Thrifting July 4, 2008

I’m at home tonight, ignoring all the fireworks.  July 4th is my least favorite holiday - it involves picnics and sudden loud noises, two things which I don’t really enjoy (and yes, I know… everyone loves a picnic except me, but I have major bug phobia.)

Instead I have started the packing process (half our things are already packed away in storage, so it really isn’t too many boxes) and I’m still working on babette!

I still have lots of squares to go, and I’m starting to feel the need for another break… I don’t want to burn myself out.  I don’t think I ever before understood how long it takes to make a blanket, but you all have my respect now!  Maybe I will try working on Joy some more (I stopped because the denim was hurting my wrists and the pattern was hurting my brain… I wish more Rowan patterns had charts!)

Last weekend we visited Marc’s family, and we managed to hit some of the thrifts there.  For some reason they have better Goodwill stores there.  Ours, while cheaper, are always junky and overcrowded with poorly organized stuff.  I got some t-shirts for the upcoming home renovations (I always look for the strangest ones to get paint on) and I also found one of my favorite thrifted books ever.

It’s a sort of guidebook to being a wife, and while I suspect that even at the time of publication (1964)  it was outdated, I still think it’s super fun!  It has a whole chapter devoted to picking out furniture for your new home, and includes such admonitions as “make sure to get furniture large enough for your husband!”

The chapter on furniture arrangement helpfully shows you how to display way too many things over your sofa.

I think it’s funny that the random letters on the wall thing seems to have come back, and whose family didn’t have a giant key on the wall (mine did - and you could hang keys on it too!)  I seriously covet the sofa, even in a drawing.  Our sofa (see above) was reasonably priced, but it’s still too overstuffed for my taste.  Ah well - I had to get one large enough for my husband, right ladies?

The book has lists of things to outfit your kitchen, and a chapter on setting a nice table (tablescapes!)  It also contains a number of recipes, and the photos accompanying these are predictably bad, as they always are in these old books.  But the recipe below… even the nicest modern camera couldn’t make that look good.

Why yes… those are indeed brussles sprouts in a cranberry rice ring, why do you ask?

Still here! July 3, 2008

Yes, I am still here!  I’m even still knitting (well, crocheting) but I have been working almost exclusively on Babette.  I have finished 7 out of 10 sections.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t make for the most interesting photos, but I’m getting there!  It’s a good project for right now, because I find myself totally unable to focus on my other WIPs (I did finish the back of the Ocean Pearls Cardigan, but then I decided to take a break because I kept snagging the yarn.)

I really want to start the February Lady sweater, but I’m holding back until I finish something else.  Stress in my life always gives me startitis!

We close on the house next Friday (the 11th) so I’m in desperate packing/planning/list making mode.  The good news is that it looks like we have sold our condo, and for a better price than our first offer that fell through (contingent on the inspection, of course.)

I have made even more paint swatches, and I’m itching to stick them up in the house and live with them for awhile!  I also wanted to show a picture of our new (old) stove.

Sorry for the terrible photo, but it’s a Chambers stove (I usually tell people it’s like Rachael Ray’s stove and then they get it.)  It’s in working condition and needs only a few minor repairs - it belonged to Marc’s aunt and was cooked on every day up until a few months ago.  The finish is in great shape, and it’s obviously been very well cared for.  I have wanted one of these for a very long time (we had a retro stove like this at one point and I loved it,) so I’m happy to help keep it in the family!  It’s still in his Aunt’s house, so we will go up with a truck after we move in to pick it up (we will also be visiting the Cincinnati Ikea at that time… I have been making a list for that as well!)

Once we move in I will be able to show more.  My plan is to go room by room, starting with the parlor so that the piano can get moved in.   I’m so excited to get started!
And I promise… next post will contain actual photos of my WIPs!

Crochet Vacation June 19, 2008

Yesterday I got this lovely bag of yarn in the mail.

In love with its beautiful metalic sheen, I immedately swatched.

And before I knew it, I had begun another project.

This is the Ocean Pearls Cardigan from the new Interweave Crochet.  The yarn is Garnstudio Cotton Viscose, and I love it.  It does split like mad, but so long as you’re careful to use a pretty blunt hook (I’m using a 3.5mm Addi hook) it isn’t too bad.  The bobbles are fun.  I’m still not sure if the size I’m making is coming out correctly, but I should know pretty soon.  It’s nice to have a break from tiny needles after the Printed Silk cardi!

