Category: Blog

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Santa Barbara Axxess Books~ I have them!!

Santa Barbara Axxess.
I sent out an email to quite a few of you a month back asking that if you are looking to purchase a 2009 SB Axxess card you please think of buying one from us. 
$10 of every $30 book will go directly to Sadie’s fund for her 6th grade Cataline Island trip.
We will have them available for the next 2 weeks!
You can call or email me, chauntel@cox.net, to let me know you are interested.
Thanks!

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Oh boy…my blog is boring

I know, I haven’t been posting much. I just don’t seem to care about the computer lately. I have barely been keeping up with my Ravelry stuff, using it only for reference.
School is going well. Work is not going so well. Everybody is so freaked out about the economy they are pinching pennies and keeping us out of work. Loosen up people! Then we could all help the economy out!
Once this election is over I have a feeling the fear and dread that has taken over will ease up a bit.
Knitting. Well knitting and crocheting have been coming along smoothly.  
I have been working on a few fun things, taking a few days off of actual knitting to work on a couple fair isle sweater designs that I want to actually charge for. Maybe that will bring in a few dollars for some more yarn & books & fabric ;o)
Here is a smattering of what I have been working on.

Cabled Jacket by Debbie Bliss- olive Rowan Cashsoft

Sunshine Sweater- Wild Orange Cotton Fleece

Laminaria Shawlette- Habu silk

Buttonhole Pi Shawl- Trekking Pro Natura wool/bamboo

 

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Necessity Vest

Necessity Vest

By Chauntel Andreasen

Firebrunette Knitting

Materials Needed:

Size 11 US 24” and 16” circular needles

Chunky weight yarn: 640(710) yards required

Shown in photos: Malabrigo Chunky 4(5) balls in Pagoda

Rowanspun Chunky 4(5) balls in Olive

24” separating zipper

Sizes: S/M (L/XL)

fits 32”-36” (38”-42”)

Notes:

This vest is worked in one piece to the armholes then separated to work the fronts and back separately. The hood is worked by picking up stitches after the shoulders are sewn together.

The zipper can be sewn in either by hand or machine. I prefer to put it in by machine, much faster!

Body Instructions:

  • CO 106(114) sts

  • Work 6” in k2, p2 rib, ending with k2

  • Change to stockinette stitch, knit on the right side (RS), purl on the wrong side (WS), continue until piece measures between 14” and 16”. You have the choice to make it as long or as short as you want. The pagoda vest is 14” to the underarm and the olive vest is 16” to the underarm. I like them equally.

  • Now you will be binding off for the underarms and working the fronts and back separately.

  • Next RS row: k 20(22) for front, BO 13sts for underarm, k 40(44) for back, BO 13sts for underarm, k 20(22)

Front Left Panel:

  • Turn your work and continue working stockinette over the 20(22)sts for 5”.

  • Start neck shaping as follows:

  • On next WS row, BO 4sts, purl to end.

  • Turn and knit to end.

  • Turn, BO 3sts, purl to end.

  • Turn and knit to end.

  • Turn, BO 2sts, purl to end.

  • Turn and knit to end.

  • Turn, BO 1 st, purl to end.

  • Work a further 13 rows and BO all sts.

Front Right Panel:

  • Join yarn on RS of panel.

  • Knit 5” of stockinette over the 20(22)sts as you did for the left front.

  • Start neck shaping as follows:

  • On next RS row, BO 4sts, knit to end.

  • Turn and purl to end.

  • Turn, BO 3sts, knit to end.

  • Turn and purl to end.

  • Turn, BO 2sts, knit to end.

  • Turn and purl to end.

  • Turn, BO 1 st, knit to end.

  • Work a further 13 rows and BO all sts.

Back Panel:

  • Join yarn on RS of back.

  • Knit in stockinette until the back is the same length as the fronts, measuring from BO underarm sts.

  • BO

Sew shoulder seams together; front panels to back piece matching at armhole and seaming in towards the neckline.

Hood:

  • Starting at right front neckline, PU & knit 25(28)sts on right front, 24(26)sts on back, 25(28)sts on left front. 74(82)sts total

  • Turn and beg working in k2, p2 ribbing as follows:

    • (WS) p2, k2 across, end with p2.

    • (RS) k2, p2 across, end with k2.

    Work 1 more WS row.

  • Next RS row work as follows:

  • BO 6sts, work 12 sts, M1, p2, M1, work 14(18)sts, M1, p2, k2, p2, M1, work 14(18)sts, M1, p2, M1, work 18sts.

  • Turn, BO 6sts, work across knitting all k sts and purling all p sts.

  • Continue until hood measures 13”, ending with a WS row.

  • Work a 3 needle BO with RS held together, WS facing out.

Armholes:

  • Join yarn at base of armhole, PU 68sts, join in the round.

  • Work k2, p2 ribbing for 2 rows.

  • BO using knit sts.

  • Repeat on other armhole.

Finishing:

  • Weave in all ends.

  • Soak or wash the vest before sewing in the zipper.

  • Either hand or machine sew in a separating zipper.

You’re finished!! Wear & Enjoy!!

Copyright 2008 Chauntel Andreasen  For personal use only Not for sale or use in items for sale


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Habu Laminaria

And the Casting On begins!!
I am in a serious cast on mode. I would like to do a dozen sweaters, right now. Some lace, some cables, some large gauge, some small gauge. I am all over the map.
But first, I feel the need for a Laminaria Shawlette out of some Silk Habu yarn I picked up at Loop & Leaf.

I want it to be like a neckerchief that I can throw around my neck without covering my shoulders at all really. I decided to knit it using size 4 needles instead of my usual size 6 or 7’s for lace. A much tighter gauge will give it a thicker fabric when finished, just what I want!

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Ravelympics and Little Birds

With the last Olympics came the Knitting Olympics hosted by The Yarn Harlot.
This Olympics came Ravelympics hosted by Ravelry!
The idea is simple: knit a project in the time between the Opening Ceremonies and the Closing Ceremonies.
This was my project, the Little Birds Cardigan from Twist Collective designed by Ysolda Teague.

Yarn: Jamieson’s Shetland Spindrift in Eesit (natural undyed)- 2 balls
Leprechaun-1 ball
Petrol blue- 1 ball
Lunar blue- 1 ball
as well as Jaggerspun Highland Heather in Stone- 1 cone, 1400 yards.
Needles: US 1 & US 3
It fits well, I chose to make 3/4 sleeves. My gauge was a tad tighter than recommended so I was still able to follow the charts precisely for my size and have them come out just the right length.
The body is a good length too, just to my hips. The photo in the group above makes it look short since my tank is hanging out the bottom and my pants are sagging a little low. George was the photographer this morning and let’s just say that was the best, most flattering of the bunch ;o)
For knitting it in just under 3 weeks I am pretty pleased! I did take a few days off here and there. I don’t feel like I really pushed myself like I could have to have it finished by the closing ceremonies. Sadie’s slumber party for her 11th birthday took precedence the Friday and Saturday of the Olympics final weekend. No knitting was done those days!
The pattern was written pretty well. I felt a little lost towards the top/end where some shaping in the shoulders and back was happening but my common sense took over and I just did what I thought made sense. It worked out well and fits exactly as it should.
Overall it was a fun knit and I know I will love wearing it!