KnitCrit

Pattern Review #24: Broadripple Socks

Pattern Name: Broadripple Socks

                        
Designer: Rob Matyska
Source: www.knitty.com
              Summer 2003
Pattern Yarn: Fixation; Cascade Yarns

Images:

      

Pattern Review and Personal Notes:

First, I must confess that I was not a sock knitter (note "was.")  I bought sock yarn.  I read blog posts and KR posts.  I observed knitters in my beloved SSK group knitting socks.  I listened to a favorite podcast, Stash and Burn, where in a recent production they, too, admitted to not being bitten by the sock bug.  Yet, as a huge Lime and Violet devotee, I often have listened in awe while they described the gorgeous sock yarns in their "yarn PROn."  It is a combination of all of these that led me to these socks. 

My good friend Lisa, one of the charter members of the SSK group, moved to NC several months ago.  As I stood in an area LYS, Knit Happens, trying to figure out what to knit for her as a remembrance, I eyed the Fleece Artist bins.  It was in that one simple moment that I was bitten by the sock bug.

Soon after I finished those socks, using the two circular method, fellow SSK-er Jennifer, posted about the Broadripples.  She was knitting her third pair, and after reading her blog post, I purchased two skeins of Fixation and was on my way.  The pattern even has a two-circulars option, which truly closed the deal.

There is nothing unusual about this pattern; it's cuff-down with a slip stitch heel flap.  No short rows.  No funky toes.  Just basic.  The stitch at the cuff, a garter ripple stitch, combines knit stitches and yarn overs and ssk decreases in one row, followed by an all purl row.  The body of the sock is knit in a ripple stitch; the same as the garter ripple but with knit rows instead of purl rows.

These are the best fitting socks I have ever owned!  Yes, that's true.  Never have I purchased a pair of socks that I love as much as these.  And there's no comparison to the previously knit socks for me; one pair out of worsted acrylic that I wear around the house in the winter.

Since I finished these socks, my sock yarn purchases have increased, along with the number of sock pattern books I have bought.  Now, amongst all my WIPs, there exists at least one pair of socks.  Last week, I bought some more Fixation for another pair of Broadripples for me. 

Rating:

Hands down (or is that feet down?), this pattern receives all FIVE yarn balls.  It is the perfect sock pattern with the perfect yarn for the pattern.  The directions are easy to follow and very detailed in their presentation, which just enhances the fabulous knitting experience of these socks.

Whether you have been bitten or are not sure if sock knitting is for you, knit these socks!

          

If you have knit this pattern, please rate it and submit as comments. Thank you!

Pattern Review #23: Double Seed Stitch Cardigan

Pattern Name: Double Seed Stitch Cardigan
                        
Designer: Rosemary Drysdale
Source: Cotton Classic, Tweedy Cotton Classic,
                Cotton Color Classic
             Tahki Stacy Charles, Inc.
Pattern Yarn: Cotton Classic; Tahki Yarns

Images:

   
                            

Pattern Review and Personal Notes:

A year or so ago, I read about Wick yarn.  One LYS description of it stated, "now you can have the benefits of athletic wear in your handmade garments.  Made from soy and polypropylene, this yarn wicks moisture from your body, so you stay warm in winder and cool in summer."  I began dreaming of projects for this yarn - tank tops, socks, headbands, sweaters."  My purchase of several skeins sat in my stash for awhile until I found the pattern for the Double Seed Stitch Cardigan.  Worn with a camisole underneath, it would be perfect for the summer!

The double seed stitch pattern is a six row repeat.  Rows 1 and 2 are knit.  Rows 3 and 4 are k1, p1 ribs, while rows 5 and 6 are the opposite - p1, k1 ribs.  After casting on and knitting a k1, p1 rib for four rows, the pattern begins.  This beginning is the same for the back, fronts and sleeves. 

The structure of the cardigan is extremely basic.  The back is knit for your specific length to the armholes, followed by some bind offs and decreases to actually shape the armholes.  Some bind offs are required to shape the shoulders, and then the remaining stitches are bound off.  The left and right fronts are the same as the back, except for the front neck shaping that creates the rounded square neckline.  Again, it's a simple task of combining some bind offs with some simple decreases at the sides.  The sleeves are knit in the pattern only for a few rows before the shaping of the cap sleeve is done, with again, a combination of decreases and bind offs. 

