momentum

I seem to be feeding off the writing momentum I'm building. The chapter is in the final example of the final section, I'm waiting to hear back from my advisor on submitting my intent to receive my degree form this semester, and I'm knitting. lol, ok, so I'm never not knitting lately and that's a good thing I think. I've finished the baby blanket I was working on--I love knitting on big needles; it makes everything go so much faster, even with DK weight yarn, which is what I used.


Pattern: Soft and Sweet by Evelyn A. Clark in So Sweet Baby Afghans from Leisure Arts (#75015)
Yarn: Bernat Softee Baby in Pale Blue and White
Needles: US13 (9.00mm) & US15 (10.00mm)

This is a really fast knit and the drape of the blanket makes it snuggly and soft. There is an error in the pattern I have. It begins with 89 sts and then omits a YO on the final repeating lace row. So, I left it off and, before the second repeat (and subsequent repeats), increased a stitch two rows before the lace row to get it ending with a k2tog instead of a YO right before the side border. Then I increased again two rows before switching back to the smaller needles to finish off with the top seed stitch border. This is the second time I knit this but I didn't leave myself any notes last time! (I'd knit it when I was still a knitting noobie, just a few months into knowing how.) Have fixed that now since I'm sure I'll be knitting one of these again.

So, since I still haven't placed my Knit Picks order (the one with the yarn for my mom's Rusted Root, and my Blooming Cotton Scarf), I've moved on to the toe socks I promised the fabulous housekeeper at Chawton House Cottage (where I stayed on my research fellowship last year). I love the yarn the designer used, but it's discontinued and I am trying to destash! So, I rooted out some Marathon Miró from Four Seasons Gründl.



It's going ok so far; am on the leg of the first sock now. Oh, and speaking of yarn, KP is E.Vil! They've got their lace yarn on sale for a week! I think I may take advantage and get the yarn for the Celeste long cardigan from French Girl Knits and the yarn for the Shipwreck Shawl I want to make in honor of finishing my dissertation and Margaret Fuller (who died in a shipwreck). The only thing is that I'd like to make it in a colorway that's greyish/blue/black like the color the designer ended up with, but I don't have the patience or inclination to dye my own yarn. So I was thinking of either (from L to R) Shadow Kettle Dyed in Soot, Gloss in Cypress, or Shadow in Midnight Heather:



From the projects and stash pics I've seen on Rav, the Soot looks like it's more black or more grey, depending on the dye lot and lighting, and the Cypress has a bit too much green in it for my taste (I know! I'm poo-pooing green!) The Midnight Heather might work because it's blue/black, and the designer said she used a mix of Sapphire and Black dye to get that color. What do you think, dear readers?

waiting for Henry to stew

I'm stuck in the middle of a paragraph discussing Henry Tilney's use of the phrase "voluntary spies" in Northanger Abbey so I'm updating here while my brain works it out. Funny how multi-tasking has been helping me write this week. I feel like I've spent more time writing about knitting this week (via email with TheBlackSheep) than I have on my actual chapter but I know that's because I've had about three different ideas spilling out of my head simultaneously making things go slower than normal. Today, after some driving and yarn shopping (more on that in a sec), everything fell into place. The section that had been bugging me all week finally smacked me and it's been moved down a few pages, showing up in a much more natural spot, no longer interrupting its old paragraph. Huzzah!

Sock knitting's been on hold this week after I spent three nights last week working the short row heel on the first On the Fly sock (I call mine Flitter Toes). Note, this is my first toe up sock. The pattern is fabbity; not too tricky and interesting enough to keep you going. But Ugh. That heel drove me a little batty. I like the ease of the short rows but I first tried Priscilla Wild's 'no wrap' method which isn't supposed to leave holes. Yeah. I had a holey heel. I think it may've been because of my yarn (cotton blend), so I ended up ripping it all out and using misocrafty's pass-the-wraps-over method. It got a little tricky on my tiny needles, but the result is fab!

Ta-da!



No holes!! Not bad, eh? I'm quite happy considering this is my first try at short row heels. The first sock's done (after fighting my yarn to make the loose cast off loose enough!), and I've already cast on the second and finished the toe increases, but I'm taking a break from it. In the meantime I cast on the Not Quite Straight Scarf as part of a KAL. Easy pattern. This is one of three gifts I need to finish by April. The other two are a pair of socklettes in pink (I have no pink yarn!) and a felted bag in green. Hence my yarn shopping today. I got some Paton's Classic Merino in Leaf Green for the bag but struck out on pink sock yarn. Will have to keep looking. I also got some storage drawers at Big Lots! for $11!! That beat JoAnn's 40% off clearance price! So, this weekend I plan on getting control of my sprawling stash and reclaiming space in my small room. Oh, and also swatching and casting on for the Yaquina Bay cardigan FINALLY! I used my gift certificates and got some Patons Merino in Cognac Heather and Dark Grey so I'll get to finish off the rest of the grey sitting in my stash as well. So what brought on this cardigan decision, you ask? My office happens to be in the coldest room in the house--great in the blistering SoCal heat, but not so good in winter. I tend to be cold regardless of the season and the significant difference in temperature between the great outdoors and my office (20 degrees F easily) is killing me. I've had to dig out the space heater plus bundle up in cardies, gloves, and blanket. It's pretty ridiculous. I'm hoping a wool cardigan (instead of my standard cotton ones) will help.

