Stitches!

the best plans, are not only the best laid plans but the spontaneous ones too! If all goes well I’ll be attending the Stitches market on Saturday. Its not like I *need* anymore wool after the SOAR market and Rhinebck. I’m not exactly the one to look a gift sheep in the mouth and say nope. So if all goes well I’ll be wearing my Ravelery button (AmandaCathleen) if I can find it and this sweater

I’m almost done with the second sleeve. I’m using this brown/green mystery yarn that I bought off the old destash blog that I tried knitting into a sweater 2 years ago. Ran short, tried to use a contrast yarn to finish it even though I knew it would go horribly wrong. Which it did. I frogged it, and its sat untouched for 2 years. The seller claimed it was malabrigo, it can’t be. Its a 6ply and I’m pretty sure its acrylic. Cause it melts under fire. Anyway, I added sleeves to the sweater and I’m thinking about adding more buttonholes. I’ve already added 3. Good thing that I’m using US10.5’s cause Stitches isn’t that far away!

Let me know if your planning on going to the Stitches East market, I’d love to meet up with you!

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a sweater for Rhinebeck

Last night I finished Bryce’s sweater. Its still damp, hopefully it will be dry tomorrow because the boy desperately wants to wear it to school. Right now I have Rhinebeck on the brain, and I want to knit myself a sweater. Last night I gathered up a few possibilities and wound them up, started swatching like crazy. And by this morning the swatches where blocking. And damnit. I can’t make up my mind. (And yet again, I’m a little pissed at gauge.)

swatches from left to right:

• I was thinking of using the dark blue (Bartlett yarns)  or the light blue (Mooreland tweed from Autumn House Farm) for tweedy aran cardigan. Or maybe the light blue for Cassidy (but with out the hood)
• Redish (Peace Fleece) is for 28thirty, but mohair has been making me itchy lately.
• The gray (Greenwoodhill Farm) is/was for twist the collared version but my gauge is off by a quarter of a freaking inch. But really will it matter? My bust size is 34 on a good day and the smallest pattern size is 35. I don’t want it skin tight though, a little baggy.

What do you guys think? Any suggestions cause I would love to use up some of my stash before Rhinbeck and I would love to have a sweater for wear. Christ, I make this hard on myself don’t I? I really should just knit a shawl and call it done. At least I have this lovely handspun cowl to comfort myself with.

More info on flickr and ravelry. Its so comfy and cozy, I just want to snuggle my face down into it! Now, I’m going to go stare at these swatches and hope they tell me something. Or maybe I’ll just light them on fire.
Crap. Wool doesn’t burn.

OhmyGosh!

Living with an almost teen can be, um, interesting sometimes. Girl’s are very dramatic, energetic and did I mention dramatic? Recently while my parents where visiting we loaded all the kids up in the mini-van (aka the crazy train. Whoot, Whoot!) and we where on our way to drop Corra off at a Birthday pool party for one of her friends and the rest of us where going to DQ. On the way to the party (which was less then a half a mile from the house) Corra kept “ohmygosh”ing everything. E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G. It was driving me crazy. My darling mother, after hearing me tell Corra to stop “ohmygoshing” started, what else, but “ohmygoshing” me. Then my father started “ohmygoshing”. Then it became a night full of “ohmyGOSH!”ing. I thought my brain was going to explode. My only comfort is knowing that my sis and I get to pick out my parents retirement home. They have to be nice to get windows.
I figured, with all the “ohmyGOSH”ing I’ve heard lately its my turn to start. I have lots to ohmygosh about. First: OhmyGOSH! I finished the body to Corra’s february lady sweater earlier this week

