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knitting detour: how my plan to make a tote bag turned into a stripy summer top

Published by fairfaxhill

How does this happen? I’ve managed to start – and finish!– another project that’s not what I intended to work on. For the record, I have three other projects on my needles at the moment. One of them I started last summer… I guess I should make a better effort to stay out of yarn stores!

A few weekends ago, I was browsing the isles of Joanne’s Fabrics store and managed to leave with six balls of 100% cotton yarn in tow with the goal of making myself a new tote.

I wanted to replace some of the bags I typically carry around, which are looking a bit tired after much use. I also found yarn in a green color I loved.

Is it just me? I can never have enough tote bags. I always need to supplement my purse with bags to carry books, knitting projects, samples, treats, or to use if I stop at the supermarket on my way home.

The bag I was going to make, a free pattern called the “getting things done tote” is knit in a single color, but after a few rows of green I decided to make mine striped using some ecru I had. The pattern also uses moss stitch, but I opted for stockinette because I’m super slow at knitting moss stitch and because this was supposed to be a quick in-between-projects project.

After knitting three stripes, which I made pretty wide, I was suddenly in love with the green and ecru combination, as well as the feel of the fabric. As I admired the colors, I held the piece up to my chest and asked my daughter, who was sitting across from me at the dining table, “Wouldn’t this be cute as a top?” Her response was, “Sure! Go for it, mom!”

I knew I would forever stare at the bag and wonder what it would have looked like as a top, so I ditched the bag idea.

After some swatches and measurements, I came up with what I thought would be the right amount of stitches for my body.

However, after about 20 rows of knitting, and slipping it over my waist to try it on, it was clear I was doing something wrong. It was huge!

I could not figure out why my math wasn’t working out. I obviously wasn’t subtracting enough stitches to get the right amount of negative ease. Knitting the section again, and possibly getting it wrong again, was not what I had in mind. This was supposed to be a quick and fun project. So, instead I decided to look in my books and magazines for cute summer tops with a similar gauge and let someone else figure out the math this time around.

There were quite a few patterns I thought could work, but I really liked the simplicity of the design in this photo: a pattern from one of my old Rebecca magazines. Mine would just have to be a little longer! 😉

The pattern is written for sizes small and medium, so I decided to take a chance and follow the instructions for medium. I’m typically a medium, but not always! At this point, I figured that if it was too small, I’d just gift it to someone.

After working about 20 cm I liked the fit. I wanted it to be a bit snug, but not too tight. I also started to imagine how I could use the same measurements to make different types of tops: scoop neck, racer back, thin straps, thick straps…exciting!

After I finished sewing everything together I reviewed the instructions for how to add the straps and noticed something was different. I looked closely at the pattern photo and realized the edges of my top were different. It turns out I had accidentally added the increases on the wrong side! The shape didn’t change much, but the finishing steps would have to be improvised. There was no way I was unraveling it and knitting it again.

I decided that adding an i-cord bind off throughout would hide my little accident, and making the straps look like they were designed to “grow” out of the body might even look pretty cool.

It worked, and I like it! 🙂

I have tons of green yarn left, so I could make a different top now that I have my stitch counts figured out. Or, I could make another one just like this one and write instructions for how to make it. Of course, I could also try to finish one of my other W.I.P.s, or make the tote.

Additional Project Notes:

  • The yarn I used for this top was Lily Sugar ‘n Cream, an inexpensive, 100% cotton yarn that is sold mostly to knit home accessories (like a tote!). This yarn isn’t soft, it’s actually a bit tough, but that ended up being a good thing. The resulting top wasn’t flimsy, almost as if it had a built-in bra – glorious!! This yarn left my hands pretty achy. I’d like to use something that is a bit softer next time. Rowan’s “All Season’s Cotton” or WAK’s “The Cotton” might be good alternatives.
  • I used # 6 circular needles for the main body, and double–pointed needles in the same size for the i-cord straps. My gauge: 19 stitches and 30 rows to 4”. I cast on 142 stitches for the body, joined and knit in the round making sure I used a jogless stripe technique. I worked 18 stitches for center and cast off 32 on each side of that to sew on the bodice pieces (cast off should start 6 stitches before round change), 60 sts. were kept on hold for back. Picked up 12 stitches on each side of the middle piece and increased every other row in stripe pattern. My stripes for the top are one row smaller than the body stripes. Kept stitches on hold to connect the back and sides of the garment casting off with an i-cord and added the straps in the same way.
  • I loved the way this top was constructed. Working on the bodice separately, while keeping stitches on hold and then connecting things back together.
  • The pattern has a neat way to add the straps using a crochet hook, but I didn’t make mine that way. I knit mine to “grow” out of the fabric as an i-cord. I might try this pattern again.
  • I’d love to find a pattern for shorts that I could make to go with the top. This could be something to wear over a swimsuit or as pajamas.
  • It seems I really enjoy knitting experiments!

What are you working on? Leave a comment below!

-Gabi

february makes: from sweaters to crème brûlée (mishaps included!)

Published by fairfaxhill

Here’s a quick update on what I’ve been up to lately!

