Monday, August 30, 2004

i don't like mondays...


I don't feel like I got enough time to enjoy the weekend. Which makes no sense because I had a very pleasant weekend. I had an old roommate from college (along with his wife) visiting this weekend. We went down to the WWII memorial, which I had not seen yet. I also went out to dinner with my parents last night. We went to a great Tex-Mex place. But by the end of the evening, I was exhausted and still feel tired this morning.

Oh well, in knitting news, I got to spend some time with mon petit chou. I have successfully finished the bottom front (again). This time was much better. The lace pattern worked like a charm, and my gauge was a lot better. I made the same size again but this time it was larger...it looked more like something that would cover me. I wish I hadn't ripped my first attempt so that I could take a side-by-side picture because I would say it was half the size of the new one. I also started the bottom back. I had a little problem with the short rows but it looks fine...well good enough to not rip out.

Still no packages over the weekend. To call me antsy would be an understatement! I am still cautiously optimistic that it will come before we leave on the trip Friday. I do have a back-up plan...Thanks to ChicKnits! I was so excite when Bonnie Marie was offering a new pattern, the lovely Lacey Poncho. So, I'll be pulling out some yarn from the stash and swatching for this lovely. With a simple 8 row pattern repeat, this should make perfect car knitting.

Thursday, August 26, 2004

wait, oh yes, wait a minute mister postman...


I'm still waiting on two packages and the anticipation is killing me. Today, I sent a message to Val at Knit 'n' Tyme. She told me that my order was mailed on Aug. 3rd and she was surprised that I hadn't gotten it yet. So, maybe today will be my luck day. The other package is from Breiweb, and was shipped on the 4th. I figured that this one would take a while to get here.

If I'm lucky, both of these will get here before next Friday!

Wednesday, August 25, 2004

rowan #36...


I finally got my copy of the fall Rowan magazine in the mail yesterday. This is such a beautiful magazine. I already have my eyes on Bloom, Lips, Brier (the jacket). I'm also thinking about making Kirk for my Dad's Christmas present.

Any ideas for yarn substitutions?

Monday, August 23, 2004

no knitting weekend...


I had a friend from college in town this weekend so I didn't have any time to sit and knit. Actually, I haven't chosen what my next real project will be. The only project on needles right now is mon petit chou but I'd like to cast on for something new fairly soon. I'm sort of holding out for my Phildar Onde to arrive. I don't want to start something and then drop it once that package comes.

I'm going to be driving to Michigan over labor day so I want to have a project picked out so that I have something to work on in the car. I think that if my package doesn't come in time I'm going to start work on a poncho.

Wednesday, August 18, 2004

everything's coming up Rosa...


I feel like I've just cross the finish line after running a marathon...Or, at least I imagine this is how I would feel.

So, with no further ado, I present Rosa...


front

back

close up of neck


Here are some "glamour shots."





This has been such a great project. The pattern was simple, yet the outcome is so dramatic.

Monday, August 16, 2004

weekend recap...


In case no one noticed, I usually don't update my blog on the weekend. That's because I have a dial-up connection at home and just don't take the time to go online. It's also my time to catch up on knitting (duh). Since my BF sleeps late on the weekend, I usually get a couple of hours of knitting done while watching the Saturday morning cartoons or the Sunday news shows.

This weekend I got to concentrate on seaming. Rosa is almost ready to wear. I just have to finish the neck. If all goes well, that will be done tonight with pictures this week.

I also went back and re-seamed a tank that I had knit last summer. I had done the side seams with a crochet slip stitch. I think that made the seam too tight and it showed a little too much belly. So, I ripped it out and did it in mattress stitch. The tank seemed much longer. I also put a crochet edge around the straps so they laid a little flatter. All that and I got to wear it out Saturday night!

I also decided to take on mon petit chou (again). This time I'm using size 7 needles to compensate for my gauge issues. If you remember, when I made the bra top the first time, it was much too small. Hopefully the larger needles will add a little more give to the elastic.

Friday, August 13, 2004

i know I should be patient...


