tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-275132802024-03-07T19:03:20.349-08:00Sticks and Threadthoughts on knitting and other thinksRachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.comBlogger77125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-18935043211297311932008-08-22T23:11:00.000-07:002008-08-22T23:33:05.369-07:00On my feet (Or, my accomplishments look very impressive when I only post a few times a year!)<a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/bellatrix">Here a sock</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2788172129/" title="Bellatrix socks by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3224/2788172129_9a16b35afb.jpg" alt="Bellatrix socks" height="500" width="407" /></a><br /><br /><br />There a sock<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2788172245/" title="basic socks by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3222/2788172245_183e5ae838.jpg" alt="basic socks" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/springgrass-socks"><br /></a><br /><a href="http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/springgrass-socks">Everywhere a sock,</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2789025872/" title="Spring grass socks by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3256/2789025872_26e9f72b4d.jpg" alt="Spring grass socks" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.knitty.com/issuewinter06/PATTmonkey.html">Sock</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2789026054/" title="Monkey socks by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3262/2789026054_68e4973a61.jpg" alt="Monkey socks" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />From top to bottom (also in chronological order of when I knit them):<br />1) Bellatrix socks (by Monkey Toes, RIP), knit toe-up in Koigu KPPPM US size 1.5 dpns<br />2) Basic stockinette toe-up socks, knit in Vesper sock yarn in Tartan, US size 1.5 dpns<br />3) Springrass socks (by Craftoholic), knit toe-up in Dream in Color Smooshy in Beach Fog, US size 1.5 dpns (sensing a theme?)<br />4) Monkey Socks (by Cookie A.), knit toe-up and knit the purl stitches, in Sophie Toe's yarn in Harvest, US size 1.5 dpns.<br /><br />Phew!<br /><br />I've had a delightful 35 minute train ride back and forth every day to work this summer and have gotten lots of sock knitting done.<br /><br />Next time, neck wear! I'll try not to make it several months from now.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-3056902979505051292008-05-04T19:23:00.000-07:002008-05-04T19:46:25.058-07:00GiftsiesI have this vague idea about catching up to my WIPs on this blog. But it's clearly not going to happen any time soon. I apparently need to start a really complicated project, then maybe I'll catch up.<br /><br />Anyway, here's a little cutsie little baby sweater I made, for some good friends who are going to pop in the next month or so. And their offspring is to be named after J., so really, how could I not knit something for them? (Actually, maybe J. should have been the one to knit something for them, come to think of it.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2465793369/" title="DSC01076.jpg by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2338/2465793369_47ce12c9b4.jpg" alt="DSC01076.jpg" height="375" width="500" /></a><br />Awww.<br /><br />Pattern: Baby Surprise Jacket, by Elizabeth Zimmerman<br />Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug, in Moss (sent to me by Colinette as a replacement for <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535151901/">this crap skein</a> - I must say, aside from all the dye lot, knotting, and fading issues, this yarn is pretty awesome. Of course those are some pretty major asides. I certainly won't be spending actual money on this stuff again. This replacement skein was knot free, and therefore (I'm assuming) all one dye lot. And I think it's light enough that there shouldn't be severe fading issues.)<br />Needles: I forget. <br />Completed in a few days on a trip to NY. This is one awesome pattern.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2466620824/" title="DSC01081.jpg by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3051/2466620824_588a33e5ed.jpg" alt="DSC01081.jpg" height="319" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I used snap tape instead of buttons, in case li'l J. is a button chewer. Snap tape rocks. I want it on my clothes too.<br /><br />I gave the sweater to my friends at their baby shower last weekend and it seemed to have been well received.<br /><br />So, the other giftsy.<br /><br />I have this friend, that I met this year. She saw me knitting <a href="http://sticksandthread.blogspot.com/2008/03/dems-ma-calves.html">these socks</a> a few months ago and apparently really liked them. Anyway she has not stopped harassing me about knitting her a pair of socks ever since. She keeps telling me I can make them for her birthday, which is coming up in a few days (well, when she first started bringing the issue up, it was coming up in several months). Needless to say, this drove me crazy. I told her how long it takes me to finish a pair of socks, thinking that would shut her up. I told her I only knit for myself and immediate family, thinking that would shut her up. I told her to shut up, thinking that would shut her up. But nothing shut her up.<br /><br />So I gave in and knit her a pair of socks.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2465792993/" title="DSC01073.jpg by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2402/2465792993_09f6335127.jpg" alt="DSC01073.jpg" height="500" width="374" /></a><br /><br />It's leftovers from the Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Happy Stripe from the socks she liked.<br /><br />Think they'll fit her?<br />(Hint, she's not a doll.)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2465793249/" title="DSC01074.jpg by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2389/2465793249_a7d2923fac.jpg" alt="DSC01074.jpg" height="500" width="374" /></a><br /><br />The thing is, I thought these socks o'spite were hilarious when I first knit them, especially since I was planning to wrap them so they looked like an actual pair of socks, with a card that said something like "I finally gave in and knitted you a pair of socks, but I had to guess at your shoe size." But since then I've felt kind of guilty about it. I haven't given them to her yet. I'm thinking I might accompany them with a gift certificate for an actual pair of knit socks, in the yarn of her choosing (to be rescinded upon any harassment on her part and with no deadline on my part). I mean, she is a sweet person. And it is kind of rare to gift a non-knitter with a knitted object that you know they'll really appreciate.<br /><br />And, I'm going to be taking a 30 minute train ride for my commute this summer, which I think will be the perfect place to finish at least one pair of socks.<br /><br />P.S. We are moving back to San Francisco in June, albeit probably temporarily. I can't believe this year is almost over! Especially given that it's only included what, like four blog posts? Bad, bad blogger.<br /><br />P.P.S. Guess whose else's birthday is coming up in about a week! Yours truly! I will be turning the big three-O, yikes.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-3223161718825429322008-03-30T12:44:00.000-07:002008-03-30T14:25:30.923-07:00Dems ma calves<a href="http://sticksandthread.blogspot.com/2008/03/for-reals-this-time.html">Last time</a>, I hinted at the question to which the answer is, about 15 inches.<br /><br />This is a question that has been haunting me for a while:<br /><br />How much basic sock can you get out of your average amount of sock yarn? Sock yarn generally comes in 100g skeins of approximately, or slightly more than, 400 yards. Sometimes you have to buy it in 50g skeins of approximately, or slightly more than, 200 yards. The notable exceptions being rebels such as Colinette Jitterbug and Koigu, who shortchange you on the yardage, but we forgive them, especially the Koigu.<br /><br />So, I set out to knit a pair of toe-up stockinette socks with 1 skein each of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, and I knit until I couldna knit nae more (that's my fake scottish for ya).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2368985627/" title="DSC00910.jpg by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3042/2368985627_cc395e8607.jpg" alt="DSC00910.jpg" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Turns out, 215 yards of fingering weight yarn will get you quite a lot of sock, even on a tallish, big calfish gal such as myself. For someone short or with skinny legs, I'm betting you could get a good pair of knee socks out of two skeins of this stuff no problem.