I went up this past week to see my Twin in NYC. We had the best time, and I miss her already and wish I could smuggle her home with me in my pocket or something like that. We tried some delicious pork-belly bao, waffles+dinges from a street cart (as well as a whole lot more), a really phenomenal goat cheese empanada, and some tasty bagels at a new joint (as well as breakfast at a couple of good brunch places. Oh, I love coffee). I spent some time wandering around and finding yarn shops, and I stopped at the Natural History Museum for an hour or so (I looked at the birds. They were really cool birds. Owls remain creepy), then spent the rest of the day in Central Park (there was a fire. One of the police-golf-carts exploded. It was not that exciting from halfway across the park--it only sounded like someone had dropped something--but must've been pretty neat close up).
Mostly we hung out, spent time talking or relaxing, and she introduced me to some addicting music, as always. Oh, and we made it to the Chocolate Restaurant, which was deliciously problematic. And we watched Despicable Me--which remains one of my favorite movies. But the highlight of the entertainment was a vaudeville show called Old Hats that we saw on Wednesday evening. The show was excellent, funny, a little poignant at times, dramatic, and with a good singer/piano player and a band. It was also super exciting to spot George Takei and his partner there! I had a fan girl moment and wanted to squee giddily but I kept it under wraps, and didn't even get a picture of him because I didn't want to mess with his show-going experience, but it was so so very exciting to see him there, in the audience.
Now that I am home, and it is May, I want to knit and spin nothing, but have all the finished projects... I wonder where my motivation has gone.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Almost May!
And I am getting really excited to start a project with my May-designated laceweight yarn. I've settled on Maluka, a crescent shaped short-row shawl with a lovely little lacy edging. I picked up some beads for sale at a local bead shop that might work with the coppery linen from Habu Textiles.
Meanwhile, I am working on the second Green Dragon sock, about to cast on the second Leyburn sock, and casually ignoring my scarf-and-hat in progress (it was for a birthday that passed. so it will now be for the coming winter. Plenty of time. Now if only I could get it to stop bleeding!)
If I were to start working on some hibernating objects, I would add thumbs to my freshly revived Extragalactic mitts (I just finished the second one last night! yay, it only took a year! stupid second-mitt-syndrome), and finish putting buttons on my Spatterdashery. Oh, and I suppose I should *try* to finish my long-desired Shipwreck Shawl (almost halfway done! the netting +beading takes forever!) and my Brown Sweater that is so comfortable and lovely.
My big goal for summer (aside from my various WIPs) is to work on things for my older sister, who has gotten the short end of the needle for several years now. The hat I made for her is pointy and needs to be ripped out, and the mittens I was making for her barely made it past the cuff by the time I left for the holidays. I've got the yarn for those two projects, + another lovely yarn for this holiday that I can't wait to try out. This is Level A Priority, people--knitting depravation! how dreadful. Oh, wait, she did receive that lovely cashmere cowl from me, buuuut I don't know if it counts as it wasn't knit specifically for her.
Other than that, I want to spiiiiiiin. It's a pity I can't get some serious spinning done while traveling, because lately it's the only thing I want to do. I have half of a rainbow yarn and half of a subtle earth-toned orange and purple yarn that I need to spin up (not together! ew! they are their own things), and I want to start spinning this dark purple and black yarn into some laceweight (if I can; I'm not normally fantastic with merino, and most of my stuff is dk-fingering nowadays) as soon as I can. And then I got a lovely heathered red blue and green fiber, and some fresh plump braids of bright yellow! Oh spinning, why do you make such beautiful results?
Meanwhile, I am working on the second Green Dragon sock, about to cast on the second Leyburn sock, and casually ignoring my scarf-and-hat in progress (it was for a birthday that passed. so it will now be for the coming winter. Plenty of time. Now if only I could get it to stop bleeding!)
If I were to start working on some hibernating objects, I would add thumbs to my freshly revived Extragalactic mitts (I just finished the second one last night! yay, it only took a year! stupid second-mitt-syndrome), and finish putting buttons on my Spatterdashery. Oh, and I suppose I should *try* to finish my long-desired Shipwreck Shawl (almost halfway done! the netting +beading takes forever!) and my Brown Sweater that is so comfortable and lovely.
My big goal for summer (aside from my various WIPs) is to work on things for my older sister, who has gotten the short end of the needle for several years now. The hat I made for her is pointy and needs to be ripped out, and the mittens I was making for her barely made it past the cuff by the time I left for the holidays. I've got the yarn for those two projects, + another lovely yarn for this holiday that I can't wait to try out. This is Level A Priority, people--knitting depravation! how dreadful. Oh, wait, she did receive that lovely cashmere cowl from me, buuuut I don't know if it counts as it wasn't knit specifically for her.
Other than that, I want to spiiiiiiin. It's a pity I can't get some serious spinning done while traveling, because lately it's the only thing I want to do. I have half of a rainbow yarn and half of a subtle earth-toned orange and purple yarn that I need to spin up (not together! ew! they are their own things), and I want to start spinning this dark purple and black yarn into some laceweight (if I can; I'm not normally fantastic with merino, and most of my stuff is dk-fingering nowadays) as soon as I can. And then I got a lovely heathered red blue and green fiber, and some fresh plump braids of bright yellow! Oh spinning, why do you make such beautiful results?
