flyinmysouptag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2008:/knit//132008-05-28T02:38:05Zknitting & a little something unexpectedMovable Type 3.33A Sag shawl for a sagtag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2008:/knit//13.942008-05-28T01:36:16Z2008-05-28T02:38:05Zthe Sagittaria Shawl is off the needles, blocked, and finished! here are the requisite photos and information. Pattern: Sagittaria Shawl by Vilma Needles: Addi Turbo Lace circs, size 9 US Yarn: Kauni Effektgarn 8/2, colorway EG Start: 15 May 2008...katePattern: Sagittaria Shawl by Vilma
Needles: Addi Turbo Lace circs, size 9 US
Yarn: Kauni Effektgarn 8/2, colorway EG
Start: 15 May 2008
Finished: 26 May 2008
Notes: i love how this yarn looks knit up. it's just freakin' gorgeous. it is however, super duper scratchy. the pattern is super simple and quite pretty. i love the shawl's name and inspiration--i myself am a sagittarius. this shawl is garter stitch based, which makes it extremely stretchy. here's a before blocking photo:
Ready fro the close up
and then after blocking:
Wanna see it more clearly?
the shawl ended up being about 6' across the wingspan, and 3' from center top to the center bottom point. pretty big, actually.
i won't be getting more of this yarn for the Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Shawl--i have some other yarn that will work lovely and isn't nearly as scratchy. don't misunderstand me; i will knit other shawls (and perhaps a cardigan or something) with the Kauni, even with it's harshness. you know, cause even though i'm not so much of the slave-to-fashion-type, i will wear scratchy ass wools if they are pretty enough ;)
and now, a couple more pics. some people take pictures of their completed shawls draped artfully over bushes, in tree branches, and what not. but not this knitter. nope. i like the dog-wearing-shawl shot:
and let us not forget the shawl-in-action shot:
bushes? we don't need no stinkin' bushes!
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lace knitting extravaganza!tag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2008:/knit//13.932008-05-17T22:00:10Z2008-05-18T03:18:23Zthere's been lots of lace knitting here in the land of kate. in fact, the only projects i've been working on are lace. so, would you like some updates? and pretty pictures? pleased to oblige ya! The Peacock stole is,...kate
Juno stole from Knitty. the utter simplicity of the bulk of the pattern (stockinette columns separated by eyelet columns) appealed to me greatly. and, it seemed like just the thing to use up some of the Malabrigo lace i had in the stash. so i cast on, and it seems to be going swimmingly thus far. here is a shot:
Clicky for Bigness
so far, i'm quite liking the pattern...it's pretty great television knitting (too bad Torchwood has ended for this season).
i've signed up for the Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Shawl knit-a-long. it officially starts June 14th. the format is different from any mystery shawl i've ever been apart of: it reminds me of the Choose Your Own Adventure books from when i was a kid. for each section, you get to pick from several different options--how cool is that? According to the designer, the pattern is based on the Mandala. While looking on Ravelry for inspiration for yarn choices, i stumbled upon a yarn that made me stop in my tracks.
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS YARN?!?!
Kanui Effektgarn 8/2 is freaking amazing. i love love love the looooooonnnggg gradual color changes. (just perfect for the whole mandala idea.) My LYS just happened to have a couple of different colorways, so i decided to pick up a small one to try out before jumping buying enough for the Mystery shawl. I snagged up some of the EG colorway, and then started looking for a pattern.
I've settled on the Sagittaria Shawl. here's what i've got so far:
Click it for more detail
see how gorgeously the yarn flows from one color to the next??? it's just lovely. it's not all lovely goodness, though, at least not yet. right off the skein, this yarn is SCRATCHY. like Shetland scratchy and rough. it also seems to have some oil on it. i can barely wait to wash the FO to see if it makes a difference. and i hope that it does, cause i would really like to use this yarn on other projects, but i don't think my skin will let me if it doesn't soften up! ]]>
Spring Has Sprungtag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2008:/knit//13.922008-03-24T11:59:27Z2008-03-24T12:22:17Zah spring. it's one of my favorite seasons (right behind fall), and i'm so glad it's finally here after the terribly dreary winter we just had in Indiana. i can take a snowy, cold winter--that's just lovely--but rainy, just yucky...kate
dreary winter we just had in Indiana. i can take a snowy, cold winter--that's just lovely--but rainy, just yucky ones get me down. so, here it is, just into the first strains of spring. too early to start on the gardening i'm itching to do now that we have an actual, honest-to-goodness house and yard, but the switch to Daylight Savings Time means it's now not getting dark until 8 or so. what's a girl to do? knit lace. that's the answer. the knitting project that spans this sloppy, still slightly frosty gap. whoot!
i am still diligently slaving away on the Fir Cone shawl that i started, oh, two or so years ago. really, i'm beginning to suspect that it shall be never ending. as guilty as i feel about it, i had to start a new project.
enter the Peacock Feathers Shawl. after browsing on Ravelry one night and seeing many lovely examples of this shawl, i picked up the pattern at my friendly LYS Stitches & Scones. JOY!!! though i have the most perfect color of the called for yarn (Jaggerspun Zephyr in a delicious teal-y blue) i decided to use some Skacel Merino Lace in colorway 669 (another lovely teal). i also downsized from 3.5 mm needles to 2.25's. i'm hoping that these two changes will leave me with a shawl that is itself downsized from the 88" monstrosity it is written as.
anywho, i've gotten through the first chart.
