Knitting Goddess #9

I'm Back (Well, Kind of)

2008-02-01T16:59:00.000-05:00

If you stopped by the site in the past two weeks, you might have noticed that it didn't exist. My domain company helpfully lost my annual billing information and sent multiple email reminders to an address that has been defunct since 2004. Thanks guy! Big help!

Two angry emails, my credit card and an hour long chat with a tech support person later, we're back online. Who knows, I may even update one of these days. Of course, this would require me to finish a project... so... um... yeah.

Beer Cozies?

2007-06-25T20:05:00.000-04:00

I know, I know, I never call, I never write, you're so alone!

But the truth is... sigh... I have not completed a single knitted object since Ned in February. I've been working on never-ending long term projects and spinning a little, but the truth is that I've been going through one of those phases where I don't really want to be knitting that much. Crazy, I know.

But, one of my best friends from high school got married on Saturday, and like any good friend would do, I knitted for them.

At the last wedding for a high school friend (April), I told the happy couple that I would make them a set of beer cozies for their wedding. Due to the vast quantities of champagne and wine I consumed at said wedding (oops), I can't remember how the offer came about. Still, I hope they enjoy!

Pattern is the King's Cozy in 100% wool that I got for $1.50 at a thrift store in January (score!). I ran out of yarn for the very last one, hence the one tall, one short pictured here.

These were easy to make and a ton of fun! I think next time, I'd probably go up a needle size, since these killed my wrists a touch.

I feel like lace may be next on the agenda. I've got a mill end from MDS&W last year that would make a lovely stole...

Meet Snoozing Ned!

2007-02-18T20:18:00.000-05:00

Meet Snoozing Ned, otherwise known as the Thinggummer's Thing on my personal journal, also known as my Valentine's present for my girlfriend. I actually finished it on Thursday but didn't put it up here for fear she'd see it and spoil the surprise.

Isn't he the cutest thing you've ever seen? This is one of those where I'm extremely proud - not only did I make that, I made it so it didn't look like a not-too-bright four year old made it! (this is what usually happens when I attempt to be arty.

Details:
Pattern: Coats & Clark's Snoozing Ned
Yarn: Originally, this was going to be a remnant ball of Wool-Ease which I'd given to my girlfriend for a remnant ball rug. So, I asked for it back. And then I got the ball. And I read the pattern. And I realized it called for sport weight. Luckily, this is why knitters have stashes - I found a ball of cotton that a friend, Kati, had sent me a couple of years ago, that worked perfectly.
Needles: size 3 DPNs
Etc... Felt found at a basic craft store, cut according to pattern and then sewn on with my absolutely awesome sewing machine that I have to marry because I lurve it so (girlfriend be DAMNED!). Stuffing and embroidery floss, er... borrowed from the girlfriend (what? I asked her permission. She got it back... sort of).

This project was far easier than I thought, except for when it wasn't. Maybe I'm just not that bright, but I had the hardest time reading the instructions for this - for example, it asks you to K 3 rows in one place, where they mean work 3 rows stockinette stitch. Still, I loved my first chance at sewing fabric into knitting... it makes the idea of steeking far, far less scary. I did the bulk of the project on Tuesday, which I took off to get a crown put in, and it was a great mindless project to do while watching "Six Feet Under" and waiting to regain feeling in my face. The combination of sewing and knitting was a lot of fun. I'm not saying I'm going to be going crazy with knitted toys in the near future, but the girlfriend loved the present more than I enjoyed making it, so it was definitely worth it.

Spinning

2007-02-13T21:14:00.000-05:00

I've caught the spinning bug again. It's something that happens... I'll go for months with my spinning wheel sitting in a corner, gathering dust and then I'll pull it out and want to do nothing but spin for weeks at a time.

So, I went to California for the last weekend of January. I got these gloves from Haight Street in San Francisco, and they are seriously the best thing ever.

But yes, I got back and I pulled out my spinning wheel and I went kinda crazy. In the two weeks since then, I finished spinning this

and then pulled out and spun this.

The first is alpaca picked up at Rhinebeck two years ago. The second is some kind of wool that I think I picked up at a Maryland Sheep & Wool, but I honestly couldn't say for sure.

Here's a close up on the colors for the second...

Whee, new yarn!

Adventures in Sewing Machines

2007-01-21T21:55:00.000-05:00

My parents are good, kind individuals. They got me a sewing machine for Christmas. I picked out the Brother Ex-660... and by picked out, I mean bought the only sewing machine Costco had.

