I was merrily knitting away at my new sock last night, when suddenly the DPN in my left hand snapped in half. I don't know what happened. It just folded in half on me. I didn't think I had been gripping it particularly firmly. Fortunately I have plenty of size 2 needles from the same company, so it didn't interrupt my progress. I've got about 2 1/2 inches of sock cuff done now.
I still haven't gotten very far with my Peacock Shawl. I think I got about 4 rows into the swatch. I need to just make myself sit down and finish the swatch, then figure out if I want to use size 4 needles or not. I might go a bit smaller.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The New Sock is Chosen!
It's the plain ribbed sock pattern I posted about yesterday, knitted in a yarn whose name escapes me. It's fuschia, red, purple and mustard colored. Not my favorite bunch of colors now, but I'm sure I thought it was spectacular when I bought it years ago. I wound it into a ball some time ago and have lost the label, so I have no idea what it is. It is a wool/nylon blend and it is definitely not Mountain Colors yarn. Mystery yarn socks. *Warm* mystery yarn socks. And just the obnoxiously bright colors to wear on a rainy icky day.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Plain Ribbed Sock Pattern
This is the sock pattern I fall back upon when I haven't a clue what I want to knit for a sock or when I'm looking for something basic. It's a simple K2, P2 ribbed sock in which I carry the ribbing down the instep.
Yarn: ~400 yards of your favorite sock-weight yarn. I've used Socka, Sockotta and Marks and Kattens Clown with this pattern.
Needles: For me, I use a US size 2 needle and I use double points, not circular(s). I also like sets of five needles rather than sets of four needles, but that's just my preference. You should pick the appropriate needle size you need to meet the gauge.
Gauge: 7 1/2-8 stitches to the inch in stockinette stitch.
Cast on 64 stitches and K2, P2 around for 6".
Knit heel flap on 32 stitches. Sl1, K1 on right side rows. Sl1, purl across on wrong side rows. I make my heel flaps 2 to 2 1/2 inches long. I also center the heel flap so that there is one purl stitch on each end. This causes the ribbing on the instep to be centered on the foot. It's a minor detail, but I'm really picky about having designs centered. My eye picks it up when they're off-center and it bugs me.
To turn the heel, knit to the center plus one more stitch, SSK, K1. Turn.
On row 2, slip 1, then purl across until 31 stitches remain on the left needle, P2tog, P1. Turn.
Sl1, knit until 1 stitch before the gap, SSK, K1. Turn.
Continue until all the stitches are used up, knitting or purling the stitch before and the stitch after the gap together and slipping the first stitch of each row. You should end having just completed a right side row, even if you have to knit back across.
When I pick up the gusset stitches, I pick up only one leg of the edge stitch and I don't count how many stitches I pick up on each side. I pick up each slip stitch and an additional stitch between the heel flap and the instep. When I pick up and knit the stitches, I twist them. In my opinion I think it looks neater to twist the stitches. Try it untwisted too and see what you like best. It's your sock.
Pick up the stitches along the first side of the gusset/heel flap, then K2, P2 across the instep and pick up the stitches on the second side of the gusset/heel flap. At this point, I start to think of the center of the heel as the beginning of a round. Oddly enough, I usually put all of the heel stitches on a single needle, instead of dividing them, and I think of the heel stitches as the beginning of the round. The other three needles hold the first set of gusset stitches, the instep stitches and the second set of gusset stitches, respectively. I decrease the gusset stitches every other round, knitting to three stitches before the end of the first gusset needle and K2tog, K1. Then P1, *K2, P2 across the instep*, ending K2, P1. On the 2nd gusset needle, K1, SSK, then knit to the end. For the 2nd round, knit even with no decreases. Continue until you're back to 64 total stitches. Once you're back to 64 total stitches, continue knitting the sole of the foot in stockinette and the instep in K2, P2 ribbing.
Knit even down the foot until about 1 1/2 inches shorter than your foot length. On my foot, this is at the base of my big toe. Divide the stitches into the top and bottom of the foot. There should be 32 stitches in each half. Knit one round plain. Remember, the heel (or the middle of the bottom of the foot) is the beginning of the round.
Toe Decreases:
Round 1:
Knit to three stitches before the end of the sole stitches. K2tog, K1.
