Posted on 28 Comments

She of the warm neck

Finished neckwarmer

I finished my little neckwarmer project.  And, wow, was it ever a quick knit!  I nearly completed the whole thing while watching TV last night.  I should really call this my “Stargate Atlantis Series Finale Scarf” but I think I’ll stick to the simpler “Malabrigo Neckwarmer.”

The Details

Pattern: Cashmere Neckwarmer by Kim (on Ravelry)

Modifications: None, aside from “translating” needle-speak to loom-speak.

Loom: 15 pegs of the blue 24-peg Knifty Knitter

New techniques I learned: “slip 1 wyif” stitch (explanation here), blocking (tutorial here)

Yarn: Malabrigo Chunky in “mariposa”

Button:  Ah, the button.  Well that nearly deserves it’s own post.  Read on…

Mixing colors in clay

Raise your hand if you knew I was going to do this.  “This” being, mix up colors to match my yarn.  Really, it was inevitable.  I mean, if I’m going to make buttons to coordinate with my favorite fabrics when I’m on a sewing kick, then yarn during a knitting kick couldn’t be far behind.

Making a triangle cane

I decided to make a big button for my scarf, and I decided it needed to be made in my Triangle pattern.  The Triangle cane’s make-up – with three main colors blended together to varying degrees to create a multitude of hues in between – is very similar to that of the yarn and the way it’s main colors blend together to form intermediate hues.

Outlining the big button

Once the buttons came out of the oven, I decided the minty color was a little much.  I had made it dominant on purpose, but I regretted that decision once I saw it in action.  What was missing, I thought, was that bright gold color, so I mixed some up and used it as the border color, hoping it would tone down the mint a bit.

Matching button

I think it was a good choice.  I am pleased 🙂

Extra buttons

Oh, and look.  Extras.  Whatever shall I do with those? 😀

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Posted on 28 Comments

28 thoughts on “She of the warm neck

  1. :::: hand raised as she laughs hysterically:::: of COURSE you had to do it Lisa…that is what you do! The neck warmer turned out wonderfully. I just finished another Munchie sweater. next…socks for me 😀

    See what Kathi has been blogging about: My Goals for 2009

    1. I haven’t made a successful sock yet – I tried, ended up with sock puppets, and got distracted by other things.

  2. it came out great- and the button really makes it! i love big buttons.

    See what lindamade has been blogging about: 2008: A Year of Craft

    1. Thanks! I love the button, too. I’ve never made one so big, but this application just seemed to want it!

  3. I like it! (And the colors you chose, and the button!)

    I’m going to have to see if I can figure out that “slip 1 wyif” stitch. You’re right about the “regular” knitting loom stitch(es) getting boring after a while. That’s why I decided to try (again) to learn crochet, but if it’s not too hard to do different stitches on the loom, that’ll be great, too!

    See what Michael has been blogging about: I’m only a *few* years behind the times. . .

    1. There’s actually a book on the subject of different stitches. I have it, but I haven’t gotten a chance to try anything in it yet. Mostly I’ve just been finding regular needle-knit patterns I like, and then googling any terminology that confuses me. Usually, someone out there has already tried the stitch on a loom and shared the results somewhere.

      Theoretically, you can do everything from knit and purl to cables. The more I learn about it, the less I even want to bother with needles anymore.

  4. Afternoon from the UK,

    I have decided to come out of lurking into the open. I’m a polymer clay artist in the UK, it seems to be a growing hobby here, but still fairly small. I had to say I love the way you have matched the gorgeous chunky button to the wool – and how lovely to combine the two hobbies of knitting and claying, great idea. I’ve been a fan of your blog for some time now, having just begun a blog myself I feel it’s time to actually ‘take part’ and comment instead of just read 🙂 Keep up the great work

    See what Melissa Parrett has been blogging about: I’m a polymer clay artist………you’re a what??

