Mindless Knitting Corner

My husband asked me to make a scarf, and I was toying with a textured stripe pattern (seed stitch for an inch, stockinette for an inch), thinking that balancing out the stockinette with something else might prevent the usual curling effect you get with stockinette... either I'm too impatient for blocking or it was never going to work! So I went on the hunt for other stitch patterns that would be ever-so-slightly fancy, yet understated. Since I've been on Ravelry lately, I checked out my queue and found the My So-Called Scarf from ImagiKnit. At first, not having looked at the pattern for a few months, I was a bit intimidated by the instructions - but I practiced for a while and eventually figured out what I was supposed to do. It creates a stable, herringbone-y sort of fabric, and already feels like it's going to be quite warm. Now it's a lovely bit of "mindless" knitting... perfect for my lunch break at work or while watching TV at night. Plus I'm really hoping to make one for myself in time for fall, and maybe use the stitch pattern to create squares for a totally sweet blanket. I'm using KnitPicks bulky Wool of the Andes on size 11 needles, so it's knitting up very cushy. Can't wait until I'm finished so I can do it in another colour!

Magazine goodness!

Bought two knitting mags at work today - "VOGUEknitting", fall 2008, and "Creative Knitting", September 2008. I'm already eyeing a slouchy beret with reverse stockinette ridges from the Vogue mag and there's a cool "Dolly and Me" pattern in Creative Knitting - a dress and hat for a little girl with matching items for her favourite dolly. It would be perfect for my little niece, T.! (I promised her I would make some blankets for her dollies, so I think this would put it a step above.) The difficult thing about living in the northern hemisphere is that by the time it would be practical to knit winter-y type things for my nephews and nieces - for Australian autumn/winter - it's just getting to spring and summertime for us, and I'm all about knitting with cotton or just not knitting much at all. I really have to get my arse in gear to figure this out before they're all pushing 20-years-old and don't want their dorky auntie to knit them anything anymore! (Especially not, say, a scarf that looks like a dragon. :P )

Knit Musings

I feel like I spend a lot more time thinking about knitting and pining over yarn than I actually spend knitting! I always want to spend my evenings trying out a new pattern or designing, and sometimes I actually get there... but other nights, like tonight, I just sit and wish I had the money for, say, a skein of Koigu or other similar yarn (so I can make the beret I mentioned in yesterday's post), or I think about a Rolling Stones logo knitting chart I need to print or copy so I can make my friend Cassie a sweet beanie - though we haven't decided what kind of hat she'd like, maybe it would suit a beret style better with the logo in the front? And should I be worried about copyright infringement? (Yes, those are the thoughts that go through my head: design first, copyright second, haha.)

I think about the purse clasps I have and how I'd like to knit a little clutch to fit into the frame - but I don't know how to attach the knitting to the hardware. I think about hat designs and Christmas presents and the two new knitting magazines that are on the rack at work, but I can't buy them yet because I'm broke.

I think about the big box of Pewter-coloured, bulky Wool of the Andes I bought from KnitPicks when I was intent on making Cheesy Puffs for my father-in-law, but then winter fell through to spring and then spring gave way to the brain-meltingly hot summer, and the last thing I want to do is knit a sweater, so I've been using it in other projects, and I wish I didn't have so much grey because even though I love grey, I'd really like a blue or a red or something jewel-toned to create with right now, and even if I went back to the original sweater idea I a) don't have enough yarn left now anyway and b) I would have no idea how to modify the neckline how he wanted it!

I think about the cardigan pieces I have laying around from Christmas when I was knitting my mom-in-law a cardigan I have yet to sew together, because I was knitting with a slubby acrylic and I didn't think to include a selvage and anyway, the pieces got all big while I was kntting them so I don't really need a selvage, but how am I going to figure out where to do my seaming when the yarn is so big and fluffy?

And then I think about how much knitting-time I'm wasting thinking about the could-have-knits and should-have-knits when I could have been knitting... and lo and behold, it's time for bed already. And I was at work until 8pm. No wonder I feel like I never have time for knitting!

P.S.: Found this entrelac scarf tutorial today. Can't wait to get a few different colours of yarn and try this one out! I really want to master entrelac but it just seems so scary and difficult.

Knitting Magazine Rant!

I am a knitter. Because I knit, I buy knitting magazines - frequently. It doesn't matter if I'm not intending on making the items in the magazines right away, because I like to look at the pictures and be inspired, and I usually end up referring back to them when I do need a pattern for, say, a short-row clutch purse.

I understand that knitting and crochet are linked - both are yarn craft, using a tool or two by hand. I also understand that a little bit of crochet has its use in the world of knitting: stabilising a neckband, adding a bit of detail, picking up a dropped stitch with a crochet hook, etc. I am not upset that the two go together.

What does tick me off is when a knitting magazine features a pattern - one, sometimes more - that is comprised entirely of crochet! Like the most recent issue of "KnitScene", where a pretty little hoodie is all crochet. I was looking at it with much enthusiasm until I realised that one needs crochet skills to craft said hoodie. I don't crochet.

I haven't much experience with the world of crochet magazines, but I imagine they don't feature knitting patterns... because their craft is crochet. Is it too much to ask that knitting magazines stick to knitting patterns?!

Ok, not much of a rant, but seriously. Knitting magazine: all knitting. Crochet magazine: all crochet. Just for the knitting-only crafters' sanity! Please!

P.S.: Can't wait to make this beret I found at purlbee.com! It looks totally sweet.

Cute Corner: Apple Sweater!

