Catkin

I finally bit the bullet and purchased yarn to make the Catkin capelet. I knew I wanted to use madelinetosh Tosh merino light, but I had a lot of trouble deciding on the color combo. I hate ordering yarn online but my "local" yarn shop isn't all that local, so I end up buying a lot of yarn without seeing it in person. For someone like me, this is a recipe for insanity. I spent countless hours looking at every colorway, trying to imagine which would make the perfect combination, which would look best on me, which I would wear most often... I'm a little obsessive about the color thing. Eventually I would get so overwhelmed I wouldn't order anything. And so the months passed...

Then last week I realized that my vacation is coming up and I had no vacation knitting planned. Squeak! Yes, the project (and yarn) I will pack for a trip takes precedence over all those other silly things. Like clothing. A four hour flight each way calls for some serious knitting; Catkin's time had come.

So, I kicked myself in the butt and told myself to order the dang yarn already. I ended up with Earl Gray and Violin. While I thought they would go well together, I was a bit worried that violin might be too orange for me, but I was somewhat boxed in by what I was (and wasn't) able to find in stock.

As with all madelinetosh, both colorways were beautiful; I knitted up a Catkin swatch, and they looked wonderful together...and horrid on me. As I feared, Violin leans distinctly towards rust. While it's a gorgeous color, it really doesn't flatter my complexion's pink-like-a-pig undertones.

I had also ordered a onesie of Terrarium. I love onesies; they have a Forrest Gump quality of surprise, because you truly never know what you're going to get. In the case of Terrarium, it in no way resembled the "standard" Terrarium colorway, which is a swampy mix of greens and browns. What I got was black shot through with glints of brighter green. When I swatched it I could see that it was actually an incredibly dark, nearly-black green. Pretty cool. Unfortunately, it wasn't a great fit with Earl Gray.

Terrarium onesie

What's a knitter to do? Why, order more yarn, of course! Budget, schmudget. Money is no object when you're fulfilling an artistic vision.

I wanted something with a cool base to pull out the cool, blue gray tones in Earl Gray. After more hemming and hawing (and much counsel from the husbeast) I finally settled on Composition Book Gray. I must confess, I have my doubts. I'm afraid it will be too dark or not have quite the right cast to fit my vision. I also ordered a hank of Tarte; if the Earl/Comp Book Grays don't work out, I thought I might pair it up with my Terrarium onesie. As a Plan B, you know. All right, I admit it - I ordered it just because it's so pretty and it's always out of stock and I can never have enough madelinetosh. Don't judge me!

New Yarn

The yarn I ordered for my Mona's Jacket arrived on Friday: Naturally Naturelle 14 ply in Pecan. It's a slightly lighter weight than the pattern calls for (7 wpi vs. 5-6 wpi), but I couldn't find a super bulky that worked for me. I either didn't like it, or couldn't afford it. Yowza, there's some expensive yarn out there!

 

 

 The yarn is from New Zealand and still smells like sheep (fortunately, I don't mind that, although it will be interesting when I have to wash it. I can't say I particularly enjoy the smell of wet sheep). It reminded me of the yarn my sister brought me back from her trip to New Zealand a couple of years ago. After some frantic pawing through my (disorganized) stash, I found it. I couldn't remember why it had been put away. Once I saw the label, I remembered:

If you enlarge the photo, you may notice something missing from the label. The put up. Hard to plan a project if you don't know how much yarn you have. Thank goodness for Ravelry! The yarn was in the database (although nowhere to be found on Google) so now I know. Also notice how similar the color is to the Naturelle I bought (I hadn't seen this yarn in years, mind you). Good pick on my sister's part, don't you think?

I couldn't start Mona over the weekend because I'm still waiting for the needles. Not that it was an issue - I have a ridiculous number of projects in the pipeline, so I was hardly at a loss for knitting. Among other things, I worked on my VB socks, which will have to be frogged again. I'm still messing around with needle sizes and methods. I discovered that part of my problem with Magic Loop is that I'm not working with a long enough cable. Ladders are always a problem for me with Magic Loop, although never when I use dpns. Which is part of why I hate the method. Yes, I know, that's knitting blasphemy to most people, but I can't help it. Call me old fashioned, but I love my dpns. Unfortunately, they're not always an option. So, I'm going to give two circulars a try and see how that goes, and if that doesn't work, I'll be ordering some longer circulars for Magic Loop. *Sigh*

The pattern itself is a fun knit. It isn't difficult, although it does require some attention, particularly because there are two unrelated cables to keep track of at one time. My Vogue Knitting app has been invaluable. I've generally found it to be a disappointment, but the ability to add multiple counters to a project makes VB a lot easier!

