iknityouknot

Solar Circuit Racing

2011-09-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

Guess what! Tyler started a game company - Moon Monster Games - and he just put his first game up for funding on Kickstarter.com (a crowdsourcing website) at http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1614576398/solar-circuit-racing.

In order to get the game illustrated and manufactured, he needs to get the word out about the game and about the Kickstarter page. I would really appreciate it if you would help us spread the word. Tell your friends. Tell your mom. Tell your friend's mom. Anyone and everyone you tell would really help him out a lot.

Also, Moon Monster Games is on Facebook, so go Like it!

And now, a note from Tyler:

Thanks! I wouldn't have even gotten this far without the help and support of my friends and family.
Tyler

Octopus-Pod

2011-09-08T22:38:00.000-07:00

Finished object alert!

An innocent looking capsule...

But lo - what is this?

Something begins to emerge!

Partially transformed,

Welcome, Octopus!

Pattern: Cephalohedron by Erica Schlueter
From: Interweave Knits Holiday Gifts 2011
Yarn: Cascade 220 Sport
Needles: Size 4 US (16" circular and DPNs)

This pattern is awesome. Clear and well-written (there was one minor error - see my Rav notes) I love that I didn't have to sew any pieces - everything is knit together as you go, even the eyes! Also, it is self-stuffing, so I didn't have to look for my elusive bag of ancient fiber-fill. I started on Sunday and finished on Wednesday. I could see making some of these as holiday gifts if I had any children on the list.

Cascade 220 Sport is also awesome. The name is slightly misleading - it's only 164 yards - but this stuff has great stitch definition and is dirt cheap to boot. It's just $4/a skein at the Fiber Gallery, and two skeins will definitely make two cephalohedrons, or possibly even three. I really have no excuse not to make at least one more.

Sample Knitting

2011-08-12T10:26:00.000-07:00

One of the things people assume about yarn store employees is that we get to sit around and knit all day. A lot of the time we have other things to do - helping customers, restocking yarn, cleaning, etc. But, sometimes, we do get to sit around and knit. Samples for the shop, that is.

I recently completed two such samples:

Grace by Tonia Barry

Knit in Classic Elite Pirouette (67% mohair, 25% bamboo, 8% nylon) on size 6 needles. This took less than 2 balls of yarn, and includes some insane ruffle increases which I rather love.

The finished product is larger in reality than the photo in the booklet makes it appear. Or, maybe I just had gauge issues.

Winding Way Mitts by Cheryl Beckerich
Knit in Cascade 220 Sport (100% wool) on size 4 needles. The pattern calls for one skein, but I only made one mitt so I only used 1/2 a skein. I would have to weigh the remainder to be sure, but it seems correct.

If I was a fingerless mitts person I would definitely make myself a pair of these. The cable pattern is engaging and easy to work, and the ribbing in the hand makes for a great fit. The 220 Sport is lovely to work with - lofty and soft, with awesome stitch definition.

Meet Harald Bairhair

2011-08-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

Last fall I bought a DK weight cashmere sweater at Value Village. It had a hole in it, and wasn't the most attractive thing I'd ever seen, but it was extremely soft and a nice clean white color, so I bought it. I brought it home and washed it, and then it sat in a box for months.

This weekend I finally pulled it out, dissected it, and frogged it onto my ball winder. This is what it yielded:

Also this weekend, at the yarn shop, a customer showed off the adorable bear she had just finished. I asked her about it, and learned that the pattern was Peabey the Polar Bear by Snowden Becker. I immediately queued it, and favorited her project, then went on about my day. On Monday I realized that I could make him out of a bit of the cashmere, and off I went. Two evenings later I was finished.

Isn't he cute? The pattern is thorough and clear, with lots of great photos of the construction. I ended up using 7 dpns at once and wasn't even annoyed about it, it was that clever. Plus, 50% of the pattern sales proceeds are being donated to polar bear research and conservation. Everyone wins!

Tyler, tasked with naming our new friend, came up with Harald (after Harald Fairhair, first king of Norway). Bears are pleased.

Vegetables!

2011-08-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

All of these are growing on our little porch.

Tomatoes

Red Bell Peppers

Cucumbers

The Partial Blankets in My Life, Part 1

2011-07-09T22:22:00.000-07:00

This project began as an Albers Cowl by Ann Weaver, but quickly evolved into a sort of freeform patchwork blanket. I am slipping the first stitch of each row to facilitate pick-up, and am increasing the size in a willy-nilly way, working in all directions according to whim and yarn quantities, until I reach 100 stitches on a side.

The first square is the more Albers-inspired so far - I started it in the middle of the new living room, surrounded by boxes in the midst of our move, because I needed a break from deciding where to put unpacked items, and because I had just unearthed my Ziploc full of fingering weight partials. It consists of sock yarn scraps from my stash: madelinetosh, Rowan, Yarn Hollow, Carpool Sock, Jitterbug, Malabrigo, and Sunshine Yarns.

