Month: September 2007

Remember the SF Giants’ Stitch ‘n Pitch? Well, I did finish the scarf I started at that game…

…and a good thing, too, since today Melissa and I are off the the Oakland Athletics’ Stitch ‘n Pitch! (Aren’t we ecumenical?) It’s also free A’s cowboy hat day, so we’ll be raking in the goodies. The scarf is worked in double moss stitch using a single skein from Tallgrass Yarns.

I’ve kept up with my dishrag play using mosaic stitch patterns from the Barbara Walker books.

And here’s what you get when you work self-striping yarn on the diagonal (patterns from Leisure Arts’ Dishcloths from the Heart).

At UCSC we’re beginning the season of day-long meetings, and I’m publicly taking on my new job coordinating writing placements tests and rceords. I’m in charge of the morning half of tomorrow’s mega-meeting, then have contributions to make to more meetings on Tuesday and Thursday. Next Sunday, we give the placement test on campus and spend all day Monday scoring it. My new responsibilities will cut into my knitting time a bit—while I can attend meetings and knit, I don’t think it would be wise to run them while knitting. Nonetheless, I’m prepared for any opportunities that arise: I finished the decorative border on the next piece of the Origami Cardi, so I have about a half-acre of stockinette to knit now that will be easy to pick up and put down.

Knitters do have opinions about bobbles! And non-knitters, too—Melissa calls them buboes.

I actually like how they look, but approach them with some caution because they

a) can eat up a lot of yarn,
b) don’t always make for comfortable garments, depending upon their placement,
c) tend to look lumpy if you don’t get the shape exactly right.

Well, I don’t have any answers for a and b, but Janet Szabo’s Aran Sweater Design has a solution for c: work the decreases symmetrically. Most bobble instructions tell you to work 3-5 stitches into one, then finish off by passing stitches 1-4 over stitch 5, which results in a listing bobble. Instead, for a five-stitch bobble, Szabo suggests working K2 tog, K1, SSK on the next-to-last set of bobble stitches, then working Sl1, K2tog, PSSO on the final set of bobble stitches. Voila—a nice, round bobble.

I just discovered this book at the local library, while browsing the knitting shelves. For now, I’ve checked it out, but I will most certainly be buying my own copy for my personal knitting reference library. This is not a pattern book, though it does include half a dozen garment patterns in a final section. Instead, it is a theory-and-practice-of-Aran-knitting guide that is both clear and thorough. Szabo (also the author of Cables: The Basics and editor/publisher of Twists and Turns) introduces knitters to different manners of constructing aran sweaters (saddle shoulders, vs. set-in sleeves, for example), explains the “design blocks” aran knitters have to play with (front panel, sleeves, button bands, etc.), discusses the effects created by pairing particular kinds of cables and varying the distance between them, and offers a myriad of specific, helpful suggestions (like the tip for producing symmetrical bobbles).

With the help of this book I expect I’ll soon be dreaming up Aran hats and scarves. And, who knows? A few years down the line with some coaching from Janet Szabo, I may be working my own custom Aran sweater.

I hope so, because we have more to drool over. Check out this lovely piece from Crystal Palace Yarns (via Knitting Pattern Central, which means the pattern is free, free, free!):

I’m not sure it would flatter me, but I have a tall, skinny sister it would look great on. I love the way it mixes the classic (cables) with the more fashion-forward (shrug shaping, cables running horizontally instead of vertically). The yardage isn’t bad, either: 845 yards total of bulky-weight (U.S. 10.5 needles) yarn for the medium size.

I am delighted to report some actual completed knitting. I finished the first sock of the pair I started on Monday and am delighted with the fit. I like my socks snug, so instead of following the recommended dimensions for my foot size, I just measured a pair of comfortable store-bought socks and used those numbers. In theory, it’s a good inch shorter both in the foot and the leg than it should be, but in practice it’s just right. (Can you hear me? I’m saying that in my very best Goldilocks voice.)

Kitchenering that sock also gave me the confidence to pull out my poor, neglected Clementine Shawl as well. The two halves are now joined, ready for blocking, then a photo shoot.

By the way, for those of you who want to know, naughty Sparky was quite sensible in his choice of a sock yarn to wrap the neighborhood with: he choose a skein of KnitPicks Essential. Cost? Only $3.29.

Here’s my latest on-line pattern find, Debbie Bliss’ Lace and Bobble Jacket (a shout-out to Knitting Pattern Central for leading me to it!).

It hasn’t bumped Jade Empire or Silver Belle from their places in the queue, but it is schooched in there right behind them. I’m thinking that if/when I knit it, I’ll omit the bobbles on the body, which look a bit lumpy, and just work the ones along the edging.

Here‘s the one on-line picture of it knit up that I found at Yarn Crawl. Does anyone else have experience with this pattern?

Meanwhile, I’m making progress once again on the Origami Cardi now that we’ve hit the start-of-school-year meeting glut. Once one gets past the “Berries-in-a-Box” border stitch, there are long stretches of straightforward knitting—perfect meeting fodder. I finished about six inches during a three-hour meeting yesterday.

