a little fuzzy

moving...

2008-06-22T14:34:00.001-04:00

blogger's inability to easily respond to comments has finally gotten to me...future posts will be at http://alittlefuzzy.wordpress.com/ - hope to see you there!

catch-up

2008-06-01T17:50:00.006-04:00

Wow, thank you for the kind compliments on my Morning Glory. My new wrap and I are both blushing! Of course, no sooner did I finish it, than the weather warmed up...I guess I'll have to wait until next fall to use it.

I really should make an effort to post more frequently - I have so many things I want to share. However, overtime has again reared its ugly head (non-mandatory - but if we don't work it now, it'll be two weeks of 12 hour days to finish the project in the end - working a little extra now to avoid that is worth it), not to mention there just seem to be so many things I want to be doing. Of course, overtime means more money, which means I feel completely less guilty about all the money I spent on stash enhancement last weekend!

My mom and I went to our first ever Great Lakes Fiber Show (of course, I can no longer find the website...) last Saturday (May 24) and had way too much fun. We were so busy looking at all the pretty yarns and knits, that I didn't get any pictures there (not even the cute alpaca or bunnies!), but I did manage to find my billfold a few times...opps...

From Briar Rose:
Legend, a sportweight merino, 1300 yards

Sea Pearl, a fingering weight merino/tencel blend, 1000 yards

From Knitting Notions:
A hand turned shawl pin

Classic Merino Supersock, Dusk, 3 skeins (1260 yards)

Classic Merino Supersock, Ruby, 1 skein (420 yards)

Afterward, we stopped at the Secrest Arboretum, part of the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, The Ohio State University. It's free and open to the general public, and a lovely place to stop and visit. There are plenty of trees, of course, but we stopped for the flowers.

As far as my actual knitting goes, I finished the front of my sweater last week and have started on the sleeves. I'm working both at the same time, so I make sure I increase and decrease at the same rate. I also felt like the added challenge of two balls of yarn to tangle, of course...

Pear and Trellis is also coming along nicely:

I've managed to finish four repeats. Once I finish the sweater, I'll spend more time on this, but it's mostly hit-or-miss at the moment. I plan to work pretty exclusively on lace this summer (aforementioned sweater aside). To that end, I decided I might as well sign up for the Seasons of Lace knit-along. Usually, I'm absolutely terrible at KALs, but I knit so much lace anyways, I thought I might as well. As it doesn't start officially until June 21, I suppose this scarf counts as my "warm-up" project. I'm hoping to (finally) get going on Bee Fields, and work on the Alpine Knit Scarf (Ravelry link) from Victorian Lace Today for the summer. Given the overtime situation at work, I think that will be plenty of challenge!

morning glory

2008-05-23T18:33:00.005-04:00

Pattern: Morning Glory by Anne Hanson
Yarn: Briar Rose Fibers Wistful (50% alpaca, 30% merino, 20% silk)
Needles: US 8/ 5.0mm
Started: Aug. 2007; Completed May 2008
Ravelry Link: morning glory

I love this pattern - I could easily knit it again. The yarn is also probably my favorite I've ever worked with - wondrously soft, it almost knit itself.

knitted miscellany

2008-05-10T19:25:00.004-04:00

I am sad to report that Morning Glory is still unblocked. This has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I forgot that last night would be an ideal time to block it or that I went in to work this morning (yipee, we're back to overtime and working Saturdays...). Maybe next weekend...

However, overtime does not (yet) mean no knitting. I've successfully managed to finish (1) back for my Dickinson Pullover.

It's currently rather longish and narrow, sometime I'm hoping will be rectified in the blocking. As long as my swatch didn't lie...I am relieved however, to have used less than 1/3 of my yarn for the back. I don't quite have enough for the pattern as written, but I'm making the sweater and sleeves several inches shorter so it will actually (hopefully) fit. So far, it looks like I'll have enough. (Opps...I think I just doomed myself...)

I also managed to start another lace project. (Which of course means my eyes are now all healed...although it still sometimes creeps me out that I can see without glasses!)

This is the start of Anne's Pear and Trellis scarf. As soon as I saw the pattern, I knew I had the perfect yarn already in my stash. This is the ColourMart Cashmere/Silk 3/45NM Laceweight I bought last November. It's lighter than the pattern calls for, so I'm using two strands together, which seems to be working. I'm thinking my cast on was too tight though, so I'm going to restart tonight.

I also managed to pick up another lace book, which of course means more projects for the queue, one which I particularly like. I've been eying A Gathering of Lace for several months, and finally bought it this week. The Vine Lace Cardigan (Ravelry link) caught my eye, so if I can find an appropriate yarn, I think it will be my next sweater project. Which should be sometime around October when we're finally past overtime season (at least for a day or two) at work!

glasses be gone

2008-05-05T19:11:00.004-04:00

I ran into an unexpected knitting situation last week. You see, these:

are no more. Almost exactly a week ago, I had LASIK. I knew to expect that my eyes wouldn't be perfect right away, that maybe they might be itchy or dry. They forgot to tell me that after I woke up from the recommended post-surgery nap I'd be bored out of my mind! I don't know if it's the same for everyone, but it took a while for my eyes to get back to "normal". (OK, they're not normal for me - I can actually SEE! No, I'm still not used to it, yes, it's a bit freaky.) Middle distances were great, but it was a day or so before I could see up close and really far without everything being "weird" (which is the best way I have to describe it - I could see to read, but it was just "weird"). Which meant that knitting wasn't exactly something that was on the to-do list. However, I was bored. Very bored.

Therefore, my first option was to organize my knitting mess. I am now proud to say that all balls of yarn and pattern pertaining to the same project are all together in the same bag. That all my dpn's are safely put away together. That I located my missing size 5 us (3.75 mm) circular. That I restarted a long-abandoned sweater. Opps. Healing eyes be damned, I started knitting. In my defense, it's on those 3.75mm needles, which compared to the lace I've knit lately, makes it a pretty large scale knit. (Yeah, I know, it's not quite jumbo needles.)

I originally started the Dickinson Pullover (Interweave Knits, Fall 2007) back in November, and got about 6" into one sleeve. Sleeve frogged, this would be the back, almost to the shoulder decreases. Amazing how fast a sweater goes after Whispering Pines! I love the cables:

Which of course, is why I'm making this. Even though I won't get to wear it until fall. (Assuming I finish by then!)

I did finish another knit the next day, which I might get to use this spring. If I can get it blocked; alas the blocking surfaces are all unavailable for the foreseeable future.

The Morning Glory is even older, dating from August. It was half finished when I started the sweater the first time. But some other projects got in the way...so I didn't finish it until just now. Shameless, I know (and I loved knitting it! The yarn is wonderful, the pattern entertaining...I don't know what was wrong with me...) I really want to block it to see in its glory! (Opps...no pun intended there.) Maybe this weekend...

(Ravelry links for my sweater here; shawl here.)

spring beauties

2008-04-27T18:25:00.003-04:00

Spring Beauty

Spring is still here! Which, to the best of my memory, is rather unusual for northeast Ohio. More typically, we go straight from winter to summer, with maybe a few pleasant spring-like days interspersed. However, it's been pleasant, mostly sunny, daytime temperatures in the 60's and lower 70's (Fahrenheit). It is supposed to turn a bit...unpleasant...this week, however, so maybe I'll have the opportunity to actually wrap up in my new shawl, for which I owe thanks for the compliments!

The problem with finishing up such a major project, and in such a heavy push at the end, is that I found myself a bit tired of knitting! I know, impossible. I've actually kept on knitting, but not as much as I had been. I think there may have even been a day or two when I actually didn't touch the needles. I can't say the same thing for yarn, however. It's been fondled and wound (and unwound and knotted...I think I may have a slight tangling issue) and admired. So I think I'm safe.

I'm actually really close to finishing a long languishing, UFO. But of course, I don't have any pictures. I've been too busy taking pictures of our seasonal visitors - both in the backyard, and last Sunday on an outing to the woods (on a real trail!).

Trillium

Red Trillium

Dutchman's Breeches

Trout Lily

And a backyard beauty:

Bleeding Heart

Hopefully, I'll have a finished project by my next post...and hopefully I'll even have knitting pictures!

Spring Snow

2008-04-16T19:46:00.003-04:00

So.....I dropped off the blog for a while there. I'd blame it on overtime and that really big really pink shawl that didn't allow for much other knitting, and well really there's only so much you can say about a giant pink shawl, but the truth is - I've just plain been lazy. Pure and simple. Really must try to work on that!

In the meantime - spring has happened! (Warning! Photo heavy post!)

