Might be my favorite knit yet!

Even though I haven't bought the buttons for this, I couldn't wait to post a pic of my finished Henley Perfected! I finished it and washed it tonight. It's really soft and comfy, but my absolute favorite thing about it... the fit. I knit this sweater exactly as written, and it turned out exactly as it should! Just the right amount of ease and just the right length of sleeve and hem. That's unusual for me because I usually have to add length, shorten the sleeves, and insert bust darts. Also, I find myself inserting "better" ways of doing things in patterns. Not this one.What a well-written pattern! I can't wait to add the buttons and buy a cami for this so I can take more pics, this time modeling it.

I really enjoyed using Knit Picks CotLin yarn for this FO. It was easy on my hands, is sturdy, and came out softer after washing. BTW, my dryer's lint screen was really full after drying! I panicked for a second when I saw all the red fuzz before checking out my sweater. Not to worry, though. I dried mine inside out on low heat, and there was very little fuzz. What fuzz was left were a few remaining plant fibers. I'll definitely be using this yarn again.

Love it, love it, LOVE IT!!!! Being a Buckeye fan who wears Scarlet and Gray, I'll be wearing this, with a gray cami, quite a bit this fall! I think it's my new favorite.

You know what? I still haven't posted pics of my recently completed DROPS tank top, or Fifi and Blaze for that matter. I do have pictures of my tank and Fifi, but I don't for Blaze (still trying to decide if I want to re-knit it since it turned out too large). Someday I'll get to those! Yeah, and someday I'll finally post all of my FOs on Ravelry. Ha. It's kinda hard to figure out which FOs from Flickr I haven't added to Ravelry.

One more thing to mention... I downloaded Central Park Hoodie today. I plan to knit that and one or more of the following patterns: Tubey, Tangled Yoke Cardigan, and Equinox Yoke Pullover. My hubby got me a gift certificate for Knit Picks, so I'll be stocking up on yarn for some of those patterns! Woohoo! In the meantime, I'm attempting toe-up Monkeys making two at once using magic loop. Wish me luck on that! I'm also itching to make some things for the kiddos again... Ciao!

Garter Stitch Short Rows and Twist Collective

For my DROPS garter stitch tank top, I've been using Knit Picks Comfy, a cotton/microfiber yarn. Since any amount of sloppiness will show up using cotton yarn, I've been toying around with alternate ways to do garter stitch short rows trying to avoid loose decreases and other detractors. I made a swatch and experimented with YO short rows, Japanese short rows, and no-wrap short rows (instead of wrapping, you pull a stitch through one stitch below the one on the left needle and place on left needle, working a k2tog when later closing the gap). BTW, I didn't bother with wrapped short rows because I wanted something tight from the get-go. After playing around, tweaking the different methods to match the stitch pattern, I narrowed my choices down to YO short rows and Japanese short rows. In the descriptions below, I only mention changes to the usual way of doing these methods. Note: I used k2tog for the decreases made on the RS (front) of work.

YO variation for garter stitch short rows:
Usually, there's a backward YO at the beginning of WS of work when working stockinette stitch. I tried four possible ways of using yarnovers: no backward YOs, backward YOs for both sides, and a regular/backward combo (the original method and its reverse). I found that using no backward YOs worked best for me. Another modification I made was when closing the gaps on the WS of the work: I twisted the YO by taking the right needle and inserting tip as if to purl tbl and then knitting the twisted YO together with the next stitch tbl. Stated another way: twist the YO clockwise and do a k2tog tbl. If you do your short rows this way, you'll get little slanted dashes on each side that mirror each other fairly well.

Japanese variation for garter stitch short rows:
I found 2 variations of this method that worked well. In both variations, I purled the last stitch before the turning point on the RS of the work since this stitch will get slipped and sit next to a purl stitch. When you turn your work (to the WS) and slip the 1st stitch, slip it wyif and add a pin, then move yarn to back to resume knitting across the WS of work. When you close the gaps on the WS of work, twist the stitches by doing a k2tog tbl. Before doing so, you can set up the decrease in 2 different ways when you get to the gap. One way is to immediately place the pinned loop correctly mounted onto the left needle and k2tog tbl. The other way is to slip the first stitch after the gap p-wise, place pinned loop onto left needle, and return the slipped stitch to the left needle before k2tog tbl. I prefer the former. Lastly, you'll find some loose strands on the WS of your work that can be tightened by working them on the next RS row by working a k2tog with the stitch sitting directly above the center of the strand.

It was a close call as to which method I liked best, but I chose the YO variation and will be using it on my tank. Normally, I'm pretty picky when it comes to the slant of my decreases. But, as you can see with my variations, I chose to use a k2tog tbl on the left of the WS of the work. I really wanted my short rows to flow with the stitch pattern. It seemed that working the k2tog tbl on the WS looked the best on the RS.

