Most Used Objects of 2009

Since I figured out how to make shawls work in my normal wardrobe this year, I thought I'd tell you about the things I made this year that have gotten a lot of wear & why.

Pattern: Simple Yet Effective Shawl
Yarn: 2 skeins of Noro Kuyeron Sock yarn

This shawl is hands down my most worn item. I guess it's no wonder that I accidentally chose yarn that goes with every single thing in my closet. It looks great with brown, any shade of green, aqua, pink, purple....yeah, about everything I wear except red or black. The pattern only calls for one ball but I did use two. My friend Dawn made one with one skein & I just didn't think it was big enough for me. I prefer for a shawl to actually cover parts of my arms, not just drape over my shoulders. This one fits the bill and I can either just let it drape, pin it with a shawl pin, or tie the ends to keep it on. Since it's wool it actually is warm - perfect for a little chill in the air or a breeze. I also wore it as a scarf over my outerwear & it worked well for that as well. Are you sold? You must make one right now.

Recently I was wearing mine and my 10 year old niece asked me if she could have it. I felt really bad about telling her no, but dude, it's 2 skeins of Noro & has to be hand washed. I did make her one of her very own though out of one big skein of James Brett Marble Chunky. She was especially happy that it matched her Christmas dress.


The other shawl that I have been using to death is my Clapotis.


I had been leaving it at work to throw on if my office was chilly, but I've carried it home a few times because it also matches a ton of stuff in my closet. The object itself is very versatile - it can turn into a shawl or scarf depending on what you are needing at that moment. I will admit the yarn choice is also key because these colors really work for me (Brooks Farms Solo). I don't think I'd get as much use out of the same shawl knit in orange, yellow, and puke green yarn. The unwritten rules of yarn buying pretty much eliminate this from happening as I'd never actually BUY orange, yellow, and puke green yarn. Naturally, no offense intended if that is your favorite color combination - I eliminated some buying competition for you.

My most used scarf so far this winter has been the Lace Ribbon Scarf. Again, the color choice made the difference on this one because I can put it on with literally anything I have on & that color is in this yarn. It's made from Misti Alpaca Handpainted Sock yarn in the colorway Bird of Paradise & that alpaca content makes it very warm. I also made it really long like the pattern calls for (which meant using 2 skeins of yarn), so I can wrap it as little or as much as I want. I love it!


I haven't gotten as much use out of my sweaters this year & I'm not sure why. I have a few that I really do like but I guess it's more about the weather. Either it hasn't been cold enough to need one or it's been so cold that I need more than just a cardigan. I hate having to pull a big coat over layers of clothes - it's just not the Texas (or Louisiana) way. My favorite sweaters are also admittedly not in the most neutral colors. My Central Park Hoodie is peacock / aqua & my Fylingdales is maroon colored. What I really need is a black, brown, or gray sweater since that is what I grab toward when I'm in a hurry.

What this post has taught me is that color / yarn choice really is key to a successful project. In the past I've knit objects out of curiosity and I've finally gotten to the point that I need to know it will be usefulness going in. I realize that sounds ridiculous, particularly to non-knitters, but it's true. As much as I like to knit interesting patterns that make the actual process of knitting more fun, in the end I'm more likely to use something that is boring to knit - particularly in the sweater arena. Sad, but true.

What is your most used knitted object?

But did I do what I said I was going to do?

I set my knitting goals for 2010 but I haven't bothered to look back to 2009 & see if I did what I said I wanted to do. Let's see....

* Knit from books: I made 7 projects from books and 2 projects from my magazines, which I have never done ever!
That's less that I did the year before but the truth is, if I used any of my books & especially my magazines, I'm feeling a little victorious about that.

* Some sort of stranded knitting: This year I made the Opus Spicatum hat. I had taken an ambidextrous class with Lucy Neatby this year & I was determined to use those skills. I did enjoy it & I need to do more of it in the new year.


* Do more charity knitting: You know, I really didn't do much charity knitting. I did knit some chemo caps this year, but I pretty much fell down on this one.

* Do more baby knitting: Perhaps this is why I didn't do much charity knitting! I had several friends having babies so I did a fair bit of baby knitting. That is going to continue this year too. The Mom of one of those babies has already put in a request, so I guess the few things I made for her were a hit. She is also appreciative, so hey, I'm game for knitting for a Mom that appreciates it! This is a sampling of my baby knitting which means it's the photos I found most easily.




* Blog more: Yeah. Haven't done that obviously. I have started a write up about several subjects, including Stitches East. I still plan to publish that, I just can't seem to do it without telling every single detail. That takes a really really long time to write up!

* More sweaters: I knit 3 sweaters for myself this year & 2 of those were disasters in their own way. That situation deserves its own post.

* Complete The Sweater Workshop by Jacqueline Fee: Fail. I actually just got the needles that I need to that in the mail on Monday & have have my yarn pull out of the stash. I've been reading through the instructions & I have already learned some stuff, so I'm anxious to put yarn to needles & get it going.

* Yarn: I wanted to focus on some of my stash yarn & I did do that this year. That doesn't change the fact that despite all the knitting I did, I still have more yarn that I did at the beginning of the year. What that means in case you haven't caught on yet is that I bought more than I knit. Sigh. Sue me.

Finish It Already!

