Tuesday, October 31, 2006

To Knit or Frog?

I know! I'll do both!

As per previous post, I frogged my sock that rocks. It was too tight and for me, so that just isn't going to fly. So rip it rip it. All gone.

And I cast on again. Let me tell you, I'm getting darn quick at those bobbles! Anyway, this is where I'm at so far.
I decided I didn't like the heart chart, so I changed which I chose. It's so fun to do colorwork!

While browsing blogs the other day, I saw Flatlander was doing a Kitty Pi. And since I have so many pictures of THIS,
I thought it might be nice to make something for Loki that he could lay on without getting shooed away. I chose to go with Wendi's suggestion of Noro Big Kureyon (bulky weight wool, 176 yards/skein) but I couldn't find it at my LYS, so I grabbed a few skeins of normal Kureyon and figured I'd give it a shot.
It was gorgeous and figured since it will be sitting in my Living Room it might as well be nice...and Loki deserves it. :) On I knit. Really digging the increase and banging it out quickly. When I transferred to circs I realized, um this is just worsted weight. It is NOT going to felt with the body I want and you really can't double strand Noro, that would muddle the beautiful color transitions. (And Noro's too expensive to just 'give it a shot' when you know that the odds aren't in your favor.)

Rip it Rip it. Slip the Noro into the stash to become a hat and scarve for the hubby at a later date. Head back to the LYS and choose some cascade.

I plan on double stranding so it will felt up nice and thick to keep the kitty warm. Poor guy was born in Panama City, Panama and is now experiencing Wisconsin winters.
Hopefully I'm done with frogging. I do enjoy knitting, but it's awfully nice to actually finish something and have a product!!!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Going going...gone


Ugh.
Ok, I want Socks that Rock. I love them, love working them, but well...it doesn't fit! It's too snug. I did a swatch on 1s, recipe calls for 2s, but I like the way it worked and THOUGHT I got gauge. I even did it in the round folks. Hm..but you know what. I didn't double strand, just single..bet that was the difference. Anyway when measuring stiches per in on my too small sock I was getting 8 1/2 rather than 8. So I frogged..
Back to a pair of balls. Whee!
I'll start again using the 2s. I WANT these socks and I WANT them to fit. *thbbt*

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

All about ME!


I'm working on MY socks. Yes socks for me. This is my 6th pair of socks and none for me. But I finally am on to MY Socks that Rock I bought at Stitches. The colorways are
Cove Light and Rock My World.

I think both are beautiful, but I do wish that they were more different. Live and learn. We'll have to see how these fit/feel on, but working with the yarn is wonderful. The colors are so beautiful, the yarn doesn't pill or stretch too much and is soft on the hands.

I started working in earnest on them yesterday at a S&B and ended up frogging the mini graph I did. *sigh* I'm not sure if I messed up the graph (entirely possible since I was AT a S&B) or if the pattern was just lost because the colorways are similar in some ways. The next two I've picked seem to stand out enough. Granted not screaming, which I kinda want, but live and learn!

Life's been interesting, we are working on our house trying to finish off the attic space for our 2 girls. My mother is coming to visit for a week and my sister in law got married last weekend and both my girls were in the wedding.

So how do I deal?

I knit. It's better than illegal drugs..granted at times it's not cheaper...

Monday, October 23, 2006

FOs All Around!






















Project: Plaid Messenger Bag

Designer:Moi

Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted Red, Cream, Black, Gray

Began: Sept 14, 2006
Finished: Oct 23, 2o06

Ta-Da! I finally finished it. :)

I decided to have no pockets. So much of the time pockets just bug the crap out of me because I loose stuff, they don't fit in it, whatever. This will be a big project bag, like a sweater or something. Also it'd be a great one to lug to the library. It's a tad bigger than I'd like, but it's the size I intended, if that makes sense. ;)
The inside is a fun asian inspired brocade. It's a bit of a surprise yet still seems to match. The handles are beautiful and really add that certain something to the project.
Overall I'm thrilled with how it turned out and am glad it's done! ;)

Now onto the next FO. I did this while getting enough energy to complete the Plaid Bag. :) I really like the grommets, they help finish it.

Project: Bucket Bag
Yarn: Cascade 220 and Andean Wool
Began: Oct 17, 2006
Finished: Oct 23, 2006



And now I'm starting my Socks that Rock! Whoooooot!

So much knitting, so little time!

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Swift!!


