Stitch, Brinn, Stitch!

Wippin’ on Halloween

October 31, 2010 in knitting, life | Tags: hat, knitting, life, wip, work in progress | Leave a comment

Happy Halloween!

So it turns out that my big Halloween weekend was last weekend. I went to a dance on Friday night and had a small get-together last night. Today I wandered about downtown Fredericksburg with my boyfriend, visiting a cat-themed store (that has like, five actual cats wandering about in it and I got to scritch and pet some of them), a coffee shop, and a bookstore, and tonight I’ll be having dinner with some friends. Not a big party scene, but a pretty good weekend nonetheless.

I also started a hat because it occurs to me I don’t have to finish the sweater I was working on until December 9th, so I have some time and I wanted to knit something for ME. And I don’t have enough hats.

It’s Brambles from the most recent Knitty. I’m using some teal Cascade 220 that I picked up a while back. I used it for another small project (a peacock for a bird swap), so I should have enough but it might be close.

The hat is working up pretty quickly, and I’m thrilled how it’s coming out. I can’t wait to block and wear it. : )

Moar Sweaters

October 27, 2010 in knitting | Tags: knitting, sweater, wip, work in progress, yarn | Leave a comment

So as you all know, I recently finished up my cape for Halloween, which I’m totally counting as my number ten sweater of the year because even though it doesn’t have arms, neither do tank tops. Also, it’s awesome. Anyway, cape. Then I knitted some hats. And then I started another sweater:

That would be EZ’s Seamless Hybrid in Knit Picks Comfy Bulky (in Planetarium). It’s for my boyfriend’s birthday and modeled off of a sweater he already owns. At 40″ around (kind of loose on my small boyfriend), it’s the largest thing I’ve knitted and I suspect I’ll be at it for a while. I almost certainly won’t have enough yarn, but I’m going to knit through most of my yarn to see how much more I’ll need. It’s gonna be close, at any rate.

I also signed up for a couple more WWFY trades, so I’ll be knitting for that. And then I might take a break and knit myself some socks or a hat or another sweater. I do need more hats….

FO: Halloween Costume!

October 24, 2010 in knitting | Tags: capelet, finished object, FO, Halloween, knitting, life | 2 comments

I finished my Halloween cape just in time for the party I attended on Saturday. I was grafting the hood at like, six-thirty. : ) But it’s done and I love it, and yay!

Pattern: My own, but I am working on writing up so it can be test knitted and offered for sale.
Yarn: About 3.5 balls of Valley Northampton in red.
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm

DUDES. I LOVE THIS THING. It made for a totally bitchin’ Halloween costume (which I am thrilled to be able to wear next weekend when it’s actually Halloween) and it’s also just really comfortable. It’s like wearing a blanket on your shoulders! Very warm, and I plan to wear it all the time.

I made the underbust corset as well. I used some leather I got from a skirt I thrifted and took my measurements to make a pattern on newspaper, then cut out the pattern, cut out the leather, and sewed it up and laced it. Yay! I wore it on… Thursday, I think, also because it’s completely awesome and I love it.

I took a ton of pictures of the thing earlier today, so here are some more for your perusal:

Halloween Progress

October 21, 2010 in knitting, life | Tags: capelet, costume, Halloween, knitting, life, wip, work in progress | 1 comment

With a little over a week til Halloween and two days until the first of a series of Halloween parties for which I am expected to dress up, I have been knitting almost non-stop. Of the five balls of Northampton I bought to work my red capelet, I have full worked two and am halfway through the third. I’ve finished the shoulder shaping and started the hood, so things are moving right along. Here’s where I’m at right now:

So I just have the hood left, plus weaving in ends (just the one from finishing though, since I weave in cast on tails as I go) and blocking (which the thing seriously needs–the bottom edge curls up like nobody’s business.

I have also finished the underbust corset I’ll be wearing and have the rest of the components of the costume. I’ve decided to go with either black pumps or boots (depending on my mood), but I can’t wait to put it all together and photograph it for you to see. It’s gonna be bitchin’.

What I Did this Weekend

October 18, 2010 in knitting, life | Tags: Halloween, knitting, life, shoes, wip, work in progress | 1 comment

I went to a “Giganic” yard sale:

and bought five issues of Threads for 50 cents, a basket, and a full-length mirror, something my apartment was sorely lacking.

I went to the mall and bought these cute boots from Charlotte Russe:

but sadly no red shoes, which is what I was looking for (for my Halloween costume and also to have). Apparently you’re not supposed to wear bright red shoes in October.

I started my red capelet for Halloween:

And I found out I now have less than a week to knit it as I’m going to a Halloween party this Saturday instead of next Saturday. Can I knit that fast? We shall definitely see. What you see here was all knitted yesterday (except for the garter border). So… maybe.

Gah, I love Halloween.

Rhinebeck Jealosy and Sharks. And Stuff.

October 14, 2010 in knitting | Tags: Etsy, FO, knitting, mittens, slippers, swap | Leave a comment

So I am not going to Rhinebeck aka the NY Sheep and Wool Festival. And I am exceedingly jealous. I’d really love to go to a fiber festival, but sadly, there are very few near me, in the middle of Virginia. If all goes according to plan (meaning I can wrangle someone into driving me there), I WILL be attending Maryland Sheep and Wool in May (which I expect to be grossly hot). I’d love to be going to Rhinebeck, but alas, it is not so. I’ll just count down the days until MS&W (which incidentally is the weekend before I graduate from college and become a Real Adult). So, yay.

