Queue Check — March 2016

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Queue Check — March 2016

All I’ve done since my February Queue Check is knit my deliciously black Anna Vest and sew most of a black sleeveless top. The vest parts are all blocked and dry and ready for seaming, but I know from experience that knitting the button band will take me a while! The top I quickly, uh, self-drafted and sewed at a Saturday Night Sewing Party with a bunch of friends, where there was both professional supervision and wine. Let’s just say mistakes were made, but it’s going to be great once I fix it. So I should have both of those done soon.

Nothing has changed with my grey Sawkill sweater (above) or my two hats-in-progress, none of which is urgent at this point. So when Anna is done, either they get some attention or one of two things will happen:

1. I’m pretty determined to cast on the simple slouchy V-neck cardigan I’ve been talking about forever. But will it be the Linen Quill version? The Lettlopi version? The Shibui version? The Knightsbridge version? … A decision must be made.

2. Likewise, Channel Cardigan will be cast on (once again) the very moment a yarn decision is made, and maybe you can help. I want it to be CAMEL, and the options are frustratingly few, that I can find. It must be worsted weight (or I can get behind doing it at aran gauge), 100% natural fiber somewhere in the middle of the softness:ruggedness continuum, and an actual nice camel shade — not too yellow-orange or apricot. The leading contender is Quince Lark in Camel, which I’m sure would be just dandy, but I’ve knitted with Lark a lot lately and would rather it be something new to me, but still/also with good roots. I would also love it if it weren’t a totally flat camel but had some tweedy-fleckiness-heatheredness to it. Any ideas?

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44 thoughts on “Queue Check — March 2016”

  1. Please make it in the linen quill – I’m very eager to see how this yarn shapes up!

  2. I’ve been eyeing the Woolfolk Far at KnitPurl , which comes in a camel shade. Maybe that?

  3. Why not knit the channel cardigan in BT shelter? (and I get the thing about trying new yarn, so I’m asking in case there is another reason)

  4. Also I forgot to mention before my yarn suggestion. In my list of “yarns to try” i have two that might fit to the channel cardigan, Rowan felted tweed Aran and Quince&Co Owl.
    I’ve used the Rowan felted tweed DK already and it is great to knit with, feels super light in the finished sweater and it comes in a bunch of pretty colors, so I’m itching to try the Aran version.

  5. planned to knit a camel colored cardigan this winter/spring but everyone was out of all I found. Now on my list for next winter. Looking forward to what yarn you decide on. I liked the Quince Owl.

  6. Have you worked with Briggs & Little yarn yet? The heritage is aran weight, and would produce a very different sweater than lark. I am not sure how to tell a nice camel color; they have a colorway called fawn, which appears difficult to photograph. All of the pictures on their website and on Ravelry are very different than the real live yarns. Good luck.

  8. I always go to Cascade 220 and Brown Sheep Nature Spun. BUT love some of the Purl Soho brand yarns. Very nice and lovely colors. They all feel good but are substantial.

  9. I would suggest that you look at Bare Naked Wool, specifically at the Better Breakfast color called Milk and Honey. The “roots” for this yarn are impeccable, and the three BNW yarns that I have purchased have all been excellent. The yarn is minimally processed undyed wool, milled in the United States using mostly American raised fleece, all in their natural colors. The yarn I have purchased was DK weight which knit quite solidly as a worsted at 19 st/4″, but they offer many of their yarns in a range of weights.

  10. I suggest you to try some yarn of Hifa in Norway (www.hifa.no). For example the Embla version or Pelsull. Their website is having an update at the moment, so I can’t check if they have a camel color available.

  13. I’d suggest Quince & Co’s Owl in the new Steppe colorway. It’s such a beautiful yarn, rustique and soft and I think it would be perfect for the Channel.

  15. Oh you might need to do a Channel KAL, I’d participate. I actually have the Cascade 220 in Doeskin Heather in my stash that I’m thinking about using for this one. It’s a very neutral camel – not too yellow at all and I like how 220 knits up. I know typically you go with the smaller independent yarn companies but it might be something new to try too.

  17. radius fox worsted…from the knitterly in petaluma, california. “RADIUS Worsted is 100% local. It comes from Sally Fox’s Vreseis small scale farm, in the Capay Valley. Sally Fox has been raising sheep and growing organic cotton since 1982. The animals are treated with love and care. “

    • Sally Fox is amazing. I purchased a bunch of cotton chambray from Vreseis for a xmas present for myself–how did I not know about this yarn?

  18. Harrisville Designs has a lovely absolutely camel camel in their Highland worsted. That may meet all your criteria!

  20. Have you considered Lang Donegal – small flecks in a shade of beige, knits of with lots of texture? #789.0096, 100% merino, 22 st and 30 rows on 3.5 to 4 mm needles.

  22. Hehe, were you prepared for all these suggestions? How about Kenzie in the Kiwano color?

  23. My first choice would be Rowan’s Aran weight felted tweed: dimension and lovely bloom…and second, Harrisville Highland…that is a true camel., though it is quite “flat”. I’m with your sense for a flecked, subtle tweed for the Channel cardi. There’s also a Debbie Bliss tweed aran, with cashmere in it. Used to be called Donegal Tweed , but the name was changed because they’re not true Donegal …bits?,neps?.

  24. have you considered the woolfolk worsted weight? it is so soft. i can’t stop knitting with it!!! it is really beautiful and has soft colors. no pills. my new go-to :)

  27. A week and a half ago my son, daughter-in-law , their 11month old daughter and I drove to southern Oregon and out to the coast for a wonderful getaway for a few days. On the way back to BC I made them do a detour so I could visit TOLT in Carnation east of Seattle. Oh my! what a store , I could have stayed there for a whole day! the people there are so nice and helpful and the store and the selection of yarn is so inspiring. I bought the book Farm to Needle, yarn for Blaer, and yarn for Anna Vest. I am knitting the Vest in off white in Lettlopi! It is so nice to knit and the texture in that yarn is gorgeous. I am definitely returning to TOLT again.
    Thank you for a great pattern, Karen!

  28. If you are looking for an eco-friendly woolen-spun aran (and a bargain with the exchange rate), look no further than Custom Woolen Mills soft-spun 2-ply. It’s spun in Alberta and the colours and natural shades are scrumptious. And unlike Briggs and Little, it’s quite SOFT!

  29. I’ve just knit BT Rowe in lettlopi and that worked out beautifully – and very warm! Don’t know whether there’s a camel but I should think so. There are certainly some lovely slightly tweedy shades, mine is hazel with subtle flecks of yellow and red, not enough to stand out bit making the brown warm and deep.

    I could be in for at Channel KAL too

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