Knit Pics

Announcing my New Blog

2007-08-09T02:10:00.000-07:00

This is just one of the cute pictures you can find over at my new blog: Momma Muses. My new blog is more about mommying than knitting, but I expect there to be a fair amount of knitting for baby content. I hope to see you over there!

For example:
Notice the cute (knit by me) wool longies that Audrey is wearing! I based these on the Little Turtle Knits "the longies pattern," but made a lot of changes, like I knit it with 20 sts/inch instead of 18 sts/inch. I also added cute stripes on the legs and a little bit more ribbing on the bottom cuff.
Yarn: Cascade 220 in dark green, light green, and hot pink
Gauge: 20 sts/inch
Needles: US 7 and US 5 for ribbing

FO: Wool Soaker!

2007-07-16T06:31:00.000-07:00

This past week I was working hard on making a wool soaker of my own design. After two failed attempts I gave in and bought the pattern for one I had heard good things about. Specifically, I heard that it fits, which is very important when I am talking about something to keep my baby's bottom dry.

Pattern: Little Turtle Knits "The Original Soaker Pattern"
I made the small for my 3 month ~12.5 lb baby with a 15" waist and 8" thighs.
Yarn: Cascade 220 from my stash. The MC is a lovely peachy pink. The CC is a vibrant raspberry.
Needles: I used US 3 and US 5 16" circs

Front View:

Back View:

Baby Views:

On a side note, fresh blueberries in oatmeal are yummy.

Baby Web Scrapbook

2007-05-22T16:08:00.000-07:00

I haven't been posting here, because I have been here.

Baby is here!

2007-04-21T07:26:00.000-07:00

Audrey Claire
April 10, 2006
6:51 pm MST
6 lbs 7 oz
20 inches

(Notice she is wearing her
Heartbreakingly Cute Kimono!)

Heartbreakingly Cute Baby Kimono

2007-02-24T12:35:00.000-08:00

I finially got around to finishing the Baby Kimono from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I used Sugar 'n spice from Joann's and size 6 needles. I cast on fewer stitches, I think 36 instead of 40 as my gauge was off, but I liked the fabric created with size 6 needles. I chose to use a button instead of the ribbon. Here are some pictures. I can't wait to see baby in it!

Some pictures

2007-02-15T12:14:00.000-08:00

Wedding picture:
Adam and I got married on Flagstaff Mountain in Boulder, CO on June 3, 2006.

Pregnant Belly picture 30w5d:
I look tired because I am tired.

Pregnant Belly picture 30w5d (sans shirt):
My belly button is still an inny.

More Baby Bedding

2007-02-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

I am 29 weeks pregnant today.

Here is the crib. (You can see Dexter peeking out from underneath):

I finished the bed skirt yesterday. It was more difficult than I expected primarily due to three things.
1. The kitties still like to eat patterns and Dexter now fancies pins and steals them out of my seams.
2. I am 7 months pregnant, so therefore, most positions are not very comfortable to me including the positions required to hunch over a sewing machine. My back was killing me not to long into the project.
3. The gathered seams. I was supposed to gather the material at the top, but after much fuss and frustration and many snapped threads, I decided I like it without a gathered seam just fine, thank you very much.

Here is the bed skirt up close. :

And here is KNITTING!!! My (in progress) log cabin style baby blanket inspired by Mason Dixon Knitting. It won't be getting much larger than this (~2 feet x ~2 feet) as I am running out of yarn. I will have enough to do a narrow red border around the outside. The blanket is made with Dale of Norway 100% superwash (and supersoft) wool, Baby Ull, 2 strands held together on size 6 needles:

I hope the baby likes it as much as Portia seems to:

Not Knitting, but...

2006-12-12T09:38:00.000-08:00

I am pregnant with a baby girl! and I am sewing! I don't know how to sew, so it is a learning process. This is actually the first item that I have ever made without my home ec teachers, my mother, or a friend. Needless to say, it is a simple pattern.

Yesterday, I went to Joann's. I picked out the pattern. I spent a million years trying to find the perfect fabric combinations that had enough left on the bolt for all the projects I want to make. Finally, I came home, ate, napped, and got to work. Voila, this morning, I finished my baby quilt. (I figure it can double as a picnic blanket as the reverse is all the checker pattern.)

In addition to the lovely quilt, I am going to make a bumper, bed skirt, basket liners, and a pillow for the glider.

The kitties really like the pattern paper. They hid under it, nested into it, tried to eat it, ran and dove into it, and used it as a sheild. Hopefully they didn't damage any pieces I need. If they did, I will still love them.

Lots and Lots of stuff to share!

2006-05-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

Exactly 2 weeks 'til our rehearsal dinner! 15 days 'til our wedding! And 22 days 'til our honeymoon!

First of all, I want to post pictures of the fabulous gifts my secret pal sent to me for SP8.
First, she (I can say that with confidence, because we are all women) got me some beautiful lace yarn in brilliant pinks and yellows with the Elizabeth I patterns and a wraps-per-inch tool. I did start it, but I have decided to wait 'til after I get back from my honeymoon to work on it more.

My other gift from my secret pal is really great. Part of it is yarn to dye, Kool-aid packets, and Yarn to Dye for, by Kathleen Taylor, a book about dying with info on self-patterning. The pictures in this book are so inspiring. This is another thing I am saving 'til I get back from my honeymoon!

If you want to see some pictures of beautifully handdyed yarn (for sale), see what my friend, Kate, is doing here.

