K3tog: ILx Knitting 3

"sort of" helps to explain why the row gauge was off.

I just got "Charmed Knits" a book of Harry Potter patterns *squee*. There are about three things I want to make including two sweaters but I must not start too much at once or I won't finish. Also, I'm trying to use what's in my stash instead of buying some new stuff. Which right now means trying to swatch a bulky yarn for a cable sweater that calls for worsted weight. Hmm, I predict this will not work.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1360/1204744987_7ab33b0777.jpg

Wee! My first knitted handbag (not counting the totally crap one I made).

I'm ph34ring the rest I have to seam. :-(

That looks awesome! I love the cable pattern.

I picked up the needles to do a simple kitchen towel for a bit. Mostly I just want to get my chops back so I can tackle some of the larger projects in my stash.

A couple of my UFOs have reached the stage of "uh, where was I?" Especially the fingerless gloves that have cable going up the gusseted thumb, where you're adding stitches in the middle of cabling. There was math involved, and it made my brain hurt!

maybe back up a bit and restart?

Yeah my Malcolm X bag probably needs to be frogged as I've totally lost my place on the chart. I blame 1. the dogs for chewing my original chart up 2. myself for letting the shards get wet to the point where I couldn't transfer my progress to a new one. :(

nath, the bag looks great!

I have a spinning lesson on Saturday. I've been perusing the internets for wheels.

Bye-bye social life.

I ordered some Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock online ($8.65/skein!!) and am patiently waiting for it, so I can start the Monkey socks for my sister.

I started knitting a handtowel with my leftover Euroflax linen, and it's coming out really nicely!

Why is yarn so high? I haven't bought any for awhile b/c I just can stomach the expense. (esp. considering how long it takes for me to finish projects compared with sewing.)

That's extremely cheap for LL, actually. In my LYS it goes for about $14/skein. It's totally worth it, though, as it's beautiful, hand-dyed wool.

I spent, uh, $22/skein on the Euroflax linen. But, it was totally worth it once again as I have a bitchin' bubbly lace curtain in my kitchen now.

I now have UFOs that I have to look up where I stopped exactly. Also, almost finished a dress but I am so much in fear that the collar is too small. I actually measured the circumference to check if my baby's head will go through it. :-( Hopefully once I will get it all right. :-(((((

Nath, when are you due?

End of October

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1389/1224468433_25004d8cf8_o.jpg

I'm sorta happy with the end result.

Trust me, I don't knit a cardigan in 24 hrs, I just have a ton of things I need to seam. Next up? Two baby pants. :-)

Such a sweet little cardi! what kind of buttons will you use, nath?

I'm probably going for those brown buttons they use on duffel coats, *if* I find them, but my husband said it would maybe be a bit too boyish... Not sure yet.

here is a picture of my semi-finished monkey sock (from knitty). i was watching a re-run of knitty gritty last night, and cookie a was on (the designer). i was having a bitch of a time with the heel flap (totally the easiest part). after i cursed her existence loudly, everything came together perfectly. yay, catharsis!

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1249/1263113167_dea97f10e2.jpg

*must do sock*

What yarn is that? I finally started the second sock in Colinetter Jitterbug.

I need to find a Mr. Sparkle crochet pattern.

that is lorna's laces "purple iris".

i just bought my first jitterbug last night in this amazing deep purple/fuschia (sp?) last night. SO SQUISHY AND LOVELY.

i'm thinking i shall use it for this pattern:

http://magknits.com/Sept06/patterns/snicket.htm

what type of sock are you doing?

also, i've decided it's time to take on cables. i read the cabling article in interweave, and i was fascinated.

are cables tricky?

I'm doing toe-up frpm the article by Ann Budd in the Summer 07 IK. But not the pattern.

My yarn is green with yellow and magenta.

Cables are only has hard as you let them be.

Cables aren't very tricky, they are actually easier than you think they should be. You just need to pay attention to whether you hold the stitches on the needle in front of or behind the knitting.

