SPT 5/10/07 NYAH NYAH!

SPT 5/10/07 NYAH NYAH!
Originally uploaded by BrickMillStudio.

Here's my weekly self portrait thursday shot. I was feeling silly.

More Socks!

Well, more sock anyway...
I bring you sock #1 of the most recent Sundara Yarns petals collection sock of the month club, right next to my extremely veiny (evidently) nude foot.

I hope to denude the right foot very soon!

I love the viney pattern of this sock. In case anyone cares, I actually think I prefer the patterns that have been coming from the Petals Collection more than I like the patterns that have been accompanying the yarn from the Rockin' Sock Club.

Now, I must confess something: I went ahead and bought that camera that I wanted so much. Here is a super duper closeup of some earrings that I made:


This is a completely unedited picture. Look how close up it is! Look how clear the details are! I still need to fuss a bit with the brightness/ exposure settings, but I am tickled pink. Pink, I tell you! PINK! I oxidized the ear wires and the headpins to give them an antiqued look. And below, another unretouched photo of some more new and cute earrings I made:
In case you're interested, the headpins I used for both pairs were handmade by ME with fine silver wire and a mini blowtorch. Yes, I used eye protection!

That's it for now... off to update my Etsy store with these beauties!

Beads from Glass Bead Extravaganza, 5/5/07

Beads from Glass Bead Extravaganza, 5/5/07
Originally uploaded by BrickMillStudio.

I went to the Glass Bead Extravaganza today, and came home with a small assortment of handmade lampwork beads. It was a wonderful show, with some incredible artists there, but I managed to stay away from buying super expensive focal beads!
After the bead show, I went around to a few places for Somerville Open Studios and had a nice time. I ALSO stopped by the camera store, and checked out digital cameras. I looked at a super fancy one with an optional macro lens, and all I can say is WOW. I wish I had the money for that- it was AMAZING. The quality of pics you can take of items... say... of jewelry.... unbelievable. I guess I'd better start saving my pennies, or winning the lottery or something...

New Socks, New Yarn!

First off, new socks. These were whipped up out of the latest Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin' Sock Club yarn. It's the Silkie Socks that Rock yarn, andit is very nice and soft, what with that little bit of silk in the yarn! The pattern was called "Knee High to a Grasshopper", and you could either choose to knit them a regular height, or up to the knee. I was half tempted at first to do the knee highs, but then figured that they'd be too hot, and that no one would ever see them to appreciate them. The stitch was the most basic of lace stitches, the faggoting stitch, but in reverse: instead of k2tog, yo, it was p2tog, yo. However, I didn't notice that it was purling instead of knitting, so mine are backwards! Luckily, I like the way they look just fine!
In just the nick of time, I received the yarn from my second sock of the month club, and it is sooooo pretty! It's from Sundara Yarns, and the colorway is called "Dahlia". It is a lovely pink, and here it is, perched on my windowsill:


Yes, I've already started knitting.

In non-knitting news, I received the lease to sign and return for my new artist studio, which is very exciting! Also, I've been trying to learn some new things in jewelry making, as well. I oxidized some sterling silver headpins and earwires, and also made my own headpins with a small blowtorch! It was all very fun.

I also almost caused a fire. Wheeee! This past weekend, I had made some coffee, and I usually put the coffee pot away after I use it... yeah, I almost never put ANYTHING away after I use it, but for some strange reason, the coffee pot gets put away. Anyway, I didn't put it away. At lunch time, I turned on the stove to make something to eat, and as I was loading the dishwasher, I smelled something TERRIBLE. Upon closer inspection, it was the electrical cord to the coffee pot, which was still plugged in! YIKES! I quickly unplugged it and checked out the damage, and decided that the poor coffee pot had to be put out of its misery. This excited me to no end, because I hate that damn thing. It is old, small, and makes crappy coffee. So, whooooo baby, that means I got to go coffee pot shopping! Except that when I got to the store (with my 20% off coupon, yessirree), I said to myself that what would be even BETTER than a coffee maker ...... would be an espresso machine! That's right, I now own an espresso machine. I have made cappuccino and a latte, and have even experimented with soy milk and almond milk. The steamer thingy on the side is SO COOL, but dangerous. Hot. One of these days, I will probably have some sort of 'incident', which I promise to tell you all about.
That's it for now...

Magnolia bud

Magnolia bud
Originally uploaded by amandammmq.

Spring has sproinged.

Lawrence Mills, walk on 4/23

Lawrence Mills, walk on 4/23
Originally uploaded by amandammmq.

I went for a walk yesterday, and took along my camera. Here's a shot from one of the bridges along the river. A few days ago, this building got flooded again, just like last year.

Caravan Beads Haul 4-20-07
Originally uploaded by amandammmq.

Here's the second set of beads, this time from Caravan Beads in Portland, ME. It's a slightly less impressive pile 'o' beads, but lovely nonetheless. If you click on either pic, it ought to bring you to Flickr, where you can mouse over the pic to get more details. I have just opened a flickr account, which is super fun. It appears that the pic is not coming out the size that I want it to, but click on it and you can see it bigger.