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good excusestag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.912007-12-18T00:39:17Z2007-12-18T01:17:19Zso, it's been over five months since i posted on my little blog. (i have been messing about on Ravelry a bit, but anyhow) and i promise that i have some really good reasons for the hiatus: Excuse #1 LOOK!!!!...kate
Ravelry a bit, but anyhow) and i promise that i have some really good reasons for the hiatus:
Excuse #1
LOOK!!!! this is G's and my new house! that's right, folks--we are home owners. whoot! it's a swell little 3 bedroom ranch in a much nicer area of town (in the two months we've been here, i've not heard one gunshot!) we've moved so many times in the past four years that the prospect of having a place to put down roots is kinda strange. i've been taking a long time getting settled in--not having to rush is so nice. the best part of having a house?
my own room for my yarn and what not. (i'm still moving everything in)
Excuse #2
on the 30th of November, i got married!
see, i think those are pretty decent reasons to not keep up with the blogging! i was knitting during this time. want to see a FO?
Pattern: Lady Eleanor Enrelac Stole from Scarf Style
Yarn: Paton's SWS, Natural Plum colorway; 8.5 sks
Needles: 6mm clover bamboo
Notes: i love this finished object! it's the best kind of project--super simple, and completely fabulous looking.
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I sometimes wish for a peg-leg...tag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.902007-07-09T17:25:54Z2007-07-09T18:27:50Z'cause then i'd only have to knit one sock. i've been madly casting on socks lately--picking up a copy of More Sensational Knitted Socks has not helped one lick--the book rocks a whole bunch!! i've got four different socks (that...kate
More Sensational Knitted Socks has not helped one lick--the book rocks a whole bunch!! i've got four different socks (that i can remember...there may be more hiding around somewhere) OTN. actually, one is finished, but it still needs a mate.
this one is made out of some Artyarns Ultramerino 4 i picked up 40% off at one of the LYS and navy Baby Ull. i'm using a stitch pattern from one of the Sensational Socks books, but other than that, i'm just winging it. much like the next sock:
again, a pattern from one of the Sensational socks books, this time knit with Panda Cotton (the lime color) and more Baby Ull. as you can see, i went sort of batty for the two color stranded socks here. i prefer to wear hand knit socks to work (they just fit better) and i like them to be very cushy since i work retail (on my feat the whole shift). what better way for cushiness and longevity than colorwork? that's was my thinking at the time, anyhow!
most probably recognize the famous Jaywalker sock. i'm working this toe-up--my favorite way to make socks. the yarn is Austermann "Step" and i am totally in LOVE with it. i picked it up on a whim at Stitches & Scones, and i'm so adoring it, i asked 'em to order me in a couple of different colors. whoot!
here is the one finished sock that i've got right now. i started it in december, so, really the progress is astounding...sheesh. this is the most fly by the seat of my pants sock i've ever done. i picked a stitch pattern out of a Barbara Walker treasury and started knitting. i decided to work a shaped arch and a french toe. neither are techniques i've ever done before, and i kept absolutely no notes. i'm not real positive how exactly i'm going to go about making the mate, but i've got a feeling that these won't be so much identical or even fraternal twins...probably more like second cousins once removed.
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fixatingtag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.892007-05-05T02:50:17Z2007-05-05T03:05:13Zi have a tendency to fixate on things--things like food: now, i think that i have mentioned before in my little corner of the web that i also have quite a thing with my food being pretty. and these are...kate
now, i think that i have mentioned before in my little corner of the web that i also have quite a thing with my food being pretty. and these are just gorgeous, imho. and abso-freakin-lutely delicious. anytime that G and i go out for thai, i order the fresh spring rolls. now that i've found how easily i can make them at home, i have a feeling i will be subsisting on 'em for a bit (i made them last night and tonight). plus, there is a wicked-cool international ethnic grocery right near us, and i can get the rice paper wrappers (banh trang) killer cheap.
they are crazy thin and soften up in hot water.
there are other things that i'll fixate on--things like a knitting project:
i finished up the center of the Fir Cone Shawl. my excitement was short lived, however, when i realized that the next step was picking up and knitting.....621 stitches. holy freakin' cow. that totally sucked. a lot. it is better that having to graft that many stitches though. right?
now, the shawl looks like this
like a shapeless, lumpy sack. awesome.
