All Purpose

So since it’s been so long I have several project updates and a lot of stash enhancement to report…at least I have photos to make it more fun.

Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Malabrigo Lace in Vaa colorway
Needles: US 8 (straight)
Notes: My first Clap, I liked the pattern. It was simple and the effect is very nice and looks fancy, but isn’t really. I think the lace made a nice substitute. I wish I’d had the time/patience to use both full skeins of lace. I could have made it slightly wider and longer, but it turned out pretty good as is. I was totally sick of it by the time I finished, I think if I didn’t have decreases at the end (so I was knitting progressively faster) I would have been really cranky. But that’s just me. I totally plan on making one of these for myself using some Dream in Color Baby I got a couple of months ago.

Pattern: Thuja
Yarn: Cascade 220 in a charcoal gray
Needles: US 5 (1 29″ circular for Magic Loop)
Notes: Easy peasy pattern that knits up super fast when you use worsted weight. I hope the socks fit M, we’ll see I guess. My only issue with this was that the circular I used was I think 29″ and it wasn’t really long enough to do Magic Loop, so when I did the first sock I had some slight laddering, but it seems fine now that it’s done.

So that’s it for what I finished. I also started another pair of socks (Hedera) and while I love the yarn, the pattern has been a pain in the ass. But it looks great so I can’t complain too much. Hope to finish these by end of the month, but who knows.

And I’m still chugging away on the tank, but of course I haven’t picked it up since I’ve been back. I hope to finish it in November so I start my very own February Lady Sweater in Malabrigo, yum.

So now to the stash enhancement. I did ok on the trip. I spent more than I budgeted, but I didn’t go totally bananas overboard either. Here’s what I got…

In Ketchican I got these:

Kureyon for a travel blanket. I’ll collect single skeins of Noro Kureyon as I travel and them incorporate them into a blanket, probably a log cabin or Lizard Ridge. The color for this one totally reminded me of the rain forest hike we took in Ketchican.

Pink Carrot Creations is a lady from Ketchican who drives a truck part time. I have no idea what I’ll do with this…

The yarn is from Maryland, but I thought the colors were great so had to have it.

In Juneau I got this:

More Kureyon for the blankie, the colors are very Juneau.

In Skagway I got this:

Gorgeous Raven Frog Fiber Arts yarn (Elegante), it’s half silk half merino I think. The colors perfectly capture Skagway.

That’s it. I did buy one more skien of yarn in Skagway (Rabbit Ridge yarn), but it’s a gift for a friend it doesn’t count.

No Comments | In: finished object, gifts, knitting, stash, work in progress | tags: alaska, clapotis, finished object, hedera, juneau, ketchican, knitting, scarf, skagway, socks, stash, thuja, work in progress, yarn. | #

So I have the summer blues, so this post will be totally random probably. I haven’t done crap on my August xmas socks. I cast them on, knit to the heel and realized they were too big. I’ve cast on again and done the cuff, but I”m afraid these are too small now, and since I need to finish my mom’s cruise present I’ve been ignoring these socks. I’ll need to finish them later in September though, or something.

This month has been rough. I’ve been struggling with headache, nerve and muscle pain since the beginning of the year and while I’m pursuing treatments nothing seems to work that great. So I hurt. A lot. Every. Day. I love my knitting but right now thinking about knitting is better than actual knitting for me some days. Combine that with my desire for some cool weather so I’ve been dreaming about knitting the February Lady Sweater, and I’ve come up with a list of 4 different yarns that would be lovely (Classy, STR HW, Malabrigo, Nature Wool).

I am really in love with Dream in Color yarns right now and everyday I have to restrain myself to keep from ordering enough for like 4 projects. The colors look so great. I really need to go check out some in person before I determine what I really want, but I’m trying to hold off until next Thursday so I have a halfway chance of getting it on sale if I can’t resist. I like so many of the colors that I’m like, well if I do a Clapotis in Baby then I could do color A, and if do a FLS in Classy then maybe B, oh then what about a FLS in C as well. It’s ridiculous. I do have a 1 skien of Smooshy that I bought after selling some stash yarn.

I’ve been thinking about sock clubs again…I think I might be burning out on socks. I know it’s shocking, but I think the “have to knit 1 pair per month” thing is getting old. I’ve pared down my sock gift list now because of this. Maybe I’m just pissy because I want some socks for me, and at this rate I won’t be getting any until next year. Anyway, uh back on topic. So I’ve been mighty tempted by Blue Moon Fiber Arts and their Rockin’ Sock Club. I almost signed up for it late this year, but then decided it just wasn’t fiscally responsible. I know sign ups for next years club are in a few months (like October) so I’ve been trying to figure out if I want to save up for it or what. I did some math and I realized if I bought 1 skien of every BMFA color I like I’d spend like $300, and I’d be getting like 15 skeins of yarn, and the sock club will be almost that much (it was $250-ish this year) and I’d only get 6 skeins of yarn…and some patterns. So I think I will once again be strong and forgo the sock club this year. Maybe if I can afford it I’ll sign up for a smaller club later in the year.

