affiknitty

Change of Address

2008-05-08T21:49:00.000-04:00

Just when you think I'll never post again ... I'm back.

I'm back to tell you I've moved. Visit me at the new blog here.

How to Defeat Second Sock Syndrome

2008-03-09T11:03:00.005-04:00

Step 1. Start the first sock in your favorite pattern (Nancy Bush's Rib and Cables) with gorgeous yarn (Cider Moon Blizzard in Cherry Bomb).

Step 2. Finish the first sock in record time. Savor the feeling of self-satisfaction and reflect upon how wonderful the socks will look with your Dansko Marcelles.

Step 3. Immediately cast on the second sock, still full of zeal for the whole project.

Step 4. Knit all the way down the leg and start the heel flap. Start to feel a little bored.

Step 5. Get totally distracted by other projects and your sewing machine. Put the sock down for, oh, seven months or so.

Step 6. Realize that it is winter and your feet are cold. Find a nearly-finished pair of handknitted socks in your craft room. Rejoice!

Step 7. Pick up the second sock and take it to Stitch and Bitch. Resolve not to leave your favorite coffee house until you can wear these socks out the door. Sit there for five and a half hours and three large light roast coffees, furiously knitting this sock.

Step 8. Graft the toe closed, weave in the ends, put on the new socks, and do a happy dance! Reflect that sock knitting is terribly fun and satisfying! Resolve to knit more socks!

Step 9. Repeat.

Still Here

2008-02-10T10:51:00.000-05:00

Whew. I can't believe it's been over a month since I posted ... I certainly didn't intend to go so long without blogging. It's amazing how much time working takes up! Heh.

But I have been knitting, if not finishing all those WIPs as I planned to do. For some reason, I'm all about berets lately. Here's one I finished last night.

Pattern: Le Slouch by Wendy Bernard
Yarn: Rowanspun Aran, about two-thirds of a 219-yard skein
Needles: Knit Picks Harmony circulars, sizes 7 and 8
Thoughts: A fun and easy pattern. I started it in seed stitch and then decided along with one of my knitting group friends that the tweedy yarn would look better in stockinette. Note that I used far less than one skein of Rowanspun Aran, and I knitted the slouchy version. The pattern calls for 200 yards of aranweight, but I think you could finish this with much less, especially if you make a less-slouchy version. I am slightly worried that this is going to look like a food service worker hair net on me. But, hey, it will go with my Clapotis.

Generally, I try to remain non-political 'round these parts, but I'm going to make an exception. Being a political junkie and former Hill staffer, I tend to get pretty fired up about national elections. But this year, the Presidential election feels more important than ever.

I believe this country needs a change: a change in our vision for the future, a change in our place in the world, and most of all, a change in our political discourse. I believe we need a leader who can unite people and who will address the many challenges we face as a nation: educating our kids, ending the wars we are fighting on two fronts, achieving energy independence, and protecting the environment. I believe we need a leader who can restore hope. For these reasons, I am supporting Senator Obama.

If you are not inclined to vote or be involved in the elections this year, please reconsider. If you favor a particular candidate, please go out and vote. If you don't, learn about the candidates and then don't forget to support him or her on Election Day. Participation really matters.

A Change of Heart

2008-01-01T19:59:00.001-05:00

A wintry picture from last year, because I can't post without a picture,
and I haven't taken any good snow pictures yet.

If you know me well at all, you've probably heard me say that New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are my least-favorite holidays, second only to the dreaded Halloween. In the past, I've been really down on celebrating the turn of a new year, for all the predictable reasons. It's arbitrary, it's always a letdown, it comes with the inevitable dread that accompanies the ends of weekends, vacations, and holidays. (A former boyfriend called this sense of dread the "60 Minutes Stomachache" -- that yucky feeling you get when the 60 Minutes stopwatch starts ticking and you realize that tomorrow is Monday.) Yadda yadda yadda.

On the other hand, you probably also know that my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. I've been thinking today that, for all the reasons that I love Thanksgiving, I should also love New Year's Day.

Thanksgiving happens in winter. At least where I live, winter has generally arrived -- meteorologically, if not astronomically -- by the waning weeks of November. And I love winter. It is my favorite season by far. New Year's Day is even better, because it occurs in the deepest, darkest part of the season, when the nights are longest and the air is coldest.
Thanksgiving is all about doing nothing. Other than preparing a lot of food (see below), there's nothing to do on Thanksgiving. No gifts to buy or wrap, no decorations to hang. In my family, it's largely a day to sit around, watch parades and/or football on TV, eat, and perhaps play some board games. New Year's Day is exactly the same. By this time, all the stress-inducing preparations are behind you, allowing you to heave a giant sigh of relief. The only difference on New Year's is you get better football and a better parade.
Thanksgiving is about being with family. Admittedly, for everyone, this is not a good thing. Luckily for me, it is. And the same is true of New Year's Day.
Thanksgiving involves a lot of really good food. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, pumpkin pie -- good stuff indeed. But in my family, we have a traditional New Year's dinner too: pork roast and sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, and -- most importantly -- black-eyed peas. Woe to the one who fails to eat black-eyed peas on New Year's Day, for they bring good luck and prosperity. And it's all extremely yummy, as I can attest, having just enjoyed a boatload of same.
Thanksgiving is a beginning. I've always liked the fact that Thanksgiving ushers in the holiday season. It feels like the start of something very happy and good. So, why no love for New Year's Day? It's the ultimate beginning! It's the ultimate fresh start!

This year, I had a really great New Year's Eve and Day. Last night, I went to the movies with Preeti and her husband (we saw Juno, very highly recommended). Afterwards, we went to a New Year's Eve party. As the clock struck twelve, we all stood outside with sparklers and champagne to welcome in 2008. It seemed to me an optimistic and lovely thing, to stand with bright sparkly lights and equally sparkly drinks against the dark and cold, and wish each other well in the year to come. Today, my boys and I colored pictures and built a fort and generally lazed about, watching the yard fill up with the softest, billowiest snow. In the afternoon, my parents came and we had the aforementioned New Year's dinner, which I prepared after deciding this morning that I really needed to celebrate this day properly. My very first day of 2008 could not have been better or happier.

I've had a change of heart. New Year's is now officially on my Favorite Holidays List. At the start of my new year, I even adopted a new motto. Minty left me the sweetest comment on my beret post, in which she said that my photo reminded her of the rallying cry from Friday Night Lights: "Clear eyes, full hearts ... CAN'T LOSE!"* I love that so much, and because I am such a dork, I wrote it on little cards and stuck it to my fridge and my bathroom mirror. Surely it's a sentiment that bears remembering as I start my days.

And, so, to you friends, who mean more to me than my pitiful lack of emails and the like convey, I wish you clear eyes, full hearts, and the very Happiest New Year.

Hugs,
Laura

* I don't watch this show, which I know is a tragic oversight on my part. I plan to rectify this.

2007-12-23T11:11:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays!

Frogging. And a FO. And Another WIP.

2007-12-13T16:05:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, I had a big frogging session. Many of the projects I frogged had never even made it to the Ravelry notebook or the blog. Here's a list of what bit the dust: a mistake-stitch rib scarf, a plain stockinette sock in Knit Picks Memories, the Retro Redux shrug, Fifi, the Jawbreaker cardi, a Brea bag, the Beaded Rib socks. It was really liberating, not to have all these half-finished things lying about.

Some longstanding WIPs were spared the frog pond: the Must Have Cardigan, Lady Eleanor, the Cherry Bomb Rib and Cable socks, and a pair of Helgi's mittens.

Step Two: finish WIPs. I did finish one thing. Or two little things, to be exact.

These are a pair of mittens for J, made in Plymouth Encore Worsted using Ann Budd's basic mitten pattern. Not much more to say about them than that. They're red, so he's happy with them.

And here's a pretty fabulous project in the works. It's the Luxe Neck Warmer from Knit 2 Together. The yarn is Artfibers Ming and it was a gift from Preeti. Really, there is no way to overstate the extreme loveliness of this yarn. Soft doesn't begin to describe it. The color is really unbelievably saturated and rich.

I'm having a little love affair with teal right now.

Beret! Yay!

2007-12-06T06:45:00.000-05:00

It only took me two weeks, but here's the final FO picture for the Tweed Beret. I love you, blocking! It's been seriously cold here lately, with snow as well, so the beret has been seeing lots of action. I luff it.

Adjusting to single parenting, working, looking for a law firm job, the holidays, and divorce issues are tending to sap my knitting and blogging time. And my sewing machine? She is so neglected. But I am not giving up!

I have been thinking about doing a little crafty housecleaning ... I anticipate this involving a lot of frogging. If a project sits around unfinished at my house, it's usually because I have become bored with it. Since my time is so limited, I need to reassess how I choose projects. Having lots of works-in-progress used to be fun. Now those half-finished cardigans and socks knit to the heel flaps are just items on a to-do list, and not particularly pleasant ones at that. After my brutal frogging session, I want to finish up the things that make the cut. Then, a New Year's Resolution -- try to be a project monogamist.

Fresh starts. We're all about fresh starts around here.

A Beret, Nearly

2007-11-24T15:02:00.001-05:00

I hope all of you in the States had as nice a Thanksgiving as I did. On Wednesday, it was 60 degrees Fahrenheit here in Cleveland. On Thursday, we had lovely and festive snow. Yay! My sister and her boyfriend were here from St. Paul and my aunt Becky came for the day from Akron. We had a great day, watching football, eating a ton, and playing a new game, Bananagrams. It's like a fast and loose version of Scrabble. Very fun.

And here is my holiday weekend knitting, blocking on a dinner plate. With this cold weather arriving, I realized that I need a hat. I wanted something relatively simple, so that I could knit while chatting with my visitors. I chose Tweed Beret (here's the Ravelry link), from the Winter 2006 Interweave Knits. The yarn is more of the Cascade 220 that I also used for my Dashing mitts. I just finished it up; it's a great quick pattern.

Because I am a relaxed knitter, I used smaller needles than the pattern called for. Unfortunately, as a result, my hat is a little more cloche-like than beret-like. Hopefully, the blocking will give it a little more slouch. If not, it still looks cute. And I can always knit another!

Thankful

2007-11-21T10:01:00.001-05:00

My blessings.

Happy Thanksgiving from Chez Affiknitty!

Perfect Happiness

2007-11-11T10:30:00.000-05:00

I mean, really. Could it get any better than this?

ETA: Only if Thom were singing in my living room.

Gratitude and Missing Sock Mojo

2007-11-10T10:26:00.001-05:00

Thanks everyone for your comments and emails on my last post. It occurred to me later that perhaps that wasn't the best title for a post in which I announce my impending divorce. Really, I am doing fine. Phoebe's comment (wish I could figure out how to link to a comment) involving the "frogging a project that just isn't working at all" metaphor really is spot on. I've always been one to stick with things even when it's clear something's not right (everyone together, now ... "Simple Knitted Bodice!"). I have learned the hard way, though, that some things that are broken cannot be fixed. And Tricia's comment as well was exactly right; once the first big hard step was taken, the subsequent steps have not been nearly as hard.

I am trying to respond personally to everyone's comments ... if you haven't heard from me, it's likely because you left your comment recently, or I can't find an email address for you. I am so grateful for your warm thoughts and support!

Meanwhile, I am Woefully Late in sending a sock to a friend. It was supposed to be with her last week, and I have not finished it. The Sox Boycott of 2007 didn't help, but frankly, I've also had more than my share of sock knitting problems with this project. Gauge issues. Bad yarn-pattern combo. And then another bad yarn-pattern combo. And now, we might be back to gauge problems. Or at least size problems. Sigh.

So, naturally, I want to work on anything else. But knitting my lovely red cables when someone is waiting induces much knitterly guilt. Maybe the procrastination doesn't count if I'm crocheting?

Sedge Stitch Washcloth (Ravelry link), pattern by Lion Brand. Inspired by brainylady.

Slinking Out from Under My Rock

2007-11-01T17:34:00.001-04:00

What was that I said about snatching defeat from the jaws of victory?

One would probably assume that I've been hiding. True, it did take me some time to recover from that crushing loss. Rest assured, though, Ellen and I have been discussing sock yarn preferences and I'll be making good on that bet. Details to follow.

Here's what I have been working on. Lots of red cables.

This is the back of a Veste Everest, in Knit Picks Andean Silk from the stash. Another thing I've been doing is falling in love with this yarn. It's so yummy and soft. It has a beautiful little halo of fuzziness around it. I am sorely tempted to buy mass quantities of the stuff. Having recently moved into the Villa of Reduced Circumstances, however, it's probably not the best time for stash enhancement.

Speaking of that, you may recall that late in the summer I mentioned that big changes were impending Chez Affiknitty. Well, last week, one of those changes came to pass. This fall has seen my transition from stay-at-home to working mom. Now, I'm also transitioning to "single mom." It's a hard change, to be sure, but one that was a long time in coming. I could use a knitting-as-life metaphor here, I suppose, but I'll refrain. I'll just say that it's for the best, the boys and I are fine, and I'm very hopeful about the future.

I think I'll leave you with some music. It's pretty much been all Andrew Bird, all the time around here. Here's another track from Armchair Apocrypha.

Dashing Are Done

2007-10-17T17:57:00.000-04:00

Because I am a Cleveland sports fan, I am going to limit my comments on last night's game to a muted "Yay!" Certainly, no predictions are to be found here. Ellen, if I tell you what kind of sock yarn I want, I might as well hand the Pennant to Terry Francona myself. Yes, we're a superstitious and pessimistic lot, we Cleveland sports fans. Far, far too many times have we seen our teams snatch defeat from the jaws of victory to start gloating now.

I will add that victory last night was practically assured, since both Jeanne and I have forsworn all Sox-knitting on game days.

So, instead, an FO.

Pattern: Dashing by Cheryl Niamath, size Smaller
Yarn: Less than one skein of Cascade 220 Heathers, color number 4011
Needles: 3.75mm Inox 40-inch circulars for Magic Loop
Modifications: I knit only 15 rounds between the last cable round and the thumb opening and only 15 rounds between the thumb opening and the bind-off.

I love this pattern. I loved Fetching, but I love Dashing ever so much more. Now all I need is a Gretel to go with them. Hats are definitely ALCS-approved knitting.

Did You See That Game?!

2007-10-15T19:23:00.000-04:00

Yes indeedy folks, I'm feeling a little better after Saturday night. That eleventh inning? Well, the only word for it is ... staggering.

Note that the Dashing are not yet done. I'm working on them tonight. Friday night, I knit Sox. Tribe loses. Saturday night, I refrain from knitting Sox. Tribe wins. I think it's clear what this means, and I don't want any scientists I might know questioning my logic or conclusions.

The game is on, and the Stella is cold, and Dashing #2 is on the needles. Goodtimes, my friends, goodtimes.

p.s. Ever wondered how to score a baseball game? Wonder no more.

Baseball Game? What Baseball Game?

2007-10-13T17:32:00.000-04:00

I am not talking about last night's game. I am moving forward. I am thinking happy thoughts. Here are some things that are making me happy.

1. A friend gave me a copy of Andrew Bird's CD Armchair Apocrypha and I love it so much I cannot stand it. Here is the video for the song "Imitosis", which is fantastic but not even my favorite cut on the album.

2. I can tell that I am entering the sentimental stage of the PMS cycle when I start to get choked up by what other people are buying at the supermarket. Today, a woman who was easily in her eighties was ahead of me in line. She was wearing clamdiggers and socks and her hair was dyed that shade of orangey-red that just screams "chemically altered!" Here's a partial list of what she was buying. Hot dogs and buns. Potato chips. Jujubes. Approximately three-quarters of a cup of chicken salad from the deli. Klondike bars. Lean Cuisine French bread pizzas. There was something about her groceries that made me both happy and a little sad at the same time.

3. Naturally, I am elated about the new Radiohead album. It is so very amazing.

4. This news makes me very happy. I like to see people bounce back from adversity. Mr. Vice President, you were meant for way bigger things than the Oval Office. Like saving the planet.

5. It is finally fall! It has actually been chilly, especially in the mornings! I've been wishing I had my very own pair of lovely fingerless gloves. So, last night, I started these.

The pattern, as you might recognize, is Dashing. I plan to finish the pair tonight. Being a little superstitious, I may avoid all Sox on game days.

I'll Take That Bet

2007-10-12T19:05:00.001-04:00

It's almost game time, folks. My Tribe are taking on the Bosox for the American League Pennant. As if I weren't already emotionally invested enough in the outcome of this series, now I have sock yarn riding on the outcome.

