The holidays are finally over and the car remains in poor condition. The result? A lot of knitting time at home.
Officially, I decided to go shawl-crazy. There are dozens of skeins in my stash, begging to be used on projects other than socks. Most of the yarn has been dyed in short color repeats and may not adequately show off stitch-definition. This calls for a lot of experimentation.
The reason for the new craze is the completion of the gorgeously simple Damson shawl. Instead of using the bamboo blend initially earmarked for the project, I decided to start over with superwash merino. The change in game plan was a good one, indeed. When I used the right yarn, the problems focusing on the pattern quickly went away. It's funny what a little enthusiasm will do.
As penance for my selfish knitting, I am now working on a long-promised scarf for my aunt. She requested off white wool and this is absolute torture for someone like me, who prefers vibrant colors. I settled on the Midwest Moonlight scarf in Cascade 220. Due to the difference in gauge, I cast on 33 stitches instead of the recommended 49. If I have enough yarn left over, I will also make her a hat as an apology for being delinquent.
Another project in the works this week is the mass purging of books and miscellaneous craft supplies. In order to simplify my life, many items need to be either sold or donated to make my home less overwhelming. Perhaps if I make enough money, the car repairs can be expedited. If the financial compensation ends up being low, at least I can feel a little more sane in my own environment.
Monday, December 28, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Caught, Bagged and Tagged
After being trapped in my home for an entire week during the holidays, I decided to organize my craft supplies. This meant embarking on a project I have had in the back of my mind for quite some time.
Several huge sales a few years ago prompted me to purchase enough yarn to make a bunch of sweaters. The fiber was dropped into the recesses of deep stash, never to resurface. Needing to simplify my life, I went through everything last May and got rid of any materials that would never realistically be used. This purge was intended only for the acrylic yarn gifted by well-meaning friends and family. Recently, I turned a critical eye on the rest.
First, I located the boxes of 1 and 2.5 gallon Ziploc storage bags from the last stash overhaul. The smaller bags were designated for tiny projects like scarves, hats, toys and gloves. Larger bags held a sweater’s-worth of yarn. This was the primary focus. I managed to assign patterns to almost every big batch of fiber from the same dye lot. I wrote project information on large note cards. Each card had the name of the project, approximate number of skeins needed, intended size, gauge, list of notions/tools and miscellaneous notes. (Will I need to download errata? Have other bloggers complained about the garment stretching after blocking? Does the designer typically write clear instructions?) We know the drill.
When I managed to track down all of the patterns and transcribe the necessary information, the note cards were placed in bags with the yarn. All of these bags were then put in their own clear plastic storage tub, away from the other tubs containing unassigned skeins. The photo was taken partially through the process and doesn’t show the end result. My yarn collection is quite scary and I am not entirely sure it’s a good idea to expose the entire mess to the world.
When I had a roommate last year, yarn was sneaked into the house surreptitiously at odd hours when she was not present. Even though I didn’t go overboard with purchasing, the addition of any new materials would have sparked a discussion where she would be confused but accepting and I would simply be ashamed. Assigning projects will help me work my way through the rest of the stash and prevent potential yarn binges. If I feel like making a sweater, there are at least a dozen options waiting for me. An accessory? Right there in the tub containing single skeins of yarn. Love the new system so far and hope it continues to work the way I intended.
My knitting life has been revitalized as well. Searching through boxes, I have located most of my UFOs and can finally work on finishing everything. Single socks are bagged with their needles and sweater pieces have been located and stored in the same place. Huzzah!
Speaking of knitting, the Damson shawl has been ripped back and re-knit, only to discover a huge mistake about ten rows back. I will have to frog hundreds of stitches to correct the error and hopefully I will be able to find the patience. The pattern is extremely well written and the screw-up occurred as a result of my own lack of attention to detail. I may write about this later in detail when I can correct the problem and continue the pattern. Keeping this project with me during social visits was a huge failure. Apparently, I can only do mindless garter stitch while talking to people. There are plenty of charity blankets to work on, so looks like they will be my next go-to items.
