3 FOs

I have 3 FOs  today. But I doubt the next entry will be “4 FOs”. The photos are kinda craptastic, though. Its just one of those days that I don’t feel like taking pics much, but just want to wrap it up on the blog…

Before I banter on about the FOs, did anyone notice anything about the names of the previous 2 FOs? Do they, perhaps, remind you of any music? (classical, not Rihanna or Madonna or other “nanas” or “yoyos”) The Magic Owl was thus named because I was watching Amadeus (an old movie about Mozart) when I was knitting it. I’ve always liked Mozart’s Queen of the Night Aria in The Magic Flute even though I have never ever watched the opera. The Beautiful Blue Swallowtail was thus named because for some reason, it reminded me of the Beautiful Blue Danube, a very well known piece.

First, a jacket. The biggest jacket I’ve knitted thus far. I can hardly believe the amount of yarn consumed. I kept thinking one of the balls of yarn I bought for this project is hidden somewhere.. Did I really use more than 600g for a jacket?… Maybe I’ll go dig in the stash cupboard again later.

Java Drops
Yarn: Bendigo Classic 12 Ply in Java, 2.1 or 3.1 x 200g
Pattern: A-shape Jacket by DROPS
Modifications: Knitted top down using raglan shaping, shaping, collar.
Afterthoughts: Interesting…

I’ve never knitted a jacket like this before. I think its almost coat-ish. Once again, I took the main idea and made it up. I am really not that terrible at following patterns… There had been at least once that I followed a pattern word for word. I attempted to knit this according to pattern. But I really didn’t like the fact that I cannot try it on as  go. The bottom was really flaring out alot so I frogged that and did it raglan style, as I’ve seen many other knitters did on ravelry. The neck turned out bigger than I expected. I wish I didn’t cast on that many stitches. But I guess it will be just nice for a scarf. The collar looks funky… But I’m not ripping back again. 

I did my own shaping. I like the A-line shape, but I prefer mine to be a shaped A. That means there must be a waist for my A-line. Maybe its not a true A-line anymore, but who cares?

Maybe I should’ve added butt shaping, but when I get to wear thicker clothes under this jacket, I believe it will fill up that spot above the butt… Oh, yes, I knitted the sleeves flat. After completing the body, I went back to the live raglan sleeve stitches, and knitted it flat, then seamed it up.

This would’ve been finished quite some time ago, but it had been languishing in the pile of WIPs because everytime I pick it up something pops up or I get too upset to knit. I bought the buttons and blocked the project yesterday, and sewed the buttons and label on today. The buttons are actually plastic, even though they look like some leather ones I’ve seen elsewhere. This is a difficult colour to find buttons for! And I forgot to being a sample of the yarn when I went out yesterday. I am really glad the colour fits, though. I think if its a little more reddish or yellowish it won’t fit. I sewed the buttons to small flat buttons at the other side to make sure the buttons won’t pop out of the jacket.

Make a guess about the next FO? Hint: its crocheted.

PSH
Yarn: Patons Zest in White, 2 x 50g
Pattern: Pretty Puffy Slouchy Hat by Jessica Suzanne
Modifications: Didn’t follow pattern.
Afterthoughts: I might actually wear this…

I couldn’t find my biggest crochet hook.. I think they’ve all gone into hiding. So I used my 3mm hook. I think thats why my puffs are kinda squashed together. This was my 3rd attempt. I’ve never followed a crochet pattern and was trying to find the right yarn for this project. First I tried using TLC’s Caramia (leftover from my Phildar Pullover) but found out I will not have enough yarn when it was about 15cm in diameter. Then I tried Rowan 4 Ply Soft, hoping a finer yarn will give me a looser gauge and really puffy puffs. But once it was around 10cm in diameter I decided I don’t like the way it looks or feels. I’m glad I decided upon this yarn, which is a really good way to destash!

I started yesterday afternoon and finished it last night. I did the bulk of it while waiting for/in the bus. This hat and the jacket will be going with me on my trip this weekend. I’m really excited about this trip. Its somewhere I’ve never ever thought of myself ever visiting. It will be very very much colder than this tropical climate I’ve been living in for the past 2+decades so I’m kinda worried if I will actually freeze there. But I believe I’m in good hands.

The last FO today – Slippers! Colour is really off in this picture.

Maple Slippers
Yarn: Jaeger Extra Fine Merino Aran in Maple, 1.1 x 50g
Pattern: Knitted Slippers by DROPS
Modifications: Knitted at smaller guage.
Afterthoughts: Will make this again and again.

Finished this days ago. This is made for a friend whom I will be meeting on this upcoming trip. Interesting construction. I didn’t sew it up nicely… I only realised that my kitchener stitches had always been funky because I skipped stitches when I am sewing them up. Now I know, I will pay more attention when I kitchener stitch. No more ziggy seams!

This last photo is the most accurate representation of the colours.