Wednesday, May 28, 2003
Hoo doggies. I meant to be so good about updating, and I just haven't. Sorry. Had a great long weekend. 4 days off of work! Lots of stuff happened, the top 5 which are:
5. I spent my $30 Webs gift certificate - ball of Opal, 2 sets of dpns (including 4's) and a ball of that Berocco sequin stuff.
4. Iturned 24.
3. My sister Nicole came out to visit.
2. I bought a car!
1. I got engaged!!
Matt proposed on my birthday, while I was opening presents. If you're really interested, I did post the whole thing over at my regular livejournal, here, providing that livejournal will actually work and let me post the darn thing. I used to find that of the three free journalling services I use, Blogger, Livejournal and Diaryland, that Livejournal was up the most, at lest for the free accounts. Right now my paid Diaryland account is available the most for posting, and Blogger and Livejournal keep going down. I do have my own webspace, and I could start using moveable type, but my domain hosting isn't all that reliable either.
Anyway, back to knitting. I decided I want to knit myself a shawl for my wedding, or more likely, the reception. I've always wanted a big nice fancy one - what better motivation, eh?
When Nicole came out we picked up some Chinchilla and some size 8 needles. She wants to make a nice square pillow cover. I explained that Chinchilla might be a little tricky to get back in the saddle with, all that fuzz, but she wanted to try. And she was doing great, had 4 inches or so done on the front of the pillow cover when she left on Monday. She said she'll come visit me when it's time to bind off!
Still plugging away on the Slytherin Scarf. I'm 2/3 of the way done - 14/21 stripes. Then all that fringe. Dear God, the fringe!
Cast on for the cropped tweedy pullover in Horstia from IK fall 02. I *heart* this yarn, and the pattern.
Ripped back Mexico #2 to the picked-up gusset stitches. It hurt, but it had to be done. It was just ugly.
Made Virgil one of Wendy's mice - pictures will be forthcoming!
Phew...I think that's it for now!
Wednesday, May 21, 2003
KnitPicks order came today - wahoo! I also got a gift certificate to Web's from my sister-in-law (almost) and some "mad money" from my Nana in preparation for my birthday. More yarn money! All coming on the heels of the proclaimed yarn diet. I even told Matt I was going on a yarn diet. But I did say that I might get sock yarn. And needles, of course. Can you believe that I don't have any size 4 dpns? How did that happen? I have like, 2 sets of 0-5, but no 4s. Hmmm. Not that I have any patterns suffering from lack of 4s, but you never know.
I'm suffering from startitis - I cast on for the Rockstar scarf today. I cannot believe how soft the Apart is. And I can see why working w/ furry yarn when it's not a carry along (like in my fuzzy feet) is a bitch. The Koigu is working up pinker than I thought, but so far I'm cool with the effect. I also need to remember that I spend a lot of time in flourescent(sp) lighting, so maybe it isn't as pink as I think it is. I also cast on for Rachelle's baby's hat last night, hereafter known as "pink baby hat." The dye work on this is one of the stranger skeins of Koigu I've seen. It's mostly pinky ranging to lavender, with a few random splotches of dark purple that look more like drips then an actual conceived colorway. Luckily the splotches don't look wicked bad on the finished fabric, though that could be a blessing of garter stitch on tiny needles. I've made this hat once before; it's a garter stitch hat done on two needles with a rolled brim (just a few rows of stockinette). When making this hat I had a dilemma - do I cast it on dpns, and try and do a circular garter stitch? Or do I do it flat (like that pattern calls for) and seam up the back? I settled for flat, because I figure at this point my seaming skills may be up to the challenge. We'll see.
This is kinda cheezy, but I'm really excited by all my knitting right now. I've solved a lot of tension and evenness problems, and everything I make just looks so good now. I'm pretty happy. I haven't steered much out for garter, seed stitich, and stockinette, but it all looks professional now, which wasn't the case even a few months ago. And I'm definitely much faster. I was done with my prescribed rows of Slytherin Scarf before my first break at work, and I'm entering into 20 or so rows on the Rockstar scarf. All while reading 83 pages in The Nanny Diaries, and oh, yeah, doing my job, too!
By the way, as a former "caretaker", this book is amusing the hell out of me. I love all my kids, but some of their parents were another story entirely. There was one family...white carpet. White carpet that they didn't want the 8 month old baby with digestive problems spitting up on. When she was downstairs, she could only play on a blanket on the floor, 3 feet square or so. If her mom came in to see her off the blanket, she'd freak out. Oh, and they didn't put any child safety locks on the cabinets in the kitchen - you see, they were real hardwood, and they didn't want to ruin them. They didn't re-arrange their drawers, either. The knives were still within toddler reach. Eventually they put rubber bands on the handles. The baby pulled them off, luckily when I wasn't there. Then they put on locks that went on the handles, not into the actual wood. That took the 15 month old a little longer to figure out, but not by much. These people also never put outlet covers in...they couldn't find the ones that would match their existing outlets. I swear to gawd.
