responses to comments

i just had the realization that i haven't been at all responsive to the comments that people have left on my blog...i think originally it was because there were people leaving messages without an email or a way to get back to them and then i just lost track of the comments...so this posting is to respond to all the posts that i've neglected in the past! sorry folks!!

from kim about the odessa inspired tank top:
Hey, could this be done on regular needles instead of circular needles? It looks so neat, I want to try to make it, but I can't find my circular needles lol.

the tank top definitely could be done straight...i had to do the pattern straight for the scarf, so it's definitely possible. i think the flat stitch pattern i used is:

RS: *ssk, k6, yo, k2, repeat from*
WS: *p2, yo, p6, ssk repeat from*

from mandy g about the suss wrap:
i just cast this one on cause the pattern looked so cool on the model...but i'm concerned that because it's so wide it's going to be bulky to tie - did you find that at all? looks amazing by the way! (found your link on craftster)

the yarn is really super thin, so i haven't found it to be bulky at all...i tie it in the back when i wear it, which is sometimes uncomforable, but keeps it from being at all bulky...the way the model has it tied in the front could potentially be really not cute! haha

from Lydia about the odessa scarf:
Hey, I was so excited to see your Odessa tank instructions (I've been watching for that). Anyway, do you think you could put up the general maths for the scarf? Because I'm so in love with it...

see the stitch pattern above for knitting flat for the scarf. cast on however wide you want it to be in a multiple of 10 stitches and then go to town!

from Cynthia about the calorimetries:
Can you PLEASE email me and let me know how you made the purple calorimetry that's pictured next to the orange one? I've been trying to figure it out and haven't had any luck. I keep ruining my yarn! :( I absolutely love your designs!

so i think the one that cynthia's asking about is a panta inspired calorimetry that has ridges sort of like pants but follows the calorimetry pattern for the most part. i think i did knit 2 rows, purl 2 rows paired with the calorimetry shaping for this one...it creates ridges that are similar to the pants working in the opposite direction.

from KeenJoy about the striped hats:
Can you put up a pattern for those hats?! I would love to make one!

most of my hats are free form...i'm generally working on size 8 needles and cast on somewhere between 84 and 90 stitches, depending on what i'm doing. for the striped hats i did about an inch of ribbing followed by stockinette. the stripes i figured out a pattern for while i did it, but neglected to write that down. make up the stripes if you want stripes! generally i do about 6 inches around (i'm usually working on circulars, but you can do this flat too) and then do a pretty standard reduction of k6, k2tog for a row, knit (or purl if you're working flat) a row, then k5, k2tog, knit (or purl if you're working flat) a row, etc.


i didn't include any of the "i love it" messages, so thank you to all the people who have left messages of encouragement and appreciation! :)

i know i've been a particularly crappy blogger, but know that i'm working on it...i find so much inspiration to try new things online and i want to make my contribution to that as well.

peace
z

odessa inspired tank top

i love the odessa hat (http://www.magknits.com/feb06/patterns/odessa.htm) so much that i decided to make a tank top with the same stitch pattern.

here it is laying on my red sheets:

here it is on...i'm trying hard to get a good shot of the whole thing, but that didn't work well, so...

...i set the timer and set it on something...sorry for my roommate's colorful socks drying in the back...i'm in the bathroom...haha

here's a fuzzy close-up of the stitch:

the yarn is king tut egyptian cotton and it was knit on size 9 needles.

to make your own, definitely do some swatching to figure out how many stitches to cast on. round that number to the nearest multiple of 10. using circular needles, cast on that number of stitches and knit one inch of 3x2 ribbing.

after that start with the odessa stitch pattern: *ssk, k6, yo, k2, repeat from * continue until you reach the end. knit that until the whole piece measures approximately 13" or whatever length you like best.

at this point, you'll be working the front and back separately. work the front for 2 and a half inches of 3x2 ribbing and then the back for 1" of ribbing. sew together the separation you get between the front and back pieces at the armpit.

at the edge of the front of the tank top (the side with the longer edge) pick up 6 stitches. knit the straps in the following: row 1: * sl1, p1, k1, p1, k1, p1 *, row 2: *sl1, k1, p1, k1, p1, k1 * (so basically 1x1 ribbing with the first stitch slipped). repeat rows 1 and 2 until the strap is 15" unstretched. repeat again for a second strap.

