whaaa?

Just got this link from my friend Marnie--

hmmmm, perhaps I was on to something?



She is selling these at Rose and Radish. Though I can't remember if she was actually the designer of this particular pattern or not. I haven't been able to find the New York Times article they're refering to about these online either.

I like it in the white. Maybe I should crank out some black ones with all that leftover yarn from the stinkin' dropped stitch vest.

progress report?

Ok, well I'm quite aware that I haven't posted anything in a while, and I really haven't taken any new photos to regale y'all with either, but I feel as though I have to put something up here if only to keep it fresh. I start to panic that too much time away means that I will never come back to this blog, and life's been busy lately, and will just become increasingly so over the next few months. Same goes for my livejournal. I've basically been forcing myself to post there lately since I haven't in the last six months or so, and people keep sending me all these little email "nudges". Who knew you could even do that? Not eye.

SO, here is one angora mitten:



and here's a blurry photo of me looking bored with it:

(image deleted)

And pale. Don't forget fish belly white. Boy that's a bad angle. It's like I have one mini arm and one jumbo arm. Ever see that King of Queens episode? Anyway...

That mitten has been single for almost a month now. The cuff on the other is completed and I know it wouldn't take much to just crank it out and be done with it, so what the hell is my problem?! Allergies I guess. AND an obsession with the nautical sweater which I had hoped to be done knitting by now. At this rate it won't even be done by this weekend, and I am DREADING how much finishing is actually involved with that piece. The completed tally so far: the back, the front, and one and a half sleeves. The bulk of it, really. I'm anxious to start some new things though, but I am holding off until it's done.

The dropped stitch vest? Indefinitely on hold. I did a little searching for it online, and really found that I was not at all liking the vest on other people, so now I'm re-thinking it altogether for myself. If the skinny minnies of the world aren't pulling it off then me and my hooters certainly won't be either. It's sitting on my desk right now looking at me. I don't think I've ever knit anything that I've hated knitting this much. And I'm feeling supremely guilty about it. Like it or lump it I usually hate UFOs and cannot abide having ANY. Is that weird?

Alright, that's all I've got...I'll try and take some photos of my sea of navy wool this weekend!

In the works

Well after what felt like a sea of scarves, my interests are finally turning towards some bigger projects that have been waiting in the wings:



Unfortunately I have no progress pictures to post of this nautical sweater from Phildar, but so far so good. I ran into a bit of snag last night in terms of some weird pattern translations from them but at least they give you the french copy to refer to as well. I was over at my folk's place getting some maternal help on a couple of lines that just made no sense to me whatsoever, and I am happy to report that as of last night the back of said sweater (always the most tedious part) is finally done, and I've now cast on for the front. Why does it seem like the nicest looking things are always in the most boring stockinette?

That sweater is pretty much occupying most of my free time these days, thereby putting these two projects on a wee bit of a hold:



The angora mittens are actually a little further along than that photo indicates. One mitt is done as well as the cuff of the second. It's 100% angora, so I have to do it all in dribs and drabs since I've discovered that I am insanely allergic to it. It's like knitting with a living breathing fuzzy bunny in my lap. Even my cats don't shed this much. Not even sure why I'm pressing on. They will only fit my child-sized hands, and I doubt if I can ever wear them! Oh the injustice! But who knows I may sit down and just finish them some evening just to remove them from my line of sight. The other black thing pictured there is the dropped stitch vest from stitch n bitch nation. It is a BEYOND tedious thing to knit, so as a result it's become my "leave it at work" knitting. I can't imagine it will even be done in the next decade.

I'm also cue-ing up another sweater --so thanks to Julia for turning me on to all of the new Drops patterns...it's going to be an exciting knit-tastic fall. I bought a bunch of yarn for this baby:



And again, frugal bastard that I am, I'm doin' it on the cheap! Yes, you read correctly, 75% acrylic. That's a first for me. But given that I have yet to make a sweater that I actually want to wear, I'd rather spend 35$ on the ingredients than $300. And that aside I was having a lot of difficulty finding a decent "chunky" yarn subsitute that didn't weigh a ton. I think I could have done it entirely in natural fibres, but it likely would have been 3 times as heavy as the yarn it calls for. I'm trying not to beat myself up about it. I have plenty of acrylic store-bought sweaters that I love, right?

And lo and behold, what also arrived in the mail last week?
(images deleted)

is it winter yet?