As some of you saw on my Instagram feed, I finished making the sweater I started last February. I was modifying the Malaury pattern, replacing the texture created by knit and purl stitches with mock cables for my version. The result was a happy surprise. (I’m feeling pretty confident trusting my math when adapting patterns now–it fits!) I also learned a new technique for attaching a collar that I might start using more often.

The pattern called for a back-stitched collar, which was new to me. I normally pick up stitches around the neckline, but the pattern said to knit the collar separately, leaving one of the edges on scrap yarn.

I was having a difficult time wrapping my head around the process, and even after finding this helpful tutorial, the whole thing looked way too complicated.

Then, I remembered watching a video showing a similar technique that looked much simpler. The difference: no stitches that could potentially unravel! You simply take the finished collar and back-stitch it in place over the neckline edge. So I tried that, and I love the result. I might add a photo tutorial to the blog for quick reference because I think more people should know about this technique. By attaching the collar this way, you don’t have to worry about picking up stitches evenly on each side, you can play with the positioning of the collar and match each side perfectly before you sew it in place.

In the kitchen, I tried a crème brûlée recipe by Mark Bittman, hoping it would be the one. (I tried a different recipe a while back, but it used too many eggs.) This looked so simple, I even bought a fancy torch to get that perfect caramelized sugar top (thanks Santa!), but after reading the user manual (too complicated), I opted for the broiler instead. The result? Caramelized to perfection, ha-ha, but still delicious! It seems getting crème brûlée right will take a little more practice, but hey, at least everyone ate it! Next time, hopefully I will have figured out how to use the torch too.

We’ve had some beautiful days mixed in with the rainy ones this spring. I went on a walk in Tiburon (Blackie’s Pasture) some weeks ago to break in the hiking boots I got for Christmas. I got a bunch of steps that day—10,000+! Patrick and I have both started counting our steps and he’s been tracking what he eats with the Fitbit app. He’s found that keeping a journal has been super helpful for getting in better shape. Inspired by Patrick, I’m giving it a try. But I realized that ever since I stopped keeping a paper journal with all my ideas and weekly to-dos, I’ve been a total mess. So, no app for me, I’m back to using a notebook to keep track of things.

For those of you who love chocolate and orange, here’s a delicious discovery inspired by @rovinhaggis: orange marmalade and Nutella on brioche (buttermilk in a pinch!). Yummy!

Easter Brunch Ideas:

I’ve been thinking about what I should bring to the brunch on Sunday: tarte au citron, scones, quiche, something from my Tartine book, sweet bread in the shape of bunnies, sticky buns? The kids and Patrick already voted for sticky buns, and I’m kind of leaning towards sticky buns too. I’d like to test Joanne Chang’s recipe, especially after reading this article by Adam Roberts from the Amateur Gourmet, one of my favorite food bloggers.

What would you bring? Let me know in the comments.

And don’t forget to follow my Instagram to stay in touch!

💛 Gabi

geogradient shawl

geogradient mkal: how it’s going

Published by fairfaxhill

This month I’ve been working on the Geogradient Mystery Knit Along by Stephen West and I haven’t had time for much else. Books I want to read, and recipes I want to try are piling up! But I’m close to done, and I predict the shawl will be finished within a week.

Photos: a pinhole cast on; the start of clue one; clue two in the works; clue 2 finished; clue 3 first side.

Reflecting on the colors I chose.

I signed up and purchased a kit online because I thought that would be easier than trying to pick out yarn at the local yarn store and putting together my own gradient.

Looking back, I wish I had taken a bit more time to think about my colors. I knew I wanted to use Holst yarn because that’s what I used for my last shawl and I really liked the result. (This yarn is also quite affordable, and considering you have no idea what your final project will look like when you join a mystery KAL, it was a no-brainer for me!)

But the thing is, I had recently ordered shade cards from Holst to have handy for new project ideas (for that day when I actually try to design something myself!). So, it would have been easy to create and order my own color combination. What kept me from doing that was that I worried I wouldn’t get the yarn before the first clue was released. (I didn’t want to fall behind! I’m a slow knitter, already.) So, I chose the easy route and purchased a kit.

Don’t worry, I don’t regret my color choices, and I like the way my shawl is turning out. These colors go perfectly with jeans and a white t-shirt (my go-to uniform). BUT, I know that the next time I work on one of these shawls I’ll be thinking about my colors way in advance, because I want to absolutely love the result.

One month of knitting needs an amazing ending, don’t you think?

Today is November 8, and I’m about half way through the fourth and final clue. I can’t tell you how excited I am about finally getting to block and wear my new shawl. It’s funny, because I’d never considered myself to be a shawl person, but I do like to wrap myself in big scarves and cowls when it’s cold outside – and it’s definitely getting chilly around here.

I’m picking up takeout for dinner tonight, so I can focus on completing a few more rows.

What are you working on this week?
Let me know in the comments!

a fool-proof plum cake, a new audiobook, and my falcon’s shawl

Published by fairfaxhill

I love Marin in September. The mornings slowly get darker and the air crisper, but the afternoons are still warm. Late summer fruits and vegetables are also at their peak and their fall successors are getting ready to be harvested — just look at the grapes I spotted in my neighbor’s front yard on a recent walk!

