Thursday, June 28, 2007

ahhhh :-)

Okay, I've gotten the cable pattern for Grecian Plaits worked out. Now I never want to put it down. Have I mentioned how great this yarn is? Oh, yes, I have. Once again, everyone needs to get their hands on this Royal Bamboo (Plymouth). I really like the way it holds a cable pattern, too. See?



On Wednesdays at A Tangled Skein there is "Sit 'n' Knit" from 7-9. I LOVE working at that time! We have such a great group of people who come to hang out (like CICI who was so nice to leave me all of those great comments!!!!!!!!). Everyone gives each other great positive feedback and advice. It's just a good time. Come check it out if you're in the area.

My mind has become obsessed about the idea of Christmas scarves. I'm literally losing sleep over it. That can't be healthy. Which pattern? Which yarn? I can't use a nicer yarn for mom's scarf because then dad will be jealous. Ahhh! I figure the only way to soothe my over-knitted brain is to get started on this endeavor. After all, once school starts again I'll hardly have enough time to knit. Plus I need...how many?? Mom, Dad, Josh, Adam, Adam's parents, his sister, his grandparents....?? Ok let's just start with the nuclear family for now. Uh oh...the WIPs are piling up again.......

Monday, June 25, 2007

S'il vous PLAIT

I cast on for the Grecian Plaits top today. Don't worry--the various gifts are still on track. I just wanted to get my hands on that oh-so-soft Royal Bamboo. The yarn does split a little bit but it's just so luscious that I forgive its faults. Now, as for the pattern, I wish that the cable pattern were clearer. I usually assume that Row 1 is the right side and that the even rows are the wrong side. However, the cables in the chart are in Rows 2 and 6. So after knitting one pattern repeat, I'm definitely going to have to make the odd rows the wrong side. No biggie...I'm only 8 rows in. This is a top-down top which I've never really done before. I knit the cable yoke, grafting the beginning to the end, then pick up stitches and work my way down.

I also swatched for my Katharine Hepburn Cardigan. I'm using Knit Picks Shine Sport and oh boy is this stuff soft! The cable/lace pattern is straightforward enough, and my gauge was correct so that project's a go when the time comes. I'm doing the cropped version because (1) I think it's more unique and (2) it takes less yarn! Not that it would really matter with the Shine Sport. It's what like $2.50 a skein? Not bad for delicious Pima cotton and Modal. It's going to be a joy to work with.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Socks?!?

Okay, can someone PLEASE tell me what the big deal about socks is? For some reason, everyone and their mother is obsessed with socks and seems to be knitting almost exclusively socks. What's the big deal? Just that they're portable? Lots of projects are portable. Why spend so much energy and hurt your hands working on teeny weeny needles when they're just going to go in a shoe? Maybe I'll change my mind and eat my words someday but right now I think there are many things more interesting than socks. Geez!

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

New Project, ahoy!

Please note new project added to "Queue". Aka I just bought the yarn and I'm very excited to do this little number.

I've finally found a project worthy of the Royal Bamboo, one of the softest, shiniest, most lovely yarns known to mankind (er, to me). I've chosen a pretty mint green, and I'm spending a bit more than I normally would for a tank top but, hey, what are birthday gift certificates for?





It's "Grecian Plaits" by Lily Chin from the Summer 07 issue of Knitter's Magazine. I absolutely hate everything else in this issue but this one pattern made it worth it to me.

I'll swatch it tonight but I MUST finish various gifts before embarking. *Sigh*

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Making progress...

I made some progress this past weekend on my Lacy Hug-Me-Tight although not as much as I'd like. I just get bored doing nothing but ribbing! But I really like the way it's starting to look. I'm happy with my yarn choice.



Something's screwy with my Dad's clogs. I'm doing the 3 needle bind off with the double sole and I've run out of stitches on one of my needles. In fact I just can't make out what the sole is supposed to look like. I think I'll have to redo it. I was watching a movie as I knit the second sole so I didn't count as accurately.


Adam's foot showing how large slipper is

I know that felting hides lots of boo boos, but I don't want one clog to look better than the other. Mom and Dad and leaving for Europe in a few days, so he's not expecting his present until after he gets back, giving me some more time.

I've decided to do scarves scarves scarves for Christmas presents this year. I just LOVE the book Scarf Style. I've mostly stayed away from scarves for most of my knitting career because I thought they had to be boring but these are fabulous. For Dad and brother, cabled scarves in soft alpaca. For mom, something lacy perhaps. Adam wants an entrelac scarf and so do I since there is an AWESOME dramatic entrelac stole in the book.


I have a while before Christmas but scarves take a while don't they...and matching hats?

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Gift emergency!

