Yee-Hah!

I was in the Big D this weekend...Dallas. We were there for a wedding which was mostly Vietnamese with a little Texas thrown in. Exhibit A:


Me on the mechanical bull. On my first try, I was on for all of 4 seconds. On the second try (shown here), I made it to about 35 seconds. Putting an arm up in the air seemed to help, but that thing can really whip you around!

And last week, I finished a hat! This one is notable because it actually fits me! See?



This pattern is from Exquisite Little Knits by Iris Schreier and Laurie Kimmelstiel. In the book, it's done with Karabella Aurora 8 and a Blue Heron Beaded Rayon - I subbed an orphan skein of Koigu Kersti for the latter. I think the seed stitch makes it stretchy enough to fit easily. It's done on pretty large needles, too - so this could be a good pattern for holiday gifts.

That's all for now - I'm off to enjoy the last gasps of the holiday weekend. Ciao -

Projects

In sewing class yesterday, we...USED A SEWING MACHINE! This was the first time in my life that I have ever operated a sewing machine. It was fun, but a little like a 16 year-old driving a fancy sportscar - you want to go fast, really REALLY fast, but it probably wouldn't be a great idea. I was a little slow this week, so I didn't start seaming; I just finished the edges on my pieces. Can't wait for the next class!

I am also starting on Christmas gifts. This holiday season will be "FFF" - Full Frontal Family! We'll be seeing about 80% of my husband's family a couple weeks before Christmas, and about 80% of my family on the holiday. I don't expect that everyone will get knitted gifts (if so, I should have started in March), but I think some people might really enjoy one, so I plan to whip up a few things.

To that end, I started a scarf. This is Manos in the Wildflowers colorway, 30 stitches on a US9. K1, P1. Lather, rinse, repeat.


(Take another look at this colorway here. I think this is their most beautiful one.)

I made a scarf just like this a couple years ago and in the process felt my heart sing right along with my needles. Yesterday while knitting on the current one, I thought to myself: this is not just any scarf...for me, this scarf is l'essence of knitting. A simple pattern; a beautiful yarn made with a conscience; smooth, strong needles; combine all of these things with a few quiet moments and This, my friends, Is Why I Knit.

I'm planning to make at least three or four more of these this holiday season. I don't know how most of my friends and family feel about hand-dyed, multi-colored, thick-thin yarn...but I'm going to encourage a few of them to broaden their horizons by giving them scarves like this. We'll see how it goes!

Hope everyone is well. I, for one, will be glad when this work week is over! It's already busy...

Guess What?

I'm sewing!


I've taken the plunge, but I'm NOT going over to the dark side, or any other side for that matter! I am a knitter first and foremost - but I have other crafting interests and I'm not ashamed to admit it. (grin)

I'm three weeks into an eight-week beginning sewing class at a local fabric store. It seems a little weird that we haven't touched a sewing machine yet, but I think it's all in due time. In the picture above you can see one of my cut pieces and some of the fabric I'm using. It's a dark-ish grey Thai silk.

Although I've just started, I can see how sewing could be a very challenging task. I'm increasingly impressed with people (hi Mary!) who can create a garment out of a piece of fabric. There are a lot of steps and many opportunities to make mistakes if you are not careful.

I'm getting ready to sew, but I'm always ready to knit! Here's what I've been up to lately:


The Lindy bag has one side gusset done. It wasn't too bad, just a little shortrowing. The grey blob is a sleeve of the Lucy in the Sky cardigan from Cosmicpluto Knits. I'm using Berroco's new yarn Ultra Alpaca. It's very soft, increasingly so after washing. I've just gotten started on the body and learned that I hate buttonholes. But if you want buttons - c'est la vie, right? The cookbooks denote another topic on the brain lately...healthy eating! Husband and I have renewed our efforts to eat healthily and pay more attention to fat and sodium content.

Anyway, hope everyone is well. Fall in Chicago has definitely started. Perfect knitting weather! Catch you later...

Double your color, double your fun

This is a momentous day on the blog. Today is the day that I reveal my FIRST EVER two-color project! (I showed one other multi-color thing once, but it was a swatch.)

