Molly's Needles

Lovely lace

2006-05-19T07:10:00.000-05:00

I received the new Knit Picks catalog yesterday. They have a few new colors and some new spring lines, which is always nice to check out but what really got me is when I saw this pattern: Rona Lace Shawl. It just looks so lovely and, while they have it in a light color, I could easily see it in a darker color for autumn or winter. Since I was planning on picking up some Dancing sock yarn, I think I'll add that pattern to my list. I have a couple skeins of the Skacel Merino Lace in white and burgundy, both of which would be sufficient.

The other thing I want to pick up are a few skeins of Socks That Rock yarn. Googling shows lots of places where you can look at it but I can't see which site to order from. I know I'm probably being ditzy, but could anyone who's used this yarn tell me the best place to get it from? In particular, colors I'm really in love with are the Blue Moon Rock and Emerald Isle. Yummy. :)

I'm hoping to finish Clapotis and the Common Welsh Green socks next week. One of the CWG socks is almost done. And I am going to see Andrea Boccelli in June and would love to wear Clapotis to it.Vacation from work so that means lots more knitting time. And that's got to be a good thing, right?

Goodie time!

2006-05-16T08:15:00.000-05:00

I've been rather absent from Blogland this past week due to a nasty head cold. With my head so stuffed up there wasn't any room for brilliant posts I guess. I'm feeling fully recovered now, though. It must have known that my birthday was around the corner and given up as a gift to me. ;)

Since today is my birthday that means that you all get the presents! There were quite a few entries. I must not have chosen a difficult enough question for you all!

I broke out my trusty random number generator and came up with two names.

Receiving the Rose Garden yarn, purple bear and candy is... Heide!

The Trail yarn, yellow bear and candy will be heading out to Shannon's house!

Congratulations to you both! I hope you enjoy your prizes.

As I said, there were a lot of entries and I hated that I didn't have a package for each of you, so I am sending everyone who entered this week a set of stitch markers. I have your e-mails and will be contacting you in the next day or so.

I have had such a wonderful time during the last month with this contest. Some of you have been commenting all along and I've known you for a while. Many of you are new names and I hope will become new friends. Each week my family would ask where I was sending a package to and they marvelled over how small the world has become. It's a lovely thought, especially for me today, with a family who is far-flung. Through common interests and shared experiences, we are able to create a global family. And that is what celebrations like this are supposed to be about.

Another Tuesday is here

2006-05-08T19:01:00.000-05:00

And, this month, that can only mean one thing. Time to announce this week's winner and show the prizes for the final contest.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who has entered so far. To tell the truth, since I am such a little blog, I was worried that no one would show up. Instead, there has been a lovely turnout each week and I've made a few new friends, which is always such a wonderful thing.

Enough of the mush. You'll be getting a lot more of that next week. ;) On to the fun stuff!

As before, I used a random number generator to determine the winner of this week's prize. And that person is... dreamcatcher! Congratulations. The yarn, sweets and stuffy will be heading your way.

Now for the new prizes. As I stated after the first week, everyone is again eligible for the drawing, even if you won earlier in the month. Because of that, and because this will be the Grand Finale, the rules are changing slightly. You need to answer a trivia question. I'll put all correct answers into a random number generator and award two winners next week on my birthday.

Ready for the question? Since this blog is called Molly's Needles, I thought I'd have a question about the original Knitting Molly. Here it is: Molly Weasley had two brothers. What were their names and what happened to them? Email your answer to mollyblogcontest at gmail dot com by 6PM EST Saturday. The winners will be announced next Tuesday.

I suppose you'd like to know what you are trying to win, wouldn't you? Well, here are the prizes (apologies for the slightly dark photos):

This lot contains 6 skeins of Knit Picks' Gossamer yarn in the Rose Garden colorway. That's 2,640 yards of laceweight. Enough to do a couple triangles or stoles or one big square. However you choose to knit it is up to you. There's also a little purple-flowered teddy and some truffles. You know I wouldn't deny you all your chocolate, right? I'll also include a set of 6 stitch markers.

Here's the second prize. Another 6 skeins of Gossamer, this time in Trail. A flowered bear, more chocolate and a set of stitch markers.

I hope to see your entries soon. I've had quite a lot of fun giving away these packages over the last few weeks. I hope you've enjoyed it, too.

Pressies are such a nice thing!

2006-05-06T18:35:00.000-05:00

Along with most everyone I talk to, I've been battling a horrid cold for the last few days. Therefore, recent presents have really perked me up.

First there was the alpaca/silk yarn I mentioned in my last post. dreamcatcher, I think I may make a pair of mittens out of them but I'm not 100% decided yet. What types of projects have you considered with your Debbie Bliss?

If you haven't seen the lovely bags that trekcelt has been making, you should go take a peek. She's quite talented.

I'm not just saying that from the pictures because look what found its way into my mailbox today! Isn't that fabric too cute? I absolutely love it and the Welsh Green sock went right in. Thank you, so very much, trek!

Speaking of the WGD socks, I'm about 3 rounds from starting the heel flap. As long as there are no unforeseen occurances, I should have the heel turned by the end of the weekend, as I had hoped. Oh, I can't wait until I can try it on and see how it turns out!

While I was working on the sock and awaiting the running of the Kentucky Derby (my mom, aunt and I did a pool together. I won!), Blaze was engaged in more important activities, like trying to catch that rogue bit of blue yarn in the corner.

Murcus' Socks are done!

2006-05-05T17:22:00.000-05:00

I have to say that I am pleased with how they turned out. The colors blend so nicely and really give the impression of light playing on the water. The only change I would have made might be to have picked the stranded pattern up on the back of the leg sooner. I left it in plain knit for a couple inches above the heel turn just in case I wanted to wear them with closed shoes- I was worried the stranding would be too thick and rub. Oh, and I would have picked up a stitch in the gap when starting the round after the heel so I wouldn't have little holes to close. Other than that, I have no complaints about them. I'll probably pick up more of this yarn, as it's pretty affordable and seems to breathe nicely in warmer weather.

Now that they are done, I can turn my attention to the lonely, abandoned Welsh Green sock. I'm determined to get at least as far as the heel turn this weekend on it. I'd like to start the second one sometime next week.

And, look at this incredibly yummy yarn I got from Trish. It's by Diamond Yarn and called "Natal". The blend is 75% baby alpaca, 18%silk and 7% polamide. *squishy* I think I may make a pair of cozy mittens out of this. Thank you, again, dear.

Note to self

2006-05-05T07:37:00.000-05:00

Just because Patternworks is now carrying Austermann Step and Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in gorgeous colors does not mean you have to buy it all right now. Show a little restraint. I know you love your Purple People Eater socks and that the Common Welsh Green socks are as soft as anything you've ever felt, but you will have to face the Lord and Master of the House when he doesn't get his ration of catnip. And you know how upset he gets over that!

Some interesting stuff and Week Two results

2006-05-02T07:24:00.000-05:00

At one time or another, we may have all thought about designing something fabulous, right? If you've ever had that dream or are just curious about what it's all about, check out Melissa's blog. She's doing a series on her experiences in the world of fashion.

Thank you for your entries in this week's contest. As with last week, I used a random number generator to determine the winner. And that person is... Trish! Congratulations! I'm sure you'll make something wonderful from it.

That means that it is time to announce the prize for next week's contest. It is turning into a month of lace here. I'm giving away another skein of Skacel Merino Lace, this time in a very pale pink. And, to satisfy all you chocoholics, there is a bag of caramel truffles (really yummy!). Next, to keep from neglecting the men in our lives, a cute little ram stuffy. The picture doesn't quite capture him- he has a pink and blue mottled body and his horns and feet have silver sparkles. He's a rather dapper fellow. ;)

To enter, just send an e-mail to mollyblogcontest at gmail dot com with the line "Birthday Contest Week Three" by 6PM EST this Saturday. I'll announce the winner next Tuesday along with the big finale to the contest. Best of luck to everyone!

I will hide in sweaters no more

2006-04-29T07:38:00.000-05:00

After reading Margene's post yesterday I reaffirmed my decision to get more fit. My problem is that I tend to nest into my house and read, knit, work on logic or Sudoku puzzles when not working. Now that the nicer weather is coming the ability to wear big sweaters like my beloved Pretty in Pink are coming to an end.

Making the decision is easy. Sticking to it...that's another matter. So, for inspiration and the ability for others to see if I'm keeping my word, I've joined The Giving Flower's I'm Fit and I Knitgroup. The button is in my sidebar if you want to join in. I'll post updates here and hopefully we'll see some results. :)

In knitting news, I finished the second repeat of the Common Welsh sock. Heather, you're right- it is a fun pattern to do! I've also cast on for the second of Murcus' Socks. Hopefully that will be done by mid-week.

A sock and a quarter?

2006-04-27T17:39:00.000-05:00

I finished the first Murcus' Sock today. I really played around with the pattern as far as how high to make it and what kind of cuff- I had toyed with the idea of making a picot edge but decided on a simple rib. I love the colors and am so happy to have a cotton blend sock to wear now that it's getting warmer. There is a slight gap where I finished the heel and started on the leg. Nothing that won't be easily fixed. Now on to the second sock!

I also did some work on the Common Welsh Green sock. I'm through 1 1/2 repeats of the first chart. Now that I have some more of the pattern showing, I think it will be fine. I was a bit worried that the yarn would obscure the pattern.

Tonight I'll probably do another repeat of Clapotis. I've reached the point where I've dropped three ladders. Even though I know what's supposed to happen it's always a bit nervous to drop that stitch, don't you think? I'm pretty happy with how it's turning out. The yarn doesn't form a specific pattern across the piece. It's more of a mottled effect. I guess this is because each ply is a different color and it depends on how the yarn twists as you make each stitch. I've tried taking a few pictures of it but I think it would be best outside in the sun. I'll try to get a shot over the next couple of days.

Sock news and other stuff

2006-04-26T21:04:00.000-05:00

I've been working away on Murcus' Sock. It goes quite quickly and is an easy one to take on the road with me. I'll post a picture of it tomorrow as there will be some of the leg done then and it will really look like something.

Finished the first repeat of the Common Welsh Green Sock. As I said before, this one is going much slower, both because I don't want to mess it up but also because it's knit with 4 dpns and I generally prefer using 5. It wouldn't make sense for this pattern, though, so I'm following the author's recommendation. I am thinking ahead to the second sock and may reverse the 'scales' on it to make right and left socks. We'll see once the first one is finished.

About the contest, I guess it goes without saying that everyone who did not win should enter again. For the winners of the first three weeks, would you mind waiting until the last week to reenter? I've got some huge prizes for that one and will actually be making two winners for that. I don't mean to sound petty but I want to give as many people a chance to win as possible. I hope you all understand.

And I am making sure to keep the lamb far away from the Lord and Master! He has enough toys of his own, not to mention several tail ends of yarn that he has filched from my scrap bag.

Contest News

2006-04-25T07:10:00.000-05:00

Thank you to everyone who entered the first week of my birthday contest. From the comments made in the e-mails, it seems that chocolate was a contributing factor in many entries! :D

I put everyone's name into a random generator and the winner this week is trekcelt! Congratulations!

For those of you who didn't win this week, there are still several more chances, beginning today. Here is what's up for Week Two:

There's a skein of Lacey Lamb yarn (825 yds). This is ultra-soft and very fine. I used a skein of this to make my Olympic shawl and absolutely fell in love with it. Also, a cute lamb doll (anyone sense a theme here?) and some more chocolate. There may be one or two other little things that didn't make it into the picture, too.

The rules are the same as last week- to enter, send an e-mail to mollyblogcontest at gmail dot com with the words 'Birthday Contest Week Two' in the message. You have until 6PM EST on Saturday to get your entry in. I'll draw a name at random from all entries and announce the winner next Tuesday.

In other news, I've finished the first repeat of Chart A on the Welsh Green sock. Because this yarn is striped, it doesn't show too well in a picture, however, I think it will show nicely when worn.

Murcus' Sock is coming along now that I got the bumps straightened out. I got a fair amount of work done on it last night while visiting with some friends.

The Lord and Master of the House spent the day chasing Mr. Hedgehog (a cohort of Piggy's) and is resting quietly.

How dumb can I get?

2006-04-23T09:03:00.000-05:00

After looking at the yarn some more and reading trek and Heather's comments, I agree that this looks more 'merpeople-ish' than 'squidish', so I'm renaming these Murcus' Socks. Thanks for your input you two. :)

And I have had a lot of chance to look at the yarn. When I picked it up last night as a break from the Welsh Green socks (almost through one repeat of Chart A. Yes, I'm going quite slowly because it would break my heart to have to rip this one back!) I noticed that I had done the boneheaded thing of continuing the stranding across the bottom of the foot. I blame it on my habit of doing cuff-down socks so much. I ripped. Got it back on track and saw that I had messed up when picking up the stitches. Well, I need practice with the short-row toes anyway. Pulled it completely out and started all over. It is now back to where you saw it yesterday.

And these were supposed to be my 'easy' socks!

I've been checking out the colors of STR and have fallen in love with Blue Moon Rock as a possible SSS. Rocky Horror or Tigers Eye have also caught my fancy. Well, that needs to wait until I'm at least close to being done with the Welsh Green socks. Did I mention how lovely that yarn is to work with? I just can't wait!

