Monday, January 14, 2008

National Dress Up Your Pet Day


It's true! The Internets said so. This was actually taken quite awhile ago (click for big) and he's doesn't have that pissed off look because I dressed him up, but because I woke him up. He's a Harley dude, dude! Not to be confused with Harley, the cat...

Friday, January 11, 2008

I totally meant to do that...

Or not... This is the first sleeve for the
Hedgerow Coat from the Fall 2007 issue of Interweave Knits.

The ribbing pattern is 2x3 with the wrong side being k3, p2 and the right side being k2, p3. So far, so good...

It wasn't until I was halfway done with the second sleeve that I'd realized my mistake. Since the cuff is turned up, and once done, the k2, p3 ribbing would show. I should have changed the ribbing when I moved from the cuff to the actual sleeve, but instead, merrily continued along with the pattern, thus making the wrong side showing. ARRGGGHHH!!!!!

The cables are correct and, since most of the ribbing will will be on the inside of the arm and not that visible, I decided to continue as is rather than reknit both sleeves. It's a design element... That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

In any event, both sleeves and both fronts are done and blocked. I'm about halfway done with the back, then I get to put it together and add the collar and front bands. Whew!

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Not Feeling the Lorna Love

The very first sock of the new year. It would have been the last sock of 2007, but I was too busy gabbing with Monika online and didn't get it finished. On the first day of January, I kitchnered the toe and wove in the ends. I've heard so much about this yarn and it is nice, but, IMHO, not all that. Especially when I went to wind up the second skein.

Had this been the first skein wound, I think I might have tossed all 4 skeins (2 in another colorway) and called it a day. When I got it on my swift, it was so tangled that I had to wind it by hand rather than my ball winder because I had to weave it over and under strands. Sometimes every round, sometimes after 5 or 8 rounds. Then, a little more than halfway though, I found this mess.

WTF is this all about?! It's not a break, it one ply that's about 3 inches longer and just hangin' out. Hopefully it's far enough along that it will be in the foot and not in the lace. Bugger!

What was supposed to be a 10 minute task took well over an hour. In that time, I had expected to have the yarn wound, the sock cast on and at least one round done.

Anyhow... I used the Scallops stitch pattern from Harmony Guides, Volume 2, page 53 on US size 1 (2.25mm) needles. This is the same pattern I used to make my Tofutsie Socks. Second skein is wound and rewound on my ball winder and the second sock is cast on.

Yeah, Zack wasn't all that impressed either.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

A New Year, A New Commitment...

I'm not sure why I quit posting in October, I certainly hadn't quit knitting! Hopefully with a new year, I can make a new beginning and try to update this bog a bit more often.

First up is Faina, finished and gifted (click for big). I'd actually finished knitting this back in April, but didn't get around to adding the fringe until late November (so much for entering it in the State Fair!). Fringing this was almost more work than the knitting of it. Almost a full skein of yarn was used,cut into 17" lengths and knotted in groups of 3.

Pattern: Faina's Scarf from Fiber Trends, designed by Faina M. Letoutchaia
Yarn: Misty Alpaca Sport; 4 skeins

I also finished another Baby Surprise Jacket; these are fun to make. There's a BSJ KAL starting up this month on Ravelry. If you're a Ravelry member and want some company as you knit up your BSJ, come and join up!

This BSJ was made with a discontinued JoAnn's brand yarn, 100% wool. It was on clearance and I may have bought enough to make four more jackets...

And, another pair of Monkey Socks. These only look complicated and are really a quick knit. It's a great pattern for striped or variegated yarns. I'm not so fond of self striping yarns, so this is a good pattern for those skeins that may have found their way into my stash before I realized I didn't like self striping yarn so much.

I will leave you today with a picture of Harley enjoying the winter sun...