kippers!

Baby coat dress

2009-07-27T01:46:00.000-07:00

I've made great progress on my baby coat dress. The alpaca is a beautiful pruney color. It's sheddy as alpaca is wont to be, but I think the softness and color make up for that. I need to sew on the arms and buttons and then wash and block the thing.

P.S. I decided to move all my blogs over to free blogspot hosting. So I have layers of broken links everywhere. bear with me please.

HOOT!

2009-03-14T23:43:00.000-07:00

Isn't my owl sweater so cute? I'm making a second one now in green. You too can make your own owl sweater!

Naeng Myun

2009-02-18T00:32:00.001-08:00

Yummy cold Korean soup noodles. Side dishes of kimchi, pickled ginger, and fried mushrooms. My first from-scratch attempt at this dish

Knit frenzy!

2009-02-08T23:45:00.000-08:00

I finished the Ripple Scarf a while ago. It is lovely and soft and just a tiny bit sheddy because of the alpaca. I am tempted to make another lacy scarf or smoke ring soon with qiviut (muskox down). But I am not sure I need to fork over $90 for a skein at this moment.

Today I finished the baby sweater. The model of this sweater is not the designated recipient of this sweater, but I think he has soulful eyes. This was a pattern from Elizabeth Zimmerman's A Knitter's Almanac. It is an easy lacy pattern with only two sleeve seams to deal with. I tried to make a nice neat edge by slipping the beginning of each row, but it got wonky with the stripes. But the chain stitch edging covers up any weirdness. The buttons were thrift store finds, so only two of them match.

Here's what the sweater looks like flat. (The bear has poor posture, and it is hard to see all the details.)

Cooking (A Soliloquy)

2009-01-18T23:04:00.001-08:00

I feel exhilarated from today's cooking efforts. I had a strong urge to cook, so I made:

Madhur Jaffrey's Chinese-style egg flower soup. This recipe is an old favorite of mine.
Also her "Delicious Stock" recipe with dried black mushrooms, carrot, lettuce, and bean sprouts. I anticipate making nyaeng myun with it.
Mulled red wine. Last time I used merlot, pomegranate juice, dried cherries, sliced satsuma, sugar, and mulling spices. This time I used cabernet sauvignon, orange juice, sliced satsuma, sugar, and a more orangey mix of mulling spices. This version is less tart.
Kimchi mandu filling. I used firm tofu, mild kimchi, some oyster mushroom, enoki mushroom, green onion, garlic, salt, pepper, sesame oil, and raw egg. I plan to stuff my dumplings tomorrow. I didn't have the energy to do it today.

I looked at a Vietnamese cookbook today. "Banh chung" is a special dish for Tet (Lunar New Year), just around the corner. It is basically a rice and meat "cake": a layer of rice, a layer of mung beans, a layer of pork, a layer of mung beans, and a layer of rice. The whole thing is parceled up in a rectangle--traditionally in banana leaves--but in this modern cookbook, foil and cling wrap. The packet is then simmered in a pot of water for 4 hours. The last step seems really intriguing to me: what is happening in that packet as it is being simmered? The ingredients are already cooked before they are assembled... do they get even more delicious?

Ripple Scarf

2009-01-17T10:44:00.000-08:00

I started working on a scarf during the holidays with some stashed Classic Elite Inca Alpaca. As part of the new money-saving economy, I am going to dig through my extensive stash for my projects. I gave away a big paper bag of yarn for some homeless knitting ventures and still have a ton left.

This particular pattern is from Jean Moss' Couture Knits. I forget the name of the pattern (some lady's name), but I am calling it "Ripple Scarf" because of the dropped yarn over stitches.

Free knitting patterns

2009-01-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

I wrote these patterns to help me remember my designs. You are welcome to them for your personal use. All patterns are copyright Carolyn Wei, all rights reserved, for non-commercial use. Thanks and enjoy!

Wrist Warmers - Flashdance version

Wrist Warmers - short version

Wrist Warmers pattern - short version

2009-01-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

On the left: wrist warmers as described in pattern below.
On the right: all ribbed version of the wrist warmers.

Nashua Handknits Painted Forest version of this pattern.

After making the "Flashdance" version of the wrist warmers, I decided they were too loose for wearing while doing active stuff. I designed these shorter, tighter wrist warmers to accommodate more active behaviors such as knitting or wrapping presents. This pattern is for Lamb's Pride Bulky, but it can be modified for other yarns such as the Nashua Handknits Painted Forest. I also changed the pattern to make an all ribbed version. Completed December 2005.

Yarn Brand: Lamb's Pride Bulky in M-181 Prairie Fire (85% wool, 15% mohair)

Quantity: 1 skein. 2 skeins will yield 3 pairs of wrist warmers.

Needles: Size 8 double-pointed needles

Gauge: 14 st = 4" stocking stitch

Finished Dimensions: 3.5" across wrist, 8" long.

Pattern

Cast on 28 stitches. Divide evenly over three dpns.

Knit ribbed cuff:
Rounds 1-15: *k3, p1, repeat from *. The piece is now about 3" long.
Round 16: Knit.
Start decreasing for the wrist.
Round 17: k1, k2tog, k until last three stitches, ssk, k1. 26 stitches remain.
Rounds 18: Knit.
Repeat Rounds 17-18. 24 stitches remain.
Round 21-23: Knit.

Start increasing for width of the hand:
Round 24: k1, m1, k until last stitch, m1, k1. 26 stitches.
Rounds 25: Knit.
Repeat Rounds 24-25 one more time. 28 stitches. The piece is now about 5" long.

Now divide for thumb hole. Turn work, and knitting flat (i.e., do not knit in rounds for the next few rows).
First row: Purl.
Second row: Knit.
Repeat these two rows twice more or until the thumb hole is about 2" long. Now rejoin into rounds.

Knit 6 rounds, or until there is about 1" above the thumb hole. Cast off.
Make two wrist warmers.

Wrist Warmers pattern - Flashdance version

2009-01-13T20:59:00.000-08:00

A nice, thick wrist warmer. This is good for working at the computer or for reading. This wrist warmer is rather loose but comfy so it's good for not so active behavior. I call it "Flashdance" because it fits a little like a legwarmer. Completed December 2005.

Yarn Brand: Nashua Handknits Painted Forest in 208 Embers

Quantity: 2 skeins. Each skein is 50 grams, 55 yds.

Needles: Size 8 double-pointed needles

Gauge: 13.5 st = 4" stocking stitch

Finished Dimensions: 4" across wrist, 10" long.

Pattern

Cast on 28 stitches. Divide evenly over three dpns.

Knit ribbed cuff:
Rounds 1-16: *k3, p1, repeat from *. The piece is now about 3" long.
Round 17: Knit.
Start decreasing for the wrist.
Round 18: k1, k2tog, k until last three stitches, ssk, k1. 26 stitches remain.
Rounds 19-21: Knit.
Repeat Rounds 18-21. 24 stitches remain.

Start increasing for width of the hand:
Round 26: k1, m1, k until last stitch, m1, k1. 26 stitches.
Rounds 27-29: Knit.
Repeat Rounds 26-29 one more time, and then repeat Round 26 one more time. 30 stitches.
Round 38: Knit. The piece is now about 7" long.

Now divide for thumb hole. Turn work, and knitting flat (i.e., do not knit in rounds for the next few rows).
First row: Purl.
Second row: Knit.
Repeat these two rows once more. The thumb hole is about 1.25" long. Now rejoin into rounds.

Knit two rounds.
Next round: k1, k2tog, k until last three stitches, ssk, k1. 28 stitches remain
Next round: Knit.
Repeat these two rounds once more. 26 stitches. Cast off.

Make two wrist warmers.

Twist hat pattern

2009-01-13T20:55:00.000-08:00

This hat I made up. It was an experiment, the result of trying to do a hat in Bavarian Twisted Stitch. The diamond pattern and the divider knits/purls are made of twisted knit stitches. The spiral rib is a flat knit. I would knit this next time in a worsted weight yarn to get in some more diamond repeats. This is a very loose fitting hat. Completed May 2005.

Yarn Brand: Rowan Cork 035 Plush (95% merino, 5% nylon)

Quantity: 2 skeins. Each skein is 50 grams, approx. 120 yds.

Needles: Size 10.5 circular needles.

Gauge: 15 st = 4" stocking stitch

Finished Dimensions: 20" around the brim, and 8.5" tall with brim folded up.

Pattern

The diamond and spiral rib patterns were modified from Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments. I have modified them to be knit in the round and also corrected some typos in the diamond pattern.

