hey julie

I smite thee, blogger

2007-03-01T21:35:00.000-06:00

You know, I've always been pro-Blogger because of the sheer simplicity of authoring blogger templates. If you can manage basic CSS, a few tags and a smidge of HTML, you're golden. Or at least you were, until the new freaking beta from hell took over, and the entire system changed.

Yes, I'm a web person. Yes, I could learn this whole new way of coding templates if I wanted to. But you know what? If I'm going to have to learn something new from the ground up, I think I'm much better off learning WordPress. A much better investment of my time, given all of the trouble I've had with google-related sites as of late.

So here we go: http://heyjulie.wordpress.com

It's not fully customized 'cause I'm on the free server, but it works. Everything's there. I'll keep the free patterns up here for a while too, but they're over there as well.

Change your bookmarks! Come on over and say hello!

in the works

2007-02-21T13:43:00.000-06:00

I've had this half-spun tussah silk sitting around for a while...and imagine my delight when I pulled it out and realized that it matches the Spunky BFL I got for Christmas. I'm going to ply them together.

Lately I'm all about plying different fibers together to get the most yardage possible. I liken it to how, you know when you first start buying yarn you grab single skeins of gobs of different things, and then one day you realize that if you actually want to make stuff, you really need more? I'm finding the same thing with handspun...sure, handspun hats and fingerless gloves are great, but I'd like the option of making something more substantial.

Who knows what kind of yardage I'll end up with on this one...but it sure is gonna be beautiful.

I've said it before,

2007-02-14T12:00:00.000-06:00

and I'll say it again...my DH is such a keeper. :)

I ask for the geekiest things (like those, and these), and he always comes through... *swoon*

bad bad blogger

2007-02-11T14:43:00.000-06:00

Anyone still out there?

Due to a rash of sickness I was unable to knit or spin for about two weeks. The horror! But I'm back at it! When I was finally feeling well enough to do something other than stare at the computer screen or lie on the couch, I started spinning my lovely alpaca...and what a delight it is. This fiber requires no predrafting at all -- it's so well prepared and spins up so quickly.

The single (above) looks like it's plied but it's not. I decided to spin the natural colored fiber and ply it with that...good call.

It's just lovely. It's heavy worsted, about 130 yards per 100g so far.

And the knitting...you would think that two months was enough time to knit a freaking pair of socks! Well, I mean, it is -- but I just kept getting sidetracked. I finally frogged the lace I had started and decided to go with Jaywalkers, so I could take them anywhere and work on them in my spare moments. Good call.

They only took about 6 days from start to finish.

FO #109: Jaywalker Socks, in merino/tencel from Yarn Ahoy. For my Sockentine Swap partner...they're in the mail!

2007-01-22T12:18:00.000-06:00

Taking care of a weepy sick kid (pre-8 p.m.) and catching up on 24 (post-8 p.m.) aren't really conductive to knitting or spinning...but I do have a little bit to show...

More merino from HPY. Very thick and thin -- this was the first time I was trying to spin a thicker single, not intending to ply it. I'm still not sure what I should do...ply it, or steam it? Here's what it looks like plied:

Also, aaaaaaahhhhhhh, my alpaca came in the mail on Saturday from the lovely Hooch:

Another decision....ply the colors with themselves, or ply the brown and white together? Hmm.

FOs #107 & 108

2007-01-22T12:00:00.000-06:00

107: earflap hats in handspun cormo (see below, too lazy to link) and 108: can't talk about it. Secret FO. I'll fill in the details here later.

proof

2007-01-10T15:46:00.000-06:00

Okay Jenn, here you go. I can't talk about this stuff, but I can show you pictures. ;) Amongst the projects on my (many) needles....

Something lacy, on very tiny needles....

...something cable-y, on bigger needles...

...and something mindless:

...although the mindless thing isn't entirely mindless...I managed to screw it up and have to spend too much time tinking. This was a week ago and I haven't touched it since...but I need to.

you guessed it, more spinning

2007-01-08T22:39:00.000-06:00

Really, I do still knit. I have five things on the needles. But this is what captured my attention this past week:

I thought I might spin it a little bulkier than usual, but it had other ideas.

The pictures really don't do it justice. I was so taken by the colors the whole time I was spinning it. Look, we match:

The colors are just so amazing. Deep violets, berry-winey colors that I can't describe...I decided to navajo ply it to kind of keep the colors together, but I'm second guessing myself. I'd love to see what it would have looked like as a 2-ply. This photo makes it look ore purpley than it really is.

100g, 150 yds, 11wpi.

technical difficulties

2007-01-03T19:08:00.000-06:00

Man, for the record, I love my web filtering system and I wouldn't be without it, but GAH, the filter and Google just do not get along. It's making me batty. I keep having to exclude Googe IP after Google IP to be able to log into Blogger, watch YouTube videos, etc....just, GAH.

In other news:

I have time to spin again. Aaaaaah.

mmmmm, Cormo

2006-12-30T14:11:00.000-06:00

It's soooo soft. And I'm so pleased with the consistency -- it's still a bit thick and thin, but the weight/yardage of the skeins is quite close (53g/115 yd and 56g/119yd) even though one was spindle-spun and the other was wheel-spun. Go me.

my own private hell

2006-12-28T15:37:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-25T20:55:00.000-06:00

Hope everyone had a lovely, relaxing, blessed, drama-free Christmas!

We had a wonderfully laid-back day...stockings, then Mass, then presents, then the big family dinner, more presents, coffee and cookies, then we left the kids at the ILs for the night and returned home to prepare their room for all the new loot and watch as much Prison Break as possible before falling asleep. Whew!

Speaking of loot...

I'm a lucky girl.

FOs #105 & #106

2006-12-19T14:03:00.000-06:00

105...earflap hat for my sweet niece. Lamb's Pride Bulky.

106...My So-Called Scarf in HPY 6-ply bulky merino, in one of my favorite colorways, Emerald Blue. Now, I'm not a scarf knitter -- they make me batty, they are so boring -- but I love this scarf. Perfect pattern for the yarn.

Jodi, if the hat is too itchy, go here and pick out a color. :)

FO #104

2006-12-11T08:35:00.000-06:00

Lace-Edged Women's Hat (my pattern, link in right sidebar), knit in RYC Cashsoft Aran on US6 needles. I knit this over the weekend in every single stolen moment I could find -- riding in the car, waiting in line, waiting for file uploads, etc. Sure hope it fits.

the spinning, it never stops

2006-12-08T09:32:00.000-06:00

I finished the second-to-last of my thank-you yarn this week. Woo:

This batch was actually supposed to be the last one, because Sara told me to leave hers for last. But the real last batch has been delayed due to two different, completely unrelated dyeing snafus. The first half of the fiber has been spun for several weeks...it's waiting patiently on the bobbin. When I went to dye the second half of the fiber (my second attempt), this is what I saw:

Hmmm.

Long story short, I purchased superwash merino, but it has a bonus fiber included. The fiber that remained undyed is (we think) bamboo. I'm spining it to see if it works into my color scheme, but if it doesn't seem appropriate, I'm spinning this last patient donor some silk.

So, I'm a total liar

2006-12-06T08:00:00.000-06:00

I have this friend and I owe her a package full of stuff. I keep saying that I'm going to send it any day, but I haven't yet. She's on the other side of the world, though, and she has no Internet access, so she'll never know. Well, maybe she'll figure it out when she sees the postmark and the customs form...but, whatever.

Really, I had a good reason -- I wanted to finish spinning this so I could send it along.

BMFA 50% merino, 50% tencel. Yum.

in the home stretch

2006-12-05T16:00:00.000-06:00

The frantic spinning is nearing an end...

another one bites the dust

2006-12-04T11:30:00.000-06:00

So we're losing another yarn store. To be totally honest it's not my fave -- too many novelty yarns for my taste, and it feels crowded even when there's only a few people there...but they are quite nice and helpful and I'm sad to see it go.

