Tante J's Adventures in Knitting

Oh, Sweet Startitus

2011-02-01T12:11:00.005-05:00

It must be the weather. I mean, here I was feeling very self righteous about my knitting monogamy, and wham. I NEED to start something new. Something different. SOMETHING. Maybe it's the sleeves. I seemed to be jammed on most of my WiPs at the sleeves.

My gorgeous On Golden Pond is moving slowly because the gorgeous Sundara FSM is just too slippery for me at the moment. That, combined with the necessary alternation of hanks, is making this move way, way too slowly. It should be done by now. Really.

And Vaila? Well, guess what. With only a few more rows of ribbing at the bottom, it will be on to the sleeves. More alternating. And sleeves.

Then there is poor, poor Alene's Wrap. Sitting there, unattended because it feels like a scarf! I had the opportunity to do a new test knit for Baby Cocktails yesterday. And I declined. Declined. Because it was a scarf. I feel bad, but not too bad because she had enough testers signed up in less then 3 hours.

Of course, since ripping back on Dark & Gothic yesterday, I've made very little progress. It seems that it's not only sleeves holding me back. Ribbing isn't talking to me at the moment either.

Now, funnily enough, my small, travelling companion of the moment is a sleeve. I know. (I'm into irony.) My unofficial WiP is the Solveig Yoke by Elinor Brown. For a change, this is a bottom up, yoke pattern (like Paper Dolls, knit for Miss T last winter.) It starts with sleeves, then the body, and then is joined together at the underarm and followed by a patterned yoke. This will be (ok, is) my first KnitScene knit. So far, no one on Ravelry has started. I so don't want to be the one to catch the mistakes and beg for errata!

And so what did I do? Why get sucked into Cecily Glowick MacDonald's newest design. Jetty. And I have the perfect yarn. In the stash! So I cast on. Hey, just a few stitches until the feeling passed. And there are no sleeves. So when it goes, it should go quickly! Idlewood only took 9 days. Without me being monomagous!

1 Step Forward, 10 Steps Back

2011-01-31T19:17:00.002-05:00

Today has been very productive. I spent the morning ripping back. Yep. RIPPING BACK!

Saturday night I slipped on my Dark & Gothic and went to my neighbor's to hear Havdalah. I'm very lucky to have Amazing Neighbors. But when Mrs. Amazing Neighbor kept trying to tug the collar into place and Mr. Amazing Neighbor commented that though he usually loves my knits, the buttons just weren't working for him, I knew the time had come to rip. I didn't, however, anticipate the brilliant move of pulling out the bottom bind off instead of the shawl collar, nor the disaster that would ensue.

Old photo, just to jog your memory

So now there are about three or four rows to be reworked on the bottom as well as picking up the stitches and reknitting the collar. And truth be told, I wasn't thrilled with my button holes. But the potential for this sweater is astounding. I love the cut, the colorway, the cables, the collar (count all the 'c's)! There is no reason for this not be perfect. So while I continue to hunt down the perfect buttons, some a'fixin' will be going on.

In other ripping news, I'm making my way down this top down conversion of Vaila.

The neck is a decadent cowl, taking up an entire hank,

it will look more "cowly" after blocking!

and then extends into a Raglan sleeved sweater.

A lace panel runs down the front (I omitted the back panel in the name of short-rows)

and right there at the bottom, can you see it, I brought in two new hanks about 12 rows up from the bottom and they started striping. Striping! So I ripped back and subbed in two other hanks and I think we're ok now. This gave me time to consider how long I want this sweater to be. We have learned from experience that without any hips, a longer length is not flattering. The ribbing on this is 5" which is a lot of ribbing so I decided to end the patterned section at the very end of that 6th repeat. I'll be switching to the larger needle size now to do the ribbing, then it's on to the arms.

Vaila by Gudrun Johnston

from the Twist Collective

Yarn: Madelinetosh Worsted MCN 80/10/10

Colorway: Nebula

Needles: 5.0 & 5.5 mm (US 8 & 9)

Mods: Top Down conversion, fitted to my body instead of A-Line

Interesting note: Unlike many designers, Gudrun uses a larger size needle for her ribbing, rather than a smaller one. I first saw this in my Dahlia in Unst.

What's on Your iPod?

2011-01-30T19:22:00.003-05:00

My latest song obsession is Adele's Rolling in the Deep:

I'm embarrassed to say I only just heard of Adele this weekend, but I immediately downloaded her first album, 19, recorded when, you guessed it, she was 19. Rolling in the Deep is the first single release from Adele's upcoming album, 21. It's release date is Feb. 22 and I can't wait!

Something Old, Something New

2011-01-24T09:34:00.008-05:00

Now don't go getting any ideas. The post title refers to sweaters, nothing else, even if one of them is blue.

Prelude:
Last January, a year ago already, I set out to make my first top down sweater. In fact, it was only my third adult sweater. Number one had been Arietta, whose color scheme I adore even today, but whose boxy fit was never going to work even if she and I were the same size. Next came Twist & Shout who taught me that single ply, not tightly knit, becomes one big pill before you even get to wear it. Also, unlike commercial clothing, you pay for your size and I wasn't about to spend the money or time to make another sweater is a plus size. And so I let go of being a sweater knitter and focused on accessories. You know all about them, because I cataloged them here.

And then a funny thing happened. I started moving towards not being a plus size and I decided the time had come to try my hand at sweaters again. (To be fair, there was a vest in there too!)

The Old:
And so one year ago, I cast on for Sahara from Wendy Bernard. Wendy is known for customized fits and I customized the heck out of this. Because no matter how many sizes I've gone through, one thing remains constant. I am two-three sizes bigger on top than on the bottom. And so I cast on, making a sweater a bit on the tight size (in hindsight it was more than a bit tight) so that it would continue to fit as I got smaller.

And yesterday I finally got a modeled shot!

Even in my beginning sweaters I was making mods. But that was one reason I chose this designer. She makes it easy.

My main modifications was casting on for Large and worked the waist decreases, which are done in the front not the sides, and work like darts, down to a Medium. I subbed the lighter yarn called for the trim with a thicker Eyre in the same colorway and didn't go down a needle size. I still had a lot to learn, (like alternating hanks!), but I think it came out pretty well.

And since I can seam up the center lace panel as much as I want, I'm hoping that as I get smaller (still a bit to go) I will just sew up the center a bit more and still have a good fit.

Sahara by Wendy Bernard
Yarn: Madelinetosh DK and Madelinetosh Eyre
Colorway: Fjord
Needles: 4.0 mm (US 6)

As to the New:
I hinted about this pattern about a month ago. This was a test knit I did for Thea Coleman / Baby Cocktails. Mulled Cider is a cozy, tweedy jacket that reminds me of curling up by a fireplace on a cold winter's day. You know, a bit like today. It's 9° out right now!

I love the details.

The leafy print down the back:

And the front:
But only on one side...

The way the stalks join at the shoulder and the outside shoulder seaming to continue the look.

The high collar and the notched opening:

And the toggles! And the buttons!

In fact I love everything about it. So if you are looking for that perfect "keep me warm and cozy" cover up I highly recommend this pattern!

Mulled Cider by Thea Coleman

Yarn: Plymouth Tweed

Colorway: 5459 (blue)

Needles: 4.5 & 5.0 mm (US 7 & 8)

Buttons from M&J Trim

My Favorite Peeps

2011-01-19T07:23:00.006-05:00

Once upon a time, in a different life really, I worked in theatre. One of my favorite productions during a season of summer rep, was Thorton Wilder's Pulitzer Prize winner, By The Skin of Our Teeth. In the first act there, which takes place during an impending ice age, the family bird was a pterodactyl. I became obsessed with pterodactyls for years after that. Someone in the props shop even sewed me one for opening night. It was pink satin with purple and black paisley wings. Hmm, I wonder if it's still in my mom's garage... But I digress...

I was lucky enough to have a special visit with my sister, brother in law, and the three little people who call me Tante. They were in NJ visiting his family and I lucked out with a visit of my own. We spent the day at the Natural History Museum and when I saw this,

well I had to take a photograph!

These remains were found right here in NJ at the base of the GW bridge!

This display really called out to me. I loved the ancient jewelry but also the play of earth tones against the Agean blue background.
My sister and the two oldest looking at skeletal remains.
And lastly, my favorite peeps!
I did look for the knitting but, shockingly, neither prehistoric animals or Native Americans knit!

Here's More of What You Were Missing

2011-01-18T19:03:00.003-05:00

Still playing catch-up! I've finally found a willing photographer, even if the pictures are shot at a very un-picturesque locale. Can you say "strip mall"?
Remember the Vine Yoke Cardi? You know the one that started the sweater frenzy the beginning of last summer? Well at last here is the modeled shot!

I spent ages trying to find the perfect buttons. They were finally located in a small antique shop near my dad's [former] cabin.

Ya, he sold it...
Vine Yoke Cardigan by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Sliver Moon Farm Worsted Superwash, purchased at Rhinebeck 2009
Colorway: Dusty Violet
Needles: US size 8, 5.0 mm

Next, my first Sundara sweater! I had no idea what I'd make with this heavily variegated yarn! I bought it during the last Season's foray and expected something more muted, like a shaded solid. My disappointment gave way to relief when I came across Idlewood by Cecily Glowik MacDonald. Though the pattern is written for a solid I felt the simple, clean lines would give the overpowering variegation a chance to shine through. I am VERY happy with the final result.

Idlewood by Cecily Glowik MacDonald

Yarn: Sundara DK the Second

Colorway: Lichen over Slate

Needles: US 10, 6.0 mm and US 10 1/2, 6.50 mm

I like it so much I'm contemplating making a longer, dress, version with some Ultra Alpaca I have in the stash.

And I was so taken with the Cecily Sundara combo that I've cast on for another. This time, it's Breakwater in Sundara Fingering Silky Merino in the New Vision colorway. There's a whole story to go with this yarn, but I'll save it for later. In the meantime, here's a sneak peak of how it's going. Once again it's a top down raglan and I've already separated the body and sleeves!

There is one more modeled FO that I have yet to post. According to the fabulous Thea Coleman/Baby Cocktails, the release date for Mulled Cider is imminent. I was lucky enough to test knit this so as soon as it goes up for sale, I'll be posting my shots. Oh, and the buttons for my Dark & Gothic (another Baby Cocktails design!) are on their way from Washington State. So here's hoping for a photography session this weekend!

Snow Days

2011-01-17T08:33:00.001-05:00

Although the weather is clear for the present, the snow did come a few weeks in a row.

Where's my mail...

Watch the steps...

The walk must go on...

The end of the day...

Like Butter

2011-01-05T08:20:00.008-05:00

Playing catch up is hard to do! But it's my own fault and I can't really explain the inconsistency. One thing that remains constant, though, is my love for Madelinetosh yarns, especially the Pashmina, a sport weight blend of Merino (75%), Silk (15%) and Cashmere (10%). The hand is a luscious as Amy's dazzling palette of colors.

For sweaters, I have learned, it is best to keep to the shaded solids. They hint at shifts of light but don't distract from design elements, like lace or cabling.

I now have two Pashmina sweaters in my wardrobe and enough for one more in the stash. And I LOVE them!

Knit up last Fall, Audrey in Unst, by Gudrun Johnston is a great little cardigan from the Twist Collective's Fall 2009 collection. It's a bottom up cardigan knit in one piece with a bib of lace, twisted rib, i-cord finish and fantastic shoulder shaping.

As usual, I added some short row shaping for the bust. The cropped shape works really well because I didn't have to deal with all the (non) hip issues!

Were I to make this again (and I might since it's a great pattern and the lace can easily be swapped for a different design,) I would make the sleeves a bit longer. I love the 3/4 length but these are a bit short.

Audrey in Unst, by Gudrun Johnston

Yarn: Madelinetosh Pashmina

Colorway: Dahlia

Amount: less than 3 hanks, alternated three hanks at a time

Needles: 3.25 mm, 3.5 mm, 3.75 mm

Mods: made smaller size to accommodate my gauge, added short row shaping at the bust

Buttons: M&J Trimming

My tour de force, however, is Brunhilde, a test knit I did for Kristi Holaas (53Chevy over on Rav). Brunhilde is a top down, raglan sweater full of amazing cable goodness!

The instructions and charts were so clear, I highly recommend the pattern.

Since the cable panels on the front and back match up, adding short rows was a bit of a challenge but I managed to get in one full pattern repeat and ended up with only one less wrapped stitch than I would have hoped for. Also, because of the raglan nature I was able to add a couple more rows before I separate the sleeves from the body. I didn't want to go too wide there and end up with giant arm holes!

Here are some modeled shots taken at the bris of the Cheerleader's new baby boy! Mazel Tov!

Once again, I went for shorter sleeves and a cropped waist with the bottom band starting at the hip bone.

Brunhilde by Kristi Holaas

Yarn: Madelinetosh Pashmina

Colorway: Sugar Plum

Needles: 3.25 mm

Amount: 4 hanks (I had 50 g left over) alternated three hanks at a time

And the sweater knitting continues. I'm still working on getting those FO shots! And my newest sweater, Dark & Gothic, is past the halfway mark. I've got the collar and sleeves to go. Hoping to finish it by the weekend. I'll keep you posted.

Sunset

2010-12-31T15:46:00.002-05:00

Real post with real pics coming soon, but for now I'd like to share these shots I caught the other evening.

The colors remind of my current project... More deets soon.

Wednesday

2010-12-09T10:43:00.001-05:00

Good morning...

Got to give Edna her wake up call in 13 minutes...

Boy it's dark and blurry out there (5:40 am)

and really, really cold (about 25° F).

The sun begins to rise over Manhattan (6:15 am)

Best walking buddy. Ever.

All roads lead to Starbucks (6:35).

Check out that reflector belt!

Almost home (7:20)

But wait, there's more.

65 minutes of Ultimate Tae Bo

A decent lunch and some work on the computer then it's out the door again...

And it's still cold! (This park look familiar?)

All roads still lead to Starbucks.

The payoff.

The Last and the Brightest

2010-12-08T22:09:00.002-05:00

A Little Pop of Color, Please

2010-12-07T21:18:00.005-05:00

As I made my way through the park during today's constitutional, I found there is very little color left. In fact, it mostly looks like this:

There was a little gold as I thread my way through the park,

but really, it was mostly just more of this:

No, this is NOT the same picture as above. I promise.

