Knitty Gritty Thoughts

Warm Things

I finished a few things this weekend, the first is another Bea Ellis Traditional Hat knit in falk (#004/#007) instead of Heilo so it's machine washable.  I loved knitting this hat, the colors are very "Me" even though this hat is actually a gift.  As I mentioned before this is actually my 1 and only "planned" christmas gift.  I know my personality too well, if I was to commit to knitting all sorts of presents I would drive myself nuts.  This way it I knit an item and I think it would be better for someone else I will gift it but I refuse to drive myself crazy staying up til all hours of the night knitting on a deadline! =) 

It was knit on US3/5 16" Addi's with a provisional cast-on so I could knit the lining up with the body of the hat.  I think that part is key for the finishing portion to go smoothly.  I may just have to order more yarn and knit one for me! =)  Stranded knitalong item #1 - check! (BTW, I am having so much fun with the flickr group for this knitalong, check out all the neat knits!)

I also did a bit of sewing this weekend as well, I put in the lining for hubby's christmas stocking and I am really happy with the way it turned out!  I started out making a template from the knitted stocking and making it 1 inch larger on all sides.  Using the serger I quickly sewed/finished up all sides, leaving the top open.  I placed it inside the stocking next and then folded the top fabric down and matched up the seams.  I then used a bit of matching thread and a needle to hand-sew invisibly the top edge.  It really looks seamless and nice, there are a few gifts in there already and it holds it shape really well.  Yea!

The next item I finished was really old.  Actually I finished up the knitting portion last year but they just sat in my bin because I couldn't make up my mind on how to sew on the bear claws.  (Morehouse is very vague in this area)  I finally cut out the claws from felt and then hand sewed them in half to make the points, then invisibly sewed them to the top of the mitts.  Easy peasy right?  A quick crocheted chain with doubled yarn for the strings and they were done in only a few hours.  Sheesh, now I have no idea why I procrastinated so long!

So, I'm proud to present Morehouse Merino Bear Paws mitten knit kit in Chocolate on a US5 needle.  I have no idea who I'm going to give them too, but I'm happy to be done! =)

I guess that's it for now, everything else is going good.  Today they're coming to finish installing the kitchen counters, we have the tile and paint done and the new appliances are in so we're in the home stretch.  I can't tell you how nice it was to have a working kitchen again, I've been cooking up a storm, including making bread this weekend.  I used organic flour and it's such a treat to eat fresh, unprocessed bread.  Now I really want to try this recipe I read about here.

Diamond Fantasy Scarf

Diamond Fantasy Scarf
Actual Knit Time: A bit less than a month
Needles: US6 Options Needles (great for lace!)
Yarn: MamaLlama Knits Hand-dyed yarn in "Rivers" Colorway. (I'm a test knitter for MamaLlama knits so it was a treat to get to use this yarn, the colors are very vibrant and the green is especially meaningful to me as I'm Irish.  It reminds me of Ireland.)
Interested in more info?  All posts about the scarf here
Final Note: This pattern is incredibly well written, there is a knitalong here if you're interested.  I think the design is incredibly smart, especially the way the edging is constructed, 5 stars(*****)! 

This knit also counts for Lacevember, so I earned a star by my name, yea! 
And just because I couldn't resist, here's one last artsy shot.  I just found the B/W option on my camera.  I love B/W pics.

Handknit Holidays: Cabled Socks

Handknit Holidays Cabled Socks
Actual Knit Time: 2 weeks
Needles: US 6 Needles (Started with 5's, too small) Magic Loop Options Needles
Yarn: Rowan Cork from Free Rowan Subscriber Gift (2.5 balls) for size 10 feet
Final Note: The pattern seems to be a favorite in the handknit holidays book, I've seen them all over the blogosphere, they are v-ery cozy!

P.S. Free yarn part - Anyone interested in the extra yarn from this project?? I have 1 full and 1/2 ball of Rowan Cork, in Oatmeal free to you if you'd like to try it.  Simply leave a comment by Friday the 1st.

