Metamorphosis Gallery!

I am so exited to bring you an assortment of finished pieces from our Winter 2010 group project, which was called Metamorphosis. This is only a small selection of the many finished pieces, and you can see more of them on Ravelry:
Sweaters! Metamorphosis Shawls! Chrysalis Shawls! Cocoon Scarves!

In no particular order:
Dawn!
1) Project - Metamorphosis pullover
Your Name - Dawn Gayer
Your Ravelry name - Dawnadair
Yarn used - Mochas's Fiber Designs at TuckerWood Farms - BB Toes - London Fog
Beads used - 8/0 taupe lined crystal AB
Needle size used - US 4
Comments - The pullover was as much fun to make as the cardigan. Thanks for such a detailed and easy to follow pattern!
2) Project - Metamorphosis cardigan
Your Name - Dawn Gayer
Your Ravelry name - Dawnadair
Yarn used - Mochas's Fiber Designs at TuckerWood Farms - BB Toes - Alpine Lake
Beads used - 8/0 green lined light blue triangles
Needle size used - US 4
Comments - Loved this project! So many ways to individualize a sweater and such lovely patterns. Thanks Andrea & Jeri!
Jeri!
Project? (Sweater or shawl name) Metamorphosis Sweater #3
Your Name? Jeri Riggs
Your Ravelry name? Knitbird
Your blog address? www.jeririggs.blogspot.com
Yarn used? MadelineTosh Tosh Sock
Beads used? 6/0 AB clear
Needle size used? 6
Comments? Used A,B,C,D charts
Cara!
1) Project Metamorphosis shawl
Your Ravelry Stamax
Yarn used Colourmart 2/11 Alpaca/Merino (70/30) in Crudo
Beads used Miyuki Ceylon Light Yellow 8/0 for the body and 6/0 on the last row
Needle size used US 4
Comments I love this shawl, it is so beautiful.
2) Project Metamorphosis Cardigan
Your Ravelry name Stamax
Yarn used BB Toes from Mocha's Fiber Connection in Fern Gulley
Comments Not quite finished... but soon. I modified the border chart just a bit and added some shaping on the sides, I like the way it's turning out.
3) Project Metamorphosis Cardigan
Your Ravelry name Stamax
Yarn used BB Toes from Mocha's Fiber Connection in Horse Chestnut
Beads used
Needle size used?
Comments I learned so much with this project! I have enough yarn for 2 more sweaters and can't wait to get them started. Many, many thanks to Andrea and Jeri!

Annie!
Project: Metamorphosis sweater
Name: Annie Ham
Ravelry name: weaverannie
Blog address: http://weaverannie.blogspot.com
Yarns used: Yoke: Drops Baby Alpaca/Silk
For the rest: Lana Grossa Meilenweit Solo (With thanks to Sinaida, another group member, who sent me her left overs of this material, after knitting socks)
Dark red beads, used in the yoke only, as seen in the detail picture. Size not known.
I think I used needles 3.5 mm, but I finished knitting quite a while ago and am not sure, it’s probably in my project page on Ravelry (I hope...)
I really loved this project – thanks for all your and Jeri’s work!

Terri!
Project? Metamorphosis Shawl
Your Name? Terri Lynn Randolph
Your Ravelry name? Larkspur Studio
Your blog address? http://larkspur-studio@blogspot.com
Yarn used? Wolles Yarn Creations "Mega Skein" color: Khaki,865 yards, 1 50 gram skein of the color "Leaf" using 35 grams or 168 yards for a total of 1033 yds.
Beads used? Blue Moon 6/0 Mixed Khaki/Blues/Purples Matte Finish
Needle size used? US4
Comments: Modifications: I did ten repeats of the beginning instructions and chart B.� This gave a much longer/larger shawl and evened out the Wolle's Yarn Creation's color changing yarns effect. It started with gray khaki colors and moved into light green khaki colors. I had to modify the chart in the center of the last border, but it still came out so pretty! I so happy with the marriage of the pattern and yarn, it seems they were meant to be and customized for each other!