I used a US 8 (5.0mm) for the yoke and then switched to a US 10 (6.0 mm) for the lace. This is crazy, but ohmygosh it was so hard to knit with the 10’s! I had to really watch the stitches to make sure I didn’t drop any. When I first started knitting 10’s where small, but now they are huge! And I prefer to knit with 7’s. Crazy! Anyway, I switched back to the 8’s for the garter on the bottom. I was hoping that using a larger needle would open up the lace pattern for me. But it looks like it didn’t. I don’t anticipate the yarn opening up much after “blocking”, its superwash after all.
OhmyGOSH! I stopped by Susie’s etsy shop the other day and saw this lovely roving that I just HAD to have. She sent along a few gifties too,

on the left 6.0 superwash merino in Drama (I can’t wait to spin this up, its so pretty!) And on the right 3.5oz superwash merino in lipstick and a beautiful orifice hook gifties from Susie. She’s such a sweetie!
Now see here, OHMYGOSH! My first um, yarn? Its a real stretch calling my first skein yarn.

My second one isn’t so much of a stretch,

but both are equally lovely in their own way, they are my first “yarns!” I navajo plied them both, ohmygosh that was hard. My calves where killing me! They both are thick and thin, have spots that are beautifully plied. There are some noils, are over spun in spots and under spun in others, but doesn’t that add character? My second skein is full of energy (clicky here for a pic). Lots of energy, so much that isn’t not balanced. A photo of them together shows how much practice helps.

Ohmygosh! I’m so proud, and loven this spinning thing. I used up all that Corriedale mandaJ and I bought at Silverbrook farms outside of Punxtawney when we got our spindles. Remember that? Ohmygosh that was some time ago!

The Boy is totally fine, ohmygosh is he lucky. He is still missing his lego’s, upset that one of his lego club shipments came and he can’t open it till the lego ban is lifted tomorrow. He’s still fine. Still cute, see?

OhmyGOSH! I have one last thing, remember how I want to knit sweaters for my kids to wear for their school pictures? Well picture day for our school is thefreaking16. I have 9 days to finish Corra’s sweater and start on Bryce’s. OhMYGOSH! I’m totally screwed.
Ohmygosh! Happy MandaJ! I updated my blog, showed my handspun, now oh.my.gosh, where the heck is your blog now?

I’m all ohmygoshed out, I have no idea how Corra can do this all day. Night!

What’s in a name?

Really, what is in a name? If you take a lookie round your stash take a look at all the colorway names. There are lots of names that jump at me from my stash: Aquamelon, Glenwood, mimosa, raspberry bramble just to name a few. Not all yarn’s that I’ve purchased have been purely because of the colorways name, there are lots in my stash that are just romanticized numbers. But yes, there are a few that I have bought just because of the names. Flamingo, hollyday, cheesecake come to mind. Occasionally a colorways name just hits how you feel, or speaks to a part of you. Follow me here,

I was still visiting my parents when the february lady sweater started to invade my ravelry friends activity page. I was just about finished with Missy Miss Marigold, as soon as I got the ruffles right it would be done. Once I saw The february lady sweater was going to be my next sweater, I knew I was going to use dream in color classy. I wanted to use the happy forest colorway, but couldn’t get my hands on any fast enough.

my mum was nice enough to let me shop her stash, as long as I replaced what I took. She had 4 skeins of DIC classy in In Vino Veritas, and the colorway name spoke to me. I love the depth of the deep wine colors, the purple that is thrown in there too. I wasn’t quite sure how well the color worked with my skin tone. In the end I am very pleased. I found the name interesting, and had to find out what it really meant, because all I knew it meant in wine something. After a few google searches I found out that it means “In wine there is the truth.” Veritas was the goddess of truth. There was so much in this colorways name. There is a little bit more here.

