10 5 Knitterly Things You Don't Know About Me (or maybe you do) ...

I've seen this posted by several people now and well... I am a sucker for pointless memes (damn. It took three tries to spell that correctly tonight). ;)

1. While I've only been knitting for 10 months now, I have designed several knitted items that I've made, including my still unfinished third ever project, a knitted stuffed alligator. I really should do the last of his teeth one of these days.

2. Not knitting, but related... when I was young and in either Brownies or Girl Scouts I learned how to card wool. I don't recall ever spinning or knitting at an earlier age, but since this is just a random memory that released itself into the conscious part of my brain very recently, it's entirely possible.

3. I am a severe yarn snob (though I suppose if you've read any of my past entries you would know that one). Mind you, this doesn't mean I'll only knit with 100% cashmere or anything like that, but I cannot stand rough fibers - scratchy wools, cheap acrylics, etc. Cheap yarn, sure. But not crappy yarn.

4. I dislike following knitting patterns and much prefer making it up as I go along. I am trying to get better at actually following patterns, but it's hard.

5. The only garment (does not include scarves, hats, wristwarmers) I have made to date is a purple LB Homespun hooded sweater for Sage. It started my hatred of crappy yarn.

And... I can't think of anything else, so my list is only 5 items long.

Shedir progress report...

Shedir in progress... two full cable repeats plus one row on the third. I only did 6 repeats of the 1x1 ribbing for the edge, I don't want it quite as long as the original, and this took probably about 1/2" off the length which will hopefully be about perfect.

Yarn, as mentioned previously, is Krarmer Yarn Summit Hill, greenstone color. I love working with it due to how light and bouncy it is. It's been a great contrast to all the Sugar 'n Cream and Kitchen Cotton. I have another skein of this yarn in black, I may have to make myself a hat with it when I finish this one. Or maybe I'll use it for Chris as he looks much better in hats than I do.

Insert catchy subject here...

Too tired to think of something appropriate for the subject tonight.

Finished two more dishcloths in the last two days, bringing me up to 9 completed for the KAL. I don't know how many I plan to knit total, I am at the point where what cotton yarn I have right now is in colors I doubt any relatives would like (black, black and white variegateds, purples, purple variegateds, and not much else other than small leftover bits), so I don't yet know if the ones I make from the current yarn will be for us or for gifts. Maybe when my PayPal account is straightened out I will buy another ball or two of more earthy colors.

Worked on Sage's Voodoo's a little earlier as well because they've been on the needles far too long. The second one has about 4" to go on it yet.

And I have finished the first cable repeat on Shedir. I did rip back the two rows the other night, redid the increases and got rid of the holes, then I had to rip back another row because I apparently can't read instructions. But it's looking good so far, though it's really still too early to tell just how it will look. Maybe tomorrow (er... today) I will take some progress photos of it. I have other things to photograph anyway, so I think I will do that if I remember to.

Apparently I have no catchy ending thoughts tonight either.

Sproing!

I've not been feeling much like updating lately... you can only post so many dishcloth photos before you start to go mad. I've completed 7 so far since Friday, and my hands were in dire need of a break from cotton yarn, so earlier I finished the first of Sage's Voodoo's and started the second.

Last night I started Shedir in Kraemer Yarn's Summit Hill, Greenstone color. I love how sproingy this yarn is. Sproingy. That's such a great word. I think I did the M1's wrong, though (hell, I don't *think* I did tem wrong, I *know* I did). There are rather large holes at the increases, but I've not yet decided if I shall frog back to correct this. I have only done the first actual cable row so far, so I don't yet know how this error will work out. I almost like it with the holes, though as it's for my sister for Christmas, it must be perfect or she won't wear it. So I'm going to do another row or two before I decide if I shall frog back and fix the increases.

This is my first true cable project (I started a cabled afghan square ages ago, but it's since been frogged since the stitches were twisted and it looked horrid), my first time working from a chart, too. So far it's been not too bad, but the worst of the pattern is yet to come.