Kathleen!
Project? Metamorphosis Cardigan
Your Name? Kathleen Fitzgerald
Your Ravelry name? kfitz835
Ravelry Project Page? http://www.ravelry.com/projects/kfitz835/metamorphosis
Yarn used? Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine
Beads used? Size 6/0
Needle size used? 3.75mm Harmony Interchangeable Circs
Comments?
I couldn't put this project down! With Jeri's precise instructions for a wide range of sizes and Andrea's gorgeous lace, I have a beautifully fitting sweater that everyone comments on. Many thanks again to both of you. I'm making quick progress on a Pullover version now.

Pam!
1) Project? (Sweater or shawl name) The Cocoon Scarf or Stole
Your Ravelry name? pammacchi
Your blog address? http://www.ravelry.com/people/pammacchi
Yarn used? Misti Alpaca Lace Solids
Beads used?
Needle size used? US3

2) Project? (Sweater or shawl name) Metamorphosis Shawl
Your Ravelry name?pammacchi
Your blog address? http://www.ravelry.com/people/pammacchi
Yarn used? Elann Peruvian Baby Cashmere
Beads used? Dyna-Mites 8/0
Needle size used? US4

3) Project? (Sweater or shawl name) Chrysalis Shawl
Your Name? Pam Macchi
Your Ravelry name?pammacchi
Your blog address? http://www.ravelry.com/people/pammacchi
Yarn used? Elann Peruvian Baby Cashmere
Beads used? Dyna-Mites 8/0
Needle size used? US5

Sara!
Project Name? Princess
Your Name? Sara Greer
Your Ravelry name? Azariah
Your blog address?
Yarn used? Knit Picks Bare 100% merino dyed by me.
Beads used? Darcee 6/0 Silver lined clear
Needle size used? 7 US
Comments? This was the first sweater that I knit that was bigger than baby size. I loved it! The directions are great and the design is awesome and very tweakable. Note from BadCat: I was not able to rotate the second photo, so please forgive me.

Sue!
Project? (Sweater or shawl name) Metamorphosis Lace Sweater
Your Name? Sue in CA
Your Ravelry name? Monksqueedunk
Your blog address? none
Yarn used? Madeleine Tosh Eyre Light in Earl Grey Colorway
Beads used? Size 6 Matte Finish
Needle size used? US 6
Comments? This was an amazing project, incredibly well thought out, with many design and size options. Constituted a course in sweater knitting with ingenious raglan sleeves and transitions from one pattern to another. The one sweater class a lace knitter would ever need to take.

Mary!
1) Project: Metamorphosis Red Shawl
Your Name Mary
Your Ravelry name: marydear
Blog : http://shallweeat.blogspot.com/
Yarn Used : Colourmart Cashmere/Cotton 3/15
Needle size used: US 5
Comments: WOW, all I can say is WOW about how the patterns morph exactly like the project name implies, from one to the next. Thank you for letting me knit along with you. I am really looking forward to our summer project!

2) Project: Metamorphosis Pullover the Second
Your Name Mary
Your Ravelry name: marydear
Blog : http://shallweeat.blogspot.com/
Yarn used: Paton Lace in Patina
Beads used: Not on this one
Needle size used: US 4
Comments: Second go round with the pullover using Charts A, B, C and E.

3) Project: Metamorphosis Cardigan
Your Name Mary
Your Ravelry name: marydear
Blog : http://shallweeat.blogspot.com/
Yarn used: Knit Picks Shadow held doubled
Beads used: Not on this one
Needle size used: US 4
Comments: Knit in tandem with my pullover-the-first, the cardigan version has been worn to work and got a ton of compliments, usually starting with "Where can I buy one of those?"

