A few knitting thoughts

Aaah, but the time has come. Like so many knitters, my stash has outgrown me. I said I could not buy anything at Sheep and Wool unless I made room in my storage containers for it- and I did make room. And now the room is filled. So, like so many other knitters (especially knit-bloggers) I am on a yarn diet. It really shouldn't be so difficult to do! I have the yarn and patterns ready for a number of sweaters, loads of pairs of socks, and plenty of lace shawls and other accessories. I even have many gifts planned ahead (baby blankets ahoy). So who really needs more yarn? After reading Lolly's post, I am all inspired to share some of the projects I have coming up. Maybe it's time to acknowledge the extent of my stash (and the creativity that surely it will entail)... and stop adding to it.

Yarn diet! I need some ground rules, too. Sock yarn is not exempt, because I have more than a basket-full already, in a huge variety of types and colors. I will allow myself some minor slippages, however- I can pick up the yarn for a project if I absolutely fall for it, and the total cost is less than twenty dollars. And I am out of town. No full sweaters (unless they are under twenty bucks! hah), and I really do own an absurd amount of laceweight alpaca and merino.

Sounds good. Want to see a few things I have in mind? Just a bit of a verbal stash walkthrough teaser until I have my camera in hand for a real one.

First, gift socks. The yarn is OnLine SuperSocke, using a basic top-down pattern.

Second, the Hanami (cherry blossom) shawl. I'm picking up the beads tonight! Hanami by Pink Lemon Twist

Third in line (well, it's already begun- so coterminously) is the Cheesy Puffs sweater for Brian. Only a few more inches until the back shaping!

EDIT:: Well, I didn't have the patience for a beaded cast on. I think that may be a project for the holiday weekend! I did get a bit further with Brian's sweater, however.


Also, on the manly socks:


Can I get them done in only 3 weeks? Only time will tell. Good thing it really is a holiday weekend.

A knitter's quiz

Have you done the following?

Bold the things you've done (I've linked where appropriate), italic for things you would like to do, no style for everything else.

Here goes!

Afghan a few! Here's one:

I-cord

Garter stitch
Knitting with metal wire
Shawl Yes! Yes!

Stockinette stitch
Socks: top-down

Socks: toe-up
Knitting with camel yarn
Mittens: Cuff-up (no piccie, sadly)
Mittens: Tip-down
Hat

Knitting with silk

Moebius band knitting
Participating in a KAL - not really. I will, though, surely.
Sweater

Drop stitch patterns

Knitting with recycled/secondhand yarn

Slip stitch patterns
Knitting with bananafiber yarn
Domino knitting
Twisted stitch patterns
Knitting with Bamboo yarn
Two end knitting
Charity knitting

Knitting with soy yarn
Cardigan

Toy/Doll clothing
Knitting with circular needles
Baby items

Knitting with your own handspun yarn
Slippers
Graffitti knitting (knitting items on, or to be left on the street)
Continental Knitting
Designing knitted garments

Cable stitch patterns (incl. Aran)

Lace patterns

Publishing a knitting book
Scarf

Teaching a child to knit (Nope, just adults thus far)
American/English knitting (as opposed to continental)
Knitting to make money
Buttonholes
Knitting with Alpaca
Fair Isle Knitting

Norwegian knitting
Dying with plant colors
Knitting items for a wedding
Household items (dishcloths, washcloths, tea cosies...)
Knitting socks (or other small tubular items)on two circulars
Olympic knitting
Knitting with someone else's handspun yarn
Knitting with dpns
Holiday related knitting

Teaching a male to knit
Bobbles

Knitting for a living
Knitting with cotton
Knitting smocking
Dyeing yarn
Steeks Soon come!
Knitting art
Knitting two socks (or other small tubular items) on two circulars simultaneously
Fulling/felting