I have more exciting news… another offer came through on the house we are buying (not on our house, still no offers) so we had to go ahead and remove out contingency or else lose the house (not happening after how hard we looked!)… so we will be moving sooner than I thought - sometime within the next month!  Of course, carrying both properties at once is no fun, but we can afford it for a bit, and maybe our place will sell easier once it is vacant. I checked a huge stack of books about old houses out of the library tonight, and I’ve started making lists  - I love my lists for moving!

I’ve also started up on Babette again.  These are the squares I’ve crocheted since finding out about the house on Sunday, minus about a few that were hiding when I took the photo.  I’ve decided it will go in the guest room, where I hope it looks nice with dark lilac walls!  I’ve completed through section 6 now (out of 10) so I’m getting closer!  I can’t stitch any more together until I get my stored yarn back because I accidentally left the seaming yarn there, but I can complete squares!

Learning from your knitting June 13, 2008

It’s safe to say that I’m a product knitter - I make things because I want to wear them, and I am not satisfied without a steady stream of FOs.  Even so, I won’t choose a project that contains elements that I know will drive me crazy - no stockinette sweaters in fingering weight for instance (at least not until Marc gets me the knitting machine I’ve asked for!)  Sometimes though… sometimes the love of a sweater will outweigh a technique I don’t enjoy.  I did not know before I started the Printed Silk cardigan that I don’t enjoy making twisted stitches.  I should have guessed, since I also don’t enjoy lots of small cables in a garment, and since I failed utterly making a pair of socks with twisted stitches (firestarter socks.)  But I didn’t, and I have now resorted to bribing myself with a new sweater’s worth of yarn in order to get it finished.

It’s going to be beautiful when it’s finished, but I still have one more piece with twisted stitches and one sleeve in 1×1 rib to go.  I’m a little worried about running out of yarn, since I can’t find one of the balls I bought… I hope it didn’t go into storage with my wintery yarns!

The current sweater of my obsession is the February Lady Sweater by Flint Knits.  Love this, and not just because it’s green!

I’m not sure what I want to knit it in… definitely a semi-solid I think, doesn’t garter stitch look fabulous in a semi-solid?  I’m trying to reign in the yarn budget right now, with the possibility of us having to carry 2 mortgages for a few months if our condo doesn’t sell soon… but then again, if we don’t move soon I’m going to use up the yarn I have here and have to buy more.  I’m thinking of using DIC Classy, although I think it is pricey.  I also thought of malabrigo, but to be honest I want something more durable - my malabrigo sweater is awfully fuzzy looking. Any other suggestions?

This sweater also reminded me of another that I wanted to make.. the Millie Cardigan from Vintage Crochet. There are a few cute finished sweaters on Ravelry, and they helped to revive my interest in this swing cardigan, which is another grown-up version of the baby sweater.

I would use ribbon instead of the fabric strips here, and I would downsize it significantly (it’s a 38″ in the small.)  It calls for Cashmerino Aran, but I’m not feeling that.  There’s a beautiful one done in Rowan Purelife on Ravelry.  I’m thinking of using a similar DK weight yarn to help with the downsizing - perhaps Blue Sky Skinny cotton?  There’s a soft blue color that I have been dying to use for something.  If I stick with an aran weight yarn I will go with a wool because cotton would be too heavy.

Continuing on the crochet vein, I got the Summer Interweave Crochet in the mail yesterday.  I am very pleased with this issue, which is great because the last 2 issues left me cold and I was thinking of dropping my subscription. It just proves again my theory… I love my winter and fall knits magazines and my spring/summer crochet.  There are some great projects here, many with an emphasis on filet crochet, something I have been interested in trying out.

I love the tiny row of buttons on the camisole, and the front is adorable as well.  I also love this stole, which solves one of my recent questions (”Why are crochet shawls always knit with chunky yarn when crochet makes a chunkier fabric to start with?”)  This is knit with 2 skeins of Helen’s Lace, but I would sub something cheaper (maybe gloss lace… wouldn’t that be lovely here in the nice mermaidy blue color?)  Although the size of the thing is intimidating, I have no idea how fast filet would go.

The pattern I’m most likely to start soon is this lovely cardigan.

It’s not the best photo, and I don’t think it looks good over that shirt, so here is a link to the designer wearing the sweater on Ravelry.  Yes, it is again that loose tied cardigan shape, although this one is not swingy.  I love the bobbles.  I secretly love crocheted bobbles, as long as there aren’t too many.  I think this is adorable.  It’s crocheted in GGH Mystik, a DK weight cotton/viscose blend that I think it stupid pricey for what it is.  I’m considering subbing either Garnstudio Cotton Viscose or Elann Luna.  Does anyone have any comment on either of those yarns?  I’m sure they will be splitty, as apparently GGH Mystik is, but I really want to keep the shine and drape of the viscose, so I can deal.