Yay! It came. It works and I love it. $30 including S&H! On it is Cascades Baby Alpaca Chunky in a beautiful rose color. It's destined to become a scarf, though I'm not sure what pattern. Any suggestions?

I'm almost done with the Plaid Bag! It's lined and I just need to attach the handles, but I need a different needle. I can't wait for it to be done and I'm so sick of it I might just have to put it in the closet for a month before I can look at it again!

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

Finishing..how I hate it..

Finishing is tedious. I liken it to things like quilting..sewing clothes..scrapbooking. *shudder* I've attempted all the above, can do them passably, but can't stand them. They are work. And I don't enjoy them.

Knitting though, it's really amazing when you find your muse. But unfortunately the finishing is still there. So now I do my best to try and figure out ways to lessen the finishing; steeks, 3 needle bindoff, bind off with crochet hooks, pick up with crochet hooks.

And then I go make a bag that is really cool, but requires FAR too much finishing!! Work began in earnest on it today. Straps are in so the fun begins. They are beautiful and will really add something to the bag.


I'm using plastic canvas as a support system. I really want the bag to have some structure, and this seems to be working well.



Here's what it looks like inside and I'm tacking it down which is giving it a nice frame.
As to what the rest of it looks like, I'll let you see it when it's all done! Which will hopefully be in the next day or so. But I had to get tired of the finishing, right? Plus I had a knit night at the LYS, so I cast on a NEW project! :)

Should be a fun quick knit and then I'll be off onto my Socks That Rock! The yarn's out of it's hanks and in it's nice little tidy balls. It's so gorgeous. I just sit and look at the colors. But for sock yarn that special, it needs it's very own container! Which is where the Felted Bucket Bag came about. That and I got the yarn 50% off at a LYS Grand Opening. Whoot!


Oh and I did finish up the other mitt and have been wearing them daily. They are so comfy and quick and easy. I think I'm going to do another pair in a pastel for this Spring.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Moving On

Fall has definately arrived here. It's down right chilly outside so we've drug out the various knitted goodies such as hats, scarves and mittens.

Abby's scarf is finished. I added a fun ruffle on it. I might add a more ruffles later. She's quite happy with it.

I managed to get my Gloss done up in a ball. (Only took me 3 hours to undo a 20 minute folly!) I cast on and took off on the mitts. It's a clever pattern so a fun knit. The yarn is easy to work with and lofty.
Now I'm onto the second and should finish it soon. The first one took 2 days.
Our local Knitting Guild held their Market Night. I managed to get out of there with only this. Which I love. It's for ME. I just need to find the perfect sock pattern for it.

But can you imagine, on a dreary February day, opening your sock drawer to find this?
Lorna's Laces Sunshine. What ELSE could you call it? I love it!

Yesterday my handles came in the mail. The very patient Plaid Messenger Bag has been sitting quietly in my breezeway. Now I need to get it all put together. Pictures soon I hope!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Curse You Jo-Ann.Com!


Yes, curse them.
They are responsible for this.
It's a horrible sight.

Why are they responsible? Why don't I take some of the blame since I DID start trying to ball the skein late last night on cold meds?
Because I broke down and ordered a swift. I had a coupon and it ended up being a good 'deal'. Well my deal was defective. :P It has since been shipped back and I'm waiting for my replacement with baited breath. I'm sure it will be fine. but I couldn't wait!
Yesterday I got my skein of Gloss from Knitpicks and I'd finished Abby's scarf (photos forthcoming, she wore it to school today!). And *whine* I couldn't wait for my replacement swift. My hands were idle!!
So what did I get to do today? Fix the mess I made last night, wasting prime knitting time while my little one napped. :P Anyway it's finally in a nice neat little ball, so hopefully I'll get to cast on my fingerless mitts tonight!

Sunday, October 8, 2006

The FO or the Process?

So, I found myself idle. Decided that I wanted to decrease the stash and had told my daughter I'd make her a scarf to match the hat I did. Out comes the yarn and I dutifully cast on.
Try to adapt the hat pattern into something for a scarf. Do so on cold meds. Not good.
And I frog.
And I cast on again the next day.
And I frog, realizing it's just going to look like crud. Off the cold meds comes clarity.
Dig out the Stitchonaries I own.
Cast on again.
Knit. Hate it.
Frog.
Cast on a 2/2 rib, can't stand doing yet ANOTHER ribbed scarf.
Frog.
Curse.
Watch Law and Order rather than knit.