Behold, the Lindy bag:


Well, it's not a bag yet, but --it's drinkin' milk! You'll see, one day it's going to be a handbag! If you want to get the pattern, it seems like the best thing is to go here and email the designer, Amy Swenson. She can tell you which stores carry her patterns. (I bought it in Moorhead, MN.)

I haven't learned to knit continental, so I just change colors by dropping one yarn and picking up the other (first color over, second color under). Tension seems pretty good, although I'm told that blocking helps color work quite a bit. (It looks kinda twisty because this was a before-work picture and I didn't have time to smooth it out all arty-like.) And even if it's not perfect the darn thing's getting felted, so I'm not going to get in a knot about it. I'll let you know how it goes.

So that's all I've got to report for today! TGIF!! Party at Loopy tonight, maybe I'll see you there? If not - have a good weekend, everyone!

A Screeching Halt

My knitting has ground to a total stop this week. I had been waiting for my Oxblood Elann Peruvian Highland Wool, which came yesterday. This yarn is definitely not what I think of when I think of the color oxblood. Of course, I can't show you a picture because 1) it has not been photography weather here in Chicago and 2) it's out of stock at Elann. To me, this yarn is rust, or russet, or maybe even maroon - it's just got sooo much brown in it. No way I can wear this color. So I'll be sending it back. I did keep one ball, since I was curious about the yarn; I started swatching with it last night and it is s-c-r-a-t-c-h-y. So I'm not sure that I want a go-to-work cardigan out of this stuff. Maybe I should finish the swatch tonight and wash it before I make my judgment, though.

Loopy Yarns is having a party on Friday (woo hoo!) so I think I'm going to hold out until then for a suitable Lucy in the Sky yarn. They've got Cascade 220, the new Berroco Ultra Alpaca, and I'm hoping they'll have a couple of other worsted weight, non-scratchy choices. I'm looking for a burgundy/wine color, or perhaps an aubergine. Burgundy/wine would be better, so then I'll have a (gasp!) Christmas sweater.

Until then, I'm just about project-less! I've got some finishing to do on a little sweater - but no actual knitting. I've got one UFO I could work on, but - the weather's already turned a little chilly to really focus on that project. I've sorted out the small-quantity, hat-suitable yarns in my stash, and I bought Hip-Knit Hats - but hats still make me nervous. That, and I really need something I can sink my teeth into! A nice big project...I'll mull it over. Maybe I'll be back tomorrow with some news to report.

Oh! I almost forgot. The soap is fabulous! It's a lovely minty-lemon scent, and it has a rich, creamy lather. Go here to get some. (Mine is the greenish one second from the right.) Thanks, again Susan, for having a fun contest!

What? Who, me?

Awww shucks. I'm just a baby sweater.



I finally finished this little sweater for my two-month old cousin. His name is PJ! (Ordinarily I wouldn't put a child's name on the blog, but since initials could be just about any name, I figure it's okay. Right?) I've never even seen a picture of him - but my mom has seen him and held him so I know he is out there, just waiting for his handknit sweater (ha ha). Of course, I am only too happy to oblige.

Continuing from my last post: I had been thinking about making the Hourglass sweater, but then realized that I didn't have enough of the yarn I'd planned to use. Luckily I was saved from knitting bewilderment (what to knit next?) by Laura, who posted the awesome "Lucy in the Sky" cardigan. This is totally my next project! So much for stash-busting - I took this as an opportunity to try out Elann's Peruvian Highland Wool. I heard Oxblood is the color to get. $25 for a whole sweater! Sweet.

Also, thanks to the anonymous commenter for the suggestion to combine my 2/8 mill end with a third strand of a similar yarn to make a chunky sweater. That should do the trick!

Another 'who, me?' moment: Susan recently had a contest on her blog, and I won! Which means I get hand-made soap! I never win anything - and not only did I win, but I won something I actually like! Very exciting.

Well, that's all I've got for today. Hope everyone is doing well. We've gotten through Wednesday - so it's time to look forward to the weekend.

Happy Fun Knitting

I've been having so much knitting fun lately! Finished projects, compliments on finished projects (thank you!), seeing friends and meeting new knitters Jenny and Katie at KIPs around town, stashbusting, Japanese knitting books...I can hardly contain myself these days!