On next needle: Knit 1, SSK, knit to end. (approx partway across instep)
On third needle: Knit to 3 stitches before the end. K2tog, K1.
On fourth needle: K1, SSK, knit to end. You should now be back at the beginning of the round, in the middle of the sole.
Round 2:
Knit all the way around plain.
Continue alternating these rounds until approximately 12-16 stitches remain. Either graft the toe or turn sock inside out (with needles in place) and do a three-needle bind-off. As tricky as it sounds, I find it easier to turn the sock inside out and do a 3 needle bind off than to graft the toe closed. It looks nicer too and if I need to re-knit the toe, it is incredibly simple to pull it out and re-do.
Weave in the ends and you've got a finished sock! Now you just have to go make a second one.
Yarn: ~400 yards of your favorite sock-weight yarn. I've used Socka, Sockotta and Marks and Kattens Clown with this pattern.
Needles: For me, I use a US size 2 needle and I use double points, not circular(s). I also like sets of five needles rather than sets of four needles, but that's just my preference. You should pick the appropriate needle size you need to meet the gauge.
Gauge: 7 1/2-8 stitches to the inch in stockinette stitch.
Cast on 64 stitches and K2, P2 around for 6".
Knit heel flap on 32 stitches. Sl1, K1 on right side rows. Sl1, purl across on wrong side rows. I make my heel flaps 2 to 2 1/2 inches long. I also center the heel flap so that there is one purl stitch on each end. This causes the ribbing on the instep to be centered on the foot. It's a minor detail, but I'm really picky about having designs centered. My eye picks it up when they're off-center and it bugs me.
To turn the heel, knit to the center plus one more stitch, SSK, K1. Turn.
On row 2, slip 1, then purl across until 31 stitches remain on the left needle, P2tog, P1. Turn.
Sl1, knit until 1 stitch before the gap, SSK, K1. Turn.
Continue until all the stitches are used up, knitting or purling the stitch before and the stitch after the gap together and slipping the first stitch of each row. You should end having just completed a right side row, even if you have to knit back across.
When I pick up the gusset stitches, I pick up only one leg of the edge stitch and I don't count how many stitches I pick up on each side. I pick up each slip stitch and an additional stitch between the heel flap and the instep. When I pick up and knit the stitches, I twist them. In my opinion I think it looks neater to twist the stitches. Try it untwisted too and see what you like best. It's your sock.
Pick up the stitches along the first side of the gusset/heel flap, then K2, P2 across the instep and pick up the stitches on the second side of the gusset/heel flap. At this point, I start to think of the center of the heel as the beginning of a round. Oddly enough, I usually put all of the heel stitches on a single needle, instead of dividing them, and I think of the heel stitches as the beginning of the round. The other three needles hold the first set of gusset stitches, the instep stitches and the second set of gusset stitches, respectively. I decrease the gusset stitches every other round, knitting to three stitches before the end of the first gusset needle and K2tog, K1. Then P1, *K2, P2 across the instep*, ending K2, P1. On the 2nd gusset needle, K1, SSK, then knit to the end. For the 2nd round, knit even with no decreases. Continue until you're back to 64 total stitches. Once you're back to 64 total stitches, continue knitting the sole of the foot in stockinette and the instep in K2, P2 ribbing.
Knit even down the foot until about 1 1/2 inches shorter than your foot length. On my foot, this is at the base of my big toe. Divide the stitches into the top and bottom of the foot. There should be 32 stitches in each half. Knit one round plain. Remember, the heel (or the middle of the bottom of the foot) is the beginning of the round.
Toe Decreases:
Round 1:
Knit to three stitches before the end of the sole stitches. K2tog, K1.
On next needle: Knit 1, SSK, knit to end. (approx partway across instep)
On third needle: Knit to 3 stitches before the end. K2tog, K1.
On fourth needle: K1, SSK, knit to end. You should now be back at the beginning of the round, in the middle of the sole.
Round 2:
Knit all the way around plain.
Continue alternating these rounds until approximately 12-16 stitches remain. Either graft the toe or turn sock inside out (with needles in place) and do a three-needle bind-off. As tricky as it sounds, I find it easier to turn the sock inside out and do a 3 needle bind off than to graft the toe closed. It looks nicer too and if I need to re-knit the toe, it is incredibly simple to pull it out and re-do.
