Perfect Timing

So this post has been a long time coming. I believe I promised to put it up last week and still it was not started until a moment ago. A moment of my time of course, which is quite different then a moment ago of your time because you probably will not read this the minute I post it and of course it will not be posted until complete – which will be more than a moment from now.

Sorry for the digression, I sometimes get on a through process and feel the need to fully lay it out to see if others appreciate it. So I finished my playoff sweater with plenty of time. I finished it last Wednesday the same day that the Phillies because the 2009 National League Champions. The day that allowed them to play in the World Series, and timewise I did not even need that. I was happy with the way the sweater turned out when blocked. Of course the weather turned to more comfortable and therefore I cannot yet wear it.

Like the previous sweater it was made by knitting two strands at once. This means bigger needles (10.5) and when I started the newest project I felt like size 6 were so tiny. Can you imagine if I tried to make socks, I would be complaining constantly. I knit the entire sweater in the round as suggested by Jared Flood’s article in the Fall and Holiday 2009 issues of Vogue Knitting. I was happy with the process and the second magazine came just as I had gotten the second sleeve to the proper length, so perfect timing. The only issue came about in the appearance of the decreases because of the thickness of double held yarn. Ashley said she thought the seamlike decrease should be about an inch and that is why I thought it looked funny. Also I did not bind off the collar (which is fun and was created through wrapping and turning) loosely enough and may have to try the new technique written up in knitty when I get around to it.

This time I was smart enough to use Lucy my dress form for the blocking and that also made it easier to take pictures.

Right on track

So a little more about the Marilyn sweater before I move on. I realized I talked about the divots but did not show (or attempt to show what I meant). So here goes my attempt.

Also to talk a little more about my favorite new addition to the wardrobe (no I have not worn it twice in one wee, this is just the way I refrain from that.) You will notice the ribbon, which I got because I knew how well a pale blue and maroon look together. I was told it was called salmon when I bought and first thought okay, why? But after a bit of examination I could see why. I love the tinge of yellow on one side. I wore the sweater last Monday and at the bar was told that I probably route for the redskins because I like the color maroon. I said actually I’m an Eagles fan and then I am told because of the green ribbon. And even if the ribbon can be considered green, it is nowhere near eagles green. I can say that definitively. Lets just say instead of arguing with the guy about how idiotic he was, I decided to stop replying to someone I had been trying to avoid conversation with, since I would never choose a team based on colors. At least not since elementary school and my awesome Mighty Ducks Starter Jacket.

So last night the Phillies won against the Rockies and moved on to the National League Championship series. I also finished 13 inches of the sweater body and started on the first sleeve of my playoffs sweater. So currently the timeline appears to be doable. Although this weekend I flirted with a new project, it did not easily flow and I remembered that it was nice to get things finished. So I decided to try this sweater in the round, even though it was written in pieces after reading an article Jared Flood wrote in Vogue knitting. I was annoyed that the article was in two pieces and hope I will get the next issue before I finish both sleeves. But if I don’t, I will figure it out myself or find an alternative source on how to do it.

This sweater is also knit double stranded and on even bigger needles (10.5s instead of 10s). I actually wound two skeins of the yarn at the same time, which was not as genius as I thought. It either stretches one of the skeins more to make it uneven, or they are not close enough in length, or a combination of the two. Over all, it is progressing nicely.

And my Aunt suggested that I was into purple currently, I see it more as maroon.  But thing back to the sweater, we all see colors differently.

Got the rest of the pattern

So I was able to get the rest of the pattern for the sweater and was so very happy. I immediately went to work knitting away. It was interesting because the way I did the decreases for the bust gather (and I’m not saying I did not follow the patter directions, just my execution may be a factor or perhaps my bust may be a factor in the fit) there are two divots. Like when you begin to push a staple remover into a piece of paper before the puncture.

But the sweater knit up beautifully Ialthough I feel thepicture makes it look frump, that is not the case), I was a little sad I could not make the sleeves any longer. I thought about getting another skein. However, there is a problem with the skeins being 560 yards and priced accordingly. After wearing, I have decided that elbow length is fine. Not what I had in mind, but does not lessen my enjoyment of the sweater.

