Knits and Notes

Errata: Simple Seamless Satchel

2009-07-18T13:44:00.000-07:00

The original pattern for the Simple Seamless Satchel was only up on ravelry for a couple of hours but several people pointed out the simple mistake I made on it.

The strap is supposed to be garter stitch. I wrote K6 then P6 working back and forth. It's supposed to be K6 on all rows.

FO and Pattern: Simple Seamless Satchel

2009-07-17T22:00:00.000-07:00

If you've been told to always avoid alliteration, this may not be the pattern for you - while my simple seamless satchel may be neither spectacular nor groundbreaking it is simple, seamless, and a fun, relatively quick, extremely inexpensive knit for summer. It's such an easy pattern to memorize, you should have no problem whipping up a bunch in a plethora of colors as gifts for your eco-friendly pals or for your own trips to the super market. Enjoy!

Simple Seamless Satchel

by Rachel McKinney

This bag was created in a quest to make, in my opinion, a simple yet ideal market bag – one that utilized an incredibly easily-memorized lace pattern and unique construction to make it entirely seamless.

Materials:

Peaches ‘n Creme worsted weight cotton
Small amount of waste yarn
Size 8 US circular needles
Size 15 US circular needles
Stitch marker
Tapestry needle

Gauge:

Come on, it’s a market bag. If you really feel the need to do a swatch, just make sure the lace pattern is as open as you want and the garter stitch is as tight as you want ;)

Lace repeat:
(YO, k2tog) around.
K around.

Pattern:

Using smaller needle, CO 6 sts using provisional CO and waste yarn.
Working back and forth,
K6.
P6.
Continue in garter stitch (knit one row, purl one row) for 25”, or until desired length is reached, ending with P6.

Now you are going to get ready to begin working in the round.
K6.
CO 34 sts.
Take out provisional CO and, being careful not to twist strap, K6 original sts.
CO 34 sts.

Place marker and being careful not to twist, join to begin working in the round.
K around (80 sts).
P around.
Work in garter stitch for two more rounds.

Switch to larger needles.

K around.

Work the lace repeat 20 times, or until desired length is reached.

Turn bag inside out.

Bind-off using a three-needle bind-off.

Errata: Saxon Braid Chart

2009-07-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

Errata:

On the legend, the third symbol should read: Sl1 sts to cn, hold in back, k2 from left needle, k1 from cn
The fourth symbol should read: Sl2 sts to cn, hold in front, k1 from left needle, k2 from cn

It should make sense as you visually look at the chart...

Also:

Open box: Knit
Box with dot: Purl

New pattern: Fairgyle

2009-07-12T15:14:00.000-07:00

This one has been a long time coming. It's my first pattern, and my fave that I've done so far. It's fresh from the Knitty Fall '09 reject pile, my Fairgyle socks.

You can get the pattern at Ravelry.com :) I would post it here but the fair isle chart is really finicky. I could barely figure out how to get it into a pdf... ;)

FO: Wavy Shawl

2009-05-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

This project is finally finished!!! I used the same Barbara Walker stitch pattern as the Lizard Ridge Afghan from Knitty, but I made it into a gigantic (72x24in.) shawl. It took about a year - my longest project ever -, mostly because the yarn was fairly expensive for me and it took nine balls (about $100 worth of yarn). But I think it's gorgeous and I'm incredibly proud of my project. Here it is, the Wavy Shawl :)

The stats:

Wavy Shawl

(short row stripes stitch pattern from Barbara Walker, knit in two panels)

Started: May 22, 2008

Finished: May 10, 2009

Needles: US 8

Yarn: Noro Kureyon.