Crocus

Bloodroot

Bloodroot - open

Tete-a-tete Daffodils

Myrtle

But more importantly, the giant pink snow shawl is complete! (Enormous, really - the largest lace project I've undertaken--of course if I hadn't gone UP half a needle size after getting gauge, things would have been a bit better...but I like it this size...I think.)

Of course, if you read Anne 's website, you know this already. I finished Sunday night, we blocked Monday, and yesterday she got her pictures and released the pattern. It took me an extra day to get sunny pictures (darn work!) but I now present my test knit of Anne's Whispering Pines shawl:

Details at Ravelry. And many more pictures over at Anne's.

the view from my window

2008-03-09T18:12:00.000-04:00

we got a little snow this weekend. (that's a window screen impeding the clearness of the view)

fortunately, we didn't get quite so much that it's piled up to my window - there's a ledge just outside the window that the snow drifted up on. however, we did get a good 15" (~38 cm) plus drifts. also fortunately, i didn't have to go anywhere this weekend - not even work!

and now the sun's out, the snow has stopped, and the birds have reappeared.

and i finally remembered to photograph my recent stash acquisitions, in daylight!

brown sheep wildfoote luxury sock, colorway SY-05 black orchid

mountain colors bearfoot, colorway deep blue

dream in color smooshy, colorway november muse

brooklyn handspun soft spun plus, colorway winter wind

panda wool, colorway jet black (although it looks more like a dark navy)

maizy, colorway ivory

all were purchased at my two local yarns stores, guilt-free thanks to recent overtime! (there is a benefit...) now i just need to find the time to actually use these...

a little snow

2008-03-05T20:16:00.005-05:00

well, i forgot to take pictures of my new stash additions over the weekend - when it was actually sunny! so much gloomy weather, i'd think it would be easy to remember to take advantage of the sun.

of course, this also means i don't have any daylight pictures of my latest knitting. i have abandoned all wip's (poor souls) in favor of a new project (no surprise). this is none other than the triangular version of anne's snow shawl. she seems to think i'm doing her a favor by test knitting for her - but this is way too much fun to be a favor!

anne generously passed on the yarn, sweet lace, cranapple colorway, which is the alternate colorway for the square shawl as well. although it's about the time of year i'm completely sick of snow, the color makes this so cheerful. it appears deceptively solid in skein, but the knitting reveals it to have subtle variations.

i think this last is my favorite picture. the color isn't quite true (the first two are better), but you can see the "blizzard" section i'm currently working on so much better. and the "blizzard" happens to be terribly fun to knit!

i took this with me to an open house celebrating anne's pattern in the spring interweave, and i think i may have to watch my back now...rumor has it, anne wants it for herself...good thing i'm a process knitter!

careful what you wish for

2008-02-29T19:37:00.003-05:00

thank you all so much for your compliments on my shawl - and background. when i first got the pattern, i thought it would be nice to take pictures of the finished shawl against the snow, but i didn't quite expect it to work out. a fortunate bit of timing!

on the knitting end, things have been a bit sluggish lately. for starters - still working overtime. it's "optional" but we all know that if we don't all pitch in, problems will ensue. it means more money for stash (and i've been collecting - hopefully i'll have time tomorrow to get some good daylight pictures) but less time/energy for knitting. then sunday, i stumbled - almost literally - into a different impediment.

see, i've been feeling a restless lately - i think i've just been indoors in the dark too much, between work and ugly winter days. last sunday, on the other hand was sunny, above freezing, with a nice layer of snow on the ground to make things pretty (if you left the city). so i talked my dad into a afternoon hike. clearly i haven't spent enough time with him lately--i'd forgotten that all such excursions with my dad turn into "adventures".

we took off for a state park about an hour north of us. something with marked trails. other people. we got there ok - and there were people, dogs. didn't seem too bad. except, it turns out my dad defines "trail" as anything with tracks - regardless of what made said tracks! around here, there are plenty of deer - an overpopulation - so there were plenty of tracks - and deer.

a curious deer unfazed by digital photography.

now, there's this odd thing about deer - they have four legs. this means it's much easier for them to traverse snow-covered terrain than a klutzy bi-ped like myself. so that alone was a challenge. but then, as we watched the sun sink further and further (funny how it does that), we knew we had to go back. so we cut back west towards the main road into the park. ok so far. until the stream. the snow and ice covered stream. however, it's above freezing so there's no guarantee the ice will hold anything. my dad looked at it, looked at me: "think you can jump across?"

apparently he doesn't quite understand the definition of "no" because he was quickly on the other, lower side. testing the ice, he looked at me and said "you'd better make it." not exactly the way to put me at ease. but it was getting dark, he was on the other side, so i made a game attempt. i did land on the other bank - and toppled forward into the thorn bush (possible wild blackberry or the like?). shortly before this, i should add, i had removed my gloves as my hands were too warm. so there was nothing between them and an impaling! needless to say, i wasn't too happy. and i found that knitting that night was a bit...challenging.

however, there were still some positives to the day - it makes a good story! (and my hands are ok...now). i love the beech leaves still on the trees:

and the snow was so pretty in the woods in it's undisturbed state:

however, it may be a while before i go on any more excursions with my dad!

finished feathers

2008-02-23T17:05:00.002-05:00

work has been....busy. today was the second saturday in a row i went in for a half-day. i keep telling myself it's yarn money...but it's definitely taking away from my knitting time.

however...irtfa'a is at last complete! it's been finished for over a week, and i've even had pictures...but...i've been a bit lazy lately.

a corner detail:

the edging:

pattern: irtfa'a by anne hanson
yarn: blue moon fiber arts laci, colorway 'korppi'
needles: size us 2 (2.75mm) and us 1 & 00 (2.25 & 1.75 mm) for the edging (not only do i knit loosely, but i got a different gauge for the pearl-based and knit-based halves of the edging)

other than a few nuisance p2togtbl's i rather enjoyed this shawl. even if a pair of gloves got in the way!

almost...

2008-02-09T11:44:00.000-05:00

the knitting of the edging has much improved. after a few repeats, i think i loosened up a bit, so the p2togtbl's aren't quite so difficult. i'm speeding along now (relatively speaking) and am almost halfway through the edging. since the edging is knit on, i can begin to spread the shawl out without taking it off the needles, so it's much easier to see than it has been.

i can definitely pass the halfway point today. hopefully i can then get through quite a bit of the second half this weekend. we're getting quite busy at work, so i don't know how much knitting time i'm going to have for a while. the threat of working saturdays looms...

miscellany

2008-01-28T19:40:00.000-05:00

thank you for the kind comments on my socks! i've worn them, and determined that they're nicely warm. of course, it's now gone and warmed up...the roller-coaster that is north-east ohio weather.

i have decided that i'm just too lazy to stretch out irtfa'a before it's off the needles. probably not before blocking for that matter. consequently, i'm just starting on the edging, so it's come a long way since the last time i showed it off, but still would look like a big charcoal-colored blob. i've really been enjoying working on it, though - at least, i have up until last night when i started on the edging and ran up against a nasty p2togTbl in the fourth row. there's other p2togTbl's, but this particular one contains a yarn over that just doesn't want to slide over the right-hand needle. it may be a bit of a fight from here-on-out.

i do have a distraction. well, a couple actually. after ignoring the leavened raglan sweater i wasn't quite happy with, i've frogged and started over. again, no pictures - it's black and we're a bit short on sun at the moment, so it won't show up as more than a black mass. a small one at the moment, but i think i'm finally getting there.

the second distraction is a bit more fun at the moment - just some swatches so far, but they were entertaining.

now, if i could just make my mind up about what i'm doing!

warmth for a winter weekend

2008-01-18T16:43:00.000-05:00

it is supposed to be cold here this weekend. really cold. like highs in the teens (-7 to - 11 C.) and nighttime temperatures even colder. fortunately, i don't have to go anywhere tomorrow, and i'm a knitter. which means i have nice warm wool socks. namely, nice warm just off the needles - finally - rococo.

pattern: rococo socks by anne hanson
yarn: fearless fibers superwash merino wool, smoke colorway
needles: us 00 (1.75 mm), us 0 (2.0 mm), us 1 (2.25 mm)

this would be the pair where sock 1 was finished in august, sock 2 was ignored until finally i cast on in the late fall and my gauge was completely different, so it got set aside again. but i ordered smaller needles, cast on over the holidays and, after a glove-induced delay finally have a finished pair!

of course, i like the august photo better than the finished pic:

it seems to show the pattern better. however, as the days get longer - and eventually they might even get warmer(!) we'll have better photo weather again.

