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Sunday, October 29, 2006
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Sleeve today and more sleeve tomorrow
The idea to finish Forecast was a sound one: As of a few minutes ago, I had just several inches left to go of sleeve #1. Then I frogged 3/4 of it because you are nutso if you think you can knit that sleeve without decreases and make it look anywhere decent. It was poof city, and not in the good sort of way. I did put some decreases in, but they came belatedly. No bother; I will probably need the extra bit of yarn this will give me, anyway. It will take about 1 3/4 balls to knit each sleeve, and I have 3 left after I finish this one, about 1/3 of the way through the sleeve.
My Socktoberfest attempts have been anemic, to say the least. I am just past the heel on the Wyvern sock. My ball of yarn attempts to foil progress at every turn; somehow, while winding, something became tangled, and I need to untangle things every few rows. A-rewinding we shall go, I suppose.
I am toying with purchasing some KnitPicks Options needles (the whole set). This is not necessarily a good thing, as it means I have so many WIPs that I don't have enough needles to spare for other things. (And I want yarn, too. I have an enormous urge to knit Starsky, though I soooo wish they had some chocolate brown yarn. Tan would suffice, I think. I'm very into tan these days.)
Word to the wise: Never, ever wash all of your handknit socks and sweaters at the same time. Not only is it a challenge to find suitable drying space, but it will be very, very cold that same weekend and it will take a week to dry everything.
Tipper @ 7:02 PM * link
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Wednesday, October 25, 2006
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Decisions, decisions
I see the wisdom in buying yarn for only one project at a time. Oh, had I only known that before!
I have a room full of yarn. It is sort of sad, all of that yarn sitting there waiting for me to get my butt in gear. Tonight I would two balls of yarn that I purchased in April, and I still only sort of know what I'll do with it, and have no idea when those possibles something will be done.
I need a plan, and your input is welcome. I need to decide what to finish first, and I need to have some project(s) waiting for me in the future to keep me on task.
Sweaters to be completed:
- Crichton cardigan (I am almost to the armhole steeks, and I would definitely like to have this finished by the end of the knit-along.)
- This crazy sweater (sleeves are done and the outside ruffle is FINALLY done, so just the center is left to knit)
- Lucky Clover cardigan (one sleeve to be done, plus the tie and edging bands)
- Forecast (needs button bands and sleeves)
- Rhapsody in Tweed (sleeves and 1/2 of the back done, but I'm pretty sure this will be too small - it's for Matthew)
Socks/other to be completed:
- Conwy sock (1 to go)
- Crazy Chicago sock (1 to go, but it is a LONG one)
- Wyvern socks (1 1/2 to go, and I bet I will run out of yarn; yikes!)
- Lace knee highs, in that same color! (1 to go)
- Cabled sock out of Bearfoot yarn that I did on a whim using my own brain and will have to spend hours figuring out what the heck I did with it in the first place, but it is rather awesome and could very well be published somewhere or other even if it's just this site (1 to go)
- Flirty Ruffles shawl (I am, oh, 5% done)
Sweaters on tap:
- Gerbera
- Simple knitted bodice sweater
- Some sort of fair isle (probably a cardigan) using Lamb's Pride Worsted in chocolate brown, pink, and green
- This Vogue cabled cardigan
- I'm sure I'm forgetting something here (like that one from Tudor Roses that I'd like to make for Matthew), but we'll leave it at that.
Other things on tap:
- Potamu-whatever
- Snicket
- Handspun socks for Matthew (yes, I still need to make these; I am a bad wife)
- Pooling Colors scarf
- A million other things I've forgotten by now
So, tell me, what would you like to see me make? I sure as heck can't decide.
Tipper @ 9:20 PM * link
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Sunday, October 22, 2006
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I'm enjoying...
...the last day of my four-day weekend (during which I've picked up my Crichton cardigan again).
...keeping an eye on Zimmermania.
...the hat I made yesterday (which you'll see here or elsewhere some day or another).
...Maia's "design a sock" tutorials part 1 and part 2.
...Weight Watchers, if you can believe it (it's like a food strategy game!)
...D&D, if you can believe that (I'm surprised too; and Christy: we're doing a hybrid of editions 3 and 3.5; it's a very informal sort of game).
...my decision to not go all-out with the Christmas knitting this year, which seems to be a trend across blogland. I have so little time to knit these days that I want to be very selfish about it. I may do something simple, such as knit a linen washcloth for my female relatives, or crochet snowflake ornaments for their families. (I have given them ornaments the past two years and am unsure if I should continue the trend.)