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addictionstag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.882007-05-03T21:48:37Z2007-05-03T22:09:15Zso, i haven't posted in a while. between work, getting settled into the new place, and, well, just life in general, really, i haven't been in a very "bloggy" mood as of late. i've still been knitting, not like wildfire...kate
done) here's a shot of the front body panel:
isn't it lovely? i confess that my progress on this particular project has been stalled in the last week or so.
because of lace.
actually, more because of the new Addi Lace needles. i'm freakin' in love with these babies.
here's a picture of (from top to bottom) regular Addi turbos (size 5), the new lace Addi's (3's), and Knitpicks Options circulars (also 3's). the new Addi's are every bit as sharp as the Knitpicks needles, they have beautifully wonderfully completely smooth Addi joins, and--the best part--some nifty coating that slows down the action of the yarn on needle just enough to make lace knitting a complete and utter pleasure.
when i used the KP needles for lace, my hands cramped up from how i had to hold the work to control the yarn (cause those are some DAMN slick needles!). this speed works great for non-lace projects--i adore the KP needles for socks--but it hindered my lace knitting. i didn't realize how much until it tried out the Addi Lace needles.
i switched the Fir cone shawl (which i started, oh, a freakin' year ago) to the Addi's and i'm almost ready to pick up the stitch for the border. that's, by the way, is going to be about as fun as spending 3 months knitting a really complex steeked fair-isle sweater, cutting it, blocking it, and then finding out that it's too small by an inch. i can not wait.]]>
Sleeve, oh glorious sleevetag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.872007-02-16T02:23:29Z2007-02-16T02:33:05Zwell, after the confessions in the last post, i feel that i can freely share with all you in blogland progress pics of my current WIP--albeit one that wasn't on the UFO/FWIP's list. it's currently sweater weather in my neck...kate
isn't it just lovely?? (mind you, this is an unblocked-just-got-off-the-needles view). i am totally enamoured of the pattern. there is a whole lot going on in it, what with a 2 row stitch pattern, an 8 row stitch pattern, and a 26 row cable AND increases, but once i got the rythym, it wasn't much of a bother at all. i'm keeping track of the cable pattern (it twists at various rows, so...) and increases and everything else (so far) is falling right into place. did i mention that i'm love love loving how this looks so far?
i was having day dreams of a heavily textured sweater done in a lightweight yarn, and this baby is everything i could have hoped for]]>
total lack of restrainttag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.862007-02-14T01:57:45Z2007-02-14T02:30:54Ztime for me to fess up to the reason i haven't posted a blog in a while. it's good old-fashioned guilt! as you may recall, i joined the Stash and UFO Bust-along sometime back, ya know, to get the stash...kate
Stash and UFO Bust-along sometime back, ya know, to get the stash and UFO's down to a managable size. i was doing fabulously. i don't buy yarn often, never lied about the size of my stash or hid a yarn purchase. i'm generally pretty restrained when it comes to actually purchasing yarn (browsing yarn stores? that's something else entirely.) i thought that the no-yarn-til-april 15th wouldn't be a problem. i have no explanation, for the the rash of yarn buying i've done. maybe it's the fact that it's been actually wintry here lately, and i didn't have enough wool in my stash for any kt-sized sweaters. maybe it's cause i'm pulling in a steady paycheck and have a little bit more play money. maybe i just went totally frickin' nuts.
First Discretion
since the very first time i knit anything with Malabrigo, i've dreamed of knitting a big ol' sloppy sweater out of it--ya know, the whole grown-up blankie thing. so, this purchase wasn't a totall whim. i snagged up enough natural colored Malabrigo to make the Big Sack Sweater from the first Stitch and Bitch book.
Yarn: Malabrigo merino, natural color way. approx. 925 yds.
Needles: 5mm for hems; 6mm for body
Pattern: Big Sack Sweater from Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook; size 45.5" size
Notes: i knit this project with a worsted/ heavy worsted yarn instead of a chunky weight. with chuckier knits, i prefer a more flexible fabric, and the Malabrigo on larger needles is exactly what i wanted. i didn't change a thing with the pattern.
Second Discretion
okay, this stuff? totally a whim buy, which is actually really really unusual for me. i came acrossed it because of a post on the Knitty boards in the yarn sale spotter section. it's from the Etsy shop Mystical Creation Yarns. it's the "Enchanting" colorway; 65% wool, 35% silk; it was on mad sale, and i bought 840 yds of it. for what, i have no freakin' clue. i'm open for ideas. it's lovely yarn, anyway.
