Garn Boet - The Yarn Nest

The Deep V Argyle vest has made it to the finishing line. The vest is super comfortable to wear, and is not at all, as I had suspected, very warm. The DK thickness talked for a midwinter vest, but I have already used the vest, and it was just perfect.

Eunny's pattern is well written and easy to follow, even if I think there is a mistake in the earlier versions of the ribbing instructions. There is plenty of description in how to make steeks, perfect even for a perfect beginner to the world of steeks. Still, my yarn was too slippery, and I ended up securing the steeks with a seam. The neck edge and armhole ribbing is picked up in the first stitch of the steek, look at the picture, a very neat edge against the ribbing, isn't it! The hem ribbing continues in a beautiful manner into the edge stitches of the fake side seam. Eunny's small details makes knitting this vest very satisfying, you look at the patterns and almost say aloud a big Ahaaa!

Project details:
Pattern: Eunny's Deep V Argyle vest
Yarn: Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK in Raspberry and Blackcurrant
Needles: Addi bamboo 3,5 mm 60 cm and dpns
Gauge: 22 stitches and 32 rows to make 10 x 10 cm
Alterations: I started the ribbing at the hem with 1 knit, *2 purl, 2 knit*, not 1 knit, *2 knit, 2 purl*, as my pattern specifies. This order creats the ribbing you see in the picture above.

See all entries on Deep V Argyle Vest.

And check out this: Lotta at Knitter Nutter has started a Deep V in pale pink and dark, almost brown, plum. Way to go, Lotta!

Posted by Maud at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (11) | TrackBacks (0)

This has been the first week of the autumn term at the university. I have, unlike earlier years, also signed up for and got accepted to several language courses. And language lessons give you homework. So this first week has already been a pretty busy week, and everything talks for more work later on when a second course in Finnish is about to start, and when I'll also get literature for next exam.

But over to the knitting contents.

I have got a card from my secret knitting pal. She has been to Greece, and was kind enough to send me a card telling me how beautiful it is over there, and how kind the people are, the best inGreece she claims. Sounds like a pretty nice place, and the pictures are beautiful. Thank you, Salainen Neule Ystävä!

I have made some progress on the argyle vest. I was knitting so much late in the evenings that I totally forgot to take pictures, and this is the state of the vest now:

Yes, the vest is knitted and the steeks cut open. I had a slight problem with the steeks, and I knew it pretty much from the beginning. I made several swatches and tested the crochet steek method, but no way that I could get the steeks to hold. So my decision was to sew the steeks on machine, and then, in order to create a neat edge, and only for decorative purpose, to crochet over the sewn stitch. Like this:

The stitches are safe, and the edge is neat, and the tension is as if I had used only the crochet method (I doubt there is a difference between my sewn steek and the crocheted, but if there is, and Eunny claims it is, then this is the same as the crocheted). Next step is now to pick up and knit some 350 stitches in rib.

These two guys are also ready to take their departure. Bye, bye helping bunnies, be good bunnies to the children you'll see.

Posted by Maud at 06:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (5) | TrackBacks (0)

You thought I had forgotten about this project? Oh no. Eunny’s Deep V Argyle vest is still on the agenda, and more, I have started to work on it. I chose Jaeger Extra Fine Merino DK in the colours Raspberry and Blackcurrant, and got gauge directly on needles 3,5 mm Addi bamboos. The yarn is heaven to knit with; it’s soft and sweet against the hands. I am almost done with the decreases, and have so far used one ball of the blue and one and a half of the red. The pattern stated that three of both are enough, but I ordered a fourth ball of the red, just to be on the safe side.


I’m afraid I will not get much done on this project for a while, I’m off to Copenhagen tomorrow morning, and will be away for three days. After that will the week be pretty hectic, the schools have started and there will be a lot of catching up. I plan to take the vest with me to Copenhagen, but again, I doubt I’ll have any knitting time.

Autumn afternoon sun: pine needles and the vest

I do also want to thank you for all the kind words over the Paitsu mittens. The mittens have made me think a lot, I have done some initial research, and I’m about to challenge myself with a very special mitten project. But it asks for more research, and I will post about that in couple of weeks time. Until then I’ll work on my vest.

