Well, there goes another weekend

I was at a meeting last week, and a couple of my fellow committee members were squeeing over my bag, because they'd seen me working on it. These particular committee members are also crafters, so they understand. Another committee member looked over and said that he didn't know where I found the time.

I smiled and said something about there being plenty of time on the bus and waiting for appointments. All knitters know that squeezing in the odd round here and there can really add up (and keeps us from killing stupid people. Knitting really takes the edge off the desire to commit murder).

I got thinking about that this afternoon, because here it is, 6 pm on Sunday, and I'm still in my pajamas. I have a to-do list as long as my arm, and I've done nothing all weekend but knit. And cook a little. A girl has to eat something to soak up the wine.

I can't help it. I am utterly captivated by the purple, yellow, green and turquoise in this hand-dyed skein (which sounds like it should be clown-barf, but it's not). The feel of the silk sliding through my fingers and along the needle is music to my hands.

The pattern is so random and clever, and I say to myself "just one more row" because I'm desperate to find out what happens next. It's better than any gripping novel.

So, yeah. That half-shawl pictured above (and believe me, the colours are way, way nicer in real life) is why:

- the kitchen cupboards have not been defuzzified

- the laundry is not done

- my hair is lank and greasy

- the new batch of wine has not been started

- there is still (STILL!) wallpaper to be stripped in the study

All that aside, sometimes knitting does take forever. These socks took nearly two months. Same yardage as the shawl I'm now making, but navy blue ribbing with one boring little cable, man-sized in hard-wearing yarn just isn't as awe-inspiring. Glad these are done.

With that said, I should probably get up and scoop the poop. And have a shower. I have to go to bed in four hours. Should get the chores out of the way now.

There has been some knitting going on

Despite the near-endless family drama, televised debates to scream at, and many blogs to read, I actually have been doing what this blog is supposed to be about: knitting.

I know. I'm shocked too.

Those 14 balls of yarn from a few weeks ago? I made a bowl and a box from nine of them.

The last five got turned into this delightful little thing:

It's a bag, big enough to hold my netbook, my lunch, my knitting and maybe a book. Just the thing that a girl on the go needs for a long day away from home.

Pattern: Felted Bag with Mitered Squares (creative, no?). Modifications can be found, as usual, on my Ravelry project page.

The best part is, I now have a tiny bit of room in the china cabinet. I may (ya think?) fill it with some new yarn.

900 meter dash

One week ago today, I was really hungover. Almost too hungover to knit, but I girded my loins (I'm listening to a historical yet trashy audio book can you tell?) and cast on: Knitting huge items and then throwing them into the washing machine to shrink them on purpose is amazing: See? Look at this circle that I started yesterday and finished today (that's 300 m in 24 hours): What a lovely bowl I've now got. I'm not sure if I want to put it in the china cabinet to hold yarn or in my bedroom to hold jewellery. I'm leaning towards the china cabinet - I have a feeling that the cats will want to sit in it. So, that's 900 meters knitted in 8 days. And during a week where I was frantically busy at work. Wow. Occasionally I even amaze myself.

Spring cleaning

This yarn has been sitting in the stash for four years. I bought it my first winter here in Chez Peepee, when I was broke, lonely, miserable at work and completely overwhelmed: It's time to get it out of here. I cast on for a basket, and now this is what is left, and the rest is disappearing in a hurry: I fancy a new spring handbag. That dark pink will do nicely.

Just in time for spring

I finished a bulky-weight cowl. Given the weather forecast, I won't be wearing this until next December:

And apparently, I'm well over due for a cut and colour.

Something completely different

I'm sure most knitters I know are familiar with my oft-repeated phrase, "the tinier the sticks and string, the happier I am." I really, really like making lace and socks. I like the fiddly-ness of lace and and the portability of socks.

So, I surprised myself when I bought two skeins of Cascade Magnum. At 123 meters and 250 grams, this is seriously bulky yarn. Totally different than my usual preference. I even bought the skeins two years apart. One was for a travelling scarf and the other... it was on sale.

So, with those two skeins taking up a whole bunch of real estate in the china cabinet, I went looking for a project. Seems 225 meters of really fat yarn is only good for accessories (no surprise there, actually).

I went looking for cowls, because that is something missing from my rather impressive scarf and hat collection.

The pattern I liked best was in French. Google translate was actually kind-of helpful, and after a couple of false starts, I managed to figure it out:

.

And the coolest part is I'm now trying something even more new - Kitchener stitch in ribbing. It requires concentration, because I can't use my little knit purl, purl knit groove, but it's working.

I'm glad I'm sober. It really requires concentration.

This is why I can't have nice things

Stoopid Parker, sleeping on my soon-to-be new sweater. It's a damned good thing he's cute.

Of course, maybe I shouldn't have left it on the couch.

I'll never get tired of this

I'm sitting here watching the last episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Season 6 (my latest TV obsession), when I noticed the coolest thing:

Mattress stitch. It never gets old.

And maybe I should eat some dinner. Because clearly, I've had a lot of wine.

