Construction Update

Posted on June 8, 2013 by CelticCastOn

Our first week of Construction went well, we accomplished a lot!

We dug up the driveway

and put in a french drain so the water will no longer pour straight towards the house. The water situation was what started the whole construction bender. Our front porch was rotting away as the water washed out the under side.

We dug two more trenches to place sonotubes in for the new deck and porch.

Once those were filled back in we were able to get the concrete poured and set.

We had a very good fore*woman* keeping an eye on things for us.

Thankfully we got most of the digging done before T came home because once she got in that digger she didn’t want to get out.

She spent hours in there with daddy playing around in the dirt.

Next step: Hang the joices so we could frame some walls for the porch and small addition.

It’s coming along nicely but we still have a long way to go,

for my little house on The Ridge.

On to the needles

Posted on June 6, 2013 by CelticCastOn

There has been a lot of finishing going on around here and that has left me with absolutely nothing on the needles. I kind of had a little freak out session because I had no idea what to cast on. Things were going to be arriving in the mail that I was going to be casting on with but until then I needed something mindless and small…..

so I cast on for a dress…. that’s small right??

The pattern is Jill’s Dress from the book Modern Top Down Knitting. I love everything about this book and have many more projects planned to knit from it too.

I’ve had the yarn for this one since T was born so I think it’s high time that I turn that stash into a dress don’t you? It’s working up quite quickly in Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, a DK weight yarn. I don’t want this one to drag on and would love to be wearing it right now so we’ll see how quickly I can whip this one up.

After all those cables I am enjoying the stockinette zone!

Oh and just in case you are interested, Melissa of Dandiliongirl Designs, you may remember I test knit her Downton Girl, is having a 50% off sale. Just enter the code spraytan to receive your discount.

Alicia of Two Little Plums, you may remember I test knit her Woodstove Season and Splitstone, is also having a 50% off sale. Enter the code allupinyogrill to receive her discount.

The sale is only on until Monday so it get while its hot!

Old Shale

Posted on June 2, 2013 by CelticCastOn

Pattern: Old Shale Shawl by Amanda Clark

Yarn: Berroco Vintage Colour # 51108

Needles: U.S. #10 / 6mm circs

My Rav Project Page

I was asked to knit a prayer shawl for someone in need recently. I was given a pretty plain knit and purl pattern but it seemed a bit boring and monotonous.

I wanted to knit something that would be unique to the recipient. A shawl they probably hadn’t come across before keeping in mind that it had to be big enough to wrap up in and keep them cosy.

This shawl fit the bill exactly. Old Shale is a free pattern on Ravelry and knits up quickly on 6mm’s with worsted weight yarn. I think this would make a wonderful blanket style shawl with a bulky yarn too.

Choosing a colour to knit into a shawl for someone you have never met can me a lengthey process. My LYS said people most often chose purple for prayer shawls so I knew I wanted to skip the purple if I was trying to make this shawl unique. I picked out a few colour options and then let my trusty side kick have the final say. Hopefully the recipient likes pink.

I used Berroco Vintage so the shawl would be easy to take care of. It’s washable and I won’t have to worry about someone throwing it in the wash and shrinking it into something T sized.

I will definitely keep this pattern in mind for future prayer shawls.

Hopefully this shawl will bring much comfort to its new owner.

French Braid

Posted on May 28, 2013 by CelticCastOn

While I was waiting for Elia to dry and and avoiding all those projects that I was having bother with I picked up my French Braid Cardigan and FINISHED IT!

I think I can hear Tanis yelling at the screen, FINALLY!!

Pattern: French Braid Cardigan

Yarn: Ella Rae Classics

My Rav Project page

I only cast on for this the day it was released. Then I became buried under a pile of test knits and I didn’t want to pick it up until I knew I could commit the time to work solely on it and finish.

I am so glad I picked this one back up because I absolutely love it and am getting some good wear out of it right now.

This is once again another great pattern from Tanis. Her patterns are always so nicely written and easy to follow. The cardigan has minimal finishing too. It is knit top down starting with the collar so it really is a matter of weaving in 3 ends once you bind off and volia instant cardi. No picking up stitches is a definite bonus in my book. I love the cable and lace pattern that travels around the neck and then slowly starts to sweep outwards.

The sizing is more of a relaxed fit, perfect to throw on over jeans and a tee for a super comfy outfit but would also looking smashing over a dress or smarter attire. This really is something that could be worked into any part of your wardrobe.

I chose Ella Rae Classic that I had just received from a destash sale. I was expecting a completely different shade of green and wasn’t sure I was going to like it at all knit up but I think it grew on me while I was knitting it. It was my first time knitting with Ella Rae Classic and I will definitely be on the look out for more. Its such a plump yarn with great squoosh factor, much nicer than Cascade that seems to thin out when knit.

Renee Anne saved my bacon when I realized that I was going to be one ball short of having enough yardage. I sent her a rav message because she had one skein in her stash in the same lot and she kindly sent it on its way. I needed every bit of that ball because I literally had two yards left once I bound off.

There was a little bit of griping heard from my photographer today that he wasn’t getting props for the photo’s he was taking. I told him that photographers on this blog work behind the scenes…. Thanks Dad for taking the time to make sure I was happy these.

That was my only garment WIP……… what will be next????

Elia

Posted on May 25, 2013 by CelticCastOn

Here she is, and I’m smitten!

Pattern: Elia by Julia Trice

Yarn: Colour Adventures Bella Worsted in Sour Cherry

My Rav Project Page

Holy Heck I don’t think the combo for this sweater could be more perfect.

Cables, shawl collar, stunning colour!

