As we all good and well know, I do not NEED any more yarn. I'm struggling with the concept of actually knitting all the yarn I have now until I die (hopefully in a long long long time and not soon). But seriously, can I knit all the yarn I have before I get to the point that I can't knit anymore... I'm thinking it might actually NOT be possible.
Even sooooo... every once in awhile, yarn MUST be bought. Case in point. There's a cute little number that I've seen in a recent magazine. It's done in a lovely, albeit pricey yarn. Rowan Lenpur Linen. Anyway, for my size the project calls for 10 balls of yarn... which lets face it, is just a little over the top... even for me, should I really spend the money on that?! Um... well, if the yarn just happens to be 50% off at Knitters' Mercantile's bi-annual cleaning out the previous seasonal yarn! Holy cow! And the colors are just so beautiful! It was sooo hard to pick! But I went with a nice blue, it's classic, I can definitely see wearing this in the fall and winter months because though it's more of a short sleeve, sort of thing, we all know how WARM I always am, so I think this will be perfect.
Anyway, for those wondering what Lenpur is, apparently I can't find much on it, but it seems to be an eco-friendly product. Certain trees are cultivated for it and the cellulose used can be got from actual pruning not deforestation. So, it's tree/plant raw fiber that is then mfd into yarn/fabric. I don't know how eco friendlyl the whole process is but that's what I've found. Anyway, Rowan has coupled this viscose with linen and it feels wonderfully soft. I can't wait to use it and start this new project.
YES... castonitis!
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Knitting: Overload and Angst
Hello again!
So I really should be working because lunch time nearly over however, I am not ready to get back into the grind of it, so to speak. I have been mostly NOT into knitting lately. I think I had my quarterly knitting meltdown recently and the aftershocks are still with me.
I've hit the proverbial wall, or in knitter's terms, I dropped a stitch and need to go back and find it and fix it and move on.
I think my recent problems stem from OVERLOAD. There are so many things I want to make, projects I want to cast on, items I NEED to finish and then there's the yarn... oh my heavens the yarn.
Ya see, I had started these socks... the gull wing ones with the sockgate colorway from Blue Moon. And I LOVE the pattern and I l LOVE the yarn... but I hit a point where I just want to be done with the sock already. I mean I cast on back at the end of Sock Summit... do you remember sock summit? It seems like just yesterday, but holy cow, it was like three dreadfully longs weeks ago and sometimes... it feels like it was sooooo long ago, that it didn't really happen.
But then I think of something funny that so and so said, or something that I saw and I'm back there at Sock Summit once again... the memories are still there. I don't know if I'll ever make it to another sock summit or be around that type of wonderness again, so for that simple reason... I will always be thinking about the first SOCK SUMMIT.
Anyway... back to the socks... so yeah, I should be done but as for knitting lately, me and knitting, we don't see eye to eye. So much so that when I'm sitting, watching TV, I don't even pick it up. This is not like me. Usually, anytime I am sitting (not while at work), I have something in my hands and it's usually yarns and needles. Everyone once in awhile, it's food. :)
So last weekend, to get some design stuff off the brain, I decided to swatch a few things. In doing so, I've come to the conclusion yet again, that Barbara Walker is the HOT MAMA MAD GENIUS of the world! I found a pattern in Dictionary #2 that I really liked. I thought it would work well for this yarn I've been dying to use. Since it's a textured/lace type of pattern, I thought I would do some type of textured cable on both sides of said scarf/wrap and I found the perfect one. The Rapunzel Braid. Oh how I love the Rapunzel Braid. So after looking at both patterns, which happen to be 8 row repeats, I noticed that ROW 1 of both patterns was written as the WS (wrong side). GENIUS! These patterns were MEANT to go together. Seriously, Barbara, we love you! Your genius took away a lot of the work for us and we are all so thankful.
Anyway... after starting this swatch (not a swatch) full on into the pattern I went... I realized, A, too many repeats of Cherry Pattern and the B. (much much later and in smaller swatch mode) these 2 texture patterns really DO NO WORK with my yarn! Color me sad! :(
I take it as a NOT-LOSS though. I learned a great deal from it. Certain variagated yarns do ok with textures, certain yarns don't. It really is a trial and error thing however, if you are familiar with the 'build' of the yarn and the twist, you can make a good guess at how it will act once knit. But the color adds a whole new diversion to the design of things.