Colorways: Panel 1: 180, 95, 199, ends, ends, 154;
Panel 2: 164, 182, 184, ends, 226, 229

Thanks for checking it out :)

New pattern: Saxon Braid Hat

2009-05-18T14:47:00.000-07:00

Saxon Braid Hat by Rachel McKinney

I decided not to send this pattern in to Knitty, so I've published it here and on Ravelry for your enjoyment. It's my Saxon Braid Hat :) It features a cable that's knit sideways around the hat and stitches that are picked up to finish the hat to the top, all in your luscious sock yarn of choice.

One skein Pace fingering weight yarn, or the sock yarn of your choice

Size 2/2.75 mm dpns and circular needle and straight needles (dpns can work as straight needles)

Cable needle

Tapestry needle

Saxon Braid

Sl 2 sts to cn, hold in back, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

Sl 2 sts to cn, hold in front, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

Sl1 sts to cn, hold in back, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

Sl2 sts to cn, hold in front, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

With straight needles or two dpns, CO 30 sts using Long Tail CO.
Starting with Row 16 (K,p,k,p,work chart,p,k,p,k).
Repeat, working seed stitch border and completing the chart pattern 10 times, ending with row 16.

Bind off. Seam.

With circular needle, pick up and knit 112.
K around 20 times.

When too few sts remain, switch to dpns.
(Ssk,k12) around.
K around.
(Ssk, k11) around.
K around.
(Ssk, k10) around.
K around.
Continue in this manner until (Ssk, k1) around.
K around.
(Ssk) around.

Cut yarn. Thread through rem. sts. Weave in ends. Wash and block.

FO: Hild Spring Sweater

2009-05-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

I have finally gotten around to blogging a little bit about the Hild sweater! Hurrah smile This was the sweater that I finished in a month, in just barely a month... the sweater that convinced me I would never want to join one of those Knit-Twelve-Sweaters-In-A-Year Knit-A-Longs... It was a good month, right?! It seemed long because I knit an entire sweater during the end of March and most of April, but it seemed short because I felt like I had to rush and rush because the days kept passing so quickly.

But Holly returned from Scotland and I finished my sweater the day before the party and I got to wear my sweater for all to see! The compliments felt nice, even if the pseudo-summer heat and silky wool did not... lol

So here we have it, the stats:

Hild Spring Sweater (Hild by Elsebeth Lavold)

Started: March 26, 2009

Finished: April 23, 2009

Needles: US 4 and 6

Yarn: Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool in Parrot Green, 7 skeins for size large with short sleeves

FO and Pattern: Hourglass Cap

2009-03-24T14:29:00.000-07:00

I have a few projects that I've finished but can't post because I'm going to try and get them published :) I do, however, have one project that I designed and knit up that I'm going to share with you all. It's a simply cabled hat that I call an Hourglass Cap. It's knit in one skein of bulky yarn and takes about an evening to make, so it's a perfect stash-buster or last-minute gift. It's simple to knit and looks quite attractive, I think, with a soft, cabled bulky merino wool that makes it ideal to keep you warm on blustery days.

Hourglass Cap

by Rachel McKinney

Size: One size (fairly stretchy)

Materials:

Knitpicks Swish Bulky [100% superwash merino wool; 137 yds per 100 g hank; 1 hank "Marlin"]

Size 11 needles (long circular needle for Magic Loop, two circulars, or double-pointed needles)

Cable needle

Tapestry needle

Gauge:

3.5 sts = 1 in. in reverse st st

Pattern:

Hourglass Cable

Directions:

CO 64 sts using Long Tail CO.
Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.

Ribbing:

(K,p) around, for 8 rnds.

Body of hat:

Start pattern on Row 12.

Repeat 16 stitch pattern four times around hat (64 stitches around).

End after row 34.

Top decreases:

(P2tog, p2) around.
(P2tog, p1) around.
(P2tog) around.
(P2tog) around.
Pull yarn through 8 rem. sts.

Weave in ends.

FO: Kiri Shawl

2009-03-15T15:31:00.000-07:00

FINALLY finished my Kiri Shawl! It's intended as a prayer shawl for my best's friend's mom, whose husband has terminal cancer. It's been OTN forever, and I'm really glad that I finally cast off and will be able to present her with this gift soon.

