Texture and Color

I don't think I mentioned it on the blog, but I started knitting the As You Wish MKAL back in February when it began.  After I finished my brioche projects, I took a good look at it and decided I just wasn't feeling it.  I really like some of the projects being knit in this MKAL, but I wasn't loving mine.  I don't know if it was the way the colors I'd chosen were working in design or just where my head is at right now, but I decided to frog it.

Then I decided to use those colors and knit something else!  This is the Elsom wrap, knit in Cascade Heritage Sock.  So far I've used Vintage Indigo and I'm working on Caribbean Sea, but I will work into Jade and Herb as well.  I'm working some stripes to blend the colors a little where they change, but I'm really enjoying this simple wrap right now.  It's been great TV knitting and I can easily pick it up and put it down without losing my place.  The pattern is currently available only in the ebook, which has both knitting patterns and sewing patterns.  This is the first project I've made from it, but both the knitting and sewing patterns are classic and simple.  I fully intend to do more from this book.  

I was happy to see that there are still a few readers out there (waves furiously in your general directions) and from the comments it sounds like either you haven't done brioche knitting yet, or you haven't enjoyed what you did do.  I just want to make a suggestion or two, if I may.  There are several designers working with brioche knitting, but the two I've used and can suggest for their well written patterns and clear directions are Andrea Mowry and Stephen West.  Also, I found looking at the BrK and BrP stitches on YouTube, watching them being knitted, made a difference for me.  I'd suggest looking for these in the specific style you use to knit (English, Continental, etc.), so I'm not going to link to specific videos.  In some ways brioche is similar to knitting ribbing: there's a definite rhythm to it and it can be both simple and complex.  I love knitting it and find it fun, but not everyone does, and that's OK too!

Brioche

Long time no blog!  We're fine here, I've just been super lazy where the blog is concerned.  I have been knitting and actually have some finished projects to show you today, if anyone is even reading this anymore.  If not, well, I've talked to myself my whole life, why stop now?

I finished my Tourist Shawl.  I followed the pattern exactly as written, but I didn't add the tassel.  It's knit in Malabrigo Lace in Orchid (the main, lighter color) and Hollyhock (the contrast, darker color).  

Brioche creates a thicker fabric than stockinette knitting but it's very light and airy.  (It is not actually buttery, which is one way you can tell the difference between brioche knitting and brioche bread.)  

This is the first time I've knit brioche using laceweight yarn and I think it's just about perfect.  Soft and light and not too thick!

I also knit a second brioche project, this time in fingering weight yarn.  This is Cinnabar, knit in Hedgehog Fibres Skinny Singles in Sorry, Not Sorry (the main, darker color) and Pinky Swear (the contrast, lighter color).  Yes, it is bright, sorry about your retinas.

This was a much simpler project to knit and the colors just make me smile.

These were both knit for the first quarter ESK Craft-A-Long for their Yarnathon.  I was very excited to see Brioche as the theme because I just think it's fun to knit.

I plan to get back to more regular blogging, and I do have a few things to actually show you.  We're all fine here.  Caleb was home last week for Spring Break and he's now a little past the halfway point of the semester.  He's having a really good semester and actually getting out of the classroom to do more field work.  It's fun to hear how excited he is!

I plan to be back later this week, so if anyone is still reading my mental rambles, I'll see you then!

Brioche

The first quarter Craft-A-Long for ESK this year is brioche.  I've started with The Tourist Shawl, knit in Malabrigo Lace.  The main, lighter color is orchid and the darker, background color is Holly Hock.  Malabrigo Lace is already super soft, but combined with a fluffy stitch like brioche, it's into baby-bunny-belly levels of softness.

Also, brioche is three dimensional and can reach very fluffy levels of thickness very quickly.  Laceweight and fingering weigh yarns are about as heavy as I can use and still have a wearable garment here in Texas.  Especially if it's all over brioche.  This should be just about perfect!

New Year, New Projects, New Photos, No Words

Finished

 

My Ramble shawl is all finished and blocked!  This was such a fun project, having both garter stitch stripes and brioche in it (two of my favorite things).

I used Malabrigo Mechita in Aniversario and Natural, one skein of each, and I just love the way it came out.