Y'all, Costco is a genius store. This sewing machine is awesome. Mainly, it's computerized. No foot petal! Just hit a button and it goes! Adjust speed using a slidy thing! This is the best thing ever!

So, I broke my shiny! new! plaything! out of its packaging and got to work. First up was an old pair of jeans that I turned into a skirt using this pattern. See?

I was originally going to hem the bottom, but now I'm not sure... I kinda like the rough edge. Thoughts?

I was also working on a cute print skirt. I'd cut it out, sewed everything, tried it on and realized that I was ready to start dealing with interfacing things. But first I had to cut open and press the darts and then press the side seams.

Yeah. I thought I was snipping the dart. Guess not. I'd pulled out the iron and the ironing board and everythingn (a rare occasion, let me tell you). There was much wailing and gnashing of teeth. I figured I'd just do the interfacing, then I realized I was missing the 1/4" seam allowance and didn't actually own press cloth. So, yeah. I put everything away and took out the cookie dough.

Mmm... cookie dough.

Jaywalking...

2007-01-18T11:31:00.000-05:00

So, on New Year's Day, I finished my father's Christmas present:

Y'all, it was the first time I have ever, EVER gotten a knitted gift in late (excluding never ending afghans). But I realized around 11pm on Christmas eve, I would have to bite the bullet and wrap my one and a half socks and mention that it was a "gift in progress." Luckily, I have a very sweet, tolerant father who's willing to put up with such shenanigans for socks. I managed to finish the socks about 6 hours before I left California for the wilds of Washington DC and left them blocking in my room.

So, yes, Jaywalkers. Quite a nice pattern, though the calves ended up being ridiculously tight, probably because I'm a tight knitter. Because I am not an insane person, I scaled down the socks to 68 stitches on size 3 needles (size 1s? Are you kidding? I'm sorry, I don't knit with toothpicks), which worked just fine. I used Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Amish, a gift from an old Secret Pal exchange. Oh yes, I de-stashed a bit. Anyway, the colors aren't to my taste, but my dad claims to love them and wears them to keep his footsies warm at night.

Next on stitch-witch... I got myself a sewing machine! Woo! Go crazynuts!

I... buh... wah?

2007-01-08T14:21:00.000-05:00

So, when did knitting.about.com reorganize and why did no one tell me? More importantly, why did it lose so many patterns? Now, I can understand losing yet another shapeless sweater that was unflattering and listed in 5 other places, but the Mistake Rib socks that I so enjoyed and looked to revisit? Or how about my never-ending afghan pattern? People, I never print these things out because it's on the internet! It's ALWAYS THERE. So now I have one year old, extremely battered print out to work with. Luckily, I'm just down to borders at this point, but the borders NEVER END.

2006-12-11T16:25:00.000-05:00

Dear socks,

Thank you for coming back.

However, what did you get up to while I was gone?

Have you been hanging out with acryllic? Trying one of these newfangled double pointed needles? I mean, dropped stitches?

Clearly, you have been hanging out with bad influences. We'll have to talk about this later. I don't know if I can block you now.

Love,
Christina

2006-12-08T01:17:00.000-05:00

Dear socks,

I miss you. Not only were you so very pretty and lovely, you were 3/4s of a finished Giftmas project. Where did you go? Did I leave you a friend's house? Did you escape from my bag into the wild?

I wish I could just move on the next Giftmas project, but those projects are all socks. And all of my size 2 and 3 needles are in your bag. So I can't even do that. I tried to start some Jaywalkers, but using size one needles feels like knitting with toothpicks. And I can't, in good conscience, work on projects for myself during the Giftmas season.

Come back soon, okay?

Longing for the reunion,
Christina

Oooh!

2006-11-28T22:24:00.000-05:00

I'm not crazy like some people and trying to crank out a sock a day, but I do need to get six socks knit by Christmas. Well, I cast on for the first one a few hours ago and had to share how cool this yarn is.

The stripes! The hookie things! Knitting these is going to be fun!

2006-11-26T14:23:00.000-05:00

So, Emma pointed out that my wrist warmer fiansco has always happened to her when she's ripped out knitting from the bottom. And I thought about it and sort of remembered that from when I finished my entrelac panels. So, OK, yes. Don't try this at home, kids.

In other news, I've actually picked up that afghan again and attempted to start working on the border panels. Which, due to my inability to keep track of a 4 stitch pattern, is starting to suck a little. But people, I DON'T CARE ANYMORE.

Hubris, Thy Name is Tussah Silk

2006-11-25T01:09:00.000-05:00

Dammit, dammit, dammit.

I was so proud of myself. I'd taken my handspun tussah silk, doubled it up, and knit myself a really pretty pair of cabled armwarmers.