For those on Ravelry who haven't seen my latest favorite patterns, I added some from the new Twist Collective. I loved Jaali, Come Together, Lily, Little Birds--all sweater patterns, and Lissajous Knee Socks, Livia, Empoisonee, and Maelstrom--all sock patterns. Check out Twist Collective if you haven't already!

Anything else? Well, yeah. I tried the macaroni and cheese recipe (the one with butternut squash) from Deceptively Delicious, and it's soooooo good! It has butternut squash mixed in with the cheddar and cream cheese. Mmmm, yummy! The sloppy joes and quesadillas recipes are also excellent. Didn't like the meatloaf, and the oatmeal raisin cookies were more like banana/zucchini bread in cookie form. I might try the meatloaf again but chill the loaf in the frig before baking as you do when making turkey burgers. My meatloaf, unchilled, fell apart and was soggy. Yuck!

I turn the big -3-5- this week!

D-O-N-E

Yes, I'm finally done with Splash! For something that adds up to little area, this took longer than expected I must say. Maybe all the extra effort is the reason behind the numerous pics I've taken of this project! Well, and my little mermaid is kinda cute, too... Since the last post, I added I-cord straps and crochet edging. I also ran it through the washer and dryer, in a mesh bag. Since the Sparkle yarn is handwash, I was too scared to dry it all the way. Where is it now? On the proud owner while she sleeps ;-)

Now what? I can go back to my DROPS sleeveless tank and Henley Perfected. I've got the itch to make some small things, like: a bookcover, dishcloths, bibs, socks, and more kid tops or pants. I really need a bookcover for my Harry Potter books. When I re-read them, I remove the slipcovers so that my kids don't damage them. However, without the slipcover it needs protection of some kind. I'd love to try the new Knit Picks Imagination sock yarn, but that won't be available until sometime in September due to the overload of initial orders -- argh! The same thing happened with CotLin when it debuted...

I created a spreadsheet for all the different wrap positions for babywearing. I just couldn't remember all of them. There's an already-existing chart on The Babywearer site, but I wanted mine with short descriptions to jog the memory. Very helpful! I still use my adjustable pouch sling for trips away from home. It's so convenient when you need both hands and to relieve the strain of carrying a 10-month-old baby boy. My two kids and I went hiking at a local park, and I wore Ian on my hip behind my right arm. For a longer hike, I'd probably bring the wrap and use one of the two-shoulder back carries. Oh, hey... I should add a pic here of Ian in the wrap and in the sling! The sling pic is from November, and the wrap pic is from July 4th weekend.

Splash: Mermaid Dressup

Marie couldn't wait to try this on even though it's not totally finished. According to her, it's "just like the one in the pattern book." She danced on the bed and sang before demanding that I take her picture. Here is Splash.
Pattern: Splash from New Knits on the Block by Vickie Howell
Yarn: [Knit Picks Shine Sport: 5 skeins turquoise, 2 skeins orchid]; [Knit Picks Sparkle (discontinued): 2 balls lagoon]
Needles: US 3 and US 5
Mods: This pattern is meant for a 5 or 6-year-old girl. Originally, I bought the Shine Sport to size the pattern down. I got a few repeats into the tail fin and decided to frog it and hold a single strand of Sparkle with the Shine to create sparkly blue and green flecks throughout the skirt and tail fin. In order to do this, I upped the number of CO sts from 99 to 109. This was the case for both the skirt/fin and tube top. Since I only had enough Sparkle to complete the skirt/fin, I didn't use it for the purple top. I changed the waistband by having the purl turning ridge be on the RS of the garment.


I still need to make 4 shoulder straps and add a crochet edging to the skirt bottom and tail fin. Otherwise, this project is done! BTW, I got to use the bow stitch on this which I just learned at Knitters Connection last month in the Girly Girl Knitting class.

Knitting News: Patterns, New Yarn, CO Methods

Knitting Daily has a preview of the Fall 2008 Knitscene up on their site. I like opulent raglan, ahlstrom bodice, lady's duet, and burnished tunic. The inari skirt, kimono socks, and brocade leaves pullover were also interesting. Check them out.

Elann has a sneak peek of some new yarns going on sale July 1st 9:00 PST. I especially like the Pure Bamboo and the Katia Scotch (a silk and wool tweed w/gauge = 3.75 spi). I should mention for my fellow NC knitters that the Pure Bamboo has a Carolina Blue colorway -- no really, it's actually called Carolina Blue! I bet the Duke and NC State fans won't be happy about that ;-) hee!