Posted by Maud at 05:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Eftersom Charm har nått det stadiet att det bara är att sy ihop och sticka kragen, och den första ekorrvanten börjar närma sig sitt slut, är det tillåtet att se framåt och planera för nästa projekt. Av någon anledning kallar västar på mig från olika håll. Eunny har designat en underbar salmiakrutig väst med djup V-ringning som påminner mig om en av de alldra första tröjorna jag som tonåring stickade i Jakobsdals Angorina Lyx. Eunnys mönster är otroligt klart och tydligt, absolut att rekommendera även för den som enbart är intresserad av utförlig beskrivning av virkade steeks och fair isle teknik i största allmänhet.

It’s time to start thinking about the future. Charm is only about to be sewn together, and to get the collar knitted, and the first squirrel mitten is close to finishing. I have heard vests calling me from different directions. First it was this wonderful deep v-fronted vest Eunny designed. It reminds me of one of the first sweaters I knitted as teenager, out of Jakobsdals Angorina Lyg yarn. Eunnys pattern is an absolute winner, loaded with information on fair isle technique, and very clear.

Det är bara ett problem. Jag har inget garn i mitt förråd som passar till västen. Och vad skulle det spela för roll? Garnaffärer är ju till för det, och under de kommande veckorna kommer jag att ha föreläsningar förrädiskt nära Menita i Helsingfors. Jo, jag gick och anmälde mig till Hamstertävlingen
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There is only one problem. I have no yarn in my stash suitable for Eunny’s vest. Well, so what’s the problem, that’s why yarn shops are for, you might think. And I will have lectures daily not too far away from Menita, wonderful yarn shop in Helsinki. Yes the problem is that I decided to take part in the Hamster competition

Hamstertävlingen går nu för andra gången i rad lös bland finländska stickerskor. Målet är att under februari månad sticka undan så mycket lagrade garn som möjligt, och inte köpa nytt. Vinnare koras, samt några andra priser delas ut. Inte för att jag har ett så omfattande lager, 4 kg är småpotatis i det här sammanhanget, men jag tycker inte om när garn blir och ligga, och jag tänkte att jag med hjälp av tävlingen skulle tvinga mig själv till att ta itu med några gamla lager. Varför jag kommer till följande väst. Jag har ett underbart handspunnet garn jag har fått i utbyte mot en norsk inspirerad barntröja jag stickade, och som redan har legat i många år i lagret. I Interweave knits höstnummer 2005 hittade jag den här västen

The idea with the Hamster competition is to during February only knit from stash yarn, and not to buy new yarn at all. But wait, I have a wonderful hand spun yarn that has been lurking in my stash several years already. And in Interweave Knits fall 2005 I found this vest

Vest Everest

Vest Everest är designad av Veronik Avery, och har ett enkelt mönster av flätor, som skulle låta det handspunna garnets personlighet komma fram. Till vänster syns min provlapp, stickfastheten stämmer perfekt. Västen skulle falla precis inom ramarna för Hamstertävlingen, påbörjad i februari, och förhoppningsvis avslutad inom februari månad. Så den är ett säkert kort.

Vest Everest is designed by Veronik Avery, and the gauge is a perfect match. You see my swatch to the left. And it is perfect for the Hamster competition, made out of stash yarn, and started and (hopefully) completed during the month of February. The simple cables do also allow the hand spun yarn to show off it self.

Inspirerad av Theresas Family Sock Challenge (se den 1.2.2006) plockade jag också fram mitt sockgarnslager. Jag har garn så att det räcker till sockor åt alla ungarna: underbara Regia Silk i blått och brunt för sönerna, och ull/bomullsblandningen Regia cotton för döttrarna. Den första modellen har jag också slagit fast, Merikes socks ur Nancy Bushs bok Folk socks för äldsta sonen i brunt med resårdelen i brunt/blått. Mönsterborden lämnar jag troligtvis dock bort.

Then I also got inspired by Theresa's Family sock project (see entry 1.2.2006). My sock yarn stash is not a big one, but there is enough yarn for socks for my sons and daughters. The dark yarns are Regia Silk and the lighter Regia Cotton, a mix of wool and cotton. And a pattern for the first pair is also starting to settle, Merike’s socks from Nancy Bushs book Folk socks, but perhaps without the border.

Så, vilket projekt skall jag börja med?

So, where should I start?

Posted by Maud at 08:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)