Hope everyone's holiday weekend was great, if you celebrated.  Our Thanksgiving was nice, it was my first year cooking a real full sized turkey and it turned out great, yea!  I was really worried about defrosting it, then about cooking it completely but it all turned out in the end.  Work has me a bit stressed so I'm not feeling too chatty right now but I will say I've been really collecting the color cards lately.  I love seeing a smidge of color of what the yarn looks like in person rather than a monitor and is also important to someone like me who lives a bit far away from any local yarn stores.  I ordered some JaggerSpun color cards from Sarah's Yarns and she sent me e-v-e-r-y single color card of yarn that they sell, how neat is that?  It was a veritable mountain of yarn samples!

I also got really lucky and I was chosen on Fybrespates blog to win a skein of sock yarn for giving her feedback on her new online shop.  The yarn just came today, isn't it yummy?  It reminds me of fall- lovely leaf peeper colors.

Put a Fork in it.

Thank you all for your funny comments and great suggestions.  I was just about at the end of my rope when I saw the mitts were two different sizes.  Yesterday I finally ripped the smaller one back, which I knit first coincidentally, to make it 1 repeat longer so they would be the same size.  It worked- the mitts are the same size, freshly washed and blocked and looking quite pretty.

Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, I don't know if it's the slightly damp alpaca or what, but - the mitts are ITCHY.  My whole hand got rather itchy and irritated when I put them on.  I just can't win with these, honestly.  I actually had an extra skein I was going to make a hat out of, but now I'm not so sure.  I've used other alpaca before and never had a problem.

Oh well, you came here for the pics right?  Here you go-

Lace Artist's Gloves
Actual Knit Time: 2 days, if I didn't mess up the pattern =)
Needles: US5 Magic Loop Options Needles
Yarn: The pattern called for cashmere, I substituted with Blue Sky Alpacas 100% Alpaca in color 009
Interested in more info?  All posts about the mitts here
Final Note: I spend so much time on the computer, fingerless gloves are a must-have during the winter.  Each year I knit a new set.  I love the color and the way they turned out.  As long as they stop itching me, they'll be a new favorite.

Oh yes and I almost forgot, these count for the warm hands knitalong as well, yea!

Tea & Me & Hats

Thank you all for the lovely comments on the stole, you know how to make a girl smile! I've been wearing it out and about and it's warm and cozy.  Just perfect as the temperature starts dipping lower.  So...what's next?  Cath sent me some lovely Mama Llama yarn in the colorway, "Rivers" but I call it Ireland, gorgeous shades of greens.  It's perfect for a diamond fantasy scarf by Sivia Harding.  If you didn't know Catherine has just started hand-dying yarn, go check out her etsy shop.  The colors are so rich and gorgeous.  In between projects I started and finished a few hats.  First was a small pink one in debbie bliss baby cashmerino for an acquintance in the FRG that I put together a small package before.  Baby hats are so quick and easy, this one was 80 stitches at 6 sts an inch gauge.  The next was for a friend, her baby boy is just about 3 months old and his first halloween is coming up so I made up a quick pumpkin hat pattern.  This was knit in just a few hours, made up off the top of my head and knit in bernat chunky.  She tried it on last night and it was sooo cute! (Ok, so the pic is kinda ugly.  I debated about posting it here, since the lights all wrong but ah well.  You gotta put it all out there.)  Try picturing it with a little baby head in there.

I received a lovely package from my Tea Swap 2 Pal who is in Korea, how exciting!  That is the farthest place I've ever received a package from, and how fun to get to try local treats, I love stuff like this.

The package was wonderful, it contains all sorts of yummy tea, including both loose leaf and bagged (wow!) and a really, really neat tea infuser/containter that I can't wait to try.  There was also wonderful korean pancake snacks that I haven't tried yet, I'm waiting for the perfect time to sit and relax for a few minutes and drink a cuppa tea.  And who can forget the yarn?  It's the perfect sky blue color in 5 ply wool that is quite soft and pretty.  I can't wait to find the perfect pattern for it, I'm thinking cabled scarf.

Thank you so much tea pal, I really enjoyed my package!

