A Little Knitting Obsession

2007-02-20T10:57:00.000-05:00

Mail from Norway and an EZ Baby Sweater

Look what arrived unexpectedly yesterday (on what I thought was a postal holiday)!

It's a wonderful package from the lovely Theresa, full of Norwegian goodies! The yarn is Evilla, from Estonia. It's unspun and will make a really cozy shawl. I have plans for it (this, if you must know, assuming I have enough). We have already devoured half the chocolate bar and 2 of the Kinder eggs, and the two licorice candies are for my mom. Thanks so much, Theresa!

During a phone call with my mom last week, she reminded me that a good friend I grew up with is expecting her first baby (a girl) next month, and the shower is this weekend. So, what did I do? This:

Pattern: Elizabeth Zimmermann's Best Baby Sweater (aka February Baby Sweater), from Vogue Knitting: American Collection
Yarn: RYC Cashsoft Baby DK, 2 balls, Chicory (Note: I really ran out of yarn before the bottom garter band was finished. You could easily get 2 sweaters out of 5 balls of yarn, but it is a squeeze to get a sweater out of 2 balls of this yarn.)
Needles: US 5

I really love the results of this pattern. It was extremely quick; I started Thursday night and finished on Saturday. It is really an adorable sweater, and the yarn knits up nicely.

Finally, I finished plying the 4 oz. of alpaca silk that Sarah sent me in our east/west fiber festival trade. Mine is on the right, and the 2 oz. skein she sent me long ago is on the left. There are noticeable differences in the two skeins, but I think they will work together. This is really a beautiful fiber, and it spun really well.

Thank you all for the kind comments on Ariann. I do like it unbuttoned, but it isn't quite what I expected. Live and learn, I guess.

2007-02-17T17:21:00.000-05:00

Ariann

Pattern: ChicKnits Ariann
Yarn: KnitPicks Andean Silk (approx. 12 skeins, Chocolate)
Buttons: 4 wooden buttons from MJ Trim

I really liked this pattern; it was well-written and easy to follow. I'm a bit less happy with the sweater than I thought I would be. I was a bit between sizes on this one and opted for the smaller size, so I like it unbuttoned better than buttoned. I opted not to make the belt, because I don't really need or want the waist cinching. At some point in the future, I may make it. I'm also a little disappointed in the sleeve length, but that could be a row gauge issue. They are longer than 3/4 length and just slightly too short for long sleeves.

As for the yarn, it's very soft, but sheds like crazy and is definitely somewhat fuzzy. I ran into a number of knots while knitting, which was disappointing. I'm also a bit skeptical of how this yarn will wear. In all, I'm not sure I will use this again for a sweater, although it would make a lovely scarf. I do like the drape, which was a big factor in buying a blend rather than a 100% wool yarn.

Overall, I think it's a success, even if I hoped it would turn out a little differently.

2007-02-09T17:25:00.000-05:00

A Little Spinning and Dyeing

Way back in the fall, I spun two pounds of Bluefaced Leicester that I purchased from Haltwhistle Fibers at Maryland Sheep and Wool. My intention was always to dye the yarn and knit a sweater, and I finally got around to it. I started the sweater last night, which will be a simple crewneck raglan.

I used Jacquard Acid Dyes, in Sapphire, I believe. I have to admit that the color isn't exactly what I wanted, but I think I'll like it once it's knit up. I have a block against royal blue after many years of wearing it in elementary and high school, mainly in the form of cheerleading and band uniforms. I have a similar block against orange, although I seem to be getting over it.

I also spun up the 4 oz. of merino tencel top I bought from The Sheepshed at Mountain View Farm at Rhinebeck this fall. I love this fiber; it spins very easily, and it produces the most beautiful yarn. This skein is around 500 yards of fingering weight 2-ply. It's destined to become a shawl, I think. Icarus, perhaps?

Ariann is finished and blocking. I'll have photos soon--and a sidebar update. Life has been busy.

2007-02-04T16:09:00.000-05:00

Busy!

I really have finished things lately, and I'm on the second sleeve of my Ariann sweater. I often have to decide between photographing things for the blog and actually doing things, so the blog falls by the wayside.

This is a pair of socks knit and given to me by Tamara. They are my first gift socks and my first Koigu socks. I really love them! I think they're better knit than most of the socks I knit for myself, as well.
This is Elizabeth Zimmermann's Baby Surprise Jacket, knit in Socks That Rock medium weight, Farmhouse colorway. This is a really interesting and quick pattern, and it shows off variegated colors really well. The jacket is a gift for a friend from law school, who is expecting later this month.

I have taken some photos of my latest handspun, and they will be up soon. (I have to save something so I don't wait another 2 weeks or more before posting!)

2007-01-19T10:06:00.000-05:00

Back on Track

I'm always amazed how two weeks back home, combined with the inherent insanity of the holiday season, tends to get me off track. I got off track in my weight loss plan (ate too much bad food and didn't go to the gym), I got off track with my spinning, and everything just felt out of whack. After a couple of weeks back, I'm finally getting into a routine again.

Sadly, the blogging has not become routine. Most of this is the fault of New Blogger. New Blogger seduced me with its ease of use and click and drag photos (as well as the fact that it's an inevitable switch I'll have to make if I want to stay on Blogger). But New Blogger and my work computer apparently don't get along for some strange reason. At any rate, this has put blogging at a standstill for the time being.

I have finished some things, however.

First, here is a 2-ply Shetland/mohair blend, spun from a batt. It's approximately fingering weight, 400 or so yards, 4 oz. I received the batt from Lauren, in the Knitty Spin swap. Thanks, Lauren!

Next up, an unblocked Tiffany mitten, from the latest Knitty. I changed a few things about the pattern. I used ribbing at the cuffs instead of a picot edging and left out one of the repeats between the thumb and the top of the mitten (actually, a happy accident, since it fits my hand better this way). Since I took this photo, of course, I finished the second mitten and have been wearing them all week. I like them, but I think I'm ready to do a more traditional folk mitten. The yarn is Jamieson's DK, and if anyone wants the colors, I can look them up.

Finally, how could I usher in 2007 without taking up a new hobby? My mom took me to a great quilting shop (Mammaw's Thimble), and I somehow bought fabric and a quilting book. This is the center part of a lap quilt; the turquoise will be the inner border, then the dark brown the middle border, then the floral fabric (pictured next to the quilt) the outer border and binding. The backing is a lovely cream paisley fabric. I will use a wool batting and hand quilt it. The pattern is "Don't Fence Me In," from Eleanor Burns's Still Stripping After 25 Years. If all goes well, I'll be finishing the borders this weekend and quilting next weekend.

There are a lot of other projects in the queue right now. I've frogged and restarted the Handmaiden Sea Silk, and I'll be starting a Baby Surprise Jacket this weekend for a friend who is due at the end of February. I also finished a pair of baby booties for a coworker. It seems like there's too much to do and too little time right now!

2007-01-04T14:29:00.000-05:00

Well...

Who knits 5 pairs of socks, a We Call Them Pirates hat, a (second) sweater (in 7 days!), 2 pairs of Fuzzyfeet, a drop stitch wrap, and a French Market Bag and forgets to take photos? You guessed it. Lots of finished knitted items, no photos. C'est la vie.

The second sweater saga began about two weeks before Christmas, when I realized that Bristow was hopelessly too big. I plan to do some work to salvage it, but it wasn't something I could or would tackle that close to the deadline. I examined the stash and remembered that I had enough Cotton Ease for Sitcom Chic. On Saturday, 12/17, I began knitting. (Did I mention I also needed to finish the We Call Them Pirates hat and a pair of socks before the big day?) Well, on 12/24, it was finished. It's odd how one pattern or yarn can cause so much grief, when another goes off without a hitch. Sitcom Chic is lovely, and it was a really pleasant knit, even under a tight deadline. The Cotton Ease was nice to work with, as well, and I plan to get more at some point to make the same sweater for me. (If you didn't know, Lion Brand has come to its senses and brought back Cotton Ease in some nice colors.)

All in all, it was a good two week vacation in Tennessee. I received some very nice gifts, many of which were knitting/spinning/weaving related, and I got to spend a lot of time with family and friends.

Of course, I decided to pick up a new/old hobby. It all started with a phone call from my mom, telling me about a lovely quilting shop in Knoxville (Mammaw's Thimble) she'd discovered. Now, I've completed most of the top of a lap quilt. (Photos to come.)

And, since I'm sure you want to see something interesting from my trip, here is a photo of my sister and me on New Year's Eve.

2006-12-07T15:53:00.000-05:00

A Christmas Meme (because all the cool kids are doing it)

(Or at least one cool kid--Maryann--is doing it.)

NAME: Valerie

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate, as long as it's the good stuff. But I do like both.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? We've done both, at various times. Usually wrapped, unless it's especially difficult or awkward to wrap.

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White. I have a strong preference for white or single-color bulbs. But the Rockefeller Center tree has multicolored bulbs and is all right.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No.

5. When do you put your decorations up? Usually the week or next weekend after Thanksgiving (usually the first weekend in December). We don't take the tree down until Epiphany Sunday.

6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? Hmm...dessert has always been my favorite. I'll have to say my grandmother's chicken and noodles, though. They're amazing, and I don't get them any other time of year anymore. One consequence of not living near my family.

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Probably the Christmas Eve program at church. It's a kids program, which is always interesting. When I was 5, I beat out all the older girls to play Mary. I was very proud of myself. Of course, we didn't do the live nativity scene after that year, so I wonder what I did.... (I was also a sheep when I was a toddler, for what it's worth.)

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I really don't remember.

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We go to my grandparents' after the program on Christmas Eve and open gifts from them and from my aunt and uncle. Other than that, nada.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? I have a hodgepodge of ornaments that both Dustin and I stole from our respective families. My mom is a little Christmas nuts (she decorates about 10 trees of varying sizes), so there are plenty of ornaments around. Plus, we always shop on 12/26 and buy decorations. There's a photo in my last entry.

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? I still have a soft spot in my heart for it, because I grew up basically without it. But 3 years in Vermont did start curing me of it. I guess the best answer is that I like it until March.

12. Can you ice skate? No. Anything that requires balance and coordination seems to be beyond my capabilities.

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? As a kid? I don't think so. But I was insanely excited about getting my Schacht last year.

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Going home to see our families and friends. And all the tradition involved.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I have a hard time with this one, but probably my grandmother's Japanese Fruitcake, which is totally not fruitcake. (The link is close to what she makes, I think.) I'm pretty sure Dustin decided to marry me after eating this cake.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? It's still the Christmas Eve program at church, I think, plus going to my grandparents'.

17. What tops your tree? An angel crocheted by Dustin's great-grandmother that needs to be re-starched.

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Both. I like shopping for great gifts as much as getting them.

19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? I'm going to be lame and say "O Holy Night," but I really love the entire Boston Camerata Renaissance Christmas cantata. It's wonderful.

20. Candy Canes… Yuck or Yum? I don't really eat them, but I don't hate them.

2006-12-04T14:38:00.000-05:00

Question of the week--Will I make it?

I don't know. I really don't know at this point. There has been progress, but here's what's left:

- About 1/3 of a sweater sleeve, seaming, and finishing

- Pirate hat

- 1 pair of socks

- 1 1/2 pairs of Fuzzyfeet

(Oh, and finish the Pirate Socks for my husband, but that should be quick.)

The deadline is ostensibly 12/19, when we leave for home. I have a plan, but I'm not terribly optimistic given all the other things I have to do between now and then. It's looming. I think it's the second sleeve that put me behind.

But, since I've been busy with non-blogging things, here are some photos to entertain you.

First, a swap package from the lovely Susann, including Rot-Weiss (aka ketchup & mayo in a tube--excellent on fries). I also received two gorgeous bumps of alpaca-silk from Sarah, but they went straight in the "to-be-spun" pile and didn't make an appearance for the camera.

Next, Thanksgiving! Think this is too much food for 2 people?

The Christmas tree, nativity, and Playmobil Advent calendar, all put up last night.

And, finally, the reason I avoid leaving my office in December.

Complete with pine cones!

2006-11-15T10:38:00.000-05:00

What happens when you get brainwashed by the Christmas music in October

Let's get this out of the way first. I like deadlines; I work well with them. In fact, I'm much more likely to finish something when I have a deadline. And my family is really appreciative of knitted gifts, to the point that my Mom has dropped subtle hints about a sweater for a year and has asked for another pair of socks since I gave her her first pair in August. (It's a good thing she wears a size 6 shoe.) So I like to knit Christmas gifts.

The list this year, though, is a little nuts. And I keep adding to it.
- Bristow
- 4 pairs of socks (plus a pair for my husband that needs to be finished)
- French Market Bag
- We Call Them Pirates hat
- 2 pairs of Fuzzy Feet
- Ballband dishclots, as I have time (yeah, right)

Okay, that actually doesn't seem so bad when I write it down. It sounds doable, even. (See how brainwashed I am?) I mean, I have 1 1/2 pairs of socks, the French Market Bag, and the back of Bristow finished. I can do it, right? Right? Or are the evergreen fumes emanating from the enormous tree outside my office getting to me?

Oh, I have the contents of two lovely packages, from Susann and Sarah, to show you! But my photos aren't uploaded, so they will have to wait.

2006-11-07T10:03:00.000-05:00

A Week in the City

I spent last week hosting my parents on their second trip to New York City. I think they enjoyed it, even though my dad is a pretty bad traveller--he thinks there's no place like home and has a hard time appreciating NYC. I took the week off from work, since I have plenty of unused vacation time, and we did some touristy things.

Here they are at Top of the Rock (which, by the way, is a great improvement over the insanely crowded and overrated Empire State Building).

On the knitting and spinning front, there has been some progress. I finished my first pair of Christmas socks and, after much swatching and deliberation, decided to knit Bristow for my mom out of some Cotton Fleece in the stash. The French Market Bag for my mother-in-law is also nearly finished; I ran short of the handspun I was using, so I will use a handdyed mohair-wool handspun as contrast on the handles. Luckily, it matches the burgundy and green perfectly.

I did find the time to spin up 4 oz. of superwash merino that I bought at Maryland Sheep and Wool. It's from Bonkers, and should be enough for a pair of socks. I Navajo-plied it, which is quickly becoming my favorite technique for handpainted roving. I really love this yarn, and I'm itching to use it!

2006-10-23T14:58:00.000-04:00

Rhinebeck (or, what else could this post be about?)

First, thank you all for your moral support about the Ram's Horn Jacket. I took Elizabeth's advice and steamed the front bands, wore it to Rhinebeck, and felt infintely better about it. It helped that I had probably a dozen or so people compliment me on it, and I had a five-minute conversation with one woman about the pattern.

One thing I did not mention about the pattern is that I lengthened it by about 3 inches. This began as an error on the back, due to the fact that I knit the hem together with live stitches instead of seaming it and counted the row where I seamed it as the "turning row," for some unknown reason. At any rate, I prefer the longer length and would recommend it if you want a hip-length cardigan.

Now, on to the fiber orgy, er, Rhinebeck summary.

First, it was crowded--almost as crowded as Maryland. I think the upswing in spinning has made the fiber festivals extremely popular. There were no Koigu millends, but the fight was on for Socks That Rock.

