Mini-Clap Cowl

Toby says, "Yarn?!?"

(Actually, Toby says "Ball?!?" but this isn't about my fetching kitty)

I'm finding myself in a bit of a knitting slump these days. I have plenty to knit (do not get me wrong. I have a-plenty to knit), I just don't know what. Nothing has really been really catching my attention. I have a pair of Garden Gate socks that needs finishing, but the colorwork is keeping me from casting on the second sock and I believe when I counted the other day, I had enough sock yarn (i.e. whole, complete skeins -- forget about all the scraps a moment) to knit seven or eight pairs of socks!

So the question is, "What to knit?" or "What to knit until my motivation for colorwork comes back?"

A mini-Clapotis!
(And yes, a mini Clapotis is the length of a regular sized ironing board)

If anyone has followed and/or read this blog for long enough, you will note that the Clapotis was my first "big" project back when I re-started knitting. It took me a lot of time and a crap-ton of yarn. But I was so proud of it and I've worn it every bitterly cold day since I knit it back in 2006.

My mini-version, however, was just something for me to knit in order to use up a couple of (absolutely beautiful) skeins of Manos Silk blend. I bought the yarn a couple years ago at City Knitting during a sale of some sort. Since I only had 2 skeins, it really wasn't enough for anything super substantial and the variegated colorway made it difficult for me to decide on a decent pattern.
(As a side-note, I hate using variegated yarns with weird color patterns and a tendency to pool unless it's plain, patternless socks)
In the end, there was only one thing I wanted to use this yarn for, and that was the Clapotis. Except, problem, the Clapotis inhales yarn. One second you have a skein of yarn, the next you look down and there's just a little tail left (and no, it's not from Toby running off with the rest of it).

Searching Ravelry, I came upon the Rule of Fifths. Essentially, you weigh your yarn and you put aside 2/5 for each end (1/5 per end) and 3/5 for the middle. Foolproof!
Afraid of running out of yarn, I didn't make the middle section quite as long as I could have. In the end, I was left with more leftover yarn than I thought I would have but no big deal. I'm happy with it and unlike my first Clapotis, this one only took me about three days.

Of course, once again I'm stuck without anything to knit...

Half A Rainbow (Finished!)

Is there anything more satisfying than finishing an entire sweater? No. I don't think so.
A job well done, I say!

It was a frustrating journey, but I think I have to say that this turned out pretty much exactly how I imagined it. Isn't it great when that happens?

After all of my problems and issues with simply casting on for the v-neck, I decided that I wasn't going to fiddle with trying to make an absolutely perfect v-neck. Instead, I simply picked up stitches around the entire collar and did it in the round (K2P2 ribbing). I guess you'd call this more of a "scoop neck". No matter!

And have I mentioned how much I hate sleeves?!? So many of my sweaters have half-sleeves because I absolutely hate making sleeves that go all the way down to my wrists -- or hands, as I like my sweaters to cover about half of my hand. Unfortunately, the sleeves on this sweater are just a teeny bit too short and a little too wide around. Humbug. Can't have everything be perfect, can we?

If anyone is interested in sweater specs, let me know. I'm still unsure as to whether or not I want to write up a pattern for it to sell or if I'll just give people what I can from my notes.

***

Now that the sweater is done, I'm already onto the next project -- a mini Clapotis! Maybe I'll cast on for a second pair of knee socks while I'm at it.

Although I can already feel the pull of another -- who knows which -- sweater trying to call me in...any sweater suggestions?

Post-Christmas Round Up

Wellity, wellity, wellity. Seems that the holidays are drawing to a close and now it's time for me to really put my nose to the grindstone and figure out what the new year has in store for me. Hopefully I'll find something to do that provides me with some income. Hopefully my time at the gym will pay off. Hopefully I'll find an engagement ring that I like.

Wait...what?

Oh, right. I'm engaged! Never thought I'd see the day. Since it was so impromptu (Jordon wanted to buy a ring before asking me. Psssshhh), I'm wearing my favorite pearl ring as a "stand in" until I find something that I really like. That will hopefully cost less than $500.