Third Discretion
RYC Cashsoft DK, in an icy-cool grey shade. i've been checking this particular yarn out at my LYS for a while, and when i saw it at 40% off, i buckled. i didn't have a certain pattern in mind when i picked up the yarn, just that i wanted a heavily textured, fitted sweater. i have decided to make the Weekend Pullover designed by Veronik Avery from the Fall 2006 IK.
so, there you have it, full disclosure. i'm going to go hang my head in shame for a bit.]]>
Using some stash uptag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.852007-01-25T04:46:20Z2007-01-25T04:57:14Za couple of years ago, when g and i first moved to Indianapolis, i discovered the glory and joy that a LYS in the same town you live in can bring. oh, and the utter e-vile-ness of the Sale room...kate
in the same town you live in can bring. oh, and the utter e-vile-ness of the Sale room at Mass Ave Knit shop (yep, just what it sounds like. a ROOM of discounted yarn *sigh*). it was there, approximately 3ish years ago, that i picked up 10 skiens of Noro Lily in a gorgeous silvery grey color. now, i love this yarn. i loved it when i bought it and i loved it each of the previous (like 2 or 3) times i've knit it up into some failed project doomed for the frog pond. the problem was the Lily just wouldn't talk to me. she wouldn't tell me what she wanted to be, so i was left willy nilly trying different things. a flirty summer top?? guess not. how about a lacey shell? uh uh, try again. a close fittinging, simple cardigan? eh, not so much. inspiration has once again struck where Lily is concerned, dear readers, and this time, i think she might just be speaking up. i almost don't want to say anything. i've gotten my hopes up concerning this girl before, and i've always let her down with projects that were, well, just not right. i think she'll sing as a Sahara sweater, though. i've almost gotten the main body finished. that's all i'm gonna say about it right now, and no pics until it's all done. i don't want to jinx it!]]>
Pretty Comfy Socks---DONEtag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.842007-01-20T11:20:19Z2007-01-20T11:31:55Zthree FO's in one week??? holy crap. the Stash and UFO bust-along has certainly been great motivation for me! Details Pattern: Pretty Comfy Socks by Debbie Young Needles: 3.25 mm Yarn: Cascade Fixation in burn-your-eyes fuschia Start/Finish: 18 feb 2006/...kate
Stash and UFO bust-along has certainly been great motivation for me!
DetailsPattern: Pretty Comfy Socks by Debbie Young
Needles: 3.25 mm
Yarn: Cascade Fixation in burn-your-eyes fuschia
Start/Finish: 18 feb 2006/ 18 jan 2007
Notes: almost a year to finish what is a really really simple pattern...sheesh. what a slacker. these socks are pretty and comfy, so i suppose they are appropriatly named. and don't let the project time scare you--they are super easy to knit. it was my Chronic Project Infidelity that led to the one year time line!]]>
it's a sweater!tag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.832007-01-18T19:22:58Z2007-01-18T19:47:46Zit's been a week for FO here! i finished up the Sahara sweater today! whoo hooo! and because i had troubles with the framing of the pic, here's one of what the bottom hem looks like: Details: Pattern: Sahara Sweater...kate
and because i had troubles with the framing of the pic, here's one of what the bottom hem looks like:
Details:
Pattern: Sahara Sweater by Wendy Bernard
Needles: 4.5mm for body, 3.75mm for ribbing; Boye Needlemaster
Yarn: Berrocco Softwist, colorway 9463 (midnight blue)
Start/Finish: 19 dec (approx)/ 18 jan
Notes: there are three sleeve options(sleeveless, cap sleeves, long sleeves) presented in the pattern, and i decided to not use any of them! instead, i opted for an almost 3/4 sleeve, and i'm pretty pleased with how it looks. the top of the sweater has a tighter gauge than the bottom--a reminder that i should lay off the stockinette when i'm pissed off. i don't think that the difference is that huge, and it should block out just fine. i chose the Softwist as a replacement for the suggested yarn (Tilli Thomas Pure & Simple) cause 1) it still had a lovely sheen, 2) the drape was great, and, most importantly 3) the finished sweater cost me around $40 instead of over $100. that said, i don't know that i actually like the yarn. it's super-splitty...to a fault. and i think that it may be a bit itchy. i won't be able to judge the itch factor until after the top has been washed and blocked, however. the arms seem a little wonky, like they are too big for the armsythe. this could be a result of the aforementioned pissed-off knitting on the back vs. cool, calm, and collected knitting on the arms. i'm putting a lot of eggs into the blocking basket.
the fit of the sweater might be a titch close for my tastes, but it's definetly sexy. i did some tweaking of the waist decreases/increases to try and compensate for my curviness. i do like it enough that i would consider making it again sometime. maybe in a silk blend next time.]]>
1 UFO down!tag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.822007-01-16T05:08:29Z2007-01-16T05:18:59Zwell, i can mark one of the 15 projects off of the UFO/ FWIP's list. i have completed the pair of Fibonacci sequence socks. wanna see a picture? these babies were constructed toe-up, using the Magic Loop and size 3.0...kate
these babies were constructed toe-up, using the Magic Loop and size 3.0 mm addis. i knit them out of some leftover Calmer i had about. the stripe pattern, as previously stated, uses a Fibonacci sequence. i used an afterthougt (aka. peasent) heel on 60% of the stitches rather than 50%. i really like the fit of the heel, not to mention the pleasant look of the decreases. the pattern is dead easy, and if anyone shows any interest, i'll make it available.
the Sahara Sweater is in the home stretch, with only one sleeve to go. ahh...look at all the UFO's flying off to FO land here!]]>
New Year's Resolutions--Knit styletag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2007:/knit//13.812007-01-10T05:37:13Z2007-01-10T06:32:49Zi don't know about you, but each New Year brings with it a slight feeling of guilt in the department of knitting. i look at my stash, UFO's, and FWIP's, and i can't help but hear that little naggy voice...kate
FWIP's, and i can't help but hear that little naggy voice in the back of my head, telling me to shape up. thus far, the voice hasn't been able to quell my love of new yarn or my chronic PI (project infidelity). i've tried many things--mostly bribing myself with the promise of some fabulously lovely yarn--but to no avail. i thought that i'd take a stab at public disclosure and see how that goes. First, the list of UFO's and FWIP's.
