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Tuesday, September 27, 2005
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Back with a vengance!
I'm back. Did you know I was gone? In fact, I was! I went to visit my mom in sunny Mesa, Arizona. "Did you go to yarn shops?" you ask. Why, of course I did.
(You can also see pictures of some of the other things I did here. Nothing exciting, although there IS a cactus that looks just like a certain part of a male's anatomy.)
I visited The Fiber Factory straightaway, and came away with this:
That's two ounces of handpainted bombyx top in "merlot," created by Nancy Finn of Chasing Rainbows Dyeworks in Willits, California.
Yes. That's IT. I also came out of there with a pattern called Mariposa. I saw this hanging over the back of a chair in the shop and had to inquire. The pattern is FREE and is absolutely gorgeous when knit; the photos don't nearly do it justice. I thought it would be heavy knit in the bamboo yarn, but it's not.
I stopped by Arizona Knitting and Needlepoint twice. Once I came out with nothing but a longing for what I ended up going back to get:
Manos del Uruguay in colorway #104, earmarked for the Hot Lava Cardigan. Tasty, and expensive! (Hey, I deserve it. I haven't bought much yarn lately. So there!)
I also had to grab a skein of Steinbach Wolle Aktiv Effekt, color 3:
One can never have too much sock yarn, especially when it's soft, rainbowy, and $7.50 for 100 grams.
The super-secret sweater I was working on was finished while on the trip and given to its recipient - my mother. In a torrent of genius, I managed to not only not get a picture of said completed sweater, but also forgot my circular Turbo in Mesa, one that I will probably need shortly. I am made of sheer brilliance. Brilliance, I say!
Larch is almost done. By almost, I mean that the rows are now taking 5 minutes each instead of 20. That's close to "almost done," right? Confidential: I don't really like how Kidsilk Haze looks in lace. (I'm getting my card taken away, aren't I?)
Tipper @ 9:55 PM * link
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Sunday, September 18, 2005
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Bad blogger, bad!
It's been a week since I last posted, and I don't even have anything to show for it. No pictures, anyway. I've finished another Jayne hat (aside from the pompom) and 2/3 of another (aside from the earflaps and pompom). The good news is that you can get exactly three hats from three skeins of Lamb's Pride Bulky. I used Spice, Sunburst Gold, and Autumn Harvest.
Aside from that, I'm speed-knitting the secret sweater. It needs to be done before Thursday, and all I have left to knit is two-thirds of a sleeve. Unfortunately, the sleeves are the most irritating part to knit, and I'm glad I stuck to my usual haphazard back-one front-one sleeve-other front-other sleeve cardigan construction method. I keep screwing it up, but no one will know but me. (And everyone who reads this). I'm looking forward to finishing it, and hope I have enough matching vintage buttons to attach to it.
This afternoon I vowed to create a green (maybe with flecks of brown) tweed cable v-neck pullover. It would be an ideal fall/winter wardrobe piece. Now, to find the yarn. I wish Uxbridge Tweed wasn't a) discontinued, b) so casual, and c) such a *$&$@ to work with, or I'd jump on the green color of that. I want something soft (or, at least, not outerwear quality), DK or worsted weight, and that doesn't break the bank. Suggestions are appreciated! (My current thought: Rowan Harris Tweed (er, Scottish Tweed, I guess) might be one to look into. Isn't apple a perfect color*?)
And, if anyone has any really cool cabled v-neck pullover patterns, pass them on. I'd like something on the fitted side.
*I must beware, or soon my entire yarn stash will consist of yarn THIS COLOR.
Tipper @ 3:34 PM * link
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Sunday, September 11, 2005
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In praise of SPEED
Ah, high-speed internet, how I have missed you! Today our cable internet was hooked up and I configured the wireless network and now all is good in the world. Uploading pictures is certainly easier.
Like every other person who knits and likes Firefly, I'm making Jayne Cobb hats to wear to opening night. I'm actually a new fan; a friend lent us his DVDs last week and we could hardly stop watching them. I'll end up making three - one for me, one for Matthew, and one for his friend.
As you can see, Dibs on Ribs is complete. I made the 48 inch size and ended up using just shy of 10 balls of Kureyon. I did not add the neck rib inserts, since the neck was just the right size without them. I did add a crochet border to the neckline, as well as the cuffs. Note the poorly formed diamond on the back. It fits, and is comfortable, if itchy. Thank you, Bobby, for the yarn!
