Stitch, Brinn, Stitch!

OWS: Post Three of Now at Least Six

December 3, 2009 in other people's crafts/cool things, paper craft, swap | Tags: notecards, paper crafts, stamps, swap | Leave a comment

Whoo, I received one of my packages from the November Ongoing Wish Swap! Hika-Chan claimed me for notecards and a surprise. I received a metric fuck ton of notecards which are basically too pretty to give to unappreciative people. Perhaps I’ll just keep them and look at them. : )

Notecards!

(please ignore my creepy display head lurking there)

And a pretty box:

And tucked inside were more notecards!

STILL MORE NOTECARDS:

Awesome stamps:

Seriously, the sock monkey one is hella cute (and straight off my wist!). The block is a little difficult to maneuver so I think I’m gonna chisel them apart or something (DELICATELY–because it’s hella awesome). I’m gonna stamp so many things with sock monkeys…

Oh, right, why is this six now? Uh… cause I kind of signed up for the December OWS and claimed someone already, and that usually leads to two posts, one with things I sent and one with things I received… Yeah.

SO, coming up on chez Stitch Brinn Stitch: That hat I keep talking about (PLUS probably its free pattern), more swap stuff. Like I said, good think I got all this cause the knitting on Featherweight is SLOW and BORING and so not good blog fodder. Instead you get to look at pretty notecards while I squee about sock monkeys! Whoo hoo!

FO: Almond Socks

December 1, 2009 in knitting | Tags: FO, knitting, socks, wool, yarn | Leave a comment

Okay, so things are going to reverse order from what I said Sunday. Turns out I left the hat I was going to publish somewhere I can’t actually get to it quite yet, so instead you get socks! Whoo hoo!

Pattern: It’s a toe up sock with a short row heel.
Yarn: Red Heart Heart and Sole, one skein, colorway “Toasted Almond”
Needles: US 1/2.25 mm metal dpns

I used a basic toe-up sock pattern with a short row heel and increased to 64 stitches. This resulted in socks that are a bit too big, but not so much so that I can’t wear them. Amazingly, my gauge is something ridiculous like 9 spi, so these should wear pretty well, despite them being too big. The next time I make plain ankle socks (and it will be soon… I’m already looking at Knit Picks for a fix of sock yarn), I’ll only go up to 56 stitches and I think they’ll fit better.

Also, despite this being a “cheap” sock yarn, I liked it fine. It was cheap–with a coupon, I think I got it for like $3 at Micheal’s, but I liked knitting with it, and it’s comfortable. And the colors are fine. My socks don’t match, but I’ve been known to wear mismatched socks when I can’t find a pair anyway.

In unrelated news: I received one of two Ongoing Wish Swap packages yesterday, so that’s happening. Plus I finished that hat that I was going to show you today. I’m glad I’ve got all this blog fodder because my current knitting is working on my Featherweight Cardi, and that is sloooooooow going. Lace weight on 4mm needles. Yeah. It’s simple stockinette though, so it’s fine for all the work I’ve got going on this week.

FO: Emerald Isle

November 29, 2009 in knitting | Tags: cotton, FO, knitting, scarf, shawl, silk, yarn | Leave a comment

Okay, so maybe I lied. Turns out I figured how to gain internet access, and that means you all get an early post! Whoo! Anyway, as I said, knitting has been happening:

(Sorry for ridiculous edited photos. The second one (the next one after this) has the most accurate color.)

Pattern: It’s a triangle with eyelets. Do you really need a pattern?
Yarn: Combo yarn I got in a swap. I believe it’s silk and cotton.
Needles: US 10/6 mm Knit Picks Options circular

(This is the most accurate shot of color.)

This came out exactly how I wanted it too: large and warm. It’s a lovely scarf. It’s cotton, so it’s not the best fiber for winter, but until I get around to knitting a wool triangle scarf, this will do. Plus I love the yarn. The light green strand, the silk, is shiny and soft and the cottons are nice too. The tweed bits are interesting (though I think I’d have preferred to leave them out).

So what else is going on? Well, Ongoing Wish Swap is happening. I’m expecting two packages hopefully in the next two weeks, otherwise I’ll have to wait until I get back to school after winter break. I’ve also finished a hat, which I’ll hopefully post on Monday. I’m also working on a pair of vanilla socks, as I mentioned yesterday, I think, and those will probably show up on Wednesday. After the socks, there might be another break in posting as it’s the last two weeks of the semester starting Monday (a week of classes and then a week of finals), and I have a ton of schoolwork to finish in that time. But I’ll give you a better update then. Stay tuned!

