i have readers?

hi. i know you are still out there. well, at least i do now!

yesterday i saw 3 of my favourite knitters when i dropped into the shop to buy some wool wash. i got the mini-catch-up and they sent me home with wool wash that somehow one of them bought me (i am still trying to determine to which friend i owe a coffee!).

in honor of knitters and knitting friends, this post is all recently completed work. i was on a roll of creating things that have to live in a vacuum until they go to their new owners. after a bit of that, i turned selfish and began to make a few things for me.

first, some crochet!

Autumn Triangle
aka "Floaty Fall Scarf"
designed by Susan Jeffers
published in Crochet Today! Sept/Oct 2009

crocheted in 2 skeins of Koigu PPPM (100% merino wool, color P337) bought at K+S=B, with a size F hook.

started: 08.08.09
finished: 08.10.09

i never buy this magazine. never. i always hate the projects, or i like... one. maybe. this month i bought it for four projects. wow. go Crochet Today! i barely changed the pattern either! i just worked 15 fewer rows to make a smaller scarf with the quantity of yarn i had on hand.

i am on a stash yarn project kick, and i have enough stashed sock yarn to make about 12 pairs of socks. i am not as prolific when it comes to sock knitting as i am when it comes to sock yarn loving. now i am on a mission to find projects in fingering weight yarn to use my sock stash.

this is trickier than it sounds because i like hand painted sock yarns, but i am typically opposed to variegated garments and accessories. this scarf really fit the bill for something that looked good in a variegated yarn, used fingering weight, and is wearable.

i have already worn it! AC in meetings is brutal to me, so this is the perfect. can't wait until fall when i can wear it with my vintage brooch collection.

Licorice Allsorts Cowl
aka "Dragonfly Fire Cowl"
designed by Mia Valcarcel
published at her blog

knit in 2 skeins of Claudia Handpaints Fingering (100% merino wool, color: John B.) on size US 7 needles.

started: 08.11.09
finished: 08.12.09

i have been told that this does not look like red licorice allsorts, and in the picture i would tend to agree. in person that is what the colors remind me of. maybe i am just hungry!

this is incredibly fun. the Claudia's is bouncy and sproingy and doubled up and knit on a larger needle, the yarn is even more yummy. and soft! and it is a cowl! what more can one desire in life?

this was another project for stashed sock yarn. i like the doubling of this yarn because it blends the colors more than the yarn worked single. big bonus in my non-variegated book.

Eyelet Spiral Socks
aka Anastasia Socks
designed by MintyFresh
published at pepperknit.com

knit in 2 skeins of ShibuiKnits Sock (100% merino, color "Orchid")purchased at K+S=B, on size US 0 (zero) addi tubro circular needles.

started: Christmas 2007
finished 08.18.09

this is officially my longest running WIP. i have completed 98 other projects since i started this pair of socks. among those other projects are another pair of socks, two pairs of slippers, and two pairs of bootees. obviously it was not that i opposed knitting for feet. these just got off track.

i put them down (1st sock done, 2nd sock being imagined) when my cousin announced her pregnancy. i then knit a lot of her little boy, christmas gifts, blah blah blah. it gets harder to pick up a 2nd sock when you have had too many reasons to knit gifts instead.

last quarter i knit a different pair of socks on the train to the school. i decided this quarter i had to knit the 2nd of this pair, and my work commute is perfect. because the Red Line has had so many issues and delays, the 2nd sock was my saving grace. it proved a fine companion when i was in a day-long professional development session last week.

now the question becomes, more commuter socks? i am considering these.

coming soon: more sedately colored projects.

knitting for me

i did a boatload of knitting for my family and rW in 2008, so i am being selfish for a little bit and knitting for myself. see, that's the thing... i have all this stash for stuff for me. i have to buy new when i knit for others. time to bust some stash and get some stuff knit up for me to boot!

River Twist Vest
aka Greenday Vest
designed by Mari Muinonen
published at Made By Myself

knit in Mountain Colors River Twist (2 skeins "Firehole River", 100% merino wool) purchased at A Yarn Shop in Marblehead, OH on size US 4 and 6 circular needles.

started: december 29, 2008.
finished: january 3, 2009.

let me say up front that this is a good pattern if you have some knitting experience and can use logic to fill in the blanks. the designer is from Finland and her english is good by not her first language. it is no harder to decipher than an over edited pattern in a knitting magazine.

pardon my colors.
it is very hard to take pictures of yourself. i used to be better at it, or at least i used to be happier with my self-photography.

this was really fast and fun, and it is cozy to wear, but were i to knit this again (and i may) i think i would make it longer and bring the neckline up higher for a more functional vest... probably in a more subdued color. this one is just a lot of fun and acts as much as an accessory as a practical garment.

this yarn is beautiful, and i like it so much in the ball that i plan to keep my last 20ish yards as a treat to pet and look at from time to time.