I learned something new: the purl long tail cast on. I happened to find a link to this when reading a Harry Potter bookscarf pattern. I hadn't really thought about how to cast on for double knitting when using the long tail method. Doing it the purl way isn't hard at all. I decided to use it for the tail of the mermaid costume I'm making for Marie since it begins as a 2x7 rib. What's cool is the purl CO stitches have purl bumps, while the knit CO stitches look like the regular long tail CO. Neat, huh? I like it. After learning how to do this, I went to YouTube to see a video on how to do a double knitting CO in two colors and found a couple more interesting CO techniques:

1. Ysolda Teague shows how to do a long tail tubular cast on for 1x1 and 2x2 ribbing. It's two-stranded.
2. I also found a video that's similar since it's two-stranded, except it doesn't twist the alternate stitches.
3. Here's a video of a one-stranded tubular cast on that doesn't twist alternate stitches. The twisted way can be seen on knittinghelp.com.
4. I love the Cat Bordhi demonstrates Judy Becker's Magic Cast-On video -- gotta love the jungle vine, tick-tock clock, and udder references used to teach this CO for toe-up socks! Cat's video demonstrates how to CO without twisting alternate stitches.
5. One more video I found is Lucy Neatby demonstrating a much clearer way to do the German Twisted CO. I could search for and watch knitting technique videos on YouTube for hours if given the chance!

Oh yeah, I totally forgot to mention... Have you checked out Knit Picks lately? The new colors and yarns of the fall line are up! Handpainted sock yarn! Woohoo! ...and I don't even knit socks regularly. Check out all the super-nice colorways. I see socks in my future which will include the new handpainted Imagination and kettle-dyed sock yarns. Of course, I also love all the new colors of the staple yarns. It makes my mind race, thinking of all the things I want to knit this fall and winter.

No vacation pics yet. Soon!

Edited for clarification and correction on 12/30/08.

So Much To Catch Up On

Let's see... Race for the Cure, Knitters Connection, some FOs. Where to begin?!

Race for the Cure

Jared and I ran this on May 17th here in Columbus. It was perfect weather and we actually ran the entire time. I liked the route because it went around Goodale Park and through North Market. The last half mile was killer, and I almost stopped to walk. But, I saw the finish line way ahead and just HAD to run the rest of the way. BTW, I prepared by using the Couch-to-5K program which really helped.

Knitters Connection 2008

Fun, fun, fun! I only took one class, Girly Girl Knitting with Candace Eisner-Strick, so I did my best to soak it all in. The first event I went to was to see the Ravelry people. Yes, the actual Ravelry creators Jess and Casey, as well as Mary-Heather! They gave a presentation -- their first -- for about an hour and a half. If I didn't have kids to go home to, I would've stayed to meet them and get a picture. Now I'm wishing that I had! The Girly Girl Knitting class was on a Saturday morning and lasted 3 hours. We learned ruching, picot CO and BO, ruffles, bow/butterfly stitch, and -- my favorite -- smocking. We didn't get to all the techniques on the handout, although she did explain one before we left which was cool: how to attach a pre-knit lace panel to the underside of a garment to look like a petticoat hiding underneath (I hope I'm describing this clearly.). Oh, and the market was nice. I'd already paid for the class and Ravelry event, so I didn't purchase any yarn (gah! that was hard to do). I saw some lovely alpaca and some really cool stitch markers...

EPS Princess Dress

Done! Luckily, I had one purple button left in my stash to sew onto the back of the dress. The sleeves are my favorite part, particularly the armband followed by the bell shape. Marie picked out the colorway. If I should make this again, I would use a solid color and maybe a contrast color at the waist and armbands.

Note: This was the best pic of Marie I could get with the dress on. Too bad you can't see the sleeves very well!

OTK

I frogged the Vogue Knitting sleeveless tank I was making with Knit Picks Comfy. I didn't bother to take a pic of the horrible mess. I wasted no time CO for a new tank, this time a DROPS design. I'm about halfway done and no pics yet.

I just CO for another kid project from the book New Knits On the Block by Vickie Howell (from Knitty Gritty). Marie LOVES Ariel from The Little Mermaid. So, I'm making her Splash (Ravelry link) by designer Tina Marrin. It's a two-piece mermaid dress-up outfit. The top will be purplish and the skirt/tail will be turquoise. I'm using Shine Sport by Knit Picks.

I still have Henley Perfected hibernating (since it's a long-sleeve sweater). Once I finish Splash and my DROPS tank top, I might return to that as well as more shorties and longies. I'm also thinking about making a few dishcloths since I seem to go through the ones I have so fast. My 3 skeins of CotLin are still sitting untouched, waiting to be made into face cloths or spa mitts. So much to knit, not enough time!

