Pokey knits

Feels good

2012-01-19T22:49:00.000-08:00

... to actually finish something!

A very gnome-like hat
Pattern: Pointy Elf Hat from More Last-minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Madelinetosh Tosh Merino in Pop Rocks, 1 skein held double
Needles: U.S. 10.5
Mods: Check out my Ravelry project page

He chose the yarn months ago and was delighted to finally see it again. Now he wants me to knit one for his dad, but in green. I'm worried, though, that my husband's stubbly shaved head would have a Velcro-like effect on a knitted hat!

In other news, I've entered the whopping 210 yards I've used this year into the KnitMeter on my Ravelry profile page and am feeling a strange sense of accomplishment. Perhaps if I had a yarn-buying meter to keep track of all the yarn I've bought lately, I wouldn't be feeling so satisfied ...

Dig if you will

2012-01-17T13:11:00.000-08:00

Honestly. The only thing preventing me from posting sometime within the past month and a half (well, not the only thing, but the thing that it really comes down to) has been the lack of visual accompaniment to go along with these words. I can't find the battery charger for either of my stupid cameras!

I've got a pretty OK camera in my smartphone, but you've gotta do some finessing for things to come out all right, and I'm just not patient enough to sit down with the manual and figure it out. So it's just pretty OK photos from now on, I guess.

Well, KAL-ing and yarn buying are in full effect. It seems I'm not holding back in 2012, which is kind of invigorating. I'm in no less than 4, count 'em, 4 KALs (though I'm not starting anything new for the Doubleknit podcast Finish, Frog and Slog-along), and I've cast on for a few other projects. Holy jesus (as my 5-year-old says, unfortunately, as he tries to copy my inappropriate exclamations), I'm out of control!

I've got an action-packed knitting repertoire lately (KALs, yarn buying, club joining, knitterly trip planning, etc.), so I'll ease into this, my return to posting.

Some beautiful Woolen Rabbit Opulence in Birch Beer. I love Ravelry destashes.

Aaaahhhhh. Some kind of shawl or scarf, of course.

Why do I do this to myself?

2011-12-16T16:30:00.000-08:00

So things are not looking so great for the Fingerless Mitts Blowout 2011 Edition. It's 10 days until the Big Day and I've got 2 pairs done. (I have an extended family of about 20 people here in town, and they all have 2 hands each.)

What I've got done is pretty, though.

Pattern: One Cable Mitts
Yarn: Blue Sky Alpacas Worsted Hand Dyes in a burnt orange, 1 skein
Needles: U.S. size 7
Mods: I shortened the thumb by a few rounds. I used Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off (after being reminded that I know this, while listening to the A Playful Day podcast -- thanks!) for the top and the thumb.

My aunt has already claimed these. Yay, a willing and appreciative recipient!

Shiny!

Pattern: Cozy thermal mitts
Yarn: Spud and Chloe Sweater in Moonlight, about .75 of a skein
Needles: U.S. size 4 (gosh I'm a crazy-loose knitter)
Mods: Jeny's bind-off on the tops. Shortened the thumb a bit.

Very nice and cozy, and I like the texture. Up next, a return to the Toast fingerless mitts of Knitmas past. And this Miss Babs Yowza in Merlot Shadows. Yowza indeed! Just beautiful.

A modeled FO!

2011-12-06T12:47:00.000-08:00

Pattern: Kid's Vest from More Last-Minute Knitted Gifts
Yarn: Spud & Chloe Sweater in Moonlight, I think, 1.25 skeins
Size: Small (18-24 months)
Needles: US sizes 7 and 9
Mods: No duplicate-stitch initial, yet ...

I don't know why I shied away from baby/kid knits. Well, I do, actually: Kids grow fast. I knit slow. But, baby knits in worsted-weight? They practically knit themselves!

My younger son's first birthday was the other day and I didn't have enough time to do the duplicate-stitch initial on the chest. Part of the problem was I didn't have a similar-weight yarn in a good color to do the initial. Maybe I'll do it someday.

It was a quick and enjoyable knit. I see many more baby knits (worsted weight) in my future.

Some yarn action shots:

Up next: Finishing his cousin's birthday dress and knitting hand warmers/mitts for anyone and everyone.

(Thanks)Giving

2011-11-23T15:52:00.000-08:00

I've wanted to return to the blog several times in the past few months, but either I was too busy or too sick or too uninspired to write. I had some pics to share and stuff to talk about about VKL, but then it seemed too long ago to remember the details really well. Someday, when I find my camera and can get all the photos where I'm smiling cheesily next to the stars of the knitting world, I'll do a post about it.

Along with being too busy or too sick or too uninspired, I haven't gotten a lot of knitting done. But something happened, something unusual, to give me a kick in the pants to get back on the knitting horse: knitting gifts for others.

Usually doing this is a pain and half the time I don't end up finishing anyway, or I get too shy and think the recipient won't like it and end up stuffing it in a drawer. This time, I'm determined to make some really nice, smaller projects. Once those are done, I can return to my regularly scheduled selfish knitting.

1) Anouk

My DS No. 2 was born on the same day as his girl cousin. They're about to celebrate their first birthdays together, so I wanted to make something special for both of them. For the niece, Anouk.

I've had this yarn since, oh, 2006 , or was it 2005? It's the suggested yarn, Cascade Pima Tencel, and it's soooo soft. However, the yarn does tend to get a fuzzy halo around it -- not pilling exactly, but looks like it has some slight wear. Because I wanted to make a larger size than the one I originally had planned on, I ordered more yarn and, can you believe it, the dye lots are still right on! Way to go, Cascade!

I decided to knit it in the round since I had less than 2 weeks to finish, and I'm glad I did. I've gotten pretty far in only a few days, and hope to have it finished this weekend.

2)Vest from More Last-minute Knitted Gifts

I again went with the suggested yarn and am finally getting to try Spud & Chloe Sweater. It feels wonderfully sproingy despite the cotten content, and I'm so happy that it's superwash! Also, it won't roast my little man alive when he wears it for his birthday party.

3)Some mitts for Mum

The other day I was at my parents' house and noticed a pair of fingerless mitts I made for my mother during the Fingerless Mitts Blowout of 2008. They were made in some super bulky Alpaca With a Twist and they had a hole in the palm. A hole! A sign of wear! She actually wears them every day, on her morning walks. I was so jazzed to see someone regularly using my handknits (even I don't use my knits that much) I decided to knit her a new pair, maybe even several. Heck, handwarmers for everyone -- looks like it's gonna be another Fingerless Mitts Blowout!

That's the way the cookie ...

2011-09-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

This little pile is what I've been able to accomplish so far before jetting off to Vogue Knitting Live in LA next week: two just-started Cookie A socks (Twisted Flower in pink Malabrigo, In and Out in pale blue-grey Squoosh) and a VKL app downloaded to the iTouch.

I had hoped to be further along (OK, I had hoped to finish at least one of the pairs before the trip; do you think that's gonna be possible? You can stop laughing, I really thought I could do it) because, supposedly, I'll be sitting at the designer's table for some overpriced gala meal (it was part of the package I got, I don't generally go for gala dinners with intimidatingly creative designers). I figured I should have at least one of this talented designer's patterns under my belt before I have to sit awkwardly with her and a few other people I don't know and pick at my salad. I mean, what would I say to her? "Oh, I'm such an admirer of your designs! I've had a half-finished Baudelaire on the needles for the past 3 years ..."

I can't seem to get gauge for Aidez and I'm too brain-dead these days to figure it out. But I think once it's started, it'll be a quick knit. Soon, soon.

OK, back to planning the trip ...

Trying

2011-08-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

So there will be no (good) photos of my finished Cria today, as you can see by this wonderful self-shot beauty. Also, I haven't blocked it yet, probably because I don't really know how to block, since I admittedly don't finish many of my projects. Kind of pathetic, I know. Anyway, sometime soon you will get to see my second finished sweater, ever.

After what seemed like years of stockinette with only a tiny bit of garter for a treat(!) with the darn Cria, I decided now was the time for me to do something super-cabley. Like, right now.

I was trying to hold out until Vogue Knitting Live to buy the yarn for Aidez, but I wasn't doing well with the prospect of waiting a month. I was jonesing for cables, so I started looking.

Now, somehow I got the idea that I wanted Aidez to be in an obscenely squishy yarn, in a watery blue-green color. Not seafoam green, like from your box of Crayolas. A truly watery, milky blue-green like vintage jadeite glassware.

Strangely enough, the closest I came to finding the color I wanted online was from KnitPicks, their bulky Cadena.

Then I had to wait for the yarn to arrive. Ugh. The urge to cable hadn't abated, so when I saw an ad for the lovely Milkweed Capelet (I know, a capelet? Because it's so me), I jumped to cast on.

And again color dictated my yarn choice. This is some old, old Queensland Collection Llama Seta (80 alpaca, 20 silk) in a nice lavender. Mmmm, squishy.

OK, that took care of the cable jitters. But what about that bandwagon I was going to jump on last week, the Beekeeper's Quilt? Consider that bandwagon jumped.

Two teeny pinkish-purple and pinkish-orange hexipuffs

They are fun and luxuriously mindless. Expect an FO post here in 10 years.

Oh look, the Cadena is here!

Sagebrush. Mind you, it doesn't look this minty in real life. It strikes a really nice balance between minty green and pale blue with a tinge of gray-yellow. Ha, who would have thought I'd wax poetic about a KnitPicks colorway (not that there's anything wrong with that ...)?

Time to cast on for Aidez at long last.

Pink and shiny

2011-08-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

For months I've been good about holding off on buying yarn. I even got to the point where I just started purging it -- I obviously can't knit fast enough to use most of what I've got, so why not sell it and use the Paypal funds to buy something cute on Etsy?

And these are just *two* of the four rings I've bought recently on Etsy. The teeny peonies are from jennykim, and the foxy fox with the diamond chip eyes is from Michellechangjewelry. These two lovelies will give me something pretty to look at while I'm knitting.

So, getting rid of a lot of yarn felt good. Until I had a little extra Paypal cash and found this grab bag of 5 skeins Koigu KPPPM in pinks, 50% off from Jimmy Beans Wool.

These are likely going to become little Hexipuffs from the latest craze, tiny owl knits' beekeeper's quilt. You know you want one.

And I knew I wanted mine in pink (plus that's what was on sale, of course). I'm waiting on another skein of deep pink yarn, this one coming from a destash. From a very popular German dyer whose yarns I haven't tried yet. It'll become my Twisted Flower socks, in time for VKL I hope.

Oh, I also picked up this skein of Lorna's Laces Solemate sock in Kerfuffle. Solemate is made with some fascinating space-age technology that's supposed to cool your feet with teeny nanobots or something like that. We'll see if it passes the DH test.

Get ready

2011-08-21T17:17:00.000-07:00

In about a month I'll be heading out to LA for a weekend of knitting, yarn shopping, drinking (mixed and caffeinated) and, most of all, sleeping. Goodbye family, hello me, me, ME time!!!