One thing I have to say about Caravan beads is that I drive past it at least once every single time I go there. This time, I drove by it twice, because they were doing construction! I was almost freaked out that they were gone or closed, but they weren't. Their big specialty is Miyuki delicas and seed beads. They might very well have every color. Really. We're talkin' Delicas in 11, 10 (yes, the new size), and 8. Drops. Magatamas. Triangles. Bugles. Hex beads. Squares. Seeds in 15, 11, 8, 6, and E. So if that floats your boat, Caravan is the place for you.

After I got home with my beads, it took me over a day to be brave enough to pull them out of the bag. I had spent a lot of money, and was scared that maybe I had bought stuff I didn't really want or need... but ohhhhhh, I did a good job... maybe I should have gotten even more, really! :)

Beadin Path Haul 4-20-07
Originally uploaded by amandammmq.

As promised, I am now sharing the pics of the beads that I bought on my quickie trip up to Maine the other day. It was a beautiful day. The sun was out, but not too hot, and I managed to radio station surf to good channels the whole way up and back.
My first stop was to the Beadin' Path in Freeport, which is just a wonderful place. It is a large store, with a very wide variety of beads - vintage and contemporary lucite, vintage German and Czech glass, vintage and contemporary Swarovski crystals, pearls, a rainbow of seed beads... well, you get the point. The customer service is also great, and I was happy as a clam with what I found. I didn't even drive through the middle of town - I was a woman on a mission!

Silver Bracelet

A bracelet for Cece. Although it's not quite what she asked for, I honestly think she'll like it even better. (crosses fingers)

Today is the second to last day of my April school vacation week. It rained almost the entire time, and the river in town flooded again, although not quite as bad as it did last year.

Yesterday, I went on a road trip to a couple of bead stores up in Maine and managed to bring home quite a wonderful haul. I'll flash some pics later on if I get a chance!

I am less verbose than usual... I did not sleep well and have really been awake until 4 AM. Around 6 AM, I finally gave up on sleep and got up to do laundry. I smell a nap in my future.

SPT

Talking on the phone with Kathy.

Self Portrait Thursday

Someone, somewhere in blogland decided that this would be a good idea. No clue whether or not I'll be able to keep up, but it's worth a try. Here is today's offering. So thoughtful. So sophisticated. So silly.

My super secret knitting is probably under a week away from being completed. I am thrilled. And you will be, too. Cuz then you'll be able to see it.

I had a brief scare today regarding my new studio. I received an email stating that indeed, the finish date looks like it will be June 1, which is great. However, the email also announced that two people had decided against renting spaces, and a floor plan was included in case anyone wanted to swap to the newly available spaces. In this floor plan, MY studio was gone. GONE! It was merged with the one next to it. I sent a calm email (I was nervous on the inside, though) and was told a few nerve wracking hours later that it was a mistake, and that cute little studio # 18 was indeed going to exist. Whew. Heart attack avoided.

Score!

So, to get better pics of my jewelry and stuff, I borrowed a tripod from my neighbor several weeks ago. However, I didn't want to keep being such a mooch, so I was going to buy myself a new tripod. But when I came home today, guess what was sitting in the lobby, also known as the 'free stuff I don't want' area? Yep. Not one tripod, but two! I took a good look at both of them, and picked the one that looked like it would work for my camera. Yay- it DOES work, and it is really nice! It's all modern and awesome and easy to use. It even has levels on it... not that I'll ever need those.
Free is a price I can really get behind. Huzzah!

Sigh.

Well, I have not updated my blog in a ridiculously long time. That is because I am still focusing on the secret knitting, and because my life otherwise is exceedingly dull.
I did go to my brother's wedding, and it was a very nice affair. There was much drama for me on the way out there, as the second leg of my flight was completely cancelled. To sum up, there was crying, more crying, followed by crying. Finally, I got a flight to San Jose instead of Monterey, drove down there, and fell into bed at 3:30 AM, only to get up at 8 AM. It was a whirlwind of a weekend.
The rehearsal dinner was delicious, and featured a hysterical slide show of pics from both my brother's and his wife's lifespans... extremely good stuff. I had been asked to give a speech during the rehearsal dinner... or so I had understood... but it was ACTUALLY during the wedding, but it went fine. People laughed where they were supposed to, and I managed not to swear or say anything embarrassing. Go, me!
We are having an extended winter around here... it snowed a few days ago, and the snow has not had a chance to melt. I also hear that we're possibly in for a couple more snowfalls within the next few days. Bleh.
That's really it for now. I'm guessing that within the next two weeks, I will have finished the secret knitting, given it to the recipient, and will be able to share it here, as well as move on to new and different projects.

My New Studio!