I used considerable restraint...it was only the second day of the sale:

I just grabbed two patterns, some very pretty mystery wool roving, two balls of bamboo (a Christmas present for a wool-sensitive family member who is learning to knit), and some Catalina Baby Pima that I already have atwo skeins of -- now I have four so I can make something bigger. :)

FOs 101, 102, 103

2006-12-03T21:00:00.000-06:00

Needless to say, I'm a little behind. No photos for these, you're just going to have to take my word for it.

FO #101: those mittens I posted about back here. Finished a long time ago. Wool of the Andes, dyed by my then-5 year old. They turned out too big, and I officially declare here and now that I do not like knitting mittens.

FO #102: Fair Isle baby pants. Or rather, baby pants with fair isle around the cuffs. Which is cute and all, but a royal pain and I need to see if blocking is going to even it all up. Merino Style. Dregs of many colors. Who knows how much.

FO #103: Log Cabin Socks from Melanie Falick's Handknit Holidays. Pictured partially completed here. These were a gift, and as soon as the last end was woven I threw them in an envelope and bid them adieu, only to realize later that I hadn't photographed them. I'm funny like that -- I have to mail things immediately when the urge strikes, or it doesn't get done. Usually I don't even throw notes in with my packages. I just have to get. them. out. NOW.

what's new

2006-11-27T23:24:00.000-06:00

Actually, not a whole lot is new! Same old same old around here. But my blog looked awfully lonely so I figured I should post. ;).

Spinning: 16 down, two to go! I'm spinning the last two batches of thank-you yarn simultaneously because I feel so bad that someone has to be last. I'm halfway through one, and about a third of the way through the other. And omg, I am in luuuurve with merino/tencel...it is an absolute dream to spin.

Don't you want to touch it??

Knitting: sock #1 is done, and it's cushy and cozy and awesome. Sock #2 is stalled, because I haven't had a lot of out-and-about knitting time lately. I knit the heel flap on Thanksgiving, and picked up the gusset stitches, but I really had to put it away because I couldn't work on it without being antisocial, what with the keeping track of the cable pattern while decreasing while my children jumped on and off my lap and begged for more pie and all.

Misc: I'm tired. I stay up way too late. But I can't help it, it's sooo quiiiiet.

The Internet continues to amaze me. I put a video up on YouTube on Saturday night, to address some questions about my basic earflap hat pattern. By this evening it had been viewed 125 times. (Wild.)

I got a huge head of romaine lettuce today, and made a ginormous salad with green peppers, cucumbers, carrots, red onion...grated parmesan and fat free caesar italian dressing...it was amazing. Then I went to the gym. Go me. Then I came home and made eggnog milkshakes. Does that count as two steps forward, one step back? Or does the milkshake completely negate the other two?

amazing article

2006-11-21T21:45:00.000-06:00

Cat Bordhi is my hero. (PDF)

note to self

2006-11-20T13:32:00.000-06:00

When you have several containers of roving soaking in the utility sink?

Don't do the laundry.

I figured it was time

2006-11-18T10:16:00.000-06:00

After reading blog after blog, with accounts of fiber festivals galore, most of them containing "first, we made a mad dash for The Fold..." I decided it was time to go check them out. I do live an hour away, after all -- not a bad trip on a Friday morning.

o. m. g.

I'm feeling the love.

I've had my eye on these....

2006-11-15T09:06:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I took a 24-hour spinning vacation...

I'm still amazed that the pattern calls for a yarn I actually have on hand. Not that I wouldn't sub, but...cool. Very cozy.

to answer your quesitons

2006-11-09T10:05:00.000-06:00

1. no, I am not stopping at 100. I have two more FOs to weave and photograph...I'm just sort of busy with a CRAPLOAD OF SPINNING right now. ;)

2. the yarn in my header...aaaahhhh....when I received it in the mail I seriously couldn't keep my eyes off of it. I wanted to look at it all the time. Then it dawned on me that a great way to do just that was to put it in my header! It's Ejido 160, from handpaintedyarn.com, color: Aguas.

And speaking of hpy.com, omg, look at this roving. Drool.

FO #100

2006-10-31T10:52:00.000-06:00

Finally!!

The boring stuff...
Fabulous Lace Inset Cardigan, knit in Bartlett Yarns Fisherman Bulky (Garnet, 5 skeins) on US10.5 and US11 needles.
Pattern modifications and comments:
Charts are my friend. First I charted the lace pattern so I wouldn't have to work from written row-by-row instructions. Then I created a chart that mirrored the lace pattern, because it didn't seem right to have two identical lace panels opposite each other. So I used the mirror chart for the left front, and used it side by side with the regular chart for the collar and sleeves where two panels of the lace pattern were worked simultaneously.

The finishing instructions were very vague -- good thing I knew to block all the pieces very, very carefully before sewing any of them together, because it would have been a freaking nightmare otherwise. I actually had to block a few pieces more than once. I took 6 rows out of the bell portion of the sleeve because I just knew they would be too long. I wish I'd trusted the same intuition and added 6 rows (or more) to the body...but all in all the length is okay. It hits at my waist which would be great except the mock waist seam thingy looks a little out of place a few inches above my waist.

All in all, I like it, but I'm not GAH over it. The yarn is a bit itchy. I have to be careful what I wear under it so it doesn't look strange peeking out at the bottom. But it's a pretty sweater. If it were three inches longer I'd love it.

I'm also knitting

2006-10-26T14:03:00.000-05:00

Just a little.

New to the cardigans-without-sleeves pile:

Last weekend I knit the collar and sewed the side seams -- go me. And I actually did start a sleeve on Monday. You know, before the wheel got here. As soon as I get through the lace part I'm expecting that it'll go pretty quickly. And it will be more portable. It's super cozy -- if I'm lucky I can wear it when I take the kids trick-or-treating. Lucky meaning no rain. A girl can hope, right?

I'm learning

2006-10-26T13:48:00.000-05:00

I knew it -- I knew before the wheel came that I'd have to take a few steps backward. It's only natural. My first wee skein came out pretty decent, but like a dork I was a bit overconfident going into the second. It's pretty and all:

But it's kind of dense. Well, more than kind of. I sought some advice on the Pixie boards and the input I received made total sense -- I need to slow down. In the beginning, slower is better. Even if that means that for a few weeks my spindle production is faster than my wheel production.

So I took a deep breath, slowed down, and spun another wee skein that was pretty decent. Sorry, no picture, because the colors are pretty meh. Dyeing accident. I do have a picture of this one though:

Mmmmm, tussah silk. I got brave and decided to see how fine I could spin it. And I just have to say, I can see myself spinning a bit of fingering weight, but I cannot fathom 2-ply laceweight. I finished this and thought, "wow, that's very very very fine! Maybe it's laceweight!!" Wrong...22 wpi. Sure, you can find a *few* charts that categorize it as laceweight, but it's pretty much fingering. And that's okay.

I'm trying to get up the courage to start spinning thank-you yarn on the wheel. But I want it to be as nice as the spindle stuff I've been sending out...so maybe this weekend. I think I need a bit more practice.

it's here!

2006-10-23T18:27:00.000-05:00

Kindly ignore all the surrounding clutter.....

It's just lovely.

And here's my first wheelspun yarn...all 40 yards of it! ;)

It's nothing to write home about, but it's balanced and soooo sft. I chose cormo because I knew it would be easy to draft. Spinning? A bit of a challenge figuring out all of the adjustments, as I expected. Plying? A dream. Of course I have to work out the hand stress issues -- among other things -- but I think I'm really going to like it.

:)

Monday, Monday

2006-10-23T13:48:00.000-05:00

So, if you've got some cash burning a hole in your PayPal account, and you'd just love a custom-made small knitting project bag, do visit fibersnob and donate to *her* wheel fund. 10% of proceeds got to breast cancer research! What's not to love?

So I'm sitting here like a dumb nutcase lunatic, peering out the window every time a car passes. My wheel is on the UPS truck, and I have the sneaking suspiscion that mine will be the very last package delivered before the UPS guy goes home tonight. After all, it was loaded on the truck at 4:56 this morning. (I know, I know, UPS tracking geek much?) Either that or he will come during the three minutes it takes for me to pick up my daughter at school.

tick, tock, tick, tock......

