Saturday, September 30, 2006

Fall 2006 Interweave Knits Trunk Show

Well, I went to Wool and Company for the Interweave Knits trunk show, against my better judgment. I'm just lucky I didn't walk out of there with yarn for two projects instead of just one. Of course the one I bought yarn for is the cashmere one.

I was able to try on the Equinox Yoke pullover and I saw the Breton Jacket and Coral Crossing and the Portland Pullover and even the Annie Modesitt skirt, but when I tried on the Glasgow Lace pullover, I was sold. OK, I tried this on in the 33 1/2" size, which I would be unsure about if I were selecting a size, as my actual measurements are about an inch larger than that. But it fit PERFECTLY. So, I am the proud purchaser of five skeins of Plymouth Royal Cashmere yarn (had to be ordered, of course I'm a geek and had to have the color shown in the magazine, that I tried on.) And let me tell you - I know this sounds arrogant as hell - but that sweater looks WAY better on me than on the ubiquitous "red-haired girl" of IK. I think it must have been too big on her or something - on me it looked perfect though. This sweater needs a little bit of negative ease.

I definitely think that the sample of the fair isle Equinox Yoke pullover on the cover was not the smallest size, but the second to the smallest. Doesn't the trunk show consist of whatever sizes they photographed on the model (as I doubt they have more than one sample, but maybe I'm wrong?) I was wondering why this pullover was too big on me around the neck and shoulders (going down past my shoulders and bagging up around the chest) but now I see that the size shown on the model for that one was the 38" one. Telling me that again, a lot of (positive) ease is not my friend and I should knit the 34" if I decide to go for this one later.

Chic Knits Ariann - Up Next!

I love Bonne Marie's new pattern, "Ariann" - and she just set up a KAL for it (my new favorite way to work on projects!) As it is made in one piece with no finishing, I am SO in. I'm thinking of making this with my Brooks Farm Riata that I bought at Stitches this year. I'm all about the Brooks Farm yarns, and I thought this pattern would look good in a solid color, which I don't have much of. Except for these LOVELY, LUSH reds. Mmm, aren't they tasty?

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Friday, September 29, 2006

SKB - Done!!!

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Yay! I'm so excited to have finished this - it was a fun process and didn't take that long. I started 9/1 with the KAL but worked on other projects too - still, finishing it (really finishing it, with ends weaved in, etc.) in a month and wearing it (and liking what it looks like) has to be a first for me. Maybe I would make another one in silk as I'm sure it would look totally different, but there's so many other patterns I want to make that I doubt I will actually do that.

Also, this was my first KAL that I started on the official day, posted comments as I went along with progress pics, got support from the other group members when a few things went wrong - and I really liked that part of the experience. I don't think I would have finished it as quickly if I wasn't doing it as part of the KAL. It was a great experience and I'd definitely do it again.

Yay...

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Noro Klaralund

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Hmm, more of a dress on me than a sweater. All the bad knits from last year are getting finished now. This one might be a good repurpose project, as I think I can probably find something to make out of like nine skeins of Noro Silk Garden....

This thing is truly freakish in its construction. I swear the thing was measuring normally when I was going along!! I am truly confused about what I am supposed to do with the back of it as the instructions do not make a lot of sense....You'd have to see the pattern to know what I mean. Has anyone made this and had it come out normal?

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Klaralund Followup, SKB Progress, Teva Long Sleeved Ballet T

Thanks to everyone for their comments on the Klaralund - after looking at it again, I see what I did wrong. I sewed half of the sleeve to the half of the body, but I didn't sew the right half (and was wondering why I was having so much trouble getting them to even out (i.e., I had more sleeve than body so was easing in a lot of sleeve!) I will undo the seams this weekend and redo, and show you the revised version next week.

Also, last night I finished the neck of the SKB. I just have to weave in all the ends and sew the overlapping ends of the V together and block it, but I still plan to wear it tomorrow. I'll have Jim take a picture once I have it on for the full effect.

And here's another question for you all - Yay or nay on this one?

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Should I kill it or finish the sleeves? This is one of those Teva patterns where you have no reasonable idea at the outset how big (or small) the thing will actually be at the end b/c they are intended to stretch to fit. However, this one (in my opinion) could be a little bit bigger. Could be a good sexy knit for summer though. Opinions? (Note that I will NEVER work with this yarn again - Plymouth Napa - has a bit of an acrylic-y plastic smell if that makes sense - and it is worked double, so if I rip it, the yarn has to go in the garbage and cannot be repurposed as it will be a hopelessly tangled mess.)