So, as some of you might know, I live in a city that has many old mill and factory buildings renovated into condos and art studio spaces. I have been thinking in the back of my mind that the time might be right for me to jump on the bandwagon, to have a nice, spacious place to work, and to increase my exposure to the public. (Get yer mind out of the gutter - I'm talkin' jewelry here!)

This past weekend, I went and met a woman who wanted a 'studio mate'. Pretty immediately, I got the "I do NOT want to share a space with this woman" vibe. Ecccch. More specifically, she seemed like a serious control freak who wanted everything just so. Not that I am like that at all... So, on a whim, I contacted the management company. Turns out, they are doing some more renovations elsewhere in the building, and guess who is gettin' her own spanking new studio! They haven't started building yet, so here are some pics with comments:

Here is a shot of the entire floor, with 'my' two windows in the background:

Next, "my" two windows up close. The space is 225 square feet - small, but big enough for beads, which are very, very tiny! The left edge of the space ends at the end of the wall, and I'm right next to the ramp to the other part of the building. The right edge of the space ends at the pipe to the right of the right hand window. There's a chalk line on the floor to delineate the front border, but I'll be danged if I can see it!
My two windows from another angle. Please note the tiny patch of wood floor I have left - luxurious!
Finally, a random 'poster' left over from the most recent tenants. Evidently, scissor thievery was quite a problem, and people MOVED the pallets. The nerve!The space is very inexpensive, and is pretty bare bones. The walls will not go up to the ceiling, so we'll all share the ambient light from the space. We will each get our very own fluorescent light and an electrical plug. I'll have my own door and lock.

It's a great artist community already, and I'm excited to become a part of it! I'll be sure to post updates as they arise.

I Made Something Purdy!

As you can see on the right side of my blog, I now have an Etsy store. On the forum posts, I have made some friends who have decided to do a bracelet project. the above is my portion of the project! In real life, the small dark looking beads are a bit more red. .. but you get the general idea.

I am still knitting away on my 'secret project', which is a bummer for my three readers... not much to report these days!

In two days, I leave for California, where I will be participating in my brother's wedding. I would post pics when I got back, but since I'll be IN the wedding, well, not so cool to be clicking away during the cermony when you're standing in front of the guests...

Cheerio!

Darn this secret knitting!

I have nothing to report on the knitting front, because, alas, I cannot.

However, I do have a garbage car update: I went out the next day with Febreze in hand... and it didn't smell any more! The odor is gone! Maybe it just needed a little airing out. Someone mentioned it might be a dead animal, but having smelled dead animal versus garbage, I knew it wasn't 'rotting carcass' I was smelling. Oh, yeah... my latest suspicion is that it might be my yoga bag. I have now washed the bag, and the yoga mat, very, very well. Cross your fingers for me.

Garbage Car...

When I was in college, I had a friend named Andrew who drove one of those tiny Ford Festivas that are as big as a toaster and almost as safe to operate. It was named 'the toaster', as a matter of fact. Well, Andrew had this habit of leaving garbage in the car, and so, it was occasionally very smelly. So, sometimes we would refer to the toaster as the 'garbage car'. WELL..... today is the first day that it's been sort of warm outside, and there is evidently SOMETHING rotting somewhere in my car. Oh, good lord, it smells so incredibly terrible! I did a very sincere and serious search of every single inch of my car, even got down on my knees on the dirty parking garage floor, and I truly did not find anything other than a couple of slips of paper with directions written on them, a flyer (that had been left on my windshield) encouraging me to go to the world trade center to try out for "Deal or No Deal", and a straw wrapper. No smelly piles of goo, no rotting apple in an old plastic bag, no nothing! What in the world stinks so incredibly badly!!! I even checked the trunk and the little bins in the doors. I did indeed find a lot of dust, and the overall look of the inside (and outside) of the car is decidedly unsparkly, but no garbage! I was driving with the window down, and when I passed a dead skunk on the Connector, it was actually a welcome change of pace.

Dang. What is a girl to do about her garbage car? Her normal name is "The Skittle", because of her small and purple nature... but for now, she is the garbage car. Accept rides at your own odoriferous peril.

Super Secret Knitting

Well, for the time being, my knitting has to be super secret. I will reveal that I continue to be adhering to the stashbusting rules, so that's all good. However, the main project that I am now knitting has to stay under wraps for the time being. So it goes, suckazzzz!

In other news, check out the right side right over there----------> because it is a direct link to my etsy store! I am working on adding more items, so visit me as often as you dare!

Neon Socks!!!

Okay, the colorway is called "Bird of Paradise", but they look pretty danged neon to me! They're from the Sundara Yarns Petals Collection, which is a sock of the month club. Again, I found errors in the pattern, which I don't need to tell you is a peeve of mine... but hey. They are still swell.

And now, I get to attempt to resist knitting up the Socks that Rock sock club yarn that just arrived today! The color is called Monsoon, but it looks a little more like camouflage to me. Whaddya think?

The pattern is toe up and involves cables. Nope, not gonna resist at all, am I!