Unfortunately, I realized that as I wove in the ends, that I'd miscrossed a cable on the right hand. Here, let me show you on the left.

So not worth ripping back to fix. So, I made the other glove, fixed the seven quadrillion errors I made along the way with that and had two finished armwarmers.

But... but... miscrossed cable!

Experience has taught me that any flaws in anything that I make will haunt me EVERY TIME I WEAR IT. I would really like these gloves to last for a good long time. So, I did the only logical thing one could do. I ripped it out from the bottom.

Bad idea.

For some reason, this is not a problem with stockinette. I've done it before with provisional cast ons and never had an issue. But throw in some ribbing and suddenly, every stitch has to detangled from the last. It's not ripping, it's not even tinking, it's just a huge pain. And I highly doubt it'll look right when I'm done.

So, I guess I get to reknit this one. I think this'll be the... fourth, fifth time/ that I've knit this armwarmer.

2006-11-07T02:56:00.000-05:00

Ah, there's nothing quite like almost finishing the back for that vest you're designing, holding it up and realizing that you made the back three inches too short and three inches too wide.

Did I mention I stayed up late because I didn't want to lose my train of thought and finish it straight away?

(Don't worry, I have the late shift tomorrow)

(And don't forget to vote!)

Rhinebeck Two Weeks Later and a Hat in Two Days

2006-11-01T23:21:00.000-05:00

OK, here's the Rhinebeck photo:

Being a square was fun, but I don't think I'd play blogger bingo again. There's only so much attacking people I can do, plus I was extremely undercaffeinated and couldn't remember if I'd asked people before and I'm pretty sure I asked a few people twice. (Sorry squares)

I was a ~~giant tool~~ ~~squeeing fangirl~~ creepy stalker and descended on YarnHarlot and got a picture. Seriously, I've been less nervous at job interviews than I was for this. And then my camera ate the picture. That's OK, I wasn't using my dignity anyway.

Anyway, I only got one thing of wool, sockyarn and some Got Soap from Rhinebeck. I'm pretty sure I spent less than I did last year, but I did break the self imposed moratorium on fiber. It was really, really pretty fiber? And purple. Yeah. I didn't stand a chance.

Anyway, I was searching through my stash for scrap balls to give to a friend making the spiral rug from One Skein Wonder on Saturday when I came across this handspun back from when I was drop spindling. I immediately went "oooh!" and left it out. Sunday, I dug out a size 8 circ, went to an old knitty and...

Yep. So, this is Coronet. The yarn is a wool/mohair blend, and if I do say so myself, it's pretty well spun. There are a few too thin spots and apparently I made one really big pink stripe, but it's fairly consistent and it's PRETTY. It's superwarm, though slightly itchy. I love it. I love it so much. Knitting this just made me happy.

My last question...

What do I do with the remaining 100-150 yards? That's not enough for a scarf, too itchy for armwarmers... Thoughts?

Find the Square

2006-10-19T20:22:00.000-04:00

OK kids, here are some tips for finding me at Rhinebeck. I'll almost certainly be wearing an 'I'm a Square' button, but here some other hints.

If it's cold, I'll be wearing my rogue hoodie - most easily recognized by the fact that the zipper is on a 60 degree angle due to my gauge being uber wonky.

If it's not that cold, I'll wear a lighter jacket with the Madli stole over it and one of the Knitty "I Knit" hats.

I don't normally wear glasses, but my eyes were tired with the allergies today. This is the most recent picture of me without them, though I promise not be wearing Renn Faire garb in New York.

And I'll almost certainly have the following...

Gotta make room for Rhinebeck

2006-10-19T20:21:00.000-04:00

Behold the tussah silk!

This is from... well... I can't remember the name of the company but I know I'll see it at Rhinebeck. One of the Woolarina girls threw a yarn party (like a tupperware party, but with fiber!) in February and I picked these up there. And it's pure tussah silk! It was originally a much more vibrant green, but there was a lot of dye runoff while I was setting the twist. The more I spin, the finer it gets - this is sportweight or maybe a little less. I think it needs a bit more twist and as always, there were a few breaks, but not that much. I managed to screw up the last 10 yards, but I've still got plenty.

This is lovely and I plan to make myself a pair of decadent cabled armwarmers out of it.

What's wrong with this picture?

2006-10-10T22:02:00.000-04:00

In case that's too blurry, the sign says "Turtleneck Sweater: $16.90."

I weep for humanity.

2006-10-09T21:52:00.000-04:00

So, you're at that point in knitting where you know you shouldn't start a new project. You've got a sweater on the needles, a belated wedding gift that's 2/3rds done, a spinning wheel that's been gathering dust since July and yet...