Anyway, suffice it to say, I was in design fail.
Onto fail #2 or 5 or 10.... I started drawing up a pattern that's been in my head forever... and well, I saw something similar to it in a mag... now what's in my head is different ENOUGH, so I don't see it as entirely crossing, but still I was deflated that someone else made something similar already and how could I get my pattern to translate into something that people would want to make? Now take a step back here, if I make something just for me, that is all well and good, but what I'm hoping is that I'll have a design PEOPLE will want to knit. I don't know why, but that is a goal. It'll happen someday I suppose.
Oh and then Friday night another sorta fail, I decided to finally jump right into intarsia, I was feeling sassy and thought I'd love to have this beautiful shawl done by Christmas. It's the Nonna's Garden Shawl by Knit Picks done in the DK weight of City Tweed. For those not familiar with the pattern, it has 320 stitches and you work it across in 4 sections. So there's the cast on part, then you PURL a whole row of 320 stitches... and then start the pattern. So I did about 3 rows and hit a snag. My colors/count was off somewhere between 220 and 250. So I tinked... worked again... nope still off... tinked a WHOLE row and on the next go round decided to put markers at every quadrant break (80 stitches). That seemed to work better and I got through row 3 without fail. I rested for the night, it was late.
Gave more thought to the project and thought how after several rows and 320 stitches across I would be carrying around a fairly weighty project with LOTS o'strings dangling and tangling about. It made me a little twitchy. So last night after attempting row 4 only to get to the end with a mistake, I pulled it all out. I rolled up all my little strings into nice neat butterflies and decided I would work this project differently. I will do it in sections instead and seam it. I know it sounds risky and dangerous, but it's a risk I think I can live with. But to test the theory, I'm going to play with some yarn swatches and the mattress stitch and MAKE sure I can line my SHIT up and it will work. I really think this is the way to go and in the end you add a backing (for stability) and it will hide all the ends and such anyway. It will be good. So I have yet to cast on that project again.
But the desire to work a shawl/wrap is very heavy with me. I wish I had another vacation week from work so that I could sit, uninterrupted in a studio-like atmosphere and design and draw and contemplate and swatch and work out the details. If I had that kind of time, I could probably get something done.
In the meantime though, last night I cast on a shawl pattern (not my own), but it's easy enough and I love the yarn, so for now it's a small piece but will grow quickly. I just need a better marking system to show where I am as the rows get bigger. I tend to get lost often and wonder where the H I am!
SO I think that's a lengthy story.
Fail!
The End.
So I really should be working because lunch time nearly over however, I am not ready to get back into the grind of it, so to speak. I have been mostly NOT into knitting lately. I think I had my quarterly knitting meltdown recently and the aftershocks are still with me.
I've hit the proverbial wall, or in knitter's terms, I dropped a stitch and need to go back and find it and fix it and move on.
I think my recent problems stem from OVERLOAD. There are so many things I want to make, projects I want to cast on, items I NEED to finish and then there's the yarn... oh my heavens the yarn.
Ya see, I had started these socks... the gull wing ones with the sockgate colorway from Blue Moon. And I LOVE the pattern and I l LOVE the yarn... but I hit a point where I just want to be done with the sock already. I mean I cast on back at the end of Sock Summit... do you remember sock summit? It seems like just yesterday, but holy cow, it was like three dreadfully longs weeks ago and sometimes... it feels like it was sooooo long ago, that it didn't really happen.
But then I think of something funny that so and so said, or something that I saw and I'm back there at Sock Summit once again... the memories are still there. I don't know if I'll ever make it to another sock summit or be around that type of wonderness again, so for that simple reason... I will always be thinking about the first SOCK SUMMIT.
