Koigu Contest

jody

Interesting comments to yesterday’s post! Some of my favs:

  • Christy and Katy had similar points in suggesting if we go shopping and can’t find anything else that we’ll buy sock yarn so we don’t come home empty handed. This one hit home. I am positive that I do this (although I never noticed it until she said something).
  • Johanna suggests I forget about knitting all the yarn and just roll in it. I like her style!
  • Kris made me laugh when she said she plans to catalog her sock yarn before her next order arrives

And this one is the one that made me really think…

  • Amy suggests I use the Koigu for something else.

I have considered that, but dismissed it because all the colors I listed are doubles. I bought 2 hanks just for socks. It doesn’t mean I _have_ to make them into socks, but it seems like the best fit.
It got me thinking “What else could I do with all these double hanks of Koigu?”. The 2 hanks total 350 yards, so I have 350 yards of each of the colors you see here.

SocKoigu

So — the contest…
What is your best suggestion for how to use this yarn? Use one ball, or many. Mix and match as you like. I will say that my inclination is to not split up the 2 hanks of the same color, but I’m open. My favorite suggestion wins…what else? A couple hanks of Koigu — maybe from the stash, maybe new. I haven’t decided yet.
So give me your best idea. I’ll leave the contest running until Saturday.

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77 thoughts on “Koigu Contest”

  1. I think a simple larger scarf/small wrap could be made of two of the coordinating colors, the browny one on the left and the yellow in the middle seem like they’d go well together. I’d pick a simple lace pattern and work a few inches of color A, the same amount alternating A and B, the same amount of just B, alternate again, and repeat until I ran out of yarn.

  2. Sock yarns can be used for gloves, right? I just made a pair for my brother.
    My LYS is having a store-wide sale … I strolled around the store and didn’t find any yarns I really needed to buy, but still I came out with 2 hanks of Koigu … just too beautiful, couldn’t resist! Thinking about it, maybe I should go back tomorrow and get 2 more … hahaha …

  3. for every two hanks of koigu, you could make shawls. Diamond Fantasy Shawl/Scarf uses about 350yds. And the flower basket shawl..or the herrinbone glove pattern. I’ve seen an FO for the herringbone glove that uses 2 hanks of koigu.

  5. Not one of the most original ideas, but Charlotte’s Web “uses” 5 skeins. Since (so far) that seems mostly in order to use 5 *colors*, one might be able to make it with 4 — maybe the two “brown-y” ones (1 & 3 from the left)?

  6. Colorwork! You could knit a pair of colorwork mittens (or socks, if you preferred), using 2 hanks of Koigu, paired with a solid contrasting color yarn. Tipper (of the Daily Fiber Therapy blog) had the idea to do something like that for the Nordic Mittens from the Winter ’04 IK. I think it would be a really neat effect, and an unusual way to use a couple of hanks of Koigu.

  7. You need four hanks, two of the same colorway for the chevron scarf in last minute knitted gifts. The two hanks (not the pull balls) on the ends would look fabulous together. That would take care of 4 hanks. Actually, the center hank and the pull ball on the left would look good together too. But then you’d be knitting two of those scarves.
    Or you could knit this:
    http://mohairdreams.typepad.com/mohair_dreams/2005/11/short_and_sweet.html
    It takes two hanks of koigu. And I know that the yarn store that has it will fax or mail you the pattern.

  8. Cordelia already suggested it, but those 5 colors lined up reminded me of the Charlotte’s Web colorways too. You haven’t done a major lace project in awhile, maybe it’s time?
    Heck with 2 hanks of each color, you could do 2 shawls…one for yourself, and one for a friend?

  10. I have to second the hand warmers idea. My fingerless mitts out of Koigu are favorites, for sure. Charlotte’s Web, of course, comes to mind, as has already been noted, but you’d be splitting them and ending up with enough to make 2 of the same web, which probably gives you chills! Two skeins could be turned into Sivia Harding’s Diamond Fantasy Shawl/Scarf. (Or make it bigger – use 4 skeins, intermingling the two chosen colors.) http://siviaharding.com/Diamonds2.html (It’s on my list this year to make, actually – I have a huge stash of Koigu, but I’ve never made Koigu socks, oddly enough.)