I finally finished plying that pink silk. Sort of. It broke when I was just shy of finishing one of the bobbins, and I just gave up. There's a lot of single left on one of the bobbins, and I have no idea what I'll do with it. This is exactly 200 yards of silk, very light and shiny and not altogether bad.
In praise of - of all things - Knitty
The new issue of Knitty is wonderful. Really, there aren't any patterns that make me want to pull up the nearest barf pail. That's saying something. I plan to knit Flora someday, as I'm a sucker for scarves with buttons and anything with flowers. I like Arisaig as well, though as it's been pointed out, it's alot like the Lucky Clover sweater (which I also like and would be making if I could bring myself to rip out the entire back I have finished and redo it in a smaller size).
...and crochet!
Crochet can be really beautiful. I love doilies and snowflakes, but precious few garments and accessories. I still haven't met many crochet garments I love, but the newest Interweave Knits Crochet has some gems in the accessory department. I almost bought the magazine on the sole basis of this hemp necklace (almost bought the yarn, too, since it was sitting right there, and inexpensive, too) and this bag. The free patterns are also nice. I like the scarf and necklace especially.
See, I've been thinking about this magazine and those projects so much I should just get it and make them. Maybe I'll wait until I'm on vacation so it can count as guilt-free vacation souvenir shopping.
Tipper @ 4:08 PM * link
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Friday, September 09, 2005
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Free: one laugh at my expense
A post in the Livejournal knitting community clued me into something: I used Wool-Ease Thick & Quick for my cabled sweater. The pattern calls for Wool-Ease Chunky.
Isn't that funny? Ha. Ha-ha.
Now I'm taking a poll: should I redo the sweater in the CORRECT yarn, or just wear the very bulky thing? (I imagine that I'd like it better and wear it more in chunky yarn, though it's not altogether awful right now.)
So much for a cheap, quick project!
To add insult to injury, when I was at Hancock Fabrics picking up the buttons (they're mediocre and I might just return them) I browsed the yarn aisle. They had Wool-Ease Chunky in a nice fuschia color. "Hmm," I thought. "That would've been neat for my sweater. Too bad it's the wrong size."
Mon dieu.
Tipper @ 8:40 AM * link
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Tuesday, September 06, 2005
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Q&A
I've been asked three questions recently, that I can remember. (If I've missed any, comment and THIS time I'll answer you.)
Are you going to write up the Larch pattern?
Nope. From what I can tell from pictures (I've never seen the pattern), the end result is exactly like Birch; for all I know, the pattern I came up with is exactly the same as well. I don't want to run the risk of someone thinking I copied the pattern from the book. If you find a stitch library with the pattern they used, it's easy enough to figure out how to create a triangle instead of a square, and you'll end up with the same result.
What's Outlander about, anyway?
Outlander (and its four-going-on-five-at-the-end-of-September sequels) is a historical fiction/romance/sci-fi/adventure series written by Diana Gabaldon in a seriously artful and intoxicating way. The plot centers around - of all things - time travel. Specifically, a mid-1940s English woman gets sucked back into mid-1700's Scotland, meets and falls in love with a Highland warrior, and has many (sometimes gory, always fascinating) adventures. Given that the author is trained as a scientist, I'm reasoning that the historical facts are reasonably sound. The writing is superb (and I'm extremely picky about writing), and the plot is mind-boggling and complicated. Needless to say, I highly recommend it. Don't be daunted by the 900+ pages of each book; they fly by.
Where'd you get that knit clog pattern?
Alas, it is not a pattern at all, but shoes by Steve Madden. I found them at Famous Footwear and took advantage of their buy-one-get-one-half-price deal. They're warm, but aren't exactly comfortable for walking (not uncomfortable, either). I shouldn't be such an old lady about my shoes; sometimes cuteness must triumph over arch support.
Ye olde knitting update
I know you're dying to know how I fared on the knitting-over-long-weekend front. The news is this: I am 98% done with both Dibs on Ribs and Mr. Fat Cable Sweater. Both need their ends woven in, and the latter needs buttons. Both fit. Both are questionable as far as wearability goes, but I am also very picky. Pictures to come upon total completion.
I have also FINALLY started a sock for my advanced_knit sock exchange pal. I'm creating a possibly very funky pattern from scratch, using a very funky yarn that I hope is a colorway that she'll like, and I'm a few inches into it. If it all turns out as planned, it should be very cool and very unusual.