Since I didn't feel like wrestling with the needle issue last night, I put VB aside and cast on the first Fargyle sock. These will go really fast - I only worked on them for maybe an hour and a half, and I'm 2/3 of the way through the first chart repeat.

They aren't quite the retina-searing blue they appear to be in the photos. Or maybe it's just me. The cabling is looking a little skanky right now, but I'm hoping some vicious blocking will take care of it. I've got my fingers crossed that I'll have enough time tonight for another full repeat and the heel turn. Always my favorite part of any sock. There's something really satisfying about it, and I feel a little smug afterward, as though I'd performed some magic trick. I'd better get cracking if I'm going to pull the rabbit out of the hat.

Let's try this again

I am obviously a very bad blogger. Four widely-spaced posts, and then nothing for more than three years. That's just sad. So I've decided to try again and see if I can do any better this time. Maybe someone will read it, or maybe not. But the possibility that something I write or show could help or entertain another fiber geek makes me feel it's worth giving it another go. I've gotten lots of enjoyment and education out of other people's blogs, so I'd like to try to give something back. I've also been doing a lot of knitting lately, and this is a good place to share it.

My latest project is a pair of Vampire Boyfriend socks. I've wanted to make them forever but couldn't find exactly the right color of yarn (and it had to be exactly right. How could I accept anything less for a tribute to my secret vampire love?) Fortunately, I finally stumbled across Cascade Heritage in Red. It's precisely what I envisioned - not orangey or too bright, and not too dark. Perfect!

So after my long wait, I got the yarn a couple of weeks ago. Then I wouldn't let myself start them. I was trying to be disciplined and finish other projects first. I was also having bad knitting juju. Seemed like everything I touched turned to poop. I couldn't do anything right. I was afraid if I started them it would be a disaster, and I would have been crushed.

That finally seems to have cleared up, and I couldn't resist casting them on at 1AM this morning, when I should have been in bed. I only knitted half a round, but it was enough to appease the gnawing sock-beast within. I should finish my Pogona tonight, but I have a feeling the beast will demand more Vampire Boyfriend. And you can't argue with the sock-beast.

Patience is a virtue

Being a Big Girl requires extraordinary dedication to any largish project, like a sweater. It's really kind of a drag. The project I couldn't wait to start becomes the bane of my existence. The yarn I loved to the point of distraction becomes hateful. I realized that this is why I am obsessed with socks, hats, mittens and assorted accessories. I can usually finish them before I get bored silly - I have the attention span of gnat. Okay, that's kind of harsh. More like a chipmunk. On a good day.

Case in point: I started knitting plain black socks for the husbeast Friday night (yeah, my life is really that exciting). This is the first pair I've ever done two at a time on two circular needles. I've always gone the old school dpn route. So I'm knitting along, and I find that I'm starting to get more and more annoyed because they don't seem to be getting any longer. Logically, I understand that they are growing more slowly because I'm doing both at the same time. You know, two socks = twice as long to get to the heel turn. Elementary, right? Yet somehow this doesn't appease the Beast of Impatience within. I toil onward just the same.

Maybe it would help if he would accept something besides plain black in plain stockinette. Actually, he will - but not for work. He will only wear interesting socks at home. Even black with any texture is "too flashy". Like anyone ever sees them anyway! He likes his pants to be long enough to sort of sit on the tops of his shoes. He's like some Victorian lady - baring an ankle (even sock-encased) would be scandalous. He's a hoot.

I have some recent FO's that I still have to take photos of (I got a new camera for Christmas - yay!). I completed a Piggle, a Wavy scarf and a Stellina hat, all in a bright red superwash merino. I am fully armed for winter! And unfortunately, it looks like I will have plenty of opportunities to use them...

No more photos.....

At least not for a while. My camera died on Sunday evening. Very distressing, considering it's not even 2 years old! And I had things to share.....

I finished Sivia Harding's Journey Cable socks on Sunday. I used JaWoll in bright orange (o159). I enjoyed the pattern, and they turned out very well, if I do say so myself. This is the second sock in progress:


The pattern is sized for babies and women's medium and large. However, the husbeast really liked them and wants a pair. I'm not sure if I'm going to alter the pattern or just knit them on bigger needles. He doesn't have giant feet, so it shouldn't be too difficult.

I got my order from KnitPicks on Wednesday. Yarn joy! I ordered Essential in the new Peacock Multi, and Felici in Pebble and Arugula. I'm on a sock jag. Which is what lead to the other item in my order: 6 sets of nickel plated dpn's in sock-appropriate sizes. I know it sounds excessive, but, but.... it was a really good price, and they came in a set, and I never have enough little needles and I JUST WANTED THEM, OKAY?! All right, so I'm a little defensive about the needle stockpiling thing. I also thought, "What if I hate them? Now I have 6 sets to hate." I've never been a big fan of metal needles - I'm more of a bamboo girl. Not anymore. I love them, I love them, I love them! Awesome, fabulous, wunderbar. I knit like the wind. I can't believe I've been missing out all this time. Imagine all the FO's I could have had...

