Two cabled presents

I've been a delinquent blogger, but a furious knitter. I have finished two more cabled projects which wraps up my holiday knitting for the year. I finally finished the DNA scarf for my brother after allowing it to languish forever.

And I made a cabled hat for my dad. Everyone else gets store-bought presents because everyone else received knitting gifts during the past year.

Though the gift cabling is finished, cabling continues unabated! I just cast on for a simple cabled scarf of my own design that I will use as a prototype for the cabling class that I will be teaching.

Twist Barbie socks done!

I finally finished my Twist Barbie cable socks! I just love these!

French Girl's Violette

I originally signed on the the KAL with the intent of knitting Lilly Chin's Reverse Ribed Shawl. That had to fall by the wayside due to Chistmas presents breathing down my neck. Here is my first. It is for my grandmother. Though it is hard to see, there are cables at the bottom of the hat. More details on the blog.

Late addition to group

Hi,

I just found this group, and I'm sorry I didn't find it earlier because I LOVE cables! I am currently working on a Hatmione out of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. The yarn is so soft and wonderful to knit with, and the cable definition is excellent! I highly recommend it. Here are two in progress pics:



One of my fairly recent FO's was also a large cabled accomplishment shown above. You can see lots more pics on my blog at http://www.beckyanddaniel.com/knitting/Projects/cable_baby_blanket.html

I am also planning on starting an Irish Hiking Scarf soon - just need to get my yarn ordered from KnitPicks.

Y'all's work is beautiful. Please keep posting the beautiful pictures!

-Becky in Austin
www.BeckyandDaniel.com/knitting

Quick Cabled Cap

I just got Elsebeth Lavold's Viking Patterns for Knitting book and was immediately dying to try something from it. Her explanations of the technical aspects of how to do her methods of cabling were fantastically easy to understand so I wanted to jump right in. So I made this:
It is:

The pattern: Ragna Cap
The yarn: Katia Montana 2 skeins in color 82857 (that I had in my stash FOREVER)
The tools: size seven addi turbo circs and a stitch holder
Montana has no ply or twist to it so I was having a hard time getting even the blunt tips of the addi's not to split the yarn when I tried to do my usual method of cabling with no cable needle. Since there was a lot going on anyway with the Celtic braid motif I finally gave in and used a stitch holder in place of a cable needle. Why a stitch holder? Because it was handy. It's also very thin so easy to get under and pick the yarn up with. So I guess technically I still cabled without a cable needle. (Please - humor me - I need to hold on to my illusions!)
This was so quick to make - just a few hours from start to finish. I think a few people might be getting one for Christmas. Also - I'm so proud of myself that I used - gasp! - stash yarn. I hope you can see the cables well enough in this photo - they are very sharp in real life, even with the heathery yarn.

Socktoberfest!

I've been distracted from my Blackberry but still knitting cables by Lolly's Socktoberfest! I started my cabled socks a couple of days ago and after a couple of revisions I think I've got a cable pattern I like! I'm turning the heel of the first sock and will post a photo when I'm done!

Cable 41 is FINI!

I'm finally done with Cable 41! Whew! Details are posted over at Superstarra-ville, if you'd like to check it out.

I love my new sweater and am already planning my outfit for tomorrow...which looks strangely similar to the one I'm wearing in this picture. I've got many more cable projects in the works, so I'll be posting again soon!

We have a winner!

Jenifer has won the Cabling Newsletter! My son did the honors and picked the name out of the hat. So congratulations to Jenifer! Please email Christie to get the information on how to redeem your free subscription. You ladies came up with some very creative uses for cable needles!

One down, one to go.

Although I finished this a week ago, here is the pic of the Cropped Sweater from the Rebecca 29 magazine. I used 6 skeins of Knitpicks Merino Style in Rhubarb on US 5 & US 6 needles.



I'm going to take a short break before I start my second cables project. I'm a little cabled out right now.

If you haven't already done so...

Enter your answer to the contest question. Scroll down to find the post. Comments are due by Monday to qualify for the prize drawing! We've had some quite creative ideas for non knitting cable needle usage.

Grace is finished

I'm so happy! Please see my blog for additional photos and information.

Black Not-Irish-Hiking Scarf done!

Possibly one of the most boring items I've ever made, and I love it. Based on the Irish Hiking Scarf, but 4 repeats of 4 stitch cables, rather than 3 of 6. Made with left over Lamb's Pride Worsted and just the right length!

Hurricane Vest

Here it is - all finished.

The stats:
Pattern: Hurricane vest from Rowan Plaid Collection
Yarn: 8 balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky
What I learned: Finishing! Shoulder seams, picking up stitches for collar and armhole ribbing.
I also learned that Cashmerino Superchunky is a very fast knit & very warm and soft. I would definately use it again.
Hubby loves the vest & is wearing it at work today. :)

Blackberry!

I decided yesterday to start Blackberry from Knitty. It is going well so far but here's the major problem. I have 7 skeins of Noro Kabuto. I started, but then realized I'm going to need about _12_ skeins of Noro Kabuto to finish this project! I'm going to keep going and may end up using a different yarn for the sleeves and/or edging.