And then I spied this:

Which after all the lifeless brown, seemed to me as this:

and I knew what I needed was some color. Some real color.

And then I reinforced my determination to get through some of my WiPs and give this lonely glove

it's mate.

And so when Mulled Cider and Brunhilde are finished, I am determined to finish Bobbie (I'm just a couple rows short of moving on to the fingers!),

and Chimera and a few others. But let's not get too carried away. I'll have to cast on for something new before I get through them all. I'll have to. It's in my genes.

Color My World

2010-12-06T22:00:00.001-05:00

My favorite store in London:

Beautiful objects, beautifully displayed. Like the Manolo Blahnik prints (there is a Manolo room of shoes as well as Manolo printed scarves sold exclusively at Liberty).

And though once upon a time I used to buy one gorgeous silk scarf on every visit, these days my focus is more up on the top floor, in the haberdashery:

This is Rowan, people...

all Rowan. Swoon...

And so I did my patriotic duty and bought enough fabric for a summer dress

and a sweater's worth of Rowan yarn.

What else was I to do?

Bright is Beautiful

2010-12-02T10:13:00.000-05:00

The sun is back out, as is the cold weather. But the rain and gray is gone. Nice. It was amazing to watch the wind in action yesterday. Nature in action is an awesome thing. And what better than to protect against wind? This season's biggest accessory seems to be the cowl, so I decided to join fun and whip one up. This took about 90 minutes to make and is squishy as it is warm!

Super bulk yarn and super big needles make a super fast knit and super squishy warmness!

I made one for my sister too, but of course no photo to be had. Imagine this in Indiecita, which is more suited to her coloring.

Marian by Jane Richmond

(a free Ravelry download)

Yarn: Malabrigo Rasta in Abril

Needles: 15mm (US 19)

And for another spot of brightness, I snapped this in the park last week. My Laurel hat with my new Kelly Green pea coat. I picked this up from Old Navy on Black Friday for about $35.

Wet WiP Wednesday

2010-12-01T11:09:00.004-05:00

Funny thing about the wonderful weather of NJ. Today looks like this:

but it's in the low 60's. Tomorrow promises the return of the sun, and a temperature drop of 20 degrees! I prefer sunny but colder, personally.

So, look at me, participating in the traditional WiP Wednesday! I mentioned the other day I was in the middle of a couple of test knits. And really, until at least this first one is done, there will be NO OTHER PROJECTS ON THE NEEDLES!

Besides the fact that this was supposed to be finished two weeks ago, I love it so much I want to wear it already! Here is Brunhilde:

Brunhilde is a top down raglan sweater with amazing cables. The charts are very clear, the instructions too. It even has tips to help you customize along the way. I'll give more deets when she's finished, but even with one sleeve you can get an idea of how she will look.

I feel less guilty about missing the deadline since my Test Knitting responsibilities are pretty much fulfilled. Since there is NO SEAMING on this, AT ALL, there will be no surprises for sleeve two. You don't have to wait for me to finish though, Brunhilde is now for sale!

And as for my other test knit... it's a bit under wraps. I so enjoyed knitting Calvados and admired other of Thea's patterns, that when an opportunity arose to test knit an upcoming pattern for her I grabbed the chance. I can tell you that it's aran weight, tweedy with some leafy detail and perfect for bundling up on a blustery day.

Here are a couple of sneak shots to tide you over. Thea plans to release this in early Jan and I can tell you it's a super fast knit. And check out Thea's other patterns over at her blog BabyCocktails.

Once I have permission to tell/show more. I will.

Reflections

2010-11-30T08:25:00.000-05:00

A last look at Autumn, before the rain turns all color to brown then gray.

The secrets the water keeps has always intrigued me.

Nature's Looking Glass.

A Series of Unfortunate Angles

2010-11-29T08:23:00.005-05:00

When I was home in September I was able to finish and model my Monami Cardigan. Since then I have finished two others, almost finished one (test knit) and started a fourth (yet another test knit). So now that I am an official "Sweater Knitter" it seems that the hardest part still remains finding someone to photograph the FOs.

I loved Calvados as soon as Thea Coleman posted it to her Ravelry Project page and I waited for the pattern's release date quite anxiously. And then I bought it. I think I was working on Monami at the time, but as soon as I returned from SF, I cast on.

This project is the perfect marriage of pattern, yarn and buttons. The yarn, you may recognize as the Harris Tweed I picked up at School Products. It lived in the stash over a year waiting for the perfect pattern to be written for it. And the buttons came from the wonderful Jodie, owner of the fabulous Etsy store Green Ray Productions. I love the deep red against the dark gray. The pattern design is so current, I receive compliments EVERY time I wear it.

These front and back pics have been up on my Ravelry page a long time, but I finally got my mom to take some modeled shots when we were in England. She did so well on the Golden Gate Bridge I had high hopes for the outcome.

Unfortunately she decided, for some inexplicable reason, to shoot with the camera angled up, leaving me with some great shots of the sweater but very unflattering shots of me:
As usual, I added bust shaping.

This asymmetrical sweater is knit from the bottom up. At the underarm, increases are made over successive rows to to give the T-look. After seeming up the three pieces, the collar stitches are picked up and needle size goes up successively to create the full collar.

If I were to make it again, I would omit some of the A-Line flair (by casting on fewer stitches) since, as you can see below, I just don’t have any hips to pull it off. It just sort of sticks out instead of draping. But that’s my body, not the pattern!

Calvados by Thea Coleman
Yarn: School Products Harris Tweed Mill End
Needles: US 7, 8, 9 (4.5mm ,5.0mm, 5.5mm)
Buttons from Green Ray Productions

Happy Black Friday!

2010-11-26T03:25:00.002-05:00

Hats, Revisited

2010-11-25T09:26:00.002-05:00

The weather has cooled off enough for me to start wearing my hats on a regular basis. And, in between sweaters, I plan on making more. They are a nice, quick knit, adding style and flair to an otherwise boring jacket.

During my walk in the park, I decided to take a few self portraits showing off some old favorites.

Ice Dragon (Snapdragon by Ysolda Teague)

Rose Red Redux (Rose Red by Ysolda Teague)

The Sanity Hat (Meret Beret by Wooly Wormhead)

Breiwick (Breiwick by Gudrun Johnson

And this old chestnut, which had been relegated to the back of my closet:

Odessa (Odessa by Grumperina)

There are a couple more hats I'd like to re-shoot, and one I'd like to remake completely. Verity, another winner by Ysolda Teague, has always been a bit too big. But now, with the new hair, I resemble the Pillsbury Dough Boy!

And of course there will be new hats to make and wear. This new hair is VERY hat friendly!

Pussy-Cat, Pussy-Cat

2010-11-24T06:38:00.001-05:00

Where have you been?

"I've been to London to look at the queen."

Pussy-cat, pussy-cat, what did you there?

"I frightened a little mouse under the chair."

"Who are these girls with straight hair?"

A Walk in the Park

2010-11-23T09:20:00.000-05:00

I was so glad to find the colors of fall were still around after being away last week.

If you quote me on this, I'll deny it, but it was a gorgeous day here in New Jersey. Perfect for my new hat.

I needed a break from my sweater knitting and snuck this in one day.

Arboreal Beret by Elli Stubenrauch
Twist Collective Fall 2010
Yarn: Baby Camel from School Products
Needle: 5.0 mm (US size 8)

I love the clean lines and undyed yarn. Crisp and clean, I'll have to make some gloves with the what's left!

J. E. T. S.

2010-11-22T18:29:00.004-05:00

What do you do on a cold Autumn day when you're getting over jetlag AND suffering from a bad cold?

Go to the game! And what a finish!

Oh, and I've been knitting and have some pics to share...

What a (g)Lovely Day

2010-09-07T17:16:00.005-04:00

So this post was supposed to be about my test knitting experience. And it is something I intend to write about because, well, it's important to ME. And perhaps, whether you are a knitter or not, there is something you too can learn from it. But that last post had A LOT of words so I've decided to go a bit sideways for now and show you my current WiP.

I had no intention of deviating from my sweater knitting devotion so quickly, but an opportunity to join Laris Designs newest mitten pattern, Chimera, KAL (which included the pattern) came up and I listened! Frankly, I would have loved to knit these up in this season's neutral palette, but this is a stash busting only project. And hey, look what I found:

Malabrigo Worsted in Lettuce and Olive. I actually have two hanks of Lettuce and will be using the second for a coordinating hat (pattern TBD).

These mittens are just too cool, and with a few mods, like half fingers and flip tops, this double layer of Malabrigo cushiness will keep my hands super warm and cozy this winter. And here we are, a couple of days into the knitting...

But don't worry, stealth sweater knitting continues as does progress on my Wrap it Up.

Independently Minded

2010-09-02T08:49:00.006-04:00

You've just come across a hot new pattern. Everybody's knitting it and everybody's loving it. The pattern is so clearly written. The charts are so concise. The design is clever and looks good on everyone AND it comes in 10 sizes! How did that happen???

Once upon a time, patterns came from books, booklets, magazines or leaflets. You bought said book, booklet, magazine or leaflet from your LYS or favorite book store. Maybe you even bought it on-line. Then as you knit it you found a mistake, you went back to your LYS or, if you were computer savvy, you went to the publisher's website and find the ERRATA. Because there is always Errata. Always. Except when there isn't and there should be! I'm going to give the benefit of the doubt here and say that the problem arises due to lack of time. That the fault is on the part of the publisher and not the designer because once a design is accepted, the designer has very little time to supply a sample in one size, let alone in a range of sizes. But thanks to Internet as a whole and, Ravelry specifically, the world of design and pattern acquisition is changing.

Besides bringing knitters together from across the world to create a true Global Knitting Community, Ravelry has done two other magnificent things. It has created forums that allow virtual KAL (Knit-A-Longs) where pattern questions can be answered by other knitters and often the designers themselves. And it has offered Independent Designers an opportunity to present and sell their own patterns.

Now I have yet to design, but I imagine that process goes something like this. Either by swatching, fiddling or by using a paper and pencil, the designer uses their creativity to come up with a design. Next they knit it up or jot down the notes on what they just did, depending on how they process. Now focusing on garments (as opposed to accessories) the finished design is knit up in one size. Probably theirs, or their daughter's (sister's, best friend's, etc.) Point is, it's one size. One set of notes. Then they (or their tech editor) crunch the numbers and create a size range often starting at 30 or 32 and going all the way up to 54 (magazines tend to give you S, M, L or XS(S, M, L) and sometimes XL if you are really lucky). And now the Independent Designer shows just how smart she/he is. The Independent Designer finds Test Knitters, in a range of sizes, to sit and knit the pattern up. Make sure it works. That the numbers crunched. That the theory matches up with the reality. And once many sizes have been knit, problems found and patterns corrected, then they go on sale. It doesn't always happen like this, but I believe it often does. And since these designers are active on Ravelry, they are avid knitters after all, they are accessible to the knitter's who are now buying the patterns. And if some mistake still slipped through, they usually address it quite quickly.

So though I have a large library of books and magazines, I find myself knitting from these Independent Designers more and more. I like their fresh styles, their innovative techniques. I like that they use Test Knitters to work out the kinks, and that if I have a question, they are there (and happy) to answer it. And because they are not quite yet famous, they really care. There is a designer, a little less known, that excites me very much. Emily Johnson of The Family Trunk Project is a real Renaissance woman. She is a self proclaimed "garment designer, writer, knitter" and I'm guessing she does even more. While her site is filled with amazing stories of her family and the designs their personalities have inspired, and some designs not inspired by family members, her blog lets you in on her process, some beautiful sewing projects and enough details about her personal life to make her feel like someone you want to know and want to spend time with, without ever supplying TMI as to make you feel uncomfortable or bored.

Now why am I telling you all this? Emily recently posted a 5 part series of entries on Influence and its place in the design process. And all the time I was reading it I was loving the sweater she was creating. Yep, the original Monami. The day she posted pictures of the final sweater I wrote her immediately telling her fabulous it was, not considering for a moment that she would be selling that design. I don't know why I thought that way, but there you have it. I was appreciating the beauty of the sweater, wishing I too could have said sweater, and overlooking the obvious. A designer with a new pattern design may be selling said pattern. Until someone on the Madtosh Lovers Forum posted in the Patterns that would look great in... thread posted a link. A link to a pattern with 5 sizes but no price tag. It wasn't for sale yet. It must be in Testing! Might Emily still need a Test Knitter? I immediately followed up on my congratulatory message with an offer of my services, and much to my delight and surprise I was in. Test Knitting. And in my next post I will tell you how this experience changed me as a knitter.

A View From the Bridge

2010-08-30T06:06:00.006-04:00

My Moanami is finished! Details on the sweater and my first test knitting experience in my next post, but for now look: My first modeled shots! My mom took these on the Golden Gate Bridge last week. Believe it or not, it was my first time walking it!

San Francisco Open Your Golden Gate

2010-08-22T20:08:00.004-04:00

Greetings to all. I'm having a wonderful time in the cooler climes of the San Francisco Bay Area. I've knit and met with my wonderful knitting friends. I've been to the cabin in Gold Country, where I found the perfect buttons (at last!) for my Vine Yoke Cardi. I went bowling (I can't even remember the last time I picked up a bowling ball!) with my sister, niece and nephews. I came in second! I've done some Ultimate Bargain Shopping with my mom (she is a certified pro - I believe my official certification is in the mail). Tomorrow I plan to walk over the Golden Gate Bridge, something I have NEVER done and have been looking forward to. My Monami is almost finished too! I hope to have some pics to share once I get back, though it's going to be pretty hard actually showing up at the airport...

Homeward Bound

2010-08-11T12:46:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year when I make my pilgrimage back to the "motherland". After the insanity of 90+ degree weather, with full humidity, I'm looking forward to California's record low summer temperatures. I hear it will be in the low 70's in Silicon Valley and a cool mid 60's in Southern Marin County. I'm bringing sweaters. Woo hoo!

Oh, and thanks for your recent comments you recent commenters. Though I am a big Google fan, the one thing is still hate about Blogger is that email addresses of commenters are not supplied so I can't write you back. If I ever get back to a more consistent form of blogging I'm definitely looking into a different agent.

The Best Laid Plans and all...

2010-08-08T06:30:00.015-04:00

So clearly, I've slacked off again. And I can't even offer a good excuse. Ok, maybe if I think really hard I could come up with one or two. Like I have no stash to show off since I am committed to my destash (that's like detox for Knitters). And if I did have stash to show I wouldn't show it anyway because, seriously, I'm going to admit to you that I have fallen off the wagon if I can't admit it to myself. This is all theoretical of course. Because I. Am. ~~Clean~~ Committed.