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2368986021/" title="DSC00921.jpg by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2047/2368986021_f57a93bea9.jpg" alt="DSC00921.jpg" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />See? It's about 15 inches from ankle to cuff (of course, your mileage will vary based on gauge, pattern, and yarn). Now that's alotta sock!<br /><br />Pattern: Basically following Ann Budd's On your Toes socks from IK Summer 2007<br />Mods: Used magic cast-on instead of Eastern, and stockinette instead of ribbing<br />Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock, Happy Stripe (happy indeed!)<br />Needles: US 1.5 DPNs<br />Verdict: I love lorna's laces. This yarn is so squishy and nice, and a pleasure to knit with. My <a href="http://sticksandthread.blogspot.com/2007/05/series-of-procrastinations.html">other lorna's laces socks</a> have also held up remarkably well.<br />Drawbacks: They end at the fattest part of my calf, so they don't stay up so good. If I ever get around to it, I might put some elastic in there.<br /><br />More pics:<br />Feet:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2368985721/" title="DSC00911.jpg by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3290/2368985721_87f3acded3.jpg" alt="DSC00911.jpg" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Toes:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2368985883/" title="DSC00912.jpg by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2271/2368985883_c0d7f25d00.jpg" alt="DSC00912.jpg" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I'll spare you a close-up of my calves.<br /><br />Cuff:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2368985557/" title="DSC00917.jpg by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2309/2368985557_a823f1c42a.jpg" alt="DSC00917.jpg" height="500" width="375" /></a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-44881182016025126242008-03-27T17:08:00.000-07:002008-03-27T17:26:36.449-07:00For reals this timeI think I'm feeling intimidated by the fact that I have such a backlog of FOs to photograph. But instead of being all wishy washy, I should just get off my ass and show y'all something, right?<br />Right.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer06/PATTknucks.html">Knucks!</a><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2366930679/" title="Two knucks by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2077/2366930679_b575a179fc.jpg" alt="Two knucks" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Yarn: Alpaca/silk, handspun by <a href="http://www.kickapoocreekalpacas.com/">J's mom</a>.<br />Needles: size 3<br />Made: in like, January I think.<br />Usage: tons<br />Pleasure at having warm hands but usable fingers: loads<br />Times a pen got wrapped in the gloves' fuzz when trying to write with Knucks on: about a million.<br /><br />Me hand:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2367765488/" title="Knucks by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2124/2367765488_c38f4d4fdc.jpg" alt="Knucks" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Twisty ribby:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2366930861/" title="Ribbed cuff by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2197/2366930861_25244430ac.jpg" alt="Ribbed cuff" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />These are my knuckles:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2366931171/" title="Knucks knuckles by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2164/2366931171_1cd7488314.jpg" alt="Knucks knuckles" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Next time, the age old question to which the answer is, about 15 inches (no pervvies, I'm not THAT lucky a young bride! Actually, that sounds pretty unlucky)<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2367765846/" title="15" mystery by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3198/2367765846_0554e9d27c.jpg" alt="15" mystery" height="500" width="375" /></a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-22750215305799651662008-02-03T19:51:00.000-08:002008-02-03T20:06:24.151-08:00Not quite knitting, but less whinyMan, <a href="http://sticksandthread.blogspot.com/2008/02/alternating-between-panic-and-avoidance.html">yesterday's post</a> was pretty whiny, wasn't it? Well, this blog is called Sticks and Thread, not Fingers and Keyboard, so enough about my homework.<br />J. and I went to <a href="http://www.kickapoocreekalpacas.com/">his folks' house</a> (isn't it cool that their place can be linked to?) for Christmas, where I once again tried my hand at spinning. <br /><br />You may recall my last attempt:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2240409123/" title="handspun #1 by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2242/2240409123_c1732c6dc3_o.jpg" width="177" height="152" alt="handspun #1" /></a><br /><br />This time went a little better:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/2240393073/" title="My first real handspun! by sticksandthread, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2231/2240393073_403702b996.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="My first real handspun!" /></a><br /><br />I even plied! Go me! The white is merino, the gray wool. I did the white one first. I think the gray looks much better, personally. I think I have about 30 yards of the white, and about 80 of the gray. I can say with confidence that they probably range from laceweight to superbulky. Hey, at least I avoided cobweb! <br />I'magonna make me a hat, with a hemmed brim out of the white part.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-64829716325806909922008-02-02T14:57:00.000-08:002008-02-02T16:40:07.124-08:00Alternating between panic and avoidance<span style="font-family:georgia;">I have some major deadlines this week and I'm stuck in a vicious cycle of panic, procrastination, more panic, exhaustion, and denial.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">I don't usually participate in blogging-things, like KALs and color themes and memes and what-all have you. Nothing against them, I just usually either don't remember to do them when I'm supposed to, or in the case of the KALs, I'll start something and then get distracted.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">But I like the idea of the </span><a style="font-family: georgia;" href="http://branchesup.blogspot.com/2008/01/you-are-invited-to-third-annual-brigid_25.html">Silent Poetry Reading</a><span style="font-family:georgia;">.</span><br /><span style="font-family:georgia;">Here's one that captures a lot about my current state of mind:</span><br /><br /><table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" width="100%" style="font-family:georgia;"><tbody><tr><td valign="top" width="80%"><span class="TITLE">Against Pleasure</span> </td> <td colspan="2" align="right" nowrap="nowrap" valign="top"> <br /></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"> by <a href="http://www.poets.org/poet.php/prmPID/529">Robin Becker</a> </td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="3"><br />Worry stole the kayaks and soured the milk.<br />Now, it's jelly fish for the rest of the summer<br />and the ozone layer full of holes.<br />Worry beats me to the phone.<br />Worry beats me to the kitchen,<br />and all the food is sorry. Worry calcifies<br />my ears against music; it stoppers my nose<br />against barbecue. All films end badly.<br />Paintings taunt with their smug convictions.<br />In the dark, Worry wraps her long legs<br />around me, promises to be mine forever.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Thugs hijacked all the good parking spaces.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">There's never a good time for lunch.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And why,</span> my mother asks, <span style="font-style: italic;">must you track</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">beach sand into the apartment?</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">No, don't bother with books,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">not reading much these days.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">And who wants to walk the boardwalk anyway,</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">with scam artists who steal your home and savings?</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Watch out for talk that sounds too good to be true.