My Toorie Cardigan is done!

This is a Martin Storey design from Rowan 65, knit from Rowan Felted Tweed. I made no mods to the pattern — I even ordered the same buttons that were shown on the model (ordering info in Rowan 65).

In other news, I just got a Wyze camera for my home so I can spy on Loki when I am not at home. Here he is, gazing at the front door, waiting for Momma to come home.

In the comments for my last blog post, there were some questions about working fair isle on the purl side. It’s really not that bad — it just takes a bit of getting used to!

There is an excellent article about knitting fair isle flat on the Loveknitting blog, here. I like that color dominance and the proper way to strand colors on the purl side are addressed in detail.

I have both side fronts of my Toorie Cardi done.

I took a short break from knitting Toorie this week because a colleague just adopted two kitties and I needed to make these:

But I went back to Toorie and knit a sleeve.

And there were a couple of requests for a view of the wrong side:

Here is the best Loki picture of the week:

Here is what I’m working on right now:

This is “Toorie,” a design by Martin Storey that appears in Rowan 65. It’ worked from Rowan Felted Tweed in seven colors.

It is stranded colorwork and is worked in pieces and then seamed. While that is not the optimal way to do colorwork (because doing stranded colorwork on the purl side can be challenging) it is heavier than fingering weight, so I appreciate that it is worked and pieces and seamed. The resulting cardi will hang and fit much better.

I will spare you my rant about the plethora of seamless sweaters in ALL WEIGHTS of yarn that are popping up on Ravelry. In my opinion, designers are too concerned with ease of knitting versus look and fit of the garment. (Oh look, I ranted a little after all.)

Rowan 65 is full of beautiful sweaters that are for the most part knit in pieces and seamed and that makes me very happy. I have learned my lesson and will stay away from seamless sweaters (I’m looking at you, Comfort Fade Cardi) that are a big sloppy mess when I attempt to wear them. As far as I’m concerned, the only good reason to knit a sweater in the round is when you are working fingering weight stranded colorwork. My opinion. Your mileage may vary.

Anyway.

Here is the completed back:

And here is the left front:

I’m working on the right front right now.

And Loki is enjoying his little couch!

The winner of my review copy of  Coffeehouse Knits: Knitting Patterns and Essays With Robust Flavor by Kerry Bogert is Cheri A., who has been notified via email. Thanks to everyone who left a comment!

I did finish my Sundew Cardi a week ago.

I even wore it to work one day last week.

Preview of coming attractions:

It’s been an odd week. Loki is exhausted.

I have a new book to review:

This is Coffeehouse Knits: Knitting Patterns and Essays With Robust Flavor by Kerry Bogert, published by Interweave.

The book contains 20 patterns (you can see them on Ravelry here) that are a nice mix of sweaters and accessories. My faves:

This is the House Blend Cardigan by Hannah Baker, knit from The Yarn Collective Hudson Worsted. It is sized from 38″ – 58″ and looks like a nice cozy cardigan.

Steamed Mittens, by Emily Kintigh are worked from Berroco Ultra Alpaca, another worsted weight yarn. The pattern is sized for 4 different sizes.

The Gingersnap Pullover by Cheryl Toy, worked from Quince & Co. Chickadee (sportweight) is sized from 36″ to 56″.

In addition to the 20 patterns, the book includes a few essays about knitting and the knitting community.

All in all it is a pretty hardcover book with lovely photography and a nice range of projects in a good range of sizes.

Who’d like my review copy?

To be entered in the drawing to receive my copy of
Coffeehouse Knits: Knitting Patterns and Essays With Robust Flavor by Kerry Bogert, please leave a comment on this blog post and let me know which is your favorite pattern from the book. You have until 11:00am Eastern time on Sunday March 10 (which is the start of Daylight Savings Time — yuck). I’ll choose a comment at random at that time.