I’ve also cast on a new pair of socks, working from Sensational Knitted Socks and using my all-time favorite, Skacel Trampoline Stretch. I worked the first leg on Monday, the heel flap, turn, pick-ups, and gusset decreases yesterday. The very first pair of socks I knit became a gift for my mother, since they didn’t fit me. I’m hoping this pair will be a keeper. (Now I just need to remember how to post on the SKS KAL page, so I can share the fun.)

Look at Sparky, little Mr. Innocent.

For the past few months, Sparky seemed to have outgrown his stash weasel ways—then I left over Labor Day weekend. When I headed next door to pay the little girls who look after my cats while I’m gone, their mother handed me a very bedraggled-looking ball of sock yarn.

And where did this sock yarn come from?

Well, they found it in their backyard wrapped several times around the girls’ play structure, then trailing back over some rosemary bushes, across the fence that separates our yards, over a wood pile, and through my bathroom window, ending in a frazzled mess in my bathtub.

My Sparkleberry, he never does things by halves.

And, as he would point out, he never said he wanted any pie in the first place.

First off, a big shout-out to my next-door neighbors, who let Melissa and me tromp around their yard yesterday taking lots of knitting pictures among their flowers and veggies and sweet, pebbled paths. Go Next-Doors! We love you!

It will take several posts to write about the various photos we took, but I’ll start with some mouth-watering shots of yarn. (Is there such a thing as yarn erotica? Yarn porn? If so, these shots might qualify.)

Here’s the amazing yarn that Kay, of the Cotton Commandoes, sent me, along with the dishrag that I showed you last week.

I’ve been thinking carefully about a project for this yarn. I have about 80 yards, so can’t knit anything large. My best idea thus far is to knit a long scarf in a shiny blue/green/purple yarn, perhaps with some rayon, then drop stitches in a regular pattern as I bind off. I could let the ladders work their way down, then weave strands of this ribbon yarn through them and leave the ends for fringe. How does that sound? I’m very open to suggestions, if you all come up with something brilliant.

This yarn was an out-of-the-blue gift from Clarabelle across the pond.

It’s an absolutely cobweb-fine lace yarn that has a subtle, rich color variation to it that moves from yellow-cream to peach to palest pink and back again. I’m picturing this yarn as long, fluttering scarf, a la Isadora Duncan (though I will be more careful that she was in convertibles).

And here are my goodies from the Blue Sky Alpacas yarn tasting at Article Pract last weekend.

Christina, the shop owner (and co-author of Viva Poncho), always packages things beautifully. You can see the little mini-hanks she winds up and carefully labels for us. This month’s yarn-bites came in this great little burlap tote that makes a perfect project bag. The two light-colored skeins in front are the undyed organic cotton that I purchased, thinking of making a soft, cozy, snowflake- or vine-patterned hat. The dark green is suri merino, which I’ve earmarked for lacy wrist-warmers.

Thank you Kay, Clarabelle, and Christina for helping to feed my knitting addiction—I hope to return the favor!

P.S. I’ve discovered a new mystery novelist I’m much taken with, C. J. Sansom. He’s written a series of three books, Dissolution, Dark Fire, and Sovereign all set in Hanry VIII’s England, that feature hunchbacked lawyer Matthew Shardlake, a one-time reformist with cooling religious sentiments, who carefully treads the volatile Tudor mix of faith and politics. Once I read the first of these novels, I tore through the remaining two—and I’ve been moping a bit since then that there aren’t more for me to move onto. Happily, a fourth novel, Revelation, is due next year. My one caveat is that the middle book, Dark Fire, includes some cruel treatment of animals. If you don’t like novels that use such brutality as plot devices (I generally don’t), you may want to skip this one. By time I’d reached that section, i was too hooked to put the book aside, but there were some bits I did not enjoy.

… appears to be eggshell (or pale cream or off-white or ecru or whathaveyou).

First off, thanks to the web-browsing skills of Tamara and the picture-downloading prowess of Melissa, I can now show you the KnitPicks catalogue photos of the Bed Jacket from Knitting Lingerie Style.

I am just blown away by the blend of extreme comfy and extreme girly this piece seems to offer. Comfy’s easy enough to find, as is girly, but too often they’re mutually exclusive.

And as long as we’re on pale, underwear-inspired knit designs (somehow that phrase doesn’t do these pieces justice), let’s also have a shout-out for Interweave Knits‘ Corset Pullover, the pattern for which is available free through Knitting Daily.

This pullover has been around for a while, but I first saw a photo of it in an IK article a while back about the designer, Robin Melanson (genius!), and was delighted to find the pattern available on-line. In August, Knitting Daily offered a post showing women of various sizes modeling this piece, which actually gave me some hope that I could pull it off myself, particularly if I lengthened the body a bit, so the hem would hit further below my waist. (I’m thinking I’d be best off avoiding the ride-up-unintentional-tummy-peek .)