4) Project: Metamorphosis Pullover the First
Your Name Mary
Your Ravelry name: marydear
Blog : http://shallweeat.blogspot.com/
Yarn used: Mochas Fibers BB Toes in Maine Blueberry
Beads used: Not on this one
Needle size used: US 4
Comments: I loved, loved, loved the worksheet that we used before getting started. This sweater fits TDQ perfectly and I usually don't get that when I knit for her, we run into the sleeves being too long or too short etc. Fantastically well written and charted pattern, what I have come to expect from a BadCat Designs knit! It was a pleasure to get to work with Jeri on a first time knit along and I look forward to what the two of you come up with next together and individually. Thank you for letting me play!

If you like what you see, both shawls and the scarf pattern are available at my Ravelry pattern shop, and the sweater ebook will be available very soon!

Moving right along, my Summer 2011 group project, Back to the Garden, is already enrolling and will begin swatching on June 21st. Details are here and everyone is welcome.!

Metamorphosis: The collection!

Today I finally have some reasonable photographs of most of the Metamorphosis collection. The center of this project was our sweater, and here I have photos of BadKitten showing off the cardigan, knit by Jeri in the suggested BBToes yarn. Jeri used 6/0 crystal ab beads on the yoke and border of the bottom and sleeves. She used edging Chart D on both the sleeves and the bottom. BadKitten is going for casual and says the yarn feels wonderfully soft.

Jeri used four simple crystal buttons, which are a perfect match for the beads.
Jeri made this sweater to BadKittens measurements, and group members might recall that from our measurement tutorial. It fits her like a glove...
BK is ready to do her thing in this lovely cardigan. Note that Jeri made 3/4 sleeves on this version. The pattern allows for a sleeveless vest, 3/4 sleeves or long sleeves, at the knitters discretion.
What is missing here is the pullover version of the sweater, and my gorgeous purple version is just waiting for me to finish up the sleeve borders and block. I should have that ready for my next post.
Above is The Cocoon Scarf, which is another one of our Metamorphosis projects. This can be made in any size, from a dainty scarf to a large stole. My version was made using 2-ply merino lace weight hand dyed by my friend, Judith Gilbert. It reads as blue, but the color is a rich blend of blues, purples and browns.
Simple and easy to wear.
It is hard to see the stitch patterns here, but you can appreciate how delicate it is.
The next project from Metamorphosis that I want to share is The Chrysalis Shawl. This one is knit using 2/28 merino/silk from Colourmart, along with some 2.5mm silver-lined gray Ab triangle beads.
It is hard to capture the stitch patterns, beads and glow of the yarn in a picture.
It is a wisp of a shawl, and gossamer enough to use as a veil. It can be made as large as the knitter chooses.
Finally, I have some pictures of the Metamorphosis Shawl. This one is knit with 2-ply yarn that I spun myself, in a Shetland/silk blend. I used 6/0 crystal ab beads.
Maybe I will have some better light and do another round of photos in the near future, but I think this shows you each project. Please feel free to ask if you want more details. The Metamorphosis group is busy knitting, and all the project files have been posted. You are welcome to join if you want access to the patterns and our support. In a few months the patterns will be available at my Ravelry pattern store and at Jeri's Ravelry pattern store. Until then, join the group to get them!
Thanks for looking and I hope to be back soon with more pictures and fun. I am starting to think about a summer group and will try to include a poll in my next post, so I can get some ideas about projects from you! Until then, knit on!

Metamorphosis: onward!

For the Metamorphosis Project, this week is all about edges!

Our first shawl project, The Metamorphosis Shawl, will be getting Chart D. You can see how that looks on my shawl above.

I used Chart E on my Metamorphosis Sweater pullover. We are blocking between the body and the sleeves to check fit and you can see Miss LucyFur has done her usual fine blocking job!
I used blocking wires, which allowed me to follow the curve of the waist shaping. I used t-pins for each point along the bottom edge.
Here is a close-up of the Chart E edge following Chart C on my sweater. I slip a piece of paper between the layers to help show the pattern off but the photograph is not really going it justice.

Finally, here is a peek at what the Chart F edge looks like. Above we can see F following Chart A with clusters, which is a chart I have not posted yet. We will be using this one with the next two shawl/stole projects, so consider this a sneak peek! More details about the piece above will be coming.