Blocking it was interesting because it was knit in the round, but necessary because the bottom was curling severely. I do not remember blocking anything that was knit in the round previously, and therefore had to plod through that.

Like I said I am very happy with the way that the sweater turned out. I then turned to work on the next project I had recently bought yarn for (although I have many ideas in my head, I am trying to work with what I already have, so that the ideas that have had money spent on them do not languish and die leaving me with large amounts of yarn and no plan. I love plans.

I have indeed started a new project. A project that depending on the whim of the sports deities will be finished before the end of the Phillies season. If not, I will still consider it my playoff sweater. But I will tell you more about that later.

The final thing I wanted to share was I am noticing a trend in my projects made for myself. Anyone else see it?

I want the next page

So sometimes I have projects with deadlines. And as has been shown before sometimes I think about the project far enough in advance, but still do not manage to work on it the appropriate amount of time. That is not currently what is going on. Although I may have gleefully pushed aside a project for the Andromeda shawl (I call her Andy and love her – it’s a pink shawl and must be considered female). But once that once done I set down the law realizing months had elapsed since a project was started, and therefore should get back to it. So I made myself only knit one thing. I was allowed to think about knitting other things, but no cheating.

Of course that rule got amended, and it was once I was done the body I could start one other project. I really thought it would be Nancy Bush’s Kilt hose. I had finally found my new set of dpns. The reason they were so hard to find were that they were not in any of the knitting supplies containers, or the sewing supplies containers, but in the other craft bin. When telling someone about this, they seemed overwhelmed and I explained I have a big closet. The other craft bin holds supplies for quilling and various other ideas of how else to create things.

What I started instead was the Fibrespace Marilyn pattern with Miss Bab’s Yowzza Whatta Skein. I joined friends at Fibrespace on Labor day and when doing my customary wander of the store I saw the beautiful plum colored skeins and then the sweater. Although the pattern was not out yet (it was indicated that it would be in another week or so), Danielle suggested trying on the sample to figure out the size and therefore how much yarn would be needed. Although I was desiring to start the project right away, it was for the best that I could not, since it would break my rule.

Of course I was getting closer and closer to being allowed to cast on another project. So when at Fibrespace last Thursday to knit and watch Dirty Dancing, I went to ask Danielle about the pattern. I tried not to whine, but share how excited I was about the yarn and the pattern. What this got me was the 1st page – up to the bottom of the armpit. Happily I went on my way.

I’m not happy anymore. Last night I was forced to return to the less satisfying project. Which on the one hand is good an all, because it does need to be finished. Also the weather suddenly decided to get into the eighties again and therefore a three quarter sleeve sweater is not quite practical. But I do not hold the infatuation for the other project, I don’t think about knitting it when doing other things. The project crush was brief and quickly replaced by guilt and obligation. So while I knit sleeves I will just be hoping to get the next page for Marilyn who is swankily knit with two strands and you can see in the photo. The photo that does not show the right color (and after many attempts I gave up). The photo of the skein gives a better idea.

Oh and when I shared how I already knew what color ribbon (pale blue) which I know looks great because of the 1980s Phillies, I got a laugh at the store from someone not already acquainted with my love of maroon and pale blue paired together.

Geometric Bliss

So I had said to myself (internal conversation, not external) that I would show greater fidelity to each knitting project. Approximately an indeterminate time later (probably a week, felt like a year), I saw the Andromeda shawl and quickly abandoned the project that was killing my will to live through garter stitch. After I decided to buy the pattern, I then quickly placed an order for shibui. I had loved the way it worked through the socks I made for Karla. The funny thing about the order was the color choice. I love the color I chose, but it surprises even me that I committed to it. Just that it is not one of the normal hues I work in.