*Sahara Sweater
*Venezia Pullover
*Garden Shawl
*Fir Cone Shawl from Folk Shawls
*Via Diagonale bag
*Shedir from theFall 04 Knitty Suprise
*Fetching
*Chicknit's Ribby Cardi
*DNA tank (a hybrid design)
*Pretty Comfy Socks
*Cat Bordhi's Flow Motion Socks from the Fall 06 VK
*Entrelac Socks from Socks, Socks, Socks
*Fibonacci Socks (my own design)
*Twisted Travelling Socks (my own design)
*Log Cabin-inspired blanket from acrylic stash yarn
at least these were the only one's that i could find...there may be more that i didn't uncover in my search. alright, that parts done. now, onto the flashing of the stashing.....
Sock and lace yarns. i have projects in mind for most of the lace weight. the sock yarn stash however, did get a bit away from me. it was all the dyeing that i had been doing, i think. that and the fact that, with sock yarn and lace weight, you can get an entire projects worth of yarn fairly inexpensively (most of the time anyhow).
worsted weight and heavier yarns. i have enough for at least a couple of tops or bigger projects, but i do have a fair amount of one or two skiens of misc. yarns. meh. i forsee a really hideous afgahn in my future...*sob* or maybe one of the One Skien Project books--which is way more uplifting!
a motley assortment of left over yarn bits. mostly sock yarn (cause of my wee feet and short attention span). really, i think that i must secretly be planning some gut-wrentching fair isle creation.
and now, the most mortifying part of my stash--the stuff that i collected when i first started out knitting and didn't know of the wonders of natural fibers...the acrylic stash:
it's in a cedar chest, people. a giant cedar chest full of craptastic, plastic-y red heart, eyelash yarns, fur shit, and the odd skien of something half way decent (ie. the Cotton Ease). i'm so embarrassed by it that i couldn't even take a decent picture. i don't know why i don't donate the bulk of it to Good Will or something. i do have a fair amount of Caron Simply Soft that makes a nice, washable blanket--the Log Cabinish one i'm working on is going to be made of it. i'd burn the rest if not for the toxic fumes.
i am proud to say that i reduced my stash by one skien with the first FO of 2007.
i made myself a new dice bag (told you i wasn't only a knitting geek) out of some Rowan Denim yarn i had gotten a while back to make a pair of baby "jeans" (said baby is now about two...i suck). i made up the pattern as i went and used something called a Woven Stitch out of Barbara Walker's 2nd Stitch Dictionary. i wish the yarn wasn't evil, hand cramping cotton cause i sure would love to make a kick-around sweater out of it--it's marvelous after a run through the washer and dryer.]]>
Socks, Stash, and Fishtag:www.flyinmysoup.net,2006:/knit//13.802006-12-29T18:06:45Z2006-12-29T18:37:06Zchristmas didn't bring with it the huge wave of freak-out followed by the lull of every gift finished and given cause i didn't give one knitted gift this year. while this was quite a load off for me, i sort...kate
one knitted gift this year. while this was quite a load off for me, i sort of like the feeling of "whew! finally i can knit something for myself!" so, i've been slogging away at a couple of pairs of previously blogged-about socks. the entrelac socks are coming along okay. i still love the parrot yarn, the actual technique is pretty jazzy (i never thought i would be so proficient at knitting backwards), and they fit (so far) reasonably well--can you hear the "but" coming? BUT thet heel used is just sorta...well, strange. i've never worked a heel like it, and that's the entire reason i went ahead with it. ya know, for the sake of a new technique. see what i mean? the way it's constructed, you are left making an almost i-cord like run of stitches across the opening. see, it's so strange that i can't even give a good description. i can't yet tell if it's going to cause a problem with the fit or not, so i guess that i'll keep on keeping on til the end of sock 1.
in closer warmer better sock news, the Twisted Traveling sock (the one i'm designing myself) is shaping up just as i had pictured it in my head. can you tell that i used the Eye of Partridge stitch for the heel? cause i can, and this is the first time that i've ever gotten it to look right. i am, consequently, ultra-jazzed. on the heel, i also used a 3 st garter selvage, something i've never tried before. and let me tell you, it's just brilliant! unlike the chain stitch selvage i normally use, with this one, there is no gappines when you pick up the gusset stitches. everything is so tight and uniform. i love it when i try new things and they end up well!
