Sea Stones: Melissa Schaschwary

I love the patterns by Melissa Schaschwary....a.k.a. Dandiliongirl Designs.  Her designs are beautiful to look at, true classics.  I have many of her clearly written patterns in my queue, Heathered and Cattails to name just two.  I just recently finished knitting her Sea Stones.  This is the second pattern I have knit by her, the first being my Fallow Mitts.  My version of Sea Stones took me way longer than it should to complete, as I was working on other patterns at the same time, and I was frustrated with my yarn choice, Rowan Creative Focus Worsted, a 75%, 25% alpaca blend.  I love the colour of the yarn but as I mentioned in a previous post it splits very easily and is very difficult to rip out.  However, I am happy with how it looks finished.  It is a lofty and warm wool blend that will be great to wear in the winter.

Sea Stones

Lovely yarn colour

I only made a couple modifications.  I changed the ribbing portion of my sweater to ptbl twice and then knitting twice.  Also I had trouble knitting into the purl bumps along the bottom part of the body with this yarn and just omitted it.

Hopefully it will be too warm to wear this sweater for some time.  But when the weather starts getting cooler this will be one of the first items I will choose to put on.

On the Needles: Line Break, Sea Stones, Brush Creek Shawlette

When I got back into knitting a few years ago I was a one project at a time kind of girl.  I was very disciplined and would not start a new project until I finished the one on the needles.  It actually was very motivating to finish the current project when I had found a new project that I was anxious to start. I always marvelled at how some people could have numerous projects on the go.  But, somehow along the way I changed my rules.  Now I always have one mindless project on the go...one that I can pick up when I am too tired to focus on pattern directions.  I always promise myself to knit a few rows daily from this project and slowly, but surely, it gets done.  For the last couple months it was my Easy Folded Poncho.  Now that it is complete I am working on Veera Valimaki's Line Break in Malabrigo Sock in Primavera.  Isn't it pretty?

Malabrigo Sock in Primavera

I love the colours in this yarn and it makes me very happy whenever I pick my needles up to knit with it.

Another project I am working on is Melissa Schaschwary's Sea Stones in Rowan Creative Focus Worsted (75% Wool 25% Alpaca).  I bought this yarn a year ago when I was travelling in London and had the pleasure of shopping in Liberty London.  They have a wonderful craft floor with all the infamous Liberty fabric as well as a huge display of Rowan yarns and patterns.

Liberty

Just one part of the yarn selection at Liberty

Rowan Creative Focus Worsted

Since I bought this yarn I have looked for a pattern that would suit it.  I started knitting a cardigan...starting with the sleeves first, but I quickly came to the conclusion that I was making a very warm sweater, a little too warm for what I wanted.  I tried looking for a vest or something similar...and then Sea Stones by Melissa Schaschwary was released.  It is a short sleeved cardigan with some A-line shaping.  I have to be honest and admit I am not a big fan of this yarn.  Although I love the colour this yarn splits very easily and is extremely difficult to rip out if you make an error.  It is also very itchy but I think it will work okay with this pattern.

The third pattern I am working on is the Brush Creek Cowlette by Carina Spencer, a beautiful lacy cowlette that looks like a shawlette when worn. The pattern was released this month and it uses three different colours of fingering weight yarn (70m, 90m, 115m), making it a great stashbuster.  Although this pattern is not hard to follow it does require my concentration, which I seem to be lacking lately.

Brush Creek Cowlette

So there you have it...a few projects I am currently working on.  I already have a few other patterns matched with yarn ready to start as well.  If there were only a few more hours each day....

I hope you all find time to work on projects that make you happy this week.