This sweater certainly makes me smile. Here are my project stats:

pattern: february lady sweater by Pamela Whynne
size: XXS (35″)
yarn: 750 yards or 306g of dream in color classy, in the In Vino Veritas colorway. When I was finished with the body I had a bit left over from the second hank, but it wasn’t enough for a full sleeve. I hate weaving in ends so I started another ball. Now that I’ve finished the sweater I have 36g left over from the 3 hanks I used. (16g from the 2nd skein that I used on the body, and 20g left over from the 3rd hank which I used for both of the sleeves. Confused? yeah, I’m a little too. )
needles: US 8 (5.0mm) knitpicks options. Conveniently my mom had a US8 I could borrow on a 60′ cable, so I could try this sweater on as I went.
notions: 3 buttons purchased at Jon-Ann’s. They are made by Organic Elements and are #2701
notes or mods: I used the buttonhole tutorial that was recommended in the pattern. My buttonholes are about 2” apart from each other (7 garter ridges). Also I decreased the 7 sts that are picked up under the armpit over the first 4 rows. What can I say, I gots skinny arms!
sweaters measurements before and after blocking:
sleeve length: before 13″, after 13″
body length: before 17″, after 19″
underarm to BO edge: before 12″, after 13.5″
I blocked the sweater by soaking it in a basin with cool water and a bit of soak for about 20 minutes. I then put it in a sweater bag and put it through the spin cycle on my front loader. To dry it I put it on the drying rack in the dyer on medium heat for 40 minutes. It was still a little damp, so I took the rack out of the dryer and placed it over my hampers so air would still circulate. The lace pattern opened up slightly, the lace pattern growing 1.5″ and the garter yoke gaining .5″ from blocking. (yay! Just what I wanted!)
and oh yes, raveled here

I feel kinda sad that its done. I enjoyed the rhythm of the gull lace, the tactile feel of the yarn, even the smell of the yarn. So, I’ve ordered more DIC classy from the loopy ewe to knit Corra a FLS too. Its scary because my sweater… fits her too. Only the sleeves are longer on her.

I need to grow taller. And I see 2 more of these sweaters in my future!

Today is also my big sis’s birthday, go shoot over to her blog and wish her well! Happy Birthday sis! I hope you have a wonderful day, and thanks for putting up with me as a sister. I know I was a lot to put up with! I still owe you a pack of double stuff oreo’s! And is anyone up for cheeseballs? ((hugs))

Missy Miss Marigold

Yesterday I finished my february lady sweater, but I wanted to share this little tank first. After the crap that went on in my life (that I just want to bury and stomp all over) I wanted something to help me heal. I don’t do negativity or sadness well. Its not apart of me, I don’t have the energy for drama or cattiness. I don’t have the ability hold a grudge (er, that should probably read I don’t have the memory to hold a grudge). I fully believe in forgiveness. I needed something for angry knitting for sad knitting, something to make me feel happy. Something I could just knit.
After going through my ravelry queue I found this lovely little tank. It was perfect, had everything I needed. It’s a simple little knit, so I could pour lots of angry knitting into it and not screw it up.

I had the yarn already stashed, and the needles too. I did a gauge swatch and casted on June 1. During a bit of knitting time I was catching up on my recorded shows and I was watching an episode of how I met your mother. Barnie said something that was exactly what I needed “When I feel sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead.” After that (and a small bout of angry knitting) I stopped feeling sad, and sorry for myself. Because really, where and what was that getting me? I then started being awesome instead.

Its so much easier being awesome even though my flutters aren’t as ruffly as I wish. (I still think they look pretty awesome though!)

Project stats:

pattern: Ms. Marigold from Zephyr style size small
yarn: Debbie Bliss cathay 5 balls color 12015 from the stash
needles US 5 (3.75mm) and US 3 (3.25mm). Size g crochet hook to for the armholes and sleeve ruffles.
notes: I ripped out the neck ribbing once, because it looked odd on one side. I’m pretty proud of myself for doing the crochet ruffles, even though I had to do them 3 times to get it to look right!
raveled here
more pictures in my flickr account.