In addition to the dying gift, my secret pal also sent me some lovely Trekking XXL. I don't know if I can say enough about this yarn. I LOVE TREKKING XXL! When I received my gift from my secret pal, I was working on a pair of Grumperina's Jaywalkers in a lovely colorway 105 which is absolutely gorgeous and is made for Jaywalkers! I knit the smaller size on US1s for my 8 1/2 inches around foot. They fit perfectly.

So, I just had to say all of that so that my secret pal and everyone would know just how thrilled I was to receive my new Trekking XXL colorway. I took a picture of it with some Koigu because they are the yarns I am bringing on my honeymoon with me. For our honeymoon, Adam and I are going on a Princess Cruise that leaves from Oahu, visits Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. Then the ship heads south for 4 days (Read this as lots of time for knitting!) with a stop at Christmas Island (which is actually called something else, but in the US we call it Christmas). After the 4days south we end up in French Polynesia where we visit Bora Bora, Mo'orea, Raittea, and Tahiti. When I saw this Koigu, I had this vision of knitting socks the reflect the colors of the Pacific Ocean while reclining on the cruise boat. My only trouble was deciding whether they should be for Adam or for me. When I saw the Trekking XXL, my problem was solved. Now I have to decide who gets Trekking and who gets Koigu. I'll leave it up to Adam.

In other news, Adam got me flower! He even put them in a vace and had them waiting for me when I got home. They look so lovely and smell so sweet.

Since Adam is so sweet, I baked him a cake. (Yes, I answer to domestic godess.) It is called Rigo Jansci. I found the recipe in an amazing cookbook called A Baker's Tour, by Nick Malgieri"It is made from two thin layers of chocolate cake with a whipped chocolate cream filling and a shiny chocolate glaze..."(Malgieri, 179)

It isn't perfect because of my own impatience. I didn't let the inner layer chill long enough, so it was a tad runner than it should have been, more of it ended up gushing over the sides than stayed in the middle, but it still tastes fantastic. (I had it for breakfast with a glass of milk.)

My houseplants that I were dying are making a miracluous recovery after I moved them to a sunnier corner and saturated them with water. That's good, because I don't do much more than relocate and give them a drink. If they don't respond to that, they are doomed...

As my flower boxes prove. I do plan on finding some other flowers that enjoy lots of direct sunlight in the next week. Any suggestions?

Here is some Euroflax that I am going to make some kitchen towels and washclothes out of.

Emily hosted a knitting swap, to which I forgot to bring my camera. Her blog has lots of pictures! I did not want to get anything, but Emily pointed out these Ebony US7 14inch long needles which I couldn't resist. Really, I think of them as a gift from Emily rather than a stash swap score. I have never had a pair of ebony knitting needles before, but now I want to find a project for which I can use these. Most people are inspired by patterns or yarn. Do you ever choose your project because you want to use a new pair of needles?

You may have noticed

2006-05-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

that I haven't posted lately. That is because I would rather be knitting and because I am deep into wedding planning. The wedding is exactly 1 month away. Oh no, I forgot, I have to call the photographer, so much for a full post.

I am knitting. Right now, jaywalker socks in a beautiful trekking xxl colorway.

Angora Baby Booties

2006-03-25T10:22:00.000-08:00

Pattern: Angora Baby Booties from Last-minute Knitted Gifts
Designer: Joelle Hoverson
Yarn: As called for in pattern, Belangor 100% angora in color Biscayne (#810). I bought it from purlsoho.com
Needles: US #5 dpn
Gauge: ??

More baby booties! These take no time at all (knit on US #5 s.) Simple pattern. Love the double knit technique she uses for the toe. I really, really want to make them in the Bouton d'Or Angora in the bright coral color as pictured on p. 37 in the book, but can't find it anywhere. Does anyone know where/if I can get it? Maybe I'll look around for an equally brilliant red in another brand of angora.

This is the first time I knit with 100% angora. It really tickles my nose, but I don't mind. Dexter cat has been trying to EAT the booties and sneakily lies down next to me just to get a little closer to the fluff. I have never seen him this determined to get yarn and (gasp) finished objects before.

I have a LYS run planned with Emily today! (Emily doesn't yet have a personal blog, but she is a dedicated blog reader who is certain to be sucked further in.) Following our LYS visit, we are going to head over to Borders on Pearl Street for a delightful knitting filled afternoon with the gals (and maybe our token man, Tom). Now, I have to decide which projects to bring to knitting.

FO: Better-Than-Booties Baby Socks

2006-03-24T09:24:00.000-08:00

Pattern: Better-Than-Booties Baby Socks (pdf) free from Interweave Knits.
Designer: Ann Budd
Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock (machine washable!!) in Daffodil #204. The pattern claims that you can make 3 pairs of baby socks from every skein. Lots of colorways available through Jimmy Beans Wool
Needles: US 0
Gauge: ??

If you look at the pattern, you will see that it has quite a few variations, some with cables, lace or ruffles. I didn't do any of the patterns. Instead I did 2x2 ribbing for the leg of the sock, but I tried out a new technique, 2 circs instead of on dps! I used instructions for the 2 circ method I found on socknitters. I only used the 2 circs for the legs. After that, I did revert to the dps. I anticipate using this technique a lot for future socks and other small circular projects that require 2 (sweater sleeves, mittens).

About Shepherd Sock yarn. I love it! There are so many colors available and it is machine washable. I'm not really sure how much yarn I used. This was stash yarn. I purchased it a couple of years ago to make my sister arm warmers (that turned out fabulously). I also have another colorway called Desert Flower #100 with purples, pinks, turquoise, and browns that I am thinking about knitting up as baby socks too. I can't wait to get more, but I need to make some more socks first (self-restraint is a virtue, isn't it?)