Can you tell I'm excited? But I've got much planning to do before I get there: plotting a stashing strategy, planning where to get some good eats, and just figuring out what to do with so much time to myself (!!!). It'll also be nice to hang out with some fellow knitters - I don't really get to do that at home. So I'm jazzed.

I'm finishing up the Cria I've been working on for nearly 3 months. Argh. Should be ready in a few days.

That's my boy

2011-07-16T21:16:00.000-07:00

We had some time to kill, so HD (Handsome Dude) No. 1 and I stopped by one of my LYSes that has recently changed hands. Thank goodness the new owner has kept much of the store's feel (and stock) the same, and even added some wonderful new stuff, like Madelinetosh. The boy went right for the Tosh Merino in Pop Rocks and wouldn't let go.

The boy has taste (it's obvious who he got that from, and I swear there was no coaxing going on here) and wouldn't give up the goods for the more kid-friendly Spud and Chloe -- I mean, that color! I totally know how he feels. He's gonna love the hat (and a hat for his teeny elephant) that this will make.

Home away from home

2011-06-29T12:40:00.000-07:00

Where do people knit? I'm guessing the majority of people knit at home, during a commute or at a knit night/knitting group.

I tend to knit at home mostly, but when it's too busy/noisy/annoying there (most of the time), I escape elsewhere with my knitting. Last night I decided I needed a few good hours of solid knitting time and realized that it was Tuesday, which meant that the yarn store I used to work at was having its knit night that night.

But instead of heading down there to be social, I chose to hit a coffee house down the street. I guess when I have very little time to knit, I want to focus on that and not on chatting.

Well, unfortunately, some folks at the coffee house were in a chatty mood -- so chatty and loud that I could hear them though my iPod was cranked way up. I don't mind people talking, but I hate it when one person dominates what's supposed to be a conversation, and that's what this one guy did -- talk at his two friends. For an hour and a half.

Then I realized I screwed up the button band on my Cria and didn't have enough light or a crochet hook to fix it. I thought about starting some socks with that new sock yarn I bought but didn't have a cable needle to do them two-at-a-time toe-up. Ugh, it was so distracting and dark and annoying ... then I remembered something -- haedn't I wanted to try knitting two socks at a time, one inside the other? What?!!??

A quick search led me to Knitty Fall 2006, Extreme Knitting: 2 socks in 1. Wow, this looks like a challenge, but one I think I need right now. Plus, I had a bright idea to help me tell the difference between the two balls of yarn I'll be using:

Knit two different colored socks! Both pairs will be for DH, so I can knit them identical. Woohoo!

Also, I finally found the square needles -- do they look that square to you? It's hard to tell.

Under construction

2011-06-28T10:56:00.000-07:00

Here's how much of my Cria I've been able to complete in a month:

Not really as much as I'd have liked. It's been the only project I'm working on and I'm getting a little impatient about how long it's taking, but what did I expect knitting sport-weight yarn on size 5 needles?

My buttonholes look a bit wonky, so I've decided to just keep the 3 up top and ditch the rest.

I wanted to have some socks to work on when I wasn't in the mood to work on the Cria, but I've misplaced some new square DPNs from Kollage, size 0, that I wanted to try to see if they could help with my extremely loose knitting. I was going to use those new needles with some new, erm, sock yarn I bought ...

That's Paton's Stretch Socks, 41% cotton, 39% wool, 13% nylon and 7% elastic. I've been looking for not-so-wooly sock yarn to knit some socks for the DH and myself (and perhaps the little ones, I've never done a child's sock before, it must be the easiest thing in the world!) and when I found this stuff at $2.97 a ball at Jo-ann the other day (but for some reason it's not on sale on the website), I grabbed enough for 3 pairs.

But it only occurred to me, leaving the Jo-ann parking lot again yesterday (yes, I went back to buy enough for another 2 pairs, sue me), I hadn't looked up any projects using this on Ravelry or looked for any reviews. I assumed this stuff was pretty hard-wearing with the fairly high wool and nylon content, but I have no idea.

If I can't find the freaking Kollage needles soon, I might try knitting a pair of these toe-up two at a time using the Silver's Sock Class tutorial, which I heard about on one of my favorite new knitting podcasts, A Playful Day. She completed a gorgeous pair of knee-highs using that method, so I thought I'd try my hand too.

Forget what I said

2011-05-24T14:13:00.000-07:00

I broke my own rule about not starting a new project before I cast on for a new one. It's Cria, Ysolda's latest design from her upcoming Little Red in the City book.

Go on, Ysolda, it's your birthday -- you're just as excited about this sweater as I am!

Seeing as I'm half-brain dead these days, even Ysolda's cool schematics and diagrams on the crazy construction of this top-down sweater didn't make sense to me. So I threw caution to the wind (or decided to go ahead and be lazy) and cast on anyway.

Right now it looks like a teeny bikini top.

Part of the reason I dove headlong into this project was because I had one of the recommended yarns, Madelinetosh Pashmina. My goodness, I've never knit with anything like this before. It's sooo soft and sproingy, it made my first gauge swatch (I went down to U.S. 3 from the recommended 4 because I'm a weirdly loose knitter who throws {sort of} with her left hand) actually turn out really, really small, way smaller than the recommended gauge. That never happens to me! So I know this yarn has some magical properties.

There's a Cria KAL going on on the Ysolda board on Ravelry. I'm tempted to join, even though KALs don't usually turn out so well for me. We'll see.

What the what?

2011-05-20T12:50:00.000-07:00

I was just cleaning up my subscriptions in my blog reader (does anyone read blogs anymore? anyone?) and found more than a dozen that 1) haven't posted since at least 2008 (around the time I started actively reading blogs {I am always, always behind the times}) and 2) I can't even remember subscribing to them. Interesting to see how people have moved on in their lives and in their crafting.

I've finished the first of my Honey Bee socks. I'm on a WIP kick right now, tackling long-marinating projects with a little gusto. I'm bouncing back and forth between socks (I'm trying to finish my Baudelaires so that I can say I've knit a pair of Cookie A socks, who I supposedly will be sitting with and some other participants for some Vogue Knitting Live! dinner -- more on that another day), my Cerisara from last summer (should be pretty easy to jump right back into that, I hope) and the Maude Honeycomb blanket for an unnamed baby.

*I've started alreadyyy ...

2011-05-10T12:14:00.000-07:00

Finally, a moment to blog. I've been wanting to, but caring for a young'un and having little time to actually knit has kinda put a crimp in my knit blogging.

But this past weekend, Mother's Day weekend it turns out, I treated myself to some knitting and shopping, and other stuff. Because the only social activity I ever seem to do is go to concerts, this post will also be about that -- this time, Elvis Costello and the Imposters on the opening night of their Revolver tour in Reno. At a casino. Fabulous.

I'd like to say I spent the whole time soused in gin and tonics, chain-smoking up a storm and winning the jackpot at the Star Trek slot machine, but that's not entirely true. What I did do was fill up at a surprisingly excellent sushi buffet and visit the retail location of Jimmy Beans Wool.

I've been ordering from this company for years and often marvel at their huge selection. Suffice it to say I was salivating to get in there. Unfortunately, they don't seem to display all their online offerings in the store, which, while excellent for an LYS, didn't match up to the image in my head of a Target-size store full of yarn, and yarn at huge discounts!

What they did have out was a nice book and pattern selection (including lots of popular self-published items from Stephen West, Ysolda and Cookie A) and a huuuuge amount of Lorna's Laces yarn, which I've never used. So I got some: 2 skeins of shimmery Lion and Lamb in a natural color (I've got an idea for a strange, bulky, cloudlike purse, we'll see) and a skein of Shepherd's Worsted in the very best colorway name in the world: Zombie Barbecue.

The DH was with me and sat patiently as I ran laps around the store, trying to figure out what I could fit into my carry-on. He spied the pattern for Jared Flood's Brownstone and said he wouldn't mind having a sweater like that. Woo hoo, an excuse to try out Shelter yarn!

Amazed at my restraint at Jimmy Beans Wool, I spent the rest of my time in Reno trying to finish the first of my Honey Bee Socks, which I started last spring. Ann Hanson's patterns are detailed and explained very plainly. She can make such an ornate-looking pattern seem really simple, and I love that.

I'm about 3/4 done with the first sock and am excited to finish something. Right now I'm interested in clearing out the UFO closet, so we'll see.

*Can't get Tracy Jordan's EGOT song out of my head.

Going the distance -- or not

2011-02-11T10:41:00.000-08:00

The Wayfarer scarf is done. I wrapped it up while listening to a roomful of people scream and yell during the Super Bowl (I wasn't much interested in the goings-on on the field -- if it's that upsetting to you, why watch the stupid game?). Because of the ruckus, I was so annoyed and didn't feel like reading this thorough tutorial on the tubular bind-off, so I just bound off the regular way and called it a day. Yes, a matching cast-on and bind-off would have been lovely, but I think I can live with it.

And of course the scarf is done just in time for the return of our balmy high 60s-low 70s winter weather. It would have been nice to be able to wear it with my winter coat during our cold snap (those of you who were living in the death grip of last week's ridiculous storm, go ahead and scoff now, but highs in the 40s, in the desert, IS cold!).

It was a great knit: just challenging enough to keep my interest from the beginning to the halfway point, and after that it was mindless enough to be a do-whenever project, to finish up at my leisure. It took about 3 skeins of Malabrigo Twist in Zinc on Size 7 needles, I think. I want to block it, but there isn't much room in my house these days, so I'll just keep it as it is for now (notice the theme of 'eh, good enough' going on here?).

It felt good to finish up a project and I'm wanting to wrap up some other longtime UFOs. The Maude Honeycomb Blanket is sort of on hiatus -- I don't know how I thought I could finish a baby blanket by the end of February, but anyway, it's not going to happen. My older son's teacher is due at the end of the month, so instead I'll whip up a trio of cabled baby hats, or maybe some hats and some bibs.

Chew on this

2011-01-28T21:04:00.000-08:00

I've been cleaning out the overflowing blog reader and stumbled on two posts that set me thinking: one from a blogger commenting on another blogger's post about privilege and representation, and the other about buying PDF knitting patterns and what knitwear designers' work is worth.

I've started the Maude Honeycomb Blanket from Vintage Baby Knits and I'm loving it. I'm loving it so much, in fact, that I'm thinking about keeping it for my own newborn instead of giving it to the intended recipient. We'll see if this selfishness wins out or if I'll get so sick of knitting a baby blanket (I've knit one before -- the log cabin pattern from the first Mason Dixon book -- and swore never again to do a blanket) that I'll want to get it out of my sight.

I hope I'm not the only knitter out there who has knit little or nothing for their own kids, but have jumped at the chance to knit something for others' children. I'm guessing that it's because the majority of items knit for kids are clothing, and I know how quickly they outgrow those items, and it seems like such a waste if they're not going to wear it for very long. At least that's the way I feel about knitting for my own -- but for someone else, sure!