Tipper @ 8:43 AM * link
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Saturday, September 03, 2005
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Knitting weather
The temperature has been creeping downward, and today is perfect knitting weather: cold, rainy, thunder rumbling. There are even cheesy 80's movies on TV. The only way it could improve is if I could find the remote control.
I'm particularly happy because I'm wearing this:
These are some handknit Regia socks and my new Steve Madden knit clogs. Who can pass up knitted shoes?
I offer photographic proof of my knitting progress.
I tell you, soaking Wool-Ease doesn't smell like it's only 20% wool.
I hope that the bedroom door is secure. There is nothing Reggiecat likes more than to sink his claws into some nice, fresh, wet handknit goods.
A closeup of the back, featuring my fautly first row of cabling. I blame Vogue Knitting for that, though I admit I was remiss in my thinking-about-what-I'm-doing duties.
I must apologize to the designer of this pattern, as I forgot, when I said the designer must be on crack, that I'm knitting at a much larger gauge than called for. Therefore, 50 stitches is huge. 36 stitches (what I used for the sleeves) is likely close to the 50 stitches in normal gauge. Thus, I am sorry.
Pulling up the soapbox
I'm not much of a fan of the blogs that focus on snark. I'm not much of a fan of snark, period, but especially snark that is constant. Snark for snark's sake. Or should I say, "Snark for attention's sake"?
All blogs scream, "I need attention!" but those like You Knit What?? seem to hire skywriters to announce that, as well. This site, I believe, is meant to be funny; I usually don't find anything funny about mediocre jabs at people's hard work. I have read hilarious lampoons of vintage pattern booklets (can anyone point me to that site? I've totally blanked on it.), but they're funny, not just mean.
I really wasn't amused by two recent posts in particular: In Honor of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane, part 2. First of all, gallows humor is supposed to be FUNNY. The comments on these posts go on and on about how humor is crucial in dealing with tragedy. No one knows that more than I, who will make a joke about anything. I don't find anything written in that blog to be funny, and this certainly continues the trend.
Further, the idea that it's better to make tasteless, unfunny "jokes" about tragedies than to not post at all is ridiculous. We're not callous if we don't mention a disaster in our knitting blogs - they're knitting blogs, not disaster blogs. Personally, I don't feel like I can add any more to the discussion, aside from posting the links that I'll post at the end of this post. I'm not going to tell people to donate, as I feel that they don't need to be told (and if they don't wish to donate, they shouldn't have to feel that it means they're horrible people). I'm not going to talk about the politics of it all, just because. These are people, not causes.
Knitting-related hurricane relief links
I have two to share: Zeneedle's donation drive is a la Yarn Harlot's Knitters Without Borders. Make a donation, possibly get a prize.
If you lack the funds to donate outright, consider donating a handcrafted item for sale. Or if you do have money to spare, and want to obtain a great item in exchange, take a look and donate this way.
Tipper @ 2:13 PM * link
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Thursday, September 01, 2005
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I haven't been talkative lately.
Amongst other things, you can blame this:
It sucked me into its well-woven web and rendered me unable to knit for a few days. Sure, I can read and knit at the same time, but it's difficult to do when you're clutching the book like your life depends upon it.
Bits of knitting have been eeked out here and there. Larch has been my bus knitting, since I will not let myself get sucked into another Outlander book (not yet, anyway; I have the next two in the series waiting for me to let down my guard for just a second), and there really isn't much left to do on it (I'm guessing four hours of knitting left, max).
I finished the right front of the fat ol' cardigan. I changed their button holes so that they're actually centered on the button band. A sleeve was started, and this was the straw that broke the camel's back, as far as my impression that the designer was on crack goes. The instructions call for 50 stitches to be cast on for the sleeve. You cast on 37 for a front. I gave the pattern the benefit of the doubt at first, but, really, I can't wear sleeves that I could fit my head through. I cut down the cast on to 36 stitches, and it looks reasonable. Still boxy and loose like it should be, but not like it's suitable for an elephant.
This weekend I have four glorious days free. Unlike similar weekends that have previously occurred, I am actually going to get things done. I have a bunch of things on the verge of completion: this cardigan, Dibs on Ribs, Larch, that plied silk (no, it's STILL not done), and I need to push to complete them.
I'll post some pictures when I have the fortitude to upload huge pictures over dialup.
Tipper @ 8:14 AM * link
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