Anyway... back to the socks... so yeah, I should be done but as for knitting lately, me and knitting, we don't see eye to eye. So much so that when I'm sitting, watching TV, I don't even pick it up. This is not like me. Usually, anytime I am sitting (not while at work), I have something in my hands and it's usually yarns and needles. Everyone once in awhile, it's food. :)
So last weekend, to get some design stuff off the brain, I decided to swatch a few things. In doing so, I've come to the conclusion yet again, that Barbara Walker is the HOT MAMA MAD GENIUS of the world! I found a pattern in Dictionary #2 that I really liked. I thought it would work well for this yarn I've been dying to use. Since it's a textured/lace type of pattern, I thought I would do some type of textured cable on both sides of said scarf/wrap and I found the perfect one. The Rapunzel Braid. Oh how I love the Rapunzel Braid. So after looking at both patterns, which happen to be 8 row repeats, I noticed that ROW 1 of both patterns was written as the WS (wrong side). GENIUS! These patterns were MEANT to go together. Seriously, Barbara, we love you! Your genius took away a lot of the work for us and we are all so thankful.
Anyway... after starting this swatch (not a swatch) full on into the pattern I went... I realized, A, too many repeats of Cherry Pattern and the B. (much much later and in smaller swatch mode) these 2 texture patterns really DO NO WORK with my yarn! Color me sad! :(
I take it as a NOT-LOSS though. I learned a great deal from it. Certain variagated yarns do ok with textures, certain yarns don't. It really is a trial and error thing however, if you are familiar with the 'build' of the yarn and the twist, you can make a good guess at how it will act once knit. But the color adds a whole new diversion to the design of things.
Anyway, suffice it to say, I was in design fail.
Onto fail #2 or 5 or 10.... I started drawing up a pattern that's been in my head forever... and well, I saw something similar to it in a mag... now what's in my head is different ENOUGH, so I don't see it as entirely crossing, but still I was deflated that someone else made something similar already and how could I get my pattern to translate into something that people would want to make? Now take a step back here, if I make something just for me, that is all well and good, but what I'm hoping is that I'll have a design PEOPLE will want to knit. I don't know why, but that is a goal. It'll happen someday I suppose.
Oh and then Friday night another sorta fail, I decided to finally jump right into intarsia, I was feeling sassy and thought I'd love to have this beautiful shawl done by Christmas. It's the Nonna's Garden Shawl by Knit Picks done in the DK weight of City Tweed. For those not familiar with the pattern, it has 320 stitches and you work it across in 4 sections. So there's the cast on part, then you PURL a whole row of 320 stitches... and then start the pattern. So I did about 3 rows and hit a snag. My colors/count was off somewhere between 220 and 250. So I tinked... worked again... nope still off... tinked a WHOLE row and on the next go round decided to put markers at every quadrant break (80 stitches). That seemed to work better and I got through row 3 without fail. I rested for the night, it was late.
Gave more thought to the project and thought how after several rows and 320 stitches across I would be carrying around a fairly weighty project with LOTS o'strings dangling and tangling about. It made me a little twitchy. So last night after attempting row 4 only to get to the end with a mistake, I pulled it all out. I rolled up all my little strings into nice neat butterflies and decided I would work this project differently. I will do it in sections instead and seam it. I know it sounds risky and dangerous, but it's a risk I think I can live with. But to test the theory, I'm going to play with some yarn swatches and the mattress stitch and MAKE sure I can line my SHIT up and it will work. I really think this is the way to go and in the end you add a backing (for stability) and it will hide all the ends and such anyway. It will be good. So I have yet to cast on that project again.
But the desire to work a shawl/wrap is very heavy with me. I wish I had another vacation week from work so that I could sit, uninterrupted in a studio-like atmosphere and design and draw and contemplate and swatch and work out the details. If I had that kind of time, I could probably get something done.
In the meantime though, last night I cast on a shawl pattern (not my own), but it's easy enough and I love the yarn, so for now it's a small piece but will grow quickly. I just need a better marking system to show where I am as the rows get bigger. I tend to get lost often and wonder where the H I am!
SO I think that's a lengthy story.
Fail!
The End.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
SS09 Update: Class and more shopping!
So I had my argyle class was today. I kind of took it because well I always wanted to make argyle socks. Never have. I didn't think it would be too hard, but I really had issues with "trying" an intarsia type of technique. For instance I'm not used to NOT stranding color work as I've done quite a bit of fair isle/stranded stuff. Anyway... Anne Berk was our instructor and she is ALL kinds of fabulous. She's super cute, has the best phrases, so funny and so knowledgeable about the Argyle. She's working on book she hopes to release in Januray. So, anyway it was a great class and while I took it as sort of a last resort... I must say, I'm SOOO glad I did! Anyway. I don't feel like pulling my proj photo in right now but it was a good project, but I'm going to frog back a bit because my neighbor, Jean and I got a little chatty and slap happy this afternoon and well, I made some booboos. SO I'll fix, so I'll have nice (perfect) class sample. Then I'll go on to make the real thing.
