Last Day of Freedom

Today is the last day of my summer vacation. Tomorrow is the first day of my last semester at the University of Maryland. I'm anxious to get it over with but it means *tear* possibly less time to knit.

I've been incredibly lazy with this blog. No photos, paltry posts. So here are some pics of my progress on various projects...

The Chelsea Sweater minus crocheted edging, with one sleeve semi-set in.


My dad's scarf. No, it's not the Forbes Forest scarf, after all. It's a free pattern from the Berroco website, using the Sinead cable pattern. I was just browsing their website since I LOVE their free patterns and I found this cable so striking. Plus it's in worsted weight yarn (I'm using a bright green shade of Berroco Love It--color in photo not accurate) so it's going faster than the Forbes Forest in sport weight would. So far, I've finished one repeat of the pattern (62 rows).

I'm also showcasing my pathetic sewing skills by making my mom a knitting needle case for her birthday. The pattern is from the first Stitch 'n' Bitch book, and it's pretty easy but my sewing machine started pissing me off so I'm taking a break right now.



I visited my Grandma in Montauk over the weekend and she loved her lap blanket. I didn't have a camera so I didn't get a picture of her with it but here's a (bad) picture of it before it was totally done.

Pattern: Feather and Fan Encore 8-Hour Baby Blanket

Yarn: Berroco Comfort (50% Acrylic/50% Nylon), color 9753 Aegean Sea , 4 skeins

Needles: Clover 24" #13 circulars

Started: 8/8/07 Finished: 8/13/07

Recipient: Grandma

And there was a lovely yarn shop in Montauk called Purl by the Sea. They carried some great stuff, including Rowan and Blue Sky Alpacas which my shop doesn't have, so I bought a few skeins. 2 skeins of Blue Sky sport weight Alpaca Silk in a lovely peach color for a tam, and 2 skeins of Rowan Cashsoft DK for 2 Odessa hats (recipients undecided).

I <3 Chunky

Lotta knitting going on up in here. Unfortunately, Adam has gone backpacking with his dad until for the weekend and taken the camera with him but I will insert appropriate pictures into this blog when he returns, I promise!

I ventured into my first project from Big City Knits on Friday. I cast on for the Chelsea Sweater using 4 strands of Knit Picks Shine Sport and, since I was home visiting my parents, I sat and knit for a satisfying amount of time with my mom (who, I'm pleased to announce, is nearly as addicted as I am now. She is now diving into her first project that incorporates lace). SOoOOO...after a few solid hours of knitting on Friday and a couple yesterday, I have...get this...finished knitting the entire thing! I just need to set in the sleeves (grumble) and do the crocheted edging and...I will have finished an entire sweater in about 3 days. It makes me sweat with glee. That, my friends, is one fast project. I just reeeeally hope I actually like it. About an hour into the project, I realized I don't really like this color that much. I've been very into coral lately but this color combined with a big lace pattern looks quite grandma-esque. And don't get me wrong, I usually totally love the grandma look. We'll just have to see.

Inspired by the literally instant results of the Chelsea Sweater, I swatched for and started the Hideout Coat this morning. I'm using Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Navy. To all of those yarn snobs out there who scoff at Lion Brand, I thumb my nose at you. This stuff is soft and pretty and inexpensive. Not to mention, it comes in great colors that I foresee being used for more projects from Big City Knits. So what if it's mostly acrylic? It doesn't get that cold around here anyway. And it's washable!

I have a feeling that after all of these burly projects, my fingers are going to be itching for something fine and delicate. So I have my pretty pretty turquoise Lacey Lamb sitting there waiting for Eunny Jang's Print o' the Wave Stole.


I'm pretty comfortable with lace, but this is going to be my first real lace undertaking with lace-weight yarn and all that jazz. I'm a little nervous but mostly excited. This project, however, will have to wait until I have a few Christmas scarves under my belt. I have the projects picked out for most people, but I was still unsure of the pattern for my dad. I was intending to do the Forbes Forest scarf from Scarf Style but after starting with some charcoal gray Frog Tree Alpaca, I just wasn't sure. Then I found Grumperina's comments about it, and she has inspired me once again to do this project. It really is such an attractive scarf. I think that my yarn choice was too dark, so I'm going to exchange it for a lighter gray, teach myself to cable without a cable needle, and get to it.

I'm going to the beach next week for a few days...does anyone have any advice for knitting on the beach without getting sand into it?

Giving some away, taking some in

This past weekend my family had a get-together at my parents' house near Gettysburg, PA. I was able to give my little cousin Sami the hat I knit for her and my Great Aunt Yetta the Sweet Pea Shawl. They both were very excited. I didn't have my camera but I think someone else took some photos so hopefully I can post some soon.

When I returned home, my Knit Picks package was waiting for me. 12 gorgeous skeins of Shine Sport in Coral, 1 each in Silver Sage and Violet, and 6 colors of Palette for a Fair Isle tam.

I'm 3/4 of the way done with my Grandma's blanket. I'm doing the Feather and Fan pattern of the Encore 8-hour Baby Blanket. I timed myself for the first half and I've gotten off track with the timing since then but the first half took me about 4 hours and 15 minutes, so I estimate that the whole thing will take me around 8 hours! I love these instant gratification projects. Recommend this pattern to anyone who needs a last minute gift.

