Is This Thing On?

*Dusts off keyboard*
Sorry for the prolonged absence. I've waffled back and forth over whether I should bring up the reason for it, and finally decided that I should, just a little, because I talk about my pets so much. My white rat, Squirrel, became ill last week. She went to the vet almost every day, and seemed to be improving until Saturday, when she took a turn. She died on Sunday, laying in bed with me while I read a book and stroked her. We're planning to bring home a new friend for Eunice (who is so lonely) as soon as we find her, and I'm sure I'll post about it when we do, so I thought it would be best to just get it out there now.

Naturally, I didn't get much knitting done, but I did do a little, and my pace has been picking up the last few nights. I've been working exclusively on the Cinched Waist Top, and let me tell you, this top has earned it's three (out of four) star difficulty rating. Not because it's hard, per se, but it's fiddley, and every time I get to a new part in the pattern, my jaw drops open because it's nothing like I would have expected.
Surprise the first: I may need to use hooks and eyes for closure along the corset edge.
Surprise the second: You have to knit the front, back and sleeves in a specific order (I usually skip around), because they are joined and then seamed.
Surprise the third: The lovely raglan detail is from a new technique (to me)! A cabled decrease. Fun to work, and it sure is purty.

The rounds are long right now, so I only work maybe three or four a night, but I plan to hit it hard this weekend! Doesn't it look cute?



The sweater in the magazine is made with cotton, but I think my cashmere version will be perfect for spring. It pretty much stays chilly up here until August, when we get a heat wave, and then fall arrives. I'm toying with different ideas for the ruffle. Maybe making it less... ruffley... and a little flatter? It kind of depends on how much yarn I have left over, though I've gone through surprisingly little.

Seeing how this project is taking longer than I expected, I am so looking forward to Amy's new knitalong, starting in April, the Quick-Fix Knitalong! The idea is to break up the tedium of long projects with some short and sweet ones! It's a low pressure knitalong, you can do just one small project, if you like. I have an informal goal of completing a quick project once a week. This may include one week to knit my second Jaywalker, and one week to knit my second World's Ugliest Mitt.

Oh, I haven't yet shown you the WUM?



I don't even know how long ago I dyed this yarn, but I dyed it myself using Kool-Aid and Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool. If you haven't used Fisherman's Wool, please be advised that it is very scratchy. I suppose that it's just as well that I experimented with this wool, since I find this colorway so appalling, but it made it difficult to choose a project. I don't think I have enough for adult mittens, and I didn't want to be responsible for playground taunts by making kids' mittens. A hat was out of the question. So I finally (after years and years) settled on some mitts that I can bring into work and leave for when my hands get cold. It feels good to get this out of the stash! The last bit of yarn I have from the Kool-Aid experiment is a not too bad red/orange/yellow mishmash that I will probably make into mittens for my nephews.

Anyway, I'm pretty psyched for the Quick-Fix Knitalong! In addition to the sock and the mitt, I'm planning to make a February baby sweater from EZ's Knitter's Almanac, and Rusted Root. If I remember correctly, I finished Green Gable pretty quickly, so I'm pretty sure it can be done. I'll save it for last anyway, and have it to wear in May, when the air becomes more mild and I want my skin to soak up every drop of sun (through a layer of SPF, of course!)

Stuff: Finished and New

I finished my nephew's vest!

I love it! It's so soft, I love the color, and I know it will fit him (for a few months at least). To recap, I used The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns by Ann Budd for the pattern, and Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran with US7 needles. I used about three and a half balls for the second smallest size. In the book, the vest pattern has a v-neck, and the sweater pattern has a crew. I prefer a crew neck, so I just followed the sweater pattern for the front, since the front and back of both patterns are identical.

I must confess that I started another sweater before I finished the vest, though. I had to! I had that cashhmere yarn sitting in my basket, taunting me. I'm not made of steel! Right now, it looks like a cashmere dishcloth, but it's going to grow up to be (I believe it's called) the Corset Waisted Pullover [EDIT: It's actually called the Cinched Waist Top!] from VogueKnitting Spring 2006. I couldn't find a photo of it, and I didn't think I'd need to take a photo of the magazine. I'll take one soon. The pattern calls for the waist to be knitted first, and then the bottom (which is a ruffle), and finally the top pieces. I'm going to knit the top pieces first, however, since I'm not sure exactly how much yarn I will use, and I would rather sacrifice length on the bottom than the top. So far I've used two full balls of yarn on the waist, and I believe I have less than ten inches to go. Thank goodness! The corset is knitted at a very tight gauge, which is hard on my hands. Once it's finished, the rest of the sweater will be a piece of cake!