Squid Socks?

2006-04-22T15:08:00.000-05:00

I began working on what I thought would be my Swedish Short Snout Socks (4S for short?) but the yarn has a touch too much green and purplish-blue to work. It really looks more like water to me. I'll have to go hunting for something else.

I did feel like keeping to a HP theme for them so I am doing a simple stranded stitch and call them Squid Socks. Yeah, I know the giant squid doesn't wear socks but work with me here, folks.

Sing along with me!

2006-04-21T12:16:00.000-05:00

It was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eater.
(one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people eater)
A one-eyed one-horned, flyin' puple people eater
Sure looks stange to me. (one eye?)

Yup. The Purple People Eater Socks are done. Here they are in all their purple glory. The striping isn't exact but it's pretty darn close, so I'm even more pleased on that score.

This, of course, means that I have free needles. I want to start working on some GoF Dragon Socks. I have the green Step yarn that I plan to use for Common Welsh Green and some Sockotta in a blue/green varigated that will suit the Swedish Short Snout. Last night I cast on the Step using the infamous Pomatomus pattern. We'll see how that works. Definitely a 'stay at home' project.

Also, just a reminder to get your email in if you haven't already for week one of the birthday contests. You have until 6PM EST tomorrow (Saturday). I'll announce the winner on Tuesday.

Have a good weekend!

Bamboo Socks and more

2006-04-18T07:05:00.000-05:00

Woohoo for finishing the pair! This one went much smoother since I had already figured out the Peasant Heel as well as the number of rounds to make the foot fit nicely. As I said, this was basically the Universal Sock Pattern with a modified heel. I tried them on with a pair of black mules I have and they fit very well. I think that's what I'll wear to work tomorrow. The mules will show off the Purple People Eater Socks, too, once that pair is finished.

So, some random blog-surfing yesterday brought me to a creative approach at combining love of knitting with love of Harry Potter (and I'm always looking for something to combine those interests!). The Destiny Manifest is working on four pair of socks, each one meant to convey the essence of the four dragons in Goblet of Fire. She's finished two pair so far- Common Welsh Green and Swedish Short Snout. There's some lovely yarn lined up for the Chinese Fireball and I believe she is using Koigu for the Hungarian Horntail. After reading that, I took another look at my Step yarn and think the colors might work for a pair of Welsh Green socks. Now to find a suitable "scaly" pattern.

Now, as for the suprise I hinted at yesterday. A little while back, Margene held a series of contests leading up to her birthday. Although I didn't get any answers right- I guess my knowledge of the Utah Grrl isn't up to par- it was a fun experience. Therefore, I've decided to do the same. There will be four giveaways leading up to the anniversary of my natal day (which should be a national holiday, IMHO).

To give as many people as possible a shot at this, I'm not going to do a question like Margene did. Well, not until the last week, anyway. If you want to be entered this week, just send an e-mail to mollyblogcontest at gmail dot com and put "Birthday Contest Week One" in the message. Get your entry to me by this Saturday and I'll draw a name using a random number generator. The winner will be announced next Tuesday.

What's up for grabs, you ask? Well, a skein of Skacel Merino Lace in a soft white (1375 yards), an egg-shaped container of chocolate (because just about everyone loves chocolate!) and a few other little goodies. Hope to see your e-mails soon.

Weekend goodies

2006-04-17T11:18:00.000-05:00

I stopped into my LYS Friday afternoon to see what was new and walked out with all sorts of yummy yarns.

Two new skeins of sock yarn- Fortissimo Colori in what looks to be a white ground with primary dashes of color. Should look fun when it's knitted up and a skein of Austermann Step in varigated greens with a bit of cranberry here and there. This was new to the shop and is so soft; apparently it aloe vera and jojoba oil in it. As soon as I finish the two pair I'm currently working on I'm going to start that.

The Bamboo Sock will be finished tonight. Just have the toe and heel to do. Yay for fast socks! Then I'll cast on for the second Purple People Eater Sock and hope to have that done by mid-week.

The other yarn I got Friday was 3 skeins of Cascade Sierra Quattro in a lovely pastel blend of pink, green and yellow. Very springlike and cheerful. What am I using it for? Well, I'm finally breaking down and making Clapotis. I know everyone and their brother has already made this, but I was much inspired by dreamcatcher's gorgeous version. I've knitted on it over the weekend and have almost completed the increase section. I'm rather suprised by how quickly it goes.

No pictures today although I will have some of the finished Bamboo Socks tomorrow as well as a suprise for you all tomorrow.

And the socks keep coming

2006-04-14T07:09:00.000-05:00

Well, parts of them, anyway. The second Bamboo Sock is progressing quite nicely. Funny how a pattern stitch can make the work seem to go quicker than the acres of stockinette.

I started my dad's sock, which has a cuff done on US5, but when I went to switch to the US8s, I could only find 4 of the needles. These had gone a-travelling with me and the bag did tip at some point so I fear it is lost. Well, I have to go to the LYS tonight for some other stuff so I guess I'll grab another set. I just have an aversion to working with 4 needles for some reason.

I also have finished the little tank dress for Dolly. I'm about to start the matching cardigan and then I'll post a picture of all the outfits. If I say so myself, they aren't that bad for coming up with the patterns myself.

Thanks for the praise of my socks, dreamcatcher. I really would like to do a Dobby-ish pair at some point, maybe use up all the odds and ends of sock yarn. Personally, I think he's on to something. I mean, who said that socks have to match? ;)

One more thing to look forward to, coming early next week there will be some fun and exciting (I hope) things posted here. Keep an eye out for it.

Have a happy weekend!

Two pair, two socks

2006-04-10T18:18:00.000-05:00

If you take a peek at my sidebar you'll notice that I have two pair of socks going. Would it make sense to complete one pair at a time? Of course. Do I always make sense? Not usually. So, here are the first halves of my new socks. Oh, and please pardon my pale leg. The flash washed it out a bit but it also hasn't seen the sun since last summer!

This is one of the Bamboo Socks. It is knit from Jawoll Superwash in Charcoal on US2 needles. I sort of cobbled together Kathryn's Universal Sock Pattern with The Knitting Fiend's Peasant Heel. The stitch on the leg is the Bamboo Stitch from my 365 Knitting Stitches perpetual calendar, modified to be worked in the round. It was super-easy. As I said before, I had knit this up but the foot didn't fit quite right, which was due to a slight miscalculation on how much length would be taken by the heel. I recalculated and am very happy with the snug-but-not-tight fit I now have.

Here is a shot of a Purple People Eater Sock. I used the same patterns and needles for this sock but knit it from Lorna's Laces Purple Club. The stitch is sort of the same as on the Bamboo Sock. However, I alternated the pattern stitch with a round of eyelets. It made it a bit more open and lacy. This sock had also been previously knit. I was making the Slouch Sock from Socks, Socks, Socks but the color pooled horribly. Part of my reason for wanting an open stitch on this was to try and prevent the pooling. I think it succeeded.

I might be happy with the results, and am looking forward to the finished pair (although this currently makes a nice set of Dobby socks), Blaze was not overly impressed.

Halfway

2006-04-07T10:40:00.000-05:00

I finished the first sock last night. I'm sure I'm not saying anything new when I say that you should have very good light when trying to pick up stitches. Especially when the yarn is dark and patterned. I forgot to heed that rule and ended up frogging the entire thing. Well, as I said, the foot was a bit too long so it isn't a complete disaster but it does hurt to rip out a perfectly good piece of knitting. As Margene would say, it is the process.

Needless to say, I did very little yesterday but knit. It was enjoyable, though. I had picked up The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe the night before (in fact, the frogging took place while I watched the extras disc), and I had some lovely decaf Vanilla Chai to sip. The Lord and Master of the House checked in from time to time, and as he didn't attempt to pull the yarn away to play with, must have approved of my work. The heel was finished at 10PM last night. I just need to snug up the spot where the yarn was attached and I'll take a picture of it. I'm pretty happy with it and can't wait to finish the pair.

Beyond that, I think I am finally adjusted to the time change. It's funny to think that one hour in the middle of the night can throw you off for so long but from what other people I've talked to are saying, that seems to be the case. Of course, I fail to see the need for Daylight Savings Time any longer. It seems to be a dinosaur that has outlived its usefulness.

This weekend I will be taking it easy, finishing my Bamboo Socks, possibly my father's cable sock and maybe even the (gasp!) Quidditch Sweater. Another viewing of LWW may occur as well as Goblet of Fire.

One sock down...sort of

2006-04-05T08:15:00.000-05:00

I finished the first of my Bamboo Socks last night. However, I think I'm going to rip a bit back and redo some. I just came across The Knitting Fiend's Peasant Heel tutorial, which is a bit more like what I want for my heel. It's also a touch long once the toe was completed. Rather than just redo the heel and have a slightly big sock for one foot I'd rather have two well-fitting socks. If you're going to make them yourself they might as well fit, right?

I also ripped out the wonky cable sock I had made my father. The best I can figure is that I put it down and when I picked it up again, started the cable pattern in the wrong place so it pulled in too much in one spot. Of course, that would be up at the top of the leg so the whole thing had to come out. At least that shouldn't take long because they were knit on US8 and US5 for the cuff. Then I can send them back down to Dad. He may actually get a bit of wear out of them yet because it can still get chilly where he is. If not, he'll be all set for next year. The moral of that story is to always look at what you're doing so you can catch mistakes before they get too well-established.

To continue with socks, I plan to go to the LYS this week to look for summer weight sock yarn (something with a cotton blend). I have a bit more sock yarn in stash but it's Jawoll Superwash and Wildfoote yarn. Great stuff but a bit too much wool for warmer weather. Hopefully the store will have something.

Musings on Project Monogamy

2006-04-02T17:39:00.000-05:00

I can't do it. I really tried but I can't. Maybe it is the warmer weather and knowing that I won't really be able to wear my Quidditch Sweater until Fall, but I've been seduced by other things.

One is a pair of socks. I'm using Kathryn's Universal Pattern to make what I call "Bamboo Socks". Super simple stitch pattern from my '365 Knit Stitches' calendar. I'm only working it on the leg because it might be a bit too bulky in shoes but it looks great. I've gone past the heel area (doing an afterthought heel on these) and am about 1/3 of the way down the foot.

Also, I've finished the purple raglan sweater for my cousin's daughter's Babe. It came out nicely and I want to do a twinset of a tank dress and cardi next. Along with a simple skirt that will give her several outfits. She's going to send me a picture of the doll this week, so once I have it I'll upload it along with the wardrobe. Melissa, you mentioned wanting to make one. They go very quickly and easily. I would suggest making it in the round. I did one flat but think the seams take a bit too much stress. The second doll is standing up to the affections of a two year-old quite nicely. :)

So, based on this, I think I am not meant to make one project at a time and see it through to the finish before starting something else. I admire those who have such determination but I guess I am just too random and easily distracted by new, shiny things to stay the course.

Now if you'll excuse me, I hear some lovely sock yarn or maybe the beginnings of a shawl calling to me. :)

la-dee-da-dee-da

2006-03-24T12:30:00.000-05:00

What a bad little member of Blogland I've been.

I've been a busy knitter, though. The Quidditch Sweater has one sleeve and I've picked up for the second one. The only drawback of working the sleeves top-down though is that the whole thing flops around in your lap.

I also made another Babe. This one was for my cousin's little girl. I finished the arms and legs while watching a St. Patrick's Day parade last Sunday. As the floats and bands went by I busily knit appendages with my US2 needles. I'll have to ask her to take a picture for me so I can upload it. I am much happier with how this one came out- knit in the round instead of seamed.

Now I'm working on some clothes for the poor little dear. I cast on for a raglan sweater and worked out a pattern for a cardigan. I'll make a few skirts or spring dresses to go under them and everyone will be happy.

Speaking of cardigans, I decided that I need a warm weather one for me. It's a few months off, but once the air conditioner comes on I'll want something to go around my shoulders. I have 6 skeins of Cotton Ease in Candy Blue that I managed to score a while back. By my estimates, I should be able to make a three quarter-sleeved sweater. I also want to do a pattern on the front panels and maybe down the sleeve. I'll play around with that this weekend. Much as I hate swatching I really think it best for this.

And, because he's become rather enamoured of his celebrity, and I couldn't resist the shot, I'll leave you with a picture of Blaze. This was a Boyd's Bear that was given to me for Christmas. I came in, placed it on the couch, went to hang my jacket up and the Lord and Master of the house claimed it while my back was turned. Since then, it stays on the couch and Blaze cuddles with it almost every day.

Just a quick update

2006-03-15T15:30:00.000-05:00

I've been working on the Quidditch Sweater. Almost finished with the sleeve, then pick-up for the second sleeve, do the neckline, block and sew the patch on. Yeah, if I'm lucky and the weather stays so changable I may even get to wear it before having to pack sweaters away for the season!

In lieu of some knitting pics today (my computer and I aren't on speaking terms at the moment) I thought I'd post a couple of pictures from my visit to my father's farm this past weekend. He only had the boys there but they are quite cute and funny.

Now, isn't this just the most adorable face? This handsome fellow is Espresso. He was the most inquisitive of the bunch. And, for a size reference, that fence is 4-feet tall. I always expect them to be bigger than they are.