1 X 1 Woven Diamond Pattern converted for the round knit over 14 stitches

Rounds 1, 3, 5: [p1, k1b] 2 times, p2, k2tog then before taking the stitch off the left needle, knit the first st again through back loop, p2, [k1b, p1] 2 times
Rounds 2, 4, 6, 18: K1b the knits, p1 the purls
Round 7: p1, k1b, p1, [1/1LCP, 1/1RCP] 2 times, p1, k1b, p1
Round 8: p1, k1b, p2, [1/1LC, p2] 2 times, k1b, p1
Rounds 9 and 13: p1, [1/1LCP, 1/1RCP] 3 times, p1
Rounds 10 and 14: [p2, 1/1RC] 3 times, p2
Rounds 11 and 15: p1, [1/1RCP, 1/1LCP] 3 times, p1
Rounds 12 and 16: p1, k1b, [p2, 1/1LC] 2 times, p2, k1b, p1
Round 17: p1, k1b, p1, [1/1RCP, 1/1LCP] 2 times, p1, k1b, p1
where LC = left cross (left leaning twisted knit over right leaning twisted knit), LCP = left cross over purl (left leaning twisted knit over right leaning purl), RC = right cross (right leaning twisted knit over left leaning twisted knit), RCP = right cross over purl (right leaning twisted knit over left leaning purl)

Spiral Rib panel converted for the round knit over 14 stitches.

Round 1: [k1b, p1] 2 times, [k2tog then before taking the stitch off the left needle knit the first st again] 3 times, [p1, k1b] 2 times
Rounds 2, 4: [k1b, p1] 2 times, k6, [p1, k1b] 2 times
Round 3: [k1b, p1] 2 times, k1, [k2tog then before taking the stitch off the left needle knit the first st again] 2 times, k1, [p1, k1b] 2 times

CO 84 st and join together into a round. Use a ring to mark the start of the round. Now *p2, k1b, repeat from *. Repeat this round about 10 times or until work is about 2" long. Knit 1 round -- this creates the crease for the brim fold.

Now work the diamond and spiral rib patterns. Alternate diamond and spiral rib so you knit three of each. Use rings to mark off each pattern. Knit equivalent to two diamond repeats or about 6".

Now start decreasing 1 stitch at the end of each diamond/spiral rib pattern panel while continuing the pattern stitches. (I chose not to do the diamonds anymore at this point and just repeated the diamond's rounds 1 & 2.) Decrease these 6 stitches every other round. When 42 stitches remain on the needle, decrease these 6 stitches every round until 6 stitches remain. Cut yarn short and then run the end of the yarn through the 6 remaining stitches. Tuck in loose threads. Block hat.

You can alter this pattern by knitting with smaller needles for a tighter fit. You can also experiment with different lengths before you start the decreases.

Hat schematic: A = brim, B = main body pattern, C = decreasing patterns

Laptop case pattern

2009-01-13T20:51:00.000-08:00

A laptop case of my own design. It looks a bit like a pillow. Completed February 2003. Update: As of January 13, 2009, I am still using this laptop case and get compliments on it. I had to mend a hole in the corner which may have been a moth bite or wear.

Yarn Brand: Lion Brand Yarn Fisherman's Wool
Quantity: 1 skein
Needles: Size 6 circular needles
Gauge: 5 st = 1" over stocking stitch. 14 st = 2" over woven diamond
Finished Dimensions: about 25" circumference and 10.75" high.

Pattern

The diamond pattern was modified from Nicky Epstein's Knitted Embellishments. I have modified it to be knit in the round and also corrected some typos.

1 X 1 Woven Diamond Pattern converted for the round knit over 14 stitches

Rounds 1, 3, 5: [p1, k1b] 2 times, p2, k2tog then before taking the stitch off the left needle, knit the first st again through back loop, p2, [k1b, p1] 2 times
Rounds 2, 4, 6, 18: K1b the knits, p1 the purls
Round 7: p1, k1b, p1, [1/1LCP, 1/1RCP] 2 times, p1, k1b, p1
Round 8: p1, k1b, p2, [1/1LC, p2] 2 times, k1b, p1
Rounds 9 and 13: p1, [1/1LCP, 1/1RCP] 3 times, p1
Rounds 10 and 14: [p2, 1/1RC] 3 times, p2
Rounds 11 and 15: p1, [1/1RCP, 1/1LCP] 3 times, p1
Rounds 12 and 16: p1, k1b, [p2, 1/1LC] 2 times, p2, k1b, p1
Round 17: p1, k1b, p1, [1/1RCP, 1/1LCP] 2 times, p1, k1b, p1
where LC = left cross (left leaning twisted knit over right leaning twisted knit), LCP = left cross over purl (left leaning twisted knit over right leaning purl), RC = right cross (right leaning twisted knit over left leaning twisted knit), RCP = right cross over purl (right leaning twisted knit over left leaning purl)

CO 135 stitches and join together into a round. Use a ring to mark the start of the round. Now knit one round. Knit remaining rounds like so: k5, p1, [k5, round 1 of diamond pattern] 3 times, [k5, p1] 12 times. Repeat this round until the laptop case reaches the desired length minus 0.5". Now knit the border: *k2, p1, repeat from * until the case reaches the desired length. Close off the bottom seam with a crochet chain. Tuck in loose ends.

You can alter this pattern depending on the size of your laptop. Measure the circumference of your laptop and calculate against your gauge. You may need to add or decrease a rib or two. You may also need to adjust the width of your ribs (perhaps reducing to 4 X 1 or 3 X 1) to get a snug fit.

Fingerless Mittens pattern

2009-01-13T20:45:00.000-08:00

They are handy to wear in moderately cold weather because they allow you to dig around in your purse for keys or bus pass without having to remove your gloves. You can even dial on the mobile phone while wearing them! The Tencel Wool is very soft and warm. Completed February 2003.

Yarn Brand: Cleckheaton's Tencel Wool in light blue

Quantity: 2 skeins (2 skeins are just enough for fingerless mittens. A third skein would be needed if whole mittens or gloves were wanted.)

Needles: Size 8 double-pointed needles

Gauge: 4.5 st = 1" over stocking stitch

Finished Dimensions: about 7.75" long.

Pattern

My own design. Hold two strands of wool together throughout. Fits small ladies hands, particularly small wrists. To accommodate larger wrists, cast on 32 stitches and omit the increases. For larger wrists and larger hands, cast on 32 stitches and include the increases.

For the right hand
Cast on 28 stitches. Divide stitches evenly onto double-pointed needles. Join the stitches into a round.

Start knitting the wrist:
Rounds 1-10: *k2, p2, repeat from *. After Round 10, should be about 1.75" from beginning.
Rounds 11-21: Knit. After Round 21, should be about 3.25" from beginning.
Now increase number of stitches to accommodate the width of the hand.
Round 22: k1, m1, k12, m1, k2, m1, k12, m1, k1. There are now 32 st.
Rounds 23-30: Knit. After Round 30, should be about 5" from beginning.

Prepare the thumb hole:
Round 31: k1. Slip 6 st onto stitch holder. CO 6 st, join, and knit rest of round.
Knit the rest of the hand:
Rounds 32-40: Knit. After Round 39, should be about 6.5" from beginning.
Rounds 41-45: *k2, p2, repeat from *. Cast off in rib, should be about 7.75" from beginning.

For the thumb
Pick up 9 st around thumb opening. Divide those sts plus the 6 sts that are on the stitch holder onto the needles. Knit 8 rounds and cast off. (Tip: when picking up the stitches from the top of the thumb hole, pick up between the sts that were knit in the body of the mitten. That way the thumb looks seamless.)
Tuck in ends.

For the left hand
Everything the same as the right except for Round 31:
Round 31: k9. Slip 6 st onto stitch holder. CO 6 st, join, and knit rest of round.

Digital Camera Pouch pattern

2009-01-13T20:31:00.000-08:00

Front

Back with belt loop

Turned inside out to show battery pack pocket and to highlight closure
strap

This is a digital camera pouch with belt loop and internal pocket for extra battery pack. It is my own design. The 2 X 1 rib makes the pouch a snug fit. The monogram is just for fun. Completed September 2005.

Yarn Brand: Main body made from worsted wool (which I got from a big jumble bag, so no brand). Light blue trim is Dale of Norway Svale,a cotton/viscose/silk blend.

Quantity: Scraps

Needles: Size 8 double-pointed needles

Optional items: G crochet hook, button

Gauge: 4 st = 1" stocking stitch

Finished Dimensions: 3" X 4" overall. Closure strap: 1" X 1.75" including button loop. Belt loop: 1.5" X 2.5". Extra battery pack pocket: 2" X 2"

Pattern

The main pouch is knit in the round as a tube and then sewn at the bottom. The belt loop, battery pack, and closure strap are optional: they are knit separately and attached.