Ellen, being the ultimate good sport, is participating in this little friendly bet without a comparable level of enthusiasm for the Sox. I thought about giving away her favorite team with a link, but she lives in Boston, and I don't want anything bad to happen to her.

Gotta go get my plain vanilla knitting and a Stella. It's time to play ball.

Another Recommendation

2007-10-09T15:52:00.001-04:00

Plain stockinette, toe-up socks are highly recommended knitting when your team is playing in a nail-biter.

I have a feeling I'll be making quick work of these in the next week. Just another reason October is for socks. But not Red Sox.

Ever Have One of Those Days?

2007-10-05T06:44:00.000-04:00

One of those where the accretion of annoyances and things-gone-wrong, both little and big, make you think you must be wearing a "Kick Me" sign that is visible to the entire cosmos?*

Well, when that happens, I highly recommend, after yanking that sign off your back and flinging it back in the face of the cosmos with elan, looking at all your pretty new yarn.

Yarntini Hand Dyed Sock Yarn in Vintage

Yarn Nerd 900 MHz Merino Superwash in Teal Semi-Solid (for a swap)

Yarn Pirate Superwash Merino in Loopy Groupie

Madeline Tosh Hand-Dyed Sock in Jade

* The new job is actually going well, thank you all for asking! Nevertheless...

Back to Work

2007-09-30T19:10:00.000-04:00

This week has seen me working on a new cardi in decidedly unphotogenic black. Anyway, my camera batteries are dead, so no pictures of the beautiful yarn that arrived at my house this week either. (Sundara Yarn! Yarn Pirate! Yarntini!) Therefore, I give you Flickr favorites. Can't have a post without pictures.

I am not stalking Ashley. I swear.

1. Cloud Bolero 2, 2. Babette Blanket, first three sections, 3. thinkpink, 4. New Messenger Bag set, 5. Pleated Bag, 6. Glads Are In Season, 7. Yes, I have completely lost my mind, and thank you very much for noticing., 8. Untitled, 9. pinwheel of single socks., 10. O-Tomatoes, 11. babette-fours, 12. plumeria, 13. And now it's a series. (4/365), 14. pleated handbag, 15. evening clutch, 16. afternoon clutch, 17. Purse #2, 18. They Will Pry This Yarn From My Cold Dead Hands, 19. icarus_close-up, 20. Fingerless mitts, 21. Doll Quilt Swap I: received, 22. 155, 23. Meida's Mittens, 24. aunt betty :: texas star, 25. aunt betty :: hexagon love, 26. BTRS - Charming Purse, 27. America Vintage Apron, 28. coasters, 29. Untitled, 30. her heart was twisted and cold, 31. Linen Elisa Bag, 32. New fabrics, 33. postcard 2/2, 34. WIP (virginia alice's quilt) closeup, 35. I love these socks! Jaywalkers!, 36. Twin February Sweaters

Fantine still has not made a public appearance, since the weather has been a bit too warm for her. Hopefully, she'll soon be able to come out of hiding. I can feel fall in the air.

In bigger news, the carefree (ha!) halcyon days of stay-at-home motherhood draw to a close. Tomorrow, I'm officially going back to work. In honor of the occasion, I invite you to click the link and hear that rousing paean to the Working Girl, CAKE'S Short Skirt/Long Jacket.

EDITED TO ADD: Who says there isn't a benevolent God? I found a job, and a nanny, AND there is a new Radiohead album coming out in nine freakin' days. Life is good, people.

At Loose Ends, a Bit

2007-09-23T16:58:00.000-04:00

I didn't mean to let so much time go by before posting again. The last few weeks have been pretty crazy. The good news is, I have a temporary job that may lead to a permanent position. It isn't legal work, but it's related to what I used to do. (I'll be working for a local investment bank; I used to be a corporate tax attorney. Don't hate me because I work for The Man.) I'll be starting next week. And I'm still looking for a job as an attorney.

The bad news is, my crafting/blogging mojo was seriously AWOL. I was starting lots of new projects and couldn't get enthused about any of them. Motivation for finishing WIPs has been at an all-time low. I kind of hit a wall with Babette. I think things are turning around, though. I'm enjoying these sock projects.

Check out that lovely self-striping sock. It's the Kaffe Fassett Regia yarn. The colors are delish; my photo really doesn't do it justice.

And I did finish something. But I can't say it was much fun.

Pattern: Fantine by French Girl
Yarn: Every last inch of 5 balls of Tahki Baby
Needles: US15 bamboo circulars

This was supposed to be an easy, fun, quick project. Sadly, no. Fantine, she was a little high maintenance. It wasn't difficult knitting, though I can't say that twisting stitches with those huge needles was comfortable. The first four balls of yarn had at least two knots apiece. Also, I somehow underestimated the amount of yarn I would need and had to go back to the LYS across town to get another ball of Baby. And, even with the additional ball, I didn't have enough to finish the second sleeve. I had to undo the bind-off on the first, shorten it, and then finish the second with yarn from the first. Annoying.

She is a cute little thing, and I think she will look very nice with a vintage dress that I have, allowing me to wear it into the fall. I'd've posted a modeled shot, but I'm still a little too annoyed with Fantine to take the time to do a proper photo shoot. Maybe after she gets out of time-out.

What I Have Been Doing

2007-09-08T12:08:00.000-04:00

... other than neglecting my blog.

1. Still working on Babette.

2. Still looking for a job.

3. Coming around to the conclusion that the correct answer to the question John or Paul? is George.

4. Fixing things that need to be fixed.

5. Sewing the loudest quilt blocks in human history. It's for practice.

6. Eating very many tomato sandwiches.

7. Finishing up Fantine.

A new WIP. So much for discipline and virtue.

It Must Be the Yarn

2007-08-22T09:04:00.000-04:00

I have noticed that, with my previous projects, crocheting has had a tendency to make my hands and wrists hurt. I don't generally have this problem with knitting, unless I am trying to knit heavy yarn at a much tighter than normal gauge.* I don't seem to be having this problem with Babette, and I have been hard pressed to put down the hook.

I think it must be the yarn. It's so soft and yummy and I'm going for a little drapey. Anyway, all other projects (poor Retro Redux) have been put on hold for now. You all are going to get sick of these pictures of squares. As for that, I think these babies are fairly photogenic, but they really look much lovelier in person. (Or maybe on your monitor, rather than mine.)

I've decided that the pastel colorways (like my beloved Cherry on Top) are not going to work and that mostly single colorway squares will be best. The key will be working with colors of similar value that look good together. In the picture above, I haven't quite decided about the pink squares. The one near the top left is Positano and the one at bottom right is Hot Flash. There should be some variation of light and dark, though; I don't think I will know for sure until I get more squares done and can lay them out together.

I'm sure there are some (many?) of you thinking that all this variegated crochet is going to look like a giant mess, but I think it will look fab when it's finished. I am hoping for something along the lines of a Pointillist painting ... more than the sum of its parts.

* That's why they call it Intolerable Cruelty.

Craft What You Love

2007-08-20T16:26:00.000-04:00

I started something new last night. That's sort of (OK, definitely) cheating on my UFO-completion plan. Except that I did finish something today. Behold ... the Granny Square baby blanket!

I mean ... Behold the Granny Square Scarf! Upon picking up these squares again, I started to feel that the gauge was just too loose for a baby blanket. I envisioned tiny fingers getting all tangled in those holes. I just started to feel very meh about the whole thing. But I could not bear to frog all those squares -- too much work. And they were pretty. Might there be enough of them for a scarf? Yes, there were! For the curious, the yarn is a melange of Plymouth Encore and Lion Brand Wool-Ease and the pattern is Traditional Granny from Jan Eaton's 200 Crochet Blocks.

Here's where the love part comes in. Nine times out of ten, I start a new project because I want to play with different yarn. This new project is no exception.

Colorways of the big square, from the center out: Pandora Rose, Mardi Gras, June Carter

No surprise here, it was Cider Moon Glacier calling me. The pattern is the famous Babette Blanket. Now here's a blanket project to get excited about! This is a seriously long-term endeavor, both because of its size and because it will require a lot of yarn. I couldn't possibly afford to buy it all at once. (No smart remarks about the size of my Glacier stash ... it's not that big!)

I love the big square I made with changing colorways, but I'm thinking about making most of the squares in one colorway only. What do you all think?

I Am Such a Cheater

2007-08-17T12:43:00.000-04:00

I know. I'm supposed to be working on Retro Redux, Socks for Nieces, and the granny square blanket. And I am! But no one said I couldn't sew. Last night, when the house was quiet, I got a mind to make a skirt. So I did ... in about two hours. You have to love sewing for the instant gratification.

Missing: one waist. Reward offered.

Voici, my first attempt at an elastic-waist A-line skirt. I used the pattern from Sew U by Built by Wendy and I made the size medium. (I have big hips, what can I say?) The fabric is just quilting cotton from the big-box fabric store.

Mmmm... don't like a whole lot. It's a little too long. And the fabric was fine for practicing (I think I bought it for quilt/craft projects), but it looks a little too "1980s-Laura Ashley-Junior League" for me. Not that there's anything wrong with the 80s, Laura Ashley, or the Junior League.

Oh wait! There's my waist!

This morning, while S was at summer school and J with his grandma, I tried again. Much better!

This time, I used the directions from Sew What? Skirts. I like this book. I like drawing the pattern right on the fabric. I like that it teaches you what measurements to take and how to make a skirt that fits you just the way you want it to fit. So, obviously, I went shorter and I also made the angle from the waistline to the hemline pretty wide. In the future, I think I'll draw the side seams at a sharper angle, to make a narrower skirt. Also, I did not need to incorporate as much ease in the waist as I did. But it is fine; I can wear it lower on my hips if I like.

A word about the fabric: it's Zinnia by Alexander Henry. I don't know who Alexander Henry is, but I luff him. I bought the fabric at Sew Mama Sew, which I also luff.

I swear there will be knitting. If I can resist the siren song of the sewing machine and the promise of actual completed projects.

Sockapalootza!

2007-08-15T15:02:00.000-04:00

My Sockapalooza box arrived today! My pal, who completely and totally spoiled me rotten, was Tania of knit1frog2.

Holy guacamole, people, look at the goodies!

Lovely sock yarn! Boatloads of Japanese treats (and my current favorite chocolate bar, how did she know)! The Post-It notes are so cute and perfect. Lately, for some reason, I've been obsessed with bird prints and bird motifs. For example, I just bought some of this Joel Dewberry fabric. If I didn't know better, I'd think that Tania had telepathic ability or some kind of direct line into my brain.

But, I know, you want to see the socks. How incredibly perfect are these?

They are Diagonal Rib Socks from Interweave Knits in Socks That Rock in Nodding Violets. So beautiful, that's all I can say. Tania did an amazing job knitting these ... just gorgeous work.

Coincidentally, the June Carter Swirl socks arrived at their destination today as well. I was thrilled to learn that my pal, Sarianna of May Contain Traces of Knits, likes them. Yay for swaps!

See? An FO!

2007-08-13T08:23:00.000-04:00

Now this one is really sad. It sat around for two months, needing only one button.

Pattern: Chanson en Crochet by Mari Lynn Patrick (in Wrap Style)
Yarn: Mission Falls 1824 Wool in Oyster, about 5 balls
Hook: Size G Boye aluminum crochet hook

This could use another block, now that I look at it.

Anyway, I was inspired to make this wrap when I saw this lovely one by Pimpampum. Chanson is a fun pattern to work, because you're constantly changing the stitch. Those flowers made me a little crazy, but I think they turned out all right. I can see getting a lot of use out of this, too. Yay for finished!

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And now, for something completely different ... music! You may have noticed the cool widget on my sidebar with the changing album covers. This is courtesy of my latest obsession, Last.fm. (Thanks, Sandra, for introducing me!) In a nutshell, Last.fm is internet radio and also like Ravelry for music geeks. Nice.

It has all these cool tools that keep track of what you're listening to, make recommendations, tell you about other users that share your taste, tell you what your friends are listening to, etc. etc. Here's my chart of top artists for the past week.

And a word (or two or two hundred) about Sea Wolf. Preeti and I saw them open last week for Silversun Pickups. Both bands were unbelievably fantastic. But I am developing a possibly unhealthy obsession with Sea Wolf. Think indie-rock with folk influences and a cello. Also, think very dreamy lead singer (Alex Church, formerly of one of my favoritest indie pop bands, Irving). Good stuff, people. Check it out.

Discipline and My Taskmistress

2007-08-12T09:42:00.001-04:00

Don't get me wrong, I love Ravelry. I love it to bits. But one thing about Ravelry that PCR and I were discussing yesterday -- it has the slight tendency to make one do more reading about knitting, looking at knitting, and thinking about knitting than actual knitting. Plus, it's a veritable breeding ground for the startitis virus.

Discipline is hard in the face of such beauty.

The result of all this is that I've got a shamefully long list of works-in-progress. Here goes, I'm coming clean.

1. Fifi
2. Retro Redux Shrug
3. Lacy Skirt with Bows (too new for pictures, even!)
4. Rib and Cable Socks
5. Beaded Rib Socks
6. Giotto Cuff Socks
7. Socks for Nieces

This does not include the currently hibernating projects.

1. Lady Eleanor Stole
2. Must Have Cardigan
3. Granny Square Baby Blanket
4. Two (!) pairs of mittens from Folk Knitting in Estonia

This is sad, people. It's time to start finishing things. But I have assistance. Preeti gave me a plan. I can work on one big project and one sock project at a time, until they are finished. But she didn't stop there; she made me a prioritized list of my WIPs. First up on the big project list is the Retro Redux Shrug. Preeti started and finished hers since I cast mine on.

The Retro Redux Shrug, now with progress!

Socks for Nieces is my current sock project. I think we agreed that we could work on blanket squares in addition to the big and sock projects, so I see some granny squares in my near future. Preeti's not my only inspiration. Heather has been on a UFO-completion roll as well...go take a look at her cute EZ baby sweater.

I'm turning over a new leaf, knitsibs. Prepare for FO posts!

One Little Sock

2007-08-06T16:53:00.000-04:00

Pathetically, this is all I have managed to finish lately. Starting things, that I am really good at. Finishing, not so much. These are socks for my niece, who was recently visiting from California with her twin sister, little brother, and Mom and Dad. (Her mom is my little sister.) Olga recently posted about the joys of the auntie gig. It's a nice job if you can get it; I only wish I got to enjoy it more!

Anyhow, Niecie M saw me pull out this yarn one afternoon when I was visiting with them at my mom's and was instantly entranced. She wanted socks from this yarn (Cider Moon Glacier in the highly girly Go-Go colorway). How could I refuse? Now I just need to make three more. Because I certainly can't make a pair for M and not her sweet sister T.

And here's a picture of the beautiful coasters I got from Ashley. I realized the other day that one reason I love them so much is that they remind me of the cover of one of my favoritest albums.

It's been so disgustingly hot here that I haven't touched my sewing machine in weeks, which makes me very sad. (My craft room is on the third floor of my old, un-air-conditioned house.) I've got my fingers crossed for a cold snap, along with some free time.

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The other day, Amy Karol of Angry Chicken wrote a very interesting post about reducing the presence of plastics in her home. I have made a little goal for myself of bringing no more plastic shopping bags into my house. I have several reusable bags from the grocery store, which I keep in the car. I usually carry a large bag, so small things can go into that. And, of course, I wouldn't be sorry to have an excuse to sew a bunch of cute totes as well. I'd like to be able to get rid of all my plastic dishes for the kids, but S recently has gone through a "breaking dishes and glasses when frustrated" stage (love you, autism!). I think he's about over it, but I'm not inclined to test it.

I recently saw this New York Times article about the environmental impact of buying bottled water and wanted to bring it to your attention. In general, bottled water is no healthier than tap water, is ridiculously more expensive, and results in millions of plastic bottles in landfills which take literally centuries to decompose. Having learned this, I've decided not to buy bottled water any more. Just a little food (or drink) for thought.

Finished Socks and Ashley's Awesomeness

2007-07-31T17:48:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Swirl Socks by Sulafaye
Yarn: Cider Moon Glacier in June Carter
Needles: US 3 Knit Picks Classic Circulars

Sockapalooza socks are done! Hooray! Loved, loved, loved the pattern. Careful observers will note that my socks have fewer swirls than Sulafaye's ... this was no intentional attempt to knit the pattern differently, but rather the sad effect of my apparent inability to read and comprehend. Heh. The yarn ... well, you all know how I feel about Cider Moon Glacier. I am so relieved that I'll be able to send these off in a timely fashion, thus avoiding Blogland Swap-Slacker Ignominy.