  11. I was going to say Charlotte’s Web too, but I’ve been beaten to it!
    There is a very pretty hat in last year’s Knitting Pattern a Day calendar – the Bell Cloche – it calls for worsted, but I bet you could double it. It is very cute. I’ve been eyeing it all year myself! You could make one for each day of the week!

  12. I was fascinated with many of the charlottes I saw back when everyone was knitting one. The way the colors stripe and play with each other is lovely. Now, I’ve never seen the pattern, so I’m not sure how it’s knitted, but I had the idea to knit it with two strands, changing the second strand every so often so that the big stripes consist of smaller stripes of the other yarns. It might be too busy, I have no idea if it would actually work, but it sure looks pretty in my minds eye :)

  13. How about a Patch of Berries scarf from Patternworks (2 skeins), or even better – a Carousel Tunic in a smaller child’s size. Or you could do a Keepsake Shawl and use all the colors together that way.

  14. Oh a contest… great :)
    You could make some of those mitred squares and make a laprug out of it. Or a throw, pillows, maybe a bag. Hmm… guess you wanted one idea, didn’t you? Well, the mitred squares are my idea :)
    Cheers

  15. Back in December 04, I made a Kiri shawl using 5 hanks of Koigu originally destined for a Charlotte’s Web. I love that shawl!

  16. I’m just finishing up a pair of gloves in Koigu – which have used about 1½ hanks. If you stranded it together with a plain yarn you could make matching hat and mittens from 2 hanks.

  19. feather and fan lace scarf, a quick hat given that cold weather will be coming your way.
    Patty

  20. Did you see Annie’s Koigu Turtleneck?
    http://www.knittygritty.net/gallery2005.html
    She used 3 skeins of four colors. I have seen it in person, and it is so gorgeous! It’s a “Charlotte” idea, where you stripe and then work solid bands. (You can vary the striping sequence to suit what you have, and you may have to get more – oh well.)
    Kind of like the Noro scarf in last minute gifts – striping two variegated yarns from different color families – so much fun to do!

  21. Wristwarmers or mittens. (I’ve got some koigu for the Natalyas that I’m going to make eventually…) A small lace shawl, either with the two matching skeins or maybe two matching skeins and a coordinating skein. Something like the Charlotte’s Web shawls. Depending on the color range you’ve got, something like the koigu skirt from Vogue could be nice (Cosmicpluto’s is very pretty). If the skirt isn’t appropriate, maybe something like a pillow with the same construction idea. You could probably also get a nice bag out of 2-4 skeins of koigu.
    And, for one more suggestion of the probably-useless variety: koigu would probably be great for small toys or sculptural knitting.

  23. A Modified ‘Koigu Wrap': It’s garter lace knit on the long edge. It’s huge in the pattern, and takes 10 skeins, but I’ve seen it done casting on about half the stitches and using 5 skeins (or as many as you like). It makes a terribly luxurious scarf! Don’t judge it by the picture on the pattern :) I’ve seen it done with five different skeins, alternating skeins, all the same colourway, etc. The world is your hand-painted-merino oyster!

  24. Hi Jody, When I was in Toronto, I purchased 4 skeins of Koigu in 2 different but similar colorways, and the owner of Lettuce Knit suggested that I make a multidirectional scarf with them (since I’m not a sock knitter–yet). Alternate colors every 4 rows so that they blend better.

  25. 2 thoughts:
    1 is to make mittens. There are 2 patterns on this page: http://www.needletrax.com/knittingzone/mittens.htm for mittens using Koigu, and each pair uses 2 skeins. They’re gorgeous. (There’s also a pair of gloves for Koigu if you’re feeling really ambitious.)
    2. Double the Koigu and make a scarf. The pattern doesn’t have to be fancy – even a simple ribbed or seed stitch would really highlight the colors of the yarn. And how nice would Koigu feel against your face in the winter??
    (btw. This is a great dilemma to have!)