It dawned on me a couple of days ago as I was happily knitting away on projects for myself, that (1) Father's Day, (2) My brother's birthday, and (3) Adam's mom's birthday are all coming up in the next few weeks. So I've put all projects aside and started those things.

For dad, I'm making the Fiber Trends felted clogs. I'm just about done with the first clog and it only took me about a day so that's good. I know he'll like them...when he came into the shop last week and saw the model, he promptly demanded a pair. They'll probably be a bit warm for summer but he can just look at them until fall. Pre-felting, the clog is comically huge. Adam is in disbelief, but I assure him that it will fit a normal human-sized foot once I put it in the washer.

As for my brother and Adam's mom's (Sue's) gifts, in the off chance that they happen upon my blog, I shall disclose the information at a later date. Suffice it to say that I'm very excited to make Sue's present as it is a pattern that I have long desired to do. And the yarn is very pretty.

Sunday, June 10, 2007

shawl done!

I've finished the Sweet Pea Shawl! What a quick project. It took me 5 days and that's without working on it consistently. I really think my aunt will like it. It's so shiny and pretty. I've decided to leave the fringe off because I like it the way it is. I don't think I'll be able to give it to her until August but I'll post some pics of her modeling it. Until then, I'll have to do.





Pattern: Sweet Pea Shawl from SnB The Happy Hooker

Yarn: Ella Rae Silkience, color 5, 5 skeins

Hook: Size 8/H

Started: 6/5 Finished: 6/10

Recipient: My great aunt Yetta

Changes made: Yarn used, hook size, left off fringe



I've also cast on for the Lacy Hug-me-tight from Knit 2 Together.



I'm using a very different yarn than the pattern calls for. They say to use Blue Sky Alpaca but I'm using Maggi's Linen, a linen/cotton blend that has 3 unplied strands that creates a rustic slightly thick and thin look that I think will look really nice with this project. My gauge was spot on so we're on our way.



The construction is much like my Retro Redux Shrug: one big rectangle folded in half and the sleeves sewn, with a border around the whole thing. So I do 21" of 2x2 rib and then I knit separately a long strip of lace that I then sew to the border.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

For others

I was working in the yarn shop the other day, trying to decide what project to start next, and my dear old Tante Yetta popped into my head. She's the one who taught me how to crochet. And she came to my birthday dinner on Saturday and gave me two wonderful cookbooks. So I've decided I want to crochet her something. I'm now well into the Sweet Pea Shawl from The Happy Hooker and it's a pretty mindless pattern that I hope will look pretty when it's done. I'm using Silkience again, this time in turquoise, her favorite color. I wanted to try out a new yarn for this project but nothing was as shiny and the right color as Silkience so there ya go.



I've also promised a hat for my little cousin Sami. When she visited the shop on Saturday she picked out some yarn she likes, Lain du Nord Baby Cover in shades of lavender. So I'm going to make her a simple ribbed hat with a pom pom on top.

I don't make things for other people nearly as often as I should. It is so nice to make people feel appreciated plus it motivates me to finish faster. After seeing how ecstatic my mom was with the Short 'n' Sweet bolero, I decided that not everything I make has to be for myself.

Oh, and here's a washcloth I finished a while back. Haven't gotten around to making more yet, but I have the patterns picked out.




Sunday, June 3, 2007

Novella Socks...done!

Here they are.

In retrospect, I would have used a lighter colored yarn to better show off the cables, but I like them very much. I wore them yesterday (MY BIRTHDAY, see below). I only barely needed the 4th skein, but, hey, what can you do.




Pattern: Novella Socks from Knit 2 Together

Yarn: Ella Rae Silkience, color 7, 4 skeins

Needles: #3 circular, #2 and #3 DPNs

Started: 4/19 Finished: 6/1

Recipient: Me!

Changes made: Yarn used, needle size, used circulars for entire sock until heel


In other news, I had a great birthday. My parents gave me an EXTREMELY generous gift certificate to A Tangled Skein, my LYS and place of work. ALSO, I got Twinkle's Big City Knits which is everything I hoped for and more. I want to make literally every project in this book. I do understand, however, people's complaints about the sizing. In one of the projects, the Twiggy Tunic, the LARGEST SIZE is a 26" bust. WHHHHHHAAAT? I'm small, but not THAT small. I guess it stretches...a lot. But this book makes me wish it were winter just so I could wear some of it. Of course I'll probably use substitutes for the Twinkle yarn (which she graciously provides recommendations for) since a minuscule ball of Soft Chunky is like 20 bucks. I also got Rowan's Romantic Knits, mainly for the Butterfly Dress pattern but there are some other cute things in there too. And Adam got me some yarn that I requested from Knit Picks: red Shine Sport for the Katherine Hepburn cardigan and some lace weight merino for the Butterfly Dress! So I'm LITERALLY rolling in yarn right now. I don't know what to start next!