Thursday, October 28, 2004

distracted...


I got my package for Joann yesterday. And, of course I couldn't wait to play with my new "toys." I started a small swatch of the Jacquard patterning Kroy. I started with size 2 needles, and found that my gauge was about 8.5 st/inch. So, I plowed straight into a sock pattern using size 3 dpns. I really wanted to see the pattern that the yarn made...quick!

Well, I'm not sure if there's a trick to where you would start casting on, but I'm a little disappointed. Instead of the neat stripes that are shown in the picture, I got a big mess of black and grey specks. I'm going to rip that out and put the sock yarn away...I don't think I'm ready yet. And, when I do get serious about knitting a pair of socks, I'm going to start with the non-patterning yarn that I got.

To further add to my distraction, I have booked a ticket to Chicago for next month. I just couldn't resist. I have a 4-day weekend two weeks from now, and I just couldn't bear the thought of staying in DC. Not to mention the impossibly low fare that I got from Independence Air...$83, roundtrip! You read correctly, roundtrip! (hint: you get $25 off your first roundtrip flight if you join their club)

So, this morning I pulled my stash out of the closet and I've started a scarf for the friend that I'm staying with. I had a lot of Wool-Ease left over from scarves that I made last year, so it seemed like an easy choice. Right now, the plan is to make the whole thing in seed stitch, but that might change if I get bored with it. Since Peggy is on hold, this will be my bus project.

Don't get me wrong, I would love to concentrate on finishing Kirk. However, I feel like I'm really far ahead and that there is plenty of time to finish it. Right now, I'm a few row below the armhole shaping. This is also the point at which I start the split front split where the zipper will be. I'm pretty sure I'll be able to finish the knitting before I leave for my trip in 2 weeks.

Tuesday, October 26, 2004

peek-a-boo...


It was a very productive knitting weekend. The weather was completely uninspiring, so I was able to do a lot of knitting. Also, I found my cable needle! It was buried deep down in the belly of the sofa*. Thanks to this find, the front piece is flying by. I'm really surprised by how fast I've been able to work on this project. I might even have the knitting done next weekend.

I thought I'd show some pictures of the body and the glorious cable pattern (with and without stretch).





I decided to put Peggy on hold for a little while. Now that I've finished the fronts with the bobbles, I'm a little torn about the overall design of the weather. It's pretty short, only an 11 inch side seam, and I'm having a very hard time figuring out what I would wear it with. So, I'm going to concentrate on Christmas gifts. I'll probably pick it back up soon...well, after I'm done with Kirk and have some idea of what my BF's sweater will look like.

*BF has a favorite spot on the sofa and will move my knitting if I leave it in that spot. Usually, this isn't a problem...but this time I think he missed seeing the cable needle when he moved the body aside. Oh, he also manages to sit on knitting needles without noticing. Don't ask me how...

Friday, October 22, 2004

sock it to me...


I really never thought I would knit socks. For some reason, they just didn't appealed to me. Maybe it was the tiny gauge...Well, I've changed my mind! (I seem to that a lot lately). I decided that it might be the perfect project to take on the bus. And, it would be another technique/item that I've never tried before.

Yesterday, while I was snooping around the Joann website, I saw that they had Paton's Kroy for a decent price. Plus, they were giving an extra 10% off if you buy 5 or more skeins. Plus, there was a code for free shipping. So, I got 6 balls in total. 4 skeins are for a scarf that I will make for a friend this holiday season. The other 2 will be my first pair of socks. Unfortunately, I probably won't even get to cast on for a pair of socks until the new year.

Wednesday, October 20, 2004

i'm a knitting guru...


Knitting Guru
You appear to be a Knitting Guru. You love knitting
and do it all the time. While finishing a piece
is the plan, you still love the process, and
can't imagine a day going by without giving
some time to your yarn. Packing for vacation
involves leaving ample space for the stash and
supplies. It can be hard to tell where the yarn
ends and you begin.