I still haven't received my copy of the new Rowan magazine. When I signed up for the membership in the spring it took a while for me to get my gift and the spring issue, but I figured that was just because I subscribed after the issue had already been released. And, I figured that the next issue would come early, or at least as the same time that stores got their issues in stock.

Well, I've been scoping out some of the online yarn stores and my LYS. Some have the issue in stock for a couple weeks! Since I've already paid for the subscription I don't want to buy it in the store, but I'm really getting antsy. Everyday I keep hoping to see packages waiting for me when I get home from work. Along with this magazine, I'm also waiting for two Phildar magazines from Knit 'N' Tyme, and some Onde from Brieweb.

Since I'm trying to plan out my next few projects I'd like to get a chance to review the Rowan patterns and determine if I should include an early fall item. Perhaps this is a subscription that won't be renewed.

If you're a Rowan subscriber, let me know if you've received your new issue!

Thursday, August 12, 2004

seaming faster than I thought...


I've made a lot of progress seaming Rosa. And I owe it all to my daily bus ride to and from work. I have done a lot of knitting on the bus but had never tried seaming a project before. So far, I have joined the shoulders and set in both sleeves.

Since I'm so close to the end, I want to get Rosa finished. I am so glad this is a short sleeve top. I have been dreading this part of the project and thought that it would take forever to put it together...I guess that was based on the fact that it has taken over 3 months to complete the knitting. At this rate, I might be able to wear Rosa this weekend! (And, of course there will be pictures showing her off just as soon as I'm done!)

take a look...


Alright, these are the pictures of Rosa that I took Monday morning. I had blocked the front and back the night before.


This is the front. This picture came out a little dark, but you get the idea. The neckline came out really well. I am trying to decide whether to make the neck as the pattern has it, with a picot cast off, or by putting a picot band like the bottom edge has.

Can you tell where I messed up on the shaping of the body?

And, here's a close up of that neckline...

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

she's off the needles...


I finished knitting Rosa over the weekend. Even though the weather was perfect, I locked myself in the house ready to face my own, personal grudge match. The neck shaping was much simpler than I though it would be. After I finished the front, right shaping I held it against the back to see how the shoulders would fit together. It was at that point that I realized there was a problem with the back. So, I ripped out the entire neck and shoulder shaping on the back and rejoined to correct my mistake. Argh! Well, I was determined have this thing done before the end of the weekend. Finally, at about 10:30 Sunday night I finished everything. It felt great!

Then yesterday after work I washed and blocked all of the pieces...I even took pictures for the blog on the way out the door this morning. Unfortunately, I forgot to grab my media card reader. So, stay tuned...pictures are coming.

Tuesday, August 03, 2004

i feel vendicated...


There had been some more chatter on the knitty forum last week. It seems that I'm not the only person who has run into some speedbumps while knitting mon petit chou. And, today I decided to check the pattern online again. There are a bunch of corrections to the pattern. Some for the back and some for the bra -- the two areas where I had the most trouble. What a relief! I had been hesitant to try this pattern again. For some reason I feared that I would never get a handle on the pattern repeat. I'm going to try casting on for it again, probably this weekend.

Monday, August 02, 2004

moving into the home stretch...


I was able to get a lot of knitting done this weekend, focused on Rosa of course. I made it all the way up to the chevron pattern of the front. The rest should move quickly, but I am a little worried about the neck shaping. 22 rows before the back's shoulder shaping you start shaping the front neck line. And the pattern give shaping for one side then tell you to shape the other side to match...I'll definitely have to put on my thinking cap for that part.

Once I get to that stage, I'll post some more pictures.

rowan preview...


In case I didn't have enough motivation to finish Rosa, today I checked out the preview of the Fall Rowan magazine over at The Knitting Garden. I am really impressed with the designs and glad to see the muted colors.

I just hope that there are some good designs for men. I'm thinking that I might throw all caution to the wind and knit a sweater for my BF's Christmas gift. We've been together almost 6 years...Hopefully at this point I know a little something about picking a style that he'll want to wear.