F.O. Rinsessa hat

I decided I neede another hat for this winter and what do you know, Ulla webmag had just the thing for me.



Pattern: Rinsessa Pipo by Sirkku Isopahkala (Ravelry)
Source: Ulla web magazine - all in finnish unfortunately.
Materials: Rowan Felted Tweed
Amount: a little less than 1 ball
Needles: 2.5 mm dpn's
Finished Dimensions: Good for a 58cm head circumference.

Started: 09.12.2008
Finished: 18.12.2008



I work in software development as a programmer or a dev if you will. The project I'm in now is somewhat stressfull and therefore a lot of the guys smoke. After being there a while, I found myself with the urge to just step out and take a break for a while. I've never touched ciggies and didn't want a silly project to change that, so I started taking my knitting along when the guys went out for smokes.

I needed a hat that didn't need me to carry around cable needles but was still interesting enough to make me take a break from work. Enter the rinsessa.



I need to start blogging right after finishing, because this far out, I can't remember much. All I do remember is that this thing was a really quick knit. It seemed to be over before I really got started. It looks nice and has seen almost constant use since it was finished.

F.O. The Blue Beast

Four weeks before Christmas I decided that the hubby needs a cardi as a present. So like any sneaky bitch, I started showing him sweaters I liked and he either agreed or disagreed. We had a long discussion about two cardis that to me looked basically the same, but to him had a key difference in them. Then I showed him Brooklyntweed's Big Blue and he plain out asked me if I could make him that sweater. What's a girl to do about that but start swatching?



Pattern: Seamless Shirt Yoke sweater (Ravelry)
Source: Knitting Workshop by Elizabeth Zimmermann
Materials: Debbie Bliss Donegal Aran Tweed
Amount: 12 balls
Needles: 4.0 mm circulars and dpn's for the sleeves
Finished Dimensions: 46 inch chest

Started: 28.11.2008
Finished: 08.01.2009



I started out the project trying to convince myself that I have no problem with steeking and I could easily steek if I wanted to. I was lying. Frankly, I was scared about it, I'm not ashamed to tell you now. For now, I am a Knitter.

After the third time I frogged the yoke I simply thought "Screw it, I'm gonna have to sew the zipper in anyway, I'm steeking the rest." I did, and it was GOOD. I had a bit of a gauge problem in that the front was too big. Fortunately that was easily fixed when I was sewing the zipper.

The yarn was wonderful for steeking. Like it was made with that purpose in mind. Even while knitting it was pretty hard to frog, so it didn't require any special precautions for the steek. Even now, after a month of use, the cut edge looks exacly like it did after I cut it.



I grafted the armpits using a techinque described in Knitting Daily's blog just before Christmas to help all us desperate last minute gift knitters finish on time. I have to admit, it's the best finishing technique I've come across so far. I love it.

I'm mostly very happy with this sweater, I just don't like the way the neck opening turned out. After all the frogging I just didn't have the heart to frog it again.