Monday, April 22, 2013
April showers bring ... knitting progress and goals
The weather has been so variable, I don't know what to hope for. First I was so pleased that it was warming up, and the grass was growing and the flowers were exploding everywhere (can you tell I don't have seasonal allergies? I am sure if you do you must hate me now. Especially because I like seeing the huge piles of pollen on the ground and drawing in pollen on peoples' cars. I mean, I like the flowers, of course--but I like the pollen too!). Then it got up to 90. "Whoa there!" I said to spring. "Slow down, buckaroo!" Except I don't actually talk like that. But we (the astronomers) all agreed that it was far too frickin' hot and we declared the weather "stupid".
Then it rained. For about a week. And was grey.
And then the sun came out.
And then it dropped to the 40s over night.
And then it rained again. It was less miserable than winter rain, despite the greyness, for two reasons. First of all, there was more daylight, even if it was an insipid and dull daylight. Secondly, every day of rain made the spring greenery all the more vibrant--like the grass was just saying, "bring it on!" as it lifted weights and ran cardio. Or whatever.
So, overall, it's been kind of crazy. In response, I have been---working. Okay, and knitting, I won't lie :).
My April goal was to knit a baby-thing out of that pink Grignasco Champagne that I first show-cased in this blog, and that I've had in my stash for years. I don't like pink, and I especially don't like insipid pale pink yarn. It's just not my thing! I mean, sure, it's also similar to a pale rose, and that sounds rather pleasant, doesn't it? But I don't wear it, and it's not that exciting to knit with.
Fortunately this stuff made up for its color in drape, slink, happy silkiness. Also, I have a friend who enjoys dressing their offspring in very girly pretty colors. So I made a little dress, and it might even fit. I'm not really good with child-like sizes, but it looks about right. I am debating sewing on some cute flower buttons that I've got in my button jar. On one hand, this is perfect for them. On the other hand, babies like to chew stuff and have been known to swallow buttons.
So, aside from buttons, that's finished. The downside? I STILL HAVE A BALL OF YARN LEFT. I can't move it from "stash" to "all used up" on ravelry. In desperation I've put it in "will trade or sell" but no one wants it and I don't blame them. Plus, not that many of my friends like pink! I should really use it up on another baby item of some sort. But I am sick sick sick of knitting it.
Promptly ignoring that dilemma, I've been churning away on my Hitchhiker out of my own handspun. I didn't finish it swiftly enough to enter it in the prize drawing for geeky knits that one of my podcasts did, but that's okay. I worked very hard on it for several days, and after a careful calculation and one late night, I have figured that I have three rows and a bindoff left, and that it should take less than an hour to finish.
However, I can't finish it yet because I'm on a trip and I Left It At Home. It wasn't worth the investment of bringing with for less than an hour's worth of knitting. *sigh*. It's also delicate and I don't want to risk the thin lace yarn on travel. But it is going to be the FIRST thing I finish when I return in a week.
I finished my twin sister's birthday socks. Well, I just tested them out and the bindoff on one of them is too tight, but that's quite easy to fix, so I'm counting them as finished. One 262 yard ball made two 10.2"-foot socks with 3-4 inches of a ribbed cuff; I am impressed! This is a complete reassessment of what type of yardage is necessary for socks. And that's an entire ball of yarn out of stash! Good work, me.
I immediately cast on for a pair of socks that I have long been desiring--the Leyburn pattern from Ravelry, in Green Dragon Yarn Sock based in the Somerset colorway. I've been working for less than a day, off and on, and I'm almost done with the foot of this toe-up sock. Sizing is a bit challenging but the result is amazing and I can't stop knitting it.
Slowly, when I am at home, I churn away at the Badger Gift Set (red scarf and hat with a band of white in each) for one of my oldest friends. The problem is that the red coloring comes off on my fingers as I knit, even though I soaked it four times and even tried adding vinegar to the bath. It bleeds. A lot. Fortunately it seems to only bleed when it rubs, but it makes me question whether or not I should bother finishing something that would go around a neck and be exposed to both rubbing and to damp. Still, it gets some work because it is easy and mindless at this point in time, and late at night that's what I turn to.
Finally, back home I started a pair of Nutkins in Little Red Bicycle Spark Sock in the Dagon colorway. I'm on the second sock and I've gotten past the fiddly little hem on the cuff (it's... not that bad, really. I'm just impatient). So with the right amount of work I will soon have TWO pairs of new socks for me. Delightful.
In order of how I will work:
1) finish 1 Leyburn sock
2) re-bindoff twin sock
3) (on the train ride, probably) knit my second Extragalactic mitt (Strawberry Victorian pattern in black and sparkly blue). It's rather fiddly colorwork and I've been ignoring it for a solid year, but I bet in a six hour train ride I can make a lot of progress
4) Finish Hitchhiker when I get home
5) knit a child's shrug out of that pink stuff GAAAH MAKE IT GO AWAY
That'll take me up to the end of the month--I am participating in the cold sheep knit-and-spin-along to use up stash, so I'll re-total my stuff then.