The second square contains Erin's sock yarn scraps, which she listed upon their delivery, but the specifics of which I did not note. I may ask her to identify them again once I have finished the square. The layout of this one happened even more organically, and the majority of it was knit while watching My So-Called Life on Netflix Watch Instantly. Did you know that there is only one season of that show? Shocking.

I have more of my own scraps, and Jen has given me some as well, but I know there will be many sections added to this item which I haven't purchased the yarn for yet, let alone knit the socks or shawl to leave me with oddments. I am picturing this as an ongoing project, which I will add on to now and then as a meditation, whenever I feel like it and also have sock leftovers available.

And this one is a Mitered Crosses Blanket--for Japan by Kay Gardiner of Mason-Dixon Knitting. I'm using Noro Taiyo for the center crosses and Rowan Amy Butler Belle Aran for the borders. The yarns are very different from each other, but work well together and I like the way that each draws attention to the texture of the other. I selected three colors of each, and paired them off, which I'm hoping will ultimately create a harmonious effect. We'll see.

I am enjoying working on this - it makes excellent modular, portable bus knitting for those long commutes. It also indulges my semi-random-self-striping-Noro fixation, with a little bit of slubby silkiness to boot. I'm using size 8 needles (instead of the recommended size 6, for Silk Garden), and I'm slipping the first stitch of every row. I'm yielding 4 crosses for every skein of Taiyo, and 1 border for each ball of Belle Aran.

I have at least three more unfinished blankets - one of which dates back to high school. If they ever see the light of day again they may get a write-up.

H-Post

2010-08-09T17:56:00.000-07:00

Good Things:

hanging pictures
in-unit laundry
finishing knitting projects (details will follow)
interviewing

Not-So-Good Things:

the aboxalpyse
not enough kitchen storage
or book storage
interviewing

Second Socks: Profiles in Completion

2010-07-22T21:01:00.000-07:00

Green Ribbed Socks:

Start date: January 17, 2009
Finish date: July 23, 2010
Time in progress: 1 year, 6 months, and 6 days
Reason for not finishing sooner: The needles I knit the first sock on were in use in my second Jaywalker. I like these a lot, and have been taking notes on the pattern. It's simple, but I may release it just for the heck of it.

Jaywalkers:

Start date: January 12, 2009
Finish date: July 2, 2010
Time in progress: 1 year, 5 months, and 20 days
Reason for not finishing sooner: I got halfway through the second sock and totally stalled. I know this pattern is really popular, but I simply didn't enjoy knitting it.

Thujas:

Start date: 2007 (ish)
Finish date: July 3, 2010
Time in progress: Approximately 3 years
Reason for not finishing sooner: The first sock seemed a little too short in the foot, the yarn is a bit ugly, and the leg length makes my feet look stumpy. I wasn't inspired to finish, so I stashed them in the closet forever. Pulled them out and finished them to reclaim my needles, and to have one less second-sock-in-progress. Also, it only took about 3 hours to get from WIP to FO.

Conclusion: I don't like finishing pairs of socks, so this was a considerable effort. I still have 6 pairs in progress, (why do I do this?) but don't expect any more finished pairs any time soon. Additional first socks are much more likely.

Wrapping Up

2010-06-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

We are moving again, and I have more unfinished knitting projects than you can shake a dpn at.
I have resolved not to start any more new projects until we are settled in the new place. Furthermore, I am resolving to finish a bunch of the ones that are already underway - some of which have sat untouched for years.

Exhibit A:

Jultomar and Teeny Tomte, the Yuletide Gnomes by Alan Dart. I started these last fall, thinking they'd be Christmas presents. I immediately realized I liked them too much to give away, and then I was cleaning up one day and set them (almost finished) on top of the television, where they've stoically sat ever since, awaiting noses, beards, and the sewing-on of hats. I took them down last night and finished them both in under an hour while watching Breaking Bad. I am still deciding whether they should have some sort of eyes. Opinions?

Exhibit B:

A patternless two-tone striped hat, in Berroco Ultra Alpaca and Fleece Artist BFL DK. It ended up pointy and a bit elflike because of my laissez-faire decrease math. Out of the wip basket and into my Etsy shop.

Next up (maybe): an array of second socks.

Currently Amusing Me

2010-06-03T08:28:00.001-07:00

Finished(s)

2010-05-17T23:55:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day gifts!

For my mother: an Emily Shawl knit in Orkney Angora Incredible.

This yarn got up my nose a little while knitting, but it produced a beautiful (and very fluffy) fabric with more body than I expected. I love the finished product; it seems like it will be warm without being heavy.

This was my first time using blocking wires, and I'm definitely a convert. I can't believe I thought they'd be more hassle than they're worth - they made pinning so much easier than it normally is! I should have used more wires for the top edge of the shawl, but I was up way past my bedtime and wasn't thinking straight. Learning curve!

And a quilted table runner for Ilene, using the same block as this quilt I made (and did eventually finish) last year. I switched up the layout, which produced a cool laddery effect against the floral.

It ended up about 5' long and a little over 1' wide, which hopefully fits the table it was intended for. Rather than use bias tape I had (which didn't match at all) or make some myself (difficult!) I just left extra backing fabric all around the edges of the top and batting, then rolled it on over and used it for the binding. I'm sure there's a quiltery name for this, but I don't know what it is.