Basic Earflap Hat -- corrected!!!

2006-10-21T08:17:00.000-05:00

While it's fab to be listed on KPC and all -- you would not believe the traffic I get from them alone -- the downside is that there's not way to let the hundreds of people who've visited that there has been a correction to my Basic Earflap Hat pattern. An astute knitter pointed out a GLARING OMISSION to me (doh!) several weeks ago, so I immediately corrected the pattern (changes are in red). But lots of people had already snagged the pattern. And they're coming back to report an unusual outcome of the nipple-y kind, lol. I apologize to all who have knit and wondered what the heck I was smoking!

So anyway, I'm putting up this post in the hopes that I at least catch a few more people before they knit it. Sigh.

And the wheel? As of 3 a.m., it's in Illinois. If only UPS delivered on Saturday......

I knit! I spin!

2006-10-16T10:18:00.000-05:00

And yes, my hands do sort of feel like they are going to fall off.

In progress: mittens for kiddo #1...using WOTA that she helped me dye. I fear they'll be too big, so I haven't woven anything in yet. No thumbs yet because I need to try them on her, and I hate teeny diameter circ knitting with DPNS with the passion of then thousand white hot suns. I will finish them soon, though, because as previously mentioned, it snowed here last week. And the drama of trying to find matching mittens that fit and don't have irritating tags in them, as we are rushing out the door, is wearing me out.

In other news, I just completed some bona fide sock yarn!

That's 18wpi, for those of you without superheroish vision. Depending on what chart you look at, fingering weight. It has its *cough* charms, but it's sproingy and soft, and I would so knit with it, if it were mine.

That's been the big *a-ha* around here lately: more and more, I'm really digging the yarn that I'm spinning. Not that I disliked it before, but I'm increasingly feeling like, hey, I would totally pay money for this yarn. I really like it. Woo!

No wheel yet. Suppressed rant over there.

FO #99

2006-10-15T16:00:00.000-05:00

Why yes, those are candy cane jammies. It snowed here last week, folks -- anything goes.

The boring stuff: ribbed socks, knit in Knit Picks Parade (which has sadly been discontinued) on US4 needles. CO 36 sts and went from there. I couldn't have come closer if I tried...there were about 2g of yarn left from the 50g ball.

I think she likes them...

2006-10-12T12:00:00.000-05:00

No sooner was this sock off the needles, it was on her little foot. For several hours. I said, "I am going to need that back at some point..." Hee.

Me, I'm just enjoying it while it lasts -- God knows they won't be excited about handknit socks forever.

nothing to see here

2006-10-07T14:52:00.000-05:00

Nothing about knitting, that is. I've been dyeing, spinning, dyeing, spinning -- though I did knit a swatch the other day. Does that count?

I'm working on an update post for the wheel blog. Hopefully it will be up this afternoon!

the stalking begins

2006-09-27T15:39:00.000-05:00

I ordered my wheel yesterday!!!

Now, I'm not sure because no one will answer my e-mails, but I heard through the grapevine that they're in stock, so it could come as early as this week. Time to stalk the mailman!

Squeeeee!

The spinning continues...as soon as I have my act together I'll be updating the other blog with spinning progress reports for all you kickin' generous wheel fund donors. There are some photos of finished yarn on flickr here if you care to take a peek...but don't look if you want to be surprised!

spinny SP, how I love thee

2006-09-25T15:36:00.000-05:00

Among other things....go here for another pic with a description of my awesome haul!

Lucky me!!

death by Express Mail

2006-09-25T15:30:00.000-05:00

Luckily I'd gotten my own socks in the mail five hours before I was taken out...

moving right along

2006-09-21T12:38:00.000-05:00

First things first...happy birthday to me! My gift to myself? Letting my kids watch way too much television so I can spin. It's sort of a win-win thing. Everybody's happy.

Had a really productive day yesterday:

By the end of the day I might even be able to start plying this batch. It's a good TV night! In the meantime, I'm just stalking the mailman. My BFL had better come today! Even though I can't spin it 'til I finish my socks...

Speaking of those socks, I realized today that the yarn monkey is in a different time zone...it's altogether possible that the dossiers could go out any time after 6 p.m. today. That would be fab! (Ack, I have to free up those US4s!)

More thanks to my wheel fund donors. We're getting close!! Squee! It's not too late to get in on the fun!

Wheel update

2006-09-18T21:27:00.000-05:00

First and foremost, THANK YOU to everyone who has visited, told me I'm not crazy, linked to me, or donated to the wheel fund. I'm absolutely blown away! I've got a ways to go...and I have 650g of yarn to spin...but I don't yet have that "omg, what have I gotten myself into" feeling, which is good. I'm 41% of the way to my starter wheel...or 25% if I get the level-wind flyer. We'll see how much I can sell on eBay this week (yay for cleaning out the mystery bins) to help me along.

I've got freshly plied yarn to put in the mail to Amber tomorrow morning; there are gobs of roving for Robin either soaking, dyeing, or drying in various locations around my house; I'm stalking the mailman waiting for Cate's roving to come so I can start to dye it too....the list goes on.

I'll be spinning my heart out this week because once Friday comes it will screech to a halt for SOCK WARS! I'm dying over the timing here -- Thursday is my birthday, Friday is my daughter's (gulp) 6th birthday and the beginning of Sock Wars, Saturday we're having family over for both birthdays, Monday is the kid party. Hopefully the Int'l Socks of Doom will be simple enough for me to complete on Friday. A girl can hope, right? In my arsenal:

Now, to free up those US4 needles...

dumb or clever?

2006-09-15T12:33:00.000-05:00

So I had this idea....

Please go and read it and then tell me if I'm nuts.

Thanks.

Addendum: total crackup...I had a dream last night that when I checked my gmail box this morning, Jenna Adorno had sent me $220. ROFL -- why Jenna Adorno? I've never even knit Tempting. It is a great sweater though...anyway, I was all, "Jenna, I'm going to wait til I get my wheel to start on your yarn if you don't mind, 'cause I want all 1100 grams to be consistent, you know?" LOL.

from start to finish

2006-09-13T14:53:00.000-05:00

Well, actually, I'm not finished yet...but you know what I mean.

Also? Jodi, here is the beginning of the yarn that would be yours if you didn't dislike wool so intensely:

soooooo

2006-09-11T11:49:00.000-05:00

Anyone have $500 to spare?? (sigh.)

inca cotton

2006-09-08T15:56:00.000-05:00

I just dyed a pound of inca cotton. Two days later, it's still drying. Does anyone know if I can tie it up well and throw it in the dryer?? This is getting ridiculous.

And speaking of tying it up...a word of advice...if you ever dye inca cotton, re-tie it yourself. Don't trust the ties that are already there. My skeins are an absolute mess, and I am fearful of trying to wind them.

The process was kind of skeeery (real dye, gloves, chemicals, the whole can of worms) but a good learning experience. Not as purplish as I'd hoped, but no way am I going to overdye it. I don't think I want to dye cotton again any time soon.

the trifecta of irritation

2006-09-08T08:48:00.000-05:00

First, Blogger has been unbelievably wonky this week. I'm lucky if I can log in, let alone post. Surprising, as it's been very reliable for me for the past three years.

Second, Photobucket. They changed their upload format, and I get an error every time I try to upload a photo. I'll give it 24 hours...then, I'm outta there. (Can you say Flickr?)

Third, the original reason for this post.

Sigh.

I was on the cusp of knitting the last buttonhole row of the right front of the fab lace inset cardigan when I realized that I hadn't started the armhole shaping at row 43. (Damn those patterns that don't have charts/tell you to "reverse shaping" instead of giving you the instructions for the second side.)

I was going to tink the 15 rows. Really, I was. But in the end I just couln'd stand it...I threw caution to the wind and ripped, praying to God that I'd be able to get it all back on the needles with the lace pattern intact. And I did it!! (No guts, no glory...)

