Knitalong – spreading the word

Larissa of Stitch Marker is holding a new knitalong!

I’ve been following her blog ever since I saw Jodi‘s “Meathead” hat with envy (the product of another knitalong). So I saw the invitational post and thought I’d like to play along too. And if I’m going to do that , I might as well spread the word, eh?

Come on: it’s just a potholder. Any ol’ potholder pattern will do, and it gets to become community art. I’m betting potholders knit up quicker than hats!

Check it out here: http://stitchmarker.net/2011/11/would-you-want-to-make-a-potholder.html

Triumphant Return

My friends, there has been KNITTING.

Most of the summer and fall (and spring too? I don’t even remember) has been spent on tiny bites of knitting here and there — a few rows in the car, or during before-bed-tv, or any time the baby-turning-toddler (!) and toddler-no-wait-preschooler (!!) would allow. And, because knitting is magical like that, even these tiny bits add up and eventually there is this complete object. Kind of like life.

Nikolai shawl, knit in IndigoDragonfly Merino/Cashmere “Neither Bloody Nor Bowed”

I really love having a smallish scarf-shawl with me, something to wear under my coat but also around an over-cooled office. This scarf-shawl fits the bill perfectly, and the cashmere content makes it warmer than you’d expect (and luxurious too!).

And what goes better with a fall shawl than some quick fingerless mitts?

These Short and Sweet Fingerless Mitts were exactly what they claimed to be — short and sweet. I knit these up in just a few days, and the pattern was perfect for making a lovely little pair that “goes with” but does not “match” the scarf-shawl, sharing a leaf motif. I should have remembered I always knit loose and gone down a needle size, and maybe I should block them someday, but whatever, I have a pretty and toasty-warm (thank you cashmere) pair of mitts to wear until it’s full on mitten weather.

Which will be really soon, I’m guessing… Glenna’s just reworked her Podster Mitts pattern, maybe I’ll try to make some of those for the next phase in the fall-to-winter transition. Until then, these actually finished objects are serving me quite well!

What about you? Anyone else experiencing a triumphant return into the world of knitting?

New Knitty & some brilliance

New Knitty.com issue is up! Go check it out is you aren’t already one of the ravening knit-hoards that crash their servers each launch day (which was, um, yesterday…)

I have less time to knit these days than I even have for sleeping (and with my 7month “sleep regression” baby, that’s saying something), but if I did then I’d be totally re-looking at all the projects I’ve tossed aside over the years because I’m too lazy to work intarsia, because this pattern Verdant is a stroke of brilliance. “Blended intarsia” — aka “don’t bother dropping the main colour as you go along”. Too clever! of course, you’ll still have ends to weave, but there will be much, much less of them! Love it.

So, which pattern in the new Knitty would you cast on first? For me, it would probably be the Stitches in Time “summer neckerchief”, which contains another version of a cheater’s intarsia…. maybe there’s a theme here?

Free to Good Home, Just Not Mine

I’m finally getting through to unpacking my books and craft supplies (a true measure of getting settled in a new place if ever there was one) and have decided to be a bit ruthless with which books get to go back on the shelves.

Ok, so that really means that out of mumblethirty-oddmumble boxes of books I’m culling one box-worth, but there are knitting books here, so bear with me…

Kids books that aren’t classics but are too advanced for my daughters: donated. Yet another copy of Interview With A Vampire*: gone. Knitting books that I’m not that interested in…

Well, I might not be too interested in knitting things from these books, but that doesn’t mean you’re not interested. How about you take them off my hands, then?

For grabs:
• Son of Stitch ‘N Bitch, Debbie Stoller
• Easy Knits For Little Kids, Catherine Tough
• Knitted Toys, Zoe Mellor

There’s nothing wrong with these books, I just don’t think I’ll ever knit from them, and most of the other books on the shelf have a minimum of three patterns I’m interested in knitting.  (That’s how I judge magazines, too.) I figure it’s better for a biol to be used than to languish, though, especially how-to books like knitting pattern books.

All you have to do is help me find some inspiration for something to knit! I’m in a terrible slump, nothing is inspiring me these days yet I’d really something on the needles (besides the obligatory sock, of course). What are you knitting up right now? What’s the pattern you happily knit over and over?

So there you have it: tell me your inspiring knits, and the book you’re interested in, and I’ll send them off in about a week. (I’ll use a random draw if there’s a lot of comments, and I’ll email the lucky three for real-world mailing addresses.)

