Yarny Goodness!

Moved!!

2007-05-20T20:11:00.001-04:00

Well, google accounts went and screwed up my blogger account, so I decided to take my toys and go home. well, wordpress anyway:

yarny.wordpress.com

Update your links!

Sheep! And Wool! And Wool! And Sheep!

2007-05-06T12:31:00.000-04:00

Maryland Sheep and Wool 2007 rocked! No migraine and no sunburn this year! (Alas, no lamburger, which was sad.)

There were sheep.

Rams(?)

Even the sheep think they're tastey!

Goats!

The Haul:

Spinning Flock Farm (Woodbine, MD)
50/50 Merino/Tussah Silk in Charcoal and Pale Lavender for Deep V Argyle Vest

The Flock Bransonas
75/25 Wool/nylon sock yarn in "Rhapsody"

More Flock Bransonas Sock
"Esmerelda"

The Mannings
Koigu, #305

More Mannings
Koigu, # 1008

While at the Mannings booth there was a woman standing next to me, and someone went pushing behind us, and pushed the woman into the big wall of koigu. She made a "hrmph" noise and glared at the pusher (because really, it's MDS&W, there's no call for shoving!) and I said "Well, there are worse things to be shoved into, I suppose." The woman stepped back, and realized she'd been pushed into a big wall of koigu and agreed it could be worse.

I got a little light headed at the Mannings
"Gossamer Webs" - History and Construction of Orenburg Lace

Carodan Farm, Stanardsville, VA
Opal Rainforest Collection in Fish & Flamingo

Shelridge Farms, Durham, Canada
6 balls of W4 in silver. Incidentally, all of my friends got some too, after I raved about it so much.

Tess' Designer Yarns
Super Sock? Pewter perhaps? Mine didn't have a label.

FO: Pomatomus

2007-05-01T15:17:00.000-04:00

Photo by Jess at Stitch DC!

Pattern: Pomatomus by Cookie A, via Knitty
Yarn: Koigu KPPPM (color 200, I think, but the ball band has been lost to time)
Needles: Size 0. Two circulars for the leg and the foot, double points for the gusset (it was so pretty, I couldn't not do the heel flap, even though I normally sub in a short row heel).
Mods: Only did two leg repeats – the koigu has less yardage than the Shelridge, and since I couldn't remember which color it was, I didn't want to risk running out.
Notes: Love, love, love these! (Incidentally, check out Tristan Prettyman's song "Love, Love, Love" (third song on the list)). I totally disregarded the weather forecast today (80 degrees), and wore them anyway. And during the photo shoot, Maggie Sefton of the Knitting Mysteries Series popped in, and she loved them too! So much so, that she said she was going to call Knitty and find out about possibly including them in her next book!

Super big detail shot

Next up: I'm going to start the second yarrow rib sock. And next Thursday, I'm totally starting the entrelac socks. I found some great Claudia Handpaint in "Just Plum" that I'm going to use instead of "Pink Posey." They're going to be my end-of-finals treat. Along with another Ribbi Cardi.

Boy, I'm talkative lately!

OMG! New Magknits!

2007-05-01T08:55:00.000-04:00

Ada June - Cute. I hope magknits is still running if/when my friends have babies, so I can make this hat for them. (Print it out now? Feh!)

Brigid - I wish there were more views. But it looks like a good way to cut your teeth on some lace, if you don't want to do a boring old rectangle.

Diamond Girl - Normally I'm not a fan of things that bisect my chest. But I inexplicably love this. I'm definitely going to de-puff the sleeves, and probably use ribbon instead of icord. Maybe have the quilting come down a touch more?

Friday - You know, the purl side is really pretty! I see myself with one of these (made longer) this winter. I love the little knubs!

Rivendell - I must have this hat! Did you see the picture of the top? What a perfect crown! Although, I might throw in a rib in those big sections of reverse stockinette, just to give it a bit more grip. Maybe.

Reduce Reuse Recycle - I've always wondered what the sag factor on a plastic-plastic bag would be. But cute still. [One time, I saw someone who was looking for places to buy colorful plastic bags, so she could cut them up and turn them into a 'recycled' plastic bag. And did not see how this was an afront to the idea of the knit plastic bag as a way to reuse the bags.]

Zoe - Huh, that looks a lot smaller than the dimensions given. I'm not a purse user, and the I think the ruffle needs twice as many ruffles (making it look fuller. And to point down a little more.

Overall, I think this is one of the better issues they've had in a while!

Just in the nick of time!

2007-04-30T21:41:00.000-04:00

So I got my sock pal info today and while thinking about what yarn to use I remembered that the wee tiny start up Neighborhood Fiber Company had the most perfect colorway (named "Brookland") - I ordered it just in time, too. To prep for festivals, they're (actually, I think it's just "She's...") closing down orders for a month, starting this Friday (but yay for being popular).

Now, to find the right pattern!

Interweave preview!

2007-04-29T15:29:00.000-04:00

Summer 07 Interweave preview and yardage requirements are online!
http://www.interweaveknits.com/preview/2007_summer.asp

I think I'm loving the boot socks and the hats are the only things I'm really excited about from the preview, but maybe something else will be cooler in the big pictures...

almostivoli

2007-04-28T15:30:00.000-04:00

I went on something of an interstate yarn hunt this morning. With a mere 15 rows left on my Picovoli sleeves, I ran out of yarn. So I called Stitch DC. Apparently I cleaned them out of cream color Cathay last year. [Back in the day when all this Cathay was going to be Spring Fling]). So I called Knit Happens. And bless the yarn gods, they had it! So off I went.

I almost never go to KH because I get lost and I can't parallel park. So I park in garages. But, bless the parking gods, there was an unmetered space right at the end of a block that I could just pull into!

So I went, I had a celebratory sandwich at Cosi [in honor of finding yarn and a parking space. The sandwich was very bad, by "Could I have a tiny bit more honey mustard" I did not actually mean "Could you put a big glob of honey mustard right in the middle, and not spread it out on the bread at all"], I got my ball (same dye lot!), I knit my 15 rows, and I bound off and I skipped back to my car.

I outsourced the sewing down of the picot hem to my mom (in exchange for a nice steak), and it still really, really needs a wash and block, in the worst way. I'm also considering dying it. Now that I have a whole extra ball to make swatches with, I'll have to read up on what (if anything) will dye Cotton/Silk/Microfiber. Let there be something, cream does not match my skin very well.

Can there be too many Ribbi Cardis?

2007-04-23T11:26:00.000-04:00

I spent most of the weekend knitting (Picovoli - it's divided into such great chunks. You can sit there and think "Well, I'll just finish the yoke. It's only 33 rows! Okay, I'll do the bust too, that's only 40 rows. Well, why not finish the waist decreases since I'm at it – only 27 rows. And then how can I not do the straight part of the waist? That's just 13 rows. Heck, why not do the hip increases – only 18 rows." My elbow cramped before I finished the last 10 rows and picot hem. So the body will probably be done tonight. Other scary things - the amount of cleaning I got done this weekend. Was there a time warp or soemthing?) But when I wasn't knitting, there was some stash assessment (I'm considering thinning the herd before MDS&W). I've been wondering for a while what to do with...

Cotton Ease. Original recipe.

I have two balls of purple – the oldest yarn in my stash! (Well, oldest yarn I bought. Inherited yarn from grandma doesn't count). And four (five?) balls in black. While browsing the internet this late last week, I saw a Ribbi Cardi done with 6 balls of Cotton Ease. I love my Shelridge Ribbi to death, so would a second one be so bad? (This was going to be a Tricot until I noticed the Tricot gauge - 4 st/inch! I can't get 4 st/inch with Cotton Ease!)

What about a third one?

I have four more balls of blue (I admit it, I bought out a Ben Franklin Crafts Cotton Ease stock one day) left over from my Sitcom Chic. Blue body + white sleeves (or white and light blue stripes). My mom likes my Ribbi, and she liked the color of my Sitcom Chic. (And she is making me a quilt, and has unwittingly agreed to making me a couple of skirts... I'm phasing her into handknits, as long as she promises to wear them. So far she has a sweater, a hat, and a crocheted scarf.)

I wonder if I'd be all Ribbied out by the time I got around to #3. That's a lot of Ribbi. I wouldn't do them in a row, but still. So a question for my readers (I'm up to 9 on bloglines! And I know there are others!)--

How many times have you made the same pattern (which pattern?), and how did that go for you?

Another new start: Picovoli

2007-04-18T08:55:00.000-04:00

Last night I was lamenting the fact that I had no yarn for the project I wanted to make right away (I caved in and bought the Simple Knitted Bodice - I tried with the specs I'd written down for my own knockoff version, and that failed, and I was clearly having a dim moment when I last measured my swatch - I wrote down 4.5spi on the tag, and when I remeasured last night, it was 5.5 spi. So woe, no yarn. Guess I'll add that to the list to take to MDS&W). And while lamenting I made a list of sweaters in various states of disarray (Samus, Rogue, Top-Down Lace Sleeve) and things I had swatches for, but had size/gauge issues still (Tricot, Kimono, Lucy in the Sky) and I almost added Picovoli to the latter list, until I found my swatch, measured, and realized, it was just right. No gauge-math needed!

Of course, I fall right in the middle of the sizes (at least for suggested ease of -2"). But you know, I think zero inches of ease will probably be just fine.

Of course, there are no pictures. Take my word for it that the picots look great (I did the provisional cast on, and after the yo-row I did two rows plain, then joined by unzipping my cast-on and putting the stitches on another needle, and then knitting one stitch from each needle together (much as one would do a three needle bind off, but without the bind off part). Terribly awkward to execute, but it looks really good - and with one less step in finishing later.

Finally!

2007-04-13T09:43:00.000-04:00

The cough medicine is wearing off and I'm having clear thoughts again!

It just occured to me that if I make Tricot as a cardigan (I like the half zip, but I'm not a half zip wearer. I'm a cardi wearer.) then I can do the body in one piece with no seams. (Well, no seams except for the sleeves - like I said, I'm off cough syrup and not having crazy thoughts like "I can do intarsia in the round with no problem!")

Yay for no seams.

Also: My Pomatomus is almost done. But it's Sock 1, not 2. (If you want to be technical, it's 2.1. With Sock 1.1, I got through the first repeat, and then stopped decreasing for like 4 rounds. Wasn't a good look. With all the twists and yarn overs, it wasn't good. And they were in Lorna's Laces, which was just too thin for the pattern. Sock 2.1 is koigu, and looks and feels much better.)

Let's pull out the Freud

2007-04-10T10:17:00.000-04:00

Last night I had a dream that I dropped Samus off at the the tailor for a zipper, and she charged me $700 for it.

Sadly still not a dream: The day I thought it would be easier to do a provisional cast-on and then graft the top of Samus to the saxon braid edge, rather than pick up 160 stitches over 240 rows (I tried twice - I kept picking up 50 stitches over the first 100 rows. Not easier, in case you were wondering. I grafted the first twenty stitches to the edge, and it looks like crap. Now I'm thinking I'll go back, pick up those 160 stitches, knit one row, plus knit one row from my provisional edge, and try grafting those together. Unless someone has a better idea.

Happy Easter!

2007-04-08T13:55:00.000-04:00

Foreground: Roza's Socks
Background: Nazareth

This has the potential to be very bad...

2007-04-03T15:02:00.000-04:00

So, some people having been telling about how great and wonderful is to spin your own yarn. And I've been resisting. First, because I don't really need so much more yarn, and second because the only local place that offers lessons (Springwater Fiber Workshop) has only offered spinning class on nights when I'm off learning about statistics. (Or when I'm on the other side of the world.)

So when they put up the summerish schedule, and the spinning class was on Saturday, Sunday, and Tuesday... I couldn't really use reason #2. And although reason #1 is still perfectly valid, the fact that I don't need more yarn has never stopped me from buying it, so it may as well not stop me from learning to make it.

Still, it's a shame that the class isn't being offered before MDS&W. Then I could buy fluff. But if I buy fluff at MDS&W, and then it turns out I don't like spinning, then I'll have a bunch of fluff (and fluff takes up so much more space than yarn!)

FO: The Shawl Collar Jacket

2007-04-02T14:00:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Shawl Collar Jacket by Alexandra Virgiel

Yarn: Kathmandu Aran Tweed (Discontinued), Color 120. (85% merino, 10% silk, 5% cashmere) I think I used 10 and the tiniest bit of ball #11 out of the 14 balls I picked up at Richmond's Lettuce Knit. It isn't particularly "jackety" – much more traditional cardigan. But I used a lighter-than-called-for yarn, and if you used a chunky yarn, it would make a great early fall/spring jacket.

Time to knit: Two weeks! (February 2 – 15). Time spent sitting on the couch: One month. Time at tailor for the zipper: One week.

Mods: I knit the body in one piece (no side seams). After reading this post where Cara said that Nona suggested that sewing the sleeve into a tube before sewing to the body was easier, I tried it that way. Now, I've only done set in sleeves with the body in two (three, for cardi) parts before, so I don't know if the tube-to-tube was easier than flat sleeve-to-tube body, but it wasn't particularly hard, so I'm going to stay with the tube-to-tube camp. I also picked up stitches for the shawl collar part, rather than knitting the shawl collar separately, and then sewing it on.

Other thoughts: This is the greatest sweater ever. It fits like a dream, it's warm and squishy, and pretty much perfect in every way.

This is my 3rd finished sweater this year (but only the 2nd one to get a blog entry). I've also finished my top-down deep v-neck 3/4 length sleeve blue sweater, but it needs to be washed before it gets a blog post.

Planning for Another Sweater

2007-03-31T19:00:00.000-04:00

I haven't updated about knitting in ages. You see, I got a little sick while on vacation. Tomorrow will be two weeks of being sick, so yesterday I went to the doctor. He confirmed that I have a cold. A bad cold, but just a cold.

In knitting news: I just got my copy of Elizabeth Zimmermann's "Knitting Around" in the mail. Must. Make. Everything!

First. I have to have The Bog Jacket like, right now. I saw this one online some time ago, and it really caught my eye. I want mine to have be multi-color though (like the one here, on the lower left). At first I wasn't sure about garter stitch (it's so ... gartery), but then I thought "Hey, the Mermaid jacket is garter stitch, but really pretty." Of course, the Mermaid Jacket is knit at 7-8 stitches per inch. Which is pretty small (let's see, 39" at 7.5 st/inch is 293 stitches. And that means something a little shy of 600 rows. That's a lot of garter stitch). Sure, I could go with dk or worsted weight (5.5 st/in - 215 st, and 4.5 st/in is 176), but then it looks so gartery looking.

Okay, so sizing issues aside, colors! I love the gray-white-black one (cited above). But how? I know EZ is pithy and all, but would it kill her to include some specs on making ones just like the pictures? (So some fun with a sketchpad later, I think I'd knit 5" plain, a row or two in black, and then about 10 inches in my contrast color. Or maybe 6.5" plain and 7" in contrast. So confusing!)

Other considerations. So I know I need to shorten it up (my longer sweaters are about 15" from armpit to hem), and lengthen the sleeve (although, I don't see why she says to use "about 12%" more stitches. (For me) underarm to wrist is 18". As written, it would measure 10" so I need 8 more inches. (Or 7 and then do 1" of garter in the reverse direction.) So I'd add X st/inch x 8 inches (which is about 20%). The waist shaping is easy enough to add (love(!) the faux seam), the shoulder short rows confuse me just a bit. Maybe they'll make more sense as they're being knit?

And so many yarn options. I have O-Wool (earmarked for the Top Down Raglan Along, but I like it, and could get more). Stitch DC is also now stocking Ella Rae Classic (100% wool - 220 yards for $7) - and they have Mission Falls. All lovely worsted options. For something lighter... maybe knitpicks' Telemark? I haven't worked with that before, and usually I prefer merino, but I like the colors. If I got really wild and crazy with the fingering weight I could try knitpicks' Gloss (or the Bare Merino/Silk - still fingering weight, but 440 yards (for $6.60, compared to Gloss 220 yards/$4) - and then I could dye it myself so I could have something pastel-y). I could do a lilac body with white stripe and dark purple accents.

Or, I could be smart and tell myself that I won't get to this sweater until at least May - so I should wait and pick something up at Maryland Sheep and Wool - only a month away!

(Oh, and the second must have: Seamless Yoke with Henley collar, then some mittens, and maybe a pi are square shawl.)

Israeli Alpaca farm

2007-03-15T15:44:00.000-04:00

Llamas rock:

but alpacas bite!

Spring 2007 Knitty

2007-03-07T21:29:00.001-05:00

Bmp - I didn't have video games growing up, so the retro thing doesn't make me all nostalgic. It seems a lot of other people like them, so that's cool.

Carolyn - I read something once about always picking your buttons after you finish the sweater, because the button can make or break the whole thing. Here's a fun example of breaking. Also - I think I want to say what the hell is going on with that collar, but I'm not sure since her hair is in the way. I'm also curious why it's so baggy in weird places (check out the back shot). Is it just too long for her? (I refuse to believe it has waist shaping!)

Tahoe - I was going to say that I think I'd love this sweater with some waist shaping tossed in. Then I looked at the schematic and realized that would defeat the purpose of the sweater! Now, I like Cathay and I like Koigu, however, wouldn't knitting at a gauge looser than the ball band suggests give you a fabric that is fluid and drapey for one day, and pilly and worn looking for the rest of the days?

Ribena - I like this. No weird arm warmers for me (but possibly longer sleeves). I love the shape of the ribs, and how they extend up. I think I'd want to drop the neckline a bit to. After making Durrow, however, I'm worried about my ability to seam a saddle shoulder correctly.