I think Henry's percolating so off I go!

spring has sprung

I know snowstorms and bitter cold are blanketing a good portion of the country, but here, spring is making its appearance. Yesterday, I spent the day outside knitting. I finished a pair of stock socks, took pics with my phone, and now have no idea how to get the pictures off my phone and online. LOL. Oh well, I'll figure it out eventually.

Strangely enough (or maybe not), I'm realizing that I find big projects much more satisfying than small ones. So, I've decided to cast on Eris. I'm even going to check my gauge to make sure I'm right! What a notion, eh? The Black Sheep and I are going to have a mini-KAL with this. I'm knitting the cardigan and she's chosen the pullover. 10 to 1 she finishes before I do since she's the cable queen; I plan on pestering her mercilessly with cabling questions to try and slow her down. MWAHAHAHAHA! :p

On a different note, I'm trying to find a good method for making a hank into a ball sans ball winder (grad student here!). The Pink Sheep gave me a lovely hank of merino sock yarn from Crash Into Ewe for Christmas in a special green colorway and, even though I love ogling and fondling the hank, I want to knit something out of it! Maybe I'll just have to watch Miss Marple and figure her method out, unless someone wants to take pity on me and offer some advice. *puppy eyes* Would you believe this is my first hank evar?!

stash resolution

My goal this year is to clear my stash of all the yarn I bought when I first started to knit. You know, the fun yarns and BIG and CHEAP skeins. Of course, this was my resolution last year which failed miserably. This year, however, I've decided to create stock gifts (like hats and scarves) and charity items which will hopefully deplete the stash come December. One charity I'm excited about is Project Linus. Not only do they accept blankets and quilts, some of their members on Ravelry are looking for yarn donations as well.

So, what charities do you like knitting for?

ho ho ho

I'm getting excited for Christmas. I know, I know. What about Thanksgiving and all the turkey yumminess? Well, it'll be virtual turkey for me this year, although I do have loads of pumpkin bread and pie supplies thanks to my pumpkin conspirator friends! Being a Yank in England is a funny experience when our national holidays come along. For Fourth of July my brother was trying to convince me to hang a big-ass American flag off my balcony. Hahaha. Yeah, not a good idea. It was a funny one though.

The wedding shrug is about 70% complete. I'm at the flat pattern bit on the other sleeve and side now so with any luck, this sucker will be done this weekend. And none too soon as I'm heartily sick of this pattern already and keep having to keep my eyes from drifting longingly to the Mr Greenjeans supplies for mom's Christmas present. 60 more rows. 60 more rows, seaming, and blocking and I'll be free!! I'm so excited.

And speaking of Christmas, I think I'm going to be up the proverbial creek this year if I don't get a move on with my Christmas shopping. Methinks online shopping for everyone this year with just a few exceptions as there is no way I'll have room in my suitcases next month. Plus, I'm really not one of those who loves last minute shopping. The crowds drive me nuts and suck out all the Christmas cheer from my bones. This year's going to be chaotic enough with my brother's wedding happening before New Year's and I'm all about minimizing holiday stress. I'll have to start poking around my favorite online shops this weekend.

And speaking of online shops, is Elann.com the best kept yarn bargain secret out there? Seriously, I got their newsletter earlier this week and was floored once again by their selection and prices. They're even beating KnitPicks! I may have to appease the stash gods once again when I get home.

Well, it's off to the dissertation for me now. I finished reading Northanger Abbey last night and my chapter on education awaits. I need to see how my readalong friends are doing with the novel.

Toodles!

ETA: I know, I'm back. But look! Cass the enabler has posted great gift ideas for knitters. Oh my weekend is going to be fab!

yarn explosion imminent; you have been warned

Knit Picks has launched their autumn clearance sale. *falls over* Someone stop me from bankrupting myself.

fallin' off the wagon

Well folks, I have purchased yarn. Nine balls of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran (how much does Ebay rock?!) And here I'd been doing so well on the No Yarn For A Year challenge. But my yarn hor self got the better of me 11 days before NYFAY finished. Alas! Keeping to just that small amount was SO hard. Of course, this doesn't mean I haven't stashed a bunch of others in my KnitPicks basket >.> Dude, and Ebay. I'm always gobsmacked by the amount knitting supplies you can get there for cheap! *pets bamboo needles* Even with international shipping, it was still cheaper than buying it here, yo.

Anyway, the point of the yarn hor moment is, of course, the I Do shrug. Jill left me a comment reinforcing my knitting in 9 days doubt (jetlagged no less!), so I decided to find some yarn as soon as humanly possible (read: NOW!!!). So, thanks, Jill! I love good advice that gives me an excuse to bulk up the stash! :D Hopefully this yarn indulgence will last me til I get home. Three more months, three more months ... chant with me!

In other news, Sesame's all pinned and blocked; I think it actually may be dry by tomorrow. Would you believe the LYS here does NOT sell blocking pins? I've had to commit Knitting Sin by using regular pins. *shockgasp*

ps. If you haven't checked out Stash & Burn's podcast interview with Casey and Jess of Ravelry, it's quite interesting (and fun!) You can find it here.