**********

Ashley, doyenne of dogged, made me some absolutely beautiful quilted coasters, in return for which she is patiently awaiting some crocheted coasters from me. I took some lovely pictures of them, which would appear here, except that my frickin' camera is being cranky.

She also did me the honor of tagging me as a Rockin' Girl Blogger. This completely made my day. To be recognized as rockin' by one of the rockin'est girl bloggers out there ... well, I was really touched!

In turn, I'm tagging these five Rockin' Girl Bloggers ... all of whom I feel very lucky to know, either in person, or through the Internets.

Preeti of Expressionist Knits is one of my two bestest friends on the planet. She moved to Cleveland about a year ago, and I was fortunate enough to meet her shortly thereafter. I could never, even if I had a bazillion years, tell you all the amazing things she has done for me in that time. Suffice it to say, I'd be in sad shape without her!

Ellen of Knit Sisters ... she's incredibly smart and incredibly funny. Many are the times that I have felt that I didn't have a laugh left in me, only to read her blog and find myself in giggles. Healing stuff, that humor. Plus, she once sent me the kindest, most encouraging email in response to a comment I left on her blog. I have never properly thanked you for that, Ellen ... it meant more than you can know!

Olga of Yo La Tejo was my very first blogfriend. She is brave, funny, smart, and talented, and she inspires me. Mwah mwah!

Cat of Everyday Life is another rockin' blogfriend. She is incredibly generous and kind. As the name of her blog might suggest, she inspires me to appreciate all the little graces and treasures of our day-to-day existence: a lovely vase of tulips, a perfect breakfast, a quiet evening with a book and a glass of wine. She reminds me to be grateful. Thanks, sweetie.

Finally, I'm going to tag Shannon of knitgrrl. If you've listened to the latest Knit Picks podcast or read the new issue of Vogue Knitting, you know how Shannon rocks. I had the distinct pleasure of taking a crewel class at her studio, Stitch Cleveland, recently and had the best time. She is super fun and welcoming. And I've decided she has the coolest job ever: Professional Crafty Enabler.

**********

Ashley also recently addressed the issue of responding to comments on her blog. Her post was very thoughtful, and she articulated her feelings about blog reading, commenting and responding -- feelings which I share -- far better than I could ever do.

I'm bringing this up because it seems like a good time to let you all know how much I appreciate your comments. The last several years have been difficult ones for me, isolating and lonely in many ways. The community I have found among crafty bloggers has made a huge difference to me. I am very, very grateful to be a part of this.

Also, some big changes are a-brewin' Chez Affiknitty and things are looking up. I'm not quite ready to talk about them with any level of specificity, but the important part for now is that I am becoming increasingly busy. I've not had the time to craft or blog nearly as much as I'd like and the time available for those things is probably not going to increase. So I'd like to say that if you leave a comment, and don't get a response, know that I appreciate it immensely (see preceding paragraph) and it's only lack of time that is preventing me from replying to you personally. Naturally, if I can help with information or similar, I'll do that.

Thanks for your patience, and for just hanging around my little corner of the 'nets. You all rock.

Explain the Silence

2007-07-23T13:13:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! Sorry for the extended silence, there. The confluence of many things going on Chez Affiknitty (including, but not limited to, out-of-town guests and Potter Day) has sapped my time for blogging, and even knitting, much. And sewing? Forget it.

I still intend to do the podcast/music/reading/Etsy seller recommendation roundups, but it may take a little time. In the meanwhile, I thought you might like to see pretty pictures of the yarn that the contest winners chose! Because we all love pretty pictures of yarn!

Heather from The A.D.D. Knitter chose Peas and Carrots.

And Karen from Yearns for Yarn chose Istanbul. (I have some of this myself.) I should not leave you with the impression that my photography skills have radically improved; these pictures are Gail and Jacki's and they are used with permission.

If you're still visiting here, thanks for hanging in with me through the unexplained absences. Hopefully soon, there will be finished socks and lots of links!

Thanks & Winners

2007-07-13T07:48:00.000-04:00

Thanks everyone for the fabulous recommendations! I'll be summarizing them for easy reference over the next four posts. So, really, we all get pressies! Yay!

Were I a woman of affluence, you'd all be getting free yarn. But, sadly, I must rely on the random number generator. Heather of The A.D.D. Knitter and Karen of Yearns for Yarn are the lucky knitters!

Winners should head on over here and pick out a skein of Glacier, then email me with your choice and your snail mail address.

Meanwhile, the first June Carter swirl sock is done!

You all are so sweet and encouraging to suggest that I could finish that other Cherry Bomb sock in the time remaining to me. But, seriously, I have two problems: one, I am a very slow knitter.

And, two, I am constitutionally incapable of remaining monogamous to my projects.

Panic and Forgetfulness (and a Contest!)

2007-07-09T14:44:00.000-04:00

The panic portion of this post relates to, of course, Sockapalooza. As much as I love the Rib and Cables pattern, the idea of finishing one and a quarter fingering-weight socks in the next two weeks strikes a little fear in my heart. I really think I ought to put mine in the mail a little early if possible, because my sockpal lives outside the U.S.

Would it be lame to switch to DK socks? Would your opinion be influenced if you knew the DK socks in question looked like this?

The yarn is Cider Moon Glacier, my favorite yarn EVAH, and the colorway is June Carter. The pattern is Sulafaye's, a link to which appears in the previous post. These will have a picot cuff. My sockpal likes picot cuffs. Hmmm... I want to be a good swapper and get my package to her on time. I could never live with the ignominy and shame attached to being a Swap Finker.

Moving on to the forgetfulness portion of the post, I completely forgot my Blogiversary! This past week, I've been blogging for two whole years. Yay! Let's have a contest!

Leave me a comment sometime between now and midnight on Thursday. Because I want pressies for my blogiversary, I want you to give me one of these things in your comment:

1. A summer reading recommendation!
2. The name of the last CD/music download you bought and loved to bits!
3. The name of your favorite Etsy seller!
4. Your favorite non-knitting podcast and why!
5. Any combination of the above!

Through the magic of the Random Number Generator, I will select two people to receive a skein of Cider Moon Glacier in the colorway of their choice. Winners to be revealed on Friday!

The Price of Dillentantism

2007-07-08T08:52:00.000-04:00

... is that you rarely finish projects, and therefore have little to blog about. Also, I've been battling a case of the Blahs-Blehs-Blues, which tends to sap one's enthusiasm for most things.

Mostly what I've been doing in the last week or so is a little embroidery, a little sewing, and a whole lot of starting knitting projects. Ravelry really ought to come with a warning label:

Bearing down on me like a vicious tornado is the deadline for Sockapalooza. Naturally, knowing that I should be working on Deadline Knitting only makes me want to do Anything Else. Like sewing a new bag!

I made this from Nancy's extremely fantastic tutorial. I love that it is reversible, allowing me to show off both pretty fabrics. I made the handles shorter than she instructed and included a flannel inner liner in place of interfacing. This latter nifty tip I learned from Amy Karol's book, Bend-the-Rules Sewing. Really, if you have any interest in learning to sew, or already love to sew, you need to run out and buy this book. It is so lovely and inspiring and really full of helpful information.

I swear, in my next post, there will be knitting.

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Link-o-Rama!

- Sulafaye has posted what may be the Ultimate Variegated Sock Pattern!
- Have you heard about Pandora Radio? It's the brainchild of the Music Genome Project. You tell them your favorite song or artist and, through some sort of computer magic, they create a radio station that will play music that has similar characteristics.
- This looks like a delicious and easy refrigerator pickles recipe. If anyone has a similar recipe for sour and garlicky pickles, please let me know!
- Cutest baby booties ever.
- I want to make this sweater right this minute. Must ... finish ... sockpal ... socks!

Falling in Love Again

2007-06-27T10:13:00.000-04:00

... with Rib and Cables, and Cider Moon. I hope my sock pal loves them, too!

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Link-o-Rama!

* Cleveland-area crafters! Have you heard about Shannon Okey's craft studio Stitch Cleveland? It looks to be an awesome resource for every sort of fiber-y, fabric-y love. I signed up for the Katherine Shaughnessy crewel class on July 14th. Squee!
* How cute is this pencil case? You have to get excited about any tutorial that instructs you to use a hacksaw.
* Look at this GORGEOUS cotton that Yarnbee and her friend dyed with Rit Dye!
* Jen's Parade of Beautiful FO's continues with her cute Coachella.
* How could I be so late to the Craft Lit party? This podcast is so fantastic.
* Hungry for some authentic Tex-Mex and Southern fare? Or just want to look at pretty pictures of it? Pop over to Homesick Texan. Your cardiologist will thank me. Do not miss the post on cream gravy, food of the gods.

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Thanks, everyone, for the nice compliments on my yarn! I love me an afternoon of Kool-Aid dyeing. It's starting to become a nice little summer tradition!

Shameless Copying

2007-06-26T09:38:00.001-04:00

Thanks everyone for the kind wishes about my silly injury. Learn from me ... if you are working with unpleasant materials at a tight gauge, work slowly. It's much better now. After some Kool-Aid dyeing (a favorite summer activity), I am now back to frenzied sock knitting.

I saw Kris's beautiful stockinette socks with the cuff from Anna's Giotto pattern and could not stop thinking about them. I recalled that one of you even scored the exact yarn that she is using (Fleece Artist Merino Sock in Rose Garden) in my stash sale. What to do, what to do?

On Sunday, feeling rather grumpy, I sat down and watched some Knitty Gritty I had saved on the DVR. I finally saw the fabulous episode with Scout! This greatly improved my mood and inspired me to pull out the Kool-Aid and yarn and "play mad scientist," as she put it. A few hours later, I had some pink, green, yellow and white yarn of my very own.

Yesterday, I couldn't resist casting it on. It's pooling a bit, but not in an ugly way. The cuff! So pretty! (That Anna. She's a genius.)

Here's the other skein I dyed. This is Knit Picks Bare Worsted, and I think that it will become fingerless gloves or a hat, perhaps. Or another pair of Cabled Footies.

I was very happy with this one, as I think I figured out a recipe for a nice turquoise color. Yay!

At the risk of sounding a little corny, this post sums up one of the things about the knitbloggy community that I love the most -- being inspired by all the amazing knitters and dyers I've come to know!

Timeline of an Injury

2007-06-20T08:36:00.000-04:00

2:14 pm: "Yay! A crocheted jute bowl! My hands are a little tired, but that was pretty easy."
4:38 pm: "Hmmm. What's that tingling?"
6:20 pm: "Ok, so my right hand is a little sore."
7:51 pm: (picking up Sockapalooza sock) "Ouch. Maybe I'll read."

Next day, 8:23 am: "(whimper)"

How 'bout some Flickr favorites? Can you tell I am having a little infatuation with turquoise and pink?

1. Wendetasche aussen, 2. spring palette..., 3. koigu gelato., 4. gn ome, 5. Climbing vine Messenger, 6. Embroidered tea cozy, 7. virgen de guadalupe, 8. girlfriends skirt, 9. fabricbuttons, 10. over, 11. DSC00672, 12. AB apron 2, 13. Talk to Strangers, 14. Koigu Bits, 15. Vintage children's sewing machine, 16. more new fabrics, 17. Blue Doorway, Lyme Regis, 18. pinkpopsicle, 19. thrift score: metal kitchen, 20. turquoise and pink, 21. rosa hyllan, 22. Pink & Turquoise, 23. vintage hot pink, turquoise and green piggy bank, 24. wip -- giant granny, 25. My hutch, 26. the first signs of summer...., 27. Peaks & Valleys, 28. Old Schoolhouse/Church/Masonic Hall, 29. Little Birdie Bookmark, 30. blueberry ice cream handspun, 31. Vintage Pillowcases, 32. Steam Rising, 33. Buttons (May 15), 34. purple obsession, 35. what do you mean no javelins?!, 36. peonies

And Even More Crochet!

2007-06-19T14:51:00.000-04:00

Clearly, I cannot get enough of crocheting round things.

Pattern: Little Bowls, from the Crochet to Go deck
Fiber: Sugar n' Cream cotton for the one on the left, 3 ply jute garden twine for the one on the right
Hooks: Size F for the cotton bowl, size G for the jute bowl

The key with these little bowls is very tight gauge. The cotton bowl really needed a smaller hook. The jute one turned out to be pretty sturdy. Granted, it wasn't exactly a relaxing crafting experience, but it was fun in its way. The jute would make nice coasters, too.

I also finished up another crochet project, which is blocking.

More details later, but for now I will only say that it's part of my devious plot to convince Ashley to start crocheting.

You all had some great ideas for the crocheted circles from yesterday. Kim probably wins the prize for "most unlikely" with bikini top and knee pads. I really liked Stephanie's idea to seam them together and stiffen them with cork between the layers. This would have the added benefit of allowing them to be used as hot pads. For now, the circles will remain one of those "enjoy the process" projects.

Link-o-Rama!
* I am really enjoying seeing all the book recommendations on Minty's and Lolly's blogs. My to-read pile is going to be totteringly tall!
* Speaking of books, I am practically biting my nails waiting for my pre-ordered copy of Amy Karol's book, Bend the Rules Sewing. (And the new Harry Potter, too, of course!) And Alicia Paulson announced on Posie Gets Cozy that she is working on a book, due to hit the shelves in fall 2008. ::swoon::
* Have you seen Scout's new colorways? Amazing!
* It must be summer, because I am itching to knit socks. Nona's astounding Sidewinders are about to be cast on, in spite of having three others on the needles. After seeing Sulafaye's finished ones, how could I resist?

By the way, I got my Ravelry invite last week. If you're there too, look for me! I chose the surprising name of "affiknitty."

In the Mood

2007-06-18T15:38:00.000-04:00

... for crochet ...

... in circles, in ice cream colors ...

... which were originally intended to be coasters, but turned out too big. And floppy. They remind me a little of fabric yo-yos, so I thought I'd make a bunch of them. What I'll do with them then, I haven't a clue. Table runner? Throw blanket? Line the backs with fabric? We'll see!

Tenho Jeito

2007-06-12T11:03:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Perfect Periwinkle Turtleneck Tube Vest by Stefanie Japel in Fitted Knits
Yarn: Every last bit of 2 skeins of Cascade 220 Wool
Needles: 3.75mm (US5) Addi Turbos
Thoughts: Many.

In Brazilian Portuguese, there's an expression ... jeito or jeitinho. If you have jeito, it more or less means that you're clever and resourceful. When I was in high school in Brazil, I had a friend whose rocket for the science fair landed in the neighborhood behind the school. He found it in the hands of a little kid, who insisted that the rocket was his but gamely offered to sell it to my friend. That kid had jeito.

A jeitinho is your resourceful and clever solution. Yesterday, as I was finishing up this tank, I was deeply engaged in working a jeitinho. I made the smallest size, which called for 2 skeins of yarn. In trying to make it as long as possible with just the two skeins, I ran out of yarn before finishing my bind off. Aarrggh! I had tried the sweater on, though, and felt that the neck was a little longer than it needed to be. So I unravelled from the cast-on edge back about 4 rows or so and then cast off with a size N crochet hook. That made the neck edge a little ruffly, but at least it goes over my head. And I had enough yarn to finish my bind-off.

Valuable lessons learned: unravelling from the cast-on edge is a major PITA!

I am still contemplating undoing the bind off at the bottom and adding some more ribbing in a coordinating color, probably espresso brown. What do you all think?

Actual Knitting Content!

2007-06-08T09:25:00.001-04:00

Thanks everyone for all your input on the Sock Pal socks. There seemed to be such enthusiasm for Rib and Cables in Cherry Bomb that I started those first. And let me tell you, from the first stitch, I was very happy. I just love that pattern.

Then the Asbury Park contingent started to speak up and I thought I ought to give that colorway a try with the same pattern. I hadn't even finished the rib before I frogged it. Too much contrast for the cables. Luckily, Amy of stash, knit, repeat had suggested another pattern-- Beaded Rib from Sensational Knitted Socks. So I started those too.

Look how perfect that pattern is for the yarn! Look how nicely it breaks up the color repeats! This may be my new go-to pattern for variegated yarns.

All this means there is much socky happiness at affiknitty. But I still can't decide which pair will be for my sock pal and which pair I will keep. Sigh.

Swaps!