I'm suffering from startitis - I cast on for the Rockstar scarf today. I cannot believe how soft the Apart is. And I can see why working w/ furry yarn when it's not a carry along (like in my fuzzy feet) is a bitch. The Koigu is working up pinker than I thought, but so far I'm cool with the effect. I also need to remember that I spend a lot of time in flourescent(sp) lighting, so maybe it isn't as pink as I think it is. I also cast on for Rachelle's baby's hat last night, hereafter known as "pink baby hat." The dye work on this is one of the stranger skeins of Koigu I've seen. It's mostly pinky ranging to lavender, with a few random splotches of dark purple that look more like drips then an actual conceived colorway. Luckily the splotches don't look wicked bad on the finished fabric, though that could be a blessing of garter stitch on tiny needles. I've made this hat once before; it's a garter stitch hat done on two needles with a rolled brim (just a few rows of stockinette). When making this hat I had a dilemma - do I cast it on dpns, and try and do a circular garter stitch? Or do I do it flat (like that pattern calls for) and seam up the back? I settled for flat, because I figure at this point my seaming skills may be up to the challenge. We'll see.
This is kinda cheezy, but I'm really excited by all my knitting right now. I've solved a lot of tension and evenness problems, and everything I make just looks so good now. I'm pretty happy. I haven't steered much out for garter, seed stitich, and stockinette, but it all looks professional now, which wasn't the case even a few months ago. And I'm definitely much faster. I was done with my prescribed rows of Slytherin Scarf before my first break at work, and I'm entering into 20 or so rows on the Rockstar scarf. All while reading 83 pages in The Nanny Diaries, and oh, yeah, doing my job, too!
By the way, as a former "caretaker", this book is amusing the hell out of me. I love all my kids, but some of their parents were another story entirely. There was one family...white carpet. White carpet that they didn't want the 8 month old baby with digestive problems spitting up on. When she was downstairs, she could only play on a blanket on the floor, 3 feet square or so. If her mom came in to see her off the blanket, she'd freak out. Oh, and they didn't put any child safety locks on the cabinets in the kitchen - you see, they were real hardwood, and they didn't want to ruin them. They didn't re-arrange their drawers, either. The knives were still within toddler reach. Eventually they put rubber bands on the handles. The baby pulled them off, luckily when I wasn't there. Then they put on locks that went on the handles, not into the actual wood. That took the 15 month old a little longer to figure out, but not by much. These people also never put outlet covers in...they couldn't find the ones that would match their existing outlets. I swear to gawd.
Monday, May 19, 2003
Been knitting like crazy on the Slytherin Scarf. Everything else is taking kind of a back seat while I read A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin. It's amazing, second in a series. I totally love it. But as a paperback on loan from a friend, I'm not able to read and knit at the same time - it doesn't lay flat, and I can't do the damage I'd have to do to it to make it lay flat. Plus, my wrists have been killing me lately, so I've been trying to take it easy.
Current Projects (in case you were wondering)
* the Slytherin Scarf
* felted bag, take 2
* Mexico sock #2
* top-down Aspen sweater
* tartelette scarf
Those are just the main projects. A lot of other ones pop in and out of rotation. Soon to be added: Rockstar scarf, and baby hat for my cousin Rachelle. Hmmm, maybe I can get Matt to wind the yarn for Rockstar tonight...
I'm going to try and update a little more than usual, since so many bloggers are taking a break. I can understand the need for a break; I've been keeping a blog of some sort since October 2000, and sometimes I get tired of trying to think of something to say. So I take a little break, maybe I post in my regular diaryland diary, or write in a paper journal, or something...but I always get back online eventually, and I hope that a lot of the knitting bloggers will too.
Current Projects (in case you were wondering)
* the Slytherin Scarf
* felted bag, take 2
* Mexico sock #2
* top-down Aspen sweater
* tartelette scarf
Those are just the main projects. A lot of other ones pop in and out of rotation. Soon to be added: Rockstar scarf, and baby hat for my cousin Rachelle. Hmmm, maybe I can get Matt to wind the yarn for Rockstar tonight...
