Black Sheep

Diversions

So..What does a girl do when she has a gazillion inches of 1×1 ribbing to do? She joins the Six Socks Knitalong! I saw Polly’s adorable Chutes and Ladders socks and decided that was it. I just needed to knit those socks! I didn’t really understand the concept of the Six Socks knitalong until I visited the website. It’s a year round thing, and every two months a new sock pattern is introduced and everyone in the group knits the same pattern. Love it! And it’s kind of perfect for me right now because I have a burning desire to knit socks. So the new sock pattern is going to be introduced the first of August (in a couple of days) but I thought I would do Chutes and Ladders, anyway. So here is what I have so far. I decided to use that knitpicks sock garden I was going to originally use for my sock-weight clapotis (but decided against because it was turning out to be hideous. remember that?) Still not extremely thrilled with the colors, but I do think it’s better suited for socks. Maybe not cable-patterned socks, because you can’t see the pattern at all. But oh well. Live and learn, right?

Here is my progress on Chikami. It’s my at work knitting. Nothing too exciting here, huh.

I did get my new camera yesterday! I love it! But still trying to learn how to use it. I can already see that the pictures are much clearer than my other camera, though. I also bought a book, “Digital Photography” to help me learn how to take better pictures. I’ve already learned a lot. Let’s just say that I’m so embarrasingly clueless when it comes to digital photography. But this book looks like an excellent start. There are even chapters on using Photoshop, too.

Well, yesterday was my going away party at work. I thought I was going to be okay, but while I was giving my little “speech” I started to break up a little bit. God, it was embarrassing. I hate being the center of attention as it is, and then to cry in front of everyone. I just wanted to shrivel up! But everyone was truly very nice and, I think, moved by my emotion. I get kind of choked up thinking about how good everyone here has been to me . So I will stop writing about it now.

Have a wonderful rest-of-the-week everyone!

3 comments July 28th, 2005

Okay. That’s better.

I took the time to wash and block my Vintage Camisole over the weekend, and I am so much happier with it now. The yarn does block very well. I was able to stretch it out a bit and make it longer, which is good. I also took some t-pins and pinned down the crocheted edging to bring it out a bit. Also the cotton softened up a lot in the wash, too. So blocking is now my friend again. Definately liking this tank much better now.

Guess what else I did over the weekend? That’s right. I finished the other sleeve of the Lucky Clover Wrap. WooHoo! Now I just need to knit up a 61 inch neck band and another 18″ band for the tie. I think I might actually have this done before I move! After this week I will be done with work and then I will have a week off before I take off for Spokane. Although my time will be dedicated to packing up my shit, I will try to finish the bands and seam this baby up. And I will be so happy to do so.

Some other things I worked on this weekend:
1) the little IK summer 2005 baby sockies. I had a bit of a setback with those. I was carrying these with me in my bag as my take-along knit project. Um, size 0, teensy tiny, delicate needles do not travel well. Especially inside a bag that you use to carry all of your crap. On Thursday morning I shoved my little baby bootie project to the side of my bag so I could pack my lunch in there and I felt something crack. ugh. I pulled out my bootie and, sure enough, my little toothpick sized needles had broken in half. About three of them. Sigh. So went to the LYS this weekend and bought another set.

2) I casted on for a Chikami tank in black Cottone Ease, to match my One Skien Wonder. The pattern calls for light worsted weight or DK yarn, and I was having a bitch of a time making gauge. I finally just decided to throw caution to the wind and make the smallest size. I swear, I am having some serious issues with this whole gauge thing. I wish something would click in my head with it because it is hella frustrating.

One more thing before I go. I ordereed a brand, spanking new camera! I got a Canon Powershot A95. I wanted something compact enough to carry around with me in my bag at all times, yet takes excellent pictures. I shopped around and decided to go with the Canon. It was kind of a toss-up between the Nikon Coolpix and the Canon, but the user pictures on Amazon won me over. The userpics for the Canon are spectacular compared to the Nikon. Let’s hope my experience proves it. I’m telling you this because I’m hoping my knitting pictures will improve with the aquisition of my new camera .

Also, I found a place to live in Spokane. It’s right around the corner from a couple of really nice parks. AND it’s a couple of blocks away from A Grand Yarn! This could be dangerous. It also has a washer and dryer! I will finally be able to try out felting. I’m stoked!

Have a fantastic Monday, everyone!

10 comments July 25th, 2005

lucky clover, plugging along

I’ve been working on Lucky Clover this week. I’m only about halfway done with the sleeve. Ugh. Man. What is it about this project? My mind keeps wandering to other things that I want to knit. I’m so tempted to start on something else but I am forcing myself not to. I want to get this done! I think it’s that I’m using fingering weight yarn. It’s just taking forever to knit up. I can’t wait to get this sweater done.