The baby socks are for a good friend of mine who is pregnant, due at the end of the summer. I can't wait to try out more baby patterns and baby yarns! Some others patterns I'm thinking about are: Lovable Toys rabbit and elephant and Child's Placket-neck pullover from Last-Minute Knitted Gifts and Aran Pullover from Knitting For Baby. Actually, there are lots of other patterns that look like a lot of fun too.

My friend just told me she is having a boy! Should this change the way I knit for the child? I'm amazed at how gender defining even the youngest of baby garmants are. I guess I wouldn't have sent her any lacy, frilly things, even if she were having girl, but what about color choices? I don't want to knit anything that screams girl for her boy, or boy for her boy. I am going to try to be as gender neutral as possible. (This isn't just for me. I'm sure my friend wouldn't want anything too gender defining.)

Oh, I don't know if my D(soon-to-be)H knows that I am knitting these baby items for my friend's baby or if he thinks I am going crazy on him, knitting baby things for my future children (I am not pregnant, but he knows I want to have children soon.) I think I may have forgotten to say who they were for. He did say they were cute.

March - Red and Pink

2006-03-19T09:22:00.000-08:00

This morning, I got out my pink and red yarn and started playing. I tried different combinations next to each other, exploring the color variations. Here are some pictures:

Above is a bag full of various pink and red yarns.

My yarn for Orangina (which I have yet to start.) Mmm, Rowan 4-ply cotton.

Here is Dexter exploring some pink mohair.

For the above two picture, I was trying to lay the yarns that were most alike together, to create a spectrum.

100 thing about me

2006-03-17T07:27:00.000-08:00

I have seen a bunch of these things on people's blogs. Today, I decided to do one myself.

One Hundred Things About Me:
1. I live with 2 cats (Portia & Dexter) and a man (Adam) in Boulder, Colorado, USA.
2. I love to travel. I have been to 16 countries and 33 US states. I plan to visit many more places.
3. I dream in color.
4. I like designing websites.
5. I am a librarian, and I love what I do. I get to work with teens.
6. I can't wait to be a mother.
7. I am right handed.
8. I pierced my nose myself when I was 16. I started wearing a nose ring again when I turned 28.
9. I love a good story.
10. I was born in Maryland.
11. I attended elementary school in Brimley in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
12. I attended Balswin High School in Pittsburgh.
13. I would like to publish a novel, but I currently don't write.
14. I am learning about houseplants and plan to cultivate window boxes this summer.
15. I burn and freckle.
16. My office / knitting room is a mess.
17. My personality type is INFP.
18. When I was growing up I wanted to be an astronaut, an archeologist, a vet, an artist, and a writer, chronologically.
19. If I had it to do over I would have majored in Neuroscience, Linguistics, or Writing.
20. I love watching Anne of Green Gables and Pride and Prejudice. They are hilarious.
21. I think I am very tolerant and find joy in people's differences.
22. Social problems baffle me.
23. I used to diagram sentences for fun.
24. I have a hard time doing even simple math in my head, but I like doing math problems if I have paper, pencil, and no one looking over my shoulder.
25. I can type approximately 55 wpm with 0 mistakes.
26. I would like to speak French fluently (or at least semi-fluently.)
27. Currently, my favorite alcoholic drink is a dirty gin martini.
28. I am learning how to dance.
29. I should drink more water.
30. I wish I could read faster.
31. Sometimes I like to go bicycling.
32. I have 2 sisters and 1 brother. I am the oldest.
33. I love english toffee.
34. I like to throw useless things away.
35. I love watching thunderstorms.
36. I am a morning person.
37. I am not religious.
38. I can see the foothills of the rocky mountains from my bedroom window.
39. When I was 20 and was living in Pittsburgh, I hopped on a greyhound bus in the middle of the night and ended up in Montreal.
40. I stayed at the youth hostel there for a week, and then took a greyhound to Santa Fe, NM where I lived for 9 months. The greyhound ride from Montreal to Santa Fe took over 50 hours.
41. While there, I worked at the Georgia O'Keeffe museum during the first and second years it was open.
42. I have gotten much better at interacting with people as I have aged.
43. I don't like finishing things, like the last little bit of milk or shampoo or sliver of soap. This drives Adam crazy.
44. I start way more books and knitting projects than I ever finish.
45. I am getting better at finishing knitting projects.
46. I drive a 2004 Nissan Sentra in a neutral metallic color.
47. I used to have pretty bad vision -3.5 and -4.5 with severe astigmatism, but I had eye surgery last month and now I can see without glasses.
48. I still look for my glasses in the morning and attempt to take them off of my face before I go to bed.
49. I was teased a lot in school. I think a lot of kids are.
50. I haven't seen my biological father since I was a very small child, but we email sporadically.
51. When I was 15, I thought I looked like a boy, so I started wearing dresses.
52. I cycle between look nice and not giving a @#$%.
53. I have fainted many times in my life. I haven't fainted in a couple of months now.
54. One time, I fainted in public because I was READING a passage describing self-mutilation.
55. I was very depressed as a teenager and tried to kill myself multiple times. I had to stay in mental hospitals.
56. I ran away from home.
57. I used lots of illegal substances.
58. I dropped out of high school.
59. I graduated from college with honors.
60. Now I have a masters degree in library and info sci with a focus on youth services.
61. I have a soft spot in my heart for teens, because I remember how hard it can be.
62. I don't regret anything.
63. I love camping.
64. I didn't develop breasts until I was in my early 20s when I gained 20#s. I thought I was a very boyish girl, but really I was just under weight.
65. Now, I am about 20#s more voluptuous than I would like to be.
66. I am not a very good speller.
67. I used to know how to program in C, C++, and Java, but it has been years and I don't think I know how to do it anymore.
68. I studied computer information systems with a minor in cognitive psychology as an undergrad. I started as a Linguistics major, changed to sociology, and finally settled on CIS because of its interdisciplinary nature.
69. I still love linguistics.
70. I have a hard time making decisions because I like so many things. Making a decision is saying NO to many options.
71. I still dream about Rowl, my kitty from childhood who lived for 20 years.
72. Cheesy songs make me cry.
73. I cry when I am happy.
74. I used to tell myself stories.
75. I still do, especially when I am doing things I don't want to do.
76. I can never remember the punch lines of jokes.
77. I don't like to dwell on the past.
78. I want to visit all the continents of the world.
79. Adam and I are visiting Honolulu, Kauai, Maui, Hilo, Christmas island, bora bora, raiatea, moorea, and tahiti for our honeymoon cruise.
80. We plan on having babies soon.
81. We have known each other since he was 17 and I was 19, but we didn't start dating until 2 years later (when I got back from Santa Fe)
82. I wish I were smarter, but I am glad I am as smart as I am.
83. I wish I were better at being thoughtful, but this is something I am working on.
84. Writing lists helps me be more productive.
85. I just started a subscription to martha stewart living because I would like to be better at organizing a household.
86. I think I will be a great mother.
87. I am good at listening when I realize someone needs someone to listen.
88. I should drink more water.
89. I love taking hot bathes with lavender oil.
90. I love taking walks in the evening.
91. I love wearing nice clothes and eating at nice restaurants.
92. My favorite meal is tuna steak done rare with a peppercorn crust; veggies maybe asparagus, onions, and mushrooms or a fresh spinach salad with goat cheese; some warm, crusty bread; and a decadent dessert.
93. I also really love oatmeal, grilled cheese sandwiches, claussen's pickles, french croissants, large vats of homemade soup, fresh fruit, yogurt, and ice cream.
94. I am an ok cook and baker, but I should really practice more often.
95. I love ethnic food too, especially anything spicy.
96. I think of myself as an intermediate knitter, but I am not afraid to try difficult patterns and techniques.
97. I am also not afraid to keep it simple.
98. I try not to dislike people based on their political or religious belief, but to look deeper into them.
99. I would like to revisit this list and perhaps revise it every year or so. Hmm, I wonder if I will.
100. I am getting married on June 3, 2006.