Once the pieces are knit, it's a simple matter of seaming them together.  Did you notice?  There is no picking up of stitches!  The unfinished edges are exposed all around the neck and front. 

Since this project was completed, I have only worn it once.  In retrospect, maybe this wasn't the best choice for the yarn.  It is very stretchy, which as I knit the cardigain, thought would be an advantage.  Yet, it kind of "clings," a property that detracts from the possible comfort factor of the garment.  Besides, on my 50+ year old body, I don't need to be wearing tight fitting clothes. 

As for whether the fabric actually "wicks" away moisture, the verdict is still out.  I've read blog postings of others who have knit with Wick, and no one, so far, applauds it's supposed properties.  Maybe they haven't really tested it out.  Have they knit tank tops or socks or headbands, or whatever other garments would be worn in "sweaty" activities?  I may have to give it another go.

Rating:

It is the yarn selection that left me pondering whether or not I should have knit this project; not the pattern.  This is an awesome pattern, especially for a beginner.  The stitch pattern is very easy, thereby enabling a beginner to expand beyond mere stockinette but still have a great finished product.  One thing to watch out for, however, is that the two front sections are not meant to meet.  To make them meet would require a really simple modification, though. 

For the great schematics, well written pattern and enhancement options, this earns four yarn balls:

        

If you have knit this pattern, please rate it and submit as comments. Thank you!

Pattern Review #22: Seraphim Shawl

Pattern Name: Seraphim Shawl
Designer: Miriam Felton
Source: www.mimknits.com - Miriam's Online Shop
Pattern Yarn: (not specified)

Images:

    

    

Pattern Review and Personal Notes:

In my knitting group, SSK, as I am sure is true in other groups, one person starts a project with a certain pattern and before you know it, several others are knitting it, too.  This was certainly the case with the Seraphim shawl.  H started it first, I recall.  Since then, at least three others besides me have started this shawl.  (Note to J: can you believe I beat you to the ultimate end - the blocking?)

Around the time that I decided this was a "must do" shawl, I discovered Tofutsies yarn and moved it to the "must use" yarn category. I was totally enthralled with its fiber combination and the use of 2.5% Chitin, derived from ground shrimp and crab shells, particularly due to its antibacterial qualities.  Strange though, I did not like it for socks.  So, while on a business trip to Dallas, I took a side trip to The Shabby Sheep, where for the first time I got to see and feel Tofutsies in person.  There, the two came together and became one, as a soon to be cast-on for a WIP.

Seraphim begins with only five stitches cast-on, using a cable cast on technique.  From there, the opening along the edge, formed by a yarn-over before the final two stitches on each end, is formed.  This carries on throughout the shawl.  Also, the middle line in stockinette, with the opening on each side of that, is also formed here and continues throughout.  That's it, with stockinette in-between these openings, for 122 rows - can you say "s-t-o-c-k-i-n-e-t-t-e  h-e-l-l???"

From there, Chart #1 follows.  It is complete with more of the same, plus five out of twenty-eight rows including some K2tog and SSK decreases, matched with yarn-overs.  It is here, too, that it is suggested that markers be placed between the 12-stitch sections in which you are now working.  Located on the charts are thick lines that indicate where the markers should be placed.

Chart #2 has more decreases with the same combination with yarn-overs, but here there are a couple rows that have a Slip 1, K2tog, PSSO combination.  The first of those is located at the edge of a 12-stitch section.  However, on the next row, my count on the edge sections was off.  I counted the stitches on each row and they agreed to the pattern.  What was wrong?  I figured there was a error in the pattern, and proceeded to make it work with an extra increase on one side, paired with an extra decrease on the other.  By the end of Chart #2, the stitch count was back on.

On Chart #3, there were increasingly more of the Slip 1, K2tog, PSSO combinations at the section edges.  After a couple of those, it was clear that something was wrong.  Each time that combination was knit, the count ended out being off.  My search for pattern errata began. 

I checked the site and voila - errata - but nothing for the Seraphim.  Ah, a customer service email address; but after a couple of weeks, no reply.  Next, I referred to the trusty Knitters Review Forum.  There, thanks to KromGal, the answer was provided.  As it turns out, a later version of the pattern included an additional note: "if you are using stitch markers for every repeat, every time a decrease is next to a stitch marker, you will have to borrow stitches from the other side of the marker to complete the double decrease."  Hence, I was following the chart religiously, moving the markers whenever I reached the thick line as indicated, but there was an exception to that rule that I didn't know about. 