Torque - I like the idea of the asymmetrical cable, and love how it splits into the collar (okay, I know, I love it when cables flow into/out of other parts of the pattern in general). But that sweater looks like it's going to eat those girls!

Isabella - You know what would have been fun? Consistent lighting in this photoshoot. Also, a clear, head on shot so I can see the whole thing. I wish the leaf thing continued all the way around the neck. Also, remember that old pattern Soliel? A lot of people had a hard time because the arm hole was so wide, and it was like peak-a-boob if you lifted your arm. The armholes on this sweater look exactly the same. If the armhole was just a little smaller, it would be awesome to wear under a blazer to work, and then ditch the blazer in the car and head immediately out for a night out with friends.

Ester - I know you're sad that your friend died and all, but I'm sure she'd still want you to get some natural sunlight. And to smile if you're going to be out on the internet! [Amber's Handbasket Tours to Hell leave every hour on the hour. Reserve your space now!] Now, I love deconstructing things that are, or could be, hand knit. However, I prefer my clothes fit properly and are flattering. So I'll stick with 2x2 ribbing that flows into 4 stitch cables and back into 2x2 ribbing, seed stitch that comes out of increases, and that sort of thing.

More Stripes - It amazes me that things can be ribbed, yet not the least bit fitted. I think I'd have the V stop in the middle of my bust - not below. It sort of makes her look like she knit the vest for someone taller and heavier - but that the friend wouldn't be the model.

Monica - That poor little girl looks so unhappy in the first photo. I wasn't the kind of little girl who liked this sort of thing, and neither were my friends, but I suppose there are little girls out there who like wearing the super frilly stuff.

Briar Rose - If I knew a little girl, I would totally make her this sweater (in one color). I might even take the cables and put on a sweater for me!

Hey Mickey - I admit - I look at the pictures first, and read the copy second. I thought the pattern was for the socks. I hated skirts as a kid, and I hate knitted skirts now, but I suppose if you've got a little girl who likes skirts in your life now, it would be fun to make. But why would you knit an acrylic skirt? At least give it some potential to bounce back after the first wearing.

Vestee - < Amber is a terrible person alert > I'm so glad I had hair when I was little, and there are no pictures of me being all hairless with a funny shaped head when I was a toddler. < /Bad person. > I see the short sleeves/t-shirt. I see the long sleeve/sweater. I see the hood, and the shawl collar. I see no vest anywhere as any part of this sweater. But I suppose Sweateree didn't have the same ring.

Palette - Pretty. Really, really pretty. But I wonder - are you supposed to block with points (the way the waves face), or are you supposed to block the sides square, and the knitter just did a half assed job?

Dashing - I like the way the cables cross, but having knit fingerless mittens like this before, I can tell just by looking that the bind off pictured is way, way to tight to be functional. Substitute a stretchy bind off (like if you were doing a toe-up sock), and you'll actually be able to USE your hands.

Paperbag - I LOVE the idea of a bag made of paper yarn, and calling it Paperbag. But I don't like this paperbag. I can't put my finger on why, though. Probably the bobbles. Little warts of knitting.

Bauble - Cute. Not something I'd wear, but cute and innovative.

Queen of Cups - Considering MOST socks are written top down, I don't see why the designer makes a point of noting how she's obsessed with top down socks. That's like saying you're obsessed with sweater knit in 4 (or 5 if a cardi) pieces, from the waist to the shoulder. Regardless, I love the socks, and I'm wondering if I should make them with gray Koigu or purple Rowan Cashsoft 4ply.

Quill Lace - If you make a point of saying that the pattern uses the eye of partridge heel, why not photograph the eye of partridge heel? Also, I wonder if the lace is stretchy enough to keep them up without ribbing. They look awfully loose...

Clessidra - Must have! Right now! Must have! Not a huge fan of all that seed stitch, so I might try the front panel in stockinette instead. Not sure yet. But I'm totally ordering yarn for this project when I get back from Israel.

So that's 3, maybe 5 things I'd knit from this issue. Considering I liked over half the things in Winter Knitty, and made a grand total of ZERO of them (so far!) that isn't so bad.

Milestone post, and knitgoals of the month

2007-03-02T10:23:00.000-05:00

Happy 100th post to me! I've been holding off on posting because I wanted to have a picture extravaganza for Post 100. But then I really wanted to talk about myself, so I'll just make sure I'm prepared for Post 200.

My February Goals Recap:

Finish Falling Leaves Socks - Done! Still picture-less. They're a little odd - the pattern doesn't cling much, so they're loose around my ankles, and tight around my calf. In a do-over, I'd only do 7 pattern repeats on the leg, and then add more ribbing at the top.

Start another pair of socks for hallway knitting - Done! I started Pomatomus. Although their appropriateness for hallway knitting (when I'm a little early for class) is dubious - you really have to think about them!

Finish Kersti Glottens - Not done. I couldn't get excited about the thumb gusset.

Finish body of Lace Sleeve Raglan - Not done. But I did knit and assemble an entirely different sweater - the Shawl Collar Cardigan and I finished the body of Rogue (and discovered I don't have enough yarn for the hood, called the store, and found they don't have any more. Now I have to re-engineer the top of the body to look cool and be hoodless).

Order Super Secret Yarn - Done! Bwhahahaha!

For March:
March is going to be a light knitting month. I have two midterms and a 10 day trip to Israel! Why knit when there's falafel? And olives. And hummus. And wine. And falafel.

Finish Pomatomus (keep your fingers crossed I get a nice airport screener who lets me keep my needles!).

Figure out specs for Project Top Down Raglan. Cast on. Or possibly, knit one sleeve from my Old Blue Top Down Raglan. Sleeves are good too.

Progress!

2007-02-15T20:59:00.000-05:00

What happens when you have consecutive sick days and snow (ice) days?

Oy with the blurry! But hey, I was excited. I had to share with my friends in the computer!

Saturday / Sunday : Knit shawl collar. Much with the short rows.
Monday: Sew sleeves in place.
Tuesday: Drop off at tailor to have zipper installed!
...Thursday? Friday?: Pick up, and skip about and wait to be showered in compliments about my sweater so that I can say Thank you! I made it!

A complaint; A WIP, and some musing

2007-02-11T13:00:00.000-05:00

NEW BLOGGER JUST ATE MY POST! This is why I didn't want to use new blogger. I was happily typing away and then whoosh! the post was gone.

Blogger forced me to convert today. I didn't want to use new blogger. Old blogger was just find and this sucks!

Stupid new blogger. Stupid stupid stupid.

As best as I can recreate all my witty quips.

I've been working away on the Shawl Collar Cardigan. I finished the sleeves last week, and now I'm on to the body. The body was written to be worked in three pieces (back, L-front, R-front), but since I can't seem to seam straight, I decided to work it as one piece. So far, so good (except the fact that it's nearly 200 st/row!). Earlier today I realized I'd made a mistake as I worked - for my size you're supposed to decrease 1 st every 10 rows. I've been working decreases every 8 rows. I'm trying to convince myself it will be okay, since I want my sweater to be a little shorter anyway (14.5 inches long instead of 15). No one tell me otherwise!

I took Shawl Collar outside to take pictures - and ran into some of my neighbors while I was out. And then I had to explain why I was photographing stuff on the bench.

It is 31 degrees outside! You should all feel very special that I braved the cold so you could have a clear, color-accurate shot of the sweater. Feel special? Good!

The yarn, in case my babbling doesn't track, is Kathmandu Aran Tweed. I'm sad it's been discontinued - it's such nice yarn. I'll have to try and get my hands on some Silkroad Aran that replaced it.

I've also decided to take the Eyelet Rib Bandeau from the most recent Interweave and add sleeves and make a cute cardi. That stitch pattern caught my eye in the Barbara Walker treasury, but I wasn't sure the best way to use it. And I love the little picot trim! Some changes, of course: I'm going to knit the button band in with the sweater (I considered adding it in after the rest was done - like a traditional button band - and working it sideways, so that the picots could run up the sides and around the neck, not just at the bottom hem and the hem of the sleeve. But that's a lot of picot-hem to tack down); and I'm going to knit it straight, rather than decrease around the bust (since there will be sleeves I don't have to shape the garment to keep it from falling down). Of course, I have lots of other sweaters to finish first, but that isn't stopping me from looking for a yarn to use. The ebay seller I got all the All Seasons Cotton from has a bag of Rowanspun (dk weight) available. In pink! I wish there was somewhere around here I could get my hands on some Rowanspun first, to see if I like it and if I think it would make a good sweater. I like the Cashsoft DK (called for in the pattern), but I wonder if that wouldn't be too warm? I'd like something in a cotton-blend so I could wear it during the summer and not be too hot if I wore it while I ran out for a cup of coffee or something. There's also Elizabeth Lavold Silky Wool, but I feel like I should branch out a little. Thoughts?

Story Time with Auntie Amber!

2007-02-09T17:01:00.000-05:00

I'm going to try very very hard not to make my quarterly Interweave review too snarky. This is hard, since I think it was a waste of paper and ink.

Entrelac Socks - Before now, I've never had any desire to do entrelac, but now, I want to at once! I will have to find the perfect skirt/shoe pattern to showcase the tassel. The tassel rocks, and must be shown off. But I'm not a skirt or boot-wearer. I guess I'll have to buy new clothes to match my socks!

Lace and Ribs Tank - I know I usually profess my love for Jodi Green in an inappropriate way, but I'm not feeling the love this time. I don't need to air condition my midriff, something that long wouldn't be flattering on me, and while I find the shaping clever, I don't want my breasts highlighted like that.

Green Tea Raglan - First, I'm going to pretend that belt doesn't exist. Why would you want a belt? Elsewhere, that's a lot of seed stitch.

Dollar and a Half Cardigan - I preferred the preview picture where it looked like it was a plain simple brown cardigan. The random bits of different stitch patterns are weird.

Bonsai Tunic - That's a really ugly vest. I appreciate the fact that the patterning is reversed (scallops point toward each other at the bottom, away from the neck at the top). But it looks like the seam on the upper part is strange, like they were seaming that part from the inside.

Swan Lake Cardigan - Reverse stockinette isn't my thing. Also not my thing: puffy sleeves. I kind of like the tulle at the edges.

Slanted Neck Pullover - I do not need help making my chest look lopsided. Thanks, though!

Indigo Ripples - I like the ruffle-y bit at the hem, but hatred of knit skirts wins out.

Rose Halter Top - ... That's a really phenomenal waste of yarn.

Clementine Shawlette - I considered figuring out how to make it so that it was only 3 repeats wide (not 5) and longer, to use as a scarf. Then I read that it was worked in two pieces and grafted together. Which really, really sounds like a horrible pain.

Eyelet Rib Bandeau - Okay, work this in the round and attach a cute shrug-style top (a la Tubey) and I think this would be really cute. As it is? Not so much. But good for parents who want to knit for their tweens who want to emulate girls like Micha Barton/Paris Hilton/et al.

Cable Down Raglan - I think I might be the only person on the internet who doesn't like this one. I like top down raglans, but this one is too busy for me.

Ruffled Surplice - Normally I love ruffles. But I can't decide if I do or don't like this pattern. The ambivalence is overwhelming. I think it would probably make my ass look big.

Keyhole Top - Originally I thought I might like this one. Had the possibility of drawing attention to the midriff, but it does have nice shaping. Things it doesn't have: A back. Sorry, but I don't want to go out and buy a special bra, just for the one sweater (even if I am willing to buy special shoes and skirts to highlight certain socks). A special bra seems like so much more effort!

Cocktail Capelet - You know how I said Rose Halter was a waste of yarn. I should have read ahead. I'm trying to think of a way in which this could be more useful, but I'm not finding it.

Angela's Apron - Okay, if you're going to make a knit apron, do you really want to use $22 yarn? No. Again, I see this as good for parents of tweens. If nothing else, parents who hate their tween dressing like the latest party girl could make this and teen rebellion will automatically kick in - they'll hate anything that comes in a knitting pattern magazine and declare it uncool, and find a new party good to fixate on.

Petunia Tote - Calls for cotton. Cotton stretches. Putting anything of real weight in there will cause it to sag down past your knees. How is that a useful tote?

Bauhaus Fair Isle - Not a fan of the all over pattern, but I could see myself using that motif in another sweater...

Merry Maiden's Dress - Essential for princess. Active princess? Not so much. Also, that looks saggy and stretched out in the photos. No wonder the main photos are all "active" (blurry) shots.

Roza's Socks - I like these. I see myself making them in the near future.

Florentine Pillow - Cute. Not something I'd make, but I like the design.

Camisole #1 - Show of hands, who really wants a column of eyelets right over their nipple? Even if it bedroom wear?

Ann Budd's Socks - I like these. I also see myself making them in the near future.

Knit Thong - The world did not need another one!

Shrug - Cute, with the sleeves a bit longer I could see it paired with a cute camisole.

Knit Bra - More things that shouldn't be. I don't care how novelty it is! And a crochet chain for the straps? Ouch! I just see that digging into the back of your neck.

Camisole #2 - This one looks like she ran out of time and didn't get to finish. If I were making this, I'd raise the armpits to a normal level, and pick up around the neckline and do a lace pattern of some sort to fill it in, either in a different color or a different yarn all together. As it is – camisole over camisole just makes it look too small.

New Sweater (plans)!

2007-02-02T10:33:00.000-05:00

Shawl Collar Jacket

FOUR stitches per inch. Four! You know what gets 4st/in? Kathmandu Aran Tweed. Do you know how much Kathmandu is in my living room? 1248 yards. Do you know how much I need for this sweater? 975-1050 yards (there's some math to be done).

This is going to be the best replacement for my polartec sweatshirt EVER!

Something that went well

2007-01-31T11:09:00.000-05:00

January

Start Lots of Sweaters - Done! I started Rogue with my Baltimore yarn, and the lace sleeve raglan with the Karabella. Rogue is somewhere along the lines of 1/3 done (two sleeves and a good part of the body) and the lace sleeve raglan is also about 1/3 (past the yoke, about 1/3 of the body).

Start at least two projects with the one-off balls of yarn in the closet - Done! I made a Fake Isle hat (magknits; no photo), a Triada scarf (although that technically wasn't yarn from the closet), I started my second falling leaf sock, and I started another pair of Glottens with some Koigu Kersti I bought in NY back in July.

(And in Old Goals: I finally seamed my Durrow sweater. No photos, yet. Must find right shirt to go with it.)

New for February

Finish Falling Leaves Socks (I'm halfway through the heel)
Start another pair of socks for hallway knitting
Finish Kersti Glottens (make notes on number of rounds used for fingers, so that fingers are same length!) (I have 1" more ribbing to go on #1 before really starting)
Finish body of Lace Sleeve Raglan
Order Super Secret Yarn (I love these covert knitting missions!)

ETA - Blogger has gone psycho! It's now emailing me Judy's comments (with some "no reply" email address), and not mailing me Amber's comments. Complete reversal!

Anyway, there will be no Durrow on Thursday, I don't have the right shirt, and even if I did, it wouldn't photograph well in the dark. I mean, I can bring it if you want to see the weird thing going on with the neck on the size small, but otherwise I was going to leave it at home.

FO: Triada (variations on a color theme)

2007-01-28T12:02:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Triada, Summer 2005 Interweave Knits
Yarn: Fiesta La Boheme (1 strand 100% rayon, 1 strand kid mohair/wool/nylon)
Color: Abalone (pink and purple)
Mods: Cast on 50, not 30, used a size 15 needle, not a 17
Notes: The first few rounds were a bit tricky (knitting/purling to stich below for fisherman's rib pattern, plus using such absurdly large needles). But once I got the hang of it, it was really fun, and really, really fast. I got the yarn on Friday and started working on it Saturday afternoon (after I seamed and blocked a sweater!) And it's so shiny! The perfect pick me up for cold rainy winter days.

Bat cave, how I loathe your lack of light.
I'll try and attack someone at work tomorrow to take a picture in natural light. If there is any natural light tomorrow

I knew I wasn't going to wear it as a shoulder wrap/poncho, which is part of the reason I cast on 50 stitches instead of 30 - I wanted it to have a larger circumfrance, so I could double it around my neck, like in this photo. So sparkly.

Hey, is that what I think it is?

2007-01-26T13:20:00.000-05:00

I just had my first knitty-on-the-street sighting! I was headed back to work after browsing the Stitch DC sale (Marie was there with Cole. Very cute.) and I saw a woman walking down the street wearing a Calorimetry. I almost stopped to ask what she used (it was black with flecks of jewel colors), but it was cold out and I wanted to get my lunch.

From the sale (I love sales!): I now have 9 balls of mission falls in nice oatmeal colored wool for a fairisley pullover with some christmas yarn, and one ball of Fiesta La Boheme in "Abalone" to make ~~this scarfywrap thing~~ Triada from the summer 05 interweave.

ETA: Pardon me while I grump out for a minute. This pattern calls for size 17 circular needles (16" or 24"). 17s! 12.75 mm! I wish there was a needle exchange program - I don't want to buy 17s for a single project. I don't even own 15s! It isn't like I use needles like this all that often. I think a size 8 is a huge needle! Does anyone have a 17 I could borrow for the week? Please? With a cherry on top?

Green thumb purple yarn

2007-01-22T18:15:00.000-05:00

First, and the most important thing to happen in years:

The first time since 2003 one of my violets has bloomed again! When I was in college I collected African Violets. There was a cute little plant shop in dupont circle, called "The Third Day." And they had two, sometimes three shelves of nice, full bodied, healthy African Violets. And occassionally, on the back table, they'd have some really scraggly ones, with only three leaves, shoved in tiny square pots, for $1 ($1.50 if it had four leaves). And I'd take them home, repot them, and they'd flourish. In the height of my collection, I had about 15. Constantly in bloom and always nice to look at. Then I changed dorms, had a different desk without a good flourescent study light (and, with three people in the same amount of space that previously had 2 people, much less surface space). So I sent them to my mom's house. Where they all promptly died.