What I've Been Doing

No knitting. Just beading... for the museum store in a local museum, as well as for my new etsy shop! Visit it!

A Brief Hello.... that might possibly turn into a rant...

Well, although I have been doing SOME knitting, I have also been distracted by beading. There is a small, local museum nearby that has been selling my jewelry for the past year, and it is now time for a new installment of my 'goods'. However, they have now asked me to design/ decorate the display case that my jewelry occupies, but it is a weird shape, so I have been racking my brain for ideas. I'll take a picture of the final result for you.
I have not started any new knitting projects, in part because I ran out of yarn for the bulky sweater I was designing myself. I did order more, because I figured it related to 'stashbusting'... no need to leave a sweater unfinished, right? Plus, on Monday, both of the sock clubs I'm in will start mailing out the new kits... I know I'll get distracted by those, so I'm holding off. In the meantime, I have been knitting a bit on my lace shawl from the Victorian Lace book. I do 8 rows at a time, and then I need a little break. But it's okay.... I see it as more of a long term project anyway.
Here is my rant: after many knitters made the request, Addi has put out a new line of lace knitting needles! However, I have read some reviews, and I think they did NOT make needles pointy enough to make me happy. One reviewer said that they were NOT as pointy as the Knitpicks circular needles, which I already own, and I would like something pointier! To be honest, I think I'd like a needle that was JUST shy of piercing my flesh. I guess I will NOT be buying them. But I would have. I really would have. Sigh.

Argosy

I didn't like the gauge of my experimental 'design it myself' sweater, so I decided to do the knitterly thing and pretend it didn't exist for the time being. I'll frog it and start over again, just not quite yet. Really.
In the meantime, I fretted over what to knit next. (Important stuff, people, important stuff!) I reviewed the most current Knitty, and remembered that Argosy called for exactly two balls of Elsebeth Lavold's Hempathy, which is exactly the amount that I had left over from another project... yeah, I guess the directions for THAT one were a little generous on the yardage needed... but, Argosy is all the happier for it!

~~Project Details~~
Pattern: Argosy from Knitty
Yarn: Hempathy by Elsebeth Lavold, just under 2 balls
Needles: Size 3 Addi Turbos circulars (one size smaller than called for)
Comments: I liked this pattern. It was easy to memorize, and I liked the cute squares and the diagonal knitting. I thought it was well written, and I would recommend this pattern to anyone.
AND, I decided to practice knitting back and forth without turning the work, which made this even more entertaining! Partway through the project, I really felt like I had the hang of it, at least the knitting and purling part. I don't think I could be doing any additional stitches with much prowess yet... but this is a great skill to have for projects where you have to keep flipping your work every minute or so. I guess my technique is that I'm a 'thrower' when knitting forwards, then knit continental style on the way back. Interesting how that all works out. I would also recommend giving this a try if you haven't already!

My Potential Contest Entries

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Rockin Sock Club is having a contest to name four new colorways of their socks that rock yarn. The theme is "Tide", and there is already one colorway named "tide pool". Here are a few of my potential entries:
1. Seaweed Surprise
2. Fish Guts
3. Chum Bucket
4. Sand in my Suit
5. Shades of Sunburn
6. Red Tide
7. Barnacle Blue
8. Aye, that be Yarn
9. Scurvied Starfish


Those are the first few that came to mind. Truth be told, I got a million of 'em. Feel free to share yours, as well!

Take That, Gibson Girl!

Here are a couple of shots of the front... as good as it gets... it doesn't show the 'lace stitches on both sides' detail very well...
And here's a shot of the buttons in the back:

I have been avoiding sewing the seams onto this sweater for a ridiculously long time, partially because I just hate seaming, but even more so because the edges of these lacy pieces were a bear to work with. However, I am fighting off a cold, and can't really think about going out to have fun (who would want to be near me!), so home I sit. I thought about poor Cece working on Marmalade, which is beautiful but is tough going, and figured I could certainly bang out another UFO, sending it straight to FO town. So, the seams are sewn, and the cute little buttons are sewn on, too. I did an overnight block of the neck, and now she's ready to party!

Starsky, Revealed!

Unfortunately, I have a bad cold, so I look pretty darn terrible in this picture. Fortunately, Liz, the owner of Lush Beads, already has bronchitis, so we just coughed and hung out together eating Necco conversation hearts.
I have already reviewed the project details for Miss Starsky, so all you get is a couple of pictures.
However, I have started a new and experimental project. After finishing the sweater in the post below, I recalled that I have yarn for several snuggly and bulky sweaters, and that I LIKE wearing snuggly and bulky sweaters. I also think that I am capable of making up a simple, knit in the round, raglan sweater... so that is what I'm doing. Here is the plan:
1. Figure out gauge.
2. Figure out sweater specs by measuring a sweater I like.
3. Cast on appropriate number of stitches. Join. Knit in the round up to armpits, tossing in some decreasing and increasing to shape slightly.
4. Knit a couple of sleeves up to the armpit, looking at sweater that I like for reference.
5. Join sleeves and body in the round.
6. Figure out how much I need to decrease up to the neck, and decrease in raglan sleeve fashion evenly over about 8 inches.
7. Knit nice, long, snuggly turtleneck, and bind off.
8. kitchener stitch under the armpits; weave in the very few ends I have left, because I have been spit felting the ends as I go.