Knitting Stuff

I discovered a cool You Tube knitting video from username ezinspiration (ez, of course, referring to Elizabeth Zimmerman). This knitter shows an alternate way to do wraps for short rows. Since the wrap will end up being worked together with the wrapped stitch anyway, she pulls a loop up through the stitch below the first one on the left needle and places it on the needle. That way, the "wrap" and "wrapped stitch" are ready to be worked together when you come back to them. BTW, she claims that the reason behind this method is to lessen the gap created by wraps. Interesting method -- I will be trying it the next time I do short rows! Oh, and I like how she uses garter stitch in her video so that a purl wrap is created. That killed two birds with one stone.

Reading

I haven't been reading any novels lately. When I can, I've been reading my old college Abstract Algebra textbook to unwind before going to bed. My lack of reading can be attributed to my kids. Both of them combined really zap my time. I have limited free time, which I use to knit and surf the net. Despite this challenge, I'd like to re-read the Harry Potter Series -- especially the last 3 books. After that, I'm not sure. We'll see.

Next Post

My trip to the Outer Banks with the family! I finally uploaded pics to the computer. So, I'll be sure to include a few in my post.

Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention that I got my eyebrows done for the first time. Wow, what a change! I didn't think that my brows were capable of being neatly shaped. I was worried that they'd get waxed, but not trimmed. Wrong! The person who did them was really nice and even showed me how to apply brow shadow. I'm going to have to get some I think. You might notice my eyebrows in the vacation pics. You'll notice little red bumps that showed up and stayed while on vacation (due to sunblock I'm guessing). Hopefully, I won't break out every time because I really like how my brows look when shaped!

Long post, I know! But, you never know when I'll get around to the next one...

Knitting Update and Pics

DONE! Finally finished my Swish Superwash projects. The pink shrug is a 4T version of Anthropologie-inspired Capelet, and the blue baby shorts are from the Itchy Fingers' Longies/Shorties pattern. I've only washed the shrug so far, and it came out of the dryer looking almost like the original. In fact, I was surprised to find that it still had a cushiony feel to it and didn't have much of a halo. It did shrink slightly but not enough for concern, especially since it's just a shrug. I really enjoyed knitting the shorties! It took only two skeins of Swish. Now that I've gotten my feet wet, I plan on knitting the occasional pair of shorties or longies.

WORKING ON: I'm almost done with Fifi! Hopefully, I'll be able to wear it this weekend and take pics. Although, I might wait to post them because I'm really curious to see how it washes. I started a princess dress for Marie made out of one of those huge skeins (...like 582 yds) of Bernat Worsted. It's really cute when she keeps asking, "Is that a princess dress for me?"

QUEUE: Next up is a sleeveless tank from Vogue Knitting using the new Comfy yarn from Knit Picks. I had this tank on my queue last summer but forgot about it. Can't wait to see how the Comfy knits up! I've put Henley Perfected on the back burner until I finish Fifi and Marie's dress.

SIGN ME UP! I signed up for Knitters Connection 2008 held in June here in Columbus, OH. I'll be taking the Girly Girl Knitting class (led by Candace Eisner Strick) to learn about ruching, smocking, quilting (in knitting? huh?), etc. I also signed up to meet the Ravelry team -- woohoo! Can't wait! Signing up for a class by Cat Bordhi would've been cool, too, but those spaces filled up really fast, and I could only afford one. Plus, I really wanted to learn more about "girly girl" knitting techniques.

Since I also signed up for Race for the Cure Columbus, I've been following an accelerated version of the Couch-to-5K running program. This'll be the first 5K I've run since having two kiddos! <:0

A 3T Anthropologie-Inspired Capelet Finished

Um yeah, I love Ravelry! Being on Ravelry has kept me from posting for a while -- you can imagine why if you're a fellow Raveler. There are so many ways to spend your time there. I haven't even finished entering all my projects. I know some people are probably of the mind not to put everything on there, but I decided that I should... even the mistakes or boring ones. When I get on Ravelry, I usually always check my friends' activity and blogs, then I check the forums, and finally I randomly look at patterns and yarn. I really like seeing what other people are queueing and their adventures in knitting.

You really can find almost all possible interests in the groups on Ravelry. I find it nice to have one place to read many different forums. I can read knitting and non-knitting topics. Just this week, I started the Couch to 5K running program I read about on Yarn and Sneakers (Note: Now there's a C25K group to allow multiple threads concerning C25K). I never would've found out about this online running program if it weren't for Ravelry. I could list why I like all the other groups I've joined on Ravelry, but it would take up the rest of this post!