This little guy I picked up at the Bentalou Elementary School Kindergarden Fundraising Plant Sale (coinciding with mother's day). I got two, for $2 each (in bloom!), and the blooms faded and I was left with a little bush of spindly greenery. But look! It bloomed again! Yay for the violet! Yay for me! (I have two sets of windows. They face east and north. Not exactly condusive to plants.) I need to try and find a better flourescent lamp like my old college desk light. I like violets. I would like a little collection again.

In other things I collect:

On Thursday I ordered Artyarns Silk Mohair glitter from Webs - and it was waiting for me when I got home! With shipping like that I'm definitely looking there for my online yarns! This, along with Regal Silk on the left, is going to be Tamarah from an Fall 06 Knitty ... which I was in love with as soon as I saw it. I rushed to Stitch DC and got the regal silk, but they didn't have the silk mohair. I got rowan kidsilk haze in a complementary color. I ordered the superpointy knitpicks needles to make my first go with lace weight yarn a little easier. In the end, the knitpicks needles were too slick, and I just wasn't loving the regal silk/kidsilk haze combo - the kidsilk just wasn't exactly the right color. But now I have the silk mohair in exactly the right shade -- plus glitter! How can you go wrong with glitter? Next up, I need to find some slightly grippy but pointy needles, and I'll have a new scarfywrapy thing in no time!

More Rogue

2007-01-20T09:21:00.000-05:00

Thank you everyone for all the nice comments on Janda! I wish Blogger worked like Livejournal, and I could respond to each of you. Alas.

I mentioned the SweaterAMonth KAL I joined - I should also mention that this isn't like Secret Pal or similar things, I'm not going to be black listed if I don't finish a sweater a month (or 12 sweaters in 12 months, since with school I KNOW there's no way I'll knit a whole sweater in say, February, although there's a good chance I'll knit two in July). There isn't a prize if you do 12 sweaters. It's more like a support group for the clearly insane (12 sweaters?! What are we thinking?!).

So, with one down and 11 to go, I present Rogue Sleeves!

Color accurate AND in focus! A first!

I actually finished the sleeves on Tuesday (as predicted), but yesterday was the first day I was home during the day, so I took them out and posed them on the bench in the courtyard. I think the neighbors think I'm crazy. Since Tuesday, I've done the hem facing and first 13 rows of the body, plus the pocket on the front (which has a very odd construction - not that I've done a pocket before to know "normal" construction - but it seems odd to me). I'd like to get to the point where I join the pocket back to the body by the end of the weekend. We'll see how that goes.

FO: Janda!

2007-01-16T18:07:00.000-05:00

Let's see. I started (and finished) knitting this back in September. I finished the seams in November. I wove in the ends this past weekend. yes. It took me months to weave in ends. So much for not another Frankensweater!

Photo by Jess of Stitch DC. Thanks Jess!

Pattern: Janda by Amy Swenson (Knitty, Spring 2003)
Yarn: Rowan All Seasons Cotton. 6 balls purple, from eBay (seller: brahms123lullaby; I actually got the whole bag for less than $60). 6 balls gray from Stitch DC (during their end of summer Rowan sale!)
Mods: I left off the racing stripes on the sleeves, because it seems I've forgotten how to crochet. But I think the white I picked up would blend in with the light purple. The texture (from columns of purls) is just fine with me. Although, if I did it again, I might include the stripes, but use intarsia instead. Also, I'd start the neck shaping a bit lower, as it sits right on my neck. I'd also make the sleeves a smidge longer (but I'm sure they'll grow over time). The hood is a little pointy, but nothing too atrocious.
Time to knit: About two weeks. Such a quick, satisfying knit!

A few other angles:
Sleeve detail
Hoodie!

Another New Sweater

2007-01-14T15:39:00.000-05:00

I recently joined a Sweater A Month knit along. I've been starting sweaters like crazy, figuring that starting is the hard part - one I have them going I can easily finish a side of a cardigan or a sleeve or two in a weekend.

The most recent sweater to start is Jenna Wilson's Rogue, in some handspun I got in Baltimore. It's very rustic yarn, the kind of yarn that makes wool-haters say "But wool is scratchy!", so I'm adding more ease than I normally do - almost 3 inches. This way I can wear a long sleeve shirt under it, and not be bothered.

I started on Friday, and spent almost all day yesterday at Judy's watching "House" and working on it. I was almost to the cap shaping, which I then finished up this morning. I can start the second sleeve later tonight, and work on it all day tomorrow, and probably finish it up on Tuesday. The body is in the round, so that should go fairly fast, as long as I pay close attention to the cables, and don't have to tink back rows at a time. Not sure that the whole sweater will be done by Feb 1 (since I do have classes starting). But maybe.

Here's a close up of the cable on the sleeve. It's so hard to take a good photo in the Bat Cave. In person, the yarn is a little less bright blue, and more like a medium sky blue.

Patterning is clearly not for me.

2007-01-06T19:05:00.000-05:00

Things I have screwed up beyond repair in the past two days:
Lucy in the Sky Cardigan
Pomatomus

For Lucy in the Sky, I need to use life lines. I keep screwing up the diamond pattern on the wrong side, because apparently I can't count.

For Pomatomus, I made it to repeat #2, and then promptly stopped doing the decreases. I had very flared socks.

I'll be in the corner with some sockinette now.

FOs galore! Goals! Pointless prattle!

2007-01-01T14:39:00.000-05:00

I cannot take a good photo to save my life lately. But I have three new FOs to share anyway:

Yarrow Rib Hat

Yarn: ArtYarns Supermerino, color #144<
Pattern: Yarrow Rib from Knitting Vintage Socks by Nancy Bush. I cast on 102 stitches, worked it straight for about 9 inches, then decreased along six points. Mom seems to like it.

Chic Knits Felted Bucket Hat

Pattern: Felted Bucket Hat by Bonne Marie Burns (such great patterns!)
Yarn: Paton's Classic Merino, one skein, and some change from a second.

Yes, it's a different color from the first one. The sides of the first one felted together in the washing machine. I tried to hand felt #2, but after 40 minutes of swishing I tossed it in the washer with a dishrag strategically pinned inside. Worked much better than hand felting. My mom sewed the ribbon around the edge for me.

Amber's Amazing Glottens

Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Super Glitz
Pattern: My own! [Coming soon]
Finished just before Giftmas. The caps are a little different (one is grafted shut, one is done with three needle bind off because I left my book with directions for grafting at home). I like both equally. They're very warm and comfortable. I took them to a yarn shop near my mom's house over break, and there was much fawning.

- - -

As for the knit goals from December:
Finish SuperSecret (a must, in time for Giftmas!) - Not done. Gave my mom a different sweater that I knit, but never wore (a little on the big side). In the process of frogging ~~SuperSecret~~ Marriah.

Seam something (Durrow, Cabled Hoodie) - Not done. I should give it up.

Finish one pair of socks - Not done. But at least I started a second sock

Do sleeves on Sort of Samus - DONE! Amazing, I know. I started Friday, and finished Sunday, with 3 hours to spare.

Freely succumb to Startitis after finals - Done! I started: Felted Bucket Hat (Done), Yarrow Hat (Done), Argosy (Frogged), Glottens (Done), Lucy In the Sky Cardi (IPG), Mountain Stream Scarf (Frogged)

Reorganize baskets and yarn closet - Not done. The yarn tried to attack my mom last night. Must knit faster

Next month, I will...
Start Lots of Sweaters! Especially Blue Montdale handspun from Baltimore. I'm thinking pull over with a little kangeroo pouch-pocket.
Start at least two projects with the one-off balls of yarn in the closet (socks, hats, mittens, something...)

Should be easy enough... right.

Follow up, and half project

2006-12-22T22:06:00.000-05:00

First, thanks for the nice comments on my scarf! The yarn is Scarlet Fleece Silk & Ivory, in "Claret" (not shown). It's 50% silk/50% merino, 200 yards per ball (I have two), sportweight, and I'm using size 7 needles (which took a while to get used to - I don't see how Judy can make such great shawls using fingering weight yarn with large needles. Fingering weight yarn and size 0/1, sure -- but on 6s and 7s? Practice, of course, but wow.)

In other news, I finished knitting the felted bucket hat:

There's a tip in the pattern to use a 39 oz coffee can to block the hat while it dries. Seeing as I don't drink coffee from a 39 oz can, I pondered what to do. Then I remembered my grandfather drinks coffee from 39 oz cans, so I called him and found out what brand he likes, and picked one up on my way home from work. After the hat is dry, I can pop it in the mail, and everyone wins!

Not Purple!

2006-12-20T21:13:00.000-05:00

No matter the light, my new Mountain Stream Scarf is not purple! And, it is not a gift. MSS, in all it's pinky glory will be MINE!

Gussety Goodness

2006-12-18T10:08:00.000-05:00

Mostly for my own reference, but it took me long enough to find the article, I thought other people might enjoy it as well:

Allen, P. (2003, Winter). Thumb gussets [Beyond the basics]. Interweave Knits. 90-92.

Coming soon: Amber's Amazing Glottens (Mitoves?)

Pattern Buying Fool

2006-12-15T14:20:00.000-05:00

With all my newfound free time, I've bought a bunch of patterns for things to start during the holidays.

Mountain Stream Scarf - I saw one in a blog that looks tons better than it does on the website, so I decided to give lace a shot. I'm going to be using some Holly Spring Homespun/Scarlet Fleece I picked up in Richmond a while back. It's a lot smoother than the Kidsilk haze, but I think it will work well.

Lucy in the Sky Cardigan - I can't wait to make this! I was going to start tonight at a knitting group at bead obsessions, but decided to work on SuperSecret instead (what with the 7 days left to finish it). I'm going to use Shelridge Farms W4 in pink lemonade.

Anemoi Mittens - I haven't bought the pattern yet, but I do have the yarn. Karabella Aurora 4, which may be a smidge big, but I'm going to swatch and see. The sad thing is that my hands are the smallest size for the pattern - so I can't adjust in my usual way, which is to knit the next size down. Of course, at worse I just design my own mittens with the Aurora, and try to find something from the stash for the Anemoi mittens (I have lang jawoll and jaggerspun matchmaker(?) that I got in a trade. I'd have to double check the matchmaker, but I'm sure the jawoll would work).

The Hat that Ate My Head

2006-12-12T22:28:00.000-05:00

One final down (unsettlingly easy), one (expecting to cry) to go, but while waiting for today's final, I finished my hat. It was sort of an exercise in stashbusting - I had two balls of ArtYarns SuperMerino (can I mention how super this yarn is again?) from my toe up sock class - but I disliked the socks, so I figured I'd make a hat some day. A misestimation in yarn sent one of the balls abroad a few months back (and a certain prom dress clad bitch better send me pictures one of these days!).

Anyway, then there was one. Not having the good sense to do a basic top down hat (when was the last time I had good sense, anyway?) I just started a 3x2 rib (I think I might have planned to make a new Odessa). But then I didn't have the pattern with me and the ribbing was getting kind of long, and what the hell - 3x2 ribbed hat it is! I made it through the first ball, and the hat was about 6 inches. Off to Stitch DC and picked up one more ball (which of course is a different dye lot -- no one mention it to me!). I made it through the straight part last night at Stitch and Bitch, and then did the math to have five decrease lines (rather than the stand by: knit 10, k2tog, k 9 k2tog... or as I call it, the swirly top hat).

I did all the decrease rounds before my final today, people who also didn't want to study (cram) were asking me about it - one guy throught it was a pair of baby pants, later he asked me if I sew the top together and then turn it inside out (which, okay, you do sort of do that when you're sewing). I left my finishing kit at home, so I didn't get to weave in ends until then - when I also realized the top was too pointy. So I ripped back 2 rows, and now the top is much nicer.

The basic formula:
2 balls ArtYarns SuperMerino.
Cast on 110, pm, join in round. Work in K3P2 rib for ~9 inches.
From marker, work 22 stitches in pattern, pm; repeat (5 markers total)
Do a left slanting decrease (SSK), work in pattern until 2 stitches before marker, do a right slanting decrease (K2TOG) [now, you'll have 20 stitches between the markers]. Repeat around.
Work 1 round in pattern.
Work a decrease round (now, you'll have 18 stitches between the markers).
Continue until you have 10 stitches on the needles, break the yarn and thread through the live stitches, cinching the gap closed.
Weave in ends, fold back the brim and enjoy the warm eared goodness!
(I had about 6 yards left over)

[Pictures of the hat being normal tomorrow, when I have a photographer handy!]

Hey Look! New Knitty!

2006-12-08T17:25:00.000-05:00

Center Square - It looks like the wind would cut right through it - look how the stitches pull apart! (16.5 st/ 4 inches -- Paton's Classic Merino on US 11s! When I knit a bag to be felted, I only used 10.5s!) I think I'd figure out a way to retinker it and use 6s, to keep my head toasty.

Calorimetry - I've been pondering what I have in my stash I could make this with. I have some artyarns supermerino that might work... If it does, you'll probably see this right after finals!

Hexed - I like the idea, but dislike the FO. I don't need a weird, crown-type beret! But I think you could use the idea to make a round cap, possibly using finer yarn to make smaller hexagons, and grafting them together to get them to lie flat. Will ponder.

Antifreeze - I don't ski (I enjoy looking at the snow from my window, with a mug of hot chocolate, but from what I hear this isn't a particularly useful or practical item. Maybe if I need to rob a bank when I fail out of grad school, and have to come up with a new source of income to pay my student loans.

Binary - Did you see that this was made with Red Heart Supersaver? Did you see that part? I do like the idea of having a scarf that says "SCARF" like the blanket that says BLANKET.

Argosy - Normally, I only like scarves that are reversible/the same on both sides, so I don't have many knit scarves. But I really like this one, and I think I have just the yarn for it.

Corazon - Must have! I think I'm going to look more closely at the measurements when I get home, and try and substitute a round toe from "Knitting Vintage Socks" (Nancy Bush) since I don't like the angled tip. But that shouldn't be too hard.

Tiffany - That is a really eye searing red there. The red-on-green is kind of hard to look at and really think about, but I think I like these mittens as well. In like, gray on blue or something less retina burning. Probably with ribbed cuffs, too.

Legwarmer Socks - I am confused, and they seam so weirdly bulky. (I had a roommate once who used to wear socks and legwarmers to bed. I had a solution - the heater! But then she'd complain she was too hot, and said I should sleep in a sweat shirt, not a t-shirt, and I said if she took off a layer, she'd probably be just fine. Ahh. College!)

Rolling Thunder - Cute, although I'd omit the beads.

Monkey - It took too many readings of the intro to figure out the name. I clearly can't brain today, I have the dumb. I also love those shoes, and want a pair!

Eiffel - Not really my thing (I prefer my sweaters not be see-through, and that they keep me warm), but cute. Could probably lose the sleeve bows, and just go for the one under the bust.

Lauren - What a cute way to use handspun! Maybe I will buy some of the handspun on etsy I've been eyeing...

Emerald - I really wish I could see the raglan detail - in the first picture it's dim, the second picture it's turned away, and the third it hangs so that it folds over! I don't usually go for big bulky sweaters (I pulled out a store bought one the other day, it really did seem to add inches to my waist), so if the design were cool enough, I might consider retinkering it with smaller yarn. The fourth picture is a little more helpful, but I wish I could clearly see it on a person!

Twinkle Toes - I'm seriously considering making these for a friend I used to take ballet with!

Spanish Dancer - Is it inspired by the slug, or Flemenco? Seems like it would be a very boring knit, what with the miles and miles of garter.

Slingshot - Here's how this is going to go down: You put the coffee in the holder. It slides down a little, but seems firm enough. You set out for the office. Gravity really kicks in as it hangs, and the strap puts pressure on the lid (as it is clearly doing in the picture!). Lid pops off. No longer supported by lid-on-strap friction, cup slides through the holder, and hits the ground. It just can't end well. Add a bottom support, or better yet, remember your reusable travel mug!

Babe - I don't ice skate, but I saw a conversation about this earlier. Apparently it is a good idea (even left unfelted) because the wool will wick away the ice/water, and help prevent rust.

Venezia - Can't say I've ever wanted to knit with beads, but now I wish I had more time between now and this housewarming party, so I could make a set for some friends.

Brownbag - It seems awfully lumpy. I have this great lunch sack (pattern from "Workbasket" magazine, many years ago), made out of canvas, with a piece of plastic canvas in the bottom for stability, it was washable and awesome.

Starsky Jr. - Cute, especially useful for people who are not my grandmother and can't just randomly resize a sweater so that kid can have a sweater just like Mom's.

Blended Hues - Cute, although I can think of some perfectly nice variegated yarn where you wouldn't need three strands. I know babies grow fast, so it can be frustating to knit for them, when they can only wear something a few times. But that poor child is being consumed by the sweater! Make it a little smaller for her!

Piggle - It doesn't seem like it would keep the poor girl's head very warm. Also, my family LOVED putting me in pigtails when I was a wee one. When it was winter, they just put them low on the back of my head, so that I could wear a regular hat.

Norberta - Cute (I don't have much need for toys, so I don't have much else to say).

Sheldon - Sheldon has a really freakishly large head. I think if I were going to knit a turtle, I'd use the felted kit from Patternworks, where you can get a whole family from one kit.