Weave in the ends and you've got a finished sock! Now you just have to go make a second one.
Monday, February 18, 2008
*SQUEE*!
Rae, of Rae Knits in WA fame, has kindly picked my little fiber blog here for an award. The Make My Day Award is given to blogs that "bring you happiness and inspiration and make you feel happy about blogland." Wow! I don't know what to say. Thank you, Rae! I'm glad you like my ramblings. Thank you for your encouraging comments!Holiday Knitting
No work today thanks to President's Day. I got very little knitting done. I spent half the day puttering around on the computer, mostly cleaning up my bookmarks list(s), and the second half of the day cleaning up my home office and cleaning out my desk drawers. I may do a bit more cleaning out since there were three desk drawers left when I stopped.
Last night I watched Cast Away while working on my Mountain Colors sock. I remembered today what the name of the colorway is: Crazy Woman. I really like the colors, but I must confess that I bought this yarn mostly for the name. Who can resist Crazy Woman socks?! Anyway, I'm down to the toe shaping on the second sock. I could have stayed up to finish it, but decided I didn't really want to stay up too late and get my sleep schedule goofed up. So I have about half an hour of knitting to do and then all the ends to weave in. And there's the re-thinking of the first sock's toe. You'll remember that I have discovered that it doesn't fit quite right. I still haven't figured out just what is wrong with it. I'll put it on while I finish the second sock and see if the magic answer comes to me. (Of course now that I put it on my right foot, it fits just fine. Go figure.)
Update: the socks are done! Well, except for the weaving in of the ends.
Now the big question is what socks to knit next!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Mission Accomplished!
I have acquired the size 4 circular needle! I thought I was going to be stymied at first when I perused the rather woefully empty knitting needle section of the local Hobby Lobby. Then I spied the Balene circulars and found a 29" long size 4. Technically the pattern asks for a 32" needle, but I think I can probably squish all the stitches together into 29 inches.
Although I bought the exact yarn called for in the pattern (Jaggerspun Zephyr), I'm terrified I won't have enough yarn. I didn't get individual skeins, you see. I am interested in avoiding the weaving in of ends in lace projects, so I purchased my yarn on a cone. I ordered the same weight as the two skeins would be (4 ounces), which should get me 1260 yards according to the vendor's website. Inside the cone, however, the number 1246 is written. I really really hope that a) this number isn't the actual yardage I received or else is an underestimate or that b) the yarn requirement in the pattern is an overestimate rounding to the next whole skein.
I will also have to learn how to crochet a little bit by the time I get to the end of the pattern. The shawl is finished with a crocheted cast-off, which is what makes those loops on the bottom edge. I'm ok making a crochet chain for a provisional knitted cast on. For something like that, it doesn't really matter how even the crocheting is. For the border of this shawl, I'm going to be a lot more picky about it, since it will be very noticeable if it's uneven. I predict there may be some crochet practice in my future. Fortunately I have my grandma's collection of crochet patterns as well as her knitting patterns.
Although I bought the exact yarn called for in the pattern (Jaggerspun Zephyr), I'm terrified I won't have enough yarn. I didn't get individual skeins, you see. I am interested in avoiding the weaving in of ends in lace projects, so I purchased my yarn on a cone. I ordered the same weight as the two skeins would be (4 ounces), which should get me 1260 yards according to the vendor's website. Inside the cone, however, the number 1246 is written. I really really hope that a) this number isn't the actual yardage I received or else is an underestimate or that b) the yarn requirement in the pattern is an overestimate rounding to the next whole skein.
I will also have to learn how to crochet a little bit by the time I get to the end of the pattern. The shawl is finished with a crocheted cast-off, which is what makes those loops on the bottom edge. I'm ok making a crochet chain for a provisional knitted cast on. For something like that, it doesn't really matter how even the crocheting is. For the border of this shawl, I'm going to be a lot more picky about it, since it will be very noticeable if it's uneven. I predict there may be some crochet practice in my future. Fortunately I have my grandma's collection of crochet patterns as well as her knitting patterns.
Friday, February 15, 2008
Casting On!
Today is the day to cast on the Peacock Feathers Shawl with the informal KAL group. I'll actually just start my swatch. That counts as casting on *something*, right? I guess that means I need to get out of my comfy chair now and go find a size 4 needle. (Update: It would appear that I don't *have* any size 4 circular needles available at the moment. Looks like I'll be going shopping in the morning.)