Space and Time

November 27, 2009 in life | Tags: life, thanksgiving | Leave a comment

Hey all! Sorry for the radio silence over the last couple of days. I’m somewhat internet-deficient, so I can’t really do a lot of posting. I have, however, have been knitting. I’ve finished a triangle scarf, a hat, and I’m currently chugging along on a pair of vanilla socks (out of actual sock yarn!)

I hope you all have had a lovely Thanksgiving (or Thursday, if you don’t celebrate or are outside of the US). Mine was lovely, and it was definitely nice to have a few days off of class.

I’ll definitely be back on Monday with some knitting content. Stay tuned til then!

Swaptastic! Part Two of At Least Four

November 23, 2009 in knitting, swap | Tags: armwarmers, cat toys, FO, knitting, swap, wool | Leave a comment

More Ongoing Wish Swap goodness! I claimed Mlsocci74 for kitty things and armwarmers for her daughter.

It took me like, nineteen tries to get a color combination that wouldn’t make me want to stab my eye out while I was knitting them. I believe I was successful, though they’re still vaguely sickeningly girly:

Pattern: The one from my head. Top-down fingerless mitts with extra long cuffs.
Yarn: Reclaimed thrift store sweater wool. Natural/undyed* and kool-aid hand-dyed pink, which would be a pretty color if I liked pink at all.
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm Clover dpns

*Mac dictionary wanted to correct this to “undead”. Bahahahaha, zombie mitts!

These took me a grand total of like three hours to make, which isn’t bad at all. And they’re cute I guess. I wouldn’t wear them (I need my pink to be SERIOUSLY TEMPERED if it’s on my person), but a 13-year-old might like them if she’s girly. Yay.

I also made a bunch of kitty toys (mice) for the package:

Pattern: My own. Increase up to 16, knit around, decrease down to three and knit icord. Ears are crocheted mostly.
Yarn: Various scraps of things including Cascade Eco Wool, Knit Picks WotA, and thrift store sweater wool.
Needles: US 7/4.5 mm for the Eco Wool and US 5/3.75(right?) mm for the others.

(I have a serious love for this photo. I love the Macro setting.)

They’re cute. I like to hold them. I might make some for my cats for when I’m home over winter break because they take only a tiny amount of yarn and are GREAT for stash/scrap busting. I used up every inch of that purple WotA. Win.

Anyway, that’s what I sent off. One of my packages has arrived (not this one), so I can claim someone else! Whoo! I also recently finished two knitted things, which I will have FO posts for soon (today is gloomy and not a good day for photos).

Things and Stuff

November 20, 2009 in crochet, knitting, spinning | Tags: cotton, cozy, crochet, FO, handspun, holder, knitting, shawl, spinning, wip, wool, yarn | Leave a comment

Thing number one: A chapstick cozy:

Pattern: Chapstick/Lip Balm Holder
Yarn: Lily Sugar N’ Cream, colorway was like, strawberry or somesuch.
Hook: F/3.75 mm
Mods: Probably? Added a loop to attach to my keychain.

It’s functional, and that’s great. Whee, always having chapstick! I’m totally addicted.

Thing number two: A spinning FO!

Fiber: Random wool I got with a spindle on Etsy. An ounce.
Weight: About sport, I think. 2 ply.
Yardage: About 88 yards to my rudimentary measurements.
Colorway: Raspberry

Probably this will become some sort of lacy cowl because I love lacy cowls. Probably with buttons so it doesn’t have to be wide enough to get over my head. The yarn actually came out quite soft, probably due to its SOAK bath. I bought the Ravelry edition from the minimart, and I LOVE the scent. Really, it’s great.

Thing number three: A WIP shawl:

I’m using some yarn I got in a swap (the Rainbow Swap if you recall). It’s a combo yarn with strands of cotton and silk. Here, look:

The true green is the silk, I think, and the white and the teal/blue are cotton.

The shawl is looking to be quite large, which I’m cool with. I want to do some lacy edging on the edge, but I haven’t found anything I like, so I might just have a boring triangle scarf. The yarn is the prettiest part anyway.

Coming soon: Probably the FO post for the shawl cause we all know I knit like the wind (Bulls-eye). Maybe those dino mittens. Maybe I’ll knit another hat. Who the hell knows. At this point, I’m thinking about my shawl and final projects. Classes are winding down for the semester, so I’ll be studying (sort of) for finals. Fun times. Don’t worry though: Crafting will happen. Plus there’s swap things. So stay tuned. : )

FO: Twisted Or: Yet Another Slouchy Hat

November 17, 2009 in knitting | Tags: beret, FO, hat, knitting, slouchy hat, tam, wool, yarn | 1 comment

Pattern: Twisted, a pattern currently undergoing test knitting on Ravelry.
Yarn: Cascade Eco Wool
Needles: 6 mm plastic dpns, the super pointy and long Susan Bates ones
Mods: I think went down a needle size cause I used what I had. I also added a C4F repeat.

