Knit it, Violet!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Blue. Cozy.
The end of another semester is approaching, full of term papers and final exams and stress. To top things off, I've been fighting a cold (although I feel much better today), Kellen had jury duty (but didn't have to serve), and some scary things have been going on in the community. So, between papers, I've been working on this blue frothy wonder. Size 15 needles, fluffy alpaca. It's just what I need, especially paired with a cup of tea in my matching mug.
The end of another semester is approaching, full of term papers and final exams and stress. To top things off, I've been fighting a cold (although I feel much better today), Kellen had jury duty (but didn't have to serve), and some scary things have been going on in the community. So, between papers, I've been working on this blue frothy wonder. Size 15 needles, fluffy alpaca. It's just what I need, especially paired with a cup of tea in my matching mug.
Labels: WIP
¶ 3:47 PM 0 Comments
Saturday, April 19, 2008
So I Married A Crochet Pirate
As I've mentioned many times before, my darling boyfriend is a crochet genius, and now you can get your hands on his items. Go check out his shop! Free up some space in our apartment and score some rad crochet goodies for yourself. All items are currently half-price!
As I've mentioned many times before, my darling boyfriend is a crochet genius, and now you can get your hands on his items. Go check out his shop! Free up some space in our apartment and score some rad crochet goodies for yourself. All items are currently half-price!
Labels: Kellen, not knitting
¶ 10:41 PM 1 Comments
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Wool and Tea
Last weekend I went with Kellen, my mom, Jaime, and Mom's Man Friend to Parasol Arts, a paint-your-own pottery place in Ferndale. Being queen-of-the-teapots I considered painting one of those, but I couldn't resist the enormous mug and saucer. Click to enlarge.
Isn't it a perfect tea-and-knitting mug? I had a lot of fun and I like how it turned out. Of course, there's a little black sheep too.
Right now, it's filled with English Breakfast tea, waiting for me to hunker down and finish the toe of the Embossed Leaves sock and listen to some CraftLit.
Isn't it a perfect tea-and-knitting mug? I had a lot of fun and I like how it turned out. Of course, there's a little black sheep too.
Right now, it's filled with English Breakfast tea, waiting for me to hunker down and finish the toe of the Embossed Leaves sock and listen to some CraftLit.
Labels: not knitting, woolly rambles
¶ 2:38 PM 2 Comments
Friday, April 11, 2008
Year of the Sweater?
How did April already get here? It's a gorgeous warm day, and here I am posting about two wool (well, one wool, one wool/acrylic blend) sweaters that I knit while it was still winter! We'll start with the one I finished most recently. My fourth sweater, but the first one for me!
Karla and I have been itching for some knitalongs for over a year, and we both have a major crush on all the ZephyrStyle Patterns. So, before she moved we cast on the Wicked, hoping to finish it before the weather warmed up, which I did! We cast on late February and I cast off early March.
This photo shows the gorgeous color of this yarn really well. When I got three skeins from my Secret Pal, I knew it would be perfect for a sweater, so I cast on even though I knew I needed 5 more balls. Knitpicks came to my rescue and even though they are completely different dye-lots, there's not even the slightest color discrepancy. I love it.
Pattern: Wicked by Zephyr Style. On Ravelry , too
Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, Claret Heather, 8 balls.
Needles: Knitpicks Options, US 7
Mods: Added about 1.5" of stockinette stitch below the pocket because I have a long torso.
I love everything about this sweater. It's warm and cute, and while the pocket threatens to draw too much attention to tummy pudge, the waist shaping keeps it from looking frumpy. Heathered wool, mock cables, and a knit along? What more could a girl ask for?
In August 2006, I swatched for Kellen's sweater. It was going to be the first I knit him. And it was going to be all black. And a Men's large. After the swatch, I dabbled here and there, modifying the pattern without writing down what I was doing. Then I stuffed it in the closet. In January of this year, I frogged my progress and started again. This time, start to finish took about 2 months.
I really enjoyed knitting it this time, and that made it go so fast. I think he looks pretty darn cute in it, too, huh? He claims it's comfy, and as I predicted, the sweater curse can bite me. I can't wait to cast on the next one for him! psst, it'll be a Cobblestone pullover! It'll be an "easy" project without being boring.
Pattern: Jesse's Flames from Stitch n Bitch Nation by Debbie Stoller. (On Ravelry, here) Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease. 8 skeins.
Needles: KnitPicks Options, US 8
Mods: No flames on the sleeves, thanks.
So now it's spring and warming up, but there's still some chilly evenings that make sweaters useful. Especially watching my brother's little league games on ice cold bleachers! Plus, sporting handknits ups a couple's cuteness, don't you think?