And so, as I wrap up the first baby sweater (pics later), I'm thinking about my next project. I've been wanting to make an Hourglass Sweater, but did not want to shell out for Noro Cash Iroha (as beautiful as it is). Once I made the OSW using two strands of fingering weight yarn, I remembered some mill end 2/8 merino/cashmere in my stash. I got really excited thinking it would be enough to make an Hourglass - so excited that I brought the cones to work to weigh them on the postal scale. :)

Weight of cone 1: 7.6 oz. Weight of cone 2: 9.9 oz.
Total weight: 17.5 oz.
This weight includes the cardboard cones. The yarn is supposed to be 1660 yds per pound, so...if it is used double, I will have at most 800 or so yards at my disposal. Not quite enough. So what to do with the mill end? What to DO?

I don't really like short-sleeved sweaters. (To me, that defeats the purpose of a sweater, which I like to wear when I am cold.) I could probably do a vest or something, or maybe a shawl? But I don't know how a double-stranded shawl would work...

I dunno. Let me know if you have any ideas. If it helps, the yarn is black.

And it's the weekend! A long weekend, for many of us in the U.S.! Have a happy weekend and holiday, everyone!

Whoa.

Pretty Sweater:



Not so pretty:


I wish I could show you just how complicated this pattern is! But I don't want to infringe on copyright - hence the fuzzy pic. I guess the key with Japanese patterns is that any information that can be reduced to a symbol or a short series of numbers is presented that way. There is no text, just lots and lots of arrows, lines, numbers for measurement, stitches and decreases, and...Japanese. I think if I saw a similar pattern in a language I speak, it would be daunting. But throw the Japanese in there and it's - just -

whoa.

Once, twice - nope, just two times an FO.

I had a great weekend! Two friends of ours were married on Saturday. It was a happy occasion and one that called for new duds. For the Friday night get-together, I went with a patterned dress - but needed a little shoulder covering to make it an "outfit." My fellow KIPpers saw the Glampyre One Skein Wonder come together and near completion. Well, I finished! Here it is with the dress:


The color of this yarn is incredibly difficult to photograph - but suffice it to say, the color coordinates very nicely in person. I used Handmaiden Sea Silk in Berry - held double to achieve the worsted gauge. The pattern is fab - if you haven't made one, hop to it already!

Also, you may recall that I was working on a shawl while I was on the West Coast - I finished it last week. Continuing my Cavalcade of Bad Hair Days:


I used Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb in Ravenswood. I wasn't sure I liked the colorway, but I LOVE this yarn. So soft and smooth to knit with. This aqua-colored tank top seems to go pretty well with the shawl colors; I may have to get creative to coordinate the shawl with other clothes this fall/winter.

Anyway - I'm just working on some baby sweaters now. Two friends have recently delivered, and another reminded me that she was "still waiting" for a sweater for her second child, who is now five months old. Better get knitting! Yes, ma'am.

Hope everyone is well and looking forward to the Labor Day holiday!

Variety is the Spice of Knitting

Lately, I have been focused on knitting through my stash. I haven't decided not to buy any more yarn, just to try to knit up what I have. This is mostly because I'm tired of looking at the same yarn, not because I don't want to have a stash (although a smaller one would be preferable). Also, it's been a little demoralizing to keep looking at things that were (to me) bad purchases - the 'what-was-I-thinking-I-don't-wear-this-color' skeins, the 'it-looked-good-in-the-store' yarns, etc.

I went to a yarn swap at Arcadia last weekend, where my goal was to get rid of everything I brought and not bring anything else home. Given that the yarn store owners also planned to donate the leftovers, I figured this would be easy to do. Not so. The yarn swap was very formal (I thought): everyone laid out their items, and then walked around to see what they might want from others. If you wanted something, a bartering process would begin and the yarn would be traded.

Since I had brought Koigu and some other name brand-y yarn, lots of people wanted to trade with me. So - I ended up with some new-to-me yarn! I got some Noro Silk Garden and some Misti Alpaca Sportweight in these colors:


It was such a fun experience, because I never could have predicted getting these yarns! And although I love them both, I never would have picked these colors. Now I will have to think of something I can make with them. (just not together!) I think I will use the alpaca double-stranded and make a cozy hat. Any ideas for 300 yards of Silk Garden?