I am so ready for summer to be over. The more scarves I knit the faster fall will hit, right?



I knit this for my mother's 70th (!) birthday. The argosy scarf is quickly becoming my "gift to make" of choice. It's detailed enough to look impressive, yet once you memorize the pattern it goes up pretty quickly. --which is not to say that there weren't several rounds of serious "unknitting" involved mind you, but I will spare you those frustrations...



I'd had a couple of books and gift ideas thrown together for my mother (she's easy--knitting books!), but then when it dawned on me that it was actually her 70th, I decided to knit her something. Plus the woman NEVER knits anything for herself. EVER. Nor would she ever do something like this for herself, or choose this kind of yarn. So, I'm happy to report that she was quite chuffed with it, which makes me very, very happy. A knitter appreciates a knitted gift so much more than a non-knitter, I think.

It took me two evenings of solid knitting and just over two balls of what is currently my favourite yarn: Lang Silk Dream. I think the colour was called Rust. Some of you may remember that I knit my first clapotis in a cranberry version of this wool and I definitely got a lot of wear out of it. I think of it as the poor man's version of the Lorna's Laces Lion and Lamb that the clapotis pattern called for originally. But who can afford that? And don't get me wrong...Silk Dream is still expenssive, but is far more palatable than the Lion and Lamb ---which I really can't get around these parts anyway. Silk Dream is 50% merino and 50% silk. I love it. My only complaint is that there aren't more colours available.

And I have to say that on a second knitting of this scarf (you can see the first one again here ) there were far fewer mistakes on my part.

(image deleted)

On the first one you can tell that the rows of YO's are lookin' a little wonky in spots, not to mention, that for a stretch the WS is visible on the RS, and I basically didn't notice until the very end, so I couldn't be bothered to go back and fix any of it. Anyway, this pattern is also all about the blocking. Particularly with a fiber that has so much silk in it, it really comes out looking smooth and fabulous in the end.

I think she was happy with her prezzies, even though there's definitely a certain uh "winter" feel to all of it! (Again me summoning the anti-humidity gods, because I am read-y!)

(image deleted)

And I may have to steal that "holiday knits" book back because I really want to try my hand at some colour work and the little cosmetics bag that's in there might be a good way to start:

(image deleted)
cute, non?

There's a new sweater that's consuming much of my evenings of late, but I'll update more on that later and the joys of Phildar! I think I've blathered on enough for now.

scarf party winds down...

She's done!



yarn & pattern: fleece artist kidsilk scarf (80% kid mohair, 20% silk)

This thing was so niggley, and I had to "un-knit" it so many times. There were times I felt like crying due to the loosey-gooseyness of some of the stitches. HOWEVER: I can not over-state how in love with this scarf I actually am. the yarn, the colour, the way it feels, the light airy-ness of it--I love it!

Unforunately the photos are a bit off colour-wise...the tealy-ness of it is totally scrumptious!



What's that? You want more photos of it? D'okay.

(image deleted)

Oooooh. Aaaaah.

(image deleted)

Ok, well, I'm not sure what else to say about it. i dig it. I will probably wear it a. lot. Isn't everything from Fleece Artist great?

I have much to report

It's been almost two weeks since my last real post, and as my two weeks of vacation draws to a close I suppose it's time to post something before falling into the depths of despair that is a-return-to-work-in-two-measly-days. yargh. I am already counting down the days to my next week off in the fall. How sad is that?

A few things surpringly did get completed in the last couple weeks though. I'm not much of a knitter when travelling, so it's all the more surprising still.

Felting project number two, Archie's bed is done. Here's the before and after:



My feet are there deliberately so you can note uh, "shrinkage". It wasn't one of my Nana's inadvertent yet patented "thumb in photo" shots.
yarn: Noro Big Kureyon (sorry not sure of the colourway #(it was a teal & black combo)
needles: Denise interchangeables size 13 U.S
pattern: Pi Kitty bed

Does Archie love it? Well, I guess we'll see in the winter, since it's already packed away. Shockingly he's not so keen on hangin' out in felted wool in the 42 degree humidex. I can't imagine it will replace his favourite bed, but we can hope. At least he indulged me in a few pictures.



If you're looking for something to use up all of that old lopi you've got hanging around give this baby a whirl. Then you can donate all the beds you make to your local humane society and make all the puppies and kitties a little bit happier.

(image deleted)

So, has everyone Simpsonized themselves yet?