2 X 1 rib pattern: *k2, p1, repeat from *.

Main pouch
CO 30 stitches. Distribute evenly over 3 dpn, and join together in a round. If you have a different gauge or wish to make the pouch bigger or smaller, you can adjust the number of stitches you cast on by multiples of 3. Knit in 2 X 1 rib pattern. Knit in rounds until the pouch is 4" tall. For cast off round, attach contrast color yarn, and cast off. Sew the bottom of the tube shut for the main pouch.

Options

Closure strap
CO 5 st.

Row 1: k1, p1, k1, p1, k1.

Row 2: p1, k1, p1, k1, p1.

Repeat these two rows until strap is 1.5" long. Cast off, but don't cut off the tail. Pull the tail out as a "slip stitch," and with the crochet hook, chain 3 stitches. Cast off and attach the end of the chain to the other end of the strap to make a button closure loop. Attach strap to the top center of the back of the pouch. Sew a button to the front of the pouch.

Belt loop
CO 11 st.

Row 1: k2, *p1, k2, *repeat from *.

Row 2: p2, *k1, p2, *repeat from *.

Repeat these two rows until belt loop is 2.75" long. Cast off, and attach to back of camera pouch.

Extra battery pack pocket
CO 9 sts.

Knit in stocking stitch until 2" long. Cast off, and attach to back of the pouch on the inside. Attach on three sides to make a pocket.

Monogram
Use daisy chain stitch to embroider an initial on the front with contrast color yarn.

Changes to this blog

2009-01-12T02:28:00.000-08:00

Hi, after a couple years of sporadic knitting and blogging, I've decided to get back on the wagon. As part of the recovery, I put in a new template and updated my copyright date from 2007 to 2009. Wow, I fell behind. Next up: fixing broken links to all my blog images.

Cobblestone pullover

2007-11-20T07:28:00.000-08:00

I finished the cobblestone sweater from IK. It was pure comfort knitting -- no seams, only stocking and garter stitches. I did not use the tweedy yarn called for in the pattern because it was rough and scratchy. Instead, I used Stacey Charles Tahki's Savoy yarn which is a soft merino and silk blend. yummy to knit and to wear.

Update on Knitting

2007-11-09T06:43:00.000-08:00

I started knitting again about a month ago. I've lately been working on Arisaig and have worked up to the arm pit area on the back piece. However, I have since been diverted to working on another sweater. This one is the Cobblestone pullover from the previous IK that is knit in one piece. It's very soothing stocking stitch knitting, and it makes me extra happy that there will be virtually no seaming at the end.

what to knit?

2007-04-18T22:04:00.000-07:00

I am working on the interminable red scarf.

Miss Roxane gave me several skeins of Irish wool. I am thinking of what to make with it.

One project I have been thinking of is Alice Starmore's Kilronan pullover from the Celtic Collection. The pattern is from the 90s and it is by Starmore, so it is ginormous. I have to scale the pattern down -- not sure where to nip from without spoiling the pattern. My gauge may end up being small enough to fudge the width.

baby booties!

2007-03-29T00:30:00.001-07:00

cute! these little guys were made from Classic Elite's Inca Alpaca. The pattern was from Debbie Bliss' Baby Style. I finished most of this project while watching Lars von Triers' Kingdom mini-series about the spooky hospital.

Red Scarf

2007-03-29T00:23:00.001-07:00

This is the endless scarf that I have been working on since last March. I got the yarn from Knit/Purl in Portland. I was originally going to get creative and make the thing look like a dragon. but I will be lucky to eke out a rectangle of any kind.

Alas, poor arm warmers...

2007-02-05T13:58:00.000-08:00

I nearly finished the arm warmers, but discovered that I was going to be a tiny bit short of yarn. And in thinking about where I was going to sneak out some more yarn, I realized that I was not happy with the shape of the arm warmers -- too wide. So I will rip them out and redo them at some point. But since I can't stand doing anymore circular stocking stitch, I'm going to give it a break.

In the meantime, I started on some moss stitch baby booties from Debbie Bliss' Baby Style book. The more I knit from that book, the more I realize how disturbing I find her patterns: no schematics, no final measurements, and very linear patterns that assume that exact gauge will be made. I'm sure a cultural psychological critique could be made.

Some medical knitting

2007-01-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

I finished one of my long armwarmers with the Fleece Artist sock yarn in the blue colorway. It covers up my elbow, an essential because I have been feeling chilled. It feels so warm and snug, and I can pull it over sweater sleeves for extra warmth. It was basically a tube with some decreases starting halfway past the forearm. I did something new for the thumbhole. I did not go crazy and make a thumb "tube," but I knit up to the first thumb joint, cast off 12 stitches, and then the next round, cast on 4 stitches. So the base of the thumb is much more covered than in past incarnations of my wrist warmers where I basically made a vertical button hole for the thumb.

Christmas knitting progress

2006-12-27T18:30:00.000-08:00

Much knitting progress during the long holiday weekend. I finished the bias corset. It turned out very well. I was happy with my decision to lengthen the body by about 3/4". Also VERY happy about my decision to knit the yarn over increases "invisibly" -- that is, I knit them twisted so as to have only minuscule lace holes. The bias corset would have had a very strong peekaboo factor if I had left the yarn overs super lacey. The one do-over that I had was the I-cord bind-off. When I followed the directions exactly, the neckline had a strong bowl-like quality, which actually made it look very much like a whalebone corset. However, I wanted a closer fit, so I redid the binding with the tiniest needles. That fixed the bowl problem but admittedly there are still some bulgeys along the neckline. but c'est la vie. Looks great.

This weekend I also made some striped baby booties to keep in the stock. I had given away the last of my baby things and have been very bad about gifting baby stuff because I just did not have anything on hand (and didn't feel compelled to make anything). Although I do not find this pattern particularly jazzy, the fuzzy alpaca yarn makes it look pretty nice. I have more of the alpaca yarn in stash, so I may make more pairs of booties. I also for the life of me did not understand that these booties had cuffs, so I have made a cuffless version (though they can be folded over for cuffs if desired).

I am going to go on a "yarn diet" and avoid purchasing yarn until I burn through some of my project yarn stash. That means knitting the Kilronan pullover, Arisaig wrap cardi, and Starburst sweater. But having said that, I recently acquired a hank of Fleece Artist sock yarn. I saw these nice armwarmers and was inspired to make my own. I get really cold working at the computer, and my elbows get sad. So I thought these would be very good for making my arms happy. The best part was the lady at the store used the swift and ball winder to make a center-pull skein for me. That made it much more fun than if I tried to do it myself with only my knees or a chair back to assist me. Sock yarn has an awful lot of yardage.

Bias corset progress photo

2006-12-18T08:37:00.000-08:00

It's a plummy purple color.

I cut open the Cookie Monster sweater asymmetrically down the front. If I were to put a button at the collar and wear it right now, the thing would drape open like a cape but with sleeveless arm holes. I think I will add panels/extensions to the front edges so that my torso is fully covered. It may make the thing more tent like, but we'll see.

Felting adventures

2006-12-06T09:28:00.000-08:00

I experimented with felting the Cookie Monster tunic. I had intended only to slightly shrink the thing, but I learned that agitation in a warm washing machine is a powerful thing. So the lesson is not to leave your felting thing unattended. But as it were, I was committed to the felt route at this point.

The felted result was too thick to wear as a dress (though physically possible). And the sleeves still made me look fat.

So I decided to chop the sleeves off to see what that looked like.

First cut! so far so good, the edges have integrity.

And the sleeveless look seems fine.

But the arm holes were a bit too tight. So I had to trim them a little more.

And then I noticed that the sleeve area did not felt as well, so there was a slight unraveling look to the edges. Despite that bad feeling that unraveling usually gives me, I felt that the edges were pretty secure because the stitches stayed put when I gave them a tug.

I crocheted the edges to be safe. I am not sure if this experiment is done yet. I am thinking of making in an asymmetrical button closure to break up the solid blueness of this sucker. But I am giving this thing a rest for a while until I figure out a plan.

And in other projects, I have started my bias corset. This is made with very fine yarn, so it is taking a while to see some progress.

Tunic about completed...

2006-11-28T21:50:00.000-08:00

...but it makes me look thick. I think it's because it's not shaped at the waist and isn't snug around the armpits. It seems to fit ok (doesn't feel huge), but it makes me look like Cookie Monster. I am going to try washing it to see if it firms up. If it still looks yucky, I will felt the bugger and make it into an asymmetrical coat.

I "blocked" the hem by steam ironing it. The edge stopped rolling up without any fuss. It's controversial, but this is the nicest stocking stitch edge I've ever had.

In the meantime, I will start another project, probably the bias corset by Annie Modesitt in the Summer 2006 Interweave Knits (IK).

Tunic progress!

