Oh I'm slow...

So I realized (after Gaia pointed it out) that I haven't updated to this site at ALL since September. Basically, since I started my real job.

Well, maybe it's time to fix that. First, a photo from the past:

Here's the first kitty hat I made. I actually just handed over another three to Gaia (hi!), but they all share similar qualities. These are very fast to make and I made up my own version of the pattern, so if anyone wants the pattern (or would like to buy one), just comment!


I keep realizing how many things I've made and gifted without taking pictures. Also, how many things I am STILL WORKING ON. Years later. I'm not a slow knitter, but I tackle way too many projects at once. I want to finish the cream and burgundy afghan, possibly this weekend, and I'll take pix when it's done. I've been nearly finished with the lavendar baby blanket for ages and ages, so that would be good as well. Also on the needles? A very pretty peach baby sweater (reverse stockinette with cables on the front, back and sleeves. Socks (I'm past the instep on the second sock, you'd think that would motivate me to finish the things). Also a crocheted motif afghan (1/3 done), the crocheted table topper (maybe for Valentine's Day 2008?), and I seriously want to knit a fitted sweater. The bust size is precluding me from this, though. I did knit almost an entire sweater from a Chicknits pattern, but it didn't turn out right. Darn.

My favorite knitted items so far are the Coronet in teal, and my Harry Potter scarf. They do NOT go well together. And I love the hat, but I find the Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride to be a bit too itchy, it makes my forehead break out. This is fine for short-term outside wear, but I need to make an acrylic hat for bumming around inside and out. Or maybe normal people don't get so cold they need to wear a hat while in the office. Hmm.

Gifts

Michele sent me fabulous photos of the finished stockings I gave her and Paul for a wedding gift. See?





I've been getting back to crafting like crazy, now the job thing is worked out. I'm currently on a second sock (working on the foot already! It was only an inch long two days ago). Also, working on a crocheted afghan. Pictures when I find my camera again.

I'm in love with Fair Isle...

You should learn something new every day... here's mine:

Two Handed Fair Isle Video

My only response? Oh. my. god. If you don't knit, this isn't all that interesting. But I *totally* understand how to do fair isle now!!!! WOWEE!!!! And I know how to knit Continental!!! WOWWWWWW!!!! It makes so much sense!!!!!

I can't try it on this stocking though, because the tension will probably change now I know how to do it right. But incredible! I want to make a fair isle sweater like mad now. Wheeeeee. And to have no floats, just beautiful woven fabric... and so warm! I'm in love.

The Fair Isle I'd like to make
Or maybe in these colors
And one final option- BRIGHT

I know a lot of ladies who have been working on Philosopher's Wool sweaters. Since basically all the projects I have on the needles are afghans and the soon-to-be completed stockings... yeah. I so very much want to get a kit. And the price isn't so bad- only 88 for the yarn (sigh, still cheaper than for my woman-on-stag one). And um, I would have to buy the needles. So that's 30 bucks. Oh well, you only need to buy the needles once, and then ah, the fair isles I could make....

By the way, if you have a suggestion as to which sweater to choose, please do comment... I know someone must read this blog. :-p

Christmas Stocking

I keep talking about it, but not posting progress pics! This is partly because it knits up SO INCREDIBLY FAST. Check it out...


Name area (you duplicate stitch the name on after) and the snowflake motif:


Candy canes and double hearts:


Bells and girlies:


The heel is an afterthought heel (my first one!), so it will actually be between the bells and the girls. But I have one more small motif to go, and the toe, before I can pick up stitches for the heel. Both toe and heel will be white, to match the name area.

SO CUTE! I should be able to have finished the whole project in 5 days, despite packing my guts out (just about done!). And I think after I do Mike's, I'll actually make two in blue and white. Rather, two shades of blue and white. And then I could always give away the red, white, and green ones. :)

Sock-sock

Started the first "Christmas Sock" tonight. This one will be mine, since I haven't done much colorwork and this way if I screw it up it won't really matter much. The name gets duplicate stitched on later. My version has a white background with mostly red and just a bit of green... so it really does look girly. I think Mike's will be mainly red, if I get around to it. I have to say I enjoy knitting a sock that takes me about 3 hours to knit FIVE INCHES as opposed to knitting 5 rows in about the same time. Or close, anyways. mm worsted weight yarn is my friend. The designs are all very traditional- I think I'll put hearts and little girls and maybe candy canes on mine. So girly!! Mike can have Santas and Christmas trees and other more Christian-y symbols. For the record, it's absolutely adorable so far and the colorwork is très facile.

Haven't been doing much knitting, been too ill. But I'm down to only SIX repeats left in the lavendar baby blanket of DOOM which is pleasant. At this rate I really might finish before the first member of the KAMP breeds... whoever that is. I guess now half of the boys are getting married the odds are going up. mm... booties! layette sets!! I just can't wait.

I have to get up so soon

I would like to note that I do the stupidest things late at night.

I keep Mike on the phone way past both of our bedtimes. I look for possible housing in the Frederick/ DC metro area. I think about what kind of wine I'd like to bring back to MD with me, and for whom as gifts. I search for yarn, incessantly.