Rapture Cowl
aka Cassie's Cowl
designed by Thea Colman
published at Baby Cocktails

knit in Reynolds Rapture (1 skein charcoal grey 50% wool, 50% silk) purchased at K+S=B on size US 10 needles.

started: january 9, 2009.
finished: january 10, 2009.

fun and pretty.
i knit this from a skien of yarn left from my first sweater. i liked it then and i like it now.

the ribbed lace is surprisingly warm, and now my neck warming garments have chalked up another among their numbers. i have three favourite scarves, and i think i am wearing them out with my devotion.

i have another vest and a scarf on the needles right now. the vest is a fun knit, and the scarf is another fast one for rW. not that he needs a new scarf this week. he is in tampa for a conference.

jerk.
ha. just kidding.

put a lid on it: hats, part I

while i have been primarily devoting myself to complex gift projects that are running on deadlines, i have managed to squeeze in some other projects. almost all of these have been hats because they are very fast to make, and some of these have been skill builders to boot.

hats! hats! hats!


Foliage
design by Emilee Mooney
published at knitty.com

knit in 1 skein of Malabrigo Chunky (#98 "tuareg", 100% kettle dyed merino wool) purchased at Now and Then on size US 10 DPNs.

started: october 31, 2008.
finished: october 31, 2008.

i originally bought this yarn to knit an ear flap hat with a pom pom top and ties. as i started the hat, i discovered it looked awful in this yarn because it is too springy (texture, not season). i bought all of this color at the shop, so i couldn't get more to make something bigger than a hat, so i was on a search. i don't knit a lot of lace, so i decided to try this hat and see how lace in a chunky yarn looks. i like it. this is going to be a holiday gift to match the blue mittens i posted about a few weeks ago.

the construction was really cool for Foliage. you knit the hat from the top down increasing in the leaf lace repeat. fun.

FIN beanie
designed by Mari Muinonen
published in Made by Myself

knit in 1 ball of Jo Sharp Silkroad DK tweed (#409 "night" 85% wool, 10% silk, 5% cashmere) purchased at K+S=B on size US 5 DPNs.

started: october 21, 2008
finished: october 22, 2008.

i love this yarn, and i am a big fan of this hat because it has an awesome star decrease pattern on top. pretty straightforward hat that really shows off the tweed yarn.

yum!


Sweet Girl
design by kittything
available free with yarn purchase at K+S=B

knit in 1 skein of Schoeller + Stahl "Sweet Girls" (100% acrylic with silly ruffles!) on size US 10.5 needles.

started: october 4, 2008.
finished: october 21, 2008.

this is a store model to show this funny yarn we are carrying this fall. i am not into novelty yarns, so this is not my thing, but the hat design itself is cute. the top has an eyelet row and ribbon drawstring to close it up so a little girl can wear her ponytail through the top of the hat.

i know, adorable. speaking of adorable...


The Littlest Brown
designed by kittything
unpublished improvisation

crocheted in scraps of Frog Tree Merino (100% merino wool) with a size I hook.

started: november 6, 2008.
finished: november 6, 2008.

this is a hat for Collin to match the browns hat i gave his father last year for christmas. i made it from the scraps of the bigger hat. you can see father and son sporting their tasteful sports themed hats together on Collin's blog. this kid is amazing. he is cute, quiet, and already a prolific blogger!

blargh!

there is something seriously screwed about the pattern from which i am knitting my father's sweater. it was smooth sailing until i hit the final 25% of the knitting. then the pattern numbers stopped matching up in the book, and all sorts of chaos ensued.

the collar was in the wrong place, and then the backs of my sleeves and the back of the body suddenly became too long well before they should have been "done". i think i need a break from oddly constructed sweaters that are made all in one piece.

when you have to rip back, you have to rip back a lot.

let's look at a few things that were not headache.