Here are Cappuccino and Maxwell. Max is the oldest of the boys but that doesn't mean he is accorded the respect he thinks he deserves!

The fourth male was Bailey but he wouldn't come near enough for me to get a good picture of him. He looks a lot like Cappuccino but darker, like the wonderful elixir he is named for. :) You can see him hanging out behind Espresso.

There will be yarn coming in in the next month or so and I am saving my pennies to purchase some. I felt a skein left over from the last batch he had spun up and I could have petted it all day. I really think I need some.

Knitted Babe

2006-03-10T13:13:00.000-05:00

The doll is seamed, stuffed and has a face. I'm just finishing the hair and then I'll post a picture of her. I just wanted to make a few observations for the next time I make one.

While it was rather quick to knit I think I'll do future bodies in the round. Especially if I'm giving it to a little one. The fewer seams that can come apart, the better.

Light worsted is the best bet for hair. I had to scrap the purple hair (which would have been lovely!) because I didn't have enough scrap left over, but I think the Homespun would have pulled the stitches too much. However, making up bundles of yarn and attaching them might work (which is how the book suggests). Even though it takes much longer, I like the look of fringing the hair all over the back of the head.

I"m hoping to have a dress for her tonight. The poor little thing is liable to catch cold otherwise. Oh, and I suppose she needs a name, too. I'm thinking Anna Lee. The yarn I'm using for her hair is Paton's Classic Merino Wool in a nice red. I think it's called Rich Red but it looks like Raggedy Ann Red to me. Eventually I will make a Molly Weasley, but I don't want one with pale grey skin. :) I'll try to get a picture of her tonight, clothed or not. Maybe I'll just wrap her in a handkerchief for modesty's sake.

Vacation's over

2006-03-08T13:29:00.000-05:00

I took a bit of a break after the Olympics to rest my hands. All that frantic knitting took a toll.

Additionally, I had a scarf to do for a customer. He wanted something original and knit in the round. Oh, and charcoal grey. That was all I could get from him on what he wanted so I did what I wanted. It was the Project from Hell. Knit from Plymouth Encore, which is actually rather nice for being mostly acrylic. First, I designed a seed stitch panel that went up the center of each side. However, one of my skeins appeared to be short (or I way undercalculated, which is probably more correct) and it came out too short. So I ripped it all out, talked to him about adding an asymetrical colorblock of black and started over. This time I did a seed stich edging, knit plain for the body until I ran out of grey, added the black and continued in plain knit then did a matching edge. I fringed each end with its own color (one grey, the other black). Came out nice. It was 43" long when blocked, not including the fringe, and nice and thick. He loved it but it was the most expensive $30 scarf I've ever done. Oh, the re-knit was done in one night. I took much Advil the next day. Anyway, he came in today wearing it. I hadn't realized that because he's a rather big man, it still is a bit short. So I took it back and will add more black to it. Not too bad because I only have to rip back past the seed stitch.

I think I'm going to give up scarves for a while.

Because of that I haven't picked up the Quidditch sweater yet but it is waiting and will be started on this weekend. I'm looking forward to finishing that and getting to wear it. My patch is waiting to be attached. :)

I also got the book Knitted Babes. These are so cute. I'm making one out of some leftover yarn to see how they knit up. I think I'll keep this one because she's done in pale grey and I think I'll use some leftover Homespun in Gothic (deep purple) for her hair. Won't that be snazzy? I did order the sample box of Knit Pick's Palette yarn that should be perfect for making a bunch of them. Maybe I'll give each one a Pygmy Puff for a pet. Although I think the scale would make them more like Puffskeins, wouldn't it?

So, that's what I'm up to right now. I'm going to my father's for the day on Saturday. I'll be checking up on his alpaca and maybe see if I can wrangle some yarn from him.

Shameless, aren't I?

2006-03-01T10:26:00.000-05:00

All right. This one is for me. Because I really didn't think I'd finish without a nervous breakdown over that pattern. Now that it is finished I'm glad I didn't chuck it all but I'm not sure that I would choose that pattern again. As I said, I think the book will be kept for reference from now on.

Thank you for all the kind words about the shawl; now I just need to figure out when and where I'll wear it!

I haven't started working on the Quidditch Sweater yet because my hands and wrists were pretty sore. I'll start back to that this weekend.

A Gold Medal for me!

2006-02-26T09:12:00.000-05:00

I finished knitting at 12:51 Friday night/Saturday morning. After some recouperative sleep, I headed down to the local hardware store and picked up a sheet of foam insulation wallboard. Not the prettiest thing, but light and easy to stick pins into. Here it is, lying on the board, in pre-blocked condition.

A little bath in the sink, 500 pins pulling it every which way, and a few hours later...

This was taken on my picnic table this morning. I would have spent a little more time adjusting it but it was starting to snow and I had only thrown my boots and jacket over my jammies. Those of you who are observant may see that it isn't really a half-circle. When I was blocking it it would have been awfully short pulled into a round so I decided to make it more of a rounded-end triangle. That got me the width I was looking for and brings the point down a reasonable distance. It's approximately 58" wide by 27" long. Being so aggressively blocked (yes, I know I said I didn't want to do that) it is more of a cobwebby shawl than something that will keep a chill off, but I think it looks lovely. Since this is the third time I've come up significantly short on a pattern from this book I think I will keep it simply for the stitch patterns and not do any more of the shawls in it.

I had a fun time competing against myself and the clock on this and hope that there will be another KAL organized in 2008 for the Summer Olympics. I'm going to give myself a few days off to recover and enjoy the Closing Ceremonies before finishing the Quidditch Sweater and beginning my next shawl. I also want to get started on a few holiday gifts so that I am not scrambling at the end of the year.

And rounding the final turn!

2006-02-23T12:24:00.000-05:00

I finished knitting the body of the shawl last night and, since it was still fairly early, I cast on and began the edging. It's really a simple one- 10 stitches, 4 rows, garter stitch. Not hard to remember. I did knit an extra row on the shawl so that "right sides" would match, although I have a feeling that once blocking occurs it won't be that noticable.

As of noon I have done 25 repeats. To cover the whole bottom edge I need 161 so there is still a long way to go but I will be going back to it soon and hope to have 100 repeats done by bedtime (no, I'm not doing much else today). That will leave 61 to divide between tomorrow evening and Saturday morning. I'd really like to do blocking Saturday. Better to think you have a bit of "fudge room", right? ;)

I've looked over several other competitors' sites and everyone is doing so well! There needs to be serious pic-spamming when we are all done. :D

Well, back to the grindstone. Only 300 rows to go, today!

Coming down to the wire

2006-02-21T08:54:00.000-05:00

No posts for a few days can only mean one thing right now- serious knitting on the shawl. With less than a week left I have 14 rows to go before starting the edging. The hope is to finish Wednesday night and start edging Thursday, when I'm off and can spend quite a bit of time getting it right.

Sorry for not having pictures but it really doesn't look like anything. I did try to take a picture but the black obscured everything. Even in person you can't tell much yet. I'll be sure to post a picture when I have it pinned out to block and in its final glory.

The Hufflepuff Quidditch Sweater is warming up in the bullpen and will be stepping up to the plate once the lace is done. Then it's back to more lace. I'm still trying to figure out just how I want the Sunset Garden Shawl to work so I want to start the Irish Diamond Shawl from Folk Shawls in Gossamer. I have 6 skeins of Leprechaun that should work. It should keep me busy, at least. :)

Poncho goodness

2006-02-18T08:32:00.000-05:00

Sorry I didn't get the photo posted last night. I got busy with Fan Stitch and didn't end up doing my blocking until later. So, here she is, in all her glory. Well, in my living room, anyway.

As I said, I will now be concentrating on Fan Stitch. I'm not including any pictures of that because it doesn't look like anything. Especially with the dark yarn it's hard to photograph it in progress.

I am thinking about doing a deeper edging than what I had already picked. That is 10 stitches deep with a 4-row repeat. If anyone knows of an edging that would look nice on a half-circle shawl with a fan stitch pattern, please let me know. Oh, and the shawl is in garter so I think the edging should be, too. Appreciate it.

The weather has become much more like winter here. What a strange week- a blizzard last Sunday, temps in the 50s during the week and back to freezing this weekend. With a bit of wind thrown in for good measure yesterday. That being the case, Blaze has chosen to cuddle up where it is warm, either on my bed with his Piggy or in his bed. Doesn't he look cute?

Well...

2006-02-17T12:57:00.000-05:00

I decided not to frog the Fan Stitch Shawl. Not because I'm so enamoured of it (although I still think it will look fine) but because I spent over an hour looking through patterns and couldn't find something that really struck me and fit the yarn I have. So I'll stick with what I have and if it comes out well but isn't quite me, I can set it aside for a future gift. No waste.

Molly got fringed last night. Late last night while watching the Men's Free Skate so I didn't have a chance to snap a picture of it. I also want to do a bit of steam-blocking on the lower edge (curl) before I take her picture. I'll edit this post and add it in. Would I make any changes on it? Hmm. Maybe put in some eyelets down the sides as well as front and back. Not every other row but maybe every fourth row. Just to give a little more room to lift the arms. Other than that, it's lovely.

So, work will continue on the shawl and I am working on a men's scarf in Encore for a customer. I've cast on and ripped it several times trying to get a stitch pattern that looks nice but I think I've finally hit on it- seed stitch panel down the center with stockinette on each side and a short fringe. It's being done in the round, so it will be double-thick and the fringe will hold the ends together with a seed stitch panel on each side. Simple but not boring.

And in good news, Blaze had a final trip to the vet's yesterday and received a clean bill of health. No more pills or visits until next year for his shots. He was quite pleased with that news.

Progress, Day 6

2006-02-16T12:01:00.000-05:00

All right. Take a look at the status bars on the sidebar. Yup. The Molly Poncho is done! Well, I still have to do the fringing, but that will be finished today and then she is ready to go. I'll get a picture of it once it is blocked and fringed, but chalk up a medal for Team Potter! :)

As for the Fan Stitch shawl, I'm really not happy with it. It's looking like it will be far too small and I'm going to be ticked over it. I'm at row 105 out of 160, although I had thought to add another repeat of the pattern and a knitted-on edging. I'm sort of at a crossroads right now with it and seriously considering frogging the whole thing and starting anew with a different pattern. If I do that, I need to decide today, as we are rapidly approaching the half-way point. I'll let you know tomorrow how I've decided.

Oh, and I totally didn't mention a contest I won! Susan had a contest to come up with a name for a new lace pattern she created (which is now on sale and you can get the link from her site. It's really beautiful!). I entered a couple of potential names. In the end, Susan came up with her own name, inspired by reading over all the entries. She put everyone in a random generator and Yours Truly was picked. So, I get a red-orange cashmere sweater similar to one that she has already ravelled (in off-white) to do with as I see fit. If it is the right size I may keep it to wear but the most likely thing is that it will be ravelled and the resulting yarn (100% cashmere!!!!) will be reknit into a stole or some other lace item. So excited to see that. And, yes, pictures when it arrives.

That's about it for now. I'm off to decide whether to kill the shawl or not. Gah!

Day One

2006-02-11T07:45:00.000-05:00

Hmm. I said I wouldn't be around much, didn't I? Well, a woman's right to change her mind and all that rot. :)

I got a fair amount of knitting done yesterday on both projects. Began the Molly Poncho at work at 2:00 and knit for about an hour and a half until I had to do my close-up and go home. The pattern is a snap to do and I'm loving the yarn. It knits up into an eclectic mix but the yarn coming up through my fingers reminds me of old-fashioned hard candy. You know, those sticks that have the swirls on them and come in all different flavors and colors? That and saltwater taffy. I get hungry every time I work with it. :) It really is a bit lighter and brighter but the flash washed it out too much.

I began the Fan Stitch Shawl during the Opening Ceremonies. I got the first 48 rows done, which sounds like a lot but there weren't that many stitches. It was the first two repeats of the pattern stitch, though, so that's something. And it sort of looks like a doll's shawl.

I can't begin to say how much I am loving working with the Lacey Lamb. It is soooo soft and squishy. It will be a beautiful shawl when it is done. The only thing is, I think it's going to take much less yarn than I originally thought because it is so thin. I may not even break into the second skein. That isn't a bad thing, of course, just that I had planned to use the whole thing for this shawl.

Hope everyone else had a good first day! I'm off to get some food and back to the needles.

Contestants, take your positions!

2006-02-10T10:59:00.000-05:00

As I type this, I am three hours from the start of the Knitting Olympics. I have my yarn, needles and pattern for the poncho with me and will work on that for a few hours. I'm waiting until 8:00 when the Opening Ceremonies are aired to start the shawl.

Once things get going I may become a touch scarce but I'll pop in with updates, pictures and gritty anecdotes of the whole process. :)

To everyone who is participating in this, I wish you the best of luck and cannot wait to see your projects!

Waiting is the hardest part

2006-02-08T12:10:00.000-05:00

I've done all my swatching and am just waiting for Friday to roll around. To keep me busy I'm revamping Sunset Garden as a square shawl. I've got the square pretty much figured out so I just need to find nice border and edging patterns to finish it up. I'm also going to buzz out a few Pygmy Puffs for some people. But those are really quick and won't take too much time.