Sock Status
I am about 2/3 of the way through the foot of the 2nd sock. Barring any distractions or disasters, I should have a new pair of socks this weekend.
Last weekend I also started re-knitting part of the foot of a separate pair of socks. I don't know what I did to these poor socks, but I ended up with a hole on the top of the foot one day after I wore them to work. I didn't think there was anything sharp in my shoe and those shoes have never put holes in any other socks, so I'm not entirely certain what happened. Anyway, the socks were knit with a German sock yarn whose name escapes me. (No, it was not Regia or Opal.) I used Sword Queen's Elegant Ribbing sock pattern. Her site is now gone, but the stitch pattern can be found on page 45 of Barbara Walker's Charted Patterns book. It's based on 2x2 ribbing, but the ribs cross over each other periodically, making a lattice effect. I'll take a picture when I get the sock done.
Speaking of Socks.....
I have sent e-mail signing up for Sock Madness 2. I don't know if I'll get in. I know I probably won't survive much past the first round of the "competition", but this will certainly be motivating me to knit more socks.
Sock Status
I am about 2/3 of the way through the foot of the 2nd sock. Barring any distractions or disasters, I should have a new pair of socks this weekend.
Last weekend I also started re-knitting part of the foot of a separate pair of socks. I don't know what I did to these poor socks, but I ended up with a hole on the top of the foot one day after I wore them to work. I didn't think there was anything sharp in my shoe and those shoes have never put holes in any other socks, so I'm not entirely certain what happened. Anyway, the socks were knit with a German sock yarn whose name escapes me. (No, it was not Regia or Opal.) I used Sword Queen's Elegant Ribbing sock pattern. Her site is now gone, but the stitch pattern can be found on page 45 of Barbara Walker's Charted Patterns book. It's based on 2x2 ribbing, but the ribs cross over each other periodically, making a lattice effect. I'll take a picture when I get the sock done.
Speaking of Socks.....
I have sent e-mail signing up for Sock Madness 2. I don't know if I'll get in. I know I probably won't survive much past the first round of the "competition", but this will certainly be motivating me to knit more socks.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
More Sock Annoyances
I fixed the goofed up pattern row and kept on going. I'm now about halfway down the foot. Yay! I might actually have the pair finished this week!
Now for the annoyance: the toe of the first sock fits funny. It's plenty long enough, but it feels too narrow and my toes feel squished sideways. I can't decide if I started the toe decreases in the wrong spot and that has contributed to it feeling too narrow or if it's somehow twisted a bit. In pulling on it to make it fit better, it seems as though I may have started the toe later than usual which makes the overall length greater, but my toes end up wiggling into the end of the sock, which somehow results in the squished feeling. I haven't woven in the end yet, so it would be easy enough to rip back a bit and shorten the toe.
The Freedom Sweater is still watching me and waiting to die. I haven't tried a new swatch yet and, without a swatch I like better than the current sweater, I'm not going to start ripping it out. I'm so far into procrastination about this decision that I folded all my laundry instead. I also waxed my car. I did not get to the vacuuming, but it was close.
Now for the annoyance: the toe of the first sock fits funny. It's plenty long enough, but it feels too narrow and my toes feel squished sideways. I can't decide if I started the toe decreases in the wrong spot and that has contributed to it feeling too narrow or if it's somehow twisted a bit. In pulling on it to make it fit better, it seems as though I may have started the toe later than usual which makes the overall length greater, but my toes end up wiggling into the end of the sock, which somehow results in the squished feeling. I haven't woven in the end yet, so it would be easy enough to rip back a bit and shorten the toe.
The Freedom Sweater is still watching me and waiting to die. I haven't tried a new swatch yet and, without a swatch I like better than the current sweater, I'm not going to start ripping it out. I'm so far into procrastination about this decision that I folded all my laundry instead. I also waxed my car. I did not get to the vacuuming, but it was close.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Sock Annoyances
For two, count them TWO, rounds now I have failed to actually make the twisted stitches on my braided toeholder socks. Grrr. I just fixed one round and then promptly made the very same mistake on the next round. Grrrr. The sock is now sitting in its little basket thinking about what its done. Maybe tomorrow I'll rip out the last round and re-do it.