Project Spectrum

2006-03-15T07:35:00.000-08:00

I found out about Project Spectrum from FiddlesticKnitting : The idea is, each month you explore a different color. For March, it is red / pink. For my part, I have this totally covered. I carry a red pocketbook, wear red shoes, have both pink and red sunglasses. I haven't knit anything in red or pink for a while, although I do have an ample supply of both colors in my stash. I may carry over red / pink to April for orange as I have Rowan 4-ply cotton in a lovely warm pinky corally color that I am dying to turn into Stefanie Japel's Orangina (pattern for sale).

As for more red / pink exploration, I have a number of projects lined up. I'd love to do them now, but I am already going to have to speed to make it to work on time.
1. Take lovely pictures of all of the red and pink yarn in my stash, or at least some of it.
2. I've been meaning to crochet a lovely cloche which should be quick, if I can remember how to crochet
3. I'll buy myself some lovely flowers in red or pink.

No matter what, do not wear red or pink on St. Patty's day. I for one will be wearing the green on the 17th!

Ok, now I'm going to have to teleport to work (with my hair still wet) to get there on time.

Book Meme

2006-03-14T05:59:00.000-08:00

Meme instructions: Look at the list of books below. Bold the ones you've read, italicize the ones you might read, cross out the ones you won't, underline the ones on your book shelf, and place parentheses around the ones you've never even heard of.

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy - Douglas Adams
The Great Gatsby - F.Scott Fitzgerald
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - J. K. Rowling
Life of Pi - Yann Martel
Animal Farm: A Fairy Story - George Orwell
Catch-22 - Joseph Heller
The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
1984 - George Orwell
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J. K. Rowling
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
Slaughterhouse 5 - Kurt Vonnegut
(The Secret History - Donna Tartt)
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - C. S. Lewis
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
(Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell)
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
Atonement - Ian McEwan
(The Shadow Of The Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon)
The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway
The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
Dune - Frank Herbert

Some of the books I said I read, I actually listened to on audiobook, and some of the books I say are on my bookshelf are actually on my virtual bookshelf, downloaded from audible.com.

Hats

2006-03-10T08:02:00.000-08:00

CABLE HAT

YARN: Bunny and Classic Elite Inca Alpaca in similar blues held together.
NEEDLES: US 9 Addi Naturas (First time I used them, delightful!)
NOTES: Three cables come up from 2 1/2 inches of 2x2 ribbing. In the body I purled in between the cables. The only thing I would change are the decreases. There are some small puckers where I started my decreases. I'll have to play around with that.

PIXIE HAT

YARN: same as above.
NEEDLES: US 9 addi naturas
NOTES: I originally knit this hat for Adam, but it doesn't fit him. However, it does fit me and the cable hat fits him. So now, Adam and I can walk around in matching handknit hats looking like the nerds that we are!

Finished Cardigan!!!

2006-03-10T07:14:00.000-08:00

Here it finally is, my cardigan!

