I've been a bit down lately, so I decided to make a list of all the things I'm thankful that people have made for me. It's a pretty long list, and I know I must be missing something...
Isilzha made me these fantastic socks that I've been wearing around lately. They are a perfect fit!
The purse I got from Aranov is THE BEST THING EVAR!!! I have been using it non stop since I got it ^_^
meredithparker'sspats are also fantastic! They fit perfectly and I've been wearing them every day right now with this cold. And I absolutely love the DHSAB shirt and stitch markers.
The yarnheathen13 sent me was perfect for a pair of gloves I test knit for GlennaC I swapped out, and I should still have enough to make them for me.
I wore this scarf a whole bunch last winter from Sparkleshan. It was really good for keeping my shoulders from hunching up with the cold.
The first aid kit I got in my first swap from ladyval75 is in my car and the bag is constantly being used. Too bad the pins don't like staying on :/
I got my package from Aranov!!! I was very happy when I got home yesterday to find a soaking wet box, which luckily kept everything inside of it dry.
I got two balls of Serenity Yarns in Yo-Saf-Bridge, which is totally closer to Kaylee’s parasol! A pair of fingerless mitts in a cotton yarn that are really interesting, with ties up the side. A tin with my favorite rebel-turned-smuggler instead of the smuggler-turned-rebel, And a super awesome olive green bag with Kaylee’s bear patch, geisha lining and safety belt strap. I wore it last night to No Refund Theater's presentation of Little Shop Of Horrors and my friends loved it.
This was a non-secret swap, which was kind of difficult! How can you stalk someone and ask questions, if they know you're asking directly of them? In the end, I used a friend of hers that was also in the swap as my mole. I sent her:
A very cunning shrug, two dinosaurs, chocolate and some Shimmer.
Wow, it's been some time since I blogged. Life has been... well... sucked. My fellowship ended yesterday, instead of at the end of August like I had originally been told. I was notified of this almost three months ago, after which I panicked, got horribly depressed, dropped out of derby, found out our league was chosen to play at ECDX, came back after only two weeks to have been stripped of every one of my positions/ranks, and then proceeded with my regularly scheduled life.
I've finally finished many projects, including the infamous baby blanket, a toddler dress, a hat for the Henson swap, I tested a pattern for mittens (which I want to remake in a rainbow mini mooci) for the wonderful Glenna C, and I have half a sweater and a good portion of a shawl. It's been nice to craft again, it has really helped me keep some kind of sanity.
East Coast Derby Extravaganza was a phenomenal time last weekend. I drove down to Harrisburg and caught a ride to Philly with some of their team, and pretty much just hung out with them from friday until late saturday when some of the girls from my team arrived. I was ecstatic! The amount of athleticism present was unbelievable and I got to learn so much. I finally got to play sunday morning, starting at 8 am in the Black and White Scrimmage. Girls of all levels got in one of two lines (depending on their shirt) and randomly went on the floor five at a time. It was cool because you had to pay attention to all the new people you were with, and you couldn't just depend on already knowing how they play.
My new derby crush from the B&W is Veronika Getsburger from the Wilksbare Roller Radicals. She's a bit bigger than me, and yet managed to be a wonderful jammer (a position normally held by tiny girls that are very fast but have no mass). She had such a powerful stride and agility, that I want to skate like her when I grow up. Though I mainly don't want to skate like myself. My stance in these pictures was atrocious! But at least I now have something to work on.