froggy
designed by Lion Brand

crocheted in Berroco Touche (3/4 of a skein of green tea and scraps of bleach, 50% cotton, 50% rayon) with a tahki cotton classic embellishments with a size H hook.

started and finished: august 4, 2008.

this guy is super goofy. he takes very little skill to create, and he is a very fast way to get the crochet fix. he has other friends from the same set on the lion website, and i plan to give him some company. i may gift the frog and his future friends as a whole menagerie or parse them out to people over time. we shall see, but i am pretty sure he will not be mine forever.


piggy
designed by Lion Brand

crocheted in Mission Falls 1824 cotton (3/4 of a skein of #408 Foxglove 100% cotton)and mystery pink stash cotton and tahki cotton classic embellishments with a size H hook.

started and finished: august 5, 2008.

the pig was designed as a buddy to the frog, but i did a lot of modifications to the pattern to make him cuter (in my opinion). he has a real snout and a tail in my version. he also looks more like pig and less like a ball.... his body instructions are actually identical to the frog.

now you can see how much i modified him.

whew.
i feel better now. i think i may have it in me to put the stitches back on the needle and then... suck it up and deal.

i'm nice to my boyfriend

first the catch up.

long time no blog. i have been busy busy with starting the first 5 shows of the new theatre season, opening Marat/Sade (my final show of last season), helping on season selection for one theatre company, working at the store, teaching crochet class, seeing a friend whom i have not visited with since 2001, and completing the wedding gown i designed for another friend.

she is getting married today.

congrats to R. and her man D. i hope she feels (and looks) like a million bucks today, and even more than that, i hope they have a long and happy life together.

i may post a picture of the drawing of her dress after the big day is over. i will put a photo up once they get the professional shots back. that will probably be in a few weeks.

now the yarn projects.
while i have worked on many things, all my finished projects have been for rW, as this post title suggests.

rW's Rockabilly Bathmat (and Atomic Radios Shower Curtain)
designed by kittything

knit in many skein bits of random cotton from my stash (doubled) on size U.S. 10.5 needles.

started: july 3, 2008.
finished: july 9, 2008.

rW. moved into a new apartment on july 1, and he was blessed with a bathroom that had a manly 1960s pink tile renovation. me being that polly-anna, lemons into lemonade sort, i made him some accessories that made the place a little more his style.

it started with the atomic era radios shower curtain. i bought some yardage at the fabric store and sewed it to the correct dimensions and added grommets. voila! $20 bucks and an hour at the machine is much better than $40 and an hour at Linens and Things.

to go with the pink tile and crazy colored curtain, i took all the scraps of pink cotton in my stash and paired them with the black cotton bits and made a random stripe bathmat. very straight forward and a fast knit.

now that i have given it a chance, i think i would like to try crocheting a bathmat or other rug for myself in the future.

the other nicey nice thing...

The Great Green Sock Tie
aka Koigu Tie
designed by Maie Landra

knit in Hand Jive Knits Nature's Palette Fingering (1 skein NP122 "spring grass" 100% wool.) on size US # needles.

started: june 17, 2008.
finished: july 24, 2008.

this was a fun and easy knit. if i had been more focused, it would have taken me much less time, but this was tv watching, commuting, long meeting type knitting. whenever i had the right combination of silence and good lighting, this project got ignored in favor of the cables or lace haunting me currently.

one last picture to show some stitch detail....

finally.... remarkable things!

1. rW asked me to knit him this "sock tie". (!!!!)
2. he picked out the yarn himself with minimal guidance from me.
3. he wore it within 48 hours of completion, and he is already talking about "the next tie you make me...."

someone knows ow to get a knitter to make them gifts.

not so last minute

may was the month of finishing, but i did a little starting as well. i can't do without an autopilot project, after all. these are the sorts of things i can knit or crochet while i talk on the phone with my cousin or watch bad tv with my boyfriend. (my idea, not his--terrible tv and knitting are BFFs.) and i have two to share--from the same book even!