i did enjoy knitting these - despite the big gap. they were my first toe-up socks and i think i'm a convert - they fit the best of any socks i've made for myself. it seems like it's easier for me to decide to start the heel at the right spot (toe-up) than the toe at the right spot (cuff down).

now...which of my remaining unfinished projects to work on next...?

first of the year

2008-01-14T19:15:00.000-05:00

i can't believe it's been over two weeks since i've posted! by implication, that means i haven't gotten very much done on the knitting front. this is not exactly true. i did have to go back to work on the 2nd, and combined with a bit of laziness and my determination to finish something before posting, well...i guess it's been a while. however, i can now present the first finished object of 2008:

pattern: twisted stitch gauntlets from interweave knits 2007 holiday issue
yarn: classic elite classic one fifty, #7255
needles: us 2 (2.75 mm)
mods: to compensate for not quite getting row gauge/shorter hands i moved the thumbs up 4 rows on the hand, adding the required increases on the hand/decreases on the thumb to stay in patter.

i'm rather pleased with these - i love the color, and they even fit! i'm even more pleased that i was pretty faithful to the project, only tiring of it after getting halfway through the fingers of the second glove. a substantial improvement on my part, although i'm sure it's only temporary. i did find it much easier to to work through the hand and keep track of everything by creating a larger chart with the hand pattern/finger pattern/increases rather than relying on sticky notes or row counters.

i havn't let irtfa'a go completely - it was my fill-in when i couldn't take fingers - or weaving in ends - anymore. however, photos at this point wouldn't really look any different than the last time i posted them, and i'm too lazy to take it off the needles to get a proper photo...just yet. i'm almost done with the small feather chart, though. i've also been working a bit on an almost-abandoned project from august. so i guess my laziness hasn't been in the knitting - it's been in the blogging! if the weather - and my intentions - cooperates, hopefully there will be some photos soon!

ring in the new!

2007-12-31T19:58:00.000-05:00

it's strange to think that in most of the world it's already the new year...here, we've still got about 4 hours to go. i don't make new year's resolutions, as a rule - i've never kept one, so there's no point. i would however, like to finish quite a few wips/ufos in the coming months.

my problem isn't that i don't like a project (usually) or get tired of it (usually) - i just become entranced by something new. new yarn, a new pattern.

however, in this instance, i really really really need the gloves. or twisted stitch gauntlets, as the pattern calls them (ravelry link ). i'm using the classic elite one fifty i bought last week, and the first one has gone pretty well. i did frog part of the hand back when i decided it was going to be too long for me so i moved the thumb a bit higher. i just have two fingers left on this one and i can start the left hand. however...this means i've been neglecting my other knits. shamefully. maybe in this new year, just maybe, i can get some projects finished.

it's never too late to be optimistic, right? (besides - i really need those gloves!)

stash enhancing

2007-12-29T11:46:00.000-05:00

it's been so long since i had the opportunity to take photos during the day, in natural light, that i had forgotten how much better they are. fortunately, i have the week off between christmas and new year's (yea!) so i was able to snap some daytime shots.

even the notoriously hard to photograph red seemed to come out pretty accurately.

classic elite classic one fifty #7255

i didn't have to fuss with flash and none of my pictures were (too) blurry.

cascade ecological wool #8087

although this laceweight is really a bit greener in reality. i did fuss with it a little in photoshop and i think the color is a bit better than the original pic, but still not perfect.

claudia hand painted silk lace, navy olive

the yarns are all the result of a recent trip to my newest lys, yarnia yarn shop and cafe. i've been there before; i bought the yarn for my dad's hat there. it's a cute little shop overflowing with yarn - it can be hard to tell what all's actually there. but the owner is very friendly and talkative. unfortunately she also carries laceweights. 100% silk laceweights. i entered with the intention of being good - only buying yarn for two projects i desperately need - gloves and a new knitting bag. but then i saw the claudia hand painted and...well...opps.

i also now, finally, own a ball winder and swift (no pictures...yet). fortunately for my yarn budget, these were chirstmas gifts. i have yet to try them out, as all my (too many) projects currently underway already have yarn in ball form. however, soon i'm sure...

holiday cheer

2007-12-24T14:31:00.000-05:00

just in time for christmas!

pattern: everlasting bagstopper (summer 2007 knitty)
yarn: hemp for knitting allhemp6
needles: us 10 (6.0 mm) and 4 (3.5 mm), circular
mods: none really - although i opted to use the leftover yarn to create a heavy braided handle rather than purchase ribbons or handles

thus, my unbelievably dull project is finished and can be put to good use!

merry christmas and happy holidays to all!

(in)fidelity

2007-12-16T17:30:00.000-05:00

technically, it won't even be winter until the 21st, but we're already on our 3rd snow storm of the year. which seems like more than usual for this early in december, but i could be wrong.

of course, this makes it perfect knitting weather. and i had such good intentions. irtfa'a is so pretty. and such a lovely knit. the yarn is wonderful. once my dad's hat was finished, it was to be the only knit i was working on. so of course, i started another sweater. faithfulness to one project is clearly a problem...

i'm not sure i like it. i like the pattern - leavend raglan from the fall 2007 interweave knits. it's quick and easy - i'm using us17 (12.75 mm) needles, so there's a grand total of 36 stitches cast on for the back. i like the yarns - i'm using cascade 220 superwash and rowan kidsilk aura held together (the original intention was, based on information from rowan's website, to use just the kidsilk aura. when it arrived and i swatched, i realized this was not going to work. thus the two yarns.) however....i don't think it's quite long enough - largely because i'm not quite on gauge. this is solvable, if i'm willing to frog. as it's a quick knit, i probably am. the other problem is not solvable - i should have realized that black doesn't really show up the pattern all that well. opps. live and learn. so while i ponder this self-inflicted perdicament, it's back to irtfa'a. maybe i can sill get it finished by the new year...

slowly, slowly

2007-12-09T17:50:00.000-05:00

it's warmed up a bit and all that pretty snow from the other day is mostly gone. sigh. but that's typical for december around here - it often snows one day and melts the next. fingers are crossed for a white christmas though!

although the wintery weather is a perfect inspiration for knitting, i feel like i haven't gotten very far on irtfa'a...

a corner of the shawl

a closeup of the center panel

i still have 11 more rows of the shoulder drop section, which i'm hoping to finish yet tonight. but that only puts me a short way into the shawl. not that i'm complaining! like all of anne's patterns i've tried before, it's an interesting knit. and the yarn is wonderful - a squishy and soft merino. i almost can't believe it's laceweight.

winter wonderland

2007-12-05T20:38:00.000-05:00

two posts in two days...something must be wrong with me!

usually i don't rely much on predictions of snow...but last night they were right.

these two pictures were actually taken about the same time this morning, while the snow was still falling. i used flash for the second, which created a nighttime look. i can't decide which i like better. i wasn't thrilled about clearing an inch or two of snow off my car, but the views more than made up for it - everything is just so fresh and white. it was a 'dry' snow too - nothing too heavy or soppy wet. it's supposed to warm up this weekend though...alas.

a little warmer

2007-12-04T18:59:00.000-05:00

thank you for the kind words about my snowflakes! i still need to make some more, but i've been too busy concentrating on my knitting. much to my dad's relief - i finished his hat!

pattern: a basic bottom up hat; i did look at world's warmest hat (which i found on ravelry) as a guide
yarn: cascade 220 superwash (#813) and pima tencel (#0499)
needles: size 6 us (4.25 mm)

nothing terribly exciting. which was one of the reasons i wanted it finished. the facts that we've now hit cold winter weather and my dad walks to work (about 2 miles / 3.2 km) also were a consideration. there's now a dusting of snow on the ground, with more forecast for tonight and the temperatures have been below freezing for the last few days. which is ok in decemeber - i like a white christmas - but i'm sure i'll be sick of the cold gray weather by the end of january!

2007-11-27T19:45:00.000-05:00

i haven't made a terrible ton of progress on knitting in the past week or two, despite time off work for the thanksgiving holiday...primarily because of these:

tatted snowflakes. my grandma taught me to tat ages ago, but i haven't really done much with it since. but i wanted snowflakes for christmas decorations, and while looking for patterns (initially i was thinking crochet), i found a simple tatted snowflake pattern. which led me to search for other patterns. the small snowflakes come from an old mc'call's needlework magazine my mom has and the larger snowflakes are from tatting patterns and designs, which i borrowed from my grandma. the round one in the lower left actually has an opps! - apparently i can't count and did 9 repeats instead of 8.

i haven't completely neglected my knitting, though. my dad's hat is just past the half-way point and i hope to finish this week.

however, i have a major distraction.

from blue moon fiber arts, laci in the korppi colorway, arrived on saturday. it's a 100% merino laceweight and wonderfully soft. almost so soft i didn't want to wind it up. however, irtfa'a was calling.

i've only just started on the edging, and i can't wait to do more. i've loved all of anne's patterns that i've attempted thus far, and this one is so gorgeous (although, i have to admit, the pretty yarn did it's fair share of selling the pattern!) that i had to start it right away. other knitting? what other knitting?!

what's one more?

