FO: Pretty Twisted Hug

I'm doing the one thing in knitting blogging that you should never do -- post an FO before it has been mailed to the recipient.  But I just can't help myself!

I find myself falling into a pattern with Knitty.  The new issue comes out, I join every other internet-addicted knitter in the world in nearly crashing the site for two days, and when I finally get the pages to load I am completely underwhelmed.  Nothing strikes my fancy, the cover project is gorgeous but uses more yarn than I could afford even without rent payments.  I'm bored and a little sad.

Then the reviews come in.  Every podcast in the knitting world is discussing how much they loved the issue, especially pattern x because it really explores construction with style q.  What?  I didn't see that.  What was that name again?  And thus I rediscover the issue and find that nearly everything in there, once I look at the larger pictures, read about the ideas behind the pieces, and frankly just pay attention, is truly a work of art.  That's the thing about Knitty.  There's always something so unique that when you stop and look at it really is inspiring, even if you never get around to making it.

So of course when the First Fall 2011 issue was released I followed my standard pattern of behavior and during the course of my rediscovery found Cat Wong's Pretty Twisted, a pattern for not one, but three different bracelet cuffs, which can then be modified ad infinitum.

I quickly cast this on as a gift for a friend who has hit a bit of a rough patch.  I'm not there to take her to coffee and give hugs so I did the next best thing.  The bracelet had a few false starts in different yarns and I was quickly reminded that alcohol, even just a small glass of wine, does not mix well with linen stitch.  I used US 1s, but in the future I would use 2s because the stitch definition is a little muddied.

But the end result is lovely.  I used part of my leftovers from Daybreak and knit up the framed version.  The button is also from stash and has sweet little hearts encircling a flower.

Just a sweet little hug.

For more FO's this very accomplished Friday, check out Tami's Amis!

FO: Rondeur

Easter is one of my favorite times of year.  It always coincides with spring break for K-12 schools, so my family gets to come down to the coast and hang out with me.  Most of the family has gone back home, but my mom is still on break, so we're hanging out as much as possible.  One of the best things about having my mom around is that she will let me drag her outside first thing in the morning to take pictures of a newly finished knitted item.

Last summer I happened to be home when one of the yarn shops had a huge sale.  I got everything I could fit in a small shopping bag for a mere $30.  I filled mine with two lots of Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK.  The blue became the Blue Marigold Vest and the green ended up in a drawer, waiting until I found the perfect pattern.

Enter Mercedes Tarasovich-Clark's Rondeur from the latest Knitty (Spring and Summer 2011).  Need I say more?

This is the size 34.  I'm not sure how much yardage it used, but it took four full skeins and just dipped in to the fifth.

I was not a fan of the curved hem.  Even though it's a pretty concept, I just feel like it would make me look like I was larger.  But I loved the lace detailing in the yoke.