Book of Kintty - I like the idea of a cute little textured book for kids, although, stitching the names in? Eh. Do something like a plain sock, a plain sweater, a plain hat, and help them learn the names of garments or something. Also, blocking is your friend!

So that's 12/26 patterns I'd knit (if with some serious modifications/retinkering). That's pretty awesome!

FO: Ribbi Cardi

2006-12-05T20:30:00.000-05:00

Photo by awesome coworker.

Pattern: Ribbi Cardi by Bonne Marie Burns/ChicKnits

Yarn: Shelridge Farms W4 in Eggplant and Wisteria (4, and 3 balls, respectively. If I remember correctly). I adore this yarn. Such a nice hand to it when finished, subtle variations in color (in a good way, not in a pooling/flashing way), so soft while knitting with it. The hanks are a little messy when you're winding, but after they're in balls it might just be the most perfect yarn ever.

Needles: US 7, bamboo

Time: About two weeks to knit - I think. I started it the last weekend of September and it was blocking by October 14th. I finished seaming over Thanksgiving weekend.

Mods: Lengthened the body and sleeves. I've misplaced my pattern with notes scribbled in the margins, but I think I could have made the body a little longer still. It isn't bad short, but I've been tugging on the hem so that it covers my tee-shirt all day.

I love it, and I'd knit it again in a minute! (Maybe I'll spice it up, and do the ribbed all over version.) It was so fast, it looks so cute, and it fits so well. I skipped around all afternoon waiting for people to compliment my sweater, just so I could say "Thank you! I made it!" I made a quick stop at Stitch DC to pick up yarn to finish a hat, along with some super long circulars (yarn was a success, circs were not; but I did get a cute little sheep measuring tape instead), and got to show off there. It's fun being around knitters who are familiar with the internet - Jess (Stitch DC employee) immediately knew it was Ribbi Cardi.

But there was a lot of statistics...

2006-12-01T12:13:00.000-05:00

Perhaps goal-oriented knitting is not for me:

Finish Falling Leaves (pair): Not done. Did not start 2nd sock.
Finish first and start on second Yarrow Rib. No promises about finishing: Half done: finished first, started second, ripped it out when I realized I did it wrong.
Finish Springfield: Not done. Am considering ripping it out completely (I think it makes me look fat)
Finish k1/yo/k2tog scarf: Not done. Sitting on my desk at work to show off to people. It isn't like I like alpaca anyway.
Get through half of SooperSekrit holiday knitting. "Half" is so subjective, but let's say done
Seam RibbiCardi and take to tailor for the zipper. Done! I pick it up on Monday
List some cotton on a destash website. Done! I listed several things, and swapped wool and alpaca, but no cotton.

What the hell, let's shoot for the moon this month:

Finish SuperSecret (a must, in time for Giftmas!)
Seam something (Durrow, Cabled Hoodie)
Finish one pair of socks
Do sleeves on Sort of Samus
Freely succumb to Startitis after finals
Reorganize baskets and yarn closet

I heart long weekends

2006-11-26T18:01:00.000-05:00

SuperSecret had to be put on hold for the weekend - since my mom was visiting I didn't want her to get a sneak peak. Although there was a brief "Close your eyes! Keep them closed!" moment, since I wanted to make sure it was on track to fit correctly.

So instead of working on SuperSecret, I started my [Sort of] Samus. Sort of because the gauge is very different, and so I'm making some changes to size, and arm shape - I figured if I was redoing the math in other places, why not redo the math for raglan sleeves instead of set in, since I prefer raglans. I also changed the sleeve detail and worked it with a provisional cast on, and then grafted the edges together to make a seamless sleeve. It isn't quite the look I was expecting, but if I'd thought for a minute before grafting I'd have known that. It's still a perfectly lovely edge.

The yarn is Chester Farms 2-ply worsted, in heathered purple. I'm loving how squishy it is, and how nice and firm the finished material is. And who knew sinusitis could be beneficial? Amber mentioned she didn't enjoy working with the yarn because it has a distinctive barnyard-y smell, but I haven't been able to smell anything for weeks, so it isn't bothering me (I do recall the smell when I bought it, so I'm sure my yarn smells funny too). The vegetable matter (bits of straw) are a little bothersome, but that's mostly my compulsive tendency to pick at things.

Of course, now SortOfSamus goes back into the closet, so I can finish up Super Secret. Samus probably won't see the light of day again until after finals, and probably close to Giftmas.

In other news, I unraveled my lace-panel sleeved sweater. I'm not sure it ever even had a picture taken to prove I started. But I didn't like how the neck turned out -- too high and narrow. Next time it will have a much wider and deeper V-neck.

SuperSecret!

2006-11-16T22:12:00.000-05:00

I'm a dull blogger when I'm working on secret surprise projects...

Stash: Busted, or, the One-Skein, One-Night FO!

2006-11-09T20:29:00.000-05:00

Hey! No cold dead eyes!

The yarn: A thick 'n' thin homespun, a gift from my friend Abby (with bonus 2290 square feet of rainforest saved! Visit: therainforestsite.com for your own slubby, rainforest saving yarn!)
The pattern: Just One More Row's Scallop Brim Instant Hat
The needles: US 11, 16 inch, bamboo circulars
The notes: Oy! My hands hurt! I never realized how hard it was to work with the slubby wool. The fit isn't great - but the wool is pretty scratchy, so I was going to add a liner anyway. Hopefully it will soften up in the wash, and some blocking will make the scallops come out more (no actual work was used to create the scallop brim-- the basis of the hat is stockinette, and the texture of the yarn is what pulls it into the pattern). But in all - a great way to use that one really awesome skein of handspun that you don't know what else to do with.

I lied, there's one cold, dead eyed photo (isn't there always in my bathroom photo shoots? ...and...
No really, does my head look like a mushroom? (my face clearly gives away the fact that I think my head looks like a mushroom)

Stitches East: Recap

2006-11-05T13:43:00.000-05:00

I drove up with some people from work (Baltimore is so much closer when you leave at 10 AM and someone else is driving!) First, I stopped at the Blue Moon/Socks that Rock Booth, where the lines were not insane (however, it was pretty picked over). I picked up one skein in "Tanzanite"

Then Judy, Amber, and I went to lunch across the street (California Tortilla, I think it was). Very tasty. Always good to have some protein in your system before being let loose near fiber.

I did a lot of looking, and not a lot of buying. The reasons were many fold: First, I didn't have much money (one of my coworkers and I made a pact to keep each other in line, I started with a self imposed $50 limit, she went with $100). A second reason, I've discovered I hate alpaca, which is everyone's favorite blend. It makes me itch! A third reason, I have enough sweaters in the queue as it is. A fourth reason: I'm not a fan of variegated yarn for anything but socks, and maybe hats. Certainly not for sweaters, and I like making sweaters the most.

There were a few things I couldn't pass up:

Koigu, via Rosie's yarn cellar. I waited until we got to the last row, and couldn't resist any longer. It was funny - originally I'd said if I got Koigu it was only going to be solid. So much for that. One of the women showed me how to do my hair in a really neat way, too.

Gems Pearl via Mangham Wool & Mohair Farm of Charlottesville VA (www.wool.us) They teased me a bit for wearing a purple t-shirt, a purple sweatshirt, and buying purple yarn.

Shelrige Farms W4 in Pink Lemonade (5 skeins). I almost bought more in Wisteria, but resisted (since part of my Ribbi Cardi is Wisteria colored). I'm planning on turning this into ChicKnits.com's CeCe

Elesabeth Lavold Silky Tweed (10 skeins) in silver/gray, via Webs. My one weak impulse. Sure, I could order it online (I even know some local stores that sell it, but it was only $4.50 per ball! $4.50! That's practically half price!

So in the end, I spent something like $150. Sure, three times my planned budget, but considering I'd planned to buy a $75 kit at Shelridge, I knew the $50 was a little futile. And I didn't get the kit, instead I picked up the W4 for CeCe ($50). The $47 in Silky Tweed was an impulse, and the $60 in sock yarn was pretty much what I'd planned on getting. So I'm not feeling like I spent too much, or bought more than I could knit in a year.

(Also, my winter interweave came yesterday! Review coming after weight lifting)

On being goal oriented...

2006-11-02T10:41:00.000-05:00

October Goals: Revisited
Finish Ribbi Cardi (I'm over 1/4 of the way already!) - Done! I mean, no seams or zipper yet, but the knitting (well, knitting sans collar) is done.
Finish Yarrow Rib Socks - Not done - I'm about 10 rows out from finishing the toe
Start Travelers Socks for Knitting on the Road KAL - Not done - I started Falling Leaves instead
Only start one new sweater (I'm thinking Sort of Samus) - Not done - I started the Lace Inset on Sleeve Raglan (and made it partway through the yoke). Then I started what I'm tentatively naming Springfield - a raglan in the round with interchanging cables - ala the Springfield Interchange. I'm silly that way. I'm also about 1/2 done with the torso.
Seam something (Durrow, Cabled Hoodie) - Not done. This is why the two sweaters I've started are both raglans in the round!
Get an A on probability midterm - TBD - the professor hasn't handed the exams back yet

Not a good month for goal-based knitting it seems.

November Goals:
Finish Falling Leaves (pair).
Finish first and start on second Yarrow Rib. No promises about finishing.
Finish Springfield.
Finish k1/yo/k2tog scarf.
Get through half of SooperSekrit holiday knitting.
Seam RibbiCardi and take to tailor for the zipper.
List some cotton on a destash website.

Also, one of my coworkers convinced me to go to Stitches since she's driving. Must make a plan that involves spending less than $50. Amber, Judy - want to meet up somewhere on Saturday?

Ideas?

2006-10-28T12:58:00.000-04:00

Blogger/blogspot is a wee bit crazy -- I only get comments from Amber emailed to me. For everyone else, I have to go, look at the webpage, see if there was a comment -- but then I have no way to reply. Anyone know why that is, or how I could fix it?

Look what came in the mail today!

2006-10-24T19:54:00.000-04:00

I mentioned to my mom that I'd love to have them (hinting at Christmas presents), and she says "Oh, Grandma had those. Two of them are downstairs, and the others are probably in a box in the attic. I'll send them to you."

So much to knit!

(Oh, and being used as bookmarks: Elizabeth Zimmermann newsletters.)

The Decisions! Or: Ramblings when I'm not ready for bed.

2006-10-18T23:17:00.000-04:00

So I have to drop some stuff off on campus tomorrow afternoon, and since I'll already be there, why not visit Sweet Life Knitters? (they meet at Starbucks, in an effort to confuse people) But that means I have to figure out a project to take with me:

Falling Leaves. Finish that sock! It is Socktoberfest, afterall, and you're dangerously close to not making any socks.

Top down blue pullover. Share the joy of the shedding alpaca!

Start Shedir. Christmas knitting isn't going to knit itself.
Start John's hat. See above.
Swatch for Mom's SooperSecrit present.

Start the lace sleeve sweater (ala KatieKnits. Live dangerously - don't swatch. It's top down!

Stay home and seam! Anything!

Bring everything and make swatches: SooperSecrit, Lace Inset, swatches for overdying...

(Also, I just got home from class. I'm too awake to go right to bed, but too tired to make my hands work. Plus, if I turn on the TV, I'll get sucked in, and I have to go to work tomorrow.)

Other People Have the Best Ideas

2006-10-18T11:03:00.000-04:00

Check out this nifty adaptation of Tubey.

I really like the idea of using two colors, although I've heard mixed reports on the Malabrigo (some say: Pills like crazy, prepare to only wear it once. Others say: Awesomest stuff ever...knit tightly). (Of course, it would be possible to knit it in two colors without Malabrigo, but in a way, I'm curious what all the fuss is about). I could also just do it in one color, but the fake layers are kinda fun. I think I'd make the whole sleeve the shrug color, rather than 'shrug over shirt' style. I was also thinking that this could be a fun way to use the patterns for tube tops and tank tops that Interweave Knits publishes (that I don't make because I don't wear tube/tank tops).

Also: guess what's dry!

Somewhere ... beyond the pins

2006-10-14T21:54:00.000-04:00

Finished knitting Ribbi Cardi this afternoon. Just finished pinning it out on the table! Now, to find a two way zipper in the size I need.

Yay! A new set of bits for frankensweater box!

Enablers!

2006-10-13T10:23:00.000-04:00

Stitch DC is having a sale this weekend. To paraphrase my grandfather: I *need* more yarn like I *need* a hole in my head.

Not that it's going to stop me, mind you. But I'm trying to form a plan of attack.

I'm taking my mom with me, so she can pick out a color for her soopersecrit Giftmas present. (Which I'll need to start knitting ASAP if I want to finish in December...) I was thinking of guiding her towards Mission Falls 1824 wool, but my calculations tell me I'd need 24 balls of yarn for it. Even at 15% off, do I love her that much? I'd need 22 balls of Rowan CashSoft, and 10 balls of something with 220 yards (Shelridge Farms?)

I'd like to make Serrano - maybe in Aurora 4? (I'd need 9 balls).

There's katieknits' cashcotton sweater I continue to be in lust with. I saw some Elesabeth Lavold Angora the other day that was just dreamy. I had been thinking of doing it in Elann's Highland Silk ($4/ball! $4!) so the Elann would be cheaper no matter what I bought at Stitch DC (which, well, almost always true).

Decisions decisions!

Oops!

2006-10-12T13:38:00.000-04:00

Many moons ago when Stitch DC first got their order of Lorna's Laces in, I went and bought two skeins of Black Purl, Sherbert and Iris Garden. They're tucked away safely in the yarn closet of doom (well, one sherbert is sitting on the bookshelf being pretty).

Last week I was mad at someone for something at work (I think because I was going to have to work with this guy who told his boss he did some work that I had done for him. He's dumb and unethical - and now we have to work together again) and so I went to buy some yarn... and got two more skeins of Iris Garden, completely forgetting I already had some!

The new Iris Garden is in progress becoming some Falling Leaves - I worked on the toe yesterday before class. Alas, Stitch DC was out Addi Size 0 (00) circs, so I'm doing them on Crystal Palace DPNS, which are smooth, but those K3togs/SSSPs in the short rows were a real pain - I was sure I was going to snap the needle!

Also, while looking at bloglines today I saw that two people have me on their bloglines feeds. One of them is me, and the other is "Mads78" If you're out there...what's your blog address? I want to add you back!*

*Oh dear...when did I become a 14 year old myspace user who is concerned about adding back?!

2006-10-02T10:54:00.000-04:00

September Goals:
Finish the Cabled Hoodie - Finished knitting. Not so much with seams yet
Finish Nashua sweater - No, but I did show it off
Do sleeves for SKB-Knock Off - No.
Reswatch All Season's Cotton on size 6 needle, be obsessive about math, and start Janda sweater. - No reswatching or obsessing about math, but I did start and finish the Janda sweater - including seams! I have some ends to weave in still, but hey, within 24 hours I will have a new, wearable sweater!

This October, I will:
Finish Ribbi Cardi (I'm over 1/4 of the way already!)
Finish Yarrow Rib Socks
Start Travelers Socks for Knitting on the Road KAL
Only start one new sweater (I'm thinking Sort of Samus)
Seam something (Durrow, Cabled Hoodie)
Get an A on probability midterm

How crafty!

2006-09-27T16:15:00.001-04:00

Check out this supercute sweater in the making

I wish I could be that creative. I know I have a million sweaters in the works/plans, but it doesn't stop me from pondering new creative cute things to do to spice up a sweater. But I can never come up with my own ideas. I see something like this (or like Ribbi Cardi, or Simple Knitted Bodice, or whatever) and I can totally visualize how to do it without a pattern, but I can't come up with nifty ideas without seeing them first.

Wee Weekend Stashbuster

2006-09-23T22:54:00.000-04:00

I've been all itchy about starting a new project, even though I still have three sweaters to seam (Janda, Cabled Hoodie, Durrow), a sweater to finish (top down raglan), a sock (yarrow rib). But still, I was itchy to start something new. I swatched for a pair of gloves with some Scarlet Fleece. But that didn't strike me. My hand just weren't working well enough to start Tamarah. So finally I decided to pull out some Noro Silk Garden and make a hat.

Several months ago while trying to find a bucket hat that wasn't the ChicKnits one, I found this pattern with a mod to make it more bucket-y (here). I've been wanting to make it, and had some Silk Garden that I picked up in NYC (two trips back).

Hey! I got a picture without looking like I have cold, dead eyes

I love how it happened to come together at the crown

The crown shaping is great, I just particularly love how the stripes worked out right, how they all came together.

The specs:
Yarn: Noro Silk Garden (205), about 1.33 balls
Needles: Size 7
Time: One afternoon/evening
Fun factor: 10 - easy to memorize the lace repeat but enough to keep it interesting

I did manage to get one cold, dead eye-ed photo

Not going into frankensweater basket!

2006-09-23T01:07:00.000-04:00

Shoulder seams: 2 done, 2 to go.
Sleeve seams: 2 of 2 to go.
Side seams: 2 of 2 to go.

New project ... almost

2006-09-19T19:17:00.001-04:00

I ordered some knitpicks needles the other day and they came today... but I can't start knitting! I came home from class early because I was falling asleep and everything the professor said related back to Baltimore. Power functions? Each observer is or isn't going. Union vs. intersection - co observations. In all, no focus. And I hurt my neck when I snapped back to awake suddenly, and pulled my head back too fast.

So lace kniting is sort of out. Actually, all knitting is out in favor of flopping out on the couch.