I haven't used a cable needle to hold stitches, just an extra dpn.

this is my color, "velvet plum"

http://www.colinette.com/sess/utn;jsessionid=1546d6df4384a16/shopdata/0020_yarns/0007_wools/0005_jitterbug/images/jitt_vplum_lrg_697x234.jpg

NB it's actually much more vivid than that.

is jitterbug a delight to work with?

LL is pretty great, but sometimes i find it can shred a bit too easily when frogging.

Yay! Cables! Thanks, ladies! I psych myself out and think, "that's too difficult!", but knitting socks have helped me get over that mental block. Bring on the cables. I'm ready for them.

I have a sock started in LL that needs to be worked on. I like the texture of LL Sport more than Sock.

I use Clover cable needles because I am a sucker for anything they make.

Like this:

http://www.createforless.com/InterchangeData/images/2/2007/0412/2007051708330092007-0412-1694.jpg

I freakin' love cables. And I also use an extra dpn instead of cable needles. (In a pinch I've been known to use a bobby pin.)

Right I've unraveled the sweater I didn't give my mom two birthdays ago and decided to do an easy drop-sleeve sweater from the Harry Potter book for her. Problem is I did the original in pink/purple striped Lana Grossa du Chine. I only want to do purple now as it's her favorite color and the other stupid sweater looked like a pink and purple bumblebee. Alas that yarn is discontinued and I can' find it anywhere! I'm flummoxed.

Is that a cable needle?! It looks like a shoulder pad!

I have the Clover yarn cutter necklace pendant. It's my BFF.

Sam, eBay? Perhaps the knitty message board. They have a discussion area for just this problem.

I scoured ebay. I have found none of this yarn much less the color I need. I think my chance of finding ten balls of it are zilch.

I have no idea what that gator thing is.

I'm going to experiment putting in random rows of novelty yarn. Not stripes, just extra.

It's the Craft Crocodile!!

It;s a case for craft stuff.

OMG CRAFT CROCODILE!!

WANT

It holds dpns and such? I so need that. I'm going on a plane tomorrow, and bought a back up set of size 2 dpns in case one gets lost en route. Must finish monkeys!

"I have the Clover yarn cutter necklace pendant."

Must resist temptation to ask my 'rents to get this in Japan. I can't because, well, they'd have to travel a whole day (IN THEIR OWN CITY WHICH IS TOKYO MAD NO?) to purchase this.

You girls know how to get 'something' which holds a book while you knit? I need this. I now only knit&watch telly, but I wanna get teh hang of knitting while reading.

I still have a few bits to seam/finish but already thinking about other projects. I fear that bathing gown, dress and booties will end up gathering dust. Actually NO they won't. :-) But I do need to take the trousers with me to my knitting course (starts on monday!!!) so my teacher can teach me to put an elastic in.

Next up dress and jacket.

I do have a bit of a problem: I'm at this point that I don't consider my items worthy of wearing so I don't really put them on (on O nor me). :-( Did/do you girls have that same experience? Does it go away? Or will I end up giving it all away? I don't really mind, I'm more of a *project knitter* (doing it instead of going for the finished product itself).

I don't make anything for myself really and rarely make clothing (except for hats/mittens)

book holders: http://www.bindependent.com/hompg/bi/bindep/store/aisles/s-needs/read/read.htm

OMG! Must have! YAY! I def need some of those. :-D

Sigh, just realized I am knitting a cardigan and forgot to write down a few rows I did. Back to measuring (and fuxering up the front/side measurements?).

Tonight: knit class starts again! HOORAH! Going to ask if she can adapt a dress pattern for me. I want to make a cute brown dress. Also have to take a few trousers and ask how I put in the elastic band.

Has anyone used knitpicks yarn before? I'm thinking about making the Seamless Hybrid a la Elizabeth Zimmermann out of the Wool of the Andes.

I use them a lot. Wool of the Andes is pretty basic wool. Worsted weight, feltable. What is this project? If it's a clothing item it might be a little scratchy. But then I generally think all 100% wool is. I have made mittens from it though and it was fine. A scarf probably would be okay too.