See what I mean about the dishcloth? Plus, the fabric is very stiff, adding to the dishcloth vibe.

Lastly, for Pioggia, a picture of the rattie girls! Just because they are so freaking adorable and love yarn. Squirrel, as usual, refused to cooperate, but Rattie behinds are cute, too.



(In all fairness, I did wake them up for playtime when this photo was taken.)

The Gentle Sigh of Disappointment

So, remember how I said I was going to start the Lace Leaf Pullover when I finished my nephew's vest? Well, I'm almost finished with the vest, so I decided to swatch for the Pullover. Plus, my knitting basket was down to dregs, so it was time to fill it again.

(Sorry for the craptacular picture, I took it last night.) Despite the yarn label information on both yarns (the one I want to use and the one used in the pattern) being almost identical, I could not even come close to getting gauge for the Pullover without a fabric that looked like fishnet. So, I decided to find a fabric I like and then find a pattern to fit. I got a nice fabric at 16 stitches to four inches. I just spent over an hour going through back issues of Interweave Knits, Rebecca, some vintage books I have and a couple of leaflets, and I have come up dry. I really wanted to get started on my cashmere sweater this weekend, but that doesn't seem likely now. Sigh. I won't give up until I find the perfect pattern, though! I can't use this yarn on just anything, and I'm afraid if I let it sit too long, it'll become that part of the stash that never gets used because it's too good for everything. Leafing through my Interweaves made me wish that magazine sites gave readers the ability to search through the archives by gauge. It would take a lot less time.

As I said before, I am almost finished with my nephew's vest.



This morning, I picked up stitches for the armhole and did a ribbed edge for about an inch. Unfortunately, I picked up way too few stitches and had to rip it. Fortunately, the whole endeavor took only about a half an hour. I kind of felt like I hadn't picked up enough stitches, next time I'll listen to myself! I love this little vest. It's so soft and cuddley, and it's simple enough that he can wear it with most of his clothes. I only have maybe two hours worth of work left on this one. Maybe I can even finish it tonight!

I'm also still plugging away on Jaywalker number one.



This was the best picture of the sock, so please excuse the plain white socks in the background! When I finished the leg of this sock, I let it sit a couple of days before starting the heel. I'm so glad I did, because in the interim, I wore my first pair of Jaywalkers. Now, I adore my Jaywalkers. They hug my feet like none of my other socks, and never fall down or come off in my boots. I do have one beef with them, however, and it is this: the leg is so tight, I have a hard time getting my heel into the foot of the sock. Once my feet are in there, everything's great, but it's a tiny struggle to make it happen. On this pair, I switched to a US2 for the leg of the sock, but kept wondering how this new needle size would affect the fit on my feet. Then, I had a revelation. I am the boss of my knitting. I can do whatever I want. So I began the heel with a US1 needle, and have knit amost the entire foot on the new size. And you know what? The fit is awesome! I have no problem getting my foot into the sock, and once it hits the heel, it slides into place like a new ink catridge in an ink jet printer. I can practically feel the click. I can't wait until these are finished. I can tell already they will be in heavy rotation.

Wish me luck with finding the perfect pattern! If you happen to see anything for the right gauge, using about 820 yards of chunky weight yarn, perhaps calling for eyelets, give me a holler!

Mish Mash

No knitting pictures today. My Jaywalker is just a leg right now, and I'm only a couple of inches into the front of my nephew's vest. So, just some chatter today.

First of all, I am so excited about a pattern I found yesterday, I almost posted right off about it. It's Rusted Root by Zephyr Style. I have kind of this thing for puffed sleeves lately, and I almost fell off my chair from the adorable-ness of this top. I bought the pattern immediately, and as soon as I got home I raided the stash for appropriate yarn. I'm just shy of the yardage requirements with most of my cotton yarns, but I do have enough Cotton Ease in black, red, bright pink, bright yellow and pale yellow. I also have enough in two colors of Lamb's Pride Cotton Fleece, but there are two problems with that. One, I bought that yarn specifically to make Sherwood for my nephews. Two, and this might seem contrary to number one, I've found that Cotton Fleece does not wear well. I have a ChicKami (love this pattern) I made with CF, and it's so pilly and fuzzy, I hardly ever wear it (I certainly never wear it out). True, I wash it in the machine and air dry, but I do that with a lot of my knitted garments, and none of them look like that. My reasoning for using CF in the boys' sweaters anyway is that they will not wear these garments as long as I would. They'll get one season wear out of them, and that's it. Since I want to make Rusted Root soon, I'll probably use Cotton Ease (which incidentally, I have never seen pilling).

