Graceful.

I finished my first knitted non-scarf wearable item. For myself.
The pattern was easy, but the chart was a pain in the ass. Combined with my fading printer ink, the small diagram, and the pattern errors, I almost gave up.

I don't know why I have more patience with knitting than I do with anything else. It's weird an unexplainable. Honestly though, if I had encountered the problems I did when I started the top, I probably wouldn't have finished. The major problems came on the last piece of the front. I had to finish it!

The yarn is a discontinued Lion Brand (Imagine) line from Heather. It's kind of itchy, but will be perfectly fine worn over a button down shirt in the fall and winter.

Oh, and I put it on ravelry. My first ravelry posting. I'm a dork because that's exciting for me.

On my Needles.

I just finished up this a few days ago. I still need to do the trim (it's crochet and I don't know how to do that) and add a clasp. Other than that, it's assembled and wearable.

Now, I'm working on this bag.

(picture from the purl bee's website)
I don't know how, but I ended up decreasing a total of 10 stitches, but whatever. I'm still going on with it because the pattern is simple and enjoyable.

I'm using Rowan's Calmer Yarn in a light purple color.


This bag is in preparation of the Headhouse Market's opening next month. I like to trick myself into thinking that I will go there frequently. I know this to be false, but I plan to get there at least once during the season.

Thanks, Kathryn Ivy.

Last summer I made Abby a summerlin dress. It was very cute, but quickly became misshapen courtesy of the yarn and her incessant need to pull and tug on the straps. It was pointed out that I should probably change the yarn I was using. So, last week, I finally got my butt to Rosie's and picked up the recommended Rowan "Calmer" yarn. Very pretty. Very soft. Very unlikely it will be stretched out of shape (due to the quality of yarn and the child being another year older.)

The fabric was purchased at a thrift store awhile ago. I was drawn to it because it reminded me of sheets my parents used to have when I was little. Freaky 70s flower patterns rock. (Or so I tell myself to make myself seem cool and not outdated.)

Projected Projects for 2009.

I have several things that I want to complete this year; in no particular order:

• Pompom hat for sister #1
• Fingerless gloves for my husband (he asked for them!)
• The damn foliage hat that I started and undid about three times
• Patchwork quilt for sister #2
  
• Quilt for Abby
• A hat and glove set for myself. (Undecided about pattern.)
• Afghan for sister #1
• Lace sampler shrug for myself
  

It's 5 days into 2009 and I have completed 2 projects, am working on another and yes, you guessed it, none of them are on my list.

Project #1: a pair of mittens for myself. They're orange and brown and I didn't take a picture of them yet. They're cute, but a stupid accessory for my RED winter coat.

Project #2: A pair of curtains for the least used room in the house. Makes sense, right?! I only bought the fabric because it was on sale at IKEA for $1.99 a roll. I made the curtains with no pattern, and I think that's pretty damn cool. Don't worry, I'm not fooling myself, I know simple hemming doesn't really constitute as a pattern.


Project #3: A slip-stitch scarf in a brown yarn. I only started it because me & Abby were staying at my parents' house for a few days and I didn't have anything else to work on.

Things I want to learn/improve in 2009:
instarsia knitting
quilting

Scarves.

Here is the blog where I show off the gifts I made for Christmas. And, as it turns out, all of those gifts are scarves. Impressed? *rolling eyes*
I was quite disappointed at the gifts I gave this holiday. I wanted them to be amazingly creative, they weren't.
I didn't take picture of the hand-made gifts I gave my husband (scarf, of course; and a pair of gloves, which I am quite proud of...they were a lot easier than I thought they'd be.)

First up, the first scarf I made. It's a quilted scarf (inspired from here) made from some thrifted fabric and some scraps that I had. I made it for my mom and adding a decorative flowery stitch.

Jill's scarf. All of the fabric I had on hand, I actually made her a bag (that I gave to her for her birthday in July, but she asked me to change the snap and I have yet to do it, and therefore it is still sitting in my sewing area) out of the cherry and black polka dot fabric. The red polka dot fabric I bought to do a self-portrait awhile ago. It is Joann brand and it is stiff and uncomfortable. I don't like Joann brand fabric. It all seems that way.