I clearly had a decision to make.  I had spent hours and hours on the shawl, including all that mindless stockinette.  I could keep going, repeating the same mistake and then just bind off when the chart was finished.  I put it aside, thinking that is what I would do.  But, one day I walked over to it and RIPPPPPP.  I cast on again from the beginning, deciding this time to knit it with fewer rows, thereby reducing the finished size.  Others had stated the finished size was enormous, so I knew this to be a reasonable short-cut.  I am happy with the shorter size. 

Last weekend, I blocked it, using my new set of blocking wires.  I have been pretty lazy about blocking in the past, selecting the faster steam method to the intricate pinning and stretching technique on some sort of blocking background.  OMG, what a difference the "real" blocking with pins and wires makes.  The shawl was beautiful before, but now it is gorgeous!

Rating:

I love this shawl.  As of today, there are 80 Seraphim projects on Ravelry.  Every one of them is beautiful, the knitters enjoy the project, and I am certain that thousands of fellow knitters appreciate Miriam Felton's lace designs.  But why was it so hard to find the answer to my question on the decreases and stitch counts?  As it turns out, H hadn't used stitch markers, so she wasn't understanding why I was having problems, and J had not gotten to the same point as me when I had the problems.  If it were not for the assistance of KromGal on KR, the Seraphim and Tofutsies would still be in a bag somewhere.  Is there a lesson here?  I am not sure.  But, I still was stung and it is affecting the rating I am giving the Seraphim Shawl.  This is about the pattern after all; not the finished product:

          

If you have knit this pattern, please rate it and submit as comments. Thank you!

132 Miles on the RiverRide

One more time, I'm going to post about cycling.  I have three FOs to post about next, after a long drought; I know.  So you can look forward to three pattern review posts, and there may be a fourth, possibly even a fifth, by the time I can post all of them!

The ride day of the RiverRide 2007 began as a crisp, early autumn day on the Northern Neck.  The temperature was in the mid-50's, with a 10-15 MPH wind that could not make up its mind from which direction it was going to blow.  Therefore, it was going to be a headwind for most of the day; of course, strongest the closer we rode to a body of water.

This year was only the second year that this particular ride has been held.  Last year, there were about 275 riders, so the Bike Virginia folks figured that they were thinking aggressively when they established a cut-off of 600 this year.  Instead, they were turning away riders at 675!

The pictures will tell the rest:

Here, Bruce preps the bikes for the ride...

These are taken at the second rest stop, mile #50, in Morattico, Virginia, a sweet little town that juts out into the Rappahannock River.  After four years of exploring the Northern Neck, this was our first time here.  There, we caught up with two cycling friends, Nathan and Fletcher, from our Sunday group.  This was the best rest stop.  The food was great, the decorations were made up of symbols of fall - mums, Indian corn, other wild flowers; and the views were fantastic...








About 13 miles later, the route took us to Merry Point, where we crossed the Corrotoman River by ferry.  Due to the number of life jackets aboard, only twelve cyclists at a time could ride.  While waiting, a rider took a picture of Bruce and me.  The shoreline and cove here is typical of the area - much of it still undeveloped and pristine...







The lunch stop at mile #80 was a welcome relief.  After a chicken salad sandwich, more trail mix, and banana # 867 (or so it seemed), we were off to finish the century.  Soon, though, we encountered the worst headwind of the day as we approached the Chesapeake Bay at Windmill Point.  So, there's good reason that it was so-named!  Since that part of the route was a down-and-back, the ride back, with the first real tailwind of the day, was invigorating!

We caught up with Fletcher for the last few miles back to the camp, and although those were the hardest of the 102 miles, it didn't matter.  We did it!  We finished the century ride - my second, Bruce's first.  We're in our 50's, so to do the ride at an average pace of about 16 mph; we were very full of proud of ourselves!

We packed up the bikes and, ahhhhhhhhhhhh....



For Sunday, we had volunteered to lead a "no frills ride" as a part of the event weekend.  Much to our surprise, about a dozen cyclists showed up.  None of them had ridden the full century the day before; some the metric century, others the half century.  The pace was slower than it had been the day before, but we enjoyed 30 miles of meeting more fellow cyclists and sharing with them the place the love the most; the Northern Neck.

Come join us in 2008 for the 3rd Annual RiverRide!