My goal for May (besides moving, having surgery, teaching a graduate-level lecture, and presenting actual research findings at my committee meeting) is to knit my coppery laceweight linen yarn. This will undoubtedly be complicated by all the socks I have on my needles, but my goal is to not cast anything on in May except that linen. If I finish it quickly, I have at least five lingering hibernating UFOs that can be poked at, but I don't need any more distraction. This includes, alas, a limit on spinning (but I have three fiber halves that are UFOs/waiting, so it shouldn't be a problem). But the spinning progress and thoughts and plans and finished yarns--those are for another day.
Then it rained. For about a week. And was grey.
And then the sun came out.
And then it dropped to the 40s over night.
And then it rained again. It was less miserable than winter rain, despite the greyness, for two reasons. First of all, there was more daylight, even if it was an insipid and dull daylight. Secondly, every day of rain made the spring greenery all the more vibrant--like the grass was just saying, "bring it on!" as it lifted weights and ran cardio. Or whatever.
So, overall, it's been kind of crazy. In response, I have been---working. Okay, and knitting, I won't lie :).
My April goal was to knit a baby-thing out of that pink Grignasco Champagne that I first show-cased in this blog, and that I've had in my stash for years. I don't like pink, and I especially don't like insipid pale pink yarn. It's just not my thing! I mean, sure, it's also similar to a pale rose, and that sounds rather pleasant, doesn't it? But I don't wear it, and it's not that exciting to knit with.
Fortunately this stuff made up for its color in drape, slink, happy silkiness. Also, I have a friend who enjoys dressing their offspring in very girly pretty colors. So I made a little dress, and it might even fit. I'm not really good with child-like sizes, but it looks about right. I am debating sewing on some cute flower buttons that I've got in my button jar. On one hand, this is perfect for them. On the other hand, babies like to chew stuff and have been known to swallow buttons.
So, aside from buttons, that's finished. The downside? I STILL HAVE A BALL OF YARN LEFT. I can't move it from "stash" to "all used up" on ravelry. In desperation I've put it in "will trade or sell" but no one wants it and I don't blame them. Plus, not that many of my friends like pink! I should really use it up on another baby item of some sort. But I am sick sick sick of knitting it.
Promptly ignoring that dilemma, I've been churning away on my Hitchhiker out of my own handspun. I didn't finish it swiftly enough to enter it in the prize drawing for geeky knits that one of my podcasts did, but that's okay. I worked very hard on it for several days, and after a careful calculation and one late night, I have figured that I have three rows and a bindoff left, and that it should take less than an hour to finish.
However, I can't finish it yet because I'm on a trip and I Left It At Home. It wasn't worth the investment of bringing with for less than an hour's worth of knitting. *sigh*. It's also delicate and I don't want to risk the thin lace yarn on travel. But it is going to be the FIRST thing I finish when I return in a week.
I finished my twin sister's birthday socks. Well, I just tested them out and the bindoff on one of them is too tight, but that's quite easy to fix, so I'm counting them as finished. One 262 yard ball made two 10.2"-foot socks with 3-4 inches of a ribbed cuff; I am impressed! This is a complete reassessment of what type of yardage is necessary for socks. And that's an entire ball of yarn out of stash! Good work, me.
I immediately cast on for a pair of socks that I have long been desiring--the Leyburn pattern from Ravelry, in Green Dragon Yarn Sock based in the Somerset colorway. I've been working for less than a day, off and on, and I'm almost done with the foot of this toe-up sock. Sizing is a bit challenging but the result is amazing and I can't stop knitting it.
Slowly, when I am at home, I churn away at the Badger Gift Set (red scarf and hat with a band of white in each) for one of my oldest friends. The problem is that the red coloring comes off on my fingers as I knit, even though I soaked it four times and even tried adding vinegar to the bath. It bleeds. A lot. Fortunately it seems to only bleed when it rubs, but it makes me question whether or not I should bother finishing something that would go around a neck and be exposed to both rubbing and to damp. Still, it gets some work because it is easy and mindless at this point in time, and late at night that's what I turn to.
Finally, back home I started a pair of Nutkins in Little Red Bicycle Spark Sock in the Dagon colorway. I'm on the second sock and I've gotten past the fiddly little hem on the cuff (it's... not that bad, really. I'm just impatient). So with the right amount of work I will soon have TWO pairs of new socks for me. Delightful.
In order of how I will work:
1) finish 1 Leyburn sock
2) re-bindoff twin sock
3) (on the train ride, probably) knit my second Extragalactic mitt (Strawberry Victorian pattern in black and sparkly blue). It's rather fiddly colorwork and I've been ignoring it for a solid year, but I bet in a six hour train ride I can make a lot of progress
4) Finish Hitchhiker when I get home
5) knit a child's shrug out of that pink stuff GAAAH MAKE IT GO AWAY
That'll take me up to the end of the month--I am participating in the cold sheep knit-and-spin-along to use up stash, so I'll re-total my stuff then.
My goal for May (besides moving, having surgery, teaching a graduate-level lecture, and presenting actual research findings at my committee meeting) is to knit my coppery laceweight linen yarn. This will undoubtedly be complicated by all the socks I have on my needles, but my goal is to not cast anything on in May except that linen. If I finish it quickly, I have at least five lingering hibernating UFOs that can be poked at, but I don't need any more distraction. This includes, alas, a limit on spinning (but I have three fiber halves that are UFOs/waiting, so it shouldn't be a problem). But the spinning progress and thoughts and plans and finished yarns--those are for another day.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
yaaaaaaaaarns
So I might as well come back to the true purpose of this blog (to ogle really gorgeous yarns and knitting projects and spend a lot of time lusting after more yarns and plotting what to do with them) and post some pictures. These are my favorites from the last year.