My West Coast Booty

You may recall that I was planning a serious yarn crawl while Hubby and I were on the West Coast. Well...as you might expect, I didn't end up doing that much yarn shopping.

While in Portland, I visited Knit Purl. What an incredible store! It struck me as a very "zen" yarn shop - soothing sage green walls, calming music and minimalist design. They carry a lot of local yarns, which means the current fave Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Loom In Essence (colored with natural plant dyes) and Oregon's Own (can't seem to find web sites for those last two). They also carry Handmaiden kits - which I have admired from afar but never seen in person. Here's what I chose:



On the left is the Angel/Rumple Scarf Kit from Handmaiden - on which I've already made great progress! It comes with a silk boucle and a thin kid mohair, hand dyed to match. The fabric they make together is SOOOO soft! The colorway is a blue/periwinkle (although it looks sort of aqua on my screen).

The item on the right is very interesting. Knit Purl has a store brand of yarns called ShiBui. I think they are working on distributing the brand more widely, since I saw an ad highlighting ShiBui Knits in the last Interweave. (I also overheard an intense meeting in the store leading me to believe this) I bought the sock yarn in a moss green color, which has a twist and sheen like Koigu, but in saturated, nature-inspired, elegant mostly-solid shades. There are other ShiBui yarns available too, from DK to bulky weight.

And lest you think Knit Purl is not fully stocked - they have Noro, Rowan, Debbie Bliss, Koigu, Brown Sheep, lots of cashmere and tons of other things. They also have their own line of beautiful patterns, which have a modern, somewhat Asian feel.

So, although I can't speak for Portland's (many!) other knitting stores, I can say Knit Purl is REALLY worth a visit.

The weather in Chicago is beautiful today - so I'm going back outside! Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Knitting where you least expect it

Thanks, everyone, for the kind wishes on my blogiversary and honeymoon. I really appreciate all your good thoughts winging their way to me through cyber-land.

At one point on our trip, I was trying to look for sea glass to take back home. We had been on the same beach the day before, where I'd seen tons of it - but this time I just wasn't finding any. And then - I saw one piece. And then I couldn't STOP seeing it!

Knitting is kind of like that. If your eye is looking you'll find it. Like this item at the Lewis and Clark National Historical Site, which we visited last week - a knitting kit for a historically accurate hat.

And then sometimes when people know you're a knitter, they show you knitting stuff. My husband's aunt showed me this:


A book called "Make it with Mademoiselle," as in the magazine, circa 1977. The intro is pretty entertaining:


I, too like designs that don't "demand a lot of coin." Still, it's pretty cool that the editors came up with all of the patterns themselves. There are tons of cool patterns for knitting, crochet, sewing and crafting projects. There are even instructions for cool ways to tie a head scarf. I'll leave you with two of my favorite patterns from the book:





The bottom photo is labeled "Crunchy Sweaterjack and Cap." Never heard of a sweaterjack, but I like it!

You can get your own copy at www.abebooks.com. Leave me one, though!

Later, y'all!

My Blogiversary

Today's my blogiversary! I missed it last year, so I wanted to be sure to post about it this time.

Blogging has added so much to my life. I've met people from all over the U.S. and other countries, read about knitting projects and life's work, visited places I may never see in person, and learned about recipes and cultural traditions. I've given and received encouragement and support on knitting and beyond, from careers to family to life's twists and turns. The more I share through blogging, the more the world and all the viewpoints and people in it keep expanding.

None of this would be possible without those who write blogs, and those who read them. I am so grateful for getting the chance to be a tiny part of your lives and to share part of my life with you.

Hubby says it's time to stop blogging and get back to honeymooning. So, here's a pic from Portland, with my latest project. (for the sticklers among you, it's a shawl in Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb in the Ravenswood colorway)


My best to all of you!

Tidbits

Hi all! It's been a while since my last post. I don't have pix to share, so I guess that's the reason.

Last night my husband and I went to see The Roots (and Talib Kweli) in concert. Aside from the poor sound quality at the venue it was jammin'. It was a late night for a Monday but well worth it. I was even tempted to go to the aftershow, a DJ set with ?uestlove - but given how tired I was the next day I guess I was kinda glad we didn't!