Sounds like a reasonable plan, right? I am currently a little vague on the sleeve shaping up to the armpit, but I will examine a couple of sweaters that I already own and go from there. I am somewhat unsure about the yarn choice I have made, because it's a bit of an odd color... it was a super cheap closeout purchase from Webs online a couple of years ago. But, what better yarn to use for an experiment? I will naturally fess up and let you all know how it turns out. Wish me luck!

Fixing what was... all messed up

At the end of 2005, I bought some closeout Berroco Duo yarn at the year end Webs sale. I also bought a pattern booklet and immediately went home and knit up a snuggly, bulky, big necked sweater. A BIG NECKED sweater. I swear I had gauge, I swear I followed the pattern, but the neck was seriously big enough to pull down over my shoulders. It was just plain silly.
So, I did what any good knitter would do... I hid it away in the depths of my sweater drawer and pretended it didn't exist. Until the Stash and UFO Bustalong, that is! I have been slowly attempting to knit down some of my stash, as well as to tackle those 'well, that didn't turn out QUITE right' projects.
Unfortunately, I could not manage to find the pattern booklet. And, once I frogged the giant neck, I realized that the sweater had not been knit in the round, and that I'd have to unseam the sleeves partway. Blecch. However, this yarn is so groovy, that I knew it would be worth the effort. I did a little math, figured out how much more I'd need to decrease in order to make the neck less gigantic, and got to work. I frogged down 14 rows of the sleeves and the front and back, and decreased every other row instead of every 4 rows, and that did the trick! Now, I have a big, snuggly, WEARABLE sweater! I am pleased as punch.

In other UFO news, I ordered two zippers off of Zipperstop.com (a great place to buy custom zippers, especially if your mom has a sample booklet), which will be the finishing touches for Heather's Samus, and for my ancient Ribby Cardi, which predates this blog by quite a bit. I do not exactly look forward to sewing the zippers in, but it will indeed be cool to add TWO more to the FO list! I'm on fire, folks!

It's all over but the...

I think there's a word that finishes that saying, but I don't actually know what it is. Anyway, all final touches are finished, and Starsky's collar is being lightly blocked.

I am pleased as punch with the results. I think a slightly floppier yarn would have been a wee bit better, but I think this is a good project. I'll add a picture of me in it at some point... but this is always made a bit harder by the whole 'living by myself' factor!

~~Project Details~~

Pattern: Starsky from Knitty, size M
Yarn: Patons Pure Wool Aran, purchased possibly 10 years ago
Needles: Denise Interchangables, sizes 6 & 5 (sized down from the suggested 10 and 9, in part due to the difference in suggested yarn, in part due to my loose knitting style). Not sure how many balls I used, because I forget how many I started with!
Pattern Notes: Knitty labelled this as 'Extraspicy', and I think this was in part due to the fact that the pattern stitches were on the right and wrong sides. The pattern also included short row shaping, and a lot of small cables. However, the pattern was clearly written, with all of the different directions for the different sizes clearly marked. I did make one change: I shortened the sleeves because they were meant to be all super long... what do I need elephant arms for??? My final comment is that the short row shaping on the shawl collar is a super nice touch. Looks great!

My final and most important bit of information about this pattern is that there is yarn left over! That means that I don't have to pirate yarn from my mom's Christmas Stocking... and that I can give it back to her! There is even yarn left over, giving me yet one more chance to think of a 'leftovers project'. Any ideas for about 300 yards of aran yarn? perhaps a very itchy cable knit hat???

PO!!!

Okay, I resisted for almost a week, but I broke down tonight. Allow me to introduce Po. I am adopting her. Sorry for not being able to include a picture here, but trust me. Follow the link. Adopt yourself a Po. Po is going to make me very, very happy. I am certain of it. I am also certain that Po will bring you happiness, too.

Will it Ever End???

Well, Starsky is finished blocking, and yes, we did have a snow day today... so I knit the shawl collar... ALL DAMN DAY. However, I am now finally sewing up the seams, which appears to be a project I will not finish before bed time. I am trying to be very careful, particularly because it's a heavy worsted weight yarn, and I don't want the seams to be bulky... or, rather, any bulkier than they need to be. I feel confident that I will have a finished pic for you within the next couple of days.

Sigh. I must return to hell... um, I mean, seaming my lovely sweater... and even when I'm done that, I still need to place the belt, knit up some belt loops, and probably block the shawl collar- the ribbing definitely needs to be softened up a little.

ECCH! And yet, it's a groovy sweater and will all be worth it... Right??? Plus, it is the yarn that has been in my stash the longest, so it definitely deserves to be knit up during the stashalong!