2007-06-04T12:34:00.001-04:00

'Tis the season for swapping! I'm doing Sockapalooza 4 and am really excited about it. Summer is such a great time for sock knitting, so the timing is perfect. And the Knit Pligg is such a cool way to keep track of what everyone else is knitting. I really love the "random post" option.

I have my sock pal's information, and I am still in the planning phase. I need some guidance, though! My pal prefers cables or knit-and-purl patterns to lace and I think I can safely say that my color options are wide open. Should I make her...

...the Sundara Bird of Paradise socks (look at these lovelies by Amy of Two Sharp Sticks) ...

...or a pair of Rib and Cables (my favorite pattern, finished ones here and here)?

If I do the Rib and Cables, I am still undecided about yarn. I think I'll use some recently acquired Cider Moon: either Cherry Bomb or Asbury Park. What do you think?

In other swap news...

Late last week, I received my package from my Sound Swap pal ... Margene! I had to giggle when I saw the box sitting on my porch, because I had left a comment on her blog that I hoped she was making a mix for me! She sent the yummiest and prettiest mint meltaways, a very cute needle gauge (I can never find mine, so an extra is perfect!) and a fabulous music mix. I've been listening to it nonstop. Here's the awesome playlist!

1. "Fur Peace" -- Jorma Kaukonen
2. "Favorite" -- Neko Case
3. "Visions of Johanna" -- Bob Dylan
4. "Pocatello" -- Larry McMurtry
5. "River's Gonna Run" -- Sam Bush
6. "Love & Happiness for You" -- Emmylou Harris & Mark Knopfler (As a Dire Straits fan, I was excited to see this cut!)
7. "Latitude" -- Matt Flinner
8. "Walking the Dog" -- Dan Zanes
9. "Soul Kitchen" -- Patti Smith
10. "I Must Belong Somewhere" -- Bright Eyes
11. "V-Necked Sweater" -- Greyboy Allstars
12. "Up Against the Wall" -- Peter Bjorn & John
13. "Strange Fruit" -- India Arie
14. "5 Shots of Whiskey" -- Hank Williams III (Don't worry, Margene. I love me some twang from time to time. And who better than the Royal Family of Twang and Hard Livin'?)
15. "Ride the River" -- Eric Clapton & JJ Cale
16. "The Fox" -- Nickel Creek
17. "Come Home" -- Willie Nelson & Rickie Lee Jones

Thanks, Margene! I love it! And thank you as well to Jennie, for organizing such a great swap. I put my package in the mail on Friday and it should be arriving at its destination today or tomorrow. I hope my swapee likes it ... I think it's a good mix!

Sorry to Get All Capitalist on You

2007-05-29T11:10:00.000-04:00

... but wanted to let you know that new stuff (Socks That Rock! Koigu! Cherry Tree Hill!) is up on the destashing blog and other stuff has been marked down.

Run, don't walk!

A Very Happy Memorial Day

2007-05-28T20:03:00.000-04:00

... and a great birthday dinner for an incredibly cool and fabulous Dad!

Menu
Relish Tray (green onions, pickles, radishes, olives)
Devilled Eggs
Grilled Ribeye Steaks
Steamed Broccoli with Garlic
Potato Salad
San Pellegrino Water

Then, a postprandial walk followed by
Fudge Pie and Coffee

My Grandma Chance's Fudge Pie (recipe courtesy of her friend Inda)

In a bowl, mix 1.5 cups sugar, 3 tablespoons cocoa, and 2 tablespoons flour. Then add half a cup of evaporated milk and 2 eggs. Mix. Melt half a stick (4 tablespoons) of butter and add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add to mixture.

Pour into unbaked 9-inch pie crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, then at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Especially delish with Cool Whip, or real whipped cream for you fancy types.

YARN SALE!

2007-05-25T15:07:00.000-04:00

Gah! Acquiring new hobbies requires me to reduce the stash! I have set up a destashing blog for myself. If you're interested in nice yarn for cheap, take a look!

Good stuff: Fleece Artist, KSH, Hempathy and more to come...

ETA: OK, the aforementioned yarns are spoken for, but there's more there and more to come!

Thanks!

Other Pursuits

2007-05-22T16:38:00.000-04:00

I used to frequent thrift stores fairly regularly, and then something happened (kids, maybe?) and I stopped doing it. Seeing other people's finds on the blogs and on Flickr has reminded me how much I like to browse around for unique and cheap things!

Mostly what I like to shop for is dishes. I have this thing about dishes. It might be hereditary, because my mom has it, too. (She doesn't thrift hers, though. When my parents lived in Luxembourg, she got them at the Villeroy & Boch factory store. That's my kind of outlet shopping!) I recently found these out thrifting: the ones on the left are Mikasa and I got a set of six cups and saucers for $5. The lovely little teacup on the right is one of a pair, sadly with no saucers. But both of them cost maybe fifty cents.

1. Mikasa Accent Polka Cups and Saucers, 2. Blue Teacup

Now that I am trying to learn to sew, the linens at the thrift stores call me with their siren song. (Cheap fabric, cheap fabric...) I also like vintage cookbooks from the 1940s through 1960s or so, and also mid-20th century home economics textbooks. A little particular, I know. I hope to be sharing some of my finds on the blog, so get ready for even more non-knitting content! Sorry!

Ebay, of course, is fun for this, and I have purchased some neat things on eBay. But it's not as much fun as finding things in an actual store. Part of the thrill is sorting through a bunch of stuff that doesn't interest you to find the Perfect Thing. Looking for goodies on eBay is like hunting on those commercial preserves where you pay for the animals to be released.* It basically takes all the challenge out of the activity. What do you other thrifters think?

Another little creative project I have going on I am calling Operation Pretty Home. I have never really decorated my house and so it was starting to depress me. I am trying, on a very little budget, to make my house reflect my personality and the things that I love.

1. Bedroom Wall, 2. My Bedroom Mantle

I started with my bedroom. Hung some window treatments, looked around for some pretty things for the mantle, finally put some pictures on the wall. In the picture on the left, I got the Vogue print and the frame for less than $20. The other pictures are an idea I shamelessly stole from Alicia at Posie Gets Cozy. They are scrapbooking papers in frames. That is brilliant. It looks really nice, I think.

Also ... swaps! I am doing Sockapalooza 4 and very excited about planning my sock project for my pal. I'm also getting together a package for Jennie's Sound Swap ... more on all this in the next post!

* Before you ask, no, I do not hunt. I heard about these places on NPR.

Random Things

2007-05-18T12:38:00.001-04:00

I didn't mean to let a week go by without blogging. But I have finished things to show!

Pattern: Basically Jaywalkers, except on 52 sts in DK weight. With no ribbing at the top. And a short row heel.
Yarn: Cider Moon Glacier in Cherry on Top (my new favorite colorway of all time!)
Needles: 3.0mm Addi Turbo circulars
Inspired by all the ripply goodness around the blogosphere, I knew I wanted some sort of wavy or chevron-type pattern. I tried several different stitch patterns, then finally settled on an adapted Jaywalker. I left off the ribbing so that it would be very ripply at the top. These are quite short little anklets and I love them. They are posing on a quilt that my great-grandmother made.

And here is the finished Patchwork Purse. It's blanket stitched together with lime embroidery floss, which I then whipped with purple. It looks pretty cute. Really, it's just lousy sewing, but hey, we all have to start somewhere. I left off the buttons; I may add a snap or other closure later.

Annie and Minty both tagged me for the 7 random things about me meme. So here ya go!

1. I own at least ten of those Putamayo world music CDs. This embarrasses me a little, because it smacks of that inauthenticity thing, but I love them. Right now, this one is my favorite.

2. At the rate S & J are going, I estimate that I will have seen this movie well over 200 times by the end of the summer.

3. Other than yarn (ahem), I have several small "collections." I collect teapots and teacups, things related to or picturing Paris, and 1940s-1960s Betty Crocker cookbooks. Oh, also ... I have a little problem with handbags and shoes.

4. I was 27 when I first got a driver's license and 32 before I drove a car on a regular basis.

5. Favorite domestic chores: grocery shopping and laundry. Least favorites: yardwork and cleaning the bathtub.

6. Jobs I have, at one time or another, had: babysitter, salesperson in a candy store, tax attorney, policy analyst, telephone fundraiser for my college, legislative assistant, salesperson in an American handcrafts store. Jobs that I have, at one time or another, wished I had: high school English teacher, bookseller, FBI agent, LYS owner, idle wealthy international jetsetter, restaurant owner, broadcast journalist (when I was 12!), rare book librarian.

7. My favorite time of day is between about 5 and 8 pm, on a clear summer evening.

And if you're game to play, you seven are tagged! Amy, Olga, Cat, Kate A., Ellen, Preeti, and Melinda.

ETA: I have no idea how I, comment whore that I am, managed to disable comments, but it's fixed now.

Lest You Think All I Do Is Play with Flickr Toys

2007-05-11T12:37:00.000-04:00

So, here's my first pincushion! I used this fantastic tutorial from The Purl Bee. She is not so flat on the top. In point of fact, she is rather lumpy. But I like her. The tutorial directs you to stitch the wool felt onto the top. I could not make that look nice and tidy, because essentially I do not know how to sew, so I sort of satin-stitch embroidered it on. It's completely made-up and incorrect from a technical point of view, but I think it looks OK.

The fabric is from a toile fat quarter that I bought in the prepackaged-fat-quarter section of the craft store, because I am too intimatidated to Approach the Cutting Counter. It's funny, being a newbie sewer* reminds me of how I felt in yarn shops when I first started knitting. It's the feeling of not-belonging. And also that feeling of deep fraudulent inauthenticity, like the non-Spanish speaker who nevertheless calls those Central American countries Hwah-teh-mah-lah and Nee-cah-rrrah-hwah. You know what I'm talking about.

This is the beginning of a Patchwork Purse from The Crafter's Companion. Clearly, asymmetry is where it's at in my craft room. One of these days, I will sew a straight seam. And that will be a very good day. Several people commented about my silly little sewing machine. It was purchased at Target, for about $25, and only does straight stitch. It has no guides for seam allowances (this may be part of my problem). It is extremely flimsy and can actually run on batteries. (Just in case you need to sew while camping, or maybe at a ball game? That would bring a whole new meaning to "Stitch and Pitch.") If I get obsessed, I'll get a real machine.

Having become seriously disenchanted with the ripple afghan I was working on, I have moved on to granny squares. I have to say, this is fun. I am also working on some knitting ... suddenly, I find myself obsessed with socks. But I'll save that for next time since this is already a very long post.

In the meantime, I have an important question. To paraphrase Hugh Grant in Love Actually, who do I have to screw to get into this or get some of this yarn? Just kidding!!

*Seamstress? Would that term make me sound like a heteronormative gender fascist?

Today's Favorites!

2007-05-10T08:18:00.000-04:00

1. angry, 2. Pink knee high, 3. handspun french press cosy; favorite mug, 4. rosy baltics :: birk mary-janes, 5. the Happy Mexican napkins, 6. Marigold Sock, 7. The Baby Quilt Lounges, 8. jaywalkers, 9. sweet peas, 10. Dorothy Moved On Up To Diamonds, 11. taco time, 12. Bird, 13. Market Bag, uncinched, 14. Hydrant Bokeh, 15. Untitled, 16. I can resist everything except temptation., 17. She can almost touch the sky, 18. La Belle Chocolatiere - Das Schokoladenmädchen, 19. cups, 20. Wendy's baby blanket, 21. needlework and wool shop in Toronto, 22. sweet :: sour, 23. Flicker falls down, 24. Two 60s cups by Arabia, 25. kurt halsey pillow, 26. lace hankies, 27. duro dress green background, 28. Tiki Bib, 29. first steps on first quilt, 30. Eiffel tower pillowcases, 31. cherry trees, 32. sketchbook april 21 07, 33. bunny deviled eggs, 34. Joyce and Genvieve, 35. blue trees embroidery, 36. Japanese mugs

Celebrating Chez Affiknitty

2007-05-04T10:01:00.000-04:00

Thank you all so much for all your kind thoughts and comments about my last post. I fully intend to answer each one of you ... if you don't get a response from me, it's because I can't find an email address for you.

But, in the meantime, I thought I'd share some news.

I passed the Bar Exam!

I feel a little like I did this.

And now I think I will celebrate by spending the morning playing with this.

Thanks, Mason...

2007-04-30T19:18:00.000-04:00

I was reading through my bloglines and saw this wonderful post on Autism Awareness Month at Anne's blog, Knitspot. It's an essay by a nine-year-old friend of Anne's, about what having autism is like.
As some of you know, my older son S has autism. Many times I have thought about writing about it here. But I generally don't want to write about very personal things here, especially about my kids. Also, I don't really know where to start. It can be infuriating to deal with autism ... with mysterious behaviors from your child, with ignorance from physicians, with judgments from other parents who assume your child is bad rather than disabled. It is incredibly difficult to watch your child struggle and feel frustrated over communicating the simplest things. Nothing will break your heart like realizing that the kid next door is afraid of your child because he thinks shoving is playing.

S faces many challenges. But he is doing better every day. He is a beautiful, sweet, affectionate, happy little boy who likes swimming, ice skating, riding his scooter, and coloring.

Chances are, you know a child with autism. What was once rare is now frighteningly common -- approximately one in 150 children are suffering from autistic spectrum disorder. Yet there is surprisingly little being spent on research ... a fraction of what is spent on childhood diseases that are far less prevalent. If you're interested in helping or learning more, check the links below.

- National Autism Association
- Autism Speaks
- Autism Society of America
- Autism Research Institute
- U.C. Davis MIND Institute

Anne and Mason, you've given an eloquent voice to many people who cannot speak so well for themselves. My son and I are very, very grateful.

I'm a Cider Moon Groupie

2007-04-30T16:11:00.000-04:00

I resisted the urge to call myself a Cider Moonie. The trunk show was fabulous! The place was packed! And there were a lot of people there, too!

Gail and Jacki (like most Ohioans, some of the nicest people EVER) took a lot of photos, which you can see here on their blog. Also Preeti has some great pictures of the event and the yarn. Me, I had camnesia. But I did manage to get a picture of everyone at lunch.

L to R: Jeanne, Deanna, me, Joyce, Preeti, Ludmilla, Carol, Debbi.

Here's what I walked away with!

1. Close-up of Cherry on Top, 2. Cider Moon Glacier DK in Cherry on Top, 3. Cider Moon Glacier DK in Avocado, 4. Cider Moon Icicle Fingering Weight in Pistachio

One picture of each, and just because I am so in love with it, a close-up of Cherry on Top. Pink, cream and brown are very good. Aqua, cream and brown are very, very good. Pink AND aqua and cream and brown make me want to weep with happiness. I couldn't stand it. I had to cast it on.

But, wait! There's more Cider Moon goodness! An FO!

Pattern: Campfire Socks, available gratis on the Cider Moon website
Yarn: Glacier DK in Mardi Gras by, well, you know
Needles: 3.25mm circulars for Magic Loop
Thoughts: OK. I see the whole Mardi Gras gold-purple-green thing. But this yarn is So Much Prettier than the reality of the French Quarter on the day before Ash Wednesday. The green in particular is so deep and lovely, ranging from pine to the most beautiful olive. This is the softest, squishiest yarn ever. And I made the socks from way less than one skein ... see how much yarn was left? Yay!

It was so much fun to see everyone, and to meet Gail and Jacki. If you too love Cider Moon, you should visit and join the Flickr group! It's hosted by Katie, who has some seriously nice socks in the pool. Check it out!

******
A non sequitur by way of a query: Someone who has commented here recently posted instructions on how to do drop-down menus on your Blogger sidebar, and because I am clearly suffering from CRS* I don't know who! Can you identify yourself and remind me how to do it, please? I am eternally grateful.

* Can't Remember Shit.

Attention Cleveland-Area Knitters!

2007-04-28T06:55:00.000-04:00

Following up about the Cider Moon trunk show...

There will be a group of us meeting at Soft n' Sassy in Broadview Heights at 11 am. (Click the link for directions.)

This looks to be a lot of fun. Gail and Jacki will have roving and spinning demos, prizes, and, of course, their beautiful yarns! Hope you can come!

Extremely Belated Harlotty Post

2007-04-26T09:04:00.000-04:00

Here it is, the requisite photo of the Harlot, in her luminous Bohus, at a podium. As you might have guessed, this particular podium is in an eastern suburb of Cleveland and the photo is a few weeks old. This is basically the only photo I have of the august occassion, because I was suffering from camnesia. (Thanks, Margene, for introducing me to that very useful word!)