Sideways Scarf
a.k.a. Men's Rustic Scarf
designed by Joelle Hoverson
published in Last-Minute Knitted Gifts

knit in Plymouth Baby Alpaca Grande (1 skein black, 1 skein + a bit charcoal grey, 100% baby alpaca) from my stash on size US 10 1/2 32" circular needles.

started: may 26, 2008.
finished: May 28, 2008.

i had some leftover yarn from a holiday gift plus the yarn (same dyelot!) i bought to make a gift i never knitted for personal reasons. add a pattern i have always wanted to knit and divide by a holiday monday... ta-da.

i now want to knit... like... 18 of these scarves. and maybe i will once i get deeper into my baby gifts for my future niece/nephew (ps- i find out who i am knitting for this month!). i will need mindless projects too then.

so.
love this yarn.
i love the look of the stripes on both the wrong and right sides. and this project saved me from extreme boredom the day my car was in the shop and i had to metro everywhere. i will say binding off on the train when you are doing a project in which the tension of your bind off has a major impact on the finished look... less than ideal. but i managed.

next!

Rainbow Hat
a.k.a. Children's Cotton Hats
designed by Kim Hamlin
published in Last-Minute Knitted Gifts

knit in Mission Falls 1824 Cotton (1 skein #774 "lush", 100% cotton) from my stash on a size US 6 16" circular needle and US 6 DPNs. size med/toddler shown.

started: june 3, 2008.
finished: june 4, 2008.

this is why i was knitting 26" of i-cord. in the end i got distracted by bad tv and knit 28". it turns out to be a happy accident because i like the look of the longer tails on the bow.

i think this pattern's sizing is a little off. i think their infant size is a preemie or true "newborn", while their toddler size is older infants and their child size is more like a toddler's hat. but it is still cute. i couldn't see a 3 year old letting you put it on them anyway. they have too many opinions by that point.

this one was knit for no one in particular. i am saving all my random baby knits for the great baby deluge of 2010. i am predicting it now.

cheers

happy memorial day, all you US folks. i spent the holiday in a fashion highly atypical for me--mostly relaxed. and doing some personal shopping.

i decided it was time to replace some glassware after i broke a piece last week (my first of the 15+ i am now missing). i have very bad luck with my glasses and other people. in the last 7 years i have lost many, many pieces by the hands of my various roommates. see that one lone black stemmed wine glass? that is the last of a set of 6. i also used to have four martini glasses and four margarita glasses, but my landlord (or maybe the property manager) stole them from my last apartment when i was moving*.

i made do with what i had for a couple years, but when i could no longer serve wine to myself and a guest, something had to change. i did splurge a bit getting the martini glasses, but the four of them and the six wine glasses all together cost less than $20. go World Market! yay Ikea!

i also started a new project despite May being the month of finishing. i started a scarf from my stash because i wanted something purely mindless to knit while relaxing on memorial day. it is hard to pay attention to sweater armhole decreases and a guest at the same time.

it is the "Men's" Rustic Scarf from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. either joelle hoverson is obsessed with naming things especially for men, or the publisher was afraid people without brains would not notice the man-oriented items in the book. odd.

i am knitting it from stash yarn, and i have no definite plans for the finished project yet. maybe i am starting my holiday knitting without knowing it!


* i left my glasses over night and planned to pick them up the next day because the car was full and i didn't want to break them. i came back the next day to people stripping my hardwood floors and my glasses missing. i had 2 weeks left on the lease, and i was fully paid up. (!!!!!)

i shiver with anticipation!

by the end of the week my hands should be warm again. i have not had proper hand coverings since i put my own gloves into a show the first week of january. (always the shoe maker's children....)

fun stuff, huh?

girl power weekend?

i didn't plan a theme for my weekend, but it sort of worked out that way. we have both a project and an event.

first, the project.

Baby Starghan
designed by Beth Espina-Cole
published on The Diva Crochets
finished size: approx. 43" diameter. if stars really have diameter....

crocheted in Caron Simply Soft Shadows (approx 5-6 skeins of "Fuchsia Flare", 100% acrylic) with a size "I" crochet hook.

started: february 18, 2008.
finished: february 23, 2008.

this was a project devoted to 3 specific purposes it could serve in my life.

1. stash busting. 5.5 skeins of stash yarn down! and now i have a reserve project for the next girly kiddo that comes along.

2. crochet, baby. i had been knitting so much that my hooks were getting rusty. this was a nice way to shake off the rust and re-earn my happy hooker certification.