2006-11-21T22:47:00.000-08:00

I have made some nice progress on the ribbed dress (or tunic). I've set in the sleeves and have picked up the stitches that were on holders in preparation for knitting the collar. The instructions for knitting the collar were a little ambiguous: the instructions say something about increasing in every k1 or p1 st in k2 p2 rib until there are 118 stitches. I think the point is to plan to increase 10 stitches somehow (because there are already 108 stitches on the holders).

I was trying to find some other blogs of knitters who have worked this project, but I have been unsuccessful thus far. I did find a rant on Hibiscuitsgirl about that whole issue of VK 2005/06. I am really surprised though. The design is by Mari Lynn Patrick who seems to be a pretty prevalent designer.

Project Linus

2006-11-13T07:46:00.000-08:00

Yet another knitting charity, Project Linus. Though I don't think I can stomach knitting another blanket.

Another charity knitting project

2006-11-12T18:09:00.000-08:00

The Dulaan Project, knitting cuddly duds for Mongolian kids.

Do you want to see cute kids?

2006-11-12T17:39:00.000-08:00

I was flipping through IK or VK recently and found an article about the Mother Bear Project. This project recruits volunteers to knit cuddly bears to send to kids in Africa. Go immediately to the site if you want to knit a bear to send these kids or to look at photos of the cutest kids ever holding their very own teddy bears. Some of my favorite photos: Look at this cutie in Lesotho. Or this sweetie in Swaziland. Or this other dear heart in Swaziland. Is this kid not incredibly cute?

In other news, I'm near finished with a sleeve of my tunic. Ah, so soft!

Front and Back completed now

2006-10-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

I finished the back of the tunic and am now working on a sleeve. I think I overcalculated the yarn and will have perhaps as many as 3 skeins left over. I don't know how this always happen even when I try to match up the yardage of my substituted yarn with the pattern. But fortunately, I just discovered an interesting felted pattern from Berroco for a needle case which might be a good use of the extra yarn.

I'm contemplating what project I want to take on the road with me next week -- the enormous tunic? the bias corset I haven't started yet? or the starburst sweater? I am thinking about the state of the project, weight, bulk, and warmth issues.

Tunic progress

2006-10-19T10:43:00.000-07:00

I finished the front of the tunic -- that had some very nice raglan shaping. The flash photo is yuck, but you can see the cool decreasing especially where the ribs are going up on the left of the photo. It gives the front a bit of distinction.

I am now working on the back which looks like the front except for the funky wedge going on the right.

I love knitting with bulky yarn. It's almost like you knit two rows, and you're half done! The alpaca feels soooo good. I can't wait to finish this tunic and snuggle up with it.

New project: Tunic

2006-10-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

I am making the asymmetrical ribbed tunic from last winter's Vogue Knitting. It is a pleasure to knit with the bulky alpaca yarn because it knits up fast into a wonderfully soft fabric. I look forward every night to knitting a bit.

Finished vest surgery!

2006-10-02T18:09:00.000-07:00

After checking out the washed and blocked vest, I am pleased to report that it looks very good.

You can hardly tell where the graft was. Overall, I added about 3" of length. Hopefully this will be comfortable enough to get some wear this season!

Vest surgery completed

2006-09-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

When I left this summer, I had grafted on the extension for the front of the vest, and I had knit the extension for the back of the vest but did not have the time to attach it.

This week, I grafted on the extension on the back. I didn't quite do the graft correctly because the extension somehow was shifted over a stitch. I think I didn't do the first loop correctly. However, by this time I was quite happy to punt and call it good. I sewed up the side seams and the results were pretty smooth aside from the "pouf" that the grafts made. However, I think washing will take care of it.

The vest is currently drying out.

Closed for the Summer

2006-06-23T23:32:00.000-07:00

No knitting this summer, cuz I'm traveling in India.

Vest Surgery

2006-06-06T12:59:00.000-07:00

I successfully separated the bottom half of the Mariners vest to make it longer. I knit on an additional 3" of stocking stitch (24 rows plus 1 row to make up for the one I ripped). Now I need to graft it onto the main vest and rinse and repeat for the back. I have to look in one of my books to refresh my memory on grafting. I was pretty tired last night and couldn't figure out how to do it. It is a labor of love to make anything on size 2 needles. I hope that the vest will be worn more often with its longer length.

I received some yarn over the weekend. I got some Knit Picks Decadence, a bulky alpaca in dark blue for the asymmetric rib tunic/mini-dress that was in the Vogue Knitting Winter 05/06. Also got some Merino Style in dark blue (though wondering if I should have got it in the tealish blue) to make the Starburst Sweater. Some fun projects to look forwards to!

Completed Shrug

2006-05-30T07:40:00.000-07:00

Done. The seaming of the lace border was kind of a pain. It's soft and cozy but semi-shapeless. Oh well - never shall I knit this one again. I plan to make this my lounging sweater for when I am working at night or watching a movie. Read more about the Amy shrug.

I managed to put most of my yarn into one location this weekend and even made a yarn inventory. I've found it difficult to plan projects because I don't remember what I have on hand. Hence this detail-oriented list. This list is not as embarrassingly large as it once would have been due to my aggressive shoveling of yarn onto others.

This weekend I cleaned up my closet, and I found some projects of the past: a skinny purple seed stitch chenille scarf that I made in Edinburgh and a red wraparound chenille sweater that I made many years ago. The sweater had the "rip" sound of seams expiring when I squeezed myself into it -- oops, I did the seams too tight with chenille yarn instead of a stretchy wool.

Next up: fixing the Mariners vest to make it longer. I will be doing some surgery and graft on 3" of stocking stitch.

Yarn Shopping

2006-05-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

I got some purple/burgundy Rowan 4 ply Soft yarn to make the Bias Corset (scroll scroll scroll down) from the latest Interweave Knits. The color does not excite me. I am looking into getting Sea Silk instead, which comes in vibrant colors and smells like seaweed.

I got some fine point needles to make my next two lace projects. And I will be getting some more yarn soon with my Christmas gift certificate. woo!

And I am about to finish the lace band for that black shrug and will be stitching the monstrosity together this weekend. Note to self: Knitting with black worsted weight in stocking stitch = B-O-R-I-N-G.

Guerilla knitting

2006-05-25T19:04:00.000-07:00

Knittaplease -- urban art knitting, a little bit Marxist?

Shrug progress

2006-05-04T09:02:00.000-07:00

knit knit knit knit knit
purl purl purl purl purl

....yawn....

I am near the end though! I am going to finish off the back (maybe 6" more?) and then make a lacey pattern band for the back, and then sew this sucker together!

Pretty knot motif

2006-04-26T15:46:00.000-07:00

Isn't this a pretty knot motif?

And in other news, I've made some small progress on the red scarf (boring, little stitches) and on the black shrug (boring). I have been enticed by yarns for new projects. I'm not sure when I will succumb. Perhaps it will be my reward for finishing one of the above two projects?

I made a new necklace, which is a knockoff of my other red bead necklace. This one has a goldfish on the main bead. My other necklace broke, so I repaired it and made this new one with thicker Soft Flex wire. Hopefully this thicker wire will do the trick.

2006-04-19T14:58:00.000-07:00

OK. I dig knitting. I dig my research. And I dig art, history, and architecture. But "interdisciplinary" has been taken to a whole new level: The NOSHI Knitting Monograph Series

2006-04-13T21:22:00.000-07:00

New Project: Dragon Scarf
I'm working on a scarf that looks like a dragon. I'm making the body in a rectangle and then making legs, head, wings, and spikes separately. I am making the body in a double seed stitch to make it look like scales. The scarf is an experimental piece that I am making up as I go.

2006-04-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

Isn't spring beautiful?

2006-04-09T21:43:00.000-07:00

Ruminations on Knitted Necklaces
Here's another interesting knitted necklace from the Spring 2006 Knitty: Nagano Sakura. I wonder if the pattern could be modified to be slightly more organic like the ivy necklaces from Glampyre I discovered last year. Maybe a few green sprouts? More branches going on?

2006-04-09T20:46:00.000-07:00

Flora Scarf
Here's the finished Manos del Uruguay Flora scarf. I found a cool button with a shank from my stash. There are some stabilizing buttons behind the flower -- one behind the big button, and an extra one attaching the flower to the scarf. The colors don't look so nice in the scarf as they did sitting in the hank. There's more green and less gold in the yarn than I realized.

Flora Scarf -- without flora
And here's a Flora scarf but without the flora. It's something I whipped up with my extra Lion Brand Suede. It's super soft.

WIP -- Shrug
Currently, I'm working on Berocco's Amy shrug, a one-piece design. I'm making it out of my massive mound of Lion Brand Al*pa*ka instead of the silk blend it was designed for. It's warm and about 1/3 done. This was the same yarn that I used for the asymmetrical cable vest. I'll be glad to get this yarn out of my life. Black is boring.