Lesson learned: don't knit anything that requires this level of concentration while listening to a podcast that features the resolution of a slasher-murder-mystery, and therefore contains a ridiculous amount of screaming.

FO #98

2006-09-03T11:00:00.000-05:00

Another with my own handspun yarn...look, it's very nubby:

It was spun from about 3oz. of merino/mohair pencil roving. There's quite a bit left so I'll probably make some matching mittens.

The boring stuff:
Earflap Hat, toddler, sized, knit on US10 needles.

FO #97

2006-09-03T10:00:00.000-05:00

A little swingy dress thing, it's quite odd:

A bit of a disappointment...it looks cute on the trampoline, but not so cute when actually on the kid. She loooves it though, so that's what's important, right?

The boring stuff:
Swingy-dressy-thing, made up as I went along.
Knit in K1C2 Wick -- 2 skeins Columbine, 1 skein Plum, on US3 (lace) and US8 needles.
Pattern notes: I knit the lace part first, on really small needles so it wouldn't be extremely holey. Then I picked up stitches to knit the skirt and the body.

stream of consciousness

2006-09-01T16:56:00.000-05:00

Hm. I wonder if you can navajo ply using a spindle.
*googles it*
Well, lookie here. Some blogger claims to have done it.
Looks cumbersome, but I can try it.
*plies*
Okay, this is really cumbersome.
*plies*
I can do it, but I don't think I ever want to do it again.
*plies and yelps a lot*
Why do people spin 50% more singles just for this? It kind of sucks.
*plies*
Okay, it *is* getting a bit easier.
But I'm still not doing it again until I have a wheel.
*If* I ever get a wheel, that is.
But...wow.
That's so me freakin' cool yarn.

With a quarter for scale:

(I'd totally do it again.)

I don't like DPNs

2006-09-01T16:53:00.000-05:00

Just, ugh. It's not that they're hard, per se -- I can use them -- I just don't like 'em. I know, I know, I could make two circs with my Denises but I'm too lazy.

FO 95 & 96

2006-09-01T11:31:00.000-05:00

Thanks for the puppy pics, sis. Without further ado...

No, normally I'd just count a li'l set like this as one FO. But since I spun the yarn, I figured this one deserved to be two! (Of course, the colors are horribly, terribly off. I took pics inside and outside, natural light, and none of them came close. Sigh)

The boring stuff:
Earflap Hat and Scrunchable Scarf
Knit in handspun Jacob/Corriedale/Mohair and Merino, probably about 250 yards (started with 330 and there's a bit left over) on US8 (hat) and US11 (scarf) needles.

we interrupt the fibery goodness...

2006-08-30T10:39:00.000-05:00

for news for free chocolate:

Sign up here, and use your gmail address ;)

And Jodi, I'll show you what I'm knitting when you show me a picture of your puppy.

more plying

2006-08-23T11:14:00.000-05:00

I wasn't sure about the color match on this one....my Jacob/Mohair had quite a few colors (colored mohair carded in with the wool) and I decided to go with plum (Merino 64s from the Yarn Tree). In retrospect I should have ordered purple instead of plum, but it's decent when plied together. Finally, a pic that show the colors pretty accurately:

Close-up, colors a little off:

150 yards so far...I still have to spin a few more ounces of merino before I can ply the rest.

I was so geekily thrilled, I wanted to do a little dance when it came off the noddy all BALANCED and everything. It hung there like a real, respectable skein. Squee!!

Cabled Baby Hats

2006-08-18T16:38:00.000-05:00

I've gone back and forth about whether I should post this or not, because this pattern is so closely related to someone else's pattern. I'm fuzzy on how many changes you have to make before a pattern is considered "yours"...but there have been quite a few requests for these, and the original pattern was free, and I did make quite a few changes...so, witout further ado...

Cabled Baby Hats

Mad props to the SweaterBabe, whose own cabled beanie pattern inspired these variations.

Size: Newborn, Preemie (shown)

Supplies:

one skein Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (newborn) or Baby Cashmerino (preemie)
needles: US8 (newborn) or US3 (preemie); two 16" circs, or one 16" circ and a set of DPNS (or a big long one if you do magic loop)
cable needle
tapestry needle (for finishing)

Gauge: oops, I'm not sure. (Relax, they're baby hats.)

Instructions for Five-Cable Hat:

CO 80 sts, pm, and join to work in the round.

Work 6 rounds of 2X2 ribbing.

R 7-9: *K6, P2* around
R 10: *K6, p2, C6F, P2* around
R 11-17: *K6, P2*
R 18: *K6, p2, C6F, P2* around
R 19-25: *K6, P2*

Now, the decrease rows start....
(switch to two circs or DPNs when it gets too small to fit on the 16" needle)

R 26: *SSK, K2, K2tog, P2, C6F, P2* (70 sts)
R 27: *K4, P2, K6, P2*
R 28: *SSK, K2tog, P2, K6, P2* (60 sts)
R 29: *K2, P2, K6, P2*
R 30: *K2tog, P2, K6, P2* (55 sts)
R 31: *K1, P2, K6, P2*
R 32: *K1, P2tog, K6, P2tog* (45 sts)
R 33: *K1, P1, SSK, K2, K2tog, P1* (35 sts)
R 34: *K1, P1, SSK, K2tog, P1* (25 sts)
R 35: *K1, P1, K2tog, P1* (20 sts)
R 36: *K2tog* (10 sts)

Pull yarn through remaining sts with a tapestry needle. Pull through to inside, and weave in all ends.

Instructions for Ten-Cable Hat:

CO 80 sts, pm, and join to work in the round.

Work 6 rounds of 2X2 ribbing. (Or 1x1, if you prefer.)

R 7-9: *K6, P2* around
R 10: *K6, p2, C6F, P2* around
R 11-13: *K6, P2*
R 14: *C6F, p2, k6, p2*
R 15-17: *K6, P2*
R 18: *K6, p2, C6F, P2* around
R 19-21: *K6, P2*
R 22: *C6F, p2, k6, p2*
R 23-25: *K6, P2*

Now, the decrease rows start....

R 26: *SSK, K2, K2tog, P2, C6F, P2* (70 sts)
R 27: *K4, P2, K6, P2*
R 28: *SSK, K2tog, P2, K6, P2* (60 sts)
R 29: *K2, P2, K6, P2*
R 30: *K2tog, P2, K6, P2* (55 sts)
R 31: *K1, P2, K6, P2*
R 32: *K1, P2tog, K6, P2tog* (45 sts)
R 33: *K1, P1, SSK, K2, K2tog, P1* (35 sts)
R 34: *K1, P1, SSK, K2tog, P1* (25 sts)
R 35: *K1, P1, K2tog, P1* (20 sts)
R 36: *K2tog* (10 sts)

Pull yarn through remaining sts with a tapestry needle. Pull through to inside, and weave in all ends.

on & off the spindle

2006-08-17T11:17:00.000-05:00

off...4 oz. of Jacob/Corriedale/Mohair, about 320 yards. I'm going to ply this with a coordinating solid color, probably deep purple, if the roving I just ordered from the Yarn Tree matches. The yarn is darker in person -- looks light grey in the photo but is actually a darkish grey with deep blues and fuschia/purples.

on...handpainted Ile de France X Dorset from High Prairie. Mmmmmmm.

still knitting....occasionally

2006-08-15T20:34:00.000-05:00

Obviously spinning has been the main thing over here for the last few weeks. Understandable, considering that #1: spinning is magical; and #2 these are the things I have on the needles:

1. Pumpkin hat. The requisite on-the-go project, but I haven't really been going anywhere. Enough to do right here at home. Pumpkin hats are kind of boring.

2. Soaker pants that have been a half inch from completion for at least six weeks. That last half inch is stranded colorwork. I'm really trying to like it. But I hate it.