Here's a photo of the grateful recipient!

Saxon Braid Socks

2009-03-15T00:18:00.000-07:00

Saxon Braid Socks

by Rachel McKinney

Size: Women's medium

Materials:

Universal Yarns Pace [75% superwash wool, 25% polyamide; 220 yds per 50 g skein]; 2 skeins

Set of 4 US #2/2.75mm double-pointed needles

Cable needle

Tapestry needle

Gauge:

28 sts = 4 inches in st st.

Pattern:

Saxon Braid

Sl 2 sts to cn, hold in back, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn
Sl 2 sts to cn, hold in front, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn
Sl1 sts to cn, hold in back, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

Sl2 sts to cn, hold in front, k2 from left needle, k2 from cn

Directions:

Cuff:

CO 56 sts using long-tail CO. Join to work in the round, being careful not to twist.
Work in k2p2 ribbing until work measures 1 in.

Leg:

14 sts on needle 1, 28 sts on needle 2, 14 sts on needle 3.
* K 16, k tbl, work across Saxon braid pattern, k tbl, k 16. *
Repeat between * until leg is desired length.

Heel Flap:

Place 14 sts from needle 1 and 14 sts from needle 3 on same needle. These are the only stitches you will be working for the heel. You will be leaving the instep stitches (needle two) alone during this portion.
* (Sl1, k1) across.
Sl1, p 29. *
Repeat between *13 more times, until 28 heel flap rows have been worked.

Heel Turn:

K16, ssk, k1, turn work.
Sl1, p3, p2tog, p1 turn work.
Sl1, k4, ssk, k1, turn work.
Sl1, p5, p2tog, p1, turn work.
* Sl1, k to one stitch away from gap, ssk, k1, turn work.
Sl1, p to one stitch away from gap, p2tog, p1, turn work. *
Repeat between * until all stitches have been worked.
Knit halfway across row. Beg of rnd.

Gusset:

Round 1: With needle 1, knit across the rest of the turned heel.
Pick up 14 sts from the edge of the heel flap.
Pick up 2 sts between heel flap and instep.
With needle 2, k2, k tbl, Saxon braid pattern, k tbl, k2.
With needle 3, pick up 2 sts between heel flap and instep.
Pick up 14 sts from edge of the heel flap.
Knit across the remaining heel turn sts.

* Round 2:
With needle 1, knit until three sts remain, k2tog, k.
With needle 2, k2, k tbl, Saxon braid pattern, k tbl, k2.
With needle 3, k, ssk, k to end.

Round 3:
With needle 1, k.
With needle 2, k2, k tbl, Saxon braid pattern, k tbl, k2.
With needle 3, k. *

Repeat between * until 14 sts on needle 1, 28 sts on needle 2, 14 sts on needle 3.

Foot:

* K 16, k tbl, Saxon braid pattern, k tbl, k 16. *

Repeat between * until 2 in. before end of toe.

Toe:

* K until 3 sts from end of needle 1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k until 3 sts from end of needle 2, k2tog, k2, ssk, k to end.
K around. *
Repeat between * until 28 sts are left.
(K until 3 sts from end of needle 1, k2tog, k2, ssk, k until 3 sts from end of needle 2, k2tog, k2, ssk, k to end) twice.

K5. Graft sts. Weave in ends.

So after that brief hiatus...

2009-03-14T22:20:00.000-07:00

Well, after the longest break in the history of the blogiverse, I have finally returned. I do not promise to post regularly with daily, or even weekly, stories of life's happenings to amuse and entertain the masses. Rather, I have decided to enter the world of knitwear design, and I need a means to get my designs out into the world. So whenever I have a blog-worthy FO or a fabulously innovative new pattern (freshly rejected by Knitty or otherwise), it will be posted here. Knowing me, you may get classical music and yarn reviews thrown into the mix as well. But that's just part of the fun!