In Rogue news, I've still not decided if I am going to use the Main Line for it or not. The gauge swatch grew a little in blocking and it now looks like I'll need the US9's for circular and 8's for flat. A little better than the 10's and 9's, but still the gauge is a little looser than I'd like. But I've been having much fun groping the swatch every chance I get. Yeah, I think a hooded sweater in this yarn would be just divine. Tomorrow I'll most likely have changed my mind again, though.

Sour Grapes dishcloth pattern

Sour Grapes Dishcloth

Why sour? After knitting 6 dishcloths in 4 days, you'd be feeling a little sour too. ;)

Materials: 100% cotton yarn, I used Lion Brand's Kitchen Cotton in Sage
needles to your suiting (I use 6's for washcloths, I like mine knit on the tight side)

Directions:

Cast on 38 stitches (use your favorite cast on, I prefer the long-tail).
Knit 4 rows.
1 - K4, P30, K4
2 - K all
3 - K4, P23, K3, P4, K4
4 - K7, P5, K26
5 - K4, P18, K2, P2, K5, P3, K4
6 - K7, P5, K1, P4, K2, P1, K18
7 - K4, P13, K2, P1, K5, P1, K4, P4, K4
8 - K8, P4, K1, P5, K1, P3, K16
9 - K4, P12, K3, P1, K5, P1, K3, P5, K4
10 - K14, P4, K1, P3, K16
11 - K4, P13, K2, P2, K2, P3, K2, P6, K4
12 - K9, P4, K8, P1, K16
13 - K4, P8, K2, P1, K4, P3, K2, P1, K4, P5, K4
14 - K9, P3, K1, P4, K2, P4, K1, P3, K11
15 - K4, P7, K3, P1, K4, P1, K5, P1, K3, P5, K4
16 - K10, P2, K1, P5, K1, P4, K1, P4, K10
17 - K4, P6, K4, P1, K4, P1, K4, P10, K4
18 - K9, P2, K3, P4, K2, P2, K3, P3, K10
19 - K4, P7, K2, P1, K1, P6, K2, P2, K4, P5, K4
20 - K9, P4, K9, P3, K1, P1, K11
21 - K4, P9, K4, P2, K2, P2, K1, P2, K2, P6, K4
22 - K10, P2, K1, P2, K1, P4, K2, P3, K1, P2, K10
23 - K4, P6, K2, P1, K3, P1, K5, P1, K3, P8, K4
24 - K6, P3, K3, P3, K1, P5, K1, P3, K1, P2, K10
25 - K4, P7, K1, P1, K3, P1, K4, P1, K3, P2, K6, P1, K4
26 - K5, P7, K2, P2, K1, P4, K1, P2, K14
27 - K4, P7, K1, P6, K2, P5, K8, P1, K4
28 - K5, P8, K2, P2, K4, P3, K2, P2, K10
29 - K4, P5, K4, P1, K4, P2, K4, P1, K7, P2, K4
30 - K6, P7, K1,, P5, K1, P4, K1, P4, K2, P2, K5
31 - K4, P1, K5, P4, K4, P1, K5, P1, K6, P3, K4
32 - K7, P7, K1, P4, K1, P3, K6, P3, K6
33 - K4, P7, K1, P3, K2, P3, K2, P2, K6, P4, K4
34 - K9, P6, K4, P1, K5, P2, K1, P2, K8
35 - K4, P3, K6, P2, K13, P6, K4
36 - K10, P12, K4, P4, K8
37 - K4, P5, K2, P1, K2, P4, K11, P5, K4
38 - K9, P11, K3, P7, K8
39 - K4, P3, K9, P1, K12, P5, K4
40 - K8, P12, K4, P7, K7
41 - K4, P3, K2, P1, K2, P4, K14, P4, K4
42 - K8, P14, K4, P2, K10
43 - K4, P6, K1, P6, K5, P1, K6, P5, K4
44 - K9, P4, K4, P3, K18
45 - K4, P13, K4, P7, K1, P5, K4
46 - K18, P2, K18
47 - K4, P14, K2, P14, K4
48 - K18, P1, K19
49 - K4, P30, K4
Knit 4 rows.
Bind Off.