In other knitting news, I have been knitting like a fiend. I just finished up a pair of shark mittens for an Etsy customer:

and am currently knitting another pair, also for Etsy.

I also just finished up a pair of slippers for an OWS claim:

Pattern: Ridiculously Easy Mary Jane Slippers
Yarn: Some pink acrylic nonsense and Jo Ann Sensations Rainbow Boucle (which is also some acrylic nonsense).
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm
Mods: Added the knitted-on icord border which, by the way, was a pain in the ass to knit.

I think they’re pretty cute. Perhaps I’ll make some for myself one of these days. In wool. Because I love wool.

I also whipped up this little pouch, which was also a pain in the ass and Leah, my Brother sewing machine, tried to eat it. Fortunately, it came out looking pretty nice:

Currently, as I mentioned, I am working on a pair of shark mittens and then I will begin knitting like a mad woman to attempt to finish the cape for my Halloween costume in time for Halloween. It’s gonna be close, and I suspect I’ll be staying up late on Friday (I’m going to a party on Saturday, I think) trying to finish. It almost certainly won’t be blocked, but I am going to try my damnedest to get the thing finished at least.

And then maybe write a pattern for it or something. One step at a time.

Marzipan Cowl Available for Purchase!

October 13, 2010 in knitting | Tags: cable, cowl, pattern, ruffles | 1 comment

The Marzipan Cowl (Diamonds and Ruffles Cowl) is available for purchase through Ravelry, payment through Paypal (though accounts and either are not required to purchase)

US $4.50

Ravel it!

This sweet cowl will keep you warm all winter long! The body of the cowl is large so you can pull it up over your face or pin it close to keep a chill out. The ruffles will spread out over your shoulders and chest to keep you extra warm.

Finished Size
20” around, 11” tall (or desired height)

Yarn
350 yards sport weight yarn

Needles
US 4/3.5 mm 26” and 32” circular

Notions
Tapestry needle
Stitch markers
3-4 mm crocheted hook (optional)
Additional 26” circular (2.5-4 mm) for working turned hem

Gauge
7 sts/9 rows per in/stockinette

Winner Winner!

October 12, 2010 in knitting | Tags: contests, knitting | 1 comment

Okay, so I’m a little behind, but I’ve picked winners for the Diamonds and Ruffles Cowl giveaway!

The winner of the naming contest and recipient of a copy of the cowl pattern and the yarn to make it is (drum roll) Mel! Mel said:

How about “Marzipan Cowl”? It has a sweet look to it, and the neutral color put me in mind of marzipan. Yummeh.

So the cowl will be named “Marzipan Cowl”! Mel, look for my email so I can get your address so I know where to send the yarn!

The winner of the random draw is comment seven, CraftyCripple. I’ll be emailing you soon so I know where to send the pattern!

As for everyone else: The pattern is still in testing, but I will let you know when it’s available.

Stash-stravaganza

October 10, 2010 in life, stash | Tags: life, stash, yarn | Leave a comment

Day two of fall break was today! I spent the late afternoon playing in the Rappahannok river with Sarah (unfortunately, I did not take any pictures).

I spent the morning sorting and photographing all of my yarn stash. I spent much of the evening loading it all in the Ravelry (and watching Dollhouse). It’s all in there now, so I’ll be able to see what I have without going to dig through it all. Before I put all the yarn back in the bins (sorted by weight), I spread it all out on the floor and took a picture:

The bottom half is all worsted weight and the top half is lace/fingering/sport weights. The middle (and the very top row) is mostly yarns I’ve frogged from sweaters. Right above that off to the left side is sock yarn. I counted, and I have enough sock yarn for 25 pairs of socks (including one from my scraps, in the plastic bag there).

There are a couple of things missing from the picture, like the yarn for my Halloween cape and bonus sock yarn I got in the mail the other day. It also (obviously) doesn’t include my spinning fiber, though that’s all loaded on Ravelry. I also don’t have pictures of my acrylic yarn stash and it’s not in Ravelry since I don’t have brand names and such for it. It’s mostly assorted band-less balls a friend bought me at an estate sale. Useful for blankets and amigurumi as well as for swap partners that won’t handwash wool and don’t mind acrylic.

I like seeing it all laid out in the picture here. Maybe I will indeed have enough to knit next year when I’m a poor, starving college grad.

Fall Break!

October 9, 2010 in life | Tags: college, life, ridiculous things | Leave a comment

So I am currently on Fall Break from school until Wednesday. Which means no class on Monday and Tuesday. Whoo! Today I went downtown with my friend Sarah and explored some antique stores in the quaint town of Fredericksburg. Fun times. I also rode my bike up and down hills for about an hour, so exercise! Whoo!

We went downtown looking for Halloween costume ideas (for Sarah) and costume elements (for me). I still need to find a basket of some sort, and I am looking for red shoes as well. We were, unfortunately, unsuccessful, but we did spy this:

(sorry for the blurry picture)

That’s a muff. Made of fur. WITH A FACE. Frightening.

(In crafting news: I’m knitting for swaps and commissions. And I started today taking pictures of my stash to load into Ravelry. Also, don’t forget about the contest!)