Later that afternoon, we finally got to play a half bout, SVDV vs HARD. The first jam was 3/4, then we had five jammerless jams (3/40), but then we managed to keep up the pace and end around 36/72 in spite of Fruit Trollop getting a gash on her temple and bloodying up the whole track. Luckily it wasn't bad, but it took them a good 8 minutes to clean and disinfect everything, and we were on a strict, only 30 minute schedule. So we only played 22 minutes and managed to almost match our mentors once we finally got our stride. They've challenged us to a "second period" in a couple of weeks, and I am really excited to see how well we can play. If my team can get its act together and field a full roster -_-;;
Up next, I have the third interleague bout next weekend, the second period on the 17th, and I joined the Steampunk Swap, due at the end of august. I am very excited, and will probably start flooding (in so much as I ever "flood") with swap info. It's a very chatty group! And I'll be going to Otakon dressed as the Doctor's Wife (I need to get on that dress...) July 26, and Pennsic the second week of august. Better get crafting!
As awesome as I felt about the previous post, I feel completely inadequate about this second swap package. At first I was very excited about knitting the Dr. Horrible doll, until it started to look lopsided, and the head wouldn't stay on. I really don't like the pattern I used (Some Assembly Required) as it had many superfluous steps that involved binding off and casting on and kirchnering. I want to try it again, but I'll definitely try to crochet it instead.
I also sewed up a project bag, included 3 oz of the fawn colored alpaca, and some sour babies, along with a cool letter I wrote referencing an application to the E.L.E. being processed and torture. Oh, and the pattern, which was on her list.
Harumph. It's one of those things that looked good all through the process, and then I saw the other packages in the Thank You thread, and even the other one I made, and I really dropped the ball. I should look for some way to remedy this. I was going to include a second coat and gloves, but I really, really was hating the pattern when I was done. And I would have had to wait several more days to send it out.
Yeah, I'm a fangirl, what can I say? I was looking for a new bag to carry my knitting in the other day, and found this at walmart for $3!!! Yes, it is cheap plastic and will probably fall apart within a month, but I will enjoy that month! I've been binging on 21 Jump Street whenever I get some time, and I had a panic attack last night when I finished the 3rd season and found that that was all they had on Hulu :( Luckily, I managed to find the first episode of the fourth season (in eight pieces) on youtube ^_^
As far as my knitting, I finished the third heart on my socks this morning and will probably be turning the heel soon. I have yet to decide if I'll do it at 3.5 or 4 hearts, but I'm not that worried. Ideally, I'd like to turn the heel at a half heart, so that I can include the point of the heart in the short rows. (I like to make socks toe up, with a figure 8 cast on, increasing on every row, and then a short row heel and EZ super stretchy bind off).
So I've gotten a couple of messages from you, my dear readers, and have no idea who you are! So please to be leaving a comment here, with your name and number blog, and I can get back to wasting even more time every morning before work. Have a happy thursday, and for anybody else that works in a college town, enjoy the last day of a student-free campus!
So I was flipping through Knitty last december, looking for the necessary yardage for Quadrat, when I noticed these socks. Wow. The description was so cheesy, yet awesome at the same time! And I immediately knew what yarn I was going to use! A wonderful merino/tencel from Spinning Bunny I bought at Mad About Ewes last fall in Autumn Sunset, with Addi Turbos in 2.5 mm (foot on left).
Well, after three false starts last week (uuu, yeah, the background is purl, not knit) I realized it just wasn't working out. So I went to Knitter's Underground and bought this wonderful JaggerSpun Zephyr Wool-Silk Yarn, 2/18 Lace Weight, triple plied garnet/garnet/sable (foot on right). The combination is a beautiful cranberry color that I instantly fell in love with.
Here's to me actually finishing a pair of socks for myself!
This is my second finished entry in the Ravelympics. It is an earmuff/headband with a hawaiian hibiscus flower duplicate stitched over it.
Pattern: Hawaii A Goth-O Yarn: Naturally Caron-Countryin black and claret Needles: US 8 / 5.0 mm Completed: February 27, 2010
Even rows are all purls. 1. CO 3 sts. Turn. 3. K1, m1, k1, m1, k1. 5 sts. 5. K1, m1, k all but last st, m1, k1. Repeat rows 5 and 6 until at least 25 sts on needles, or desired width. Knit about 70 rows in stockinette, or enough to go around head, minus length of increases. 1. Ssk, k all but last two sts, k2tog. Repeat rows 1 and 2 until 3 sts left. K3tog.