I don't think I'm alone when I say that sometimes, I just get bored with what I'm working on. I honestly don't know what happens in my brain. I get very excited about a new project & work on it like wild fire, then sometimes I lose interest completely. The situations are always different. Sometimes it's just that it's so dang boring. Sometimes I just don't know what I'm doing & I hate being lost - this is supposed to be FUN. Sometimes a new & shiny pattern / yarn comes along & has such a pull on my attention that the old projects gets dropped like a hot potato. Over time this pile just keeps bigger & bigger & bigger & bigger. This year I'm going to change all of that. I have heard some people make goals of finishing one UFO per month. That seems fair except...well...there aren't enough months in the year for that to finish mine up. I've heard some people say they aren't going to cast on anything new until all of their UFOs are done - dude, don't be ridiculous! I am all for goal setting, but this is knitting after all. It's not like I'm going to set unreasonable knitting goals & run my blood pressure up. It just seems silly to me. Everyone works differently, but that's not my style.

My Mom's number one marriage advice is this: when you are not liking your spouse so much, you have to think back to why you married them in the first place. What did you like about him? What attracted you? What qualities did he have that you admired? Well, that's what I am going to do with these projects. Try to remember what attracted me to them in the first place. Maybe I will be able to rekindle the love. For the projects - Patrick's still good in my book.

Are you ready for this? I'm about to show you my underwear drawer. I don't mean that literally, of course, but this is likely more embarrassing. I'm starting with the oldest first. Deep breath.

Noni Adventure Bag - Cast on March 2007

This is my oldest UFO on record. I put this down because the yarn was knotted. Yes, I know. I have since straightened it out & I only need to knit the strap & felt the stupid bag.

Trellis Shawl - August 2007 (photo for this link found on flickr taken by heywu)

Sigh. I want to knit this on larger needles but I don't want to frog it with the double strand & Kid Silk Haze going on in there. Ick.

Ophelia - Cast on March 2008
I don't actually have a picture of this is progress. I mostly stopped taking pictures in between because, well, I don't really care to see someone else's half way finished crap & I figure neither do you. I literally am finished this pattern but I don't like the fact that there isn't much of a sleeve on it. I want to add some sleeves but this is a perfect case of I don't know how. Well, that's not entirely true. I have some idea how but I'm scared it won't work out & then I'll be pissed & it will never become a real sweater. Stupid, right?

Misty Ike Socks - Cast on September 2008

I knit this one sock at a Knitting Fairy sock retreat. I then lost my sock mojo & it's been missing ever since.

Handspun Diagonal - Cast on November 2008

This is some great handspun made just for me by Kristina (and this is a terrible picture of it). The thing that I love about handspun in general is that it's pretty organic, not exactly the same all the way through. I knit this yarn straight from the 3 balls I had & didn't really mix it. I think it would look better if I mixed it up a little bit, so I am planning to pull it out & knit it over to do it justice. This yarn was so fun to work with I won't mind one bit having to knit it over. (Update - frogged 1/10/10)


Fit & Float - Cast on March 2009

I knit this to use try knitting actual lace with actual lace weight yarn that was gifted to me. I finished everything but the bind off. Seriously. I just don't want to do it because it's a picot bind off & it is going to take forever. So it's been sitting on my needles for nearly a year. Lame, right? (UPDATE: bound off 1/13/10. It needs a major blocking, but it's done.)

Not So Striped Tshirt - Cast on April 2009

This is a tshirt out of the Spring/Summer 2009 Knit Simple magazine. I wanted to use up this cool bamboo yarn (Brooks Farms Willow) & I think this is a great use of it, I'm just bored bored bored with it - I'm a little bit further than half way through. It would be nice to finish this up before the weather warms up again.

Liesl - Cast on April 2009

I really want this sweater. I have tried twice & I can't get it. I'd like to think I'm a pretty good knitter. Other knitters have whipped this thing off the needles in 2 weeks. I still can't get it right & I'm going to frog this again. The really crappy part is that this pattern doesn't take much yarn so I don't have enough of it to make a different sweater. We'll see.

Triple S Shawl - Cast on May 2009

I love this but it got a little crazy with multiple needles & holders & cables. I need to get a grip on it because it's fun & goes really really fast. Plus it has a ton of my size 8 needles all tied up!

Happy Harlot Socks - Cast on May 2009


I started these to have something mindless to knit during the Yarn Harlot. I have stopped carrying them around with me & I'm not sure why because they were going really quickly. I think it's because I got to the heel flap & needed to think for a minute. They are also really cute & I want these socks. (Update - got these past the decreases so it's back to easy knitting/carry in my purse status) further update - finished knitting & bound off the full pair 1/13/10

Lace Sampler ala Franklin

After taking Franklin's lace class I went & bought this absolutely divine cashmere & started a lace sampler. It's a lot of fun but I also think it's going to be a long term thing. I picked it up between projects & I think that's it's place in my knitting life, it's just gotten lost in the shuffle. It's one of those yarns I never want to run out of because it's that nice to work with. And I will admit the "random" nature of this pattern goes against every fiber of my being. I'm trying though.


My So Called Hat - Cast on September 2009
I finished the band, I just have to knit the cap part. I haven't because Patrick said it looks better as a headband & I should just leave it alone. I just don't know. I really don't look that great in a hat, but when will I ever use a headband & matching scarf?

Colonnade Shawl - Cast on September 2009

I didn't care of the two toned nature of this pattern so I started knitting it in a great variegated yarn that I had in stash. I am honestly not sure if I like it, that's why I put it down. I still don't know.

Moss Grid Handtowel - Cast on November 20009

Don't really like the fabric this is creating. I might go to the frog pond. (Update - frogged 1/10/10)

Lucy Again

This is my focus right now because I'd really like a brown sweater.