Also note that what seems to be a spot on my left boob is really the camera cap hanging off the camera. Yeah, not so much of an expert at self-picture taking.

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Today's (Really Last Friday's) Sweater

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This little lovely is made from Colinette Shimmer 5 in the Zebra colorway. OK, true confession time - this is the one me and Sandy swapped. She made this one and didn't like its (lack of) length, and I made the Rowan Plaid Flood sweater and didn't like it's bagginess. She likes stuff that's oversized whereas I like everything fitted - so it works out! Now I have a better sense of what (not) to knit.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Thanks to Jeanie of UFO August!

Got my prize for UFO August - this beautiful sock yarn from Hill Country Yarns. Thanks again, Jeanie!

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Oh, and I'm in LOVE with a new (to me) yarn. Elsebeth Lavold Chunky AL. It is on sale right now on WEBS and I had previously bought a ball from them to swatch with but hadn't gotten to it until now. Did I say I LOVE this yarn? (Hmm, I'm understanding how I have 57 projects - found a few more - in my yarn closet.)

Just look at this beauty...and it is SOOOO soft! (Love the Lantern Moon circulars too in Rosewood...) Somebody stop me from buying like 20 balls of this!

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SKB - Done with Sleeves

Here she is!

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Still have to do the neck pickups and more blasted purl ridges...here's my post on the SKB KAL.

Sunday, September 24, 2006

Weekend Purchases

Ok, I went a little crazy with book purchases at Knitche, my LYS. But it's essential to use up my stash, right?

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And, to add insult to injury, I bought some closed-out 40% off Rowan Chunky Print in a colorway I already had one ball of for swatching. I should be able to make a cute little shrug or something out of 5 balls, right? Now we're up to 55 projects in the stash. But who's counting?

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Saturday, September 23, 2006

Updated Stash List

I've gotten a lot done in the past few days but still need to take pictures of everything. However, I was talking with my friend Lisa last week when we went out for sushi and she didn't believe I had yarn in my stash for about 50 projects.

So, I got a wild hair this afternoon to go look through the stash to see how close I was with my estimate, and yeah, I was pretty darn close. 54, as a matter of fact! I looked the list over and I don't think I have any duplications, but I might. But I'm still right around the 50 mark no matter how you slice it. I

1. Tahki Bunny Print blue/green variegated for drop stitch zip-front sweater
2. Tahki Bunny Print orange/brown variegated
3. Stacy Charles Victoria copper/brown/cream (10?)
4. 7 coral Tahki Cotton Classic
5. 8 bright lime green Tahki Cotton Classic
6. 6 Rowan recycled chunky brown variegated - Sally Melville skirt?
7. 3 green tahki donegal tweed
8. 10 Elsebeth Lavold sedona red Silky Wool
9. EL flax-colored silky wool (7 or 8 skeins?)
10. EL olive green silky wool (7 or 8 skeins?)
11. SW Trading Co green bamboo for tank
12. 3 sk Giotto - Katy Ryan tunic in Interweave Knits Spring 2006
13. sushi wallet felting kit
14. 3 pomegranate tartelette
15. 7 green/brown kimono angora/ 2 kimono ribbon - Louisa Harding v neck sweater with ribbon edging
16. 8 gray jaeger mohair art
17. Soho green/brown
18. 4 Cotton Braid "Cezanne" for tank top + one extra (may use for purse?) sell?
19. 10 blush linen print, 1 peachy, 1 refresher for lace top - sell?
20. louisa harding seafoam green dk for ???
21. gray/white big wool fusion -now with Sandy's skein, have enough for baby sweater, or could make Peg a capelet
22. green/gray Noro Kureyon - Noah's sweater
23. pink All Seasons Cotton (5?)
24. yellow All Seasons Cotton (5?)
25. Noro Kochoran (7 or 8?)
26. one skein Brooks Farm Harmony (500 yards)
27. blue/gray Biggy Print – 10?
28. colinette prism - reddish peach (7?)
29. colinette giotto - blue/green (3?)
30. colinette giotto - copper (3?)
31. white cotton tape (10)
32. white Jaeger Trinity (3)
33. peach Brown Sheep cotton fleece for Melissa Leapman lace tunic (10?)
34. lime green and purple accent Brown Sheep bulky for cabled Melissa Leapman sweater (8?)
35. 9 Karabella Aurora melange – black/white
36. 3 lilac Brown Sheep cotton fleece
37. 2 light green (lime) Rowan Handknit Cotton for bag
38. 2 pearl Kid Silk Haze – scarf
39. 2 cream Calmer – tank top
40. 1 skein Quiviut - scarf
41. 12? Skeins Rowan Cork – yellow/orange “gleam”
42. burly spun black/orange for Jim’s Harley sweater
43. 2 sk fuschia Rowan Cork – another baby sweater?
44. 3 Rowan cashsoft dk (red) – tank top
45. 4 Plymouth Athena (shawl or scarf from Exquisite Little Knits)
46. 5 Kid Classic “juicy” (red/orange)
47. 3 ½ brown Rowan Cork
48. 1 black Kidsilk Haze (scarf from Exquisite little knits?0
49. 10 lime green bulky Alpaca
50. Brooks Farm primero rose/green (mohair – dk weight)
51. Tess Designer Yarns superwash merino in a coppery/red-brown/chocolate colorway
52. Brooks Farm Riata - 4 skeins purple/hot pink/fuschia
53. Brooks Farm Riata – reds
54. Tess Designer Yarns copper ribbon

