In which our intrepid knitter runs out of Snickerdoodle yarn

Here's a pretty pillow picture:



Unfortunately, KnitPicks yardage and the yardage of the original yarn... does not translate well. So my 5 balls of yarn was enough for me to finish the front and one back piece... but not the other. And then there's the 3 needle bind-off I-Cord edging to do all round... plus the i-cord buttons... oh bother.

I just sent off some more money to KnitPicks, and if the dyelot is way off, it's my own little lesson learned. I did also buy (enough skeins of) yarn to make a second pillow... because I enjoyed knitting it, it's fairly quick, and every good Jewish girl should have Chanuka decorations! I love that this yarn color is called Snickerdoodle. On the website it looks like pale khaki, but in real life it looks JUST like a nice tan Snickerdoodle. It's adorable.

Now, to start on a few more holiday gifts until the yarn arrives and I can finish this one up. I'm noticing that I have a lot more projects nearly completed than normal: the knitting on the pillow is almost completed, another gift just needs the ends woven in, I have a pair of socks that is only an inch or so from total completion, and a baby sweater that just needs sleeves. And why am I not finishing these? Because casting on for other projects is obviously so much more fun! Next up on the needles? Adamas shawl from KnitPicks. This will be my first full-on shawl lace-knitting experience. I finished a scarf, but I've never done a major charted lace project. Here's hoping that it goes better than my last attempt at the Peace Shawl! Which, I'd like to note, I do have blue yarn for... I'll get around to that project someday.

Remiss as always

There's a very good reason for my lack of blogging- I'm in the midst of a whole lot of holiday knitting! But here's a few projects that I can "dare" to bare at this point...

First off, a project in Mount To-Be-Knit. This will be a tartan bag! Pattern from Pursenalities:


Almost done with the front of the Molly Ringwald sweater:


Whew. The rest are still gifts and therefore I can't link pretty pictures. BUT here's one final photo- this is the yarn I'm going to use for my Socktoberfest project! Hurrah hurrah for Koigu. I'm thinking of doing this pattern Falling Leaves from Knitty

Kitty Hats and the beginnings of knitting enterprise

I was supposed to work on kitty hats... for months now. And things have come up, and I've been reading the paper in the mornings, and then moving, and basically I hadn't knit a single kitty hat. Finished the base for one, and ribbing for another, in the last day. I should be able to finish these two by Monday night... and then hopefully do at least 2-3 more before Friday, and then maybe some more Friday night. Whew. My mom brought over 4, so all together that's not so bad. If these all sell (who knows?), then I'll have to seriously get off my butt and make up a bunch more for the girls to bring to upcoming conventions. I was thinking I need a name for these...~

Handknit by Mikaiya

I think at work I'll print off some business cards, and a page (in color) to give the girls to display with the hats. I bet people would commission them... not sure how many I'd be willing to do, though, even on commission. The girl at Fishfish knits charges 30 bucks a pop- so surely mine at 25 are reasonable. Eventually I need to make a little website, and get those sew-in tags, too. If I feel really ambitious, I'll make some skinny scarves to sell and other one-off items.

I've been making progress on Christmas gifts (no piccies on the blog for a while, since almost all of my knitting is for gifts).

Best of all, I went to a knitting class today. I can now knit English and Continental! My left-handed knitting is absurdly slow, but I can do it, and my tension doesn't even change much. I also *cough* picked up the yarn for a pattern I've been wanting to try. This: The Molly Ringwald from Knitscene Fall 2006. I'm making it in lavendar Calmer... OH do I love Calmer. It may be my new favorite thing.

I would blog more to the knitting blog if I could access it from Writely. Why won't Writely work with me?? Ah well. Here's some project updates!

- Halfway through the "I Do" from Knitty... it's more casual than I thought, but it will still be cute with jeans, I think.
- Mom has been given a copy of the kitty hat pattern and some yarn, and I'm going to start some myself. Hurrah for Otakon.
- I'm going to buy the natural-color laceweight yarn from KnitPicks and make the peace shawl. Or maybe do it in blue. Either way, it's ridiculous not to do it in the color I want. The burgundy laceweight yarn I already own will be saved for a gift shawl, a long time in the future.
- I still have a nearly-finished pair of socks to work on (maybe I'll bring these with me to the wedding? Good hotel knitting)
- I need to think about holiday presents. I have a few ideas already...

Another FO!