And then we aren't going to go to the place that I have bags that are finished & just need to be lined. Because that's just too much for me to talk about. This also doesn't include my 2 long term projects - my sock yarn blanket or my shawl that is made up of a trillion individually knit circles (really about 50 but it seems like a trillion).

Wow - that was really overwhelming. And I don't know where to start.

Ten for 2010

As I've said in the past, I really don't believe in traditional New Years Resolutions. In my knitting life, though, I do like to try to push myself to try some new things & not get stuck in the same old rut.

There has been a lot of talk about making a list of 10 things you'd like to try, learn, accomplish in 2010. Here is my list:

1) One project from Selbuvotter
2) Make an Elizabeth Zimmermann percentage sweater or design your own raglan from the workshop I took with the Knitting Fairy
3) Last year one of my goals was to do the Sweater Workshop from the book by Jacqueline Fee & it fell to the wayside. This should help with #2 as well.
4) My super sweet husband got me a share in Jacob's Reward Farm & part of that share includes a spindle. I want to learn to use it so that by the time I get my fiber I will be able to do it justice. If not, I will send it off to a fiber mill. I will say that this one scares the ever loving shit out of me. I really don't want to go down the spinning rabbit hole but it may be inevitable.
5) Work on my UFOs (Unfinished Objects for you non knitter types). I have by last count about 17 hanging out. I want to reclaim my needles & project bags & space in my yarn room for goodness sakes! The only reason I actually think this might happen is that I am making it my project for the Knitting Olympics. I am pretty competitive with myself for reasons I'm sure only a therapist could explain & I refuse to pay one because I don't care that much.
6) Knit with my nicer yarn. I'm not saving it for the Pope. That's all I'm saying about that.
7) Knit at least 2 sweaters out of yarn in my stash. I usually go straight for new yarn when I pick a new sweater project & that is RIDICULOUS. I have some great yarn in my stash & it would feel great to put it to good use.
8) Knit more socks. I have completely lost my sock mojo. With the recent freezing cold weather here in Dallas, I have really enjoyed pulling out a pair of squishy, bright wool socks to wear with my Maryjanes or boots when it's cold. I'd like to have more. How do you find your mojo?
9) Steek. Even if it's just a swatch. This is high on the list of things that scare the bejesus out of me.
10) Illusion knitting. This one should be fairly simple since there are some dishcloths out there, but I've just never done it. A situation came up recently where my friends & I all agreed that illusion knitting would be cool but I honestly didn't know where to start.

There you have it. My top 10 things TO DO in 2010. Here are a few other things I'd like to work on so I thought I'd list them here - if for no other reason than a reference for my own use.

* Heavier weight shawls - I find I use them more frequently than the lace weight ones.
* Ongoing book project - USE YOUR BOOKS, YOU CRAZY GIRL
* Knit a Moebius. I particularly like this one
* Learn some new cast ons & bind offs. I have a pile of Lucy Neatby DVDs, I should probably use them. Plus I truly love her.
* Crochet. I'll put it on the list for the third year in a row & see what happens.
* More charity knitting. Or at least have some chemo caps on hand because sadly, I am asked for them more often than I wish to need them.
* I want to overdye some of my existing yarn that I have fallen out of love with.
* A project using the entrelac skills I learned several years ago at DFW Fiber Fest.

The other thing that really struck me this year was my friend Dawn relaying a conversation she had with another knitter we know. She said that she has built a great base of tools & supplies that she needs & next year she is spending her knitting dollars on classes & learning new techniques. I so love this idea. I am not stupid enough to believe that I won't buy yarn because that's just silly, but I'd love to be able to hit every class I want to go to without worrying about the budget. I also want to take some sewing classes, but we'll see where that leads. Much like the spinning, I am scared to get tied up in another hobby which leads to other stashes (fabric, raw fiber).


So do you have a plan for 2010?

Finished Projects in 2009

Every year I like to recap my projects from the year for my own reference. You are free to skip this post as I'm sure it's not interesting to anyone but myself.

January: 1 bag, 3 scarves, 2 hats
Tovesta Bag
Green Chunky Scarf
Asymmetrical Hat
Red Alpaca Hat
Alpaca Neckwarmer
Black seed stitch scarf

February: 2 baby sweaters, 1 adult sweater, 1 mini-scarf, 1 hat
Blue Kimono
Lily's Feb Baby Sweater
Rectangela Sweater
Flat Stanley Scarf
Le Slouch Black

March: 1 baby sweater, 1 pr booties, 1 pr socks, 2 shawls
Red Baby Sweater
Angora Baby Booties
Punk Rib Socks
Sunday Market Shawl
Simple Yet Effective Shawl

April: 2 hats
Lacy Pink hat
Pashmina Odessa

May: nothing!

June: 1 shawl, 1 baby dress, 1 pr booties
Felicia dress for Nadia
Sea Silk Aeolian
Pink Angora Booties

July: 1 shawl
Vortex Shawl

August: 2 shawls, 1 scarf
Wrap Me Up Shawl
Magic Shawl
Just Enough Pink Ruffles

September - 2 shawls, 1 hat
Flamenco
Autumn Leaf Pi Shawl
Opus Spicatum

October: 1 sweater
October Frost

November: 1 baby sweater, 1 hat
Little Frou Frou
Orvieto Hat

December: 1 sweater, 1 shawl
Simple Yet Effective Marble
Featherweight Cardigan

34 projects total. That is one more than I did last year, but I do know that this year I found myself knitting more difficult projects such as lace shawls. At the end of the year I'm always disappointed I didn't knit more sweaters, but man, they just take such a time commitment. Not to mention that this year I had issues with 2 out of 3 that I knit for myself. I also "got" the shawl thing & then was whipping them off the needles like nobody's business. I have been getting tons of use out of a few of them, so I'm really happy that I did.