3. give knitting the finger. you know which finger i am talking about. knitting more than 6 inches of the body of the gathered pullover and then having to tear it back out was a disheartening experience. that sweater is not a fan of me. ever-obedient crochet plucked up my little crafter spirits.

this pattern calls for a DK weight yarn, but yu can do it in anything, really. mine is worsted weight, but i also bet it would look great in a fingering weights handpaint like koigu. on the other extreme, i want to make another one of these blankies in super-chunky yarn so it can be an "on the floor" type of blankie you sit a baby on to play. i think it would look really cute in something like lion's wool-ease thick & quick.

now that i have the blankie done, the sweater is calling to me again, but i am forgoing project monogamy for the time being. i have a mittens and gloves class to teach on tuesday and i am knitting up my sample project. i think it is easier to share how a technique is accomplished when you are working on the project as well. picture after the first mitten is finished.

i went out yesterday and took the metro, so i did get some work done on the gathered pullover. i had to take the metro all the way out to Stadium-Armory so i probably managed an inch of progress.

why did i venture all the out into the depths of southeast DC, you might ask.....

DC Rollergirls.
yes, roller derby. they had a bout at the armory yesterday and my friend Price and i took it in. he had bought the tickets for he and his girlfriend, but she couldn't go at the last minute so he brought me along. it was fun.

it was the kind of fun that makes you want to put on a pair of skates and kick some ass until you remember you lack both free time and health insurance. well.... at least that is how i felt. ha.

it was a double header, but Price could only stay for the first bout. so we saw the DC DemonCats defeat the Secretaries of Hate. he was disappointed because he wanted to see Scare Force One (the current league champs) who are said to be a bunch of tough chicks any way you slice it. they were up against the Cherry Blossom Bombshells.

as you can see, clever naming goes with the territory.... and it extends to the skaters. some of their names are DC related like the teams.... (i.e Demonica Lewinsky and Beltway Betty.) others are clever plays on famous names... (Lois Slain and Camilla the Hun) and still others are just amusing. (Six5onSkates... she really is 6'5" on skates. taaaaall chick. stay out of her way.)

now the questions remains... would i go to another bout? yes, i would. i wouldn't rearrange my schedule for it, but i would go on a non-tech weekend. it was fun. who wouldn't have a good time in a place where you can drink beer while watching girls in small outfits beat the crap out of each other?

i also like a good pun, you know.

truly outrageous

with the sweater giving me fits, i said "up yours knitting!" and decided to crochet something. so i started an afghan with stash yarn. i had about 825 yards of this hot pink stuff still left in my stash box. it should make a nice kid sized throw.

i am further along than the picture. i was in the middle of the 2nd ball (the 1st was a partial) and now i am about to join the fourth. the problem with things worked in the round is that the progress looks like it slows waaaaay down. it is beginning to take 15-20 minutes to get around the blanket. whew!


other things....

the Lion Brand Fashion Show. there are a lot of ugly things, but there are also a few neat things. i think some of the crocheted throws are pretty swell.

also, who knew lucid dreaming was a goal people were willing to pay for?

skein-of-the-month

my first skein-of-the-month package arrived, and it has lots of fun goodies. first, the skein. i got 1 skein of Sheep Shop "Sheep 3". this is 325 yards of sport/DK weight 30% silk, 70% wool goodness. it is butter soft and delightful to touch. i would not have picked this color for myself, but this whole free yarn thing may be a nice way to expand my color point of view.

if i don't use it for myself, there are always gifts to be made, and i think this yarn would be fabulous for a hat and bootie set.

also included in my package was a pattern from the Sheep Shop for scarf knit in one skein of Sheep 3. it is called Silky Leaves Scarf, and they will be releasing it to the general public soon.

look at me... being all exclusive and stuff.

WEBS aso sent me a cute little retractable tape measure. yippee! enough about me.... my mom is becoming a sock knitter! and i taught her! look at her awesome progress!


i completed my first finished object of 2008, but i can't show it to you until february. soon i will get some of my tiny needle knits done and share--the hat is closing in! and i have some old projects that need to be revealed.

2008

it is already here. happy new year, folks.

i have one major resolution for the new year, and it involves getting my finances under control. like most americans, i am spending a little more than i bring in over the course of a year. not too much more, but enough that i need to do something about it so it doesn't become a real problem.

plan for the new year....

1. yarn diet.
i am not buying any new yarn for 6 months. the only exception to this rule is unforeseen gift circumstances that cannot be met by my stash. (i.e. one of my friends has a baby or i need to make a birthday gift) i should have enough socks to keep me busy. and i have a sweater to get back to!