New Yarn
I got some scrumptious RYC Cashsoft 4-ply in black and Rowanspun 4-ply in Lunar (electric blue) for making Arisaig. The electric blue color is really nice. I would have gotten more for another project, but I can't see myself making a lot of stuff in fingering weight (tiny tiny tiny stitches).

2006-03-19T21:37:00.000-08:00

Semi-Finished Object: Flora
Over the weekend, I made a Flora scarf out of Manos del Uruguay in 104 Prairie (a brown, khaki, gold mix). It's all done aside from the finishing with buttons. I don't have any buttons on hand and will wait until I go home in a couple weeks to kit the scarf out with various buttons. It's a nice little shorty scarf with an optional flower attachment that you can button on. A good stash-reduction project since the scarf is so small and the flower can be made from odd scraps.

Suede Wrist Warmers
I made a long pair of wrist warmers out of the Lion Brand Suede that I had made the scarf out of recently (but which I decided to rip). The chenille is cozy as a wrist warmer, and I took care to knit it at a tighter gauge. Hopefully with hand washing, the wrist warmers will not worm up. I still have a good quantity of the Suede left so I may make a Flora scarf out of it.

2006-03-12T20:41:00.000-08:00

Finished Object! -- Lace Trim Bolero
When we last saw the bolero back in November, it was nothing more than the basic pieces. It needed its lace trim! I worked on the lace trim very reluctantly and set the bolero aside for months because I DID NOT want to knit up several feet of lace and sew it on all around the edge. I picked up the bolero again this weekend and was appalled to see I had only sewn on perhaps a foot of lace. I resolved to finish. With the aid of many videos -- The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers, Doctor Zhivago, Songcatcher, Goodbye Lenin!, and North by Northwest, I was finally able to complete the bolero.

The lace required tedious sewing on (like so):

The finished lace trim bolero looks like this:

It fits pretty well too. I had taken some care to adjust the pattern when I started, and I'm happy with the results. It's too cold to take it out for a test run but I think it will look nice with a cami. I like the eyelets around the armholes. The lace is pretty good about lying flat, too.

Goodbye Lion Suede Scarf
The Lion Suede scarf I had knit is no more. After I washed it, the thing wormed up on me in classic chenille fashion. I really hate that aspect of chenille, even though it's so soft and wonderful feeling. So I wound the yarn back up into a ball and may use it for some fake vintage-looking stuffed toy since the chenille got a bit naked in places.

What next?
I'm not sure yet what my next project will be. I was thinking about doing another Loop-d-Loop pattern or maybe trying out a Knitty pattern like Arisaig (lacy wraparound cardi) or Tubey (pullover) or maybe even the omnipresent Clapotis.

I have a limited supply of yarn with me in Mountain View, so I can't get too crazy. I have some black worsted weight alpaca blend, and some yummy Noro Kureyon, and the Lion Suede, so I might make up some little project. Or get more yarn with my gift certificate!

2006-02-13T19:50:00.000-08:00

New scarf
I made a new long skinny scarf out of a burgundy Lion Suede. It was a pretty mindless project using a faux brioche rib. The Lion Suede has a weird sticky feeling -- maybe it needs to be washed to reach its full potential.

2006-01-11T21:24:00.000-08:00

Cable vest completed
Just in time for the slightly chilly weather: my new asymmetrical cable vest.

The front cable is actually a mock cable so it's not bulky up front. The best part is that it is asymmetrical -- very cool, non? Blocking helped the vest's edging calm down. I was then able to single crochet around all edges so that they have some stability. I wore the vest to work today and felt snug as a bug in a rug. I'm really happy with this vest.

2006-01-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year
After the flurry of Christmas gift knitting, I focused on something more substantial for myself. This asymmetrical mock cable vest is from Teva Durham's Loop-d-Loop book, filled with fabulous patterns.

I knit most of this on the drive down from Seattle to Mountain View, California. It's a quick knit -- I used doubled up Lion Brand Al*pa*ka, a wool/alpaca/acrylic blend, which is now discontinued. It was knit in the round up to the arm hole divides, and then the front and back were knit flat.

The front was a little wonky because the giant cable was shifted over one stitch to the left when I started working on the top front flat. I don't know what happened. The back was OK, and I think I had started off OK, but perhaps there was some miscounting early on. I fudged the stitches on top to move the cable over one stitch to the right, so I think it is ok now.

The back where the stocking stitc h stripe forks off to make the neckline caused me much consternation. The chart has a dual-meaning symbol for where the decreases take place on the left hand fork so I knit it several times before I felt the back looked nice.

I plan to block the vest and then do the single crochet edging around the armholes and the bottom edge. It's supposed to look like Teva's version when finished.

2005-12-27T20:52:00.000-08:00

Finished Scarf
The orange scarf was finished in time for Christmas. It is a bit sheddy but is a really nice plush color. The shampoo/conditioner process made it very soft.

Two Tams
I knit up these two tams over Christmas. The big one is for me. Since I had to break into a second skein, I made a little tam for our niece. I had to break into a third skein to finish it up. The corkscrews on the little tam were fun to make -- you cast on the desired length of the corkscrew and then knit into each stitch three teams before pulling it off the left hand needle. Then you cast off.

2005-12-20T08:53:00.000-08:00

Since I have passed my general exam (woo!), I am now catching up on my knitting and blogging (woo!).

Wrist Warmers
After giving my Painted Forest wrist warmers a try, I decided they were too long and loose for my immediate needs. They looked kind of Flashdance to me, like slouchy sleeves or leg warmers. They were fine for keeping warm, but not so good for trying to do detailed, active things with the fingers. I used Lamb's Pride Bulky to come up with a shorty version of the wrist warmers that could be more practical for knitting or wrapping presents or what not. I made a shorty version with ribbed cuff only (on the left) and also an all-ribbed version (on the right).

Check out my pattern for the shorty ribbed cuff version of the wrist warmers. I also redid the long Painted Forest wrist warmers into a shorty version.

Scarf progress
I have knit about 2.5 feet of the scarf, and have another 1.5 feet to go. Purty.

Yarn stash shrinkage and growth
Three of us got together to knit on Saturday. I was able to give some yarn that I was never going to get around to using to one friend. I took this as excuse to acquire more yarn. Look at precious...

From left to right: Nashua Wooly Stripes (from a previous binge), Manos del Uruguay, Noro Kureyon, and Lion Suede. Yummy!

2005-12-07T18:45:00.000-08:00

Strangely exciting Knitty pattern
The Tubey pattern strangely excites me. I might try to scrounge up some yarn for this project.

2005-12-05T21:54:00.000-08:00

Wrist Warmers
I redid the fingerless gloves to make them wrist warmers without thumb pieces. They are basically tubes with thumb holes, but I put in some shaping at the wrists and at the hands. They are colorful and warm. I think I will be making wrist warmers as gifts this year. They're very quick to make up in bulky weight yarn. I wrote up the wrist warmers pattern so you too can make your own.

Scarf progress
I knit a few more inches on the scarf.

2005-11-29T19:06:00.000-08:00

A new scarf
I finally found a slip stitch, two color mosaic pattern that worked well with the Jaeger Luxury Tweed. I'm making a scarf in a checked pattern. It's simple and a little boring, but the most effective way to show off the two colors. They don't contrast so I decided to use a design that would make the colors pop out as much as possible. Here's a closeup:

I have knit about 7 or 8 inches so far. I think I will try to make it about 4 feet long.

Fingerless Glove
And over the Thanksgiving holiday, I made one fingerless glove out of a bulky yarn, Nashua Handknits Painted Forest in Embers. It's a thick glove, very warm, though perhaps that is moot since the fingertips are exposed. The colors are beautiful though. I hope to make it a friend soon.

2005-11-17T21:05:00.000-08:00

Progress
I've stitched up the sides of the bolero and am now working on lace edging. woo!

2005-11-16T15:45:00.000-08:00

Cute cat
Knitted kitty

2005-11-13T14:14:00.000-08:00

Seaming together some pieces
I finished the second sleeve of the bolero and have started mattress stitching the pieces together. Notice the nice raglan edges!

I now need to stitch together the sides and then make the lace edging that will go around the entire bolero. This will be the same lace you see at the ends of the sleeves. I think it will not be fun to sew that on.

Next project?
I've figured out what I want to make next.

A fancy scarf with the orange and gold Jaeger Luxury Tweed.
Teva Durham's asymmetrical cable vest. I have the Loop-d-Loop book which has really beautiful patterns. The pattern suggests Rowan Polar yarn, but I may cobble together some other yarn from my bulging stash.

2005-11-02T21:20:00.000-08:00

Sleeve Progress
Knit some sleeve last night. boring. eh. The eyelets look OK.