</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">You,</span> she says pointing at me,<br /><span style="font-style: italic;">don't worry so much.</span><br /></td> </tr> <tr><td colspan="2" valign="top"> <pre><br /><br />Ps. There will be knitting pictures at some point. Promise.<br /><i></i></pre></td></tr></tbody></table>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-85004913174659029222008-01-30T21:53:00.000-08:002008-01-30T22:00:22.964-08:00Breaking the iceYoung lady, do you have any idea what time it is?<br />I've been away so long I couldn't remember how to sign in to my blogger account.<br />Funny, because I've certainly been reading tons of blogs, but apparently I haven't left any comments in the last five months either.<br />I miss you, blog.<br />I miss you, blog readers, if any of you are still out there!<br />I've been thinking about my "re-entry" blog post for MONTHS now. But as I'm sure many of you know, the more you put it off, the more stuff piles up until it seems like you're going to need an entire weekend just to photograph and chronicle everything you've been doing. Not to mention the fact that it seems like months since I've been home during daylight hours where I could take a picture.<br />So this re-entry will be photoless.<br />But cheer-full.<br />I've been doing so much <a href="http://scicom.ucsc.edu/SciWriting.html">writing </a>over the last 5 months, but dang I miss writing a) about knitting and b) for a non-critical audience.<br />So, details to come*. I have been knitting plenty since I last saw you, no fears. Unfortunately much of it was given away during the holidays. But I might have a scrap of knitting here or there to show off. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:78%;">*Did you know that in journalism-speak, there are all these specific words that are deliberately spelled wrong? "To come" is abbreviated TK (I guess for "to kome"?). A lead, the beginning of your story, is spelled lede, and the "head" (title) and "deck" (subtitle) are spelled "hed" and "dek." Isn't that byzarr?</span>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-47229750299069699632007-09-05T23:02:00.000-07:002007-09-05T23:08:38.933-07:00le sighI've finished/started a bunch of things and just don't seem to have the energy to blog about them. I've even finished some things I never told you about. Well, you'll just have to wait a little longer, because I've got the end of summer blahs.<br />This summer was awesome and a much-needed respite, I did a TON of knitting and some writing but not a whole lot else. I guess that was sort of the point. Less than 3 weeks and we're moving to Santa Cruz. I will really miss San Francisco.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-54225760523345334802007-08-24T17:58:00.000-07:002007-08-24T18:56:54.758-07:00I've got the blues<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1226363025/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1259/1226363025_db8216f7f4.jpg" alt="blue fuzzy toes" height="375" width="500" /></a><br />Eek! Giant blue fuzzy toes!<br /><br />I don't know how noticeable it is to other people besides me, but I am sort of limited in my color choices. I <span style="font-style: italic;">own</span> clothes in plenty of colors, but most days I clad myself in some combination of blue and green. My <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/407375520/">wedding ring</a> has blue and green stones in it, and I always laugh when I put it on in the morning because it looks like I planned to match my ring to my outfit, but I really just like blue and green.<br /><br />Anyway, I made some blue things:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1226363779/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1251/1226363779_6ccc374a74.jpg" alt="embossed leaves socks" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Pattern: Embossed Leaves Socks by Mona Schmidt, from IK Winter 2005 (and from <a href="http://www.interweave.com/knit/books/favorite_socks/">Interweave favorite socks</a>, which is where I got it)<br />Yarn: <a href="http://knitpicks.com/Gloss_YD5420151.html">KP Gloss</a> in Dusk, less than 2 skeins<br />Needles: size 2 DPNs<br />Dates: 7/20/2007 - 8/20/2007 (?)<br />Modifications: I did a long-tail cast-on instead of the totally weird cast-on in the pattern, added a pattern repeat to the cuffs to make them longer, and reversed things on one of them to make them mirror image of each other:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1227224124/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1170/1227224124_bb9a4b2243.jpg" alt="embossed leaves socks" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />This was kind of an accident. My one complaint about this pattern (well, besides the unnecessarily confusing cast-on) is that the foot is supposed to be exactly X pattern repeats long (I can't remember exactly how many). I must have had a much looser row gauge than the designer, because I was making bigger socks than the designer and mine were the right size half a pattern repeat short of hers. So I had to futz with the star toe to get those purls to line up with my leaves. Then when I started the second sock I thought I would just start with the second half of the repeat so I could do the toe as written, and then they would be reversed.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1226364097/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1057/1226364097_1ce2a74899.jpg" alt="embossed leaves closeup" height="375" width="500" /></a><br />I am a big fan of both the garter stitch border of the heel flap and the purl edging of the instep pattern. The garter stitch border nicely hides where all the stitches are picked up, which to my eye always looks icky on plain stockinette. And the purl stitches on the instep nicely hide how parts of the foot are always a little stretched out looking.<br /><br />Verdict: love these socks. The toe was a bit uncomfy at first but I'm used to it now. The gloss started out deliciously soft and has softened up even more with a bit of wearing. I haven't tried washing it yet, so far I haven't noticed any stretching out, and there is some pilling on the bottom of my foot but doesn't seem any worse than any of my other socks. (I feel like ALL my socks pill at the ball of my foot. Maybe I'm just using wimpy yarns.) Anyway part of the point of these socks was to see if I like Gloss enough to make a <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTthermal.html">Thermal</a> out of it. I'm kind of thinking not. I'm still a little wary of the pilling and stretching that other people have talked about, not such a big deal in a pair of socks, but that sweater looks like it will take a lot of effort. I'm not so sure I want to make it anymore, period.<br /><br />Here's blue thing number two:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1226364349/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1193/1226364349_c8d55d356e.jpg" alt="hourglass sweater" height="500" width="330" /></a><br />P.S., I have short(er) hair now!<br />P.P.S., I always think I'm smiling, but clearly my pictures prove me wrong. What am I so pissed about?<br /><br />Pattern: Hourglass sweater by Joelle Hoverson, from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Last-Minute-Knitted-Gifts-Joelle-Hoverson/dp/1584793678">Last Minute Knitted Gifts</a><br />Size: the one that claims to be 37" bust, it really came out more like a 40" bust - about 2" positive ease, exactly what I wanted. Thank goodness I have learned to wash my swatches.<br />Yarn: Noro Cash Iroha, less than 10 skeins, plus some nameless wool/silk blend for the edging - I had made some very ill-advised wrist warmers out of this stuff and don't have the band anymore, I was only too happy to frog them when I thought of using the yarn for the trim.<br />Dates: 6/2007 - 8/2007 (I need to get better at keeping track of my dates.)<br />Modifications: You may realize that I am once again a total <a href="http://www.streetsandyos.com/archives/2005/11/hourglass_v20_c.php">copycat</a>. I loved the contrast trim and rounded yoke neck of <a href="http://www.streetsandyos.com/">Diana</a>'s version, so that's what I did. I also made both the body and sleeves a titch longer than the pattern called for, and added more increases on the upper arms because I really wanted to make sure this sweater was baggy and comfy, no negative ease anywhere.