(It was so hard not to take one and try it. I didn’t. I couldn’t.)

After admiring my neighbor’s gorgeous grapes, a couple more minutes into my walk, I saw a plum tree growing on the side of the road. This is the main road that leads to downtown. The tree was full of plums, and this time I couldn’t resist the urge to taste one. The tree was so full of fruit that the branches were hanging a bit low. This tree wasn’t planted in anyone’s yard, it was planted outside a fence on a hill that seemed like public land, at least that’s what I hoped!

So I ignored the cars driving past me and what the people inside them could think of this woman possibly stealing plums in plain sight, and focused on stepping up the hill a bit and stretching my arm upwards to gently pull down one of the branches to take a few of the beautiful plums – one for each of us. It was a little difficult to do this one-handed while holding Estelle’s leash with my other hand.

I thought I should wash them first, so I walked home cradling the plums in one hand, but somehow still managed to drop one. It was getting hot and my hands were sweaty. I wish I had grabbed a few more, they were so sweet! I thought they’d be perfect for a quick cake or galette. I contemplated going back to see if I could get a few more but figured I could just buy some later at the store.

It seems like everywhere I look, there is a tree or a bush bursting with fruit: pears, grapes, blackberries, plums, pomegranates … It makes me want to plant a few fruit trees in our garden.

a famous plum cake

With plums on my mind, a recipe for Plum Torte in my inbox later that day felt like a sign. The recipe had 5 stars and 11,476 reviews on NYTimes Cooking. Wouldn’t you have tried it, too?

The story behind this recipe (Marian Burros’s famous Plum Torte) and how many times it’s been published was interesting. Apparently, after publishing it for seven years in a row every September from 1983-1989, the New York Times decided that was enough, but soon readers got mad and demanded to get the printed recipe back. The newspaper then promised to publish it every year around this time, when plums are at their best.

Probably the reason the cake is a hit is that it’s pretty much foolproof, so feel free to get creative by switching out the plums for other types of fruit. I read in the comments that someone had used mangoes instead of plums; someone else used bananas, others blueberries, cherries, and the list goes on. I think you can’t go wrong with your choice of fruit.

plum torte
(a recipe by Marian Burros, published by NYTimes Cooking, slightly modified)

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar (The original recipe calls for one cup. I could have used even less. I’ll try 1/2 cup next time.)
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup flour (sifted)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 eggs
24 halves of pitted plums, or as many as you can fit in your pan (I could only fit about 14)
juice of 1/2 lemon
1-2 Tbs sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon to sprinkle on top before baking

Method
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream the sugar and butter with a hand-held or stand-up mixer. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and eggs and beat well. Scoop the batter into a 9-inch springform pan (a slightly smaller or larger pan will work, too). Place the plum halves skin side up on top of the batter. Sprinkle lightly with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice (from half a lemon), depending on the sweetness of the fruit. Sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. Bake for approx. 45 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack before moving to a plate; refrigerate or freeze if desired.

The cake can be served plain, but it’s best with ice cream or whipped cream. It also tastes better if you let it sit for a couple of hours.

latest audiobook

I finished listening to Tom Lake, by Ann Patchett, last Sunday. The audiobook is narrated by Meryl Streep and I found it easy to listen to while I worked on my latest knitting project. It is a story within a story with some unexpected twists. If you are curious about the book, I enjoyed this review.

photo credit: books cumbria

I have a goal of reading 10 books this year. I know that isn’t much, but the thing is I also want to knit a lot because I have too many unfinished projects. Audiobooks are great when it’s safe to multitask (easy garter stitch, straight edges) but I also love quiet, so I don’t always want to be listening to someone talk. So unlike other knitters who can listen to a few books a week, my listening is also slow; little bits here and there are all I can handle, but it is a great way to “read” more when your hands are always busy. Five more books to go; I can do this!

off the needles: a green shawl

I’ve named it the Falcon’s Shawl. The original pattern is called Trista. This is an easy project for an intermediate knitter or an adventurous beginner. You start out with one stitch on your needles and gradually add more stitches until you have a triangle that measures about 21 inches along the middle. Mine turned out bigger because I was using thicker yarn than the pattern recommends. You then decrease at the same rate you increase to end up with one stitch. You can make this shawl as large or small as you like with pretty much any yarn. I chose wool because I already had some yarn in the perfect green shade to match my son’s football team colors. Now I feel ready for fall – and for the next game!

Check out Ravelry for more details.

Knitting & lunch at the Rustic Bakery in Tiburon, one of my favorite spots to knit outside my house.

a few other good things this week:

Two super easy recipes I’m adding to my recipe box: ginger beef & green bean stir-fry and coconut chicken cutlets with mango chutney slaw

Green Flash: art exhibit by Rachel Kaye at the Sarah Shepard Gallery at the Marin Country Mart. Runs through Oct. 31 (Love seeing how others combine colors.)

Grateful for a very special family gathering this evening.