The Fold's booth about half an hour after opening. Note the massive amounts of STR yarn on the back wall. (By the way, we opened up The Fold's booth. In fact, we were there before they were open. I bought 2 skeins and one of the adorable yet overpriced Tube Sock kits. Yes, it's overhyped, but I like the colors. What can I say?)

And, The Fold's booth sometime in the early afternoon. Note the extreme lack of yarn.

Also, I enabled Karen into a wheel, a Lendrum DT. What can I say? At least it was a bargain. (I also sold Tamara on a Fricke DT, but she's saving up for it.)

We met up with Ariel and Cathy, as well. Here they are scoping out the fibers at the Little Barn booth. Ariel also has a good photo of me in the Ram's Horn Jacket on her blog.

Amy also rode up with Karen, Tamara, and me, and I enabled her into some Brooks Farm. Of course, no one can resist the Brooks Farm! Look, Amy, it's a good photo of you!

Finally, Tania and I visited the fleece show and became crazed by the aroma of lanolin. We walked away with 2 fleeces--a 5 lb. CVM/Rambouillet cross, and a nearly 10 lb. Cormo cross. They are really beautiful fleeces, and I was a little sad to part with them at the Zeilinger's booth. We should end up with beautiful roving in a month or two, though!

The CVM/Rambo cross (a blurry photo):

The Cormo cross:

I had some other purchases, but I'll show them off as I knit or spin them. The big purchases were weaving implements--a warping board, a beautiful boat shuttle, bobbins, and a sleying hook.

Now, how many months is it until Maryland?

Ram's Horn Jacket

2006-10-19T20:22:00.000-04:00

Ram's Horn Jacket
Originally uploaded by alerievay.

Well, it's finished. And I'm somewhat underwhelmed. We'll see if it grows on me. (Ignore the awful photo; my husband doesn't use the camera well and I just got home from work.)

Anyway, the stats:
Pattern: Ram's Horn Jacket, in Knitting Nature by Norah Gaughan
Size: Approx. 44", but I knit the smallest size because my gauge was off
11 skeins of Pingouin Fleur de Laine (discontinued yarn I picked up at the giant stash sale)
U.S. 5, 6, and 7 needles

I'm really just meh about the sweater right now. The pattern was fairly clear, although I thought some directions could have been clearer, especially those for the collar.

I still plan to wear this to Rhinebeck, provided the weather is cool enough, but I'm just notn sure about it. And I'm not sure why.

2006-10-17T09:06:00.000-04:00

Navajo Plying

I received a really beautiful Spunky Eclectic roving from Lauren a couple of weeks ago, and I couldn't wait to spin it. I forced myself to finish up the last of the two pounds of BFL on Saturday, then I started spinning. It always amazes me how different the colors on a roving can look once they are on the bobbin. Because I loved the way the colors looked, I decided to try Navajo plying, something I had never done before. (For those of you who don't spin, Navajo plying allows the spinner to create a 3-ply yarn from a single bobbin using a chaining motion similar to crochet.) I'm really pleased with the results, even though there was a fair amount of overtwist on the plying.

The 4 oz. roving yielded a bit more than 200 yards of a worsted/heavy worsted yarn. I haven't decided what to do with it yet, and will swatch a few stitch patterns at some point. I'm leaning toward a narrow mistake rib scarf, but I need to verify the yardage and gauge first. This is the first yarn I've spun that I'm very excited to knit. The striping should be interesting.

The Ram's Horn Jacket from Knitting Nature is in the process of being seamed and will be worn at Rhinebeck this weekend, weather permitting. Let's just hope it's not as hot as last year!

2006-10-04T10:33:00.000-04:00

Loom Photos

For those of you who are curious, here is the new loom! It's a Schacht 8-harness table loom, with a 20" weaving width. (Yes, I apparently have a thing for Schacht equipment.)

It's currently sitting in my dining room, attached to its legs. I did a bit of weaving over the weekend, but I'm waiting on some yarn and warping tools (to be purchased at Rhinebeck) before I do much more. The edges are pulling in quite a bit, but I know that this will get better with practice.

Don't worry; I'm not going to start pushing looms at everyone (well, not all the time, anyway).

2006-10-02T10:16:00.000-04:00

A Secret Pal Package, Lady Eleanor, and a New Hobby?

So, I participated in the Knitty Coffeshop's first ever spinning secret pal exchange and had a great time! I received this wonderful package from my secret pal (whose identity I'm still not certain about) on Saturday.

From the top left corner: 8 oz. Finn top (so soft), 4 oz. Shetland/Mohair Cloud (still has some lanolin in it and is so beuatiful), a Spunky Eclectic roving (gorgeous!!), really delicious vanilla black tea, an adorable card, a 100g skein of Opal self-striping sock yarn, and Spinning Designer Yarns by Diane Varney (an excellent alternative to the Pluckyfluff book).

All of these are things I would have bought for myself, and it was all I could do not to spin up the fibers right away! I'm trying to be patient and spin up the BFL first, but it's so difficult when I have other beautiful fibers in the stash! Thank you so much, secret pal! It was such a thoughtful package, and I lucked out getting you as my match!

I promised a photo of the Lady Eleanor Entrelac Stole, and here it is!

I used 10 skeins of Southwest Trading Company Karaoke, a soy/wool blend, in the colorway Copper. I have enough left over to do fringe, if I decide I want it. It really is enormous, though, and fringe would be too much, I think. I have had thoughts of reknitting this at some point into a more manageable shawl at a tighter gauge, but I won't be doing that in the near future. The entrelac drove me nuts by the end; I was very ready for it to be over. This will make a cozy wrap for those weeks before our landlords decide to turn on the heat.

Finally, with Karen's aiding and abetting, I bought a used loom on Sunday. Blogger has, unfortunately, decided that I should not add more photos to this post, but I'll post photos and details later! You may feel free to question my sanity at taking up yet another hobby in the comments.

2006-09-27T16:39:00.000-04:00

New Recipes Tried (sans knitting photos)

I did knit and spin this weekend. Lady Eleanor Entrelac was finished and blocked (minus fringe, which I'm probably leaving off), and I started the Ram's Horn Jacket. In fact, I liked the Ram's Horn Jacket so much, I started it twice. Well, in reality, I found I was in total denial about the gauge my swatch told me and realized I needed to either (a) knit the (slightly heavier than worsted) yarn at a gauge that made it feel like iron or (b) knit a different size to get the right measurements. I chose (b), because I liked the fabric I had at 4.5 sts/in. and would not like the fabric at 5.5 sts/in. As it is, this will be a fairly heavy sweater. It is quite a change to be knitting on size 7 needles again; most things I've been knitting lately seem to be on size 4 or smaller.

Lady Eleanor Entrelac is lovely, and I will have photos soon. I do wish I'd knit it at a tighter gauge, as the Karaoke grew a lot in the blocking process. However, it's perfect for a heavier wrap, and it's light enough that I could potentially use it as a scarf on the coldest winter days. Enough for the teasing, though--more to ocme when I have photos.

In food news, we really enjoyed the Pork and Pineapple Tacos from Cooking Light. It's a great blend of smoky and spicy with sweet, especially if you find a good salsa verde for it. We had Goya Black Beans and Rice with the tacos. Both were also good as leftovers. I ended up subbing a Mrs. Dash blend with chipotle for the ground chipotle, since neither of my local stores carry it. Penzey's does, if you have time to plan. Overall, a quick, easy, and tasty change from normal tacos.

We also enjoyed the Roasted Butternut Squash and Bacon Pasta, to a lesser extent. There are too many shallots in the recipe, I think, though it does taste better on the second day. I would recommend a good, sharp provolone and thick-sliced bacon for this. The sweetness of the squash and the smokiness of the bacon are quite good together, and I could imagine using them in something else--maybe mashed butternut squash? In some ways, though, this dish had too much going on, from the squash to the bacon and shallots to the pasta. I will probably make this again, even though it was somewhat time consuming and messy. It makes a good work lunch.

Next post: Lady Eleanor photos, progress on the Ram's Horn Jacket, and (perhaps) discussion of my desire to take up weaving.

2006-09-19T18:39:00.000-04:00

Ahoy! Handspun Socks and a Pirate Sock, Mateys!

...and with that I've fulfilled my Talk Like a Pirate Day obligations.

With all that knitting this weekend, I did manage to finish the handspun socks I started in April, I think.

They are made from 4 oz. of Corriedale, dyed with Wilton's dyes, and spun into a 2-ply yarn. I probably have 1/2 to 1 ounce of spun yarn left over. They are generic toe-up socks, nothing terribly special.

I think these socks are a great example of how even beginner handspun can knit up nicely and make a good fabric. I don't have any great close-ups of the socks, due to the short days and horrible lighting, but the fabric looks fairly even. The yarn is most assuredly not even. My spinning has improved from this effort, even with the somewhat haphazard spinning schedule I maintain, but there are good uses for even "bad" yarns.

2006-09-17T20:25:00.000-04:00

A Busy Weekend

This was a busy weekend for knitters in NYC, with appearances from Amy Singer and Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, and culminating in the Knit Out. Naturally, I was at pretty much all of them.

Friday night, I headed to The Point for a wine and cheese event with Amy. Great fun was had by all, and I saw several people I hadn't seen in quite some time. I also met some other Knittyboard members, which is always a treat! Unfortunately, I can't get the photo from that night to load, but it is on Tania's Flickr account, here.

On Saturday evening, the Yarn Harlot (aka Stephanie Pearl-McPhee) was at my local Barnes and Noble for a talk and signing. She was as funny in person as in her books and genuinely delightful. I managed to arrive early enough to snag front row seats. The event was definitely standing room only. Karen and I, channeling junior high, had dressed alike in our Go With the Flow tanks. And, yes, hers is gorgeous!

Sunday was the NYC Knit Out, which is an enormous event. It feels like knitters and crocheters come out of the woodwork for this one, even though it's mainly full of giveaways of dubious value (free patterns from Red Heart, for example). I came home with a bag full of patterns that I probably won't use. People get pushy about the free needles (size 17 straights, of course) and yarn (some Bernat yarn similar to Fun Fur). It's very odd. I decided to avoid a lot of that and ended up walking around and meeting more Knitty people.

You can also see a bit of the "Fashion" Show, featuring creations from Red Heart, Caron, and other purveyors of fine petro-yarn. There were a couple of decent items, but, for the most part, the fug was flying so fast I couldn't get good photos.

But, on to the Knittyboard meet-up!

From left to right: Jas (Artsygal, who will be opening an online store for her lovely handpainted yarns soon), Tania (mikomiao), Amy (weaselrina), Valerie (costumechick), and Karen (cooknknit). You can almost see Tamara (labean) at the far right, but here's a better photo of her spinning.

In short, there was a lot of knitting and talking about knitting this weekend. A great time was had by all!

2006-09-08T12:35:00.000-04:00

Interesting...

Strangely enough, this is pretty accurate, although I think I'm slightly more adventurous than that.

My Personality


Neuroticism	58
Extraversion	38
Openness To Experience	5
Agreeableness	7
Conscientiousness	40

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2006-09-07T16:11:00.000-04:00

Print o' the Wave

Pattern: Eunny Jang, available here.
Yarn: Jaggerspun Zephyr, Indigo, less than 2 skeins (I estimate less than 1000 yds)
Needles: US 4 Inox

Even with all the problems I had with this pattern, I am very pleased with the final results. The Zephyr is really a special yarn, too. I wore it to a wedding this weekend and hope to have some action shots eventually. (My mother doesn't have a good digital camera yet and relies on her nearly 30-year-old SLR.)

After spending the long weekend in Tennessee, I'm off for the rest of this week. I'm trying to do some cleaning and organizing, while working on spinning and knitting projects that have been abandoned. I also started the Swallowtail Shawl in KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud (after a failed start in Seasilk) and swatched for the Ram's Horn Jacket from Knitting Nature. I have a bit of a plan for the Seasilk, but I'm going to finish the Swallowtail Shawl first.

I'll blog more about the short trip and more happenings later! A weekend of socializing makes me less talkative.

2006-08-28T11:21:00.000-04:00

A New Feature at Chez Val

As some of you may know, I'm currently on a quest to eat better and be healthier overall. I joined a gym in February (and currently exercise with Karen pretty often), and I've started doing things like bringing breakfast and lunch to work in order to eat better and more cheaply. (The $7 sandwiches were starting to get to me, too.)

So, I've decided to add a post or two a week to talk about the getting healthy process. Most of the content will be recipe reviews and interesting ideas I read about, rather than complaints about how I didn't lose any weight this week or fell off the wagon by eating a pint of Ben & Jerry's. Well, that's the plan anyway.

Today's entry is a review of Cooking Light's Herbed Cheese Pizza. I love the Cooking Light recipes I've tried. They strike the right balance between good food and healthy food. They know which ingredients are crucial to a recipe and which can be reduced or eliminated (and which can use reduced-fat or reduced-calorie versions of the same item). Plus, the website contains user reviews of most recipes.

Preparation: The pizza dough is a relatively easy one. It starts with a bread flour/sugar/water/yeast sponge, which makes rising time short at 45 minutes (plus 20 minutes resting). I ended up adding more all purpose flour than called for during kneading, because the dough was very tacky. I also parbaked the crusts for around 8 minutes, since I froze all but two pizzas. The sauce was also very simple, using canned tomatoes. I added the oregano spice mixture to the sauce, as it seemed a bit odd to me to add it as a topping. I used a kitchen scale to measure the amount of cheese for each pizza. It's a fairly generous serving of cheese--more than I'd thought.

I baked the two pizzas for Monday and Tuesday lunches last night, then bagged them up with foil to be reheated in the toaster oven at work. I ran into some problems with the toaster oven in the pantry near my office (it's apparently very prone to smoke and fire), so I'm going to bake these the night before and heat them in the toaster oven or microwave. I just can't risk catching the office on fire!

Taste: Really good. Like a more Greek/Middle Eastern version of a basic cheese pizza. The sauce is chunky, and I might go with finely diced tomatoes next time, rather than the chunky ones I used this time. With a piece of fruit, it seems pretty filling. I might change the dough next time; because of the quick-rising nature of this dough, it didn't develop a lot of flavor. I like the dough recipe in A New Way To Cook, which gives a variety of great instructions for fitting the rising schedule into your schedule.

Bottom Line: Good lunch option that can be made in advance (recipe makes 8 6" pizzas). Different than standard pizza fare. Would try a more flavorful crust recipe.

2006-08-27T17:32:00.000-04:00

Progress! (But no photos yet)

Thank you for all the kind Blogiversary comments!

About a month ago, I posted a list of items to finish before Labor Day, and I'm nearly there! Just a few more 12-row repeats on the second linen handtowel, and I'm finished! Print o' the Wave is blocking--finally. With that and the rain that's been around all weekend, there aren't any photos yet. (Wendy yells when I post really bad photos.)

As always, I have about a million things I want to knit, but here are four upcoming projects:

1. Jack Sparrow's Favorite Socks for the husband
2. Swallowtail Shawl, by Evelyn Clark (in the current Interweave Knits)
3. Lady Eleanor (dangerously close to an unfinished object)
4. Ram's Horn Jacket from Knitting Nature--hopefully finished by Rhinebeck (and hopefully cool enough to wear a sweater this year!)

I'll have a post with photos later this week, provided the weather cooperates!

2006-08-18T12:30:00.000-04:00

Today Is My Blogiversary?