My other exciting news is rather old. On Valentine's Day, there was a gigantic snowstorm here, and I had the day off from work. My boyfriend and I decided to take advantage of the storm and see a movie. The theater is by this crappy strip mall, which includes a craft store which is going out of business. I had been to this store once before, but was unimpressed with their yarn selection, and never went back. But who can resist a going out of business sale, right? I was dumbstruck when I turned down an aisle away from the acrylic and discovered 100% cashmere yarn AND Debbie Bliss Pure Silk for 40% off! So I have enough cream colored cashmere and pink silk for sweaters. After a meeting with my consultant, I decided on the Lace Leaf Pullover from Interweave for the cashmere (if I can get gauge). I pulled the pattern out the other day, and am just waiting to finish the vest before swatching (you've gotta have goals). Now I just need to find something perfect for the silk.

Well, if you've made it through all of that, you totally deserve a picture. Perhaps something... adorable?

And also a perfect illustration of bad bunnies. She chewed through those laces eventually!


PS: I got my Interweave yesterday! Yippee!!!

Thinking about Getting a Rabbit?

Please, allow me to talk you out of it. I try not to get up on soapboxes here at Swatch This!, it is, after all, my knitting blog, and I have plenty to say about knitting already. Easter is coming, though, and that happens to be a time when bunnies are bought by the hundreds to add a little cuteness to the Easter festivities. Then, about a month later, hundreds of rabbits are discarded when people discover that a rabbit is not the pet they anticipated.

If you’ve been reading my blog, you probably know that I have two rabbits, Mrs. Cooper and Baxter Brown. I do not purport to be an expert on rabbits, but I have done a lot of research about them. I’ve also had rabbits in the past.

The first thing you should probably know, if you’re planning to bring a rabbit into your home, is that they are destructive creatures. Rabbits love to chew, and see no distinction between the cute little chew toy you bought for them, and your wooden furniture. They eat power cords (which is not only annoying, but hazardous), carpeting, clothes, shoes, paper… anything they can get their little bunny teeth around. Add to that the digging most rabbits like to do, and a lax owner can quickly have a ruined home. I feel fortunate that my rabbits aren’t that destructive. Cooper likes cords, which means we keep them out of her way. Both rabbits like to dig at carpeted corners, which means we make them inaccessible. It’s entirely up to us whether or not our rabbits destroy our home, it is not the rabbit’s fault if we fail to bunny-proof.

Rabbits are expensive. Sure, you can get a bunny for twenty bucks at the pet store, but don’t expect to buy a suitable cage at that store, and keep in mind that you can’t buy everything your rabbit needs at that one store. One of my rabbits, Mrs. Cooper, is too large for a cage (the recommended size for a rabbit cage is five times the size of the rabbit). Baxter Brown has a cage which we built for him using NIC blocks (the cage is HUGE and cost only about $40, plus time). They eat a ten pound bag of bunny pellets (timothy based, because they’re both adult rabbits) every two weeks. That’s $15 per bag, not including fuel for the twenty miles I have to drive to buy the pellets. They each eat about a bag of hay each week, which is cheap, $5 a bag, per rabbit, but I had to try a few varieties before I found a timothy hay they would eat. And then the expensive food: greens. Most diets recommend 1-2 cups of greens per five pounds of rabbit per day. My rabbits eat a bag of prepared salad greens per day and a half. Those are about $3.50 per bag. Sometimes I buy a head of romaine, which lasts a couple of days. I spend about $20-25 a week on greens and vegetables for the rabbits, which is an essential part of my rabbits’ diets. So, that’s about $150 a month on food.

Both of my rabbits are litter boxed trained (very easy to do with rabbits, especially older, altered ones), and I quickly learned that unless I wanted to change litter boxes every day, I would need to find a litter. Pine shavings are widely used in pet stores, but are actually bad for rabbits. I use CareFresh, which is made of recycled cardboard. It’s safe for the rabbits to eat, it’s soft, they love digging at it, and it absorbs odor like nobody’s business. It’s also between twenty and thirty dollars for a large package, which lasts about a week and a half, or two weeks. Also keep in mind that no matter how well trained your bunny is, you will find occasional rabbit poops around your house. Rabbits are poop machines, which is awesome if you have a compost heap. If you don’t, I’d get a good vacuum cleaner. Rabbits are not for people who like an immaculate house! Between the poops and the paper shredding and the hay strewing, your house will never be the same again.

