Less heat, please.

I know the incredible heat has been the topic of blog-land for the last couple of weeks. Isn't it odd that it seems as though no matter where each knitter hails from, they are experiencing a heat wave? Could it be that we just find heat more insufferable because it interferes with our craft?

It's not interfering with mine. Much. Here's the tank so far:

The stitches do stick to the needles sometimes, which annoys me to no end, but I soldier on. The hardest part of this tank is its slow growth. That's stockinette striped with reverse stockinette. I'm not winning any races. But the finished product is so cute, I just look at the cheery photo in the magazine when I need a lift. (It's the first and third photo.) The sunlight did the color of this yarn no favors. It's actually a pale green, kinda minty, kinda sage-y. I don't usually wear or knit with green, but I find myself being more drawn to it lately.

I haven't cast on for the second Jaywalker yet, because the cotton tank is so much more brainless. My plan is to at least get the cuff (the part I like least) done this weekend. I can't wait to wear these projects!

Welcome to the Jungle!

I've finished the first Tiger sock!

I made just a couple of changes. Firstly, I substituted the dreaded kfb for m1 left and m1 right. This changed the pattern somewhat, as now the decrease section has one raised stitch the length of the sock, and the increase has two raised stitches, but I prefer that to the bars. I did a short row heel instead of flap (oh, how I loathe picking up stitches!), and I also did my first short row toe! I closed the toe with a zig-zag cast off, which was really fun to do, but leaves an obvious ridge. I'll do the second of the pair the same way, and then I'm going to kitchener. The last thing I did was to make the bottom of the sock in plain stockinette. I didn't like the idea of those decreased stitches rubbing my sweet little feet. I graciously took a picture of the bottom so you could see the difference the stitch pattern makes to the striping pattern of the yarn.




Now I like this yarn well enough, but I really think the wild zig zags add a little something, don't you? I don't think I would be so enamored of this sock if it were plain stripes. Plus, the tight stitch pattern makes the most comfortable sock ever to grace my foot. It hugs every curve, without being restrictive. LOVE this pattern!

I got the heel and toe pattern from an online, subscriber-only Interweave Knits pattern, "Priscilla's Dream Socks." They are my new favorite short-row heels (and toes). Instead of the annoying and, at times, confounding "wrap," that pattern has you do a yarnover. MUCH easier, both to execute and to pick up.

After finishing the first sock and admiring it for awhile, I decided not to cast on for the second sock straight away (playing with fire, I know), and I casted on for a Rebecca tank. It's just a few rows right now, though. I'll take some pictures when there's something more than a ruffle!

Bad Blogger!

I forgot my camera cord at home, so I can't show you the fabulousness of Grumperina's Jaywalkers in Opal Tiger yarn. As I suspected, the zig-zagging of the sock pattern creates a nice, tiger-y effect. I am loving the pattern! It's fun to do, and as usual with self-striping yarn, I love watching the pattern emerge. I'm already eyeing the sock stash and wondering what other yarns I have would be suitable for this pattern.

Next time I'll remember my camera cord! I'm still looking for a suitable pattern for the Sirdar Breeze. I can't seem to get any more than 5 stitches per inch, and all the patterns I find need either 6 per inch or 4. Fortunately, Bonne Marie has many patterns in that gauge. Perhaps I'll do another ChicKami, or maybe Sitcom Chic (I've been meaning to make that for awhile now!). Another pattern I've been meaning to make (and already own) is Gigi, but Cutaway is pretty cute, too. Oh, decisions! (Can you tell I'm a Bonne Marie fan?)

I hate to have an entirely pictureless post, so I'll go ahead and tack on some belated photos from my yarn expedition to WEBS with Amy.

My companions, Amy and her incredibly adorable and well behaved son, J. I think her baby-carrying device is brilliant! Not only does she get to keep in close contact with her child, but look at all the yarn she can carry with two hands versus one! Amy's always been a multi-tasker.


The spoils. See that wee pile off to the right? That's my stuff. The rest is all Amy's! She was a shopping dynamo! Please keep in mind that she was really Christmas shopping, she really isn't a crazy yarn hoarder (that's my job).


