Designer Appreciation - Veera Välimäki

If you knit and read blogs, chances are you are familiar with Veera Välimäki's designs. Her blog 100% Rain showcases her designs, which are modern, cozy and wearable.

(Note: It could be construed that the timing of this post is suspect. I was planning this salute to Veera's designs when I decided to get back into my blog. It is pure, happy coincidence that I happened to win a draw on her blog yesterday!)

Like many blog & Ravelry lurkers I initially succumbed to the call of the gorgeous garter striped shawl: Stripe Study.

Pattern: Stripe Study - Veera Välimäki
Yarn: Araucania Ranco Multy & Sandnes Garn Sisu (green/teal)
Date: May - June 2011 (yikes I'm behind on finished project posts!)








Almost immediately after Stripe Study (in fact, according to my Ravelry notes, it was at the same time as the Stripe Study) I started Different Lines. I think this shawl/scarf has gotten more consistent use than anything I've knit in the past few years. The shape makes it a great neck warmer for cold Canada winters and the yarn is so soft.

Pattern: Different Lines - Veera Välimäki
Yarn: Sandnes Garn Sisu
Date: May 2011







The short-rows give it this shark fin shape which is really interesting.


Shortly after finishing Different Lines I, um... I knit another one. I have no defence other than to say it's a great pattern and I was smitten by the colors in the yarn I found. The Briggs & Little Sport is more "rustic" and is just the right amount of wooly-feeling for a slightly heavier version of this shawl. It's great for -30C mornings when it's windy & snowing. (It also matches my bedding)(and my down jacket)(I realize I have a color rut)

Pattern: Different Lines - Veera Välimäki
Yarn: Briggs & Little Sport
Date: June - July 2011





Note: I'm probably not done with Veera's striped shawls. I have Color Affection (just looking for the right yarn/color combination) and I wouldn't be surprised to find myself knitting another Different Lines at some point. Likely soon. In fact... *makes note to scan stash for potential Christmas gift yarns*

Veera doesn't just design addictive striped shawls, oh no. I fell HARD for her Water and Stone cardigan last winter. It took me probably 1.25 minutes after seeing it on her blog to ordering the pdf and then the yarn. This cardigan was worn at least twice a week (had to pace myself so I didn't wear it out) from the time it was finished until it was too warm to wear wool. I would definitely knit this one again.

Pattern: Water and Stone - Veera Välimäki
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Sport - Ash
Date: December 2011 - February 2012









I have a few other Veera Välimäki patterns on my to-knit list but I should probably finish up some other in-progress knits first.

Getting back up on the horse.

Has it really been 4 months since I've posted? I thought it was only a couple. Hmm.

So... It's been a while. I've been composing blog posts in my head for weeks, well, probably for months actually, but just never posted. Some things happened and I kind of felt knocked around for a while and then it just got to be one of those things where the longer you don't do something the harder it is to just DO it. So here it is. Nothing spectacular, nothing earth shaking, just getting back up on the horse and diving in. Probably not while on the horse. (Although, remember that movie? About the diving horse? Did I dream that? Too lazy to IMDB right now.)

I'll do this in list form if that's okay with you. A lot of this is just rambling or life-catch-up. There will be pictures later on so you can skip ahead if you want.

1. Christmas was quiet and kind of strange this past year (yes I'm going back that far. Sorry). I didn't have any family nearby and The Boy was only here for a couple of days over Christmas. I've spent Christmases away from family before but that was when I was overseas. This was very strange for me. I was able to Skype with one brother & his family on Christmas Eve which was pretty much the highlight.

2. In January I had to have a "procedure" to try to find some answers for stomach pains & related issues I had all last winter (that would be 09/10. It took 10 months to get a specialist appointment and then another 3 months to get the appointment for the "procedure"). I call it a "procedure" because I didn't really want to think about what it really was. It wasn't anything serious and it wasn't that big a deal. They didn't find anything but the pain is nowhere near as bad as it had been so... I'll call that a win.