2007-11-20T19:46:00.001-05:00

i've had a bit of startitis lately. i couldn't restrain myself, and finally swatched for the dickinson pullover from the fall 2007 interweave knits. in an unheard of (for me) turn of events, i got gauge on the first try. row gauge, stitch gauge, perfect. that never happens. however, it also only further reinforced my notion of myself as a loose knitter. the pattern calls for a "bulky" yarn (7wpi) and us 9/5.5 mm needles. i'm using an aran weight (10 wpi) and got gauge with us 6/4.0 mm needles. by my reckoning, the math shouldn't work out - with a lighter weight yarn, i should actually be using closer to the size the pattern calls far, if not larger. instead, i'm...well, i'm a very loose knitter. i've actually gone down a size, as i don't like the finished size options for the sweater - 33-1/2" is too small and 40" seems too large. by going down a needle size and knitting the 40" i hope to make a slightly smaller sweater. so far, i'm about 6-1/2" into the first sleeve.

i am a little worried about having enough yarn. i don't quite have enough for the 40", according to the pattern. however, i'm planning to shorten the sleeves by about 2", and maybe the body as well. keeping my fingers crossed.

of course, having 1 new project, as well as all the old wip's couldn't possibly be enough...

my dad requested a winter hat, so i'm obliging. he's worried about wool itching (even though the cascase 220 superwash i'm using is unbelievably soft) so i'm making an outer layer (the blue, #813) and an inner liner of a cotton/tencel blend (the gray, #0499). hopefully this will be a quick project, because...well i need to finish something! further complicating matters - anne just released her latest shawl pattern - and as soon as my yarn arrives, i'm casting on!

not quite morning glory

2007-11-14T19:33:00.000-05:00

the knitting hasn't been so exciting lately. the socks are on hold until smaller needles arrive. mystery stole hasn't been tempting me. and i've decided i absolutely love working on morning glory so much - the pattern is fun and slightly challenging while still allowing for t.v. viewing and the yarn is wonderfully soft - that i'm dreading actually finishing it. so i'm putting it off - making morning glory my 'reward' knitting. which means i've been working on this:

i'm probably about halfway or so on my everlasting bagstopper. i thought i might have a bit of the problem with the yarn - it's 100% hemp and a bit rough. (i understand it softens once washed.) however, the yarn really hasn't been much of a problem. it's a nice lacy patterns which opens up rather nicely...so, given my fondness for lace you wouldn't think that would be a problem...

...except it's so incredibly boring! the pattern is only 2 very simple rows. and i'm bored out of my mind when i work on it. i find stockinette stitch more entertaining. or at least more relaxing. i usually can only stand about 2 rows in a sitting, which means it's going incredibly slowly. at least there's still morning glory, tempting as a reward...

gauge, i think we have a problem

2007-11-08T19:51:00.000-05:00

about a week ago, i finally got around to the second sock of my rococo pair. everything seemed to be going fine.

until i pulled out the finished first.

and took a really close look.

(original sock on top. size difference highlighted for clarity.)

if it isn't bad enough that i knit loosely to begin with - my gauge seems to have become looser since the first sock was finished! i was already using a us 0 (2.00mm). so now it looks like i'll have to find some smaller needles. consequently, rococo is on hold again and i've had to turn to other knitting.

finally, finally, i'm through the second clue of this past summer's mystery stole. that only took how many months! of course, now i have the advantage of knowing what the finished design looks like. it seems to move really slowly - there's 99 stitches per row and it's knit on tiny (2.00mm) needles. however, it's becoming more enjoyable. and it's helping control my desire to cast on for every lace project i see. at the moment!

finished...and yet to come

2007-11-02T16:12:00.000-04:00

pattern: monkey
yarn: maizy, 1001 nightshades
needles: us 0 & 1 (2.00mm & 2.25mm)
mods: for a better fit - and since i'm not quite on gauge - i knit the ribbed cuff on size 1 us (2.25mm), then changed to 0 (2.00mm), and after 2 pattern repeats, i decreased by 8 sts around (taking out of the pearl bits)

i made it! the socks were finished at lunch on tuesday and gifted at dinner that night. nothing like cutting it close. (par for the course with me!) i think my mom likes them. she should - she picked out the yarn. so now it's on to new and exciting ventures. ok, so at the moment that mostly means finishing up WIP's. however, something very exciting arrived in the mail today...

(the picture's a little washed out, but i think is about the closest on the colors.)

last friday evening - EST - i ordered 3 cones - the two dark pink are 100% silk and the blue is 65/35% cashmere and silk - from colourmart. out of england. they arrived here - in ne ohio, today, friday. a week later. with a whole weekend in there. i can't believe anything ships that fast - and gets through customs, even (even if it is labeled 'yarn').

of course, now the problem is, i have to decided what to use these for. they're very fine laceweight, at over 2000 yards apiece. i've been looking at a few patterns from victorian lace today, and i think i have several possibilities...decisions, decisions!

deadlines

2007-10-28T17:50:00.000-04:00

progress on knitting has been sparse this past week - i'm not sure why; i had way more free time than the previous week. i think it's because i'm on a deadline to finish these socks which just makes me want to work on other things, but i'm not letting myself work on those other things. fortunately, i only have about 1/2 a sock left!

of course the other reason progress could seem agonizingly slow - i think i've ripped more than i've knit lately. even on these simple socks - just in trying to make sure they will fit my mom without being too loose - first the heel was too long, then the foot was too long. part of my problem is i didn't quite get gauge, so i've had to fiddle with them a bit. my deadline is tuesday night. i think i can make it...i hope!

as for today's bit of procrastination - out to the woods:

one nice bit about the corner of ohio i'm in is that it never takes too long to get away from cities and suberban sprawl (if you want to) and find trees and farms. and i don't mean a gigantic corporate farm - i mean the old fashioned, family farm - perhaps even where genuine horse power is still employed. not too far from the trees in this picture are amish farms, well off the beaten path of the tourist trade. it's always fun to take a fall sunday afternoon trip on the backroads in this area - to see the landscapes of farms and autumnal trees, occasionally meeting with a buggy or coming across a one-room school house. but i can't stand trying to make it through the tourist traps of holmes county where one stop light towns have continual rush-hour type madness! the road less traveled for me!

fall flowers?

2007-10-23T20:35:00.000-04:00

i can't believe how long it's been since i posted anything here! life's been a little crazy lately - we had a major deadline at work last week and i ended up working 12 days straight! (and we shan't say how many hours we were working in those days - it's just too depressing.) so i've been a little behind. on blogging. on reading blogs. on knitting. on photographing my knitting.

however, this doesn't mean that absolutely no knitting happened - i still had my lunch breaks.

somehow, amazingly, i managed to get the first half of morning glory finished! i can't believe how fast it knits. the pattern (yo's, decreases) is on both right- and wrong-side rows, so i thought it might get a little tricky or that i would be poor t.v. knitting, but it's gone amazingly well. and the yarn, wistful, an alpaca-merino-silk blend, is an absolute dream to knit with. it is so unbelievably soft and smooth - i know i'm going to miss this project when it's done.

a close-up of the morning glory pattern

at least i still have a whole half left!

among other miscellany - poking around other blogs, i realized i've neglected to mention that i'm on ravelry - as alittlefuzzy, of course. terribly dangerous, that place is, but oh-so-useful for the list-inclined.

another pair!