<br /><br />Here's a better look at the rounded yoke and contrast trim:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1227225506/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1155/1227225506_133461ffbc.jpg" alt="hourglass neck" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Verdict: Love. It. Have worn it every day since I finished it about a week ago. Has FAR surpassed the <a href="http://sticksandthread.blogspot.com/2007/07/tired-and-cranky.html">cabled turtleneck</a> as the best sweater I've ever made. This is due to several factors: the delicious cash iroha is much softer than Cascade 220, the sweater is looser and comfier, and those dang cables are HOT. I forgot about how cables were originally designed for warmth, they weren't kidding! I think the cabled turtleneck is in the closet until the coldest days of winter (which, around here, means in the low 50s).<br /><br />Here's the back:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1227225292/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1362/1227225292_0089c80e13.jpg" alt="hourglass back" height="500" width="290" /></a><br />Yes, my jeans have sparkles on the back pockets. Quit looking at my butt.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-67594873785518762532007-08-03T19:39:00.000-07:002007-08-10T11:22:47.266-07:00Learning new thingsThe <a href="http://sticksandthread.blogspot.com/2007/06/summer-of-rachel.html">summer of Rachel</a> has been going swimmingly for the last month or so, but I think I'm starting to get a little antsy. Knitting is so slooooow. It doesn't help when you have a jillion things on the needles, a deadline of a few months after which you will be extraordinarily busy, and the view of making Christmas presents for everyone you know in these few months - yes, OK, almost everything that is currently on my needles is intended for myself. Shut up. I'm not very logical in my casting-on choices. Anyway, it seemed like high time for some instant gratification:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1002308793/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1061/1002308793_36f0733c80.jpg" alt="jewelry" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I made some jewelry! Talk about instant gratification, these guys only took me a few hours total, and most of that time was because I was really trying to cram things into places they were too small to go, or using the wrong tools. The shells I found in Costa Rica. These will all be various holiday presents, I'm not saying for who just in case they are reading this so there will be some modicum of surprise.<br /><br />Then it was time for some semi-instant gratification:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1002309461/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1142/1002309461_dc2a9a3971.jpg" alt="first babette squares" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />I taught myself crochet! Well, Debbie Stoller and interweave crochet taught me. I had absolutely no interest in crossing over to the other side of fiber arts until I saw <a href="http://www.interweavecrochet.com/images/projects/2006/BabetteBlanket.jpg">this</a>. The Babette Blanket. And it was like the clouds had parted and angel voices were singing from the heavens. I had to have it. (If you're still not convinced, check out <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/purlbeebabette/pool/">these bad boys</a>.) I brazenly strode into my <a href="http://www.imagiknit.com/">LYS</a> and bought the spring 06 issue of Interweave Crochet and the called-for hook (when I got home, it turned out that the one crochet hook I own for weaving in ends was the same size too, now I own 2 size E hooks and nothing else. Oops.)<br /><br />Incidentally, while I was there, I heard this other girl setting up a crochet lesson with the clerk. She was saying that she wanted to make the babette blanket but had only crocheted a few things before. I interrupted their conversation to inform them that I had never crocheted a thing in my life, but I was going to make babette too and I didn't need no stinkin lesson! I think I sounded a little crazy. (And I probably could have benefited from a lesson too, I had an hour or two of cursing and chaining things that looked like the cat spit them out before I finally got the hang of it.) Anyway it turned out the girl was <a href="http://bigsister.typepad.com/">Nicole</a> whose blog I read occasionally, I saw her picture later on Ravelry and wrote her a sort of psycho-sounding message. It's a small knitty world!<br /><br />Anyway, back to my babette. I was initially drawn to it because of its chaotic, colorful, haphazard kind of look. But it turns out it is all carefully planned and choreographed chaos. There are color codes, and charts, and more charts, all just to assign colors to their correct places. Phooey on that, I said. Also phooey on buying $300 worth of Koigu for a single project. So initially I thought it would be a good leftover yarn project. But there were still some decisions to be made. Should I use solely machine washable sock yarn leftovers? It seems like a good idea, but in practice I would have to wait eons before I accumulated enough. Ditto all fingering leftovers:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1003162214/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1209/1003162214_f69ebadaa8.jpg" alt="sock yarn scraps for babette?" height="375" width="500" /></a><br />Kind of pitiful.<br /><br />Should I use <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/442641683/in/set-72157600471402919/">all my yarn leftovers</a>, gauge be damned? It's a blanket, after all, that would be OK. Or, another thought, I could use all my <span style="font-style: italic;">non</span>-machine washable sock yarn. I wasn't sure I wanted any more hand-wash only socks anyway.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1002313537/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1311/1002313537_68453ca41f.jpg" alt="possible babette colors" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />These four are particularly nice together (I have a ton more of that peach stuff too).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/1003165704/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1292/1003165704_686a02e3db.jpg" alt="possible babette colors" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />A final option could be to put out a plea on <a href="http://knittyboard.com/">knittyboard</a> for everyone's sock yarn scraps. By the way, don't you wish that designers of colorwork patterns would tell you how much of each skein you really need? At least approximately? I think babette calls for 23 different colors of Koigu, most of those in single skein amounts. But say you wanted to make it in 10 colors, would you still need all 20-something skeins or what? Maybe I can ask someone with a finished babette to weigh theirs.<br /><br />Mind you, I didn't start thinking about all this until after I had already made those first squares. So, I don't know. I'm starting to see how spending $300 on koigu could make the nicest, most color-coordinated blanket (imagine one that was all different shades of green and blue! ooooohh!). But that is not feasible right now (yarn diet, yarn diet, yarn diet!), and even if it were, come on. That's ridiculous. If I did happen to have that much koigu, I don't think I'd want to blow it all on one blanket. I'm thinking mine is going to end up being pretty haphazard, because I can't really see a good way to make a conscious decision about which yarns to use.<br /><br />ETA: There is a little interview with Kathy Merrick, the designer of Babette, over <a href="http://www.purlbee.com/the-purl-bee/2007/8/5/ask-kathy-merrick-creating-the-babette-blanket.html">here</a>, where she admits she made up not only the color sequence as she went along, but the square/size sequence too. Aha! <a href="http://pineconelodge.blogspot.com/">Hege</a>, you were right. Well, I don't trust myself to make up the whole thing from scratch, I think I will still follow the recommended number of squares, but will just wing it with the colors.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-47534810720005361682007-07-21T17:34:00.000-07:002007-07-21T18:06:25.284-07:00Work in progress reportI've been holding out on you guys. I have several projects on the needles that I haven't blogged about yet. Time for a little roundup.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEsummer03/PATTbroadripple.html">Broadripple socks</a> in Cascade Fixation:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/864735083/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1015/864735083_4a70279ad8.jpg" alt="broadripple sock in progress" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />I started these on the honeymoon and haven't really touched them since we got back. I like the way it's coming out but the knitting isn't so pleasant - I feel like knitting fixation on size 3s makes a pretty tight fabric and kind of gives me that finger crampy feeling when I'm knitting. Also, you know what? I hate 7" bamboo DPNs. They always bump into my hands in such an unpleasant way. Much bigger fan of 6" DPNs for sock knitting.