Knitting Mouse

Winter is Coming!

2008-09-20T21:51:00.002-06:00

Thank whatever you like to thank for the fact that Summer has broken and it's becoming cooler. This has prompted a few things from me:

1.) More knitting. Barbara's BEAUTIFUL sweater is whipping along. I have almost half a sleeve done. Then it's just another sleeve and it's done. Pretty neat for not knitting on it all summer, eh? (and no...it is not the Pewter Coat. We don't speak of that anymore.)

2.) I have planned knitting up to my ears. This is the time of year when I get hyped up about knitting lots of sweaters (not that this isn't the case any other time of year, but right about now, all my common sense regarding what can and cannot get done in a certain amount of time goes right out the window. Three more sweaters by Christmas? No problem!)

3.) Dreams about alpaca sweaters knit in the round. If there was any doubt that I was a knitter, I think it's gone now.

4.) Washing sweaters. I am currently handwashing all my delicious wool sweaters (all store-bought, by the way, since I only have one I've made for myself and it's already clean) so they'll be ready for wearing. I am having an inordinate amount of fun doing this. This is perhaps due to my recent purchase of some Eucalan wool wash which DOESN'T NEED TO BE RINSED. Need I say more?

Speaking of sweaters, most especially sweaters for ME, I have started a Wisteria after seeing the gal over at sock pr0n knitting one with her own HANDSPUN YARN. Color me jealous. Anyway, not only did the cables appeal to me, but it's knit top down, in the round. Just like my last sweater for me. It's going to be great. I'm enjoying it immensely already.

Still speaking of sweaters, I purchased two books recently: Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitting without Tears and Barbara G. Walker's Knitting from the Top. Now, previously, I had scorned the former because knitting did not make me cry. I am more the kind of person that needs a book titled Knitting without Violence. Well, this was before I discovered what a GENIUS that woman was and now after my dream of a seamless hybrid sweater (that alpaca one, remember?) I felt the need to purchase it so I could start planning my alpaca sweater. This is where my delusions of getting lots of sweaters done comes in: I would like to have this sweater to wear this year. HAH! Did I mention I still haven't purchased yarn for my father's sweater?

So...sweaters are on the mind, as you can tell. This may be due to the fact that all I remember of last winter was COLD. MIND NUMBING COLD.

Spring Knitting Update

2008-05-30T20:37:00.006-06:00

Much has been accomplished since my last post in the throes of Christmas Knitting Panic. Dad's vest turned out beautifully and I should have pictures of it whenever the parents get around to taking some. Mom's sweater (pictured, though she hates this picture) was a success though the fronts seem to stretch longer than the back (or I knit them that way. Who knows.) Nothing blocking won't fix, right? I still have to knit up the belt for it but that seems like such a boring project compared to the vastness of the sweater I'm having trouble starting it. Barbara's Pewter Coat is dead in the water, as they say. We have reconciled by picking a new sweater (the Placed Cable Aran) which is already chugging along at a good pace.

I frogged my first sweater once my BALL WINDER AND SWIFT (woohoo!) were gifted to me, and have since knit it into the Citrus Yoke pullover. I love it. I've even gotten to wear it a few times since it was finished. Plans for my next sweater for me are already in the works.

My yarn stash is growing. I remember when I used to say I wasn't going to have a stash. Silly me.

I am also participating in Sock Wars III to provide motivation for my first pair of socks and let me tell you, I hate knitting socks. Thankfully, I will be put out of my misery shortly.

So, things on the needles: Barbara's sweater (which is GORGEOUS!), Detonator socks.

Soon to be on the needles: Dad's Uber Hat, more sweaters. (Did I mention knitting in the round is where it's at?)

I hope this satisfies some of you for a bit. Now that I've started my own business, blogging is towards the bottom of my list, especially now I have Ravelry to help me keep track of my projects, but I'll try to at least update quarterly. More pictures coming soon, I hope.

Holy Cats, Christmas?!?!

