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So remember how I bought that supported spindle from the Uniquities Fiber Market? I have been practicing my butt off and I’ve finally got the hang of it. It took a couple weeks and some serious frustration, but I’ve found the key: a loose prep and fiber that’s not boring. I spun up this batt the other day:
It was only about 1.5 oz so it took practically no time at all. Plus I stopped caring about evenness, which was pretty impossible considering the yarn/neps/bits content. I two-plied it and got this:
It’s only about 50 yards of a dk-ish weight. Not sure I’ll ever knit it into anything (maybe a little stuffy). It’s kind of the ugliest yarn ever, but as my first supported spindle skein, it’s not bad.
Having finished that, I spun up some leftover BFL I had hanging about:
This one required a ton of predrafting because the fiber was so compacted, but it came out pretty nice. I navajo plied it. Not sure of the yardage but it’s a tiny tiny little skein. Mostly just decoration I think.
I then started a new supported spindle project:
The fiber is the other half of a four oz braid I got somewhere online a while back. It’s merino in the color way “Storm Front Coming”. I bought it from LakeHouse Loft on Artfire I think. It’s pretty compacted from being smooshed in my stash, but it’s spinning up pretty evenly. So yay.
A note on the spindle bowl: I was previously using a tiny tea cup. When I was in the Outer Banks, I went to a store called Michael’s, where they sell all manner of fossils, shells, geodes, stones, etc. They had a bunch of stone mortar and pestle sets and I was going to get one to use as a spindle bowl. On the last day, I spotted one that had been marked down for its missing pestle. Perfect. So I got an amazing spindle bowl for $5. It’s stone, so it’s good and solid and won’t tip over. WHOOT.
So remember that project I started after Counterpane that I was 80% through? Well it’s done now, natch. I have a lot of time. So yeah.
Pattern: Veyla from Whimsical Little Knits 2
Yarn: Recycled cashmere, navajo plied
Needles: US 3/3.25 mm dpns
In addition to being completely adorable and soft and warm and beautiful, these mitts were also extremely fast and fun to knit. The cuff is interesting and there isn’t much plain stockinette. Definitely kept my attention.
So I will have a lovely pair of mitts when the weather gets around to cooling. Especially if I have to commute on the Metro. You know, when I eventually get a job. Cause I need one. Anyway, pretty.
Sooooo hi there. It’s been a while. In my defense, I went to the Outer Banks with my boyfriend and his folks for a week and didn’t really have time for blog posting. There was way too much beaching and knitting and swimming and Scrabble-playing for blogging. BUUUT I did finish my Ravelympics Ravellenic project. Just barely, just under the wire.
Pattern: Counterpane Blouse, from the Summer 2010 Interweave Knits
Yarn: 65/35 linen/cotton recycled yarn
Needles: US 4/3.5 mm
Mods: Skipped some of the skirt decreases and my pick up for the skirt was uneven to say the least so I just sort of winged it.
WHOOOO. I just finished the crochet edging around 7pm EST which is about midnight BST, the end of the Olympic Closing Ceremonies (ope, hope I don’t get sued). So just in time. It was close. I finished the main knitting in the car on the way back from the beach but didn’t have a crochet hook so I had to hurry and finish the edging once I got home.
In case anyone is keeping up with my 12 in 12 sweater challenge, I am up to eight. So I’m right on track. WHOO.
I finished knitting around three that afternoon so of course I had to start another project, rather then work on one already started. That project is about 80% done now thanks to two hour-long metro rides today. But more on that later. : )
Sooo I made sweater number seven for the year:
(I’m cool)
Pattern: Accidentally on Purpose Drop Stitch Tank from Stitch and Bitch Nation. Sort of.
Yarn: Lion Brand Incredible, exactly three skeins
Needles: US 10/6mm
Mods: All of them. Based on this version in Incredible.
I quite like how this top came out. It fits well and gives me SHAPES. Like, check out that hourglass action happening there.
Yeah. I knit this up really quickly (about two days). I intended to follow the pattern sort of, but I ended up just making it up as I went along. This resulted in a much higher neckline than intended, but I like it. Very racer back-shaped. Lovely. Have to wear a tank underneath because of the dropped stitches (which were super fun) but no matter.