Finally, a dear friend sent me this wonderful link on CNN about urban knitting. Some of the items I knew about- others I didn’t.
Edit: Blogger has once again rejected HTML tags, so here is the link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/12/04/knitting.irpt/index.html
Several huge sales a few years ago prompted me to purchase enough yarn to make a bunch of sweaters. The fiber was dropped into the recesses of deep stash, never to resurface. Needing to simplify my life, I went through everything last May and got rid of any materials that would never realistically be used. This purge was intended only for the acrylic yarn gifted by well-meaning friends and family. Recently, I turned a critical eye on the rest.
First, I located the boxes of 1 and 2.5 gallon Ziploc storage bags from the last stash overhaul. The smaller bags were designated for tiny projects like scarves, hats, toys and gloves. Larger bags held a sweater’s-worth of yarn. This was the primary focus. I managed to assign patterns to almost every big batch of fiber from the same dye lot. I wrote project information on large note cards. Each card had the name of the project, approximate number of skeins needed, intended size, gauge, list of notions/tools and miscellaneous notes. (Will I need to download errata? Have other bloggers complained about the garment stretching after blocking? Does the designer typically write clear instructions?) We know the drill.
When I managed to track down all of the patterns and transcribe the necessary information, the note cards were placed in bags with the yarn. All of these bags were then put in their own clear plastic storage tub, away from the other tubs containing unassigned skeins. The photo was taken partially through the process and doesn’t show the end result. My yarn collection is quite scary and I am not entirely sure it’s a good idea to expose the entire mess to the world.
When I had a roommate last year, yarn was sneaked into the house surreptitiously at odd hours when she was not present. Even though I didn’t go overboard with purchasing, the addition of any new materials would have sparked a discussion where she would be confused but accepting and I would simply be ashamed. Assigning projects will help me work my way through the rest of the stash and prevent potential yarn binges. If I feel like making a sweater, there are at least a dozen options waiting for me. An accessory? Right there in the tub containing single skeins of yarn. Love the new system so far and hope it continues to work the way I intended.
My knitting life has been revitalized as well. Searching through boxes, I have located most of my UFOs and can finally work on finishing everything. Single socks are bagged with their needles and sweater pieces have been located and stored in the same place. Huzzah!
Speaking of knitting, the Damson shawl has been ripped back and re-knit, only to discover a huge mistake about ten rows back. I will have to frog hundreds of stitches to correct the error and hopefully I will be able to find the patience. The pattern is extremely well written and the screw-up occurred as a result of my own lack of attention to detail. I may write about this later in detail when I can correct the problem and continue the pattern. Keeping this project with me during social visits was a huge failure. Apparently, I can only do mindless garter stitch while talking to people. There are plenty of charity blankets to work on, so looks like they will be my next go-to items.
Finally, a dear friend sent me this wonderful link on CNN about urban knitting. Some of the items I knew about- others I didn’t.
Edit: Blogger has once again rejected HTML tags, so here is the link: http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/12/04/knitting.irpt/index.html
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Hopefully, Not a Wool Allergy
In the days following the convention, I have managed to contract another sinus infection. Never have illnesses appeared back-to-back before and the need for an allergist has become more urgent. After the Thanksgiving holiday, a number of calls will be made. I am desperate to get an appointment before the end of the year when my insurance provider hikes up the co-pay for specialists. It's quite ludicrous what we are expected to fork over when certain specialists are absolutely necessary. Is skipping my yearly female examination suddenly an option? What a lovely present to receive right before the holidays. The only worse surprise would be finding out I have a severe allergy to wool and bunnies (thanks Ally!).
