing (and it still gave me trouble). Basically, the files were too large and I had to find a program to compress them. The good news: I compressed and edited them. The bad news: it left their company watermark on it (which is annoying) because they want you to buy the program, and I would have to scrub the whole V-Day thing because there's just not enough time to redo it all. Hopefully this episode is enjoyable. Let me know what you think. Working in front of a camera makes me feel a little silly. :)


Podcast Episode 1: Valentine's Day
Holy Toledo, there are a  lot of FO's shown!     * denotes KUAS pattern

Throwback knit outfit: Punk Rock Tunic*

FO's as seen on Podcast:
1. Large Pink Scarf*
2. Vintage Plum Sweater*
3. Amore Tanktop*
4. Cabled Hat*
5. Ear Warmer*
6.  Pink 3X1 Cap*
7. Snuggles Fingerless Mitt*
8. Candied Hearts Socks V.1*
9. Candied Hearts Socks V.2*
10. Sweet As Candy Baby Cardigan*
11. Wedding Shrug*
12. Berry Clutch*
13. Rose Shrug*
14. LT sock *

WIP's as seen on the Podcast:
1. Purple LT sweater with Paton's Lacette*
2. Ysolda's "Follow Your Arrow" shawl KAL
3. Hi Low Sweater*with Berroco Ultra Light Alpaca yarn
4. Amore Shawl*

Dyed KUAS Yarn:
1. Candied Hearts (fingering weight yarn)
2. Twilight Colorways in various yarn weights

Question on the podcast:
What have you knit for Valentine's day, or like to knit for people for Valentine's Day?

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Jingle

I made an official post earlier today, but I was too giddy with excitement to wait another day to announce that I have decided to make knitting podcasts for this blog, and knowing me, I had to make my own little opening jingle...which I wrote while the boys were napping. My computer isn't recognizing my Yeti recorder device for some reason, so you'll have to wait until the first podcast to get the full experience. What do you think?   :)

Verdict time

I finally got the chance to slip half of the sweater onto a second circular needle to formulate my verdict for this sweater. As I suspected, the sweater is too large already, and the sleeves are the main culprit.

May the sleeves step up and declare it's innocence?

Just as I suspected. Too large.

From the front view, it pretends to drape nicely. However, the proof is in the pudding, er, back-view photo.

Frogging time. The sleeves have to be reduced, unless puffy sleeves are the fashion again? No? Didn't think so. I'm going to mull over whether or not I like the three panels of lace in the front. I was considering reducing the number (but two might look odd above the bust, and one will look just as odd) because even the front can stand to loose a couple of stitches and the 3 lace panels require that many stitches. Maybe I should change the whole front design altogether, with no lace? What I do know is that this panel looks good on the sleeve.

I'm feeling a little bit indecisive. What do you think?

Designing in the works

The past week, I've been playing around with an idea for a Hi Low sweater. I've tackled the main design, and started looking up short row shaping for a hi low back, and even have been looking in to bust darts to give this sweater extra shaping.

However, I casted on too much for the sleeves, and now I have to frog the project and start fresh. It's always a hard thing to do when working that far with sport weight yarn. I was up to around 230 stitches at that point where I left off, so I'm glad that next time should go a little faster.

The yoke will have a lacy panel, and will stop at the bust, and the sleeves will continue the pattern all the way down.

Unfortunately, my camera could not capture the beauty of the colorway;  it's almost a teal color. I'm using Berocco's Ultra Alpaca Light yarn that I have been saving for some years.

Sam photo-bombed the shoot at the end. Milk mustache and all. :)