Well, another thing about Anne... she is a freaking enabler! Yes people...she brought all this fabulous yarn and was talking price points, etc... so guess what I did at lunch... went and bought a whole bunches more yarn!! I was REALLY done, like yesterday... but oh no. And I went over my budget, boo! But, its ok, just had to take a little out of the backup savings. :)
But here's the why. She was talking about a great yarn that WEBS sells and it was $4.29 a skein... comes in REALLY great perfect argyle colors... and people... $4.29! And guess what... NO SALES TAX here! So I bought a whole bunch of colors!! And at webs, I also bought a bag of plymouth happy feet natural, that I can hand dye myself. I really like happy feet, so this will be lots o'fun. I'm def thinking of trying a kettle process... but we'll see.
Next I went BACK to Hazel Knits. She's got an etsy shop and let me just tell you I love this girl. Her name is Wendy and she's just fabulous. She's super sweet and everyone should go buy yarn from her. It's gorgeous and I'm so serious! I will bring to knit knite and you will see... and I will give you her web address!
So anyway... it was a terrific day thus far (even though I shopped too much, lol).
Back at the hotel now, grabbed a pizza and just about to get ready for the Rav party tonight for which I'm quite excited about. Am heading there with an OHIO gal I met yesterday. Her name is Lauren and she works where... LIMITED BRANDS. haha.
I leave tomorrow morning... not looking forward to the long flight, but it will be good to get home. Hopefully I'll not be too overwound and I can get some good sleep. I SOOOOOO don't want to go back to work Monday morning. :( BOO!
Well, another thing about Anne... she is a freaking enabler! Yes people...she brought all this fabulous yarn and was talking price points, etc... so guess what I did at lunch... went and bought a whole bunches more yarn!! I was REALLY done, like yesterday... but oh no. And I went over my budget, boo! But, its ok, just had to take a little out of the backup savings. :)
But here's the why. She was talking about a great yarn that WEBS sells and it was $4.29 a skein... comes in REALLY great perfect argyle colors... and people... $4.29! And guess what... NO SALES TAX here! So I bought a whole bunch of colors!! And at webs, I also bought a bag of plymouth happy feet natural, that I can hand dye myself. I really like happy feet, so this will be lots o'fun. I'm def thinking of trying a kettle process... but we'll see.
Next I went BACK to Hazel Knits. She's got an etsy shop and let me just tell you I love this girl. Her name is Wendy and she's just fabulous. She's super sweet and everyone should go buy yarn from her. It's gorgeous and I'm so serious! I will bring to knit knite and you will see... and I will give you her web address!
So anyway... it was a terrific day thus far (even though I shopped too much, lol).
Back at the hotel now, grabbed a pizza and just about to get ready for the Rav party tonight for which I'm quite excited about. Am heading there with an OHIO gal I met yesterday. Her name is Lauren and she works where... LIMITED BRANDS. haha.
I leave tomorrow morning... not looking forward to the long flight, but it will be good to get home. Hopefully I'll not be too overwound and I can get some good sleep. I SOOOOOO don't want to go back to work Monday morning. :( BOO!
SS09 Update: Class projects and YARN pRon
WOW! What a whirlwind it's been. From my long flight here, to all that has happened... this post could go on for days... but I'm kinda tired for a change and just feel like treating you to the good stuff. I will honestly try to blog ALL the details about the trip later. There has been so much and I keep going GUSH in my head. I need to write and get it out. Words CAN NOT do it justice though.
Ok, I'm going to stop or I'll get all gushy again. This has been one incredible experience! And to think, I ALMOST changed my mind about coming! Good grief, thank goodness I didn't let those voices get to me.
Ok, onwards.
