Stitch, Brinn, Stitch!

December 10, 2011 in knitting | Tags: birthday, books, Etsy, knitting, shark mittens, sharks, wip | Leave a comment

As usual, I am in the middle of knitting about a billion shark mittens. I also have an order for spats, some dino mittens (!) and a marzipan cowl that someone on Etsy requested. So I’m sorry to say that the knitting front is not too interesting at the moment. Here’s some shark progress:

They’re a bit further along than that now.

In related news, I got some knitting books from my parents for my birthday:

Knitting on the Edge, which I’ve checked out from the library a ton and have been coveting forever, and Custom Knits 2. I have the first Custom Knits book, so between the two, I have no excuse for making a poorly-fitted sweater. And I’ve got plans for sweaters. Oh, do I have plans.

But more on that later. For now: sharks.

Happy Birthday to Me!

December 8, 2011 in life | Tags: birthday, life, sale | Leave a comment

Today is my birthday! I’m 22! And my boyfriend’s birthday is tomorrow. He’ll be 25. To celebrate, take 23% off all pattern sales with the coupon code BIRTHDAYTIMES. Take advantage of it because the shark mittens pattern has been selling like hotcakes!

Hopefully I’ll be back tomorrow with a more interesting post. With pictures, even! I finished some shark mittens but then I mailed them before I could snap a photo. : ( I’ve been really busy with work (I’ve been subbing for third grade with minimal sub plans so I’m sorta playing it by ear).

WIPs, More Yarn… Typical Week

December 3, 2011 in knitting, life, stash | Tags: commissions, job stuff, knitting, life, shark mittens, sharks, stash, wip, yarn | Leave a comment

I’ve been someone remiss about blogging lately, mostly because all I’ve been knitting lately are shark mittens. I have an adult small mitten part done:

And I’ve started on some baby sharks:

I’ve also been unwinding sweaters like crazy using my new winder. I finished up a couple of sweaters I’ve had around for a bit including an 80/20 wool/nylon pullover that now looks like this:

I’ve also been working. Both for my Etsy shop for my real person grown-up job. I’ve officially subbed (for money even!) for two different classes and I have a fourth grade class on Monday and Tuesday. I think I’ll be trying to work a lot so I can make some money. And so I can afford to treat myself a little now and again. I went to Farm Fresh today to pick up some meds and I felt I deserved a pumpkin spice latte from the Starbuck’s for my new job. And it is delicious.

I <3 Craig's List

November 30, 2011 in life, stash | Tags: commissions, job stuff, knitting, life, stash, yarn | 1 comment

When I was in NoVa this past week, my mother emailed me an ad from Craig’s List. I emailed the poster regarding the item in question. She replied; we arranged to meet up when we were both in town. I am now the proud owner of this beauty:

Ohhhhhh yeah. Antique skein winder that I bought for $30. It’s kinda beat up but it spins just fine. I’ve already done like four hanks on it and it’s way faster than the niddy noddy. I can even chain ply as I wind on it if I spin the wheel with my foot.

I’d have some knitting to show you today as well, but I once again finished commissions, packaged them, and sent them without photographing them. Sorry. There were some brown spats and some shark mittens. Speaking of shark mittens, I was working on an outstanding order on my way back from NoVa and I think I left a mostly finished mitten (just the grey parts) on the train. Now I have to make two more. : (

In less depressing news, I am officially employed! I am currently working as a substitute teacher and I worked my first official day in the classroom where I’ve been volunteering the last couple of months. I might go in again tomorrow and I’m subbing for fourth grade on Monday and Tuesday. Fortunately it is at the elementary school where myself and my siblings went to school and where my mother works, so I’m pretty familiar with a lot of the staff and the layout of the school. Hopefully I can do most of my subbing there, though I’m available to sub at several other schools.

So yes. Employment and knitting and yarn winding. Yay.

Hiking! And Being a Bad Blogger

November 28, 2011 in life | Tags: boyfriend, hiking, life | Leave a comment

I am currently typing this entry on the Amtrak train back to Virginia Beach because god of gods, this train has WIFI which probably explains why the ticket was $64 instead of $45. So you get a blog post! I’ve not been a very good blogger recently because I’ve been hanging out with my boyfriend and his folks for the long weekend. There was food, there was wine, there was exploring, there was Dr. Who (my latest TV obsession, but more on that later). And there was hiking!

Joe and I went to Great Falls National Park and hiked the Billy Goat Trail part B. It was super fun. There were pretty views across the canal:

There were mini-picnics:

There were lots of boulders and rocks to climb over:

There was general cuteness:

It was a lovely afternoon. After hiking, we came back and I took a nap. And I rarely nap.

I have been knitting, more of which will probably be discussed tomorrow/this week. I’ve made some progress on my Lacy Ribbons sweater and I’ve been working on spats and mittens for sale. I’ll try to have pictures for tomorrow.