These are the Sister Socks I referenced in the last post (or the one before?). They're done in Berocco Comfort Sock, and they fit like a dream. They are also crazy soft and warm, and I love the subtle variegation of colors as they stripe. I turned out a pair of 8.5 W socks with a 5 inch cuff with 2/3 of a skein, and yes, I do have enough left to make an entire separate sock. Berroco Comfort Sock (and just Regular Sock, or Sox, whatever they call it these days) is really enjoyable to me for 2 reasons. Firstly, it knits up at a decent gauge, so you needn't have 80 stitches to go around your feet. I got gauge quite well using my standard 2.5mm (1.5 US size) needles. Secondly, it comes in a lot of exciting striping combos. Striping sock yarns are sort of harder to come by--indie dyers charge more for them, since they are harder to make--and Berrocco produces some of the more accessible of the self-striping yarn on the market.
Did I mention that they're soft? very soft. Like a cloud. Plenty of nylon in them too so they wear nicely, but I think there's some bamboo in them to make them so soft. So, pros: cost, striping, thickness of yarn, and generally soft FO. Cons? Well, the bamboo makes the stitches a little splitty, so if you're a tight knitter, this is gonna be tough. And even though they do stripe, they don't make exciting combinations, you know?
This is not my offspring. He's the child of a friend of mine, and I discovered that knitting for babies is very fast and therefore satisfying. Here's the surprising thing--this is really crappy yarn. It's some horrible fat aran-weight acrylic I got at Michael's a long time ago, and it does a horrible camouflage thing. I tried to knit stuff for me out of it but I couldn't help but feel like I should be in the army, doing salutes. Turns out it's pretty good for kids (though my friend contributed the wee hat and the wee chair, which definitely make the whole outfit come together. Oh, and the baby.). (This is the Baby Sophisticate pattern off of Ravelry, if you're interested. Fast and easy.)
I am very sad that I can't find this last yarn any more. It's Brown Sheep's Cotton Fleece, a 50/50 blend of wool and cotton. It's aran weight at the least, and it has the stiffness and stamina of cotton, but it blocked out beautifully like wool and carries some of the drape with it. (This is the Tsu Wrap pattern off of Ravelry if you're interested). The color didn't bleed when I washed it--I was very relieved. Pros: good way to blend two fibers to increase the overall usefulness of the yarn; excellent colors and color-fastness; makes a lovely fabric and knits up fast. Cons: If you don't like cotton, well--you know what to expect. It has a heavier or stiffer hand to it that might tire out your joints.
Ah, Berrocco Peruvia. This is a single-ply 100% peruvian wool that comes in amazing blends of colors. There's no way to capture the deliciously subtle nuanaces glinting in that brown, green, and blue. This yarn has a shimmer and depth to it. It's a worsted/aran weight, quick to knit and very soft and toasty. Wearing these mittens is like using little wool pocket heaters. I have maybe 5 more balls of this stuff and I really want to churn out some more mittens (if only I still lived in a cold climate!). I've also done a scarf up in fisherman's rib/brioche stitch/broken rib pattern, and it turned out lovely and soft and warm as well. Pros: amazing colors, soft as down fabric, great for warmth. As a single ply it's still very sturdy and did not give me any problems. Cons: This stuff fuzzes like crazy, and felts like crazy. You can shave it of the fuzz, but these mittens have gradually been felting as I play in the snow with them, which is a process you can't undo. If felting is bad for your project (it isn't, for mittens, so I don't mind), you might want to use a less delicate yarn.
There's a little recap of some of my stuff (mostly just because those are my favorite pictures).
March was a busy month with work and trying to get things taken care of. I knit a whole cowl and a whole sock, and half of everything else. Too many works in process! But my March Goal for the year was to knit some baby clothes out of stash wool, and I did finish a Leafy Cardigan that'll probably fit a six month old (not so good with sizes), and half of a stuffed turtle. I think I'll try to do more toys--I want clothes to at least look decent, and my old stash pile is mostly hideous variegated stuff that one really can't expect anyone else to wear.
I also did some serious spinning (6 oz in March; I finished a 7th oz on April 1 and will polish off the 8th oz this week) in an attempt to compete for some cool prizes in a podcast I follow. Unfortunately only 4oz increments count, so I only got one entry. It was good to get inspired, though--I really love a lot of this fiber, but it always produces something very different than what I expect, and it's so exciting to find out what that is.
On the needles: red-and-white badgers scarf; 1 sock for my twin, almost at the heel; almost 1/2 of a hitchhiker that I am doing in handspun and which is very delicate and annoying to work with; and I cast on yesterday for my April goal, to use up this pink Grignasco Champagne that I've reviewed here before. I'm not a pink fan, and especially not a fan of something so pale and delicate, so I'm making a baby dress for another work friend's offspring and I hope that'll get it out of my stash. My sweater still lingers, as does my Shipwreck Shawl, my Spatterdash mitts, and my blanket (I only finished the 1 square).
obligation knitting: I'm down to christmas presents for the most part. Surprises for my older sister, socks for my twin, a big fat fluffy scarf for my friend Robin, and several pairs of complicated fingerless mitts for friends. The mitts are what I've been putting off for years--I love colorwork, but right now I don't feel like doing anything complicated. must be why everything on the needles is garter stitch....