A little post-colonial humor

You are Hhomi K. Bhabha! You're the most important post-colonialist alive. You taught at the University of Chicago for a while before you were finally hired up by Harvard. You actually only have one book, but it's a really important book, and everyone respects you tremendously. You are not dead.

What 20th Century Theorist are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

First spotted at brainylady

2005-11-01T18:44:00.000-08:00

Sleeve ruffle
I have a sleeve ruffle now. I picked up stitches along the ruffle and will proceed to knit the remainder of the sleeve.

Swatching
I swatched out a couple two-color slip stitch patterns. I have the really beautiful orange and gold Jaeger Luxury Tweed that I thought would look nice together. They do complement each other well, too well in fact. They blur together in patterns that mix up the colors too much. I found a nice pattern that separated the colors enough to make them distinguishable from one another. I will probably end up making a scarf or hat out of this yarn.

2005-10-25T11:41:00.000-07:00

When the Right Front doesn't match the Left Front...
This weekend I had some productive knitting sessions -- I finished up the left front of the bolero as well as the right front. I even managed to remember to make the same modifications for the right side that I made for the left. I was feeling quite pleased until I realized that the right front had two more eyelet holes on the armhole edge than the left front did and was consequently longer. I could not figure out how this happened. I examined both sides to see what had happened. I realized that I forgot to do some decreases at the start of the armhole and that consequently left me with three extra stitches to deal with. Mystery solved. I ripped back the right front and finished it again.

More interestingly, I've started knitting a sleeve ruffle.

2005-10-20T21:38:00.000-07:00

Knitted necklaces
I'm inspired by Glampyre's knits. I like the necklaces that she has knit: green ivy necklace, purple ivy necklace, and black and pink ivy necklace. They're organic and scarf-like, all good things in my book.

A Good Yarn has a nice I-cord knitted necklace pattern. DIY Network has a pattern for a stiff knitted wire necklace and one for a knitted beaded choker. This "feather and fan knitted lace necklace" is purty.

Knitter's Review has a how to for knitting jewelry. I think I could try something on wire with seed beads.

2005-10-20T21:07:00.000-07:00

New Adornment
I made a necklace yesterday. This is a simple design where I strung up the beads on a wire. I used the Soft Touch wire that was left over from my blue crochet necklace. The main pendant is a red lacquer bead that I put on a headpin with a green glass seed bead. There are also two cloissone beads, some green natural stones, a few blue and green seed beads, and red seed beads filling out the rest. The interesting skill I learned on this necklace was attaching the wire to the findings. For my blue crochet necklace, I had used jump rings which was fine given the mess of chain I was attaching them to. This necklace was on a simple wire so the jump rings would not work. I asked for advice and learned about crimping beads which you squish to clamp down the wire. So I ran the wire through the crimp bead, the finding, and then back through the crimp bead before squishing down. And amazingly it holds even the fine wire.

2005-10-19T21:06:00.000-07:00

Knitting?
Managed to knit two rows of the left front of the bolero since the last post. I might try to knit some if I watch any TV tonight, but I find working on the left front is not very attractive at the end of the day since I have to remember to do decreases. My latest free time activity is running in preparation for the 10K race at the end of the month around the campus. I hope to run at about a 10 minute pace.

I perused the latest VK and IK and didn't feel anything beckon. I'm over sweaters at the moment. I did have a strange urge to knit one of those boring multidirectional diagonal scarves that I was obsessed with last year. I might try that as really easy, no-math knitting. Lately I got copies of Alterknits and Loop-d-Loop which do excite me quite a bit. I like the creative patterns, such as the paper fiber lanterns for Christmas lights in Alterknits.

2005-10-02T23:27:00.000-07:00

Bolero progress
I worked a few more rows of the left front while watching a pretty bad movie, It's All About Love, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Claire Danes. However, I haven't been watching much TV or movies, so have not made further progress.

Digital Camera Pouch
I uploaded my free pattern for the Digital Camera Pouch. Here's a pic:

2005-09-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

Bolero progress
This is what I have done so far on the bolero, entirely in the car between Las Vegas and Seattle.

This is the back. Notice the nice eyelet trim on the raglan edges.

This is the left front thus far.

2005-09-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

Sleek Ribs Tank
I worked on the tank while driving back home and made great progress. BUT I discovered that it's just enormous and ugly. I should have figured it out when I was looking at the photo of the model in the magazine and thought that it looked awful even on her. I hate the color too. So although I had finished most of the body, I ripped it out in disgust. I may use the yarn for something else like a bag, but I don't want to deal with the yarn at the moment.

Reflections on Elspeth
Although Elspeth, the white bolero, turned out as expected, I have started feeling some dislike for it, perhaps because it fits looser than I thought it might. I don't know what to do about it, other than to set it aside. I had been wearing it as a mini wrap-around cardigan, but feel "eh" about it.

Yarn Lust
I found a beautitful yarn in Flagstaff, AZ, Colinette's Tagliatelli. The Neptune colorway, a gorgeous turquoise scheme, is just lovely. I saw it and knew that I must make something with it.

Camera Bag
I made a little camera bag for a little digital camera. It's a present, so no photos right now. It's a nice design with belt loop and pocket for extra battery, so I might write up the pattern.

Next Project
I am going to tackle the short-sleeved bolero that I had been meaning to work on this summer. It's from the summer issue of Vogue Knitting. It has some picot lace edging.

2005-07-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

Latest project: Sleek Ribs Tank
I've haven't had much time to knit here in Albuquerque. I get home late from work, and it's hot. So I haven't worked much on it since driving into town. But here's a photo of the Sleek Ribs Tank in progress:

As you can see, it has a chevron design and an upside-down V-shape to the front hem. I'm using Berocco's Denim Silk, a yarn I have mixed feelings about. It's sturdy and wears comfortably, but I am not a fan of knitting with tape yarn. However, it was on sale so I can't complain.

2005-06-25T17:59:00.000-07:00

Elspeth done
I completed Elspeth during the road trip from Seattle to New Mexico. I'm not happy with it -- it's a little bigger and looser than I like. I've been wearing it as a mini-wraparound sweater to compensate. However, it's just the right weight and size for a hot summer.

Sleek Ribs Tank
After finishing Elspeth, I started on the Sleek Ribs Tank from the Summer 2005 Interweave Knits. It's blisfully mindless knitting, but I haven't worked on it much since the road trip. I'm concerned it will end up looking shapeless.

2005-06-15T23:44:00.000-07:00

Elspeth -- BLOCKED!
I made great progress on Elspeth in the last few days. I finished attaching everything and in the car today I worked on the crochet edging. I had done the main crochet edging by picking up virtually every stitch for the double crochets and decided there was too much ruffle for my taste. So I tested doing the edging on one sleeve by picking up 3 out of every 4 stitches for the double crochets. That was better, flared much less. Then on the other sleeve I tried picking up 2 out of 3 stitches -- even better. So I ripped out the other sleeve and redid with the 2/3 double crochet ratio, and then I ripped out the first 2/3 sleeve to redo the edging because I had ended up with an odd number of stitches so the scallops were out of sync. Afterwards came the onerous task of ripping out the main crochet edging and redoing it. Crochet edgings always take more time than one thinks. Any how, the body of the sweater is all done and blocked. I've crocheted one of the ties and will do the other tie tomorrow. Then it's DONE!

We passed by a cement plant in Nelson, Oregon. This manmade thing oddly jutted out of the surreal natural landscape. But I did find it rather organic, too. The effect reminded me of Hayao Miyazaki's melding of machine and nature in his films, lately Howl's Moving Castle.

2005-06-10T11:08:00.000-07:00

Elspeth... getting there....
I've successfully completed attachment of the right raglan sleeve -- wow that bolero is tiny. I've started attaching the left front to the back and will be working on attaching that left sleeve. And sadly, after I've finished sewing the bolero together, I'll have to crochet the edges and the ties for that polished look. But very close to done.

The pattern called for 4 skeins of Calmer. I've done the bulk knitting and have 1.5 skeins left. I'm not sure how much yarn I'll be using for the crochet edging -- I wonder if I'll be busting into that last skein?

2005-06-09T16:15:00.000-07:00

Elspeth -- almost done!!
I finished the two sleeves which were thankfully very simple. There was some exciting short row shaping, enough to keep the interest. In general I approve of knitting boleros because tiny pieces get knit up much faster. I sewed together the right front with the back and have started attaching the right sleeve. I hope to be done in the near future.