Next time I post I'll show those fabulous tiger pictures. And maybe, just maybe, that Sirdar will tell me what it wants to be.

C'est finit!

So, I decided that simple really was best and just did a single crochet all the way around the afghan. It was my first time crocheting!

The blanket is Mrs. Cooper approved. She is visible in the lower left corner of the photo. From the second that I draped the afghan over that chair, she was under it, on top of it, and generally sniffing it! I hope the recipients don't mind a little bunny hair. I suppose I could always say it's some stray angora....

With that behemouth of a project now behind me, I spent last night and this morning choosing my next project. There are a couple of strong contenders, but in this round of "What Do I Knit?," I decided to swatch first and pick a pattern second. The winning yarn is Sirdar Breeze, which is a dk weight cotton/acrylic blend. Since finishing Green Gable, I've been a little obsessed with making more fun summer tops. Which is good, since I also have a decent stash of cotton and cotton/blend yarns! I'm pretty sure I'm going to find a pattern tonight.

It was such a strange sensation when I finished off the afghan and found myself without a project. Usually I have something to finish, or a project I can't wait to start, but last night I went through all of my pattern binders and a bunch of my magazines and came up empty. That's the truth in why I swatched first. I just wanted to knit something, but didn't know what! (Even though I feel I SHOULD be trying to get ahead and make a Christmas stocking for my nephew or mittens and hats. Try getting excited about wool while you're sweating sitting still!)

She's Done!

I finished my Green Gable, and wore it on a yarn adventure on Saturday!

I went to two yarn stores on Saturday with my partner in crime, and in each store, a staff member commented on my sweater. What was curious, was that each of them asked what modifications I made, as though it were a given that I would make some. The only mods I made were to change the kfb increase in the raglan to a bar increase, and add three extra rows of ribbing to the bottom. I may have also changed a k2tog to a ssk in the waist shaping, but I can't quite remember. I used just about two balls of Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Candy Blue, and got gauge with a US5 needle. This sweater is officially the most comfortable thing in my closet. It's lightweight, and fits just right. I love it!

As for the yarn adventure (pictures will have to come later, since I'm a bad monkey and have not yet taken them off the camera), we went to the infamous WEBS! Amy was smart and brought a detailed list of projects she wants to make (for Christmas! Is this girl sick or what?!), with yarn requirements. I decided to fly by the seat of my pants, cavalierly ignoring Amy's post about being paralyzed by choice when she first went to the shop. I was completely shell-shocked. Everywhere I turned, yarn! Whenever I thought I had finally seen it all, there was more! There was yarn I had never seen in person before! There was an entire back room of yarn on sale! I got a bag of Debbie Bliss Wool Cotton in a deep chocolate hue, and a bag of Jaeger Matchmaker in pumpkin. I also picked up two pattern books (a Dale of Norway and an Elsebeth Lavold), some Dale Hauk for some badass fingerless gloves, two beautiful hanks of ArtYarns Supermerino for socks, and a ball of Meilenweit in a charcoal gray. The staff was great and the store is incredible! It was well worth getting up at 5 am on a Saturday!

After some sustenance, we were ready to hit Amy's LYS, Wild and Woolly. Now, you have to keep in mind that no store can possibly compare to WEBS, so I wasn't immediately taken aback by this store. In retrospect, however, I can safely say that I do wish Wild and Woolly were one of my local yarn stores. They have a nice selection, especially in the Debbie Bliss and Rowan lines. I didn't buy anything there, but I was kind of kicking myself for not picking up some Jaeger Siena while I was there. Now I will have to see if I can find it here.

The icing on the cake was when I went back to Amy's house and she GAVE me a hank of cherished Socks that Rock! I fondled it about fifteen times yesterday, but want to carefully consider my sock pattern options before winding it up.

I spent yesterday trying different borders on the afghan... three in all. One of them was... okay... but I'm having trouble with turning the corners on a patterned border. The short rows I tried were not working. Perhaps mitred corners would work better?