Well, time certainly flies when you're having fun. It's been a full year since I started this blog, and I hope that my blogging and photography skills have evolved a bit. Both have a long way to go, as ever.

Thank you to everyone who reads this blog--all 10 of you! I've enjoyed sharing my knitting with you, and I hope there are bigger and better things to come! I always appreciate your advice and feedback.

2006-08-15T19:51:00.000-04:00

Go with the Flow Tank--Finished!

I'm really pleased with this. It needs a final washing and blocking to take care of the scallops that want to flip out, but I really like it. (And now I can stop stressing that Karen will finish before me--even though Laura finished hers many moons ago.)

Pattern: Go with the Flow Tank, from Inspired Cable Knits by Fiona Ellis. The pattern was well-written, and the charts worked well. The additional lengths in the larger sizes are made by adding lace repeats to the bottom. If I was making this again, I would consider doing fewer lace repeats and adding a cable repeat. It's also interesting that the cable insert goes up the back as well as the front. It makes for less mind-numbing knitting, but I think it would look fine without it.

Size: XL, 42"

Yarn: Rowan 4-ply Cotton, shade 132, 6 balls. I enjoyed working with this yarn more than I expected, as it is 100% cotton. I encountered very little splitting as I knit it, and it looks great at this gauge. The suggested yarn in the pattern was Dale Stork, and I believe this makes a great substitute in more adult colors.

Needles: Addi Turbo 2.5mm (US 1), 40" circular

I don't have any comments on the pattern, really, other than the lace issue. I followed the pattern fairly religiously, except for the number of stitches picked up around the neck and armholes, where I winged it. This was an interesting yet fairly easy knit. My seaming has greatly improved, as reflected in the shoulder and side seams, which look really good, if I do say so myself.

Next up in the pre-Labor Day list is the Print O' The Wave Shawl. I'm somehow resisting the Handmaiden Seasilk for the moment, but I expect to begin on the Swallowtail Shawl from the latest IK over the holiday.

2006-08-11T10:04:00.000-04:00

Let's Try This Again...

Since Blogger wasn't cooperating with the yarn photos in my previous post, here they are for your viewing pleasure!

I have had two wonderful mail days, too! On Wednesday, I received the most beautiful hank of Handmaiden Seasilk, in the color Renaissance, from Wendy--a prize for winning her Phart Yarn contest. I believe this is destined to be the Swallowtail Shawl from the latest Interweave. This yarn is just amazing and deserves a special project, so it may take some swatching and trial and error.

Yesterday, I received a surprise package from Sarah! Two ounces of Corriedale/Churro cross roving, which is softer than I would have thought, an adorable hamster card, and gorgeous handspun alpaca/silk! (You can see photos on her blog, here, since I won't be taking photos before the weekend.)

Thank you, Wendy and Sarah!

2006-08-06T16:09:00.000-04:00

Cable and Rib Socks with a Side of Stash Enhancement

In the flurry of trying to finish some works in progress (see my previous post), I did finish a pair of socks.

These are the Rib and Cable Socks, by Nancy Bush, from the Fall 2005 Interweave Knits. I used a skein of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock Potluck, with plenty left over. I love the Potluck colors (and they're about $3 cheaper where I buy them); they tend to be more subtle than the other hand-dyed colors. I used size 1 needles, but this yarn would be just as happy (if not happier) knit at a tighter gauge. I found the socks to be tighter-fitting than I had expected, but I suspect wearing them a few times will correct this, like the Jaywalker socks.

I also did a bit of yarn shopping over the last week. First, I went to Seaport Yarns to buy two skeins of Louet Euroflax for the Mason Dixon Knitting handtowels. I also left with two skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock for Christmas gifts for my father and father-in-law. (Anyone else sensing an obsession with this yarn?) The blue is a potluck color, while the other is one of their actual colorways; the name currently escapes me.

I am currently having issues uploading photos to Blogger, so the photos of the Supersock described above and the Lorna's Laces Lion & Lamb I bought at The Point's 40% off sale will have to wait.

There is progress being made on the Go With the Flow tank; I'm one cable repeat from the armhole shaping. I have to confess that I really want this to just be finished already, and it's become a little tedious. Finishing this and the other August projects will feel great, though! Then it's on to the Christmas knitting!

2006-08-02T10:25:00.000-04:00

Nothing to See Here

With the insane temperatures in Brooklyn the last couple of days*, we've been keeping the blinds shut at all times, preventing good photo shoots. I do have a pair of socks and one in progress to photograph, but those will wait for the cooler weather that should be arriving soon. I also have a little yarn shopping to show off.

For now, I'll entertain myself (and maybe those of you who are reading this) with a couple of knitting to-do lists. I still have the same spinning projects on the wheels--Bluefaced Leicester on the Schacht (of which less than 1 pound of the 2 pounds I bought is spun) and the mohair/wool dyed blend on the Joy (spinning from the fold is extremely time-consuming). I'm still in knitting mode for the time being, perhaps because the wheels are too far from the air conditioner and my hands sweat.

Items to finish before Labor Day:

1. Socks for my mother's birthday. These are plain, cuff-down socks knit in Cherry Tree Hill Supersock, the Foxy Lady colorway. I've finished the gusset decreases on the first sock. Her birthday is technically August 16 or 17**, but I will be going home for Labor Day and will give them to her then.

2. Two linen hand towels, from Mason Dixon Knitting. I bought the yarn for these yesterday, and they will become my subway knitting as soon as the socks are finished. These are part of a wedding gift.

3. Go With the Flow tank. I'm on the front, finally finished with the lace border that seems to take ages. I plan to get a lot of knitting time on this this weekend. For now, go look at Laura's.

4. Print o' the Wave Stole. I'm on the border and can finish this before the end of the month. It's on hiatus until the tank and socks are completed.

Christmas Knitting List (so far):

I'm trying not to fall for the "every gift must be knitted" urge, but it's hard at Christmas. However, I'm trying to keep the list short and sweet with fairly simple gifts. If I don't get time for something, I have plenty of stash yarn for a last-minute hat.

1. Fair Isle Vest/Sweater for Mom. I bought the yarn for this in February--Jamieson's Shetland DK. This will be the most time-consuming project, as it may very well be self-designed.

2. and 3. Plain socks for Dad and my father-in-law. I bought two skeins of CTH Supersock last night for just this purpose.

4. French Market Bag for my mother-in-law. I made one of these for Mom, and she uses it every day.

5. Socks for my sister.

6. Pirate Socks for my husband (from Pam's wonderful pattern).

7. Something for my grandmother. Maybe Cozy, using some of the handspun merino from handpaintedyarn.com.

There are some other potential recipients, but I'm going to start with this list and see where it takes me. Last year, I added things at the end as I had time.

* You know it's bad when entering the subway station feels like descending into the seventh level of Hell and you cease to care when sweat starts dripping down your legs.

** I don't know the exact date because my cousin was born on the other day, and my mother has spent the last 15 years telling me it's one day or the other, trying to confuse me. I now refuse to even try to find out the exact date, telling her I'll call her on one or both days.

2006-07-26T10:53:00.000-04:00

No, Laura, I haven't finished

As you probably know, Laura and I are knitting the Go With the Flow Tank from Inspired Cable Knits at the same time. Of course, Laura is nearly finished and will be posting photos of her tank very soon. On the other hand, here is my progress.

Yes, that's just the back. I've cast on and knit the beginning of the edging for the front, but there's still a lot to go.

For those of you interested, here is a detail shot of the cable and lace sections. Keep in mind that it isn't blocked. The color is very off in this photo; the previous photo is very true to the real color.

Of course, I haven't succeeded in convincing Laura that she needs to learn to spin as well, thus slowing down her knitting progress (although it looks like Karen has seen the light). I was a little distracted by the gorgeous Bluefaced Leicester I bought at the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, mentioned in my last post.

I also have a nearly full bobbin on the Schacht and plan to spin some more this weekend. The Schacht and I had some rocky times when I bought the Joy, but I've learned to love it again. The better I become, the more I love using the Schacht. I'm not sure it was the wisest choice as a beginner, and I had a lot of frustrations with it, but I am growing into it and learning how wonderful it can be.

Currently, my knitting list is as follows:
- Print O' The Wave (working on the border)
- Cable and Rib Socks from IK (nearly finished with the second sock)
- Go With the Flow Tank (beginning front)

All of these, and the Child's First Socks from Vintage Knitting, should be finished by Labor Day. It shouldn't be a problem, unless I get bored and start something new.

I've also been contemplating my holiday knitting list. There are a few pairs of socks on there, plus a fair isle vest or sweater (depending on how much yarn I have), and maybe a felted bag or two. Considering all the other things I want to knit this fall, it's time to start thinking about these projects.

Yes, Spinning Has Occurred

2006-07-19T17:41:00.000-04:00

105_0549
Originally uploaded by alerievay.

Lest you fear (or hope?!) that I had given up spinning entirely in favor of knitting, here is some photographic evidence. This is approximately 200 yards of a 2-ply wool/mohair mix. It was a combed preparation that I spun from the fold on my Joy. I'm really pleased with how this turned out.

I have also been spinning some really gorgeous Bluefaced Leicester I bought at Maryland Sheep and Wool from Haltwhistle Fibers, but I think I will wait until it is all spun and dyed before I share it. I have two pounds, and I think it will become a sweater.

2006-07-10T09:59:00.000-04:00

Scavenger Hunt at the Met and Other Weekend Adventures

A large part of the big law firm associate's summer is taken up by summer associate events and lunches. The good is that you have lots of fancy meals and drinks on the firm. The bad is that they take up a ton of time and are forced social interactions. Sometimes, though, they really are fun!

On Friday evening, I went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a scanvenger hunt. A few of you may know that I am a total nerd at heart. I watched Jeopardy! nearly every night growing up. I played Trivial Pursuit every time I could find someone to play with me. I'm also competitive; I almost broke up with a long-term boyfriend due to some really stupid plays in a Rook game. Needless to say, a scavenger hunt is my kind of thing.

The teams were picked by the organizers, and my team was great. My friend Javad was our navigator, always looking for the location of the next question. The rest of us puzzled out the clues and found the answers. We got first place, with a perfect score. I would highly recommend this company as a way to see familiar places in a different way (or even a way to explore new places). It was surreal rushing past Degas's The Little Fourteen Year-Old Dancer to find the painting in the next room or looking only at the painting on the back of Van Gogh's self-portrait, but it was really interesting and challenging.

There were also fiber-related activities this weekend. On Saturday, I worked a bit on the Print O' The Wave Stole and a sock. We also saw the new Pirates of the Caribbean, which is more likeable than the reviews indicate. On Sunday, I finished two pairs of One-Hour Baby Booties from Stitch n' Bitch Nation and the sock. I also started the Go With the Flow tank in Rowan 4-ply cotton. It's really lovely, but it is going to be a challenge--more in endurance than anything. There was also a bit of spinning on some really lovely Bluefaced Leicester from Maryland Sheep and Wool, but spinning is still on a bit of a hiatus right now. I'm a knitting fiend again.

Next time, I will have photos of the booties and some handspun I've been working on on the Joy.

2006-07-04T20:44:00.000-04:00

A Trip to Vermont and New Hampshire (and a serious lack of knitting)

As some of you know, I went to law school in Vermont, on this fine campus. (No, it's not affiliated with the University of Vermont; it's a private school.) I highly recommend the school and the state, even though winters can be brutal. Vermont in summer is heaven.

We headed up to the Northeast Kingdom this weekend for a classmate's wedding and promptly got lost on the dirt roads while trying to find our way back to the inn. In Vermont, there is very little difference between public dirt roads and private driveways--though the driveways are often in better shape. Thank goodness the car was a rental. I don't think we would have forded that giant puddle in our own car.

After a really lovely wedding and amazing party with some classmates, we spent another night at the Craftsbury Inn and took off to New Hampshire on Sunday to visit friends. (Did I mention that I held baby cashmere goats at the inn that had been born on Thursday? Oh, and I bought a pound of llama fiber from the inn's llamas--of course.)

In New Hampshire, I went to a lovely yarn shop in Lebanon called Country Woolens. It's a nice, basic shop that has a real New England practicality feel. They carry a lot of basic wools, probably more than I've seen anywhere. I bought two skeins of Cascade Fixation in a nice blue-gray colorway, two skeins of Regia Nation in the Germany stripes, and this Dale of Norway baby book.

We had a very nice time, although I wish I had the rest of the week off. It's always nice to see our friends from law school. Our friends in New Hampshire are great, in part because they have the most adorable daughters who are 4 and 1. We played and swam and had a great time with them.

Since there's no knitting in this post, I'll leave you with a photo of me with a few of my law school friends, minus the bride.

There will be Print O' The Wave progress next time, as well as some other projects.

2006-06-26T09:53:00.000-04:00

Ten things I learned this weekend

1. Some designers don't update their free patterns with known errata and expect you to email them instead.

2. A good Google search will always find said errata because someone has been there.

3. Counting to 240 is apparently beyond my skill level. (I think I forgot some lessons from elementary school.)

4. Using stitch markers every 100 stitches when you're picking up 480 stitches would have been a good idea.

5. Throwing a shawl knit on metal needles across the room solves nothing. In fact, a dozen or more stitches will fly off your needle as it sails across the room.

6. Yelling at your husband to shut up because you're counting accomplishes nothing. Neither does crying.

7. No matter what you are watching on television, some stupid character will start counting 1, 2, 3 right when you're at 234. You will start re-counting many, many times.

8. Realizing that somehow you're 15 stitches short of 240 is not a cause for panic. No one will notice if you locate the area with too few stitches picked up and kfb at fairly regular intervals.

9. When you realize that you and the designer apparently speak a different knitting language, causing you to perform acts of laceknitting heroism (i.e., drop down 4 stitches at each corner and create k2togs and YOs three rows down while maintaining the correct stitch count), do not curse her.

10. The edging will start to work out, and then you'll see two dropped stitches five 16-row repeats down. Safety pins are your friends!

As you can tell, there were a few problems encountered on the Print o' the Wave stole. I think there are errors on the inner border, or at least a large lack of clarity. If you need help, email me and I will tell you what worked for me. There are definite errors on rows 9, 11, 13, and 15 of the edging chart. The next to last knit stitch should be a k2tog on all these rows. I have no idea why a corrected version has not been posted. I'm very, very pleased with how it is turning out, though, despite the numerous problems I had this weekend.

In other news, I braved the laundromat to wash the Aran throw, and it turned out beautifully. As Laura has already told me, I'm sure the Cestari is going to pill, but it washes up into a really lovely fabric with just a bit of a halo. The cables relaxed, much of the vegetable matter came out, and the fabric is amazingly soft. I can't wait to take it to the wedding this weekend!

Since we are going to Vermont this weekend (and staying at an inn with a fiber farm and wool shop, I've decided to take a new project along. Because I have to be just like Laura (witness the Lady Eleanor Entrelac stole in SWTC Karaoke), I will be making the Go With the Flow tank from Inspired Cable Knits. Yes, the gauge is 29sts/4". Yes, I'm insane. But so is Laura. I will be picking up the Rowan 4-ply Cotton from The Yarn Connection this week.

2006-06-05T15:16:00.000-04:00

Finally, A Throw!