    1. Hi, Melissa, I’m glad you spoke up! Making claythings to coordinate with fabrics & such has somewhat become my trademark lately, so it hasn’t been a big leap to try it with yarn 🙂

      Welcome to the world of blogging – just be careful. Before you know it, you may find yourself toting your camera with you everywhere in an effort to photo-document your life in excruciating detail, LOL!

  5. That is lovely. I love that yarn, the colors are great. My son has wanted the knitting loom and I always assumed it was limited to circular things. Maybe it is coupon time at JoAnns to pick up a set. Button looks perfect, good move with the gold.

    See what Carrie G has been blogging about: Caldacooty or Calacot

    1. Actually, anything you can make with a tube or with a flat panel can be made on the loom. It’s a lot more versatile than it seems at first, and there are a few good resources online, if you want to find projects or tutorials. I listed a few that have helped me here.

  6. that is what “art” and “designing” is all about. matching, being picky, and the ability to do it ourselves. isn’t it lovely?
    big buttons……love them

    See what becky has been blogging about: Meet Mr. Butterfly Quick Stitch

    1. So true – it’s a fascinating and enjoyable process, too!

  7. Oh Lisa, awesome and so cute!!!! I would have bought ten of those out of your shop for my relatives up north in St. Louis as well as out in Reno! You are going to be warm and toasty when the next storm rolls in!!!!!

    1. Thank you, Carla! For the first time in ages, I’m actually looking forward to the walk to the bus stop tomorrow morning in the freezing cold 😉

  8. I was cleaning out a drawer the other day and ran across some yard and a spool knitter (miniature loom???) from being inspired by Eva Meisel ( PCC). I had made some long ropes, but didn’t do anything with them and I have forgotten how to use it, LOL. Think I’ll drag it out and see what happens.

    Love, love, love, looooooooooooooooooove the button, totally necessary!!! Way cool neck warmer!!

    Elizabeth

  9. Looking good. I love the button it just finishes it. I have done the loom knitting too but for me the traditional needles and patterns seem to be the first choice lately. HMMM I may need to dig the looms out again. Also could you tell me what type of clay you use and method for the buttons. My eleven year old loves to work with clay and wants to make jewelry, buttons,etc but I haven’t bought the right stuff and she’s not liking it. Thanks..
    Janey

    See what Janey has been blogging about: Rested and Relaxed

  10. I love this. And the button really makes it. My sister made one for me similar to this last year and I love it, but the button is knit as well, I love the PC button, it’s really a lovely scarf!

  11. That is one gorgeous neck warmer. What yarn you found!

  12. that looks great, lisa!!

    See what beki has been blogging about: mission accomplished

  13. […] importance of honing your skills and taking the time to master a technique.  I wasn’t born making buttons to perfectly match my scarves, and neither will you (or your child) […]

  14. Love it! The yarn is so pretty and, well, the button is just awesome! 🙂 I tried to do a flat panel on a round loom the other night and failed miserably. Had the yarn on too tight and couldn’t get the loops off the pegs. LOL 🙂

  15. […] talk about something else.  Maybe, something warm, like wool?  You know that neckwarmer I made last week is from Malabrigo wool, and I have to say, I am totally falling in love with this stuff.  I used […]

  16. […] are all gifts, all made in the same manner as my original one (which I have worn every day – except today – since I made it) and all featuring a button made by […]

  17. […] very soft (and doesn’t break the bank like cashmere would).  Remember the one I made myself last year?  It’s still in heavy cold-weather rotation around here; in fact, I wore it this […]

  18. […] goes with the fingerless gloves I made him earlier this year, and Eamonn’s is like mine, but smaller.  His didn’t need to match the fingerless mitts I made him, since he’s […]

  19. […] set to work translating the pattern for my own personal use on the loom, and since then I have made somewhere around a dozen of them in some form or another.  Even after […]

  20. […] neckwarmer photo is from 2009. It’s making me want to grow my hair long […]

  21. […] button is bigger than the others, that’s why you can see more of the weave. I added it to the neckwarmer I made some time […]

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