Since completing this top, it’s been cast-on mania around here. I currently have seven WIPs, including two spinning projects. Also, the EFKA Ravelympics (Ravelenic WHATEVER FUCK YOU USOC) starts tomorrow, so that’ll be another thing cast on. Look for posts on that soon. I’m looking to complete a summer top (Counterpane to be exact), so we’ll see how that goes.
Greetings, blog folk! I am mostly settled in, though things are still kind of a mess. Anyway, I’ve finished up some socks. Some delightful Who-inspired socks. Whoo!
Pattern: TARDIS Socks
Yarn: Lion Brand Sock-Ease in Snowcone, overdyed by a WWFYer, recycled wool/nylon (white) and Sanguine Gryphon Bugga (black)
Needles: US 1/2.25 mm
Mods: I continued to reduce gusset stitches until I was at a 64st foot instead of 72.
You guys. These socks. SO MUCH FUN. There was colorwork, which I don’t usually do so that was good practice. There was a flap and gusset heel, which I love. There was leg patterning. And there was easy cruising down the foot. Also, the fit is PERFECT. I went down to 64 sts for the foot and it fits just right. The 72 st leg is wide enough to get over my heel despite some snug stranding but tight enough to stay up.
TARDIS socks = love, is what I’m saying.
I wasn’t too crazy about the yarn, mostly because Sock-Ease is on the thin side. The color was perfect though. The white is not superwash but considering there’s not that much of it, I think it’ll be okay to go through the washing machine.
I have since cast on for about four more projects, one of which is super fast and I am halfway through. Also yesterday (Saturday) I went to a fiber event. But more on that next time.
Hello from my apartment in Northern Virginia where I am all moved in. I want to show you pictures of the place but it’s kind of a disaster area at the moment. Lots of organizing to do. Anyway, in between that, I made a bathmat:
Pattern: By Your Bed/Bathmat/Doormat
Yarn: Navy (it’s darker than the picture shows) t-shirt yarn/tarn I got in a swap on Craftster a while ago. I used 7/8 balls. (The last might become a dishcloth if I ever find it.)
Hook: GIGANTIC plastic 15mm hook
Mods: I added an extra row of shells/3dc in ch1 sp.
Woo! Pretty simple project; went by super quickly. And now we have a pretty bathmat.
This next week will likely be spent cleaning and organizing and a little bit of job hunting. I’m applying to the Fairfax school system, which I likely won’t get but would be awesome if I did. Cheers!
You guys, packing is stressful. I have to cull everything I own until I can fit it all in a minivan, and I have a lot of stuff. A LOT of stuff. Mostly yarn and clothes. I have four plastic bins and a cardboard box full of yarn, plus I have yarn or unravels-in-progress stuffed in every tiny nook and cranny of the rest of the bags and boxes and bins. Probably 80% of my stuff is either craft supplies or clothes, both of which are things I enjoy frequently and can get for very cheap. The other 20% is books. Maybe there’s 1% “other stuff”. Mostly clothes and books and craft supplies and books. I like books.
ANYWAY, I made a sweater. It looks like this:
(Do ignore my blurry arm meat there.)
Pattern: My own. Thinking about writing it up.
Yarn: Recycled mercerized cotton from a Ralph Lauren pullover (I have lots left)
Needles: US 3/2.75mm straights and a US 5/3.25 circular for the ruffles
Please appreciate that it is approximately five hundred degrees outside, into which I ventured to get pictures of this sweater. (The actual temperature is like 97 but at a certain point it all just feels HOT.) I jumped into the pool right after (I changed first) but still. HOT.
I really like knitting summer sweaters and tanks. They’re fast and I can wear them pretty much year round (though with a shirt under for the winter), unlike a sweater, which is really only good when it’s cold enough.
So I love this thing. I knit it in a strip like the Carousel socks from Knitty that I made a couple weeks ago. I do love the strip construction. It keeps my attention for the whole project so I never get bored like I do with things that are just long rows of stockinette.