finally sew the straps on to the back section of the tank top (try it on to see where will work most comfortable and cover up straps underneath) and tuck in all your stray yarn pieces.

let me know if that doesn't make any sense or if you have any questions!

thanks for looking!

z

new head gear

hey all!




after some self reflection, i've come to the realization that i'm one of those half ass knitting bloggers who doesn't write for ages then posts like a million things all at once like i wasn't knitting every night in between all those projects...so i'm going to try to be better about 1) taking pictures of my fos, 2) taking progress pictures of my wips, 3) posting my fos on my blog and crafster, and 4) keeping good notes on my projects...we'll see how that goes... ;)





anyhoo here are some recent fos:

first we have a calorimetry for my fabulous roommate in amazing malabrigo purples...malabrigo is one of my favorite yarns...so soft...such beautiful colors!

next we have a calorimetry for myself...i found the original yarn (filatura di crosa 127 print) on sale at a yarn store in the east village (i forget what it's called), so i had to buy the one skein needed...purty colors! now i want to make all my clothing out of this yarn...

this one is the lake park hat in patagonia nature cotton for my favorite californian resident...i'm adding this yarn to my favorites as well...it's sooo soft and thick and lovely...

here's a close up for the very cool pattern:

these are hats that my friend asked me to make him...on the left is a cotton hat and the right leftover wool blends...

earbands galour!

i discovered the calorimetry pattern on knitty.com and got a little carried away...here are my variations on the pattern:

this one follows the original pattern in terms of ribbing...i have another striped one as well that's finished! woo hoo! don't you know everyone and their mother wants one!

here's a shot of mine in action...

these two have different stitch patterns...

here's a closer look...the orange one is seed stitch and the gray one is based on the panta pattern below...

so before doing the calorimetry i did a panta, but didn't like that you have to pull it over your head...so here's the panta i made...i really like the ridges, but i prefer the button in the back to not muss up my hair!

hat and scarf holiday presents

so i decided to knit a whole bunch of presents this holiday season and started early...go figure that not everything is done yet...i have finished a few hat and scarf sets tho...there's one missing from here, but it's waiting for the edges to be tucked in...my least favorite part of knitting...damn stripes! haha

this one was made of leftover random yarn...the hat is reversible...

of course i had to make a set for my friend's fiance also! :)

here's the reverse side of the hats

and a close up on the other side

this one is a personal favorite...it's an odessa hat with a matching scarf...had to figure out the whole knitting the round pattern flat thing, but it came out really well! (keep an eye out for an odessa patterned tank top from me!)

brimmed hat

my friend saw a hat like this on the dave chapelle show on common...so after pausing several times to get a closer look, i came up with this closer fitting design...

the yarn is a cotton blend that i got super cheap at the suss sale (common theme since i bought 2 shopping bags full of yarn! yes, it was that cheap!)...i doublestranded the yarn and knit the hat on size either 11 or 13 needles...it was a tight knit even with the larger size needles, which i think gave it some shape in the brim...the body of the hat is k1, p3...i can't remember how i reduced at the top, but as you can see the reductions were all during the purling so that the ribs went all the way to the top...the brim is based on the stitch and bitch brimmed hat without the plastic brim...i folded the brim over and stitched it up...

the moral of the story is if you're looking to make one of these, follow your favorite beanie pattern and then add a brim as outlined in stitch and bitch or elsewhere (involves picking up stitches on the edge and knitting in stockinette then picking up more stitches and knitting in stockinette, etc.)...

so here it is!
you can see that the edges haven't been tucked in yet...whoops! :)

it's a wrap!

this is one of those take forever to finish projects...i was really excited about making this wrap and knit up the pieces (basically a rectangle with arms holes and arms knit separately) then the pieces sat around for a while...and then i knit up the arms and the armholes were too large...so then it sat around some more until i sewed up the armholes a bit and then attached them...and then i was going to rinse it out since it was a bit fuzzy.......so i finally just wore the damn thing! haha

anyhoo...it's a suss design with 4 skeins of suss yarn that i got on sale in the nyc location...

laying on the bed

on me the first time it was worn

the sides are llllooonnnggg...so that they can tie in the back...