the LYS currently has their after christmas yarn sale running...everything is 30%-50% off. since it is after the gift giving holiday time, i don't have a lot of moola to throw at new yarn, no matter how cheap it is, so i exercised restraint and logic and only picked up a couple of things that i have been lusting after for a good while. two skeins of Supermerino4 in a colorway that i'm drawn to, no matter how illogical it seems (i'm not terribly wild about the blues...they're okay). these where 40% off! i also grabbed up a single skein of Rowan 4-ply Soft. i'm currently making myself a Shedir out of it, so pics in a couple of days.
in other news, last night, i brought this sexy guy home from work.
i've seen tons and tons of betas in all my stints as Pet Shop Girl (this is the second one i've worked at) but i've never seen a blue and orange beta. i've named him Mordecai and he was sort of a sign on what type of fish tank will be the first when i get room to set a couple up: a Southeast Asian Blackwater biotope! (i'm a big ol' geek all around, not just for the knitting!)]]>
Ready fro the close up
and then after blocking:
Wanna see it more clearly?
the shawl ended up being about 6' across the wingspan, and 3' from center top to the center bottom point. pretty big, actually.
i won't be getting more of this yarn for the Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Shawl--i have some other yarn that will work lovely and isn't nearly as scratchy. don't misunderstand me; i will knit other shawls (and perhaps a cardigan or something) with the Kauni, even with it's harshness. you know, cause even though i'm not so much of the slave-to-fashion-type, i will wear scratchy ass wools if they are pretty enough ;)
and now, a couple more pics. some people take pictures of their completed shawls draped artfully over bushes, in tree branches, and what not. but not this knitter. nope. i like the dog-wearing-shawl shot:
and let us not forget the shawl-in-action shot:
bushes? we don't need no stinkin' bushes!
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Clicky for Bigness
so far, i'm quite liking the pattern...it's pretty great television knitting (too bad Torchwood has ended for this season).
i've signed up for the Goddess Knits Anniversary Mystery Shawl knit-a-long. it officially starts June 14th. the format is different from any mystery shawl i've ever been apart of: it reminds me of the Choose Your Own Adventure books from when i was a kid. for each section, you get to pick from several different options--how cool is that? According to the designer, the pattern is based on the Mandala. While looking on Ravelry for inspiration for yarn choices, i stumbled upon a yarn that made me stop in my tracks.
HAVE YOU SEEN THIS YARN?!?!
Kanui Effektgarn 8/2 is freaking amazing. i love love love the looooooonnnggg gradual color changes. (just perfect for the whole mandala idea.) My LYS just happened to have a couple of different colorways, so i decided to pick up a small one to try out before jumping buying enough for the Mystery shawl. I snagged up some of the EG colorway, and then started looking for a pattern.
I've settled on the Sagittaria Shawl. here's what i've got so far:
Click it for more detail
see how gorgeously the yarn flows from one color to the next??? it's just lovely. it's not all lovely goodness, though, at least not yet. right off the skein, this yarn is SCRATCHY. like Shetland scratchy and rough. it also seems to have some oil on it. i can barely wait to wash the FO to see if it makes a difference. and i hope that it does, cause i would really like to use this yarn on other projects, but i don't think my skin will let me if it doesn't soften up! ]]>
LOOK!!!! this is G's and my new house! that's right, folks--we are home owners. whoot! it's a swell little 3 bedroom ranch in a much nicer area of town (in the two months we've been here, i've not heard one gunshot!) we've moved so many times in the past four years that the prospect of having a place to put down roots is kinda strange. i've been taking a long time getting settled in--not having to rush is so nice. the best part of having a house?
my own room for my yarn and what not. (i'm still moving everything in)
Excuse #2
on the 30th of November, i got married!
see, i think those are pretty decent reasons to not keep up with the blogging! i was knitting during this time. want to see a FO?
Pattern: Lady Eleanor Enrelac Stole from Scarf Style
Yarn: Paton's SWS, Natural Plum colorway; 8.5 sks
Needles: 6mm clover bamboo
Notes: i love this finished object! it's the best kind of project--super simple, and completely fabulous looking.
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has not helped one lick--the book rocks a whole bunch!! i've got four different socks (that i can remember...there may be more hiding around somewhere) OTN. actually, one is finished, but it still needs a mate.
this one is made out of some Artyarns Ultramerino 4 i picked up 40% off at one of the LYS and navy Baby Ull. i'm using a stitch pattern from one of the Sensational Socks books, but other than that, i'm just winging it. much like the next sock:
again, a pattern from one of the Sensational socks books, this time knit with Panda Cotton (the lime color) and more Baby Ull. as you can see, i went sort of batty for the two color stranded socks here. i prefer to wear hand knit socks to work (they just fit better) and i like them to be very cushy since i work retail (on my feat the whole shift). what better way for cushiness and longevity than colorwork? that's was my thinking at the time, anyhow!