2007-10-10T20:56:00.000-04:00

pattern: monkey
Yarn: tofutsies, #728

knitting in circles

2007-09-28T18:56:00.000-04:00

thank you for all the nice comments on my cardigan! of course, now that that's finished, i'm not quite sure what to do next...i just have so many choices. i feel like i'm spinning in circles trying to figure out where to start.

there's the morning glory. i haven't even gotten around to starting sock 2 of the rococo. i have yarn for a new cabled sweater, tempting me. then there's the everlasting bagstopper, which now has a base:

it's actually a nice little knit so far - although all i've had to do so far is garter stitch and picking up stitches. but the pattern for the sides, knit in the round, is all yo's and k2tog's - perfect for t.v. watching. however, there's also this, tempting me:

a new arrival this week: rowan kidsilk aura in nearly black. i'm hoping this becomes the leavened raglan from the fall 2007 interweave knits. it's a silk/mohair blend and is really tempting me right now. i need to swatch though, i'm not sure i have the right size needles. yet.

then there's more socks. my mom asked for socks for her birthday, which is in about a month, so i really need to work on those. i've actually started:

she picked out some maizy, (#1001, nightshades) a mostly corn (!) yarn that i'd not tried before. it's a bit splitty, but i've only managed to pick out one sock yarn so far that isn't, so i don't really notice! however, i've decided i want to try to work on both socks at once

or rather, one part of the first, then that same part of the other all the way down (ribbing on cuff, cuff, heel flap, etc.). and since i'm switching to us 0 (2.00 mm) after i get past the ribbing (us 1/2.25 mm) and i only have 2 pairs of us 0 dpns, i need to free up 1 pair:

thus, my monkeys are getting some work. i'm past the heel turn on the 2nd, so it shouldn't take too long...as long as i don't pick up another project! oh, and my mom's socks? they're going to be monkeys too!

first of fall

2007-09-23T18:54:00.001-04:00

happy autumn!

for me, "mums" (chrysanthemum) speak of fall - i think because they seem to be the most predominant fall-bloom in this area. cheerful, even while they portend the arrival of a chill in the air. fortunately, i have a finished solution for any chill:

finally, completely, totally finished!
pattern: diamond cable jacket from knit 'n style, dec. 2006
yarn: cascade 220 superwash, color 865

i really like how it turned out - except for one small detail - the sleeves are waaaay too long for me! i tried to shorten them while knitting, but i obviously mismeasured/miscalculated. ah well - lesson learned. for the seaming i used a crochet slip stitch - which probably took me a little longer than sewing would have, but tricked my brain into thinking i wasn't really seaming, i was crocheting! it's the little things...

of course, now i have to try to focus on the next project. and despite a nice line of wip's (which i realize is actually not too bad when compared to some), i'm finding continual new temptations. first, there's this:

this is just half of the araucania nature wool i bought on saturday. i wasn't looking for this yarn, i was actually looking for something completely different (which i of course didn't find), but i stumbled across this and couldn't let go. it's hard to tell from the picture, but the yarn is a lovely deep read which is slightly variegated. i think i'm going to try this with the dickinson pullover from the fall 2007 interweave knits. i had this on my to-do list, but not for a while down the road...the yarn has struck again!

as if this is not enough, i also came across (somewhat intentially - whoops) an absolutely gorgeous lace book:

victorian lace today by jane sowerby, photos by alexis xenakis. i was sold before i even got to the patterns, the photography is so beautiful. and as for the patterns - i think i want to try at least half of the book! plenty of knitting ahead...

almost

2007-09-21T21:16:00.000-04:00

it's almost there...

(with apologies for blurriness - the light was low)

i just need some buttons!

the call of the yarn

2007-09-12T19:13:00.000-04:00

i have reached the point where i pretty much can't stand my cardigan anymore. but i keep on knitting - not only do i want to be finished with it, it's pretty much the easiest thing i have on the needles at the moment and it would take too much effort (at the moment) to start something new. actually, the monkey sock is probably easier, but i haven't really been able to bring myself to work on that either, for some reason. so it keeps staring at me mournfully. of course, that might be because it keeps slipping off the needles every time i pull it out of my purse in the search for something else (usually my car keys). despite my apathy, i do have 1-1/4 sleeves.

however, what i really want to work with is this:

hemp for knitting #102 allhemp6 dk weight color 023 brick. this is destined to become and everlasting bagstopper - something i always seem to need. i don't know how easy it will be to knit with, but the color is calling me...oh, the thrill of a new project!

miscellaneous friday

2007-09-07T19:34:00.000-04:00

about a week ago, i noticed this new addition downtown and i finally snapped a photo today.

i think he rather looks like a monkey.

i'm not exactly sure what the impetus has been, but it seems like a lot of public art has been springing up around town lately - everything from painted concrete trash cans to murals to sculptures. it certainly makes downtown more cheerful!

never enough

2007-09-01T17:08:00.000-04:00

after being very good and not casting on for another big project while my sweater was still in very unfinished status, i decided that finishing the back was an acceptable 'start another project point'. thus:

morning glory found its way onto my needles. i'm really liking it so far - the yarn, wistful from briar rose is a very nice alpaca-merino-silk blend that is absolutely lovely to work with.

i particularly like the mesh section - at the moment! it's a bit redundant but oh so fun to see the way the 2tog/yo combination creates such a neat look:

i didn't get a good picture of the butterfly edging on the sides, but this is a detail of the end traveling vine section.

of course, all that fun work on the morning glory explains my sudden compulsion on thursday to start the first sleeve for my cardigan:

i'm not particularly enjoying the sweater at this point (not that i hate it - it's just not 'fun'--too much time looking at the pattern i think) but i can't seem to stop working on it! i think i have hopes for a finished sweater this fall.

1 back

2007-08-28T19:43:00.000-04:00

1 diamond cable jacket back, finished on the 27th as per previously stated goal. not too often that happens.

once i got going on it, it didn't actually take me too long to finish the back. i'm so familiar with the cable pattern now, i feel like i could knit it without looking at my needles at all. of course, if i actually did that, it would probably result in some unseemly knitting accident!

now i just need 2 sleeves, some seaming and a collar!

this 'n that

2007-08-21T20:35:00.000-04:00

a road trip led to quite a productive weekend:

i finished the first rococo sock - my first ever toe-up!
(yarn: fearless fibers superwash merino, smoke colorway)

added a repeat or so on monkey while waiting for the drama to begin.

continued my progress on mystery stole (almost halfway through clue 2 - which means i'm only...oh 5 weeks behind!)

but after arriving home on sunday, i decided that this needed to take precedence.

('diamond cable jacket' from the dec. 2006 issue of knit 'n style)

i think i'm feeling a bit of finishitis coming on - i looked at this and decided that i'm going to finish the back by the 27th. i think i can make it. but mystery stole will have to sit quietly by itself in the meantime.

a tale of two socks

2007-08-12T19:58:00.001-04:00

it was inevitable. i have the needles. i have the yarn. i have a list of patterns. i now have two socks in progress. however....

the first monkey is finished! i have the cast-on started for the 2nd, and it's a fun sock, so i'm not worried about 'second sock syndrome'. but i did start a different pattern.

this is the rococo sock in fearless fibers' smoke colorway. the picture, unfortunately, does not show the pattern very well. i've been avoiding it all summer as i had yet to attempt a toe-up sock (which somehow seemed more fearsome than top-down...i think because of the instructions for a short row toe), so i finally decided the only way to get it done was to sign up for the 'small projects' class at the lys. it's working so far; i've actually made it through about 3 more pattern repeats since i took the pic.

of course, not to be outdone, mystery stole 3 is making a re-appearance.

after a bit of ignoring, a change of needles and a complete start-over (i firmly established myself as a 'process knitter' as i decided i would much rather just start over with the new needles than pick up from a lifeline after i watch half the stitches fall off the old needles...again. of course, this begs the question: what's the point of a lifeline if i don't use it?) i am finally past the first clue. which puts me at only, oh, 4 weeks behind or so. fortunately, i don't care. now if only i could take a decent picture of the thing!

a little conversation

2007-08-05T19:50:00.000-04:00

a little of this last night:

meant the annual office pizza and fireworks party--also known as the time of year i'm required to supply my job-ensuring mint-chocolate brownies. the backyard of the office is absolutely perfect for the party--great view, plenty of parking, trees and grass and, of course, convenient indoor plumbing! this year, for the first time, i decided to bring my knitting, so a little 'monkey' showed up.

i didn't realize what a conversation piece this would prove! my co-workers have seen me knitting, so nothing new there...but first my boss's grandma-in-law saw me, which prompted a 'get over here' to her knitter daughter-in-law, out-of-towner martha. conversation on knitting and socks and yarns ensued. next up, a woman of unknown connection to the party (there's always plenty of people whose connection to the office i have failed to establish. relatives of the boss? friends? past clients or consultants?) whose only knitting experience was exactly one slipper--in girl scouts--showed up to see what i was knitting. she thought it looked rather relaxing...then, finally, nancy, a past client--and fair board member--showed up. another knitter, this one local, who knows the local knit stores--i now have a lead on another one to check out some day when i fancy a little trip. i've never had so many conversations at an office party simply by sitting there (knitting)!

however, the highlight had to remain

in the true spirit of a fanatical football town, these fireworks always outshine those of july 4th!

miscellaneous friday

2007-08-03T22:20:00.000-04:00

i'm a little too excited about this, considering i'm planning not to touch this until it's gloomy and winter and i need something springy in my knitting life, but my bee fields kit arrived today!

i opted for the 'tupelo gold' colorway as i absolutely love the springy greenness of it. which is why it gets to wait until the gloomy months...if i can manage to have enough self-control. anyway, i have too many projects ahead of it...such as a much more summery project, my very own monkeys:

i'm using tofutsies for these and they're knitting up like a charm. this have been primarily a lunch-time knit, but it seems to be going quickly, anyway. (for me at least. i have a nice pair-a-month average going on at the moment.) i can see why it's such a popular pattern though. very fun.

it's a pair!