This, of course, means no new stash. And no pets or babies (standard Knit Blog filler). Even my walking isn't much to write about lately. Yes, I walked 85 miles a couple of weeks ago. That's right, 85! This last week I almost hit 80. But did I walk anywhere interesting? Well, actually I did!

Just over a week ago I met my friend Gail in the City. First, of course, I took my daily constitutional. Leaving the house by 6 AM, I walked my normal route of about 8.5miles. Went home ate my breakfast and readied myself to go. Though I left much later than anticipated, the bus made record time and I was at Port Authority by 10:30, giving my 30 minutes to walk Uptown to W 79th. I was maybe 3 minutes late. There my friend waited for me, at the famous Knitty City. I was there for buttons people. Really, get your mind out of the gutter. No yarn. Buttons. For my finished Vine Yoke Cardigan by Ysolda Teague from Twist Collective's Fall 2009 issue.

The yarn, which I bought at Rhinebeck last year, is Sliver Moon Farms Worsted Superwash Merino in Worsted weight. I jut fell in love with the color and had to have it. It sat around for a while until I knew that it wanted to be the Vine Yoke Cardigan. I know. This is not really an FO shot. The left underarm has still be seamed and clearly a good blocking is called for. Those things have been done, but buttons have been elusive.

So though I found some great buttons at Knitty City, there were not enough of them for my cardigan. The lovely Pearl said she would try to track them down, but no luck so far. I have to say, this was one of the most pleasant experiences I have had in a yarn store. Especially one to which I had never been to before. The store is very well organized and with many yarns I knit with or would like to knit with (some day, some day). And the staff were amazingly friendly.

Before we went through the park and over to E 62nd to try our luck at Tender Buttons, we had a nice lunch at Estihana, a lovely Kosher Asian restaurant just across the street from Knitty City, that I first (and last) visited with my mom in May. I had my usual sushi fare: Rainbow Roll and Edamame and enjoyed it very much. Then we were onto the bus and through the park and tracking down the button store. This store is a feast for the eyes.

Long and narrow, one wall is literally floor to ceiling buttons. And yet.... No joy for the Vine Yoke Cardigan. After such a lovely experience over at Knitty City, the apathy of the staff here left me very disappointed. But after much rummaging and no staff help or encouragement whatsoever (they were working very, very hard on a crossword puzzle) I did find these:
Which of course are not for the Vine Yoke cardi at all. They are for something else altogether. A special something that I am Test Knitting and something that deserves it's own post.
So now I have at least two more posts in me. The finished Vine Yoke Cardi post, complete with buttons, full details and maybe even a modeled photo. And my test knit, which doesn't have to be a secret but I've got to save something for next time...
Oh, and from E 62nd we walked down to E 42nd where we went our separate ways and I continued on back to W 42nd. All in all it was a 17.5 mile day. Not bad.

Lovin' the Glove

2010-07-02T13:26:00.000-04:00

I am a recovered sock addict. Fully recovered, thank you. So recovered, in fact, that I have a few single socks that are in desperate need of their mates. For now they remain alone. But what's a girl to do with the plethora of gorgeous sock yarns (many hand dyed) she's accumulated?

Well, first there is destashing. (And one of this long weekend's activities is to go through the stash, see what I'm ready to part with and put it up on my sale page over on Ravelry. Bookmark that page, peeps, there will some great stuff up there soon!) We've seen that sock yarn makes for some beautiful shawls as well (and I'll be showing off a few next time). And then there is the "new sock", gloves.

I have become completely smitten with them. I don't mean mittens, though they are lovely too. I mean honest to goodness, fingered gloves! And, in my opinion Julia Mueller of Laris Designs is the Cookie A of the glove world. Not only are her designs gorgeous but her architecture is ingenious as well. My first Laris Design gloves were my Lady Sunrise Gloves knit with Sundara's gorgeous Desert Sunrise Sock Yarn. (BTW, all you non-Ravelry people, the links to my actual project pages are now public! That Casey is a genius!)

The thumb is knit first, starting with the tip,

Next the the gusset and stitches are divided to make the band, then grafted together. Stitches are then picked up from the top of the band to make the hand and fingers,
and then from the bottom of the band to make the cuff,
An applied i-cord bind off finishes them off nicely. And the delicately shifting colors make my heart sing!

I'm currently working on Bobbie, a lovely linen stitch pattern made from Impulse of Delight's Mere Sock in Echinacea.

See those purl ridges at the base of the hand and right before the cuff splits? Those will have applied i-cord attached, as will the cuff edge. I haven't decided yet whether to use the same yarn or a contrasting solid. Thoughts? Bobbie is past the half way point. In fact I'm ready for the fingers on glove 2. And I'm already searching for the next pattern to knit. Oh, my hands are going to have a cozy winter. Can't wait!

A Journey of a Thousand Miles Starts with a Single Step

2010-06-24T10:57:00.002-04:00

My “new” addiction. Walking. Truth is I’ve always been a walker. Though, like with many things, when I get bored or lazy it goes by the wayside. Now when I’m motivated, that’s something altogether different.

This current journey began about 10 months ago as the waning summer released its heated grip and gave way to a gentler walking environment. It also coincided with a new weekly ritual of the long overdue manicure. And hey, I had to get there somehow! And so I decided if I could walk the unheard of mile long journey to get my nails done, then perhaps another half mile to Starbucks wasn’t so bad. This, in turn, led me to Target and suddenly I was free. I was no longer tied to the generosity of others to get me somewhere. I had two feet and they were more than enough. Before I knew it, twice a week I was taking my 6 + mile walk. Through the rain, the ice and snow, I never missed my biweekly walk. And then it was spring. I was excited to branch out. The Sunday I walked to beautiful Montclair and back, clocking 20+ miles, was liberating. This was true freedom. Not only was I leading a healthier lifestyle but my self esteem grew. And I was loving it. During this time I treated myself to an iPod Touch. The right music, or even better, a good audio book, gave me fuel for hours.

As more people spotted me and my reputation grew, many said they would love to walk with me. Two were serious and before I knew it I was leaving my house at 6:00 am each Wednesday and walking with one faithful companion on our 5 mile walk. The other meets up with me after work once a week. And then I needed more…

So if you are up at 6:00 AM you may see me on any given weekday as I make my way to the modern day Mecca called Starbucks. Whether it’s 1.5 miles away, 3 miles away or further, you can be sure it will mark my halfway point. And the baristas know my very specific signature drink by heart! Iced Venti Americano, 2 pumps sugar free vanilla, 1 pump sugar free caramel, no water and room for milk!

Wearing my pedometer from dawn to midnight, I’ve been clocking over 65 miles a week. And yes, I hit that 1,000 mile mark. Ages ago.

Are You There Blog? It's Me, Jessica

2010-06-15T18:20:00.004-04:00

Blog,

I have thought about you. Of what I have to say to you. Of what I wished I'd said to you. A lot. Not everyday, but a lot. Over six months have gone by since last spoke. So many changes. So many events. How does one make up for so much lost time. How does one catch up on so much lost time. One can't. Only move forward. Perhaps a little, not too often is enough to slowly reconciliate. Like writing once a week, not every day. Until we get used to each other again.

First, I am fine. Better than fine. Have been fine, and G-d willing, will remain fine. I have been busy. With life and, of course, with knitting. Since my last post I have completed 8 projects, including Wast Side Shawl, made from the heavenly Sundara Fingering Cashmere Merino in Aged Oak Barrel from the Napa Collection.

I'm almost finished with 2 more, including the long neglected Hanami!

I have a couple of new WiPs but am committed to finishing up some of the others languishing in the dark. Like Ziggity Zag which is a turned heel, foot and toe from being finished!

Of course no pictures have been taken of almost anything in ages, but just for you a snapped a few pics just moments ago (see above). All in all, we do have some catching up to do. The truth is, the knitting has slowed down a bit since I found a new obsession. Walking. Exercising. Really. So much for us to catch up on. But we have time. And I don't want to run out of material when we are just getting reacquainted. So I'll leave something for next time...

I have missed you. And I'm glad we are back in touch!

Paradise Lost?

2010-01-26T23:11:00.005-05:00

So close.

I've worked so hard on this little sweater for my niece, T. I learned the i-cord cast on. (Great stuff!) I got through the corrugated ribbing and navigated a sea of endless white. I added the sleeves and finally got to the yoke pattern where i made the cutest Paper Dolls.

In fact, after I took this photo yesterday afternoon, I went on to finish the dolls head and get to the first decrease round.

And that is when disaster struck. You see, the yoke has been 12 stitches (or 1 repeat) short. And I know this because when I went to decrease I didn't have enough stitches. And if I cheat out the decreases to get to the recommended 180 stitches, the second set of flowers do not line up.

I don't know what to do! Poor T has been waiting so patiently. And, do to some not so happy circumstances, I am going home next week for a few days. So I wanted to bring the finished sweater with me. Alas! Poor Paper Dolls, I knew them well. Do I keep trying to find a way to fake the decreases and get them to work or do I rip ALL THE WAY BACK?

I will have to cogitate on this and make a decision very quickly. Ack!!!!

Three

2010-01-21T20:07:00.003-05:00

There's a new girl in town, and she's gorgeous. Seriously. Gorgeous.

Too bad her parents don't really want her picture up for all to see. But trust me. She's going to look Smokin' in this:

pattern: Baby Mine by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee

yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts Mediumweight in Bleck

needles: 3.5 mm

mods: none

Two

2010-01-20T17:50:00.004-05:00

Our little Miss T is still waiting patiently for her (very belated) birthday present. Par for the course, some of you might think. The only thing that tied me up with this knit was an endless sea of tiny white stitches. Endless! Once I got to the stranded part it just started to fly.

Fortunately, I made my newly 7 year old niece an 8 year old size. And though she lives in California, I still have hopes that she will wear her Paper Dolls this winter.

I really am close to finishing!

One

2010-01-19T20:57:00.004-05:00

I've become a little hat obsessed lately. The cold New Jersey winters can do that to you. And the walking. Lots of walking going on around here...

In the need of something bright and sunshiny, I cast on for Lisa's and Katie's Berets with this gorgeous single ply, aran weight from Impulse of Delight in the echinacea colorway. I not only cast on, I actually finished it. Alas, it was HUGE! So I've frogged the whole thing and will try again with fewer stitches. But I had to show you this WiP photo because just looking at the colors made me smile.

Then there was Relm. I'm die-hard Jared Flood fan and have been waiting to work on this. But I have learned my head. And my hair. And I knew this wasn't going to be for me. It was just right, though, for Mimi's Mommy.

Of course, I have learned my lesson when it comes to Mr. Flood's patterns. Go down a needle size. The man is a very tight knitter!

Relm by Jared Flood

published in Knit.1 / Winter 2008

yarn: Berroco Blackstone Tweed

amount: approximately 200 yds (1.5 balls)

needles: 4.0 & 4.5 mm

mods: smaller needle size, one less repeat than pattern indicates and as you can see, it's plenty slouchy!

And for me. A little something to go with my Shabbos coat. Black with a very large plaid like brown. I'll have to take a photo of it, but for now - Breiwick. Love!

Breiwick by Gudrun Johston

yarn: Madlinetosh Tosh Worsted in Violin

amount: approximately 200 yds (less than 1 ball)

needles: 3.5 & 4.5 mm

mods: none

Fresh Start

2010-01-05T13:38:00.002-05:00

"I think the time has come," she thought to herself.

"I think the time has come," she said to herself.

"I think the time has come," she wrote on her blog, "to get this blogging thing back in action."

Watch this space for new projects, new photos and even some new adventures. Really.

Really.

Blizzard

2009-12-21T07:54:00.005-05:00

Perhaps an exaggeration, but when I opened my door yesterday, this is what I saw:

That's about two feet of snow. Right outside my door. Thinking to brave it all in a borrowed car, I found out my scheduled event had been cancelled. Of course, this was after Frak had arrived with said car. But after driving to his house, ostensibly to drop him off and be on my way, I decided it was just too much for me. I am not accustomed to driving in this weather. Combined with the added pressure of a borrowed car, I just wasn't prepared to chance anything. And by the time the roads had cleared enough for me to feel comfortable, it was too late to set out for my second planned event of the day and return before dark when, others assured me, the roads would get icy. And how did I know that the roads had, indeed, cleared? Though I was not brave enough to test the craziness of New Jersey road works, I did get in my big Sunday six mile walk. And the local Sheriff's deputy controlling traffic at a certain unpleasant intersection confirmed that I may be the last pedestrian in New Jersey. Of course, this meant missing a planned meet up with my sister, et. al. A big event, indeed, since it is the first time she has come out here since I arrived 2.5 years ago. I hope to rectify that in about 10 days, when she and my BiL return from their vacation.

The good news in all this is the kids remain in NJ with their grandparents, and thanks to national holidays, I get them on Thursday. All day. And probably into the night. A great sleepover is planned. I am v. excited.

Of course that is not the only blizzard of white in my life. There is also this:

My niece's Paper Dolls. It is taking forever, mostly due to that sea of white. And 2.75mm needles. Forever! So much forever, that I have tried, with no success, to sneak in other projects. It seems each thing I try I end up ripping out. Bad gauge, wrong stitch count, something stupid. Clearly I am meant to finish this. After all, it's only 2 months over due.

But I am only an inch away from the underarms.

And I have started the sleeves for a little variety. And when they all get on one big circ, and I start working on the yoke, then the fun will begin! This really is a great pattern. In the round, bottom up and a clever design ranging from child's 24 inch to woman's 44 inch. And of course, though a pain to work on - all those teeny, tiny white stitches - it creates a beautiful fabric.

Still I'm looking forward to getting it off the needles and on to T. Soon. Before it gets warm or something.

Blech!

2009-12-10T07:57:00.005-05:00

That's how this weather makes me feel!

Blech!

I wonder if that was the sentiment master dyer Tina Newton (Blue Moon Fiber Arts) was trying to convey when she came up with this colorway:

Bleck

The thing is, I think knit it up it actually looks quite lovely. And sophisticated. And matched up with the Yarn Harlot's Baby Mine pattern it makes a beautiful, antique looking baby present. I think it's Smokin', which is what I've named it!