3. In February The Boy ended our 4+ year relationship. I tried to figure out a different way to write that but there it is. That's what happened. It wasn't a total surprise, if I'm being 100% honest but it wasn't what I wanted. There was no big fight or drama, nothing that would cause any hatred or anything. I'm okay (now) and strangely he meant it when he said he wants us to remain friends. I still see him every couple of weeks and we text/email a few times a week. So there's that.

(For anyone who's ever read this blog and thought I meant a son when I wrote "The Boy", sorry for the confusion. Definitely not my son. I don't have any kids (the Boy would add "that you know of" which has been his running joke with me for 6 years)(sigh). )

(I didn't set out to write a month-by-month account but I guess that's what I ended up doing)

4. I have been knitting/sewing/making stuff. I just haven't been taking many pictures. Let's blame the Northern Hemisphere/Winter for part of it, my dying camera for part of it and my lack of focus and near inability to actually finish anything for part of it.

BUT I did take a few pictures! And one of them is something that is finished! And I'll post them now! As a reward! for making it this far in this long boring post! Exclamation mark!

First: In progress knitting:



Pattern: Cerisara by Bonne Marie Burns
Yarn: Sirdar Breeze

We finally had some warm weather in March* and I got to wishing I had a light weight cotton cardigan for work. I have a couple of cotton cardigans that are in heavy worsted weight cotton blends but wanted something a bit lighter. Next thing I knew I had this downloaded and an actual swatch knitted. I know! a swatch! me!



I think I can probably have this finished by the time it warms up again. If it ever warms up again.**

Second: In progress Embroidery (gasp I know! Embroidery! Me!)



I'm just gonna take a minute to toot my own horn here***. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've ever done any embroidery beyond a running stitch or something for a doll face. I've had these printed pillowcases in my "make this someday" pile for about a year (i think. a long time anyway) and kept imagining that one day I'd find the courage to try learning embroidery. Turns out the easiest way to learn it is to actually DO it (as opposed to leaving all the supplies in a box).

Thanks to numerous online sources and inspired by Wild Olive's focus on beginner embroidery right now, I was inspired this morning. I'm 99% sure I'm not doing it all correctly but, as I always tell new knitters, it's embroidery and I like it so it's right.



I have a lot more to do (and then a whole 2nd pillowcase) but I'm really enjoying it. Who knew embroidery was so relaxing?**** I had such a nice quiet morning just stitching away.

Third: Ruby Lou doll



Pattern: Ruby Lou from Sew Much Ado.
Materials: stash. All stash.

I love love love how this little doll turned out. I think there will be at least 2 more of these in my future and maybe more after that. The pattern is well done and the finished doll is just so cute. This little one hasn't made it to her new home yet but will shortly. I hope my niece likes her.

5. I heard on Friday that our bonuses for 2010 were approved (i won't get into that bit of stress*****). I have plans for most of the bonus to go into savings BUT I decided to treat myself to a serger. I've wanted one for years and just didn't feel like I could justify it. I know I would get lots of use from it though so it's time.

So I'd like to know from you, dear patient and wonderful reader (you look pretty today by the way), if you have a serger or any advice and/or recommendations. I don't know what I should be looking for or what I really would need or just like to have. I want to make t-shirts and stuff but I know there are many other uses beyond just sewing stretch material. I don't know for sure what my budget will be but I'll do some research and if you have recommendations it will help me narrow things down.

Whew! You made it! Congratulations. That was a long post full of random bits and pieces. I won't make any promises but I really do want to get into a habit of posting more regularly.

And now I think I need to test one of the cookies I made today. For safety reasons of course.


*the warm weather was really nice. I think it got up to 20C at one point.
**since the time of the warm weather we've had over 50cm of snow. That's 19 inches. I'm not exaggerating. We had 20+cm in 24 hours a few weekends ago and then another 22+/-cm on Wednesday. There have been numerous other days with accumulations over 10cm. I'm ready to move to a warmer/less snow-prone climate. Anyone need a housesitter/roommate in the deep south?
***"toot my own horn"? what am I, 80?
****who knew? uh, probably anyone who has ever tried it. Rosie Grier knew.
*****work will be 90% easier after Monday because Monday is Wen-Shu****** comes back from maternity leave day! Happy Dance! I baked these cookies to celebrate tomorrow
******Wen-Shu, you may recall, is my dear friend/office-mate/only-other-person-who-knows-how-to-do-my-job who was on maternity leave the past year. So for a year I have had no coverage, no consistent help when I was extremely busy, no one to cover so I could take a vacation... etc. You get the picture. So, I'm beyond excited that she'll be back tomorrow

Classic Cardigan

This post should come with a warning: Do not operate heavy machinery while viewing this post. Do not attempt complex calculations while viewing this post.