2007-12-25T20:05:00.000-07:00

Egads, where did the time go? Oh yes, to knitting and hiring people at work. Slippers were a roaring success this year. I have a bit to do on Andy's before they get shipped out but what the hell. Dad's vest is...not done yet. Mom's sweater still has to be put together (when things go wrong, it puts a serious hitch in my giddy-up) but Andy's present got done lickety-split. My Barbs' sweater has not been started yet but I have high hopes I will be able to finish it before it's too warm for sweaters anymore. We'll see.

I received a ball winder and swift for Christmas which makes me SO HAPPY. I celebrated by frogging my first sweater. THAT'S RIGHT, you heard me. It's gone. No more. Only yarn. It's new project has already been picked out and I promised myself when Mom's sweater is put together I can start on it.

Enough Slacking Off...

2007-11-09T11:44:00.000-07:00

Ravelry is awesome. That is really all one can say on the subject without going into an hour long rave.

Pictures. I'm behind (agh!) on the Christmas knitting, but Mom's sweater is nearing completion (see the pile of orangey-brown knitting?)and all yarn has arrived/is on order for my sister's sweater and Dad's vest. I plan on working some smooth calculations to get slippers underway later today. Here also is the knitted cat made for my sister, along with my Mom. They're prepping green chile for freezing.

RAVELRY!!!!!!!!

2007-10-21T22:46:00.000-06:00

I finally received my invitation to RAVELRY! I am beyond excited.

Finished Things!

2007-10-15T20:20:00.000-06:00

Hooray, things are finishing! Jan's hat is done, turned out pretty snazzy, though I wish I'd used a different yarn. The slow gradation of Moda Dea's Tweedle Deeyarn in Blue Heather was not well suited to the hat I'd chosen for her, since it had a cuff knit separately that you pick up stitches on the side to make the top. Nice yarn though. The skein I got was mostly blue, with a leeeeettle bit of the purple in the middle. The skeins are more impressive in person. Unfortunately, I have no pics of this hat yet.

I do have two other hats to show, though: the emergency Cold Sister hat and Vaughn's Tychus is done ... which I plan on sending to him soon. You know, whenever I get to the post office. For some reason ... the gauge is horribly, horribly wrong somewhere between my knitting and the pattern. The pattern calls for 5 of these triangles ... I finished three and went "y'know ... this looks hat sized." Measured it ... remeasured ... and indeed, it was time to stop. So ... err ... it's a little pointier than it ought to be. Next time....I will not do it double stranded, as required by the pattern. It also says you don't have to wrap or anything on the short rows...err, hello? There's holes! Being my first short row project, I did not realize that this would happen. Well, you live, you learn.

On to the next hat. My sister has moved to Salt Lake City and with the oncoming winter, has realized she's cold. Somehow, when one becomes a knitter, one feels responsible for keeping loved ones warm. I received an emergency call for a brown hat. This was whipped up in a few hours or so, easy peasy. It's fast becoming my favorite hat pattern, modified from the Flame Head hat in Stitch'n'Bitchfor solid and now, in the round! This has two former incarnations; one for me *gasp* and the first for my Dad, which can be seen in action here.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel on Mom's sweater. Speaking of sweaters...I need to do something with my first sweater. It isn't very flattering...should I rip it out? Add a cowl/turtleneck/some sort of collar? I love the yarn...but the the whole design of the sweater is too boxy.

Still no Pics...

2007-09-28T18:38:00.000-06:00

..but thought I'd offer an update. Mom's sweater is coming along slowly but surely. Vaughn's Tychus hat is about two triangles' worth done. Jan's hat is currently moving the fastest as my first real cable project (warmup for my sister's sweater) and I suddenly feel like I'm drowning in knitting. Did I mention I got stuff to make socks?? Oh yes. Some Trekking XXL in color #290, which has been calling to me ever since I stepped foot into The Needle's Eye, one of my local yarn stores.

Speaking of yarn stores, I also discovered Oodles Yarn & Bead Gallery today. They were super nice, even though I was just browsing, and were knitting, which made me happy. Lots of very nice yarn was to be had. Not so easy for me to get to as the Needle's Eye or Santa Fe School of Weaving/Miriam's Well, but I think it shall prove to be worth the traffic.