most probably recognize the famous Jaywalker sock. i'm working this toe-up--my favorite way to make socks. the yarn is Austermann "Step" and i am totally in LOVE with it. i picked it up on a whim at Stitches & Scones, and i'm so adoring it, i asked 'em to order me in a couple of different colors. whoot!
here is the one finished sock that i've got right now. i started it in december, so, really the progress is astounding...sheesh. this is the most fly by the seat of my pants sock i've ever done. i picked a stitch pattern out of a Barbara Walker treasury and started knitting. i decided to work a shaped arch and a french toe. neither are techniques i've ever done before, and i kept absolutely no notes. i'm not real positive how exactly i'm going to go about making the mate, but i've got a feeling that these won't be so much identical or even fraternal twins...probably more like second cousins once removed.
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they are crazy thin and soften up in hot water.
there are other things that i'll fixate on--things like a knitting project:
i finished up the center of the Fir Cone Shawl. my excitement was short lived, however, when i realized that the next step was picking up and knitting.....621 stitches. holy freakin' cow. that totally sucked. a lot. it is better that having to graft that many stitches though. right?
now, the shawl looks like this
like a shapeless, lumpy sack. awesome.
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isn't it lovely? i confess that my progress on this particular project has been stalled in the last week or so.
because of lace.
actually, more because of the new Addi Lace needles. i'm freakin' in love with these babies.
here's a picture of (from top to bottom) regular Addi turbos (size 5), the new lace Addi's (3's), and Knitpicks Options circulars (also 3's). the new Addi's are every bit as sharp as the Knitpicks needles, they have beautifully wonderfully completely smooth Addi joins, and--the best part--some nifty coating that slows down the action of the yarn on needle just enough to make lace knitting a complete and utter pleasure.
when i used the KP needles for lace, my hands cramped up from how i had to hold the work to control the yarn (cause those are some DAMN slick needles!). this speed works great for non-lace projects--i adore the KP needles for socks--but it hindered my lace knitting. i didn't realize how much until it tried out the Addi Lace needles.
i switched the Fir cone shawl (which i started, oh, a freakin' year ago) to the Addi's and i'm almost ready to pick up the stitch for the border. that's, by the way, is going to be about as fun as spending 3 months knitting a really complex steeked fair-isle sweater, cutting it, blocking it, and then finding out that it's too small by an inch. i can not wait.]]>
i was having day dreams of a heavily textured sweater done in a lightweight yarn, and this baby is everything i could have hoped for]]>
Yarn: Malabrigo merino, natural color way. approx. 925 yds.
Needles: 5mm for hems; 6mm for body
Pattern: Big Sack Sweater from Stitch 'N Bitch: The Knitter's Handbook
; size 45.5" size
Notes: i knit this project with a worsted/ heavy worsted yarn instead of a chunky weight. with chuckier knits, i prefer a more flexible fabric, and the Malabrigo on larger needles is exactly what i wanted. i didn't change a thing with the pattern.
Second Discretion
okay, this stuff? totally a whim buy, which is actually really really unusual for me. i came acrossed it because of a post on the Knitty boards in the yarn sale spotter section. it's from the Etsy shop Mystical Creation Yarns. it's the "Enchanting" colorway; 65% wool, 35% silk; it was on mad sale, and i bought 840 yds of it. for what, i have no freakin' clue. i'm open for ideas. it's lovely yarn, anyway.
Third Discretion
RYC Cashsoft DK, in an icy-cool grey shade. i've been checking this particular yarn out at my LYS for a while, and when i saw it at 40% off, i buckled. i didn't have a certain pattern in mind when i picked up the yarn, just that i wanted a heavily textured, fitted sweater. i have decided to make the Weekend Pullover designed by Veronik Avery from the Fall 2006 IK.
so, there you have it, full disclosure. i'm going to go hang my head in shame for a bit.]]>
Details
Pattern: Pretty Comfy Socks by Debbie Young
Needles: 3.25 mm
Yarn: Cascade Fixation in burn-your-eyes fuschia
Start/Finish: 18 feb 2006/ 18 jan 2007
Notes: almost a year to finish what is a really really simple pattern...sheesh. what a slacker. these socks are pretty and comfy, so i suppose they are appropriatly named. and don't let the project time scare you--they are super easy to knit. it was my Chronic Project Infidelity that led to the one year time line!]]>
Details:
Pattern: Sahara Sweater by Wendy Bernard
Needles: 4.5mm for body, 3.75mm for ribbing; Boye Needlemaster
Yarn: Berrocco Softwist, colorway 9463 (midnight blue)
Start/Finish: 19 dec (approx)/ 18 jan
Notes: there are three sleeve options(sleeveless, cap sleeves, long sleeves) presented in the pattern, and i decided to not use any of them! instead, i opted for an almost 3/4 sleeve, and i'm pretty pleased with how it looks. the top of the sweater has a tighter gauge than the bottom--a reminder that i should lay off the stockinette when i'm pissed off. i don't think that the difference is that huge, and it should block out just fine. i chose the Softwist as a replacement for the suggested yarn (Tilli Thomas Pure & Simple) cause 1) it still had a lovely sheen, 2) the drape was great, and, most importantly 3) the finished sweater cost me around $40 instead of over $100. that said, i don't know that i actually like the yarn. it's super-splitty...to a fault. and i think that it may be a bit itchy. i won't be able to judge the itch factor until after the top has been washed and blocked, however. the arms seem a little wonky, like they are too big for the armsythe. this could be a result of the aforementioned pissed-off knitting on the back vs. cool, calm, and collected knitting on the arms. i'm putting a lot of eggs into the blocking basket.