Slogging on

2011-01-19T10:59:00.000-08:00

To quote an old '90s dance song, it's getting kinda hectic. The teeny monster shoes you see there on top of my 2/3rds done Wayfarer are a hint as to why I'm not knitting as much as I'd like lately. Wayfarer is the perfect project for me at this point -- simple slip-stitch repeats that go on and on and on. Unfortunately, by the time I'm done with it, it'll be too warm to wear it. Oh well.

And this may not happen, but I'm plotting a Maude Honeycomb Blanket from Vintage Baby Knits for my oldest's teacher who's due at the end of February. We'll see.

It's getting ridiculous

2010-11-12T09:07:00.000-08:00

I just recently discovered the lovely and supremely talented harp player/rock star Joanna Newsom. Last Sunday she played our historic Orpheum Theater (one of few such venues to play in our relatively young city) and declared it "the most beautiful room I've ever played in." Well, shucks, Joanna! I definitely recommend seeing her live.

Anyway, after the concert I was listening to the song "Have One on Me," from her album of the same name, wishing there was some way to weave knitting into a blog post about the concert. Other than the sweater vest that her trombonist wore, there wasn't much knitwear/knitting going on (I had wanted to bring my Wayfarer scarf to work on, but my purse was too small).

As I listened, I had to stop and rewind the song -- had I heard her sing the lyrics "...you put me straightaway/in the cupboard with/a bottle of champagne,/and that knitter on a train"?

Of course not. A Google search found what are probably the correct lyrics: "...you put me straightaway/in the cupboard with/a bottle of champagne,/and then later, on a train.:" Well, that does make more sense, doesn't it?

Oh, and I thought I heard the NPR announcer this morning say, "This is Knitting Edition," rather than "Morning Edition." My poor hearing and obsession with this hobby is really screwing with me, obviously.

BTW, the sound quality of this video is excellent, but you can't really see her gorgeous gown.

Smug

2010-11-05T11:56:00.000-07:00

That's how I've been feeling after learning not one but two new-to-me techniques in the past 24 hours: Jeny's surprisingly stretchy bind off and Ysolda's long-tail tubular cast-on.

After finally completing the ribbing on my Trilobite socks, I tried out Jeny's bind off. It's so easy and has a wonderful give. I have a feeling I didn't bind off as loosely as I could have, but that's OK. Any bind-off that allows a sock to fit nicely around my ginormous calves is alright by me.

The bind-off looks nice and neat as well as being stretchy.

I do love toe-up socks, and this pattern was great and fairly easy to get through, but for some reason it seemed to take forever! I'm feeling like I might want to tackle a regular cuff-down sock next -- one from Cookie A.'s new book, maybe?

Next, I cast on for Jared Flood's Wayfarer scarf. This project might have been just an excuse for me to finally try out Malabrigo Twist, but whatever. It's also my first Jared Flood pattern, so I was doubly excited.

My sweet lord, what yarn!!! It's even squishier than regular single-ply Malabrigo, and the Zinc colorway is a pale gray/lavender and tan. It reminds me of the color of Colinette Jitterbug in Oyster Blush. Freaking gorgeous.

Ysolda's video made the cast-on very clear, and even though I think things got a little wonky there in the center, it's still not too bad. I'm going to have to fend off people who are going to ask me for this scarf (it's for me, duh!), I can already tell.

Oh Iceland

2010-11-02T12:54:00.000-07:00

Recently Ysolda Teague wrote about her experience as the guest tutor for a Knitting Iceland tour. What an amazing time it looks like she had -- from learning traditional Icelandic knitting techniques to helping sort the sheep that bring us that lovely Lopi yarn to shopping for yarn at the grocery store, and Ysolda also taught a workshop! And all of this happening in a rugged and incredibly beautiful landscape -- it sounds like the perfect knitting trip to me. I'll have to look into the next tour!

Ysolda also mentions some other bloggers from the Fancy Tiger yarn shop in Denver who do a 6-part series on the tour. Again, amazing.

A week ago, a bit of Iceland came to the desert -- Jonsi, lead singer of Icelandic supergroup Sigur Ros, brought his tour to town, and it was a fabulous show. I picked up his DVD 'Go Quiet,' which is a movie of him performing the songs from his solo album 'Go.' The movie tells the story of Jonsi the day after throwing a New Year's Eve party, padding around his trashed house in some adorable slippers:

The front and sides of the heel definitely look knit, but the back of the heel looks crochet to me. What do you think?

Anyway, check out this timelapse video of a Jonsi show -- it's quite the visual experience.

jónsi: Concert Timelapse at The Wiltern Theatre from Henry Jun Wah Lee on Vimeo.

40 percent

2010-10-25T11:02:00.000-07:00

In an effort to hunt down some long-hiding needles in long-forgotten projects, I recently decided to frog some UFOs that have been hibernating for a long time (years, in some cases). I opened up my bin of UFOs and took a look at the project and asked myself, would I be willing to jump back into this project right now and finish it? In about 60 percent of the cases, the answer was no, which made the ripping easy.

But the longer I dug through the WIPs and ripped out those circular needles I was so happy to see again and wound all that kinky frogged yarn into balls, I began to see a trend: A good number of the projects were stopped at about the 40 percent-done mark. Why would I cast aside a project just as I was about halfway through it? What would make me ignore a project just as things were getting good? Getting stuck on a pattern question, probably. Boredom, definitely.

And I was disappointed in myself, how I'd let those hours and hours of work go to waste. Just about in tears after ripping out the back of a sweater, I noticed some toe-up single socks that were just about to the heel and decided to save them. It's Socktober (it's almost over, but still), so why not try to finish these up? I saved them from the frog pile and am hoping to tackle these over the next few weeks. Let's see if I can crank these out!

Oh, and one of these socks is a recently started project -- the Trilobite Socks from "Socks from the Toe Up," in the Plucky Knitter MCN in Sheridan. Soooo nice.

Warm up Pakistan

2010-09-10T11:59:00.000-07:00

This morning I learned about a new group on Ravelry, Pakistan Knit Relief to benefit the millions affected by the flooding there. The group description says, "As the seasons change millions will be living in tent cities. Help them prepare for the cold winter nights in the mountain regions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the North Western part of Pakistan."

The group's moderator suggests sending hats knit in natural fibers to help those living outdoors keep warm this winter, but she says she will also take other natural-fiber knits (blankets, shawls, etc.). She will be collecting the items through Oct. 1 and will send them through her husband, who will be visiting Pakistan then.

I checked my knitwear drawer in my yarnoire and lo and behold, it was bursting with warm items to send off. I'm so excited they'll go to people who really need them. I'll try to make a few more items by the end of the month.

In other knit news, I'm working on an old Karabella pattern, Cabled Cardigan KK183. I've read that it's a bit fussy, so I'm hoping that I can power through it. What I really wish I was working on is this.

And the winner of Sweater Quest is ...

2010-06-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

Laura! Better late than never, huh? I'll be in touch to get your particulars. And thanks to the other ladies for their sweater suggestions!

Even though I'm not very good at this contest thing, I'd like to continue it, as it's allowing me to take stock of my knitting paraphernalia. Next post, I think I'll give away a nice skein of sock yarn. I still have to decide which.

I came to the conclusion that the sock-yarn stash had to be pared down after dragging out the whole darn thing to find some colors for a Zig and Zag Sock Yarn pram baby blanket by Skein Queen. What a stashbuster! While asking the DH his opinion, he eyed the colorful mound and asked how many pairs of socks' worth of yarn I had there. I said, 'Oh, more than 20, probably.' I haven't heard him laugh that loudly in a while. Hey, at least he was laughing, right?

Who wants a book?

2010-05-27T23:14:00.000-07:00

Knitting has taken a bit of a back seat in my life over the past few weeks, but I'm trying to get the old mojo back. For the few of you who kindly read my words, I'd like to offer you a chance at nabbing my copy of Sweater Quest.

No doubt most of the knitting world has heard of if not already read this book, so I won't bore you. All I ask is that you leave a comment and suggestions for what to do with my 6 skeins (!) of Madelinetosh Pashmina in Composition Book Gray that I just acquired today. I don't have many sport-weight sweaters in my queue and I'd like some options. I'll do a drawing next Friday, June 4, for the winner. Thanks!

Loitering while knitting

2010-04-20T11:08:00.000-07:00

Last night a friend had free tickets to the Japandroids show and asked me to come along. I decided to bring the boring black wrap I'm making for my mom and work on that. We were sitting at a picnic table in front of the venue, me knitting happily away, waiting for her friend to bring our tickets when an angry bouncer type approached us and told us that there was no loitering and that we had to go inside the venue now or leave. We explained that we were waiting for a friend to bring our tickets and that we would go inside at that time. He grunted and walked away. Geez, what an ass! I think it was my knitting that made us look really suspicious.

Despite that kerfuffle, the show was great and Japandroids rocked. You can listen to/watch their live set on KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic Show below.

It was a busy weekend. Besides getting yelled at by bouncers, I made a quick stop at the Arizona Federation of Weavers and Spinners Guilds' Fibers Through Time conference. The marketplace was pretty small but I was able to pick up some Chameleon Colorworks Twinkle Toes and Bambino sock yarn. I particularly like the Twinkle Toes, which is 50/50 Tencel and Merino. I hope they both make some cooler socks for the DH.

I also stopped by RedFish Dyeworks and got some 4-ply 50/50 merino/silk. Unfortunately all their colors weren't there, otherwise I would have bought more!

One more thing: My friend loaned me her turntable that you can hook up to your computer to record your vinyl LPs as MP3s! How freaking awesome is that? I see a lot more vinyl in my future ...

New Lace Sleeves

2010-04-15T23:53:00.000-07:00

It took me more than 2 weeks to complete 8.5 inches in a fairly simple lace pattern for my Cerisara cardigan, the latest Chic Knits pattern. I would have been done sooner except for having to rip back more than a few times after some screw-ups (I blame pre-concert excitement -- I brought it along to work on before seeing Mr. Diana Krall in concert last week).

(Good job filming, honey!)

It's knit top-down in one piece and has some interesting construction. I've finished the back lace portion, connected the back left neckband to the back left neckline and am about to continue with the lace on the left shoulder section. This crazy (to me) construction is so interesting!

The yarn I'm using is Elsebeth Lavold Eucool, which is a DK-weight 75% wool and 25% eucalyptus yarn. No, it does not smell all menthol-y, unfortunately. It's got a very dry hand, feels kind of like cotton and is quite splitty, yet somehow, so far, it's working very well in this pattern. Knit at worsted gauge, it's drapey and light.

Oh, I picked the same yarn and color as in the sample because I'm a nerd like that.

So, judging by the amount of time it took me to get the hang of the simple lace pattern, I'm thinking it's going to be a while before this sweater is done.

Which is OK, because sometimes the wait

is worth it.