Now on to the new year....

Progress & Knitting Surgery

So my yarn came in Friday. I hit the door from work at 5:00 on the dot Friday to try to make it to the Woolie Ewe by 6pm - apparently lots of folks had Friday afternoon off because I skated down the tollway with no problems & made it in 20 minutes flat. I even had time to scope out buttons there - which naturally I don't own enough of- can you believe I don't have 7 of any kind of button that will work for this sweater?!?! That is SO another story.

So here is the long awaited yarn:


I was all excited because we had no real plans for the long holiday weekend which gave me all Friday night plus three full days to get a chunk of this sweater knocked out. It has not been without issues. I knit the ribbing plus about 5 inches on the back (9 inches total) & then measured the back - it was about 30 1/2 inches wide. Uh, I know I've put on some weight, but dude, it doesn't need to be that big. My swatch was a big fat liar! So I took a deep breath & pulled the whole dang thing out.

Sunday morning I started all over again. I liked my gauge so I just adjusted the number of stitches in the reverse stockinette sections & moved right along. Early in the afternoon I noticed the worst thing I could imagine - I missed a cable twist! I thought of just moving along & pretending it didn't happen, but I just couldn't, it was more than obvious. Can you see it?



Of course not - the yarn is too dark. Trust me when I tell you, it was there. It wasn't ALL that far back, really only about 10 rows, but that included 2 cable twist that I'd have to wing. I had 2 choices - rip back those 10 rows or drop down those 4 stitches for 4 rows & hope for the best. Option #2 it is! I figured if I couldn't fix it I would have to rip it out anyway, so might as well try, right? This was the ugly scene:




So after about 20 minutes & hands shaking like crazy, I had dropped the stitches down & worked them back up with the help of a crochet hook, 2 DPNs, and a cable needle. Thank you Knitting Fairy for the excellent instruction - I mean, I've only taken her Don't Despair, Repair class twice.

Now I am back on track & have knit about 4 inches past the armhole shaping. I have some time off & am hoping that I can knock out some more in the next few days as I figure my knitting time while in Louisiana visiting my family will be limited.

This is one thing that I knit while waiting for my yarn to arrive - my very first stranded project. I LOVED it & it matches my winter coat perfectly. The pattern is Opus Spicatum and I knit it up in Knitpicks Swish Worsted. Adorable. I still wish I looked better in hats, but hey, it's functional.


So that's the news - I will update you when I have something more exciting to say than "I'm still working on this sweater"!

Typical Mind Changing

So even though I just posted the story about the Celtic Icon & choosing the right yarn about, that really went down about 2 weeks ago. In the mean time, I have completely changed my mind - so typical of me & a new project, particularly a new sweater.

When I was looking for the perfect yarn for Celtic Icon, I came across this yarn:
Queensland Kathmandu Aran Tweed in color #156. I loved it. I searched for a DK weight in the same yarn but my LYS didn't have it. I looked for another gray yarn that might be an acceptable substitute but....you know. It wasn't the same. I got the other yarn & tried to forget all about it but....you know. So I have been in the obsessive mode of trying to find a sweater that I want to knit that matches that yarn. I spent hours & hours looking & then DUH - it hit me. My number 2 choice of sweaters to make for Stitches fit the bill. So instead of Celtic Icon I will be making October Frost (it's the one in the middle).I loved that sweater the instant I saw it in the book & that's it. I very well may change the collar on it because I'm not sure how I'm feeling about it, but I can change that when I get to it if the mood strikes me.

I finally broke down & called Woolie Ewe to see if they had enough in stock for my sweater. They had TWO BALLS LESS than I needed. So they ordered the yarn for me & I'm very impatiently waiting for it to come in so I can cast on. So impatiently even that I went in there yesterday on the off chance that I could get it. No such luck - which is kind of a good thing since I started 2 new projects since Saturday.

So there you have it - decision made. I will post photos of my yarn & keep you up to date on my progress when I make some. For now I'm working on a baby sweater for a shower Saturday (what, it's only Wednesday!), a Magic Shawl, and a lace shrug out of some ridiculously tiny black yarn. That shrug was making me hate knitting & I was a bit grumpy about it so I put it down.

That's all for now - later!

I adore you, really, but are you a match for me? - or Choosing yarn

I'm going to pretend that I didn't skip 5 months of blogging, are you in? Instead of trying to play catch up & showing you 27 things that I've made, I'll just tell you where I am right now this instant in the world.

I've really been a slave to knitting lace and shawls. I have completely abandoned all sock, sweater, and accessory knitting. Now, once again, I'm all about making a new sweater.

Here's my news: for my anniversary my husband got me a free ride to a big knitting event of my choice. So of the events coming up in the very near future, I chose to go to Stitches East which will be in Hartford, CT Oct 22-25. For those of you who don't know, Stitches is a huge knitting conference with tons of vendors, classes & all around knitterly activity for a full weekend. I am signed up for 2 great classes, my hotel & flight are both booked. Now you know good & well what I need - new clothes!