So, remember that Aran throw I started way back when? Here it is! It's not yet washed/blocked, but I plan to do that this weekend.

Pattern: Cabled Throw, from Debbie Bliss Simple Living
Yarn: Cestari by Chester Farms, Natural Light Gray, 12 skeins
Needles: Crystal Palace Bamboo, US size 9

I believe I started this in February, and I let it languish for awhile and worked on other projects for a time. It took roughly three months, start to finish. I hit a wall so many times, and it didn't seem like I would ever finish at times. But I did. And it was worth it.

This is my first handspun baby alpaca--approximately 200 yards of 2-ply. I'm not crazy about the barber pole effect, but the finished product is extremely soft. I found alpaca more difficult to spin because it is so slippery, but other people find that quality a plus.

And, finally, here is my birthday present to myself. An Ashford Joy DT, for travelling to spinning guild meetings and further abroad. I love this wheel. I started spinning a beautifully dyed wool/mohair mix on it this weekend, and it looks gorgeous so far. I just wound a smallish skein of two unknown wools off the Schacht, and I plan to start spinning up one of my Maryland Sheep & Wool purchases soon.

2006-06-05T09:14:00.000-04:00

An Anniversary (Knitting and Spinning Content Later)

Today is my second wedding anniversary. This morning, two years ago, my parents' house was filled with activity--putting last-minute touches on the tables outside for the reception, wondering how everyone would get to and from the church that morning, endless photographs and stress and emotion. But it was worth it. The wedding was amazing, and the marriage has been even better.

2006-05-29T19:44:00.000-04:00

Amazing Lace--Meet Team Sooner!

I decided to join Laura and Monkee in the Amazing Lace Knit-a-long. I think this is my first official knit-a-long, and I've already broken one of the few rules. I'm a Sooner. No, not that kind of Sooner--the real kind. I started two days early, on Saturday. What can I say? It was a 3-day weekend and I want to try to finish the shawl in time to wear to a wedding July 1. As penance, I promise my next lace project will be a doily to make Monkee happy.

So, meet the team! You'll notice I'm not in the photo, because the photos with me in them turned out very badly.

The essentials are there: size 4 needles, about 1600 yards of Jaeger Zephyr, the pattern, and the indispensible Post-It notes. That's 8 repeats of the first half of the center; there will be 34 total repeats in the center, or 17 in each half. It's a relatively easy knit so far. I used Sharon Miller's provisional cast-on, which is extremely easy. Cast on the required number of stitches loosely in a yarn of a similar weight, knit one row, then join in the main yarn. When you pick up the stitches, you simply cut away the contrasting yarn. It's much easier than a crochet cast-on for me; I hope it works as well as I think it will.

The Amazing Knit button will be appearing in my sidebar soon. Once I have the motivation and time, I plan to do a bit of an overhaul of the sidebar and incorporate some helpful links.

Next up, photos of the completed throw, some alpaca handspun, and the new wheel!

2006-05-16T13:05:00.000-04:00

A Light at the End of the Tunnel

This weekend, I managed to make a lot of progress on the afghan, realizing I needed to finish it to preserve my sanity. I'm now halfway through the eleventh skein, with just one more skein to go! Given that the garter border will suck up a good portion of the final skein, I'm feeling very confident I can finish it this weekend, even with a spinning group meeting on Sunday.

That last bound of stitch is going to feel very good. The project hasn't been that bad; it's not difficult or even particularly time-consuming. But it's BIG and unwieldy and preventing me from knitting on other projects that have been languishing in the basket. I hope that the recipient really loves it, because it's been a good portion of my knitting time these last few months. (I think she will; I hope I've learned my lesson about knitting gifts that are really so I can show off.)

I also decided to add sleeves to the Green Gable top. I'm fairly dissatisfied with the finished product. It isn't as form-fitting as I would like, but I think 3/4 length sleeves will balance it out a lot. I may end up ripping back the castoff and taking off an inch or two, as well.

Next up are two newborn hat and booties sets for twin girls that will be born this summer. I'm excited about using the Ellen's Half-Pint Farm yarn for those! I also hope to finish Lady Eleanor Entrelac and another in-progress wrap, since my office is freezing all summer. Fingerless gloves may also be required.

The Ashford Joy isn't here yet, but it will ship this week! I've been obsessively checking my email and credit card statement, waiting for the shipment notification. I had hoped to have it by this weekend, but I don't think that will happen now. It will have to make its debut at the Seaport Second Saturday Spin-In next month, I guess. I can't imagine how it will feel to spin in front of others!

2006-05-10T17:34:00.000-04:00

I did it!

I ordered the Ashford Joy DT from The Woolery today. Think this will assuage the wheel lust for awhile?

2006-05-07T18:31:00.000-04:00

Maryland Sheep & Wool (Bonus: Adventures in Dyeing)

I had a great time at the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival on Saturday! I shopped, tried out wheels, and met Pam and Jen! I'm relying on Pam's blog for photos of the day, since her husband Kris was busy filling his camera's memory card with photos of yarn and sheep (and I was too lazy to take my camera--needed room for fiber!).

I tried out five wheels, searching for a good wheel portable enough to take on the subway to spinning guild meetings. Here are the results, in order of preference:

1. Ashford Joy DT: I loved this wheel, even though I did not expect to. The treadling was very smooth, and I was able to spin right away on it, with minimal adjustments. It's lightweight and compact, especially with the addition of a padded carrying case. I couldn't find any downsides to this wheel, and it was all I could do to leave it at the festival.

2. Lendrum DT: This was also a great wheel, and it sold me on a Woolee Winder for my Schacht. I can see why so many people love the Lendrum--it's smooth and comfortable. The only drawback is portability. For my purposes, it's just too big. I really only tried it to see if I liked the Woolee Winder, but I would definitely try it if I was looking for a wheel to keep at home or transport in a car.

3. Journey Wheel: The Journey Wheel is a very interesting concept: a wheel that works very much like a vertical charka with treadles. It folds up into its own wooden box, and a padded carrying bag is available. I liked the wheel, but something did not fit me. In addition, it's fairly expensive at $800, and the box weighs quite a bit.

4. Wee Robin: I've never spun on one of the full-size Robin wheels, but they are beautiful, and their owners seem to love them. I really wanted to love the Wee Robin, for its great design and beauty and in spite of its $900 starting price. I tried it, and it felt a bit unbalanced. I don't know if it is a problem with the floor model, which is quite possible with dozens of people spinning on it daily, or if my treadling motion doesn't work well with a wheel this small and lightweight. It is not the wheel for me, though.

5. Majacraft Little Gem: I did not get along with this wheel. If you'd asked me which of the five I expected to like most, this would be it. The tiny wheel wanted to reverse on me with no warning, and the tension had either no uptake or ripped the yarn out of my hands. After about ten minutes of fighting, I gave up.

I've decided to wait until my birthday, later this month, to buy the Joy. I think this will satisfy my wheel lust for a bit. I've really wanted to be able to spin in front of others to get feedback.

On to the purchases! I was disappointed with The Fold. Apparently no one told them of the huge cult following Socks That Rock has right now. They sold out of all their skeins in less than two hours. Sock yarn is apparently very hot right now. I bought these two skeins from Ellen's Half Pint Farm--enormous at 500 yards per skein--and they were among the last dozen or so skeins she had.

I'll be knitting booties and hats for twin girls due later this summer, then socks for myself. I think I'll have enough to get two pairs of ankle socks in addition to the baby gifts. How's that for value?

I also found some nice handpainted superwash merino roving from The Yarn Barn. Each is 4 ounces, enough for a pair of socks each. I love the colors!

I also bought quite a bit of natural-colored roving: 2 pounds of Blue-faced Leicester from Haltwhistle Fibres, 1.5 pounds of Finn from Misty Mountain Farms, and 4 ounces of gorgeous Polwarth from Spirit Trail Fiberworks. The Polwarth was a definite splurge (and was quite overpriced), but it's very special. It will become a hat or pair of mittens for me, I think.

I had been toying with the idea of buying some professional dyes, having seen so many beautiful results from other bloggers, so I bought three jars of Jacquard dyes. I dyed some of my handspun today, which will become the Roxy Lady bag. Here is the process at work:

And the finished product--in a different color, of course:

I plan to buy some other colors soon and dye some of the beautiful roving I acquired this weekend!

2006-05-05T16:50:00.000-04:00

A Yarn Store Meme and a Maryland Sheep & Wool Shopping List

Tamara created this meme, and I like it!

1)What's your favorite LYS? I go back and forth between The Point, Seaport, and Brooklyn General (which I'd like to visit more often)
2)What about it do you like most? The Point's cafe, where it's perfectly acceptable to buy a cup of coffee and knit and chat with friends for an hour or two. Seaport's selection is outstanding, and I like the laid-back feel. Brooklyn General is a beautiful store with yarn, fabrics, and hard-to-find children's items (and it should be carrying more spinning supplies soon!).
3)What is your 2nd favorite? With three favorites, I don't think I'm allowed to have a second favorite!
4)What would you improve about it to make it a tie with your first? I'll answer this a little differently--what could any of the three favorites do to become my absolute favorite? I think a combination of the three would be perfect: the selection from Seaport, the gathering area of The Point, and the beauty and general ambience of Brooklyn General.
5)What's the last thing your bought at your #1 LYS? I think the last purchase I made at any of the three was Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran and 2 skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock at Seaport.

I'm not tagging anyone, but I think it's a great meme, if you want to do it!

I wrote about New York City yarn stores awhile back, in this post, if you want to know more of my thoughts on this.

With great trepidation, I'm publishing my shopping list for tomorrow! (I'm so excited, I feel like a kid again! I just hope I'm able to sleep tonight.)

1. Koigu, mainly for baby gifts.
2. Socks That Rock, just because (and I also have to pick some up for Karen).
3. A dpn/sock case for Tamara. Karen bought one at Rhinebeck, and it is the neatest thing! I'll post photos if I find one.
4. Prepared fiber, of various types and colors. Maybe some silk blends.

I'll also be looking at dyes and travel wheels. I'll probably buy some dye, but I plan to wait on the travel wheel--unless I decide that the Wee Robin is for me! There's about a 12-month wait on those wheels.

Will post more when I come back!

2006-05-01T14:02:00.000-04:00

Boring, pre-Maryland Sheep & Wool post

Yes, I know there are better ways to start a post than "boring," but my knitting has been rather boring lately. I've made some progress on the cabled afghan, as evidenced in this photo:

That's 7 1/2 skeins in, with 4 1/2 to go. My goal is to have it finished by the first week of June, but I'm not sure I'll make that. It doesn't have to be finished until June 30, at which time it must be dry and wrapped for the trip to Vermont.

I do like the cable pattern quite a bit, and I think washing it will do a world of good.

I spun this a week or two ago for Helen, who admired the roving I dyed.

I'm quite pleased with how this turned out. The spinning is getting slightly more even, although there are still a lot of inconsistencies. The colors blended much better than I thought they would, as well. It's enough to make me consider buying more professional dyes.

Next time, I'll have a report from Maryland Sheep & Wool!

2006-04-17T20:12:00.000-04:00

Chugging Along

The never-ending afghan is going strong. I'm a few rows away from skein 8 of 12. My goal is to finish by June 1, so that I have a month to get to the laundromat, wash the sucker, let it dry, and wrap it up for the wedding. I bought the new Mason Dixon Knitting book and was tempted by the gorgeous throws and afgahns, until I realized how long I'd been working on this afghan--more than two months so far (with occasional forays into other projects, for sanity's sake). I need a break from huge projects before starting another of this magnitude. The Manos I bought at the yarn sale is calling to me, though.

On Sunday night, as I was chugging along on the afghan, my beloved Crystal Palace circular broke--one of the needles popped out of its brass holder. Nothing that a little super glue won't fix, but I took it as a sign from God (on Easter Sunday, no less) that it was time to start a new project. Inspired by Wendy at Knit and Tonic I started knitting this lovely top with some Cotton Fleece from the stash. This is replacing the boring socks as my commuting project, although I know I'll work on it on weeknights, as well.

I have finished two projects, one knitting and one spinning. The second baby sock was knitted and gifted within three days, after I realized that the mother is due at any time. It's pictured with the t-shirt I bought to go with the socks.

Remember the blue-purple Corriedale I dyed using icing colors? It's now this:

That's around 320 yards of approximately fingering weight 2-ply, which will hopefully turn into socks for me. This was my first real experiment spinning color, and I like how it turned out. Because the roving had been dyed in shades of blues and purples, the plying gave it an interesting, subtle shaded look. I'm anxious to see how it will look knit up.

I think my spinning is improving somewhat. It's definitely not beyond very basic beginner level, but every skein seems to build on what I learned with the last. I still feel tied more to what the fiber wants to be rather than what I want the yarn to look like, but I'm not too upset about that. You know, I barely remember what it felt like to be such a beginner at knitting, because I knew the basics when I came back to it a year and a half ago. The knit and purl movements were there; I had only to refine them (and how hard is it, really?). But spinning has a dozen different movements, combined with machinery that must be adjusted, and tinkering with just one aspect changes the end product. It's a process, and mastery must take a lifetime. But I'm learning, a yard at a time.

Before I forget, congratulations to Laura, who knit the sample of Annie Modesitt's Bias Corset! (And can I add that there are a number of promising designs in this one, based on the tiny pictures?)

Next time: progress photos of Green Gable and the never-ending afghan.

2006-04-05T17:10:00.000-04:00

Blogging and Professionalism

A recent episode involving a popular designer/teacher/blogger and a yarn store owner (with a blog) made me start to think about blogging and professionalism. I've read some about this lately (the anonymous big law firm associate who outed herself only after she got a book deal comes to mind). That lawyer's blog, though, is different from the subject I'm addressing here. There is a difference between a professional venting about a situation at work on an "anonymous" personal blog (which can still be unacceptable in a number of circumstances) and a professional using a blog for mixed personal and work-related purposes venting about the same kind of situation. I'm discussing the latter here.

I'm a late-comer to the blog phenomenon, but I read blogs for awhile before beginning my own, and I still read a number of them daily. Some are purely personal, generally knitting-related with some mentions of family and daily life. Others mix professional and personal lives--I include the knitbloggers with books or other knitting-related internet businesses in this one (the Yarn Harlot, Mason Dixon Knitting, the Knitty blog, Wendyknits, etc.).

These bloggers have special challenges, I think. Each chooses to post a certain amount of personal information on their blogs, yet those blogs are also used for business purposes (promoting books and designs, listing events, selling patterns, etc.). What do you do, then, when personal and business collide? For example, what do you do if you have a problem with your editor or publisher? A yarn store owner cancels your appearance at the last minute, without any warning? Or, alternatively, you have major life issues that could affect your work?

...

I wrote the above last week and let it marinate for awhile before continuing. I find this a really compelling and thought-provoking topic, even if others are ready to dismiss it as a blogger's "right" to say what she/he pleases. I won't get into the legal existence or non-existence of freedom of speech on the Internet (the Google China site is a good example of the lack of free speech), and I'll assume for purposes of the argument that bloggers do have the right to say whatever they want.

Because a person has the ability and "right" to make a statement does not mean that the statement is wise. For example, suppose your boss is a complete idiot who sends you off on mundane, useless tasks that you despise. Nevertheless (and leaving out all possibility of libel/slander), you would probably not take out an ad in the local newspaper or trade journal to describe what a total wanker your boss is and how he has caused your high blood pressure. It would not be a wise thing to do, assuming you wanted to keep this job or work in the same field or location.