<br /><br />Hourglass sweater from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Last-Minute-Knitted-Gifts-Joelle-Hoverson/dp/1584793678">LMKG </a>in Noro Cash Iroha:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/864735133/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1386/864735133_bb7de301d9.jpg" alt="hourglass sweater in progress" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />I think the <a href="http://sticksandthread.blogspot.com/2007/07/tired-and-cranky.html">cabled turtleneck</a> is going to have some tough competition as the best sweater I've ever knitted. This one is looking pretty good. The yarn is very soft and silky, and such an awesome vibrant blue. I've tipped the edges with a few rows of this light blue wool-silk blend (lost the ball bands so I have no idea what the yarn is). Once the edges are sewn down the light blue edging will be much more subtle as most of what you see will be on the inside.<br /><br />Some progress on the ribbed Mark and Kattens socks for my Dad:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/864735187/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1291/864735187_7de20e1041.jpg" alt="toe-up ribbed socks in progress" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Yes, my dad has huge feet, and don't worry, these socks are very stretchy so they're not really as skinny as they look. This yarn is also kind of killing my fingers. It's a wool-cotton-nylon blend and it's just ugh. Not fun to knit with. I'm really not crazy about the colors either. I've decided that life is too short to knit with yarns I don't love, even if it's for someone else. I'll finish these, but I've put almost all my cotton-containing yarn up for sale on the new <a href="http://destashforcash.wordpress.com/">Destash site</a>. Check them out <a href="http://destashforcash.wordpress.com/2007/07/21/summer-yarns-for-sale/">here </a>if you're interested, there's some sock yarns, Tahki cotton classic (<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/491528084/">that top</a> I was making with it was quickly frogged, what was I thinking?), some linen yarn, and some KP laceweight merino. I'll be flexible on the prices for my blog readers!<br /><br />My tiredness and crankyness and general dissatisfaction with the Mark and Kattens socks led me to start these last night:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/864735211/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1071/864735211_2e8c380008.jpg" alt="embossed leaves socks in progress" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Embossed leaves socks from IK's Favorite socks in KP Gloss. Aaaaah. My fingers are so much happier. I've had a few different things of gloss in the stash for a while but this is the first time I've had it on the needles. It feels so nice. I've been thinking of ordering enough Gloss to make <a href="http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTthermal.html">Thermal </a>but wanted to make something smaller with it first to see how it holds up. I've heard bad things about stretching and felting, but we'll see. So far I'm loving it.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-74569312576463466402007-07-20T18:08:00.000-07:002007-07-20T18:15:07.441-07:00Tired and crankyI'm tired and cranky. But I am also itching to blog about this stinkin cabled turtleneck sweater, since I finally got around to lengthening it (picking out the ribbing from the bottom and knitting down some more ribbing was less traumatic than I thought it would be). I will try to put mostly pictures and not too many words, so that my crankiness doesn't overshadow the post too much.<br /><br />Finally done!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/861243139/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1325/861243139_9f53df8466.jpg" alt="VK cabled turtleneck" height="500" width="261" /></a><br /><br />Specs:<br />Pattern: The imaginatively named "Cabled Turtleneck" from Vogue Knitting, Holiday 2006. Apparently the designer is "Lang designs". I wonder in what circumstances the actual human designer doesn't get to be named. Did it really take a whole team of designers to come up with this sweater? Is there a ghost designer?<br />Yarn: Cascade 220 heather, in Lichen. Just under 6 skeins.<br />Needles: Size 6 and 7 denises<br />Mods: Made it a crewneck instead of a turtleneck<br />Started Jan 2007, finished July 20 2007. Ouch. Moral of the story, maybe I should pick sweaters with less seaming in the future.<br /><br />Some more pics<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/861243147/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1424/861243147_45442ddfc8.jpg" alt="VK cabled turtleneck" height="318" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/861243157/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1161/861243157_8b50759fc6.jpg" alt="VK cabled turtleneck" height="500" width="341" /></a><br />Ta-da!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-87174230006158560832007-07-08T13:38:00.000-07:002007-07-08T13:46:03.197-07:00Bad daughter?So, I was going to start some socks for my Dad with that Lorna's Laces he wanted, but then I wound the skein up:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/755569343/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1379/755569343_c925e0aa84.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock" /></a><br /><br />Now I don't want to give this yarn away any more! Look how pretty! I want it all for me me me! This is the problem with trying to knit gifts out of your stash, it's mostly all yarn I've picked out because I wanted it for myself.<br /><br />So I started these other socks for my Dad out of a Mark + Kattens cotton blend yarn instead:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/755569379/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1187/755569379_cea36e88fb.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Toe-up for Dad" /></a><br /><br />I have all kinds of excuses for why I'm not making them out of the Lorna's Laces - these new ones will be sturdier, he probably won't even remember which yarn he picked out, he'll like this cool self-patterning stuff. But I feel a little guilty. Maybe I'll make him two pairs.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-26177379754035644212007-07-08T13:00:00.000-07:002007-07-08T15:08:23.021-07:00Monkeys v2.0Monkeys part 2 are done! They would have been done a lot sooner if it weren't for a certain devil cat:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/755569489/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1067/755569489_6b50fe99a7.jpg" alt="Natasha" height="500" width="375" /></a><br />Don't let that cute face fool you. An evil heart lurks beneath that fuzzy exterior! While we were in Seattle for the long weekend, she somehow got the second sock in progress down from the top of the bookshelf where I left it, and chewed up all the yarn. Grrrr. Originally I started frantically knotting all the bits of yarn together to finish the second sock, but even with all those knots it wasn't going to happen. So I had to frog a repeat back from the first sock and finish them both a little shorter. They're a little saggier than the longer version would have been - the cuff could stand to be a bit longer. But I'm quite sick of frogging and reknitting these, I think I'll just look for some elastic to run through the top.<br /><br />Without further delay, voila!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/755569309/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1387/755569309_27e80a3c9c.jpg" alt="Monkey socks" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer06/PATTsockmonkey.html"><br />Monkey socks</a> by Cookie A., of course.<br />Yarn: Koigu KPPPM, 2 skeins (minus the chewed up bits, grr.)<br />Needles: 2.5mm for the foot, 2.75mm for the ankle, 3.0mm for the top of the leg.<br />Mods: knit toe-up, all purl stitches knit.<br />Started: end of May 2007<br />Finished: beginning of July 2007<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/755569217/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1054/755569217_1e52a6b4df.jpg" alt="Monkey socks" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/755569123/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1111/755569123_299bfb9de2.jpg" alt="Monkey socks closeup" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />These are my first Koigu socks, I LOVE this yarn. I want to trade all my other yarn for more and more Koigu!