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
This month, too, has been busy in a good knitting way. But the best surprise of all is that I am working again, and I've a vastly reworked draft of a paper that has a much better chance of being published. It still has some fuzzy points but, hallelujah, it's mostly done. I still have 500 papers to read, but I am beginning to think that will never be dented.
But anyway, the main point is: knitting. And spinning. it's all happening. and it's all great.
1) first of all, I finished my spinning! I was working with this black romney x leicester blend with shots of bright green and blue in it, and I'll be honest--it was frankly terrible to spin. It's true I might've done it a bit wrong--worsted vs woolen? I haven't the faintest clue which I was doing, but maybe I should've been doing the other--but it was also full of vegetable matter, little bits of hay, tiny knots and matted bits of fur within the fiber. It was hard to prep, so while I tried to make it nice and even it and easy to draft it was sticky and challenging, but simultaneously would fall apart on a moment's notice if I didn't watch it like a hawk. I was trying to spin it thin enough to make socks, because I can't imagine this anywhere near my face, but it's so thick and thin, and especially horribly thick in the spots here and there where it broke and I had to try to reattach it.
So, having that done is a load off my chest! ... though that's only half the original fiber I purchased, so perhaps someday it will come back to visit. meh.
2) I also finished my sister socks! I haven't much taken them off since then, because it's been cold here, and they're so comfortable. They match almost exactly but due to gauge differences one is just slightly looser than the other. It's okay, I hardly notice it, and there's not a chance in any hell that I'm going to rip back again to try and fix it.
3) I immediately cast on another pair of socks in this gradual color change stuff I just picked up (I visited an LYS for their annual sale; they had nothing I liked on sale, just expensive or dramatic stuff, so I picked up a ball of the cheapest stuff there, Jojoland Melody yarn) (so much for that no-yarn-in-February thing, right? but it was only $6.50 so I feel like it's okay). I'm only to the toe, but that's okay because....
4) earlier in the month I cast on a pair of Nutkin socks. I was going to follow the pattern precisely, but after I got three inches into the cuff, I felt an overwhelming neurosis about the cables, which were not symmetric. I ripped them out and redid it. I'll also have to change the heel because they're already fairly tight and the type of heel they describe is too snug for me. But it's working up lovely in some gorgeous stash yarn from Little Red Bicycle
5) I finished the pumpkin hat! ends woven in, and gifted to the recipient--may it bring her joy. I deliberately made a vine and a thicker stem this time and I think they worked well. Doing the fiddly little leaves always makes me feel like an artisan crafter.
6) I had to rip out the first of the Manly Mitts I started for my friend, but I've since re-completed the first and am beginning the second. They're moving very quickly and will be done by the end of the month
7) I also got a chance to do some new spinning. I was so relieved to get the romney cross off the needles that I immediately went fiberstashdiving and came out with a braid from Dyeabolical Yarns in the Flower Shop Inferno colorway (I think), with firestar in it! I split it in half lengthwise and am planning to chain-ply it to keep the color change and make something with stripes--maybe fingerless mitts? It's way too soft for socks; it wouldn't hold up. The firestar is getting EVERYWHERE. Anyway, I enjoyed how soft and wonderful it was and how easy it was to prep and I've already finished spinning the first half. This weekend I'll do the plying.
8) I churned out a very quick pair of fingerless mitts for my aunt. Originally I thought the pattern had some lattice texture in it, but it turns out to be linen stitch. Still, in malabrigo rios (a worsted), they were a quick knit and turned out absolutely gorgeous. I'm not sure I want to give them away...
9) over the holidays I was gifted the Hitchhiker pattern, and I finally cast it on--using (for the very first time... drum roll please...) my own handspun! It's some lorna's laces pencil roving in blue, green, and purple. It spun up thin enough as a single, but I thought I wouldn't have enough yardage to do anything if I plied it, so I am using it as a single. It's quite thick and thin, but so far it's turning out very nice, and the larger needles (size 4 or 5, I think) means that it's squooshy and transparent.
10) I also cast on the first square of my imagined blanket, based on the Mason-Dixon ladies' cornerstone blanket. It's not completed yet but I like how it's turning out, all squishy garter stitch and warm natural wool in nice colors. The cats approve too--if I leave that project on my desk they'll sleep on it.
11) I went diving deep into my old WIPs that were unfinished and found the pair of Spatterdash that I knit last March/April/May. The pattern is a free one from Knitty, and it's somewhat fiddly (on size 1s! good god!), but absolutely, undoubtedly worth it. They've languished for a lack of buttons. I've procured buttons, so *gasp* I started sewing them on. Haven't finished them (because each mitt needs 13 and I only have 9 so I am trying to carefully position them for maximum coverage, best display of the feather and fan edge being buttoned on, and best fit), but I'm 1/3 of the way there and I'm hopeful that I'll get even further soon
12) I put two rounds into the Silver Sea. It's eternal and I'm not even close to done with the second ball yet, much less near attaching the third. I know the netting is part of what makes it look so good... but it takes FOREVER. and soon I'll have to string more beads on, and basically I'm doomed
13) Haven't touched the sweater. Too busy. Have contemplated several other sweaters, though--a sure sign I just need to sit down and do the calculations and I'll be ready to jump back on the wagon of extensive garment knitting again.