That is the crux of the blog problem--mixing professional and personal information on a blog requires the blogger to make determinations about what is appropriate or not appropriate, given the blogger's readership and profession. Maybe it helps to think about two kinds of readers for an average "mixed" blog. In the knitting world, there are (1) potential customers (which could include yarn store owners, book or pattern buyers, and/or advertisters) who read your blog and (2) casual readers (which could include non-knitting friends or family members). To some degree, your blog is advertising to the first class of readers--new products, appearances, etc. While blogging about your latest health issue or a bad experience you had at a yarn store or with a customer may help you vent your frustration and be great entertainment for casual readers, that information may turn off potential customers. High drama is fun but not professional.

People disagree about what constitutes too much information in the professional world every day, and I'm not saying that blogs should be sanitized to exclude all non-knitting content. I think that would harm some of the bloggers I listed above. However, there has to be some consideration taken by a "professional" blogger as to what information is appropriate or inappropriate under the circumstances. Would you want a potential customer to read about a terrible experience you had with a customer (in which you disparage the customer, fair or not)? If you were in that potential customer's shoes, what would you think? These bloggers are, in many ways, selling their personalities as much as their wares.

Next time, I'll be back with something more interesting!

2006-04-02T15:35:00.000-04:00

A Stash Flash Addendum

Karen and I went to a yarn sale today. A man was selling his aunt's stash. I'm glad I went, and not only for the bargains. This woman had many, many skeins tagged for specific projects. It made me a little sad, thinking about how many projects I have planned and wondering how many will be lingering in the stash for years to come.

But I will cease with the sad parts and go on to the good parts. I bought a LOT of yarn, and I may go back next week to buy a bit more. At these sales, I usually expect to find a lot of crap and a small amount of worthwhile things. This was just the opposite--a lot of beautiful yarns and very few bad acrylics. I don't think there was a single skein of Red Heart Supersaver.

On to the purchases!

That's 11 skeins of Manos, 3 skeins of Bartlett, and 3 skeins of a funky 100% wool called Flaminia, by Schaffhauser Wolle.

11 skeins of Pingouin Fleur de Laine, a lovely, soft 100% wool. (I know the photo is blurry; this yarn did not want to photograph well.)

12 skeins Filatura di Crosa Kinair, which feels very similar to Kidsilk Haze.

41 (yes, 41) skeins Rowan Designer DK. Destined to become 2 sweaters from Alice Starmore's Fishermen's Sweaters. There will probably be enough left over for a third sweater.

10 skeins Anny Blatt angora. The green is 50/50 wool/angora; the pink, blue, and yellow are 70/30 angora/wool.

Last but not least, 22 skeins Anny Blatt No. 4. Likely destined to be a fair isle something.

2006-03-31T18:32:00.000-05:00

STASH FLASH 2006

There's something a little intimidating about the Stash. There's so much promise, yet so little time to actually do anything. I'm not going to muse too much on it; I know some of this was accumulated before I knew what I liked, and my stashing is--I hope--more thoughtful now. I think the annual inventory is a good thing, though. There are yarns I have definite plans for, some I can't bear to part with because they have so much potential, and the "what was I thinking??" yarns that will probably go up for trade or to charity. At any rate, begin the Flash!

We begin our tour in the living room, the prime knitting space. The wheel lives here, as does two baskets of yarn and works in progress.

This basket contains a number of projects (I nearly said "problems," which is also apt) that, for whatever reason, I haven't finished. Really, there are only 3-4 projects in here, and they're all small. This basket also has two colors of Paton's Kroy sock yarn, as well as a number of partial balls of green wool I thought to use on my Fuzzy Feet.

This photo shows the contents of the second basket (not all of it fits). The darker off-white yarn is Cestari, used for the Aran afghan in progress. The red yarn is Southwest Trading Co. Karaoke, for the Lady Eleanor Entrelac in progress. The variegated yarn is the Socks That Rock I'm using for the baby socks from my last post. The lighter off-white is Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca Silk, to make the gloves from Handknit Holidays. I ran into some issues with the thumb, so the project is stalled. The black sock is Paton's Kroy for my husband. Finally, the green and white is Brooks Farm Harmony, a shawl in progress.

Now we move to the primary yarn storage area, the guest room. This is the guest bed/yarn storage.

Drawer 1: Mostly wools
From left to right, top to bottom
Cherry Tree Hill wool boucle
Cherry Tree Hill Twister
2 skeins Classic Elite Lush
4 skeins Debbie Bliss Maya (the blue variegated yarn)
14 skeins random fingering-weight wool
Row 2:
2 skeins turquoise Cherry Tree Hill possum
2 skeins Cherry Tree Hill wool
1 skein Cascade 220
2 skeins natural colored (buff) alpaca
4 partial skeins Morehouse Merino in pinks (barely visible)
Lion Brand Alpaka (gray)
1 skein Lamb's Pride Naturespun (pink)
Row 3:
Morehouse Merino shawl kit--yarn is a slightly variegated red
Variegated Morehouse Merino lace
1 skein Cherry Tree Hill Supersock
1 hank Claudia Handpaints
3 skeins Paton's Classic Merino (black)
1 skein Paton's Classic Merino (peacock blue)
6 skeins Bartlett Yarns
Row 4:
3 skeins Shepherd Colour 4 Me (pink and cream)
1 partial skein Lamb's Pride Bulky
2 skeins Malabrigo in Paris Night
2 skeins Rio de la Plata (gray)
3 skeins Rowan Kid Classic (1 burgundy, 2 green)
1 skein GGH (red)
2 more skeins Paton's Classic Merino (burgundy and peacock blue)
Half-frogged bulky yarn from handpaintedyarn.com

Drawer 2: laceweight & cottons (again, left to right, top to bottom)
7 skeins Brilla sparkly off-white
10 skeins red Rowan All-Seasons Cotton
10 skeins yellowy-cream Rowan All-Seasons Cotton
Row 2:
1000 yds natural-colored mohair from Mohair in Motion at Rhinebeck
1 skein Feza Laser
2 skeins Classic Elite Marl La
2 skeins RYC Cashsoft (light green)
2 skeins KnitPicks Shine (gray)
1 skein Rowan Calmer (chocolate brown)
2 skeins Jaggerspun Zephyr (midnight blue)
3 skeins KnitPicks Wool of the Andes (green)
2 skeins Fortissima sock yarn (sparkly cream and green)
Row 3:
2 skeins lavender Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
2 skeins red Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
several skeins of Tahki Cotton Classic
3 of 4 skeins KnitPicks Shadow
5 skeins Dale Baby Ull
Row 4:
Brooks Farm Primero (blue-black)
4 skeins fingering weight cotton (Cascade? Can't remember at this second.)
3 skeins Mission Falls 1824 cotton
2 skeins KnitPicks Alpaca Cloud (gray)

Drawer 2, continued: Fiber and handspun (left to right, top to bottom)
1 pound mohair/wool top (I am officially afraid to spin this)
2 skeins 3-ply merino from handpaintedyarn.com
1 skein 2-ply Peruvian wool
1 skein 2-ply Corriedale, dyed with Wilton
1 skein 2-ply random top
2 skeins 2-ply random wool top
My first handspun
*The handspun progress goes right to left.
3 balls of roving Karen gave me (Shetland, Camel, and another wool)
4 balls of Corriedale, dyed with icing colors
2 gorgeous little bags of baby alpaca I bought at Brooklyn General

Drawer 3: Acrylics and random (left to right, top to bottom)
Lots of Cotton Ease (red, pink, yellow, blue)
Row 2:
4 skeins Brown Sheep Cotton Fleece
10 or so skeins of Jamieson's DK
1 skein Lion Brand Chenille (why?)
1 skein Bernat Disco (proof that even though it's free, it's no bargain)
Row 3:
Mohair-y yarn from ebay. Started White Lies Designs Angelina in it, but it stalled.
2 skeins KnitPicks Color Your Own laceweight that needs to be over-dyed
1 skein Lion Brand Homespun
Wool Ease Sport (6 skeins gray, 3 skeins blue, 3 skeins black)
Row 4:
1 skein Noro Silk Garden left over from Klaralund
1 skein Paton's Canadiana
2 skeins Wool Ease

Whew! I'm exhausted! Is now the time to confess that I bought 2 skeins of Cherry Tree Hill Supersock? And I may have an update after Karen and I go buy some

2006-03-21T20:47:00.000-05:00

Halfway Finished

I've been working on socks lately--on the subway, at jury duty today (from which I was thankfully dismissed), at Karen's house, and even at home. I also made a baby sock, using Ann Budd's Ruffle Ribs pattern available from Interweave Knits here. I used some of the beautiful Socks That Rock, in the Sedona colorway, that I bought at Rhinebeck. I forget how nice this yarn is until I pick it up again. It will be one of my few yarn purchases at Maryland Sheep & Wool.

Finished Jaywalker (and, yes, I cast on for the second one right away)

Finished baby sock

I also plied the merino from handpaintedyarn.com. I spun three bobbins and made a 3-ply yarn. I'm fairly pleased with this yarn, but my spinning certainly needs a lot of work. It is around fingering/sport weight, although I have not measured the wraps per inch.

A close up

Finally, I dyed a bit of Corriedale roving using icing coloring, similar to Wilton. I'm very pleased with the blue/purple, but I'm not sure about the green. I may overdye the resulting yarn.

So there! You have some photos and can be happy until I finish something more worthwhile--in May or June. You can always go look at Monkee's lace if you get bored.

2006-03-14T12:25:00.000-05:00

Yarn Shop Reviews
(wherein I blather about New York City yarn stores)

As an attempt to keep this blog from further irrelevance, and in light of the fact that I am mired in large knitting project land with no finished object photos for the near future, I thought I'd share some of my thoughts on yarn stores in NYC. There are also many, many other stores that I have not visited. And, of course, you may have a completely different experience at a store that I did. Some people love stores that I hate, and hate stores I love. That's the way it goes.

Manhattan
(Organized roughly from south to north)

Seaport Yarn
I like this store a lot. I generally go here when I need something specific, because they carry fairly complete lines of many yarns, and they carry a number of yarns that aren't stocked elsewhere in the city. I also come here if I need to just fondle yarns for a half hour. It's a small space for their vast stock, and I sometimes find that annoying--especially when I was looking for a ball of Noro in a particular color. They also do not take credit cards, except for purchases of more than $200. Customer service is there when you need it, but isn't overwhelming. The first time you visit, they generally give you a tour of the shop. It's in an old office suite, scattered among a number of offices, and a tour is helpful. They host knitting nights on Wednesdays, and the store is open until 8.

Downtown Yarns
This is one of the two shops in the city I won't patronize. To be fair, they have a nice selection of yarns and seem helpful, and I have heard glowing reviews from many people. However, I had a bad experience regarding a pattern there, and I won't give them my business.

Purl
I've been to Purl twice. Purl is very much in the vein of SoHo itself, I think: luxurious yarns displayed well in an inviting atmosphere. Celebrities reportedly visit, too. They have an amazing array of Manos del Uruguay and custom Lorna's Laces colors, both of which are worth the trip. I've had less than stellar customer service, but I do fine without it. This store seems to be at the top of every visitor's list, and I understand why, but it probably isn't in my top 5.

Suss
This is an interesting store, with a large, inviting space--a rarity in NYC yarn stores. Much of the inventory is devoted to Suss Cousins' own line of yarns, which are generally nice and priced fairly. Some of her more novelty-type yarns are particularly nice for what they are. They carry some Brown Sheep and Lorna's Laces, from what I recall. The store also offers handknit items, including a custom sweater service. In my opinion, the biggest draw is the store's inexpensive classes (approximately $40-$60) with free wine. I can't vouch for the quality, but there aren't many places in NYC where one can attend two learn-to-knit classes (2 hours each) for $60. It's not a regular stop for me, but it's a pleasant place to visit.

The Point
The Point is probably my favorite yarn store in Manhattan. It's conveniently located near my subway line, and it offers tables and a cafe for knitting. The store is always well-staffed, and its stock is fairly well thought-out for its clientele. The biggest drawback is that it's often very crowded, especially in the evenings. It's sometimes so crowded that it's difficult to get to the yarn. Of course, it's also open until 8 or later every weeknight, which makes it very convenient.

Knit New York
I've been to this store once, and I won't go back. I've heard mixed reviews of this store, and much of it seems to depend on who is working and/or managing the store. I was looking for a specific yarn, and they were listed as a stockist on the manufacturer's website. Instead of calling (as I should have), I decided to drop by and check out the store. When I asked about the yarn, the clerk and manager both treated me poorly. I didn't get a good feeling from the store/cafe, either, but it is spacious and open, with plenty of seating. If it were closer, I might go to knit and have a coffee, but I wouldn't buy yarn there.

School Products
This is almost the quintessential New York City yarn store to me. It's in the Garment District and offers more cones of yarn than skeins. There's also a good selection of yarn for dyeing. They stock the full line of Karabella, I think. I would go there more often if the prices were better; the coned yarns are not great values.

The Yarn Connection
I have been to this store only twice, both times for their Super Bowl sale. It's a small store with a good variety of yarns, including Jamieson's and Dale. The store seems to cater to an older knitter, and it's been around forever. The sales staff is knowledgeable and helpful, even in the onslaught that is their Super Bowl sale. It has a more "bread and butter" than boutique feel, which I like.

Stitches East
Okay, I lied when I said there were only two stores I wouldn't visit again. This is the third, unless I'm in dire need of needles or a magazine on my lunch break, and it can't wait until I can get downtown to The Point. It's the only yarn store in Midtown. The yarns aren't priced, and the selection is very strange, with moderately priced acrylics, expensive fibers, and not a lot of middle ground. The one time I visited, I stayed about 20 minutes with no acknowledgement by any of the three clerks. Don't go there unless you must.

The Yarn Co.
This store has, I think, more mixed reviews than any other store in NYC. I've been once and found that both could be true. You could have a wonderful experience there or a terrible one, depending on a number of factors. I went in search of a specific yarn (Blue Sky Cotton), which they apparently only stock in the summer. I was out of luck in November. The clerk who helped me was friendly, courteous, and helpful, even though the store was crowded. But it definitely felt that there was an "in" crowd among their regular customers. I could see someone walking in and getting horrible service as a result. It's not a convenient store for me, so I don't anticipate going back too soon. I would also say that if you do not enjoy their books, you might not enjoy their store. Maybe I resent them because their books are full of bulky, shapeless sweaters?

Brooklyn
(Organized roughly north to south, although my Brooklyn geography is bad.)

The Yarn Tree
I love this store, if only because it carries a wide variety of spinning supplies and was the first place I spun on a wheel. The owner is extremely helpful, and she stocks by far the widest variety of spinning fibers in the city. She also stocks Kromski and Schacht wheels. There is a large selection of Koigu, and she has some unique handspun offerings, too. The focus seems to be almost solely on natural fibers, with several organic fibers thrown in. I would go here more often if it were (a) not in Williamsburg and (b) closer to the subway. The store is open until 10 pm on weekdays, which is a definite bonus.