Maybe I Should Block First???

Here are the knit pieces of Starsky. Okay, once again, my cavelike apartment does not offer the best of photo taking opportunities... but if you can take my word for it for a moment, consider this: although the final circumference of the torso will be over 40 inches, the four pieces knit (including the SLEEVES) are a total of 24 inches wide! Yeah, I think I'm going to go ahead and block the pieces before any seaming is involved! The pieces are currently soaking. Once I sew the shoulder seams, I have to knit on a shawl collar. I figured it would be a LOT easier to do if the pieces were already blocked... I mean, look at that mess!

For those of you who live in the general Eastern New England area, you are expecting what I am: to wake up to a pretty serious winter wonderland tomorrow morning! It is very possible that I'll get a day off from work tomorrow, and can knock out little miss Starsky- the blocking ought to dry pretty well, because I always set it up so that there is a fan pointing at it. Works pretty well.

I was talking to Cece on the phone this evening, bemoaning the fact that my knitting progress on Starsky would have to be postponed while I blocked the pieces. She is trying to convince me to go back to Gibson Girl, which is merely lacking seams and buttons... but I promise I'll get to that... just not tonight! I mean, finishing touches (my least favorite) on TWO items in one night? Not gonna happen. Maybe soon. Real soon.

Here there be Knitting

And more specifically, i-cording. I have been a knitterly whirling dervish, and have knit and seamed the Samus. I also just finished the i-cord around every single edge... and man, that is a LOT of i-cord! Luckily, the sweater is for a wee individual... it could have been a whole lot worse!
Now, I need to find a matching zipper. Luckily, my mom (and dad and grandma) is coming down for a visit tomorrow, and my mom is a bit of a sewing buff. She sent away for the YKK zipper catalogue, and I will be able to get a perfect match! I will simultaneously pick out a zipper for my ribby cardi, and boom. A little zipper sewing, and two more items finished!

I guess I'll save the project recap for when I actually and officially FINISH the above Samus. Sounds fair to me, no?

Now, pardon me while I get back to Starsky... Cece and I agreed that we would both get back to sweaters that have been abandoned. Mine has been abandoned since around Christmas; Cece's "marmalade jacket" has been abandoned a tad bit longer, but it is SOOOOOO pretty! I can't wait to see it finished... hint hint...

Samus Begins

Well, I have completed more than what's in the picture, but I did enjoy working on the band pictured above. It's the beginnings of Samus, and I'm making it for my friend, Heather. She does not read this blog, so our secret is safe, as long as my few TE team members don't go a'blabbin'! (They won't. They're not the type.) Anyway, here is why the sweater is being knit: two and one half years ago, I moved. It was on Halloween weekend, and I promised that the person who wore the most awesome costume would get a knit item from me. Heather wore a bee costume. I bought the yarn and let her pick out a pattern. I was already in the midst of knitting the pattern for myself... and I hated the way it turned out. SOOOOO, the project fell to the wayside. However, this past Friday, Heather took me out for the most awesome birthday dinner, so I pulled the yarn back out from my stash and started hunting for an appropriate pattern. This one fits the bill: simple, yet pretty, a cardigan, and can easily be shortened... Heather is a smidge over five feet tall, and is also slim. Yay for making tiny sweaters for tiny people! I can't wait for her to see it. :)

To those of you who wished me a happy birthday, thank you! My parents called me and sang to me while I was at work, and it was truly hilarious. Um, I mean, the beauty of the melody did not resemble cats being tortured AT ALL. Not even a bit.

Thank you, Kate!

A big thanks goes out to Kate from the Bustalong, for making a pair of these and giving me the inspiration to make a pair of my own! Note: The color in real life is a bit more pleasant and mocha.

~Project Details~

Pattern: Pretty Comfy Sock by Debbi Young
Yarn: Cascade Fixation in color # 7988, two balls with not much left over!
Needles: Size 2 double points from Knitpicks
Project Notes: I liked this pattern, and the undulating wave pattern was very pleasing to me. It did feature short row heels, which I generally don't enjoy knitting, but on the second sock, I messed around with knitting and purling through the back loop (where it made sense), and I liked the way it looked a lot better. Cool.
Last night, I went out for an AMAZING pre-birthday meal with my friend Heather at the Elephant Walk in Boston. I took the commuter rail down, and brought these with me to work on. However, I realized once I pulled the project out that I had forgotten the pattern! However, after a bit of head scratching and really taking a look at the sock so far, I realized that I had memorized the pattern! It actually made the knitting go a lot faster! I wonder how often I make things harder for myself because I just rely on the pattern? I am going to pledge to you all that I will try harder to be a more intuitive knitter. You heard it here first, folks.
I am going to take a brief break from socks and work on something different next... this is particularly important because the two sock clubs that I joined will be mailing kits to me mid-month... so, yeah, I will be knitting socks in a couple of weeks anyway! As far as what I'll knit next... I haven't decided quite yet. I'm going to go stash diving and figure it out.