Maybe I'll start the Peacock Feathers Shawl instead. Someone whose name escapes me is going to cast on this project in a week or so and asked if anybody was interested in knitting along with her. I figured I might as well join in since I've had the pattern and yarn for two years.
I've decided to frog the Freedom Sweater, but I can't bring myself to actually rip it out quite yet. It's hanging out on the coffee table enjoying its last few days in this iteration. I suppose I ought to just rip it out and start in again, seeing how far I get in a week. We'll see....
Maybe I'll start the Peacock Feathers Shawl instead. Someone whose name escapes me is going to cast on this project in a week or so and asked if anybody was interested in knitting along with her. I figured I might as well join in since I've had the pattern and yarn for two years.
I've decided to frog the Freedom Sweater, but I can't bring myself to actually rip it out quite yet. It's hanging out on the coffee table enjoying its last few days in this iteration. I suppose I ought to just rip it out and start in again, seeing how far I get in a week. We'll see....
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
tornado news
yes, an F4 tornado hit my town. no, it didn't damage my house but it destroyed the fire station a mile away. I just got power back a few minutes ago but no cable modem so i'm posting from my phone. more later.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The Next Big Knitting Project
I hauled out the Freedom Sweater this evening. It's a lovely dark charcoal gray and would be wonderful to wear with the current icy/rainy weather we're having. The pattern was designed by Jacqueline Olsen by Amazing Threads. Sadly, Amazing Threads has since reorganized itself and doesn't sell the really cool knitting kits that it used to sell. Now I really wish I'd purchased the Tea Trader's Tunic, even if I wasn't sure it would have been particularly flattering to my figure, or the Sumptuous Cashmere Shawl. Fortunately I did purchase the Cascading Cables kit though I suspect it also won't exactly flatter me. Also fortunately, I tend to wear whatever I like, regardless of how flattering or fashionable it may be.Now back to the sweater. As you can see I have most of the body and part of one sleeve finished. It's a lovely worsted weight wool and should knit up pretty quickly. The stitch pattern is beaded rib and is one of my favorite basic patterns. I actually use it for most of the socks I knit too. The trouble is that I'm not sure I like the gauge at which this sweater is knit. I'd like a bit more drape to the fabric. I already ripped it all out once and increased the needle size, but I'm still not entirely happy with it. It's not bad, but I don't think it's as nice as it could be. I've been working on this sweater since 1999. I'd like to finish it this year, perhaps even before the end of winter! I suspect I'll end up casting on again with a larger needle to see if I like it better.
On the Subject of Ripping Things Out
I think I'll be tearing out the Arrow Lace Socks. They're absolutely gorgeous, but they no longer hold any magic for me. I can't imagine knitting the second sock even if I finish the first. I think the yarn would rather be something else too, which is probably why it keeps causing me to make errors when I knit (I have knit the heel/ankle area three times now). I think it would like to be a highly textured sock, perhaps Eunny Jang's Bayerische socks. In any event, it definitely doesn't want to be Arrow Lace socks.
Yarn Arrival!The yarn for my Must Have Cardi arrived earlier this week. I wasn't certain I liked the yarn color initially, but it's growing on me. My first impression was that it was a bit muddy and dark, but now I like it though if it was a shade lighter I wouldn't complain. It's just not worth shipping it back only to find out that I don't like the lighter color as much. This color is a bit like a latte and I think it will look great in my sweater.
Now I just have to get a few more projects out of the way first.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Finis!
Swan Lake is done and even blocked out. (I really need to get some blocking wires if I'm going to keep knitting shawls and, especially, stoles. It would be good to have a straight edge to the straight sides.) Here it is! What's funny is that I got up to the last two rows of the stole on Saturday, then didn't feel like working on it for two days. Go figure.I wasn't entirely sure how to block the wing and whether or not the "top" edge of it should be straight or have a curve. I think I waffled between both answers. It's not really curved, but it's not really straight either. I'm not sure it'll matter once it is being worn.
Once it's dry, I'll weave in the two ends. For all projects except lace, I weave in the ends before blocking. For lace I'm always worried that the bound off edge will be too tight or too loose. So I wait until after the blocking, when I'm sure it's just right. Now I'll go have some porridge and wait for the bears to come home.