So the pattern was written beautifully and had many charts. I would measure the size of the shawl by comparisons, such as, head covering, scarf, skanky top, apron… You only had to work one chart at a time, which was nice, but each chart did get longer. I started with about 4 stitches and before the edging had 301. The problem was that my charts were much longer than my post-its and the post-its would lose stickiness. So I co-opted an idea my friend Ashley had presented of ribbon and Velcro to follow a knitting chart. I made a foldable backing board and proceeded to have some fun with mod-podge and fabric to make this handy creation (various versions available at my etsy shop [http://ashleydg.etsy.com]).

The shawl went along pretty easily until I took a bit of my attention away from it.  I do not know what happened, but at one point I realized that the pattern was a bit off.  At first I tried a local fix, reknitting only a small section of the shawl, but there ended up being large extra loops of yarn that way.  So I thought it through and decided it would annoy me so much that I would end up no using the shawl.  Then I ran a life line (it is the gray yarn) and ripped all the way back.  You would think after that when encouraged to put a life line in, I would acquiesce.  If you think that you may not know me.  Because I did not, but luckily it was not needed again.

So I took the shawl with me on the train ride to New York this weekend to visit friends. LB has taken up knitting (I did a little nudging that direction last year) and looked at it when it was off the needles and seemed hesitant about the size. I then said don’t worry with blocking it will spread out the yarn overs more and be a good size. So when I got home Sunday night I blocked the shawl with regular pins because I could not find my blocking pins (there is going to be a organizing session of all yarn related items and yarn this weekend). These pins are so useless the heads kept coming off when I tried to take it out. I actually realized I could add a little more size and reblocked it last night.

I love my new shawl, perfect to make the office more bearable. And knitting it was so enjoyable compared to the garter stitch madness. I love the pattern and know that was partly for the geometry, and thus I call it geometric bliss. And it makes me so happy unlike the fact that my laptop no longer recognizes certain usb devices. For a bit it was all of them, but of course after cleaning the registry, uninstalling the usb drivers, system restoring, the ipod works once I am at Best Buy – so frustrating. But I should not think about that and focus on the shawl.

Look ma, no pattern

My sister complains that I do not update enough for her to keep up with my projects. Well part of that is sometimes the projects do not give me enough to talk about. I mean what if I was to say just make the same dress pattern over and over again. Oh yeah I did do that. And because I knew I did not have an overwhelming urge to post about the 2 additional versions, I have yet to get pictures of them. Plus it is hard to get a good picture of a dress or even just something on you without assistance. Now why did I make 3 dresses from the same pattern (and why is it likely there will be more)? First the economic value, each dress cost less with the pattern cost being divided by more and the time decreased as well. Second the great fit, this is a dress that looks great on me and is so comfortable. So I made one in a brown pattern that is not as vibrant as the black and white but grows on you. The other I made in a green striped knit I found when visiting my sister for $2 a yard. Since it was striped and the pattern said to get extra for matching patterns, but failed to define what amount extra would be I just went with a lot extra and figured it could be the dress shorted into a top or something else. Turns out since it was 60” I needed no extra, but hey it was not of great cost.

But the dresses are not what I decided to share. What I wanted to share was what I did with the fabric I was stalking. Well I don’t consider it stalking, just visiting to remind myself of what it looked like if I happened to be in the store, but Ashley termed it stalking. When it finally came around time for a coupon, I was ready to buy it. See I loved the pattern and colors, but it cost much more than I had ever paid per yard. The problem was I had figured out what to make to not distract from the pattern on the fabric but could not find a sewing pattern that quite lived up to the vision in my head. So I took the elementary sloper Stacy had helped me make up, and mocked up what I wanted out of muslin. The mock up was of course horribly off, so I readjusted. And then with the trepidation I had when steeking the argyle vest, I cut out the pieces in the much loved material and then sewed them in the same manner of the correct mock-up. I did make a few adjustments after that and then was finished.

Now I’m just looking for excuses to wear it.  I used the Better Than Ezra concert (awesome, about 5 people back from the stage but failed to catch a guitar pick because of my instinct to duck when something comes flying at me) and the Fourth in Baltimore where I got to enjoy a panoramic view of the fireworks throughout the city on a balcony (could not have had a better seat especially since it did not involve getting there before dark).