Frustration... but not really

So... I'm sure you expected to see a finished Green Gable by now, and, to be honest, so did I! There was the tiniest of issues, though, when I tried her on and she was just about two inches too short. Which is funny, because I knit the body of the sweater the same length as my favorite t-shirt. But, what can you do. I'm halfway through picking out the sewn bind-off so I can frog and knit again. I would be more than half through, but what with the birthday celebration and 4th of July barbecue, I haven't had much time for knitting. [insert sad face here.]

There has, however, been time for shopping! I don't have any photos of my haul, but suffice it to say, my pattern library is finally catching up with my yarn stash. On my birthday, I hit Patternworks, where they were having a terrific sale! I picked up a Rebecca magazine, a felted bunny pattern, a Jaeger book, and a booklet of Christmas stocking patterns. I believe there are twelve patterns. I also picked up some Patons Fresco because it was only $1.99 a ball and I think it'll make a fun top.

The week before my birthday, I checked out a new yarn shop that isn't exactly local, but it's close enough! It's called Purl Diva, and the owner has a blog too! Fun fact: before the store was a store, I considered it for an apartment! But it was just a little too run down, and the idea of dealing with traffic every morning when I had to go to work was too much. A visit to the store is well worth the traffic though, and the space is no longer dark and run down! She has ample seating both inside and out, and the chairs inside have the sweetest flowered pillows. I envisioned meeting up with my knitting pal for a nice afternoon of shopping and knitting. She has a nice selection of yarn, including Cherry Tree Hill, which I bought, and ArtYarns Regal Silk, which I did not. Added bonus: When I told her about Socks that Rock, she said she would look into it! I'm telling you, if I could find that yarn in the area, I would make a yarn shop owner one wealthy lass. So if you're ever in the area, make a visit. You can't miss it, there's a huge lavender sign on the front of the building that says YARN.

I'm hoping that the next time I post I'll be wearing Green Gable. I've been told that except for the length, it looks very pretty.

I'm so excited!

I'm in the home stretch of Green Gable. I passed the waist shaping last night, and really thought I could even get it finished for today, but it wasn't meant to be. I was meant to play with rats and bunnies instead, and make a file of ISBNs for my new obsession, Library Thing. It's so cool! You input all the books you own, and Library Thing shows you who else in the database has the books you have, how many of your books are shared with other people, and let's you tag and rate your books. My favorite feature so far is the one that shows you books that only you and one other person have. It's going to take me awhile to input all of my books, especially since I'll have to create a file at home to upload at work, but I think it's worth it.

Anyway, this is a knitting blog, and I'm sure you're all dying to see the progress on Green Gable.

Can you believe all of that was knit using one ball of yarn? I love summer knits! I'm hoping to finish this tonight so I can wear it tomorrow on my birthday roadtrip. That's right, tomorrow I turn the big 3-1, or, as I like to call it, twenty-eleven.

I'm a dirty cheater....

As the afghan quietly blocked on Saturday, I decided I should swatch some of the KnitPicks Merino Style that I picked up some time ago for a sweater. My initial reaction to the yarn is a resounding "okay." It's not horrible. It's not scratchy or pilly or splitty. The color is nice, and the stitch definition is good. But it's not as soft as other merino wool I've felt. Of course, it's also dirt cheap! As the sweater recipient likes the color and the feel of the yarn, I will be ordering more. I think at the same time I'll order a ball of their Shine cotton to try. I bought a color card when I ordered the merino, and the wee pieces on the card feel soft and look pretty. Wanna see a swatch of the Merino Style? I know you do!

So, you're probably thinking, "Surely she doesn't think a measley swatch constitutes cheating? What's up with the subject line?" Well, my digressions do not end with the swatch. I also swatched for something else.

Green Gable.

The trouble is, the yarn knit up so nicely... and the color was so nice... you can see why I just had to jump right in! I mean, I got gauge on the first try! If that's not a sign, I don't know what is! So while the afghan sat in a pathetic, folded heap, I knitted yesterday away with my new love.