2005-05-31T21:48:00.000-07:00

Elspeth progress -- yes, there is some.
I finished the right front, which was a happier experience than the left front. However, I was so pleased with the right front that I decided to redo part of the left front which had some gnarly things going on with the lace at the top of the piece. I ripped and redid the top 3" a couple times... I am not sure if the result is better, but I feel a little better. There is a weird decision moment when it is not possible to follow the pattern for the lace zigs completely. I could only do the lace pattern on every other row of one of the lace zigs -- so I don't know if I should have left it plain or faked out something or done a bit of a mix and match of lace/not lace pattern as I ended up doing. I also started work on one of the sleeves. Thankfully, that is in plain stocking stitch. I didn't like working the lace much, particularly on the itty-bitty parts of the fronts. No more lace.

Currency Tracking Study
I found a bill in my wallet with a red stamp on it that said "Currency Tracking Study -- Track This Bill! www.wheresgeorge.com". I entered the bill at the Web site and found that it had traveled 19 miles to get to me. I'll go and spend this bill and hopefully it will show up again on the Internet.

2005-05-27T09:19:00.000-07:00

Cruising
Found a couple interesting things while looking at some knitting blogs. Mason-Dixon Knitting, a blog co-written by two friends, had an interesting Google Images pastiche going on. They link to moonshine highways, a photo blog with blurry pictures, poetry, and Mexican hot chocolate.

The Google Image Search Meme
Go to Google Image Search and look up the place you grew up, the place you live now, your name, your Grandmother's name, your favorite food, your favorite drink, your favorite song, your favorite smell and your favorite shoes. Pick the first image or your favorite image or the best one that shows up.

Grew up here:

Live here now:

My name:

Grandma:

Favorite food (and note that they are USB driven!):

Favorite drink:

Favorite song (sort of):

Favorite smell:

Favorite shoes:

2005-05-27T08:42:00.000-07:00

Elspeth, grumble grumble
Progress thus far on Elspeth:

It's somewhat difficult to keep track of the lace repeats. boo. The simultaneous decreases and increases on the left and right edges of the left front were very hard to remember, at least with the way the pattern was written. Thankfully, this is only a bolero and will be done soon.

I think it would be helpful to redo the chart or instructions to require less memory and counting.

2005-05-23T07:34:00.000-07:00

Elspeth progress
I finished the back of Elspeth and am slowly working on the left front. I ripped back the left front a few times because I didn't feel I got the increases in the right spots. This pattern is really difficult to follow for some reason -- I don't feel it is technically difficult but the instructions for the left front were confusing. The back wasn't so bad.

Beef 1: I have somewhat memorized the general lace pattern, so I am less bothered by the unnumberedness of the chart. However, in principle, the bugger should be numbered, perhaps with bold outlines to indicate the left and right fronts. Or perhaps this should have been three charts each with x-small to large sizes outlined?

Beef 2: There is a whole string of instructions to increase at the edge, followed by an "at the same time" of increases at the other edge. It was difficult to bracket off when to do the increases at the second edge -- is this something to do from the first row of the left front or after the first set of increases? I have interpreted the increases at the right edge (e.g., what will eventually be the seam that sits under the left arm) to start starting on the 12th row of the knitting... in which case when it says to do the increase at the beginning of the 12th row, really it means at the end of the 12th row (in addition to the 11th increase at the left edge (what will be the pretty edge of the left front). A Knitter's Review forum poster (see her blog, Gotta Make) noticed this problem, too.

I am pleased to report that others have been frustrated with this pattern's language and chart. It's not a difficult project, it's a difficult pattern. My Life in Stitches and Xtreme Knitting are eloquent on the subject.

Battery Pack prototype
I made a little double pouch for John's AAA batteries, one side for used batteries and the other side for new batteries. The design didn't work out because it was a quick prototype, but I have an idea now for a more secure design.

2005-05-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

Elspeth by Rowan
I started the Elspeth lace bolero from Rowan No. 37. I'm knitting it in Calmer, which feels light and soft. This yarn splits a bit, but is otherwise easy to use. The pattern so far could be improved if it mentioned that when the row ends in a k2/p2 without a companion yo, or a yo without a companion k2/p2, the stitch should just be knit or purled plain.

Other folks who have worked on Elspeth include: A Mingled Yarn, Mustard Zone, X-treme Knitting, and My Life in Stitches

New Yarn
I got some Berroco Denim Silk and Dale of Norway Svale on sale. They will eventually become the diagonal tank from the latest Interweave Knits and the bolero from Vogue Knitting.

2005-05-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

Free patterns
I've written up in more complete form a couple of my knit designs: one for the twist hat and one for my laptop case. I've enjoyed many of the patterns that other people have graciously shared with the knitting community on their Web sites, so I've decided to return the favor on a free patterns page that I hope to add to periodically. Enjoy!

2005-05-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

Microchips to guard Peruvian alpacas: "High in the Andes mountains, the air is thin, the climate is harsh and the land is barren. Scraping a living in this part of Peru is difficult at the best of times. For thousands of communities, the sole means of survival is raising alpacas for their valuable wool. But that survival is threatened by the trafficking of thousands of the best animals across the border to neighbouring Bolivia or Chile every year."

2005-05-04T09:22:00.000-07:00

Finished Twist Hat
I finished the hat last night. It turned out looking OK, but I think the design is not very suitable for a chunky yarn such as Cork -- I wasn't able to get in very many pattern repeats of the woven diamond pattern.

The hat looks a little strange on John -- I don't know if it's the hat or his head. It is a bit loose fitting. See details about the making of this hat as well as the pattern for this hat. I would redo the hat in the future with a finer gauge yarn (e.g., worsted weight).

2005-05-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

Hat
The hat is near completion. I have reached the crown and the pattern looks pretty good. I'm concerned that I've started decreasing too soon but it will be easy to rip back and try again if that's the case.

2005-04-25T10:08:00.000-07:00

Twisted Hat Redux
I ripped out the sad little swatch that was to be a hat. And have started reknitting it with some twisted traveling stitches, but using patterns I actually understand. I've decided to write up my hat experiment as a pattern when I am done. I've made great progress. I've made a 1X2 rib for the "brim" of the hat and knit up another 1.5" of hat body pattern.

2005-04-24T11:48:00.000-07:00

Remembering Honey Sweater -- final words
I posted some final description of the Remembering Honey sweater in my knitting notebook.

Here's the pattern picture....

....and a side by side comparison of Version 1 vs. Current Version:

2005-04-24T10:09:00.000-07:00

Twisted Stitch Cables + Rowan Cork + Hat Pattern = Bad News
I have given up on the Bavarian twisted stitch. I tried several different combinations and variations of the cable patterns offered by Meg Swansen in the Fall 1999 VK but have decided they are too difficult to implement. To get the correct hat size, e.g., not too big, I tried alternating four of the Pattern 1 cables with ribs. However, the Pattern 1 has the incomprehensible 8-st RPC and 8-st LPC which the magazine does not explain at all. I could figure out the 2- and 3-st RC, LC, RPC, and LPC, but 8-st boggled me. I tried matching what I saw in the photograph, but my solution doesn't seem correct because it required much more traveling than seems acceptable in normal Bavarian cabled knits. I have given up and will make some other kind of ribbed hat, perhaps with twisted stitch.

This is what you see in the magazine:

and here's their photo of the Pattern 1 cable pattern:

This is what I approximated for my hat to make the twist:

Doesn't look right.

2005-04-19T08:04:00.000-07:00

Remembering Honey sweater... DONE!!!
I finished the Remembering Honey sweater and wore it yesterday for the first time. It fits beautifully and feels really good. The lacey look is fun. I ultimately used 7 balls of yarn for this sweater. I spent $5 per ball plus $4 shipping so at $39, this is one of the few sweaters I've made that costs about what it would cost readymade at the department store. Or at least not much more expensive, especially since I could imagine this sweater might cost $25 on sale at the juniors department if imported from China.

Bavarian Twisted Stitch
I've started experimenting with Bavarian Twisted Stitch to make a knit cap. It looks like Aran knitting except that the stitches are based on twisted knit which means the fabric is more raised and less stretchy. I've been using Rowan Cork, which is a cabled type wool/nylon blend fiber. I tried knitting the cap flat but the "cabling" is complicated to do from the wrong side of the fabric. I also tried casting it on circularly but I decided the hat was too big. I have decided to start over and knit a swatch to decide how I want to proceed with the project.

2005-04-18T09:39:00.000-07:00

Online Paper Generators
Some MIT students pulled off a brilliant hoax where they generated a paper out of random nonsense and submitted it to one of those conferences that spam people with requests for submission. And funny enough, their paper was accepted! Here's the SCIgen, the automatic CS paper generator that that used. There are similar garbage paper generators out there for people in other disciplines, such as the postmodernism generator for those in critical studies.

2005-04-10T20:26:00.000-07:00

Vintage Knitting Tools

Knitting tools are in vogue as collectibles
I'm researching vintage knitting needles in a wooden case, rather like the ones here.