Cable 41 Front

Well, here is the completed Cable 41 front. I was having such trouble, it's a relief to have it completed. I was so into getting the cables right that I would forget to cast off for the armholes and decrease for the neck...those little things that tend to be important.

I'm going to concentrate REEEEEeeeEEEeeeal hard and maybe I'll have no hang ups when working on the sleeves.

Keep your fingers crossed!

Charlotte, a quick knit...

I finished up Charlotte yesterday and took her how for a spin at a Texas Hold 'em Poker Night at our friends' home. She had a good time. She helped the Mr. and I to break even, not bad for a rookie.

In knitting notes, Charlotte only took about 2 1/3 balls of Ribbon Twist. I have enough left to make a skinny scarf, or a small hat. I didn't find the cables too hard to do, but it is a relatively simple pattern, using big yarn so it was easy to see what I was doing. I do feel like I can try to take on some more difficult patterns now. I think Kepler or Blackberry will be next on the Cable list. Weaving in the ends was the only sticky point in the knit. My yarn needle kept getting stuck in the ribbon part. The whole project took me three days. I love having a quick project sometimes.

Charlotte's done! 

A wee little contest...

with a very nice prize! Christie and I have been putting our finely knitted wool beanie thinking caps together to figure out a good contest to fit our prize of a one year subscription to Twists and Turns: The Newsletter for Lovers of Cable Knitting. Here's what we came up with!

Post as a comment to this entry an answer to the following question:

What is a creative non-knitting related use for a cable needle?

Everyone has until Monday, October 17th at 12 noon to answer. We will then put all the names in a hat and pick out a winner! Come on fellow Cablers! I bet we've got lots of interesting ideas here!

I'm finally ready!

Since I just finished my Tivoli, I'm ready to start a cable project! I was going to do the Irish Hiking Scarf Gauntlets, but I may just do a sweater. I looked at the links on the sidebar and might do Mariah, and I did buy Rogue, but I'm not sold on them right yet. Any other cable sweaters you like that I should look at? Blackberry from Knitty is also on my list.

Good Charlotte

This wrap/ponchette (I'm gritting my teeth as I write the p word) is going quite quickly. The size 17 needles are helping with the overall speed of the project. I just started it yesterday, and I'm already half done. I love the look of the Ribbon Twist yarn and it's been relatively easy to work with. For my first cable project I think it's going rather well. Once I finish 'er up, I'll feel up to sinking my cable needle into Bonne Marie's Twist, and Kepler.

Here's 1/2 of Charlotte from the latest Rowan. For my first cable experience, I'm digging the results! 

We're Getting Noticed!

Hey KALers!

This morning I received an e-mail from Janet Szabo. She is the publisher of Twists and Turns: The Newsletter for Lovers of Cable Knitting. Click the link to check out her site, and if you are interested you can subscribe via her website. Twists and Turns is a 20-page quarterly newsletter with patterns, book and yarn reviews, and technical articles on knitting and designing with cables. Janet has also offered a one year subscription to Twists and Turns as a prize for a KAL contest! How exciting!

So, Jennifer and I are putting our fabulous knitted thinking caps on and will present our contest for your contesting pleasure.
This weekend sounds like a good contest start time, so that will give those lurkers [you know who you are] to get with it and join so they can be a part of the contest fun.

I'm so excited!

Intro

Hi! My name is Christina, and I'm currently working on two cable projects. The first one is the Weekend Sweater in Cashmerino Aran. I started this project two Christmases ago and have only made it halfway up the back.
The second is the Cable and Moss Stitch Jacket in DB Merino Aran. I bought this yarn over two years ago to make my daughter the 18-24 month size. Thank goodness the sizes run big, because she's about to turn three! As long as I finish it this year, it'll definitely fit her.

Cabled Vest

While Willow waits paitently for me to re-knit the bit of neck shaping I messed up I took a detour and knit up this:

It is the Hurricane vest from Rowan Plaid Collection. I used Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky that I got on sale at the LYS. I had been dying to use this yarn so as soon as I got some I scrounged around for a pattern to use it on. Lucky hubby will be the recipient of this nice soft vest. :) It was SUPER speedy to knit (only 2 1/2 days!) and the yarn was really nice to work with.

I liked the reverse stockinette and how it makes the cable stand out a bit. It also gives some dimension to the yarn which otherwise might actually be too soft looking. Hopefully, I will get a chance to put this baby together soon!
For my next cable project I want to try something a little bit more difficult....time to look at patterns again. :)

Cabled Shrug First Repeat

I finished the first repeat on my Cabled Shrug. This is not something I can do while chatting unfortunately, though I gave it a good try this past Friday. There are only a couple of mistakes but none are noticeable enough for me to care. I used a full ball of yarn before I finished the repeat. I hope I have enough...

Just a little blocking.

I finally have the front and back done on the Rebecca crop sweater. It's out on the deck blocking and I'm off to start the sleeves. This thing has a ton of tiny cables and it's starting to drive me a little nutty. Good thing the sleeves are short.