Warshcloths

Okay, I don't have a dishwasher. Thus, what with work and other activities, the dishes tend to pile up a bit more than I'd like (hey, I'm a college student). So maybe, just maybe, if I knit some cute dishcloths, I'll be inspired to wash my dishes more regularly! Reading Mason Dixon knitting has made me recognize the importance of the hand-knit "warshcloth", so I'll knit a few. I hope to stash bust some cotton but I just love the Tahki Cotton Classic. It's not expensive, and it's so pretty and glossy.

In other news, I'm just about done with my second Novella sock. Just have to do the heel and instep. Yippee.

Also, swatching for the Short Sleeved Blouson has revealed that I need to go down to a #3 needle...maybe even a #2! This creates general malaise regarding the project...straight up stockinette stitch on size 2s???? GAG ME WITH A SPOON! Maybe I'll just sit down, watch all three Lord of the Rings, and knit til the cows come home.

I looked at the Summer Interweave Knits and nothing really excites me in it. Phew, that's a relief. I don't think my brain can handle any more projects in "the queue". I REALLY want to make something out of bamboo. The Yummy, Royal Bamboo, and Just Bamboo are so purdy.

*shrug*

I finished the Retro Redux Shrug. What a quick pattern! I cast on for it at last Wednesday's Sit 'n' Knit and finished it in time to wear to work today! And it only took 2 skeins! I didn't like the way the ribbing looked on size 8 so I did it in 7 and I didn't have size 9 straights so I went from 8 to 10. I'm quite happy with it.

Pattern: Retro Redux Shrug from Lace Style

Yarn: Ella Rae Silkience, color 14 black, 2 skeins

Needles: Sizes 7, 8, 10, 10.5 straights, size 7 24" circular

Started: 5/16 Finished: 5/23

Recipient: Me!

Changes made: Yarn used, needle sizes, length and ribbing length

Stash busting

As I contemplate new projects, I've decided I need to do some serious stash busting in order to justify my buying of new yarns. Bags, pillow, and small projects come to mind. One definitely queued item is the Larger than Life bag from the Spring 07 Interweave Crochet, or some variation of it. It's constructed from pretty crocheted squares in whatever color you choose. I can use up some single skeins of worsted that I have lying around.

I just got this Summer issue of knit.1 (from Vogue) and I really like this issue. Not only are a lot of the patterns cute, but it's all about being environmentally savvy with your knitting. Using yarns made from corn and soy and reusing stuff. Buying thrift shop sweaters and unraveling them, cutting up old t shirts for yarn, using garbage bags to make a knitted bag (hmm...) Plus, for stash busting sake, there's a cute jumper pattern using Lion Homespun which I already own! A whole dress with 3 skeins? I don't see why I shouldn't.

The Retro Redux Shrug is coming along nicely. Almost done in fact. Adam broke his collarbone on Friday so I've had plenty of time to knit while waiting on him. This is one of the fastest patterns I've ever made. I hope it fits!

Retro

I cast on for the Retro Redux Shrug from Lace Style today. I'm using Silkience (again!) in black, resurrecting my desire for a go-with-everything black shoulder-cover-up type thing. I love this pattern. Pure genius and SO SIMPLE. You cast on only 38 stitches (!!!), do some ribbing, then the brioche stitch maintaining the 38 stitches (!!!) and only changing needle sizes as you go. That's all the shaping involved! Then you fold it in half, stitch the sleeve seams, and do the ribbed edging by picking up stitches at the top and bottom. It's simple and it looks cool. I'm happy. And once I'm done with my LAST FINAL EXAM TOMORROW (!!!!!!!!!!), I can devote that much more time to knit knit knitting.

Fun in the sun

Just in time for finals week, a hat to cover my hair so I don't have to shower. I finished the Fun in the Sun hat from Interweave Crochet. A few changes to the pattern: I did it in a solid color instead of stripes, didn't crochet through back loop only, and turned the hat inside out since right side out it looked like a derby.

Pattern: Fun in the Sun hat from Spring 07 Interweave Crochet

Yarn: Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton, color Spruce, 2 balls

Hook: Size G

Started: 5/5 Finished: 5/14

Now see all of my completed projects on my flickr site.

Happy Mother's Day

I finished the Short 'n' Sweet bolero and mom loved it! Since I had such a busy week, I had to finish it this morning, but I got it done in time for mom to wear it to lunch. She looks great it in (it fits! phew!) and I'm so glad.

Pattern: Short 'n' Sweet Bolero from The Happy Hooker

Yarn: Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece, color My Blue Heaven, 4 skeins

Hook: Size H/8

Recipient: Mommy!

Also made dad a quickie bookmark to go with his birthday present (a book). Not my greatest achievement but it will serve its purpose.

Added to the knitting queue is the Lacy Hug-me-Tight from Knit 2 Together. It calls for an alpaca/silk blend but I think it would look smashing in Maggi's Linen, 50% linen, 50% cotton in either the dusty rose shade or the dramatic bright indigo. I was pretty much settled on the pink but then I saw the indigo and think it will make it that much more wow. The yarn is 3 strands that aren't plied and they have a thick and thin variation once in a while. It creates a really rustic yet pretty look.

Now that I've finished the bolero, I don't know what I'll start next. Today I hope to cast on for my second Novella sock.

Hats hats HATS

I love making hats. Quick, easy, wearable. So when I was at work solo last Saturday as my bosses attended the Sheep and Wool festival, I started and almost finished the Fun in the Sun hat from the new Interweave Crochet. I'm using the yarn the pattern calls for, Debbie Bliss Pure Cotton, in a relaxing soft greenish color. This yarn is amazing! It's like no other cotton I've seen. It's soft and silky and just gorgeous.









(<--- Insert Brim Here) I'm also working on the Assymetrical Cable hat from One Skein in the Panache yarn from KnitPicks. Even though this yarn is thinner than the one called for, I had to go down a few needle sizes and hat sizes. But I like a tight hat anyway. It's a very very easy pattern that I can just work on when I want to relax.



However, I must resist distractions from the Short 'n' Sweet Bolero. This Sunday is Mother's Day!!! So, that's the priority now even though I don't even know where it is...hmm...

One down, one to go

Note: I wrote this post a week ago but just found the time to take a picture.

I've finished one of my Novella socks, and I'm pretty pleased. I wish I had gone down a needle size for the heel/instep because it's a little baggy. Maybe I'll redo the ribbing on a size 2 and do the same on the other sock...if I ever get to it! I don't know if I like this thing where you feel like you're done with a project and then you have to do the whole thing again. But I think they'll look cute once I'm done so I'll start the other one today...maybe.

Pattern: Novella Socks from Knit 2 Together

Yarn: Ella Rae Silkience, color 7, so far 2 skeins

Needles: Size 3 circulars and DPNs

SOMEHOW I got TOMATO SAUCE on my sock! So like me. I really hope I can get it out without ruining the whole thing.