3. Swingy tank top for DD. About an hour or two from completion. Meh.

4. Right front of the fab lace-inset cardigan. Requires a bit of concentration, what with all the reverse-shaping, row-counting, don't-forget-the-buttonholes hoo hah.

So, every night when the kids go to bed, I glance at these projects. (And then I pick up my spindle. Magical, I tell you.)

merino, spun & plied

2006-08-11T11:13:00.000-05:00

Yeah, my right arm is twinging and tingling in places I never knew it could. But I'm done! Funny, the tag said 4oz, but my finished skein weighs 3.25oz. Anyhoo, it's 150 yards after plying, and it's very soft! A step in the right direction -- each new wool I spin feels a bit less like rope, and a bit more like yarn.

While I was plying it, I was pretty disappointed with the way it looked, but after winding it I changed my mind. It's a bit fuzzy-looking, but I like it! (I still have to set the twist, but my sink is full of Little People at the moment. Perhaps at naptime.)

another sigh

2006-08-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

I seem to be sighing a lot lately...this time 'cause I'm bummed. Bummed that I always seem to fall in love with things that make my arms hurt. It's like each hobby I adore gives me a different repetetive stress injury. My arm kills from spinning....but I want to keep doing it! I'm on a roll....

I was a little hesitant to start spinning this merino 'cause I was having a really good spinning week and didn't want to ruin it -- but I thought, what the heck, if it's too frustrating I can just stop and spin the Jacob/Corriedale/Mohair instead. But it didn't frustrate me at all. Maybe the touch of mohair makes it easier to spin, or maybe I have a knack for it...who knows. It's uneven (of course) but I'm quite fond of it...all 200 yards of it (so far):

I'm dying to spin the last ounce so I can ply it, but my arm is begging me not to.

I'm embarrased to share...

2006-08-03T15:04:00.000-05:00

...that my first waking thought today was of spinning. I even briefly considered bringing my spinnig to the mall (instead of my knitting) but decided that it would be a bit much.

Needless to say, I'm really, really enjoying working with this fiber, even though I'm still having to park and draft. And I'm pleased to report that when I'm done with this roving, I'll actually be able to make something. So far I've been consistent -- about thirty yards to the ounce. I wish the photo showed all of the colors -- it's actually more of a teal-ish hue, with blues and purples too. Lovely stuff.

oh dear.

2006-07-29T13:30:00.000-05:00

So, we were at the fair on Thursday night. We turned a corner, and there was a tent with a few spinning wheels, some looms, some yarn and rovings. Naturally, I was drawn to it.

In order to avoid missing my daughter's first pony ride, I quickly had to abandon the fiber tent. But this morning, I braved the zillion degree heat and went back. There was a lovely woman from this farm spinning on this wheel and she explained it all to me, as I'm green enough that I've never witnessed actual wheel spinning firsthand.

This is trouble, I can feel it.

Of course I bought some fiber:

A lovely Cheviot/Mohair blend in a colorway called, "Like a River Glorious." The photo doesn't do it justice...it's absolutely gorgeous. I scanned it too:

But really, you must see it. Lovely. Sigh. And there's just something about buying fiber from someone who can tell you about the sheep it came from. ;)

I'm SO in

2006-07-25T14:50:00.000-05:00

FO 94 & 95

2006-07-24T13:40:00.000-05:00

#94

Ruby's Cardigan (my own pattern, modified for gauge)
Knit in Henry's Attic Inca Cotton (100% organic cotton, color: sage)
(approx. 300 yards...less than one 8oz skein, with enough left over for a hat)
3.5 sts.inch on US6 needles.

#95

Wee hats, knit in DB Baby Cashmerino on US3 needles.
I just sent them off for Carmell's new addition -- he's a tiny one -- may he wear them in good health! ;)

IMHO

2006-07-19T15:48:00.000-05:00

Plying is sooo much more fun than spinning. That's when you get to see the magic happen!

Really, I was just thinking, "okay, spinning, cool and all but I don't foresee a wheel in my near future, so maybe I should stop looking at fiber and go back to looking at yarn." Then, the hankies. Then plying the hankies. I think I'm in love.

(Still every bit as wonky as my other yarn...but oh so soft and shimmery...)

UFO trifecta

2006-07-19T15:35:00.000-05:00

As soon as I finish the right front of the lace-inset cardigan, I'll have three cardigans waiting for sleeves! (counting Trellis) (ugh)

Left: the left front of the lace-inset cardigan, which I finished on Saturday at Mosaic. You won't really ba able to see the pattern until it's blocked. Center: a wee hat, also from Satruday. Right: baby cardigan in Henry's Attic Inca Cotton. Mmmmmm.

I'm off...

2006-07-15T08:56:00.000-05:00

To a new yarn store! The IL knitters from KH (plus Sara Jayne) are meeting here today. A bit off my beaten path, and the fact that I'm jumping on I294 despite the fact that my car needs a new transmission makes me a teeny bit nervous. But I'm always up for a day of knitting with my peeps! ;) (And if I get stranded by the side of the road? I'll just pull out my knitting.)

So, the classic question faces me yet again: what to knit? I'm halfway throughthe left front of the lace-inset cardigan, but #1, it's wool, and it's supposed to be 93 degrees today; and #2, I don't know that I want to be knitting from a chart during a social gathering. Ditto for Trellis, which is still staring at me, sleeveless, from outside my office door.

What I really want to do is spin silk hankies, 'cause I PUFFY HEART them. ;)

on the needles this week...

2006-07-11T15:38:00.000-05:00

Clockwise, from top left:

Well, on the spindle. Yarn. Another 15 yards or so...not quite so awful as the first spindle full, but still not knittable.

Hats. The Harlot announced last week that a few WIC programs were seeking donated hats for some kind of breastfeeding awareness thingy. Glad to oblige...I've sent off seven of them. The last one I made, I modified the sweaterbabe beanie to include five cables instead of four -- I think it turned out great!

Li'l Lucy-ish bag. Another random skein gone from my stash! Jodi, do you like it?? ;)

Swatching for the sweaterbabe fabulous lace-inset cardigan. The yarn (Bartlett) didn't soften up as much as I'd hoped when I washed the swatch, but it's a cardigan, so it's livable.

it's craptastic

2006-07-03T15:58:00.000-05:00

But I made it with my own two hands.

close, but no cigar

2006-07-01T18:45:00.000-05:00

I was at W&Co. a few weeks ago for a workshop, and I brought along my recycled sweater yarn. Of course I started a project with it, (I weighed it and everything to estimate the yardage before starting), and found that I would run out before I could knit the cuffs and collar. So I thought that maybe I could find a coordinating bulky yarn with which to knit them.

I was completely gobsmacked to find this yarn... (my hand-dyed yarn on the left, my find on the right)

My fear was, however, that it was so close, but not close enough, that next to the sweater it would look like a mistake.

I just swatched it, and I was right. My very honest husband confirmed it. It contains too much of a dark grayish blue that my yarn doesn't have in it.

Sigh.

I am still working on Trellis.

2006-07-01T16:21:00.000-05:00

Really.

I did lose some steam, there, when I had to rip out half of it, but I'm now done with the body -- only sleeves left to go.

I did the collar because I'd finished the body (knit in one piece, shoulders 3nbo-d together) and the collar (knit on instead of sewn on, that was pretty cool if I do say so myself) I thought it would be nice to finish most of the fiddly stuff in the middle, so when I finish knitting the sleeves, I'll have four ends to weave and I'll be done. Oh yeah, and the buttons. I have them in my possession, though, and that's half the battle.

Basic Earflap Hat

2006-06-27T17:50:00.000-05:00

Otherwise known as FO #93. I had a skein of Pastaza in my stash that I didn't know what to do with, and I'd toyed with knitting hats to send to this program in the fall. I relied heavily on this pattern when I started knitting earflap hats, but I changed up a few things and rarely use a pattern any more....but I wrote this one down as I knit it up.

(Note that in the pictured hat, the earflaps are 4" and the main part of the hat is 4". I changed the pattern to reflect what I discovered when finished -- the flaps are a bit too long, and the length would be better used as part of the hat proper.)