Knit-a-way
This is a great "bread and butter" store. They carry a very wide variety of yarns, including acrylics. Their basics are particularly good, I think, in both cotton and wool. However, they sometimes have issues with stocking enough of popular colors, and prices are high on some yarns (particularly the acrylics). The needle selection is unparalleled in the city, I think. It may just be that they are displayed well on a side wall. They also have a nice stock of books. I've had mixed customer service experiences, but I generally only go here when I know what I want or need. Or if I'm going to Target (six blocks away) and just want to browse for a bit.

Brooklyn General
Brooklyn General is my new favorite yarn store. It will become even more so if/when they carry more spinning supplies. It combines a great selection of yarns, fabrics, and notions with a wonderful atmosphere. The store would be a wonderful place to sit and knit, and I hope it's an option they will have if they move to a larger space (which is, I'm told, in the works). If I owned a yarn store, I would want it to look like this.

Stitch Therapy
I've gone back and forth on this shop. It's closest to my apartment, so I really want to like it. I've liked it the last two times I've been there. Their selection is a little eclectic, and not necessarily in a good way. I also hate the fact that their needles are not out on display. But the staff is very nice, and it's close. It's not a store I would go out of my way for, but it is nice to have relatively nearby.

The store I most need to visit is Habu, and it will happen soon.

2006-03-14T11:54:00.000-05:00

Has it really been that long since I blogged?

It's been a strange couple of weeks. I've been knitting and spinning, but I haven't finished much. I finally finished some extremely boring socks for my husband last night and started the Jaywalkers for myself, in Claudia Handpaints (the Turquoise Jeans colorway). It's really lovely yarn, and I like the pattern so far. I hope this gets me over the sock-knitting hump. I love handknit socks, but I'm not sure how I feel about knitting them. Some of my dislike stems from the fact that the socks I have knit have been taupe, charcoal, and black. These are bold, handpainted, and gorgeous. The yarn is a bit "energized" (read, overspun and twisty), which is good in the finished product but not so good for knitting.

I also knit Shedir, to be used as a chemo cap. I started it originally for a very dear family friend who was diagnosed with cancer in mid-February. Unfortunately, she passed away unexpectedly about 3 weeks after her diagnosis. She was one of my mother's best friends, kindergarten teacher for me, my sister, and various other friends and family members, and married to my 8th grade teacher. My family, her family and my uncle's family all vacationed together when we were younger. It's been difficult, especially for my mom. I think she's contemplating her on mortality, which is both good and bad. We're finally starting to talk about normal things again, not her illness or the funeral or how the family is doing.

The good news is that the chemo cap has gone to another wonderful woman in my hometown. She had her first chemo treatment last Thursday. It's been therapeutic, in a way. I'm glad I was able to do something that felt tangible.

Anyway, I should have yarn photos fairly soon, since I'm nearly finished with the third bobbin of merino. It may be a while before any knitted items are posted, but I will try to offer my astounding words of wisdom on some topic or another.

2006-02-26T17:35:00.000-05:00

A finished Kiri and two works in progress

Kiri, a birthday gift for my mother-in-law, was finished and blocked yesterday. The pattern is by Polly Outhwaite of All Tangled Up. I used nearly 3 skeins of Madil Kid Seta in color 486. It's somewhere between violet and light blue.

This wasn't a terribly challenging lace knit, although I made mistakes. I think I've finally learned that lace requires a true understanding of the pattern. Once I finally realized what each repeat should be doing on each row, it was much easier. Memorizing the pattern as much as possible helps, too. I didn't use lifelines or stitch markers for this pattern, although I think it could be helpful. I get lazy and don't want to make the effort. My next lace project, to be completed after Lady Eleanor, is this from Folk Shawls, in a random red fingering-weight wool I bought for $1/ball.

I've also worked on Lady Eleanor's Entrelac Shawl from Scarf Style. I'm using Southwest Trading Company's Karaoke, which has long color changes, similar to Noro. The color changes in this particular shade are subtle, going from a deep maroon to a true copper.

I've also been working on the Cabled Throw, from Debbie Bliss's Simple Living. I'm using Cestari yarn from Chester Farms.

I also convinced my husband to model Saranac. (His un-showered state necessitated a sweater-only photo.)

Thank you for all the kind comments on Klaralund! I am feeling better about it, but I think it will need a trip in the dryer to tighten up a bit. The garter stitch lends itself to expansion too easily.

2006-02-23T09:35:00.000-05:00

Klaralund

This was a quick knit, and I sewed it up last night (staying up past my bedtime, of course--witness the ends hanging out). It came out like I expected, but I have my reservations about the finished sweater. I like it, but I don't like it. I'm hoping it grows on me, and I think it will. If it doesn't, I'll just frog it and knit something else.

I apologize for the dark photos. Dustin took one with a flash, and it was just scary. My face glowed. Believe me, it's better this way.

Stats:
Pattern by Cornelia Tuttle Hamilton, Noro Book 2
Yarn is Noro Silk Garden, Color 208, 10 skeins
I made the 42" size.

Thoughts:
It turned out how I expected, but I'm not sure about the fit. It feels a little too flower child for me. I love the colors, and I really don't mind that the stripes don't match. I think this pattern does a good job of highlighting Noro's "handmade" feel (and turning it into a positive, not a negative). Part of it, I believe, is that I really liked this sweater from the beginning, and it isn't as amazing as I'd pictured it in my head.

I'm anxious to hear your thoughts, though! And, please, constructive criticism is always welcome!

In other news, Karen and Tamara came over with their 5 year old sons to try out the wheel on Sunday. The first time at the wheel is always frustrating, but they did a great job and just need some more practice! Hopefully, Karen will post photos of their first skein!

After some problems with the border, Kiri should be finished this weekend. I have some thoughts on that project and lace knitting, as well, that I'll include in that post.

2006-02-17T10:42:00.000-05:00

Ah, Berroco.

Berroco's fugliness has been well-documented. (See Exhibit A, Exhibit B). I receive Berroco's KnitBits newsletter in my inbox every Friday, and I open it with some trepidation--what horrific example of knitting will I see today? Yes, today's was definitely terrible (see here), but I want to talk about another phenomenon in their newsletter--fake questions.

You see, in every KnitBits newsletter, there is a question from an aspiring "knitter" (and I use that term loosely) about one of Berroco's "yarns" or "patterns." I suspect these are most often made up by the "editors" to sell said "yarns" and "patterns."

Witness today's post:

Roberta from cyberspace wrote: "I love your new ribbon yarn Yoga. I want to make a dressy top to wear to my niece's wedding in your color #6412 Ashram. I want to wear it over some linen pants that will coordinate. I look best in tunics and I love to wear lots of big jewelry. I want a cover-up with some conservative drama. Vilma looks interesting but the drawstring and bare upper arm is not for me. Can you help me modify this pattern?"

Before we move on to the answer, let's examine the question first. This woman wants to knit a top out of this yarn to wear to a wedding? My misgivings about using ribbon yarn to knit a top aside, this questioner wants to knit a "cover-up with some conservative drama." I don't know what she thinks "conservative drama" means, but metallic gold ribbon doesn't exactly scream conservative to me.

So what about the pattern she wants to alter in order to create this "conservative drama?"

This seems a little more Jeanne Bice than Nancy Reagan, no?

And Berroco's supportive response:

"Roberta, I am so glad that you asked this question. I want all our readers to know that you can feel free to omit details to suit your individual style. Vilma can become a u-neck tunic by simply omitting the sleeve slits and the drawstring at the side. Another option for a dressy tunic that looks great with loads of big jewelry is Megan in Booklet #244 knit in Cotton Twist™. For a western take on Megan you could knit it in Suede™, Suede™ Deluxe or Suede™ Tri-Color. I hope I can encourage you and our readers to feel free to take our patterns to another level.

Be creative . . . be free!"

Margery Winter
Creative Director

Doesn't this seem to be a set-up from the start? You be the judge.

Coming next week--photos of Kiri and afghan in progress, finished photos of Saranac, if my husband will pose.

2006-02-13T10:21:00.000-05:00

A Weekend of Little Progress

Have you ever had one of those weekends when nothing you pick up seems to go right? At one point on Saturday, every knitting project I had in progress had something wrong with it. There was Saranac, with the crooked zipper. It's fixable, but not something I wanted to deal with, nonetheless. There was the second Fuzzy Foot; I had zoned out, misread the pattern, and had to rip back the gusset--and somehow lost 2 stitches in the process. Then there was Kiri, suffering from a moment of overconfidence that required me ripping back 6 rows. Yes, I know it's an easy lace pattern, and I finally "get" what I'm supposed to be doing on each row. But sometimes I get ahead of myself and screw up.

Finally, there was the afghan. The self-designed Aran afghan with a required completion date of July 1. I started it and hated it. It wasn't looking right, was a pain to knit, and sucked up yarn like there was no tomorrow. It was time for plan B--Debbie Bliss' Cabled Throw from Simple Living. I'd looked at this and disregarded it as being too small, but it suddenly looked much more attractive on Saturday evening. I went up one needle size, to a US 9, and added a cable repeat, which would make it quite a bit larger. Eleven rows in to the cable pattern, I realized that I wasn't going to have enough yarn, and I needed to knit this with the original number of repeats. That led to another frogging adventure. I wasn't completely upset, however, because Bliss had written one line of the cable pattern in an extremely confusing way. After looking at my trusty Barbara Walker treasury, I realized what she meant. I just wish she could have done it in a more coherent way.

On Saturday night, needless to say, I decided that a hiatus from knitting was in order. So I finished spinning the first bobbin of merino.

On Sunday, things were a bit brighter. I had ripped Kiri back and begun again, finishing two repeats before the day was over. Then I started the cabled throw again, knitting 11 rows of the border before I decided it was time for bed.

Isn't it a good thing I decided not to participate in the Knitting Olympics?

2006-02-07T19:06:00.000-05:00

A Charlie Brown Sweater

Amy, a friend of mine for many years, married a man named Charlie Brown. Unfortunately, it's a family name. They're expecting a baby any day now. At first, they were told it was a girl, and Amy was ecstatic, in part because she wouldn't have to follow the family tradition and have a son named Charlie Brown. Of course, she went in for more tests, and they learned it was a boy. That's when I knew I had to knit this.

I used a pattern from here, though in retrospect I could certainly have made it without a pattern. The trademark zig-zag is duplicate stitch.

Yarn: About 1 and 1/3 skeins Blue Sky Cotton in Poppy and about 1/3 to 1/2 in Black
The colors are about as close as I could get to the original, at least in a washable yarn. They aren't quite right, but I can live with it.

I was been busy this weekend with Kiri and the Fuzzy Feet. Somehow, I managed to overlook the directions on Fuzzy Feet and do twice the amount of gusset decreases. I had to put it aside for awhile after making that mistake.

I was also busy spinning this.

It's merino roving from Handpainted Yarn (the Malabrigo folks). It's quite soft and fairly easy to spin, once I started using Paula Simmons' method. Her method is actually easier with short-staple fiber than with long-staple fiber. I have about 10.5 ounces of this roving, and I plan to do a 3-ply yarn, I believe. I also finished plying some nondescript gray Peruvian wool.

I realized today that I have really overcommitted myself and have too much to knit. Here's the list:

- Kiri for mother-in-law (must be finished next month)
- Klaralund for me (strictly subway knitting now; on a bit of a hiatus)
- Zipper sewn on Saranac for husband
- Fuzzy Feet for me (no time-limit)
- Self-designed Aran afghan for wedding gift (July 1)
- 4 baby gifts, one in April, three in August; most complicated one is around the beginning of July--this
- Lady Eleanor Entrelac stole from Scarf Style for me (on hiatus)
- Two socks for husband, which will complete two pairs

Something will have to give. I think I will be okay if I get a lot finished on Kiri this weekend and cast on for the afghan. The afghan has me worried, though.

2006-01-30T21:19:00.000-05:00

Better Late Than Never

A few photos, as promised.

Handspun

The brown yarn is an unknown wool top that I bought with the wheel. It is much more chocolate brown in real life; the colors did not show up well on this one. It felt a little old and dry to spin up, but I like the finished product. Part of the top was used to ply with my first handspun (posted below).

The teal yarn is natural-colored Corriedale roving purchased from The Yarn Tree in Brooklyn. I dyed it using Wilton dyes after spinning and plying. I have no idea what I will do with it, but I do like the color.

Saranac

This is the almost finished Saranac. I used nearly 14 skeins of Wool of the Andes, from KnitPicks, in Fern. I knit the smallest size. I really like the way this yarn knit up, especially for the price.

To finish the sweater, I need to find a zipper and sew it into the neck opening, sew down the neckband, and weave in the ends. It will also benefit from a good blocking.

I enjoyed the pattern. The instructions were clear, although I had to make some decisions myself (i.e., how to incorporate the sleeve increases into the pattern). I quite like making those decisions, because it makes me truly understand how the pattern works, but I know some people don't.

I originally wanted to make a nice gansey for my husband, but this is what he wanted. Maybe the next one will be a little more exciting.

Finally, half the pieces of Klaralund

This has been a quick, easy knit so far. I've been a little concerned about whether I have enough yarn, but I should have just enough. (And by "just," I mean seaming with another yarn to finish it up.) I may buy an extra skein anyway, but I'm going to wait and see.

In other knitting news, I frogged Kiri after realizing that I misread the needle size. I was using a 5.5 mm, when the original pattern was written for a 4.5 mm needle. I'm using Madil Kid Seta, which is essentially the same yarn as Kidsilk Haze, and I need to buy a new size 7 needle Crystal Palace circular.

Also, I think I'm one of only a handful of knitbloggers (if, in fact, I can lay claim to that title yet) who is not participating in the Yarn Harlot's Knitting Olympics. I have too many projects that need to be started soon (Kiri, the self-designed Aran afghan, one or two baby gifts), and I'm not going to commit to finishing one in 16 days.

There wasn't much spinning this weekend, because I'm fairly caught up in knitting projects. I'm trying to learn Paula Simmons' method (Spinning for Softness and Speed), which is coming along slowly but surely.

Next time, better photos, I hope. I unfortunately have a camera that is smarter than I am.

2006-01-24T10:23:00.000-05:00

A Brief Update

I found out yesterday that work is sending me away overnight, so last night was a chaotic mess of deciding what to wear and, more importantly, what knitting to bring. I'm on the yoke of Saranac, which makes it far too bulky to lug around. I started Kiri for my mother-in-law's birthday, but I'm only a few rows in. For me, lace and airports don't mix. Plus, the Madil Kid Seta is tricky stuff. So, I broke down and started Klaralund last night. I was waiting to finish Saranac before beginning this, but the opportunity presented itself. This will be a quick, mindless knit; it's 4 pieces, no shaping, and just a few stitch changes here and there. I brought 4 extra balls with me, just in case I get stuck in the airport. Of course, I need to be doing work instead....

On Thursday, photos of progress (if I remember)!

2006-01-20T10:51:00.000-05:00

A Meme...

I don't normally do these, and I won't make a practice of it, but the lovely Laura tagged me, and I couldn't say no. She coerces me to buy yarn all the time, so how could I resist?