The parade of superlatives about Ms. Pearl-McPhee and her talk on Taking Knitters Seriously has been making the rounds of the blogs and the podcasts. Really, I can't add anything, except a very enthusiastic "What they said!" She was delightful and it was so much fun to be in such a big group of My People.

I saw many, many wonderful people that day, including Linda and Annie, Diana, Jeanne, Anne, Maureen, Debbie, and others whose names have sadly escaped the sieve that is my brain. A couple of people said they visited Affiknitty but were lurkers. Please, I beg you, speak up! I want to be able to talk to you!

But, now for the real purpose of this post ... to all you Cleveland-area knitters. Gail and Jacki from Cider Moon are having a trunk show this Saturday at Soft 'n Sassy in Broadview Heights. Is anyone else planning on going? Please email me or leave a comment! I would like to plan my visit to see as many of my fellow fiber-lovers as possible!

Also, thank you so much everyone for the nice comments about my embroidery projects. I think I'll not start Blue-Grey Girl again. It's just a learning project anyway and, as Asa said, I might feel better about it when it's done. I swear there will be knitting on this blog again!

Well, Maybe Not

2007-04-25T16:38:00.000-04:00

I started my blue-grey-white embroidered girl. I'm not very happy with how it's turning out. I tried to do a kind of long-and-short stitch on her skirt. The result is that it looks as though it is covered with feathers. Also, I thought it would be cool to use more than one color of blue in the skirt, and that doesn't look so great either. As my torts professor would say, "Too clever by four-fifths."

The top part's pretty nice.

"Young Girl Attending an Improving Lecture"

But, the bottom?

"Appearing Nightly at the Copa!"

Not so much.

About 37% Ironic

2007-04-23T08:31:00.000-04:00

Thanks, Ashley! Your Texas nostalgia post gave me the perfect phrase for this project! It describes your affection for Willie Nelson and mine for these sunbonnet girls. There is something about these vintagey embroidery transfers that I love, but indeed that love is at least 37% ironic. This one is an Aunt Martha design; the Aunt Martha designs range from slightly bizarre to kitschy-cute to offensive (scroll down to read about Olga's finds at Hobby Lobby). These, however, fit snugly into the sweetly kitschy category.

Remember when you were a kid, and you woke up with a Saturday stretched in front of you, filled with possibility, and you had a Plan? Maybe you thought "I'm going to sew a new wardrobe for my Skipper doll!" Or "I'm going to ride my bike down to the creek and look for turtles!" Or "Today, I'm going to eat pancakes and then I'm going to put on my tennis shoe roller skates, take my radio outside and skate on the driveway All Day Long!" Nothing matches the enthusiasm of a kid with a plan. I see it in J, especially. He can be at his watercolors within minutes of waking up.

Well, yesterday, I woke up with a Plan. I had no pressing obligations other than to keep the boys out of the emergency room. It was a beautiful day, the boys were playing on the swingset, the Cavs were on TV, and I said to myself "Today, I am going to embroider!"

Once I sat down to stitch it, I realized that it was perfect for Project Spectrum! Where I might have been at least momentarily paralyzed about color choices, I was able to just dive right in ... I let PS pick my colors for me. I've decided to do a sunbonnet girl for each of the PS color groups. I have no idea what I will do with them; this is stitched on a plain Target cloth napkin (awesome for stitching, BTW). Ideas will be warmly welcomed.

Link-o-Rama!

- Vintage embroidery transfers just your cup of tea? You must visit Floresita's Vintage Transfer Finds!
- Or, perhaps you prefer your embroidery on the salty side? Look what Vera made! She's also got some great stitching links at the end of her post.
- From the Department of Serious Project Commitment, see Jane's klosterstitch in progress. It's impossibly, beautifully worked.
- I'm just catching up with Marly's podcast, Yarn Thing, and I love it. It's like having a friend at your kitchen table.

I Heart Flickr

2007-04-21T11:28:00.000-04:00

1. Grafitti, 2. i may be silly, but my skirt is awesome, 3. so far, 4. Green Lace Weight, 5. Vintage Apron, 6. areias ondulantes, 7. Finished crochet project, 8. tiramisu blanket detail, 9. newborn baby socks, 10. Spherey, Hatted, 11. Lemons on a vintage plate, 12. Ripple Progress, 13. More blanket, with William the hound, 14. Keep going going, 15. march 28, 2007, 16. Wednesday Afternoon, 17. Angora Lace Scarf in Progress, 18. And more cables, 19. Saffrons' Love - spun for International Womens Day March 8, 20. Tea Towel Tour 010, 21. a window to the Eden, 22. Untitled, 23. I pray for LOVE and hate politics, 24. kelly cardi, 25. Yarn Portrait: Shokay Yak Down, 26. favorite time of day, 27. Anemoi Mitten, right hand, 28. Clapotis close-up, 29. handspun pi, 30. babette 001, 31. 1348, 32. 1340, 33. Colored markers, 34. Skeppsholmen, Stockholm, 35. End Of History 2, 36. Handspun Sock Yarn

In Love

2007-04-20T13:23:00.000-04:00

Colors, from left: Istanbul, Chocolate Mousse, June Carter

I have found a yarn that joins Jessie's and Sundara's among my very favorite yarns. It's Cider Moon Glacier DK superwash merino. As I noted in my last post, I recently started a pair of socks in some of this delicious, dyed-here-in-Ohio yarn. I bought it at the Knitter's Mercantile, while I was in Columbus taking the bar exam. Finally, it found its way on my needles. I am besotted. So much so that I dashed off to their website, fortuitously soon after a shop update. I may have gone a little nuts.

This yarn is buttery soft and the colors are simply amazing. Plus, great customer service -- the shipping was very fast and they included four little yarn samples: three more Glacier colorways and one in Flurry, a fingering weight yarn. I am looking forward to trying some of their other yarn styles! As for those socks, I imagine you'll be seeing an FO post soon.

Link-o-Rama!

- More babies! Faith from The Knitting Cook has welcomed a little girl to her family! Yay!
- Lately, I've felt the desire to cast on some lace ... next new project! You too? Not into triangular shawls? Check out JennyRaye's fantastic compendium of rectangular shawl patterns, both for sale and gratis.
- From the Department of Very Extremely Beautiful Things, check out these socks!
- On a non-fibery note, Sister Diane recently posted about a cheery little vintage Betty Crocker cookbook she scored while thrifting. I have a SERIOUS weakness for these cookbooks and have a little collection of my own.

How to Get Out of a Rut

2007-04-16T10:14:00.000-04:00

1. Catch up with your favorite podcasts.

2. Browse your library.

3. Embrace the fact that you are a process knitter. Let your WIPs be WIPs.

Boteh Scarf; Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in Mother Lode

4. Ascend the learning curve.

Clockwise from top: Socks That Rock in Garnet, Koigu KPPM in Springwater, Sundara merino sockweight in Hydrangea, Sundara merino sockweight in Bird of Paradise

5. Play with your yarn.

Campfire Socks; Cider Moon Glacier DK in Mardi Gras

6. Cast on something soft and gorgeous and warm.

Lost: My Focus

2007-04-13T10:16:00.000-04:00

Call it a swatch, call it a coaster, call it what you will. But these are the only "FOs" I have to show.

I am knitting (and crocheting), but the only things I manage to finish are swatches. Here is a reasonably comprehensive list of what's on my needles:

Three pairs of socks
Two sweaters
Two scarves
Three blankets
Two pairs of mittens

She cannot resist the siren song of the shell stitch!

Also, I have started and nearly as quickly abandoned several other projects (the Cable-Down Pullover from the Spring IK, Tiffany mittens, Chevron scarf, Pomatomus socks, etc., etc.). The reasons for aborting these are varied and predictable: gauge totally off, colors all wrong, yarn not working for the pattern, size ridiculously too large. I especially seem to be having problems with socks (sob!), as many of the patterns I really want to knit have not been working out for me. I knit too loosely. I have trouble getting gauge. These socks would fit someone with a wicked case of edema. Waah waah waah.

Helen asked about the patterns in this book, so I thought I'd share my $0.02 about it. I do really like the book. It's very attractively photographed and clearly laid out. On each left hand page is a knit stitch pattern and on each right hand page, a crochet pattern. One really nice feature of the book is that the table of contents includes a thumbnail picture of each stitch pattern, which makes browsing the book very easy. The book includes some very introductory information on color theory and choosing colors, as well as appendices in the back that illustrate how to make the basic knit and crochet stitches.

I only have a few little quibbles. First of all, the book contains "200 patterns" because each stitch pattern is illustrated in two sets of colors. Granted, with some of the patterns the look can be very different and how many ripple patterns can there be, but still. To me, that's more like 100 patterns. I wish the book included detailed information about the yarns that are used in the pictured swatches. And I really wish the knit patterns had charts. Some of them are lacy, and I just prefer to knit lace from a chart. But, all in all, I think the book is inspiring and well-executed, and I'm glad I added it to my burgeoning craft bookshelf. If you both knit and crochet, I'd say it's definitely worth purchasing.

Link-o-Rama!

- Baby Lug is here! Go see!
- I'm sure you probably already know this, but Sockapalooza 4 signups are open!
- Greetingarts loves blue-green and so do I.
- At risk of appearing to be stalking Alicia, I will point out that there is a free crocheted baby blanket pattern that is too sweet up at Posie Gets Cozy.
- A little late, but if you are either (1) wondering what to do with Peeps or (2) in the mood for a lovely tune by the Roches, visit alt-gramma and indie mom at Speed of Dark.

Apology Flowers

2007-04-05T11:30:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone! I apologize for the long silence. My sister was visiting this past weekend and now we are going to visit the in-laws for Easter. If I give you some flowers, will you forgive me?

When I come back ... the Yarn Harlot! My great-grandmother's crochet! Too many WIPs to enumerate! More Link-o-Rama!

Too Much to Resist

2007-03-28T09:04:00.000-04:00

Maybe it was the idea of using up all those little leftover balls of yarn...

I knew I was saving these for a reason.

Maybe it was the tools...

Ooh! Shiny! Pretty colors!

Definitely, it was partly Nona's doing. I could no longer resist the siren call of the crochet.

Now what do I do with all those ends?

Because, really, who doesn't need another craft to practice?

Today's Link-o-Rama!

- See the Ur-Ripples here at Posie Gets Cozy. Alicia started the craze!
- Miss Periwinkle has made two exceptionally lovely blankets: a Ripple and a Vintage Stripe.
- There's also a Ripple-Along and Bella Dia has a great tutorial for the Vintage Stripes.
- See even more Ripples and Vintage Stripes at their respective Flickr pools!
- And, to end on a knitting note, Margene has a great post today about the endless allure of sock knitting.

And the Answers Are...

2007-03-27T14:37:00.000-04:00

Well, that was fun! Pretty much everyone recognized the Koigu.

I have no idea what the brown tweedy yarn is. I was curious what people would guess. This scarf is from my early days as a knitter, when I didn't fully comprehend the idea that you can always frog something that isn't really working. This scarf is ridiculously too wide and too short, but the yarn is nice. It might be Classic Elite Waterspun. Not sure.

These lovelies are, from left, Colinette Jitterbug and Cider Moon Glacier. The Jitterbug was a very generous prize from Cat (I was the 100th commenter on her blog). The Cider Moon is made by talented hand-dyers here in Ohio. I bought this at the Knitter's Mercantile in Columbus the evening after the first day of the bar exam. The people there were extremely nice, helpful, and sympathetic about my ordeal. They agreed that yarn was definitely in order.

There seemed to be a split among the guessers with respect to the garter stitch project: many thought it was Cotton-Ease and almost as many guessed Knit Picks Shine.

Sorry. Wrong. It's Red Heart Soft Yarn.

Lolly recently posted about a cute, cute shrug she is knitting from Caron Simply Soft Shadows. She opined, and I tended to agree, that not all acrylic yarns are created equal. Some of them are actually nice. Her commenters had many suggestions for good acrylic yarns, which naturally I felt compelled to road test. We'll see how this stands up to the washer and dryer. But right now, I am tempted to dub Red Heart Soft Yarn the "Two-Buck Chuck of Yarns."

Now, I'm not going to argue that this is as good a yarn as, say, Rowan Felted Tweed anymore than I would suggest that Charles Shaw Sauvignon Blanc is as good a wine as my favorite French Sancerre. But, for the price, this yarn is excellent. It is soft as can be, feels silky not plasticky, knits up nicely, and comes in some decent (read secondary and tertiary) colors. And it was $2.99 a ball. For items that will take some abuse, where allergies or woolphobias are concerned, or when you're on a budget, I'd say this is a good choice.

**********
Link-o-Rama, Baby!

I have really been enjoying the links that Faith at No More Sweaters and Vera at freehand sketching have been closing their posts with. So much crafty goodness! So much inspiration! I decided to shamelessly steal their fantastic idea!

- Pamela Wynne at Flint Knits has made two of the Cutest Blouses Ever.
- Soe at sprite writes has a lovely recurring theme of "Three Beautiful Things" on her blog.
- Consistently hilarious Ellen at Knit Sisters blogs about the Healing Power of Jello.
- If you're looking for something good to read, you might check out this post and this one at Fig & Plum.
- Theresa at Knitting Underway is looking for manly sock yarns and patterns. Did I mention she's having a contest?

Name That Yarn

2007-03-25T11:41:00.000-04:00

I am a top secret WIP. When I am ready, my identity will be revealed.

Birthday money burns a hole in my pocket no more.

I am a scarf. I am too wide & am off to the frog pond.

Oh, the lusciousness.

C'mon. Take a guess. And also, here is a picture of my Must-Have-in-Progress.

Copycat

2007-03-23T10:19:00.000-04:00

I have shamelessly copied this idea from Minty. These are some of the photographs from my Flickr favorites. Just a little eye candy for you!

More details on the photos: 1. Colored markers, 2. Skeppsholmen, Stockholm, 3. End Of History 2, 4. Handspun Sock Yarn, 5. Hourglass Eyelet Socks, 6. Hourglass Eyelet Socks, 7. arch shaped stockings, 8. project spectrum fo 1, 9. woolspectrum01, 10. Hope, 11. Komi Revisited, 12. almost finished..., 13. Sucre Morceaux, 14. Les Deux Magots Watercolor, 15. Rowan Lightweight DK Stash, 16. Rowan Lightweight DK, 17. chevron scarf - closeup, 18. lapland mittens - fini! and BLOG, 19. twirl, 20. 060 - Campinas City.jpg, 21. A Janela (The Window), 22. Welcome to the Jungle, 23. Campinas, 24. vovô, 25. violet and vesper, 26. women's work, 27. Saffron Hedera, 28. Bats, 29. Shaped Heel, 30. Norwegian mittens, 31. Norwegian-inspired hat & mittens, 32. Scarf, 33. Jam, 34. attempted two hand shot, 35. Squirrel and Oak Mittens, 36. Noro Lotus scarf

Now I'm a Believer

2007-03-19T09:17:00.000-04:00

Pattern: Cabled Footies by Leigh Radford in One Skein
Yarn: About half a skein of Peace Fleece
Needles: 3.75 mm Knit Picks Options circulars
Modifications: Decreased the toe a little differently to make it less pointy.

So, here they are, the entrelac-break footies. They're pretty cerebral, as socks go. The originals were pictured with Kierkegaard, but these are reading Hannah Arendt.

First of all, another big thank you to Brianne, who gave me this yarn a long time ago, either because I won a contest or she's a sweetie or, most likely, both. I have to say, I had heard many wonderful things about Peace Fleece, but I was a doubter. In the skein, it felt so scratchy. And kind of puny ... the stitches didn't look so pretty. But, then, I gave them a Eucalan bath. It made ALL the difference. Now I know what people mean by "the yarn really bloomed." I love this yarn. I am tempted to hoard.

Thanks everyone for the nice comments about my Lady Eleanor. I am about halfway done with it. This weekend I started the Must Have Cardigan (more on that soon) and it's nice to alternate between the entrelac and cables.

A bit of randomness: my friend Preeti and I have a new blog project! It's called Cleveland in Photos and we post a picture of our city every day. There's a fabulous and interesting community of city daily photo blogs that are well worth visiting. Anyway, drop by if you'd like a closer look at my wonderful hometown.

Also, check out Preeti's blog for a more "mathematically rigorous" version of the Knitting Happiness graph!

My Precious

2007-03-17T15:50:00.000-04:00

Here she is ... my Lady Eleanor-in-progress. I am ridiculously in love with it. Entrelac is dangerously addictive. I am using two colors of Patons SWS, Natural Earth and Natural Plum, and I am alternating them with each tier. It's fun to see how the colors emerge. If you look closely, you can see a safety pin in one of the squares. That's the point at which I decided it would behove me to figure out knitting backwards. (Not as hard as it sounds.)