Supplies:

about 100g of heavy worsted weight yarn (I used Cascade Pastaza, but you can use any yarn that knits to gauge)
at least three DPNs and a matching 16" circular needle (I used US8, but again, you can use whatever knits to gauge)
one stitch marker

Gauge: 3.5 stitches per inch in stockinette stitch

Ear Flaps
CO 7 stitches.
Row 1: K1, P to last stitch, K1.
Row 2: K1, Kfb, K to last 2 stitches, Kfb, K1.
Repeat these two rows until there are 15 stitches on the needles.

Knit straight until piece measures 3.5".
Cut yarn, leaving a 12" tail, and leave the earflap on its DPN.
Repeat for second ear flap.

Hat
Using a cable cast on, CO 10 stitches on the circular needle. Knit the 15 stitches from first ear flap, then CO 24 stitches. K15 from second ear flap, then CO 10.

(Confused? Here's a video that shows what I'm talking about!)

Join, being careful not to twist stitches, place marker and begin knitting in the round. As you knit around this first row, you'll notice four gaps, on either side of each ear flap. When you get to those, K2tog to close them up. At the end of the round, you should have 70 stitches on the needles.

Continue knitting all rounds until hat measures 4.5" from the cast-on row (or 8" from the beginning of the ear flaps). Then begin the decreases as follows, switching to DPNs or two circs (video here) when the diameter of the hat is too small for your circular needle:

(Decrease) Row 1: *K8, K2tog*
Row 2: K all sts
(Decrease) row 3: *K7, K2tog*
Row 4: K all sts
(Decrease) row 5: *K6, K2tog*
Row 6: K all sts

Decrease in this manner until there are 35 sts on the needles.
Then decrease in the same manner, omitting the "k all sts" rows, until there are 7 sts remaining.
Pull yarn through the last 7 sts with a tapestry needle, pull through to inside and weave in end.

Finishing
Weave in all ends. (I like to leave the tails where I ended the earflaps long so that I can use them to tighten up of otherwise correct anything that looks wonky around the earflap join area.)

There are a few ways you can add straps -- pick up 3-4 sts and knit in garter stitch or seed stitch until desired length. OR pick up 3-4 stitches and knit i-cord until desired length. OR, thread through three long pieces of yarn and braid the double-strands until desired length, then tie off and trim.

Block and lay flat to dry.

hey, that's my brother!

2006-06-27T10:13:00.000-05:00

What I didn't get to see on my whirlwind visit to Seattle:

wooooooo

2006-06-23T14:12:00.000-05:00

They're pretty much cleaned out now I'm guessing, but KnitPicks is having the sale of a lifetime (50% off all non-KnitPicks needles) and this morning I got a set of Denise interchangeables for $28 shipped!!! Absolutely unheard of!! The Addis were sooo tempting too, but I restrained myself.....

oh LisaP....

2006-06-22T14:15:00.000-05:00

I was shooting for blues and greens, and I swear I tested all the colors and that dark-blue-lookin' dye came out looking blue. But wait, then it turned purple....

Anyway, a not-so-special prize, just for you. ;)

we have a winner!

2006-06-20T19:15:00.000-05:00

Lisa P. correctly spotted the heinous error...she did have two advantages -- having knit Trellis herself (a silver medal KO project, very nice), and having me ten feet from her desk telling her if she was right or wrong. ;) Soooo...her prize will only be sort of special. Hee.

So, the error was that, in my zeal to follow the pink letters in the pattern (ensuring you are working edge stitches in reverse stockinette!) I inadvertently switched the left and right fronts. Silly wabbit, when you're working it as one piece, there are no reverse stockinette edge stitches. Only button bands. Worked in seed stitch. Which, in my work, were next to the side "seams" instead. Oops.

I'm telling you, knitting Darwin Award, right here.

I charted it out and tried to figure out if I could salvage it by adding button bands after the fact and dinking with the neck shaping, but you know, it was a little hairy and it would have bugged me forever. So....

Ouch, that hurt.

Deja vu...

uh oh

2006-06-19T13:21:00.000-05:00

Around dinnertime yesterday, less than 48 hours from when I started it, I bound off for the sleeves of my Trellis. That's two and a half pattern repeats -- 51 rows -- 6,681 stitches -- so far. I was sooo proud of myself. Ha.

Then I noticed the mistake. It's a really, really big one.

I'm not going to go into the details here, because I feel like an idiot. It was one of those things where the whole time I was knitting, I thought, "hmmm, that's a little odd." But it wasn't until I stopped and took a good look at it that I realized what I had done. We're talking, if there were Darwin Awards for knitters, I'd be in the running.

To the untrained eye, not a huge deal. To me...well, I think I might be able to alter the pattern a bit to accommodate my glaring error. But I'm not sure that it wouldn't drive me completely crazy. I *so* should have waited for Jenny's spreadsheet.

Sooo...frog 5,563 stitches? Or keep going? Ack.

On second thought, I'll post a picture and the first person to identify the horrifying error will win a special prize!!

Trellis, take two

2006-06-17T11:43:00.000-05:00

Ahhhh, much better:

I frogged the green. And wound my three skeins of natural 100purewool with my brand-spankin'-new swift. A much better choice!! I love love love knitting with this yarn. No more swearing. It was totally the yarn, not the pattern.

Ahhhh.

I had intended to dye this yarn, but it's just perfect for this sweater. It's every bit as scrumptious as Malabrigo, but a little bit lighter weight. If I could afford to buy enough to justify the shipping cost, I'd defenitely have a storage problem. I'm crossing my fingers for another co-op....

I am SO....

2006-06-16T17:00:00.000-05:00

...turning into my mother, it's not even funny.

I thought this as I sat next to the window this afternoon (kids in the pool, don't you know), swearing like a sailor as I tinked more than I have in eons while working on Trellis. (My mother could knit any aran sweater on the planet. And love it and hate it at the same time.) It's frustrating -- getting used to the charts, adjusting the pattern on the fly, cursing my yarn choice -- yet as soon as I stopped, I wanted more.

Yup.

ETA: thank you Jenny!!

shameless plug

2006-06-16T14:32:00.000-05:00

If you can, go on over and help a fellow knitter...who just happens to be a cancer survivor, and an 11-year-old boy...who would probably die if he knew I referred to him as a knitter... ;)

Relay for Life

What a week

2006-06-13T14:21:00.000-05:00

To clarify, it was not my hard drive that died. I'm part of a tech support team and we've had two user hard drives flat out die with no warning in the past week, something I can only remember happening one other time in the past 10 years. I think that tonight, I shall listen to God's gentle prompting and back up everything on my hard drive.

And yes, I did knit while I was working last night -- but I promise, I did adjust my hours. I brought my knitting knowing that my project would have a lot of downtime...but seriously, I would have been sitting in front of the computer knitting if I was at home...I couldn't in good conscience bill for all the time I was there. ;)

So, busy work week. Hard drives, firewalls, blah, blah, blah. You know what that means...extra money! How could I resist spending a portion of my kidless afternoon at the LYS that's having a 40% CLOUSEOUT SALE on all Karabella, Elsebeth Lavold, and Catalina yarns???

(The Bartlett Farms bulky wool in Garnet Heather in the back (6 skeins!) is actually an online purchase. But I hadn't posted any pics so I threw it in this one.)

I resisted the Karabella Breeze...sigh....but I did pick up 3 skeins of Catalina Baby Pima and 5 balls of Cotton Patine...as well as a few stragglers from the sale room. Some Fixation ($1.75) and Baby Cashmerino ($2.80)...how could I pass those up? ;)

FO #92

2006-06-13T01:00:00.000-05:00

See, aren't those decreases awesome??

Cabled Baby Beanie, size small
Knit in Cashmerino Aran (a little less than one ball) on US8 needles.
Pattern mods: knit in the round instead of flat. I'll never understand why people knit hats flat. But whatever floats your boat, I guess.

death of a hard drive

2006-06-13T00:41:00.000-05:00

So, my evening was spent staring blearily at a computer that wasnt moving anywhere near as fast as I wanted it to. I knew that's what I was in store for, so I brought some yarn. (I pulled it out and cast on 80 stitches around the time I realized that my 46 critical updates were going to take almost an hour to download. Gah. And that was just the beginning.)