Dishcloth KAL FO's and Rogue swatch

I've completed three dishcloths for the Dishcloth KAL so far...







An alien, a ballband and an elephant. Stocked up on more cotton yarn at A.C. Moore earlier as well since it's on sale.

I also swatched for Rogue last night since I finally bought the pattern. OMG KnitPick's Main Line is so freaking soft. *love* To get gauge, in the round, I am on US 10's, and flat, US 9's. WTF? I have never before had problems getting gauge on the recommended needles (though Rogue reccommends somewhere between a 5 and 8). I think it looks a little loose, and much preferred the results I got with the 9's in the round, but I am *not* reworking the pattern for a different gauge since I already am making the largest size. The swatch is drying right now, hopefully it will fill out a bit and be suitable enough for my tastes.

Knitty Fall 2006...

I shouuld be getting ready for bed, but it's been a while since I've dome much knitting blog worthy (5ish rows of a plum voodoo and I finished frogging the sweaters. And they don't freaking match. More on that in a different post). So tonight before I brush my teeth, I post my thoughts on the new Knitty patterns.

Viveka - first thought was that I liked it a lot. And then I started looking at how baggy and unflatering it was on the slip of a model. So... I love the sleeves. I love the color. I love the concept. I *hate* the baggy, saggy, boxy shape of the body. Would consider making it with severe modifications to give it something resembling shaping.

Lucie - I actually like this a bit. I'd never wear it, nor would I make it in a variegated yarn (love that bit of striping going on just over the breasts - NOT!).

Cactus flower - like everything but the KidSilk Haze cowl neck. Cowl necks = ugh. Especially since I cannot stand anything right on my neck due to the intense feeling that I am being strangled.

Ivy - not much for wrap anything, especially because I know my chest would not want to stay contained within.

Serrano - beautiful. I'd never wear it, nor do I know anyone who would, but it's beautiful.

Avast - love it. Tempting to make for Chris, as he's a fan as well. But I know he'd look silly in it.

Sherwood - cute, cute, cute. I can't picture Sage wearing anything like it, though.

Intolerable Cruelty - love the concept of a fishtail skirt with corset lacing up the back, but not the knitted version. I'll stick to wishing I had the body to wear one in pvc, thank you.

Little slip of a thing - reminds me very much of the oh-so-popular Booga Bag - and I rather prefer the Booga.

Lizard Ridge - beautiful, but if I had the money to but 21 skeins of Noro Kureyon, I'd certainly not make a blanket out of it/

Red Herring - eh. Not my favorite pair of socks, probably due to the colors used.

Cable Net - Love them. May give them a try in the future if I decide I like knitting socks.

Sox on two stix - If socks were meant to have seams, DPNs wouldn't exist. Socks + seams = ouchy.

Diamante - like these a bit more than the Cable Net's, so again, if I decide I like knitting socks these will go in the to-knit pile.

Ayla - cute. Way too cute. If it were black and red and had a skull on it I'd love it. ;)

Sugar on Snow - eh. Interesting concept, not something I'd ever want to make or wear.

Tamarah - pretty enough, but I'm not a shawl or wrap person. Nor do I know anyone who is.

Twiggy tweed - eh. Cute, totally not something I'd ever make or use.

Back to School - I love making dishcloths, but I don't like the writing in the middle. May use the stitch patterns for some dishcloths when I work my way through the huge pile of patterns I printed out for the start of the Dishcloth KAL.

And those are my thoughts on the new Knitty. A lot of potential, just not much I'll ever knit. But that's ok because I have a ton of projects awaiting me yet.

Yarn snob? Yes, I am.

I realized a few minutes ago, after being about an inch into the hat, that something I posted in my lj months ago still holds very true. The next paragraph is copied from that lj post, so it is slightly outdated, but not much. Insert "So I was thinking about this whilst working on the Lil' Devil hat," instead of the first part below and well...