I love working on this, but it's getting a little unwieldy to carry around. As a little break from the entrelac, I made another pair of Cabled Footies, from some Peace Fleece that's been in my stash for awhile. But I'll save that for next time.

The New Not-Ugly Sweater

2007-03-09T09:53:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Elizabeth Zimmermann's Seamless Raglan Sweater from Knitting Without Tears
Yarn: 5 skeins Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky in Pewter (Gray for Project Spectrum!)
Needles: Knit Picks Options circulars, size 10
Finished chest size: 37 inches

I apologize for the grainy photo. My camera is on its last legs (lens?).

As I mentioned in my last post, my goal here was a comfy, warm sweater that I can wear in public. I was telling PCR that I decided to skip any waist shaping. "After all," said I, "it's really supposed to be like a ..." (I am thinking sweatshirt.)

PCR jumped in. "Blankie?"

Well, yes, actually.

As you can see, I also skipped shaping the back of the neck, because I like boatnecks. And the three-quarter length sleeves? Yeah, I absolutely meant to do that. Ahem. (I swear I measured them against a sweater that fits. ) Fortunately, the shorter sleeve is more functional for me anyhow. The bottom, cuffs and neckline are 1x1 twisted rib. I have decided that I will never again do an untwisted 1x1 rib, as this looks So Much Better. Jennie and I were apparently coming to this same conclusion at about the same time.

I like the Wool of the Andes Bulky. I would call it "chunky" rather than "bulky." It's soft and warm, and it knit up quickly while still making a nice looking garment. I bet it would be fantastic for felting.

And now, I will leave you with a little preview of My Precious.

The Story of the Ugly Sweater

2007-03-05T09:18:00.000-05:00

Let it never be said that Affiknitty is a mere vehicle for knitterly showing off. Today, I uncover my sartorial shame. This, my friends, is the Ugly Sweater. Technically, it is an Elizabeth Zimmermann seamless yoke sweater and it was knit in Wool-Ease Thick and Quick. I finished it the winter before I started blogging. Here is a (rather blurry, sorry) picture of it in better days.

Some things age well. Some things do not. Sadly, sweaters made of Thick and Quick (at least in this color) are in the latter category. It is ridiculously too large, pilling doesn't begin to describe the surface of the fabric, and it generally makes me look as though I am wearing the pelt of dead Muppets. Never is my tongue more firmly in my cheek about "cultivating fabulousness" than when I am donning the Ugly Sweater. And I have been wearing it a lot. It was the perfect study sweater. For some reason, S and J love it -- S has even brought it to me to put on. I even sleep in it.

But I came to the conclusion that this sweater really should not be making appearances outside Chez Affiknitty. I decided to knit another comfy, shapeless sweatshirt-alternative while I was studying. PCR very diplomatically agreed that this was a good idea. So, next on Affiknitty, the New Not-Ugly Sweater.

This brings to mind a question. Kimberly recently finished a beautiful Ribby Cardi. I commented that it seems to be a knitting Perfect Storm -- fun to knit and a pleasure to wear.

See what happens to you when you start hanging out with scientists?

For me, I must admit that the Ugly Sweater is one of those projects. But, even more, I loved knitting Clapotis and I wear it all the time. It was with me at the Decemberists concert AND the bar exam. What more can I say?

So, tell me. Which project do you love to wear as much as you loved to knit it?

And, I'm Back!

2007-03-04T09:59:00.001-05:00

More Mittens!
Originally uploaded by Affiknitty.

Hi everyone! I'm back! Thanks for all your warm thoughts and well wishes. I think it made a difference! I feel good about how I did and I am hopeful that I won't be back in Columbus in July taking the test again. Yippee!

Here's the first of the FOs I promised. Another pair of Ann Budd mittens, these were knit with far less than one skein of Knit Picks Decadence on 5.0 mm needles. All that alpaca yumminess ... there will be no chillblains on the fingers.

I'm so glad to be back ... more knitterly goodness to come this week.

What's Doing

2007-02-26T05:30:00.000-05:00

I am leaving for Columbus this afternoon; the test is tomorrow, Wednesday, and Thursday. I feel about as prepared as I am ever going to be, and I'm definitely ready to just take the damn thing. Thank you again for all your support and encouragement over the last two months! It's meant more than you know!

I'm looking forward to getting back to blogging regularly. Coming soon on affiknitty ... FOs! The Story of the Ugly Sweater! Stranded in Estonia! Yarn shopping on the road! The time-sucking, wallet-emptying qualities of indie music on iTunes! Yay!

And, because I can't post without pictures, some blue and white things for Project Spectrum.

Manos a Manos

2007-02-15T12:12:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Grand Plan Mittens by Ann Budd, in The Knitter's Handy Book of Patterns
Yarn: Manos del Uruguay, Wildflowers colorway

ETA: Hilary asked how much yarn I used, and I meant to mention that I used less than one skein! I had about a teacup-sized ball left over!

Needles: Knit Picks Options circulars, size US8
Thoughts: I gave these to my mom, who is the model here. They were a tiny bit too short for me and, plus, I just wanted her to have them.

Mittens may be the new socks. I loved knitting these. The pattern is so simple, but what possibilities! I look at my stash and all I see is mittens.

I am suffering from acute startitis as well. I have Kate's problem--I start something and then, just as quickly, toss it aside for something else. Then go back to the first thing, and then start a third, etc. I have two sweaters, one sock, one scarf, and not one, but two Estonian mittens on the needles right now. And I've swatched for two more pairs of mittens. Pathetic.

Less than two weeks to go before the Big Exam. It's serious short-term-memory-cramming time. I'm going to need more coffee.

Completely gratuitous picture of cute kid. I did knit the sweater, though, a few years back.

Blues for Project Spectrum

2007-02-08T11:09:00.000-05:00

What can I say? I'm a joiner.

21st Century Yarn for 19th Century Feet

2007-02-06T17:43:00.000-05:00

Pattern: 3x1 Ribbed Socks
Yarn: Patons SWS, about 1.5 balls in Natural Plum
Needles: Knit Picks Options 40" circular, size US7
Size: Fits my size 7.5 foot a little loosely

Upon further inspection and reflection, I love this yarn. It's really soft and silky. I love the way it's loosely spun, with occasional slubs. The colors are lovely. It's easy to find and pretty affordable (I paid $5.99 a ball). Just a couple of days from start to finish, and I have my own pair of wooly, wonderful house socks.

And a good thing, too. It's been darn cold here on Lake Erie. (Warning: following discussion may be TMI for some of you!) In the wintertime, I have noticed that the very ends of my toes can get really red and swollen and they HURT. But only in the winter. My mom and I were discussing this and she helpfully suggested Googling my symptoms.

(Do you do that too? Express complete mystification about [topic] and forget completely about the wonder of the Internets? I do it all the time.)

I was not optimistic about finding an answer to my query. I had never heard of anyone having this sort of problem. But apparently, it is not so uncommon. You can even get a t-shirt! The answer is apparently to keep one's feet nice and toasty. Looky there! I have medical dispensation to knit more socks!

Chillblains?! That sounds so antiquated. In fact, isn't it the sort of complaint you'd encounter in, say, a Decemberists song?

Second Son ... Second Sweater

2007-02-04T10:31:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Seamless Raglan Sweater by Elizabeth Zimmermann in Knitting Without Tears
Yarn: Plymouth Encore Worsted, color 9621 (I think), less than 2 skeins
Needles: Knit Picks Options circulars size US 8
Chest size: About 26 inches
Thoughts: I may be a little addicted to stockinette in the round right now. Both the studying and the knitting go faster together. One happy surprise about this sweater was how little yarn it took. I really thought I'd be pushing it to make a sweater for a 4-year-old with only two skeins of yarn (about 400 yards). But I actually had about a third of the skein left.

Once again, I found the EZ percentages to work out fine for a child's sweater. I did take her advice (both for this sweater and S's) to knit the sleeves straight. I cast on one-third of the body stitches for the sleeves and did no increasing at all.

As I mentioned before, I'm planning my next Zimmermann sweater already. It will be in Cotton-Ease for my nephew who lives in California.

I finished that first SWS sock. And, once I saw all the colors in the skein, I decided it's definitely not hideous.

This and That Friday

2007-02-02T09:40:00.000-05:00

So... sorry about all the not-new feeds ... affiknitty has officially switched to the New Blogger. I feel compelled to make up for it with a new post. And thanks, too, for all the nice comments about the Son and the Sweater.

The interview was a complete joke. I was there for, maybe, ten minutes. As I have little to explain in my past (frankly, I'm completely square), there wasn't much to talk about. I suppose there was that shockingly large stash of Wool-Ease, but I don't think the Bar Admissions committee is worried about lack of judgment in stash enhancement. (Thank God.) Anyway, my application is being approved and that means come February 27th, I will be in Columbus sitting for the exam. Gulp.

Monday night PCR and I went to a local venue for a little musical entertainment. We saw Asobi Seksu and they were fantastic. I highly recommend that you see them if you like shoegaze-dream-pop and they visit your hometown. Opening for them was a local band, Bears, who were excellent as well. They play a lovely, ever-so-slightly psychedelic indie pop reminiscent of Belle and Sebastian. The percussionist/glockenspiel player is the roommate of S's tutor, so I am especially pleased to let people know about them.

The knitting is going surprisingly well. I continue to be obsessed with knitting sweaters for small boys. Expect an FO post on J's EZ sweater very soon. I am already in the planning stage for sweater #3 for my nephew. Startitis has also set in. Yesterday, I toddled off to the big-box craft store, for the sole purpose of purchasing a large crochet hook to bind off the neck of J's sweater.

You can imagine how successful I was at buying only one crochet hook. They had Patons SWS (70% wool, 30% soy), a yarn which I have been wanting to try, so I picked up a little and cast on while listening to my Commercial Paper lecture. If Nona swatches, Laura can too.

The yarn is wonderful to knit with, soft and silky feeling. But ugh, this striping! This is the Natural Denim colorway, and the swatch measures 6 inches wide by 4.5 inches high. I was hoping for shorter color repeats and more gradual changes. SWS, take two ... this time with Natural Plum.

This is the beginnings of a house sock for me, knit in 3x1 rib. I'm not sure if this is hideous or beautiful. In any case, this is what I had in mind in terms of color changes and repeats. They will make warm and comfy socks and I think the colors will make me smile. Now, I really need to hit the books.

First Son ... First FO of 2007

2007-01-25T09:17:00.000-05:00

Pattern: The Seamless Hybrid by Elizabeth Zimmermann, from Knitting Without Tears
Yarn: Just a bit more than 2 skeins of Plymouth Encore Worsted, color #670
Needles: Knit Picks Options circulars, size US8
Finished chest size: 28 inches

I finished this sweater this weekend and S has worn it twice. He likes. Yay! I almost immediately cast on another one for his little brother, and I'm already on the second sleeve. It's really the perfect study project.

Many others have waxed poetic about the virtues of this pattern and EZ's sweaters in general, but allow me to add a little in the way of adulation. This pattern is GENIUS. In particular, the system of percentages is so brilliantly simple and elegant. And it works. I also love doing the body and the sleeves first ... no getting stuck on Sleeve Island. You get the dull parts over with first and then you get to finish up with a bang.

I did hems on the sleeves and at the bottom and a 1x1 rib at the neck. The hem facings (pictured here) are knit in a little bit of blue heather Wool-Ease I had lying about. For the bottom hem, I knit the cast on row together with the appropriate round farther up. The sleeve hems I whipstitched after finishing the whole sweater. I actually prefer sewing the hems; I think they look nicer. For J's sweater, I'm doing a shallow little 1x1 rib edging at sleeves and bottom. Lisa, you asked about the decreases ... I had a little trouble getting a good picture of them, but perhaps they are more visible here. Click for bigger.

I had some trouble with the bind-off at the neck. My first two attempts were too tight, to say the least. (I made J try it on and it would NOT go over his head. He was shouting, "I don't want it! I'm stuck! I'm stuck!") Then, my dear friend PCR showed me the crochet bind-off. It's changed my life. By the way, she's finally blogging, so go over there and show her some love. Check out her beautiful Shetland Triangle!

Also, I'm proud to say that I grafted the underarms. Naturally, PCR had to chant the instructions at me while I did it, but it worked. A goal for 2007: Fear Kitchener No More.

Thanks everyone for the nice comments and encouragement, again. I am trying to keep up with things, but it's tough. I have found out that I am 99% certain to be able to take the exam in February. My background check is done, and I just have to be interviewed by a member of the Bar Association. Presumably, this is to ensure that I am not certifiably insane, a junkie, etc. Since I tend to clean up pretty well and can be presentable, and assuming that the interview can be scheduled in time (I don't see why it wouldn't), I think it'll be a go. Gulp. Gotta study.

ETA: Received notice of interview today! It's on the 30th. Wish me luck!

Mmm-mmm...

2007-01-17T10:44:00.000-05:00

midnight blue...

mistake stitch...

Malabrigo...

Small Blessings

2007-01-16T17:00:00.000-05:00

Here are my Green-Socks-in-progress, posing atop my Contracts notes. The socks couldn't help but look beautiful in that company, but I'd be impressed with them in any setting. The yarn is Knit Picks Memories, in the Fly Fishing colorway. I was gifted this lovely yarn by Purl, my Yarn Aboard pal.

I admit, as taken as I was by this yarn in the skein, I was very nervous about knitting it up. Frequent visitors of this blog may recall that I have had very dramatic pooling issues with this yarn in the past. In fact, those issues led me to give up on that pair of socks altogether. So imagine my grateful surprise when, on my first attempt with these skeins, I got the perfect size and no pooling whatsoever. Huzzah!

The EZ sweater is going well, but has stalled for technical difficulties. I decided on the Seamless Hybrid and I am working on the saddles. The problem is, at this point, La Zimmermann's pithy instructions become less like guidelines and more like a pattern. I can't figure out how many rows to knit back and forth for each saddle for the size that I am making. Can anyone help?

I forgot to mention that I am knitting this sweater for the Manly Giftalong and here's the "man" I'm knitting for. Luckily, there's no Sweater Curse for sons.

Unless, of course, you consider the ever-present-with-kids possibility that the sweater will be lovingly knit and then summarily rejected.

She Blogs!

2007-01-12T09:01:00.000-05:00

... and knits, too, believe it or not! The bar study is proceeding apace. Torts, Evidence, and Contracts have been the topics filling my head this week. (Did you know that you are absolutely immune from a slander suit if you make the slanderous comment only to your spouse? So feel free to let loose on the topic of that annoying neighbor, but only to your sweetie!) I am managing to keep up with the schedule, but that's about all I am keeping up with. I am woefully behind in answering emails and I haven't been able to read and comment on all your blogs, either. I apologize.

Fortunately, I have discovered that I can knit something simple (e.g., stockinette in the round) while reviewing my notes and reading the outline books. So the EZ sweater is also moving right along. As you can see, I am almost to the point where I can join the sleeves and the body, otherwise known as The Fun Part. I haven't quite decided yet whether this will be a simple saddle-shouldered style or the seamless hybrid. For those of you who might have been wondering about the yarn I am using and haven't heard back from me yet, it's the highly kid-friendly Plymouth Encore Worsted in color 670. It's a beautiful blue-green, much better than it looks on my monitor, anyway.

Of course, all this study and whatnot hasn't stopped me from joining another knitalong, the Green Socks Knitalong. I have been thinking that I need some green socks and that could be a very study-compatible project. Plus, look at all the green sock yarn I have!

(Clockwise from far L: Knit Picks Merino handdyed with kool-aid, Cherry Tree Hill in Blues/Greens, Knit Picks Essential in Grass, Knit Picks Memories in Fly Fishing, Trekking XXL color 100, Fleece Artist Basic Merino Socks.)

New Year's Knitting

2007-01-03T11:08:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm starting out the New Year with an ear infection. (Huh? I thought ear infections, like Trix, were for kids.) So we have comfort beverages, comfort reading, and comfort knitting. Specifically, that would be coffee, historical fiction, and an Elizabeth Zimmermann sweater for the boys. We'll see which one it fits when I am finished.

And here's my last FO of 2006, the mistake stitch scarf for the Red Scarf Project.