Back to money, let’s talk veterinarians. You will need to become close with yours. Rabbits are extremely good at hiding illness, and usually, if your rabbit starts to show serious signs of being ill, it’s too late. They are fragile creatures, capable of literally being frightened to death, and something that might seem inconsequential (like noticing your rabbit hasn’t eaten since yesterday) is actually life threatening. A rabbit’s digestive system is so delicate, if anything throws it off balance even the slightest bit, they can develop serious problems. In a rabbit, a sneeze necessitates a trip to the vet. Our rabbits have gone to the vet so often (for sneezes and fighting wounds, not to mention nail clippings), the staff know them on sight. It’s also very important to make sure that there is a veterinarian in your area who can handle rabbits. Rabbits are not like other animals, and you should make sure your vet has experience with them. I am so lucky to have a clinic nearby with two rabbit experts on staff.

Finally, and perhaps the hardest for people to come to terms with about their rabbit, rabbits are not cuddly little lap animals. Rabbits do not like being picked up or held. They are prey animals, and prefer to have their feet firmly on the ground. They enjoy human interaction, as long as the human plays with them on their level. My rabbits are good with children, but would never tolerate rough play, and I would never let a child pick up my rabbits. Rabbits must be supported and picked up gently. A rabbit’s muscles are more powerful than its bones, and a rabbit can break its back by struggling to get away from being held. Please also keep in mind that rabbits are not short term pets! They can live anywhere from five to fifteen years. I had a rabbit who was ten years old. Please do not get a rabbit if you can not commit to their care.

Which naturally brings us to adoption. Maybe you’ve read this and still want a rabbit! They are undeniably adorable and interesting, and if you’re crazy like me, maybe you even enjoy cleaning out litter boxes and picking out vegetables for them to try. My rabbits make me laugh every day, and one of my greatest pleasures is watching them run and binky every night. If you still have your heart set on having one of your own, please adopt one from your local shelter. Not only will you be helping out a homeless rabbit, but you will get a rabbit who has already been fixed! Neutered and spayed rabbits are easier to train, less aggressive, and spayed rabbits have a decreased chance for female cancers. Older rabbits are also great pets because they are more mellow, less destructive, and again, more trainable. I would also encourage you to research breeds a little before adopting, since some breeds have a reputation for being more hyper or needing more space or exercise time than other breeds (of course, personalities will vary).

Try to think of a rabbit as more like a cat or dog. Many people get a rabbit instead of a cat or dog, because they think a rabbit is less responsibility. Aside from the fact that with all pets come responsibility, a rabbit especially is a lot of effort and care. They have to be brushed (very often for a long haired rabbit) because they can neither digest nor throw up the hair they ingest. Their nails need to be trimmed on a regular basis. They need to be watched while they run around free in non-bunny-proofed areas, lest they find something attractive to chew. They need unlimited hay, a careful diet, and their input and output carefully monitored (I start my day by checking each rabbit's litter box for evidence of illness). I have tried to be as factual as possible here, but of course there are always more points of view, and more information (this is already incredibly long!). I highly recommend reading The House Rabbit Handbook, and Rabbit Health in the 21st Century: A Guide for Bunny Parents before bringing a rabbit home.

And most importantly, please remember, a pet rabbit is not a wild animal! They may look like their wild brethren, but the rabbits at pet stores and shelters are no more wild than your neighbor’s cat. Setting a rabbit “free” is cruel and will certainly result in a terrible death for the rabbit. There is no shame in taking an animal you can no longer care for to a shelter.

Taking down the soap box now! Oh! And there’s one more thing you need to know about rabbits and Easter. It’s when we celebrate Mrs. Cooper’s birthday! She was born in April, so it just seems right. Please consider carefully whether a rabbit is right for your home. If you decide to get a rabbit or a different pet, please visit your local shelter first. Chances are good you'll find your next best friend waiting for you.

Simple Things

I finished the back of my nephew's vest. It went by pretty quickly, considering that I haven't had much time to knit lately. But you know, that's what's so great about kids' stuff.

I think when I refill my basket, I'll put in the yarn I bought to make Sherwood for my older nephew. If I wait until he gets much bigger, I won't have enough yarn!

After I finished the back of the vest, I felt like doing something different. The stockinette had gotten me through a rough week, but I needed a little something with some kick (just a little). So, I cast on for another pair of Jaywalkers.



I really like this yarn! It's Austermann Step, and it has aloe in it. The yarn in the ball feels a little strange. Not bad, just different. Knit up, it's very soft, with excellent stitch definition. When I bought it, I didn't realize it was self-striping. I don't usually like striping yarn, it's just not my thing, but I love it in the Jaywalker pattern! I wonder if I have any other striping yarns in the stash somewhere....

In other news, I'm slightly aggravated with Interweave Knits right now. I renewed my subscription (late, I admit) on January 14. My confirmation email said the Spring issue would be mailed on February 22. I still have not received the flipping magazine. I wrote them an email asking if it had been sent, because I don't know how much longer I can hold out before I just buy it on the newsstand! I'm dying over here!