14) I've a few other WIPs that I've pulled out and looked at -- 3 pairs of mittens, 2 pairs of fingerless mitts, and some other fiddly odds and ends. But I haven't worked on them. I think the stuff I've got going on is enough for now. (even though I'm dreaming about casting on yet another pair of socks...)
But anyway, the main point is: knitting. And spinning. it's all happening. and it's all great.
1) first of all, I finished my spinning! I was working with this black romney x leicester blend with shots of bright green and blue in it, and I'll be honest--it was frankly terrible to spin. It's true I might've done it a bit wrong--worsted vs woolen? I haven't the faintest clue which I was doing, but maybe I should've been doing the other--but it was also full of vegetable matter, little bits of hay, tiny knots and matted bits of fur within the fiber. It was hard to prep, so while I tried to make it nice and even it and easy to draft it was sticky and challenging, but simultaneously would fall apart on a moment's notice if I didn't watch it like a hawk. I was trying to spin it thin enough to make socks, because I can't imagine this anywhere near my face, but it's so thick and thin, and especially horribly thick in the spots here and there where it broke and I had to try to reattach it.
So, having that done is a load off my chest! ... though that's only half the original fiber I purchased, so perhaps someday it will come back to visit. meh.
2) I also finished my sister socks! I haven't much taken them off since then, because it's been cold here, and they're so comfortable. They match almost exactly but due to gauge differences one is just slightly looser than the other. It's okay, I hardly notice it, and there's not a chance in any hell that I'm going to rip back again to try and fix it.
3) I immediately cast on another pair of socks in this gradual color change stuff I just picked up (I visited an LYS for their annual sale; they had nothing I liked on sale, just expensive or dramatic stuff, so I picked up a ball of the cheapest stuff there, Jojoland Melody yarn) (so much for that no-yarn-in-February thing, right? but it was only $6.50 so I feel like it's okay). I'm only to the toe, but that's okay because....
4) earlier in the month I cast on a pair of Nutkin socks. I was going to follow the pattern precisely, but after I got three inches into the cuff, I felt an overwhelming neurosis about the cables, which were not symmetric. I ripped them out and redid it. I'll also have to change the heel because they're already fairly tight and the type of heel they describe is too snug for me. But it's working up lovely in some gorgeous stash yarn from Little Red Bicycle
5) I finished the pumpkin hat! ends woven in, and gifted to the recipient--may it bring her joy. I deliberately made a vine and a thicker stem this time and I think they worked well. Doing the fiddly little leaves always makes me feel like an artisan crafter.
6) I had to rip out the first of the Manly Mitts I started for my friend, but I've since re-completed the first and am beginning the second. They're moving very quickly and will be done by the end of the month
7) I also got a chance to do some new spinning. I was so relieved to get the romney cross off the needles that I immediately went fiberstashdiving and came out with a braid from Dyeabolical Yarns in the Flower Shop Inferno colorway (I think), with firestar in it! I split it in half lengthwise and am planning to chain-ply it to keep the color change and make something with stripes--maybe fingerless mitts? It's way too soft for socks; it wouldn't hold up. The firestar is getting EVERYWHERE. Anyway, I enjoyed how soft and wonderful it was and how easy it was to prep and I've already finished spinning the first half. This weekend I'll do the plying.
8) I churned out a very quick pair of fingerless mitts for my aunt. Originally I thought the pattern had some lattice texture in it, but it turns out to be linen stitch. Still, in malabrigo rios (a worsted), they were a quick knit and turned out absolutely gorgeous. I'm not sure I want to give them away...
9) over the holidays I was gifted the Hitchhiker pattern, and I finally cast it on--using (for the very first time... drum roll please...) my own handspun! It's some lorna's laces pencil roving in blue, green, and purple. It spun up thin enough as a single, but I thought I wouldn't have enough yardage to do anything if I plied it, so I am using it as a single. It's quite thick and thin, but so far it's turning out very nice, and the larger needles (size 4 or 5, I think) means that it's squooshy and transparent.
10) I also cast on the first square of my imagined blanket, based on the Mason-Dixon ladies' cornerstone blanket. It's not completed yet but I like how it's turning out, all squishy garter stitch and warm natural wool in nice colors. The cats approve too--if I leave that project on my desk they'll sleep on it.
11) I went diving deep into my old WIPs that were unfinished and found the pair of Spatterdash that I knit last March/April/May. The pattern is a free one from Knitty, and it's somewhat fiddly (on size 1s! good god!), but absolutely, undoubtedly worth it. They've languished for a lack of buttons. I've procured buttons, so *gasp* I started sewing them on. Haven't finished them (because each mitt needs 13 and I only have 9 so I am trying to carefully position them for maximum coverage, best display of the feather and fan edge being buttoned on, and best fit), but I'm 1/3 of the way there and I'm hopeful that I'll get even further soon
12) I put two rounds into the Silver Sea. It's eternal and I'm not even close to done with the second ball yet, much less near attaching the third. I know the netting is part of what makes it look so good... but it takes FOREVER. and soon I'll have to string more beads on, and basically I'm doomed
13) Haven't touched the sweater. Too busy. Have contemplated several other sweaters, though--a sure sign I just need to sit down and do the calculations and I'll be ready to jump back on the wagon of extensive garment knitting again.