Melissa, about your comment on the Fixation- The hardest part for me is the cast on. I tend to want to tug the stitches a bit too tight no matter what yarn I'm using. As for the knitting, I keep my bag at my feet and just make sure I have a bit of slack from the ball at all times. Other than moving from needle to needle, where I did tug hard to prevent laddering, I just pulled enough to gently snug the stitch to the needle. Once you get going it really isn't hard to maintain an even tension on the yarn. I did see someone who said that they liked the yarn a bit more stretched and they put the yarn over the back of their chair and pull it up that way. I guess it's a matter of choice on what you're making. I plan to make a few more pair of these mitts out of Fixation and have had the Broadripple Socks pattern for some time. One of these days I'll actually knit them!

My hands are toasty warm right now!

2006-02-06T20:37:00.000-05:00

As promised, I am posting a pic of the finished fingerless mitten. Although you can't see it, my right hand is similarly clad. It's operating the camera so you'll have to take my word for it.

It took less than one skein of Fixation. In fact, I'm pretty sure I could get another mitt out of the skein, meaning 3 pair from 2 skeins. Not bad, huh? And I knit it very relaxed because I wanted it to stretch and fit nicely around my hand without being too tight. I lengthened the wrist portion by 4 rounds, which isn't much. The only other change I wish I had made would be to have made the thumbs a bit longer. Even 2 or 3 rounds would have been enough.

I'm quite happy with these and will probably make a few more pair up for myself and friends. Really a quick pattern and only took a couple of evenings to make. Now if the shawl and poncho go as quickly and easily!

So what's next? Well, I'm swatching for my poncho. I'm pretty sure I'll use a size 13 for it but I want to make sure that gives me the right gauge.

I'm also considering a change on Sunset Garden. No, I am not scraping the idea, just altering it. See, I really prefer square shawls to triangular ones. So I think I'll knit the center in the Shetland Leaves, like I have now, then find a simple border and edging. That should take a few days to work out, which will bring us right up to the Olympics.

After that, I have sworn to finish the Hufflepuff sweater. It's sitting in my basket and glares at me each time I walk by. I promise, that will be first up after the 26th.

The countdown continues

2006-02-05T08:11:00.000-05:00

Less than one week until the Olympics start. I really can't wait. And, if completing the Fan Stitch shawl wasn't enough I have added another project. A "Molly-inspired" poncho out of LB Landscapes in Autumn Trails. About a year or so ago I tried to make this into a two-piece poncho but didn't like the results. So I frogged the whole thing the other night and have two huge balls of yarn. I figure there are 10 1/2 skeins there; I had 11 but the ends had been trimmed after weaving so figure half a skein missing. Should be plenty to make a simple poncho, right?

Why am I doing this? Well, I really wanted to join Team Potter (I mean, how can I call my blog Molly's Needles and not knit for this team?) and I also wanted something that I could take on the run. I have some downtime at work right now but don't want to mess up the Fan Stitch or damage the lambswool. The poncho will be less of a thinking project that I can pick up and put down as needed.

I've cast on and knit most of the wrist for the second fingerless mitt. I'm hoping to finish it tonight or tomorrow. I'll take a pic and post when it's done. I'm coming in way under on the yarn, too. I'll get the pair out of one ball of Fixation, which is nice. Probably something to do with that yarn although I'm knitting it pretty relaxed so I have maximum stretch when I put them on. Oh, and I did move up to the size 4 needles.

That's about it. Blaze continues to improve and protests taking his medicine, but I think I've convinced him that it is for his own good. Or he's just humoring me. ;)

Just a quick post

2006-02-02T11:24:00.000-05:00

I finished one of the Fixation wristwarmers and really love the way it turned out. I'll post a picture of it as soon as I can.

Knitting has been suspended today so that I can comfort Blaze; he had to make a trip to the vet's this morning. He just got done with a course of antibiotics for an infection and was getting the follow-up visit today (as well as a few shots). He's doing much better but still has some lingering infection so is going on another 10 days of medication. Travel is in the top 2 of the things he'd really rather not do (the other would be taking pills, so we're batting 1000!) so I'll spend the rest of the day pampering my baby and pick the needles back up tomorrow. After all, there are some things more important than a finished project. :)

It's wrist warmer time!

2006-01-30T13:49:00.000-05:00

After finishing PiP I noticed that I had almost 2 skeins of yarn left. So I grabbed my size 10 double points and started fooling around with an idea. The result is a simple tube in K2P1 ribbing with a hole for the thumb. Nothing fancy but they will fit nicely under the sweater and at least I'll match. Coordination is everything. ;)

I also found a pattern for more sophisticated fingerless mittens. Dawn Adcock's Twin Rib Fingerless Mittens. She used worsted and size 4 needles. I really want to use the Fixation so I may go down to a size 3. She said the rib is very stretchy so it shouldn't be a big sizing problem. I hope to start them tonight.

And, no, I haven't forgotten about Sunset Garden. It's just that we are less than 2 weeks from the Olympics, when I will be feverishly working on the Fan Stitch Half-Circle Shawl and I thought it would be good to work on something simple.

Finished sweater!

2006-01-29T20:01:00.000-05:00

So I had a serious knit-in this weekend and finished the Pretty in Pink sweater. It still needs to be blocked but I had to share.

It is tunic length since I thought to wear it out in cool weather and figure the more coverage, the better! So, it comes down to my fingertips when on. The back of the neckline also wraps around higher, which should be comfortable outside. It's a stockinette body with seed stitch for the trim, and as you can see, no real shaping. Just a basic knockabout weekender.

I still want a pair of wristwarmers and think I have the yarn to do it- a while ago I bought two skeins of Fixation in the colorway Lupins for some socks, but I never found a pattern I really liked. I'm betting they would make comfy warmers for indoor use knitting, reading or typing on the computer. I'll start them this week and let you know how it progresses.

Just in case you didn't have enough with the news of PiP, here is a shot of the Great Hunter stalking some prey.

And what is he hunting? The elusive Piggy.

Busy day

2006-01-27T08:42:00.000-05:00

First, thank you, Dreamcatcher, for the praise of Blaze. He really is a dear and is quite happy with his web debut. I'm sure he'll demand more time in the future. Thanks, too, for the kind words about me. :) It is rather difficult taking your own picture, isn't it? And I really love your wrist warmers and may have to make a pair for myself very soon. They look quite cozy.

Yesterday was a rather busy day. I finished the body of PiP up to the sleeve attachment and cast on for the first sleeve. Since that only increases to 62 stitches, I think I may be able to finish it tonight and start the second one tomorrow. How nice if I could finish the sweater by Monday, but if not it won't be much beyond that. I decided to forge ahead with this as winter does seem to be back. I'll pick up Sunset once the sweater is finished and should be able to get some more work done on it before the Olympics.

Speaking of the Olympics, I swatched the Lacey Lamb. I like the way it looks on the US4 needles but I think I may have to find some bamboo. The yarn is rather slippery on my Addi Turbos and I don't want to spend my 16 days chasing rogue stitches. If I can't find a pair of 4's that I like I guess I'll use my Denise 5's for it. It will be a bit looser but I think it will still work.

I also played around a bit on my spinning wheel, Minnie (that's the little one I received as a gift last year). I had some brown Corriedale that came with my Ashford drop spindle kit and I finally got it to work. The yarn is totally useless but I am more interested in the process than the product right now. My goal is to figure the speed and twist well enough to spin the baby alpaca fleece my father gave me last summer. There isn't much to it as the animal was only a few weeks old when shorn, but if I can get a laceweight out of it I may be able to make a simple scarflet. As I say though, that is down the road a piece when I am feeling more confident of my abilities.

Quick update

2006-01-25T20:13:00.000-05:00

No pictures of me tonight. I need to recover from the horror of seeing myself staring blankly. My excuse is that I was actually looking at the bathroom mirror behind the camera to see if I had lined up correctly in the viewfinder. Yup. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :) Instead, I offer up a picture of someone who is much more photogenic than me. My darling cat, Blaze.

Sunset Garden is progressing. I don't quite know how big I'm going to make it. I'm still on the first skein of yarn and I have 6 total that I can devote to it. I have another 6 in that colorway, as well as Trail and Leprechaun, but they are being saved for something down the road. I'll get to that at a later date.

I got some work done on PiP today. I'm about 20 rounds from sleeve attachment. Based on the colder weather (we actually had snow today, which is not an unusual thing in winter but we stick out 30 miles or so into the Gulf Stream so tend to get rain instead) I think I may want another warm sweater, so Pink may take precedence before the Olympics start. We'll see.

Just found out that a Cary Grant box set will be released February 7th. Being a huge fan of his I find this welcome news and think the 5 films will be great "knit with" watches. As I think I mentioned, I really need a movie that I am familiar with to knit along to so that I'm not distracted from the important things. Like hitting that double decrease correctly. :)

Cowl Scarf, Part Two

2006-01-23T20:06:00.001-05:00

...protect your face or pretend to play Cowboys again. :)

Here it is pulled up over the lower face. I did some shaping on the top so that it would fit snuggly when up and also when down, since I didn't want it flopping over and allowing air in. Sort of defeats the purpose.

I had wanted to put these together but Photobucket hates me right now and Hello will apparently do one picture at a time. Sorry for the extra mess, folks.

Cowl Scarf, Part One

2006-01-23T20:06:00.000-05:00

In an effort to bring you an image of the Cowl Scarf I am doing something I rarely do- photograph my face. ;) Here is what the cowl looks like worn down around the neck. I tried it with my jacket and it fits down below the collar, so it should provide full coverage worn this way.

Don't get me wrong, I love my scarves and have several but I think it would also be nice to not have ends working loose.

Plus you get to do fun things like...

Winter's back

2006-01-23T08:21:00.000-05:00

I woke up this morning to the end of our early spring. Here in Eastern Massachusetts it's been 50-60F for some time. This morning there is a snow/rain mix and near Boston and west schools are closed. I guess Mother Nature remembered that we're supposed to be having winter, too.

I wasn't able to get a picture of the Cowl Scarf taken last night. I completely forgot that I had a football party to go to after work. Which meant a mad dash to the store to pick up something to bring for dessert. I'll do it tonight so you can all see the lovely work and the lovely me. :)

Sunset Garden progresses. I only got one repeat done last night after getting home from the game. Well, as I said, I'm not in a race to finish this one. And Dreamcatcher, I love the colors as well. The picture makes them look a bit darker than they are in real life. Hopefully I can get an outside shot done later this week.

I pulled my abandoned pink sweater out and will try to finish it up. This is the one that is being made from the hot pink tweed. It got shoved to the rear when I started all the holiday stuff. While Sunset occupies me at home, the sweater is an easy knit for slow days. And if it's going to stay colder for a bit it will be a welcome addition to the wardrobe.

A shawl is born and team buttons

2006-01-21T19:48:00.000-05:00

I know you are all amazed, but yes, it is a new photo here on my blog! :) Hope you enjoy it. As for what it is, it is the start of the Sunset Garden Shawl I mentioned. I've got about 6 repeats done so far and am happy with the way the colors are looking. I think over a white dress and with a light tan this will be very nice.

Also, if you cast your eyes onto my sidebar, you will see one of the buttons made by the lovely Jen and La for our use. And, depending on how things progress, I may change mine to the "Swearing at Lace" button. :) We'll see.

Finished the Cowl Scarf today. I still need to weave the ends in. I think it came out nicely but would like to have someone beta test the pattern before unleashing it on the unwary public. If anyone is interested, shoot me an e-mail and I'll send it to you. I'll post a picture of the finished item tomorrow (assuming I can take a good photo of myself wearing it!)

Now, I'm off to watch my taped episode of "The Book of Daniel" and get a bit more done on Sunset Garden.

Adaptation makes the world go 'round

2006-01-20T09:02:00.000-05:00

Or something like that.

I started casting on for the Lacy Prairie Shawl and decided to take a baby step toward creating my own design. So, I'm still maintaining a garter stitch border with YOs up the sides but in the center I am doing a stockinette version of Shetland Leaves. This isn't a huge pattern but it's big enough that the varigations don't obscure it. I'm calling it Sunset Garden because it is a leaf pattern and the colors, although called Rose Garden, remind me of a sunset- yellows, oranges and rosy-reds.

This is the first time I've used this yarn and I really like it. It's nice and spongy but very soft. I'm not totally suprised by how much I like it since it's Merino and I am in love with that anyway.

I've been reading other blogs and it is great to see some of the projects people are planning on for the Olympics. It will be quite interesting to see everyone's items once this is all over. I think we should all get medals just for trying. :)

Being at work right now (shhh! don't tell!) I don't have my shawl with me but I think I may be able to finish the cowl. I'll work on the shawl tonight and hope to have a few repeats of the pattern done.

And, Melissa and Gina, thanks for the good wishes in the shawl. I'm really looking forward to seeing your items, too.

Back to the drawing board

2006-01-19T14:50:00.001-05:00

Don't you hate it when you put all sorts of work into something and then realize that it just isn't working? That's what happened with Stóra Dimun. The pattern is great- the lace is very easy and quickly memorized but the yarn just wasn't doing it for me. I love the softness of the Shimmer but the colors were too strong and obscuring the pattern. I still want to do this shawl but I think it will have to wait until I pick up some fingering weight in a solid color.