Sweet Little Things

I finally finished the Pirate Mittens the other day, and they are now not only dry, but on their way to their intended recipient. I like these mittens, but I wish I had done a couple of things differently.

First, as I've said before, I wish I had chosen a brighter pink to provide a more stark contrast with the cream. The skulls look washed out to me. The back and cuff, however, look fine, so I think if I had used these colors as stripes or in a simple pattern as on the palm, it would have been fine. The thing is, I chose these shades specifically because they match my friend's favorite pair of sneakers, so I'm not going to weep over it. She'll love them anyway.



The other thing I would have done differently is the thumb. Anatomically speaking, our thumbs come out of the side of our hands, not from our palms. I have only done one other hand covering project wherein the thumb was made this way, and they were my first pair of gloves. Quickly after making that pair, I moved onto using gussets, and never looked back. Turns out, I vastly prefer a gusset thumb. If I make another pair of Pirate Mittens, and I have the yarn for it), I will substitute a gusset somehow (not sure how, yet, but I'll figure it out).

That said, I was shocked at how warm these mittens are, considering that I used a fingering weight wool (I added four stitches total to the hand). I used Dale Baby Ull, one skein of each color, and US3 needles. I'm really hoping to be able to finish and wear Anemoi a couple of times this winter, but I don't know if it'll work. We've had a few warm days here already, and even though we're due for a storm on Friday, it looks Spring is starting to muscle it's way into being. I suppose I could always finish them and dream about Fall.

I'm making a vest for my nephew right now using Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in the same shade of blue as my Slimline Jacket (I bought the yarn to use with the Astrakhan in the Vogue cardigan). I almost have the back completed, but didn't take a photo yesterday when I was doing the mittens. It's very simple anyway, just ribbing and stockinette. While chatting with Amy, I referred to it as knitting valium, and I find myself turning to it for the small snatches of time I get for knitting this week. The yarn is so soft and squishy, and I love the rhythm of knitting across and purling back. Just thinking about it almost has me contentedly drooling.

Guess what's done?

That's right, the Slimline Jacket! It was all seamed and ready to go on Wednesday night (maybe even Tuesday, can't remember), on Thursday I left work early to buy buttons and sewed them in, and I wore the jacket to work on Friday!

This might be my most favorite knit ever. It's very comfortable, the yarn is so incredibly soft and warm, and the pattern is practical for work and to throw on during the weekend (for the most part, my work clothes are completely different from my casual clothes).



I made a few eensy changes while I was knitting. I added a total of an inch to the fronts and the back, since stuff tends to come out a little short on me (go figure, I'm only 5'4" tall), and I added a wee bit more than an inch to the sleeves, because sleeves are always too short when I knit to pattern. But that was all. I loved making the collar best, I think. It made me feel so clever! (Even though I didn't even write the pattern.) I wet-blocked all of the pieces separately, except the collar, which I steam blocked. I used KnitPicks Gloss for the seams and as Pioggia asked in the comments, it did pill on the socks I made. A lot. I have socks that look better after dozens of wearing than that pair looked after one. I guess in that case, you get what you pay for. Bummer, I really liked knitting with that yarn.



I thought that pewter buttons would look really nice with the blue yarn, and I was right! These weren't exactly the kind of button I had in mind, but I like them all the same. The sweater itself is so simple, I thought I could go ahead and use a fancy button.

So, the basic rundown: The pattern is the Slimline Jacket by Debbie Bliss which appears in her book Out of Town. I used the recommended yarn, Cashmerino Astrakhan in color 31011, and used almost all of 10 balls, even though the pattern called for 9. I don't remember which needle was recommended, but I used US7.

In other news, I finished the second Pirate Mitten today! It's blocking right now, and I am gearing up to make a vest for my nephew using the Cashmerino Aran I had bought to make the Astrakhan Cardigan from VogueKnitting. I'm getting down into the depths of the basket, and can't wait to head down to the stash to fill it back up to the top!

God, how I love YouTube.

Okay, so it's kind of making fun of knitters, but this video is hilarious!

She's STILL working on that sweater?

Yes, I am still working on the Slimline Jacket. It feels like it's been a long time, I'll have to take a jaunt through the archives to see when I started. It's so close to being finished now, though, and I can't wait!

As modeled by the charming Evelyn. Of course, the side seams aren't done, so it looks floppy, but a quick check reveals that this sweater is going to fit perfectly. I have just a few more rows on the collar, and it looks like I'll have to steam block it (you can see how the fronts are not folding back like they should). I blocked the sleeves last night, and they were dry this morning. I know what I'm doing tonight!