Lastly, the hydralisk is still in the creative processes. I have not forgotten.

Horse!

2007-09-05T21:20:00.001-06:00

Just thought I'd let everyone see this picture of myself and one of our foals from work, Reggie. He's five months old and quite the gentleman.

On the knitting side, knitting is getting done and there's projects in the works. Pictures coming soon!

ChibiUnunnilium: You need more vespene wool.

2007-08-24T22:20:00.000-06:00

Oh yes. Two words: KNITTED HYDRALISK. For those (all?) of you who have no idea what I'm talking about : Hydralisks are a unit in STARCRAFT and I was inspired by this.

I will make one. It will be awesome and I won't even have to spawn more overlords.

More Pictures

2007-08-11T07:45:00.001-06:00

Here is the drop stitch scarf (aka Super Secret Scarf) as my mom and I get the dropped stitches to run. She wanted me to promise to wait until she was here so she could assist in the process. We had an excellent time. This was perhaps one of the quickest projects I'd whipped up, and the results were fantastic! You can see the post here.

Pictures!

2007-08-11T07:40:00.001-06:00

Bobblicious is done! Modeled on its recipient, my sister Barbara. She's just moved to Salt Lake City and this is her "happy moving, don't get cold" present. This thing has given me nothing but headaches, but look at that smile on her face. Worth it? I'd say so.

I'm not Dead!

2007-07-21T20:44:00.000-06:00

My goodness, it's been awhile since I've posted. That's not to say I haven't been knitting, just not much. I'm working on the fronts (at the same time!) of Mom's sweater and plugging away at my sister's Bobblicious (I think I will never do anything with bobbles on it ever again. Never ever.) Now that the needle size is figured out, it's a little more awkward, which makes things slow. I'll live, I'm sure.

The Purse

2007-06-18T12:16:00.000-06:00

Life has been a bit frustrating lately, and I had to rip out my sister's Bobblicious! Agh! But anyway, the lining is finally done on my purse, so here's some pics of it. The back of Mom's sweater is almost done, hooray!

Super Secret Scarf

2007-05-04T13:07:00.000-06:00

My first drop stitch project, a beautiful drop stitch scarf from an ancient Red Heart pattern booklet recovered from my Grandma's hoard by my Dad. I used Lion Brand's Micro Spun, the softest yarn I have ever encountered in my entire life...and it's acrylic. It's awesome. I love it. It made this scarf softer than you can imagine. I knit it especially for Colleen, my Dad's co-worker, since she's just a wonderful person and reads this blog. That's her in the picture, see? Later today I plan on putting up some work-in-progress pictures of it so you can enjoy how fantastically fun it is to make a drop stitch scarf.

As far as other projects go, I'm still trying to muddle through a swatch for a shawl pattern for my sister's wedding and the pattern, I fear, is wrong. Mom's sweater is trucking along, and I've started my sister's Bobblicious in grass. It's my first attempt at bobbles and is pretty swank. I may alter the pattern to a different cuff (i.e. not bobbles) and make one for myself.

Well, that's it for now.

Things to Come

2007-04-21T10:17:00.000-06:00

Well, now that my sweater is done and the super-secret scarf present accomplished (more on that later,) it is time to start on my Mom's sweater for Christmas. I purchased the yarn yesterday. I've also found some ideas on fixing my ribbing situation, so hopefully it won't look like a monkey knit the edges. I also purchased Knitting on the Edge which is really...really awesome.

My First Sweater is DONE

2007-04-07T17:41:00.000-06:00

Well, here it is! Finally, it is done. The pattern is Sideways Garter Stitch Sweater by Miriam of Miriam's Well/the Santa Fe School of Weaving. She suggested it as a good first sweater. It was that, but it was also...boring. Allllll garter stitch. I'm mucho proud it's done and will wear it often. It's not the most flattering design, but DAMN it's warm =o). Just in time for spring. Did I mention it snowed today?