The yarn one is a bad one. I never really buy it online, I just put the things I want in a shopping cart and say "someday." And then forget what the yarn was for, and delete it later. This is an economical way to shop, as I never spend anything, but it makes me sad. I usually buy yarn from a LYS (Local Yarn Store) because I like supporting real people and real face-to-face business when I can. Today's unhappy shopping note is that I can find wool for about 2 bucks a skein to make a crazy Peer Gynt sweater (we're talking woman-on-reindeer motif on a beautiful fair isle sweater here)... but that still makes it a 50-60 dollar sweater, not even counting if I wanna make the matching hat and socks. If I were to buy the recommended superwash wool, it'd be at 4.50 a pop, minimum. I'm sure you can do the math. 50 gram balls are tiny! Why do they not sell affordable, nice, superwash wool for these sorts of projects?? I'm all about the washable, because I have in fact shrunk sweaters before, though never one of my own creation. I can't afford to make a hundred dollar sweater, no matter how graphic the image is or how adorable it would look up in the slopes.

I don't ski, mind you, but I'm an awesome snow bunny. And I snowshoe and cross country ski... where you can't wear a jacket anyways (too hot!), but you could use a nice sweater. Hmm. In an ideal world I'd have the money and time to make Mike and me matching ski sweaters (maybe without the woman on reindeer action), classy with snowflakes for a motif and matching hats and mittens. At the moment (post-packing) I have the time... but alas, not the money. Once I have the job I'll have the money... but not the time. Ain't that always the way.

In other news, today I picked up yarn and a pattern for Christmas stockings. I've decided that if I'm going to be in a Christian household I want *all* the perks. Besides, what better gift for "our" first Christmas than matching stockings? Mine will probably have neutral motifs: snowflakes, little girls, etc. His can have the candy canes and Santa Clauses or something. I'm getting into the holiday thing, but I'm still not jumping on the Santa wagon.

I wish I remembered to take photos more often. Still to be photographed/posted, or things I've actually been working on lately:
-Engagement sweater (can't post until after I gift it, but it's donedonedone)
-crazy kid hat (big enough for adults, but only Mikaiya would wear it)... I need to weave in the five trillion ends first
-nice artistic photos of the honeymoon cami
-update on the baby blanket (still purple after all these months... you'd think it would be done, but no. Turns out this is an ENORMOUS BABY BLANKET of DOOM, I think I still have 8 repeats left!)
-progress has been made on the Ecclesiastes sampler as well
-I also finished a sock... but it's mateless. Just like me, in a sad sort of way. I sincerely hope that everything works out with my boy, I would hate to be just another victim of the Sweater Curse... Whatever happens with him, I can certainly make myself a second sock. Sockotta yarn is delicious!

Now I've added another of my procrastinatory measures to the list. Blogging!

ah... a summer update!

It's been a while since I posted, but this has more to do with finishing my master's than anything else. And I have still been crafting. Oh yes, yes indeed. Here's some proof!!

Here's the beginnings of a rockstar blanket for Sharyn. I warned her that it won't be done until at least next winter, but it's very fun to knit! Simple feather and fan pattern, with a bit of FIZZ. It's very soft.


This was the beginning of Honeymoon. In this picture you can actually tell that it's burgundy.


And a close-up on the eyelet twisted rib hem


Here it is done! Modelled by me (in the dark), so excuse the not-so-lovely images. First the sexy pose:


And the back view (notice it's actually the exact same shaping as the front? Tricky- no wrong or right side):


One more for good measure:


I knit the Honeymoon in Tahki Cotton Classic... either 4 balls or 5! I know I have one left over, but don't remember how many I bought. I love the burgundy against my skin.

There's also a crazy kid hat, in my size. Someday I'll weave in all the ends and post pictures of that as well! I'm also only 8 repeats from the end of the purple baby blanket that never ends. I'm hoping to finish it (gasp) before I move. I also finished Mike's sweater, but I'm not going to post pictures of that until after I give it to him. And propose or something. :-p

That's all for tonight, move along!

And yet another new craft...

For someone who used to be completely a failure at all things crafty, I've come a long way. Incredible painter I'm not, but when faced with a challenge (seder plate and glasses for under 50 dollars, that look nice enough for me to use and yet are kinda homey)... well I can meet it.



another view


Elijah's Glass


Miriam's Cup


Now I'm ready to rock this seder right. I better start cleaning.

wow, a post!

I had a lot of fun over spring break. Here's the proof:

One Clapotis of my very own. I should take better pictures in the daylight, but this will do for the moment:









The yarn for this pretty pink clapotis is Artful Yarns Fable, 85% pima cotton, 15% silk. 4 skeins.

Also worked on over break:

Mike's first sock...


My iPod cozy (ok, so it was right before break)...


Somebody still needs to sew the buttons on...


And to show I'm not a one-craft only girl, it's spring! Time for cross stitch...


This is what it will eventually look like...


Finally, a bucket of yarn. I've decided why decorate with greenery and things when I can decorate with the skads of balls of pretty yarn that I have lying about...

look a finished object!