4 jobs that you have had in your lifetime (yes, many are food-related)
* waitress at Cracker Barrel
* research assistant calling extension agents asking drought-related questions
* hostess at Chili's
* To-Go specialist at Olive Garden

4 movies that you could watch over and over
* Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
* The BBC Pride & Prejudice miniseries (don't talk to me about the new movie--I won't see it)
* Persuasion (another Jane Austen)
* The Cutting Edge (although I don't currently own it)

4 places that you have lived (in order, omitting most current places of residence)
* South Royalton, VT
* Knoxville, TN
* Marburg, Germany
* Wartburg, TN

4 TV shows that you love to watch
* CSI
* Grey's Anatomy
* House
* Arrested Development

4 places that you have been on vacation
* pretty much anywhere in Western Europe
* Charleston, SC
* Disney World
* Morocco

4 websites that you visit daily
* Gmail
* Knittyboard
* CNN
* Gawker

4 of your favorite foods
* Fried chicken
* Chocolate chip cookies
* Peaches
* Bacon

4 places that you would rather be right now
* At home
* Tennessee
* Germany
* Disney World

2006-01-19T10:20:00.000-05:00

Stitch 'N Bitch

If you want to read more about the Debbie Stoller/Sew Fast Sew Easy trademark saga, go read The Girl From Auntie. She knows her stuff, and she explains the legalese behind it all extremely well. And don't go posting evil things to SFSE's boards, okay?

And if you want to do something more substantial, buy from this site. The profits are going to a legal fund to fight Sew Fast Sew Easy.

2006-01-18T18:28:00.000-05:00

Changes and Progress

I decided the previous template was a bit dark, in the end, and decided white would be better. So, here goes with a new look.

I've done some swatching on the afghan project, and I've decided on the cables. More discussion about that in future posts, when I nail down the pattern specifics and start knitting. I'm worried about the tree motif, but I think I've done the math accurately and it will be the size I want.

I've also been knitting on Saranac (see post below) and am nearly finished with the first sleeve after a frantic knitting session on Monday. I like it, and the Wool of the Andes from KnitPicks has been wonderful to work with, so far. My husband actually picked it over Cascade 220, in a head-to-head softness challenge.

I also now have the pattern and yarn for Klaralund, which precipitated the knitting marathon. I'm forcing myself to finish Saranac before I start Klaralund. Of course, it took a trip to three yarn stores and calls to two more, before I found the pattern. The third store, closest to where I live (of course), was the winner. I'm very fickle in my affections for yarn stores.

There has been some spinning, too, and some dyeing, which I have never done before. Photos will come soon, I hope.

2006-01-09T10:05:00.000-05:00

Visualizing the Design

This is the most difficult part of the process for me, I think. How will all the elements go together to make something harmonious? What should I use to highlight the central panel? Much of this will have to wait until the yarn arrives, so I can begin swatching. For now, though, I have the following thoughts and ideas.

1. All the cables other than the central twined trees pattern must be somewhat simple. At this point, they will probably be alternating narrow and wider cables, fairly basic.

2. The background for the trees is reverse stockinette, so the rest of the cables should have the same background stitch.

3. I will do a garter stitch border around 4" wide. The entire afghan will be knitted in one piece, unless there's some reason justifying a sewn-on border. (Anyone know a reason why this might be the case? Weight?)

In the meantime, I'm keeping busy with a new sweater project, Saranac from the Knitty Men's Issue. This is only my second adult sweater, and the first for my husband. I want to alter the neckline, but he likes it better that way. I'm several inches into the body already; the garter rib goes quickly.

This is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes, in Fern, I think. The colors are fairly accurate on my monitor, though the red background always seems to alter color somewhat.

Last but certainly not least, I received my final package from my Knitty Secret Pal, Suzanne (aka gibbous)! Suzanne was extremely kind, and sent me so many wonderful things in the past few months! This package was certainly no exception, as you can see:

From left to right:
2 skeins MarL La, by Classic Elite
2 skeins Fortissima Disco (I think)
1 skein KnitPicks Shadow
Knitting Over the Edge
Lantern Moon needles (!)
Gorgeous handknitted and fulled bag from Noro (made by Suzanne herself)--it has the neatest looped cord handle!
A fair isle bag pattern
6 skeins Tahki Cotton Classic to make the bag

I have been extremely spoiled this round, so much so that I think I'm taking the next one off! Suzanne did so well, finding exactly what I wanted and turning me on to so many new things, from Lantern Moon needles to new Debbie Bliss patterns. I was exceptionally lucky!

And, finally, because I've talked about it enough....

The Schacht Matchless DT, in its natural habitat.

2006-01-06T17:49:00.000-05:00

Yarn Selection (or, an exercise in stash enhancement)

First, an answer to Donna's question: Yes, the two entwined tree motif will be on the center of the afghan. I don't plan on changing the size, except for any changes that might occur because of my gauge size. But I'll know more when I swatch. The trees made me think of marriage--roots, entwined branches.

With the vaguest details of the afghan decided, we move on to the yarn selection. For an afghan, this is critical, I think. First, Sara will be gaining a young 2-year-old stepdaughter from this marriage (they will have her half the time, I think), and both she and her husband-to-be work full time. So washability is definitely a factor. Second, I've looked at relatively similar designs and estimated somewhere around 2400 yards of yarn for this afghan. This is not an inexpensive project, no matter what yarn you choose. Third, this is an afghan--it needs warmth (they live in Vermont), some degree of softness, and durability.

I started looking at the usual suspects--superwash wools and acrylic/wool blends. (Cotton would be too heavy in this blanket.) I was looking for worsted/aran weight, preferably more on the aran side; this decision was again based on my examination of similar patterns. Based on this, I narrowed it down to 2 primary choices: Cascade 220 Superwash or Plymouth Encore.

Then I remembered a yarn I had seen on Laura's blog last week. She had tested Cestari yarn from Chester Farms for a cabled sweater. This wool claims to be washable, and Laura put it to the test. It passed with flying colors and softened up beautifully. At $5.99 for a 210 yard skein, it was comparable to Plymouth Encore, and I've decided to give it a shot. After a quick phone call with an extremely pleasant employee, in which we debated the merits of several colors, I will soon be getting 12 skeins of a color somewhere between white and tan. Then the swatching will begin!

Next...Final Knitty SecretPal 5 package and visualizing the afghan design.

2006-01-06T10:03:00.000-05:00

An exercise in design

Sara, a good friend of mine, announced last week that she is getting married on July 1. After some thought, I've decided an afghan would be a nice gift. She's the type who would appreciate it. I dragged out the pattern books, looked at the afghan and throw patterns, and decided a nice cabled, Aran-type afghan would be perfect--classic and timeless. But I didn't like any of the patterns I found.

And then, with visions of cable patterns swarming through my head, I thought of this. I've never liked the sweater, but I thought the center cable was very interesting and filed it away for future reference. Once I saw it again, I knew it should be the center of a cabled afghan for Sara.

So, the idea for an afghan is born. It is a very good thing that I have nearly 6 months to design and knit this; it is sure to be a challenge.

Stay tuned! Tomorrow--yarn selection and beginning ideas!

2006-01-03T07:42:00.000-05:00

A Knitting Annoyance

There's a trend I've noticed among many knitters lately. They won't do math. Now, I'm not a math genius, and I don't particularly like doing math. But let's face it--knitting requires math. Sure, you can make all the fun fur scarves you like without ever writing down the first number (or maybe even counting), but you can't make anything as complex as, say, a hat, without a little bit of figuring.

It's a dirty secret, but it's true. Knitting (at any level beyond true beginner) requires a little bit of math. But doesn't nearly everything in life? If you cook, you know that math is required to adjust recipes or substitute ingredients. I am an attorney (a profession many pursue because of its so-called lack of math) and I have to do math--adding hours worked and random math required for cases. So why would anyone think that a hobby (obsession) that requires custom fitting objects to size would not require math??? It doesn't require much--it wouldn't be beyond your average 10-year-old--but some knowledge is needed.

What brings on this rant, you ask? An increasing number of questions like, "How do I decrease 15 stitches evenly when I have 80 on my needle? The designer didn't tell me how to do that, and I hate him/her because I paid good money for an incomplete pattern." I know I need my hand held on new techniques (and I screwed up more than I care to admit when I was a serious beginner--knots, no ends woven in, curling stockinette--you name it, I did it), but if it mattered that much, the designer would put it in the pattern. And it takes a few seconds to fudge it; it doesn't have to be exactly every 5.333 stitches, though I would love to see someone try that.

Okay, enough ranting. The wheel hopefully arrives today, and I'll set to using some WD-40 on the few unfortunate rusty areas that resulted because it was a shop model, give the thing a nice oiling, and take some photos for your viewing pleasure. I also got other knitting- and fiber-related Christmas gifts, but I'll wait until later to list them.

2006-01-02T14:23:00.000-05:00

I'm back!

After more than a week in Tennessee with family, I'm exhausted. It's always good to go back, but there seems to be so much to do in such a short time! And we never get to see everyone.

I got my Schact Matchless DT for Christmas, and it's amazing! I went to the LYS where my parents purchased it and bought all the extra whorls and bobbins she had, which puts me at 4 regular bobbins, 4 hi speed bobbins, and 4 whorls. I only need 2 whorls to complete the set, I think.

Here is my first handspun. I feel pretty good about it, since it's so much better than my spindle spinning (no, I don't have pictures of the cat vomit I made on the spindle). I plied two different colors for these two hanks. The colors in the photos are fairly accurate, but the red wall throws them off a bit. What do you think? Suggestions, comments?

2005-12-19T11:28:00.000-05:00

Christmas insanity

Yes, I am insane. I decided this last night when, after spending much of the weekend baking and making fudge (as well as doing last-minute shopping and going to a Christmas party), I cast on for a hat. And this isn't just any hat. It's a Christmas-present-that-has-to-be-finished-in-4-days hat (that the recipient is not expecting). Oh, and did I mention that I still have 3 pairs of slippers to felt? And a scarf to finish? And that a NYC transit strike is looming, when we're flying to Tennessee Friday morning?

I almost had a breakdown last night thinking of it all. Then I scrapped the last batch of cookies, had husband run out and buy some Hershey's Kisses for filling up the gift boxes, and got over it. Sometimes the German martyr syndrome comes out a bit too much. It's also known as the "Martha has nothing on me but free time and lots of helpers" syndrome. I did inherit this from my mother and grandmother. I also suspect my great-grandmother was the same way, but it's a whole new ballgame when the women start working outside the home. You're expected to do all these wonderful homemaker-type things IN ADDITION TO holding down a regular job. And I don't even have children yet.

On a brighter note, I finished the first sleeve of the Charlie Brown sweater. I bought the pattern here, although I almost wish I'd charted it out myself. I like the blanket pattern, though. The sweater calls for duplicate stitch, but I think I may do intarsia, because I'm not sure I have enough yarn otherwise. I'm using Blue Sky Cotton, which is just lovely. I'm afraid of the pilling, but it's a newborn sweater, washable and soft, so it will be okay.

My plan was to take photos of all the Christmas knitting, but I'm not sure that will happen. Maybe I can take photos of the recipients trying to look pleased that they received a hat/slippers/a scarf instead of a normal gift.

Even though I've enjoyed the Christmas knitting, it will be nice to get going on new and interesting projects. Next up: gloves from Handknit Holidays for me and Saranac for husband.

2005-12-12T13:33:00.000-05:00

Well, Christmas knitting is all but finished. No, I haven't done the holiday cards yet; I think I'm going to send out cards to a much abbreviated list of 10-15 recipients. If I'm not going to do a good job at it, I might as well not do it at all. I'm planning the cookies and fudge for co-workers--I like to do something, but nothing that makes them feel obligated. The baking will be next weekend, I think. Shopping is almost finished, but there are always the odds and ends to be purchased.

I actually enjoyed knitting most Christmas gifts this year (except the third pair of felted clogs that my husband decided his father had to have about a week ago and which are still in progress). It was nice having a goal and recipient in mind, rather than my usual "I want to try [insert new technique]" knitting. I did learn fair isle while knitting Christmas gifts, and I improved my lace knitting (and tinking back several rows, but let's not start on that). I also improved my intarsia technique, which I'll need for the baby sweater that's up next (a Charlie Brown sweater, complete with zigzag).

I finished the lace wrap Saturday and blocked it Saturday night. There are one or two mistakes where I apparently decided to skip two rows in the pattern, but it's one of those mistakes that only I will notice, really. I'll have a hard time giving this away, though. Lace is like that, I've learned.

Work has apparently slowed down, and I'm not going to work hard to get new assignments, since it's almost Christmas and I may apply for a new job soon.

2005-12-07T09:43:00.000-05:00

Christmas Knitting

I've been working away steadily at finishing the Christmas knitting. Only the lace shawl for my mom is concerning me--in part because I foolishly took it to a group knitting event and attempted to work on it. If you've ever done it, you know what happened (what always happens when lace and lack of concentration combine). I fucked up. My stitch count is off. And I think it's bad enough that I need to try running an after-the-fact lifeline a few rows down, then rip it out. I can't look at it for a day or two more, so I'm going to start on Saturday and finish this thing this weekend, I hope.

Meanwhile, I've been using some gifts to practice fair isle. I made one hat for my dad with a simple motif, but it was terrible. So I tried again, making a small bag from Handknit Holidays, then a second hat for dad. Both turned out very well, and my technique is getting much better. It's still not good enough for a complicated fair isle, but it's getting there. I'm holding both yarns in my right hand, because I have serious issues trying to hold the yarn in my left. My thought is, why do something that's uncomfortable, when you can master a technique that builds on skills you already have?

The technique I'm using is described in Sally Melville's third book. Definitely a helpful resource for a colorwork beginner. Next up is, hopefully, a book of fair isle motifs.

Over Christmas, I plan to work on a baby sweater and some gloves for me, I think. Then it's on to a sweater for my husband and a lace shawl for me.

The new Knitty is a mixed bag for me. I think Bamboozelle is a nice use of bamboo yarn. Hemp might also be an interesting choice for this design. I also really like Bristow, something that I plan to knit in the not-too-distant future. It's a classic design that is a cut above many of the sweaters in Knitty, I think. There are several others I am fairly indifferent to, though I've seen Tubey in person, and it's an interesting design that I could see myself knitting--without stripes.

On the other hand, there's this. Can anyone tell me why this was published? I'm tired of the overuse of bobbles, and did the designer actually knit a gauge swatch, or is this a project gone awry? I'm sure it's fashionable, but I would never waste yarn on it. A little less enormous, with the addition of a front and back and the deletion of the bobbles, this might be an okay bed jacket type garment, but its current form is just terrible.

I'm still waiting for Interweave and, hopefully, Spin Off, but I'm not holding my breath. I wasn't impressed with the Interweave preview, but I hope it looks better once I get the magazine.

2005-12-02T09:17:00.000-05:00

Christmas knitting is almost finished. I started out with what I believed was a long list of items to complete, but either I'm knitting more quickly, or I've just been neglecting all sorts of things to knit. The latter is more likely.

It's gone so quickly that I've added a few more things to the list, quick knitted gifts for people who might not appreciate it as much. I still anticipate a push to get it all finished at the end, but we'll see. I'm most dreading the lace stole for my mom. It's not that it's terribly difficult, but I can only work at it for an hour or two at a time. I did get some great knitting in during Monday Night Football, because both my husband and I were tense that the Colts were playing a big game.