Print o' the Wave

Print o' the Wave Stole by Eunny Jang
Knit time: 5 weeks
Final Size: 27"wide x 74" long (19 x 51 unblocked)
Needles: US 6, Knit Picks Option circulars and Brittany DPN
Yarn: Custom Hand-Dyed Spritely Goods yarn by Stephanie, in colorway "Virga," made just for me, 1 mega skein.  The yarn was just gorgeous to work with, and the variegation so subtle it gives the waves movement.  You'll have to peek closely at the photos to see it.
Interested in more info?  All posts about Print o the Wave stole here
Final Note: I love it!  This is my favorite thing I've knit so far.

Thanks to Angelika for being my "photo-stylist" =) and taking some of the pics.

Too Many to Title

I'm working this weekend.  There, I've said it.

It's a bummer really but it is the biggest weekend of the year for working, we're doing a major server move/integration this weekend.  I hate sitting around the house waiting for people to call or IM questions.  As I'm waiting I've been joining as well.  I've been on a joining spree lately, after not joining knitalongs for a while now.  Over the course of the weekend I joined: Zimmermania, Grey's Anatomy Knitalong, Twist & Knit AND Socktoberfest, wow!  Of course I couldn't resist joining Socktoberfest, I did it last year and my birthday is in October as well and it's really a lot of fun.  I honestly don't know what my bday in October has to do with the greatness of Socktoberfest but it really does make it more fun!

In the meantime I finished up the Bea Ellis' hat that I was knitting along with Cath and Jenn.  It turned out pretty good and amazingly it fits.  It was knit on size US3/5 needles.  The only change I would make to the instructions is making sure you do a provisional cast-on for the liner to knit up later, sewing it on afterwards was just wonky and that is exactly what I did for my next one.  Yep, I ordered the Venten hat kit in gray and black.  Only a little bit knitted up so not much to show.

I also am "waving along" on the print o the wave stole I'm knitting with Erica and Angelika.  Just made it to repeat 24 as of last night and now to 26 and am starting to freak out about yarn.  Does anyone know a rule of thumb of how much yarn the edging should take on a stole that goes all the way around.  Wouldn't it be approx equal to the total amount used for the body of the stole???

I'm curious because I'm fearful of running out.  According to my calculations I have 8oz of yarn that equals 1120 yards of fine fingering weight.  8oz converted to grams is equal to 227grams.  According to my handy dandy scale I have 150 grams of yarn LEFT so far.  Soooo 227-150 = 77grams I've used for 24 repeats.  Therefore 77/24 = ~3.21grams a repeat.  Soo if I wanted to knit to 100 grams I would get 7 more repeats out of it.  (well to be exact 7.165) therefore I should make it to my new goal of 30 repeats and have plenty of yarn.  Right?  Does that make sense to anyone besides me? =)

I also ordered a cute little knowknits pouch in camo that just arrived that I'm using for the stole.  I really like it, it's quite handy.  Well I guess that's it for now, I just got my tea swap pal and said hi and had my pal said hi as well.  Hi Pal!  Happy knitting!

Miss Jemima

Jemima Sweater by Amelia Raitte
Time to knit: 2 months actual (3 months it took me to sew it together!)
Yarn: Rowan Cashsoft DK (7 balls)
Size: 34" medium
Needles: Size 7 Addi's and size 6 Addi's
New Techniques: The tubular cast-on was well, totally tubular! =)  Used the instructions here...
Buttons: Simple celtic design from Joann's

Miscellany:
Great pattern and great sweater.  The instructions were fool-proof which is great for someone like me because this is only my second sweater, and my first with sleeves that need to be set into the neckline.  The twisted rib detail at the neckline is an important design feature, I neglected it the first time and it was too large and I had to rip-rip-rip.  Important lesson learned, trust the designer!