The pattern, as all of Stephanie's patterns, is clear and easy to follow with lovely charts and written out directions (for those who prefer them). It's clever too. Two sleeves (see above) are knit in the round and then set aside while the body of the sweater is knit flat. All this in a lovely lace pattern. The sleeves are then joined to the body and the sweater is finished with a garter yoke. I'm half way through the body and hope to be joining this together tonight. And all it takes is 1-2 hanks of STR Mediumweight yarn. I'm knitting the 6-9 months and I'm hoping my gorgeous little recipient enjoys the super softness while her mummy appreciates the elegant lines. And the machine washing. Mustn't forget that!

And I'll Bet You Thought I Wasn't Coming Back

2009-12-02T18:50:00.005-05:00

Things got a bit hectic here at Chez Tante. Dare I say, even the knitting slowed down! Of course I've finished a few more things since I last wrote, even started some others. Oh, and the biggest news, I picked up a sock last night! Seriously. I haven't worked on a sock since the my onset of PST - Post Sock-Madness Trauma. But I've decided I must flip these WiPs and so I'm back to work on Ziggity Zag!

So what was I up to? Life mostly. And a wonderful visit with my mom over Thanksgiving. Much good shopping was had. Of the clothes variety, not the yarn. No - I am pretty firmly committed to a serious yarn diet. Only Sundara can break my will. Or an occasional Madelinetosh treat. It's kind of exciting, shopping the stash, and I'm already trying to find the best combination for Daybreak by Stephen West. And there's a few baby things I need to get on with. And of course my niece's sweater, which is coming along slower than expected. And most importantly, I MUST finish off the third piece of the Mimi trilogy, A Scarf for Mimi. Using this pattern as a basis, adding the lace motif from A Hat for Mimi, and quite a bit of tweaking, A Scarf for Mimi should be done tonight or tomorrow. Mimi's mommy is getting quite anxious about the whole thing. And I don't blame her. The cold weather is definitely here.

So until I can catch some sunlight to photograph some of projects, I'll leave with you more of the Summer of Shawls.

Car(a)mel Sensation

Pattern: Melody Shawl by Melody Moore, Morehouse Farms

Needles: KP Options, 5.5 mm

Yarn: Sundara Fingering Silky Merino

Fiber: 50% silk, 50% merino

Colorway: Carmel Apple

Lavalette blocking

Cool Lava

Pattern: Lavalette by Kirsten Kapur

Needles: KP Options 4.5 mm

Yarn: School Products Hand Dyed Cashmere Blend 2

Fiber: 20% Cashmere, 50% Merino, 30% Silk

Colorway: Aqua

Present for my sister's birthday

Cosmic Milkweed

Needles: KP Options 3.5mm

Yarn: Sundara Sock Yarn

Fiber: 100% Merino Superwash

Colorway: Aurora Borealis

and finally, after 3 years in the planning...

Seriously
Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert at Knitty.com

Needles: KP Options 4.5 mm

Yarn: Handmaiden Fine Yarn, Casbah Sock Yarn

Fiber: 80% Merino, 10% Cashmere, 10% Nylon

Colorway: Ivory

Mods: used fingering weight instead of worsted. Added repeats until I achieved the desired width, knit until there was only enough yarn left to do the decrease section. I used 3.25 hanks. And I totally LOVE it!

An Ode to Ysolda

2009-11-11T07:30:00.012-05:00

or Who I Spent Summer with...

If you are on Ravelry, you can't NOT know who Ysolda Teague is. But in case you aren't, or don't, let me tell you. Ysolda is a 20 something designer of the first rate. Her designs have appeared in the on-line knit 'zine Twist Collective as well as several print magazines. She has just self published her second booklet, Whimsical Little Knits 2, and has many other designs available on her site. Though I have yet to meet her personally, I did spend my summer with her in the most enjoyable way. By knitting her designs, one after the other.

In August I showed you some of Ysolda's hats I was making, though I never got around to showing you the final pic of Rose Red Redux:

And my first post back was all about Ishbel. Here are some of the other things I didn't blog about this summer:

Ice Dragon

Pattern: Snapdragon Tam

Yarn: Madeline Tosh Worsted

Fiber: wool, merino

Colorway: Iceberg

How Much: 1 hank

Needles: KP Options 4 mm and 4.5 mm

Ice Dragon Flippity-Tips

Pattern: Snapdragon flip-tops

Yarn: Madeline Tosh Worsted

Fiber: wool, merino

Colorway: Iceberg

How Much: 1 hank

Needles: KP Options 4 mm

Damson

Pattern: Damson

Yarn: Sundara Fingering Silky Merino

Fiber: 50% silk, 50% merino

Colorway: Secrets Kept

How Much: .8 hanks (400 yds)

Needles: KP Options 4 mm

Oh My, What a Lovely Cape you Have

Pattern: Emily capelet

Yarn: Madeline Tosh Worsted

Colorway: Duchess

How Much: 2 hanks

Needles: KP Options 5.5 mm

(This has been finished and blocked. I just need a good photo, so you'll be seeing this again!)

But wait, there's more. Because I still plan on making... to be continued

It's the Little Things

2009-11-05T07:53:00.004-05:00

The summer was mostly a blur of Selfish Knitting. Shawls were the order of the day, with hats second and gloves/mittens in third place. But it seems those days are numbered. I have things to knit for other people. Sad but true.

My niece T just turned 7 there is a sweater needing to be made and sent back with her grandmother in just a few weeks. There is a poncho needing to be started for a dear friend (and believe me she must be a dare friend because Tante don't do no ponchos!) and hat still to be made for the Cheerleader. I have given her the opportunity to decided if she still wants Gretel or something more Married Ladyish.

And then there is the set for Mimi. Mimi's mommy is my friend and co-worker and Mimi's mommy wanted a nice hat and mittens to go with Mimi's new charcoal gray Shabbos coat.

A Hat for Mimi
Pattern: Child's Lace Cap CH-3 (Fibertrends)

Size: 4-5 yrs

Yarn: Berroco Pure Merino

Weight: Aran Weight, put up 50 g, 92 yds.

Used: 2 balls

Colorway: Posy

Needles: KP Options 4mm & 5mm

Mittens for Mimi
Pattern: Basic Cuff Up Mittens

Size: 4 yrs

Yarn: Berroco Pure Merino

Weight: Aran Weight, put up 50 g, 92 yds.

Used: less than 1 ball

Colorway: Posy

Needles: KP Options 3.5mm & 4mm

Fortunately there are a few balls left over because Mimi's mommy also wants a matching scarf. I want to incorporate the lace pattern. Still working on ways to stop the edges from rolling, a garter stitch edging is just not what is called for. I'm thinking of a i-cord edge. It's something I've been using for a soon to be blogged about project and I like how it's looking. I'll keep you posted.

Resurfacing?

2009-11-03T07:24:00.005-05:00

Hello Blog World,

I know I have been absent for a good, long while. Certain friends remind me of this quite often. I've been a private place for a while. It was a hard return back to reality after my trip home. I felt restless. And wordless. So I just made some quiet time. Gathering my thoughts. Contemplating life. And knitting of course.

And now that same restlessness that took me away from my writing has sent me back. So stay tuned. I have pictures and stories and knitting to share. And just to prove I really mean it, I'll leave you with a couple of FO photos and a lovely piece of news:

Dirty D'Ishy

Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague

Size: Large

Yarn: Sundara Fingering Silk Merino

Colorway: Dirty Denim (Limited Edition yarn)

Yardage: about 375 yds

Needles: 4 mm (US 6)

And the news... The Cheerleader is engaged to be married! Mazel Tov!!!!

Nearing the Zero Hour

2009-08-23T00:55:00.003-04:00

My time here is slipping away. I now look around with a hint of sadness knowing I am saying goodbye to my family once again. Perhaps for another year...

I had a great time at the cabin. Even took a few pictures which I hope to post once I get home. My dad's cabin was much less rustic than expected and I especially loved my bedroom. The bed was the most comfortable I had ever slept in and a work of art as well. It came up to my shoulders and I had to climb a couple of steps to get up there. (Yes I took a picture!) The property has work to be done, which is what my dad wanted, so I look forward to seeing the progress the next time I come back.We visited several little cities/towns near Pioneer like Sutter Creek, Amador, Volcano and Pine Grove. They all had cute little shops and we just wandered around them. My dad had noticed a little yarn store in the Pine Grove and we decided to stop in and see what they had. 95% acrylic as expected. But there was also Cascade: 220, Superwash, Luna and Sierra. And most excitingly the owner had just brought in some Pagewood Farms Yukon and Denali that I picked up for an incredible price. Seriously!

We went walking around during the day and at night we watched a video (yes video, as in VCR!). There is no television reception so they've acquired a decent sized collection of videos from thrift stores. As the honored guest I got to choose and while we watched Breakfast at Tiffany's I finished Milkweed. I added 6 extra rows since I had the yarn, and got a bit more width out it. I haven't blocked it yet, waiting until I get back home to my blocking wires, but I think it's beautiful! I even got in some time on Clapotis and my Melody Shawl (more to come on that one!)

Thursday evening finished with a visit with my grandmother and then back to my mom's house. Friday morning a successful foray into the City and, finally, some decent shopping. Macy's One Day Sale was announced for today, which was of course off limits. Fortunately their Preview started Friday. In fact, according the receipt, I saved over $600. Everything was about 75% off and with an additional 25% coupon, so I'm good for a while!

So all that's left this evening is to install some software on my mom's computer, pack and put away all my kitchen stuff. Tomorrow I am having coffee with my cousin, meeting up with the Mill Valley Knitting group until 12, finishing up anything that needs finishing at my mom's and then it's off the spend the afternoon and evening at my sister's, including babysitting the kids for a couple of hours. My flight isn't until late so I plan on making the most of the day.

The next time I post will be from my home computer. Hopefully with pictures!

Living the Good Life

2009-08-19T11:34:00.002-04:00

Blue skies. Sunshine. I'm happy indeed. I've even been able to wear my hair down, an almost impossible feat in New Jersey. Sunday I had a great time with the Mill Valley Knitting Group. It was great to see everyone and I look forward to doing it all again this Sunday!

I've spent the last couple of days with my sister and family. I'd include my B-i-L but he's been so busy at work I've barely seen him. I ran lots of errands with my sister yesterday and even managed to get a manicure. Something I think I will have to start doing with regularity! The kids, of course, are absolutely fabulous. The big ones (S & T) are starting school this morning! And of course their mother is chairing the Back to School Coffee Whatever. So N, who starts Kindergarten at a different school, and I are hanging out. In fact we are going to head over to Starbucks to get Tante's fix as soon as this is posted.

In about 90 minutes my dad will be here and then it's off to his cabin in Pioneer. No cell reception, and I'm sure no internet, so I won't be reporting in again until Friday. I can tell you vacation knitting is going well. My Milkweed Shawl, dubbed Cosmic Milkweed since I am using Sundara Sock in Aurora Borealis, is almost done. In fact I could have cast off already but there is plenty of yarn still so I've decided to add a few more rows. I've seen people add 2 or 4 but I'm going for six. I should be finished by the time I get to Pioneer. But fear not, I have plenty of other projects to work on!

I can't believe I'm at the half way mark on my vaca. So not ready to leave! Still, I'm not thinking of any of that now. Just enjoying the now. Now, off for my caffeine fix!

Home Sweet Home

2009-08-14T15:12:00.003-04:00

Just a quickie to say I arrived safe and sound! The fishing trip was a blast and I came close to catching a couple good ones, but one got tangled on a co worker's net and escaped and the other jumped off the hook before I completed reeling it in. It was my first fishing trip so that was ok with me. Besides, what would have I done with the fish since I was going straight to the airport!

All that fresh air made me exhausted. Although prepared with two projects for some airplane knitting I actually slept the entire flight! And I still managed to fall asleep once I got home. I can't tell you the elation I felt as I crossed the Golden Gate bridge! The moon was absolutely stunning, half full and golden yellow, lowish on the horizon. I wish I could have captured it on film to share with you. In true tourist style I asked my mom why the bridge was red and she told me she asked my father the same thing, in earnest, the first time she saw it. For those of you who might expect a gold bridge, it is indeed red! The golden refers to the Golden Gate, the straight that connects the San Francisco bay to the Pacific Ocean. For me, the bridge is a symbol of Home and I am indeed happy to be here.

I'm taking a quick break from the Shabbos cooking now. Challah has been kneaded and is rising away. The soup is up, as is the gefilte fish. Chicken is marinating for a stir fry and the cholent pot is almost ready to hit the stove. Just before I started cooking my sister called to say she and the kids were coming and could I make matzo balls for the soup, so there is still that to do, salads etc. But I'm pretty on track and very excited to see everyone earlier than expected.

I doubt there will be any pictures before I get home, but I hope to take plenty! Especially when I with my dad up to his cabin near Tahoe next week. It promises to be quite picturesque! Until Monday then...

California Dreaming

2009-08-12T07:24:00.004-04:00

It's been hard to stay focused lately. It's summer. Not, of course, the type of summer I am used to. Thunderstorms and endless humidity are still quite foreign to me. I dream of blue skies, of a yellow sun that warms us with its rays. Of walking along the ocean. I dream, of course, of home.

And after waiting an interminable amount of time, the dream comes true tomorrow! Tomorrow I will go coast to coast. Literally. My company's yearly fishing trip is tomorrow and we will make our way down to to Point Pleasant for six hours of fishing on the Miss Michele III. It's the fourth year they are going, but my first. And it promises to be quite fun! And then it's straight to the airport. Before midnight I shall be touching down at SFO, then crossing the Golden Bridge as I make my way into Marin. I'll try to check in when I can. And by the time I return I hope the knitting world has made its collective turn towards Fall knitting. The groove should return. I dearly hope so!

Though I've slowed on my blogging a bit this summer, the knitting has continued. It has been the summer of the Shawl and few hats thrown in for good measure. I'm I'm already work on my next shawl and still deciding what to take with me on my vacation. When I come home I hope to take some serious time for concentrated (and concentration) knitting on Hanami. I'd like that ready for Succos as well. And there are always baby presents to be made. Why, a new little girl came into the world just yesterday and is in serious need of hand knit goodness...