2. optional food services.
new kitty rule--no frivolous eating and drinking out. 1 drink, 1 coffee, 1 plated meal out per month. looks like friends will need to start coming over if they want to "go out" for coffee. penguingirl and i are already good at this, so i am assuming that others can catch on. i think i will get the occasional get-out-of-jail-free card when it comes to tech rehearsal weeks.

3. cut out the junk.
i don't really need to buy things like shortbread cookies. i can make them, and if i want them and other things of that sort, i will have to make them at home. i guess this has the perk of being good for me health-wise too.

4. contracts.
i am way too nice as a freelance designer. i am going to be much more of a stickler on my contracts for design work. the date it says i am getting paid, i will have a check in my hand. period. same goes for reimbursement of money i front for companies.

that's the plan for now. i am sure there will be updates on how i am doing.

on ice

i decided that my sock yarn needed some special treatment. my apartment has been continuosly giving me the finger in 2007 (poor heating, CO leaking oven, wildlife in the ceiling AND in my closets) and i have a fear that i will have some sort of pest invasion that would munch on my beautiful sock yarns.

my sock yarns are the best yarns in my stash, so they get first dibs on the freezer. cottons and odd-ball skeins have to continue living under the bed. 3 skeins of Noro squeezed into the freezer because i don't have the same level of access to Noro because we don't carry it at the shop. gotta keep it safe until i start my Lizard Ridge.

yarns pictured...

top shelf (left to right)
3 skeins Noro Kureyon, The Alpaca Co. Paca Peds, 2 skeins Knit One Crochet Too Soxx Appeal, 1 skein ShiBuiKnits Sock (top), 1 skein Plymouth Happy Feet.

bottom shelf (left to right)
2 skeins Mountain Colors Bearfoot, 1 skein Cherry Tree Hill Super Sock DK, 1 skein Dream in Color Classy, RubySapphire Ruby Sock, White Willow merino sock (top), Skein Queen superwash wool, Jules Fiber Jewels, Thank Ewe.

oh! oh!
the ShiBui in the top right corner is what i am knitting my current pair of sock out of. obviously the second skein is not in the freezer because i am using it. yum.

ghostbusters!

those who were alive and able to have a proper appreciation of the 1980s will notice straightaway that my latest project is the color of Slimer.

hot, huh?



Cross-Stitch Scarf
designed by Margaret Halas
published in 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders

knit in Manos del Uruguay (1 skein "Citric" 100% kettle dyed wool) from my stash on size US 10 1/2 bamboo needles.

started: december 16, 2007
finished: december 19, 2007

i love this yarn. i love this pattern. i can't wait to knit with manos again or to knit this scarf again in a variegated color as pictured in the book!

the pattern is very very simple, and the results (especially in a variegated yarn) look like you did a lot more work than you actually did. i made one slight modification to the pattern because the simplicity had one drawback.

this stitch is in the stockinette family, so the ends curl a bit where you cast on or bind off. to stop it, i worked one row of single crochet and one row of reverse single crochet (crab stitch to knitters) on each end. it helped a lot.

it is in the sink soaking for a good blocking right now. i think a thick and thin yarn like manos needs a good blocking to have nice selvage edges. i can't wait for this to dry so i can wear it!

ooh. and look! a rare kittything without her glasses photo. collect them all!

4 things

1. my current show is a little stressful for a variety of reasons. not the least of which could be that i am heading into day 13 of Tech-o-Rama 2007. um. and i keep forgetting to eat.

2. i officially struck the citrine skirt from my languishing list. i looked at it on ravelry and other parts of the WWW, and it looks like butt crocheted up. i'm not going to take that gamble. instead the 9 unused balls of yarn will go into the stash until i decide their fate.

3. i cast on and began knitting the second hand basket sock for myself. it was abandoned in june when i moved on to the other pair (in the correct size) for my then-boyfriend. i keep admiring the finished big-foot pair that sadly live in a drawer rarely seeing the light of day.... and now i will finish the pair that fits me.

4. pasha is done. he has eyes thanks to Miss Mar who gave me the best button eyes ever. thanks, pretty lady! you rock my hand knit socks!

the end

it is official. i have knit (or crocheted) all of the gifts i set out to complete this holiday season. i have even put handmade care instruction tags on all of them. and it is before december 1st!
sometimes (and this is one of those times) i get to say.... i am just that good.

details on the last official gifty.