Next week we will be moving on to the sleeves and another shawl/stole project, so please feel free to join us if you think what we are working on looks interesting. Jeri and I are having a blast! All the information about joining us is right here. Plenty of people are still casting on and the files are excellent, so come on down!

Metamorphosis is evolving!

This week we are moving onto Chart C, and for the Metamorphosis Shawl it looks like what you see above!

Here is a close-up of the Chart C pattern from my pullover sweater,

And a little more fabric here. This is the chart knit with both the cluster stitches and the beads. We are using this pattern below the bust and through the waist. Because of the dramatic clusters, the stitch pattern gives gentle waist shaping without any other effort. We also posted a whole series of insert charts, which we are using for hip shaping. Things are looking pretty fine!

We have our border comings next week, and for that we have three different options for our sweaters and the final chart for our first shawl. We will be sharing those three charts next weekend. After that, people working on sweaters will start their sleeves and people working on shawls will finish their first project and move on to their second project. There are two new stitch patterns coming (separate from the three borders) which we will combine with the patterns we already have. Just a ton more great knitting. Several group members have plans to start a second version of the sweater, without even taking a deep breath in between! And in case they are reading this, those two new stitch patterns can be used for their sweaters, as they each flow well from one to the next. You could add an extra stitch pattern within the yolk, just saying...

If you want to know more about our Metamorphosis Winter KAL just check out the tab at the top of my blog.

We have a huge amount of snow in the NYC area right now, and we are expecting another 6-9 inches, followed by a few inches of ice for good measure. I might not be able to get to work on Wednesday, which could mean a great knitting day, assuming I make it home from work on Tuesday. Now I just have to hope that all that ice doesn't take my power (and heat) out. I can knit in the dark, but not if my hands are cold...

Until next week, knit on!

Vogue Knitting Live: Stash Enhancement...

But first, a little Metamorphosis update! This week we progress with our sweaters. Above you can see my raglan seam (with open ms) and below you can see the completed v-neck closure for the pullover. Both photos are while blocking, and I slipped a white sheet of paper in for a better look at the details.

On Sunday Jeri and I posted the second installment of the pattern, which takes us past the yoke and on to the body of the sweater. Below you can see how I tried on my sweater to confirm a perfect fit. It is hard to take a photograph without help, and with needles still in place. Please forgive the poor quality!
Next week we will be moving on to the next lace chart, which creates a little waist shaping. It is also the second chart for our first shawl. The group is great fun and you are welcome to join us as we explore sweaters and lace (in some serious detail!) All the information is here.

So I went to Vogue Knitting Live on Saturday. It was very freezing cold in NYC, but Margaret was willing to drive, so several of us went in style. It was really crowded and the light was not great, but that didn't stop me! This is who I got to see: starting from the left are Dawn, Cara, me, Margaret, Karen, Jeri and Pat. I also saw Judi, who is not in my picture. I did not see Sandra, Benita, Janet or Paula, despite looking for them! Karen and Pat actually took a class. Sandra, Benita, Janet and Paula took a few classes (which is probably why we didn't get to see them.) The rest of us were just yarn junkies...

I got a bag of Noro King for a new idea Jeri and I have been working on. It is a light fingering weight with a crisp feel (think raw silk.) The yardage is excellent, so the bag of 10 skeins will make a jacket for me.

I got some lovely natural black alpaca blended with natural dark brown merino. This is a heavy lace weight and really nice, with an earthy feel. I can't wait to play with it.

I got two little skeins of lace weight kid/silk just because the colors really grabbed me and are so shockingly pretty together. In a shocking way. I really love color in the winter.

I got a skein of the newish Noro lace to try out.

And I got two cakes of lace weight Merino from Windy Valley, which were on sale for a lovely price. The color is more lavender than pink, but the flash washed it out a bit. It feels devine knitted up (they had some sample garments.) What more can I say?

I'll try to be back next week with a Metamorphosis update, showing both sweater and shawl progress. Until then, knit on!