CARDIGAN

PATTERN:
Knitting Pure & Simple Neckdown V Neck Shaped Cardigan #241
YARN: Cascade 220
NEEDLES: US 7 24" addi turbos, US 6 24" addi turbos (to further define waistline), US 7 16" for sleeves.
NOTE: Instead of having a tie, I decided to go with a toggle. I'm very happy with the way the whole thing turned out. And it even fits!

TOP: the whole thing.
BOTTOM 1: Some detail of the toggle and neckline.
BOTTOM RED: This is what happens when I cover the flash with my finger!

Handspun pour moi!

2006-03-03T08:38:00.000-08:00

My dear friend, Kate, took a series of spinning classes this past month. She surprised me this past Wednesday (yay Wednesdays!!!) with this fine specimen of her work. She also dyed it pink so I can use it to knit my flowers. Thanks Kate. What a great surprise!
ABOVE: Kate's Handspun with Dexter, my fiber and needle loving kitty, who is keeping an eye on it.

How did you learn to knit???

2006-03-01T07:27:00.001-08:00

WHO?: My babysitter taught me to crochet. My mother taught me to knit. I don't think either of them got very far with me. I remember my mom showing me how to cast on any number of times. Since then, I have learned a variety of techniques from books and classes. The books I have found most useful for extending my repertoire of techniques have been Debbie Stoller's Stitch 'n Bitch and Nancie Wiseman's Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques. As for classes, I have taken Sock Knitting, Yarn Characteristics, Gauge, and Knitting 2 at Shuttles here in Boulder. I've been very happy with the quality of instruction and general knitting know-how of the instructors at Shuttles

WHEN?: I first started to learn how to knit when I was 7 or 8 years old. I crocheted quite a bit more, actually, because for crochet, all I had to remember was the slip knot. For some reason, casting on was very intimidating to me. When I was in high school, I crocheted an afghan, when I wasn't being a juvenile delinquent. While living in Santa Fe, NM, at the age of 20, I crocheted my second afghan. And I crocheted a third afghan while in grad school, but it has since been destroyed. As for knitting, I got back into knitting about 4 years ago. For the most part, I retaught myself from the above mentioned books, online tutorials, and through frantic calls to mom.

WHY?: My mom and babysitter first taught me to knit to give me something to do; keep me out of trouble. I continue to knit for those same reasons. There are so many ways to spend time and sometimes I feel like I never accomplish anything. With knitting, I have something tangible that shows my accomplishments. I see myself improving with practice and advice from other knitters. Knitting has also given me a great group of friends who are always up for driving for miles to see some alpacas or visit yonder yarn stores. Knitting also makes me feel contected to the past. I am grateful to my babysitter and my mother for passing down their craft.

So, how did you learn to knit?

Alpaca Extravaganza

2006-02-26T06:44:00.000-08:00

The Alpaca Breeders Alliance of Northern Colorado is holding its 2006 Alpaca Extravaganza this weekend at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, about 15 minutes from where I live. Some SnBers from Boulder met up there: Alex, Jenifer, Meike and (Meike's) Alex. They had an amazing assortment of alpaca products and kitsch: from stuffed animals of all sizes and cookie cutters (yes, cookie cutters!) to lovely garments, roving, and a nice assortment of alpaca yarn. Although I was tempted to make many purchases, I decided not to buy anything. Perhaps that was the easiest decision since their were so many nice yarns and I had limited myself to $40 which wasn't enough for even 2 skeins of the yarns that caught my eyes.

Alpacas tug at my heartstrings. There soft coat, doe eyes, and sweet temperment make them an ideal candidate for a pet. Although, the cost is prohibitive at this point. (Adam, don't you want alpacas!) Even if I don't have alpacas, I think it would be very cool if Meike and Alex had some! Alpaca farming may suit them. (Meike and Alex, don't you want alpacas!)

Wednesday is here again!!!

2006-02-22T07:21:00.000-08:00

No pics to post today. I've been knitting a bunch, but since I am working on this cardigan, which involves many, many knits and purls, I still have no FOs to share. Getting closer though!

You may ask, why would Wednesday be so cool to require three (3) exclamation marks? Typically this much excitement is reserved for exciting news, birthdays, and perhaps (but only perhaps) Fridays. For me, Wednesday is the best day of the week. It is my dependable stitchNbitch which is really quite amazing. Some Wednesdays we have upwards of 20 knitters stop by over the course of the evening! Other Wednesdays, we have a smaller crowd of 5 or 7 knitters! On occasion we have an intimate knitting group of 2 or 3, which is also nice! Some knitters come early and leave early. Some come late and stay late. There are also some die hards who come early and stay late. We are a talented group made up of beginners to experienced. Some of us don't mind synthetics, while others will only work with handspun. There are beginning knitters who really are just learning the stitches and working on their first scarf. There are strong technical knitters who work on complicated patterns. There are designers who have to change the pattern. There are cable, lace, socks, sweaters, scarves, hats, mitts, faire isle, etc. A bunch of us are contributing to a blog, snb-boulder. Check it out!

More on Cardigan and Knitty Excitement

2006-02-15T07:11:00.000-08:00

MORE ON CARDI: I realized after looking back, that I was having trouble uploading photos to blogger on the day I was going to post the very beginnings of my cardigan. In this picture, you can see the neck underway and a picture of what the designer's FO looks like. So, I have been making some progress!

KNITTY EXCITEMENT!: Jenifer got a pattern of a lovely summer swishy shirt accepted into Knitty! I'm so excited for her. I'm also excited because, guess who ended up being the model for the shirt! Me. Now Jenifer is a knitwear designer and I am well on my way to being a supermodel. Congratulations Jenifer!