That's good ol' Lion Brand Cotton Ease in Candy Blue. I totally forgot that I had this shade until I ransacked the stash for my orange Cotton Ease. As it turns out, I don't think that shade of orange becomes me. It's a little, uh, vibrant. But this blue was just the ticket, AND I have just enough (with maybe a ball to spare) for this cute little tee. I can't wait to wear it.

I did take another look through Knitting on the Edge for edging options for the afghan. Since it turned out a little smaller than I anticipated (four feet by five feet sounds big), I'm going to choose a fairly wide edging. Especially since I have so much yarn left. I hereby solemnly swear to get cracking on the afghan, it would such a waste of momentum to let it sit.

Right after I finish Green Gable.

The Perils of Crochet

After a great trip to Sin City, I came home ready to tackle the afghan! (Well, after a day of good, solid sleep... I'm only human!)

It is seriously in need of a good blocking, but there she is! As I crocheted the pieces together and the blanket grew, I ended up having it draped across my lap. This puppy is warm! It's also soft and kinda squishy. I definitely plan to make another using the same yarn... eventually. I plan to wash this portion in the machine and then pin it to the very futon seen here in this photo. I've washed the cover, and think that it's done bleeding. When I hold the afghan up, it sags under its own weight, and I think it will stretch considerably with a good blocking. This is my first full-sized blanket and I gotta say, feelin' pretty proud of myself!

I didn't get many pictures while I was Vegas, but I do have a couple to share.



Snoozing lion at MGM


On the walkway in front of New York, New York


Pretty mystery flower


I would also like to add that I took to flying like a bird! I had a small issue at the first takeoff, but nothing too embarrassing, and once we were in the air I loved it! It's opened a whole new world of travel possibilities!

Just Sayin'

So here's the thing.... I've actually got most of the afghan put together (it's very warm and snuggly!), but I'm not going to be working on it until I get back from Las Vegas. I was thrilled when Amy told me that she has knitted on dozens of flights, and have decided I will be casting on a sock tonight (to prove that yes, those tiny needles are for something). After much deliberation, I have settled on some plain ol' socks using Lorna's Laces Shephard Sport in FLAME. The only dpns I have that aren't metal are US2, so I decided to go with the sport weight. I'm not quite sure how relaxing the knitting will be, because I really can't stand bamboo needles, but it's amazing how much more relaxed I became with the idea of flying after learning I could take some knitting along for the ride.

I will be back with pictures! (I would fill this space with some pictures from the bachelorette party, but really, after the six foot inflatable penis was introduced, no picture was "work safe!")

So, here we are, then.

I finished the last afghan square yesterday afternoon, and after a small setback and involved ripping out the bound off edge and finishing the square (got a little ahead of myself), I found myself looking at this:

That's a big ol' pile of seaming, folks. I briefly flirted with the idea of sitting in the corner, sucking my thumb and rocking, but instead put on a pot of coffee and got to it. I have two rows out of five seamed so far, and a border pretty much chosen. Unfortunately, I don't know how much I'll get to work on the blanket after tonight. Tomorrow is a bachelorette party for my friend, Sunday is recovering, and next Wednesday at 2am, I'm on my way to the airport to go to Vegas. I am completely and totally terrified. So, there will probably be at least a week of no entries, and when I get back, I don't know how much knitting I'lll have to show!

Later, 'gaters!

(Positive flying experiences encouraged! Also tips!)

Sick of Squares Yet?

I’ve got 1.5 squares to go! I’m not sure who will be happier when this blanket is finished; will it be me, or the readers of this blog who have been subjected to ecru squares for the past however many weeks? Here are two more squares, my next entry should show the last two. I really, really hope to have the whole thing at least stitched together by next weekend. I’m not holding out much hope for having the border knit on by then. Ah, well. That means I can take my time with it (somewhat), and maybe even throw a new project into the mix!

The big question will be, what will I cast on next. All I know for sure is that it won’t be anything square! I was pretty sure my next project would be Jaywalkers, but on Friday I went ahead and purchased Green Gables. After seeing Carrieoke’s version, I couldn’t resist buying the pattern straight away. I know I have many options in my stash that would work for this top, and I love that it’s fun, but also work appropriate. I also love that it’s worked in the round, which will be a welcome change. I’ve used straight needles for the first time in a long time on the afghan, and it’s made me remember why I don’t like using them anymore. They hit against everything! I have to sit in the center of the couch, or at an angle so as not to interrupt my knitting with constant knocks and catches.

