Tea and Cables This Fiber Arts Friday

Only two projects have been occupying my time lately. My knit tea cosy for the Ravelry Swap is well underway.

I hope my fellow swapper does not visit my blog. I won't reveal the final product until it is sent and received!

Hubby's Urban Aran Cardigan is coming along. I was hoping to have the back finished eons ago, but I'm half-way there.

When my swapping is over, it's full steam ahead on this sweater.

That's it for me this Fiber Arts Friday. Andrea has more fiber blogging waiting for you at Wisdom Begins In Wonder. See you there!

Happy FAF!

It's A New Knittin Year!

I hope you all had good times with family and friends over the holidays. My new year is off to a slow start where fiber arting is concerned. I am determined to finish hubby's Urban Aran Cardigan and will be knitting away on it tonight. There will be no photos posted until serious progress has been made!

My tea cosy swap will soon require me to buy yarn. I'll be knitting Grannie's Traditional Tea Cosy. The colour combination will be determined by the limited selection at my small LYS.

Oh, the Ribbed Stitch Vest I knit for my mom as a Christmas present fit her! I was so happy.

Happy New Fiber Year!

Shaking Off The Cobwebs: My Urban Aran Cardigan Revived

Hubby's Urban Aran Cardigan was suppose to be finished this fall. HA! If I turn it into an apron, it might make that deadline.

Now I'm projecting a conservative mid-winter finish. Hubby is patient.

It kinda got lost amid my square and potholder swaps. The summer heat didn't help. My knitting circle's Pinwheel Blanket KAL hasn't aided the effort either.

I do love knitting this sweater. The next time you see it, this back piece will be finished.

Happy Knitting!

W.I.P. Wednesday: Urban Aran

My first post ever for Works in Progress Wednesday (W.I.P.) is my Urban Aran Cardigan a la Brooklyn Tweed.

I'm still trucking along with the back of the cardigan. I was worried it was going to be too wide, but the cables are narrowing the width.

This is a relaxing knit for me. I love watching cables grow.

Happy W.I.P!

On Your Mark, Get Set, Starting Jared Flood's Urban Aran Cardigan

I'm excited to finally begin knitting the Urban Aran Cardigan as done by Jared Flood of Brooklyn Tweed. This is the beginning of the back.

I'd been looking for a sweater to knit my hubby for a while and this one turned my knitting crank.

The pattern is from Patons and originally designed for a woman. Jared Flood turned this pullover into a zippered cardigan modifying the pattern to suit a man's physique.

While he talks about his modifications on his blog, they are not detailed in terms of exact changes in shaping and how to accomplish them. You are kinda on your own for that, although there is a Ravelry forum that offers some advice.

I decided to knit a woman's medium. My first modification is to add 2 inches to the length to accommodate hubby's longer torso. I'm adding 1 inch before I start the diagonal side cables. Then, I 'll add the next inch once they are complete. I didn't want to move these diagonal side cables too far down the torso of the cardigan, or they might loose their design effect.

I'm a bit worried about the width. I'm  hoping the cables will draw the knitting in and narrow it.

Wish me luck!

Happy Knitting!

Canada Post Delivers!: Yarn That Is

A box of goodness arrived from Elann today.

Look what's inside: glorious yarn and yummy sweater patterns.

I finally got to touch my Peruvian Highland Chunky yarn. I'm not disappointed with the Oxford Grey Heather colour.

Elann is teasing me with sumptuous brochures of more yarn and more patterns.

I love knitting sweaters. But, I am strong. I won't be tempted until I finish Jared Flood's version of the Urban Aran Cardigan. Maybe.

Happy temptations!

Hurry Up Canada Post: My First On-Line Yarn Order

I found it very strange buying yarn and not first being able to touch it. Plus, I had to take the chance that the color on the computer screen would be the color of the yarn I get from Elann via Canada Post.

Twenty skeins of Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky in Oxford Grey Heather are on their way to my local post office.

This is all in aid of making hubby Jarod Flood's take on Paton's Urban Aran Cardigan. Luckily, Elann also had the Paton's pattern book "Street Smart" which contains the original pattern.

I guessed estimated the amount of skeins to order by scouring for information on Ravelry's forums and finished projects. Mocha Heather yarn was my original color choice for the cardigan. After thinking it over, I decided grey would suit hubby better than brown.

I'm excited about this project. I haven't knit a sweater since the summer. The Urban Aran Cardigan is loaded with cables which I love to knit.

Hurry up Canada Post!

Happy yarn buying!

I'm Gonna Knit This Sexy Sweater!

I finally discovered a sweater hubby likes and that I want to knit. A sweater worthy of my knitting needles is the tasty Urban Aran Cardigan adapted by Jared Flood from a Patons' pattern.

If you're not familiar with this pattern, the original Patons' pattern is for a woman's sweater. Jared Flood adapted the pattern to turn the sweater into a man's zippered cardigan. There are great pics at Jared's blog Brooklyn Tweed.

I'm not going to rely on my LYS for the wool. I'm going to order on-line to get a better yarn than can be bought in my small town. My first choice is Elann Peruvian Highland Chunky in mocha heather. I haven't told consulted hubby about the color selection.

One potential problem is that I do not have the pattern which is in the Patons' book "Street Smart". However, I'm optimistic I can get that on-line too!

Happy knitting!