I really want make myself another Rogue using some stash yarn. No, I don't know why either.

2006-10-08T15:55:00.000-04:00

Shaun of the Knitted Dead. Proving yet again that knitters are the coolest people ever.

And Bingo was my name-o

2006-10-04T10:17:00.000-04:00

Yeah, this post wins for lamest blog title ever. However, I have finalized my plans to go to Rhinebeck, so this means...

I'm playing blogger bingo. I'm a square and a player, at the fair both days, but probably limited Sunday since, you know, I have to drive back to Virginia. I think Anneball may be coming with as well.

Hooray for sheep!

Next on the agenda: Spin up some of the fleece I got at the last Rhinebeck.

Does this mean I can get on Project Runway?

2006-09-28T19:02:00.000-04:00

Back when I was in London, I spent a day and a half at the Victoria & Albert Museum and could have spent another day or two there. SO MUCH STUFF.

Kind of makes me happy the only fashion foibles I have to deal with are super skinny jeans, the return of 80's fashion and my lovely pear shape.

And the part that makes me think I could give Kara Janx a run for her money? There's a fashion section, a textile section and many displays of dresses and a displays of dresses all over the museum. They let me design my own dress fabric and emailed me a copy to save:

The best part was the textile room. There are these great textile designs and then there's boring looking room full of desks. Closer inspection reveals that these desks are full of slider display cases full of old textiles! Hundreds year old lace! 16th century patterned cloth! Ancient Peruvian weaving! And if that's not cool enough, check out this design:

That is seriously the coolest thing ever. Especially it was created in... I think it's the 9th century?

Knit Mammoth!

2006-09-26T16:44:00.000-04:00

I originally didn't post about this because the pictures suck, but whatever, I'm doing it anyway.

I knit a woolly mammoth for a fundraiser.

I used this garter stitch elephant pattern, using some brown acryllic crap and fun fur (to keep it woolly!). I then added a pair of animal eyes, which I couldn't get level, despite my best efforts, and a pair of tusks, which I didn't stabilize with pipe cleaners, so they drooped.

Then I stuffed the hell out of it with a bag and a half of fiberfill.

Personally, I think it's one of the uglier things I've made, but everyone else loved it. At the silent auction, it sold for the maximum bid. Which only goes to show, there's no accounting for my taste.

Dun... dun... dun...

2006-09-25T00:13:00.000-04:00

DUN DUN!!

(BOOM boom BOOM boom BOOM boom BOOM boom BOOOOOM)

I have finished my three entrelac panels.

The middle panel bothers me, so I ripped out the initial mistake and am fixing it. I mean, the wedding was April 15. I'm already 5 months late and have yet to weave ends or start the border. I'd rather have it done well and be a few weeks later than live with the mistake.

10 Knitterly Things You Don't Know About Me

2006-09-24T00:24:00.000-04:00

Yanked from Grumperina. Hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

1. I buy a lot of knitting books that I never read. I returned a Christmas present I didn't want two Decembers ago and got an Interweave and Knitting in Plain English. I have never actually opened it.

2. I never wear half of what I knit for myself. Menja, which I started working on in 2004 was never actualy finished, mainly due to dealing with my terminal gauge issues. Scarlette hasn't seen the light of day in a year or two. I guess I'm a process knitter.

3. My stash lives in 2.5 bins that fit under my bed.

4. I haven't spun any of the roving I bought at Rhinebeck. Or the roving K8 dyed for me more than a year ago.

5. I used to get my knitting needles from a loom shop in Oberlin, Ohio. I have a size 17 29" circular needle that I paid $3 for.

6. I have knit a sweater and a shawl for my mother entirely out of Lionbrand homespun.

7. I knit many garments, including my second, neon orange sweater without even knowing what gauge was.

8. I haven't given my former boss her Christmas 2005 present yet, even though all I have to do is weave in the ends.

9. I have been sewing, even though I don't own a sewing machine - have made two skirts and a dress and cut a third. (OK, this isn't knitting, but it's clothes crafting)

10. I haven't bought yarn since May at MD Sheep & Wool.

And just for fun, #11.
11. My last finished object was the boobholder. The last one before that was a knit woolly mammoth (which I think I still have pictures of) that I made for a fundraiser in April.

Linkspam

2006-09-22T23:56:00.000-04:00

A very... uncomfortable sweater (Extremely NOT WORk SAFE)

Someone knit an English garden. Knit squirrel! Robin! Snail! Look at the pictures! Seriously fantastic.