Friday, December 31, 2010

Booties


At last a slipper that will keep my feet and ankles warm. These are Acorn Boa Bootie Slippers.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

Staycation Coming to a Close

Ah! 5 more days before it's back to real life. I never realized how much one eats. When you're out everyday you just pick up food if you need it. When you're home it's a rude awakening to realize you've eaten through your last shopping and it's time to go forage again.

My poor neighbors have been home as well and unwell since before Christmas. Although they haven't coughed through the night this week. Another neighbor, who failed to learn that one closes the door behind it and doesn't let it slam, is moving out. Thank goodness! He's been the subject of discussion amongst us because we've all be startled by his "slamming."


I ordered a bra from Bravissimo today. The colour is buttercup.


I've piddled around with a number of knitting projects, making a little progress here, and little progress there. I have been wanting to knit the nomad hat for over a year. I need a hat to go with my purple coat and after days of surfing for the yarn, finally found a magenta that will do. There are rumors online the the Vogue Winter is available at some B&N's. I might wander downtown today in the hopes of finding a copy.

Caron Simply Soft:

The heartbreaker was
a) discovering that I bought too much Caron Simply Soft last year. I didn't realize that I'd bought the 300 yard skeins. So, I have 1800 yards of the stuff.

b) reading the reviews on Raverly that said it isn't a good yarn for a garment. It grows apparently.

I bought to make the Gurensey skirt pattern. I have decided the best course is to save up for the yarn used by the designer.

Faced with yarn needing to be worked and not fit for it's original purpose, I started the Ring of Cables hat from Knit Picks. I made this hat in February 2009. The Pigeon Twist colourway (purple and grey) was just awful on me. I think the Caron Simply Soft Autumn Sunset colourway will work much better. It's a burgundy red orange, more burgundy red than orange and the yarn has a silky sheen. In 2009, it took me an entire Saturday of concentrated knitting to knit the cable ring. Most of the Sunday to join and pick up the 88 stitches to the knit the hat.

This time the knitting is a breeze. I've now memorized the cable pattern and knitted half the length of the ring in a few hours last night. I did a provisional crochet cast on. No more Kitchener Stitch for me! I must learn one of EZ's joins.

My goal for today is to finish spending down my FSA. Good grief this is a nightmare. I have 89.00 to go. The poor shelves of my linen closet and the medicine cabinet are filled to the gills.

The weather has turned wonderfully warm (mid 40s). It's so nice to go outside and not feel like an penguin in the midst of a blizzard at the bus stop.

Thursday, December 23, 2010

Double-sided Scarf

I've owned a copy of Mon Tricot's 1300 Pattern Stitches since it was first published in 1981. I have 3 copies (the last one purchased on Ebay in 2008 because my other two copies are quite sad.) In all that time it has never failed to teach and inspire. This book really is a one-of-a-kind treasure. It is primarily a stitch dictionary for both knitting and crochet. Most of the stitch photos are in black and white but very clear. The knitting terms are English, but there is a key for American knitting and crochet. Interspersed with the stitches are little gems about technique.

One of my goals for 2011 is to learn colourwork. After researching through all my knitting books, I picked up my trusty Mon Tricot and whilst looking at the colourwork designs and instructions, I discovered in one little corner on page 148 instructions for double-side stockingknit.

Doing a scarf in double-side stockingknit has also been on my want to knit list (especially as I have over 50 skeins of Palette), hence this project.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

The Hat


This hat is stunning. It is the cover of Vogue Knitting Winter 2010/11. I have the yarn. I have the needles. My fingers are itching and the mag doesn't come out until January 4. Because of the cables, I doubt this will be a commuting project so I'll have to devote evenings and weekends to it in hopes of finishing in January.

Meanwhile, I've started my first colourwork project: Mittens. I've managed to loose two gloves in the last week...grr. But I can tell that the mittens are going to be toasty! I'm not doing anything fancy, just a stripe. Using Knit Picks Palette in Tumeric and Ash. I'm finally getting the hang of knitting one colour English and one colour continental. Now if I can get the hang of changing needles without dropping one. Toupie no longer looks up at the ubiquitous clink of a dpn hitting the floor.

I fear Toupie is quite spoiled with my being around so much. But I've learned a bit more about his "daytime" life. At night he sleeps curled up next to me usually at my feet or against my legs. Every once in a while, he'll curl up next to the pillows. Since most of my previous cat companions managed to hog most of the bed at night, I found this curious. But I've noticed that his daytime naps are when he sleeps stretched out: either on the top of the bookcase or diagonally across the bed. Only once in a while does he take refuge in the computer chair. Every two hours or so, he changes position or location.

My hours have been irregular because of Monlam, so I know he spends some of the night munching and roaming around. His little kitty friend hasn't been out because the weather has been so consistently cold, so the vigils by the window have ceased.

He has some great periods when he's been quite vocal (today has been one of those days) but for the most part, I don't hear a peep out of him. Despite having me around almost 24/7 for nine days, he's lost none of his fascination with any activity I'm engaged in, except knitting.

But this really has been the most relaxing time off, I've had in years.