Let’s hope I snap out of this soon…

No Comments | In: fever, knitting, life, work in progress | tags: BMFA, buying, cardigan, doldrums, Dream in Color, knitting, knitting fantasy, sock clubs, STR, work in progress. | #

I finished Ella’s B! YES, before she turned 2. That’s big, right? I’ll post pics later. I need to wash and block because seaming really stretched out the cotton squares. I’m hoping a wash and block will bring them to heel. So I don’t see little Ms. Ella dragging this around any time soon since it weighs like a ton thanks to those Biggy Print squares, but hopefully she’ll enjoy it for a long time.

Whew, it feels good to finish that huge project. I would like to finish my crochet stripe blanket this month as well so I’ll only have 1 blanket/throw on the needles (Cavendish). I do want to do the Log Cabin blanket(Rav link) in Mason-Dixon Knitting, but I think I’m going to ask for the book as a present so I don’t know when/if I’ll get it.

So speaking of spending money…I have finally worked up a real budget and I’m trying very hard to stick to it. I have allowed myself to purchase yarn for 1 personal thing, but for the rest of the year I’m going to try to not buy anything else except sock yarn for gifts. If I make it to December and keep to this and can afford to I’ll then reward myself with a skein of Socks That Rock for me, if I like knitting it (I’ll be doing a STR pair of gift socks in September). I will allow myself to buy 1 skein of Noro during my Long Beach trip and 1-3 skeins during my Alaska trip in September (these will be used for that log cabin eventually).

I do find that not thinking ahead with my carefully planned craft spending gets me into trouble sometimes. So last month I bought a lot of yarn for summer knitting and I want to start one of those project now that the blanket is done. But I didn’t think about needles. The pattern is knitted in the round and I don’t have a huge selection of circulars for regular knitting. I did happen to have the recommended size needles but when I tried to knit with them I found them awkward and unwieldy, and thought it might be throwing off my gauge. I also realized I didn’t have the smaller needle called for in a circular at all. So I feel now that I have to get (= buy) needles for this project now, and since my gauge is all screwy I might need to get US 4 & 5′s and US 9 & 10′s. I’ve also determined I’m pretty partial to the Addi Tubo’s, but come on that’s $60+ worth of needles right there and that’s not in the budget. Anyway, I ended up buying the select sizes and a 24″ cable from Knit Picks in their Options interchangeable needles. It’s about $38 for that and I can add to the set as I need or have the money.

This thing with the needles happens a lot more than I’d like to admit for my projects, which is sad since I think I must have at least one pair of needles for every size now. In fact one year with refund money I bought the entire Bryspun straight needle collection (like US 2- US 15) and a selection of their circulars as well. I really do like the smaller straight ones, but the larger ones are too heavy for me and I hate the cable on the circulars. I’m hoping the Knit Picks will be great and I can sell my Bryspun circs and just build up the KP set as I need or can afford it. I really would like to do more of my sweater knitting in the round.

I also forget to consider things like patterns, like if I need a standalone pattern for a project I’m usually so focused on the yarn that I forget to factor in the pattern cost. This is not such a big thing since most standalone patterns are under $10, but I feel like the need to buy a pattern, or more needles leads to more needless spending. Or it has in the past.

I also think another thing I have to look out and plan better for are those swaps and sales I do through Ravelry. I got totally schooled by the USPS this week because I had some stuff for fellow Ravelers to send off and I didn’t have the right mailers and ended up using Priority Mail things. Don’t do it. It’s not CRAZY expensive, but it’s way cheaper to send 1st class and provide your own envelope/box.

Ok, enough of me rambling about budgets and crafting expenses. How about I talk about things I learned this week.

I learned how to do the Figure 8 Cast On last night! I started my first pair of toe up socks and I used that cast on for them. I watched this excellent video on YouTube by fiberfool (Rav name too) and then after I did the initial part I used Knitty’s great article about toe up cast on’s to figure out how to do the increases.

So to recap this totally long and rambling post…

I finished Ella’s blanket.

I started my July xmas socks and learned some new stuff to do it.

I am still swatching for the Ribs and Lace Tank.

I have blown my entire craft budget for July already (except that skein of Noro).

I will have new needles and about 2100 yards of yarn in the next week. Oh wait I didn’t talk about the yarn did I? Next time.

No Comments | In: finished object, knitting, resolutions, work in progress | tags: blanket, budget, figure 8, finished object, gifts, knitting, needles, patterns, socks, toe up, work in progress, yarn. | #

So I did manage to finish one thing in June (w00t).