*Seriously, we had something like five copies! How? Why??

In Progress

WIPs. “Works In Progress.” I really do have some!

I’ve been knitting, a little. The double-knitting “potholder” swatch from EZ’s Almanac has made me definitely want to knit up a baby-blanket in this technique. So yay, I’ve officially started the Miko Challenge!

I’ve also got most of a Koolhaus hat worked up for my Yukon-dwelling brother, but ran out of yarn 1 pattern repeat before the crown, boo. Do I buy another skein (Berocco’s Ultra Alpaca, pretty awesome) or fake it with some basic black merino?

Many false starts on other hats for myself have been made, and frogged, and tried again, and frogged again. I think I’ve given up for now, but will hopefully get a hat or two for my own head when I work up some of the EZ patterns.

And there’s been genuine spinning! I finally broke out the Joy wheel, and have spun up some lovely Enchanted Knoll batts in “Chai” (a decent, if ‘wobbly’ 2-ply) and some CopperPot Woolies batts in an indigo/blue/orange colourway called “Summer Iris” or something like that (DK/worsted singles, yay me!). It’s been fun getting back to spinning, and I think I need to make more time to sit in front of the wheel.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find my digital camera since we moved (in January, arrgh), so photographic evidence of all these things I’ve been working on has been nil. *sigh*

But I can leave you with one photo of another project I’ve been working on lately…

Baby #2, due sometime in August. Better get knitting on “some baby’s things” from the Almanac!

Winter Knitty 2008!

An all-new issue of Knitty is out!!

I’m loving the wide variety of cardigan patterns (while I usually dislike bobbles, Surface has me quite intrigued), and am pretty sure that a Poinsettia neckwarmer will be coming to my needles soon.

One pattern might seem a bit silly to some, but you’ve got to admit the model’s pretty cute!

Coat Coveting

For the most part, when it comes to knitting, I’m a bit of a cheapskate. Sure, I shell out for luxurious yarns, but I really am a “one skein wonder” kind of gal. Sock yarns make a pair of socks per skein, lace-weight goes a long way; I seldom get enough of anything to make a ‘big’ project (sweater, scarf, etc).

Likewise with patterns. Rare enough do I buy magazines or books, let alone shell out for single patterns (in store or online). Especially with more free patterns available online than I could ever knit in my lifetime, it takes a lot to impress me enough to part with my cash.

Sylvi, from the Winter 2008 issue of Twist Collective, may just entice me to pony up for both patterns and a large quantity of yarn. What a fabulous coat! But oh, to have the time to knit it…

Baby’s first knitwear

Keeping baby warm in wool.

The Baby Surprise Jacket that no-longer-secret pal Tanya knit for my baby-to-be has been keeping Morgana nice and toasty as the weather turns from fall to early winter. (We’ve had real snow here a few days! Just nothing that sticks.) I’ve also been knitting her a few little hats (you can see one in-progress beside me on the couch!), since baby hats never seem to be made to baby-head size, but I also seem to have a great knack for losing them in the house, so there are no photos! Thank goodness baby things are so small and quick to knit — I think we’ve got a chilly winter ahead, and many things to make up!

She also sported the purple BSJ on her first-ever outing — to the Purple Purl, of course! (Let’s get this one addicted to yarn good and early, shall we?) The Purl celebrated it’s one-year anniversary of opening this past Saturday, and some of us gathered Friday night to wish them a happy birthday, complete with surprise presents!

Mom & Baby leave the house for the first time, to sit comfortably amid good friends and colourful yarns!

Miko loves the new ball-winder — Jennifer might prefer the bubble wrap! :)

More photos of the baby and the shop’s celebration can be found on my Flickr.

On the whole, we’re all doing really well: settling into new routines and roles, gaining confidence as parents, loving the baby-time, starting to leave the house for errands and fun, and even finding a bit of time to knit!

Things Unfinished

Unfinished: February Lady Sweater.

I know what you’re thinking: “Another sweater, already? Has she gotten cocky or something?” But hey, this is a really cute sweater, it’s construction and lace pattern are pretty easy, and I had yarn enough in my stash. Everyone else is doing it…

Unfinished: Baby Surprise Jacket.