Fall 2006 Knitty Review

2006-09-11T15:54:00.000-04:00

Viveka - First off, drop shoulders? Really? Is there anyone who looks good in drop shoulder sweaters? The model (especially in the photo with the bike) doesn't look so happy. Of course, given the pattern just came out, that photo was probably taken in July...she was probably about to pass out from heat exhaustion! And the ribbing (well, sort of ribbing) at the top of the sleeves is odd. As to the yarn, I always think there's some shameless self promotion when people design with a yarn they make themselves. Of course, you could sub in any light-worsted weight yarn, but still – aren't there better ways to get your yarn line's name out there?

Lucie - Again, with pimping your own yarn. I think the variegatedness would be too much for me, but I do like the neck line.

Cactus Flower - I feel like there's something wrong with the cowl. I can't put my finger on it, but still, something just isn't right.

Ivy - How exactly are wraps more versatile than regular sweaters? That aside, although the sweater isn't my style, I think it's a very pretty sweater.

Serrano - I love the hook and eye closure! The rest of the sweater I love too, but I used to have a sweater with hook/eye closures down the front, and it was the bestest cardigan ever! EVER!. The rest of the sweater – I love the lace pattern, love the fact that it's knit in one piece (well, the body, sleeves, clearly, 2 more pieces), love the cuffs, love the edges. Love, love, love.

Avast - I like this one. You don't see lots of men's sweaters that are understated, yet patterned. They're either heavily cabled, or all stockinette. No nice middle ground. It reminds me a lot of Samus, with a less intense cable.

Sherwood - That's so cute. A lot of work for something that they'll grow out of in a very short time, but still, so cute. The sizes are little ... odd. Looking over it, the sizes run 2-16 (don't they usually run by age?) And the measurements run 24 inches to 39 inches. So I could make the largest size of a kids sweater for me, with room to spare.

Intolerable Cruelty - Is there really a market for girls who WANT to put a big giant bow on their ass? I'm just wondering. Someone in another forum speculated that it would be great if you wore it somewhere you never had to sit down.

Little Slip - I think I've made my thoughts on felted bags pretty clear in the past. I did like the brief tangent about the toaster oven, along with cautions to do a gauge swatch.

Lizard Ridge - I'm always the first to acknowledge that knitting something yourself costs more than buying it in a store. However. 20+ skeins of Noro Kureyon, going for $9/ball comes up to $180. For a blanket. The ripples kind of remind me of a blanket my grandma knit back in the 70s. Did we really need a new pattern for that? Or was my grandma just a visionary?

Red Herring - I've never done a colorwork sock before, seems like the potential for toes getting caught is too great a risk. But in different colors I might really like this sock. With a different heel. That heel looks funny.

Cablenet - So cute! I might not cable the foot part at all (just the leg portion), but I'm definitely making these. At some point.

Sox on 2 Stix - Knitting in the round is not hard. I refuse to acknowledge anyone who caters to people who refuse to try new things.

Diamante - Clean, simple, understated. I like that in sock. I bet these would look really good in a variegated yarn, too.

Ayla - Normally I love all things pink, but I'm very meh here. Perhaps if I had a wee niece, I would understand the desire to carry wee felted backpacks.

Sugar on Snow - I find that most often when I need a knit hat, I also need a scarf. So a smoke ring is better suited to my needs. Plus, I'm opposed to hats that cinch at the top. Bust out the dpns and have a nice clean crown.

Tamarah - I bought the yarn for this during lunch today. About 20 minutes after I saw the pattern. I really wish there was a schematic, showing how triangle 2 sits relative to triangle 1, and so on.

Tiggy Tweed - Makes me like Little Slip. It looks like it hasn't been blocked, and that's bothering me.

Back to School - If these were double knit, I bet they'd be pretty cool. But the wrong side is going to look so meh. Also, sugar and cream =/= good for faces. Sugar/Cream is for dishes. I hear cotton chenille is at least a little nicer, although I've never felt compelled to knit a face cloth. (And yes, I know just how much sugar and cream softens. After 15+ years, it's pretty nice. Until then...)

2006-09-10T13:58:00.000-04:00

I finished the first sleeve on Janda last night. I had been thinking that the sleeve was done with intarsia or mini-fair isle, but as it turns out you crochet the white stripes on later. The sleeves are a little strange in other ways -- the cuff is done in K3P2 rib for two inches, then when you start the sleeve stripe, you switch to P3K2P3. I didn't realize that, and thought it was so clever that you'd carry the P2 section up from the cuff. So my stripe is ever so slightly off center. But it's only one stitch off, so I don't think it will bother me.

The All Seasons Cotton is pretty nice. I'm using bamboo needles, and it grips them a little more than I'd like sometimes. In the gray skeins there were two knots - one early on and the other right in the middle of the skein.

Okay, back to the probability proofs that are kicking my ass.

Busy Hands

2006-09-04T22:57:00.000-04:00

I've gone through 5.5 balls of All Seasons Cotton, and I'm 22 rows from starting neck shaping. TiFaux has gone from 92% to 28% including the entire season of "Psych." It was okay, the thing that excited me most was that Dule Hill's character has an Echo hatchback.

Statistics: A. Pins: F.

2006-09-01T22:51:00.000-04:00

I may fail at pins (all 300 of my t-pins are currently in use) but at least Flora scented Soak rocks. Next time I'm at Stitch DC I'm getting one of the big bottles. Mmmmm. Flowery, yet not overpowering. And my apartment does not smell like a heard of wet sheep went trapsing by.

Goooooooooal[s]!

2006-09-01T12:54:00.000-04:00

The August Goals:
Finish Nashua Sweater: Not done. Needs sleeves.
Finish (not including seams) Cabled Hoodie: Not done. But close. Probably 8-10 more hours, plus blocking and seaming.
Get a pair of socks past the toe to carry around campus: Decided on cuff down socks. They're about 1/2 of an inch long.

New September Goals:
Finish the Cabled Hoodie (no sweat, right?!)
Finish Nashua sweater (erm, yay for stockinette?)
Do sleeves for SKB-Knock Off (I have the silly desire to refer to my version as "Canal Street"). Re-evaluate feasibility.
Reswatch All Season's Cotton on size 6 needle, be obsessive about math, and start Janda sweater. Bribe Amber (other Amber, sillies!) to show me the Russian Join.

Dullest knit blogger with the coolest car

2006-08-30T09:49:00.000-04:00

The hoodie continues to be large and heavy (I did a three needle bind off on the shoulders, but the sides aren't seamed, so I have the back and the two front pieces flopping all over whenever I try to turn a row for the hood). I'm about 1, maybe 1.5 inches into the hood, working it to about 6 inches, then doing the short rows to make the upper back corner. The session at Stitch DC was really helpful, we figured out about how wide to make the corner, and how far up, plus decided it would be easier to pick up from the collar and work to the top, whereas my idea had been to start at the top and work down to the collar. But the whole thing is still terribly uninteresting to photograph. Post blocking, I promise.

My copy of Vintage Knits came last night, which was very exciting. Well, as exciting as a book can be. I've wanted to make Salina for a while now, and then I saw the KnitPicks version of Jolie and really want to make that one as well (also, I thought the design was with purl stitches - actually the pattern is created with slip stitches. Is very cute). I don't have a yarn in mind, yet. KnitPicks suggests their Andean Silk line, but I'm hesitant to work with alpaca again, since the Nashua is making me sneeze. I suppose I could be tracking ragweed in as well, but it seems worse when I'm working with the wool/alpaca blend. They seem to have added MainLine as a suggested yarn, and that might work out well (wool/cotton blend). Maybe I'll find a good deal on some Aurora 8. It strikes me as a dressy type sweater, I'm thinking black or gray, with some Opal buttons.

And finally, I'd just like to thank the academy, God, and my mother on behalf of the Mighty Tuna Can, which once again proved mighty last night. I was picking some friends up from a bus terminal and my friend was saying (when she called me from the bus to let me know when they'd be in) that they'd had a hard time fitting everything into the towncar that picked them up in NYC to go to the bus, and how would it all fit in my car? She later recanted, saying "The ~~Focus~~ Echo! Now with a black hole built into the trunk!" We wedged something like 15 bags and three people into my car, including two of the extra large rolling suitcases, one carry on size rolling suitcase, a hiking/camp style backpack, a suit-style garment bag, a duffle bag, several regular sized backpacks, two laptop bags, some pillows and a number of regular backpacks, filled beyond capacity. With most of that sitting in the trunk the car actually sat lower in the back, and the front tires were just barely on the ground (to the point the steering was off -- front wheel drive only works when the front tires are on the ground). Yay for Mighty Tuna! (I may have to finally find a nut to fit the bolt and put the mighty tuna can license plate frame my mom got me on the car, now that it has proven itself mighty on two occasions.)

Future ponderings

2006-08-24T19:31:00.000-04:00

I've seen this new pattern from Stitch Diva - the Simple Knitted Bodice around. And I was thinking that it was really cute. But I also have issues buying patterns from online sources (long story, ending with watching a blog flame war end with the designer calling plus sized women who used her patterns fat whores). And I looked at the Simple Knitted Bodice, and I thought, and I looked. And I read the description a few times and realized- it's just a top down raglan. Just like a certain Top Down Deep V Neck 3/4 Length Sleeve Raglan I've been working on. And I was thinking how Top Down Deep V Neck 3/4 Length Sleeve Raglan has great drape and would be a pretty nifty T-Shirt type sweater.

And so I started sketching, and I found a cute lace pattern (two actually - Chalice and Arrowhead, both have some good double decreases that would be the perfect place to put a sparkly bead). And I looked at a few mods (seed stitch around the lace panels instead of reverse stockinette, likely no waist shaping, unless I drop down a needle size just for the lace part, which I might, depending on how swatching works out for me).

And then I started thinking about yarns. I have a lot of yarn. I was thinking either 4.5 or 5 stitches/inch (probably 5, I'm on a small needle kick). The actual SKB calls for Tilli Tomas silk. Kpixie.com prices it at about $80 for the yarn, not unreasonable, I suppose. I want it to be very lightweight and sort of cool - a spring/summery sweater. I could also take this time to try something new (well Tilli yarn would be new, but differently new). Bamboo perhaps. Or Soy Silk.

I could also try and pull from my stash. I have Elsabeth Lavold Silky Wool in black - very light weight, and I know I get 5st/inch with it. I also have some Debbie Bliss Cathay in cream, which I really don't want a cream colored sweater - but I could probably find some dye that would stick to a wool/silk/cotton/acrylic blend. The smart thing is of course stash knitting, but then, new yarn. And new yarn is fun. Plus, would the pattern show up well with black yarn, considering I'm going to have to layer it? I know the EL blocks well (recommended yarn for "Branching Out" in Knitty), but I hear good things about the drape of bamboo as well. But then EL and DB from the stash I know are also machine washable.

Decisions, decisions! Anyone have strong thoughts, any which way?

(PS. The purple hoodie is making headway (hope to have the body done tomorrow night), the Top Down Deep V Neck 3/4 Length Sleeve Raglan is lounging in a basket. They're not particularly interesting to look at right now.)

Sweater Body

2006-08-16T21:37:00.000-04:00

I put the Cabled Hoodie in a basket and I've been working on the top down raglan. And today - I finished the body!

(The sleeves are on pink cotton thread)

(Underarm shot, but look at how perfect the armcycle fits!)

I was feeling pretty meh about this sweater - I was really looking forward to wrapping up the body so I could go back to the Cabled Hoodie (leaving the sleeves for whenever), but now, I have this goofy renewed excitement about the Top Down Deep V Neck 3/4 Length Sleeve Raglan. (Perhaps I should call it Mindy? Muffy? Other silly name suggestions?)

The pattern is here: http://www.woolworks.org/patterns/raglan.html

I wondered why no one commented

2006-08-14T21:55:00.000-04:00

Turns out I had comment approval verification somethingorother turned on, but I didn't give blogger the email address to email me comments! I have fixed that now.

In no particular order, responses to the comments:
Thanks!
In my mom's dresser drawer.
Indeed, but I hope not!
Hey back at you!
Yes, this is it.
I have no idea how to do that.

Select appropriate responses to your comments. :-)

Stash Enhancement

2006-08-11T15:43:00.000-04:00

I < heart > Stitch DC. They're such enablers: Buying yarn even when on a yarn diet doesn't count if the yarn is on sale. Buying entire bags on eBay is perfectly justifiable as stash investments. It isn't knitting ADD, it's yarn separation anxiety.

The Janda will be grey, with purple sleeves and hood, and with the white stripe. A note on the pattern. The main color (body) calls for 7 skeins of yarn. The contrast color #1 (sleeves & hood) calls for 8 skeins of yarn. Doesn't that make CC1 the Main Color?

Three Things!

2006-08-10T22:01:00.000-04:00

First,

I have two sleeves! Always good to have both arms covered. Now I have the front, and the hood. Almost there! I'm thinking one side of the front will be done this weekend, and the other front by the end of the week. Maybe.

Second,

A whole bag of Rowan's All Seasons Cotton, shade 167 (discontinued if the ebay seller is to be believed). I bought it on Friday of last week, and it's already here! All the way from England! I have a couple of ideas about what I'm going to do with it. (See item 3).

Third,

Do you think I have a problem with purple yarns? We have (left to right) - Cestari (from Maryland Sheep and Wool, but Stitch DC's Georgetown store is now stocking all the colors! Only at the Georgetown store). The Cestari is probably going to be a Samus.

Then there's Lion Cotton Ease. I only have two, and four skeins of Cotton Ease in Black, which would be just enough to make a Tricot (of course, then the four balls of black Cotton Ease couldn't become a Tubey, and I'm left with some sleeves).

Under the Cotton Ease, we have Cotton Plus. It was going to be this one lacey hooded pullover, since I saw a good one in Cotton Plus. But then I saw another one which wasn't so great looking. Will contemplate.

Under the Cotton Ease is a tiny skein of the Rowan All Season Cotton. I'm thinking of Janda. I'd have to go pick up more, but Stitch DC is having a sale this week - 40% Rowan Summer Yarns. Maybe pink for the sleeves?

The big ball is Cascade 220. In progress to being the Cabled Hoodie (above).

And then to the right is Shelridge Farms W4 (Washable, Worsted Weight, Worsted Spun, Wool). I'm thinking of making Ribby Cardi if I get over my issues with buying patterns online.

Cabled Hoodie - More lumpy sleeves

2006-08-09T21:58:00.000-04:00

Three repeats done - I start decreases in 15 more rows, and then 30 after that. Probably finish the sleeve tomorrow, and then probably finish at least one side of the front over the weekend.

Progress!

2006-08-06T22:22:00.000-04:00

Despite a set back due to a spider (outside, but um, well, it was still really big) I finished the back of the Cabled Hoodie this weekend, putting me at 1/2 done!

A detail of the cable pattern. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that blocking helps those bobble look better. I can't quite put it into words, but I feel like the way the cross over happens just doesn't look right. But I'm trying not to think about then until post blocking.

The back. The arms seem a wee bit shallow, but that could very well be a visual trick because I'm tired. There's some weird horizontal stripes going on with the way the short cable crosses over, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that blocking fixes that.

The sleeve. I did the sleeve first to get an idea how the cable worked, because I read another blog where someone was going to reverse half the cables (to make them face each other). I wanted to have a sense of how the cable worked (it makes more sense to me when they're worked out, rather than just looking at them on a page), although in the end I decided not to flip them. The sleeves are really long, and the cuff is meant to flip over (and hide that funny looking part with the one inch right below the cables. They really could have worked out those decreases in a better way, if you asked me.)

FO: Sari Silk Pillows!

2006-08-01T17:37:00.000-04:00

Specs
Pattern: Not a pattern, exactly. I got the idea from Scarfomatic, but carried out the idea a bit differently. Basically, take four mitered squares, each with a base of 48 stitches, and sew them together.
Yarn: Three balls of Recycled Sari Silk from GearThatGives.com.
Needles: Addi Turbos, Size 9
Other supplies: Three 14" squares of fabric (pillow backs) and three 14" store bought pillow forms.
Notes:My friend gave me the yarn as a gift, and I've been waiting for just the right project. It was too scratchy to be a scarf or hat, I don't wear ponchos or shawls. There was a lot of random bits in the yarn - hay, string, a fingernail, lots of dirt (had to wash three times before the water stopped turning all muddy), so I didn't want to have to buy more of it.

The color varried so much between balls that rather than pick up stitches to knit the whole pillow together (like ScarfOMatic) I knit squares individually, and then arranged them in color combinations I liked, and sewed them together. To get the maximum number of matching pillows, I found some fabric I liked to use as the back of the pillows:

And yes, the fabric has gold tissue lamé woven in to create the design. I'm now doomed to another flare up of GLD (Gold Lung Disease) and 3 more years of gold lamé showing up in random places (probably more since I'm keeping it around, as opposed to the pants of gold lamé that I threw out).

Back to the pillows - I my mom used my sewing machine to sew the backing to the front. This is not for the weak sewing machine! The machine stalled several times and the needle is a wee bit bent now. Also, bits of the silk kept getting caught on the foot that feeds the fabric through, and we had to stop and snip it free several times on each pillow.

Overall the knitting was fast (maybe an hour and a half per square), but I wouldn't do it again. I got about one pillow per ball, so with a set of three balls I got a nice number of matching pillows. But I still wouldn't do it again. The yarn was a pain to work with (very stiff, and the stuff in it), and after seeing all the rave reviews of sari silk, I just don't get why people are happy when they win 20+ skeins on eBay.

A final close up:

See all Sari Silk Pillow Posts

August Knit Goals

2006-07-31T15:37:00.000-04:00

July Goals

Finish Durrow, including seaming. - Sort of done - finished the knitting, haven't done the seaming

Finish grey socks from Knitting Vintage Socks - Not done - frogged.

