rogue it is!

There was an overwhelming vote for Rogue as the cabled sweater I should knit. (Okay, one or two people mentioned it.) Someone else also mentioned the cardigan modifications, which sold me on it. I bought the pattern and have it all printed out.

I did the measurements on myself required to calculate where to add some short row bust shaping, which I think will make it fit much better. I'm also going to do the hem modification to make a less bulky hem.

I'm still working on the blanket too. I realized today that the yarn I'm using is 93yds to the ball while the yarn they recommend is 175yds to the ball. Oops. Also, my original plan was for a smaller blanket. I think I'll be leaving off some of the strips and just making it smaller. I am going back to the store to get two more balls each of white and light blue because I only had two of each of those and that is not nearly enough. I'm not going to buy three more of each of the four colors though, because that is one expensive baby blanket! 

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post-holiday knitting

I should be continuing to work on my dad's socks but I'm not. I swatched with All Seasons Cotton for The Arwen Cardigan from the most recent Interweave Knits. I think I'm on gauge but now I'm not sure I want to make it. I would want to make it longer, and add some shaping, and perhaps other changes. I start to wonder if I should bother making that or make another sweater all together. Like Mariah or something from Inspired Cable Knits.

12/27/06

Instead, I have started a moderne log cabin baby blanket from Mason-Dixon Knitting. I will probably be done with it by the time I decide which sweater to knit for myself. I do need to go back to Commuknity and get two more balls of the off-white and light blue yarn (there is a dark blue color that isn't pictured here). I bought all of this yarn (Elsebeth Lavold Cable Cotton) for a mitered square blanket for Stefan, last June. He might not get the blanket I originally planned but he'll get a blanket from this yarn eventually!
 

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holiday knitting round-up

I managed to finish the linen hand towel for my grandmother yesterday with enough time to wash and dry it.

It is based on the pattern in Mason-Dixon Knitting using the "moss diamonds" stitch pattern from my Harmony Guide.

I think the Mason-Dixon ladies are right, the linen does drape up nicely when you wash and dry it. It also seems to shrink a bit which was a surprise, but a good one. I didn't measure it before and after washing, unfortunately. I bought a second hank of linen to make one for myself but this time I'll be knitting it on bamboo needles instead of the addis. They're too slippery!

So the end result is that I finished two of the four gifts I planned for this Christmas. My dad's socks are on their way but the first one is only about two thirds finished. Last weekend I wove in all the ends on the entrelac shawl for my mother. I was showing it to Kristi when we both noticed a strange little spot where there appears to be an extra square and a half. I think I had started a row of squares when I gave it to her and she started that row over, or something. Now I need to pick out the end I wove in and pick out that square and a half so I can graft it back together, or something. Luckily, my mother's birthday is at the end of next month so I can finish it for then. I bought her an electric tea kettle because I thought I broke her kettle when we stayed there at Thanksgiving, so she did get a gift.

Whew.

Next year: purchase gifts! That or actually start as early as I start my planning. Last year I did much better than this year. Ah well.

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baby knitting

I found out today that one of my relatives and a close friend are pregnant. Another old friend of mine also told me last week that she is pregnant. They are due in April, June and August. I'm thinking cotton baby blankets for all of them. Maybe with a matching hat. Sweaters might be faster but then I have to guess the size they'll be by the time it's cold.

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toe-up mosaic socks

toe-up mosaic sock

I have been working on the toe-up moasic sock for my dad but have sort of taken a step backwards. The foot is knitted fair isle and then the top pattern is a mosaic slip-stitch pattern. Trying to transition from one to the other from the toe up turned out to be impossible, like trying to knit intarsia in the round. I went back, undid all of the heel knitting and am going to do an afterthought heel instead. (The line of blue in the photo is where the afterthought heel will go.)

On the plus side, I think it will look snazzy. On the minus side, they certainly won't be done by Monday, perhaps not even one will be and I am now not sure I will have enough of the black yarn. Oops.

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up and running!

Thanks to my new mac mini, I can post photos again!

mmm, mini!

Were you wondering what my projects looked like while I was unable to post pictures? Let's catch up, shall we?

There were some finished objects:

(Socks for my aunt, second illusion bag which I sent off with the first to my niece and nephew).

I bought some yarn (Blue Moon Fiber Arts Posh, a cotton/rayon blend).

posh

A frogged shawl.

the unshawl

Another pair of toe-up socks using stranded knitting, a new technique for me.

12/13/06

Oh, and the purchase of what may be the beginnings of a new addiction hobby.

12/10/06

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boring holiday knitting update

I know these knitting posts are just no fun without pictues. I ordered my new mac mini and it should arrive in about five days. Yes, I'm counting. In any case, here's what I'm up to, holiday knitting-wise.

1. Blue socks for my aunt are finished and wrapped even.

2. Linen hand towel for my grandmother is about 1/4 of the way finished.

3. Fixation socks for my dad have become fair isle/mosaic fixation socks because I am a masochist. I'm about halfway through the foot of the first.I'm hoping to get faster at the stranded knitting but I'm not going to count on it. He might get one sock as his gift and an IOU for the second.

Less blogging, more knitting!

Happy Hannukah everyone!

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spindle!

I went with Kristi and Margit to Carolina Homespun today. I picked up a spindle, a booklet on learning to spin silk, 2 oz of dyed Soy Silk in beautiful blues and 4 oz of Ingeo, a corn fiber that is supposed to be easy to learn on. (I hope to have a picture uploaded soon, my computer is still having major problems.)

The owner showed me how to spin bamboo with some incredibly soft and tempting bamboo fiber. It seemed really difficult at the time so I passed on buying any but I am already struggling with the corn fiber as well. I think I need to get out the silk hankie and follow the instructions on Knitty. Margit and Kristi both offered to let me try their wheels. I have a feeling I'm going to want a wheel soon. 

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psst, santa

I have subscribed Simply Socks Yarn Company blog. It's full of temptations gift ideas… for myself. They just got in a shipment of Hand Maiden silk/cashmere sock yarn. I like the bluey-greeny one. Now, if only there was anyone left who was getting me a gift who needed an idea. I think already gave suggestions to all of my relatives who asked for ideas. Foolish me. Foolish me.

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new knitty

I have been thinking of knitting myself something like Calorimetry and now I don't have to make up a pattern!

Twinkletoes (designed by Chloe of Purlescence) and Piggie make me wish I had a little girl.

I feel like I should want to knit The Book of Knitty but I don't. It's a very cute idea, though.  I do, however, want to knit Norberta.

If we lived somewhere cold, I'd knit Binary for Erik.

And, of course, there is Cookie's sock, monkey, which I like. Right now I am knitting socks for speed so I need to stick to stockinette. Maybe after the holidays are over I can knit a sock for myself in a stitch pattern instead.

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