And it does feel good to be back :)

Argyle sock and luscious yarn review

2007-08-27T19:41:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I'm back here at school and so much has been going on! I'll be trying my darndest to be a good little blogger and post updates of the utmost important to our knitting and musical lives, but no promises for updates every few days. The updates I do have will be real gems, though, so you've got that to look foward to :D hehe

Today I've got my promised review of the yarn from my Minnesota ankle socks. Because honestly, can life get much better? *sigh* But before that, my very first argyle sock!

Mountain Colors Bearfoot: I didn't think that knitting socks could get any more glorious, but this yarn really did make it even better! While quite pricey ($21/350g skein at my LYS), a 25% off sale prompted me to splurge and buy this top-shelf (both literally and figuratively) yarn. And it must be said that I was not disappointed! The first thing you'll notice about this amazing yarn are the colors: all Mountain Colors yarns feature incredibly rich, bold dyes that are hand-painted on. The variegated colors are perfectly chosen with just the right amount of each color, while the more solid looking colors still have enough variation to keep them visually interesting. Made of 60% superwash wool, 25% mohair, and 15% nylon, it creates the perfect sock yarn: elastic enough to hold its shape, soft and luscious to make it a pleasure to wear (not to mention to knit with!), amazingly warm, and washable! The mohair creates this gorgeous fuzzy halo that makes it perfect for special occasion socks as well as everday wear ones. And it's the perfect yarn to use with a simple, basic sock pattern that really allows the yarn to be the star! This yarn is so amazing, I have to admit that I'll be willing to buy it even when it's not on sale. If you're looking for super-soft, really beautiful, extremely warm socks in unbelievable colors, look no further than Mountain Colors Bearfoot sock yarn :)

Argyles and Schubert

2007-08-16T08:09:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! It's almost time for me to go back to school, and I have been focusing on enjoying myself and taking my last little bit of freedom left. Hope you have, too!

Today I'll be showing you a small FO: ankle socks for my friend who's moving back to Minnesota!! I love this yarn, so a review of it will be coming soon! (Click to enlarge)

And my most recent WIP, my very first intarsia project, a pair of argyle socks! Intarsia was extremely intimidating to me, and I almost cried during the first few rows because I was so stressed and overwhelmed by it. Once I calmed down and got a bit of a rhythm, doing this intarsia color work is pure joy!!! It's certainly nothing to be afraid of, and the results are surprisingly impressive, n'est-ce pas?

And as I return to school, I'm looking forward to one of the greatest joys I've experienced as a pianist: collaboration with other musicians!!! Unlike violinists, flautists, etc. many of the musical opportunities for piano are just in the realm of solo work. Pianists could go their whole musical life only playing solo works, never having to worry about full ensembles or even accompanists. At school, I've been given the incredible opportunity to accompany our choir and most of our vocalists, with the odd instrumentalist thrown in. And this year, my roommate and I are going to do piano duet work as well! I've grown so much as a musician through my collaborative experiences because I had to learn to listen actuely and active, concentrating on their diction, voicing, subtle dynamic changes, and interpretive style. And my sight reading has certainly improved out of necessity: when a vocalist has already memorized their piece and they hand you the music for the first time, you just have to go with it ;)

Mostly beacuse of the vocal accompanying, I've grown incredibly fond of Franz Schubert. He was a classical composer, but was way ahead of his time; in addition to all his other works, he wrote over 600 lieder (German art songs) and three song cycles before the age of 32. We're going to listen to Schubert's lied entitled Der Elkonig performed by the masters of lieder, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) and the incredible Gerald Moore (pianist). Truly amazing collaborative artists, performing one of the best loved lieder of all time.

Finally, FO pics!

