Back to knitting: purple capelet

Capelet, mostly stockinette stitch, about 10 purple yarns, knitted in the round on 24 and 42 in. cable needles, size US 8

I made a series of these  capelets over the fall and this is one of my favorites!

There were some light purples, but the dark ones took over in the end.

The length goes to the elbow.

 

Handpaints - complete!

The handpaints capelet is finished with a ruffle on the bottom

A new capelet

I couldn't resist casting on with this beautiful yarn from Freia Fine Handpaints.

I'm doing this capelet in a stockinette and reverse stockinette, 3 rows reverse and 5 rows stockinette.

Green alpaca

Cowl, stockinette/reverse stockinette stitches with garter stitch edge, alpaca yarn, size 5 straight 14" needles.

I cast on 99 stitches, then knit 5 rows of garter stitch.  I started a stockinette stitch row and for the 50th stitch I reversed to a purl stitch.  I am increasing the reverse stitches by two each row, which will create a diamond shape in reverse stockinette in a field of stockinette.  I think that will be a good front panel for the cowl.

Navy wool: Growing

Wool stockinette and reverse stockinette stripes in navy

Yellow ochre and putty cotton

Finished slouchy hat

-- Sent from my Palm Pre

In the studio - silk fluff

Triangle shawl, stockinette stitch, mixed fibers, size 10 cable needle, 24 "

I've added some other novelty yarns to this silk fluff and it's a wonderful shaggy thing.  It'll be very very warm because the silk is so thick.  It will be completely reversible so that one can choose to have the shaggy side in or out.

This is an original textile design.

In the studio: cotton capelet

Capelet, cotton, reverse stockinette stitch, size 9 cable needle, 24 in.

I decided to include this to show that I have my fair share of doomed projects. Now that I've accomplished this much, I know that I don't like this thing at all. I'll rip it out and try to think of yet another idea for this very problematic yarn.

Finished alpaca scarf

Scarf, alpaca, stockinette and reverse stockinette stitches, size 5 wood needles

I enjoy knitting with alpaca more than with most fibers, so this was a wonderful piece to knit. I made the rows long rather than short, which gives the scarf a different look. It's alpaca that is knot dyed, but it's a combination of brown and a blue gray color. I like using smaller needles to make a somewhat dense fabric - the softness is accented that way, I think.


It's a gift for a friend in Nova Scotia, so I'm sure it will be used often.

In the studio

Handbag, mixed fibers, mohair, wool, metallic, nylon, stockinette and reverse stockinette, size 5 plastic needles.

I'm really digging the horizontal and vertical emphases that show in the stitches.

In the studio

Handbag, mixed fibers, mohair, wool, metallic, nylon, stockinette and reverse stockinette, size 5 plastic needles.

I couldn't help myself when I saw this yarn. I also have tons of it in teals and greens, but when I saw this color mix my hand reached out and I had no will power to stop!

I'm still exploring the use of stockinette and reverse stockinette to create patterns and am thinking of eventually trying to use it to make a jaquard-like fabric. We'll see how far it goes. I figure one can chart this sort of thing on graph paper and do all sorts of things! But as for now I'm sticking to simple shapes and looking at the effects.

In the studio

Wall hanging, mixed fibers; wool, cotton, nylon, lurex, acrylic, hemp, mohair, rayon; with 6 dowels evenly spaced outlining 5 knitted panels. Stockinette with reverse stockinette shapes, size 9 wood needles.

I've been wanting to get this more complete photo of the wallhanging into the blog. It's still hanging like this, awaiting the next step. I've been contemplating it, and the next step is light green tendrils spreading vertically up through all the panels, with very small willow-like leaves. It will be beaded as well as stitched.

I still like the effect of the reverse stockinette and am planning to use this technique in more of my work.

I'm thinking of putting a lining on the back in order to prevent stretching, then stitching through both layers.

In the studio

Wall hanging, mixed fibers; wool, cotton, nylon, lurex, acrylic, hemp, mohair, rayon; with 6 dowels evenly spaced outlining 5 knitted panels. Stockinette with reverse stockinette shapes, size 9 wood needles.

I've got the hanging up on the wall and I stare at it a lot. I've developed the major foreground motif now, which will be a gracefully curving twig with buds. It'll be crocheted on in the manner of tambour embroidery, then embellished like crazy with beads and threads. Yummmeola.

Finished capelet - circle scarf

White and pink capelet, reverse stockinette stitch, size 11 cable needle, 24 in.

Although I feel like the capelets are by now a well-worn cliche for me, I think this is lovely because of the pale, pale colors. I'll be using this combination of yarns again soon, because they all feel good in my fingers as well. Yummy!

I haven't worn them until recently. I wore the autumn one (September 11, 2006 entry) to a party over in Connecticut recently and not only got a lot of compliments but felt very special. It's putting on those gorgeous yarns that is a wonderful feeling. I wore this one a few days ago and it, too, made me feel quite regal. I hope everyone who is wearing them is getting that same boost.

Meanwhile, last night I threaded a few hundred sequins onto a strand of kidsilk mohair and I'm planning to crochet a fringe and intersperse the sequins. Previously I've tried sewing them in with a needle and thread, and I've been less than eager to try it again. So I'll be trying this experiment, which only works with a very fine strand and big sequin holes.

In the studio

Capelet, mixed fibers: wool, cotton, nylon, acrylic, lurex, polyester; size 10.5 cable needle, 16 in.; reverse stockinette stitch

I'm making fewer of these, but still have a huge attraction for them. I liked working with whites and very light tints. The lurex glint does very well in whites. I've made this heavier than versions I consider being more appropriate for summer by using heavier yarns and knitting with a bit smaller needle to make the fabric more dense rather than more lacey.

Finished capelet - circle scarf

Capelet, mixed fibers, size 11 cable needle, 16 in.

I couldn't resist these autumn colors, and I'm delighted with the results.

In the studio

Capelet, reverse stockinette stitch, size 11 cable needle, mixed fibers

This is the last in the series for awhile. I think I've done just about all I want to do in the way of capelets, and will be switching to other things. But I couldn't resist trying a pink frothy version. It's very girly and irresistible. My knitting will be slowing down in general now that the street fair is over. I'm ready to work on aprons, and I am imagining aprons made with crochet cotton at the moment. I'll be posting what comes out of my experimentation soon.

Finished capelet

Capelet, mixed fibers, largely "Melody" yarn from Southwest Trading Company, plus various wool and nylon yarns, size 13 cable needle, 16", reverse stockinette stitch

I'm having a great time cooking up various fabrics, and I have piles of vary simple pieces that show off the stitches and fibers now. While the red piece in a previous post is shot through with just a couple other colors, this piece is more like 80% of the Melody yarn, with sort of an "icing" of the fluffy white and ivory yarns. I'm playing with balances of like that. In this work the character remains very lacy, but the fabric is more substantial than the red one.

I'm taking them all to our local Art on Lark fair tomorrow, and I'll see how people respond to them in person.