2007-07-28T20:09:00.000-04:00

i've had the flame wave socks finished for over a week...i've had the pictures for over a week. but every evening since, it's seemed like i've either been too tired or too busy (what me, reading harry potter? ;) ) to blog. however, i can at last present, a complete pair!

pattern: flame wave socks - from favorite socks (interweave)
yarn: panda cotton in color #0409, picnic
needles: US 1 & 0, bamboo
mods: i altered the toe decreases to fit 'my' foot--making these 'right' and 'left' socks.

and because it's such a happy picture (please disregard the insect damage...)

mystery mess...

2007-07-19T20:16:00.000-04:00

my first real lace project, wing-of-the-moth, knit up like a charm. sure, i dropped a yo here or there and i even slid my needle out of the stitches once or twice. but the mohair content in the yarn meant i never lost anything, never had to tink (or frog) back because i couldn't figure out where i lost/gained that darned stitch.

mystery stole 3 on the other hand....

for some reason, i make more progress when i'm watching tv than when nothing else is going on. last night i had a dvd on and zoomed through 5 or 6 rows. today and yesterday at work i made about as much progress backwards as forwards...and worse yet, today as i leaned over to pick up a dropped stitch marker, i discovered that the left needle was no longer in my hand! which meant i had to pick up half a row of stitches. as this is alpaca, not mohair, i of course lost some stitches. fortunately, there weren't too far back and i didn't have to tink (this time). that was however, the last straw, and i've ordered a circular needle (vs. the straights i've been using). i think my problems are two-fold: 1) i think the straights fall out of the yarn easier. 2) i think the relative slipperiness of the alpaca (as compares to mohair) makes it easier to lose stitches. i can't however, explain why i should have more difficulties without distractions than with - i don't think i'm that good of a multi-tasker!

regarding the overall progress of the stole: i'm still on clue 1 (row 87 to be precise.) clue 4 is out tomorrow. i somehow don't think i'll be finishing on pace with the clue release... it's also looking like a bit of a mess. a little finger-blocking has me convinced that this is ok; the stole will look great post-blocking but will look ugly 'til then. i can live with that--it's what makes lace knitting fun!

a little activity

2007-07-17T20:26:00.000-04:00

i work downtown. or to be more accurate, on the edge of a small downtown. it's one of those rust-belt downtowns, long past it's hey-day and showing signs of age, but with a dedicated core of citizens determined to polish the city core until its past brilliance again shows through. recent renovations co-mingle with abandoned properties seemingly condemned by neglect while once shining gems struggle to re-emerge. it is also a place of one-way streets and parallel parking and--of course--the ubiquitous orange barrel as street crews attempt to assign a certain charm to the area through streetscape projects and old-fashioned traffic lights.

driving can be…tricky. with these thoughts in mind, i chose to walk a few blocks today. i had several sets of drawings to deliver to a local (downtown) church which has no parking of its own (an ill-conceived decision from the era when people still knew how to walk places) and, given the weather and traffic conditions, it was a perfect time to walk the drawings down. which gave me opportunity to ponder the sadness of the world we live in—when i arrived at the church i had to be buzzed in. no open doors, but a lock and an intercom. this is our world, where churches, who make it their mission to serve all, are forced to lock their doors against dangerous or destroying intruders. i understand the reasoning; some years ago a gentleman from the downtown church i attend was mugged in the sanctuary after a christmas eve service. and after all, we lock our office doors against those who would wander in, seeking services an architecture firm does not provide. but it is just so sad, that the churches cannot be open, that people cannot be trusted. i hate it.

much happier:

I also have a pair of socks finished(!), but the sun is not cooperating, so pictures shall have to wait…

it's not socks!

2007-07-10T19:49:00.000-04:00

i'm afraid i succumbed.

rather easily, actually. i first saw something about mystery stole 3 in the flickr discussions for sos2007. and then didn't think too much of it - i didn't know anything about it beyond a name. but then, about a few days before the kal started, i saw something on a blog (whose identity i cannot recall; therefore i can't assign blame) about ms3 - and the sign-ups were still open. in a moment of weakness i gave in. i'm completely blaming it on the fact that i didn't have a lace project on the needles and was going through withdrawal. i didn't have any laceweight, i didn't have any beads, i had a whole summer of knitting projects planned...and then i found myself surreptitiously sneaking off to the lys. i bought 1 skein of suri elegance in the raku colorway. (although, i have to say the pic on the website looks much more brown than what i have which is decidedly blue/deep purple.)

my initial plan was to forget the beads. i wasn't sure i liked the idea and that would just mean another purchase. so i cast on, several days after the kal began and made it to row 40, no problems. i was a +1 charts behind when clue 2 came out, no big deal, still plenty of time to catch up. except on saturday, i found myself waaaay too close to the local jo-ann etc. and the beads waaay to tempting. i ended up frogging the whole thing--a slight challenge in laceweight alpaca, but not insurmountable--and starting over with beads. the beads are a blue/purple/blue-green blend that goes well with the subtle variegations of the yarn. they might be a tad too big, but i think they'll be ok.

as penance for my impulsiveness (and further explanation as to why i've only subsequently made it to row 44) i've returned to my cardigan.

the back is still a bit wider than it should be (for reasons completely beyond me - the fronts were both perfectly sized.) but i've given up and decided that this is perfectly fine. finishing is now more important than width precision. width can disappear when the sweater is made up. it's coming along fairly nicely - maybe i'll get it done this summer after all!

doesn't follow directions...

2007-07-09T21:37:00.000-04:00

i've always considered myself to be one of those people who follows the rules. the never goes over the speed-limit, never talks out of turn, always reads the instructions type. more recently, i've come to accept that certain rules are meant to be broken--as long as one those the rules well enough to break them. this explains why i felt perfectly comfortable slightly modifying the toe for my flame wave sock--i'm not really breaking the rules, just making the sock fit better. however. as i sat working on the second sock over the weekend, i realized something. at almost no point in the socks have i actually followed the directions. (although i did cast on the right number.) i didn't make the leg as long as called for (no big crime), but worse - instead of starting the heel after the 11th or 23rd row of the pattern (as called for) i stopped after row 16 (not even a right side row!) i followed row 1 of the heel precisely - and completely ignored (unintentionally) the instructions for row 2. i did shape the gussets correctly, but only after accidentally skipping two pattern rows (twice!). at least the toe change was deliberate.

i can only conclude that either a) i can no longer read or b)my subconscious is urging on a spot of rebellion. of course a certain ditziness i seem so be having trouble with could be to blame. but i'm in denial on that front...

mindlessness

2007-07-02T20:28:00.000-04:00

so i stopped in the lys last week to pick up a book i won last week. and while i was there i thought i'd pick up another pair of size 0 (us) needles - so i could have two socks on the needles if i so choose, or even as a back-up for when i (inevitably) snap a needle (or two). i paid for the needles, stuck them in my purse and then thought nothing more of it...until i picked them up tonight to do some knitting. they were the wrong size. i check all my other dpns...sure enough, i picked up the wrong size - size 1 (us). not that this is terrible; i'm sure that i will use them at some point. i'm more concerned in that this is the second completely ditzy knitting-related think i've done in a week. (hmm...come to think of it - both were the same night!) and this is to say nothing of the order for yarn i placed about a month ago - i fully intended to order one color but selected another in the checkout process. fortunately the seller was very nice about exchanging yarns...however, all this is to say that, although i'm now finished with one flame wave sock:

i fully expect to create an exact match. which would be a problem: this is a right sock--i modified the toe decreases to fit my foot. my right foot. so if i goof and make an exact match, i will have two right socks...or, not a pair but two lonely half-pairs! (my brother in support of my ever-increasing ditziness is, i believe, taking bets on whether i will make a right or a left...)