14) I've a few other WIPs that I've pulled out and looked at -- 3 pairs of mittens, 2 pairs of fingerless mitts, and some other fiddly odds and ends. But I haven't worked on them. I think the stuff I've got going on is enough for now. (even though I'm dreaming about casting on yet another pair of socks...)
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Busy Busy
This has been a very productive knitting month, which is always so exciting and satisfying.
1) I churned out the shawl for my friend Amanda in four days. Makes me feel bad for waiting 8 years to start the blasted thing. It needs to be blocked and I might need to redo the bindoff, but that's not bad at all
2) I've gotten my brown sweater up to the point where I should begin the lace pattern. However, I have decided that if I want it to fit (and I do) I am going to need a gauge swatch in lace, which I don't have. So I need to make that and block it next, then calculate how many repeats I can fit into each front and the back, allowing sufficient space on the side for sewing in the sleeves (I probably will not separate the fronts and back until I get to the sleeves). Also I need to calculate the rate of decrease to give me a v-neck piece instead of the scoop.
3) I almost finished this pumpkin hat for my friend--it just needs a stem and a leaf or two.
4) I cast on the January Deep Stash sock that I had originally planned to do this month and am just about done with the toe. From here it is a stockinette grind--perfect for relaxing and watching some knitting podcasts or the Fifth Element (can't wait!).
5) I cast on a pair of Dashing for another friend in my deliciously oatmeal-esque hearty brown local yarn from the winter Madison farmer's market. Right now the sizing might be a concern but they are great fun to knit.
6) with some luck I will be able to finish the first half of my black-shot-with-green-and-blue romney fiber from the DC farmer's market. Then I can ply it. I might chain ply it--I think that would make it nice and scrunchy and delicious, more so than a 2 ply.
7) I picked up my Shipwreck Shawl again, put the needles back on it, and have managed a round or two. As everyone else says, it's not the incessant yo-k2tog pattern that is driving me nuts--I could get used to that--nor even the need to bead on random occasion, but the pushing of the beads deeper into the yarn ball that is creating insanity. After a round and a half of some 500 stitches, I have to push them down again and I practically threw it aside in frustration. I will leave the needles on it, though--perhaps I will work up the nerve to do my tedious work again.
as for other things--my surgery cannot proceed until mid february, and I have a lecture to teach on Tuesday, as well as a paper that I'm in the midst of writing. So things are going along. Now I just need to get a car...
1) I churned out the shawl for my friend Amanda in four days. Makes me feel bad for waiting 8 years to start the blasted thing. It needs to be blocked and I might need to redo the bindoff, but that's not bad at all
2) I've gotten my brown sweater up to the point where I should begin the lace pattern. However, I have decided that if I want it to fit (and I do) I am going to need a gauge swatch in lace, which I don't have. So I need to make that and block it next, then calculate how many repeats I can fit into each front and the back, allowing sufficient space on the side for sewing in the sleeves (I probably will not separate the fronts and back until I get to the sleeves). Also I need to calculate the rate of decrease to give me a v-neck piece instead of the scoop.
3) I almost finished this pumpkin hat for my friend--it just needs a stem and a leaf or two.
4) I cast on the January Deep Stash sock that I had originally planned to do this month and am just about done with the toe. From here it is a stockinette grind--perfect for relaxing and watching some knitting podcasts or the Fifth Element (can't wait!).
5) I cast on a pair of Dashing for another friend in my deliciously oatmeal-esque hearty brown local yarn from the winter Madison farmer's market. Right now the sizing might be a concern but they are great fun to knit.
6) with some luck I will be able to finish the first half of my black-shot-with-green-and-blue romney fiber from the DC farmer's market. Then I can ply it. I might chain ply it--I think that would make it nice and scrunchy and delicious, more so than a 2 ply.
7) I picked up my Shipwreck Shawl again, put the needles back on it, and have managed a round or two. As everyone else says, it's not the incessant yo-k2tog pattern that is driving me nuts--I could get used to that--nor even the need to bead on random occasion, but the pushing of the beads deeper into the yarn ball that is creating insanity. After a round and a half of some 500 stitches, I have to push them down again and I practically threw it aside in frustration. I will leave the needles on it, though--perhaps I will work up the nerve to do my tedious work again.
as for other things--my surgery cannot proceed until mid february, and I have a lecture to teach on Tuesday, as well as a paper that I'm in the midst of writing. So things are going along. Now I just need to get a car...
Friday, January 4, 2013
other new exciting plans
of course, just because I have Deep Stash 2013 plans doesn't mean I am not secretly dreaming of all the other projects I want to work on.
The first is this sweater. It's basically Hey Teach!, from Knitty Summer 2008. Unfortunately, I've made some size that falls in between but fits me great. I was planning to give it raglan style decreases but that seems to clash with the scoop neck. I still want to modify the neck so the last button point will be right where the patterning on the top begins--I don't look good with buttons marching up the mountains of my breasts like old civil war soldiers. Still, I haven't come up with a good sketch yet, so I'm just going to have to calculate numbers for a bad sketch and hope the end product is better than my ability to draw can convey. I will probably, however, not do raglan decreases, no matter what my sketch conveys--I like the fitted sleeve holes the Hey Teach! shaping leaves.