¶ 5:09 PM 1 Comments
Karla and I have been itching for some knitalongs for over a year, and we both have a major crush on all the ZephyrStyle Patterns. So, before she moved we cast on the Wicked, hoping to finish it before the weather warmed up, which I did! We cast on late February and I cast off early March.
This photo shows the gorgeous color of this yarn really well. When I got three skeins from my Secret Pal, I knew it would be perfect for a sweater, so I cast on even though I knew I needed 5 more balls. Knitpicks came to my rescue and even though they are completely different dye-lots, there's not even the slightest color discrepancy. I love it.
Pattern: Wicked by Zephyr Style. On Ravelry , too
Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes, Claret Heather, 8 balls.
Needles: Knitpicks Options, US 7
Mods: Added about 1.5" of stockinette stitch below the pocket because I have a long torso.
I love everything about this sweater. It's warm and cute, and while the pocket threatens to draw too much attention to tummy pudge, the waist shaping keeps it from looking frumpy. Heathered wool, mock cables, and a knit along? What more could a girl ask for?
In August 2006, I swatched for Kellen's sweater. It was going to be the first I knit him. And it was going to be all black. And a Men's large. After the swatch, I dabbled here and there, modifying the pattern without writing down what I was doing. Then I stuffed it in the closet. In January of this year, I frogged my progress and started again. This time, start to finish took about 2 months.
I really enjoyed knitting it this time, and that made it go so fast. I think he looks pretty darn cute in it, too, huh? He claims it's comfy, and as I predicted, the sweater curse can bite me. I can't wait to cast on the next one for him! psst, it'll be a Cobblestone pullover! It'll be an "easy" project without being boring.
Pattern: Jesse's Flames from Stitch n Bitch Nation by Debbie Stoller. (On Ravelry, here) Yarn: Lion Brand Wool Ease. 8 skeins.
Needles: KnitPicks Options, US 8
Mods: No flames on the sleeves, thanks.
So now it's spring and warming up, but there's still some chilly evenings that make sweaters useful. Especially watching my brother's little league games on ice cold bleachers! Plus, sporting handknits ups a couple's cuteness, don't you think?
¶ 5:09 PM 1 Comments
Friday, April 04, 2008
Fetched.
I'm not exactly one for trends. When everybody's doing it, I'm usually talking about how annoying everyone is. Last winter, when everyone in the knitiverse was making Fetchings for Christmas gifts, I was stitching frantically on sweaters and socks and scoffing that everyone else was doing fingerless gloves just because they're quick.
Then Karla made a pair. Karla is basically my gold standard for everything cool. She could probably talk me into jumping off a bridge, if we were going to stop by the LYS on the way. I liked Karla's fetchings. A lot.
Then Tuesday I had an 8 AM exam and my hands were so cold I could barely concentrate. (I still think I got an A, but I digress.) I have some perfectly nice wrist/hand warmers on the needles, but they go up to high on my pinkie to write comfortably. Or type comfortably. Or knit comfortably. If only there was a pattern that would be warm, adorable, and allow me to do those things.
I came home Tuesday afternoon and cast on. Kellen worked two graveyard shifts, so they were quickly knit while staying up late, listening to Cast On and then finished while watching The Jane Austin Book Club which happens to be one of my new favorite movies. Amazing. And there's knitting in it!
Pattern:Fetching (on Ravelry, too) Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Beryl Heather Gorgeous, with a teensy pink heathery-haze. Sadly, discontinued. A little bit less than one skein. Needles:US 5 DPNs Mods: Regular bind-off rather than picot. My late night picot looked like crap and was too loose. I like the neat looking knitted-off bind-off instead.
This is one trend totally worth following. I love them. Next bandwagon I'm chasing? Clapotis. I know I'm a little slow. But it's worth the wait. PS, I got a hair cut! ¶ 12:09 PM 2 Comments
Then Karla made a pair. Karla is basically my gold standard for everything cool. She could probably talk me into jumping off a bridge, if we were going to stop by the LYS on the way. I liked Karla's fetchings. A lot.
Then Tuesday I had an 8 AM exam and my hands were so cold I could barely concentrate. (I still think I got an A, but I digress.) I have some perfectly nice wrist/hand warmers on the needles, but they go up to high on my pinkie to write comfortably. Or type comfortably. Or knit comfortably. If only there was a pattern that would be warm, adorable, and allow me to do those things.
I came home Tuesday afternoon and cast on. Kellen worked two graveyard shifts, so they were quickly knit while staying up late, listening to Cast On and then finished while watching The Jane Austin Book Club which happens to be one of my new favorite movies. Amazing. And there's knitting in it!