Friendly

2010-03-26T09:47:00.000-07:00

This shows just how inept I am at this social-networking thing: I've been reluctant/too chicken to 'friend' people on Ravelry. Ravelry! The place where every knitter knows every other knitter's name! The place where the obsessed can sit and share and not feel judged (too much)! No wonder I'm not on Facebook, I suck at this 'friending' stuff.

Well, I just went on a mini friending spree. I added a few of my longtime favorite bloggers, like the ADD Knitter and Knit and Tonic and Stitch Marker, and even added much-lauded designer Robin Melanson (her book 'Knitting New Mittens and Gloves' is gorgeous). Just because I can. Because Ravelry sort of evens out the playing field for all knitters and reminds us not to turn these popular bloggers/designers into rock stars. They're just knitters, like you and me. Even if some of them are geniuses.

And to continue on the spring yarn-buying bonanza, I recently received two skeins of Grey Drizzle Fibers Merino Drip sock yarn in Leaf and Deep Water. The green is pretty accurate, but photographing the dark blue is impossible at this point (gotta read up on the user's manual for my 'fancy' camera). It's not at all bright and shiny, but deep and somber.

The saturated, monochromatic colors are lovely. I had wanted to do the Haruni shawl with the Leaf, but now I'm wondering about some baby sweaters after looking through Vintage Baby Knits.

Hunney bee

2010-03-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Today's rainy and gray, but yesterday was warm and sunny and brought out lots of bees.

They were all over one of my orange trees. The scent of the blossoms is quite strong but not as cloying as it has been the past few years.

All this springtime activity inspired me to cast on for the Marie Antoinette socks by Ann Hanson, knit in the Woolen Rabbit's Superwash Merino in Tupelo Honey (makes me think of Van Morrison every time I say Tupelo Honey).

I bought the kit a few years ago but I hadn't been in the mood to cast on for such an ornate, extravagant-looking pair of socks. Ann Hanson has totally demystified this pattern for me. I've never done such a thorough, straightforward sock pattern before. I've been checking out some of her other patterns and was a little shocked by the price she is charging per pattern, but if all her patterns are written this well, it may be worth it.

The Woolen Rabbit yarn is great to work with, and I love the shots of green that run through the ochre color. I'm waiting for an order of her Kashmir yarn in a blue/brown/green and a ruby red, which I'm planning to use for some shawls.

And because I can't get this song out of my head: Lady Gaga and Beyonce, aka Hunney Bee.

Get over yourself!

2010-03-16T23:16:00.000-07:00

So I did it. I brought a project into the yarn store where I sometimes work and asked for help. Begged for help. Because I was going to bash my head against the shelves holding the cotton yarns if someone didn't get between me and this project.

I don't know what it was that kept me from going in sooner: embarrassment? Pride? I guess I figured that if thousands of other knitters could figure out this pattern, so could I. But no. I couldn't.

And you know what? That's ok. The only thing proven by today's breakthrough is that my mind works differently than other people's. And that's not such a bad thing.

So Mad(tosh)

2010-03-10T09:36:00.000-08:00

A finished project! Look!

My Denim Damson in 1.05 skeins of Madelinetosh sock in Crow. The Madelinetosh sock was great to work with. The only problem: About two-thirds of the way through, I realized I was quickly running out of yarn. In a panic, I located another skein of Crow on Ravelry and scooped it up. And only ended up using it to knit about 6 rows.

My original plan was to use some black yarn in my stash for the edging if I ran out, but I forgot about that in my panic to find the exact yarn. Oh well, more sock yarn to knit (in a gorgeous color even).

I had my first proper blocking adventure with this shawl, using blocking wires and all. They were kind of fiddly getting into the shawl, but the end result is worth it. Oh, and here's a pic that's closest to the real color:

And if that wasn't enough Madelinetosh purchasing, I bought even more dark blue Madelinetosh, this time in Wren in Kettle. It's got a little more teal than I would have liked, but otherwise it's a gorgeous yarn. Time to knit more dark blue shawls I suppose ...

Except that I'm involuntarily Marching to the Finish, i.e., I'm impelled to finish up projects rather than cast on for new ones. Mostly because I've been feeling pretty uninspired by patterns. The only things I seem to be interested in knitting are shawls, socks and sweaters. Not so horrible, but a little limiting. I'm feeling the urge to finish my Superchunky Cables. I also want to finish up my Amanda sweater from "A Fine Fleece." And though I do like the Patons Soy wool for this sweater (the color is amazing), the splittiness is just too much for me right now.

So my quick trip to Chicago was a bust, knitting wise. No yarn shop visits, no finished Damson to wear to keep the Midwestern chill away from my neck (though the highs were in the balmy 40s, thank god). Oh well, now I really have to plan some kind of knitting getaway/treat for myself to make up for that and for missing Stitches!

Wound up

2010-03-03T08:57:00.000-08:00

When you buy a hank/skein of yarn, do you immediately wind it? Being a shopper's-remorse type, I tend to take my purchases out of the bag, set them down in front of me and think, "Maybe I'll return this -- tomorrow," before promptly shoving it somewhere where I can't see it.

Winding yarn just seems so permanent, so final -- but what's so final about it? I can't return it to the store, but that doesn't sap its potential to become something. Maybe this has something to do with commitment issues.

Well, I think I'm starting to deal with my apparent fear of yarn commitment and am moving forward in my project relationships. I've wound my two skeins of Madelinetosh Eyre in Brothers Grimm, a tealy black -- oh so soft and luminescent. I thought I'd have time to whip up a quick cowl before my Chicago trip this week, but I don't, and I can't find a pattern that I like enough to use this gorgeous yarn on. Oh well, I will use this on a very special project for me, someday.

I'm also going to wind my skein of Squoosh merino cashmere sock in mustardy Ochre. I'm thinking about combining it with some purply Plucky Knitter MCN in purply Sheridan, mostly because I'm obsessed with the color combination in this gorgeous scarf.

Invisible knitting

2010-02-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

My blogging absence and lack of activity and photos on Ravelry may make it seem that I've not been knitting much lately. The truth is, I've been working on two projects that I'm not listing on Ravelry because 1) one of them is a sweater for the knitting store where I sometimes work, so I don't really consider it my project, and 2) one of them was mostly knit on a knitting machine, by someone who isn't me, and I'm just doing some finishing on it.

There they are, proof I have been knitting over the past few months.

But really, I've been dreaming about doing some other knitting. Most of these dreams involve purchasing some decadent yarn and starting some intricate lace shawl that's gone viral on Ravelry. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), I'll probably just pick up one of the dozens of unfinished projects I have on the needles. Like Damson. Wow, do I feel stupid for having screwed up on that one so often. But I think I've got it this time. I'll probably end up bringing it with me to Chicago next weekend. Maybe it'll even get to visit a knitting store there ...

Oh yeah, another "invisible" project is this pooly, flashy (what is the difference, anyway? I should probably find that out) toe-up sock in Cami Chic by Hazel Knits. I'm not exactly loving the 8-inch size 000 dpns, but they're giving me gauge, which is all I can ask for.

Alright, enough of the unattractively staged WIP photos. Here are some pretty pics of wildflowers and a pile of oranges from my yard. Orangey!

Communication breakdown

2010-01-27T09:59:00.000-08:00

Technological problems, as well as my usual laziness and intermittent illness, have kept me from posting. But now that I've got a new computer, I'm set!

Too bad that the new computer cost so much that I can't afford to get a new camera. Above is a snap from the computer's camera/video thingie, not the greatest. You see the French Press Felted Slippers (haven't yet sewn on the strap/flap and button), the languishing Damson (I just can't seem to get the increase eyelets lined up right) and some plain toe-up socks. There are way more WIPs lurking around, but let's not overwhelm ourselves on our first day back, right?

My planned trip to Stitches West has been canceled. Instead, I'm going to Chicago for a family event, and I'm actually looking forward to it. I was excited about going to Stitches, but not excited about the prospect of spending hundreds of dollars on yarn when I have so many WIPs and tons of untouched, gorgeous yarn sitting in my yarnoire. So, Stitches will have to wait for another year. Don't worry, I plan on visiting at least one yarn store while in Chicago, probably the much-hailed Nina.

And now, here are my Crafting Resolutions for 2010:

Go ahead and try needlepoint/crochet/sewing/leatherwork or whatever other craft is currently catching my eye. Why wait?

Try as hard as possible not to buy yarn/other craft supplies without having a project in mind first.

Read patterns/instructions ALL THE WAY THROUGH before starting!

Actually read some of the dozens of knitting/craft books/magazines I own. Don't buy a book/magazine unless it's really inspiring or there's a project/pattern in it that I want to make.

Get rid of yarn I don't want -- forget selling most of this yarn. Just donate it.

Set realistic goals/deadlines for projects. Try not to keep finish time open-ended.

Black Friday

2009-11-27T09:42:00.000-08:00

Actually, it's more like a deep, dark midnight blue and steel gray Friday.

I'm loving this Madelinetosh Sock in Crow I'm using for Damson. It's a fairly squishy yarn, and the little bits of brighter blue and gray remind me of denim. So far it's a great pattern and pretty much a zone-out project

I also realized I adore garter stitch at this gauge. I'm not normally a fan of that bumpy look, but when it's wee, it looks like a pretty little stitch pattern. Love!

So Swell

2009-11-18T09:29:00.000-08:00

Last evening I was privy to some good music and fantastic knitwear.

The Swell Season -- the pair who starred in the movie 'Once' a few years back -- were in town promoting their new album. They opened the show with a song from that movie, 'Fallen From the Sky,' and cheekily sat together on the floor to perform the song, just like they did in the movie. Marketa played a silly little keyboard and Glen played guitar and wore a knit beanie with a pompom on top. Fabulous.

Crap phone photo and video, etc. above, taken by me.

A much better photo, borrowed from Victor Palagano/NeW TImes

My cousin's husband also was wearing a lovely knitted earflap hat (that he had bought, ugh) at the concert, but I wasn't able to get a photo of it. But now I have an idea for future presents for him ...

I'm finishing up the back of the Superchunky Cables cardigan for the DH. Thank goodness for superchunky yarn, otherwise this thing would have little chance of being finished.

In addition to the Adult Surprise Jacket I'm making for the LYS, I'm also knitting a Quickie Cowl in a new 100% alpaca yarn we're getting into the shop, Country Comfy Yarns from Mona, Utah. It's the first time I've workerd with 100% alpaca and it's got a really interesting twist and thick, soft hand.

Fate

2009-11-05T09:44:00.000-08:00

I'm stalled out on the sweater for my LYS, so I've picked up a new project. I don't know why, but I'm just not interested in the sweater projects that are sitting in the WIP pile, so I wanted to start something new.

While the DH and HD are out of town, I've done some cleaning. My yarnoire was packed to the gills with yarn, so I decided to make use of some of those clear comforter bags and stuffed a few of them with sweater amounts of yarn and threw them on top of the yarnoire, freeing up a shelf or two for future yarn overbuying (probably my Stitches West haul, yahoo!).