My copy of Knitting on the Edge is due to arrrive this week. I’m anxious to check out the lace options.

Pictureless

Well, I have one more square finished (only three to go!), but no photo of it. I hope you'll be content with some blathering, because I feel like talking about knitting, but no one with whom to talk about knitting.

First, I saw a pattern today that made my heart skip a beat. Here's a picture of Hello Yarns' version. Look at those adorable squirrels! (Here's a link to the .pdf of the pattern.) I'm feeling a little squirrel crazy because of the latest girl to join our clan.

Meet Fats!

Judging from the shape of her belly and nipples, she just had some babies. We're hoping that if we leave food out for her, she'll bring the babies around when they're bigger. What can I say? I like small fuzzies.

Speaking of patterns (in other words, bringing this back around to topic), I have been daydreaming of knitting something besides off-white Encore for the last week or so. This post by Amelia Raitte convinced me that I need to jump on that Jaywalker bandwagon and make a pair using my Tiger striped Opal.

I purchased the Leaf Edged Bolero pattern some time ago, and am now thinking it would just the thing to carry around when the A/C gets too arctic. The big question is, do I buy some KnitPicks Shine, or do I use the Cascade Pima Tencel I picked up during the WEBS sale?

I still haven't forgotten about the Astrakhan cardigan either. That Astrakhan taunts me daily from my knitting basket. I also still have to swatch some yarn for two different gift sweaters (planning ahead for Fall gifts), and also envision giving everyone on my Christmas gift list a hat or pair of mittens. Probably a pipe dream, but I'd at least like to give something to those I've not yet given something handknit.

Looks like my break is over, and there's a big storm brewing. I'd hate for a lightening bolt to erase all of my daydreaming!

Almost There!

Two more fallen squares!

I think this will be the last one with eyelets... but I've learned to never say never.


As if I could make an afghan for a wedding gift and not include a square with a heart pattern!


I have Knitting On the Edge on its way to me, and it looks like it will arrive just in time to choose a border and frantically knit it. My new deadline? June 10. My BFF is coming up for her bachelorette party that day, and it seemed like the perfect time to give it to her and her fiance. If I don't have it done by then, I fear the project will languish until the July reception, and I'll be frantically finishing up the border then.

I think after this project... SOCKS.

Let's try this again

When I check the properties on my images in my last post, I get a very strange image address. So I thought it might work if I try to post them in a new post. Plus, this will disguise the fact that I only have half of one square done this week.

Vacation Knitting

Sorry about the prolonged silence... I’ve been on vacation and away from the Internet. The downside to this is catching up on my email. The upside is the knitting that I was able to accomplish! I finished six squares! This brings my grand total to fourteen completed squares. Just six to go, and then I can begin thinking more seriously about borders. The more I consider it, the more I’m leaning toward the classic simplicity of the icord border.

Of course, no vacation would be complete without a good yarn crawl. The very first day of vacation, I went to the New Hampshire Sheep and Wool Festival; It was my first time attending. Unfortunately, I didn’t get any pictures, because I feared for my camera. It was absolutely pouring rain, and the fairgrounds were soggy and flooded. Even though I was soaked through, I still had a good time. There were many, many adorable animals such as angora goats, sheep, alpacas and BUNNIES. I saw some interesting demonstrations, and learned a little bit about needle felting. I almost bought a drop spindle, but then came to my senses. I barely have room for my yarn stash, let alone a fiber stash! Fiber takes up a lot of space, you know. I also saw some weaving, which renewed my interest. Again with the space issue, though. If I’m going to weave, I want to be able to make fabric, not just scarves and belts. No sheep and wool festival is complete without yarn, of course, and I partook of the offerings. I picked up some Spirit Trail sock yarn in a beautiful gray color, and some hand dyed sock yarn from Dorchester Farms. And that was it. There were a lot of alpaca and mohair blends available at the festival, but I’m trying to avoid adding more of those fibers to my stash.