I want to use pewter buttons for this. I think they'll look so pretty with this shade of blue. Unfortunately, I won't have a chance to go button shopping until this weekend! This is the last peek you'll see of the Slimline Jacket until it has buttons and I can show it off on a live person.

By the way, I'm using KnitPicks Gloss for seaming. The color matches almost perfectly, and it's doing the job well. I'm glad to have a way to use it up that won't result in another pilly garment (is a sock a garment?).





Here's a shot of the first completed Pirate Mitten by Hello Yarn. I'm happy with it, but I do wish that I had chosen colors with higher contrast. Live and learn, right? I can't believe that mitten weather is coming to a close already! I mean, I know we have cold days in March, but to me mitten weather is when the temperature dips below twenty degrees and stays there. Otherwise, my hands get hot. I think I might need to move to Alaska.

And, just because, a picture of our snowman. Do you know how hard it is to push a sliver of carrot into snow without it crumbling?

Movin' Right Along

I must admit that work stalled for a day or two on the Slimline Jacket last week. I am one of those knitters who, in the face of a potential yarn shortage, works very slowly on her project (as opposed to those who speed up... I am the same way when low on gasoline). Fortunately, I found another ball of yarn buried in my basket, and work continued anew! I am about halfway through the sleeves, and at the rather boring "knit straight for x inches" portion of the program. Boring means that it's a good project for multitasking, though! Silver linings, you know.

I finished Pirate Mitten #1, but neglected to take a picture. I'll try to do better next time. Blocking evened everything out beautifully. Last night I cast on for the second mitten and worked a couple of rows. It's so nice to have a smooth yarn project to work on as a break from the boucle!

Speaking of smooth yarn projects, I made a hat this week, too. A friend wanted to give a Kitty62 hat to a friend for his birthday, so I promised to deliver. I found suitable yarn in my stash (Cascade 220), and finished the hat in about four hours. I guess when you make something four times, your fingers just know what to do! This time, I decided to do the ears differently. I've always knitted the ears separately and sewn them on after, and I did that this time, but instead of knitting the ear pieces separately, I knit them at once with a purl column for folding the halves into one ear. Brilliant, if I do say so myself. I never liked those little fiddley pieces, or sewing them together. This new way left me with one small seam, and then I just had to sew them to the hat. I had to give her the hat after I got out of work, so here I am in my work clothes, wearing a kitty hat.





I still have to make one of these for myself!

Thinking Pink

Wouldn't these be a nice Valentine's Day gift? That's what I thought, too. Except I'm not even finished with the first mitten! These are the Pirate Mittens by Hello Yarn, and I'm using Dale Falk. When the skeins are side by side, the colors look like they have much more contrast than they do when knit. Although, maybe it's just the pattern. The ribbing looks okay.





I really like that photo, all of those uniform rows, and neat knit stitches. When I get depressed about the mitten body and its wonkiness, I look at the ribbing and think about blocking. I have two of the three skulls finished on this first mitten, and am working on the third. If I could put down the Slimline Jacket for an evening, I could probably finish the mittens quickly, but I really want to wear that sweater. I'm working on the sleeves (knitting both at once), and am about a third of the way through with them. I'm the teensiest bit concerned about yarn. I have only one ball left of the Astrakhan, and some ends. I'm hoping what I have will at least get me through the sleeves, and I can live with a different dyelot for the collar. The pattern only calls for nine balls though, and I have ten, so hopefully that won't even be necessary.

Baby Surprise Jacket Spreadsheet

I've had a few people ask me about my spreadsheet for the Baby Surprise Jacket by Elizabeth Zimmermann. Since the spreadsheet is basically the pattern, I can't share it, but I can give some tips on how to create your own! It's incredibly simple, but so helpful.

Make a spreadsheet with three columns. Column one is simply the row number (I made row #1 the cast on), row two keeps track of how many stitches you should have on the needle at the beginning of the row, and column three is where you put what you should be doing during the row.

For instance, one row says:
73/147/bo 5 start of row, inc 4

On that particular row, you need to do two things at once; you need to bind off stitches, and also follow an in-progress increasing pattern.

I recommend creating the spreadsheet before you even cast on. This will allow you to read through the entire pattern and give you an idea of what you'll be doing, so you can keep your spreadsheet pithy (as EZ would say). Once I had the sheet finished, I didn't even need the pattern again until it came time to fold the sweater.

This sweater is well worth the extra effort. I've yet to see one that wasn't utterly adorable. Good luck!

Don't Front

Okay, I don't know if my subject makes any sense whatsoever, but I was listening to some rap today, and the phrase popped into my head. I finished the first front of the Slimline Jacket today! In my excitement to soak up the last rays of sunshine to take a photo, I forgot to take a photo of my mitten in progress, but it's not much more than a cuff right now anyway.