The first pillow of an eventual matching set:

When life gets in the way

I feel like I'm in purgatory on the table topper- endless little flower petals all in a row. Before I can get back to circling around and around. I want to get back to the pink darnit!

I realized I haven't knitted at all since I finished Sharyn's gloves. I must be in some bizarre vortex of time and space. I started crocheting an afghan using afghan stitch, but became confused. I need to steam the kinks out of my afghan needle, then I'll try again. Funny how one little change in the stitch can get me so bewildered.

I can't even remember all the projects I'm working on right now- still going on the lilac baby blanket, I still need to finish Mike's sweater, I have the back and one front side done of a cardigan that I think will be too small... and those are just the big projects. I should try sock knitting again, but I get frustrated and my fingers hurt from working with the itsy bitsy needles. Someday I'll go back to it all.

In the meantime, real life and teaching are getting in the way. But I *did* sew a pillow this weekend, which I will post pretty pictures of as soon as I finish its mate. Hurrah for domesticity!

New piccies!

Only a few finished objects here, but I like to see progress.

Here is a finished scarf, shown over my (BRIGHT) pink classy coat. Very basic stitch pattern using size 13 needles, with recycled sari silk (which was annoying to work with but really luscious in color):


This is the lavender baby blanket, a bit further on:


And the project I've been working on the most lately? A filet crochet table topper. I have a booklet of holiday table toppers that I really like, and I've been on a major crochet kick. Here's the booklet front


And back


And here's my progress from a few days ago on the Valentine's Day table topper (it's a good two inches larger in diameter now):


I would like to make the other tablecloths as well, though I don't own a circular kitchen table yet. I definitely would rather have a round table than a rectangle or square, in future- although I do enjoy making tablecloths for the table I have now by just buying 2 yards of any fabric I please and hemming it. haha.

More Magic Looping

So it turns out that my gauge is just *always* off by one needle size. Why did I think making socks on size 0s would work then? I had two inches, tried it on my foot, and realized there's no way it'll fit my boy if it doesn't even fit me well. Ribbit Ribbit, and I'm up to size 1s. Much much better already. But I'm only 1/4 or 1/2 an inch in...

I need to get working on that white cabled scarf, it's so chilly!!!

The magic loop

No pictures yet for today, but I do have knitting content.

Last night was Sock-it-to-Me Bloomington, which is a monthly get-together at the local Barnes and Noble. We sit around, drink chai and tea, and kvetch. There's lots of joking and double entendres, and there usually is some comment about how all of them are at least twice my age. So sue me.

On a positive note, one of the nice ladies taught me how to use the Magic Loop method. I can now make a pair of socks on ONE single (long) needle... no dpns to lose! No need to buy a second circ! It's fabulous. Bought my first Addi Turbos today (in sizes 0,1,2,3 since those are all the ones I use for socks), and I am raring to go. Cast on and did a couple rows on Mike's Lorna's Laces socks in the Blackwatch colorway, and they're very pretty. The method is a little wonky looking at first, but easy enough. I would do two socks at once (amazingly possible with one needle!), but I haven't wound the other skein into a ball yet... and I would like to make one pair of socks this way before I do anything that funky.

In further knitting-related news, I was sitting around knitting after my allergy shot and had a lovely conversation with an older woman about all sorts of knitting stuff. We talked needles and methods and yarns and stuff. It was very fun. I always amaze grandmothers with my 1337 knitting skillz or something. Or just that I'm under 50 and can make socks. :-p She suggested argyles, so once I try my hand at that fair-isle hat I might be tempted. Speaking of which, I seriously want the yarn for that absolutely insanely bright fair-isle hat from Interweave Knits. OOOH yes.

45 minutes before class, that should be plenty of time to grab something caffeinated and read or knit a bit more. I don't think I can handle the no-caffeine thing on this little sleep, with a class from 4-5:15.

Just one more for tonight...

And finally, here are the projects I'm working on currently. As in, ACTUALLY working on, not ones that are sitting in time-out until hell freezes over.


Mikado gloves for my pal... one done, one to go.


Detail of the cabling on the fingerless gloves


Did I ever mention I'm obsessed with cables? Two repeats into my new white scarf. Because when you buy a hot pink coat, you can't just wear Gryffindor stripes. At all.


Baby blanket- old pic, actually, so it's a bit further along. Will be gifted to the next friend to get preggers. The color's off a bit, it's really lavender.


Detail of the pretty lace and cable stitches on the baby blanket.

More old craft pictures...

My very first afghan- the one that got me back into crafting, senior year of college. I still think it's quite pretty, though I hardly ever crochet nowadays.


My first sweater- sleeves are a bit long, but I've been wearing it for well over a year and still think it's comfy and adorable.


Completely off-color image of the cabling


Artistic rendering of my first Booga Bag.


First pair of socks


Coronet, my first hat!


Pink Lady purse


Broadripple Socks


Second Booga Bag- the summery fun one

Cosplay

Lest I be considered a one-craft girl, I should include the cosplay pics...


Front pic


Side pic


And the back (notice the ring... accurate though annoying?

My favorite pic- Wheaties, the breakfast of cosplayers. Actually it's probably Raisin Bran.