I'm going to try and update a little more than usual, since so many bloggers are taking a break. I can understand the need for a break; I've been keeping a blog of some sort since October 2000, and sometimes I get tired of trying to think of something to say. So I take a little break, maybe I post in my regular diaryland diary, or write in a paper journal, or something...but I always get back online eventually, and I hope that a lot of the knitting bloggers will too.
Friday, May 16, 2003
This post was supposed to be from yesterday:
Oh dear. In 3 to 5 business days, I'll be in yarn heaven. I just placed a KnitPicks order, and received my threadbearfiberarts order. I had ordered sock yarn for me (LL in Aslan) and some Koigu for Rockstar, and Koigu for some baby stuff for my cousin Rachelle's upcoming girl baby. I LOVE the red/violet colourway I got for Rockstar, and can't wait until the KnitPicks order comes with the Apart so I can start it!
I'm sticking pretty well to the 8 rows a day rule on the Slytherin scarf.
Oh dear. In 3 to 5 business days, I'll be in yarn heaven. I just placed a KnitPicks order, and received my threadbearfiberarts order. I had ordered sock yarn for me (LL in Aslan) and some Koigu for Rockstar, and Koigu for some baby stuff for my cousin Rachelle's upcoming girl baby. I LOVE the red/violet colourway I got for Rockstar, and can't wait until the KnitPicks order comes with the Apart so I can start it!
I'm sticking pretty well to the 8 rows a day rule on the Slytherin scarf.
Tuesday, May 13, 2003
Let's see, what have I been doing that's knit related lately...I've been doing pretty well sticking to my 8 rows of Slytherin Scarf a day. We went to visit Matt's parents and grandparents this weekend for Mother's Day, and Matt's mom was very interested to see what I was working on. She just finished a birthday present for Matt's sister, so she has nothing on the needles right now. On Sunday morning, before church, she did 8 rows for me on the scarf!
I started a top-down raglan sweater from the Aspen I got on sale from KnitPicks. I like the pattern, I can understand how it works, but I'm unhappy with my increases. I've taken it off the needles, and I'm ripping back to the beginning. I found the Interweave Knits from last fall, which has the article about different types of increases. I think I'm going to change my plan of attack on that.
Still plugging away on Mexico #2, and spending lots of time daydreaming about future projects. Right now, foremost in my mind is that turtleneck made out of another KnitPicks sale yarn. I do have a couple yarn purchases in mind, and then I'm going to try to work with what I have until the end of summer. It's a tall order, but it needs to happen. My yarn situation is a little ridiculous at this point.
I started a top-down raglan sweater from the Aspen I got on sale from KnitPicks. I like the pattern, I can understand how it works, but I'm unhappy with my increases. I've taken it off the needles, and I'm ripping back to the beginning. I found the Interweave Knits from last fall, which has the article about different types of increases. I think I'm going to change my plan of attack on that.
Still plugging away on Mexico #2, and spending lots of time daydreaming about future projects. Right now, foremost in my mind is that turtleneck made out of another KnitPicks sale yarn. I do have a couple yarn purchases in mind, and then I'm going to try to work with what I have until the end of summer. It's a tall order, but it needs to happen. My yarn situation is a little ridiculous at this point.
Wednesday, May 07, 2003
Tuesday, May 06, 2003
Today's big knitting news: getting serious about the Slytherin Scarf. To recap - I'm knitting my friend Kris a "Harry Potter" scarf in Slytherin Scarf colors. Originally, I'd hoped to do this for Christmas, but I was not able to find the perfect yarn - it needed to be close to the colors in the movie, and at least partially wool. I found the yarn in early January, and hoped to get the scarf done by late January, in time for her birthday. All together now, folks - "Yeah, right."
So now the scheduled date of completion is June 21st, the day the next Harry Potter book comes out.
Slytherin Scarf Stats:
7 stripes completed.
14 more to go.
26 rows per stripe.
364 more rows.
47 more days.
8 rows a day, approximately.
(incidentally, there are 100+ stitches for row, but the math for that was too frightening.)
lame lonely link
* source for Henry's Attic yarn
So now the scheduled date of completion is June 21st, the day the next Harry Potter book comes out.
Slytherin Scarf Stats:
7 stripes completed.
14 more to go.
26 rows per stripe.
364 more rows.
47 more days.
8 rows a day, approximately.
(incidentally, there are 100+ stitches for row, but the math for that was too frightening.)
lame lonely link
* source for Henry's Attic yarn
Monday, May 05, 2003
Man, I read about Squib's kayaking adventures, and all I want to do now is go canoeing on some upstate NY quiet little lake. I used to do that all the time, back when I lived in NY, with my mom who had a canoe.