But seriously, a seam that makes it look like the knitting didn't stop? Cool.

My "helper"

Edgar had to help me block my vest pieces this morning. He especially likes to chase the tape measure.

After knitting four projects during the holidays, it's been kind of a bummer to work on one little project and have it take two weeks. Of course, not having 24 hours a day to knit had something to do with it, but...

Well.

This pattern sucks.

It's not difficult, or even time consuming, and the finished vest is quite cute, otherwise I never would have persevered. But, this is the most poorly written and edited pattern I've ever come across. So much so that zero was typed as O (as in upper-case o) and there was ranDom capitAliZation. Furthermore, the instructions for the armhole decreases leaves a lot open to interpretation. To maintain pattern consistency, I totally had to fake it. I had to do the same for the v-neck as well.

I've heard similar things about other patterns this company has published, so I'm not really surprised. But if it were my name or company associated with this, I would be embarrassed. Especially since it's a pdf file. Not exactly hard to fix.

I am so excited about having this done and moving on to the next project. And if the damn vest doesn't fit after struggling with it for two weeks, I'm going to cut a bitch.

My new netbook cover

One of the things I like best about new electronic toys is making covers. Why buy when I can make?

So yesterday, Christmas day, once the Christmas sock knitting was finished (nothing like leaving it until the last minute), I cast on. With Season 6 of Stargate SG1 playing in the background (I love me some MacGuyver in space), and a glass of wine on the table beside me, I did the following:

Felted netbook case

Materials: One skein of Cascade 220 or approximately 200 meters of yarn that will felt.

Needles: 6 mm circular (I used a 16").

Gauge before felting: 17 sts and 21 rows to 4 inches.

Cast on 100 sts and join in the round. Circumference is approximately 22.5 inches. Knit for approximately 10 inches.

Next round: cast off 50 sts.

On remaining 50 stitches, knit flap as follows:

6 rows stockinette, beginning with a knit row.

Next row: k2, ssk, k to last 4 sts, k2 tog, k2.

Purl next row.

Repeat last 2 rows until 30 sts remain.

Cast off remaining stitches.

Sew bottom closed and weave in ends. Felt to dimensions of netbook. One round through the washing machine (hot wash, cold rise) with the lowest water level and two pairs of jeans did the trick for me.

Sew on buttons or clasps. To make a button hole, pierce the fabric with increasingly large needles until the desired size is reached.

84 g of yarn used.

I'll post a photo with the clasps, as soon as it's finished drying.

Sooper Saturday

I loathe winter, with every fibre of my being. It makes every choice I've made for my life (i.e. not having a car, living in the buttfucknowhere of this city) truly intolerable.

But at at the same time, every once in a while, winter allows me to blow off everything, and just sit at home to knit.

I've done this while sitting at home when I should have been doing other things:

Finished it, and am well started on the next, all while watching Stargate, SG1, season 2. (We will talk about my inability to actually read ALL the instructions another day). Then there was some wine, and dancing, while listening to Vinyl Tap. Life is good.

The hunt for Season 3 starts tomorrow. I'm desperate to find out what happens. And the second gauntlet needs finishing. Since I've called them Stargate Gauntlets on Ravelry, season 3 appears to be a requirement.

I shoulda taken that left turn at Albuquerque

On Monday night, after posting about wanting to knit a vest, I sat down to knit a swatch.

I grabbed some yarn that had been sitting in the stash for a while (I can't believe I just ganked my own photo; it was just easier) and some needles.

I got 22 stitches and 28 rows to 4 inches. Perfect... for something.

During the next commercial break, I grabbed the binder where I keep all the patterns I've printed/photocopied (legally, of course) and found...

A sweater.


source

Yes, I know. I was all about the vests. But, I have a sweater's worth of yarn, I need a new cardigan, and the gauge was perfect. Really, I cannot stress that enough. THE GAUGE WAS PERFECT.

So, I'm making a Basic Black (pdf link), but mine will be Basic Pink (Ravelry link).

It's a deliciously easy knit. I cast on last night at Knit Night, and blasted on through an inch of ribbing while visiting. Got the other three inches done on the bus and at work today (I felt like slacking. So what?).

It's good that it's an easy knit. I found out an hour ago that I qualified for my exam. It's in 10 days. I have not started studying. I will knit while I am reading. I promise. About the reading. Harry Potter is on hold.

See my vest! See my vest!

Made from real gorilla chest....

A while ago, a friend gave me a vest she'd made but wasn't wearing.

Pattern from Chic Knits.

Mine is in heathered greys and has lovely shiny buttons. It just slid into my work wardrobe. So much so that I wear it at least once a week in fall/winter/early spring.

That's got me thinking that I need more vests. Vests, and I have spent a lot of time thinking about this, are the perfect article of clothing for me.

• I layer things, and a vest, by its very nature, is meant to be layered.
• There are no pesky too-short sleeves that make my extra-long arms look freakishly long.
• I have lots of yarn in the stash that isn't quite enough for a sweater, but is just right for a vest.
• Vests are probably fast to knit. See again: no sleeves.