So I was thinking about this last night while rearranging my yarn bin, and the acrylic crap has just got to go. Blech. Nasty stuff. And what I have of it isn't crappy Red Heart either. It just... ick. After working with the Kidsilk Haze, and petting the silks and soys and bamboos and cashmere blends at a real LYS several weeks ago, I just cannot fathom working with the cheap Lion Brand shit anymore. It's horrid. And it feels awful in my hands. How it could possibly feel good on my body I do not know.

Suffice to say, the hat is frogged. WTF is up with Bernat's Softee Chunky being scratchier than Red Heart? Their regular Softee yarn isn't bad for an acrylic, but the chunky... ugh. Nasty stuff.

I'll hold onto these two skeins, Harley can use them for practice once I finally show her how to knit. But I wouldn't wish a hat made from this stuff on my worst enemy.

My hands feel icky now. The hat for the wee one will wait until I can find appropriate yarn that doesn't feel like something I should use to scour pots with.

Bloo Voodoo

See... I said there'd be a photo in my next update!

I finished Harley's Bloo Voodoo's last night whilst watching V for Vendetta. I currently have nothing on the needles. I really should finish putting teeth on the 'gator, though.

I am not adding it to my project sidebar, but I have plans for a modified Lil' Devil hat, since the yarn I am using (Bernat's Softee Chunky) is well... bulky instead of worsted. And I am thinking black with red horns instead of all red. It is a very spur of the moment type decision, and will hopefully be done by Wednesday, so no sidebar addition for it. It is for a friend's boy who I have some cute little Halloween goodies to get sent off very, very soon.

Off to start a hat!

upcoming projects...

I posted this list in my livejournal (which is mostly friends only) ages ago, and am posting an updated as of today version here.

Future knitting projects:

For me:
•Rogue in KnitPicks Main Line in Ink (really wishing Main Line came in olive green)
•Natalya Gauntlets in black merino/cashmere/microfiber yarn
•Panta, with cable modifications, to match above
•Jaywalkers in Brown Sheep Wildfoot in Licorice Stick (whee! first socks!)
•Mariah in TBD yarn
•Cheesylove, sans the hearts (gag!), in TBD black yarn (Patons Classic is itchy!)
•vintage camisole in TBD black cotton - I am really leaning towards King Tut, I've petted it a few times now and truly love it and think it may work beautifully for this.
•Picovoli in black Katia Diana It *hated* the Katia Diana. I got maybe 2" done, and frogged it. May reconsider it if KnitPicks adds additional colors to the Shine Sport next year, as I don't like nor will I wear any of the existing colors.

For others:
•a modified Shedir (link takes you to the download page, not the pdf itself) for my sister, yarn is still TBD, will know by the end of next week which I am using. I am altering it to be a bit bigger, either by means of larger needles or one additional cable repeat. I am thinking one added cable repeat.
•Tigger for Sage in TBD yarn (have had some yarn, changed my mind about it due to itch factor)
•Curse Your Boyfriend or this for Chris in TBD yarn (probably the recycled gray/black yarn from a formerly hideous long sweater coat)

There's a major shortage of free Harley sized cool patterns out there, so I don't yet have a pattern for this one, but I am working on drafting/writing one up as I go along. She's getting a hooded zip-front sweater that I just frogged a Goodwill sweater for (it's awesome... black and red twisted suede feel bulky weight yarn).

And there's also Harley's Voodoo's, which are now nearing the buttonhole/thumbhole on the second one. Finally. And Sage's Voodoo's. And Chris's Knucks. I have very few people outside my family to knit for, so no long list of OMG Must Make [insert holiday here] Gifts For Everyone! YAY! And my sister only gets a hat because... well... I don't yet know why. I can't figure out what reason she deserves hand-knitted gifts for, and honestly, she doesn't. Deserve hand-knitted gifts. That is. Yet still I have gone from Odessa (and three different yarns for it!), Fetching, Clapotis, and about 50 other patterns in my mind, trying to figure out the perfect one to make for her. WTF?! She doesn't even deserve the time I've wasted scouring patterns for the last oh... 6+ months.

It's late. I should be getting ready for bed. The next post really will have at least one photo in it. Really.