Today was my Traditional Cast-On Class with Nancy Bush as the instructor. It was really wonderful. I learned 2 REALLY great cast ons and the 3rd, I actually already knew (thanks to Mystery Sock Queen Michelle from Temptations). Not only was Nancy the most fabulous, but I was fortunate enough to sit next to Mary-Heather and Jess of RAVELRY! And of course they are super nice and adorable--more so in person, seriously!
So, it was a fun class and here's what I made.
What you see above (top half/2-color) is the first cast on we did, and the name escapes me right now and am too lazy to get up and look (sorry). It was a bit tricky to get the hang of, but it's so freaking awesome and cute! It's also very durable and still has some stretch. The braid effect is just so cool.
Below that is what she called a "Double Cast On" (I think). And it basically uses continental long tail cast on. You basically set the yarn on your thumb differently for every other stitch. It gives a pretty edge. It almost has a picot look to it, but not exactly. And... Super easy and quick to do! There's also a variation that she showed us where you double the yarn and it really plumps the edging up. I don't have an example here, though. So that was my class today.
After class was over, Nancy very sweetly signed my book, Knitted Lace of Estonia. Then I booked off to the Ballroom for the Guiness World Record attempt. They were hoping to have around 1600 knitters present. I'm not sure if they were able to get that many, but there were alot, it had to be somewhat close because it looked as if most seats were filled. Anyway, we had to knit for 15 minutes. The last record set was around 250 people, so we definitely CRUSHED the australians that set it. Hopefully all the ppwk and "stuff" gets posted proper and we actually get the record. Not sure how long the whole process takes. Anyway it was cool to be part of it. That's my 15 minutes of fame! :)
So my friends you all know how much I love to buy yarn... and I would not disappoint you in the slightest... so
Enjoy!
Ok, I'm going to stop or I'll get all gushy again. This has been one incredible experience! And to think, I ALMOST changed my mind about coming! Good grief, thank goodness I didn't let those voices get to me.
Ok, onwards.
Today was my Traditional Cast-On Class with Nancy Bush as the instructor. It was really wonderful. I learned 2 REALLY great cast ons and the 3rd, I actually already knew (thanks to Mystery Sock Queen Michelle from Temptations). Not only was Nancy the most fabulous, but I was fortunate enough to sit next to Mary-Heather and Jess of RAVELRY! And of course they are super nice and adorable--more so in person, seriously!
So, it was a fun class and here's what I made.
What you see above (top half/2-color) is the first cast on we did, and the name escapes me right now and am too lazy to get up and look (sorry). It was a bit tricky to get the hang of, but it's so freaking awesome and cute! It's also very durable and still has some stretch. The braid effect is just so cool.
Below that is what she called a "Double Cast On" (I think). And it basically uses continental long tail cast on. You basically set the yarn on your thumb differently for every other stitch. It gives a pretty edge. It almost has a picot look to it, but not exactly. And... Super easy and quick to do! There's also a variation that she showed us where you double the yarn and it really plumps the edging up. I don't have an example here, though. So that was my class today.
After class was over, Nancy very sweetly signed my book, Knitted Lace of Estonia. Then I booked off to the Ballroom for the Guiness World Record attempt. They were hoping to have around 1600 knitters present. I'm not sure if they were able to get that many, but there were alot, it had to be somewhat close because it looked as if most seats were filled. Anyway, we had to knit for 15 minutes. The last record set was around 250 people, so we definitely CRUSHED the australians that set it. Hopefully all the ppwk and "stuff" gets posted proper and we actually get the record. Not sure how long the whole process takes. Anyway it was cool to be part of it. That's my 15 minutes of fame! :)
So my friends you all know how much I love to buy yarn... and I would not disappoint you in the slightest... so
Enjoy!
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Travel - Pre SS09 almost ready!
So I packed my clothes last night. Packing is always a dilemma for me. I always, always, always pack too much. I wish I could just say, on Thurs I will wear this and Friday, it will be this and just pack outfits. But alas... I just throw in some shorts, some capris, pair of jeans a dress and a multitude of shirts and short sleeve sweaters. All is pretty casual and it's all mix/match. So in theory that is good, but as I said... it slowly becomes too much.
I often pack a lot of underwear and socks as well. Not that you need to know, but if I'm doing a lot of walking and it's hot, well... ya get sweaty, a clean pair of underwear can really make a difference. I'm also one of those weirdos that once I remove my socks, I cannot put the same socks back on again. It's a little weird, but I have sensitive feet and it bothers my feet to put socks back on. So there.