It almost seems like one would have her “Knitter” status revoked if one was pregnant and did not knit this ubiquitous cardigan. It’s ok by my, though, since I love reading Elizabeth Zimmerman, and this particular pattern manages to be dead-simple and not ‘mindless’ at the same time. It’s also like the origami of knitwear — it’s fun to blindly knit along and not know how it will work out and then just twist the needles and see a glimpse of it all!

Unfinished: generic sock.

For those times that a simple sweater and/or garter stitch are still too complex… a boring ol’ sock. But it’s Austermann yarn “mit aloe vera“, which is pretty nice! And yes, sometimes I still can be sucked in by the novelty of yarn that stripes itself.

Unfinished: the nursery / baby ‘gear’.

I took a photo, but it’s just so overwhelming I can’t bring myself to upload it. There are many things that need to be not-in-there (some stuff that just needs to be trashed, and unfortunately more that need–ugh–organizing), a tonne of baby-shower gifts that need to find their new permanent homes (my gods, how many onsies does one baby need? I don’t think I’ll get to buy this baby any clothes until it’s a toddler!), and some critical pieces (crib? diaper pail?) that don’t even exist in this current reality.

And let’s not even talk about all those moms-to-be with their designer diaper bags and a month’s worth of meals in the freezer. Because that must be a myth, right?

Unfinished: gestation.

Baby belly at 34 weeks

I’m beginning to find myself entering the ‘countdown’ phase, the point of no return looming close and feeling up to the challenge! (“Stuff” notwithstanding.) I know that there could be many more weeks before this little one decides it’s time to join us in the world, but I also can tell that my body is beginning to prepare for that transitional journey.
Having Dru tell me “I want to meet my baby now!” on a daily basis helps (or doesn’t), too :)

Things Finished

Finished: Work for 1 year.

Maternity leave has begun as of Monday. Most people consider this “early” (by which I mean I’m not due this week or anything), but I’m thinking about it as “on time” (by which I mean I think this is exactly the right time for me). Recognizing that I am an incredibly privileged woman with a strong job/union, an understanding work environment (which recognizes it’s stress levels), and a supportive partner, I am very grateful and glad that I can take this time in these last weeks before birth. While I have only got uncomfortable symptoms and no complications in this pregnancy, I still want to be both as strong as I can (mentally and physically) for the birth, and to have the healthiest baby I can grow. I plan on doing a lot of resting, a little bit of frivolity (High Tea, anyone?), and a huge amount of organizing/cleaning/prep work.

Finished: Tilted Duster

That’s right folks. I have been KNITTING. And now it is done!!!

Pattern:Tilted Duster, by Norah Gaughn, from Interweave Knits Fall 2007 (cover project!)
Yarn: Fibranatura Mermaid (42% cotton, 35% superwash merino wool, 12% silk & 11% seacell)
Needles: 5.5mm Addi Turbos
Notions: 4 Yew Wood buttons; 1 hook-and-eye closure
Started: Early August, 2008
Finished: October 1, 2008
Both yarn and buttons were purchased at the Purple Purl

This sweater is a huge accomplishment for me! First off, you should know that this really is the first sweater I’ve ever knit for myself that has turned out at all. One has been utter crap, the other, gorgeous as it was, once washed was destined to never go on my body (oh Gatsby Girl, how I miss you!). I knit a sweater for my sister that was an atrocity. I knit an aran sweater for my father that turned out quite well (about a year late, though). Really, Dru’s Cobblestone is about the only sweater that’s been knit in a timely fashion and has turned out well — until now!

I think that, pregnant or not, 2 months is a respectable time-frame for a larger project. I definitely think that the Addis helped speed things along, too :) Mostly because this was the first time I tried knitting both sleeves at once along the circs, which ensured that the sleeves were both symmetrical and both finished at the same time. I also knit the sleeves before I started the ‘skirt’ portion, so once that was done all I had to do was the collar and the sewing. It might be a mental trick, but it worked: the project seemed to go at a good pace.

There are a few issues with this sweater, don’t get me wrong: the armscye is way strange (something I could ‘fix’ if it were sewing, but will just have to keep in mind for further knitted garments), the fronts are a bit small and the back a bit large, and the sleeves came out a bit long. But it fits pretty well overall, and I like having sleeves that can cover my wrists well! The only modification I’ve made has been to add a small hook-and-eye closure where the two angles of the front come together, to keep things neat.

Best of all, it really is the perfect maternity sweater to show of the baby-belly!