The floral fabrics are from Rowan and Heather Bailey, and the stripe is probably Rowan but I'm not positive.

If I had to pick a title for this, it would be The Gardener's Ladder. Not that you asked.

Stripes on Parade

2010-04-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

The Pi Shawl, she is finished.

I used up almost all of my DK-weight partials in this project, yarns left over from a multitude of hats and other small projects from the last few years, which I finally sorted last winter - things like Felted Tweed, Silky Wool, Whiskey, Swish, and Matchmaker. I love how the colors are all mismatched, and yet the finished product ended up relatively harmonious and balanced (at least to my eye).

The border is Berroco Vintage Wool, the only yarn I purchased for this project. I almost got away with a single skein, but needed a second for the last foot or so of edging. I did the border on 7s, and the rest of the blanket on 5s.

After the blanket was done, I had a little bag full of much smaller scrap balls, so I set about to make a few hats. Two are finished, and a third is well under way. I've listed them in my Etsy shop, since I don't need any more hats, and since I need to start getting rid of things in preparation for our impending move west.

(clicking on the photos will take you to the Etsy listings)

Also new in the shop is this Trilobite hat, made from my Knitty pattern and a ball of Rowan Yorkshire Tweed.

Snippet

2010-04-12T21:59:00.000-07:00

While watching War of the Worlds this evening I paused to go to the bathroom a few times. Tyler was fed up and made a comment, after which we had the following conversation:

Me (yelling from the bathroom): "It's not my fault - Tom Cruise is a powerful diuretic!"

Tyler: "I think you mean Dianetic."

Fiddlin'

2010-03-29T19:00:00.000-07:00

I threw my back out again yesterday, so today I had plenty of time (between Advil doses) to mess around on the internet. I noticed some of my pattern photo links were broken, so I updated the links (and images) in my sidebar and ended up messing around with my blog colors as well. What do you think - is the background too bright?

I also cast on for a Pi Shawl with all my DK weight scraps. This thing is going to be colorful.

H-Post

2010-03-11T22:54:00.000-08:00

Good Things:

Coatless weather
Salami, cheddar and apple sandwiches
Fat quarter sewing projects
Easter candy

Not-So-Good Things:

Possibly allergic to my lace project
Incredibly loud and semi-constant "WHAM-WHAM-WHAM" noise which has plagued my building of residence since January. Let's fix that shit, management company.

Oh my...

2009-11-17T06:17:00.000-08:00

I've gone over a month again without blogging. Well, at least this time I've got knitting to show you, to the tune of three new patterns:

Bostonian

Four skeins of Lion Brand Alpine Wool, which I picked up at Joann's, were begging to be made into an eye-popping colorwork something. I settled on chunky black and white houndstooth with a red interior, and the idea of knitting a muff amused me so greatly that I couldn't stop myself. It seemed a little impractical, but after a frigid photography session during which I stayed warm and toasty despite the elements I can see this item getting a lot of use this winter. My hands are always freezing (right now, for instance). Also, looking at these pictures, I'm declaring it reversible.

Blackstone Avenue

Using a single ball of Berocco Blackstone Tweed, this beret is as frugal as it is stylish. It marks my first attempt at designing a lace pattern, and I must say I enjoyed the process more than I anticipated. This one is a sample for My Sister's Knits in Chicago, but I already have plans for another one in non-tweed yarn, just to see how it will look.

Indigo Dandy

A single skein of Malabrigo Merino Worsted (I used Purple Mystery) makes this kerchief-point cowl. The pointed shape mimics the look of a triangular shawlette, but without the nuisance of having to wrap/tie any ends together to make it stay put. Published a few weeks ago, this is already getting a lot of wear.

All these patterns are available on Ravelry, as well as here in my sidebar. Enjoy!

In Action

2009-10-13T07:07:00.001-07:00

I finally got around to making that pie.

Pre-baking

Apple pie!

The bird did help quite a bit with the venting, but I think I left the pie in a liiiittle bit too long, and it did boil over a teensy amount on one side. He hasn't been used in years, so I'm thinking he's just out of practice. He'll have another chance soon, I'm sure.

Travel, a Gadget, and a Little Bit of Knitting

2009-10-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

I went to Seattle and I only took one photo.

Then I went to Massachusetts and didn't take any photos at all. I spent time with my grandmother, who was in the mood to get rid of old kitchen stuff. We made a pile to keep, a pile to have a yard sale with, and a little pile of things she was done with but which I wanted to keep.

This little guy is one such item. He's the only thing I carried home with me on the plane, since he's small and relatively unbreakable, and because I want to use him soon. He's a pie bird, which (as my grandmother explained) is a device placed in the center of a two-crust pie to vent the steam from inside to keep pies from boiling over. Genius! I've always had trouble with apple pies leaking all over the inside of the oven - and then smoking the next time I preheat - but now I think I'll be all set. I'll post again once I've put him to the test.