Dear Blog

November 20, 2011 in dyeing, life | Tags: cat, dyeing, haircuts, life, swap | 1 comment

Dear blog:

I’m sorry it’s been so long since my last entry. Clearly I failed terribly at NaBloPoMo but in my defense, my boyfriend was in town and now I’m up with him, doing relatively little knitting and certainly not taking any pictures.

I could show you this yarn I dyed last week for a WWFY swap:

It’s Sanguine Gryffon Bugga Skinny and I used black RIT dye. As an aside, I’ve never seen yarn suck up dye so fast. I usually dye wool and it takes a good 30 minutes. With this, I dunked it in the bucket for 30 seconds and it was already darker than I would have liked.

I could show you the haircut I got last week, which is super short and pixie-like:

Or I could show you a picture of a kitty:

None of which happened in the last five days or so. But I am knitting some things (spats and sharks for Etsy) and I’ve been finishing things (my garter belt, which works with thick knit socks but I need to find a better holding mechanism for lighter ones).

Hopefully I’ll be back for more posts this week (I’m going hiking at some point and I should definitely take pictures of that).

FO: Aviatrix

November 15, 2011 in knitting, life | Tags: aviatrix, cold weather things, finished object, FO, handspun, hat, knitting, life | 1 comment

Okay, so I didn’t post yesterday. Life got in the way. Went to the oceanfront with the boyfriend and played some games and did not blog. So maybe there will be two posts today. Then again, maybe there won’t. : )

Pattern: Aviatrix
Yarn: Handspun Corriedale from Lakehouse Loft fibers
Needles: US 7/4.5mm and 8/5mm straights
Mods: I made the largest size but worked seven panels. I also made the straps even since I probably button it.

I’ve been meaning to knit this pattern in this yarn practically since I spun the yarn, but things had gotten in the way until now. And it was super fast–I blew through the pattern in about two days. And I totally love it. I love working with handspun, the colors are amazing, and the fit is great. Because of the extra wedges, it sits all the way down on the back of my neck and just above my eyes in the front to keep everything toasty warm if it ever gets actually cold. Which, who knows cause today the high is 77 and I’m wearing a short-sleeved dress.

I haven’t started anything new just yet, but you know I probably will soon. I ought to work on the things I already have otn, but starting something new is just so damn fun.

WIP: Aviatrix

November 13, 2011 in knitting, life | Tags: aviatrix, boyfriend, cold weather thing, handspun, hat, knitting, life, wip, yarn | Leave a comment

This post is a little late, but it’s still today, so it still counts. I may have started another project.

It’s Aviatrix in some delightful handspun. At this moment, it’s quite a bit further along (I have four full repeats done), but this is the picture I have. More tomorrow probably.

Also, apropos of nothing, this week was the boyfriend and my third anniversary. We’ve been together three years which is totally bitchin. We celebrated today with Mexican food and later this week with a movie date. So yay! Boyfriend!

FO: Karlsro

November 12, 2011 in knitting | Tags: cold weather things, finished object, FO, knitting, life, sweater, wrap sweater | 1 comment

I finished Karlsro yesterday!

Pattern: Karlsro
Yarn: Recycled wool from a gigantic sweater I thrifted
Needles: US 9/5.5 mm
Mods: Made the length a little shorter and went down a couple needle sizes for a slightly more fitted sweater.

I’m quite pleased with the way this one came out. I love wrap sweaters, it’s nice and warm, the sleeves are long (a little too much for the weather now). And it’s in a neutral color, so it’ll go with anything. I can’t wait for the weather to cool down some more so I can actually wear it.

(scuze my face)

This sweater makes ten for the year, for those in the know of IntKniSweMo. I have 11 on the needles (not that it’ll be done by the end of the year seeing as it’s lace mohair) and I may or may not make it to 12. At the moment, I’m casting on for a hat (Aviatrix) and finishing up some other wips.

The boyfriend arrives today, so prepare for less interesting posts for a bit.

Possibly NSFW…

November 11, 2011 in knitting | Tags: finished object, FO, knitted underwear, knitting, life, thong | 5 comments

I soaked and blocked Karlsro last night and instead of working on one of several projects I already had otn, I cast on for something new. Because we are nothing but class here at chez StitchBrinnStitch, I knit a thong. As you do.

Pattern: Lacy Thong from IK online
Yarn: Caron Spa (leftover from my favorite summer knit ever, Tank Girl)
Needles: US 5/3.75mm
Mods: Left off the crochet picot bits.

These only took about three hours total and were a super fast knit. Also, I rather like the finished product. Not that I am lacking in underwear (TMI maybe?) but sometimes a girl just needs a pretty lace thong. So, ya know, I made one. And I might make more. Maybe. But I’d probably go up a needle size and cast on more for the waistband (or tie sides).

Apropos of nothing (really, I promise), my boyfriend is going to be in town tomorrow for about a week and then I’m traveling up north to Fairfax for Thanksgiving and whatnot. So knitting might slow down (I haven’t seen him in a couple months). But I’m going to keep trying to get all 30 posts in this month (I’m 11 for 11 so far!) and I should have Karlsro finished up today or tomorrow, so there’s that. Yay.