2005-04-10T19:19:00.000-07:00

Remembering Honey Sweater -- almost done!
Here is the beauty of my Remembering Honey sweater. It is nearly done aside from attaching the sleeves and hiding loose ends.

Look at the nice lace detail on the collar:

The collar was knit as two panels continuing off the front piece that were stitched together with a three needle bind off. The botton of the collar "loop" was then back stitched onto the neck of the back of the sweater.

Here's the other sleeve:

I had to fudge on the sleeves a bit. I was getting a slightly tighter lengthwise gauge with my yarn than the pattern called for so I changed some of the decreases at the sleeve cap to be every other row instead of every row.

And the lace detail of the cuff:

Notice that there are some wraps around some of the stitches just above the lacey detail.

The body was knit seamlessly so I saved on those seams -- yay! I've seamed up the sleeves with mattress stitch and am attaching them to the body with back stitching. I'm not sure I'm happy with how I am attaching the sleeves to the body. The seams seem to have gaps when I move my arm, but I'm not sure how I could really make them more attractive. I think that washing and blocking will help, but I may need to do some magic chain stitching to hide the seam gap between the sleeve and body.

Zoos and Knitting
At the zoo store today, I saw that they sell camel wool from Mongolia which goes to support snow leopard conservation in Central Asia. The wool is $20 a hank. They also sell wooden knitting needles with wild animal toppers at the ends, which may have been a local handcraft. What else can you get? Knitting needle pouches (with individual slots for pairs of knitting needles) in animal prints and also project bags that are shaped like old-fashioned doctors' bags with bending, fabric covered metal openings (so they open up in parentheses shape) but in Chinese silk with butterfly patterns.

CHI Conference.... and computers as craft item
I was able to attend the CHI conference last week for computer-human interaction research. There were nearly 2,000 people there. I found some of the presentations intriguing and some not so interesting. One of the ideas that resonated with me was computer as craft item. I generally think of the Internet and computers as work tools and also entertainment devices, but not so much as a raw material to craft artistic products. It makes sense to me that the computer is a craft item, another type of paper, scissors, wool, or fabric. Do you think people have the same satisfaction manipulating digital information as they do with traditional handcrafts? Does someone get the same satisfaction layering digital photos into a digital pastiche as they do messing with a pile of magazines, scissors, and a pot of glue? How can computers compliment the actual craft of knitting and textile creation? Besides as a repository of patterns, designs, and fiber information, computers might be used even more aggressively in knitting. Think of printing onto some natural material that we could knit. We might even do that already by printing onto ordinary paper that we cut into strips to knit into an interesting item. What else?

2005-04-02T17:49:00.000-08:00

From Creating Text(iles): An interesting discussion of plagiarism, which made me laugh. It will definitely resonate with anyone who has worked with students at university.

2005-04-02T16:29:00.000-08:00

No pictures (>_<)
I was ready to photograph my latest knitted things but the camera's battery pooped out just as I was heading towards the knitting bag. But let me recap textually:

Remembering Honey's first sleeve is now longer. I finished the lace cuff and knit up a few inches. So now I am 1.5 sleeves and a collar away from being done.

The Jaeger Luxury Tweed in orangey, goldy, and blue-greyish shades that I recently ordered is most lovely. It's a fuzzy yarn and quite soft.

I also acquired some Rowan Cork in violet and light blue on sale from the local yarn store. It was a good but not ausgezeichnet price. Cork is an interesting yarn -- one would describe it as a chain or woven braid rather than a plied yarn. I've been wanting to try it for a while and will use it to make some hats. I remember the Vogue Knitting Fall 1999 issue had Bavarian Twisted Stitch hats that might suit Cork. The Girl From Auntie has a nice Celtic-inspired hat too.

Calmer Corset Pullover?
I've been extremely intrigued by Rowan Calmer for a while. It just occurred to me that I might make the corset pullover from Interweave Knits Spring 2003 in Calmer. It would have the nice close springy fit.

Puzzling Martha Stewart Poncho
Why are people fascinated by Martha Stewart's poncho? We've seen all kinds of celebrities wearing various knitted and crocheted items. Why is Martha's poncho so enticing? Interweave Press and Lily Chin have a Freedom Poncho pattern, so do Lion Brand Yarns (and this one is in Spanish too!) and Berroco.

2005-03-28T09:44:00.000-08:00

Remembering Honey Progress
I made some excellent progress on the Remembering Honey pullover over spring break. I have finished the body and am now working on the first sleeve. I had an issue with the frilly lace cuff, and I couldn't understand the instruction about wrapping yarn around stitches so I ripped the whole thing back and started over. I thought wrapping yarn meant something like some jumbo yarnovers around the cable needle but the sleeve just didn't look right. I finally remembered from my first Honey sweater what I had done -- the wrapping yarn goes around the body of the stitches (e.g., what's hanging under the cable needle), not around the cable needle itself. aha. It's interesting how I had no problem with the instructions the first time around, but this second time I found some typo for the front piece about WS and RS (see Remembering Honey error) and had some cognitive issue about the wrapping.

2005-03-17T08:04:00.000-08:00

Remembering Honey progress
I finished the purse stitch border and knit a couple rounds of stocking stitch when I decided that a mistake I had made in purse stitch was far too heinous to be ignored. After ripping back ONCE AGAIN, I have finally made some excellent progress.

The Elsebeth Lavold Cotton Patine is so soft. It will feel really good against the skin. It's a dk weight 100% cotton yarn so it's a bit fine and not too heavy. I think for this sweater it is better to use a dk rather than worsted weight. Although it's only a smidge finer, it makes the sweater seem more delicate.

More Yarn
I've decided that I don't have sufficient Cotton Patine to complete the sweater so I ordered an extra ball of yarn. Because shipping is a flat rate, I decided to order a few balls of Jaeger Luxury Tweed in Gold Flame 822 and Red Robin 829 to play with. The colors are gorgeous at least on the computer screen. The merino and alpaca blend sounds like it will be wonderful. I also bit the bullet and ordered a pack of Jaeger Luxury Tweed in Mussel 831 for the Kilronan sweater from Alice Starmore's Celtic Collection. It's a sweater I've been thinking of making since 2002! This will probably be a sweater I work on over the summer, but because I found an outstanding price for the yarn on eBay, I decided to go for it now.

2005-03-12T14:58:00.000-08:00

Remembering Honey in the round
I have knit a few rounds of Remembering Honey. I've converted the pattern to be knit in the round. (I have formally sworn off seams.) I had knit up about 4 or 5 rounds before I decided I had to rip and start over. I had omitted the selvage stitches and decided there was insufficient structure at the beginning of the round without a couple selvage stitches. (Purse stitch got kind of wide and gnarly because of the "jog" at the beginning of each round.) Things are going well now. My hands hurt a bit because of the tiny size 5 nylon needles. I'll try to finish the bulk of the sweater over spring break after I have finished my Marxist theory paper about globalization and linguistic hegemony on the Internet based on my research in Uzbekistan.

Other knit progress
I knit a few rows of the sash for the ballet wrap.

2005-03-11T11:46:00.000-08:00

Helpful list of Rowan yarns and substitutions.

2005-03-09T08:28:00.000-08:00

Interweave Knits Ballet Wrap
Last night I knit a swatch and worked a few rows of the sash of the ballet wrap featured on the cover of the Spring 2005 Interweave Knits. I am knitting it out of Fishermen's Wool. I don't think I have enough yarn on hand to finish it, but we will see what happens. I'm fascinated by wrap around designs, like Suss Cousins' ballet wrap which I knit a couple years ago.

Sitcom Chic
Besides the 1/2 inch of the sash that I worked last night, I also knit one row of the pink sweater that was abandoned for all intents and purposes last year. I've been working a few rows every few months since then. I think I don't like knitting with this yarn on my 30+ year old nylon circular needles. It's a bit sticky and slow going.

2005-03-09T08:08:00.000-08:00

Martha Stewart's post-prison poncho. It's crocheted and looks like it might be made of Homespun. One of her former prisonmates crochets 12 hours a day and made it for her. It looks very nice and rather hip.

2005-03-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

Academic Knit ring
Intriguing: Academics Knit is a recently formed Web ring for academics who knit.

2005-03-08T18:05:00.000-08:00

Remembering Honey, part ii.
When I made the Remembering Honey sweater, I had some misfortune with unusually itchy wool and shrinkage. I'm going to remake it with Elsebeth Lavold's Cotton Patine in Honey (a gold color). This will be my spring project. Since I last knit Remembering Honey, there didn't appear to be many people who blogged about their experience. This time, I was able to find in Google many references to the sweater. Crystal Palace no longer makes Breeze, which was called for in the pattern, so I had to substitute. Hopefully the gauge will turn out all right.

2005-03-07T19:34:00.000-08:00

Yarndex -- A very useful online database of yarn including gauge, weight, and fiber.