I've continued to work on my Ribby Shell - it looks pretty much the same as my last pic. I've also been working on a ribbed wool hat from some Morehouse Merino Chunky wool - it turned out pretty well, though a little small for the hubby. No matter - for some reason, hats are a challenge for me, so every time I make one I just hope to get a little better at it.

Fall Interweave Faves

Did y'all get the new Interweave? I LOVE this issue. There are so many things I would like to make, and even the things that don't suit me personally are still really good patterns. (I don't always think this about Interweave.) I made a collage of my favorites.

Two more days and we're off on our honeymoon! It will be a much needed break from work, as well as some bonding time with the hubby before he gets busy with the fall semester. I'll try to keep the yarn store-hopping to a minimum (grin), but Portland is just overflowing with them! I've picked out a few that seem neat and that also have local yarn brands: Lint, Knit Purl, and Mabel's Cafe and Knittery.Not to mention the one at the beach, Siren Song Stitchery (love the alliteration). Anyway, I'll try not to overdo it.

I may not get to post before I leave, but I plan to blog at least once while I'm away. In the meantime, happy knitting! Ciao bellas!

Weekend, Part II

I've already said there was no knitting last weekend - but did you honestly think that meant no YARN??!? Before we left on Friday, I scoped out the yarn store options in Moorhead, MN. Turns out there's this awesome store, called The Knitty Gritty Cafe. It is, in fact, a cafe as well as a yarn shop. It's BEAUTIFUL. See for yourself:



One of the store's employees is an artist, and her work is all over the walls of the shop. Plus, there's yarn everywhere (see that lamp in the far right of the picture) - including the bathroom! (don't worry it's not for sale, just decoration)

It's a pretty compact store, but don't let that fool you - there were a bunch of things in this store I've never seen before, such as: Mango Moon Mohair and something called Bali Sky, and another one that's like hand-dyed strips of t-shirt; Ironstone Yarns of many fibers and hues; patterns by Lucy Neatby; and all kinds of smaller brands whose names I can't recall (I should have taken notes!).

The store was super friendly as well - I had a nice chat with Tricia, who was working that day. I also talked to these ladies, who knit but who were actually in for a coffee! Plenty of space to sit, knit and enjoy a latte...



...so if you're ever in Moorhead, check out The Knitty Gritty Cafe! And now, for my goodies:



I knew indigirl had patterns, but this was the first yarn store where I've seen them. If you can't make it out - the bag has a houndstooth pattern on the front and back. The yarn is Ironstone Yarns Harmony - again, never seen it before, but Tricia says it's great for felting. It's reasonably priced and soft, so I got enough for the purse and some in a beautiful heathery dark teal/navy (in the foreground). I'll let you know how it works out.

So that was my weekend. Now that I'm back all I can think about is the next time I'm going away - we are going on our honeymoon a week from Saturday! I'm very excited. Anybody have any yarn store/alpaca farm-type recommendations for Seattle or Portland/Oregon Coast? Let me know! Later y'all...

Things I learned this weekend

1. Floating in a swimming pool is truly relaxing.


2. Lots of people, not just knitters, like handknit dishcloths.


3. Marriage, if done right, really does give you a second family.

I spent the weekend with my husband’s dad’s family in Minnesota. I spent two days with almost no internet, knitting, email or watching TV – that would never happen at home. Instead, I hung out with my new relatives, drank margaritas, played in the pool, and just generally relaxed. It was a wonderful and unique weekend.

Stay tuned for more about my trip.

P.S. July

Thanks, everyone, for the kind birthday wishes! They were a nice surprise and very much appreciated. It's been a busy year, what with the moving, job search and new job, wedding planning and wedding. After all that, I plan to focus on relaxing this year. :)

The Norah Gaughan lace hoodie is in time-out right now. I just don't have the heart to try the lace-flipping again for a little while! I've already ripped out my mistakes at least three times.

So I decided to work on a quicker project, and bust some stash:



The lovely Bonne Marie's Ribby Shell! And in a snappy lavender color to boot. The yarn is Classic Elite Provence, purchased from last year's Webs Anniversary Sale. If you've never knit with this yarn - run out and track some down...it is so beautiful. You know how when you use fabric softener on your clothes, and they come out of the dryer all soft and cushy feeling? That's how this yarn feels when it's knit up (although it feels pretty normal in the skein). It's multi-plied so it evens out your stitches too. The only bad thing is that it retails for $12.50 a skein - ouch! Maybe Webs will put it on discount again.