I love this sweater, it will be a staple in my closet for sure. It's the perfect lazy morning slip this on with a pair of jeans and go have a nice coffee at the corner coffee house type of top.  The only modifications I made was to make the body and arms longer as you can tell from the picture I had trouble calculating how long the arms needed to be and overshot it a bit and on the other end I would like the body longer.  I tried reblocking but didn't get the full length out of it that I would have liked.  I'm really tall (6'2) so I do this with all my knits.  I also sewed the button closure shut at the neckline, there was a little difficulty stabilizing the crochet so the weight of the yarn didn't drag it apart.  It probably is because I had to lengthen it, and caused it to sag with the extra weight.
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P.S. Excuse the old mirror on the wall self-pics, if you check them out you can see my new 'do.  I'm not sure if I'm digging it yet, I haven't had bangs since the 8th grade and I keep pinning them back because I hate when they're in my face.  It's bringing back some pretty scary memories =) =)

P.P.S  spent all weekend blocking mitered squares.  I haven't decided yet if it's a great idea or I'm just anal enough to wash each one separately and block it out in case the colors would happen to bleed.  I ran out of yarn and had to order 4 more balls from webs.  As soon as they get here I can get a move on finishing this thing!

Mystery Stole: Scheherazade

 

Mystery Stole 2: Scheherazade
Knit time: 6 weeks, completed 08-15-06
Final Size: 16"wide x 83" long
Needles: 2 US3 24" Inox's
Yarn: Zephyr, 2 2-ounce balls of jade from here
Interested in more info?  All posts about the mystery stole 2 here
Silver Shawl pin from Chris, she has a store here
Wish the pictures were a little better, that's what you get when you have to take them yourself =)  If I'm able to later I'll add a few wingspan pics (if I can get the hubby to take them.)

Weekend Review

Update: For some reason bloglines isn't picking me up...I'm trying to repost this and see if it works.  Apologies if you've already seen this.

Overall this weekend was really nice and relaxing, I felt like I was getting back to my creative "roots."  I made some fresh cranberry orange scones (yum!) and drank them with tea and put my feet up and just vegged.  There was also sewing; I pulled out a new bag pattern this weekend.  One of my goals is to become a better sewer.  It took me the better part of 4 hours but I finally finished this cute little bag from simplicity pattern 9949.  It's a little over 8 inches long, perfect to put pens and knitting notions and made from Sock Monkey fabric and matching liner that looks like knitting.

I also got back to the basics on knitting, I was at WalMart buying a TV wall mount and noticed peaches & creme yarn in pretty blues and greens.  I matched it up with a background color from my stash, I believe it's King Tut, but it's old...scraps from one of my first FO's, a "peppy" fringe fur pattern knit with a strand of cotton (ok, maybe peppy is being too nice, it could be categorized as ugly!)   The ballband dishcloth pattern from Maxon Dixon knitting (link to knitalong) went fast and was easy to memorize.  I have it sitting on my desk to soak up the condensation from my new camelbak waterbottle.  I have a thing for containers, bags and bottles, I don't know what it is.  I also am trying to drink more water, and if a pretty bottle inspires me so much the better!

We had a crazy experience on Saturday night- I was home alone and a big lightning storm came out of nowhere.  All of a sudded the earth was rocking, the lightening hit so close!  I wasn't concerned at first until I looked out the front window and saw fire reflected in my across the street neighbors windows which meant only one thing, the fire was near/on my house.  At first I thought the roof was on fire, than the trees in our front yard.  I ran frantically around the house trying to find it.  Finally, I did.  We have a small forest/protected area behind our house.  Not 5 feet from the back of our fence the lightening struck and started a fire.  My heart started racing, it was big, and growing bigger, and ashes were coming down and the wind was blowing it closer to our house.  My first thought was 911, than I put the dogs in a backroom because they were quite upset.  Neighbors came out, and we setup hoses, then the fire department came.  It took about an hour to get it out. Meantime I called my husband to come home (he was helping people move) and he didn't quite get it at first, he's like "it's pouring down rain, how could there be a fire?"  Once he got home though he couldn't believe how big and how close it was.  I feel incredibly lucky, 30 feet closer and it would have hit my house, or 10 feet, my backyard. *Whew!*  It brought back memories of living in california during the brush-fires and evacuations.  I started thinking of what I would grab if I had to go, and besides the dogs, family documents, pictures, some clothes, I think I would grab my sock I'm working on...how sad would that have been if I had to replace all my yarn!?