Pattern:Fetching (on Ravelry, too) Yarn: Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Beryl Heather Gorgeous, with a teensy pink heathery-haze. Sadly, discontinued. A little bit less than one skein. Needles:US 5 DPNs Mods: Regular bind-off rather than picot. My late night picot looked like crap and was too loose. I like the neat looking knitted-off bind-off instead.
This is one trend totally worth following. I love them. Next bandwagon I'm chasing? Clapotis. I know I'm a little slow. But it's worth the wait. PS, I got a hair cut! ¶ 12:09 PM 2 Comments
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Bzz, Me, Fuzzy, and WIP!
Since it's Tuesday, let's start off with my Self Portrait of the week, As I was rooting around in our drawer of hats for something to wear today, I realized I never really blogged my Bzz Hat! So here's to two birds with one stone.
Remember back in June(!), when I said I'd post more details as soon as we were all finished. Well, ask Karla what happened. Anyway, here's mine. It's gotten lots of wear this past winter. Pattern: Bzzz Hat for Queen Bees from SNBN. Yarn: Wool Ease by Lion Brand. Needles: US 5 Susan Bates circ and dpns. I actually knit this twice, once on 7s, then frogged and reknit with 5's in an attempt to reduce the gappy-ness of all the purling on dpns. It didn't really work, but the hat is still cute. As the daughter of a beekeeper, I'm pretty much in love with anything bee related, and very much concerned about the future of our honeybee. So the hat makes a great conversation piece. Plus, it's pretty damn cute!
Now for something else old:
Pattern: Fuzzy Feet from Knitty.com. Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted in Mulberry. Needles: Brittany DPNs, US 10.5. These, believe it or not, were Christmas gifts, and they are sitting on my counter as I type. I actually knit them on time, but I handfelted, which I realize now works great for toys and bags, but not so much for slippers, which sort of need to be the same size. So, they sat in a drawer for awhile, until I remembered to toss them in with a load of laundry. I didn't even worry about checking on them, since they were so wonky to begin with, so I just ran them through the whole cycle and viola! Perfectly felted, just the right size. This still isn't my favorite slipper pattern, but with one skein of LP you can't complain. They're off to their recipient this weekend. Nothing like Xmas in April, right?
And now to the present:
A top secret pair of socks (Okay, you can probably already tell they're the Embossed Leaves pattern, but I'm not telling who they're for!) and Fetchings for me. The Fetchings were totally spur of the moment. I took a midterm at 8 AM this morning and my hands were freezing, so I decided I needed some handwarmers that would allow me to write. So, this afternoon I came home and cast on.
I think that's just about it from me, how are you?
Remember back in June(!), when I said I'd post more details as soon as we were all finished. Well, ask Karla what happened. Anyway, here's mine. It's gotten lots of wear this past winter. Pattern: Bzzz Hat for Queen Bees from SNBN. Yarn: Wool Ease by Lion Brand. Needles: US 5 Susan Bates circ and dpns. I actually knit this twice, once on 7s, then frogged and reknit with 5's in an attempt to reduce the gappy-ness of all the purling on dpns. It didn't really work, but the hat is still cute. As the daughter of a beekeeper, I'm pretty much in love with anything bee related, and very much concerned about the future of our honeybee. So the hat makes a great conversation piece. Plus, it's pretty damn cute!
Now for something else old:
Pattern: Fuzzy Feet from Knitty.com. Yarn: Lamb's Pride Worsted in Mulberry. Needles: Brittany DPNs, US 10.5. These, believe it or not, were Christmas gifts, and they are sitting on my counter as I type. I actually knit them on time, but I handfelted, which I realize now works great for toys and bags, but not so much for slippers, which sort of need to be the same size. So, they sat in a drawer for awhile, until I remembered to toss them in with a load of laundry. I didn't even worry about checking on them, since they were so wonky to begin with, so I just ran them through the whole cycle and viola! Perfectly felted, just the right size. This still isn't my favorite slipper pattern, but with one skein of LP you can't complain. They're off to their recipient this weekend. Nothing like Xmas in April, right?
And now to the present:
A top secret pair of socks (Okay, you can probably already tell they're the Embossed Leaves pattern, but I'm not telling who they're for!) and Fetchings for me. The Fetchings were totally spur of the moment. I took a midterm at 8 AM this morning and my hands were freezing, so I decided I needed some handwarmers that would allow me to write. So, this afternoon I came home and cast on.
I think that's just about it from me, how are you?
Labels: Christmas, FO, self portrait, WIP
¶ 4:19 PM 2 Comments