I've been doing a ton of knitting, but at present I have almost nothing to show for it. Some of it is secret, and some of it is just really dull unfinished sweater, and a little bit of it is nearly finished adorableness which I'll be posting next. But for now, a sock in progress:

This is the cuff of the Through the Loops Socktoberfest Mystery Sock 2009. The yarn is Araucania Ranco Multy, which I picked up at My Sister's Knits last week or the week before. (It was in the 50% off sale bin and I can't resist sale bins.) I went to Kirsten's blog last night (after midnight) to see what the gauge was and the first clue was up, so I cast on and stayed up past two to finish the clue. I think I'd get more knitting done if more patterns were this modular and more people were willing to spoon-feed them to me a little bit at a time.

La La's Simple Shawl

2009-08-25T11:58:00.000-07:00

The Omelette Shawl is finished. It's more of a scarflet than a shawl, really, since I only worked five repeats of the lace pattern (as many as I could with a single skein of the Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock) before starting the border. I extended the border quite a bit, using almost a whole ball of Rowan 4 Ply Soft, and finished it with a picot bind off, which I hate working but love the look of.

I'm pleased with the finished product, but in hindsight I wish I'd had the patience to incorporate the other skein of the Shepherd Sock. Live and learn, I guess.

Three Hats

2009-08-21T07:32:00.001-07:00

There are two new hat patterns available from iknityouknot!

Gaussian is named for the bell curve shape it makes when laid flat. The yarn is Malabrigo Yarn Chunky in Frank Ochre (which makes me picture a dusty Steinbeck character) - a single skein will make the hat, and possibly a pom pom if you are so inclined. Pattern is available for $3 on Ravelry, or in my sidebar.

Blockhead is an extremely simple Fair Isle hat with a turned up lining to keep your ears warm in the colder months. I made mine in Reynolds Whiskey, using one ball each of Blood Orange and Ice Blue. The color possibilities boggle the mind - I think I'd like a black and white one. Pattern is available for $3 on Ravelry, or in my sidebar.

Special thanks to Nancy for test knitting and to Nicole for modeling. (Don't you love how her necklace just happens to be the exact same colors as the hat? I do!)

I've also been test knitting! Bicycle Boy, the latest Weaverknits design, is a close-fitting cap ideal for wearing under a helmet. It features a Fair Isle bicycle chain motif and a chain ring cleverly delineated by the crown decreases. Mine is knit in Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed, which is VERY SOFT (but in some cases plagued by vegetable matter), in colors Gypsy (aka blue) and Imagine (aka blue-green). Pattern is available on Ravelry for $2.50.

The very appropriate model is my dear friend Hannah, who, as a member of Join the Cycle, is on a cross-country bicycle trip with co-riders Casey and Melissa. The trio stayed with us for a few days this week, but are back on the road. You can read about their exploits here.

Knitting an Omelette?

2009-07-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

No, it's my La La's Simple Shawl, made in Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (color is Sunshine Stripe, a Purl Soho exclusive color - thanks Jenny!) It just happened to be Tyler's breakfast's twin on Sunday morning. For some reason, yellow and white together always make me think that things look like eggs (including Big Bird's forehead, which has reminded me of scrambled eggs since childhood). I don't even like cooked eggs, really: they're too squeaky.

And speaking of Tyler, I'm almost done with his new* sweater!

*According to Ravelry, this thing has been in progress since 2007. That is a long time to wait for a sweater, but this thing has given me problems. I started with an Elizabeth Zimmermann Seamless Raglan Sweater pattern, but the proportions didn't make sense with the measurements I'd taken, so I tweaked the numbers quite a bit. Then I tweaked them back towards the guidelines to avoid gorilla armpits (mostly successful, if he keeps his arms up).

Then I knit for ages and ages, and the knitting was finished. He tried it on, and it was about 4" too long. So I let it languish for a looong time, and he was very patient and good about not bringing it up. A few days ago I got a very innocent "So, do you think my sweater will be done in time for cold weather this year?" I had promised him it would be done for cold weather LAST year, so I immediately made him try it on again in case it had magically shortened itself. It hadn't, and he hadn't gotten any taller, so I set about to shorten the damn thing.

The sweater is worked in the round from the bottom up, with a knitted-in hem. This meant that I needed to either take the whole thing apart from the neckline down to below the armpits (not gonna happen, dear) or cut it near the bottom, remove length, and reknit the hem in the opposite direction, then sew it in place - not an attractive option, since I really like the finished edge on the original hem. I ended up snipping the yarn 4" into the Stockinette above the hem and picking up the live stitches above the snip (all five million of them), then unraveling down to the row above the hem and picking those stitches up as well. Then I kitchenered the two sets together, which took two days. It was worth it, since the length is now perfect.

Now I just have to teach myself duplicate stitch and apply the crest. Maybe by spring?

Defluffing for Summer

2009-07-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

Last week in Chicago we had temperatures in the 90s.

Ruth is ready.

I know she still looks quite fluffy, but consider her baseline:

New

2009-06-14T04:59:00.000-07:00

New Summer Blouse
(does "blouse" sound antiquated?)