I wear my cardigans so much more than my pullovers - that’s why I make so many cardis.  I love to wear layers!

We had a showing this morning at 9 am, so I took Marc to work and brought Leon along for a ride.  Poor kitty… after being in the carrier at least once a day for 2 weeks he’s starting to look at me with deep suspicion.

He spends most of his time on the mantle, which for once is clear of stuff.  Perhaps he feels that he has a better chance of seeing me coming with the cage.  I had to take this photo because I thought he was so sweet with his tail hanging down!

And… moving on. April 4, 2008

Having achieved my goal of finishing Green Gable before leaving town, I must now turn my attention to a more pressing problem… what projects to take with me on my trip! My only WIPs are Babette, which isn’t portable, and a pair of plain socks, which I will probably take but which aren’t exciting.

Last night I cast on for the Clementine Shawlette from the Spring 2006 IK.

The yarn is some RYC Silk Wool DK that I have had in my stash for ages and ages. I love the way it looks, but I’m considering starting over using 1 needle size larger. Can someone who has made this shawl tell me if it will relax a lot on blocking? Right now it’s kind of bubbly, and I want a nice drapey shawl. The yarn is nice, although not nearly as nice as you might expect for the price (I got it on clearance, but I would not pay full price… for the same price Louisa Hardings’ Grace is so much nicer.) But I do love the color, a sort of aqua that I’m really into this spring.

I’m also looking for a new crochet project. Babette isn’t portable, as I said, and Joy is on hiatus until I can get the seaming to behave nicely. I found this pattern for a centerpiece called Jameson, free from Berroco.

It’s made using self striping sock yarn, and I like the idea although I don’t care for the color they used. But I think it could be fab using this Noro Kureyon Sock, which I have decided I don’t want to make into socks. So I’ll give it a try, and probably make it a bit larger as well.

Finally, I want a new sweater project. What’s that you say? I don’t need 4 projects with me on vacation? But what if I get bored with all the others? No, it’s very important that I have lots and lots of options, and possibly get yarn for another project while I’m away. Yes, I know I’m crazy, but at least I know myself!

I have a few options that I’m thinking about:

1. Something Red 2. Coraline (I also have teal silky wool) 3. Bianca’s Jacket

And what’s especially sad is that these aren’t the only knits I’m considering! I have too many choices… but I would rather like to make a cardigan, so that does narrow it down a little. Maybe the last two are too wintery? They aren’t super heavy yarns though. Really, I’m just not sure what to start next. Any opinions?

Babette Progress March 27, 2008

Sections 1-4 of Babette are completed and sewn together! I’m very pleased with the color combo, I even don’t mind the orange so much (although I’m using it sparingly.)  It really hasn’t taken too much time to get to this point (except for that 12 round square… ugh, it took forever!)  Of course, each section gets larger, so I still have lots of crocheting to do.  I did not block the squares individually, but I did block each section once it was sewn together.  Since I’m combining Cascade 220 with the heathers, which are thinner than regular 220, the squares are not all exactly the same size.  That’s ok though, because one of the things I love about this blanket is how impefect and sort of folk arty the squares look together.  I’ve seen some blankets that were perfectly blocked, and while those are nice too I think I prefer my way.

It took a little over an hour to seam these squares together.  I used a whip stitch, and I’m happy with how it looks, and with how flat the seam is.  I’m weaving in ends as I go, because I would go insane if I kept it all to the end!

Tonight I’m going to put in a good amount of time on the Shetland Triangle.  I love the lace in the thick yarn - I’ve already set aside my Manos silk blend (dk weight) to make  Swallowtail shawl with soon!

Shawl love March 26, 2008

Prior to the beginning of my knitting career, I’m pretty sure the last time I wore any sort of a shawl type thing was the mint green and white marled poncho my great grandma made me when I was 6.  I wore the heck out of that thing, along with the pink rhinestoned cowboy boots my Mom bought me (in my mind they matched) but after that I pretty much ignored shawls.  I didn’t even wear scarves very often, determined as I was to overturn the stereotype of the professional singer who is always swathed in scarves to protect her instrument.

Really, I can’t imagine what I was thinking.  Nothing beats a fancy shawl or scarf for drama, and nothing is better that knitting this one.

This is 4 repeats of the Shetland Triangle shawl.  The yarn is every bit as lovely and soft as it looks here.  They may be expensive, but I’m just about to the point of thinking Handmaiden yarns are worth the price - everything stitch of this yarn (Silk maiden) is a joy. The pattern is super easy to memorize, meaning this is a shawl that even makes good tv knitting!