Here is one of the Ruffle Rib sockies from summer IK. It looks like a deformed hobbit foot, but oh well . Maybe the next one will be better. I have to say, though, that I am really enjoying the process. This pattern uses short row shaping for the turning of the heel and shaping the toe. It’s really fun! and there are no holes at the heel, which I somtimes get when I turn heels in socks.
Guess who just got back from Commuknity? Some of my knitty girlfriends took me out for lunch today and then we went to the yarn store. I picked out all of this stuff to buy, but then they offered to buy some of it for me! How sweet! I got a Latern Moon project bag (in the back), my first pair of Addi Turbos, and two more skiens of Claudia hand painted yarn in this scrumptious orange. Is this color incredible? I’m not usuall an orange person, but I couldn’t resist. I’m also very exited about the little bag. I bought one for Judy for her birthday and wanted one for myself! they are the perfect size to tuck inside a bag. It will be nice to put my little knitting project in it and then have it in my Tumbuk2 bag.

Today kind of started off yucky, with some work issue. But it’s turning outo to be not so bad at all . Funny how buying yarn does that.

5 comments July 21st, 2005

Flower Basket Shawl

I finished the Flower Basket Shawl over the weekend! That was a pretty quick knit.
Pattern: Flower Basket Shawl from Interweave Knits Fall 2004
Yarn: Suri Elegance by America’s Alpaca. Around 400 (or so) yards. Two strands held together. Color is 5011 Raku
Needles: Denise Interchangeables, size 7
Started: July 7rd, 2005
Finished: July 16th, 2005
Here are some other pictures:

A closer view. I love this colorway!

Here she is draped over my plastic patio chair.

Here is a shot of the back. You can really see the fucked up flower baskets in this picture. And I don’t know why my shoulders look so hulk-like.

Here it is tied around my shoulders. This is how big it is with one extra repeat ( 8 total) of the lower flower basket chart.

So..what did I learn from my first lace shawl? well, The first thing is that I can’t be lazy. I tend to be a lazy knitter. At the end of a row I would sometimes find myself short a stich or two. I compensated by doing an M1. Bad, bad idea. Because some of the pretty flower baskets are totally fucked up on the ends. I don’t know why I didn’t think you would be able to totally see these fucked up flower baskets. So I definately need to utilize the concept of the lifeline. Next shawl I will be much more anal-retentive perfetionist about, as lace requires this kind of attention.

I did enjoy this project, though. It was challenging, and I liked that. I love how beautiful lace shawls are, too. They are so delicate and pretty, regardless of how much you fuck up the pattern. I like that I made something so delicate and pretty. Definately more lace shawls in my future.

So right now, I am almost finishing up one of the little baby sockies from the Summer 2005 IK. Will post a picture of that in a few days, along with my progress on the sleeve of my lucky clover wrap.

Have a good Monday!

9 comments July 18th, 2005

Mid-week post

How’s your week going? Mine’s going pretty well. I’m getting really busy with my move to Spokane looming over me. I’m getting kind of stressed about finding a place to live out there and stuff. My Mom is helping me out, though, which is good. I don’t know what I would do without her.

So here is my Flower basket Shawl so far. Again, looking like a blog of nothing in the picture, but I can kind of see the flower baskets formed. I have just started the 7th repeat of the lower flower basket chart. I think I’m going to do 8 repeats. The directions say to do only 7, but I think I want mine slightly bigger. I’m ejoying this knit for the most part. There is something kind of zen about knitting lace, I’ve decided. This is all about process knitting. I am really enjoying the challenge.

So I bought some yarn. And a Rebecca Magazine. Hmmm..I wonder if I am thinking about knitting the Apricot Jacket…I don’t know. I’m thinking about it. I’m probably going to use some of the cotton ease I bought a few weeks ago if I do knit it. I also bought some sock yarn. The pink and blue is Lorna’s Laces shepard sock, as is the two blue hanks right next to it. The pink and blue will be for the cute little baby socks in Summer’s Interweave Knits. I also want to knit socks (thanks to Lolly and pixiestikz heather ) The two hanks at the bottom I got at Commuknity. The brand is “Claudia Hand Painted Yarn.” I had never seen this yarn before. Let me tell you, it is gorgeous. It is very similar to Koigu, in that it has that pearly, twisty, look. But the colors are better, I think. I bought this blue colorway that has shades of khaki and green in it. Simply beautiful. There were some luscious orange colorways, too. I should have gotten one of those, but I didn’t and am regretting it. I am going back next week so will pick some up then. I love it!

Regarding Audrey…I have prett much decided to knit this sweater at some point. Probably soon, like in the fall. So she has been on my mind a little bit. I happen to read the article on gauge in the (I think) Summer issue of IK. As I read it, I realized that I was doing something all wrong with Audrey. As I mentioned before, I was a having some issues making gauge on Audrey. My swatch had more stitches per inch than the required number. For some reason in my head, I thought that this meant that I needed to go down in size to reach the right gauge. That’s what i did and couldn’t figure out why I was not making gauge. The article stated that if you get too many stitches you need to go up in needle size. Duh! (I’m sure I’d read that somewhere before but for some reason I can’t wrap my mind around this concept. Even as I write this I can’t grasp the logic of it. It’s like I have a mental block or something). So I realized that I had knitted the back of Audrey, and I knitted it using a needle size that was two sizes smaller than what was called for. Why I started knitting this without getting the correct gauge, I don’t know. I probably just said, “the hell with it” and decided to start knitting. Sure enough, I measured it and looked at the diagram, and realized that my piece ended up waaaay too small. So I frogged it. I will be reswatching when I go to re-knit it in the fall.

Have a great weekend, everyone

5 comments July 14th, 2005