Pattern is McCall's 5388, View B
Fabric is a pale blue cotton with white ginkgo leaves, which I bought at JoAnn Fabrics years ago.
I shortened the whole thing by about 6" because I didn't have as much fabric as I needed. I like this length, though, and probably wouldn't have wanted it longer.
Check out this finishing inside the underarm:

New Finished Sweater

Pattern is Green Tea Raglan from Interweave Spring 2007
(which I started knitting in Spring 2007)
Yarn is Nashua Creative Focus Superwash in color 11
I ended up with accidental bracelet-length sleeves on this, which I am not sure I don't hate. I'll try wearing it as-is (and maybe I'll love it) but there's a good chance I'm going to snip the sleeves at 3/4 length and reknit the edging. Also the neckline is a little weird, but that I'm getting used to. (I think it stands up like that because I used wool instead of the recommended bamboo.)

Newly Big Tomato Plants

Okay, so maybe they've been big for a while, but I just wrangled them into a tomato cage and tied them up, so they're newly tall. No buds yet, but I'm thinking any day now.
By the way, the secret to getting leggily overgrown tomato plants into cages is to cut the cages almost all the way up one side and then open them like a clam shell, instead of trying to get them up into a cage without breaking off a lot of branches.

Trilobite in Knitty!

2009-06-10T11:26:00.000-07:00

Summer Knitty is up, and my Trilobite hat pattern is a Holiday Head Start item! It's a quick knit, especially if you cable without a cable needle.
Knit it in Berroco Pure Merino Nuance for a stratographic color fade:

Or go with good ol' Malabrigo Merino Worsted, for that smooshy semi-solid effect we all know and love:

More details on Ravelry.

Nicole - thanks for being the best test knitter and model a girl could ever want!

33 (or 30 or 36) Dots

2009-06-06T16:28:00.000-07:00

Introducing 33 Dots, a new hat pattern from iknityouknot:

It's a simple fair-isle hat, knit in Rowan Wool Cotton and Rowan Felted Tweed - two great tastes that taste great together. Mmm, textural polka dots. Plus, I'm pretty sure this hat is unisex.

Available for purchase in the sidebar or on Ravelry - $3

And here it is, as knit and modeled by Nicole:
(note how well it goes with her necklace)

Thanks Nicole!

Caroline Cloche in Popknits

2009-06-03T13:25:00.000-07:00

The summer issue of Popknits is live, and I've got a pattern in it! It's Caroline, a lightweight summer (or spring or fall (or winter, if you don't live in Chicago)) cloche with classic pleats and a grosgrain hatband.

The yarn is Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool, which I had never used before making this hat, and which is now one of my favorites.

In summary: go check it out!

(Many thanks to Nancy for test knitting and Leslie for modeling!)

16 Squares

2009-05-21T17:57:00.000-07:00

This is what I've been doing lately:

It's the top of a quilt, which I finished piecing and ironing today during reruns of America's Next Top Model. Nothing like being unemployed on a weekday.

The fabrics are of somewhat mysterious origin: all from my stash, all purchased at different times and at different stores for different forgotten projects. The pattern is of my own devising - I charted it out on graph paper, trying to make the most of the odd amounts of fabric I had (1 yard of yellow, 1 1/2 yards of blue-green, 2 yards of blue). With the sashing, it's almost 5' square, and I'll probably be adding some wide borders to try to squeak up to 6'. It'll likely see duty on the sofa rather than the bed, but the bed seemed like the best place to spread it out for a photo.

Tuesday Evening

2009-05-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Introducing Tuesday Evening, a new free pattern from iknityouknot:

What have we here? It's a chunky lacy cowl knit in Mirasol Yarns Cotanani, in color Denim (aka dusty purple).

The yarn is held double throughout, making this a super-fast project, and the 60/40 cotton/wool blend makes it a substantial yet wearable accessory.

I knit this one in about three hours.

Enjoy!

My New Spring Skirt

2009-05-07T12:11:00.000-07:00

Here's how I spent a good bit of the morning:

Pattern: Great Fit Gored Skirt from Indygo Junction.
Fabric: part of an "irregular" Ralph Lauren sheet (bought years ago at Filene's Basement)

Lovely comfy waistband:

The only elastic I had happened to be the perfect width and length.
I put it on to take photos, and haven't taken it off since. I still have to figure out how I want to finish off the bottom edge, and now I'm wondering if I could add pockets without too much fuss. Maybe I'll keep this one as it is, and add pockets to some of the many more skirts I'll be making with this pattern.

Recently Completed: Lace Ribbon Scarf

2009-04-30T07:43:00.001-07:00

Yarn: Dream in Color Starry
Pattern: Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery
Visitable at: My Sister's Knits in Chicago, IL

I was really skeptical about this pattern as I was knitting it - it curled like crazy and seemed really narrow. Blocking it worked wonders, of course, and now it's smooth and broad and gorgeous. Suddenly I don't want to give it up. (But don't worry, Carol, I will!)

Gail/Nightsongs

2009-04-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

I finished this shawl a few weeks ago, and I just love it.