I knit this with two skeins of Knit Picks Decadence in Winter Berry, with size 10.5 needles. This yarn is such a pleasure to knit with. But be forewarned: when I washed it, the scarf grew over 8 inches in length. That was actually a good thing in this case, but if I had been knitting a sweater, I'd have wished that I washed and blocked a swatch.

The other day I received a BIG box in the mail. Here's what was in it. Sorry, not yarn. This is what I'll be up to for the next two months. I applied late to take the February bar exam, so if my background check isn't done, I'll have to wait until July. But I have to start studying now, just in case I can take it in February. So I apologize in advance if I get even more behind on blog reading, answering emails, commenting, etc. etc., as this is very likely to happen.

Dad's Plan B Socks

2006-12-30T07:11:00.000-05:00

Socks for Dad
Originally uploaded by Affiknitty.

Again, you'll have to trust me that this sock has a mate. It was gifted to my dad on Christmas.

Pattern: Just basic ribbed socks
Yarn: Cascade Pastazza, a little less than 2 skeins
Needles: Knit Picks Options Circulars, size US 5
Thoughts: These started out as Log Cabin socks, but that plan was abandoned. Frankly, I found knitting that pattern with this yarn--the recommended yarn, no less--rather unpleasant. So I ripped back and knit just plain old ribbed socks, the knitting equivalent of comfort food.

I cast on 48 sts, worked a 2x2 rib for about 6 inches, did a traditional heel flap, knit the foot for about 7.75 inches, then did a decreased toe. They fit my dad perfectly; he wears a size 8.5 shoe.

I am also frogging the Manos So-Called Scarf. I just don't like the way the edges look--mine are distinctly wonky. Plus, I don't find the pattern all that enjoyable to knit. One of my knitting resolutions for 2007 may be to remember that I do this for FUN.

Thanks for all the nice comments about the Fetching gloves. Between the holidays and other assorted stresses, I have fallen way behind on email and blog reading. I hope you all had lovely holidays.

How Very Fetching

2006-12-19T10:01:00.000-05:00

Take my word for it. This glove has a match and I made another pair in black. But I can't take a picture of them to save my life.

Pattern: Fetching by Cheryl Niamath
Yarn: One pair in Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (used the entire ball) and one pair in Filatura di Crosa Zara (had a bit left over from one ball)
Needles: Knit Picks Options 40 inch circulars, size US 5
Modifications: See the previous post for notes about running short with one ball of Cashmerino Aran. Annie noted in the comments that she solved this problem by working one fewer rib row between the cuff and thumb. That seems like a better solution, one which I will use when knitting this pattern again with CA.

Zara, I think, is an excellent substitute yarn for Fetching. It has the same smooth, silky, squishy feel as the Debbie Bliss yarn and is equally luxurious. Plus, there's plenty of yarn in one ball to make a pair. I had enough left over that I could have made the cuff or hand portion a little longer, if I needed to. Zara is machine washable and about the same price as a ball of CA, as well. The only real difference is that it is 100% merino rather than a cashmere blend.

This is a great pattern, easily memorizable and very quick to knit. The cables are fun. Plus, the gloves are, well, fetching... very attractive indeed. I will be giving these to a sister and an aunt who live in California. For a temperate climate, I think they are perfect. Of course, even Cleveland is temperate these days. Gloves for global climate change. What more could you want?

A Different Sort of Public Service Announcement

2006-12-13T09:21:00.000-05:00

Mistake Stitch Scarf
Originally uploaded by Affiknitty.

I just finished a pair of Fetching gloves this morning, with a little high drama to relate. I seem to be incapable of taking a decent picture of a black knitted item, and I am planning to knit more of them, so a formal FO post will be forthcoming.

But I did want to warn you that I was not able to knit the pattern as written with just one ball of Cashmerino Aran. My answer was to shorten the thumb. The pattern says to knit four rounds for the thumb and then cast off loosely. By the time I got to the second glove I had only enough yarn to do two thumb rounds and the cast off, with literally an inch and a half of yarn to spare. So I undid the bind off on the first glove, ripped back a couple of rounds and bound off again so they would match. I think they look fine with a shorter thumb, and for me, that's all it took to be able to squeak a pair out of one ball.

Since I was unable to take a good picture of the Fetching gloves, and blog posts are infinitely more fun with pictures, here is a picture of my Red Scarf in progress. That Knit Picks Decadence is aptly named. But I have this thing about alpaca.

From Sweden, With Love

2006-12-12T17:04:00.000-05:00

On a day when the holiday spirit was sorely lacking around Chez Affiknitty, I received this lovely package from Cat. It was loaded with red yarn (Opal sock yarn and the most beautiful wool, enough for a shawl), tea, and even candy for the boys. As you can see, it didn't take J long to get his hands on those candy canes.

But his next words were, "I want the chocolate. I want the whole bag." Yep, that's my boy.

The best part, really, was the nice card and the fact that she thought of my little guys too. This blog is about knitting, and I'll never really want to write at length about intensely personal matters. But I will say that this year has been a little hard for me, for various and sundry reasons. I've not-so-fondly referred to it as "Two Thousand Sucks." But over the last year and a half, the knitblogging community has been very good to me. Cat is one of those special people. You know, it's not the fact that she sent awesome yarn and candy. What makes me so grateful is that I know I have a friend, perhaps very far away in miles, but very close in spirit. It really is the thought that counts. Thanks, Cat.

I know some people frown on these posts, the ones in which bloggers thank other bloggers publicly for gifts. But here's why I'm posting this. I want you all to know how much a small kindness can mean to someone. And also, if you're reading this blog, you undoubtedly have a Cat as well...a friend you've never "met" but who always leaves a cheering comment for you on your blog or on a message board, sends you email, is there for a chat, who will always be excited about your latest FO, or who understands your passion for wool like no one else. I hope this post reminds you of that person and you think of him or her gratefully.

And just because I'm feeling a little sentimental, here's a little holiday music for you. I am extremely picky about holiday music and most of it that you hear on the radio frankly annoys me. (No barking dogs or meowing cats! No Christmas Shoes! No novelty songs in general!) What can I say, I'm a music snob and I'm not ashamed to admit it. But about halfway down this list is my favorite holiday song, "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve," sung by Ella Fitzgerald. If you ask me, that's a song worth enjoying any time of year.

And Even More Socks

2006-12-10T11:37:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Cabled Footies by Leigh Radford in One Skein
Yarn: Cascade 220 worsted, handdyed with Kool-Aid, less than one full skein
Needles: US 6 Inox 40 inch circulars
Modifications: Not a one. I knit the pattern exactly as it was written. I made the smallest size and had plenty of yarn to spare. I didn't really like the way the toe turned out -- it was a little too long and pointy for my taste. When I knit this pattern again, and I am certain I will, I'll make the foot longer and the toe shorter and rounder.

I didn't absolutely love this yarn in the skein. But, boy, did I love the way it knitted up. I love the short repeats of many, many shades of blue, as you can see in the picture of the heel flap. Needless to say, I will probably never be able to recreate this.

**********

And now, for the Public Service Announcements... Shobhana is raising money for the Dulaan Project by selling the pattern for this lovely Bejeweled Scarf. She is wearing it in the author photo of her book, Yarnplay. It costs you $2.25, and for each pattern sale, Shobhana and Anichini (a luxury textiles company) will donate $3.50 to F.I.R.E. They are the non-profit organization that delivers the goods to Mongolia for the Dulaan Project. Please go help! It costs major bucks to get all those handknitted goods over to Mongolia. If you can't knit for Dulaan, or even if you have, here's an excellent and easy way to help send some warmth to a cold and impoverished region. Thanks!

After the holidays, the redoubtable Lolly is hosting a very informal Bejeweled knitalong (she's still recovering from Socktoberfest, dont'cha know). More information about the knitalong can be found by clicking on the Bejeweled KAL button in the sidebar.

If you are thinking of gifting candles this holiday season, please consider buying from Wendy at Dame Candle Company. She's an indie craftypreneur fighting mass production one amazing candle at a time. You've probably heard of her from her sponsorship of Cast On. Although she has received quite a few orders recently (scroll down), she has mentioned that she needs to have a rockin' next month or so to be able to keep her business going. I have purchased these candles myself and they are fantastic. It would be such a shame if she had to stop producing them! So before you buy from that northeastern chain candle place, or that bath products store that you see in every mall, consider placing an order from Wendy. Thanks again!

I Heart Heel Flaps

2006-12-07T14:49:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Cabled Footies by Leigh Radford
Yarn: Cascade 220 Worsted, hand-dyed with Kool-Aid

Guess What? More Socks!

2006-12-04T09:52:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Mintyfresh's Anastasia Socks
Yarn: Hand-dyed Knit Picks Bare Merino sock yarn (color, Umbrella Drink)
Needles: 2 mm (US 0) Addi Turbo 40 inch circulars
Modifications: Minty wrote this toe-up sock pattern with a provisional cast-on; I did a Turkish cast-on instead. I made them shorter ankle socks, because (1) I am lazy and (2) I have several more pairs of socks to make.

Thanks, Minty, for such a great pattern! I highly recommend it to all of you for use with your handpainted and variegated yarns. There's a little something of interest going on, but the pattern does not obscure the yarn. Also, it's soothing to knit while not being boring. I started these on Labor Day weekend for my sister Lisa, and they sat in the knitting basket for far too long. I am very glad to have them done!

On Saturday, I felt the need to dye more yarn. It cheers me up. My mission was true blue, deep but not as dark, purplish or variegated as the worsted I dyed back in September. This, which I am calling Atlantic, is what I got with about 17 packets of kool-aid: 12 packets of berry blue, 4 of ice blue raspberry lemonade, 1 grape and about a third of a black cherry. The picture appears darker than the true color. It's not quite as deep as I wanted; next time I think I will use more grape or black cherry. My quest to achieve the perfect blue must continue.

Land Ahoy!

2006-12-01T15:01:00.000-05:00

Last night, Henry the Navigator spent the night at my house. I tried to snap a photo of his face, but my bleepin' camera would not cooperate. The picture simply disappeared. (You can see it here.) Fortunately, I got photos of the bounty within the box! One of the cool things that I was not able to document was the chart inside the box where each recipient logged their names. It was fun to see where the box had been. Early in the swap, Henry stayed with Kari from Minnesota, for whom I made socks in Sockapaloooza!

My Yarn Aboard Pal was Purl from Knitted and Purled. Let me tell you, she totally rocked that box. There were comestibles of the highly intriguing variety. That's right, that's a lavender chocolate bar and lavender Earl Grey tea. Yum. I love that sort of thing. (I could really use relaxing scented treats these days. Anxiety is a houseguest that doesn't want to leave.) And pecan pralines? What could beat chocolate, pecans and caramel? Not much.

And then, of course, there was the yarn. There were two skeins of Knit Picks Memories in the Fly Fishing colorway, a shade I've been angling for. (The groans are audible, but I couldn't resist.)

And there was a skein of the yummiest Fleece Artist, which I have been dying to try, in the most gorgeous saturated greens. Perfect. Not pictured is a fantastic inKnitiative sock pattern which covered the bottom of the box.

Thanks, Purl! You were so amazingly generous! Henry is now on his way to his next destination, restocked with goodies of the audible, edible, and knittable varieties. I am looking forward to seeing how my Pal likes the box. And thanks, Amanda. You are the swap hostess with the mostest, that's for sure.

Old WIPs and New KALs

2006-11-30T10:14:00.000-05:00

Poor Anastasia. She's been languishing over there on the sidebar for ages like a wallflower at a high school dance. But the good news is, I've picked her up again and should be finishing soon. Expect pictures in the nearish future.

I am desperate to clear things off the "on the needles" list. I've laughed in the face of my recent bad knitalong luck, and joined Stranded: The Colorwork Challenge.

I am so excited about this. I haven't done a colorwork project in quite a while and I've been itching to do some again. The kind hostesses posed a few introductory questions...

What are your projects for this knitalong?

Well, I'm hoping to do more than one! I'm fairly certain the first one will be Eunny's Endpaper Mitts. I am planning to use Knit Picks Gloss in burgundy and cocoa. There's also a lovely pair of fair isle socks in Vogue Knitting on the Go: Socks that I would like to make. They are knit in about nine gorgeous heathered shades of Alice Starmore wool. I am thinking of substituting Jamieson's Spindrift or jumper weight. No doubt there will be others, or I will be distracted by the other knitters' projects!

Is this your first colorwork project? If it isn't, what was your first, and has it survived the test of time?

No--relatively early in my knitting career I made a number of kids' hats with stranded colorwork motifs incorporated in them. They were highly unsophisticated but appreciated by the recipients. I made one for my son that he liked so much he would play with it too, putting it on his stuffed Thomas the Tank Engine. It is now just a pile of tangled yarn, as he has loved it into oblivion.

Earlier this year, I made mittens, which were my first attempt at all-over stranded colorwork. The pattern is Mittens from Lapland, and appears in the book Folk Mittens. (I highly recommend this installment of the Folk Knitting series.) I love the cuff. They were knit in burgundy, teal, and cream Cascade 220. I expected they would take a long time to finish, but really the total knitting time was pretty short. It's just so much fun to watch the patterns develop.

They are not perfect, but I am very proud of them.

Another Pair of Small Socks

2006-11-26T12:39:00.000-05:00

NB, Ohio readers: no inferences about my loyalties should be drawn from the colors of these socks. Yellow is S's favorite color.

Pattern: None, just basic house socks
Yarn: Plymouth Encore Worsted in navy and school bus yellow
Needles: US 5 Knit Picks Options Circulars
Size: About 6.5 in circumference (unstretched) and about 7.25 in long
Method: CO 40 sts in navy and worked two rows in 2 x 2 rib. Continued rib in yellow until the leg measured about 3.5 inches from the cast on. Worked a traditional sl1, k1 heel flap for 14 rows. Turned heel using this method and then picked up 10 sts on each side for the gussets. Decreased back down to 20 sts for the sole. Worked the instep in rib for a better fit. When I was ready to decrease for the toe (at about 5.25 in from back of heel), changed to navy yarn. Decreased on alternate rounds to 10 sts, then every round to 6 sts. Grafted toe on first sock successfully, while knitter friend who is killer finisher sat next to me telling me what to do. Grafted second toe alone. Not so much a success. Oh well.

Because the recipient of these socks hasn't been pictured here in a while, because he is so darn cute and so dear and because, frankly, foisting pictures of one's children onto innocent bystanders is one of the pleasures of parenthood, I present a completely gratuitous picture of my elder son, S.

Something interesting has happened this year. It's been about five years since I started knitting again and I've been really seriously knitting for about three years. Suddenly, in the last few months, family members have started to request knitted goods. I guess it took a while for them to have confidence that they would get something wearable. Or maybe they have concluded that as it is unlikely that I will ever stop knitting, they may as well cash in on my obsession.

Mostly, they want socks. My mother requested socks. My aunt now wants socks. My sister's boyfriend wants socks. (Query: does the Knitting Curse extend to siblings' boyfriends? I think not. I hope not.) J wants another pair of socks. They'll all be getting pairs made from machine washable worsted. It would take me forever to knit fingering weight socks and I don't want to take a chance that they will forget to hand wash. I may need to do some yarn shopping. Darn.

Fastest Project Ever

2006-11-22T13:25:00.000-05:00

If you want to finish something fast, make house socks for an almost-four-year-old in worsted. J noted that I was making socks for Grandma and requested that I make him a pair of socks, too. Red ones. I have a hard time saying no to this face.

Pattern: No real pattern, just plain ribbed socks
Yarn: A little bit of Plymouth Encore Worsted in dark red
Needles: Size 5 Knit Picks Options Circulars
Gauge: About 4.75 sts per inch
Method: Cast on 30 sts and worked 3 x 2 rib. Did a short row heel with 5 unwrapped sts in the middle. Knit the foot plain until it looked about the right length (about 5 inches from the back of the heel). Decreased the toe (working decs one st in from the end of each needle) until I had 3 sts on each needle. Drew tail through remaining sts and tied off.
Thoughts: I usually think short row heels fit me a little better than heel flaps, but I think the heel flaps might have fit J better. Now on to socks for his brother!

Tomorrow is without a doubt my very favorite holiday. You can't beat a holiday that is all about hanging out with the people you love, eating yummy food, and generally relaxing. I am hoping to get a little knitting in as well. To all of you in the United States, Happy Thanksgiving!

A Non-Violent Weekend of Knitting

2006-11-20T10:53:00.000-05:00

That means I didn't get around to the acrylicide. But I was very productive. I finished the socks for Mom.