But this blog isn't about me.

Wait. Yes it is.

But knitting is more important!

Maybe not really...

I did more Christmas knitting this year than I can ever remember doing in the past. Oh, the joys of giving to people who actually enjoy and appreciate the handknits!

For Jordon's mom, a pair of socks in her favorite color (pink):
(Fun note, those socks -- knit with KnitPicks Essential Multi -- are sitting on top of a homemade "Superman" plate/platter that Jordon made on our first date!)

For Jordon's dad, a Turn A Square hat (sadly, no image was taken, but it was basically a brown hat with dark blue stripes). He was very excited to have received said hat. I was kind of surprised, actually.

And for Jordon, another Turn A Square hat which he also seemed to be very pleased with:
(All yarn is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes)

And finally, I continue to work my way through my top-down v-neck striped raglan. I'm very pleased with my progress/accomplishments with it.
Still wish I hadn't started the round right smack dab in the middle but whatever. I think it looks really nice! Especially considering how much pain it gave me in the beginning. All I have to do now is knit a couple of sleeves and figure out how to make the v-neck look presentable. I can't wait to finish it and wear it! I think it looks super snazzy.

And aside from Christmas engagement excitement, I received a hefty box of fibery goodness from my mom. Sadly, our local LYS in Grand Rapids closed its doors, but much to my/our benefit, we reaped some fantastic deals! I now have close to 1.5 lbs. of spinning fiber to make sock yarn (hopefully) in the weeks and months to come.

Half A Rainbow (Part 2)

Finally got it!

(Pardon the crappy iMac photo)

Raglan = SUCCESS! V-neck = SUCCESS! Color stripes = more or less SUCCESS!

I only wish now that I'd started the round in the back or under the arms. Anywhere except for right smack in the middle of the sweater. Hopefully once I weave the color ends in, it won't look so...ladder-like.

Plus, a magic trick for anyone wanting to do stripes without jogging! Here!

Half A Rainbow (Part 1)

Knitters find inspiration in the strangest places. A while back, there was a cell phone commercial (and if I could find it, I would provide a link to it) where a family was sitting around and the youngest girl was wearing this white, v-neck, rainbow striped sweater. Kinda like this...but an actual sweater. Color me in love!

Ever since -- and who knows how long it's been, I've been wanting to knit the sweater forever -- I've been determined to make up a similar pattern and make a sweater for myself. Armed with KnitPicks superwash bare (in DK weight) and 4 colors (red, green, blue and a weird yellowy color) of KnitPicks superwash DK I've finally set out to knit this sweater!

Unfortunately, not everything can be so easy.

I like to think of myself as a fairly accomplished knitter. Unfortunately, I'm very bad at constructing patterns for myself. Great at following them; even modifying them if the modifications aren't too difficult. Not so good at bringing it to life. Failed math skills or something to that effect, I'm sure.

What to do? I love(d) this pattern and figured I'd follow that. Easy enough, except that pattern calls for worsted weight and doesn't give me the v-neck I want so badly. Oh well. I know my gauge and I've knit a raglan cardigan from the top down. How hard can it be?

4-5 cast-ons later, ask me that again.

I turn to the Ravelry techniques board after I realize my v-neck construction isn't working and a couple of lovely Ravelrers give me a couple more links to try out as well as construction techniques for a v-neck.

2 more cast-ons later...

This isn't working. I finally turn to the top-down raglan sweater generator and I get a good cast-on number and with the techniques given to me from friendly Ravelry users, I'm on my way!

We'll see how it goes from here. I still haven't connected the neckline yet and I'm ready to do so! I'm tired of knitting AND purling. The whole point of knitting a pullover (in my opinion) is to avoid the purling.

At least I think I'm on the right track now. Hopefully.

Scrappy Scarves

For quite a while, I've wanted a long, thin, multi-colored scarf. Easy enough to achieve with variegated yarn, but not quite what I wanted. I wanted it lengthwise! Columns of color! A couple months ago, I found it.