Next Project:
Finishing the Braided Toeholder socks. I realized this past weekend that I have been wearing hand knit socks every day. I think I knew that before, since I only have hand knit socks, unless they're athletic socks and I don't wear athletic socks to work. But this weekend it seemed like I had a LOT of socks in the laundry, so I counted them. I have eleven pair of hand knit socks, plus one pair that needs the toes re-knit. Finishing them, plus the red lace socks and the Braided Toeholders will bring the total up to fourteen. That's two whole weeks of socks! And somehow it just doesn't seem to be quite enough. I don't know if that's the sock yarn stash speaking to me, with it's two dozen pair of unknit socks, or if I just want to shoot for a nice round number, like 30.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Slow and Steady Progress
I'm not knitting like lightning, but I'm still plugging away at Swan Lake. I'm up to row 169 now, out of 192. I have a couple good audiobooks on the computer, about six new DVDs and no big plans for the weekend, other than the usual gaming on Sunday afternoon and working out. I have no reason to not get at least ten rows done tomorrow and maybe 5 done on Sunday.
Must Have Cardigan Plan
Remember the cardi I decided to knit for myself? I finally ordered the pattern and yarn at the beginning of the week. I decided that the cream colored Patons Classic Wool I bought in Chicago wasn't quite what the sweater wanted to be. Now I've got the same yarn in a dark natural mix, which I think will look much nicer than the plain cream color. I had hoped that the yarn would arrive by today, but since I'm not ready to start it yet, I can wait a few more days.
Must Have Cardigan Plan
Remember the cardi I decided to knit for myself? I finally ordered the pattern and yarn at the beginning of the week. I decided that the cream colored Patons Classic Wool I bought in Chicago wasn't quite what the sweater wanted to be. Now I've got the same yarn in a dark natural mix, which I think will look much nicer than the plain cream color. I had hoped that the yarn would arrive by today, but since I'm not ready to start it yet, I can wait a few more days.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
No actual spinning done
But I did decide that I needed to definitely not knit for a day. (Thanks for the extra nudge that way Raenwa!) Though I did ply two bobbins worth of merino 3-ply worsted and pre-drafted a bunch of merino-tencel from Blue Moon Fiber Arts in the color Sea. I have just under 7 ounces of roving. I bought this stuff several years at the Fleece Fair in Greencastle, IN. I remember thinking the colors were spectacular at the time and it reminded me of mermaids even before I noticed the color was labeled Sea. I'm not as wild about the colors now, but it's still very pretty and still reminds me of mermaids.
I split the roving lengthwise into five pieces and am pre-drafting it. Each of the five original pieces has been divided into three shorter pieces to make it easier to handle but I'm keeping them all in the same order to keep the color changes consistent between the five original lengths.The colors are quite dark in the compressed roving (photo #1), but lighten up quite a bit when drafted out (photo #2). I like the lighter colors better. When I purchased this fiber, I wanted to make sock yarn from it. I was considering a two-ply fingering weight, but think I'll go with three-ply fingering weight for extra durability.
We'll see how long I can focus my attention on the spinning. I have a tendency to get most of the singles spun and then lose momentum before getting the plying finished, thus never quite getting the spinning/knitting project finished. Now that I have an actual endpoint (sock yarn) determined, I might actually be able to get there.
So tomorrow I'll knit a couple rows of Swan Lake and then spin for a while.
Friday, January 18, 2008
KAL woes
I'm presently a member of two shawl/stole KALs: Spring Shawl Surprice [sic] and Secret of the Stole II. The former is now on its third clue (and looks gorgeous), while the latter had its first clue posted today. Each of them takes 1500-1600 meters of lace weight yarn. Both should be knit in a solid-colored, non-fuzzy yarn. The color is recommended to be "earth-toned" for the stole and wide open, except perhaps for black, on the Spring Shawl.
The "woe" is merely that I haven't got any yarn suitable for these projects. The lace weight yarn I actually have in my stash are either short on yardage or are too thin/light weight. You see, the recommended yarns are 4000-6000 yards per pound. The yarns for which I have sufficient yardage are 11,000-12,000 yards per pound. While these yarns are beautiful, they are far too thin to work well in these patterns. I do have one yarn which would work, but it's 100% cotton and I can't decide if that fiber would work well in a lace shawl that will need to be blocked hard.