On to knitting news: last night I finished a 3T-size Anthropologie-Inspired Capelet for my three-year-old, just in time for Easter. The pattern had generalized directions using Elizabeth Zimmerman's percentage system. So, it was easy to customize the pattern using my pink worsted weight Swish yarn and a 23" chest measurement. I ended up using the stockinette side instead of the reverse stockinette side as the right side. The only other mods were a wider neck, shorter length 1x1 ribbing, 4-st garter bands rather than 2 since I wasn't using bulky yarn, and a one-row buttonhole ('cause a little girl doesn't need an expensive clasp or dangerous shawl pin!). For the button, I had one Peter Rabbit button left in my button supply that will be perfect for Easter. What luck! Marie's wearing a blue floral print dress that will match the blue of Peter Rabbit's outfit. When I take pictures tomorrow, I'll try to post them asap.

Have you seen the new colors and yarns at Knit Picks? They're not all there yet according to the podcast (#36) I heard at the Knitting Community on Knit Picks' site. I'm excited because they're adding colors to their existing spring/summer lines, and are adding some new yarns. One that's coming soon is called Comfy, which will be a cotton/microfiber blend with the purpose of adding crimp to the cotton so that it behaves like their Mainline yarn (a wool/cotton blend) yet is a cooler warm weather option. Can't wait to get my catalog! In the meantime, I'll be checking the Knit Picks site regularly to see if any new colors or yarns have been added.

Sorry, no pics!

I'm on Ravelry!

Woohoo!
Now I know what I've been missing! I didn't sign up until a couple of weeks ago because when Ravelry first launched (and word spread like wildfire!) it took people quite a while to be invited. Combined with knittinghelp.com's forum, my knitting community is now complete. If you haven't checked out Ravelry yet, DO IT people! I've been spending a lot of time there lately, on updating this blog, and on organizing my Flickr photos.

Henley Perfected is coming along nicely. I've only had to frog the back once on the lace section: above the armholes where you have to pay attention to stitch counts while doing single and double decreases with yarnovers. Luckily, I caught my mistake after finishing the armhole decreases. Whew! Oh, BTW, I love the division pattern between the stockinette and lace sections -- it is like nothing I've seen before. Very pretty result!

Note: Fifi is temporarily on holiday while I get my fix knitting Henley Perfected.

Roll Baby Roll!

To keep you up to speed, Ian rolled from tummy to back on Valentine's Day last Thursday. Tonight while on the floor, he rolled from back to tummy to grab a toy when I wasn't looking. One moment he's on his back, and the next he's not only on his tummy, but he's turned almost 180! I guess I'll have to put more blankets on the floor so he doesn't hit his head. He also appears to (maybe) be getting his bottom two front teeth. His drooling, hand biting, and his gumline make me think so. He sleeps so well at night, though, so it might not be that soon for all I know... He just keeps getting bigger and bigger! He'll be 5 months on Sunday.

Marie and I are going to see Disney Princesses on Ice tomorrow. I can't wait to see what she thinks since there will be real people, not animated characters... I hope she has fun!

I went to my first knitting meetup last weekend since having a baby. It felt so nice to just sit and knit with other knitters! I need to get out more often. I cast on for the back of Henley Perfected and have just finished half of the waist shaping. I'm liking the CotLin yarn (Knit Picks). It's soft yet strong and has a nice drape to it. I like how it feels while I'm knitting. A definite keeper for future knits.

Recently, I bought a new sudoku book: Mensa Absolutely Nasty Sudoku Level 2 by Frank Longo. I'd give it 4 stars out of 5. I like that the 4-part series this book belongs to will lead to truly difficult puzzles that require the use of advanced techniques. However, the level 2 book is more for people who are just learning their first advanced techniques. I've been able to solve a majority of the puzzles using pairs, triples, and reductions. For only a few have I used X-wing, Y-wing, or higher-level techniques. I'm looking forward to books 3 and 4 because the reviews claim that I will get the chance to try many advanced techniques above and beyond X-wing. Cool : )

More Juliet Pics and I Got My Yarn Already

These Juliet cardigan pics of Marie were taken in November 2007. The carousel pic is from December at Christmas.

I got my Knit Picks yarn order today - wow! That took only three days since ordering to receive my yarn! I ordered it in the wee hours on 2/11 and it got shipped on 2/12. The CotLin is a slightly different shade of red than I expected, but I think it'll still work for Henley Perfected. I can tell that CotLin will be really nice for summer knits. The Swish Worsted is super soft and will be fun to knit with -- can't wait.

Some Knitting Pics

Woohoo! Here are some knitting pics of FOs from the end of 2007 and beginning of 2008. Also included are some 2006 alpaca mittens I made to go with my Alison's Scarf and some photos of Ian in his Mamma's Milk sling.