Start one new sweater. Not confining myself to which sweater, but one of them. - Done - Started two sweaters, am not close to finishing either

Use at least one yarn from stash for a small project. Hat? Knucks? Not done. Added to the stash by way of sock class (disliked the artyarns for socks, decided to make a hat instead).

August Goals

Finish Nashua sweater

Finish (not including seams) Cabled Hoodie

Get a pair of socks past the toe to have to carry around campus (classes start 8/29!)

Fall 2006 Interweave

2006-07-28T11:04:00.000-04:00

Interweave came! Interweave came! Interweave came!

Silken Spencer - I think the detailing at the hem, cuffs, and neck is really pretty, and usually I'm not a fan of embroidery-on-knits. However, I don't own any empire waist dresses (I can look pregnant without wearing anything special), so the back would need at least 8 more inches before arm hole shaping before I could get close to it.

Bianca's Jacket - I think the construction is pretty interesting, but the lace pattern doesn't really do it for me. It would also need about 6 more inches in the body. Looking at the main picture, I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't be strangely flappy in the back (I made Otis, from Knitty, a while back, and it was about this long, and it was super flappy in the back, just for the short distance between my shoulder blades and the end of the sweater. But Otis had a tie, whereas this one doesn't and it even looks flappy in the picture.

Portland Pullover - Portland, Maine. Not Oregon. We don't support the fugly in Oregon. First off, the sleeves are rectangles (?!) and sewn in at an angle, rather than do angled sleeves (like a raglan). Second, the neck goes up as a tube without any shaping. If you've never made a sweater, a word of caution: If you make the front and back necklines the same height on a sweater, you'll choke yourself, because of the way the human neck is shaped. You can even see how they had to pull it down on the model, and there's a funny looking roll of fabric right under the mock turtleneck. Also, what did that poor girl do to the photographer? She clearly did something very bad to deserve that hat.

Gatsby Girl Pullover - I love Jodi more than I should love a person on the internet I've never met. I just love her sweaters so much. But this is one I think I'll be passing on. The yoke is too busy for my tastes. I love the braids and ribs on the lower half of the body, I love the sleeves, and I even like the buttons on the shoulder. But the way the yoke lace cuts off it visually pushes the model's breasts down toward her waist, and no one wants to look like they have saggy breasts. I do love the waist shaping, and I might consider doing the sweater with just the braids/ribs, all over. And it calls for Cashsoft DK. I < heart > Cashsoft.

Western Point Skirt - Seriously, what did the red head do to deserve this? It does not look like vintage neckties sewn together (and even if it did, why would you want a skirt made out of ties?), it just looks like elongated triangles Incidentally, I wonder if it would look better with a yarn that was more consistent (it calls for ribbon yarns held together), still silky (debbie bliss pure silk? Alchemy bamboo?) Also if the model wasn't wearing those hideous boots or that giant belt it might do a lot for the overall image.

Santa Fe Satchel - I'm not a fan of knitted bags, but I like the adjustable strap. If I were going for "Navajo rug" I probably wouldn't have used blues. (Actually if I were really going for Navajo Rug, I'd learn to weave, but that's a different issue).

Equinox Yoke Pullover - Sleeve color work is done flat? Oh hells no. Not when it's easy enough to do it circularly. Also, I think the colors and pattern are too busy at the yoke. I do really like the rolled hem, but I'm not such a fan of the neckline, but then I always wear a shirt under my sweaters, and a shirt color would look funny under the boatneck top.

Northern Lights Jacket - Ohh, now this would be a use for glow in the dark yarn. Can't you just imagine walking somewhere at night with Giant Freaky Owl Face glowing on your chest?

Saffron Cables - Why on earth would you want to knit an adult sized blanket at FOUR STITCHES PER INCH?

Wanderlust Hoodie - Seeing the large picture of it, I think I take it back. Not a fan of the seed stitch filled diamonds across the body, the bobbles the base of the leaf motif, or the seed stitch cuffs. I do like the subtle waist shaping, and the hood. But definately not something I need 23 balls of Aurora Bulky to make right away.

Swallowtail Shawl - It's nice, but doesn't seem so different from that one from Fibertrends everyone is always making.

Coral Crossing - Normally I like cables that come out of ribs (and go back into ribs - clever!), but I think it's the pockets that turn me off this sweater. Which is strange because I like pockets, and want to figure out how to incorporate them into more sweaters. I think without pockets and if the cables started more like an inch or two above the hem, instead of 4-5 inches above it could be a nice sweater.

Glasgow Lace - We're getting better - I'd only add 2-3 inches to this sweater before considering it wearable. I actually really like it, although I feel it needs a shirt under it (not a camisole), but I don't think very many shirts would work with that neckline. But I really like the hem (shell stitch, may have to investigate use of this elsewhere), and I really like the length of the sleeves.

Supernova Pullover - Grumperina knit one of Norah Gaughan's sweaters, and really enjoyed the unique construction with the hexagons. I'm not feeling the love, but I can't put my finger on why.

Father and Son Socks - Understated. I like that in a sock. I bet they'd look great with wee seed beads on the purl stitches.

Staff Project - Give me a handbag! - I don't usually carry a handbag, just my messanger bag (lately a sling backpack), so it isn't particularly useful to me. Number 5 ("Retrostripe" - linked) looks like a bat. You could do it in black and orange, make it just a bit bigger, and give it to a kid for a Halloween candy bag.

Spartan Pullover - I like, but. I'm strangely a fan of mens sweaters, I don't know why, maybe because there's less frills than in a lot of women's sweaters? But I'd be worried about the placement of the design drawing the eye down, and making me look extra chunky around the middle. Plus I dislike the drop shoulders. Maybe with raglan sleeves and a wee bit of waist shaping it could be better for a girl.

Breton Jacket - It reminds me of that Debbie Bliss cardigan. But with a cable. I like how the cable is also reflected on the sleeve, but I dislike the belt. It needs a snap or a good pin.

Target Wave Mittens - I'd do a smaller gauge (calls for 5st/inch), but otherwise I think those are adorable mittens, for anyone.

Weekend Pullover - Veronik Avery is going to be at the Stitch DC booth at some event coming up soon. They're very excited. But Veronik aside, I like the shaping, and that the bottom hem on the side has a small vent, but I dislike the cable/rib going on at that edge, and I wish the pattern continued around the side - it just seems so busy having the lace, the regular cable and then the funny cable/rib, and a different rib on the sleeve. And remember what I said earlier about the shape of the neck - this pattern is doing that funny roll thing right at the collarbone as well. Why? Why?!

Sienna Cardigan - Cute, in a basic sort of way. It hangs funny at the side - it's like there's too much fabric for this model (in pictures where she's sitting and where she's standing). I like the collar, but I wonder if it would be prone to flipping up and not being quite so good looking. And the way the button band gaps bothers me - I wonder if it could be fixed with better blocking?

Little Majolica - Bad fair isle! Bad! No cookie for you. There's bright colors, and then there's clashing colors. Why can't these designers pick a better color scheme? I've seen Julia (the yarn specified) it comes in some lovely colors, so why on earth this eye searing combo?

knit-mojo come back!

2006-07-21T10:14:00.000-04:00

Last night I seriously screwed up my Miranda Pattern socks, and ripped them back out. Tried to cast on for some ribbed socks. Screwed up, ripped out. Apparently it was not my night for an actual sock.

I did turn the heal on my artyarns toe-up sock in class, and get almost to the cuff.

Other projects have been slow going. I finished the first ball of yarn for the top down raglan - still haven't gotten to the knitting in the round part. I'm around 6.5 inches on the raglan (of 10"). So slow. I'm reconsidering waist shaping all together, and I think I might just leave it for when (if) I make a Picovoli.

The cabled hoodie (found the pattern) hasn't been touched all week - the sleeve is still at 11 inches. But at least now I've got a good idea about how the cables work and how to reverse them. I've read about un-venting a cable, but it clicks with me when I finally just sit down and work it out.

Summer 2006 Knitty

2006-07-18T19:12:00.000-04:00

Since I now have proof someone likes my yarnarific reviews...

Fetching - These are mittens. Not gloves. Gloves have individual finger compartments and mittens do not. That aside, seeing that these don't really have wrist ribbing I have to wonder about their long term ability to stay up. Maybe if it was a 4x2 rib instead of 4x1? But I am glad to see that they have a real thumb, and not just a slit for the thumb - that looks so unfinished. My friend Amber just finished a pair of these last night and they are really cute when done. I'm just not sure about their functional-ness.

Carpathia - I really liked these, until I saw photos of a finished pair. By the time you block them well enough to show the lace, they're enormous, but if you don't block them they look bad. Also, maybe it's just because the temperature is so quick to change from swelteringly hot to frostbite inducing cold, but lace gloves seem really impractical. They aren't as nice as traditional white lace gloves (you always wear gloves when you shake a man's hand because you don't know where his hand has been traditional), and they'd be too warm to wear in summer, and too cold to wear in winter. And really, they're too open to keep your hands clean from subway grime.

Perdita - I'll be honest, I don't see the point of knit jewelry. Various metals just seem cleaner and prettier. Plus, the buttons seem like they'd constantly be poking you in the wrist if you tried to rest your wrist on something (like while typing). I think a bit of ribbing on the backside would make it better (although then there's the issue of the seam, I'm sure there's a good flat seam I'm just not particularly aware of. Perhaps provovisional cast-on and then grafting...)

Muff - As a stashbuster, I see this as a great idea. I don't find it practical (and even when I used to walk to work in the winters, I still wouldn't have found it practical) because I feel like you really need your hands when walking (pushing the sign for the crosswalk, getting out keys, pulling open doors, turning handles). You need your hands even more when driving. I suppose for a passenger in a car? Thrummed mittens just seem like a better idea.

Knucks - Although I know they're really as functional as fingerless mittens, I love fingerless gloves so much more. I haven't made finger-down gloves before, and they look like they could be interesting.

Reptilian Lace - I think it would look 100% better in a solid yarn - the stripes muddy up the lace pattern and I didn't even realize there were beads in there at first - if you're going to go through the effort of adding beads to your knitting, don't you want it to show? Also, I'd really like another view to see how (if) the pattern repeats around the leg, and how the heel looks.

RPM - Another one I think should be shown in solid color. I know the designer thinks the pattern is good for multicolored handpaints, and it is better than Reptilian Lace, but its making me dizzy. But maybe that's the point. I like that there's a version that's stockinette on the sole of the foot, and that she offers a short row heel and regular flap/gusset combo (even though her short rows could use some help, if you YO backwards on the purl side it will take care of those holes).

Widdershins - First, someone else told me the magic of this pattern is the whole gusset while working toe-up thing. Which Baudelaire uses as well, making this pattern basically just a tutorial for Baudelaire, even though that pattern has perfectly good instructions on working toe-up with a gusset. Also, I think short row heels are prettier, so this pattern is pretty pointless in my opinion.

Baudelaire - Know how I just said I prefer short row heels? All except here, because I think it's so cute how the line from the stockinette portion of the sole of the foot, and the line of the heel flap come together at the ankle and twist into a cable. A+ for Cookie! Even without that wee detail I think the lace pattern is really pretty, and I look forward to finding a good solid color yarn to make these.

Lickety Split - I think there's a conspiracy at Knitty - they show hip looking 20 and 30 somethings for designer photos, but I think they're secretly old men living in Florida. Who else wears socks with sandals? Or maybe people are really looking to Kevin Federline for fashion tips. Either way, they need to stop. (Yes, I know they're based on the traditional Japanese tabi socks. But I have a feeling that maybe .5% of people who make these will pair them with a kimono. The rest are going to emulate KFed and wear them with flip flops and it will be an abomination of the Holy Wool.)

Dancing Lady - I think they might look better in solid colors (real solids), and with the base being dark and the dancing lady being bright. The bright on bright-variegated is kind of painful. However, I do like the blue yarn (which the designer handpaints herself, and I think when the stash has been thinned I might buy some - Island Flower looks pretty, and I know someone who would like Tequila Sunrise. If it's superwash, anyway.)

Tulip Toes - Oh! So Cute! So Impractical (I mean, lots be honest, you have to tie them so tight that you cut off circulation, or else they're going to come right off), but so cute. I think if I were to make these I'd thread elastic through the eyelets and then tack the bow on as a purely decorative feature. Or possibly use the i-cord like casing, put the elastic in that, and again just make the bow a decorative feature. Or else find a way to hide the elastic within the bootie. It's just that using i-cord for a drawstring on baby clothes seems pointless - a quick tug and the bootie will bloom and fall off.

Lacanau - First, that's a crime against silk! Second, there are many a cute flip flop out there. You don't need to knit a shoe!

Halfdome - I would like this more if it was knit in the round. I love the look of the decreases, but don't see the point in seaming a hat when it's so easy to knit in the round. It would be like knitting a sock flat.

Maze - Not related to the pattern, but the designer looks so cute in her picture! Also, there's a guy in that first picture? Really? Anyway. Pattern, not people: I'm not sure this would stay on my head, but I like the wee roll on the side. The shaping on the crown is a little obvious for my tastes, but maybe I'm just not mod-enough for this pattern.

Crosspatch - I find it interesting that two people can write a pattern for a hat, being influenced by Barbara Walker books, and one is so much prettier than the other. I mean, I'm not mod-enough to pull off Maze, but it's so much prettier than this one. Maybe the lack of contrast between the brown and black hurts it, maybe it's the garter stitch-mosaic pattern (in the round - eesh!), maybe it's the alpaca content in the yarn (I'm working on a sweater in Creative Focus Worsted, and the alpaca gives it a major halo), but the pattern just doesn't inspire me.

Sock Monkey - The designer claims you love or hate sock monkeys. I'm neither. But I'll remember this pattern if I find someone who does love the monkey. Although, I hear the real monkey doesn't wear a hat.

Klein Bottle - I've heard it isn't really a Klein Bottle. Personally, I don't care. Someone tells me this is really a Klein Bottle. I still don't care.

Swell - There's a line just below the part where the waves start, and it bothers me. Also, check out the gauge - 4.1 st/inch on size 5 needles, with cascade 220. I get 4 st/inch on size 8s. But I do like the way it swirls together at the top.

Julie - Wow. Something that makes Perdita look useful and pretty. Jordana - please, make cute sweaters and handbags. There's no need to go all crazy and come up with things like this just to get your name out there. We've all seen your bags, and really, they're lovely. This isn't helping your cause! And if you must put these things out there, find another friend to model for you. This friend looks like the "necklace" might snap her neck at any moment. It dwarfs her, and that just shouldn't be.

Manresa - I'm glad GW girls don't knit. If they did, they would take this as a sign that you should really be wearing flip flops in December. When really, if it's cold enough for leg warmers, it's cold enough for socks and shoes. Unless you're a ballerina, in a studio. But like the tabi socks above, most people knitting these won't be ballerinas in studios.

Allete - In 7th grade we studied Greek mythology in Language Arts/Social Studies class. I did a presentation on Hermes, and we had extra points if we dressed up as our god/goddess of choice. The wings my mom and I made were about a hundred times better. No, they weren't knit, but sometimes things don't need to be knit, and are better when they aren't knit. But I'm sure someone, somewhere, has a 5 year old who will think these are the best things ever.

Lilies - I like fresh cut flowers myself, but I know other people don't. And sure, I've crocheted a fair number of pansies and daffodils myself, but they just don't really come close. I like keeping flowers small, and putting them on something (like my backpack) as opposed to stand-alones. I guess they aren't my cup of tea, but other people might really like them.

(How on earth can I find 4 pages worth to write about?!)

Do you know what time it is?

2006-07-12T21:25:00.000-04:00

It's Seam Time! With special guest, Durrow!

So. Sick. Of. Cables.

2006-07-10T09:32:00.000-04:00

Durrow, the never ending cable! Beautiful (and it inspires me to try and chart my own cables), but I'm beginning to crave some stockinette!

I think for my next sweater (although I try not to hold myself to anything until I cast on) I'm going to try a top down raglan, with a deep v-neck, and 3/4 length sleeves. I have 1100 yards of Nashua Creative Focus Worsted, so I think I have enough (yay for sales - $30 total!). Nothing special about it, really, although it doesn't seem like a next-to-the-skin yarn, and if I recall correctly it's a single ply, making it prone to pilling, so I may have to go with a tighter than normal gauge). I might try to do some waist shaping, just to make for a prettier, more fitted sweater, but that's about it for details. I'm not sure – rolled edge or slightly ribbed? I like rolled (my three favorite sweaters have rolling edges), but think ribbed would work better with the 3/4 sleeves. Hmm.

I think I'm going to use The Incredible Custom Fit Raglan Generator, combined with NonaKnits: Shaping Up (a guide to darts) to generally guide the sweater, I've heard good things about the Incredible Raglan, and seen it with some mods as a good standby pattern.

(Have I mentioned my love of blogs lately? I found those sari silk pillows in a blog, waist shaping guides, and I'm sure that one of these days when I'm sitting around going "What do I do with..." or "How do I make..." the blogs will come to the rescue.)

Also, the Fall Interweave Knits Preview is up. When I'm not sick of cables, I can't wait to make Wanderlust Hoodie.

Knitting Goals - July

2006-07-06T21:10:00.000-04:00

June Knitting Goals Wrap Up

Finish Sitcom Chic -- Done! Alas, no good pictures, yet.

Finish toe on second Hedera -- Done! I have reasonable pictures, just haven't posted them yet. Bad blogger! But I don't have any good notes or mods, so it didn't seem like the blog world was lacking. They ended up fitting my mom much better, so they were a gift to her. Even though she doesn't like knit socks.