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-47464766278719922062007-07-06T08:17:00.000-07:002007-07-06T09:10:22.636-07:00On color and masculinityJ. and I went up to Seattle for a long 4th of July weekend to see my parents. I heart Seattle.<br />Anyway, you may remember that I made my Dad some <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/324249428/">socks</a> last Christmas. He wears them All The Time. I was so touched, especially because this was the first knitted gift I'd given him - he kept insisting that he wouldn't wear anything knitted and not to waste my time. Anyway, I thought I would make him another pair for next Christmas (as part of my whole having no salary for the next year, I think I'll be knitting a lot of presents). I showed him all my sock yarn pictures on <a href="http://www.ravelry.com/people/testarossa/stash">Ravelry </a>and these are the ones he picked out:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/613957107/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1278/613957107_800f39abde.jpg" alt="CTH millends" height="500" width="375" /></a><br />Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Mill Ends, leftover from my <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/349578982/in/set-72157594465883562/">Clapotis</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/613950419/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1083/613950419_22cce49647.jpg" alt="Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock" height="500" width="375" /></a><br />Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Buck's Bar<br /><br />I just thought it was interesting, especially in light of the fact that J. seems to think any color that is not drab green, brown, or gray has some magic powers to drain his heterosexuality away. I guess growing up with my Dad kind of blinded me to the fact that most men don't wear colorful things. My Dad had this neon pink baseball cap that he wore constantly when I was junior high-aged. He got it for free at a gas station. The most embarassing part, to young teenage me, was that he had a wide selection of colors and CHOSE the pink one. But grownup me is more than happy to knit him some colorful socks. I think most "masculine" colors are boring.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-50069138233585351942007-06-27T18:51:00.000-07:002007-06-27T19:12:07.369-07:00The summer of RachelRemember that Seinfeld episode, with <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Summer_of_George">the summer of George</a>?<br /><br />I am officially unemployed. Wait, maybe I should frame that more positively. I am officially a doctor! And I'm also unemployed, as of about ten days ago. (To be clear, I have been in a PhD program for the last almost 5 years, and they paid me.) It's looking more and more like I'm going to be unemployed until September, when I'm heading down <a href="http://scicom.ucsc.edu/SciWriting.html">here</a>. This is more due to laziness on my part than lack of hireability. I had something vaguely lined up and it fell through, and I haven't been inspired to apply for anything else. But I'm feeling really, really good about having this time off. It feels especially freeing to be out of school and unemployed in the summer months. I've had summer jobs (or real jobs, or school) since I was 16, so I'm kind of feeling like a kid again! J. and I just made s'mores over the burner.<br /><br />What other cool summery things could I do? Besides knitting, obviously. I've been doing lots of baking. And some writing. And more knitting. Maybe when it gets hot enough again I'll run through a sprinkler.<br /><br />I leave you with some hot girl on yarn action. I bought myself a little graduation prezzie:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/643164221/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1278/643164221_cfc06eefe4.jpg" alt="Handmaiden seasilk in Bronze" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I've been remiss in showing pictures of my yarn recently. Everyone needs to see a little yarn action now and then. This stuff is so amazing that I couldn't not show pictures of it. It's like the Elle Macpherson of yarns.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/643164017/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1433/643164017_19c05e1f7d.jpg" alt="Seasilk close" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/643163937/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1063/643163937_0036891022.jpg" alt="Seasilk closeup" height="375" width="500" /></a><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/643164065/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1019/643164065_9dd58bbaa1.jpg" alt="Handmaiden seasilk in Bronze" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Yum.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-37687827285411135692007-06-23T13:46:00.000-07:002007-06-23T14:01:34.864-07:00When is an FO not an FO?When it's ajar! Ha ha! Wait, that makes no sense.<br /><br />Anyway, remember this guy?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/603938504/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1296/603938504_0f9297682a.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Cabled turtleneck from Vogue Holiday 2006" /></a><br /><br />Of course you do, I've been taunting you with pictures of it for months. Well, it's seamed, blocked, and dry, but it's too damn short. <br /><br />Let me tell you a little something I figured out about negative ease. This is probably incredibly obvious, although it didn't occur to me until after I had already made the mistake. This sweater measures 36" around and 22" long when it's on the ground. 22" long seems just fine, I have plenty of sweaters that length and they fit great. I have a 38" bust. I like the 2" of negative ease, I think a worsted weight cabled sweater should fit a little snug on someone with my body type, so I don't look like a giant wooly ball. But here's the kicker. That 2" stretch has to come from somewhere. Hence the sweater being too short once I put it on. Doh. So now I will be attempting to rip out the ribbing from the bottom and reknitting the ribbed part longer. Eek! Scary.<br /><br />You know how with some projects, you're so excited about knitting it that mistakes come along and you just rip right back and keep on going? Because you chalk it all up to part of the general knitting process? And you know that no project will ever come out right the first time through? And knitting puts you in such a zen mindset that little errors just roll right off your back? Yeah, me neither. I always think that every project will be perfect the first time, and every mistake or setback just pisses me off and I have to hide the project in the closet for a while until I'm calmer. Hence the fact that this sweater has been hiding in my closet for a few weeks. I'm almost ready to take it back out and fix it.<br /><br />Socks seem to be the exception to this rule. They don't piss me off nearly as much as bigger projects. I don't know why that is. <br /><br />I finished the first Koigu Monkey sock (toe-up) all on size 2.5mm needles, and the leg was way too tight. Somehow the sock managed to charm its way out of being chucked in the closet and I just ripped the leg out, reknit the ankle on size 2.75mm, and the rest of the leg on 3.0mm. Perfect!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/603938474/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1352/603938474_e40af5ab70.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Monkey v2.0 part 1" /></a><br /><br />I am totally converted to this whole toe-up thing. The miser in me loves using up every last yard of yarn. Now if I can only make myself cast on for the second sock.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-17395726435080631872007-06-07T15:15:00.000-07:002007-06-07T15:50:49.209-07:00Finally dry!Take one monkey*<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535189669/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1358/535189669_873400196f.jpg" alt="monkeyface" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Turn it upside down<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535189657/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1166/535189657_d72bdfcd5d.jpg" alt="upside-down monkey" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Add one pair of bare tootsies<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535151839/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1362/535151839_aa5ea59db7.jpg" alt="toes" height="375" width="500" /></a><br />(Excuse the bandaid, I ripped up my toe in yoga somehow. Sticky mats my bum, they should call them shreddy mats.)