I know, it's been a while...
The fall was busy with garden clean ups and knitting samples for upcoming classes and I fell way behind on my UFO's.
And then there was a whole bunch of Christmas knitting to get done...
But I got back to it and so here we go with UFO # 42: Finished in November,
The Girasole Blanket by Jared Flood https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/girasole
This blanket was started in 2010 at the UK Knit Camp at the Sterling University in Scotland in a class with Jared Flood.
Only 10 years in the making, I just kept changing yarns and colours as I ran out.
It was knit in a bulky weight yarn on 6mm needles, and included Estelle and Berocco Vintage Chunky.
I am very happy with how it turned out and it was a great fall knit.
UFO #43: Bonnie and Clyde Mittens, a Night* Sky design by Beth McElman
Technically this was not a cast on project but has been in queue since I worked at Serenity Knits.
The Canadian Yarn Company Louette used to have a whole yarn line in different weights and textures in the same colour ways.
You could knit yourself a hat in a chunky weight yarn and a sweater in the same colour but in a mohair blend and have matching socks!
Bonnie was the smooth yarn and Clyde was a boucle which Beth turned into these fabulous mittens with a thick cuff.
I used Cascade Pastaza for the mittens because we were out of the matching Bonnie.
UFO #44, also finished in November was the Feathered Hat by Flock Fibre Studio https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/feathered-hat
The pattern calls for worsted weight yarn in three colours, but I used KFI Indulgence Cashmere and Dona in red for the brim, both DK weight yarns.
I knit the biggest size and got a hat that will fit a kid. (You know the saying: If you build it, they will come? Well I figure it works for knitting baby stuff too... No pressure Lance)
This is a fun a quick knit and if you use a variegated yarn for the hat part it goes even faster.
In December, while I was looking for heavy yarn for a really quick pair of socks I came across
UFO #45: Saroyan https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/saroyan
I think I stared it in 2012 after buying this fabulous yarn from The Needle Emporium at the Knitters Frolic.
The yarn was Mrs. Crosby Likes to Play, a worsted in this gorgeous colour Golden Butter. The yarn is a dream to work with and the pattern has an easily memorized leaf motive on one edge.
Of course my tension was totally different from the beginning to the end, but it's for me and I figure if it's around my neck no one will notice (just don't sit in front of Karen at Church).
I also noticed that I was really smart all those years ago. Because my purling is looser than my knitting I actually had two different sized tips on my interchangeable needles: a 4.5mm for the knit rows and a 4.0mm for the purl rows.
That way my tension is more even.
Really smart right?
Moving right along, the time crunch is on, the Christmas knitting is done and on Christmas eve I actually finished two projects:
UFO #46: The Loyal Toque, a few years ago I made a whole bunch of these hats for gifts and this one was the last one in the bin.
Knit in Naturally Aran Loyal in a simple 4x4 rib. No pattern really, just cast on 96sts and work in pattern for 12" before starting the crown decreases.
Actually my cousin's daughter Pia was knitting on it in January when they were here for a visit. Good times!!!
UFO #47 the Emergency Hat or Cowl by Frankie Brown https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/emergency-hat-2
This was a sample from a previous class and was begging to be finished with these bright colours.
This hat/cowl is knit flat on a bias with a reversible stitch pattern and is a great accessory to have in the car.
The yarn I used is Classic Shades colour: Flash by Universal Yarns.
If you've never knit any of Frankies patterns you should really check them out: https://www.ravelry.com/designers/frankie-brown
She has over 500 amazing designs.
UFO #48 started in 2012 and finished December 26, was Minnette Pullover https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/minnette-pullover
This was also a previous class sample that has been sitting in a "vessel" because one sleeve needed to be re-knit.
I didn't like the way the decreases worked with the lace pattern on the first sleeve and tried a different way on the second sleeve with much better results. Yarn: Cascade Superwash Worsted, colour #882
Sleeve #1 with ugly decrease pattern, not symmetrical
Sleeve #2 with nice symmetrical decrease pattern
But I never went back to fix the first sleeve until last week, crazy, right?
Of course I started another Minnette in an apple green cotton instead...
Well, now this one is done and has been gifted to a friend already.
UFO #49 was this very cute Snowman Door Stopper, https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mr-frosty-snowman-cable-doorstop
Started in 2014 I think and finished December 27.
The snowman is knit in Fibra Natura LINKS, a cotton chain yarn in an Aran weight and the accessories are knit in leftover Cascade Superwash Wave.
I don't usually knit cutesy stuff like this, and maybe that's why he's been sitting in a box, but come on, you must admit that he is adorable!
While I was looking for the stuffing for the snowman I found a ball of lace yarn that I needed to finish a shawl (funny how the knitting gods help you along).
UFO #50 was The Cap Shawl, https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-cap-shawl from the Victorian Lace Today Book.
I think this shawl was started in 2008. The centre part of the shawl is knit with Noro Lace and for the border I used Zephyr Lace yarn. I only had 8 more repeats left on the border when I ran out of yarn....
It took a few years to get another ball of the Zephyr, but it got put in a safe place and....
....Quite a few years later that ball of yarn turned up again and the shawl finally got finished.
When I made the UFO list in January I had listed this next shawl as "going to rip this out".
I was never going to wear it, it's a lovely shawl, don't get me wrong. I had fun knitting it but I could reuse the yarn, etcetera, etcetera, ....
When I pulled it out of it's resting spot I noticed that all I had left to do to finish it was the scalloped bind off. I remembered why the shawl went into "hibernation":
I didn't think I had enough yarn to finish this extravagant bind off.
So, I did a regular stretchy bind off and had another gift ready to pass on. Yay!!!
So, without further ado (I do ramble on sometimes)
Here is UFO #51, the Faroese Flower Shawl by Canadian Designer Lucy Neatby
This is a traditional piece of clothing from the Faroe Islands with distinguishing characteristics of the center back gusset shaping.
The shawl patterns, usually knit top down, consist of two triangular side panels, a rectangular shaped back gusset, shoulder shaping and an edge treatment.
The shoulder shaping allows these shawls to drape over the shoulders and remain in place without sliding down the arms or bunching up around the neck.
Faroese shawls are shaped like butterfly wings!
Knit in Cascade Superwash, it is actually the same colour as the Minnette Sweater.
It is a really nice shawl and I'm glad I didn't rip it out and the recipient is really happy with it too. So, double YAY!!!
AND NOW, TADAH!!!
UFO #52 The Linen Stitch Cowl
This cowl was started in 2017, when Canada turned 150 and Fleece Artist came out with the National Parks Collection.
There are many patterns for Linen Stitch on Ravelry;
I just cast on 221sts and worked a seed stitch border with Rowan Pure Wool Superwash colour 156 and alternated Chinook in colour Greenwich, PEI with the solid colour while working the linen stitch pattern.
The nice thing about Linen Stitch is that the inside looks just as nice as the outside.