Garter Stitch Loop-Through Scarf
designed by Marci Richardson
published in 101 Designer On-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant

knit in Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk (2 skeins #08... i call it "butterscotch" 80% alpaca 20% silk) from my stash on size US 7 bamboo needles.

started: november 23, 2007
finished: november 25, 2007

i made some pretty major adjustments to the numbers on this pattern because it is written for sportweight yarn, and when i was working with sport weight yarn, i was knitting it on a size US 4.

i am very pleased with how the heavier weight piece turned out. the stitches have much better definition than they had in the 100% alpaca yarn i was using. i'll save it for a lacy hat i want to make from the same book. my stash will not go to waste.

i also think this color will be really great on the girlfriend i knit it for. since i can't wear the color, i need to find someone who can! the yarn is too yummy! and the great thing is that i still have 3 skeins of this stuff for a little gifty i plan to make for someone else on their birthday next year.

maybe i will succeed with my upcoming yarn diet.

the royal treatment

on friday i finished my latest store model. this one was fun to knit. i love the fiber... i got to make up a pattern... and grey is one of my favourite colors to knit.

enough nonsense....

here are the details!

Staggered Rib Scarf
designed by kittything
pattern available as a free download.

knit in Plymouth Royal Llama Silk (3 skeins #1002 "agate" 60% fine llama, 40% silk) purchased at K+S=B on size US 7 bamboo needles [a present from donna!]

started: november 5th (ish?), 2007
finished november 23, 2007

i sorta lied about the start date. maybe. i started the scarf over in several different designs. this was the fourth version. because it is a store model you have many things to consider when picking a pattern.

1. we wanted something i made up so we could give it away free with purchase of yarn at the shop.
2. the yarn should be the focus as much (if not more) than the stitch pattern.
3. we specifically wanted to knit something that would be appealing to both male knitters and women knitting for men.
4. it can't be too difficult or people won't feel confident that they can complete it.

fortunately the stars aligned on this project. men like things that are simple. simple = easy to knit. and finally, this yarn's texture is so eye catching that it swallowed any more complicated designs i attempted.

i am a sock knitter, and i will admit that i was inspired in this deign by the Gentleman's Fancy Sock from Knitting Vintage Socks. simple. elegant. unisex.

and who doesn't like some silk and delicious llama?

finally...
in alpaca news!
i am frogging my first attempt at the garter loop through scarf. the hot pink sportweight alpaca is simply not cutting it. it looks too limp and smooshy. the stitch definition also leaves something to be desired.

so i reworked the numbers last night and cast on for a worsted weight version out of Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk i had in my stash. the silk really helps the alpaca have some body. stitches look good, and this thing is so much faster to knit on US 7 than a US 4! i have more than made up for the lost frogging time. woo!

i may get it finished up tomorrow! we shall see. the holiday tree is supposed to go up tomorrow.

ps- in the photo of me modeling the scarf.... the little skull pin? yeah, his "crossbones" are made of crochet hooks. he was a present. i have the coolest friends!

"free" knitting

i will apologize up front for my photo quality of late. leopard print means indoor pictures. indoor pictures mean i have worked away all the daylight. sorry folks.

ahem...

sometimes knitting doesn't cost money, and two of my projects fit into that group right now. most of us do a needlecraft for the pleasure of the activity. it is nice to have the final product, but it is the activity we enjoy, or we would just go out and buy scarves and sweaters.

right now i am getting to knit on a beautiful luxury fiber--Plymouth's Royal Llama Silk. (60% llama, 40% silk) it is an absolute delight to knit with. you see it worked up in the grey scarf... it is a store model for the shop. we need more models of "manly" scarves, and this yarn is perfect for men's knits.

it is warm and soft, but the fabric is remarkably light and feels very strong wearing despite the lovely hand. the tweedy texture is beautiful and makes this yarn eye catching while remaining subtle. it looks best in either a plain fabric or knitted up into a bigger texture or cables. that is why i think it would be great for men's knits... nice plain or in a masculine texture or combination of rich colors. the particular color i am knitting up is called "Agate".


obviously because i won't be keeping this scarf, i didn't pay for the yarn, and i will be financially rewarded for my efforts. what a treat to be compensated for knitting with such lovely stuff!

my second unfunded project is a garter stitch loop-through scarf. you pull the little tails through the loops created in the ribbed section and it looks like a flirty version of an ascot.... sorta.