The yarn was a gift from my lovely friend Elena of Colour Adventures. This was my first time knitting a garment with a hand dyed yarn. I’m always a bit nervous using hand dyes because I don’t enjoy the stripes and variegation that some hand dyes produce and I guess that makes me just so darn picky.

I can’t get over how perfectly this yarn was dyed. Like it was made just for me. The subtle tones are perfect and it just blends together so beautifully. The Sour Cherry colourway is such a gorgeous tone and suits Elia perfectly.

Julia really knocked it out of the park when she designed this gorgeous sweater.

Elia is knit from the bottom up to the armholes, producing mirrored cables on the front and back. It is the separated to knit the front and back before joining and adding the shawl collar. The sleeves were knit separately and set in. While it did take some time to set those sleeves in, stockinette sleeves to a garter body it was well worth the time. Seaming can really make or break a sweater and I wasn’t about to botch this beauty with poor seaming.

Julia’s pattern is so well written. She has included stitch counts, row counts and a very handy cheat sheet that lays out each row of the pattern, waist shaping and what corresponding row of each cable chart you are on. Genius!

There are also two length options in the pattern. I of course knit the longer version and added a bit of length to the sleeves as well since my body type is beanpole.

I love shawl collars! I’m always cold and used to wear turtlenecks all the time but since having T I don’t really care for the tight ones around my neck anymore. The shawl collar is the right amount of cosiness without the tight restriction. The collar on Elia is quite high up and I wasn’t sure what it would look like or feel like but I am happy to report I absolutely love it. No restriction and just the right amount of cosy. I think I would add a shawl collar to every sweater if I could.

Huge thank you to Elena and Julia for helping me create one hell of a sweater!

It’s almost June and one would think I wouldn’t be sporting a wool sweater at this time of year but it looks like I’ll be wearing this one for a little while longer on The Ridge. I’m looking forward to it warming up but until then I will be sporting this sweater and enjoying every minute of it.

Knitting woes and a come back!

Posted on May 15, 2013 by CelticCastOn

Things don’t seem to be going right for me knit wise this week.

Monday I realized I was using the wrong weight of yarn on a project…..

Today I realized that I made a mistake at the beginning of a shawl I started now that I’m halfway in…..

I was feeling rather frustrated about my wasted knitting time until I pulled out my blocking board to pin out this beauty!

These are the gorgeous cables from a sweater I just finished.

The pattern in Elia by Julia Trice and the yarn is the very scrumptious Colour Adventures Bella Worsted in Sour Cherry. What an amazing pairing!

All will be revealed shortly!

I can’t wait to show you the finished sweater. Its my first sweater knit with a hand dyed yarn!

I hope you have been having more lucky with your knitting than I have at the moment. Tell me, what are you knitting?

Demolition

Posted on May 4, 2013 by CelticCastOn

Things have been a tad busy up on the Ridge.

For the last week and a half I’ve been busy doing something I really enjoy……

Ripping and Tearing!

We’ve started phase one of renovations on our house. It will probably take all summer to complete working at it when we can. I’m very excited and can’t wait to see the end result but its going to be slow going as we piece things together.

The first thing that needed to get done was to tear things down.

This week I removed two small decks and a porch off the front of the house by myself.

*Ice cream breaks included*

Thankfully Moose was home to help rip off the side decks because they were stubborn, and we wanted to save as much wood as we could for a future project.

*The Tiny Carpenter at work*

Everything needs to be off and cleared out by Monday morning because we have a rented toy coming that’s going to get some major play time this week.

I’ll be checking in when I can to show you the progress. I still have WIP’s and FO’s to share too so hopefully I’ll be able to find some time to throw those in as well.

Master Rowan

Posted on April 24, 2013 by CelticCastOn

If you didn’t already know Tanis‘ baby boy arrived into the world a few weeks ago. Go have a peek if you haven’t already he is scrumptious! When I found out Tanis was expecting, last summer, I set to work to find something to knit for her. I must have changed my mind a hundred times, choosing a pattern and colour for someone else is tricky business! She decided not to find out the sex but for some reason I chose a boy pattern to knit and tuck away just in case she did have a boy.

This is the Master Charles pattern by Tot Toppers. I chose not to knit the sleeves thinking he would look rather dapper with a button up shirt underneath or the like and still have lots of room for movement.

My Rav project page

The pattern is knit in the round from the bottom up to the arm pits then working the front and back separately. I picked up 32 sts around the armpits and working an inch or so of ribbing to finish it off.

When Rowan arrived I pulled the vest out to make sure everything was ok before I sent it and started to worry that this was going to be waaay too small. Not having a baby in the house anymore makes you forget how small they actually are. I got T to put her arm through the armhole and when I saw that her arm fit with some room I calmed down a bit and figured it would most likely be ok for him too

Hopefully it will fit him at some point, preferably NOT in the dead of summer!

Splitstone

Posted on April 6, 2013 by CelticCastOn

Pattern: Splitstone by Alicia Plummer

Yarn: Cascade 220 in colourway 9456

My Rav Project Page

I finished my test knit for Alicia and I couldn’t be happier with this.

I’ve been hoarding this colour of Cascade for something special. It’s such a beautiful blue with a bit of a purple undertone. I assumed it would eventually become something for T but when I saw Alicia’s vest I just knew it would have to be a Splitstone for me.

One thing I enjoy so much about Alicia’s patterns is that I never have to lengthen ANYTHING. She has the long torso down to a science!

We took these pictures during a snowmobiling trip through the woods. We had a little bonfire on the trail and toasted marshmallows before I striped off the snow pants to get a couple of quick shots.