Melanie Andersen's Website

I wanted to make a brown sweater to wear
with my brown jeans. But I love the warmth and
softness of this Sublime yarn that I wear it with anything.
I've been into cables lately. I chose this pattern because
I was facinated with the cables going around the shoulders
instead of the traditional up and down. The pattern is called
Tangled Yoke Cardigan in Interweave Magazine Fall 2007.
January 2008

A close-up of the beautiful pewter buttons I found at
Unwind Yarn House in Newmarket, the cable design,
and the extra-long garter rib cuff.
January 2008

I found this pattern for a "circle" sweater and
thought it was so cool - I had to knit it.
Haifa is modelling it but it was actually knit for Verity.
It fits both of them really nicely,
so I know it will last for years.
January 2008

The pattern is called "Polkadot" and can be found
for free at berocco.com.
January 2008

The yarn is Dream In Color Classy.
Haifa wears this sweater quite often.
She looks lovely in it.
January 2008

Here Verity is wearing her lovely sweater.
I had just sewn on the pretty clasp.
She calls it her sleeping sweater and likes to wear it to bed.
March 21, 2008

Here you can see how the sweater is just a circle
with two holes for sleeves in it.

These socks are a gift for Linda,
so they're a bit big on my feet.
February 5, 2008.

The pattern comes from knitty.com "Back to
Basics" and the yarn is Dream in Color Smooshy Sock
Yarn in "Some Summer Sky". These socks are easy
to knit and are an excellent fit. I love the pattern.
February 2008

I love the yarn. In fact, when I finished the first sock,
I ran back to the knitting store to get another skein of
"Some Summer Sky" so I can knit myself a pair
of these beauties some time.
February 2008

Socks for my Dad. Dream In Color Smooshy sock yarn in Midnight Derby. Pattern: Fit Well Socks available as a free download on ravelry.com. They turned out perfect.

I think the garter stitch rib looks quite sophisticated
and it's easier to knit that normal ribbing!

I knit these socks for my sister using Dream In Color
Smooshy sock yarn in Visual Purple. There are waves of a subtle gold color in them - it's very nice.
The pattern is Widdershins from knitty.com.
For my small, skinny feet it is a perfect fit,
tight around the ankles.
February 2008

So... with Ayyam-i-Ha gifts finished,
I was able to start a pair of socks for myself.
Back to Basics pattern like Linda's.
Started: February 26, 2008.

I decided I didn’t like the detail on the toe
so I did large number of cast-on’s (34 sts)
and a few increases.

I tried using kfb increases instead of M1’s.
(In the picture, the sock on the left has kfb increases
and the sock on the right has M1’s).
I’ve since decided that I’m okay with
the holes that M1’s make
and the detail on the toe of these socks.
Socks finished March 5, 2008.

He loves them and wears them when
he's travelling away from home.
Started: March 5, 2008
Finished: March 19, 2008

For Ayyam-i-Ha, the kids gave me
lots of different coloured sock yarns
(since I've been knitting lots of socks
for Ayyam-i-Ha gifts). The problem was
that I really don't like the yarn they chose,
it has synthetic fibres in it and doesn't knit well.
I finally decided to return them
and get the yarn I've been eyeing for a couple of months.
The softest cashmere/silk blend, hand dyed
in a scarf pattern I'm actually interested in wearing.

Here it is! My Ayyam-i-Ha scarf from Verity.
I love it! It's like I have a baby bunny wrapped around my neck.
Started: March 20, 2008
Finished: March 21, 2008

I had knit the cool circle sweater for Verity, so I thought
I should knit a sweater for Haifa too. I got this yarn
super-cheap on boxing day. It cost $24 for enough yarn for
this sweater and a baby blanket. The yarn is Cascade 220 wool. I'm not crazy about it but it's a good price and
it works. Personally, I'm spoiled by Sublime's extra fine merino wool. I love the bone buttons we got for this.
June 2008

I chose a couple of patterns and then asked her to choose which one she liked best. This pattern is available for free from knitty.com - it's called Starsky Jr. (there's an adult version as well).

This is a very simple, easy pattern but it looks so great!
This shrug can be worn with dresses or jeans
and is perfect to just carry in my purse
for when air conditioning is too cold.
June 27, 2008.

I bought this yarn because I absolutely love the color.
It might be hard to tell from this photo but it's a gorgeous variegated violet made with silk and mohair.
It's a bit itchy though.
June 27, 2008

I bought this yarn on Boxing Day last year
because I had a strong urge to make a baby blanket
but I didn't know who for...

This summer I started knitting the baby blanket
because I had a strong urge to start it
but I still didn't know who for. Then Shabnam and
Travis moved in with us. Shabnam was a few
months pregnant and planning to have her baby
born in our home (homebirth). I found the perfect
recipient of my beautiful baby blanket.
Blanket finished July 6, 2008.
Phoenix born November 2008.

This is an organic cotton yarn from Blue Sky.
It is EXTREMELY soft and squishy.
I love the colors.

It's an easy pattern. At the beginning and end of each row,
you cut and tie (which will eventually become your fringe).
You change color every four rows. You knit every row.

The kids and I at Sara and Dan's wedding
on August 24, 2008. I'm wearing my
Hanami Rain Stole which I finished
on August 2, 2008.

My Hanami Rain Stole made of Handmaiden Sea Silk
which is made of silk and seaweed.
August 24, 2008.

A sweater I made for Justice. He wanted it to be red.
And he chose the pattern (Durrow) from
a choice of about six different patterns. It was
an adult pattern so I had to figure out how to make it
kid sized. When I began, I redid the first four inches
of one sleeve about 12 times before finally deciding
how I would do this. The yarn is Mission Falls 1824 Wool.
It's very soft and very warm. He loves it. He gave me
$3 dollars from his allowance for it.
September 29, 2008.

A scarf I made Kristine for her birthday
out of a super-soft cashmere silk.
October 20, 2008.

Well, I noticed a hole in my glove - what a
perfect reason to learn how to knit myself
a pair!! They turned out pretty nice. Very
warm and squishy. Now for the matching
scarf and hat!
October 2008

With leftover yarn from my Tangled Yoke Sweater,
I made these matching socks with the same pattern
that is on the sleeves.
October 21, 2008

It was a challenge to knit these socks because I didn't
have a pattern. I had to make it up a bit based on my
previous knowledge of sock making. I'm proud that
it worked out.

I finally finished the scarf that matches the gloves I
made earlier this fall. The question is: can I finish
the matching hat before the gloves get holes in them?
December 19, 2008

A close-up of the pattern on the scarf. I love it.
The pattern is called "My So-Called Scarf".

Another scarf for me! I don't know about this one.
I love the yarn - silk with beads in it.
But I don't like the scarf. I may turn it into a cowl one day.
December 25, 2008.

Only two months until Ayyam-i-Ha! Better get knitting.
This one's for my Dad (Mishkin's modelling) My sister Kristine (who I have made into an avid knitter as well)
is making a matching scarf. This hat took 2 days to make.
December 25, 2008.