So I have two choices. I could wait to knit these patterns or I could find other suitable yarns and order them SOON! It wouldn't break the budget to buy shawl/stole yarn. I'm considering KnitPicks' lace yarns as possible candidates, but so far I'm not feeling the magic for either of the projects or the yarn colors.
Swan Lake Update
Perhaps by the time I finish the last 86 rows of Swan Lake I'll have a decision made. I've really been hammering through Swan Lake, while listening to Ender's Shadow. I think I'm getting a little burned out on knitting though since I've been knitting for three or more hours each night this week. And now I'm facing a three day weekend during which I figured I'd spend a good-sized chunk of it knitting. Maybe not. I dunno. Part of me really wants to crank out the Swan Lake soon, but part of me wants a change of pace. Like maybe spinning something instead of knitting.
The "woe" is merely that I haven't got any yarn suitable for these projects. The lace weight yarn I actually have in my stash are either short on yardage or are too thin/light weight. You see, the recommended yarns are 4000-6000 yards per pound. The yarns for which I have sufficient yardage are 11,000-12,000 yards per pound. While these yarns are beautiful, they are far too thin to work well in these patterns. I do have one yarn which would work, but it's 100% cotton and I can't decide if that fiber would work well in a lace shawl that will need to be blocked hard.
So I have two choices. I could wait to knit these patterns or I could find other suitable yarns and order them SOON! It wouldn't break the budget to buy shawl/stole yarn. I'm considering KnitPicks' lace yarns as possible candidates, but so far I'm not feeling the magic for either of the projects or the yarn colors.
Swan Lake Update
Perhaps by the time I finish the last 86 rows of Swan Lake I'll have a decision made. I've really been hammering through Swan Lake, while listening to Ender's Shadow. I think I'm getting a little burned out on knitting though since I've been knitting for three or more hours each night this week. And now I'm facing a three day weekend during which I figured I'd spend a good-sized chunk of it knitting. Maybe not. I dunno. Part of me really wants to crank out the Swan Lake soon, but part of me wants a change of pace. Like maybe spinning something instead of knitting.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Swan Lake Progress!!
I have finished the first half of clue six. I am now up to row 99! The second half of clue 6 will get me up to row 149. Clue 7, the final clue, goes to row 191. It seems quite easy to get ten rows done in an evening. Well, at least it was easy to get ten rows done last night and another five so far this evening. I might actually get this finished by the end of January!! That would be good because one shawl KAL I'm in has already started and a second one starts around January 18th. :-)
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Commencing Movie Knitting!
The Bridge on the River Kwai is on TCM this evening. Given that I simply cannot let the opportunity to watch Sir Alec Guinness go insane pass me by, I'll spend the evening watching and knitting. I believe I'll work on Swan Lake while I drink my tea and absorb a bit of British properness. (I think I will try to get 10 rows of Swan Lake knit each week until it's complete, otherwise it may languish in its little basket for months.)
It has also occurred to me that I do not have a tea cozy small enough for my little tea pot. That might be a good use for my first ball of lumpy handspun from years and years ago. I think I might even be able to find that ball of yarn fairly easily.
It has also occurred to me that I do not have a tea cozy small enough for my little tea pot. That might be a good use for my first ball of lumpy handspun from years and years ago. I think I might even be able to find that ball of yarn fairly easily.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
A Century! \o/
I haven't got much to report, but this is the 100th post to my knitting blog. Yay!
I did start another chemo cap knit out of Lion Brand Homespun. If I can find sufficient brain entertainment this evening, I might even finish it. The chemo cap lady has already had her head shaved since her hair started coming out in clumps shortly after her first treatment. I don't know if the first hat still fits with less hair under it, but I figure a 2nd hat won't be unwelcome. You can't just have only a blue hat in your wardrobe, after all. (Note: this is just my theory and I haven't got any sort of fashion/wardrobe sense, so take it with a grain of salt.)
The Impending Cabled Cardigan
In thinking more and more about the Must Have Cardi that I will be knitting for myself. I'm not sure the cream-colored yarn is quite the color for this sweater. It has occurred to me that perhaps the naturally colored handspun I produced about ten years ago might be perfect for it, if I can meet gauge. And as long as we're on the subject of this cardi, I have to note that the Yarn Harlot is knitting this very sweater at the moment. Of course she'll finish it way before I will, if for no other reason than that I haven't even gotten around to buying the pattern yet.