Courtesy of "I Think I'm Gonna Purl" (what a great blog name!), a pattern for an Apple Sweater! I really can't wait to make this :)

Works In Progress Update: I have several repeats of the Lacy Hug-Me-Tight lace done, finally! After putting "knit on G.'s shrug" on my weekly to-do list for about two months, I finally got somewhere. The last time I attempted the lace I dropped a bunch of stitches and couldn't figure out how to fix my mistakes, so I was procrastinating somewhat... I was scared I would eff it up again. I have been hypervigilant this time! Cross fingers, knock on wood, etc. I am putting the lace aside for the next week or so until I can get some measurements and best figure out how to modify the length of the shrug to fit my friend.

I am also working on a fun, not-so-difficult project - a scarf for my husband. He actually requested one - I didn't think he would wear one but I'm only too happy to oblige. All he wants is for it to be wide, so I'm doing textured stripes - a stripe of seed stitch, a stripe of stockinette, etc. It's a nice relaxing project.

Okay, I've been up way too late already (my work had a new release party for Stephenie Meyer's "Breaking Dawn", and I got to help out with the festivities!), so ciao, knitters!

Fave Fibres

When I started knitting, I began with acrylic, because it was cheap and came in a load of fun colours. I was also drawn to fuzzy and eyelash yarns, which I'm really not a fan of anymore (I prefer something smooth that lets me see what I'm doing). Of course, while acrylic has its merits - in my experience it makes a fairly decent blanket - it's not the greatest, especially if you crave definition and want to do fun things like lace and intricate stitch patterns. It can't really be blocked, so if shape is an issue, it's not really the best choice.

I still like cotton, but I've realised that while it is good for some things, it's not for everything (again, see definition and shape issues; also, elasticity). I'm learning how to use it to the best of its ability (for e.g., I was thinking of using it to make a Caliometry, but when I realised that it would be floppy and not really hold shape, I gave up the idea. However, it worked for the Lana and Clark ascot, though probably not as well as it would have with the recommended fibre).

Which brings me to wool. I think I still have a holdover from my youth, where I think of wool as an itchy, annoying thing that overheats me and makes me feel yucky when I wear it. The more I work with it, though, the more I love it. It shows stitch definition, it's springy and elastic, it's lovely and warm, and it's just so very, very cosy! (Sometimes there's some residual itchiness but I'll imagine that it's more psychological at this point than actual.) Sure, I also love alpaca and other protein fibres, and I haven't really had the experience with plant fibres that I want to have, but for now I'm going to boldly go out on a limb and declare myself a wool woman. I reserve the right to change my opinion, but at least for today, I ♥ Wool!

Long Time No See!

Hi, blog-world. It has been approximately forever since I posted here, though I have still been knitting fairly steadily (or at least trying!).

Here's a list of stuff I've made lately:

* two Calorimetries - one in varigated blue wool for my friend Stephanie, and one in grey wool for myself. I remember when I first saw the pattern - pretty much every knitting person I knew online had crafted one, and all I could think was "what the hell are short rows?!". If only I had realised that it was as simple as following the instructions and not being freaked out by the small holes from the turns! Well, I know now, and I hope to make several for my friends for winter.

* Vickie Howell's Lana and Clark Ascot, in green/white cotton, for my friend Bre's birthday. I opted out of the picot edging (I found it a little tricky on my practice piece, and I didn't want to wreck the real thing in order to try it), though I hope to give it a whirl soon. I was pleased with how the seaming turned out when I sewed the two pieces together - I've never really understood "mattress stitch" - but it worked out! I intend on making another one in the suggested fibre - bamboo/silk sounds so luxurious. I might try wool, also.

Here's a list of stuff I have attempted to try lately:

* entrelac

Entrelac looks glam and exciting, but in execution is a difficult pain in the arse. I will not be deterred! I know it can happen. I was using this tutorial, though I had difficulty understanding the instructions. I am going to try again with the scarf pattern Danica. One way or another, I am going to get it!

Here's a list of upcoming projects:

* the Lacy Hug-Me-Tight from Mel Clark and Tracy Ullmann's knitting book, "Knit 2 Together". As mentioned in my last, long-ago post, I showed the pattern to a co-worker who was looking for something small and lacy to wear over her dress at her son's wedding, and she fell in love with it immediately. I translated the written instructions in the book into chart form, and after a bit of practice found the lace easier than it looks (not so easy that I can do it without the chart, though!). Here are the specifics of what we settled on:

Modifications: after much discussion about fibre, and my swatching with actual alpaca silk, we decided to go with mercerized cotton - it is much cheaper and while I had my doubts about the feel of the finished product, it is actually softer than expected and holds the shape of the lace well. Also, she decided that she wanted the body of the shrug to be much shorter than shown in the pattern, which shouldn't pose too much of a challenge.

My problems: I need another long circular needle for the body of the shrug - and I'm not sure what size needle I need yet. Also, I don't know how to back up and fix lace when I drop a stitch. There is also the small matter of knowing how long to knit the lace, since I am modifying the size of the body of the shrug. If I can ever stop procrastinating (she needs the shrug for October), I'll figure these minor details out!

* Eloping for my friend Jo. When we talked about what I should knit for her late spring/early summer wedding, we went over the option of having me knit a garter. I was sure I could probably design something, and then I visited Knitty.com recently and lo and behold, I found this delicious little confection. I have to ask her what colour and find the perfect non-handspun (since I don't actually spin... yet?). I'll put that on the to-do list.

Here's a list of things I want to make:

* How awesome does Seascape look? It's so beautiful! I have no idea if I can pull it off, but it's definitely on the "dream list".

Here's a list of knitting books I have seen recently and coveted:

* 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders by Judith Durant
* Kitty Knits: Projects for Cats and their People by Donna Druchunas
* Knitalong: Celebrating the Tradition of Knitting Together by Larissa Golden Brown and Martin John Brown

...and that, my lovelies, is all for now. I think I'm going to stop procrasting and learn some entrelac!