Also making good progress on the Branching Out scarf. This is the second time I've done this pattern, but I'm using a different yarn. It's hard to see the pattern without blocking but I think it will look nice.

I've also decided against the Tear Drop scarf for my mom since she requested something else. So I ripped out what I had so far and am going to use the gorgeous turquoise Lacey Lamb for this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Out of Control

Is it possible that I could have cast on for another project? Yes, yes it is. But this one is for a good reason. My grandmother had a small stroke last Saturday. Luckily it looks like she is going to make a full recovery but it was still scary. So I'm going to knit her a little something--a lap blanket since she spends most of the day in her chair and gets a little chilly. The pattern? The Plymouth Encore 8-hour Baby Blanket. Not just for babies anymore! I've been recommending these patterns to customers for a while now. Quick, fun knits with 2 strands of worsted weight and fat needles. They're the perfect size for lap blankets too. I'm using Berroco Comfort (50% acrylic 50% nylon) which is really soft and squishy--a pleasure to knit with. AND I'm curious about this whole 8 hour thing, so I'm logging in my knitting time each time I pick up the needles. So far, I'm at 134 minutes = 2.23 hours and I'm at a healthy 9+ inches which is about a quarter of the way done which MEANS that I'm right on track.

So now I'm up to 6 count them 6 active projects. That doesn't include the several projects I've put down for a while. This is 6 projects that I work on at least once every couple of days. I do not like having 6 active projects. Therefore, I will not cast on for a new one (ha ha) until at least 5 of these are done. Again, ha ha.

Entirely Too Much Yarn

"Having an employee discount means it's your DUTY to buy too much yarn! Not doing so would anger the yarn gods. :D" -Cyn, of Half-Assed Knits fame

I suppose it was inevitable that I start going c.r.a.z.y. with the yarn purchases. Actually, my spending habits are still probably pretty tame compared to some out there but hey I'm still a college student with no $$$$ trying to save up for, you know, life? Every day at work is a constant battle to deny myself yarn. And lately there's been more giving in than resisiting.

Not only that, I've been buying yarn online. I get scolded by my bosses every time I mention it, but I can't resist the prices at Knit Picks. So I've been obsessing over the patterns in Twinkle's Big City Knits since I got in a couple of months ago, and the time is right that I start making some stuff! First project: The Chelsea Sweater


The patterns calls for 4 strands of Twinkle Cruise held together but I'm going to use Knit Picks Shine Sport, one of my favorite yarns. Can't wait for it to arrive! I also ordered some Palette (fingering weight wool) to make a fair isle beret. The Shine Sport is only $2.49/skein and the Palette is only $1.99/skein but I got...a lot...so it adds up you know?

And I've been agonizing over which yarn to use for the Groovy Sweater Dress...



...so I've decided to take the plunge and use the Twinkle Soft Chunky that it calls for, so it's going to be the most expensive project I've ever done. If you've noticed, I generally use yarns other than the ones called for in the pattern. Sometimes it's because I have a different yarn I'm dying to try or I like the thrill of the hunt for a good substitute, but usually it's because I'm cheap and I *must* be able to find a cheaper alternative, right? Well for this sweater I'm not going to unless I want it to look shitty so good bye budget! I'll make up for it by using Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick for the Hideout Coat. Won't be as warm as all wool but it's a decent yarn with nice color choices.

3 new projects and Grecian Plaits

I love days off from work! Today I cast on 3 count them 3 new projects:

A hat for my little cousin Sami


(Using a solid color and a variegated color of Laines du Nord Baby Cover, my own pattern)

A Fair Isle pillow


(Using Ella Rae Silkience, pattern is from a Vogue dress pattern)
Right now it looks like a jousting flag but it should look better once I get more diamonds worked up.

And a Branching Out scarf for an undecided recipient. (No photo available yet as I have literally only cast on). Using a gorgeous purple shade of Classic Elite Miracle.

And here is the finished Grecian Plaits top, still not blocked. Actually don't look too closely at the photo since I haven't even finished weaving in the ends yet.



Pattern: Grecian Plaits by Lily Chin from Summer 07 Knitter's Magazine, size Small

Yarn: Plymouth Royal Bamboo, color 23, 8 balls (93 yds/50 grams)

Needles: Addi Turbo 24" circulars, #6, #7, #8, Brittany cable needles

Started: 6/25/07 Finished: 7/31/07

Changes made: Yarn used, shortened yoke, made fewer increases, left out "side seam"

Recipient: Me!

Goal!

Well, I successfully stuck to my deadline and finished the Grecian Plaits top last night. Unfortunately, however, I didn't have time to block it so it looks like I won't be wearing it today. It's just as well, though, because I read on a few blogs that it takes days for the Royal Bamboo to dry while it's blocking so I wouldn't have been able to wear it today anyway.

It looks nice but it definitely needs to be blocked. Adam took the camera for the day so I'll take a photo tonight.

Now comes the fun part of deciding which project to start next. I've had the yarn for the Katharine Hepburn Cardigan for a while so maybe I'll start that. Or maybe I should bunker down and get serious about holiday scarves. *Sigh* So many possibilities.

Oh and starting on Saturday, A Tangled Skein is putting all of its cotton and linen on sale. I think I'm going to give myself an ulcer buying Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton and other favorites. I must admit, I've been buying a bit more yarn lately than I like but I justify it to myself because when else in my life am I going to be an employee at a yarn shop and get a discount?