I noticed that I still had some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky in a lovely chocolate color that I had bought about 4 years ago, and I decided that I had to get rid of it already. I'd tried a number of patterns with it -- the Drops 103-1 cardigan, a few patterns from the Rowan New Shapes book, and a few patterns from Twinkle's Big City Knits, none of which worked out.

Then I realized that a cabled cardigan in the new Erika Knight book, Men's Knits, calls for Cashmerino Superchunky. It was meant to be.

The cabled pattern is very easy and fun, and all the different pattern textures make it quite interesting to knit. And the bulky yarn is going fast, so I'm in love.

The yarn is soooooo soft, though pilly and has an incredible number of knots (I encountered 2 or 3 in a ball that only has about 75 yards). But that doesn't matter, I'm gonna use it up.

I do, however, have to buy more b/c I only have 14 balls, and I need at least 21 balls. Unfortunately, Little Knits (which has the discontinued yarn on sale) was out of the chocolate color, and I was able to find two other Web sites that are selling it at the original price, which is kind of hefty. But that's what I get for not buying enough yarn in the first place.

The owner of the LYS where I sometimes work wants me to do a cowl pattern with some chunky alpaca she's bought for the shop. Now I've gotta hunt for a good pattern ...

Planning

2009-10-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

Still working on the project for my LYS. I don't think I've been this monogamous, like, ever. But I'm going to keep plugging away at it until it's done and I can get back to my regularly scheduled knitting.

And I may have to put Redhook from Jared Flood's Made in Brooklyn in my queue. I saw a lovely one here and I'm hooked. It's the perfect sweater vest/tunic I've found this season, and I adore the tiny little shawl collar.

It was nice to read about the author of Homemade, a new crafting book (at least in the UK) on Mooncalf's blog. It seems that Ros Badger also designed hats for the Edge on U2's Zooropa tour, which is endlessly cool, and has gotten me into a U2 mood -- I'm seeing them for the first time on Tuesday! Woooo hooo! Oh, note to self: pack some Toast fingerless mitts to sneak into the concert ...

Other knitting news: I'm registered to attend a few classes at Stitches West in Santa Clara, Calif., in February. I'm still ironing out the details, weighing how much time I want to spend at Stitches and how much time I want to spend running around San Francisco with my friend who lives up there. Decisions, decisions.

EZ does it

2009-09-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

I've not been blogging much lately because I'm working on a project for the LYS that I sometimes work at. Because it's not a project for me, I didn't really want to blog about it.

It's an Adult Surprise Jacket in Mission Falls 1824 Wool. Nice and soft. Since this is pretty much the only thing I've been working on for the past week, I started to get bored and thought I might want to try making my own Baby Surprise in some sock yarn (might as well do something with the sock yarn, since I've not been knitting socks this year). I can't decide beteween the dark, dark Casbahhhh or the totally autumnal Painted Skeins sock yarn I got from the Knit Purl sock club. Hmmmmm ....

And again with the starting over ...

2009-09-15T13:29:00.000-07:00

I worked all weekend on the Mondo Cable Cardi and have come to realize my stitch count is off by a bit. What to do? Frog it, of course.

It's depressing that I'm deciding to frog again instead of trying to salvage hours of work, but that just shows you how lazy/crazy/stupid I am.

So, enough with that. Here's my final shipment of the Madelinetosh Magnolia Society. First is intense:

Eyre in Brothers' Grimm

Pastoral in Bosphoros

and pale:

Eyre in Hosta

Pastoral in Estuary.

I think I'm yarn-clubbed out for now. Since I'm focusing on sweater projects, these smaller amounts of yarn aren't as interesting to me. But they're definitely gorgeous, especially the Eyres. Lord, they're sooooooft, so soft that it almost doesn't feel like anything when you're touching it, if that makes sense (probaby doesn't).

Starting over again, naturally

2009-09-11T13:42:00.000-07:00

So I've picked up the Silken Scabbard out of the WIP pile. Actually, I'm not really picking it up out of the WIP pile -- I'm casting on for it again. Even though I have this much done already:

Am I the only person who does this -- puts down a project, only to pick it up later and not know where I am in the pattern, and, rather than use a little brain power to try to figure it out, I just say, oh well, I'll just start over. I must have too much time on my hands since I'm knitting and reknitting things, right? Oh, so wrong.

I decided to try this one again because I've been craving working with a shiny, silky, scrunchy yarn after using the Malabrigo for the Vine Yoke Cardi. I need some sproing, dang it.

Speaking of sproing, I got my Dream in Color Classy yesterday and need to swatch for the Mondo Cable Cardi. Oh my is this yarn soft and sproingy. And the color -- Cloud Jungle is heavenly. Amazing how many different colors are in there, yet they combine to give a very muted look. Love it.

Practicing for NaKniSweMoDo 2010?

2009-09-09T13:49:00.000-07:00

It's done -- my first finished sweater. Ever. Here it is, my Vine Yoke Cardi, photographed at my LYS.

I am so thrilled to have finished something, much less a sweater. However, the extra repeats I did in the cabling up top added more poufiness to it than I wanted, so it's a little large around there. Which sucks, but you know what? I don't care, I'm done!

The sweater was speeding along nicely and if I had had more concentrated free time, it would have been done about 2 weeks ago. So it's a great speedy knit, and a really clearly written pattern (although there are a few number errors that are easy to get past).

I just bought the buttons for it today at the LYS. Sorry, no picture. I hope they're not too heavy, since they're pretty big. And metal. But so pretty and shiny ...

It's amazing that for a size 38 I only used 840 yards of Malabrigo -- 4 skeins. And I do mean 4 skeins -- I didn't want to wind up another skein just so I would have yarn to finish the dang thing, so I frogged my swatch and used that.

If I were going to knit this again, I'd probably not have gone up to size 10 needle like I had to get gauge, because this thing is going to stretch.

Up next: the gorgeous, gorgeous Mondo Cable Cardi by Bonne Marie Burns. I'm waiting for my Dream in Color Classy in Cloud Jungle to arrive so I can start swatching. I'm so focused on sweaters right now that I'm wondering if I should try doing NaKniSweMoDo for next year?

Sounds funny

2009-08-21T16:55:00.000-07:00

I've seen a few other bloggers posting lists of their favorite songs, and to put a spin on it, I thought I'd post a playlist I created for my husband the other day. It includes some really, really random stuff (but isn't that the best kind?). It could be some good music to knit by.

These are in alphabetical order according to artist, b/c that's how it came up in my iTunes:

Shopping Barenaked Ladies
Eleanor Rigby The Beatles
Girl Beck
Central Reservation [Ben Watt Mix] Beth Orton
California Stars (live, Conan) Billy Bragg & Wilco
Green Onions Booker T. & the MG's
You Ain't Going Nowhere The Byrds
He Lays in the Reins Calexico/Iron & Wine
Traveling Again (Traveling I) Dar Williams
Always Be The Last To Know Del Amitri
Chelsea Dagger The Fratellis
1234 Feist
History Song The Good, The Bad & The Queen
Box Of Rain Grateful Dead
Jesus Of Suburbia / City Of The Damned / I Don't Care / Dearly Beloved
/ Tales Of Another Broken Home Green Day
Jesus Is Just Alright Jack Segel/Sarah Hagan (from the 'Freaks and Geeks' soundtrack, yo)
Upside Down Jack Johnson
They Jem
Sunflower River Blues John Fahey
Everyday I Love You Less and Less Kaiser Chiefs
Jesus Walks Kanye West
This Time Tomorrow The Kinks
Ramble On Led Zeppelin
To Go Home M. Ward
Paper Planes M.I.A.
Yèkèrmo Sèw Mulatu Astatqé
The Happy Song (Dum-Dum) Otis Redding
We Float PJ Harvey
California Rufus Wainwright
Take Your Mama Out Scissor Sisters
Changes Seu Jorge
Dio Tenacious D
Sneaky Snake Tom T. Hall

Jinx

2009-08-20T14:31:00.001-07:00

I hadn't planned on blogging about my Vine Yoke Cardigan just yet because, I'm embarrassed to say, I was feeling a little superstitious -- things were going so well, so why chance it? I also wanted to have more progress to show before I posted about it.

But it seems there are some errata in the right sleeve section of the pattern, which is what I'm going to be starting next, so I think I'm going to put the knitting on hold until that's all straightened out.

So, here's what I've done so far: the right front.

I like how the button band is a little frilly,

and the cables are super-easy.

There's a hell of a lot of short rows going on (without the wraps being picked up), which is good practice for me, since in the past I've immediately forgotten how to do short rows right after I do them.

And the Pearl Ten. My camera and photog skills can't capture its beauty. And it looks amazing in garter stitch!

Mail call and Ysolda love

2009-08-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

Not much knitting, but a lot of yarn receiving.

These are from the Madelinetosh Magnolia Society Club. The first two are the intense shipments:

Verdigris

Peacock Plume

And these are the pale shipments:

Absinthe

Featherwise

and that's not all ...

Here's the June Year in Color (I think) shipment from Sundara:

2 skeins of Crushed Cherries in Fingering Silky Merino.

I also have been smitten with a few of Ysolda Teague's patterns the past few days. This morning I bought the patterns for Damson and the Vine Yoke Cardigan. Both are just amazingly beautiful, and I trust her well-written patterns to shepherd me through to the finish line, unlike the many other WIPs I have lying around (her Ishbel was one of the only projects I've finished this year so far).

I've got a number of sock yarns that would do Damson well, but I'm fixated on the greyish-brown color for the Vine Yoke Cardigan. I've got 4 skeins of Malabrigo worsted in Pearl Ten (cue heavenly choir), which is of course nowhere near enough for a cardigan for me. I'm thinking about picking up a few more skeins online, but am I tempting the dye-lot gods? I'm thinking the cabling up top and around the sleeves will help hide any discrepancies. Right?

Ouch

2009-08-11T09:16:00.000-07:00

It's starting to get to me that I'm not following through with projects and haven't completed much this year. The Glint is still halfway through the first sleeve. The Shhhh Cardigan is still fouled up from when I tinked and is some rows away from the center of the back. The stitch count for the Bamboo Yoke Top is off and I don't want to start the ribbing until that's straightened out. The Amanda Jacket is still there and just fine, but it's a bit of a dull knit. And I'm waiting for some mental clarity before I proceed with the Military Cardigan.

I have cast on for the mindless project: Melody's Shawl. It's perfect for my state of mind right now, and I'm excited that it eats up 800+ yards of laceweight, of which I've got a bit in my stash, and I plan on making at least one more of these.

Blame the mother-in-law

2009-08-09T14:01:00.000-07:00

The DH says he wasn't the one who brought that flock of very quiet cardinals into the yard to roost in our trees. Perhaps the MIL thought that putting fake birds in our trees would amuse our little one. It sure amused me to find them there yesterday!

Off

2009-08-08T09:23:00.000-07:00

It's been a strange day so far. I've eaten a weird yet delicious breakfast.