In further life news, if I have no said exactly so yet, I will be moving to Fairfax on Tuesday. You might not hear from me for a little while after that while I settle in/job hunt. I’ll almost certainly be on Twitter frequently though, so feel free to drop me a line. I almost always respond on Twitter. I love Twitter.
I made a thing:
Pattern: Lacy Vines, a test knit. I’ll edit with a link when the pattern is up.
Yarn: Recycled wool, hand-dyed by me with Kool Aid
Needles: US 8/5mm
Mods: None, though I did use a provisional cast on.
It was supposed to be a scarf but mine came out rather wide and shortish so it’s more of a shawl. I really do like it. I like it (and you all) so much that I suffered 90 degree (F) temperatures to snap an action shot:
The pattern was super fun to knit and when it goes up, you should all go knit it. It works up super fast in heavy yarn and there are lots of dropped stitches, which is super fun. My yarn was really sticky so I had to tug the dropped stitches all the way down, but it’s lovely nonetheless.
This is a pattern that really benefits from a wet block. When I had finished one half (it’s knitted in two parts and seamed in the middle unless you cast on provisionally, which I did) I steam blocked it to see how it came out, and it’s definitely more open and airy after a good strong wet block than it was with a steam.
I am currently down to two projects on the needles (we won’t talk about the scarf in hibernation): a sweater, which is a design I’ve been showing you, and some TARDIS socks, about which I am totally thrilled.
And one final note about the Ravelympics kerfuffle. If you’ve been following me on Twitter, you’ll know my opinions on the matter (and also that I’ve started watching STTNG). I’m knitting a sweater for the Ravelympics. Because that’s what it is and that’s what I’m calling it and the USOC can suck it. It’s a challenge for me and just because I didn’t sweat, I did train and it is an accomplishment.
The Ravelympics are in the spirit of international cooperation, something the USOC should know and care about it. When you piss off knitters, we band together, stronger, and speak out for ourselves. The Ravelympics is happening (though I’ll not be watching the Olympics after this PR disaster) and I, for one, will not be silenced.
Also, Twitter Knitters are fabulous. I love the community of knitters on the internet.
I finished my stripey socks today!
Pattern: Toe-up sock, wedge toe with a Crystal heel (which is basically a modified afterthought heel).
Yarn: Red Heart Heart and Sole (blue) and Knit Picks Stroll Multi, colorway Paisley (the pink/purple)
Needles: US 1/2.25 mm KP circular
I knit these socks over 56 stitches, which is what I usually use, but I think I ought to switch to 60. They fit but they’re a little difficult to get on over the heel.
These are socks and they are lovely but I don’t have a tremendous amount to say about them. The heel is very similar to an afterthought heel but I really like a flap-and-gusset heel the best. So for my next socks, which will be TARDIS socks, I’ll use a flap and gusset. As is my wont.
I’ve actually knitted up another scarf-like thing that was for a test knit. It was super fast so I’ll have pictures of that soon.
PS: New socks.
So my boyfriend has a 13-year-old cousin who is, as is typical, really into guns. As sort of a joint design effort between him and his mother, they requested mittens that look like finger guns. Six months went by and he still really wanted them, so I went ahead and made them:
Pattern: None. I might write it up but it involves intarsia in the round.
Yarn: A recycled wool (tan) and a recycled wool/acrylic (black). I’d have liked to use acrylic for a teenaged boy but I didn’t have any in a flesh color.
Needles: US 6/4 mm
They were sort of a pain in the ass what with the intarsia and whatall, but I still think they came out pretty well. The triggers are only on one side but I knit the thumbs so each glove can go on either side. The trigger and trigger guard are just a bit of embroidery.
I might still add a band of orange around the tip of each finger/barrel (since these are clearly not actual firearms and law requires toy guns have that stripe) but I’m calling them done for now. I hope they fit. I think they should. I based the sizing on my own hand but made the fingers longer. So they should fit at some point.
In any case, it’ll probably be at least a couple of weeks before they make it to their recipient.
Stitch, Brinn, Stitch! 