The pattern is written for DK weight yarn, but here in Texas, that would severely limit the number of wearable days I'd have with it, which is why I knit mine in fingering weight.  I worked both more garter stripes and an additional repeat of the brioche so that my shawl wouldn't be too small.

I should probably warn you all right now, I have several more Aniversario projects planned.  I'm loving this color so much right now!

Ramble

 

I spent most of the weekend working on Ramble.  I'm hoping to get another four rows of the Brioche pattern, but I'm watching my yarn amounts very carefully at this point.  I've also got to double check the ending directions.  I can't remember if there's another row or two before the bind off or if it's just a bind off.  I'm so close to finishing this that I'll probably try to get it done tonight.

I also started learning how to use the new KnitCompanion app.  I've been using KnitCompanion for years now (this turned out to be a good thing because Max has been known to grab a paper chart and go running down the hall with it), and I can't imagine knitting without it.  Of course I also use it for crochet and sewing patterns too.  With the new KnitCompanion NextGen app, there are some changes to how it works and how you set up a pattern in it.  I spent most of Saturday morning setting up some new patterns in it, and I think I'm getting the hang of it now.

Ramble On!

 

I spent the weekend working on Brioche and it's moving along nicely.  I've definitely gotten back into the rhythm of it.  (Also, can I go on record right here and say that rhythm is one of the most irritating words in the English language as far as spelling is concerned.  It always takes me several tries.)

If I were making this in the DK yarn the pattern calls for, I'd be almost finished with the shawl.  Since I'm making it in fingering weight, I've got a bit more to go.  I'm not entirely sure how many repeats I'll get exactly, but I plan to keep going to use as much yarn as possible.

Ramble On

 

I've gotten farther on the Brioche section of Ramble.  This section won't grow as quickly as the garter stitch stripes, but it's just so fun to knit!  I've settled into the rhythm of it now and that helps too.

I also got a picture of the back side because it's doing something different.  Brioche stitch patterns are fun that way in that you sometimes get something different on the back side.  It doesn't hurt that the yarn is doing all sorts of amazing color things.  I'm still fascinated that a yarn can have this much going on and not look like crazy clown barf!

Knitting Stitches That Look Like Knitting Stitches!

 

I'm far enough into the brioche section of Ramble that I can see the pattern!  It takes several rows of brioche before you can see anything, but I'm now far enough for the herringbone pattern to be visible.  I think it looks like giant stockinette stitches!  Also, I'm easily amused.

Brioche!

 

I've finished the stripe section of my Ramble and begun the brioche!  I ran a lifeline through the stitches at the end of the stripes because I wasn't sure if I had done my math right (since I'm knitting this in fingering weight instead of DK weight, I added more stripes, but I had to end on a number that would give me the repeat I need for the brioche section to work out - math).  I think I got it right, but I'm going to work a few more rows before I pull out the lifeline.  Also, my love of the the Aniversario colorway shows no signs of fading.  Just.  Look.  At.  That! 

It's been several months since I knit brioche, but I'm getting back into the rhythm of it and it's just as much fun as I remembered.

Have a great weekend!  I'm just excited to see the sun today!

Finished!

 

I finished my Rose Gold brioche shawl this week!  I kept putting off blogging because I knew I was so close to finishing and I didn't want to show it to you again before it was quite done.  It's all done and blocked now though so here it is!

I made no changes to the pattern except that I had a little more yarn in each gradient set than the designer did, so I knit until I ran out of yarn.  It's knit in Miss Babs Gradient Sets in Yummy 2-Ply Toes in the Canis Major and Beachcomber colorways.  (Canis Major seems to be sold out at the moment.)  I started with the lightest tone in each gradient and worked to the darkest.

This was such a fun project to knit that I'm actually sad it's finished.  Something about using two gradients at a time and working brioche (which I find inexplicably fun to knit) all at the same time combined to make a really fun project.

Here's a shot of the "wrong" side of the shawl (the side that's primarily the Beachcomber set).  Since brioche knitting is basically reversible, there isn't really a right or wrong side to this, which is nice because the ends of this shawl fall in a spiral or corkscrew shape, so both sides show.