I've been mentally referring to this cardigan as the World's Most Boring Knit for some time now. Miles and miles and miles and miles and miles of stocking stitch knit in fingering (sock) weight yarn on US 5 needles. Good for TV watching, bad for attention holding.

But, alas, I present to you my new favorite knit. It's cozy, it's plain, it will go with pretty much everything... Which are pretty much my only criteria for any clothing I own. High fashion folks, High Fashion.



yarn Mill ends mystery yarn. It is very similar to Patons Kroy Socks and I think that's probably what it is but it was sold by the pound in unmarked bags which sounds far more sketchy and intriguing than it was.
pattern Classic Lines Cardigan from Knit Picks
mods Substituted sock weight yarn for double stranded lace weight; added ribbed button bands; tacked down steeked edges to create a facing



As boring as all the knitting was (and by boring I mean: easy, no-thinking knitting) once it was off the needles it got interesting.

The yarn is wool but its sock yarn and non-felting. I ended up machine sewing my steeks out of fear that any crocheted steek wouldn't hold (it probably would have held but I was paranoid). I managed to sew the steeks without distorting the fabric which felt like a victory. I took several deep breaths, got out my sharp pointy scissors and cut the steek before I could chicken out. Now I was left with a ragged mess on the cut edges.



I picked up and knit 1x1 ribbed button bands (the pattern calls for a band that is knit in stocking stitch and folded back to form a facing. no buttons). I had planned to hand sew in a length of grosgrain ribbon to cover the cut edge. While I was trying to figure out the best way to do that I was frustrated that the cut edge kept rolling under and I couldn't get it to lay flat. Then I realized the rolled edge looked like a finished facing and... voila!



I tacked the steek to the cardigan to form a facing and it's perfect. It has a little bit of bulk but the knit fabric is fairly thin so it's not unwieldy. If the yarn was any heavier weight this likely wouldn't have worked. As it is, it provides stability at the button band edges.



After it was all knit and finished I started digging through my button jar. I put button holes fairly close down the front and ended up with 12 in total. I have in my possession approximately 7,000,000 buttons but I couldn't find 12 that fit the following criteria: match each other, match the sweater, right size. So, much to The Boy's amusement (he thinks the very existence of the button jar is ridiculous), I had to buy buttons for my cardigan.



The cardigan actually turned out a bit big in the arms and the neck band. It was liveable but I figured maybe a wash would help sort that out. The yarn also smelled REALLY strongly of wool and a slight chemical smell (even after 4+ months of knitting). I knew the yarn wouldn't felt so, gathering my bravery (and stupidity) I put the cardigan in a mesh laundry bag and (you may want to be sitting down for this) I threw it in the wash. Yes. In the washing MACHINE.

It came through the wash with no issues, the tacked down steeks held beautifully. It had grown in the wash so I (yes, you should stay sitting down for this) threw it in the dryer.

Sometimes bravery/stupidity pays off. The sweater shrunk just a touch in the right spots. The facings and hems puffed up a bit which was odd but a quick blast of steam from the iron put them all back into shape. I can't believe that worked and I can't believe I even tried it. I don't think I'll do that again soon!

Mom's Knitting Bag

This past weekend I needed to find something in my closet where I keep mostly craft stuff (aka "The Closet of Doom" or "Don't open that door!"). I ended up hauling everything out because I couldn't find what I was looking for. This led to me finding stuff I had forgotten about which led to ... let's just say it's like when you click on a link that takes you to another link and that takes you to another link and 4 hours later you can't figure out what you've been doing or how you got there.

