photo Jane Richmond_zpsux4wawxl.png

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Off My Needles...

I've come to realize lately that I've been slacking when it comes to keeping my Ravelry project page up to date. Maybe that's why I haven't written a proper Off My Needles post since March

Without further ado, let me get you all caught up with what has come off my needles since then... 

 Do you remember these?

I've taken so long to blog about this FO that they now look like this...


I love these slippers so much! I can't say enough good things about them, they are super fast, the pattern is incredibly easy to follow, and if you've never felted before don't let that stop you, I hadn't either before I knit my first pair. Melynda includes detailed instructions that make it so dead easy. 


My Mom loved my pair so much I decided to surprise her for Christmas with a pair of her own. This was the fifth pair of these slippers that I have knit. 

Oh and this is Elsie's new move, she never wants me to take her picture anymore, and then after we get started she breaks out this pose, she's only got one move but it's totally adorable when she does it. 

...it was her idea to model Mom's slippers.



I knit a pair of rainbow socks for Elsie



I finally finished a pair for myself



Can you tell this girl LOVES rainbows? Now that her rainbow hat is complete she would like rainbow mittens and a rainbow scarf.



I made this hat for Elsie right after designing this basic Earflap Hat for Petite Purls, the pattern was published the following year. 

The mittens are my kids mitt pattern that has yet to be released. I've knit so many of these mittens using Cascade 220 but this pair, made from Spud & Chloe, has held up so much better because of it's a cotton content. All of Elsie's other mitts would felt right away because she would get sweaty little hands from playing. I've decided to rewrite the pattern using this yarn because it's ideal for children. 



This yarn was a bit heavier than the Spud & Chloe Sweater so this hat ended up a little large and because it’s 100% cotton it has a tendency to grow. This hat will fit her for years to come.



  This Child's Classic Raglan was knit for KnitPicks, it's a size 4 and now that the sample has returned to me I wish I had knit a size 5 because Elsie is getting so tall and will be 5 in just a few short weeks. 



I've been wanting a red hat for some time now. I decided to use the skein of Malabrigo Rios in Ravelry Red that I had splurged on to make it happen. This hat brightens up even the grayest of days! And the yarn is so squishy and soft, I highly recommend it.



B asked me for a new hat last winter to replace her Elizabeth hat. I designed Kathleen for her but loved it so much I couldn’t part with it in the end - I know, I'm a terrible sister right? This year I designed this hat for her as her Christmas gift. I knew she wanted olive green and that she loved the Beatrice stitch pattern because it reminded her of leaves.


My sister Emma loved my Arbutus so I surprised her for her birthday with this. It’s knit from a skein of Madelinetosh DK in the colourway Celadon that Anina at Urban Yarns so graciously gifted me on my last visit.


I designed this for my friend Grace who wanted to knit a wedding cardigan. Choosing the colour for the sample was really difficult, I swatched in many colourways and nothing felt right. I am so in love with this rich Deep Olive by SweetGeorgia, it was worth all of the hunting.
As I was knitting this cardigan I knew it would be my new favorite sweater and now that its off my needles I was absolutely right, I love to wear this cardigan and I couldn’t be happier with the way this design turned out.
This colour really blew me away and I did a ton of swatching before coming up with the design for this hat. The colours in this skein were just so beautiful I knew I had to get it right. It's Madelinetosh Vintage in Cove.

I love, love, love this colourway. While I was knitting these mitts I thought of a million other things I wanted to knit in this gorgeous subtle blue. If I could, I’d knit one of everything in this exact yarn. It's Madtosh DK in Chambray and it goes with absolutely everything!



I had to knit so many prototypes to get the tiers on this design just right - while also using up every last inch of yarn. It was worth all the effort because I am so happy with the end result, I wear this cowl all the time.


I don’t often work with summer yarns like cotton and linen because I prefer working with wool and wool blends and I have to say that this yarn really was a treat to knit with. It's Quince & Co's Sparrow and it's also the perfect blue. 

. . .

Well now, that pretty much brings us (and my Ravelry page) up to date! 

...oh, except for one secret knitting project that's just come off the needles, until next time!