I'm at the point where I am ready to choose a new project, and I am dithering between these:

Wicked Eyelet Rib Vest

Fitted Top

Rostfarbenes Lyra-Top von Lisa (pdf link)

photo from here

Of course, my favourite is in German. I don't speak German, and I really doubt that Google translate speaks knitting.

A first sweater (but not really)

Up until a few days ago, it has been gorgeous, I think we all can agree.

But now that it's cold, I need sweaters. You see, I promised myself a couple of years ago that I would never buy myself a sweater again, and for the most part, I have held to that promise.

Therefore, in order to wear sweaters, I need to knit them.

Enter the Debbie Bliss Cotton Angora.

My friend Jodijill bought this several years ago for her first sweater. Naturally, I was the one who recommended pink (Jodijill freely admits that she's only wearing black until something darker is invented).

Well, the pink sweater never worked out, so Jodijill gave it to me in exchange for a pair of socks. I totally scored on that deal.

A couple of weeks ago, while suffering an epic hangover, I cast on. Two days later, this is what I had:

I did put it aside for a shawl and a hat, while I thought about how to not knit the sleeves just yet. That didn't take me long, so I've carried on and I'm just about done the body:

If I take it everywhere with me this weekend, I just might finish it.

Eight rows forward, four rows back

I have been on a knitting marathon this summer, and I'm rocking the complicated stuff.

Different gauge? I own it.

Tricky shaping? Let me do the math.

Finishing? You are my bitch.

However, the knitting god (must be a man) has to smack a knitter down, every once in a while.

This is what it should be:

This is what I did:

Yup, I ripped. And I had wondered why I only had 29 stitches when putting my row markers back on the purl row after the double decrease.

Perhaps listening to extremely compelling audio novels is not a good idea while knitting a lace pattern.

This is the sweater that never ends

Remember what I said about finishing that sweater in one weekend? Well, that didn't happen. It got put away in favour of listening to a fellow play his guitar in my living room until 8 AM and then sleeping all day. Not what I had at all planned, but fun nonetheless.

But over a couple evenings, I merrily whipped down one sleeve, and didn't even mind being caught in that knitting vortex where it feels like I've been knitting forever, but haven't actually achieved any length. I never worry about that, because the next time I pick it up, I'll be two inches past where I meant to stop.

That didn't happen, though. I was at a friend's cottage last weekend, and the sleeve was perfect. I ribbed for two inches and then cast off.

I am no fool. To keep my mojo going, I picked up the stitches and knitted on the other sleeve until I ran out of yarn (the last skein was left at home, and I didn't want to pack my ball winder and swift).

So, Sunday night, I was happily curled up on the couch with Edgar; watching The Golden Compass on TV. I happened to look down at what I was doing. And noticed that the last skein is a completely different colour. Completely.

As in, more brown than purple, though this isn't the greatest photo.

So, now I have to rip out the finished sleeve and then work alternating rows. Shit. For an easy sweater in bulky yarn, this sure is taking a long time.

Progress: Zero

Since Wednesday, I've been working on short-rows for the sleeve of my raglan sweater. Not working.

See that bump? There's one on the back as well. Those bumps make my arms look like I've got some sort of matching tumour on either side.

Refusing to give up, though, last night, I sat down with three episodes of Torchwood and determined to zip down the sleeve a bit and see how it looked:

Well, this is what the sleeve looks like now:

I'm leaving the idea of having a horizontal line where the yarn changes. If I buckle down, I can finish this weekend. Which is good, because I'm itching to get back to my Malabrigo cardi. Which I've ignored since all this finishing old project stuff started. It misses me.

Umn, what do I do now?

I'm at the point, during this course of Finishitis, that I've finished all the easy stuff.

It's now time to turn to the hard stuff. Like a sweater I designed myself (like there's not a million top-down raglan pull-overs out there) and I stalled at the arms:

I want the multi-coloured part of the arms to stop at the exact same place where it stops in the body of the sweater. In a horizontal line. I tried some short-rows, and all I got was poofy sleeves. I am a woman with broad shoulders. I do not need poofy sleeves.

One of my knit night peeps suggested darts towards the underarm, front and back. That's intriguing.

Another said to just knit and see what happened. I liked that idea, because it was the simplest of all the stuff I've been considering.

All I know is, I've got beautiful yarn, a sweater that looks great, and no idea how to finish it. Just in time for spring.

Someone call 911

because I am on fire!

I don't know what's gotten into me these days, but if I ever figure it out, I'm gonna bottle and sell it. I'm finishing projects I started in 2004. Yes. 2004.

A cautionary tale

I thought I was hot stuff, last night, while I was sewing in that zipper.

Do you see what's wrong? Maybe not.

The zipper pull is on the inside. So, I've torn it all out and started again. The moral of the story: do not attempt something new while drunk and watching an extremely compelling video.

This little episode reminds me of one my favourite quotes:

If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to serve as a horrible warning.

Catharine Aird

This motto has served me well.