In the meantime, I still need to occupy myself until the Knitting Olympics start. I've got a ton of Gossamer in Rose Garden that I've been wanting to do something with but it's also a bold color scheme so I haven't yet. However, I think the Lacy Prairie Shawl from Folk Shawls will work. I've knit this before with a thicker yarn and it went fairly quickly. If I'm not done in time for the Olympics, I will set it aside, but since I don't want it until summer that isn't a problem.

And I've decided what I will make from the Lacey Lamb for the Olympics. I'm going to do the Half Circle Fan-Stitch Shawl from Martha Waterman's book, Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls. Since I've done two shawls from that book and been a bit shy on the final size (probably due to my tension) I'll use a size 4 for it. Wish me luck!

Knitting Olympics, anyone?

2006-01-17T12:07:00.000-05:00

I was just reading Stephanie's blog and she has a great challenge for us all. Choose a project that would be a challenge for you to accomplish in 16 days. No casting on before the flame is lit and it must be completed by the time the flame is out.

I'm thinking this might be the perfect thing to use my Lacey Lamb for (2 skeins of black). I wanted to do a shawl but haven't quite found the pattern yet. This gives me 4 1/2 weeks to finish Stóra Dimun (which I should be able to do if I'm not working on 17 other things) and find a pattern. Or rather, pull one out of the several books I have.

Anyone else up for this? If so, head over to Yarn Harlot's site and leave a comment. She'll be putting a list of "competitors" together soon.

Speaking of Stóra Dimun, I got it cast on last night (so glad that's over!) and knit the first 8 rows. Now I get to start the decrease rows, which I'm hoping to do tonight. 14 of them before starting the lace pattern. This should go fairly quickly because it's garter stitch. For some reason I thought only the border was in garter but it seems that the whole thing is. Yay for minimal purling! ;) And, even though I only have an inch or so done, I can tell it will be so soft. Can't wait for it to be done!

House Cleaning

2006-01-16T12:18:00.000-05:00

It always feels good to clean things up, whether it's around the house or online, doesn't it? That's why I've decided to clean up my sidebar and update everything there.

Not a lot done, really. Just cleared the FO list (except the Pygmy Puff pattern because I may want to find it easily myself. :) And the Feed Your Brain list is cleared for books that I am reading this year. Let's hope it doesn't stay so pitifully short!

I've said I have the Stóra Dimun Shawl on the needles, but that's a bit of a stretch at the moment. I cast on last night. Four times. Maybe trying to cast 449 stitches of doubled laceweight on when you are tired or listening to Celebrity Fit Club (yes, I watched it. Sue me.) with all the numbers there isn't such a good idea. I'm going to try again tonight and see if I can get started. It will make a nice Springtime shawl.

As I said in my last post, I got a bit burned out from trying to get everything done before the holidays so I'm taking it much slower now. I may only have one or two projects going. And I'm going to try to get holiday stuff started this summer so I can do them at a more leisurely pace! We'll see if that resolution is kept.

I think I can

2006-01-10T08:55:00.000-05:00

For some reason, the post-holiday season always brings a slowdown in knitting for me. Maybe it's because I was so feverish before the holidays to finish things that I need a slight decompression time. :) Whatever the reason, my needles haven't been moving too quickly lately.

My father is sending back the socks I made him. I was pretty sure that would be the case since I had to guess at the sizing. I told him what measurements I needed and he will include that in the package. Then I can rework the socks to the correct size.

The moderator of the LJ community "practicalknit" has issued a contest idea. To take less than 200 grams of yarn (no fun furs or the like) and create a practical item from it (hence the name of the community). No one else seems to have taken interest in it yet but I think I may try even if the contest doesn't fly. Since I have several orphan skeins of Cascade 220 around, they'd be perfect for this. I'd like to try a cowl that could be pulled up over the mouth and nose as well as scrunched around the neck. If the pattern works out well, I'll post it here. It should be a quick and easy thing to make.

2005 Finished Objects

2005-12-31T13:40:00.000-05:00

Yup, it's that time again. Cleaning out the FO List to make room for next year's goodies.

Spiral Rib Socks

Sam's Socks

Both of the above were knit from Cascade 220 on US4 needles. From the famous Universal Sock Pattern.

Lacy Prairie Shawl knit in Lana d'Oro Green on US9 needles. From Cheryl Oberle's book, Folk Shawls.

Pink 'n Purple Socks knit in Cascade 220 Superwash on US4 needles. From the Universal Sock Pattern.

Hourglass Sweater knit in Plymouth Galway Colorneps Hunter on US7. From Last-Minute Knitted Gifts.

Os and Vs Circle Shawl knit in Nature Spun Fingering Butterfly Blue on US5 needles.

Cat's Paw Square Shawl knit in Knit Picks Palette Mist on US5 needles.

Both of the above shawls are from Martha Waterman's book, Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls.

Pygmy Puffs! knit in Berroco Plush, multiple colors on US4 needles. These were my own pattern.

Happy Holidays

2005-12-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

Here's hoping everyone has had/is having a wonderful holiday, whichever you may celebrate!

The frantic pace of finishing gifts in time for Christmas is past. Everything was delivered and appreciated. Best of all, almost everything fit! A little trouble with my dad's socks, but I blame that on the fact that I had to guess a bit on sizing, since I couldn't ask him about it, right? Anyway, he's sending them back with his measurements so I can rework them correctly.

I made a bunch of hats for various people this year. All from the book "Last Minute Knitted Gifts"- the Kim's Hat pattern. It's very adaptable and really looks great. I may use some bits of yarn and make myself one in a bunch of fun and funky stripes.

Now that the hols are over I'll be settling down to some no-stress knitting. I may do up a few more hats and such to tuck away against next year, break out some of my lace yarn for shawls and figure out what to do with the gorgeous handspun I got from my mother. It's a soft turquoise tweed that she got in Ireland from a local couple living in the Dingle (which is the area my mother's family is from). That's in County Kerry, in case any of you are curious. :) I'm not sure what I have for yardage, as there are no tags, but I e-mailed the shopkeeper and am hoping for some information. My mother said she was told that 2 skeins would make a sweater. There were only 3 in the colorway left, so she grabbed all of them. That much yarn leads to a great many possibilities and I will certainly wait until I have found the right project for it.

Here's to a wonderful New Year for you all. May your needles be busy and your projects keep you happy and warm!

I haven't fallen off the face of the earth!

2005-11-29T15:01:00.000-05:00

It only seems that way.

The problem has been more of trouble with the kidney stones. I ended up having surgery, and it's gone, but between the stone itself and the procedure, I was pretty badly beaten up. So, not only was I not here, I wasn't online anywhere really for the last 3-4 weeks.

However, things are healing well and I should be back to my frantic self again. :)

On the knitting front, not much progress. As I've stated before- pain meds and knitting needles don't mix well on several levels. Now that Thanksgiving is over I'm on a mad dash to finish holiday stuff. Is it bad that I am looking over my list and seeing if there is anyone that I won't see until after the holidays so I can put them on a slightly lower priority? *feels like a heel* I probably won't do that, though.

I also haven't finished the Quidditch sweater. But it will be finished and I will wear it with pride. Especially after seeing Cedric, I am quite proud of my Hufflepuff status. Too bad he's so young! ;)

The Give A Little drive is over, with all items being awarded. I am going to send my Cat's Paw Shawl out this week to the lady who won it. I hope she likes it.

Hope everyone is doing well. I'll be catching up with all my fellow bloggers over the next week. Happy knitting!

Your mission, should you choose to accept it is...

2005-10-29T07:33:00.000-05:00

...Quidditch sweater sleeves.

I finished the body last night and picked up for the sleeves. Since I ended up adding an inch to the body, I had a few extra stitches picked up, but they were easily disposed of in the first round of ribbing. I have a couple inches done on the first one and think they should go quickly. After all, it only starts with 100 stitches and rapidly decreases to 48. How long can that take to knit? And once the first sleeve is done, the second will go more easily, because I can count the rows until the black stripe starts, rather than try to line it up with the body. And have I mentioned that that prospect is making me a bit nervous?

The only "glitch" I see with the sweater is that the front and back ribs don't line up. Apparently I should have counted out two more stitches to shift it over a bit. When I did the shoulder seams, the knit from the back fell even with the purls from the front. Oh well. I doubt it will be that big a deal when I'm wearing it. I still will love it.

I was thinking about getting some black fingerless gloves to go with it, and someone in LJ's Weasleysweater community suggested gauntlets instead. I have some black Nature Spun that I think will work nicely, and I'll get more use out of the fingerless mitts, too. They shouldn't take too long, either- a couple of nights in front of the TV.

As soon as the sleeve is a bit longer (and more visible) I'll throw the sweater onto Michelle (my dressform) and take a picture.

What I've been doing

2005-10-26T07:43:00.000-05:00

Well, I've been chipping away at the Holiday List (which seems to grow everytime I turn my back on it!). I've also been working away at the Quidditch sweater. I'm just about done with the neck shaping, so I should be starting the sleeves this weekend. And, since they are only 100 stitches in the round, they should go fast. And the patch will take two shakes to be sewn on. Yes, there will be pictures of that, especially for Shannon, since she has contributed to the sleeves! ;)

I've also almost finished my LJ Sock Swap socks; just have the toe to finish on the last one. I really hope Heather likes them.

I've been trying to get as much done as possible before November starts, partly because I fell behind while sick and partly because I am participating in NaNoWriMo this year, and that will take a few hours every day. Am I silly to attempt so much? Probably. But I am often silly, so that doesn't really signify. :)

Now I really need to get back to a pair of simple gauntlets I'm making out of some Kureyon I have. A friend who has been exceedingly good to me is deserving of a little treat today.

Holiday Gifts

2005-10-17T14:24:00.000-05:00

One thing about being stuck at home is that you can pick away at the Holiday Gift list. When not sleeping, that is. I've gotten lost on the numbers, so I'll just say that my father's is half done. There are actually two items, so one is finished and the second started. I've also finished his girlfriend's item, a couple small things for a friend's kids and a couple other friends. I'm about 1/4 of the way through the list, give or take an item. Not too bad, especially since the rest are rather quick-make items.

Not much else to post. We've had a deluge of rain all last week, so I wasn't too upset about having to stay in on the couch. I'd prefer to take my vacation time for... I don't know, vacation? but I'm hoping to get back to work Wednesday. (In case anyone is wondering, yes, it's another stone. Lucky me.)

Hoping to finish the Quidditch sweater in the next week or so (thanks again, Shannon! You're a lifesaver!), and the pink tweed in early November. And once the holidays are over, I have lots of lovely lace yarn for several shawls. Yay! I can't wait!

Comment spam

2005-10-10T11:47:00.000-05:00

I've been hit by a bunch of robots lately, so I'm adding a word verification to my blog. It's a bit of pain, I know, but I'd rather know that when I see a comment has been left, it's by someone that actually reads and has something to say and not a random advertisment for goodness knows what.

Just thought I'd let you know! :)

Sometimes I wonder about myself

2005-10-07T09:33:00.000-05:00

As I said, I finished up the back of my Quidditch sweater the other day. Something didn't seem quite right, but I put it down to being tired. Now, in working on the front, I find that when I divided for the front and back, I somehow slipped an extra 6 stitches to the front section. Yeah, still don't know how that happened. Yup. I should have had 124 stitches on each side, but I had 118 in the back and there are 130 in the front. I really don't want to rip the back all the way down and work it again, so I figure I'll just adjust the neck stitches. Ah well. I wanted it to start a bit lower so I could work the color-band in anyway.

The other thing I'm getting a bit nervous about is that I am going to be close on the yellow yarn. I ordered 1100 yards of Honey and 440 yards of Coal (Knit Picks DK Merino Style) and it will be close. Not on the black; I've got plenty of that!

To distract myself from this mess, I have been working on the Holiday List. I have 2 items done, one almost done and the rest lined up. Not too bad. :)

I've also cast on for my re-made pink tweed sweater. I'm using my own oversized raglan design. It's knit in the round, because I hate seaming! and has seed stitch for the bottom and cuffs. I haven't decided yet if I'll continue that on the neckline as well. Probably will, to keep it all uniform. The body is in stockinette. I'm about half-way to the armholes. That's the nice thing about bulky yarn. It doesn't take much to get your fabric made up.

Still here

2005-09-29T07:22:00.000-05:00

It feels like forever, though.

I wish I had lots to update about, but I really haven't touched my needles this past week. The Evil that is Kidney Stones reared its ugly head early Monday morning and has kept me in a semi-concious state since. I kept looking at my work longingly, but the disaster that was the Bird's Nest Shawl prevented me from doing any damage to things that would have to be frogged later- like the Quidditch sweater or several of the socks I'm working on.

I did do a bit of work on some simple garter stitch scarves for some friends, because how much damage can you do to scarves knit on size 19?

Shawl blocking was also put off, since I didn't think playing with tiny pins I could barely focus on was a good idea. That will be done tonight and I do promise there will be pictures.

Now that I am back to what passes for normal, I will be furiously knitting away to make up for lost time. Are we really less than 3 months from the holidays? Time to get cracking!

Bye-bye, Banff

2005-09-23T09:26:00.000-05:00

So last year I attempted to knit Banff from Knitty (sorry, to lazy to look up the link right now. My bad.), but I had major issues with the pattern. I ran seriously short on the yardage, problems with gauge, etc. In short, everything was saying I shouldn't knit this sweater. So it was stuffed in the "don't look at the unfinished work" pile and temporarily forgotten.

I really love the yarn, though, which is Cascade's Bulky Tweed in the Hot Pink, so I think I may frog it and do something simple with it. Like a basic pullover or cardi. Nothing fancy, because, really. When you are wearing hot pink, you don't need fancy. :)

This is also a response to my need for Autumnal items. I pulled my Hourglass Pullover out the other day in preparation of cooler weather and thought that I'd like another in a different yarn. Maybe a varigated (Wendy's version she's doing in Alchemy is gorgeous, but I just can't afford that!) or something a bit more fun. With all the new yarns coming out right now, I'm sure I can find something I like.

In the meantime, I'm still working on the holiday list, my sock pal's socks (really liking how these are coming. Hope she does, too!), and planning to block the Simple Garter Stitch Shawl this weekend. Pictures of that will be forthcoming.

Let the knitting marathon begin!

2005-09-20T07:21:00.000-05:00

Shannon, thank you for your praise of the Garter Stitch Shawl. I'll have to have someone take a picture in natural light once it is blocked; it's actually a bit darker and much richer looking in person. Sort of a royal purple heather, if that makes sense. But you are right that it is very cozy and soft!

I finally got my Sock Pal's socks started. Heather, I am so sorry for the delay! My main problem was that color preferences were listed as both earth tones and jewel tones. I had access to both and couldn't decide! I finally found a jewel tone that is sort of heathery, so I hope that covers all bases. :)

Also got a start on the holiday list last night. I'm liking this item very much and it's fun to knit. After the hols are over I will provide a picture spam of all these things, I promise. If I forget, someone please prod me.

Finished with time to spare!

2005-09-18T16:43:00.000-05:00

All right, I still need to block (obviously), although it will mainly be to even out the bobble at the point and open the garter stitch up a touch. For all intents and purposes, once the ends are woven in (after blocking), it's done.

I'll do the blocking next weekend. I don't want to lay this out with the possibility of Blaze deciding to run across it. That still gives me a week to spare (the wedding is in two weeks).

Now, as stated earlier, on to the holiday items, which since several of the recipients have access to this site, will be spoken of as Holiday Gift #1, #2, etc. :D

Light at the end of the tunnel

2005-09-16T11:35:00.000-05:00

I think I've got it figured out. How to get the finished size on my shawl, that is. I want a finished width of 72 inches across the top. I'm knitting at 3.5 st/inch and will block out to 2.5/inch. Therefore, I need a total of 181 stitches on the needles when I bind off (the pattern has an odd number of stitches, so I'm rounding up slightly). I've got 145 now, so that means a total of 36 rows remaining (two stitches increased every other row). If anyone wants to check my math on this, feel free. :)

I'm just into my fourth skein of yarn here (110 yds/skein), and not sure what the final total will be. But I have a feeling I'll have yarn left over. Maybe that will end up becoming a lacy scarf or something as an as yet to be determined holiday gift for someone on my list. I've got a few blank spots left to fill in.

Just had to say that I was happy with where I am. :)

Yay!

2005-09-14T09:18:00.000-05:00

I got my new drop spindle in the mail yesterday! It's a Mini Rosa top whorl in tulipwood-cocobola that I ordered from Halcyon Yarn. It's so cute and spins so quickly. And what does this mean? Well, now I can start working on the fleece my dad gave me of the baby alpaca he had sheared this past spring! Woohoo! There isn't much because she was only a week old, but what is there is so soft. I'm hoping to get some fingering weight (or reasonable facimile) singles to make a stole or small shawl.

I also heard from my sock pal, so I'll be starting her socks this weekend. I have the yarn, I just need to find the right stitch pattern. Got a few ideas banging around in my head; I have to swatch to see which looks the best.

And I'm about half-way done on the Lana d'Oro shawl. I think. The original in the book was knit on size 8 needles and ended with 275 stitches across the top. I'm working on size 11 so my shawl is much drapier and more open, so I don't know if I want to go quite that large. I've got 115 stitches on the needle right now and have just started my third skein. I've got 10 skeins, so that's no problem. I'm still not sure how open I am going to block it, either. I guess this one is going to be a designed-on-the-fly shawl.

The joys of stash-diving

2005-09-13T07:27:00.000-05:00

I've been preparing for holiday gift time, since it will be a handmade year. I am putting myself on a serious yarn diet, which means if it isn't in stash, it won't be knit right now.

That being said, I met my father's companion the other day. She's a lovely lady that I hope to see more of. Naturally, this means another item added on. The fatherly one said she likes softer colors. Yippee! Erin produces 7 skeins of Patons Decor in a light periwinkle color (left over from doing the Blanket from Hell, aka the Big Bad Baby Blanket last year). I'm thinking scarf. So now I just have to find a pattern for it.

Speaking of blankets, I've finally decided what to do about the young child's blanket made out of LB Jiffy. I'm going to do 7" squares in garter stitch and patchwork them together. I've done a couple and like the way the colors work.

Other than that, I am still working on the Lana d'Oro shawl (close to done) and will then be starting on the holiday list. If I don't come up for air in a week or so, someone please come rescue me! ;)

Everyone, please meet Trail

2005-09-09T06:11:00.000-05:00

The color is a bit brighter in person, but we've all heard how I have camera issues.

I have 6 skeins of this, which I figure will allow me to do a monster-big square shawl or two large triangular ones. Decisions, decisions!

I do know the stitches I want for this, though. I mean, how could you look at this and not think "leaves"? And I found a gorgeous edging online of acorns and leaves that will work nicely.

It gives me something to think about and drool over while I finish the Prairie Shawl and Huffle Quidditch Sweater.

Wait until you see the other colors I got, too!

Woohoo!

2005-09-08T16:03:00.000-05:00

As I said yesterday, my Knit Picks order was waiting for me when I got home. Inside were 6 skeins each of Trail and Rose Garden and 3 skeins of Leprechaun, all in the new lace yarn, Gossamer. *wriggles in excitement* I can't wait to start working with them.

Also included was my color card for Palette. While I like most of the colors and would consider using them for a shawl or other large item, some are rather bright and should probably only be used in small doses or for smaller items, like gloves or mittens. On the whole I would say that the lightest colors were truest to the catalog. As you move into the darker colors (reds, yellows, blues, etc.) the actual yarns are slightly lighter and much brighter than the images suggest. In the neutrals, the nutmeg is a bit more pinkish than the picture and the cream is much less yellow. In fact, I'd term it to be more like a "winter white". But that's just my opinion.

One thing to note: in the catalog, the colors Fawn and Bark are listed under the wrong pictures. Just reverse them. My suggestion if you wanted to purchase any of these yarns for a significant project? Add the color card to your next order. Much better to spend $1.50 and know what you will be getting than to find out the 8 skeins you just received are the wrong shade.

I told you she would look better!

2005-09-07T20:27:00.000-05:00

I did look for a live model to show off the shawl, but everyone I asked wanted to keep it for themselves! So I enlisted the help of the dining room table instead.

It's amazing what a soak and drying time will do. The finished shawl is slightly smaller than anticipated, coming in at 43" square, but still ample enough to wrap around the shoulders. I modeled it for several people and had no trouble keeping it on.

I have my purple shawl to do right now, but I will definitely be working this pattern again to have a version for myself.

Speaking of the purple shawl, I couldn't find a lace that I liked with the yarn, so I decided to let it speak for itself. I grabbed a set of US11 and am going to do the Simple Garter Stitch Prairie Shawl from Folk Shawls. At that size, it should knit up in no time at all and will block out nice and open. Then I can move on to my next project, which involves the lace yarns I ordered from Knit Picks (and that arrived today!). But that's a post unto itself.

Shawls, shawls everywhere!

2005-09-07T07:07:00.000-05:00

Cat's Paw has been blocked and I will take a picture of it tonight when I get home. I am very pleased with the way it turned out. As you may know from earlier posts, this was intended for wear at my cousin's wedding down at the beach. However, after reading about Give A Little, I decided it would be better served there. So I offered it as a donation and Margene and Susan have graciously accepted. Again, I can't say how much we all appreciate what you ladies are doing to organize this. You rock hand-knit socks! :D

In the meantime, I still need a shawl for the wedding. Since I am short on lightweight yarns right now (and don't have the patience to order something) I went stash-diving. Lo and behold, I rediscovered 10 skeins of Lana d'Oro in a gorgeous royal purple-heathery color. Well, you all know how soft that yarn is, right? So I'm thinking a simple triangular shawl with garter edges. I just have to settle on the lace pattern for the center. I was going to do a 3x3 leaf or St. John's Wort, but neither are open enough to show against the dark color. Maybe a Butterfly? If anyone has an idea, please offer. :)

Last night I went to a friend's house for scrapbooking. At least, they cropped while I swatched the Lana d'Oro. And I brought Cat's Paw to show off. Everyone ooh'd and ahh'd over it and I had to keep a close eye to make sure it would end up going back home with me! It's always so nice to see your work appreciated, isn't it?

One last thing: I just have to put this link up where it will be seen and not hidden in the comments area. Jennifer made these for her brother's birthday recently. The box is from a pet store to carry hamsters home. She turned it inside out and created the Weasley label. She used the pattern I posted a while back, but I have to say that I love the google eyes much better than the variations I've used. I may have to steal that, Jennifer! Anyway, they look like a happy family of Puffs, don't they?

She's done!

2005-09-04T18:47:00.000-05:00

I just took her off the needles and wanted to share. Of course, I do need to weave ends in and block, but I'm so happy about finishing this that I couldn't wait.

Please be patient. She will look much better after a bubble bath and stretching out to dry.

Let's do our bit

2005-09-02T07:21:00.000-05:00

While browsing my daily reads, I came across two ladies who are organizing to help those in need from Katrina. Check out the posts by either Margene or Susan for all the details on how you can help.

Basically, what they are asking is that you donate to The American Red Cross (any amount you can afford). Then, send an email to this address with your name and the amount in the subject line. They will have a tally list of all donations received. Plus, you will be entered into a drawing for items donated by people.

If you would like to donate a prize, send an email to the same address, putting the word "Prize" in the subject line and they will get back to you on where to send it. You can send some yarn, books, handmade stitch markers or something you have knitted. You get the idea. There is a blog set up that maintains a list of donations already received. And an auction will be set up for some extraordinary items.

Watching the news everyday has been heartbreaking. Here's our chance to do a little bit for those people.

Finished with the Cat's Paw center!

2005-09-01T15:15:00.000-05:00

What I thought was an error last night wasn't. It was just me being tired. I am finally done with the Narrow Cat's Paw pattern that makes up the center of my shawl. I love the stitch, but I am ready for something different.

I have one more row of the transition area (the stockinette stitches right near the cable), then I'll be moving into the Old Shale, which is the border and edge of the shawl.

I'm making this out of Knit Pick's Palette in Mist (and by the way, I just got word that my order has shipped of the lace yarns I wanted, as well as a color card for the Palette. I'll post on how I think the colors compare to monitors and the catalog once they arrive- probably a week or so.), and am not quite halfway through my second skein. I have a feeling this will be another case of not needing as much yarn as she said in the book. Not a problem, as I like the yarn and can think of things to do with any extra skeins.

When not working on this, I've been pondering my first shawl design. I know the stitch pattern I want- Snowdrops- and have narrowed the border patterns down to a few. Originally, I had thought to do a triangular shawl, but I really love square shawls. There's something about being able to wrap up in them that I prefer. So I think I'll do a square shawl with the snowdrop in the center transitioning to either fir cones or something similar, and then a simple shale pattern for the outside. I need to pick up some sharper-pointed needles, as mine do not have near enough bite to get into the stitches.

But, as I said in the last post, once this is done (and well before the wedding, too!) I will be heading back to Hogwarts to finish my poor Quidditch sweater. Oh, and the Ravenclaw scarf. I'm afraid that has been languishing, too. Good thing it is still far too warm to worry about wearing it!

Oops

2005-08-31T08:14:00.000-05:00

So we had rain all day yesterday and I brought Cat's Paw to work with me. I did make a mistake in one of the rounds (added a yarn over where I shouldn't have) but it was on the edge where a new repeat was starting, and I did get it straightened out, so I don't think it will be all that noticible. Besides, this will be a large square shawl, so there's a good chance it will be in a fold.

Anyway, I sat down last night and started the new rep of the pattern (it's only 6 rows) and something seemed off. So I decided to skip it and leave it at home today. I'll try to figure out if I am off on the pattern or was just tired.

In the meantime, I need something to keep me busy so I brought my graph paper and pattern book and am going to see if I can sketch out some snowdrop lace for my winter shawl. I'm pretty sure I know how to do this, I just need to swatch the pattern and see if it can be done in garter or must be in stockinette. I think probably stockinette.

Oh, and it looks like I might be going to NYC for the premiere of GoF in early November. That means I'll have to get the Hufflepuff Quidditch sweater finished for that. I was hoping to go to The Witching Hour in Salem in October, but I don't think I can afford to do both. Maybe I'll do that next year.