Finish Tubey - Not done. Still can't bring myself to knit a giant tube.

Start Mitered Square Pillow with Sari Silk - Done! - I finished the knitting, but not the sewing part.

Finish hat pattern - Kind of? - I finished the hat this past weekend, but I'm not loving the way the hat tapers, and I might redo the crown.

Swatch for the KnitPicks Kimono Sweater with Silky Wool – Sort of. - I found my old swatch, and put it in a very safe place. I started looking for it the other day, and haven't found it yet. But that's okay, since I started Durrow from MagKnits instead.

New July Goals

Finish Durrow, including seaming.

Finish grey socks from Knitting Vintage Socks

Start one new sweater. Not confining myself to which sweater, but one of them.

Use at least one yarn from stash for a small project. Hat? Knucks?

Pillows - Done Knitting!

2006-07-06T20:37:00.000-04:00

While in NYC it wasn't all fun and games ... actually it was, and much knitting was accomplished. I finished the final two squares on my sari silk pillows! They aren't sewn together yet, or backed/lined, but I think in the end they go together pretty well.

The first square, that was such a different color from the rest of the yarn in the ball, is in the upper right hand corner. I could get one more square from my leftovers and that square would have more blue in it, but I think it works fine.

The pink squares! Why couldn't I have three pink pillows?

This pillow brings the other two together, pinks, reds, and some blues thrown in.

Now I have to sew the squares together, get some fabric for the back of the pillow, and add a pillow. I think I'm going to look for a Pillow form tomorrow after work, along with the fabric for the backing. Easier than sewing and stuffing my own pillow.

Durrow - Sleevey Goodness

2006-06-21T21:48:00.000-04:00

So I figured out why I've been falling asleep on the couch every night at like, 8 PM.

I haven't had coffee after noon in like 3 weeks (since I went to NYC, pretty much).

Today after work I went to Starbucks to work on Durrow. I'm now tired of knitting, and bouncing off the walls.

Speaking of Durrow...

I screwed up the way the cables cross in the 3rd repeat, but I think I can use yarnharlot's duplicate stitch method to fix them. I will pay more attention to which way the cable crosses for the rest of the sweater!

Also, a man came up to me and was telling me about how when he was growing up everyone, boys and girls, learned to crochet. He mentioned a lot of people think it's odd for a man to crochet in the US. I said, no, it was pretty cool. Anyway. Then he says to me:
Guy: Where is a good yarn store around here?
Me: Well, in Virginia there's Knit Happens, in Old Town Alexandria. And my favorite is Stitch DC, there's one in Georgetown.
Guy: Do they sell Red Heart? I really like Red Heart.
Me: Well, in that case you might really like the AC Moore over in Bailey's Crossroads...
Guy: Great! Thanks!

Call me a yarn snob, but I think "Good yarn store" and "Sells Red Heart" are mutually exclusive events.

Another Start

2006-06-13T22:56:00.000-04:00

I love starting new projects. Finishing is great, too, but starting rocks. I don't know why, I joke a lot about knitting ADD, and I talk to other people about feeling all the different fibers and how great it is to try new things, but I'm not sure that sums it all up. I guess I feel like I'm making a dent in my giant closet-o-doom (that photo really, really needs to be updated. One of these days, between new projects), because a dent in the closet-o-doom means there's room for new yarn. Maybe I just secretly hate committment.

I was on vacation last week. I finished four squares of my recycled silk pillow (the silk pillow plan deserves a post of it's own - tomorrow, when I unpack). I think I can get five squares/ball - 15 squares total. It takes 4 squares to make a pillow, so I'll be one short on 4 pillows. Maybe I'll be lucky, and get 5.5 squares/ball.

I also started Durrow, for myself. I'm making the smallest size and so far it's looking like it should work fine. The body is done in 4x2 rib all over, and I think it will cling nicely, without all that pesky waist shaping that never fits my waist. I'm using Cascade 220 in a color best described as coral. Cascade describes it as 7805, but I think Coral works better. I'm halfway through the decreases for the armholes in the back, and kind of wishing the sweater were done in the round (I know I bitched about that with Sitcom Chic, saying it was never ending, but seams -- bah!). Today's Tuesday, so the back will be done tomorrow; the front by the weekend, and I should be able to start the interesting and pretty part (the cables) on Monday at knitting group. I think I'm going to wrangle yarn, and do both arms at once. I picked up the yarn while on vacation: if it never goes in the yarn closet, is it really ever in the stash?

I'm not sure what comes next. Maybe four more silk squares (they're really hard on the hands), or maybe a pair of socks. I picked up Nancy Bush's "Knitting Vintage Socks" last week, and there's a pair with diamonds (sort of a textured argyle style) that I'd like to make with my new gray koigu. I'd planned to make Knitpicks' Kimono Style Sweater my next sweater, so maybe I'll start that one. Or finish Tubey. I was going to do that this month, wasn't I?

Sari Silk Cushions! Brilliant!

2006-06-07T13:34:00.000-04:00

http://scarfomatic.typepad.com/scarfomatic/2005/09/sari_silk_cushi.html

I have 3 balls of sari silk -- too heavy and scratchy to be scarves (although the silk+strand of wool makes a VERY WARM hat) or mittens, but I think just right for accent pillows on the futon.

I knew someone else would come up with the perfect pattern first!

~ ~ ~
Square 1/8

99.99% completed sweater!

2006-06-07T10:38:00.000-04:00

Left: Sewing some ribbon the edge to stabilize and reduce curling. Adding my pretty button.

Until then, I'm going to happily sit around my house in my pretty (though unblocked) sweater. Quite possibly, the new most perfect sweater I own.

Sitcom Chic Progress

2006-06-05T12:59:00.000-04:00

This has been my least photographed project ever, I think. Of course, I'm trying to fit 40 inches of sweater onto 29 inches of needle, so I can't really lay it out flat for photography sessions. On the bright side -- I'm within a day or two of finishing! I have 30 rows left to go, all of which get smaller and smaller.

I'm just about to do the eyelet row. Very exciting that I should have it done by this weekend, which means I can (hopefully) replace my gray hoodie sweatshirt with a prettier sweater (just to cut the A/C chill).

In other news, I have a cold. Which is sad mostly because I wanted to go to knitting group tonight - I'll be out of town next week and I was gone last week, and I miss seeing what people are doing. But I'm sure no one wants my germs, and I'm not sure I could stay awake that long anyway.

June Knitting Goals

2006-06-02T08:35:00.000-04:00

I'm a very goal oriented person - I like to have tick boxes and lists that I can cross off as I finish things. So in a way, it's surprising I haven't started mimicking Jessimuhka earlier with knit goals every month. Here are my June plans:

Finish Sitcom Chic

Finish toe on second Hedera

Finish Tubey

Start Mitered Square Pillow with Sari Silk

Finish hat pattern

Swatch for the KnitPicks Kimono Sweater with Silky Wool

Yarn!

2006-05-31T14:39:00.000-04:00

In addition to the fun yarns I picked up this weekend in NY, I swapped one ball of nice koigu for two balls of koigu spaghetti - it was waiting for me in the mail when I got home:

I've already wound some of it:

I should be able to finish ball 3 by tonight!

Knits in the City

2006-05-31T10:23:00.000-04:00

Monday we found just about every yarn shop in the city was closed, either because they were always closed Mondays, or closed especially for Memorial day. We did visit Gotta Knit! where I found...

I'm going to make this sort of bucket style hat

Since Abby has been asking me to teach her to knit, we picked up some basic yarn (maybe a wee bit too splitty) and started on a rib & cable hat (I wrote the pattern at Starbucks on Monday morning...I'm thinking of ironing out some things and maybe sending it to knitty - it's very repetitive and (I think) a really good beginner hat - some knitting, some purling, some cabling, some DPNing, and ~~some~~ knitting in the round). Abby's doing great - I just forgot to take a picture of her hat before I left.

The store was small, and a little understocked, but cute and the owner was very friendly. The owner and another woman were the only ones there. When I mentioned that I was from DC (saying my LYS didn't carry much Noro and it makes me sad), she said I was the second person that day visiting from DC.

Then we went to Purl, which was the most adorable little store. So cute! I think that if I need to order something online, I want to order from them. So little, so cute, so colorful! And friendly and helpful, without hovering (as best you can not hover in a store smaller than my living room).

I picked up...

The gray koigu will match gray and black pants (my fashion sensibilities tell me that the bright and colorful hand knit socks go with jeans, but come winter in Baltimore, wool socks will be cozy). Not sure of a pattern yet.

The pink koigu kersti might be mittens, not socks. Not sure.

The Lorna's laces is self striping (about two rows in each color), so I won't do too much of a pattern (so I don't muddy up the stripes). Maybe some sort of ribbing at most (not such a fan of plain stockinette socks).

I also picked up some Bryspun needles, since I've heard good things about them for lace knitting.

So on the bus we pass M&J Trimmings. We'd called that morning, but they had a "Closed" message on their phone - which was funny because they were very much open! See, I'd been flipping through Martha Stewart Living, and they having been doing recaps of the past 15 years in each issue (favorite recipes, good things, and this month: Suppliers), and one of their favorite suppliers was "Tender Buttons" - a large button store in NYC - so I wanted to go and maybe get a button/clasp for my sweater. They were also closed all weekend, but while searching for URLs to yarn shops (to call and see who was open Monday) we found the URL to M&J. Anyway, so we got off the bus and darted in, about 30 minutes before closing. I found a great button (button is also only about 3/4 of an inch in diameter) for my Sitcom Chic sweater (20% done, I keep forgetting knitting on the train=motion sick!). Abby also found a nice magnetic snap and button for a Talmud cover she's making - a very productive stop overall. Then we caught a bus that ran up Riverside Drive - while Law & Order (all varieties) would have you believe it is crawling with people just waiting to abduct and/or shoot you, it was actually very pretty with some lovely apartment buildings.

Musings on future knits

2006-05-24T09:16:00.000-04:00

I wish there was a better way to catalogue my yarn, patterns, and plans online. There probably is a very simple way, and I just don't know how to do it, but still, I wish there was a simple way that I knew how to do.

I've decided this is my own personal Summer of the Sweater. I know, most people do small, lightweight projects like lace in the summer, but I'm going to be a maverick. Plus, I can't really do tons of knitting in the fall, what with school, so I'm going to do as many ~~heavy wool~~ sweaters now as I can, and then do my small hat/glove/scarf projects during the term (it's just so hard to carry a sweater around along with all the books!)

My own summer of the sweater...

Spring Fling in Debbie Bliss Cathay (Cream) - 50%
(I'm still thinking of ripping out the second front, since there's a little mistake that stands out to me. Overall, I'm not sure if I like it anyway, the Cathay seems too heavy for the pattern.)

Sitcom Chic in Lion Cotton Ease (dark blue) - 10%
(So far so good. Then again, so far I've knit 16 straight rows... hard to screw that up)

Tubey in Lion Cotton Ease (black) - 50%
(I did the shrug part, still have the body left to do. No real pressing desire to do make a 20 inch tube in 3x1 ribbing anytime soon. I started the body a while ago, but ripped back because it was just too big, so I'm starting again on size 7 needles one of these days. I also put it down because I’d just done some gloves in alpaca/cashmere blend, and touching the cotton/acrylic blend felt like I was knitting with horrible, horrible rope.)

Ruffli Cardi (my own design) in Elizabeth Lavold Silky Wool (black)
(This may move down the list, since it's basically the same construction as Sitcom Chic – raglan sleeves, knit in basically one piece. I've seen a lot of bad ruffles lately, so that makes me concerned, and I wonder if I shouldn't do a simple lace pattern around the edges instead.)

Cabled Hoodie in Cascade 220 (purple)
(As Gina has pointed out in her blog, it would look better with half the cables reversed, so I should rechart those one of these days. And see what all would happen to the hood.)

Two Color Raglan in Canadian Yarn (purple)
(Descriptive, no? Hopefully enough yarn to do a whole sweater, I'm thinking of trying a top-down pattern, maybe this one. Maybe I'll do a test one in some of the other yarns I have laying around first, before I get all wild and crazy with two colors...)

Deep V-Neck 3/4 Sleeve Top Down Raglan(?) in Nashua Creative Focus (blue!)
(I bought all the yarn in this color Stitch DC had during a sale - 5 balls at 220 yards/ball should be enough to make a sweater... but to be safe I think it will be a very boring sweater. That, or figure out a way to do some sort of stripe pattern on the sleeves with a contrast color.)

Samus in Chester Farms (purple)
(From Maryland Sheep & Wool, the other Amber in my knitting group is doing the same sweater, in the same yarn, in green. We aim to confuse. The yarn is naturally superwash, and gets so soft in the washing machine. This will probably be an end of summer knit, since I'm still burned out from the Saxon braid on my theoretical sweater from the beginning of the year.)

Mariah in ?
(I'm loving cables, but have no idea what I want to make this sweater out of. Part of me says the recommended yarn (Paton's classic merino, I've had my eye on the "Old Rose" color for a while), part of me says something softer and more superwashable, maybe Cascade 220 superwash, maybe Mission Falls if I can find a good deal on some. Maybe not superwash, and go with something from Knitpicks or Elann. I'd also like to make Durrow, but that could be scooter love clouding my vision.)

KnitPicks Kimono Sweater in ? (EL Silky Wool - Purple?)
(After seeing one in a knitting community, I just love the sweater, but I'm not sure what I'll make it out of. I'd have to buy more silky wool, but if I recall, I wouldn't have to futz with gauge very much. The one I fell in love with online was done in merino style from knitpicks, which is very nice yarn as well, and not expensive at all.)

Paton's Urban Aran (Zippered Cardiganized Version) in ? (Elann Peruvian Highland Wool?)
(After seeing one online in Elann Peruvian Highland Wool I was sold on this sweater. Maybe I'll make it in gray or black, since most the yarn I already own is purple or blue, it limits what I can wear under the sweater. It looks like a really nice fall sweater, for when I'm not quite ready to break out the pea coat.)

11 sweaters. 3ish months. Not at all a pipe dream or anything. With yarn for 8 of them at home. Also, I'd like to learn fair isle, and a few weeks ago I picked up a book of fair isle motifs (actually, colorwork motifs, some were fair isle, others were Norwegian, Native American, etc). We'll see how that goes for me.

Sock Stealer!

2006-05-22T09:16:00.000-04:00

This morning, my mom tried to make off with just one Hedera sock (the other one not being done yet).

So much for "Don't make me any knit socks!"

Woes

2006-05-11T22:37:00.000-04:00

I'm hungry. I haven't gone grocery shopping in weeks. But I also haven't had the desire to cook in months. Maybe summer (and the lack of math classes) will help me enjoy cooking again.

I've lost two balls of Cathay. I checked my car, and then thought I left it at work (which would have been strange, since I had the needles in my bag). I was going to work on my Spring Fling, even though the knitting ADD set in, and I don't care about finishing it anymore.

After a great deal of swatching, I finally decided to make myself a pair of Om socks (so Abby and I can be bitches in prom dresses with second-cousin socks!*). Except that even though my gauge is spot on with size 1 needles, the socks are way too big. I'd have to pull them way up around my calf to get them to stay up, which defeats the point of ankle socks. I was happy that they only take about 200 yards to make a pair -- and the rowan 4 ply is 197 yards. So now I'm torn:

If I went down to size 0 needles, the fabric would probably be too dense for a comfortable sock (it's already pretty dense).

If I unravel and futz with the repeats, I lose all the work I've already done (and if the futzing goes wrong I start over from square one -- at least if I did switch to 0s and it failed, I could still have all the work I've already done on 1s.

I could put the 4ply down, and make modified Thujas with the knitpicks I've been carting around in my bag.

So many decisions. So hungry. ::Pouts::

*Second Cousin Socks: So when you're using self striping yarn, and sock 1 and sock 2 don't stripe quite the same (like where on one you'll have a colorful stripe at the toe, and on the other one you'll have white space), or when you're using verigated yarns and they just pool differently, people sometimes joke that the socks are fraternal twins. So I made Om Socks with Artyarns supermerino (those socks are fraternal twins), but I was working with Rowan 4 ply, in Monet. So even with the same pattern, they'd be pretty different socks. Hence, second cousin socks.

Clearly, I should get out more. And eat something.

FO - Odessa Hat

2006-05-08T16:52:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Odessa by Grumperina

Yarn: Rowan Cashsoft Baby DK, in "Blue Boy" (809) The pattern claimed that you wouldn't have any left overs, but I have a fair bit. I could have made the straight section a bit longer, to cover my ears (like in the picture). I knit until it was 5.5" before starting decreases. Apparently my row gauge was off.

Needles: Two circs! Size 4 and 6.

Thoughts: A definite keeper! Very quick and easy to make (I started twice on Friday - once I didn't count right, and then again later that evening, a very little bit of knitting Saturday night, a lot of knitting Sunday, and just the decreases on Monday). I left out the beads, but I think it would look just as cute with the beads.

FO - Socks AND a Hat

2006-05-05T21:34:00.000-04:00

First, everyone say hello to Alissa, she's awesome, and she's new to the world of knitblogs, and she works at Stitch DC.

Last night I finally got around to finishing my second sock. Why you may wonder, when it has been happily sitting on my shelf for a month, just waiting for me to sew up the toe? Because I ran out of footies to wear with my evil shoes, and it would have been silly to wear athletic footies with my evil shoes -- purple footies that clashed with my skirt were a much better option!