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

More SKB Pics - 1st 3/4 Length Sleeve Done

Any comments?

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Debbie Bliss Ribbon Tied Jacket in Progress

I cast on Monday night for the Debbie Bliss Ribbon Tied Jacket I'll be making for my friend Susan's new baby, Alex....

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And here it is in its knitted in one piece, garter stitch glory - almost to the armholes. I haven't knitted anything in all garter stitch in a LONG time but it's turning out well so far. I like working with the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran - I had been looking for an opportunity to work with it again after I worked with it for the first time on my Fetching fingerless gloves.

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And all the while the SKB is looking at me from across the room, taunting me with its almost 3/4 sleeve. I actually do feel like working on it now so I may have some progress to show soon. The above is webcast knitting anyway (to do during continuing education broadcasts over the internet) - nice and mindless so I can multitask and absorb new tax law developments while I work on it!

Sunday, September 17, 2006

A Woolly Mammoth and SKB Progress

I worked on one of my UFOs, the Jaeger Natural Fleece "Zennor" sweater from JB36 and I am not so pleased to report that it is officially a woolly mammoth.

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Last year when I made the pieces of this, I wasn't yet savvy enough to read the finished measurements and think about whether they would work on my body. Hmmm. I knitted this thing to gauge, and made the 36" size, but the finished measurement is 40" (which it does so measure.) Never mind the fact that now, in my quasi-right mind, would NEVER have made something that involved fur, even non-fun fur, of any color. Yep, I don't think this one's leaving the house.



It was supposed to look like the picture below, which I think it does except for the sleeves, which I sewed together post-assembly to control the flappy sleeve problem.



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I mean, i did reknit these sleeves already and shortened them, but the open flaps of the sleeves when originally knit were almost to my elbows!!!! Basically chalk it up to something made for someone who's 6'0" (but the body is freakishly short - I didn't alter that, that is following the pattern.) It is 100% wool, so maybe it could be shrunk (felted) in the washing machine. But then you'd lose the uneven, thick and thin "natural" fleece texture of the wool. My husband went as far as to suggest wool repurposing but I figured I got this far, might as well keep it in one piece now.




SKB progress - am thinking of leaving these sleeves 3/4 length. Noooo, not out of laziness - just because I like 3/4 length sleeves. But I'm not totally sure yet - thoughts are appreciated. I figured I'd do the other side to the same length and then decide. I decided also not to do any more increases as I think these are flared enough as is.


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Friday, September 15, 2006

Kitty Pics and Shimmer 5 Sweater Progress

I think I disproportionately show pictures of Gilda, my other kitty, on my blog, so today I thought I'd show FatKat (husband named her, I know, it's non-PC.) Here she is posing with the Shimmer 5 and a little bit of the Brooks Farm Harmony right behind her head - see how her eyes match the yarn?!

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And here she is with her startled look - she is an easily startled kitty and freaks out from any little noise, displaying this look.