2007-08-10T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I've finally got what you've all been waiting for: pictures of my finished objects! I've been knitting feverishly for the past several weeks, and since we didn't have camera access for such a long time, I've got quite a bit to show.

Here is my project from KnittingHelp.com's August Knit-along, where the project was anything cabled. I used a pretty cable called the Saxon braid, and I put it on a basic sock pattern. I'm extremely pleased with the results, but I've love to hear what you think!

Tea cozy and dishcloths from Lily Sugar 'n Cream cotton

Broad Street mittens

Bonus points if you can "Name that Chord"!

Now... you were here for the tears, the pain, and frog after frog of hours of knit. But here (can you believe it?!) is my first sweater!!!! It's the Lace Leaf Pullover from Interweave Knits. It's done with Cascade Pastaza on size 15 circs. Though I'm way too toasty for comfort in these pics, it was well worth it to show off my new pride and joy! I LOVE MY SWEATER!!!

Sweaters and Liszt

2007-08-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I have such exciting news to report: I've finished my very first sweater!!! It was such a learning experience, the biggest lesson of all being perseverance. But by now I'm sure you know the drill: no pictures yet because of camera issues, huge knitting FO post coming ASAP, yadda yadda yadda. *big grin*

I'll be going back to my university in about two weeks, so posts will soon be full of musical information I encouter there: questions from my new private students, problems and solutions from my piano lessons, techniques from my vocal accompanying. I'm really excited to have this blogging outlet to share some of my awesome musical experience at school. I also plan to gather up lots of knitting friends, work on charity knitting, and basically live life as a frugal, busy college student trying to fit knitting in whenever she can. It'll be great, promise!

But for now, let's go back to our friend, Marc-Andre Hamelin. As you recall, he was the technically brilliant pianist from my Medtner video (just a few posts back, if you missed it). Today we're going to listen to him playing some fabulous Liszt.

Franz Liszt was the premier virtuoso pianist and fabulous composer from the Romantic era. He took piano music to technical heights never attempt before, basically establishing himself as the Paganini of the piano, as well as quite the casanova. Women used to fawn over him, and some still do (... Okay, okay. I still do...) However, some people erroneously claim that Liszt's music, while demanding in technique, is lacking in musical interpretation. And that, my friends, is just plain ridiculous. If you're playing Liszt without feeling, then you're simply not really playing Liszt. J.S. Bach once said, "It's easy to play any musical instrument: all you have to do is touch the right key at the right time and the instrument will play itself." I'm happy to say that true interpretation of Liszt's music requires much more than simply playing the right keys at the right time.

Here is Hamelin playing Liszt's 3rd Concert Etude, called Un Sospiro. Things to listen for in particular are the challenge of bringing out the gorgeous melody above the beautiful runs in the background. Pay special attention to the gorgeous, deliciously smooth melody, which surprisingly is played using a different hand for every other note. You'd never be able to tell, the way Mr. Hamelin plays it. Pure magic, enjoy! :) Have a good day!

Challenge

2007-08-02T07:29:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone! Pics will be posted soon (it's not my fault, I promise!) of my sweater progress. I've been knitting like a maniac on the Lace Leaf Pullover, and I've finished knitting all of it and seamed the sleeves. I'm just working on blocking the body and then I have to learn to seam the sleeves to the armholes. Also, I've joined the KnittingHelp.com August Knitalong, where you are challenged to knit something with cables. I'm kind of creating my own sock pattern with some random cables I like. This is my first venture into creative knitting, and I'm having a blast with it!

So it's August, which means it's almost the end of summer. Soon we'll all be back at school, or at least the kids will, and back to the usual stressful, busy schedule. So I've been inspired by the KnittingHelp challenge, and I want to challenge all of you. This month of August, spend as much time as you can doing what you love to do. Enjoy the last little bit of freedom that summer brings, and I'm giving you full license (because I apparently have given myself authority to do this) to enjoy yourself without guilt! Spend an afternoon knitting something just for you, spend a couple hours playing whatever music you feel like, go out and play in the park, do whatever! Let's just all commit to enjoying the last bit of fun that August brings :) Have a great day, everyone!