Specs:

Yarn: Koigu KPPPM (lost the label, I think it's color 426)

Needles: 2 addi turbos, size 1

Pattern: Holly from Knit Happens socks on 2 circs (free with purchase of a class)

Overall: Too warm to wear out today (it was 80 something, I think), but so soft. The heel is feeling very thin (but very soft) after just one day in some shoes. Perhaps a tighter gauge would help.

The shoes are evil because the back cuts into my ankle and makes me bleed, if I don't have something between my skin and the shoe. But they're adorable, and everyone always complements them. Here is a very blurry picture of my shoes (with the socks).

I've also recently finished a hat. Pretty basic top down pattern, from The knitting fiend (down for now), ribbed and then folded back. It used 1.5 balls of the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Astrakhan (in Eggplant)

Specs:

Yarn: Cashmerino Astrakhan

Needles: 2 circs, size 7 (I'm loving knitting in the round on two circs. I may never go back)

Pattern: Sort of based on the generator, mostly: double your stitches every other row until it fits around your head. Then 2x2 rib for ~10 inches, or until you can fold it over and it still covers your ears (unless you don't like your ears covered by your hat, in which case, knit less than 10 inches).

Thoughts: I love 2 circs, and I love this top down hat idea (try it on as you go!), but I HATE the DB Astrakhan. After one day on my couch and a 10 minute trip to starbucks in my bag, the crown of the hat looked like horrific shag carpeting that was worn out and ready to be replaced. The ribbed part doesn't look as bad, but the top is just BLAH. On the bright side, the loopy texture hides the increases, so I was able to to a KFB increase all the way around, and it isn't noticable at all. Also, it is VERY soft and seems like it will be very warm this winter.

Tomorrow is Maryland Sheep & Wool. I think I'm going to go, mostly to check out the Chester Farms booth, since the wool is supposed to be naturally superwash, but the closest store that sells it is far far away. As is the farm itself.

FO - Theoretical Sweater (Does this make it Actual Sweater?)

2006-04-15T20:55:00.000-04:00

My mom's reaction was (of course) that she wants one as well. She also said I should email the pattern designer, and show them how I changed the neckline. I don't think she realized all the times I was bitching about knit math was because there was no pattern to go with.

So the specs:
Saxon braid (pick a source! I used the chart from "Welcome Back, Old Friend" (Kathy Zimermann, Fall 2000). But you could pick any Saxon Braid chart). Also: Cables Pull In. Swatch the cable! I had to cast on an extra 20 stitches for the front.

Basic outline from Ann Budd's Handy Book of Sweater patterns. I used short row shoulders on the body, which was much better than steps and seams. I want to use more short rows in the future, they're fun. I started the V-neck shaping a lot lower than she has in the book, so I pulled in the knitting equation from "Stitch and Bitch Nation."

Yarn: KnitPicks Merino Style, Hollyberry. 13 skeins (for $2.29 each -- less than $30 for a hand knit sweater!) I think this is going to be one of my new favorite sweater staples. I found two knots in 13 skeins, and only one snag. Felt very nice in my hands the whole time. It did turn my bamboo needles pink, so I'm a wee concerned about wearing a white shirt under the sweater. Also, I tried spit splicing for the first time. Why haven't I done this sooner?! So quick! So few ends to weave (hate the ends! I wove ends and seamed for about 7 hours today! Okay, so I still have to hem the edges. Bah. Not like I can wear it until Octobor anyway. I hear there's some DMC thread in the same color available, and that makes for easier hemming. Will investigate.).

The V-Neck Detail

Frankensweater - It Lives!

2006-04-12T08:49:00.000-04:00

Mostly just to throw the sleeve from "Spring Fling" in there. It's the many sweater of many sleeves.

I know I haven't talked about the not so fair theoretical lately - after unraveling the front (and much cursing at the yarn) I did the sleeves and the back, and then put it aside for a while before starting the front *again.*

Now to weave in ends (why oh why did I not spit splice until working on the front?) And also to figure out hemming without making it look funny (I decided to do a hemmed edge, but didn't consider that this would involve sewing around 42 inches at the hem, as well as around the sleeves).

In other news, I have 8 balls of sock yarn from knitpicks (and I *am* too lazy to take a picture). Two for machine wash socks, and two hand wash -- which will probably be mittens, since handwash socks are silly). I think a sock would be a good next project. Small and portable. Sock or a side for Spring Fling. Or both. Spring Fling is pretty solitary knitting, with the small and the lace.

Thoughts on Spring Knitty

2006-04-11T08:52:00.000-04:00

Mesilla - After a few takes, I don’t think this would be a bad sweater if it were in a single color, and if it didn’t have the weird embroidery down the side. It looks a little too Rowan for my taste. I’d like to see a back shot, since someone read over the pattern and said it had some strange back decrease.

Anatolia - That’s a whole lot of colorwork. I’m very meh about it.

Ungranny Smith - I don’t like the color, and I’m not quite sure about the shaping, but I think I like this one. Texture without to much over the topness that you sometimes see in handknit patterns.

T-Twist - It seems like Picovoli for people who think they're fat and fat people should only wear shapeless garments. But really, I think Picovoli has better shaping that would be slimming on many body types, whereas this is a little 'tent shirt' in my opinion.

Jamesey - I think someone’s trying to set up her son. Or else there's some weird Oedipal vibes from that first paragraph. I'm choosing to go with trying to set him up. Overall the pattern seems impractical – it's really only going to look good on tall, thin boys, and how many knitters have tall, thin boys to knit for? Some are knitting for husbands, but if you scroll through menswear in knitty archives, it seems most guys being knit for are not so skinny. And the younger knitter set is split into two camps about the sweater curse, so half of them won't be knitting for skinny boyfriends, so it really leaves a very small group of people who will be knitting this sweater. Also, the line between the ribbing and the arrow patterning seems unsightly. And that first shot kind of gives him man boobs, which defeats the whole "He's so tall and thin and hansom!" statements that start off the pattern.

Jardin Anglais - AIEEEEE! The fug will get me! In seriousness, the colors are just way to 80s technobright in my opinion, and it’s designed with 4 inches of ease. Okay, I guess that’s a good outerwear type sweater for crisp mornings. But here’s the thing. It’s kind of cropped (the back measurement on the size I would wear is 22 inches. My theoretical sweater has a 25 inch back) The smallest size is for a 40" bust. That’s me. The largest size is for a 54" bust (with 24.5 inch back), and here’s the best part – a RUFFLE sitting around the waist (and don’t get me wrong, I like ruffles, I'm plotting a sweater with a ruffle at the hem. And that’s the difference (I think) – ruffle at hem – cute and flirty. Ruffle at the waist on a sweater designed for large women – horrific and in no way flattering. Hell, it makes the designer look chunky, and she's wearing the 40 inch size.

Exchequered - I dislike the colors but I like the idea of a double knit scarf.

Tendrils - that looks like the least warm shawl EVER. But then what do I know, shawls always seem impractical to me.

Nagano Sakura - If it’s cold, why are you wearing a tank top? And don’t get me wrong, I love *all* things cherry blossom , but a scarf (a felted scarf) that’s supposed to look like a branch? I just think it looks like a little noose with some flowers.

Convertible - I like the stitch pattern, and I think it might look okay seemed up the arms (no snaps!) And the short sleeve version is cute too, although I think I’d hurt myself if I wrapped part of a shrug around my neck.

Topi - You know that scene in "Fiddler on the Roof" when Tevye is feeding the animals in the barn, and starts singing "If I Were a Rich Man" – I would feel compelled to start singing that if I ever made and wore this hat.

Reid - I think the stitch pattern would be great for a grown up. The fact that they provide suggestion for getting it on without tangling fingers (and thus ruining the stitch pattern by pulling it out strangely) suggests maybe it isn’t suited for the 2-4 year old crowd.

Double Scoop - I don't think it looks anything like an ice cream cone, but it’s still cute.

Tiny Tether - It's funny, the release of Spring Knitty coincided with someone in a knitting community asking for baby patterns. Someone immediately suggested the Tiny Tether, and someone else immediately suggested that some parents would be angry at stuff like this, because they don’t believe in using pacifiers. Which led to minor kerfluffle about how new parents should appreciate things, and then in response how people shouldn't make assumptions about the way people will parent.

I'm pondering how to use the cherry blossom pattern from Nagano Sakura to make a clip so that I'll stop losing my keys in my backpack.

Pedicure Socks - Going back to what I said about Nagano Sakura – if it's so cold when you're getting a pedicure that you need socks, maybe you shouldn't be wearing flip flops? I think they look silly, but I guess I can see the motivation. What can I say, I don't get pedicures (as in, I don't have people mess with my feet, I understand the motivation having a pedicure). If rich famous people like Paula Abdul have shoddy manicures and have fingernails fall off, imagine what would happen to a poor peon like me (plus, my feet are always cold, which I think probably means poor circulation, so if I did get an infection from a botched pedicure, it would never heal and I'd wind up with a gangrenous foot). This is why I wear close toed shoes.

Hedera - Someone had to tell me these were socks (I'm not so much for reading the little into snippits the first go around). In that first picture, between the white shoe with the black sole, and all the white lacing, I couldn't figure it out. (And if I can't figure out what it is from the first picture, why would I want to scroll down?) Anyway, it seems like it's probably a cute pattern. Maybe I'll try it out (I even have some Rowan 4 ply soft in my yarn closet).

Nautie - Um. I guess they’re like the plush microbes, if you're into that sort of thing, they're the coolest things ever, and if you're not, well...

Socks on Two Circs - Day 1

2006-03-26T08:55:00.000-05:00

I managed to do a short row heel right, the first time! Woo hoo!

Yesterday, from class.

Today, when I got tired of the sweater.

Koigu. The yummiest of yarns.

FO - Broadstreet

2006-03-25T08:59:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Broad Street (sans flap) by Janis Cortese, from Knitty.

Yarn: KnitPicks Ambrosia (80% baby alpaca, 20% cashmere. In "Night Sky". I used just under one ball for each mitten. (The yarn is just like butter. I'll have to see how they wear, right now, the alpaca component is a little prickly on my skin. Perhaps there will be lavendar & white mittens in the future ... I've been wanting to play with fair isle and I can't think of a softer yarn to experiment with.)

Also, I have two more balls of the Ambrosia (also in night sky), that at least for now have no plans. In case any of the yarny people out there would like to make their own soft and snuggly mittens.

Needles: Size 2, Bamboo

Notes: I changed the gauge from 7 st/inch to 8 st/inch (older photos show how 7 st/inch was just too wide for my hand). I made the right mitten a bit narrower than the left around the palm, but that didn't do much for it really (it isn't noticeably smaller across my hand, but it's just enough that the index finger seems tight because I suck at math and didn't think to add in stitches to keep the fingers the same diameter earlier in the process).

In other news, my betta, Fishstick, just tried to give me a heart attack by playing dead. I changed some of the water and he swam around sideways for a bit, then laid down on the bottom of the tank. He's moving around now (lots of tapping on the glass and dropping a food pellet in), but there for a minute I was very worried.

Finish things before starting new things? Whaaa?

2006-03-10T12:53:00.000-05:00

I'd been considering all sorts of wooly pullovers for my next project ... but then it was over 60 degrees outside this morning, so I'm thinking that maybe something light would be fun for my next project. Like say: Spring Fling!

I was going to do a theoretical ruffly cardi (ruffli cardi, if I wanted to be ~~cutesy~~ cutesi, anyway, a cardigan with a ruffle), which was going to come from my stash - but all I have for that project is black and dark purple yarn, and Spring Fling just seems like it should be white or pink or periwinkle or something. If I made it in cream/white/ecru I could wear it with just about all my summery dresses I never wear because they're all sleeveless, and with most of the skirts I never wear. Will ponder.

(The theoretical sweater is coming along, I'm about 2 inches from finishing the back. I'm feeling kind of meh about doing the front for a second time. First thing I need to do is get a new cable needle. I lost one, and I've been using hairpins, which were fine for a single stitch wide cable on the back of a mitten, but not so good for a giant sweater. Also I'm thinking straight/bell sleeves ala Tubey, rather than tapered (normal) sleeves. Not sure yet. It's harder to roll up Tubey sleeves, but it wouldn't be so hard to fit a long sleeve shirt under it (a problem with the gray sweater I used for reference the other day).

(Also, after seeing this girl's version, I really want to make the KnitPicks Kimono sweater.)

Cries and frogs

2006-02-28T12:55:00.000-05:00

So I finished up to the shoulders of my theoretical sweater. Theory did not turn into practice. My favorite sweater is 42" across. My clingiest sweater that I like wearing is 40". (The front and back are equal sizes, so 22 and 20 inches, respectively).

The theoretical sweater? 18.5" (18.5*2 = 37 inches, THREE inches smaller than my chest).

It seems I forgot the cable makes it shrink in a little bit. There's just no amount of blocking that will fix it, so later today or tomorrow sometime I'll sit down with the ball winder and rip it out, and start again this weekend. In a way it's good - the three spots where I screwed up can be fixed, and I can change the neckline to have a cable run up the side, which will look nicer (as opposed to now, where it just ends).

(The grey one is the 40" inch sweater.)

More Theoretical Sweater

2006-02-26T12:57:00.000-05:00

Clearly, I did not rip out the theoretical sweater. It takes me a little longer to pick out the mistakes -- probably because it's almost 3 times as long now! I'm just past the sleeve shaping, and ready to start the V-neck decreases. The front should go really fast now, all stockinette with decreases every other row.

Yesterday at Starbucks (they reopened, for those of you who care about my coffee needs) a woman asked me if it was a sleeve. I'm already self concious about my arms, so that wasn't so helpful. But all the stockinette curls in, so maybe it just looked like a sleeve in the round to someone who doesn't knit. The woman's daughter was cute too, she was middle school-early high school, and was telling me how she just finished crocheting a scarf, and it took her a long time, but her next project was going to be an afghan.

And if you've made it this far in another one of my knitting posts, I have a question: Do you think I should add the braid pattern to the sleeves as well? It's about 4 inches wide, and part of me thinks the cable is best left just on the front, but part of me really loves the sleeves on Mariah (of course, I have plans to make Mariah ... eventually ... so maybe I want to keep the two sweaters really different. Hmmm. Decisions.

This sweater, on the cover also has nifty stuff on the sleeves that then goes up around the hood. But without the bobbles. Hate the bobbles. So yeah, I should probably save "stuff on sleeves" for another sweater...

New Project!

2006-02-23T13:01:00.000-05:00

I got my yarn from Knitpicks to start what I've dubbed the theoretical sweater -- theoretically it will fit, look nice, and be cute. In reality, I don't know (since the sweater has never been done before). I took a cable pattern I liked from one sweater (but didn't like the construction or excessive cabling), and figured out how to put it on a basic sweater, from the Handy Book of Sweater Patterns.

The color is more of a "brick" in person.

I'm thinking of ripping it out. I've done about 5 inches so far - 2 of ribbing, and then three of the pattern (I'm about 2/3 of the way through the first repeat). I dunno, I don't like the excessiveness of the original, but this feels like it's too little, in terms of decoration. The cable isn't so big that it can't have other elements around it (like say, Simply Marilyn (PDF)), but I'm not sure which other elements would look okay with the cable as it is now.

Plus, I've made two (one fairly minor, one that stands out to me) mistakes. Now is certainly the time to rip back and fix them if I want to (and cut out the ribbing. I always forget until I put on my favorite J Crew Sweater how much I hate ribbing.

I can't decide!!

Yarny Goodness!

Moved!!

Sheep! And Wool! And Wool! And Sheep!

FO: Pomatomus

OMG! New Magknits!

Just in the nick of time!

Interweave preview!

almostivoli

Can there be too many Ribbi Cardis?

Another new start: Picovoli

Finally!

Let's pull out the Freud

Happy Easter!

This has the potential to be very bad...

FO: The Shawl Collar Jacket

Planning for Another Sweater

Israeli Alpaca farm

Spring 2007 Knitty

Milestone post, and knitgoals of the month

Progress!

A complaint; A WIP, and some musing

Story Time with Auntie Amber!

New Sweater (plans)!

Something that went well

FO: Triada (variations on a color theme)

Hey, is that what I think it is?

Green thumb purple yarn

More Rogue

FO: Janda!

Another New Sweater

Patterning is clearly not for me.

FOs galore! Goals! Pointless prattle!

Follow up, and half project

Not Purple!

Gussety Goodness

Pattern Buying Fool

The Hat that Ate My Head

Hey Look! New Knitty!

FO: Ribbi Cardi

But there was a lot of statistics...

I *heart* long weekends

SuperSecret!

Stash: Busted, or, the One-Skein, One-Night FO!

Stitches East: Recap

On being goal oriented...

Ideas?

Look what came in the mail today!

The Decisions! Or: Ramblings when I'm not ready for bed.

Other People Have the Best Ideas

Somewhere ... beyond the pins

Enablers!

Oops!

How crafty!

Wee Weekend Stashbuster

Not going into frankensweater basket!

New project ... almost

Fall 2006 Knitty Review

Busy Hands

Statistics: A. Pins: F.

Goooooooooal[s]!

Dullest knit blogger with the coolest car

Future ponderings

Sweater Body

I wondered why no one commented

Stash Enhancement

Three Things!

Cabled Hoodie - More lumpy sleeves

Progress!

FO: Sari Silk Pillows!

August Knit Goals

Fall 2006 Interweave

knit-mojo come back!

Summer 2006 Knitty

Do you know what time it is?

So. Sick. Of. Cables.

Knitting Goals - July

Pillows - Done Knitting!

Durrow - Sleevey Goodness

Another Start

Sari Silk Cushions! Brilliant!

I heart long weekends

Cries and frogs