The jade baby sweater is Trellis from knitty.com knit in Svale (cotton/viscose blend) from Dale of Norway. The buttons are a little big! So much so that I could only use buttonholes 1, 3, and 5. I might eventually switch to smaller buttons... The little baby blankie seen in the pics with Ian in the swing was made from stash acrylic yarn and no pattern - very easy, very mindless. Hello, all stockinette stitch with a seed stitch border! I was just trying to get rid of yarn and make something useful. The cream alpaca mittens were made back in 2006 (I forgot to post pics) with Peru Luxury Chunky alpaca yarn. I think the pattern was from Lionbrand. Juliet is based on the pattern from the Zephyr girls. I don't actually have the pattern, but you can see how closely the sweater resembles Juliet. Now, the only knitting pics left to post are some more baby items I made for Ian. Yeah, I feel a lot more organized!

As for my WIPs, I'm STILL knitting Fifi by French Girl Knits. Seriously, this is the fourth time I've knit the sweater from the beginning since June 2007. Until the fourth CO, I just wasn't satisfied with how the neckline fit so high and how it rolled. So, I finally did two things when casting on the fourth time: 1) I CO 35 sts for each section with a cable CO and then one row of purl sts before joining in the round (similar to Green Gable's CO); and 2) I did a few rows of 1x1 rib before beginning the cable pattern. The number of CO sts was 140, but I redistributed 10 sts apiece from the front/back to the shoulders. This was to drop the high neckline. Doing so messed up the cable pattern as written. But, I had so much knowledge of the pattern with all my re-dos that it wasn't difficult at all to adjust where necessary. I'm making my sleeves long on Fifi so that I can wear it right away.

Future projects include Interweave Knits' Henley Perfected and some new sweaters for Marie and Ian. Knit Picks is having a fall clearance on many colors that will soon be discontinued. So, I almost went bonkers and bought a lot. In the end, I ordered some CotLin (not on clearance, but still a low price) in Moroccan Red for Henley Perfected and some Swish Worsted in Baby Blue and Ballerina for the kid's sweaters. I've never tried the CotLin or the Swish, so I'm really excited about getting this new yarn in the mail! Another future project is the Tangled Yoke Cardigan from Interweave Knits. There are so many different-sized people who all look great in this sweater, and I love the tweed. I might try to use Elsebeth Lavold's Silky Tweed, Silky Wool, or Hempathy.

In non-knitting news, I've been working out to the two new Biggest Loser DVDs since the end of December and doing a lot of sudoku. The Biggest Loser DVDs are very challenging, but I'm getting better at the moves and my overall strength. I've built more muscle than I've lost weight, but my jeans fit a little better. Lately, I've been looking for challenging sudoku books that use advanced strategies. There aren't that many out there which are truly challenging, but I found a few books by Frank Longo. He wrote the Ninja books and the Mensa books. For online help, I've used this site: http://www.scanraid.com/sudoku.htm. You can enter puzzles and solve step by step while viewing the reasoning and strategies used. Sometimes I just like to view the strategies since I don't have them completely memorized.

I'm loving the Jane Austen movies on Masterpiece Theater. If you haven't been lucky enough to see any, I think Pride and Prejudice will be shown the next two Sundays, followed by Emma and Sense and Sensibility. I received the Keira Knightley version of Pride and Prejudice for Christmas (the giftbox set that contains the soundtrack and production photo book with the movie), which I just love for many reasons, but mostly for the music and cinematography. It's much shorter than the Colin Firth BBC version seen on Masterpiece Theater, yet remains true to the story's essence. If I've already mentioned this, please forgive : )

Note: Apologies if the paragraphs aren't separated - it's Blogger, not me.

Pre-Catch-Up Post

No knitting pics to show today : ( But, here are two somewhat recent photos. Marie just turned three and Ian is now 4 months olds : ). These pics are from December.

This post is gonna be really short because Ian just woke up in his swing and has started saying, "ma ma ma ma ma ... " I was going to write a catch-up post, but that'll have to wait until tomorrow!

I present to you a little girl version of Juliet. This sweater was originally intended for my almost-three-year-old daughter, but I somehow was off on my gauge despite the fact that I took the time to make a swatch. So... this first little Juliet will be going to an older niece for her birthday. Yesterday, I purchased some yarn to make a second one that hopefully will fit my daughter!

The yarn is double stranded Bernat Satin Sport (listed as 22 spi on yarn label) in Meadow and Bernat Softee Baby (22 spi) in white. I didn't purchase the pattern, but instead went by pictures alone, those on the pattern site and ones that bloggers have posted. Already I can see that my version is different in more than one way. For example, I used YO raglan increases. Since I had no idea how the increases right before the lace section were spaced, I just did my own thing. Also, I guessed on the lace pattern and the spacing between each lace panel. I placed a K1 P1 K1 column in the center of each lace panel. At the hem I did four rows of garter stitch, the last row being the bind off row. Since the borders of the lace section curled in, I decided to edge the entire sweater in Lionbrand Vanna's Choice yarn in Taupe (a worsted weight yarn). I did two rows of single crochet, turning the work before doing the second row (I'm not a proficient crocheter, so I'm not sure if turning the work is standard.) The buttons are from JoAnn's. The button loops are crochet chains sewn on the edge.