Pattern: Karen's Sugar-Free Socks by Chrissy Gardiner
Yarn: Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran color #104 (grey), 2 balls plus a little of a third
Needles: 2.5mm (US 1) Knit Picks Classic Circulars
Modifications: Changed needle size and made them shorter for my mom's petite feet; worked a short-row heel; made left-leaning cables on second sock so that they would be mirror images of each other. This was a wonderfully fun pattern to knit and I know my mom will enjoy wearing these very luxurious socks.

My friend Preeti and I also dyed yarn. Because I am the cheesy sort that likes to name her craft projects, I'm calling my new sock yarn "Everything's Gone Green." Naturally.

Yarn: Knit Picks Bare Merino sock yarn
Dye: Kool-Aid, 10 packets of lemon-lime and almost 1 whole packet of grape
Method: Microwave; poured dye bath directly onto yarn and then added water to bowl.
I like the results! Preeti used the same recipe to dye a skein of Cascade 220 worsted and hers is equally lovely. The colors vary from very pale green to olive to dark green. Next time, I'm going to try using more kool-aid and go for a darker, more solid shade.

I also dyed some worsted weight.

Yarn: Cascade 220, in white
Dye: Kool-Aid, 7 packets ice blue raspberry lemonade and 4 packets plain lemonade
Method: Microwave, mixed dye bath, added the yarn and stirred.
I wanted to do two things with this skein: first, to try to achieve a shade that is not super dark, but is nevertheless not too kiddy-looking and, second, to get a less variegated result. I think I was relatively successful. The yarn is nearly solid, with just tiny areas that are darker. Very pretty. My first impression of the color was, mouthwash. But the more I look at it, the better I like it. It's a vibrant happy aqua blue, like the paint on an Art-Deco stucco beach house. I'm calling it "Swimming Pool." It is destined to become a pair of One Skein Cabled Footies.

Finally, I spent Saturday morning and afternoon cleaning out the third floor of my house. For the last three years, we have been using the two rooms up there as S's therapy area for his ABA program. But now he's in full-day kindergarten. The little bit of home therapy we are still doing we like to do all over the house, so that he can generalize his skills. So I organized and put away reams of paperwork, threw out a lot of trash, and made one of the rooms a play room. The other room now houses the stash, some of my knitting books and magazines, assorted crafty goodies, a comfy chair, a CD player, and my hard copy of The Crane Wife, among other things.

It's a happy place.

WWEZD

2006-11-16T10:56:00.000-05:00

I have just learned that my best friend is expecting a baby. (O frabjous day! Calloo! Callay!) It did not take long for "baby knits" to join my list of good karma knitting projects.

I pulled out my knitting references, first among them La Zimmermann's Knitting Almanac. For such an auspicious knitting occassion, you have to go to the master. Like just about every other knitter who has ever cracked open one of her tomes, I am in awe of her. If only I could always remember her admonition that I am the boss of my knitting, there would be far fewer fiascos documented herein. Like Nona, I endeavor to embrace her "knitter's choice" philosophy. If I could approach life and knitting with even a fraction of the enthusiasm, fearlessness, and good humor that she did, I could be very proud of myself indeed. I might even posit that everything you ever needed to know can be found in The Opinionated Knitter.

On the subject of baby knits, her advice is naturally sage. In her pithy directions for the Practically Seamless Baby Sweater, she directs that the pattern gauge is "about 5 sts to 1 inch, but babies come in various sizes." As you probably already know, she is rather unyielding on the issue of fiber choice and washability for baby garments.

Pass the synthetic yarn department, then, with your nose in the air. Should a clerk come out with the remark that All Young Mothers In This Day and Age (why can't they save their breath and say "now"?) insist on a yarn which can be machine-washed and machine-dried, come back at her with the reply that one day, you suppose, they will develop a baby that can be machine-washed and -dried.*

I wonder, though. Would EZ say the same thing today? Back in the day, when she wrote this, the knitter's options for machine-washable fibers likely did not extend beyond cheap, plasticky synthetics. But today, there are many lovely superwash natural fibers available which can accommodate both the wool-loving knitter and the harried new mother with no time for handwashing.

With the availability of such yarns in mind, would it be foolish of me to adopt the EZ attitude of "Let Them Use Eucalan?" I have some lovely wools in my stash, which would make charming baby garments, but which would require my friend to wash by hand. I most certainly would not want these sweaters, bonnets, etc. to come out only for holidays and professional photo shoots.

Do you knit for babies in "hand-wash only" fibers? Tell me!

* "Some Babies' Things", Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac (1974).

**********

Thanks, everyone, for the nice compliments on Clapotis and Licorice Whip. I am slowly making it through my email inbox to respond personally. This weekend, the acrylicide will occur. The sweater is great, but I feel a little like "Laura, wrapped in plastic." Just a little too David Lynch for me.

Cast Off, Cast On

2006-11-14T16:47:00.000-05:00

I know what you're thinking. Yay, another picture of Laura's foyer! Sorry. I seem to be incapable of taking a decent picture of myself.

Pattern: Licorice Whip by Blue Alvarez Designs in size XXXS
Yarn: About 6 skeins, I think, of Wool-Ease Chunky (25% wool, 75% dinosaurs) in Grass
Needles: US Size 8 Knit Picks Options circulars
Modifications, Thoughts: The original pattern called for a cotton yarn; I had several skeins of this Wool-Ease Chunky in my stash and the recommended gauge was exactly the same as that for the sweater. I shortened the sleeves considerably, to a bracelet length (otherwise known as "a little too short"). Long sleeves are nice for the warmth, but they get in my way when I am in the kitchen.

I knit the XXXS because I wanted a fitted sweater, and I certainly got it. I did block it to be slightly bigger, because the lace pattern was not as open as I wanted. The finished bust measurement after blocking is 35 inches.

It's a fun and easy pattern to knit, and I do like the finished object. It fits. But I'm not thrilled with the yarn. The fabric is a little stiff and the bottom edge is still rolling in spite of the blocking. I'd love it if it were a tiny bit drapier. My friend Preeti and I are thinking about killing the acrylic with steam to make it less stiff. Does anyone have experience with killing acrylic with purpose? Here's another picture, included completely gratuitously because it features my seriously cute son.

As you know, I've had good intentions lately of doing knitting for others. (Not long after I started those good-karma socks for Mom and the scarf for the Red Scarf Project, this happened. Coincedence? I think not.) I've finished one of those Mom socks and I've made good progress on the red scarf. I resolved not to cast on anything for myself until those projects, and the Anastasia socks, were finished.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Clap Happy

2006-11-12T14:35:00.000-05:00

Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert for Knitty.com
Yarn: Almost 6 skeins of Noro Silk Garden, color # 226
Needles: US Size 7 (4.5mm) Knit Picks Options Circulars
Finished Dimensions: 23 inches wide by 67.5 inches long
Modifications: Yarn substitution; worked one fewer increase repeat than the original pattern.

I loved, loved, loved knitting this pattern. And I love, love, love wearing this scarf/wrap. My Clapotis has already attended two events: the Decemberists concert and, last night, dinner and a Cavaliers game. I wear this scarf and I feel glamorous, fabulous, chic. Even with jeans. I may never take it off.

This pattern has me scouring the internet for deals on Silk Garden, looking through my stash for yarn that could be a Clapotwo, considering other yarns to acquire to make others. Is Clapotis poised for a little renaissance? I've seen other lovely finished ones lately: Kris's Clapotis with an 80's punk flair in Sundara yarn here and Caro's Mini-Clapotis made with just three skeins of Silk Garden here.

Words Cannot Express

2006-11-10T10:53:00.000-05:00

...how completely amazing the Decemberists show was. I won't bore you with the blow-by-blow, but suffice it to say that any concert that involves some of the band members entering the audience to stage a "reenactment" of the Battle of the Somme is going to be memorable.

If I were not a mommy with adult responsibilities, I would be driving down to Columbus to see them again tonight.

I must have had a rather rapturous look, or at least a big dumb grin, on my face during the entire show. Afterwards, a woman at the table next to mine said she worked for the band and gave me a print of some of the artwork from the Crane Wife. She wanted me to have it, she said, because I seemed to be the biggest fan of the band in our section of the theatre. I am not certain whether I should feel honored, or embarrassed.

I'm going to go with "honored."

Just Like Consumer Reports. For Yarn.

2006-11-08T09:45:00.000-05:00

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about scarves. Thanks, Lolly! One that I am just dying to cast on is the very popular "My So-Called Scarf" in that lovely Manos del Uruguay Wildflowers wool I bought on my yarn crawl. Then I got to thinking. (Uh-oh.) If I wanted to make more of these scarves as gifts, maybe I could save a little money by using Lion Brand Landscapes instead. As Gwen Stefani might have sang, "I'd have all the Manos in the world, if I were a wealthy girl." But I'm not.

But would I really be getting a better deal? I set out to do a little comparison shopping and thought you all might be interested in what I learned. So, here I present another in an occassional series of Lion Brand v. Fancy Yarn smackdowns!

My-So Called Scarf calls for two skeins of Manos del Uruguay multicolored yarn. That's 276 yards of a heavy worsted-weight yarn. It's 100% wool. At the LYS where I purchased it, it cost $14.99 a skein, but I found it at Jimmy Beans Wool for $13.50 a skein and a limited selection of colors can be found at eBay Express for only $9.99 a skein.* If you buy it at Jimmy Beans, you'll pay $27 for the yarn to make this scarf. This is unequivocally a beautiful, soft, delicious yarn that is also a fair trade product.

On to the Lion Brand alternative. Landscapes looks a lot like Manos or Malabrigo. It's a space-dyed, unplied soft yarn which comes in 55 yard balls. However, it's 50% wool and 50% acrylic. It's a bulkier weight than the Manos, so let's assume you would need a little less of it. Four balls would give you 220 yards, probably plenty to make a similarly-sized So-Called Scarf. In the Lion Brand catalog, Landscapes is sold for $5.99 a ball. I found it at Knitting Warehouse for only $4.73 a ball. If you buy your yarn from Knitting Warehouse, the project will cost you $18.92. It's important to note that although this yarn has a high synthetic content, it is not machine washable. Lion Brand claims that it will felt with machine washing and drying.

Conclusions: I have knit a scarf with Landscapes and I get many compliments on it. But it's not nearly as soft and pretty as the Manos yarn. If you buy Manos, you are providing economic opportunity to rural craftswomen, who are being paid fairly. You are also getting 100% wool rather than a synthetic. If you are willing to be flexible about your color choices, you can buy the yarn for this project on eBay for just a dollar or so more than you would pay for the Lion Brand yarn. I could charitably say that it's a toss-up, but to me, getting a natural fiber that's handspun and dyed is worth the extra money. You can make the call.

* I'm going to ignore shipping costs, as they can vary widely. To keep things simple, I'm just going to compare the cost of the yarn. One could say that the Lion Brand yarn has a cost advantage in that it can be found in big-box craft stores, avoiding shipping costs, but the ones that I frequent don't always carry it.

I'm Laura, and I'm a Pattern Addict

2006-11-07T10:45:00.000-05:00

Because I am an admitted pattern ho, I will go to great lengths to add to my already burgeoning collection of knitting books and magazines. Recently, I became obsessed, obsessed with acquiring copies of Jo Sharp's new magazine, Knit. The issue pictured at left was simple enough to find from American online sources. But, no, I also had to have the newest issue. I simply could not wait. Even though the latest issue of an Australian knitting magazine would obviously feature summer patterns.

So I ordered these lovelies from an Australian source, Ozeyarn. The prices were amazing--half what each issue cost at the American sources I found. Even with international shipping, it was a better deal than ordering them from a U.S. source. I received my order surprisingly promptly, considering the distance that it was travelling, along with a nice note from the proprietor, color cards for Ozeyarn's own yarns, and a price list for the other yarns they carry. I'll have to do some comparison shopping, but their prices for Jo Sharp yarn look very competitive.

As to the content...well. The photography is beautiful, the layout is uncluttered, and the patterns are really fabulous. Be aware that these are really pattern books; there are no articles such as those you find in, say, a Rowan magazine. But if you like simple, clean, classic knits as I do, then these books are for you. Hie yourself over to Ozeyarn and order them!

While I liked both issues, I actually found more patterns that tempted the immediate cast-on in the summer issue. There are several long-sleeved pullover and cardigan patterns offered that would be suitable for winter wear in most parts of the Northern hemisphere, either in cotton for the more temperate climates or in wool for us Northerners. Several of the patterns had alternate fit options -- a shrug pattern offered both a snug and loose fit in various sizes and a bolero pattern was written for both long and short sleeves. The patterns are offered in a somewhat limited range of sizes; most patterns are written for four bust sizes ranging from 80 to 110 cm (31.5 to about 43 inches). A few patterns also included 120 and 130 cm bust sizes.

Once I finish some good-karma-creation-knitting for others, I hope to cast on one or more of these lovely patterns. The bolero and the shrug from Issue 2 are calling me, as well as the lovely lace sweater pictured below.

I also love this shawl collar cardigan knit in an alpaca blend from Issue 1.

I must have the finishing bug. I finished Clapotis, and I am furiously at work on the Licorice Whip sleeves. I've also knit a couple of 2 x 2 ribbed hats for the boys. For some reason (gnomes?), even after thorough searching, I cannot find an entire box of winter hats, gloves, scarves, etc. I swear I am not as disorganized as that makes me appear. Last week, I was embarrassed to send my children off to school hatless with snow on the ground. Shamed, I cast on hats for them over the weekend and finished the second one last night. Bad Mommy no more. Just in time for the warm front.

Almost Done

2006-11-06T12:55:00.000-05:00

I'm such a sucker for the blocking photos.

Instant Blog Content

2006-10-31T08:34:00.000-05:00

I've taken out all the questions about who is least likely/most likely to respond, etc. Because I really think I am the last person to hop on this meme.

1. FIRST NAME? Laura

2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Nope.

3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Um, sometime last week.

4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Sure.

5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Very thinly shaved ham, also known as chip-chop ham.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes. I have a great music collection.

7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? You're reading it.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Only with inducement of the sizable and monetary variety.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Granola, with plain yogurt and sliced bananas.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? I very rarely wear shoes that tie.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? I think I am tough, in the sense that I feel I can endure a lot, which is sort of the same thing.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? Peppermint.

14. SHOE SIZE? 7 or 7.5.

5. RED OR PINK? Do you really have to ask?

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? That I worry excessively about whether I have offended or angered people that I like, and that I apologize too much. They're obviously related.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My sisters and my best friend Kara. They live far away.

18. WHAT COLOR PANTS, SHIRT AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Tan skirt, cream colored blouse, brown sweater, brown boots.

19. LAST THING YOU ATE? Cheese and crackers last night for dinner.

20. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? My iPod on shuffle.

21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Actually, I think I'd be midnight blue.

22. FAVORITE SMELLS? Ozone in the air, cut grass, sauteing onions, coffee brewing.

23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My mom and Olga.

24. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Whether they can laugh. Their smile.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON YOU STOLE THIS FROM? Yep, Olga's a peach.

26. FAVORITE DRINK? A caipirinha, if we're talking alcohol. Diet Cherry Coke, if we're not.

27. FAVORITE SPORT? I don't play sports, but I like to watch baseball and basketball.

28. EYE COLOR? Blue.

29. HAT SIZE? No clue. Small? Medium?

30. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes.

31. FAVORITE FOOD? My favorite meal would be steak au poivre, medium rare, with pommes frites (Belgian fries), a green salad with vinaigrette and warm goat cheese, and a lot of red wine.

32. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings.

33. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter.

34. HUGS OR KISSES? Both.

35. FAVORITE DESSERT? Creme brulee.

36. WHAT BOOKS ARE YOU READING? With No One as Witness by Elizabeth George. Knitting Around by Elizabeth Zimmermann.

37. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE Pad? Don't have one.

38. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? As my three-year-old would say, "the newses."

39. FAVORITE SOUNDS? My sons laughing. Thunderstorms.

40. ROLLING STONE OR BEATLES? No question, the Beatles. This leads to two important follow-up questions!

40 (a). JOHN, PAUL, GEORGE, OR RINGO? There is only one correct answer: John. Partial credit given for "Maybe George."

40(b). RUBBER SOUL OR REVOLVER? Rubber Soul.

41. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Probably Europe when I lived in Washington, or the States when I lived in Brazil. I'd have to check the mileage!

42. WHAT'S YOUR SPECIAL TALENT? Nearly irrational optimism and always seeing the bright side.

43. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Akron, Ohio.

44. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Snagged it from Olga and many others.