Sunday, August 19, 2007

Cruisin'


Cruise
Twinkle Yarns
70% Silk, 30% Cotton
50 gms = 120yds
My color: 39 Periwinkle


This yarn is a skinny, multi-ply yarn. In order to make this pattern, the Hamptons Halter (from Twinkle's Big City Knits), you have to hold 4 strands of the yarn together. That is, you must wind 4 hanks into 4 balls, then wind the 4 balls into one ball. That was a royal pain in the tush. If I was to do it again, I would probably just use a fatter yarn to begin with. But, I did what the pattern called for. There were only a few times when a ply got away from its friends and gave me trouble. The silk makes this a very nice yarn. Another warning abou the pattern, though: Something is wrong with the directions for the large size bra part. The bottom went along very quickly, but once I got to the bra part, I ended up taking it apart many times. I'm a pretty good knitter, but this one got the best of me. I was working on it while at Stitches Midwest, and Shelly, owner of Knitterly in Peta Luma, CA, said a customer of hers made it and had no problems, but she made one of the smaller sizes. Therefore, I think the problem is in the large size directions. I ended up just making the bra part in stockinette. The girls with me all thought it looked better that way for a bustier girl, anyway, to have less going on in the bra.

Saturday, August 18, 2007


Rock Star & Cleopatra



Cleopatra up close


Cleopatra Ribbon
Tilli Tomas Yarn Co.
Nile threaded with large European Glass Beads
65% Dupioni Silk, 35% Bead
Gauge: 6.5 stitches = 4 " on recommended needle Size: #11
100 gr = 65 yds
My color: Burnt Orange

Rock Star
Tilli Tomas Yarn Co.
Spun silk studded with round glass beads
Pure and Simple studded with European Glass beads
70% Spun Silk, 30% Beads
Gauge: 5 stitches = 1 "on recommended needle Size: #7
100 grams = 100-150 yds
My color: Burnt Orange

To see this beautiful garment, click here . It is a shawl I made to test the pattern my friend, Nancy George, designed. It is called Simply Heaven Jacket/Shawl. The pattern can be purchased at http://www.knit-stop.com/ .

While I LOVE most Tilli Tomas yarns, I must say that this batch of Cleopatra was terrible. There are so many strings/ravelings hanging off, and the glue she uses to stick the ends together is awful! I couldn't believe a $47 skein of yarn could be such poor quality! I've seen other colors/hanks that weren't this bad. So check out your hank before you buy. I was glad when the Cleopatra part was over and I could move on to the Rock Star! That stuff is great!