<br /><br />What do you get?<br /><br />One pair of toe-up monkey socks!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535151859/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1036/535151859_1136226882.jpg" alt="monkeys on table" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Yarn: Colinette Jitterbug in Copperbeech, almost 1 skein<br />Needles: Knitpicks size 1 DPNs (2.5 mm)<br />I never have revealed the time it took me to finish a project, mainly because I usually find it embarassing how long it takes. But it occurs to me that it might be useful to keep track of this kind of thing, so I'll swallow my pride and start telling ya. But please keep in mind that I am very fickle and never work on one project exclusively.<br />Started: May 9, 2007<br />Finished: May 28, 2007 (I think?)<br />Pattern: <a href="http://www.knitty.com/issuewinter06/PATTmonkey.html">Monkey socks</a> from Knitty, of course!<br />Mods: Knit toe-up. They're upside down! I basically just took the toe-up pattern from the IK Summer 2007 issue and applied the Monkey chart to it.<br /><br />Toes! Magic cast-on<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535151917/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1379/535151917_1021d846b0.jpg" alt="monkey toes" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />Heels! Short row heel<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535151923/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1039/535151923_5072ea4226.jpg" alt="monkey heel" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I'm unsure of the short-row heel. These socks are kind of hard to get on over my foot, but once they're on they do feel like they're staying in place better than my other handknit socks.<br /><br />Verdict: I love this pattern! I love these socks! With one giant, glaring exception. I hate this yarn. I was lured into buying it on impulse at my LYS because of all those pretty pretty colorways peering out at me. I didn't even realize the horrible yardage (less than 300 yds! For $21!) until I got home. But that's not the worst part. Here's the worst part.<br /><br />Sock #1<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535151893/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1048/535151893_560eb98262.jpg" alt="monkey sock #1" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Sock #2<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535151901/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1259/535151901_5f29ccd4f4.jpg" alt="monkey sock #2" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />Notice anything? Like how the colors on the leg of sock #2 are totally different? There was a knot about 3/4 of the way through the skein, and the colors were completely different on either side of the knot. For $21, such crappy yardage, and THE BASTARDS TIED TWO DIFFERENT COLOR LOTS TOGETHER. I'm not <a href="http://thechemgrrlchronicles.wordpress.com/2007/04/23/ding-dong-the-socks-are-done/">the only one</a> this has happened to either. I've heard alot of stories about people getting skeins with tons of knots in them too. You better believe I will not be purchasing this yarn again. Y'all consider yourself forewarned. Needless to say, my messages to the US distributors have gone ignored. Luckily my <a href="http://www.imagiknit.com/">LYS</a> is awesome and the owner gave me the entire price of the skein back in store credit, without even asking for the defective skein back.<br /><br />Anyway, pissiness about the yarn aside, I'm still pretty happy with these socks. Especially because I wear jeans almost every day, so the legs aren't even going to be visible.<br /><br />Happy feets!<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535189713/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1257/535189713_e4041801b5.jpg" alt="monkey socks" height="500" width="375" /></a><br /><br />So happy that I started another pair immediately:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/535189677/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1313/535189677_d2d1015ab1.jpg" alt="koigu monkey #2" height="375" width="500" /></a><br /><br />I'm being a <a href="http://fiberjinx.wordpress.com/2007/05/30/blah-dee-blah-dee-blah/">copycat</a> and am knitting all the stitches that are normally purled. I think it gives it a more subtle, smooth look, plus it's much faster. Yarn is Koigu KPPPM that I got with my aforementioned store credit from my awesome LYS.<br /><br />*These monkeys are Capuchin monkeys we saw on a boat ride in Costa Rica. So cute! We got to feed them bananas. Probably breaking all kinds of eco-regulations about not feeding the wildlife, but so so cute! With their little human-like fingers! And their funny little faces!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-42696011194995068352007-06-05T13:45:00.000-07:002007-06-05T14:55:24.089-07:00I wish I lived in ArizonaIf I lived in Arizona, I would have had FOs to show you several days ago. As it is, I wet-blocked some things AT LEAST a week ago and they are still not dry. San Francisco is unbelievable. It's a constant losing battle trying to find somewhere or some way to hang your towel so that it will be dry by the next day. You don't even want to know about the crazy prolific molds and mildews. Maybe I should stick to lace until I move somewhere drier. Anyway here are some previews. I promise I'll show you the real things as soon as they are dry enough to model (any week now...)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/532212203/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1074/532212203_456c9f1822.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Cabled T-neck drying" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/532212217/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1387/532212217_84510e4f4d.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Monkey sock drying" /></a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-85221624347354103062007-05-29T13:34:00.000-07:002007-05-29T14:38:05.704-07:00So Close.The <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/482984329/">seaming</a> is finally done. The collar is picked up and knitted. The sweater actually fits beautifully, it's not tight under the arms at all, I think the shoulders are just lower than I'm used to so I kept trying to hitch them all the way up. But if I just let them sit where they want to sit it feels great. Just one tiny problem:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/520490099/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/230/520490099_0cd6ef6e65.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="Cabled tneck collar" /></a><br /><br />Ick. See how floppy and sloppy that collar looks? Ick ick ick. I can't wait until I get to the point in my knitting skills where I can look at directions in a pattern and think jeez, that sounds like a horrible idea, instead of just blindly following them. The collar is K3, P3, except then the last round they have you K1, P1 all the way around. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/520490105/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/247/520490105_010b049bbf.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="collar closeup" /></a><br /><br />Ick. I think this is mainly responsible for the sloppy looking edge, although I also somehow managed to bind off too loosely (which never happens to me). I'm picking that stupid K1P1 row out as we speak, then will try binding off a bit more tightly. Fingers crossed!<br /><br />Oh and P.S., Costa Rica was beautiful.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/520590913/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/520590913_4cfddc0eca.jpg" width="500" height="375" alt="CR Island from ferry" /></a>Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-82496342161747584622007-05-09T11:39:00.000-07:002007-05-09T12:04:25.797-07:00Still no seamingI have got a major case of startitis recently.