Anyway, this impromptu cleaning out session unearthed a pile of t-shirts that were not good enough to give to Salvation Army but not icky enough to throw away (who am I kidding? "throw away?" nothing gets thrown away. Hence the Closet of Doom). I sorted through them pulling out shirts for a blanket project I had started (more on this soon, it's almost done) and set aside a couple to try making cardigans, which is something I've always had in my head to try. (more on this one soon too. Forgot to take pictures).

Anyway (i do this alot. sidetrack myself and then need to bring myself back around)... After all that, I needed a tiny crochet hook for the cardigan making. I knew there had been a set of teeny tiny steel hooks in my Mom's knitting bag so I had to go off on another search through the closet, the bag was in there but it hadn't turned up on the first go around. I eventually found the bag and the second I opened it... I burst into tears.

These are the knitting needles and crochet hooks I learned on. It was like a Mom museum exhibit, complete with the last thing she was knitting before she started deteriorating. I had myself a good cry and decided to document the contents. I want to try to find the pattern she was using for the baby sweater. I'm not sure if I have the yarn she was using (it's probably in the closet of doom) but I'll give it a shot.



Most of the knitting needles are in the old Canadian sizing (British? My stitch dictionary lists the sizes as "Canadian" meh, who knows). The huge needle at the top was for "Condo Knitting" which was apparently the rage at some point in time. (too lazy to google at the moment)



I learned to crochet with the colorful plastic hooks. The tiny ones were my Granny's I think. The wooden crochet hook was made by my Mom's Dad.







I'm pretty sure this teeny tiny hook would pierce skin. I kind of think I know that from experience...



8 red buttons, only 2 of which match. I think the pink buttons were intended for the project she was knitting. I have no explanation for the bag of eyes. I think she was making crocheted "worm" bookmarks or something. Maybe that's it.



Baby sweater WIP. I think this was probably intended for one of my 3 year old nieces when they were babies. It made Mom really sad and frustrated when she couldn't concentrate on knitting or crochet anymore. I would really like to finish this sweater for her if I can find the pattern & yarn.

Oh! Hi!

So you know how sometimes you have something you're working on and you can't seem to get a good picture of it and then you finish and you think you should post it on your blog and then you forget and then 2 months go by and you still haven't posted and you're pretty sure that anyone who may have once read your blog is now long gone? No? Just me?

I'm going to just jump in here. No real reason I haven't posted... just... you know.

I finally got around to finishing the hexagon afghan I started, um, a year ago... I made the mistake of telling the Boy it was for him which led to weeks, well, really: months of him asking me "is my blanket done?" "are you working on my blanket?" "what's that you're knitting? is that my blanket?"



I'm really happy with how it turned out, and the Boy is too. I used up a lot (A LOT) of acrylic scraps. I forgot to count the hexs at the end but it's about 5' x 6' so... a lot.

When I finished I threw it in the wash since it had been sitting around for a year. It was then I found out that a few of the hexs were not acrylic but were in fact random wool that had snuck in. They felted.



Oh well. It adds "textural interest"... ehem.

I also finished another longtime WIP: The Leftover Blanket! This one is more than 2 years old. It's approximately 45" x 55" but I plan on trying to block it a bit bigger. Eventually. To be honest this one is less "Finished" and more "I'm never going to get the will power to make it any bigger than it is so I'm calling it done". The final round was on the needles for months.



It's a great lap blanket size and I can curl up under it when I'm truly curled up. It's all sock yarn so it's mostly wool and very warm. I'm really happy with the final look and I'm VERY happy to call this one done. Whew.

I have a funny email to share with you before I go. The Boy sent me this Monday morning. I was laughing so hard reading it I had tears in my eyes. He suggested I share it with my "Knitter friends"... silly the Boy! I was planning to all along!

From: The Boy
Sent: May 10, 2010 10:40 AM
To: Lori
Subject:

So you left your knitting in my house, no big deal I finished it off for you. Did a quick online seminar on how to knit. It’s quite easy, don’t know why it takes you so long to make this stuff. ANYWAY I didn’t have time to make the sweater with ‘arms’ or a ‘neck’ so I just kept on making the tube part…so it’s less like a sweater and more like a tube…like a tube top. Then I didn’t know how to finish, so I just cut the rope and grabbed the stapler and hammered 6-8 staples into the end so that it would not come apart when you wash it..then again I would not wash it. Oh I ran out of whatever that lousy color was that you were using, because you didn’t provide me with enough wool, so I found some other stuff (I think it said wool but it could have been bailing twine for all I could tell) and kept going. I think the colors match quite well, but that’s for you to decide. I again, didn’t know how to end one color and begin another so I just crazy glued the two together. No big deal but again, I would not wash it.