Cut 6 strands, 16" long. Insert three strands around center st, two rows from tip, and braid. Repeat on other end.
Locate center of band and duplicate stitch motif. At least 6 yards are needed for one flower. There is enough space to place three motifs, preferably rotating image.
This is a very simple hat that can be modified for slouchiness and size, and knit up in a weekend. I will try to explain the individual stitches, but I will make more emphasis on the logic behind them. Size mods and glossary are at the end.
Yarn: Rio De La Plata wool solid in Carnation
Weight: Aran / 10 ply (8 wpi)
: 140 yards (128 meters)
: 100 grams (3.53 ounces)
: US 8 / 5.0 mm
1. Cast on 80 stitches in the round on 4 DPNs, 20 sts each. (circular needles can also be used)
2. Knit an inch (10 rows) of 2x2 rib.
3. Start chart, 2 chart repeats per needle.
p2tog all around until you run out of sts and bind off. (8 sts > 4 sts > 2 sts > 1 st).
GLOSSARY: Stitches are counted as they approach the tip of the needle. -->
g
knit
/
purl
j
yo
S
D
fcP
S
G
fcK
\
ssk
|
k2tog (both from leaf)
d
k2tog (including backround purl)
3
k3tog
fcP: front cable purl. First st is held in front, while second st is purled behind it, then k first st. fcK: front cable knit. First st is held in front, while second st is knit behind it, then k first st. ssk: a one st decrease that leaves the first st on top of second st. k2tog: a one st decrease that leaves the second st on top of first st. k3tog: a two st decrease that leaves the second st on top, then the third in the middle, and the first on the bottom. p2tog: purl 2 together.
MODS:
This pattern started off with a three leaf branch from a tree in the last pattern in A Treasury of Knitting Patterns, by Barbara G. Walker. The original pattern had all the leaves the same size (3 increases), which I modified to have 4 and 5 increases on other leaves to make it baggier. If you want a more fitted beanie, skip rows 19-22 in the left leaf, and 29-33 in the center leaf. The same logic can be used to make the hat even baggier.
For smaller sizes, a 10 st repeat can be substituted with the appropriate number of purls, distributed between repeats. Purls can also be added in between repeats to make a bigger hat.
The Ravelympics have started (and the Winter Olympics, for that matter, but I don't have a tv, so I'm quite disconnected) and I have been knitting as if they paid me for it. I put a lot of effort to wait until 9 pm friday to cast on for Skew, mainly because winding up the Wollmeise into a cake took epically long. There are over 500 meters, and my "swift" (aka my roommate) has busted shoulders, so it was quite a site. I've been knitting non stop since I got out of the Wolfman movie (which, btw, STAY AWAY!) wasn't that bad, but was quite far from being good. Especially with that cast!
Saturday was D&D day, and I managed to finish the first foot (50 repeats to get 8.5"). Before that, and most of sunday, I finally watched all 14 episodes of Firefly, and made it to the end of the inner ankle. Now, I know I'm going to lose major Geek Cred for this, but I had never watched more than two full episodes of Firelfy. Actually, I'd tried to watch it with friends "all in order" five separate times, but we never did more than watch the first episode. But I finally watched all of it! And yes, I love Whedon even more.
For those of you who don't know me IRL, Buffy is sacred to me. It came out my senior year of high school, and I refused to have any human interaction while it was on (Ryley can go suck on a socket). I never managed to watch much of Angel while it was on, because it suffered Fox Scheduling Syndrome in Mexico, so I never knew when it was on, but as soon as they came out, I bought the Box Sets and have watched them marathonically a few times. I have also watched Dr. Horrible a few times (a friend gifted it to me for my birthday a year and a half ago) and hold it dear to my heart. Dollhouse took me 6 episodes to get in to it, but once that sixth episode hit, damn, I was a believer. (I also admit I haven't seen the second season, also because I don't have a tv, and the first one was when I was dating a guy who did, and forced him to watch it with me). So after this 13 year love affair with Whedon (I don't count Rosanne because I didn't associate the show with him until a few years ago), no one could have been more disappointed with me and my lack of Firefly watching. But now that I have watched it, I hate myself. I opened up Pandora's box, bit into the apple. Now I know what I was missing, and what I will never have again. Fuck you , Fox.