If you click on my 2006 and 2007 knitting galleries at the right margin, you'll notice that I've added a few more FOs to the 2006 Gallery and finally added the 2007 Gallery. The 2007 Gallery has a few more FOs to be added: Blaze and a hopefully finished Fifi. I say hopeful because I might have to re-knit it if it's too small. There are a couple of baby items to add to the gallery as well. Coming soon!

Last year I read (and re-read for some books) through all of Jane Austen's works (well, OK, specifically her six major works). I really enjoyed seeing both the Colin Firth and Keira Knightley movie versions of Pride and Prejudice. I just LOVE the music in the Keira Knightley version! I rented it to watch this week, which has been and will be rainy -- perfect movie watching weather. Before having Ian, my 4-week-old, I was reading Jim Harrison's Legends of the Fall which also includes two other stories before the said title. I was in the middle of Revenge, but haven't picked up where I left off, yet plan to soon. Speaking of Ian, gotta go now!

Still Knitting, Just B-U-S-Y

Three months since my last post!!! I'm way behind in taking pictures of my FOs and haven't had much time to post either. I'm lucky if I get to sit at the computer longer than ten minutes before someone needs me. I'm amazed that I still squeeze in any knitting time considering the constant demands on my attention! My reading and Sudoku time has been severely cut short (due to the extreme distraction of my newborn and toddler), but luckily I can manage to occasionally mulitask while knitting.

The last time I didn't post for a while, I had been burned out from too much knitting. Then I got pregnant with my second child and was nauseous for several weeks. Since that post, I had a baby boy and have been trying to keep up with my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter while caring for him. Though I don't have any FOs to show with this post, I thought I'd mention that I'm organizing and editing my pictures and adding them to my Flickr gallery. So, they will be appearing sometime in the near future (however, notice that I don't even bother to predict when!).

Until then... Ciao :-)

Talk about excited! I've never visited www.littleknits.com until this evening and happened to find a favorite yarn: Peru Luxury (merino/alpaca/silk). I knit Alison's Scarf by Annie Modesitt with the chunky version of this yarn and absolutely loved the next-to-skin softness and bounce. The only place I could previously find this yarn was at A.C. Moore in Raleigh, NC. Since I no longer live in North Carolina, I was looking for a decent discount substitute for Cascade Indulgence (alpaca/angora blend) to make Blaze by Jenna Adorno. Several weeks ago, I thought I'd try CotLin (cotton/linen blend) by Knit Picks. But, I'm sooooo tired from waiting on it to be available. Plus, I want a little stretchiness and warmth to carry this sweater into late fall and possibly winter. By skein, Peru Luxury DK costs $2.99 on littleknits. However, I bought it by the bag, which is 10 skeins, and paid $25.75. Hope you're not interested in this exact color (a khaki beige) because I believe I bought the last bag!

Excluding the weaving in of ends, I'm finished with Fifi! I plan to run it through the wash (and steam the neckline if necessary) before taking pics, so it's not quite ready to display. Therefore, I'll postpone the knitting details until Fifi is ready. ...And there definitely won't be any pictures of me modeling it (for now, anyway)! I tried it on just for fun and got a pretty good laugh. I looked like one of those cartoon characters that wears a shirt two sizes too small with the lower half of my rounded abdomen and my belly button peeking out. On a more promising note, everything from above the bust fit OK. So I'm looking forward to wearing this top in the fall.

I still have to finish my second Jaywalker. When I finish the second sock, I plan to frog the toe of the first sock to correct my two mistakes: 1) the slipped stitches on the toe section (oops!); and 2) the donkey ears at the Kitchener-stitch toe. Trellis has been sitting unfinished for several weeks now. With this baby sweater, all I have to do is knit the collar and sew everything together. The only other project OTN, which is now on the back burner until fall, is my second Alison's Scarf using Classic Elite Miracle (an amazingly soft alpaca/tencel) yarn in Fundy Bay Blue. My two-year-old likes wearing my first Alison's Scarf (the one knit in Peru Luxury Chunky), so I thought I'd make a second one for next winter.