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Here's some progress on my Shimmer 5 sweater - it is "Jessica" from the Colinette Wayfarer book, described as "ribbed sweater with deep V-neck." It is a piece of cake - k5p5 ribbing which I converted to do in the round with no shaping - straight to the armholes. Yes, it will be kind of a tent. But Colinette Point 5 or Shimmer 5 is kind of made for big loose warm comfy sweaters - you can't exactly make something tight or sexy with it per se. I already have a cardigan made with another color of Shimmer 5 (the Zebra colorway) so I figured I would make this with my 8 skeins I got on sale at My Sister's Knits. I'm so excited to actually begin to work through my stash!

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Just Look at Those Colors...

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My Colinette Shimmer 5 in Turquoise. I was wrong on two counts before on the yarn name (it's Shimmer 5, not Point 5 - which makes it that much lovelier) and I also mistakenly called it the "Jay" colorway and winding another ball of it this morning, I noticed it is actually "Turquoise". Which is what it looked like anyway but I had tried to look at Colinette's web site to tell what color it was rather than getting my lazy *ss up to look in the plastic case where I have that yarn stored. Yep, that's pretty lazy.

I haven't gotten a lot of time to knit in the last day as I started my new MBA course (Marketing) and the online sales and use tax class is in full swing now. I got a good group last night for my Marketing class, which eases my mind as 50% of the grade is group work. You always fear getting stuck with a bunch of duds, but these guys are cool and seem to have a lot of energy.

I have a "liquid lunch" this afternoon with two of my favorite co-workers, as we are still on summer hours until the end of September so our office closes at 12:30. Also have a golf lesson tomorrow morning at 6:30 am for more work on the fairway woods and driver - I'm doing really well with the irons and with my short game (pitching, chipping, putting) but have a hard time managing those crazy woods. Saturday night Jim and I will probably try some new restaurant, and Sunday night I'm trying a new (to me) sushi place with Sandy that was highly recommended by one of my other co-workers. Other than that, it's all about knitting. I'm hoping maybe I can finish the SKB. But if I don't, no biggie.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

SKB Sleeve Progress...

Here's what I posted on the SKB Knitalong - too lazy to duplicate...

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Infidelity!!!

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Yeah, it's just wool-related. It tempted me with its charms of immediate gratification and Caribbean-like hue and I was too weak to resist. I did work on the SKB first sleeve for a while, then got to the lace and needed a rest again. I started thinking about simpler times, when I knitted with size 15 needles and yarn that got 2 stitches to the inch. Aaah. Life was simpler then. And the rest is history - I yielded to temptation and cast on.

My 10 Names Meme

From Lorinda's blog...I thanked her for the "blog fodder" as my knitting life is all about the SKB lately. Of which I finished the body late Monday night and am about to start picking up the sleeves. Do I have pictures? No. Bad blogger! If I can whine out an excuse...it's haaaard being in a knitalong for something, practicing "project monogamy" and then finding anything original (well, let's just say interesting and knitting related) to say on your blog. Waaah.


So here I am with the memes again.

1. YOUR ROCK STAR NAME: ( pet and current street name)
Gilda Downers

2. YOUR MOVIE STAR NAME: (grandfather/grandmother on your moms side, your favorite candy)
Alice Godiva

3. YOUR "FLY Guy/Girl" NAME: (first initial of last name, first three letters of your middle name)
R. Eli

4. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color, favorite animal)
Green Tiger

5. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (middle name, city where you were born)Elizabeth Evergreen (Park)

6. YOUR STAR WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name, first 2 letters of mom's maiden name and first 3 letters of the town you grew up in.)
This one is whacked - Mar-ro-so-oak

7. SUPERHERO NAME: ("The", your favorite color, favorite drink)
The Green Chardonnay (sounds more like a fungus)

8. NASCAR NAME: (the first name of both your grandfathers)
This one's good - Jesse Harold.

9. FUTURISTIC NAME: ( the name of your favorite perfume/cologne and the name of your favorite shoes)
Pure Coach

10.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (mother/father's middle name )another good one - Jean Joseph

Sunday, September 10, 2006

Love, Love, Love the SKB!

My Simple Knitted Bodice is coming out great - I tried it on before the final purl ridges at the bottom (which will stop it from curling, which is what I'm trying to prevent by holding it down) and it fits really well. I posted one pic on the SKB KAL but here are some more, including one of my cat, Gilda, trying to walk on it. Her coloring is almost like the sweater!


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Next up after the dreaded purl ridges at the bottom...picking up the sleeves and continuing them (they'll be flared and long.)