<br /><br />Some <a href="http://www.knitty.com/issuewinter06/PATTmonkey.html">monkey socks</a>:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/491528066/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/491528066_c142f2b980_m.jpg" alt="toe-up monkey" height="240" width="180" /></a><br /><br />My first toe-ups! The yarn is Colinette Jitterbug in Copperbeach. I really wanted to do Monkeys out of this, but I was worried about running out of yarn since the skein is under 300 yards (why is that? It doesn't seem any thicker than normal sock yarn, yet claims to be 100g. I don't get it.) I was doing mental acrobatics trying to convert the chart in my head to flip it over, but then I realized the pattern would look just fine upside-down. Hooray! <br /><br />Started working on the Wedgewood blouse:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/491528084/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/208/491528084_d3eb023e96_m.jpg" alt="wedgewood blouse" height="180" width="240" /></a><br /><br />And finally, swatched for yet another cute summery top:<br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/491528070/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/210/491528070_383143c12f_m.jpg" alt="bamboo swatch" height="240" width="180" /></a><br /><br />The Josephine top from Summer 2007 IK. In my defense, this issue didn't show up until after I had already swatched for the Wedgewood top.<br />The yarn is the SWTC Bamboo from <a href="http://www.discontinuedbrandnameyarn.com/dbny/bamboo.html">this place</a>, in Cobalt. It was an amazing deal, 10 skeins for $42.50, given that it usually sells for $13/skein. I was really excited when the yarn showed up, it seemed so soft and silky in the skein and had such a neat texture. Now I'm less sure. It felt really scratchy as I was knitting up the swatch. I hand-washed it and it feels a little better now, not scratchy anymore, but definitely not soft either. I can't decide if it's worth the effort or not. SWTC has changed their formula for this yarn, even though you can still find the old stuff for $13/skein at many places, but the new stuff feels amazing. Sigh. Why couldn't I have some of that for $4.25/skein?<br /><br />Anyway, all this startitis came about because we're going to Costa Rica for two weeks for our honeymoon! Leaving in a few days. And I wanted to make sure I had plenty of knitting projects for the trip. First I started the Wedgewood top, then I thought maybe it was too much bulky yarn to lug on a trip, so I started the Monkey socks, then I realized they were on metal DPNs so I needed something else for the plane anyway, so I started the bamboo thing, then I thought maybe I would work some more on the Wedgewood top after all. I think I might end up bringing all of them.<br /><br />The cabled sweater?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/491528108/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/194/491528108_0034cb2dda_m.jpg" width="180" height="240" alt="no-seam sweater" /></a><br /><br />Banished to a corner to think about how difficult it has been.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-46833231233606427892007-05-05T14:30:00.000-07:002007-05-05T14:32:21.502-07:00New stuffI'm actually procrastinating some real work now. Which means procrastinating with keyboards and internets, instead of sticks and thread. New look for the blog. What do we think?<br />The banner is some yellow Hill Country sock yarn I've had in the stash for ages. (Also the same stuff that went into J.'s <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/475102910/">temporary ring</a>.)Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-41088069645380432007-05-03T12:44:00.000-07:002007-05-03T13:02:01.851-07:00A series of procrastinationsNot even excitement about the VK cabled turtleneck potentially being far and away the best sweater I've ever made for myself can induce me to finish the seaming.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/482984329/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/209/482984329_0736fd1c07_m.jpg" alt="Ick, seaming." height="180" width="240" /></a><br /><br />What is it with seaming? Why is it so horrible? And why did just half of it take me the better part of a Saturday to do?<br />The good news is that I got far enough to try it on and realize that all the pieces fit almost perfectly. The sleeves are a little tight at the top, but I think I can block some extra room in there. More importantly, nothing is too long or too short, which seems to be where I have gone wrong in the past.<br /><br />The other good news is that procrastinating the seaming induced me to finish these:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/482984317/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/171/482984317_4550829009_m.jpg" alt="Stockinette socks" height="212" width="240" /></a><br /><br />Boring stockinette socks that I started in December. I got serious second sock syndrome (SSSS?) on these.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/482984321/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/184/482984321_a30a9a67d0_m.jpg" alt="LL Stockinette socks" height="240" width="149" /></a><br />Ooh la la.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/482984325/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/228/482984325_06aceefca3_m.jpg" alt="LL Stockinette socks" height="240" width="180" /></a><br /><br />Top-down, K2P2 ribbed cuff, stockinette socks. Instructions from Ann Bud's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Knitters-Handy-Book-Patterns-Multiple/dp/1931499047">Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns</a>.<br />Yarn: Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Forest, less than 2 skeins.<br />Needles: Size 1s.<br /><br />Even though they turned out OK, I think I'm going to be knitting from alternating skeins for handpainted yarn from now on. The spiralling doesn't bother me too much, but I would have preferred an even more random patterning. And there is a bit of pooling at the top of the instep, where the sock was the widest before the gusset decreases. You can see it in the top picture. I think it's kind of cute though how there were pools of about the same size but different colors on each sock. But it would have been cuter if there was no pooling at all.<br /><br />What else could I do to procrastinate seaming? How about swatching for my next project?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/482984327/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/171/482984327_7801936577_m.jpg" alt="Wedgewood blouse" height="240" width="180" /></a><br /><br />Norah Gaughan's Wedgewood blouse from Summer 2006 IK. Cute cute cute! However, the whole thing is reverse stockinette in the round. I think I better learn that <a href="http://www.knitty.com/issuesummer06/FEATreverse.html">reverse knitting technique</a> so I don't have to drive myself crazy with purling. Yarn is Takhi Cotton Classic that I had in the stash (which I accidentally forgot to <a href="http://sticksandthread.blogspot.com/2007/04/flash-yo-stash-beeyotch.html">flash</a>, oops).Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-63611358237668003942007-04-27T19:02:00.000-07:002007-04-27T19:07:34.980-07:00Ickle WickleI thought the <a href="http://sticksandthread.blogspot.com/2007/04/littlest-finished-object.html">ring pillow</a> was the littlest finished object I would make. Well, here are some even littler ones:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/475102912/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/207/475102912_ca92c9f19f_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="baby socks for Owen" /></a><br /><br />Baby socks for a friend who just had an ickle wittle baby boy. (I hope they aren't too pinkish for a boy! I don't think they are, personally, but who knows what the parents will think.) Ann Budd's basic pattern, size 0 needles, Regia bamboo sock yarn (lovely stuff).<br /><br />But wait! Things get even littler!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/475102910/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/190/475102910_52ebc0b5c1_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" alt="wedding ring" /></a><br /><br />J. had to send his wedding ring back to be resized, so I made him this temporary one. I mentioned the idea as a joke but he really seemed keen on it. I didn't think he would actually wear it, but it took about ten minutes so I thought what the hey. But he actually wore it to work today. It's already looking quite a bit worse for the wear from going through a softball game. I guess there's a reason wedding rings aren't usually made out of yarn.Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27513280.post-78617599691274977322007-04-17T11:22:00.000-07:002007-04-17T11:24:00.975-07:00I got married!<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37583291@N00/463095009/" title="Photo Sharing"><img src="http://farm1.static.flickr.com/203/463095009_c6bbcafdbd.jpg" width="375" height="500" alt="Baltic sea stole at wedding" /></a><br /><br />Thank god for web-savvy friends with digital cameras, that we can have pics 2 days later!Rachelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01928637994140779245noreply@blogger.com13