I’d love to hear from anyone who has knit either of these two pieces. Any suggestions about yarn choices? Fit? Clarity of patterns? Pictures of yourself modeling FOs that you’d like me to post here, thereby endowing you with glorious, glorious knitting immortality?

Because they both just keep multiplying. (OK, so it’s not hilarious…. I needed an intro to the latest round of dishrag madness.)

As you can see, I’ve been playing again with mosaic stitch patterns from Barbara Walker’s various volumes. The cloth on the left and the cloth on the right are both the same pattern—just different yarns. On the left, two different colorways of Lily’s self-striping dishcloth cotton. (I’ve checked several more Michaels for this yarn, but have still only found it at their Emeryville store.) On the right, two solid shades of Elmore-Pisgah. I chose these colors because I was going for a mossy-brick-walkway effect. The center cloth uses a scroll-like mosaic stitch. Because I paired a variegated yarn with natural, the pattern is a bit hard to see.

This great stitch pattern is called Pharaoh’s Check.

And here’s a very simple dishcloth in a new favorite coloway of mine, Sunflower.

Sparky is not sure dishrags will ever catch on as cat-couture…

… though perhaps they might be helpful if we ever have a blizzard in Santa Cruz.

And here are the yarns for my next two big projects, which I am not allowed to start until I finish the Origami Cardi.

The plum, a wool/alpaca blend which is wonderfully rich and heathered will become Jade Empire. The pale mustard, an alpaca/silk blend, is destined to become Silver Belle. If Silver Belle has caught your fancy, you may want to check out the KAL. I’ve signed up, though I don’t know when I’ll actually knit mine. The site features some beautiful renditions of this pattern, including some interesting variations.

P.S. Check out the gloves Nanette is working on over at Knitting in Color—genius!

Check out this cute pattern from Crafty Alien.

Finally—equal time for cats who have been neglected while everyone’s been working from Fleece Dog.
And if you like these kitties, you’ll also enjoy her Backyard Critters patterns. I much prefer her raccoon to the one who’s been haunting my home lately.

Here’s the secret project I’ve been working at off and on since late spring…

…a vest for my mom. The photo makes it look fuschia-colored, but it’s really a true, bright red—her favorite color.

The pattern is “Knitted Patchwork Texture Vest” from Lion Brand Yarn. (This link will take you to a free copy of the pattern. For some reason it’s on Lion’s web site as both a free and a for-sale pattern—and I had to do a bit of hunting to find the no-cost version I’d printed out originally.) Lion’s pattern calls for kitchen cotton, but I wanted a yarn with a bit more bounce to it, so I used Cascade Superwash Wool 220.

The body was fun to knit: regular changes of patterns to keep things from getting boring, but simple enough that I could pick the project up and put it down again without worrying about becoming hopelessly lost. The finishing requires picking up stitchs around the armholes and up the front and behind the neck. I worked the armholes following the pattern, which was a bit of slow going, what with having to divide the number of stitches to be picked up by the number of inches along the arm hole, then placing lots of stitch markers to keep things even. When I got to the front/neck, I just put the pattern aside and picked up four stitches for every five rows (a ratio that’s worked for me on patterns I’ve designed myself). That went much faster. Hooray for the rewards of reckless knitting!

I’m visiting my parents just now, and gave the vest to my mom when I arrived. The weather’s much too warm for her to wear it at present, but I’m pleased to report it’s a perfect fit.

Yesterday, I drove my mom to Oakland so that we could both go to a yarn tasting at Article Pract. This month’s yarns were from Blue Sky Alpacas—yum, yum and double yum! These yarns could make a soft-o-meter blow a gasket. We were both sensible about our purchases, but each had to get something. I chose a skein of Suri Merino in Garden and two skeins of Organic Cotton, one Bone and one Sage, which is a delicate, pale green, though the color doesn’t register well in the web photo. The amazing thing about the Organic Cotton is that it’s undyed. The green? The cotton has been bred to grow in that color! I’m planning to write a lacy wrist warmer pattern to show off the Suri Merino and a colorwork hat pattern for the Organic Cotton. My mom chose two skeins of Sport Weight for a project of her own.

I also wanted to show off the beautiful package I got in the Cotton Commandoes’ Dishrag Tag Back-Swap. We decided that in addition to the speed-knitted dishrag we’d each do to send on to the next team member, we would also send a second dishrag backwards, to the person who speed-knit for each of us. Kay sent me a delightful package, which was all the more fun because I’d forgotten it would be coming.

I love the dishrag pattern she chose—and the floral coasters are just what my furniture has been begging me for. The package also included two skeins of an absolutely amazing ribbon yarn that I foolishly forgot to take a picture of. It has fluted edges and is a beautiful range of pale, opalescent blues and greens. (I’ll remedy that failure to photograph as soon as I can. Trust me—you’ll want to see this yarn.) Now I need to get on the ball and send my back-swap package to Laurie. It’s all ready, but I need to get myself to the post office.