2007-04-07T11:39:00.000-06:00

These are my ribbed mitts I knit awhile ago, done in Caron's Simply Soft Shadows in Opal Twist (?). This yarn was really fun to work with and is, as the name implies, really soft.

Snow. Seriously.

2007-03-30T14:53:00.000-06:00

Well, spending my glorious Friday day off with the parents (well, really, in the parent's house while they're at work) and rather enjoying the snow that's been falling all day. I've also been enjoying playing with my parents' digital camera! So, here we go.

Snow on the cherry blossoms

Just look at it

My sweater; with about 7 inches left to go on the second (front) piece. Then, it's just sleeves!!

Kat's mitts, to match her scarf. Hopefully, pics of the scarf soon. I just have to wrangle Kat.

Still Crazy

2007-03-26T12:21:00.000-06:00

So my truck's fixed. It wasn't the starter. I'm halfway done with the second piece of my sweater. Then it's the sleeves. Looks like it'll be done in time for summer, haha.

Life is Crazy

2007-03-19T11:33:00.000-06:00

Well, I've finished the first piece of my sweater. Yay! Life has been crazy, and, of course, my truck won't start. Again. Any bets on it being the starter...again?

Lazy Day

2007-02-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

After much excitement at work, I finally arrive at my Saturday day off. I think a trip to the yarn store is in order to check out the finished version of the sweater I'm working on. And to buy yarn, of course. Perhaps I should decide on a project *before* going....

Knitting and Taxes

2007-02-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

Life is going pretty good. It is not often I say this as I am cynical and pessimistic (the two go hand in hand, I feel.) But this morning, after a good while spent at the coffee shop already at this early hour, I shall say it and probably regret it later. The purse from hell is done (at least the knitted portions; lining still needs to go in.) I shall never knit a flat purse again. So now my attention can be focused on my first sweater: a sideways garter stitch sweater designed by the owner of Miriam's Well/the Santa Fe School of Weaving. I'm excited. While one might think that I'll start hating it due to tedium, like my purse, one would be mistaken. Despite the rows and rows (and rows and rows) of garter stitch, it's still exciting. It's my first sweater and it's going to be awesome.

And as for the rest of my chipperness, my federal taxes are ready to be sent out (I can't wait to get my grubby paws on that refund check...) and I'm about to e-file my state taxes. No procrastinating for me this year. It's funny just how much of a motivator money is for me.

Pictures

2007-02-18T08:32:00.000-07:00

Two pictures to share: THE slippers and Mom's scarf.

Kat's Scarf

2007-02-12T11:32:00.000-07:00

Well, Kat has received her scarf. It went over well, and I am very happy. Though I purchased the same dye lot for the balls of yarn, one of them had much brighter reds and oranges than the other two. I emailed the company about it, and they are being awesome and sending me three complimentary skeins. Life is good. That about wraps it up for now...I'm currently being lazy at the coffee shop and making a lengthy post is just being too productive.

Dad's Hat and Other Things

2007-02-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

This is my Dad using the hat I knit for him at his Freeze Your Butt Off contest. It's made from Lion Brand Yarn's Homespun in Rococo. This yarn is pretty decent to work with; it's soft and has a neat look, without being expensive (not to mention it's available at the Michael's on the way home from work.) The first scarf I ever knit, also the second project ever knit, was in this yarn in Cotton Candy. This is very pink. I don't think the swatch on the website really does it justice. They're not kidding around when they call it vibrant.

The seed stitch purse I've been working on for at least a month is my current project. I finally finished Kat's wild scarf and so I feel I must finish this purse...no matter how boring it can be. I've been having more fun dreaming up how many trillions of pockets shall be on the inside lining.

Last night I did something I had promised myself I would never do: I bought yarn without a real purpose for it. To moderate myself, I only got one skein. Well, really, I sort of have in the back of my head a hat I want to make out of it. But there's no set project.

Well that's it for now, I suppose...I'll blabber more later.