I've also decided to start messing around with photo size again. Flickr needs a size between small and medium!


I'm debating with myself whether I should block the pieces I have so far, or wait until I have the whole sweater finished. I'm also considering where to do this. I laid the back on the floor this afternoon while I measured the front against it, and almost had a coronary event when Mrs. Cooper hopped on top of it. You might not know this about rabbits, but they like to dig. And I don't mean that gentle knead that cats do, I mean they grab fabric with their teeth and pull it taut and dig furiously with their long wicked claws. I shooed her away without any major tantrums, but learned that the floor is not going to be suitable for blocking. I'll come up with something.

The fabric looks nice pre-blocking, but the bottom is curling like crazy, and the shoulders could use a little straightening. I can't convey in mere words how much I want to be wearing this sweater already! Even though it's a bitch to frog, and difficult to weave in the ends, and (let's face it) boucle is a little hard to knit with at times, I highly recommend at least trying a ball of Astrakhan in a hat or something. It is so soft, and makes the most wonderful fabric.

Second Annual Brigid in Cyberspace (Silent) Poetry Reading

Last year, I missed it, but when I noticed that today is the Second Annual Brigid in Cyberspace (Silent) Poetry Reading, I was determined to take part.

At first, I thought I would choose something by Anne Sexton, as she's always been a favorite of mine, but I was stymied by choice. I love the book Without by Donald Hall, but kept crying as I read it, and I didn't want to choose something so sad. Then I remembered this poem, and how it makes me feel optimistic, hopeful, happy, nostalgic, and something like sadness, but not that exactly.

Assembler
by Debra Allbery

My twentieth summer I got a job in Door Locks
at the Ford plant where my father has worked
for twenty years. Five in the morning
we'd stand tired in the glare and old heat
of the kitchen, my father fiddling with
the radio dial, looking for a clear station.

There aren't any women in my department.
At first the men would ask me to lift
what I couldn't, would speed up the turntable,
juggling the greasy washers and bolts,
winking at each other, grinning at me.
In the break room they would buy me coffee,
study my check to see if I got shorted.
They were glad I was in school and told me
to finish, they said I'd never regret it.
Once I got loaned to Air Conditioners,
worked three days in a special enclosure,
quiet and cool and my hands stayed clean.
Out the window I could see Door Locks,
the men taking salt pills, 110 degrees.

In rest rooms there were women sleeping
on orange vinyl couches, oven timers ticking
next to their heads.

At lunch I'd take the long walk to my father.
I'd see him from a distance, wearing safety glasses
like mine, and earphones, bright slivers of brass
in his hair--him standing alone in strange sulfur light
amidst machines the size of small buildings.
Every twenty minutes he worked a tumbler,
in between he read from his grocery bag of paperbacks.
He would pour us coffee from a hidden pot,
toast sandwiches on a furnace. We sat
on crates, shouting a few things and laughing
over the roar and banging of presses.

Mostly I remember the back-to-back heat waves,
coffee in paper cups that said Safety First,
my father and I hurrying away from the time clocks,
proud of each other. And my last day, moving shy past
their Good Lucks, out into 5:00, shading my eyes.

I Love FOs!

This is the Coif I was talking about the other day. True to my word, the next time I worked on it, I finished it. This project is super fast, which is no surprise. It calls for US9 needles and bulky weight yarn! I used a double strand of Malabrigo and the suggested needles. Amazingly, I still have left over Malabrigo! It's like the yarn that never ends!

The only modifications I did were to add a little length to the ties and add pom poms. Love the pom poms. These were the best I have ever made. The secret? When you think you've used enough yarn, use more. When you think you might have used too much yarn? Use some more. Beautiful, fluffy pom poms will be your reward.

Not only is this headgear cute as heck, but it's also very warm. You just gotta love functional fashion. Speaking of function, I love that I can wear this with my hair pulled back into pigtails or a ponytail. Nine times out of ten, by the end of the day, my hair is pulled back and I can't wear a hat over it. I mean, I could, but I loathe those big lumps under hats. Seeing as I don't walk any great distance in the winter, I suffer with cold ears while my car warms. No more!

Who, me? Impatient?

So there I was, happily trucking away on my Slimline Jacket, anticipating the thrill of binding off the back, wondering if I should start the fronts or sleeves next, and whether I should knit them at once, when I was doing it, I was binding off, and I was so excited. I folded the piece up and poked in my basket and thought of what to start next. "Oh, what the hell," I thought, "I could cast on for a sleeve." I pulled out the pattern again and what did I see? My eyes widened with horror (and a little regret) when I noticed that I had omitted the shoulder shaping on the back. I sighed, and considered for a moment how dire it would be if I left the shaping out, but came to my senses, and began taking out the bound off edge.