The Payoff

2009-08-10T22:57:00.005-04:00

Way back when, over 6 months ago, I fell in the love with the idea of Charlotte's Web and the shawl concept. You remember! I found the perfect three colors but couldn't match them to any two more. I collected obscene amounts of STR Mediumweight in my never ending quest. I made my own version with very different colors than first intended and though I still love it, it didn't quite sing the way I'd hoped it would? And still I loved that three color combo from the original, doomed CW. And then I started seeing Gudrun Johnston's Aestlight Shawl popping up all over Ravelry. This Shetland shawl was designed in a single, solid color, but that didn't stop some people from using two colors. And then I thought could I make it work with three? Those three that I had set aside but not given up on? Why not?

The entire shawl is in Garter stitch so not only does it fly off the needles, but it blocks out like crazy. I found the construction fascinating, the central triangle made by increasing by a YO on every row, leaving little rings on the outside of the triangle. The next section is then picked up through these rings and the different edgings applied.

Here you can see the three colors together in the ready to be blocked finished shawl:

And here is the finished shawl. All the garter goodness, and lovely points ready to pulled out and blocked into place.

Post blocking. I just love it!

I did use every last bit of my Puck's Mischief to make this work. In fact, I faked half of the last row with a bit of Amethyst because I had run out. And I had to use some of the Jasper for the bind off across the top of the triangle. But because these colors are in the Puck's Mischief I don't think you can tell!

Aestlight Shawl by Gudrun Johnston
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts, Socks that Rock Mediumweight
Colorways: Pucks Mischief, Jade, Jasper
Needles: KP Options, 4.5 mm

End of an Era

2009-08-06T19:37:00.004-04:00

For things to be Good, there must be balance. It is often the differences of the individual parts that build a stronger whole. The Yin balances the Yang; Peanut butter enhances the Chocolate, and the pairing of Frik and Frak created an office legend (at least for teasings sake!). Alas, the last pairing is no more. Today we said good bye to Frik, who has left us for new opportunities. He was a great pleasure to work with, always had a sympathetic ear and good sense of humor. And once he got over the novelty of it all, was impressed with the knitting and kept tabs on the blog!

I wish him well in his new endeavors, we will all miss him around the office. Alas, poor Frak, will have no one with which to escape on a mandate. Hmmm, we'll have to see how he'll interact with the new guy...

Little Lessons

2009-08-04T23:27:00.001-04:00

During my recent knit-free time, I managed to finally sit down and star reading Clara Parke's must have reference book, The Knitters Book of Yarn. While I've had the book a good long while, I'd never done more than glance through the sections. That afternoon I made it through all of Section 1: Fiber Foundations and most of Section 2: Making Yarn. I can't wait to get to Section 3: Ply Me a River to better understand all the ply business. I do know that after making a cardigan that was pilling before I ever bound off that Single Plies are not for me, except maybe in an accessory here or there.

Back in Section 1, I learned all about the properties of the yarns we knit with: protein, cellulose, cellulosic and synthetic. What's light weight but warm, all about scales and staple. And I learned, once and for all, that Mohair is from Angora goats and Angora is from Angora rabbits. An important distinction!

Which brings us full circle in the hats department. Ysolda Teague hats, that is. My first Ysolda hat sets the gold standard of all hats. Gretel is my best fitting, most flattering hat I happily wore almost all winter. It was also my first experience Berroco's Ultra Alpaca (50% alpaca, 50% merino) and I can't wait to use it again. For a pair of Almera gloves, perhaps another Gretel, and yes, even a sweater!

Gretel by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Berroco Ultra Alpaca
Needles: KP Options, 4.0 & 5.0 mm

I then moved on to Rose Red (or as I called my project, Petal Pink). If you remember, I was trying to behave myself and knit from the stash. The pattern called for an Angora blend but all I had was some Teddy Mohair I'd brought back from Israel. Yes, it had the fuzz factor, but it also was partly synthetic and it just never grabbed me.

But when I found 100% Angora on sale at Knitting Nation I just HAD to grab it so I could try again. Rose Red Redux is working out beautifully! Yes, it sheds a bit and is a pain to work with in this heat. That's probably the main reason the hat isn't done yet. I do a few rounds and my hands are sweating and full of magenta fluff.

But this thing is so incredibly soft! And the color! It's so worth it! And I'm hoping once it's done and just sitting on my head that the flying fluff will cease.

Rose Red by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Valeria di Roma Angora in Magenta
Needles: KP Options, 4.0 mm

My third Ysolda hat, Verity, was finished before the 9 Days but took FOREVER to dry.

As anyone who has made this will tell you, the hat flies off the needles, and then when all you have left is the band you learn that IT takes as long as the hat to finish. But it is so worth it. Look at that lovely Linen Stitch texture.

Finding the perfect button is always a challenge. But one that I enjoy. Once again, after rummaging through almost all of Sheila's fabulous buttons, I finally found this one.

Perfection!
Verity by Ysolda Teague
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Alpaca Silk Aran (80% alpaca, 20% silk; 100 soft squishy goodness!)
Needles: KP Options, 4.5 mm

I'm thinking of making another Verity as well. With Knit Picks Andean Silk in Grass, to match my Backyard Leaves. Remember, I'm all about the matched sets these days!

Hats Off

2009-08-03T23:47:00.004-04:00

Timing, they say, is everything. As I began thinking over what I wanted write about, now that I'm back at it, I started creating mini lists in my head. Projects made with the same yarns, patterns by the same designer, projects with similar themes...

I decided this first post would be about hats. And as I started loading in the pictures I noted that all the hats I had recently made, was in the middle of making or planned to make (with one single exception) were all designed by either Jared Flood or Ysolda Teague. And as I was preparing to grab the URL for planned hats, I went over to b r o o k l y n t w e e d and read this amazing new post. So before I even get to what I've been doing you MUST pop over and read about Jared's first book!

So now, hats. What I've done, what I'm doing, what I plan to do. You know I knit up Habitat back in June. My cousin and I have still to meet up but with the outrageous heat of summer I know he's not missing his present too much. Of course this means I haven't had a proper photo shoot of it yet. The shots I took before really did nothing for me (nor anyone else apparently) so I took a little self portrait in the bathroom earlier. Not the most flattering of shots, but better than what I had going.
Habitat by Jared Flood

Why bring this up again? At the time, you may remember, I had to run out and buy a second ball of Classic Elite's Portland Tweed to get this hat finished up. It seemed a little ridiculous to have 3/4 of a ball left over. What would I do with that. So I bought another ball of course. But with a purpose. My dad's birthday is coming up and I will be seeing him when I go home NEXT WEEK! He bought a cabin a while ago up near the Tahoe area and I thought a hat might come in very handy next winter. Whilst rummaging through Ravelry looking for pattern ideas I realized the best choice was probably something I'd already made. By Jared Flood, of course. The famous Koolhaas comes to life once more. Now I only cast on Saturday night. And though, when properly motivated, to get a hat done I can finish it up in a day, since I don't fly out until next Thursday, and as much as love the look, it is a bit difficulty to muster the same excitement on any project the second time round. So for now, Koolhaas is relegated to car and lunch break knitting. If it's not done by the end of the weekend, I'll step it up. I have other plans for plane knitting.

Koolhaas by Jared Flood

In addition to these two hats, I plan on making Relm, Porom and that amazing slouchy purple hat in the new book. And in non hat news, I'm dreaming about starting a Girasole, blanket version. But not until it cools off considerably!

Tomorrow we'll look at what's been going on with the girlier hats by Ysolda Teague.

Almost

2009-07-31T19:14:00.004-04:00

The Nine Days are over. The fast is over. The knitting has commenced and there are even a couple of FOs to show off. Even a couple of nifty non-knit (but knit related nonetheless) things I want to share. And all that will start Monday. (I need Sunday to try and catch up so I have continuing somethings to show off...)

In the meantime, it is Friday. So here is some more Sundara...

Tuscan Rose over Lemon

Prickly Pear

Summertime

2009-07-24T19:19:00.003-04:00

Of all the Season's collection, I think this summer yarn has proven the most difficult to capture and has been under appreciated by some of its recipients.

At first blush, there seemed to be something a little less special about these colors. It was evening and I was in my room where the lack of good lighting has been lamented ad nauseam. So imagine my delight when I went outside the next day and found all the Sundara magic in these two hanks of yarn. These photos still don't do these colors justice, but trust me, the shades of pinks, oranges and reds make the coral glow. And depths of greens and blues really do remind me of deep, deep water. So scroll down and see the last installment of Sundara's Seasons.

Summer

Coral Reef

Under the Sea

All Quiet on the Western Front

2009-07-22T08:02:00.003-04:00

Things are going to be a bit slow 'round here. At least until the end of July. Last night saw the beginning of the month of Av and the 9 Days. The mourning that began with the 3 Weeks intensifies as we get closer to 9 Av, the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. As we focus more on these calamitous events, we ramp up the level of refraining from joyous things. And you guessed it, amongst the things we don't do during this time: knit.

I do have some WiPs that I haven't photographed in a while, even an FO I managed to whip up in a 24 hour period. So it won't be total silence around here. But it will be relaxed.

Cookie Fix

2009-07-20T23:04:00.003-04:00

Every once in a while I get the craving. Maybe more than once in a while. You know what I'm talking about. An insatiable need for cookies. The I must have a cookie now feeling. For some it's chocolate chip, other Oreos. For me, its Cookie A (Rav linky). The complexity of elements in a Cookie A design make for the most satisfying sock knitting experience. I can't give you a good explanation as to why it took me over a year to knit these. Each sock on it's own took about a week, whilst working on other things. I can only tell you that now that it's finished, I have a whole menu of new Cookie A socks lined up, both patterns found at her site and from the new book, Sock Innovation. In fact there are so many I want to knit I don't know which to start with: Stricken, Twisted Flower, Marlene, Bex, Kai Mei...

This was also my first experience with Koigu. The yarn is a bit on the thicker side of sock yarns, so I was able to do go up to 2.75mm no problem. As with most socks, going up to this size also gives me not only the extra width I need but also the extra length for a size 9.5-10 foot. I also did 2 cuff repeats instead of 3. Good thing. I had but a few yards left over in each hank.

The sock itself was pure Cookie. Clever and fun. Twisted stitches, cables, great charts. They keep you focused and challenged but they are much easier to knit than one you might think.

Django by Cookie A
Yarn: Koigu KPM
Needles: KP fixed Nickel circular, 2.75 mm

Hope Springs Eternal

2009-07-17T16:01:00.004-04:00

Cherry blossoms, blue skies, green leaves and the return of sunshine. Spring is my favorite time of year, least of which because my birthday falls then. The Spring colors of the final Sundara Season collection captureS the soft nuances of Spring awakening.

Spring

Desert Sunrise

Ginger over Peach

Taste Testing

2009-07-15T22:56:00.006-04:00

Happy Wednesday! I finally have some WiPs to show off! Of course the Super Sekret project remains hidden from sight, but I'm happy to report I am working my way through the third repeat. The pattern calls for 4.5 repeats, but I'm thinking of pushing it to 5.5. Cryptic much?

As for Django, I'm merrily making my way through the foot. Should be done by Sunday.

Clapotis comes along more slowly. I have to be in a real brainless mood to work on it.

The long end is already over 50", but I've got lots more yarn left so I'm going to keep on going.

I love its classic beauty and luxurious feel. It makes me think of winter. In a good way, all wrapped up and snuggly in Casbah goodness. I'm thinking it may be an excellent knit on the plane ride home next month.

Of course just because I'm making progress doesn't mean my eyes, and hands, don't wander. And so I've been testing out a couple more shawls.

First, Tuscany, by Amy Singer (or Knitty fame) from her book No Sheep For You. I'm using Sea Silk in the Hemlock colorway. The color is a bit more variegated than I'd hoped for but I think it will be lovey. It's my first time working with slippery, slidy silk and all is going smoothly.

And finally, I've considering Jeanne by Kirsten Kapur. I'm using Yarn Pirate's Bamboo/Merino blend sock yarn in Hyacinth. The shifting lavenders are beautiful and the bamboo content gives a lovely sheen. I'm just not sure that what I think of the pattern yet.

You know I'm aching to cast on for a hat, I'm gathering my yarns for a multi color cardi and I'm still planning for gloves. I just need more time in the day...

Black and Blood

2009-07-14T22:59:00.004-04:00

In my continuing efforts to plow through the WiPs, I present to you my finished, blocked Ulmus (Rav linky)!

look at those pointy points!

Modeling photos to come, if I ever find either A) a willing model or B) a decent photographer!

Ulmus by Kirsten Kapur
STR Mediumweight
Bleeding Hearts and Korppi
Needle size: 4.5mm

Racing Towards Closure

2009-07-13T20:39:00.004-04:00

Things seem to take on a more relaxed tone in the summer. It's like we're all still on summer vacation from school, or want to be. I've seen it's not just me, but bloggers in general are writing less. The knitting pace seems to me less frantic. The various shawls are taking shape, but really who needs them in the summer heat?

Still, there has been a need, slowly building and getting ready to burst out. A need for closure. Completion. And to that end, I am revisiting some of my favorite WiPs and going for the gold.

My favorite sock designer, Cookie A, has so many patterns calling out to me. But truly, how can I contemplate casting on something new when Django sits half finished? Make that 3/4 finished! Last week I picked the needles and cast on for the second sock. And here we are, in the middle of the gusset decreases just a few days later.

Starting with a cabled rib cuff,

you can see how the pattern makes its way down the back of the leg. (I know the socks look a little wonky from this angle, but you get the idea.)

And the long, swooping circles encompassing the leg.

Not to mention the squeezably soft Koigu. These socks almost make me wish it was winter. Almost!

Winter Delight

2009-07-10T19:18:00.003-04:00

What a week! A little overwhelming actually. So much to catch up on but it's getting late and Shabbos is almost upon us. I'll try to catch up a bit on Sunday if I can, but for now, Sundara's visions...

Winter

Cranberry Chutney

Lunar Landing

Like Riding a Bicycle

2009-07-08T22:27:00.004-04:00

Ulmus is off the needles and waiting for a soak and the blocking wires. And yes, folks, this is going to grow. A lot.

Clapotis too is coming along. It's measuring about 50" so far but I plan on continuing until the yarn runs out. The Super Sekret project is coming along as well. Even Hanami is slowly growing. And yet...

We all knew it was a matter of time. Tonight I need something more. Something new. Something small. Something engaging and entirely satisfying. Like a really good cookie. Cookie A. of course! I mean, how long could the abstinence really last? And so at last I've cast on again. A sock. Even more importantly, a Second Sock! Django (Rav linky)is on the needles, the cuff almost finished. So in between all this shawl business I'll be carrying on with my little sock. Because really, I need some closure.

