Slow progress

Usually I post finished objects. Pretty things, all done up and tied with a bow. I've been reading a great deal the past few weeks however, and despite getting some good knitting time in, nothing is anywhere near done. Here's some progress!

Brian's sweater is moving along. I might even finish the back someday. 30 inches of back, people! The pattern is there for size.


Also, I'm moving slowly along on the manly socks. Plodding, really. I suspect there is no way to make my target date... but it's summer now. Who would really want to wear wool socks in the summer?? They lose a bit of their manliness on my new blanket, I think. My mother bought new blankets for my sister and me, of the same amazing fuzzy yumminess as her current blanket-of-choice. They're machine washable, and mine is pink! Mom knows me so well.


Finally, I cast on for the Hanami shawl. It is amazingly beautiful. The cast on, however, took ages. The longest part? Getting to a bead store to buy the right dewdrop-looking beads. And then locating a crochet hook tiny enough to spear them. With the aid of my roommate, it is cast on and zooming along- nearly one repeat of the basketweave pattern complete. A full view:


And something of a detail:

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

Bobble Blue

OK! It may be 2:30 in the morning on a Thursday... and I do have to go to work tomorrow, though not until after a doctor's appointment. So to brace my spirits a bit, since I'm going to get more testing regarding the arthritis issue (evidently one is never too young for Rheumatoid Arthritis)...

Anyways, bracing my spirits this week has involved a great deal of finishing work. This is the knitting content you've been waiting for. Instead of finishing the baby sweater as I ought to have done, I decided no time like the present to finish my very own Bobble Blue! Remember that swanky Interweave Knits from a year ago... the one with at least 4 or 5 great patterns in it, which I already bought the yarn for... well, project number one is DONE. Done done, from the last bit of purling to the woven-in ends and cute little wood buttons. I should note that it does not fit as I expected. I thought it would be too small in the arms, and possibly too small. This is because I have a bad habit of completely ignoring my actual size and instead knitting for what I figure I really ought to be. In this case, I could have gone down another size STILL and been fine- instead of coming out sleek and body skimming, it's actually a bit boxy. Although this keeps it from looking "like the picture," I don't mind terribly much- the sleeves are the perfect fit and I generally opt for boxy. It's easier to pull off at the office.

Nuff talk. I finished it far too late to get roommate-snapped photos, so I had to make do with the timer on my camera. This meant I had no way to get a good detail shot without it being also rather a bust shot- and to keep this blog g-rated, we'll just stick with the bad photography.

One tired little model. But does it not just ooze cable-y spring-y goodness? Try another:


Just to recap, the yarn was Ella Rae Classic. Which I didn't like terribly much. I think it is going to be itchy, and there were way too many knots in each ball. Live and learn! In future I'm going back to my superwash wool and acrylic or cotton blends. Allergic girls (even sheep-loving ones) have to bow down to reality to some extent. I think with a camisole or a little tee this will be just right.

Now... to get to bed. And wear it to work tomorrow. Swanky!

Currently on the needles, because it can't hurt to remind myself:
- February sock club socks (nearly to the heel on the first sock)
- baby sweater (all knitted up and ready for seaming)
- green socks (about 2 inches left to knit on the second sock... so lazy)
- Molly Ringwald sweater (nearly finished the front, but I've lost my place in the decreases)
- coral baby sweater (just need to knit the sleeves and collar)
Also, I should be knitting a ginormous amount of kitty hats for the summer conventions coming up. I feel no kitty motivation yet, but maybe it will hit me in a week or two?

I love knitting in the sunshine

Well, spring is about to spring. And I've been getting ready. Yes, my average post time seems to be once per month. But what a month it has been! No finished objects to show, sadly, but lots of things that are so close to finished that I can taste it. TWO sweaters are done but for the last details- sewing together, collars, button bits for one. It's miraculous. See??

Here's the Bobble Blue sweater from Interweave Knits Spring 2006. The yarn is Ella Rae Classic, and I have to say I'm not a huge fan. Firstly, I hate that it's not washable. So sue me, I like washable garments. Also, there were a NUMBER of knots in the skeins. Enough to really piss me off. But the color is great, and it was relatively soft on the hands. I adored this sweater when I first saw it (it's on the cover of that Interweave issue) and had to make one. My version is a lighter blue- teal, according to the roommate.
Blocking photo:


And the back:


This was my first project with button holes. I didn't do the ribbon-and-sewing-machine approach, mainly because I'm lazy and my sewing skills are subpar lately. It still should be fine! I got some great wood buttons to go with it, which will really kick it up a notch. I love that this sweater is work appropriate!


More Bobble Blue joy:



Lest you think I've only been knitting for myself- not so! I started a baby sweater for one of my oldest friends. We met at 3 years of age or so, and went through Temple School together. And now he's having a baby. Crazy! I'm using Classic Elite Sand with a Classic Elite pattern. Yarn and pattern were given to me by Abby-upstairs!

Here's the pattern:


And some pics in progress:



Also, I got a bit further on the pastel baby blanket. Loads of my friends are turning up preggers- this shouldn't surprise me as much as it does. I left the pattern at my parents' last weekend, but I'll pick it up when I go to the baby shower in a couple weeks with my Mom. Whew! This is her all-time favorite baby afghan pattern, and having already made one myself I can guarantee they are addictive. Too bad the pattern is from the 70s and probably impossible to find. Isn't that always the way. The yarn is just Read Heart Baby, but so cute!! Pastel variegated, with a strand of nylon for shimmer.


That should do it for now! I am seriously behind on kitty hats for this summer's anime conventions. Also on the needles? The February sock club kit from The Celtic Knot shop in Ellicott City (started tonight when I couldn't handle baby stockinette anymore). Also, the peach baby sweater (better finish it this spring!), and those darn green socks I never finished. I should really get on that. I'm still teaching knitting classes every other week, too, which is delightful. Who knew so many Jews wanted to knit but didn't know how??

Happy knitting, folks!

And a new year begins

I have a few knitting goals for 2007. They're pretty simple, actually. I want to knit myself two sweaters, and at least one pair of socks. Actually, I'd love to knit myself three sweaters and enough socks that I don't need to wear store-bought ones, but I'm sticking to realistic here. In this aim, I have the yarn and patterns for THREE sweaters already... and have cast on for one. Ooh la la. I also have a nearly finished pair of socks which has been languishing for a year or so.

But before embarking on the year of knitting for me, I had a few other things to do.

The second Adamas Shawl! I didn't finish it in time to wear on the cruise, but it still is done done done. The yarn is a hand-painted lace-weight silk that I bought at the Virginia Fiber festival thingy. A truly unique colorway!


And as worn, heading to the symphony:


I also made a scarf for Food and Friends. Not really knitting for me, but knitting for charity is good, too. The pattern is Wavy from Knitty, and the yarn is washable-if-scratchy Red Heart.


I also started another baby afghan from my Mom's favorite pattern (I'm now about one pattern repeat in):


And as soon as I get my handles in the mail, I will have finished the Brea Bag from Berrocco. Rocking!