My favorite yarn of their's is Andean Silk. It's lovely to work with and reminds me a lot of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran. (forgive me if my names are slightly off. Too lazy to double check)

It's a sweater that will hopefully end up looking like this:

http://static.flickr.com/73/228482825_e413384d88.jpg

I'm thinking about using their Fern, which is a sort of drab green.

Ideally, I'd like to do it in Rowan Yorkshire Tweed, but, uh, yeah, it's too expensive for my first adult sweater endeavor.

This might be nice:
http://www.knitpicks.com/Swish+Superwash_YD5420153.html

It's merino (softer) and washable!

ooh! That's an excellent suggestion.

I've been reading that with the wool that may seem scratchy, it's much softer after blocking.

new knitty up!

http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall07/PATTcherieamour.html
I am totally in love with this and plan to order the yarn today. for once, I am using the proper yarn for a pattern!

also, after seeing a clapotis in Brooklyn (and having been cold at night there), I must succumb and make my own.

Ah that is lovely. and lace! I need to knit again. :(

I met Louisa harding last night. She signed my pattern books (although my water leaked all over one) and I bought $100 worth of yarn and patterns to make a sweater.

http://www.woodlandyarns.co.uk/books/louisa_harding/winter_muse_portraits/LH-Portraits-low-16.jpg
http://www.woodlandyarns.co.uk/books/louisa_harding/winter_muse_portraits/LH-Portraits-low-13.jpg

I haven't decided which one.

oops I mean

http://www.woodlandyarns.co.uk/books/louisa_harding/winter_muse_portraits/LH-Portraits-low-16.jpg
http://www.woodlandyarns.co.uk/books/louisa_harding/winter_muse_portraits/LH-Portraits-low-13.jpg

Argh! We tried the lacey knitting - although I hate to label it lace as it's NOT - and failed miserabley (of course!).

I'm on autocruise, really. I'm knitting a few things but fear it won't work out: One is the cardigan taht I forgot to jot down the number of rows and the other is a dress which I fear I have decreased enough. ARGH!

Also, even though I enrolled in the class, I'm so effing tired and doubt I'll be able to attend this year. I hope to join the knitty gritty gang next year with full energy tho. :-)

sup, ladies?

i am working on my elizabeth zimmermann seamless hybrid:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1381/1480494590_6961671d28.jpg?v=0

i also may be buying this in a few weeks:

http://www.woolery.com/images/kromskiart/kromskisax2.jpg

spinning is TEH BEST. i've joined my local spinning guild too.

/end nerdiness

oh, also: i've ordered some blue-faced leicester fleece and a dye kit. hopefully, it will arrive tomorrow, so i can practice with it before the Dye Day i'll be attending next week.

I do love to knit but I can't bring myself to do it. :-( Have plenty of things I want to make but don't get around to. Guess I'll have to wait a few months, right?

I gave the knitted bag to my mum who's so excited. She wears the frilly scarf and also the cardie I made her. :-)))) It makes me extremely happy though I think I could've done the cardie better. :-)

Hello, handspun!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/1624032694_aa3adebd32.jpg?v=0

I was browsing in a Cath Kidston shop over the weekend, and they had decorated the store with the most gorgeous knitted paper chains. I've no idea if they were for sale or not (they'd probably be quite expensive anyway) but I thought it was such a brilliant idea that it inspired me to rush home and dig out my knitting needles and some scraps of wool to start making some of my own. I reckon if I knit 3 or 4 links a day, I might have enough for this year!

I tried to google up a picture to show you the sort of thing I mean, and came up with only one hit - a blog where someone has already made some (plus there are directions for making them):

http://www.simplyknitting.co.uk/reso...ogpattern2.pdf

I'm using 4.5mm needles, and churning them out at a rate of knots in lovely glittery dark greens and reds (the links are v quick to make, even for me who's not a very proficient knitter!). I've already made a dozen links since yesterday :)