So yeah, knitting. I'm doing it. I can't believe how much I have progressed on that damned sock, on #1's, none the less! I am kind of disturbed, though. I bought two AddiTurbo circs on friday; 24" and 42". I bought two different lengths because they were the only two available, and was hoping to exchange the long one for a short one once they got them back in stock, since the long one keeps on knotting up. But I flipped the circ around, and I'm noticing that my trailing needle now catches on the edge. This is bad. Does anybody know if this is something that is under warranty? I mean, I've only had them for a weekend... Other than that, they knit like a dream. The yarn just glides on them, and they are nice and pointy, without being sharp. The Wollmeise, on the other hand, has me a bit on the fence. Yes, it's a nice yarn, in gorgeous colors, but the plies don't have much cohesion between them, and it is very easy to split them if you aren't looking at it directly while knitting. I wouldn't be surprised if it's like knitting with embroidery floss.
Pattern:Evergreen, by Kristin LeMoine Yarn: Debbie Bliss Pure Silk in 27009 (lavender) Needles: US 6 / 4.0 mm Completed: January 28, 2010 Notions: five wire wrapped amethyst beads, chained together, to be used as a scarf pin
The main reason Fer and I met up in NYC, was because our other friend, Pili, has been working at Disneyworld this year and came up to see the snow. It's funny that the Snowpocalypse hit this same weekend, but only a few flurries actually made it that far northeast.
So, in my undying NEED to knit people gifts, I played hooky that thursday and knit her a neck scarf triangle thing in about 12 hours, with a total of 6 pattern repeats, and had a whole 6" left over after binding off! And, holy shit, I even blocked it! Which was completely pointless, because it was silk and had no memory. But I felt like a Big Girl ^_^
It was so odd, yet nice to work with the silk, and the pattern was very easy and intuitive, and can be scaled to desired dimensions. I didn't like the 3st garter border, but that can easily be changed for future iterations.
Pattern:calorimetry, minus half the rows Yarn: my handspun Merino in Mustard and Raspberry, purchased at Pennsic 2008, poorly fractal plied, about sport weight Needles: US 8 / 5.0 mm Completed: January 31, 2010 Notions: 2 1" buttons
I met up with my bestest friend from high school this weekend in NYC, and found the NEED to make her something. It was originally going to be made out of a (now I know is absolutely nasty) pink wool yarn I bought, but thought to ask what her favorite color was before making it. She said yellow. Well, I know half of what she owns is pink, and I didn't have any yellow yarn, but I did have roving in mustard and raspberry colors that I had bought a year and a half ago, that should probably get some use out of, so I spun some up.
My original idea was to fractal ply it (your first ply is half of your color A roving, and then half of your color B, and your second ply is the first 1/4 A, then 1/4 B, then 1/8 A, 1/8 B, 1/16 A, 1/16 B... etc. until you are sick of splitting your leftover roving in half), but DEX was my throwaway stat, and must have botched my skill: craft roll, that my two plies were different lengths and the thickness got progressively more consistent (but very much not at first).
I ended up with about 50 yards of yarn, that knit up nice and quick into a Calorimetry. I only did the first 12 rows before turning back, managing to make it about 3" wide. It also works as a neck warmer. And I think that what Fer liked the most was the button I used >.<
I also need to learn how to better instruct my roommate in taking pictures of my FO's, not me.