The temperature in the Valley of the Sun is below 110 degrees Fahrenheit for the first time in 6 months (I wonder if the Dylan show is back on?).

I wandered outside in the backyard for the first time in months and found a strange flock of birds in the orange tree,

Chilean mesquite,

and pomegranate shrub (maybe they attacked poor GI Joe there in the background).

I would ask the DH about these strange visitors but he's at the zoo with the HD.

Probably the strangest thing of all is that I've completed the back left vent of the Military Cardigan, with no glaring errors (that I mind too much, anyway).

And I finally got my Melody's Shawl pattern in the mail (how frustrating that it can't be downloaded!). This will be my mindless project, since it's all stockinette in the round. I'm using Jade Sapphire Mongolian Cashmere 2-ply. This should be a luxurious scarf I plan on gifting to someone.

Old and twisted

2009-08-06T23:50:00.000-07:00

The Military Cardigan is already giving me fits and I've hardly worked on it. I now have to admit my eyesight is so bad that I'm having difficulty seeing stitches in a bright medium-blue yarn -- it's not even navy! Good lord.

Besides my blindness, my lack of sleep (I've got a little more free time these days, but I'm doing other things instead of sleeping -- maybe that would have been a wiser choice) has addled my brain so that I'm fouling up a simple cable. This is what the left back vent (for this is supposed to be a peplum! fancy!) should look like:

and this is what mine looks like:

Hmm, not quite right somehow. Could this strange ridge right here on the wrong side of the work be correct?

No, no it could not be correct. Try to ignore the ragged hangnails in the photo, if you could.

I'm going to give it another try tomorrow.

To help satisfy my cabled-sweater cravings, I picked up some patterns today. Two of them are from a few years ago: Cabled Cardigan from Karabella and High Neck Cable from Blue Sky Alpacas. I've loved them both for years and don't know when I'm going to get to them, but I will someday.

I continued my cable feast with the latest issue of Vogue Knitting. So many cables in there I can't stand it. And I picked up Amber by Kim Hargreaves, which I don't want to talk about or look at until I finish my current Kim Hargreaves project. Soon, soon.

Sweat-ahhhhhh

2009-08-05T09:43:00.001-07:00

While the entire knitting world is meeting to discuss socks this week, I'm taking photos of my breakfast and dreaming of sweaters.

That's an almost-finished sio pao bun on the right, a cupcake that HD and DH made on the left, and the strongest iced coffee known to man behind them (I still don't know how to work a coffee maker. That's why I prefer tea bags.).

And why am I showing off my mundane breakfast? Because it's more exciting than the knitting I've barely been doing these days. Although now that HD is in playschool for a few hours a day, I actually have time to knit and blog! Expect better knitting content soon.

Until then, here's what I've been working on: the Amanda jacket from A Fine Fleece, once again dragged out of the WIP pile. Still not exciting, but I'll be so happy to wear it this winter.

I've been itching to cast on another worsted-weight sweater, but I'm still having problems finding one that doesn't take too much brainpower and one that will use the sweater amounts of yarn I already have in my stash.

I keep coming back to the Military Cardigan from Veronik Avery's Knitting Classic Style.

I don't know if it's the gorgeous blue color that I'm attracted to or what. But I don't think I can keep up with all of those cables ...

Maybe I'll try to hunt down a copy of the fall Vogue Knitting and see if there's anything good in there. On the Glint front, I'm almost done with one sleeve -- one more, a collar and seaming to go. I'm not terribly jazzed about it at the moment, probaby because Cotton-Ease isn't the sexiest of yarns. That's why I need to find a sweater pattern so I can use some Malabrigo!

I'm famous

2009-07-25T16:38:00.000-07:00

Sort of. In knitting podcastland. I was just listening to Doubleknit podcast, Episode 23, and Jessica and Erin were talking about their latest reads. In the Doubleknit group on Ravelry, I had posted that I had gone to the library to check out 'Oscar and Lucinda,' by Peter Carey, highly recommended by the ladies, but wasn't able to find it. Erin had posted that she had started reading 'Brideshead Revisited' by Evelyn Waugh, so I checked that one out instead and mentioned it on the group. In the latest episode when Erin talks about 'Brideshead,' she says 'someone' (I believe that's me) is also reading it after not finding 'Oscar and Lucinda' at the library. I was listening and thinking, hey, wait, they're talking about me! Yes, I'm a nerd and easily amused.

So if you haven't heard Jessica's and Erin's podcast, do listen. They have great knitting content (they both work at The Fiber Gallery in Seattle and know a lot of bigwig knitters), as well as wonderful recommendations for books and movies.

Some of my other favorite knitting podcasts are Stash and Burn, Knit Obsession with Z Knits, and the Knitmore Girls podcast.

My favorite new knitting podcast (so many come and go) is Electric Sheep, which can be found at the Hoxton Handmade blog page. Hoxton is a Londoner who has put together a really professional-sounding podcast that blends essays with commentary on a range of topics which lead back to knitting and crafting. Really well done.

I learn so much from listening to knitting podcasts, and they keep me company as I work on my latest projects. It's like attending a fun knitting group every time you tune in.

Rampage

2009-07-22T16:12:00.000-07:00

I finally finished the Clap scarf meant for the SIL:

and I still have half a skein of Sea Silk left. Ugh!

The Glint is coming along nicely. I've finished the back and am halfway done with one of the fronts. If I try hard enough, I can probably get it done while I'm off work the next few days.

For my next shrug, I'm thinking the Fiery Bolero in my new yarn love, Rowan Lenpur Linen in Tattoo. The only way I'm coming close to using linen is in a blend, and this one is amazing.

I've been rampaging through the books and magazines for my next worsted-weight knit, and I can't find anything that I like! Usually I've got a list of projects I want to knit, but nothing looks good to me. Must look harder ...

Dragging

2009-07-17T07:13:00.000-07:00

Now that the HD refuses to nap, I officially have no free time to knit (unless I want to take away some already precious sleep time or I take a break at work or try to ignore a toddler crawling all over me at home. Not very likely).

So I indulged in some retail therapy yesterday and got the Buscando Azul Malabrigo worsted that I've been eyeing since I saw it a few months ago.

Yeah, I know I said I have no time to actually knit, but just looking at it and touching it makes me feel better. I'm thinking some sort of intricate cabley thing that plays up the crazy brightness of the yarn. I'm not sure 'baroque' is the right word, but I want something that is really different. We'll see.

I also picked up the new Knitscene magazine and was again disappointed. Both it and Interweave seem to have lost their edge, while Knit.1 has gotten a lot more sleek the last few issues. The only two things I found interesting were these:

and neither of them is very exciting.

I need something a little crazy right now. Where are the innovative patterns? Anyone know?

What else did I buy during my retail therapy session? Some more Knit Picks interchangeable tips and cords. Also 7 skeins of Noro Taiyo to make the Giant Granny Square like Cosmic Pluto's. Hooray for crochet!!! But maybe I should wait to say that until I actually try crochet ...

Changing who you are

2009-07-14T13:04:00.000-07:00

So the Glint is speeding along like an aran-weight shrug knit up on size 8 needles, which is to say 1,000 faster than the lace/fingering weight projects I've been attracted to lately. I took last night's work outside for a photo shoot, this time in the carport and sitting on top of the cooler:

I'd like to point out the tension issue going on here. To me, stockinette seems to hide most tension problems. But reverse stockinette? I have no idea why all those little bumps magnify any imperfection.

The reason for the tension problems? I throw with my left hand, which leads to very, very, very, very loose and often inconsistent stitches. Since this is how I'm most comfortable knitting, I've learned to just change needle size rather than try to actually knit with some sort of consistent tension.

Here you can see where my tension changed at the beginning/end of a round on the reverse stockinette side:

and here's what it looks like on the stockinette side:

Scary. But that's not all! I've disregarded the instruction to 'make 1 Purl' and just did a backward-loop increase, and this is how those turned out:

Most of these problems could be taken care of by just, you know, following directions or learing how to knit 'correctly.' But that would just be too much to ask of me, and this is supposed to be something I do for fun. I'll leave all the imperfections, for now.

Oh, one last imperfection. Somehow I dropped a few stitches while working on the Whisper Cardigan, and now it looks like this:

Let's hope things pick up soon.

Time won't give me time

2009-07-12T13:58:00.000-07:00

Where exactly has my knitting time been going? I've got a pile of WIPs this high, full of supposedly quick knits (Clap scarf, I'm looking at you) that are sitting there mocking me. And instead I'm out fantasizing about some Kim Hargreaves shrugs and tops.

I'm starting off with Glint (optimistically going for something small) from Nectar, which came out last summer. I had a look at it back then and nothing jumped out at me. Yesterday I had another look and found that I was in love with about half the patterns in there. I threw in Breeze for good measure, because of the gorgeous Georgie knit by Mooncalf over on Make Do and Mend.

Yeah, my desire to go link-crazy comes and goes.

So, for the Glint, which is 16 spi, I decided to go for Cotton-Ease. It'll give me close to gauge and will be a little lighter and stretchier than a straight cotton, of which I have a shit-ton but not in the weight I need.

(I took this horrid photo in my laundry room, of all places, because that's where the 'good' light is in my house. God, I really need to get a better camera and some photography skills.)

I'll try to use the DK cotton for some of the other cute tops in these two books, which together set me back $70! I have to say I was shocked when the cashier rang me up. Heartfelt, also by Kim Hargreaves, was only $20, so that's about what I was expecting. Oh well, I think the books are worth it, especially since I've been pretty good about reining in my knitting book and magazine spending (but not my yarn buying).

As for the title of this post, I was inspired after watching 'The Great Debate' on Vh1 -- George Michael beat out Boy George in the battle of the 80s Georges. I think they're both rad. Had to head over to YouTube and watch a Culture Club video.

Freedom '90 (I mean, '09)

2009-07-04T10:08:00.000-07:00

I had been putting off posting until I finished a birthday gift I'm working on for the SIL, a scarf-size Clapotis in Handmaiden Sea Silk. But this thing is neverending, so I'll just go ahead and show it to you:

That's it there, all folded up, and next to it is how much yarn I still have to knit. It's fine, b/c I had wanted it to be a longer, skinnier scarf anyway. But I had no idea it was going to be this long. I'll do a proper pic once it's done.

Somehow I was inspired to pick up the Whisper Cardigan again, and I'm so glad I did, b/c it's not nearly as difficult as I thought it was going to be. I decided that that was enough arm and began on the back. Easy! It's flying by now that I'm not using the 12-inch circ, but of course I'll have to once I get to the other sleeve.

Yup, dark yarn and my horrid photo skills do not make for interesting knitting-blog shots. The ADD Knitter is knitting the Featherweight Cardigan right now, which is also by designer Hannah Fettig, and sums up the love and devotion that I feel for this WIP -- it's such a wearable piece, but only if I can finish it ...