Anyway, that's all I've got for now. Thanks again for the good wishes - here's to another great year.

July 8

July 8 was my birthday! And it was indeed a kick-a$$ birthday.

It started on Friday with a surprise delivery of flowers, and Garrett's Caramel Crisp popcorn - my favorite treat and a Chicago tradition!


I treated myself to a manicure and pedicure on Saturday morning. So relaxing! I now have hot pink toes. Later in the day, my husband and I did something I've always wanted to do: we went to afternoon tea. Check out these treats!


They really did taste as good as they look...wow.

Lest you think the day was over, we had dinner at a great authentic Mexican restaurant called Maiz - they have been written up as having the best margaritas in the city! So being a 'rita lover, I had to check them out. See for yourself:

The food at this place is wonderful - so fresh and flavorful, as well as reasonably priced. We had chicken with mole, and lots of other things whose names escape me now.

A few months ago, I found out that my favorite musical artist was going to be in Chicago on my birthday! So naturally I had to go. Her name is Nanci Griffith - and the fact that she was headlining the Chicago Irish Fest did not stop me from seeing her! (yes, you may chuckle) Actually, the festival thing worked in our favor - the tickets were only $8 for a nearly two-hour performance. Later we waited by her tour bus, in the hopes that we could meet her and get her autograph - I did get her autograph (her manager took my liner notes - and Sharpie - to her on the bus), but didn't get to meet her. Anyway, it was still a special moment!

So that was my day. I'm 31 now! Wee.

No knitting progress, as I keep screwing up the flipping lace. (Flipping as in minor curse word, as well as the maneuver where the lace flips from one side to the other to go up the other half of the sweater's front.) Hopefully I'll get the rhythm going again soon.

Later, y'all! Hope everyone had a nice weekend.

Challenge: Week 4

I missed doing a week 3 update, so it's week 4 now. I'm doing pretty well on the sweater, but it's pretty clear that the pieces won't be done in four weeks. Here's where things stand:



On the left we have the back with two sleeves on top (2nd sleeve is nearly complete), and to the right we have 50% of the front. You can see the part where I flip the lace to go the opposite direction; unfortunately, the ribbing for the other side of the front is on the wrong side, so I have to frog back. I did what I thought the directions told me, but - as Elizabeth pointed out - the RS becomes the WS, and vice versa, so I'll have to read them again in that light.

I still think that had I not had two weeks of work from H-E-doublehockeysticks, I could have at least finished the knitting in 3-4 weeks. But I'm still proud of my effort, and even more proud of my stick-to-it-iveness: this is the only thing I've knit on in the last month! I never have that kind of focus, so it's been refreshing. I should try being a 'one-project woman' more often.

Have a great weekend, everybody! I have some special activities planned for Saturday ...more on that later.

Oh, and P.S. - y'all know Webs? Well, they have launched a full line of yarns under the name Valley Yarns, and it's similar to KnitPicks in that they source them direct from the mill and sell them for low low prices. And Webs is a great company - family run, community-minded...very cool. Check it out!

Saturday

Today was all about me! I had a great day being on my own schedule, doing what I wanted to do for as long as I felt like. The best thing I did today was go to the Marimekko exhibit at Illinois Institute of Technology. There was a brief period in my life in high school when I wanted to be a textile designer – so this was a great thrill for me.

I knew a little about Marimekko, but I learned a lot at the exhibit. The vision guiding the company came from a woman, Armi Ratia. In 1949, her husband bought a company called Printex that made plain old cotton fabric. In order to help market the product, she hired young designers to design new prints for the fabric and make a small collection of clothing from them. Beginning with a 1951 fashion show of these designs, Marimekko was born.

I’m no historian – so go here to read more about Marimekko’s history. Unfortunately, the exhibit doesn’t have a catalog – so that’s the best I can do. For Chicago folks (or visitors! come visit!) - the exhibit will be open until July 28.

I've made a set on Flickr of some of my favorite images from the exhibit. Enjoy the feast of color!

Up next in 'day of me' day activities: Tivo'd episodes of Knitty Gritty.