You're Going To Be Shocked

I know, I know... the sock knitting thing is getting tiresome, particularly considering the fact that I have other, non socky things that are so close to becoming completely finished projects! However, I just can't seem to help myself. And hey, I'm still working off of stash yarn, so it's all good.

Anyway, I started some socks that I spied on Kate's blog, the Pretty Comfy Socks by Debbi Young. They're knit with Cascade Fixation, and I have enough in my stash for a couple of pairs of socks... how truly convenient! Observe my current progress, and gaze in wonder at their fabulousness:

Okay, I might be slightly exaggerating their awesomeness, but they are pretty great. The pattern features a short row heel, which in general I am just not a fan of knitting. It seems perfectly fine for wearing, though, so it's all good. I'm bustin' a move on sock #2, and will be wearing these mocha-tastic socks in no time!

Meet Sheldon!

Surprise, all... here is my latest FO! I am going to the first birthday party for my one year old buddy Max, who was born on my birthday last year! He is totally worth all of the work. I enjoyed making this project, and of course, I used yarn from my stash! Here's a second shot, with Sheldon in the buff!

Project Details

Yarn: Caron Sayelle yarn in Medium Fir Green and Woodsy Green. 100% Acrylic, baby!

Needles: Size 2 and 3 double points

Pattern: Sheldon from Knitty

Project Notes: I haven't really knit very many stuffed animals, so I was a little in the dark as I was going along... what part was I knitting? Which way would this part be pointing? However, I just followed the pattern and it went okay. I would not say that it was a beginner project, particularly because of the i-cord edging that you use to attach the shell top to the 'sweater' part that goes underneath his belly. It was a wee bit tricky.

I used a worsted weight instead of a sport weight, which was fine, as the final size really didn't matter.

The final verdict? Judge for yourself... cute as can be, and completely washable!

Regia Bamboo Yarn Review

Okay, now that I have completed my Monkey socks in Regia Bamboo yarn, I have this to say: These socks were super duper saggy, like droopy elephant legs. To be honest, I'm pretty sure I won't even wear them again! I think I will consider frogging both socks and making some sort of scarf... if I can get over the thought of the yarn being on my feet! (Is that weird?) Anyway, I am completely bummed out about this. I was hoping for some super non itchy socks in a less toasty warm fiber than wool. I guess ain't nothin' like the real thing, baby!

Also, I know I mentioned that I was going to make the dress for my brother's wedding. I did indeed start sewing the muslin, but it was very evident right away that the pattern just was NOT right for my figure, so I had to go to Plan B. I went to David's Bridal, and ended up buying the first dress I tried on! Success! It's in black- so if you go to the linkadink, click on the little black square to see what it looks like. I am going to take off the cheesy rhinestone accent piece, unless, of course, the bride wants us to wear rhinestone tiaras, and then, it's all good, baby! I don't have shoes yet, but that is a detail. Plus, check this out: this dress looks super duper awesome and flattering on me! It smooshes down my 'Christmas Cookie Belly' in a way that I never could have dreamed of! I might just wear this derned thing on a daily basis, based purely on how kickass I feel in it! Huzzah!

Yet More Socks!

One of my UFO's was this pair of socks- check out the patterns on the sides and the tops:

Additionally, please note the way that the pattern runs down the heel:
(As usual, sorry for the sideways pic- I am as un-lazy as possible, but Photoshop tries my every last patience!)
I had accidentally picked up two different (yet similar) colors of this yarn, but didn't notice until I got ready to knit sock #2. So, I made it a goal, naturally, to knit sock #2 in the correct and matching color during the Bustalong! I ordered two matching balls just before the Bustalong started. Now, they are done!
Project Details:
Pattern: Merino Lace Socks by Anne Woodbury from the Summer 03 Interweave Knits
Yarn: Gedifra Fashion Trend Sportivo in color # 5707, 2 balls
Needles: Size 0 double points, set of 5
Notes: The picture in the magazine did not do these socks justice. You totally can't see the additional patterning on the top of the sock or down the heel. I absolutely loved the pattern! It is really pretty and is interesting to knit. I liked the entire pattern except for how the sides of the heel flap were treated. I am used to having the slip stitch edge on the sides of the heel flap, and that wasn't quite what happened in this pattern. I won't bore you, just be prepared to be surprised by a difference from the usual, or to do your own thing. I would recommend this pattern for sure. Another note: the pattern is written to be knit on two circular needles. If you use double points, you'll have to decide on your own how to divide the stitches... because the center of the pattern includes yarn overs and decreases, you'll end up with more stitches on one side and will have to shift them around every so often... or, at least, that is what happened to me... but I was so happy with the super awesomeness of the pattern that I didn't care!
So, I am going to wait until I'm finished with my next project before blogging about it... it's a secret surprise! Yay!