These gloves were such a brain sore! I mean, the pattern is technically written correctly, but I want to stab the editor IN THE EYE! I hate printing things out, so I tried following it on my computer at first. Yeah, not gonna happen. No part of the process can be done with only one screen/page. The pattern starts off with four pages of charts, both drawn and written out, which are useful... but... Then you go into three pages of directions, which are divided for the cuff and the hand (makes sense) and contain a hodgepodge of individual lines for each of the three sizes. And instead of telling you (k1, p1, k16, p1, k1), it tells you (k1, p1, k to last 2 sts, p1, k1) which, yes, can be interpreted, but is unnecessary, since you work 20 sts no matter what size.
My main peeve was reaching the hand, which is done on three sock needles, one for the pattern, one for the thumb, and one for the palm. You are given ten lines on how to work the first part of the hand, that alternate Work in Pattern As Set, and Work As In Round 4. They are mostly just stockinette and a couple of increases, and a direction to go to pg 3 and follow the Hand Pattern for only one of the needles.
Yes, the pattern isn't written in with the instructions, and you constantly have to flip back to it. This gets a lot more complicated once you start creating the thumb gusset and have to keep straight which non-commital line in the paragraph you are currently on. There are a couple of numbers wrong in the final counts towards the end, but they are noted in the errata. As far as binding off, I need to find something that doesn't leave a one row step at the end.
You can't quite tell in the pictures, but in the first picture, the top cuff was done on sz#3 as per pattern, and the lower one on #5, like the rest of the mitt. The cuff was very uncomfortable and tight, even in the L. I was on the first row of the final ribbing when I frogged them. You can't tell in the pictures either, but on the leaf motif I switched ssks and k2togs and the leafs look cleaner and pop out more.
The pattern doesn't really specify where to pick up stitches on the cuff for the hand, other than "along upper edge", so I took this picture to show people I picked them up between the p1 and k1 rows along the edge.
The thumb was really what made me redo them. I couldn't stand how the M1L, M1R on the same stitch made it gape like an ass hole, so I changed it for a KFB on the two stitches that are kept between the markers.
The vagina of the thumb also was stretched and deformed, so instead of BO20, I only BO the 18 stitches in the middle of the thumb, and when I was asked to M2 on the next round, I took the two stitches that were left on the sides of the thumb, used them as one stitch (k2tog), and KFB on them (k2togFB?). This doesn't change the count of the stitches, and it allows for a heartier foundation stitch that won't pull to the sides.
I'm guessing it was my mistake in my binding off that I didn't know how to blend in the last row, but by this time, I was just so happy to get rid of the needles that I didn't care. I managed to pull off seven or eight rows of ribbing before running out of yarn, and had less than a foot left over ^_^
And I used pretty buttons! La Mode 26269, 1/2". They had them in 5/8", but only in the silvery color, and I really needed copper for this yarn. I anchored the chain for the loops on the top corner, ch4, skipped 4 sts, did 2 half crochet sts, and repeated three more times until the hand edge, and used the tail to reinforce the joint of everything.
---
Above all, I am really glad I finished these. I really like the yarn (and will never frog 100% wool again!) and its gradual color changes. I hope that next time I want to follow a pattern from Knitty, it will be written in a more intuitive manor. If not, copy/paste will be my friend!
These things are so cozy! The slippers knit up in a few hours on Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Bulky in Oatmeal with size 11 needles, and then a few more hours to thrum them with alpaca fiber with a crochet hook. Probably 4/5 of the skein was used. And I really should have written this up a month ago when I still had everything fresh in my head :/
PATTERN This is a modified toe up sock with a figure 8 cast on. Increases are every row instead of every other row.Work is done in spirals. The leaf pattern is the same one used for my Lacey Leaf socks, taken upside down, and only once across.
1) Cast on 8 sts on two DPN needles in figure 8. Knit first row all around, splitting on to 4 DPNs.
2) K1, m1, k6, m1, k2, m1, k6, m1, k1. 20 sts around.