  26. I am using sock yarn to knit up a cute bandana :)
    They are super easy to knit and a really cute gift.
    Cast on 3 stitches.
    Basically you are working in garter stitch and then repeating a little lace Primrose (from one of barbara walkers books). On all even rows you just knit, on all odd rows, you YO one stitch in from each end (to make it grow) out into a triangle. Each time you start the lace pattern on the odd rows, you star like for example 5 stitches in, and then just repeat across and then knit the last 5 stitches before the YO. So this gives the design balance. So it looks like a little flower;
    .o.o.o.
    .o.o.
    …
    The o’s are the lace, the .’s are stockinette.
    I’m having a hard time explaining it and I don’t have a photo but they are soooo quick to knit. I am using 1 hank of art yarns. I am looking forward to creating all kinds of cute bandana’s with different lace patterns!

  28. I have my Sally Melville gauntlet’s on now and just love wearing them. Warm hands while typing and when it’s a bit warmer outside they are more comfy than gloves.
    It might be cool to knit them into a tank or sleeves top and shade to colors together. A few rows of one then then another color. The colors look good together and compliment each other.

  29. how about making a cowl, hat and glove set with a fair isled or striped pattern using the black, green, purple and pink? Another small project might be headband/ earwarmer in fair isle or lace. The colors are lovely, whatever they become it’ll be beautiful.

  31. There is a Free Pattern on http://www.knitpicks.com that isa baby sweater out of sock yarn and I am about to start one to try and put a dent in my sock yarn collection. I plan on making one each in the following colors, Blues, Pinks, and yellow.green. I do not like pastel colors so I am using up the bright colors in my collection. I am always needing a baby gift and I think that if I make them when I do not need them I will have them at the end of the year. I have 2 friends fronm church who will each get one when their baby comes.

  32. I’m sure it has been mentioned but I knit a cute drop stitch scarf for my mom and a second for a woman she works with. I used one hank of Cherry Tree Hill but two hanks of Koigu would work out just fine. It was a quick knit too and makes for a practical scarf, it can be worn as an accessory or to keep warm under a coat.

  34. I like lacey scarves and have made two or three from two balls of koigui – just pick an interesting lace pattern – do a little swatching to see how wide you want it and go.

  35. I suggest legwarmers… kind of like socks, but branching out a little. There are cute patterns in Weekend Knitting and on knitty.com, not sure of the guage, but you could improvise. As for colors, I like the pink and red together, or perhaps the red with the purple and pink ball on the right.

  36. I’m gonna suggest: http://www.kyarns.com/koigu-painters-palette-premium-merino-lace-jills-shawl.html
    or: http://www.theyarnco.com/knit_display/301
    or: http://www.foxyknits.com/pc-117-18-foxy-shawl.aspx
    Oh maybe this one: http://www.lalanawools.com/PatternBk/KathyJohnson/LdyElenorStole.html
    Now this is keeping in mind, please, that I am new to knitting, have no idea what you like to knit,whether you would use or have folks to give shawls to as gifts.
    There you go, my suggestions.

  38. I would love to have a inventive suggestion for you, but all I can think of right now is socks, socks, socks! 😀 Thanks for visiting my blog, Jody! :-)

  43. Currently I’m making the princess wrap pattern from Classic Elite http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/pattern_detail.php?patternID=7#
    from Koigu, on size 4 needles and it’s knitting up as a great scarf. I added one repeat of the pattern to the width, and I’ve knit 4 repeats and have used 1/2 ball, and figure it will stretch to 10″ blocked. So to get a 55″ scarf I figure I’ll need most of 3 balls of the Koigu that I have. What I’m most thrilled with is the way the colors are pooling, not striping, with this pattern. I’m posting pics to my blog today (http://fiberartsafloat.blogspot.com), if you want to see it. I’m so thrilled with it, I may get more Koigu just to make one for myself (this one is for the ISE exchange). I’d lose the extra repeat in the width to get more length and just use two balls, except then I think you’d lose the pooling of the colors, which is what makes this pattern so exceptional for this scarf. (Oh, there is an error in row 13 of the chart on the pattern, so refer to the written row 13 for the correct instruction)

  44. Latvian mittens! Or in the case of wanting to do less detailed work than that, there’s the very striking Chevron scarf in last minute knitted gifts, which has been on my list for a long time. It calls for striping 2 colorways of koigu. Or a shawl with colors changing like they do in Charlotte’s Web.

  45. there are some really cool arm gauntlets in sally mellville’s the purl stitch that requires 2 hanks of koigu. i’ve made two pairs and they’re lovely for cold winter days.

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