Knitting with wool
Textured Knitting
Kitchener Bind Off
Purses/bags

Knitting with beads (probably will starting tonight! heh)
Swatching (rarely)
Long Tail CO
Entrelac
Knitting and Purling Backwards
Machine knitting
Knitting with selfpatterning/selfstriping/variegating yarn
Stuffed Toys
Baby items
Knitting with Cashmere
Darning
Jewelry
Knitting with synthetic yarn
Writing a pattern
Gloves
Intarsia
Knitting with Linen
Knitting for preemies
Tubular CO
Freeform knitting
Short rows
Cuffs/fingerless mits/armwarmers

Pillows
Knitting a pattern from an online knitting magazine
Rug
Knitting on a loom
Thrummed knitting
Knitting a gift
Knitting for pets
Shrug/Bolero/Poncho
Knitting with dog/cat hair
Hair accessories
Knitting in public

One more completed item

I was a bit disingenuous in my last post. I didn't just finish the Brea Bag this evening... a few moments ago I sewed on buttons for the baby romper I completed yesterday.

Voila, the finished product! Knitting with colors this bright is just fantastic. I should make myself a smashing purple and pink sweater. Maybe.



And a detail with the bodice and buttons:

Recent excitement

I have a Finished Object! I completed the knitting on a Brea Bag many many moons ago, ordered handles from a certain notions shop in NYC... and never received them. Tonight I found some (cheaper, with a 40 percent coupon) at AC Moore. And now the purse lives! It looks remarkably up-to-date with the hip and happening current styles, but I'm not sure it can handle the amount of bric-a-brac I must carry with me at all times. Keys, wallet, phone, fine... but add the inhaler, the back pain medication, the umbrella, and it gets a bit heavy. If I get real crazy motivated I'll line the sucker. Also, I need to get a big wooden button. For now, a DPN will do! Voila, the Brea Bag, knit with Cascade 220 Superwash in kelly green:


And a more artistic shot:


Lest you think that's all I've been up to, I also began (and completed) a pair of mittens. The knitting-for-a-boy curse struck again, so I have no documentation of them. Let it be known that they were crafted in a gorgeous red and black Shaefer Yarn, true fireman colors. I've learned my lesson and am never knitting for someone I'm dating EVER AGAIN. It's just too heart breaking.

Knitting for Mom, however, is always A-OK. Check out my new favorite yarn, Scarlet Fleece Painted Merino! These are bed socks, because my mother likes to wear socks to bed. They are perhaps not the ideal gift for such a milestone birthday as this one, but hopefully they help her feet stay toasty. When I'm 55, I hope I have daughters knitting me socks! The pattern is a simple Twisted Rib, loads of fun to knit. The heavy gauge makes for a fast and delicious knit indeed.


Scarlet Fleece Painted Merino is so fun I had to buy another skein, destined for another birthday present. I loved knitting the first pair so much, I'm already at the heel of the first sock in this colorway, two days after pulling it out of my stash!


In recent memory I worked on another sweater out of Classic Elite Sand. Sadly, Sand requires hand washing (the horrors) and I have to keep it for myself. I got nifty technicolor fish buttons to go with it, and will someday sew the thing together and attach the buttons. Since I'm going to keep it in my hope chest*, no hurry. This is the nearly completed sweater:


Most of my knitting time has been going elsewhere, however. Here's an adorable romper at a half-complete stage:


A close-up of the fair isle bottoms. This is a bit over saturated, but to do credit to Cascade 220 superwash it's not actually that much brighter than the real thing.


Coming soon on the needles, after a bunch of baby projects, is Brian's sweater. Since he is only a coworker and friend, and we would never date, he has demanded a sweater on the grounds that the sweater curse could never apply. Sneaky. I don't mind, except for his FIFTY-TWO inch chest measurement. Kill me now. I've found a pattern and yarn that pleases us both, though I suspect nothing will please me 6 trillion stitches from now:


* hope chest = pile of baby and wedding type things that I will probably, sadly, never need