3) K1, m1, k8, m1, k2, m1, k8, m1, k1. 24 sts around.
4) K1, m1, k10, m1, k2, m1, k10, m1, k1. 28 sts around.
5) K1, m1, k12, m1, k2, m1, k12, m1, k1. 32 sts around. Here is where the patterning starts.For the lace pattern, you will pattern every odd row and k every even row. 6) K32
7) K5, yo, ssk, p1, k2tog, yo, k6. 16 sts.
9) K4, yo, k1, ssk, p1, k2tog, k1, yo, k5.
11) K3, yo, k2, ssk, p1, k2tog, k2, yo, k4.
13) K2, yo, k3, ssk, p1, k2tog, k3, yo, k3.
15) K2, k2tog, yo, k7, yo, ssk, k3.
17) K2, k2tog, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, ssk, k3.
19) K2, k2tog, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, ssk, k3.
21) K2, k2tog, k3, yo, k1, yo, k3, ssk, k3.
22-29) repeat first half of pattern from row 6. Insert a short row heel on side opposite of pattern.
30-37) repeat second half of pattern (rows 14-21).
Knit in spiral to desired height (about four rows) and make an EZ super stretchy bind off.
Thrumming is inserted down center of pattern, and along footbed, moving diagonally two rows and two stitches for next point.
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My sister's house slippers, in brown, were done on size 10 needles and without thrumming or lace pattern. Five more rows were added to the footbed (35 total) to compensate for a smaller gauge.
I am so happy that I managed to finish everything for my family! I still have several gifts for friends on the needles, but meh, I'm spreading the Holiday Cheer ^_^
Just in december, I managed to make the thrummed slippers for my mom, regular house slippers for my sister, fingerless mitts for her husband and two kids, and Snoopy Pilot Scarfs for Rudy and Chris (k1, p1 in 50/50 silk/wool; quite yummy!). Individual patterns to come shortly.
For me, Jessie got me some wonderful alpaca to spin, and Erin got me some Manos, which I'm dying to make into gauntlets and a hat! Erin, and her fiance Drew, are now the proud owners of my Leaf and Steelers socks (and a howling monkey that loves Pittsburgh), and Jessie's husband Matt now owns a Funny Metal Hat. Her belly dancing gear has gotten much better tips and is currently being produced in my basement...
I made a Chunky Button-Up Cowl for my boss, and I am ALMOST FUCKING DONE with my orange headwarmer thing. I can't believe how busy I've been for the past couple of months! In store for me now, I should be making a Quadrat in a KAL with nanonukie and a bitterroot shawl just because. I bought some skeins of Debbie Bliss Pure Silk, and hope it will be enough!
Oh, and I also knit a horrible cabled scarf for my roommate's father's new wife.
I've been reprimanded for being a bad blogger. Apparently I am supposed to update more frequently, and not just when I have works completed!
So this week I've been working on a new headband, since I've been using the quant so much. I wanted something pumpkiny and autumny, so I found this pattern on Ravelry, by Kristi Holaas. It' originally for a worsted weight scarf or cowl, but I liked the pattern, and it's working up nicely in Knitpicks Pallet - Massala, on I think #2 needles.
The edges are curling in a lot, so I'm going to have to block it when I'm done. I haven't blocked anything because I'm big on the L, but meh, it's only yarn. I was also informed last week by Phiala that I do my SSK and K2Togs backwards and that I should just exchange them when I read patterns, but I was three inches in to the headband when I realized that meh, maybe it would make a difference and look better if I did. I'll keep that in mind for my next project.
Oh yeah, I was also noted that the diamonds look like snatches. Meh.
Hello! I am a tremendous geek with a compulsive crafting addiction. I got a MS in Materials Science and Engineering a year ago and still do research on Bitumen Extraction from Tar Sands. I play rollerderby and I constantly fight to find time to craft EVERYTHING!