Pants!

So as the current state of my room indicates, (I’m lucky no one can see it, besides a select few) there has been more sewing. The main reason that there are spurts of sewing is that with the limited space, the machine if always out turns the room into an obstacle course. This time I finished what I believe is my first successful pair of pants. Well pants I would wear out in normal everyday use, there was a pair of drawstring pajama pants previously made.

So this project was started before I moved, and that was back in September. I think the fear of doing all the work and the pants not fitting, terrified me. So about two weeks ago I decided although I had picked up more fabric, I had to finish the undone projects first (if I buckle down and get ambitious, I might attack the only thought of projects that have supplies). And the glaring undone project was the pants.

So I pilfered a spare zipper (nice when you start to gain extra thread and spare notions) and set to work. I had used extra lining in maroon from a dress project for the pockets, since that had also not been bought. Although I did reread some of the directions multiple times I plowed ahead. And when I tried the pants on after finishing, I realized that the pants fit (this is not the case with a more recent project, oh bother)! And now all that remains is to find all the pattern pieces and return them to the envelope.

Great Barrier Gloves

Wow I’ve gotten busy and have not taken the time to post the many projects I have finished. So I figure now is the time to get on that. So what to share first (well I suppose something I have pictures of would be a good thing). 

First I will show the camisole.   Surprisingly the dropping stitches was not as fun and quick as one imagines.  The merino wool liked to stay attached in little tufts, and had to be worked out accordingly.  Instead of ribbon for the stops, I knit with double yarn and dropped the middle stitches to mimic the top.  I think it turned out wonderfully, and it fits.

And the inspiration of the post’s title, gloves!

Once again I have made gloves when the season is not right. Well it may not be right here in the US, but down under the seasons are opposite. (No I never figured out the counterclockwise toilet swirl because with the goal of water conservation the water levels are lower and I did not drink large quantities of water and then watch the toilet flush.)

So as I shared when I was showed the gloves for Matt, Mike also wanted a pair. For measurements I held up my hand to Mike when visiting and made a mental note. I was about the same width as mine but longer fingers. Originally I was planning on a deep red and brown or black, but I could not find that in a alpaca blend of the right weight. So I instead got colors in Plymoth Suri Merino that reminded me of fish from the Great Barrier Reef.

I knit the gloves with dedication to finishing and even on a sweltering Memorial day watching the York Revolution. REVOLUTIIIOOON! What an amazing win they had. And when I am finished, I send him a message asking where to send them. He responds with amazement that I did make the gloves, which I don’t think should be so surprising since I made his brother a pair. But I have been told if I am serious, I could be his favorite cousin (I think the salt water taffy should seal the deal).

I also wanted to share with all the knitters the wonderful knitting bowl I bought from Betsy.  Her etsy site is http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6285366.  My wonderful bowl is blue and has two squiggles for color work.  I used it for Matt’s gloves and it worked wonderfully.

It’s all about the stretch

So something I haven’t posted in a while has been a sewing project. That’s because there has been fabric bought and grand intentions, but nothing constructed. I found a pattern I really liked when I dragged my behind to Joann’s on a goal that was latter jettisoned. So I then went over to G-Street Fabrics to get the material for the following reasons – it called for 60” and there was nothing at Joann’s in 45” that encouraged me to figure out what that would entail (I later learned as I will elaborate on further down). So I found this wonderful print, took it all home and began cutting.

When laying out the pattern pieces on the fabric, I realized because of the placement for the information on the additional type of fabric needed on the pattern envelope I had failed to buy tricot. I also realized I failed to know what tricot meant. So I looked it up, and in my gung ho manner I did not read the whole definition. I read the first paragraph that states:

Often used as a lining material, tricot fabric is a material that can be made from natural or synthetic fibers and has a unique weave that allows it to be smooth on one side while sporting texture on the other.