Anyway... my other packing dilemma. I am travelling alone, so everything I take, I have to carry myself. I am allowed 2 carry-ons and 2 checked bags at no charge. So my plan was to pack a small suitcase, fit that in the larger one and then when I shop and go crazy at the marketplace or portland in general, I can get all my stuff back home without paying extra shipping. So... I could ALMOST get everything in the case this way... but there was a problem. No room for toiletries and other little odds and ends oh and books and shoes. So... it is looking more like I have the LARGE suitcase stuffed and will pack the 2nd bag with the extra stuff, shoes, etc. And whatever I buy will get stuffed in with all else, or I will indeed have to ship it back. All in all, not a big deal, but if I have to save money for shipping, then that is less shopping money, people.
And all this talk of shopping... well ya see a bit ago Raverly had the vote on all the dyed creations for SS09 and let's face it there was a lot of amazing stuff! So I know I will probably buy a bunch. Although one more thing to add, I have sock yarn coming out the wazoooooo, so I really need to find more ideas to use up this yarn. I'm thinking mittens, typically I've only done mitts with heavier weights... but I'm so awful about finishing socks, so I need to devise a new plan to use all the beautiful yarn I have and the yarn yet to come. Yes people, I have a problem and I'm aware of it.
Anyway... packing is mostly done, so it was a lot less difficult than I originally planned. Again and again I think about the next few days and I get excited and scared and nervous and overwhelmed and happy and sad all that the same time.
Sadness because I'll miss my terrific knit buds on Thursday and I'll miss my adorable pups and kits. But... I know I'll have so much fun and it will possibly be a once in a lifetime experience and I feel so fortunate and happy to be able to go!
So yes... good stuff. Not sure I'll be able to blog, but I'll definitely be a tweetin fool, so check out the tweets if you'd like. I'll try and get as many pics as I can. It's going to be awe-inspriing, I am almost breathless!
I often pack a lot of underwear and socks as well. Not that you need to know, but if I'm doing a lot of walking and it's hot, well... ya get sweaty, a clean pair of underwear can really make a difference. I'm also one of those weirdos that once I remove my socks, I cannot put the same socks back on again. It's a little weird, but I have sensitive feet and it bothers my feet to put socks back on. So there.
Anyway... my other packing dilemma. I am travelling alone, so everything I take, I have to carry myself. I am allowed 2 carry-ons and 2 checked bags at no charge. So my plan was to pack a small suitcase, fit that in the larger one and then when I shop and go crazy at the marketplace or portland in general, I can get all my stuff back home without paying extra shipping. So... I could ALMOST get everything in the case this way... but there was a problem. No room for toiletries and other little odds and ends oh and books and shoes. So... it is looking more like I have the LARGE suitcase stuffed and will pack the 2nd bag with the extra stuff, shoes, etc. And whatever I buy will get stuffed in with all else, or I will indeed have to ship it back. All in all, not a big deal, but if I have to save money for shipping, then that is less shopping money, people.
And all this talk of shopping... well ya see a bit ago Raverly had the vote on all the dyed creations for SS09 and let's face it there was a lot of amazing stuff! So I know I will probably buy a bunch. Although one more thing to add, I have sock yarn coming out the wazoooooo, so I really need to find more ideas to use up this yarn. I'm thinking mittens, typically I've only done mitts with heavier weights... but I'm so awful about finishing socks, so I need to devise a new plan to use all the beautiful yarn I have and the yarn yet to come. Yes people, I have a problem and I'm aware of it.
Anyway... packing is mostly done, so it was a lot less difficult than I originally planned. Again and again I think about the next few days and I get excited and scared and nervous and overwhelmed and happy and sad all that the same time.
Sadness because I'll miss my terrific knit buds on Thursday and I'll miss my adorable pups and kits. But... I know I'll have so much fun and it will possibly be a once in a lifetime experience and I feel so fortunate and happy to be able to go!
So yes... good stuff. Not sure I'll be able to blog, but I'll definitely be a tweetin fool, so check out the tweets if you'd like. I'll try and get as many pics as I can. It's going to be awe-inspriing, I am almost breathless!
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