I did start another chemo cap knit out of Lion Brand Homespun. If I can find sufficient brain entertainment this evening, I might even finish it. The chemo cap lady has already had her head shaved since her hair started coming out in clumps shortly after her first treatment. I don't know if the first hat still fits with less hair under it, but I figure a 2nd hat won't be unwelcome. You can't just have only a blue hat in your wardrobe, after all. (Note: this is just my theory and I haven't got any sort of fashion/wardrobe sense, so take it with a grain of salt.)
The Impending Cabled Cardigan
In thinking more and more about the Must Have Cardi that I will be knitting for myself. I'm not sure the cream-colored yarn is quite the color for this sweater. It has occurred to me that perhaps the naturally colored handspun I produced about ten years ago might be perfect for it, if I can meet gauge. And as long as we're on the subject of this cardi, I have to note that the Yarn Harlot is knitting this very sweater at the moment. Of course she'll finish it way before I will, if for no other reason than that I haven't even gotten around to buying the pattern yet.
Friday, January 04, 2008
Ok, so there was knitting
Just after I wrote that I didn't feel like knitting I picked up my sock and finished the ribbing on it. Now I'm ready for the leg. (It was only a couple of rounds of knitting, so it's not like I did very much.)
Tonight I feel like knitting, but I can't decide between the Swan Lake Stole and the sock. The sock would go faster and also be more mindless. I can't decide if I'm up to handling knitting that I have to think about yet, but I do want to get Swan Lake off the needles soon. I think I probably need to stick to mindless. Between the cough syrup and the end-of-day brain drain, lace knitting would be a baaaaaaaaad idea.
Tonight I feel like knitting, but I can't decide between the Swan Lake Stole and the sock. The sock would go faster and also be more mindless. I can't decide if I'm up to handling knitting that I have to think about yet, but I do want to get Swan Lake off the needles soon. I think I probably need to stick to mindless. Between the cough syrup and the end-of-day brain drain, lace knitting would be a baaaaaaaaad idea.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
More No Knitting
It's official. I'm sick. I even stayed home from work today. I spent half of last night coughing myself silly and decided that a) I didn't need to take my viruses to work for others to share and b) that if I was tired enough to need a nap after taking a shower I really didn't have the energy to go to work. So I didn't. I didn't have the slightest urge to even look at knitting. That might have required moving too much.
Part of me says to not go to work tomorrow and have another long weekend to recuperate. Part of me says I'll go stir crazy if I don't do that and would also feel guilty for taking the day off. We'll see how rested I feel in the morning and if the newly developing headache goes away.
Part of me says to not go to work tomorrow and have another long weekend to recuperate. Part of me says I'll go stir crazy if I don't do that and would also feel guilty for taking the day off. We'll see how rested I feel in the morning and if the newly developing headache goes away.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Hat for the Small-Headed
Well, I finished the Unoriginal Hat by Yarn Harlot. It looks good but it's way too small for the intended recipient. It's not only smaller in circumference than it needs to be, it's also too short. It barely comes to the top of my ears when I stuff my big head into it. I think it would be annoyingly snug on a bald head and lead to skin irritation and pain. I'm trying to decide if I want to try it again with another repeat added or not. It was a pretty easy hat to knit and it knit up quickly.Knitting plan for New Year's Day
Well, I thought about working on either the Swan Lake Stole or my lonely remaining sock. There's a hitch in this plan. I have a bad cold at the moment and I feel pretty crummy. My head hurts, my throat hurts and there is an ocean of goo running from somewhere in my head down into my stomach, which my stomach doesn't particularly appreciate. The end result is that I'm fussy and not particularly tuned in to details. Obviously that means the stole is a bad choice of things to work on today. I'm not sure the sock would be any better a choice. What I really need is some sort of mindless garter stitch monstrosity. Of course, that would probably be too boring and merely contribute to the fussiness. Ugh. I hate being sick, especially when it's a holiday. I don't like to waste my holidays like that. I may end up playing computer games for most of the afternoon. That's a semi-mindless activity.
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