I give you my Charade socks

Pattern: Charade by Sandra Park
Yarn: Claudia Handpainted Yarns Fingering in Plumlicious
Needles: US 1 40″ circulars (Magic Loop)
Notes: These took me forever to get started, which is why it took me about 2.5 months to actually finish them. I kept making mistakes when casting on and doing the first bits of the first sock. Once I got going though they went pretty fast and the pattern is easy to follow. The yarn was nice. It was a little splitty, but not horribly so. I think the colors are nice and it definitely pools a lot less than everything else I’ve used so far. So thumb’s up on the Claudia’s Handpainted Fingering. These are destined to be a xmas gift for someone.

So other than that nothing done. I did get VERY close to finishing Ella’s blanket. I have about 5 inches of the last piece of trim and then seaming the trim on and I’m done! I will definitely finish that in the next week (I hope). I am also aiming to complete that striped crochet blanket this month as well (it would knock 4840 yards out of the stash!) as well as a pair of xmas socks. I am also swatching for the the Ribs and Lace Tank and really hope to get cracking on that.

No Comments | In: crochet, finished object, gifts, knitting, stash, work in progress | tags: blanket, finished object, gifts, planned projects, socks, stash, tank, work in progress, xmas. | #

So I got my stash enhancements last week.

Remember, I got the Louisa Harding Nautical Cotton in #09 (Forest).

Elann’s Callista in black.

And Elann’s Coto Canapone in Medici Purple, the purple is much darker when not in direct sunlight like the photo.

So that’s all making me very happy. The Nautical Cotton is a great color as well and I’m probably going to start with it and the Ribs and Lace Tank. I’m swatching for that now.

I’m also wrapping up my Charade‘s (hope to finish tonight so I don’t goose egg for June). And I’m ready to start my July socks, which will be the Slip Up Socks from Posh Yarn. I’ll be using that Koigu I got in June for these.

So many pretty yarns now, so little time.

No Comments | In: gifts, knitting, stash, work in progress | tags: 2008, gifts, socks, stash, work in progress, xmas, yarn, year of the sock. | #

So I signed up for June’s Bustin’ that Stash (Rav link), and of course the minute I agree to 1) knit 1000 yards of stash AND 2) not add to my stash I suddenly find all this yarn I haven’t counted. Another 1421.5+ yards unaccounted for to be exact…sheesh.

Here are the things I “forgot” to put in Ravelry:

The yarn I got in Boston at Newbury Yarns, not tagged no yardage so really doesn’t count in that total even though it’s now in Ravelry.

4 balls of this that I swapped some yarn for…maybe swapping is bad.

I think I bought this to make some amigurumi animals, which I’d still like to do sometime.

Plus I had several 1-2 skein leftovers from various projects.

Ok, ok and I bought 4 skeins of yarn. Two skeins were a legit purchase for my next pair of xmas socks:

But then I saw this, which I have been coveting since I first saw it on Ravlery. There was only 1 skein left so I couldn’t leave it there:

And I decided to start my Noro Kureyon collection in anticipation of casting on for the Lizard Ridge blanket after I finish my other 2 blanket projects:

I think this project will be a great travel yarn project, so whenever I travel I will have a “souvenir” yarn to focus on and after many travels I’ll have a blanket. Pretty cool.

In other news, I also documented some of my older projects (ponchos!) and I’ve made some progress on Charade:

No Comments | In: knitting, ravelry, stash, work in progress | tags: charade, ravelry, socks, stash, work in progress, yarn. | #

So one of the better ideas I’ve had was to create my own “sock club” a few months ago by taking the few sock yarns in my stash, pairing them with a pattern and putting them in a little tub so when I finish one pair I go pull another pair out. I’d been doing about a pair a month until May when I didn’t finish anything. So around the same time I decided I wanted to try to do socks as my present for xmas this year and it dovetailed nicely with me also wanting to try various yarns. I decided that for the xmas socks I could not repeat patterns or yarn so it gives me a nice excuse to look at patterns and try to match to the various yarns I want to try.

I also wanted to be flexible with the yarn purchases since there are so many different yarns I want to try and I want to try to keep my costs down. That’s why I decided to purchase yarn each month, so this month I bought the yarn for July’s xmas socks.
So this way I can scout Ravelry for swaps/sales and check out my LYS’s monthly sale and BOLO (be on the lookout) for other sales.

I also wanted to try to stick to patterns I have already (in magazines or books) or that are free, though I would consider purchasing standalone patterns from independent designers. It’s been pretty fun to fantasize about yarn and pattern combo’s and since the yarns aren’t set in stone after I make a selection I reselect the pattern. So lot’s of knitting fantasy and planning going on, which is good.