Watch This Space

2009-07-06T23:34:00.003-04:00

I've got nothing.

I'd hoped I'd have a finished Ulmus to show you. I knit as much and as fast as my poor fingers could. I didn't even waste a moment to take a progress picture. But no. Not finished. Yet.

I'm on row 27 of the edging, my eyes are bleary and I can barely sit up straight. To bed, I must! Even if that means leaving this with 7 rows and a very long bind off to go.

I'll think about it tomorrow. After all, tomorrow is another day.

Winter, Spring, Summer or

2009-07-03T18:52:00.005-04:00

Sundara's latest, and final, Season's offering appeared on my doorstep recently. This last subscription featured only Sock Yarn, to be delivered in one go. Naturally I went ahead and got all four. Starting today, and for the next three Friday's, you'll be able to feast your eyes on the work of a true color artist as we make our way through the Four Seasons:

Autumn

End of Day

Burnt Caramel

It is often quite difficult to accurately capture these gorgeous colorways. Whatever you may think of these images know the real thing is infinitely more stunning.

Tweed. Brooklyn Style.

2009-07-02T23:20:00.006-04:00

Remember back a couple of weeks back, when I picked up some of this wonderful Portland Tweed (Classic Elite)?

and knew, as soon as I saw it, that it was destined to become Habitat (Rav linky)? Well here it is, in all its glory:

(true color is in the ball above and pattern closeup below)

Habitat by Jared Flood
yarn: Classic Elite Portland Tweed
fiber: 50% Virgin Wool, 25% Alpaca, 25% Viscose
color way: 5013 (charcoal gray)
needles: KP Options (16"), 4.5 mm & 5.0 mm
CO Sat night, 6/27
BO Sun night, 6/28I love all this cable goodness!

And my cousin has promised to model this just as soon as it gets to him. And its cool enough to warrant having it on his head for more than 10 seconds!

The thing is, I have almost a whole ball left over. Too little to make a hat with, but too much to let it just sit. So I'm investing in two more balls which will enough to make two more hats, one for me and one another super sekret project. (Oh how we justify these things.) I thought about making another Habitat, but really?!? Two hats, completely identical, when there are so many other possibilities? So I'm using my Tweed, Brooklyn style. Of course you'll have to wait a bit to find about the super sekret project, but the second hat will be for me. Relm (Rav linky) also by Jared Flood. (If you are a registered Ravelry user make sure you see the pattern there. The pictures are so much better!)

Cozy

2009-07-01T21:57:00.006-04:00

Apparently I am still firmly wrapped up in wraps. Shawls and stoles almost all the time. I've thrown in a few little projects here and there to shake things up, but mostly I'm all about big triangles and wide parallelograms.

Clapotis is about halfway there, and I should take some new pictures, but really it just looks like a larger versions of this, with more rows of dropped stitches:

Recycling another old picture, Hanami is now into the 4th repeat. This is something I work on when I'm completely focused and it's going to be at least another 4 repeats before I have anything else but this to show you:

Ulmus, on the other hand has been moving along. I got past the Medium size mark and am making my way up to the large.

And finally, a super sekret project that has been jumping off the needles since I cast on two days ago. A present, so I won't share too much, but if you are a Raveler or a Through the Loops fan you may recognize it:

One day, when I have much patience indeed, I will get back to the endless ribbing of Jeanie. Because once it's done I know I will love it. I just need to get there first!

Understanding My Obsession

2009-06-30T22:50:00.005-04:00

So here I was, wondering if you all had deserted me. I know I took a week off, but no comments? None at all? Then I went to write this post and I saw I had a whole lot of wonderful comments waiting for my approval. Apparently I forgot I changed that setting before I got sick!

It's been another beautiful day in New Jersey. The sun shining, the sky blue, the air warm and dry. No, wait. That was the weather in California. Here it was hot and humid. Until it got gray and thick. Thunder and lightening and sheets of rain falling down. The only way to perk myself up was to get a little something something in Sundara's Limited Edition update today. The July colors go up for sale tomorrow and the Basil over Buttercup Sock is calling my name. More importantly subscriptions to Sundara's newest yarn collection: Santa Fe open tomorrow as well. With the cost spread out over four months you barely feel the pain to your wallet. Words can't begin to describe the artistry in each hank. Here are a few favorites from my stash:

Blue Grape Hyacinth

Delphiniums

Aurora Borealis

California Calls

Beethoven's Fifth

Once you've worked with Sundara Yarns you'll be obsessed as well!

NB: For those of you reading from the Bay Area, I'll be coming home to visit in August! Oh, and for those of you who commented on the Challah, I've now got it going in 100% Organic White Whole Wheat! I seem to be getting quite the reputation in town!

Unexpected Absences

2009-06-29T21:14:00.008-04:00

Well I certainly didn't intend to disappear last week! Sunday had been a very busy day. Visiting both The Stockinette Knitting Cafe in Jersey City and Knitting Nation in Nyack in one afternoon! Try as I might to spend not a penny, I did manage to reign myself in enough to purchase only for intended gifts. Mostly.

But wait, there's more. I managed to get home in time to freshen myself up and head into the City for my cousin's birthday dinner. There I joined not only he, his wife and kids, but also his parents and brother, visiting from England. It was a wonderful family get together, though it did POUR on me all the way from E 49th back to Port Authority bus station (about a 20 minute walk). The whole thing (especially the weather) left me a bit weak. I suppose it wasn't surprising that I woke up the next morning to a killer migraine and remained in bed the better of that day and the next. By the time I got myself back to a normal schedule I just couldn't get it together to write. Of course I did find time to knit with some of my new found stashiness.

First the Dream in Color Classy I picked up at Knitting Nation. This was bought with purpose. To make Kirsten Kapur's new baby vest design Pembroke (Rav linky) for the Wigged One's Wee Little Wiggins.

This knit up nicely in two days and I am very happy with the result!

back

front

cable detail

v-neck closeup

I even managed to find the perfect buttons!

Now we just have to wait for Wee Little Wiggins to be a wee bit larger so he can properly model this for us. He should be a natural, his mama was a great model back in the day!

I also managed to pick up this great Portland Tweed from Classic Elite at the The Stockinette. What could be better than a classic tweed for a Jared Flood pattern?

This (and about 1/4 of another) transformed itself into Habitat (Rav linky) in just over 24 hours. My birthday present to my cousin. Of course it's been blocking since this morning so I'll photograph it when it's dry.

And lest anyone be wondering about other projects, I did indeed finish the Endpaper Mitts. The second one was knit quite a bit more loosely. I had to reblock the living daylights out of the first mitt so they would be the same size.

This pattern proved to be my own personal knitting nemesis. I am so NOT knitting these again. I hope they fit The Cheerleader well enough, and if they don't, well I just don't want to know. She'll just have to love her hat, when I make it.

Mmmm, Organic!

2009-06-19T18:34:00.003-04:00

This month's shipment from the Malabrigo Projects Club (Eat.Sleep.Knit) arrived today. Definitely my favorite shipment yet. Yummy Organic Cotton and a pattern I can see myself making!

3 hanks Turquesa (main color)

1 hank Pimenta (contrast color)

Twisted Tank by Cassie Miller

This is what I did with the rest of my afternoon.

No, the flour isn't organic, though no white sugar was involved in the baking of these Challahs. One batch of Challah was baked with honey and the other is 50% whole wheat, 50% white flour and yes, Organic Agave. The folks seem to love them so I guess we are all happy.

Good Shabbos!

Better Late Than Never?

2009-06-19T14:23:00.001-04:00

While I feel like I'm pretty back on schedule with my writing, I do seem to have a Thursday night block. Perhaps it is because I come home exhausted, know I won't be working the next day, sit and knit and forget about the photos. Or perhaps it's because it is STILL raining and has been hard to get any good shots (it was cold and rained ALL day yesterday!) Of course this doesn't mean I haven't been knitting and I took yesterday evening to make some real headway with the Endpaper Mitts. Really! I'm not kidding.

Only 5 rows until I put the thumb to the side and then 14 more rows. Then it's just about the ribbing and I'm finished. Honestly, barring any negative thoughts, this baby should be done by the next posting!

In the meantime, Here's a shot of my Ulmus progress.

This too is progressing nicely. Three more rows and I'd be ready for the edging. IF I wanted a size Small. To get to the Large (or even bigger!) is going to take a bit more time. Like over 150 stitches worth. But it's still fun and I'm not feeling pressured. Yet.

Report Card

2009-06-17T22:05:00.005-04:00

Sometimes it feels like I'm back at school, bringing home reports and having my mom sign off on them. All of this work on shawls and stoles sometimes makes me feel like I'm not getting too far so I guess it's good that Wednesday rolls around once a week, giving me a clearer picture of my progress.

When we last saw Hanami I had ripped it out and started over with 16 extra stitches to give a better width. Like all the projects I have to show this week, the pattern has finally kicked in and I'm doing a lot more reading my knitting than staring at the pattern. This is always a plus. I've also gotten farther along in the pattern than I had before ripping. I'm firmly into the third repeat. Only 5 more to go before the transition chart!

Ulmus has been keeping me company, my constant companion and this week's travel and lunch time knit of choice. Unfortunately I cut it very close with the natural sunlight this evening and the pictures of the entire shawl came out too blurry to show. Rest assured, I am progressing at a decent pace, and am very close to being at size Small. Of course I intend to take this all the way to the full 335 stitches, or perhaps wider. We'll see when I get a bit closer. In the meantime, I am thrilled to report that I, at least, am still totally in love with the colors!

Before Ulmus took back control of the needles, I did get in some work on Clapotis. Before I get too close to the end of this hank, I'll have to decide if it I want to keep it going and order one more.

I am quite pleased with the depth of the Hand Maiden Cashbah Ivory colorway. And the cashmere content makes it so luxuriously squishy I almost wish it were Winter! Almost!

Dare I say I worked through the angst we call Endpaper? Is it true I've loosened up, jumped the hurdle and am really, really on my way? The three repeats for the cuff are done. Now it's on to the increase/gusset section. Keep thinking the good thoughts people and this knit may actually get finished!

Technical Difficulties?

2009-06-16T23:23:00.004-04:00

Having problems with a fussy bind off? First time facing the Kitchener Stitch? Want to learn how to make a jogless stripe or join your first garment into the round? TechKnitting to the rescue. Today's blog is one of the best technical resources I have found. Although the blog hasn't been updated for a couple of months, the site's index boasts a cornucopia of How To's. You'll find the index in the right side bar conveniently organized by either Alphabetical Listing or by Subject Listing.

Before your knitting has you pulling out your hair or running for the hills, check out this amazing resource. You should find the help you've been looking for.

Nemesis

2009-06-15T23:14:00.002-04:00

I love a challenge, don't get me wrong. In fact, I get bored if all goes too smoothly, too easily, too brainlessly. Over the last three years I have continued to challenge myself, and for the most part succeeded. But no matter how accomplished I think I have become, I know there is so much left to learn. And that sometimes a well written, seemingly innocuous pattern may in fact be out to get you!

Last autumn, I started out on my first stranded pattern. THE pattern, I was told, for beginning stranded knitting. I was so excited. I knew these would be perfect for my friend, the Cheerleader. And on the face of it, Endpaper Mitts is just that. Straightforward, well written. 2310 Knitters can't be wrong. And yet. Here's how it looked in February. Mitt one, finally finished, Mitt 2 finally on the needles.

And here is how it looks this evening

only I have knit and ripped and knit and ripped and knit and ripped more times that I care to admit to. The fact that yarn is still viable is a testament to Shibui sock. I've put it away for long periods of time, feeling guilty all the while. And of course the Cheerleader has in turns asked when it will be ready or suggested I give it up more times than I care to remember. Well she has been out of town, and I thought here is a chance to get this done and surprise her when she returns. I got past the thumb gusset and was ready to actually change back to tiny needles to do the ribbing. I thought, dear Readers, that I was really almost finished! Then I compared it to Mitt One and I realized I had started the pattern in the WRONG placed, forgetting the 30 rows of a straight cuff! (Yes, I should have photographed this but it was late and my frustration had me ripping before I common sense kicked in.) So I ripped back once more to the ribbing and have gotten through the first 10 rows. But I am not giving up! It's the principal of the thing. You know?

Has that Girl been Stashing, AGAIN!

2009-06-12T17:54:00.005-04:00

You are all in on a secret. A conspiracy if you will. And you must protect me at all costs, even with your life if it comes to that. It's the stash conspiracy. My mother can NEVER know that I've accumulated a bit more than she knows about. Thank goodness she is across the country in the good weather place. (Yes, it warmed right up today. 81 degrees with humidity you can melt in. Woo hoo!)

So what have I got to show today? How about some chocolate? Bluefingers would indeed love that. And now I too can share her passion for it. Of course I'll take mine in Bamboo/Superwash blend (51% Bamboo, 39% superwash, 10% nylon) thanks very much!

Crystal Palace Superwash in Chocolate

And Rose Musk.

Looks a bit like Nestle's Strawberry and Chocolate Quick, swirled together, no?

And keeping with that theme, here is a special Limited Edition Simply Socks anniversary color way in Schaefer Yarns Heather (55% Merino superwash, 30% silk, 15% nylon). I bought two since I thought I'd use them for something other than socks. (Have you noticed I've been doing that a lot lately?)

Alas, the colorways aren't quite the same. The pinks on the right are much more intense. I'll stash them away for awhile into something comes to mind.

Another Day in Beautiful New Jersey

2009-06-12T17:44:00.004-04:00

This is the post I meant to write last night, but I was too tired and fell asleep before I got around to it!

I suppose you could day it's a cozy kind of day. A sweater day, thick tights, warm skirts and all. The kind of day that has you think about fireplaces and hot cups of cocoa in a fantasy way, because it's not that cold. But it's cold enough, perhaps for a favorite hat to protect your hair from the mist. That's what I like about November time... Wait! How could I forget it's June. And it's rainy, and it's cold. I know, I know, you've heard it all before. And again I remind myself I am NOT in California or Jerusalem ever more. Still at least I'm not dying from the humidity. And I have an opportunity to shoot some pictures of my finally finished, finally blocked sock (yes, singular).

Longbourn Sophisticate is lovely indeed. And fits much better than I'd dreamed!