I have no idea why this phenomenon exists, but when I go on a trip, I must purchase new clothes. Nevermind that I have perfectly acceptable clothes in my closet that no one where I am going has ever seen. I want new new new new new. Want to guess what this means for a knitting trip? I MUST KNIT NEW STUFF FOR STITCHES. My goal is to knit a new sweater, because I have some awesome new shawls hot off the needles & I'm satisfied with their newness level. Wanna see?

Aeolian is posted.

Vortex


For the past week I have looked at every sweater that I have ever thought that maybe I wanted to knit to chose something that I find acceptable for such an occasion. My final decision? Celtic Icon by Fiona Ellis from the book Inspired Cable Knits. I love it. Now I'm on the quest for the perfect yarn.

You know, this might be my very favorite part of the knitting process, the plan. I love deciding on a new project, choosing a yarn, choosing a color. So I went to the Woolie Ewe & purchased ONE BALL of a few yarns to try out. This is a new approach for me - I usually throw caution to the wind, buy a full sweater's worth, knit it up into a sweater, or worse, promptly find out that it doesn't work for my project & stash it for another day. This is why I have 12 kinds of sweater yarn in my stash that don't work for any sweater that I want to knit ever (I'm working on this, don't judge me).

These are the yarns I bought, and perhaps won't be the color of my sweater, I just wanted to try them out:

Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool - I have been trying to use this yarn for a sweater for ages, we just don't seem to get along. I bought 2 & figure I'll end up making a scarf from this after the swatching project.


Queensland Collection Rustic Wool DK - it is more of a semi-solid with slight color variations & I am digging that right now.


Queensland Collection Rustic Tweed. Sigh. My friend Dawn bought this yarn for a sweater & boy did I fall in love with it. Hers is a most gorgeous pink but I just can't bring myself to want this sweater in that color. I am going to try this but some of the reviews say that the color variations from skein to skein are pretty brutal & frankly, I'm not all about carrying 2 balls of yarn to make it work out - I find that to be a great big pain in my ass. So while this is my favorite, I'm going in cautiously.


So...come with me on the crazy journey of choosing yarn for a project. Who knew it was that much work, huh?

Wanna see something pretty?

My very first real lace shawl with beads & everything. I went to my friend Sherilyn's yesterday & she helped me block it so it would be gorgeous. And well, if I may say so myself, it is.



It's still drying at her house, but it's not like I'll be wearing it anytime soon. I really really love it though & it was fun fun fun to knit.

Aeolian from Knitty.com in Handmaiden Sea Silk Chocolate.

Cutest baby stuff

Man, I love knitting baby items. They take no time & they are SO freaking cute.

February Baby Sweater for my sister's sister in law (got that?) I took this to Target & put it up against other clothes to figure out what size it came out. It seems to be a 6-9 month sweater, which will need to be short sleeved for a Louisiana baby in August to November. I love these buttons:



This is the Baby Kimono out of Mason-Dixon Knitting. I have no idea why they didn't include button holes (or why I didn't think of it in the middle of the project) because that would have been SO much easier than sewing ribbon. Bleech. I have had the knitting done for 3 months but just got around to sewing that ribbon. As a matter of fact, this was for a baby that has since outgrown it so it's going to Patrick's nephew's baby Logan who was born the end of January. It really is cute & I'd knit it again in a second.


I have a few more baby things on my list but haven't started any yet so this will have to do for now. I hope the mommies love them!

Chipping away at projects

Man, I finished a lot of projects in January! I finished 3 scarves, my Clapotis shawl, and two hats. Plus Cheryl finished that bag for me so I count that as well - that makes 7 finished things last month. Dang! Amazing the number of things I get through when I'm not working on something really big like a sweater. So what did I do? I cast on for a sweater! Every sweater I have made so far has been a cardigan. I live in Texas & really, even in the winter I get HOT inside. I find the winter so frustrating because indoors people crank the heat up & I always wonder about that. We are dressed in winter clothes, it doesn't have to be 75 degrees inside! So cardigans really make sense for me because I can layer them over a tshirt & be ready for the weather & the warm temps inside.

But lately I have been on the search for the perfect pullover. I actually own some store-bought pullovers & I do wear them, so I figured it was time to make one. I had about 10 picked out & some that I truly loved - but I had to come to terms that some of them really just weren't going to be flattering. It's one thing to try on a sweater in the store & decide you don't like it. Try spending weeks of your time plus a fair amount of money on yarn only to realize it's not the shape for you. I got lots of great advice from my friends, had it limited down to two, then I got the new Berroco newsletter & they had this:


Rectangela

I had some great black yarn that is a silk/viscose/nylon blend that makes a great fabric in my stash so I started it the same night. I am making pretty good progress but am scared to death it's all going too easily. We shall see.

In between this sweater knitting I did finish my scarf for DC - I bought a red coat with black & grey plaid lining in the hood, so low & behold, not even one scarf I own will go with it. I made this really quickly & will probably whip out a black or grey hat between now & then.


That's all for now - finishing up some of the cutest knitting ever - baby sweaters! Pictures to come soon.

I Can't Stop Casting ON!!!!!

I recently realized that since I have joined Ravelry (really nerdy knitter site) that I haven't been sharing my knitting as much on my blog. So, do you want to see what I've made in the past few weeks?

Cashmere Neckwarmer (that is the name, I used Cascade Baby Alpaca) & hat to match:


This is for Patrick's stepmom for our February trip to Washington, DC. I still have to block it & sew on the button.

Green Chunky Scarf - so easy, seed stitch, 7 stitches, fringe. I love chunky yarn & size 17 needles. I haven't done that in a really long time.