28 comments:

  1. oh, are the ones made from un-published patterns going to be shared?!?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Absolutely! ...I just don't know when, lol, my to-do list seems to be expanding exponentially lately :) So glad you like them Robyn.

      Delete
  2. A lot of beautiful stuff right there! I loved reading about your yarn and color choices.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Such gorgeous projects! I love the Betsy hat, and would really like to knit myself one.

    I love your color palette, esp. for the second half of the round-up.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I will definitely be publishing the Betsy hat, the pattern is written it just needs to be tested and teched :) I'm so glad you like it Jodi!

      Delete
  4. WOW! You've been busy! Elsie is a gorgeous model. I bet it's fun to knit for her. I'm getting close to ready to cast on a version of your Grace sweater in black. I can't wait!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh boy, a black Grace really will go with anything... so classic and you could really dress it up to!

      Delete
  5. Wow Jane! Amazing knitting, I'm totally inspired. I've also signed up for a rainbow knitting club so I have some extra ideas....... Thanks, Shelley www.motheroeuf.blogspot.fr

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh my gosh, a rainbow knitting club??? Where do I sign up!?

      Delete
  6. Ooh thank-you for this wonderful post. So much inspiration here! Though it's mid-summer here in Australia, I can't wait to get out my needles now! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So glad I inspired you! The Strathcona scarf was knit at the hottest time of the year and I was thankful because it was the perfect summer knitting :)

      Delete
  7. Wow...you've been busy! I love the Betsy hat! And your red Renfrew! So pretty!! Elsie looks adorable in her rainbow hat and socks. She definitely needs rainbow mittens and a scarf! :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh, Jane! What a wonderful post and to see all your beautiful knits together like this is so inspiring!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay, I'm so glad you liked it. It actually took me a lot longer to put together than I thought it would but it feels good to be up to date again! I feel much more organized to have all these projects properly logged away :)

      Delete
  9. Elsie is a doll. Such a great little model. Love all your designs.

    ReplyDelete
  10. love your photo shoot! elsie is so cute! i love her little pose. hahah also, i feel like i need to get knitting more... lol. seriously i love all of these fo's! xo

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow, you've been busy! I particularly love the Grace sample - that's been in my queue since I saw the preview of Island and those slippers look awesome. I was momentarily confused by your red renfrew pic, as the top you're wearing with your renfrew hat looks very much like the renfrew top sewing pattern by Tasia from Sewaholic. Too many renfrews muddling my brain! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Tasia told me about the Renfrew connection when we met at Knit City in October! Too funny, ...and great minds think alike!

      Delete
  12. gorgeous knits, lady! and those new hats? amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  13. As always you look so beautiful!! This is a trait that Elsie was gifted, so is gorgeous and I can just see her cuteness shining through. And of course as always I am in awe of your talents.

    Arika

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol, Arika I don't know if you're being serious or not, lol, but I'm giggling a lot so that tells me something...

      ...are you sure these comments weren't meant for Shannon?

      Delete
  14. I've been lurking for a while--I'm subscribed to your blog via Google Reader--, but I had to pop in to comment on the beautiful knits and cute kid. The slippers and Betsy are definitely going onto my to-knit list! :]

    (As an off-topic aside, I'm also super in love love love with the jacket that you're wearing in the Renfrew photo! Where did you get it?)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yay, I'm so glad you travelled outside of Google Reader to come visit and leave a comment :) Thank you for your kind words about the knits and the kid ;)

      ...the jacket is oooold, it's Roxy and I can't for the life of me remember where I bought it.

      Delete
  15. Omigosh you are so prolific and so amazing. I really wish I could knit like you! Gorgeousness.

    ReplyDelete
  16. So many gorgeous knits!! I love, love, LOVE Elsie' rainbow hat, and of course the rainbow socks. She is such a cutie pie! And the Renfrew hat is out of sight.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I love all your knits but I have to ask : Where did you get that polka dot top it's gorgeous!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! ...and the top is from Anthropologie! We don't have one on the island where I live and I stopped in on my last visit to Vancouver, which was a very risky move... I wanted everything!

      Delete