So I am like hey I have lining material that has texture on one side. I did not get further down the page to the part that stated the knit tendency.

So it all gets cut out, but then I realize I do not want to stay up all hours and I am likely to want to work straight through. So wisely I put it off for another day. But Wednesday I realize, I want to wear my new dress (that is still not made) to an alumni event on Thursday. So I start working on it and have fun with the slippery jersey fabric and sew it all up. Turning the tubes for the ties added to the time and at around 1:30 I have an almost finished project. So before sewing the hem I decide to try it on. And guess what, without give around the waist I cannot get it over my shoulders. And if it cannot go over the shoulders, it is unlikely to go over the behind. So utterly frustrated, I was thinking about how annoyed I got with the wording of the pattern (I kept having to reread things) and how to fix it. I then take a moment to look up tricot again and see the pertinent information about the knit which allows stretch. Ahh stretch would be nice, that would allow me to actually put the dress on.

I admit defeat and go to bed. Doing a little research the next day I find I can get fusible tricot interfacing at Joann’s. So I decide in my madness to make on more attempt to finish the dress for the event. So I go out and get the interfacing and then wait forever because the three women in front of me (all one group) are ordering some fabric from another store and have a million questions. This is how I learned that if it calls for 1 yard of 60”, get 1 3/8 yard of 45”. While that is useful information, considering the constrained time frame, I was not enjoying the wait. So I get back to the house and am furiously ripping out seams, cutting, fusing, and sewing when I hit the deadline for getting ready and of course I was unrealistic and the dress is not. So I throw on another dress and go out.

Some of the people were trying to convince me to stay out longer, but it being a Thursday and already lacking sleep I decided to get home. Of course what do I do when I get home, decide to finish the dress. And I did and got to bed a little after midnight. It was not perfect, the bodice was not overlapping as much as it should, so I work a tank under it. But that is now fixed and so are the pockets and I love it. I love it so much I had to convince myself not to wear it again this Friday, considering it was noticeable.

Dirty Vixen

So as I before mentioned I did not get much knitting done in Australia. And I have not quite gotten back into the grove of it fully, although I did attend the Maryland Sheep and Wool this weekend. That helped kick start the need in my fingers to be constantly moving.

Sidenote of amusement: I was so excited on Saturday because I was awake when I woke up and tired in the afternoon from getting up so early. You see I had not had a hard time adjusting to when I should wake up and sleep, but I did feel overly tired in the morning and then hyper right before bed. So it was nice to know I was fully adjusted to being back. But considering I never woke in the middle of the night, jetlag was not that horrible.

So it was not the sunniest weekend, but that was not a surprise since someone said to me today is the sun actually out, are those blue skies. It’s been weather that reminds of my time in Erie, and that is not something I look for in a place I live. But even with the weather we trudged through, and it never rained very hard. That was saved for when I agreed to go back the next day. So I enjoy going to the Sheep and Wool, but I like to think of myself of an efficient shopper. By this I mean, I am not one to go slowly through each stall and such, partly because it gets so crowded and I don’t feel like squeezing in everywhere. So when I was done I would wait at the end and knit until everyone else was ready. I also used the knitting to occupy myself in the bathroom line. That was commented on by one passerby that there was a true knitter. No there was a girl who would have been severely annoyed if she had not been occupied by the knitting. As it was, I was able to patiently wait.

So what have I been knitting? The Vixen Camisole from Sensual Knits. Now the pattern is a lacey one with dropped stitches, however you do not drop the stitches until the band around the top. So currently the camisole looks small, small enough that someone passing by told her daughter it was a cowl neck for sweater, and my friends wanted to be assured it would stretch. I have yet to make anything too small. (Gosh it took a bit to find wood to knock on.) So the pictures show a half finished dirty camisole, dirty because it was my traveling project. In the travels it touched melted Easter candy, and also almost assuredly ended up with sunscreen and sweat on it. I swear I will postpone the need to wear it immediately, and thoroughly wash it first. The blue outline is the purl stitches that will be dropped, and there are many of those.