Asymmetrical Hat as a birthday present for my stepmom:

Remind me not to knit anything else "asymmetrical" - it really messed with my head.

Plus my Clapotis (see previous post). I don't know what it is about January that makes me cast on a ton of projects, but it always seems to bring it out in me.

This one is finished, but I can't really take credit for it. I finished knitting this Tovesta bag in March 2008. I took a bag lining class in May, and what that taught me was that I need to pay other people to line my bags for me. I had that fabric cut out & ready to sew in, so my sweet friend Cheryl sewed it in for me & gave it to me this week. I love it so much & she has a cool goodie coming her way for helping me.



It looks like small instant gratification projects are the theme of this month! Off to pick out something ELSE to cast on. See, this is why a stash is a smart idea.

The Race for Clapotis

So here's the story. I made a Clapotis for myself back in the summer of 2006. Here's a picture of it:


Let's just say that I don't have fond memories of knitting this shawl & it has been one of the least used things that I have ever knit. Very disappointing.
This one has a lot of things in the con column:
* Why oh why did I make it that color? This was back in the day when I didn't really think through the finished object & rather it would be practical & useful.
* I used an acrylic yarn - although I have to say, I've used this blend several times & it wears well, is easy to care for, and the fabric is pretty dang good. Plus it's cheap & comes in a ton of colors. (Erdal Laser)
* Even as a beginner I knew this was a boring knit

Fast forward to December 08.....I went to run around doing errands before Christmas & it was freaking cold here. I really needed something more than a scarf, but what? Oh yeah, let me throw on my Clappy. So I did & I literally fell in love with it. The construction of it going from shawl to scarf is so freaking clever that I couldn't believe it. I could take off my heavy jacket & use it as a shawl - it was a perfect companion. Now my issue - it was acrylic & perhaps not as warm as I had in mind (I know I live in Texas & everyone thinks it's so warm here, it's a "warm" 29 this morning). It was solid colored, and not even really a color I would normally chose. I cut it one repeat short because I was afraid I'd run out of yarn. I wanted one that was gorgeous & varigated like the ones that everyone else & their grandmother have. But....I'd have to knit it again.

I began to think about it (obsess about it?) a lot & I went through so many options of yarn that I had in my stash. I finally gave up & asked Liz to tell me what yarn to use. So she did - Brooks Farm Solo Silk in the Cary that I got on the retreat last year. I credit 2 things for the completion of the Clapotis in record time:
1) This yarn - it kicks ass. It falls into the deserted island yarn category - if I had a chose a few yarns that I had to knit with forever, I'd be fine taking this one.


2) Liz just finished her Clapotis after TWO YEARS. When I told her that I figured out that I could do a straight row repeat in an hour (maybe an hour 15 min) & that at this rate I could finish by the end of the week, she told me if I finished mine in a week she'd hate my guts. I know she can't hate my guts but I'd have the "I finished my clappy in a week" ammo in my knitting bag forever. So basically she accidentally threw down the gauntlet & I accepted in a crazy way. On top of that, I was really afraid that if I put it down for even a day, it would languish in my not-finished-objects for 2 or so years.

So in a week, people, I knit myself this gorgeous Clapotis. I cast on during The Bachelor (don't you judge me! That Jason is adorable) & I bound off during The Bachelor the next week. I can't take it off - it has been everywhere with me since.


Now go knit one!

But I Don't DO Christmas Knitting!

In years past I have stressed myself out over Christmas knitting. I have been knitting all the way up to the wire & every year I tell myself I'm not doing it again. I have learned that I am NOT good under pressure, the knitting becomes un-fun, and I knit all kinds of evil thoughts into the item & that isn't good for anyone. So why oh why did I do it again? I do it to myself, too, no one asks me to, I just do.

So what did I make this year? Only 2 things.

My Mom asked for a Christmas green scarf, so I finished it just in time:



I didn't even get a photo of it done - can you believe it? But it looks like this, only longer & not on the needles. This is Palindrome, but I did it in a DK weight yarn, which I don't recommend since it took for freaking ever.

Patrick's Grandma has been saying she wanted some fingerless gloves for quite some time & I got inspired to make her some Dashing:


These literally took me 2 days of off & on knitting to finish. I mean really, they are so pretty (designed for men, but throw in some pink & nothing looks manly).

That is the end of my Christmas knitting. I still much prefer to just knit stuff & surprise the recipient at some odd time (sometimes in the heat of summer) but both of these were well received & I was glad I made them.

Some people plan ahead & start their Christmas knitting right now! How in the world do you hold stuff for that long? I have news for everyone - if I finish knitting you something in February, you are going to get it in February. If it's done in June, you have a random June gift. I'm so terrible about that! Do you knit / buy gifts ahead & actually wait to give them to the giftee? Give me tips if you manage.

So....that's the end of 2008, huh?

I can't believe this year is over. Time truly does fly when you are having fun. Or working. Or knitting.

So here's what I've been doing - I have been struggling with what to knit next. Dawn threw down a challenge to go through your WIPs (works in progress for your non-knitterly people) & either finish them, commit to finish them, or tear them out. Sigh. That was a hard process for me as I hate to pull out my knitting. It represents hours of time & effort & even if I don't like it I have a hard time doing it. I am trying to change my focus to the fact that if I do that, I'll have more yarn to make things I like instead of just having it sit. Not to mention the needles that it frees up! So I did frog several projects. I frogged some socks that were just going to be too little (stupid Socks That Rock)

Yes, I know they are pretty, but they were going to be too small - I can't get proper gauge with any form of STR. This is my 2nd frog of this yarn, btw.