Monday, December 20, 2010

It's A Sock




I've finally done it: I knit a sock. I used Knit Picks Creme Brule Shine Worsted (60% pima cotton and 40% modal-a natural beech wood fiber). The pattern is from Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks. I knit the 5 stitches per inch sock top down pattern in the largest size; and yes, the sock is too large; but it's the perfect bed sock! Although the book isn't spiral bound, it fortunately lays open nicely allowing you to knit, read the directions, and consult the pictures. And the pictures are clear and the lime green yarn makes it easy to see what your stitches on the needle should look like.
What the photos don't show is the lovely buttery yellow colour of the yarn. Although I like the colour the cotton content means there's very little give in the yarn. Finally I understand the moaning about Kitchener stitch--but I am surprised how comfortable the sock toe is.
Lessons: trust the directions and the pictures.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

Interesting


I bought the current issue of Vogue because of the pattern above. I fully realize that it will take me several weeks to knit and that I may not finish it in time to wear this winter. But this is the sort of classic styling that transcends fashion.
I knew that I would choose a different yarn. So I was surprise to find that the designer conceived the pattern in a yarn other than the one chosen by Vogue. Link Gosh, I like the stitch definition and fabric created by the Cascade Superwash Bulky 128 so much better than the yarn chosen by Vogue.
Though I should by now be "over it", I remain constantly amazed at how the Internet makes it possible for a resource like Ravelry to exist bringing designers and knitters together. It's not just the plethora of patterns now available, but even more valuable is the expanded universe of experience and information about patterns and yarns, not to mention the thousands of tutorial videos on You Tube and other websites. I can remember whilst knitting my first top in the 80's making weekly trips to my lys with my project, pattern, and questions.
Even better is that each knitter on Ravelry has the opportunity to contribute to the universe of information by posting comments about their experience with an individual pattern or yarn. I have been saved more times than I can count from the comments and photos about a pattern I have seen in a magazine or on a website. And I have fully taken advantage of the access to designers to query them about sizing or other issues.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Staycation, Hats, and Holey Socks

My staycation began on December 14 and ends January 4. There are been a few frantic incursions from work this week. Hopefully, these will diminish as the holidays approach.

I've been able to watch about 80% of the Kagyu Monlam and the teachings that preceeded it--which is the primary reason for taking off work (besides avoiding use or lose in 2011).

The opening ceremony was visually stunning. The teachings are stronger and deeper--or maybe it's my understanding that is better--than last year's Monlam. Also, I'm not doing the chat this year, which while exciting and enthusiastic, I now see was distracting. There is simultaneous translation of both the prayers and the teachings this year (which the chat last year did facilitate). All in all, I've learned a lot the past several days; and, as always, have a lot more to study.

I am doing a tidy and clear out. Not so exciting while it's happening, but quite satisfying once I've finished an area and the trash bags are out the door. I'm spending down my FSA on OTC items that will be disqualified with out scripts next year; and when I'm not clearing or knitting, taking long naps with puss, whom I fear will be quite spoiled by the constant companionship when I return to work.

Am resisting the temptation to veg out on movies but did see a good comedy, The Infidel.

I am attacking the stash.
Avocado Knit Picks Special Knit Picks Palette in Forest Heather
Yarn

Both hats are from the same pattern: The Purl Beret from the Purl Bee. Just realized this morning that I have knit two green hats in a row. The photo doesn't show the nice avocado colour of first hat pictured. I made a mistake in the first row of decreases which gives the avocado hat a more ruched look. The avocado hat is sport weight; the forest green hat is fingering. I like this pattern for beret knitting. I'm not into spokes; K2 every X number of row is so much more relaxing the SSK.
I have to work on my photo taking. I keep getting fuzzy photos and not capturing the colour of the yarn. The Forest Heather is absolutely lovely. Here's the description: Forest is a medium misty yellow green color whose overall shade is lighter and includes more yellow than Ivy. Like the many shades of green found in the forest, it combines strands of yellow and a variety of greens for its beautiful heathered look. The entire time I was knitting the hat, I kept thinking cables and twisted stitches. Yesterday, Knitting Daily had a lovely cable with a stockingnette background which I think I will use in a scarf with this yarn. I can't decide if I want the cable on the edge, or if I want to stagger the cables throughout the scarf. I just don't like cables on reverse stockingnette. Watch this space....

One cool tip I learned from the Wendy Knits blog: threading in my tail ends as I work. What a difference it made on the next round. The first join stitch was just as taut as the preceding and following stitch--no fiddling with the tail end to tightened the stitch. I'm a convert. At the end of the avocado hat, I only had the tail end from the cast on and the top knot to do.

I missed the sale on Knit Picks dpns earlier this year. And I've been yearning for the darning egg. The whimpering noise you hear outside my apartment door is from the socks with holes dreading their turn on the egg. I'll post piccys of the egg in action with my next post.


My big goal: knit a pair of socks before 2011. I keep trying and failing. It's the heel thing. This time I will start with worsted weight socks. I need them anyway because my floors are so cold. I'm also going to knit a pair of laceweight legwarmers using alpaca yarn and more gloves (fingered and fingerless with tops) and I need a scarf or gaiter or two to go with all these bloody hats I've knit. Ambitious, aren't I?

Not as ambitious, it seems as Toupie, who continues to persist in his literary endeavours: