Archive for ◊ May, 2008 ◊
I wasn’t expecting anything except company on my upcoming birthday, but this showed up today.
Yarn from Knitting up a Storm’s June sock club!
Japanese vines is sleeping for a bit. The only size 3 needles that I have that aren’t dpns: a pair (rather inexpensive) of bamboo straights and the tips are just too blunt for lace. Working on it’s been a struggle, and I’m done fighting with lace on these needles.
I already have the Options set (reviewed at Knitters Review), which I really enjoy using. I already bought the Knitpicks sock needles, too and they’re a joy to use. No more stopping to sand my bamboo dpns because they’re snagging my yarn. (I’m thinking kindling for those! grr.)
Since I’ve had such a good experience with the both, I went ahead and bought the Knit Picks Fixed Circular Needles in the smaller sizes not included in the options set. I’d been holding off on getting them because I wasn’t certain how much I’d really get into lace or sock knitting, both of which often require the smaller size needles. I’m finding I enjoy both equally, though for different reasons, so I can justify the purchase to myself.
In the meantime, I’ve got socks and a sweater to work on anyway, so it’s not like I have nothing to knit.
I’m stuck on what to do for handles for the Fiesta Net bag. Maybe just a pair of long, wide set handles with some buttons for decoration.
Pattern: Brushed Lace Cardigan (link goes to Ravelry)
Source: Interweave Knits, Winter 2007
Size: 52 inch bust
Yarn: Jojoland Bloom, in Asparagus (Wool/Cotton blend)
Needle size: US 7, 4.5 mm
Pattern Modifications: None so far.
I spend a lot of time in meetings at work. The temperature in the conference rooms is quite variable, from hotter than hell in the conference room closest to my work area, to absolutely arctic in other areas. I always need layers to stay comfortable and I’m just not happy with my current tatty summer sweater, so there’s only one solution: knit.
I had to pull out my winter blanket as lows dipped into the low 40’s (between 4.5 and 6 degrees celcius) overnight. There wasn’t a late frost warning, but I was a bit concerned for the garden. I peeked out the window and thankfully everything looks okay.
I worked some more on the Fiesta Net Bag yesterday. I’ve got a little over one more round to go on the body of the bag, and then that’s done. I need to figure out handles for it.
I don’t have any (bright) new pictures, yet. I got called out for coffee with friends at the local large commercial bookseller and coffee shop. Her Rosiness and Our Friend Steve played some Old School Magic the Gathering. I think the last time we bought cards was during the Mirage set, which was something like ten years ago right after the rules went to 2.0. No way these decks are tournament legal, unless someone does some kind of retro tournament.
I considered taking along the four decks I have and playing too, but they’ve already seen everything I have to offer, and adding the third person to the game both slows down play and changes the nature of the game. Plus, my theme decks tend to annoy them with their surprising effectiveness. (What’s wrong with Fluffy Chick Deck, anyway? Don’t you like getting beaten by butterflies and unicorns?)
I took my laptop and Raveled (is that a verb in the same sense as “Googled,” now too?) while they played, but it really wasn’t a terribly productive night. All I really got done was drinking coffee and socializing.
For some reason, I’ve always associated Memorial Day weekend as the “official” spring cleaning weekend. Plants must be in the garden before then, because Memorial day is going to be wet and cold and devoted to all the inside cleaning and organizing tasks that need to be done before the summer heat is upon us. It’s the other side of Labor Day Weekend, where all the things that need to be done to prior to chill really being in the air get accomplished.
Pattern: Pseudo “Noro Striped Scarf”
Source: Inspired by Noro Striped Scarf
Size: N/A
Yarn: 1 skein Red Heart Super Saver (Worst! Yarn! Ever!) Print in Sugar plum, one skein Lion Brand Yarn Vanna’s Choice in Charcoal Print
Needle size: US 7, 4.5 mm
Pattern Modifications: Four rows of sugar plum, two rows of charcoal.
It’s dead, Jim. I went ahead and tried steam blocking the acrylic to improve the hand of the fabric. It was just too stiff to make a good scarf. I’m reasonably pleased with the results, given both the materials and that this was my first attempt at acrylic murder.
My aunt’s scarf is off the needles. I can officially daydream about other projects without any guilt. K1 p1 rib is about the second most boring thing to knit that there is. Knitted lace has always seemed like the holy grail of knitting to me, and now that it’s an attainable goal, I’m getting the itch to do something bigger than a scarf.
Last year it seemed like lace shawls with feathered borders were “the thing.” I kept seeing them everywhere.
First it was the icarus shawl designed by Miriam Felton on the cover of Best of Interweave Knits. I recently bought the download from the designer to have a clean copy of the pattern without having to deal with consulting errata mid-knit. I’m lazy like that.
Then it was Anne of Knitspot’s irtfa’a shawl with it’s beautiful use of Blue Moon Design’s Raven Clan Colors. I’m partial to the Ravenscroft colorway.
More recently, I’ve run across the Seraphim Shawl, also by Miriam Felton. Curse you, Ravelry and your easy to use pattern search function. Don’t you know browsing patterns is better than surfing Don’t you know I’m something of an obsessive pattern collector when I find a designer I like? It’s your fault, Ravelry, that I bought the Zephyros Shawl, too.
I’m still forging ahead on the pseudo noro stripes scarf, but I want nothing more than to finish and go back to my Japanese Vines Scarf that’s waiting so patiently for me in my knitting bag. Okay, it’s kind of mocking me there, reminding me that I have 12 inches left to go on my aunt’s scarf before I can return to it.
I got my pictures of the progress on the garden.
Working in the garden isn’t always fun, but I really enjoy the results. Right now, it’s still not looking like much, but I can picture what things will look like in just a few weeks even. Part of the joy is watching the garden grow and change. To me, that’s also part of the joy of crafting, and in particular knitting and crocheting.