I am going to frog the Trellis Shawl that was quite a ways in but seriously, I am unhappy with how wide it was (not enough) & I just won't be happy with it. I need to upsize the needles to about a 10 then start over.

It is WAY further along than this - probably 14-16 inches in, but hey, I'm not happy & I need to face the truth.

Then I'm almost embarrassed to show you this, but truth is truth:


I don't know what I was thinking. This Square Cake Bag called for a beaded yarn (tres pricey) & I was thinking I could use use this ridiculous mirrored yarn that I bought for $2 a skein & bling up my own bag. Well....it was even a little much "bling" for me. Which is saying a lot - I'm hard pressed to call something gaudy, even when it is. But this was really just a disaster. Dawn tried to frog it to save the Bonsai it was held with, but soon decided that she'd rather me lose the $12 than go through that so we THREW IT IN THE GARBAGE CAN. Oh well. (I truly apologize to the place of business that now has a floor covered in sequins. Not to mention that Dawn will be finding sequins in her knitting bag for about 14 years)

The good news:
I uncovered some projects that really don't require much effort to finish. Noni Adventure Bag - it seems that all I have left on this bag is the handle. I put it down because my yarn is tangled - how wimpy is that???? I can untangle some yarn now so I'm going back to it.

I found 2 skeins of yarn that I have been looking for - both of which will become the 2nd sock of 2 pairs I started. So that's good.

I found my itty bitty beaded bag & it's pretty far along - I actually enjoy knitting on it, so I want to finish that up.


Whew. That's it. I think. I want to extend the challenge to you too - go dig out your UFOs - frog what you don't love, knit what you do.

2008 Wrap up

My holidays were SO GREAT - we had the best holiday season ever & I must tell you - I'm so glad it's over. I'm sick of eating rich food & not sleeping & spending money & not sleeping in my bed....you know the drill. But really - we are so blessed and go so many freaking presents that I'm STILL unpacking.

Here is my annual for my very own self year end project wrap up. I realize no one cares about this except me, but I love going back & seeing how I've progressed or knowing what I keep making over & over again (scarves, anyone?)

January - 4 hats, 3 scarves, 1 pr socks
Super Yak Scarf
Hannah Hat
Skinny Scarf
Edge of Lace Hat
BR Knock Off Hat
Le Slouch
Luxe Neck Warmer
Basket Weave Hacho Socks

February - 1 shawl, 1 hat, 1 scarf
Opal Shawl
Spring cap
Villandry swap scarf

March - 1 pr socks, 1 scarf
Army Girl Socks
Twisty Toasty Malabrigo scarf

April - 1 scarf
Squishy Purple scarf

May - 1 scarf, 1 shrug
Silk Multidirectional
Bobbilicious

June - 2 toys (the month of toys?)
Rudy
Patrick's Gun

August - 1 dishcloth, 1 sweater, 1 shawl, 1 pr socks
Blue dishcloth
Tatami Kimono
Falling Leaves Shawl
Go with the flow Glam socks

September - seriously? Just a burp cloth?
Baby burp cloth

October - 1 baby sweater
Plankton Baby Sweater

November - 1 bracelet, 2 scarf, 1 pr socks
Beaded bracelet
Purple Koigu Garden Socks
Springy Lace Ribbon Scarf
Baby Kimono

December - 1 scarf, 1 hat, 1 pr mittens, 1 pr socks, 1 sweater
Green cabled scarf
Pink Foolproof Hat
Dashing
Autumn Footies
Fylingdales Cardigan

That's 33 projects - less than last year but still. I really hate that the months that it looks like I'm not doing anything (like April) are probably my heaviest knitting months - I'm just working on something mammoth like a sweater or shawl.

I'm already busy planning new stuff for 2009. I cast on for a new sweater today and I plotted out a few gifts. I also went through my WIPs & ripped out a few things. I pushed a few things to the front burner as well, like a purse that I only have the handles left. Why in the world do I stop things when they are so close to being done? Usually I have no clue, but in this case the yarn is tangled to hell & back. I have a few things that I need support for so I'm bringing them with me the next time I see my friends. Someone is always happy to frog a project that isn't theirs! Time to start fresh! And how about you? Anything you need me to frog for you?

The Tree that Saved Christmas

I do love Christmas. But the older I get the more I dread pulling out all the crap that transforms my home into a Christmas wonderland. Don't get me wrong - I WANT the Christmas wonderland, I just want the elves to do it. More importantly I want them to take it all down.

I put off the tree decorating a little this year. Usually I put up the tree the day / weekend after Thanksgiving. I stayed home ALL weekend this year because we had both been running so much, I just really needed some do nothing time. I felt guilty all dang weekend because I didn't go get my tree & put it up like a good little Christmas Elf. I'm off on Wednesdays, so the following Wednesday I told Patrick that we MUST go get our tree & put it up today or really, what's the point? Honestly, I was prepared to go through the full Christmas season with no tree. I wouldn't have told anyone this - I can't stand the peer pressure. I find that if you don't say it, seriously, no one asks. Who wouldn't put up a tree? Patrick was very adamant that he wanted a tree & I was a big old scrooge if I didn't put one up. He came home from work that night, changed clothes, and we got in the car, me half groaning. He told me that we could turn around right now & not get a tree....he called my bluff & I said "as long as we are out we might as well get a tree."