The lace is a 20-row repeat from Barbara Walker's first stitch collection. I've adopted the note cards method for this one, since I was both (a) too lazy to chart it out and (b) of the belief that a stole with no shaping really didn't need a chart. I wrote two rows on each note card, then punched a hole in the top left corner and joined them together with a binder ring. It's worked surprisingly well, and I'll probably use it on similar projects in the future.

Tomorrow, it's off to Karen's for a holiday knitting party!

2005-11-08T21:35:00.000-05:00

I received the third package from my Knitty Secret Pal 5 yesterday! I have no idea who she is, but she really knows what I like!

The package in all its glory

2 skeins of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino and 4 skeins of Debbie Bliss SoHo! The only question is what I'm going to do with this gorgeous yarn???

A pair of Lantern Moon ebony needles. My secret pal introduced these to me in the last package, and I love them! I'm waiting anxiously until they make circulars.

These photos really need no explanation, do they? She sent extra chocolate (really, tons!), because my husband rudely ate all the Cadbury chocolate (the real kind, not the stuff made by Hershey masquerading as Cadbury).

Three--count 'em--three Debbie Bliss pattern books! I can't wait to get started on some of the patterns in here! Now I just need more time and some adorable babies to knit for.

Thank you, Secret Pal, whoever you are! I'm looking forward to finding out who you are, so I can thank you properly! You have been so generous and kind, sending me so many beautiful things!

2005-11-02T12:34:00.000-05:00

Knitting and the Age Divide

I was reading The Knitting Curmudgeon's blog the other day, and she brought up an interesting point--maybe there's no real "age divide" between knitters. Maybe it's divided by interest or style instead. I think she's onto something.

This is a topic I'd been thinking about a week or so before Marilyn's post. I went to an NYC knitting store to knit with Karen. Sitting at the window were the regular Friday night knitters, all working on something from the latest Vogue Knitting. There were a few other people who seemed to have their own group going on, all knitting the latest trendy sweater or accessory. One even had the yarn to make that monstrosity on the cover of the latest VK. (If you like this design, we need to talk. Seriously.)

The point is, this is one of the two types of knitters you'll find in NYC. The trendy, hip knitters who are always making something that costs a fortune to make and will be out of fashion by next year.

The other type is essentially the same thing, but older. These are the people who have knitted the same garments since 1980 and never really venture into newer styles.

I always wonder where the "other" people are--those who are fairly adventurous in their knitting and like to hone their craft, but are also interested in adding new techniques and styles to their repertoire, so to speak. You find one or two at knitting groups, but too often it's the same people making the same set of legwarmers/shrug/fingerless mittens as everyone else. (Not to say that I have never made any of those, but still.)

In other news, I just found out on Sunday that one of my closest friends at work is probably leaving. This (along with various other issues that have cropped up in the last few months) has made me begin to think about going elsewhere, though it's nothing more than a thought at this point.

2005-11-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Two new books!

I received two knitting books from Amazon last week, and I digested them a bit over the weekend.

Handknit Holidays, by Melanie Falick
What a beautifully photographed book! This is one of those rare knitting books that is so well laid out that the designs look even better than they are. There are a few misses, such as the cover design and the poncho and matching dog sweater, but there are several projects of varying degrees of difficulty that I can see myself making. I've already bought the yarn for the vintage gloves (without the beading) and the gansey sweater, the first sweater I will knit for my husband. There are some very special designs in here, like Annie Modesitt's lace tablecloth and Teva Durham's aran tree skirt. Several of the designs are holiday-neutral, but there are a number of Christmas designs.

The Knitting Experience, Book 3: Color, by Sally Melville
Let me get this out of the way first: most of the designs in here are either not my style or just plain fugly. I doubt I will make more than one or two, if that. Don't let that turn you off, however. This book is easily worth its cover price. Melville is a great teacher and includes instruction for every kind of knitting using color that you can think of--intarsia, stranded (fair isle, though she steers clear of that term), knitting with handpainted yarns, and slip-stitch designs. What I like best, I think, is that she shows a number of methods for accomplishing the same goal. For example, she shows three different ways of holding the yarn for fair isle knitting--both in left hand, both in right hand, one in each hand. She also gives instructions for holding one strand around the neck. It seems that, too often, an author chooses one way of knitting as "correct," when we all know that there are as many ways to knit as there are knitters.

In other knitting news, I'm cranking away at the holiday list. Still working on a couple of items, but I did get a pair of felted clogs knitted up and ready to go. I think the lace scarf for my mother is going to be the project that comes down to the wire.

After more than a week, I haven't heard from the friend whose daughter received the lovely Samantha sweater. I'm not really sure how to take this; I even emailed to confirm that she received the package. Still nothing. I'm debating calling, but I don't want to sound desperate for gratitude. She used to be a fantastic person, but now I'm not so sure what's going on. At this point, it almost needs to be something serious (though I obviously don't want anything bad to happen to her or her family). It's strange that this bothers me much more than not getting a thank you for the throw I knitted for my cousin's wedding. If there's one time in your life you should send a thank you note, it's for your wedding. Oh, well, I'll stick to the registry from now on and only buy or knit for friends' kids when I know they'll at least acknowledge the thought.

I nearly forgot to add that my parents picked up the spinning wheel! The Schacht is sitting where the tree will be when it's put up around the first week of December. Mom's putting a big bow on it, and I'm going to get cranking while everyone else is opening their far inferior gifts. The store was closing out their fiber, too, so I got some nice tops for good prices. One is a mohair blend, and the other is a Corriedale, I think. I really wish I could have been there to see my dad in a yarn store!

2005-10-21T11:43:00.000-04:00

A spinning wheel!

Yes, my fiber obsessions will continue! Although I'm still producing something akin to a really bad novelty yarn on the drop spindles, I'm getting a spinning wheel for Christmas. And not just any spinning wheel--a Schacht Matchless Double Treadle! I am getting a fantastic deal on this wheel from a yarn store owner and spinner who is, sadly, closing out her wheel inventory. I was wavering a bit between this and an Ashford Traditional (double drive, double treadle), but I was convinced by a number of people that the Schacht was the way to go, even though it was $300 more. My Schacht will be missing a lazy kate, but I can buy that easily.

I visited The Yarn Tree in Brooklyn last night and met the lovely owner, Linda, who was kind enough to let me try out a Schacht and a Kromski Prelude. The Prelude's single treadle drove me nuts (or maybe it was because it was the first wheel I've ever actually tried), but the Schacht was lovely. If you are ever in the Williamsburg neighborhood, you must visit The Yarn Tree. It is a lovely shop, with more Koigu than you can handle! It also happens to be the only store in New York City that carries fiber and wheels. Go figure--dozens of yarn stores and no fiber!

2005-10-18T18:16:00.000-04:00

Ahhh....Rhinebeck!

I was lucky enough to hitch a ride to Rhinebeck with Karen and her mom on Saturday. If you've never been to the New York State Sheep and Wool Festival, you have no idea how many fiber-crazed people there are out there. (And I'm told the one in Maryland is even bigger!)

This is the kind of place that fuels your wildest fantasies of making that Dale fair isle madness out of your own handspun yarn sheared and processed from your own flock of sheep. After an hour, I was ready to quit my job, buy some sheep and alpacas (with a few cashmere goats and angora bunnies thrown in), and start my own fiber farm. It poses a bit of a problem because we live in an apartment with no yard, but the urge is still there.

I was extremely lucky to get out of there without having put down hard cash on a wheel. Wait, let me rephrase: my husband was extremely lucky I left without putting a downpayment on a wheel. Seriously. I bought a beautiful drop spindle from Grafton Fibers, which is fueling the fire until I get a wheel.

I also bought 2 skeins of yarn from Brooks Farm, which is much more beautiful in person than on their website. The colors, the sheen, the drape--all of it works on this yarn. I also bought 1000 yards of kid mohair from Mohair in Motion, a steal at $32. This is destined to be either Lily Chin's Reversible Rib Shawl (see Laura's pink confection here) or an Orenberg-type lace shawl. I'm open to suggestions. I also bought a skein of Blue Heron Socks that Rock in the Sedona colorway. About 1/3 of the skein has become a pair of baby booties that perfectly match a sweater I bought for the baby. (Yes, I know I should be ashamed, but the mother and I aren't that close--booties suffice.)

I also purchased something for my Knitty Secret Pal, the Traditional Knitted Lace Shawls book from Interweave, and blocking wires.

Quite a haul, huh?

Oh, and I got to meet the lovely Franklin and Joe, the latter as he was spinning on his very own Robin wheel for the first time.

2005-09-22T18:08:00.000-04:00

Ah, okay, so this blogging thing isn't working out so well. It's like when I was in high school and applying for a scholarship from a Lutheran organization that told me I hadn't represented myself well on paper. I'm not very good at self-promotion, even 8 years later!

I have still more photos of finished objects to post, but we'll get to that later. I also need to photograph and post a picture of my FANTASTIC Knitty Secret Pal 5 package. I have received 2 so far, and I really have an amazingly generous SP. I will post pics soon, promise.

In knitting news, I've been hit with a barrage of works in progress. First, there's Ruffles, from Scarf Style, which has been in my knitting basket since June, I think. Then there's a sock for my husband, the Lily Chin reversible rib shawl, a lace scarf for my mother, and an adorable little baby hat for a friend's daughter. Oh, and I started Cinxia, from the current Knitty. I'm hoping to finish in time to wear to Rhinebeck! Yes, you read that correctly--I'm going to Rhinebeck!

Oh, the Samantha sweater is finished, except for sewing on the buttons. I only have white thread, which is okay, but I'm having mixed feelings about it.

This Sunday is the Knitty cruise in NYC, where I'm going to go hang out with Maryann and Karen, along with many other Knitty and non-Knitty people. I'm bringing Cinxia to work on, unless I get enough finished that it's too big. Then it will be Ruffles.

Sometime I will post links, but not now!

2005-08-23T18:16:00.000-04:00

A parade of finished objects!

Here are various things I've finished since February. Enjoy!

2005-08-22T15:45:00.000-04:00

Moving is hell. I had moved once in my life before I was 18, and I don't remember much about that one. Since then, I moved to and from college each year, one year to and from Germany, then to Vermont, then to another apartment in Vermont, then to Brooklyn, and now to a new apartment in Brooklyn. Each time, I amass more stuff--I'm a packrat; it's in my genes. I've tried downsizing over the years, but sometimes I think it's more trouble than it's worth. I almost had a breakdown yesterday, though, with the giant piles of clothes to be sorted and put away. I told my husband I definitely have too many clothes (and shoes). I even got rid of a few. But not nearly enough. Someday, my the closet and I are going to have a reckoning, and it's not going to be pretty.

No knitting news. I'm still on the second sleeve of Samantha and should finish it this week. I'm hoping it's received better than the first cardigan I made for her. If it isn't, I am making a solemn vow not to knit more until the baby can appreciate them. No matter how much I love knitting for little girls! Really. Cross-my-heart-and-hope-to-die.

In other news: I have my new Knitty Secret Pal! I am shopping this weekend, if I can escape the unpacking!

A blog!

2005-08-18T18:00:00.000-04:00

After much hemming and hawing over it (and a failed attempt or two), I finally decided to create this. You see, I've been blog-stalking several knit-bloggers lately, and it just seemed like I should at least have something for them to comment on/ridicule. It's not like I need another time-waster, but there you go.

I've finally decided to participate in one of the Secret Pal exchanges on the Knitty Boards. So to my yet-unknown Secret Pal, a little info about me by way of the SP5 blog.

1. Are you a yarn snob (do you prefer high-end/natural fibers)? Do you avoid Red Heart and Lion Brand? Or is it all the same to you?

It's pretty much all the same to me. I prefer natural fibers, but acrylics really have their place, especially in blends. I tend to use a lot of mid-range stuff, like Cascade and Brown Sheep, but I love it all!

2. Do you spin? Crochet?

I just bought a drop spindle and fiber at this lovely little shop (Knit n Purl) in Knoxville, TN, but I haven't learned! If I like it, though, I'm definitely going to do more of it.
Crocheting and I have a love-hate relationship; it's really handy, but I don't get it. The yarn does NOT want to be in my left hand. (Sometimes I think my left hand belongs to another person, for all the use it actually gives me.)

3. Do you have any allergies? (smoke, pets, fibers, perfume, etc.)

I'm allergic to cats, much to my husband's dismay, and excessive perfume or smoke will really get to me.

4. How long have you been knitting?

Well, I taught myself when I was a teenager. I asked my mother to teach me, and her response was to shove a book, some needles, and some yarn in my face. She's a left-handed crocheter. *sigh* But I've been a "hard core" knitter since January.

5. Do you have an Amazon or other online wish list?

Nope.

6. What's your favorite scent? (for candles, bath products etc.)

I would say vanilla, probably. Or mulled wine/cider. Or something more herbal, like rosemary.

7. Do you have a sweet tooth?

Yes, much to my waistline's dismay.

8. What other crafts or Do-It-Yourself things do you like to do?

Cooking.

9. What kind of music do you like? Can your computer/stereo play MP3s? (if your buddy wants to make you a CD)

I like a bit of everything. My computer plays MP3s, and I have an iPod.

10. What's your favorite color? Or--do you have a color family/season/palette you prefer?

I love fall colors.

11. What is your family situation? Do you have any pets?

Married, no kids, no pets.

12. What are your life dreams? (really stretching it here, I know)

To knit all my stash, so my husband doesn't kill me (and I can buy MORE).

13. What is/are your favorite yarn/s to knit with?

I like just about everything, really, and always want to try new things. A few I like are Lamb's Pride, any silk/merino blends, and Knitpicks Shine. And I'm getting into handpainted yarns, although my budget isn't liking it!

14. What fibers do you absolutely *not* like?

I don't like the "squeaky" acrylics (like the normal Red Heart), but that's about all.

15. What is/are your current knitting obsession/s?

Lace and cables

16. What is/are your favorite item/s to knit?

I haven't really decided yet.

17. What are you knitting right now?

Samantha by Kate Gilbert
My So-Called Scarf
The Spiral/Ruffles Scarf from Scarf Style (which drives me nuts! Am I alone in this?)
Basic 2x2 rib socks for husband

18. What do you think about ponchos?

While I like some, they're generally overdone. And they make me look pregnant.

19. Do you prefer straight or circular needles?

Circulars.

20. Bamboo, aluminum, plastic?

I own all three and use each for different things, but I use my Denises most.

21. Are you a sock knitter?

Yes.

22. How did you learn to knit?

See above--book, needles, and yarn shoved into hands. The book turned out to be the Mon Tricot stitch dictionary, though, which I stole on my last visit home.

23. How old is your oldest UFO?

I think I started it in March. It's Angelina by White Lies Designs. The 2x2 rib killed me. Maybe I'll finish it this fall.....

24. What is your favorite animated character or a favorite animal/bird?

I don't really have one.

25. What is your favorite holiday?

I love them all, but my top 3 are Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

26. Is there anything that you collect?

Not really, but I'm a pack rat, so I guess I collect LOTS of stuff. :-)

27. Any projects you want to make but haven't gotten there yet?

I want to make a jacket like the one in the Fall 05 Vogue by Debbie Bliss. It's also similar to the
new ChicKnits design.
I want to make Baby Bobbi Bear for a friend's daughter.
Husband wants me to make Saranac for him.
I want to make more lace for me.