Jo Anna' scarf. I didn't have any fabric that I thought would suit Jo Anna, so I went out and bought some cat fabric and some rainbow stripe fabric. I like it. I also employed fibonacci numbers for the fabric stip sizes.
Both my sisters separately told me that they scarves look like priest stoles. Great. Here is a demonstration:
Oh, and a picture of my Dad's scarf. Simple seed stitch knit project. No picture of him wearing it, since, as of my last visit on Sunday, it is still sitting on the end table in their living room.

PS I promise to take better, more thoughtful blog pictures.

Mitered Squares. Part Two.

Last night I laid out all the mitered squares I've been working on. I was so sure that I was close to having a decent-sized afghan for Abby. (Could it possibly be done for Christmas?) Heh. Not even damn close. I think this will be her 16th birthday. Seriously.
Please no comments about all the ends that need to be weaved in. (ETA: Is "weaved" a word?!)

Peak of Autumn.

Every Sunday me and Abby spend the day at my parents' house. Abby really loves it there and she has a blast playing in their huge backyard. They have a swing set and a playhouse just for her.

She enjoys digging in the garden and claims she wants to be a farmer.

This past Sunday was no exception. It was crisp and chilly and her little hands were red and cold (mental note to make mittens), but she didn't care. As she was bundled in a hat and scarf that I made for her, she was digging in dirt singing a song that included words, "Abby is a farmer."

Sock-cess.

Apologies for the pun, but really, what's a blog without puns?
So, I completed my first pair of socks. I feel so accomplished on the dpns (double-pointed needles) that I can't believe I had such a difficult time with them before. I'm wondering if the main reason is because the needles I was using were aluminum and therefore slippery. I love the texture of the bamboo and the ease at which they work. Since knitting is so tactile, I think bamboo needles are worth the extra money, plus they make such a nice sound when they click against each other.

Back to the socks. They are for Abby, because, well, let's face it, it's more fun to make things for little people because:

• the projects go quicker (more opportunities for a sense of accomplishment)
  
• little things are cute, and
• little people are genuinely appreciative

I really like these socks because I love the colors of the self-striping yarn. And yes, I am currently making a pair for myself. Don't be jealous.

Slippers.

This is the third version of these damn slippers. The first version was adult-sized, but I didn't have enough yarn. I unraveled.
The second version was kid-sized, but I messed up. Several times. I unraveled.
The third and final time, I completed them! Then I realized that I assembled them incorrectly. One slipper is correct, the other is not. I am so irritated by this. I didn't realize it until I was finished. I felted them anyhow and now feel very hostile towards them.
Oh well. I hope Abby doesn't mind.
Pattern from Knit 2 Together.

My Favorite Part of Knitting Made More Fun!

FYI: that title is totally and completely sarcastic.

I don't like the process of unraveling a hank of yarn to make a ball. I just want to *start* the project. I don't like prep work. Kind of like when I want to start a cross-stitch project, I despise sorting out the colors. Granted, the last time I did that was when I was in the hospital after the birth of my daughter. And yeah, I think that project has about two or three stitches on it. (sidenote: when a nurse saw me separating the thread she said, "You're not going to have time for that anymore." Obviously, this nurse was not nominated for any awards for superior bedside manor.) I will get to it one day. It's been sitting in the same tote bag for almost three years. It'll happen. I swear.

Back to the point, if you want to know how to make a task you already abhor even more frustrating, add a kitten to the mix. (Please excuse my horrific need for fresh nail polish.)

A Few Things...

I've abandoned the foliage hat. It just wasn't working out well with the yarn/needle discrepancy. I will do it again. I've already purchased the proper yarn. Kudos to me for reading directions correctly.
I've been working on a pair of slippers. They will be a Christmas gift for one of my sisters. I am a bit frustrated with the directions. I swear, it's not me! (OK, it probably is, but let's pretend it isn't.) I have to keep reading and re-reading and re-reading them. Must. Have. Patience.
Oh, and yesterday I spent way too much money at Joann's. And surprise, surprise, I didn't buy any fabric! No, instead I dropped money on three knitting books, the proper yarn for the hat, and various autumnal decorations.