Anyway you’re welcome, and if I ever hear you complain about how long it’s taking to make something, I’ll know that you’re lying so don’t try to pull that crap on me.

Baby gifts

I can finally show off what I made while I was on my mini-vacation. Woo! It was hard b/c the person I wanted to tell was the person it was for and I had to wait. (Why am I still being vague?) My friend Wen Shu is expecting her second girl. We were planning a surprise baby shower for her and her husband (he works with me too) at work so I had to keep quiet until then.



I bought 10 fat quarters in bright "girl" colors and cut 20 squares (don't remember the size). Then I cut and pieced the nine-patch squares using the idea of the "crazy nine-patch" (google produces many many results) but with my cuts not on an angle. I spent way more time than was probably necessary trying to ensure that no row had two of the same square but now that I look at the picture above I can see that I missed a pair. d'oh.



Sashing was from a white cotton sheet (from Ikea: cheap sheet, soft cotton); backing & binding were from a stash of girlie fabrics I acquired for cheap a few years ago. They all washed up really soft and cuddly.



I'm not one for "girlie" colors but I love this little quilt. It washed up nice and crinkly and soft. It was a big hit with Wen Shu and her husband.

But... the real crowd pleasers were to come:


Pattern: Cloth Shoe Pattern from Stardust Shoes. (look around her blog while you're there. Fun tutorials!) The pattern was straight forward and I love the finished shoes. I need to work on my patience for small project sewing however. Clumsiness and small pieces: not a great combo.

When I finished these I sent a pic to my friend out in BC with the subject: "The Most Ridiculously Cute Baby Shoes Ever".

But then I made the next ones and was to revise that title:


(all together now: awwwwwwwww!!!!)
Pattern: Saartje's Bootees (link to pdf)
Yarn: Sock weight leftovers from various projects.
Mods: I stitched the strap ends to the shoe rather than have buttons and button loops.

I know people don't like the seaming on this one but I found the seaming to be really quick (it's a tiny shoe). I love the finished result. So much so that I made another pair:



They won't fit baby for very long I'm sure but they sure are adorable.

Today is Wen Shu's last day at work before maternity leave. She and I work very closely and I will really miss her. We have gotten to be work-sisters and she is a very dear friend. I can't wait to meet her new little one though!

Opening Ceremonies & Day 2

Before I get into the Opening Ceremonies I'll show you a pair of socks that inspired the challenge of the Knitting Olympic Challenge that I've set myself.



Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks FX. I don't remember the colorway but the socks are the same colorway and I thought they were the same dyelot but the 2nd one is much more saturated than the first.
Pattern: 2x2 Garter Rib (rd 1: knit; rd 2: k2, p2)
Oops moment: I knit the leg a bit longer than I normally do for socks and ended up having to finish the toes for both socks with leftover sock yarn. It's not very noticeable and, frankly, I don't really care... haha



I cast on the first sock at least 4 months ago. I knit most of the leg and then the sock lived in my bag where it stayed unless I was waiting somewhere and bored. I finally finished the first sock at Christmas and then the second sock took until yesterday afternoon. Hence the challenge: Finish at least 3 pairs of socks during the Olympics.


Note: this isn't the extent of the sock yarn in my stash. I may have a problem

Now to the Olympics:
As I mentioned I decided to go with the socks. I swatched for the sweater but realized I didn't have enough yarn, especially since I would want to add length in the body.



Just in time for the Olympics, Knitty published their Knitty Surprises, one of which was the Skew sock. I pulled a skein of Lang JaWoll Silk in Canadian-y colors from the stash and cast on. This sock is so interesting already. I can't wait to see how the heel is done...

During the Parade of Nations I dyed a Knit Picks sock blank to be knit later in the Olympics. At one point it looked like the set of Dexter.