stress relievers

2007-06-28T19:32:00.000-04:00

it should be a stressful time at work. really it should. two deadlines--this week--with not enough hours in the day and everything always takes twice as long as expected. but i have this:

a partial flame wave sock. is it possible to be stressed when something so cheerful is on the needles--and i have a whole hour at lunch to work on? (ok, so i spend half of that actually, well, eating my lunch.) even today when i ripped back 6 rows because i'd skipped two rows of the pattern--and then proceeded to skip the same two rows the second go-around...nope, still not stressed. i decided rather than to rip out again (which would have meant picking up stitches for a 3rd time--a process i don't particularly enjoy, even with slipped stitches on the edge) i would work with the 'mistake', make a note of it, and replicate it when i get to sock two. i don't think anyone will notice...

so we...finally...begin

2007-06-25T20:35:00.000-04:00

i had every intention of starting my first summer of socks pair on the 21st. i had yarn, i had needles, i had patterns. and i did start a gauge swatch. at which point, i realized the planned pattern was not going to work. so i took a break. i have a history of gauge issues, and experience tells me the only way to deal with them is come back the next day. or later. so, the next day, i packed my yarn in my bag, went to the local blues fest (free...except it's about impossible not to find oneself buying overpriced food...) and swatched some more. having determined there was no way around 6 sts per inch with the panda cotton (which i would have realized much sooner if i had looked at the label d'oh!), i realized that i needed quite a different pattern. moving on, i also completed a gauge swatch of the tofutsies, which will most likely become monkeys - i have to double check, but i'm pretty sure the gauge worked out (on the first try, an impossible chance!). after some more experimenting, some math (which for some reason i always make more complex than necessary), i finally, late last night settled on this:

flame wave socks from interweave knits favorite socks. my gauge is exact - when i use a size 0 (US) needle. vs. the size 4 (US) called for. and the yarn used in book is only a little lighter than the panda cotton (186 yd/50g vs. 170yd/50g.) yet another confirmation that i knit loosely. however, it seems to be working out and to be fun. so far.

happy summer!

2007-06-21T19:27:00.000-04:00

the first 'official' day of summer and the day-lilies are in full glory! not only that, i finished my first ever pair of socks! this turned out to be quite fun - i think socks are the perfect project for those of us with short attention spans

now, it's on to the next sock! i think (but this could change at any moment... ;)) they're going to be falling leaves from knitty. hmm...summer of socks, falling leaves...not quite the right combo! maybe i should rethink this! well i haven't cast on yet, so i guess i still have time to decide. as long as i have fun....

yarn, yarn, yarn

2007-06-20T19:36:00.000-04:00

with only a day left until Summer of Socks begins, i'm almost ready! i'm about halfway through the foot of sock #2 of my first ever pair! given that the first half of the foot was mostly knit during the evening news, i feel confident i can finish tonight...provided i don't get distracted. at which point i will be ready to start fresh for SOS.

a sock in the shadows

then there's the sock yarn...i found my missing panda cotton. i'm intrigued by the idea of knitting with bamboo, so i'm going to use this first (pattern undetermined?)

i hit the lys on saturday, intending just to buy some size 0 (us) needles and favorite socks. however, this...
found its way into my shopping bag. i couldn't help it; it said 'summer.' i also have a previously purchased merino superwash sock yarn which is destined to become rococo socks. so...given my rate of knitting (slowish) and my relative newness to the world of socks, i think i have enough to keep me occupied. needless to say, i will not be competing for 'most socks'!

now....despite all this sock happiness...i have to confess by being most excited by something that arrived today....
briar rose wistful, in a green a blue blend. this is destined to be a morning glory wrap. i looooove the yarn - alpaca, merino and silk blend - wonderful to just touch. and the pattern is soooo pretty. however...i keep telling myself i'm not allowed to start morning glory until i have a back for my sweater. it's the only way the poor neglected sweater will ever see the light of day...

mimimalism?

2007-06-15T20:51:00.000-04:00

i've made minimal progress on anything in the past week. i frequently knit at work (1 hour lunch), but between running errands and a staff lunch and wandering down to the ice cream stand (what an excellent idea!), little knitting was accomplished. i did manage to finish another oh-so-exciting dishrag. however, in the almost-week since i finished the first tidal wave sock, i have finished only 2-1/2 inches or so of the second. at least i'm that far; i could have succumbed to the dreaded 'second-sock-syndrome'. my goal is to finish by next thursday so i can start clean for the summer of socks.

i did receive some additional sock yarn this week, but at the moment i'm not sure what i did with it. which is a problem, because i was planning on using it for the first SOS pair. some cleaning may be in order this weekend!

first sock!

2007-06-09T18:04:00.000-04:00

my first sock - ever - is finished! on the downside, i think i should really have gone down a needle size, but i didn't have any us size 0 handy. on the upside: it was fun and i didn't have any difficulty...beyond my usual habit of dropping stitches.

now i just have to convince myself to start the second of the pair...which could be a problem as this:

arrived today. one skein of fearless fibers superwash merino sockyarn in the 'smoke' colorway. i already have a pattern picked out, so....finishing that second sock may prove difficult. i'll have to cast on quickly here, or i may have no hope!

hmmm...this is fun...

2007-06-06T19:19:00.001-04:00

the appeal of sock knitting is becoming apparent to me. with all the different parts of socks, there's always something new to work on and the rewards are quick. this is my first sock, as of monday night. (slightly blurry....need to work on that....)
and this is it tonight. i'm past the heel turn and stitch pick up and on the gusset decreases. this is way too much fun. now, i'm not going to give up other knitting types, however, for a nice quick project - this is better than dishrags!

(pattern "tidal wave socks" from southwest trading company)

ok, enough of this...back to the socks!

of practicalities and plans

2007-05-31T19:51:00.000-04:00

so i bought sock yarn. and needles. and promptly cast on for a dishrag. maybe i'm subconsciously avoiding socks....or maybe my mom just really needs dishrags. (number 2 is currently on the needles.) however, dishrags are what led to this whole knitting mess. it was a dishrag like this that made me think, 'ya know, i really like this knitting thing. and it's kinda cold in the winter...' thus, i made the leap from dishrags to afghans. (skipping socks entirely. although i did throw a scarf in there somewhere.)

The pattern is a mccall's magazine pattern, probably from sometime in the mid-90's, but i can't find it right now (aka there are way too many boxes in the way to bother.) i used a superwash wool and knit and knit and knit and was very grateful for just the right variety in the pattern to keep my attention. i started in the fall of 2005, and knit and knit and knit. then i took a break over the summer, picked it back up in august of 2006 and finished 'round about october. i had been so terribly looking forward to finishing the thing...and then as i got to the last repeat i realized i would miss it. it was official. i was hooked on knitting.

apparently this 'let's knit big projects' thing is a side-effect of knitting dishrags. i cast of the above dishrag last night...and ordered the morning glory pattern this afternoon. fortunately, i don't have any yarn yet, so i'm free to finish the second dishrag and try my hand at socks before i start another big lace project. i did also order the rococo socks from anne, but i think i'm going to try the tidal wave sock pattern from southwest trading company first. with the patterning only on the leg, i think it would be a better first sock pattern. which i suppose just leaves me with the need to find some yarn for my new patterns...hmm....

finished!

2007-05-29T19:25:00.001-04:00

my first major lace project: complete! wing-o-the-moth in gedifra easy soft. i started, if my memory serves me correctly, at the end of march and finished (including the blocking) may 27th. which for me is not too bad...

a considerate chair, modeling

corner detail

now on to the next project! (i'm avoiding a certain sweater...) - learning how to knit socks! i seem to have skipped the whole sock knitting bit and gone straight to lacy shawls, but i've decided i need to go back and fix that. i need portable projects. so, i made a trip to my lys, and bought a pretty blue sock yarn (color #720, sweep you off your feet) of wool, soysilk, cotton and chitin. i had never heard of chitin, but the idea of knitting with a fiber containing shrimp and crab shells was too much to pass up. now if only i can figure out how to make these sock things...

a little...busy

2007-05-26T18:50:00.001-04:00

it's been a little...hectic...lately, culminating in my brother's college graduation last saturday. and that was...something in itself. he graduated from marietta, a teeny little thing. i earned my degrees from kent state. not so teeny. now granted, i didn't attend my undergrad graduation (come to think of it, how did i manage to convince my mom on that one???) and i finished my masters in the summer, but, nonetheless there were still quite a few people present. yet, my parents only arrived a bit before the graduation and they got seats and it didn't last all that long. my brother, from the small school? we were told to arrive 2 hours(!) early just to get a seat. (i think we could have arrived a little later and just had not quite so good seats.) and then the blasted thing was 2-1/2 hours. forewarned is forearmed; i successfully completed 2-1/2 rows of wing-o-the-moth just waiting for the ceremony to start. however, i was a little sick of the thing by the end of the day! (i am however, lacking in shawl pictures, having forgotten to take any while there was sun around.)