Cardigan progress

2006-02-15T06:47:00.000-08:00

This is the V-neck cardigan I am working on for my Knitting 2 class. If you browse back a few days you can see a picture of it when I was just getting started. Now I am below the raglan seams, working on the body and sleeves alternately. I've tried it on a couple of time and it is fitting really well. This is supercool!

TOP PIC: This is really a picture of one of my cats, Portia. Notice her poofy tail. It is her most precious possession. She struts around the house, showing it off like a newly engaged girl showing off her new ring! This morning, Portia was very interested in what I was doing with my sweater. Really, a project with lots of strings hanging off of it is one of her favorite things in the world.

RIGHT PIC: Oh, it is another picture of Portia!, but I think you get a better idea of how the cardigan is progressing. If you look closely under the cardigan's left sleeve, you can see another grey kitty hiding in the background. That is Dex. He is jealous that Portia already claimed the coolest spot in the house as her own!

BOTTOM PIC: This one is in sepia colors! Almost everything looks a lovely vintage when captured in sepia.

Flower Power

2006-02-14T06:07:00.000-08:00

Doesn't this picture look like a yarn ice cream, flower cone and a chocolate cherrie on top?! Scruptious, I could eat it up! So here is my flower progress. I am doing better than I expected, but not as well as I hoped. Maybe my flowers should have been my knitting olympics project!

BACKGROUND STORY: I am knitting 150 of these flowers for my June 3, 2006 wedding favors (with some help from my dear knitting friends.) Imagine each flower is perched atop a chocolate colored box the size of a small box of tea. Each flower will be
fastened onto the box with the chocolate colored ends from the bobble.

Me & Michelle

2006-02-13T07:12:00.000-08:00

The knitting olympics and winter olympics are going into their 4th day, but some of the knitters and athletes are not in their tip top, 100% condition. Sometimes what makes someone strong is knowing when to say when. Michelle Kwan made a decision not to compete in these olympic games giving another athlete a chance. I made a decision not to work solely on a lace project, because I need to give other projects a chance. My Knitting 2 sweater and my wedding favor flowers are both suffering from the Knitting Olympics.

Although I will still be knitting and watching the Olympics, it won't be with the same feeling. I know, and now you know, I changed events in the middle.

Lace Scarf Start

2006-02-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I went into Shuttles (LYS) to visit my Knitting 2 teacher. I was (and still am) at the point in my top down cardigan where I need to take off the arms and continue knitting the body, so I wanted another pair of eyes to see if it looks like this dear sweater of mine will fit me. Luckily it looks good. While I was there, I couldn't help spending some time looking through lace books and scarf patterns, hoping I would find THE ONE. The problem is, when I am working on my first of anything, it is better to start off simple, and leave THE ONE for later. After looking through all of the books and scarf patterns and talking to a very nice lace knitter for a while, I decided that I should not invest any money in more books or patterns at this time. I remembered that I had a pattern for a lace top at home which I thought would work well as a scarf.

At that point I started investing more time into finding the perfect yarn. Yes, the blue rowan (pictured earlier this month) might work nicely, but I thought a soft cream might work even better.

LACE SCARF DETAILS:

Yarn: Jaeger Spun 50% silk/ 50% wool blend
I chose this very fine yarn 310 yards = 1 oz. I purchased 2 ozs. This light vanilla color makes it very easy to see all of my stitches!

Pattern: Lace pattern from Stefanie Japel of Glampyre's Orangina. I want to make Orangina anyway, so why not perfect the lace pattern by making a scarf out of it first. My plan is to knit 2 halves and seam them so each end is scalloped. The lace pattern is really quite easy with only a 4 row repeat and purling on all the wrong sides. It calls for multiples of 9 +4, so I cast on 40 stitches for a narrow scarf.

Needles: US 6

I have a closeup of the lace, but blogger's photo uploader isn't responding anymore. I'll try posting it later.

Knitting Class / More on Lace

2006-02-06T09:29:00.000-08:00

KNITTING CLASS: I am taking the Knitting 2 class at Shuttles. Each student chooses a sweater pattern out of the Knitting 2 binder to be worked over 4 class sessions. There is one class per week for 3 weeks, one week off (probably to get caught up on the knitting), and a final class.

Pattern: Knitting Pure & Simple Neckdown V Neck Shaped Cardigan (241)
Yarn: Cascade 220 in Ivory
Needles: US 6 32" addi turbos
Gauge: 40 sts = 4"

So far it has been going well. I really like how the pattern does the raglan sleeve increases.

LACE: Ok, so Jenifer left a comment that maybe I should use a sockweight yarn for my first lace scarf and save the kidsilk haze for when I have more experience. That got me thinking about what I have in my stash that would work well for a lace weight scarf. I have some Rowan 4 ply soft merino pictured here on the right in this lovely blue color that I am leaning towards. I think this would be perfect! Between the flowers that I am working on and the above sweater, I may not be able to start on the lace scarf for a month. That will give me lots of time to find the perfect pattern!

Creative Festival / Lace / Flowers

2006-02-05T07:01:00.000-08:00

My friend, Meike, and I went to the Creative Festival yesterday. This is an annual craft show with a lot of quilting and sewing and a little yarn and knitting. I even saw some drop spindles which I am dying to try out.

One booth had a lot of fine lace perhaps knit out of alpaca which I was drooling over. It made me want to put in the time and effort to learn some lace patterns. I have some kidsilk haze in my stash that would make a lushous lace scarf. I saw the branching out scarf on knitty and thought that might make a good first lace project. What is a good first lace pattern?