One last shot on Fifi!  This is definitely a big, snuggly shawl.  It will be wonderful to wrap up in this winter.  Right now, it's a little much.

On the Edge!

 

I've begun the edging on my Rose Gold wrap!  As a happy little coincidence, I hit the edging stitch count just as I was finishing up the fourth shade of my gradient, so I started the fifth shade and the edging at the same time.  There's only one more (darker) shade after this!  The edging is a little more involved than the rest of the wrap, so it is moving slower, but I'll keep plugging away at it until it's finished.  It is fun doing different shapes and designs with the brioche though.

I haven't really decided what shawl to knit after this.  I had figured I would be brioche-d out and be ready to take a break from the stitch, but I'm not sure that's true at all.  I'm really trying to knit from my stash this year (ignoring the fact that I totally ordered yarn just for this project, but other than that...), so I'll have to do some stash diving to see what I've got that will work for brioche.  I don't tend to buy yarn for two (or more) color projects (obviously, this is something I need to practice), so there's no telling what's up there.  I've got some time to decide, but once I hit the edging on a project I tend to start thinking ahead.

We've Passed the Halfway Point!

 

I've started the fourth shade of the gradients!  There are a total of six shades in each gradient, so I'm more than halfway through the shawl.  I'm also to the point where I'm watching my stitch count because I'm getting fairly close to the fancy edging action.  I don't know if the edging will begin in these colors or in the fifth shade, but I hope to begin it later this week!  My gradients each have 100 yards more than the yardage required by the pattern, so I plan to just knit until I'm out of yarn.

This project feels like it's moving along pretty quickly.  When I began it, I really figured I'd be working on it all summer, but now I think I'll be finishing it up next month!

Rose Gold

 

I've started getting darker on my Rose Gold brioche shawl!  I've completed the first two tones of each gradient and I'm on the third now (working from light to dark).  Both the pink (Canis Major gradient) and the gray (Beachcomber gradient) tones change at the same time.  I've just been tying my ends off on the edges and I'll weave them in later.  I do need to find out how to weave in ends nicely in brioche because I'm not sure what the best way to do that is.  I kind of just winged it on my Meandering shawl and counted on the fuzz from the Kid Silk Night to cover up any issues (and it did), but there will be a lot more ends on this project and there's no fuzz for cover.  I'm sure that between the brioche book and the Craftsy class, there are directions for weaving in ends.

Can I just say how much fun it is to work with these gradient yarns?  I love watching the colors get darker and the tiny little skeins are just adorable!  (Each skein in each gradient is 133 yards.)  I definitely want to do more with more gradients.  Actually, I kind of want to collect them all, just to look at and squeeze!  I don't really need them all, so I'm trying to show some restraint.

I'm Back!

Saturday morning we woke up and the Internet was out.  I went for a run and left Mickael to deal with rebooting the router and sorting things out.  Unfortunately, it wasn't that simple.  Not only was our Internet out, but our landline phone and our cable TV - the entire FiOS system was out at our house.  Caleb said it went out about 1:30 AM (he was still up, playing online games with his friends), so at that point he went to bed.  Long story short, we just got everything fixed yesterday afternoon, but we're up and running now!

I did start a new brioche project over the weekend!  This is the beginning of Rose Gold.  I fell in love with this the first time I saw the pattern.  I'm knitting it with two 2-Ply Gradient Sets from Miss Babs - Canis Major (which seems to be sold out) and Beachcomber.  I love the look of the sample in the pattern, but I just cannot wear golden tones.  I think this will work out better for my coloring.

I'm still on the first mini skein of each gradient set (I'm starting with the lightest tones), but I've gotten far enough that I can see the shape it will be and I have a feel for the pattern.

Last Friday, KayT of the Comments asked about brioche knitting and if the Meandering Shawl I just finished would be a good place to start.  To answer her question, yes.  The Meandering Shawl was the first two color brioche I'd ever knit.  The first time I ever did brioche knitting at all was the WestKnits MKAL this past February or March.  The Meandering Shawl is also designed by Stephen West and his directions are excellent.  I had no problem figuring out what to do as long as I took it step by step and just followed the directions.  One thing about two color brioche - it takes a few rows before you can actually see what it's doing.  I do have Nancy Marchant's Knitting Brioche book and while I haven't read the whole thing through, I can tell that it has a lot of information.  I also have her Craftsy class Explorations in Brioche Knitting, which is very similar to the book, but you can see the stitches being made and I know some people prefer to learn through videos rather than books.  The Rose Gold pattern is written by Andrea Mowry and while there are some differences in her pattern from Stephen West's (which you would expect since they're different designers and all), her directions also seem to be great.  I hope this answers Kay's question, as well as helps anyone else who was wondering the same thing!