The dye job didn't turn out exactly like I was picturing it but I wasn't really being as careful as i should have been.



Gotta go. Moguls are on. Knit on Knitters! Go Canada Go!

ETA: I think I figured out/remembered how to do the Ravelympics thing. Create your project and then tag it with the little "r" in the multi-colored circle. Then it will ask you what Ravelympics tags you want added. I think you have to sign up for the team you want to be in (For example, I'm on Team Canada) but I think that's all there is to it. We'll see when it's over.

Better late than never?

So you know how sometimes you start on a pair of socks and then you finish the first one and then you set it aside and don't cast on for the second one for over a year? Yeah... me neither.



I finally finished my Spiral Boot Socks... Ravelry tells me I cast on for these September 2008... That is a looooong time ago.

They're not quite knee highs, but I wouldn't have had enough yarn to make knee highs anyway, so I'm happy with them the way they are. The 2 skeins were not quite the same shade which is odd but not unwearable.



Also odd but not unwearable is the fact that I followed the directions for the toe for the 2nd sock but apparently not for the first one. The first sock is a little bit shorter in the length of the foot than the 2nd.

I can't seem to get a decent picture of the actual color of the socks. It's a rich kettle dyed brown that I love.



Pattern: Spiral Boot Socks by Veronik Avery in Interweave Knits Summer 2007 (Ravelry link)
Yarn: Knit Picks Essentials Kettle Dyed in Oak
Mods: nothing intentional... One sock is shorter in the foot than the other. Oops.

********************************************************************************************

So, this coming Friday there's a little sporting competition happening in my country. In Vancouver, BC to be exact. You may have heard something about it. They call it the Olympics.

I'm such a dork. I could not be more excited about the Olympics! I plan to be glued to my TV for as much of the coverage as I can. I love (watching) winter sports and to have this huge event so close to home is really exciting for me and the whole country.

I had planned to do the Ravelympics this year but I'm not sure if I have to sign up for an event in advance or... ? I signed up for team Canada but do I need to declare an event? I don't know why this is so confusing to me! Are any of you doing the Ravelympics? How about the Knitting Olympics over at the Yarn Harlot's site? I did that challenge in 2006 and really enjoyed it. Maybe I should just do that. Why am I rambling so?

So this brings me to my next question: What Should I Knit for Ravelympics and/or Knitting Olympics? My first instinct is to knit socks. I seem to have developed a hole in one sock of each pair of my knit socks (not all of them, just the older pairs). I don't understand why it's in the same place for each pair but for each pair it's only one sock. I don't always wear the same sock on the same foot. How can that be?

I think I've begun to ramble. Knitting Olympics/Ravelympics: So I have all this sock yarn and a need for socks. I have a tendency to put off finishing socks or use them just as "travel knitting" or "in my bag in case I have to wait" knitting. I need socks, I like socks and I want to have more socks. It would be a challenge for me to finish not one but several pairs of socks during the Olympics. They would be on the plain side but that suits me fine.

(It should be noted that The Boy is moving house right smack in the middle of the Olympics and, barring some sort of broken limb or severe illness I can't imagine how I can get out of helping that I won't be helping him for at least part of the time, which will limit my knitting time AND my watching the actual Olympics time. Sob.)

A second idea I've been knocking around is a sweater. A cardigan to be precise. I'm torn between a true challenge like knitting the Tangled Yoke Cardigan (IWK Fall 2007 Rav link) or a plain round yoke stashbuster cardigan with some sport weight mystery yarn and the odds and ends of sock yarn I have... But I kind of think that a whole sweater in small gauge would be setting myself up for a lot of crying. But then again, if it's the only thing I'm working on? who knows.

Rambling again. A more reasonable idea is the Snowdrift Cardigan by Michele Rose Orne (from Inspired to Knit--Rav Link) which is at a larger gauge and would be much more manageable. It too would be a stashbuster and I think I would get a lot of use out of it. And, who doesn't love those Cabled cuffs? Come ON!

So... If you've made it this far, thank you... and please speak up. Are you participating? In which challenge (or both)? In which event(s)? Any thoughts on what you think I should knit?