I did start the Meadow Flowers Shawl (p. 22) from Knitter's Stash (ISBN: 1-931499-66-7) which you can see above. It starts at the bottom and increases to make the triangle, which leaves the project moving along quickly at the beginning and increasingly slower. This might not be a good pattern for me because n0w I have quite a few stitches on my needles, and I am intimidated by them. That is why I am thinking that a narrow scarf might make a better learning project than this one.

On another topic entirely, not even knitting related, I got blooms on my amaryllis! Every plant I try to grow that doesn't die from my lack of green thumb, will be eaten by the cats (esp. Dexter, see profile for picture.) So, someone suggested I try an amaryllis, that they were great for people who have trouble growing plants. Dexter did gnaw on it at first, but I guess it didn't taste very good, because he leave it alone now. Voila! I have some organic shapes and some lively color to brighten up my house. I have some other bulbs (I believe they are hyacinths) that I am going to start on next.

Ganglion Cysts

2006-02-03T10:35:00.000-08:00

I developed what I came to find out was a ganglion cyst. My doctor said it might be caused by any repetitious activity that I do with my hands. Hmm, now what activity might that be!?! He aspirated the cyst, but said it may come back if I continue to irritate it. Has anyone else had a ganglion and been told that it might be caused by your knitting?

Been gone so Long

2006-02-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I go a job! Not as much time for blogging and knitting, so I gave up the blogging and kept on knitting! My job is at the Boulder Public Library, and I love it. In addition to getting a job, I am now engaged to be married and am working on a wedding for June 3, 2006. Lots of appointments to keep and phone calls to make.

And if that isn't enough, I am taking social dancing lessons, having eye surgery, going skiing, rooting for the Steelers, keeping the house (somewhat) neat, making dinner, having some questionable moles removed and trying to maintain my relationships with my friends and family (most of whom live far away from me.) Sometimes I shower. I would love to write a novel, but I am not working on it now. Maybe after the wedding.

More about knitting.

With the help of my stitch n bitch (or should I say SNB) buddies, I am making flowers to dress up my wedding favor boxes. We went on a stash enlargement expedition to some Denver stores on MLK day, and I bought a bunch of different yarns all in shades of pink to match my wedding colors. Each flower has a chocolate brown bobble in the center. For the most part, we have been using the patterns found in Melanie Falick's Handknit Holidays. I also have a Nancy Epstein book with a bunch of flower patterns and Nisa from my knitting group used a crochet pattern to make me 2 beauties. Right now, I am shooting for 150 flowers, but I only have about 25 done. 150 knitted flowers should make a pretty impressive display!

When I am not knitting flowers, I am working on a top-down raglan cardigan for a knitting class I am taking at Shuttles. Not very far along with this, but it is going well, having fun with it. G0od KIP project since there is a lot of stockinette with a minor amount of shaping. Simple.

No pictures on this post, I know, but perhaps next time. Now I have to finalize the wording for my invites and enclosures, have lunch, bike over to stationer to drop it off (exercise), come back here, start chili for dinner, get ready and go to dancing lesson. Whew! I like being busy, but sometimes I wish I could spend a tad more time knitting!

Solid Jazz Socks

2005-09-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

Solid Jazz Socks
Yarn: Artful Yarns Jazz (50% alpaca, 50% wool)
Color: #58 Charlie
Needles: US #7 for top, US #6 for heel flap to toe
Pattern: Cozy armchair socks designed by Norah Gaughan In Weekend Knitting, Melanie Falick, p 112 (ISBN: 1-58479-291-4)

The inspiration for these socks came from the above pattern, but I changed it a little, using 2x2 ribbing down the instep and a different heel.

I did the first one, but I don't know if I want to do the second right now. I think I'd like to work on a sweater and save the sock for KIP, but I have a history of starting and not finishing projects. I blame it on the number of lovely patterns and fine yarns.

Let's discuss works in progress:

1. Irish Hiking Scarf
2. Lace Leaf Pullover, not very far on this. Not sure that the yarn is working or that the gauge is on.
3. 2 other pairs of socks in DK weight yarn
4. 1 shawl that I haven't worked on in about 2 years.
5. 1 scarf that is so boring to work on.

Not too bad.

What I want to start on is a top-down raglan pullover with about six inches of ribbing down the sleeves and through the waist. I just got my yarn for it in the mail 2 days ago, Knitpicks Wool of the Andes in Avocado.

KIP -- Avanti Socks

2005-09-20T09:07:00.000-07:00

Knit Some Socks! Socks for my class
Yarn: Avanti 100% Merino DK weight
Color: 06 / dyelot: 6949
Needles: US #4 for leg; US #3 for heel to toe
Pattern: Knit Some Socks Sport or DK Weight by Sharon Dalebout

The above picture is of the first sock for my first knitting class knit through the heel flap. The instructor suggested that if we get this far, we should work on the ribbing for the second sock, so that we can turn our heels together in class. This makes sense to me.

I am working on these socks for a class at my LYS, Shuttles, http://www.shuttlesspindlesandskeins.com/,
This is my first sock knitting class, although I have made socks before, and I am learning a lot. The first thing I learned was that there are lots of ways to do things "right" in knitting. I also learned a new way to join stitches in the round where you stitch 1 extra stitch and knit the first and last stitches together. I also learned a join where you knit the first stitch with both the tail and your working yarn. While we were working on our ribbing, the instructor showed us examples of socks she had made, talked about taking care of hand knit socks, reinforcing with nylon, reinforcing later on with duplicate stitches. I learned a lot about a lot of different topics.