To figure out for this project:
1) how long I want it to go before I start the top
2) what adjustments I need to make to accomodate my breasts
3) what sort of adjustments I need to make for the back so it fits well at the neck, etc
4) what adjustments I need to make to get the pattern to fit on the front and the back
5) how to make sure the sides are at the sides when I split up the front and back work.
Next thing that's important to me is a couple of shawls I've wanted to make for a year: Colour Affection and Hitchhiker.
I think I'll start with Colour Affection--partly because it's more complicated, and partly because I have a new swift and ball winder from the holidays (!!!eee!) so I can wind up the yarns and that's very satisfying, and partly because it's garter stitch and I can appreciate that a great deal right now, but it's also going to make a crescent and I really like crescent shawls. I've got black, grey, and a bright-green yellow that I think will look fantastic together.
Hitchhiker was a recent gift and I want to use these Mawata I purchased in stunning dark blues and purples. I think it will show off the gorgeous colors as well as the lovely squashiness of the drafted silk
My next eagerly anticipated project is a blanket for the couch--multiple sizes and arrangements of rectangles and squares in four central colors, surrounded by a subtle gray frame. I can't wait to plot it all out and carefully plan the colors and shapes and types of squares. I picked up some stolid Ella Rae wool in pale blue, dark brown, rust orange, and a rusty red, plus some pale creamy gray. I can't wait to knit it--it's such a winter project, like oatmeal, all cozy and garter stitch (I imagine).
Finally I need more socks for myself, and I've got some wonderful sock yarn to try out sock yarns to use:
Green Dragon sock yarn (Leyburns? It'd be nice, but it's such a big ball I still think--shawl)
Green LRB spark sock yarn (something handcarved and cable-y)
madelinetosh tosh sock in Nebula (maybe also handcarved and cable-y)
Plymouth yarn happy feet in purple
Plymouth yarn happy feet in green --almost definitely the Firestarter pattern in my queue--maybe the same for the purple?
Unplanned Peacock sock yarn in the perfectest of blues. Not sure what to make but sure that I really really love it
Satsuma orange socks if I can figure out a wonderfully round modern pattern
I think between this and the fiber I want to spin, I'm pretty set for fun projects for the year.
The first is this sweater. It's basically Hey Teach!, from Knitty Summer 2008. Unfortunately, I've made some size that falls in between but fits me great. I was planning to give it raglan style decreases but that seems to clash with the scoop neck. I still want to modify the neck so the last button point will be right where the patterning on the top begins--I don't look good with buttons marching up the mountains of my breasts like old civil war soldiers. Still, I haven't come up with a good sketch yet, so I'm just going to have to calculate numbers for a bad sketch and hope the end product is better than my ability to draw can convey. I will probably, however, not do raglan decreases, no matter what my sketch conveys--I like the fitted sleeve holes the Hey Teach! shaping leaves.
To figure out for this project:
1) how long I want it to go before I start the top
2) what adjustments I need to make to accomodate my breasts
3) what sort of adjustments I need to make for the back so it fits well at the neck, etc
4) what adjustments I need to make to get the pattern to fit on the front and the back
5) how to make sure the sides are at the sides when I split up the front and back work.
Next thing that's important to me is a couple of shawls I've wanted to make for a year: Colour Affection and Hitchhiker.
I think I'll start with Colour Affection--partly because it's more complicated, and partly because I have a new swift and ball winder from the holidays (!!!eee!) so I can wind up the yarns and that's very satisfying, and partly because it's garter stitch and I can appreciate that a great deal right now, but it's also going to make a crescent and I really like crescent shawls. I've got black, grey, and a bright-green yellow that I think will look fantastic together.
Hitchhiker was a recent gift and I want to use these Mawata I purchased in stunning dark blues and purples. I think it will show off the gorgeous colors as well as the lovely squashiness of the drafted silk
My next eagerly anticipated project is a blanket for the couch--multiple sizes and arrangements of rectangles and squares in four central colors, surrounded by a subtle gray frame. I can't wait to plot it all out and carefully plan the colors and shapes and types of squares. I picked up some stolid Ella Rae wool in pale blue, dark brown, rust orange, and a rusty red, plus some pale creamy gray. I can't wait to knit it--it's such a winter project, like oatmeal, all cozy and garter stitch (I imagine).
Finally I need more socks for myself, and I've got some wonderful sock yarn to try out sock yarns to use:
Green Dragon sock yarn (Leyburns? It'd be nice, but it's such a big ball I still think--shawl)
Green LRB spark sock yarn (something handcarved and cable-y)
madelinetosh tosh sock in Nebula (maybe also handcarved and cable-y)
Plymouth yarn happy feet in purple
Plymouth yarn happy feet in green --almost definitely the Firestarter pattern in my queue--maybe the same for the purple?
Unplanned Peacock sock yarn in the perfectest of blues. Not sure what to make but sure that I really really love it
Satsuma orange socks if I can figure out a wonderfully round modern pattern
I think between this and the fiber I want to spin, I'm pretty set for fun projects for the year.
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