Noro Otaku

"Otaku" is a Japanese word that generally refers to anyone who is geekily obsessed with something. Initially the word referred to young men obsessed with manga and anime but the word has now come to be used for just about any kind of obsession and I'd say us crazy knitters can easily fall under this umbrella. And seeing as Noro yarn is from Japan then I say all the more reason to be a Noro Otaku!

Noro Striped Scarves - wide version on the left and newer, improved narrower version on the right

The thing about these Noro striped scarves is that once you start it is incredibly difficult to put the project down because you can't wait to see what the next color combo will end up being. I chose a skein of very neutral greys and browns and combined it with a skein of bright colors. But unexpectedly the brights occasionally become neutral when transitioning so the stripes aren't always well defined but I'm really liking the subtle shifting here.

I actually started this project a while back and got almost half way done when I decided I was making the scarf too wide considering how dense the fabric is in this thick yarn with the one by one ribbing. So I put it on hold for a while and just started again on a narrower scarf and again I find myself in a Noro haze. Just can't put it down...

HomeGrrrl

Way behind on my blogging... So here's some catch-up from a xmas gift I made for my friend Janel who moved into a new home last year and needs all the cozy stuff that makes a home a home. I've hardly done any crochet before and this is the first actual finished project I've completed with crochet. It's all been little swatches here and there but this was a super simple project and definitely gave me the bug to do some more.

Crochet Coasters

I didn't follow any specific pattern though I used this video on YouTube to get started and roughly followed this Summertime Coaster pattern that I initially found on Ravelry.

I had a lot of fun picking out the colors at my LYS. It's all Rowan Handknit Cotton which I think worked out perfect for this kind of project and comes in a bajillion colors.

These were fast and fun and make a perfect gift if I do say so myself!

Beret Mania & Malabrigo Love

I finished this Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret (Ravelry link) a few weeks ago and have actually been getting good use out of it here in chilly Southern California. Don't laugh, it's been getting down into the forties here and while many of you have been suffering far worse, this is definitely knitted accessory weather!

Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret

And what better than to snuggle with some Malabrigo yarn which I think may be my very favorite yarn ever. I've now used their lace yarn, their sock yarn and this was my first time using their worsted yarn and I absolutely love them all! So soft. Such great colors/dying. And compared to other luxury yarns, the price is pretty reasonable as well. It's all good!

While I've been wearing this beret nearly every day, I also just finished another one tonight which is blocking right now so photos and details yet to come on that one.

And yes, two berets constitutes "mania". Plus I've got several others all ready to get started. It's official, I'm hooked on berets. Pourquoi pas?

STATS
Star-Crossed Slouchy Beret by Natalie Larson (free pattern on Ravelry)
A little more than half a skein of Malabrigo Worsted in the Vaa colorway
U.S. sizes 10 & 11 needles (Knit Picks Options, 40" circular, magic loop method throughout)

Waylaid and Whisper Cardi

Just as I was plugging along full-steam on my knitting I ended up giving myself a pretty bad case of carpal tunnel syndrome. Life can be cruel. So I stopped knitting all together for the last two months or so and have just started up again but very slowly for now. No marathon sessions...

Whisper Cardigan - front to back and all tied up

In the meantime, this is a sweater I knit up over the summer before I resurrected my blog. It's the simple and fun Whisper Cardigan by Hannah Fettig (Ravelry link) from Interweave Knits Spring 2009. I knit mine in super soft Malabrigo lace which is one of my very favorite yarns. It's a lot of stockinette which makes this a good relaxing knit and a very quick knit.

STATS:
Whisper Cardigan from Interweave Knits Spring 2009 (Ravelry link)
2 skeins Malabrigo lace in Cuarzo
U.S. sizes 2, 4 & 7 needles

Finally, a Clapotis

Clapotis

As of today, according to Ravelry, there are 12,722 Clapotis roaming in the knitting wilds. It is currently listed as the pattern with the most projects. So I had to see what all the fuss was about and I have to say that I get it. I knit this back in August and I'm pretty sure I'll end up making a few more. It's a super fun and fast pattern to knit. Who doesn't love dropping stitches on purpose and watching them ladder down knowing that it's actually OK. Not to mention that it's a highly adaptable pattern. Make it smaller or bigger depending on the amount of yarn you have. Use any gauge yarn. And best of all, it's a rare pattern that works well with the wildest variegated yarns. And I had this seriously crazy variegated yarn from Araucania (Ranco Multy-fingering weight) which I loved and scored on sale but then couldn't figure out what to use it for. This is a win-win any way you look at it!

STATS:
Clapotis pattern free from Knitty.com
1 skein Araucania Ranco Multy (376 yards) in color 301 (used all but a few yards)
U.S. size 6 needles (KnitPicks Options)
Blocked to 9" x 70"

FAIL! Using the Wrong Needles

Twinkle Aspen Hat - to be frogged...

Well, I've been knitting a lot lately and experimenting a lot as well so it's no surprise that I've got a bunch of life-lesson FAILS to report. It's all part of the learning curve. Fortunately this is another quick knit so not a lot of time lost on this "experiment". I've had this Twinkle Soft Chunky yarn for quite a while now, having scored a hank on sale for half price. It's super soft and I absolutely love the color. I've been wanting to make this Twinkle Aspen Hat but didn't have any needles anywhere near the correct size - 19! I have the Knit Picks options set so I finally ordered their size 17 needle hoping that would work. Unfortunately, that's the biggest size they have. At first it seemed as if I was getting gauge but as I worked my way to the tippy top of this hat and tried it on I could see it was way too small. No matter how much I stretched and tugged, it just didn't want to cover my ears and if a hat doesn't cover your ears, well then what's the point? So I need to save up to buy some size 19 needles and do this one properly.

FAIL! Using the Wrong Yarn

Veyla Mitts - to be frogged...

I have this super luxurious yarn that my friend Janel so graciously gave me a few xmases back and I've been trying to find just the right project. It's beautiful lace-weight qiviuk and I was hoping it might work for these lovely fingerless mitts - Veyla from Ysolda Teague - but the pattern calls for a light fingering weight yarn and as you can see this lace weight is just a bit too thin. When I stretch the cuff, it actually looks OK but the hand just looks too threadbare. Fortunately, it's an extremely fast knit so it was an interesting experiment. I may try doubling the yarn although I'm not quite sure that I have enough. It will be close but if it works I think it will be wonderful. This yarn is so soft and beautiful!