So yeah, it’s cute. It’s a touch short, and I were to make it again, I would add another cable repeat or two, probably a full repeat of the lattice cable (which I love, btw) so it sits on my head more stably. The cables are lovely, and despite all of them, blocking opened the hat up a lot. It’s definitely going into my slouchy hat rotation (I have four as of right now).

So what else is going on? I have more swap things coming up. I started a shawl. I’ve sort of hit a wall on the dino mitts but I am thinking about them, at the very least. So yes. Posting will happen. It will be great. For sure. : ) Stay tuned!

Deep Blue Sea: Up and Ready!

November 14, 2009 in knitting | Tags: knitting, mittens, pattern, wool, yarn | 4 comments

The pattern for Deep Blue Sea is ready for purchase!

Deep Blue Sea: US $6

Ravel It!

Sizes: Children’s S (Children’s L, Adult) Shown in Adult

Children’s S: Ages approx. 5-7, 5” palm circumference
Children’s L: Ages approx. 8-10, 6” palm circumference
Adult: Should fit most adult hands, measures approx. 8” around palm, length is to fit.

Finished measurements: 6” (7”, 8”) (palm circumference)

Gauge: 5 sts/7 rows per inch stockinette

Yarn Required:

MC: 80-200 yards worsted/aran weight yarn, grey
CC: 20 yards worsted weight yarn, red
CC2: 3-4 yards worsted weight yarn, white

You will also need:

-Set of 5 US 7/4.5 dpn’s
-Stitch marker
-Stitch holder or waste yarn

Also included: Bonus Shark Attack Victim!*

Materials required for victim:

Set of 4 or 5 US 6/4 mm dpns
Less than 10 yards each of worsted weight yarn in brown or tan, blue, and black (or colors of your choosing).
A stitch marker
Stitch holders or waste yarn.
Small amount of stuffing

*Shark attack victim may or may not be based on Samuel L. Jackson’s character in the movie Deep Blue Sea.

Swapperific: Part One of At Least Four

November 13, 2009 in knitting, paper craft, swap | Tags: buttons, FO, hat, knitting, notecard, ongoing wish swap, papercraft, swap, wool, yarn | Leave a comment

So. I claimed Zombiecazz in the Ongoing Wish Swap for an earflap hat. It was both quick and fun to knit as I love colorwork but don’t really do a lot of it:

Pattern: My own, which I may yet write up.
Yarn: Cascade Eco Wool in coffee left over from owls and some red Ella Rae Classic
Needles: US 8 bamboo dpns and 16″ circ (both are Clover, I think)

So I sort of want to make another of these as I love how it came out and I have a serious love of rectangular spirals. I may yet make another for myself to wear (and it would also function as a test knit of the pattern, if I write it up). It’s a pretty simple pattern too, so I could basically write it from memory. Lovely.

I also sent some buttons:

and this lovely card I whipped up:

I’ve also claimed someone else for kitty toys and armwarmers, so that will be happening too. Plus the other test knitting hat. The hat is almost done, and then I’ll be doing the armwarmers and the toys (probably in reverse order though). I appear to be taking a break from knitting things for myself. : ) This is just fine with me as the next thing I want to knit involves lots of lace and as I can’t really do that in class, I’ll be working lots of lace over my winter break from school.

FO: Slouch for All Seasons

November 11, 2009 in knitting | Tags: beret, FO, hat, knitting, slouchy hat, tam, wool, yarn | Leave a comment

Pattern: A Slouch for All Seasons from Classic Elite
Yarn: Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, almost exactly a skein and a half, in Amethyst Heather
Needles: US 6/4 mm metal dpns and Knit Picks 16″ circular.
Mods: Only CO 80 so I did fewer pattern repeats around. Because 100 is just way too many stitches.

Another slouchy hat to add to my collection. And I’ve got plans for at least one more cause I’m test knitting for someone on Ravelry. : ) I love this one a lot: it’s the perfect amount of slouchy and it knit up super quickly. And used up stash yarn! Yay! I will definitely be getting a lot of wear out of this one.

In other knitting news: Still fiddling with the dino mittens. Finished a swap hat. Will soon be working on swap armwarmers in some awesome cable pattern cause sometimes I like things that aren’t just stockinette. Stay tuned.