Saturday, September 09, 2006

2 Bad Projects Killed, and Progress Pic of SKB

Here's my Simple Knitted Bodice - just finished the lace section and have four more rows to go on the purl ridges....yay!

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And I killed my Green Gable - a few ppl on the KAL confirmed that yes, it is in fact crooked. I suspected I had messed up the increases way back and must have fixed them on the wrong side, but wasn't going to frog until the split/twisted stitches way down that rapidly turned into a trainwreck. As my friend Patti would say, "I've repurposed the wool." Wool being used there in the generic sense as I know Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece is only 20% wool.
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Also killed my MIL's vest - I emailed her first to let her know it just wasn't working out. It is (was) knitting up to the correct finished measurements, as I'd gotten gauge, but those finished measurements are just going to be too crazy on her. She's not a large lady by any stretch and this thing was just going to swim on her. I hadn't gotten too far into it so I just decided to cut my losses.
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So RIP GG and Classic Garter Stitch Vest. I may make another GG with the yarn (next year, when I've mustered up the energy to go over that pattern and write in all the stitch counts and draw an actual schematic) but the Karabella Aurora Melange is definitely being repurposed and is back in my stash. Luckily it was only one ball that I worked with so far.

Friday, September 08, 2006

Fall Shoes!

Just went shopping for new fall shoes (last year all I bought were boots, so I'm good there, but desperately needed actual shoes. Stacy and Clinton from What Not to Wear were haunting me..) I'm sure about all of these....even the two pair in different colors b/c the buckles are a different color (love that)
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But am not 100% sure on these. The previous ones would be more work oriented, but the ones below are more just to wear with jeans, or maybe even one of my shorter plaid skirts with a brown background or accent in the plaid. Thoughts?
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Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Knitted Bodice Progress...

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I posted this (much much smaller) on the KAL website, but here's my Knitted Bodice. I'm on the lace section, so then after that I'll have a bunch of knitting down to finish the length, then will be picking up the sleeve stitches and making long sleeves. Yay! This hasn't taken too long at all, yes - I am probably only about 1/3 of the way done, but I only started on Friday - so not bad. Funny what a little "project monogamy" will do....

Monday, September 04, 2006

New KALs and SP9

I've gotten farther than I thought I would with my new KAL for the Stitch Diva Knitted Bodice although I did hit a speed bump this morning- details here.

I also posted my opening unfinished objects list on the new KAL I joined "Two Steps Forward, One Back".

After much hemming and hawing (is that a word?) I decided to sign up for Secret Pal 9. I really wasn't sure if I wanted to try one of the exchanges b/c I wasn't sure I'd be able to find good stuff for the "pal" I'd be assigned but I started thinking about some of the things I've seen lately at my LYS that are cool and decided to just go for it.

In the SP9 questionnaire, I decided to say that I'm open to a pal from any country or continent (which I hope would mean I would not only be sending items to an international pal, but would also receive things from an international pal?) because I thought it would probably make it more interesting to send and receive items that may not be as available in our respective countries. The shipping is what it is - not that big of a deal really - but I'd guess a lot of people might say that they prefer their own country or continent b/c of the shipping thing - so I'll probably get my wish and get to exchange with some cool people from somewhere outside the U.S. I actually have a decent number of international hits on my blog, so I might get to know one of them better. Hopefully I won't give myself away with my big mouth - that's another concern!

Overall I'm pretty excited about it and can't wait for it to start. I think I am pretty good at shopping (tee hee, lots of practice) and tailoring the items I buy for people to what I think they would like. It will be cool to read someone else's blog and figure out what they might be into, and hopefully be right! Plus I thought it would help to get me into the spirit of the holiday season - which sometimes I really get into and other times I don't due to feeling kind of overexposed to the whole thing, if you know what I mean.

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Knitted Bodice and CeCe Progress!

Started the Stitch Diva Knitted Bodice KAL yesterday and it's coming together nicely - here's the link to my post on that blog....(and the pic I posted over there.)

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And, I joined the pieces for CeCe! Just have to knit up for awhile and do the neck and sleeve decreases now.

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Here's a closer up pic.
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Jim and I are going out to dinner in a little while so I didn't know if I'd get any more progress in before then - and after then - well, let's just say that after some wine, lace is not the best candidate for "drunk knitting." I could probably work on the Knitted Bodice without any issues, but why risk it?