Hello fellow Yarn Alongers and Wednesday crafters! Did you miss me? Yes, it’s been quite some time since I’ve put up a new Yarn Along post, but I’m still around. While I may not have been blogging as much about my craft projects, I have been knitting. In fact, I already have three finished projects for 2013, and we’re only halfway through January. But this current project is a doozy. This is going to be the most challenging thing I’ve knit in a long time.
I’m currently knitting an Alberta vest for my father. He asked for a vest – really, that’s the only thing he wants me to knit for him. Despite all my offers to knit him handknit socks, he really wants that vest. So, that’s what he’s going to get.
Hurricane vest in progress
Isn’t that colorway gorgeous? The yarn is Hedgehog Fibres’ Merino Cashmere in Hurricane. Unfortunately that yarn has been discontinued – it is so soft, it’s a pleasure to knit with it. The base is a fingering weight yarn, but fortunately I got gauge holding the yarn double. Phew! Otherwise I would have had to modify the pattern heavily – and the armholes and neckhole are steeked, so that would have been quite an adventure. I’ve never steeked before so I’m pretty nervous about taking scissors to the vest. Do you guys have a preferred steeking method, or any other steeking advice?
Close-up – aren’t those colors gorgeous?
Oh, and guess what happened in the middle of all this circular knitting? I have a pair of Holz & Stein needles which I love. They’re so smooth, it’s a joy to knit with them. The yarn moves so smoothly along, circular knitting is a breeze. And then, then this happened:
Aaargh! The nylon cable came out!
As to what I’m reading – I’m rereading one of my favorite Young Adult books series by Tamora Pierce. I’d photograph it with my knitting, except that I’m reading the ebook version, and well, I was taking the photo with my cell phone – which is also where the ebook file is… You’ll just have to make do with the Amazon image:
Circle of Magic – Tris’s Book by Tamora Pierce
Now for the blog hop part: I’m linking up with this week’s Yarn Along, this week’s Tami’s Amis WIP Wednesday, through Ambassador Crochet’s Wip Wednesday and Frontier Dreams’ Keep Calm and Craft on (KCCO) blog-a-long. Check out some of the other awesome wip posts.
Knitting, reading, photography, and maybe more 
That vest will be so cozy! Love the colors in it. I hate when your favorite knitting tool is damaged. Hopefully you can get it glued or replaced? I use sewn steeks. They work every time.
Oh good, someone who has experience steeking. Do you hand sew, or do you use a sewing machine?
I’ve tried superglue, but it doesn’t really seem to work. I guess I could send the needle to Holz & Stein to get it repaired, but by the time I add up the repair costs with the mailing costs, I’m not sure it’s worth it…
I hate when needles break! Hopefully you can get it fixed or replaced soon so the vest doesn’t languish!
I’ve tried super glue, but it doesn’t seem that stable a fix. Fortunately I have a set up Knit Picks Interchangeables, so I’m using that right now. But the tips like to unscrew themselves, so it’s not quite such smooth sailing.
Oooh. I like a man in a vest. I may have to knit this pattern for my husband.
It’s really fun so far! The tubular cast on is a bit fiddly, but I really like the Techknitter method. And once you’re past that it really is a breeze. I haven’t reached the steeks yet, though.
It is always dismaying when a yarn you love is discontinued. I really like the little bits of color on the dark background. It will be a great vest!
Yeah, I wish she’d still dye this yarn base. I’ll be hoarding all the leftovers.
And I’m really happy with the vest so far, and even better, my father really likes the color, so yay!
Oh that yarn is lovely. I think the vest is working up nicely.
Thank you!
It’s going to be great!
Knitting is not my forte so I don’t do much of it and only simple things.
I slowly started building skills – and honestly, so far this vest isn’t hard to knit. I’d definitely recommend this pattern
[…] back to the actual topic, the knitting – I’m still working on last week’s project. And I’m actually making a good amount of progress on my Hurricane vest. I’m actually […]
[…] I do like to challenge myself and learn new techniques – I still need to finish and steek the V-neck vest for my Dad – but not all the time. Sometimes you just want a brainless knit, you know? I […]