And dare I say, makes we want to take up socks again! Of course, first sock up is the mate to Django, but I'm inspired, I say. Inspired!

Keeping the Faith

2009-06-10T22:47:00.005-04:00

There comes a point in every project. Somewhere after the excitement of the cast on, between the wonder of the magic you are creating and the adrenaline rush to the finish, comes that moment. That moment. That "are we there yet?" moment that every knitter must work through.

So here we are. Past the enchantment but not so close to the finish line. My current WiPs in all their in between glory.

Hanami
Looking smaller?

Yes, and bigger too. Wider, anyway. With the encouragement of Madstitcher1, I decided to follow fellow Raveler nutmegmeg's lead and make a wider Hanami. I have the yardage and I wasn't too far along that it killed me to frog.

I'm definitely glad I did it! Now as my mother would say, to "get on with it"!

Clapotis.
I've turned a corner, so to speak.

The increase section is complete. The straight section begun. And look, I'm dropping stitches!

Ulmus.
I have to stop myself from drooling (or crazy smiling) when I work on this. Is it possible for a knitter to be so besotted with her own work!
I am so digging my colorway choice. Korppi and Bleeding Hearts.

Yes, I'd love for this section to be over, but it has been great to work on in the car or at lunch due to it's simple pattern. And I love the effect. Can't wait for the leafy edging! Should I do it in the Bleeding Hearts or the Korppi? I'm leaning towards the Korppi. What do you think?

And finally, Random Love.
Now that I know this is for a boy, all thoughts of throwing in pink have been forgotten.
I think it's coming along swimmingly. I just don't know if I can finish it for Sunday.

With all the yarns I am using, this is not something I can tote around with me. I actually got a bit further on this evening. I've done a whole 9.5". Woo hoo!

For the Love of Lime & Violet

2009-06-09T21:47:00.000-04:00

Let's all face it. We've been here before. I just don't knit enough, fast enough, to have some knitterly (or crocheterly for that matter) project to talk about 5 days a week. And while I may have a stash suitable for Friday flashing, I lack the other accessory daily bloggers seem to possess: pets and/or children. I had thought I'd do a weekly book review, but you saw what became of that. So instead, I'm taking an easier way out. Something to share that makes you do all the work! Henceforth, Tuesday will be the day I (hope to) share with you read-worthy blogs. And though I will start out with blogs on my blog roll, I am sure this new "feature" will send me out looking for new gems.

This week we begin with a staple blog any crafter should be subscribed to: Lime and Violet's Daily Chum. The Chum is virtual cornucopia of anything and everything in the fiber world. From links to hand-dyed fibers and yarns, equipment of all types, new patterns (free and not), and up coming festivals to various weekly columns covering techniques, clever ideas and many other topics. For knitters, crocheters, spinners and weavers and anyone else using fiber, the Daily Chum has got it all. But be forewarned. Reading the Daily Chum may be hazardous to your wallet. There's just too much good stuff there not to want to start trying it out.

Wee Little Wiggins

2009-06-08T22:51:00.005-04:00

What a happy day! Not only did I finally deliver Baby Yours (Rav linky) to the new proud papa at work, but I received a phone call from the Wigged One letting me know she gave birth yesterday! Another little boy to knit for. Of course I came home this evening and added about 10 rows to the baby blanket. Now to see I can finish it off in time for the bris. Sweaters and other goodies should arrive by the time it starts cooling off.

In the meantime, some finished shots of Baby Yours (maybe this time the proud mama will get me some shots of baby modeling his new sweater? Hint, hint.)

Pattern: Baby Yours by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee (aka The Yarn Harlot)
Size: 6 months
Yarn: Blue Moon Fiber Arts: Socks that Rock Mediumweight
Colorway: Blue Moonstone
Needles: KP Options, 3.5mm
Buttons: vintage from Susantique on Etsy

Visions of Sweaters Dance in my Head

2009-06-05T17:51:00.003-04:00

Remember that day, about a month ago, that I journeyed into the magical world of Manhattan yarn stores? Well it wasn't just Habu that I visited. Oh, no. I also made it into School Products, which I hear is the oldest yarn store in Manhattan. And you won't believe what I found there:

Aran weight Harris Tweed mill end, from Botto Poala, one of the finest Italian mills. More than enough for a sweater.

And soft, gorgeous, luxurious Baby Camel. In three natural colors.

Cream

Oatmeal

Camel

Another sweater's worth. Which sweater and how I'll incorporate the three colors, still to be determined. But tell me this isn't love at first sight!

Sushi Makes Me Happy

2009-06-04T22:40:00.002-04:00

Tonight we celebrated my (belated) birthday by going to eat one of this world's two perfect foods. The thought of sushi makes me smile. Actually getting to eat it makes my day. Rainbow Roll, California Roll and a bowl of Edamame. I was happy, happy indeed. Though many were invited, few were able to attend; life just got in the way. One even got waylaid by a fender bender on her way to the restaurant! Still, no reason for disappointment. I was happy to share one of my favorite foods with some of my favorite people: the Wigged One, who managed not to go into labor at the restaurant, Blue Fingers and our own dear Cheerleader, who bless her, will have nothing to do with nori let alone fish, cooked or raw. That was my evening. Nutritious, delicious, and lots and lots of fun!

You may be wondering what the second perfect food is. That's easy. Cholent.

Wrap it Up!

2009-06-03T23:15:00.005-04:00

Clearly my Tequila Sunrise had an intoxicating effect on me.

Tequila Sunrise (Charlotte's Web) unblocked
Blue Moon Fiber Arts: Socks that Rock Mediumweight in:
Rosebud, Firebird, Sunstone, Scaponia and Bleeding Hearts

Not only am I still planning my next colorway choices (and secretly hoping to find completion with original first choice colors),

Charlotte's Web version 1
Blue Moon Fiber Arts: Socks that Rock Mediumweight in:
Jade, Puck's Mischief and Jasper in need of two more friends

but I have succomed to the whole shawl/wrap/stole thing.

Yes, poor Jeanie lingers on, the thought of all the ribbing is just killing me.

Jeanie in Hand Maiden: Mini Maiden Bronze

But, now we can Clapotis and Hanami and Ulmus to my list of WiPpy Wraps. Each one demands something different, or in the case of Clapotis almost nothing at all. But each one also has its own beauty.

Witness the delicateness of Hanami

Hanami in Colourmart Cashmere 3/28NM Heavy Lace Weight in Rose Pink

and the boldness of Ulmus

Blue Moon Fiber Arts: Socks that Rock Mediumweight in:

Bleeding Hearts and Korppi

And though you'd think wraps would be the last thing on my mind in June, you'd be dead wrong. As I write I hear the rain crashing down. And it's cold outside. I could pretty much snuggle up in any of these right now. Thank goodness Tequila Sunrise is all finished. I could really use a drink.

Totally, Truly, Random

2009-06-02T22:01:00.004-04:00

How many of our choices are truly random? I may think I am going along willy nilly, but somewhere inside my head there must be a plan. I'm just not that spontaneous. But when I read about this baby blanket on Laughing Purple Goldfish Designs' blog I just had to give it a try. Of course there had to be some newborn worthy of the effort, but more on that soon enough.

Mrs. Goldfish is my favorite crocheter. She only uses recycled materials, she is clever, creative and fun to read. I love the idea of a cotton blankie that will get softer with every washing. I love the the randomness of color and stitch, or as random as I can make it. I even named it Random Love.

I'm using a combo of sport (Heela Cotton), DK (Elann Sonata) and worsted (Peaches & Creme and Sugar'n Cream) cottons with Single, Half Double and Double stitches and a size G (4.25 mm) hook. It's a wonderful project, choosing which color and which stitch and enjoying the random changes.

Oh and yes, I did take the picture of the back side. But it doesn't look too bad, does it?

Retro or Passe?

2009-06-01T22:57:00.004-04:00

About three months after I took up knitting, I found myself part of the on-line knitting world. Searching through blogs for advice and inspiration. And of course I found Knitty.com. The knitters' resource par excellence! And it goes without saying that if I found Knitty, I also learned of Kate Gilber's famous Clapotis. If you have been knitting for more than five minutes, you too know of the famous wrap. In 2006, the pattern was already 2 years old. It was my first exposure to Lorna's Laces. My first exposure to hand-painted yarn. And I HAD to make it! And until I left Israel about a year later, and rummaged through my first real LYS's I had a dream of making my own Clapotis. But in something a bit more to my budget. I mean really, would anyone spend that much money on a wrap?

As I became a more discerning yarn shopper and then finally, the yarn snob I am today, the dream of making Clapotis faded. It had become a cliche in the knitting world. I was too cool to make it now. Except somewhere in the back of my head was teeny, tiny hold out. A little voice that really did want that Clapotis, EVEN if everyone esle had one. Except that now, I didn't want a bright, beautiful wrap. I wanted a classy, cushy wrap. One that would look chic in the dead of winter. Excellent yarn was non-negotiable. Hand painted a must. But subtle. It had to be subtle.

And then I decided to buy this:

Hand Maiden Casbah in Ivory

Casbah, with 10% squishable cashmere. And ever so subtle color shifts in neutral ivories.

It makes my heart sing.

And so I too have finally joined the ranks of the Clapoti knitters. 11,434 registered projects in Ravelry, and still going strong. What took me so long?

Unseamly

2009-05-27T23:55:00.002-04:00

Poor Arietta (Rav linky). All knit up and no where to go. She's been wanting to be seamed for months already! But thanks to Baby Yours, I'm seem to be in the seaming mood. So when I arrived home late this evening, after a truly exciting time at the new Fairway in Paramus (the shopping was so good I had to call my mom to tell her about it!) with the newly graduated Cheerleader, followed by sushi in Teaneck, I wasn't in the mood for too much knitting. It was late after all. I willingly pulled out the darning needle and set to work.

No, it's not done yet. But it's getting there. The left side is completely finished so all that remains is setting in the sleeve and seaming up the left side. It'll be ready for Autumn, no doubt!

In the meantime, I got in some work on my mystery project (sorry, you'll have to wait a little longer) and found some great buttons for Baby Yours. But more on that tomorrow. I'm very, very tired and I have so much cooking and baking to do tomorrow!

The Big and Little of it

2009-05-26T17:41:00.002-04:00

Little bundles of joy abound. I'm only just keeping up with the birth rate! I've conquered the BSJ and the FBS, so when my cow-workers wife gave birth to a baby boy a few weeks ago I knew it was time for Baby Yours. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee's (aka The Yarn Harlot) pattern is clearly written and easy to follow. The moss stitch seems not quite so endless

since the front and back panels incorporate a nice cable and twisted stitches,

plus garter stitch borders.

Besides, the whole thing is so tiny, how crazy can the moss stitch make you?

The truth is, this little darling is now finished. Seamed and blocking. Buttons must purchased but that is just a formality. (Final pics and stats as soon as I get those buttons sewn on!)

Although the weather is once again dreadful, yesterday was lovely indeed. I took these pictures late yesterday morning, after a good walk with Blue Fingers and before coffee with Madstitcher1. The final sleeve was finished on the way home from a BBQ at Blue Finger's parents yesterday evening and seaming finished soon after I got home from work.

And while I wait for the next little bundle to appear on the scene, I'm back to big things. Big wrappy, shawly things. And won't you be surprised when you find which one!

Sampling

2009-05-22T17:43:00.004-04:00

I suck. I know it. You know it. I'm have a blogger's block these days. And it just isn't fair to any of us. I'm working on getting it together. Really. I even took pictures of some WiPs and everything. But I can't seem to get it together to write anything. So I'm taking the easy way out since it's Friday anyway and showing off some stash. Let's call it a Sampler package of some recent arrivals. Let the yarn do the talking for me!

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight in Siren Song

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Socks that Rock Mediumweight in Marbels

Impulse of Delight Superwash Merino in Blooming Heather

Rowan Kid Classic in Plum

and Plummier (my names)

I have two balls of each of the Rowan. I picked them up (and a few other things) at a 45% discount from the closing sale at Modern Yarn. Sad to see the end of a popular LYS but how do you not take advantage of a 45% discount? I'm thinking of using them together for a hat and mittens/gloves set for next winter. Any ideas? Share please!

The Beginning in the End

2009-05-18T21:53:00.011-04:00

You may have noticed I took a wee bit of time off. I needed some time and space to find the joy of my inner knitter once again. I learned many things from my Sock Madness experience, including that too much of anything makes me burn out. This will be my last post about Sock Madness (at least for this year) because as much as I am now over it, I feel the whole thing needs proper closure.

I was, remarkably, still quite excited getting ready for Round 5. I picked my yarn:

Malabrigo Sock in Indiecita

and got through the first foot, including heel, by the morning. But I hated the heel:

a short-row with yarn overs. And more importantly, when I needed something new and exciting to keep me motivated, I received a pattern that looked remarkably familiar:

Yes, Dimpled Diamonds looks astonishingly like Leyburn, at least through the foot and part of the ankle. Honestly, I gave up and removed myself from the competition before I got any further. Is that fair to the designer? My fellow competitors? I don't know, but I know that the joy was gone. I didn't want to know from socks any more. And, believe it or not, I am on an official sock break until the end of this month. I'm sure by then I'll be itching to get back to socks, starting with completing the second half of some on-going favorites: Ziggity Zag, Django and Longbourn Sophisticate to name a few. And can't forget about the Socks that Rawk! quarterly KAL where I am committed to Shur'tugal (rav linky) and Mad Color Love (rav linky).

So what did I learn? I learned that I could knit a pair of socks in 3 days! I learned a couple of cool heel techniques including my first afterthought heel. And I learned that when you make a pair of stranded socks in 3 days your technique gets pretty good! Which is why I was able to not only finish sock one of Longbourn Sophisticate:

but also get back to work on the Cheerleader's Endpaper Mitts. (rav linky) And with some of my non-sock knitting time I managed to get to her graduation party. Yes, our Cheerleader in now a college graduate! Now isn't that something to cheer about!

I've also blocked and worn my Charlotte's Web (to the aforementioned graduation party) and started a baby sweater. I received some birthday yarn and non birthday yarn and few other things as well. So I hope that I am well rested and ready to get back on track with my writing as well as my knitting. And that I didn't lose too many of you!

Down for the Count?

2009-05-12T18:45:00.000-04:00

Let the Madness begin!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2009-05-11T21:53:00.004-04:00

A delightful day. Sunny and warm. No humidity, not even here in New Jersey. Not too hot. Not too cool. Just delightful. Just the way I like it. Especially on my birthday.