Let's Try This Again

My elann.com Sonata yarn for Fifi arrived Wednesday afternoon (a day early!). Here was my progress over the last two days. After finishing round 43 last night, I tried it on for size and determined that I had to frog it and start again: it was too wide across the front to stretch tightly at the neckline. The sleeves looked fine, but the width of the front and back were too gapey and and the neckline was much too high. I hadn't even gotten to round 51 yet which is the official place to stop and try on the size M that I was making. I know from making Green Gable, another top-down raglan, that negative ease is mandatory to help prevent the neckline from rolling outward, even if that means making a smaller size and adding short rows. I should've known better! All the pattern sizes use either a 120- or 140-st CO with varying numbers for the sleeves and front/back sections. Then, it's just a matter of continuing the raglan seam until the sleeves fit under the arms. I CO 140 sts for the size M/37.5" which uses 25 sts for the sleeves and 45 sts for the front/back sections. Due to my narrow shoulders and need for a shorter seam, I should've CO for a smaller size than my chest circumference determines (i.e., the S or XS). The S and XS use 25 sts for the sleeves and 35 sts for the front/back sections.

Here's what I've done and plan to do:

Instead of using size 7's, I used size 5's to CO 120 sts. Due to the smaller gauge, I had to use 16" circulars to be able to join in the round --wow! Then I did the first 5 rounds using the size 5's. Next, I plan on using size 6's for a few rounds and then switch to size 7's. When I get to the trying-on rounds, if everything looks fine I'll continue on and add short rows as needed. If the front and back are still too gapey at the point where the sleeves fit, I plan on frogging again and trying a 35-st CO for the sleeves to allow a shorter raglan seam and lower beginning neckline. If for some reason this doesn't work, I'll resort to a 35-st CO for the sleeves with a 25 st CO for the front and back. Sounds crazy, I know! But hey, whatever works to achieve the best fit.

My Next Project: Fifi

Well, I joined a new knitalong and ordered my yarn for Fifi. I'd been waiting to order CotLin from Knit Picks for Blaze. But, the availability has been pushed back until 7/11/07. Who knows when CotLin will actually be available, so I decided to go ahead with Fifi. I won't be able to wear this top until the end of September at earliest. But, that's OK because it should still be warm outside.

The yarn I ordered for Fifi is elann.com Sonata. It was super hard to choose a color! I finally decided on Burgundy Rose (3919). Sonata is a DK yarn that I'm substituting for the more expensive Rowan Calmer for which the pattern calls. Calmer appears to have a chainette construction, while Sonata has a cable construction. Good enough for me! I've heard many people say that Sonata is very similar to Tahki Cotton Classic. I loved using Cotton Classic on my Green Gable. So, I don't think I'll have a problem paying $1.98/skein on a yarn similar to one I really like.

What am I working on now? The same as last time: Trellis (finishing) and Jaywalker (currently on the heel of 2nd sock). I still haven't posted a pic of the baby blanket I finished. Sometime, I'll remember to do it!

Before I forget... I discovered a neat little trick while reading Cat Bordhi's Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles: to avoid "donkey ears" at the edges of the Kitchener stitch toe, you "slip the outermost stitch on each end of each needle over its nearest neighbor, eliminating four stitches which might have gone boxy on you." My 1st Jaywalker sock has donkey ears, so this would've come in handy! Now I'll know what to do on the toe of the 2nd sock.

One Jaywalker Done

Wow, it's late! Anyway, here's my just-finished first Jaywalker sock. I thought I'd post it now since there isn't anyone else still up to interrupt me. I also finished my baby blanket a few days ago. When I get the chance I'll post pics of that, too. Besides, the second sock, all I have left to do is sew up Trellis.

I've been starting to think about what sweater to knit next. There are a few http://www.knitty.com/ patterns that would do well for fall, and I'm really taken with Fifi by http://www.frenchgirlknits.com/. Here are two pics, the original in green and a blogger's FO in sangria red:

My Latest WIPs

This is what I've been working on (not including my almost-finished baby blanket)!

Many people will recognize the Jaywalkers by Grumperina and, for those who like knitty.com, you'll recognize the baby sweater as Trellis. I'm knitting the Jaywalkers in Regia Bamboo, color 1072. This yarn is so soft! It's 45% bamboo/40% superwash wool/15% polyamide. I almost bought the fingering weight Panda Cotton sock yarn in Chocolate Almonds. That will be my next yarn for socks if the Jaywalkers turn out. I've tried to knit socks before using all methods but didn't really enjoy it like I do when knitting sweaters (sweaters rule!). However, I did end up learning how to use my knowledge of knitting on two circulars to knit seamless sleeves. So, my efforts haven't been totally wasted! I also got experience working on dpns which work out quite nicely when working seamless short sleeves. Actually, I've never used true sock yarn before or tried making a pair of socks for myself. So, maybe this time will work out -- let's hope so! Trellis is being knit in Svale (Dale of Norway) in Jade (7432). It's a cotton/viscose/silk yarn that's very comfortable with nice stitch definition. The color reminds me of the turquoise SWTC Bamboo I knit Lotus Blossom Tank with last summer. The pattern has been fun to knit -- the combination of cables and twists make it fun.

Time to knit!