I finished a sock this morning, and nothing else that I'm knitting is thrilling me very much, so I decided to whip up SweaterBabe's cabled baby beanie. Ca-ute! The picture doesn't do it justice, but then again there's not much natural light at MIDNIGHT.

The decorative decreases on the top are adorable, you'll have to take my word for it or go see the Sweater Babe, 'cause I don't have a little head to put it on at the moment. In fact all heads large and small are in bed here, and I'm going to join them...zzzzzzzzzzzzz....I'll post a better pic and the FO details in the morning...

Cursed

2006-06-10T13:48:00.000-05:00

Anyone else ever have a cursed skein of yarn?? Actually it's about a skein and a third. KnitPicks Decadence (color: grape), which I adore and have knit several items with...but this particular skein and a third appears to be cursed. I've had to frog it like four times. It's almost been several scarves, something else I can't quite remember, and most recently, an Anthropologie-Inspired Capelet.

I reeeally thought the capelet was the "one"...the gauge was different but I adjusted it and all seemed to be going well...until I ran out with about six rows left to complete.

*sigh*

I really don't want to frog it, but I don't want to order more yarn, 'cause that really defeats the stash-busting nature of the project, don't you think??

Would anyone like an almost-finished Anthropologie-Inspired Capelet??

yarn rescue

2006-06-04T10:05:00.000-05:00

Remember that completely fug sweater that I recycled?

On Saturday I washed and dyed the wool. It was a bit disappointing, as it looked gobsmackingly beautiful in the sink during the final rinse. Really, it took my breath away, in all its deep purple-violety goodness.

Unfortunately when it dried it was 10 shades lighter than it appeared when it was underwater. I briefly considered dyeing it again, but yeesh, this process has gone on long enough. And, knitted up, it's still quite nice....just not as nice as I initially thought it was.

Also? I don't like big yarn or big needles any more. I'm knitting this on US13s and it's totally killing my hands.

FO #91

2006-06-02T23:00:00.000-05:00

Jodi asked if my fingerless gloves count as FO #91...um, technically yes, but they were so quick and I'm really too lazy to do a separate post for them. (Some li'l FOs just don't make it into the count.)

So here's my designated FO #91:

The boring stuff:
Infant set, socks based on Cat Bordhi's Baby Life Ring Socks; matching hat -- no pattern.
Knit in Baby Cashmerino on US3 needles.
Pattern notes: I knit the socks top-down instead of toe-up because I started them in the car and was struggling with the toe-up cast-on. I tried to do a Sherman heel, which I got on the 5th try, but then (as happens with almost all short row heels) I didn't like the way it looked so I ripped it out and did a flap/gusset heel. I used the same technique for the hat as I did for the leg of the socks, then had to add in some color because I ran out of the yellow yarn.

Dr. Frankenstein's Lucy-esque bag

2006-05-29T13:15:00.000-05:00

Sooo....I decided to try and um, alter the bag. I bought another skein of the Malabrigo, cast on 88 stitches and knit around until I was almost out, then decreased every other row. 'Til I had what looked like a ginormous hat. (LOL)

Did I mention before that I knit this bag from the top down?? I actually knit the straps first, using a provisional cast on, and incoporated them into the casting on of the top of the bag. If that makes any sense. Then I just kept knitting until I had what appeared to be enough yarn left for the decreases. (All that to avoid starting out on DPNs.) I really liked doing it that way and I'd do it again.

Soooo....I felted my monster hat, then lopped off the bottom of the wee bag and sewed the new, longer bag body to the bottom of it. Then I felted the whole thing one more time. The stitches where I joined the two are still somewhat visible, so I think I'm going to try to clean it up with a little needle felting. If that doesn't do the trick, I'll embellish it with a little bit of trim or some felted leafy-viney-Nicky-Epstein inspired decorative mumbo-jumbo..

In any case, I'm glad I did it, wonky as it is. My husband said, "that's an expensive little bag." Which it was, especially considering that I haven't carried a purse since I was in high school. But my recent gadget acquisitions are makig me rethink my position...that, and the fact that it's nice to have a sock-in-progress with me at all times. ;)

so about that Malabrigo...

2006-05-27T08:21:00.000-05:00

This post is dedicated to Jenn, who, when I recently chastised her for not swatching, said to me, "where's your sense of adventure?"

You know, that Malabrigo I just posted about? My Mother's Day Malabrigo?

Ahhhh, the colorway. When I was winding it, I fell in love all over again. It really is so stunning -- I can't put it into words. Holy crap. I took pictures, but they don't do it justice. Gah. Love.

So I decided that I must have a Lucy Bag (or a Lucy-esque bag, as I can never find the Lucy Bag pattern at any LYS I visit, and I want to pay with PayPal if I buy it online, but online vendors who sell this particular pattern AND accept PayPal seem to a) charge $2 more for the pattern or b) require you to call them on the phone during business hours. But I digress.) I haunted blogs of those who have knit Lucy bags to observe the bag in it's pre-felted form and even found a knock off pattern (which actually made me quite mad, as it's a copyrighted pattern, and duh, a pretty well-known one. That would be like me putting the freakign Fiber Trends clog pattern on my web site and calling it my own...so not cool.)

Anyhooo...I thought that surely, until the day comes when I can actually purchase the pattern, I could probably wing it. Andrea swears that her li'l Lucy (whch totally kicks, it's the coooolest little bag) only required one skein of Malabrigo, so I think I can pull it off. The knitting is pure joy. Seriously, the monotony is offset by the absolute gorgeousness of the yarn, and I considered never knitting with anything else, ever again.

When I finished (less than 24 hours, go me) I admit I did have some doubts -- like perhaps the bag might be very very short -- but I threw caution to the wind and chucked it in the washer anyway. While it was felting, I rummaged around and found a photo of Andrea's pre-felted Lucy.

Uh oh.

Um, yeah, I should have listened to that little voice that said, "remember, your bags always seem to end up one third of their knitted height after felting...."

So the question remains: what should I do? Cut it up and make a felted something-else? Or get another skein (they do have one, I called) and cut off the existing bag before the decreases, knit a new bottom that's much longer, felt it, then sew the two together? Cut off the straps and wear it as a beanie? Anyone?

odds & ends

2006-05-25T16:46:00.000-05:00

I neglected to post about my rockin' DH and how he again took my girls to the yarn store to pick out yarn for me, this time for Mother's Day. Love that man! And this time I super duper scored....

Yup, I'm raising them right...my 5yo went right for the Malabrigo. :) The fingerless gloves are knitted with my 2yo's selection, Karabella Aurora Melange, which is super scrunchy.

FO #90

2006-05-24T23:00:00.000-05:00

Boring: Baby Life Ring Socks (pattern by Cat Bordhi)
Knit in Cascade Fixation (less than one ball!) on US3 needles.
Pattern mods: Same as the first pair. FWIW, I do think the directions for the newborn size have an error. But I worked it out. Love this pattern!!

FO #89

2006-05-23T16:00:00.000-05:00

This one's a gift for my daughter's preschool teacher, who is a knitter and loves green. We dyed the WotA ourselves, with Wilton dyes I think. It all gets to be a blur...

Boring: Sophie Bag
Knit in KnitPicks WotA and Merino Style on US13 needles.
Pattern mods: I double stranded Merino Style for the base of the bag, until I ran out. So I don't think I did all 34 rows or whatever the pattern calls for. Just picked up stitches around the base and started knitting up, doing the decreases as called for every 10 rows. I ran out of WotA around row 48, so I just did an i-cord bind off with MS (saved by a knitting friend with extra Asparagus on hand!). I knit the i-cord handles separately and stitched them on before felting.