Bitten by the lace bug

2005-08-29T12:30:00.000-05:00

I'm currently working at my Cat's Paw Square Shawl, and the J&S Cobweb Shawl is waiting in the wings. But there is just too much gorgeous yarn out there begging to be done up as shawls. And I think I'd like to try varigated yarns next.

I'm also thinking of trying something that mirrors the different seasons (that would be Wendy's fault because of her Woodland Shawl and Spring Flowers!) so I just purchased some of Knit Pick's lace yarn, Gossamer in three different colorways: Trail, Leprechaun and Rose Garden. I already have some Shimmer in Morning Mist, which I can use for a "winter variation". My thought is to do either triangular or rectangular shawls with a motif that echos each season. We'll see how well it all works once I have the yarn!

I think that 5 shawls waiting on deck is enough for right now, so I am not looking any further. My poor brain can't process that much planning!

Oh, and I also found a pattern for some men's fingerless gloves that I plan to adapt to convertible mittens for my father. I have a ton of yarn from his alpacas that I haven't found a use for yet. I think these will be a good thing to break it out for. How cute! mittens knitted from his own animals. :)

Man, I'm such a dork sometimes!

Ready for my close-up!

2005-08-28T08:37:00.000-05:00

Here is a close-up of the Os and Vs shawl. I hung it in my window so the light came through. The aggressive blocking I did made it look a bit more like a medallion than a bobble, but I really do like the overall look.

I blocked it out to 46" in diameter and when I took it up from the pinning it shrank back about an inch, so it is really 45" across. In looking through the book there were several suggestions on how to wear shawls, one being called a "Long Revers Drape". You take the top 1/4 and fold it down to form a collar. I tried it and because it wasn't cut in half it actually makes for a longer wrap on the arms. It came down almost to my wrists. So it will still give her good coverage as a light shawl. Now I just need to see if I can find a nice shawl pin to go with it and it will be perfect.

Sometimes being blocked is a good thing

2005-08-26T14:32:00.000-05:00

Here is the finished Os and Vs shawl. Finally! I know it took me quite some time but that was because I kept getting distracted by other things.

This would have been a lot easier if I had had blocking pins, but sometime you have to go with what is on hand. And that was a large collection of straight pins. Please pity my sore thumb!

I'll post another picture of it draped somewhere once it is dry and all the pins have been taken up.

As for the next shawl (the Cat's Paw), it is about the size of a dinner plate right now. Yes, it has a long way to go, but this one goes much quicker. Maybe because there is no purling on it. Hmmm.

Done. On to the next one.

2005-08-24T07:15:00.000-05:00

First of all, thanks so much to Wendy for answering my question yesterday in her blog. I've knit the extra rounds and it is awaiting blocking. Since my Blaze isn't as respectful of on-the-floor knitting as her Lucy is I think I'll wait until Friday when I am at home to supervise.

The yarn for my shawl arrived Monday and I have decided to hold off on starting the Cobweb Shawl for a few reasons. First, by the time I finish it it will really be too late in the season to wear it, so I think it will make a nice winter project once my holiday knits are done. Second, my cousin is getting married October 1st down on the beach and I think that even if it's a beautiful day I will want something over my shoulders. Now the decision is to make another Os and Vs or to do the lovely Cat's Paw Square Shawl from the same book. I'm leaning toward that because I do love square shawls. I hope to start that today. The yarn is from Knit Picks new line, Palette and is called Mist; it's a very light, soft grey. With a jewel-tone dress, either blue or green, I think it will look very nice.

When to stop?

2005-08-22T07:21:00.000-05:00

My Os and Vs shawl is just about finished. I think. I measured last night as best I could and got just over 16 inches from center to needle. (Not the easiest thing because it's bunched on the needle, but it's pretty close.) That would mean a diameter of 32 inches. I'm doing one more pattern repeat and an edging which will add a total of 5 more inches, so we're looking at roughly 37 inches across when it comes off the needles.

In the book, Martha Waterman said her shawl (knit in a 75/25 wool/nylon blend) was 34 inches across and not blocked. Mine is 100% wool and I would like to open it up a bit. I figure I can get 42 inches across without being too agressive with the pattern. My question is do you think a 42-inch diameter circular shawl is big enough? I have more yarn and could go larger but I'm hesitant for a few reasons. First, I need to mail it off in a little over two weeks and don't want to be late or rushed on the blocking and drying. Second, I'm nearing the end of a skein and if I don't have to break into a new one, I have a better idea of how much I used for the next time I make this. (Yes, the second reason is somewhat spurious, but I do want to make it again and would like an idea of the yardage used.)

My aunt is about 5'7" tall and very slender. This isn't supposed to be a giant enveloping shawl but I also don't want it to look like she stole something from her year-old granddaughter, either.

Any suggestions before I hit the end of the next repeat (which will likely take a couple days since I am now working with 600 stitches on the round) would be helpful.

Oh, and once that's off the needles I get to start my Cobweb Evening Shawl! *drool*

Hufflepuff Quidditch

2005-08-18T06:39:00.000-05:00

It's a sweater bottom!

Actually, I'm pleased at how quickly this worked up. And by doing it in the round, I'm already more than halfway there. Now I will continue working the back to shoulder-length, do the same with the front. At that time, the shoulders are joined with a three-needle bind off. Although depending on my mood, I might do a Kitchener stitch and make it wholly seamless.

Then all I have to do is pick up stitches for the striped neck and the sleeves. The only finishing will be to weave in the tails where the color changes are (in continuous blocks, I use the splice method for joining new skeins).

The color is really much lighter and less gold than this shows. I took it last night and really should get a shot in natural light for accurate color.

What have I gotten myself into?

2005-08-17T11:30:00.000-05:00

After a very sedentary winter and spring, I am in the process of trying to shed the extra bit of weight I somehow managed to accumulate. As an incentive, I promised I would get myself a lovely shawl pattern I discovered at Four Seasons Knitting Products when I had lost 10 pounds. I did, and the whole thing arrived at my door yesterday.

It's absolutely gorgeous, as I had expected. And the yarn is really something. I have only heard of cobweb yarn before, but hadn't seen it. Like the picture, I decided to get black because I think every woman should have a black shawl. I think it will be a challenge, but not insurmountable. The main thing is in deciphering the British abbreviations. Oh, and remembering the sizing differences, too! I caught myself by looking at the metric size or I would have started with US 9 instead of US5!

I won't be able to start it right away because my size 5 is currently in use on the Os and Vs shawl. I want to make some copies of the pattern as well for scratch use. But I plan to cast on for this in September or early October and think it will make a lovely Fall Knitting Project. With luck, I may have it done in time for the holidays, although it really won't be feasible to wear until warmer weather comes around again. So there is no real rush on it; I can happily work all winter if I choose.

It looks like it might grow up to be a sweater!

2005-08-16T08:11:00.000-05:00

I finished the black stripe on my sweater last night. Late last night. Now I have one inch to work in the yellow before dividing for the front and back. That shouldn't be so bad. The only thing that I am at all worried about is lining up the top of the stripe on the arms when I start working them. But is should all fall together. Right?

Os and Vs progresses, too. I really can't wait to see it off the needles so I can take a picture of it. Better yet, I can't wait to see how it looks on my aunt.

The Advanced Knit group on LiveJournal has started a sock swap. The person I am paired with lives in Zaire. Very cool, but I need to get in touch with her to find out what her preferences are. Since I am a New England girl, my preference is for warm wool and ragg socks. My guess is that she doesn't need something like that.

It's that time of year...

2005-08-13T16:16:00.000-05:00

When everyone starts coming out with their new yarns. Was I talking about enablers in my last post? Well, check out Knit Picks for their new line of yarns. Tons of yummy colors, textures and weights to tempt everyone. Personally, my fingers are itching to get hold of some Panache (a bulky cashmere, silk, baby alpaca, merino blend) or Shadow, a lovely heathered lace yarn. Yes, I know that is both ends of the spectrum, but I am entitled to be changable like that!

I also would like to do a Hatmione and Hermittens for myself, as my last one was presented as a gift. The author of those patterns, Lauren, has mentioned that she will be doing some in Andean Silk. If she reports that it is easy to work with and the cables stand up nicely (a concern she expressed) I may have to look into it, too.

In the meantime, I have been working on my Quidditch sweater (which progresses), the PS/CoS Ravenclaw scarf (liking the colors more and more as each stripe emerges) and the Os and Vs shawl. I'm estimating that I'm 75% done on that, although it's hard to tell when it's all bunched on the needles. And since I'm over 500 stitches now, I am not slipping it on waste yarn to see just how big it is. I figure another skein and a half will finish it. Or the middle of September, whichever comes first. Hmm. Maybe some of that Shadow would make a nice version, either doubled (the pattern calls for fingering weight) or singled and more airy. Can't explain my obsession with shawls lately. Maybe it has to do with my love of things old and that women wore them as a matter of course then. Of course, they also wore corsets, so not everything old is needed to be dragged up with us.

Well, I'm off to get a few more rounds done on Os and Vs before I throw everything aside in disgust and heat exhaustion.

I'm surrounded by enablers

2005-08-10T07:30:00.000-05:00

This is why I have to take a break every few days. Otherwise I'd spend all my money on yarn and Blaze and I would go hungry and barefoot! Funny, it used to be books....

Wendy is always tempting with the things she knits or yarns she displays. However, my Yankee frugality (or whatever you want to call it) saves me there. Most of the time. Some of those lace yarns are just too yummy.

Now, thanks to Melissa I need to hunt down Rowan #37. I've been looking at her progress on Butterfly and it looks too gorgeous to pass up. Naturally, this would be a future project, but I don't want to risk not being able to find the magazine. If anyone has a spare copy, please let me know. I'd be more than happy to buy it off you. *puppy dog pout*

I got a bit more done on the Quidditch sweater- about 5 inches. I know it doesn't seem like a lot but it is in the round and DK yarn. Also the ribbing goes slower than straight knit. Okay. Did I justify things enough?

I also got some work done on Os and Vs. I think we're up to 450 stitches or so now, so each round takes a little time to get done. Thank goodness it's a pretty simple pattern. I really think I would like one for myself in another color at some point.

Slow progress, but progress just the same

2005-08-05T12:11:00.000-05:00

I got a few inches done on the Quidditch sweater. It doesn't zip along because of the ribbing, but it's perfect TV knitting. I'm also planning to figure out my knitting machine over the weekend and will use that for making the PoA/GoF Hufflepuff scarf. And any other of that style that might come up in the future.

As for the PS Ravenclaw scarf, I wasn't thrilled with the color combination. I like the China Blue and Bev's Bear together but not for this. So I ripped it out and ordered some Wool of the Andes from Knit Picks that seem a bit more appropriate. Sorry, Anne!

As for the Nature Spun, it will not be abandoned. My mother and stepfather specifically requested earflap hats for the hols. It seems that they have one hat and spent the winter ripping it off each other's heads. Sigh. So I found a pattern off the Lion Brand site that is fairly easy and will make a few up in each color. Then I'll chart some simple designs out and duplicate stitch them onto the head and earflaps. Easy-peasy.

I wish everyone's gift ideas were that easy to solve!

Quidditch review/ more Puffs/ rambles about why I knit

2005-08-04T08:34:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Vince at the HP Sweater Knit Along for posting a link to a Quidditch sweater pattern. I've revised my pattern to make it a bit larger (the ribbing was pulling in a bit too much for my taste. It still would have fit, but been too fitted) and will be starting over. Again. Thank goodness I do this before I've too much invested in it. :)

I've been working quite a bit on Pygmy Puffs. Aside from the cannon purple and pink, I've branched into red, orange, green, blue and black. Hmm. Missing some yellow there. Have to fix that at some point! Most of these will be finding new homes, which is a good thing or they would soon take over mine! Although I'm thinking I might make one for Blaze. That can't be any worse than Fred and George using Ron's Puffskein for bludger practice, right?

I've been reading quite a few posts both in Blogland and on Live Journal about why people knit. It got me thinking about my own reasons, so, here they are. Take notes; there will be a quiz later. ;)

I've always been drawn to the way life was lived before mechanical conveniences. Some of my favorite books as a little girl were about life 100 or more years ago. There was a lot of handcraft in those books. So I pestered my grandmother and mother to teach me to knit. Later, I took up counted cross-stitch and made countless items for gifts. Some of them actually pretty good!

I learned how to make candles, read about herblore, anything really that went back to that time period that so interested me. The time that if you needed a pair of socks, you sat down and made some.

Several years ago I picked up my long-neglected knitting needles. It's been love ever since. Now that I am an adult, I find that I have the patience to make constant revisions and the creativity to try my own things. I seldom look at the experience level of a pattern. If I like it, I try it. I might make mistakes, but I know where to turn for help and I'm not too proud to ask. Sometimes those mistakes lead to something I like even better than the original.

I've taken a fair amount of kidding by people for my chosen craft. They tell me that knitting is an "old woman's thing" and that I'm too young to be cooping myself up with a ball of yarn and sticks. The funny thing is that they are also the first to applaud my finished items. When I finished my Hourglass Sweater and wore it to work for the first time, I received compliments all day. Mind you, I deal with men who are construction workers and landscapers, so to have them say that they liked the sweater (many not realizing I had made it) must have meant it was a pretty nice garment. Another admired a scarf I had made and asked me if I would do one for his daughter.