We arrived at home depot in appropriate cold (do you know how UNfun it is to buy a tree when it's warm?) He immediately walked over to the small 4-5 foot trees, pulled one out, and said "What about this one?" I could have kissed him. I think I did kiss him. Really? A small little tree that isn't a beating? That only costs $18.95? That we don't have to navigate through the maze that is our house to the tree spot? Only to find that it doesn't fit in the space for said tree? Then try putting the lights on a too big tree......Sounds like last year.

But a small tree....I can do a small tree. Sad part? A small tree never crossed my mind - NOT EVEN ONCE. I don't know what that is, but I didn't even know that was an option. IT IS! So we got the small tree, got it home, and I put the lights (2 strands, thankyouverymuch) - I could even walk around the dang thing to put them on. No beating. No fighting. No gnashing of teeth. I LOVE MY LITTLE TREE! It smells like a tree, it's lit, it has ornaments. Sigh. The tree that saved Christmas, at least at our house.

2009 Plan (not resolutions)

As I stated last year here, I do not make New Year's resolutions. But as 2008 starts to wrap up, I can't help but wonder what 2009 holds in all areas of my life, including knitting. First let me look back at my 2008 plan & see how much of it I accomplished.

* I wanted to utilize my books more this year. I did knit 11 patterns from books that I have or bought throughout the year. That is less than half of the projects I did all year, but that's better than I've ever done before.


* I said I wanted to learn to knit socks on magic loop. Well, I didn't knit narry a sock magic loop, but I did knit 27 Barn Raising Quilt squares on magic loop, so I get it. I consider that a "done".

* Learn to crochet. Uh, that didn't happen for the second year running. I tried & I suck & I hate being bad at something. I can't get my tension right & it frustrates me.

* More sweaters. I knit 2 sweaters for myself, so that is technically more sweaters. Not exactly what I had in mind, though. I think this goal will follow me throughout my knitting life.

* Make a hat that fits a real person, not a doll or a yetti. Well, I knit 5 hats last January & they all fit real people. So....check!

* Glad I didn't make any yarn resolutions because I bought a bunch of it this year.

For 2009:
* Continue the book thing. I love the idea of choosing a book & getting inspired by that book. Ideally, in my wildest dreams, I'd like to knit all of the way through a book. I can't pick a book because naturally I don't like all of the patterns in any book, but I can dream. Last Minute Knitted Gift & Knitters Book of Yarn are the only two in the running at this point.

* Some sort of stranded knitting - I bought yarn specifically for the Inga Hat. I also really like Three Tams & the Fake Isle Hat. So something like that.

* Do more charity knitting. I really am a selfish knitter & I have to consciously decide to knit for charity. I am always glad when I do.

* Do more baby knitting. It's fun, fast, and rewarding. I will be surrounded by babies this year so I have people to knit for (boys! don't they know how much pink yarn I own???). I also got caught needing some last minute baby gifts, so having a few baby sweaters / hats / booties on hand wouldn't go to waste. Can also go with the charity knitting since one of the girls in my group is on the board of Newborns In Need for the Dallas area.

* Blog more. I have so many ideas for my blog. I'd like to share my trips, which I know we have at least 2 this year. My inlaws are giving us a trip to Washington DC for Christmas & then Patrick's dad was named President of the Louisiana Bar Association, so I know we will be going to Vegas or Destin for that this year. We have so much fun & I'd like to share that with my friends & family, not to mention having a diary of sorts for myself. Plus I have some series-es (man, how do you make that plural???) that I want to do. I have tons of ideas & no follow through. I figure if I blog EVERY SINGLE WEDNESDAY since I'm most probably off, that would be great. We'll see.

* As mentioned above, more sweaters. I noticed that the last few years January was a hat time. This year, not so much. I want to knit Liesl immediately following my Christmas knitting (of which there isn't much) and then I'd like to make some type of pullover before we go to DC in late February. I'd like to have a sweater on the needles at all times throughout the year just like any other project.

* Complete The Sweater Workshop by Jacqueline Fee. I heard about this book on my new favorite podcast - Cogknitive (you should really go listen). I bought the book & I really am intrigued - it isn't a sweater, but I have read comments from everyone that has made it & they agree that they learned SO MUCH. I want to make it.

* Finally, yarn. I did get my craft room in working order last month. I got a great glass front cabinet to put all of my yarn in, so I can see it AND it's easily accessible. I do have a little room in it, but there's the whole Woolie Ewe year end sale coming up & I already have Christmas gift cards! So I plan to stock up & I do have a list already. I'm not saying that I won't buy yarn next year, because that is RIDICULOUS. I will say that I'm trying to change the way I chose my projects. Usually I pick a project, half-heartedly search my existing stash, then go buy yarn for said project. I want to change that focus to choosing one of the fabulous yarns that I have on hand, swatching (if it's a garment or something that needs it), then find a pattern that works with that yarn. At the end of next year, I'd like to have knit more out of stash than new yarn, and I think that's totally doable.

So that's my plan! How about you? If you post a list, let me know so I can go check yours out - I might have missed something & will need to shameless copy you.

ETA: I thought of one more. I want to knit a difficult lace weight shawl. I have done one in worsted weight & one in heavy fingering, so now it's time for the real deal. Right now I'm thinking Hanami in my mahogany Handmaiden sea silk. We'll see.

Need a smile today?

How cute is this?



I went to see Annise & her new little baby yesterday after a long day of Christmas shopping. It made my day - he is ADORABLE & she's such a good little mamma. He arrived 3 weeks early AND managed to break her tailbone in the process, but she doesn't even care.



Too cute!
Photo credits to Liz & her new camera.