So far I’ve finished one pair:

Monkey‘s with ShibuiKnits Sock in Jewel

and I’m working on another:

Charade‘s with Claudia Hand Painted Fingering in Plumilicious

I also just purchased yarn for the July pair (Koigu KPPPM in P117) and now need to find a pattern.

I’m hoping to try the following yarns: Austermann Step, Trekking Pro Natura, Socks that Rock, Smooshy, and I’d love to throw in some independent yarnies as well.

Since I’m trying all these yarns I’ll try to comment more on the yarns as I work through them so look for more year of the sock updates.

No Comments | In: gifts, knitting, ravelry, work in progress | tags: 2008, gifts, socks, work in progress, xmas, year of the sock. | #

So not much knitting in May. I didn’t finish anything at all. I started the Charade socks (like 5 times) and a crochet shrug, but other than that not much movement.

I did manage to get my garden started in May though and now I’m ready to really start busting out the knitting/crochet projects.

I have no idea why the Charade (Rav link) socks are taking me so long, except that my iPod died last month so no more podcasts. I got a new nano last week though so I’m hoping that will motivate me to get moving on the knitting. I am almost done with the leg portion of my first Charade and I’m hoping once I move past that I’ll be back into sock utopia knitting.

I have made decent progress on the shrug (Rav link), I’m starting the repeat for the back. I had been planning to buy yarn for a summer project, like a tank or something. But now I’m not sure if I’ll do that or just try to finish some of my larger projects, like the Ella blanket and the crochet blanket, and bust out some xmas socks. I do not want to be knitting socks feverishly the entire month of December.

No Comments | In: crochet, garden, gifts, knitting, work in progress | tags: crochet, garden, gifts, ipod, knitting, socks, work in progress. | #

Not much is going on actually, I have started/frogged/started a new sock project like 3 times. First it was going to be Jaywalkers, then the swatch looked like ass (completely my doing not the patterns) and it wasn’t doing it for me. Frog. So I found Charade and started that, then I realized I forgot the cuff. Frog. Started again, got almost done with the cuff found a dropped (but also extra??) stitch 5 rows down. Frog. Started again last night. Hopefully the third time is a charm. The Claudia yarn I’m using doesn’t seem to like the frogging too much so it better be the last frogging or I’m going to have to cut off the used portion before I CO again.

I’m also dreaming and scheming for my next sweater/tank/cardi/pullover/tee project even though I know I probably won’t realistically cast on for it until later in May or even June depending on how things are going with the family stuff. I had swatched for the $1.50 Cardigan back in March I think. I finally was able to get gauge, but got disenchanted with the project, probably just because of everything going on.

I thought then that I wanted to do a smaller project first and swatched and then cast on for Catherine’s Mini Cardi (Rav link), but after a couple of rows realized despite my swatch results I needed to go down a needle size. Then I really started debating whether the cardi would look good on me, and now I’m thinking I’d rather do something else with the yarn, like maybe Sahara. Of course I’d need more yarn for that. Ah, I just had a brilliant idea…I could make Sahara for my sister and then I think I’d only need 1-2 more skeins. I still can’t buy the yarn or pattern until June though.

I also thought I might do my Fern Wrap Sweater, but I’m doing this in wool so even though it’s short sleeves I know I’m not going to be wearing it until like December. I really want to do a tank/tee for ME for NOW, but I really don’t have the yarn for that right now so I guess I’ll keep making notes on yarn ideas and patterns and if I find myself in the position to start a bigger project before June I’ll go back to the $1.50 Cardigan, since it’s in pieces and has lace and is done in a wool/linen blend yarn it shouldn’t be too terrible to knit it.

2 Comments | In: fever, gifts, knitting, work in progress | tags: knitting fantasy life, project ideas, socks, work in progress. | #

So I realized this morning that I never did a wrap up post for March. So here it is.

I finished the Jitterbug socks, the Ovaltine cardigan, the Amelia Earhart hat (same post as Ovaltine), and the Brownie hat which I forgot to do a real FO post for.

So I finished 4 projects (yippee!) and got very close to finishing Ella’s blanket, and I knit through 1167.8 yards of yarn in March (only counts yarn used on FO’s, not WIP’s), and 294 yards of it was from my stash. Not too shabby.

I also cast on for 2 new projects: Monkey socks and the Catherine’s Mini Cardi (Rav link). I really haven’t done anything on the cardi except knit 3 rows and decide I need to frog and CO with smaller needles, but I haven’t frogged it yet. The Monkey socks are close to halfway done.

So all in all a very productive month I’d say. I probably am not going to be nearly as productive in April with everything going on, but I’m hoping if I do stall on my knitting that it will be a short break while I get organized and back into a routine that incorporates all the family stuff going on right now.

No Comments | In: finished object, knitting, life, work in progress | tags: 2008, finished object, march, numbers, stash, work in progress, yards, yarn. | #