The convention itself was fairly quiet but nice. Attendees were very sweet and had interesting and thoughtful questions. All in all, I had a good time catching up with old friends and knitting on every panel and autograph session. Some progress was made on the hat (pictured) and more has been completed since the photo was taken. It should be ready for the decreases very soon, if not for one snag. This is really embarrassing to admit... but I never knew there were two different size 2 needles. I truly deserve this slap in the face for not learning my metric sizes. As it turns out, I own the 3.00mm 16" circular, but not the double pointed needles. All of my DPNs are 2.75mm, necessitating an order from Knit Picks. No LYS in my area ever has the sizes I need. This is part of the reason why I miss Yarns Ewenique so much. Their "wall of needles" was unrivaled (at least for my purposes).
Like everyone else I know, my mailbox fills itself with bills every month. To my delight, some publications arrived in time to amuse me during the quarantine. After a few months of mild disappointment, Interweave Knits once again has me excited about patterns. For example, Nora’s Sweater has three of my favorite elements, combining a cardigan with a tailored fit and lovely use of negative space. It probably helps that the model is wearing my favorite color for a sweater (eggplant) and fiber (alpaca). The Alpaca Pleats Jacket is equally tempting in its sheer cuteness and lovely drape. And yes, also because it’s purple.
The entire exercise of pattern-stalking on my part is quite ridiculous. After grousing endlessly about the number of UFOs laying about the house, I need to actually finish something. But in the interim, I will use my sickness as an excuse. *cough*
The convention itself was fairly quiet but nice. Attendees were very sweet and had interesting and thoughtful questions. All in all, I had a good time catching up with old friends and knitting on every panel and autograph session. Some progress was made on the hat (pictured) and more has been completed since the photo was taken. It should be ready for the decreases very soon, if not for one snag. This is really embarrassing to admit... but I never knew there were two different size 2 needles. I truly deserve this slap in the face for not learning my metric sizes. As it turns out, I own the 3.00mm 16" circular, but not the double pointed needles. All of my DPNs are 2.75mm, necessitating an order from Knit Picks. No LYS in my area ever has the sizes I need. This is part of the reason why I miss Yarns Ewenique so much. Their "wall of needles" was unrivaled (at least for my purposes).
Like everyone else I know, my mailbox fills itself with bills every month. To my delight, some publications arrived in time to amuse me during the quarantine. After a few months of mild disappointment, Interweave Knits once again has me excited about patterns. For example, Nora’s Sweater has three of my favorite elements, combining a cardigan with a tailored fit and lovely use of negative space. It probably helps that the model is wearing my favorite color for a sweater (eggplant) and fiber (alpaca). The Alpaca Pleats Jacket is equally tempting in its sheer cuteness and lovely drape. And yes, also because it’s purple.
The entire exercise of pattern-stalking on my part is quite ridiculous. After grousing endlessly about the number of UFOs laying about the house, I need to actually finish something. But in the interim, I will use my sickness as an excuse. *cough*
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Just Sock It
Happily, the chevron scarf is finally finished and moved out of WIP status in my Ravelry queue. Poor impulse control, however, has caused me to relapse into start-itis. There is a convention in Fort Worth this weekend and I need a mindless project to keep my hands occupied during panels. No one can tell me if they think it's rude to knit while speaking in public. Perhaps it's because the idea that someone would bring yarn and needles onto an anime-related panel is fairly farfetched. Whatever the case, I will accept this reality until someone has a compelling and valid reason why knitting shouldn't be allowed. And for the record, it better be convincing.
This brings me to the pictured project. After languishing in the stash since my last birthday, Dee's stunning Iris colorway is finally getting a new lease on life in the form of a Sockhead Hat. After staring longingly at the skein for quite some time, I decided it was far too beautiful to knit into a pair of socks. Some yarns deserve to be showcased in more public forum. Everyone should know the dyeing expertise inherent in Blue Hands Fibers.