And just for fun, a video entitled "Wooly Bullies" :D

Medtner and Hamelin

2007-07-24T10:51:00.001-07:00

Due to events absolutely beyond my control, a certain someone's digital camera battery charger has been misplaced. As such, I am unable to post significant progress on a pair of Broad Street Mittens, as well as insignificant, soon to be frogged progress on what may someday become a Lace Leaf Pullover. Instead, today I would like to talk about my current loves in the music world: Nikolai Medtner and Marc-Andre Hamelin.

Medtner is a semi-obscure Russian composer, a contemporary of greats like Rachmaninov and Scriabin, who wrote a variety of works, suchs as sonatas, concerti, piano duos, and some vocalise. All of his compositions include the piano :D A friend recently introduced me to this composer, and I have grown to love his work more every single day since. Of particular interest to me are his 38 Skazki, translated as "Fairy Tales." They include some of the most beautifully romantic melodies I've ever heard, but also include interesting twists and unusual harmonies that make it complex with new discoveries each time you listen.

Marc-Andre Hamelin is one concert pianist that I just cannot get enough of. Unlike the many child prodigy pianists, he has become better and increasingly famous in the past several years and even won a Grammy for his amazing recordings of the Godowsky transcriptions of Chopin etudes. He tackles some of the most technically demanding of piano literature, with unparalleled style and interpretation. And if you haven't heard his cadenza from Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody 2, stop reading this blog immediately and go listen to it. But don't forget to come back for some Medtner!

So here is Marc-Andre Hamelin playing Nikolai Medtner's Fairy Tale Op. 26 No. 1. As a wise friend told me, it takes a few listenings to really get it in your head. The first time I heard it I said, "Wow, that's beautiful." After a couple more listenings, I couldn't believe that it honestly did get better and better. A couple more listenings, and I just couldn't get it out of my head. After ten times, I found myself singing it in the shower, around the house, and even as I wake up. So keep on listening, because it's just that good. This piece reminds me why I love music :) Have a great day, everyone!

Update

2007-07-17T11:31:00.000-07:00

Updated photo of my sweater progress:

Let's not talk about it.

Cardigan WIP

2007-07-16T20:19:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I've begun working on my very first sweater: a cardigan in Cascade Pastaza. This was my first time trying to make sure my gauge was really accurate, which caused way more stress than necessary on a given afternoon. Let's just say it involved a marathon e-mail session with a staff member from my amazing local yarn shop, many tears, several threats to never knit anything besides socks ever again, and two needle sizes larger than expected... lol :D
My family and I are going on a trip to Cincinnati for the next few days, so I expect to have a lot of time to see just how much of this sweater I can get done. When I get back, I should have lots of progress on the cardi as well as an interesting update of Liszt and Medtner practice session. Until then, here's my first official cardigan Work-in-Progress photo! Have a good day!

It's only ten inches of the back of a sweater, but it looks much more substantial if you click to enlarge :)

Welcome!

2007-07-16T00:35:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! Welcome to my new blog! I've decided to jump on the weblog bandwagon and chronicle my adventures as I delve into my two favorite arts: music and knitting. We'll learn to love the beauty and elegance of Liszt etudes and Schubert lieder, of Fair Isle and Arans, as we learn to appreciate the necessity of dreaded metronomes and gauge swatches. With pictures, videos, and priceless commentary, a fun time will be had by all :)

Here's what I've been knitting so far this summer:

Fair Isle Hat with Noro Kureyon

Felted purse featuring Rachmaninov's Third piano concerto!

Hat with Noro Kureyon

Socks

And more socks. But these are of the cute baby variety.

Cabled throw

"Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it
doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit, either." - Elizabeth Zimmerman

Have a good day, everyone!