Handmade items have become a luxury. Those of us who choose to put the time and effort into it shouldn't be criticized for it. Could I find other ways to use my time? Sure. There never seems to be enough time to get everything done that I want to. But this is my way of decompressing. And the result of that is a nice garment, cozy pair of socks or mittens, a warm blanket or cute toy. And the people that I choose to gift these items to are very appreciative. The best reaction I got was a pair of socks I gave to a friend for Christmas. She felt the bag and immediately squealed that I had knit her something. When she pulled out the socks, she was very happy, saying that her feet are never warm enough in the winter and they would be perfect for wearing around the house.

That is what keeps me knitting. And I think probably what ties all of us crafters together, no matter what the medium. It's just something we have to do.

You've gotta be kidding me!

2005-08-03T07:51:00.000-05:00

Well, by now I am sure that everyone has seen the picture of Cho and her scarf. I'm just glad that I had put my Huffle scarf down for a bit because of the heat. Looks like we'll all be looking for some thinner yarn and smaller needles. Maybe I won't have the scarf for the movie. At least I have my Dumbledore scarf (which I will not rip out and knit flat!) and should have the Quidditch sweater and socks. Now, what do I do with all the worsted yarn I originally bought for the PoA scarf? Anyone want some nice, cozy Huffle socks to wear around the house?

Still having some doubts about the Quidditch sweater. Not the pattern; I am virtually positive on the color placement. I'm a bit nervous that the all over rib will pull in too much. It's supposed to be fairly roomy. I'd redo the numbers for an oversized fit, but I'm not sure if I have enough of the yellow. Right now I'm looking at 1394 yards total and I have 1230 yards of yellow. Since there are the wide black stripes, I have no concerns, but increasing the size might push me over the edge. Maybe I can see if Knit Picks has a few more skeins in that dyelot. *crosses fingers.

It's funny to see how the Pygmy Puffs are everywhere. I'm even getting people coming to my LJ because of it. :D I just got a bunch more Plush yarn in different colors and am working up a bunch- both for myself and for friends. Hopefully it will be a nice suprise for them.

Best laid plans

2005-07-30T14:21:00.000-05:00

Uh, yeah. I changed the sweater again. But this is it! I promise!

So, what changes? Well, a comment written by Miss Lauren said that the bottom of the sweater is actually done like a polo shirt- a slit on each side and the back slightly longer than the front. However, I looked at the PoA scenes in the hospital wing, and I think that might have been changed from the first two movies. I am also positive that I saw a stripe at the bottom of the sweater- not large, but a few rows. It also showed, quite definitely, that it is done in a 2x2 rib until the stripe around the neck. Then it goes into a 1x1 to the bind off. And I think I already mentioned the sleeves being worked down from the shoulder.

Speaking of Lauren, check out her blog for some awesome pics of her Quidditch socks. Shots of both Gryffindor and movie!Ravenclaw. I can't wait for the pattern on those!

Still working on Puffs. Like I said, they are very addictive, and I recently picked up several more colors. Is there anyone else who thinks the fact that Berroco Plush's green is named "Sprout" is funny? Or is it just me?

Well, some real world stuff calls and I should get to it. The sooner it's done the sooner I can get back to the sweater, Puffs and scarves (including a PS Ravenclaw).

Quidditch sweater/ Puffs- betcha can't make just one

2005-07-28T12:43:00.000-05:00

The yarn for my Quidditch sweater came last night. I cast on and started working, but ripped it out after a few rounds and began again today. Why? Well, originally I was doing a 1x1 rib all the way, but I didn't really like it. So now I'm going to use a K2P1 rib all the way up.

I also decided to work the sleeves from the top down. That will do two things: 1) I won't have to set them into place (yay!) and 2) I can more easily line up my black stripe with the body so they will be even. This means that the only seaming to take place will be the shoulders. Yay for that!

I've also been playing with the Pygmy Puff pattern, and as mentioned earlier, I have it the way I want. Since it's a bit changed from what I've given out, I thought I'd just post it here. Feel free to skip this. :)

I make mine out of Plush yarn, but anything that is soft, brushes up a bit and you have lying around will work.

Using US4 (3.5mm) needles, cast on 9 stitches.

Row 1: Knit 6. Turn.
Row 2: Purl 3. Turn.
Row 3: Knit 5. Turn.
Row 4: Purl 7. Turn.
Row 5: Knit to end.
Row 6: Purl to end.

Repeat rows 1-6 five more times. Bind off all stitches, leaving a long tail. Sew "top" together (I use a running stitch and draw it closed like you would the top of a hat), then seam down the back. Turn the piece so the purl side is out. Stuff firmly with polyfill and close the "bottom". Weave yarn ends into piece. Apply a face with beads or scraps of yarn and brush to bring up a halo (a cat's slicker brush works great).

That's all there is to it! I should warn you that they are addictive and once you start you may want a whole bunch of them. Oh, for authenticity's sake, the colors mentioned in the book were shades of purple and pink. But feel free to use your favorite colors.

New Knit Along Group!

2005-07-27T08:13:00.000-05:00

Just have to give this a bit of promotion because I know several people are planning on having sweaters ready for Halloween/conventions/movie-time. Might as well do it all together in a group, right? Head on over to the HP Sweater Knit Along, which has just opened up. Basically, it's for anyone making any HP sweater, except the Weasley Sweaters (there's a site just for that!), so come on over and show your sweater-making skills!

Speaking of HP sweaters, my yarn for my Hufflepuff Quidditch sweater has shipped. And I got my patches the other day. Loving the Huffle one and the Quidditch World Cup is rather cool. That will be going on the denim jacket soon (unless I can find a good shot of Ireland's uniform sweater).

Still perfecting the Puffs. I think I've got a final pattern worked out. It's nice to be able to work on even when it is too hot and muggy to have a lap full of wool! Which is another way of saying that the scarves and shawl are languishing for the moment.

Pygmy Puffs, v 2.0

2005-07-23T17:09:00.000-05:00

I figured out how to shrink the Puffs down to where I think they should be. They are roughly 1 inch in diameter. Somehow that seems more like the size of the balls of fluff Ginny ooh'd and ahh'd over in the shop, don't you think?

I still like my larger version and will keep it happily nearby, but these are just too adorable and fun to not make more in various colors- including the authentic purple and pink.

Now I need to see if I can find some squeak-toy inserts so I can put that in. I think that would be fun if they made noise when you handled them.

I've gotta do it!

2005-07-22T16:33:00.000-05:00

I apologize to anyone not done reading yet, but I have to share this! It's my version of the pygmy puffs the twins were selling in their shop. I'm planning on a whole flock... herd... what do you call a group of puffs... coming to live with me very soon. :D

Book break

2005-07-18T18:22:00.000-05:00

I took a few days off from the internet to read HBP. Now that I've finished it I'm back, but some of the things I wanted to say would be potential spoilers, so I'm going to keep quiet on it. :)

While waiting for the book, I did get a few more bars done on the Hufflepuff scarf and the second Gryffindor bar on the Dumbledore scarf.

I've also ordered both yarn and patches for my Quidditch sweater (Hufflepuff, natch!). I decided to go with the Knit Picks Merino Style yarn, which is what I used for the Dumbledore. The colors will be Honey and Coal. (mmm! soft and yummy sounding!)

I've also ordered a Quidditch World Cup patch, the original idea being to replicate the Ireland sweaters, but I have grave doubts of seeing their uniforms, so that will likely go on the sleeve of my denim jacket. And the Muggles can just wonder! ;)

I've got a couple of inches done on the baby blanket. I really like the colors. It almost seems to fall in blocks and diagonals. Neat.

Progress Report

2005-07-15T16:55:00.000-05:00

Here are the scarves so far. The Hufflepuff one (which isn't quite as bright as it looks here) will have a total of 13 trapped bars in it. I'll work on that while I'm waiting for the book (a bit more "authentic" ;) ). The Dumbledore scarf (which is really a bit more grape-purple than it looks here) will have another repeat of the four houses and then it will reverse itself to go down the other side, so there will be 16 bars total. I'm estimating it will be somewhere between 9 and 10 feet long when finished.

Oh, and I found some patches for the Quidditch sweaters at Patch Palace, so I'll be starting a Hufflepuff Quidditch sweater very soon! Although I love working with the Nature Spun, I am so in love with both the feel and the color of the Merino Style that I think that will be what the sweater is made of. Yay, me!

Brown. Definitely brown.

2005-07-13T07:00:00.000-05:00

OK. The Ravenclaw bar is done and I'm half-way to the Slytherin. Now that I have the blue on either side and the purple done as well, I'm seeing that the Cinnamon I chose is more to the brown than the bronze. So I have two options: 1) let it ride since it's only 6 rows and occurs 4 times in the scarf, or 2) rip it out and use some of the grey I got for the Slytherin bars and have movie colors instead of book. Anyone got an opinion?

A great idea from Lauren about the bookmarks- she used one ply from some left-over worsted yarn to make one. She did tell me that you can't yank too hard on the yarn, but that it works great on the size 1 needles. I have some acrylic in Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw colors, so I may give that a try. With T- 2 days and a few hours, I should probably get a move on it if I'd like to use it for my reading.

Bronze or brown?

2005-07-11T07:28:00.000-05:00

Amazingly, the Dumbledore scarf seems to be going more quickly than the Huffle. I'm in the middle of the third bar (Ravenclaw) right now. I'm not entirely sure on the "bronze" I picked. It seems a bit too much on the brown side, but it was the best choice if I wanted to go with book colors and not use a different yarn. It should be all right, though, especially since it is only a small bit of the entire thing.

I have been switching back and forth between the two, and did mess up the Huffle scarf. I knitted the bars in the gauge for the Dumbledore one. So I had to unknit a few rows. Thank goodness I caught it quickly. Now I have 2 bars done on that and half-way to the third.

So, expect pics in the next day or so.

In my HP love-fest, I can't forget about Os and Vs. The poor baby has been left alone for the last week, but I'll keep working on her, too. But, this week belongs to Harry Potter!

Rethink

2005-07-09T07:02:00.000-05:00

I finished the first Gryffindor bar on the Dumbledore scarf last night. And may I say, the burgundy and gold look great against the purple ground. :)

But. I am going to have to do some retooling on the purple. Since I am pretty much making this as I go (loosely basing it on Lauren's pattern, of course), I had to guestimate how much yarn I'd need. I ordered 10 skeins of the purple but if I do 5 inches between bars I won't have enough to do all 16 bars. So I think what I'll do is leave the ends at 5 inches and shorten the interior sections to 4 or 4 1/2. It's probably just as well since the original idea would have been a little over 10 feet long! Much too much for my 5'3" self. This way I won't run into dye-lot problems and can still make the fringe. *wipes brow*

Fortunately, the Huffle scarf is running into no problems. One miscalculation at a time!

Here a scarf, there a scarf, everywhere a...

2005-07-08T13:20:00.000-05:00

Well, you get the idea.

I got through the first trapped bar on my Huffle scarf. The yellow is a touch brighter than I would have liked, but it may tone down after washing. Either way, I'm liking it more and more now that the black is in the mix.

I'm almost at the first bar for the Dumbledore scarf. I really am looking forward to seeing how those work out. Hmm. If I haven't finished it by the movie I suppose I could bring it with me to work on while waiting in line, right? Naturally the Huffle must be done by movie day. :)

Also, someone on the HP Knitting LJ posted a link for a PoA style bookmark that is too cute and I just have to share. How sweet would one of those be? I may have to make some up in each of the House colors.

Once I have a few of the bars done on each of the scarves, I'll post a progress pic.

The Future Dumbledore Scarf

2005-07-07T15:17:00.000-05:00

Lookie what came in the mail for me today! I've got the colors laid out in the House pairs- Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw (book) and Slytherin. As you can see, I couldn't wait to cast on and start! I also got my yarn for my Hufflepuff scarf, which I also cast on and started. The challenge will be to remember how many rounds I do on each scarf since this is DK weight and the Huffle is worsted. Ah well, I can't wait until I have enough progress to show the different stripes!

And, yes, I will be working on one or the other while awaiting the book next Friday night. Even though the release party I'm going to is online with friends, as I ordered the book from Amazon. ;)

Tobey's New Clothes

2005-07-06T07:51:00.000-05:00

I made a quick cozy for Tobey the other night. Problem was, I was lazy and didn't swatch or measure him thoroughly enough and it's a bit large. The cutout for the display window worked out well, but since I mostly use him when I go walking, I don't normally look at the window. So I think the next one will just be a closed sleeve that fits a bit more snuggly. I can get the trapped bars a bit further apart, too, so they look more balanced.

I'm still waiting on the yarn for both the Hufflepuff PoA scarf and my Dumbledore scarf. In the meantime, I've been working on Os and Vs, who is growing steadily. I also forgot about the cross-stitched throw I wanted to make. I got a book of HP designs and had some Anne cloth that was already fringed. It'll be about crib-size, so I may hang it on the wall, instead. Anyway, I charted out several designs for the squares. The four House banners are in the corners, Hogwarts' crest in the center and owls, rats, books, wands, etc. in various other squares. Maybe I should work on that, too.