I also learned that knitting classes aren't as scary as I had thought. The people are friendly. There is so much to learn. Everyone varies quite a bit when it comes to background, creativity, technical knowledge and knowhow, but we all help each other to improve in a more structured environment than a Stitch 'n Bitch. I'm so glad I signed up!

Now it's time to finish that Irish Hiking Scarf.

I am Merino Wool!

2005-09-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

I am Merino Wool.
I am very easygoing and sweet. People like to
keep me close because I am so softhearted.
I love to be comfortable and warm from my
head to my toes.

What kind of yarn are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

I have been tagged

2005-09-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

Or meme'd as the case may be. Here are the "rules"
1. Go into your archive.
2. Find your 23rd post (or closest to).
3. Find the fifth sentence (or closest to).
4. Post the text of the sentence in your blog along with these instructions.
5. Tag five people to do the same.

I don't have 23 posts yet, so I went with the latest one, # 9. The fifth sentence of # 9 reads, I made her a card with the above picture on the front. Now you can see the picture below.

Thanks for the meme excitement, Kim. Now, who should I tag?

Happy Birthday Kate!!!

2005-09-16T05:46:00.000-07:00

So, my sister, Kate, has her birthday today. I am finishing up a pair of alpaca socks for her using the Nancy Bush pattern in the Fall 05 IK. You can see the completed first sock below. I had misgivings about making such a nice pair of socks for a teen, but Kate is responsible. I made her a card with the above picture on the front. Inside, I give some historical info about Alpacas and on the back, I give instructions for caring for her socks. I also suggested a pedicure before wear, just because I recently gave myself a pedicure and I couldn't believe the difference.

I bought the yarn for Teva Durham's Lace Leaf Pullover on ebay yesterday. I was reading through some posts, and everyone seemed very pleased with Rowan Polar as a substitute, so that is what I went with.

I'm visiting my family in Pittsburgh this weekend, so I will have to start another project. All of the projects I have going in earnest now are for members of my family for xmas.

Yarn -- Knit Picks Shine

2005-09-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited about this yarn! (You can read a KR review here.)
One reason I am so exciteed about this yarn is because it's green. I have a really hard time buying yarn that isn't pink or blue. Granted, I have lots of shades of pinks and blues, but I need a change. Another reason I am excited it because now I have the yarn to start working on Picovoli which is available for free from Magknits. If I like the way this knits up, I could see myself making one of these in every color!

Zelda Tote

2005-09-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

Here is the Zelda Tote. It has nothing to do with The Legend of... just in case you were confused. The pink yarn is Rowan 4-ply cotton for Orangina.

KnitCasts

2005-09-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

I found some great knitterly things while surfing the web today. I had heard of podcasts before, but I had never thought to look for one about knitting. KnitCast by Marie Irshad, features interviews with different knitters on a variety of topics. Some of the knitters are shop owners, magazine editors, and authors of knitting related books. I listened to all of them this morning while working on my scarf (see below). Maybe I am the last knitter to find out about these, but just in case I’m not, here is the link: http://scifiville.typepad.com/knitcast/
You can download all of them from this site and you can get some of them from www.itunes.com.

Yarn

2005-09-11T09:41:00.000-07:00

Above are 2 new sock yarns, Mountain Colors Bearfoot (60% superwash wool, 25% Mohair, 15% Nylon) and Avanti (100% merino). The bearfoot is at the urging of many Knitter's Review Forum posters. The Avanti is for a sock knitting class I am taking at the end of September at my LYS.

Artful Yarns Jazz(50% alpaca, 50% wool) in Dizzy (left) and in Charlie (right). Super warm socks or perhaps mittens, armwarmers, or gloves....

Irish Hiking Scarf, pt. 2

2005-09-11T06:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I started over. I decided to get a little fancier with the cables, putting a left cable on the right and a right cable on the left. In the middle, I decided to do a ribbed right cable, so I had to add one stitch to total cast-on. And the yarn! I've been very happy with Knit Picks Sierra. The cables show up really well, and the 30% superfine alpaca gives it a softness that many wools lack. It also knits up pretty fast as it is a bulky weight yarn.

I also taught myself how to do cables without the cable needle from these web resources:
cablelesson
cable video

Irish Hiking Scarf, pt. 1

2005-09-09T04:57:00.000-07:00

I joined the Irish Hiking Scarf knitalong (http://irishhikingknitalong.blogspot.com) This is my first knitalong, so will see what happens.
I'm using Knitpicks Sierra (70% Wool, 30% Superfine Alpaca) in Mist on US #7 needles. More pics to come...

Rib and Cable Socks

2005-09-09T04:22:00.000-07:00

Rib and Cable Socks!

Yarn: Pikes Peak Woolies 80% alpaca, 20% nylon

Color: multi blue/green

Gauge: 7 sts / inch

Needles: US #0

Pattern: Rib and Cable Socks by Nancy Bush as found In Interweave Knits, Fall 2005, p 134

This was my first time using the Old Norwegian Cast-On. Very flexible; great for socks. This was also my first time making socks out of an alpaca/nylon blend. Oh, so soft!

2005-08-31T10:00:00.000-07:00

Fingerless Mitts!
Yarn: Artful Yarns -- Museum
Color: #2 Bronze Sculpture
Gauge: 4 stitches/inch
Needles: #7
Pattern: Fingerless Mitts designed by Ann Budd In Weekend Knitting, Melanie Falick, p 96 (ISBN: 1-58479-291-4)