Not only did this little top help me heal, but all the lovely comments and emails from you guys helped me heal. We have a wonderful knitting community here, and I’m so very glad to be apart of it. I know I still owe lots of you emails and I’m sorry I haven’t gotten around to it. ((hugs)) thanks again for understanding and being there too.

sleeves of indecision

really, who knew that sleeves could be so indecisive? Ok, your right. Its not really the sleeves that are indecisive its me, the bearer of the sleeves.

click on the picture to embiggen, or click here to see the same picture without the effects.

I’m talking about the sleeves on my In wine [there is the] truth sweater (also known as the february lady sweater). When I first saw the pattern I thought: “Yes, I love that sweater. But with longer sleeves, wrist length sleeves.” But when I got to the point of three-quarter length sleeves… I changed my mind. Something I might regret come winter. If I ever get around to it, my 2nd lady sweater will have long sleeves. But right now I’m loven the look with the short sleeves.

click on photo to embiggen, click here to see same photo without effects.

what can I say other than I’m incredibly indecisive? And just because I just might change my mind, again, I put in a life line before I knit the cuff.

hrmph, darned fickle sleeves.

I kinda like this.

Really. Its quite nice having a teenager drive.

I say this like she was driving me everywhere. But really I just let her drive for a little bit on I-80. My niece Heather watched Allysa and Kailey while Corra and I went to GS camp (I’ll post more about that when I get home). I met my Mom half way on Wenesday and we brought Heather back home yesterday. We are spending a few days up here visiting my parents again. Anywho, I kinda did like Heather driving not only is she a pretty good driver, but I did get some knitting done.

This is the start of my february lady sweater, I’m using dream in color classy in the In vino veritas colorway on US size 8’s. Ravelry link here. So far its been a very satisfying knit and I’m loving the colors (even though they are extremely hard to capture).  I do however wish I had a chauffeur so I could knit while in the car more often!

Ow!

Last Thursday I casted on Elinor’s double breasted seed stitch jacket for Kailey. I’m using Cascade 200 in color 7814

Since I’ve been knitting like a mad momma, trying to get this jacket done since she needs something to keep her warm and toasty. I’ve managed to give myself a knitting induced trauma.

(you might have to click on that picture to see the note on it) but where I hold the yarn on my left pointer finger has a indent from the wool! Owie!

Right now I’m cruising along the back of the sweater, almost done and ready to board the boat to sleeve island.

closure; a button, a toggle, a clasp

closure; a button, a toggle, a clasp. It all comes down to closure. And just like as it is in life, its hard to find the perfect closure for a knitted piece too. Remember something red? Way back during the big blog crash of 2007? I finished this knit back in May (2 weeks after I started it) and it sat. and it sat. and it sat. Until I found the perfect closure.

(photo by Corra)

At first I tried a glass button I found in my Grandmother’s sewing box. But I put the button hole too low and it made the sweater gap open at the top. I thought a clasp would be perfect. I ordered 2 clasps from the button drawer, and thanks to super fast shipping, I sewed the trivet clasp on last night and proclaimed victory of closure!

I think it looks pretty darn good. Much better than the button.

(photo by Corra)

Stats:

Pattern: Something red by Wendy Bernard

Yarn: Louet Gems Euroflax Merlin Camelot 5 hank in color 60-2895 (Yarndex calls it Rose, but its really a rich red)

needles: Knitpicks options US 7 (4.5mm)

time: knitting May 15 – 23 2007

notes: I love this sweater since I took off the button and sewed on the clasp. I wore it out today to my Dr’s appointment and received many complements. (I got my DTaP shot yesterday and some blood drawn. Holy crap does my arm HURT!)

Its nice to have finally finished this sweater, now I have closure…

on the needles, off the needles jiggity jig

on the needles…

 

(click on all pictures in post to in large them)

this isn’t like me! I have 3 projects going at the same time (don’t forget the mini van sock! Which has progressed to the heel gusset. yay me!) wildflower socks which are very Project Spectrum this month

 

which I’m not sure if I’m going to frog or not… I casted on the smaller size (56 sts) its a little hard to get over my heel, but once its on it fits very well. To frog, or not to frog?