...knitting classes. I've only taught two so far, due to lack of interest, but they've been rather rewarding. I had a 92-year-old woman come in and not really get it the first time around, but when she returned to visit me during a demonstration at the store, something clicked. I was so proud of her!
...this creature, as naughty as she may be:
This is the creature in question, in the middle of one of her hound-dog "brooooo!"s.
...being married. We're in some sort of disgustingly blissful phase and I hope it continues forever!
Tipper @ 3:00 PM * link
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Sunday, October 15, 2006
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Death and capelets
(Might I suggest Strindberg and Helium borrow that phrase someday?)
Death is all around me: my beautiful hat succumbing to the Washing Machine of Doom, the leaves tossing themselves to the ground, my annuals (except for the snapdragons, which are some sort of supernaturally cold-proof creature) turning to mush overnight.
But, you know, I have a capelet, so somehow it's all okay.
Pattern: Wandering Aran Fields from Wrap Style
Designer: Norah Gaughan (all hail Norah!)
Yarn: 4 1/2 balls Plymouth Galway in Rose (#19)
Needle: exactly what the pattern says, ditto our friend Gauge
Notes: Maybe there's a bit about gauge for ribbing in there, but I'm sure I glossed over it, and I paid for it in the end. See, I should have been just 30-ish yards short of the total yarn required, yet I was 6 inches from finishing the collar when I ran out of yarn. Mild panicking ensued, as I purchased the yarn one week less than a year ago (hey, do I get some sort of prize for that?) so there's no chance I'd get the same dyelot. However, Depth of Field* had the color in stock, bless its yarn-stuffed soul. I was possibly looking at a) having to pay $10 for a measly ball of yarn due to shipping, and b) never finishing the darn thing because waiting for another ball to arrive would take the wind out of my sails.
The dyelots do not match, and you can tell, but do I care? No, sirs, I don't.
AND, YES, I KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE BLOCKED. GEEZ.
I finished it 15 minutes before I had to go to Michael's for demonstrations (you will not believe how many people think the Knit Lite is the coolest thing ever) and was so glad I had it because it was ccccccold there.
*Ohmigod, guys, Depth of Field is great lately. The yarn selection gets better every time I go. I love that they carry so many normal (some would say "boring") yarns, rather than novelty yarn crap. Most of it is very affordable, too. Right now their Great Adirondack yarns are 25% off, and their Artyarns Supermerino is in the sale loft for $6.75 a skein. I almost bought a bunch, but restrained myself, and bought a skein of Schaeffer Yarns Anne instead. (Do not remind me that it actually cost more than the Supermerino. I love it too much. It will be a pooling colors scarf because I saw Kelle's when we went to visit the Yarn Harlot and I entered a state of dire NEED.)
Tipper @ 5:25 PM * link
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Thursday, October 12, 2006
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RIP - the nicest hat in the world
Oh, two-color brioche-stitch hat, we hardly knew ye. Your rigid body was pulled from the chilly closet this morning, evidence of your unsuccessful battle against the forces of Washer and Dryer. There is no question now that Malabrigo felts, and felts well.
My head will miss your warm embrace, and my hands will miss your buttery softness.
Please, oh hat, watch over my yet-to-be-born toque to be fashioned from Misti Alpaca Chunky in a flexible, neutral ivory, and protect it from the terrors of the dog's mouth, the washer's agitation, and the dryer's blasts of heat. And, please, don't let me lose this one on the bus, either.
Tipper @ 7:40 PM * link
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Tuesday, October 03, 2006
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Welcome to October and Socktoberfest.
Dudes. It's October already(!).
This means that it is time for
I am only the 50,000th person to let you know this. (And just so you know, I chose this button because it reminds me of home.)
How will I be celebrating? Well, I hope to find some nice Oktoberfest brew. And I will knit socks. What socks, you ask? I am starting with Wyvern Socks, using Mountain Colors Bearfoot (Bearfoot for President!) in some nice greeny color (something involving pines?).
We might elope.
It's funny how the right yarn and the right pattern together makes your needles fly. The above is the result of Not Much Much Work.
My theme for Socktoberfest (not that it is required, but I feel the need to make it more than about just socks) is "socks that are not for me."
But do not fret! I shall not forget ME. To help celebrate, I bought this beauty. The reason I chose that one is too dorky to mention. (Okay, if you insist: I am going to start playing Dungeons & Dragons and my character has a color scheme because I am nerdy like that, and this is the color scheme exactly. It's fate! So I will have gaming socks.)
Raise your hand if you're into the Socktoberfest thing!
Tipper @ 10:00 PM * link
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