Good News and Bad News

 

The good news is I've finished my Meandering Shawl.  The bad news is that it's pouring rain this morning so my pictures are just utter rubbish.  I tried to do some color correction and that helped, but they're still bad.  Sorry about that!

This was my first two color brioche project.  I had a little bit of brioche in the WestKnits MKAL earlier this spring, but that was one color brioche.  By the time I finished this project, I was feeling pretty comfortable with the brioche stitches.

I knit it in Rowan Kidsilk Night (color 607, which is British for Cool Creamy White with Silver Sparkles) and Madelinetosh Tosh Merino Light in Undergrowth.  I had to skip two rows of the border because I was running out of the TML and I wouldn't have had enough left to finish it with the i-cord bind off.

The finished shawl is nice and fluffy and it's reversible!  I really enjoyed knitting it and as soon as I get my yarn wound, I'm going to cast on for another two color brioche wrap.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Still Meandering

 

I'm still working on the main section of my Meandering Shawl, but I'm halfway through the final repeat and then I'll start working the edging!  I also just started the second ball of KidSilk Awesome.*  The rows are getting pretty long and obviously the needle cord is too short to let the shawl expand to its full size, but by keeping the cord short, it makes it easy to go back to the opposite end for the second half of each row.  (In two color brioche, you work each row twice, once with the dark color and once with the light color, before turning your work and beginning the next row; so there's a lot of sliding stitches back to the other end of the needles.)  Unfortunately, the short cord also makes for really bad pictures.

I hope you all have a great weekend!  We're supposed to have a rainy one here, hopefully a nice, lazy one.

*I checked the ball band and it's KidSilk Night, although it really should have been KidSilk Awesome and it really shouldn't have been discontinued if you ask me, because SPARKLES!!!

Meandering Along

 

I've gotten a few more back and forth switches on my Meandering Shawl finished.  It's too big to stretch out fully on the needles at this point and it kind of looks like a sleeve in the photo, but you're looking at the center spine of the shawl in this photo.

I think I've definitely gotten a handle on the brioche stitch (both purling and knitting in brioche) at this point and it's also going faster.  Of course the rows are getting longer too, so my times probably balance out in the end.  It also doesn't help that I periodically have to spread it out and admire the way the sparkle fluff yarn and the singles yarn are playing together.  The fabric of the brioche knitting itself is just so squeezably fluffy too!

Back and Forth and Back Again

 

I've worked another section on my Meandering Shawl and it's getting bigger!  I'm also getting faster with the brioche stitches and things are making more sense to me.  There's still a lot to go, and until I get to the lower edging, it's just a lot of back and forth on the center spine (so I'm sorry if it makes for boring blogging, but I'm learning a new stitch).

Here's a shot of the other side, the light side.

Also, on an unrelated note, this is what it looks like when you sew with a big dog.  Particularly if the big dog thinks he's teacup sized.  Have a great weekend!  Hopefully I'll have some finished sewing projects to show next week!

We're Beginning to Meander!

 

I worked some more on my Meandering shawl over the weekend and the center spine is starting to "meander" back and forth now!  I think I'm getting a bit faster with my Brioche stitches, but I have to pay attention.  When I start getting tired and my mind wanders, that's when I make stupid mistakes and I don't really understand brioche knitting well enough to correct things without just tinking back to where the mistake happens.  This is not a project for the end of a long day!  On the other hand, I'm starting to understand what I'm looking for when I make each stitch, which is helping me catch mistakes sooner.  I'm hoping to have a pretty good handle on brioche by the time I finish this project because my next brioche project will be bigger and more involved.

Also, here is sparkle vision, so you can see the sparkly bits in the Kidsilk Night!