Astrakhan is a lovely yarn, it is. It makes a very interesting fabric, it's soft, and while it's a little strange at first, it is pleasant to knit. But (you must have known that was coming), it is the worst yarn in the yarn store to frog. I only got about a quarter through, when I realized I was really hauling on that yarn to get it free, and pulling just a little too hard on the fabric to try to discern which loops were stitches, and which were just texture. I took a deep breath and set it aside, and I'm so glad I did. This morning I calmly took out the bind off, plus another row, and picked up the stitches. I didn't even flinch when I realized I had picked up too many. That will work itself out as I knit the row. The back is waiting for me right now, in fact, to finish it properly.

Finding myself in that situation last night of wanting to knit, but a danger to my project, I did the only thing I could. I cast on for something else. I've had Coif on my mind ever since it came out, but last night was the night to start it. If I work on it tonight, I'll finish it. It's fast, fun and cute! It's also an opportunity to work on my pom-poms. I think those ties desperately need them. Don't you?

Oh, the joy of an FO!

I don't think it took me this long to finish the first pair of socks I ever knit. These are worth the wait though. I put them on the second I finished, and I haven't taken them off yet. The yarn is very soft and warm, and I love looking down at my feet and seeing that sweet little lace pattern.

As I said before, these socks are fraternal (though in this picture, the difference isn't so obvious). I'm not sure what I was thinking about when I set up the heel stitches of the first sock, but I had fewer stitches for the bottom of the sock, and an off-center lace pattern. You know what, though? I really like the first sock. There's a twisted column of stitches between each lace panel, and in the wonky sock, one of those columns goes up the center of my foot. This means less distortion in the lace panels. If I ever make these again, I'll have to remember my mistake.

Work continues on the Slimline Jacket. I keep having to pause in my knitting to rub the finished fabric against my cheek. The boucle makes the most interesting texture, and the fiber is so soft! I can not wait to wear this sweater. I'm almost up to the armhole shaping on the back, and felt a little rush when I realized that I'm more than halfway through with the largest piece of the sweater!

So now I'm picking through the basket, basically deciding between socks and mittens. I'm waiting anxiously for the Spring issue of Interweave Knits! I am most excited for Stefanie Japel's sweater, the yellow wrap sweater on the cover, and Grumperina's socks (she has a closeup photo on her blog).

Today's color is blue!

I love the color blue, it's my favorite, but I don't knit with it much. Right now, I have two blue projects going! The first, of course, is Hedera. Only a few inches to go, and I'll be wearing some new socks! This will need to be the first pair in a long line this year. After a chat with Amy the other day regarding sock yarn, I went and counted my sock yarn stash. I have more than I thought. I have enough for twenty-six pairs of socks, which is a little intimidating, frankly. It was just so easy to pick up a skein here, a couple of balls there, and throw them in their little basket. Luckily, I have my eye on a few patterns from Knitty, as well as a couple of pattern books with only sock patterns. Good thing I'm crazy about socks right now!

Speaking of Amy, she saved my Astrakhan this weekend. I was so excited when I checked the mail on Saturday and found Out of Town by Debbie Bliss. Amy had pointed out the Slimline Jacket, and offered to lend me the book. I was so excited that I, for one second, considered canceling my trip to Grandma's to cast on. Naturally, Grandma won, but you'd better believe I casted on the second I got home! I didn't make much progress, and even though I took a photo, it's only about an inch, so I don't think it's worthy of showing yet. I made great progress today, pretty well finishing one ball of yarn. I love the fabric, and I can't wait to wear this sweater!

It feels so good to be jumping into a big project again!

Just Call Me Ms. Fixit!

I feel quite virtuous having repaired something rather than throwing it in the trash. Perhaps this will become a trend! I know that I'm already planning to make a vest to help salvage a shirt that the rats chewed a hole through in the button placket. Maybe I could become one of those people who actually seperates the recycling again. Someone who fixes hems and makes over old clothes! For now, though, I'm happy with the sock.

Please note the plain toe. I know I said a tiger toe would be funky, and it would be, but when I remembered that I have a good amount of leftover Gloss, I decided to stick with the plain theme. I used as much of the old yarn as I could, but I admit to getting tired of cutting out thin spots, and tossing about a half inch worth in favor of the Gloss. I'm a little concerned about the integrity of the recycled yarn, and have already decided that if these bust a hole again, I'm going to replace all of the affected area with brand new sock yarn, rather than going on another salvage mission. Not repairing them again is not an option. You should have seen how happy my boyfriend was to have them again. Almost made me feel bad for letting them languish. Almost. He has gotten two new pairs of socks since the hole.