Closeup of the lovely leaves.  I am so happy knitting this!

I haven’t worked on Joy anymore, but the Babette blanket is coming along - I’ve finished the first two sections, so next I will go ahead and seam those up.

I’m happily planning my Chicago trip.  This is my second trip this year, and we will likely go again (I want to go to Stitches Midwest this year.)  This time we will also be going to Wisconsin to visit one of Marc’s best friends who is in a monastary there (yes, he is becoming a monk.)  We’re staying downtown, since Marc’s training is there, and that makes me happy since I can wander on my own quite happily in the middle of a city.  Since I’m currently obsessed… are there any Chicago stores that sell Handmaiden yarns?  No one in my city does, and I’d love to see some in person, and maybe be able to get some Sea Silk to make Tuscany.

Speaking of yarn, Knitpicks has put up their new spring colors/yarns at last!  I ordered Comfy, their new cotton/acrylic blend in Pomegranate (red) to make Currer from Norah Gaughan Vol. II… or at least that’s the plan, although I don’t trust the design enough to make it before I see a completed one modeled.  I also got enough shine sport in a pretty new green (sycamore) to make the Printed Silk Cardigan.  I know I can’t get gauge with Shine Sport, but I would have to make the sweater smaller anyway, because a 34 is going to be big on me… and shine sport is one of my all time favorite yarns.  I threw in some Shine Worsted to make the Lutea shell from last summer’s IK as well.  I have used Shine worsted before and was underwhelmed, but that was because I chose poorly - I was making Something red out of it, and the yarn was too drapey.  I think it will be nice for a shell, and not so heavy without sleeves.

I’ve been planning my summer/summer knits happily - I think this may be the summer of shawls and sleeveless sweaters.  I’m also, curiously, interested in revisiting some patterns I made before.  I have been wanting to make Rusted Root again forever - I made a poor substitution there, and it was my first sweater, and it’s too big.  I got some Cotton Fleece in Sedona Red (yes, the color in the pattern, what of it?) so that I can finally have one exactly the way I wanted.  I’m also going to try Something Red again, this time in the recommended Blue Sky Cotton (in Pickle, not in red.)  I made a tank with this last year and hated it, but again I think the yarn wasn’t great for that purpose - it was thick with no drape.  In other words - pretty much things that are ok in a cardigan.

My Ravelry queue is now 7 pages long. Admittedly, at least half is socks, but still… 7 pages! Thank goodness I knit quickly!

Thanks for all the nice comments on my Flutter Sleeve cardigan - it should be warm enough to wear it this weekend! Sarah Jane thanks you all for the compliments on her as well. She has a clean bill of health, so we are now trying to introduce her to the other cats. I won’t say it’s going great - lots of hissing and growling, but no fights, so it could be worse. Right now, when she’s out of “her” room she wants to be in the room I’m in, and she follows me around. She gets into the room, and then stares at the other cats until they run off… poor kitties. It’s sad, but also funny because Leon is 3 times her size and yet he’s a little afraid! It does seem to be getting better - hey, they don’t have to be friends, all I ask is that they ignore each other! Let me know if anyone has any advice to make the transition easier - we’ve followed most of the advice I found online for introducing a new cat, and it is going better than the last time I tried this with them. Mostly I need a way to get Sarah Jane to relax a little around them, but I know it will take time - her time on the streets made her wary of other cats, even though she still loves people to death.

On fire! March 19, 2008

Thanks to a bit of a throat infection, I’m staying home.  I stayed at home yesterday too, except for an outing to an unavoidable rehearsal.  I’m hoping to make it through holy week with my voice intact, so while I know most people would ignore a little infection, I’m super paranoid.  The result of my super paranoia?  A whole ton of knitting time!  I’m finished with the back of the flutter sleeved cardigan, and I’m 3/4 of the way through the first front.  I love this pattern - the use of short rows for shaping on the fronts is so clever and pretty.  I really hope it looks good on me!

 

After my period of knitting ennui, I’m really thrilled to have found some exciting projects once again.  After I finish this sweater I will finish up Joy.  Thanks for the advice on the seaming - I’m going to try your suggestions and see what I like the best for the armholes.

I’ve got the yarn all wound up for the Shetland Triangle shawl, but I’m waiting until I finish a thing or two before I start - I don’t want my attention to get too fragmented.  Even so, here is yet another photo of the yarn (I can’t help it, I’m so in love!)