Not much knitting progress to report. I am almost done with fixation sock #1, and it's coming out a little too small. I'm hoping to give them to a friend. I like the fabric this yarn makes, but I'm unimpressed with how much it ladders. I don't have a dramatic laddering problem with anything but fixation. I think it must be the stretchiness.
Not much knitting progress to report. I am almost done with fixation sock #1, and it's coming out a little too small. I'm hoping to give them to a friend. I like the fabric this yarn makes, but I'm unimpressed with how much it ladders. I don't have a dramatic laddering problem with anything but fixation. I think it must be the stretchiness.
Sunday, May 04, 2003
Well, I can't really say that it was a good knitting weekend, but it was a good finishing weekend. I finally seamed up and added buttons to the now ended neverending baby sweater. I wove in the ends, and decided to tack down the top of the red sock to make picot edging, rather than just leaving it roll top with a row of eyelets (that was my lazy design element). And I did start felted bag #2. I'm going to follow a pattern this time, so hopefully it will turn into a bag, rather than a felted bolster.
I like the new IK. Better than the last one. But then, I always can find a several more projects to make in IK than in anything else. More comprehensive discussion later, when I've finished all the articles.
I kinda want to make a rockstar scarf. KnitPicks has Apart...and ThreadBear has Koigu...get some nice pastell-y koigu for baby booties for cousins...
Startitis strikes again. Seriously.
And in other news...I'm feeling like some site revamps. This blog may be moving in the near future. But then again, maybe not. Anyone know of any good, cheap webhosts? www.yarnporn.com needs a new home.
links:
* cat pillow, thanks to Erica
* my birthday's coming up. I want this kit, badly.
* and this book
I like the new IK. Better than the last one. But then, I always can find a several more projects to make in IK than in anything else. More comprehensive discussion later, when I've finished all the articles.
I kinda want to make a rockstar scarf. KnitPicks has Apart...and ThreadBear has Koigu...get some nice pastell-y koigu for baby booties for cousins...
Startitis strikes again. Seriously.
And in other news...I'm feeling like some site revamps. This blog may be moving in the near future. But then again, maybe not. Anyone know of any good, cheap webhosts? www.yarnporn.com needs a new home.
links:
* cat pillow, thanks to Erica
* my birthday's coming up. I want this kit, badly.
* and this book
Thursday, May 01, 2003
Grrr. I'm cranky with knitting vendors right now. I had yet another order from Patternworks delivered where they tell me that they no longer carry an item. Well, if it's discontinued, take it off your webpage! The other order, the one from 4 weeks ago, has STILL NOT SHIPPED. I think I'm cancelling it today. Sigh. Now I need to find 5,6 skeins cotton twist in tie-dye, which Patternworks didn't have, and size 11 16" circ & bee stripe yarn, which I ordered from the annoying vendor. Blech.
As far as actually knitting goes, I've been knitting like crazy! Working on Mexico #2, and Fixation #1, both of Matt's socks, and also the Slytherin scarf. I've been in such a sock mood lately - they really are the perfect project for work, as long as you are on the leg or foot. Nothing makes stockinette whiz by like multi-tasking. I've picked up Bella a few times, but I can't work on it when a) I've just gotten out of the shower, b) when I'm dressed for work, c) when I've got my contacts in. The angora fluff is just too agressive. But I'd like to note that the finished material doesn't seem to shed, it just seems to be that the knitting process loosens up all that fuzz and throws it around.
Still haven't seamed up that baby sweater, but since I just wrote a letter to my step-sister, I might as well finish the sweater and put it in the mail along with the letter. That's my goal for the weekend - seam the sweater!
one lousy link:
* four pairs of ebony circs, a la Martha
As far as actually knitting goes, I've been knitting like crazy! Working on Mexico #2, and Fixation #1, both of Matt's socks, and also the Slytherin scarf. I've been in such a sock mood lately - they really are the perfect project for work, as long as you are on the leg or foot. Nothing makes stockinette whiz by like multi-tasking. I've picked up Bella a few times, but I can't work on it when a) I've just gotten out of the shower, b) when I'm dressed for work, c) when I've got my contacts in. The angora fluff is just too agressive. But I'd like to note that the finished material doesn't seem to shed, it just seems to be that the knitting process loosens up all that fuzz and throws it around.
Still haven't seamed up that baby sweater, but since I just wrote a letter to my step-sister, I might as well finish the sweater and put it in the mail along with the letter. That's my goal for the weekend - seam the sweater!
one lousy link:
* four pairs of ebony circs, a la Martha
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