I'm still 1/4 of the way through my "I Do" project... but I took another brief break tonight and completed a project- in about 3 hours- for my coworker's new baby. Who has not yet been born... unless he has. In which case I guess Dan will get it belatedly. Either way! Piccies. I have no model, unfortunately, being happily childless.





Voila! Cutesy cutesy wow!

FO!

I finally finished something! This was a fairly quick knit, in the Mikaiya world of taking a year to finish anything. Aran baby blanket, completed 6/3/06. Pattern is Mom's favorite pattern (book unknown). Yarn is Red Heart- only 3 skeins- in the aran color.

Voila!


Detail:


Currently working on I Do from Knitty to wear as a shrug over my summer dress. Since I have a lot of weddings to attend, with none of the same people... I'm just saying that it will get a lot of use! It is a SUPER fast knit. Now I have the new camera working well (where did I put that charger??), I figure I'll get pics up once it's more recognizably sleeve-like. I'm almost to the right elbow already, working up from the tips.

Maryland Sheep and Wool

I wasn't planning on going to Sheep and Wool this weekend. Silly me. I was in a rotten mood the last few days (not feeling well), and this was the best pick-me-up ever!! I enjoyed watching the sheep, strolling around the Howard County fairgrounds, enjoying the pit beef and a real Coke (a real treat for me). But of course the best part? The vendors!! Hundreds and hundreds of fantastic vendors of all sorts. I learned that I am totally in love with Koigu (of course), rug hooking (who would have thought??), and the people from Philosopher's Wool really ARE as nice as they seem. Here's a pictoral review. Nothing here for the rug hooking, but that's my next hobby. I think this fall I will investigate taking an intro class or something. I might not be quite artistic enough for it, but the finished products are absolutely gorgeous. Like latch hook gone adult. Anyways, on to the photos of my loot!

OMG Koigu!! I really think this is my favorite yarn of the moment. I can't wait to make some socks with it. I might even break down and do a Charlotte's Web. So pretty!


I realize one should buy lots of yarn from people who can't sell wholesale at this sort of event. But at the same time, I found some yarn that I had never seen in person before, at least not in the colorways I ended up loving. So not only did I get the Koigu, I got another sock yarn, Mountain Colors. I think these would make excellent cable-up-the-heel socks, to go with my clogs:


I have wanted to make a fair-isle Philosopher's Wool sweater for ages, but couldn't pick a colorway. I'm still not certain that this is my favorite pattern/color combo, but it does look very pretty on me. They had a model I could use. This kit will make one sturdy and warm sweater, which I could easily wear as a fall/spring jacket. Did I mention that it's fun fair-isle??


The kit laid out:


Free bag for purchasing a Philosopher's Wool kit:


One booth had really lovely hat patterns, including the following. I purchased their handspun fingering weight to make my own, which should go well with the hot pink winter coat, and be light enough to wear in the fall and spring.

I had a post in my LJ the other day... which probably should have been in this journal. I apologize if you've read this content before, feel free to move along!

Gaia had an pretty interesting comment for me the other night. Someone at her gym saw her kitty hat and wanted to see more of the things I make. I was concerned because the kitty hats are probably my quickest and cheapest project to make, and therefore the most sell-able. But this woman could be interested in the non-quick and cheap. Hmm. So it's got me thinking about cottage industry, and what I could reasonably make to sell.

The time issue is the most difficult- I knit on the metro at least half the time, and that's time that I don't mind devoting to knitting (I read the newspaper when it's too full to sit and knit, or read my Palm... but if I had a simple pattern I can stand and knit). And I spend a lot of time online, so that's quite a bit of non-knitting time. I could go back to watching more movies and TV at night, instead of gaming so damn much, and that would give me quite a bit more time to devote to this. So here's some ideas of what I could do, for Christmas-gifts, etc.

1- kitty hats

This is a decent idea for holiday gifts and for Otakon. I have quite a bit of the yarn already, the pattern is self-created (therefore I don't have to worry about copyright infringement). They take 2-3 evenings of fairly solid knitting and sewing up the ends. I enjoy making them, but I won't make many more in black- it's just too damn fuzzy when trying to attach the ears. I could realistically sell these to people, and have done so in the past... I aim to make up a bunch for Otakon this summer, and see how they sell then. If I try to make one a week, that will be enough to have a decent stack at the con- and if I try and make more than that, well then all the better.