I decided to celebrate my successful monthlong stash diet by, you guessed it, buying some yarn. The yarn store where I sometimes work was having a Fourth of July sale, so yesterday I stopped in and finally gave in to my Malabrigo lust. I passed up the bright blue worsted that I wanted and found the most perfect gray(ish) ever, Pearl Ten.

Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. The most incredible, complex mix of steel, dusty plum and bruised eggplant. Just amazing.

And because I'm still harboring fantasies of being able to knit the whisper or Featherweight in only two skeins of Malabrigo lace, I nabbed some Sunset. Mmmmmmm.

I've also received the latest Magnolia Society shipment, two skeins of worsted in the colors Shoemaker and Foxglove.

I think I might trade the Shoemaker but hang on to the Foxglove, after seeing some of it knit up nicely on Ravelry.

Happy Fourth, y'all.

Yarn that's not my fault

2009-06-14T20:53:00.000-07:00

I entered a contest on Larissa's blog and actually won! It's a skein of A Swell Yarn Shop Skinny Duet Sock Yarn in lovely purples.

The yarn is squishy soft, the purples are perfect and I can't wait to make it into some beautiful socks.

I'm on a bit of a yarn diet at the moment. I'd gone a little overboard lately and thought I'd start actually using some of it. I found some Handmaiden Sea Silk in Paris in the stash and decided that another go at the Clapotis (but the scarf-size version) was in order.

I just started it a day or two ago and I already have 3-4 inches done. This is the maybe 4th or 5th time (OK, maybe the 7th or 8th) that I've tried the Clapotis, and finally, finally it's working out for me. Of course, maybe it's b/c I'm doing the smaller version that I'm getting it. What can I say, I'm a dense knitter.

Speaking of dense, the Swallowtail is tripping me up. I'm giving it a rest for now and am putting my focus on the Clap scarf. Good thing I didn't sign up for the Yarn Snobs contest to try to finish things up this month.

Plodding on

2009-06-08T23:46:00.000-07:00

There has been knitting! Despite my efforts to try to finish the second part of the Swallowtail this weekend, I failed. I probably knit and ripped the same 12 rows all weekend and am probably back to where I was when I started. But I'm still chuffed, b/c I had been so frustrated while tinking back for the 10th time that I thought I'd never find my place and have to scrap the entire stinking shawl. But it lives! Here are my attempts at photography using a proper tripod but totally improper lighting (Ikea cube lamp):

What, you can't see the detail? How about if I hold it up to the cube lamp?

Uh, that's not very clear, and you still can't really see any details. One more time:

Not too exciting, but the Sundara is keeping me entertained.

And because one shawl is never enough, I've started a Feather and Fan Comfort Shawl in Handmaiden Casbahhhhh. I'm sure I'm not the first to call it that, either.

It's stalled out quite early b/c I can't decide if I want to knit it all in the Casbah or add some springy-green Nature's Palette or what. My color indecision sucks.

And I've got yet another WIP. This Botanica Medallion Cardigan (it's actually more vestlike, don't really get the cardigan) is about 30% done. The center medallion needs to be re-bound off b/c it's too tight. And I've only done about four repeats of the outer edge, and I'll probably need to do, oh, 30-40 more? No problem.

I can't decide if I've messed up the drop-stitch part or not.

And I'm so glad to be moving some of this Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Patine that I stocked up on last summer. Such nice stuff, probably even softer than the Blue Sky Alpacas Skinny Cotton that the pattern calls for.

And now for what will probably be my last bit of stash acquisition for a while (or at least until the next enstallment of the Magnolia Society -- oh, and the Sundara June YIC FSM in Crushed Cherries ... really not much.

More Squoosh MCN Sock in Cowboy Dreams. Just dreamy. I'm thinking I may try a Clapotis for the nth time with this stuff.

Sweet Georgia sock in Riptide. It's a lot more teal than it looked on my computer, which is a little disappointing (I thought it was a much deeper blue/gray and not teal-y green at all). I'm hoping that the color will change a little bit when I wind it into a cake.

And there you have it. Wow, just posting about a few projects, even if I haven't done much on them, is making me feel productive. Must try to do this more often ...

Changes

2009-06-03T13:21:00.000-07:00

I've scrapped the Swallowtail Shawl using the Madeline Tosh Sock in Shell and have decided that I'm going to use Sundara Sock in Brambleberry instead:

I got the yarn in a destash on Ravelry and wasn't as excited about it as I thought I would be -- it seemed to have less burgandy and green, which is what I had really liked about the colorway. But when I finally wound the yarn into a cake last night, all the complexity of the dye job finally made sense to me. There's all kinds of purple/brown in there -- russet, plum, a little ochre, and of course tiny shots of the pretty spring green. Exactly like some half-ripened berries you'd find growing in the wild in the Pacific Northwest. Sigh.

Things are moving slowly, but I'm making some progress on several pairs of socks. And now that DH has purchased himself a case for his iTouch, I don't have to knit him one! Woo hoo!

Dye-ing to finish something

2009-05-30T14:22:00.000-07:00

So I'm working on my Bamboo Yoke Top, which is based on Joelle's Favorite Yoke Sweater from KnitKnit. The yarn is fabulously soft and lustrous and stretchy, but I wasn't sure about the icy blue-green color, which I was in love with last summer and bought a WHOLE BAG of.

I decided to go ahead with the project even though I wasn't sure about the color. Then it struck me: I could overdye the top when it's done! I had bought a small dye kit from Hello Yarn earlier this year but my yarn-overdying plans lost steam (read: family would not go away and leave me in peace to try such an intensive project).

I'm willing to give the overdying a try -- I think a lovely blue/purple/black would do the top some good. I had originally wanted to do the top in my Malabrigo sock in Alcaucil, which is a lovely green/gray/black, but I didn't think a 100% merino top would do me well in the summer desert heat.

And now I'm going to do what I vowed I wouldn't do: talk about non-knitting-related stuff in this blog. I figured I would focus on Phoenix-area events and eateries, in case anyone from out of town (or anyone at all!) ever takes a look at this blog.

Today the DH and HD (Handsome Dude, or my 2.5-year-old) and I had lunch at the Knock Kneed Lobster in Phoenix. As these reviews say, the place is a bit of a grease pit inside, but the food is top-rate for deep-fried fare. The fish fillets (don't know what kind) were tender, the fried shrimp was generous (yes, that 6-inch-long thing that looks like a skinny chicken finger is indeed a shrimp that appears to have been stretched on the rack) and the fries were great. Another plus is the array of sauces available -- cocktail/red, ranch, malt vinegar, tarter and ketchup. Oh, and don't forget to try the delicious hush puppies -- the small serving is enough to share with a few people. A plus: It's a great place to take the kids early on a Saturday morning for an early lunch, b/c the place is deserted and there's a huge picture window that looks out onto the light-rail track along Washington. Wish I would have brought my camera to photograph the kitschy seafaring-themed decor, but you get the idea.

Almost blue

2009-05-29T10:02:00.000-07:00

I'm barely squeaking in to have a post in May, but that's OK. The knitting has been melancholy and uncooperative as of late, and I just don't have the energy to try to make things work. Instead, I'm relaxing and contemplating my latest color obsession: blue.

I just received my first shipments from the Madeline Tosh Magnolia Society yesterday. Those are the pale (Piscataway Creek) and intense (Crow) shipments. Aren't they beauteous? It's exactly what I've been craving, but I don't really know what I'm going to be doing with them. I had planned on keeping the one I liked the most and trading for a second in the same color, but I love them both! It's hard being so selfish.

Also received recently is a skein of pale blue/gray/brown Squoosh MCN in Zen:

Also lovely, and again, don't know what this will grow up to be. For now, it's keeping me company.

And on the way to me from Sundara is a skein of FSM in Loves to Dance, also blue/gray/brown. And two skeins of Squoosh MCN in Cowboy Dreams, also etc. Both are quite a score and just what I've been wanting. Ooooh, one more -- Madelinetosh sock in Chambray -- this time a pale blue/white. Oh, the possibilities!

I think I'll post later (!) about actual projects. Fancy that!

Flirting with lace

2009-04-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

I've still got a bit of the knitter's block, but I'm finding that a growing interest in lace is starting to change that. In the past few days I've cast on for the Swallowtail shawl in Madelinetosh Glazed Sock in Shell. I'd been obsessed with knitting something in a springtime color, and i think this definitely fits the bill.

I'd gotten a few more repeats done than shown in this pic, taken a few days ago, but I screwed up and am going to have to rip it out. Knitting lace at night just isn't a great idea, but when do I have the chance to do that?

I'm also thinking about casting on the Shetland Triangle with Malabrigo Sock in orangey-red Boticelli Red. The red Brooklyn Tweed version is so lovely that I think mine needs to be made in a red, too.

And another lace shawl I'm thinking about is the gorgeous, gorgeous Gail. It calls for Handmaiden Sea Silk, which I have, but I'm not sure if I want it in a variegated yarn.

Yesterday at the yarn store, a lovely co-worker showed me how she works her spinning wheel and drop spindle. I finally figured out how those drop spindles work, and I fell in love with one of her spindles created by a guy from Tucson who made it with an amazing vintage Russian button on top. Must ask her about that guy's name ...

In a mood

2009-04-07T13:07:00.000-07:00

I think I've run into a bit of a knitter's slump. I've got a load of things i *should* be knitting (scarf for store sample, DH's (Feb.) birthday socks, friend's birthday something, MIL's birthday something, friend's baby shower something) and I'm just not feeling it. I'm not even in the mood to knit the projects I had really wanted to do a few weeks ago. When it starts to feel like work, I just don't want to do it.

I thought I'd take a break from the handiwork and maybe focus on reading. But there's nothing that's catching my eye! Usually I have a pile of books up to here waiting to be read, but nothing's appealing at this moment. Perhaps I should just go sit outside in the zero-gravity lawn chair and listen to some knitting podcasts and ponder my morass.

(March and) April Fool

2009-04-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

March was a big green blur most of the time. Now that it's April, I can take a look back at what I accomplished (destashing and repurchasing yarn, and finishing 2 projects).

The biggest accomplishment was, of course, Ishbel. The pattern was very straightforward and a wonderful first lace project. It would have gone much quicker had I been more focused and less sleep-deprived.

The Hazel Knits I used (the first in a finish project for me!) was lovely and lovely to work with. So springy and squishy! A wonderful shaded solid in teal.

Next is the Darkside Cowl, which I actually finished in February but just ended up redoing the bind-off b/c it was too tight. Perhaps it will count as my Malabrigo March entry.

I had been resistant to the cowl craze b/c who really needs a knitted tube for the neck in Arizona? This one, however, is headed to New York City to be reunited with the rest of the purple Malabrigo, which was made into some cute Evangeline fingerless mitts last year.

Again, the purple Malabrigo was difficult to photograph accurately. I'm sure my lack of photography skills had something to do with it, too. I'm thinking about setting up a little light box and using a tripod to take pics of my newly clean office/craft room! Someday I'll get that set up.