this is the Blue Sky Alpaca Sportweight that i frogged last week. who knew it would find love so soon? me! because i like to give a nice holiday gift, and if i spent that money more than a year ago, it feels practically free. i need to pick this little project up again because time slows for no one.

can you believe i don't actually like knitting scarves? yeah. that's me. a hater. but i will soon have more exciting things on the horizon. pictured bellow we have the swatch/1st sleeve for my Gathered Pullover knit in Berroco Ultra Alpaca (the yummy color is pea soup mix. i love pea soup!) and two skeins of 50% off Mountaincolors Bearfoot in the Goldrush colorway that will one day be sportweight knee socks.


the goldrush color kills me. i love it. it reminds me of my grandparents' living room from my childhood. every single color was in that room. from the crazy couch and amber glass hanging lamp to the pea green carpet and the strange ripple stitch 70s afghan... all of them are represented, and i will get to wear those colors as sock. awesome!

hat-o-rama part three

you weren't expecting a hat-o-rama part three were you?

neither was i, but then again no one ever expects to be homeless one day, so it really does make sense. charity needle work, that is.... i dug into my "stash" last night and became the Andy Warhol of crochet to make hats for a charitable giving project my knitting BFF (the lovely CG!) is leading that will provide handmade warm accessories to women at a local homeless shelter this holiday season.

i started by going through my scarf pile. i have made more scarves than god ever intended one woman not to wear. those that i made and never wore (4!!) went in the bag. next went two hats, including the Center Square hat i knit in a silk/wool blend and know i won't wear because i can point out too many minor mistakes in the stranding.

next i pulled out all my super-chunky yarn and a big old crochet hook and went to town. the rust yarn was free to me. the grass green was left from a gift. the lemongrass green was something i was having buyers remorse on, but then this project came up! i still have a full skein of rust and a full skein of lemongrass, so i hope i can either whip up three more hats or maybe dive into some speed stix scarves.

i also have a cabled scarf going in the rust that is 37" long. my goal is to get it to 55" so i can include it as well. when it was just one more scarf for me... the girl with way too many... i had little motivation to keep it going. now that it is for someone else who will really need it this winter, i think those nice thick warm cables are a worthwhile use of my time.

you will also notice in the side bar that i finished the mittens from the class i was teaching. i will try to get a picture.

froggin' and dreamin'

see that Unfinished Object?

yep. that one.

no more. i decided to frog it. it has been sitting in the space between my wall and my bookcase for over a year. now i am back to pretty yarn

i knew when i started it with the pretty new yarn that it was never meant to be, but i kept working on it right through the tech rehearsals i was crocheting it in.

i was talked into buying the yarn by someone who really didn't know anything about crochet gauge. they sold me 4 skeins of Blue Sky Alpaca's 100% alpaca, sport weight yarn. i knew it was too lightweight, but i let myself be convinced. $40 later, i have 4 skeins of yarn that aren't really me, and i still have no crocheted skully bag to show for it.

oh, well.
i don't even really like making bags all that much.
and i think 440 yards of really pretty sport weight yarn (that just isn't me) could finds its way into some gifts for people. for now it will ruminate in my stash.

i am starting to have a stash.
a lot of skein ends, yarns people have given me, extra balls left after a project, etc. and sock yarn, which doesn't count as "stash" per se. because, you know... i am 100% sure it will one day be made into socks (or gifted away to other sock knitters). and i only really have about 4-5 pair ahead right now.

i need to clean out or use up.
that is my plan after the 1st of the year. i go on a yarn diet AND clean out what i have. i am allowing myself to buy yarn for one sweater to knit myself after the holidays, however. it is tight fitting, short sleeved, and will only cost about $50. not bad.

i have thrown in the towel on another project as well. i was crocheting a pair of socks this summer. i decided i don't like them. they feel funny on. the work hurts my hands, and i would rather knit mini socks or a pair of ankle socks out of the remaining yarn. i'm not frogging the crocheted sock. it will serve as a reminder so i don't get a wild hair and try to make them again.

this bring my number of UFOs to 3. my Rowan Calmer socks (50%). my Gedifra Fashion Trend Fino Stripe crochet skirt (start over). and my chunky cabled scarf (55%). UFOs are different than my WIP--which are all holiday gifts and one store model.

on a tangential note....
tonight i was gifted a book i have been coveting. someone knows how much i love argyle socks, and now i desperately want to knit myself a pair. this does not bode well for my stash getting smaller or my other sock yarns getting knit.