Speaking of talented ladies in mystalking social circle, Zabet Stewart is personally handling a "going out of print" sale on books at the AntiCraft website. There are only 115 copies left at this writing and these projects belong in any interesting crafter's collection. They even have a cephalopod menstrual cup cozy! Seriously, people. If this isn't your cup of tea, then check out the other projects that are not knitting-related. Cross-stitch, sewing, crochet and others represent, yo. And where else can you purchase a discount book that Zabet “may” have snogged? Hotness.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I have completely altered my appearance. Apparently so drastically that various bartenders, the TSA (almost got rejected from airline travel to Oni-Con) and acquaintances (at NYAF) no longer recognize me. After looking at old photos and realizing I looked like a tomboy, this is a good change. New ID pictures will have to be taken, but I am pleased to look somewhat more feminine. Best to let suckers figure out the true nature through personality. Predators in the wild are typically spotted by their colorful plumage or colors. Guess losing 35 pounds and growing my hair out makes this coral snake less poisonous, at least to the casual observer.
This brings me to the pictured project. After languishing in the stash since my last birthday, Dee's stunning Iris colorway is finally getting a new lease on life in the form of a Sockhead Hat. After staring longingly at the skein for quite some time, I decided it was far too beautiful to knit into a pair of socks. Some yarns deserve to be showcased in more public forum. Everyone should know the dyeing expertise inherent in Blue Hands Fibers.
Speaking of talented ladies in my
On the opposite end of the spectrum, I have completely altered my appearance. Apparently so drastically that various bartenders, the TSA (almost got rejected from airline travel to Oni-Con) and acquaintances (at NYAF) no longer recognize me. After looking at old photos and realizing I looked like a tomboy, this is a good change. New ID pictures will have to be taken, but I am pleased to look somewhat more feminine. Best to let suckers figure out the true nature through personality. Predators in the wild are typically spotted by their colorful plumage or colors. Guess losing 35 pounds and growing my hair out makes this coral snake less poisonous, at least to the casual observer.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
End of the Hiatus
After finally getting over my fall knitting slump, projects have been progressing at a rapid pace. Since the last post, I have made another beret out of my latest soulmate, Malabrigo yarn. Once my next appointment comes up, the gorgeous recipient (my hairdresser) will be photographed. The trend of making her a hat every year was born from her deep, abiding love for beanies. How could any knitter resist such a captive audience?
Next up, I am finishing my chevron scarf. There is very little yarn left and the project needs to finally come off the needles. For some odd reason, most items get about 80% completed before I lose interest. This definitely needs to change and my first order of business will be tackling some old UFOs. My needles have been held captive for far too long. Often, the urge to cast on new projects makes me lose focus.
Speaking of which, the hoochie cozies are quite the temptation. What a great way to use up a lot of excess worsted-weight scraps!
Many ladies I know are having babies these days, so stalking more free patterns became a necessity. Them Apples and Autumn Leaves are begging to be made from stash yarn.
For those of you who want something for yourselves, there is a lovely online magazine containing unconventional patterns. They are on an indefinite break, but pledged to keep their archives available. I would love to hear more information on fit and pattern quality if anyone out there has tried knitting up some of these creations. Although checking Ravelry is nice and addictive, it's even nicer to start a dialogue with fellow knitters. After all, one can only lurk for so long.
Next up, I am finishing my chevron scarf. There is very little yarn left and the project needs to finally come off the needles. For some odd reason, most items get about 80% completed before I lose interest. This definitely needs to change and my first order of business will be tackling some old UFOs. My needles have been held captive for far too long. Often, the urge to cast on new projects makes me lose focus.
Speaking of which, the hoochie cozies are quite the temptation. What a great way to use up a lot of excess worsted-weight scraps!
Many ladies I know are having babies these days, so stalking more free patterns became a necessity. Them Apples and Autumn Leaves are begging to be made from stash yarn.
For those of you who want something for yourselves, there is a lovely online magazine containing unconventional patterns. They are on an indefinite break, but pledged to keep their archives available. I would love to hear more information on fit and pattern quality if anyone out there has tried knitting up some of these creations. Although checking Ravelry is nice and addictive, it's even nicer to start a dialogue with fellow knitters. After all, one can only lurk for so long.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Mega Cardigan vs. Giant Distraction
(Because, quite honestly, seeing Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus tonight cannot fail to make an impression. The clip that sold all of us prompted a quick addition to the Netflix queue.)