a view to the lake

in the days since...i've been out of town. on vacation; the first real one i've taken since i graduated almost 2 years ago. we took a family vacation (which i'm guessing will likely be the last one?) to buck creek state park, an state park in sw ohio. 5 days of biking (little miami trail), hiking and determining we were not in any way, shape or form in shape. at least we were in a cabin and not a tent! (indoor plumbing is good ;)) i did get plenty of opportunities to play with my camera.the weather was absolutely beautiful. the honeysuckle was in bloom.

and the animals were quite cooperative. almost!

a swan seen from the bike path

two little raccoons at clifton gorge.

of course, all this vacationing left very little time for knitting! nevertheless, on the trip home...well...i may just have cast the last stitches off last night...now if only i had some sun for pictures....!

knitting time...at last

2007-05-16T19:57:00.000-04:00

this is the first week night in well over a week i've been at home. and able to watch the evening news--which is prime knitting time. needless to say, i havn't been getting too much knitting done. (or too much of anything else for that matter.) however, i am only 3 rows away from starting the corona edging on the wing-'o-the-moth shawl.

of course, a shortage of time didn't stop me from flitting to another project: 'diamond cable jacket' from the dec. 2006 issue of knit 'n style. i'm nearing the finish line for the shawl, so it's only logical i push it aside to work on something else. of course, this something else happens to be a sweater i pushed aside in favor of the shawl. i guess i'm being fair... anyway, i decided to cast on yesterday during lunch. i typically stay at work for lunch and it was so nice yesterday, i decided to eat (and knit) outside at the office picnic table. things could have gone better. i'm sitting there, merrily knitting away, my cup of water holding down my pattern, when the wind gusts and i'm suddenly sitting there, pattern and myself drenched and yarn ball making a get-away across the grass. i was not amused.
hopefully that is not a sign of things to come. this is the second time i've started the back. i frogged the first attempt after knitting 2 pattern repeats when it came out too wide - despite using the exact same needle i used for the fronts - which came in at the right size. actually, to be more accurate, the left front was just slightly too narrow! i think i may be having a liiiitle gauge problem. a wandering one, apparently.

time flies...

2007-05-06T17:19:00.000-04:00

i can't believe how fast may is flying already - and how little i've gotten done. it's become a bit crazy; i rarely have to go out in the evening but both last week and then again this week i have work-related meetings after business hours. on top of that, there's a lecture series at church that i've decided to attend, which fills up another 8 evenings if i go to every one. and then by the time that's all done i'll get to go on vacation...and i think my worries that i would be done with wing-o-the-moth by vacation time are now vanished. i am past row 20 of 40 of the twin leaf chart, but there's still the edging after that, and without my evenings to knit.

i had a near disaster last night - i accidentally knocked over my cherry coke onto everywhere...including the shawl! we blotted, we soaked, and i think it's ok. but still damp. which of course precludes working on it at the moment.
of course, my other obsession at the moment is my new digital camera. i keep popping into my mom's garden, hoping to find something new. and when i'm finished i look at the count and realize i just took 20 pictures of the same two tulips! way too much fun. of course, i also subscribe to the philosophy that the more pictures one takes, the more likely there will be at least some good pictures.

wow, i finished something!

2007-04-29T16:40:00.000-04:00

now that spring is here (i think--it keeps teasing us, but i think it's finally settled in) i have a nice long, warm scarf to warp up in against the cold. impeccable timing on my part. however, it looks pretty now. the pattern is 'open and folds cabled scarf' from knitspot. it proved to be just about the perfect scarf pattern for me - the pattern is interesting enough that i didn't really get bored but easy enough i quickly had it memorized. i used sublime yarns - cashmere merino silk aran in vintage red. it's a little heavier than the recommended yarn, so i bumped up the needle size and made a slightly bigger scarf. i absolutely loved knitting with it--the yarn is so smooth, i swear it knits itself.

now that i have this finished, i just have two 'on the needles' knitting projects. the wing-o-the-moth shawl is coming along so well i'm thinking it's time to start looking for the next project. (yes, i'm avoiding the 'other' project. it's a sweater. it's not cooperating. and it's wool, which is as good an excuse as any to put it off until cooler weather. (which around here probably means in two days...))

spring beauties

2007-04-24T19:05:00.000-04:00

wait, which language am i reading?

2007-04-23T19:17:00.000-04:00

i just saw the following headline on msn.com: "OMG! 13yo wins 25k txting," and i swear, i was trying to figure out what 13 yarn overs had to do with anything. obviously, text messaging abbreviations do not mesh well with knitting!

fortunately, knitting abbreviations in their appropriate sphere are not a problem--the wing-'o-the-moth shawl seems to be coming along well. (cue disaster music. a statement like that begs for it.)

i've made it past the fir cone pattern and onto the twin leaf pattern. the good: the wrong side rows aren't all pearl, which adds interest for the knitter. the bad: K3togTBL. i've already managed to turn that into K2togTBL once. however, i think it's starting to look right. maybe. i only have 6 rows done, so correct could turn into...umm...very wrong. after all, i have no memory of completing that sixth row. i vaguely remember working on it at the midpoint. but the beginning is very foggy and the end non-existent. yet row 6 is clearly finished. clearly, some memory strengthening exercises are in order...

unfinished business

2007-04-21T20:39:00.000-04:00

i realized today as i was flipping through my latest purchase (stephanie pearl-mcphee casts off) that my problems with unfinished projects extend waaaay beyond the 3 current in-progress knitting projects i currently have (or the multitude of other 'craft' projects, some of which have been on hold for years). i have now purchased three books by the yarn harlot and have not completely read through any of them. then there's still don quixote, sitting on my shelf, taunting me--i made it through over half of it in high school, ran out of time, and haven't made it past page 100 since. then there's reading lolita in tehran. anna karenina. lost world and other stories. to name a few. so, all-in-all, i've concluded that my problem isn't limited to just projects. apparently, i have problems finishing just about anything that doesn't have a deadline. (it should be noted that i own all of the above books - therefore, no deadline. a library book has a deadline.) not to say i haven't finished anything without a deadline. it just might not be in any reasonable sort of time frame. (reasonable being relative, of course.) i did manage to finish a knit afghan. it just took me a year. all things considered, i supposed i'm doing pretty well with the wing-of-the-moth shawl. i'm just past the reverse stockinette ridge, so...hmm...the way i do things, it might be finished by next spring!

simple little things

2007-04-14T19:08:00.000-04:00

i don't know what it is, exactly, but the right side rows of the fir-cone pattern are really relaxing. i've got the pattern worked out in my head as counting all in groups of three - i literally count 1,2,3; 1,2,3; 1,2,3 as i work it - even when i'm working a double decrease, i count 1,2,3 so i don't forget to pass the slipped stitch over. (which i still manage to forget, of course!) and then i get to the wrong side. i thought the wrong side would be the nice relaxing side of this pattern; the side when i didn't have to worry about what i'm supposed to do next. i don't have to worry - it's mostly pearls...and as the rows have gotten ever longer, i'm beginning to find it mind-numbingly tedious. i think i may even knit them slower than the right side! of course, i have the knack of getting bored way too easily, which is why i have never once completed a garter stitch scarf. fortunately, i have a shelf-full of movies i can entertain myself with while knitting. actually, about the only way i can sit through a movie i've seen before is if i have something in my hands. ditto for the evening news. which, i suppose, is one of the appeals of knitting for me. it's relaxing, something tangible (and hopefully useful) is being created and occupies my hands while i pay attention to something else.

2007-04-11T20:36:00.000-04:00

i've been contemplating joining the ranks of knitting-related blogs for some time now. it seems like such a friendly community, and i've become rather...enamored...of knitting as of late...and now that i finally have a digital camera (a much-delayed purchase, primarily out of a reluctance to venture into the wild mess of traffic and my uncertainty as to what exactly i wanted) i suppose i no longer have an excuse. thus, i present:

wing-of-the-moth, after 9 repeats of the fir-cone pattern. this is my first 'real' lace project (i've knit a number of swatches...) i took a lace knitting class back in january at my lys, taught by Anne, the designer no less, and in searching for a project...i couldn't find a shawl to attempt i liked better. it's managed to hold my attention fairly well, and there havn't been any disasters yet. ok, so there was the day the stitches kept slipping off, but it's a mohair/cashmere/polymide blend - nothing was lost.

i particularly like the back - such a funny bumpy pattern. the front is also rather nice.
hopefully, all will continue to go well--and i'll manage to finish sometime this spring