Tomatoes
Red Bell Peppers
Cucumbers
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
The Partial Blankets in My Life, Part 1
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.
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.
Monday, August 9, 2010
H-Post
Good Things:
Not-So-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
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Second Socks: Profiles in Completion
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.
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.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Wrapping Up
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.
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.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Finished(s)
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.
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.
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