The Featherweight Cardigan made an appearance by continuous knitting throughout the movie. I am nearly halfway through the second sleeve and dread picking up stitches for the collar. Unsurprisingly, I failed at picking up the two stitches under the arms when making the sleeves. There are huge holes that need to be fixed during the finishing process. Since I have decided I love this designer and wish to eventually make the Gooseberry Cardigan, I need to find a solid resource that clearly explains picking up stitches and garment construction. So far, all of the books I own don't seem to adequately cover the topic. When I began knitting, I had no idea how many techniques would remain unexplained. It's almost as if it is assumed that people will figure out certain technical aspects without proper training.
A freak storm knocked out most of the electricity in the neighborhood. I will continue to knit until I actually lose power and have to light candles. The thunder this evening was deafening.
The Featherweight Cardigan made an appearance by continuous knitting throughout the movie. I am nearly halfway through the second sleeve and dread picking up stitches for the collar. Unsurprisingly, I failed at picking up the two stitches under the arms when making the sleeves. There are huge holes that need to be fixed during the finishing process. Since I have decided I love this designer and wish to eventually make the Gooseberry Cardigan, I need to find a solid resource that clearly explains picking up stitches and garment construction. So far, all of the books I own don't seem to adequately cover the topic. When I began knitting, I had no idea how many techniques would remain unexplained. It's almost as if it is assumed that people will figure out certain technical aspects without proper training.
A freak storm knocked out most of the electricity in the neighborhood. I will continue to knit until I actually lose power and have to light candles. The thunder this evening was deafening.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Under Lock and Key
Finally, my exhaustion this week is explained. This morning, I was diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. Thankful it isn't the flu! As a result, my doctor has recommended that I stay home from work. There is a lot to do and my body has decidedly inconvenient timing. Perhaps it's better that I am taking sick time because my brain feels fuzzy and the featherweight cardigan is mindless enough to allow me to indulge in some knitting. Surely no one at work wants my sneezing, corpse-like body passing out germs like candy (despite being in the true spirit of Halloween).
Guess my own brand of self-help will be a blitz of new hats that I will rarely ever wear in the Texas heat! I am dying to go into serious production with a few of the patterns in my queue: 1 Across, Piper, Hurricane, Cairn, Phoncible, Noro Spiral One-Skein, Fake Isle, Zinnia Dahlia and Slacker.
For the time being, I will continue the cardigan and perhaps the laziest scarf in all creation (pictured). I have no idea why this is taking me so long to finish, but motivation is lacking. For some reason, I will only work on this while watching recorded episodes of Warehouse 13. Interesting premise, but it really made me crave episodes of the Friday the 13th television series. Incidentally, this is now available for purchase, albeit at a prohibitive price point. Guess this Christmas will be full of requests for Amazon gift certificates so I can buy all of the crappy TV-on-DVD sets my tasteless heart and mind desire.
Guess my own brand of self-help will be a blitz of new hats that I will rarely ever wear in the Texas heat! I am dying to go into serious production with a few of the patterns in my queue: 1 Across, Piper, Hurricane, Cairn, Phoncible, Noro Spiral One-Skein, Fake Isle, Zinnia Dahlia and Slacker.
For the time being, I will continue the cardigan and perhaps the laziest scarf in all creation (pictured). I have no idea why this is taking me so long to finish, but motivation is lacking. For some reason, I will only work on this while watching recorded episodes of Warehouse 13. Interesting premise, but it really made me crave episodes of the Friday the 13th television series. Incidentally, this is now available for purchase, albeit at a prohibitive price point. Guess this Christmas will be full of requests for Amazon gift certificates so I can buy all of the crappy TV-on-DVD sets my tasteless heart and mind desire.
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