2- socks

This project is a little trickier. If I stick with self-striping yarns or do simple stripes of my own, I don't have to worry about copyright (the basic sock pattern I use is generic, not written by anyone in particular). If I were to do funky designs, I'd need to create those myself- something I could surely do, but it would mean some trial and error because I haven't done a pattern yet. Socks are relatively fast, but if I work with fingering weight or sock yarn, working with the size 1-3 needles can be rough on my fingers. I've never done a pair of socks in a very short period of time, because I like to switch between them and bigger needles, to protect myself from injury. I could, however, knit a couple pairs in a month while knitting other projects, if I spent more time knitting at night. I'm ambivalent- mostly because the amount of time required would push the price a bit high. I don't know how much people are willing to pay for socks. The yarn also figures into the cost factor- I can get yarn for a pair of socks anywhere from 3 bucks to 20 or 30. I usually average 9-10. On the other hand, anyone who ordered hand-knit socks would be getting exactly that- hand knit, sturdy, wool-blend, washable socks. And mine have lasted beautifully. ((Note: I'm thinking that the size issues are the most troublesome... I won't offer to make socks unless it's for people whose feet I know. Mom? Yes. Random stranger? No.))

3- scarves

Ok, I do tend to forget this stuff. It's a broad category, but I can make fuzzy scarves, long skinny scarves, striped scarves, Harry Potter scarves, lace scarves... anything really. I could sell them cheaper, because they're faster to knit. The yarn costs are all over the place. Lace would cost a great deal more than a simple fun fur-type deal, since it takes about 4 times as long to make.

4- other hats

Could do bears hats... striped hats... toques... fair isle... skies the limit. I need to make up some models. Hats are cheap to make (or free, from stash yarn), and quick.

Sweaters take too long. Baby sweaters.... maybe. Baby blankets.... maybe. No afghans for adults, unless they're crocheted. I could definitely do crocheted baby afghans, they don't take more than a few days.

One more pic

I forgot- this is the sweater I am just dying to make, in this color and all. Hurrah for bobbles:



But the yarn is a bit expensive for my current tastes. In the meantime, I have PLENTY of projects going on. Hurray for the digicam, nonetheless!

Camera! Pix! Action!

I have been promising an update, and I have been promising pictures. Now that I'm a proud owner of a swanky new digital camera, I can finally deliver. So here you are!!

The enormous lavendar baby blanket:


Detail of the cabling:


Finally bought the yarn to make this project:


Beginnings of a cabled baby blanket, from Mom's favorite pattern:


The first lace scarf, pre-blocking:


The first lace scarf, while blocking:


Current progress on the second lace scarf:


My Clapotis being blocked (lo these 12 months after finishing):


I think that will do it!!!

Camera's still mostly broken. Pix to come.

But in the meantime- I'm 1/3 of the way through a lace scarf (super pretty!), finished the purple baby blanket, halfway through the aran-colored crocheted throw I'll probably donate... whew. I also finished the body of my peach baby sweater, I'm working on the first sleeve.

And I need to make a crapload of kitty hats in a week. Go go go! We're going to try and sell a few at Katsucon.

That is all. I swear I'll be back. I knit on the metro every day now, so hopefully this will lead to some completed projects soon...

Sweater curse

I'm not saying that the sweater curse is true. All I'm saying is that this finished project (from a bit ago now) isn't an engagement sweater. And I'm single. Hmm. It's still pretty, and there's no reason on earth why a girl can't wear a man's sweater. Even if it is a bit ginormous.



Detail of the neck and cabling

Not quite knitting...

One of my resolutions for the New Year ought to be to blog in my knitting blog more (and perhaps Livejournal less). Per usual, I gave away two knitted gifts without taking photos first. I gave my mom the cream-and-burgundy afghan, which I completed before Chanuka was over (hurrah). I also made yet another kitty hat for my co-worker's daughter in pink. It looked like... confection.

In my defense of the lack of digital photography to prove my finished project status, my camera hasn't been working. It did, however, decide to start cooperating tonight. Since the gifts are long gone, I can at least give you a picture of my cutest Chanuka gift, care of Dallas:



Isn't she a doll?

I have a trillion projects on the needles that I should be working on. The first goal for home is to finish the lavendar baby blanket (so close!). Now that I have a metro commute, I will hopefully be able to get some smaller projects knit on my way to and from work. Goal for the commute? Finish the second sock in my latest pair. It would be nice to be able to wear them before summertime. After those long-term projects are complete, I have another great metro project- the peach baby sweater. It's tiny enough to stuff in a purse, and adorable as can be. Or will be, if I get more than 4 inches into it. Bloody sport-weight yarn on size 2s.

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!