All the familial gifts and cards arrived on time and though I have yet to celebrate with my friends it was still a warm, fuzzy type of day. I spent my day looking forward, not looking back. Dreaming of all the wonderful things to come, not on what hasn't worked out the way I planned. Yes, there are goals I have yet to reach. And even with you I have been remiss. I haven't been keeping up as I should. And I have so much to catch up with you on: Tomorrow starts Round 5! Endpaper Mitts are back on the needles! A new baby sweater is starting to take form! I finished Sock 1 of Longbourn Sophisticate! I picked up some fabulous bargains at a LYS closing sale and I still haven't shared my haul from the School Products! But today, today is also for today. Today is full of possibilities. Today is for being present in today, and being happy with today.

Ok, you twisted my arm. Here's a couple of pictures to tide you over. Yesterday, I finally bought some Noro Silk Garden Sock at 45% off!

Suggestions, please?

Pink Hearts, Yellow Moons

2009-05-06T23:54:00.003-04:00

and Lucky Diamonds.

At last the pictures from Round 4.

Lucky Diamond by Melissa Goodale
Needles: 2.75mm & 2.5mm (for the cuff)
Yarn: MC = Shibui Sock in Jewel
CC = Shibui Sock in Kiwi

The specs called for 220 yds for the main color and 130 yds for the contrast color but those numbers are a bit high. Shibui Sock hanks are 192 yds each and I had left overs. In fact you may recognize the Kiwi (CC) from Tokena. I definitely had less than 130 yds left over and I wasn't sure I'd make it, fearing I'd have to do the heels (afterthought) in a different color altogether. Not only did I have enough Kiwi for the pair, I still have some leftover.

I think the designer may be a very tight knitter as well. The pattern actually calls for the 2.75mm needles for a 62 stitch pattern. I usually go up a needle size to accommodate my size 10 foot but not this time. Not only do they fit well, they are longest legged socks I've made.

Now I am basking in the down time. And how do I bask? Well, I've been crazy working at the office and at home and not getting in much food, sleep or knitting. Deprived of the basics of life! I did manage to finish Charlotte's Web! Woo hoo! Now to find somewhere to block it... And I'm back to work on Mad Color Weave and Longbourn Sophisticate though I am looking for a sockless alternative. I'm also trying to find my way back to quality blogging time. Bare with me.

Anticipation

2009-05-04T22:48:00.003-04:00

My wrists are tired, my back a bit sore and I am exhausted. I worked like crazy today. No time for even a lunch break. And then for about 5 solid hours, I cranked on the socks. Yep, I skipped dinner and everything. I was in the zone. And guess what? Lucky Diamonds are done! Even though I was sure I was out. Even though I cooked all day Friday and wasn't able to get really working on them until Saturday night. Even though I had basically given up. I may still be in this thing.

According to the tally board, there is still one slot open in my division. But is it really open or have the mods been delayed in updating? Only time will tell. My email has been sent; I await confirmation from the mods. And if I am in, the credit goes to Madstitcher1 who spurred me on and made me keep knitting.

And now it's off to bed. With a good night sleep and some daylight, I should be able to snap a decent photo or two. And find the strength to write a decent post! Good night my friends. Good night.

Throwing in the Towel?

2009-05-01T19:11:00.003-04:00

A wise woman knows when to admit defeat. The pattern couldn't have been released at a worse time, with the exception of Friday night. By the time it arrived in my Inbox it was 10 pm. A toe-up design, Lucky Diamonds is in some ways the easiest challenge thus far. Yet by the time I finished the first toe I was so exhausted I went to sleep. Today got me half way through the foot. That's it. Other, more pressing things came up. Like getting dinner ready for my VIP guests this evening. Friday night Fajita Fiesta. I made Tortilla Soup, Fajitas, Mexican Rice and Black Bean salad. And of course I baked challah.

You might ask why I didn't do much of the cooking last night, before the pattern arrived. The answer is simple. First, the pattern was due to show up between 7-11 pm. How was I to know it would show up near the end. Second, with no car it was too difficult to do the shopping last night. I walked in the door after 6 pm. And by 7pm I was out with my walking partner. By 8pm, when I returned, it was too late and I was too tired to walk to the closest store. So I went this morning. And though I did get some knitting in, I also cooked much of the day. And did laundry. I think I knew that the odds of finishing before Shabbos were slim to none, and the odds of having a spot still open Sunday were just as dire. I pretty much gave up before I started. Bad attitude, I know. And frankly, I was more excited to be finishing my Charlotte's Web than I was to work on the sock. Yes, I admit I actually spent some time working the crochet edge on shawl today when I should have been sock knitting. Anyway, I will check the boards after Shabbos tomorrow night. If there are even three spots still open I know I'll push myself. Who knows, I may not be out of the running yet...

Happy Thoughts

2009-04-29T22:11:00.003-04:00

Today was an icky day. I'm glad it's over. And I hope tomorrow will be better. As I wind down and prepare to drift off to magical realm of dreams, these are the places I hope to visit. Even the pictures make me smile and give way to happy thoughts.

San Francisco, CA

17 Mile Drive, CA

La Jolla Cove, CA

Jerusalem, Israel

Lace, Silk and Zen

2009-04-28T21:46:00.009-04:00

Round 4 specs have been released and the pattern is meant to arrive sometime Thursday evening. I'll have to make VERY fast work of it if I mean to make it to Round 5. Who knows what speed my fellow knitters will have and what will happen between 7:15 Friday evening and 9:00 Saturday night. By the time Shabbos is over, I could be out. So it looks like Thursday will be an all-nighter and I'll do my best to remain in the competition. Sock 4 will be another two color job and I'm already choosing possible pairs. I'll wind off a few balls tomorrow night. And since I won't be doing any stash flashing on Friday, I'll share with you now some of last Friday's haul.

One of the two VSLYS I went to was Habu Textiles.

Habu carries unusual and difficult to find fine yarns from Japan and Asia for weavers, knitters, basket makers, stitchers, and artists. Naturally gold colored silk, raw and degummed bombyx silk as fine as 42 denier and up, hand reeled raw and degummed Akagi silks, extra fine silk, wool, cotton or wool/cashmere crepe, hand-tied ramie banana "basho", bamboo, silk & wool stainless steel, paper, hemp bark, etc. are only a few of over 300 selections we have. We offer some special equipment and also "rodin" silk degumming powder.

We would like to offer you the best and unusual yarns imported from Japan, rarely available in this country. It took us many trips and years to cultivate the relationships with the suppliers and discover the yarns. You do not have to do that.They are here! There are over 450 selections and they includeraw silks from 14 denier, hamp bark, bamboo, hand-tied ramies,cashmere with almost no twist, naturally gold silks,handspun silks/cottons, silk stainless steel, fine silver, etc...

from the Habu Textiles website

Habu has been on my MUST SEE FOR MYSELF list for some time and I'm glad I finally got there. Habu has no standard Store Front. Rather, it's show room is in an office suite on W 29th. When I entered the showroom the floor was covered with baskets of sale merchandise, which of course I scanned quite thoroughly. There I found these gems:

574 yards of Lace weight Bamboo for $13.50. Two will be more than enough for a lightweight summer shawl.

A sample pack of naturally shaded goodies: Cashmere, Silk, Rami, Wool and Synthetic. I'm not sure how much yardage is in there but I'm thinking some kind of mixed, artsy scarf.

But magic lies beyond the receiving room. In a narrow hallway leading to the back stock room is a wall of samples that is a feast to the senses. Habu is know for its unusual fibers including paper and stainless steel, but I wasn't so adventurous first time out. I was drawn to the seemingly endless choices of silk. Shiny and slick, nubby and rough, mixed with mohair or just on it's own, the choices of silk were overwhelming. But every wallet has its limit. And of course I went beyond my own. But really how could I resist:

Silk Mohair. 60% Silk, 40% Mohair, 2.5 oz.
From Habu Textiles: “This silk mohair has more silk content than the usual mohairs available. Very smooth and silky. Beautiful as a weft yarn for weavers, and so light and delightful for knitters to try lace stitches. You will only require 1/2 oz. to make a scarf.”

Tsumugi. 2-ply lace weight. 100% Silk. 10 oz.

Nerimaki. 100% Silk.

From Habu Textiles: “Such a soft silk, which feels like cotton. Simply knitting it on no. 6 needle, the thick part of this yarn worms out and creates are pattern by itself. 1 oz. will make a scarf. 2 oz. will make a shawl."

3 oz
2 oz.

I love the way these to colors look together and am hoping I have enough to make a vest, if not a sweater.

And that my friends is what I found at Habu. Tomorrow or Thursday we'll see what I found at the other VSLYS.

Until then...

Cute as a Button

2009-04-27T22:41:00.004-04:00

You may have been wondering about my little trip on Friday. Rest assured, it was successful. Perhaps a little too successful!

The weather was gorgeous! Behaving itself for the first time in ages. A glorious day to wander round the City. Into trimmings shops, Beads World and a couple of VSLYS (Very Special Local Yarn Stores)! But I get ahead of myself.

First stop was to a trimmings store where after going through the buttons for considerable time, I finally decided on these:

I think the little red flowers add just right the finish! I'm hoping to get this to it's new owner in the next couple of days!

I also spied these little beauties. Just perfect for a project I have in mind for next winter!

As for the rest of the haul, I will gently drop it in here and there. Savor the thrill, if you know what I mean.

While I was making my way into the City and then out to Brooklyn on Friday, and all the way back home Sunday morning, I got in some long overdue work on my Mad Color Love socks for the Socks that Rawk! group KAL. I'll try to get a progress picture tomorrow.

Thanks for all of the support you guys have been giving me with the Sock Madness. I can't believe I've made it through to Round 4! If you've been following this blog for a while, then you know that less than 18 months ago I was struggling to get through my first, properly fitting sock. And now look at me! But there IS more to life than sock knitting, and now that I'm between Sock Madness rounds, I've been getting in some quality time with this beauty:

So squishably soft and bright and happy. I hope the evenings chill off a bit so I don't have to wait six more months to wear it.

Yes, I am really on the 5th and final color of my Tequila Sunrise (Charlotte's Web)! Only 17 more rows of knitting and then it's time to bind off and work the edging.

And the gorgeous weather seems to be sticking around for a bit (although it will drop to the 60's by Wednesday). This is what I see when I walk out my door.

Exciting Times

2009-04-24T09:45:00.003-04:00

I'm on my way into the City. As soon as this is published I'm out the door. I have some grand plans today, including button buying and a little LYS hopping. Then it's off to Boro Park for Shabbos.

With any luck I'll have some worthwhile pics on Monday! Have a great weekend.

Our Story Thus Far

2009-04-23T22:27:00.005-04:00

About two months ago, your intrepid blogger saw the notices advertising Sock Madness III and signed up immediately, vying for a spot amongst 199 other hopefuls. This was her first competitive sock knitting experience and she had no idea if she would make the cut. So she waited. And waited. And on that fine day when the competitors were listed she found her name in the Great Knitspectations division and wondered how she may fare against the other, more experienced, sock knitter she would face.

Round 1: A general culling from 200 down to 160. After this round cuts will be made evenly across the divisions.
Pattern: Tropical Mertini by Ronni Smith
Started March 19
Completed March 22
Yarn: Araucnia Ranco

Our competitor was surprised and delighted to finish within the top 10 of her division. Perhaps she was faster than she had thought. She had made it through to Round 2 and if this was as far as she made it she could proudly say she hadn't been cut in the first round.

Round 2: Only the first 20 knitters in each division will make the cut
Pattern: Tokena by Tricia Weatherston
Started April 4
Completed April 7
Yarn: Shibui Knits Sock

The pressure was truly on in this round. With her limited Stranded Knitting skills and the countdown to Pesach upon her, she bravely knit on and finished 5 in her division. Although she had sailed through to Round 3 she worried that it would start without her and she would be out due to inability to knit through the religious holiday.

Fortuitously the competition seemed to grind to halt during the holiday with Round 3 announced to begin almost a week after the end of Passover.

Round 3: Only the top 12 in each division will make it through
Pattern: Talia's Wings by Heatherly Walker
Started April 20
Completed April 23
Yarn: Dream in Color Smooshy

This toe-up sock seemed simple enough but felt like it took a lot of time. The foot of Sock 1 was completed the first night, the foot of Sock 2 on the second. The legs were worked night 3 until, with only 14 rows and the ribbing on Sock 2 to go, bleary eyed and pained of back, her body screamed "enough". Our blogger passed out for the night. Not prepared to be beaten, she rose with the sun (or the alarm if you will) at 6:15 this morning and just over two hours later was sending in my pics and specs of the completed pair. When she had gone to sleep only 3 people in her division had finished. Though the sleep nourished her aching, exhausted body, it robbed her of position and she finished the round in the number 7 position. Oh, and she walked around work like a Zombie. Even with the caffeine injections.

Still, this means I've made it through to Round 4. As I speculate on what the pattern will be and when it will be released, I resign myself to sleepless nights as well. I am determined to make it through another round. Are you with me?

24 Hours Later

2009-04-21T19:03:00.001-04:00

Knowing that the pattern for Round 3 would be released yesterday, I prepared three different hanks of yarn as potentials. Until I saw the actual pattern it would be impossible to choose.

Left: Ranco Itata Solid, color 2006; Right: Yarn Pirate Merino Bamboo, Hyacinth; Top: Dream in Color Smooshy, color Dusky Aurora.

The pattern, (Talia's Wings) was released, in the middle of a work day! I knew then that I'd go with the Smooshy, which has turned out to be a delightful surprise. I bought a couple of hanks a while back after hearing so many raves, but the colors left me a bit disappointed. Until I wound this one up, that is. Once re-hankified I saw the colors at play. And fortunately it has not disappointed!

So after braving torrential rains getting in and out of the Farmer's Market (indoor, just braved the parking lots) I finally got home about 6:30. About 7 I was able to finally cast on. And here is where I am, 24 hours later!

I've finished through the short-row heel on sock 1 and past the toe section into row 5 of the foot pattern on sock 2. There seems to be a bit of a question regarding the instructions and the leg section so I figured it was better to start the second sock and wait to hear about the leg.

Yah, and people have already finished. Already! Thank goodness I'm in a slow division. I need to be in the top 12 to make it through to the next round.

Ok, enough chit chat. I have to get back to work!