the fit of the sweater might be a titch close for my tastes, but it's definetly sexy. i did some tweaking of the waist decreases/increases to try and compensate for my curviness. i do like it enough that i would consider making it again sometime. maybe in a silk blend next time.]]>
Sock and lace yarns. i have projects in mind for most of the lace weight. the sock yarn stash however, did get a bit away from me. it was all the dyeing that i had been doing, i think. that and the fact that, with sock yarn and lace weight, you can get an entire projects worth of yarn fairly inexpensively (most of the time anyhow).
worsted weight and heavier yarns. i have enough for at least a couple of tops or bigger projects, but i do have a fair amount of one or two skiens of misc. yarns. meh. i forsee a really hideous afgahn in my future...*sob* or maybe one of the One Skien Project books--which is way more uplifting!
a motley assortment of left over yarn bits. mostly sock yarn (cause of my wee feet and short attention span). really, i think that i must secretly be planning some gut-wrentching fair isle creation.
and now, the most mortifying part of my stash--the stuff that i collected when i first started out knitting and didn't know of the wonders of natural fibers...the acrylic stash:
it's in a cedar chest, people. a giant cedar chest full of craptastic, plastic-y red heart, eyelash yarns, fur shit, and the odd skien of something half way decent (ie. the Cotton Ease). i'm so embarrassed by it that i couldn't even take a decent picture. i don't know why i don't donate the bulk of it to Good Will or something. i do have a fair amount of Caron Simply Soft that makes a nice, washable blanket--the Log Cabinish one i'm working on is going to be made of it. i'd burn the rest if not for the toxic fumes.
i am proud to say that i reduced my stash by one skien with the first FO of 2007.
i made myself a new dice bag (told you i wasn't only a knitting geek) out of some Rowan Denim yarn i had gotten a while back to make a pair of baby "jeans" (said baby is now about two...i suck). i made up the pattern as i went and used something called a Woven Stitch out of Barbara Walker's 2nd Stitch Dictionary. i wish the yarn wasn't evil, hand cramping cotton cause i sure would love to make a kick-around sweater out of it--it's marvelous after a run through the washer and dryer.]]>
the entrelac socks are coming along okay. i still love the parrot yarn, the actual technique is pretty jazzy (i never thought i would be so proficient at knitting backwards), and they fit (so far) reasonably well--can you hear the "but" coming? BUT thet heel used is just sorta...well, strange. i've never worked a heel like it, and that's the entire reason i went ahead with it. ya know, for the sake of a new technique. 
see what i mean? the way it's constructed, you are left making an almost i-cord like run of stitches across the opening. see, it's so strange that i can't even give a good description. i can't yet tell if it's going to cause a problem with the fit or not, so i guess that i'll keep on keeping on til the end of sock 1.
in closer warmer better sock news, the Twisted Traveling sock (the one i'm designing myself) is shaping up just as i had pictured it in my head. 
can you tell that i used the Eye of Partridge stitch for the heel? cause i can, and this is the first time that i've ever gotten it to look right. i am, consequently, ultra-jazzed. on the heel, i also used a 3 st garter selvage, something i've never tried before. and let me tell you, it's just brilliant! unlike the chain stitch selvage i normally use, with this one, there is no gappines when you pick up the gusset stitches. everything is so tight and uniform. i love it when i try new things and they end up well!
the LYS currently has their after christmas yarn sale running...everything is 30%-50% off. since it is after the gift giving holiday time, i don't have a lot of moola to throw at new yarn, no matter how cheap it is, so i exercised restraint and logic and only picked up a couple of things that i have been lusting after for a good while. 
two skeins of Supermerino4 in a colorway that i'm drawn to, no matter how illogical it seems (i'm not terribly wild about the blues...they're okay). these where 40% off! i also grabbed up a single skein of Rowan 4-ply Soft. i'm currently making myself a Shedir out of it, so pics in a couple of days.
in other news, last night, i brought this sexy guy home from work.
i've seen tons and tons of betas in all my stints as Pet Shop Girl (this is the second one i've worked at) but i've never seen a blue and orange beta. i've named him Mordecai and he was sort of a sign on what type of fish tank will be the first when i get room to set a couple up: a Southeast Asian Blackwater biotope! (i'm a big ol' geek all around, not just for the knitting!)]]>