It’s looking likely that we’re going to be in Chicago during my spring break (we follow the public school schedule.)  Marc has a training seminar for his new job, and I want to get out of town after the Easter stress - after all, with Easter being so early this year I haven’t really had a break since sometime last fall.  I have no idea what we will do there (or more specifically, what I will do while he is training) but it’s always nice to travel I think - I really wish my job allowed for more opportunities to travel, but if I miss any weekends I have to hire substitutes for myself, which is sometimes more trouble that it’s worth. 

I was hoping we would be settled in a house by now, so that we could plan an international trip, but that will have to wait until later I suppose.

I hope you’re all having luck with your needles and hooks this week!

Oopsie March 16, 2008

I always feel a little sad when I don’t have a sweater on the needles.  To combat this, I decided to cast on for the flutter sleeved cardigan from the current Interweave.  I’m using O-Wool Balance in Lapis.

Shortly after I took the photo I measured the sweater, and found that although I am making up my own size 32 sweater (I’m sorry, 36 is not a small) it was coming out too large.  I was frustrated because I swatched.  I always swatch, yet I have been plagued by gauge problems lately.  I was using size 6 needles, so I went down to 5s and swatched… and the gauge was dead on.  Then I started thinking… you know my ill fated hexacomb cardi, the first one where I blamed the pattern for my gauge problems?  It was swatched at the same time as this yarn a few weeks ago, both on size “6″ needles.  Um… I went back and checked on a few other yarns, and those weren’t size 6 needles I swatched on.  They were 5s.  Oopsie.  Actually, it’s quite a relief to realize that I haven’t miraculously started knitting tighter lately.  I was getting really discouraged about my inability to get sweaters started well, but now it’s all better!

I’ve cast on again using smaller needles, and all is well.  The O-wool balance knits up beautifully, but be forewarned that it contains a ton of vegetable matter.  We’re talking almost Noro level here.  I don’t mind so much, but it’s something to realize.

I have a photo of joy, over 50% complete!  I only have 1 front and one of those tiny sleeves remaining. 

The pattern has been nice in general.  I don’t like the way the collar is coming out, and I’m not sure about my seaming… I left the ends out so I can take this apart and try again.  I used whip stitch for the body, and that worked great (this is what my comfi cardi called for, and unlike in knitted pieces the whip stitching is invisible.)  I used mattress stitch for the shoulder and sleeve, but I’m not thrilled with is.  The pattern recommends back stitch, which I don’t know how to do, but I may try to learn in oder to fix it.  Does anyone have a suggestion?   I think this will be a cute sweater when it’s done!

I’ve been in kind of a funk lately… Marc was gone all week to a conference, though he’s back now, and we’re almost to Easter, so I won’t have any days off for a week.  Last year I played all the Easter masses, but this year I will sing them.  That means I won’t have to save my wrists for all the extra work, so I’ll be able to get in some good stress knitting!

What next? March 11, 2008

Sometimes I have a really hard time deciding on a project.  Right now I’m working on Joy and Babette, but I need a knit project too… crochet is much harder on my hands, and I do much better if I switch back and forth between the two crafts.  The problem is that neither I nor the weather can decide what season it is.  Plus, although I have tried to start several sweaters (the two I recently showed here) I have been blocked by my mind’s refusal to let me do lots of stockinette.  It’s funny, because I usually love stockinette, but I think I’m being haunted by my last two unfinished sweaters.  I need a break.  So I’ve decided to try something new… my first real lace project!

 

The yarn is Kürbis in the dark colorway by Wollmeise.  The color is closer in the 2nd photo.  Kürbis means pumpkin (I think) but this yarn is closer to the color of flames.  It’s so beautiful, and I’ve been stymied by what to use it for since I bought it - too pretty for socks, but what else to make?  I’m going to make the Shetland Triangle shawl (thanks to the several commenters who suggested it for me!)  Above is a copy I made at the library of the pattern, but I’m going to go this afternoon and buy the book - this will be the 2nd pattern I have made from Wrap Style, and my personal rule is that if I make more than one I have to buy the book, rather than using the library.  Plus, I think I might like to make a few of the other designs, so it will be good to own!  While I’m there I’m going to pick up Mason Dixon too, as I’m planning to make a piano bench cover of my own.

Wish me luck as I attempt my first all lace pattern since I made branching out in 2006!

I have also finished the back and 1 sleeve on Joy, and it’s moving along nicely.  The bodice pattern is a little mind numbing, but I think it should fit.  The sleeves are tiny, but they seem to fit around my arms!  Hopefully this one isn’t going to drag on forever.