It's Gail/Nightsongs by Jane Araujo, aka Mawelucky. I used a lot of these suggestions/modifications and was quite pleased with the results. I don't know how many repeats I knitted, (maybe 6?) but I was using smaller needles (size 4 US) and ended up with the perfect small shawl-or-scarf size for wrapping once around the neck, like this:

This yarn, Yarn Treehouse Bloom, is wonderfully light and airy, and the color shading is lovely, especially when held double (knitted from both ends simultaneously). It shifted back and forth between warm and bright, from red-orange to yellow-orange and back, and basically made me happy just to look at it and work on it. Thanks Ann!

All my friends live in Awesometown

2009-04-12T08:49:00.001-07:00

This arrived in the mail on Thursday:

It's some of Ann's handspun Weaverknits Awesometown, which is sometimes available here in her Etsy shop. It's also an heirloom bread recipe, Bread for the People, which I am itching to try. Thanks Ann - your very own copy of my heirloom bread recipe (Bollar) will be on its way to you in short order, possibly hand-delivered.

When it Rains it Pours

2009-04-08T13:31:00.000-07:00

Recently on the blog I bemoaned the unavailability of Cadbury Mini Eggs (my favorite candy ever) in Hyde Park. I also recently made a deal with the lovely Kate to trade some of my Araucania Nature Cotton for some thrifted/recycled cashmere/silk in a beautiful sky blue.

Today I got a package in the mail containing this assortment:

Don't you just love those teeny mini-skeins? I think it's funny that I also got some vegetable seeds, presumably to balance out the 40 ounces of milk chocolate. Maybe I should plant one of the eggs and try to grow a Cadbury tree.

Thanks so much Kate, this really made my day. I laughed for a long time.

Nine dollars and change you can believe in

2009-03-30T19:28:00.000-07:00

I was at Walgreens today, and they didn't have any mini-eggs, either.

They did, however, have Barocks:

I suggest blowing up that picture and inspecting the selling points.
I live in Hyde Park, a neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, about 4 blocks from the recently vacated home of our president and his family. As such, this is my Walgreens. Even so, it's a little strange to see a politician so widely merchandised - growing up the closest I ever came to this was the (joking) Free Buddy campaign in Providence, anybody remember these?

So I didn't buy a Barock. ($9.99 seems a little steep, even if it is a real rock.)

EDIT: The Barock has been outdone.

H-Post

2009-03-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

Good Things:

grapefruit with turbinado sugar
spending gift cards frivolously

Not-So-Good Things:

fire alarm going off after midnight
snow
no Cadbury mini-eggs at CVS (tragic)

Excellent Things:

spinach and tomato

Two Favorites

2009-03-26T12:43:00.000-07:00

The first homemade iced coffee of spring:

French toast (made with homemade bread) and additional iced coffee.

Bread for Paupers

2009-03-24T15:59:00.000-07:00

Today I made these:We are trying to stick to a weekly grocery budget of $X. Since X only buys so much, we are trying to do some of the usual items on the cheap. Last night we figured out that I could bake a loaf of bread for approximately half of what we'd spend on a comparable loaf at the store, so away I went. I didn't have any whole wheat flour in the house, so I used what I had to make this Amish White Bread. It's still cooling, so I don't know how it is yet, but the crumb that had stuck to the pan was tasty. I'll try it with dinner and report back.

UPDATE:
Never buying grocery store bread again.

Rabbits!

2009-03-15T18:42:00.000-07:00

Simple Fair Isle, Manos Silk Blend, and a feisty band of hat bunnies - what else does a girl need?
Introducing Rabbits in the Grass, a new design from iknityouknot. Perfect for Easter, perfect for a still-cold Chicago spring, perfect for standing near a brick wall.Or for musing in front of a map.Pattern includes three sizes - Child, Adult Small, and Adult Large - available now for $3 through Ravelry or in my sidebar.

Thanks to Kate for test knitting and to Nicole for modeling!

To Do Today:

2009-03-11T10:39:00.001-07:00

Organize stash, and upload into Ravelry: Working on it.
Make a huge mess of the living room: Check.

Bobbles and Sprouts

2009-03-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

Introducing Effervescence, a new pattern from iknityouknot:
Effervescence is a bubbly, bobbly beret, which works up quickly as a last-minute gift or an ideal late-winter pick-me-up. Worked in two shades of Berroco Ultra Alpaca, the possibilities for color variation are endless. (I'm thinking black and white, I'm thinking shades of green, I'm thinking I'm going to end up with dozens of berets.)

Of course, for a more subdued look, you can work the pattern in a solid color:Enjoy!

(Many thanks to Ann for test knitting!)

On the farming front, garlic is going strong:

As is spinach:
But radishes are still clearly in the lead:

Spring Planting

2009-02-27T10:57:00.001-08:00

In addition to last year's surviving basil and nasturtium, and a very leggy geranium from 2004ish, I will soon have:

more basil
carrots
tomatoes
spinach
garlic
strawberries
marigolds
candytufts
lavender

I am already beginning to have radishes:

The nice thing about living in a city apartment with no outdoor space is that I can start my seeds as soon as they are available at the hardware store, without having to worry about the appropriate week to transplant them outdoors.