A couple of days ago, my boyfriend and I took a nice long drive (238 miles roundtrip!), and went on a yarn crawl. Why yes, I do have the best boyfriend ever. We first stopped at a brand new little yarn store in the area, which has Koigu, Trekking XXL, and Manos Del Uruguay. These are all yarns that were previously hard to get in this area. She also has a large trunk full of vintage patterns, and an adorable little dog. I began my yarn journey with a skein of blue Trekking XXL. After that, we stopped at three other stores (two of which I’ve been to before, one I had not), and I picked up a skein of Opal sock yarn in the Tiger colorway, two skeins of Frog Tree Merino in charcoal gray, and a ball of the most heavenly soft lace yarn I’ve ever felt. I’ve had a hard time finding the Frog Tree Merino in any stores locally, or even online, so I was glad to get back to this particular store and pick some up for some soft gloves. The word “buttuh” comes to mind when touching this yarn.







Have you noticed the sudden increase in sock yarn acquisition? I recently purchased Nancy Bush’s Knitting Vintage Socks, and have fallen in love with half the patterns. I kind of feel like this might be the summer of the sock around here. But of course, I don’t want to get ahead of myself.

PS: Photobucket appears to be having a fit right now and won't upload my pictures. I'll upload them as soon as I can to share!

Distractions

Why, yes! I am trying to distract you from the distinct lack of knitting content today. I've not so much as cast on for another square, nor have I swatched any of the fine new yarn I got recently. I have no good excuses... just somehow they days slithered through my fingers and I found myself here at Wednesday, without a stitch. I guess it happens sometimes.

I was quite excited yesterday to open my mailbox and find the Summer issue of Interweave! I like many of the projects in this issue, most notably the Marseilles Pullover, Cambridge Jacket, and Eyelet Chemise. The baby cardigan set is so cute, I wish someone I know would become pregnant so I could make one. I am also intrigued by the use of plastic canvas in Veronik Avery's bag, and I love the resulting shape.

Anyone else subscribe and have opinions?

More Squares!

Square #7!


Square #8!


Not much time to write right now, but I love posting my progress! I had a brainstorm this afternoon regarding the border of the afghan. What if I did an icord all around the edge? I think it might be nice to just neaten the edge, and an icord would accomplish that nicely. Of course, this is subject to change.

Hip to be Square!

Square #5!


Square #6!


I am over 25% finished with the afghan, and it's not seeming so crazy to try to get this finished by June. I'm researching borders right now, but may have to pick up Knitting on the Edge for more inspiration. I have Knitting over the Edge, which has some truly bitchin' borders (I'm especially fond of the cherry and duck borders), but not much for lace borders. Since the squares and the yarn are pretty traditional, I'd like the border to be so, as well. Besides, it's just fun to do eyelets.

I've been thinking about what I'm going to do with the blanket when it's finished. I'm assuming that washing and blocking each square (blocking is so essential in this case) will result in a clean blanket, but maybe I should wash it as a whole piece, too. If I do that, will I have to somehow block the entire blanket? How the hell does one do that?

Thanks for the compliments on the sweater. I wore it all day yesterday and got tons of compliments. Everyone thought I had bought it. It was so comfy, I know I'm going to be wearing it a lot. I highly recommend the pattern to anyone looking to add a fashionable bit of warmth to their wardrobe. The pattern is very well written, and gives different options for collars and ribbing. Check it out!

What's This?

I finally got the zipper set in the Ribby Cardi! It's been so long, the details on this project are kind of fuzzy, but I do know that I used Cascade 220 in navy blue and pink. I think it would also look smashing in navy blue and orange. I had some issues with the zipper, mainly with the zipper moving through the sewing machine faster than the fabric, but I finally got that sorted. The designer, Bonne Marie Burns, has a wonderful tutorial for installing zippers, but as I am without an Internet connection at home, I winged it.

Of course, today is the first day that it's actually been warm outside, so I can't wear it (NOT that I'm complaining!).