Koko's swatches

The days are getting longer and we now have less rainy days here.
The spring is almost here!!

As I came to buttonhole section, I felt unhappy with my result. Unexpectedly, there were big holes on my double moss fabric. I thought it was too big!


So I decided that I choose one-row buttonhole method. That looks fine!


So I fill out what I have to do on a graph paper and then I follow it.


Everything seems to go nicely so far.

I've started the new project-Thea by Kim Hargreaves since January 17th.




I've been so excited to try Kim's pattern. I love her pattern since I first completed a project. That was her pattern, named Flo.

The back and left front are done and I’m about to start another front now.Everything seems to go well so far.

I’m, however, now a bit concerned about the fit of the sweater. The front piece looks narrow to me. I love rather close fitting garments but this project is a jacket so I want to it to have a little bit of ease.
I keep crossing my fingers now.

Anyway this project is happy to knit and the yarn-Kid classic as well!

I did finally finish my current project- Chic Pulli sweater about ten days ago but unfortunately, I’d had rainy weekend here. This past weekend there was a break and we had only one-fine day so, I asked my Sunday-photographer for taking photos.

As you notice on the photo, I made a mistake around the waist. There are several ripples on the fabric.

I never intended it at all. I put on the sweater and saw myself in a mirror how did I look. It was awful.

I decided to rip back about 35 rows which I started decreasing firmly.  


First of all, I wanted this sweater to be more close-fitting than original so, I did decreasing sts. a lot. Additionally, I tried darts stitches on the back and front of bodice. It seemed to be totally excessive.

I now recovered from dejection and work on the sweater happily.

I have a way to work a little more now.

I’d been looking for a jacket pattern for several months since last autumn. I need a rather thick but light and warm jacket for the season which is just before cold weather had come here.
During that time, I met some nice patterns. Somehow I couldn’t decide which pattern I take at the time. Why… I didn’t know why actually.

I wanted to make some from those books.
this;


And this.

And this(actually it's not a jacket.)…


All these are so nice!! I love them so much!!
I finally picked up this pattern.
I think it looks so gorgeous, doesn’t it?
This time I, of course, chose Rowan Kid Classic which is recommended for this pattern. I have made a sweater several years ago with this yarn and I know that the yarn is nice to work and great to wear. Just only one I’m concerned about is this jacket is not a raglan sleeved but It’s OK. I don’t mind. I’ll try to make the set-in sleeved jacket.

The yarn is bright and warm blue-green, called Canard.
I love love this book, Precious.
I really want to make all of the patterns in this book one by one.
Yes, really…

I want to start casting on for the jacket but I can’t it now. Why?  It’s because I have been working on the sweater, Chic Pulli since December. If I now stop working it and start the new project(jacket), I will forget that I was working on the sweater. So I do have to finish this sweater then I’ll start the new project. It’s actually my way to work. I’m not one who can work several projects at a time.

The sweater I'm now working is;


Pattern: Basic Chic Pulli by Bonne Marie Burns
Yarn: Classic Elite Yarns, Fresco
(60% wool, 30% baby alpaca, 10% angora)
Needles; US 6, US 3

The pattern is great and yarn as well.

I was working on a sweater with this yarn, Fresco in June 2009 but all the way I took was failed.
Then I tried Kaleidoscope as a light cardigan with Fresco but it was so tough to fix a gauge. So I gave up all my tries with Fresco.
It was so sad…
I finally tookBasic Chic Pulli pattern and am now so happy!

Happy New Year to you all!!
With my very best wishes for a happy and healthy 2010.

Finally done!

I said “Bye-bye!” to try-it-on-as-I-go knitting when I chose this pattern.
It seemed to me to be comfortable to knit in following a pattern.
I, however, got several problems as I work on this pattern.
One of them is that the pattern has a thick sleeve. I knew it as I first saw the pattern and pic on a model but it seems more than I imagined. I think just a slightly thick sleeved sweater suits my taste.
But I was so uneasy whether I could have a proper size around lower arm. I seriously calculated how many stitches I have to decrease.

The toughest job to me was the edge of cowl collar. I first did 1x1 rib st. but all I did looked awfully wrong!! A few rounds of ribbed edge curled up strongly.
Then I tried 2x1 rib st. for it. It looked slightly nicer then 1x1 rib st. but nothing had been improved. I almost gave up the sweater to be neat.
At that time I saw Funessa’s project on Ravelry. She did fabulous job on her sweater. I asked her for a help. She gave me a lot of useful information and encouraged me. Thanks Vanessa ! See? My cowl edge looks as beautiful as yours.

I love the yarn and color as well. This project made me do tons of hard works but the sweater really turned out nicer and makes me happy!!




Mods;
shortened cowl collar by 1.5 inches.
knit 5 rounds of 1x1 twisted rib on the cowl edge.
knit 6 rounds of 1x1 rib st. on the sleeve and bottom cuffs.

My friend, Valentina gave me a rose sapling last weekend.
She is so sweet.

She is a great gardener and grows a variety of trees and flowers in her garden.

I actually  have hesitated about growing roses for a long time because I've heard that it's so hard to grow them in Japan but most of people I have met here told me that it's easy here in California.
Ah, yes?
Ok., I'll try it! 
Since then I've looked for nice roses. Valentina knows that I've been looking for roses.

Thanks, Valentina!

This past weekend was really great. The moon was at the full and I enjoyed the moon the whole evening through.....



And I harvested tomatoes from my patio on Saturday. I thought it’s time to gather tomatoes up because the sunlight is getting weaker day by day here.


Then I transplanted the lemon tree to a huge ceramic pot which is beautiful ocher colored in 24 inches.



I started a new sweater for fall with Rowan Pure DK yarn this Sunday(4th). I’m so excited with it!!



I tried swatches carefully. Unfortunately my final gauge is off so I considered which size I should make.


So far so good!

I bought this lemon tree (named Lisbon lemon) yesterday evening (27th) and haven’t replanted it in a huge pot yet.

The morning sunlight throws a shadow of lemon tree against a carpet.


I’m quite happy to have the summer cardigan finished.


This time I had no particular patterns as I always worked on top-down sweaters. I, however, referred to some fundamental skills on Barbara J Walker’s book, Knitting from the Top.
Overall, it’s easy to knit and happy to wear.

First of all, I tried to make collared cardigan for summer which I began at my summer vacation in Colorado. But hard works was waiting for me on the neck increasing. I had a lot of trial and error ways to get the increases right. This project had an enormous amount of ripping. I felt quite tired and depressed by that situation. So after coming back town, I finally changed my mind and I ripped back all I had worked. Then I started all over again in September.



After all finished I put it on. It was Ok. But I think it was not the right length for me…. Hmm…


I love the yarn I chose. This is the first time I’ve used mercerized cotton yarn. The yarn itself is so nice but I sometimes had splitting problems with Addi blunt-end circulars.

The cardigan looks a bit thicker for warm seasons here than I expected before working.

I wanted dark dark chocolate brown buttons for it so I chose them.
Happy happy!