Impressed

Well, I've got to say that the stash-busting Bustalong I'm participating in is leaving me impressed all around. I am not only impressed by the sheer size of some of the stashes, but also by the huge variety of yarns in people's stashes, as well as by the interesting and fabulous projects that knitters everywhere are completing. Talk about a source of inspiration! I have found several items I'd just love to make, at least one of which I have some yarn for already! How convenient!
Anyway, I was hoping to have a last minute, late night picture of another finished project, but as I was knitting along, I was wondering to myself why I was running out of yarn much more so than for the first sock. Upon closer inspection while decreasing for the toe, I realized that I had way too many stitches... and that I hadn't decreased enough at the gusset. Ugh. So, there was some frogging, some heavy sighing... but I'm certain I'll be back on track in no time!
On an unrelated note, I will be in my brother's wedding party in a couple of months. I have boldly decided to attempt to make my own dress! Naturally, I will include pictures here once there's something to show off. I have purchased the pattern and some cheapo fabric to make the muslin out of... so my sock might have to be put on hold for a bit. Stay tuned!

Add Two To The List!

Okay, it's true. I have been wearing this first item unfinished... mostly unfinished, that is. These Broad Street mittens are great for me on my way to work, particularly because I need dexterity to get out my parking garage pass and roll my window down and up. Plus, if I get coffee in the morning, regular mittens are a bit slippy... I hate dropping coffee. It makes me SAD. Once, as a matter of fact, on a bemittened winter day, I dropped my entire coffee before I had even taken a sip. It was the free 'buy 10 get one free' coffee, too! I had bought it, driven to work, and it slid right out of my hands in the parking lot at work. It was a saaaaad day. So anyway, I never added buttons to these mittens, and finally made my way to Joann Fabrics to get buttons for these and a couple of other projects. As an aside, the buttons I picked out for my friend's baby's sweater didn't really work out... I didn't notice that the holes in the button were WAY too small for yarn to pass through. Bummer. Instead, I quickly crocheted some ties and it looks cute. Sorry, in my zeal to pack up the present, I forgot to take a picture. So, without further ado, here are the mittens:

Next, I have finished my Monkey socks.

Project Details:

Pattern: Monkey from Knitty by Cookie A

Yarn: Regia Bamboo Color in color # 1067

Needles: Sizes 1 and 0 double point- I changed to 0's for the foot.

I enjoyed knitting these socks. I think I need to wash/block them, because the lace pattern is currently a little bunchy. I think that the bamboo yarn feels nice, but will reserve final judgement until I wear them more.

The stash knitting is going well. I haven't yet completely decided what I'll work on next, but I'll keep you posted!

Funny Pictures!

I have decided to share with you a shot of me in my yarn bin. It is humongous. My dad and I made me a large platform bed with four huge bins underneath, since my loft had no closets when I moved in. When looking at these pics, Please note that I am 5'11" and a healthy size 12, and that a large crate fits in there with me. Those of you who noted that I appear to have a LOT of yarn, please also note that all of my yarn plus a sewing box and a box of sewing patterns all fit in the bin. I'm just saying.

I live alone, and have not thought to have someone take this picture FOR me when they're over. However, I think that this picture is humorous. By the way, some of you might like to note that I am wearing a tank top and no socks. (And that my hands kind of look like bony claws- but that is beside the point!) It is very warm in my apartment, despite the fact that it is winter. I live in perpetual July, and I am not complaining. Being warm rules. Additionally, having a giant bin for yarn also rules. Thanks, dad, for your help in that arena. It appears to hold a lot of weight, too, heh heh...

Latest FO, in color (and lots of it)

Here is a quick shot of my latest stashbusting FO: Some rainbow Jaywalkers. I purposefully did not try to match the stripes. I was going for the natural look:

I had a hard time getting my gauge just right for these. The pattern is not very stretchy in nature, and I always have to modify the size of socks because my feet are narrow. I ended up using size 0 needles and putting 17 stitches on each of four needles, rather than the 19 called for. The result? Nice, snug socks that are almost too difficult to get on, but fit wonderfully once they're on. I am very happy, particularly because I cast on five different times- too loose, too tight, too loose, a little too loose... you get the idea...

Who you gonna call?

STASHBUSTERS!!! On the first day of the Bustalong, I conveniently had a day off from work. Even more conveniently, I had some yarn and a new baby to knit for. My friend Laura, whom I've known since I was a wee baby myself, just had a new baby girl, so I managed to do some knitting. Observe: tiny angora booties that are so fuzzy, they look blurry! Knit from Last Minute Knitted Gifts. They are quick, adorable, and always a crowd pleaser.

Next, I made a verson of the five hour baby sweater from this link on the web, and the Baby Tart hat from Knitty.I have purchased buttons for the sweater, and will apply them post haste, I swear!
My stashbusting skills are becoming honed, but I notice that I have not yet picked up and finished those items that will only take a short time to finish. I think I might be trying to convince myself that I'll do them over February vacation. I guess time will tell...