H-Post Eleventy Billion

2009-02-25T09:53:00.000-08:00

Good Things:

publishing new patterns
days getting longer
lots of time to knit, and a new knitalong
spring planting

Not-So-Good Things:

job hunting (blech)
still freakin' cold out
and icy
blogging every four months? (what??)

Not Dead - Not that Interesting, Either

2008-10-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

I'm still here - I just haven't finished any great knitting projects or taken any pictures in a while. More soon, as the Christmas knitting continues to take shape. (And probably a Finished Object Parade once I get the baton-twirlers sobered up.)

Just a Quickie

2008-06-15T21:25:00.001-07:00

Last night I got bored with everything I was knitting, so I cast on for Thorpe. I finished it early this afternoon, and I love everything about it. I especially love the yarn, which is Blue Sky Worsted Hand Dyes in Chocolate. Normally I don't use many chunky yarns (the label says "worsted," but I'd say "chunky," since I was getting a nice fabric on size 10 1/2 needles) but this was calling to me. Now that I've used my one skein, I'm wishing I had enough for a sweater. Not that I need another sweater project. The contrast edging is doubled Blue Face Leicester DK, left over from my Shetland Triangle. I only had a few inches of yarn left after the braids and the weaving-in of ends. Also, I keep forgetting to mention that I published my Ilene Bag pattern as a free Ravelry download last week.
Help yourselves!

MEME

2008-06-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

1. What were you doing ten years ago?
Being 13. I was in the seventh grade at Dartmouth Middle School, and was just starting to get into art. I didn’t do too much other than hang out with friends, read, go to school, and drive my mother crazy. I did not yet have even the slightest interest in knitting.

2. What are five things on my to-do list?
Update my resume, continue reading War and Peace, knit a baby bootie to match the one I just finished, go to the bank, and clean out the fridge.

3. Where have I lived?
Brookline, Pepperell, South Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, Boston, West Roxbury, Brighton, Jamaica Plain, and Chicago (One of these things is not like the others.)

4. What would I do if I was a billionaire?
I’d pay off all my debt, and the debt of any friends/family who were interested. Then I’d quit my job and buy a nice big house to gradually fill with yarn over the course of the rest of my life, which I would spend baking and knitting when I felt like being at home, and traveling when I didn’t. I’d still have more money left than I’d know what to do with, so I’d give a lot away to charities and schools and Planned Parenthood.
(You don’t have to like Planned Parenthood, but I think they’re awesome.)

5. Who would I like to know more about?
Squeezleknits, Roman Sock, Chama, Scary's West, and The Periodic Knitter. Consider yourselves tagged!

Committed

2008-06-13T18:32:00.001-07:00

I've purchased 18 skeins of Ultra Alpaca
for the Fitted Jacket with Embroidery

Maybe I should be committed.

How to entertain yourself without knitting

2008-06-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what it's like having a rabbit?

It's also like this:

The Answer

2008-06-02T20:40:00.000-07:00

And the mystery fiber is:
But not just any angora.

Meet Ruth.

She came home with me today. She is scared out of her wits. She is only three.
Sorry for the blurry photo - I didn't want to shine bright light on her or use the flash, and she wouldn't follow me into the brightly-lit kitchen even when I tried to bribe her with banana chips. Apparently, rabbits really like banana chips. Who knew?

I think Kate wins the guessing game, since she said it was "handspun plied angora," which it most certainly is. Way to go, Kate, keep an eye on the mailbox.

Next up: plucking an angora.

Tempest, Treats, Tolstoy, and Test Runs

2008-06-01T21:10:00.000-07:00

I've been knitting stripes all weekend, and I'm finished with the waist shaping for Tempest.The brown yarn (Harrisville New England Shetland) is really scratchy compared with the green (Knitpicks Shadow) so I'm really happy whenever I finish a brown stripe. I can't wait to wash and block this to soften it.

When I got home on Friday, grumpy from a hideously stressful work week, I found a birthday package containing these items:
Boy, did I cheer up quick! I changed my earrings and started blowing Miracle Bubbles in the kitchen. Who doesn't love bubbles?
I also learned something I didn't know:
Thank you, Kate!

The War and Peacealong has commenced with a vengeance. The Ravelry group is already 33 members strong, and it seems like we have a really interesting and thoughtful bunch of people. I'm looking forward to the discussions - I started reading this weekend, and I think I'm really going to enjoy this.
In addition to the reading, I'm going to undertake another colossus I've been considering for a long time: the Fitted Jacket with Embroidery from Norsk Strikkedesign. I'm going to use Berroco Ultra Alpaca, (AKA my favorite yarn ever). I just have to pick colors - not so easy with over seventy to choose from!

I'm already swatching with the multitude of scraps and odd-balls I have left from other projects. Working from the enormous chart is reminding me of Brocade, but without the horrible intarsia torture. Fair isle is SO MUCH BETTER.

The answer to the question I posed in my last post is coming very soon. Any last-minute guessers had better hurry up!