Seriously, they are great needles. Especially for the price, which averaged out to about $5 a set. They are smooth as glass, and have a nice balance to them. They have some weight without being heavy, and they have a solid feel to them, which I like. I have a tendency to hold my needles very tightly (okay, it's a death grip). This can cause annoying warping in bamboo needles, and in lighter metal ones. While this doesn't seem to affect the knitting, it offends my sensibilities. Best of all, these babies are FAST. I cast on Grumperina's Jaywalker socks in the Peacock early on Wednesday evening. By the time I went to bed last night I had finished the heel and gusset and was into the foot. Amazing. Two evenings and I'm 3/4 of the way through a sock. I am not generally a lightening-fast knitter (something which makes me a little self-conscious), but these needles have turned me into The Flash. I will definitely be purchasing more. I'm thinking about buying the Options set. I love my Denises, but you can never have too many needles.

As for the yarn, I'm diggin' it. I'm never too sure about colorways. I can be very picky and I am often disappointed, but this is really nice. Deep, saturated shades of purple, green and teal. Lovely if you like those colors, and truly peacock-like. Since I have a thing about peacocks, it's perfect.

 A peacock, just for fun:

Chilly Chicken

My mother-in-law is always cold. 98 degree heat wave? Ma's cold. She wears hoodies in the summer. I call her my chilly chicken (don't ask). She has COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease), and since Chicago in August is one of the worst places to be if you have breathing problems, she has to run the air conditioner all the time. You know, like a normal person would in August in Chicago. Living here is a little like living in the Amazon, but without the interesting animals and attractive scenery.

Of course, my mother-in-law is always cold because she has no adipose tissue (read: fat). I offered to give her some of mine (I have plenty to share). Or I could make her a shawl. Strangely, she opted for the shawl.

I finished the Wing O' the Moth shawl last week and finally blocked it yesterday. It did not block well, and I am not entirely happy with it. I think the main problem was the cast off. The instructions say "bind off in knit". So I did a plain old-fashioned knitted bind off. Uh-uh. I make every effort to bind off loosely, and I even used a needle 3 1/2 sizes larger than what I used to knit the shawl. It was still too tight. I thought so before I blocked it, but I thought maybe the knitting gods would make magic and it would be all right. Nope. The fir cone stitch didn't open up as much as I would have liked, and I couldn't get a really good stretch on the coronas. And believe me, I am an aggressive blocker. Poop.









I did not frog. I did not fix it. I admit it - I am lazy. And I knew my mother-in-law would love it anyway. But if I were to make the shawl again (which I may) I would use a different bind off.

Here it is being modeled by the lovely Eleanore. I know the photos could be better, but it's the best I could manage in a pinch. No time for a real photo shoot, since I must rush it to the recipient before she freezes to death in her own home!









The chicken will be chilly no more.

Pattern: Wing O' the Moth
Yarn: KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud in Sand, 3 hanks
Needles: Size 7 (size 10.5 for binding off)

Ready or not, here I come

This is my first posting, so please be kind. I'm hoping that the first is the hardest - I've been angsting about it for more than a week. Clearly, I am prone to stage fright. I know there are already tons of knitting and/or fiber-related blogs, but here I am adding one more.

Why? I need more fiber friends. I'm calling this a fiber blog, although for the moment it will be primarily knitting-focused. But since I have the attention span of a gnat I am sure my other fiber-related obsessions will make rapid appearances.

I am a knitter/crocheter/seamstress/spinner/bead weaver. My resume (to bolster my fiber cred):

• I've been knitting off and on for eons (well, since I was 12, anyway). I was a lapsed knitter for many years, but about 3 years ago I picked up my needles with a vengeance.
• I learned to crochet when I was 5.
• I completed my first solo sewing project (a robe for my sister) when I was 9.
• I learned to use a drop spindle about 10 months ago and have been spinning (badly, I might add) ever since.
• I've been messing around with beads almost since I can remember (my sister took me to my first bead shop when I was 3). I started using off-loom weaving techniques (i.e. peyote, brick, etc.) about 10 years ago.

So that's my fiber life in a nutshell. I guess I'm starting this blog because I want people with whom to share my triumphs and tribulations. People who will relate to my strange yarn and textile fixations. Kindred souls who understand my insatiable craving for just one more skein/ball/hank/yard..... So, welcome to my world.