In the meantime, I'm relegated to taking overexposed photos in the backyard. But even though these lovely flowers and veggie garden are too bright, they're still pretty, right?

Hibiscus

One of the last cloyingly fragrant orange blossoms

Pea blossoms

Garden

Pomegranate flowers

And now for my favorite part: purchases! First, I got a skein of Pigeonroof Studios original sock yarn in Papaya. Gorgeous orangey-red tone-on-tone variation. Although it's not the sock base I used in my first pair of Pigeonroof socks, it's still lovely yarn.

I bought "The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques" after hearing the Stash and Burn review. Haven't really had a chance to take a look at it, but it seems like a really useful book.

I also finally got a pair of the Knit Picks Harmony wooden needles. Really nice to work with, but I'm thinking I also want to buy their Options interchangeable needles for projects that need slicker needles.

And after another Stash and Burn review, I indulged in some Miss Babs yarn. This stuff is worth the hype, and is an incredible value. I got over 1,500 yards in two different yarns,

Yowza! in Merlot Shadows

Solo 1-ply in Rosy Brown

Oh my, the Solo is incredible! It's like a mix between Malabrigo and Manos, but not thick/thin and more of an aran weight. I'm going to do the Asymmetrical Cabled Cardi with it, and I cannot wait.

An embarrassment of riches

2009-03-05T12:10:00.000-08:00

Well, the stash diet hasn't been working out so well. But you know what? I don't really care. I'm getting rid of a lot more stuff in the stash, which is allowing me to purchase yarn I'm more interested in. I see no problem with that.

Monday I picked up some Jade Sapphire Lacey Lamb with which to attempt the lovely Whisper Cardigan. The swatch didn't work out as planned, and I'm debating whether I'm too loose of a knitter to try and knit laceweight at 6st/inch. I'm thinking I don't want to work that hard.

The yarn is lovely and soft knit up, so I'm excited to work with it, no matter what project I choose.

Yesterday (Wednesday) I got two packages in the mail:

The first was four colors of Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift from the Dancing Ewe. It seems like a lovely, light, heathery yarn and I'm looking forward to making at least two of these colors into the Bird in Hand mittens.

The second was the March shipment of the Knit Purl sock club. My first Shibui! Normally I wouldn't go for such a bright mix of green and yellow, but somehow it really works here, and the lovely pattern, the Thora Socks, are the absolute perfect pattern for this yarn! It's like they were made for each other (which I think they were ...). I'm thinking about putting down my love Ishbel for a moment and casting on these to see if they can be done in time for St. Patrick's Day. But who would get these? I'd give them to the DH but the merino might be too warm for him. MIL? Don't know if she'd wear these. Maybe I'll keep them -- they speak to my inner colleen ...

And to continue on the Irish tip, I bought the Vintage edition of Ulysses so I don't have to share a book w/the DH. It's kinda crazy, but I'm actually enjoying it so far, though way too many of the references are lost on me. Erin go bragh!

March Madness

2009-03-01T14:58:00.000-08:00

The cast-on insanity started before March began, but whatever. Within the past 2 weeks, I've cast on for the Bird in Hand mittens, the Cleopatra Wrap, a linen-stitch scarf and the illustrious Ishbel shawl/scarf. And I'm going to start the Whisper Cardigan once I can get my hands on some whisper-fine Jade Sapphire Lacey Lamb, which will probably be tomorrow.

Right now I'm caught up in the madness of the Ishbel rush. I'm using one of the Hazel Knits February sock club colors, Deep Peacock. It's coming out stunning. I particulary love the really deep blue bits of color.

It's the first time I've jumped on the bandwagon for a viral knit. It's so much fun to check the project count on Ravelry and see the number of projects increase every day! I'm excited to try more Ysolda Teague patterns. This one is written very well. I'm even considering her lovely Little Birds pattern, though I don't know how flattering such a fitted sweater would be on my growing gut. But oh, the stranded work would be so much fun ...

Speaking of stranding, the Bird in Hand is also fun and a well-written pattern, a great foray into the technique. But unfortunately I've had to frog the Plymouth Galway worsted weight I was using and am now switching to the sport-weight Rowan Felted Tweed. I was getting nowhere near gauge on Size 1's, on worsted! The upside to my completely off tension is that I don't expect tightness to be a problem with my future stranded knitting projects.

You know, maybe I'll put the mittens on hold while I wait for my Jamieson's Shetland Spindrift yarn to arrive. I've been bad and was easily swayed by the Never Not Knitting podcast's review of this yarn. It sounds wonderful to use, and comes in some wonderful colors.

I'm also really excited to cast on for the Whisper Cardigan. It's just the filmy cover-up I need when I step into the AC-cooled indoors from the outdoor oven that is Phoenix. It's gotten up to at least 88 today! Already! Ugh, sometimes I hate the desert ...

Ah, but the pretty wildflowers in my yard, shown here at dusk, make up for the furnace-like temps. Maybe.

And thrown into the mix of knitting, I joined the 'Lost' Book Club on Ravelry and will be attempting to read and/or listen to James Joyce's Ulysses. I've dragged the DH into the RAK, so at least I'll have some company in this possibly trying excercise.

Therapy knitting

2009-02-06T14:10:00.000-08:00

A.k.a. Malabrigo. Oh man, I needed to knit something on autopilot out of something incredibly beautiful and soft. And here it is - the Darkside Cowl. Yeah, I wasn't so much on the cowl bandwagon. But i just wasn't in the mood for a hat, gloves or a scarf. Actually, who cares what it is - this is Malabrigo we're talking about!

Can't really capture the luminosity of this purple. Now I'm trying to find projects for the other two colors I have.

Finally, I'm ahead of something - Malabrigo March.

Old and new

2009-01-30T12:11:00.000-08:00

I decided to stop being silly and began plotting for my latest project: Pucker from Norah Gaughan Vol. 4 in Hemp for Knitting Allhemp6. I really need to give the hemp/linen a good try before I write it off as too stringy/inelastic to work with. And I think this is just the project for it.

Not to get too crazy with the new projects, I've dragged out Starsky once again and am enamored of the cables. And now that the project is getting huge, I'm more encouraged to finish! Perhaps by fall '11?

You'll notice my screw-up near the upper right, near the armhole. I had a little trouble figuring out where to start again after the decreases. Eventually I figured it out. And there was no way I was going to frog to fix this:

And to probably end the sock madness I've been feeling this month (last January was all about the socks, too - Sockuary instead of Socktoberfest?), a pair of socks from the Ann Budd book, in Panda Silk. Lovely to work with, but I'm not really enjoying the knit since I'm just trying to get the project done in time for the Old Man's birthday on Monday.

I'm in the process of labeling many of my stash yarns for sale. I'm really trying to clean house, and get more money for stash in the process!

What is wrong with me?

2009-01-20T12:17:00.000-08:00

I've suddenly become incapable of starting new projects. I'm seeing tons of great things I'd like to get started, but that little voice in the back of my head is saying, "But what about that Dollie for Ollie you started more than a year ago? It's for your SON!" And I'm also trying to finish up socks I started years ago, as fast as I can. Because when I'm done clearing the queue of a few things, then I will feel free to start something new.

This dollie has been languishing since Dec. 07, I believe. It just needs the hair and facial features attached, and some spiffy clothes sewed up/knit for him. I have some nice fine-wale corduroy I'm going to use for pants. Don't know if I'm going to try to sew a shirt or other accessories or stick to knitting. We'll see.

All I can say is, it's taking all I have not to buy some great new books and great new yarn I've been seeing out there. Perhaps I'll talk about my wish list in the next post.

I'd rather be ...

2009-01-07T13:16:00.000-08:00

So I'm trying my darndest not to buy new yarn or start new projects. Must try and use up most of the yarn I own before I can even think about buying more yarn. So I'm working on a boring pair of socks using some lime-green Tofutsies I got as a sample:

Mmmm, limey. The Tofutsies is splitty and I don't particularly like the color, but the fabric is nice and cottony and should make some nice socks to wear in the desert.

I also took on a poncho project for the store. Because I clearly don't have enough knitting to do. Yeah.

What I'd really like to be working on is the Little Sister's Dress in Hazel Knits, Gerber colorway (such a gorgeous saturated hot pink with yellow undertones, I can't even come close to capturing the color) or the Marlene socks in Sundara, Peach Nectar (Yum! I do love the yellow undertones, which are in here as well).

And some lovely yarn and a pretty pattern have made their way to me from the Knit/Purl sock club. And now I feel even more homesick for the Northwest. Just look at the colors on this LavenderSheep yarn in Cascades:

Winter cleaning

2008-12-27T10:32:00.001-08:00

The Stash and Burn Groupies group over on Ravelry (no links, not yet in the mood to do that) is hosting a contest about cleaning up your crafting space. You are supposed to post pictures of your spaces 'before' and 'after'. I snapped some photos, then realized I wasn't planning on cleaning up this mess any time before the new year. But I thought I'd share how crafting (mostly knitting) has taken over certain aspects of my life, not to mention my home.

The place I go to most frequently to dump and pick up WIPS, books and magazines I'm using at the moment is the wooden hutch/liquor cabinet thingie in my living room. It also holds other random things like gigantic jugs of apple juice for my son, as well as his swell moon boots.

Next to my nightstand and bed are several bags of random knitting projects, needles, yarns, books, accessories and other junk. I had planned on sorting through those one night while watching TV with the Old Man. Turns out, I'd rather knit than organize whilst watching 'No Reservations' or 'Masterpiece Theatre,' or even '24 1/2 Men.'

And finally, the office/craft room, which is where all this stuff really belongs. I have hopes and dreams for this space in the new year: I'd like to rearrange the furniture, chuck unnecessary stuff, organize the crafting materials, paint the place and make it more useful for stuff like photographing projects and yarn (so productive). Until that time comes, I have to maneuver around big tubs and bags of projects and yarn. And the bookshelf holding the knitting/crocheting (I don't even crochet yet, btw)/sewing/embroidery/soapmaking/candlemaking books is about to expire. At least the 'yarnoire' (clever name created by some fellow knitters) is somewhat organized.

A birth, hopes and dreams, and a farewell

2008-12-26T13:58:00.001-08:00

Happy birthday to this new blog -- and to me! I'm celebrating (or indulging) myself with this here blog. I think it's necessary for me to have a place to share my ideas and plans about knitting. So here we go ...

It's almost the new year, and I'm planning on trying a few new knitting techniques in the coming months. The first I'd like to tackle is lace. The only problem is, the majority of lace patterns I've seen are for shawls, and I'm just not a shawl kinda gal. So scarves seem to be the way to go. The first I'd like to tackle is the Cleopatra Wrap from 'Sensual Knits.'

And I'm going to say goodbye to a skein of green sock yarn -- but which skein? I've got a gift exchange at the yarn store on Monday, and I can't decided if I'm going to give up the Hazel Knits or the Sundara. Or should I let her choose?