Step Right Up

2008-05-30T15:16:00.001-07:00

First of all, can anybody guess what this is?

Here's a close-up:If anyone can tell me exactly what these photos are, I will send her (or him) some yarn. Or maybe I'll send it to whoever gets closest, since I'm not sure anyone will guess exactly. It's a new project I'm quite excited about.

What else have I been up to? Well...

I blocked my Shetland Triangle:
I have been wearing this thing almost every day. Chicago = not very warm yet.

I cast on for Tempest:Is it me, or does involving stripes make knitting stockinette seem a lot faster?

AND I designed and knit a (rather simple) market bag.
Presenting Ilene:I've written down the pattern and once I figure out how to put it on the internet neatly, I will do so. There are more photos on Ravelry.

New New New

2008-05-21T15:34:00.000-07:00

First of all:

The weaverknits/iknityouknot miteralong has come to a close. Only, mine might not be done, since I didn't crochet a neat little edging around the two sides that don't already have a nice border (my long-tail cast on made what amounts to white piping, I love it!) Also: hanging loop?

For our next trick, we'll be co-reading War and Peace. For real. As in I already bought it.

And speaking of weaverknits, guess what this is:It's a swatch for Tempest, which is soon to be my latest WIP. I'm going to use Knitpicks Shadow, held doubled. (The swatch is single-stranded on the left, and double on the right.) The color in the swatch is Lost Lake, which I got at the Windy City Knitting Guild's yarn swap last night. The swap was pretty awesome - who doesn't like getting rid of stuff they don't want in favor of stuff they do want, and donating to charity at the same time? All-around excellent. The only problem? I need another color. Suggestions?

At the other end of the WIP spectrum is my Shetland Triangle, made of Fleece Artist Blue Face Leicester DK. (DISCLAIMER: it might actually be the aran weight, I have lost the tag into the depths of my stash.) I kind of want to toss it and eat it.It just needs a good blocking, which it will receive some evening this week. Possibly Friday, since I have the day off, because it's my birthday and my union is awesome like that.

I must admit, though, I do love it unblocked as well. Maybe I need to make another just like it to block?

Lookey Here:

2008-05-13T19:30:00.000-07:00

Boston!

2008-05-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend Tyler and I went to Boston.

We flew out of Chicago Friday evening, at that perfect time of night:
And speaking of perfect:
This is Tyler's first and only knitting project keeping a beer warm at Penguin, where I saw all my favorite Bostonians and threw back a few UFOs, and I don't mean the one in my knitting bag:
This is a little something I'm working on, a stripey cowl made of PeachyKnits MDK in Sea of Grass and Bloody Morning, purchased on Etsy. So nice, so fresh, so easy to knit on the plane!

My knitting bag was actually populated by something else that day:

New tops and a skirt from Savers - Yay cheap work clothes! Yay hot pink! Yay lemon shirt!

Cheap books from Savers and a silly sponge from Joann's
Has anyone else ever read The House with a Clock in its Walls?

Blue and white is love.

Ann, my adventure partner for the shopping extravaganza, noticed something interesting at Joann's:
Self-striping Sugar and Cream? What?? Oh hell yes.
We each bought two balls, and are planning an immediate two-person mitered square dishcloth knitalong. This is way more exciting than it probably should be. Details to come!

Knitting Weekend

2008-03-23T19:40:00.001-07:00

This weekend, with Tyler out of town on an expedition, I've gotten a lot of knitting done. I cast on yesterday for Dr. G's Memory Vest by Kristen Kapur. I took a few photos this morning when the light in my apartment was at its best, but I've knit much more on it since then. I love me a new project. This project supports Alzheimer's and dementia research, so I don't feel bad about starting it now, even though I have a load of WIPs waiting all around the apartment for my attention.

This is a much quicker knit than most of the other
things I've got going, especially the lace-weight number which is a secret surprise to be revealed later. (It's already on Ravelry, though.) I'm using Elsebeth Lavold's Classic AL (50/50 baby alpaca and merino) which I got on closeout from WEBS, and which I highly recommend because it is SO SMOOTH AND SOFT AND PRETTY.

I'm thinking I'll knit through this really quickly and then finish up some of the other things that have been hanging around. Maybe while wearing my new vest!

Well, here we go...

2008-03-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

And for my first trick, a finished object!

Pattern: Le Slouch by Wendy Bernard
(free here)

Yarn: Malabrigo Angora purchased at Nina in Chicago, 2 Skeins in Cactus Flower colorway

Mods: none

I'm quite pleased with this hat, although every time I put it on I wonder whether I'm actually fooling anyone into thinking that I'm really a hot pink angora beret person. The pattern was really nice and simply written, which was good because I started it at 12:30 am when I couldn't sleep because my neighbors were having a noisy party, and stayed up until almost 5 watching The Poseidon Adventure and knitting away. I knew better than to tackle the decreases under such conditions, so I finished the top the next day.

Only time will tell whether this will actually see much wear, but I've worn it to work already and at least I know it stays on my head.

I can always use it as a pet substitue, maybe call it George?