Snobby.

Last month I decided that I am going to do a handmade Christmas. I will either make or buy handmade. I have a five subject notebook with ideas and sketches. So what did I start on yesterday? The foliage hat for myself. Naturally.
I went to Michael's and got the needles and yarn. I have to be honest, now that I've been working with a nice stash of yarn, I really don't like the yarn that Michael's has to offer. Yes, I'm turning into a yarn snob. Too bad my reading skills aren't as particular as my taste in yarn...
The pattern has two sets of directions. I copied down the type of yarn I need for one hat and the needles I need for the other. I have thinner yarn and bigger needles. After I complete the messed up hat, I will start fresh with nice yarn in the appropriate thickness. Live and learn. And read directions thoroughly.

What it's NOT About.

This blog is NOT about how last night I spent the full two hours of my sewing class laying out a pajama pattern only to discover that the fabric isn't wide enough. It won't fit the entire top and bottom of the pjs; therefore I am only making a a pair of long pajama pants.

This blog is NOT about how had two pay for the two sewing classes I missed. (One because I was cranky and Joe was home late from work and I didn't feel like rushing; the other because I was helped my sister paint her new house and didn't want to offend the sewing class by showing up unshowered, stinky, painty, and frizzy.) I love dropping an extra $40 for no good reason. I'm really pissed about this. Seriously. $40. May not be a lot to some, but for me, a woman who only works part-time and has an expensive yarn/fabric/pattern/book/gymboree habit, it's a lot.

This blog IS about a scarf. A scarf that I started quite some time ago, but messed up multiple times. Each mess up equals a few weeks of punishment for the yarn for not doing what I want it to do. The punishment is that it sits unattended under an end table in my living room while other cooperating yarn gets to make mitered squares.

This morning I finished the scarf. It is currently sitting pinned, stretched, and damp on my ironing board. It is lovely. The yarn is amazingly beautiful. The colors are everything that I love and it was created by Amber. This is the first time that I worked with Manos del Uruguay and it's nothing short of perfection. I love feeling the changes of thickness in the hand spun wool.
(first picture is unblocked, second picture is blocked and sprayed, third picture is close up of pattern)

And, as a shameless plug, I took the photos for the Manos Wool Clasica booklet. Thanks to Fairmount Fibers & Rosie's Yarn Cellar owner Lisa R. Myers for the wonderful experience!

Autumn. And Knitting.

According to the calendar, autumn is arriving in a couple of weeks. I am anxious for crunchy leaves underfoot, crisp, chilly nights, and cozy scarves. Sometimes I wonder if I concocted these things in my mind, as the past couple of autumns have lacked much of what I expect it to be.
In a effort to welcome the autumn I crave, I've been wanting to knit this hat. Perhaps it's the colors used, or the pattern of leaves, but it seems to be the quintessential garb for a chilly evening's run to a book store followed by stop at the mastermind of the non-fat pumpkin spice latte.
Like most hats, this pattern requires the usage of double-pointed needles. I've tried and failed several times. I am very clumsy with the needles and the casted on stitches slide right off. Very high frustration level. Until last night. I don't know why, but around 11:30pm, I just needed to figure this out. And I did. I am quite proud of myself; so proud that at 1:00am when I decided it was time for bed, I couldn't sleep. I was tossing and turning thinking about the hats and socks that I can now knit.

One thing I have decided, is that I hate those clinking metal needles. I much rather prefer bamboo needles.
I have been using bamboo needles for several weeks for my mitered square afghan that I'm making for Abby. It will either be for her birthday or for Christmas. (Please note, I am not saying it will be this birthday or Christmas.)

I got a ridiculous amount of yarn from my friend Amber (who was recently featured on artblog) and am making the mitered squares from that stash. I am enjoying the squares because they are quick and easy to knit. And I can vary the color patterns with each square.