What Kind of Knitter Are You?
brought to you by
Quizilla

just one knot...


That's all! I am about 10 rows away from the shoulder shaping for Kirk and I realized something. After completing 2 sleeves and 80% of the back, I have only come across one knot in the cone of yarn that I'm using. At first, I thought it would be a drag not being able to take this project on the bus. Now, I've changed my mind. I like the fact that I haven't had to join new skeins or worry about how I would weave in loose ends with such a bulky yarn. Plus, the pieces of this sweater are much too big and bulky to take on the road.

I had even considered getting a ball winder so that I could make this project portable...Now, I see that would just mean more work and more loose ends. This is the first time that I've bought yarn still on the cone. But, I've got the feeling that it won't be the last...

Monday, October 18, 2004

it's been a slow week...


I've been cabling away at my dad's sweater in front of the TV at night. But, it's been a pretty slow process since I LOST my cable needle! That's right, one day last week, I came home and couldn't find it. I've checked under the sofa, between the cushions...even deep down in the sides. I still haven't found my cable needle. I have others but they are a much smaller gauge. I'll look again but if I haven't found it by this weekend, I might have to go buy another one.

So, I've been cabling with a straight needle instead. Thankfully, the cables come only every 8 rows. It gets the job done, but boy is it slow. I'm almost to the arm shaping of the back. I would love to have this piece done by the weekend...but that's mostly wishful thinking.

This is just the first of my X-mas knitting. I'm also going to knit a sweater for my BF...thankfully that doesn't need to be finished on Christmas. I just got a copy of Last-Minute Knitted Gifts. It's full of some nice looking, quick ideas. I'll probably pick a few of these projects to make for friends.

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

poncho viva!


Last week, my friend Maya told me that she was thinking of making a poncho. She had her eyes on the Lacy Poncho. So, I told her I'd try to get some pictures of mine on the blog over the weekend. Well, to do that I had to seam the two pieces together first...procrastination had set in weeks ago.

So, Monday morning I pressed and seamed my two sections. (This counts as the weekend for me since I got Columbus Day off). Here's one of the pieces blocked out and steamed...

Can you see my shadow?



It just started to get cold in the DC area. It's been averaging about 50 when I head out for the bus in the morning. So, to wear this lovely I had to put on a long-sleeved top underneath. Here's a shot of the finished product, with a comfy turtleneck...just in time for fall.



This is a great project, and pretty quick to knit...it would have been even quicker if I had blocked and seamed it right after I finished the knitting. I made a few changes to mine: 1) I made the edges in seed stitch instead of garter stitch. For some reason, I just can't stand the look of garter stitch. 2) I didn't add the neckband. I just didn't have enough yarn left. The neck opening of my poncho is fairly small and I don't think that it needs the band.

Friday, October 08, 2004

sleeves first...


2x2 rib is just about the most painful stitch...ever! So, I decided to get the sleeves for Kirk out of the way first. The body of the sweater is in a cable pattern and the sleeves have a bit of the motif at the wrist, then ribs all the way up. I finished the first one last night.

Here's the whole sleeve:


The shaping of the sleeve cap:


The cable motif:


And here it is stretched:


Sorry for the bad color in these pix...the lighting in the apartment was horrible this morning.

Monday, October 04, 2004

back in action...


Last week I was away from my office in a training class. I had hoped to do a bit of blogging but that never happened. Since it was also the last week of the fiscal year, I had to return to the office after class everyday and check to make sure that none of my accounts would end the year in a deficit. Needless to say it was a long week. However, my alternating Friday off meant that I got to take the first day of the new year off...

I spent my morning working on Peggy. I'm almost done with the left, front piece. Then I started packing for my weekend in Shenandoah. Yup, I promised my BF we'd go on a backpacking trip before it got cold and he held me to it. So, not much weekend knitting. I got a few rows in on the drive out but that's about it.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to start my dad's sweater on Friday. I'm going to try to cast on for this project tonight after dinner.