And I made it!

And it's everything that I could have hoped for.

I cast on 400 stitches on a 40" US 9 knitting needle and went at it.
Alternating columns of Fleece Artist Woolie Silk variegated yarn and various other "leftover" yarns (2 colors of Malabrigo, some handspun and some Lorna's Laces that I kind of wish I'd left out on account of an itchy halo), I think I made myself the perfect, colorful scarf.

Now Jordon wants one (probably in manlier colors). I don't know if I'm willing to sacrifice my poor little wrists to another. At least not yet. Maybe next time I'll knit it on larger needles.

Greetings from 2009!

Well, at the suggestion of Richard quite a while ago, I've finally decided to try and revive this little ol' blog of mine. We'll see how well this works out.

As of my last update, about a year and a half ago, I've done a lot of things. A lot of things.

***

In June of 2008, I left Michigan and moved to Chicago. Where I knit. A lot.

In July of 2008, I met a delightful young man and started working my first(!!) "real" full-time job in Chicago. I worked on Michigan Avenue and for those of you who may think, "Wow, that sounds so glamorous and posh!" it really wasn't.

I lived and worked in Chicago until September of 2009 and just those couple of months ago, I moved to Milwaukee, WI to live with aforementioned young man. ;)

***

Now that we're all caught up on my personal life, let's move on to knitted items, shall we? According to this post in February of 2008, I had some knitting goals set up for myself. I can say right now that all I actually made and finished on that list are: Hourglass Sweater and Endpaper Mitts. A couple of the items, I just haven't gotten around to knitting yet. Others...well, I guess I'd say they're not really worth my time.

So, in no particular order, here are the things that I have knitted since February 2008. Ready?

• Jacques Cousteau -- 3. One of them was nibbled on by dear little Toby.
• Bridie (note: Amazon link. Pattern is in book) -- once I finished, it didn't fit. None of the ends are woven in and it's been sitting in a bin ever since.
• Jaywalkers -- 2. I love this pattern. Seriously.
• Baby bolero (note: Amazon link. Pattern is in book) -- 2. Almost 3.
• Mittens (no/personal pattern) -- 1 regular, 1 flip-top
• Herringbone mittens -- 1
• Socks (no/personal pattern) -- 5, though it honestly seems like more.
• Sheldon -- 1 1/2
• Superman tube scarf -- 1
• Reversible Cabled Brioche stitch scarf -- 1
• Vagina Shawl -- 1
• Mrs. Saucy Apple -- 1
• Cat Fish (personal pattern) -- 3? Toby kept trying to eat them and/or dismember them.
• Buttony -- 1. And I love this sweater so, so, so much, but Toby chewed a hole in the sleeve and the only repair option I had was to rip out the sleeve, so I haven't gotten around to it yet. Such a pretty sweater.
• Revontuli-huivi -- 1. My favorite scarf/shawl.
• Brewers Blanket (personal pattern) -- 1.
• Rogue -- 1.
• Monkey socks -- 1.
• Pinwheel baby blanket -- 1.
• Nutkins -- 1.
• Totally Autumn -- 1.
• Henley Perfected -- 1. The lace still needs to be blocked and I haven't actually worn it "out" yet.
• Koolhaas -- 1. And I doubt I'll ever make this hat again it's incredibly tedious.
• Sesame -- 1. Re-knit from this sweater.

And that pretty much brings me up to my current projects and I have a lot on the needles on account of the quickly-approaching holiday season.

Normally, I would post pictures of all of my work but (obviously) there is so much that has been listed above there's really no point in it.

***

As for current works in progress:

• Secret holiday gifts (teehee)
• Garden Gate socks -- I have one done and I'll start the second when I'm good and ready to. Probably after Christmas when I start knitting another sweater.
  
• Regular socks -- Again, I have one done. Second to be cast on is on hold until I'm finished with scarf (below) and holiday gifts (above).
  
• Scrappy Lengthwise Scarf -- Really cool pattern and I'm totally in love with the way it's turning out so far. I'm hoping to be done with it by next week.