FO #88

2006-05-20T23:00:00.000-05:00

Boring: Baby Life Ring Socks (pattern by Cat Bordhi)
Knit in Cascade Fixation (less than one ball!) on US3 needles.
Pattern mods: Used a figure-8 cast-on instead of the recommended provisional because I'm still not feeling the short-row love. I think there might possibly be a pattern error in the short row heel instructions (either that or I'm really, really dumb, which I'm not ruling out either), so I'm going to double-check that with waste yarn before I knit the second pair. This is a really fun pattern, save for all the purling at the end, which can be remedied by using the method in this pattern.

All in all, a very fun, quick knit! I started at our KH gathering around lunchtime and finished while watching the ER season finale around 10. And in between I made a cat costume and went to a preschool program. :)

So there's this eBay thing...

2006-05-18T13:58:00.000-05:00

You get $20 free for signing up. I really haven't found any catches...I just did it and had my $20 within the hour. A cool service, too, I think I'll use it again! I've looked at sniping services before, but never wanted to pay anything...but this one is totally free. Right up my bargain-loving alley.

Check it out: UnWired Buyer (yes, it's a referral link -- I'd get $5 if you signed up. If you'd rather go referral-less, the site is www.unwiredbuyer.com.) :)

New Media Mavericks

2006-05-17T21:18:00.000-05:00

I sure have been adding to my bag of coffee tricks this month! Next up: the french press coffee maker that has been sitting in my cabinet, unopened, for several years. I don't know why -- I was elated to receive it -- but I've just never used it. Until now!

I reached the end of the Boot Up Blend I'd finely ground, and decided to coarsely grind some New Media Mavericks for the french press. The process of making it was simple (albeit a touch more time consuming than the moka pot) and yielded a great, very light cup of coffee. Whereas the others I've sampled so far were one-cup-at-a-time coffees (um, admittedly this might have something to do with the concoctions I've been making), this one struck me as the kind of coffee I'd make if I planned to down the whole pot while pulling an all-nighter. Good stuff.

recycling:

2006-05-13T20:54:00.000-05:00

Being kind to the earth, in more way than one. Not only did we get to rid the planet of this monstrosity:

but I'll also use the yarn to make something much more attractive. That won't be hard.

I'm thinking...maybe this... (bought the pattern today!)

Boot-Up Blend

2006-05-12T14:54:00.000-05:00

The next coffee on my list to try -- Boot Up Blend, because honestly, while I like flavored coffee a lot, I found that I got tired of the same one day after day. I wanted to go with straight-up coffee this time around (or at least start out with straight-up coffee. ;) ).

I abandoned my crappy drip maker in favor of the most excellent moka pot I picked up at Ikea. This thing makes a great, quick cup of espresso, which I used to make a ghetto caramel macchiato, from online instructions: homemade vanilla syrup in the bottom of the mug, followed by warmed, sort of frothy milk. Then you pour the espresso through the milk, top with whipped cream and caramel syrup.

Wow, that was really, really good.

I admit that when the brewing was done, it smelled really strong to me and I wasn't sure if I'd like it. But maaaan, it's freaking perfect. Two thumbs up.

Off to make more vanilla syrup now.

coffee adventures

2006-05-11T14:41:00.000-05:00

I've been drinking excellent Boca Java coffee all week -- I think I'll probably review one a week since I'm the only one here who drinks coffee, therefore when I grind it takes me a while to use it up. Since I had some ground Pajama Passion left I decided to try the espresso brownie recipe included in the Java News.

It's an odd recipe, I'll say that right off the bat. A pound of brown sugar? Are you sure? I crossed my fingers and forged ahead...until I got to preparing the pan. 8x11?? I don't believe I've ever seen a pan that size. Let's see...I have 7x10, 7x11, 8x8, 9x13...I elected to go with 7x11. Big mistake.

Halfway through the baking time, the telltale smell of Burning Goo On The Floor Of My Oven sent me running for my smoke detector to rip out the battery before it went off and woke up the sleeping baby. Uh oh. Major brownie catastrophe -- it was oooozing over the edges of the pan and all over the oven. Something tells me an extra inch of pan width wouldn't have prevented this...

So quick, I slid the pan onto a cookie sheet, put it on the top of the stove, yanked out the oven racks and scraped up the smoking hunks of brownie goo from the bottom of the oven. Put everything back in. Deep breath. A few minutes later, I smell it again. This time it not only oozed over the edge of the pan, but it also oozed over the edge of the cookie sheet. No way in hell was this recipe meant for anything but a 9 x 13 pan.

After all was said and done, though, good brownies. My husband's take: "They'd be even better if they didn't taste like coffee."

more dyeing

2006-05-10T12:23:00.000-05:00

Inspired by the fab Art Yarns 127:

A couchful of little girls here at my house nailed it on the head: "Strawberry Shortcake!!" (Which is actually pretty ironic since I bought the SS color set when I made a SS cake last fall, but I can't find those dyes to save my life.)

supersock

2006-05-09T18:17:00.000-05:00

Lu asked what I thought of the supersock...I actually like it a lot. It's a little finer than I'm used to -- they say it's "a little heavier than fingering weight" but I don't really buy it -- if I have to knit it on US1.5 needles (or whatever your gauge calls 2.5mm...they tend to disagree), it's fingering. Which taxes my eyes.

It's much, much softer than any of the superwash wools I've knit with so far. To me it feels more like a cotton-blend sock yarn than a 100% wool one. Not itchy at all.

I swatched it and yay, no pooling!

It's awfully ironic that I love to dye, as I really am not a big fan of variegated yarns. I much prefer the way they look before they're knit. Go figure....I'm already planning the next skein...

We interrupt the talk of yarn...

2006-05-09T17:31:00.000-05:00

...to talk about coffee!

I have to say I was gobsmacked today when my Boca Java package arrived -- six big ole bags of beans (three pounds!!), a hat and a mug to boot! A good mug. An amazingly generous package. Really.

Of course I had to go for one of the flavored ones first...what's not to like about vanilla, kahlua and caramel? On to the Pajama Passion blend....

I got out my trusty grinder, which admittedly hasn't seen a lot of action the past few years. I feared I ground it too fine but it made it through my drip machine without a problem -- not muddy at all. Even my husband, who hasn't had a cup of coffee since we were dating, I think, said it smelled fabulous.

Flavored coffees always kind of psych me out -- I think they're going to taste like they smell, which of course, they don't, without the addition of sugar. Just to be sure I tasted it sans sweetener, and yup, it made me shudder. But a few squirts of my homemade vanilla syrup turned it around. YUM. Now that's a good cup of coffee. Usually I merely tolerate home-brewed coffee, while fantasizing about barista-brewed concoctions that cost quite a bit more than I ought to be spending on a beverage. But this, I dare say, is a home-brewed cup of coffee I'll actually look forward to.

Mmmmm.

FO #87

2006-05-09T17:30:00.000-05:00

Knitpicks Parade, US3 needles, blah, blah, blah. FWIW, I don't like the afterthought heel. It doesn't look or fit quite right. One more try at a short row heel, and I'm back to my old friend, the flap-and-gusset.

We've also been dyeing...

2006-05-05T10:21:00.000-05:00

I think this is my favorite so far:

And wound into a gorgeous skein:

It's Wool2Dye4 Supersock, about 4 ounces. For my MIL for Mother's Day. (How fun to have another sock knitter in the family!)

Why yes,

2006-05-05T09:48:00.000-05:00

As a matter of fact, I have been knitting. Not a whole lot worth blogging about tho.

A single sock that looks cute on the foot but really odd by itself...

I re-did the heel four times. Three short-row heels, which I finally got the hang of on the third try (then decided it looked really dumb with this particular self-striping yarn) then finally an afterthought heel. The sock looks alarmingly large to me, hard to believe that it's just a hair too bg for my dd. We'll be saving it for the fall when she *gulp* starts kindergarten.

I'm working on a longies pattern....

Look familiar? Leftover Tubey yarn. I'm destashing. If I never knit with Asparagus merino Style again, it will be too soon.