Wish my straps would come in for my felted bag, so I go to the Fabric Store and distract myself by buying the fabric for the lining. (no you can't see until it's all done! I promise yumminess)

Come home, see yarn and feel guilty.
Cast this on. And plug onward, gritting my teeth the whole while, telling myself my daughter wants this, I love her..yadayadayada.
It's horrible. What's wrong with me? I always thought I was a 'process' girl. Turns out I'm a product girl..or an amalgamation of the two. I'm bored with the process IF I don't like the outcome..or something like that.

Ugh.

So I'll finish this and wait wait wait
for my order from Knitpicks (Gloss for the fingerless mitts)
for my working swift
for my handles for my bag.

And knit GARTER STITCH.
ugh. :)

Thursday, October 5, 2006

Stash Bashing

Stash.

It's a word known throughout the knitterly world, but is it a good thing? I'm starting to lean towards no.

I'm finding I don't like buying yarn for the sake of 'owning' it. Plus I'm pretty project monogamous, so I am trying to buy projects rather than random yarn. The stash looms in the corner and I can feel it. It's not happy and therefore neither am I.

I'm going on a serious Stash diet. I will only buy something if I'm going to knit it up right now, not to put it into my stash. (No matter HOW good a deal it is!!) I am also going to try to create a few things from the leftovers in my stash.

When I went to the knitty retreat 2006 I took advantage and went through my stash. I felt pretty good because the majority of my stash, I'd say around 75% was remnants from past projects. There was a good deal of teasing going on about small small pieces of left over sock yarn.

'But I made my Mom socks with that..how can I throw it out???'

Anyway, I did some editing and gifted some to folks. Now I just have a handful of projects waiting to be completed. All of which are listed on the sidebar in my 'to do' list. But am I going to tackle one of those? Nope.

I'm going stash diving.

I also created a spreadsheet about the contents of my stash..yes I'm a knitting geek. Now I know somewhere in there is the leftovers from Abby's hat. I think there's enough to make a matching scarf and if not I can just buy 1 skein of Lamb's Pride and be good.

Today I'll ship the defective swift back and hopefully get the good one soon. I want to make Fingerless Mittens next. No, they aren't on the list...oops.



I'm not going to do them in the striping, but rather a nice solid. I have a jean jacket that has sleeves a tad too short and figured this might help. And then for those chilly soccer games I'm going to knit this cabled shawl. Both of these patterns are from KnitPicks. Gotta love that place! I'll buy some yarn for the mitts but I'm going to use the burgandy and cream merino from my stash for the shawl.

Did you actually think I would go to bed without felting???

So here it is..still damp and a bit wonky shaped. I plan on using a portion of plastic canvas for support on the bottom. Next week I'll go to the fabric store to find some fun stuff for the lining. Am thinking a graphic print, maybe something retro or asian. Hopefully I'll know it when I see it!

I put it through the washing cycle twice to get it as felted as I wanted. The white isn't quite as white as I'd like, but the fabric is nice and dense. It should make a pretty good bag. I also used the trick that Therese taught us at the Norwegian Sweater class. Roll your woolen up in a towel like a tootsie roll, lay it in your washer and send it through the spin cycle. It works really well, getting rid of a bunch of water yet not creasing it.

We'll see what it looks like all dried, lined and with the handles on it!



Wednesday, October 4, 2006

Idle!!

Ok. So what do I do now???
The bag is done, but my washing machine is in use, so I can't felt. I bought a swift from Jo-Ann's online (great deal with the coupon) and it came today but it was defective. Whee! So it goes back for a new one tomorrow.

So I'm idle. Everything I want to work on is in a hank and I don't feel like fighting with them. :P

Ho hum.
Lost premiers tonight and the hubby's an avid fan, so guess I'll stare at that and go to bed early?

Going through the motions!


Ok so last we talked, I was pushing along and thinking about felting in pieces. THEN I went into my LYS and found out one of the owners had put together the amazing felted bag in Interweave Knits. She felted the pieces individually and had such a problem horsing them all back into place. She actually had to trim some of her pieces. *shudder*

Now I'm sewing the bag together. It's really cute..I just hope it felts up well!

I'm trying to do the finishing well, so it holds up over time. Also I had another inspiration! I think it was an old Knitty pattern. Anyway it was a felted bag in the shape of a paper sack and they inserted a 'frame' with plastic canvas. Definately going to have to look into that. It's either that or use stabilizer with the lining material. I'll get that when I have it all felted. I DID order my kick arse handles. I'm telling you check this place out! Wohoo!